Trip 1: Boundary Waters Gear

[schm9311]

Hello again!
Well i'm starting to get ready for my first authentic camping trip. Five of my friends and I will be canoeing and camping in the Boundary Waters in Northern MN, for 4 Nights. Were trying to get a good list of things to bring so far its looking a bit like this:
One tent, life vests x6, sleeping bags x6, 1 pot, 1 pan, eating utensils, flashlight, lighter, Med Kit, Fishing poles and bait, Utility Knife (my new Fallkniven F1!), shovel, compass, map, water purification tablets.
So far I think its a pretty good list. If anyone has any more suggestions or tips, they would be much appreciated.
As in my other post I mention my search for a new "Chopper". I really cant decide between a Kukri, Axe, Folding saw, or a Large Fixed Blade Chopper. I know its mostly personal preference but with my experince...which is 0, Is there a suggested blade to start with. This will most likely be used very heavily with preparing all the wood for the fire. Price range is ~$200. So maybe a Folding Saw and a Chooper?
Just to give you an Idea of "Choppers" I have been looking at are.
Granfors Small Forest Axe, ESEE Junglas, RTAK II, Kershaw Folding Saw, BK-9,
Cold Steel Trail Hawk, Fiddleback Golok or Machete. I also have seen alot of Custom Knives, I know these are mostly made up names but the hatchula and woodchuck, both I saw on tese forums and really dig the Design.

Ill end it here haha, Thanks again Everybody.

 

[eisman]

Dry bags.

 

[dwarthog]

x2 on the dry bags.

Mosquito repellent.

Not sure on the shovel requirement though, given how rocky that area is up there. I am curious on the thinking behind that item.

 

[mtwarden]

x3 on the dry bags

probably want something to sleep on top of

bring a good saw and bring a good axe for the group

bring lots of redundant (and waterproof) fire starting bits

I'd consider bring a bear bag for the food

sunscreen, whistle, small signal mirror

rain gear

consider a headlamp over a flashlight- there are distinct advantages having the ability to use both hands free

some small repair kit- heavy sewing line/needle, duct tape, safety pins, etc

do you have a grill for any fish caught? insure to bring anything you need for cooking fish (flour mix, etc)

bring your camera and have fun!

 

[seamus]

I agree with mtwarden in that an LED headlamp is much better than a flashlight, particularly when reading in your tent. If it rains a lot or if the skeeters are as bad as they sometimes get, you'll spend more time there than you'd like. After canoeing/camping up there for 45 years we've found that the best strategy for fire wood is to find dead trees that haven't had too much contact with the ground so haven't rotted. We use a small axe to strip the branches off and canoe or haul them back to camp. Next we saw them into usable lengths with a standard, hardware store back-saw ( pack an extra blade). Four or five inch diameter trees are best for sawing. Pine burns easily but quickly. Mixing in some birch works great once the fire's burning well.
I agree with dwarthog, forget the shovel. On the Canadian side (Quetico), you'd need it but not in the BWCA. BRING LOTS OF DEET INSECTICIDE.
Make sure you have a couple of maps and pay attention to your watch for time travelled on the water. Your canoe will probably average 4-5 mph. On big lakes, figure out a compass heading to a landmark and navigate point to point.

Do have a great time.

 

[bwcaq]

What you take depends somewhat on the time of year. Try this link: http://www.quietjourney.com/discover.html

 

[KuRUpTD]

Kershaw Folding Saw.

I think you would be better off taking a full size saw - take a look at the Sawvivor or Trailblazer buck saw:

http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2010/11/24-in-trailblazer-take-down-buck-saw-vs.html

 

[averageiowaguy]

You'll want some broken in hiking boots and some sort of light shoe for around camp. You'll be doing portages and depending on where you go those can be really rough. Make sure you've got a comfortable carrying yoke for your canoo and practice using it. Bring PLENTY of food. Depending on how far you go you'll be dang hungry up there.

If you want to have a really good experience I would advise canooing back in 1 day and then setting up a really good camp. I'd spend time fishing on that lake and making short little trips into the woods. Don't kill yourself doing 10 miles of canooing a day. I spent 11 days up there once and did between 10 and 15 miles a day. It would have been a lot more fun if I'd just made a camp and got comfortable and spent time fishing for walleye and northerns. Have fun.

+1 on the bear bag. I've encountered them up there numerous times.

 

[bulgron]

+1 on the saw over an axe or hatchet. I spent a lot of time in the BWCA as a kid growing up. We never needed hatchets or axes. A saw and a good belt knife should do it for you.

