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abjectwoe
May, 2025

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Boundary Waters

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FuckAllOfYou
Posts: 3864 - Karma: 2,518
Just got back from an awesome trip there. It had to be cut short due to an injury in the group but oh well. anyone else been there a lot/ever?
13 years ago
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sneaky_pete
Posts: 543 - Karma: 47
leaving for a trip in 5 days! if anyone ever has the opportunity to go i would totally recommend it. it is extremely peaceful and special in its own way.
13 years ago
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
where are you headed?
13 years ago
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crab_pretzel
Posts: 3919 - Karma: 622
i went once. it was fun. the mosquitos were big and numerous.

im kinda tired and dont really feel like telling any stories
13 years ago
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FuckAllOfYou
Posts: 3864 - Karma: 2,518
nah motorboats are allowed but otherwise you're spot on
13 years ago
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FuckAllOfYou
Posts: 3864 - Karma: 2,518
WHOOPS allowed on CERTAIN lakes. the popular ones. very restricted though. I would not want to be anywhere near any.
13 years ago
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1337
Posts: 31078 - Karma: 29,667
sounds neat

although some of you make it sound like it is the ONLY place you can go to avoid the grind. Definitely not true at all
13 years ago
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FuckAllOfYou
Posts: 3864 - Karma: 2,518
maybe it's not true, but this place, as i've said, is the bees knees. love it
13 years ago
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50Kal
Posts: 2836 - Karma: 5,551
As a former guide of the Boundary waters it's got a special something that alot of places out west don't have. Like today I was working in the Alpine loop between Silverton and Lake city, Colorado. The mountains gives you breath taking views and exhilarating hiking on 14ers. But it doesn't have the tranquility or serenity that the BW offers. The BW is a must for anyone who enjoys the solitude of nature and wants to get away from it all.
Trying to explain the BW to someone who hasent been there is just like how on a massive powder day out west is unexplainable to people who haven't experinced it. People just dont get it and wont till they experience it for themselves.
And on that note here are some Photos back from my guiding days. Enjoy.

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I don't always shower on trail,
But when I do its in a waterfall

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13 years ago
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division.bell
Posts: 2762 - Karma: 1,906
Agreed.

Since I've lived in Washington State (7 years) I've not gone fishing one time. To me, fishing is northern MN lakes fishing for pike, all day, everyday. Fishing not in MN is just not the same. I've deep sea fished in Alaska for Halibut, Ling Cod, etc., I lived on the Mississippi river for 4 years and fished for bass every day, it's just not the same at all as fishing for pike in the untouched lakes of northern MN.

It's funny hearing how many people that grew up or lived in MN, talk about how great MN is once they move away. Something about that state sticks with you forever.
13 years ago
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james6345789
Posts: 4763 - Karma: 464
I feel like ou have to really go to the boundary waters to understand. And you have to rough it too, none of that pussy shit.
13 years ago
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50Kal
Posts: 2836 - Karma: 5,551
It does take a lot of time and effort. However, this Idea that you have to "rough it" is just some stupid macho idea that people get when they think about the outdoors.
 You use a canoe to carry gear and can bring everything including the kitchen sink.  The number one thing in a BW trip to get is a Insulated backpack. With a insulated backpack I can bring all fresh food and it will last up to six nights with two frozen gallons of milk as cooling source.
That means Im eating fresh real food every morning, breakfast, and night. Eggs, milk, bacon, steak, brats, burgers, pork, casseroles, and the list goes on. Why make yourself eat dehydrated or MRE preserved disgusting food when you can real food?

If anyone really wants to do a BW trip look on line for a outfitter (they are the best way for beginners to do a trip) or order a magazine called "Boundary waters Journal". they the Number one printed source for planning a BW trip and have awesome articles all about the BW.

If anyone wants more information on the BW, pm and I'll help you out best I can. 
13 years ago
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Tinga
Posts: 11349 - Karma: 2,333
Seriously?
13 years ago
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
You've never been to the real boundary waters... I do bring some carrots and cheese, but we have to eat it by day 3 or its garbage. Theres no way in hell i would carry all that stuff! Theres walleye in the lakes take advantage of it and catch your own dinner!
13 years ago
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cubber
Posts: 1933 - Karma: 638
Agree, except I bring hardly any perishables, but you can just put stuff in bags and leave it in the lake to stay cold. Number one thing? Definitely a water purifier. You can get a decent hand pump one for like 60 bucks at cabelas
13 years ago
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
Yeah, thats exactly what we do. I had one of those UV light water purifiers, worked great for 2 years then broke on a trip. Lucky we had a back-up porsoline one.
13 years ago
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50Kal
Posts: 2836 - Karma: 5,551
Some day when You grow big muscles you'll be able to carry a heavy pack. Then you can come visit me on the big boy lakes(Kekekabic, Ottertrack ,Gabimichigami, Litttle Saganaga, Brule).  :)

And yes I catch & eat fish when Im in the BW. The thing is though a large amount of the lakes in BW have never needed to be stocked. By limiting your self to maybe one big fish meal every 5 days, your providing a chance for the fish to recover.
You've seen the old pictures of fisherman just slaying fish. Now lots of lakes in Minnesota and other states need to be stocked on a yearly basis to ensure there is fish in the lakes.
 If every person that went into the BW & caught their limit, there would be way, way less fish in the BW. 

Many BW lovers like myself are now starting to follow the rule of one fish fry per week or per lake. The idea of this is to insure the future users of BW can also enjoy the great fishing that people love up there for many generations to come.

