the right stuff a style all your own - the boundary waters journal · 2016. 4. 8. · 42 /the...

42 / the BOUNDARY WATERS JOURNAL

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A Style All Your Own

by Stuart Osthoff & Rob Kesselring

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the right stuff

For a one-week canoe/fishing trip for two, I like a big capacity 18 1/2' Kevlar boat, three full-sizepacks including one with fresh food on ice, two smaller guide packs for “on the trail” essentials,rod case and net. All the amenities we want in a double portage, compact load. (Crooked Lake)

ost of us have spent yearsdeveloping our own

personal canoe tripping style. Myown approach, the result of 30+years guiding hundreds of tripsinto canoe country, is still con-stantly evolving. Every tripinvolves different people withdifferent interests which meansplanning a specific route that willsatisfy those interests. Our goal atBWJ is helping all of you developyour own wilderness canoetripping style. We can acceleratethis process by learning whatreally works for other folks.

In this article I invited “FarNorth” veteran paddler, Rob

Kesselring, to share his lessonslearned from a lifetime on thecanoe trails. Rob has led dozens ofBWCAW/Quetico trips plus hisexperience on “far north” riversreads like a fantasy list: theThelon, Hood, Mountain, Snow-drift, Nahanni, Taltson, to name afew.

Rob started his family of fivegirls in a cabin off Great SlaveLake. He still has the cabin andthe local connections from whichhe launches new paddling adven-tures. Suffice to say, very few havepaddled more wilderness water orscrutinized more carefully thetechniques and gear that really

work out there.What follows is Rob and I doing

a little one-on-one, challengingeach other’s canoe trippingapproach and outfit. We hope theupshot produces fresh perspectiveto consider for fine tuning yourown distinct canoe tripping style.WHY WE GO?

A couple of passages from Rob’slatest book River Stories (See adpage 56. ) reveal his motivation forwilderness canoe tripping. “A bigpart of the far north canoe trip isbeing apart from civilization,traveling independently andtasting a purity of spirit that canbring clarity to life.” And then he

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Ninety-nine percent of canoe countryportages can be executed with a dry-foot

landing. There is absolutely no reason to bewet and miserable out there. (Lonely Lake)

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adds, “Beyond the multitudes of caribou and unclut-tered vistas, more than the amazing fishing and purewater, it is the spirit of discovery that distinguishes afar north canoe trip.”

Clearly Rob craves escaping the modern urbanexistence, paddling for the pure sake of paddlingaway from the hectic everyday routine. Rob enjoyspaddling from point A to point B just to go some-where—anywhere through wild country will do. Asense of discovery is vital, so the more remote anduntraveled, the greater the appeal. Rob likes to test hiswhitewater skills and embrace the challenge ofpaddling through big wind, big waves and hordes ofbugs to complete a long distance goal.

With such a “see the country” mind set, it’s notsurprising Rob likes to travel light and fast. If that’syour style, Rob’s approach to canoe camping and hischosen gear will sound very appealing.

On the other hand, I don’t go to the woods to escapeanything. My entire “living on the edge” lifestyle is adeliberate attempt to defy the economic realities of a“normal” urban life. Living in a log cabin five minutesfrom the BWCAW and guiding twelve weeks ofwilderness trips each year, I take pine-scented air,clean water, pristine scenery and solitude for granted.This doesn’t mean these wilderness values are anyless important to me. It simply means something elsecompels me to pick up a paddle and go. The pursuitof fish and game in a wilderness setting is that endur-ing source of motivation for me and millions of otherAmericans. I have no doubt my body will give outlong before my passion for the wilderness fishing/hunting experience.

Actually, I really enjoy the act of paddling a canoe.It has always come easy for me, and under mostconditions, paddling becomes a mindless form ofrelaxation. Rarely, however, is canoeing the purposeof my canoe trips. The bottom line for me is that I getmy fill of paddling heading in and out of my favoritecanoe country fishing holes. Canoeing is a mode oftransportation to me. A means to an end. Canoesprovide unlimited access to the wildernessbackcountry. The place where I’ve always found truespiritual fulfillment. I’ve never understood those whogo out and paddle around in circles, testing how farthey can lean this way or that without dumping. Likecanoeing is some form of artistic expression.

Most BWJ readers know I have never been con-strained by the backpacker mentality on the canoetrails. I don’t buy the conventional wisdom thatlighter gear plus a faster pace = better canoe trips.Could it be the masses are unable to shake their high-tech, rush-rush everyday existence even when pad-dling into the wild?

Too many folks want to “see it all” on a given one-week canoe trip. Even those of us who make ourliving out there haven’t “seen it all” in our lifetimes. Iconcede there are days when I dig in and hustle, but Iwould encourage you to slow down and pack what isneeded to really enjoy a given slice of canoe countryonce you get there. Many who boast of enduringconsiderable self-deprivation on wilderness canoetrips consider themselves “seasoned veterans.” I justthink they should know better.

Rob and I have talked about doing a far north river

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trip together. But I don’t know? I have next to zerowhitewater skills. If Rob didn’t drown me by accidentrunning some Class V cascade, he would probably killme with his trusty full-size axe for stopping to fishevery good looking hole.

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKSRob: I hold Stu Osthoff in high esteem. He has far

more experience in the BWCAW and Quetico than Ido. I read about the numbers of fish he catches andthe weight of his packs with awe. But occasionally Iread something he has written and scratch my head.So with the canoe country covered in a thick blanketof snow and my wood stove glowing red, I welcomethis opportunity to spar with him a bit about thechoices we make for summer canoe camping in theheart of the continent. Like, hey Stu, what’s up withthose blue jeans?

A decade ago, halfway down a 300-rod portageunder the yoke of an 80-pound canoe, a little argu-ment was going on in my head—nostalgia vs. reality.When I had to hump back up the trail for a secondload, reality won. I love wood-canvas canoes, cottontents and bacon and eggs for breakfast, but when I amin the BWCAW I love traveling even more.

Modern technology has given us the capacity totravel in summer without having to double-back onportages for a second load and without having tostrain under heavy burdens. It may mean giving up afew creature comforts, but the gain is more freedomand an unbridled spirit of discovery.

In summer most of the wood, the leather, thecanvas, the frozen meat, the fresh potatoes, the fishingtackle and the gadgets stay home. I reach for thegraphite, the nylon, the GoreTex and the freezedried—a smaller pile, a lighter load and the insightthat less can be more. Traveling light is not for every-one, and sometimes I even haul in a big load and basecamp. But the summer trips I remember most fondly?Light and fast, baby, light and fast.

