Podcast: Last Entry Point – An Unforgiving Wilderness with Joe Friedrichs

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah, I get scared.. You have to slow down on these trips you have to read the conditions every time you get in and out of the canoe. When you’re on the water, every single time,  welcome to Big Red Canoe, the podcast from Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, where we introduce you to captivating people and intriguing stories from America’s Treasured Wilderness. I’m Dave Meier. Grab a paddle and hop on in. ​

David Meier: The Boundary Waters draws us in with its clean water, unique topography and interconnected waterways. It’s a place to get close to wilderness, and like any place else a trip to the Boundary Waters carries with it some risks things happen, and sometimes people die. Just this month, an experienced solo canoeist was found dead in the Boundary Waters Canoe area, suspected to have slipped or had a medical emergency while putting his canoe into the water.

Then just this week, two canoes went over Curtin Falls, where a rescue and recovery effort is now underway.

One of the canoeists was injured, and two are still missing, presumed dead. Our hearts go out to their families and communities. The Boundary Waters can be, at times, unforgiving. Even for its most experienced visitors. Today we’re going to get into some of the risks of wilderness travel with Northwood’s reporter and author, Joe Fredericks, author of the new book Last Entry Point.

In the book, Joe takes us deep into the remote and rugged wilderness, sharing real life accounts of those who face life threatening situations and some who died tragically amidst the serene beauty of this iconic wilderness. Joe’s book reminds us that even the most well prepared adventurers can encounter the unexpected when venturing into the great outdoors.

But before we move on, I want to mention that Friends of the Boundary Waters is currently conducting a crucial fundraiser to address a threat to the very existence of the Boundary Waters, the danger posed by toxic mining. Generous donors have offered to match contributions up to 40, 000.

If you feel moved to support the vital work of the Friends in protecting this cherished wilderness, please consider making a gift at friends bwca. org. Every donation, no matter what size, helps safeguard the boundary waters for future generations.

 

David Meier: Joe, welcome to the show. I can’t wait for our listeners to hear the fascinating and sobering tales you’ve uncovered from your years of writing about and exploring and researching this incredible region. But before we dive in, can you give us a little background on what drew you to the Boundary Waters and inspired you to write this book?

Joe Friedrichs: Absolutely. Dave, thank you. First of all, for. Allowing me to be here in this space to talk about this book and to the friends, I really appreciate this invitation. It means a lot to me. So thank you for that. And what drew me to start last entry point was working at the community radio station. Here in Grand Marais, where I live, I live just outside of town, but I’ve worked at WTIP.

I worked there for 10 years as a journalist and as the news director at the radio station. And I had a live on air program in the morning from 7 to 8 AM. And after eight years, it had been eight years that I was working at WTIP where I would read. News releases from the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, Lake County, St.

Louis County, when people would die in the Boundary Waters, we would get a very short A press release from the sheriff’s department that said an individual has died on this lake. And here is the date and time, maybe a little bit more information if they were wearing a life jacket, if they were with a group of people, where they were from their age, often not even their name because it would be pending a notification of family and so forth.

So very basic information in other words. And There were more of those that occurred than I think most people would realize. And they just lacked any substance. Any story certainly was missing from that. And after eight years, I just, as a person who loves the boundary waters and is curious about human relationship to a place like this wilderness area.

Who are these people? I’m reading these names. After years and years, who, who am I reading about? What am I saying? Because it would be so brief. Here’s the news. Now let’s go down the shore and talk about a story from the Lutzen town hall or the cook County commissioner meeting. You know, there was just no depth to it.

And. I got tired of doing that basically is what happened. And there was a story in May, 2020. It’s COVID, you know, the world’s just full of tension and no one’s really sure what’s going on. I was the only person going to the radio station live on the air at that time. And a young man from Indiana named Billy Cameron, 29 years old, he died drowned on Tuscarora Lake.

And for some reason, I just was curious enough to reach out. Who is Billy Cameron? And I found his girlfriend on Facebook through WTIP’s Facebook page. I messaged her, she responded almost immediately. And said, I want to talk about Billy. He loved the Boundary Waters. He went there every year and I’ll share with you some stories about him.

And I also want to talk about the fact this water is really cold. And I want people to know that who are going on their trip so that maybe Billy’s death could save other people’s lives or at least bring awareness. And from there, Dave, it just, that started the whole thing.

David Meier: Well, you seem to have a real natural curiosity about everything related to the Boundary Waters.

But, but that’s a big step to, to call somebody whose partner has died in the Boundary Waters. You know, how do you, how do you make that leap? How difficult was that for you? And then how do you approach that, that kind of conversation?

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah, the message on Facebook, which is a very impersonal, you know, I don’t like messaging.

It’s only for. Brief introduction, I think, to Natalie. Natalie Yaconis was Billy’s girlfriend who I was in communication with. I said, I’m Joe. I work at a radio station in WTA in Grammaray called WTIP. I shared the news about Billy’s passing this morning. And if you had any stories you’d like to share, please call or email me.

