Border Route Trail Clearing Trips

trail work on the BRT (photo from the BRTA)

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a news release of the Border Route Trail Association

The "Big Blow" on July 4, 1999 wreaked havoc on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness by toppling trees along entire ridgelines and consequently had a big impact on hiking trails in the area. The Border Route Trail has been cleared of the deadfalls related to that storm, but as a consequence of the lack of a tree canopy, brush such as Alder, Poplar, Thimble, and Raspberry thrives around and in the trail bed. And of course, trees continue to fall on the trail.

Every year in the Spring and Fall, we welcome members and non-members alike, to join us to help maintain this gem of a trail. Non-mechanized trips using two-person cross-cut saws and nippers take place on the trail where it is inside the BWCAW. Mechanized trips utilizing chain saws and brush cutters take place on the other areas of the trail. Beginners and experienced people are welcome. If you don’t like the idea of running equipment, there is always a need for people to throw the cut brush and deadfalls off of the trail.

2010 Trips:
South Lake, May 6-9 or extend it to May 13 or May 16. The South Lake trip is planned to accommodate participants that wish to volunteer for more than a weekend. Thursday (6th) evening the group will drive up to the Rockwood Lodge and stay in a bunkhouse Thursday night. Friday they will hike in on the South Lake Trail clearing the wilderness section of the South Lake Trail on the way in. Camp will be set up on South Lake. Clearing will continue on the BRT with deadfall and brushing.

Partridge Lake, May 13-16. Thursday (13th) evening the group will drive up to the Rockwood Lodge and stay in a bunkhouse Thursday night. Friday they will canoe in to a campsite on Partridge Lake. Clearing on the BRT with deadfall and brushing.

Duncan Lake, May 13-16, and May 20-23. Thursday (13th) evening the group will drive up to the Rockwood Lodge and stay in a bunkhouse Thursday night. Friday they will canoe in to a campsite on Duncan Lake. Clearing on the BRT with deadfall and brushing.

trail work crew on the BRT (photo from the BRTA)

Gunflint, April 29- May 2, mechanized trip. We'll be clearing winter dead falls from the Gunflint Section of the BRT. You'll enjoy the unsurpassed scenics, great food, hot showers, and camaraderie that can't be beat. Scenic highlights will include Magnetic Rock, the Gunflint High Cliffs, the South Rim, and Bridal Falls on the BRT plus the magnificent stands of old growth cedar on the Brice-Breon Trail. This trip is open to both beginners and experienced hands.

Gunflint/ Otter Lake, April 29- May 9, mechanized trip. This trip will be a part of the Gunflint Cliffs trip for the first weekend and join the Pigeon River Cliffs trip for the second weekend. This trip will include reconnaissance of some possible new sections of trail.

Otter Lake, May 6-9. This trip leaves from the Roseville REI Thursday after work, driving up the North Shore to the lovely Otter Lake campsite on the east end of the BRT. Our work will focus on a dead-fall sweep of the entire 13.2 miles of the eastern end of the trail, with brushing as needed.

See Border Route Trail Association for complete details.