Can't tell you how much I appreciate this. You did justice to God's Creation. I'm not too religious but Pukaskwa is a spiritual place. 66 yrs old now, fellow paddling wife is 68. We spent 35 years or so exploring the coast, first hiking and following a flagged "trail" down past White River, then canoeing in later years, every summer. Remote for detachment. Meeting anyone was an event. Saw Bill Mason's fire and footprints on the sandspit out from the Oiseau River (now blown out in a flood) but didn't know who the hell he was. Seemed we were the only visitors many years. Recall Bill had a camp set up at the University Dog River. Seeing caribou and bears along shore. Rounding a point in 20 ft swells and watching a moose swim by with low golden sun glinting off its antlers. Willow River - unzipping the tent at 6am and staring down at fresh giant moose tracks inches away, with young moose tracks a little farther out. Windbound at the Willow River with a really old couple (my age now) canoeing with ancient basset hounds - geologists who related getting lost, watching bears tear apart their remote camp, but later finding oil seepages in northern Alberta. 400 million dollar oil claim. The summer gold was found, helicopters racing up and down the coast, landing at Oiseau Bay and miners lugging core samples down the Willow, even though we're in a protected park. Everyone has memories, but you don't realize the significance until you get old. Future generations will need to guard against development. And human sounds. Putting the bridge across the Pic River was the first development stab. Greed and human demand never dies. The proposed road down to Oiseau Bay (complete with marina) was shot down thanks to rare arctic plants and Pitchers Thistle, and the public input. If part of the Park mandate is protection, I wonder how the clearcut logging around the headwaters outside the park border effects water flowing into Pukaskwa? And the wildlife. Not to mention the mining outside the Park. Thought I recall reading about mercury or something in the nearby Eagle River. Damning the White River. Bill Mason soaked his bones in this area and I believe this place will demand something of all who know this place, to protect the ancient shared heritage. I think he would like these quotes from Thoreau: "Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still." And especially, "This was that Earth of which we have heard, made out of Chaos and Old Night. Here was no man's garden, but the unhandseled globe. It was not lawn, nor pasture, nor mead, nor woodland, nor lea, nor arable, nor wasteland…Man was not to be associated with it. It was Matter, vast, terrific…rocks, trees, wind on our cheeks! the solid earth! the actual world! the common sense! Contact! Contact! "
What a fantastic trip! I've logged thousands of miles paddling big water in open-decked canoes so I can appreciate the spray cover. There's been plenty of times I've questioned if I should be out in such waves but you rapidly gain confidence in your skill and your boat. Cheers!
I totally get that!! This was out first season with a decked boat and man, we loved it!! I've done tons of big water paddling in an open canoe as well, but the decking adds a nice level of security. You're right though, it's great to hon your skills before decking the boat so you can tackle even bigger waters with adequate skills and confidence.
I'm so glad TH-cam recommended this video! I've been wondering if canoeing Superior was even possible, but this proves that not only is it possible, it's something I really need to do in my lifetime! Thank you for documenting your amazing adventure.
Awesome trip guys. We had our honeymoon on the Slate Islands off of Terrace Bay over 40 years ago. Lots of Caribou and no bugs back then. Fresh Lake Trout everyday. Apparently there are black fly’s and not many Caribou now. People say the Timber Wolfs got out there and changed everything. What a shame. At one time there were over 500 Caribou on the Island. Thanks for sharing your trip. Cheers 👍🇨🇦
You guys rule! From the trip itself to the filming, commentary, soundtrack, gear advice, etc., this video inspired me just as much as any outdoor recreation movie by a major studio. Thanks for putting the time and effort into documenting this, I'm grateful you shared it with us.
Wow, I'm from Michigan and never knew what beauty you Canadians had of such a wild and get beautiful lake. Thank you for the adventure. It's was amazing.
You didnt know what beauty we had over here? you havent heard??? lol oh boy oh boy...Gods country ;)..Michigan also has a nice side of Superior. Northwestern Ontario (my home) is Canada's best kept secret. It offers great surfing, fishing, hunting and just beautiful landscape. You get massive waterfalls, smaller inland lakes that offer every type of fish, miles of cliffs and shoreline. Lots of wildlife as well. Lets keep it a secret ;)
I F Canada’s best kept secret?! That’s the gulf islands in B.C. bud! Did not get me wrong Ontario’s got some great spots but nothing compares to the west coast
We did the Pukaskwa River before it became a Park 40 years ago and padded west to Rossport. Wow what a trip lots of wild life and amazing specks fishing in the river. Couldn’t get on the Lake a few days because of high winds. We did it in 14 days it was amazing. It brings back memories. Thanks. Oh to be young again . Still love the old canoe. The White River was really the wildest one we ever did. The white water was no place for the novice . 6 footers were often on the river . What a rush but super fun. Thanks again. Cheers.👍🇨🇦
I love the Great Lakes, always have,for 67 years. Love watching travel videos about them, I even worked on the lakesknow ALL about their power. But I just realized something this morning. These videos will get out the news about how spectacular all the lakes are and soon they will become like the "New Jersey Shore". "Snooky's and Situations" everywhere. Rude will rule,freaking BEACH TAGS, pandemic of beach whistles covering the beach's,traffic jams up the ass. OMG what have we done.
