Member profile re: kenhk

Basics
Where do you live? Western NY State, east of Niagara Falls
Approximate number of previous nights spent canoe camping?
couple hundred, dating back to late '70s; 75-100 in Quetico
Do you have the gear or use an outfitterer?
My own gear and canoes; use outfitter for bunkhouse before and after, plus a tow to PP  
Preferred/Typical party size? 2-6
What length of trips do you do/available to do?;
I drive almost two days to get to Ely, so I want to be in Quetico at
least 7 days; prefer 10-14; probably do a solo this summer due to lack of available partners
Preferred season? Time contraints limit me to late July through August;
What % of the trip do you travel/base camp? have done both, but tend to be a traveler with a layover day or two
What difficulty level do you go for? moderate; have been known to push it when necessary, but I'm not into "going survival" either
What area of the park are you most familiar with and do you want to spend time there or explore new areas? north of PP; always looking to go new places...

Paddling
Bow or stern preference? stern
What is your paddling rhythm? steady as needed
Paddle the shoreline or beeline? beeline if good conditions; use islands and points to avoid wind as necessary;
How nasty of water are you comfortable paddling in? moderate chop, but I'll park my keister in camp rather than do something stupid; no hurry...
Do you have strong navigation/map skills? I favor using map and landmarks, but bring a compass; have been "misplaced temporarily", but that only adds to the fun;

Portaging
Do you usually single/double/triple/or? portage? double usually, except last few days when food pack is lighter
Do you carry everything on your back, or alot of hand carry? most on back; try not to carry anything but fishing pole
How well do you handle the mountain goat portages? I don't sprint anymore.
How well do you handle the boot sucking bogs? I don't seek them out, but I cope. Not real fond of the hip-deep stuff, but it makes everyone look funnier than hell!

Camping Style
Would you rather cook or wash the dishes? Either. My preference, actually, is everyone for himself.
Fresh or dried foods? Fresh first night or two, then boxed/re-packed. Fresh fish is nice...
Cook over a fire, or over a stove? Stove, except for 1st night steak
Cook breakfast or breakfast bars? both; pancakes are my favorite;
gotta at least have hot tea, though
How many fish meals do you like to have during a trip? whatever I can get


Hang the food pack or ground it? usually hang, but I am nuts about a clean camp so I've been known to ground it; even tented it a couple times(ooh, horrors!)
Axe? Saw? Both? usually neither; if I can't break it, I don't use it
Sit around campfire all night OR wake at crack of dawn? (or both)I like a campfire, but usually not into the wee hours;  
On a travel day, what time do you like to hit the water? crack of dawn, to beat the wind

Fishing
How much time do you like to spend fishing? couple hours morn & eve
Which species do you like to go after? whatever is dumb enough to hit on whatever I'm pitchin'
How much tackle to you bring? two small plastic boxes
Are you good with a fillet knife? ah...it's not a pretty sight when I'm finished; fillets end up more like nuggets; if someone else volunteers, I don't argue

Misc
Do you have any medical conditions to be considered? nothing fatal so far...beat cancer a couple years ago.
Level of alcohol consumption? A liter of Bombay Blue Sapphire per trip, which I mix 50/50 with Crystal Light iced tea in a mug.  Two or so TeaBombs per evening brings out the color in the sunset and enlivens the conversation, even on solo trips. One must be civilized, yes?
Are you a smoker? no, although a cigar (aka steaming turd) has been used on occasion to ward off man-eating skeeters
Is photography high on your list? I try to shoot 30-40 shots per trip, but I'm no artist. I just want to preserve memories. Helps to pass those long winters...
Do you like to go after pictographs? If they're there, I'll respectfully inspect. But I don't make them a destination.
Do you like to go after waterfalls? Not necessarily, but I do love a good soak in Louisa Falls.
Do you like to go after the northern lights? not really

Personality
If the bugs are bad, will it ruin the trip for you? nah. Haven't needed bug dope much.
What weather conditions are difficult for you to deal with? Cold rain more than 1 day. But it sure makes the sunshine extra special.
If we've got a problem, would you rather discuss it or bury it? Discuss tactfully; bury. Never really ran into this...
Other than illness or injury what events or conditions would make you want to quit a trip early and head home? Mushroom cloud on the horizon? ;