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.
2024 Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Event
We are feeling energized and full of gratitude after celebrating our 2023 accomplishments and volunteers last night!
We are proud to report a very successful 2023 clearing season with 88 total volunteers safely completing a combined 14 trips. During these trips, crews cleared 13.5 miles to United States Forest Service standard and accrued a whopping 7,297 cumulative volunteer service hours!
Our efforts included work on the Powwow Trail and the Sioux Hustler Trail, and our upcoming clearing seasons will include Eagle Mountain Trail and Brule Lake Trail. Just imagine what we can accomplish together in 2024!
Trips to launch later this month! Stay tuned https://linktr.ee/bwacminnesota
We are feeling energized and full of gratitude after celebrating our 2023 accomplishments and volunteers last night!
We are proud to report a very successful 2023 clearing season with 88 total volunteers safely completing a combined 14 trips. During these trips, crews cleared 13.5 miles to United States Forest Service standard and accrued a whopping 7,297 cumulative volunteer service hours!
Our efforts included work on the Powwow Trail and the Sioux Hustler Trail, and our upcoming clearing seasons will include Eagle Mountain Trail and Brule Lake Trail. Just imagine what we can accomplish together in 2024!
Trips to launch later this month! Stay tuned https://linktr.ee/bwacminnesota
2024 Crew Leader Training in Ely
Our crew leaders are freshly returning from a weekend of training, so they will be ready to bring volunteers into the BWCAW for trail maintenance trips this coming year. Attendees did get away from training from time to time for a little outdoor recreation time too!
Trips will be announced in February, so stay tuned, and grab your spot early. We will be offering trips to Eagle Mountain/Brule Lake Trail, the Powwow Trail, and the Sioux Hustler Trail. These trips will include dayhike, multi-day backpacking, and multi-day canoe-in options. https://linktr.ee/bwacminnesota
Our crew leaders are freshly returning from a weekend of training, so they will be ready to bring volunteers into the BWCAW for trail maintenance trips this coming year. Attendees did get away from training from time to time for a little outdoor recreation time too!
Trips will be announced in February, so stay tuned, and grab your spot early. We will be offering trips to Eagle Mountain/Brule Lake Trail, the Powwow Trail, and the Sioux Hustler Trail. These trips will include dayhike, multi-day backpacking, and multi-day canoe-in options. https://linktr.ee/bwacminnesota
USFS Ranger Jon Benson to be awarded by BWCAW Trail Organization
As a thank you to Ranger Benson for his 15 years of partnership with the volunteer community, BWAC will be presenting Jon Benson with the first ever Mike Manlove Memorial Award. The award will be presented by Mike’s spouse, Rebecca Manlove.
Duluth, MN; October 11, 2023. The Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (“BWAC”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has been restoring, maintaining, and advocating for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness trails for over two decades. In 2022 alone, BWAC volunteers collectively spent 9,475 hours performing volunteer service on trail, equivalent to over $300,000 in wilderness stewardship value to the public good. Much of this work is done thanks to a partnership with the United States Forest Service (USFS) – Superior National Forest. While BWAC is maintained by volunteers, an integral contact for the organization is the USFS assistant district ranger.
Since 2008, Ranger Jon Benson has filled this role at the USFS Tofte Ranger District. With his partnership, guidance, and enthusiasm for maintaining the BWCAW, BWAC has contributed tens of thousands of hours of volunteer work towards maintaining BWCAW trails under Ranger Benson’s purview. This, in turn, furthers the public’s recreational enjoyment of the wilderness while also providing substantial cost savings to the public. As a thank you to Ranger Benson for his 15 years of partnership with the volunteer community, BWAC will be presenting Jon Benson with the first ever Mike Manlove Memorial Award. The award will be presented by Mike’s spouse, Rebecca Manlove.
The award is named after Mike Manlove, a former USFS ranger who was a wonderful partner of BWCAW trail maintenance volunteer organizations in the 1990s and 2000s, prior to his passing in 2007. In his time with the USFS Mike provided constant devotion to and expertise for establishing wilderness trails in the BWCAW—assessing trail layouts, performing back-country rescues, and training trail volunteers. Mike readily partnered with trail clearing and maintaining volunteer organizations to lessen the burden on taxpayers. It is in this spirit of partnership and enthusiasm that Jon Benson was selected for the Mike Manlove Memorial Award.
Please join BWAC in honoring Jon Benson with this first ever Mike Manlove Memorial Award on Monday, October 23, 2023, at 3:30 p.m., at the USFS Duluth office, 8901 Grand Ave Pl, Duluth, MN 55808.
Contact: Martin Kubik, Founder, BWAC
phone 651-214-5849
email martin.kubik@boundarywaterstrail.org
Fall 2023 Crew Member Orientation
We’ve been working hard to prepare our volunteers for fall BWCAW clearing trips. Last night we held our Fall 2023 Orientation and much fun was had by all! ICYMI: see our FB page for the full recording. There are still spots open on our crews - see if one works for you! https://linktr.ee/bwacminnesota.
We’ve been working hard to prepare our volunteers for fall BWCAW clearing trips. Last night we held our Fall 2023 Orientation and much fun was had by all! ICYMI: see our FB page for the full recording. There are still spots open on our crews - see if one works for you! https://linktr.ee/bwacminnesota.
Afton State Park Social Gathering and Picnic
Great times had by all at the BWAC social gathering this month! Fun to catch up with friends outside of trail time. Join our next event August 5!
Great times had by all at the BWAC social gathering this month! Fun to catch up with friends outside of trail time. Join our next event August 5!