I used to live in Marathon, Ontario, barely 10 or 15 km from where you started out. You picked an area where the water can be quite deep (1000 feet in places). It's also some of the coldest water and your camping spots can cool down to a low of 5 degrees Celcius by morning. The greatest thing is you chose some of the best scenery to experience and even get to experience pictograms from centuries ago and not just at michipikoten high falls area. Everybody who is an outdoor enthusiast needs to experience this either by canoe or by hiking the trails
What incredible scenery. Living in Minnesota I have seen only a little of the North Shore, but based on your video and videos of others, I know that I have to do a canoe trip up there. I love all of the rock and dramatic cliffs and ultra clear water. The ocean-like behavior frightens me as a hardly intermediate canoeist, I must admit, but I want to practice and get more experience if it allows me to see the types of landscapes you encounter along your journey. Both of you are entertaining and informative and I really enjoyed the balance of vlogging and scenery, and your music choices were fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure of yours and I can’t wait to watch the others. Thank you so much for sharing. -JD
We did this after we paddled the Pukaskwa River over 35 years ago. That was before it became a national park. Only we paddled West all the way back into Rossport. I lost 30 lbs on that trip. We flew into Beaver lake the head waters out of White River. The fishing was great and the black fly’s were nasty. I remember blazing our own trails . 🥵 it was a trip to remember. And so was the White River. Another dandy and sometimes dangerous. That’s when I was a bit older than you are and in much better shape back then. Now I’m just an old fart with great memories. I have lots of slides and the wife and I check them out once and awhile. 🇨🇦👍
In the late nineties I and 5 others were flown in to Gibson Lk. Dropped off and had planned to canoe the Pukaskwa River to Lk Superior and catch a fishing trawler but with a dry Spring and low water conditions we were forced to turn around and paddle back up stream do a height of land portage to the White River an back to civilization! Always wondered what the Superior shoreline looked like, now thanks to you two I’m Happy!😁
I’m lacking big water canoe skills, so really enjoyed this trip along the Lake Superior coast, my face is sore from smiling. Don’t ever let Leah go, she’s a keeper for sure.
You can get out on some day paddles if the weather is favourable. Well worth the perspective from the canoe/kayak! I don't think Leah's going anywhere anytime soon 😉
We even found a old huge cook stove from Peterborough stove works on the River. It was amazing how far it was up from the lake. It must have been quite a job getting there. And the type of boots and leather gloves laying around the camp. That was back in the early 80s that was the Pukaskwa trip. Awesome huge specks as well. 🇨🇦👍
Over three decades ago I did part of the North Shore of Superior in a birch bark canoe. I love this part of Canada. I envy your youth and adventures. Thanks for posting this. It brought back a lot of memories.
Hahaha. I got so excited watching the video I forgot to thank you. This adventure brings back so many great memories from my time living in Marathon from 1985 to 1993. I had a young family back then and I would take them out every chance I had to explore the parks, lake Superior, the trails, Pic River Reserve and especially to teach them about the wildlife, the vegetation and to appreciate the uniqueness and how special the area is historically. One thing I encourage visitors to do is visit the Pic River Reserve. Be polite, respectful and honest and you might find an elder or two who will share the stories of the Ojibwa. They are very friendly as long as you visit the band office to introduce yourself. If you are there for a photo op then you are there for the wrong reason.
Great place to live if you appreciate natural bueaty! You're absolutely right, there are so many great trails and Parks all along the coast! I grew up much the same, with my family embarking on countless trips, fostering my love of the outdoors from an early age. That's the way to do it! 😁 And you're absolutely right about Pic and any community. Elders have so much invaluable knowledge. It's always special to share a moment and learn from their lifetime of learning.
I just got a kayak to do long kayak camping trips, your videos are a huge help in getting ideas and pointing out certain things I would never have thought of and otherwise would have learned the hard way.
Fisherman's cove....great memories. I was once windbound there for 5 days. Met some really cool backpackers going through and ended up nearly getting married... Hahaha. That was way back in 2004 on my solo 6000 km canoe trip. What a great 6 months that was.
Hey! That's not a bad spot to get stuck at for 5 days, especially when you're out for 6months! Almost married eh? Haha, now that sounds like a story! We never met any backpackers.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AWESOME TRIP!! Although i am partial to the BEAUTY OF LAKE SUPERIOR ON UPPER PENINSULA SIDE ! TKU TKU TKU A Smile on my face almost the whole vidio!!!
My recommendations came through big time. Amazing video. So many good shots in great locations. I have zero water skills and experience, so it's really cool to see this type of adventure. Thank you!
@@ExploreTheBackcountry just found the channel 2 days ago and i love it!! If you two are interested in watching other couples youtube channels. I got reallly into "nahoa" they sail around the world!! And also from ontario here :)
Great views of Gitchi-Gumee. I’m green with envy - I always wanted to do that route, but as a cautious solo canoeist, I could never get myself on to the frigid water. I glad to know that none of your meals came with “Sauce d’naptha”! A few side notes: Cascade Falls was Painted by Bill Mason in “WaterWalker”. Herb Pohl, 76, drowned in that last 10k, in 2007, while on a solo trip. His trips are displayed at the Canadian Canoe Museum - He, basically.... did everything. Kudos.
That scene in Waterwalker where Bill crumples up and burns his painting always got me. Didn't another long time paddler recently perish in Superior? ( Last 2-5 years?) “Sauce d’naptha” is not high on the list of culinary repeats haha
Herb was found in the outlet of the Michipicoten. It's possible he was flipped by the current which I was told could roll over ore boats, or perhaps a medical event. It almost caught me. It's a great surfing wave.
I think I read about Herb's death in the Nastawgan if I recall? The waves were pretty beefy at the river mouth when we arrived. Dam release and strong offshore winds. I could see how they can swamp a canoe or larger vessel. It's too bad about the numerours dams on the Mich and Mag. I've often wanted to paddle from 'sea' to 'sea' via the Missinaibi.
You are so right as far as direction. Even noise can fool you with the wind. And sometimes when crossing a Bay you can be a long distance from shore in the fog and the rough rocky shore you can’t get off just anywhere. 🇨🇦👍
Awesome job, loved the music, gear talk, food talk, star time-lapse, cut scenes, commentary - everything! Thanks for taking us along for the ride, what incredible water!
Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed it! I never know how these will go over... this took a month+ of solid editing. Glad it worked out :) The footage doesn't do the lake justice though, such an incredible place.
Very nice story. You are lucky to do these things while you are young and have the time. That lake sure is big! Beautiful coastline. Thanks for sharing.
