WEDNESDAY JUNE 19TH - MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2024
ELY,MINNESOTA | SPIRIT OF THE WILDERNESS OUTFITTERS
TOTAL COST: $500 DEPOSIT AMOUNT: $250 (THIS IS NON REFUNDABLE)
REGISTRATION OPENS: FRIDAY 04/12/2024 AT 10AM CST
TRIP DETAILS + INFORMATION
We are heading back to The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA) for our 3rd trip! The BWCA is a 1,090,000-acre wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in northeastern part of Minnesota. A mixture of forests, glacial lakes, and streams, the BWCAW's preservation as a primitive wilderness began in the 1900s. It is a popular destination for canoeing, hiking, and fishing, and is one of the most visited wildernesses in the United States. Our trip will take us a total 3 days and 17 miles in and out of this beautiful wilderness territory. You will get to experience the BWCA and all that it has to offer to its very fullest!
17 miles and 13 portages
3.5 days of outdoor adventure. Arrive to our lodging on Wednesday afternoon, Thursday Depart for the BWCA at 8am, Camp and explore the BWCA Thursday - Monday Morning, Depart Monday by Noon.
Ely, MN SNOWBANK LAKE ENTRY POINT #27.
Group size: 2 people per canoe, 6 CAMPERS TOTAL.
Canoe route from Entry Point #27 Snowbank lake to Disappointment Lake.
Your journey starts on Snowbank Lake. We will get a motorized tow through this huge lake! Be prepared for potentially large waves and don’t forget to wear your life jacket.
Portage over two modest portages divided by a small pond to Boot Lake.
The easy 4-rod pullover to Haven Lake leads to a difficult 74-rod portage that climbs uphill, partially over exposed rock, then drops down to Abinodji Lake.
When leaving Abinodji take the 50 rod portage over to Swing Lake, which is a flat and easy carry. Continue across Swing Lake until you reach the 40-portage leading to Gibson Lake, which you will paddle to the southeast corner, where you take an interesting 26 rod portage up the north side of a creek and waterfall to Cattyman Lake. The portage is nearly entirely uphill with extensive exposed metamorphic rock formations.
Continue down to the southern tip of Cattyman, where you will embark on a series of short portages through Adventure, Jitterbug, and finally a 20-rod portage over to Ahsub Lake. Ahsub Lake is a designated trout fishing lake and contains two campsites. The 25 rod portage over to Disappointment Lake is up and over a small hill, and you will cross the Old Pines Hiking Trail along the way.
A relatively easy 80-rod portage connects over to Parent Lake then another 80-rod portage from Parent to Snowbank. This trail is mostly downhill and somewhat rocky. If you would rather skip Parent Lake, you can head directly from Disappointment to Snowbank along a 140-rod portage that is more heavily traveled than either of the 80-rod portages
About the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness or BWCA is located in Minnesota in the northern third of the Superior National Forest. At over one million acres in size, the BWCAW extends nearly 150 miles along the international border adjacent to Canada's Quetico Provincial Park and is bordered on the west by Voyageurs National Park. The BWCA contains 1175 lakes varying in size from 10 to 10,000 acres, more than 1200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and over 2000 designated campsites. The BWCA contains the largest contiguous areas of uncut forest remaining in the eastern United States. You don’t have to be an expert canoeist or outdoorswoman to enjoy the BWCA’s 1,500-plus miles of water trails. In order to protect the wilderness character of the BWCA, motors are allowed only in designated areas. Group sizes are limited, and glass and cans are prohibited. Permits, which are required to enter the BWCA, help keep track of where and how many people are in each particular area. This enables a canoeist to see few if any other groups. Imagine a whole lake to yourself, give or take a few loons. The wilderness offers freedom to those who wish to pursue an experience of expansive solitude, challenge and personal integration with nature. Welcome to Ely, gateway to one of America’s purest outdoor experiences. Ely rests at the edge of Boundary Waters, the largest wilderness area east of the Rockies. Come experience the spirit of untouched wilderness that separates you from modern civilization as you hike the many wooded trails, explore miles of immaculate waterways and shorelines and sleep under the stars. Ely is a wonderful place to connect with a friendly, outdoor-loving community. Immerse yourself in our rich native history and culture, eat delicious food, peruse the local shops and prepare at one of our many outfitters for an expedition into the wild. Our community takes pride in celebrating and protecting our pristine area, guaranteeing a wealth of unforgettable experiences for thoughtful explorers. We promise that adventure awaits you in Ely.
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS + REGULATIONS:
A Minnesota fishing license is needed for this trip if you plan on fishing. A resident Minnesota individual fishing license (Code 111) is $25 and it is good for the year. If you are a non-resident, an individual annual fishing license is $51 (Code 121). There is also a 72-hour/3-day individual license available (Code 127). You can buy it online HERE or at a local Walmart.
TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS + MISC. DETAILS
Wednesday night Bunkhouse Lodging provided by Spirit of the Wilderness outfitters. You will be sharing a sleeping area. The bunk house has multiple beds and bunks in 3 bedrooms. You will need to provide your own sleeping bag, and pillow.
The Bunkhouse is a comfy, cozy home tucked away in a quiet neighborhood just off of Main Street in Ely, MN. Some of the many amenities in this home include: wifi, 2 bathrooms, and a full kitchen.
Small tents/light tents are recommended for the wilderness trip. Please plan accordingly with other campers to share tents. Spirit of the Wilderness also has tents and any other backcountry amenities to rent.
DEPOSIT + PAYMENT INFORMATION
NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT DUE AT REGISTRATION: $250
PAYMENT#1 OF 1 $250 DUE 06/01
AIRPORTS + TRAVEL INFORMATION
The nearest major airport is in Hibbing, MN at the Range Regional Airport (HIB / KHIB) Just 70 miles from Ely, Minnesota, the next airport is
108 miles to Duluth International Airport (DLH / KDLH).
We recommend waiting to book your flights to be in sync with the other women attending to make traveling from the airport to Ely easier. Tentatively plan to arrive sometime in the afternoon (12 - 4 P.M.) on Wednesday, June 19th and depart in the after noon on Monday , June 24th, 2024.
FAQ’S AND POLICY
Yes, this is the boring part. BUT it’s important. We ask each person who registers for a trip to go and visit the FAQs and Policy page of our website. If you register for a trip before reading this information that is on you! There is a lot of great info found there that may or may not sway your decision. Please check out all of our FAQs and Policy information here BEFORE SIGNING UP FOR A TRIP WITH US! Thank you!
Things not included in this trip:
-Any tips to your guides/outfitters - please wait to hear from your coordinator on a suggested tipping amount and plan to always bring cash for tipping. Tipping doesn’t apply to all trips.
-Transportation. Your airline or rental car is not included. Please do not expect to arrive at the airport and have a ride unless specifically planned out with someone.. We suggest that you wait to book any travel plans until you’ve talked with other girls going on the trip. Chances are other people are also flying/driving in and you will be able to coordinate plans with them. It is always cheaper to split a rental car 4 ways!
-Meals are not included in the cost of this trip. We will plan to enjoy the local cuisines or cook at our lodging accommodations!
EXPECTATIONS + NO DRAMA POLICY
There are times that our trips do not go exactly as planned or advertised. Mother nature plays a large role in how we are able to spend time outdoors. We ask that you come into every single Her Wilderness trip with a positive attitude and “go with the flow” mindset for the duration of your trip. If that seems unreasonable, we kindly ask that you do not register for our events. The weather is unpredictable and can impact hiking, hunting, fishing, and our number #1 priority, your safety! For example, if your trip is geared towards hunting ducks, but right now the guide can only confidently offer a successful goose hunt, we will go with the guide's recommendation. If a situation like this will upset you then please do not register for a trip with us. We expect every woman to have a positive attitude no matter the circumstances. We have had plenty of trips get canceled, rescheduled or have plans changed with no issues simply because the group was understanding and made the best of the situation they were given. We pride ourselves in how fun our trips can be even in the most unfortunate of circumstances. If you are often considered “high maintenance” or tend to get stressed out then we kindly want to let you know that our trips are not a good fit for you. You may have to share a bed with a stranger, the weather may not allow us to participate in an activity, there may not be any showers available, there may only be 1 bathroom for 10 women, you may not harvest the animal you wanted to get, there could be someone on the trip that you just don’t vibe with. All of these scenarios are real and they happen. We will do our best to filter and prevent what we can before it becomes an issue. All of our trips and events are a drama and stress free zone! If you are the source of any drama you will be asked to leave with no refund given. We always want to ensure that our customers are comfortable and taken care of. We will always ask that you have a cool, calm and collected attitude. If you are unable to maintain a good attitude in a variety of circumstances we kindly ask that you refrain from registering for a trip. We appreciate each and everyone of our customers and want to ensure the best experience for all of our attendees!
TRIP REGISTRATION AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to a private facebook group for this specific trip. This group is where you can connect with other trip attendees, ask your trip coordinator questions, and receive additional trip details. You can discuss packing lists, travel plans, and more. Please be sure you use a valid working email to register for this trip. If you do not have a facebook account please send an email to questions@herwilderness.co so that we can make the appropriate accommodations to get you additional trip details. Please read carefully: please make all payments by their due dates. If payments are late we will always work with you. however if there is no communication we will assume you are forfeiting your spot and any payments made will not be refunded. By registering for any wilderness trip you are under the full understanding that there are no refunds. by registering for this trip you understand that your deposit is non-refundable with no exceptions.
Please feel free to email questions@herwilderness.co with any questions about this trip!