Northern Tier Scouts Evacuated From BWCA and Quetico During Wildfires
Scouts Evacuate the Wilderness During Wildfires
Paddlers from Northern Tier High Adventure, a Scout organization with strong ties to the Ely area, were among those evacuated from the Boundary Waters in July 2026.
In this episode, we hear their firsthand accounts of getting out from deep in the BWCA and Quetico during the evacuation. Towboats played a role, as did a series of critical decisions made along the way. The stories were recorded near Ely soon after the Scouts were evacuated.
Special thanks to Jake Hway from Chilly Dogs Sled Dog Trips for first reaching out with news of this story. Thanks, too, to Pam Wright from Soka Outdoors for recording some of the audio used in this podcast.
This episode is sponsored by Borderland Lodge, Sawtooth Outfitters, and City Cast Twin Cities.
Hear more stories like those shared in this episode on our YouTube page.
BWCA Closure Update on the Podcast: News & Stories
BWCA Closure Update: News & Stories
Smoky skies, closures, evacuations, and displacement of people have dominated conversations across the Boundary Waters region during recent days.
The BWCA Wilderness shut down July 14 amid a series of wildfires and excessive heat. The length of the closure is unknown at this time. Quetico is also closed at this time due to numerous wildfires burning in and around the park.
In this episode, we hear from Laura Nelson, a resident of Washington D.C. who was among a group of six paddlers airlifted from Quetico July 14.
We also hear from Aubrey Helmuth-Miller, who drove with her family from Ohio to paddle a canoe in the BWCA, only to have the wilderness shut down soon after they arrived to Ely.
Music in this episode from The Upstream Drifters and Ian Tamblyn.
Hear more stories like those shared in this episode on our YouTube page.
Summer BWCA Stories and Updates From Ely
BWCA Stories and News From Ely
There are enough stories, news, and information happening on the Ely side of the Boundary Waters on any given day to produce an episode of this podcast. And while that might happen at some point down the road, let’s start with this midseason update from the canoe capital of the world.
To kick things off, we hear from Mark Zimmer, the Barefoot Paddler of the Boundary Waters.
Also in this we hear from Nancy Scheibe, an Ely artist who is leading a project to paint a mural of Sig Olson this summer.
We cap the episode with a conversation with the new director the Listening Point Foundation, Kathleen Floberg.
This episode is supported by Sawtooth Outfitters, Ely Outfitting Company, and City Cast Twin Cities.
Quetico Park Revisited: Paddling in From the South
Quetico Park Revisited – Paddling in From the South
As we’ve reported in a recent episode of the podcast, access to Quetico Provincial Park from the Cache Bay and Prairie Portage ranger stations is once again an option for many paddlers. This development comes as the RABC Program winds down in September. A new telephone reporting system went live at both ranger stations June 8, and the response from paddlers has been upbeat on the new method to clear customs and enter Canada for a trip to Quetico.
In this episode, we hear from Cache Bay Rangers Peter and Stacey about their time working on the remote island where the ranger station is located. We also head up the Moose Chain near Ely with Blayne Hall from Williams & Hall Outfitters to check out the Prairie Portage entrance into Quetico.
This episode is supported by City Cast Twin Cities, Friends of the BWCA, and Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center.
The Rising Cost to Cancel a BWCA Permit
The Rising Cost to Cancel a BWCA Permit
The cost to cancel a permit to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is likely on the rise.
The U.S. Forest Service, in an attempt to reduce the number of BWCA permits canceled each year, is planning to make it more expensive to take such action.
We break it down with Ginny Nelson, a co-owner of Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitters in Ely.
Submit your comments to the U.S. Forest Service on this topic to this email: sm.fs.bwcawsurvey@usda.gov
Other ideas on this topic, as discussed in the episode: https://paddleandportage.com/2025/01/13/bwca-wilderness-permit-reservation-system-opening-day-analysis/
This episode is supported by Borderland Lodge and Voyageur Canoe Outfitters.
Quetico Telephone Reporting and BWCA Film Policy – News Track
Quetico and BWCA Updates – News Track
We share the latest on access to Quetico Provincial Park now that telephone reporting is replacing the RABC Program. Hear a firsthand account of how the new telephone reporting system to access Quetico works. Spoiler alert: It works great!
Also in this episode, we hear from Bryan Hansel, a photographer who lives near Grand Marais about the public’s right to film, take photos, or make sound recordings in the BWCA and other wilderness areas across the country. It’s been a long road, and finally there’s clarity on what is allowed.
This news track is supported by City Cast Twin Cities and Northstar Canoes.
Paddling a Lake Superior Estuary Near Duluth
The St. Louis River and Duluth Paddling Scene
The St. Louis River Estuary is the confluence of the St. Louis River with Lake Superior. At 12,000 acres, the St. Louis River Estuary is the largest freshwater estuary in North America and is considered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to be the headwaters of the Great Lakes.
Over the past 150 years, industry and other human activity disrupted and altered natural habitats at this estuary, as shorelines and near shore areas were dredged and developed, and chemical contamination impacted the waters, according to the DNR.
People recognized that legacy sediment contaminants needed to be remediated and damaged habitat needed to be restored. This work started decades ago and continues today.
The Paddle & Portage Podcast team recently traveled to the estuary for a paddle trip. Joining the podcast duo were staff from the Lake Superior Reserve and the St. Louis River Alliance.
This episode is supported by our listener-members, and by Cooke Custom Sewing, Loons Nest Coffee, and Friends of the Boundary Waters.
Video to support the podcast below.
The Magazine Story That Brought an Ohio Kid to the Boundary Waters
The Magazine Story That Brought an Ohio Kid to the Boundary Waters
Don Beans first heard about the Boundary Waters when he was a kid growing up in Ohio. And he did so via a magazine, and through the words of longtime Ely resident Bob Cary, a local author, journalist, artist, and wilderness guide.
About 10 years after reading one of Bob Cary’s articles, Don left Ohio and headed north. The year was 1983. His destination: Ely.
In this episode, we hear the story of Don Beans and his journey to the Boundary Waters. Special thanks to Cindy Smyka and the Jasper Company, a multigenerational family business dedicated to hospitality, for their contributions to this episode.
This episode is supported by you, our listener-members. Support also comes from Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles and Ely Outfitting Company.