Hopefully I'll get to enjoy adventures for a long time coming, but even if I can't, the goal is to make the memories count and last while I can 😀 Thanks for watching.
Fantastic film. When bill mason dumps and has to swim into the rocks, lake superior looks super scary. Seemed a bit more manageable when you did it but the open sections still look intense. Well done.
Oh yeah.. that scene gave us the chills! Thankfully we had pretty good weather for this trip and the bigger waves crashed in while we were safe at camp. Superior can be deadly!! There's a bit of a GoPro effect going on with some of the wave action (270deg field of view), so it lessens the size on screen. Some white knuckle moments and big waves (Perk point was bad but the camera was out of batteries) but thankfully not as gnarly as Bill faced! Those rocks are not forgiving...
I remember back in the day trying this trip. We encountered 3ft swells trying to get out of the harbour. Spent 2 nights on a baron rock island waiting for the waves to suppress. Didn't happen and went for it anyway...canoe took on water and we sank! Lost a bunch of stuff!Landed in the only possible place we could which was a cut out beach with nothing but shear rock face surrounding it and to say the least it was a wash up shore with tones of debris. We ditched the canoes and hiked the trail. It was an amazing adventure I will never forget!
Thanks a lot for watching! Glad you enjoyed it! We'll deffiently be returning to paddle more of the coast in the future. We have our eyes set on the stretch from Thunder Bay to Marathon.
Truly awe inspiring video well captured and interesting, overall after travelling the world I personally consider Canada to be the most beautiful country on earth with people who truly care about the ecosystem friendly and much more polite than Americans. Thank you so much for sharing.
Finally was able to take the time to watch your adventure tonight with my four year old boy. We were captivated the whole time. Amazing video, with beautiful scenery. I've never seen Lake Superior before, and it looks to be paradise. Not something I would attempt with my family so thank you for allowing us to live vicariously through your videos.
Hey, thanks for watching 😀 There are quite a few family oriented parks along the coast to whet the appetite and give you a taste of the lake. Even the Pukaskawa frontcountry is really nice. Good trails, beaches and sites!
If anyone told me they were canoeing on Superior I would say they are crazy! You two however definitely know what your doing and it was fun to watch your trip. You also had some great weather which would be a huge help when trying to tackle a trip like this.
We really did get lucky with the weather. Superior can be a fickle beast at times.... I know some folks who have been windbound for days on end. You're always at the mercy of a temperamental beast when you paddle her waters.
Nice video and it brought back some excellent memories of out two trips along that coastline, back before youtube. The first was paddling out to Michipicoten after coming down the Pukaskwa River in '96, we had pretty fair weather and took just three days. The second trip was a few years later, just my wife and I doing the Coastal Route as you did. We had headwinds and big swells almost the entire time, only got to White Spruce Harbour by day 6 before choosing to turn around and surf back to Hattie Cove. Lovely trip regardless and the spray cover saved out bacon many times. Cheers.
@@ExploreTheBackcountry We paddled the Puk in late May, into the first week of June. Pushed our dates back a bit due to high water levels that spring. In the end, we had ideal levels, not too high, not too low. That river has a short window of opportunity so it helps to have a flexible schedule. I wouldn't even consider going in April, the best time is usually mid-May to mid-June depending on runoff conditions.
Awesome trip! I agree that Cascade Falls was a fabulous site. Wheat Bin was great as well. Floating Heart Bay is a beauty! So many great places! Thanks for sharing! That was great!
@@ExploreTheBackcountry I've been trying to find places to explore like that around my area here in the southern US, but I'm not having much luck with that. You guys have some really great places. I'm also jealous of the awesome relationship where you have a companion to enjoy those places with. Thanks again for sharing! Keep up the wonderful work!
@@inthewoodswithbigfoot3941 I've done a few trips in the southern states. Everglades, Keys and a few rivers in Florida, Rio Grande in Texas. Really cool environments! Quite different than up here! And thanks! Leah loves the adventure just as much as I do! 😀
Very well done video!!, not too much talk .. good views and honest representation of what to expect.. Both parties did well! and enjoy the food /cooking/drink bits as is what you have to fall on on a rainy or cold day!! And Each Other ... of Course..! ha god one Eh!
That was amazing. I got to live on the lake a few years. It's my favorite place on earth. Your drone and other footage was wonderful. It is quite pristine, although it's changed a lot since I was young. It used to be a lot colder. Bravo to you and congratulations!
Yeah no doubt, lake temps have been slowly rising unfortunately. The offshore buoy read 7C when we left, a 3C rise above average! Thanks for watching :)
Your videos are spectacular! I live in Minnesota and have obviously not spent enough time on Lake Superior. What an amazing place! Thank you for sharing your adventures.
Quite a contrast ...Rio Grande to this huge lake shoreline.....heat or flys....Not many guys lucky enough to have a wife or girlfriend to also enjoy what you do....so many hawk in on any discomforts, miss the good stuff....lucky you. Thanks for the vids.
Thanks! Certainly is a different environment. Leah and I did our first trip about 7 years ago, 2 months fresh into dating. It was a winter trip complete with a blizzard and thunder snow. I knew she was a keeper then 😉
We have even found old broken clay pipes from away back in history. It sure makes you think about the fur trade and all those paddled this route. It really touched my heart. Thanks.
What a great adventure. The food you guys cook up looked amazing. Made me hungry watching it. Thanks for posting the video for us all to share part of the adventure with you. Glad you had a great and safe time. I'm sure the memories will last for a while.
The best motivation for a hard day's paddle is a good meal in the evening 😁 Thanks for watching, you've got that right, lots of great memories from this trip!
Thank you for sharing your trip, absolutely beautiful, great photography, majestic scenery, only had 2 occasions to drive along the shores of Lake Superior and was in awe of how big and beautiful it is. :👍)
Thanks! It is such an incredible body of water. Lots of great parks along Highway 17 on the Ontario side to check out and explore, even if just for the day!