My days of taking groups of teens and strangers intothe BWCAW are just about over or at least on hold. Idid enjoy the group dynamics involved with coordi-nating those trips, and I believe all of us who love thewilderness have a responsibility to share our passionwith those who have not had the opportunity. But forthe last several summers I have led arctic canoe trips;the little summertime I have left, I reserve forBWCAW trips with my daughters or best friends.These trips rarely consist of more than two canoes.

Stu: My M.O. is leading groups of four to six guys,often people I don’t even know. Unlike Rob’s trips,where just getting back out unscathed can be a note-worthy achievement, my challenges are more social.

Bringing a mix of personalities/interests together fora real adventure that transcends expectations is afascinating goal with a tremendous upside. Leadingtrips where camp camaraderie really clicks is a veryspecial feeling. Knowing you personally contributedto helping others enjoy a rewarding wildernessexperience is as good as it gets for me.

I have had canoe trips blow up in my face, but veryfew. All in all, I’ll take sharing the delights anddilemmas of canoe country over solo tripping any-time. Soloing beats not going. But it’s a last resort

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for me.I don’t find it particularly challenging or exciting to

simply paddle/portage/camp my way from point A topoint B. Some trails will have more mud, bugs andheadwinds than others, but it’s a foregone conclusionI’m going to get where I want to go. Like Rob, I toocrave that sense of risk, discovery and connectionwith nature. Only fishing brings this and so muchmore to my wilderness canoe trips.

This emphasis on angling makes my approach tocanoe tripping, food and gear very different fromRobs. Think of it as the canoe angler vs. the purepaddler. Let’s take a closer look at what gear worksbest for these two different styles.CANOES

Rob: An ultralight canoe is crucial to single portagesummer canoeing. Mike Cichanowski literally turnedthe canoe world upside down when, as founder ofWenonah Canoe, he popularized Kevlar skin-coatcanoes. You no longer had to be a gorilla to wear apack on your back and throw a canoe on your shoul-ders. The 42-pound wonder called the Wenonah MNII will go down in history as the canoe that changedhow people think about canoeing. It’s sleek, toughand, most importantly, it carries like a parrot on yourshoulders. I owned one for ten years and loved her.That straight keeled design and narrow beam will testa novice, but don’t blame the canoe for that. Wenonahhas also developed some new designs with morespace and stability. I have not yet had the opportunityto paddle all of them, but I am confident we all havemany excellent BWCAW ultralight choices.

Currently I paddle an 18.5 foot Savage RiverSusquahana carbon/graphite boat that weighs only 35pounds and carries three people and gear with stabil-ity you wouldn’t expect from its race inspired design.My second boat is a Savage River Deep Creek 16.5 footweighing 29 pounds. For two, this is the ultimateBWCAW canoe. After years of paddling a longer boat,I really marvel at how easy the Deep Creek handles atlandings and when weaving down a corkscrewyQuetico portage trail.

People sometimes say to me, “What’s the big dealabout shaving off another fifteen pounds? Is therereally any difference between a 44-pound canoe and a29-pound canoe?” That question reminds me ofpeople that say, “Once it gets below zero who cares ifits 10 below or 40 below?” I care. A 29-pound canoe isso easy to put up on your shoulders that you don’teven think twice, and on the water it floats like awillow leaf. Incredible.

I’ve never paddled them but some Souris Riverboats seem like rugged yet ultralight canoes. Bellcanoes are well designed and come closest to a wood-canvas canoe in grace. Their fit and finish is withoutpeer, but their weight is starting to creep up to thatthreshold: the threshold where the average person canno longer carry both a big pack and lift the canoe totheir shoulders.

In the arctic it’s a whole different story. Double,even triple portaging is the norm and Royalex is king.

Stu: I want maximum-load carrying capacity with-out sacrificing too much paddling speed and portag-ing comfort. This means an 18 1/2 foot Kevlar canoe.The Bell Northwoods 18 1/2 is perhaps the perfect

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canoe country fishing canoe. My gel-coat-wood trimmodels go over 50 pounds, but I can still handle thiswith a light pack on most portages.

The Bell Northwoods is ideal for two anglers andfour big packs for a week to ten days. I have alsopacked it to the gunwales with Mom, Dad, the twokids, six packs and the family dog. It has seen methrough thick and thin. A very stable canoe with a bigload or while out fishing in a big wind.

The Northwoods has just enough rocker/tumblehome to produce very good maneuverability insmall creeks, approaching a tricky portage or turningaround for a snag in a two-foot chop. Yes, it’s a bitheavier and slower than my 18 1/2 foot Wenonah MNII, but I use it on a lot more of my canoe trips. Thisprobably also explains why I drive pickup trucks andnot sports cars.

The Souris River 18 1/2 foot Quetico model wouldbe my second choice for all-around canoe countryfishing trips. I paddled one on a trip last year andfound it falls between the Bell Northwoods andWenonah MN II in handling all of the big four: loadcapacity, stability, speed and carrying comfort.

The Wenonah MN II is probably the #1 most popu-lar canoe model on the streets of Ely each summer. Iguess this speaks to the purchasing power of thegrowing travel-light crowd. I usually give my MN II tothe two slowest paddlers in our group and spread partof their pack load into the other boats. The WenonahMN II is notably faster/lighter than the Bell or SourisRiver 18 1/2 footers.PADDLES

Rob: I agree with Stu on paddles but for differentreasons. I went through a bent-shaft carbon-fiberphase, and they are faster and lighter than straightshafts. But most canoe country lakes are not so bigthat an extra mph is really significant. What’s the bigrush? Also I think the increased efficiency of bent-shaft paddles is mostly for sitters, I kneel 90% of thetime. Kneeling is more stable, more powerful andonce you become accustomed to it, more comfortable.

My favorite paddle is a 58-inch Bending Branchesstraight shaft Expedition model. I stripped the shaft ofvarnish, gave it an oil finish and painted the bladered. It is ugly but almost indestructible, has a wideenough blade for a solid brace and a T-grip for precisecontrol.

The red blade? North of treeline, even with a sparelashed to the canoe I have nightmares about losing mypaddle. The red blade makes lost paddles easier tofind, stuck in a pack they are a helpful beacon whenreturning for a second load and from a distance theflash of red on a paddle helps me keep an eye on allthe boats.

