Solo tripping can be the adventure of a lifetime. You are free to do anything you please…within reason. You will probably face many challenges and circumstances that you were not expecting. Sometimes equipment failures, or just constant rain, seems like enough of a reason to leave, but wait. These opportunities also offer a chance to dig deep and overcome the situation. This helps build independence, confidence, and many other personal advancements you may not expect. Now, I’m not saying that a short solo trip will change your life. A few month long trip, though, may possibly do just that.
Over the last several years I have spent nearly all of my summers solo tripping in the BWCA. Extended solo tripping allows you to have no expectations, no absolutes (besides food each day), and a type of freedom seldom experienced in today’s fast paced world. Seeing the world through a different lens is what makes an extended trip worth the effort. It does take a lot of planning in advance to allow a person the chance of an extended trip, so this is where I’ll begin.
Over the last several years I have spent nearly all of my summers solo tripping in the BWCA. Extended solo tripping allows you to have no expectations, no absolutes (besides food each day), and a type of freedom seldom experienced in today’s fast paced world. Seeing the world through a different lens is what makes an extended trip worth the effort. It does take a lot of planning in advance to allow a person the chance of an extended trip, so this is where I’ll begin.
Trip Planning
Gear, clothes, bait, food, what does a person really need? Honestly, not much. A shelter is the main thing. Now remember, it’s just you. The smaller, the better. At first, I used to carry a 3 person tent that could hold all my gear inside with me. Luxurious, but unnecessary. Then I switched to a 2 man tent. Also nice, but more than I needed. Now, I just go with a hammock and tarp. There are some campsites in burnt areas that I cannot use the hammock, but the ground is always available. To accommodate the hammock I use a top quilt and an underquilt. I use either a 10 degree or a 30 degree top quilt depending on the time of year. I always carry the same underquilt. On cold days I use the underquilt under the hammock as intended. During mosquito season I sleep on it inside the hammock. I don’t need the warmth and this basically eliminates mosquito bites from the underside. The hammock I carry has a net over the top. Between the net and the underquilt inside, the mosquitos are left to find another food source. I also carry a spare tarp in case of failure. Next, you’ll want to focus on ways to prepare food. A pot, pan, small cutting board (plate), utensils, and a spatula that I made are the only things I carry. A hatchet and a buck saw are also very nice to have since cooking is best done by fire. I don’t carry a stove or fuel. I do spoil myself with a 12” carbon steel frying pan. I mostly use it for fish and pancakes. It’s convenient to cook a larger meal quickly and I find it worth the almost 3 lbs it weighs. My pot is fairly small. I use that for wild rice, noodles, soups, and as a mixing bowl. I like to make all items as multifunctional as possible. A fishing pole and tackle are also a necessity. No longer do I use live bait. I mainly troll Rapala’s, deeper for trout, and shallower for pike and walleye. Bass get released. |
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Toiletries and personal items are our own decision and will be different for everyone. The basics like toilet paper, soap, toothbrush/paste, are things one should probably bring. Of course, many leaves work well for paper, different leaves can brush teeth, and charcoal cleans wonderfully. I wear contacts, so solution, a case, and extra contacts always come along. Many people use bug spray and sunscreen. I do not.
A few accessories I do like to bring are binoculars, a GoPro, and a camera. I also bring my cell phone. To power these devices I carry along 2 solar chargers. They fold into 3 sections and work very well. I bring an extra battery pack also since we do have a multitude of cloudy days. None of these items are necessary, but I enjoy having all of them with me.
Now the main difference between a short trip and a long trip is mainly food. I prefer dry food like wild rice and noodles. Soups work well also. Fish are my main food source. After that it all depends on the season. The Spring brings many greens. Summer contains the best berries. Fall opens the option for roots/tubers as well as berries such as cranberries or mayflower. Nuts and rice can also be gathered around this time. Even late fall brings the pleasure of wintergreen berries which I especially enjoy. Regardless of season, we can all appreciate the ability to pick and choose the profits nature has to offer us. In return, we need to understand how fragile nature can sometimes be and just leave things as they are. That decision can be a factor in your food source but understanding co existence will be one of the multitude of benefits you can enjoy while being amongst your fellow trees, plants, and animals. The more you know, the less you carry.
A few accessories I do like to bring are binoculars, a GoPro, and a camera. I also bring my cell phone. To power these devices I carry along 2 solar chargers. They fold into 3 sections and work very well. I bring an extra battery pack also since we do have a multitude of cloudy days. None of these items are necessary, but I enjoy having all of them with me.