That's a stretch I'd love to paddle (Sleeping Giant to Marathon via Rossport). Parks Canada is looking at the possibility of installing more remote sauna's at primitive sites as part of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area for that stretch. Would be interesting to finish a day off in a private, backcountry sauna.
@@ExploreTheBackcountry the islands all around the Rossport area are fantastic. We could have spent another ten days easily. I posted a video of our trip.
We did the Upper White (video on our channel), but it was August and low flow. Wasn't really pushy or thrilling. Lol. Wanted to do the lower, but it's been closed for the past 3 years due to hydro electric developments .
Thanks! I've been meaning to get down to Pictured Rocks or the Porcupines at some point too... Only so many trips you can do in a year. Gotta love the Great Lakes though, a paddlers paradise!
@@foresthiker6707 awesome!! Thanks for the leads. I'll look into them and pour over the maps. Planning is half the fun!! 😁 And you've got that right!! Such a magical place!
Wow tonnes of work I bet to put 60 minutes together! Very cool. Amazing how the coast changes even within the month that we paddled it and never saw a single black fly lol. Awesome video, congrats.
Thanks Josh! Yea I spent about a solid month+ editing it after work in the evenings. Tricky to go through so much footage and try to put it in a story of sorts. I never plan anything when I'm out there hah. Yeah blackflies were a bit nutty at times. They disappeared from about Wheat Bin onwards.
Really is a boreal paradise! There's plenty of spots along the expansive coast that are accessible by car for the less adventurous. Lake Superior and Neys Provincial Parks are can't miss gorgeous and offer up an experience for all skill levels!
Congrats! Great accomplishment for the both of you. Beautiful video. Cascade falls, reminded me of Bill Mason, in Waterwalker, where he painted and, crushed the painting, unsatisfied with his art. Canadian landmarks indeed.
Ah yes, that scene was what had originally inspired me to paddle to Cascade Falls. Camped there, you understand why Mason crumpled up his art - its impossible to capture the raw bueaty of the area in any medium. It's best marveled in person. Thanks for watching. Happy exploring!
Awesome video, thanks for all the great scenery. I really identify with your travels. I am an old school canoeist and love the BWCAW that is why I like your video so much.
I did this exact trip when I was 16 years old with my grandfather in kayaks. One of the greatest trips of my life.
You are so lucky to have found someone you can do these trips with like this. Awesome videos!
Can't tell you how much I appreciate this. You did justice to God's Creation. I'm not too religious but Pukaskwa is a spiritual place. 66 yrs old now, fellow paddling wife is 68. We spent 35 years or so exploring the coast, first hiking and following a flagged "trail" down past White River, then canoeing in later years, every summer. Remote for detachment. Meeting anyone was an event. Saw Bill Mason's fire and footprints on the sandspit out from the Oiseau River (now blown out in a flood) but didn't know who the hell he was. Seemed we were the only visitors many years. Recall Bill had a camp set up at the University Dog River. Seeing caribou and bears along shore. Rounding a point in 20 ft swells and watching a moose swim by with low golden sun glinting off its antlers. Willow River - unzipping the tent at 6am and staring down at fresh giant moose tracks inches away, with young moose tracks a little farther out. Windbound at the Willow River with a really old couple (my age now) canoeing with ancient basset hounds - geologists who related getting lost, watching bears tear apart their remote camp, but later finding oil seepages in northern Alberta. 400 million dollar oil claim. The summer gold was found, helicopters racing up and down the coast, landing at Oiseau Bay and miners lugging core samples down the Willow, even though we're in a protected park. Everyone has memories, but you don't realize the significance until you get old. Future generations will need to guard against development. And human sounds. Putting the bridge across the Pic River was the first development stab. Greed and human demand never dies. The proposed road down to Oiseau Bay (complete with marina) was shot down thanks to rare arctic plants and Pitchers Thistle, and the public input. If part of the Park mandate is protection, I wonder how the clearcut logging around the headwaters outside the park border effects water flowing into Pukaskwa? And the wildlife. Not to mention the mining outside the Park. Thought I recall reading about mercury or something in the nearby Eagle River. Damning the White River. Bill Mason soaked his bones in this area and I believe this place will demand something of all who know this place, to protect the ancient shared heritage. I think he would like these quotes from Thoreau: "Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still." And especially, "This was that Earth of which we have heard, made out of Chaos and Old Night. Here was no man's garden, but the unhandseled globe. It was not lawn, nor pasture, nor mead, nor woodland, nor lea, nor arable, nor wasteland…Man was not to be associated with it. It was Matter, vast, terrific…rocks, trees, wind on our cheeks! the solid earth! the actual world! the common sense! Contact! Contact! "
This comment is a treasure. As an Ontarian and Canadian it resonated
One of my favourite canoe tripping videos, I’ve watched it a number of times, just so good.
The cascade falls were spectacular! I've never seen that part of lake superior before. Just beautiful ❤
What a fantastic trip! I've logged thousands of miles paddling big water in open-decked canoes so I can appreciate the spray cover. There's been plenty of times I've questioned if I should be out in such waves but you rapidly gain confidence in your skill and your boat. Cheers!
I totally get that!! This was out first season with a decked boat and man, we loved it!! I've done tons of big water paddling in an open canoe as well, but the decking adds a nice level of security. You're right though, it's great to hon your skills before decking the boat so you can tackle even bigger waters with adequate skills and confidence.
@@ExploreTheBackcountry how come no dry suits?
I love your videos, but a lot of paddlers have died on Lake Superior from the cold water.
I'm so glad TH-cam recommended this video! I've been wondering if canoeing Superior was even possible, but this proves that not only is it possible, it's something I really need to do in my lifetime! Thank you for documenting your amazing adventure.
It's an amazing place to paddle! You won't be disappointed!! 😁
wow wow and wow again. what an epic adventure ! would love to have that sort of countryside here in England....
