This photo is of my wife sitting on a picnic table under the tarp at our campsite on Long Island Lake in about 1975. (non-digital scan) This site also had a huge wooden "throne" with a heavy wooden lid. Anyone else remember picnic tables? --Goose

Yes! I saw picnic tables on Insula, on Gabimichigami, on Little Saganaga, and I heard of them on Lac la Croix. And those wooden thrones! Everybody knew when somebody's business was done, 'cause they dropped the wooden lid and it banged!

The most interesting picnic table was on Insula...it had every surface carved on, including underneath. Names and dates galore. The best was one that listed something like: Greg..1946 Greg and Sally..1956
Greg, Sally, and Mark ...1976

I have only seen one in the BWCA in 1979 on Saganaga, the island site near the falls. I also remember the portage rests, wooden thrones, and portage signs.

I remember them OGG!

On a group solo trip with my nephew Tim and friend Tom in October of 1986, we looped back through Alpine Lake and eventually Seagull Lake for the our take-out after an extended trip.

The last night of our trip was spent on Alpine Lake and we had a picnic table at a site there. If I remember correctly, it was even an island campsite. (I may have some pictures on slides somewhere.)

Although Tim and I enjoyed the "luxury" of the picnic table, my friend Tom did not. Reason being, Tom had a phobia about spiders and he would not sit at the picnic table with Tim and I. When we asked why he wouldn't join us, Tom stated, "The picnic table was nothing more than a haven for spiders." Naturally Tim and I enjoyed a good laugh at Tom's response.

Hans Solo

So, how exactly did the picnic tables get there? Motors weren't technically banned until the late 70s or so, but even with small motors, that would have been a chore to get them there, wouldn't it?

quote caribouluvr: "So, how exactly did the picnic tables get there? Motors weren't technically banned until the late 70s or so, but even with small motors, that would have been a chore to get them there, wouldn't it?"

That's a good question. Can I add, was there a WPA funded effort to support and maintain the Roadless Area?

They should have never removed the portage rests.

quote caribouluvr: "So, how exactly did the picnic tables get there? Motors weren't technically banned until the late 70s or so, but even with small motors, that would have been a chore to get them there, wouldn't it?"

Pre-cut and assembled on site?

I was surprised to find this picnic table about 5 years ago at a site on the Quetico side of Birch Lake.

quote Kevlar: "And those wooden thrones! Everybody knew when somebody's business was done, 'cause they dropped the wooden lid and it banged!"

Did it look something like this?

This was also on Long Island Lake maybe 15 years ago. It is a welded fire grate rather than the cast iron ones you see now. The site had not been used in a long time. There were many artifacts such as a coffee pot, ect.

It also had a wooden latrine, which I don't have a picture of. I remember thinking that this was probably an official site since it had both latrine and firegrate, but they were clearly old and site not used in a long time.

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
They should have never removed the portage rests."

++++1, what were they thinking?

quote jwartman59: "

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
They should have never removed the portage rests."

++++1, what were they thinking?"

I also remember the bear poles. The last active one I saw was on West Pike in maybe 1994.

There is a sweet old picnic table on Lac LaCroix, in Snow Bay I think. You can see the table in the background of this picture. (One of my 4th graders said "Does you wife know you took her shirt?")

I don't know about picnic tables, but I miss bear poles and canoe rests. I think both would reduce the impact on the wilderness.

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
They should have never removed the portage rests."

I felt the same. I remember the old wooden biffys, the occasional picnic table, and portage signs. They didn't really bother me. Here's the only pictures I have, on Seagull '94?. It was the year of the big flood on the Mississippi.

Yes, remember the picnic tables. One year our group camped at a site that did not have a table, so we transferred one from another site by turning the table upside down and floating it on top of two aluminum canoes. Also remember the canoe rests (really liked those), and the postage signs. Also remember wooden docks on some of the lakes by the portages.

We'll you didn't say. Did your wife know you took her shirt?

My Dad had told me once they did not have a table at the site he was at and went around looking for a site nobody was at and he took the table and flipped it over and pulled it across the lake back to his site. This was like forty years ago if not more.

My first trip was 1971 and we had no picnic tables, but I do remember the portage signs, canoe rests and the huge wooden latrines. Also, many had very large fire rings. We use an outfitter, and out tents were all huge heavy canvas (military style) that slept 6-8 people. They had no screens and the outfitter included several cigars to burn in order to keep out the mosquitoes. Almost all of our food was fresh too, and it was well molded by the end of our trip. But it sure was fun and it hooked me for life. I've been going up every since then.

Yep, Lac La Croix had a ton of them, loved the slick moss covered lids on some of the thrones. Ah... The days of portage signs, and canoe rests......

quote QuietWild: "I was surprised to find this picnic table about 5 years ago at a site on the Quetico side of Birch Lake.
"

QW: Remember which site on Birch that was? --OGG

Oh, yeah! The picnic table was a central feature of one of my early trips.

My cousin and I spotted a picnic table across a lake one day while all the other guys were out doing day trips and fishing and what not. We weren't even sure it was a picnic table at first so we paddled the mile and a half or so over to the site and were surprised to find a USFS picnic table.

