Moving from a comfortable existence in Florida to fifty forested acres, John Coffer has no regrets. A brief documentary titled, This Must Be The Place, portrays his unique way of living for the past twenty-five years. He discusses how he finds fulfillment in managing his land, a handful of animals and his wet-plate photography business. His log cabin, built from a stand of red pine on his property, seems to be a study in efficiency and practicality.

“I like the idea of a log cabin is that nothing is absolutely precise, there’s a lot of round corners, it just seems more of a natural place to live,” he says.

His livelihood is complemented by his wet-plate photography business and workshops that he teaches. In keeping with the idea that less is more, he houses his photography studio in a canvas sided tent. But, he’s not shy about incorporated modern elements too. On his property, he has a wind generator, solar panels and a lap top computer.

Coffer’s life sure seems like a good example of living a richer existence. Heck, with a few techie gadgets, we’d sure be tempted to skip modern plumbing and find our own patch of woods.

COFFER from thismustbetheplace on Vimeo.

Via: Adventure Journal

A recent Star Tribune roundup of predicted culinary trends for the new year includes the use of pine needles:

Chefs will experiment with flavors of the forests, using subtle infusions of pine needles, Douglas fir and eucalyptus to flavor sauces, rubs, meats, jus and broths.

Long considered a good choice for survival food, the stuff is loaded with Vitamin C. Possibly the most common way it’s been served has been in the classic brew of pine needle tea. And how does it taste? Well, rather like how pine needles smell (sorry, we know that’s not quite helpful).

Besides the tea, we can’t say we’ve done much more with the stuff, in terms of eating (we did find this tasty-sounding recipe though).

One word of caution, though: Harvesting living plant matter within the BWCA is, uh, not quite kosher. So be mindful of where you cook with the prickly stuff.

We’re curious about you — have you ever cooked with pine needles?

Travel Wisconsin, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Tourism and Pure Michigan, are kicking off a campaign to collect new or gently used mittens. Did you ever notice that Wisconsin is shaped like a mitten? So is its neighbor, Michigan. They make quite a pair (cue tin can laughter).

Throughout the month of December and into January, anyone can drop off mittens (or gloves) at state-wide welcome centers and visitors bureaus. Wisconsin or Michigan residents can also drop of mittens at their local chamber of commerce. Mittens will be passed along to charities and those in need.

Some of the drop-off sites include:

• Beloit Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center located at the I-39 Northbound/I-90 Westbound Rest Area in Beloit

• Kenosha Area Visitor Information Center located at 10519 120th Ave. in Pleasant Prairie

• La Crosse Area Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center located at French Island I-90 Eastbound Rest Area in La Crosse

• Marinette Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center located at 1680 Bridge St. in Marinette

• Platteville Area Chamber of Commerce and Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center located at 275 West Business Hwy 151 in Platteville

• Prairie du Chien Regional Tourism Center located at 211 S. Main St. in Prairie du Chien

• Superior-Douglas County Welcome Center located at 305 Harborview Pkwy. in Superior

So, if you’re traveling throughout the region during the holidays, bring along some mittens and make a pit stop that matters. Donations will be accepted through January 15, 2012. Hey Minnesota…you should jump on board, you’re shaped like an ice-scraper.

Come by our tent on any given night and you may find up to 2 headlamps in use, plus maybe an ultra-light lantern. Not the most efficient. So, given our interest in gear that is multipurpose, we were curious about Snowpeak’s SnowMiner Headlamp/Lantern combo. Consistent with the Snowpeak brand, it’s pretty easy on the eyes. But would this merger of two lighting sources be a new bright spot on our packing lists?

The concept of the SnowMiner rests on a silicone dome that’s fitted over the light. Press it inward for a focused beam (headlamp mode) and pop it outward for lantern mode that casts a wider, more diffused light.  A hook tucks neatly into the adjustable head strap, allowing you to hang it from almost anything.

The light itself is one LED bulb that throws up to 80 lumens of light. Activated by one small, but easy-to-push button, it comes with four light settings: high, low, variable dim and strobe. The high setting lasts 55 hours; the low setting lasts 140 hours. Push and hold the highest setting and it will slowly dim the light to your desired illumination. These were some definite strong points.

The hinged lamp tilts to greater angles than in many other headlamps we’ve used. And even though it looks a little chunky, the lamp’s 2.3oz. felt no heavier than the ones we usually use.

