We put Remote Within Reach for you! You will encounter an active outdoor experience on the edge of the wilderness. We provide this experience from our exceptional location on Snowbank Lake located on the edge of the world famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) near Ely, Minnesota. We provide northern Minnesota quality fishing, ice fishing, outfitting, dog sledding, hunting, hiking and other outdoor activities make your time on the edge of the wilderness remarkably unforgettable. We put remote within reach by providing an accessible and affordable destination on the brink of America’s true wilderness. Our promise to you is simple: we will not leave a mint on your pillow, make swans from bath towels, nor provide a hot yoga room. We will, however, provide clean cabins, a responsive staff, quality equipment, and an abundance of spectacular Northern Minnesota outdoor adventures putting remote within reach for you.

Our operation is twofold: we are a boat and motor fishing lodge on Lac La Croix and we also offer canoe trips into Minnesota’s BWCAW and Ontario’s QUETICO PROVINCIAL PARK. If you don’t see a package that suits your needs, you can rest assured we will provide one for you. We are proud to be a family owned operation for 80+ years. Let our family introduce yours to the ways of the wilderness in comfort; it would be a pleasure to host you.

A Canoe Trip in the Boundary Waters is an amazing adventure that you’ll want to take full advantage of. Don’t let the planning and paperwork get in the way of this picturesque vacation. Let Williams and Hall take care of the details and we’ll leave the fun to you! Please feel free to contact us anytime with questions. We usually return your call or email within 24 hours. At Williams and Hall we want to help customize a plan that best suits your canoe adventure. We’ll secure the permits you need and answer your questions about the Boundary Waters or Quetico. We’ve assembled a team of experts with years of wilderness experience to help you navigate the Boundary Waters wilderness and give you a lifetime of wonderful memories.

Canned vacations are like canned food — uninspiring. You deserve an authentic experience. Ski trips are common as clover, but there’s only one dogsled vacation package — at Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge. Refresh, relax, rejuvenate in the sparkling snowscape of our Northwoods winter. Enjoy our fun-loving guides, sumptuous meals, lovely lodging and our furry 4-legged friends who love to pull. We’ll keep you warm, cozy & smiling! Our guests rank Wintergreen as their “BEST VACATION EVER.”

Let’s start with a proper introduction. We’re the Ott family – Gene, Jane, Nick (son) and Danielle, (daughter in law) and we acquired the property in 2000. Originally from Northeast Iowa, we had been scout leaders and Boundary Waters Minnesota camping enthusiasts for several years when the opportunity arose to make a lifestyle change that simply delighted us. Since that time, we have built an outfitting service that, we believe, is one of the best in the area. In addition to outfitting services, we have authentic log cabins, right on Fall Lake for non-campers to experience great fishing and conveniently explore the Ely area. Our cabins and lodge (with bunkhouse) have an amazing history. The cabins were originally built and located up on Pipestone Bay on Basswood Lake. When Congress declared “The Wilderness Act of 1964, all buildings needed to be either moved or burnt to the ground, restoring the natural wilderness. Shortly after, each log was labeled, deconstructed, floated up through Newton Lake to Fall Lake and put back together, like a complex jigsaw puzzle. Can you imagine the planning and the work to accomplish this? We’re honored by every guest that chooses Packsack and promise to make every effort to build a wilderness experience that best matches your wishes.