THE HUNGRY BEAVER

June 1997       50 cents per copy        Volume 8, Number Seven 

IN THIS ISSUE

• Summer Party . . . . . . . . . . . 1
• Eagle Service Project . . . . . . 1
• Meeting Minutes . . . . . . . . . .2
• BLT Revisited . . . . . . . . . . . .4
• Too Much Publicity?. . . . . . 4
• Hike on the Kek . . . . . . . . . .4
• Kek- Strup Adventure . . . . . 5
• A Bit of Humor . . . . . . . . . . 5
• Memorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
• Gear Report . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

KTC Summer Party and Volunteer Celebration Day!!! by Mike Wash

Who's invited: All KTC members and 1997 MWTA / KTC trip participants. RSVP by JULY 21. When:Saturday, August 2nd-3rd. Noon to 5 p.m. Extends to Sunday morning for overnight campers. Where: Afton State Park Activities: Swimming, boating, hiking, volleyball, mountain biking (self planning). A pot luck dinner will be at approximately 5 p.m. The KTC will supply hamburgers and brats!! Special Event: With the help of the Minnesota Orienteering Club, we will set up an orienteering course in the park (open from noon to 4 p.m.). So bring your hiking boots and long pants, and your compass, of course. This is a great opportunity to practice (and learn) orienteering skills. Cost: Daily State Park fee (approx. $4.00). And bring something for the pot luck! Camping: The KTC has reserved campsites for people who wish to camp Saturday night. Campsites are pack in only, at a minimum of a 3/4 mile hike. Camping is free, but you need to RSVP.

To RSVP (by JULY 21) for the party and overnight camping (or if you want to help organize or assist in this event), call Cristy Faltinosky @ (h) 612-926-0779 or (w) 612-343-0510.

Boy Scout Completes Eagle Service Project on the Kek

by Mike Walsh

If any KTC member has hiked the Kek in the last few years, and has camped on the Moiyaka and Medas Lake sites, they have found the old wooden latrines a challenge similar to the Lulu Lake Beaver Dam. One false move and...

On the weekend of June 13-15, Justin Hirsch changed all of that. On a trip accompanied by his father Glen, and myself, Justin replaced the wooden box latrines on the Medas and Moiyaka campsites to fulfill his Eagle Scout Award service project requirements.

The project required that Justin plan and coordinate all of the trip details. He made the arrangements with Mike Manlove of the Forest Service to coordinate the tools and details of the work involved in the project. In addition to this, Justin planned the trip route, and the meals for our group. And successfully, I might add.

We departed the Twin Cities at 8 a.m. Friday morning, and after securing the tools and final instructions at the Forest Service Station in Ely, we embarked via canoe from the Snowbank Lake public landing around 2 p.m. in the afternoon. We made our base camp on Ashub Lake, as all of the campsites on Disappointment were occupied.

Around 7 a.m. the following day, we set out for the Kekekabic Trail. We cached our canoe off Disappointment Lake, and picked up the loop trail that goes around the lake. We arrived at the Medas and Moiyaka sites in the late morning, and proceeded to try to find the cache of latrines hauled out via dogsled the previous winter.

We quickly found out that most of the work on this project would be locating the latrines. The information that was furnished to us was akin to a treasure map; with an "X" marking the location of the "treasure". After over 3 hours of bushwhacking, Justin finally found the cache of 2 latrines hanging from a tree along the Moiyaka shoreline, about a 1/4 mile down the Old Pines Loop Trail. Lunch and a refreshing swim in Medas Lake was the next order of business.

It took us approximately 5 hours to do the work, which included brushing a new trail to the Moiyaka latrine. The old trail was so overgrown that previous campers had actually flagged the path to the latrine! A hike back to our canoe in the early evening found us startling a moose just before the Lulu beaver dam.

Leaving Sunday also found us with much work ahead. A very strong head wind made travel by canoe slow and difficult across Disappointment and Snowbank Lakes.

We arrived back at the Snowbank landing at about 5:30 p.m. After a hot shower (compliments of Tom and Woods Outfitters), we celebrated with a steak dinner at Cranberries in Ely.

Justin and his dad certainly have a new appreciation for the work that goes into maintaining the BWCAW latrines. And I believe that they have gained a sense of respect, as well as personal ownership, of the historic Kekekabic Trail.

Justin Hirsch is a Boy Scout in troop 64, sponsored by the Richfield United Methodist Church.