Every time I take a lighter paddle, I regret it as soonas I find myself pushing off from boulders or chop-ping onions. Best of all on those July nights when thesun sets over a mirror-smooth lake, there is no greaterjoy than solo paddling an empty canoe, leaning it upon the gunwales and executing a sequence of freestylemaneuvers which create a graceful water ballet. Youneed a long, straight shaft, big paddle for that.

Stu: I have three beautiful bent-shaft wood paddlesin my equipment shed, and they all collect dust until Iborrow them out. I haven’t been able to change my

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carved-in-stone paddling waysand convert to a bent shaft.

I use a 62-inch straight shaftBending Branches ExpeditionModel T-grip, with laminatedhardwood 8-inch blade, reinforcedwith fiberglass cloth and protectedby a Wrap Around “RockgardTip.” I absolutely love this paddle.It grabs a lot of water and with-stands a ton of wear and tear inthe rocky canoe country. Mine arestill going strong after VERY heavyuse. I probably put more paddlinghours on mine in a year than mostfolks do in ten years. So I quicklysee any weaknesses. The BendingBranches Expedition model has noweaknesses. It’s the only paddle Iuse, and I strongly recommend it.(See VTP p. 88.)PORTAGE YOKE

Rob: The lighter the boat, theless important the yoke. Lastsummer with the 35-pound SavageRiver, I just tucked the paddlesunder webbing on the thwarts andrested the paddle blades on myshoulders. Big pads are overkill ona lightweight boat, adding a

couple of needless pounds andinterfering with loading. On myMN II I was very happy withChosen Valley Canoe Accessories’sling style yoke pads. CVCA is aMinnesota company, and the padsare light, comfortable and small.

Stu: I consider an ultra-cushyportage yoke one of the mostimportant pieces of canoe- camp-ing gear. It alone can make up fora lot of that extra 10 pounds ofcanoe I carry to achieve mydesired load capacity/stability.Many scoff at my double portagingapproach, but I never stop whileon one—even those over a mile.Combine that with a quick stride,and I can portage two times almostas fast as many people portage onetime. Especially after we put in adozen of them on a given day.

The super comfortable BWJyoke pads make high rpm, non-stop long portages not onlypossible but routine. (See VTP p.87.) I put them on all my canoes,and whenever I portage a canoewith something else, I quicklyrealize why mine are the best.

They simply get me from lake tolake with less pain.CANOE PACKS

Rob: Over the past few years, atypical summer BWCAW tripconsists of a couple of daughters,one canoe, three packs and myself;single portaging all the way.

I use a 60-liter barrel for the foodpack. It is airtight, making water-proof liners unnecessary andgreatly reducing any interest frombears or rodents. The newestsuspension systems make barrelsas easy to carry as soft-sidedpacks. Also, because the barrel isrigid, it provides excellent protec-tion, is easy to dig around in andyou can stand on it—which willhelp you hang the tarp up a bithigher. This barrel starts off as aheavy pack at 40-55 pounds butnot nearly so heavy as Stu’s foodpack. I am able to carry the barreland my 34-pound canoe. If I triedto carry Stu’s “ice chest” pack andhis 50-pound canoe, I wouldherniate myself. Lunch is packedat the top of this barrel.

The second pack is a big soft

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Portaging 75 lbs of “Real Food” on ice is worth every ounce. The BWJ Insulated Food Pack System makes it easy with apadded back panel and hip belt. Be sure to wear 8" leather/GoreTex boots for good traction and ankle support. A paddle inone hand is OK to brace yourself in a stumble, but keep your chest and other hand free of gear. (Cap Lake to Boulder Lake)

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Duluth style. Nylon is better thancanvas because it is lighter,especially on a rainy day. The BWJStandard #4 (VTP p. 86) is as goodas any and better than most. Forthe girls I like just simple shoulderstraps. This pack is bulky but notheavy. It carries the sleeping bags,tent, clothes and pads. Regardlessof manufacturer claims aboutwater resistance, I line this packwith a heavy poly bag (not a thingarbage bag). The sleeping bagsshould also be stored in specialwatertight stuff sacks, not the onesthat came with the bags. I likewaterproof Outdoor Research stuffsacks with roll down Velcroclosures. When it’s time to breakcamp, this big pack is stuffed,sealed and will remain unopeneduntil arrival at a new camp. I alsoput an extra set of maps in thebottom of this pack. I can still getbewildered on some of thoseisland-studded lakes, and havingreserve maps gives me peace ofmind should one set get lost. Plus,

inevitably, at night you want tolook at maps and this set will bein the tent.

The gear pack is an old CookeCustom Sewing model with aninner semi-rigid foam zipperedbox. I line this with a 6-ml polybag between the inner box and theouter pack-cloth box. Similar tothe barrel, its open shape makessorting easy. Now that my daugh-ters are older, they like the privacyof their own tent so I carry a smallsolo shelter in this pack, plus allthe odds and ends: first aid kit,multitool, duct tape, filter pump,one leather glove, Nalgene bottles,tp, GoreTex rain jackets, camera,telescoping fishing pole and a fewhooks. I also throw in the gamebag with cards, maybe journalsand a book so I am prepared forlong lunches or afternoon stops onsultry days.

Down the sides between theinner and outer packs, I slide themaps in front, the permit in back,the axe on one side and the saw

on the other. Early in the trip Imight also need to put the cook kitin this bag, but I move it over intothe food barrel as soon as spacepermits. This pack carries bestwith a tumpline, but my daughtershate tumplines so just simpleshoulder straps work fine. Rain-proof and bilge-water-proof butnot tip-over proof, this pack isperfect for 99% of canoe countrypaddling. On a whitewater rivertrip you need a different system.

Limiting the outfit to threepacks, three paddles, 3 PFDssimplifies the carries and mini-mizes the real possibility ofotherwise leaving somethingbehind. The duffer sits on the softpack and paddles. It is a sleek,light and fast system; we havenever been passed. I’ve triedcarrying a fourth small pack forthe lunch and raingear, but withthree people there is enough roomin the gear pack. When given thechoice, I always keep thingssimple.

