News from Ely and the Boundary Waters

Piragis Northwoods Company

June 14, 2012 Email Newsletter

It has been a great first two weeks of June here on the edge of the Boundary Waters. The weather was glorious and sunny with great opportunities for swimming. The early walleye bite has been fabulous and those who just returned from our Smallmouth Bass Guided Group trip numbered their catches in the hundreds each.

Today as I write this it is raining a steady downpour that will keep the forest healthy and give me more reasons to mow my lawn this weekend. It is sure shaping up to be a fabulous Summer. We are booking more and more trips everyday and canoe reservations are on the rise.

We hope to see you soon!

From the End of the Road,

Tim Stouffer, Marketing Director and Webmaster

Piragis Northwoods Company

Watching the canoes leave town
on car and van or truck,
Boundary Waters wilderness bound.
With maps, bait and a little bit of luck:
Stuck deep in their packs?

I want to join them, to run home
grab my rod and tackle,
snag off the shelf a favorite tome,
hammocks, dog, sit by the fire's crackle.
Feel the weight and dig of straps on our backs.

The need to trip, to escape, to follow the canoe;
pulls at me, calls with memories overdue.

© Timothy James Stouffer 2012

What's Going on in the Boundary Waters?

Drew,

"Just wanted to let you know we had a great trip--a bit wet but fun. The equipment was great and we had plenty of food. Fishing was good but walleyes were tough to find. We caught some nice trout-- enclosed is a photo of one. See you soon I hope--thanks for having Adam pick us up! We might still be at Crane lake otherwise!"

Steve Higgins

Hi Drew,

"We were told to send our group photos to you so here they are! Thanks for the great time! The canoes were awesome and the bonus candy and pop in the van was a welcomed surprise. We'll be sure to pass the word on!"

thanks,
Bridget Lee

"We greatly enjoyed our visit to BWCWA. We plan to come again and use Piragis Outfitters. You were very helpful and informative throughout.

Overall, a great experience!" Thanks, Brad

"You guys taught me how to secure a canoe to these new cars that have nothing to tie onto (rope looped and knotted) - in hood and trunk! I thought the rental process was smooth as silk(both pickup and return). I have no complaints. I will recommend your business to my friends that access BWCA via Ely area."

Bob Swenson

Hey, have you ever thought about doing a Fly-In Trip to Quetico Park in Canada? You get to ride in one of these! Way-cool! Call Drew or Adam today to reserve your front row seat to FUN! 1-800-223-6565.

"I caught these two on a recent trip to Quetico." Mike Teach

Send us your trip pictures and journal entries. Let us know how your Boundary Waters adventures went! We'll post to our email newsletters and facebook. You can share with all your friends! Just email to our webmaster.

Join us on our Women Exploring Wilderness Guided Canoe Trip, sign up today!

Click for Trip Details

Womens' Guided Group Trip = Instant Circle of Paddling Friends

"Perky Gazelles! I can't do perky gazelles!" One womens' trip participant confided in the rest of us on the first night that she had been afraid that she would be the only 50-something on a trip of otherwise young, fashion-conscious fitness bunnies. None of us fit that description. In our wide-brimmed hats and quick-dry shirts and zip-off pants, a few of us looked like we could have stepped out of the pages of the Piragis catalog. Function over fashion is the rule in canoe country. In the five days which followed, we made friends and memories that would last a lifetime.

The height of summer is such a special time in canoe country. Young animals are learning to fly, swim, and run. We always encounter animals, but they surprise us with when and where. Maybe a loon comes up a few yards from the canoe. An eagle watches from its perch or flies right overhead. Beavers swim past our campsite with fresh branches to decorate their house. Each week brings a new flush of wildflowers. The women's trip is scheduled for July 8 - 13, and things are shaping up well so far this year for a good supply of blueberries.

Blueberries. I like to cook with them. The lines between dessert and breakfast get blurry when berries are involved. If we don't eat blueberry pancakes or stir berries into our oatmeal, we might eat blueberry muffin for dessert. Or why not eat them straight off the bush? The bears do it. Well, we don't eat blueberries every day for every meal. Sometimes we have pizza, or fresh-caught fish on a bed of wild rice. On women's trips, we have plenty of the top-notch food that Piragis has become known for, and we eat well.

We burn the calories too. By paddling, we learn the meaning of working together. We take turns carrying the canoes and the packs. We pack up camp and move nearly every day, but we travel at a pace that allows us to savor our morning coffee, admire the scenery, stop for a few photographs, and take a leisurely swim when the opportunity presents itself.

