Our sojourn to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) was amazing. It was great to completely unplug from the bustle of the world and just slow down away from it all. Hanging out with twin six year olds for 12 days in the backcountry was awesome and trying at times.
The first day was not my proudest day of tripping, we couldn’t find a campsite several portages in from our entry lake. It was getting dark and we got trapped at the end of a portage by dangerous thunderstorms. The BWCAW was busy anywhere near the entry lakes. However, after a bivouac at the end of the portage from Vera Lake to Knife Lake on our first night, we didn’t have a problem finding a campsite again for the remainder of the trip as we paddled deeper into the park.
O & P were absolute troopers, carrying their own personal clothing/gear in backpacks over each and every portage (with only minimal whining!). This was, however, our last trip as a whole family in one canoe. Next time the girls will have to paddle & portage! No more duffing for our girls.
The highlight of the trip was the sighting of a large Bobcat or Canadian Lynx swimming across a lake in front of our canoe. It was the first time we had ever seen one in the wild and the girls thought that was pretty cool. The silhouette of the head, ear tufts and the bobbed tail sticking straight up out of the water as the animal comfortably and efficiently swam across Splash Lake was a truly wonderful wildlife encounter.
During the trip, the top flap on one of my vintage Duluth Pack Monarch #3-20 packs tore. It almost tore completely off by the end of the trip. I took the wounded pack into Lobo Gun Leather in Ely, MN to have my beloved tripping partner repaired. Mark fedders at Lobo Gun Leather had done a great job patching another one of my packs after a 2018 Quetico Trip, so I returned again to beg him to get it done by the next day.
As soon as I walked into the Lobo Gun Leather shop on Sheridan St. in downtown Ely…I couldn’t believe my eyes. BRAND NEW PORTAGE PACKS! Hand sewn in Ely by Mark and his crew. The bags were beautiful, available in traditional sizes and built with modifications that were thoughtful and practical. The new company is called THE BOUNDARY WATERS BAG Co.
Umingmaq Paddle Touring Center just placed our first order for The Boundary Waters Bag Co. portage packs! We are the first and only dealer for the new company (besides ordering direct from them, of course). These bags are made the way Duluth Pack used to make their packs, 18 oz Canvas, US sourced leather and SOLID brass buckles. Many of the other traditional portage packs on the market right now have been “economized” and built with cheaper materials to maximize profits; 14 oz canvas, brass plated buckles, etc…NOT THESE PACKS, they are works of functional art!
Any lover of traditional portage packs will recognize the craftsmanship that hearkens back to the old days, but uses modern improvements to make these old timer’s even more practical (If that’s possible).
Umingmaq is proud to offer portage packs from The Boundary Waters Bag Co. Look for these packs in our webshop soon!
Paddle Well,
Umingmaq