This was a challenging route! It was my first long distance Boundary Waters trip on foot. It was an amazing adventure and ruggedly beautiful. The first 7 or so miles on the Snowbank Trail was somewhat runnable but became more challenging after that. The trail was very overgrown, with short steep climbs following cairns along rocky outcroppings. Absolutely beautiful views of Snowbank and surrounding lakes. Lots of blown down- some harder to pass than others. Refilled water near the portage by Boot lake- there’s a quick flowing stream there. Probably should have filled again at a campsite on the Disappointment trail- there wasn’t much after that. The Kekekabic portion of the loop was much easier to follow and to run occasionally. I think this loop may be best in spring with less overgrowth. Would recommend long tights- tons of brambles and very sharp logs. I saw tons of grouse- they can be very startling! The actual trail is not always in concordance with the map- decent navigational skills and/or following a gps track is helpful. Some intersections are tricky- check often and make sure you’re headed in the correct direction- I made a few ‘scenic detoures’. There’s limited flagging and cairns. No signs until the Kekekabic. I saw some people canoeing and at campsites, but ran solo and carried my food.
Comments
Congrats on a great run!!