Monthly Archives: August 2014

Early in the season I guided a Boundary Water’s trip with two outstanding athletic trainers that work out of the Mi5 Crossfit “box” in Lakeville. The goal was 75 miles in 75 hours and it was advertised as a real life fitness challenge. Stormy weather made it all of that, but did not dampen spirits. All participants came back with smiles on their faces and lots of adventure stories. One of the crew even got inked up with a BWCA tattoo to commemorate the journey.

Well it is happening again. This time in bug-free,  warm-water August.

One of the trainers from last time, Reid Peterson is going to co-lead this one with me. In his words: Amazing wilderness, great times, big laughs, moments of clarity, memories of a lifetime.

… Continue reading →

Back from the Noatak River in Arctic Alaska. The Inupiat say it has been the wettest and coldest summer in seven generations and I believe them. A challenging trip, but I had a great crew and we made it. 400 miles in 15 days all of it north of the Arctic Circle and everyone home safe and sound.

The first 11 days were almost constant rain, not the occasional passing squall, I mean rain all day with nary a glimpse of the sun. All the small rapids were washed out. The bigger rapids were powerful and tricky. For much of the trip the river filled the valley with a muddy swill. It was often almost unrecognizable from 2013. And it was cold. Three nights of hard frost and stiff bitter headwinds that at one point forced us to line downstream despite a flood fueled current that hissed like a dragon. … Continue reading →