We did it, we canoed in the Boundary Waters!!
Minnesota will forever be a magical place for me. I only spent 6 days there but I’m already scheming to get back. About 2 years ago we got the idea to visit the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Thousands of lakes only navigable by canoe in the remote wilderness of Superior National Forest in Northeastern Minnesota.
We secured our permit on opening day of permit season in February and ventured into the woods on August 6th. We drove the Gunflint Trail 90 minutes outside Grand Marais, the closest town to our entry point.
“This is not a death march”
Since our own canoe is about 90lbs we rented a Kevlar one at Tuscarora Canoe Outfitters. A 40 something pound canoe is much easier to carry through the woods than an 80 something pounder! The guys at Tuscarora gave us great advice. They pointed out the trickiest hikes and their final piece of advice was “this is not a death march, it’s vacation.” Then we set off with a map in our hands.
We canoed 16 lakes and hiked 16 portages between each. Each portage meant emptying the canoe, loading gear on our backs, leashing up Rigby, putting the canoe on my shoulders, and finding the next lake.
Prepping for portages
Portages are trails that link access points to the lakes or bring you around hazards like unnavigable rapids or narrow/shallow creeks. You’re not wandering aimlessly through the woods. They are marked on the maps and most portages have rocks or a clearing that helps you identify them as you get close. Some of the trails are clear and flat while others have standing water or mud above your ankles. There are portages to get you over hills so you may hike up then down. “Rock gardens” have boulders you’ll need to climb over and other paths are peppered with roots and large rocks that make it tricky to find your footing.
The mud is pretty gross at first but you get used to it. Our portaging shoes are water sandals(I wear the Keen Newport Hydro) that we wear with Smartwool socks. I HIGHLY recommend this method. The water sandal allows water and mud to go through it. You never have to worry about losing a boot in the mud. Wool socks keep your foot protected from rocks and twigs that poke you. Everything rinses pretty clean with just a splash of water. Since it’s summer the sandal also gives your feet a chance to breath. We exited and entered the canoe “wet footed.” This means you exit when the canoe is in about 18 inches of water minimum. You plunk your legs over the side right into the water and empty gear by throwing it ashore. Again I highly recommend water sandals and wool socks.
The gear
Tony’s pack is heavy so he has some balancing acts to perform to stay upright while walking Rigby. Dogs must be on leash at all times on portages. I’ve also got balance challenges. The canoe is 17 feet long. Going uphill with your head inside the canoe doesn’t give you a great view. Climbing rock walls presents obvious challenges and going downhill means a lot of potentially bumping of the back of the canoe on the ground so keeping the stern up requires tipping the boat forward a bit while you go downward.
Tony’s pack holds 80lbs of gear including all of our food for 4 days, Rigby’s backpack has around 4lbs of her gear, and I have about 35lbs of gear plus the 40+ lb canoe that will rest on my shoulders.
You’ll notice there’s no cooler in our gear. All of our water is from the lakes and goes through a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. We ate only dehydrated food we made at home (shout out to our friend Karol for letting us borrow her dehydrator! Dehydrated food recipes are coming to Canoe52.com soon!). We boil it with lake water for meals or graze on trail mix and veggie chips for lunch. Narrowing gear down to the essentials is key and having a few emergency items in case something unexpected happens.
Day 1
Day one begins at the Cross Bay entry point (#50) and includes six portages. The first canoeists we pass are exiting out off Rib Lake, we’re heading in the opposite direction. They are friendly and we all wish each other well.
Next we run into two women at the other end of the portage. One of them is navigating the Boundary Waters for the 11th time. They give us some advice about finding the portage at the other end of Rib Lake. They let us know Rib Lake’s portage into Lower George is hidden by reeds and tall grasses. Listening for the rapids is a good tactic for finding your way.
By early evening we settle into a site on an island facing East on Long Island Lake. Island campsites make us more comfortable with letting Rigby off leash. She’s always great about staying close, but if she does wander a bit you know she’s not going too far.
Dehydrated mushroom zucchini farro risotto is on the menu. Whiskey and lemonade round out the night. It’s lights out just after sunset, knowing day 2 will be our toughest day of them all. Our first day was a big one. Six portages and about seven miles of paddling.
Day 2
We awaken to the sound of rain pouring down on the tent. I jump out of the tent in my rain gear to filter water and make breakfast. Tony wraps up everything inside the tent.
As the sky cleared we load up the canoe and set out. We had been warned about the first portage of the day. One of the guys at Tuscarora said reports had come back that the portage path was almost knee deep with water. We can confirm that it’s flooded with water. The water ran towards us about mid-calf deep. The path underneath is made up of boulders, roots, and mud so it is already tricky. Now add rushing water. To make the situation more challenging the sky decided it had more rain to offer and opened up. We take shelter from the heavy downpour under the canoe for about 15 minutes laughing and repeating “can you believe this?” to each other.
The rain stops, we move on. At the top of the portage we find a beaver dam. We boost the canoe and ourselves over the dam. Next up is a brief paddle through a shallow marshy area.
