The Arrowhead Reroute- Guest Post

Doug Boulee

a guest post by Doug Boulee, who recently hiked this section of the NCT

Preparing for my next section hike of the N.C.T., it was found that the Superior Hiking Trail is technically not part of the North Country National Scenic Trail.
When authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1980 the proposed route of the N.C.T. traveled from south of Duluth northwest toward Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Most of that original one hundred miles led through mosquito infested wetlands.


Over two decades of development, it became apparent to the builders, maintainers and hikers of the trail that the original pathway was flawed, passing through undesirable terrain, not suiting the scenic objective on which the trail was founded. The idea to use the Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route Trail and Kekekabic Trail known as the Arrowhead Reroute, was introduced about ten years ago by those
same creators and users. Eventually it became the sensible and assumed route.

There is now hope of introducing a bill to congress that would finally make the five hundred mile Arrowhead Reroute the official pathway of the North Country National Scenic Trail. I would not consider this a merger by any means. It will not be renamed or even relabeled. The Superior Hiking Trail will continue to be built, maintained and managed by the S.H.T. Association and its volunteers to the highest standards that I have just witnessed. In addition, the bill would provide greater resources and funding through the National Park Service.

Putting it simply (to me), this bill will provide a right of passage over an extremely beautiful and scenic pathway. The introduction of this bill, however, is nothing simple and will be a very long process in gathering the support, from both the U.S. Congress and the public to get it passed. For more information and current updates, go to and LIKE facebook.com/ArrowheadReRoute

This segment is mapped by the SHTA, Border Route Trail and Kekekabic Trail

See Superior Hiking Trail Association

Arrowhead Reroute Needs Congressional Introduction Again

Royal River bluff from the Border Route on the Minnesota Arrowhead (photo by jhy)

from Call of the Wild, the newsletter of the Star of the North Chapter of the NCTA

A delegation from the North Country Trail Association— including past NCTA president John Leinen— traveled to Washington, DC in February as part of the Hike the Hill Trails Advocacy Week.

A significant component of NCTA’s message was the Arrowhead Re-route, the legislative effort to change the NCT’s official route in NE Minnesota to include the Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route Trail, and Kekekabic Trail. The trip was fruitful. There appears to be broad bi-partisan support from across the NCT for the Reroute because it is well-supported here and doesn’t involve federal spending.

The NCTA; however, is still waiting for Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-8th District MN) to introduce the Arrowhead Re-route bill in the U.S. House. Senators Klobuchar and Franken have indicated that they will gladly co-introduce the corresponding bill in the U.S. Senate once Rep. Cravaack has taken action.

If you live in Minnesota's 8th District, we encourage you to contact Cravaack’s office in North Branch and to make it known that you support the Re-route and would like to see the Representative take the lead by introducing the bill.

Contact Rep. Cravaack at:
6448 Main Street, Suite 6
North Branch, MN 55056
(651) 237-8220 / 1-888-563-7390 / Fax: (651) 237-8225
https://cravaack.house.gov/contact-me/email-me

See Star of the North Chapter of the NCTA
See Update on Status of the Arrowhead Reroute

Volunteer Opportunity in Minnesota Arrowhead

Howard Beye carrying a Trimble GPS unit (photo by jhy)

from Matt Davis Regional Trail Coordinator for MN & ND, North Country Trail Association

Cory Mensen, the Trails/Volunteer Coordinator (West Zone) for the Superior National Forest writes, "We do not have a survey for the Kek. I am hoping to get a good layer of the Kek this summer if I do I will let you know... If you know of someone hiking one our wilderness trails I can give them a quick training with a Trimble that we have and they can gather some useful information for all of us....

The "Kek" is the Kekekabic Trail, the western portion of the NCT route across the Minnesota Arrowhead, about 45 miles.

Matt adds: "Here is a volunteer opportunity for anyone who is interested in hiking the Kek or Border Route Trail this year. The U.S. Forest Service could really use someone detail-oriented and interested in GPS to record some data on the Trail. They'll provide the training and the GPS unit."

Contact Matt Davis Regional Trail Coordinator for MN & ND, North Country Trail Association

Do You Live in Northeastern Minnesota?

view of the Gooseberry River from the NCT/SHT (photo by jhy)

from Matt Davis, Regional Trail Coordinator for MN & ND, North Country Trail Association

The North Country Trail Association is looking for hikers in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District to contact Rep. Chip Cravaack and ask him to support the North Country National Scenic Trail's (NCT) Arrowhead Re-route by introducing legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Arrowhead Re-route would change the official route of the NCT in northeastern Minnesota and make the Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route Trail, and Kekekabic Trails official components of the NCT - the nation's longest hiking trail.

