Paddle and Portage Podcast

The Politics of the Boundary Waters: Volume One

Mining near the Boundary Waters is in the political spotlight this month as a pair of political forums take place in Ely. The first took place Wednesday, Sept. 2 on the c

Adventures in the BWCA & Bear Stories Abound

The Paddle & Portage Podcast duo share updates on some recent BWCA and Lake Superior adventures, and Erin Walker drops in to share the details of her upcoming series abou

Discovering an Old Cabin and Silver Mine in the BWCA

A mine in the BWCA...The mere mention of such a thing in 2026 sends fear up the spine of many paddlers.  That being the case, there is an old mine in the Boundary Waters

The Reopening of the Boundary Waters

After weeks of disruption and uncertainty, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is in the process of reopening.  Large swaths of the BWCA, including the entire Gunf

Northern Tier Scouts Evacuated From BWCA and Quetico During Wildfires

Paddlers from Northern Tier High Adventure, a Scout organization with strong ties to the Ely area, were among those evacuated from the Boundary Waters in July 2026.  In

BWCA Closure Update: News & Stories

Smoky skies, closures, evacuations, and displacement of people have dominated conversations across the Boundary Waters region during recent days. The BWCA Wilderness shu

Summer BWCA Stories and Updates From Ely

There are enough stories, news, and information happening on the Ely side of the Boundary Waters on any given day to produce an episode of this podcast. And while that mi

Quetico Park Revisited: Paddling in From the South

As we've reported in a recent episode of the podcast, access to Quetico Provincial Park from the Cache Bay and Prairie Portage ranger stations is once again an option for

The Rising Cost to Cancel a BWCA Permit

The cost to cancel a permit to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is likely on the rise.  The U.S. Forest Service, in an attempt to reduce the number of BWCA perm

Quetico Telephone Reporting and BWCA Filming Policy - News Track

We share the latest on access to Quetico Provincial Park now that telephone reporting is replacing the RABC Program. Hear a firsthand account of how the new telephone rep

Paddling a Lake Superior Estuary Near Duluth

The St. Louis River Estuary is the confluence of the St. Louis River with Lake Superior.  At 12,000 acres, the St. Louis River Estuary is the largest freshwater estuary i

The Magazine Story That Brought an Ohio Kid to the Boundary Waters

Don Beans first heard about the Boundary Waters when he was a kid growing up in Ohio. And he did so via a magazine, and through the words of longtime Ely resident Bob Car

Flying Over the Boundary Waters - Rescue & New Book

In this two-part episode, we hear of a helicopter rescue from May 2026 when two paddlers capsized in the BWCA near Ely. The podcast duo break down the situation, includin

Cold, Snow, Ice, and Untimely Death Mark Another BWCA Fishing Opener

It snowed across most of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness during the 2026 Fishing Opener. Indeed, Saturday, May 9 was marked by cold, snow and lingering ice acro

Talking Gunflint Trail Coffee and BWCA Paddling with Bob from Loons Nest

Bob Carlson is a co-owner of Loons Nest Coffee on the Gunflint Trail. He's also a lifelong paddler in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Bob went on his first BWC

The Ties of a Hybrid Fish to the BWCA

Many of the brook trout and splake that end up in lakes in and around the Boundary Waters come from fish hatcheries in southeastern Minnesota. Joe from the P&P Podcast r

Forest Service to Utah Update & Talking BWCA and Books with a Duluth Writer

The federal government announced last week it is moving the headquarters for the U.S. Forest Service from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City. As part of the move, the Fo

This Miscalculations of Spring in the Boundary Waters

April. The month that's been known to send fear up the spine of the Paddle & Portage Podcast team.  Recent revelations about what April can offer for BWCA and Quetico ad

Kevin Kinney: Behind the Wool and Canvas

Kevin Kinney, owner of Empire Wool and Canvas Company, celebrates the natural world. He does so without apologies. A direct, straightforward creator, Kevin is a generous

Ryan Rodgers - Where the Green Light Shines

Minnesota author and frequent Paddle & Portage contributor Ryan Rodgers has a new book about paddling canoes. “Where the Green Light Shines” will be available in summer 2