Paddle and Portage Podcast

After weeks of disruption and uncertainty, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is in the process of reopening. 
Large swaths of the BWCA, including the entire Gunflint and significant portions of the wilderness on the Ely side, will be reopening for overnight paddling and other access during the first week of August. 
The BWCA Wilderness was shut down entirely July 14 due to numerous wildfires. 
The reopening is welcomed news for paddlers and outfitters. In this episode, we share stories about the reopening of the BWCA, and how people came together during the closure. 
This episode is supported by Tex's Riverways, Ely Outfitting Company, and Friends of the Boundary Waters. 

Paddlers from Northern Tier High Adventure, a Scout organization with strong ties to the Ely area, were among those evacuated from the Boundary Waters in July 2026. 
In this episode, we hear their firsthand accounts of getting out from deep in the BWCA and Quetico during the evacuation. Towboats played a role, as did a series of critical decisions made along the way. The stories were recorded near Ely soon after the Scouts were evacuated. 
Special thanks to Jake Hway from Chilly Dogs Sled Dog Trips for first reaching out with news of this story. Thanks, too, to Pam Wright from Soka Outdoors for recording some of the audio used in this podcast. 
This episode is sponsored by Borderland Lodge, Sawtooth Outfitters, and City Cast Twin Cities. 

Smoky skies, closures, evacuations, and displacement of people have dominated conversations across the Boundary Waters region during recent days.
The BWCA Wilderness shut down July 14 amid a series of wildfires and excessive heat. The length of the closure is unknown at this time. Quetico is also closed at this time due to numerous wildfires burning in and around the park. 
In this episode, we hear from Laura Nelson, a resident of Washington D.C. who was among a group of six paddlers airlifted from Quetico July 14. 
We also hear from Aubrey Helmuth-Miller, who drove with her family from Ohio to paddle a canoe in the BWCA, only to have the wilderness shut down soon after they arrived to Ely. 
Music in this episode from The Upstream Drifters and Ian Tamblyn. 
Photo credit for this episode to Pam Wright for Paddle & Portage media. 
Hear more stories like Aubrey and Laura's on our YouTube page.
 

There are enough stories, news, and information happening on the Ely side of the Boundary Waters on any given day to produce an episode of this podcast. And while that might happen at some point down the road, let's start with this midseason update from the canoe capital of the world. 
To kick things off, we hear from Mark Zimmer, the Barefoot Paddler of the Boundary Waters. 
Also in this we hear from Nancy Scheibe, an Ely artist who is leading a project to paint a mural of Sig Olson this summer. 
We cap the episode with a conversation with the new director the Listening Point Foundation, Kathleen Floberg. 
This episode is supported by Sawtooth Outfitters, Ely Outfitting Company, and City Cast Twin Cities. 

As we've reported in a recent episode of the podcast, access to Quetico Provincial Park from the Cache Bay and Prairie Portage ranger stations is once again an option for many paddlers. This development comes as the RABC Program winds down in September. A new telephone reporting system went live at both ranger stations June 8, and the response from paddlers has been upbeat on the new method to clear customs and enter Canada for a trip to Quetico. 
In this episode, we hear from Cache Bay Rangers Peter and Stacey about their time working on the remote island where the ranger station is located. We also head up the Moose Chain near Ely with Blayne Hall from Williams & Hall Outfitters to check out the Prairie Portage entrance into Quetico.  
This episode is supported by City Cast Twin Cities, Friends of the BWCA, and Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center. 

The cost to cancel a permit to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is likely on the rise. 
The U.S. Forest Service, in an attempt to reduce the number of BWCA permits canceled each year, is planning to make it more expensive to take such action. 
We break it down with Ginny Nelson, a co-owner of Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitters in Ely. 
Submit your comments to the U.S. Forest Service on this topic to this email: sm.fs.bwcawsurvey@usda.gov
Other ideas on this topic, as discussed in the episode: https://paddleandportage.com/2025/01/13/bwca-wilderness-permit-reservation-system-opening-day-analysis/
This episode is supported by Borderland Lodge and Voyageur Canoe Outfitters. 

We share the latest on access to Quetico Provincial Park now that telephone reporting is replacing the RABC Program. Hear a firsthand account of how the new telephone reporting system to access Quetico works. Spoiler alert: It works great! 
Also in this episode, we hear from Bryan Hansel, a photographer who lives near Grand Marais about the public's right to film, take photos, or make sound recordings in the BWCA and other wilderness areas across the country. It's been a long road, and finally there's clarity on what is allowed. 
This news track is supported by City Cast Twin Cities and Northstar Canoes. 

