Big Red Canoe - Friends of the Boundary Waters podcast Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness

The ice is now out on the Lakes in the Boundary Waters, and we’re embracing the promise of the spring season. But for those who live and work near the Boundary Waters, they’ve been straddling seasons for months, spending time in the winter season to prepare for summer.
In this Big Red Canoe podcast episode, we meet Joe Friedmeyer, a U.S. Forest Service sled dog musher, who has been using the ice and snow of the harsh winter to help get things ready for summer travelers to America’s most visited wilderness.
We talk to Joe about working with a sled dog team to backhaul lumber from the Rose/Duncan Lake stairway project, completed in 2022, as well as hauling fire grates, latrines, and winter patrols across the ice. Joe also highlights best "Leave No Trace" practices for winter. It's a great introduction to unseen work that happens in the winter, in the BWCA.
Visit https://www.friends-bwca.org/podcast for more information and resources from this episode.

Website:
https://www.friends-bwca.org

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BWCAW

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/FriendsBWCAW

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/friendsbwcaw/

Are there monsters, ghosts, or even more creepy things lurking in the BWCA? In this episode, we'll hear your stories from a contest when St. Paul-based Lake Monster Brewing teamed up with Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness to create a new Minnesota legend.

We asked you to submit your tall tales, to bring a BWCA monster out from the shadows and become immortalized on cans of Lake Monster beer. The response was outstanding, with a tremendous lineup of chilling, humorous and supernatural creatures!

You voted on your top picks, and judges from MN Historical Society Press, WTIP North Shore Radio, Lake Monster Brewing and Friends of the Boundary Waters gathered to select a winner.

Now, our top 3 winners read their monster tales for you, in an episode that might give you the chills and wonder what's around the next corner on that portage. And we crown a new BWCA Monster, the Jackerwocky, which you'll be able to find at a store near you!

Visit https://www.friends-bwca.org/podcast for more information and resources from this episode.

Website:
https://www.friends-bwca.org

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BWCAW

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/FriendsBWCAW

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/friendsbwcaw/

When many of us think of the Boundary Waters, we think about paddling and portaging. But there area number of ways to experience the Wilderness, including recreational hiking. In this episode, we meet Michelle Kwan, who went on her first Boundary Waters trip in an even more unique way - as a volunteer doing trail clearing work. 

For Michelle, this turned out to be life-changing experience.

In this episode Michelle shares her story about connecting to the Boundary Waters through trail-clearing, and the logistics of a trail clearing trip. Then she goes much deeper, sharing her observations on being a person color in the wilderness, discussing issues of access and why more BIPOC people aren’t visiting the Boundary Waters, and how she's working to change that.
After participating on several trips and recruiting several people to join her, Michelle is now leader her own trail clearing trips. She wants to continue to develop her skills, - including creating unique, flavorful Asian-inspired camping meals,  and continuing her work to guide more people and inspire them to venture out to wild places.  

Inspired? Sign up for a trail clearing trip!
https://www.friends-bwca.org/bwca-trail-clearing

Visit https://www.friends-bwca.org/podcast for more information and resources from this episode.

Website:
https://www.friends-bwca.org

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BWCAW

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/FriendsBWCAW

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/friendsbwcaw/

Those who have traveled in the Boundary Waters are often drawn to the wilderness, and they may have wondered what it might be like to live immersed in the wilderness. Ashley Bredemus, owner and co director of Birchwood Wilderness Camp, has spent much of her life living near the Boundary Waters past the end of the Gunflint Trail. Ashley gives us a glimpse of what it's like to be in the wilderness full time, and how it's different from enjoying it recreationally. She describes some of the joys, the challenges, even simple things like water and heat that many of us take for granted, and how someone who lives in the north woods of Minnesota connects with wilderness on a daily basis.

 Visit https://www.friends-bwca.org/podcast for more information and resources from this episode.

We're joined by special guest, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. While you may know him through his public service roles, you may not know that Attorney General Ellison has a deep love of the Boundary Waters and has led wilderness canoe trips for teenagers.

In this episode, we talk to Keith Ellison about his experiences in the Boundary Waters, the importance of wilderness, clean water and environmental protection, and the upcoming election. And we take questions from other concerned citizens who joined us for this presentation. 

When exploring the Boundary Waters, you’re bound to make a mistake or two. 
Our guest Tiger Beaudoin knows this first hand. He’s guided first-timers, grandparents, parents with children, and paddled solo across our favorite wilderness for years. He’s also made more than a few mistakes.
In this fast-paced presentation, he’ll describe 10 lessons learned “the hard way” while paddling hundreds of miles and portaging thousands of rods in the BWCA and Quetico.

Using these packing, equipment, camping, and fishing tricks, you’ll enjoy a safer, more worry-free experience in the BWCA.

BONUS: Check out Tiger's ultimate BWCA checklist, and a copy of his presentation with shocking videos and product links.