"This is the first river trip we have made where the owners are the guides; this adds another dimension of wilderness discovery that we had not previously enjoyed."
Jack Riley Ardmore, Oklahoma
Canoe Travel: A Day on the Trail
A North Woods Ways trip is not a test of endurance; our passage through the wildlands is made in an unhurried manner. Though a certain distance must be traveled each day, ample time is reserved for exploration, photography, wildlife observation, and the pursuit of individual interests.
Each day, fresh loaves of bread are baked by our campfire, and evening meals aren't complete without a reflector oven full of golden-brown biscuits or cobblers or pies. We bring fresh, local and organic foods whenever possible, and meals are both hearty and nourishing. Alcoholic beverages are brought by those who desire them.
North Woods Ways provides canoes, paddles, life vests and group gear such as pack baskets, waterproof gear bags, the cook set, food, and shelter. Personal gear and sleeping bags are the responsibility of the individual, and a suggested equipment list is provided for assembling this gear.
Our equipment reflects the North Woods Ways philosophy of ease, comfort and practicality as well as our responsibility to the environment. The canoes we use are the famous E. M. White and Atkinson Travelers, superbly crafted in wood and canvas by Jerry Stelmok of the Island Falls Canoe Company and Rollin Thurlow of the Northwoods Canoe Company. The canoes combine the best features for lake and river travel, poling, paddling, portaging and white water.
Though we will take the time to teach the skills of "reading the river" and running some whitewater, we are not a white-water school. As wilderness travelers our first concern is for the safe passage of people and cargo, not the sporting elements of running the most technical portions of each rapid. We emphasize careful analysis and evaluation of whitewater and reserve the right to say what may or may not be attempted, and when it is appropriate to line or portage.
Participants generally arrive the evening before the first day of their trip. We can recommend a number of bed and breakfast or motel establishments available locally. For those flying to Maine, arrangements can be made for meeting your flight at the Bangor Airport before the trip and returning you there at the conclusion.
At 8:30 AM on the first listed day, everyone meets at North Woods Ways for final trip preparation and departure to the put-in.