Highlights:
- Staying at the renowned Gunflint Lodge
- Paddling in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
- Hiking and horseback riding through the lovely North Woods
- Seeing moose, mink, beavers, pileated woodpeckers, and—of course—the ever present loon
- Visiting the charming town of Grand Marais
Venturing into the Boundary Waters can be done in many ways. For women who like camping and canoeing trips, we offer our Paddling the Alton Lake Loop and Autumn Paddling trips. However, if your idea of the perfect vacation is spending your days outdoors in nature and canoeing on beautiful lakes, then retiring to a cabin for a hot tub, hot shower, hot dinner, and soft bed, this is the trip for you.
This trip is for: any woman in basic good health. No previous canoeing or riding experience is needed and women of any fitness level are welcome.
Accommodations:
- We'll be staying at the renowned Gunflint Lodge, situated on large Gunflint Lake and right on the edge of the wilderness area, and one of the pre-eminent boundary waters lodges. We'll have 4 Gunflint Lake Homes, one with 3 bedrooms, and the other three with two bedrooms. All the homes have a 4 - 6 person spa in solarium, private sauna, gas fireplace, washer/dryer, and kitchen. For a detailed look at the homes, go to www.gunflint.com/cabins/cabins.htm. We have #1, #7, #10 and #11
Maximum group size: 12
Trip price: $1475 (deduct $50 for registration prior to 2/22/08). There are three single rooms available for an extra charge of $100. $300 deposit.
Trip price includes:
- meals from Sunday lunch through Saturday lunch
- six nights double occupancy lodging
- all activities specified on the itnerary
- roundtrip transportation from Duluth, MN
- experienced guides
Trip starts: at 10 am June 22 at the airport in Duluth, MN (DLH)
Trip ends: at 2 pm June 28 at the Duluth airport
More information: a summary of all this information, packing list, notes on the packing list, and general information (must have Adobe Acrobat Reader)
For pictures from our 2007 trip in the Boundary Waters, click here.
Register for this trip or Contact us for more information
Itinerary
This itinerary is meant to be illustrative. The final itinerary will depend on weather, group interests, and other factors. You might choose to do everything we offer or spend more time relaxing, getting a massage, or sitting quietly with a book. Whichever you choose, this is the perfect place to do it.
Sunday- We'll meet at 10 am at the Duluth airport. The drive up to Gunflint along the north shore of Lake Superior is quite pretty with several truly lovely state parks. We'll stop for walk at one of them, either Gooseberry or Split Rock, and we'll also have lunch at the charming and popular Coho Cafe. We'll arrive at Gunflint about 4 PM, settle in, and get oriented. We'll get to know each other better at dinner that night (most dinners will be cooked and served in the 3 bedroom cabin) and those who choose may want to go for an evening paddle that night.
Monday- Today's main activity is a paddling day trip. If you're new to paddling, you'll learn basic canoe strokes. We'll then set off for our Ham Lake day trip. We'll paddle between fields of water lilies, portage around scenic rapids, and journey around giant boulders as we travel down the Cross River to the lake. We'll enjoy a hearty sack lunch at one of several scenic campsites on the way.
Tuesday: There are a couple of different options today. We might choose the Stairway Portage day trip, that includes paddling through Bearskin and Duncan lakes, and hiking over two wilderness portages. Incredible scenery and a spectacular waterfall greet us on this challenging, but worthwhile journey.
Another option is the Granite River day trip. We paddle down this spectacular river which separates the United States and Canada. We will go by waterfalls, rapids, and over several scenic portages. Also a challenging trip, it is worth the extra effort.
Wednesday: Today we trade in canoes for horses as we spend the morning on a half day horseback ride. The country around the lodge is as beautiful as the lakes and horseback is a fun and easy way to see more of it. We'll have lunch on the trail. Returning in early afternoon, we'll clean up, and then drive into the truly charming town of Grand Marais. Whether you want to shop for books, outdoor wear, or art, there are shops here to please everyone. We'll have dinner at one of the excellent restaurants that have sprung up recently.
Thursday: One of the under appreciated and unique aspects of the BWCA ecosystem are bogs. While walking in a bog might not sound like fun, it is! Wear shoes that can get wet for this paddle and hike into one of the local bogs and be prepared to be amazed at the very different ecosystem which is within.
Friday: There are a lot of different options today and we'll make the final decision based on our energy and interests. We haven't really taken advantage of any of the hiking that is possible, or spent time with the resident naturalists. Another paddling day is always an option. Or perhaps just spending time relaxing by the lake will be appealing. That night we'll have dinner at the lodge and sample the Northwoods cuisine that Gunflint is known for.
Saturday: After breakfast, we'll pack up and leave for Duluth. We'll stop for a picnic lunch and short hike, before arriving back at the airport by 2 PM (airline schedules change from year to year so we may change this to a bit earlier or later to accommodate flight times).