The St. Louis River Estuary is the confluence of the St. Louis River with Lake Superior.  At 12,000 acres, the St. Louis River Estuary is the largest freshwater estuary in North America and is considered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to be the headwaters of the Great Lakes.
Over the past 150 years, industry and other human activity disrupted and altered natural habitats at this estuary, as shorelines and near shore areas were dredged and developed, and chemical contamination impacted the waters, according to the DNR. 
People recognized that legacy sediment contaminants needed to be remediated and damaged habitat needed to be restored. This work started decades ago and continues today. 
The Paddle & Portage Podcast team recently traveled to the estuary for a paddle trip. Joining the podcast duo were staff from the Lake Superior Reserve and the St. Louis River Alliance. 
This episode is supported by our listener-members, and by Cooke Custom Sewing, Loons Nest Coffee, and Friends of the Boundary Waters. 

Don Beans first heard about the Boundary Waters when he was a kid growing up in Ohio. And he did so via a magazine, and through the words of longtime Ely resident Bob Cary, a local author, journalist, artist, and wilderness guide.
About 10 years after reading one of Bob Cary’s articles, Don left Ohio and headed north. The year was 1983. His destination: Ely.
In this episode, we hear the story of Don Beans and his journey to the Boundary Waters. Special thanks to Cindy Smyka and the Jasper Company, a multigenerational family business dedicated to hospitality, for their contributions to this episode. 
This episode is supported by you, our listener-members. Support also comes from Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles and Ely Outfitting Company.

In this two-part episode, we hear of a helicopter rescue from May 2026 when two paddlers capsized in the BWCA near Ely. The podcast duo break down the situation, including the public's response to the incident. 
We also hear from Gunflint Trail resident JT McMillion in the episode. JT is a retired pilot who recently wrote and released a book about his experiences in the sky, "Arctic Circle Dreams." JT got his start in the outdoor industry at Gunflint Lodge in the 1970s. He shares his story on the podcast, while also taking us up above the Gunflint in his plane. 
This episode is supported by Loons Nest Coffee and Ely Outfitting Company. 

It snowed across most of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness during the 2026 Fishing Opener. Indeed, Saturday, May 9 was marked by cold, snow and lingering ice across most of the eastern side of the wilderness. 
Nonetheless, the team from Paddle & Portage traveled into the BWCA once again for the fishing opener. Lake trout were caught. As were walleye. Despite numerous snow squalls, relentless gusts of wind, and cold temperatures, the trip was by all accounts a wonderful experience. 
After departing the BWCA on the Monday after the fishing opener, we were informed that Scott Stahnke, 73, had passed away. Scott was the owner of Ugly Baby Bait and Boats on the Gunflint Trail. The day before the opener, we'd featured Scott in a P&P article. 
Travel with us for all of this in this episode of the podcast, which is supported by Sawtooth Outfitters, Borderland Lodge, and Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles. 
Music in this episode courtesy of the Upstream Drifters and Ian Tamblyn. 

Bob Carlson is a co-owner of Loons Nest Coffee on the Gunflint Trail. He's also a lifelong paddler in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Bob went on his first BWCA when he was 3-years-old.
These days, Bob is busy running Carlson Roasting Company and Loons Nest Coffee. He still enjoys paddling in the BWCA with his family. Chasing lake trout and walleye are part of the experience on a Carlson-family adventure, but it's more about sharing a passion for the canoe country with the next generation of paddlers, as Bob shares in this video episode of the podcast.
This episode was recorded at Canoecopia 2026 in Madison, Wisc. 
Support for the episode comes from Canoecopia, Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, and Friends of the Boundary Waters.

Many of the brook trout and splake that end up in lakes in and around the Boundary Waters come from fish hatcheries in southeastern Minnesota.
Joe from the P&P Podcast recently toured the Peterson State Fish Hatchery, which is managed by the Minnesota DNR. The hatchery is located near the Root River and the popular tourist town of Lanesboro. 
Assistant Fisheries Supervisor Ryan Wierzba led us on the tour. Among other things, we discuss how splake are made and how they end up in the lakes in and around the BWCA.
What is a splake? It's a lake trout and brook trout hybrid. And they're damn tasty, many anglers agree. 
This episode is supported by Sawbill Canoe Outfitters and Borderland Lodge. 

