[Charlie]

Bob is indeed a special fellow!

When my paddling partner and I asked to pick his brain about a 2005 trip down the Kazan that we were planning, Bob cooked us supper, toured us through his in-home Inuit art museum, annotated our maps, and passed the entire evening with us.

(I remember getting home after midnight!)

I’m eager to hear Bob talk about his recent Hood River trip at Saturday’s Far North Symposium in St. Paul.

— Charlie

[Charlie]

Fishguts,

Thank you (belatedly) for locating the campsite for me.

Nice country …

— Charlie

[Charlie]

Hey “Guts,”

Looked like a nice trip …

Which campsite are you on in the middle photo?

— Charlie

[Charlie]

I mentioned this site at the bottom of an old thread but it seems fitting to note it again …

http://www.digital-topo-maps.com/

… digital US and Canadian topo maps!

[Charlie]

Reviving an old thread …

I just found THIS site, which features seamless (as far as I can tell), USA & Canada topographical coverage in the highest detail. The interface is really nice; it uses a Google Maps template.

I just checked out the coverage for the Quetico, a tundra trip I did on the Hanbury/Thelon, and for my home-place and cabin in Minnesota — it’s all there!

[Charlie]

Glad you’re enjoying Canoeing News, Debbie!

It’s fun to find interesting paddling stories and share them … especially during the chilly, no-paddle season up here in Minnesota.

All the best …

— Charlie

[Charlie]

I’d add, if you plan to do actual tripping on the big lake, that you have a very patient attitude when it comes to the weather and conditions.

I haven’t tripped on Superior, but I have been on other big water/cold water bodies. I think keeping yourself out of bad situations to begin with is good strategy.

Have a geneerous schedule, plan to paddle mornings and evenings, and wait out the bad stuff when it comes.

[Charlie]

All,

Belatedly …

Thanks for all the tent advice … I appreciate it!

— Charlie

[Charlie]

Yesterday, after I found that trapping information, I flipped through the rest of that 91 page Quetico pdf that provides background for the planning process that’s underway there. I never thought I’d say this about a government document, but it’s not a bad reference read on the park.

It’s not Sig Olson, mind you, but it’s a nice overview of what the park is — geologically, ecologically, pre-historically, historically, recreationally, etc. — and it does provide nice background for some of the planning decision that will need to be made up there.

Maybe everything really is better in Canada … government documents included!

— Charlie

[Charlie]

Charlie here (you’ll have to introduce me to this “Chuck” you mention, OBA) …

Here’s the operative paragraph about trapping from the Quetico “Background Information” document. (All 91 pages of it can be downloaded from THIS site.)

Quoting now …

“With the establishment of the Quetico Forest Reserve in 1909, commercial fur trapping was prohibited. This ban remained in effect until 1949 when representation was made by the Indian Affairs Branch of the Federal Government to the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests to re-open part of the park fur trapping. At this time, it was successfully argued that Quetico’s fur resource could provide a much needed source of livelihood to members of the Lac La Croix First Nation. Initially, fifteen traplines were established in the northern and western sectors of the park. Trapping operations commenced on these lines in 1949. In 1951, the Lac La Croix First Nation made an application for additional traplines. At that time, about forty trappers were without lines while an abundance of beaver existed in the park. As a result, additional traplines were established in the park’s northeastern sector.

Until 1977, there were 14 traplines (as a result of trapline consolidation) operated by Aboriginal or Métis people in Quetico. Between 1977 and 1986 two non-native trappers acquired two traplines within the park. There are presently eighteen registered traplines wholly or partially within Quetico and of these, 13 are operated by members of the Lac La Croix First Nation. These lines are located in the park’s northwestern, northern and northeastern sectors, as shown in Figure 20. Non-native trappers hold four traplines in Quetico as a result of trapline transfers and as a result of an adjustment in the park’s northern boundary in 1977. Provincial park policy directs that those traplines not held by Status Indians exercising treaty rights will be phased out by January 1st, 2010. Trapline transfers may only occur to licenced members of Lac La Croix. Trapping is limited to the harvest of beaver and marten.

A number of traplines in the park are served by trapping cabins. Three trap cabins remain in use within the park, and are discretely situated away from shorelines and away from major canoe routes.”

Charlie again now …

I’ve heard a second-hand story from a Quetico winter-camper that one of those trappers keeps an ATV trail he uses passible by rigging two upright, running chainsaws to his 4-wheeler and then cutting back the brush growing in from the trail-sides as he drives along!

That winter-camper might be in favor of keeping the trappers in the park — he liked using that trail to toboggan into the park late in the winter since it was so well cleared!

— Charlie

[Charlie]

Just keeping everybody updated …

The defendants in the BWCA “rampage” appeared in courrt yesterday.

The Duluth News Trbune has THIS story on the matter.

And the Minneapolis Star-Tribune ran THIS good “context” story as well.

— Charlie

[Charlie]

Houlibar,

Good point about where this thread should be; I’m moving it to “Gear” now …

— Charlie

[Charlie]

OBA,

The 50-dayer was with a buddy; that would be a long time to be alone!

On those long, remote trips — even with a buddy — its interesting to see how you seek out conversation with the handful of other parties you meet … and then you discuss the encounter for the next few days!

On a BWCA/Quetico trip (my nearby stomping grounds) I’m generally looking to avoid “the other guy.”

Here’s a puzzler: Why does it seem like people in canoe parties always want to chat with the solo paddler? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

[Charlie]

Despite a great 50-day/850 mile first “far north” trip, my best trip ever was a solo 7-dayer I did in the Quetico …

Great weather (mostly), great route (Agnes, Kawnipi, returning via Kahsahpiwi, Robinson, Basswood), a fit paddler after a summer of tripping, few people, and then a bit of adventure finishing up — an all-night thunderstorm bivy on a little island and wild following-wave ride out via Basswood.

Just a very satisfying, efficient little passage through that country.

[Charlie]

Gerald …

Amen! I don’t think we ever left the tent “un-manned” in that storm even though it was guyed out to the maximum and full of ballast.

Since you mentioned the Trango, I should add that during the storm I referenced, we were camped with a gal that we flew into Kasba Lake with and had been leap-frogging during the trip — Hi Martha! — who had a Trango. I remember going over to her tent to visit after the first windy/rainy night to see if she was in the same boat we were, only to find her warm, happy, and dry.

Thanks for the advice … and the flying tent story!

[Author]

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