Paddle and Portage Podcast

It snowed across most of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness during the 2026 Fishing Opener. Indeed, Saturday, May 9 was marked by cold, snow and lingering ice across most of the eastern side of the wilderness.  Nonetheless, the team from Paddle & Portage traveled into the BWCA once again for the fishing opener. Lake trout were caught. As were walleye. Despite numerous snow squalls, relentless gusts of wind, and cold temperatures, the trip was by all accounts a wonderful experience.  After departing the BWCA on the Monday after the fishing opener, we were informed that Scott Stahnke, 73, had passed away. Scott was the owner of Ugly Baby Bait and Boats on the Gunflint Trail. The day before the opener, we'd featured Scott in a P&P article.  Travel with us for all of this in this episode of the podcast, which is supported by Sawtooth Outfitters, Borderland Lodge, and Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles.  Music in this episode courtesy of the Upstream Drifters and Ian Tamblyn. 

Bob Carlson is a co-owner of Loons Nest Coffee on the Gunflint Trail. He's also a lifelong paddler in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Bob went on his first BWCA when he was 3-years-old. These days, Bob is busy running Carlson Roasting Company and Loons Nest Coffee. He still enjoys paddling in the BWCA with his family. Chasing lake trout and walleye are part of the experience on a Carlson-family adventure, but it's more about sharing a passion for the canoe country with the next generation of paddlers, as Bob shares in this video episode of the podcast. This episode was recorded at Canoecopia 2026 in Madison, Wisc.  Support for the episode comes from Canoecopia, Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, and Friends of the Boundary Waters.

Many of the brook trout and splake that end up in lakes in and around the Boundary Waters come from fish hatcheries in southeastern Minnesota. Joe from the P&P Podcast recently toured the Peterson State Fish Hatchery, which is managed by the Minnesota DNR. The hatchery is located near the Root River and the popular tourist town of Lanesboro.  Assistant Fisheries Supervisor Ryan Wierzba led us on the tour. Among other things, we discuss how splake are made and how they end up in the lakes in and around the BWCA. What is a splake? It's a lake trout and brook trout hybrid. And they're damn tasty, many anglers agree.  This episode is supported by Sawbill Canoe Outfitters and Borderland Lodge. 

The federal government announced last week it is moving the headquarters for the U.S. Forest Service from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City. As part of the move, the Forest Service says it will also close or repurpose all nine of its regional offices, create 15 state offices, and shutter research and development facilities in more than 30 states, including a site in Ely on the edge of the Boundary Waters. The specifics on what “research and development facility” in Ely will be closing remains in question a week after the announcement came out. Paddle and Portage media spoke with officials from the Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps April 4, as it’s possible they are included in the situation, specifically a historic research lab they now manage in Ely via a lease with the Forest Service.  Learn more in this episode of the podcast.  Also featured in the episode is Duluth writer Alex Messenger. Alex talks about his new book, "The Ice on the Lake." He also shares stories about search and rescue operations he's been on in the Boundary Waters, as well as the time he was mauled by a grizzly bear in Canada.  This episode is sponsored by Voyageur Canoe Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail, and Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles. 

April. The month that's been known to send fear up the spine of the Paddle & Portage Podcast team.  Recent revelations about what April can offer for BWCA and Quetico adventures has the podcast duo rejuvenated this year. A surge of outdoor activity in late March played a role in this newfound understanding of late winter in the Boundary Waters, as is shared in this episode, which is sponsored by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters, Loons Nest Coffee, Friends of the Boundary Waters, and Ely Outfitting Company. 

Kevin Kinney, owner of Empire Wool and Canvas Company, celebrates the natural world. He does so without apologies. A direct, straightforward creator, Kevin is a generous creator of fabric, though he doesn't need your approval to know his work is being done the right way. He knows it. And most everyone who has some of his product knows it too. Kevin has built small batches of garments near Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters for more than 20 years. He runs his business the same way he always has: Old school. Customers order direct. No waitlists. Manufacturer to customer. No B.S. In this episode of the podcast, we learn about the journey of Kevin Kinney.  This episode is sponsored by Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles and Borderland Lodge.  