And that’s how it started. So it was a phone call introduction, not recorded, not on the record or anything even remotely close to that, just two people speaking about another individual who died the day before and explaining my intentions, what I wanted to do. Natalie was the one who said, I want to talk about the cold water.

And then I said, I want to share stories about this individual and why, why Billy came here, who, who Billy Cameron is. So it was meeting her halfway on that, as far as let’s use this as a safety tool, awareness tool, and. Share some stories because we had people come on the radio and now at Paddle and Portage, which is the new platform.

I left WTIP last November and started Paddle and Portage and we have people come on here and, and at the radio station, like from search and rescue, the sheriff’s department, DNR, Forest Service, talking about safety things all the time, very, very routinely, but to hear it from someone who had just lost a partner, Partner was a whole other level of engagement from people.

And so, so that’s why that happened. It was just like, let’s talk about these things that are happening with the people that it’s happening to, not just the officials.

David Meier: So did you just go from there back through the archives then and start to look into some of the other deaths that were noted?

Had any details been backfilled in on those? Or did you really have to dig?

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah, I had to dig for most of those and make contacts. And so having that experience with Natalie, you know, I learned things that worked as far as that initial outreach of like, I’m Joe, I live in Grand Marais, I love the Boundary Waters.

I’m really sorry to hear about your family member who you’ve lost. And if you want to talk about it and share any stories about them, please contact me. And a lot of people did, but some people didn’t. And I don’t know if it’s because they weren’t interested or it was too personal, too painful, or I had the wrong email address or wrong Facebook account or however it was, I was trying to communicate with them, but most people I did hear back from them and then had to fill in the story through them and also.

Law enforcement search and rescue doing journalism to get that type of information.

David Meier: You unearthed some interesting things and, a canoe can tip and you can end up in the water and, Things can happen when you’re in the boundary waters, and that’s part of the risk of going there, and part of, I think, maybe what even stops some people from going.

Let’s get into a couple of those things. One that surprised me was threat of a lightning strike. And you talk about a death in your book that was really creepy to me how, you know, some people could be camped on just a tent pad that you would find a typical campsite in the boundary waters.

And with the, with some tree roots sticking up and usually the, you know, the biggest fear is like, who’s going to have to sleep with the tree root in the small of their back. And in this case, the, the lightning traveled down the tree and through the root system and electrocuted the people whose tent was above that.

What can you even do about that kind of a, of a situation? So that was, that was a little shocking to me.

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah. I’ve heard from some people who have read the book that that story is the one that scares them the most or gives them the most, wow, there’s, Not a whole lot. I can do about that.

Other than as you’re saying, avoid the tree root, just being more aware of that. And even in this really painful story that shared in the book, that is something we can take away from this really emotional and terrifying story. And that’s the whole point of the book, Dave, is that these stories that are shared is that we can learn from them.

That was why I wanted to talk to Natalie or she helped me be aware of that. I mean, we really owe Natalie a lot of credit because it was her idea to go, I want to talk about the cold water and people need to know about it. And so when I talk about this lightning strike, it’s not just to share that really traumatic Story it’s, if you have a tree root sticking up, it’s not just the discomfort of maybe a bad night’s sleep, or you’re going to have a kink in your neck or shoulder or something.

It’s, I don’t want to be on this tree root because it could kill me. I need to be totally aware of that. So that that’s why the book was written and why that story’s in there.

David Meier: Yes, and and there’s some helpful things there. I mean, in a way, at some point, you have to throw up your hands and just say, life comes with some risks.

And if I want to do anything in this life there might be some risk involved. If it’s doing something worthwhile. But at the same time with lightning, there are things that people can kind of do to take precautions such as, you know, get off the water.

If there’s a lightning storm, you know, you might not be able to help yourself. If, if, if lightning hits a tree near you there might not be anything you can do, but if you’re the highest point in the middle of a lake during a lightning storm in a canoe. Then, that is greatly increasing your chances.

Get off the water as soon as there’s a sign of lightning because this can just come and zap you. So you talk to a lot of people you know, with your at WTIP and probably for this book what are people most scared of in the boundary waters and how can they prepare themselves? And for those that do their homework and take precautions, how likely are they really to face a life threatening situation in your assessment?

All right.

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah. As you said, and as someone like Mark Zimmer, who is known as the barefoot paddler, who spends many months every year in the boundary waters says there’s always a risk in, I’ve said in some other interviews as well, like driving up. I 35 to get to the boundary waters. I think that’s in the book too, is more dangerous.

Probably statistically, at least then your canoe trip will be, even though it’s just because we’re so familiar being in automobiles, that you have a greater chance of hitting a deer or being in an accident with another vehicle or something than you would to be even injured, let alone die on your trip to the boundary waters.

So. There’s an inherent risk in waking up every morning. That’s just the nature of existence. And so hopefully people aren’t getting too fixated on, Oh, some people have died there. I have this chance to die. Maybe I should reconsider. No, please don’t let that mindset sink in. That’s not reality. And that’s not certainly the intention of the book of things though, that.

