Category Archives: Techniques & Advice

Dutch Oven Cooking Demonstration with Recipe!

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This past weekend at the Duluth Pack flagship store in Duluth, MN we wanted to create an experience that people could come and watch and then sample some interesting prepared items made in Lodge Dutch ovens, that you can make at either the campsite or in your kitchen. As you begin your adventure of cooking with Lodge Logic cast iron, hopefully you will remember the fun we had.

Dutch oven cooking can be practiced at home on the back porch and then mastered at the campsite, creating a menu of items besides hotdogs and hamburgers.  You’ll be able to create meals, desserts and snacks that your family and friends will wonder what cooking class you took to be so good! We would like to share with you one of our most popular recipes!

 

How to Clean and Maintain your Duluth Packs

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Duluth Pack MonarchCaring for your Duluth Pack is easier than you may think.  It’s time to take your packs out of the closet, if you haven’t already, and get them ready for your next adventure!

Caring for your Canvas & Leather
Duluth Pack Products

Duluth Pack products only get better with age, so here are a few maintenance suggestions to help your product last a lifetime.

Washing and Maintaining:

When not in use, store Duluth Pack products in a cool, dry and well ventilated area to avoid mold and mildew.  If washing becomes necessary, spot wash with warm water and a mild soap, such as the Mirazyme Odor Eliminator. This can be done at the beginning of the season if you find your packs have a musty smell.

Leather Care:

Oil and condition leather components on a regular basis or when leather looks dry.  Without proper conditioning, the leather will become brittle and may break when you really don’t want it to!  We suggest Lexol Leather care products such as Lexol Leather Conditioner (also available in Quick Wipes).

Canvas Care:

You can make your canvas pack even more water-resistant, by using Nikwax Cotton Proof as directed.  Our waxed canvas products can be re-waxed as needed, or applied the Nikwax Wax-Cotton Proof.  When using your packs this summer, remember the following:

1. Our canvas is over dyed and when wet, the canvas may bleed.

2. Remove contents and allow the product to dry completely.

3. Canvas is a natural, water resistant, and breathable fiber, which means it will dry quickly and completely so you won’t have to worry about your stuff being wet for an entire trip!

 

Find all Care and Maintenance products for your Duluth Pack here.

Stalking the Wild Leek (with recipe!)

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wild leeks in woodsDelicious Wild Edibles

It’s the time of year when one of the most delicious wild edibles thrusts itself out from under the leaves with reckless abandon—the wild leek. Here in Duluth the leek is often the very first green you’ll see in the woods. This makes them easy to find if you what to look for.

wild leeks greenLeeks prefer areas in stands of hardwoods, like maple and ash, with plenty of moisture. A seasonal creek bank is a good location. Their life cycle is short and they will soon be shaded out by emerging tree leaves. So get them while you can! They are easily dug with a hand trowel but are connected to a root system you must sever before being able to lift them from the ground.

 

 

Wild Leek and Potato Soup Recipe

Leek Stalks

My favorite recipe for leeks is Wild Leek and Potato Soup. A version of it follows. Happy Hunting!

Wild Leek and Potato Soup
2 c. leeks, diced
4 T butter
salt and black pepper, to taste
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 c. chicken or vegetable stock
1 c. warm milk

Saute the leaks with butter, salt and pepper.
Peel and dice potatoes and add to mixture in the pan when leeks begin to look translucent.
When potatoes begin to brown, add chicken or vegetable stock. Simmer until potatoes are tender.
Turn off heat and when boil ceases slowly stir in warm milk.
Garnish with a leek and a crusty baguette.

HOW TO PLAN A BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA (BWCA) TRIP

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HOW TO PLAN A BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA (BWCA) TRIP

I posted this a few years pack and we still get requests for the packing list. Here you go and enjoy!

