Northwoods Memories Multimedia Productions

When we were in Ely, summer of 2008, I had a conversation with Steve Piragis, owner of Piragis Northwoods Company and the Boundary Waters Catalog.  I was introducing him to our fledgling series of Northwoods Pictograph bulletins.  In the course of the conversation he asked me about the Island River Pictograph site.  During this same visit he had asked me about the South Hegman Lake Pictograph site.  His account with pictures of his trip to the South Hegman Lake site was printed in Boundary Waters News, their on-line newsletter, Fall of 2008.

In June of 2009, after a trip to Ely, I wrote Steve passing on information I had gathered based on some research and our visit to the Island River site.  In it I also included information about  the South Hegman site, and that information was included in my blog post on September 28, 2009.

In July of 2009, Steve reprinted the original article from the previous Fall and my letter to him about the two sites.  Following is the approximate text of part of that publication.  I have edited it slightly from what was published to try to clarify some of the points in my original writing.

I have several unanswered questions about this site: (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…)