People can do in terms of reducing risk or what frightens them the most I think would be lightning is, is just a scary thing because you’re on the water, you’re away from anywhere that you can sort of take shelter in a way that we’re accustomed to, you know, house or a cabin or something like that.

So you’re just more exposed. And so I think lightning is, is something that’s frightening. It is for me. When I’m out there when I’m fishing, even on a lake where I don’t have access to, to get to a cabin or get back home or in my vehicle or something like that. So lightning is definitely up near the top of the list.

Cold water. I hope is to this time of year may fish an opener or fall fishing or traveling in the boundary waters. Cold water is something that just zaps you and can really change the circumstances. Even with a life jacket on, you’re still in a pretty dangerous situation. If you fall out of your canoe and end up in the water, you’re automatically in a life threatening situation.

And so that needs to be taken really seriously. The outfitters who I talked with for the book. Cold water, I think is probably number one on their list. I would say of things that they’re most concerned about for their customers, clients, people who rent canoes from them because it’s wind is such a factor in that, and if people try to cross the lake, like Seagull or they’re paddling on sag at the end of the gun flint, and well, we got to get home or we got to get to the tow or we got to get to the campsite.

We got to cross here. Unnecessary risk and wind and cold water is a bad, bad combination. So those are ones I think that hopefully, hopefully people, after they read the book, have a greater awareness of, of cold water and wind and that combination which is, can be in is deadly up here.

David Meier: Yeah. And you mentioned the barefoot paddler and that, I loved that little little piece at the, at the end of the book.

He said that he just would use a life jacket to sit on and not, not wear. And that’s something that, that I used to do, but now definitely, I think, Putting that on, especially when the water is really cold, can just like increase your chances.

When you go in the water so that you can operate and you can give yourself a greater chance of, of getting out of that situation. So that’s something that’s a big difference maker that, that people can do. I also think people are afraid of bears. You know, people are afraid they’re going to encounter a bear.

You know, you have to hang your food, especially this year. And as you’re aware, you know the forest services come out with some regulations right off the bat this year to make sure that people are, are bear aware and are making sure and taking care to either hang their food or have them in bear proof containers.

But do you think bears are really something that people need to be afraid of, or is that something that can be avoided pretty easily?

Joe Friedrichs: Well, they’re around certainly, and they have the potential to disrupt your trip. There’s no doubt about that. I don’t want to say they aren’t a threat, but I’m much more afraid of moose and an encountering a moose either a cow with a calf this time of year in the spring.

Or early summer in particular, where they are on extreme defense mode. And if you encounter a counter calf and you get in between them or get too close, that’s a very dangerous situation. A bull in the rut when they’re confused and aggressive and singularly focused on one thing that. Gives me pause.

I’ve, I’ve heard about some people who’ve been maybe chased as a dramatic word, but ushered back to the water’s edge in their canoe when they encounter a bull on a portage and in the fall, October, so moose are much more frightening than bears for me. And I hope. People understand that a bear is kind of a, a clumsy scavenger.

That’s just looking for a meal. And even though they will come into your campsite and that’s pretty freaky, or if you’re in your tent or hammock and they’re like there, that’s going to get the blood going, but they’re not going to be probably leaping up onto you and that type of thing. So that’s a different scenario.

I think wolves and bears are, people are. Bit unnecessarily or exaggerated in their fear of those two animals in particular.

David Meier: But if you’re already compromised, like some of the folks in your book that you mentioned who, who died that then they might have their way with you and they might not find all of you after after something bad happens.

For me. Another one is, is the wind and the storms that come through, you know, you start hearing that big storm whip up and, things can happen. I was up in the boundary waters during the 99 blowdowns. So, you know, we were there trying to just save our tent.

Holding up our tent as it’s rattling around us. And then you know, an hour later we come out of our tent and see a couple of trees down right next to it. And I was thinking like, man, that could have smacked our tent so easily. And we would have been crushed in it that, you know, that did happen to people.

So I’m always a little concerned about that and wondering what. What exactly I can do about that. To Carrie Griffith on this podcast, he wrote that 99 blowdown book. He suggested that, if there’s a really high wind or a storm, you could go to the Western side of the campsite, because the weather’s coming out of the West, so the, you know, Trees would typically blow down towards the east.

So there’s a small thing that you can do to, you might get wet, your tent might might go down.

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah, it’s all small things and reducing the risk where you can is, Instead of just throwing up your hands and saying, I’m at the mercy of the elements or nature here.

There are things you can do from the tree route to things like what Carrie saying preventative measures for wind events and so forth like that, moving to a certain location in a campsite, not just, you know, Laying down and hoping for the best playing the odds. So to say, I definitely encourage people to be as proactive as you can.