13 years ago
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sneaky_pete
Posts: 543 - Karma: 47
brule lake...
13 years ago
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Ribss.
Posts: 3442 - Karma: 3,344
California. I win.
13 years ago
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
Your seriously making me laugh right now. I think it is you thats needs to head up to the big boy lakes. Im 14 years old and I guarantee you I've been through tougher things in my BW experiences then you will ever. The lakes I go to take almost 12 hours of STRAIGHT canoeing to get there and once your there its only you and your gear for a week, you WONT see anyone. The lakes are so far north they dont have camp sites, if were lucky maybe one. And as far as the lakes being over fished, the ones I regularly go to have only been fished maybe 1 or 2 times by me and 2 other groups I know. As far as stocking the lakes, thats the funniest thing I've heard for a while. I'd tell you the names of the lakes, but most dont have names.
13 years ago
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
i get your post, being from MN originally.

but there's merits to all of these places (having been to most of them:)

part of the appeal for Minnesootans and the boundary waters is that they're way freaking closer then any of the other places you listed. ja you betcha
13 years ago
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50Kal
Posts: 2836 - Karma: 5,551
This is when I decided to stop argument with you. I'm to old get in an argument with a14 year old.

And by the way kid, when you've spent 3 years living in Northeastern Minnesota then I'll get Into pissing match of stories with you. Not when your 14 and Haven't spent more then a week in the BW.
13 years ago
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ORDEAL
Posts: 6386 - Karma: 75
Northern Minnesota is definitely the best Minnesota scenery wise and outdoors wise. I was actually just up in lutsen last weekend. So sick, we had a cabin right on lake superior
13 years ago
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ORDEAL
Posts: 6386 - Karma: 75
Also, as a side note, I would much rather go out west than northern MN, but to each his own I guess
13 years ago
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
Are you kidding me? I've been going up 3 times a year since I was 11, and mulitple fly in when I was younger. I've spent more then 1.5 months in the upper BWs. Maybe once you a man you can come up to the Canada side of the BWs.
13 years ago
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FuckAllOfYou
Posts: 3864 - Karma: 2,518
people let's not get into a huge argument about off topic shit. I wanted to create a BWCA appreciation thread, not a "my trip was harder than yours, BWCA isn't even that great" thread.

bottom line: the place is awesome, practically untouched wilderness. i think that it's unappreciated and it's sick the MN ns'rs like it too
13 years ago
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TPalms
Posts: 859 - Karma: 252
The boundary waters is an amazing place. I first visited it the summer after my senior year in high school--my girlfriend at the time was working at Sawbill Outfitters (which I would highly recommend)for the summer and I took a road trip up from Cincinnati to visit her and go on trip for a week. What followed was probably the best summer trip I've ever taken, sure part of it was due to the fact that I was with a girl I loved, but there was something really amazing about this place that just stuck with me.

Maybe it was the serenity of the place. Maybe it was the amount of work we put in each day to get to a new campsite: navigating our route, canoeing across windy lakes, portaging over rough terrain... just to find the perfect spot to set up camp and enjoy the peace of the sunset.

Perhaps it was the adventure of it all. Carry everything in, carry everything out. With no one around for miles, we explored the vastness of the wilderness without running into a single soul (after we had traveled out a bit of course).

There's just so much to see and do out there, so much varying terrain and beauty everywhere... Needless to say, I was very moved by the experience and suggest that you go out there too. Bring someone you care about as well--it'll make the experience that much more special.

Here's a few pictures I took while I was there.


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13 years ago
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TPalms
Posts: 859 - Karma: 252
Oh jeez, I had no idea how much arguing was going on before I posted. Chill the fuck out guys, there's no need to prove how much of a hard ass you are, how far you've been into the Boundary Waters, how many other backpacking trips you've taken, how much gear you can carry... whatever.

The arguing is stupid, and I think everyone is missing the point of the original post.
13 years ago
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50Kal
Posts: 2836 - Karma: 5,551
Sorry for bringing in an stupid argument in your thread Brave. I've Should stopped awhile back.

Boundary Waters is where its at in Minnesota for Wilderness awesomeness. I'm gonna just shut up now. 
13 years ago
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FuckAllOfYou
Posts: 3864 - Karma: 2,518
it's fine. just wanted to get the thread back on track. people always want to tell the bigger stories, haha
13 years ago
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boomie
Posts: 1638 - Karma: 3,165
On my way back from a boundary waters trip right now! It was my 6th trip and was definitely my favorite! I went with just friends for the first time without any adults and it was crazy fun. We entered in lake one, and made it out to the northern part of lake insula the first day. We had a sweet campsite with over 150ft long beach. The second day we had our own version of the Olympics, went cliff jumping, swimming, hung around camp in hammocks and went for a 2hour paddle to look at the stars around midnight. The following day we paddled about half out, and then paddled the rest of the way out on the 4th day. Definitely a sweet experience that I recommend going with some really close friends. I went with 2 girls and another guy, and it really solidified us, and brought up so many laughs! Looking forward to going again in 3 more weeks
13 years ago
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Juicy-J
Posts: 1903 - Karma: 1,785
what my fellow mainer is trying to say is that we see this shit everyday. nothing out of the ordinary
13 years ago
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FuckAllOfYou
Posts: 3864 - Karma: 2,518
that sounds so sick, dang i'm jealous
13 years ago
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