Wtip Boundary Waters Podcast

The canoeing season is officially over for 2019 in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. For some, a new chapter is welcomed with open arms as winter travel begins and the lakes freeze up. In this episode, hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs take you along for their final canoe trip of the season. The duo retrace their route featured in episode two of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. That journey took them across the ice to Winchell Lake. This time, a canoe serves as the transport vessel and a return to Winchell is the trip's primary objective. Rain, snow, storytelling and a visit from a unique character make their expedition one to remember. Also featured in episode 23, Podcaster Chelsea Lloyd talks with Grand Marais resident Kjersa Anderson about her experience paddling in the Boundary Waters. Chelsea and Kjersa share some of their personal stories from the wilderness, including how experiences in the Boundary Waters provides confidence throughout many aspects of their lives.

There are a variety of reasons for both why and how people fall in love with the Boundary Waters. In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, Siddeeqah Shabazz and Stephe Stovall share their story of love for the woods, water and how this natural treasure opened so many opportunities for them personally and professionally. It’s a love story with deep connections both for and from the wilderness. Also in episode 22, Podcaster Chelsea Lloyd talks with Douglas Wood, a longtime wilderness guide, who is also a prolific author, perhaps best known for his first book, “Old Turtle.” In 2017 Wood released a memoir about the mysteries of the natural world, “Deep Woods, Wild Waters.” It’s October in the Boundary Waters, let episode 22 be your guide into the new season.

There’s a certain magic that unfolds on a first trip to the Boundary Waters. Memories are made, experience gained, and often the trip ends with some stating the following: “When do we get to come back?” In episode 21 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear from Minnesota resident Sarah Kermode and her friend Joe Schille, who is also from the land of 10,000 lakes. Sarah and her husband Andy took the lead on a summer trip in 2019 with four of their friends, including Joe, who was making his first trip. We hear about their trip that started at an entry point off of the Gunflint Trail. To kick things off on this episode, however, new Boundary Waters Podcast Host Chelsea Lloyd shares an interview with well-known (who are we kidding… famous!) paddler Becky Mason. Becky is an artist, canoe instructor and the daughter of paddling legend Bill Mason. Chelsea traveled across Canada to interview Becky for this episode, and it was well worth the journey to hear from this paddling icon, literally at her kitchen t

The tables get turned on WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs in episode 20. A fan of the podcast and BWCA enthusiast Chelsea Lloyd stopped through Grand Marias after a summer 2019 paddling trip. Joe and Matthew met Chelsea at the Midwest Mountaineering Expo in Minneapolis in April and struck up a conversation about podcasting and paddling. When Chelsea stopped by WTIP to record an interview on the podcast about her summer trip, she flipped the script and started to interview Joe and Matthew. Low and behold, it was a significant moment in the history of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. In fact…WTIP is pleased to announced that Chelsea Lloyd is now a host on the Boundary Waters Podcast! Episode 20 is Chelsea’s first interview, and there are many more to come on upcoming episodes. Also featured in episode 20 is Danny Warnock, a musician and software engineer who loves exploring the BWCA. While canoe camping, Danny prefers to sleep in a hammock. He enjoys it so much, in fact,

It’s easy to imagine the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as a sunny place where things never go wrong and plans fall perfectly into place on every trip. This line of thinking, however, is a recipe for, at the very least disappointment, and perhaps far worse. The reality of traveling in canoe country is that the weather is often a challenging element of most trips and the best-laid plans don’t materialize the way they were envisioned at home. In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, host Joe Friedrichs explores this notion firsthand. Joe and Minnesota resident Kevin “The K-man” Kramer share audio recorded during a 2019 summer trip. The duo entered at Brule Lake and found that indeed plans on a BWCA trip don’t always go exactly as they were put down on paper. Also in this episode, podcaster Matthew Baxley talks with North Shore resident and Boundary Waters enthusiast Chel Anderson. Chel is a botanist and plant ecologist who has lived and worked on the North Shore since 1974. Matthew and Ch

The wilderness, and the Boundary Waters in particular, are widely considered a place for personal reflection. Certainly there are many aspects that appeal to recreational enthusiasts who visit the Boundary Waters, including fishing, camping, paddling, hiking and simply the notion of ‘getting away from it all.’ At the heart of wilderness, however, lies something deeper. In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear the story of Erik Dickes from Omaha, Nebraska. Erik made plans with his father in 2018 to paddle in the BWCA. It was to be the first and long-anticipated trip to the Boundary Waters for both of them. After losing a battle with cancer in the fall of 2018, Erik’s father never made it to Minnesota and put his paddle in a Boundary Waters lake. Determined to follow through on a trip to canoe country, Erik and his friend Johnny completed a week-long trip to the BWCA in May 2019. With his father in the forefront of his mind, Erik recorded part of his trip in an audio diary that is shared on