The ‘Miner works great in some aspects, but not so great in others.  

It’s good in that it does a great job casting ample light inside a tent. In the lower setting, it was almost atmospheric; cozy even.

Headed down the trail, it cast a broad swath of light and we could see at least 100 feet ahead. But the silicone dome extends out from the forehead much farther than other headlamps. This was problematic. When we hiked, ran or went cross-country skiing, the light cast straight down into our eyes, causing an afterimage from the glare. This affected our vision and was an outright aggravation. 

While the hinge lets you adjust to many angles, it performed poorly when used in active sports like jogging and cross-country skiing. The thing noticably bounced around, and so of course did the beam.

Overall, the lantern combo would be good around camp. It does a good job at this, but because it did so poorly with its primary function – a headlamp – this one needs a little more work.

Remember the old metal slide you went down as a kid?  How about the number of times you got bumped off the teeter-totter and slammed to the ground?

Nothing’s wrong with a good ol’ fashioned playground, but the towns of Crookston and Warren in northern Minnesota have been rethinking about how kids play.  Collaborating with the University of Minnesota, they’re creating nature-based play spaces.  The spaces will be devoid of plastic slides and swings, instead favoring interactive environments of natural play.  Kids will be able to wander through rain gardens, clamber over boulder fields and get messy slipping down dirt slides. The designs include a tipi hideout, a fort building area, willow huts and a prairie grass maze.  Tunnels, logs and bridges are scattered throughout.  A grove of trees will be established just so that kids can climb and hang from branches.  Artists have been tapped to create sculptures and shaded seating areas for moms and dads.  A natural border was included into the design so that kids can play freely and not wander off.

The natural playgrounds are a part of outdoor sites developed by the Children Discovering Nature In Northwest Minnesota project whose efforts encourage active communities.

The Crookston and Warren projects, which began earlier this summer, provided opportunity for the communities to give feedback on the designs and features of the parks. They were presented with final design concepts this fall, which were created by two U of M grad students that were advised by Eric Castle, landscape architect and U of M Crookston assistant professor of horticulture.

Our feedback? About time! It’s so refreshing to see such a… well, natural approach to playgrounds. There’ll be even more discovery than would be found in some indoor, fiberglass and sculpted concrete ‘nature replica’ parks we’ve seen.

Yet it seems that the larger cities and urban areas with little green space, are what need this the most. Northern Minnesota? Y’all don’t know how good you have it up there!

Hopefully, communities in the metro will take notice, and borrowing from the childhood game, follow the leader.

via Conservation Minnesota.

Mark your calendar to attend the Outdoor Adventure Expo, November 18-20, 2011. Located in the heart of the Twin Cities, the expo features vendors, speakers, films, and workshops catering to outdoor enthusiasts. Check out kayaks, snowshoes, and hiking packs, then settle down to view the Banff Mountain Film Festival or listen to one of the many speakers who spend most of their lives outdoors.

Here are our must-see’s for the weekend.

Minnesota native, Lonnie Dupre will provide a interesting account of his January 2011 attempt to solo ascend Denali, North America’s highest mountain at over twenty-thousand feet. He was stopped just short of the summit by unforgiving weather. With temperatures that dip into the -50′s, it’s winter camping when it’s most callous. He will share his ideas for his next attempt, slated for January 2012, an aspiration thaat only one three-man team has accomplished.

How about spending the winter traversing the Northwest Territories with a dozen fluffy companions? That is what Dave and May Freeman did last winter as they made their way by dogsled beginning on the Mackenzie River to the end of their journey at Great Slave Lake. With exciting encounters of wildlife and beautiful photography of a rugged region, their stories are sure to stir your imagination. This trek is just one part of an ambitious 11,000 mile expedition across North America that they are experiencing by canoe, kayak and dogsled.

Well, you can’t possibly head out into the backcountry with out some decent gear. Outdoor adventurer and journalist, Stephen Regenold (aka: GearJunkie) will provide his Top 10 Gear recommendations that he’s tried and tested. He’s fresh off the trail, having just completed the grueling, 65 mile, Border Route Trail in northern Minnesota. He’ll even tell you about it and some of his other adventures around the world in video and photographic presentation that highlights some of the gear that was involved.

