A Boundary Waters history: canoeing across time

Foreword / Bill Hansen

Preface

Beginnings and middles without endings

Changing times, early humans, Ice Age animals, Native American populations, explorer P.G. Downes, eagles and brilliant stars

Beavers and voyageurs

River canoeing and Ernest Oberholtzer, the little man who defeated an industrial giant

An invasion of mice, five legendary figures of the Boundary Waters and morning fog

Just dad and me, the Gunflint Trail, more historical figures and my men's group

One dramatic rescue, peace and solitude on South Temperance and a good talk on retirement campsite

Lake Two Fire, Table Rock, Indian names and the song of a loon

A new used canoe, an old friend, end of the fire-suppression period, pictographs on Fishdance Lake, raging rapids, a wilderness canoe repair shop and Alice Lake at last

My brother Larry's return trip, thoughts on portaging, and evening canoe ride and things that go bump in the night

Concentric rings, chili cans and the ticket

The Sawbill Trail and declining moose

The Sag Corridor Wildfire, Boundary Waters boomers and the end of the known world

A fishless trip and a pack-ripping bear

The beginning of a seven-year run, too many fish to count, no campfires and the Old Sawbill-Alton Trail

Climbing the Brule Boulders, the Fourth of July storm and the longest day in history

A tumble, more good weather, a broken rod, Eddy's return, a bawling moose, a plethora of smallmouth on Grace and a waxing moon

The foursome reassembled, canoe teamwork, partial fire ban and one lost dad on the Banadad

An unfortunate ending to a "great and glorious run"

Fickle fish, canoeing without dad and no happy hour

Cellphone emergency calls, the disappearance of an experienced outdoorsman and changing times

Dad and Eddy once again, the Cavity Lake Fire and one pathetic bear

Anger run amok, the Ham Lake Fire, Kate and Markus, simmering heat and a blazing finish to a "great and glorious run."