During the in-between times - and especially during hard-water season - memories & planning are what get you through.

I am extraordinarily selfish when it comes to planning.

What goes into planning the "events" of the trip revolve around the party I'm travelling with.  Doesn't sound very selfish so far, does it?  Ah, but the people who become my travelling party  (& this is the selfish part)  are expressly selected because of the type of trip that I wish to do.

Two out of three years it seems the most I can pull together is a basic "milk run" trip (ie. we're in Quetico, we're doing layovers every other day, & while there usually is at least SOME new water involved in all my trips, we're covering fairly well-known territory).  These trips almost plan themselves, anymore. Around January I'm zeroing in on a route with party members whose preferences for fishing, camping, exploring don't change all that much.  Around about May I zero in on a food list for our trip between mid-June & mid-July.  My September trips with my wife are even easier to plan (I let HER worry about the food selection!).

About every THIRD year or so, however, I am up for a real adventure of some sort.  In recent years, "adventures" seem to mean that I follow in the footsteps of Martin Kehoe to some truly remote place... like WCPP's Irvine Lake (the hard way) or next year up to Opasquia PP.  In the old days, it meant my son or brother & I "bushwhacking" somewhere off the beaten path in Quetico.  In any case, these trips require significantly more research and planning.  These type trips can also mean significantly more "stressful conditions" so ensuring you have the right party composition takes on oh-so-much-more importance.

These "adventure" trips are typically longer in both duration (often 14 days or so) and miles paddled.  Your "estimates" re: how often you will be washing clothes or eating fish for dinner become more critical.  Obtaining decent/reliable maps to some of these places can be a real chore.  You find yourself going beyond the usual commercial map sources to: talking with outfitters or paddlers or speakers at some convention who may have some experience (or a close facsimile thereof).  You go to satellite images to check on possible portages and campsites.   You do website researches & read every last post on the topic.  Then, I prepare all questions that need to be resolved beforehand in time for the annual QJ gathering at CanoeCopia... because that is likely the ONLY time when I will have a chance to discuss an itinerary and gain alignment face-to-face with the other paddlers in my party.

For example, our paddling party of four - scheduled to enter Opasquia next summer - initiated loose discussions re: goals, routing, and equipment needs well over a couple months ago.   Partly, we wanted to be first in line to book the limited number of canoes available.  At least as important, however, is: I think we just wanted to get the FUN started.  Planning IS fun.  Setting goals is fun.  Seeing a plan come to fruition is fun.  Heck, for the first time in forever, I am NOT even the main organizer of next year's outing (three of us are kind of sharing that responsibility; the fourth is a raw rookie whom we share torment shamelessly) and I expect it will be more fun than ever.

How much planning do I do?  For an adventure year trip, I'll do as much as I can conceivably cram in... because I have such a blast doing it.   Where can we expect to see pictos?  Where is that terminal moraine?  What are the 2-3 most likely spots where we'll find a portage or a campsite on a given lake?  Any known elk or wolverine sightings on this or that lake?  Any first nation camps nearby?  What type of tackle has proven effective on these lakes?  What is the drainage flow pattern?  What does the historical data tell me about rain or heat?   I eat that stuff up.  Keeps my mind keen on what I'm about to get into.  Helps me get ready for much (but never all) of what I will encounter.

Re: planning for adventure trips, I am insatiable.  It is what keeps me "primed" right up until my favorite day of the year... the day when we jump in our vehicles and journey north.

Jimbo   

Jimbo's excellent post prompted a thought relating to "leadership" on a canoe trip. 

I've generally "led" trips in that I plan the route and buy the food. Leading a group of equally experienced paddlers however (most of the guys I go with), leadership is a very subtle thing, and never does a "leader" actually make unilaterally decisions.  Perhaps almost by self-selection, the friends and acquaintances I paddle with are of like mind and canoeing/camping style. Group dynamics has never been an issue, until very recently.   

On a recent first time trip with experienced acquaintances, my paddling buddy and I encountered the "I don't do it THAT way!" mentality when it came to many aspects of paddling, camping, and fishing.  It proved to be an interesting, sometimes tense, but also learning experience. My buddy and I had to consciously decide to not bicker about or dwell on small things, and because of that we had a good trip. We actually learned new techniques, as I think the other two guys also learned a few things from us. 

But I'm curious, have other QJrs experienced an occasional tense moment when there is a difference of opinion between/among experienced campers?  (Who's in charge?)  Did it come to blows?     Or did you figure out an approach to avoid what could have been a tense situation? 

I know this is a bit of a diversion from the "planning" topic, but maybe not too off topic....(I'll let the moderator decide.)

prouboy

I get your drift DD!  I tried solo tripping, but it's just not for me.  I suppose if you're set up to go solo you always have the option of striking out on your own if things don't go well.  I probably should have kept my Bell Merlin II as it also solves the "odd-number" problem.  Oh well, I may pick up a Bell Magic one of these days. 

But the idea of striking out on my own for an extended trip...yikes, sitting on a rock with my dog watching the sunset just doesn't do it for me!  But for you guys who do, I am in awe of you...

prouboy

The best leaders are more along Jimbo's approach. The group needs some common goals. And there is a time a leader needs to step up, like cautioning about dangerous conditions. But mostly the best leaders are good hosts, not type A's. You can decide after the trip if leading the group was satisfying and you'd invite them again.

A big part of the planning is getting the group's abilities and desires sized up. You may need to do some pre-trip coaching to novices about what is possible.

While I can generally get along with anyone, I do have a loose rule-of-thumb when it comes to my camping mates; that being  I won't trip with the "3 C's": Cops, Clergy or Californians.

Cops - ALWAYS need to be in charge.  I have yet to meet an exception.

Clergy - Too many "rules" and cannot typically handle the unexpected.  There are some exceptions but most just like to hear themselves talk.

Californians - just goofy all around and typically need to change clothes 4-5 times a day.

However, the person I cannot stand to trip with is usually me.  I have a tendency to sleep late, burn dinner, lose fish, be indecisive, get lost occasionally and often forget items in the car or at home.  Plus, I'm a real jerk.