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More than 70 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilder- ness enthusiasts gathered at a ‘Spring Crew Member Orientation and Safety Training’ Tuesday in Bloomington, MN.
The hosting organiza- tion was the Boundary Wa ters Advisory Committee (BWAC), a nonprofit that restores, maintains, and advocates for BWCA trails.
The event marked a return to REI - Bloomington after being held virtually and at other locations throughout the metro for a number of years.
BWAC’s orientation and safety training events are held twice per year preceding the trail-clearing seasons, once each spring and fall. Each orientation and safety training brings together trail enthusiasts with a variety of years of ex - perience, backgrounds, and leadership skills to learn and be reminded how to safely and effectively participate in trail-clearing trips in the wilderness area. This week’s training highlighted leaveno- trace principles, safety, and what to expect while volunteering on the trails this spring.
Trails being maintained by BWAC this spring, in- cluding the Powwow, Eagle Mountain, Brule Lake, and Sioux-Hustler hiking and backpacking trails, together comprise over 70 of the approximately 200 miles of maintained hiking trails in the BWCAW. More informa- tion is available at: Boundary Waters Advisory Committee: https://www.boundarywater -
strails.org/ To learn more about
BWAC in person, consider stopping by its booth at REI - Roseville on April 21, and joining the second annual BWAC Spring Hike and Camp overnight event from April 27 to April 28 at Cleary Lake Regional Park.
Attendees look on as presenters prepare them for upcoming trips to the BWCA.
