Is it weird that the anticipation and preparation of a trip is almost as enjoyable as the trip itself? I guess that's what happens when you live far enough away to only get one chance a year...
This year will be my wife's first trip. Were hiking angleworm and bringing the hounds too. It will be weird not getting in a canoe but should be a great new experience in the B Dubs

I think I see some fishing line in there....where is the tackle and poles!?

I enjoy all the anticipation that goes with the planning too.

Did you forget something? I don't know...is everything checked off the list? :)

The poles kind of hidden under the rain coat and tackle/gear is piled under the extra line, I'm trying to limit myself this year since I won't be on the water, I hope I can still reel in a few from the shore though, wouldn't be the same without a fish on the menu at least one night!

I did print off a list this year but until you mentioned I actually hadn't looked at it, I better take a peak tomorrow!

forget the saw and ax, you really don't need them, and for backpacking every ounce counts. i would suggest hiking poles. this trail is much more rugged then you may expect, the poles can make a big difference. i couldn't tell but you must have at least two compasses in there, they may be necessary, and you should know how to use them. at times this trail becomes overgrown and the compass may be necessary for bushwhacking. also for BWCA backpacking i like to carry aerial photos of the area, they may come in handy. this is a great trail. you will love it.

oops. two other things. i have never caught a fish in angleworm, i have tried. you are backpacking, every ounce counts. also you mentioned hounds. i am not sure what your hounds are but this area is thick with wolves and other beasts. my black lab, who had hiked this trail with me and my family at least a dozen times, was running off ahead, (no leash), and ran into something in the woods that forever changed her. from that point on, she would never leave my side, actually she would never get out of between my legs. ever again, lake harriet, it didn't matter, keep a close watch on your dogs. i would keep them on a leash just for safety.

strange things in that neck of the woods.....

I don't see any TP :-)

Agree with Jwartman... leave the hatchet at home.

Hiking boots? Hiking socks?

Agree with the hatchet but I would bring the saw.

I also agree with anticipation and preperation. That is half the trip and it helps make the trip a lot longer than the few days that I will be out on the water. Have a great hike!

I don't see a cell phone for use with the new ATT cell phone tower.

I could throw out about eight pounds of that in a few seconds, but it's your trip and your comfort zone.
I'm thinking that there's a frying pan in the orange bag?
Have a great trip, and be careful!

BTW, how far away do you live and how long is your trip?

I agree we are taking A LOT! My typical pack I try to keep ~25lbs but this year I'm at 38....my wife wants to experience the BWCA but she also wants to be comfortable so we have a ridiculous menu and comforts of home; her pack is up to 29lbs too. But we're both in pretty good shape, we just ran a marathon last month so the legs are good for it, and we've been packing before. I lugged in a 45 pounder with an alumacraft one summer and it wasn't an issue, but we'll see how I feel about it in a week.

The dogs are a 33lb scruffy terrier mix thing and a 50lb american staffordshire terrier mix I'll attach a pic of him in his pack, he gets to carry the dog gear :) they will be in the leash 100% on the trail, we'll see how the camps are and if they can be off their tie-outs there. They've done fine in the northern woods of Wisconsin but I'm getting a litter nervous the more weird stories I hear.

As for the axe/saw; I know they can be a heated topic but for me it's non-negotiable, I always take an axe/hatchet +/- the saw. This time for the shear amount of cooking we're going to be doing I'll need them both. Compass is in there too!


The little orange waterproof bag has the TP, the bigger reddishorange bag is the dogs pack, no frying pan this trip, although it did cross my mind....

That's a bummer about the fishing, hopefully I have better luck. I can't cut it out though :) It's a good 9-10hr drive from our place in Iowa so I have to give it a shot since I probably wont be up again until next summer. 4 days 3 nights is all we can squeeze in this year....but should be more than enough to have a leisurely stroll around Angelworm.

I almost did Angleworm one year; I still would like to go sometime. Take a lot of pictures for me :).

Have a great trip!

I've been meaning to do a trip report/start a photo journal so this trip will likely kick that off!

quote hobbydog: "I don't see any TP :-) "

+1

IMO---throw those backpacks back in the closet and get some dry bags. Toss the teva's and get some keens, toss those water shoes and get some boots. You don't need the hatchet, there are plenty of rocks already there to pound stakes. No TP, no fishing equipment, don't see any bug dope, baby powder for chafing (trust me every morning before its a problem), I don't see a tarp, what about the Duck Tape, zip strips come in handy.

Teva's are for camp, I do wear keens just not pictured but great recommendation! I actually did ditch the water shoes for this trip. Bug dope is there right in front of the pelican case, TP is hidden inside the orange waterproof bag, we have an anti-chafe stick called BODYGLIDE (amazing stuff for you runners out there) in the toiletries bag, fishing pole is in its case sort of hidden next to the green shirt and fishing gear is piled on itself below the pole. There is a little 5x7 tarp next to the orange TP bag and duck tape is around the nalgene's allowing the Snow Peak Titanium Trek 700 Mug to nest on it and not fall off (great little trick)
IMO there are zero packs out there that can match a Gregory for comfort/ergonomics/cooling ability I was skeptical at first and never wanted to pay the price for one but after packing for years I'll never go back to anything else (save a Duluth pack for trips that we're in a canoe 99% of the traveling). We have waterproof covers should we need them.
The SFA has to go, I'm one of those people.....you wont catch me in the north woods without an axe/hatchet, just wont happen :) Plus were bringing a menu fit for a king, lots of cooking this trip and I obsess over a well lit/burning fire.

I think maybe majorbison missed the part about backpacking instead of canoeing; I'm sure your packs will work better than drybags for that ;).

I've hiked Angleworm several times now. Do you have a map in that pile along with a camera? Have a great trip and wave as you pass by the Twin Cities your friends in MN wish you well!

We did take a map and camera
WOW, that was quite the trail! A trip report will be on the way shortly. Between the rain, dogs, trail, and heavy packs it was quite the adventure! Wish I was still up there though!

Can't wait to hear all about it and see some pictures too. Angleworm is still on my "to do" list.