Local News

Superior National Forest, Boundary Waters see impact of high water, strong winds

KAXE | By Megan Buffington

Published June 25, 2024 at 5:24 PM CDT

Storm damage at the Mudro Lake Entry Point in the Superior National Forest on June 19, 2024.

The Superior National Forest has closed one BWCA entry point and 22 forest roads. Twelve entry points were inaccessible late last week.

ELY — If, last week, you asked anyone in Northeastern Minnesota how things were, they would have likely given you the same answer: We’re dealing with a lot of water.

The heavy rainfall on June 18 caused numerous washouts and flooding in the Superior National Forest. On Friday, 12 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness entry points were inaccessible with significant damage — seven north of Ely, four north of Isabella and one north of Tower.

Permits were canceled through Saturday for four of the entry points and through Tuesday, June 25, for the rest.

“The Boundary Waters is like one big watershed, right? So, when one lake is affected, it affects all the other lakes,” said Joy VanDrie, Superior National Forest public affairs staff officer in an interview Friday. “They’re all connected up there. That’s why we also issued a wilderness travel advisory, because it’s really unknown where the water is going to be rough. It could be fine today and different tomorrow.”

The travel advisory warns visitors to use extreme caution on canoe routes throughout the forest. Rivers and streams are flowing fast, and portages may be flooded or more difficult to find.

“We would just really, really advise people because of the unknowns of the water currents and the shifting based on just water moving, just to be really aware and assess the abilities of the people in their groups if they decide they’re still going to go out,” VanDrie said.

An additional entry point — No. 16, Moose River North — was the only entry point included in a forest closure order issued Monday. The closure, which also includes 22 forest roads across four of the forest's five ranger districts, is effective until 2029 unless terminated sooner.

Boundary Waters canoeists returning to the Mudro Lake Entry Point dry out their gear on June 19, 2024.

VanDrie said all the major safety threats caused by last week’s extreme weather have passed. All BWCAW visitors who were blocked in by road washouts have been escorted out, according to a June 23 news release.

Over the weekend, forest staff found pockets of moderate to severe blowdown of trees from the recent storms. The damage was found in the Gunflint and Tofte districts and near entry points for the Boundary Waters. Discovery of the blowdowns did not result in any new closures, but visitors should expect difficult travel conditions with washed-out roads and trails or trees down at boat accesses or campsites.

John Schiefelbein, owner of North Country Canoe Outfitters on White Iron Lake in Ely, said returning campers haven’t had any problems, but they have told him the rapids are running hard and the falls are gorgeous.

His staff paddled out to one group Wednesday on Little Crab Lake after their paddles floated away when the lake rose 4 feet the night before. The mile-and-a-quarter-long portage on the way out was a little shorter, because a flooded meadow split one portage into two. Schiefelbein said that is one of the challenges people heading into the Boundary Waters should be aware of.

“It might be a little harder to find the portages because the normal landing could be flooded as it was in that case,” he said. “Some of them are just fine, and some of them, the landing is flooded, so you gotta kinda look where the actual portage path is.”

1 of 7 — Superior National Forest Blowdown 2024

An aerial image of blowdown from the June 18, 2024, storm on the east side of the Superior National Forest. Photographed June 20, 2024.