BWCAW 2015

Dorcas and I have survived another adventure in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (our 17th trip to the BWCAW since we met in 1997).  We put in at Isabella Lake on August 27 and took out at the South Kawishiwi River Campground on SR 1 on September 9, a 14 day trip.  In most past years we have traveled with our friends Wayne and Lynda.  This year Dorcas and I were on our own.   Our plan was to have a leisurely trip with short paddle days and many layover camps.  We succeeded in our plan.  We made a total of 8 camps and traveled a total of only about 34 miles.

Dorcas on the portage to Isabella Lake, through the burn

When we arrived at Isabella Lake we discovered that the area had experienced an extensive burn in 2011.  Most of the mature trees were charred and dead, but still standing, but there was also healthy new growth as the forest was recovering.  Furthermore, there was a sign at the put-in saying many campsites were closed (without specifying which ones) and that there was a $5000 fine to camp in a closed site.  CRAP!  What does that mean?  Will we be able to find campsites?  No one had told us about the burn and the closed camp sites while planning our trip and acquiring our permit.  If we had been aware of the burn we likely would have chosen a different route.  But we were now committed, so we made the best of it.

The Isabella River in the burn area

Before putting in we did something we had never done before: we weighed all our gear.  We carry way too much junk, and I wasn't sure I really wanted to see the numbers, but Dorcas was insistent.  So .... here are the sad results:

Duluth food pack:  81.34 lbs.    
Duluth pack basket:  56.37 lbs.
Big dry bag:  46.34 lbs.
Net bag (without drinks):  22.00 lbs.
Myron's thwart/dry bag:  11.55 lbs.
Dorcas' thwart bag:  5.16 lbs.
Tackle bag:  6.61 lbs.
Boat:  63.05 lbs.

Man, what a load!!!   Here are a few observations:

We didn't actually carry 81 lbs of food.  The empty food pack, which consists of a large heavy canvas bag and includes a stainless steel liner box, weighs over 17 lbs.  Also, we had to feed Matilda, so her food and treats added over 7 lbs.  While 81 lbs is a burden, it did get a little lighter after every meal.

The big surprise was the weight of the boat and the net bag.  Our hull is made of carbon fiber and Kevlar, a very tough and light material, and originally weighed 53 lbs.  Over the years I have attached things to the boat that have apparently increased its weight by 10 lbs. Additions include: Kevlar skid plates, end lines, 2 fishing rod holders (stainless steel), additional thwart to mount the bow rod holder, a spare paddle and a spare fishing rod,  Additionally, the bottom has been re-surfaced twice and dings have been filled, all adding mass to the hull.  When portaging I wear the net bag when I carry the boat which means I carry a load totaling 85 lbs across the first leg of the portage.  Then I carry the 81 lb food pack across the second trip across the portage.  No wonder I dread the portages!

For a description of our equipment and methods, click here.

The Isabella River past the burn area

Our route for the trip was indefinite.  We had options as to where we were to take out.  Option 1 was to turn around and backtrack to Isabella Lake, where our car was parked.  Option 2 was to continue westward and take out at the South Kawishiwi River Campground.  Option 3 was to zig north and to Lake One, another popular entry point.  Options 2 and 3 would mean we would arrive with no mode of transport back to our car, a worrisome prospect. Eventually we chose Option 2.  That route was easier than Option 3,  and we would come out much closer to our car.

Matilda says "What are we waiting for Daddy?"

We found a nice camp site on Isabella Lake and stayed over for our first 2 nights in order to lighten our food load before doing any portages.  Then we headed westward down the Isabella River.

A pair of Tundra swans on the wing

Even with the burn, the Isabella is a very pretty river.  Shortly after we passed the confluence with the Little Isabella River we left the burn area.

A gorgeous sunset

The weather was nice for our trip.  Most days the high temperature was 75-80 degrees and lows were in the 50s.  A few mornings we saw lows near 45 degrees.  In the second week of the trip a front came through, and we had strong thunderstorms 4 nights in a row.  Thankfully, they all hit after we had retired to the tent.

A few live trees in the burn at our camp

Normally we would paddle around and fish a bit on our layover days, but most days it was rather windy, and we just didn't feel like fighting it.  We lounged around camp and did a lot of reading.  Dorcas enjoyed some serious hammock time.  Sticking to our leisurely trip plan...

A tricky portage landing

The portages on this route were generally easy.  None were steep and and most had smooth paths and easy landings.

Wildlife on the rain tarp

Surprisingly, we had cellular and Internet service for much of the trip, particularly on Bald Eagle Lake and Gabbro Lake.  I had carried my iPhone, primarily to take notes for the trip.  I was astonished to see we had 3G service.  Having phone and Internet service on this kind of a trip is a mixed bag.  It diminishes the wilderness experience and the sense of isolation.  On the other hand it sure is nice to get a current weather forecast.

