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Frequently Asked Questions

Please don't hesitate to contact us with any additional questions you may have.

• What does 'portage' mean?
  
• What is the length of a portage?
  
• How do you get all your stuff over the portage?
  
• Does your canoe have to be licensed?
  
• Are there special packs that we should be using to make the trip comfortable?
  
• How many trips across a portage does it generally take to get all our stuff from beginning of portage to end of portage?
  
• What does a portage look like?
  
• Is OK to leave your gear, and food, unattended at the end of a portage trail?
  
• Are pets are allowed with you in the Boundary Waters?
  
• Do you need a weapon in the Boundary Waters?
  
• Are boom boxes okay to bring on my canoe trip?
  
• Are campfires allowed for cooking or atmosphere?
  
• Where can I take care of 'bathroom duties'?

What does 'portage' mean?  Portage is a French word...used by fur traders and trappers from Europe who came to this country in search of beaver pelts...when fur hats were in high fashion.  It simply mean's 'to carry'...and carry you must if you intend to get very far in the Boundary Waters.

Portages are simple footpaths that allow you to carry your canoe and packs from one lake to another. They are narrow, rocky, hilly, and sometimes wet ... and, in some places, actually go over logs laid across puddles, streams, and creeks. They range in length from a few feet to as much as a mile.

What is the length of a portage?  Portages are measured in rods up here in the canoe country. I've yet to discover why, since it's an agricultural term, but they are. A rod is 16.5 feet ... or roughly the length of an average canoe. About 180 rods to a half mile ... 360 to a mile. I consider anything over 180 rods to be in the "long" category... not for the faint of heart.

How do you get all your stuff over the portage?  Since these paths are narrow your canoe is most easily carried by one person...which is why modern canoes come with shoulder pads on the center thwart.  If you are renting a canoe from Moose Track Adventures, it will come with comfortable yoke or portage pads.  If you are borrowing your canoe from a friend, make sure that it is light enough to carry (60 - 65 pounds is about the most you'll want to tackle) and that it has shoulder pads on it.  A canoe that is light enough, and that has decent shoulder pads, can make or break your trip.  If you're like me, you'll quickly understand why our new kevlar canoes are so popular....weighing in around 40 pounds...or less!

Does your canoe have to be licensed?  To paddle in the Boundary Waters your canoe must be licensed in your home state or in Minnesota. So be sure the canoe you borrow is licensed. Moose Track Adventures canoes are licensed in addition to having the padded yoke pads.

Are there special packs that we should be using to make the trip comfortable?  A vital ingredient is having all of your equipment in packs with shoulder straps so you can carry them comfortably across the portages on your route. Pickle pails, coolers, framed backpacks, Army surplus sea bags, trash bags, and cardboard boxes have no place in this wilderness ... because they are cumbersome to portage and generally require extra trips ... something you want to avoid at all costs.

How many trips across a portage does it generally take to get all our stuff from beginning of portage to end of portage?  Most groups seem to make two trips across each portage. A typical party of two people, out for a week, will have one canoe and three Portge packs. One pack will carry food and cooking gear, one will carry camping equipment, and one will carry personal clothing and miscellaneous items. If you are coming in the middle of the summer, when it's warm, you might do it in two packs ... but if you are having trouble getting all of your gear and food, for two people, in 3 packs then it's time for some serious housecleaning.

What does a portage look like?  One of the most common questions asked me, as an outfitter, was "what does a portage look like". My answer was usually something like "you'll know it when you see it". And that is generally true. Once you find your way into the vicinity, by use of your detailed canoeing map, you will generally be able to spot the path. In fact, much to the dismay of some over-zealous environmentalists, you can usually see where the human traffic has worn down the shoreline over the years at the beginning and end of the portage. When in doubt as to where the portage is you can sometimes get a hint by looking at the shoreline. Many portages follow small streams, creeks, or hollows between the lakes. Often times there is a corresponding depression in the treeline that can tip you off to the location of the portage.

One of the reasons I like portaging, other than giving my butt a break from sitting, is to look at all the subtle activity along the path. The interesting geology, and rock formations, are fascinating enough. But on top of that you have the opportunity to see wildlife, wildlife scat (droppings), remnants of where a pack of wolves took an old bull moose last winter, waterfalls and cascades along the path, and to look for eagles nests in the treetops. It's also an opportunity to shed some clothing, put on some sunscreen, or get a drink of bug juice (KoolAid for you city folks!).

One of the cardinal sins of portaging, however, is to tie up the landings with your canoe and clutter of equipment. A portage is NOT the place for lunch ... paddle out and find a nice rocky shelf to sit on so you are out of the way. When you head off down the portage trail make sure you've moved the rest of your stuff off the trail so that another group, whom you may not have even seen yet, can easily get by. The quickest way I know to score points on the portage trail is to carry a pack for a party going the other way when you are walking back empty. But, guys, remember that the ladies are no longer considered the weaker sex ... and may very well pass you right on by with a canoe and a pack on their back!

One thing that is very, very easy to do is forget something at a portage ... fishing rods, life vests, cameras, water bottles, and spare paddles are among the most common... and it's almost impossible to find the owners among all the visitors that come to the Boundary Waters. Make it a habit to make a full sweep when you leave a portage ... to make sure you don't have to come back across three lakes and two portages to get your fishing rod.

