Piragis Northwoods Company
105 North Central Avenue
Ely, Minnesota 55731
1-800-223-6565
www.piragis.com
November 17, 2008

News from Piragis Northwoods Company and the BoundaryWatersCatalog.com:

Greetings from Ely, Minnesota and the Boundary Waters!

Sure, it's Monday, but that's no reason not to think of Canoeing or at least the Boundary Waters

Winter Outfitting at Piragis Northwoods Company

Winter is wilderness at its most wonderful; its most wild. Experience the towering pines laden with snow, the thundering groans of the frozen lakes, the secretive tracks and trails of wildlife, the thrill of skiing. At Piragis Northwoods Company we rent winter gear and tents you can trust.




WINTER CAMPING?
“Are you CRAZY it’s frrreeeezzzing out there...”
We like to be comfortable wherever and WHENEVER we camp. Our lightweight winter canvas wall tents and ultralight packable woods stoves mean safety and comfort. There’s no reason to quit camping just because the temperature drops.

Traditional Winter Sports
Skiing, Snowshoeing, Fishing and Camping have long been practiced in northern climates. Explore the winter wilderness during a time of extreme beauty when snow blankets the ground and the stars shine bright. If you’ve never snowshoed or x-country skied, rent our equipment for a day trip and discover the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters in a whole new way!



Adult Skis $25/day
Youth Skis $15/day
Kid’s Skis $10/day
Adult Snowshoes $20/day
Youth Snowshoes $15/day
Pulk Sled $20/day
Wood Stove (medium or large) $25/day
Sleeping Bag (includes pads) $15/day
Ice Auger $10/day
Ski Boots Only $10/day
Skis/Poles Only $15/day
Snowtrekker® Shortwall Hybrid Tent $40/day
Snowtrekker® Basecamp Tent $50/day

Take along a Wilderness Guide
Guide $200/day
Discover the tips and tricks of winter camping while enjoying the advantages of having a guide in camp. Stop in the store at 105 North Central Avenue or call today to make winter gear and tent reservations and
to plan your winter camping trip.

Please email us with your gear and tent reservations today. Include the items you need, the number of days and dates for which you'll need the gear. Stop in at Piragis at 105 North Central Avenue in Ely if you want to rent something spur of the moment. Call us anytime: 1-800-223-6565.



The snowflakes have been falling all day!

Adam Macht: Our 2008 Intern at his finest!

We all enjoyed having Adam here this last summer and are thankful for all the long hours and help he contributed. When he wasn't here, he was usually out fishing. One of his friends submitted this photo and a word about our guides.

This smallie was 19 inches and caught at a lake that I am not allowed to disclose its whereabouts.  Ha ha.  Your fishing guides advised that we go there if we wanted to catch a lot of good sized fish. As I’m sure you know, Adam is very serious about his fishing and he made me promise I would not tell anyone. Maybe he has told you about it, but I think I can tell you that we paddled over four miles to get to this lake and took two portages, walking about a mile. Hopefully, that doesn’t give too much away.

After all the work we did, my first comment on my first cast was “Alright, the fish better just fly into the canoe after all that work.”  I believe on my second or third cast I hooked a decent smallie and as I got it near the boat, it jumped out of the water and landed directly in the canoe at my feet. Absolutely hilarious, and I will never doubt the Piragis fishing guides’ advice again!
 
Jen Barber



Thanks again, Adam, hope to see you next summer!


Cliff Jacobson: Ten Essentials for Wilderness Canoeing

Canoeing wilderness rivers in northern Canada and Alaska is the same as paddling in the lower 48, with these exceptions: the water is bitterly cold—a capsize can be serious; the rapids are often longer, wider and much more powerful; portages aren’t marked or cleared, and many dangers aren’t defined on maps.

The bottom line is that you must “get it right” the first time because there are few second chances.

