Best Bwca Podcasts (2026)

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Ely Ranger Retires, Lake Trout News, and RABC Update: News Update 26:26

Play Pause

1h ago26:26

26:26

Aaron Kania recently retired from his post as the district ranger for the Kawishiwi Ranger District on Superior National Forest. The district is headquartered out of Ely. Kania arrived to Ely to the lead the district in May 2020. He spoke with Joe Friedrichs about why he is retiring now, what he's proud of during his tenure here, and what comes nex…

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312: Best Albums of 2025! 2:55:12

7h ago2:55:12

2:55:12

Its album time! We're wrapping up 2025 with a discussion about our time spent in the woods before compiling an authoritative, fearless and ultimately correct list of our favorite music from the past year. Cheers to 2026! Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Fire, Logging, and Healthy Forests Near the Boundary Waters 49:11

20m ago49:11

49:11

The Greenwood Fire in 2021 led, in part, to the complete closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness during the peak of the paddling season. Some of the burn area, about 12,000 acres located outside the BWCA Wilderness, was purchased in 2025 by the Nature Conservancy. Fire is an essential component of a healthy forest, both inside and outs…

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311: 2025 QOTY Spectacuganzacle! 3:25:26

4d ago3:25:26

3:25:26

Thanks to everyone for allowing us to Come Original and get Down with all of your comments about the best and worst of times spent on the water in the BWCA and Quetico this past year. Like we always say happy paddling and Amber is the color of your energy! Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud…

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Birding Near the Boundary Waters 20:47

7d ago20:47

20:47

Tanya Piatz says she comes to the Boundary Waters for birding and to develop a deeper understanding of the connection between wildlife and the land. She also does this to reconnect with nature and get away from the hustle of everyday life. For the first time in her birding adventures, Tanya participated in an official bird count this year. The even…

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Snow Log 12.14.25 10:02

11d ago10:02

10:02

Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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RABC Update and Fireside Chat with Erin Walker 55:58

24d ago55:58

55:58

The future of the Remote Area Border Crossing Program (RABC) remains unknown, with Canadian officials telling Paddle and Portage this week, once again, they don’t have any new information to share. The permits all expire Dec. 31, 2025. We spoke with Ginny Nelson from Spirit of the Wilderness outfitters in Ely about what this continued uncertainty m…

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A Wilderness Beyond Sight: Navigating the Boundary Waters with a Vision Loss 56:39

23d ago56:39

56:39

How do you navigate a challenging wilderness when you can't even see it? In this fascinating and deeply moving episode, we sit down with Kelly Carver, who has been paddling the Boundary Waters for over 40 years—including the past three decades since he became legally blind. After being diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease following his first B…

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The Search For Missing People Near the Boundary Waters 55:27

18d ago55:27

55:27

Search and recovery expert Michael Neiger spent the end of November and first few days of December looking for two people who are missing near the Boundary Waters. We sat down with him near Grand Marais to discuss the search. Find a video option of the interview on our YouTube channel, in addition to the full audio report shared here on the podcast…

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Snow Log 12.7.25 13:04

18d ago13:04

13:04

Every flake is a miracle? Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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The Return of Winter: First Ice Arrives to the Boundary Waters 28:32

24d ago28:32

28:32

Snow. Freezing temps. This was a theme across Minnesota during the final week of November. And with it, came the first ice to the Boundary Waters. The first ice of the season can mean a lot of things. In this episode, we learn what it means for the Paddle & Portage Podcast duo as they venture onto the frozen water. Joining them on the first outing …

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310: Cox on Cox: Designed for Pleasure 1:26:33

25d ago1:26:33

1:26:33

Another ship wreck season is wrapped up and packed away deep in the musty basement piles of charts, foam models and moist davenports. Source Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Studying Wolves Near the Boundary Waters - A Minnesota Project 37:01

1M ago37:01

37:01

Minnesota has more wolves than any other state, outside of Alaska. In fall 2025, researchers with the Voyageurs Wolf Project released an updated study on wolf activity and the population of wolves in an area located about 10 miles southwest of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which is found in the far reaches of northeastern Minnesota. Th…

