Last time I had these Crocs lace-up tennis shoes. All rubber. I thought they would be great, but they rubbed blisters, so I wore long merino wool socks. That worked well, but I sure hated putting on cold, wet socks every morning.

What is everyone else's preferred footwear? I really want a closed toe.

My younger brother has a peanut allergy and I’m struggling to think of lunch ideas.

Lots to capture as a new Autumn begins, hoping to make it back once more before the season ends!

Not sure the best way to share this, but a guy (share his name if you have it) ran the TCM carrying a canoe. Well done, sir!

https://www.threads.com/@bachscore/post/DeFJdMPE2et?xmt=AQG0QcehSh1oOGXjmbU11sq1sHl33jnypin2yaGZeYv1OyQSeWwKho0iU256vksuAeoPTdgk&slof=1

[Travis Meier!]

Found an old BB special at the cabin with the tag still on it. Crazy how prices have outpaced inflation in the last 15 years.

Hard to beat a late September BW trip. Fall colors, perfect weather, no bugs and good fishing. Spent a few days on Wine Lake and got to enjoy the Lujenida to Zenith portage twice.

I’m hoping to buy a paddle for the BWCA as I don’t want to keep borrowing my friends. I go once a year, but the paddle is usually 10-12 hours. I measured myself, and from chair to nose is 33”. I’m going to go with a 54” bent shaft, as I’m cool with making an investment. I’m looking to spend $200 or less, but if an amazing paddle is on sale, I could be flexible. What paddle do you recommend?

For years (decades) I have used my trusty little Garmin etrex CX GPS as a speedometer and breadcrumb generator when paddling rivers and the BWCA. Alas, it got dunked on the last BWCA trip and now its display appears to be caput.

I would prefer to replace this device with a modern equivalent. That is, a standalone, offline GPS with internal maps; a unit that can be charged from my power bank, not running on batteries. Such a device doesn't appear to be offered by Garmin or anyone else. So, it looks like from here on out, I need to use my phone and a GPS/map app.

I have a newer iPhone and I was surprised at the battery life on my last BWCA trip, so maybe a GPS app will not drain my phone as much as I have feared. I see several IOS GPS/map apps out there: Gaia GPS, onX Backcountry, Avenza Maps, Topo Maps+, and others. I will not be using it for navigation. I prefer to rely on paper maps for that. I do want to continue being able to watch our speed and occasionally check the GPS against where I think we are on the paper map.

Can anyone share their experience using these GPS phone apps in the BWCA?

Volume up on this one. Saturday, September 26 around 10 am we heard this sound over and over again for several minutes from across the lake from Trail’s End Campground (end of the Gunflint Trail, edge of the BWCA)

Our first thought was a Moose but not so sure…

This portage is not as burned as Amoeber to Topaz.

Im a pretty experienced fisherman but was wondering what’s everyone’s go to lure in the BW. I have a chronic habit of bringing way too much stuff. I’ll be up there for 6 days next week. I’m thinking of just jigs and twister tails. Maybe some crank baits?

The brother in-laws 2026 BWCA trip is a wrap, and like always, it was a great trip.

This was our first trip on the Gunflint side, as we usually enter on the Ely side. We started our journey at EP 47 Lizz and Swamp Lakes. After a bit of a delayed start, we made it to campsite 673 on Horseshoe Lake where we based camped for the week. We hit all the surrounding lakes throughout the area looking for hungry fish. Though not as successful for fishing as in years past, we caught plenty to keep us occupied and feed.

Overall, it was a good, relaxing trip with warm days and cool nights. Now we start planning for next year.

Ran into this mom and calf on a travel day this past week.

We watched the sky swallow the moon on Brant.

This past weekend, we were settling in for a campfire and hopes of seeing the harvest moon when this very good sir went for a swim. We watched him approach the lake, take a big drink, and enter.

This video is a clip a the seven minute video of him swimming the entire width of the lake.

We're still blown away that this happened and wanted to share with everyone.

I rented a Solo Wenonah Wilderness from Sawbill for 5 nighta.