Awesome trip guys. We had our honeymoon on the Slate Islands off of Terrace Bay over 40 years ago. Lots of Caribou and no bugs back then. Fresh Lake Trout everyday. Apparently there are black fly’s and not many Caribou now. People say the Timber Wolfs got out there and changed everything. What a shame. At one time there were over 500 Caribou on the Island. Thanks for sharing your trip. Cheers 👍🇨🇦
I find lake superior so fascinating bcuz it seems more like an ocean than a lake. It's really incredible ❤
You guys rule!
From the trip itself to the filming, commentary, soundtrack, gear advice, etc., this video inspired me just as much as any outdoor recreation movie by a major studio. Thanks for putting the time and effort into documenting this, I'm grateful you shared it with us.
Wow, I'm from Michigan and never knew what beauty you Canadians had of such a wild and get beautiful lake. Thank you for the adventure. It's was amazing.
I hear the Michigan shore of Superior is pretty amazing too! Would love to get down there for a paddle sometime 😀
You didnt know what beauty we had over here? you havent heard??? lol oh boy oh boy...Gods country ;)..Michigan also has a nice side of Superior. Northwestern Ontario (my home) is Canada's best kept secret. It offers great surfing, fishing, hunting and just beautiful landscape. You get massive waterfalls, smaller inland lakes that offer every type of fish, miles of cliffs and shoreline. Lots of wildlife as well. Lets keep it a secret ;)
I F Canada’s best kept secret?! That’s the gulf islands in B.C. bud! Did not get me wrong Ontario’s got some great spots but nothing compares to the west coast
We did the Pukaskwa River before it became a Park 40 years ago and padded west to Rossport. Wow what a trip lots of wild life and amazing specks fishing in the river. Couldn’t get on the Lake a few days because of high winds. We did it in 14 days it was amazing. It brings back memories. Thanks. Oh to be young again . Still love the old canoe. The White River was really the wildest one we ever did. The white water was no place for the novice . 6 footers were often on the river . What a rush but super fun. Thanks again. Cheers.👍🇨🇦
Love the Green Bay packer hat!!!
Amazing paddle along an amazing coastline. I've wanted to do this paddle forever. I still do!
Don’t think i’d ever leave that beach by the waterfall. So gorgeous!
I love the Great Lakes, always have,for 67 years. Love watching travel videos about them, I even worked on the lakesknow ALL about their power. But I just realized something this morning. These videos will get out the news about how spectacular all the lakes are and soon they will become like the "New Jersey Shore". "Snooky's and Situations" everywhere. Rude will rule,freaking BEACH TAGS, pandemic of beach whistles covering the beach's,traffic jams up the ass. OMG what have we done.
I used to live in Marathon, Ontario, barely 10 or 15 km from where you started out. You picked an area where the water can be quite deep (1000 feet in places). It's also some of the coldest water and your camping spots can cool down to a low of 5 degrees Celcius by morning. The greatest thing is you chose some of the best scenery to experience and even get to experience pictograms from centuries ago and not just at michipikoten high falls area. Everybody who is an outdoor enthusiast needs to experience this either by canoe or by hiking the trails
That and the west coast trail are on my list for sure, looks gorgeous
What incredible scenery. Living in Minnesota I have seen only a little of the North Shore, but based on your video and videos of others, I know that I have to do a canoe trip up there. I love all of the rock and dramatic cliffs and ultra clear water. The ocean-like behavior frightens me as a hardly intermediate canoeist, I must admit, but I want to practice and get more experience if it allows me to see the types of landscapes you encounter along your journey. Both of you are entertaining and informative and I really enjoyed the balance of vlogging and scenery, and your music choices were fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure of yours and I can’t wait to watch the others. Thank you so much for sharing. -JD
We did this after we paddled the Pukaskwa River over 35 years ago. That was before it became a national park. Only we paddled West all the way back into Rossport. I lost 30 lbs on that trip. We flew into Beaver lake the head waters out of White River. The fishing was great and the black fly’s were nasty. I remember blazing our own trails . 🥵 it was a trip to remember. And so was the White River. Another dandy and sometimes dangerous. That’s when I was a bit older than you are and in much better shape back then. Now I’m just an old fart with great memories. I have lots of slides and the wife and I check them out once and awhile. 🇨🇦👍
In the late nineties I and 5 others were flown in to Gibson Lk. Dropped off and had planned to canoe the Pukaskwa River to Lk Superior and catch a fishing trawler but with a dry Spring and low water conditions we were forced to turn around and paddle back up stream do a height of land portage to the White River an back to civilization! Always wondered what the Superior shoreline looked like, now thanks to you two I’m Happy!😁
I’m lacking big water canoe skills, so really enjoyed this trip along the Lake Superior coast, my face is sore from smiling. Don’t ever let Leah go, she’s a keeper for sure.
You can get out on some day paddles if the weather is favourable. Well worth the perspective from the canoe/kayak! I don't think Leah's going anywhere anytime soon 😉
We even found a old huge cook stove from Peterborough stove works on the River. It was amazing how far it was up from the lake. It must have been quite a job getting there. And the type of boots and leather gloves laying around the camp. That was back in the early 80s that was the Pukaskwa trip. Awesome huge specks as well. 🇨🇦👍
Over three decades ago I did part of the North Shore of Superior in a birch bark canoe. I love this part of Canada. I envy your youth and adventures. Thanks for posting this. It brought back a lot of memories.
Thanks John! A birch bark canoe eh? Wow, that must have been quite the adventure! How did it handle Superior?
We very much enjoyed this one, what a beautiful place. It's on our bucket list, but we need a few more kilometers of experience and a better canoe :)
I love Lake Superior! What a marvel! Thanks for sharing guys!
Hahaha. I got so excited watching the video I forgot to thank you. This adventure brings back so many great memories from my time living in Marathon from 1985 to 1993. I had a young family back then and I would take them out every chance I had to explore the parks, lake Superior, the trails, Pic River Reserve and especially to teach them about the wildlife, the vegetation and to appreciate the uniqueness and how special the area is historically. One thing I encourage visitors to do is visit the Pic River Reserve. Be polite, respectful and honest and you might find an elder or two who will share the stories of the Ojibwa. They are very friendly as long as you visit the band office to introduce yourself. If you are there for a photo op then you are there for the wrong reason.