Earth Day Overnight Recap
Much fun was had this past weekend at our Earth Day overnight event at William Obrien State Park. We were joined by many friends - some new, some old - despite the below-freezing overnight temps! We talked backpacking gear, adventure, and volunteering safely in the BWCAW.
Much fun was had this past weekend at our Earth Day overnight event at William Obrien State Park. We were joined by many friends - some new, some old - despite the below-freezing overnight temps! We talked backpacking gear, adventure, and volunteering safely in the BWCAW.
2023 Crew Member Training Success!
We were thrilled to have a full house for our Crew Member Orientation in getting volunteers prepped for upcoming spring clearing trips in the BWCAW. If you missed it, the recording is on our FaceBook page.
https://fb.watch/jV4kNELRVq/
We were thrilled to have a full house for our Crew Member Orientation in getting volunteers prepped for upcoming spring clearing trips in the BWCAW. If you missed it, the recording is on our FaceBook page.
2023 BWCA Wilderness Trails Kickoff
On March 25, we joined with trail partners from the Kekekabic Trail and Border Route Trail to talk trails, needs, and all things volunteer work! We are very grateful to our various sponsors for contributing door prizes for attendees, including Piragis Northwoods Company and Trailtopia.
On March 25, we joined with trail partners from the Kekekabic Trail and Border Route Trail to talk trails, needs, and all things volunteer work! We are very grateful to our various sponsors for contributing door prizes for attendees, including Piragis Northwoods Company and Trailtopia.
The group of 30 was treated to a presentation from BJ Kohlstedt, retired Emergency Management Director of Lake County MN. BJ spent a career searching for missing hikers, hunters, canoeists, children, runaways, and people with dementia.
Of note, BJ stresses the importance of using the US National Grid in an emergency to help responders find you more quickly if ever needed. Check it out https://usngcenter.org/
Press Release: Duluth Chapter Events
BWAC News Release 2023
For Immediate Release:
March 21, 2023
Trail clearing workshops to learn about Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness hiking trail work with an opportunity to volunteer on a trip to Eagle Mountain this spring.
Open to the public:
What: Our BWCA Hiking and Backpacking Trails (and what’s in my pack?)
When: Wednesday, April 5, 6-7:30 pm
Place: Frost River, 1910 W. Superior St. Duluth
What: Volunteer wilderness trail safety and standards training
When: Thursday April 20, 6-7:30 pm
Place: Frost River, 1910 W. Superior St. Duluth
——After Training——
Saturday May 6 all day: Eagle Mountain Trail clearing day trip with BWAC and Frost River
Exciting Spring news from the Duluth chapter of the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee.
Thanks to successful work, BWAC was recently given a new opportunity - the responsibility to maintain the Eagle Mountain Trail in Northeast Minnesota. The group is asking you to join them on the trail.
BWAC has been working in the BWCA for the last twenty years to reopen the heavily damaged Powwow Trail. That trail had been ravaged by the Pagami Creek wildfire in 2011. Since that time, BWAC volunteers have been hiking deep into the wilderness to clean up literally thousands of charred deadfalls that blocked the 30 mile hiking trail each spring after winter storms, using only hand saws.
New this year the U.S. Forest Service has expanded the BWA Committee’s charter to do more trail work in the wilderness, the Eagle Mountain and Sioux Hustler trails.
Eagle Mountain is the most visited trail in the Boundary Waters, so it is a privilege that the Forest Service expanded BWAC’s operating area to include Eagle Mountain.
The summit is the highest point in Minnesota and remained unknown until the 1960’s when the peak was discovered as the state’s tallest at 2,301 feet above sea level and only 15 miles from Minnesota’s lowest elevation, Lake Superior at 600 feet.
“Martin Kubik will share photos, maps, stories and more about the Kekekabic, Powwow, Sioux Hustler and Eagle Mountain/Brule Lake trails.”
The April 5 presentation will also include a hiking Mini Workshop: Tiffanie Ellis will show "What's in My Pack", gear and clothing items for a safe day trip in the Boundary Waters wilderness.”
Reporters will like the visual of Tiffanie’s pack.
Presenters Bios:
Martin Kubik is the founder of the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWA Committee) and the Kekekabic Trail Club. He is a lifelong advocate for the BWCAW hiking trails and recipient of several environmental awards. Retired after a 39 year career at 3M Co., Martin enjoys hiking, outdoor adventures and sewing camping gear.
Tiffanie Ellis, is a middle school teacher in Duluth and member of the Duluth Chapter of the BWA Committee. She is an avid BWCAW backpacker and volunteer maintenance crew leader for the BWA Committee.
Rob Bowe has been an avid outdoorsman for several years, exploring the Adirondacks, and Algonquin mountains to desert canyons in Colorado, and now the Boundary Waters and Quetico. He is retired from a 33 year IT career, and teaches Yoga when he's not helping out BWAC.
BWAC - The Boundary Advisory Committee is a nonprofit 501(c)3 volunteer organization with active chapters in Duluth and the Twin Cities. It was founded in 2001 by Martin Kubik who also started the Kekekabic Trail Club. The BWA Committee works under volunteer service agreement with the USDA Forest Service. In 2022 BWAC volunteers contributed more than 9,000 hours worth more than quarter million dollars to maintain the Powwow Trail in the Superior National Forest.
Details on all these events can be found at:
Duluth Chapter of BWAC (Duluth, MN) | Meetup
https://www.meetup.com/Duluth-Chapter-of-BWAC/
For more information:
Press contact: Martin Kubik
Email: martin.kubik@boundarywaterstrails.org
Cell: 651-214-5849 c
Events contact:
Email: duluthchapter@boundarywaterstrails.org