A small group of NCTA folks met with a staff member from Rep. Cravaack's Minnesota office on Wednesday to introduce the issue and a team will visit his Washington, DC office next month as part of Hike the Hill Trails Advocacy Week. We are hoping that some constituents will contact his office before then and let him know that this issue is important to them and that they'd like him to act.

If you should have any questions about this issue, feel free to contact Bruce Matthews at NCTA HQ at bmatthews@northcountrytrail.org / 1-866-HIKE-NCT.

If you don't live in the 8th District, don't worry. You can help later once the House bill is introduced when we will try to get all of Minnesota's House delegation to sign onto the bill as co-sponsors. Feel free to forward this message onto others who live in the 8th District and would consider making a contact.

Thanks for your support of the North Country Trail!

See Minnesota's 8th Congressional District
status of S553
Contact Matt Davis

National Geographic Chooses SHT - a Best American Adventure

photo by JHY

from National Geographic

National Geographic has just added 50 new trips to the America's Best Adventures feature, raising the total to 100 iconic escapes. These include not only hiking, but biking, paddling, surfing, climbing, etc. Minnesota's Superior Hiking Trail, which is a portion of the North Country Trail, is one such recently added destination.

NG calls the SHT the "best long hike in the country between the Continental Divide and the Appalachian Trail." Reasons for this high praise include ancient mountains, Lake Superior, and forests of birch and aspen mixed with the boreal balsam and spruce.

The wildness of the area and terrain coupled with its proximity to access and services if needed is a winning combination. Over 30 trailheads and 86 free backcountry campsites provide great flexibility for trip planning. One can hike with only a few encounters with civilization, or follow the entire 287-mile trail with a lodge-to-lodge approach.

The article mentions connections with the Border Route and Kekekabic Trails, but sadly, never mentions the NCT. This may be due to the fact that we are all still waiting for official Congressional approval of their inclusion in the North Country Trail route.

This segment is on maps produced by the Superior Hiking Trail Association

See Superior Hiking Trail Association
See Update on the Status of the Arrowhead Reroute

Update on the Status of the Arrowhead Reroute

Lyle Bialk taking in the view from the BRT (photo by JHY)

from Matt Davis, Regional Trail Coordinator, NCTA

I wanted to share the latest on the Arrowhead Re-route legislation's status since it was recently discussed on the post...

We (the NCTA) are hoping that the Senate Bill (S.553, introduced by Sen. Klobuchar) will advance out of the Senate's Energy & Natural Resources Committee early this summer. They should be having a committee markup session in May at which time the bill will be tweaked (to make a necessary change in the language that would not strip the recently obtained wiling seller authority) while amendments *could* be added. Our hope is that no amendments that could have negative impacts to the National Trails System will be added like those added to the House bill (H.R. 481) in Committee markup. We will be watching it closely and we do have an ally sitting on the Committee in Senator Stabenow from Michigan. So, we're hopeful the political shenanigans won't strike again.

Eventually, S. 553 and H.R. 481 would either need to be reconciled in conference committee (if passed by their respective full chambers) where the negative amendments could be stripped out *OR* the Arrowhead Re-route legislation could be included in another piece of omnibus legislation like 2009's omnibus public lands bill.

At this point, it's important to get U.S. Senators from other North Country Trail states (Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York) to sign on as co-sponsors. So far, we only have Minnesota's two Senators, Wisconsin's Feingold, and Michigan's two Senators on board. We've been told that having a Republican on board will help greatly so we're targeting Sen. Voinovich of Ohio and hoping that our Buckeye Trail folks will help us out with him. If there are any Hiker members from these states please help us. If you are from MN or MI and know of hikers and/or NCT supporters in WI, OH, PA, or NY please ask them to make some contacts.

We are hoping that this will FINALLY happen in 2010 and that we will be able to celebrate with a big, public ceremony on the SHT in Duluth...complete with a ribbon cutting by Senator Klobuchar and Rep. Oberstar.

See NCTA Arrowhead info

Al Franken Signs on to Arrowhead Reroute

if you like this article, click the Blip chiclet!
from a news article at BigNews.biz

“The North Country National Scenic Trail is one of this country’s greatest assets,” said Sen. Franken. “It’s time we include Minnesota’s Arrowhead officially as part of its authorized route.”

Senator Al Franken, Minnesota, has officially become a co-sponsor of the bill to make the "Arrowhead Reroute" an actual part of the North Country Trail. The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) Route Adjustment Act of 2009 (S. 553) was introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. This action is needed since this route is considered a significant deviation from the original Minnesota route of the trail.

