The BWCA is composed of over 1 million acres of untouched boreal forests strewn with dramatic cliffs, rock outcroppings, and unforgettable vistas. It is a well-known camping and canoeing destination. But other areas are barely affected by the high water.Boundary Waters Canoe Area is a vast wilderness area in Northeastern Minnesota, adjoining with Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park, famous for its array of over a thousand small-to-medium-sized lakes, and the wildlife they provide a home for. He said some canoeists have changed routes, and have encountered flooded portage trails. He said most have heard about the high-water conditions and are calling ahead to check in. McDonnell said none of his clients have canceled their trips. вЂњAnd that you are really paying attention because the current, you know, was grabbing people left and right and pulling them all over the place.' Make sure everyone's got a good grip on their paddles,вЂќ he said. 'Make sure your lifejacket is on, make sure it's cinched nice and snug. Still, he's telling paddlers to be cautious, especially at portages. There are high-risk areas and unpredictable levels of water,вЂќ Gilkeson said, adding that conditions vary widely across the million-acre wilderness.ДЄndy McDonnell, co-owner of Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters, near where Kasprak capsized, said water has receded significantly in the past few days, especially on the eastern side of the wilderness. 'They just need to be prepared and know what they're walking into. The Superior National Forest is asking visitors to call ahead to ranger stations or outfitters to get the most recent conditions along the canoe route they plan to travel. But to her knowledge, no one was injured. USFS spokesperson Joanna Gilkeson said sheвЂ™s heard of a couple incidents where canoeists have needed to be rescued by emergency personnel. Forest Service says they have received several reports of capsized canoes this spring, as a heavy winter snowpack followed by drenching spring rains sent water levels soaring across the Rainy River Basin, from the Boundary Waters to Voyageurs National Park along the Canadian border. When he came to, he made camp, and the next morning bushwhacked four hours to his car - shaken, but alive. He wrapped himself up in a tarp, vomited and passed out. 'When I got up, I knew I needed to get my clothes off. Exhausted, he pulled himself up the bank. He stuck his arms up, and managed to grab onto a tree. вЂњI couldn't breathe, no matter how I how much I struggled.вЂќ But his head kept getting pushed down under the water. He kept his legs up in front of him so they wouldnвЂ™t get stuck on floating logs and other debris. It was like getting beaten with bats going down a waterslide as he got swept downstream, he said, banging against tree branches. I went down the rapids and it dumped me as I was getting hit by the tree branches and threw me in the water.' 'That's when the current took me and sucked me in pretty quick. He saw the food pack he had left behind floating in the water. Now it was a raging torrent.ДЄnd this is when he made a nearly fatal mistake. The landing was next to what's normally a placid creek. He paddled back toward the portage he had recently come across. 'I was freezing tired and cold but I'm in the boat,вЂќ he remembered thinking, вЂњout of the water now.' He slid his canoe over a fallen tree and flipped it over to drain the water. After about an hour, he finally made it to shore. He let go of one of his food packs so he could swim faster. вЂњThe current was just so strong, and I was just so heavy, and the drag with all my gear in the boat was so great that I was just barely moving in the water. After about a half-hour, вЂњMy legs started going numb and tingly,вЂќ he said. He kept checking his watch to monitor how long he was in the water. He grabbed his paddles and packs and headed toward the nearest shoreline, still lined with snow. And the current was immensely stronger than what he expected.

The ice had only broken up a couple days earlier. 'And as I approached the narrowing, I was a little off on going straight, and it just turned my boat like a switch and flipped me into the water instantly.' So he pushed on, across another flooded portage trail, and paddled toward a narrow gap in Ham Lake. He was more intrigued by the conditions than fearful of them.

Boundary waters