May 10, 2016 at 08:50AM

We have dipped our pot into a Wilderness lake for the past 230 mornings of our #wildernessyear. We are using our journey to raise awareness about the threats associated with a series of proposed sulfide-ore copper mines along the edge of the Wilderness and encourage people to sign the @savethebwca petition at the link in our bio to help protect this national treasure.

This morning as I gathered water for breakfast from Cherokee Lake, I was struck by what is at stake. This feels like home to me. I have no idea how many times I have camped on or traveled through Cherokee. I remember camping here on one of my first canoe trips with my dad and sister, the first night of my first solo trip when I was 15, with my youth group, with friends, family, and many trips I have guided over the years.
Yesterday afternoon we paddled past a campsite and saw a tent. It was the first occupied campsite we have seen since the ice went out. Through the still air we could hear the muffled voice of a child. It sounded like a father and their child setting up camp and cooking dinner just like my dad and I had done there 25 years ago.

Allowing Twin Metals and other sulfide-ore copper mines to be built along the edge of the Wilderness would severely risk this iconic place. It is our job to ensure it is protected for future generations.
#savetheBWCA #BoundaryWaters #sunrise #BWCA #CherokeeLake #Wilderness #WeAreTheWild #OnlyinMN #CaptureMN #WintergreenNorthernWear