Minnesota author and frequent Paddle & Portage contributor Ryan Rodgers has a new book about paddling canoes. “Where the Green Light Shines” will be available in summer 2026. The book takes readers from Minnesota’s Boundary Waters into the Canadian barrens, a region rarely seen by most BWCA paddlers. The book tells the pull this area had on one of Minnesota’s most accomplished paddlers, Bob O’Hara. Rodgers recently met up with Joe Friedrichs on the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais to discuss the book and other topics relevant to the Boundary Waters. This episode is sponsored by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters and Ely Outfitting Company. 

Mona Gauthier led her first trip to the BWCA in August 1983. At that time, she was a recent college graduate with limited resources and made do with gear and equipment that was available. Inspired by the peace, beauty, adventure and challenge of the BWCA, she vowed to return. And return she did. In 2025, Mona completed a 200-mile solo trip across the border lakes of the Boundary Waters. It was her first solo adventure after completing nearly 70 trips to the BWCA.  In this episode, we share Mona's story of her first solo trip, and how it intersects with decades of introducing others to wilderness paddling.  This episode is sponsored by Loons Nest Coffee and Sawtooth Outfitters.  Special thanks to Mike Gauthier, Sue Sullivan, Paula & Fred Furlich, Lisa DeLaney, Joanie Ouellette, Ruthie Davis, and Kevin Kenow for supporting Mona's trip and helping to make this episode possible. 

Tim Bates met his wife on the Gunflint Trail. For decades, he paddled and portaged a canoe past thousands of BWCA visitors, though most never knew his name. A gifted paddler and wilderness enthusiast, Tim passed away in December 2025 after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 60. Tim worked at the University of Minnesota Duluth outdoor education program. He was also a co-founder of the Duluth Folk School. He was a certified canoe instructor who introduced the Boundary Waters to many people during the past 30 years.  In this episode, we hear the story of Tim Bates, a quiet legend of the Boundary Waters.  This episode is supported by Bent Paddle Brewing Company and Friends of the Boundary Waters.  Special thanks to Julie Bates, Kelly Bates, Ken Gilbertson, and Pat Kohlin for making this episode possible. 

Sometimes the hardest part of wilderness travel – be it a winter trip to the Boundary Waters or a canoe trip to Quetico – isn’t the actual adventure itself that is the most taxing. What can be the most challenging is simply getting back home and adjusting back to “regular life.” Four Minnesotans spent most of last summer paddling from the end of the Gunflint Trail to Hudson Bay, going north across a large section of Canada along the way. Paddling under the name Solitude of Four, the group traveled more than 1,250 miles over the course of the 2.5-month expedition through some of North America’s most remote waterways. We followed their journey last summer on the podcast, and featured it before, during, and after their trip. We’ve also been in contact with the group since they completed their journey in mid-August. The names of the four paddlers are Ryan, Kathleen, Maren, and Timea. They’ve all settled back into the post Hudson Bay trip differently. We wanted to learn what it’s like settling back into society after being immersed in the routine of a canoe trip for more than two months. Also featured in this episode is Zach Fritz. Zach is well known in many paddling circles across the Upper Midwest, including an epic paddle trip he made from Minnesota to the Arctic Ocean in 2024. Zach was in communication with the Solitude of Four before their trip, offering suggestions for the paddle north.   This episode is sponsored by Ely Outfitting Company.

The BWCA is making national headlines in early 2026, with a proposed mine near the edge of the wilderness being the primary news item drawing attention to the region. A vote to reverse a mining ban on Superior National Forest is likely happening soon in the U.S. Senate, though any such vote was delayed this week.  The podcast duo of M Baxley and Joe Friedrichs discuss the latest and what it means for the Boundary Waters in this news track. Other topics discussed include the consumption of BWCA permits following "Go Live Day" in late January, a conversation with Forest Supervisor Tom Hall about management plans for the BWCA, and what the 2026 election year could mean for the Boundary Waters. 

The core Paddle & Portage team spent a combined 24 nights in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in January.  Many miles were covered over the course of multiple trips. Lake trout were sought after and caught. Camps were made, refined, rebuilt, and torn down again.  In this episode, we hear about one of the numerous P&P trips to start the winter of 2026. During this adventure, nearly a foot of snow made an exit from the wilderness physically exhausting. The mind-game entered the equation. You can't think your way out of the Boundary Waters once you're in. Or can you? Featured guests are 'Oregon Bill' Busacker and The Great Josh Dix.  Music in this episode courtesy of the Upstream Drifters.  This episode is sponsored by Friends of the Boundary Waters. 

