Historic low pressure system in Illinois grounds adventure travelers

A historic low pressure system hit the Midwest and Chicago causing severe winds that jack-knifed semis on interstates and grounded planes.  It also caused a complete halt in adventure travel during this time.

A low pressure system is an area of weather in which the barometric pressure is lower than the surrounding air.  The air then rises and cools creating clouds and precipitation.  A low pressure system usually comes with or at the crossroads of a warm or cold front.

The low pressure system recorded a possible all time low in Minnesota.  Bigfork, Minnesota reached an amazing 28.21, which could be the lowest low ever recorded.  The low is congruent with those that are recorded in a class 3 hurricane leading many to dub the storm a “landicane” or in Chicago a “chiclone.”

When lows are broken that create storms that give rise to over 20 tornadoes then much is written and reported about them.  The storm that caused so much damage this last week halted adventure travel just like it grounded flights.  No one in their right minds would have been in a canoe and the Operation Migration whooping cranes following an ultralight aircraft on their migration route remain in Winnebago County in Illinois.

There are many fronts and storms that happen throughout the year that never get reported or do not break records, but wreak havoc for adventure travelers.  This summer while in the middle of the Canadian wilderness, the author was thirty miles from anywhere when a low pressure system hit Quetico Provincial Park.

It was nowhere near the perfect low pressure storm that sailed through the Midwest this week, but its impact on our trip was significant.  30-35 mph hour winds made us change our course home.  Instead of sailing through Lake Kawnipi we darted around islands navigating in a way to keep us out of dangerous choppy waters and in the lee of land that protected our canoe from strong winds.

At one point, we had to stop for over 6 hours on Lake Saganagons while the wind died down as it was too dangerous to cross one stretch of water.  When we reached our destination we met travelers coming into the park that were across the lake from the Cache Bay Ranger station, but had to stay put for two days until the low sailed through and the winds diminished.

Imagine going on vacation and getting there and then having to wait two days to begin.  It would be like going to Disneyland with kids and getting a motel room within view of Epcot, and then telling the kids that it was necessary to stay in the room and do nothing for two days.

This is one of the dangers and frustrations of adventure travel, but also one of its appeals.  In civilization we just need to know if the weather is safe enough for us to get to our car.  We also wonder if the weather will be nice enough for a barbeque or should we go to dinner.

While adventure traveling even a small change in the weather can alter the way one decides on how to continue the journey or in the case of this week’s weather whether to take a trip at all.  This focus on the weather brings adventure travelers more in tune to earth and nature.  The challenge of dealing with weather also adds a sense of accomplishment to any trip where one deals with the elements and survives.

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