And if that means getting off the water too, in a wind event, that’s a proactive measure to stay safe. Like you don’t have to test the odds or, or try to paddle out of it or something, you know, take the time, even if you end up camped on a shoreline the forest service is going to understand why you’re not at a designated campsite if it’s a extenuating circumstance.

So. Things like that. Just, just slowing down is a big part of it. Slow down. Make calm decisions. Not, not spur of the moment reactionary type things.

David Meier: And be aware of your surroundings, you know, where, where could you go? You know, what might be a, a strategy just if things go south for you, are you ever scared?

waters.

Joe Friedrichs: I remember paddling across Pine Lake, which is a big body of water on the eastern side of the wilderness. A day or two after I talked to Natalie Yukonis after Billy Cameron had died on Tuscarora. Wearing a life jacket, Billy was when he, they capsized his lure, got snagged on Tuscarora. They, they went out in a three person canoe to try to get it unsnagged.

And in that process, the canoe capsized they all went in wearing their life jackets. And Billy, they think had where his throat seized up from the cold water, kind of a shock of body reaction after they had tried to turn the canoe over in these big rolling waves. And it became obvious they weren’t going to do that.

He was in the water long enough that he, he just it’s sometimes referred to as a dry drowning. That’s a non medical term, but that’s maybe a way to think about what happened to him. And I was paddling pine thinking, wow This just happened and it could, I’m out in the middle of this lake. We’re trying to cross.

There’s some big waves. I’m I’m scared. I was scared in that moment. I had not started doing the research on the book yet. It was may 2021 when that happened. And. Yeah, I get scared. I got, I got scared thinking about these stories. I got, I had an emotional component involved in writing this book where I thought about these stories a lot.

I shared tears with the people as they were telling me the stories and took some of that on, on me, if you will, carried it with me. So I think about these stories a lot and I don’t know if afraid is where I’m at necessarily, but. Aware, aware and paying attention and feeling, feeling some of those stories too, not, not necessarily afraid though.

David Meier: That’s an interesting part about, you know, your, your process you know, and the angle of the book, because, you’re dealing with some things here that are, are very vast and expansive. The boundary waters being in the wilderness is, is, you know Such a profound experience at times for people.

And then death and loss can be so profound. So how did you approach those topics was it helpful to have an angle to, you know, to approach it from From, you know, like, where do you start talking about the boundary waters?

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah, I mean, I think through the lens of education was where the stories all went through. So let’s learn about the boundary waters in this book. That’s. Use these stories and yeah, they’re about death and dangerous situations to narrow that scope. But we’re going to talk about some history. I mean, people like Ernest Olberholzer, Sigurd Olsen Ojibwe Anishinaabe people who were here, there’s like who are here, but who were here before white people arrived here.

And that that’s in the book too. That’s an important part of the book so that we’re learning about the boundary waters not just white people. Well, here’s a list of stories of really tragic and painful experiences people have had, and then you set it down and you go about your day and you’re left going, well, what was that all about?

That was just really a strange and emotional journey. I just went on through this book and there’s a part of that, but. You hopefully learn things too about the history of this place, why people like you and I, Dave, love this place so much, why we care about it, why it’s important, why it’s this treasured natural resource, why it’s worth protecting and advocating and visiting and cherishing.

So hopefully that comes through too, and it’s not necessarily in a, in a direct way. Tangible, you know statement or some sort of mission statement for the book. The, the whole point of the book is to raise awareness for safety, but there’s other themes that are built into that, if you will.

David Meier: You’re right.

That, that does come through. And, and I think that that’s an important bit of background and, and it does expand beyond kind of the scope of, the death and the discomfort and the life threatening situations that you might encounter in the boundary waters. I think it’s definitely couched in that.

And then you also talk to talk to the The search and rescue teams as well you know, and what are some of the, what’s their approach and what are some of the unique challenges that they face operating in this vast remote wilderness area?

Joe Friedrichs: I want to first off give a major, major plug and shout out to Rick Slatton.

He is the captain of the St. Louis County rescue squad. They’re based in Hermantown near Duluth, and they have St. Louis County, which is the size of New Jersey. The state of New Jersey is the same size as. St. Louis County, which is Duluth up to Ely and the Iron Range. And this vast area here in Northeastern Minnesota includes a big section of the Boundary Waters.

And Rick and his crew are elite not just in Minnesota, not just the Boundary Waters, but nationwide. Rick teaches courses all over North America about how to do search and rescue. The Science, the mathematics that go into it from things like when they scan out in a field, looking for a body, as they did in multiple stories in the book, that it’s not just people wandering through the woods, hoping to come across a body that there’s, there’s mathematics involved.

And Rick explains that in the book and their equipment that they have is unbelievable and it’s advanced. And they can call in aircraft and so forth. So. Big shout out to St. Louis County rescue squad also in Lake County and here in Cook County as well. They have crews that respond to search and rescue and yeah, they, they, I think in particular, Rick without their support, the book would be a fraction of what it is, it would be a less educational than it is fewer anecdotes and just not as strong of a story.