Sarah Kremer is a music teacher and musician who lives in Minnesota. She's also a paddler. Her first trip was a 30-day epic to Woodland Caribou. She was a teenager on that first trip. The next summer, she paddled to Hudson's Bay.  Sarah is 31 years old now and working as a music teacher for multiple schools near St. Cloud. On top of her work as a music teacher, Sarah’s also been busy writing music. In fact, she wrote a symphony. And it’s about paddling. It will be performed for the first time in front of a live audience March 1 in the small town of Buffalo, Minn., which is about an hour northwest of Minneapolis. The musical composition is called “A Paddler’s Symphony."  In this episode of the podcast, Sarah shares her story of music, paddling, and why she wrote this symphony.  This episode is sponsored by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters and Borderland Lodge on the Gunflint Trail. 

Erin Walker is a frequent contributor to Paddle and Portage media. She also appears regularly on The Lost Lakes YouTube channel. In this interview, Erin talks with Jon, the founder Lost Lakes about how the channel came to be, what trips are on the books for 2026, and what industry trends mean for the channel. It's worth noting that Erin and Jon are married and share some of their adventures on YouTube. Take a look behind the scenes of the Lost Lakes in this P&P exclusive. This episode is support by Loons Nest Coffee on the Gunflint Trail. 

Buck Benson is 74 years old. Born and raised in Grand Marais, he still lives near his hometown on Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior. Buck doesn't think much about his age. He certainly doesn't let it slow him down. On a recent winter day near Lake Superior, Buck and a friend skied on the frozen Cascade River, covering many miles on their journey. More recently, Buck told the crew from the Paddle & Portage Podcast that he wanted to catch some lake trout in the Boundary Waters. We were happy to oblige. As we traveled across the frozen lakes and snow-covered portages, it came as no surprise that Buck traveled with great ease, even as he pulled a sled full of gear up a steep hillside. And that was after he bagged a few trout on the remote wilderness lake, of course. In this episode, we share the story of Buck Benson. Thanks for the inspiration, Buck. This episode is sponsored by Sawbill Canoe Outfitters and Ely Outfitting Company.

Canoecopia is the largest paddling expo in North America. The annual event takes place March 13-15 in Madison, Wisc. Paddle and Portage Podcast host Joe Friedrichs spoke with Darren Bush of Canoecopia to discuss the possible sale of Rutabaga Paddlesports in Madison, the future of Canoecopia, as well as what to expect in 2026.  Also shared in this episode of the podcast, M Baxley and Joe discuss the continuation of the food storage order in the BWCA, and some rule changes coming to Minnesota in 2027 for walleye anglers.  Make sure to check out the original tune at the end of the episode. Hint: John Prine.

Ginny Nelson is a co-owner and manager for Spirit of the Wilderness outfitters in Ely, Minnesota. In this video podcast, Ginny talks with Joe Friedrichs from the Paddle and Portage Podcast about the "go live" day for BWCA permits in 2026. The annual day to start obtaining permits for the upcoming quota season is Jan. 28. The permits become available at 9 a.m. (Central Time) this year in 2026.  Go live day is both celebrated and jarring for outfitters and and BWCA paddlers and other users of the wilderness. Ginny and Joe break it all down in this video, which was recorded inside Spirit of the Wilderness in Ely. This episode is sponsored by Sawtooth Outfitters and Voyageur Canoe Outfitters.

Aaron Kania recently retired from his post as the district ranger for the Kawishiwi Ranger District on Superior National Forest. The district is headquartered out of Ely. Kania arrived to Ely to the lead the district in May 2020. He spoke with Joe Friedrichs about why he is retiring now, what he's proud of during his tenure here, and what comes next for him personally and professionally.  Also discussed in the news track are possible changes to the start date for lake trout fishing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, as well as an update on RABC permits.  This news track update is sponsored by Loons Nest Coffee. 

