What to Pack for a 8-Day BWCA Trip?!

If you're planning to go on a BWCA trip I have a few suggestions for things to bring. I was very frugal with packing my clothing and could have used more. Each trip has different challenges with weather but this is what worked for me.

Personal Bag:

• Backpack (Mine is a Gregory 60 Jade--depending on your length of a trip you can decide on how big to go. For an 8 day-er this was perfect. You can also rent Duluth packs from the outfitters if you'd rather do that.)

My pack. The only thing you should have on the
outside is your water bottle and sleeping pad.
Otherwise you are carrying too much. 

• Sleeping Pad - Therm-a-rest (a must-have if you go! There are so many roots and rocks.)
• Sleeping Bag (you don't have to pay extra for a super small one--just buy a compression sack. I bought a waterproof one and rolled all my clothes into it as well. Worked like a charm!)
• Rope (great for drying clothes)
• Jungle Juice Bug Stuff (works SO well!)
• Sun Block (85 SPF)
• Cortozone Cream
• Afterbite
• Allergy Meds
• Toliet Paper (Ladies, I would bring one roll for every 4 days--seems like a lot I know, but trust me. Gentleman... you need, like, two squares.)
• Biodegradable Camp Soap (shampoo, soap, dish soap, everything)
• Camera
• 1 Pair of long pants (zip off into shorts)
• Sleep Shorts (mummy sleeping bags use your own body heat so it's a good idea not to bundle up at night. If you have to boil water for clean water, fill up your water bottle at night and put it at the foot of your sleeping bag to keep you warm. Then in the morning it's the perfect temperature for drinking!)
• 2 t-shirts
• 4 tank tops
• 1 long-sleeved shirt with hood
• 2 pairs of socks
• Underwear (I brought 2 sports bras and 5 underoos and did wash)
• Rain suit (pants and a coat!)
• Cards/games (Phase 10, yo!)
• Keens (or any water shoe)
• Sneakers (for around the camp or super long portages)
• Swimsuit
• Towel (the large size worked well for me)
• Chapstick
• Toothbrush
• Book/journal
• Headlamp (MUST-HAVE!)
• Flask w/ liquor (not a must-have but fun-to-have)
• Water Bottle
• Dry compression sack (BEST purchase ever--see below)
• Utensils - spork!
• Plate (frisbee works great AND you have a toy then too!)
• Bowl/Mug
• Hand sanitizer
• Fishing license
• Baseball hat
• Pillow (MUST-have)
• Plastic bags to put things in to keep from getting wet
• Non-scented deodorant
• A razor (I didn't use mine but if the weather would've been warmer I would've shaved)

Items I WISH I would've brought:

• Flip-flops
• Baby Wipes (SO nice when it's too cold to bathe in the lake)
• A sweatshirt because it got pretty cold at night
• An extra pair of pants
• Moisture-wicking running shirts instead of cotton tank tops

Things to share: 

Compression Sack, Pillow, Sleeping Pad, and Headlamp. Best purchases ever.

• Hatchet
• Stove
• Fuel
• Pots--Cooking Kit (I think this might be a better purchase though.)
• Compass
• Tent
• Water filter
• Pocket knife
• Fishing gear, rod, fillet knife
• First aid kit
• Tooth paste (only bring one tube for the group and put it in the bear pack! Bears LOVE toothpaste.)
• Water-proof matches
• Bear proof container
• Bear rope (50 feet of 3/8 braided nylon)
• Duct Tape
• Kitchen sink because you're not supposed to do any wash in the lakes. You need to wash and empty water 150 feet away from shore.
• Trowel - We didn't need ours

Obvious items:

• Canoe
• Paddles
• Life jackets
• Water-proof map (one per canoe)
• Permit

Food is really up to what you like to eat. Things that we took that I really enjoyed was:

• Drink Mixes
• Soft tortillas
• Peanut Butter
• Trail Mix
• Crackers
• Avocados, apples, peaches (for the first few days)
• Canned chicken
• Wild rice
• Instant oatmeal - peaches and cream!
• Instant pudding
• Hot chocolate
• Tuna packets
• Noodles - 3 cheese sauce
• Ramen
• Granola Bars
• Beef Jerky
• Spices!
• Salt and Pepper

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I would like to take time to tell you about my (hands-down) favorite item I brought with me on this trip.

Here you have a large sleeping bag.

Put the sleeping bag into the water-proof XL compression sack and place clothes on top.

Roll over top and clip so water can't get in.

Pull cords tight. Instant space saver!

Best purchase ever. The best part was when I discovered I could make a washer out of it! I took my, then empty, compression sack and put all my dirty clothes inside it. Then I took some water from the lake and put some camp soap inside. I closed it up and shook it like crazy! I was able to dump the soapy water 150 feet away from the shore AND my clothes were clean! I just hung the clothes and the sack on some string to dry.

What do you do when you gotta go?!

From Google Images

THIS is a latrine. Pretty much, most of them looked like this. Some had a lid but most did not. Every campsite has one. It's SO much better than "popping a squat." Our group decided that when you needed to use the "restroom" you had to sing a song (that hadn't been sung before) so we knew it was "in use." It was also a comfort to sing because as you would go, you'd let any animals know that you're around. The latrine is usually a short hike from your campsite and you go alone, which can be scary at night.

During the day, you do not run into latrines. I used my "teacher bladder" and held it. However, if you have to go, go 150 feet away from shore. If you must go #2, take a trowel with you and dig yo-self a hole!

The best way to end your day at the BWCA (or any other trip)

Woo-hoos and boo-hoos. Have everyone go around and tell the group what the best and worst part of their day was. It's very fun and light-hearted. Also, it's nice to just have "one" complaint from everyone.