Best Paddle And Portage Podcasts (2025)

1
Canoecopia 2025: Canada-U.S. Unity and Cliff Jacobson's Last Picture Show 34:41

1d ago34:41

34:41

Canoecopia 2025 found itself in the middle of a news story. As Canadian paddlers and businesses arrived to Madison, Wisc., for the world's largest paddling expo, talks of tariffs and political tension between the U.S. and Canada dominated news headlines across both nations. This simmering unfolded in multiple ways at Canoecopia, both ahead of and d…

1
Lewis & Cass Expedition: Mackinac Island to the Sault 28:16

3h ago28:16

28:16

Lewis Cass damn near starts a warBy Thomas Funke

1
50 Hikes on the NCT: #6 Mackinac State Fores south 14:39

2d ago14:39

14:39

Hiking south through Jordan River Pathway & south into the Pere Marquette State ForestBy Thomas Funke

1
Michigan Trails Report for March! 20:58

8d ago20:58

20:58

Hiker Trash and Tom's Hot Take that may cause you to unsubscribe (please don't).By Thomas Funke

1
Minnesota Paddler Ventures West and Then Comes Back Home 34:43

11d ago34:43

34:43

Kelcy Huston grew up splashing in the creeks and rivers along Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior. She moved out West as a young adult, working a number of outdoor jobs for state and federal agencies. It was a job based near the Lochsa River in Idaho Huston discovered a passion for whitewater paddling. This passion would lead her to some some …

1
Gunflint Ranger Station Staffing and Ely Rally News Update 27:15

20d ago27:15

27:15

There was a report from the Star Tribune this week that the Gunflint Ranger Station in Grand Marais “has no employees.” The Paddle and Portage Podcast team went to the office Feb. 20 and found it was open and there were people at the front desk. In this news update on the podcast, we talk about Trump administration’s deferred resignation program fo…

1
Million Steps- Day 4- Enter the Porkies 7/22/98 22:36

23d ago22:36

22:36

Porcupine Mountains State ParkBy Thomas Funke

1
The Mystery of Ella Hall: A Boundary Waters Story 24:20

24d ago24:20

24:20

Ella Hall is buried in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. A grave on a small island located on a lake bearing her name is not something most BWCA paddlers are aware of, let alone come across. In this episode, we share the story of Ella Hall. We do so with the help of the late Mike Hillman, an iconic storyteller who lived for many years in a…

1
Million Steps: Bear! 7/22/1998 29:02

27d ago29:02

29:02

Bear! Black River to Presque Isle RiverBy Thomas Funke

1
Ice Thickness Update From the Boundary Waters 18:35

27d ago18:35

18:35

It's been a cold winter across the Boundary Waters region. Damn cold, in fact. Temperatures hit -30 Fahrenheit from the Gunflint Trail to areas near Ely in the middle of February. Double-digit negative temperatures have become something of the norm this winter, dating back to the Jan. 1 trout opener in the BWCA Wilderness. In this episode of the po…

1
Portages, Pathways, Paddles: Shiawasee to Grand portage 11:16

1M ago11:16

11:16

A little know but very popular & well used portage routeBy Thomas Funke

1
BWCA Wild and Scottie Baldwin on Why the Boundary Waters Matters 39:52

1M ago39:52

39:52

Sometimes you end up in St. Paul, Minnesota. In this episode of the podcast, the bulk of which was recorded in the Minnesota capital, we hear from Dan Johnson, the founder of BWCA Wild. Dan films the portages in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. As of February 2025, he's about a third of the way done filming all of the portages. We met up …

1
Forest Service Cancels Public Meetings As Unique Challenges From Nation's Capital Continue 34:53

1M ago34:53

34:53

The U.S. Forest Service planned to host two meetings this week that would have allowed the public to provide feedback and learn more about a largescale project aimed to restore "ecological balance" to an area near Ely and the Boundary Waters. Those meetings, scheduled for Feb. 4 and 5, were cancelled. The cancellations were tied, at least in part, …