Dorcas loves her hammock

There were very few paddlers on the Isabella River.  During our 4 days on the river we only saw one other boat.

The Isabella is truly a pretty river

A 6 1/2 pound Northern pike.  More than we could eat.

FISH FRY!!!

An approaching storm

More swans on the wing

Another fine sunset

Some of our excessive gear

A room with a view

A clear blue day on the lake

Ducks on the pond at sunset

A rare sighting of a stand up paddle board:  A unique way to travel in the BWCAW

A rare double hearth fire grate

Dorcas and Matilda lounging at camp

My two favorite people

A classic beaver lodge

This is why there are portages on slow-moving rivers

A Hairy woodpecker ... I think

Red squirrels, chipmunks and mice are a given at camps and usually are quite bold.  Matilda loves the squirrels.

Our route

Our last day turned out to be the hardest.  From our last camp to the South Kawishiwi River Campground was only a little over 6 miles.  But there were 4 portages with difficult landings and rocky and muddy paths.  Then for about the last 3 miles we fought a strong headwind with white caps on the water.  It was a relief when we finally arrived at the take out.

The final portage

Our next chore was to walk the campground loop looking for a sympathetic camper with a canoe who would drive me back to our car.  During our first loop through the campground we saw about 4 occupied sites, but no cars and no campers.  CRAP!  We had cell service and could call an outfitter in Ely to carry us to our car, but that would take hours and cost a bundle.  While pondering our options we met a couple of ladies walking back from the river with their dogs.  They were camped here and were very willing to take me to the car.  Back at the put-in I found the car to be safe and sound after its 2-week rest, always a relief.  I drove back to our take-out and collected Dorcas, Matilda and our gear.  We then drove back to Fall Lake Campground where the motor home was parked and checked into Site #6.

We spent the next 2 days drying and packing away our gear.  On Saturday we head north and will cross the Canadian border, perhaps spending the night near Thunder Bay ON.

Bon voyage, eh?

Ely MN

We left Eau Galle Lake on Sunday morning and headed for Minnesota. 

We love Minnesota

I love Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, but there is no Red Robin restaurant near where we live, either in NC or FL.  Dorcas and I each have Red Robin loyalty cards that offered a $3.00 discount and that expired this day.  A Red Robin in St. Paul was directly on our route, 100 yards from the interstate, and we would pass there at lunch time.  It was fate.

We pass thorough Minnesota every year in the fall.  We always stop at Precision Frame & Alignment in Elk River for coach maintenance.  Dick Lorntson, the owner, is well known in the RV community for his knowledge of tires, suspension, shocks, handling and alignment.  In addition to an inspection of the whole suspension system we got a lube job, solved an air leveling problem and installed a new air dryer cartridge.  Dick offers free parking with 50A service for his customers.  We spent Sunday and Monday night there.  In our off time we did some shopping and went to a movie "Rikki and the Flash", which featured some good rock and roll.

PF&A RV Resort

We left Elk River about 10:00 am on Tuesday.  There was a severe thunderstorm approaching which  was forecast to hit the area about noon.  If we headed north quickly, we would would likely miss it entirely.  We struck out for Ely and did, indeed miss the storm.  We arrived in Ely about 5 hours later and checked in at Fall Lake Campground, a unit of Superior National Forest.  While we did miss the storm, we still experienced a strong cold front that produced rain and low temperatures.  During our 9 night stay at Fall Lake it rained almost every day and the lows were generally in the forties.  BRRR!!!

Cheap diesel?

As long as we have been driving a diesel coach, the price for diesel has typically run 20-30% above the price of gasoline.  Not so on this trip. However, less than a week after this photo was taken the price of gasoline had dropped to $2.499 in Ely.  The price of diesel hasn't changed.  Go figure.

Matilda showing off her balancing skills on the shores of Fall Lake

A Franklin ground squirrel.  Pretty common at Fall Lake.

Homeless Schnauzer at the Ely Public Library

Those crazy Minnesotans will paddle ANYTHING!

WELY broadcasts the news and plays the tunes in the North Country

Matilda looking for a ground squirrel or other critter.  Matilda loves culverts.

Ely is canoe country.  Fall Lake CG is canoe country.

Why did the grouse cross the road?  To show the possum it could be done (or more likely the porcupine, in the North Woods)

On Wednesday the 26th the weather improved, with sunny skies and 70 degree temperatures.  The forecast suggests fine weather when we put in for the Boundary Waters on Thursday August 27.  This year our friends Wayne and Lynda are not with us, so Dorcas and I are traveling on our own.  We will put in at Lake Isabella, about 45 miles south of Fall Lake.  Our route is undetermined; we may loop back to our put-in, or we may take-out at SR 1 on the South Kawishiwi River, and hitch a ride back to the car.

We will take out on Wednesday September 9 and, during that time, there will be no updates to this journal.  For those who want a Boundary Waters fix, you can read these two past posts:

This post is from our trip in 2011, the only other time we went in alone.  Click here. 

