a father-daughter trip
We packed our bags and loaded up the car on a blustery winter day in 2012. Cincinnati, OH was cold that morning- but the cold we felt wouldn't come to close to the bone-chilling temperatures of the north woods. After our bags, boots and winter gear was loaded into my compact Jeep Compass, we started north, but not before stopping for a good cup-of-joe and a hot meal.
The 11 hour drive from Cincinnati, OH to Duluth, MN is bearable as the views are extraordinary as you get closer to the Canadian border. Our first stop in Duluth, MN was Frost River, a company well-known for their handcrafted canvas products that won't let you down while traversing the back-country. The shop is cute and cozy with quality products that are made on-site. If you're in the area, it's definitely worth a stop!
boundary waters canoe area wilderness
From Duluth, MN we traveled to Ely, MN- a two hour drive north. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a place of solitude and beauty that begins to feel like home after you journey through it's lakes, portages, islands and trails. It is vast. It is wild. It is perfect.
sunrise to sunset
Most days were spent exploring from sunrise to sunset. The color of the sun reflecting against the glimmering snow was spectacular at every vantage point.
international wolf center
Whenever venturing to Ely, MN, we always dedicate a day to visiting the International Wolf Center. Their vision is beautiful: "The International Wolf Center envisions a world in which populations of wolves thrive well distributed in many parts of their native range."