This week we have a wide variety of trips! Fishing, Paddling, Rock Climbing! The first trip left on Monday, and the sixth trip left this morning (Wednesday). Everybody will return on Friday afternoon to share their tales from the trails, but we won’t leave you hanging that long! Keep reading to discover which adventures our Birchwood boys have set out for this week.

Canadian Crownlands Fishing – 5-Day Trip

This trip is led by Birchwood counselors, Hero (back right) and Luigi (back left).

This trip is highly coveted for our campers who fancy themselves fishermen. They paddled directly from our docks, up into Lake Saganaga, and into Northern Light Lake, which is the gateway to Moe Lake and Trafalgar Bay. This land is the wild west of wilderness territory and the fishing is somewhat legendary! There are even pictographs to visit in Trafalgar Bay! If anyone is going to win a Stevesie award this week (biggest fish), we bet it’ll be one of these gents.

Follow them on their adventure: https://share.garmin.com/XXT8Z (Birchwood 6)

North Shore Climbers – 5-Day Trip

This trip is led by co-counselors Frizzle (back right), Flash (front left), and Hemi (front right).

A Birchwood favorite, the North Shore Climbing Trip is unlike any other trip! This group is in for 5 days of climbing the sheer cliffs that stand directly over Lake Superior, which boasts world-renowned climbing. Not only will they be climbing incredible rocks, but they’ll also get to eat some incredible camp meals! Since this trip is car camping based, they have more space to pack cast iron pots and big bags of groceries. We can’t wait to hear all about their climbs and meals when they get back.

Follow them on their adventure here: https://share.garmin.com/E95B6  (Birchwood 8)

Grand Portage Senior Capstone – 5-Day Trip

This group is guided by Senior Leadership Counselors, Mac (front left) and Nairo (front right), and their Senior Leadership Campers (left to right) – Maddox, Oliver, Donnie, Charles, Shea, Simon, and Rex.

Our Senior Leadership Campers were given the privilege and responsibility of planning their own trip to close out the session and WOW did they choose a good one!

This trip is very special! It is a rite of passage as a senior camper. Our senior boys were dropped off at South Lake, where they began their journey towards Lake Superior. They have been making great time as they paddle the US/Canadian border route, tackling many portages before they hit the Pigeon River and the famous Grand Portage that will lead them to Superior, where they’ll be picked up on Friday.

The Grand Portage is an ancient trail that connects Lake Superior to the western interior lands of what is now known as the Boundary Waters. Spanning 8.2 miles (2,631 rods), it was originally trafficked by the Ojibwe people of this land. They named it Gichi-onigaming (the Great Carrying Place). 350 years ago, the French (and later British) voyageurs traveled Gichi-onigaming to do their work as fur traders. Today, this route is traveled primarily by recreational groups.

When our senior campers pop out of the Grand Portage into Lake Superior, they will have paddled 38 miles and portaged 15 miles for a grand total of 53 miles along this ancient route. This is no small feat!

Follow them on their journey here: https://share.garmin.com/GXMPD (Birchwood 1)

East Bearskin Paddle – 4-Day Trip

This trip is led by counselors Samba (right), Oaken (third from right), and Puddin’ (left).

Entering the BWCA at East Bearskin Lake, these gents will get to see some beautiful old-growth forests on their trip! On day one, they’ll paddle a chain of small lakes to camp on Caribou or Pine Lake. From there, they will get to circle west and then head north into the beautiful Mountain Lake and finally circle back towards Clearwater Lake, almost completing a loop! If they get to Clearwater Lake by day 3 of their trip, they’ll get to sleep in on Friday morning and await pickup.

Follow them on their adventure here: https://share.garmin.com/N4V2F  (Birchwood 7)

Duncan Loop Paddle – 4-Day Trip

This trip is led by co-counselors Ryder (left) and Wall-E (right).

This group is in for a treat! They’ll enter the BWCA through the Duncan Lake entry point, tackle the dreaded Stairway Portage on day one, and camp on the famous Rose Lake. They’ll get to check out Rose Falls and gaze at the bluffs on the Canadian side of Rose Lake. On day 2, they’ll begin with a whopper of a portage (626 rods) into Rove Lake, paddle through Watap Lake, dip briefly into Mountain Lake, and drop into Clearwater Lake for the night. They’ll have a short third day paddling through Caribou, Deer, and Moon Lake to camp on East Bearskin Lake. On the fourth day, they will already be at their pickup lake, so they get to have a well-deserved rest at the campsite all morning!

Follow them on their adventure here: https://share.garmin.com/N4V2F  (Birchwood 2)

Long Island Lake Expedition – 3-Day Trip

This trip is led by counselors Dragon (right) and Waldo (left).

These gents are entering the BWCA through the Skipper Lake entry point with their sights set on Long Island Lake for a campsite on night one. They’ve got a lot of portaging right out of the gate! On the morning of day 2, they’ll paddle towards Ham Lake in search of a good campsite; there are only four to choose from. If they secure a spot on Ham Lake, they’ll be able to sleep in on Friday morning and follow the Cross River to their pickup location!

Follow them on their adventure here: https://share.garmin.com/N4V2F  (Birchwood 4)

As our campers set their sights on adventure, let us wish them warm nights and dry conditions! In every walk or paddle with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.

Happy Trails,

Ashley, Director