Storm damage this morning around Battle?

[Mark Christianson]

If you hadnt heard, a bad storm went through the East Battle area this morning. No idea how far spread it was, but we have severe tree damage and some building damage apparently.

We just got a call from the neighbors up there, and it sounds pretty bad.

I sure hope its not as bad as the report I just got.

Crap. 2 summers in a row. Anyone need firewood? This is ridiculous.

[ChuckN]

I just heard the sheriff closed Highway 78 north of Battle Lake. If you have a place on or near Otter Tail Lake...it is not looking good.

[walleye_jigger]

Otter Tail is pretty nasty. My parents are living on the east end of the lake and there isn't a tree left. They also said the local lumber yard had significant damage along with the elevator in town. My uncles live east of Otter Tail and they lost a shed along with numerous 100 year old oaks. There is also word that a dairy barn went down between Henning and New York Mills. It's nasty around there, be careful everyone.

[jerkin'm]

How about the North side of West Battle? Do I need to bring the chainsaw tomorrow?

[fishlakeman]

Wow, I just got off the phone with my 86 yr old grandparents that live on the south end of OtterTail by the old Pier restauraunt. Things are terrible! You will definately need you chain saw! They said the docks are gone. Our runabout is on the lift without out the frame to the top and our fishing boat is missing. The fishing boat lift is nowhere to be seen. I am taking a college class thats in the cities thats mon-thurs, so I can't get up there to help them out. Numerious trees are down, Balmoral is destroyed. This is bad people! I hope I can somehow salvage things when I get there by Thursday, but have no way of finding where the boat is. I'd have my grandpa look for it but he is in no condition to salvage a boat.

So, if anyone finds a 1985 Red 16 foot Lund Predator with a Black Mercury Classic 50, please contact me on my cell at 612-619-2979. I hope the boat made it, but from the sounds of it, it's not looking good. If a boat was to make it, it would be that boat though , that thing is solid as a rock. I would assume it is somewhere along the south shore of Ottertail between Balmoral and the Pier.

[Mark Christianson]

I'd say if you have a saw, bring it.

If you made it unscathed, someone else will need a helping hand.

Wow. Balmoral got it again???

[fishlakeman]

I just got off the phone with my grandpa again, see we have a huge drop off down to the lake, so it's hard to see the shoreline and stuff, but he said he went down there to survey the damage and the fishing boat was 50 feet down the shore upside down in the bolders about 10 feet onto the shore. Wow, that'll be fun. The lifts are a bent up mess, with our dock's nowhere to be found. We had at least 65 feet of dock too! No need for panic now that I know where the boat is and that it won't be going anywhere for a while. I will be coming up there on Thursday, so anyone who needs help, feel free to contact me on my cell # listed above.

[jerkin'm]

Not to sound like a jerk, but if my cabin burned down I think the neighbors would have roast marshmallows in the remnants. So, needless to say, there is no neighbor helping neighbor in my neck of the woods...I will bring the saw just in case, didn't want the stinky gas smell in the truck if unnecessary though......

[Ryan Berger]

My uncle called and said he has never seen it this bad,, ever,, thats over 40+ years,, I am heading up tomarrow with my new chainsaw,, and will be there through sunday cleaning up.. He said he couldnt even see his cabin on the lake from our lot in the back, and there was one tree down on our back cabin well at least I am getting out of work the rest of the week

[ChuckN]

BLB, pictures of your place are being sent. I swear you must have an omen. Driving in I said "this isn't so bad.." until I got to your driveway. Not a disaster, but get the saws sharpened.

Jerkn'm your place is fine.

Balmoral area is a mess. Way worse than last year's storm.

[jcfishr]

Any damage as far north as Rush?

[Mark Christianson]

Thanks Chuck.

I cant believe this. Firewood ANYONE????

This is gettin stupid.

Its actually 3 years in a row where we have lost trees. First year for any structural damage. Hopefully the last.

[eelpout#1]

My mom lives just southwest of pelican bay access on Ottertail and I think I can say that no-one escaped losing at least a tree and some people lost dozens. That area is mostly 100 year old oaks and basswood. There were some truly astounding sights along the shore when I finally got out there about 1 PM. Up and down the shore line there was exactly one boat left on its lift. There were no docks left anywhere and the boats were left high and dry (the ones that you could find). The neighbors pontoon boat was upside down on the beach with the lift still under(atop) it. There was a jet ski 75 feet from the water that noone knew whose it was. The beach front is gone, all the sand is up in the front lawns. A friends folks live on Blanch, they lost another 30 trees on top of what they lost last year. One of the 30 trees fell on 3 cars(his moms-totaled, his brothers-totaled and his dads). Right around the old Pier and the Balmoral golf course looks as if it the worst that I saw. They are saying that the power might not all be back on for 6 days. What a disaster zone!!!!

[fishlakeman]

eelpout, did u go out in a boat and look at the shoreline you mean? What shoreline did you look at, how far did you go down. Like I said, my grandparents place is about 1/4 mile from the pier, but I'm thinking I may be lucky to have such a high bank to the lake. It really sucks that my grandpa's fishing boat is in bad shape, I hope it is going to be salvagable. All I know is that I have a lot of work to do when I get up there. 4 large downed trees, both boatlifts, locate what's left of my dock, flip over fishing boat and see if it's sea worthy, and see how bad motor is damaged. $1000's in damage is all I know, just hope my grandpa has insurance on everything. Does anyone know if boat lifts would be covered under homeowners?

