Details
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Join Zach and Lane 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 south to the final campsite.
BEFORE YOU REGISTER:
Contact one of the leaders before signing up via meetup message with your phone number and a good time to call. We'll arrange a short call to introduce ourselves and discuss what is needed to be ready for the trail. At that time we will open a slot for you to sign up.
Due to the remote nature and weather variables, this trip could turn into an advanced trip. Crew leaders will balance the number of novice participants with more experienced members.
Feel free to reach out with any questions about the trip!
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 Thursday, May 19th, and returning late evening on Monday, May 23rd. 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 Thursday, May 19th, we will stay at Kawishiwi Lodge on the shore 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 store the canoes. We will continue on by foot to reach our base campsite for the weekend (Friday-Saturday-Sunday). Expect a 3-4 mile hike depending on the trail clearing progress of the prior crews before our trip.
Saturday and Sunday, 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. Come Monday 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.
-- There is a mandatory safety training and orientation Tuesday evening, April 5, 2022.
-- 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.
--All volunteers must read and sign the BWAC participant liability form, BWAC health & medical self-disclosure form, and the USFS volunteer agreement group signature form.
-- Visit https://www.boundarywaterstrails.org/trip-information
to review required forms and for a suggested gear list.
-- Sample gear list:
https://www.boundarywaterstrails.org/gear-list-for-trail-clearing-backpacking-canoeing-april
COST:
Cost: $25 Meetup registration, (possibly) $20-30 first night bunkhouse cost, and about $15 shared gas cost.
Our trail partner, the U.S. Forest Service, provides the wilderness permit for BWAC volunteer crews. Kawishiwi Lodge generously provide canoes and a discounted bunkhouse for our first night's stay.
SMALL PRINT
Participants will need to sign a liability and photo waiver. The trip is free of pets and tobacco. Subject to BWAC trip rules, i.e. trip leaders can deny participation to anyone for any or no reason.
Thank you for choosing to volunteer with the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee, where safety is our #1 priority.