Greetings all! I hope this finds everyone enjoying the early onset of Spring! It’s a soaker here where I sit today. One of those great for the Earth, cool rainy days of April. We are beginning to notice significant swelling of buds, and after several cool rainy days this week and a sunny warm up glimpsing ahead to next week, I expect to see quite an explosion of the early season blooms on the horizon!
(A note as to why you have received 2 versions of this email, and/or why this may look a little different for you (depending which one you’ve opened first lol!) - I am giving SquareSpace email campaigns a trial run for a few posts to make sure everything I am hoping for operates properly, and if so I will most likely be switching to this format. I think I can control more and create a much cleaner look for viewing this way as it all stays organic, if you will, through my website. Until I am sure though, I am going to keep the MailChimp campaign operating as well. Please, if you have any feedback on one versus the other, I’d value your input! But, ultimately I think and hope this will be a good transition moving forward.)
I had hoped to share this two part story last week, but time got away from me as the Spring landscaping season is getting into serious go mode and several other priorities that need to be kept on track as I prepare for what I hope to be a very busy festival and backpacking year took hold!
But here we go… Speaking of festivals and backpacking, I am very excited to share this very different type of adventure for me from this past September! In my few travels out West and back East, I had never really swung up into the Upper MidWest portion of the country. Coming off of the essential COVID shutdown of art festivals and traveling in 2020 which I continued to deal with and/or observe through the first half of 2021, it is probably needless to say I was itching to get “out there” again! Applying to and getting accepted into two festivals back-to-back weekends in mid-September in the Minneapolis area of Minnesota, I decided to go for it and plan an excursion I’ve had on my mind for several years. Two places I’ve heard all kinds of awesome stories about - Voyageurs and Isle Royale National Parks were going to be within 4 hours roughly of where I would be, and it was time to get there!
After weeks of hardcore preparation for my first festivals since October of 2019, and bringing it down to the wire, I had an insane 17 hour drive in a 24 hour time limit to make it to Edina, MN for the first festival weekend. I also was hauling a 6x12 U-Haul trailer I had rented for close to 2 months to see how that would work as I have far exceeded the days of somehow jamming my entire booth as well as camping and survival gear into and tied down to the top of my Nissan Xterra! Well, I made it, and although it wasn’t a huge financial success for me, I met some really cool people, saw Minneapolis for the first time and got my feet wet again.
Then, the week between festivals, a beautiful drive through the Superior National Forest and to Voyageurs National Park!
Now, I have backpacked what I consider to be a fairly decent amount and feel pretty darn comfortable doing so. The waterways, however, are something completely new to me! I have always loved to swim, especially in the ocean, but have spent very little time on any kind of watercraft. In fact, I really can’t even recall the last time I was on any sort of “boat” since my chilhood/teenage years. Well, I rented a canoe from a local outfitter, talked some things out, and planned a 3 night, 4 day adventure into the Wilderness of Voyageurs. A little nervous, but mainly super excited, I figured how hard can it be right?!
Ready to embark!
When I first “shipped out” I found the water navigation to be a little challenging as I worked out the kinks of getting my bearings and proper “steering” paddle control. But, overall, I think it went rather well for a complete novice! It wasn’t too awfully long before I felt like I knew what I was doing enough to be pretty calm and as the sun was setting, I found myself taking in a beautiful orange glow while out in the middle of this thin “canal” of Lake Kabetogama. And you know what? It was pretty darn awesome! :-)
Sun sets while all alone out on Kabetogama
Even with darkness encroaching and being in a totally unfamiliar situation, I remained very at ease (the surroundings here don’t hurt, trust me!). I had my National Geographic Park Map and my AllTrails App showing me exactly where I was and how to navigate around the island in front of me and into the channel I needed to be to reach my campsite on the opposite side. Oh, I should also note a full moon was approaching so that certainly helped with visibility out there! And so here I kind of gently ushered my way across the calmest waters as night set in, the moon and stars above me and a feeling of some of the utmost peace and solitude I have ever felt.
As I paddled close to the shoreline where my campsite was to be, out of nowhere a brief collection of howls pierced the silence… Wolves??!!! In case you don’t know this about me, I LOVE wolves and one of my big hopeful to do’s is to experience hearing and seeing wolves in the wild. Well, it was too distant and honestly I was so taken aback that I wouldn’t let myself confirm that it was wolves and not coyotes at this time. Still, to be out on the water, paddling past shore by moonlight and to hear this sound, well it’s up there on my list of coolest experiences! :-)
Soon afterwards, here I was - Lost Bay Island, a solid 4 mile paddle from launch and the site for my first night. And what a night it was - sitting there on my own private island, utterly alone in some of the truest wilderness (by today’s standards) that I’ve experienced in my lifetime - lost in the moonset and stars and silence.
