I was near there with my oldest son in August. I was told the Ojibwe don't want pictures taken of those pictographs, so I'm surprised you cavalierly put them up here.
The BWCA is one of the fine jewels of Minnesota. I have been there several times and each time I have enjoyed and experienced it differently. The writer must have experienced it after the first frost because I didn't read a word about the black flies and hovering mosquitos the size of helicopters.
1
My now husband and I chose the Boundary Waters for our first trip together in September 1979. I had never been camping; I called the Forest Station about patrols bc my mom was worried. Flights once a week to inspect for fire. On our own, must bring flares. Borrowed a canoe, made home-made granola, spent the pre put-in night at a "fleabag" motel in Ely(now part of our marital vernacular).
Put-in on a gloriously sunny, bug-free day paddling across a body of water that seemed like an ocean at water-level. Camped on a promontory where the only safe branch to store food swung over the now deeply dark lake. What was I thinking? Where was this guy taking me? Would our food last the night or would we be headed home in the morning?
The next eight days changed my life forever. From the perfect solitude of the forest, to the problem solving of dead-ending(after following an Outward Bound leadership group-the five people we met the entire time out) to the lazy afternoons of watching loons on a placid pond, to learning that lentils expand, to understanding how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of the world and all its facets, and to finding out how I could trust this guy and that our life would never be dull, I owe much to these wilderness waters.
Put-in on a gloriously sunny, bug-free day paddling across a body of water that seemed like an ocean at water-level. Camped on a promontory where the only safe branch to store food swung over the now deeply dark lake. What was I thinking? Where was this guy taking me? Would our food last the night or would we be headed home in the morning?
The next eight days changed my life forever. From the perfect solitude of the forest, to the problem solving of dead-ending(after following an Outward Bound leadership group-the five people we met the entire time out) to the lazy afternoons of watching loons on a placid pond, to learning that lentils expand, to understanding how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of the world and all its facets, and to finding out how I could trust this guy and that our life would never be dull, I owe much to these wilderness waters.
5
My last trip to the Boundary Waters was in 1982 with a group called Wilderness Inquiry II, and Paul was one of our guides. Glad to hear he is still at it.
Great to see the BWCA featured in the Times, but I do have some concerns. A good travel piece should include some practical info to guide the prospective traveler. Only one outfitter is mentioned - there are dozens. He gives the impression that Ely is the only starting point. Half the BWCA is accessed from the Gunflint Trail (it's a paved road) out of Grand Marais. There is no mention of entry points, permits or the use of a map and compass. No distinction between Quetico rules and campsites and BWCA. There are much easier ways to experience this wilderness than the complex route - 2 water taxis, 2 vehicles - described here. The option for daytrips from the many lodges in the area could also have been mentioned. I hope some readers will check out BWCA.com and other resources to get the real scoop.
4
The area to the east of Ely that Maryfaith describes is entertainingly described by the three novels of Peter Geye.
The BWCA is a special and unique place. The article is great, but it is hard to fully appreciate the BWCA unless you go. I hope everyone gets the chance.
Nice piece. But it sounds like much of their time was north of the border, which would make it Quetico, not just BWCAW.
Actually, just the short loop to Argo was in Quetico.
1
Thanks for the beautifully written piece. It took me back to my first and only exposure to the BWCA, a week-long trip in 1973 with a group of six middle-school students who had all been in juvenile detention. The exposure to the raw natural beauty transfixed us and transformed their view of the world, even if perhaps only briefly.
The stories I brought back from that trip - including the one about the quarter-mile portage accomplished with the aid of match light and the subsequent return to our campsite, only to discover that a six by six foot square of tent fabric had been ripped out of the side of our tent in one casual swipe of a bears' paw - have been the fodder for many campfire narratives I have shared over the years.
I've never had the privilege of going back. Your article reminded me of just how magical the place is. I find myself once again compelled.
The stories I brought back from that trip - including the one about the quarter-mile portage accomplished with the aid of match light and the subsequent return to our campsite, only to discover that a six by six foot square of tent fabric had been ripped out of the side of our tent in one casual swipe of a bears' paw - have been the fodder for many campfire narratives I have shared over the years.
I've never had the privilege of going back. Your article reminded me of just how magical the place is. I find myself once again compelled.
1
Lovely. Thank you.
1
"We listened to nature for an hour at Rebecca Falls." Listening to nature was possible only because of the 4,000 foot flight limit for planes that has been put in place in the boundary waters; a similar flight ban is in place over the Grand Canyon. This type of minimum flight altitude needs to be implemented across the United States in order to preserve the beauty of the sounds of nature. Flight bans such as the ones in place over the Boundary Waters and Grand Canyon are critically important; such flight bans need to be implemented in wilderness areas across the country.
4
Way, way back in the day (mid-'50s) my best friend and I left New Orleans via the Panama Limited (Illinois Central Railroad) on the first leg of trip to summer camp in northern Wisconsin. We loved it and pleaded with parents for another summer.
After 3 summers we were old enough and experienced enough to canoe and camp The Boundary Waters. We did it twice, each trip was 3 weeks, then it was time for summer jobs, etc. Till the day he died we talked about our trips. I have yet to see or experience anything more beautiful or serene.
"Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh."
Merci beau for pressing the right memory button...
After 3 summers we were old enough and experienced enough to canoe and camp The Boundary Waters. We did it twice, each trip was 3 weeks, then it was time for summer jobs, etc. Till the day he died we talked about our trips. I have yet to see or experience anything more beautiful or serene.
"Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh."
Merci beau for pressing the right memory button...
11
Beautiful writing about a special place I was introduced to by YMCA Camp Widjiwagen in 1964.
2
A terrific place! Growing up in Minnesota I went on several canoe trips there in my teens and twenties with my dad, brothers and friends. Before I was born, my dad canoed there with a friend and they saw no one else for about two weeks. Now in my sixties, I hope to return next August at least one more time, to expose my kids who are now in their twenties to this magnificent wilderness. May America always have such places that can be shared with the next generations!
Google "boundary waters root beer lady" for some great early history of the BWCA.
Google "boundary waters root beer lady" for some great early history of the BWCA.
5
And if you are inspired to travel to Ely, visit the Dorothy Molter Museum to learn more about the "root beer lady" - http://www.rootbeerlady.com/
A wonderful region. I wish the story had highlighted the threats posed by mining/exploitation of resources by secretive multinational companies. We thought these days were gone!
3
Thank you for this wonderful article about one of the most pristine and beautiful places on earth. I've been traveling to the Boundary Waters for decades and it's hard to describe the solitude and joy you get from visiting this archipelago of lakes and forest.
3
My sons have gone to Camp Voyageur in Ely, MN for years. This wonderful camp has taught them so many things about canoeing in the Boundary Waters and respecting the wilderness, not to mention wilderness and leadership skills.
Last summer my 16 yr. old went on a more than 300 mile expedition into the
Quetico. He returned home strong as a horse and talking about the layers and layers of stars you could see in the night-time sky.
Last summer my 16 yr. old went on a more than 300 mile expedition into the
Quetico. He returned home strong as a horse and talking about the layers and layers of stars you could see in the night-time sky.
4
Is it possible to laze away a summer in this area without the parasitic tourist industry guides, interpreters, and other petty capitalist gougers? Cheers!
1
you can certainly plan your own trip in the Boundary Waters without a guide, however they can bring a lot of value to your trip, especially if you haven't done wilderness canoeing before. And the local economy in Ely can certainly use the $. Trip planning info here: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/superior/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5202169
David. I prefer the small adventure of doing it on my own. Thanks for the link, although I always ask for information at the local bar (that's were I tend to spend my money) not usually the internet. Cheers!
do it on your own. you'll appreciate it that much more and you'll learn something about yourself.
Beautiful pictures of a serene natural wonderland!
1
Great article, especially reminding us of the potential for mining on the periphery of BWCA. Mining operations don't generate the employment they once did because of automation and mining companies have a terrible track record of bankruptcies, leaving devastated landscapes for the taxpayer to clean up, if at all.
And think of the employment that 250,000 visitors a year represent and the risk that mining degradation means to those workers and businesses.
Here in WA State, 100 years ago, some enterprising fellows dammed up the Elwha, destroying one of the best salmon spawning rivers in the world, to produce power for a paper mill. The lost value of recreational and commercial fishing, miles of beach destroyed by impoundment of silt and an ugly eyesore of a paper mill in front of a beautiful harbor adds up to hundreds of $millions more.
Today, the mill is up for sale for about $18 million, with no takers. The Federal government has paid $350 million to remove the dams and restore the river. And someday, Port Angeles with it mild, rain shadow climate and spectacular setting, might be another Monterey along a once again sandy coast.
And think of the employment that 250,000 visitors a year represent and the risk that mining degradation means to those workers and businesses.
Here in WA State, 100 years ago, some enterprising fellows dammed up the Elwha, destroying one of the best salmon spawning rivers in the world, to produce power for a paper mill. The lost value of recreational and commercial fishing, miles of beach destroyed by impoundment of silt and an ugly eyesore of a paper mill in front of a beautiful harbor adds up to hundreds of $millions more.
Today, the mill is up for sale for about $18 million, with no takers. The Federal government has paid $350 million to remove the dams and restore the river. And someday, Port Angeles with it mild, rain shadow climate and spectacular setting, might be another Monterey along a once again sandy coast.
7
Aldo Leopoldo would say that you are re-enacting the American Creation Myth of the French European exploration of North America using the canoe. Pierre Eliot Treadeau would say you are a "child of nature." Sigurd Olsen would say you have found "the way of the canoe." John McPhee would you have been "swimming with canoes." Bill Mason would tell you to get a Campfire Tent. Henry D (Thoreau) would say, apocryphally, "Everyone must believe in something. I believe I will go canoeing."
The canoe was developed by American Indians. It is one of the most beautiful and useful artifacts ever conceived by human beings.
Words cannot describe the importance of the BWAC. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who first preserved it, and those who fight now to protect it. Thank you for this article.
The canoe was developed by American Indians. It is one of the most beautiful and useful artifacts ever conceived by human beings.
Words cannot describe the importance of the BWAC. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who first preserved it, and those who fight now to protect it. Thank you for this article.
8
Keep on the good writing. It's with essays like this one and in depth analysis (vs. shallow instant news) that the 'news' papers will survive in the internet age. I don't regret a single minute my subscription.
