Podcast: Working Like a Dog in the BWCA

The ice is now out on the Lakes in the Boundary Waters, and we’re embracing the promise of the spring season. But for those who live and work near the Boundary Waters, they’ve been straddling seasons for months, spending time in the winter season to prepare for summer.

In this Big Red Canoe podcast episode, we meet Joe Friedmeyer, a U.S. Forest Service sled dog musher, who has been using the ice and snow of the harsh winter to help get things ready for summer travelers to America’s most visited wilderness.

We talk to Joe about working with a sled dog team to backhaul lumber from the Rose/Duncan Lake stairway project, completed in 2022, as well as hauling fire grates, latrines, and winter patrols across the ice. Joe also highlights best “Leave No Trace” practices for winter. It’s a great introduction to unseen work that happens in the winter, in the BWCA.

Resources

Winter Sports and Camping in Superior National Forest

Photos (Joe Friedmeyer)

Subscribe

On the Friends of the Boundary Waters podcast, we bring together people who share a love of the incredible BWCA wilderness in Northeastern Minnesota. The podcast will features scientists, political figures and experts in outdoor recreation and wilderness skills to help you learn new facets of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, the most visited wilderness in the United States.

Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Google Podcasts Listen on Amazon Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Stitcher
LinkedInBluesky

Continue Listening

Alex Messenger with headphones looks over at the image of a bear ambling across the Boundary Waters Title: Bear Safety in the Boundary Waters with Alex Messenger

Podcast: Bear Safety in the Boundary Waters

Proper food storage and bear-aware camping practices aren’t just recommendations—they’re life-saving skills that every Boundary Waters visitor needs to master.