Shows
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 100 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's been a journey. 100 episodes. In this milestone episode, it goes back to the beginning, with Gaby, the German paddler who was featured on Episode One of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Over the past 100 episodes, hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley have learned so much about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park. This learning has come, largely, through the stories shared by those who've appeared on the podcast. That learning continues in a deep way with Gaby's return to the podcast. Also featured in this episode is Rick Slatten, the captain of the St. Louis...
2023-10-1545 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 100 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's been a journey.
100 episodes.
In this milestone episode, it goes back to the beginning, with Gaby, the German paddler who was featured on Episode One of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast.
Over the past 100 episodes, hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley have learned so much about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park. This learning has come, largely, through the stories shared by those who've appeared on the podcast. That learning continues in a deep way with Gaby's return to the podcast.
Also featured in this episode is Rick Slatten, the captain of the St. Louis...
2023-10-1545 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 90 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast duo of Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs met up with Kevin "The K-man" Kramer and "Omaha" Erik Dickes for the 2023 fishing opener. The group set out in search of fish and open water. Not long after portaging around a stretch of rapids on the Temperance River, the adventure went sideways. This was not the fishing opener the group expected it to be.
2023-05-1632 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 90 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast duo of Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs met up with Kevin "The K-man" Kramer and "Omaha" Erik Dickes for the 2023 fishing opener.
The group set out in search of fish and open water. Not long after portaging around a stretch of rapids on the Temperance River, the adventure went sideways.
This was not the fishing opener the group expected it to be.
2023-05-1632 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 86 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastCanoecopia 2023 took place in Madison, Wisc., from March 10-12.
The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team was back for this year's paddling expo. In addition to posting up at their booth and talking with thousands of curious paddlers, hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley presented during Canoecopia this year. The podcast duo shared a presentation on how to document and share stories from a trip to the canoe-country wilderness.
It was a busy scene at Canoecopia this year. In this episode, you'll hear from those who were involved and people who attended from all over the country.
2023-03-1531 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 86 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastCanoecopia 2023 took place in Madison, Wisc., from March 10-12. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team was back for this year's paddling expo. In addition to posting up at their booth and talking with thousands of curious paddlers, hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley presented during Canoecopia this year. The podcast duo shared a presentation on how to document and share stories from a trip to the canoe-country wilderness. It was a busy scene at Canoecopia this year. In this episode, you'll hear from those who were involved and people who attended from all over the country.
2023-03-1531 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 85 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastFor the first time in several years, there will be a park ranger at the Cache Bay Ranger Station in Quetico Provincial Park for the full season in 2023.
Due to the pandemic and additional restrictions regarding Remote Area Border Crossing Permits, there has not been a full-time ranger at the island in Cache Bay since 2019. There was a ranger there for part of the paddling season in 2022.
That means the last ranger to serve full-time at Cache Bay was Janice Matichuk, the longest serving ranger in the history of Quetico. Matichuk died from brain cancer in August 2020. Her voice has...
2023-03-0133 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 85 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastFor the first time in several years, there will be a park ranger at the Cache Bay Ranger Station in Quetico Provincial Park for the full season in 2023. Due to the pandemic and additional restrictions regarding Remote Area Border Crossing Permits, there has not been a full-time ranger at the island in Cache Bay since 2019. There was a ranger there for part of the paddling season in 2022. That means the last ranger to serve full-time at Cache Bay was Janice Matichuk, the longest serving ranger in the history of Quetico. Matichuk died from brain cancer in August 2020. Her voice has...
2023-03-0133 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 81 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWelcome to Season Six of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast!
To start the season, we get to travel once again with the father/daughter duo Scott and Emilie Burditt.
Scott and Emilie are Wisconsin residents who make an annual trip to Quetico Provincial Park. In 2022, they took their Canadian paddling adventures to new terrain and paddled Wabakimi Provincial Park.
Along the way, the share their stories about a love for the outdoors and paddling in canoe country, and how this bond keeps them connected throughout the year. They also talk about the realities of backcountry travel, including injury.
It's the...
2023-01-0138 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 81 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWelcome to Season Six of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast! To start the season, we get to travel once again with the father/daughter duo Scott and Emilie Burditt. Scott and Emilie are Wisconsin residents who make an annual trip to Quetico Provincial Park. In 2022, they took their Canadian paddling adventures to new terrain and paddled Wabakimi Provincial Park. Along the way, the share their stories about a love for the outdoors and paddling in canoe country, and how this bond keeps them connected throughout the year. They also talk about the realities of backcountry travel, including injury. It's the...
2023-01-0138 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 80 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe trip started with 24 hours of cold rain and seemingly endless beaver dams overflowing from a rising creek. Dense fog masked the shoreline in the distance on the occasional lake that broke up the swirling creek. Despite the weather and being mostly strangers, every member of this tripping team was smiling and giddy.
Last September, a group of outdoorsy folks from across the country gathered in Ely, Minn., for a truly unique Boundary Waters trip. They all had two things in common. First, each person loved the outdoors. And second, each identified as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. One...
2022-12-1541 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 80 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe trip started with 24 hours of cold rain and seemingly endless beaver dams overflowing from a rising creek. Dense fog masked the shoreline in the distance on the occasional lake that broke up the swirling creek. Despite the weather and being mostly strangers, every member of this tripping team was smiling and giddy. Last September, a group of outdoorsy folks from across the country gathered in Ely, Minn., for a truly unique Boundary Waters trip. They all had two things in common. First, each person loved the outdoors. And second, each identified as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. One...
2022-12-1541 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 78 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastBear Paulsen has a style of canoe tripping named after him. Simply put, they're called "Bear Trips." A Bear Trip means there will be weeks, possibly months, spent paddling on one specific trip. Paulsen is the general manager of Northstar Canoes. He is also on the short list of the most experienced and well-respected paddlers in Minnesota and across the Boundary Waters region. In this installment of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Paddler Profile series, we learn more about Bear Paulsen. Photo of Bear Paulsen by Nate Ptacek.
