Hello all!

This is a little weird but I figured I'd go for it anyway. My husband, our 9yr old son, and their friend and his son (8yrs old), went up yesterday to bwca. First time to bwca for everyone on the trip except the friend - who has been many times. Both of the younger boys first trip plus my husbands. They're staying through Sunday. They were towed to I believe Splash Lake, or the one before - and had planned to camp on Ensign. Their tow left around 1pm yesterday is my estimate. Severe weather started rolling through the area at about 5pm. Bad enough that a "Dangerous Storm Warning" was put into effect directly over them. They have no sat phone - I have no way to reach any of them. I called the outfitters they used and the very nice gentleman told me he was confident they would've had a couple hours to set up before the storms. Lightening was very bad he said. Forecaster said 60-70mph winds and hail possible.

Has anyone been up there in a storm like this? It was literally purple on the map. I believe they were in for a long night of storms also and it didn't clear up until early morning hours. I just have no way to know if they're all okay and I have to assume if they weren't okay that some how, some way, I would find out today or tomorrow? I guess I'm just looking for another avenue to find this out or if anyone up there has phone access and seeing this - which I've read is rare.

Figured it wouldn't hurt any to post in the forum. I'm telling myself they're all doing just fine, just lacking some sleep and I'm sure my husband would be shaking his head knowing I'm posting - but oh well :-)

Thanks!

You said the friend has been up there many times so we can hope he put his wisdom and experience to work yesterday....
I've been through storms at various places and so far my luck hasn't run out. Our 3rd trip up there in the 90's we saw some green skies which made us think something bad was coming and it did. But we went to shore and hunkered down until the worst of it passed... a lot of rain and lightning.....we missed dinner at the outfitter and had to settle for a loaf of bread and sausage....

dr bob

quote DrBobDg: "You said the friend has been up there many times so we can hope he put his wisdom and experience to work yesterday....
I've been through storms at various places and so far my luck hasn't run out. Our 3rd trip up there in the 90's we saw some green skies which made us think something bad was coming and it did. But we went to shore and hunkered down until the worst of it passed... a lot of rain and lightning.....we missed dinner at the outfitter and had to settle for a loaf of bread and sausage....


dr bob"

I have a feeling they most likely stayed in their tents - especially with the young boys. Which I've read (shouldn't have) is not the best thing to do with bad storms up there. The friend's wife believes he brought up a weather radio - I'm hoping he did so at least they have some warning of what could come and can prep. I know the friend also brought along a survival book (apparently he's obsessed with survival shows too - according to his wife)... All I can do is hope he helped them make smart choices. It's just so hard not knowing! Such a bummer too for their first time up there to have bad weather. Ick.

Thanks for the reply!

I wouldn't worry too much. The Ensign Lake area was hit hard by the 1999 blowdown storm, so there isn't much in the way of big trees ready to fall on campsites. I've weathered some very powerful storms in the BWCA/Quetico over the past 30+ years--including numerous trees coming down, lightning, hail, high winds. They can't be avoided. But when you consider how many people camp up there every year and just how few people are ever injured, I think your family members are just fine.

Maybe you should join them in the future!

Here is what happened yesterday...don't see heavy winds which is always a big concern..

Sept 14th weather Ely

dr bob

quote DrBobDg: "Here is what happened yesterday...don't see heavy winds which is always a big concern..


Sept 14th weather Ely


dr bob"

Oh GOOD!! Pretty sure I won't get a wink of sleep until they return. Until then I can only try and calm my worries, thank you very much!

quote arctic: "I wouldn't worry too much. The Ensign Lake area was hit hard by the 1999 blowdown storm, so there isn't much in the way of big trees ready to fall on campsites. I've weathered some very powerful storms in the BWCA/Quetico over the past 30+ years--including numerous trees coming down, lightning, hail, high winds. They can't be avoided. But when you consider how many people camp up there every year and just how few people are ever injured, I think your family members are just fine.


Maybe you should join them in the future!"

That makes me feel better, thank you! I can't even imagine being in a severe storm with trees coming down while only sheltering in a tent - or a tarp outside! Pretty sure I would be dragging them down if I went along haha :-)

Calling the outfitter was probably your best source of information so that was a good idea. Sounds like based on destination and departure time the outfitter was confident they'd have had a few hours to set up after reaching their destination before the storms hit. I'm sure they simply weathered the storm from the campsite.

