I'm off this weekend to do some trail recon on the Border Route Trail. Over 2 days 2 groups will do the section from Caribou Lodge to Loon Lake. Should be some good hiking.

Good to hear. About a month ago I picked up the guide book for the trail and have started reading it. Definatly sounds like a more challenging trail then I have been on yet. Please let us know anything you find out. Thanks much.

Well, we went on the trip and found the trail in a terrible mess. We paddled in to Stairway Portage from Hungry Jack Outfitters while the other group hiked in from Clearwater Lodge. They then paddled out. We hiked to the South Lake Trail and exited there.
For both groups the blow down areas were completely overgrown. Bushes and small trees stood about 5 feet tall and obscured the trail. We couldn't even see the the tread in most parts. I fell once when I stepped into a hole. We had to feel for slippery rocks and roots. Luckily my trail dog led and we could follow him.It took us about 7 hours to go 8 miles.
So, we changed Sunday's hike to outside the BW. That trail was only about 5 miles with at least 20 waist high step overs and a couple crawl unders. We lost the trail a couple of times and had to order the dog to find it. It rained on us for about 2 hours Sunday.
Over all it was a great weekend for BW hiking. I had such a good time that I've signed up for 2 clearing trips this fall.

Sounds like ya had a great time. From your description of the trail, I don't honestly know if I could hike this one. Were you relying totally on the dog to find the trail again, or did you have to pull out the old compass a couple thousand times? Maybe I should sign up for a trail clearing trip to get a feel for the whole path.

There definitely is a tread there, it just can't always be seen. It is also the path of least resistance as there is not a lot of stuff on the ground. The dog was the primary leader as he was under the leaves and he stayed on the tread. I had a compass which I didn't even take out and the crew leader had a GPS which we didn't use. Over all those are good but the trail bends and the map can't show you were it goes in the next 100 ft. It takes a lot of feel.

I think I'm getting it. The path you describe sounds very similar to the path on Isle Royale from Feldtmann Lake to Siskiwit Bay. A lot of it is on a ridge, but then it goes into a swamp land for 4 or 5 miles. Lots of wild parsnip growing over my head and everything had grown over, so you could only see the tread for 4 feet in front of ya.

I understand what you say by "it takes a lot of feel."

Good Dog!