5
Lovely, poetic writing about an exceptionally beautiful area. I did a week-long trip to Quetico at age 14 with my high school, and will never forget the stunning beauty, or the silence. In spite of paddling for 7 days we only scratched the surface, and were happy to see how vast an area the park covered.
Even then, in 1981, we were told not to drink the water due to acid rain. Only a few years before, this had not been the case. Sadly, it seems things haven´t changed much in terms of respect for the environment.
Even then, in 1981, we were told not to drink the water due to acid rain. Only a few years before, this had not been the case. Sadly, it seems things haven´t changed much in terms of respect for the environment.
3
The BWCA-Quetico are not damaged by acid rain. I've been drinking the water straight from the lakes since 1979 and have never gotten sick. Excellent water quality.
1
I've done that too. But I've also had giardia. You are playing with fire....
A beautiful bit of prose! A clear image of an area that must be protected and insulated from even a possibility of any kind of environmental threat. Cudos to Porter Fox, the NYT, and all who brought this article to the public.
It is up to all of us to voice the need for mining restrictions and press the National Forest Service, The Department of Interior, Congress, and the President to look beyond the short-term interests and stand up for long term protections.
Sign petitions on the Save The Boundary Waters web site: savetheboundarywaters.org
It is up to all of us to voice the need for mining restrictions and press the National Forest Service, The Department of Interior, Congress, and the President to look beyond the short-term interests and stand up for long term protections.
Sign petitions on the Save The Boundary Waters web site: savetheboundarywaters.org
2
It's gratifying there are so many comments on this fine article. I grew up most summers canoeing in the BWCA and Quetico, and while I might expect to easily follow your route by the names of Lakes, it's been too long to do more than recognize them except for Argo, my favorite. I recall how blue it was and how easy it was to feel close to God in the midst of such transcendent beauty. I also recall how portaging to nearby Poohbah (what wonderful names) was so difficult at 14 under an 80 lb aluminum canoe through muskeg and black flies, that it also was quite easy to feel connected to God. Particularly when I was delivered finally to our destination shores by fortitude beyond any prior experience.
Canoeing is skill intensive and I always wonder how people can manage a trip like yours with such little preparation. I imagine outfitters figure out tricks to somehow make things work, and equipment is much better now, but I really do wonder how the unskilled can do it and more importantly enjoy it. A 17 mile day is a big day. You did well and wrote it up well. Did you ever battle the wind?
Canoeing is skill intensive and I always wonder how people can manage a trip like yours with such little preparation. I imagine outfitters figure out tricks to somehow make things work, and equipment is much better now, but I really do wonder how the unskilled can do it and more importantly enjoy it. A 17 mile day is a big day. You did well and wrote it up well. Did you ever battle the wind?
I love this article. The Boundary Waters are beautiful and a great testament to our natural heritage and is one of my favorite places. I think it is important to remember that all of us use copper. If you are reading this great article on a computer or smartphone or even have electricity you personally purchase copper. Which means ALL of us are responsible for the extraction of copper out of the ground. If we did not buy copper the company in question would not be considering mining. As consumers we are responsible for the products we purchase. Minnesota has some of the very best environmental regulations. Frankly, I would rather have these guys mine here where I can hold them responsible rather than is South America where working conditions are dangerous and WE are responsible for the contamination of hundreds of thousands of acres of pristine forest. WE must mine here, or mine there, or stop using copper. That is the true beauty of the Boundary Waters, it teaches us responsibility for how we treat our planet and how amazing it can be when we treat it right. Mining here would have such a better impact our global community then we currently do. Let us all take responsibility for the products we purchase and give them true value. The true value of our phones, computers, internet and even electricity is the contamination of our waters lakes and streams. Let us get our resources in the best way possible. Let us do it in Minnesota.
3
It doesn't matter if you hold them responsible for ruining it; they can't fix it.
Why would WE want to contaminate more acres of pristine forest?
Sorry; not a convincing argument.
Why would WE want to contaminate more acres of pristine forest?
Sorry; not a convincing argument.
4
I transplanted to Minnesota 37 years ago, and am now a hopeless BWCA addict. After 35 or 40 trips (don't really know anymore) to this place of water, sky, forest, bog and intense quiet I still enjoyed reading this article. It is indeed a place that cleanses the soul. I now do 3-4 trips per year beginning in May and ending in September or October, most of which are solo. Even though there are seem to be many people in some areas it is still an environment that has it all. Some areas offer greater solitude than others, but I have never come back from a trip thinking I would never want to go back to where I had gone. If you go I would only suggest that you slow down, give yourself time to see the big and little things and let it seep inside. If you do, you will never forget the blend of beauty and challenge you lived.
3
I recently moved to the TCs for a job and have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the many excellent outdoor opportunities in the state. My wife and I did an outfitted canoe trip in BWCA in August. It was an amazing experience and has been described so eloquently by the writer and the many commenters I won't repeat. I will say this, and I say it with some reluctance because I love the fact that so many of the great wilderness and outdoor places in MN are really off the radar (for non-Minnesotans) and the solitude of the BWCA is one of its most magical qualities: this place needs (responsible eco) tourism to keep the mines out. There is huge pressure to mine and log and there is not much going on economically for the local community up there other than that. A tourist economy is absolutely possible and sustainable but it needs to be supported. There is a great recent Minnesota Public Radio piece on the conversion of abandoned mining territory to world class single track in Cayuna. Another gem worth checking out in Northern MN.
13
On behalf of those of us living here in and around Ely, Minnesota, thank you for that impassioned plea for support to our tourist industry. And, for those who don't want to take a canoe trip, we have some lovely resorts. (Winter is really neat, too.)
5
Our Daughter, March, was married at Sandemar lodge in Ely, MN located on a nearby lake with lots of birch trees. The groom and his attendants arrive in white birch bark canoes from across the lake to Handel's Hornpipe music (a horn quintet from Duluth) and the bride and her 10 bridesmaids arrived from the lodge to the music of The Prince of Denmark March. on a gorgeous Aug. 10th morning. Sandemar lodge was visited by the King of Sweden in 1935!
4
William Kent Krueger's compelling edge-of-the-seat novels are set in this region. Well worth reading and learning his love of the area.
9
Great article, but including a map would have greatly enhanced the detailed descriptions of the lakes and portages. A surprising omission!
5
It is sad that the writer of this article chose to only express one side of the debate over mining near the Boundary Waters. Many residents of Northern Minnesota support Twin Metals because it will bring good paying jobs to a region that desperately needs them, while adhering to strict environmental regulations. I enjoy the Boundary Waters as much as visitors do, but I suppose readers of NYT and these tourists will continue to live in bliss while the people of Northern Minnesota suffer.
7
Thank you for your view. Would you know what percent of hard rock mines actually do perform safely, do not leach heavy metals, do not lose control of their ponds, when leaving the mess for the same local community after retreating to bankruptcy? There seem to be so few in Colorado.
My observation is that most modern mines run employing relatively few and most of tuhem seem to come from elsewhere and already have the skills.
Can the community support all the added social services needed?
The list of cautions seems to be just starting.
My observation is that most modern mines run employing relatively few and most of tuhem seem to come from elsewhere and already have the skills.
Can the community support all the added social services needed?
The list of cautions seems to be just starting.
10
What is sad is belief in the promises of the mining industry given its track record.
7
The mining industry built Northern Minnesota. Without it, Ely wouldn't exist and the BWCA would be very different.
2
The green and blue colored landscape is there for everyone to enjoy. A world of rock and water, paddle and canoe. It requires one to think about what they need, to only carry what they can.
The land provides you with what you need. Fish and berries for meals, pine needled beds for slumber. Cool refreshing lakes to swim and enjoy.
This place is too special to be ignored, to quiet to be on people's maps. It will be here in the arrowhead of MN forever.
The land provides you with what you need. Fish and berries for meals, pine needled beds for slumber. Cool refreshing lakes to swim and enjoy.
This place is too special to be ignored, to quiet to be on people's maps. It will be here in the arrowhead of MN forever.
1
I grew up in the Twin Cities and every summer from ages 12-18 I went to a camp that was (is) based outside of Ely. There we learned to lift and portage a canoe solo, how to map out a trip, pack our food packs and set up camp in various types of conditions. Most importantly, it was there that I learned that the only things that should touch the belly of a canoe are water and bread dough. I also learned that it wasn't worth the time and effort to wash my hair on a layover day because carrying the buckets of water 500 ft away from shoreline to ensure no chemicals got in the water while rinsing off was a pain. We would call out "GBH!" when we spotted a great blue heron. We learned that loons mate for life and raise their families on the same lake year after year. We learned how to hang our food backs so the bears couldn't eat our dehydrated food and beloved peanut butter. We learned to get by with 3 tshirts and 5 pair of underwear for 6 weeks--the less to carry on your back, the better. The friendships I made those summers are lifelong and I'll never forget the experiences we had. I wish I wasn't a jerk teenager so I appreciated it more at the time, but at 47 I still can't help but smile when I think of that magical place. What a treasure. Thanks for writing this.
12
There is so much poetry in this article. Thank you.
2
The lack of wifi as a reason for younger folks not visiting wilderness is less a reason than the fact that they are simply less likely to own vehicles to drive the distance to wilderness trailheads. The economic downturn has left many with a far more reserved approach to owning cars. I teach natural resource and outdoor recreation management at a large state university, and increasingly I struggle to get a class trip off the ground because many students simply don't own cars. Their lives (admirably) are much more focused on bicycling to where they live, work, and play locally. Driving hours and hours to access wilderness is a luxury many can't afford.
3
No buses or trains?
There is absolutely no public transportation in NE Minnesota. Honestly, there are basically only a couple main roads. Greyhound doesn't even come up the North Shore anymore. It is not an accessible area without a vehicle.
The BWCA and Quetico have had a profound effect on me and my family. It began in the summer of 1953 when me and 7 other 16 and 17 year olds took a Greyhound bus from downtown Chicago to Grand Marais Minnesota followed by a jeep ride north to the Gunflint Lodge on Gunflint Lake. We then spent a week in the BWCA and Quetico. A truly coming of age experience for 8 kids from Chicago.
Twenty-five years later I returned with my family and relived that trip. My kids were then 15, 14, 10 and 9. Two of them later worked at the Gunflint Lodge when in college. And we all returned in 2012 with spouses and 8 grandchildren to celebrate my 75th.
