The Royce Files

Making camp at the site in the BWCA I affectionately call pork camp because Phil made one of the most delicious meals of the trip here- pork helper delight. Also was my pick for best campsite of the 2005 trip.

My canoe comrade, Phil, and I ate lunch at this deserted campsite just before fire consumed it. Not really . In fact we did not even notice this sign until we began to make our lunch. It was hung on the other side of the site. However, smoke had been noticable around the lakes we were coming through (Alpine and Red Rock). Although we were in the vicinity of the fire for a few days we never saw anything but smoke and planes flying overhead. Phil had first seen the smoke on August 6th as we were heading east into "O gosh it's gumbie" Lake (Phil's rendering of the lake name). We never met the flames.

I hustled out of town last week into the wilderness for a few days of canoeing in the Boundary Waters with the ever quotable Phil, his Volkwagon Rabbit, and his Kevlar Canoe. It was a bustling time in the Boundary Waters. We went at peak season and did not even reserve a permit. At the Cook ranger station, Phil and I learned there were only 5 available permits left! Pretty bad for a million acres. Most of the available ones were on or near Lake Vermillion. I wanted more wilderness. The only one close was at the end of the Gunflint Trail and a 3-4 hour drive through backwoods roads. We took it. We stopped in Ely for gas and get a few supplies. What we failed to get was bread. This tripped proved to me that the BWCA is a bit crowded in places. However, those sturdy enough to put in some miles will find it well worth passing through the congestion at the entry point. Our entry point also happened to have motor designations which proved distracting although tolerable. I will detail th...