Paddle and Portage Podcast

Maddy Frawley Talks Gunflint Trail Life and Next Chapter

Maddy Frawley is a fixture at the end of the Gunflint Trail. For the past decade, she's worked at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters, including the past three as a manager on site. Maddy, along with her partner, Clay, won't be around this paddling season, as they are moving to the Twin Cities in the months ahead.
Maddy stopped by the Paddle and Portage headquarters in Grand Marais to discuss Trail life, living and working at the end of the Gunflint, and why she is moving on to her next chapter.
This episode is supported by:
Bending Branches Canoe and Kayak Paddles
Sawbill Canoe Outfitters

The Wilderness is the Work to Share

The Paddle and Portage team is constantly taking inspiration and motivation from wilderness. The act of regularly getting out not only inspires the work, but actually is the work itself. It is both the goal and the path to the goal. In this episode, we support this notion through the stories of Oregon Bill Busacker, Cousin Jeff Frawley, Emma Froh, and Natalya Egon. 
This episode sponsored by: 
North Country Canoe Outfitters
Ely Outfitting Company
Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters
 

Canoecopia 2025: Canada-U.S. Unity and Cliff Jacobson's Last Picture Show

Canoecopia 2025 found itself in the middle of a news story. As Canadian paddlers and businesses arrived to Madison, Wisc., for the world's largest paddling expo, talks of tariffs and political tension between the U.S. and Canada dominated news headlines across both nations. This simmering unfolded in multiple ways at Canoecopia, both ahead of and during the event. Rising above any tension was unity. And that unity comes from paddling, as event organizers share in the podcast. 
Also featured in this episode, recorded entirely at Canoecopia 2025, is a highlight on paddler and author Cliff Jacobson. This year's expo was Cliff's final as a presenter, something he has done for decades at the annual event. Cliff spoke with the Paddle and Portage Podcast just before his presentation, titled "My Last Picture Show: Remembering a Lifetime of Canoeing Wild Rivers." 
This episode is sponsored by: 
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness 
Women's Wilderness Discovery
Special thanks to Canoecopia and Rutabaga Paddlesports for making this episode possible. 

Minnesota Paddler Ventures West and Then Comes Back Home

Kelcy Huston grew up splashing in the creeks and rivers along Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior. She moved out West as a young adult, working a number of outdoor jobs for state and federal agencies. It was a job based near the Lochsa River in Idaho Huston discovered a passion for whitewater paddling. This passion would lead her to some some of the best paddling destinations across the nation, including multiple trips down the Grand Canyon. 
Kelcy moved back to Minnesota recently to be closer to family. The Paddle and Portage team heard about Kelcy and paddling adventures through her father, Pat. We also heard about another family member that make this story one podcast listeners won't soon forget. 
This episode is sponsored by: 
Borderland Lodge 
Loons Nest Coffee 

Gunflint Ranger Station Staffing and Ely Rally News Update

There was a report from the Star Tribune this week that the Gunflint Ranger Station in Grand Marais “has no employees.” The Paddle and Portage Podcast team went to the office Feb. 20 and found it was open and there were people at the front desk.
In this news update on the podcast, we talk about Trump administration’s deferred resignation program for federal employees. The offer, commonly referred to as “Fork in the Road,” has now expired. Following its expiration, multiple Forest Service employees who work on Superior National Forest were let go, sources confirmed with Paddle and Portage. The podcast team attended a community rally in Ely Feb. 15 that was, at least in part, to show support for the Forest Service employees.
Also discussed in this episode are tangible impacts happening now in the BWCA as a result of the staff reductions. One noticeable impact is a lack of day-use/non-quota season permits being available at kiosks on the Gunflint Trail. Not having a permit while a person is in the BWCA Wilderness is against the law. Though, who is accountable if there are no permits in the kiosks? All of this and more discussed on this news update on the podcast.

The Mystery of Ella Hall: A Boundary Waters Story

Ella Hall is buried in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. A grave on a small island located on a lake bearing her name is not something most BWCA paddlers are aware of, let alone come across. 
In this episode, we share the story of Ella Hall. We do so with the help of the late Mike Hillman, an iconic storyteller who lived for many years in and around Ely. Known locally as “Iron Mike,” he wrote and published many stories about the Boundary Waters region. One of the stories he wrote was titled “Legend of the Lost Girl: A Boundary Waters Story.” In his story, which was never published, Mike Hillman writes about life and death of Ella Hall. Thanks to White Raven Productions and Allison Hillman, Mike's daughter, for making this episode possible. 
This episode is sponsored by Cascade Vacation Rentals.