Here, in no particular order, is my top ten pick of things I value most on a wilderness canoe trip:
http://www.piragis.com/cliffjacobson/cliffjacobsonnotesv46.html




Featured BWCA and Quetico Product: Northwoods Pictograph Booklets



Each booklet is 4 pages, 8 1/2” x 11” in size and is printed by Fisher Maps on waterproof paper with waterproof inks. Most sheets feature only one site, but where two fairly simple sites are near by, they both may appear on one sheet.



Every booklet is based on personal visit to the sites, and all photographs were taken by Bob Evans and Edwina Trout over the last 20 years of paddling canoe country. A complete series of information booklets on the known pictograph and petroglyph sites in Quetico Provincial Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, they include:

Accurate directions for finding the site based on our own personal visit to the site.

Fisher map image showing exact location of the site, printed with permission of Fisher Maps.

Important note on the significance of pictographs to the Ojibwa. Respect the sites!

Picture of the site from far away to aid in paddling directly to the site.

Close-up picture aids in finding pictograph locations on the rock face.

Pictures of the individual images with color-coded locations on the panel to aid in finding every image.

Computer enhancements where images are difficult to see.

Written material about the individual images, their significance, or other interesting content.

On page 4 is an article on the Ojibwa culture, spiritual implications, or another topic related to pictographs. No two sheets contain the same article. All articles include bibliography for additional reading.

To get your copies of these outstanding booklets for only $4.95 each, click here:
Northwoods Pictographs Booklets.



Bob Evans and Edwina Trout have plans to extend their offering of Northwoods Pictographs booklets to include over twenty more lakes in the future.

Just added: Keep your feet warm with Smartwool Socks this winter.

Socks aren't something to skimp on. Comfortable feet during fall and winter are not only key for survival but can reduce your stress during the day. No one wants to spend a day on the job with cold feet and numb toes. At Piragis Northwoods Company we carry the "smartest" socks made today. Socks in a variety of lengths and thicknesses that are made to fit both your everyday and recreation needs. Smartwool Socks provide a soft, comfortable, dry and warm barrier to that wet cold that seeps through the tiniest spaces in boots and shoes. Smartwool socks are made with the finest wool in the world: New Zealand Merino, which produces the softest, strongest and whitest wool on the planet. At Piragis we humbly suggest you try a pair of the smartest socks ever made. You'll want to clean out your sock drawer, you'll want to get a pair for every day. That's o.k. we can get more. Socks smart enough to come stocked in attractive colors and styles for women as well.

 
Click Here for the most comfortable and smartest socks available:
Smartwool Socks



Two Great Packs from Granite Gear on our Newsletter Special Sale

Granite Gear's Vapor daypack makes perfect sense for day trips.....

Built on Granite Gear's award winning Vapor suspension , the Vapor Day is a great pack for all your outdoor activities. Large, stretch outer pouch will keep your rain shell or an extra layer accessible.

 
Click Here to save on the Vapor Daypack. Was $129 now $96.75:
http://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com/browse.cfm/4,4845.html


Granite Gear's proven Immersion Pack. A fully waterproof pack that offers the comfort and durability people have come to love in their Expedition Series Portage Packs like our best-selling Superior One Portage Pack. It is proven to stand up to the rigors of the BWCAW and QUETICO PARK with a 500 denier fabric and a Beefy TPU laminate to be waterproof, durable and weld-able. The pack features the exact same shoulder straps and belt from the Expedition Series implementing an innovative way to attach them to a fully welded pack without compromising how waterproof the pack is or hurting the comfort level in any way.

Built on Granite Gear's award winning Vapor suspension , the Vapor Day is a great pack for all your outdoor activities. Large, stretch outer pouch will keep your rain shell or an extra layer accessible.

 
Click Here to save on the Immersion Pack. Was $299.95 now $224.96:
http://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com/browse.cfm/4,6059.html

For our New Items Online Click Here
http://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com/new.htm


For our Sale Items Online Click Here
http://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com/specials.htm