So the article brings back many fond memories.
By the way, the Gunflint Lodge has been in the Kerfoot family since at least the 1930's and is a great place to stay in the eastern side of the BWCA.
Twenty-five years later I returned with my family and relived that trip. My kids were then 15, 14, 10 and 9. Two of them later worked at the Gunflint Lodge when in college. And we all returned in 2012 with spouses and 8 grandchildren to celebrate my 75th.
So the article brings back many fond memories.
By the way, the Gunflint Lodge has been in the Kerfoot family since at least the 1930's and is a great place to stay in the eastern side of the BWCA.
4
FYI -- Gunflint lodge changed hands this past summer (https://gunflintlodge.blogspot.com/2016/09/welcoming-john-and-mindy.html). I'm looking forward to meeting the new owners when we visit next month.
1
For the last 25 years my buddies and I have gone to the BWCAW every September—no mosquitoes, no people, and no trouble securing a permit. Just remember to bring layers!!
Interestingly, we have never discussed jobs in camp. But each year guys gravitate into the same jobs. Rod handles the fire and cooking chicken and steaks on the grill. Larry cooks quesadillas on the Coleman and sets up one lunch of smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, and onions. We eat well! Our sons love to gather wood, cutting dead trees with that fantastic saw chain, then splitting it into correct sizes. I buy the food and wash dishes. Other are on bass/walleye duty—with depressingly poor success.
We original guys are now hitting 65-75. We take pills for heart disease, diabetes, BP, and/or knee problems. We have back and joint pain. Our trips are getting less rigorous with fewer portages and more base camps. Our sons are strong and are so great to grab those heavy packs, especially the ones with the wine boxes. Bless our sons!
My canoeing ‘brothers’ and I are so proud that we have now infected our sons with the bug. We’re now working on our grandsons.
After 25 years there was no trip this year. Larry was doing grandchildren. Rod was working on their new home in Florida. Our sons were too busy with new jobs and new kids.
Our BWCAW trip is always the highlight of my year.
I feel as if a buddy has died. Hopefully next September……
Guys, are you getting this???
Interestingly, we have never discussed jobs in camp. But each year guys gravitate into the same jobs. Rod handles the fire and cooking chicken and steaks on the grill. Larry cooks quesadillas on the Coleman and sets up one lunch of smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, and onions. We eat well! Our sons love to gather wood, cutting dead trees with that fantastic saw chain, then splitting it into correct sizes. I buy the food and wash dishes. Other are on bass/walleye duty—with depressingly poor success.
We original guys are now hitting 65-75. We take pills for heart disease, diabetes, BP, and/or knee problems. We have back and joint pain. Our trips are getting less rigorous with fewer portages and more base camps. Our sons are strong and are so great to grab those heavy packs, especially the ones with the wine boxes. Bless our sons!
My canoeing ‘brothers’ and I are so proud that we have now infected our sons with the bug. We’re now working on our grandsons.
After 25 years there was no trip this year. Larry was doing grandchildren. Rod was working on their new home in Florida. Our sons were too busy with new jobs and new kids.
Our BWCAW trip is always the highlight of my year.
I feel as if a buddy has died. Hopefully next September……
Guys, are you getting this???
12
No mosquitoes? I don't believe it.
Love this. But where are the daughters?? Shopping at the mall?
3
We see many, many groups go out with daughters these days, maybe even more than with sons. Girls tend to be pretty game for adventure now. We also see large numbers of groups of women, in many age ranges. The era of this being a guy thing is way, way over.
1
Great article on the BWCAW, which is part of an even larger wilderness area with the contiguous 1.1 million acre plus Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario. Also, the nearly quarter million watery acres of Voyageurs National Park lie just to the west. With a Remote Area Border Crossing Permit one can follow the historic travel routes of Canoe Country in and out of Canada without having to clear customs every time. The whole area is a remarkable example of international peace and friendship--just remember "portage" is pronounced differently in Canada!
5
Please, oh please make a virtual reality version of this. It's just breathtaking!
Since I was a kid I have romanticized about the cowboy riding off into the sunset, bedroll, trusted mount and an endless expanse of pristine open land. I suppose I was influenced by the western dramas popular in the 50 and 60s. That, combined with the traumatic experience of growing up in NE Ohio where the rivers and lakes caught on fire! Even as a kid I knew humans were wrecking the natural world. I needed a real human experience. I found that experience in northern Canada back in the mid seventies, but I never found it in the lower 48. It turned out that the trusty mount was in fact a Canoe, and incredibly that open pristine land still exists. It is in Canada.
Since my early days in Canada, I've traveled by Canoe, kayak, bike and hike over much of Canada and Alaska. It is always a magical experience. It breaks my heart to watch humans over populate, over run, over develop, over consume and basically work feverishly to eliminate this incredible natural world. Maybe more people need the experience described in this article in order to adjust their priorities in life.
Since my early days in Canada, I've traveled by Canoe, kayak, bike and hike over much of Canada and Alaska. It is always a magical experience. It breaks my heart to watch humans over populate, over run, over develop, over consume and basically work feverishly to eliminate this incredible natural world. Maybe more people need the experience described in this article in order to adjust their priorities in life.
5
I am a Minnesotan, grateful for the exceptional beauty throughout our state. What an absolutely lovely article about the treasure of the Boundary Waters. The beauty of this wilderness is exquisitely matched by the lilting, descriptive language of this writer. Thank you for one of my favorite NYT's articles, a true prosaic poem.
4
My boy spent a week there, canoeing with the Boy Scouts through the BSA's Northern Tier High Adventure Camp. He was very proud to carry a passport and paddle to Canada! This adventure was electrifying, truly magical. Now he is one of those millenials thoroughly committed to environmental stewardship and I credit his adventures through nature (like canoeing the Boundary Waters and the Quetico, sailing and scuba diving the Coral Keys and hiking Philmont in New Mexico) for fostering this energy. Remember and share that the properties of the Boy Scouts are shared with Venture Scouting that is available for boys and girls up to age 21.
3
An amazing place, but average visitor to BWCA is aging. Outfitters still struggle. Canoeing the BWCA takes effort, and Millennials don't want to disconnect. Still, It can also feel crowded - on some routes you have to start aiming for a campsite by 2PM. Instead, go to the adjacent Quetico over the border - more rugged, more wildlife, fewer people. You can go days without seeing another soul.
4
For those who are thinking about going start by getting a copy of the wonderful Boundary Waters Journal magazine. The stories and great, they provide a lot of useful information and the pictures are stunning. Or read anything by Sigurd Olson. There are books that have detailed trip information on the many, many routes to take.
1
I visited this area a few years back. It was magical. I want to return.
Thanks to the writer, his wife, the Schurkes, and the many commenters who share their experiences of the BWCA. With few living near this area, it is imperative that we "outsiders" continue to follow the efforts by various corporations to exploit the nearby natural resources and thus risk this haven.
1
Such beautiful images and story that should inspire each and every one of us to preserve what is left of our wild, unspoiled areas. Thanks for taking the readers into the quiet and peace of the wild!
1
Send you kids to Camp Widjiwagan to experience this.
2
Outstanding article. I think I am headed back soon; but that means spring of 2017 at this juncture. Too many years since the many memories of this area. I grew up in Wisconsin with mom from Minnesota and Father from Manitoba. As a kid my brother took me into the area. As a teen my friends and I would go frequently. You know teen boys, everything is a contest. So we used to see how quickly we could pack, how lightly, and how long we could stay. One time that turned out to be one hour; canoe with paddles and life preservers, sleeping bag and tent, insect repellant, fishing gear, waterproof matches, fry pan, cups, forks, knives, salt shaker, box of Bisquick,toilet paper; and nine days! I still love Walleye but I can tell you that after nine straight days with that plus some eggs we found and some cattail root, you get pretty hungry for something else. There is something fundamentally satisfying about being able to live off the land if you need to. Gives a real appreciation for natives and early explorers.
1
Boundary waters is lovely, but watch out for the B52 sized mosquitoes and other insects, which sent me to the emergency room with a severe reaction to their bites. It is however a photographers dream and does allow you to escape it all.
3
Thank you for this reminder of time spent with close friends in one of the most amazing part of our country. My good fortune was that I had a special friend who was from St. Paul working at the YMCA. I went with her on several trips with younger girls to this place of magic. The time was in the early sixties when some of the changes were about to take place. Ely was still a town of the wild, the islands and lakes were empty of folks, the wildlife was visible and plentiful, and the experience was filled with memorable moments. How wonderful to be brought back to that time of simple beauty when today is filled with such nasty political distress.
1
For my friends and I, this was the trip that started it all
We now affectionately refer to ourselves as 'the voyageurs.'
An absolutely splendid part of the world. We traveled there in late October, surely the last week of the season, but were rewarded with crystal skies and clear crisp sun. The rangers here do a terrific job, the campsites are immaculately kept and really help to soften the crash at camp after some of those mammoth portages. BWCA will stay with me for a lifetime. Another example of America's leading expression of natural wildness on our planet.
We now affectionately refer to ourselves as 'the voyageurs.'
An absolutely splendid part of the world. We traveled there in late October, surely the last week of the season, but were rewarded with crystal skies and clear crisp sun. The rangers here do a terrific job, the campsites are immaculately kept and really help to soften the crash at camp after some of those mammoth portages. BWCA will stay with me for a lifetime. Another example of America's leading expression of natural wildness on our planet.
1
My first Boundary Waters trip was when I was 24 (1976?). I had spent the earlier part of the summer at a dance workshop in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, about as urban as you can get. I was home for about a day before catching the bus up to Duluth and then an Outward Bound bus up to the basecamp near Ely. They stopped the bus a ways outside of the camp and made us all join hands and walk, neck deep, though a black swamp. I had always been horrified, until that moment, at the thought of stepping into swamp water. Then the Outward Bound instructors started playing around in the water and I let go of any of the fears that had built up around the trip. It was an amazing initiation to a life changing experience that I have never forgotten. I encourage any and all young people to do it at last once. I met many wonderful people on that and subsequent trips. As the author mentined, one gets viscerally attuned to a completely different bioystem. You watch the sky. You accept the rain onto your skin. I remember getting physically ill at the end of the trip when we entered a lake where motorboats were allowed. I didn't know at the time what a political issue this was, but seeing the oil slicks on the water from the motors, something I would never notice before, was repulsive to me. Alas, though I pursued more trips with friends after that, as one gets older it is harder to find the time and companions for such trips. Its been too long and thank you for this wonderful piece.
