I am planning on taking a trip to Quetico May 2006, this will be my first attempt at a solo type trip.  I say solo 'type' because I am intreested in meeting up with others if our paths cross.  The people that post here seem to share my love for the outdoors and a thirst to learn and improve our wilderness skills.
So if anyone is interested in meeting up for a few days let me know.  Here is my current plan, I would be flexible in destinations but not entry exit dates, or entry point.

I plan on going in through Prarie Portage on Thursday May 18th and out May 27th.  I am going in Thursday to avoid some of the paperwork that is required to go in while the park ranger station is open.  I heard it was easier.  
I am planning go up to Agnes and spending a few days chasing Lake Trout.  Then on to Kawnipi for some Walleye.  That is as far as I have gotten.  I will be using a rented Prism and I like to pack along some comforts so I will be heavy for a solo.  I plan on eating fish 5-9 times, to reduce the food I bring.  I am pretty confident that I can catch enough fish for myself.  I have been through here about 10 years ago.  
Please read my profile and if anyone is interested in getting together for a short time let me know.

fishinbuddy,

I hope you get some interest on this rendezvous.  The Sept. group solo turned out better than I ever could have expected.  ;D

Even though some of us were warned by family and friends about meeting up in the middle of the woods with some "crazy strangers you met on the internet" everyone turned out to be great guys.  If someone would have turned out to been an ax wielding maniac we all had our own permits so we could have just tied him to a tree and taken off.  :o

Good luck,
Beavers

Beavers, you were just lucky that you were all ax-wielding maniacs ;D

fishinbuddy, wish you the best.....it's more fun fishin with a buddy.

As one of those ax-wielding maniacs I must add my 2 cents,
meeting up with 3 paddlers I never met turned into one of the best trips I have ever made!
Hope to paddle with, rookie, beavers, and beemer, again!
butthead

So far, I have had one person interested and it seems like it may work, (names will kept privae to protect the guilty).
Maybe it is just too far out for others to plan.  I am however am a planner by nature, maybe that is why I am in the project management field.  I have a gear list ready, menu to propose and I have the maps I will need.  My wife is now expressing concerns.
Any suggestions to calm her fears.  I hunt alone frequently but this seems to be different.  I keep telling her I will be safe and carefult but... ( I have learned after 15 years not to say 'I am worth more dead than alive ;).)
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Has your wife been to the BW before?
If she has not been on a trip her imagination might make her worry more than if she has taken a trip herself.
If your wife has not been camping much with you get her out in the woods for a day or two.  Show her that you DO know what you are doing.  If she is confident in your skills it might make her feel better.

If you end up meeting up with others sell her on the saftey net of others being close by and looking out for each other.

One thing my wife liked was going over the maps together.  I took one of the planning maps like the outfitters give you and marked where I planned to be on each day and the area I planned to camp.  I also gave her the number for the outfitter and the Sherrifs office.  She seemed more comfortable knowing where I would be on what day.  Instead of just me going "up there".

One other thing I did was to ask my wife exactly what she was worried about and then deal with each worry she had.
After my solo my wife said she was never really worried just missed not seeing me for a week.  I did get her blessing for future solos as well.

Good luck,
Beavers

When I married my wife I married well.  
Our honeymoon was trout fishing/camping in North East Iowa.  She has been to BW before.  I have taken her hunting, fishing and camping.  She knows I have good skills, that is not the issue.  
Accidents do happen and she is worried that if I get hurt no one would be there to help.  I am thinking about a SAT phone to help the cause.
I also have a feeling she may be jealous.  I took two trips this year, then there is this one next year and she has not been able to go.  Maybe if I can commit to a trip with her...3 trips next year...that extra vacation will come in handy.

Fishinbuddy,
Assure your wife there are fewer maniacs (dangerous maniacs that is) in the woods than on the city streets.  I have solo camped many times and recently have been meeting up with others ,who I've chatted with via the canoe boards, while up in the woods.  To a man they have been excellent characters and well worth getting to know and sharing ideas with.  I will probably be taking a trip in May 2006 because it is a great time to go, fewer bugs, fewer people, pristine campsites and lots of wood after several months of non-use by campers.  I like to go around the full moon which is May 13th in 2006.  Maybe we will run across each other when I am departing, as I often travel through PP and Ely.  IC

fishinbuddy, I have been on two solos so far and both times the wife said "You're not going". The reasoning I provided for both and future trips is "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do". Period. Life happens...

I also went one time with (3) guys I met on a bwca site that were looking for a 4th guy and it worked out great. Most BWCA guys just want to go up in even numbers and every one just wants to enjoy their vacations. On this trip they provided a bona fide fisherman so we all ate well.