Multi-sport adventuring just might be the next big thing. In his seminar Three Rivers Traverse Expedition, adventurer and NOLS instructor, Rob Walker talks about his adventure exploring the Yukon and Alaskan Arctic Wilderness in 2007. He journey included a 33 mile canoe portage on the Chilkoot Trail, a 1000 mile canoe paddle down the Yukon River and 200 miles of canoe lining up the Chandalar River. But he wasn’t finished. In 2010 he returned to the Chandalar River, hefting a 85 pound pack, to traverse the Romanzof Mountains, hiking into the Brooks Range. His journey ends by packraft on ice-clogged waters at the remote whaling village of Kaktovik.

There will be workshops on snowshoeing basics, cross-country ski waxing, basic-first aid for cold weather injuries, winter bike commuting and igloo building. Plenty for everyone to jump into.

How about you? Are you planning on attending?  What will you be sure not to miss?

For more info on the expo go here.

Make some space in your calendar to attend Winterer’s Gathering, November 17-20, 2011. Winter enthusiasts will enjoy winter travel seminars, hands-on workshops and engaging films about arctic life.

We’ve put together some highlights that you won’t want to miss.

• Featured presenter and biologist, Rolf Peterson will provide account of his studies of wolf and moose throughout Isle Royal National Park.

• Filmmaker, George Desort spent four years following researchers, Rolf Peterson and John Vucetich, filming the delicate ecosystem of Isle Royal. His lovely images capture a unique environment which is providing a baseline for impacts, like global warming. We interviewed George earlier in the year about his experience at Isle Royal.

• Interested in winter camping but you’ve never tried it? Winter camping expert, Garrett Connover will take a small group to an inland lake to winter camp. He will cover the basics of winter camping and provide many hand-on opportunities to increase your skills. Sleep under starry skies, warmed by a wood stove and canvas-sided tent. Sounds like good fun to us.

• Make your own traditional, moosehide and canvas Mukluks. Don’t worry if you can’t sew. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll be guided through the process of pattern making, cutting and stitching your own pair of Mukluks.

• Do you bring along a stash of jerky when you snowshoe? Learn how to cure, freeze, smoke, can or dry your own selection of meats naturally. North House Folk School Instructors, Craig and Dianne Peterson will provide their expertise, recipes and equipment for you to cure your meat with. Your next trip will be a whole lot tastier.

• Kids will enjoy attending a reading by author/illustrator Lauren Stringer writer of Winter is the Warmest Season. Afterwards, they can make their own glittery snowflake ornament and share stories about winter. Families will have fun outdoors learning about winter survival with their kids, building primitive shelters and starting fires with flint.

• Catch fresh fish in the BWCA when its 20° out. Walleye, lake and stream trout are all available to the winter traveler. In his seminar, fishing expert, Lindsay Lee will offer his knowledge on how and where to catch fresh fish.

Interested in attending? Find out more here.

Photos: North House Folk School

The 13th Annual Winter Camping Symposium was a bigger-than-ever success. The variety of seminars and activities was wider, the music was fantastic, and we didn’t get rained on like last year.

There’s plenty to cover here, but if you haven’t read Part One of our report, check it out first.

As Saturday progressed, attending every single seminar became impossible, but we loaded up on as much as we could. So read on, as we unpack all of what we found…

Gear on a winter camping trip is a huge consideration. With less-than-featherlight, yet essential, materials (like canvas and wood stoves), weight adds up quickly. So learning how Brian Maruska has refined his ultra-light setup, was a must.

Brian Maruska's winter camping gear.

Brian unpacked his own toboggan, noting each item not only for its weight, but also calling out any multi-functional uses. There was the tote for the wood stove’s firebox, that’s also used to haul firewood; the portable ‘camp kitchen’ that’s also a bench and a cutting board (all that from what had once been a plastic waste basket).
Gear was also packed very thoughtfully; an ice chisel’s handle is sectioned in lengths that will fit inside his stovepipe.

And as if it weren’t clear already, thriftiness lightens his load, too. Most all of his items were DIY’ed from materials purchased locally. There was even a crafter’s wicker basket used because of its weight and size.

Brian assembled his whole camp—tent, stove, cot—and had everything organized and inside the tent in a very short period (did anybody catch the actual time?).

Done, and done! Brian's quick tent setup left extra time for questions.

