My head is spinning; I just finished trying to digest a 10-page thread from the archive, essentially on getting data onto your GPS.  You old-timers know exactly which thread I'm speaking of:  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links).  Started in Sept '04 and ended in Feb '07.  Viewed 8847 times.  That's got to be a record for a topic without bugs or bears. 

My question is:  is what was said back then pretty much current?  I've got nice Memory Map stuff on my computer with data from the PCD.  And I have a Garmin GPS, as does my stepson.  I understand from that archived thread, that we basically have two choices:  EITHER spend $$$ for the Garmin Maps and use available free software to take care of adding the campsites, portages, tracks onto the Garmin, where they blend together.  OR spend $$$ getting the Memory Map upgrades so you can do all the work in Memory Map on your computer and then export the data in such a way that you can then import it into Garmin.

Do I have it right?  Is that where we still are?  And if that is where we still are, can you guys tell me where I am better off putting my money:  in the Memory Map upgrade or in the Garmin topos?   

Thanks, DD.  I kind of expected that was going to be the recommendation, but I wanted someone with more knowledge than I have to confirm it. 
   My mom and dad raised me to be generous with others and reluctant to spend on myself.  This is a wonderful opportunity to throw off the shackles and splurge.  Besides, if I invest a little in this trip, it increases the odds that I will be back frequently.  But, frankly, it feels weird.  Only a relatively few short years ago, I would have used the map one of the outfitters sent m way back when, and I would have had a very enjoyable trip with a $5.00 compass.  Feels like overkill.

Well, I admit you caught me, db.     "A few years ago" refers to an experience when I was 19 years old, so that was 51 years ago, when I was thinking of a possible BWCA trip for a group of 20.  The outfitter saw dollar signs and sent me a map to get my juices flowing. And the compass was primitive--just a pocket watch sort of thing with no base or anything.  Yeah, none of us is there any more; modern tech complicates life and makes it expensive, but we like it and spend the money.  All things considered, the good old days weren't all that good.
   However, let me stew in my juices.  My head just wasn't ready to spend that much $$$ right now.  Yes, once it's back on straight, later today, I'll be getting the map--using the higher speed connection I'm spending extra money for.  All to make sure that I don't have to retrace any more strokes than is necessary.  I was willing to do cheap and primitive when I was 19, but, you're right--all things considered, I really will end up liking my expensive toy with the expensive maps.  Just as I sometimes use my car's GPS just to get home!   
   If you can explain to me why I can't get myself to give away that old pocket-watch compass, then I'll explain why I get nostalgic about the bad old days!

azalea, you have a way of explaining things so that it makes sense.  Not a common trait.
   Following DD's advice, I did go ahead and buy the Garmin map.  This map doesn't come on a disk--either chip or download, and the new download technique from Garmin downloads it directly onto your GPS.  Initially, nothing goes on your computer except Garmin's "Connect" software.  Your GPS shows on "My Computer" as a drive, and like any other drive, you can view the filenames, sizes, etc., that are on your GPS.  Once your install is done, then you can download Garmin's "Basecamp" utility for free, and then use it to look at the map on your computer (similar to Memory Map with different file formats), add your waypoints and stuff into the Basecamp display, and then load that onto your GPS.  I'm still figuring out how to get the waypoints and other data into BaseCamp easily.
   It's not a bad system, but I did make one mistake, I think, and all of you who might be in the market for Garmin's Quetico maps can profit from my mistake.  My mistake was buying their "Inland Lakes - Boundary Waters" map, instead of just buying their Canada topo or their Central Canada topo.  The problem with the map I bought is that it has too much data on it and it clutters up the screen, and the biggest offender is that they have loaded onto their map most if not all the legacy campsite information--and as far as I can tell, there is no way to get off of that map all those sites that all of you have found not to really represent usable campsites.
   The campsites are represented on the map by little pup tent icons, and I will have to go through all of them and overlay another icon (exclamation point or something) onto those that the PCD shows are really usable campsites.  Or overlay an "X" or something over those that are not usable.
   I also have to figure out how the portage information on the PCD works--I think I'm comfortable now with the campsite data, but I really don't have a clue at this point how to figure out the GPS end-points of the portages from the PCD.  Can anyone steer me to one of the archived threads for information on this--I couldn't find it.
   And let me say it one more time briefly and clearly, in case you missed it above:  for those with access to the PCD, if you are in the market for a commercial Garmin map covering Quetico and if your primary interest is travel/camping by canoe, get one of their regular topo maps of the area; do not get their "Inland Lakes - Boundary Waters" map:  it's too cluttered with some irrelevant Legacy Forest data that I don't think can be removed.  If some of those pup-tent icons really can be removed, I sure would like to know about it.

Its been SOP for several years to mark BOTH ends of the portage.  (I also use a small customized waypoint symbol to mark those ends.) This serves a number of purposes, not the least is being able to retrace your steps in the event you have to back out of part of your route (e.g., blocked by forest fire).  But there is another reason for doing it.  I've run into a few instances where the portage was marked (on one end) at the wrong location.  If one end is correct, and the length of the portage is not too long, you can make a stab at estimating where the portage might be based on the topography between the two bodies of water if you know where you are supposed to end up.

Hmm.  Flat tire!  I had one of those as I pulled into the Onnie parking lot last year (my shuttle driver taking me on to Leano was gracious enough to help me change it).  After my trip, I had it repaired in Red Lake before setting out on my trip home.  Mine was caused by what looked like a long screw for drywall (or maybe a screw used on some decking material).

dd