2022-11-1551 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 78 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastBear Paulsen has a style of canoe tripping named after him. Simply put, they're called "Bear Trips."
A Bear Trip means there will be weeks, possibly months, spent paddling on one specific trip.
Paulsen is the general manager of Northstar Canoes. He is also on the short list of the most experienced and well-respected paddlers in Minnesota and across the Boundary Waters region.
In this installment of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Paddler Profile series, we learn more about Bear Paulsen.
Photo of Bear Paulsen by Nate Ptacek.
2022-11-1551 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 75 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's episode 75 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast! In this episode, we hear from a familiar voice on the podcast, BWCA enthusiast Erik "Omaha Erik" Dickes. Erik goes on his first solo trip to the wilderness in this episode, with hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley joining him for some fall fishing during a memorable afternoon in the BWCA. Thanks to everyone who helped the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast reach its 75th episode! What a journey! And in many ways, it feels like it is just getting started.
2022-10-0125 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 75 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's episode 75 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast!
In this episode, we hear from a familiar voice on the podcast, BWCA enthusiast Erik "Omaha Erik" Dickes.
Erik goes on his first solo trip to the wilderness in this episode, with hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley joining him for some fall fishing during a memorable afternoon in the BWCA.
Thanks to everyone who helped the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast reach its 75th episode! What a journey! And in many ways, it feels like it is just getting started.
2022-10-0125 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 73 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team take to the road (and air) for this episode, traveling more than 1,000 miles south to the hills of Kentucky. On the trail of Jordan Grider, a young man from New Mexico who died in the Boundary Waters in 2018, hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley travel throughout Appalachia on their journey to learn more about where Grider spent time camping and living near Daniel Boone National Forest. Along the way they meet Mennonites who let Grider camp on their land before he arrived to the BWCA, many of whom share stories about Grider and his...
2022-09-0124 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 73 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team take to the road (and air) for this episode, traveling more than 1,000 miles south to the hills of Kentucky.
On the trail of Jordan Grider, a young man from New Mexico who died in the Boundary Waters in 2018, hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley travel throughout Appalachia on their journey to learn more about where Grider spent time camping and living near Daniel Boone National Forest. Along the way they meet Mennonites who let Grider camp on their land before he arrived to the BWCA, many of whom share stories about Grider and his...
2022-09-0124 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 70 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's the 'all news episode' of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast!
There has been so much news in and around the Boundary Waters in recent weeks, hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley use storytelling and interviews to sum up some of the biggest topics coming from the BWCA and Quetico.
Among them are the return of Remote Area Border Crossing Permits, the completion of the Stairway Portage redesign and the retirement of the forest supervisor who oversees management of the BWCA.
The photo supporting this episode is of Connie Cummins, the forest supervisor for Superior National Forest. The massive Superior...
2022-07-1538 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 70 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's the 'all news episode' of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast! There has been so much news in and around the Boundary Waters in recent weeks, hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley use storytelling and interviews to sum up some of the biggest topics coming from the BWCA and Quetico. Among them are the return of Remote Area Border Crossing Permits, the completion of the Stairway Portage redesign and the retirement of the forest supervisor who oversees management of the BWCA. The photo supporting this episode is of Connie Cummins, the forest supervisor for Superior National Forest. The massive Superior...
2022-07-1538 min
WTIP Outdoor News PodcastFirst Installment of the WTIP Outdoor News PodcastIn this opening segment of WTIP's Outdoor News Podcast, we hear from hosts Kalli Hawkins and Joe Friedrichs. The installment comes from the banks of the Cascade River along Minnesota's North Shore, not far from where the river flows into Lake Superior.
Kalli and Joe share their stories and background in reporting outdoor news near Lake Superior, the Boundary Waters and the many trails zigzagging around the region.
2022-06-1708 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 66 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt went from fishing opener to lake opener as ice lingered on the east side of the Boundary Waters in the middle of May. Many area lakes, from the end of the Arrowhead Trail to the Middle Gunflint Trail, still held their ice on the day before the 2022 fishing opener in Minnesota. Minnesota’s fishing opener for walleye, bass, trout and pike was Saturday, May 14. As the ice lingered, many groups canceled their Gunflint expeditions on this year’s fishing opener. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast did not. This episode, featuring Matthew Baxley, Joe Friedrichs and Kevin ‘The K-man’ Kramer, tells th...
2022-05-1628 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 66 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt went from fishing opener to lake opener as ice lingered on the east side of the Boundary Waters in the middle of May.
Many area lakes, from the end of the Arrowhead Trail to the Middle Gunflint Trail, still held their ice on the day before the 2022 fishing opener in Minnesota.
Minnesota’s fishing opener for walleye, bass, trout and pike was Saturday, May 14.
As the ice lingered, many groups canceled their Gunflint expeditions on this year’s fishing opener. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast did not.
This episode, featuring Matthew Baxley, Joe Friedrichs and Kevin ‘The K-man’ Kramer, tells th...
2022-05-1628 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 63 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's the end of the ice fishing season for lake trout in the Boundary Waters. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team had a good year of ice fishing. In this episode, Gunflint Trail resident Mike Seim talks with Joe about a variety of topics related to lake trout in the BWCA. Also of interest, a recent study out of the University of Manitoba in Canada shows some lake predators are changing their behavior due to climate change, which may have a wide-ranging effect on lake trout and the entire ecosystem of certain lakes in Ontario and northern Minnesota. Matthew Guzzo...
2022-04-0121 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 63 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's the end of the ice fishing season for lake trout in the Boundary Waters.
The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team had a good year of ice fishing. In this episode, Gunflint Trail resident Mike Seim talks with Joe about a variety of topics related to lake trout in the BWCA.
Also of interest, a recent study out of the University of Manitoba in Canada shows some lake predators are changing their behavior due to climate change, which may have a wide-ranging effect on lake trout and the entire ecosystem of certain lakes in Ontario and northern Minnesota.
Matthew Guzzo...