The one thing I realized about solo trips that's kinda weird is that you can have fun but not really laugh out loud fun since you are the only one telling jokes (in your own head - mostly)  ::)  I still prefer it though.

When I retire someday or win the lotto I plan to recruit a few strangers to paddle the length of the BWCA/Q and I'm sure I'll meet some great people.

Good luck on your trip.

I did find out what was bothering my wife.  She did want to go, and was upset because I was talking about 2 trips, 1 solo and the other with two daughters again.  So I will be forced to plan a 3rd trip in 2006 to take her for 4 days.  
I know that everyone here feels my pain at being forced into such drastic action but it is a part of life and I will get over it.  

:D

no really, you poor poor man... that woman is forcing you to do what?  Again! :'(

These women just ask, and ask more of us every day...

suppose the next year you will have to take yet another trip! :o

It may turn into an anual event, her birthday is June 7th, so she will probably expect me to take her about that time and then buy her something along the way.  It could really get ugly.

wrote on Sep 30^th, 2005 at 3:38pm:

I am planning on taking a trip to Quetico May 2006, this will be my first attempt at a solo type trip.  I say solo 'type' because I am intreested in meeting up with others if our paths cross.  The people that post here seem to share my love for the outdoors and a thirst to learn and improve our wilderness skills. So if anyone is interested in meeting up for a few days let me know.  Here is my current plan, I would be flexible in destinations but not entry exit dates, or entry point. I plan on going in through Prarie Portage on Thursday May 18th and out May 27th.  I am going in Thursday to avoid some of the paperwork that is required to go in while the park ranger station is open.  I heard it was easier.   I am planning go up to Agnes and spending a few days chasing Lake Trout.  Then on to Kawnipi for some Walleye.  That is as far as I have gotten.  I will be using a rented Prism and I like to pack along some comforts so I will be heavy for a solo.  I plan on eating fish 5-9 times, to reduce the food I bring.  I am pretty confident that I can catch enough fish for myself.  I have been through here about 10 years ago.   Please read my profile and if anyone is interested in getting together for a short time let me know.

How far west might you venture when you get to Kawnipi.  I'm headed in from the north side of the Q along about May 15th, but don't have any plans to go much further east that about Keats.

dd

Not sure how far west, I will travel.  At one time I thought about going to Chatterton Falls then down through Kahshahpiwi.  
On one hand going by myself I wanted to cover some ground and see as much as I could.  But, since this is my first solo I thought maybe to base camp 2 days on Agnes then 2 days on Kahshahpiwi and 2 days on Medows.  
Now I am not sure where to go.  0
I have someone who is interested in traveling together and we have not finalized any plans yet.  Still a longs ways off.
Keats is not too far from the falls, hmmm.

hi, have done two solos, one from nym down through kashawhapiwi for ten days, and the other flew into clay and out for 18 days... can't wait until my next one and hope it is longer than the 18 days... did not have a phone for either trip... good luck!

As the heretofore missing member of the Group Solo in September, I agree that the guys I met thru this board proved to be kindred souls.  Very similar approach to the area.

As far as your route, I've done the loop you've described.  I left PP, went up to Kashshahpiwi, to the Maligne, to Kawnipi down Agnes.  All in about 85 miles.  Lovely trip and one that I'd do again in a heartbeat.  Portages from North Bay to Kahshahpiwi are interesting.

Do the loop, you'll never regret this adventure.

I've done 3 May solo's in the Q, two of 19 nights and one of 12.  Of course it all depends on your interest and personality, but here is a list of things that might be helpful.  While I know you are interested in meeting other folks, due to the relatively lower concentration of people there at that time you just may not.

1.  Be prepared for horrid weather.  May is one of the most beautiful times to go, but also bad weather can come with a vengeance.  I've had a few times where it has been 35-40 degrees, windy, and rainy for two days on end.  So it is worth the extra effort to carry a sturdy, comfortable tent.  Sometimes the weather is perfect, but you have to plan for the bad.

2.  I bring lots of books.  I read a lot anyway, but I bring 10-12 of them each time.  If the weather is bad, or I'm starved for talk, a book is just the thing to exercise my mind.  If some dumb song gets stuck in your head, a book can take it away.

3.  Rubber boots.  Often the portages are small streams and you are walking through are water as much as land.

4.  If you want, you can enter prior to May 19th.  No permit is required then.  You need a RABC permit and to pay the box, but you can go permit free prior to that time.

5.  Again, it depends on your personality, but I find it helpful to travel every day that weather allows it.  I get bored by myself in a base camp.