The federal government announced last week it is moving the headquarters for the U.S. Forest Service from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City.
As part of the move, the Forest Service says it will also close or repurpose all nine of its regional offices, create 15 state offices, and shutter research and development facilities in more than 30 states, including a site in Ely on the edge of the Boundary Waters.
The specifics on what “research and development facility” in Ely will be closing remains in question a week after the announcement came out. Paddle and Portage media spoke with officials from the Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps April 4, as it’s possible they are included in the situation, specifically a historic research lab they now manage in Ely via a lease with the Forest Service. 
Learn more in this episode of the podcast. 
Also featured in the episode is Duluth writer Alex Messenger. Alex talks about his new book, "The Ice on the Lake." He also shares stories about search and rescue operations he's been on in the Boundary Waters, as well as the time he was mauled by a grizzly bear in Canada. 
This episode is sponsored by Voyageur Canoe Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail, and Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles. 

April. The month that's been known to send fear up the spine of the Paddle & Portage Podcast team. 
Recent revelations about what April can offer for BWCA and Quetico adventures has the podcast duo rejuvenated this year. A surge of outdoor activity in late March played a role in this newfound understanding of late winter in the Boundary Waters, as is shared in this episode, which is sponsored by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters, Loons Nest Coffee, Friends of the Boundary Waters, and Ely Outfitting Company. 

Kevin Kinney, owner of Empire Wool and Canvas Company, celebrates the natural world. He does so without apologies. A direct, straightforward creator, Kevin is a generous creator of fabric, though he doesn't need your approval to know his work is being done the right way. He knows it. And most everyone who has some of his product knows it too.
Kevin has built small batches of garments near Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters for more than 20 years. He runs his business the same way he always has: Old school. Customers order direct. No waitlists. Manufacturer to customer. No B.S.
In this episode of the podcast, we learn about the journey of Kevin Kinney. 
This episode is sponsored by Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles and Borderland Lodge.  

Minnesota author and frequent Paddle & Portage contributor Ryan Rodgers has a new book about paddling canoes. “Where the Green Light Shines” will be available in summer 2026.
The book takes readers from Minnesota’s Boundary Waters into the Canadian barrens, a region rarely seen by most BWCA paddlers. The book tells the pull this area had on one of Minnesota’s most accomplished paddlers, Bob O’Hara.
Rodgers recently met up with Joe Friedrichs on the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais to discuss the book and other topics relevant to the Boundary Waters.
This episode is sponsored by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters and Ely Outfitting Company. 

Mona Gauthier led her first trip to the BWCA in August 1983. At that time, she was a recent college graduate with limited resources and made do with gear and equipment that was available. Inspired by the peace, beauty, adventure and challenge of the BWCA, she vowed to return. And return she did.
In 2025, Mona completed a 200-mile solo trip across the border lakes of the Boundary Waters. It was her first solo adventure after completing nearly 70 trips to the BWCA. 
In this episode, we share Mona's story of her first solo trip, and how it intersects with decades of introducing others to wilderness paddling. 
This episode is sponsored by Loons Nest Coffee and Sawtooth Outfitters. 
Special thanks to Mike Gauthier, Sue Sullivan, Paula & Fred Furlich, Lisa DeLaney, Joanie Ouellette, Ruthie Davis, and Kevin Kenow for supporting Mona's trip and helping to make this episode possible. 

Tim Bates met his wife on the Gunflint Trail. For decades, he paddled and portaged a canoe past thousands of BWCA visitors, though most never knew his name. A gifted paddler and wilderness enthusiast, Tim passed away in December 2025 after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 60.
Tim worked at the University of Minnesota Duluth outdoor education program. He was also a co-founder of the Duluth Folk School. He was a certified canoe instructor who introduced the Boundary Waters to many people during the past 30 years. 
In this episode, we hear the story of Tim Bates, a quiet legend of the Boundary Waters. 
This episode is supported by Bent Paddle Brewing Company and Friends of the Boundary Waters. 
Special thanks to Julie Bates, Kelly Bates, Ken Gilbertson, and Pat Kohlin for making this episode possible. 