Monthly Membership Meeting of June 10, 1997

Eastern Mountain Sports, Roseville Minnesota Mike Walsh, Presiding Pat Duerr, Recording Attendance: 10

Mike Walsh and Justin Bodie showed slide presentations of the Kekekabic Trail.

The May monthly meeting minutes were approved.

Trail Committee by Derrick Passe

All trails were cleared with the exception of a 5-mile section of the Kek between Thomas and Medas. * Justin Hirsch and 2 other Boy Scouts areschedul ed to go up and install new latrines on Medas and Moiyaka campsites this weekend to fulfill their Eagle Scout Award service requirements. Mike Walsh will be going up with them and is looking for another KTC member to go along. The section between Thomas and Medas could be cleared at the same time. John Koffski is a good suspect for this trip. * Returned trip surveys indicate that participants enjoyed most of the trips, but did not favor the bad weather and fatigue on others. Trail Committee will meet on June 24 to review the 1997 trips and to identify areas for improvement. All crew leaders, participants, and KTC members are encouraged to attend. This meeting will be held at Jim Luadtke's house.

Membership Committee by Joe Hendershot

Updated renewal letters reflect availability of the Kekekabic Trail Guide. There is some confusion as to the scheduling of the mailing of the renewal notices. Joe agreed to look into this. * Justin Bodie is helping Joe conduct non-renewal interviews. Preliminary findings indicate that most members just forget to respond, or are undecided on renewal.

Derrick Passe suggested a renewal option for multiple ( 3+) years. Mike indicated that we need a better system for handling the annual allocation of the money before we could do this. * Joe reported that we would like to investigate exchanging membership lists with other organizations. Mike Walsh has agreed to contact our Minnesota Wilderness Trails Alliance (MWTA) partners, and the Minnesota Orienteering Club. * It was suggested that we make our BWCA outfitting partners and businesses complimentary members. Mike indicated that they already receive complimentary monthly newsletters.

Justin Bodie has agreed to send out thank you letters to the BWCA outfitters that lodged, supplied, and supported our work crews

President's Report by Mike Walsh

The National Trails Day celebration at Eagle Mountain was a success. Jo Barnier, Duane Cihlar, and Steve Schug attended from the Forest Service. Jo Barnier spoke on behalf of the USFS, and talked about the new policy of issuing day permits into the BWCAW as part of the management plan. These self-issuing day permits are posted at our BWCAW trailhead kiosks. Re-education is a struggle, as we witnessed hikers entering the trails without even looking at the kiosk. Joe Barnier felt that we need to evaluate visitor usage on the current trail before considering an additional route to the Eagle Mountain. She indicated that this process will take a couple of years. Dave Williams of Bear Track Outfitting Co. spoke about the history of Eagle Mountain. A hike to the summit concluded the afternoon events. Approximately 15 KTC members attended the event. Special kudos to Neal Chapman for making the boardwalk repairs on Friday, and for re-painting the Minnesota Historical Society plaque on the summit. The USFS supplied the materials for making the repairs. Mike Walsh has laminated volunteer acknowledgements to be posted at our trailhead kiosks. * Eight people hiked the Brule Lake Trail on Sunday. The trail was reported difficult to find. This currently abandoned trail is a ideal alternate route to the Eagle Mountain trail. The hike, led by Martin Kubik, was reported a success. * The summer party on August 2nd will be held at Afton State Park. Mike Walsh, Dan Marquardt, and Cristy Faltinosky are planning the event. Our annual meeting date may change due to a conflict with Gunflint Lodge. October 3-5 is possibly the new date.

President's Corner

June seems to have passed with the blink of an eye. Although our "formal" trips were behind us, much activity kept our volunteers busy throughout the month of June.

We began the month with our National Trails Day celebration on Saturday the 7th at the Eagle Mountain Trail. It was refreshing to see the new KTC kiosk at the trailhead (thanks, Bear!). The event was well attended by almost 20 KTC members, as well as Jo Barnier, Duane Cihlar, and Steve Schug from the Forest Service and Dave Williams of Bear Track Outfitting Co. Dave's peek into the history of Eagle Mountain, as well as the contrasting realities of today, set the tone for the afternoon discussions. While Dave spoke of the logging activities in the 1930's, we watched hikers marching up the trail, unaware of the self-issuing BWCAW permit box at the kiosk.

