Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Quetico Trips with Dave Maynard

Hi Fellow Paddlers...

This year at Piragis Northwoods we have tried to create some new opportunities for our Guided Group Trips. In addition to our tried and true trips...Howl with the Wolves, Women in the Wilderness, Autumn Colors and the Smallmouth Fishing Trip, we have added some new trips.
A few days ago Drew (that Chicago Bears fan) told you about our Bear trip in conjunction with the North American Bear Center. I would like to tell you about a great opportunity to take a Kayak trip across the span of Basswood Lake with Dave Maynard,the former Assistant Park Superintendent for Quetico Provincial Park. Dave will also be guiding a canoe trip to the heart of Quetico.

We are very excited about being able to welcome Dave Maynard to the outfitting staff here at Piragis Northwoods Co. Dave will be joining our Guide Staff and will be leading trips into Quetico Provincial Park this summer. Not only will he be leading two of our Guided Group trips, but will be available for those who want to book a trip and employ his services as a Quetico Guide.

First some background on Dave. Dave is 57 but you would never guess that by looking at him. He is in great shape and stays active with all sorts of outdoor activity. He is a big game guide in Canada, and has paddled every lake in Quetico park that has a portage to it and even some that don’t. He even speaks Canadian...eh.

Dave started paddling when he was 4 years old and he got his first job with the park in 1973 as a member of a seasonal portage crew. That was the beginning of a long career with the park that culminated with him becoming the Assistant Park Superintendent in 1997. Dave just recently retired from service with the park and we are fortunate to be able to tap into his skill, knowledge, and love of Quetico Park.

For those of you who have paddled the lakes of the BWCAW and have longed to expand your experience to include paddling in the Quetico, here is your chance to take a trip with somebody who knows the park intimately and is anxious to share that knowledge with you. Like the BWCAW, the Quetico is over a million acres of wilderness waiting to be explored and enjoyed.

The permitting system for Quetico is different from that of the Boundary Waters and it allows far fewer permits for the same area. The most immediate result is that solitude is much more achievable in a shorter amount of time. Fishing is great and the scenery is unbeatable. You are allowed to camp anywhere you like in Quetico Park, so there are some wonderful spots waiting for you to enjoy.

Dave will be leading two Guided Group trips this summer.

He will be guiding a Kayak trip to Basswood Lake in Quetico Park. Quetico Park rules allow a group of 9 people to each have their own canoe or kayak. So…you will have the option of paddling your own kayak, but if you prefer to paddle tandem, we have tandem kayaks as well. Basswood Lake is a big lake and there is a lot of exploring to be done all the way from Basswood falls to Ranger Bay to Inlet Bay. Because this side of Basswood is Non-Motorized it never sees much activity. Kayaks will be perfect for exploring this wonderful body of water.

The Canoe trip will enter at Prairie Portage and head for the heart of the park, and you will get the chance to see some wild country and experience Quetico at its finest. Each group will be limited to 7 clients, so call us soon as these trips will fill up quickly. If you want to put your own group together and use Dave as a guide, we can do that as well.

Reflecting back on his years working for the Provincial Park Dave said that he believes that the Park doesn’t owe him anything; rather, he owes the Park because of the kind of man it has made him today. Join us and see what the Park can give you as well.

Here are some specifics about the trips:

Quetico Kayak Trip - June 18-24 Cost: $1495 plus tax
Quetico Canoe Trip - August 6-12 Cost: $1495 plus tax

Both of these trips are Fully Outfitted, which means all you have to bring is your clothing, personal toiletries, fishing rods, and we do the rest.

We provide lodging in Ely the night before and the last night of the trip

So...give me or Drew a call and we can go over more details and answer your questions. Make this the summer that you explore Quetico Provincial Park...in a kayak or a canoe!


Thanks....
Bert Heep

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