2022-04-0121 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 62 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastCanoecopia, the world’s largest paddling expo, returned in 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the Madison, Wisc., based event in 2020. It was a virtual gathering in 2021. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast was back at Canoecopia this year. Old acquaintances surfaced from the crowd. New friends were made as well. It was a time of connection. This episode was recorded in its entirety at Canoecopia 2022. Special thanks to Aubrey from Redbudsuds, and Nashville musicians Caitlin Evanson and Jerry Vandiver, for sharing their music on this episode.
2022-03-1635 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 62 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastCanoecopia, the world’s largest paddling expo, returned in 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the Madison, Wisc., based event in 2020. It was a virtual gathering in 2021.
The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast was back at Canoecopia this year. Old acquaintances surfaced from the crowd. New friends were made as well. It was a time of connection.
This episode was recorded in its entirety at Canoecopia 2022.
Special thanks to Aubrey from Redbudsuds, and Nashville musicians Caitlin Evanson and Jerry Vandiver, for sharing their music on this episode.
2022-03-1635 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 61 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastSlush. It can be the downfall of any winter trip to the Boundary Waters. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team, along with Erik Dickes and Josh Dix, found this out firsthand during a recent trip to the edge of the wilderness on snowmobile, and then on skis and snowshoes after crossing the wilderness line. After encountering bad ice and slush, foul moods settled in on some members of the party, while others remained patient. Then the lake trout moved in. And things changed. While reflecting on the recent winter trip to the wilderness, podcast co-host Joe Friedrichs observed that "it's...
2022-03-0123 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 61 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastSlush.
It can be the downfall of any winter trip to the Boundary Waters. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team, along with Erik Dickes and Josh Dix, found this out firsthand during a recent trip to the edge of the wilderness on snowmobile, and then on skis and snowshoes after crossing the wilderness line.
After encountering bad ice and slush, foul moods settled in on some members of the party, while others remained patient. Then the lake trout moved in. And things changed.
While reflecting on the recent winter trip to the wilderness, podcast co-host Joe Friedrichs observed that "it's...
2022-03-0123 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 59 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWith permits now available for the 2022 paddling season in the Boundary Waters, it’s time to start thinking about gear and trip planning. One place to do just that is Canoecopia in Madison, Wisconsin. Darren Bush, owner of Rutabaga Paddlesports in Madison, and organizer of canoeing expo Canoecopia, joins the podcast in this episode to talk about the return of an in-person event for 2022. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast attended the last in-person canoe expo in 2019. The pandemic has either shut down or let to virtual events the past two years. Learn about what to expect for Canoecopia 2022 in this ep...
2022-02-0135 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 59 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWith permits now available for the 2022 paddling season in the Boundary Waters, it’s time to start thinking about gear and trip planning. One place to do just that is Canoecopia in Madison, Wisconsin.
Darren Bush, owner of Rutabaga Paddlesports in Madison, and organizer of canoeing expo Canoecopia, joins the podcast in this episode to talk about the return of an in-person event for 2022.
The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast attended the last in-person canoe expo in 2019. The pandemic has either shut down or let to virtual events the past two years. Learn about what to expect for Canoecopia 2022 in this ep...
2022-02-0135 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 58 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe winter of 2022 is off to a roaring start for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Adventures have been abundant to start the new year, including a recent trip to the BWCA with a duo of fellow podcasters from the east side of the wilderness. Lake trout sushi, anyone? The special guests on this episode lead the way…
2022-01-1628 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 58 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe winter of 2022 is off to a roaring start for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Adventures have been abundant to start the new year, including a recent trip to the BWCA with a duo of fellow podcasters from the east side of the wilderness.
Lake trout sushi, anyone?
The special guests on this episode lead the way…
2022-01-1628 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 57 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's back to the ice to ring in the new year in part two of the story to start Season 5 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Grand Marais residents Josh and Kaylan Dix join podcast hosts Joe and Matthew on the ice to share the rest of the epic journey to the BWCA to start 2022.
2022-01-0735 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 57 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt's back to the ice to ring in the new year in part two of the story to start Season 5 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast.
Grand Marais residents Josh and Kaylan Dix join podcast hosts Joe and Matthew on the ice to share the rest of the epic journey to the BWCA to start 2022.
2022-01-0735 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 56 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe start of a new season for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast rolls in with a winter camping trip up the Gunflint Trail! Air temperatures reached 31-below zero during the trip to ring in 2022. Joining podcast hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley on the trip were Grand Marais residents Kaylan and Josh Dix. Lake trout were caught. A black wolf was spotted darting through the deep white snow. Woodstoves burned true and memories were made. This episode is part one of the experience.
2022-01-0329 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 56 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe start of a new season for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast rolls in with a winter camping trip up the Gunflint Trail!
Air temperatures reached 31-below zero during the trip to ring in 2022. Joining podcast hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley on the trip were Grand Marais residents Kaylan and Josh Dix.
Lake trout were caught. A black wolf was spotted darting through the deep white snow. Woodstoves burned true and memories were made. This episode is part one of the experience.
2022-01-0328 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 55 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe collection of outfitters who provide assorted gear, canoes and guidance for the many visitors to the Boundary Waters each paddling season is a world full of hard work, long hours and repetition. It’s also a world of connection. And many of those connections are made by those who work for the outfitters on the edge of the wilderness. In the final episode for Season 4 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear from the summer staff at some of the outfitters along the Gunflint Trail. It’s the ‘Trail Kids’ episode of the podcast. And for hosts Matthew and Joe...
2021-12-2039 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 55 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe collection of outfitters who provide assorted gear, canoes and guidance for the many visitors to the Boundary Waters each paddling season is a world full of hard work, long hours and repetition. It’s also a world of connection. And many of those connections are made by those who work for the outfitters on the edge of the wilderness.
In the final episode for Season 4 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear from the summer staff at some of the outfitters along the Gunflint Trail. It’s the ‘Trail Kids’ episode of the podcast. And for hosts Matthew and Joe...