Ice Thickness Update From the Boundary Waters

It's been a cold winter across the Boundary Waters region. Damn cold, in fact. 
Temperatures hit -30 Fahrenheit from the Gunflint Trail to areas near Ely in the middle of February. Double-digit negative temperatures have become something of the norm this winter, dating back to the Jan. 1 trout opener in the BWCA Wilderness. 
In this episode of the podcast, we talk about what ice thickness means for anglers and winter campers for the remainder of the season. One consideration is that auger extensions will become essential in many cases, as Chad Kieper from Gunflint Wilderness Guide Service shares with the podcast team. 
This episode is supported by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters

BWCA Wild and Scottie Baldwin on Why the Boundary Waters Matters

Sometimes you end up in St. Paul, Minnesota. 
In this episode of the podcast, the bulk of which was recorded in the Minnesota capital, we hear from Dan Johnson, the founder of BWCA Wild. Dan films the portages in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. As of February 2025, he's about a third of the way done filming all of the portages. We met up with Dan to talk about his trip reports, videos, and travels in the Boundary Waters. 
Joining the conversation is Scottie Baldwin. Scottie is a sound engineer. He's worked with artists ranging from Prince to the biggest pop starts in China. Through it all, the Boundary Waters has been a place of solace for Scottie. As has our podcast. In the episode, Scottie shares why he didn't book a single permit on "go live" day this year. Hint: It's because of a story he heard on this podcast. 
This episode is sponsored by:
Borderland Lodge
Canoecopia
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness 
 

Forest Service Cancels Public Meetings As Unique Challenges From Nation's Capital Continue

The U.S. Forest Service planned to host two meetings this week that would have allowed the public to provide feedback and learn more about a largescale project aimed to restore "ecological balance" to an area near Ely and the Boundary Waters.
Those meetings, scheduled for Feb. 4 and 5, were cancelled. 
The cancellations were tied, at least in part, to ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to shrink various parts of the federal government, including the U.S. Forest Service. 
In this episode of the podcast, we analyze recent reporting we've done about ongoing efforts to get federal employees to resign in an attempt to shrink the size of government. We also hear from WaterLegacy Executive Director Paula Maccabee about environmental issues and the regulatory industry in the revisited era of Trump, as well as the Walz administration in Minnesota.
This episode of the podcast is supported by Ely Outfitting Company. 
Photo courtesy of Superior National Forest. 
 

Erin Walker Talks Survivor, Winter Camping, and Lost Lakes YouTube Channel

Erin Walker and her husband, Jon, have been hot tent winter camping for the past six winters together, often documenting their adventures on the Lost Lakes YouTube channel. In her most recent article for Paddle and Portage, Erin shares insight on how to select a campsite in the winter months, and what it's like sleeping in an igloo on the ice.
In this episode of the podcast, Erin talks about her upcoming Canoecopia presentation with the Paddle and Portage Podcast team, her love of winter, and her audition tape for Survivor.
This episode is supported by the SavetheBoundaryWaters and SawtoothOutfitters ​

Talking Paddling and Canoecopia with Darren Bush

Canoecopia is the largest paddling expo in North America. The annual event takes place March 7-9 in 2025 in Madison, Wisc. Paddle and Portage Podcast host Joe Friedrichs sat down with Darren Bush, the founder of Canoecopia, to discuss the history and future of the event, as well as what to expect in 2025.
This episode is sponsored by:
Voyageurs Canoe Outfitters
Loons Nest Coffee
Ely Outfitting Company 

BWCA Wilderness Permits: Opening Day Analysis

More people canceled a permit to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in 2023 than ever before, according to a recent report from the U.S. Forest Service.
“Cancellations have more than doubled in five years, suggesting that BWCAW visitors continue to reserve more permits than they can use,” the report states.
Some outfitters and paddlers say the process the Forest Service uses for people to book permits is to blame, at least in part, for the record number of cancellations.
The quota permit season runs from May 1 to Sept. 30. The permits are required for overnight trips only. Day-use permits do not need to be booked in advance.
The permits are available in late January each year for the quota season ahead. Permits go live at 9 a.m. on Jan. 29 this year, for example. Most visitors to the BWCA Wilderness book their early reservations online.
In this episode of the podcast, we hear from John Schiefelbein at North Country Outfitters near Ely about his take on the “go live” format for opening day of permit availability. John submitted a document to the Forest Service in 2023 making suggestions on how to potentially improve the rollout and distribution of permits for the nation’s most visited wilderness.
This episode is sponsored by:
Tuscarora Lodge and Canoe Outfitters
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
Borderland Lodge
 

Renaming BWCA Lake to Honor Former President Jimmy Carter

The idea came to Robert Barrett after skiing up the Gunflint Trail, just days after the passing of former President Jimmy Carter on Dec. 29. 
There are two Caribou lakes near the Gunflint Trail. One near Clearwater Lake, another near Poplar Lake. Both are in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and found in the Mid-Gunflint Trail area. 
Given their proximity, why not rename one of the lakes to honor Carter? It was Carter, after all, who signed the 1978 BWCA Wilderness Act into law. Barrett had this idea and sent it to the team at Paddle and Portage. It turns out, the notion is not without precedent. And there is a process to change a lake name in Minnesota. Listen to this episode to find out the details. 
This episode is sponsored by: Sawbill Canoe Outfitters

Amy and Dave Freeman on Their North American Odyssey

Amy and Dave Freeman are widely recognized for their dedication and passion for the Boundary Waters, including their book "A Year in the Wilderness."
Amy and Dave have a new book, "North American Odyssey." 
To kick off Season Two of the Paddle and Portage Podcast, we hear from Amy and Dave about how their travels across the continent continue to be anchored, in part, in the Boundary Waters. 
This episode is sponsored by:
Cascade Vacation Rentals
Canoecopia
Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters 

Read the Book: A Boundary Waters Trout Opener Discussion with DNR's Hudson Ledeen

The trout opener for lakes entirely within the BWCA Wilderness begins Wednesday, Jan. 1. During the 2024 legislative session, state law was changed to move the start date for the ice fishing season to Jan. 1. Lakes outside the wilderness will continue to open on a Saturday later in the month, typically two weeks after the BWCA Wilderness opener. With the change in state law, that gap between the two openers is fluid, and could grow in length over time depending on what day of the week the wilderness opener falls on.
Paddle and Portage reported on this change earlier in the year, though with the opener drawing close, local conservation officers and others from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are reminding people about the change.
“Go with what the (regulation) book says,” said Hudson Ledeen, a DNR conservation officer based in Cook County.
In this episode, we talk with Ledeen about the 2025 trout opener and upcoming ice fishing season for lakes in the BWCA Wilderness. 

EXPLORE Act Implications for the Boundary Waters: Conversation with Bryan Hansel

Minnesota officials and some Boundary Waters enthusiasts are celebrating the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences, or EXPLORE Act.
The final package of the EXPLORE Act includes more than a dozen policy measures aimed at supporting outdoor recreation on public lands, including Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Among other things, the bill would remove some of the permits required for filmmakers and photographers who take pictures and video on public land, including Superior National Forest, while reducing barriers for those who want to share stories, images, and video from the nation's most visited wilderness area.
In this episode, we hear from Cook County photographer Bryan Hansel about the photography and filming aspects of the EXPLORE Act. We also hear a quick update from the DNR about the upcoming trout fishing season in the BWCA Wilderness (Listen to the separate, full episode for more on the trout opener). 

The Epic Saga of Frank Kugler on Pine Lake

In this episode we travel with Duluth based writer Ryan Rodgers to Pine Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Rodgers recently wrote an article in the Boundary Waters Journal about the life of Frank Kugler, an Austrian immigrant who was tried in Cook County for murder in 1919. Kugler shot a man named John Doe on Pine Lake that year, though he claimed the act was justified. 
We set out to visit the Kugler homestead to learn more about the tremendous saga of his life and times in and around the Boundary Waters. Ultimately, we learned more about Rodgers and what motivates him to write about the Boundary Waters and stories of violence, history, and redemption, than we did about Kugler himself. 
This episode is sponsored by:
Loons Nest Coffee
Sawtooth Outfitters

News Short Track: Ice Skateboard and RABC Update Revisited

In this news track of the podcast, we hear an update on the "pause" of the Remote Area Border Crossing Program. Donny and Lisa Sorlie, owners of Chippewa Inn on the Canadian side of Saganaga Lake, stopped by the P&P headquarters in Grand Marais to share an update. Also stopping by to explain how the RABC situation is impacting him is Cook County resident Darin Fagerman. 
Also in the short track, we hear from Grand Marais resident David Welch. An avid Boundary Waters skater, Welch engineered an ice skateboard and a social media post created by M Baxley and Bear Witness Media is generating a lot of buzz online. 
This episode is sponsored by: 
REDBUDSUDS
Tuscarora Lodge and Canoe Outfitters
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness

Boundary Waters Winter Travel: No Ice is Safe Ice

Though winter is an amazing time to travel across the (frozen) Boundary Waters, a simple fact needs to be considered at all times: No ice is safe ice. At the very least, ice is extremely unpredictable. 
In this episode, we hear from Eric Glasson, LynnAnne Vesper, Pete Brautigam, and John Downing. They all have experience being on Boundary Waters ice. Perhaps more importantly, they share personal stories and facts about why people break through the ice.
This episode is supported by:
Voyageur Canoe Outfitters
Bent Paddle Brewing Company
Save the Boundary Waters Campaign
Canoecopia
Ely Outfitting Company

