Bear Dog

You never know what surprises you might get from the wild animals of the north. Early Monday morning out at the Girl Scout Canoe Base near Ely, two staff members awoke to the sound of the pet dog Lexee’s loud woofing. Lexee was terribly agitated about something happening, so they followed her as she ran…

Details

BWCA Happy Honeymooners

In the parking lot at the entry point this week, you couldn’t miss the “Just Married” written across the vehicle’s window. So, when we met a young couple on the portage, we asked if it was them. Sure enough, they’d spent their honeymoon camping in the boundary waters. It had been a cold and rainy…

Details

Winter and the 4th of July

Some people say there are two seasons up here: Winter and the 4th of July. That’s not quite true. But, once Independence Day rolls around, it is time to think seriously about keeping warm when the snow flies. Today Kate and I split wood. This photo is her with a rented log splitter. It felt…

Details

Lac La Croix Pictographs

One of my favorite BWCA pictograph sites is on Lac la Croix. The mystery surrounding the origin and meaning of these Indian paintings has interested me for some time. A friend who grew up in the Chippewa village on Lac la Croix once told me that the Chippewa do not know the origin or meaning…

Details