Boundary Water Adventure
If
adventure on the open Boundary Waters of Minnesota and Canada spur your interest,
this family vacation may be for you. With 2 boys, Mom, Dad and trailer in
tow we left Colorado Springs for one of the most memorable vacations to date.
Ely, Minnesota, was our destination. It took 3 days to drive from Colorado
Springs. We took our time visiting family and camping at various sites along
the way. Once we got to Minnesota, we took the scenic route to Two Harbors.
We found a nice place on Lake Superior to park the camper for a bite to eat.
After enjoying the view and food we chose to take Hwy 2 the rest of the way
to Ely. The drive gave glimpses of the splendor we were about to experience.
The road wound through trees all the way.
Once
in Ely we stopped by Canoe Country Outfitters (Web site at bottom of report)
where we were equipped with everything we needed for a 5 day canoe trip on
the Boundary Waters. We recommend an Outfitter as opposed to packing yourself
if you've never done this before. This particular Outfitter has been in business
over 50 years and knows exactly what you nee-- from mosquito repellant to
your last morsel of food.
After loading Duluth bags, paddles and food into our truck, we headed to Moose
Lake and an area specially reserved for those preparing to launch the next
day. It was a lovely campsite and the owner seemed nice enough. Though most
of the evening was spent preparing for our wilderness adventure we did spend
some time at the dock enjoying some swimming and fishing for crabs. We went
to bed early so we could be ready to depart at 8:00 am. A shuttle would take
us, our 2 canoes and gear up north to the Prairie Portage Ranger station on
the Canadian border.
With the boys riding on top of the gear in the truck, we headed to the dock
at 8:00 am the next morning. The ride to Prairie Portage took about 20 min.
During the ride we recorded the trip on GPS so it would be easier to navigate
from portage to portage and through the many inlets we would encounter. Once
we arrived, we had to carry the canoes and gear to the first lake where we
needed to check in at the Ranger station.
TIPSTER: They only allow a certain number of people each day to visit the
Boundary Waters. It is recommended that you make your reservations a good
6 months in advance--an outfitter can take care of this for you, too. There
are minimal dues that are owed before you can launch. The Ranger station is
where you take care of business.
Finally, we climbed into our 2 canoes and started our journey. During our
5 days paddling in pristine water and taking in the solitude of nature, we
learned to appreciate the natural beauty this area presented to us. We called
the lakes "Licorice Lakes," so deep, they were black.
We
heard sounds of nature, from the haunting loon in the evening to the beating
of rain approaching. We bonded as a family because we had to rely on each
other for every task. Our world became very simple. Canoeing to the next island,
setting up camp, eating, fishing, and even filtering drinking water defined
our days. Exploring new inlands and vistas provided great entertainment for
our adventurous spirits.
However, our recommendation is to be prepared for inclement weather at a moment's
notice. Know when it is safe to be on the water or stay on land until the
storm clears. We learned this the hard way! Also, make sure you are in your
tent before the sun goes down to avoid the mosquitoes. We brought Little
House on the Prairie to read during rain and in the evenings.
Our Boundary Water experience has left indelible family memories. We all have
journals of our own personal experience. We pick them up often to recount
our canoe country adventure. We hope our boys will share this unique vacation
with their families someday.
For more information on planning your trip and securing a reservation, we
recommend you contact:
Canoecountryoutfitters.com.