The body of a Cambridge man missing since his canoe went over a waterfall in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness nearly two weeks ago has been recovered, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.
Jesse Melvin Haugen, 41, described by a friend as an avid outdoorsman with a lot of experience in the BWCA, was found during a search Friday near Curtain Falls, between Crooked Lake and Iron Lake on the Minnesota-Ontario border.
Reis Melvin Grams, 40, of Lino Lakes is still missing.
On May 18, a caller reported to authorities that two canoes had gone over the falls. Two men were missing and another one was badly injured. Authorities said at the time that one of the canoes “got into some distress and the others tried to give assistance.” Both went over the falls.
The search for the missing men has continued since then, with officials from the Superior National Forest at one point closing off trails, campsites, portages and bodies of water tied to Iron Lake. Last week, Gov. Tim Walz enlisted the National Guard’s help finding the canoeists.
Crews will continue to search for Grams, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Haugen was known to sleep outside his tent when camping in this northern Minnesota destination. On the night before the accident, they watched the Northern Lights, according to Reis Grams’ brother Erik, who was also on the trip.
Erik Grams, whose family started a GoFundMe for the families of the missing men, described Haugen as a mentor at the local church and an amazing father, husband and friend, and a joy to be around. He ran marathons and rode BMX.
