UpNorthica

We normally don’t blog about such creature comforts as posh cabins and houseboats, but we’re justifying this post by telling ourselves that this is neither.
Wayne and Margy Lutz blog about living in this floating cabin, on the jewel-toned waters of Coastal British Columbia. Definitely enough to make dreamers like me, turn emerald green with envy. [...]

Even if you’ve never been to Pictured Lake or heard of it, you actually do love the place dearly. That’s because the Ontario lake (located about 15 miles southwest of Thunder Bay) is the home of this pictograph, one of the border region’s most iconic and recognizable images. The pictograph is estimated to be in [...]

On Thursday, the one billionth seedling grown at the State Forest Nurseries was ceremoniously placed into cold storage to await the spring planting. DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten was on-site at the state’s Willow River facility, operating the forklift that carried the lil’ sprout to its temporary winter home. The nurseries are also celebrating 80 years [...]

Famed photographer Jim Brandenburg has just posted a batch of photos recently shot in Denali National Park, Alaska. 
Y’know…the only thing more wonderful than looking at skadillions of lovely Brandenburg photos, would be to actually live inside the man’s camera. Dang, the things this guy sees — amazing! 
He’s also recently put up a series of photos taken [...]

Paddling technique a little on the lame side? Bushcraft skills a bit lacking? If you still consider yourself a “camper” or “enthusiast” instead of a Woodsman, maybe it is because you need to grow a beard.
Start beefing up your trail cred by reading 10 Very Good Reasons Why You Should Grow A Giant Beard. Just [...]

Whoa, how did we miss this?
Thirty years ago this Tuesday, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act was signed into law. Thus becoming, in the estimation of myself and all my buds, The Official Best Place on the Earth, Like, Ever. The tranquil, motorboat-free lakes, roadless forests and miles of undeveloped shoreline we enjoy today [...]

The weighty tone of the last few posts was more than I could handle for long. So on a whim, I decided to see just what Smokey the Bear is up to these days…
Love the first commercial – more, please! If you’re into nostalgia, our favorite ursine ally also has a trove of vintage posters [...]

A Washington, D.C. resident was indicted Wednesday for having started the Ham Lake Fire of 2007. Upon cracking the report on this, I had expected to read about an outdoors newbie or perhaps a young-ish camper lacking judgment. Sadly, the truth was quite the opposite.
It wasn’t some kid, but in fact a 63-year old retired [...]

‘CCO news anchor Don Shelby posted his thoughts yesterday on the upcoming Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment vote. Impassioned but to-the-point, it’s by far the best argument I’ve yet read in support of the amendment.
The “Vote ‘YES’ for the Minnesota You Love” campaign has a site that explains the amendment far better than I [...]

If you didn’t know already, there actually is a right way of fitting yourself with a backpack — and plenty of wrong ways.
Wayne Gregory, founder of Gregory Packs, demonstrates how to pick the right size pack, and how to put it on before hitting the trail. Of course, he also manages to plug his own [...]

$65 bucks won’t get you far on buying a pair of ultralight aluminum-frame snowshoes. But it’s all you’ll need in learning how to build your own Ojibway-style pair.Lake Carlos State Park in Alexandria, will be hosting a “make-and-take” 2-day snowshoe workshop on November 22-23. Says Ryan Sansness, assistant park manager at Lake Carlos. “The snowshoes [...]

Have you ever met a marten while out in the wilds of Minnesota? …uh, has anyone?
We were as surprised as you to read that our marten population is doing so well that the DNR is relocating 30 of ‘em across state lines. Wisconsin’s scrappy member of the weasel family, has seen a drop in numbers [...]

Rainbound inside your tent? Got nine minutes to kill while your Mountain High dinner rehydrates? Here’s a simple project to try on the next trip: How to make cattail ducks and swans.
Okay, okay, I’ll admit they are kinda cute. Even if the idea is totally stolen from how they wrap your leftovers in aluminum foil [...]

Next to your boots, the most crucial piece of equipment to make or break a backpacking trip is your pack. If the pack doesn’t transfer weight to your hips, your back and shoulders are going to hurt. If it doesn’t have enough space for your gear, the amazing amount of noise hanging gear makes will [...]

Backpacker recently posted an interview with the two candidates, on issues close to outdoor enthusiasts’ hearts. While it reveals few surprises, we found the subsequent readers’ poll far more intriguing…
Of the 989 readers asked, “Where do you think the next national park ought to be?” a significant 31% answered the Boundary Waters. This above Mount [...]