Tragedy in the Boundary Waters. Wilderness Travel Gone Wrong.

The Minnesota Boundary Waters, known for its rugged and untouched wilderness areas, and endless chains of lakes and islands that slither on into eternity, have long been a haven for adventurers seeking solace and connection with nature. The Boundary Waters of the North are one of the best-kept Midwest secrets, loved by some and unknown by most others.

However, amidst the tranquil beauty, the region has also witnessed a string of recent tragedies that have cast a somber shadow over these pristine waters that are haven to most.

In recent months, several individuals have lost their lives to the unforgiving embrace of the Boundary Waters, drowning in what should have been journies of a lifetime. Today we would like to delve into the dark waters of the far north and understand harrowing accounts of these incidents, the underlying factors contributing to these accidents, and the lessons we must learn to prevent terrible events in the future.

Join us as we navigate the delicate balance between the allure of the wild and the stark realities of wilderness travel gone wrong.

Recent Boundary Waters Drownings

This spring has been all around wetter and more storm-filled than most. It seems every week brings new rains and storms that are ripping through the landscape. Also, as mentioned above, there have been some high-profile disasters and drowning in the Boundary Waters so far, and the season has barely even begun.

Around the beginning of May the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from a group of canoers that they had come upon an overturned canoe, a dead body, and a life vest floating around not on that person. The person caught in this incident was 62-year-old, Duluth resident, Mark Ham, check out the GoFundMe setup to help Mark’s family.

In this case, as we will look into further later, a few notable clues can be gleaned.

• Solo canoeing in the wilderness
• Not wearing a life jack

Also, only a few days ago four canoers were paddling through Curtain Falls in the BWCA, full details aren’t known, but it went south with only two of the canoers making it through and being rescued a day later, the other two were missing for over a week now and have not been recovered.

What can we glean from this incident?

• Water levels are up
• Four persons in the group
• They went over a waterfall

“On Tuesday, the St Louis County Rescue Squad wrote that their efforts have been “greatly curtailed” due to weather, and predicted that the water volume over Curtain Falls will double, raising levels in the river basin between 11 and 23 inches.” – news

Both these incidents are extremely sad and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved.

What can we learn from these tragedies?

The first thing we must accept, which many outdoor adventures “get used to” is the fact that being in the wilderness away from civilization or help is inherently dangerous, no matter how familiar we are with any one area or how comfortable we are when exploring and adventuring in the great outdoors.

All the people in the above tragedies were not “newbies” and had considerable experience being in the wilderness, this highlights the fact that sometimes we are our own worst enemies. As humans, we become overconfident and used to situations and environments quickly, forgetting dangers and making potentially fatal mistakes.

We must remind ourselves that in remote settings far from help, we only have ourselves and our skills to rely on, we must put safety first at all times, and put safety before “ease” or “taking a shortcut.”

• Always have others updated on your plans, your arrival and return dates and times.
• Being alone requires extra preparation and planning.
• Spring times can be especially dangerous because of storms and rainfall.
• Dealing with water heightens the dangers and possible problems.

Dangers in the Boundary Waters.

Let’s talk about precautions that should be taken that are specific to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. In case you are unfamiliar with or have not been buried in the BWCA, one thing is for sure, it is more remote than you think it is. This fact can be found by simply driving to the BWCA in and around the Lake Superior National Forest.

It’s simply remote and you will be on your own if you decide to take an adventure into this area. Even in the busy summer and fall seasons when the rest of the wilderness areas around the country are packed full of tourists, you can find solitude in the vast expanse of the Boundary Waters very easily, this is what makes it such a popular draw for adventure seekers.

What should you be prepared for in the Boundary Waters?

• Always wear a life jacket and NEVER take it off when on or near the water.
  • Accidents are accidents, they happen out of the blue when you least expect it.
• Check the weather carefully for all the dates you will be out.
  • When you are on the water, storms are serious because of wind, rain, and lightning
• The Boundary Waters are full of creeks, portages, streams, and waterfalls.
  • There is a good chance they will be dangerous in the spring.
• Have a Map AND GPS.
  • The never-ending lakes, streams, islands, trees, etc can be disorienting. You need to be able to find your way around.
• Be safe and cautious by default, get out and portage if there is any shadow of a doubt.
  • You do not want to go against your gut feeling. Better slow and safe than hurt.
• Ensure your own safety first when attempting a water rescue.
  • If someone is in trouble on the water, know that you will be in trouble too if you don’t take the time to think first.

Sometimes in our culture, we are victims of Instagram, YouTube, and social media. We think that doing a trip in the wilderness, someplace like the Boundary Waters, is just a beautiful and peaceful paddle through calm waters with birds chirping and the sun shining in the trees.

That is sometimes the case, but not always. Rarely does such an adventure go without a hitch, that is why they call it an adventure. Setting ground rules about how you will deal with certain situations if they arise is key, setting expectations for yourself and others about what is safe and not safe.

Sometimes accidents happen because that is the world we live in, sometimes accidents are preventable with a little foresight, planning, and wisdom.