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With two people it is alwaystough to single portage, but withtwo canoes and four people it getseasier, and five people with twocanoes is even easier yet. Nomatter how many people aretraveling you only need one axe,one saw, one tarp so the weightper person drops off. In fact, withnine paddlers and three canoesyou can start packing watermel-ons. However, I have learned onFar North trips that there is aparadox. You would think withmore people and the ability todelegate tasks everything wouldbe speeded up. Wrong. Big groupsmove slowly.

Stu: For a party of three forseven days I would have:

One BWJ Double Insulated FoodPack which would hold most ofthe fresh and dried food plus thesaw, axe, tarp, rope and fry panbetween the poly box and thesides of the nylon canoe pack.About 75 pounds.

One BWJ Extra-wide UltimatePack with 3 sleeping bags, 3 full-length Thermarests, 3 camppillows, clothes, camp shoes,tackle boxes, first aid kit, towels,

etc. About 60 pounds.One BWJ Regular Ultimate Pack

with tent (4 man Eureka Timber-line), cook kit, propane stove and2 tanks of fuel plus overflow misc.dry food consumed after 2 days.About 50 pounds.

Remember, with my BWJ packs,I have critical portage performancefeatures Rob ignores. I have afully-padded foam back, paddedcontoured shoulder straps, apadded hip belt that transferssome of the load to hips and asternum strap to stabilize/balancethe load.

One BWJ Guide Pack withpersonal water filter bottles, 3 one-quart Nalgene bottles, rain jacketsand pants, camera, 3 headlights,bug dope, sunscreen and emer-gency kit. About 25 pounds. (BWJPacks see VTP p. 84-86.)

On the portages I would carrythe Guide pack with the canoewhile the other two guys take thefood pack, personal pack, 3 lifejackets, 3 paddles, fishing net androd cases. One of the three wouldhave to make a second trip for theequipment pack, but only goinginto our target destination. While

there for 4-5 days we wouldconsume most of the food soheading back home we are basi-cally down to 3 packs and doingthe portages in one pass. Withonly two people, we would bothdouble portage coming and going.However, we also have amenitiesRob doesn’t, and we eat a wholelot better all week long. By theway, no hernias yet—only wilder-ness fishing paradise.TENTS

Rob: The tent is one of theheaviest items in your outfit, andunlike the foodpack, tents do notget lighter as your trip progresses.However, the small difference inweight doesn’t justify choosing aclaustrophobia inducing two-person tent over a spacious four-person model. For three adults Iactually prefer a six-person tent.

Because I also use my tents inthe arctic, low-slung dome tentswith high quality aluminum polesand a tent fly that stays put in agale make the most sense. Aperfect BWCAW tent would belight but spacious, have excellentventilation and keep you dry in adownpour or steady rain. I likeMinnesota-made Cooke CustomSewing’s new line of shelters.They have those attributes plus aclose-to-nature experience that isvery pleasing. Kids, however,prefer tents that can be sealed uptight. It gives them a sense ofsecurity. If you are traveling withlittle ones and can’t zipper in, beprepared for snake questions wellinto the night.

A ground cloth is a waste ofmoney and weight. In the life spanof a tent (which is a lot less than adog) zippers and rainflys failbefore the floor. An inner thinoversized poly sheet makes somesense on top of your tent floor ifthe coating and seam sealing inyour tent floor is starting to leak.When my tents start leaking, Idonate them to the Boy Scouts andbuy new ones. I broke this ruleonce with a terrific Walrus tentonly to have the zipper on thedoor go on the fritz half-waythrough an arctic expedition. Wehad to duct tape the door shut, cutthe netting out of a window andenter/exit through the window theremainder of the trip. I can getemotionally attached to tents, butyou have to know when it’s time

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to let go.Stu: I take a four-man Eureka

Timberline tent for a group of twoor three. With four people I take asix-person tent. Ventilation ishuge for me; the more netting thebetter.SLEEPING BAGS, ETC.

Stu: I use an L.L. Bean goosedown bag (rated to +20° F) incanoe country from late May tomid-September. It’s a rectangularbag. Mummy bags save a fewounces but cost me dearly in lostsleep. I can’t move in thesestraight-jacket things. I’ve given allmy mummy bags to the rest of thefamily. My bag and camp pillowin a BWJ Compression Sack (SeeVTP p. 87.) pack down almost tothe size of a football.

I know goose down is “worth-less” when wet. That’s why Idouble waterproof my sleepingbag. In 35 years of camping I’venever had a wet goose downsleeping bag. I pack Patagonia silk-weight Capilene long underwear—top/bottom and goose downbooties for early and late seasontrips. They add a good 10-15°comfort and warmth to the sleep-ing bag performance.

I pack full-length Thermarestsleeping pads for everyone. Getone with non-slip fabric. I haveThermarests of varying thick-nesses (1 to 2 1/2 inches thick)and take the thickest one I can fitin the pack for a given trip. Theymake sleeping on the groundcomfortable enough to actuallysleep.

Rob: I sleep like a baby in mymummy bag. In fact, when mywife is out of town, I will some-times choose to sleep in a mummybag at home, and an ultra-light 3/4pad is all you need in the summer.Full-size pads and rectangularbags, although not much heavier,are bulky and inefficient. Pillows?Use your rolled up fleece or wooltop. Three-season sleeping bagsare overkill in the summer. Mycurrent summer down bag onlyweighs a couple of pounds andstuffs impossibly small.

There are a half-dozen moun-taineering companies that sellsuper-quality sleeping bags. Thiswinter I bought the lightest modelof the brand that was on sale. Itreplaced a down liner bag that Ihad used for almost thirty years of

summer camping. I keep a set ofPatagonia Capilene underwear andthin socks in the bottom of the bagfor those rare frosty summernights. Down sleeping bags arebest but not for kids, they cannotseem to keep stuff dry.

No chairs. Not even cleverultralight chairs. Ask yourself, “Isthis little comfort really worthtripling my portaging distance?”It’s always those add-ons thatpush you over the single portagethreshold. PFDs make good seatsand can also be used to extend thelength of your sleeping pad.TARP

Rob: I like the Cooke CustomSewing 10 x 16 foot nylon tarp fora rain shelter over the fire.

