Click to View the Full Thread

Author	Message Text
ozarkpaddler	07/03/2019 04:27AM   I was there in fall after the blowdown. Sad looking at some of the views on the Gunflint. Glad I wasn't out there when it happened. Ironically, we had a Derecho (sp?) about 10 days ago here and had a lot of area damage, including here at the farm. NOTHING comparable to the devastation of northern MN, though.
TomT	07/03/2019 05:03AM   I heard about the storm but the coverage was not like it is today. A month after it happened I took the family in our pop up camper trailer for a week on Farm Lake. There was a small floatplane giving rides for the customers at the resort. Me and my 7 year old son hopped in for a ride. I remember it was a female pilot and she told me about the blowdown but could only fly to the edge of the BW. What I saw blew me away. It looked like matchsticks all pointing the same direction. Somewhere there are pics in an album that I took out the window. It's hard to fathom there were no camping fatalities.
butthead	07/02/2019 03:29PM   Climbed up into a fire tower just north of Lake Vermilion July 7th 1999. The circular blow down patterns looked like a dizzy Caterpillar Tractor was let loose. butthead
minnmike	07/02/2019 03:31PM   We had just come out and were staying with a friend on Lake Vermillion when that storm hit. I will never forget it. Glad we were not in a tent that night.
GraniteCliffs	07/02/2019 04:05PM   We had just left Quetico that morning. Raced down Hwy 53 trying to get ahead of the storm. We could see the black clouds coming in. No luck. I had to pull off the road because the wind was so strong and broadsiding us to the point I thought the van would flip. I pointed the nose into the wind just as a power pole about 30 yards away blew up and threw sparks. Cripes was I nervous. And then just like that it was over and off we went.
Spartan2	07/03/2019 07:04AM   I just took out our 1999 Canoe Trip Book so that I could remember some details. Found the newspaper clippings about the storm. We had a nine-day trip off the Gunflint that year, June 21-29. It was our Granite River Trip, and ended with a pick-up at Trails End Landing. During that time we had lots of lovely weather, one night with a scary thunderstorm, and another whole day of rain. Then a night in Charlie's Room at Clearwater Lodge, a day in Ely visiting with friends who had a cabin on Pine Tree Trail. After that we headed to the Twin Cities and spent a couple days with friends there. It was while we were in Minneapolis that we heard about the storm and read in the newpaper of the damage. I remember being very thankful that we had not scheduled our trip one week later in 1999. I have never spent one second of time envying the folks who went through that storm! Just glad, afterwards, to know that no one lost their life.
Marten	07/02/2019 11:26AM   I took a trip into Kekabic the following spring to check on my favorite lake as it took the worst of the storm. The only thing left standing were the young birch that sprang back up. A campsite near the west end got my attention. The only trees left standing were a small circle around a tent pad and all falling trees missed the spot. Definitely an answered prayer happened there. I always hoped to hear the story.
Jaywalker	07/02/2019 10:56AM   I went into Ensign that November for a few days. With the leaves off of the trees you could see the full damage. It was like a giant hair brush came down and combed acre after acre flat.
Banksiana	07/02/2019 04:51PM   I watched it from Ely. A solid mat of low white gray clouds on the eastern half of the sky then an etched line where the clouds were solid and dark gray/blue. The line was straight north to south with bulge to the north, like a shark's head, gray, sleek. lethal. I thought "that's probably right above my house". A narrow corridor of the derecho began just north of my property- it took down nearly every jack pine on my land, my drive had two "walls" of stacked downed trees both over 10' tall. It was ridiculously difficult to walk my drive to find that the house and the cottonwood-like over mature aspen that tower over it were untouched by the wind.
tumblehome	07/02/2019 08:01PM   Hard to believe its been 20 years. We were in northern Quetico and was not effected by the storm. On our way home through I'falls were we hearing stories about a storm in the bwca. It wasn't until I got back to Duluth and the following days that the whole story developed. Tom
jillpine	07/02/2019 09:10PM   GraniteCliffs: "We had just left Quetico that morning. Raced down Hwy 53 trying to get ahead of the storm. We could see the black clouds coming in. No luck. I had to pull off the road because the wind was so strong and broadsiding us to the point I thought the van would flip. I pointed the nose into the wind just as a power pole about 30 yards away blew up and threw sparks. Cripes was I nervous. And then just like that it was over and off we went. " Wow, that is intense! Fast thinking on your part!! Wow...