PLANNING • Where to begin? Well how about with choosing your companions! People you know that can handle some work and getting back to nature. The BWCA does have a party limit and campsite limit. Nine people and four watercraft are the maximum allowed in the BWCA. Chose a date that works for everyone and plan for some alternate dates for your group in case the permits are gone already. Advanced planning is key. There are several books on the market that explain planning for a trip in detail.Here a two of our favorites: Canoe Country Camping and Exploring the BWCA .

DATES • From May 1st to September 30th you will need to obtain a BWCA permit. Permits in certain areas go fast so reserve early! You must enter the BWCA on your specific permit date, not the day before or after. The Duluth Pack store at 365 Canal Park Drive is a BWCAW Permit Station, stock up on everything you need when you pick it up at Duluth Pack.  Permit tip!  Make sure to add extra group alternate leaders on your permit, you are not able to change them once submitted.

ROUTES • For your first time out I would choose a route with limited portages. I would suggest, once your party is determined, to have a group meeting. Choose a leader to pick up the permit, decide who will be in charge of what meals and what everyone is bringing so there are no unnecessary duplicates. Check out the various entry points and maps for the best location. Once you choose your route, buy maps for the lakes you will be paddling. A set of maps for each canoe is helpful in case you are separated. A beginner and popular route is Lakes One, Two, Three, and Four out of Ely, MN off the Fernberg Trail. Entry point 30. There are lots of campsites on each lake and limited portages. The further in you travel the less people you will see.

Experienced campers should check out entry points with limited entries and/or every other day permits. You will see less people the longer portages you take away from all other entry points. Also consider planning your trip during off peak times, the middle of the week, late Fall or early Spring.

PERMIT • You can obtain a BWCA permit from this website or by calling the Duluth Pack retail store at 218-722-1707.

You must watch a video when you pick up your permit, once you watch the video you will get a card so you won’t  have to watch the video again that year. Permits can only be picked up the day before, or the day of your entry date, by your group leader or an alternate leader listed on the permit. Office hours do vary so check with your permit pickup location for their office hours.

FOOD AND GROUP SUPPLIES • If this is your first trip you may want to consider contacting an outfitter to provide you with canoes, Duluth Packs, and various gear. Here is a partial list of outfitters.

  • You will need:

canoes

WHAT TO PACK  Personal use.

Extra- here is something fun! Fishing gear, book, and camp chair.

Avoid Cabin Fever during the Leap Day Blizzard

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Snow has finally come to Duluth, and many of us in the north woods are enjoying a snow day as we hunker down during this leap day blizzard. What are you going to do as the storm rages and you fight off the feeling of cabin fever? Let me throw out some ideas to keep you from going stir crazy and at the same time continuing to dream of open water.

Make it a movie day – Pop in a Cliff Jacobsen or Bill Mason video in the DVD player and escape to the lakes and rivers of the north. It is a great way to pick up some new skills or just revel in the scenic beauty captured on each disc.

Condition the leather on your canoe packs – Grab the Lexol conditioner and rub it into all the leather on your packs, really soak those straps. Yeah, I know this doesn’t sound like a great way to spend a free day, but it will pay dividends when the ice melts.

Get the snowshoes ready – rest assured at some point this wind is going to lie down, and you can get out and play in the fresh powder. Tighten those bindings and plan on shoeing away in Jay Cooke State Park or up the Superior Hiking Trail.  Both have great trails to test out the snowshoes, and don’t forget to take your camera along to capture what might be the only storm of 2012.

Dive into good book – My favorites are from Sigurd Olson or John Krakauer. With Olson you can relax and enjoy the soothing picture he paints of the wilderness complete with sights and sounds. Reading Krakauer gives you the vicarious experience of high drama adventure.

Spread the maps out and route a trip – Now this sounds more like it! Stretch all your maps out on the floor and plan a trip for the summer of 2012. Choose an entry point, book it at Recreation.gov, and if you have any questions give an expert at the Duluth Pack store a call.

There you go, now you have a few ideas to help you spend your snow day. My plan is to grab the camera and get some shots of the gently falling snow. OK, maybe not so gently.