SOLO CANOE CAMPING - WINDY & RAINY in BWCA Wilderness 2024

[@Proctorhigh80]

The last week in August is best for avoiding mosquitoes but starts getting chilly at night.

[@danielcollins5978]

Thank you for taking me along, you rock the way you adapt.

[@jodimiddendorf]

Thanks for watching!

[@naps3386]

I read an article about Beavers in Californina, irradicated by man 100 years ago. They now realize how important the beaver dams are in preventing water from flowing to the ocean so quickly. Beavers are the best!

[@jodimiddendorf]

I enjoy watching beavers and otters on BWCA trips. They are playful little guys.

[@karene9131]

What a marvelous video…thank you so much for sharing your adventure! I’m so glad you are doing these things while you’re young! I’m 71 years old now and that’s slowed me up considerably!❤️😊Also have you ever tried paddling with a kayak paddle…I find that it works really well, especially in wind!

[@davidanderson1620]

Good video, love the courage. The weather seems more ominous when you’re out there alone. So do noises at night a twig snapping or the wolves howling across the lake.

[@jodimiddendorf]

Exactly. I am far more cautious when I’m alone. And I usually don’t sleep quite as well. But still, it’s lovely.

[@duaneolsen2916]

Looks like you had a nice trip, definitely a beautiful area. I am really interested in the pack you were using.

[@jodimiddendorf]

mnzgear.store/discount/B4RHEMTY7V6G It’s a newer company. The guy makes quality stuff. He sent me a few things to try. This was my first time trying and honestly I loved the pack. I’m not paid and I also don’t receive commission, but the link in this comment should get you 10% off.

[@hikeller51]

Thanks for sharing! Trials and tribulations are just part of the journey. No trip ends up 100% perfect. I love talking about past backpacking trips with my kids. You just hope the high points out weigh the low points in any adventure. I've had a few really bad trips over the years, but they still hold a special place in my heart and I think back on them fondly.🤘

[@SteveMorman]

This takes me back: thank you for bringing us along: well done!

[@jodimiddendorf]

Thank you!

[@robertbuck1028]

Thanks for posting the websites for the gear. Great job on videos. Keep it up, been doing Quetico since I was 8 . Now going to be 79 and still going strong.

[@jodimiddendorf]

I love that! I hope this year's trip is lovely!

[@raktoda707]

We liked your hard won camp trip too ! Who amongst us has never forgotten (or not had enough $ to buy food,gear) love of a hardy time prevails.Bummer your water filter is unusable.Home is where everything is perfect,thats why we always go home.Thanks

[@Agile47509chicken]

Just got back from Lake One/Insula. Bugs were absolutely nasty. First time I ever cut a trip short 🙁

[@nahnotsomuch2292]

1988...middle of Lake One. My father says, "Hold on...lemme look at this map." He leans forward, proceeds to try and find the thing down in the floor of the canoe. Pays zero attention to his weight (kind of a roly poly dude) and the weight of all the packs. I couldn't counter the weight of all of it (16 yrs old and 108 pounds soaking wet at the time). Dumped the canoe and everything we had in that lake. It was all recovered, but it was the start of a very not good trip. 😄

[@jodimiddendorf]

Crazy memory!

[@jodimiddendorf]

The bugs are especially intense this year!

[@thomasbrissee3251]

A cheapo head net is definitely a sanity saver! I solo'd a while ago and spent a morning "run-packing" my stuff. This means I pack some stuff here until the bugs find me, then run to another spot to pack there, then bugs find me, repeat, repeat until fully packed up. I'm sure it was funny to watch but the black flies and skeeters made it necessary. Bug net and suit purchased on the way home.

[@saintbroseff]

Just found your channel whilst doing research for my first (probably solo) BWCA trip. Love the videos, super inspiring to get out there!

[@jodimiddendorf]

I hope your BWCA trip is a blast. It's a beautiful area.

[@troypayne3078]

We make a couple trips into the BWCA each year. Really liked this video. If you are looking for a solo consider a Northwind Solo made in Princeton MN.

[@jodimiddendorf]

I would definitely like to get a solo canoe at some point. Thanks for the recommendation.

[@DRazz86]

Jody I was missing one of your BW videos. Question to have a reference point. How tall are you? I want to see my self carrying a canoe that size lol.

[@jodimiddendorf]

I'm 5'9. This canoe is bigger than I'd like. But it works!