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309: Every Hog is a Miracle 1:04:29

1M ago1:04:29

1:04:29

Like a pile of greased hogs we're heading back overboard into the icy brine-less depths of turn of the century Lake Superior shipwrecks. Source Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Constance Simes Circumnavigates Lake Superior Solo 28:32

1M ago28:32

28:32

Constance Simes circumnavigated Lake Superior solo in 2022. When the trip was complete, she'd paddled approximately 1,200 miles around Lake Superior in 57 days. She encountered high waves, of course. She also found deafening silence that moved her to tears. Simes, who grew up in Iowa and now resides in Wisconsin, spoke with M Baxley about paddling …

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308: Too Much Sea for Their Decks 1:24:43

2M ago1:24:43

1:24:43

Batten down yer hatches its shipwreck season! Source Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Minnesota Author Talks BWCA, Lake Superior & Writing 28:03

2M ago28:03

28:03

Erin Soderberg Downing grew up exploring the forests, lakes, and trails near Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Now an accomplished writer, Erin says her best ideas for stories often come to her deep in the woods, where she can find plenty of creative space to explore and imagine. Erin is the daughter of Barb Soderberg. Ba…

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Shannon McGrath: A Paddler Profile Rooted in Connection to Others 24:06

2M ago24:06

24:06

Shannon McGrath got her start paddling when she was 12 years old. By the time she was 16, Shannon had completed the Grand Portage from Lake Superior to the inland border lakes of the Boundary Waters. Then came a multi-month canoe trip to the Arctic Circle via the Coppermine and Hood rivers, including a week on the Arctic Ocean. Now in her late 30s,…

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307: La Calavera 51:43

2M ago51:43

51:43

Happy Halloween everyone! Source Material Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Update From the Road: Winter Camping, Brook Trout & Wolves 18:15

2M ago18:15

18:15

The Paddle and Portage Podcast have been on the move in October. The Winter Camping Symposium was a highlight of the month, as was a recent trip to the far west end of the Boundary Waters to meet with one of the nation's top wolf researchers. In this update from the road, we hear from the podcast duo about who they've been talking with for video po…

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306: Cold Pack Cheese Food Product 1:45:27

2M ago1:45:27

1:45:27

In this shed we believe there should be kings; kings of trivia! Come for the tradition of respectful and humble competition, stay for the hangover free suckling of Malört. Thanks to Jeppson's for overseeing this years event. Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Boundary Waters Trout Chowder and the True North Cabin Cookbook Vol. II 34:42

2M ago34:42

34:42

Stephanie Hansen’s first cookbook took readers to her family outpost on an island on Burntside Lake near Ely, on the edge of the BWCA. Now, True North Cabin Cookbook Volume Two, released this year, focuses on “the cozy months” of October through April. We hear from Stephanie in this episode of the podcast. We also cook some smoked trout and wild ri…

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305: Creamed Cash for the Thinker 1:32:31

2M ago1:32:31

1:32:31

The trivial battle of wits interminably marches on and has our moral compasses spinning like a blender filled with cold hard cash. Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Ely Canoe Outfitter Focused on Women Set For Retirement 24:14

2M ago24:14

24:14

Peta Barrett is preparing to retire from Women’s Wilderness Discovery, the company she started in 2014 in Ely, the gateway community to the Boundary Waters. Barrett moved to Ely more than 10 years ago to start up the guiding and outfitting company. She wanted to focus on offering a safe and comfortable place for women to have a means to access the …

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304: 2nd Biennial Warclub Trivia Classic 1:15:12

2M ago1:15:12

1:15:12

The Tumbleshed is alive and pulsing with competition again as this rivalry for the ages adds a new chapter to an epic tale as old as time where execution, timing and backs against walls clash with gutsy performances, taking it one day at a time and at the end of the day who wants it more and overcoming adversity will take everyone involved to the n…

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303: Meat for Trees 1:24:27

3M ago1:24:27

1:24:27

Visiting old special places, making our own dolmens alongside large pans of lasagna. Dante Bichette, the Plexico Burress server and F1. We are in our auto "E" era. Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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The Family Life: Boundary Waters Edition 26:00

