Archives for June 2016

A thick blanket of fog slowly dissipated as we enjoyed @trailtopia Oatmeal and sipped our coffee. By 8 a.m. the fog was gone and Tank, Amy, and I were climbing into our 19-ft Wenonah Itasca to head south for Square Lake. We were scheduled to pick up supplies from two groups on Square Lake.

We met Jon Westby and his group on the final short portage into Square Lake. Jon is a teacher and he signed up to help with a resupply shortly after we put out a call for volunteers in the fall. He knew this would be a good time for him to organize a group because it is during his summer break. Jon explained that over the last few days when it came up in conversations that he was paddling supplies into us many people said to say hello for them or were curious about why this couple spending A Year in the Wilderness.

After saying goodbye to Jon and his party we met up with a group of high school students from Chicago who are part of their school’s Wilderness Club. They are exploring the Wilderness with us for five days and everyone was still brimming with excitement as we roasted marshmallows and swapped stories by firelight as the brightest stars emerged.

One of the most important aspects of our resupplies is the opportunity to meet folks like Jon. It gives us a chance to share about our journey and the reason we are out here. The Boundary Waters belong to all of us, and it is imperative that we all speak loudly for this quite place to ensure its protection. Sulfide-ore copper mines, like the ones proposed by Twin Metals, are identified by the EPA as the nation’s most polluting industry. This place is just too precious to risk and now is the time to act. Please visit @savethebwca at http://ift.tt/1x2erSX and take action today.
#wilderness #wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #BWCA #campfire #nightsky #onlyinMN #CaptureMN #getoutstayout #sunset

A thin vail of fog floated over Makwa as I slid our canoe into the water at dawn. The cliffs next to our campsite are spectacular anytime, but to float under them as the sun’s first rays cast a soft glow over the rock’s black and white streaks made us happy we rolled out of our sleeping bags early. As we glided silently below the rock with our necks craned towards the sky far above us, a pair of loons alighted in a chorus of haunting calls that echoed across the lake.
As the sun climbed higher we returned to camp to make breakfast and pack up. We were excited to listen to Day Break on WTIP as we sipped our @stonecreekcoffee and ate breakfast. By resting our tiny radio on our metal pot-grip and frybake we were able to get good service even on Makwa Lake in the heart of the Wilderness!

We paddled and portaged through 12 new lakes and streams between Makwa Lake and Adams Lake. Most of these lakes receive very few visitors and we found ourselves cutting downed alders on many of the portages. It doesn’t appear than many groups have traveled between Fee, Vee, Ledge, and Cap this season. We look forward to navigating many more rugged, seldom-used portages over the next few days.
The Boundary Waters is just too precious to risk. That is why we are spending A Year in the Wilderness to bear witness to this national treasure and advocate for its continued protection. Please visit @savethebwca today to learn more and take action.

#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #sunrise #Makwa #BoundaryWaters #BWCA #OnlyinMN #CaptureMN #Canoe #Wenonah #WeAreTheWild @GraniteGear

The wind has been gusting, swirling, shifting, building and ebbing continuously over the last week, causing us to keep watchful eye on the horizon.
We spent several days exploring the Louse River, which is long on portages and short on paddling. It is a wild, rugged landscape and many of the portages feel more like muddy, narrow game trails than the well-worn tracks that connect many of the more popular lakes in the Wilderness.
Yesterday we were mesmerized by the tall marsh grasses rippling with the force of each passing gust.

