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Taking a short lunch break are from L-R: Joe Mundell, John Storkamp and Tim Lupfer.
After a long winter and one minute of spring John Storkamp had plenty of reasons to be worried about the Superior Hiking Trail, which is used for the Spring Superior trail races that he directs.
Were the trails too wet? What about blowdowns? Is the trail covered with brush? Just what kind of shape was the trail in?
So, John gathered some volunteers and did some trail clearing to get ready for the race(s) this Saturday, May 20.
It’s one thing to host a trail race; it’s another thing altogether to race direct and clear the darn trail of blowdowns and brush, loose rock, and any impediment to a runner/hiker. For John Storkamp, clearing the Superior Hiking trail is just part of his job, which he does enthusiastically and exceedingly well as the race director of the spring and fall races.
Last Saturday, a group of volunteers led by Storkamp, who ran a chainsaw and pulled his share of brush and logs off the trail, cleared the Superior hiking trail from Lutsen to the Caribou Trail, over 60 hours of labor.
Wildflowers along the trail.
Storkamp split the volunteers into two groups. One started in Lutsen, and one started just off of the Caribou Trail, and they met in the middle. The day was perfect, with no bugs and warm but not hot. The views from the tops of the hills were spectacular.
Unfortunately, I had to turn back just before halfway to hike back to my car so I could get to my second job. It was a great day with a great crew of hardy, happy people. It couldn’t have been better.
In the group from Lutsen towards Caribou Trail was Joseph Altendahl – Sawyer, Christine Olson – Sawyer, Todd Rowe – Sawyer (but swamping), and Sam Olson – Swamper.
Coming from the other side of the Superior Hiking trail from the Caribou Trail towards Lutsen were John Storkamp – Sawyer, Joe Mundell – Sawyer, Tim Lupfer – Swamper, Sven Hoagland – Swamper, and me, Swamper (which means you prune brush, branches, and cart them along with logs far off of the trail into the woods).
Just another great view from the Superior Hiking trail.
A total of 980 runners will run in one of three races this Saturday. Some will do the 12.5k, some the 25k, and others will venture up and down the rugged mountain ridges for 50k, a distance of 31.07 miles. The runners will finish at Caribou Highlands, and make no mistake, the course is challenging, but it should be safe for the athletes who take on the rigorous challenge of racing through the rocky, rugged boreal forest, and free of any blowdowns or nasty brush that could hinder their efforts.
John Storkamp (wearing black stocking cap) goes over safety procedures before the volunteers head out to clear a portion of the Superior Hiking Trail.
Joe Mundell checks out a fallen tree to make sure it’s safe before he cuts it up as Tim Lupfer waits in the background to clear the wood from the trail.
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