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WonderMonkey
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01/24/2022 06:19PM  
I'm sure there are laws that apply to this, but ....

On my last (and only trip) to Quetico, I spread the ashes of a dear friend's dad who spent time there relaxing and writing poetry. I made a video of it for my friend and she loved it. See it here, if you would like: David McCray

So ... I just told my wife that upon my death I want $1,000 allocated to my outdoors buddy and a portion of my ashes spread in the BWCA or Quetico (his choice).

I know some of you have spread ashes of tripping buddies and such, and I think that is a great idea.
 
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pswith5
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01/24/2022 06:40PM  
My kids have offered to leave me there before I am ashes!! Should I be worried ?
 
WonderMonkey
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01/24/2022 06:51PM  
pswith5: "My kids have offered to leave me there before I am ashes!! Should I be worried ?"


Will they bring you supplies at some interval? If yes, then no worries.
 
01/25/2022 08:53AM  
In the late 80s I found a recently added head stone on a cliff near Pipestone Falls. It had been cemented in the ground with a half empty bottle of Jack was embedded in the cement. I also found the cardboard box from the crematorium the ash had been in and an empty bag of cement . This obviously isn't allowed but it was interesting
 
ockycamper
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01/25/2022 09:26AM  
My brother who lives in Venice FL told his family that when he dies to cremate him, then take the boat off shore, chum the water with his ashes, and spend the day fishing.
 
01/25/2022 11:19AM  
I like the idea of some sort of tribute to lost friends/family via depositing their ashes in special places and/or ways. I left some of my brother's cremains in one of his favorite spots on the family farm. I'd like some of my cremains to be deposited in a Quetico fire pit or along a special Quetico portage, but will leave that to whoever hangs around longer than I do.

A couple interesting tributes come to mind: A gentleman who frequently shot clay pigeons with a group of friends left instructions that his cremains be added to lead pellets during reloading of shotgun shells; his friends spent a final afternoon shooting with him. And a man who died of heart attack on a local mountain biking trail system is still travelling those trails in the seat tubes of the bikes of the four friends who were with him when he died.

TZ
 
yogi59weedr
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01/25/2022 11:23AM  
Highly illegal on public land and water.
That being said my buddy owns a funeral home. He know a guy who is going to load me up in some professional grade fireworks and have a fireworks show.
Food and beverage provided.
 
WonderMonkey
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01/25/2022 11:33AM  
Blatz: "In the late 80s I found a recently added head stone on a cliff near Pipestone Falls. It had been cemented in the ground with a half empty bottle of Jack was embedded in the cement. I also found the cardboard box from the crematorium the ash had been in and an empty bag of cement . This obviously isn't allowed but it was interesting "


On one hand it's easy to say "Big no-no" but if I came across it I would think it was weirdly nifty. I think it comes down to how often this was done. If this is the only one you found, ok, but if you found 20, then it's bad.

Did you happen to take any photos?
 
WonderMonkey
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01/25/2022 11:36AM  
I've also considered one of the services that puts you in the root ball of a tree and plants you. I'm a hammocker and would enjoy that.
 
JimmyJustice
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01/25/2022 12:39PM  
It's against the law, but if you won't tell...I won't tell.
 
01/25/2022 01:12PM  
What are the laws on spreading ashes? Is it ok if you bury them? I like the idea of not leaving much if anything behind, including a funeral bill. Back to nature sounds good to me, but how could someone do it legally?

pswith5: "My kids have offered to leave me there before I am ashes!! Should I be worried ?"


Ha! My wife just tells me not to come back.
 
01/25/2022 01:46PM  
My friends brother wanted his ashes dumped in all the lakes along a BWCA route he paddled many times and loved.
At his celebration of life there was a table with about eight glass jars filled with his remains and filler sand. Each jar was labeled with the name of each lake along the route. The jars were various sizes according to the size of the lake and different colored filler sand was used. It was very interesting looking and creative.
The plan was for his children or friends to transfer the remains into plastic bags, paddle the route and reverently dump each bag in the correct lake.
His kids are not paddlers, campers or outdoor people for that matter. All his friends that paddled with him in the 1970’s are overweight, have COPD or abuse substances.

I suspect all the jars got dumped off a pontoon boat in White Bear Lake.
 
Voyager
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01/25/2022 01:57PM  
I knew 2 long-time black powder, primitive rendezvous friends, who requested that their cremains be shot out of a canon, at the next Southwest Regional Rendezvous. The 1 fellow was quite the prankster in life. When they fired off his cremains the canon blew up. We all knew his spirit was present that day.
 
01/25/2022 02:15PM  
I have always liked the idea of being planted as a tree.
 
01/25/2022 03:00PM  
Years ago, my bachelor brother, my then teenaged son and I were relaxing around the fire at our favorite Forest Service campground site in the north woods. My brother, who was a heavy lifelong smoker had consumed a few beers when he let us know what his final wishes would be.

"When I die, I want you to spread my ashes right here on this lake," brother exclaimed as he took another drag on his non filtered camel cigarette.

Without missing a beat, my teenaged son calmly exclaimed, "Unk, when you die we're going to squeeze the tar out of your lungs and use you for driveway sealer."

From that day forward, my brother was affectionately referred to as "Uncle Lung Butter."

It wasn't too many years later when COPD came to call and we made sure that his wishes were carried out.
 
OCDave
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01/25/2022 03:05PM  
I recall learning in Biochemistry about the body absorbing amino acids from the meat protein consumed and incorporating those amino acids into its own proteins ie: "you are what you eat". Logic then dictates "what eats you becomes you". I decided that day, I desire to be eaten by wolves.
 
