BWCA Plane wreckage on Zenith Boundary Waters Listening Point - General Discussion
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10/25/2010 11:42AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I was wondering if anyone can tell me about the old plane wreck on the north shore of Lake Zenith. I was up there in the second week of Oct. I know I read a posting about it earlier but haven't been able to find it. Hiawatha

 
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Minnesotian
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10/25/2010 01:04PM  
Well, here are it's coordinates:
47°56'49.52"N
90°54'50.97"W

I was just there in August and I think the legend of the wreckage is more impressive then the actual wreckage. From what I have heard, it was owned by a poacher from the 1950's.
From the water, all it looks like is some sticks pointing up and attached together in a very un-nature like way. The cabin is small, only a one seater. There was part of a wing a way's back. Intresting stop and BWCA history, but not all that much to look at.
We actually enjoyed looking at the rock propped up on three smaller rocks more south of Zenith on Lujenida Lake.
 
talusman
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10/25/2010 01:49PM  
Directly across from the portage from Lugenida and a little right.
 
10/25/2010 02:52PM  
I'm sure there are other ways to find this out but - what EP are these lakes on?
 
TuscaroraBorealis
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10/25/2010 05:43PM  
I believe this thread will contain all the information you desire

TB
 
TuscaroraBorealis
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10/25/2010 05:51PM  
quote n8ville: "I'm sure there are other ways to find this out but - what EP are these lakes on?"


The most direct route to the wreckage would be through the Sawbill EP #38. That said, there is the "small" matter of the mile & a half portage between Lujenida 'n' Zenith to contend with. Really not all that bad. A few mostly minor ups & downs. But the length will gradually wear you down.
 
Savage Voyageur
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10/25/2010 05:59PM  
I'm surprised no one has removed the wreckage over the last 60 years. I hate seeing trash in the woods. Then again there is so much stuff in the woods, old cars, cast iron stoves, lanterns, pipes and barrels. What's another piece of junk,sad.
 
10/25/2010 06:31PM  
quote TuscaroraBorealis: "I believe this thread will contain all the information you desire


TB"
I asked Bill at Sawbill Outfitters for more info on this a couple years ago.

He told me a little more than what's on their website: The poacher came back to get the plane (I can't remember how he got back) the plane was dragged out of the water onto shore, and a fire was built to dry out the canvas wings so that it could be flown out. The canvas caught fire, so the plane was left behind. The engine was salvaged, though. Now there is just the fuselage and the frame of one wing. No one knows what happened to the other wing.

 
10/26/2010 08:59AM  
quote Savage Voyageur: "I'm surprised no one has removed the wreckage over the last 60 years. I hate seeing trash in the woods. Then again there is so much stuff in the woods, old cars, cast iron stoves, lanterns, pipes and barrels. What's another piece of junk,sad. "


I believe that it is now considered an historical artifact. Removal at this point would be worse than leaving it.
 
10/26/2010 09:35AM  
quote Amok: "
quote Savage Voyageur: "I'm surprised no one has removed the wreckage over the last 60 years. I hate seeing trash in the woods. Then again there is so much stuff in the woods, old cars, cast iron stoves, lanterns, pipes and barrels. What's another piece of junk,sad. "



I believe that it is now considered an historical artifact. Removal at this point would be worse than leaving it. "


...I think finding that stuff is kinda cool...remnants of a bygone era.
 
TuscaroraBorealis
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10/26/2010 09:54AM  
quote mooseplums: "
quote Amok: "
quote Savage Voyageur: "I'm surprised no one has removed the wreckage over the last 60 years. I hate seeing trash in the woods. Then again there is so much stuff in the woods, old cars, cast iron stoves, lanterns, pipes and barrels. What's another piece of junk,sad. "




I believe that it is now considered an historical artifact. Removal at this point would be worse than leaving it. "



...I think finding that stuff is kinda cool...remnants of a bygone era."


I agree with mooseplums.
 
Great Melinko
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10/26/2010 04:44PM  
Savage, im sure the forest service wouldn't mind if you removed it.
 
