Winter Camping with The Girls and Their Guests

This winter has been a good one in all outdoor respects. Plenty of fishing, skiing, and great camping. We did three trips with the girls in November. Then one in December. In January I went with my friends to the BWCA. But you can’t get too much of a good thing. That’s why I took

First BWCA trip of 2021

As my friends and family know, the BWCA is one of my favorite places to be. Any season of the year. In a canoe or on skis. Portaging packs or a pulk. I like it all! I find every time of year here to be equally valuable and satisfying. I would have a hard time

Winter Camping At Its Peak (Part 2)

I love winter camping for the challenge. Each trip makes its own demands. Cold and snow are always part of the equation. Add a lack of time, and a burning desire to go as far as possible in 24 hours, and you get the trip my friend John and I did to Found Lake on

Winter Camping At Its Peak (Part 1)

Taking a winter camping trip is about constant physical exertion. No matter what you do, it’s work. Every step you take, every movement, takes effort. You have to haul. You have to drill. You have to climb. You have to dig. There’s nothing you can do without coming into contact with snow and ice. They

Best Fishing Trip of All Time?

How many people have ever been whitefish netting? According to a Minnesota DNR press release, only 700 people a year participate in this tradition in Minnesota. Dying traditions have always grabbed my attention, and fishing traditions all the more so. Most importantly for me, I have a friend, John, who was willing to be my guide

Spring Break 2018: Ultimate Camping Experiment

This Spring Break was my third as an instructor at UWS, and every year at this time I harken back to my original spring break winter camping experience, at Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota, when I was a student at Macalester College. That set the tone for my life-long interest in winter camping/exploring. Naturally,

Ice-Fishing Out the Season

It’s been a long winter, and anyone and everyone who lives in northern Minnesota would say the same. But that’s not a bad thing. As spring gradually seeps in, and the days get longer and warmer, there’s still good ice and snow out there. This combination of the old and the new means March has

Getting Paid to Fish (Sort of)

This winter has been full of skiing and ice-fishing and other explorations for us, and I can’t complain. Still, I have ideas for so many other adventures left in my mind. There are so many places left to explore in northern Minnesota. So many trails to ski. So many fish to catch. Thankfully, this Sunday

The Ice Fishing Heats Up

The girls and I are finishing off a fine year of 2017 with plenty of good adventures. As the year comes to a close, I’m continually thankful for these awesome outings that have helped me get through a very long and difficult semester. This Sunday we had several choices – downhill skiing at Chester Bowl,

Unforgettable Thanksgiving Halo and Sunset

I have a lot to be thankful for, and I could make a long list of these things. People would be top on that list. I could name so many people who have made my life what it is. I’m thankful to everyone on that list. But this year’s Thanksgiving was not only about being