A portage around the Horse River is only one stop on this group’s epic start to the 2025 paddling season. Photo by Pam Wright
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Start the Season Right: A 50-Mile Paddle in the BWCA
By Pam Wright
A mile and a half of portage stretched out before us. It wasn’t the longest we’d ever done, but it made for a formidable start to our Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) trip.
The rugged trail connected us to the Stuart River, a 9-mile paddle north to a lake of the same name. As I heaved the gear bag and our three-person canoe onto my shoulders, I questioned my ability to tackle a 50-plus-mile canoe trip. Would my body hold up? How uncomfortable would it get? We’re doing this for fun, right?
We moved along the trail at an easy pace, and I found myself thinking about what draws people here and why we willingly haul heavy packs and carry canoes over rough trails, ending up dirty, tired, and sore. Why do we invite others to join us in this kind of “suffering?”
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