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More than 20 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness enthusiasts gathered at a leadership retreat in Ely, last weekend.
The event was the third annual, and the second held at Camp Widjiwagan on Burntside Lake, on the edge of the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in northern Minnesota.
The hosting organization was the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWAC), a nonprofit that restores, maintains, and advocates for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness trails.
The event brought together trail enthusiasts with a variety of years of experience, backgrounds, and leadership skills, with the collective group representing over 200 trips into wilderness areas to clear hiking trails.
The purpose of the multiday training was to highlight safety and leadership practices used by the organization while maintaining trails across the BWCAW.
Attendees also enjoyed the natural wonder and beauty of the BWCAW area, getting outside together to enjoy the snow during breaks. The training also included a visit from United States Forest Service trails and volunteer coordinator Mike Running.
Trails maintained by BWAC, such as the Brule Lake, Eagle Mountain, Powwow, and Sioux Hustler hiking and backpacking trails, together comprise over 70 of the approximately 200 miles of maintained hiking trails in the BWCAW. More information is available at: Boundary Waters Advisory Committee, https://www. boundarywaterstrails.org/ BWAC is holding its annual meeting and volunteer recognition dinner on Feb. 5, at Dakota Lodge in St. Paul, MN, and a Boundary Waters Trails Kickoff on March 29, in partnership with the Border Route Trail Association and the Kekekabic Trail Chapter of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA).