We spent two nights camped on Trail Lake, in the middle of the Louse River. The only person that we saw on the Louse River was a young man named Owen on the portage between Zenith and Fredrick Lake. Owen is in college and just started working at Sawbill Outfitters. I worked at Sawbill when I was his age and I remember him coming into the store as a little kid, quietly peering over the counter as he bought treats to take back to his campsite in the Sawbill Lake Campground. He has been coming to the Boundary Waters for his whole life and it was easy to see that he was beaming with excitement as he headed out on his first solo canoe trip (even after completing the 1.5 mile Lujenida Portage). A few minutes after we returned to our campsite on Trail Lake, dark clouds towered over us, the trees began to sway and the wind sent streams of spray flying off the rapidly building wave tops. Huddled under our Cooke Custom Sewing Lean 2 Amy said,” I sure hope Owen is off the water and has his camp set up.” Amy and I have spent the last 279 days in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to help protect this national treasure from a series of sulfide-ore copper mines being proposed along the edge of the Wilderness. Please visit @savethebwca at http://ift.tt/1x2erSX to learn more and take action today.

#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #Wilderness #BWCA #CaptureMN #OnlyinMN

Multiple studies, including one published recently in the Journal of Hydrology , show a high probability that pollution from the proposed Twin Metals mine sites would flow into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The Boundary Waters is just too precious to risk. Visit @savethebwca and take action at link in bio today. Now is the time for all of us to speak loudly for this quiet place.

#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #sunrise #canoe #onlyinMN #captureMN #WeAreTheWild #wilderness #BoundaryWaters #BWCA

When we lifted Tank into the canoe for the first time on Bonnie Lake in late April, he had never been in a boat. The lake was still mostly frozen so we could only paddle in a narrow band of ice-free water along the shore. Amy held Tank while I slowly paddled. A few days later when there was enough open water for small waves to form, Tank barked continuously and tried to bite the water. We laughed when we realized he had run over many frozen lakes, but he had not seen an unfrozen lake since he was a young dog.

However, after two months of canoeing, Tank has gotten the hang of it. He hops in the canoe when told (most of the time) and he sits calmly in front of Amy while we paddle. It has been interesting to watch him learn and become more comfortable in the canoe.

We have 90 more days of our #wildernessyear to @savetheBWCA. Maybe Tank will learn to hold a paddle by the time we leave.

The Wilderness is a place where we all learn new skills and grow confidence. We want to protect this wild country so new generations can have those experiences. Act now to help @savethebwca. Sign petition at link in bio.

@frostriverphotos #dog #canoe @MTIAdventureWear #sunrise #BoundaryWaters #Wilderness #BWCA #WeAreTheWild

You can help. Act now and tell the Forest Service to take action to @savethebwca. Right now, as we are in the middle of our #WildernessYear to #savethebwca, the Forest Service is considering whether to deny renewal of Twin Metals’ mineral leases. Twin Metals wants to build sulfide-ore copper mines on the edge of the Wilderness. Tell the Forest Service not to renew these leases. Tell the Forest Service the Boundary Waters needs permanent protection. Raise your voice for this quiet Wilderness. Sign the petition today at link in bio. #wilderness #bwca #bwcaw #boundarywaters #onlyinmn #canoecountry #teamnorth

274 days into our #wildernessyear to @savetheBWCA we are still constantly finding new things crawling, flying, leaping, running and blossoming around us– and with each passing day we grow more acutely aware of what is at stake.
Governor Mark Dayton recently said “…The Boundary Waters Canoe Area does not belong just to Minnesotans. It belongs to all Americans, those living now and generations from now. Ely is not only its gateway, but also its guardian. That obligation to protect the BWCA and preserve its wilderness is a responsibility shared by all Minnesotans. We have no right to risk its vulnerable ecology for the financial benefit of a large international mining conglomerate and their Minnesota investors.” We can’t agree more. Please visit http://ift.tt/1x2erSX and take action today!