Great place to live if you appreciate natural bueaty! You're absolutely right, there are so many great trails and Parks all along the coast! I grew up much the same, with my family embarking on countless trips, fostering my love of the outdoors from an early age. That's the way to do it! 😁 And you're absolutely right about Pic and any community. Elders have so much invaluable knowledge. It's always special to share a moment and learn from their lifetime of learning.
I just got a kayak to do long kayak camping trips, your videos are a huge help in getting ideas and pointing out certain things I would never have thought of and otherwise would have learned the hard way.
I've watched a lot of videos about canoe trips in all sorts of places, but there's no question that this one is superior!
Haha! Good one Bill 😁 Glad you enjoyed it!
Lake Superior is stunning...but dors demand a lot of respect...would be happy just be on one of its beaches for a week!
Fisherman's cove....great memories. I was once windbound there for 5 days. Met some really cool backpackers going through and ended up nearly getting married... Hahaha.
That was way back in 2004 on my solo 6000 km canoe trip. What a great 6 months that was.
Hey! That's not a bad spot to get stuck at for 5 days, especially when you're out for 6months! Almost married eh? Haha, now that sounds like a story! We never met any backpackers.
Well done team! Thank you for helping me add this adventure to my bucket list. Go Pack Go!
Lake Superior is spectacular - It is a jewel !
Nice Drone work also !
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AWESOME TRIP!! Although i am partial to the BEAUTY OF LAKE SUPERIOR ON UPPER PENINSULA SIDE ! TKU TKU TKU A Smile on my face almost the whole vidio!!!
I've only driven along that coastal area before. The beauty of Superior is unrivalled anywhere!
Ummm- I think Leah is now my spirit guide. I think a “canoeing with cocktails guide with Leah” is most definitely in order....
Coming soon!
My recommendations came through big time. Amazing video. So many good shots in great locations. I have zero water skills and experience, so it's really cool to see this type of adventure. Thank you!
Hey thanks!! Glad you enjoyed it! It's never to late to pick up some paddling skills 😉
@@ExploreTheBackcountry just found the channel 2 days ago and i love it!! If you two are interested in watching other couples youtube channels. I got reallly into "nahoa" they sail around the world!! And also from ontario here :)
Thanks Kyle, great hike. Loved the marmot
Great views of Gitchi-Gumee. I’m green with envy - I always wanted to do that route, but as a cautious solo canoeist, I could never get myself on to the frigid water. I glad to know that none of your meals came with “Sauce d’naptha”!
A few side notes: Cascade Falls was Painted by Bill Mason in “WaterWalker”. Herb Pohl, 76, drowned in that last 10k, in 2007, while on a solo trip. His trips are displayed at the Canadian Canoe Museum - He, basically.... did everything. Kudos.
That scene in Waterwalker where Bill crumples up and burns his painting always got me.
Didn't another long time paddler recently perish in Superior? ( Last 2-5 years?)
“Sauce d’naptha” is not high on the list of culinary repeats haha
@@ExploreTheBackcountry - Found this note about another one of us "Energizer Bunnies". RIP www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=41783
Herb was found in the outlet of the Michipicoten. It's possible he was flipped by the current which I was told could roll over ore boats, or perhaps a medical event. It almost caught me. It's a great surfing wave.
Yes, Erhard , that's the one I was thinking about. Sad to hear. On the up, at least he went out doing what he loved.
I think I read about Herb's death in the Nastawgan if I recall? The waves were pretty beefy at the river mouth when we arrived. Dam release and strong offshore winds. I could see how they can swamp a canoe or larger vessel. It's too bad about the numerours dams on the Mich and Mag. I've often wanted to paddle from 'sea' to 'sea' via the Missinaibi.
Excelente e inspirador vídeo. Me.enacanta tu canal. Saludos desde Montevideo Uruguay 🇺🇾
The drone shots were beautiful !😎
You are so right as far as direction. Even noise can fool you with the wind. And sometimes when crossing a Bay you can be a long distance from shore in the fog and the rough rocky shore you can’t get off just anywhere. 🇨🇦👍
Thumbs way up. Thanks for taking the time to post!
Nipples.
Thanks so much for taking us along with you!
Love the lady in charge of the drinks, she knows what she is doing. Beautiful trip!
Oh Leah does 😉 very welcome after a long day of paddling!
Awesome job, loved the music, gear talk, food talk, star time-lapse, cut scenes, commentary - everything! Thanks for taking us along for the ride, what incredible water!
Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed it! I never know how these will go over... this took a month+ of solid editing. Glad it worked out :)
The footage doesn't do the lake justice though, such an incredible place.
I know... Very well done !
I'm impressed.
And envious !
Grew up in the area and worked as a carpenter apprentice in the park. Watching your video brings back great memories.
Hey cool! Wonder how much has changed, certainly not the landscape!
That canoe skirt look awesome, paddle pockets and all.
We love it! Had it on all season last year. Big whitewater and big lakes!
Excellent. Thank you.
Very nice story. You are lucky to do these things while you are young and have the time. That lake sure is big! Beautiful coastline. Thanks for sharing.
Hopefully I'll get to enjoy adventures for a long time coming, but even if I can't, the goal is to make the memories count and last while I can 😀 Thanks for watching.
Fantastic film. When bill mason dumps and has to swim into the rocks, lake superior looks super scary. Seemed a bit more manageable when you did it but the open sections still look intense. Well done.
Oh yeah.. that scene gave us the chills! Thankfully we had pretty good weather for this trip and the bigger waves crashed in while we were safe at camp. Superior can be deadly!!
