BWCA Those Northern Lights Boundary Waters Listening Point - General Discussion
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      Those Northern Lights     

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head2north
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05/20/2017 01:40PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I don't know how many times I have woke up in the boundary waters and someone I passed said "Did you see the lights last night?". I answer with a grumbling "No".

I remember one night I thought my eyes were just wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night blurry and seeing things as unfocused colored lights danced on my tent ceiling.

Anyways, wont be seeing them tonight. They are forecasted to be visible in Wisconsin,
but it continues to rain. The next time I do see them is gonna be a treat.

 
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ozarkpaddler
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05/21/2017 03:39AM  
Being a "Night owl," I've been fortunate. I've also had a few other guys that had never seen them until taking a trip with us. Something special, I've stayed up almost until dawn watching them. I remember one time laying out on my Thermarest the whole night at a little lake in Northern Wisconsin in the Landglade County area when the Aurora had a good "Southern" show. I remember thinking I put the tent up for nothing (LOL)
 
QueticoMike
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05/21/2017 07:35AM  
I have actually seen them down here in southern Ohio a few times. I have no idea how many times I have seen them up there.
 
05/21/2017 09:33AM  
wow. I have never seen them in Ohio
 
05/21/2017 04:08PM  
Some them late Thursday night /early FRI on Crooked. At times-- they were nearly overhead.
 
SaganagaJoe
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05/21/2017 04:54PM  
I've shared this story on a trip report before but it's pretty neat. 4th day of a 5 day September BWCA trip we were dealing with around 20-30 mph straight line winds, gusts up to 40 or 50 mph. Thankfully it was a sunny day and the wind was at our back, but the wind was still incredible. We rode the swells for many miles with an inch of space between the top of the waves and the gunnels. When we got to Seagull the wind was just too much, so we grabbed the campsite right by the Alpine portage and were windbound there all day. I got a little stir crazy. I was stressed and worried about not being able to make it across Seagull the next day. I prayed. I knew God was in control of this. I calmed down.

The wind blew all the clouds away. That night we were treated to a glorious starry display and an incredible northern lights show that lasted for about 15-20 minutes or so. Had there not been wind, we may have picked a different campsite without a northern lights view, or there could have been clouds. It was a faith building experience both for me and the guy I was with.
 
05/21/2017 06:14PM  
Saw them on Kett in the Q this past Monday evening (May 15th). I've seen the lights in other places but never in the BW or Q. There was even a shooting star or two that night.
 
muddyfeet
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05/21/2017 08:17PM  
There's a secret to seeing the aurora-
You have to be outside.. in the dark... and look up.
Simple, yes, but that explains the rarity. Most people are sleeping at night. Or if outside have campfires and flashlights to see daytime things. Of course sleeping is important, but in the wilderness you do what you want and there is no getting up for work the next morning.

One of my favorite things to do is to sit up at night by the water after everyone has gone to bed and sip hot tea or bourbon. The outdoors becomes a different place at night- I have enjoyed bats, owls, stars, auroras, beaver, meteors and many other things that my trip companions never got to see.
































 
SaganagaJoe
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05/21/2017 08:58PM  
Those pictures are stunning, muddyfeet.
 
MrBadExample
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05/23/2017 07:22AM  
Saw them last Thursday on Thomas. It was stunning. I see them quite often at home here in central MN. It's just a whole other experience seeing them up in the BWCA. They danced all night long.
 
QueticoMike
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05/23/2017 08:01AM  
Those are nice pics! Thanks for sharing.
 
mapsguy1955
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08/05/2017 09:01AM  
Any hints on taking those great photos, besides being awake of course(!)?
 
08/06/2017 01:05PM  
Have never seen them but am going all-out in October....in Norway.
 
mr.barley
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08/06/2017 03:09PM  
quote Jeriatric: "Have never seen them but am going all-out in October....in Norway."
I think you have a pretty good shot.
 
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