[@kristingrounds4163]

Looks like you had a nice trip regardless of the issues. You should have added some of those spruce tips to the hot water...i see so many fresh new green ones on the tree

[@jodimiddendorf]

That would have made a nice little tea!

[@delongbear]

Thanks!

[@jodimiddendorf]

Wow thank you for the Super thanks!

[@Canoejerry]

Tie that canoe up. Always. I had an incident where the canoe was like 10 meters or more from the shore and wind caught it while I was sleeping and shipped it a mile down shore. Now I tie the boat up even on quietest night. And that 18’er is a big boat to solo.

[@jodimiddendorf]

Yes! I agree. I use my life jacket straps to buckle the canoe to a tree at night. Super easy. I only use para cord if the trees are all too big. And the canoe is definitely large for solo use. But it’s what I have, for now. Looking into smaller boats.

[@Canoejerry]

Best boat is the one you have. I have paracord on front and back as dock lines anyway usually. I have a 15’ , 16’ and 16’7”. The 15 is the go to solo but the 16 is fine. Portaging the 15’ is a big difference just in knocking trees and just managing the length surprisingly. 15’ is slow on open water though. Great video.

[@jodimiddendorf]

@@Canoejerry I have used a Wenonah Aurora solo before and loved it. That one is 16ft. I'm torn between a boat like that which can be used solo or tandem, OR a strictly solo canoe. I love solo trips so maybe a true solo canoe is warranted. I'm open to input. haha

[@Canoejerry]

My 16’ is an aurora royalex. That boat is nice for tandem and ok for solo. The 15’ is a swift prospector. I was torn between the 15’ prospector solo vs tandem. I’m able to do 3 days tandem trips with a kid and smaller gear. I’m usually 80 percent tandem and 20 percent solo. If it was reversed I’d get a used solo. I’ve been eyeing the north wind solo but never paddled it.

[@MissMichoS]

Hey Jodi! Great video! Tell us more about that fishing pole, please. Suggestion: add that and your cloth map to the gear list. I heard you talk about that map in another video, but don't remember which video or any of the details.

[@tonecoughlinphotography]

I made it to Johnson Falls and back from E Bearskin in 5.5 hrs day tripping. They're cracking down on ppl leaving food at portages now without bear proof containers. The Rose Lake and Clearwater bear has been rampant the last couple of years.

[@jodimiddendorf]

I love Johnson Falls.

[@livetroy]

Last couple of times at Clearwater have seen bears.

[@reidkelly2730]

Since I'm a book nerd, I googled the book you took along. After reading a short description of chaos theory, I officially am more confused than before.

[@jodimiddendorf]

So far, what I have read in the book has been about the beginnings of the chaos theory. I'm no expert. I just find it interesting. The book begins by using chaos theory to explain why it is impossible to predict weather far into the future even with loads of data and mathematic understandings of weather and weather systems. Basically, there are patterns to weather, magnetic pole switches, and other phenomenon yet they never repeat exactly and past data cannot really predict future data with any accuracy. So far, I would recommend the book.

[@jamesrollings1029]

Going to the BWCA this weekend! Great video!

[@jodimiddendorf]

Have fun!

[@tracyelsinger1088]

Have you ever considered wearing the Chota (or similar) knee or hip waders? I have a pair of their stocking foot knee waders and they work great paired with water shoes. No more wet feet!

[@derseerolf]

Why you don't show how to handle the problems? The only one was the "hot-water-bottle. What about drying your boot with the energy of the fire? I mean to put dry socks into then dry the socks near the fire. And why don't you load some stones or wood into the canoe for getting it deeper in the water? The fish follows the things to eat. So it may be there where the wind blows. Sorry, if my writing is incorrect. I'm not american.

[@fredgarvin1465]

Nice. I would dump the back-packy toy stove for somthing like this. Ultralight Coleman Model 5438 Propane Stove (5438B700) Single Burner. Also. although cool, your Sea to Summit collapsible Kettel seams to dribble every time you pour it. I would recommend this. GSI Halulite 1.8L Tea Kettle HS.

[@jodimiddendorf]

I’ve had that exact Coleman. I prefer my back-packy toy stove because it still works when it gets rained on. My Coleman would take forever to dry out and work properly. And it’s heavier. And my Coleman slowly stopped working over time. The holes would clog. I have two new jetboil stove systems that in excited to test out soon. I’ve thought of doing reviews of different camping stoves I’ve used and why I like them. The MSR one in this video is my favorite right now, but I’m looking forward to seeing what I think of jetboil. That tea kettle looks like something I’d love to try out. Thank you for the recommendations 😊😊😊.

