This is the time of year when we all stop and give thanks for the blessings we have all enjoyed this past year.   We are grateful that we were able to make it through a challenging summer on Moose Lake with no illness from any of our staff.  We are grateful that we get to live in this wonderful Boundary Waters wilderness area.  Most of all, we at Williams and Hall Outfitters, give thanks for our many friends who have been able to come visit us and share our amazing part of the world. 

Gift Ideas For Your Young Paddlers

As the Thanksgiving season is coming to an end, we are looking forward to the Christmas Season and with the season comes the beginning of lists.  Lists for items we can give to our family and friends. If you have someone on your list who is planning a Boundary Waters trip next summer this is a good time to get some much needed items to help them enjoy their trip a bit more.  We see lots of young people arrive at our lodge that don’t have the proper equipment to make the best of their adventure.   For those families with youth or small children this might be the right time to add to their camping supplies.

• Rain gear is a place where you want to make sure your family are properly attired. This is an item that you hope you don’t need, but if you do there is nothing better than a rain jacket and a pair of rain pants that will keep you warm and dry.  This is not a place to skimp, a flimsy rain poncho won’t do the trick in a Boundary Waters rainstorm.  Good raingear is  great  item to put on the list for all family members for a comfortable canoe trip.

• Good footwear or boots might be another item to put on your list.  There are lots of ideas and opinions on proper foot ware for a canoe trip.  Just remember that this is a wet foot sport, your feet will be in and out of the water as you travel through the park.   A boot that will keep your feet dry, yet give support for portaging is what you want to look for.  Remember to look for a shoe or a boot that will give you some traction while getting in and out of your canoe on slippery rocks. 

• If you are planning a family trip with youth or children, this is a good time to think about adequate back packs for young campers.  There are lots of back packs on the market for smaller campers.  Buy a back pack that fits properly.  You don’t want to overwhelm a child with a large heavy pack.  They do enjoy carrying a pack with some of their personal items.  It makes them feel like the are contributing.  REI has a very nice pack that has an adjustable frame that you can resize as your child grows taller.

• Some smaller items that would also be good to enhance a trip for a youngster on a canoe trip might be a flashlight or headlamp.  These are a must for a good trip.  What about a pocket knife, what youngster isn’t proud of their first pocket knife?

• A good hat and/or a pair of sunglasses also can make a canoe trip more enjoyable.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Even though summer and a Boundary Waters Canoe trip might me a few months away this is a good time to take stock of items that your family will be needing for their upcoming canoe trip and take advantage of the season sales that we are seeing everywhere. 

We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving Season.