The Royce Files

The following is a continuation of the log from the Sioux Hustler Loop hiking trip I took in October 2012. In this entry  3 Names and I leave the Devil's Cascade campsite and head into the mostly unkept portions of the trail in the north and east of the loop. This post is long over due.  a dry Devil's Cascade  We awoke to a much brighter day after the damp hike mostly in the dark up to the campsite above Devil's Cascade. It had quite a splendid view into the valley below. The weather appeared to be in our favor. We took breakfast and packed up and continued up the trail until the beaver ponds. That is where we lost the trail in the mishmash of tall marsh grasses. We stopped for lunch at the end of small trail that lead to another pond. Nothing really amazing about that section. The trail was still plenty worn and looked like your typical BWCA marsh clearings with steep pine tree hills. Pleasant but nothing ...

The following is a continuation of the log from the Sioux Hustler Loop hiking trip I took in October 2012. In this entry I meet up with hiking partner 3 Names and head for Orr, MN.  Voyageur Welcome Center in Orr  Due to a mutual friend's funeral- 3 Names and I met up in Thief River Falls. From there we drove to Clearbrook and spent the night out of the wet and chilly elements in a farmhouse of a Christian brother. We left the next morning for Bemidji where we left 3 Names truck and then proceeded through the northland towards Orr, MN. Upon our arrival to Orr we stopped at the Voyageur Information center. I did not realise how close we were to Voyageurs National Park. No info on the Sioux Hustler Trail was to be found at the center. We progressed into town to get a bite to eat at the grocery store. Apparently the A&W attached to the store must only be open in the summer. It was not particularly busy place but it was not dead either. Minu...

6/17/2022 Update: There are considerably more articles online about the Sioux Hustler Trail since I took this trip almost a decade ago. Most are narratives of treks taken upon this loop. The info from pemmican site linked to below is no longer online. The biggest news to come out about the trail was the discovery of the remains of a missing camper found near the area of the trail in 2019. There has been some maintenance done  around the Sioux Hustler but based on what I have read the trail is still mostly rugged.    Small map of Entry Point 15- Sioux Hustler Trail  A few weeks ago my friend Man of 3 Names I journeyed up to the BWCA to embark on an adventure. With it being October and the weather not always cooperative at that time of year (although in the past I have had some great October trips), I planned a rugged hiking trip. Our goal: hike the entire Sioux Hustler Loop . The challenge: the ~32 mile trail does not get much maintenance and is at best prim...

The trip began at French Lk The following series is a narrative from my first canoeing trip back over a decade ago into the wilderness of the Quetico. I had been eagerly awaiting this canoe trip to the Quetico for over a year. I had never been on a canoe trip before so I jumped at the invitation to join a friend of mine, Neil, on his annual trek to the Canadian boundary waters. The opportunity to get into the “real backwoods” thrilled me. Joining us were Neil’s wife, Ruth, and David, an adventurous college student [ ed. To regular readers of the blog David is the Man of 3 Names.] We started out from Morris, Minnesota at dawn. For eight hours David and I sat in the back of Neil’s Mazda pickup equipped with an old bus seat that smelled like pigs. Our only view from the rear window was of the trailer that carried our supplies and two aluminum canoes. However, this inconvenience seemed minor compared to adventure I expected in the Quetico. I did not know much about...

A few weeks ago I decided to do some backpacking and ended up backpacking in the BWCA. Yeah, no canoe, I hiked out to the lakes on the Kekekabic Trail, a unforeseen challenge. The Kek, as it is known to some, sprang up back in the 1930s for fire suppression in Superior National Forest.  It fell into disuse until some Boy Scouts cleared it out in 1949. Back in 1949 a Boy Scout said of this trail: The Kekekabic Trail is one of the toughest, meanest rabbit tracks in North America. The trail struggles its way through swamps, around cliffs, up the sides of bluffs, and across rocky ridges. It is choked with nightmarish patches of clinging brush. It is blocked with tangles of windfalls and standing timber... It is the kind of trail that would break the heart of a man who didn’t have what it takes to go into the wilderness and try and ‘smooth it.’” He was right! Of course smoothing the wilderness is not politically correct anymore nor even of the leave no trace ethic. The trai...

Well, there haven't been any updates for weeks. Pitful, I know. But here's what happened in short summary since Memorial Day. 1. Went on my adventure hiking trip on the North Country Trail in 2 different locations. One near Remer, MN and the other in the BWCA on The Kek . The whole Kekekabic Trail is enough for another post so I'll not drop the details here. To say the least, that trail kicked my butt. 2. The following weekend involved traveling to 3 different locales. I went to a wedding in Mo-town and then watched a triathlon in Buffalo. My MFG was competing in it. I should post stuff on that later. It was really cool. 3. I forgot what happened the following weekend. I remember seeing my MFG and shopping. 4. The next weekend was the annual pilgrimage to the car show with the Green Hornet, the family's 1951 Pontiac Chieftain . I went down on Thursday and had to return on Saturday because I needed to do music the next day. It was a long weekend that ended with some...