1st night I went north up to Long Island Lake

2nd I headed west to Tuscarora

3rd to Peter

4th turned to the corner at Gabimichigami and headed south through little sag to Whipped Lake

5th on Alton Lake

Weather was incredible..sunny and warm during the day and cool at night. I'd like to have seen some moose, but only saw tracks and heard stories of them. Lots of people were out enjoying the solitude and good fishing by the looks if it. I'll definitely be doing solos in the future, it was an incredible trip.

First meal out of the woods: The Cashew Burger and a pitcher of grain belt from the Anchor Bar.

I think we left our DJI Action 6 camera and tripod setup on Caribou Lake when we came out on 9/20/2025. Or we set it down on the Caribou -> Lizz portage or the Lizz -> Poplar portage. We have a lot of great footage that I'd love to have back.

If anyone sees a post about finding this camera (or if you picked it up) please let me know!

Finally got out for my first solo after doing group trips for the last 5 years. Did the long Clearwater loop, 40ish miles of paddling, not sure total portage rod count (Clearwater > Mountain > Moose > North and South Fowl > John > MacFarland > Pine > Little Caribou > Caribou > Clearwater)

Autumn headwinds are no joke, spent too much time being worried about doing the loop in 4 days that i pushed too hard and did it in 3. Was hoping for a moose sighting but happy with the normal characters of beavers, loons, and ducks.

Weather was great minus a little rain on night 3. Overpacked on camp gear and food, but that made for some luxurious dinners after tough paddling days. The eastern campsite on John is incredible, wish i knew more about fishing to spend time on Pine. Paddling through the wild rice fields on fowl was something else.

Will be back, incredible loop that tested me and taught me a lot about what I’m capable of.

Where did you all learn to use tarps? Seems like everyone used them in the BWCA, though I never have. They seem really convenient.

I feel like I missed school the day everyone was taught how to pitch tarps! I plan on teaching myself the next coming spring, but I wish I had learned from another well experienced person. Tarps dont seem too complicated, at least!

Edit: I want to say I was also in scouts all my childhood and am still involved, but no one has taught/used a tarp, which I find incredible! I want to learn so I can pass it onto the younger kids I mentor for trips so they have the knowledge going forward. :)

For anybody that was on snowbank or disappointment lake and talked with us over the last two days, I’d like to report that Trooper was found safe!

We were completing our first portage from snowbank to disappointment when he took off. We were unable to find him after 8 hours of searching and another 5 hours this morning.

This morning, we received word that he was found on the portage between boot and snowbank and was brought to Ely. We were so relieved! We are now giving him a much deserved sleep under the covers in bed tonight after a good meal and pup cup.

He’s been a great off leash trail dog for 7 years with nothing like this ever happening! He always stays within 10 yards or so. I suppose it only takes once and this can happen to ANY dog. Please learn from us and make sure to leash you dog on the trails.

Thank you to everyone who shared concern and helped us bring him home!

Edit: leash your dog on the trails with a waist leash. A tracker isn’t enough. Trooper was off leash because he has leash reactivity to dogs but not when off leash. We will leash him anyway. Also, we’ve had him off leash on other trails for years without any issue at all so we were over confident. He I’m glad we were able to learn our lesson with a good outcome and we’d like to share with everyone else out there as well.

Tuesday to Friday. I over packed and it rained the last night. I learned a ton, and I feel brave and strong for going alone as a woman. Talking to myself outloud helped me feel better, I encouraged myself and talked to imaginary bears and moose I didn't want to startle 🤣. I tried to be all buttoned up at camp before dusk to cut down on the night time scaries. I used satellite to text loved ones - which helped them and myself feel better. I never saw bear or moose, and I’m both bummed and relieved about that. I encountered 2 groups, both two older men and they were very kind, impressed and not scary. I guess I choose men over bears in the bwca?

On the second day, there was a (unknown to me) prescribed burn within eye sight and very close to camp so I had about an hour of true emergency fear before I could obtain fire info via family with satellite text.

I base camped in and fished/hiked/paddled/portaged/explored around for day trips. All in I loved it and can't wait to go back soon.

After some usual members were not able to attend the trip we planned, I was able to bring my old man up for his first trip at 61. Also able to christen the cedar strip I had been building since March. Was great to have him experience this incredible place in something I built with the woodworking knowledge he taught me growing up. Weather was perfect and the bite was hot.