Her Island: The Story of Quetico's Longest Serving Interior Ranger

by Joe Friedrichs, Ingela Puddicombe (Foreword), Beth Hercules (Editor)

Janice Matichuk first set foot on her island in Quetico Provincial Park in 1985. Located near the end of Minnesota's iconic Gunflint Trail, this remote park is the heart of North America's "canoe country." Decades later, and enduring beyond her untimely passing in the summer of 2020, Matichuk's legacy includes being the longest serving interior ranger in the history of the park.Over the course of three decades, Janice raised two children on the island. She saved the lives of canoeists who tumbled into the frigid border lakes of Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Ontario's Quetico. She had been charged by moose, canoed nearly every inch of the 1.2 million-acre park, and watched many young paddlers grow into adults.This is a story about life inside one of North America's most remote places. It is also a reflection of a woman who broke through barriers and refused to conform to societal norms. At its heart, however, it is an examination of the challenges that life presents. It is a testament to the fact that people's experiences-good, bad, and on idyllic wilderness islands-all have much in common.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History

180 pages, Paperback

Published November 23, 2020

Reviews

[Kaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Janice Matichuk was an amazing woman, and her impact on the Quetico park and community will be felt far into the future. Hearing some of her stories made me desperately miss canoe trips in the north woods. Through interviews with friends and colleagues we get a good sense of her character and personality, but I wish there were more stories, and more focus on what her life was like on the island.

Also, this book would have been better if written by someone who didn't think of men as the ultimate standard of strength or toughness against which women are measured. Why is it not enough to describe how hard Janice worked or how tough she was on her own merit, instead of having to provide comparison to men to make it "that much more impressive"? Additionally, the author's clear discomfort with women's bodies was distracting and childish.

[Fran Spellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story about a woman, Janice Matichuk, who spent three decades as the longest serving interior ranger on the island of Quetico Provincial Park in Canada. I learned so much about being in the wilderness away from “everywhere.” But mostly I learned about this incredible lady who gave her life to everyone so that they kept returning year after year to camp, canoe, fish, and in great part they returned to this island because of this lady. I was gifted this book by a dear dharma sister, Julie, who was good friends w/Janice. I am eternally grateful to her.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it and would recommend it, but I did wish for more stories about her life and felt there was a bit too much dedicated to how well respected she was.

[Emma Grams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great story about Janice Matichuk. You really get a feel for what life was like where she lived and worked for 30+ years. I do wish the book had more first person stories from Janice herself and that the layout of the stories and anecdotes included were different. Overall, a good read.

3.5 stars

[Cathy Miller-Temme · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Janice in 2018 when 4 of us entered Quetico for a 5 day canoe adventure. As the author related, Janice was dedicated to the people entering the park, the creatures living there and the land that served as a residence for them. When we met Janice, she was concerned that we were knowledgeable about safety procedures and proper care of the environment and were taken aback by her shocking question "What should you do if you encountered a dead body on your trip here?" She relayed the story of her rescue of the 5 capsized canoeists and the loss of the 6th member of that group. Friends from here (northcentral WI) that made annual trips to Quetico said that ranger Janice was a part of their trips that they looked forward to and enjoyed immensely at every entry. One of those paddlers sadly relayed the news of her passing. She was a guardian of the visitors, animals and land of Quetico.

FYI - the answer to her question above is "Tie it to a tree and report the location to authorities". Our reaction was to ask why the need to tie a body to a tree. Her response was to keep the remains from being carried away by predators. Logical, and that awareness was sobering.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

For thirty years, Janice Matichuk was the ranger at Cache Bay. For six months of the year, she lived on a small, rocky island in the far reaches of Saganaga Lake on the Minnesota and Ontario, Canada border. It can only be reached by boat or seaplane. Janice was responsible for knowing this wilderness area like the back of her hand and was charged with advising canoeists and campers on everything from sudden weather changes to wild animals, the best campsites and the hardest portages, offering first aid and even saving lives by rescuing capsized canoeists in freezing waters. It's a beautiful story of a woman who loved her job so much that she honestly didn't consider it a job. I found some parts a little repetitious since the book was written by a friend and contributory interviews were from good friends. But I understand why they loved and admired Janice so much.