The clear afternoon was perfect for the annual Tent Tour. Symposium organizers Chad Nelson, Ryan Fox and Duane Lottig (of Snowtrekker Tents) led the procession. At each tent, the given camper said a piece about how they had made or modified their winter home-away-from-home.

On the grounds were structures from Frost River, Cabela’s, and even GoLite. Many, however, sported some nice touches by the owners; a DIY rainfly over one person’s tent, for example. Others were entirely hand-made; one was even furnished with painted chairs and decorative hangings.

This year we followed along with Rhonda and the judges of the Winter Cook Off, one of whom happened to be our son. This meant two things: A few extra photo ops… and tastes of anything he had to sample (what! that’s not a crime. it’s not).

Winter Cook Off Tip #1: Everybody loves hot cider drinks.

Entries from this year’s contestants were all rather exceptional and would make this winter camper never wish to return home. Jackie prepared a warm, unfiltered cider drink with apple slices, cinnamon, spices and Applejack (yeah, I had no choice but to stand in for my boy here). Delicious and heartwarming. Fritz’s gumbo was a rich, complex spicy treat which he served with a jalapeño cornbread. Mike, in his first-ever use of a dutch oven, baked a pineapple upside-down cake that looked and tasted like perfection. And Sydney cooked a dish with tender duck, sauteéd vegetables and subtle orange flavoring.

Gumbo, anyone?

Judge Stuart deliberates over Fritz's Jalapeño Cornbread.

The Winter Cook Off judges sample Mike's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.

In the end, Sydney’s fine meal earned her this year’s Golden Spatula award. Congrats, Sydney!

Sydney's winning entry, which featured duck, orange, and sauteéd veggies.

Maybe it was no coincidence that the Cook Off was just shortly before dinner. A good call.

And if you weren’t hungry from the gourmet offerings, you were hungry from the cutthroat bidding of the Gear Swap. Me, I was out-bid on a wood stove by a Maruska. Huh. I don’t want to talk about it, let’s just eat.

After the meal, wilderness explorer and Ely resident Tyler Fish, had the floor. His keynote centered around the most recent of his ventures: the First American Unsupported North Pole Expedition and the Catlin Arctic Surveys of 2010 and 2011.

Polar explorer Tyler Fish details his latest expeditions.

The account was fascinating; the journeys, grueling. The constant race against time, tides, temperatures and the constant psychological battles, left Fish and his travel partner absolutely drained by the end.

But the evening was not over yet! Local bluegrass greats, the Sans Souci Quartet, provided music and entertainment late into the night. And Surly provided some of their top-notch beverages (which in itself may have accounted for the huge jump in Symposium attendees this year). A fantastic night.

Sunday.
Nobody was ready to leave yet.

With still a little time to find inspiration, we caught “Camping with Kids at 26 Below,” by Chris Evavold, owner of Black River Sleds. Having brought his children onto winter trips since they were basically toddlers, Evavold had a wealth of advice and sound opinions on raising kids to love the outdoors.

Chris Evavold's slideshow of winter adventures with his kids.

At times, Evavold says, bringing kids means bringing a few extra comforts (games, books and treats) than one might normally want to include. He also emphasizes that everyone pulls their own weight, be it backpacks or a small sledload for each kid. But in Chris’ slides, the only kids we saw were happy ones, so the guy is doing something right. And we loved the idea of going ahead of the kids on a portage, leaving surprises and snacks for them to discover. Inspiration achieved.

Campers assembling their own Black River Toboggans.

A few more workshops beckoned after the brunch. For those who wanted to build sled assemblies, Chris Evavold offered a toboggan construction course. Ed Bouffard (of Ed’s Wilderness Systems) also led a hands-on pulk sled assembly course. And master of the blade, Warren Peterson, had a workshop on antler handle knife making.

Elsewhere, others assembled pulk sleds under the direction of Ed Bouffard.

Warren Peterson teaches a antler handle knife making workshop.

The final event was the much-vaunted Saw Off Competition. This weekend, numerous manufacturers donated their products for campers to demo, discuss and decide upon. But everything culminated right here, right now. Choose your weapons, gentlemen.

Contestants hack it out for glory in the Saw Off Competition.

The competition was fast and furious, but it was a certain Michael Maruska who ‘made the cut.’ Nice work, sir!

The Winter Camping Symposium was not just bigger, and not just better, than last year’s. We felt it to be more diverse (with activities for kids, as just one example) and it attracted some fantastic sponsors as well. We even met a photojournalist who’d covered the event professionally last year, and had since changed careers, now working for one of our great local gear manufacturers.