But the best part of coming on a guided women's group trip is that you get to hang out with me! No, I am not stuck on myself in real life. I have great outdoor skills, since I have been canoe-camping nearly every summer since I was eight years old. I don't need to look at a map any more to travel Ely area canoe routes. But more importantly than all this, I like people. I like introducing people who have never or seldom been to the Boundary Waters to canoe country wilderness travel. I like telling stories around the campfire, and listening to the stories that others have. I like to see people have fun together.

If you're a woman, please consider joining us. If you're a man, encourage your wife, girlfriend, or significant other to come and experience the Boundary Waters with us. You'll be glad you did.
The 2012 Summer Women Exploring Wilderness guided group trip is July 8 - 13. Call Drew or Adam 1-800-223-6565 today and we can get your spot reserved. Looking forward to meeting you!

LynnAnne Vesper

Piragis Guide since 2000

Something New we Know you'll Like!

BLEM PADDLES 20% OFF

Our Blem Paddle Sale is back. We've just got a shipment of paddles with cosmetic blems that add up to great savings for you. They work great, they feel great, they even look great. Small cosmetic blems add up to great savings!
Click Here

Cliff's Latest Blog - The Nine-Person Rule

BLOG. 12. THE 9-PERSON RULE

By Cliff Jacobson

Everyone who canoes the Boundary Waters of Minnesota knows that the maximum group size is nine people and four watercraft. The rule further states that "...you may not exceed either limit at any time or at any place in the BWCA, including portages, campsites or waterways." Prior to 1995, a crew of ten were allowed. The new rule seems to make sense, but it has caused some serious problems. First an observation:

To continue reading click HERE

What's out in the Woods?

Morels Up After the Fire

I've heard about this phenomenon for years and yesterday Nancy and I had time to get out of town and check it out. The word is that morel fungi come up profusely the year after a forest fire has ripped thru a forest. No one seems to have an explanation why it happens but it seems they are right. We found morels yesterday. Well, she found morels.   I must have been wearing the wrong sunglasses or something cause Nancy found 10 times more than I did. I think her shorter stature helped as the black species seemed to pop up underneath burned out tree stumps.   That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I did find a few of the big yellowish colored morels that grow more out in the open and stick out like a yellow lollipop on burnt over soil but of course even those I was sadly lacking in my bag compared to hers. Oh well, I need more practice.

The cooking of these morels was a bit of a challenge.   Coming up thru sandy soil with little or no organic cover left the porous fruit rather sandy. They took some real washing to get the grit out and even then there was a crunch or two in the eating and final phase of a morel day.   That is the big reward though with any morel forret, they are yummy as any fungus you can imagine fried with onions in butter and a little cream over the top.   Man, you can't imagine how good they are unless you've tried em. So the morel of the story is; take note of this year's forest fires and go there the next spring with basket in hand to bring home a real epicurean delight.

The season may be just about over in our big Pagami fire zone from last fall but the forest was ablaze just a couple weeks ago only ½ mile out of Ely so next spring - Don't tell anyone though.   Let's keep that our little secret excuse for a walk in the blackened woods next May and June.

Steve Piragis

You can find out more about Morel Mushrooms here.

Or purchase our books about Mushrooms here. Thanks for looking!

DETOUR THIS SUMMER ON HIGHWAY ONE To Ely

Click Here for Map

Outfitting News with Drew Brockett

Water Levels

Plenty of rain over the last week has been wonderful for the entire area. Water will be at a great level for anyone coming up here.

Safety First

We rent Satellite Phones so keep that in mind if you are needing one on the trip. Please call to reserve these. I have a few Iridium and a few Globalstar models for rent.

Are there Bugs yet?

The bugs have started to come out - black flies and mosquitos. We have everything you need in our store - head nets, bug dope, etc to help you enjoy the wilderness. Also, we do rent Tundra Tarps in outfitting. These are the tarps with the bug screen sides. It's a great thing to rent when you want to travel during the bug season. Call to reserve one today!

Guided Trips

We still have room on many of our Guided Group Trips. If you want to take a trip where everything is taken care of: motel rooms, all the gear, all the food, guide, and trip planning; one of these could be perfect for you. Check them out and let us know if you have any questions.

Permits

It's always better to reserve your Permit sooner than later. Let us help you reserve one and tell you about the options that are available on your specific start date. It can be confusing on your own, but we'll walk you through it and make sure your trip planning starts off on the right foot!

Call Adam or Drew at 800-223-6565 for more details.