The Arrowhead Route follows the Superior Hiking Trail up the north shore of Lake Superior, crosses near the Canadian border on the Border Route and Kekekabic Trails, and then will return to Grand Rapids, Minnesota and the Chippewa National Forest.

See Support the Arrowhead Reroute

Support the Arrowhead Reroute

Royal River bluff on the MN Arrowhead (photo by JHY)

if you like this article, click the Blip chiclet!
from Bruce Matthews, NCTA Executive Director

We've got some movement in Congress on the Arrowhead re-route legislation--please help us get this over the top in 2010! Find out how below....

Support S. 553--Need YOUR Senators to co-sponsor!

The members of our North Country Trail community- our red plaid nation- have long cherished the notion that the world class hiking in northeastern Minnesota on the Superior Hiking Trail along the north shore, and on the Border Route and Kekekabic Trails through the Boundary Waters (together known as the Arrowhead Route) was worthy of inclusion as part of the North Country National Scenic Trail. However this requires an act of Congress- literally- to make it so.

Currently two bills are pending in this Congress, HR 481 and S. 553. Both would authorize the Arrowhead as part of the NCNST. HR 481 has been reported out of committee, but with two amendments that could be problematic. Consequently our efforts are now focused on getting a clean Senate version through the Environment and Natural Resources Committee in hopes this will be the version eventually passed and signed into law.

What we need you to do:
S.553 was introduced by Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and is currently co-sponsored by Senators Levin and Stabenow (both MI) and Senator Feingold (WI). We need all 14 Senators from our North Country Trail states to sign on as co-sponsors. Please contact your Senator(s) and request their support of S.553, the North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act of 2009.

Fax, e-mail or phone call works best. Simply support their joining the rest of their NCNST Senate colleagues in signing onto S. 553 as a co-sponsor.

Next steps will be getting the bill through the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which we hope will be scheduled in early 2010. We'll keep you posted.

See the Senate Bill Find your Senator

Connections on the Mesabi Trail

typical Mesabi Trail (photo by JHY)

by JHY

I've almost connected the back portion of the Minnesota Arrowhead from the Chippewa NF to the Kekakabic Trailhead east of Ely. We have 2 1/2 hiking days left. Today is a day off, with a morning at an internet cafe, so I'm trying to do a post. About half of the distance can be hiked on the Mesabi Trail, a paved multi-use trail. It's not ideal, but it's better than a road walk, and some parts are very pretty. It have met walkers, bicyclists, roller bladers and a lady being pushed in a wheelchair who uses it every day.

partially reclaimed mine land (photo by JHY)

The trail follows the Mesabi Iron Range on Minnesota and has one basic industry- iron mining. Almost every hill is a artificial pile of red rocks, and almost every lake is an old mining pit. Yet there is a real beauty in the landscape. The mining companies are working hard to do better and improve their image and provide recreational facilities for people in the area. The Mesabi trail is about 40% rail trail and 60% on other land, which may be mining land, so it is not often the flat, straight boring surface of many paved trails.

trailheadsign (photo by JHY)

Each town has a trailhead, with a kiosk and an archway with the town name. There is still a lot of work to be done, including completing a lot more miles to the north. It's not ideal for the North Country National Scenic Trail, but it is certainly a viable alternative to a pure roadwalk for now.

red breasted nuthatch (photo by JHY)

We've seen a lot of small wildlife, some quite close, which has been fun. Here's a red-breasted nuthatch.

I've posted this from an internet cafe, but we have to scoot. Really soon. Total miles of NCT, almost 3850 now! Still hikin'!

Hiking the Minnesota Arrowhead

Marie Altenau and Ed Morse on a rocky overlook (photo by JHY)

by JHY

What an awesome hike! I think that we managed to hit the very best time to hike the Minnesota Arrowhead on the northern Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route and Kekekabic Trails. Despite all the horror stories that we have been told, we were able to follow the compacted treadway over the entire 133 miles of the hike.

For all but the Kekekabic Trail we were treated several times a day to rocky outcrops, usually with great views. However, the weather was cold and damp for most of the first 10 days. All those nights were below freezing, and one of the days we walked in snow and a cold wind all day. The picture below is attractive, but we longed for some warmer weather. And before the end of the trip we did seem to really encounter spring.

fog rising between the ridges (photo by JHY)

All along the Border Route the scenery is just incredible. The views just never seem to stop. The lakes that form the boundary between the US and Canada are stretched below the trail.

JHY overlooking the US-Canadian border from the Border Route Trail (photo by RMA)

One of the most fun things that happened was that we encountered Matt Davis leading a group of hikers on the Kekekabic Trail coming west to east. We stopped and chatted with them for about an hour! Believe it or not, we met more hikers on this remote section of trail than we have ever met on any of our other NCT hikes.