The big kahuna
After padding Muskeg Lake we reach the big kahuna, a 185 rod portage. (You measure portages in rods, which equal 16.5 feet each rod…so to do the math for you, this portage is just over half a mile.) Summon up your courage for this one! To get us off on the right foot, Rigby’s not so graceful dismount from the canoe lands her underwater. Soaked to the core, but not injured, she shook it off and marched to the path.
A day of treacherous portages
Multiple areas of this portage are rocky climbs. It’s treacherous. This is what the Boundary Waters throw at you! I needed 3 breaks along to path. When we reached a section of about 20 rods that looks like a steep staircase of rocks I put down the canoe and we scouted the climb. We dropped gear off at the top and Tony volunteered to go back down and grab the canoe. Rigby and I waited at the top. I took over canoe carrying duties from there and we continued on. Half a mile never felt so long.
Kiskadinna is no breeze. The entrance to the portage is a 10 to 12 foot almost vertical cliff. There are rocks to climb up along the cliff but the footing is pretty terrible, especially with a 17ft canoe over you. After five minutes of debating how I could do it myself I called for Tony’s help. With the canoe still on my shoulders, he grabs the bow (front) of the boat to both guide it upward and relieve some of the weight so I can use one hand to steady and hoist myself up. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Once we reach Omega Lake we dip into our lunch snacks and begin to feel the sting of flies. Biting flies LOVE mud covered feet! As we paddle down the lake we take turns dipping out feet into the water, rinsing the mud off our socks and shoes. At the end of the lake we find an island camp and settle in before sunset.
The sky shows off shades of intense yellow, orange, periwinkle and lavender as the sun goes to sleep for the night. The fire crackles as we sit in silence staring at the changing colors. The loons laugh in the distance. No one else is witnessing what we see.
Day 3
Another rainstorm hits us at night but the morning is dry so we break down camp, make breakfast and get an early start on the water. Only two portages today. One at each end of Henson Lake. Both portages are fairly easy but very wet and very muddy. Yards and yards of mud and muck.
Gaskin Lake is a final destination for the day. The guys at Tuscarora told us to get there early since campsites could be limited. It’s a very popular lake, easy to get to from other entry points and a spot a lot of folks use for base camping (setting up camp for multiple nights and daytripping in their canoes). We really wanted another island spot so we head to the end of the lake, passing about 7 canoeists going in the opposite direction. It is busy! Lucky for us two men were packing their gear off the island as we approached. They wave and paddle away. Score!
The wind was heavy on our backs and heavy on our campsite. We bundle into fleece jackets and enjoyed the sunshine and a day of mostly rest. A quick rain shower is enough to soak everything, but also reveals a bright rainbow. When you’re out in the wilderness you can’t help but wonder if anyone else in the world can see what you’re seeing.
The sky wows us with another canvas of bright colors. This time we see bold purples and pinks mixing with orange. We run around the entire western side of the island to catch every view as it rapidly changes with every inch the sun moves.
Day 4
Our last day is a quick paddle out of Gaskin and four portages out of the Boundary Waters and into Poplar Lake, our exit point. The hikes were fairly easy but once we got to the portage into Lizz Lake we hit traffic. It was the first time we had to stop mid-portage to let other canoeists pass by. This area is heavily travelled and less challenging so it sees much more use. Patience is important and lots of treats for Rigby to keep her super close as others pass through narrow pathways.
I’m happy to report that no one was injured and no meltdowns occurred. We came out with millions of big bites, lots of dirt under our nails, in need of showers, but full of accomplishment.
Crossing the Boundary Waters finish line
We battled a lot of wind on the final day, especially on Poplar Lake which is very big and slightly choppy. This is a very different lake and not technically in the Boundary Waters. It has houses, allows motorized boats and has a resort on the shoreline. Our mission was to get across to Poplar Haus, a large lodge resort, where we could use a landline in their restaurant to call for a shuttle back to our car (still no cell service, even at the resorts!). We put in our call to Tuscarora for pickup and gave each other a high five. Mission accomplished. Now it’s just a matter of when we can get back to the Boundary Waters!
Something that made this accomplishment a little sweeter is that five years ago a snowboarding injury threw me for a loop. I broke my pelvis and fractured a vertebrae in my spine. I had to learn how to put one foot in front of the other again, how to use stairs and get into a tub. I’ve dealt with lasting pain ever since. Completing this journey was huge for me. Carrying that canoe was a triumph. It let me know that I’ve built myself back up physically and mentally.
Save the Boundary Waters
One last thing to leave you with. The Boundary Waters is in danger. The Trump administration has allowed leases for sulfide-ore copper mining on property that borders the Boundary Waters. The leaching of this mining will destroy the watershed and the ecosystem living there. 1.1 million acres of pristine lakes and unique life are in serious danger. There are amazing advocacy groups working to save the land including Save the Boundary Waters and Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. Please sign the petition and consider what will be lost.
