Drawing from his experience of paddling hundreds of days through the Northwoods, Pete Marshall, Communications Director at Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, goes over 25 tips for a better Boundary Waters canoe trip.
This presentation was part of Canoecopia 2021.
In addition to extensive trips in the BWCA, Pete has canoed over 8,000 miles through remote regions of Canada, including two expeditions that have lasted over 120-days. These are some of the tricks he has learned during the course of his travels.
Want more? Download your free "Friends' Guide to the BWCA" at www.friends-bwca.org/bwca-guidebook
Resource sheet for 25 Secrets for a Better Boundary Waters Trip
1.Paddle correctly
For an article that really breaks down the physics and science of a successful canoe stroke, George Arimond’s guide to Canoe Stroke Efficiency: https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/56355/arimond1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
2. Knots
The two knots essential knots for traveling in the Boundary Waters (in my opinion) can be found on page 41 and 41 of Friends' Guide to the Boundary Waters: www.friends-bwca.org/bwca-guidebook
7. Go in the shoulder season!
Here’s a great article by Bear Paulson about hiking in the Boundary Waters over Thanksgiving: https://www.friends-bwca.org/blog/bwca-thanksgiving
8. Nuun tablets – These are flavored electrolyte tablets. An easy, low calorie way to flavor your water and replenish with electrolytes
10. Peanut butter is truly a god send. Use it on Oreos for dessert, snack bars during lunch, mix it in with your oatmeal for a rich, creamy flavor, even in mac and cheese… it’s hard to go wrong.
11. Perishable Food does have a place in the BWCA. Root vegetables — onions, potatoes, carrots — can last a while without refrigeration. Same with vacuum-sealed cheese (though once you open it, eat in a couple of days). Bring a bag of salad and steak for the first night on trail!
14. Use Outfitters – for a list of outfitters, check out: https://www.friends-bwca.org/bwca-outfitters
15. EmberLit Stoves are the lightest stoves on the market and collapse to about the size of a wallet. https://emberlit.com/collections/stoves
19. Pee bottle. Women use it in combination with an FUD – female urination device –
Keep in the vestibule or just outside to avoid and unpleasant messes
21. Bug tarp. Both Nemo and Cooke’s Custom Sewing sells a great screened tent that is a sanctuary from the bugs in camp.
23. Some challenges to spice up your BWCA trip.
- A Voyageur Morning – Break camp, build a fire, cook a hot breakfast, with a hot drink, do the dishes and hit the water in under an hour. This involves a lot of coordination and planning the night before, for instance, stashing wood under the canoe and making sure things are ready to go.
- Night paddling. Clear, calm nights on a big lake are optimal. In the summer, when campsites are scarce, it’s best to paddle out from a basecamp. Pay extra attention to your course before you head out and keep yourself on map. Night time is an easy time to get lost!
- Build a fire in the rain. You can do this!
Question? Email me at [email protected]
Or visit www.friends-bwca.org for more resources on how to get the most out of your Boundary Waters trip and how you can help preserve this jewel of a wilderness.