Paddle and Portage Podcast

In this adventure, we head to the beautiful Root River in southeastern Minnesota. The meandering Root is an 80-mile tributary of the Mississippi River. The Root flows through the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota. The Paddle & Portage Podcast took a fall trip down the Root River, catching trout from the clear waters in Lanesboro, and paddling a stretch of river outside of town. We also talk with local paddler Stena Lieb, Allie Palmer from Paddle On Coffee and the Root River Inn & Suites, and Ken Soiney from River Rats Outfitters. Join us as we head from the Boundary Waters to the Driftless across the great state of Minnesota. This episode is supported by Cooke Custom Sewing and Borderland Lodge.

Emily and Cole are a Minnesota-based couple who live near Lake Superior. They frequent the BWCA and other paddling destinations, sharing their adventures on the Grateful Lakes YouTube channel, which they founded and produce together.  The Grateful Lakes duo visited the Gunflint Trail in late October, in time for Halloween and the end of the stream trout fishing season. Splake and brook trout were on their minds, so the Paddle & Portage Podcast crew were inclined to participate in such pursuits. Fish were caught, stories of the Grateful Dead's best concerts were shared, and the winds were calm throughout.  Cole and Emily's YouTube channel was inspired by their shared enthusiasm for outdoor adventures and the music of the Grateful Dead. On this particular trip to the trout waters of the Gunflint, even Jerry would have marveled at the size of the splake the group came across.  This episode is supported by Sawtooth Outfitters in Tofte and Tex's Riverways in Moab.  

The Boundary Waters were not on the ballot during the 2026 election. That being the case, some races made it feel that way.  From Grand Marais to Ely, the Paddle & Portage Podcast traveled across the Boundary Waters region Nov. 3. They spoke with candidates who have ties to the BWCA, along with voters in Ely.  Was the 2026 election a win for the Boundary Waters? The answer is complex, as the podcast duo share in this episode. 

A group from YMCA Camp Menogyn on the Gunflint Trail paddled into the heart of Quetico Provincial Park in late October to retrieve canoes that had to be left behind during the summer wildfires. A group of paddlers from the camp had to evacuate in July due to the wildfires. From the Menogyn team Oct. 29, in a message sent to Paddle & Portage: "We made it back from Quetico with seven more canoes and about 15 extra packs than when we started, including four wood/canvas canoes that would have had a hard time surviving winter." A team of eight people with ties to YMCA Camp Menogyn from around the country helped make this canoe and gear recovery possible. "Rough weather and really long hard days made it challenging, but the group stayed positive," the paddlers shared with P&P reads. This is our second Quetico Provincial Park canoe recovery story this month, and the two stories will intersect in a way that illustrates the magic of the canoe-country wilderness. This episode is supported by Loons Nest Coffee, Friends of the Boundary Waters, and Ely Outfitting Company. 

Brule Lake is the largest non-motorized lake located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. In this haunting episode, Joe from the Paddle & Portage Podcast shares the story of losing his glasses while fishing Brule Lake in late October 2026.  The glasses sunk to the bottom, but they were not done with Joe, as he shares in this chilling episode of the podcast.