So I’m forever indebted to Rick and the St. Louis County rescue squad for making the book. As accurate and as maybe powerful as it is because it’s because of their support largely. So working with them was absolutely critical and they didn’t have to take that time. They’re all volunteers for the most part for one thing.

So when they’re responding to calls, that’s a volunteer thing. They all have other jobs and a lot of them have families and so forth. And then, Hey, by the way, Rick, will you spend, you know, Over a hundred hours talking with me for this book that I was maybe on a week night when you’re really burned out and tired at is that okay if we zoom at eight o’clock or can I meet you at the shop in Duluth?

Again on a Saturday. And so taking all their time that they did just so that people can learn from these stories. Was so critical and I’m so, so grateful for them.

David Meier: Yeah. Rick’s also been great to email me in the past when I had some question about cold water safety and things like that. And I a hundred percent agree.

It’s just, it’s, it’s vital to have those resources and people who care enough to, to take the time and, help tie those things together as far as safety and, that approach to the boundary waters.

Joe Friedrichs: One other quick thing that I think Rick would probably push me to say here too, is those search and rescue teams are not to be taken a for granted, but a not to be thought of as something that.

If something happens to me on my canoe trip, someone’s going to come get me. I’m I’m good here. I can take this risk. I can go for that paddle across the windy Lake. I could try to take this tree down with this ax and should be good. Should be all good here. Like that mindset is not what they want you to have.

They don’t want to come get you. They will don’t make them or do everything you can. Not to have them come get you. In other words, don’t think of it as somebody that’s on standby, waiting to come get you. That is like the opposite of how they want to engage with people. They don’t want to come into the boundary waters.

It’s difficult. They have to use the non motorized things for the most part, just like we do when we’re traveling. And they’re leaving their homes, jobs, families to come get you in the night or whenever it is that you might need help. So don’t think of search and rescue as some sort of resource that’s there to aid you on your trip.

They are for absolute emergency situations only. There’s an anecdote Rick shares where a gentleman lost his canoe paddle. And hit, you know, he lost his paddle floated away from him. He’s on a solo trip, lost his paddle. Okay. That’s a bad, that’s a bad deal. Dave, you and I are paddle floats away. That that’s awful, but I’m going to do what I got to do to get out of that situation.

I’m going to get a tree branch, maybe tether something to it, to have a makeshift paddle. I’m in the wilderness. I got to get out of here somehow. And whatever you got to do to move that canoe to leave, that’s what you do. You don’t need to. call search and rescue. And they did. This gentleman did Rick and his crew go in.

There’s, you know, four canoes or whatever, eight people, they get to this site, not knowing if there’s someone who’s either dead or seriously injured or what the case is. They get there. The guy’s having coffee, chilling out at camp. I’m I need a paddle. Thanks guys. And they left them a paddle and then they, they, you know, have to paddle all the way back out.

Like, no, that’s not what search and rescue is for. That’s not learn from that type of story too in the book.

David Meier: Right, right. You have to be responsible. I mean, you might. Be able to meet another paddler and get a, you know, an extra paddle or something like that, that people are, can be generous you know, when, when, when emergencies happen, it happened.

It’s not just the squads. There are other paddlers around that, that you might be able to seek kind of help from an assistance from and community. At the same time, I, I, I appreciate it in, your book, the, the one paddler who was, or maybe it was a hiker who was lost and got turned around and then rather than.

Get more lost and put himself in at more at risk did either you know trigger a beacon or, or make a call to get help so that, that he could get out of that situation. And, and I loved how, you know, the search and rescue squads, that they said, you know, he did exactly the right thing, like before you make a situation worse it might be.

Good to just to make that call and get out of that safely.

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah, that’s right. That gentleman was hiking on the border route trail. And he actually activated the. Bear spray got caught on a, on a tree or some alder and blasted him in the face. And he became completely disoriented and blinded essentially and lost the trail, was in a bad spot, camped at a makeshift campsite, and then used a tarp to flag a plane that happened to be going by for a wolf survey they were doing over the boundary waters.

And that’s how he got out rather than staggering through the, the The Boundary Waters for a few days and hoping to pop out on the gun flint or something. He posted down in the Cook County Search and Rescue. Some of the people wrote a letter to the editor in our local newspaper here in Cook County that said, this guy did everything right.

You know, we didn’t have to go, into the B. W. C. A. In the thick woods. And look for his body or try to find him. He stopped. He had some food. He had access to water and he waited. And if you get in that spot, do it. That’s what Cook County Rescue said. So, yeah, there was a there was some some of that too, where people just stop moving.

Basically, and, and they got praise from the search and rescue for that.

David Meier: What was the most difficult part of writing this book? Was there anything about it that maybe hit a little too close to home? How did it change you?

Joe Friedrichs: I think one story in particular that I got really deep into is a gentleman named Jordan Grider, young, young guy, 29, the same age as Billy Cameron. And there were some parallels between their two stories and, and that they just loved wilderness. It was all about getting away and coming up here.