If I was going into the woods with 5 other guys, I'd want to bring three tents, not one. Actually, these days I'd just bring a camping hammock, but that's something I'm trying to get into so maybe I'm just crazy.

Instead of water purification tablets, I'd bring a decent water filter. Or, rather, I'd have the tablets as a backup to the filter.

I don't see any kind of a camp stove in your kit. Look into some of the tinder-based stoves they have now (bushbuddy, etc). A small stove for heating water can be convenient for when you don't want to have to go get wood for a fire -- especially first thing in the morning.

 

[Macchina]

>A GPS if you have one, I own one and forgot to bring it the one time I really needed it and my map was worthless (lost at night in rather flat woods with no landmarks or water around).
>I for one recommend an axe over a saw. When it comes to firewood, you just have to break it down to manageable pieces, something I've found much less frustrating to do with an axe than a saw. YMMV. I have been using the Granfors SFA for over a year and love that thing.
>SLEEPING PADS!!! The cheap foam ones from Walmart work great. Without a pad (or a lot of leaves under you), you can sleep very cold on a 65 degree night. The cold ground can absorb an unlimited amount of heat and even if it is a "warm" 65 degrees, once your body assumes that same temperature, you'll call it a "freezing" 65 degrees. They also help you sleep if you are anything but a back sleeper on perfect ground.
>If you bring a few smaller pots, dinner preparation will go MUCH faster assuming you're cooking on a fire. Also, a spilled or burned group meal (seen it a many times) is cause for execution. When you spill your own meal, your friends just laugh at you then share theirs.
>Coffee. This is essential to me. Though they are expensive, I find those Starbucks instant packets to be absolutely delicious and very strong even in a large camp mug.
>Water bottles. It sucks to have to use chlorine tabs in your mouth .
>Don't forget your camera, you never know when a UFO will show up...

About portaging: I've gone on a few week-long canoeing trips in Algonquin, Canada and found one very valuable lesson about portaging: Carrying a 70 lbs. canoe by yourself sucks! The yoke was invented to be put on an ox for a reason. We found it much easier to carry the canoe by placing the canoe seats on the packs of two people (carry it backwards, your head will be inside the canoe). Bring cord to tie your paddles and PFD to the canoe during long portages.

 

[a-j]

A few notes from experience in the BWCAW -- some dupes, but take that as a stronger recommendation.

-- rain gear
-- I've seen a few references to bear bags -- you'll need a rope to get it into the tree -- don't forget it. Also helpful would be a carabiner or some other methods of easily attaching and lowering the bag.
-- A utility rope is also handy, especially with a tarp in case it rains or stringing a clothes line for wet clothing.
-- Don't rely on firewood or a campfire for food. You should also have a camp stove (not those 10-20 pound Coleman behemoths), but something like a single or dual white gas or backpacking canister stove. Two burners can be real handy especially with 6 people. If you don't want to buy or bring a stove, make sure you have food you don't have to rely on a fire for. A simple PB&J sandwich can be delicious after a long day of padding.
-- One fun thing to do is freeze some steaks the night before you head out, put them in a freezer bag, wrap them in some newspaper for some crude insulation. You'll have fire starter for the rest of the trip and you'll be eating steaks the first night. Don't forget the spices -- salt, pepper, cayenne, whatever you like.
-- I'll second the don't push yourself in distances. If you are base camping instead of moving every day, setup camp and just take the empty canoe (with a daypack, food, rain gear, etc.) with you.
-- If you are doing 3 2-person canoes, take an extra paddle. If you are doing 2 3-person canoes, you probably don't need one.
-- Get a map and compass per canoe of the area you are you'll be in -- get one of the regular topo map that any outfitter up there carries (McKenzie or I forget the other common brand you'll see). The multiple maps in case you lose one, but if you are in a canoe without a map, you'll always wonder where you are. Plus you can decide as a group where you are and where you want to go without having to all get clustered around the same map while you are on the water. Or you can split up into separate canoes if you want to fish in different areas. It can be surprisingly difficult and unnerving to navigate on water if you've never done it before. Distances can also be quite deceiving. It's only about 2 miles to the horizon if you are sitting in a canoe. A GPS can be a great accompaniment to a map, but don't rely on a GPS alone. Sometimes the portages and campsites are a little off on the maps -- they get moved, if you can't find what you are looking for, paddle around a little. If you are taking a GPS, preload it with the waypoints of the portages and campsites. There are resources on the web that have everything already cataloged. If none of you have orienteering experience, familiarize yourself with the basic concepts before getting on the water. If you are all into fishing, you're probably already familiar with reading lake charts and identifying lake features, islands, etc., just make sure you know how to use a compass. The nice thing about MN is it is probably safe enough to assume the magnetic declination is 0.
-- Spare batteries.
-- A water filter can work better than tablets, with a filter you get all the instant water you want without any of the tablet taste or waiting -- powdered drink mixes can help make the water more palatable. Some people drink without filtering the water -- I wouldn't risk it -- an easy way to ruin your trip.
-- Careful with your poles and packing and unpacking while portaging -- had a friend break his pole doing this.
-- 4-5 mph seems fast especially if you are inexperienced or just gradually paddling (3 mph is probably closer to what you'll average). 5 mph would be really pushing it -- enjoy the scenery.
-- Both a hatchet and saw are handy but if I had to choose just one, it would be a folding saw.
-- +1 on the sleeping pad. The ground can be uncomfortable even with a sleeping bag. I gotta give the hammock thing a try next time. Get something to double as a pillow -- clothing or a jacket can work, or even a camp pillow if you aren't too concerned with space / weight.
-- +1 on mosquito repellent, I'll add sunscreen. If you are doing early spring or late fall camping, you shouldn't have an issue with bugs, but I assume you'll be going during the summer
-- +1 on the 2 or 3 tents instead of 1. Otherwise, bring earplugs if one of you snores.

