Claire and Dashwa on the first winter trip to the Boundary Waters for young Dash. Photo by Bear Paulsen
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The Youngest Winter Camper: A Boundary Waters Story
By Bear Paulsen
BOUNDARY WATERS – I wanted our entry point to be a place where people lived year-round so help would be nearby if something went wrong. I settled on Copper Lake for our eighteenth annual New Year’s trip because Andy and Ada of Tuscarora Outfitters would be there if needed.
My wife, Claire, gave birth to our son, Dashwa, in September of 2018. At 29 days old we took him on an 18-day BWCA trip. As new parents, we learned a lot that snowy October paddle about caring for an infant in the cold. We felt fortunate to have had that experience as we strategized about bringing Dashwa winter camping.
On previous New Year’s trips, we’ve had from four to seven people establishing camp. This year we had only three: my sister Wendy, Claire, and me. We needed another person who was both a capable winter traveler and willing to join a group whose attention would be on a mother and infant.
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