A success? Yes, we very strongly believe so. And many thanks to Bridgit, Chad, Ryan, Matt, and the staff of YMCA Camp Miller for hosting a fantastic weekend.

What did you think of this year’s event?

Call it the camping couch, s’more stage, whatever fancies your imagination. But its big seating, and it holds 5.

The El Grande 5, made by Travel Chair, Inc woos family campers, and backyard cook-outs with its 5 chair, accordion style seating. It opens up in a snap and folds down to fit in a compact, shoulder bag case. Each seat comes with its own cup holder. We could see hunters or spring fishermen who base-camp appreciating the comfort after a long day.

The thing ain’t light. It packs down to 23 pounds. Maybe not so bad when you figure that it works out to 4.5 pounds of chair per person that can hold up to 300 pounds per seat. Comes in a three-seater style as well, without the back rest, weighing around 13 pounds.

What do you think? Would this kind of comfort and convenience be worth hauling into the bush?

Via: GearJunkie
MSRP: $155.00

Fire making. Music. Ice climbing. Hiking. Gear swap. Survival skills. Cook-offs. Bushcrafting. Exploration of lands both North and South of the Arctic Circle.

There! we could end our post right there and it’d be enough to sell anyone on the Winter Camping Symposium. But we won’t stop there; in fact, we’ll be liveblogging the event from YMCA Camp Miller in Sturgeon Lake, MN. So even if you can’t make it, rest assured we’ll be covering all we’re humanly capable of.

Hope to see you there, but if not… be here.

If anyone’s ever taught you a thing or two about surviving in the bush, chances are good that they learned it from Mors Kochanski. His book Bushcraft is a veritable Bible on the topic. But his life is equally fascinating.

Mors Kochanskiwas born in Saskatchewan in 1940 to parents who immigrated from Poland. One might picture him camping out all summer long as a kid on the isolated farm of his parent’s Canadian home, honing bushcraft skills. But his interest in the outdoors didn’t flourish that way. His imagination was spurred by the local library. He picked up an old Boy Scout manual and a book about knot making. These would become the catalysts that would spark a lifelong interest in natural history, camping and survival skills. They would also be the first among thousands of books related to camping, nature and bushcraft in his personal library.

In the early Sixties, he attended the Arts and Sciences Department at the University of Saskatchewan, but funneled his interests by taking classes in anthropology, geology and writing. Without firm direction, he was suspended from the university. Undaunted, he began working in a series of occupations that would ultimately contribute to his expertise in outdoor skills and wilderness living.

When he was 28, he began working with the Blue Lake Center, an outdoor training and education facility in Alberta, Canada.

Later, he became the editor of Alberta Wilderness Arts and Recreation magazine. He was approached to write a book about outdoor living and skills entitled Northern Bushcraft in the mid-Eighties. It was shortened to Bushcraft and is one of the leading guides for outdoor skills and wilderness survival. He has also published Bush Arts, which provides instructions for creating handmade items from the forest. He also created a DVD collection entitled Wilderness Skills Series and A Plant Walk with Mors Kochanski. He also put out a series of pocket booklets on basic wilderness skills such as Basic Weather Knowledge and Survival In Deep Snow.

Mors became Associate Professor of Outdoor Education at the University of Alberta and worked in that position for 25 years. He currently resides in rural Alberta.

Mors Kochanski will be a keynote speaker and workshop instructor at this year’s Wilderness Camping Symposium, October 27-30, 2011.

Sources: Wikipedia and Independent-Adventures.

Not gonna lie to you: Keeping warm is a constant consideration when winter camping. And especially if you’re hot-tenting, the effort of processing firewood will take care of half of that problem. But who’s to say work can’t be fun?

That’s why the organizers of the Winter Camping Symposium are debuting a new event this year: the “Saw Off.” It’s a chance to try your hand at numerous saws for the next trip, testing weight, balance, tooth, portability… and sheer badassitude, no doubt. Which blades work best with dry, dead wood? Which collapsible is the least fuss to assemble? Which doubles best as a defense against rogue wampas? You decide, my friend. You’ll be able to freely demo products from Silky, Trail Blazer, Fanno Saw, and Fast Bucksaw, among many others. And if you feel man (or woman) enough, sign up for the actual competition, culminating on Sunday morning.