See My Quality Day for more details from the hike.

Hike the Hill 2009 Advocated for the Big Three

Hike the Hill attendees 2008 (photo from the American Hiking Society)

from the North Country Trail Association and the American Hiking Society

Each year in February the American Hiking Society hosts a week in Washington, DC called "Hike the Hill." This year the Partnership for the National Trails System co-hosted the Trails Advocacy Week.

Trail advocates from the four corners of the country meet to pool their experiences, learn strategies for lobbying and then to advocate with legislators for increased funding, promotion and protection of trails.

Specific issues that were important to the North Country Trail delegation this year include the Arrowhead Reroute, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and Willing Seller. These are all topics that just don't seem to go away, but we keep pressing for action.

The priority for NCTA's advocacy has for some time been focused on obtaining the Congressional approval required for the North Country Trail re-route in northeastern Minnesota. The re-route proposes to substitute the original 80 miles of bog walk from Remer to Jay Cook State Park with 500 miles of premier hiking and backpacking through the Boundary Waters and along the north shore of Lake Superior, using the existing Border Route, Kekekabic and Superior Hiking Trails. Congressman Oberstar has reintroduced his bill to re-route the NCNST in his district as HR 481. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced the Senate companion bill as S.553. Critical right now is obtaining as many co-sponsors for these bills as possible. Without this demonstration of broader interest these bills will stagnate in committee. As of this date there are no co-sponsors. Please contact your legislators!

The NCNST is one of only 9 trails in the National Trails System lacking the authority for its managing agency (National Park Service in NCNST's case) to purchase private lands from willing sellers. Legislation to correct this was introduced in both House and Senate in this 111th Congress. It passed the Senate, but was defeated (as reported earlier) in the House under a suspension of the rules. It may yet be brought to a vote in the House a second time

Since 1965 the Land and Water Conservation Fund has enabled federal and state governments to acquire lands for recreation and conserve critical habitats and wild areas. Funding comes from offshore oil and gas leases. The LWCF has had a huge impact on conservation and recreation in the U.S. But it is not reaching its potential, either for the North Country Trail or in general. Current law only permits the National Park Service to use LWCF funds, channeled through the state, in Wisconsin, to acquire ownership or easement of lands for the North Country Trail. We've asked Congress to include language in the Department of the Interior appropriations that expands this authority to all 7 of the NCNST's states. And we've asked for an allocation of $2 million for that purpose.

Of course, an increase in general funding for the trail is always an issue. In these days of millions here and there for all kinds of projects, this 4600 mile national trail continues to limp along with under $750,000 a year in federal funding.

See American Hiking Society Hike the Hill 2009
See Willing Seller Fact Sheet
See LWCF Fact Sheet
See Arrowhead Reroute Info

Minnesotans- Support the Arrowhead!

hikers in the Boundary Waters (photo by J Young)

from Matt Davis, NCTA Regional Trail Coordinator- MN and ND

Minnesotans needed to Contact our Congress people to encourage their support for the North Country Trail's Arrowhead Re-Route legislation

If you have not heard of "the Arrowhead Re-route," you may be wondering, "What the heck is it?" Simply put, it is an effort to change the official route of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) in northeastern Minnesota. The re-route will incorporate outstanding Minnesota "Northwoods" scenery and encompasses almost 400 miles of existing trails, including the Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route Trail, and Kekekabic Trail. Additionally, 150-200 miles of new trail will need to be constructed in Itasca, St. Louis, and Lake Counties between the end of the Kekekabic Trail and the existing North Country Trail within the Chippewa National Forest in Cass County. The Superior Hiking Trail Association is already working on connecting with the NCNST at the Wisconsin border by Jay Cooke State Park.

Couple the fact that the Arrowhead Re-Route will take the North Country Trail through world-class scenery on existing trails with the fact that only 100 additional trail miles (compared to the original route directly from Remer to Jay Cooke State Park) would have to be built and this is a "no-brainer." It is supported by local governments, all of our agency partners, and the trail groups in Minnesota. We only lack the federal legislation to make it official.

Congressman Oberstar (MN-7th District) has recently introduced H.R. 481, the North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act of 2009. Please make your voice heard! Let your Congressperson know that you support the Arrowhead Re-Route and that you want to see H.R. 481 passed. We also need Senator Klobuchar to introduce a companion bill in the Senate and to see it passed in the Senate!

If you've never done it, it's easy to contact your Representative and Senator via their websites. Go to Write your Rep and put in your Zip code and visit to contact Senator Klobuchar. Of course, you can also call their DC office or any of their offices here in MN or use the good old reliable USPS.

For more information or if you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact me at (701) 388-1883 or Matt Davis.