While it is a joy to get a glimpse into the history of our trails, it is just as essential we understand what is happening today, and what we need to do to preserve our wilderness. One thing the Forest Service has implemented in the last year is the self-issuing permit stations located at all BWCAW entry points for day use visitors. It was obvious after being at the Eagle Mountain trailhead for our NTD celebration that most trail users were unaware of the self-issuing day permit system.

As a fellow member of the Kekekabic Trail club, I ask you to remind people to fill out these day-use BWCAW permits when hiking our trails. Why? Because this tells us how much our trails are being used. Plus it gives the wilderness trails of the BWCAW a voice.

In closing, I would just like to acknowledge the contributions of KTC member Neal Chapman. Not only did he brave the bugs and repaired a section of the Eagle Mountain boardwalk on NTD weekend, but he also repainted the sign at the summit erected by the Minnesota Historical Society.

Have a great July, and see you at our August 2nd party in Afton State Park!

To contact Mike Walsh: (D) 612-631-3110 (E) 612-436-5819 or Email: mwalsh1@earthlink.net

Board of Directors Meeting of June 10, 1997 Eastern Mountain Sports, Roseville, Minnesota

Mike Walsh, Presiding Sandy Brezinski, Recording Attendance: 4

Annual Meeting by Mike Walsh

Bruce Kerfoot of the Gunflint Lodge wrote Chad letting him know that another group is booked to stay at the lodge the same weekend as we had scheduled the Annual Meeting. We will need to pick another weekend such as Sept. 19-21 or Oct. 3-5. A motion was passed favoring Oct. 3-5. Chad has a speaker for the meeting. Sandy will remind him to write an article about it.

Nominating Committee by Ed Hastreiter

Mike sent Ed a list of possible candidates. The committee will contact them. Ed will send Mike a list of expectations the KTC will have of every nominee so we can review them. Mike will send Ed a list of duties of the various club functions. Ed and Mike will work on interview contents. Mike will create a flow chart of club functions. Ed will submit an article to the HB which will include bios of each person and make a ballot before the Annual Meeting for insertion in the Sept. HB.

Treasury Report by Mike Walsh

The balance in the checkbook is $6440.70. Half of the trips are paid for. The guides are selling well and there is only about 30 left of the original 300 printed. Since there is money in the bank we need to talk about investing it. Sharon Koolmo is looking into investing it at Riverside Bank. Possible ways to spend it are Pow Wow Trail brochure, printing the Training Manual, new display, new membership brochure possibly changed to list the Guide as a premium for $100 membership level. Before approving these expenditures, we need to find out how much each of them cost.

Membership Committee by Joe Hendershot

We need to get lists of possible names to send brochures to. Joe's company will sponsor one of the mailings but it would be nice to get more sponsors.

Mike Walsh is coordinating with the president of the Minnesota Orienteering Club to set up a partnership with them.

Questionnaire Results by Mike Walsh

Mike passed around the results of the questionnaire which was sent with the April HB to all KTC members. The results showed that most members joined the KTC because of a belief in the club's mission and would most like to see the KTC increase education and awareness of the backpacking trails in the SNF. Also, most would not mind having the monthly meetings at different locations. Another conclusion was that people didn't feel it was absolutely necessary to have a newsletter every month as long as they were kept informed of events and activities. In light of this, since more help is needed with the newsletter, we talked about possibly making the newsletter short (4 pgs. rather than 6 pgs.) except in Feb., Apr., Aug., and Dec. to cut down on the amount of work. We will continue discussing this issue.

Volunteer Spotlight

by Martin Kubik

Neal Chapman volunteered to answer the KTC (800) 818-HIKE number. He is taking over from Mike Walsh who temporarily filled in.

Mike Walsh presented a slide show about the Kekekabic Trail at Midwest Mountaineering during NTD week.

Mike Manlove arranged a professional illustrator for the KTC-USFS Volunteer Manual. The illustrator will sketch USFS trail standards and proper trail clearing techniques.