The Greenwood Fire in 2021 led, in part, to the complete closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness during the peak of the paddling season. Some of the burn area, about 12,000 acres located outside the BWCA Wilderness, was purchased in 2025 by the Nature Conservancy. Fire is an essential component of a healthy forest, both inside and outside the BWCA Wilderness. If fire is not allowed to burn, some form of timber management is needed in order to prevent the forest from becoming a tinder box. This has led to complications inside the BWCA, where large stands of blowdown and dead balsam from an infestation of spruce budworm in recent years has large swaths of the forest ready to burn. The land purchased by the Nature Conservancy will be managed for a healthy forest, which could include prescribed fire and logging, according to two foresters the Paddle and Portage Podcast duo met up with in the winter of 2025-26. Joe Friedrichs from the podcast spoke with Laura Slavsky, a resilience forester for the Nature Conservancy, and Chris Dunham, the resilience forestry director for the same organization. The discussion focused on the land purchase, and how timber management will be a centerpiece to the health of this land. This stands in contrast to the current management plans for the BWCA Wilderness, where logging is strictly prohibited and most wildfires are put out via aggressive suppression tactics. In addition to this comprehensive audio report, watch this video to learn more: https://youtu.be/8Oe0K3jUAkA This episode is sponsored by Borderland Lodge, Friends of the Boundary Waters, and Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters.  

Tanya Piatz says she comes to the Boundary Waters for birding and to develop a deeper understanding of the connection between wildlife and the land. She also does this to reconnect with nature and get away from the hustle of everyday life.   For the first time in her birding adventures, Tanya participated in an official bird count this year. The event she chose was in Grand Marais on Dec. 14. The 2025 Grand Marais Audubon Christmas Bird Count was a successful event once again this year, with more than a dozen birders seeing a combined 1,400 individual birds across an area from Lake Superior and up toward the Cascade River and inland toward Devil Track Lake, found near the start of the Gunflint Trail.  The next morning, the day after the official count, the Paddle and Portage Podcast crew traveled approximately 40 miles up the Gunflint Trail with Tanya for some additional birding. In this episode, we invite you to join us.  This episode is sponsored by Loons Nest Coffee, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, and Borderland Lodge.

The future of the Remote Area Border Crossing Program (RABC) remains unknown, with Canadian officials telling Paddle and Portage this week, once again, they don’t have any new information to share. The permits all expire Dec. 31, 2025.   We spoke with Ginny Nelson from Spirit of the Wilderness outfitters in Ely about what this continued uncertainty means for people and operations near the Boundary Waters.   Also in the episode, we talk with frequent P&P contributor Erin Walker. Erin traveled from Canada to help burn some piles of downed timber near Lake Superior and the BWCA. Erin discusses her 2025 paddling season, plans for the upcoming winter, and the benefits of splitting and burning firewood.    This episode is sponsored by Save the Boundary Waters.   

Search and recovery expert Michael Neiger spent the end of November and first few days of December looking for two people who are missing near the Boundary Waters.   We sat down with him near Grand Marais to discuss the search. Find a video option of the interview on our YouTube channel, in addition to the full audio report shared here on the podcast.    This episode is supported by Ely Outfitting Company and Drury Lane Books. 

Snow. Freezing temps. This was a theme across Minnesota during the final week of November. And with it, came the first ice to the Boundary Waters.  The first ice of the season can mean a lot of things. In this episode, we learn what it means for the Paddle & Portage Podcast duo as they venture onto the frozen water. Joining them on the first outing of the season was their old pal, "Omaha" Erik Dickes.  This episode is sponsored by Sawtooth Outfitters and Loons Nest Coffee. 

Minnesota has more wolves than any other state, outside of Alaska. In fall 2025, researchers with the Voyageurs Wolf Project released an updated study on wolf activity and the population of wolves in an area located about 10 miles southwest of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which is found in the far reaches of northeastern Minnesota. The report tallied about 100 wolves in the study area near the BWCA and Voyageurs National Park. Some media reports highlighted that number as a "crash" of the population. Tom Gable, who leads the project, said the region's deer population ebbs and flows, as does the local wolf population. The duo from the Paddle & Portage Podcast met with Gable in late fall to learn more about the wolf population near the Boundary Waters. Together, they paddled and portaged on the trail of a wolf, one suspected of killing a deer near a remote lake not long before they arrived to the scene. In this episode, we invite you to tag along. This video is made possible by our Paddle & Portage member-subscribers, and by our sponsors, including Sawbill Canoe Outfitters, Sven-Saw, and Ely Outfitting Company.

