Up in Smoke: A Sioux Hustler Trail Project

The goal: Paddle into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) with a small team to clear a very remote section of the Sioux Hustler Trail. This is a 30-mile loop that requires stewardship from several groups such as the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee and Wilderness Volunteers, and Friends of the Superior National Forest was excited to be part of this work. We were tasked with clearing the trail from Heritage Creek to Pageant Lake.

The team: Friends of the Superior National Forest's Wilderness Project Coordinate Dan Wilder was joined by two incredible volunteers, each with a ton of experience.

Our crew at Fenske Lake Campground

The team left around noon on July 9 for a 4-night basecamp, but it was going to be a long paddle to get to their site. Distant fires were burning, but there was no immediate cause for concern.

Until there was.

The same day the crew paddled into the BWCAW, the Sioux Fire began. By the time the crew checked in via satellite communicator that evening, paddlers were already being told to evacuate the area. The Sioux Hustler Trail was soon officially closed, and the following morning, having just gotten settled into the campsite, the team had to pack up and begin the arduous nine-mile paddle back to their entry point.

Distant fires were about to get not-so-distant. Photo by Dan Wilder.

Although the team did not make it to the section of the Sioux Hustler Trail they intended to steward, on their way into and out of the area, they were able to accomplish some important work, including:

• 1 dead birch tree felled

• 1 tree removed from the Devil's Cascade Portage

• 2 campsites maintained

• 2 fire grates cleaned

• 3 latrines assessed and reported to the U.S. Forest Service
  

  

  Photo by Dan Wilder

The team returned safely to the entrypoint around sunset on the day after going in. According to Dan Wilder, "Their flexibility, teamwork, and positive attitudes turned an unexpected evacuation into a rewarding stewardship experience."

We're incredibly grateful for our volunteers during what turned into a much more stressful trip than anticipated. We also wish to extend a huge thank-you to Tom Yankowiak with the U.S. Forest Service for helping us to assess the situation so we could relay messages to our team.

The fires impacting the Superior National Forest have made national news this summer, and the impact to the forest is severe. We're still planning some work in the BWCAW this summer - hopefully without an evacuation this time - and we'd love to have you join us.