Lost in the moon set and a starry night from Lost Bay Island😍
September 15th, Lost Bay Island, Voyageurs National Park -
“What a new type of adventure! Paddling through the waterways of Voyageurs like the canoemen of old. (Or trying anyway, haha!) This place is special indeed. A wilderness on water bringing utter solitude except for the occasional boat passing by.
This time in Minnesota, so far, has been a wonderful surprise! Very different and exciting. I am getting antsy to get back out on the water and on to my hike to Cruiser Lake, but first, a couple notes…
Two Bald Eagle sitings coming through the Superior National Forest 2 days ago - one right in the middle of the road, perched on top of his prey! What a glimpse of his size and talons I saw!
The paddling adventure last evening was such an incredible experience! Alone, in the wild, on canoe, making my way around islands at sunset and twilight and then star and moonlight to Lost Bay Island - a feeling of solitude and freedom I will not soon forget!
The peaceful sound of water lapping to shore. The orange glow of the setting waxing gibbous moon and the star rich skies full of dreams and wonder.
Did I hear the distant howls of wolves or was it coyotes??! My heart and gut want to say it was wolves, but I am just not 100% sure yet. However, the beautiful howls were nonetheless enchanting as I paddled past Eagle View, where I will spend tomorrow night…”
What a way to wake up!
Soon after writing these words, I was back out on the water. Only about 2 miles to paddle to docking at the trailhead for the roughly 5 mile hike to Cruiser Lake. It was a relatively simple navigation right down the canal, and a joyful relaxing drift as I passed more tiny islands and forested shorelines as far as the eye could see in every direction.
Admiring what had been my own private island as I shove off!
Digging the waterway life😁
After stashing my canoe behind the designated tree as you are supposed to, off I was on foot for a more familiar backpacking feeling deep into the forested islands of Voyageurs. To my surprise, the weather was quite warm this time of year, this far North. In fact this day and this hike were downright muggy! I worked up quite a sweat too as the terrain, albeit not serious elevation change, was a little more rolling hill-like than I would have anticipated. The forest was gorgeous though! Dense birch, aspen, maple, and conifer forest, even some oak I noticed! Lots of bouldery sections and marshlands as well. I passed one couple early on making their way back to shore, but other than that - no human contact, absolute wilderness solitude out there on Cruiser!
More familiar terrain
Marshy habitat further inland
Picturesque Voyageur landscape
I had read and been told by the Park Rangers that this was a great hike to possibly see some Moose and/or hear wolves howling. Well, I didn’t see any moose on this hike and if there were wolves howling that night, I sure wasn’t going to hear them over the wind!!! I mean, holy you know what! It rolled in early that evening and brought sideways rain that pelted me all night long as my rain-fly was essentially wrapped up against me in my hammock being blown sideways myself! It was not the most fun night I’ve had, needless to say. No dinner, no relaxing by moonlight on a secluded wilderness lake listening to “the children of the night!” Only a sleepless, uncomfortable, seemingly gale-force wind for 12 hours straight was to be had. Oh well, these things do happen “out there.”
Cruiser Lake as the sun goes down
A windy morning on Cruiser Lake
It was still a bit windy in the morning, but manageable to get some breakfast and coffee going, and other than being a little tired and groggy, no worse for the wear. The funny thing was that once I started hiking back, as soon as I was inland not 200 feet maybe, it was still as could be and actually muggy again! And so, I meandered my way back through the forest to my canoe and wouldn’t you know it - a windy, stormy looking lake.
Beautiful Birch forest!😍
A touch of Autumn
Snack time rest stop
The water was a little rough, and of course blowing against me, but was still slowly manageable and fortunately I only had about 2.5 miles to paddle, just passed Lost Bay Island, to a shoreline outcrop named Eagle View (where I heard the howls 2 nights prior!).
It was a workout fighting the choppy water, especially after a sleepless night and low on energy, but I arrived at Eagle View just a little before sunset with enough light to make camp and get settled before breaking out the headlamp. And then, just after 9pm as darkness was really setting in and aside from the now calm water lapping the rocky shore, the silence so profound was pierced so sharply by a howl so guttural, there was no mistaking it!!!
