Notebook Recollections

As wise readers of The Community Reporter know by now, my favorite song is “Me, Me, Me, Me, Me!” And so we continue with my adventures in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).

In last month’s Reporter I briefly recounted a 10-day 1968 canoe trip leading 15 young teen boys into the BWCA north of Ely, MN. I bragged about my trusty North Star Guides’ Manual written by George Herter and his son, Jacques. (I mistakenly called them brothers in Part 1). My guide book never left my lap while seated in my canoe. What follows is entirely Scouts Honor true.

But first, a little about what is happening “up north” today.

At the time of this writing (Aug 22, 2026) parts of the Boundary Waters are officially closed through September 2026 due to heavy smoke hanging in the air near Ely.

It’s the wildfire season in Minnesota’s BWCA for the second year in a row. Some of the worst air quality in the world is right here in our sky-blue-waters state, reports Kristoffer Tigue in the MN Star Tribune. Ongoing fires in the BWCA were sparked by lightning strikes, according to U.S. Representative Pete Stauber, who added, “We need to do a better job here in the U.S. to get rid of the overgrowth that has turned our forests into tinderboxes.”

Natural forest fires are good forest management, and along with controlled burns, are part of responsible fire management. But climate changes causing higher summer temperatures have been another factor.

Ok. Forest fires can be good for forests. When does the BWCA open again?

Entry points 11, 14, 15 and 19 are closed through September. Otherwise, the majority of the BWCA has reopened.

Of course, canoe trippers should check with their outfitters or check online.

Let’s get back to our canoe-trippers from last month’s column and their seasoned Guide (Me!) in that 1968 trip to Lake Alice in the central BWCA.

On our third day out of Ely we arrived at our halfway and resting spot, Lake Alice. We followed Smokey the Bear’s forest fire preventative measures around a campfire: Keep water in a bucket or large container near the fire along with a shovel; the fire should be contained in a rock or metal fire ring; the firepit should be in an open and level area, out of the wind, 15 feet away from tents, vegetation and branches; Be vigilant, never leave a fire unattended and use a wire grill.

Here are Smokey’s recommendations for extinguishing a campfire: Drown and stir, drown and feel with the back of your hand. Repeat if still hot to the back of the hand; Cover with dirt if leaving the campsite.

Our first morning at Lake Alice , 6:40 a.m.:

I sleep alone in my own pup tent. The campers are three to a tent, five tents circle the campfire space. I’m awakened by a kid squealing, then a whole burst of squeals.

I look out of my pup tent, still lying in my sleeping bag – and three bear cubs are licking two campers’ feet sticking outside of their tent!

I am up and out of my tent in four seconds! This whole picture is a Herter’s North Star Guide Manual talking point. Three cute, little brown bear cubs around the tent. And Mama Bear standing in the distance surveying the scene.

Fun fact : 90% of bears in MN are colored black. The remaining 10% are shades of brown, like our guests.

Ok, me and Mama are looking straight at each other, just as the cubs run and climb up the pine tree next to our tent.

Mama Bear comes into camp and looks up into the tree where the cubs are. This is also where our 60 pound food pack is hanging from a branch (so bears couldn’t get at it!)

Mama stands on her toes, reaches out a massive arm and smacks the food pack. It swings back and forth from her blow and she hits it again. This time splitting it open and popping out a big plastic bag of pancake mix that falls toward her and explodes in her face!

The cubs scurry down to Mama on the ground. Mama still stands, stares at me. She looks like a white-faced mime. She licks her lips, shakes her head in disgust and grunts to the cubs. The cubs scurry out of camp.

I get one nasty last look from Mama. She drops back to her four feet and rumbles after the cubs. She’s shaking her head, snorting and popping her jaw. I know the North Star Guide Herters, George and Jacques, would say it was all show, that she was not the least bit frightened.

The final five days of our canoe trip were action-packed in their own way, but nothing approaching bears-in-camp.

On our last night in the BWCA I had a midnight campfire chat with my boys. They agreed, swore on my North Star Guide Manuel, they would never say a single word to parents, friends or house pets about our furry visitors in camp.

I am reasonably, no, 100 % sure, the campers all shared it in great detail with anyone who would listen for the next decade.

Foot note : I’m not real sure if my canoe-guiding made me a better Doctor. But it certainly made me a more vigilant and battle-ready canoe trip leader.

END