2021-12-2039 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 54 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe season of giving thanks returns to the Boundary Waters as 2021 begins to wind down. To celebrate the season, WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley returned to the ice on Thanksgiving Day. Ice fishing and ice skating were the means of entertainment on a windy and cold day in late November, with fish tacos for dinner marking a day of success on all fronts.
Also featured in this episode is a conversation with Timo Rova, an Ely-area resident who has years of experience hunting, recreating and working in the BWCA.
2021-12-0133 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 54 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe season of giving thanks returns to the Boundary Waters as 2021 begins to wind down. To celebrate the season, WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast hosts Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley returned to the ice on Thanksgiving Day. Ice fishing and ice skating were the means of entertainment on a windy and cold day in late November, with fish tacos for dinner marking a day of success on all fronts. Also featured in this episode is a conversation with Timo Rova, an Ely-area resident who has years of experience hunting, recreating and working in the BWCA.
2021-12-0133 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 50 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastFifty episodes!
A milestone episode for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs reflect on some of their favorite interviews and moments from the first 50 episodes of the original Boundary Waters podcast.
Also included in the commemorative episode is new audio, including a never-before heard story told by the late Quetico Park Interior Ranger Janice Matichuk.
With 50 episodes tallied, many stories shared, a national award collected and countless adventures recalled in audio format, Baxley and Friedrichs say the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast is just getting started.
To that, we lift a paddle for 50 more episodes.
2021-09-3058 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 50 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastFifty episodes! A milestone episode for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs reflect on some of their favorite interviews and moments from the first 50 episodes of the original Boundary Waters podcast. Also included in the commemorative episode is new audio, including a never-before heard story told by the late Quetico Park Interior Ranger Janice Matichuk. With 50 episodes tallied, many stories shared, a national award collected and countless adventures recalled in audio format, Baxley and Friedrichs say the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast is just getting started. To that, we lift a paddle for 50 more episodes.
2021-09-3058 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 48 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastAs drought and active wildfires impact the most visited wilderness area in the nation, the U.S. Forest Service announced Aug. 21 that overnight permits to enter the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will not be issued at this time and all backcountry access is prohibited until further notice. Day trips to the BWCA are not allowed under the closure.
News of the closure spread quickly throughout the paddling community. Among the last to hear of the closure, however, were canoe campers who were on a trip to the BWCA when the closure was announced.
Closures to the BWCA impacted WTIP...
2021-08-2924 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 48 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastAs drought and active wildfires impact the most visited wilderness area in the nation, the U.S. Forest Service announced Aug. 21 that overnight permits to enter the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will not be issued at this time and all backcountry access is prohibited until further notice. Day trips to the BWCA are not allowed under the closure.News of the closure spread quickly throughout the paddling community. Among the last to hear of the closure, however, were canoe campers who were on a trip to the BWCA when the closure was announced.Closures to...
2021-08-2924 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Wildfire Update From The Gunflint TrailWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs traveled up the Gunflint Trail Aug. 27 to get a firsthand feel for how things were going on the edge of the wilderness. The BWCA remains closed at this time, now a full week into the closure of the most visited wilderness area in the nation. Canoe racks sat full at local outfitters. Restaurants along the Trail were quiet. Most of the vehicles the podcast duo passed on the Trail were trucks carrying firefighters. It was not a typical Friday afternoon and evening in late August on the Gunflint...
2021-08-2811 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Wildfire Update From The Gunflint TrailWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs traveled up the Gunflint Trail Aug. 27 to get a firsthand feel for how things were going on the edge of the wilderness.
The BWCA remains closed at this time, now a full week into the closure of the most visited wilderness area in the nation. Canoe racks sat full at local outfitters. Restaurants along the Trail were quiet. Most of the vehicles the podcast duo passed on the Trail were trucks carrying firefighters. It was not a typical Friday afternoon and evening in late August on the Gunflint Trail.
Joe...
2021-08-2811 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast - Impact Of Closure From Gunflint Trail To ElyIt's been about a week since the Superior National Forest closed the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. WTIP's Barbara Jean Meyers traveled around canoe country catching up with area outfitters and paddlers about what the closure has been like. She shares this special update on the podcast.
2021-08-2708 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast - Impact Of Closure From Gunflint Trail To ElyIt's been about a week since the Superior National Forest closed the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
WTIP's Barbara Jean Meyers traveled around canoe country catching up with area outfitters and paddlers about what the closure has been like.
She shares this special update on the podcast.
2021-08-2708 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Update on BWCA Closure and WildfiresSuperior National Forest officials confirmed with the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast they have extended the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness closure through at least Friday, Sept. 3.Tofte District Ranger Ellen Bogardus-Szymaniak confirmed the closure extension. The choice to keep the BWCA closed for at least another week was widely expected.“We considered the weather, historically dry conditions, fire behavior and the resources that we have and decided to go for another week,” she said. “Nothing has changed since the day we put it on.”Wildfires continue to burn both inside and outside the BWCA wilderne...
2021-08-2613 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Update on BWCA Closure and WildfiresSuperior National Forest officials confirmed with the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast they have extended the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness closure through at least Friday, Sept. 3.
Tofte District Ranger Ellen Bogardus-Szymaniak confirmed the closure extension. The choice to keep the BWCA closed for at least another week was widely expected.
“We considered the weather, historically dry conditions, fire behavior and the resources that we have and decided to go for another week,” she said. “Nothing has changed since the day we put it on.”
Wildfires continue to burn both inside and outside the BWCA wilderness line as of Aug. 25. Canadian wildfire...
2021-08-2613 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast - BWCA Closure and Wildfire UpdatesThe Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness closed to all public access August 21 as wildfires in and around the region continued to burn. The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team will be reporting on the wildfires and the complete BWCA closure in a series of updates in the days, weeks and potentially months ahead. In this first installment of the wildfire updates and BWCA closure, hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs discuss the current situation in the Boundary Waters.
2021-08-2416 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWTIP Boundary Waters Podcast - BWCA Closure and Wildfire UpdatesThe Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness closed to all public access August 21 as wildfires in and around the region continued to burn.