This was Jordan. The difference there would be that Billy came every year up here with his buddies and Jordan Grider came here. For the first time to try to spend a winter up here, the entire winter in a hammock camping near the Sioux Hustler trail. And, and he died from what they can estimate after just two nights.

And then he was eaten by wolves. It’s a story that Duluth news tribune did a big. Feature about it John Myers did 2019 and Billy or Jordan’s story is just unique. He, he was a vagabond. He lived in Kentucky squatted on some land owned by Mennonites in the Hills of Kentucky, rural Kentucky for about five years before he came up here.

He’s from New Mexico and had a hard life growing up. So I, I went out to New Mexico, met his folks and They, they had an interesting home life and their dynamics. He was homeschool. They told me about Jordan’s troubles growing up. And, and then I went to Kentucky where he lived on that land and met the people there too.

And I just became very intrigued by his story, even though he’s a bit of an anomaly in the sense that he didn’t have a lot of BWCA experience or none before he got here. He wasn’t here to soak in the beauty of the boundary waters and go on a canoe trip and embrace the singing wilderness of Sigurd Olsson nostalgia.

It was just. A person who was completely fixated on getting away from society and in the world, and even more extreme version of Chris McCandless from Krakauer’s books. So I was, I became interested in his story for. Just a variety of reasons. Just who, who was this young man roaming the United States?

And what, how did he end up off the Sioux hustler trail in the woods? Not even in a campsite. And it was a hard story to write, to know what to include. I mean, in a sense, he could almost have been a book his story and in a. Itself and how to take all this information traveling around the country and, and put that into what’s ultimately a chapter of the book was challenging to know how to take all that knowledge that I gained about this individual’s life and consolidate that into a chapter.

That was, that was a challenge. Plus I was emotionally involved in that story. I met his folks. I, they, they wept openly and extensively in front of me. And then. How do you, how do you communicate that into this story about the Boundary Waters? I’m in New Mexico with this family, grieving family. And now I’m writing a book about the Boundary Waters.

Like breaking that down was, was a challenge, Dave.

How did you make the decision to pick up and travel and go talk to people? Is it your reporter in your blood? How did you kind of pull all that together?

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah, it became important to me to see these places and where Jordan came from. Visual components and descriptive storytelling add so much more to it than just Jordan grew up in rural New Mexico and there’s not many trees around. Like that, that’s not the type of description that I want to do. I want to be like, what’s the inside of Jordan Grider’s house look like that he grew up in.

And when his mom is having lunch and getting emotional, what, what’s that? Feel like to be in that room. So that, that’s why I traveled there both for, for the importance of the description in the book, but also my own general curiosity. I needed to know these things to do a better job.

We’ll be right back with BWCA author Joe Fredericks after this.

With over 1200 lakes and hundreds of miles of trails, it’s no wonder that people spend a lifetime exploring the boundary waters. With so many possibilities, it can be daunting to figure out where to go. Whether you seek adventure, solitude, or want to reconnect with others, friends of the boundary Waters has extensive online resources to help you get the most out of your boundary Waters experience.

Visit www. friends bwca. org slash explore for more information.

David Meier: Can you tell me about any close calls that you’ve had in the Boundary Waters that might’ve been the impetus of this book or that hit close to home for you?

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah, I had a near death experience in the Boundary Waters in May, 2023, a personal firsthand experience where we capsized and went down some rapids in the Temperance River.

I got pinned by a massive pine that was in the river submerged that we didn’t see. And we had to deal with that on a canoe trip last fishing opener. And it’s in the book. It originally wasn’t only because the manuscript had been submitted already at that point to the Minnesota historical society press.

It was being edited at that time. And I got back from the trip. And, you know, told my folks about it this experience that had happened to me and some, some loved ones and friends and people here in town. And then decided that it was going to be in the book. I work with the, my editor Shannon at the Minnesota Historical Society Press.

And should we include this? Is there time to include it? Do we have time to do a revision like this? And, and she said, yes. You, you do and you should, and I think that it, it is important that it’s in there because here I am, I think on the book jacket, it says experienced canoeist or paddler BWCA. Sort of accomplished paddler type thing.

Well, I almost died in the boundary waters. The person, you know, I mean that after that trip, we continued that trip and on the third or fourth day we finally could kind of let our guard down a little bit and, and start to, you know, Speak about it in terms of my buddies were saying, you know, what happens to the royalties when the guy who writes a book about the boundary waters and people dying in the boundary waters dies in the boundary waters?

Like who, what happened? You got that all figured out in your book, Joe, and you know, that type of thing. But there, obviously that was like a thing, a serious, although lighthearted thing to kind of help us deal with the reality of that. So. Yeah, I guess. I think it’s important that it’s in there. It’s terrible.

It happened. I, I wish that that hadn’t happened. I was, my ribs were bruised up. I was traumatized. You know, didn’t sleep well on that trip. I mean, that’s the least of my concerns, I guess, but like just the, that was awful experience that I wouldn’t want anybody to go through what I did on, on that stretch of the temperance river, but it adds some, some narrative to, okay.

