At THE BOUNDARY WATERS JOURNAL (BWJ) our goal is helping BWJ readers transcend the ordinary wilderness canoe trip. Thousands rely on BWJ intel to plan and enjoy priceless canoe country wilderness adventures. Every quarterly issue of BWJ includes 8 feature length articles with stunning color photography. Real stories with real substance by real area experts. Every 84-page issue is packed with pure canoe country passion. No sound-bytes here, we dig deep into every aspect of wilderness tripping: super-detailed canoe route journals for both BWCAW/Quetico, how/when/where to enjoy the thrill of canoe country fishing, savvy advice on wilderness gear, wilderness skills, high adventure tales, wildlife and nature essays, canoe country history and personalities, winter tripping and much more. There is a reason BWJ readers find more solitude, catch more fish, see more wildlife and take home more priceless memories. They know that the secret to great wilderness canoe trips is planning and research and that is what BWJ is all about.

Michele and Stuart Osthoff founded The Boundary Waters Journal in 1987 from their log cabin in the woods, five minutes from the BWCAW.  Both worked for an Ely canoe outfitter during their college years then settled on their 240-acre homestead south of Ely. Michele and Stu operated one of the top sled dog racing kennels in North America from 1982-2002.  They refer to the two eras of their married life as B.C –Before Children and A.D. –After Dogs.  After sled dogs, Michele and the three kids became very involved in showing Saddlebred horses at top shows throughout the Midwest.  Stu returned to his hunting and fishing roots and still has English Pointer bird dogs for grouse and pheasant hunting.  Stu is also an avid archery elk hunter and both he and Michele rifle hunt deer at their place and in the BWCAW.  After many years of family canoe trips to the Quetico and BWCAW, Stu got back into guiding full-time each summer in 2008. For the past 18 years, Stu has led hundreds of hard-core anglers on Quetico fishing trips through his Grand Slam Guide Service.  Stu doesn’t just sit in the office and write about canoe country, he lives out there week after week, season after season.  Guiding these trips generates unique story material and photos for BWJ.  No other publisher/editor spends nearly as much time in the woods as Stu.  Every August, when fishing action in the Boundary Waters inevitably wanes, Stu guides trophy brook trout canoe trips to the Sutton River up off Hudson Bay.  If it involves paddling down big fish, Stu is all over it. See Grand Slam Guide Service for more about his trips.

Over the past three decades, BWJ has developed a close working relationship with the very best canoe country writers and photographers.  These talented people love sharing their passion for canoe country with BWJ readers in every issue.