The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness lies along Minnesota’s northern border with Ontario, a region of lakes, portages and forest that draws paddlers from across the country in summer. In winter, the lakes freeze and the canoe trails become snow-packed paths used by fewer people. There has been an ongoing debate about the possible copper-sulfide mining in the area near the wilderness and there have been various attempts by conservationists to keep the issue in the public eye. One such attempt was made by Emily Ford, a thru-hiker from Duluth, Minnesota, who hikes with her sled dog. She chose winter on purpose because most people think of the Boundary Waters in summer.
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