in years past we had a little more difficult time getting the week we were going determined being that we all were in college and my little brother was involved in collegiate athletics that ran into june (depending on how well he performed).

now that we are all graduated and are settled in jobs, its pretty easy. when we are all together around christmas time we pick a week in june.

i pretty much am planning all year round. im always on the lookout for items that would make portaging easier, fishing more successful, bugs less annoying, weather variation more tolerable.

usually about 1 month before our entry date all the gear gets pulled out, tents get waterproof sprayed, as do the packs. everything is run over with a fine tooth comb. tarps are refolded to pack smaller and everything is then packed away. in spurts of excitedness as the days grow closer to leaving, i pull everything out and repack. this happens probably 3-4 times. i pay special attention to the water purifier and make sure the filter is clean and dry (one year, in my brothers custody since the last trip, the filter made its way up there full of mold, never again)

as for the trip itself, we dont really plan. we pick a spot to basecamp (always the same spot, with a backup, just in case) and go from there. one day we might try a more movement/exploration based where wed look to plan a bit more.

but then again, for us, its all the about the fishing.