Constance Simes circumnavigated Lake Superior solo in 2022. When the trip was complete, she'd paddled approximately 1,200 miles around Lake Superior in 57 days. She encountered high waves, of course. She also found deafening silence that moved her to tears.  Simes, who grew up in Iowa and now resides in Wisconsin, spoke with M Baxley about paddling Lake Superior at Canoecopia in Madison, Wisc.  This episode is supported by Loons Nest Coffee and Solbakken Resort on Superior. 

Erin Soderberg Downing grew up exploring the forests, lakes, and trails near Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Now an accomplished writer, Erin says her best ideas for stories often come to her deep in the woods, where she can find plenty of creative space to explore and imagine.  Erin is the daughter of Barb Soderberg. Barb Soderberg’s career with the Forest Service started in 1967 on Superior National Forest, and she was intricately involved with crafting the 1978 BWCA Wilderness Act. She retired from the Forest Service in 2007. Erin and Barb were in Grand Marais for the North Shore Readers and Writers Festival in early November. They met up with Joe Friedrichs from the Paddle & Portage Podcast at Artist's Point to talk BWCA issues, writing, and family life. This episode is supported by Cascade Vacation Rentals.   

Shannon McGrath got her start paddling when she was 12 years old. By the time she was 16, Shannon had completed the Grand Portage from Lake Superior to the inland border lakes of the Boundary Waters. Then came a multi-month canoe trip to the Arctic Circle via the Coppermine and Hood rivers, including a week on the Arctic Ocean. Now in her late 30s, Shannon continues to be a prolific paddler. She makes frequent trips to the Boundary Waters, including this fall, on an annual trip she makes with some of her friends to the BWCA. This year's trip will be perhaps most memorable as it featured a bachelorette party for Shannon.  The Paddle and Portage Podcast met up with Shannon and her crew at Artist's Point in Grand Marais, just before they headed up the Gunflint Trail to start their fall adventure to the Boundary Waters.  This episode is supported by Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness and Northstar Canoes.

The Paddle and Portage Podcast have been on the move in October. The Winter Camping Symposium was a highlight of the month, as was a recent trip to the far west end of the Boundary Waters to meet with one of the nation's top wolf researchers.  In this update from the road, we hear from the podcast duo about who they've been talking with for video podcasts and what brought them to the western edge of the Boundary Waters in search of wolves. 

Stephanie Hansen’s first cookbook took readers to her family outpost on an island on Burntside Lake near Ely, on the edge of the BWCA. Now, True North Cabin Cookbook Volume Two, released this year, focuses on “the cozy months” of October through April.  We hear from Stephanie in this episode of the podcast. We also cook some smoked trout and wild rice chowder that was inspired by the cookbook. We caught the fish. We smoked the fish. We made the chowder. We ate the chowder.  This episode is sponsored by Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles, Williams and Hall Outfitters, and Solbakken Resort on Superior.

Peta Barrett is preparing to retire from Women’s Wilderness Discovery, the company she started in 2014 in Ely, the gateway community to the Boundary Waters. Barrett moved to Ely more than 10 years ago to start up the guiding and outfitting company. She wanted to focus on offering a safe and comfortable place for women to have a means to access the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. In this episode, we hear about Peta's journey to the Boundary Waters.  This episode is sponsored by Ely Outfitting Company and Borderland Lodge. 

The power of a place can change lives. It can also determine where someone lives, and how they live.  The Boundary Waters is one such place. In this episode, we learn how two families have been, and continue to be impacted by the power of place.  Special thanks to Andy Cochrane, Stellan & Lena Bengtsson, Scott, Jess, & Niklas Henderson, and Bob & Deb Friedrichs, for participating in this episode.  Thanks also to Chad from Gunflint Wilderness Guide Services for participating in the fishing adventure shared in this episode.  This episode is made possible with support from Sawtooth Outfitters, Loons Nest Coffee, and Solbakken Resort on Superior. 

