Reply to: Elf Lake to Granite: Wabakimi Project Trip 2010 Volume 3
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<blockquote><strong class="quote">Anonymous wrote:</strong> <P><A href="https://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=trip.report_view&sel_trp_id=2146" target="_blank">August 2010 by Jerry, Project Volunteer # 117. Full Trip report posted on BWCA.com</A></P> <P><SPAN>Prologue. This trip, for me, started in March of 2009. I had been discussing with some fellow paddlers about going to Wabakimi for the ultimate remote paddling experience. When I saw the Wabakimi Project had scheduled a presentation, I decided to go check it out. I listened to Phil Cotton's description of the history and objectives of the project. In 2002, Phil took a fly-in/fly-out trip into the northwest section of the park only to find that information, maps and portage trails were scattered at best. Most of the maps were dated back to the 1940s & '50s and they were sectioned with portage trail information that was grossly inaccurate. If he found a trail, the blow down and overgrowth made them completely impassable. It was on that trip that the "Project" became an idea. The next year after posting his thoughts on the Canadian Canoe Routes forum he already had 76 volunteers to help him begin his quest to make Wabakimi more paddler friendly. He has been doing this every year since beginning every Memorial Day and ending after every Labor Day. For the most part a crew changes hands every week (3 in, 3 out Phil stays in). He takes a two week hiatus last week of June, but logging in about 16 weeks in the park every paddling season. More information on the project can be found on their website at http://www.wabakimi.org/ . I was sold on participating when I not only witnessed Phil's passion for preserving the paddling culture of the area, but when he was adamant about the project finding and clearing ONLY existing portage trails and campsites and correcting their positions using GPS waypoints, measurements and eventually making them available to paddlers in map form. By the end of this season, Phil expects to have 70% of the park completed. The idea of exploring areas and finding old portage trails and campsites left by the trappers and natives of the area excited me, so I signed up for the summer of 2010 (2009 was already filled). I decided to go on the week of Aug 7-14 because it fell in place with my birthday (8/12) and the opportunity to see the Perseid meteor showers in a sky with no light pollution added to the appeal. Looking back now, I was not disappointed. The trip was one of a lifetime for me. I am now known as volunteer #117. I plan to section this report into a description of the methods of how the Project set out to obtain its objectives, a description of our little work week as well as the remote scenery of the area. There are lots of pictures. Thanks for coming along here we go.</SPAN></P> </blockquote><br>
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