Derrick Passe and Martin Kubik distributed "Hike the Kek" brochures in the Gunflint Trail area. We were pleased when the resort owners spoke highly of the work done by Kekekabic Trail Club volunteers. Martin Kubik presented "The Unforgiving Kekekabic Trail" at the Boundary Conference Center/Gunflint Lodge.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

• Harry Benson, Maple Grove
• Michael J. Boland, Red Wing
• Deane Curtin, St. Peter
• Judy Fisher, Jesup, IA
• Heston's Lodge, Grand Marais
• John Honebrink, Roseville
• Annette Jung, St. Paul
• Scott Manson, Woodbury
• Bob Maurer, Bettles, AK
• John T. McManus, Minneapolis
• Darcy Neumann, Fargo, ND
• Pat O'Regan, Eagan
• Wayne Pulford Duluth
• Phil Radtke, Shoreview
• Jeffrey Sheehan, Shakopee
• Cpt. Lisa D. Shodean, Edina
• Jean Morris Trumbauer, Minneapolis

Hike on the Kekekabic

by Bruce Wheelright

Hiking the whole trail Is a quest that will not fail. In the BWCA for 5 days Through the wooded maze. Over hills, roots and stone without answering a phone. The trail's fascinating history unless explored remains a mystery.

Join us Aug. 29th to Sept. 4th, 5 days on the Kekekabic Trail and see the giant saw blade by Disappointment Lake. Cross the famous bridge constructed with hand tools in 1993 by John Koffski and Ed Woolverton from the club who helped build it from wood that was hauled in with a dog sled. Pass a couple of locations near Mine Lake and Harness Lake where there were fires. Notice how a fire is not all bad with the new growth. Don't forget the famous bear trap.

I know the passion I feel and the love I have for the outdoors when I'm in the Boundary Waters. We have about 8-9 people already registered. There is room for 18 total. Call and register-experience what I feel.

To register, contact Bruce Wheelright at (612) 405-9371 or write to: Bruce Wheelright 3902 S. Valley View Dr. #307 Eagan, MN 55122

Food and transportation along with miscellaneous expenses will be approximately $60 for the whole trip. Food on the way up and back will be at your own expense. Registration fee is $50 to hold your spot. Make your check payable to Bruce Wheelright and send it to him at the above address. Sign-up deadline is August 1st which is coming up soon! a Kekekabic Trail Hike Registration Form

Name _________________________________ Home Phone ( ) ________________

Address _______________________________ Work Phone ( ) _______________

City, State, Zip ______________________________________

Amount enclosed: ____________

Send to above address by August 1st.

1997 Kek Trail Clearing at Disappointment Lake

by Ken Brown

Our 9-person crew was assigned to clear from the east fork of the Benzie Loop on the Kek to Medas Lake-a lot of trail to cover in a day and a half. Only two from our group had done BWCAW trail clearing in the past.

After a night lodging at Sommers BSA Canoe Base and a hardy breakfast at 7 a.m. Saturday morning, the canoes arrived at the Snowbank boat access (our jumping-off point) at 8:30. The weather on Saturday was perfect "t-shirt weather." After an easy paddle across Snowbank and Disappointment Lakes, the planned campsite was taken by a group of Vermilion students doing trail clearing on the Old Pines Loop as part of a class project. So we camped a little further away from the Kek. After setting up camp and lunch we were on the trail hiking south around the east shore of Disappointment to join up with the Kek (30 minute hike). Saturday afternoon we cleared east to Medas and only experienced light tree fall work. After taking a break on the rocks at Medas we hiked back and arrived at camp at 6 p.m. A long first day.

Sunday morning greeted us with light rain and much cooler temperatures. To get back to Snowbank by 2 p.m. left limited work time available, but our diligent crew still was able to clear about two-thirds of the section from the fork at the Kek to the Benzie Loop.

After a morning of hiking and working in the rain, we got back to camp at 11:00, skipped lunch, and packed up. The canoe trip across Disappointment and portage went smoothly in the rain. The excitement started with the canoe trip across Snowbank. The portage at Snowbank sits back in a bay that we soon realized sheltered the wind. Once out on Snowbank it was a bone chilling driving rain with some white caps on the lake. A canoe trip that took 30 minutes on Saturday, took an hour and a half of hard work with risk.

We did make it back to the boat access at 2:00 with everyone glad to be off the lake and heading back to Sommers for a hot shower, dry clothes and then hot food in Ely.

As we drove out of Ely, the snow started. A Mother's Day weekend we'll all remember for a long time (warm t-shirt weather one day, and snow the next). In hindsight we were all glad the trip wasn't a 3-day trip where we would have had to endure the 3 inches of snow the BWCAW received Sunday night.

BLT Revisited

by Derrick Passe

No, I don't mean Bacon Lettuce and Tomato, BLT stands for the Brule Lake Trail. Revisited indicates that this story is about two trips with vastly different results.

