Volunteer Spotlight: Kait Birk

Kait joined the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee in 2021, looking to build community with fellow backpackers and grow her wilderness skills. What began as a desire to find new friends for adventures quickly turned into something much deeper. After a rewarding first trip, it was her second trip on the Powwow that truly hooked her. Despite being soaked by mist and covered in slug goo, the group spent the weekend laughing nonstop, working together, and accomplishing meaningful stewardship in an unseasonably warm October in one of her favorite places. That experience inspired Kait to dive in further, as she soon joined the Outreach Committee and began stepping into leadership roles for future trips.

Kait loves spending time in the remote wilderness and getting to know the volunteers who share that space with her. She is deeply passionate about protecting public lands and keeping them pristine for future generations, and she values BWAC’s commitment to teaching wilderness skills, safety, and backcountry knowledge. One of her favorite memories was leading a beginner backpacker trip to Isabella on the Powwow, where the group witnessed the brightest northern lights she’s ever seen. For many participants, it was their first time in the Boundary Waters, making the experience especially meaningful and reaffirming why Kait is so dedicated to BWAC.

Kait, your hard work, dedication, and passion for the Boundary Waters trails truly make a difference. Because of you, more people can experience the magic of these wild places. Thank you for everything you do!

---

Feeling inspired to get out on the trail? Join our mailing list and be the first to hear about upcoming trips and opportunities to make a difference!

2025 Tabling at REI in Roseville, MN

On October 16, BWAC volunteers spent the day at REI Roseville in Roseville, MN, connecting with staff and customers to share BWAC’s mission, volunteer opportunities, and trail stewardship work. We had so many great conversations and meaningful interactions throughout the day.

A huge thank-you to REI Roseville for inviting us to meet with your staff, share our work, and spend the day tabling and engaging with your community. We truly appreciate the opportunity and your continued support!

2025 Fall Trail Crew Recap: Trip #14 Sioux-Hustler Trail

BWAC volunteers completed a full survey and treefall cleanup of the Sioux-Hustler Trail the first weekend of October! Unseasonably warm temperatures in the 80s made for hot, sweaty days of hiking and clearing, but pleasant camping nights in the 60s. Peak fall colors—especially oaks and maples—lit up the trail corridor in spectacular fashion. Our crew cleared 77 treefalls, though many more were expected after summer windstorms. Windy conditions on the hike out even brought down more dead spruce killed by budworm, meaning the team cleared the trail stem three times! Huge thanks to Wilderness Volunteers for their summer crew’s work on the northeast section, which greatly reduced our workload. Only about a mile near Hustler Lake remains for brushing and stepover removal—soon to be tackled by the next BWAC crew!

2025 Fall Trail Crew Recap: Trip #13 POWWOW TRAIL

CREW BEARLY CONQUERS THE POWWOW TRAIL! At the end of September, our crew of 5 dedicated BWAC volunteers went out and cleared one mile of the Powwow Trail.

They paddled through Lakes One, Two, and Three, and hiked to beautiful Path Lake on the Powwow Trail. They got to work with root slayers, saws, and loppers to remove heavy brush and trees from the trail between Path Lake and Mirror Lake. Great fall weather made for sweaty work on sunbaked rock plateaus, but fun was had as well: they saw eagles, heard wolves howling, and had a suspicious nighttime tent visitor (hence our crew's name). Big thanks to Kawishiwi Lodge & Outfitters and the U.S. Forest Service-Superior National Forest for making this possible! Who says you need a big crew to make a big impact? Five determined volunteers + beautiful fall weather + great teamwork = mission accomplished!

2025 Fall Trail Crew Recap: Trip #16 Sioux-Hustler Trail

“The FKTers” — have officially wrapped up the 2025 trail-clearing season! This hard-working crew tackled a brand-new route all the way to the eastern edge of the Sioux-Hustler Trail — crossing 1 river, 7 lakes, and 7 portages to reach Hustler Lake. They spent two solid days sawing, lopping, digging, and hauling brush — clearing 0.85 miles to maintainable standards and opening up another 0.7 miles of gnarly treefall.

2025 Fall Trail Crew Recap: Trip #15 Powwow Trail

“The Feathered Foresters” – took on the south side of the Powwow Trail in mid-October: seven dedicated BWAC volunteers ready for a weekend of clearing and camaraderie! They hiked into Isabella and set up base camp for the weekend, working their way from left of the Wye to Marathon Lake. Armed with root slayers, saws, loppers, and a Pulaski, we tackled brush and downed trees through some of the trail’s toughest stretches. Perfect fall weather blessed the crew — crisp mornings, warm afternoons, and starry, chilly nights — along with sightings of beavers, grouse, woodpeckers, and even a fleeting glimpse of a lynx!

True to their name, The Feathered Foresters picked up plenty of new bird knowledge and caught the last flashes of golden autumn color along the trail. Clear skies, safe travels, and plenty of laughter made for a memorable weekend on the Powwow!

