Celebrating 50 Years of the Wilderness Act
In the half century since the Boundary Waters was created, people have changed more than the wilderness itself.
Inspiration
Reconstructing the Past
By Rob Kesselring Archaeologists are painting a picture of Quetico-Superior’s first people and what the land looked like 12,000 years ago. Crouched behind a granite boulder we wait. A damp northwest …
Meet Erik Simula, Birch Bark Canoe Builder
By Alissa Johnson For twenty years, Erik Simula has lived almost exclusively off the grid near the Minnesota and Canadian border. He hasn’t had a refrigerator or a freezer, and …
Janice Matichuk: Quetico Ranger and Ambassador to the Wilderness
When Janice Matichuk accepted the position of Interior Park Ranger for Quetico Provincial Park in 1985, her daughter was five months old. The Cache Bay Ranger Station where she was posted lay 1,000 miles away from the log home she and her husband were building in eastern Ontario.
In the Words of a Quetico Ranger
Janice Matichuk is about to begin her 29th year as an interior park ranger for Quetico Provinicial Park. Stationed at the Cache Bay Ranger Station on Saganaga Lake, she has a …
Longtime Sawbill Resident and Wilderness Advocate Bill Hansen YouTubes Two Lynx
Bill Hansen, whose parents began Sawbill Canoe Outfitters in 1957 and who has built his outfitting business into one of the most respected in the BWCAW, had the pleasure of spotting …
Northern Tier: More Than Just a Canoeing Trip
By Greg Stringfellow Every summer since I turned 14 my Dad and I have gone on a High Adventure trip. These trips have taken us across the United States and Europe, …
Local Musher Wins Beargrease
Nathan Schroeder from Chisholm, MN won the nearly 400 mile sled dog marathon which started Sunday, March 10, and ended Wednesday, March 13. This is the second John Beargrease victory for …
20,000 Plan to Attend Canoecopia in Madison, Wisconsin
March 8-10 are the dates for one of the world’s biggest paddlesport shows, Rutabaga’s Canoecopia. Hundreds of vendors and dozens of presenters converge on the Alliant Energy Center and for three …
Minnesota Moose Population Drops by a Third in One Year
According to Saint Cloud Times reporter Glenn Schmitt, MN DNR aerial survey results last month indicate a 35 percent drop in the northeast Minnesota moose population from the previous year and …
Submit Your Favorite Boundary Waters Story to the BWCA Reader
Barry Johnson has canoed the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for 24 years. That’s 24 years of portaging, windy lakes, buggy nights and lots of memories–essentially, 24 years of stories. Johnson …
Obama Writes Letter for Ely Time Capsule
How’s this for a little Friday fun: A time capsule being buried in Ely, MN will include a note from President Obama expressing his hope that balance can be struck between …
Reminder: Summer BWCAW Permits Available Starting Today
Reservations for all entry points can be made on a first-come, first-served basis starting today. Reservations can be made online www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. With over 1,500 miles of canoe routes, nearly 2,200 …
John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon Postponed
Lack of snow has forced organizers of the John Beargrease Sled Dog marathon to postpone the event. The event has been rescheduled for March 10. The combination of scant snowfalls this …
It’s Time to Start Planning Summer BWCAW Trips
Varnish those paddle blades, oil the Duluth Pack straps, grease those tent zippers and scrutinize the maps. Paddlers who want to realize their summertime paddling dreams need to start planning now. In …
New Sled Dog Race Comes with $25,000 Purse
A new three-day sled dog race aims to highlight northern Minnesota’s sled dog heritage next month. Racers will depart from Grand Portage on Sunday, January 6, and return on Monday January …
Surf’s Up On Lake Superior
A new group of outdoor enthusiasts is becoming a force for good on the North Shore—one that might be surprising to fans of traditional wilderness travel. Surfing is a growing presence in northern Minnesota, and surfers have become a voice for everything from beach cleanups to mindful beach development. Here, Wilderness News takes a closer look at this relatively new way to enjoy the pristine nature of Minnesota’s North Shore.
Meet Aaron Brown, Iron Range author, college instructor, and radio show host
Home: The woods of Itasca County outside of Hibbing, MN Book: Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range (2008) Radio Show: Great Northern Radio Show In a Nutshell: Aaron Brown could …
The Camping and Education Foundation: Camp Kooch-i-ching and Ogiche Daa Kwe
The Camping and Education Foundation Home to Camp Kooch-i-ching and Ogiche Daa Kwe by Alissa Johnson In 2005, Camp Ogiche Daa Kwe opened its doors for its first official session: 14 …
New Film: Sled Dogs to St. Paul
When former Minnesota State Representative Frank Moe mushed his team of sled dogs into St. Paul last winter, the runners on his sled sparked as they crossed snowless patches on the …