In August 1989, I traveled up to the BWCA with my friend, Jean, and my dog, Nanook. The goal of our trip was the Eagle Mountain Trail. Jean had never been camping before so this was her introduction to the great outdoors. Visiting the highest point in Minnesota seemed to be a great start. The USFS map that I had said that the Eagle Mountain Trail was 9 miles long. This trail extended from the trailhead to Brule Lake, with a spur trail to the top of Eagle Mountain, or so I thought. What I had stumbled onto was the Brule Lake Trail. The Eagle Mountain Trail as it is now known is 3 miles long from the trailhead to the top of Eagle Mountain (and a spur trail to Brule Lake). While we were at the top of Eagle Mountain we bushwhacked around to the West Side and spotted the Fire Tower at Brule Lake. We decided to take a quick hike over there the next morning to check out the view.

We broke camp and stashed our packs at the split in the trail for Brule Lake. We had our McKenzie map, compass, bug dope, and a pint of water. The trail started out fine, generally traveling downhill for the first and half mile until it came to a swamp. We left the trail to keep to high ground at the edge of the swamp. We continued along trying to keep just uphill of the swamp, looking for where the trail came out again. After a while I consulted my compass and determined that we had to turn west to try to find the trail again. It sounded better than telling Jean that I didn't know where we were. We crossed a stream near a lake that resembled a position on the map. We followed the edge of the Lake looking for signs of a trail. We had no luck and realized that we were completely lost when we came back to the very place that we had stopped to fill our water bottle from the lake. I got a west bearing on my compass. It was easy this time because the sun was there to show me the way. We exited the BWCA into a clear-cut. Fortunately, the logging road lead straight west. The traveling got considerably easier, but after 8-10 hours of bushwhacking, bugs, and bogs, we were both suffering from exhaustion and dehydration.

Emerging from the woods at the Brule Lake Road, we were faced with the dilemma of hiking back to our car at Eagle Mountain. As fortune would have it, a shuttle vehicle from Sawbill Outfitters came from Brule Lake. They stopped to assist us and agreed to give us a ride back to our car even though that meant going out of their way.

It was completely dark before we were able to retrieve our packs from Whale Lake.

This trip helped to prepare me for my return to the BLT. (What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.)

Next month I will describe how the trail should be hiked.

Gear Report-Quick Drying Pants: Worth the Money?

by Martin Kubik

(Several people suggested that we write a gear report. While we do not have the resources of large magazines to undertake a full-fledged evaluation, we will let you know when we come across a product that deserves a mention).

Last summer I added some new apparel to my outdoor wardrobe, a pair of EMS Pinnacle Performance Clothing quick drying pants. Since then I have had the opportunity to try them out on several trips. When you put these pants on it feels like you have nothing on, they feel very, very light. They have elastic waist and good size cargo pockets for maps, bug dope and the like. Another handy feature is a sewed in plastic clip for the car keys. Last summer I ended up wading up to my thighs (sometimes slightly higher) in a river while taking a classic Kubik "shortcut" from Lake One to Lake Two (next time take the portage, instead of the river). After several hours in water we finally emerged on Lake Two in late afternoon sun and started paddling back. Two hours later, we moseyed by the Kawishiwi Lodge to the Lake One landing. My quick drying pants were completely dry.

As a former wool fanatic, I was impressed. One minor drawback was that the threads in the pockets unraveled only after one or two washings. I re-sewed the stitching in less than five minutes rather than take a trip back to the store, and the pants are none worse for it.

The best feature of the pants is that they dry very quickly. Another great feature is the lightness of the pants and the high abrasion and tear resistance. The pants will keep you the coolest in warm weather (unless you want to wear shorts, lot of bug dope, and look all scratched up like Justin B. on the Brule Lake Trip). However, this is specialty clothing and the price reflects that. The pants will set you back about $65; less if you wait for club day discount. I definitely recommend them. a

Kek: Too Much Publicity?

by Martin Kubik

Recently, I received an e-mail from a hiker, who praised our efforts, but also expressed concern about the amount of publicity the Kek has received, and its effect on trail solitude. I have heard many good arguments in favor of not publicizing the Kek or other BWCAW trails. None of us want to see the day when we would have to wait for a permit to hike on the Kekekabic Trail. To evaluate the effect of publicity, we have to look back to the history of the KTC, USFS policies, and how our partnership with the USFS affected KTC efforts.

