Archives for December 2015

Today we are celebrating our 100th day in Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness! We are thankful to be thriving, in large part because of the support we are receiving from folks who are taking action and working hard to protect the Boundary Waters from the threats that proposed sulfide-ore copper mines bring to this national treasure.
Yesterday we said goodbye to Amy’s dad. He said he is happy to be able to tell Amy’s mother that we are thriving in the Wilderness. We have everything we need here and enjoy the vigorous life that Wilderness immersion promotes. More importantly, it is the true sense of purpose that A Year in the Wilderness provides that has really led to the vigor that Jim noted.
We are bearing witness to a place that has given us so much and now needs our help. However, our actions from within the Wilderness will only be effective if they ripple outside the Wilderness, amplified by your actions. A multitude of actions from hundreds of thousands of people working to protect the Boundary Waters will lead to one action, or a handful of actions, by our government to permanently protect the Boundary Waters watershed from sulfide-ore copper mining.
In 2014 we sent ripples across the water, this year the waves built, in 2016 we need white horses to dance on the crest of each wave, lifting the sterns of our canoes, and pounding on the rocky shores with a roar that can be heard across the country.
The Wilderness speaks for itself; it is plain to hear by all who paddle its streams, drink from these pristine lakes, and soak in its silence. It is up to us to carry its voice from this labyrinth of lakes and rivers to dinner tables, water coolers, local papers, social media, and the halls of Congress so that our fellow citizens and elected officials can hear the Wilderness as clearly as Amy and I hear it now on our 100th day in the Wilderness.
Please support our efforts to @savetheBWCA, sign the petition, call your elected officials, talk to your neighbors, write letters to the editor, make a donation to the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters. The Wilderness needs our continued resolve. #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #Wilderness #sunset #instagood

The Wilderness we are out here to protect needs your help. Any amount you can give is appreciated. #repost @savethebwca ・・・
Close out the year by making a difference for the #BoundaryWaters. Give today (link in bio) and support protecting this beloved canoe country from risky sulfide-ore copper mining proposed by Twin Metals and other companies on the unprotected southern edge of the #BWCA. Pollution and turning the edge of the Wilderness into an industrial mining district would forever change the wilderness we love, ruining its habitat and waters, and harming the stable and sustainable tourism-based economies of its wilderness edge communities. It’s not worth the risk. Protect this national treasure for future generations. #SavetheBWCA #onlyinmn #bwcaw #wildernessheals #protectwildplaces

Amy and I were like two giddy little kids as we laced up our ski boots. The rhythmic swish of our skis broke the silence as we floated across Newfound Lake. Skiing across the untracked surface, we couldn’t stop smiling. There is nothing like silently gliding across an untracked Wilderness lake covered in a thin layer of fresh snow.
We have been talking about skiing ever since we crested the hill and saw the smooth, white expanse of Bonnie Lake. This small shallow lake had recently frozen and was covered in a thin blanket of snow in the middle of November. The ice was too thin to safely walk on, but we stood on the edge of Bonnie Lake yearning to ski across it, looking forward to freeze up.

As we skied along today I thought about the last time we were on skis and realized we had skied down Newfound Lake last April on the last day of our last dogsled trip of the season. We traveled right past our current campsite with a group of students and their teacher from Chicago. A thin blanket of freshly fallen snow made the travel conditions almost exactly the same as today while we were on our last ski on that fine April day to finish our Wilderness adventure at the Moose Lake landing. As we loaded the dogs into their kennels on the dog trailer and prepared to return to @wintergreendogsledlodge I remember marveling as a petite girl who was genuinely afraid of the dogs at the beginning of the trip muscled an 80 pound squirming, leaping, barking sled dog into his kennel and quickly turned around to grab another.
The Wilderness can teach us so much, it builds confidence, fosters reflection, and we leave the Wilderness different people. “let life cook down, till there is nothing left in the pan but wilderness” – Ben Weaver

That is when the real learning begins.
#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #wilderness #onlyinMN #minnstagramers #sunset #snow #ski #winter