Stu: I use our BWJ 10 x 12 footultralight nylon tarps over thecooking area for rain protectionand shade on hot days and tocover packs overnight. If you’restill using the bulky blue plasticdiscount store junk you can do alot better. (See VTP p. 87.)FOOD SUPPLIES

Rob: No one can starve in oneweek. Eating well on the trail if it

means lots of pans and messingwith many ingredients is just not ahigh priority for me. I keep itsimple and organize the food packby breakfast, lunch/snacks anddinners. Real oatmeal with raisinsis the perfect food for everybreakfast. Easy to cook, it sticks toyour ribs and keeps you regular. Idon’t buy the instant packets, theregular Quaker Quick Oats arealmost as fast and taste a lot better.On arctic trips we do oatmeal inbulk, but in the BWCAW, I pre-package group servings in plasticbags. For large males double thesuggested serving amount. Use alittle less water than is suggestedon the package as drier oatmeal ismore palatable than loose por-ridge. If this sounds too monoto-nous you can vary the texture ofthe meal by sometimes boiling theraisins before you add theoatmeal. This makes them soft andswollen as opposed to chewy,which is what happens when youtoss the raisins in after the oatmealis cooked. If you want to get reallywild, every third day you can dustthe oatmeal with cinnamon, an

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ounce of cinnamon goes a longway. You don’t need milk butalways liberally sprinkle thecooked oatmeal with dark brownsugar; when the sugar runs out,the joy goes out of breakfast.

I hate bringing coffee but to notdo so when a regular coffeedrinker is in the group can beperilous. Cowboy coffee is fun.Throw grounds into a boiling potof water, brew and then usingyour arm like a giant windmill,spin the grounds to the bottom.The last step, stopping the wind-mill is the trickiest. I prefer tea.

Early rising is good for summercanoeing as you will have thelakes and portages to yourself, seemore wildlife, generally have calmwater and you will avoid the mad-dog sun of high noon. An earlystart will result, even after heartyoatmeal, with a desire for a mid-morning snack. Cliff and Lunabars are perfect. They come inmany flavors and are nutritionallysound. Smaller companies makesimilar bars which are equallygood. Do no confuse these withcheap grocery store granola bars

that are mostly sugar and notsatisfying.

Lunch in the BWCAW is alwayssome combination of grocery storebagels, peanut butter, jam, cheese,nuts and a piece of dark chocolate.The problem with GORP is kidstend to “high grade,” fishing outthe bits they like and therebyaltering and degrading the remain-ing blend. As a result I have lostmy fascination with this oldcanoeing favorite. Bannock is thestaple of the far north. A quickbreak of lard, flour, baking powderand salt baked adjacent the fire ina cast iron skillet or over heat asfry bread. I have taken several longtrips where the only food webrought was bannock ingredients,tea and dry-meat; our meals werealways satisfying and neverboring. Bannock works equallywell in the BWCAW and will beespecially welcomed after thebagels and pitas are a few daysold. The only trouble is you wanta no-cook lunch and that meansmaking the bannock the nightbefore and fresh bannock has away of disappearing.

Supper the first night is fresh. Ifkids are part of the trip, hot dogson a stick with buns you treatedwith care in the pack. Just enoughmustard and ketchup in sandwichbags are all the condiments youneed. Pringles on the side and afew marshmallows (you’ve alreadycut the sticks for the hot dogs)finish the meal. The first dayinvariably involves a late startbecause of the drive to theBWCAW, so a quick clean-upmeal is especially appreciated.With adults, substitute real steaksfor the tube steaks and compli-ment them with one of the manydried potato dishes available onsupermarket shelves. Finish themeal with a piece of chocolate or acouple ounces of Bailey’s underthe stars, perfect. In the arctic thefirst meal and each supper thatfollows is almost always fish,maybe with rice, noodles, stovetop stuffing, dried potatoes orbannock.

Second night in the BWCAW isspaghetti. The problem withspaghetti is two fold. You reallyneed a fork and I prefer to travel

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forkless, and it requires two pots.But spaghetti is always popular, soI have softened to it in the last fewyears. In preparation for the trip,transfer the contents from a glassjar of meatless sauce into a boil-in-the-bag container. This greatlyspeeds clean up. Parmesan cheesein a sandwich bag adds fillip tothis dish.

Bean burritos are the perfectmeal for the third night as long asyou have enough time to cook thedried beans. Tortillas keep wellflat on the bottom of the barrel andcheddar cheese starts lookinggoofy in the heat but tastes finewell into the week. Fourth night isgrocery store Mac and Cheese,substitute lard for the butter andskip the milk; hopefully, you canjazz up this night with a fish.

The last couple of night’sdinners are freeze dried. Studisparages freeze-dried, and hehas a point, but when I come out Iwant to truly savor that restaurantmeal in Ely or Grand Marais. Acouple of nights of freeze-driedwill whet the appetite. Freeze-dried has improved since the 80s.The best is Mountain House Pro-Paks. These are 4-ounce indi-vidual entrees. Kids enjoy pickingfrom a wide variety of choices,even if they do all taste similar, sotake extras. Expensive but verylightweight, if you have some leftover you can save it for the nexttrip; freeze-dried keeps for adecade.

Ice? I agree with Stu that it’snice to have ice when you arecamping. If I was just paddling alake on the periphery of theBWCAW I might bring along ice,but there is no way I am everpacking frozen water down aportage trail. It reminds me of myBoy Scout days. If one kid in ourgroup was being annoying on abackpacking trip, we would sneaka few big rocks into his pack.When he would stagger into campat dusk and discover he had beencarrying rocks, to thirteen-year-olds, it was very funny. If I staggerdown the portage trail because mypack is loaded down with ice, itwouldn’t be funny. Ice in the rumis one of the perks of an arctic trip,but that is because natural ice isfrequently at hand. I’ll stick tolukewarm in the BWCAW.

Stu: Depending on group size

and forecasted high temperatures,I carry 5-12 lbs of ice. But I onlyactually carry it for 1 1/2 days of a7-day trip. In the meantime, ourmeals go from expensive freezedried fare low on taste, portionsize and calories to deliciousoutdoor feasts. I despise allalcohol so I’m not packing ice forcocktails. I pack ice to enjoy thepleasure of real food in a wilder-ness setting. It’s a special treat,worth every ounce on the por-tages. The last day I pour Tanginto the ice jugs and relish thisice-cold thirst quencher all theway to the truck.