3M ago26:00

26:00

The power of a place can change lives. It can also determine where someone lives, and how they live. The Boundary Waters is one such place. In this episode, we learn how two families have been, and continue to be impacted by the power of place. Special thanks to Andy Cochrane, Stellan & Lena Bengtsson, Scott, Jess, & Niklas Henderson, and Bob & Deb…

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Helping Veterans Find Their Way On The Yellowstone River 33:08

3M ago33:08

33:08

A small group of kayakers started Team River Runner in 2004 with the goal of helping veterans get on the water. They now offer paddling opportunities to veterans and their family members in more than 60 locations across the nation, including the Yellowstone River in Montana. Team River Runner seeks to get physically (amputations, mobility impairmen…

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302: Tiny Crimes 1:01:42

3M ago1:01:42

1:01:42

Tumblehome Live in the Field 2025! Unbelievably weird and mostly worth it! Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Chuck the Mainer Paddles the Boundary Waters 28:39

3M ago28:39

28:39

Chuck Alexander is a canoe guide and carpenter who lives in Maine. He'd long aspired to paddle in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It took meeting a longtime paddler of the BWCA, Tim Cochrane, to make that dream come to fruition. Before embarking on a multi-night trip to the wilderness, the podcast team had a chance to meet Chuck, includi…

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301: Four Person Hammocks 1:18:18

3M ago1:18:18

1:18:18

Charming tales from 10 days in Quetico Provincial Park coming at you this week. Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Boundary Waters Cooking and Contemplation with Chef JD Fratzke 46:06

3M ago46:06

46:06

Join us for an inspiring conversation with JD Fratzke, a celebrated chef and author who served as a judge and mentor on Bravo's Top Chef and brings a unique perspective to Boundary waters cooking. JD finds profound inspiration in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where he combines his fine dining expertise with camp cooking over op…

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Minnesota Resident Tests Positive for West Nile Virus After BWCA Trip 26:09

4M ago26:09

26:09

A resident of Duluth is sick with a rare case of West Nile virus in Minnesota. The Duluth woman was in the emergency room at St. Luke’s Medical Center Sunday, Sept. 7. She is now home and recovering from the virus. She believes she was infected with West Nile while on a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in mid-August. After ne…

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Empowering Women in the Wilderness: Yoga, Portaging & the BWCA 26:24

4M ago26:24

26:24

The intersection of paddling, yoga, and self-reliance carries us into the BWCA Wilderness in this episode of the podcast. Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreats is a Minnesota business owned by women who bring together themes of self-reliance, seasonal living, and the transformative power of time spent paddling and portaging in the BWCA Wilderness and surround…

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BWCA Adventures: Get Out and Make It Happen 31:24

4M ago31:24

31:24

Just ahead of Labor Day weekend and the start of the transition to autumn, a long time listener of our podcast about the Boundary Waters came to check out the BWCA Wilderness for the first time. Her name is Karolina Satek. Along with her husband and young daughter, they traveled to the Gunflint Trail and spent a few nights at Borderland Lodge. From…

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300: We Still Sound Like Us 2:02:26

4M ago2:02:26

2:02:26

It's here and its happening. It's a 300th episode roastening miracle! Thanks for listening and pick your sticks my friend! Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness 28:42

4M ago28:42

28:42

We head west in this episode, to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. M Baxley joins a group of paddlers who came together under the leadership of Jordan Taylor and Sandra Newbury to travel on the Salmon River in Idaho. One of the great rivers of the West, the Salmon rolls through the Frank Church, the largest federally managed wildernes…

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299: Album of the 5ummer! 1:39:55

4M ago1:39:55

1:39:55

The docket is packed on this weeks show, trip recaps, mural rankers and our hot picks for albums of the summer. Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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The Glossy Marketing of the Wilderness 1:00:29