8
There have been some legendary storms in the Boundary Waters. The derecho event of July 4, 1999 was especially fierce. It blew down over 300,000 acres of trees, snapped them off like they had been cut by a gargantuan lawn mower.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Waters%E2%80%93Canadian_derecho
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Waters%E2%80%93Canadian_derecho
1
In my twenties I paddle the wild rivers of the North and last summer I took my family on a weeklong trip into the Boundary Waters wilderness to share my love and passion of wilderness canoeing with them. My 6-year old son transformed from a little pre-schooler into a hunter when he hooked and reeled in his first fish. We lifted my 3-year old daughter by the life jacket and put her into the raspberries bushes, which she picked clean with the berries conveniently on eye level. We drank water straight out of the lake. At night we looked at the Milky Way and watched the snapping turtles emerge silently to pick our fish carcasses of the rocks, which we had left out for the Bald Eagles. We tugged the kids into the sleeping bags as a lone loon was calling over the water far away. The kids voted it the best time ever. We will be back next year and venture even deeper and longer into the wilderness. My son wants to learn how to make a campfire and my daughter wants bring home a loon.
6
A few thoughts... I loved reading this. The writer paints a wonderful picture. I grew up in the Adirondacks, not far from Saranac Lake. Boundary Waters and the 'Dacks share a lot, and this article made me plan a trip to Ely and get out there when the weather warms up in about 8 months. I selfishly wish BW was 1.1 million square miles!! Yes, the mining operation must be stopped. If anything is sacred, places like this are...
2
They paddled 55 strokes a minute??
2
I was very fortunate to do a three week trip in Quetico with a handful of girls, my science teacher and his wife in 1954. It was the trip of a lifetime greatly influencing my life. As an adult I have done more trips in the boundary waters and while not the same still worthwhile. We must protect our parks from ourselves.
3
Nature simply appears at its best with a modicum of human interactions.
It's a short step away from further assessing: those snapshots are breathtaking especially when considering the human element either barely cutting into the picture or just wandering off frame altogether.
And just to set one example out of the several pictures shown, seeing a wolf head just by itself otherwise not reduced to some trophy prize/ photo opportunity that comes along with the grinning face of the hunter in ill-fitting camouflage clothes and who just took the animal's life is a soothing sight.
One can only wish in a foreseeable future for those pockets of pristine nature to persist, remain and expand instead of irremediably shrinking down to next to nothing.
It's a short step away from further assessing: those snapshots are breathtaking especially when considering the human element either barely cutting into the picture or just wandering off frame altogether.
And just to set one example out of the several pictures shown, seeing a wolf head just by itself otherwise not reduced to some trophy prize/ photo opportunity that comes along with the grinning face of the hunter in ill-fitting camouflage clothes and who just took the animal's life is a soothing sight.
One can only wish in a foreseeable future for those pockets of pristine nature to persist, remain and expand instead of irremediably shrinking down to next to nothing.
1
What a wonderful article about this still largely unspoiled wilderness, but it was not really a respite from politics. All the time I was reading, I kept thinking about all the Republican governors and legislators trying to wrest control of areas like this all over the US to hand them over to "special interests" to be exploited and perhaps sullied forever for the vast majority of American citizens. In this electoral season, we ignore politics at our peril.
4
This article brings back memories of a late summer spent on Lake Saganaga in the beautiful Boundary waters area. Lovely wildlife - bears, moose, loons (the birds, not people) and loads of mosquitoes. I hope to return there one day.
Twenty years ago I did two week-long trips into the BWCA/Quetico with some American friends. The only Canadian in the group, I had flown to Minneapolis to join them and travel north. We entered Canada through the port at Prairie Portage, where the Canada Customs officer told me that at the end of July I was just the sixth Canadian to enter Canada from the US through Prairie Portage that year. Re-entering the US, after a fabulous week of canoeing, I properly reported to the US Border Patrol office in Ely. It was closed. On both occasions. The sign said to report to Fort Francis, several hours away and in the wrong direction. I confess now that I entered the US illegally, not once but twice. In those pre-computer days, no one knew, until now, except my trip friends. Did that make me an illegal alien? Does this mean the US government does not watch the BWCA? Cue Donald Trump!
5
One of our best lifetime buys: a Souris River canoe in Ely, Minnesota. That wonderful gem has opened our world. Thank you, Ely!
2
A beautiful, timely article. A refreshing break fro this stupid election. I'll be happy when it's over. And see, the ice was melting 12,000 years ago.
What about the bugs? All I remember are tics, blackflies and "no see ums." The mosquitoes were so thick they blocked out the sun.
1
The worst period for the little blood suckers is commonly the first week in June to about mid-July. There are many ways to manage them though.
I first found out about the boundary waters canoe area when i lived in Minnesota a few years ago. My husband and I have returned frequently and we absolutely adore it. If only I could live there forever
1
This report brought back wonderful memories from my Minnesota boyhood in the early 1960s. As Explorer Boy Scouts, our working-class, teenage crew paddled the Boundary Waters - Quetico wilderness each summer. Having returned decades later, the benefit of protective legislation are apparent, as the wilderness is even more pristine. Let's keep it that way!
2
So well written. Congrats on a great piece.
1
I remember a trip there, it was a starry night, the campsite fires across the lake were burning, their smoke gently rising straight up among the pines, straight up to the stars, and they were in all their glory, with no wind, really brightly shining, and all due to the wilderness protection. A magical experience.
1
I love wolves. Too bad they are still not respected and feared. Especially by the ranchers here. If ya want meat ya gotta suffer some losses everyone!
10
I was born and raised in northeastern Minnesota and have shared my love for this land with my four children. Nothing better than waking up in the morning and watching the seasons change at the lake. It is indeed good for your soul.
21
I was in Outward Bound instructor and remember overdosing on chocolate bars at Dorothy Molter's cabin one year.
17
You have elegantly captured the essence of the Boundary Waters. We take a group of high school students up to the BWCA every June for a week of intense leadership development. They love the chance to unplug (once they get through the 1st 24 hours). Many say it's the first time they've had to really stretch themselves, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Jim Boyd is correct - for some reason the BWCA has fallen out of fashion with those who are younger. Some say they can't take that much time off, but when pressed, many say they're afraid of going into the wilderness where there's no cell coverage to call for help. A BWCA trip reveals what you're made of and proves that you can survive in challenging circumstances.
I went in January 1982 as a college student in a leadership course. The temperature dropped to 40+ below zero (no mosquitoes!). Even tho' it was frigid, there was a heavy snow pack so the lakes didn't freeze well and I fell through the ice. Our group sprung into action and implemented our leadership training and rescued me. NYT cooking tip: hot Jello is great for warming you up after an icy plunge. It was a deeply formative experience for all of us... to be in that kind of weather and not just barely survive, but thrive! We still talk about it decades later.
Jim Boyd is correct - for some reason the BWCA has fallen out of fashion with those who are younger. Some say they can't take that much time off, but when pressed, many say they're afraid of going into the wilderness where there's no cell coverage to call for help. A BWCA trip reveals what you're made of and proves that you can survive in challenging circumstances.
I went in January 1982 as a college student in a leadership course. The temperature dropped to 40+ below zero (no mosquitoes!). Even tho' it was frigid, there was a heavy snow pack so the lakes didn't freeze well and I fell through the ice. Our group sprung into action and implemented our leadership training and rescued me. NYT cooking tip: hot Jello is great for warming you up after an icy plunge. It was a deeply formative experience for all of us... to be in that kind of weather and not just barely survive, but thrive! We still talk about it decades later.
30
We're probably spoiled, living a few hours from the BWCA; often taking it for granted.
Ginny wrote: "many say they're afraid of going into the wilderness where there's no cell coverage to call for help"
We would NEVER go into the BWCA without expert guidance. My wife's sister & her husband know the name of every lake, island, & portage we take, deep into the wilds. We wouldn't survive a simple weekend trip without them.
Thanks for refreshing my memories.
Ginny wrote: "many say they're afraid of going into the wilderness where there's no cell coverage to call for help"
We would NEVER go into the BWCA without expert guidance. My wife's sister & her husband know the name of every lake, island, & portage we take, deep into the wilds. We wouldn't survive a simple weekend trip without them.
Thanks for refreshing my memories.
A heartfelt thanks for this brief respite.
31
I just spent a week at Acadia National Park and it truly did calm my politically fractured soul. Thanks to all those with foresight who ensured these special places in our world remain wild--they are a balm in troubled times.
34
6 years ago, I was introduced to BWCA/QPP by a friend, who took a few long trips in MN and southern Ontario in his youth (which should be compulsory for school or society, but I digress...). Lately, we've spent lot of time up there. I think all of us have places that become important, or resonate profoundly and become part of who we are. This is now one of mine. Before our trips, I'd explored elsewhere and had some challenges in the wilderness, but for me the Quetico is and will always be a kind of precious gem. It's hard to describe why I say that, I've never used that phrase before. The feeling of space and big sky contrasted to the in-your-face demands of portaging over trails as gnarly as in the White Mtns. The weather is both paradise and sobering (last July, a freak, intense T-storm toppled trees and killed 3 campers). We swim at least once a day and joke of baptism. But the more we joke, we laugh less at the pun and more with joy from the rush of of plunging in. Pure, instant rejuvenation. I can go on but will just say one more thing: it is remote. Big wild places feel bigger (or I feel a lot smaller) when I know I'm far from a road or town, or ANY kind of infrastructure. That may be the strongest force pulling me back. In that vein, it pains me to see photos and video in the article shot with what I think is a drone. If it was, know that motorboats/aircraft are restricted there for a number of good reasons. The shots are good, but a drone doesn't belong there.
31
Some people always have to find something to gripe about don't they. This was a beautiful piece (and your comment well stated), so why not just leave it at that? Your moaning about the droning is obnoxious and ruined it.
1
Dane, just like portable bluetooth speakers, recreational drones are an increasing problem in our parks and wilderness areas. Responsible parties like the NYT can help by not glamorizing such annoying gadgetry.