Motor Use to Study Fish in the BWCA Wilderness

The Minnesota DNR has been using motors inside the federally protected BWCA Wilderness for many decades. The uses of motors range from the stocking of fish by airplane to the studying of fish populations using boats and nets on the many scattered lakes across the Boundary Waters. The DNR is allowed to use motors in the nation’s most visited wilderness. This permission comes from the U.S. Forest Service.
In this episode, we hear from DNR and Forest Service officials about the use of motorboats in the Boundary Waters, and how the research impacts things like wilderness character and the user experience for those visiting the canoe-country. 
 
This episode is supported by:
Sawtooth Outfitters
Ely Outfitting Company
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
Tuscarora Lodge and Canoe Outfitters

Short Track News Update: RABC Permits

After a week of questioning from members of the press, Congressional staff, business owners, and people who are feeling left in the dark, Canadian officials are still being vague when it comes to the future of the Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) Program.
Luke Reimer, a spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency, told Paddle and Portage Nov. 19 that the Canadian agency “regularly assesses its programs to respond to current service needs and evolving trends.”
Part of assessing the current status of RABC permits includes dynamics focused on “ensuring the safety, security, and prosperity of Canada.”
With nothing in the way of a public announcement, the Canadian government in late September “paused the processing of new and renewal applications” for the RABC program that allows travelers to cross into certain remote parts of the Boundary Waters region. The podcast duo analyze the latest on the situation in this episode of the podcast. 
Also discussed in the episode is Canoecopia 2025. Tickets should be booked now for the largest paddling expo in North America. 

Updates From The Road: Bending Branches Tour, Book Event in Duluth, Emily Ford Time

In this update from the road, we hear about a tour Bear Paulsen and Joe Friedrichs took of the Bending Branches facility in Wisconsin, share audio from an event for Last Entry Point at Fitger's where Rick Slatten and members of Mark Ham's family spoke, and M Baxley brings us an update from Emily Ford. 
This episode of the podcast is sponsored by:
Bent Paddling Brewing Company
Solbakken on Superior 
 

Winter Camping Truths Amid Celebration

Not everything about winter camping is pleasant. It can be cold, windy, and basically one giant bundle of brutal. Other parts can be, and often are, magic. Sunsets. Solitude. Adventure.
The Winter Camping Symposium is a gathering to celebrate the arrival of winter and the gear that allows us to embrace the cold months in places like the Boundary Waters. The annual event celebrated its 25th year in 2024. 
Some of the Paddle and Portage team were on site for the event this year. They share stories that show the event is very similar to winter camping: It's beautiful, and it's not immune from the complexities of human interactions and experiences.
This episode of the podcast is supported by:
Voyageur Canoe Outfitters 
Loons Nest Coffee
Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply 
 

Forest Service Budget Woes and What It Means For the Boundary Waters

The U.S. Forest Service is facing a budget cut for 2025. 
Looking ahead to the 2025 paddling season, if some of the seasonal backcountry staff are absent from the BWCA Wilderness it could dramatically impact the visitor experience, Forest Supervisor Tom Hall acknowledged during a recent public meeting in Grand Marais. 
“How do we make sure that we’re doing the right thing out on the land, in the Boundary Waters, with digging latrines and cleaning portages and any of those other sorts of services?” Hall said. “And so how do we meet those critical needs, knowing that we don’t want to close the Boundary Waters?”
Hall and the Forest Service on Superior National Forest hosted an open house at the Tofte Ranger Station Oct. 30 to discuss this and other topics relevant to the Boundary Waters and surrounding area. Paddle and Portage attended the event and shares this update on what the budget cuts for the Forest Service could mean for the next paddling season. 
This news update on the podcast is supported by Solbakken on Superior and Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. 

Updates From The Road: Winter Camping Festival and Amy & Dave Freeman Book Event

The Winter Camping Symposium is a gathering to celebrate the arrival of winter and the gear that allows us to embrace the cold months in places like the Boundary Waters. 
 
The Paddle and Portage team attended the 2024 winter camping celebration near Moose Lake. We’ll be sharing stories from and about the event in the next full episode of the podcast. 
 
In this short track from The Road, we hear about a busy weekend of travel for the podcast duo. Stops along the way include a visit with Baihly from WDIO TV in Duluth, a few days at the winter camping fest, an incredible breakfast diner in Moose Lake, and a visit with Dave and Amy Freeman at an event at Bent Paddle Brewing Company in Duluth to conclude the adventure.