[Gissert]

BLB -

Oh man, that sucks. If the Warden does not work, I could come over with my saw and help buzz wood for a while on Saturday. I'm so sorry dude, I know the pain of losing mature trees.

We got off unscathed (S. Turtle) at our place. The Warden said there is one small branch down, that's it. The neighbor across the cul-de-sac lost one tree.

All this saturated ground must have made it really easy for those trees to go down. A co-worker of the Warden lost all but one tree in their yard.

[B. Amish]

Rush lake, Buchanan, Round Lake, and Pickerel all got hit hard, it sounds like the storm stretched all the way to Wadena

[Smokey]

Does anyone have any info on the Perham area, Big Pine, Little Pine?

[GoodToGo]

The Perham area was relatively unscathed. People at work that live on Big Pine reported no problems.

[Hastings gal]

My sister is (was) staying at a relitives cabin on OT for the week. They were in having breakfast at Betty's when the storm hit. They made it back to the cabin using the ditches due to all the trees covering the roads. What they found was the other couple that was with them had a tree on top of his Dodge, the cabin was okay a little deck damage, the cabin owners boat remained on the lift - they raise it up all the way all of the time. (Good thing). The dock is bent and twisted beyond belief, no boards remain on it - the pontoon and another fishing boat that were on the docks were up on shore in the trees. Boats and Jetskis were bobbing around the lake in the waves. Hummingbird feeders are on the ground everywhere. It is a huge mess and there is no electrity, running water. Very sad - they are staying in Perham, for the rest of the week. I hope everyone is okay and good luck.

[mntraveler]

Not sure about the lakes but my folks said in New York Mills the damage was pretty bad. Apparently their neighbor's house got hit by a tree, the parks are all in rough shape and to the south of town my uncle lost part of his pole shed. Good luck to everyone and if I didn't have to be in a wedding up there this weekend I'd be helping out.

[buzz402]

I Just Received a phone call from the Resort that we were going to for the first two weeks in July. The cabin that we were going to rent got damaged by the storm. We Have no place to go now unless it can be repaired. If anyone knows of someplace that is available please reply.

[frabillfisher]

BlB, you beat me to this post..since my power was out untill about around 1 last night..I live rite by deer lake and we have countless trees down looks like i wont be fishing for a while,only damage was about 3 trees fell on our small pop up camper and a hole in the side of the house from a tree that just missed falling on top of it ..good luck and be carefull with the chainsaws

By the way did anyone here if it was a tornado or just winds because from the looks of some of the trees there all twisted almost like it had to be a tornado?

[bigeyes]

Anybody know anything about the leaf lakes area. I just put a trailor up on East Leaf Sunday afternoon. Any roports of trailers flipped, etc?

Thanks

[Crankbait_Guy]

My parents live on West. There was alot of damage. If your trailer was on the northwest side I think you have a better chance. I'll be up there on Thursday to help the parents. I can take a look for you if you want. But, that's a lot of waiting.

[jwhjr]

Anything in the Big Pine/Little Pine area? I haven't been able to get a hold of the neighbor up there, but I think they are out of town.

[Mark Christianson]

Boy, amazing the area this thing covered.

I am floored by the reports I see on here, and things I am getting via email, etc.

I get first dibs on people interested in firewood....

We have so dang much from last years storm, we may as well burn the trees where they lay.

Sux sitting down here at work. I want to get up there to see first hand what happened and get it cleaned up.

Nice hot weather too. Perfect for cuttin wood.

[fishermatt]

Just took a spin around the northeast side of OT, and it looks like a Hurricane hit. Some pole sheds and barns were just flattened, people are everywhere cleaning up. Some buildings had trees laying on them, lots of shingles missing from roofs, etc. We lost the 8 biggest trees in our yard, 2 barely missed the house. Others were not as lucky.

[HOF#13]

Buzz...what resort were you staying at? We have always stayed at the Nifty Nook on Ottertail (been 24 years now). You could give them a try. I am guessing they may be full but you never know.

[fishlakeman]

Has anyone taken a boat out on OT to survey the damage? I'm guessing the winds came from the North west as my neighbor to the west's dock pieces and boat is on my shore line. I guess my transom of the fishing boat has a gap between it and the rest of the boat , looks like I'm in the market for a new fishing boat. Both lifts are unrepairable, as well as the pieces of dock that have been found. It's amazing what mother nature can do. I guess a guy was driving door to door trying to make some $ and quoted my grandpa $2,500 to take down 5 medium trees and straghten 2, he wanted to get the cash up front. What an A** trying to rip off an old man like that, I just wish I had been there to give him a piece of my mind and maybe something else. He was down to $1,400 by the time my grandpa told him he would contact him if he needed him. Well, my grandpa found a guy to do all the tree work for $450. Sounds good to me, now all I'll have to worry about is the boats, dock, and lifts.

[Crankbait_Guy]

To take out 5 trees my Dad was quoted $4800 by a guy doing the same thing. My Dad laughed at him. But, now I have to come up on Thursday, and cut down trees in 90 degree weather.