You have to slow down on these trips and you have to do what Rick Slatton talks about, which is situational awareness. You’ve doesn’t matter if it’s your first time going into this entry point or your hundredth, you have to read the conditions every time you get in and out of the canoe. When you’re on the water, every single time, that’s the component of wilderness travel that I took for granted was.

I know this place. I’m comfortable here. I’ve been here. Let’s go. And instead of, okay, this new beaver fall here blocking where we’d normally put in, this is a new thing. And it’s going to make our entry onto the river here different. And just didn’t factor that in because we’re in go mode. It’s 70 degrees and sunny and fishing openers the next day.

And we got a campsite, six portages up to get to, and Whoa, we’re in go mode. So even after I had written the book, I still needed to have a personal experience to really drive it all home for me. And if that helps someone, then, then great. And I hope that it does. I hope that people read the book and go, Oh, the, the person who wrote.

The book also needed to be humbled and, and have that experience to really know. And now I don’t, because the other people whose stories are shared, they, they had to go through it. And Joe went through that and now I don’t have to, cause I’m going to be smarter and more prepared and slow down and use this situational awareness.

David Meier: Stuff happens too. I mean, it can happen to you. And there was

Joe Friedrichs: a

David Meier: pri there was the pride

Joe Friedrichs: part of that too. You know, like, do I want to admit that this happened to me? Where, where am I gonna check my ego at the door so that other people can, can be safe because of this?

You know, it says. on the book jacket, experienced BWCA paddler. I can’t admit that this happened to me. Like that was stuff I was thinking about. I mean, I can admit that in the sense of my, my ego and pride, we’re playing a role. And if I want to tell this publicly and I I’m so glad I did and I stand, stand by that decision for sure that it was the right thing to do to include that instead of You guys don’t tell anybody about this.

Like that’s not authentic. And I would have felt terrible had I made that choice, which wasn’t ever a serious consideration. It just like. It occurred to me, I guess I will say.

David Meier: Well, it was appropriate too, because you were a character in the book. I mean, throughout, you were approaching it as a reporter and that came through but in a way you know, with all the connections you have, and as a citizen, as part of the Boundary Waters community, you’re also a character in the book.

And, you had written that in throughout, and so it was actually, I thought, you know, it flowed right from there that you would have your own experience to share. So I think that that’s really interesting and, and I know that you are continuing to do reporting You’ve now left WTIP, tell us about , what’s next for Joe Fredericks.

Joe Friedrichs: Yeah. Well, paddle paddle and portage is a media company that we launched in January. So it’s new in 2024. A lot of the reporting that I did for WTIP and freelance things for Media, KFAI radio in Minneapolis Star Tribune, outdoor news podcasts in Michigan, like people are interested in boundary waters.

And at a certain point, I just had so many stories that I felt like I was missing from, from journalism to storytelling to podcasts and so forth that I wanted to be able to do it. I wanted to not have people miss these types of stories, news and information. And so that’s where the origin of paddle and Porsche came from was let’s take what I’m doing at the radio in a limited capacity.

Cause I also had to do County board news and Lake Superior news. Whether it was environmental or not and school board, city council. I mean, we have a small new staff cause it’s a small radio station, you know, and community radio station. So it was just the ability to tell more stories what’s going on over in Ely.

You know, I mean, Marshall Helmberger does a great job at the timber J, but it’s one individual, no audio component to that. And so it was just seeing, there’s a lot of interesting newsworthy things and great stories in the boundary waters. And let’s have a place, a platform for that. So that’s how Paddle and Portage started was just expanding on what I was doing and news and journalism at the radio station and for other outlets across Minnesota and beyond and giving it a home.

So we did, and we call the Paddle and Portage and here we are. We’re also going to talk about some paddling destinations across North America. Rivers out west that people paddle. So it’s, it’s rooted in Quetico and BWCA, but we’re also talking about some destinations from Isle Royale to Willamette river in Oregon, the Yellowstone of Montana, the current river in Missouri, like all that.

So it’s a, it’s a home for people who care about paddling rooted in the boundary waters.

I really support a storytelling of the Boundary Waters.

And I think that the friends do that. I mean, when I get your updates like the, it’s beyond a newsletter, it’s a magazine is how I think of it that you guys send out. There’s great writing in there. I mean, I read it like this isn’t just you know some kind of environmental advocacy publication, which, which of course are the roots of the organization.

But like, this is really good writing and storytelling. I’m I enjoy what I’m reading here.

Yeah, it’s one of the few things that I get in the mail that doesn’t go straight into the recycle bin. And people can get this great magazine with gorgeous pictures of the Boundary Waters when they become sustaining members of the Friends for just 30 a year,

Joe Friedrichs: you guys just do good work. You got good people. You definitely have expanded your, your platform to be very inclusive. And I think that’s, that’s really cool.

