I've owned property close to the BWCA since 1984. My first trip into the BWCA was to Burnt in 1972. I hesitate to guess how many trips in I have made since, a couple hundred easily.

I've lurked and enjoyed reading the posts and thought I'd go back over the years and periodically share some memories. Lots more if you guys enjoy them.

I realize I was not in the BWCA for this but right next to it. I had fished Cascade in the morning and late morning had loaded my boat to head back to my cabin. I don't recall seeing anything weather related that made me concerned. All of a sudden it sounded like a train was coming through the woods, seriously just like a train. I could see trees toppling over as the noise was coming towards me. As it got louder, I could just watch the trees fall and get closer. I remember thinking, my goodness there won't be a single tree left. The wind came past me and I turned around and watched the same scene, but behind me. Trees dropping but now moving away. It was a very sad sight to watch.

I left the boat launch to go back to my cabin. There were trees down everywhere but I could worm my way through them to the grade and then to the Caribou Trail. Just a few miles before the Caps trail cutoff to Tait Lake there was a swath of trees down. It was crazy because every single tree was down, but not at the base, but about 10 feet up. The width of a football field and as far as you could see. 10' tall tree stumps.

Please do share your memories! I've never been in a blowdown as bad as you describe here...must have been something else! Do you have any pictures to share?

Would love to hear about your first trip into the BWCA way back when and, if you are willing the most recent trip you took. What were the differences?

Count me among the people who'd love to hear any and all stories you want to share.

That sounds like the derecho that devastated swaths of Iowa in 2019. Winds up to 140mph is something I hope never to see personally.

We weren't there for it and it was well north of us down in the Knife River Valley. We did have a trip that August right after and it was quite sad and at the same time amazing to see.

Many portages were still an absolute mess. It was an adventure crawling over and under all the downed trees.

My 13 year old son and I went on a trip out of Brule in 1999 about a week or less after the blowdown. We headed north through the Cone Lakes into Davis. The difficult portage to Davis was nearly impossible with the recent blowdown.

At times, one would come upon a pile of blown down trees that were 15 feet or higher across the portage, necessitating a bushwack around it. It was a nightmare, especially with a young, but capable kid as my tripping buddy on his first trip.

As a side note, we also did a couple of other fun things like the Kiskadena-Muskeg portage (once in each direction), and sphincter tightening waves on Brule on the way back to the entry point.

Great trip though. I am pretty sure it was his first. He and I are heading out again in the BWCA this summer. Close to my 40th, and probably his 8-10th trips.

Tom

Grandpops, always fun to hear people's stories.

quark, can't imagine doing the Davis portages with the additional challenges of the blowdown...those portages are tough enough

I had just retired in 1999 so that I was able to spent two weeks cutting out the portages. The crews were sent out in two canoes with five sawyers and one EMT.We had to check out each campsite to determine if someone had not made it. I have never understood how there wasn't a large number of fatalities among all that damage.

I've decided (based on my son in laws prodding) I'll share my stories. Thank you for your suggestions. If you enjoy them I'd be honored. I'm going to start a new thread titled, my memories of the BWCA 1970's.

Looking forward to reading about your memories.

My son and I were camped on the south side of Brule several days before the storm. That was one heck of a night. It was a unreal sight the next day. The only other storms that sounded close to that night was a Tornado I was in in Texas and tornado that hit Colfax and Chippewa falls in 1958. North side of the lake was devastated, hardly any damage on the southside. The wind blew so hard that it was louder than the thunder.

Sorry, a gentleman never tells.
Let's just say we took shelter.
;)

The wife and I did a trip to North Bay of Basswood that year a week after the blow down. A local told us to try to get a spot in hidden bay and it was awesome and the fishing was great. Thank you Don