Entries have bee sparse of late. 2 weeks ago I lead a expedition to the BWCA up the Nina Moose and into Lac La Croix. Then the weekend following I ended up painting an entire house and attending a picnic in the Grand Cities. Of course you could point the finger at me- as a blogger you should be writing about those things. And eventually I will. Just not all right now. In fact I've got to get the bike adventure finished before I begin the canoe voyage saga. But in this entry you will hear enough about those days to be satisfied. While out in the wilderness we came across some pictographs which you see above. This are the pictographs you can find on Rocky Lake, which is accessible via the Little Sioux Indian or Moose River North entry points. They are nothing like the ones just a few miles away on Lac La Croix. No discernible figures here except for perhaps a representation of a deity (the crosses). The set at Rocky Lake don't get much attention. I found very little even sugges...

In the upcoming days and weeks the blog will feature the 2009 BWCA narrative. This year's sojourn in the border waters starting at South Hegman Lake was wet, muddy, rugged, and cool. This year's trip included a lot of portages, a few rivers, plenty of history, and a rabid waterfall. The series should begin in earnest after the last entry in the bike tour saga- which I surmise will be around this weekend.

Well what do we got here? Hmm. 2 finger puppets (free), a backpack (0.50), a book of Western stories by Brett Harte (not the wrestler, 0.75), a CD map collection of the BWCA, the Twin Cites and Lake Superior (0.99), a pair of Hind nylon pants (? I forgot but it was less than$2). I am most appreciative of the CD of the BWCA. I love those maps and at 99 cents it was a steal. The Hind pants I may take with me on this year's trip for rain gear.

A few days ago I completed another trek through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). This time I partnered up with a fellow named Craig. It was a pleasant experience with very little excitement. I guess that is a little deceiving. There was a broken canoe seat during the first hours of the trip. However, beyond that mishap, everything went smooth albeit Craig was a camping and canoeing neophyte. Originally, I was to go with Phil (you know the quotable beer guy) and a rather large party. However, Craig wanted to go but could not fit on the permit. Only 9 people per permit are allowed. I then decided to purchase another permit to accommodate Craig and anyone else who want a less "crowded" experience. No one else came forth. So Craig and I launched out from Kawishiwi Lake as the other crew 20 miles west shoved out from Little Gabbro. This year I added another canoe to my collection. A few weeks before the 15 foot pakcanoe was vandalized at a resort I was staying. The thwart ...

In August I took my annual trek to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This is just one story from that journey. I was a bit incredulous when a fellow said there was free beer at the end of the portage. I took my time to lug the canoe and gear 30-some rods to Mudro Lake entry point. It had been a hard day coming out and making it over 4 portages, the last thing I wanted was somebody pulling my leg about free beer. Nestled upon a hill between Picket Lake and a creek that takes you to Mudro Lakes, stands a watering hole called the Chainsaw Sisters' Saloon. I happened to arrive at the perfect time: a time of free beer and a free lunch (take that Sagan!). This was no ordinary luncheon. This was to be the last time the saloon would be open, ever. I hesitantly ascended the heights to the simple building. A live band played and lively conversation ensued. I felt a bit out of place coming out of wilds. I stood around, watched, listened. I perused literature and even took a hacky sack. Chain...

I finally made it out of the wilderness and returned home after only a few ordeals. For one, this year I did not have a brush with death. I was smarter. I didn't try to traverse bogs. I also did not try to press the limits of my skills. I had to cut back my intended trip plans mostly because I surmised I would not make it to Canadian waters and back without overextending myself. Nevertheless, it was a challenging trek. There were 2 portages over 200 rods and 2 over 100. Detailed journal of the trip will be forthcoming What I found this year was grace in the wilderness. Things were difficult as they usually are out in the BWCA but they were overcome. I have this strange belief concerning Burger Time French fries. If once you finish them you find more in the bag then God is going to bless you. If you find more then, you will be blessed even more. Well, it just so happened I found more. I'm not sure I'll attribute this all to the Burger Time fries but when difficulty arose Go...

Finally the thrilling conclusion of my wilderness adventure. You may want to review previous chapters to catch up. P erhaps I should have taken another route to get back to the Moose River. I bypassed the portage from Oyster River to Lake Agnes. At 160 rods I had little motivation to take it on. Besides an 160 rod portage awaited me at the entry point. I pressed on. I soon reached a large beaver dam. Thinking there to be a short portage around the beaver's handiwork, I searched the shore. My search came up empty. I brought the canoe to a safer place on the dam and pulled it over and down 4 feet. Not long afterward I arrived at the the short portage. According to the map the Oyster would hook up with the Moose River in almost a half mile. What failed to grab my attention was that the navigation channel on the map diminishes into a blue/green area or in other words a marsh. After a bite to eat I shove off thinking I'd be in familiar territory shortly. The navigational channel ...