So

David Meier: great work all around and the friends are great. It is a, it is a community and, and that’s what’s, you know, been interesting for me to see is all these folks that care so deeply about this place and we also have a number of events and things like that in ways that people can gather To appreciate the boundary waters, to share tips, to share, you know stories to, to find out, you know, where to go and then also to fight for clean water

 

Joe Friedrichs: and I think too, I mean, as a journalist I’m interested in the news component of it too. And then, I mean, when you get involved in like proven first legislation and you’re, you’re working with state senators and Congress and, and other people from St.

Paul to Washington to the governor’s office people, you know, when that gets my, my news Blood going is that it’s not just about storytelling. You’re also doing like you know, legislation and things like that.

I mean, the Boundary Waters has changed my life from both the recreational aspect of it, but also just the sense of community that, that you mentioned Dave, like we. People who paddle the boundary waters really care about it and we get infatuated and we, we want to embrace this whole, whole scene and, and being here has changed my life for the better, made me just a more thoughtful and considerate person, at least certainly from an environmental standpoint, if nothing else, and someone who is connected to a place, you know, to be connected to a place, really, you know, Makes you feel rooted.

I know where I’m going to live for the rest of my life or where I want to, if I’m lucky enough to and it’s here right on the edge of the wilderness.

David Meier: Well, that really comes through in the book, Joe, just how you kind of take this angle with the, with the deaths in the boundary waters. And like you said, it just kind of expands from there and, and you know, has a lot of different facets, including the history and some of the search and rescue teams and the community and the people that, that are connected to the boundary waters.

Please tell us where people can get the book.

Joe Friedrichs: I always point people to Drury Lane Books, which is the local bookstore in Grammaray. They’re really strong supporters of local authors not just me, but any, any local author for the most part here in Grammaray. They’re really supportive of, they got a whole section in there dedicated to local authors.

They hosted the book release party For me on the 4th of May at Drury Lane, big turnout, we sold out all the copies there and that kind of thing. So, you know, they’re, they’re just really supporters of the book. I think you can get it anywhere from Amazon to Target to Barnes and Noble and any small bookstore in Minnesota is probably going to have a copy now.

The release date of the book was April 30th. So it should be. Pretty much in any bookstore in Minnesota. But if you’re trying to order it online I would direct people to Drury Lane books. We’ve got a link to it on the paddle and portage website that takes you to Drury Lane. So try to try to order from there cause it supports them as they support me.

David Meier: Yeah, or grab a copy on your way up to the Boundary Waters, I think would be a great idea, a little something for the hammock.

Joe Friedrichs: Well, so I’ve had some mixed reactions to that statement, actually, in the sense of like, man, that book, like, was a lot to process right before my trip. So maybe reading it out there might be a bit much for some people.

Just, I want to. Say that point blank. Like this book is not necessarily light reading material, but it’s important and it’s educational and they’re powerful stories. But if thi this is your first trip you might read it afterward or maybe before. It’s a, it’s up to you, whatever your comfort level is with wilderness travel.

But. Just be in my you know, be mindful of the fact that these are real stories that happen to people in the Boundary Waters and it’s not to freak you out or try to keep you away from here. It’s so that you can come home and share your story and show your photos on your phone with your family and friends and be like, man, this was such an awesome trip.

And, and this place is important and I’m here safe. And maybe the book played a role in that, in some way.

So much, Joe, for joining us here on the podcast.

Visit our website or check out the show notes if you want more details on the last entry point and paddle and portage. And while you’re there, please consider a donation to the Friends during the Open Water Campaign.

Joe Friedrichs: Thanks to you, Dave, for, for this invitation, the friends that it’s really cool and means a lot. And

 

Joe Friedrichs: Thanks to all the people that shared their stories with me, who, who talked about their loved ones, who they lost in the boundary waters and, and those Those people should not be forgotten through this process that they, they also took their time and had to relive some of these experiences and cases.

And I hope people are, are respectful and appreciative of the people who, who shared those stories too.

 

Dave Meier: And thank you everyone for listening. If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend and leave us a rating wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll be covering a wide range of recreational topics this season, and we’ll meet some great personalities from the B W C A along the way.

So be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.

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Dave Meier: Big Red Canoe is a presentation of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Original Music by Surge and the swell. I’m Dave Meier and we’ll see you next time on Big Red Canoe. Thanks to the dedication of people from across the nation, we’ve made incredible victories in the fight against copper sulfide mining. For now, we’ve stopped this polluting industry from putting a shovel in the ground, but the threat is still there. That’s why we’ve been working to pass a prove it First bill.

In Minnesota, the law is simple. Before a copper sulfide mine in Minnesota can be permitted, the prove it first law would require independent scientific proof. That just one copper sulfide mine has operated in the United States for at least 10 years without causing pollution, and that one mine has been closed for at least 10 years without polluting.

It is common sense. Let’s protect our clean water. Let’s pass the prove it first. Bill.