Great descriptions of sounds, smells, and places I've been, in summer and in winter (and the seasons in between). Thanks. It's been a long time since I've been on a canoe trip, but as the saying goes, you can take a girl out of Ely, but you can't take Ely out of the girl...
18
The Gunflint is the thing. Ely is all Toblerone and $300 mukluks. Weekdays in the winter on the trail you will see no one.
9
Stunning, inspiring. Thank you for this wonderful piece of wilderness to remind us we are healed in nature.
I sure wish I was young and healthy to go paddle/explore this astounding treasure. The pictures and video will be making everyone want to go--watch out Minnesota & Canada!
I sure wish I was young and healthy to go paddle/explore this astounding treasure. The pictures and video will be making everyone want to go--watch out Minnesota & Canada!
25
This scent chills of nostalgia through my body. I visited the area for the first time when i was eight years old with a divorced mother, older brother, family friends and all the confusion of the world. We kept going back through the years, always growing together and learning about ourselves. My last visit was three years ago to take our mom back one more time to the land my parents owned just off the Kawishiwi river.
This is a special place that helps remind us that we are part of something far greater. The natural beauty is unprecedented and unspoiled. It rivals the untouched areas of Patagonia with it's rugged grandeur. As my aging mother would say, this place is a true "treasure".
I just reached out to my brother to try to wrangle him for a trip next summer. It's a rare spot to disconnect and reconnect with ourselves. Everyone deserves place like this. Let's all make sure it lasts.
This is a special place that helps remind us that we are part of something far greater. The natural beauty is unprecedented and unspoiled. It rivals the untouched areas of Patagonia with it's rugged grandeur. As my aging mother would say, this place is a true "treasure".
I just reached out to my brother to try to wrangle him for a trip next summer. It's a rare spot to disconnect and reconnect with ourselves. Everyone deserves place like this. Let's all make sure it lasts.
48
I grew up in Minnesota and we still have a piece of land at the end of the Gunflint Trail (by Seagull lake which another reader mentioned), which in my "totally unbiased" opinion is a much prettier entrance into the Boundary Waters, with bigger hills and rocks.
I agree that as population pressures increase and of course climate change continues, we need to treat areas like this with respect and love. I hope my 10 year old girl will have a chance to experience this area as she gets older.
I agree that as population pressures increase and of course climate change continues, we need to treat areas like this with respect and love. I hope my 10 year old girl will have a chance to experience this area as she gets older.
29
What a nice piece nature to share between our two countries. And nary a wall in sight.
39
I was 18 years old, traveling with a large group of teenagers, had never canoed, or camped; it changed me. I remember deciding to sleep outside of the tent with a few other kids. We woke up with dew on our sleeping bags. I looked up through the branches of white pines against blue skies; I'll never forget that morning. I think of it as the 'real' church; that's where it is. There should be a chance for everyone to experience what is a truly irreplaceable wilderness.
Thank you for a beautifully written and photographed article.
Thank you for a beautifully written and photographed article.
61
Yes!
Amen.
On the morning of my 30th birthday, 44 years ago, I awoke on an island in Seagull Lake in the BWCA. It is an experience I will never forget. We made other trips up there as well, to numerous other lakes. it was truly heaven on earth, and even then we were aware of the beautiful gift we had been given and how important it was to protect it for generations to come.
18
Went up to the BW in the early 90's. Chose the 3rd weekend in September to be sure frost would already have done in the mosquitoes. Three days of paddling and portaging never saw another human being outside our party of four. Hung the food pack each night way high up in a tree because bears. Saw a moose on one of the trails - they're huge! Sleety snowstorm on Brule Lake the third day. Food never tasted so good as hot chili did that evening. Coming back the fourth afternoon we encountered one other couple. I was sad to finally reach the car. Think back fondly on that trip from time to time. Such a peaceful place.
23
This article captures well the beauty of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in northeastern Minnesota, an area all Minnesotans are committed to protect. However, the author inaccurately states that the future Twin Metals underground mine project poses an environmental risk to the BWCAW.
The Twin Metals project sits several miles outside of the BWCAW and its extensive environmental buffer zones. Moreover, Twin Metals has yet to propose a specific mine project, so speculation on mine operations and environmental risks is reckless and premature. Once the project is proposed, potential environmental impacts will be thoroughly examined by state and federal agencies and environmental experts through the rigorous Environmental Impact Statement process mandated by law. If the Twin Metals project cannot meet the strict environmental standards that protect the BWCAW and surrounding areas, the project will not be allowed to proceed.
The Twin Metals project is located in an historic mining region where federal and state law both allow and encourage mining activity – for economic development, job creation and for the security of the U.S. economy. Twin Metals’ strong commitment to environmental stewardship, as well as strict state and federal environmental standards, will allow mining and the BWCAW to coexist and thrive for future generations, as they have for more than 130 years.
The Twin Metals project sits several miles outside of the BWCAW and its extensive environmental buffer zones. Moreover, Twin Metals has yet to propose a specific mine project, so speculation on mine operations and environmental risks is reckless and premature. Once the project is proposed, potential environmental impacts will be thoroughly examined by state and federal agencies and environmental experts through the rigorous Environmental Impact Statement process mandated by law. If the Twin Metals project cannot meet the strict environmental standards that protect the BWCAW and surrounding areas, the project will not be allowed to proceed.
The Twin Metals project is located in an historic mining region where federal and state law both allow and encourage mining activity – for economic development, job creation and for the security of the U.S. economy. Twin Metals’ strong commitment to environmental stewardship, as well as strict state and federal environmental standards, will allow mining and the BWCAW to coexist and thrive for future generations, as they have for more than 130 years.
9
Readers please note: Bob is in charge of "Public and Government Affairs" for Twin Metals.
104
Thanks for the heads up, Amy! Bob should have identified himself in his comment. One can talk all they want about environmental buffers and how mining has a historic significance to the area, but those of us who love wilderness and have spent time getting to know her on her own terms know that she is healthiest when undisturbed by man's destructive activities.
Just because it is "hundreds of miles" outside the BWCA does not mean that their activities will not have an effect on the health of this pristine ecosystem. But those are the kind of deceptions and subterfuge you will have to navigate when dealing with a corporation motivated by little other than profit. I am so grateful to those who came before me who had the foresight to set these lands apart, and pray that we will find the strength going forward to resist the temptation as a society to erode what little is left of our natural world for short term gains.
Just because it is "hundreds of miles" outside the BWCA does not mean that their activities will not have an effect on the health of this pristine ecosystem. But those are the kind of deceptions and subterfuge you will have to navigate when dealing with a corporation motivated by little other than profit. I am so grateful to those who came before me who had the foresight to set these lands apart, and pray that we will find the strength going forward to resist the temptation as a society to erode what little is left of our natural world for short term gains.
5
I guess all we need to do is look at how great of a job the mining companies have done in Appalachia for the environment. That way we know what to expect in Minnesota.
7
Reading this article, brought me back to my time spent there almost 35 years ago when I went to Camp at what was then called "The Minnesota Outward Bound" program.
For a kid from the North Shore of Chicago, it was like I had fallen into a Grizzly Adams episode. The place is simply that beautiful. Terms like God's country come to mind when trying to describe the sheer beauty of this wilderness. And that still falls short of truly describing it's beauty.
My time there has left an indelible mark in my memory, which I will never forget. Loons calling each other on the quiet lakes in the morning. The sound of nature all around you. It's sensory overload in a good way!
I hope to bring my son's there one day to share in the experience, so they too can learn the joys and wonderment of nature. And why it's so important to cherish and protect places such as this for future generations to enjoy.
For a kid from the North Shore of Chicago, it was like I had fallen into a Grizzly Adams episode. The place is simply that beautiful. Terms like God's country come to mind when trying to describe the sheer beauty of this wilderness. And that still falls short of truly describing it's beauty.
My time there has left an indelible mark in my memory, which I will never forget. Loons calling each other on the quiet lakes in the morning. The sound of nature all around you. It's sensory overload in a good way!
I hope to bring my son's there one day to share in the experience, so they too can learn the joys and wonderment of nature. And why it's so important to cherish and protect places such as this for future generations to enjoy.
14
Imagine all you millennials what will happen to this area if Trump wins this election before you throw your vote away on a third party candidate.
25
This is the part of US, I want to visit.
9
NYT ...... Thank goodness for this beautiful pictorial essay ........ Yes, this election had been beyond a mess ...... It will all end soon enough. But the real work lies ahead in that the Trumpettes do need to be brought alone with the rest of us. They were left behind and are not to be blamed. However, for the moment, I'll enjoy your brief sojourn into peace and beauty ......
6
I canoed there for about a week around 25 years ago. A wonderful experience, and I carry the feeling of it with me. I used old leather and mesh bike gloves for paddling (a habit hiking, biking, etc) with me and for years I could smell the freshwater smell on them and it would take me right back. The first nite driving to our meeting place in the woods near Ely, I saw a moose standing about 30 feet away. On the first day someone dropped our water filter into the lake, so for basically the whole trip, whenever we needed water we would paddle out away from shore, reach down as far as we could into the water with a container, and use that (unfiltered/unboiled). Also it was fascinating to realize that the portage paths are well-worn because they have been in use for at least hundreds of years.
13
Filter! In 1950, as a 10 year old Camp Easton canoe tripper, and again in the early 1980's with my three boys outfitted by Danny and Jon Waters, a drink of water in the BWCA was had by opening up our collapsible aluminum drinking cups and reaching over the gunnels into the freshest of fresh water. Still have mine after 66 years. Looking foward to my next drink.
Thanks. Great article and great comments.
Thanks. Great article and great comments.
The BWCAW changed my life. I made my first trek there on my 30th birthday, not knowing at the time that my wife was carrying our son. I came out of the wilderness after a week a changed person. I vowed to change careers so that I could spend more time outside, and more time advocating for the preservation of wild places. Almost 20 years later, the BWCAW has the same effect on me every time I make the trek. My son has been with me several times, and as he has matured and started to make decisions about what he wants to do with his life, his experiences in the wild are guiding him as well.
The restorative power of the wilderness to center a person, give them much needed and wanted perspective about what is good and important in life cannot be overstated.
That a mining company is willing to threaten this solely for profit, without regard to the devastating effects of such an enterprise is frankly, criminal. There is so little real wilderness left in the world; we as a species have run roughshod over the vast majority of this planet with little regard for its original inhabitants.
