Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

Temperance River Loop
by Bannock

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 06/25/2006
Entry & Exit Point: Baker Lake (EP 39)
Number of Days: 6
Group Size: 2
Trip Introduction:
Baker Lake/Temperance River Loop Trip Report Entry date: June 25th (2006) Exit date: June 30th (2006) Group members: Jim Balow, Ken Brown Solo canoes – Jim’s Bell Magic; Ken’s Old Town Penobscot 15
Part 1 of 9
Prologue

About June 10th I decided I just had to have a Boundary Waters trip soon, much sooner than my scheduled July 31st trip. I checked my calendar, talked to my boss (both at home and at work) and decided I could take off work June 26, 27, & 28. With the weekend before, I’d have 5 days.

Jim Balow and I work for the same company. I see him pretty often and we have gotten to know each other through canoe activities like the CCBB Upper Iowa Rendezvous. We even have done a trip together in the BW with others from the CCBB. We have never done one with just the two of us.

I figured I’d mention my plans to him without much hope that he’d be able to go. It was less than two weeks away and I did not have a permit and had done no planning. He jumped at it!! In fact he immediately pushed back, “But let’s go for the entire week!” I was able to beg off the additional two days.

Jim wanted to do the Sawbill area, which was fine with me. I hadn’t been there in 13 years. We checked on permit availability and wound up getting a Bakers Lake permit for Sunday, June 25th.

We agreed that we would each paddle our own canoe but would travel and camp together. We would be double portaging. We agreed we were not trying to set any records and would take our time, both paddling and portaging. We would check out campsites, explore bays, drift sometimes, etc. A relaxing trip was the goal.

Jim did the food – planned, bought and prepared. He did a great job. Breakfast was always brown sugar and maple oatmeal; and hot chocolate for Jim and Folgers Coffee bag for me. Lunch was always GORP-type stuff and granola bars. Supper a one-pot meal – chili one night, two nights of burger-based side dish and two of chicken-based side dish (foil packed chicken and dehydrated hamburger).

That was about it for the planning.

I took a few cryptic notes during the trip and wrote this report from it. I also went to the “Sawbill Weather History” from the Sawbill Outfitters website and added that info to this report. I’m not too sure how accurate it is. Temperatures sure seemed hotter than what they have recorded and I’m sure we got more rain than what they had.