1
February 2025 Trails Report! 17:59

1M ago17:59

17:59

Hiker Trash, snow report, stupid ChromeBy Thomas Funke

1
Erin Walker Talks Survivor, Winter Camping, and Lost Lakes YouTube Channel 42:52

1M ago42:52

42:52

Erin Walker and her husband, Jon, have been hot tent winter camping for the past six winters together, often documenting their adventures on the Lost Lakes YouTube channel. In her most recent article for Paddle and Portage, Erin shares insight on how to select a campsite in the winter months, and what it's like sleeping in an igloo on the ice. In t…

1
Million Steps: Day 2 - 7/20/98 Black River Harbor 22:42

1M ago22:42

22:42

By Thomas Funke

1
50 UP Hikes: Bear Lake Trail 6:23

2M ago6:23

6:23

FJ McLain State Park, Keweenaw Peninsula.By Thomas Funke

1
Talking Paddling and Canoecopia with Darren Bush 59:16

2M ago59:16

59:16

Canoecopia is the largest paddling expo in North America. The annual event takes place March 7-9 in 2025 in Madison, Wisc. Paddle and Portage Podcast host Joe Friedrichs sat down with Darren Bush, the founder of Canoecopia, to discuss the history and future of the event, as well as what to expect in 2025. This episode is sponsored by: Voyageurs Can…

1
50 UP Hikes: Presque Isle Loop 8:01

2M ago8:01

8:01

Old growth & 3 waterfallsBy Thomas Funke

1
Portages, Paddles & Pathways: Etienne Brule’ 11:54

2M ago11:54

11:54

The first European to lay eyes on Michigan.By Thomas Funke

1
BWCA Wilderness Permits: Opening Day Analysis 30:35

2M ago30:35

30:35

More people canceled a permit to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in 2023 than ever before, according to a recent report from the U.S. Forest Service. “Cancellations have more than doubled in five years, suggesting that BWCAW visitors continue to reserve more permits than they can use,” the report states. Some outfitters and paddlers say t…

1
Lower Peninsula Journal: Pleasantview to Petoskey 6:45

2M ago6:45

6:45

Mountain Bike Dudes, Golf,....isn't this supposed to be a hiking trail?By Thomas Funke

1
50 Hikes on the NCT#6-Mackinac State Forest 9:44

2M ago9:44

9:44

High, hilly and dry.By Thomas Funke

1
Renaming BWCA Lake to Honor Former President Jimmy Carter 26:38

2M ago26:38

26:38

The idea came to Robert Barrett after skiing up the Gunflint Trail, just days after the passing of former President Jimmy Carter on Dec. 29. There are two Caribou lakes near the Gunflint Trail. One near Clearwater Lake, another near Poplar Lake. Both are in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and found in the Mid-Gunflint Trail area. Given th…

1
Amy and Dave Freeman on Their North American Odyssey 31:12

2M ago31:12

31:12

Amy and Dave Freeman are widely recognized for their dedication and passion for the Boundary Waters, including their book "A Year in the Wilderness." Amy and Dave have a new book, "North American Odyssey." To kick off Season Two of the Paddle and Portage Podcast, we hear from Amy and Dave about how their travels across the continent continue to be …

1
Hiking Across Wisconsin: Days 6-9 8:33

2M ago8:33

8:33

Brule Portage & Solon Springs. And a can of Pepsi.By Thomas Funke

1
Michigan Trails Report for January 2025 22:12

2M ago22:12

22:12

Happy new year! Hiker Trash, be nice to the skiiers, make that reservation!By Thomas Funke

1
Read the Book: A Boundary Waters Trout Opener Discussion with DNR's Hudson Ledeen 24:37

2M ago24:37

24:37

The trout opener for lakes entirely within the BWCA Wilderness begins Wednesday, Jan. 1. During the 2024 legislative session, state law was changed to move the start date for the ice fishing season to Jan. 1. Lakes outside the wilderness will continue to open on a Saturday later in the month, typically two weeks after the BWCA Wilderness opener. Wi…

1
EXPLORE Act Implications for the Boundary Waters: Conversation with Bryan Hansel 31:32

2M ago31:32

31:32

Minnesota officials and some Boundary Waters enthusiasts are celebrating the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences, or EXPLORE Act. The final package of the EXPLORE Act includes more than a dozen policy measures aimed at supporting outdoor recreation on public lands, including Superior National Forest an…