We tied it to the stern and towed it across the lake. It took us about 2.5 hours to paddle back across the lake because the table was so heavy. That thing must have weighed 150 lbs, at least! And it wasn't exactly streamlined!!

Once we got it to our site, we set up a mossy tent over the table, mixed up some cocktails, lit a couple stogies and were lounging in luxury when all the other guys got back. Those guys were amazed! And we had a great trip overall.

this very old one on LaCroix had slabs of slate to replace the rotten boards.i find tables on LaCriox in a couple of the big open "fishermans camps" where they must of had platform tents in the fly in days.

back in the 80's my buddy and i scrambled up to that table with a whopping storm pounding across the lake right at us.we left everything in the canoe just pulling the tarp out of the grub bag.we threw the tarp over the table and held on to the edges while one of those quick thunder and lighting storms passed over with wind driven rain and hail.
a couple years ago i went back for a look and so much dirt and duff had worked its way under the table it was impossible to get under for a photo to send him.

how is this for a biffy? the rollof toilet paper & wet wipes were there when I got there, this is Manitoba

quote ZaraSp00k: "how is this for a biffy? the rollof toilet paper & wet wipes were there when I got there, this is Manitoba
"

Did you bite the door jam, you were so excited?

"Picnic table" Quetico-style -- all local materials -- at William Lake. --Goose

Thanks for the pic of the latrine, Hans. I'm sure the picnic tables were packaged and then assembled on site, but I've never heard how they got them there. I know that dogsled teams were used in the winter to bring in some of the more modern latrines, and I've heard of helicopters being used in the 1980s to bring in cut lumber for long boardwalks.

The canoe rests and portage sign markers were discontinued in the 1980s when Congress cut the heck out of the budget. The head ranger of the Sawbill Area told me then that they had so little budget for hiring workers, they could either offer a job at a non-living wage, or pay a living wage to far fewer people. They paid the living wage, but he said they used to have 11 workers and now they had four. That is also when they stopped doing a lot of erosion control work on campsites and portages. That also prompted the volunteer programs.

Anybody know if the bear poles were put in by the Forest Service, or were they just put up by us campers?

Englishmans Island (south end) on Sag, used to have one. There were a couple sites around american point that had them too. And yes, back in the day, when motors were allowed all over sag, my dad was guilty of flipping one over on his 16' boat, and hauling it from a different campsite to ours.

I remember the wooden latrines very well. They were always damp.

North west side of Seagull where a resort used to be had one. Very nice open area for tents also.
CB

Camp # 465 by the maps

quote ECpizza: "I don't know about picnic tables, but I miss bear poles and canoe rests. I think both would reduce the impact on the wilderness."

I suspect all these 'old' creature comforts were eliminated because of cost to maintain/replace, rather than 'leave-no-trace' principles.

quote OldGreyGoose: "

quote QuietWild: "I was surprised to find this picnic table about 5 years ago at a site on the Quetico side of Birch Lake.
"

QW: Remember which site on Birch that was? --OGG"

Yep, it was on the small island just north of the large island on the far west side of the lake. The campsite isn't marked on the paper maps. I happened upon it unexpectedly while looking for a place to stay before heading out the following day. The rest of the sites on the lake were already taken, so I was expecting to have to find an "unsettled" location.

I remember portage rests and wooden johns. I do not remember picnic tables.

quote OldGreyGoose: ""Picnic table" Quetico-style -- all local materials -- at William Lake. --Goose "

That kitchen is over the top OGG. It looks like it doubles as a card table / bar top / breakfast nook.

I've heard that when Rom took boy scouts to quetico they would build them. On a lake he talks about in his book we found one at an unmarked site. No idea if it's true or not...

quote ZaraSp00k: "how is this for a biffy? the rollof toilet paper & wet wipes were there when I got there, this is Manitoba
"

I'll take the throne out in the woods. Seems cleaner...

QuietWild: if that Q site was 1C9 in PCD, the table was NOT there last year. (2013) --Goose

I camped at a site on Cherokee lake around 1999 that still had one. A ranger came around and accused us of hauling it in. We joked about it for the rest of the trip because who in their right mind would haul a picnic table in over those portages. The ranger was upset because she said they would have to haul it out.

quote OldGreyGoose: "QuietWild: if that Q site was 1C9 in PCD, the table was NOT there last year. (2013) --Goose"

Actually Goose, the site I'm referring to does not appear to be marked in the PCD (I suppose I should figure out how to add it). It should be located on the little island just above site 1AE. I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to promote it a lot, though, since the island is pretty small and probably can't take a whole lot of use. It was kind of a choice of necessity for me with the otherwise full lake. It is a nice little site, though, just very small.

quote lundojam: "There is a sweet old picnic table on Lac LaCroix, in Snow Bay I think. You can see the table in the background of this picture. (One of my 4th graders said "Does you wife know you took her shirt?") "

Lundo, that picnic table was still in pretty good shape last year.