September 16th, 9:23pm Eagle View Campsite, Voyageurs National Park -
“I have officially heard wolf howls in the wild!!! No mistaking this one, so guttural! And this being where I heard “them” on Tuesday night confirms that was most likely these same wolves as well!
And wow, what a couple days to get here… Talk about working for it!”
Now, honestly partly not even knowing how to feel having experienced something I have so wanted to for years and something so few are blessed to ever experience, I just melted into the night. The moon and stormy sky put on a wonderful lightning show for me well off in the distance, which I enjoyed along with a good Stout and some really good Scotch, as I replayed this one of a kind Voyageurs adventure, so filled with delight.
The night sky at Eagle View, stoked from just hearing wolf howls in the distance!!!
https://youtu.be/Ex4ciJbajsM - Click here for a Voyageurs Lightning show!
On my last morning, I still had one heck of an adventure awaiting me to my surprise…
I was to be up before dawn to get packed and breakfast ready, and with hopes of catching a good sunrise on film. Then, I would have to pretty immediately shove off and get back to launch and out of the Park, return my canoe and get back down to the Minneapolis area for that weekends’ festival.
Everything was going great. I was up and ready, caught a beautiful dawn that really spoke to me about my time out here. And then I got out on the water…
Sun rises on Eagle View’s docking beach
Not being a complete idiot, I could tell the wind was kicking up again and the water was well, kicking up again too. It didn't appear to be THAT different from the previous day though. Well, then I was out there and struggling not so much to go forward, but to even keep drifting sideways and not be pushed backwards, and not get capsized at the same time!
Trying to convince myself that this had to be done, and was surely doable with some blood, sweat and tears maybe, I kept fighting. But I was going nowhere. Nowhere in the direction I needed to go anyways. I did manage to fight my way completely perpendicularly and made it to the opposite shoreline. By now, we are talking total white capped waves out there. Exhausted and admitting now that to go back out there was complete stupidity, I got the brilliant idea that if I could manage to get to the other side of this island, the wind and waves may be in my favor for the rest of the way…
Yep, I forged my way first with just my backpack to the other side of the island. It wasn’t much more than a half mile, but calling it bushwhacking doesn’t even really do the situation justice. However, refusing to be defeated, I dropped my pack and went back for the canoe. What I did next, I look back on and think - wow, Brandon. Yes, I somehow drug, hoisted over my head, whatever I had to do to that canoe to get through this unyielding jungle to the other side. Talk about a “real Voyageur experience of old!”
The best part - when I finally was there with my pack and canoe in the same place and tried getting out there, it was still to no avail. The wind and water just battered me to the adjacent shoreline, not allowing me to exit the little cove.
Marooned.
Completely defeated and muscles beyond spent, all I could do was sit there. It was now late morning/approaching noon. Miraculously, this entire time basically, I had cell service. In some ways, kind of disappointing, I know. But, given the circumstances, I was and am beyond thankful for however this is possible! I took a few moments to gather my wits and got on the horn. The weather app was showing me the winds were not going to ease up until between 4-6pm. I got ahold of the Kabetogama Visitor Center and confirmed the same with a Park Ranger, who relayed to me that this “system” proved to be much stronger than any of them expected, that they had put out a small craft advisory/warning, and that as long as it wasn’t life and death the best thing I could do was to wait it out. Then I called my canoe outfitter, who was completely understanding and just told me to be in touch in the evening with an update if I could. And lastly, I called the Festival director to inform them of my current status and that I would not be making it to my appointed check-in time, lol! I said that I hoped to be out in the early evening and should be able to make it down there in the wee hours of the morning and asked if I’d be allowed by security to begin setting up at a ridiculous hour. This was all doable. Now, all I could do was wait…
In hindsight, I think to myself, it would have been an opportunity to explore this or that, perhaps. But in reality, I was done, emotionally and physically, and I got myself in my sleeping bag protected from the winds and took an afternoon siesta. Stirring in the later afternoon, the forecast proved to be rather accurate and around 4pm I began making preparations. I believe it was right around 5pm when I deemed things seemed calm enough, actually quite beautiful, and I set sail, as it were.
Time to set off into calmer waters
Much as this adventure had begun a few evenings prior, I canoed off into the sunset. The water now calm and beautiful, I was able to savor these remaining precious moments, breathe in that watery wilderness air, and reflect on my time out here and what I had experienced, had learned. It is an experience I will never forget, and somewhere I sincerely hope to return to for further exploration.
Embracing the experience as the end of this part of the adventure lies ahead… What an expedition!!!