[Carl Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Janice Matichuk served more than three decades as the ranger at the Cache Bay entry to Quetico Provincial Park, welcoming paddlers with her personal warmth and encyclopedic knowledge of the park. Combined with her bravery and strength of character, she was a fixture for generations of visitors.

With a fascinating subject like Janice, this book should have been a slam dunk for me; instead it was merely good. This volume is more tribute than biography, recounting far more quotes from others about Janice's personality and character than descriptions of Janice's life or anecdotes of interactions with her. Thus, the book has the feel of telling rather than showing and misses the mark of making the reader feel they know someone who would be fascinating to have known.

[Harley Gee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Her Island is the story of Janice Matichuk, the long serving park ranger who manned the Cache Bay ranger post in Ontario's Quetico Park for some 35 years. Matichuk died in August 2020 as the book was being written and the author, Joe Friedrichs had to rework the story to accommodate her sudden and untimely end. The book doesn't work terribly well and the portrait that emerges on Matichuk is 90% hagiography that doesn't do her justice. Her inner motivations and darker struggles are only hinted at. Similarly, her family life are glossed over too lightly. Still the book was a worthwhile read for its portrayal of the life of a ranger at Cache Bay.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was beautifully written, much like a very long eulogy of a life well lived. However, except for the one instance in the beginning of the book, Friedrichs mentions, but does not tell the many stories of Janice’s Matichuk’s life. How did she cut off her finger? Who are all of the people she rescued? Tell us the stories of wildlife encounters. Tell us what it was like raising her children there.
He spent three years with her, he must have heard those stories. An already good book could have been so much more engaging had he fleshed out a bit more of Janice Mativhuk’s life in Quetico National Park.

[William Drehmel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story of a ranger who spent 5-6 months per year as a ranger in the Quetico Provincial Park, often alone, then wintered in Canada also. I didn't see any plane trips to Florida to get away. She was a woman who did her job, was super reliable and dedicated. The only problem with the book is this information was repeated over and over again. I did enjoy stories of the wilderness she loved, but would have loved more. I am glad I read this and it was a quick read.

[Joy Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading biography because I find it inspiring and I learn an awful lot. This book didn't disappoint on either account. It is a tale of an ordinary woman, fighting her own battles, yet who touched the lives of many from a remote station in the Quetico. I loved the setting, her passion for her work and others, and her humanity. I highly recommend!

[Sidney E. Carlstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent well written book about someone who is lucky to have a job she enjoyed & managed to overcome obstacles so she could give it her best shot. We need more Janice’s in this world especially now.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really found this one interesting about a long-time ranger in the Quetico Park across the border from the BWCA. Would recommend to friends especially with MN ties or any hikers/canoeists. Quick read by a local author.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, good stories, but needs to be longer. Much of her life is glossed over or not covered. She was definitely a fascinating individual and I wished there was more. I had so many questions.

[Binky Bowberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography of Quetico Ranger Janice Matichuk written before and after she died in 2020.

[Adam Potrzebowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great look at an interesting character of Quetico

[Adam Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great tribute to a wonderful women. I do wish more stories were written. It did leave me wanting more, but overall just an amazing tribute!

[Gillian Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 star story with a 3 star execution. More tribute to Janice than stories from/about Janice. Lots of repetition and some grammatical errors.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas gift! My desire to work at Quetico is stronger than ever

[RH Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Janice through close mutual friends, and her big personality matched her chosen habitat. I appreciate knowing more about her life, and it's strange/wonderful/disorienting to read the biography of someone who died so suddenly in a global pandemic, taking her away from beloved friends even more completely. I'm glad to have the chance to reflect on her life.