After 97 days of “canoeing” we met our friends, Bert, Johnnie, Bobby, and Levi as well as Amy’s dad Jim on Moose Lake and handed over our canoe. They hauled in our toboggans and skis. After visiting for a while we said goodbye and headed back to our campsite on Newfound Lake. Jim is joining us for a couple nights and is our first overnight guest in nearly 2 months.
Along with toboggans, our friends brought in Christmas gifts, kolachi, an amazing fresh salad, and all sorts of goodies. We have been opening our mail, Christmas presents, letters from supporters, and happily grazing on a variety of treats for several hours.
Edward Abbey said, “the idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders”. We aspire to be two of those defenders. The Boundary Waters belongs to all of us and it’s up to all of us to protect it. We are very thankful for all of the defenders who are working to help @savetheBWCA from the sulfide-ore copper mines that are being proposed along the southern edge of the Wilderness. #wildernessyear #savethebwca #boundarywaters #wilderness #minnesota #winter

We thought we had lost them. We have been searching high and low for a week, but they were nowhere to be seen. Then today they appeared when the sun came out. We have missed you shadows. Thanks for leading us through the Wilderness today.

Two inches of fresh snow covered the canoe this morning when we left the tent. The sun was just starting to crest the trees. Distorted shadows from the towering pines stretched to the middle of the lake. It was turning into a classic winter day: cold, clear, and calm.

We packed a day pack, grabbed our ice picks and ax, and headed down the lake. It felt good to move and we soon warmed up as cold tickled our faces. We were headed 3 miles southwest of our camp to check the ice and pack a trail for tomorrow’s guests. The blanket of snow was unbroken except for a few sinewy lines of tracks left by wolves and fox.

After about an hour we neared the Wilderness boundary. We stopped and had a drink of water and ate a @clifbar . The distant shore was dotted with snow-covered rooftops. After nearly 100 days in the Wilderness, we talked about how we have no desire to walk up to one of those houses. This is were we belong; we have everything we need here and we have a job to do.

Please join us in our efforts to @savetheBWCA from the sulfide-ore copper mines that are being proposed along the southern border of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the heart of the Superior National Forest. We all must dig deep and do what we can to help protect this special place. #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #Winter #BWCA #onlyinMN #fun #instagood #minnesota #snow #wilderness

As we set up our tent this afternoon Amy smiled and said,”It feels good to move.” I couldn’t agree more. After camping for 10 days on the east end of Newfound Lake, as we waited for the west end of Newfound and Moose to freeze, it felt great to load our canoe and haul it over the newly formed ice. We didn’t move very far, but the act of moving was wonderful. We set up our tent in a new grove of trees, chopped a new water hole in the lake, and make a new temporary home.

As we loaded the canoe this morning a snowshoe hare raced across the lake in front of our camp and an otter ran around on the ice 100 yards away. A few minutes later another snowshoe hare came bounding from the other direction past our camp. Its seems like everyone was out and about today.
Snow steadily fell as we hauled the canoe across the ice. We weren’t going far, so we loaded up armloads of firewood and nestled our ice luminaries in amongst the packs. We figured that we will enjoy lighting them on New Years Eve too. We left the Christmas lights on the tent as well so we can enjoy them for a few more nights! It seems rather silly, but why not?

We are expecting several visitors over the next week. Some friends are going to haul in our toboggans and haul out our canoe. Amy’s dad is coming to visit for a few days. Plus, several other friends that are going to join us for New Years. After having the Wilderness to ourselves for about 6 weeks, we are looking forward to seeing friends and family.

The EPA considers hard rock mining to be the nation’s most polluting industry. Foreign mining companies want to build giant copper mines in a sulfide-ore body on the edge of the Boundary Waters, our nation’s most popular Wilderness area. A mine of this type has never been build anywhere in the world without causing significant surface or ground water pollution. We are spending a year in this great Wilderness to remind people what is at stake and urge people to take action. Please like @savetheBWCA , sign the petition, make a donation, and help protect this national treasure. #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #wilderness #BWCA #BoundaryWaters #keepitwild @mti_life_jackets @wenonah_canoe

I don’t mean to be presumptuous, but I think we have the best decorated tent in the Boundary Waters this holiday season!