Edward Abbey said: "The idea of wilderness needs no defense; it needs only more defenders." When a place like the BWCAW touches you as it did me, I believe you have a moral obligation to protect it. I will do so until the leases are nullified and the area is permanently protected for all, forever.
The restorative power of the wilderness to center a person, give them much needed and wanted perspective about what is good and important in life cannot be overstated.
That a mining company is willing to threaten this solely for profit, without regard to the devastating effects of such an enterprise is frankly, criminal. There is so little real wilderness left in the world; we as a species have run roughshod over the vast majority of this planet with little regard for its original inhabitants.
Edward Abbey said: "The idea of wilderness needs no defense; it needs only more defenders." When a place like the BWCAW touches you as it did me, I believe you have a moral obligation to protect it. I will do so until the leases are nullified and the area is permanently protected for all, forever.
47
Beautiful story and pictures. I have not been to this place, but it brings back memories for me of camping in Algonquin Park, cycling between Jasper and Banff, and growing up in Central Alberta. In reading this, I was struck by the feeling that this is how Americans see Canada. For anyone reading this story, it comes across almost as being on the edge of the world, about to fall off into the untrammelled wilderness. To then imagine that there are millions of people living in cities further north (though a great many of them actually live further to the East and South) must be somewhat disorienting. At least, ti helps to explain why so many Americans have stereotypes of what life in Canada must be like.
16
at 14, I discovered majestic wilderness riding with a group of boys and 1 leader from Banff to Jasper, with a killer side trip up to Lake Louise. Only years later in Maine did I discover the joy of kayaks and canoes -- No Hills and much more comfortable seats!
1
Canada's the big blank spot on the weather map where all the cold air masses come from.
My first trip into the area now known as the Boundary Waters was in 1952. At that time there were some small fishing camps and one mode of transport the surplus amphibious "ducks" left over from WWII. I was not quite four years old. Then the legislation changed the status of the lakes to mostly no motors. Many times we ventured in by canoe to fish and camp as I grew older. When my husband and I married in 1972, we spent our honeymoon of ten days paddling through the pristine waters. Now we are more likely to make day trips and seek the comfort of a soft bed at night. It is part of me and it always will be. Thank you for this article.
14
Another beautiful place that will be destroyed in the decades to come thanks to relentless de-regulated capitalism. Thanks, baby boomers!
2
Why troll us boomers? Most of the people in this article ARE boomers. You need a trip to the woods, young millennial, and soon.
1
When, and if, the Millennials ever come forward and show the same levels of interest in places like the BWCA we Baby Boomers will be glad to pass the torch. How long should we hold our breath?
Millenial, eh? You must indeed be a child if you think that baby boomers invented rapacious capitalism....
This is wonderful.
A voice of sanity in the wilderness.
F3
A voice of sanity in the wilderness.
F3
4
I am unfortunately surprised to see that the NYT/P. Fox saw fit to use a whiney, intrusive, and completely unacceptable drone in this wonderful Wilderness for this otherwise excellent article that extolls the sacred peace and quiet in the Boundary Waters . For shame.
8
Nature people are my kind of people... positive and affirming, big hearted and courageous. Our country needs more of this.... less urban bickering.
Anyway, thanks Wa-Po, the images are amazing.
Anyway, thanks Wa-Po, the images are amazing.
4
The beautiful pictures in this essay took me right back when I was 18-years-old and spent two weeks in the BWCA. I could almost smell the fresh air again -- and my trip was almost 30 years ago.
12
Thank you, thank you. This is America! I wish the NYT could share a different part of this beautiful country with us every day. These are places where Americans can come together. Truly poetic, inspiring and incredible photography.
20
Why are we letting foreign companies destroy our wilderness heritage. Is nothing sacred anymore?
15
We have been canoe camping in the BWCA once or twice a year since shortly after we moved to Minnesota, when our kids were three and six years old. Neither my wife nor I are from Minnesota, but this beautiful place has become part of the fabric of our lives. Even though our kids are now in their twenties and have moved away, they still want to come back and do a canoe camping trip every summer or fall. Intimate family time in such wild beauty: this year, we were the only people on our three mile long lake. The sound of the breeze, clouds skating across the sky, quiet conversations and stories around a campfire, the call of a loon at sunset, the howl of a wolf during the night - all priceless gifts.
23
My daughters and I went dogsledding with the Schurkes' outfit at Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge in January--the experience was magical.
Check out the petition to save the BWCA from proposed sulfide-ore copper mining: https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/wildernessyear
Check out the petition to save the BWCA from proposed sulfide-ore copper mining: https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/wildernessyear
13
Wow, saw your great article sitting in my office in Manhattan, and for a few minutes was transported back to my younger days growing up in northern Minnesota. The opening video was incredible, and brought back great memories of a place I miss. As teenagers we would get a group together, 3-4 canoes, and disappear into the BWCA with just a map and a compass for sometimes a week, fishing and trying to see areas we hadn't been before. I can't image teenagers today being able to break away from their cellphones and Facebook that long, they are truly missing something life-changing.
21
I also am sitting in my office in midtown high above this concrete jungle.
Read this story twice. When's the best time to go and for how long?
Seems magical.
Read this story twice. When's the best time to go and for how long?
Seems magical.
4
I would recommend late summer (beware of flies) or fall (bring warm clothes!) - although they are popular times, it is a very beautiful time to be there. There are so many different routes to take, you could spend just 2-3 days or multiple weeks if you choose to canoe and camp. There are also many resort or rental options in areas that are less isolated and remote. If you have the time, a week is perfect.
6
My advice: Try to avoid June; the black flies can be really bad. We favor September; fewer bugs, beautiful, usually dry weather and also more available campsites.
9
The Boundary Waters is such a special place. If you have the opportunity to go there with friends or family, or bring your children there, you will not regret it. The peacefulness, silence, and beauty you will experience on every lake, along portages, during sunrise/sunset, and looking at the millions of stars in the sky is truly unmatched. I feel very lucky to have spent so many of my childhood summers in the BWCAW.
10
Beautiful! Thank you for a well-written chronicle of your time away from the madness. I hope one day to follow in your footsteps and visit this wonderful preserve of wilderness, before greed and overpopulation denies me the chance.
6
We live about 15 miles as the crow flies from the BWCA. It is magical, and this story captures that. It, or we, need this publicity, because the younger generation has not caught the desire to inhabit this quiet refuge. Thus our outfitters struggle, trying to make it on an aging clientele taking shorter and shorter trips. The BWCA can handle more visitors staying longer without being harmed; there are rules and limits to prevent that. And our world could use many, many more people who spend time in the wilderness and are soothed by it into a gentler way of being with themselves and with others.
88
Most of that younger generation won't come unless they can get WiFi out there. But an old(er) fart like me and his lovely spouse may just cruise on up for a nice, unplugged visit.
9
And you would be very, very welcome.
9
Beautiful writing. I feel grief that the younger generation has less desire to visit this place and experience real wilderness with its deep quiet and stars that you can only see in clear skies.
I visited the Minnesota north woods for the first time in the summer of 1990. I fell in love with it. I've been going back every year since at the end of summer and early fall, when the air is crisp, the leaves are mixture of fading green, yellow, gold and red, and the mosquitos and flies are gone.
In 2006 I purchased a small parcel of land just three miles from the Boundary Waters, where I built a year-round cabin. There's no landline phone service and cell phone signal is spotty at best. The perfect place to unwind.
Ever since I've been going to the MN northland and Boundary Waters at least once a month, including frigid winters. It's absolutely spectacular. The solitude and grandeur of nature are all in display. The cry of the loon and the howling of wolves is the only thing that breaks the silence. My frequent visitors are deer, bears, moose (unfortunately in decline), wolves, otters, beavers and many other animals.
The MN north woods and Boundary Waters are one of the most beautiful natural wonders I've seen - and I've been fortunate to have traveled to many places. It is one of the few places that I long to be back every time I leave.
In 2006 I purchased a small parcel of land just three miles from the Boundary Waters, where I built a year-round cabin. There's no landline phone service and cell phone signal is spotty at best. The perfect place to unwind.
Ever since I've been going to the MN northland and Boundary Waters at least once a month, including frigid winters. It's absolutely spectacular. The solitude and grandeur of nature are all in display. The cry of the loon and the howling of wolves is the only thing that breaks the silence. My frequent visitors are deer, bears, moose (unfortunately in decline), wolves, otters, beavers and many other animals.
The MN north woods and Boundary Waters are one of the most beautiful natural wonders I've seen - and I've been fortunate to have traveled to many places. It is one of the few places that I long to be back every time I leave.
53
ssssshhhhhh......don't tell so many people! i'm fortunate enough to have grown up in Thunder Bay Ontario, on the rugged north shore of Lake Superior and about an hour from Quetico. I've been to some beautiful spots in the world, including mountains and tropics and oceans etc In my humble estimation nothing beats the Canadian Shield for peace and tranquility and it's restorative qualities. So go. And bring your kids. Soooo important to get them unplugged.
35
Don't share the location of your fishing hole if you want to be sure there's something on the hook on your next outing. The best kept secrets are just that.
6
I almost never post, but this was just beautiful. The pictures and the prose really transported me from my office to this wonderful place. Inspired me to maybe go camping again sometime soon!
14
what a lovely lovely story and what a marvelous description of nature that as of yet has not been despoiled. The evocation of wonder that Porter Fox captured in the essay was profoundly moving. Especially striking was the description of the Milky way as 'the arc of souls'. Would that we humans might find such a place, perhaps not the 20.0000 lakes described. By putting down a cell phone and listening to the sounds of the earth it is a first step towards a more humane existence.
One can only hope that mining companies are not permitted to spoil this extraordinary place.
One can only hope that mining companies are not permitted to spoil this extraordinary place.
13
Just wonderful. I have camped in the Adirondacks (real camping, not glamping - we slept on the ground and in the rain not in a motel or a camper) and this essay reminded me of that. I have been thinking about getting out of the Boston 'burbs - too many cars and too many people - and this part of the US and Canada sounds terrific. Let's hear it (!) for quiet and lack of "civilization"!
2
You only have to travel 100 miles out to western Massachusetts to find quiet & lots of open space which many in Boston would consider "a lack of civilization." We can kayak, camp, bike, & walk our dogs and barely ever see a soul in some places.
