Overnight temperature 7 below zeroJanuary 16 - 19, 2020 I'm winter camping in Rainbow Lake Wilderness area, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, with my dad. If you haven't done it yourself and think you could never be convinced to try, I wrote about it for the Isthmus. I will say this much … [Read more...]
Crossing Death March Portage
Tell someone you intend to walk across Death March portage in Quetico. It never fails to pique interest. Tell enough people you’re going to do it, and there’s no turning back. Breaking your own promises harms self-image and over time influences how much people believe what you say. Okay, so … [Read more...]
WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast
Funny how some of the most vibrant memories of wilderness camping relate to challenges encountered. Our interview with Matthew Baxley on the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast doesn’t dwell on those times, although we do elaborate on one day I'll never forget. We met Matthew at Canoecopia, which … [Read more...]
Think of winter camping more like winter playing
Angleworm Lake, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Me: I really want to try winter camping. My wife: (Silence) My daughter: Cool! Sleeping in a tent in the snow never sounded daunting to me and Emilie. Paying an outfitter for the experience sort of did. As you might imagine, it … [Read more...]
Five reasons it’s sort of crazy not to go wilderness camping
The two words wilderness and camping may sound a bit rugged, especially when combined. Think bears walking into camp at night or meeting you on a trail. Not to mention, no bathroom. No refrigerator. Cell phones don’t work. Difficult terrain. And campfire cooking doesn’t come with a temperature … [Read more...]