The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team will be reporting on the wildfires and the complete BWCA closure in a series of updates in the days, weeks and potentially months ahead. In this first installment of the wildfire updates and BWCA closure, hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs discuss the current situation in the Boundary Waters.
2021-08-2416 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastPagami Creek Fire - 10 Years Later: A WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Featured EpisodeTen years ago this month, the Pagami Creek Fire burned 93,000 acres in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. A lightning strike approximately 13 miles east of Ely ignited the Pagami Creek Fire. First detected on August 18, 2011, the fire smoldered in a bog for several days before it erupted on a monumental scale. In this special episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear the story of Greg and Julie Welch. The Michigan couple were camped in the BWCA when the Pagami Creek fire found them. This is their story.
2021-08-1614 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastPagami Creek Fire - 10 Years Later: A WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Featured EpisodeTen years ago this month, the Pagami Creek Fire burned 93,000 acres in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
A lightning strike approximately 13 miles east of Ely ignited the Pagami Creek Fire. First detected on August 18, 2011, the fire smoldered in a bog for several days before it erupted on a monumental scale.
In this special episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear the story of Greg and Julie Welch. The Michigan couple were camped in the BWCA when the Pagami Creek fire found them. This is their story.
2021-08-1614 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 45 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIn wilderness settings, there are connections people can make to the land, regardless of their age, race or gender, by walking in the footsteps of those who have come before them.With this in mind, a group of Minnesota paddlers set out in the fall of 2020 to travel across the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to retrace the steps of a wilderness pioneer named Arthur Carhart. Their journey took them across abandoned portages, streams plugged by beaver dams and through remote territory inside the nation’s most visited wilderness area.Carhart made his journey to th...
2021-07-1459 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 45 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIn wilderness settings, there are connections people can make to the land, regardless of their age, race or gender, by walking in the footsteps of those who have come before them.
With this in mind, a group of Minnesota paddlers set out in the fall of 2020 to travel across the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to retrace the steps of a wilderness pioneer named Arthur Carhart.
Their journey took them across abandoned portages, streams plugged by beaver dams and through remote territory inside the nation’s most visited wilderness area.
Carhart made his journey to the Boundary Waters in 1921. Though a...
2021-07-1459 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 44 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastJoin the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team for a one-time special from Isle Royale National Park on the biggest boundary waters lake of them all: Lake Superior. Hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs traveled to Isle Royale in June 2021 to share stories from the remote island archipelago. They talked with park staff about wildlife research being conducted on the island, chatted with visiting hikers, paddled a canoe through a winding harbor and saw 18 moose over the course of five days. The stories of their adventures, and those of their fellow travelers and park staff, are all...
2021-07-0153 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 44 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastJoin the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team for a one-time special from Isle Royale National Park on the biggest boundary waters lake of them all: Lake Superior.
Hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs traveled to Isle Royale in June 2021 to share stories from the remote island archipelago. They talked with park staff about wildlife research being conducted on the island, chatted with visiting hikers, paddled a canoe through a winding harbor and saw 18 moose over the course of five days.
The stories of their adventures, and those of their fellow travelers and park staff, are all shared in this special...
2021-07-0153 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 43 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s back to hammocks on this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. Well, sort of… The featured guest on this episode of the podcast is YouTube sensation and hammock camping extraordinaire Sean 'Shug' Emery. Shug lives in Minnesota and frequents the North Shore and BWCA to enjoy time hiking, exploring and hanging in his hammock. In a previous stage of his life, Shug was a circus performer and clown. He’s well known at the Minnesota State Fair and has entertained across the state at various venues, including the Grand Marais Public Librar...
2021-06-1643 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 43 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s back to hammocks on this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast.
Well, sort of…
The featured guest on this episode of the podcast is YouTube sensation and hammock camping extraordinaire Sean 'Shug' Emery. Shug lives in Minnesota and frequents the North Shore and BWCA to enjoy time hiking, exploring and hanging in his hammock.
In a previous stage of his life, Shug was a circus performer and clown. He’s well known at the Minnesota State Fair and has entertained across the state at various venues, including the Grand Marais Public Library.
Shug has a following of more t...
2021-06-1643 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 41 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team spent the final days of April and start of May 2021 in Ely. Hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs were selected for an 'artist residency' by the Listening Point Foundation.This is property owned by Sigurd Olson that is now managed and owned by an organization in Ely known as the Listening Point Foundation. Olson was an author and a dedicated advocate for wilderness, including the Boundary Waters, but many areas across the country as well.The podcast duo recorded and produced this episode at Listening Point. The theme of the...
2021-05-121h 11
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 41 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team spent the final days of April and start of May 2021 in Ely. Hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs were selected for an 'artist residency' by the Listening Point Foundation.
This is property owned by Sigurd Olson that is now managed and owned by an organization in Ely known as the Listening Point Foundation. Olson was an author and a dedicated advocate for wilderness, including the Boundary Waters, but many areas across the country as well.
The podcast duo recorded and produced this episode at Listening Point. The theme of the episode is 'a rite...
2021-05-121h 11
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 40 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastA love of the land is the theme in this milestone episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast.
Up first in episode 40, we hear a feature about remote lakes waiting across the border in Ontario. Canadian trapper Mark Deans tells podcast host Joe Friedrichs about a collection of lakes just east of Quetico Provincial Park and just across the border from the border lakes above the Gunflint Trail. Mark and his family run traplines in this remote border country, and some of the lakes in this region are rarely, if ever visited each year by human travelers.
Also in today’s...
2021-04-121h 09
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 39 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWinter camping continues to be a favorite activity for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team. In February 2021, Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs took a TV news team from Duluth for a trip to the BWCA. Alex Laitala and Dan Wolfe from KBJR joined the podcast duo for a trip to the far eastern reaches of the designated wilderness. Temperatures dropped to 10-below zero and Matthew shares a report from the wilderness along with added reflection from a memorable trip. Also in this episode, podcast contributor Lindsey Gau talks with Ty Olson about his epic and important journey through...
