(Ely, MN)--Beginning Saturday morning, May 22, at 3AM, Alex Falconer, Government Relations director for Save the Boundary Waters, will run both the Kekekabic and Border Route trails without stopping to camp. Falconer is doing the 110 mile run to raise awareness of the threat posed to the Wilderness by sulfide-ore copper mining, most imminently by Chilean mining conglomerate Antofagasta's Twin Metals project. Antofagasta is proposing to build a massive sulfide-ore copper mine on the doorstep of the Boundary Waters, along lakes and streams that flow directly into the Wilderness. Falconer is an experienced long distance runner who has run all the trails previously, though never at a single time.
Falconer will not be carrying any gear or food but will be assisted by friends, family, and other elite long distance runners. They will be canoeing into the Boundary Waters and bringing him food and supplies at predetermined locations. In an interview with the Duluth News Tribune Falconer said he has no problem drinking from the lakes and streams in the wilderness, “that’s part of what we want to raise awareness of. Where else can you run 100 miles and not have to carry water with you? That clean water is worth protecting,” he said.
Falconer estimates the entire run will take about 40 hours. He begins at 3AM Saturday morning and plans to finish sometime early Sunday evening at Kekekabic Trail West and Snowbank Lake Road.
Falconer's efforts will be tracked on his instagram account @alexfalconrt and at runningforthebwca.com.