Category: Life at Tuscarora Lodge

Life at Tuscarora Lodge

On it burns…

I made it into Grand Marais to watch the kids’ talent show —because we were still evacuated from Tuscarora. We’ll stay in town tonight-too smokey for the kids up there. The world goes on as if all is normal. When I saw (USFS) Tom Kaffeine (I had seen him at the check point an hour before) I rushed over to talk to him….someone who was familiar with the “front lines”—someone who knew.
It was a firey, smokey afternoon up the Gunflint Trail. Andy managed to get a sheriff escort back in to Tuscarora, where he is now keeping the sprinklers running while watching the shore of Round Lake (by the access road) burn. He is also hosting 3 crews (60 fire fighters) in the bunkhouses. I’m glad that he is not alone.
It is a calm evening, the humidity is up. At least the fire should lie down for the night. We continue to hope for rain….and brace ourselves for another hot dry day forecasted for tomorrow.
Life at Tuscarora Lodge

Regardless of our predictions—the fire will do what it will.

About an hour ago I was comfortably writing a blog from our cocoon of Tuscarora, thinking that the fire was “contained” in our area–as we had heard at the 11am public meeting.

The hot (80 degrees) dry wind has shifted from south west to west–enough to stir something up. My dad came in and said—“Flare up beyond the point!!” we scrambled to start up the sprinklers. The hot dry sun took the eerie orange glow as large flames loomed from the west–on the ridge beyond the access road. The sheriff drove in to evacuate us.

Andy is still at the check point–where we heard from the air support on the radio “Tuscarora does not appear to be in immediate danger–this fire will burn into the black. We’ll need to watch for a change in the wind.”

The sprinklers will run as the rest of us are based at Gunflint Pines until the fire decides to let us back in.
I also heard, unofficially from Seagull landowners at the checkpoint, that Fishook Island is burning hotly today. I’m not hopeful for Wilderness Canoe Base, the special place where Andy and I met. We grieve with the entire Wilderness community today.
We also continue to be thankful that no lives have been lost to the Ham Lake Fire.
Life at Tuscarora Lodge

Monday–a better day

Less eventful day—and keep in mind that the information that I provide was current this morning–and it is just what I know. Check boreal.org for current information as well.
  • 32+ structures burned on the end of the Gunflint Trail last night. Many of them were homes near the end of the trail.
  • Seagull Outfitters, Voyageur Canoe Outfitters, and Way of the Wilderness Outfitters did not burn.
  • Seagull Fish Camp did not burn.
  • The Sag Store did not burn.
  • Our friend and tow boat operator/trainer Jerry Carpenter did not lose his cabin.
  • Wilderness Canoe Base was hit harder than we originally believed. Many of the structures are gone.
  • Ken Peterson did not lose his cabin.
  • 300 plus firefighters are coming in to the area tonite–a Type I team. Hopefully the wind will stay down and they’ll be able to start to contain some of the borders of the fire.
  • Tuscarora is still fine, but guests are not allowed past the road block yet. We’re not sure when that will lift, but we are hopeful and are preparing for the season ahead.
  • Shelby, Daniel, Ben and Will lost their fort back in the woods. They’ve worked on it all spring, and are sure that it should be counted among the structures lost to the fire.
  • Thank you for all of your messages of support. They mean a lot to all of us.
Life at Tuscarora Lodge

Eerie Red Glow

The wind blows on. The eerie red glow over the end of the Gunflint Trail last night at 11pm has now moved to the north. As far as I’ve heard, all of the people are still safe. We need rain. We need calm. We are extemely grateful for the volunteer fire departments that have been working in the area. They have evacuated the entire upper Gunflint Trail. Please pray for the safety of these courageous men and women. It was an inferno out there last night.
As of 11pm, Tuscarora was still OK. They managed to quell some flare ups that occurred yesterday….the embers are still hot and sparkly. Nothing about this fire is contained.
We feel incredibly sad.
Life at Tuscarora Lodge

The wind keeps blowing…

The Ham Lake fire burns…..For current coverage of the Ham Lake fire please visit : http://www.inciweb.org/ or www.boreal.org

As of 11:00 am today, the end of the Gunflint Trail (beyond Tuscarora) was put under a mandatory evacuation. The humidity is so low, the wind is so high—they are not sure what this fire is going to do, but know that it could possibly threaten the south shore of Seagull, and the end of the Gunflint Trail.

The fire crossed the Gunflint Trail in the vicinity of the Seagull Guard Station. It is moving north.
I’ve learned not to make predictions—-but will keep you posted.

Phone lines are out—we’re working on them, but having trouble getting messages forwarded as well. Please feel free to email—ahrendt@boreal.org with any communication. I’ll try to check it every 4 hours or so…

Tuscarora looks good—smoke has cleared, all is well. The hills beyond the mailbox are burning.

All of the permits for Cross Bay, Missing Link, Brant Lake, and Seagull and Saganaga are closed as of today. We are glad to make other arrangements—and are well able to get you into the woods. Please email us for a back up plan. We will also let you know as the fire moves on, and as they begin to open these closures (as of right now, none of these lakes has been burned).

Please send all of your positive energies and prayers to our neighbors at the end of the Gunflint Trail. So far, everyone is safe. The embers around Tuscarora are cooling, the sprinklers have turned the oasis green, the shores of Round Lake are untouched. We hope the same for our generous neighbors.

Welcome!

Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters
193 Round Lake Road
Grand Marais, MN 55604
218-388-2221
info@tuscaroracanoe.com

Winter Hours
Please call between 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Newsletter Sign-up

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
Email Format

Tuscarora News Archive