Eyedocron	07/03/2019 09:37AM   My crew came out of the Quetico that year on July 3rd, coming from Basswood through Wind Bay, Wind Lake, and out at the Forest service landing on Moose Lake. One day later, I am told, we would not have been able to go from Wind Lake to Moose. Driving back overnight, we were back in northern Illinois by the time the storm hit. The next year, we went in Moose, Carp Bay to Emerald. Lots of trees down all over and plenty of firewood. There was a sign posted on the shore of Emerald stating a huge deliberate burn of the eastern part of the Quetico was to be done that fall. By 10-15 years later, could hardly tell this had ever happened, although not many big trees present on the eastern shore of Moose Lake.
blutofish1	07/03/2019 01:44PM   The wife and I were in north bay of Basswood a week after the blowdown A local steered us to a campsite that was untouched. A group was leaving as we were entering
Pinetree	07/03/2019 07:44PM   For some reason I left one day early on my trip. Left July 3 night. It was a very hot muggy day. I was on the island river. 20 years later
Spartan2	07/02/2019 08:46AM   We had just left and were headed home at the time of this storm. We weren't sorry that we missed it! :-) 1999 BWCA blowdown
treehorn	07/02/2019 08:51AM   Amazing event. So glad I wasn't there during it, but the lasting stories are always fascinating.
x2jmorris	07/02/2019 09:22AM   Crazy time.. I was up there a year after and it was neat seeing some of the damage. Also really glad I wasn't there during it though. Someone mentioned being pinned under their canoe. I was recently up there and was thinking what I would have done had I encountered it. I have a plan but not sure how well it will work lol but it is better than nothing.
ekffazr	07/02/2019 09:59AM   went in Seagull the day after had to cut our own portage to Alpine 4 guys with bow saws and hatchets 4 hours 30 rod portage :) no shade, no trees crazy trip
Savage Voyageur	07/02/2019 11:50AM   Our family had a trip planned for that time. We had to cancel the trip because of work issues. We would have been on Alpine during the storm. Part of me wishes we had seen it happen.
cowdoc	07/02/2019 01:10PM   Went a year after up through the Knife. Portages were all good but campsites were minimally cleared and you could not takes hikes outside of camp, just too tangled.......plenty of firewood! Things were flat.......green.....but flat.
WhiteWolf	07/02/2019 12:06PM   Was coming back on the 4th from Two Island Lake /Campground-- that morning was very sultry and still with the dewpoint in the lower 70F's- nearly unheard of for that far N and close to LS. On the way down 61- the radio was going nuts with severe thunderstorm warnings but I had little clue what exactly was transpiring, Had permit for the 21st of July for Seagull (got it in June - as all permits for the areas in the blowdown were put on hold, but if you has an existing permit before the 4th, you could still go). The portages into Alpine from Seagull and really most of the way to SAK were littered with gas tanks and chainsaw boxes- thank goodness for what they had cleared in some spots were trees 3' in diameter. Campsite on SAK July 22nd-25th 1999 Path the thunderbox=
WhiteWolf	07/02/2019 12:32PM   In-depth write up about it from National Weather Service- here.
northallen	07/02/2019 12:33PM   I remember when 20 years ago was a long time. Now it seems like 20 years ago was just yesterday. When did that change?
Spartan2	07/02/2019 12:46PM   northallen: "I remember when 20 years ago was a long time. Now it seems like 20 years ago was just yesterday. When did that change?" Wait until you get in your mid-70's if you think it is changing now! LOL! We took our "Blowdown Trip" in June of 2003, and went into the blowdown areas to see the changes. Of course, by then all of the portages were cleared and there was new growth. But it was still dramatic. Made me very glad that we had missed it back in '99.
The Great Outdoors	07/02/2019 02:21PM   It hit about noon, one hour before the 4th of July parade. The wind was so strong, that it blew water through the weather stripping on the bottom of the door, four feet onto the floor of the bait shop. Several of the large trees on Chapman street folded over the roof of two houses, but not much more than that. The parade went on without a hitch. Took a ride up the Gunflint Trail in the fall, and was amazed at how much got leveled but only on the Gunflint Trail side of Hungry Jack? Lake. The other side was business as usual.
GraniteCliffs	07/03/2019 04:36PM   I worked with a woman that was camping in the BW when the storm hit. They had taken a short day trip with their dog. The dog had been on many trips before and had experienced many storms. The were headed back to camp when they saw the storm coming. They got to within the last bay before the wind went wild and pinned them to shore. They hunkered down only to watch the dog go into full panic mode. He hid under the canoe and dug furiously. They knew then the storm was a bad one. After the storm passed they made the 10 minute paddle back to their campsite. She showed me the pictures of the tent. It had two large norway pines lying flat to the ground across the entire tent. No doubt if they had been in it they would not have made it. I still can't figure out how such big trees fell so flat but the picture was quite clear. I still see those pictures in my head once in a while when I am camping in a bad storm.
jillpine	07/03/2019 04:08PM   I was pregnant and still nursing my first born. No tripping that summer. I worked with the father of the woman who had broken femurs from being trapped under a fallen tree. Dramatic story with an amazing rescue. If you are interested in stories of the storm, read the book "Our Wounded Wilderness". There's a bargain one on Amazon right now. Link to book
Pinetree	07/04/2019 07:18PM   WhiteWolf: " Documenting the July 4, 1999 BWCA Derecho " Wow carried all the way to Maine in some sort.
