Volunteer for Fall BWCA Ski Trail Clearing

Join the "Banadad Beavers" for a Work Weekend clearing the summer's accumulation of brush and downed trees and bridge replacement projects along the Banadad Ski Trail. Most of the Banadad is located within the BWCA, where the use of power equipment for maintenance is prohibited. As a result, just to get the trail open for skiing each year requires some 600-650 hours of hand labor. Your help is needed!

This Fall's Trail Clearing Weekend Schedule

• October 4 – Saturday work all-day; Reduced rate lodging available through Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B.

• October 9-12 – Sponsor, Adventure Vacations, a Twin Cities based touring company- for more information contact Karen at 651-644—0333 or 866-910-0300

• October 11- Saturday work all day; Reduced rate lodging available through Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B.

• October 23-26 Sponsor, North Star Ski Touring Club for more information contact Tom Rice tjr@rhys.net.

• November 6-9 Sponsor Minnehaha Academy Ski team; also open on Saturday, November 8 to others. Work all day; Reduced rate lodging available through Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B

• November 15 - Saturday work all-day; Reduced rate lodging available Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B.

All volunteers receive special reduced lodging rates at Poplar Creek Guesthouse or at the Banadad Yurts and free parking along the Banadad Ski Trail during the 2008-09 Ski Season.

For more information view - Boundary Country Trekking or call 800-322-8327.

Following the trail clearing the east end of the Banadad is normally open for skiing with the first good snow- sometime near the end of November. However the entire Banadad and the Croft Yurt is not available until about mid-December.

FALL COLORS BEGINNING ALONG THE TRAIL

Gunflint Trail- The fall season colors are just beginning to get underway along the Gunflint. The moose maple and some of the aspen and birch are starting to turn. Peak color season should arrive sometime within the next couple of weeks.

INN TO INN FALL COLORS TOUR - ELY TO THE GUNLINT AROUND THE EDGE OF THE BWCA WILDERNESS

Grand Marais, MN- Scenic Fall Drive Around the BWCA--Ely to the Gunflint Trail by "the secret backroads" with two B & B's as Bookends-- Spend two nights at Ely's Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast, located on South Farm Lake at the Western Gateway to the Boundary Waters. Then drive from Ely to the Gunflint Trail's Poplar Creek Guesthouse B& B along the southern border of the BWCA via the scenic backroads. Picnic beside a remote picturesque lake or creek enroute. The leaf color season runs from mid September through mid October, but varies in timing in different areas of the forest and along Lake Superior. The autumn Boundary Waters colors are spectacular!

Halfway between Ely and the Gunflint you can take-in one of Minnesota's must remote taverns- the Trestle Inn.

According to Poplar Creek Guesthouse owner, Barbara Young, "In the fall when we can get away from our B&B we often travel these back roads ourselves. These roads are known by the 'locals' but traveled by few others. The fall colors along these roads are truly beautiful. With this program we hope to share this beauty with others."

Josie Milan, co-manager of the Blue Heron, states that she is "Very excited about the edge of the Boundary Waters tour. In fact," she continues, "I took this back roads trip from Ely to the Gunflint myself a few years ago and it is truly beautiful.

Inn to Inn Ely to the Gunflint fall tours can be scheduled by simply making one phone call to either the Blue Heron at 218-365-4720 or Poplar Creek Guesthouse at 800-322-8327. Additional information about this program is available by clicking on packages then scrolling down to "Inn to Inn around the BWCA-Ely to the Gunflint Trail."

Forest Service Lifts fire Restriction

USFS-The decision was made at 12:00 noon, today, Wednesday, September 3, 2008, to lift current restrictions and to allow the use of campfires, charcoal, and wood-burning camp stoves in the blowdown area in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) at any time of the day. At the same time the Border Route Trail system and the Kekekabic Trail will re-open for public use.

A combination of recent precipitation, cooler temperatures, and shorter days has reduced the potential for human-caused fires. The outlook is for a continuing trend with chances of rain every few days now for the next 7-10 days.

Visitors are still urged to use care with campfires, and as always, they are encouraged to use gas or propane cook stoves to reduce impacts to the Wilderness.