Searched online for an hour and I can't find when PMA's were first created. Could not find any dating in the laws of the BWCAW. Does anyone have any info on the year they were created? Also, finding the exact rules is tedious. On the Us Forest Service website it says to contact one of the Superior National Forest Offices and lists no links to rules or other info.

Heard back from Rich at Superior National Forest headquarters in Duluth. PMA's as they exist were created in 1993.

Can't recall seeing rules in a while. They ask for LNT practice, of course. And getting the free permit allows for records of use in those areas. I think they recommend that one does not use existing trails or campsites (probably with the idea of allowing those to grow over), but I tend to follow traces of trail, where they occur, and the likely campsites are the ones that would tend to be used... one time I did not, because it had a whopping big dead jack pine over the obvious tent spot.

MidwestFirecraft: "Searched online for an hour and I can't find when PMA's were first created. Could not find any dating in the laws of the BWCAW. Does anyone have any info on the year they were created? Also, finding the exact rules is tedious. On the Us Forest Service website it says to contact one of the Superior National Forest Offices and lists no links to rules or other info."

Brochure pics with rules

I was most interested in the year they were created so I could know what year maps would have accurate portages. I was having a really hard time find any 80's maps. Thankfully two members here kindly gave me many of the maps for the PMA's. Very helpful people on this forum.

MidwestFirecraft: "I was most interested in the year they were created so I could know what year maps would have accurate portages. I was having a really hard time find any 80's maps. Thankfully two members here kindly gave me many of the maps for the PMA's. Very helpful people on this forum. "

Interested in sharing?

I was asked by those who gave them to me not to post them. Honestly the most helpful resource for me has been BWCA Wild PMA
This combined with his youtube channel where you can see the bushwacks and old campsites has been priceless. BWCA Wild

Hopefully this is as helpful to you as it has been to me.

Well that's a bummer....
Could you reach out to them and see if they would be willing to share with a fellow enthusiast, 10year member of this forum, 30+ trips, and a genuine BW soul :)