This post explains our methods and techniques for traveling in the Boundary Waters.  Click here.

Remember the Photo of the Week Sweepstakes where the Amish buggy is in the fuel lane? The winners are Bob and Lynn, who say "The Amish want to try and increase their horsepower".  Bob and Lynn, your prize s in the mail.

See you in a few weeks.

Eau Galle Lake WI

On Friday morning we departed Blackhawk Park, a COE park and headed north to Eau Galle Lake, another COE park.  The parks were very different;  Blackhawk Park has large open sites and is on a big river, while Eau Galle Lake has a much smaller number of tight wooded sites and is on a rather small lake.  The good news is we were able to secure reservations at the park for Friday and Saturday night, on fairly short notice.  The bad news is they were 2 different sites at the park, meaning we would have to move after our first night.  While still located in Wisconsin, the park is very close to the Twin Cities and seems to be very popular for those from Minnesota.  Using our federal Seniors Pass, sites are only $10 per night.

The obligatory location sign

When we arrived, we asked if there was any way we could park in one single site for both nights.  We pretty much knew the answer before we asked.  The park was full.  We were happy just to have a pleasant place to stay, one that was also very close to our next destination.

Camp 1 at Eau Galle Lake

We didn't really unpack on Friday afternoon; we knew we would be moving the next morning.  We did put the slides out and then relaxed.  We explored the campground and discovered that, while we could see the lake from the campground ridge, you couldn't get there from here.  There was no trail to the lake from the campground, and it was about a 15 mile drive to the lake, which we could see less than a mile below us.

About 11:00 on Saturday morning the folks on site #10, our reserved site for Saturday night, checked out. We moved about 75 yards up the hill and parked for our 2nd and final night at Highland Ridge CG.  It turns out this site was much nicer than our previous site.  It was larger, more open and more level.  Also it was at the top of the hill, and we were able to pick up about 40 TV stations from the Twin Cities transmitters, 45 miles away.  At site #4 we could receive no over-the-air stations.  We could not get satellite reception at either site, due to the heavy tree cover.  I carry a portable DirecTV dish, but decided it was not worth setting up for just a few hours of viewing.  On Friday night we did miss the network news, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.  Dang.

View of the top of the dam

After moving camp on Saturday, we drove to Spring Valley and explored the area around Eau Galle Lake and dam.  I had a hard time understanding why the US Army Corps of Engineers even built the Eau Galle dam.  It impounds the Eau Galle River, which had an extremely low flow on this day.  The information said the dam was built to prevent flooding in Spring Valley, immediately below the dam.  The dam towers 70 feet above the lake surface.  A local told me the lake had never risen more than 10 feet since the dam was built.  If the lake level rose to the height of the dam, it would flood hundreds of square miles of homes and farms upstream and likely result in a more serious flood than if the dam was not there.  I think the USA COE went a little overboard on this one.  They did, however, build a very nice and popular recreation destination.

A pretty lake

 I wondered where they got all the stone for the massive dam structure.  When we drove to the main recreation area we passed through this cut and the answer was revealed.

The "Cut"

Photo of the Week

You can buy anything at the Sam's Club in La Crosse Wisconsin!

Unfortunately, we didn't have room in the storage bay for this purchase.  Besides, Dorcas wouldn't let me.

Photo of the Week and Sweepstakes

While pumping diesel in Osseo in western Wisconsin we saw this.   What????

Enter the "What's the Amish buggy doing in the gasoline lane?  Sweepstakes."  Post your answers in the comments section at the bottom of this post by 8:00 pm EDT on August 26.  The best answer will win a free lifetime subscription to "The Adventures of Myron and Dorcas".  The decision of the judges is final.

What's an Amish buggy doing at the gas pump?  Check back and find out.

Paddling on the "Mighty Miss"

We couldn't camp on the banks of the Mississippi for five nights without putting the boat into the big water.  Today was our last full day here, so today was the day.  We put in at a picnic area a few hundred yards from our campsite.  We headed down stream and then turned north between Battle Island and a smaller unnamed island.  After a mile or so we turned left and headed for the west bank, which was in Iowa.  There we beached for a break and a snack.  We continued southward across the mouth of the Upper Iowa River.  We then crossed back across the main river channel, passed the southern tip of Battle Island and returned to our put in.

It was a pleasant and uneventful trip.  We are not particularly fond of big water.  The wind was predominately moderate, perhaps 6 mph, but we experienced some gusts up to about 20 mph.  No big boats came up the river, but there were about a half dozen power boats that gave us a wide berth.

We paddled only a little over 3 miles.   It was a good day on the river.

Paddling by Battle Island

The view upstream

Big water

Apparently the Mississippi River is a designated canoe trail, at least in Iowa

Our put-in and take-out at Blackhawk Park

Our route