A small group of kayakers started Team River Runner in 2004 with the goal of helping veterans get on the water. They now offer paddling opportunities to veterans and their family members in more than 60 locations across the nation, including the Yellowstone River in Montana.  Team River Runner seeks to get physically (amputations, mobility impairments) and/or visually impaired veterans in kayaks or other watercraft. This summer, M Baxley from the P&P Podcast traveled to the edge of Yellowstone National Park to learn more about the paddling clinics, and to speak with some of the participants. The adventure took Baxley from Minnesota to Montana. Join the road trip turned paddle trip to hear the full story.  To learn more about Team River Runner, visit their website: https://www.teamriverrunner.org/ This episode is made possible with support from the Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles, Bent Paddle Brewing, the Yellowstone River Motel, and Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. 

Chuck Alexander is a canoe guide and carpenter who lives in Maine. He'd long aspired to paddle in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It took meeting a longtime paddler of the BWCA, Tim Cochrane, to make that dream come to fruition. Before embarking on a multi-night trip to the wilderness, the podcast team had a chance to meet Chuck, including a fishing trip to the Boundary Waters. This is the story of how paddling connects us, from Maine to Canada to Minnesota.  This episode is supported by Cascade Vacation Rentals and Sawbill Canoe Outfitters. 

A resident of Duluth is sick with a rare case of West Nile virus in Minnesota. The Duluth woman was in the emergency room at St. Luke’s Medical Center Sunday, Sept. 7. She is now home and recovering from the virus. She believes she was infected with West Nile while on a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in mid-August. After nearly three weeks, she continues to experience body aches, headaches, fatigue, among other symptoms. The group entered at the Kawishiwi Lake entry point, which is in Lake County near the border with Cook County. This is believed to be one of the first confirmed cases of West Nile virus ever reported from the BWCA Wilderness. Her case is one of only 21 cases of West Nile reported statewide this year, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.  In this news update on the podcast, we hear from the Duluth woman about the West Nile infection. We also talk with Elizabeth Schiffman, supervisor of MDH’s Vectorborne Diseases Unit. 

The intersection of paddling, yoga, and self-reliance carries us into the BWCA Wilderness in this episode of the podcast.  Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreats is a Minnesota business owned by women who bring together themes of self-reliance, seasonal living, and the transformative power of time spent paddling and portaging in the BWCA Wilderness and surrounding area. They've been in business since 2017 and have hosted more than 60 retreats focused on this theme. For their BWCA adventures, they partner with Birchwood Wilderness Camp and Ashley Bredemus. We travel to the end of the Gunflint Trail, South Lake, and Rose Lake in this episode of the podcast.  Music in this episode from Upstream Drifters and Ian Tamblyn.  This episode is sponsored by Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Northstar Canoes, Borderland Lodge. 

Just ahead of Labor Day weekend and the start of the transition to autumn, a long time listener of our podcast about the Boundary Waters came to check out the BWCA Wilderness for the first time.   Her name is Karolina Satek. Along with her husband and young daughter, they traveled to the Gunflint Trail and spent a few nights at Borderland Lodge. From there, they explored the surrounding wilderness, ate pasta and wild rice burgers at the lodge, and walked numerous trails leading to and inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The crew at Rockwood Lodge were helpful in showing the ropes on paddling and portaging in the canoe-country wilderness.   In this episode of the podcast, we share the connection between Karolina's first trip to the Boundary Waters and a fishing trip this summer with Barbara Jean Meyers, a musician and radio producer who lives near the Boundary Waters. The theme and general connection between the stories is simple: If you have plans to do something, don't wait around. Get out there and do it.   This episode is sponsored by the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, Ely Outfitting Company, Loons Nest Coffee.    Music in this episode is courtesy of Dusty Heart, Ian Tamblyn, Upstream Drifters, and Blue Dot Sessions.

We head west in this episode, to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. M Baxley joins a group of paddlers who came together under the leadership of Jordan Taylor and Sandra Newbury to travel on the Salmon River in Idaho. One of the great rivers of the West, the Salmon rolls through the Frank Church, the largest federally managed wilderness in the United States outside of Alaska. Confluences River Expeditions provided the group with rafts and raft guides while the other boaters traveled the river via canoes and kayaks. Join us as we head to the river of no return. This episode is supported by Bent Paddling Brewing Company, Sawtooth Outfitters, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.

