2026 Spring Trail Crew Recap: Trip #10 Eagle Mountain Boardwalk
Meet BWAC Crew #12: "The BWAC Pounders"!
This incredible crew of six—Lucas, Valentin, Zach, Lynn, Jon, and Alana—just wrapped up a massive, muddy, and wildly successful mission on the Eagle Mountain Trail.
The goal? Replace the badly deteriorated and flooded Eagle Mountain Boardwalk. The result? 300 feet of brand-new, rock-solid boardwalk stretching safely across the bog!
Meet BWAC Crew #12: "The BWAC Pounders"!
This incredible crew of six—Lucas, Valentin, Zach, Lynn, Jon, and Alana—just wrapped up a massive, muddy, and wildly successful mission on the Eagle Mountain Trail.
The goal? Replace the badly deteriorated and flooded Eagle Mountain Boardwalk. The result? 300 feet of brand-new, rock-solid boardwalk stretching safely across the bog!
26 total hours of hard labor (6 hours of intense clearing/prep on 5/1 + 20 hours of building from 6/26-28)
1,600+ nails pounded by hand
120 foundation boards custom-cut on-site
The Arsenal: 4 sledgehammers, 4 pry bars, 2 Silky saws, one 10-lb maul, 1 Pulaski, and 1 Root Slayer shovel (and zero power tools!).
Basecamp & Backcountry Perks
A massive thank you to the US Forest Service (USFS) for providing our basecamp at the Two Island Lake Campground! After long days of heavy swinging, those beautiful lakeside sites and refreshing swims were pure heaven.
Nature also put on a spectacular show for the crew: the drive-in featured a breathtaking, solid half-mile stretch of millions of purple lupines in full bloom!
Perfect Trail Conditions
The weather absolutely cooperated, keeping us cool with crisp 55°F mornings, beautiful 72°F days, and wonderfully low humidity.
The crew also got to chat with plenty of folks eager to try out the new wood—sharing smiles and trail updates with 40 day hikers and two groups of backpackers keeping us company over the weekend.
Next time you head up to Minnesota's highest point, enjoy the dry socks and stable footing courtesy of Crew 12!
#BoundaryWaters #BWAC #TrailMaintenance #EagleMountain #KeepItWild #VolunteerPower #BoundaryWatersBoundaryKicking
2024 Spring Crew Member Training
Almost 60 volunteers looking to assist the BWAC organization with trail clearing, attended the Spring Crew Member Orientation and Safety Training this past Tuesday evening at the REI Bloomington location.
Almost 60 volunteers looking to assist the BWAC organization with trail clearing, attended the Spring Crew Member Orientation and Safety Training this past Tuesday evening at the REI Bloomington location.
The event covered topics such as who is the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWAC), and gave an overview of the Powwow, Sioux-Hustler, Eagle Mountain, and Brule Lake trails that the organization maintains in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
Members of the organization also coached volunteers who signed up for Spring trips, on what happens after registering– such as meeting up for a crew hike, gear needed, tools, safety and what life on the trail looks like as a volunteer.
Crew Leader picnic and training session
The Boundary Waters Advisory Committee is gearing up for fall clearing trips to the Powwow Trail. After a shortened spring trip season, due to snow cover, crew leaders have planned 13 trips for September and October 2022. To continue our record of safe and productive trips, 23 crew leaders met on Thursday, August 11th at the North Mississippi Regional Park for a picnic lunch and a refresher leadership training session.
The Boundary Waters Advisory Committee is gearing up for fall clearing trips to the Powwow Trail. After a shortened spring trip season, due to snow cover, crew leaders have planned 13 trips for September and October 2022. To continue our record of safe and productive trips, 23 crew leaders met on Thursday, August 11th at the North Mississippi Regional Park for a picnic lunch and a refresher leadership training session. Presentations were given by the trail committee chairs, and the Forest Service liaison / tool boss. Crew leaders are now prepared to host trips for new and returning volunteers. Become a volunteer crew member by signing up Meetup membership to view available trips. Contact the crew leaders for consideration.
Fall Trips Announced
Our fall trip planning is in full swing. See a summary on our trips page or meetup!
Our fall trip planning is in full swing. See a summary on our trips page or meetup!
Diana Lake Bridge Restoration Complete!
An unseasonably warm November weekend allowed BWAC and the U.S. Forest Service to complete the Diana Lake bridge rebuild project, creating a safe (and dry) crossing for hikers.
An unseasonably warm November weekend allowed BWAC and the U.S. Forest Service to complete the Diana Lake bridge rebuild project, creating a safe (and dry) crossing for hikers.