I place a one-gallon frozenplastic water jug in the bottom ofthe BWJ double insulated polyfood box/canoe pack the morning Ihead into the woods. I tightly packfrozen steaks, chicken breasts, aham, brats, hamburger, deli meatsand bacon around the ice. I pack aone-gallon plastic jug of milk usedonly for breakfast cereal. (Themilk is six pounds but start addingup eggs, bacon, pancake mix,syrup, etc. and quick, tasty, fillingcereal makes a lot of sense overcooking breakfast. I cook twobreakfasts a week but cereal andmilk is my staple. Oatmeal withpowdered milk is not a palatableoption to me.) Then I placecheese, lettuce, fresh veggies/fruitetc. on the frozen meat with dryfoods filling up the top of thepack. Managed properly, this willkeep things cool for five dayswhen the temps are in the 70s.

With four or more people wewould go with one cold pack offresh food and one poly food boxpack of dried food. In the threeperson scenario, you’re in betweenso we squeeze the overflow dryfood into the other packs. Aftertwo day’s consumption, all will fitin the cooler pack.

I haven’t eaten a freeze-driedmeal in canoe country since themid 1980s. Freeze dried foods arefor backpacking. This is canoeing.With our BWJ Insulated Food PackSystem, real food is easy and areal pleasure to enjoy in thewilderness. (See articles in BWJSpring 2002, “Real Food For TheSoul” and Spring 2004, “A FreshNew Approach To Food Packing”for complete story on convertingto a real food system for yourcanoe trips.)

Rob claims it’s too hot in canoecountry to carry fresh food on ice.Hundreds of BWJ readers haveproven otherwise with the BWJInsulated Food Pack System. Robalso claims leftovers are more of aproblem with fresh food. But I’vefound people actually LIKE to eatup all the fresh food on my canoetrips. Freeze dried food is whereyou get unpalatable leftoversnobody wants. Burning a fewleftovers in a hot campfire doesnot “attract bears” in canoecountry as Rob claims in his book.I carry pepper spray just in case,but I’ve never had a bear in campwhere I’ve had to use it.

The bottom line on food sup-plies for BWCAW/Quetico tripsis you can live on rice, oatmealand granola bars for a week. Butwhy would you want to? Realfood is worth every ounce onthe portages.CLOTHING

Rob: Even in the summer I thinkcotton is bad form. It is heavy. It iscold and uncomfortable when wetand very slow to dry. I mightsneak a couple of threadbarecotton T-shirts on a trip butsynthetics are the way to go. Ihave an old pair of Ely-madeWintergreen guide pants withelastic cuffs that are wind proofand dry off almost as fast as thesun comes out, but they areusually in the pack as I prefershort pants nine summer days outof ten. A wool shirt or a fleecepullover, a GoreTex rain jacketand a white Tilley hat is all I need,unless the daughters are around;then I need a swimsuit.

Footwear is perhaps my biggestschism with Stu. Last summer in90-degree heat, I cannot imaginewhat it would have been like to beStu wearing GoreTex boots. Onmy feet, high-quality sport sandalswere a delight. I prefer Chacos,partly because they are some ofthe last footwear still to be madein America, but more because theyprovide a very stable footbed andnon-slip sole. I routinely wade upto my hips before dropping thecanoe.

Treated likewise, boots becomeheavy, soggy blister machines, asdo modern sneakers. Some peopleare afraid sport sandals do notprovide enough support for theankles and protection for the toes,

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but how can you argue with abillion people, many of whomwear sandals 365 days a year?Paired with neoprene socks I’lleven wear sport sandals late intoSeptember. Boots are for mountainclimbing and backpacking. Twist-ing booted feet underneath theseat so you can kneel to paddlerequires yoga control I have notyet mastered. Free your feet Stu,lose the boots. At the very leastyour tent will smell better, andyou’ll learn why “hand” lotion isimportant.

Stu: During June, July andAugust trips I wear blue jeans,T-shirt, baseball cap and 8-inchleather GoreTex boots. MyGoreTex rain gear is always withineasy reach to keep my blue jeansdry. In my BWJ Guide Pack I havea WindPro fleece jacket, GoreTexrain jacket and pants. In a water-tight dry bag inside my BWJUltimate personal canoe pack(which has another waterproofliner as well) I pack the PatagoniaCapilene underwear, a long-sleevefleece shirt, 2 short-sleeve shirts, 2pairs of socks and underwear,supplex swim shorts, 1 pair bluejeans and a towel. My clothes drybag also compresses down to notmuch bigger than the sleeping bag.

I absolutely forbid anyone onthe trips I guide to portage insandals or watershoes. From whatI’ve seen, they are the #1 cause ofportaging injuries. Portaging insandals is a reckless disregard forthe hard-earned vacation of therest of the party.

On a serious note; I’m reluctantto even publish anything advocat-ing the use of sandals for portag-ing for fear somebody will befoolish enough to try it. They arebad, bad, bad news period. Also,with Rob wading into the drinkafter every portage in his sandalsthen climbing aboard dragging twogallons of water with him, nowonder he needs a bailer.

I fish in running shoes. I travelin leather GoreTex boots that givemaximum traction on slipperyrocks. I never wade into the waterwhile loading/unloading. I staydry and comfortable, which alsolets me walk faster with surefooting. I “live” in these sameGoreTex leather boots for a monthstraight while guiding elk huntersat 12,000 feet every year. I’ve

never gotten a blister, and my feetdon’t get hot in them as Robimplies. I sit in my canoe seat, sothe kneeling position in boots isirrelevant. You can be cold, wet,hungry and miserable if you want.Some say it builds character. I say,have at it.

I often get ripped in internetchat rooms for packing “heavy,”eating real food, double portaging,etc. Rob claims his travel light/fastsingle portage style lets him cover12 portage trails and 25 miles perday. We often do that with our“heavy outfit” the first day. Withdry, good boots and a 75-poundload I can portage a lot faster thanmost folks, slip sliding andsquishing along in their sandalsand “ultralight” load.

I just laugh at all the doubleportaging criticism. When the kidswere young I did every portagefour or five times. I consider twotrips over each portage an absolutetreat. After enjoying real food for aweek we often cover 20+ portagesand 40 miles busting out to thetruck that last day. Who’s travel-ing light and fast now?MISCELLANEOUS ADVICE

Rob: I pack two sets of maps pergroup just in case one gets lost.Take a single leather glove forcutting wood and cooking. Packduct tape for repairs. Hand lotionfor dry hands and feet.