[@fredgarvin1465]

@@jodimiddendorf I didn't have the same experience with my Coleman stove. Yes, it weighs more than the toy stove but is nice to roll with a 1 Pound propane bottle instead of those little lighter fluid cans. If you did try out the GSI kettle, note that it has a heat sink on the bottom that would work great with toy stoves. 🙂

[@wiseoleowl5154]

I don’t know where you live but I wish I lived closer to the BW. I live 14 hours south in Illinois. Don’t lose the gorgeous ring.

[@jodimiddendorf]

I live 5-6 hours away and even I wish I lived closer. living in Duluth or surrounding area would be lovely I think. Then you can easily head to Ely or Gunflint side. I will likely order a silicone ring to wear on future trips. Wearing my ring on this trip stressed me out a bit.

[@RockyZajThoj]

Question for you, how did you carry your fishing rod? 😅 going bwca in few weeks and trying to figure out what I need. Awesome video!

[@jodimiddendorf]

I have a telescopic fishing rod. So I packed my rod in my portage pack and assembled it at camp. I have previously brought non-telescopic rods and just portaged them by carrying them. It works, but it can be tedious if the portage path is overgrown or if you are carrying many things at once.

[@lb9364]

Impressive! How heavy is the pack? And the canoe?

[@jodimiddendorf]

The canoe is 61lbs. and I'm not sure abut the pack. It is heavy! haha

[@timjk32]

where did you get that cool map?

[@G-man45444]

4:37 I missed a sign 3 weeks ago portaging to a small lake and ended up walking for 2.5 k before I came across a fork and a cross country ski trail map.... "you are here" was wayyyyyy south of where I was supposed to be. So ... as a man, we ignore maps on the highway and in the bush 😂😂

[@jodimiddendorf]

Oh boy. That is a massive detour.

[@G-man45444]

@@jodimiddendorf yeah, I knew it was a Fairways Inn, but I really should've clued in when I was walking for an overly long time that's all on me

[@MinnesotaMegOffGrid]

Ahhhh, I miss the boundary waters. I used to go with my church youth group but that was years ago. Do you purposefully buy camp items that are light weight for portage trips or is that not a big deal?

[@jodimiddendorf]

I try to buy light weight things but I haven't usually gone for ultralight items. "Ultralight" items tend to become very expensive, so I just try to be practical. However, now that I own all of the necessary gear I need, as I slowly upgrade or replace items, I will try to go for more ultralight options as I would like to do some backpacking in the future and hope to use some of the same gear for backpacking and canoe trips. If you just plan to canoe camp, I think you can make most gear work fine. It just depend on how much portaging you want to do and how long those portages are. I will be doing a trip this summer with my dad, his partner, and his friend. We will not be doing a lot of portaging so I will bring more stuff. Maybe I will make a video of that trip too. But I plan to bring a table for inn camp which I never usually do.

[@Connie-l6z]

Alwasy superb video, my friend. I am new here. And I want to send you something about camping, looking forward to your reply

[@dwightskillings8317]

Wherein St. Cloud do you get the vacuum meals.

[@jodimiddendorf]

Saint Cloud has a Scheels, Mills Fleet, and Sierra. They all have dried camp food. There may be more options. These are just the ones I know of..

[@andrewpoteat7482]

What brand is that map that you use I like that style a lot

[@jodimiddendorf]

True North Maps

[@scottbuck8813]

Ok. You put the canoe on your shoulders, then walked past the camera. Did you then set the canoe back down in order to pick up the camera, or were you able to grab the camera while still carrying the canoe? Either way, ugh. You have my utmost respect Jodi!

[@jodimiddendorf]

I grabbed the camera while still holding the canoe. Like squatting the canoe. The trouble was I actually had to try to get that shot two or three times because my GoPro battery was dying 😂.

[@douglasbarrows8110]

So serene, canoe looked really long when you took it off the car. Is that a 16 footer?

[@jodimiddendorf]

It is a HUGE canoe. It is 18ft. Not ideal for solo use, but I’m still saving up for a solo canoe

[@sandraecker6463]

What is your ideal solo canoe?