Tom Donaldson, Wade Keuhl and I are heading into the BWCA for 5 days this coming sunday. My girlfriend’s father is taking us in. I’ve been in with him before so I’ve had that rookie “shine” knocked off me. He’s a TON of fun to travel with but he is a stickler for schedules and details. I thought some of you might be interested in his last itinerary sent to the three of us this AM. It gives a guy a pretty good feel for what it takes to successfully travel in the BWCA and how streamlined you need to be with the amount of gear you bring.
From Herb….
James & Friends, & Tom,
Some of this information I have sent before to James and some might be updates. First, after input from James and Tom Cawcutt we will be coming out of the BWCA on Saturday the 16th, arriving at my home in Esko about 4:00 p.m. Starting out, we will meet at my house in Esko, for those coming from Minneapolis, sometime around 1:00, Sunday, June 10th. Jerry Stavang, my partner of 20 years, and Tom can show up aroung 2:00. That will give me time to do some organization with the guys coming from the south without too many extra bodies.
We will depart for Ely between 2:30 and 3:00, arriving in Ely by 5:00. We will stay at the West Gate Motel (218-365-4513) Sunday night. We get up and take our last warm water shower around 4:00 a.m., Monday, and will put our wilderness traveling clothes on in the motel. Your “going in clothes” should be packed separately in a duffel or small pack/paper sack. The civilization traveling clothes that you are wearing willl be packed in the same duffle to change back into when we come out.
We will go and have breakfast at 4:55 SHARP Monday morning at Britain’s Cafe, departing BY 5:40 to drive the last 18 miles to Latourell’s Landing and Outfitters (218-365-4531). We need to be at Latourell’s shortly after 6:00.
WE WILL BE ON A TIME SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT 7 HOURS and I could be a bit of a drill sargent, but only if necessary.
The Cafe and Latourell’s will be your last flushing toilet stop for the next five days. There are fiberglass outhouse stools at the campsites.
We will leave Latourell’s by 6:30 a.m. on a 25 minute boat ride the first 7-8 miles of water to out first portage. They don’t like to be kept waiting and I have some paper work to take care of when we get there. Jerry and James have been though the unloading process and boat loading process so follow their lead or direction when I am doing the paper work.
Once across the two lakes we should be in our canoes shortly after 7:00 a.m. and should arrive at our campsite around 1:30-2:00 , weather permitting, after about 17 miles by water and 12 portages.
We will have sandwiches when we get to the campsite and then spend the next 4 hours setting up the campsite. Those who still have the energy and desire to fish that night can go out after supper. There’s usually a hour or two of daylight left. This old coger will be hitting the air mattress early. There will be air mattresses for everyone to sleep on. No hard ground.
Each day breakfast will be ready by 8:00. Some of us get up at 6:00 and putter around camp, getting a fire going and coffee/tea on. We fish, or do whatever, most of the day, with just bars/snacks for light lunch and then come back to camp between 3:00 and 4:00. The whisky light gets turned on and happy hour can begin shortly after Jerry and I are back off the water each day. Rank has its rights. Depending on what quantity of hard liquor you bring for yourself, ration as you chose. Getting drunk isn’t allowed. If you get seriously injured, we cover you with rocks and let the next of kin know where you are. Booze gets costly near the end of the trip for anyone who runs out early.
After four fantastic days of fishing and leisure, we will break camp Friday, (16th) afternoon, except for tents and sleeping gear. Final packing will occur in the dawn and we will depart the campsite around 5:30 Saturdayday morning. We will schedule the boat pick up for 12:00 and usually have 45 minutes built in for bad weather travel. We should be at the Ely Dairy Queen for lunch and ice cream by 1:30 and back to Esko by 4:30 on Saturday. This part of the schedule can be moved up by getting up earlier.
Your cleaner traveling clothes from the trip up to Ely (or stuff you packed), will be left in the vehicle for changing into after a hot shower at Latorell’s when we get out. We do come home somewhat clean. Other emergency numbers WELY Radio Station 1-218-365-4444, they have an emergency message broadcast at specific times of the day and we do bring in a radio to keep track of weather conditions and we occasionally listen to the message broadcasts as well as a little Ely culture.
I provide a water purifier, first aid, tents, canoes, paddles, etc. Everything you could possible need and more.
We will travel in my quad cab pick up (4) and put all packs in the topper. Canoes and other equipment will be in the canoe trailer. We will repack what you bring, and put them in my Duluth Packs. Have all of your clothes, towels, etc. in two gallon zip lock bags. We will need to limit how many packs we have as three of us will carry a pack and canoe, the others will have one quite heavy pack and perhaps a lighter one.
We pack ice blocks in (yup) and will bring out limits of fish besides all we eat. The ice also keeps some of the supplies from spoiling.
We will bring in leeches and worms. We’ll trap minnows at camp. James tested plastic last year and it worked very well for him.