Yes I do remember

quote lundojam: "There is a sweet old picnic table on Lac LaCroix, in Snow Bay I think. You can see the table in the background of this picture. (One of my 4th graders said "Does you wife know you took her shirt?") "

You have many great fish pictures, bit this is my favorite because of that shirt, you can see that from space :-)

quote ozarkpaddler: "

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
They should have never removed the portage rests."

I felt the same. I remember the old wooden biffys, the occasional picnic table, and portage signs. They didn't really bother me. Here's the only pictures I have, on Seagull '94?. It was the year of the big flood on the Mississippi.
"

i thought that pic looked familar this is from 1991 the site was nice when it had trees around the fire grate. still a good shore fishing spot though, but the wind will beat you up.

quote shock: "

quote ozarkpaddler: "

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
They should have never removed the portage rests."

I felt the same. I remember the old wooden biffys, the occasional picnic table, and portage signs. They didn't really bother me. Here's the only pictures I have, on Seagull '94?. It was the year of the big flood on the Mississippi.
"

i thought that pic looked familar this is from 1991 the site was nice when it had trees around the fire grate. still a good shore fishing spot though, but the wind will beat you up.


"

That's it!

Do not recall any tables, but I did stumble across this a couple of years back. Cannot recall the lake, but I thought it was pretty cool...

Table at site on Lac La Croix, 1980
I had always remembered this as being at the "Lady Bird Site," but now I'm not so sure. We were on 3 LLC sites that trip: C0012 in Snow Bay, C0150 east of Pocket L, and C0178 in Tiger Bay...

This is the campsite on Jig Lake - photo taken last year.

I remember the table on Alpine

quote bstrege: " This is the campsite on Jig Lake - photo taken last year."

Very cool!

Early 70's there was a table at a site on the Kawishiwi River south of Lake One. Lots of portage signs and canoe rests back then too. It was our first trip and we thought maybe this was what every site would have.

Only once did we see a picnic table in the BW. It was in 1996 and was on an island, site 567, on the west side of Long Island Lake. It made camping there quite easy - really enjoyed the luxury of a large table. I do have pictures from a 35 mm camera - and have not scanned any of those old photos into digital format. Saving that project for my retirement!

Not BW - but there are still sites on the upper cloquet river that have the wooden thornes. For those wondering, they are certianly more enjoyable then the plastic ones you find in the BW today.

quote bstrege: " This is the campsite on Jig Lake - photo taken last year."

I'm not familiar with Jig Lake. Is it in the BW or Q?

If it's in the BW, is this still an active site with a firegrate and a fiberglass toilet too?

Surely this old wooden toilet was just forgotten and is not an active (USFS expects to be used) toilet.

Regarding picnic tables, our group just turns our flat-bottomed SR Q18.5 canoe upside down with each end supported by a log so it's elevated. This makes an excellent table with 16+ feet of useable space. Much bigger than any picnic table.

quote Speckled: " wooden thornes. For those wondering, they are certianly more enjoyable then the plastic ones you find in the BW today."

I would so strongly disagree with this! They were awful! Slimy, noisy when the lid slammed, and rotted away to be very unpleasant. I welcome the changes they have made to the latrines. Just another opinion from one who remembers the wooden ones not all that fondly.

quote Kevlar: "Yes! I saw picnic tables on Insula, on Gabimichigami, on Little Saganaga, and I heard of them on Lac la Croix. And those wooden thrones! Everybody knew when somebody's business was done, 'cause they dropped the wooden lid and it banged!"

That's why the were originally known as "Slammers!"

quote Spartan2: "

quote Speckled: " wooden thornes. For those wondering, they are certianly more enjoyable then the plastic ones you find in the BW today."

I would so strongly disagree with this! They were awful! Slimy, noisy when the lid slammed, and rotted away to be very unpleasant. I welcome the changes they have made to the latrines. Just another opinion from one who remembers the wooden ones not all that fondly."

Not many of the plastic thrones have a lid, but when they do, it's a very welcome site on soggy mornings, at least as long as the lid was closed!

Is this the "latest" version of BW potties? (Gaskin Lake, 2012) --Goose

quote OldGreyGoose: "Is this the "latest" version of BW potties? (Gaskin Lake, 2012) --Goose "

A big change if this is an example of the new toilets.

The ones I've seen/used in the BW are fiberglass with no lid, not fancy roto-molded plastic.

I had always heard that having no lids aided and sped up the decomposition process?????

quote LuvMyBell: "

quote OldGreyGoose: "Is this the "latest" version of BW potties? (Gaskin Lake, 2012) --Goose "

A big change if this is an example of the new toilets.


The ones I've seen/used in the BW are fiberglass with no lid, not fancy roto-molded plastic.


I had always heard that having no lids aided and sped up the decomposition process?????


"

This is the new toilet that is replacing the cones. I saw a stack of these behind the Ranger cabin on Little Sag..they are nice.

The old cone style used to have lids when they first started using them...the lid went away because they broke off ...poorly designed

I’ve never picnicked on a potty before. : ) And never used a site in the BWCAW with a picnic table either.

quote OldGreyGoose: "Is this the "latest" version of BW potties? (Gaskin Lake, 2012) --Goose "

i saw/used 1 of these on alpine 2011, it was nice compared to the cones. i'm sure it was replaced after the fire went through.