Cook County Law Enforcement received three calls reporting people lost in the wilderness last week. Fortunately all parties were found uninjured.
The first call came in at 10:20 p.m. on Monday, August 10 from a woman in the Twin Cities concerned that her daughter, Shelby Piepho, 22, an EMT, and boyfriend, Braden Kohl, 29, a firefighter, had not returned home—and to work—that day as planned.
The woman said the two entered the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on Saganaga Lake and their plan was to camp there, taking daytrips. After contacting Kohl’s family it was determined that they should be camping on Vernon Lake, getting there via Bower Trout Lake.
The search was postponed until daylight. Deputies located the couple’s vehicle and left a note in case they came out early in the morning, asking them to call and check in, which they did. At 10:54 a.m. the next day, Kohl called to let law enforcement know they were out of the BWCAW and were driving down the Gunflint Trail. Kohl explained that they had gotten turned around on a portage and because it was getting dark, they settled for the night and came out at daylight.
A second missing hiker call came in on Tuesday, August 11 at 3:20 p.m. from Clearwater Lodge. A motorist on Hungry Jack Road was flagged down by two females, asking for help to find an adult male and three children missing somewhere on Caribou Rock Trail.
Search and Rescue was paged and began a search of the area by 3:37 p.m. At 4:54 p.m. a note was found in the BWCAW permit box on the trail indicating that the male and children had been found. Responders were recalled and everyone was out of the woods and accounted for by 5:17 p.m. A sheriff deputy located parties at the cabin where they were staying to confirm that they were all safe.
A third, more alarming call, came into Cook County Law Enforcement on Sunday, August 16 from a group that had been camping on 3-Mile Island on Seagull Lake. The reporting party said that Tim Hunter, 65, had gone for a walk and did not return. The campers called for him and they could hear him answering, but could not find him. Although Hunter is an Eagle Scout and in good physical condition, they were concerned that he might be injured.
The group paddled out for help, which took about an hour, making the emergency call from a payphone at 10:47 p.m. The first Gunflint Search and Rescue member arrived on scene at 11:07 p.m. and by 11:18 p.m. multiple responders were on scene. The U.S. Forest Service was contacted and authorization to take a motor boat in for rescue was given.
Gunflint Search and Rescue personnel reached the campsite at 12:03 a.m. and found that Hunter had made his way back there. They transported the rest of the party back to the campsite as well and plans were made for Seagull Outfitters to bring their canoe and gear to them the next day.
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