1
Nalgene Bottle 11:18

2M ago11:18

11:18

Personal Water Containers & NalgeneBy Thomas Funke

1
Lewis & Cass Expedition of 1820: Mackinac Island 26:02

3M ago26:02

26:02

School craft explores Mackinac Island & surrounding islands for six days.By Thomas Funke

1
Almost Forgotten Paddles, Pathways and Portages: Chicago Portage 16:00

3M ago16:00

16:00

The Chicago Portage was a key link between the east & west.By Thomas Funke

1
The Epic Saga of Frank Kugler on Pine Lake 28:28

3M ago28:28

28:28

In this episode we travel with Duluth based writer Ryan Rodgers to Pine Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Rodgers recently wrote an article in the Boundary Waters Journal about the life of Frank Kugler, an Austrian immigrant who was tried in Cook County for murder in 1919. Kugler shot a man named John Doe on Pine Lake that year, th…

1
Hiking the NCT in the LP: Cross Village to Pleasantville 5:59

3M ago5:59

5:59

Short hike with my friend Mike through a marshBy Thomas Funke

1
News Short Track: Ice Skateboard and RABC Update Revisited 17:40

3M ago17:40

17:40

In this news track of the podcast, we hear an update on the "pause" of the Remote Area Border Crossing Program. Donny and Lisa Sorlie, owners of Chippewa Inn on the Canadian side of Saganaga Lake, stopped by the P&P headquarters in Grand Marais to share an update. Also stopping by to explain how the RABC situation is impacting him is Cook County re…

1
Million Steps: Day 1 - Ironwood to Narrows Camp 17:13

3M ago17:13

17:13

First day of my 500 mile hike across Michigan's Upper Peninsula using as much of the North Country Trail I can find.By Thomas Funke

1
Boundary Waters Winter Travel: No Ice is Safe Ice 30:12

3M ago30:12

30:12

Though winter is an amazing time to travel across the (frozen) Boundary Waters, a simple fact needs to be considered at all times: No ice is safe ice. At the very least, ice is extremely unpredictable. In this episode, we hear from Eric Glasson, LynnAnne Vesper, Pete Brautigam, and John Downing. They all have experience being on Boundary Waters ice…

1
50 NCT Hikes #4: Petoskey 12:11

3M ago12:11

12:11

Hike through Petoskey & discover three other trails.By Thomas Funke

1
Michigan Trails Report for December 2024 19:15

3M ago19:15

19:15

Hiker Trash, In Search Of an Entrepreneur, and it is winter, folks.By Thomas Funke

1
50 UP Hiles #1: Alligator Eye 8:01

3M ago8:01

8:01

Alligator Eye 1.0m Out & Back near Lake Gogebic.By Thomas Funke

1
Million Steps: Sorry Folks, Campground is Full 30:41

4M ago30:41

30:41

Hike into Munising & campgrounds were full.By Thomas Funke

1
Motor Use to Study Fish in the BWCA Wilderness 35:03

4M ago35:03

35:03

The Minnesota DNR has been using motors inside the federally protected BWCA Wilderness for many decades. The uses of motors range from the stocking of fish by airplane to the studying of fish populations using boats and nets on the many scattered lakes across the Boundary Waters. The DNR is allowed to use motors in the nation’s most visited wildern…

1
History of Hiking: The Sleeping Bag 13:07

4M ago13:07

13:07

By Thomas Funke

1
Short Track News Update: RABC Permits 19:03

4M ago19:03

19:03

After a week of questioning from members of the press, Congressional staff, business owners, and people who are feeling left in the dark, Canadian officials are still being vague when it comes to the future of the Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) Program. Luke Reimer, a spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency, told Paddle and Portage N…

1
Updates From The Road: Bending Branches Tour, Book Event in Duluth, Emily Ford Time 38:48

4M ago38:48

38:48

In this update from the road, we hear about a tour Bear Paulsen and Joe Friedrichs took of the Bending Branches facility in Wisconsin, share audio from an event for Last Entry Point at Fitger's where Rick Slatten and members of Mark Ham's family spoke, and M Baxley brings us an update from Emily Ford. This episode of the podcast is sponsored by: Be…