Superior Hiking Trail closure The Superior Hiking Trail has been closed in the city of Duluth from Junction Avenue near the University of Minnesota Duluth campus to Martin Road, including the stretch through Hartley Park, because of storm damage.
A roadwalk detour around the 5.3-mile closure has been designated; find details at shta.org.
Apostle Islands damage The severe storms caused widespread damage at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, with Cat, Oak, Michigan, Sand and Stockton among the hardest-hit islands.
"Fortunately, all campers are accounted for and safe, although there were some close calls," park staff reported Friday.
Downed trees have forced some trail and campsite closures, including:
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- Cat Island campsite
- Manitou Island trail
- Sand Island trail from East Bay to the light station
- Stockton Island campsites 7, 8 and 11
- Julian Bay trail on Stockton Island
Damage assessments still were underway on Friday, the park reported.
Boundary Waters damage
Superior National Forest crews on Friday "continued to look for visitors in need of emergency assistance, cleared debris to allow travel, removed hazards, and assessed the impacts" of Thursday morning's storms that swept across the forest, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
No additional critical medical emergencies were reported, the U.S. Forest Service said. Two people were killed by falling trees during the storm on Basswood Lake in Quetico Provincial Park, just across the Canadian border.
Numerous trails and portages remain blocked by downed trees in the Kawishiwi Ranger District; find a full list online at www.fs.usda.gov/superior
"Forest managers urge visitors to be aware that there are still many leaning trees and hanging branches that can easily fall. Saturated soils make otherwise stable trees prone to falling over. Consider these hazards and prevailing southwest winds when choosing a parking, picnic, or camping site," the Forest Service reported.
Damaged electrical meters Minnesota Power reported Friday that if a home’s electrical mast or service meter was ripped down by a falling tree or branches, the homeowner will need to contact an electrician to fix it before the utility can restore service. They are not the responsibility of the utility, Minnesota Power said.
The utility encouraged homeowners to get those repairs made as soon as possible, while waiting for Minnesota Power crews to repair the larger outages.
