Any other advice for a first timer? Anything that you wish you had known on your first trip to the BWCA?

Thanks. Love the feedback.

I wish I had brought some Zantac or Pepcid AC.

Double ziplock anything you don't want to have all over the inside of your food pack. We didn't do that with the honey last year, and needless to say, everything in the bag was a sticky mess. We were really popular with the yellow jackets & bees.

You probably don't need 3/4 of the stuff you think you need.

I agree with you. I am trying to pack as light as possible. But at the same time want to make sure I have the things I need. Lighter the better.

Don't wear cotton socks. Wear sunscreen. Don't forget to stop and just look around once in awhile, it isn't about the destination as much as the journey. Have fun, and make memories.

I have found it helpful to always have an extra rope with me. I was caught in some heavy winds and the extra rope really saved my camp. I would also recommend if anyone is on meds to have an extra set, preferably in a different canoe. I not only zip lock everything I bring extras. Some rip and sometimes you need for extra fillet or two.

Go ahead and tell us what you think you need... and we'll cheerfully edit your gear and clothing list down for you.

No seriously, we will!





Same kid - ten years apart.

ok..here is a list off the top of my head. Trip is in mid july.

doing a canoe and food outfitting package

Pair of pants
A few pairs of shorts
Proper socks
sweatshirt
rain gear
hat
tent
saw
hatchet
knife
multi tool
fishing tackle
first aid kit
bug spray
containers for water
rope
sleeping bag
pillow
matches
flashlight/headlamp
lantern
mirror


add? remove? suggestions?

thanks

I wish that I would have had this website as a resource. I've learned a lot from reading this messageboard that would have helped me out a great deal.

This is just one example of the many things that would have helped me if I had this site to read 14 years ago. We thought it would work to travel most of the way out and camp on Dissapointment Lake on our second to last day. Well, we found out the hard way that campsites are hard to come by on this lake and ended up going home a day early. It is referenced a few times on here how you need to be on this lake early in the day to find a spot. We have always said that this lake lived up to it's name. At least in our case.

No lantern mid-July. Sunset's about 9 pm and twilight lasts until 9:45. Sunrises around 5 am.
Add water filter or risk giardia. Personal choice on that one.
If you can weed thru the posts on this and the gear section, and the gear lists outfitter's websites, you'll figure it out.
Have fun!

The fact that you're going through an outfitter helps a lot. Ask him for a suggested list.

But I'll take a whack at your list anyway. :-)

One pair of pants is good, especially if you also have rain pants. Try to make them nylon so that they dry quickly.
One pair of shorts is all you'll need. It can double as a swim suit.
Socks should not be cotton. There are a lot of good brands
Rather than a sweatshirt I'd go with fleece. Sweatshirts are usually cotton. Fleece is warmer and dries quicker
Hat - take a brimmed hat and a stocking cap
Be careful with the hatchet
Rather than a pillow consider a stuff sack filled with extra clothes
Bring matches AND a lighter
You won't need a lantern. It's just extra weight.
Why do you want a mirror?

Other advice? Have fun. Don't put pressure on yourself.

Bring a book. Don't bring a bagpipe.

Bring an extra paddle for the group.

Buy family members something after you get out. A sweatshirt, tee shirt, coffee mug, doo-dad for those at home makes it easier to get permission to go next time.

The hatchet scares me. If you chop off a finger there will be no "real" help for sometime. On the other hand, I had a canoe partner that chopped wood with his buck knife because "I" didn't pack a hatchet. In this case it would have been much safer to have the right tool for the job. If you can only burn wrist sized (max.) pieces of wood you shouldn't need a hatchet or an axe. On the 1st day of my trip in Sept. I cut my leg pretty deep with a saw. Don't ask. If it were a hatchet I might have lost a knee cap!

OK - here's 35 years of experience -

Pair of pants (One pair NOT Jeans, nylon zipoffs will do)
A few pairs of shorts (Elimnate - see above)
Proper socks (Smartwool or similar)
sweatshirt (Nope)
rain gear (Define - ponchos are generally not very good, substitute a rainjacket for the sweatshirt)
hat
tent
saw
hatchet (Eliminate unless you really know how to use it)
knife
multi tool
fishing tackle
first aid kit
bug spray
containers for water
rope
sleeping bag
pillow
matches
flashlight/headlamp
lantern
mirror

Boots?
Sandals or camp shoes?
Sunglasses?

Bring the best rain gear and footwear you can afford! I throw a fleece hat and polypro longjohns in my sleeping bag- doesn't really weigh much but if you get 4 days of 45 degree rain you will be real glad you brought 'em.
You don't need mirrors/lanterns/pillows. A sleeping pad is nice- big agnes or thermarest or something similar- though not strictly necessary.
Sweatshirts are worse than useless...fleece is good, so's a wool jacket, one or the other.
I assume your food outfitting includes pots/pans/mess kit.
SUNSCREEN and sunglasses, and hats with a brim- the glare on the water in mid-day is fierce.
A deck of cards is handy, again, for whiling away rainy hours.
Wear your shorts and keep your long pants packed for around camp.
A compass.
A water filter or big pot for boiling drinking water. Giardia won't make you sick ON the trip, but can make you ill for months afterwards.

