Good News for Hikers in the BWCA

Martin Kubik is determined to see the 27-mile long Powow Trail open for hiking. The trail travels through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and was damaged during the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire. The trail is near Isabella and while the USFS has attempted to clear it a couple of times the rapid growth and large number of blackened trees that continue to fall across the path are alot to keep up with. Last spring alone Kubik’s volunteers counted more than 5000 fallen trees over the trail.

Keeping a hiking trail open in the wilderness demands a great effort. Martin Kubik has arranged volunteer trips into the wilderness to clear the trail by hand. No power tools are allowed so the work is slow and difficult.  Crews this spring cleared the first 6 miles of the trail and  according to an article written by Dan Kraker for MPR, “Kubik hopes to recruit more volunteers to clear the remaining 21 miles of trail in time for the 40th anniversary of the passage of the wilderness act next summer.”

Here’s wishing him success and plenty of volunteers to get the trail cleared. I look forward to being able to hike it sometime soon.

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