5M ago1:00:29

1:00:29

The Paddle and Portage Podcast team spent time paddling and talking around a fire with Minnesota author Joe Whitson in early August. Joe is the author of the new book, “Marketing the Wilderness.” Joe’s book pulls back the curtain on the outdoor recreation industry, on the glossy images, the feel-good branding, the well-meaning campaigns, and asks, …

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Wilderness Water Safety With Abby Golden 32:17

5M ago32:17

32:17

Abby Golden has been teaching at an organization called Wilderness Water Safety for 15 years. She is a certified lifeguard, wilderness first responder, and experienced wilderness trip leader. She has led trips in the Lake Temagami area as a trip leader for Camp Wabun and has traveled extensively throughout the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.…

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298: Always Meet at Fartleks! 1:15:11

5M ago1:15:11

1:15:11

The depths of the Tumblewiki have been plumbed and we're none the wiser or better for it. Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Kari Kennedy on Connection to the Boundary Waters 27:42

5M ago27:42

27:42

Kari Kennedy is the producer of Almanac, a popular and long-running news program on Twin Cities PBS. She's also in love with the Boundary Waters. The Gunflint Trail has become a home away from home, and trips to the BWCA Wilderness are a big part of that experience. Kari shares her story in this episode of the podcast. Support for this episode come…

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Graham the Actor Arrives to the Boundary Waters 39:11

5M ago39:11

39:11

He first paddled on Seagull Lake. It didn't go well. A fishing boat had to rescue him. A few days later, he drove a transport tow. In a blizzard. Graham Schatz is working at Seagull Canoe Outfitters this summer. He is not a typical "Trail Kid," those who lug canoes and clean cabins at the resorts on the Gunflint Trail each summer. Graham is an acto…

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297: Softball Riddles 1:13:05

5M ago1:13:05

1:13:05

The worthwhile journey down the wiki hole in search of pure joy, truth and justice continues this week. Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Hudson Bay Girls Share Update From Norway House 19:09

5M ago19:09

19:09

Checking in with an update from their epic paddle are the Hudson Bay Girls. The four paddlers left Lake Superior and the Grand Portage in May. They're bound for Hudson Bay and share this update from Norway House, just north of Lake Winnipeg. In an update sent to Paddle and Portage July 21, they report: "We’re checking in from Norway House! We have …

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Kate From Bending Branches Talks with Erin From Lost Lakes 28:26

5M ago28:26

28:26

Kate Wright is the director of marketing for Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles. An experienced paddler, Kate and her husband are taking their young child to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the summer of 2025 for the first time as parents. Kate spoke with guest host Erin Walker from the Lost Lakes YouTube Channel for this episode o…

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296: Terms of Hilarity and Endearment 1:23:36

6M ago1:23:36

1:23:36

We are fleshing and flushing out the Tumblehome Wikipedia page to make sure the legacy lives on with truth and justice. Subscribe: Patreon Spotify iTunes YouTube Stitcher Google Play Soundcloud

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Bear Safety in the Boundary Waters: Life-Saving Lessons from a Bear Attack Survivor 1:05:41

6M ago1:05:41

1:05:41

Proper food storage and bear-aware camping practices aren't just recommendations—they're life-saving skills that every Boundary Waters visitor needs to master. Alex Messenger learned this lesson the hard way when a 600-pound grizzly bear nearly killed him during a remote Canadian wilderness expedition, an experience that transformed him into one of…

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Permit News From the BWCA Wilderness 40:00

5M ago40:00

40:00

We've shared multiple news stories in recent weeks about permits for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. From the cost of permits to the record number of permit cancellations last year, the Paddle and Portage Podcast team break it all down in this episode. Joining the podcast duo on the episode is a Minnesota resident and BWCA regular who go…

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Update From the Solitude of Four: Lake Winnipeg Awaits 21:55

6M ago21:55

21:55

As promised, here's an update from the Solitude of Four. The group shares this update just as they're preparing to start the lengthy paddle of Lake Winnipeg, a key benchmark on their journey to Hudson Bay. Backstory: Four paddlers and canoe guides from Wilderness Canoe Base on Seagull Lake at the end of the Gunflint Trail are paddling north this su…