Proud Moments: Kekekabic Trail

PROUD MOMENTS,

VOLUNTEERS KEEP TRAILS OPEN FOR EVERYONE

I’ve been addicted to trail clearing for several years now. Maybe it’s connecting with nature, or the people with whom I’ve worked. Maybe it’s the fresh air or the stunning, yet simple beauty of the pristine landscape. I cannot pick just one reason because each one alone is enough to keep me going back to the millionacre wilderness that is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). Year after year I leave behind the comforts of home to help keep the Kekekabic Trail open.

Th e Kek, as it is aff ectionately called, is a challenging 41-mile footpath through the heart of the BWCA. Because it’s a part of the 4,600-mile North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT), the longest continuous hiking trail in the United States, maintenance of the Kek is coordinated through the Kekekabic Trail Chapter (KTC) of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) and the National Forest Service (NFS).

Trail clearing requires the use of lightweight, good quality pruning tools such as loppers and silky saws, small handsaws with aggressive teeth. Tackling large, fallen trees requires a bit more human—or machine-power, but within the BWCA power tools are not allowed. When a large tree falls across a trail, there are a few non-powered options to consider. One alternative is to cut the tree with handsaws. Two-person saws, called crosscut saws, are still in use in the BWCA. Another way is to fi nd a spot where hikers can climb over or shimmy under the fallen tree. Th e trail can also just be re-routed around the obstacle, not an easy task in areas of storm-driven blow down. During the July 4, 1999 BWCACanadian derecho, almost half a million acres of old growth trees were fl attened by 90-mph straight-line winds. Clearing and re-routing trails in this area has taken years.

Keeping the Kek open can be challenging because of its remoteness. Mother Nature does her job well, which means existing trails, especially ones like the Kek need persistent care to keep them open, because they don’t receive the foot traffi c needed to keep emerging vegetation down. Th e NFS and members of the KTC do much of the work, but they need volunteers to make a daunting task achievable. During recent Kek clearing trips, some notoriously damp areas seemed wetter, even permanently flooded and aff ected paths have been rerouted onto higher ground. Be it climate change or just a season or two with more rain than usual, weather and climate will always be a factor, but dedicated maintenance is what keeps trails open for all to enjoy.

Camping and working in the wilderness means carrying everything on your back, from food and bedding to loppers and pruners. You need to be alert and prepared for wildlife encounters, inclement weather, cuts, scrapes, stings, and burns, and anything else for which there’s no nearby Walgreens or basement for protection. Cell service is sketchy at best in the BWCA and you have to be prepared for emergencies. Th at’s why going with people experienced in remote hiking, camping, and trail clearing is essential, and only highly experienced leaders can guide volunteer groups.

In spite of these challenges, trail clearing in the BWCA is extremely rewarding. Th e fresh air is intoxicating. Th e exercise is fun. Nature is pristine. After dinner, our groups always gather for stretching exercises and lying on the ground, looking up at the dark, star-fi lled sky is spectacular. Th e thrill of adventure, teamwork, satisfaction, challenges, and camaraderie of volunteer trail clearing in the BWCA cannot be overstated. It’s a great way to see new trails, visit and learn about protected wilderness areas, acquire camping, hiking, canoeing and portaging skills you never had, or just have a great outdoor experience.

I’ve hiked the Kek end-to-end twice now and easily navigating areas of that trail that I helped clear or re-route were proud moments.

By Sara J Campbell

Sara is from St. Louis, MO but has lived in MN since graduating college in Northfi eld. Growing up, her parents deeply believed in the benefi t of fresh air, sending

Sara and her siblings outside to play from sun-up to sun-down, no matter the weather. From this she learned to love the outdoors, and has never looked back.

Matt Davis photo

Julie Campbell photo