1st Solo Trip

Last Friday I had the day off and was ready to do another trip into the BWCA. This time though there was no one else with a day off looking to do a trip, so I decided to embark on my first solo BWCA trip! So Thursday after work I got my permit and headed off into the Wilderness for the night and the following day.

I decided I would head to Long Island Lake as it was a big lake that I wanted to explore and accessible from the entry points near Tuscarora. The important thing to remember on a solo trip is that you need to carry everything, all your gear and the canoe on every single portage. Thus I made sure that I could fit all my stuff in one Duluth pack and then took a single person Kevlar canoe (a Jensen - only 34 lbs) as my boat. The result was that I had no trouble portaging everything all together.

My Route (Click to expand it): The total distance was 16 Miles, the Blue Marker is Tuscarora and the Red Marker was my Campsite

My Canoe, a Wenonah Jensen Kevlar

By the time I made it to Long Island Lake I found that my first choice campsite was already taken (not surprising on a Thursday night) but I was able to find a good alternative site. There I set up camp, made a campfire, and made freeze dried spaghetti for dinner. I found that being in camp by yourself is a very peaceful experience that allows you to relax, take in the beautiful wilderness around you, and listen to nature and your own thoughts. Still by the time I was in my tent and ready to go to sleep it is amazing how your imagination can convince you that every noise you here is a pack of wolves, a giant moose, or a bear in camp, when in reality it was really just a chipmunk running through camp.

My Campsite on Long Island Lake

View of the Sunset from my Campsite

Friday morning I got up, enjoyed the sunrise, had a campfire, and made hot apple delight for breakfast. After eating I relaxed for awhile, read my book, and then headed out for a morning fish. On Long Island Lake I had almost no success. A couple medium Northerns followed my lures but never really struck. After fishing I headed back to camp, had an early lunch, packed and cleaned up camp, and set off back towards Tuscarora. My plan though was to go lazily back fishing many of the lakes.

View of the Sunrise from my Campsite

Me by my canoe before leaving Camp

After Canoeing around the rest of Long Island Lake and then going through Karl Lake I got to Rib Lake where I had my fishing success for the day. The wind was such that I could float across the entire lake while fishing. The result was catching three Northern Pike! The Largest of which was around 32" and had a sizable belly.

My 32" Northern

Me with a smaller Nothern

After Rib Lake I meandered through several more lakes on my way back, taking time to check them out and occasionally tossed a line in the water. At Ham Lake I ran into a friend from another outfitter (who was also out on a Solo Trip) and hung out with her for a couple hours at a campsite that overlooked the lake. Finally we decided it was time for the final push down the cross river and out of the wilderness. When I arrived back in camp, I was just in time for our staff dinner (coincidence, I think not!) of steak fajitas, needless to say it really hit the spot!

Overall I really enjoyed my first solo trip. It was nice and peaceful canoeing around the wilderness by myself. Still I think in general I prefer having company on my trips and at my campfires at night. Nevertheless I am sure I will go on more solo trips before my time up here is done and I do look forward to them.