Gadgets: Back to the theme ofless is more; this certainly holdstrue with technology. You don’tneed a GPS, cell phones, depthfinders, walkie talkies, ipods,binoculars, radios, gameboys orlanterns. In fact these gadgetsdiminish rather than enhance yourwilderness experience. I willconcede to a headlamp, althoughin June and July you will need itonly to identify strange nightnoises, or I guess if you are afanatic fisherman.

If photography is your passion agood camera is nice but photogra-phy is the least gratifying ofpursuits. Pictures will nevermatch your memories or yourhopes. It is a better idea to leavethe camera home and enjoy thewilderness unfettered by a lens.

Water Filters: I like the sound ofStu’s Katadyn Exstream. I amgoing to buy one! Now if Stuwill only give sandals a try.(Editor’s note: That will be a cold

day in ....)In the past I have insisted my

daughters pump the water or addthose tiny pills, but I usuallysneak a drink with the bailer outon the lakes.

The Axe: A good full-sizedsingle bit axe is a thing of beautyand the most important piece ofgear in the canoe. You cannot domuch better than an old single-bitSnow and Neally 3.5-poundaxehead and a 32-inch hickoryhandle. Stu, like almost everyoneelse, carries a little hatchet. Healso carries a camp stove, so fire isnot nearly so important to him. Icook all my meals on an open fire.While Stu might be out fishing inthe evening, I relish time spentaround a campfire. Splittingwood with a hatchet is frustratingand time consuming; splittingwood with a three-quarter axe isdangerous.

One of the joys of a canoe trip iscutting, splitting and stackingwood. With a large bow saw I cancut unsightly stumps flush withthe ground and, when combinedwith the big axe, get into that dryheartwood. Beneath a big colorfulCooke Custom Sewing tarp I canget a roaring and cheery blazegoing on the rainiest of days. Ileave my campsites neater, saferand usually with a nice stack ofwood for the next camper.

I use a 30-inch hardware storeSwede saw. The frame is rigid andtough. I am careful purchasingblades. The best blades are madein Scandinavian countries. Isheath the blade in a piece ofcardboard covered with plastictape and secure it with a bungee.

Oiling the axe handle, filing andhoning the head are an importantpart of preparing for a canoe trip.It is a ritual during trip prepara-tion that brings me much joy. Inmy twenties I built an entire logcabin with this same outfit, andthe cabin still stands 30 yearslater. The axe and saw are long,heavy and worth it. Fire bans?Well then, you are stuck bringinga stove. I have never met a whitegas stove I liked, and propane/butane stoves are simple butwasteful and lack oomph.

The Bailer: Stu might be rightabout the bailing in the BWCAW,but a bailer saved my life onRennie Lake in the Northwest

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Territories, and that sticks with aperson. For a bailer I actuallyprefer a round top half-gallonjuice pitcher because it hasmultiple other uses even if I neverneed it to bail. I consider a bailerlike a PFD. You might neveractually need it, but when you do,you do. Plus, Canadian lawrequires you carry a bailer. Canadais famous for good looking womenand canoeing wisdom. I payattention to both.

My final point would be to makeyour next canoe country trip alightweight whirl, adventureguaranteed! And remember, inmoments of hunger, chills, spillsand gear failure, if you didn’t packit—you don’t need it.

Stu: I don’t pack two completesets of maps for my Quetico trips.I have the one set of McKenzie/Fisher maps then I take the one-sheet overall Quetico map forbackup. It’s a smaller scale butadequate for finding portages andthe way out in a pinch.

I strongly recommend theKatadyn Exstream 34 ouncepersonal water filter. Just dip it inthe lake, squeeze and drink. Nodigging in the pack and assem-bling parts, hoses and then pump-ing away. The Exstream is in-stantly ready. I have everyonecarry a one-quart Nalgene bottle aswell. Then you each have twoquarts of liquid available and canadd Tang/KoolAid to the Nalgenebottle.

I drank right out of canoecountry lakes for 20 years withoutgetting giardia by taking water outdeep away from shores, streams orrapids. But the Exstream makesdrinking filtered water so fast andeasy, it makes no sense to riskgetting sick. I did get giardiadrinking out of Colorado moun-tain streams while sheep hunting;it’s bad news. The good news isyou probably won’t be laid lowuntil after the trip.

I love my Browning one wattsingle LED headlamps. I’ve retiredall my Petzel headlamps whichare not nearly as rugged, depend-able or bright. When hiking backto elk camp in the Coloradomountains, my hunters alwaysask, “What kind of headlight isthat? It’s shining 2 to 3 timesfurther down the trail than mine.”The secret is the two lithium

batteries (available at most dis-count stores). They are expensive($10 a pair) but very powerful.When we stay out on the walleyeswell past dark, it’s comforting toknow I can always find our wayback to camp by scanning theshoreline with my headlamp. Abright headlight makes the occa-sional after-hours portage safe andfeasible.

Rob takes one leather glove; Itake a pair for sawing/splittingfirewood, cooking, pulling on foodpack ropes and early/late seasoncold weather paddling.

My repair kit consists of amultitool pliers. Bolts on canoeseats/yokes can loosen up outthere, so I have a screwdriver andpliers to tighten them up. I reli-giously check, maintain, replaceall my equipment and rarely haveany failures. Unlike Rob, I don’tpack duct tape, of course as you’llrecall, I don’t wear sandals incanoe country so I don’t need ducttape.

I do pack a tiny bottle of handlotion. It helps relieve the pain offish hands, all the cuts, slices andpoke holes from fish spines, teethand gill rakers.

I carry the BWJ Turbo Cut CampSaw, it has a nasty 7-inch bladethat quickly cuts through 3 to 4-inch diameter camp wood forcooking fires. No assembly orparts and only 6 ounces. (See VTPp. 87.) For spring/fall/winterBWCAW trips where fires forheat/warming are important, Ipack a Wyoming saw. It’s the only“put together saw” I’ve ever usedthat won’t rattle, wobble or fallapart.

The BWJ Lexan Sport Axe is all Ineed to split the campfire wood Ineed on canoe trips. It’s light,tough and performs great. Rob’sfull-size bow saw and 3-foot axeare complete overkill for BWCAWsummer trips. Ever try to split a 2-inch thick log with a 3-foot axe? Isuppose a big saw/axe would behandy if you wanted to clearportages of big deadfalls. I shouldsend Rob on up ahead on all mytrips.