Hello mj,
I do believe that you learn by your mistakes...I did on my first few trips to the BWCA. My first trip I carried a 70 lbs. pack for two people. I'm down to a about a 30 lbs. pack for one and am still trying to lighten the load. All the above people have great advice.
Remember one thing, ounces add up to pounds.
Before you go, pack everything up into your canoe pack (if you have your own) and go up and a staircase with it several times without stopping. This will give you some idea about the weight you will be carrying. But, the terrain will obviously be more rugged.
The one thing I like to tell first timers is to wear quick drying clothing (NO COTTEN).
If you are going through an outfitter, they will be very helpful in telling you what you want/don't want to bring.
Good Luck mj, and enjoy the BWCA.

Don't know your entry point, but my first trip was out of Moose Lake and into Knife Lake. In hindsight, I regret not having taken the towboat. We made Knife Lake late in the day and were dog tired...the tow would have saved about 3 hours, most of which we were getting buzzed by towboats anyway.

Don't wear cotton shorts or shirts. They take forever to dry, and they will get wet. Wear quick-drying nylon shorts and shirts and you'll be very glad you did. On my first trip I wore a pair of cotton shorts in, it rained the first day, and they were wet the rest of the trip. Nylon shorts, you hop in the water and they're dry in no time.

You'll definitely want sunglasses, polarized if possible. And I agree with others, a sleeping pad is well worth its weight. After a long hard day of paddling and portaging, you want a comfortable spot to rest your weary back.

Chairs are a popular item, although far from 'necessity'. It feels nice to have a back rest at the end of the day though.

I know some people who take 2 copies of each map, but again, not a necessity.

As for what I wish I had known on my first trip: I wish I'd known that when my friend said "we can count on 2 or 3 meals of fish", that he was being an optimist. :)

I greatly appreciate all of your input. Thanks for you concern with the hatchet....I'm pretty good with it and have used it out west and in south america. Granted it is a risk.

So no cotton..that is clear. Good boots and rain gear. Fleece is good. Pitch the lantern...keeping the mirror (contact wearer here). Sunglasses and sunscreen....must have..forgot about them.

You can only burn wrist sized wood? Is this a park regulation?

Thanks

No you can burn any size wood. I think the thought was that up to wrist size is plenty big enough for a nice cooking/pleasure fire and you don't need the temptation of the hatchet/axe which can ruin your trip if something goes wrong. I am of the no hatchet/axe group, but think saw is necessity, and a lot safer. If you use bigger wood, then the hatchet/splitting issue come up. Easy to screw up.

Although one of the best tips I learned in scouting is to never swing the hatchet/axe. Saw big piece up to length, put axe on top of piece to be split, tap in with piece of wood to start, then bang on rock. You can't miss!!!

No one mentioned bug head nets. IMO an item that never leaves my person. If you need it on portages, bathroom, cooking, whatever, swatting is not my thing.

Also if you are a fisherman, rope for anchor. Much easier in wind. Buy two replacement nylon basketball hoop nets. Fill with appropriate sized rock(s), tie off, voila.

Another trip ender is letting a bear get your food. Learn to hide/hang food correctly. Take all your food with you if you do a day trip. Losing your food = ending your trip. Same with accidents. Axe as noted. Don't run, jump, ever. Or step wildly with heavy pack/canoe. Be very deliberate when portaging. Any rock near water can be as slick as ice. Treat all rocks in water as ice covered, take very small steps in water. Its' not a race.

Not trying to be paranoid, its' just that all this planning and work to get to BWCA can be ruined by not thinking. There was a good thread on this, not sure if it was here or "other" website.

Good advanced equipment checklist can be found at;

http://www.quietjourney.com/lists/e_lm.html

For an anchor I use a potato sack with some rocks in it and rope. Very light weight and can be used for other things.

I've always done self-outfitting so not sure what you get with a package.

Obvious stuff I see missing -
Map or Maps to go with compass - Know how to use these.
Foot wear for traveling (wet)and
Foot wear for around camp (dry)

I'd bring just a pillow case and stuff it with your extra clothes - no need for a pillow

You may want to consider a pack towel if you go swimming

Most multi-tools have a knife so you don't really need a pocket knife if you bring the tool. You may want a fillet knife if you fish.

Extra paddle

Life jackets

Didn't see 'em (might have missed 'em):

Fishing license
BWCA permit

Snakecharmer

Breakfast tip. If you bring syrup for pancakes, repackage it in a narrow mouth pint Nalgene bottle, less chance for it to leak. I then place that bottle into a gallon ziplock just to be sure. Besides the leaking issue, the Nalgene bottle also allows me to heat the syrup so it's warm going on my pancakes. I just put it in a pot of water and heat. I do this after the coffee's made and before the pancakes are cooked. Place pot to side, leaving the syrup in. When the pancakes are done, the syrup is nice and warm. Plus you already have your water heated for dishes.