Now the main difference between a short trip and a long trip is mainly food. I prefer dry food like wild rice and noodles. Soups work well also. Fish are my main food source. After that it all depends on the season. The Spring brings many greens. Summer contains the best berries. Fall opens the option for roots/tubers as well as berries such as cranberries or mayflower. Nuts and rice can also be gathered around this time. Even late fall brings the pleasure of wintergreen berries which I especially enjoy. Regardless of season, we can all appreciate the ability to pick and choose the profits nature has to offer us. In return, we need to understand how fragile nature can sometimes be and just leave things as they are. That decision can be a factor in your food source but understanding co existence will be one of the multitude of benefits you can enjoy while being amongst your fellow trees, plants, and animals. The more you know, the less you carry.
The Journey
So…where do I go? The BWCA is very large. Every area has its own appeal. I cannot say that I especially enjoy one area more than another. It really depends more on the season where I go now. One thing I will say is that I enjoy solitude. I like to stay at campsites that will not be seen by others. My best option would even be a lake that only has one campsite. Fish species also weighs in on camping options. Do I want to eat walleye, pike, or trout?
Next, take your time. I would guess that the typical person should expect to go 3 miles an hour. This, my friends, is too fast. Slow down your pace and enjoy it all. Appreciate more than you think you need to. Every plant and tree is unique, as are we. Learn it and love it. It’s the differences in all of us that make us special. When we see a beautiful tree in the fall, we all love its uniqueness. Learn to love that in each other as well.
So…where do I go? The BWCA is very large. Every area has its own appeal. I cannot say that I especially enjoy one area more than another. It really depends more on the season where I go now. One thing I will say is that I enjoy solitude. I like to stay at campsites that will not be seen by others. My best option would even be a lake that only has one campsite. Fish species also weighs in on camping options. Do I want to eat walleye, pike, or trout?
Next, take your time. I would guess that the typical person should expect to go 3 miles an hour. This, my friends, is too fast. Slow down your pace and enjoy it all. Appreciate more than you think you need to. Every plant and tree is unique, as are we. Learn it and love it. It’s the differences in all of us that make us special. When we see a beautiful tree in the fall, we all love its uniqueness. Learn to love that in each other as well.
What about the physical aspect? Sure, paddling all day can be exhausting, as well as portaging. This will not be a problem. Over time our bodies adjust. This takes less time than one would even think. In as little as a few weeks, you should be able to easily accomplish any portage you will come across. Even paddling all day seems like a small task after some time.
Mental. This is the game changer. One cannot truly be alone for an extended period of time without loneliness consuming your mind. After identifying and overcoming the physical aspects, it’s being alone that is truly the hardest. I will not go deeper into this as every part of it becomes extremely personal. Realize though, that it is this deep understanding that makes the solo trip special. Who you are and what you do will make you succeed in a journey. Nothing else will. There is no other option than to be at your best. 100 percent of the time. Any problem you encounter is not worth complaining about. Listening to yourself complain is not satisfying and will quickly be exhausted.
The Reward
After all of this, do you really want to be alone for a long time? Well, why not? How else is one truly to learn who we really are? We can all go to work, afford a place to stay, and live relatively comfortably. The thing is though, do we ultimately understand what and who we are? We can be whatever we want. Succeed in an infinite amount of ways. Sometimes it takes an extraordinary measure to allow us to appreciate ourselves. Our primal instincts are what make us who we are. Embrace your wild side.
Mental. This is the game changer. One cannot truly be alone for an extended period of time without loneliness consuming your mind. After identifying and overcoming the physical aspects, it’s being alone that is truly the hardest. I will not go deeper into this as every part of it becomes extremely personal. Realize though, that it is this deep understanding that makes the solo trip special. Who you are and what you do will make you succeed in a journey. Nothing else will. There is no other option than to be at your best. 100 percent of the time. Any problem you encounter is not worth complaining about. Listening to yourself complain is not satisfying and will quickly be exhausted.
The Reward
After all of this, do you really want to be alone for a long time? Well, why not? How else is one truly to learn who we really are? We can all go to work, afford a place to stay, and live relatively comfortably. The thing is though, do we ultimately understand what and who we are? We can be whatever we want. Succeed in an infinite amount of ways. Sometimes it takes an extraordinary measure to allow us to appreciate ourselves. Our primal instincts are what make us who we are. Embrace your wild side.