This morning several mayflies were drying their wings on the outside of our tent and while we ere munching on @sevensundaysMN Muesli I watched several mayfly nymphs crawl out of the water. As much as I enjoy watching these tiny creatures, my favorite recent arrival are the blue flag irises whose vibrant blossoms recently started adding a splash of color to many sun-soaked shorelines.
#savetheBWCA #Wilderness #BoundaryWaters #flower #beautiful #onlyinMN #captureMN

Silently gliding through dawn’s golden mist was like paddling through a dream. The 4:45 a.m. alarm was harsh, but this morning was our last chance to film with @arborealis and @mattyvanbiene for a film we are working on with @ductapethenbeer. The lake looked like a steaming cup of strong coffee. The choice was clear, we rubbed our eyes, got dressed and were floating through a foggy wonderland minutes later. For an hour and a half we slowly explored rock, trees, water and sky bathed in gold and laced with mist.

I never had the privilege of meeting Sigurd Olson, but I have to think that what we experienced this morning on Snipe Lake was the singing Wilderness that he described so eloquently in his essays. It was a gift to bear witness to such raw beauty.
This place is just too precious to risk. The sulfide-ore copper mines being proposed along the edge of the Wilderness threaten this national treasure and now is the time to take action.

Two important mineral leases held by Twin Metals Minnesota, which is owned by the Chilean mining giant Antofagasta, expired on Dec. 31, 2013 and are up for renewal.

These leases were issued in 1966, before any environmental regulations existed, including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the law that requires environmental impacts to be considered before decisions are made where mines can be sited. These leases have never undergone environmental review.

In a recent press release the U.S. Forest Service said it was: “Deeply concerned by the location of the leases within the same watershed as the BWCAW, and by the inherent risks associated with potential copper, nickel and other sulfide mining operations within that watershed.” The USFS is asking for public input between June 20 and July 20. Please sign the petition at http://ift.tt/1x2erSX and urge the USFS to not renew these mineral leases.
#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #BWCA #sunrise #Wilderness #WeAreTheWild #OnlyinMN #CaptureMN

Last Monday, the @u.s.forestservice announced, it is “considering withholding consent for lease renewal” on Twin Metals of two mineral leases held by Twin Metals. The proposed Twin Metals Mine poses severe threats to the pristine water and untrammeled Wilderness that we are bearing witness to during our #WildernessYear to @savethebwca.
These leases were issued in 1966, before any significant environmental regulations existed, including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the law that requires environmental impacts to be considered before decisions are made where mines can be sited. These leases have never undergone environmental review.
Please sign the NEW petition (link in our bio) and urge the Forest Service to deny those leases! Speak up today! Share this with your friends, family, and neighbors and urge them to sign the petition and take action.
Yesterday evening Amy spotted this painted turtle walking around near our campsite. We were pretty sure that she was looking for a place to dig a hole and lay eggs. Being careful not to disturb her, we checked on her from a distance every few minutes. Over the course of two hours she dug a shallow hole with her back legs, laid her eggs, and then used her back legs to cover the hole with dirt. After she was done, she crawled 50 feet back to the lake and disappeared. The circle of life continues.

#SaveTheBWCA #Wilderness #BoundaryWaters #BWCA #WeAreTheWild #turtle #reptile

@arborealis and @mattyvanbiene are helping us document our #wildernessyear to @savetheBWCA. This is their third and final shoot for a film we are working on with @ductapethenbeer . Amy and I are doing our best to document this national treasure, but Nate and Matt are capturing some amazing footage that we could never capture on our own.
We are camped on Long Island Lake and today we took a day trip to Karl Lake. We spent a long time filming on the portage between Long Island and Karl. The wind has been whipping the lakes into a froth all day and even the largest white pine trunks are swaying in the the gusts. It was a good day to spend poking around in the woods.

We are fortunate to have such a diverse group of talented people working on A Year in the Wilderness. We would like to thank all of the volunteers, donors, partners, and supporters, as well as the Save the Boundary Waters staff for all of their dedication and support. Please join us in our efforts to protect the Boundary Waters from Twin Metals and other sulfide-ore mines being proposed along the edge of the Wilderness. This place is just too precious to risk. Sign the NEW petition at the link in our bio.

@frostriverphotos @mtiadventurewear #savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #BWCA #wenonah #canoe #portage