WhiteWolf	07/04/2019 07:42PM   Pinetree: "WhiteWolf: " Documenting the July 4, 1999 BWCA Derecho " Wow carried all the way to Maine in some sort." actually -- 6000 or so nautical miles according to my first link I posted on this thread. The storm then moved off the Maine coast just before midmorning, Monday, then followed the perimeter of a large, hot coastal high through the western Atlantic Ocean. The storm then moved onshore just north of Myrtle Beach, SC late in the morning of Tuesday, July 6th, then spent the remainder of the day leaving a path of severe wind damage as it moved westsouthwest through South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi before crossing the Mississippi Delta on its way into the central Gulf of Mexico. The final storm track totaled about 6000 nm in length.
WhiteWolf	07/04/2019 06:17PM   Documenting the July 4, 1999 BWCA Derecho
shock	07/02/2019 09:15PM   AH YES the Mighty Derecho , i remember jesse taking a chopper tour of the blowdown . i recall a lot of cut lumber on the kingfisher to ogish portage the next season.
Canoearoo	07/03/2019 10:45AM   We went in a few days after the storm. This is my husband standing on that tree
Cfguy	07/05/2019 09:51AM   20 years ago today, two others college buddies and I made it out of the BWCA after what would become known as the 1999 blowdown. When the storm hit in the early afternoon we were two days into a 4 day trip. We weathered out the storm in our tent and heard lots of wind but had no idea what was going on around us. After the relatively short storm was over we took the canoe out just to see the sights (still clueless as to what had just transpired). What we saw totally shocked us. Huge Poplars and pines pushed over as if Paul Bunyan had simply laid them down in stacks. Everywhere we looked, trees were down. What surprised us more than what we saw was what we heard. At first it didn’t register as strange, until we remembered where we were. We could not figure out why we were hearing planes and chainsaws in the distance. We finished out the day hanging out at camp. The morning of the 5th we came across a group of Girl Scouts camped out on the end of the portage. This was the first real indication we had of just how bad things were. They informed us the portage was impassable and they were forced to spend the night there. They also informed us that another group they had encountered had an individual that was injured and from a tree falling on their tent and had to be evacuated by air. We decided to cut our trip short and take a “shortcut” back to the trailhead that would get us there a day early.. The shortcut was not more than a stream that included what should have been a relatively easy 320 rod portage. This one portage took 3 guys, one canoe and 4 packs over 5 hours! The whole day was a grind as we fought dehydration, crazy black flies, and attempted to weave our canoe around, over, and through the deadfall that lay everywhere. Any place we could actually paddle was an amazing reprieve, but they were few and far between. Once we finally made it out we found a pay phone and called to be picked up. Our outfitter was sure glad to see us. He informed us that people all over the area were missing. He also said many had to be evacuated but couldn’t be reached until forest service rangers could cut their way to them. It became apparent just how “lucky” we were, although admittedly I don’t think luck had a single thing to do with it. It was more like providence. 20 years later I’m thankful for God’s protection over us and giving us the strength to get through one of the most grueling yet memorable experiences of my life
Captn Tony	07/06/2019 06:41AM   Drove to Tuscarora Outfitters on July 5th. Drove through a torrential downpour from Duluth on it was so bad we could barely see and this was during the day. When we got to the blowdown there were a lot of delays as we had to wait for the locals to cut through the trees on the road. The DNR had told us to stay home, the outfitters suggested that as long as we were experienced it would be OK. Put in on the Granite RIver and it was roaring, I had never been on it so at the time I didn't realize how high it was. The portages were a real challenge and on one we just pulled the canoes by the painters because we got tired of lifting them on and off every 10 steps because of the down trees. The first day we got about 1/2 as far as we planned on because of the downed trees and we were too beat to kkep going. At the camp site it was so confusing my Mom tied ribbons on tree branches to be able to find the loo. We spent most of the afternoon clearing out the campsite. The next day we camped right before the Devils Elbow and it was a little better. Then we spent 2 days on BIg. Sag. and it was fine. Oh my Mom was 74 and this was her first Bdub trip!
Pinetree	07/06/2019 07:04AM   Captn Tony: "Drove to Tuscarora Outfitters on July 5th. Drove through a torrential downpour from Duluth on it was so bad we could barely see and this was during the day. When we got to the blowdown there were a lot of delays as we had to wait for the locals to cut through the trees on the road. The DNR had told us to stay home, the outfitters suggested that as long as we were experienced it would be OK. Put in on the Granite RIver and it was roaring, I had never been on it so at the time I didn't realize how high it was. The portages were a real challenge and on one we just pulled the canoes by the painters because we got tired of lifting them on and off every 10 steps because of the down trees. The first day we got about 1/2 as far as we planned on because of the downed trees and we were too beat to kkep going. At the camp site it was so confusing my Mom tied ribbons on tree branches to be able to find the loo. We spent most of the afternoon clearing out the campsite. The next day we camped right before the Devils Elbow and it was a little better. Then we spent 2 days on BIg. Sag. and it was fine. Oh my Mom was 74 and this was her first Bdub trip!" Good for her.