Savage Voyageur
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10/26/2010 05:03PM  
quote TuscaroraBorealis: "
quote mooseplums: "
quote Amok: "
quote Savage Voyageur: "I'm surprised no one has removed the wreckage over the last 60 years. I hate seeing trash in the woods. Then again there is so much stuff in the woods, old cars, cast iron stoves, lanterns, pipes and barrels. What's another piece of junk,sad. "




I believe that it is now considered an historical artifact. Removal at this point would be worse than leaving it. "




...I think finding that stuff is kinda cool...remnants of a bygone era."



I agree with mooseplums."




I can see your points everyone...
1) I suppose it is a historical artifact now and why not leave it.
2) I have also found stuff and have thought it was cool. One trip I found an old outhouse filled with old radio parts and lanterns, pots pans and a full size cast iron stove. I have found an old logging camp with stuff all over the woods.
3) When I have found cans, pipe, metal junk that comes from who nows what, that is what make s me mad.
4) Most times I leave the BWCA with more trash than I bring most trips. Last trip we took out two rods and a reel. I still have a nice Comet percolator coffee pot that I found in the woods. I have found a old rusty fry pan and a lot of tent stakes.
 
10/27/2010 03:16PM  
Thanks for all the responses. I think that the story of the poacher crashing the plane on Christmas Eve, walking all the way to Tofte, and finally burning up the plane while trying to dry out the wings far too interesting to be forgotten by removing the wreckage. I also think that the campsite on the north end of Zenith is pretty neat. Hiawatha
 
10/27/2010 03:26PM  
quote Savage Voyageur: "I'm surprised no one has removed the wreckage over the last 60 years. I hate seeing trash in the woods. Then again there is so much stuff in the woods, old cars, cast iron stoves, lanterns, pipes and barrels. What's another piece of junk,sad. "

I'm kind of with you. I do enjoy historical remains, but last year I was at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center and one of the hikes on the property goes past an old Model T car... I found that just offensive - junk in the middle of amazing woods.

But I do have conflicting feelings about it. After all - even pictographs could be considered "just" human graffiti by some standards.
 
talusman
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10/27/2010 04:05PM  
Old Model T car in the woods, huh. At one time and not too long ago that was a farm and there was a nearby road or driveway. The car was put in that part of the field as it exceeded its useful life but there were still parts which could be salvaged. Over the years farming was no longer a viable use of that property and the land grew over. Junk in the woods tells a story.
 
10/27/2010 04:20PM  
I saw what was left of an old car on the portage from Beaverhouse to Quetico Lake in the Q. Also parts of an old model T era truck at Bottle Portage. Remains of old trapper, and ranger cabins are all over the Bwca, and Quetico. I enjoy seeing that stuff and imagining the colorful characters that once stayed and lived there. Stories like the poacher crashing his plane on a remote lake add flavor to the area in my opinion. They are a reminder of the people that once made their livelihood there, and made the wilderness their home. I enjoy stories about the native peoples, Dorothy Molter, Benny Ambrose, and others.
 
TuscaroraBorealis
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10/28/2010 03:57PM  
quote mooseplums: "I saw what was left of an old car on the portage from Beaverhouse to Quetico Lake in the Q. Also parts of an old model T era truck at Bottle Portage. Remains of old trapper, and ranger cabins are all over the Bwca, and Quetico. I enjoy seeing that stuff and imagining the colorful characters that once stayed and lived there. Stories like the poacher crashing his plane on a remote lake add flavor to the area in my opinion. They are a reminder of the people that once made their livelihood there, and made the wilderness their home. I enjoy stories about the native peoples, Dorothy Molter, Benny Ambrose, and others."


Well said.
 
Guest Paddler
  
09/18/2018 01:30PM  
talusman: "Directly across from the portage from Lugenida and a little right."
 
09/18/2018 03:58PM  
Killing the ongoing quote.

Some point this would be neat to go check out.
 
09/18/2018 04:01PM  
2nd attempt!
 
