by Cliff Jacobson Canoeing big lakes can be challenging to navigate, and when the wind is up, dangerous. You're canoeing a big lake and come to a large bay. It's a mile, or about 20 minutes, if you head straight across, or 10 miles if you follow the shore. There are some breaking waves out on the lake, but they look manageable. Should you chance it and paddle the breezy bay, or take the slow safe route near shore? The answer is easy if you're ahead of schedu

by Cliff Jacobson Final portage on the Frost River that leads into Little Saganaga Lake. Correction: not a portage; it's a rock-jumble that mixes seconds of paddling followed by seconds of lining followed by... whatever! Funny, how one’s perspective on things changes with age. Trips that are easy when you’re young become challenging with age. One late September, three friends and I paddled the Frost river (Cross Lake to Round Lake) in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I’ve d