Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

First trip ever as a solo at 21 yo
by martenskier21

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 05/11/2024
Entry & Exit Point: Moose Lake (EP 25)
Number of Days: 6
Group Size: 1
Trip Introduction:
All my life I have enjoyed camping and most outdoor activities but have never been to a true wilderness alone. Having finished college this spring I decided I needed to challenge myself before entering the "real world". I reside in the mke area and the BWCA was the closest true wilderness accessible to me. I chose to do a solo as I thought this would give me the most challenging and authentic wilderness experience. Also, I had some apprehensions about being alone that I wanted to work on. Fortunately, a member of the forum kindly let me borrow his Kevlar canoe which ended up being a much better option than my 12' oldtown Stillwater.
Day 1 of 6
Saturday, May 11, 2024

I arrived late on the 10th and stayed at a campground after picking up my canoe. The drive from Milwaukee was rough but I was glad to be here. Fortunately, I got to see the northern lights for the first time in my life that night. The lights got going right after the sunset and I watched them for about an hour. KP of 8 or 9!

I rose early on my start day, launched from Moose Lake, and paddled 11ish miles through Ensign to Ashigan Lake. This was the first time I had been on lakes untouched by man and that really made an impact on how I viewed the rest of the trip. I had Ashigan Lake to myself and heard what I thought were wolves about an hour after I went to sleep. Albeit a little close to my tent for optimal comfort.

~Moose Lake, Newfound Lake, Ashigan Lake~Moose Lake, Newfound Lake, Ashigan Lake, Ensign Lake