Almost all of us on this forum have had to ride out more than one storm in less than ideal conditions. They usually just lead to good stories for the trip back home. I'm sure your crew is just fine. They're probably drying out a little and getting on with their trip as we all do.

Hopefully the responses here and the info from the outfitter can ease your mind so you aren't worrying until they get home.

We came out of the BWCA yesterday with the warm weather this past week I've never seen so many people mid-September up there. I'm saying this because there's a lot of people out there right now. If something did go wrong I'm sure they could find help from one of the other campsites to go get help. And you would've heard from them by now.

They were in a popular area with a lot of traffic, plus it's not far from outfitters and tow service. In other words.....there would have been much help in the area who would have heard/seen someone in trouble. No news is good news :)

And do not feel any discomfort for asking our input to help with your worry. We have had lots of threads about wives and mothers that worry. My mother did until she died and Sue has taken over the task quite well. She is beginning to relax, but does her duty to warn me to be safe and she is the first call when I get back in cell signal.
I have also experienced some weather and mostly it just makes a great story for later and sometimes some cleanup and drying things out.

Thank you all so much. Truly you have eased my mind! I may actually get some sleep tonight. I felt a little embarrassed posting in the first place about it but I am really glad that I did. Only two more overnight's and my boys will be home. I joked with my daughter that the 9yr old will come back with hair on his chest and probably a great story about their first night at camp and a big storm :-)

just be cool about it when they get home, let them tell you all about it and then tell your husband privately how concerned you were. kids need to voice their view about these things we, as adults, are afraid of.. kids don't know they should be afraid, they are still fearless until something major happens in their life.

i'm sure they talked a lot about the weather and learned a lot. if they aren't home yet you can bet they are having a great time!

We're in Ely currently. We got two cells right by us but it didn't get too bad. Have definitely weathered worse in the BW. But it could have been a bit worse by them. I doubt this caught anyone by surprise. The weather had been aching to rain for a couple of days and thunderstorms were in the forecast. We had a pretty good calm before the storm and so they could well have had plenty of good paddling and setup time before it hit. And the onset was pretty clear and gave us good warning at least an hour before it hit.

I hope all is well. We were up there when a scary tornado hit near us on the Gunflint Trail in September back in the late '80's or early '90's. Scared the beejeebers out of our wives because it made the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather. They called the outfitter, whom assured them we were probably safe, but it wasn't much consolation. If we'd known the weather "Made the news," we'd have come in earlier to keep our families from worrying!

I've been in more storms up there with the kids than I can count. They are exciting but rarely deadly. Most likely they are fine. But I know my parents worry about our family every time we go up there. Considering we have done the entire east side most of the south and some of the west covering over 1000 miles that is a lot of worrying.

Wanted to pop back in and update you all, since you were so nice to calm my fears while waiting to hear from my boys. Heard from my husband at about 12:30 yesterday and they were home last night, safe and sound.

Thursday night's storm was rough. Wind gusts were high - estimated 60-70mph - him and my son said trees were really, really bending over and there was a lot of marble sized hail and a lot of lightening. They ended up sitting under one of their noah's tarps during the storm - and were not in the tents. Had some minor flooding (there was a flash flood watch issued that evening) - but they used rocks and diverted the water flowing down so their camp areas were spared. They were in spot 1214 on Ensign and loved it. Not many trees that could've come down near them so that was good. Lots of great stories and we had some good laughs last night listening to all of their adventures. My 9yr old didn't want to leave and is already so excited to go back - that's a win in my book!

Also, apparently the owner of the outfitter they used (LaTourell's), his own wife called him that evening during the storms as she was concerned about *our* boys. She was there when they checked in that day at noon, and with having the two younger boys along she was worried about them and I guess called to see what her husband thought about if he thought they would've been in a spot by then and safe. What a nice couple! So when our guys finally got back in yesterday he said "well, I heard from both of your wives - and even my own!" :-)

Thanks again!

Glad they are ok and still enthusiastic about going back. Definitely sounds like they had heavier wind than I experienced just outside of Ely.