Keep in touch while in the wilderness

Rockwood has two inReach SE satellite communicators available for rent, $15 a day plus 50 cents per text, each way. Using Iridium satellites you’ll always be in touch no matter where you are in the boundary waters. Friends and family back home can watch your location on a secured website, and send you messages from that same website.

Cell phone towers have not reached most areas of the Boundary Waters yet; smartphones GPS functions still work but they will not get a signal to call, text or email.

However, the inReach pairs with smartphones using bluetooth so you can use the keyboard and the bigger screen for maps. You’ll need to download Garmin Earthmate on your smartphone and install any maps before leaving Rockwood’s WiFi. The inReach works fine without a smartphone, but the screen size and built in keyboard are slow to use.

Tracking is optional, sending updates to the web every 10 minutes. You can simply leave the device powered off and turn it on as needed, but we’ll send an external battery with the device if you want your friends and family to watch your progress.

The emergency button has a safety switch to reduce accidental SOS calls, and because it’s a two way device (some SPOT devices are one-way) emergency responders can get an idea of what type of emergency you are declaring.

You’ll need to reserve the use of these inReach satellite devices in advance of your trip; call us at 218-388-2242 , email us at info@rockwoodbwca.com, or send us a message using the chat feature in the bottom right corner of this page.