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The Great Outdoors
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 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Listening Point - General Discussion Campsite and Portage Comments Reply
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View BWCA Photo and Trip Report Contest Page
| Previous Messages: | |
| Author | Message Text |
| Bannock |
07/05/2006 10:48AM He is indeed crazy. |
| bogwalker |
07/05/2006 10:00AM I like the unknown aspect of the trip as one of the reasons I go. In early days I had asked for, and received, much advice and found myself avoiding areas that I now really enjoy due to feedback I had gotten. Since then, I have found difficult portages to my liking as it insures solitude beyond the rods, hills and difficulties. I still do talk to others about their trips and what they found, but nothing they tell me keeps me from attempting an area on my own. If anything, areas that people tell me have tough portages and seldom used campsites inspire me to want to go there all the more!!! What I would do is go and learn what you like and don't like in campsites and portages and then ask others about their trips into areas you want to go. That way you can make your own determination about whether you want to go spend a night on that campsite or venture across that portage. To me a 300 plus rod, bushwack of a portage into a dead end lake with one seldom used, postage-stamp sized campsite is as good as it gets. Bannock will tell you from first hand experience that I do like long portages and yes I might be just a little crazy too. But my 5-star campsite and yours probably are very different. |
| TR |
07/05/2006 09:42AM There is a website that has portage commentaries and gives you the ability to add yours. It is: www.quietjourney.com and at the bottom of the first page there is a topic called portage database and it lists the portages alphabetically. It's somewhat entertaining. It is useful in that if you see several entries describing a particular portage as "never again" it may give you pause to reconsider a route. However, I agree with the other responders to you query, take it as it comes you will be surprised at your ability to accept the challenge and afterward you will be proud of your performance. Usually one does not go to the Bdub to see if they can kill themselves, but please return from your trip a little tired, dirty, and in need of a shave. It makes you appreciate other things in your life. TR |
| Bannock |
07/04/2006 05:07PM For me it's, "It is what it is". I don't take notes on the portage nor the campsites. I may mention that it was a tough portage or a campsite is nice and in a grove of cedars. But really I'm taking the portage anyway so it doesn't matter what it's like or how long it is, unless it is something extraordinary that I have to prepare for (like rapelling down a 20 foot rock face). For me the campsite is mostly determined by time of day and that it's open. If one is particularly poor or buggy I may elect to push on. Having portage and campsite info in advance isn't important for me. Much is subjective anyway. A tough portage for me may be average for you. A nice campsite for me may be poor for you. The few times I have targeted a particular campsite I have been disappointed. Not because someone steered me wrong, but because it is invariably occupied. There are just too many variables in this that I can't control, so I go with the flow and take the attitude, "It is what it is". |
| TimA |
07/01/2006 12:43PM I think your last comment hit the nail on the head so to speak for me anyways. Part of the allure of canoe country is the unknown. That is why the forest service tries to manage it as "wilderness" park. It may not actually be a wilderness, but that is their goal. Also the number of campsites in the BWCAW is pretty high. For example Insula lake has over 40 campsites on it. If someone camped there they might of only looked at a few of those camps so to expect comments on all of those sites is unrealistic. Another problem is if you found a really good camp why would you want to post it on the internet for everyone to see? With the shear numbers of people entering the BWCAW each summer there is potential for campsite overuse. When this happens the forest service will shut the site down. I wouldn't want to be partly responsible for this happening. If you have specific sites you are concerned about or looking at a specific lake most people on the various websites will still share if you post a question or they may prefer to email you personally so they don't just send that info out to the entire world. If no one comments on a specific question about a camp---most likely it means no one on the website has been to that site. Tim |
| Polaris_500 |
07/01/2006 11:39AM I am new to the website and fairly new to the bwcaw. I love the website, but I am a little disappointed at the lack of comments available on campsites and portages. I was wondering if anyone could offer any insight as to why this is? It seems that with so many active postings, there would be more info available for campsites and portages. The only reason I could come up with that too much info may ruin the spontaneity of the wilderness adventure. |
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