Exploring the Boundary Waters: A Trip Planner and Guide to the BWCAW (Paperback)

by Daniel Pauly (Author)
Key Phrases: wine lake, jenny lake, daily permit quota, Boundary Waters, Entry Point, Forest Service (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

With more than 200,000 visitors annually, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is among the most alluring wilderness areas in the country, unique because it is most often explored by canoe. Comprised of more than one million acres, the BWCAW is an exceptional combination of expansive wilderness, abundant wildlife, and fascinating natural and human history. Exploring the Boundary Waters is the most comprehensive trip planner to the BWCAW, giving travelers an overview of each entry point into the wilderness area as well as detailed descriptions of more than one hundred specific routes - including a ranking of their difficulty level and maps that feature the major waterways, portages, and the designated campsites. The book is crafted so that readers can design their own route through the almost inexhaustible network of lakes and streams. Daniel Pauly, Boundary Waters expert, worked with the U.S. Forest Service, the Minnesota DNR, and local outfitters to gather information about how to obtain a permit, the rules and regulations of the park, safety tips, and how to help maintain the ecological integrity of the wilderness. As engaging as it is informative, Exploring the Boundary Waters not only contributes advice on the pros and cons of each route, but also brings the reader a natural and historical context for the journey by offering insight into the pictographs, mining sites, logging railroads, and ruins one may encounter throughout his or her expedition. With its accessible and personal style, Exploring the Boundary Waters is the perfect guide for anyone - novice or seasoned veteran - arranging a trip to the BWCAW. A companion Web site, http://www.boundarywatersguide.com, presents useful information that can be downloaded for planning a trip, including gear lists, overview maps, and route updates.

Book Description

With more than 200,000 visitors annually, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is among the most alluring wilderness areas in the country, unique because it is most often explored by canoe. Comprised of more than one million acres, the BWCAW is an exceptional combination of expansive wilderness, abundant wildlife, and fascinating natural and human history. Exploring the Boundary Waters is the most comprehensive trip planner to the BWCAW, giving travelers an overview of each entry point into the wilderness area as well as detailed descriptions of more than one hundred specific routes - including a ranking of their difficulty level and maps that feature the major waterways, portages, and the designated campsites. The book is crafted so that readers can design their own route through the almost inexhaustible network of lakes and streams. Daniel Pauly, Boundary Waters expert, worked with the U.S. Forest Service, the Minnesota DNR, and local outfitters to gather information about how to obtain a permit, the rules and regulations of the park, safety tips, and how to help maintain the ecological integrity of the wilderness. As engaging as it is informative, Exploring the Boundary Waters not only contributes advice on the pros and cons of each route, but also brings the reader a natural and historical context for the journey by offering insight into the pictographs, mining sites, logging railroads, and ruins one may encounter throughout his or her expedition. With its accessible and personal style, Exploring the Boundary Waters is the perfect guide for anyone - novice or seasoned veteran - arranging a trip to the BWCAW. A companion Web site, http://www.boundarywatersguide.com, presents useful information that can be downloaded for planning a trip, including gear lists, overview maps, and route updates.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 440 pages
• Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press; 1 edition (April 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816642168
• ISBN-13: 978-0816642168
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #34,179 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > Travel > United States > States > Minnesota
  #1 in	Books > Travel > United States > Regions > Central
  #2 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Canoeing > Excursion Guides

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A no-nonsense guide written especially for canoe enthusiasts, June 6, 2005

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Exploring The Boundary Waters: A Trip Planner And Guide To The BWCAW is a no-nonsense guide written especially for canoe enthusiasts with an interest in the one million acres of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Offering an overview of each entry point, meticulously detailed accountings of one hundred routes covering difficulty level as well as pros and cons, fifty-one maps showcasing major waterways, portages, and designated campsites, and much more, Exploring the Boundary Waters is the resource to consult before planning a canoe getaway in the BWCAW. Written by a frequent visitor and Boundary Waters expert Daniel Pauly with assistance from the U.S. Forest Service, the Minnesota DNR, and local outfitters, Exploring The Boundary Waters is a "must-have" resource on everything from obtaining a permit to maintaining the ecological integrity of the wilderness to planning one's route, discovering historic sites on one's trip, and much more. Highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Guide Book, March 8, 2007

By	T. Flatley (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

Very detailed and accurate route descriptions. Portage difficulty and lengths were helpful in planning for "trip newbees" we had on our recent trip. Many geologic points of interest usually missed were well described.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Informative, January 27, 2008

By	Timothy Brown - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book has given me the tools I need to plan my first wilderness canoe camping trip with my family. The maps and route recommendations have been particularly valuable. Its not the only piece of information I'll collect, but it is a great, comprehensive start.