RunningFox
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01/25/2022 06:06PM  
OCDave: "I recall learning in Biochemistry about the body absorbing amino acids from the meat protein consumed and incorporating those amino acids into its own proteins ie: "you are what you eat". Logic then dictates "what eats you becomes you". I decided that day, I desire to be eaten by wolves."


Exactly, which is why I avoid burnt food. I don’t want to make an ash of my self.
 
billconner
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01/25/2022 06:59PM  
I think you may be ok in the Q.
Scattering ashes in Ontario
 
WonderMonkey
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01/25/2022 07:19PM  
billconner: "I think you may be ok in the Q.
Scattering ashes in Ontario "


It doesn't mention taking my body there to burn, thus creating the ashes?
 
01/25/2022 09:56PM  
WonderMonkey: "
Blatz: "In the late 80s I found a recently added head stone on a cliff near Pipestone Falls. It had been cemented in the ground with a half empty bottle of Jack was embedded in the cement. I also found the cardboard box from the crematorium the ash had been in and an empty bag of cement . This obviously isn't allowed but it was interesting "



On one hand it's easy to say "Big no-no" but if I came across it I would think it was weirdly nifty. I think it comes down to how often this was done. If this is the only one you found, ok, but if you found 20, then it's bad.


Did you happen to take any photos?"
I did but being in the 80s it's an actual picture and may or may not be in a box somewhere in my basement
 
01/26/2022 06:28AM  
A quick and lazy internet search:
-it is okay to scatter pulverized ashes on Forest lands as long as you are well away from commonly used areas
-no burying of ashes
-keep them out of the water unless you are more than 3 miles off shore

That last one might need some clarification.
 
01/26/2022 07:14AM  
I'm sure the number of ashes being dumped on the field from the Bleachers at Wrigley Field isn't legal either, but it happens. I say let your conscious be your guide and nobody will be the wiser.
 
billconner
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01/26/2022 07:19AM  
"I did but being in the 80s it's an actual picture and may or may not be in a box somewhere in my basement"

So a cell phone photo is not a picture?
 
billconner
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01/26/2022 07:26AM  
Unas10: " A quick and lazy internet search:
-it is okay to scatter pulverized ashes on Forest lands as long as you are well away from commonly used areas
-no burying of ashes
-keep them out of the water unless you are more than 3 miles off shore


That last one might need some clarification."


Who knows. I found opposite:

The National Forest Service, in general, does not permit the scattering of remains on forest lands. That’s because placing cremains creates a “perpetual occupancy,” and may be “incompatible with the purposes for which the lands are managed.”

National Parks generally permit it but you are supposed to get a permit. BLM lands are fine. Each state and municipality has their own regs. I did find an EPA prohibition for inland waterways in US. Not sure how that relates to water in national parks.

Quetico for me. My sons know the spot.
 
tumblehome
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01/26/2022 07:29AM  
Deleted
 
Bearpath9
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01/26/2022 08:03AM  
Quite a few years ago, I was fishing Spring Lake near Prior Lake. As I was coming in to load up, a couple of guys were standing on the dock. I got there, and one of them asked me if I would be willing to take him out to the middle of the lake. Turns out he had his uncles ashes, and this was his uncles last request, to have his ashes put in his favorite lake. I suspected that this was illegal, but I couldn't say no. So that is what we did.
 
01/26/2022 08:40AM  
I was 10 miles from the nearest road in Sequoia National Park on a wildfire when I came across an Urn near the John Muir trail on Chagupa Plateau. It was a wooden one that could be opened. I wanted nothing to do with it, but a co-worker opened it up. There was a picture in it of a fellow which said he loved the area and wanted his ashes placed there. We called it into dispatch and the LEO's told us to leave it there. I can't remember if it was illegal or not, probably leaving the physical Urn there might have been. The fire came right through that area a few days later so it likely was burned anyway.

How ironic if his name was Sam McGee, it would have been his double cremation.

The Cremation of Sam McGee
 
01/26/2022 08:40AM  
Dreaded double post.
 
Kermit
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01/26/2022 04:03PM  
OCDave: "I recall learning in Biochemistry about the body absorbing amino acids from the meat protein consumed and incorporating those amino acids into its own proteins ie: "you are what you eat". Logic then dictates "what eats you becomes you". I decided that day, I desire to be eaten by wolves."


I know a place!
 
01/26/2022 05:34PM  
If you spread ashes hopefully this doesn’t happen to you: Spreading Ashes
 
WonderMonkey
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01/26/2022 05:45PM  
egknuti: "If you spread ashes hopefully this doesn’t happen to you: Spreading Ashes "


Apt ending for a great film.
 
RetiredDave
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01/27/2022 06:59PM  
How ironic if his name was Sam McGee, it would have been his double cremation.


The Cremation of Sam McGee "

My favorite poem by my favorite poet, Robert Service! I read this poem to my fifth grade students every winter when the snow was deep and the thermometer bottomed out.

I also told my fifth graders that when I died, I would be cremated and baked into their hot lunch. And believe it or not, I was retired, not fired!

Another cremation story. My best friend growing up, Dan, died at 63. He was obese, I mean, really, really big. He wasn't married, so we got his ashes. We divied them up in smallish bottles and spread them all over the world. It was kind of like a 'Flat Stanley' andventure, with photos and all. But Dan was so big, we still have lots of Dan left over. He was spread recently on the pitcher's mound where he pitched when we were kids. We're running out of places for Dan. Maybe when humans get to Mars?

Dave
 
01/29/2022 03:34PM  
egknuti: "If you spread ashes hopefully this doesn’t happen to you: Spreading Ashes "


I was surprised when I got ashes back from the crematorium. More like kitty litter in consistency than fire place ashes like I expected.
 
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