Is OK to leave your gear, and food, unattended at the end of a portage trail?  My first inclination is to think that folks asking that question mean that animals might get the packs. But, actually, most folks mean whether or not a person will bother their equipment. All I can say is that in all the years I've paddled and outfitted in the BWCA I have never even heard of someone bothering anyone's gear. And I'd guess the odds are still pretty good of that...the type of folks who visit the Boundary Waters are of a special breed. What I have witnessed, however, is a group accidentally taking gear that belonged to another party ... just picking up a paddle, or even a pack, and tossing it in their canoe thinking it belonged to someone in their party. Needless to say, this type of thing would be more likely with a larger party where there is more gear and people involved. So keep your gear together in one spot so you can keep track of it.

Another unforgivable sin, on a portage, is to litter it. The old adage of if "you packed it in, you pack it out" holds equally true in our wilderness areas. In fact, you will find very little litter in our area ... but when you see it you should pick it up. And don't just stick candy wrappers in your pants pocket because they will most likely fall out the next time you reach for your lip balm. And just because the litter isn't yours doesn't mean it isn't your responsibility ... pick it up and pat yourself quietly on the back.

And one more thing ... portages tend to be convenient places to relieve yourself. But, unfortunately, many folks seem to think that any old spot will do! It is vital, to preserve the aesthetic quality of our forest and the drinking quality of our waters, that you get far enough away from the water and the portage trail. Most propaganda you read recommends 100 feet ... but, lacking a tape measure, it's hard to know how far that is. So I recommend 25 paces at a minimum ... so count 'em out. It is your responsibility to make sure that all members of your party get at least that far! And when you do make sure you scratch a shallow hole with the heel of your shoe and BURY your waste and BURY your toilet paper! The rest of us will appreciate it!

Another upside to having a light canoe is your ability to carry it all the way to the far end of the portage without putting it down. This means you don't have to lift it twice and won't have to put it down on fragile vegetation alongside the portage trail.

The lighter you pack, and the more organized you are, the easier your portages will be. And the easier they are the more you can do ... and the more you can do the more you can see of this magnificent country. Enjoy the walk ...

Are pets are allowed with you in the Boundary Waters?  Yes, if the pet is quiet and well behaved. If you've got a little "yappy" dog you'd better leave them home for your peace and quiet and for the benefit of other wilderness visitors. Your dog must be under good voice control or on leash ... as they cannot be allowed to chase or harass the wild animals. As always, you need to come prepared to clean up after your pet ... around camp or on the portage trails.

Do you need a weapon in the Boundary Waters?   Absolutely not. It's not a place to target practice and there is nothing to fear that would warrant a firearm. And you should know that it is illegal to have a pistol in Ontario... they take that pretty seriously. There is also no need for the large ''Bowie'', or survival type, knives in our country. A small pocket knife is all you'll ever need ... with the exception of a fish filleting knife.

Are boom boxes okay to bring on my canoe trip?  You might want to leave the boom box at home.  Sound travels for miles, literally, so you need to be aware of your own presence in this wilderness.  A campfire songfest, accompanied by a guitar or harmonica, is acceptable ... as long as it's over by sundown. Folks retire early up here after working hard all day. And they come for the quiet most of all. It is your responsibility to make sure your group acts accordingly.

Are campfires allowed for cooking or atmosphere?  Unless it is extremely dry and the authorities call for a partial or complete fire ban (cooking is then done on stoves). On the American side a steel fire grate is provided at each camp site to build your fire under. In the Quetico you'll need to bring a small, lightweight grate to put over the ring of rocks that usually constitutes a fire pit. Most folks now carry a small camp stove for cooking because it's easier, faster, and cleaner than starting a camp fire for each meal. Many parties also carry a small folding saw for cutting a bit of dead dry firewood, collected from the forest floor, for a small evening fire.

Where can I take care of 'bathroom duties'?  You have a bit more responsibility for bathroom duties in the wilderness. When traveling during the day you'll want to make sure you're far enough away from the water's edge, so as not to pollute, and that you bury your waste and your toilet paper in a shallow hole. In the approved Boundary Waters campsites there is a path leading to a fiberglass latrine box out the back of your campsite. These boxes are for latrine purposes only ... not garbage disposals. In the Quetico there are no latrine boxes so you'll need to do you own latrine method ... either individually or collectively. Again making sure to do it in a suitable spot to care for our water environment.

Sometimes the word wilderness frightens people a little. We are lucky in the canoe country in that we don't have any poisonous snakes, poisonous insects, hardly any poison ivy, and no seriously dangerous critters. You'll want to give a wide berth to mating moose in the late fall, for example, but you have nothing to fear from them otherwise. There are wolves throughout the Boundary Waters but you're lucky to hear them howling let alone actually get close to one. Bears live in the wilderness, of course, but pose little problems if you keep a clean camp and keep your food out of their reach. They are only smaller black bears ... and they are herbivores! The biggest problem you'll likely have are field mice, chipmunks, and red squirrels who like to beg and snatch crumbs from your campsite. If you don't feed the critters you aren't likely to have any unexpected company.

Additionally, the waters in both wilderness areas are flat ... not rivers and rapids. You will portage around waterfalls and rapids periodically but you are not paddling in them. The most basic of canoeing skills will serve you nicely in this part of the country. In fact, you will be advised by both the park rangers and your outfitter to avoid fast water at all costs. If you keep yourself off the lakes during strong windy conditions, which is only common sense, you'll have no trouble at all traveling through our country. Lifejackets, of course, should be worn at all times when you're on the water ... to prevent any possibility of an accident.

Considering the amount of folks who visit our region each year there are relatively few injuries ... just an occasional sprained ankle, a minor cut from a filet knife, or a cut on a foot because someone didn't wear their shoes around camp. The most serious injuries seem to be caused by someone falling out of a tree ... a place they should not have been in the first place when miles from a hospital.