Wearing Makeup in the BWCA Makes Minnesota Educator Feel Comfortable, Deal With It
Melanie Olson is an educator in Minnesota. She also travels to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, including during the winter months. When she’s camping in the BWCA, Melanie prefers to wear makeup. She also sleeps with a silk pillow.
Some might refer to Melanie’s approach to embracing outdoor recreation as being “high maintenance.” Melanie says people can call it whatever they want. For her, it’s all about being real and being comfortable. What matters most, she says, is that she’s getting outdoors and doing the thing, be it canoeing or winter camping.
Joe Friedrichs from the Paddle and Portage Podcast talked with Melanie at the 2025 Winter Camping Symposium on the shores of Sturgeon Lake.