Outdoor Writer & Consultant – Wilderness Guide – Custom Canoe Expeditions into the far north
Outdoor Writer & Consultant – Wilderness Guide – Custom Canoe Expeditions into the far north
The Seal River is located northeast of Tadoule Lake, in a remote corner of northern Manitoba. It is one of the most beautiful canoeing rivers in Canada, and one of the more challenging. The Seal runs fast from start to finish. The closer it gets to Hudson Bay, the faster it drops. If the water […]
Grizzly. Camp along the Fond du Lac River, Saskatchewan. 13. NOT FOLLOWING THE TRIP LEADER’S EQUIPMENT LIST.Good trip leaders provide a detailed equipment list which should be rigorously followed. The leader will review personal equipment and clothing before the trip and approve safe alternatives. But some people are stubborn and “after inspection” delete or sneak […]
Cliff: RioGrande River, Texas. Bell Wildfire carbon/Kevlar solo canoe and Zaveral carbon straight-shaft paddle. Once you’ve used a carbon-fiber paddle, you’ll need real determination to return to wood. Admittedly, there’s a warmth and beauty to wood that is unmatched by synthetics. But a good carbon paddle weighs about half as much as a wood one; […]
Final portage on the Frost River that leads into Little Saganaga Lake. Correction: not a portage; it’s a rock-jumble that mixes seconds of paddling followed by seconds of lining followed by… whatever! Funny, how one’s perspective on things changes with age. Trips that are easy when you’re young become challenging with age. One late September, […]
Rio Grande River, Texas/Mexico border. Scenes like this are commonplace along the RioG.That’s my canoe in the foreground. When someone asks me to share my favorite places to canoe, I usually hesitate. After all, one person’s treasure is another’s trash. I like my rivers brimming with wildlife and rapids. And the more remote, the better. […]
Top to bottom: Idaho Knife Works, “Cliff” knife, Grohmann #1 Camper, Spyderco Military knife (this one is left-handed). The Cliff and Grohmann are carbon steel. The Spyderco is high-end stainless. What do you think is the most important tool to have along on a wilderness camping trip? If you said a good sharp knife, you’re […]
Ask folks what they fear most about canoeing a wild river where help is an airplane ride away and you’ll probably get these answers–in roughly this order: FEAR #1: Bears! They’re afraid they’ll get eaten alive by one! Or, a bear will get their food! FEAR #2: They fear they will paddle over a falls […]
Much as I love canoeing wild, fast rivers, I can’t escape the lure of the Boundary Waters. And every year, since 1971 (when I moved from Indiana to Minnesota) I’ve made at least two annual trips there. I’ve observed that two types of people generally paddle the BWCA: (1) Inquisitive souls who are always on […]
Wilderness users are an aging group. The U.S. Forest Service recently reported that the average age of those who go to the Boundary Waters is now around 50. Gray hair has replaced the darkened threads of youth. How can we attract young people to the wild outdoors? I decided to write a teen book that […]
A bright summer morning on any river. A crowd of canoers prepare for a downstream float. It’s 9:30 a.m. and confusion abounds. “Weren’t we supposed to shuttle at 9?” someone asks. What! You say the shuttle’s gone? I didn’t hear any announcement. How’m I gonna get my car to Reedsville landing?” Between the mix of […]