The weather forcast, at this time, looks like highs in the low to mid 70’s , partly sunny, with slight chances of scattered rain the first three days. Fabulous fishing weather. I haven’t heard wind direction yet, if there is a wind going in we’d like it to be westerly and coming out, easterly. Most of the time our travel time is quiet because we leave so early in the morning. NOT always the case however but more often than not we never see another party.
“Estimated” Cost Breakdown
1. Permit – $15 per person
2. Boat Ride $42 per person (its worth it) They also pick us up at a designated time on the way out so we don’t paddle the last 7-8 miles out either.
3. Motel Room $30 per person
4. Vehicle Gasoline to Ely and back approx. $20 per person
5. Food & Misc. …….toiletry, bug spray, sun screen, meds, propane, bait, ice, etc. etc. approximately . $40
6. Equipment repair and replacement fee. $10
I’ll know the final number when all the bills are paid. But it should be around $150 give or take. I don’t charge for my organizing time, (nor for outfitting services and guiding services – chuckle ) . An outfitted trip like this would be over $350 without a guide. This is just a fun trip with good comradery.
Things to Know:
We don’t bring heavy clothing or a lot of clothing so if it’s chilly in the morning we put on layers. Rain jacket will serve as a windbreaker, if necessary. If the first set of pants and shirt gets too stinky, you wash it and hang it to dry, or we won’t bring you home if the second set gets worse.
Fishing needs:
1. We have a long way to go and only so much room in the canoes. We don’t need every one to bring two of everything. We should only need two extra rods and two extra reels TOTAL. We can only fish with one at a time anyhow. The extras are for breakage purposes.
2. Tackle – I don’t use much variety, spin and glow floaters for walleye, BIG jigs for lake trout, big beetle spins for northers and smaller ones for bass. That’s it!!
3. Make sure you get your fishing license. The trout stamp is optional because we usually only spend one half day trout fishing. The lake we camp on has lake trout in it, and anyone can go out right by our campsite and give lakers a try. We pack in two blocks of ice in order to bring our some limits of fresh walleye and other species. We bury it in the cooler packs to keep it from melting completely.
4. Try to avoid BULK, light weight but warm. The nights will be cool and generally we will sleep with some sort of night clothing and sleeping bags. There have been nights when we have had hooded sweatshirts with the hood up or a knit stocking cap.
Clothings- We will wear rubber boots in and out and when we portage to other lakes. The 18 inch calf covering kind. They work best getting and out of the canoe in water. Not the most comfortable for walking in but sometimes portages are wet too. Two pair of socks help.
DO’S AND DO NOTS
1. In rough water ALWAYS wear your life jacket. Calm water fishing and padding, ALWAYS have your life jacket in the canoe but wear at your own choice. You will be nagged about this.
2. When you are getting in and out of the canoe, NEVER let go of the canoe. Letting go before the second person is out will eventually dump the person, packs and canoe. Communicate to see who is getting out first. Generally, but not always, it is the person in the front.
3. Slow the canoe before “grinding” into the shore. Two of my canoes are Kevlars and while tough, the bows do wear and need repair work regularly. Rocks and heavy gravel are rough on them (which by the way cost $2300 new). Be gentle and think of it as your own!
4. At some landings it will be impossible for the person in the back to get out without the canoe being pulled further into the shore. Lift the bow with both hands (this is precarious for the person in the back) and again don’t let go until the person is out. Scraping and dragging the bottoms cannot be avoided.
5. The water is clear and always deeper than it looks. Portaging with water inside your boot and with wet socks, isn’t comfortable. Use your paddle for balance and checking water depth when you are gettin out. At the same time, don’t put too much weight on the paddle as the blades can snap, especially with wedged between rocks. We only bring one extra paddle.
6. No Horseplay. EVER! We are too far from medical services and cell phones do not work.
7. Long sleeved light weight shirts, pants and a hat are a must on bright sunny days. Expose skin in moderation. You will have plenty of time in the sun and can burn fast and badly. Sunscreen will be supplied.
This is a “general” idea of our simple menu. We do not survive on dried food.
Party Size – 6 people for 4 days plus two travel days.
Supper Evening One – Steak & Brown Beans
Day One Breakfast – Pancakes & Sausage. Day One Supper – Fish & Mashed Potatoes
Day Two Breakfast – Pancakes & Bacon . Day Two Supper – Fish & Fried Rice
Day Three Breakfast – Pancakes & Sausage. Day Three Supper – Chicken & Mashed Potatoes
Day Four Breakfast – Eggs/Ham/Cheese/Toast. Day Four Breakfast – Fish & Fried Rice
Day Five Travel Day – Energy Bars for the way out and greasy burgers at Dairy Queen by 1 PM!
SEE YOU SUNDAY!! HERB
hurts from sitting in the canoe it lets you get out and walk. Just keep thinking great fishing on the way in and a warm shower on the way out. I have also found that counting my steps takes my mind off how bad my back hurts on portages. I really wish I could make a trip this year.