There's a bit of a GoPro effect going on with some of the wave action (270deg field of view), so it lessens the size on screen. Some white knuckle moments and big waves (Perk point was bad but the camera was out of batteries) but thankfully not as gnarly as Bill faced! Those rocks are not forgiving...
I remember back in the day trying this trip. We encountered 3ft swells trying to get out of the harbour. Spent 2 nights on a baron rock island waiting for the waves to suppress. Didn't happen and went for it anyway...canoe took on water and we sank! Lost a bunch of stuff!Landed in the only possible place we could which was a cut out beach with nothing but shear rock face surrounding it and to say the least it was a wash up shore with tones of debris. We ditched the canoes and hiked the trail. It was an amazing adventure I will never forget!
The Lake Superior coast line is gorgeous. Great video. Thanks for sharing it with us. Take care and safe travels. Paul and Kerry.
Thanks a lot for watching! Glad you enjoyed it! We'll deffiently be returning to paddle more of the coast in the future. We have our eyes set on the stretch from Thunder Bay to Marathon.
Truly awe inspiring video well captured and interesting, overall after travelling the world I personally consider Canada to be the most beautiful country on earth with people who truly care about the ecosystem friendly and much more polite than Americans. Thank you so much for sharing.
It's a great country 😁 proud to call it home!
Very nice video! I like that you also do some trail and not only paddling…
You have awesome taste in music.
What an amazing journey. I hope to make the trip someday in the footsteps of the great Bill Mason. Such beautiful waterfalls along this route.
The waterfalls are amazing! There are a few more tucked away in back bays and up small rivers that we didn't venture to. Well worth the trip! Enjoy!!
Wow.... A true piece of heaven, the water........... You two got to enjoy a amazing adventure.. Thanks for letting us in also
Thanks for watching Jim! You could almost get vertigo paddling over the crystal clear water! Just amazing how iridescent and clear they were!
great scenery and adventure, thanks for sharing with us, nice to see this in this day and time
Great video! That beach at the Wheat Bin is fantastic and the great weather there made it all that much better! Want to get out to canoe camp so bad!
Great video, great hat leah!
Finally was able to take the time to watch your adventure tonight with my four year old boy. We were captivated the whole time. Amazing video, with beautiful scenery. I've never seen Lake Superior before, and it looks to be paradise. Not something I would attempt with my family so thank you for allowing us to live vicariously through your videos.
Hey, thanks for watching 😀 There are quite a few family oriented parks along the coast to whet the appetite and give you a taste of the lake. Even the Pukaskawa frontcountry is really nice. Good trails, beaches and sites!
Very cool. Nothing like Gitchee Gumee! Pretty cool music, too! Not as generic as a lot of outdoor type videos. Epic trip!
If anyone told me they were canoeing on Superior I would say they are crazy! You two however definitely know what your doing and it was fun to watch your trip. You also had some great weather which would be a huge help when trying to tackle a trip like this.
We really did get lucky with the weather. Superior can be a fickle beast at times.... I know some folks who have been windbound for days on end. You're always at the mercy of a temperamental beast when you paddle her waters.
So glad you mentioned the legendary Canadian canoeist Bill Mason!
Bill Mason forever cemented Cascade Falls in my mind as the campsite I had to visit. Waterwalker was an inspiration.
You guys are awesome
Nice video and it brought back some excellent memories of out two trips along that coastline, back before youtube. The first was paddling out to Michipicoten after coming down the Pukaskwa River in '96, we had pretty fair weather and took just three days. The second trip was a few years later, just my wife and I doing the Coastal Route as you did. We had headwinds and big swells almost the entire time, only got to White Spruce Harbour by day 6 before choosing to turn around and surf back to Hattie Cove. Lovely trip regardless and the spray cover saved out bacon many times. Cheers.
Awesome!!! The Puk has been on my bucket list of rivers to paddle for sometime! What month did you paddle it? April? May??
@@ExploreTheBackcountry We paddled the Puk in late May, into the first week of June. Pushed our dates back a bit due to high water levels that spring. In the end, we had ideal levels, not too high, not too low. That river has a short window of opportunity so it helps to have a flexible schedule. I wouldn't even consider going in April, the best time is usually mid-May to mid-June depending on runoff conditions.
Probably the best canoe wilderness tripping video on TH-cam. The drone footage really adds to the quality. Keep making these and we'll keep watching!
Awesome thanks so much! We're back from another awesome season of paddling and will have more content soon 🤙
Amazing from the start! Hello from Alberta 👍😏🌲🇨🇦
Awesome! Ive gotta get out that way to paddle again sometime soon too...
Awesome trip! I agree that Cascade Falls was a fabulous site. Wheat Bin was great as well. Floating Heart Bay is a beauty! So many great places! Thanks for sharing! That was great!
Ahhh I know! And we passed by some many others too! You could spend a month paddling to all the 'best' spots and never be disappointed 😁
@@ExploreTheBackcountry I've been trying to find places to explore like that around my area here in the southern US, but I'm not having much luck with that. You guys have some really great places. I'm also jealous of the awesome relationship where you have a companion to enjoy those places with. Thanks again for sharing! Keep up the wonderful work!
@@inthewoodswithbigfoot3941 I've done a few trips in the southern states. Everglades, Keys and a few rivers in Florida, Rio Grande in Texas. Really cool environments! Quite different than up here!
And thanks! Leah loves the adventure just as much as I do! 😀
Very well done video!!, not too much talk .. good views and honest representation of what to expect.. Both parties did well! and enjoy the food /cooking/drink bits as is what you have to fall on on a rainy or cold day!! And Each Other ... of Course..! ha god one Eh!
Great video …. brings back a lot of memories growing up on Lake Superior!
That was amazing. I got to live on the lake a few years. It's my favorite place on earth. Your drone and other footage was wonderful. It is quite pristine, although it's changed a lot since I was young. It used to be a lot colder. Bravo to you and congratulations!
