Details

*** All participants must be pre-approved by the crew leader before registering. ***
Message or email Zach Thorson ( zach.thorson@boundarywaterstrails.org ) or Trina Barray ( te_barry@yahoo.com ) for approval and registration instructions. Include your non-Meetup email, phone number and a good time to reach you. One of us will call you within a few days to discuss details and registration instructions. We welcome both new and experienced backpackers and invite you to enjoy the warmer early summer weather with us.

SUMMARY

Join Zach and Trina on this 4.25-day back-country trail clearing combining canoeing and backpacking. This crew will paddle and portage Lakes One, Two, and Three to access the beautifully rugged west side of the Powwow Trail. We will stash our canoes, and put on our packs for our hike to the final campsite.

WHY VOLUNTEER?

You will meet other like-minded hikers, share your skills and learn new skills from your crew, and have an unforgettable experience helping restore a fire-damaged legacy trail in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

ITINERARY

We will be departing the Twin Cities @ ~5:00pm on Wednesday, May 29th, and returning late evening on Sunday, June 2nd. We plan to be back in the metro area by 8:00 p.m. however flexibility is required due to unknowns of wilderness travel.

On the evening of Wednesday, May 29th, we will stay near the northern end of Lake One and prepare for a early morning departure. After launch, we will paddle and portage for about 2-4 hours to the Lake 3 portage where we will stash the canoes. We will continue on by foot to reach our base campsite for the weekend (Friday-Saturday-Sunday). Expect a 1-4 mile hike depending on reports from our survey crews.

Friday and Saturday, our crew will enjoy camping in the forest, each others company, and working during the day defining the trail as we make our small section of the trail hikeable again. Plan on roughly 8 hour work days, with breaks.

On Sunday morning, we will head out early to retrace our route and return home tired, but rewarded by the knowledge of leaving a safe trail and experiencing the camaraderie of new friends.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Thick brush and fallen trees, unpredictable weather, very remote area, working with a good group of people, working hard to clear the Powwow Trail for everyone to enjoy.

Each participant will carry their own pack, shelter, sleep system, food, water, personal gear, and a clearing tool. BWAC may have the gear to share or borrow. Participants should be in good physical shape and have a "can-do" attitude for unknown trail and weather conditions. Trail clearing experience is not required or expected: BWAC provides all tools and safety training for our crews.

Recommended gear list: https://www.boundarywaterstrails.org/gear-list-for-trail-clearing-backpacking-canoeing-april

MANDATORY MEETINGS

-- There is a mandatory safety training and orientation on Tuesday April 16th at REI in Bloomington.

-- A hike in the Twin Cities metro area will be arranged to meet each other, talk through expectations and conditions of fall travel in the wilderness, check gear, and review gear.

OTHER STUFF TO KNOW

All participants must sign the BWAC liability release, BWAC medical health form, and U.S. Forest Service volunteer agreement before trip departure. Review forms at https://www.boundarywaterstrails.org/trip-information

The $25 registration fee includes a Mckenzie map of the Powwow Trail and offsets a portion of administrative and tool costs for BWAC. Additional costs will be your trip food, and about $20 shared gas for those not driving. Our trail partner, the U.S. Forest Service, provides the wilderness permit for BWAC volunteer crews.

There may be an additional fee of $20-30 for the first night at Kawishiwi Lodge if it is available for our use.

Thank you for choosing to volunteer with the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee, where safety is our #1 priority.