I just returned from eight nights and nine days on the water in the Boundary Waters Canoeing Area Wilderness with my youngest son, a 14 year old Life Scout, through Northern Tier High Adventure Base in Ely, MN. The trip began with a rainy day in base camp, the scouts collected their gear and packed food in the rain.

We departed base the next day, crossed Moose lake and headed west. We passed through:

Day 1 -
Moose Lake
Wind Lake
Wind Bay
Indiana Lake
Basswood Lake
Hoist Bay
Back Bay

Day 2 -
Back Bay
Pipestone Bay
Jackfish Bay
Range Lake
Mudro Lake

Day 3 -
Mudro Lake
Fourtown Lake
Horse Lake

Day 4 -
Horse Lake
Horse River
Basswood River

Day 5 - (30 mile day)
Basswood River
Lower Basswood Falls
Crooked Lake
Wednesday Bay
Thursday Bay

and back to camp across Lower Basswood falls.

Day 6 -
Basswood River
Basswood Falls
Basswood Lake
Camped on Washington Island

Day 7 -
Basswood Lake
Inlet Bay
Crossed Prairie Portage
Sucker Lake


Day 8 -
Camp day for fishing and a Crawfish boil


Day 9 -
Sucker Lake
Newfound Lake
Moose Lake
Base Camp

We had pretty good weather over the 9 days but days 3 and 4 were soaking rain. We were able to improvise a shelter over the fire pit on day 4 and found dry wood from a recent blow down that had splintered a tree at the base and saved the day with a warm dry fire. We canoed a little over a hundred miles, saw ancient pictographs, an abandoned 1928 Buick that had been driven in over the ice, an old Voyager camp, more bald eagles than we could count, water falls, and beautiful country.

Northern Tier was probably the most fun I had on a high adventure. Probably more than Philmont.

Ho- Ri. Red-Eye. Where are you bound? Charlie's Camp. You need more and stronger insect repellent.

Ho- Ri. Red-Eye. Where are you bound? Charlie's Camp. You need more and stronger insect repellent.

Wow my 10 year old is at Bear Creek finishing his first camp

That looks way more better

Best high adventure ever...recommend going through a private outfitter though over Northern Tier if your troop is open to it.

Went last year. Best camping I've ever done. Will do private outfitter next time and will bring a crawfish trap. They were everywhere.

The BSA council in Lafayette,La. operates a high adventure program that travels the Atchafala swamp. It's called Swamp Base. They are on FB. It's look like a great program. The have groups from most of the US attending. They will have a booth at the National Jamboree.

Stuff like that = good for the soul

I did that 17 years ago this summer. We took 4 crews to Northern Tier and had a blast. Did Philmont the next year. I'm glad we did Philmont, but it just didn't compare with NT.

Northern Tier is great. Thanks for sharing.

Awesome trip! Gonna have to add that to my bucket list

Great post!

This is why I keep following the OB. It just doesn't get any better than this.