Get several miles into the wilderness if you can, stay up late on a clear night, lay back and just stare at the sky. You'll see things few people ever get to see if you live in the city -- the milky way like you've never seen it, shooting stars (counted 6 in the span of an hour or so) and satellites.

I went camping there once after it rained 4 inches the previous day. The portages were easy -- we just left our stuff in the canoe and pulled it through the flooded portages. We couldn't find any dry wood our first day, good thing we had a stove.

Don't think it will rain all day every while you are up there, but I seem to be cursed because I seem to hit rain whenever I go up there, sometimes only for a few hours, but if you don't have rain gear you'll turn a nuisance into a miserable day.

 

[Inspectorlee]

Me and 8 other guys did a fishing trip there three years ago (3 nights/4 days). As others have mentioned, you will need either an axe or a saw for firewood. The sleeping pad recommendation is heartily seconded by me! Things I would include (that I didn't see on the above posts) are:

-a large tarp that can be stretched over an area of the camp as a rain roof: this was very useful because it protected our gear/bags from the rain, and allowed us to run under the tarp during a sudden storm to wait it out and then continue fishing. We used a central camp, so the tarp was set up on the first day and taken down on the last day. If you're moving camp each day, this may or may not be as valuable for you and your friends.

-an anchor (one per boat): I assume this is a given and didn't really need to be included...but then again, I'm assuming...

-hats with attached head nets: no matter how much repellent we sprayed on, the mosquitoes were relentless (the black flies were actually worse). You will not be able to shoo them away with your hand while portaging (you will be portaging with a canoe on your shoulders, plus your fishing gear, plus around 4-5 pounds of fish if you're keeping some for dinner). The guy who didn't have a face/head net had 11 bite marks on his neck that literally looked like a swollen mess. And yes, he used repellent, but it washes/sweats off in the heat easily.

-a water filter for the camp: Nine guys drink a lot of water each day, and use even more for cooking. We used a bag filter that hung from a tree branch and dripped down into a separate container with a spigot. We would fill our individual canteens/bottles/etc from this central container. The bag filter had a capacity of 2.5 gallons and would filter that much water every 30 minutes or so as long as we kept refilling it. It was a lifesaver.

-food: yes, you will be catching lots of fish, but eating fish at every meal isn't as fun as it seems. Some of the guys didn't bring a lot of personal food, because they expected to just eat fish. Those were the guys fighting over Slim Jims and Twinkles. Bring some "comfort" food. It's a big boost to your emotional well-being.

That should help you enjoy your trip much more. We did not see any bears, but did see a wolf, which we were told is even more rare. Also, the storms come quick, and it's easy to get caught on the middle of a lake when they do. You should NOT continue to fish in a storm, because most fishing poles are made out of graphite, and graphite will conduct electricity. At that point, you are basically holding a 6+ ft lightning rod, in the middle of a flat lake. With that said, it was amazing (in a scary way) to see this HUGE, vertical black wall that was the storm approach towards me and my friend, while we were rowing furiously to make it back to the camp and the shelter of the tarp. Good memories, good times.