6.  Stay near shore when you paddle big lakes.  With cold water, unpredictable wind and weather, I'm sure you know this.  I often take the long route around just for safety purposes.  Twice I've nearly been caught in big blows that came without a warning, and I was glad I had an island or point to hide behind.

7.  Be sure to bring your canoe all the way up on shore when you stop.  At night I tie it to a tree as it is light and could blow away.  I don't want to be stuck, canoe-less, on an island.

Just a few thoughts.  Have fun and enjoy yourself!

 

lotalota, Thank you for the suggestions.

I have begun to seperate out the gear I think I will take on this trip.  My current delema is what size pots should I bring.  I have a Coleman nested set with 3 pans and 3 lids, that my stove fits in.  I will be traveling with 1 other sperson for most of the trip and meeting at least one other person to share a camp with for a night.  I only need the small set but I wonder if I sould have the large one to use when we all meet up.  
I am planning on double portages, so taking an extra pot or two woud not affect things too much.  (just thinking an typing at work kinda of a good distraction)
Always enjoying hearing what others think.

As far as pans go, I guess it kind of depends what you are going to cook.  Here's what I bring:

1 plastic bowl
1 dipper cup
1 plate
1 small + 1 medium pot
1 fry pan
flipper,big spoon, 2 forks, 2 spoons, 2 knives (all plastic)
1 insulated coffee mug
1L Nalgene bottle

I generaly have granola/dried fruit for breakfast (plastic bowl + spoon), use no dishes at lunch, and then have either a lake trout, a walleye, or some noodle-based meal for dinner.  I bring the two pots so that I can cook in one and make hot water in the other (coffee and/or dishwater).

As far as portaging goes, I triple every one.  I could double-portage, but I find it much more pleasant to do the 5 trips across with less weight on my back than 3 with lots.  I do bring a lot of stuff, though.

Another thing I would recomend for spring Q trips is to not take the canoe across a portage on the first trip.  Sometimes the trail can be hard to see in the spring and animal tracks merge off of it.  It's easier to make it out with a pack on your back vs. a canoe on your shoulders.  I learned that the hard way once and had to bang around the woods a good while with the canoe until I found it.

Unfortunately your list is incomplete. ;)
I need a coffee pot with the perculator parts.  I may give up my Venti, Starbucks, but I have to have a good subsutuite.
;D

wrote on Apr 14^th, 2006 at 5:35pm:

Unfortunately your list is incomplete. ;) I need a coffee pot with the perculator parts.  I may give up my Venti, Starbucks, but I have to have a good subsutuite. ;D

OK, I'll one up you on the coffee.  I'm seriously considering bringing my   (You need to Login or Register this year so I can brew the real Swedish coffee I like so much:     (You need to Login or Register

I've become a Swedish coffee snob after visiting there twice in the last year.

OK, you are a coffee snob! :o
Have you used the thermos press yet?  I looked at the lexan press at a local store but was not that impressed.  I like the glass one we use at home brews a great cup of coffee.

I thought for a short time of bringing a warming set up for Cognac.  But the glasses became an issue.  So I thought I could warm a stainless steel cup and then pour the cognac in and enjoy the sunset/moon rise.

I use that Thermos press every morning and it works great.  It's a little big to bring with, but it might be worth it.  It seems pretty durable.

fishingbuddy:
your comment about warming up cognac in a stainless cup brought to mind the following.
when i used to "group travel" with 3 other guy's, it was a real chore because they wanted to party more than travel and fish.
one night. (Tequila" night), actualy everynight turned into Tequila night, but i digress, one of the boy's brought out a bottle of cognac and was explaing how it should be properly consumed.
by then my fellow paddlers were pretty well inebriated and since i'm a very light drinker, i was babysitting as usual!!
well, one of the "boy's" decided he would try the cognac, the "right" way and while the rest of us were setting up a makeshift card table, our friend was hovering over the fire, "warming" his cognac :-/ :-/.
unfortunatley, he was so drunk, he was using a PLASTIC cup and got it so close to fire, it melted and next thing we hear,  is a yell and turn to see a giant ball of flame shooting into the air!!!
As often the case, the good Lord was watching over the drunk and other than some singed eye brows, he was okay :-/ :-/.
Okay, being  a relative term to those guy's!!!
it's funny now, but at the time, not so much ;) ;).

I hope nothing like that befalls me during the upcoming trip.  I hope to enjoy a bit of Very Special Old Pale on several evenings.  Especially if we meet with with others, while in the Q.  My next task is to unpack everything and recheck it then pack it up for the last time.  The clock counts down.