4
Most restful vacation I ever had.
3
Enjoyed reading the article and wallowing in the memories of being at the Outward Bound School for four weeks in the mid-60's. I often dream of returning to clean, clear water, fresh caught walleye, and carrying only what fit in your pack. The only hints of modern life were the aluminum scrapings on the rocks from the canoes as they landed for the portages and the occasional Canadian Border Patrol plane. It was a truly once in a lifetime experience and is still vivid in my memories.
Though we didn't carry 180 lbs, we left base camp for 14 days on the water with packs weighing over 100 lbs and Grumman aluminum canoes that weighed about the same. The long portages were tough, even on a strong 17 year old. We learned to love the seed pods called rose hips that grow along the portages as snacks and use leaves from a ground plant called "lumberjacks' toilet paper" for obvious purposes.
There were 12 of us and we were our sole company for the 14 days. Once or twice I remember seeing a canoe on the same lake but we never got close to them.
The BWCA and the Quetico on the Canadian side are marvelous wilderness - and a wilderness that can still be enjoyed by families - even with small children. I took my girls to Algonquin Park in central Ontario many times when they were young. It was only one canoe ride and one portage to leave all signs of civilization.
Just go and enjoy!
Though we didn't carry 180 lbs, we left base camp for 14 days on the water with packs weighing over 100 lbs and Grumman aluminum canoes that weighed about the same. The long portages were tough, even on a strong 17 year old. We learned to love the seed pods called rose hips that grow along the portages as snacks and use leaves from a ground plant called "lumberjacks' toilet paper" for obvious purposes.
There were 12 of us and we were our sole company for the 14 days. Once or twice I remember seeing a canoe on the same lake but we never got close to them.
The BWCA and the Quetico on the Canadian side are marvelous wilderness - and a wilderness that can still be enjoyed by families - even with small children. I took my girls to Algonquin Park in central Ontario many times when they were young. It was only one canoe ride and one portage to leave all signs of civilization.
Just go and enjoy!
21
I did the same Outward Bound trip in the mid-80's. This California girl had done plenty of Sierra camping in truly gorgeous surroundings, but being on the boundary waters was more magical than anything I'd ever experienced. Yes, the journey was exhausting and a true test of endurance - mentally, physically and emotionally - but it was absolutely the best trip of my life. The beauty and peacefulness were such gifts. And to be able to scoop a cup of cool water right from the lake and drink it without worry...something I had never experienced in the Sierras.
Thank you, Bill, for your post and reminding me of what an impact this trip had on me.
Thank you, Bill, for your post and reminding me of what an impact this trip had on me.
7
Wonderful story, more people need to do things like this, the world would be a better place!
32
We are a part of the natural world , and it heals us. Thank you.
16
I have been to the Boundary waters many times, the thing that always strikes you the most when you get there is the silence -- no sound, it is quite amazing.
24
As a person whole has been to all 50 states, i will tell you that there is nothing like the Boundary Waters. Go, get wet, listen to nature, sleep outdoors, see stars as far as the eye can see. eat meals over a campfire, embrace the quite, get dirty. Once you've gone, and left the world behind, you will always want to come back and escape to the beauty and quite of Northern Minnesota.
16
For those intrigued by the BWCA, don't be daunted by the demands of organizing a multi-day canoe trip. The area has plenty of day canoe trips and outfitters to rent canoes from. For hiking, there are numerous day trails with excellent views. There are also a few multi-day hikes for full backcountry immersion, such as the Border Route and Kekekabic trails. In Winter, there is cross-country skiing, including an impressive 200km groomed system along the Gunflint trail.
13
Forty years ago, a friend of mine owned a bar in Ely, and I once spent a night in his home, but I've never canoed the BWCA. My father and a group of his fellow engineers from John Deere made annual week-long treks through it in the early 60's, but at age 15 or so, I was never invited to join them. They had an even number of adventurers and it was two men to a canoe. I lived in northern Minnesota, though, for five years during my late 20's, and in many places it's not but a few steps from the road that one can begin to sense that this is indeed a wild place, in the existential sense of the word "wild."
But I haven't begun to make a dent in my bucket list, and the BWCA is on it, perhaps the oldest entry on that imaginary document. My health is better than I deserve. Cost is not a factor. What am I waiting for? Well, for right now, summer. And then I will be out of excuses and maybe, just maybe, out on a lake so clear and clean there is no need to take water for drinking.
But I haven't begun to make a dent in my bucket list, and the BWCA is on it, perhaps the oldest entry on that imaginary document. My health is better than I deserve. Cost is not a factor. What am I waiting for? Well, for right now, summer. And then I will be out of excuses and maybe, just maybe, out on a lake so clear and clean there is no need to take water for drinking.
5
A former Minnesotan, I can attest to the stunning nature of the Boundary Waters. However, keep in mind that mosquitos are the true Minnesota State Bird.
43
Yes, yes, hate to interject in all this rapture but the bugs can absulutely devour you.
10
At their worst, I've seen them drive campers to near-madness. Dinners abandoned. People running across portages to escape the swarms on the cool muddy trails sheltered from the wind.
Standing in camp, early evening, and the wind has quieted down. And you start to hear it. A low hum. Not a high-pitch "eeeeeeeee", but a hum.
The sound of millions of mosquitos taking flight. As long as I live, I will never forget that sound.
Early spring trips, just after ice-out, you can get lucky and avoid the swarms. Or wait until the first frost in the fall. I prefer the spring trips because the days are ridiculously long.
Standing in camp, early evening, and the wind has quieted down. And you start to hear it. A low hum. Not a high-pitch "eeeeeeeee", but a hum.
The sound of millions of mosquitos taking flight. As long as I live, I will never forget that sound.
Early spring trips, just after ice-out, you can get lucky and avoid the swarms. Or wait until the first frost in the fall. I prefer the spring trips because the days are ridiculously long.
5
Spring? What, there are no black flies?
So many great memories of traveling in the BWCA. Turning a trail corner and finding myself face-to-face with a surprised bull moose. A wolf pack howling somewhere nearby in the same bay we were camping at. Curious Canadian Jays landing on my knee to examine the strange interlopers lying on the ground near their shoreline.
On one crystal clear moonless night, the air was utterly still and the lake turned to perfect glass. Every star in the sky could be seen in the reflection. I strolled out onto a rock outcropping on the lake, and it was stars stars stars, 360 degrees every direction, including up and down (only broken by the black line of the far shoreline and the rock on which I stood). Seeing every star in the sky beneath your feet is unbelievably disorienting. After a few minutes, I actually got dizzy with vertigo and had to turn on my flashlight to get back to shore.
I think it was the closest I could possibly get to experiencing Douglas Adams' "Total Perspective Vortex".
On one crystal clear moonless night, the air was utterly still and the lake turned to perfect glass. Every star in the sky could be seen in the reflection. I strolled out onto a rock outcropping on the lake, and it was stars stars stars, 360 degrees every direction, including up and down (only broken by the black line of the far shoreline and the rock on which I stood). Seeing every star in the sky beneath your feet is unbelievably disorienting. After a few minutes, I actually got dizzy with vertigo and had to turn on my flashlight to get back to shore.
I think it was the closest I could possibly get to experiencing Douglas Adams' "Total Perspective Vortex".
13
What a wondrous image! Thank you for sharing that. Living in the city as I do now, I miss seeing the stars, but it must have been unimaginably lovely to see them doubled.
3
I loved this article. From 1961 until 1975, I was a camper and counselor at Camp Nebagamon in northern Wisconsin. During those years I visited the Boundary Waters numerous times. The physical beauty is like no place else in the world. Just as important were the shared experiences and the opportunity to push the physical limits that enhanced the camp experience and created a man out of a boy. The billion mosquito serenade on the first night of the first trip. The loons. Not seeing another group for several days, and when we did learning that the outside world had changed: Thomas Eagleton had resigned as George McGovern's running mate and Sargent Shriver took his place, superimposed in my memory over a moose sighting a few minutes earlier (a couple of years later I was on Isle Royale when Nixon resigned). Finding a great fishing spot and learning the hard way not to leave the catch on a stringer in the lake overnight (snapping turtles). As a young adult that feeling of accomplishment after taking the third canoe over the portage.
21
"The physical beauty is like no place else in the world"
Well, maybe no place else in the U.S. It sounds just like the part of Canada I called home in youth.
Well, maybe no place else in the U.S. It sounds just like the part of Canada I called home in youth.
You're killing me off here.......
After the last 15 months of incessant politics, I'd go up there in an early dead of winter to get away from the Fall 2016 campaign.
After the last 15 months of incessant politics, I'd go up there in an early dead of winter to get away from the Fall 2016 campaign.
16
I paddled the BWCA in the mid-80s as a Boy Scout. One of the most awe-inspiring and formative experiences of my life. Thank you for taking me back.
12
I've been there 3 times in the mid 80's: twice in fall by canoe and once in late December by cross country skis. Always unforgettable. Best memories are of a full moon through clouds, incredible sunrise over fall foliage and otter tracks in the snow as we traveled on a frozen meandering river on the way past Indiana to Wood Lake. Blessed to have met Dorothy Molter - the last resident of the BWCA - on a trip in Sep. 1985.
6
Two summers at Camp Voyageur (which is still going strong) in the 60's proved wondrous and life changing for me, and this special Boundary Waters wilderness remains indelibly resonant. Like many, my experiences canoeing and camping there are given voice in Sig Olson's writing, as the senses of timelessness and solitude within the great silences that encompass that region, even in retrospect, do bring forth an awareness of one's search for meaning and of the imponderables. Friendships made there have abided as well, built on the common stuff so well revealed in Porter Fox's article. This is a primal place where you can dip your paddle twice into the same river.
10
I was there when 16, over 40 years ago, when I insisted to my parents that I had to go camping and even if I couldn't go with my friends I still wanted to go. We had a 21 year old guide who trapped fur in the winter and he helped us portage , cook and catch fish. It was one of the best 5 days of my life. Falling asleep on a bed of leaves after dark, waking up at dawn to sheer silence except the call of the loon, seeing no other human for 5 days, seeing a moose drinking water and eating the best fresh fish ever, it was an experience I never forgot. Thanks for reminding me; I want to take my son there and I am so happy to hear it hasn't changed.