Last night freshly fallen snow glistened in the light of the full moon shining through the clear, cold night sky. The temperature dipped to zero for the first time on Christmas Eve and the new ice west of Horseshoe Island sang as it grew all night. Who could ask for a better Christmas present than that?! After a leisurely breakfast of gingerbread pancakes smothered in butter, washed down with a few steaming cups of coffee, we headed down the lake to check the ice. We cautiously approached to sharp line where the ice that formed more than a month ago meets the new ice. We were pleased to find about 4 inches clear ice covered in a dusting of snow.
We decided to continue west to Moose Lake and were excited to find about 4 inches of clear ice and dusting of snow there too.
The lakes are finally frozen and the land is covered in snow. In a few days some friends will haul out our canoe and paddling gear and haul in our toboggans, skis, and remaining winter equipment. What a wonderful Christmas present! The only other thing I want for Christmas is to @savetheBWCA and together we can accomplish just that. By taking action and speaking loudly for this quite place, we can protect the Boundary Waters watershed from sulfide-ore copper mines. #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BWCA #Christmas #Instagood #OnlyinMN #winter #fun @goalzero @seekoutside

Their stockings were by the chimney with care…..Do you think Santa will find them in the Wilderness? All they want for Christmas is to @SavetheBWCA. #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #Christmas #BoundaryWaters #OnlyinMN #wilderness @patagonia @goalzero @darntoughvermont @seekoutside

Today felt like the perfect day to make snow angels in the Wilderness. Several inches of snow fell overnight and flakes continue to drift down, but the sun can be seen through the falling snow and clouds for the first time in many days. The wind has been gusting over 20 miles an hour since midnight and our ice hole totally disappeared 5 minutes after we opened it this morning.

Yesterday we spent several hours gathering firewood. Today we are sticking close to home, cooking, eating, reading, and writing. We are currently reading Sled Dogs to Saint Paul, a wonderful book by Frank Moe. We got to know Frank during the winter of 2012 when he ran his dog team from Grand Marais, Minnesota to the state capitol carrying thousands of petitions signed by people who are concerned about the sulfide-ore copper mines that are being proposed in Northern MN. Amy and I helped with his journey, which in many ways was the catalyst that led us to spend over 100 days sailing and paddling from Ely to Washington D.C. in the fall of 2014, which in turn led us to set out to spend a year in the Wilderness.

Frank has generously offered to loan us 3 of his beloved sled dogs for the winter. Acorn, Ace, and Tank were all part of the team that pulled him to St. Paul; Acorn was in the lead, as she has been during dozens of races for Frank over the last decade.

Frank is planning to bring in our three new companions once the snow and ice conditions allow, which we hope will be soon. Sled dogs are like people; they have their own unique personalities and we are very excited to have them join us. The dogs love to run and are literally born to pull. When you pull out a harness, or make any move to suggest it might be time to run, they usually erupt in howls and barking. Their energy and enthusiasm are contagious and we can’t wait to start working with them.

We have a lot of things to be thankful for during this holiday season. We are especially thankful to be spending it in this great Wilderness, joined in spirit by so many people who are all working to protect these precious lakes, rivers, streams, forests and all of the communities that rely on this amazing landscape.

#wildernessyear

For the first 91 days of our year in the Boundary Waters the sun has risen a couple minutes later and set a few minutes earlier. Last night (10:48 PM CST) was the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, which marks the longest night of the year. Tomorrow will be 6 minutes longer than today, and each day we will be blessed with a little more light until the summer solstice 6 months from now.

To celebrate the longer days ahead we made luminaries of ice to decorate our campsite. We spent several hours filling special balloons with water and placed them in the snow to freeze overnight. It would be relatively easy to attach each ballon to your kitchen faucet and turn on the tap, but with no tap for miles around we devised a system of gathering water from the ice hole, filling our @kleanKanteen narrow mouth water bottle, blowing up the ballon, stretching the ballon over the mouth of the water bottle, and pouring the water into the balloon. We repeated this about twenty times to make our four luminaries. We smiled and laughed as we lit our luminaries last night around 3:30 PM as it started getting dark.

This is a special place, a place worth protecting. Please help us speak loudly for this quiet place. Sign the petition at http://ift.tt/1x2erSX.
#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #solstice #winter #BWCA @patagonia #onlyinMN