Char Cloth, one of those strange and distant terms you’ve probably heard of it you’ve been around the Bushcraft community for some time, yet it’s just on the fringes enough most people have either never used it, and especially never made it.
It’s that time of year again, the Christmas and Holiday season is already upon us, 2024 went flying by! If you’re like me, you might be looking for something new, something different for the outdoor adventure lover in your life, better to order early than wait till it’s too late.
If you’re in mind for some National Parks and you want to escape the crowds, I have the best-kept National Park road trip that you can ever imagine. I’m talking about epic views, plenty to do and see, with nary another soul around for miles, an outdoor adventure lovers paradise and be found in that most underrated of States. South Dakota.
Have you ever been in the backwoods … backpacking, camping, hiking, whatever … and you’re sitting there eating some nasty freeze-dried meal, or a MRE, or another stupid power bar? You start thinking about all the good food waiting for you on the other side of your trip.
Like pizza.
Recently the Average Flatlanders went on a 5-day trip deep into the BWCA, starting with a base camp on Brule Lake, one of the largest bodies of water on the BWCA, camping on the edge of Cone Bay. We did 4 portages from Brule to Lower Cone, Lower to Middle Cone, Middle to Upper Cone, and then onto Cliff Lake.
We learned a thing or two about portaging in the Boundary Waters. If you are looking to hear something about the portages between Brule and the Cones, or just portaging in general, read on.
- Ensure you look carefully for all portages, they can be deceiving in finding their starting point, bring a good map or GPS
- Make sure to bring shoulder pads to carry canoe above your head, it much easier than carrying a canoe, even with two people, but your hands
- Watch your step carefully, lots of rocks and roots
- I prefer to put my backpack on and carry the canoe on my shoulders, to avoid multiple trips
- Hydrate and drink lots of water
If you are on Brule Lake in the BWCA and are thinking about portaging north through “The Cones”, Lower Cone, Middle Cone, Upper Cone, and then Cliff Lake … the portages between The Cones are short and flat, they are good starters if you are new to portaging.
The portage between Upper Cone and Cliff Lake is a little bit of a brutal one, mostly because it’s uphill most of the way from Upper Cone going towards Cliff Lake. It’s just long enough to make you tired.
Today, I’m going to go over everything you need to know to plan your next Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe trip. The first time I did this I didn’t even know where to start. You don’t know what you don’t know. The permits, the rules, the canoes, on and on. What to bring and what to plan for.
This is part two of the family vacation to the Great Smokey Mountains, most of which was spent on the North Carolina side of the mountains, by far, the better side for anyone looking to get away from the crowds and find quiet seclusion, peaceful waterfalls, nice hikes, wildlife, small towns, interesting and unique places to visit, and swimming.
Compared to the overrun towns and trails of Tennessee, North Carolina holds a faction of the people, and has a better selection of trails, parks, waterfalls, and a wider variety of activities.
In the previous post, I gave the general overview of the entire trip, and I will work on another blog post going into more detail about each location in the Smoky Mountains, giving specific advice and tips about where you should visit with a family, or just someone looking for the best experience overall.
Enjoy this part 2 video, and more to come on the blog!
It can be overwhelming to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with your family. You hear the stories and watch the videos of overly crowded roads and crazy people chasing bears. Yes, we saw some of that. But, it’s also true you can escape the crowds and have an amazing adventure in the woods, streams, trails, and mountains WITH your kids, and have one of the best family vacations ever!
Sometimes I sit in utter bewilderment and amazement at the dull throngs of families who sit all summer inside their houses, all staring their red and bleary eyes at the screens in front of them. When they do leave their castles of wood and drywall, it’s to fight the unruly crowds at the mall or to sit impatiently in line for a seat at the restaurant.
It doesn’t matter who you are are where you are, when you wander into the backwoods of any Wilderness area or a National Forest, you had better be prepared for whatever comes next. The problem is that most people think that what awaits them is nothing but rainbows and unicorns.
Well, this has been an exciting year and if you’ve been reading any of our recent articles you know that there is more than rainbows and unicorns waiting for you out in the woods if you don’t come prepared. In today’s article, we will explore lessons from another absolutely amazing survival situation.