2021-03-151h 07
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 39 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWinter camping continues to be a favorite activity for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team. In February 2021, Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs took a TV news team from Duluth for a trip to the BWCA. Alex Laitala and Dan Wolfe from KBJR joined the podcast duo for a trip to the far eastern reaches of the designated wilderness. Temperatures dropped to 10-below zero and Matthew shares a report from the wilderness along with added reflection from a memorable trip.
Also in this episode, podcast contributor Lindsey Gau talks with Ty Olson about his epic and important journey through the Boundary...
2021-03-151h 07
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 38 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe depths of winter rolled over the Boundary Waters in February 2021. Temperatures plummeted and overnight lows often measured 30 degrees below zero during the first full week of the month. That being the case, the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team embraced the cold snap as an opportunity to share stories from the wilderness. Podcast Host Matthew Baxley opens the episode with a story about the longest serving interior ranger in the history of Quetico Provincial Park, Janice Matichuk. Matthew speaks with three men who credit Janice with saving their lives when they fell into the frigid waters of Cache...
2021-02-111h 18
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 38 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe depths of winter rolled over the Boundary Waters in February 2021. Temperatures plummeted and overnight lows often measured 30 degrees below zero during the first full week of the month. That being the case, the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team embraced the cold snap as an opportunity to share stories from the wilderness.
Podcast Host Matthew Baxley opens the episode with a story about the longest serving interior ranger in the history of Quetico Provincial Park, Janice Matichuk. Matthew speaks with three men who credit Janice with saving their lives when they fell into the frigid waters of Cache Bay in 2019...
2021-02-111h 18
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 37 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s the start of Season 4 on the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast! The new season kicks off with a theme specific to winter: blades and ice. Indeed, ice staking on ‘wild ice’ was all the rage in the BWCA to start the winter of 2020-21. Host Matthew Baxley takes us on a journey up Clearwater Lake into the BWCA and over to Mountain Lake on the border looking across to Canada. This specific day trip captures a stretch of time that will be remembered for years and perhaps generations to come with regard to wild ice in the...
2021-01-1352 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 37 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s the start of Season 4 on the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast!
The new season kicks off with a theme specific to winter: blades and ice.
Indeed, ice skating on ‘wild ice’ was all the rage in the BWCA to start the winter of 2020-21. Host Matthew Baxley takes us on a journey up Clearwater Lake into the BWCA and over to Mountain Lake on the border looking across to Canada. This specific day trip captures a stretch of time that will be remembered for years and perhaps generations to come with regard to wild ice in the Boundary Waters.
To kic...
2021-01-1351 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 34 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWaterfowl hunting is not something most people associate with a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It is, however, completely legal to hunt in the BWCA during the annual waterfowl hunting season in northeastern Minnesota.
In October 2020, the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team accompanied Cook County resident Sven Hoaglund on a duck hunting trip to the wilderness. We hear directly from the woods and water as the group travels in pursuit of migrating ducks.
Also in today’s episode, we hear from Minnesota resident and trail runner Alex Falconer. A dedicated athlete and director of the Boundary Waters Ac...
2020-10-151h 17
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 33 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastAudio diaries continue to be an essential component of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. These ‘diaries’ are segments of audio recorded by the hosts and listeners of the podcast during trips to the wilderness.
In this episode, we hear two different audio diaries on two very different types of trips to the BWCA. Up first, podcast host Matthew Baxley takes us on his recent journey with Lindsey Gau and her father, Jeff Gau. (Cool fact… Lindsey is the person holding the canoe in the photo used for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast logo!)
In the second part of today’s episode...
2020-09-101h 11
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 32 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEvery summer there are a number of storms that roll through the Boundary Waters that generate campfire conversations for years to come. On occasion, such as the epic 1999 Blowdown Storm, these storms become the stuff of legend.
Such is the case with a storm from July 8 this summer where nine people found themselves entangled in a vicious weather event. The heart of the storm was on Trout Lake in the BWCA on the western side of the wilderness.
Jason Busch and David Bell were among the group camped out as the storm ravaged their campsite. WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast Host...
2020-08-141h 22
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 31 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastHalf-in, half-out.
That's what many entry lakes to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are when it comes to the official wilderness designation. And yet, it's the same water. To the lakes and rivers in the BWCA and Quetico, there are no imaginary wilderness or international lines. It's the same water. Podcast hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs explore this notion to open the episode.
Indeed, sentiments such as these are a common message the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters continues to share. In this episode we hear from one of their staffers, Lauren Eggert, before she departs on...
2020-07-191h 26
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastBonus Track July 2020 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastJanice Matichuk is the longest serving ranger in the history of Quetico Provincial Park. She is on medical leave from Quetico at this time and the Cache Bay Ranger Station is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and border closures with the U.S. and Canada.
During a special program that aired live on WTIP July 11, Boundary Waters Podcast Host Joe Friedrichs spoke with Matichuk about her health and some reflections on the Gunflint Trail community.
Also featured in this special episode are updates with canoe outfitters from across the BWCA. We hear from the teams and Sawbill Canoe...
2020-07-1351 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 30 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s a mix of news, important discussion and wilderness adventure in this important episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast.
Up first, host Joe Friedrichs travels back to the BWCA with Kevin ‘The K-man’ Kramer. Joe and Kevin travel deep into the wilderness, finding moose, solitude and many walleyes along the way.
Also in today’s episode, host Matthew Baxley talks with Miki, aka ‘Tricky Miki' from Minneapolis. Miki is an artist, documentary filmmaker and host of the Minnesota-based Black Helpline Podcast.
Matthew and Miki discuss access to the wilderness for people of color, in addition to challenges that some in th...
2020-06-111h 11
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 29 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast has some great news in May 2020!
The Radio Television Digital News Association announced May 12 that the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast is the winner of a 2020 regional Edward R. Murrow Award.
More than 750 Murrow Awards represent more than 350 local radio and television news outlets from 49 states and four countries for this year’s awards.
