Hello all,

I have a small but important question to ask.

A bit of backstory:
My father-in-law lost his wife this year to cancer. They were both avid BWCA trippers back in their day and he and my brother-in-law would like to spread her ashes at her favorite campsite. The problem is, he can't remember where it is. All I have is this photograph.

I know it's a long shot, but was hoping some of you BWCA/Quetico vets would recognize it. It looks like a good site, so hopefully its popular enough to locate. I do know they typically tripped on the Ely/western half of the BW, but not necessarily.

Thanks again if anyone can pinpoint. It would mean the world to him.

PS first time uploading a picture which I know can be a little fickle, let me know if its not working and I can try something else.

SmallTrout

This may be a long shot but could this be campsite 1116 on Horse lake looking east from the point towards campsite 1117?

I'll take any long shot thanks so much for the input!

Tomcat: "This may be a long shot but could this be campsite 1116 on Horse lake looking east from the point towards campsite 1117?"

Here is the link to Horse Lake Campsite 1116 that Tomcat mentioned. No exact photo match to the one above, but it might help get the memory juices going. Good luck!

Crab Lake site 313?

Let me try this again. I am sorry to hear about the passing of your mother-in-law, cancer is a horrible disease.

Have you checked with the NFS about the scattering of ashes? According to this NFS website its not allowed. It doesn't bother me personally that your family would like to do this, but I would encourage you to contact the SNF first. I know leaving memorials was, and still is, an issue in Crown Lands. I've never seen one in the BWCA (except for Ben Ambrose). I'd be curious what the SNF stance is on this. Spreading ashes and leaving a memorial are very different issues though IMO.

Good luck with identifying the campsite.

DADT

sedges: "DADT"

Yeah, that's probably the best answer.

It does have a Crab Lake look to it.
Good luck.

Not sure if it’s site #313. I don’t see the small Island out in front of the site.

YaMarVa: "Let me try this again. I am sorry to hear about the passing of your mother-in-law, cancer is a horrible disease.


Have you checked with the NFS about the scattering of ashes? According to this NFS website its not allowed. It doesn't bother me personally that your family would like to do this, but I would encourage you to contact the SNF first. I know leaving memorials was, and still is, an issue in Crown Lands. I've never seen one in the BWCA (except for Ben Ambrose). I'd be curious what the SNF stance is on this. Spreading ashes and leaving a memorial are very different issues though IMO.

Good luck with identifying the campsite. "

As long as it's just ashes, who cares what the NFS has to say. It's just returning carbon to the earth. I'm pretty particular about LNT, but this is basically a zero impact situation. Done right, someone could come to the same campsite the next day and have no idea ashes were spread.

SmallTrout - Based on the photo, your mother-in-law had great taste in campsites. I think the endeavor to find this campsite is awesome and an amazing tribute! I hopefully have a lot of years left to kick around this planet, but I hope my son will do something like this for me when I'm gone.

I bet that has happened alot up there over the years.

allfish: "I bet that has happened alot up there over the years."

...and I'd like some of my ashes scattered discretely in a couple spots in Canoe Country when I'm gone. I also vote for the DADT approach, and feel that discretely done no one knows except the family members who followed the deceased's directives.

SmallTrout1, best of luck with identifying the site, and bless you for helping your FIL and BIL with that effort.

TZ

If the picture was taken in the morning (no waves) and in late Autumn when the sun rises almost due east I believe you are looking due North.
It looks like a rock outcrop forming a point with a steep bare slope across the lake.

So sorry to hear of your families loss. Cancer is rough.

Is there more info about the site? Was the whole site elevated like in the picture, or was this taken away from the main kitchen/tent area? Lake size, easy/ hard to get to, etc. Any additional info might help narrow it down to the correct lake. Good luck.

I'm sorry for your family's loss.

Did you take the photo out of the frame to see if there's any information written on the back? Or if there is a year or date? Maybe that would jog the memory of which trip it was and narrow down the search.

Hustler Lake. Campsite #8?

Could be campsite #1525 on lake 2 looking north.

Just checked back on this thread. THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone for trying to lock this spot down. Not an easy task.

As far as ash scattering, I appreciate the general consensus on DADT. There will be no memorial, no structures or anything to violate LNT (which I take extremely serious) We just want to gently scatter her in the winds that she loved so much. I'll bring these campsites to my FIL's attention and see if that can jog anything loose, he's a crusty old vet so who knows but when I told him that I posted this he was so appreciative.

Thanks again all.

Unfortunately, Its not allowed

Anyone EVER drive 1 mile per hour above any posted speed limit? Anyone EVER do a very ALMOST stop at a stop sign? The speeding probably was unintentional, but not completely stopping is done with that intent. But who cares? No one including the law. Just do this with a clear conscience. DADT.

Why is this not allowed? Maybe it can throw off a cadaver search dog?
I see no harm at all in ashes being scattered anywhere.

Sparkeh: "Why is this not allowed? Maybe it can throw off a cadaver search dog?
I see no harm at all in ashes being scattered anywhere. "

From one source:
The National Forest Service, in general, does not permit the scattering of remains on forest lands. That’s because placing cremains creates a “perpetual occupancy,” and may be “incompatible with the purposes for which the lands are managed.”

Seems fine in national and state parks.

https://www.thelivingurn.com/blogs/news/10-important-things-to-know-before-scattering-ashes#:~:text=There%20are%20no%20national%20laws,rules%20and%20regulations%20may%20exist.
A good resource.
If link doesn't work just Google it.

That is a sweet campsite. I'd really like to know where it is too - it would make for a fantastic base camp sometime.

Joe

bwcadan: "Anyone EVER drive 1 mile per hour above any posted speed limit? Anyone EVER do a very ALMOST stop at a stop sign? The speeding probably was unintentional, but not completely stopping is done with that intent. But who cares? No one including the law. Just do this with a clear conscience. DADT."

Agreed.

Any word on identification?

okinaw55: "

bwcadan: "Anyone EVER drive 1 mile per hour above any posted speed limit? Anyone EVER do a very ALMOST stop at a stop sign? The speeding probably was unintentional, but not completely stopping is done with that intent. But who cares? No one including the law. Just do this with a clear conscience. DADT."

Agreed."

Agree 100%