BWCACAST- Standard Definition Boundary Water Canoeing

With snow falling from the skies we step away from the car park and into the BWCAW. Sleds loaded down with tents, stoves, food and warm gear bite into our chest as the tow line go taunt. We are headed in for a weekend of winter camping. Five guys two tents and enough bacon to keep us warm on the frigid nights and cool days. Join us as we strap on the snowshoes and spend a weekend in the frozen Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

On a nice sunny day we leave our camp on Knife Lake traveling east along the boarder into Ottertrack Lake. We wind our way down this narrow lake with high cliffs on our northern flank. At our new camp we do a little swimming before cooking up some fish for dinner. What a great day in the Boundary Waters.

We continue our way North East from Vera portaging our way into Knife Lake. With crystal clear waters and a fresh breeze blowing in our face we work our way to the North Arm of Knife Lake where we camp for the night.

After a winter of frozen lakes and trees covered in snow we find ourselves at the Moose Lake entry point for our first trip of the summer. The skies are mostly cloudy and the days are just starting to warm up. The temps are just perfect for paddling in the BWCAW. I am joined on this trip by Jesse, Jim, and Glenn who are all great guys to camp with. Join us as we take our first paddle strokes and portages of the spring.

On a beautiful early April day with the ice freshly melted from the lakes Erin and I head into the BWCAW. Our destination for this trip is the easily accessible Little Bass Lake just one portage away from North Hegman Lake. The Sun shining through the trees made for a serene portage through the woods.

If you venture out around 5:00 AM near the end of April on Lake Vermilion you will find some exquisite sunrises. Here is one from April 27, 2012.

After a foot of snow pounced on us out of nowhere we found ourselves on a calm lake with the sun setting in a winter wonderland. The mirror like lake made breathtaking views of the lake shore. Jim and I go for an evening paddle amidst our spring snowset.

March showed up with extremely warm temperatures for the season which quickly removed what little snow we had accumulated over the short winter. In the last couple of days the ice has begun to pull away from the shoreline opening up the opportunity for an early paddle. The first paddle of the spring is always a favorite time even if its only for 10 or so minutes. We had a an amazing sunshine filled day giving the ice a shimmery reflection.

Winter is a great time to get out and enjoy a host of winter sports. Everything from ice fishing to winter camping get you out of the house and into the crisp fresh air. Many of these winter activities involve frozen bodies of water. It doesn't matter if your riding on a snowmobile, gliding along on skies, or crunching by on snowshoes, crossing ice covered water ways need to hold your full respect. It can happen in an instant and without any warning. You could find yourself plunging into the frigid water below the ices surface.

Now this doesn't have to be a death sentence, however depending on your location and how well you are prepared for such an event the end result can vary greatly.

Glen Hooper from Northwest Ontario is an avid winter enthusiast and a writer for winter trekking.com. He spends a lot of time traversing the rugged Canadian terrain in both summer and winter. The prospect of falling through the ice is something he takes very seriously and has put a lot of forethought into what he needs to survive such and ordeal. Join me as I visit with Glen on what he has readied to aid in increasing his survival skills after a plunge into frigid waters.

After leaving behind the dead moose carcasse in Thumb Lake we paddle through fresh air under sunny skies. The wind always seems to follow us with a gental push from behind helping ease the day of paddling. We encounter a couple of beaver dams and a few mergansers as we paddle our way to Ge-be-on-e-quet Lake.