Freeman Explore

  • Buy our Book!
  • A Year in the Wilderness
    • Bear Witness (Short Film)
    • Read the Book!
  • About
    • Videos
    • Media Resources
    • Media Archives
  • Education
  • Speaking
    • Speaking Resume
    • Testimonials
  • Expeditions
You are here: Home / Updates / December 03, 2015 at 06:56PM

December 03, 2015 at 06:56PM

December 4, 2015 By Dave Freeman

We took advantage of the warm, sunny weather by going for a paddle on Knife Lake and checking the ice between Knife and Melon Lake. Most of Seed Lake and the small lakes leading to Melon were frozen enough to walk on the ice along the edge. It felt good to walk along on firm ice. We were not the only ones out and about. We saw a beaver swimming near our campsite on Knife and another sitting on the ice at the edge of open water on Seed Lake. Initially we thought it was a beaver, but as we moved closer and closer it didn’t move a muscle. Eventually we decided it was a log. As soon as we took our eyes off of it, the beaver slipped into the water!
We also found otter tracks frozen into the surface of the lake. A few days ago, when the lake surface was slushy, 6 otters raced down Seed. They were alternating between running and sliding on their bellies. Their paw prints and slide marks are now frozen perfectly into the ice like dinosaur prints fossilized in mud.

At the end of the day we decided to check on Vera Lake. We have been waiting for it to freeze thick enough for us to walk across while pulling our canoe and gear. The ice near the end of the portage is 4 inches thick, but most of the lake is still covered in very thin ice. We poked along the shore for about 1/4 mile and were surprised to see waves off in the distance. The last warm spell reopen the middle section of Vera.
We danced on the thicker ice as the sun set, whirling around and around in circles, laughing and soaking in the warmth from the last of the sun’s rays.

It was dark by the time we got back to our campsite. As we began to prepare dinner, a pack of wolves howled with abandon very close to our tent. They barked and howled for more than a minute and we think they were probably less than 100 yards away.
The Boundary Waters continues to surprise us. Everyday we see and hear something new and we are constantly reminded what a special Wilderness we are immersed in. Please follow @savetheBWCA , sign their petition, and help protect the Boundary Waters from the sulfide-ore copper mines being proposed along the edge of the Wilderness.

#wildernessyear #savetheBWCA #ice #wolves #onlyinMN

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Print

Related

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: instagram

Order our Book!

Recent Posts

April 29,...

April 29th, 2018

Wow! What a day! We started the day with a presentation at Westminster Church in Minneapolis, and th[...]

April 28,...

April 28th, 2018

Join us Monday April 30th for a live streaming Q and A through Kickstarter Live! We look forward to [...]

April 27,...

April 27th, 2018

Happy Friday! We have just ONE WEEK to go on our #PedaltoDC @Kickstarter. Join us in speaking loudly[...]

April 26,...

April 26th, 2018

As we pedaled down the last few miles of the Munger Trail today and then worked our way south on old[...]

April 26,...

April 26th, 2018

We are making a quick stop at the Post Office in Hinkley to sign and mail a book that someone reques[...]

Archives

  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • April 2015
  • December 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014

Contact Us

Do you have questions or comments? Perhaps you would like to join us on a wilderness adventure, or have us speak at your business, school, or event.

Contact us!

Connect with the us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
image

Copyright 2014 Freemans Explore ยท Log in