T he "Oh My Wilderness" saga of my adventures and misfortunes in the BWCA this summer will resume shortly. I am still trying to put it into words. In the meantime you will be pleased as punch to review the previous chapters which I have indexed below. Remember to check out the incredible PakCanoe , which carried me on my journey. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part Caveat Part 5 Part 6

A s expected I awoke to the pitter patter of rain. I broke camp and tried to keep things as dry as possible. Wetness tends to stick and stink and neither did I perfer too much. With my full rain gear donned, I paddled out of Rock Lake without much delay. Steadily, yet softly, the rain continued its cadence. A 65 rod portage transfered me into Oyster Lake, a large lake with 6 campsites. I considered using 1 site as a portage a a shortcut through a long peninsula, but thought the site would be occupied. However, it was not and I maintained a route around the peninsula. After rounding the peninsula my navigation skills plummeted. I miscalculated my position and thus took over an hour to find the portage into the Oyster River. The rain ceased as I traversed the portage. During the past few days, when not praying, I had unconsciously begun to make up portaging songs based on the tunes of "Frosty the Snowman" and a few other Christmas tunes. Thumpy, thump, thump Thumpy, th...

I broke camp after a late breakfast and saved time by shoving off from the north side of the penisula. With the canoe now well tuned, I cruised swiftly north to the entrance of the Pocket Creek. Unfortunately a large beaver dam barred the entrance to the creek. I decided I should document it, however, I discovered my camera no longer functioned. Not another picture would be shot on this trip. It took a while to pull the canoe over due in part to the unattachment of a few rib of the canoe frame. Fortunately that was easily remedied by re-attaching them to the fasteners. It is a good thing to have a folding canoe otherwise stuff like that would certainly ruin a trip. After a short portage and a few strokes I head up Gebeonequet Creek, a quiet waterway. Gebeonequet Creek descends out of a lake with the same through a steep chasm. It was the only waterfall I encountered on the journey. I exited Geb via a 120 rod portage into Green Lake. I think I sited a Bald Eagle above me as I pad...

A fter a brief hiatus due largely to my other work, Oh My Wilderness should be returning this week to conclude the tale of my solo canoe adventure in the northern border lakes of Minnesota. The story left off at the peninsular campsite west of the Fish Stake Narrows. Here's a little bonus material. The wind had been picking up in the evening and I expected it would rain. I secured the canoe closer to camp. Fortunately the winds just ran wild and precipitate it did not. That evening I don't think I even listened to any old time radio podcasts on my Palm Zire I brought. Probably because I was tired. I think I may be the only person to have brought a Palm to the Boundary Waters. I used it more than I did my GPS. All the evenings were moonless which made the stars appear especially bright but increase the fear factor. Noises out here put a person on high alert. However I have come to the conclusion that the biggest noises are made by the smallest critters - mice, squirrels,...

I did not leave Lake Agnes until just after noontime. I soon discover that my canoe performs better in choppy water and paddling into the wind. After 2 easier portages I am in Lac La Croix and I discover I have a large hole developing in my trousers in an embarrassing place. I cannot show much displeasure with them since they only cost $6. Speedily I made my way to the vicinity of Warrior Hill and the pictographs. This area is particularly congested by wilderness standards. I see about a dozen canoes in a little under an hour. Although it was tempting to cross over Canadian waters to see the picto-graphs up close, I did not. My decision was based on my discussion with a Forest Service agent. She said that the Canadian officials said that crossing into Canadian waters would require a visit to Canadian customs even if you did not touch Canadian land. This "official" decree soured my plans. On the American side about a half mile away I could hardly make out any pictographs, ...

I am not sure I slept a wink in the bow of my 15 foot canoe as I waited for daybreak. As the first glimpse of daylight peaked out near 5AM, I set out. The rushing water sound proved to be a beaver dam and I pulled the canoe over it. I'd see nearly a dozen of these on this trip some more treacherous than others. I then made headway to Nina Moose Lake. Upon entering the lake I discovered my craft was not tracking very straight. In fact it was going in circles. This did not bode well will me. I did my best to cross the lake making one mistaken detour into a bay. I up the Nina Moose River. Not a soul was awake until after my first portage at 9AM. I took in some nourishment and continued at a torpid pace on the river with a badly tracking canoe. I'd often end up in the weedy section of the river while attempting to navigate straight. Nearing mid-day I arrived at Lake Agnes and began to discover that the wind also was playing a part in my poor tracking. Even a slight breeze ...

After wandering up the Echo Trail I found myself spending the night right on the shore of Nils Lake. This followed my failing to take the advice that Fenske Lake Campground is always full of boaters. At least it did not cost anything and was rather comfortable. I was up by 8 and bound for Ely hitting Zups Grocery for some food and then the city park where I cooked up eggs and Canadian bacon. At 10 most of the town propieters open for business. I seek out a yoke for my Mad River Escape 15 to no avail at Piragis. I need to be creative now. I visit the hardware stores in town to pick up some hardware for an improvised yoke. I then get waylaid looking at Boys' Life at an antique shop and other stores before I eventually buy a cooking pot at Canadian Border Outfitters and head up the to the Moose River entry point on the Echo Trail. I think I arrive at 4:30 but it takes me until almost 6 until I am on the water. This delay is mostly due to never having put together the Escape 15 ...