Sometimes the hardest part of wilderness travel – be it a winter trip to the Boundary Waters or a canoe trip to Quetico – isn’t the actual adventure itself that is the most taxing. What can be the most challenging is simply getting back home and adjusting back to “regular life.”
Four Minnesotans spent most of last summer paddling from the end of the Gunflint Trail to Hudson Bay, going north across a large section of Canada along the way. Paddling under the name Solitude of Four, the group traveled more than 1,250 miles over the course of the 2.5-month expedition through some of North America’s most remote waterways.
We followed their journey last summer on the podcast, and featured it before, during, and after their trip. We’ve also been in contact with the group since they completed their journey in mid-August. The names of the four paddlers are Ryan, Kathleen, Maren, and Timea.
They’ve all settled back into the post Hudson Bay trip differently. We wanted to learn what it’s like settling back into society after being immersed in the routine of a canoe trip for more than two months.
Also featured in this episode is Zach Fritz. Zach is well known in many paddling circles across the Upper Midwest, including an epic paddle trip he made from Minnesota to the Arctic Ocean in 2024. Zach was in communication with the Solitude of Four before their trip, offering suggestions for the paddle north.  
This episode is sponsored by Ely Outfitting Company.

The BWCA is making national headlines in early 2026, with a proposed mine near the edge of the wilderness being the primary news item drawing attention to the region. A vote to reverse a mining ban on Superior National Forest is likely happening soon in the U.S. Senate, though any such vote was delayed this week. 
The podcast duo of M Baxley and Joe Friedrichs discuss the latest and what it means for the Boundary Waters in this news track. Other topics discussed include the consumption of BWCA permits following "Go Live Day" in late January, a conversation with Forest Supervisor Tom Hall about management plans for the BWCA, and what the 2026 election year could mean for the Boundary Waters. 

The core Paddle & Portage team spent a combined 24 nights in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in January. 
Many miles were covered over the course of multiple trips. Lake trout were sought after and caught. Camps were made, refined, rebuilt, and torn down again. 
In this episode, we hear about one of the numerous P&P trips to start the winter of 2026. During this adventure, nearly a foot of snow made an exit from the wilderness physically exhausting. The mind-game entered the equation. You can't think your way out of the Boundary Waters once you're in. Or can you?
Featured guests are 'Oregon Bill' Busacker and The Great Josh Dix. 
Music in this episode courtesy of the Upstream Drifters. 
This episode is sponsored by Friends of the Boundary Waters. 

Sarah Kremer is a music teacher and musician who lives in Minnesota. She's also a paddler. Her first trip was a 30-day epic to Woodland Caribou. She was a teenager on that first trip. The next summer, she paddled to Hudson's Bay. 
Sarah is 31 years old now and working as a music teacher for multiple schools near St. Cloud. On top of her work as a music teacher, Sarah’s also been busy writing music. In fact, she wrote a symphony. And it’s about paddling. It will be performed for the first time in front of a live audience March 1 in the small town of Buffalo, Minn., which is about an hour northwest of Minneapolis. The musical composition is called “A Paddler’s Symphony." 
In this episode of the podcast, Sarah shares her story of music, paddling, and why she wrote this symphony. 
This episode is sponsored by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters and Borderland Lodge on the Gunflint Trail. 

Erin Walker is a frequent contributor to Paddle and Portage media. She also appears regularly on The Lost Lakes YouTube channel. In this interview, Erin talks with Jon, the founder Lost Lakes about how the channel came to be, what trips are on the books for 2026, and what industry trends mean for the channel.
It's worth noting that Erin and Jon are married and share some of their adventures on YouTube. Take a look behind the scenes of the Lost Lakes in this P&P exclusive.
This episode is support by Loons Nest Coffee on the Gunflint Trail. 

Buck Benson is 74 years old. Born and raised in Grand Marais, he still lives near his hometown on Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior.
Buck doesn't think much about his age. He certainly doesn't let it slow him down. On a recent winter day near Lake Superior, Buck and a friend skied on the frozen Cascade River, covering many miles on their journey.
More recently, Buck told the crew from the Paddle & Portage Podcast that he wanted to catch some lake trout in the Boundary Waters. We were happy to oblige.
As we traveled across the frozen lakes and snow-covered portages, it came as no surprise that Buck traveled with great ease, even as he pulled a sled full of gear up a steep hillside. And that was after he bagged a few trout on the remote wilderness lake, of course.
In this episode, we share the story of Buck Benson. Thanks for the inspiration, Buck.
This episode is sponsored by Sawbill Canoe Outfitters and Ely Outfitting Company.