The Paddle and Portage Podcast team spent time paddling and talking around a fire with Minnesota author Joe Whitson in early August. Joe is the author of the new book, “Marketing the Wilderness.”  Joe’s book pulls back the curtain on the outdoor recreation industry, on the glossy images, the feel-good branding, the well-meaning campaigns, and asks, “What’s being left out?” It traces how the idea of “wilderness” in the U.S. was built through marketing strategies that romanticize land as empty and pristine, while erasing the Indigenous people who’ve always been there. Joe discusses the concepts he raises in his book on this episode of the podcast. 

Abby Golden has been teaching at an organization called Wilderness Water Safety for 15 years. She is a certified lifeguard, wilderness first responder, and experienced wilderness trip leader. She has led trips in the Lake Temagami area as a trip leader for Camp Wabun and has traveled extensively throughout the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Born and raised in the St. Croix River Valley, she talks about water safety and shares stories of danger and death and what we can learn from these anecdotes from the BWCA and beyond. This episode is supported by Rutabaga Paddlesports and Ely Outfitting Company.

Kari Kennedy is the producer of Almanac, a popular and long-running news program on Twin Cities PBS. She's also in love with the Boundary Waters. The Gunflint Trail has become a home away from home, and trips to the BWCA Wilderness are a big part of that experience. Kari shares her story in this episode of the podcast.  Support for this episode comes from Northstar Canoes, Loons Nest Coffee, and Williams & Hall Outfitters. 

He first paddled on Seagull Lake. It didn't go well. A fishing boat had to rescue him. A few days later, he drove a transport tow. In a blizzard.  Graham Schatz is working at Seagull Canoe Outfitters this summer. He is not a typical "Trail Kid," those who lug canoes and clean cabins at the resorts on the Gunflint Trail each summer. Graham is an actor who has been attending acting school in Los Angeles. This summer, when he came to the Gunflint, it was his first time experiencing the Boundary Waters.  Graham's story illustrates something about the BWCA: The power of this place to transform knows no boundaries.  Music on this episode from the Upstream Drifters and the Blue Dot Sessions.  This episode is supported by Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center and Borderland Lodge. 

Checking in with an update from their epic paddle are the Hudson Bay Girls. The four paddlers left Lake Superior and the Grand Portage in May. They're bound for Hudson Bay and share this update from Norway House, just north of Lake Winnipeg. In an update sent to Paddle and Portage July 21, they report: "We’re checking in from Norway House! We have been through so much so far. From navigating backcountry travel restrictions, dodging wildfires, a trip altering injury, and ever changing weather conditions- we have been busy!" Listen to the full audio report in this episode of the podcast.  Photo from @aidant_007 on Instagram. Music on this episode from Canadian folk singer Ian Tamblyn and the Blue Dot Sessions.  This episode is supported by Bent Paddle Brewing, Save the Boundary Waters, Drury Lane Books. 

Kate Wright is the director of marketing for Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles. An experienced paddler, Kate and her husband are taking their young child to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the summer of 2025 for the first time as parents. Kate spoke with guest host Erin Walker from the Lost Lakes YouTube Channel for this episode of the podcast.  This episode is supported by Canoecopia, Women's Wilderness Discovery, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Sawbill Canoe Outfitters, and Cascade Vacation Rentals.  

We've shared multiple news stories in recent weeks about permits for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. From the cost of permits to the record number of permit cancellations last year, the Paddle and Portage Podcast team break it all down in this episode. Joining the podcast duo on the episode is a Minnesota resident and BWCA regular who goes by the name Fish Brain Shane. Earlier this summer, Shane disagreed with an online post from the P&P team that supported the proposal to increase the permit fee for the BWCA. How does it go on the podcast when conversation takes over from social media posting? Tune in and find out.  This episode is support by Williams and Hall Outfitters. 

