A Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Latrine

Behold the throne of the Boundary Waters! 

All BWCA designated campsites have open-air pit latrine toilets like this one.  They provide for a nicely hygienic campsite.  Toilet paper can go in the latrine, but it is important to remember that the latrines are not for trash.

It is a little known fact that BWCA campsites are assigned administrative numbers by the U.S. Forest Service.  Each campsite is identified by lake name and campsite number.  You'll find the number written on the latrine.  The latrine shown here is at Eskwagama Lake Campsite #1. 

Amy and Dave Freeman Complete 11,700-Mile Human-Powered North American Odyssey

Amy and Dave Freeman.  Photo by Bryan Hansel, www.bryanhansel.com.

Our friends Amy and Dave Freeman landed their kayaks in Key West on Thursday, April 4, 2013, completing a 3-year, 11,700-mile expedition across North America by kayak, dogsled and canoe.
Over 80,000 elementary and middle school students from around the world have participated in the expedition virtually.

The Freemans began their human (and dog) powered North American Odyssey in Bellingham, WA on Earth Day (April 22) of 2010. The purpose of their expedition is to highlight North America’s waterways
and wild places while engaging students, teachers and armchair adventurers in their journey via www.WildernessClassroom.com.

Close encounters with humpback whales, grizzly bears, caribou, crocodiles and sharks are a few of the highlights of their expedition shared with students. In northern Canada the couple traveled for over
40 days at a time without encountering a road or town and survived -50 F temperatures on a regular basis while dogsledding. They witnessed a range of natural phenomena, from a forest fire in the Northwest Territories to the eerie stillness when the eye of Superstorm Sandy passed over them along the New Jersey coast. The Freemans also met directly with over 25,000 students at presentations they conducted along their route.

According to the Outdoor Foundation's 2012 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report, the biggest reason that children ages 6 to 17 don't participate in outdoor activities is simply a lack of interest in the outdoors. The mission of Wilderness Classroom, 501c3 nonprofit organization, is to increase students' appreciation for the environment while improving core academic skills by introducing students to the wonders of exploration and wilderness travel through live, web-based expeditions and school assemblies. The North American Odyssey has been made possible by generous support from the following sponsors: Current Designs Kayaks, Wenonah Canoe, MTI Adventurewear, North Water Paddle Sports Equipment, Petzl, Go Macro, Mitchell Paddles, ExOfficio, Clif Bar, Wild Gift and many other companies.

We are looking forward to seeing Amy and Dave back in Northeastern Minnesota.  We're happy that they'll be back on trail guiding and sharing the Boundary Waters with guests this summer. 

Ely Outfitting Company's Response to Ely, Minn.'s Social Media Ban

In light of Ely, Minnesota's recent ban on all forms of social media, Ely Outfitting Company and Boundary Waters Guide Service has changed our network hosting provider, and will be updating our Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and Pinterest accounts remotely from the Canadian side of Basswood Lake.  We will be camped at a five-star wilderness campsite until Ely rescinds the social media ban.

While local law enforcement officials have indicated a collaboration with Canadian Mounties, we believe this will place our social media technology in a safe jurisdiction, and will allow us to continue providing the social media updates our guests and those who love Ely expect and cherish.

If you agree with our continuing efforts to share photos and information about this beloved place, please like us at www.facebook.com/ElyOutfittingCompany.

ELY, MINN. ANNOUNCES A BAN ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY

Measure aims to get people outdoors, where the air is clean — and only the birds tweet

ELY, MINN. — April 1, 2013 — Today, the Northern Minnesota town at the end of the road, Ely, Minnesota, has cut off access to social media within its borders. Ely city officials made the decision to ban social media in all its forms — including Friendster, MySpace and Google+ — to encourage visitors to look up from their handheld screens and enjoy the real outdoors.

Unnamed local officials hint the ban may be extended to all electronic devices in and around Ely — the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The area boasts pristine wilderness, crystal clear lakes and small-town charms that one must see to believe, and not just in a YouTube video.

“The only thing online here is a fish. And why would anyone need Pinterest?” says Ross Petersen, Ely’s mayor. “We have a big bulletin board over at the grocery store for that sort of thing. Or the Twitter?  We have at least a hundred forty characters right here, living in Ely. And don’t even get me started on the kids listening to their Zunes.”

Tweeters, posters, pinners, fans and hashtaggers have responded to the news swiftly, posting their reactions to the measure on the internet. However, no one in Ely is countering  — or frankly, even cares. “We’ve got a million acres of exclusive content, and hundreds of sites you can visit — in person,” adds Petersen.

Sales of ink pens and real paper tablets have reportedly spiked in area stores.

There’s plenty of non-electronic fun in and around the water this summer when you travel to Ely to visit in person. For more information on Ely, named “Coolest Small Town in America” by Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel; and to book a vacation that’s less than four hours from the Twin Cities, please drop by the city, write away for brochures from the Ely Chamber Offices, or call (on your landline) 1-800-777-7281.