Planning Is Almost As Fun

Last night I laid out all of my topographic maps on the floor to study each for the possibility that one… just one of them… included geographic details for the Brule Lake area in the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area of Minnesota. Soon it became apparent that most of my wilderness paddling time has been enjoyed in a more westerly direction - outside of the Ely area. Not one of my maps provided details on Brule Lake - located more to the east. It was time to visit Crawdaddy Outdoors in Waverly to add another map to my collection.

When I start thinking about a wilderness trip - paddling or backpacking - I tend to find the planning process almost as much fun as the actual investment of muscle energy. Researching, map-reading, and route making are fun for me. Finding and transferring GPS points is a great use of time. I really enjoy the prep portion of a wild adventure.

Planning for a wilderness trip involves a number of important details:

• Access or entry points

• Distances

• Camp Sites

• Portages

• Food and water

and the list goes on.

By the time I actually slice the water with my paddle or make a boot print on a trail I will have researched as many technicalities as possible. Yes, I am open to unexpected variables. But, I also want to address as many concerns as I can before a backcountry venture begins. Having lost one person on a canoe trip and having saved another, I do not like surprises. So, planning is an integral part of a wilderness outing for me. In fact, I find the planning to be fun.

Today’s photo shows one of my navigation systems - a topo map and compass. I do carry and use a GPS, but I also refer to my map and compass to easily confirm my travels, progress, and return options. This map is my newest topo map as of today.

For my upcoming paddling partner (my other brother Darrell) and Brule Lake… Step One is well underway. Another wilderness adventure is being planned. The actual outing cannot come soon enough!