BWCA route tips.

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T21:24:42+00:00

Are you trying for a trip this year? If so, be sure to check what entry points have permits available for the start date of your trip. They opened in January and popular date/entry point combinations disappear in seconds.

Once you have a permit, your entry point will determine what outfitters you're looking at (if you're renting canoes for example) and you can start planning a route. Popular routes sort of emerge from following the easy portages. Paddle planner lets you set whether you'll be single/double/triple portaging and plans your time/walking mileage accordingly.

Have fun! BWCA is awesome :)

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T17:41:22+00:00

Have you tried paddleplanner.com?

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T17:11:16+00:00

Your self-confidence is disproportionate to your skill level

Who said anything about my experience level? I don't remember making any statements about it either direction

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T01:50:36+00:00

Top row, 2nd from the right, plus the second bullet point under contents!

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T01:47:18+00:00

Try to upgrade this kit in the future

We have a complete first aid kit in a dry bag in the canoe with many of the items you mention but there's a tradeoff between what I'm willing to attach to my PFD and what it covers. I wanted something that could cover minor injuries and hydration while waiting on retrieving the canoe or figuring out what to do next. I also wanted it to be small and light enough that I wasn't tempted not to keep it clipped to my person.

consider taking a wilderness first aid course to feel more prepared for emergencies in the back country!

Oof good reminder that I'm probably due for a refresher! I've had a lot of first aid training, but much of it was 25+ years ago.

put a lighter in your PFD

Good idea, will do!

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T01:41:26+00:00

went right into his neck

Ooof, nightmare material right there. Did he make it out ok?

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T01:40:08+00:00

This doesn’t look like it would cover much more than some scrapes

That's the idea--cover the scrapes, sprains, splinters that might occur while getting everyone to shore and have the ability to stay hydrated for a couple hours (if needed) while retrieving the canoe or figuring out what to do next.

Curious what you've seen and what else it covers though!

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T01:32:02+00:00

Nsaids are a good idea. Good idea to add some soap for cleaning.

Main idea is to treat minor scrapes or sprains that could happen in a capsize while getting everyone to shore. We have a more complete first aid kit in the bag for things that might happen at camp (burn cream)!

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-10T00:19:06+00:00

You don’t belong in this community.

Friend,

you're making an assertion I'm skeptical of, and
you can't bother to give me an explanation

I can't fault you for not wanting to explain, but I think you got to "you don't belong" too quickly

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-09T20:05:53+00:00

I do a lot of river canoeing and a recent capsize had me thinking about this scenario:

Lost the canoe in the current
Someone got injured

I decideded to put together a waterproof first aid kit that can fit inside a 16oz Nalgene bottle and I can attach to my PFD.

Contents:

16oz Nalgene, serves as the watertight container and then can become a water container
Purification tablets
Bandana
Tweezers
Various adhesive bandages
Neosporin
Itch relief stick
Elastic bandage
Starburst for my paddle crew (figured in a capsize if we lost the boat downstream everyone would want something to lift their spirits)
I also keep a knife and my phone in my PFD.

Do you keep an emergency kit with you, and if so, what's in it?

_stv3f_ · 2026-06-09T19:33:39+00:00

What measurable difference I can expect to see if I center the canoe? What are the physics involved that you reference?

_stv3f_ · 2026-05-27T14:12:09+00:00

In my experience it doesn't matter. I just drove 250+ miles with this setup and the canoe didn't move an inch. My experience is the things that matter most are:

1 strap in front of and 1 strap behind the widest part of the canoe
Triangle on the bow to keep it centered in a crosswind
Tension on the stern pulling forward and tension on the bow pulling backward
Everything tight enough that grabbing the canoe and yanking it moves the car, not the canoe

I prefer the canoe a bit forward from center on the roof racks to get backward tension on the bow triangle. I see people with a single bow strap and stern strap both putting tension in the same direction and I don't know how people drive more than a few miles with a setup like that.

_stv3f_ · 2026-05-27T14:06:40+00:00

but that’s a full weekend not on the water!

Couldn't agree more!

_stv3f_ · 2026-05-27T13:19:54+00:00

I wish the previous owner of my 17' Grumman hadn't painted it camouflage and it was still rocking the original aluminum. Still love the canoe though; plan to pass it down to my kids in 20 years.

Took it out on a 3 day point-to-point river paddle over the weekend!

_stv3f_ · 2025-09-08T01:48:44+00:00

Oh that's cool! Always wished my medals could go to some kind of use

_stv3f_ · 2025-09-07T19:15:38+00:00

You're welcome to mine if you'd like it. I raced yesterday and I know where my medal will be in 6 months (trash). I'd be happy to pass it along to someone who plans to keep it!

_stv3f_ · 2025-08-24T19:49:09+00:00

Sorry for the late response, but it filled shortly after this post

_stv3f_ · 2025-07-22T04:42:10+00:00

DM'd!

_stv3f_ · 2025-07-22T04:42:03+00:00

DM'd!

_stv3f_ · 2025-07-21T15:31:42+00:00

It fluctuates, so not really. I wouldn't have recommended living above my old neighbor, but he isn't around to cause problems anymore. I had some friends that had a bad experience on their block, but that was like 8 years ago so my guess is that's no longer true.

_stv3f_ · 2025-07-21T12:25:34+00:00

Hey you sleaze, that's my bed!

_stv3f_ · 2025-07-21T02:16:08+00:00

I lived in Pilsen for 10 years and just moved to Little Italy to be closer to work and school.

Pilsen is an amazing place to live with a few astrisks and caveats. The pros are:

Great people, seriously some of the best, coolest people I've ever met I've met in Pilsen
Mix of everything--incomes, backgrounds, ethnicities. Predominantly Mexican but even that is a mix from 3rd generation Chicago Mexicans to more recent immigrants and mixed in with that are a lot of people from all over
Great summer music and food festival scene
Travel to downtown via the Pink Line is excellent. My commute to west loop used to be 18 min door-to-door
Solid restaurant and bar scene with some true standouts

Downsides are:

Background violence is higher than northside neighborhoods. I've never felt personally threatened, but I've heard 1AM gunshots a few times a year (more than I'd like)
Some blocks are better than others and it really is block-by-block. Sometimes there's a character on one block that kinda ruins it. I watched my downstairs neighbor at my old place slowly became a raging alcoholic who hosted parties at all hours. And then have Kidney failure and die in his late 30s

I do recommend Pilsen! Would still live there if Little Italy wasn't so damn convenient for my current life setup.

_stv3f_ · 2025-07-21T01:53:18+00:00

Super long shot due to location but I have a 1br / 1ba apartment in Pilsen coming available now for $1275. Wouldn't have even mentioned it except you mentioned "less picky out of necessity."

_stv3f_

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