Northwoods Memories Multimedia Productions

Folks who have not been to canoe country ask us many questions about planning a trip.  Invariably, we answer their question, and quickly add, “Figure out the dates of your trip and contact your outfitter with those dates as soon as possible.”  We addressed the idea of finding an outfitter and what they can do for you in an earlier post.  Now we must address the “dates” issue.

Permits are required for entry into both Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in northeastern Minnesota.  Both areas are controlled entry, meaning that only a specific number of permits are allowed per day into each entry point.  Additionally, there are a maximum number of canoes and people allowed under each permit.  Outfitters are experts at handling this information.  But they cannot begin to help you until they know the date you will arrive at their base, and the date you want to go out on the trail.  The most important thing for you to realize in this process is that “the early bird gets the worm.” (more…)

For interested folks who have never made a wilderness canoe trip, the planning and preparation is intimidating.  It would be nice if you had a very experienced friend who would let you go on a trip with him or her.  It would also be nice if they took you by the hand and led you through all the preparations.  Most of us do not have such a friend.

But all of us have access to an outfitter.  Experienced outfitters are available at every area around canoe country where you might want to enter.

Outfitters are expert at handling all the details of securing permits to enter the wilderness.  They will advise you on any documents needed to cross international boundaries if that is a part of your plan.  They have excellent equipment for rent that is exactly the equipment you need for this type of outdoor adventure.  If you have some of your equipment, they can fill out your gear to what is needed.  They can pack an entire kitchen and food store for you, usually based on menus you select.  They have a variety of canoes for rent along with paddles and life jackets.  And they can provide the canoe, equipment, and food preparation training for you if you are a beginner, or an outdoors person who just needs to make the transition into canoeing.  Before you leave on your trip they will provide you with good maps and lots of detailed information on your traveling route. (more…)

Our first trip of 2008 took us to a total of 14 pictograph sites around the periphery of Quetico and in the Boundary Waters.  To complete our series of Northwoods Pictograph Bulletins, we committed to revisiting every site we have visited in the past to check the accuracy of our photographs and records, and to visit the few remaining sites we had not yet visited. (more…)

From the beginning of this website, we have been talking to friends, colleagues, and members of bulletin boards to decide what would make this blog helpful, interesting and consistent with memories of northwoods experiences.  This blog will evolve, but to start, we will address some of the suggestions shared with us so far.

The “General” category will continue for things of general interest that are non-specific and of broad application.  We will also use this section to introduce new sections of the blog, new ideas, things of timely nature, and notices about information of a new or different nature elsewhere on the site. (more…)