Canoe42
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09/18/2018 04:08PM  
mooseplums: "I saw what was left of an old car on the portage from Beaverhouse to Quetico Lake in the Q. Also parts of an old model T era truck at Bottle Portage. Remains of old trapper, and ranger cabins are all over the Bwca, and Quetico. I enjoy seeing that stuff and imagining the colorful characters that once stayed and lived there. Stories like the poacher crashing his plane on a remote lake add flavor to the area in my opinion. They are a reminder of the people that once made their livelihood there, and made the wilderness their home. I enjoy stories about the native peoples, Dorothy Molter, Benny Ambrose, and others."

Here is the car back in 1988.
 
pswith5
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09/18/2018 04:28PM  
Wasn't that the one that was carrying the treasure???
 
09/18/2018 07:33PM  
Was able to be on a trip farther north, this summer, and the main junk (apart from an entire mining exploration camp, abandoned I think, per a previous trip report: we did not stop in) was fuel barrels. The planes would stage or carry these barrels for refueling, but I don't understand why they didn't carry them out to reuse. Seems like they would be easy to handle and transport, empty. Anybody have that answer? (ps, did not mar the trip; just a clear sign of previous visitors)
 
billconner
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09/18/2018 08:11PM  
Delete
 
ellahallely
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09/19/2018 02:10PM  
The poaching part is new to story that I was told almost 50 years ago by a member of the original "Tofte Family". The plane is a piper cub. The pilot was from out of state. He flew his new plane to NE Minnesota to make a living flying. Local trappers would hire to help scout out new trap lines from the air. The pilot landed on Zenith and went through the ice up to the wings. He walked out to town to get help. A handful of locals helped get the plane out of the lake. They set a couple of fires to dry the plane out and set it on fire by accident. The plane had a fabric skin on it called ceconite. This happened in the 40s and I was not there, but this is the story I was told.

JIM
 
arm2008
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09/20/2018 12:08PM  
"" I spend a lot of time hiking state forests and searching for old homestead sites. I often contemplate "at what point does trash become a historical artifact?" Beer cans from last week and last year are litter, a decade ago - still trash, 50 years ago - trash?, 100 years ago - artifact?
 
arm2008
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09/20/2018 12:21PM  
Amok: "
quote Savage Voyageur: "I'm surprised no one has removed the wreckage over the last 60 years. I hate seeing trash in the woods. Then again there is so much stuff in the woods, old cars, cast iron stoves, lanterns, pipes and barrels. What's another piece of junk,sad. "



I believe that it is now considered an historical artifact. Removal at this point would be worse than leaving it. "


I spend a lot of time hiking state forests and searching for old homestead sites. I often contemplate "at what point does trash become a historical artifact?" Beer cans from last week and last year are litter, a decade ago - still trash, 50 years ago - trash?, 100 years - artifact...
 
user0317
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09/20/2018 02:31PM  
rtallent: "Was able to be on a trip farther north, this summer, and the main junk (apart from an entire mining exploration camp, abandoned I think, per a previous trip report: we did not stop in) was fuel barrels. The planes would stage or carry these barrels for refueling, but I don't understand why they didn't carry them out to reuse. Seems like they would be easy to handle and transport, empty. Anybody have that answer? (ps, did not mar the trip; just a clear sign of previous visitors)"


The further north you get, the more expensive it gets to fly supplies in and out. Unfortunately, junk like old fuel barrels, ruined aluminum boats and motors etc.... almost never leave the northern bush-country once they are up there.
 
09/20/2018 02:54PM  
Yep, and while some were right at shoreline, others were well up from water. When I think more about how many flights have been in that area over the years, I think a lot of empty barrels came out to be reused. If a barrel was flown in that held snow machine fuel or stove fuel (wood more rare in that country) instead of plane fuel, then it might have been used in winter and just left. That might explain some of them. The country was quiet on the subject.
 
09/22/2018 12:20AM  
I met a gentleman while I was grouse hunting north of Tofte about 15 miles up the Caribou trail. That is the source of information about the plane and it's demise. No matter what the truth may be, the stories are what we cherish. Hiawatha
 
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