Yeah no doubt, lake temps have been slowly rising unfortunately. The offshore buoy read 7C when we left, a 3C rise above average! Thanks for watching :)
Awesome drone footage! Love the waterfalls and beautiful scenery. Thanks to you both for stunning video!
Thank you Deb 😁 It's such a stunning region, the video doesn't do it justice!
Your videos are spectacular! I live in Minnesota and have obviously not spent enough time on Lake Superior. What an amazing place! Thank you for sharing your adventures.
Bloody awesome kids. Thanks for sharing.
Haha, thanks!! Glad ya enjoyed it! 😁
Quite a contrast ...Rio Grande to this huge lake shoreline.....heat or flys....Not many guys lucky enough to have a wife or girlfriend to also enjoy what you do....so many hawk in on any discomforts, miss the good stuff....lucky you. Thanks for the vids.
Thanks! Certainly is a different environment. Leah and I did our first trip about 7 years ago, 2 months fresh into dating. It was a winter trip complete with a blizzard and thunder snow. I knew she was a keeper then 😉
Great video! Thanks for sharing it. Cheers from the Sault!
Thanks for watching! Lived in the Soo for a few years! Great place!
We have even found old broken clay pipes from away back in history. It sure makes you think about the fur trade and all those paddled this route. It really touched my heart. Thanks.
beautiful trip. great drone shots also.
What a great adventure. The food you guys cook up looked amazing. Made me hungry watching it. Thanks for posting the video for us all to share part of the adventure with you. Glad you had a great and safe time. I'm sure the memories will last for a while.
The best motivation for a hard day's paddle is a good meal in the evening 😁 Thanks for watching, you've got that right, lots of great memories from this trip!
What a cool trip, thanks for sharing your journey!
Great video. It brought back lots of memories of when I did the same trip solo back in 2003. Makes me want to do it again.
We could probably paddle it year after year and never tire of the scenery!
Awesome trip you guys thanks so much. You have brought back some great memories.🇨🇦👍
Thank you for sharing your trip, absolutely beautiful, great photography, majestic scenery, only had 2 occasions to drive along the shores of Lake Superior and was in awe of how big and beautiful it is. :👍)
Thanks! It is such an incredible body of water. Lots of great parks along Highway 17 on the Ontario side to check out and explore, even if just for the day!
Awesome. We spent 10 days exploring the Northern Shore of Superior a few years ago. Up near Rossport, ON.
That's a stretch I'd love to paddle (Sleeping Giant to Marathon via Rossport). Parks Canada is looking at the possibility of installing more remote sauna's at primitive sites as part of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area for that stretch. Would be interesting to finish a day off in a private, backcountry sauna.
@@ExploreTheBackcountry the islands all around the Rossport area are fantastic. We could have spent another ten days easily. I posted a video of our trip.
@@DuctTapeADK sweet! I'll have to check it out!!!
Lets go brandon !! nice !
We also did the White River as well. Wow major white water . No place for novice people. But you have got to do it . 👍🇨🇦
We did the Upper White (video on our channel), but it was August and low flow. Wasn't really pushy or thrilling. Lol. Wanted to do the lower, but it's been closed for the past 3 years due to hydro electric developments .
A wild beautiful place!
Got that right!! Simply amazing landscape. Thanks for watching! 😁
Great video guys! Thanks for taking the effort to share your experience with so much dedication!
Glad you enjoyed it! Video can only do a place like this so much justice. It's definitely a must visit in-person sort of place. Cheers!
Leah's a Packers fan! Yeah! Great trip.
That was beautiful. I love the Great lakes.
Greetings from the Michigan shoreline ! Beautiful photography.
Thanks! I've been meaning to get down to Pictured Rocks or the Porcupines at some point too... Only so many trips you can do in a year. Gotta love the Great Lakes though, a paddlers paradise!
@@foresthiker6707 awesome!! Thanks for the leads. I'll look into them and pour over the maps. Planning is half the fun!! 😁 And you've got that right!! Such a magical place!
Wow tonnes of work I bet to put 60 minutes together! Very cool. Amazing how the coast changes even within the month that we paddled it and never saw a single black fly lol. Awesome video, congrats.
Thanks Josh! Yea I spent about a solid month+ editing it after work in the evenings. Tricky to go through so much footage and try to put it in a story of sorts. I never plan anything when I'm out there hah. Yeah blackflies were a bit nutty at times. They disappeared from about Wheat Bin onwards.
Wow, what an ambitious, big-water trip. Fantastic video...thanks for taking us along!
An awesome trip indeed! I've paddled a lot in the ocean as well, highly comparable conditions. Thanks for watching 😁
Very very cool trip! What a stunning lake. Paradise explains a few of those beaches perfectly!! Wish I was as adventurous as you two.
Really is a boreal paradise! There's plenty of spots along the expansive coast that are accessible by car for the less adventurous. Lake Superior and Neys Provincial Parks are can't miss gorgeous and offer up an experience for all skill levels!
Explore The Backcountry Thanks for the info. We do have a kayak but the rough water is intimidating!!
Very good. excellent video, my husband and I are starting in the Canadian canoe, our goal is to make crossings for the uncles of Brazil.
Been there done that only we did the River and went the other way to Rossport. It was wild a few days. Thanks 🇨🇦👍
Congrats! Great accomplishment for the both of you. Beautiful video. Cascade falls, reminded me of Bill Mason, in Waterwalker, where he painted and, crushed the painting, unsatisfied with his art. Canadian landmarks indeed.
Ah yes, that scene was what had originally inspired me to paddle to Cascade Falls. Camped there, you understand why Mason crumpled up his art - its impossible to capture the raw bueaty of the area in any medium. It's best marveled in person. Thanks for watching. Happy exploring!
I just thought I’d help you out and be comment 667 lol. Loved the video guys. 😊
Awesome video, thanks for all the great scenery. I really identify with your travels. I am an old school canoeist and love the BWCAW that is why I like your video so much.
Hey thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed! Have not yet been to the BWCA, It's on the list though!