Towboat evacuation July 14 in the BWCA Wilderness. Submitted image
BWCA Closure – The Role of Towboats in the Wilderness
By Joe Friedrichs
The evacuation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness largely took place July 13 and 14.
The entire wilderness shut down July 14 due to wildfires and excessive heat. As paddlers left the wilderness, the Camp Fire near Ely took off, driven largely by strong winds. Some paddlers exiting the wilderness found themselves in distress and in need of assistance. The U.S. Forest Service called on towboat operators on the Moose Lake chain for support. Numerous towboat operators responded, bringing people out from areas like Pipestone Bay, Basswood, and other lakes in the BWCA.
Bria Schurke was born and raised in Ely and lives on Moose Lake with her husband Willy Vosburgh. Willy drove tows into the BWCA during the evacuation, as did numerous other outfitters based out of Moose Lake.
In this interview with Joe from the Paddle & Portage Podcast, Bria reflects on the importance of towboats for BWCA paddlers, not just during the recent evacuation, but throughout each paddling season. For more on the lawsuits discussed in this interview regarding towboats in the BWCA follow this link.
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