Powwow Trail Restoration: A Decade of Dedication and Collaboration

We are thrilled to share some exciting news—after years of hard volunteer work and close collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service of the Superior National Forest, all campsites on the historic Powwow Trail are now fully restored.

The Powwow Trail holds a special place in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Established under the 1978 Act that created the BWCA Wilderness, the trail is a “lollipop” route—featuring a 3-mile out-and-back stem that leads into a 25-mile loop. Construction began in 1981, linking former logging roads with wilderness paths to create a truly unique backcountry experience. Hiking the Powwow immerses visitors in remote wilderness, where they’ll encounter a rapidly regenerating mixed forest, scenic overlooks, and numerous wetland and beaver dam crossings.

In the fall of 2011, the Pagami Creek wildfire changed everything. Burning through more than 95% of the trail corridor, the fire left the route almost unrecognizable. Campsites were destroyed, and the path itself was buried under thousands of fallen trees, charred trunks, and new, dense growth of jack pine and brush.

Since then, volunteers with the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWAC), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service of the Superior National Forest, have worked tirelessly to recover and reopen the trail. Armed only with hand saws, loppers, and determination, crews have contributed hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours to clearing deadfall, cutting back thick regrowth, and carefully reestablishing the historic route. Last year alone, volunteers contributed nearly 13,000 hours of trail-clearing work—not including the countless hours spent planning, organizing, and supporting this ongoing effort.

The work hasn’t been easy. Each season brought new challenges as conditions on the trail remained dynamic and unpredictable in the years following the fire. But thanks to this long-term commitment, hikers can once again experience the full Powwow Trail—and now, with campsites restored, they can fully immerse themselves in multi-day wilderness travel along this remarkable loop.

What does “fully restored” mean?
Each open campsite now has a fire grate, a latrine, and has been cleared of hazard trees, ensuring that visitors have a safe and functional place to rest along their journey.

The restoration of the Powwow Trail is more than just a success story about reopening campsites. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration, persistence, and community. Volunteers and partners came together over more than a decade to restore a vital piece of the Boundary Waters hiking network.

Location:
The Powwow Trailhead, BWCAW Entry Point #86, is located about 250 miles north of the Twin Cities. The trail begins to the right of the wooden kiosk in the northwest corner of the parking lot.

Trail Timeline:

• 1978 – Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act establishes the BWCAW and calls for hiking trail development.

• 1979 – Construction of the Powwow Trail begins, linking former logging roads with wilderness paths.

• 2011 – The Pagami Creek Fire burns more than 95% of the trail corridor.

• 2012–2024 – BWAC volunteers and partners work year after year to reopen and maintain the trail using hand tools.

• 2025 – All campsites along the Powwow Trail are fully restored.

We invite hikers to enjoy this hard-won trail, but also to come prepared. Conditions remain challenging, and the landscape continues to change. For current updates and trip planning resources, visit our Powwow Trail Guide, the Powwow Trail Conditions page, and the U.S. Forest Service website.

And finally—we need your help to keep the trail open. Volunteers are the heart of this work, and the Powwow Trail will only remain accessible through ongoing community effort. If you’d like to join us on a future trail-clearing trip or support in other ways, we’d love to have you be part of the Powwow’s story.

The Powwow Trail stands today as both a wilderness adventure and a living reminder of resilience—of the forest, of volunteers, and of the community that came together to make this recovery possible.

2025 Spring Trail Crew Recap: Trip #9 Powwow Trail

A mixed group of new and returning volunteers basecamped at the beautiful Isabella site on the Powwow Trail last weekend, and focused on clearing heavy brush growth west of the "wye".  Amazing (and tiring) work was done digging out root balls encroaching on the trail, but that didn't stop us from telling stories around the campfire and going for a refreshing swim after we knocked off for the day.  Additional work was done near the campsite to ensure the Isabella waterway will be safe to cross for future hikers!

2025 Spring Trail Crew Recap: Trip #8 Powwow Trail

Crew #8 - The "BWAC Bigboys" completed a spring circumnavigation around the Powwow Trail. Winter storms brought down many new deadfalls, so the crew’s work was plentiful. During the circumnavigation, 250 treefalls were cut and removed from the trail to allow hikers a navigable path for the season. The Diana creek bridge was also repaired for crossing.

2025 Spring Trail Crew Recap: Trip #6 Powwow Trail

Crew #6, aka The Latriners, completed their mission to clear 0.63 miles of the Powwow Trail north and south of the Path Lake campsite. They also carried a latrine from the point where it was left by crew #5 to south of Path Lake campsite.

The crew enjoyed a 6-mile paddle to and from the Kawishiwi Lodge to Lake Three, a 2.5 mile hike, two days of navigating brush growing on the trail, cutting through one huge white pine, and a genuinely good time was had by all!

The weather was mostly fine, but at one point it threw a little hailstorm at them.

Big thanks as always to Kawishiwi Lodge for sponsoring BWAC’s trail clearing trips by providing the canoes and a discounted stay at their bunkhouse.