As for a canoe bailer, I’ve neverhad any need for one. My BellNorthwoods canoes have enoughrocker/tumblehome for competentpaddlers to pound into two andthree foot waves without taking on

“bailable” volumes of water. Anyrare day windier than this, I’llwait it out. A sponge under therear seat to mop up water fromdunking the leech locker in/out ofthe lake is handy, although thiswon’t be a problem any longer inQuetico with the new total ban onbait.

Other essentials for me: a lifejacket that is designed for pad-dling and comfortable to fish in.So I wear it. One spare paddle forthe group. I’ve never broken aBending Branches paddle, but it ispossible to lose one in a rapids orstep on one and crack it. Lots ofrope for hanging packs, tarps,clothes lines, canoe anchors,lining canoes, etc. A one-burnerpropane stove and fuel, evenwhen most meals are done on thefire, for times when fires are toowet, time consuming or banned.

And last but certainly not least,my rod case, reels, nets and plentyof fishing tackle. Because theremust be some reason I’m willingto double portage that “extra”gear. A reason all canoe countryanglers fully understand.FISHINGRob: Stu says I don’t fish. ActuallyI do fish, I just don’t catch. Atleast I don’t catch much, andthat’s the way I like it. Fishing isan excuse to paddle around andexplore a lake’s shoreline, and if awalleye happens onto my hook? Acouple of fresh fillets for dinnerare always appreciated.

We approach fishing verydifferently. Stu fishes for sportand practices “catch and release.”Having never released a legalwalleye in the BWCAW, I havemore of a hunger based “kill andgrill” approach. But I am hardly aglutton. I seldom eat more thanone fish dinner on a BWCAW trip,and I never pack fish out of theBWCAW nor would I permitanyone in my group to do so. Ihave caught fewer walleye in thelast twenty years than Stu catchesand releases in one spring day.Although our philosophies onfishing are quite different, ourimpact on the resource is aboutthe same, negligible.

Once after returning home froma glorious but fishless week on aMalberg Lake loop, I telephonedStu for a little walleye catchingadvice. He told me, “Go fishing

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after dinner. That’s when the bigwalleyes like to feed.” There was along pause from me. The reason Igo fishing is FOR dinner, whywould I go out after I had alreadyeaten?

There are other problems withfishing. I have spent less on anecklace for my wife than theprice of some of those fancyspinners, and a related problem isthose little knots you have to tie.Tying those knots reminds me ofpulling a sliver out of a 3-year-old’s finger. You can barely see it,and you never really know if youhave it in hand; in the case of theknot, if you didn’t get it right, wellthere goes that expensive necklacedown to the lake bottom. Thenthere are poles that break, reelsthat snarl, bait escapes, and if youare “lucky” fish slime, fish gutsand a greasy pan to wash.

Plus there is the competitiveaspect. What if the guy in the bowcatches a lot more fish than youdo? You start to loathe him. I gocanoeing to avoid the rat race.Whey would I want to startkeeping track of who caught what

and how long it was?Don’t even get me started on

leeches. I am always afraid thoseslimy things will somehow getinside me. I always hate it whensomeone brings live bait on acanoe trip. I am glad it wasbanned in Quetico. On about halfmy trips to the BWCAW I bringfishing gear, and it is a pleasantenough pastime and a reason toget out on the water with maybe anice edible reward, but fishing isjust one small part of my wilder-ness experience.

In the Far North typically wepaddle long distances every day,and we count on fish as an impor-tant part of our diet. When it’sfinally time to stop and camp,someone walks down to a rapidsto catch a couple of lake troutwhile the rest of us set up campand build a fire (or on the tundratry to get the stove to work). Evenin places where fish have neverseen hooks and the water is alivewith fins, I don’t linger to “catchand release” fish. I agree with theDene, the aboriginal people ofCanada’s Northwest Territories. Ifa fish presents himself to you byimpaling his mouth on your hook,you insult him by throwing himback. By doing so you risk somebad medicine down river, likeheadwinds or a grizzly bearcharge.Editor’s note: Of course in theQuetico/BWCAW with thousandsof anglers, we can’t afford theDene philosophy. The powerful“catch and release” ethics ofcanoe country anglers is huge insustaining this high qualitywilderness fishery. Catch and killis the norm on most public waters.That’s precisely why the fishing incanoe country transends the norm.Rob’s Last Word: I hope somedayto go on a canoe trip with Stu.He’s my hero, and I really meanthat. He has managed to carve aniche and live a life on the edge ofone of the continent’s largestwilderness areas. I spend a lotmore time stuck in traffic thanwith a paddle in my hands andadmire him for finding a way todo just the opposite. The Bound-ary Waters Journal has become avaluable resource for beginnersand expert canoeists alike. Moreimportantly, it has given those ofus that don’t live on the edge a

chance to relax on the couch fourtimes a year and dream.

Stu’s speed down the portagetrails scares me a little. I’m notsure I could keep up with him. Imight have to sneak some extra iceinto his pack to slow him down.But I think we’d get along fine, noaxe fights, no tipovers. Thewilderness would work its magic,and we would agree to disagreebut mostly just have fun. I don’tthink Stu will ever wear sandalson a portage, but I think I couldlearn to put up with all his freshfood.

Editor’s note: Get Rob Kesselring’snew book River Stories for lotsmore on his lifetime of wildernesspaddling adventures. The com-mon theme running through thisfun collection of 17 stories is acraving for that sense of adventurefrom paddling into the unknown.Rob bares his soul to share with usall the delights and dilemmas ofthe wilderness experience. Pad-dling with Rob means facingroaring stretches of white water,rollers sloshing over the spraydeck on large lakes and tough 50-mile days, pitching your tentwhere only the Dene have evercamped. Most of us can onlydream of following Rob to suchremote places, but at least thisbook confirms such wild placesare still out there.

Despite a “Far North” flavor, thebook includes a good dose ofBWCAW storytelling too. Some ofwhich have run in BWJ. The realmessage of River Stories is foreach of us to pursue our love ofthe wild wherever we can. Wilder-ness canoe trips take us awayfrom “making a living” to thoseprecious days of “really living.”Rob reminds us in a most compel-ling way that those days spentpaddling wilderness waterwaysare priceless, too few and foreverlasting.

We are lucky to have a book likeRiver Stories to inspire us to gowhere only the canoe trails lead. Ilove Rob’s brutal honesty, sense ofhumor and appreciation for “it’sthe journey not the destination.”You won’t put this book downuntil you hit the back cover.

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