FWIW: we went during July, so weather, amount of bugs, etc may change depending on when your trip actually happens.

 

[schm9311]

Wow, thanks guys, Its good to know some of you had experinces there, cant wait! We are staying at a base camp, just to make it a little easier and One of my friends does have a stove, not sure what kind but he said it will work. I do have a sleeping pad too which I will bring. The large tarp is a good idea too. A couple more questions. Flooding? Is it an issue or are there places with higher ground not prone to flooding. Next Food? Ill probably bring some oat bran, nature valley bars, beef jerky. But what are some other foods to easily bring along for the "larger" meals

Thanks again.

 

[21tracker]

I am also planning a trip to the boundary waters this June, and I am a very able disabled guy. I use crutches to get around. I bought a canoe dolly (it straps on to the bottom of the canoe, with two heavy duty tires. My question would be, do you think I'll be able to pull the canoe through most of the portages? I am not going to far in and it looks like the first portage it highly traveled and it is the longest of my portages.

 

[a-j]

Flooding is a possibility on the portages depending on which area you'll be in, but probably only in the case of a serious rain. You probably don't have to worry about it too much, but don't plan on your feet staying dry unless you want to take a lot of extra time at the portages. Most (all?) of the campsites are high enough that they don't get flooded. Usually high up on the rocks, right off the banks.

As for food, anything that you can make that requires just boiling water is easy -- soup/rice mixes, pasta, or those freeze dried meals -- but the taste is really hit or miss.

 

[bulgron]

I am also planning a trip to the boundary waters this June, and I am a very able disabled guy. I use crutches to get around. I bought a canoe dolly (it straps on to the bottom of the canoe, with two heavy duty tires. My question would be, do you think I'll be able to pull the canoe through most of the portages? I am not going to far in and it looks like the first portage it highly traveled and it is the longest of my portages.

My experience with the BWCA is over 30 years old, so take this with a grain of salt, but I don't remember a whole lot of portages where I thought a wheeled device could make it. But things could easily be different now than it was then. Depends on what the forest service has done to the portages over the last 30 years.

Damn, you guys are making me want to go back to my old stomping grounds one of these days. I want to try hammock camping, and the BWCA is an awesome place for that kind of thing.

 

[trldad]

Great thread guys.
I am really going to follow this. My oldest son is canoeing the boundry waters this summer with the scouts. The scouts have a High Adventure camp up there. His Troop has put together a couple of crews and he is going to be part of it.
As a scout I always wanted to go to Philmont in New Mexico but my family was never able to swing it. Now my 14 year old is in a similar position and I am going to do my darndest to make sure he gets this opportunity.
Please do a follow up after your trip and let me know if your equipment list was sufficient and if there was anything you didn't or should have had.
Thanks and have a great time.
trldad

 

[Inspectorlee]

I am also planning a trip to the boundary waters this June, and I am a very able disabled guy. I use crutches to get around. I bought a canoe dolly (it straps on to the bottom of the canoe, with two heavy duty tires. My question would be, do you think I'll be able to pull the canoe through most of the portages? I am not going to far in and it looks like the first portage it highly traveled and it is the longest of my portages.

Because the area is huge, I'm not sure what portage you'll be using. But on our trip, after we had been towed across a large lake by the guides (sorry, I never did learn the name of all the lakes), we had to immediately portage uphill with all our equipment and the canoes. Then we descended downhill, made it to the edge of a lake, and paddled across that lake to our camping site. The initial portage was about 1/4 of a mile, and included some steep sections.

I am not trying to discourage you, but our portages were never flat, it was always up and down, and the path included plenty of obstacles that needed to be stepped over such as large rocks and whatnot. If you're going by yourself, it will be rough going. But with at least one partner, I think you might be able to manage.

 

[Wildewinds]

You should really get a folding saw and compare it to cutting a firewood sized branch/tree versus using an axe/hatchet. Take whatever works best for you.

In my limited experience, the saw wins hands down.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Safety. Be sure to have at least two decent med kits. Injuries out in the middle of nowhere can get serious.

Saw versus axe: are any of you reasonably familiar with using an axe or a big chopper or khukuri? Cold, tired, hungry, and wet, you slip with a hard-swung blade and that hurts. The saw is safer. A small hatchet is practically foolproof unless you're a total klutz, but you should be able to pick up easily burned branches.

I really like my headlamps, even around the house at night. Every one of you needs his own light, at least a headlamp or flashlight and a microlight for backup.