Boundary Waters Advisory Committee
309 Cedar Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55454
February 6, 2015
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
US Senator
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Boundary Waters Canoe Area WildernessPow Wow Trail Needs Your Help
Dear Senator Klobuchar:
I was inspired by your speech, involvement, and commitment you showed at the North Country Trail Annual Meeting in Duluth this past August. I want to thank you for your commitment to one of Minnesota’s greatest resources.
I am writing on behalf of the undersigned organizations to ask you to support saving the historic POW WOW Trail in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
The POW WOW Trail was built shortly after passage of the BWCA Wilderness Act of 1978, sponsored by California's Rep. Phillip Burton and Minnesota’s Rep. Bruce Vento. The POW WOW Trail represents 1/6th of the long distance miles of hiking trails in the BWCAW, and is one of only 2 multi-day loop trails in the BWCAW with its roots in Minnesota’s logging days gone by.The Pow Wow Trail was built as a direct result of the BWCA Wilderness Act of 1978, and as a wilderness trail it is irreplaceable outside of the wilderness. Because of its loop alignment, the Pow Wow Trail is a fabulous feature of the BWCAW. This makes it a popular destination for experienced weekend hikers and is, in fact, one of the favorite trails for many.
During the Pagami Creek fire of 2011, 95% of the trail was burned. After the fire, the United States Forest Service (USFS) proposed abandoning the trail altogether as they have done in the past. It is our hope that the Forest Service will preserve the trail for future generations instead of focusing on temporary difficulties in maintenance or considering building a “comparable” trail outside the BWCAW.
The trail is still considered ‘open’ by the USFS but there are currently over 2,000 tree falls on the trail and only 2 out of 14 campsites have remained open which means that hikers have no established place to camp. (See photos) Before the fire there were 30-40 overnight permits issued yearly to hike the trail but last year only 3 permits were issued. Hikers need the USFS to 1.) Clear and mark the trail, 2.) Restore all of the campsites destroyed by the Pagami Creek Fire. We were led to believe by representatives of the USFS in a meeting on November 1, 2012 held at Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis that this would happen.
Although technically still open, it is not practical to hike the trail and even the USFS discourages hikers from using it. The USFS has a history of closing trails based on usage, and we fear that is their plan for the POW WOW Trail.
BWCAW trails are a unique resource for which there is no parallel for hundreds of miles east or west of Minnesota. Hikers cherished the POW WOW Trail because of its solitude, remoteness and its campsites are generally inaccessible by canoers. Yes, it needs work, but it can eventually be returned to full function. There are few hiking trails in the BWCAW. Should this trail be closed, we feel it would be nearly impossible to get permission to re-open, and therefore lost to our future generations. For this reason, we urge you to support the trail.Volunteers are eager to assist the USFS with the long-term maintenance of the Pow Wow Trail but they cannot tackle the re-opening due to the scope of the work.
Please help us by asking the USFS Superior National Forest to restore this incredible resource by putting a higher priority on clearing the trail and re-establishing the camp sites. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Martin Kubik
President, Boundary Waters Advisory Committee
Primary contact
651-214-5849 cell
(preferred contact method)
John Elliott,
President, Border Route Trail Association
Mark Stange
President, Kekekabic Trail Club
Barry Shillingford
President, Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club
Matt Davis, Regional Trail Coordinator, Minnesota – North Dakota
North Country Trail Association
Lori Andresen
Save Our Sky Blue Waters
Kevin Ginnever,
Acting President, 3M Club Outdoor Club
Holly Jenkins
President, Wilderness in City
cc: Tom Tidwell, Chief of the USFS
Chip Weber, Acting Forest Supervisor, Superior National Forest
Enclosure: Trail map / Photographs
Boundary Waters Advisory Committee
309 Cedar Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55454
February 6, 2015
The Honorable Rick Nolan
US House of Representative
2366 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Boundary Waters Canoe Area WildernessPow Wow Trail Needs Your Help
Dear Congressman Nolan:
I was inspired by your speech, involvement, and commitment you showed at the North Country Trail Annual Meeting in Duluth this past August. I want the thank you again for the photo-op and acknowledging the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee Volunteer of Year, Lynn Schwartz, at the Annual Meeting.
I am writing on behalf of the undersigned organizations to ask you to support saving the historic POW WOW Trail in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
The POW WOW Trail was built shortly after passage of the BWCA Wilderness Act of 1978, sponsored by California's Rep. Phillip Burton and Minnesota’s Rep. Bruce Vento. The POW WOW Trail represents 1/6th of the long distance miles of hiking trails in the BWCAW, and is one of only 2 multi-day loop trails in the BWCAW with its roots in Minnesota’s logging days gone by.The Pow Wow Trail was built as a direct result of the BWCA Wilderness Act of 1978, and as a wilderness trail it is irreplaceable outside of the wilderness. Because of its loop alignment, the Pow Wow Trail is a fabulous feature of the BWCAW. This makes it a popular destination for experienced weekend hikers and is, in fact, one of the favorite trails for many.
During the Pagami Creek fire of 2011, 95% of the trail was burned. After the fire, the United States Forest Service (USFS) proposed abandoning the trail altogether as they have done in the past. It is our hope that the Forest Service will preserve the trail for future generations instead of focusing on temporary difficulties in maintenance or considering building a “comparable” trail outside the BWCAW.
The trail is still considered ‘open’ by the USFS but there are currently over 2,000 tree falls on the trail and only 2 out of 14 campsites have remained open which means that hikers have no established place to camp. (See photos) Before the fire there were 30-40 overnight permits issued yearly to hike the trail but last year only 3 permits were issued. Hikers need the USFS to 1.) Clear and mark the trail, 2.) Restore all of the campsites destroyed by the Pagami Creek Fire. We were led to believe by representatives of the USFS in a meeting on November 1, 2012 held at Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis that this would happen.
Although technically still open, it is not practical to hike the trail and even the USFS discourages hikers from using it. The USFS has a history of closing trails based on usage, and we fear that is their plan for the POW WOW Trail.
BWCAW trails are a unique resource for which there is no parallel for hundreds of miles east or west of Minnesota. Hikers cherished the POW WOW Trail because of its solitude, remoteness and its campsites are generally inaccessible by canoers. Yes, it needs work, but it can eventually be returned to full function. There are few hiking trails in the BWCAW. Should this trail be closed, we feel it would be nearly impossible to get permission to re-open, and therefore lost to our future generations. For this reason, we urge you to support the trail.Volunteers are eager to assist the USFS with the long-term maintenance of the Pow Wow Trail but they cannot tackle the re-opening due to the scope of the work.
Please help us by asking the USFS Superior National Forest to restore this incredible resource by putting a higher priority on clearing the trail and re-establishing the camp sites. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Martin Kubik
President, Boundary Waters Advisory Committee
Primary contact
651-214-5849 cell
(preferred contact method)
John Elliott,
President, Border Route Trail Association
Mark Stange
President, Kekekabic Trail Club
Barry Shillingford
President, Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club
Matt Davis, Regional Trail Coordinator, Minnesota – North Dakota
North Country Trail Association
Lori Andresen
Save Our Sky Blue Waters
Kevin Ginnever,
Acting President, 3M Club Outdoor Club
Holly Jenkins
President, Wilderness in City
cc: Tom Tidwell, Chief of the USFS
Chip Weber, Acting Forest Supervisor, Superior National Forest
Enclosure: Trail map / Photographs