In the 1980's, maintenance of the Kek ceased and trail use declined dramatically. In 1990, I proposed that the USFS fly a small group of volunteers by seaplane into Kekekabic Lake. The crew could then clear the trail to the trailhead (or perish in the wilderness). The USFS turned down the proposal, and we had to recruit larger numbers of volunteers to hike or canoe in to clear the trail.

When the trails were difficult to follow and people were getting lost, we asked the USFS to continue some marking on the trails. But, USFS policy states that marking of any sort is not appropriate on wilderness trails. Instead, the USFS advocated user education.

Following the USFS recommendation, the KTC has worked in partnership with the USFS to improve the education of BWCAW visitors. We teach volunteers principles of leave-no-trace camping. We GPS'ed several trails so that new, more accurate trail maps could be printed. Taking education a step further, we published a "Hike the Kek" brochure, which is coveted by USFS and visitor centers at Ely and Grand Marais. Angela Anderson and I wrote the "Kek Guide" to assist the hiking population to negotiate the Kek and be able to return with a quality wilderness experience. The publicity in the media is a result of many KTC efforts, and a reflection on the commitment and hard work of our volunteers.

Is publicity affecting the trails? Yes, but very slowly. USFS statistics reveal that the number of permits for the Kek peaked in 1978 with about 450 permits issued annually, and bottomed out in 1990 at 64 permits. Since then, use has gradually increased to 158 permits in 1995, 30 percent of the 1970's level. Based on these statistics, I do not think that over crowding will occur on the Kek in the foreseeable future. If marking had been allowed on the Kekekabic Trail, and if trails in existence prior to the 1993 BWCAW Management Plan were not taken off the inventory, I would not have written the Kek Guide, nor called attention to endangered trails in the BWCAW. And our efforts would be less newsworthy.

When we venture onto wilderness trails in pursuit of solitude, we take it away from others who are trying to do the same. Next time you meet other backpackers, remember that without our efforts there would be no encounters on trails that vanished and more backpackers would be crowding fewer trails. My hope is for productive partnership with the USFS and for our capacity to share the majestic wilderness.

KTC Member Charlie Ingman Remembered

On December 13, 1996 a good friend and fellow hiker, Charles Ingman, was killed in a tragic auto accident. Since we hiked the Kekekabic Trail together, I thought it appropriate that a memorial should be given to the Kekekabic Trail Club. My wife Doris and our family felt this would be the most deserving place to give a memorial since Charlie spent numerous visits on this trail.

Thank you, Gary Eichmeyer, Mankato, Minnesota (enclosed $25 check)

(Editor's note: I remember talking with Charlie Ingman three years ago or so. Charlie called and inquired about the new GPS maps. We sent him a set and he became a KTC member. /Martin Kubik)

KEK Home Page on the Internet - 1000 visitors http://205.243.221.9/

The KTC home page on the internet has about 100 visitors per week. What's on the page? You will find the KTC newsletter, trail description, Bill's photo report from trail clearing trips, order form for the Kek Guide, and even the volunteer manual. Our goal is to provide a gallery of trails with pictures, trailhead information and descriptions. Thank you Bill Kellerman and Tom Stephens for your willingness to maintain the page.

The Kek-Strup Adventure

by Ann Solawetz

On Friday, May 16th, our group consisting of five men and one woman met in St. Paul and drove up to comfortable accommodations at Tom & Woods Outfitters on Moose Lake. The next morning, after a tow to the Birch Lake portage, we canoed through near perfect weather all the way to the Strup Lake hiking campsite on the Kek Trail.

Sunday morning, we awoke to bright skies and the sounds of woodpeckers, chickadees, and the ruffed grouse beating its wings. There also was evidence that another creature had been with us that night. Kevin's pack with a bottle containing Kool Aid attached had been dragged across camp. The punctures through the thick plastic Nalgene bottle were the signature of a bear. (And perhaps a good reason to buy a Lexan bottle next time?) That day's work was very productive. We cleared 4.5 miles, from just east of Whist Lake to the Harness Lake campsite. Several otters were observed frolicking in the waters of Harness Lake. That night, a small perch was also caught from shore on Strup Lake.

Monday's work only required half the day, clearing from our camp west 2 miles to the Bear Trap and the remaining portion east of the camp. The weather was intermittent between sun and rain. A moose was seen in the woods by two people. Dinner was an enjoyable combination of burritos with Stove-Top stuffing and a freshly prepared cherry cheesecake.