18
Over six trips since 2001 I've spent over two months in the BW and mostly the Quetico on the other side of the watery border. Second only to the high Sierra mountains when I was a boy, this is God's beautiful and pristine creation. Like anything similar, it requires work to get in there, it's not super easy, and there is danger (one night on our first trip we spent a good 90 minutes in a meso-cyclone, 80 foot trees falling directly next to us) - and you'll never be able to tell someone what it was really like who has not seen it for themselves. True beauty, thanks for this very nicely written piece. Going back with my college best friends in 2017!
17
Before even beginning to read, I saw the opening picture begin to unfold and thought, this is so needed. Thank you for this beautiful presentation, to be cherished, and for the immediate reminder that there is more to life than endless nattering.
46
My [amazing] sister did a week long solo trip in this area years ago, with a fair bit of backpacking but little canoeing experience. That was before the era of travel memoirs....
3
Wonderful writing about a beautiful place. My only concern is that it will draw too many people to this jewel of a locale. Well, I have another concern. What does this sentence mean: "The combined shoreline of Minnesota is 45,000 miles — more than the sum of California’s inland and ocean coasts combined."? What on earth is "California's inland coast"? Surely Lake Tahoe doesn't qualify as a coast.
2
Entering the BWCA requires a permit, and there a limited number available. Local outfitters reserve several permits and you can arrange one thru them, or arrange to get one yourself. But the permit system limits the number of groups in the wilderness on any given day or week.
That being said, spring trips (just after "ice-out") and mid-fall trips offer the best chance to experience the deep isolation offered by this gem.
That being said, spring trips (just after "ice-out") and mid-fall trips offer the best chance to experience the deep isolation offered by this gem.
7
For sure I'm going there--maybe in summer when the weather is a little more clement. Thank you Porter and Sara Fox.
3
Thank you for this fabulous profile of the BWCA. Over many years, I think I have accumulated about 150 days and nights in the BWCA, but it's been about a dozen years since I last visited. I'm not sure my body could handle the rigorous effort required to travel deep into the wilderness anymore.
With all due respect to the Disney empire, this is my "Happiest Place on Earth".
With all due respect to the Disney empire, this is my "Happiest Place on Earth".
8
A great piece of Journalism, this. And, what a rare, beautiful and huge expanse of unending splendor, right on our doorstep.
May this canoe trip inspire more appreciation for what is irreplaceable ~ Wilderness.
May this canoe trip inspire more appreciation for what is irreplaceable ~ Wilderness.
20
Have spent several 10 day trips in the BWCA. When to go is important - too many people before Labor Day and bugs also. Rent a epoxy 18' "laker" canoe from one of the outfitters. Also buy a Duluth pack - made on the N shore of Lake Superior - very large and comfy. Take a large polyethylene sheet - cheap at big box stores and use it as a rain shelter.
Try to find a east/west lake - seeing the sun rise and set is great. It is fun to swim up to Loons - when U are in water with them - they are fearless. Hearing wolves howl at night is fun.
A word about black bears. Unfortunately some young people had been feeding a mother bear with a cub at a great camp site. She got quite pushy and approached me with claws extended. Never ever run from a bear or any animal. I whacked her with a large rock and she left us alone. We decided to move camp just about dark as she was still around. We found another camp site and about 2 hours later a group got chased out of the same camp site.
Park Rangers will tell U they are harmless - they are not.
Also the fishing is great - caught a large N Pike - wow tasty - just boil them in a pot with some freeze dried veggies - a real meal.
Enjoy!
Try to find a east/west lake - seeing the sun rise and set is great. It is fun to swim up to Loons - when U are in water with them - they are fearless. Hearing wolves howl at night is fun.
A word about black bears. Unfortunately some young people had been feeding a mother bear with a cub at a great camp site. She got quite pushy and approached me with claws extended. Never ever run from a bear or any animal. I whacked her with a large rock and she left us alone. We decided to move camp just about dark as she was still around. We found another camp site and about 2 hours later a group got chased out of the same camp site.
Park Rangers will tell U they are harmless - they are not.
Also the fishing is great - caught a large N Pike - wow tasty - just boil them in a pot with some freeze dried veggies - a real meal.
Enjoy!
13
We took family summer trips to the BWCA fifty years ago. Camped on an island we had a sow and three cubs swim out and eat our food. Watched a cub licking jelly from jar it had opened. We ate fish and pancakes till resupplied at the end of the week!
I never made it to the boundary waters but I did paddle the lakes of Isle Royal. The sights and sounds will stay with me till I'm no more. Nothing will stir your soul more than the sound of a loon on a northern lake at dusk, especially with a paddle in your hand. I feel pity for the millions who will never experience this or don't care.
5
Minnesotans will remind you that native sons Eric Sevareid and Walter Port canoed the Boundry Waters in 1930 over 2,250 miles from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay. Their adventure is chronicled in Sevareid’s book “Canoeing with the Cree”.
4
Ah, sorry. Actually, they didn't canoe the BWCAW. They went north on the Red River, and ran into somewhat similar wilderness north of Lake Winnipeg.
3
In 1953 i paddled in the Boundary Waters for three days and am glad to hear that the area is, till now, unchanged. I hope it remains that way.
6
YMCA Camp Widjiwagan introduced me and numerous others to the special experience of the BWCA. Thanks for the memories: Lac La Croix, Burntside, beautiful sand bottom crystal clear Argo, Basswood, Long may Widji continue!
8
Yes! Fellow Widji camper here! I just wrote a comment about that camp and how it changed my life.
I saw the video and my first thought was, drones with or without cameras do NOT belong in the wilderness. We go to the wilderness to escape all that - the invasion of privacy and the noise. Please, NYT, don't exacerbate the problem. Even if drones are legal in Boundary Waters, I guarantee you they are not welcome.
31
Amen
1
Thank you very much for this article. All summer in the back of my head has been the glimmer of a plan to return to the Boundary Waters next summer and travel that gorgeous area again. My plan is built on amazing remembrances of two BWCA trips back in high school, each of which was a week long. On one trip we had fierce winds and rain for most of the week, while on the other trip each lake was as smooth as glass. Thank you for the excellent writing and beautiful photos that all brought back many happy memories for me.
7
Great to know such a place exists and for now is protected and valued.
6
I know of Paul and Sue! My family is from Ely, MN. My mom and my great-grandfather live there still.
I love the boundary waters. They are the most beautiful place on the planet. If you want to see America is its most beautiful, go camping in the boundary waters. I went there like 6 times as a kid, and I keep going back as an adult.
I love the boundary waters. They are the most beautiful place on the planet. If you want to see America is its most beautiful, go camping in the boundary waters. I went there like 6 times as a kid, and I keep going back as an adult.
6
Beautiful inspiring tribute to nature............
11
As a former Minnesotan, thank you. That was fabulous writing of one of the most beautiful places in the United States of America. I could not make it through as far as you did due to disabilities, but it felt like another world. Absolute quiet except for God's creatures, the smells and the sights leave a life-time impression. Maybe if all elected officials, at every level of government, were required to take a trip there, they might make wake up and start a real fight to save our environment. Actually, I take that back. The way things are in politics right now, just the thought of them there has probably already hurt something. I'm not a fan of guns, but the peace, joy and serenity the Boundary Waters brings are something that I would be willing to pick a rifle to defend. Thank you, again.
72
A very nice article about a wilderness area I know well. Only it is 1.1 million acres, not 1.1 million square miles, which would encompass an area of 1000 miles by 1000 miles. Minnesota is big, but not quite that big!
37
As a transplanted east coaster who migrated to southeast Texas in late 80's, I have grown to like subtropical weather, green year-round flat vistas, and Gulf of Mexico shorebirds. But reading this lovely piece on the Boundary Waters makes me want to go on a long canoe trip in Minnesota. With a click click of a mouse I ordered "Canoeing with the Cree" to continue the experience that Porter Fox's piece started in my mind this morning. A soothing balm from election news.
It makes me yearn to be there and I am reminded of the wonderful, Sigurd F. Olson's books about the Quetico-Superior area.
We must always be vigilant about mining. It is so destructive.
Thanks for sharing your adventures.
We must always be vigilant about mining. It is so destructive.
Thanks for sharing your adventures.
23
I grew up near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). It was a never changing jewel that beckoned, but with a cost. There are no easy ways to be in it, thus the attraction. That it is even considered for exploration of mineral is unthinkable. The Iron Range is evidence of the damage that can be done. Although I have to admit that my father and thousands of others made a living by digging into pristine areas of North Eastern Minnesota, that is no reason to add to the destruction. Go into the BWCA and find a solitude that you may never experience anywhere else.
68
In 1965 I was lucky enough to go on a trip with a group of Boy Scouts to the Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base in Ely, Minn and take a trip in this area for about 6 nights. I have many fond memories of that trip. The beautiful clear water lakes, we could watch pike and walleye swimming 30 feet down. The near constant isolation and sounds of nature. The indian petroglyphs and the national boundary markers between U.S. and Canada. A floating island where the aquatic plants were so thick and deep we could walk on the water. I'll never forget the mosquitoes, great big ones and thick. Sometimes when we were portaging between lakes there was no way to swat mosquitoes so we tried to blow them off our arms. Needless to say we got lots of bites. Back then blueberries were unavailable to us in central Mo., but we happened to hit the blueberry season and Don our guide made blueberry cobbler in a dutch oven every night. I've always wanted to go back, but now at this age it seems like a perhaps unrealizable dream. My wife and I like to stay in our RV and I doubt I'll ever really experience anything like going to the Boundary Waters again. But I sure enjoyed your article and pictures. Thank you for stirring up these memories.
103
No reason you can't go back! Try a resort/campground on the Gunflint Trail, you can day trip into the wilderness.
5
Come back to the BWCA! Here's the thing -- you don't have to sleep on a rock to have the experience. There are a number of beautiful resorts on the edge of the BWCA where you can go into the BWCA during the day, enjoy the wild environment, then paddle home and sleep in a bed in a cozy cabin. Ours, which is Bearskin on the Gunflint Trail, has easy access into the BWCA and the lake is extremely quiet. But there are many others like this, especially on the eastern side of the BWCA along the Gunflint. You can still have the experience, just in a less demanding way. It is a realizable dream!
Exceptional writing and photography. One more place to add to my bucket list thanks to Porter and Sara Fox
32