Twenty years ago this summer, the Boundary Waters and other parts of northern Minnesota were impacted by what is forever known as the Boundary Waters Blowdown storm. On July 4, 1999, the storm roared through the region, impacting the wilderness area and lives of many thousands of people. WTIP, the community radio station in Grand Marais, is looking back on the Blowdown storm in a series of commemorative features and interviews with those who experienced the Blowdown storm firsthand. We are sharing part of this series as a short track on the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. In part one of this WTIP original series, we hear from Grand Marias resident Cindy Carpenter Straub. Cindy was camped on Pine Lake on the eastern side of the BWCA during the Blowdown storm. And we hear from Mike Stewart, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service who was working the afternoon of the Blowdown.

Introduction to the Boundary Waters region can arrive through many channels. Some learn of the waters and portage trails through family or friends. Others find videos or audio online, the descriptions and images of canoe country ultimately leading them to make that first trip to the wilderness. For many, the discovery of the Boundary Waters comes at an early age through one of the many wilderness camps for youth that surround the BWCA and Quetico. In this episode, camp attendees turned camp staffers, Ashley Bredemus and Victor Pilon from Camp Birchwood for Boys, share their stories about the value of camps near the Boundary Waters. And being that it’s May, anglers will once again take to the Boundary Waters in pursuit of walleye, pike, lake trout and smallmouth. And while many stick to crankbaits or live bait, Podcaster Matthew Baxley talks with Duluth resident Jeremy Kershaw about fly fishing in the Boundary Waters.

Anthea Grasley and her family are big fans of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. In the summer of 2018, they made their first family trip to the BWCA and traveled to Ely from their home in Rockton, Illinois. In this short track of the podcast, Matthew Baxley talks with Anthea about their family trip to the Boundary Waters.

There is a sense of community when it comes to paddlers who frequent the Boundary Waters. In episode 16 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs take this notion a step further and explore the dynamics of families who paddle together in the Boundary Waters. In this episode we hear from the father/daughter duo Scott and Emilie Burditt. Scott and Emilie are Wisconsin residents who make an annual trip to Quetico Provincial Park. They share their stories about a love for the outdoors and paddling in canoe country, and how this bond keeps them connected throughout the year. We also hear from outdoor explorers and adventurers Maura and Bobby Marko. After becoming parents, Maura and Bobby knew that passing on a love and respect for the wilderness would be a major priority for their family. In 2017, the couple, along with their two young children, completed what they call 'The Arrowhead Traverse' paddling inside the BWCA from Moose Lake to Saganaga Lake and then hiking a sectio

Welcome to Canoecopia! The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team take to the road for episode 15, with all the content coming directly from the paddling and outdoor gear expo held March 8-10 in Madison, Wisc. In this episode, podcasters Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs speak with a variety of attendees who traveled from all across the country to attend the 2019 Canoecopia extravaganza. Guests include Joe Robinet, whose videos of camping in northwest Ontario have garnered him worldwide attention. Robinet has more than 1 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. Also featured in this episode is Aubrey Helmuth Miller of Redbudsuds, a soap company based in Canton, Ohio. Aubrey has a direct connection to the Boundary Waters, as does her business. Music in this episode, which was also recorded at Canoecopia, features tunes from Jerry Vandiver, Lacie Carpenter, Ashleigh Caudill and Aubrey Helmuth Miller.

In the Boundary Waters, it can happen in an instant. No matter how experienced a paddler is starting a trip, tipping a canoe and falling into the frigid waters can happen to anyone through a variety of ways. In late fall 2018, Jacob Leingang, Rachel Nethercut and their dog Lathan experienced the very real dangers that play out when a canoe tips in the Boundary Waters. In this episode, Podcaster Matthew Baxley hears their harrowing story. Also featured in episode 14 is a conversation with Greg Gaskin, an instructor with the Wilderness Medicine Institute and National Outdoor Leadership School. Podcast host Joe Friedrichs talks with Gaskin about Rachel and Jake’s story of survival and his own reflections on the importance of wilderness medicine and safety.