While canoeing on Tuesday to Disappointment Lake, the skies vacillated abruptly between sunny and cloudy with hail at least a dozen times. A school of large trout was spotted in the channel between Fraser and Thomas lakes. Later, numerous beavers passed in front of our camp on Disappointment Lake, dragging logs or stopping to nibble sticks on shore. Under a nearly full moon, an approximately 2.5 foot pike lunged at the worm on my line just 2 feet off shore, then surfaced and dove ripping the hook and bobber in its rapid escape.

Our last day began with observation of a friendly beaver munching grass by the fire grate. He or she was quite uninhibited by our presence. After a large breakfast of delicious fried bagels and hot cereal, we canoed through fair skies to Snowbank Lake. Back at Tom & Woods, we enjoyed showers, followed by lunch and a little shopping in Ely.

The weather and wildlife of the Northwoods hold many surprises in the Spring. It felt great to be part of a group that accomplished so much in so little time, due to the team spirit and positive attitudes within the group.

A Bit of Humor

Sent to Bruce Anderson by Ralph Pribble of the Rovers

Actual comments received in 1996 from the Bridger Wilderness (Bridger-Teton National Forest) registration sheets and comment cards:

• Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands.
• Instead of a permit system or regulations, the Forest Service needs to reduce world-wide population growth to limit the number of visitors to wilderness.
• Ban walking sticks in wilderness. Hikers that use walking sticks are more likely to chase animals.
• All the mile markers are missing this year.
• Found a smoldering cigarette left by a horse.
• Trail needs to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill.
• Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests.
• Please pave the trails so they can be plowed of snow during the winter.
• Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them.
• The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals.
• A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call ___ ___ ____.
• Reflectors need to be placed on trees every 50 feet so people can hike at night with flashlights.
• Escalators would help on steep uphill sections.
• Need more signs to keep area pristine.
• A McDonald's would be nice at the trailhead.
• The places where trails do not exist are not well marked.
• I brought lots of sandwich makings, but forgot bread. If you have extra bread, leave it in the yellow tent at V lake.
• Too many rocks in the mountains.

PLEASE NOTE:

The KTC Annual Meeting date has been changed from September 26 - 28 to OCTOBER 3 - 5, 1997.

1-800-818-HIKE

Volunteers dedicated to maintaining the backpacking trails of the 
Superior National Forest. 
1627 West County Rd. B, Suite B 
Roseville, Minnesota 55113 

KTC Internet Home Page: http://205.243.221.9/

Deadline for the HB June issue is Fri. July18.

Send articles to: (1) E-mail: sandyb@ibm.net OR (2) Sandra Brezinski, HB Editor c/o Kekekabic Trail Club 1627 Co. Rd. B., Suite B Roseville, MN 55113

A KTC membership makes a good gift

If you requested information about the KTC or trail clearing trips, you will receive one complimentary copy of the Hungry Beaver. To stay on our mailing list, fill out the membership form.

Don't miss a single issue of news on the hiking trails in the BWCA Wilderness!

ANNUAL CLUB MEMBERSHIP: 
Individual - $20 Family - $35 Sustaining - $50 Trail Guardian - $100 
(Use membership application elsewhere in this newsletter.) 
KTC MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM 
Name _______________________________________________________________ 
Home Phone ( ) _________________ 
Address _______________________________________________________________ 
Work Phone ( ) _________________ 
City, State, Zip _______________________________________ 
E-mail: _______________________________ 
YES, sign me up at the following Annual Membership Level 
(all levels include a 1-year subscription to the Hungry Beaver)
 ______ $20 Individual 
______ $35 Family 
______ $50 Sustaining 
(Includes your choice of a 3-map set of the Kekekabic Trail 
OR a KTC T-shirt-indicate below) 
______ $100 or more Trail Guardian 
(Includes both a 3-map set of the Kekekabic Trail 
AND a KTC T-shirt-indicate below) 
_____Yes, send me a 3-map set of the Kekekabic Trail! 
_____Yes, send me a KTC T-shirt! 
Circle shirt size: SM MED LG XL
 ______ Special gift TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED 
Gift membership 
from: ____________________________________________________ 
Return this form with your check made payable to: 
Kekekabic Trail Club, 1627 West County Rd. B., Suite B, 
Roseville, MN 55113 The KTC is a nonprofit, 
charitable organization under 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
 Contributions are tax deductible. 

KTC - 178 MEMBERS STRONG!

* Boldface indicates new additions or changes to the calendar.