I ran the Snowbank Lake Trail clockwise on the afternoon of Saturday, November 15th. Clear skies, sunshine and high temps in the low 40s made it impossible to resist the call of BWCAW trails. I drove up from Duluth, stopping at the Two Harbors Kwik Trip to load up on essentials, including Wiley Wallaby licorice and Red Bull.
Ice was forming in the protected waters along the route and the winds were cold and strong out of the northwest, whipping up whitecaps on Snowbank. Not a good day to be paddling on the water, but it was almost perfect conditions on the trail with tread visibility the best I'd experienced this autumn. As with my October FKT of the Snowbank-Disappointment Loop, I saw no people but plenty of grouse.
Different from other long BWCAW runs, I left my hydration bladder at home and opted for two handhelds (h2o) and two soft flasks (caf Tailwind), stopping to filter water at the Boot Lake portage and again at a water crossing on the Kekekabic. Also unusual for me, I left my trekking poles behind to keep my hands free for constant snacking and sipping. It was necessary to lighten my pack weight and never stop moving if I was going to race Henry Carlson's ghost.
For those who want to check this route out, here are some hints.
The technical aspects and navigation on the north side of the loop makes a clockwise approach a no brainer. Even with your legs and brain tired, it's easy to crank on the relatively smooth and more maintained sections of the Kek and make up some time. A late season attempt makes most sense, after understory vegetation is frost killed and unbridged water crossings are more dry.
I'm always packing for these runs as if I have to self-rescue after a sprain or break. Given the short daylength, I packed for the possibility I could be out past dark and stuck in cold temps. My running vest held long underwear and track pants as well as a long-sleeve quarter zip and hooded windbreaker, two lighters for firestarting, and two headlamps as well as an emergency bivy and Zoleo satellite communicator. I ran in shorts, a wool long-sleeve shirt, and gloves.
My thanks to John Pierce and Peter Taylor for introducing me to this route the Summer of 2013 and to Henry Carlson for submitting an ass-kicker of a time to beat.