They’re….back!!! Exactly one year since episode one of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast dropped, guests Gaby and Werner from Germany return for the first episode of the new season. This time, host Joe Friedrichs takes them out for their first ice fishing trip in the Boundary Waters. Also featured in this episode is a conversation podcaster Matthew Baxley has with David Hoole from Frost River outdoor equipment in Duluth about keeping your hands warm during the winter months in the BWCA. It’s the first episode of 2019… as the adventure rolls on with the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast!

The holiday season has arrived in the Boundary Waters. In this episode, we hear from two voices often associated with spending significant amounts of time in the BWCA: Dave and Amy Freeman. In the winter of 2015-16, Dave and Amy spent their holidays in the BWCA as a part of their Year in the Wilderness. Podcaster Matthew Baxley talks with the Freemans to hear what Christmas Day and conditions are like in the Boundary Waters in December. Dave and Amy also share an update on their ongoing efforts to protect the BWCA. In keeping with the holiday spirit, Baxley and co-host Joe Friedrichs discuss their holiday wish lists, with all the items being tools of the trade for recreation in the Boundary Waters.

Many people who visit the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness leave with a parting sentiment: We don’t want to go home quite yet. In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear from an individual who takes this concept to the next level. Known as the 800-Day Paddler, Mark Zimmer shares his story of essentially living in the Boundary Waters from May until fall. Speaking of changing seasons, November is a time of transition in the Boundary Waters. With lakes starting to freeze and cold ushered in by strong winds, November is one of the lowest-traffic months of the year in the BWCA. But there are those who remain in contact with the land, including Clare and Dan Shirley, the owners of Sawbill Canoe Outfitters. They share their stories of November in the Boundary Waters in part two of this episode.

More than a century of combined paddling between just two people is celebrated in episode 10 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Bob O’Hara is among the most recognized and accomplished adventurers to dip his paddle into the Boundary Waters annually, something he has done for the past 60 years without missing a season. Likewise, Ken Koscik is no stranger to canoe country. Ken hit the 50-year mark for consecutive years to Quetico Provincial Park and the Boundary Waters in 2018. A guest instructor at North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Ken teaches a course on building cedar-strip canoes and kayaks. Podcasters Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs learn what it takes to make it back to the Boundary Waters every year for at least 50 years in this episode of the Boundary Waters Podcast.

It’s the ‘All Ontario Episode’ of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast! Join Podcasters Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs as they paddle to the Cache Bay Ranger Station in Quetico Provincial Park. Interior Ranger Janice Matichuk has worked at the station in Cache Bay for the past 34 seasons, and she shares her story on the podcast. Also in this episode, we hear from Canadian musician Ian Tamblyn. A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Tamblyn has shared his music on every episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. He visited Grand Marais and WTIP recently and shares his passion for paddling and writing music with a focus on wilderness and water.

If there is concern about the number of young people visiting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, you won't hear it in episode eight of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Ada Igoe from Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail joins the podcast team for this episode. Her segment features a group of middle school students who travel to the BWCA each summer from Indiana. It's another example of the good times people of all ages can have in canoe country. Also in episode eight, we hear from Natalie Kundel at Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply in Grand Marais. Natalie shares her expertise on choosing the perfect canoe paddle for your trip to the BWCA.

The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast goes for the trifecta in this episode. Three topics are covered, including a conversation with Julia and Linda Ruelle from the Twin Cities area. Julia, a high school student in Minnetonka, won an essay contest in 2018 from the Ely Outfitting Company that brought her and three friends to the Boundary Waters for a week. Julia was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer during the winter of 2017-18 and completed chemotherapy in February. The trip to the Boundary Waters was largely a celebration of Julia’s return to good health. Also in episode seven, we hear from Tim Barton, a guide for Piragis Northwoods Company based in Ely. Barton shares his thoughts on the best footwear for navigating the Boundary Waters. And the trifecta that is episode seven wraps up with a journal-style reading from Beth Gaede. Beth is a book editor who lives in Hudson, Wisc.

June is often the gateway for trips that can last for weeks in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Ann and Steve Holtz take that theme to a different level, including a 100-day trip they completed without a resupply of gear or food. Heading into the 2018 paddling season, Ann and Steve have spent some 775 days camping in the Boundary Waters. In this episode, we hear their stories and love of the wilderness. In part two, we hear about a new lightweight camp stove that was created at a campsite in the Boundary Waters. Now officially called the Voyageur Stove, we hear from Joe Fleming, the mastermind behind the stove, about the product and his passion for the Boundary Waters.