As promised, here's an update from the Solitude of Four. The group shares this update just as they're preparing to start the lengthy paddle of Lake Winnipeg, a key benchmark on their journey to Hudson Bay.  Backstory: Four paddlers and canoe guides from Wilderness Canoe Base on Seagull Lake at the end of the Gunflint Trail are paddling north this summer. Leaving Seagull May 31, the group, paddling under the name Solitude of Four, are on a 1,250 mile canoe journey from our camp to Hudson Bay, Canada. It is a 2.5 month expedition through some of North America’s most remote waterways. The group includes Ryan Mohr, Kathleen Grube, Maren Johnson, and Timea Vrabcová.  This episode is supported by Northstar Canoes and Loons Nest Coffee. 

In February 2022, a Minnesota man was sentenced to four years in prison for sexually assaulting a Cook County woman at a condominium on Ski Hill Road in Lutsen, not far from Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters. According to the criminal complaint, on Jan. 25, 2020, Cook County law enforcement responded to North Shore Health, the local hospital in Grand Marais, where a woman being treated for medical issues reported that she was sexually assaulted. The woman told medical personnel and law enforcement she had been raped. The woman who is the victim of this crime has spent the past five years trying to connect more with nature, including the Boundary Waters. She shares her story in this episode of the podcast.  This episode is supported by Bending Branches Canoe and Kayak Paddles and by Ely Outfitting Company. 

Four paddlers and canoe guides from Wilderness Canoe Base on Seagull Lake at the end of the Gunflint Trail are paddling north this summer. Leaving Seagull May 31, the group, paddling under the name Solitude of Four, are on a 1,250 mile canoe journey from our camp to Hudson Bay, Canada. It is a 2.5 month expedition through some of North America’s most remote waterways. Why are they doing this? We spoke with Ryan Mohr, Kathleen Grube, Maren Johnson, and Timea Vrabcová about what led them to embark on this journey north. Also sharing insight on the pull to paddle north is Bob O’Hara, an iconic paddler who has been exploring the Far North for decades. This episode is supported by Borderland Lodge, Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, Solbakken Resort on Superior.

Nathaniel Gueltzau (AKA The Penguin Viking) is a long-distance paddler and military veteran.   After returning from Afghanistan, paddling became more than just a sport-it became a way to process emotions, navigate personal experiences, and find new purpose. The pursuit of pushing physical limits, overcoming mental hurdles, and feeling a sense of accomplishment led Nate to seek out even greater challenges. At the heart of Nate's paddling journey is a philosophy of survival and resilience. Whether working through emotions, physical obstacles, or mental challenges, paddling represents the idea of moving forward-one stroke at a time. "Moving forward is progress," Nate says.  This episode is supported by Cooke Custom Sewing, Ely Outfitting Company, Women's Wilderness Discovery, Loons Nest Coffee, and Canoecopia. 

The Border Route Trail on the eastern side of the BWCA continues to grow in popularity and use. The trail is 65-miles long and follows the international border between Minnesota and Ontario. It is the first long-distance, wilderness backpacking and hiking trail in Minnesota planned and constructed by volunteers. In the spring of 2025, just as the ice was leaving many of the lakes across the Boundary Waters, the P&P team met up with a group of volunteers to learn more about the history, current status, and future of the Border Route Trail. This episode is supported by Northstar Canoes, Bending Branches, Borderland Lodge, and Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.  The BRT crew are looking for volunteers, specifically younger folks, to help keep this trail open and available for public use. These are public lands, so it's important we all do our part to keep these trails accessible. Learn more here: https://www.borderroutetrail.org/

Mark Zimmer, more commonly referred to as the ‘Barefoot Paddler,’ spoke with the Paddle and Portage Podcast before the start of his 2025 paddling season.   Zimmer is starting his 13th year exploring the BWCA. Mark typically spends late April or early May through October in the Boundary Waters. He catches walleye, lake trout, and pike. He forages wild edibles, including mushrooms, roots, and various fruits and vegetables that grow in the woods here. Zimmer paddles a solo canoe and sleeps in a hammock. And he prefers to spend his time in the Boundary Waters without shoes.   Zimmer has created a downloadable digital map of every portage in the Boundary Waters, having literally walked them all. Find out more about Zimmer’s portage map and learn more about Zimmer on his website.   We met up with Zimmer near the Fernberg Trail about 10 miles from Ely just as the 2025 paddling season was taking form.   This episode is supported by Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Sawtooth Outfitters, Bent Paddle Brewing Company.