The winning work includes 36 podcasts, a new category for 2020, along with nearly 50 investigative reports and more than 100 examples of excellence in innovation, social media and multimedia.
In the small market radio category, WTIP won for the ‘Best Podcast’ category for the original “Boundary...
2020-05-131h 00
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastShort Track BWCA 2020 Season UpdateIt’s the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast update to the 2020 paddling season amid the COVID-19 situation. Host Joe Friedrichs shares today’s audio update on the podcast.
What we know: As of April 21, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will be open for the 2020 paddling and hiking season starting Tuesday, May 5.
In a press release sent to WTIP and the podcast on April 16, the US Forest Service says that in order to help lessen impacts to local communities while Minnesota’s Stay-at-Home order is in place, and to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will b...
2020-04-2114 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 28 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s a time of unknowns in the Boundary Waters. Paddlers and hikers are heading into April 2020 uncertain of travel plans or even if the wilderness will be open for the upcoming season.
In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, hosts Matthew Baxley, Joe Friedrichs and Chelsea Lloyd put that notion itself on hold and focus on community, paddling and storytelling.
Matthew talks with longtime BWCA paddler John Oberholtzer about his experiences in the Boundary Waters. Also in today’s episode Chelsea talks with Rachael Romnek and her unique and deeply meaningful visits to the wilderness area.
Please note...
2020-04-031h 21
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 27 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team was all set to return to Canoecopia 2020 in Madison, Wisc. However, the event – scheduled for March 13-15 – was canceled due to concerns about COVID-19, the coronavirus capturing headlines across the planet.
With their plans cancelled, WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast hosts Matthew Baxley, Joe Friedrichs and Chelsea Lloyd brainstormed on what to do instead. It took nothing more than a few seconds of planning before it was agreed upon where they should go instead: The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
In this episode, join the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team as they go winter camping in t...
2020-03-1754 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 26 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWinter still has its firm grip on the Boundary Waters as anxious paddlers start to think about the upcoming canoe season. However, something known as the ‘Death March Portage’ in Quetico Provincial Park could make the slow trudge across a frozen lake sound delightful by comparison.
In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear from the father/daughter duo Scott and Emilie Burditt. Scott and Emilie are Wisconsin residents who make an annual trip to Quetico Provincial Park. They share their stories about a love for the outdoors and paddling in canoe country, and how this bond keep...
2020-02-121h 05
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 25 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s the start of season three on the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast!
The new season comes out in style, as it’s the first ever live recording of an episode of the original Boundary Waters podcast!
The entire episode was recorded live at the Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race on the Gunflint Trail. The episode was broadcast live on WTIP Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, from the race headquarters near Trailcenter Restaurant on the Gunflint Trail.
Featured in the episode are some familiar voices to the podcast and WTIP airwaves. Up first, host Matthew Baxley talks with Gaby and Werner Würth f...
2020-01-1354 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 24 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s the last episode of season two for the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast! Many great things are already in the works for season three starting in 2020, but this year ends with both a look back and a look forward in episode 24 of the podcast.
Host Chelsea Lloyd talks with Nashville-based musician Jerry Vandiver about his love of the Boundary Waters. Jerry is a singer-songwriter who has done a number of songs about paddling over the years, including songs specific to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Jerry is also a regular attendee and performer at the annual Canoecopia event in...
2019-12-121h 11
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 23 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe canoeing season is officially over for 2019 in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. For some, a new chapter is welcomed with open arms as winter travel begins and the lakes freeze up.
In this episode, hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs take you along for their final canoe trip of the season. The duo retrace their route featured in episode two of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. That journey took them across the ice to Winchell Lake. This time, a canoe serves as the transport vessel and a return to Winchell is the trip's primary objective. Rain, snow, storytelling...
2019-11-141h 19
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 22 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThere are a variety of reasons for both why and how people fall in love with the Boundary Waters.
In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, Siddeeqah Shabazz and Stephe Stovall share their story of love for the woods, water and how this natural treasure opened so many opportunities for them personally and professionally. It’s a love story with deep connections both for and from the wilderness.
Also in episode 22, Podcaster Chelsea Lloyd talks with Douglas Wood, a longtime wilderness guide, who is also a prolific author, perhaps best known for his first book, “Old Turtle.” In 2017 Wood r...
2019-10-111h 22
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 21 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThere’s a certain magic that unfolds on a first trip to the Boundary Waters. Memories are made, experience gained, and often the trip ends with some stating the following: “When do we get to come back?”
In episode 21 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear from Minnesota resident Sarah Kermode and her friend Joe Schille, who is also from the land of 10,000 lakes. Sarah and her husband Andy took the lead on a summer trip in 2019 with four of their friends, including Joe, who was making his first trip. We hear about their trip that started at an entry...
2019-09-061h 21
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 20 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe tables get turned on WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs in episode 20. A fan of the podcast and BWCA enthusiast Chelsea Lloyd stopped through Grand Marias after a summer 2019 paddling trip. Joe and Matthew met Chelsea at the Midwest Mountaineering Expo in Minneapolis in April and struck up a conversation about podcasting and paddling. When Chelsea stopped by WTIP to record an interview on the podcast about her summer trip, she flipped the script and started to interview Joe and Matthew. Low and behold, it was a significant moment in the history of the WTIP...
2019-08-091h 13
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 19 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s easy to imagine the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as a sunny place where things never go wrong and plans fall perfectly into place on every trip. This line of thinking, however, is a recipe for, at the very least disappointment, and perhaps far worse.
The reality of traveling in canoe country is that the weather is often a challenging element of most trips and the best-laid plans don’t materialize the way they were envisioned at home. In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, host Joe Friedrichs explores this notion firsthand. Joe and Minnesota resident Kevi...
2019-07-121h 22
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 18 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe wilderness, and the Boundary Waters in particular, are widely considered a place for personal reflection. Certainly there are many aspects that appeal to recreational enthusiasts who visit the Boundary Waters, including fishing, camping, paddling, hiking and simply the notion of ‘getting away from it all.’