The Winter Camping Symposium is THIS WEEKEND! UpNorthica will be there to liveblog it all (or at least all we can!) While the schedule of classes, workshops, seminars and live music begin on Thursday, you can attend whichever days work for you. But make no mistake; with events like the Saw Off, this great festival has all the earmarks of a ‘better than ever’ weekend. Sign up! Hope to see you there.

Photo by Flickr user Clairity.

UpNorthica reader and good friend Michael Kupka has caught the gear bug (not the ‘buying’ one…the ‘making’ one.) Recent camping trips with him have taught us to expect amazing homemade gear from those able hands of his. Hammocks, camp chairs, and a panoply of wood-carved bushcrafty items are just a few among his credits. So maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that he needed something to carry all that in.

Enter Michael’s DIY portage pack! Thought we’d share it with you, as he did with us. In his own words:

I finally have finished making my own version of a portage pack. The name for this pack will be The Croix Pack; one burden that I won’t mind carrying.

I started with a German Military Duffel Bag at Fleet Farm for $20.  It is approximately 9216 cubic inches. 

I then found an 8’x10’ olive drab canvas tarp that is water resistant for about $24, at my local Menard. It is a very close match in color to the duffel. I also picked up a Speedy Stitcher Sewing Awl with waxed polyester thread from REI for about $9.

I used the Speedy Stitcher to hand stitch the flap straps and ring buckle fasteners. I used a regular sewing machine to sew on the side pockets and flap, although if I was to do it again, I would use the Speedy Stitcher for everything.   

It took me about 4 hours to sew on the over flap and side pockets; I needed to get reacquainted with the sewing machine and figuring out how to sew all the canvas onto an existing bag (not the easiest). The straps took about 2 hours per strap and then another hour per strap to fasten them to the bag.

The side pockets are big enough to swallow a Nalgene bottle, or two Klean Canteen bottles or whatever you can stuff in them.

I may add some additional straps with snaps above each side pocket to help fasten an axe handle or a Sven Saw. I’m also thinking of attaching some shock cord in a crisscross pattern along the outside of the bag, under the main flap, or under the bottom of the bag.  I could use that to stuff a jacket or tarp under there.

Total cost of this project was $50—with a bunch a canvas left over to be used for other projects.

Hey Michael, how ’bout using that leftover canvas to make Christmas gifts for your camping buddies?

If you do have a question for Michael about the project, let us know and we’ll pass it along. Or just leave in the comments below. The bidding will begin at…

The 13th Annual Winter Camping Festival—like winter itself—is fast approaching. This year, UpNorthica is not only thrilled to be attending; we’re proud to be a sponsor of this must-do event.

Why?

I’ll tell you why: For starters, it’ll now take four days to fit in all the workshops, presentations and contests planned. Some of the new attractions this year will include a handsaw competition; at least a couple workshops on knife-making; and much ado about hammock camping. The latter has my curiosity piqued especially. Last year’s Symposium saw a veritable yurt village on the campgrounds; will we see a hammock colony, too, this year? There’ll even be a week-long survival course leading up to the event (more on that in a minute.)

Another reason? Things will feel even more festive with local bluegrass greats, The Sans Souci Quartet, playing Saturday night. Music has become a definite highlight of the Symposium, and anticipation about this booking is heating up.

We’ll throw in a third reason (although there are plenty more we could list:) Not one, but two keynote speakers. Arctic explorer and Minnesotan Tyler Fish will be sharing his adventures Saturday evening. And none other than the legendary Mors Kochanski (that’s not hyperbole, he is a true master of bushcraft, and literally wrote the book on it!) Kochanski will be presenting on Friday night, and will also be teaching some classes, including the aforementioned survival course.

This year’s Symposium will be held from Thursday, October 27th through Sunday, the 30th at YMCA’s Camp Miller in Sturgeon Lake. I’m told some of the special workshops have already filled up. Registration for the weekend is ridiculously cheap, but does vary, so check out the details here.

In any case, don’t miss this top-notch way to kick off what some consider to be the best time of year to camp the BWCA. We hope to see you there!

Don’t worry, we’ll still be blogging about the BWCA as usual. But you’re invited to follow our adventure on our Flickr photostream (just uploaded our first batch!) And watch for the occasional camera phone antics on our Facebook page.

Away we go!