I don’t like saying goodbye to the Boundary Waters.  I’ve only had to do it twice in my life, but each time has been dreadful.  Yet on our last day, each of us were forced to bid the Waters farewell. To me, the Boundary Waters represent freedom from the daily grind, from the unnatural civilization … Keep reading »

As a direct result of the ice, our plans for the Boundary Waters changed daily.  Instead of heading straight North on our first day, we were forced to push East as the ice permitted to get as close to Stuart Lake as possible. We never intended to take the route we did, but our sixth … Keep reading »

When I awoke on our fifth day in the Boundary Waters, I knew it was a day to make up for lost time.  The barrier between us and the next portage had melted into the lake, and it was time to put a significant number of miles behind us. Of the eight miles covered, roughly … Keep reading »

The Boundary Waters is truly a spectacle of natural wild beauty, yet one of the most prominent and memorable features of an experience on the water is late night stargazing. Though it is extremely difficult to photograph at this time of year, the BWCA is one of the few places where one can see a … Keep reading »

The teeming wildlife within the Boundary Waters is truly extraordinary, however a large portion of the ecosystem of the lakes can be attributed to one creature in particular: the beaver. According to my brother, Clinton, a guide from Wilderness Wind Outfitters, it is not illegal to hunt and trap beavers–however dismantling a beaver lodge or … Keep reading »

Making camp in the Boundary Waters requires more than setting up tents and starting a fire.  Once a campsite is picked and everyone clears out of the canoes, each of us takes a job and help make camp.  Here are some of the basics of making camp. Picking an ideal campsite is important.  With nine … Keep reading »

The past week has been an amazing experience of nature and wildlife, and after Goshen College students arrived back to campus on Sunday, everyone felt the effect of the wild. Personally, I found getting reacquainted with my cell phone and computer to be somewhat surreal.  And putting my Timex watch back around my wrist reminded … Keep reading »

With only hours before heading out to the wilderness, our group was faced with a very unknown but potentially crucial decision: what kind of canoes will we take on the water? While there are many different styles and materials to make canoes with, Wilderness Wind outfits their guests with only two options.  Our group had … Keep reading »

As we continue to help Wilderness Wind prepare for the canoeing season, the list of tasks has gotten shorter and shorter.  At this point, we are counting down the hours until we can set out in a canoe. Yesterday we went to Wilderness Wind’s second campground, “Lakeside.”  Lakeside is a small collection of cabins which … Keep reading »

After two full days of work, Goshen College Students have helped Wilderness Wind staff unpack the camp materials needed to provide service for the rest of the season.  Throughout the week, they will be providing some general maintenance tasks before setting out on the water. According to the National Forest Service, almost all of the … Keep reading »