READ THIS: 👀 Before signing up you must Meetup message Susan or Dimitris with your phone number and a good time to call. A brief phone check-in is required to make sure the trip is a good match.

Hit the trail with this fall with experienced crew leaders Dimitris and Susan. We promise a fun, rewarding, use-muscles-you-don't-know-you-have visit to the Powwow's loop south. Early October can be a perfect time for trail clearing and backpacking. We'll have a little over twelve hours of daylight (6:40 am to 7:00 pm), temps in the 50-80°F range, and fall colors will be painting the landscape.

Thursday morning we will carpool from the Twin Cities area to the Powwow Trailhead. We'll have a final pack check, safety talk, and make the nine mile hike to our three-night basecamp. The Quadga Lake campsite has plenty of tent pads, and features a fire grate and a latrine.

Friday and Saturday our crew will clear new growth and downed trees from the Powwow Trail. Sunday we will pack up, hike the nine miles back to the trailhead, and return to the Twin Cities.

WHAT TO EXPECT
This is backpacking trip in the wilderness. Each participant will carry their own pack, shelter, sleep system, food, personal gear and a clearing tool. Participants should be in good physical shape, be able to hike ~2 mph on rough trail, live and work outside for four days, and have a "can-do" attitude for unknown trail and weather conditions.

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

There will be a required local hike during September to meet each other and conduct a gear check for major gear components: footwear, pack, rain gear, layers, sleep system, tent; and to hash out trip logistics. Trail clearing experience is not required or expected. BWAC provides all tools and safety training.

OTHER STUFF TO KNOW:

All participants must sign the BWAC liability release, BWAC self-report health form, and U.S. Forest Service volunteer service agreement before trip departure.

The $25 registration fee includes a Mckenzie map of the Powwow Trail and offsets some administrative and tool costs for BWAC. Additional costs will be your trip food and $15-$20 shared gas for those not driving. Our trail partner, the U.S. Forest Service, provides wilderness permits for BWAC volunteer crews.

Thank you for choosing to volunteer with the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee.