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Monthly Archives: July 2009
How Long Can a Canoe Pack Stay Afloat?
Photo: Jason Zabokrtsky
Ely outfitter Jason Zabokrtsky conducts this little experiment in his million-acre northwoods lab.
Testing the bouyancy of not one, but two fully loaded packs, his findings might surprise you. Will factors like duck canvas, plastic pack inserts and semi-air-filled items (air mattresses & aerosol cans) keep the water out and the weight afloat? Place those bets before you click.
Great idea, Jason! Via Friends of the Boundary Waters (FB.)
Robo Turkeys, Mechanical Moose
Wildlife Decoys from Custom Robotic Wildlife
Next time you try to shoot a deer out of season you might be the one getting bagged.
Across the nation, poaching is a growing problem. It further endangers protected species and threatens the health of the overall animal population. The amount of illegally killed whitetail deer is estimated being equal to 25-30% of the annual harvest by licensed hunters.
For a few seasons now, law enforcement agencies have been using decoys to hunt the poachers. But these aren’t your grandpappy’s hand-whittled decoys; these critters are endowed with gears and remotes and whatnot.
Mushproof your Marshmallows
Ever reach into the food pack for some mallows, only to discover the sun’s heat has fused the bagful into one huge, sticky clump of Stay-Puft? …Is that really such a bad thing?
Here’s an easy hack to guarantee less s’mess with your s’mores.
- At home, empty the bag of marshmallows into a large ziploc.
- To it, add about 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
- Reseal the ziploc and toss until the sugar has dusted the mallows.
Now, if we could only find non-super melty chocolate that doesn’t taste like paraffin wax…
Canoe the Heart Expedition Report: Atikokan to Crane Lake
Day-long hard paddling made bearable by frequent breaks, a little esprit de corps… and a lot of second helpings at supper time.
The first report from the Canoe the Heart Expedition sounds strikingly similar to a day in the life of the voyageurs. Minus, that is, the pipe-smoking at every break. Put nine people from Canada and the U.S. in a voyageur-style canoe, launch ‘em on a goodwill mission along the Border Region and you’re going to get adventure.
But so far, so good; the first 2 legs of the journey (Atikokan to International Falls, to Crane Lake in Voyageurs National Park) are now complete.
July 4th Blowdown, 10 Years Later
Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the July 4th, 1999 storm that caused so much devastation in the BWCA.
As in so many natural events, it seems difficult to resolve the violence with the idyllic beauty we expect. Thankfully though, if you’ve been up to the BWCA recently, you can see the evidence of the storm is being erased in nature more quickly than in our memories.
I was working at a camp in northwestern Wisconsin that day. We caught the bottom of that storm and spent most of the day surveying damage and making sure the campers were safely accounted for and sheltered. Later, we learned just how easily we’d gotten off. A couple weeks later I saw the Blowdown area firsthand, while clearing trails with a chainsaw.
Where were you that day?
Snow Kayaking Has Me Dreaming of Winter in July — What’s Wrong With Me?
The kayaking world lately seems fixated on Highest Waterfall Drop record-setting. Glad to see somebody’s out to set a record for Most Fun.
This video was shot in Austria, but snow kayaking really needs to happen right here in Minnesota, right now. Or six months from now (I’m just trying to be emphatic. whatever.) I’m thinking Lutsen is where it should start. Do they have any jumps that would land you in the Lake? That’d be like, a total twofer… Via The Adventure Blog.
Stash Your Cache
There’s nothing quite like fumbling around neck-deep in underbrush and mosquitos, trying to spot an adequate tree from which to hang your food bag:
Lessee, you tell yourself, there are those jack pines nearby, but the branches won’t support more than my fleece hat and a t-shirt, soaking wet. That birch, on the other hand, has sizable branches — but the trunk itself is so light, my grandma could push it over. Hmm, we may have to compromise the ’10 feet up, 4 feet out” rule tonight…
Still, Prevention Is The Key To Late Night Furry Critter Visits, so hanging the bag is a necessary evil. Or not?
We’ve recently tried caching as a critter-proofing alternative –should you?
Canoe the Heart Expedition Kickoff Today
It’s the closest thing to a rock tour, ever to hit the Boundary Waters.
The Canoe the Heart Expedition begins today with the launch of a 24-foot voyageur canoe in Atikokan, Ontario. Paddling the tour bus-sized craft are rangers, parks staff and wilderness advocates from both sides of the border.
Arrowhead Journey Update: Big Wakes on Border Lakes
What chance does a birch bark canoe stand against the motorboats, float planes and big waves of Voyageurs National Park?
Well, solo canoeist extraordinaire Erik Simula has lived to blog about it. We’ve been following this canoe builder/ranger/musher/wilderness guide since April, when he set out to circumnavigate Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region. Sounds lovely, but don’t be fooled by the serene photo above; it looks like one of his few peaceful moments in the last few weeks. Read on for more.
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