At the heart of wilderness, however, lies something deeper. In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear the story of Erik Dickes from Omaha, Nebraska. Erik made plans with his father in 2018 to paddle in the BWCA. It was to be the first and long-anticipated trip to the Boundary Waters for both...
2019-06-121h 07
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastShort Track: 1999 Boundary Waters Blowdown StormTwenty years ago this summer, the Boundary Waters and other parts of northern Minnesota were impacted by what is forever known as the Boundary Waters Blowdown storm. On July 4, 1999, the storm roared through the region, impacting the wilderness area and lives of many thousands of people.
WTIP, the community radio station in Grand Marais, is looking back on the Blowdown storm in a series of commemorative features and interviews with those who experienced the Blowdown storm firsthand. We are sharing part of this series as a short track on the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast.
In part one of this WTIP...
2019-05-2412 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 16 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThere is a sense of community when it comes to paddlers who frequent the Boundary Waters. In episode 16 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, hosts Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs take this notion a step further and explore the dynamics of families who paddle together in the Boundary Waters.
In this episode we hear from the father/daughter duo Scott and Emilie Burditt. Scott and Emilie are Wisconsin residents who make an annual trip to Quetico Provincial Park. They share their stories about a love for the outdoors and paddling in canoe country, and how this bond keeps them connected...
2019-04-121h 09
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 15 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastWelcome to Canoecopia! The WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast team take to the road for episode 15, with all the content coming directly from the paddling and outdoor gear expo held March 8-10 in Madison, Wisc.
In this episode, podcasters Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs speak with a variety of attendees who traveled from all across the country to attend the 2019 Canoecopia extravaganza.
Guests include Joe Robinet, whose videos of camping in northwest Ontario have garnered him worldwide attention. Robinet has more than 1 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.
Also featured in this episode is Aubrey Helmuth Miller of Redbudsuds, a soap...
2019-03-1558 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 13 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThey’re….back!!! Exactly one year since episode one of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast dropped, guests Gaby and Werner from Germany return for the first episode of the new season. This time, host Joe Friedrichs takes them out for their first ice fishing trip in the Boundary Waters.
Also featured in this episode is a conversation podcaster Matthew Baxley has with David Hoole from Frost River outdoor equipment in Duluth about keeping your hands warm during the winter months in the BWCA.
It’s the first episode of 2019… as the adventure rolls on with the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast!
2019-01-1156 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 11 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastMany people who visit the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness leave with a parting sentiment: We don’t want to go home quite yet.
In this episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast, we hear from an individual who takes this concept to the next level. Known as the 800-Day Paddler, Mark Zimmer shares his story of essentially living in the Boundary Waters from May until fall.
Speaking of changing seasons, November is a time of transition in the Boundary Waters. With lakes starting to freeze and cold ushered in by strong winds, November is one of the lowest-traffic months of...
2018-11-141h 10
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 10 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastMore than a century of combined paddling between just two people is celebrated in episode 10 of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast.
Bob O’Hara is among the most recognized and accomplished adventurers to dip his paddle into the Boundary Waters annually, something he has done for the past 60 years without missing a season.
Likewise, Ken Koscik is no stranger to canoe country. Ken hit the 50-year mark for consecutive years to Quetico Provincial Park and the Boundary Waters in 2018. A guest instructor at North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Ken teaches a course on building cedar-strip canoes and kayaks.
Po...
2018-10-101h 14
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 9 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIt’s the ‘All Ontario Episode’ of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast! Join Podcasters Matthew Baxley and Joe Friedrichs as they paddle to the Cache Bay Ranger Station in Quetico Provincial Park. Interior Ranger Janice Matichuk has worked at the station in Cache Bay for the past 34 seasons, and she shares her story on the podcast.
Also in this episode, we hear from Canadian musician Ian Tamblyn. A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Tamblyn has shared his music on every episode of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast. He visited Grand Marais and WTIP recently and shares his passion for paddling and wr...
2018-09-141h 05
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 8 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIf there is concern about the number of young people visiting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, you won't hear it in episode eight of the WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast.
Ada Igoe from Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail joins the podcast team for this episode. Her segment features a group of middle school students who travel to the BWCA each summer from Indiana. It's another example of the good times people of all ages can have in canoe country.
Also in episode eight, we hear from Natalie Kundel at Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply in Grand Marais. Natalie...
2018-08-1054 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 7 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastThe WTIP Boundary Waters Podcast goes for the trifecta in this episode. Three topics are covered, including a conversation with Julia and Linda Ruelle from the Twin Cities area. Julia, a high school student in Minnetonka, won an essay contest in 2018 from the Ely Outfitting Company that brought her and three friends to the Boundary Waters for a week. Julia was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer during the winter of 2017-18 and completed chemotherapy in February. The trip to the Boundary Waters was largely a celebration of Julia’s return to good health.
Also in episode seven, we...
2018-07-1354 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 4 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIn this episode, WTIP Boundary Waters Podcasters Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley venture to a frozen Duncan Lake in the BWCAW. The trip took place in March 2018.
Joining the duo on the adventure was Derek Hofeldt from Loon Lake Lodge. An owner of the Gunflint Trail resort, Derek is an excellent chef with years of cooking in both a kitchen setting and in the backcountry. On their trip to Duncan, Derek and the Boundary Waters podcasters make a variety of meals, all under the comforts of a late-season snowstorm.
In part one of the episode, Friedrichs speaks with Minnesota artist...
2018-04-1347 min
WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastEpisode 2 WTIP Boundary Waters PodcastIn this episode, WTIP Boundary Waters Podcasters Joe Friedrichs and Matthew Baxley venture to Winchell Lake deep in the BWCAW. The trip took place in early January 2018. The duo record the experience on a frozen Winchell Lake, including gear they used to get there and conditions on the trail.
In part two, Friedrichs speaks with General Manager Bear Paulsen from Northstar Canoes about what factors to consider when it comes to purchasing a tandem, Kevlar canoe.
2018-02-1246 min