- Estimated Cost: $40
- Deposit: $40
- Max Trip Size: 6 people
Become involved in one of the most fun and rewarding aspects of trails by helping to locate new sites for the Portage Brook Bridge & Campsite.
Here is a chance to get involved by helping to scout and finalize the new crossing point for the Portage Brook Bridge and do layout for the connections from the present BRT to both sides of the new bridge site. We also want to find a better location for the Portage Brook campsite and if successful, lay out a spur trail to the new site.
We’ll be car camping at the Otter Lake campsite a bit short of 1 1/2 mi from the P.B Bridge site. If time permits, we’ll also do a BRT recon hike from the Otter Lake Cutoff/BRT junction past the 270 Overlook and down the hill to the eastern Trailhead of the BRT at the Swamp River Bridge. We can then measure the amount of boardwalk or gravel fill needed at the beginning of the BRT. If short of time, we’ll drive to the trailhead from our campsite.
In the process, you’ll find out what goes into doing new layout, one of the most fun, not to mention important, parts of building new trail.
This trip will be limited to 6 people and 2 cars. We’ll be hiking with day packs. Assuming that the bridge is still functional, we won’t have to wade across the stream but will expect to find some amount of water on the Crab Lake Cutoff trail plus on the BRT alongside Portage Brook. Waterproof your boots and bring extra socks.
We normally stop for dinner in Duluth at Sir Benedict’s on the way up and back. I’ll take care of breakfasts, lunches, and Friday evening meal. We’ll drive into the Hovland Deli for the Saturday evening meal.
Trip cost will be roughly $35 to $40 plus a contribution to the drivers towards their car expenses.
We’ll check with the MN/DNR in Grand Marais beforehand to make sure that the Otter Lake Rd is passable since it tends to have culvert washout problems in the spring.
This event is also listed with Friends of the Border Route Trail and Active Outdoors-Duluth/Superior Meetup Groups as well as posted on the event pages of the Border Route Trail Association and Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club websites.