Camping in the Crosby Mines

[Milt]

I would like to know if it's just me, or if there are others out there that are getting disgusted with the condition of the pits in the Crosby area. Two weeks ago we wanted to dive in Louise. When we got there, there were so many campers and so much trash that we had difficulty getting to the dive site. Every road into the mines is posted "No Camping", yet everytime I go to dive, there are campers everywhere.

I hear the complaints about the campground at Portsmouth and how it is really getting run down. What irritates me is that these same people are the ones that are denying the state of the needed funds to improve the campground by camping illegally in the mines. If they would patronize the campground and pay the associated fees, the state would have the funds necessary to make improvements for everyone's benefit.

I'm not sure if I'll be doing much diving in this area anymore due to the trash situation and the congestion with non-diving campers. I'd much rather spend my money and go to Wazee or to Ore-Be-Gone. At least there, I know they enforce the regulations and take care of the properties.

Very disappointed,
Milt

[MNDiver]

WARNING: I am about to get on my personal Soapbox.  Please ignore if you don't want to read someone ranting and raving!  You have been warned!  Just my 2 cents...take it or leave it....

I LOVE the Crosby area and hate to see what is happening.  The area holds a special place in my heart and I have lots of great memories there.  My first summer after moving to MN I must have been up there almost every weekend.  I logged about 100 dives that summer, most in Crosby.  I never had any problems with any other campers and the area was, for the most part pretty clean.  What more could you want? Cheap camping, great diving and one of the friendliest dive stores I have ever been to close by for support. 

I too have been disappointed with the condition of the pits recently.   Since the State of MN has started "managing" the area, it has quickly gone down hill.  Much of the area has been closed off, barricaded, and the new laws/rules are randomly enforced.  The pits now have more trash than they ever did before and who knows what people are allowed/not allowed to do.... I guess it depends on who is deciding what laws apply that particular day.

There used to be so many great dive/camping sites.  You could go up there every weekend for a few years and not see everything.  Now, the roads are cut off, and the few places you can go are getting over run.  It is all the "improvements" that the state has added that is hurting the area.  The "snowmobile" trail all by itself has cut off about half of the water access.  Great move there, not like there aren't any snowmobile trails already in MN!  Did they have to cut the area in half with one?  Couldn't they have put it "around" the area? 

It must be hard to manage such a unique area.  I am sure the State was shocked to find out that people in MN actually dive, like diving in clear water, and spend money in the local economy.  The diving lobby is not exactly organized compared to say; the cash cow of the Snowmobile lobby?  The State did a pretty good job with the Maderia so I know they are capable people.  Perhaps the state feels that divers only need one place to dive in the state?

From my point of view, the State is playing a game with us.  They will so poorly manage a great area to the point that it is no longer usable and any natural habitat that is there has been destroyed.  At that point they will play the "savior" role and we will be begging them to come in and "fix" it - when they destroyed it in the first place.  The State employees that are responsible should be ashamed of themselves.  If any of our local investigative reporters ever need a story and start some in depth research of the area... some State employees will be loosing their jobs.

I know there is a long history of how we got to where we are today with regard to the pits and there is a group of divers from the area that are trying to work with the state to see that diving interests are not ignored.  I appreciate all they have done and don't want to take away from their hard work. Perhaps someone will chime in and give us an official "update" on what the master plan is - if there is one.

[VintageDiverMN]

Maybe the politicians will form a committee to study the problem for the next ten years, thats about the speed the the Government works at.

[LKunze]

I agree guys.  I haven't even been to Crosby yet this year and it's really my last choice for out of town dive sites now.  It's quickly becoming the arm pit of local dive sites.  I'd rather pay the fees to go to Wazee or the extra gas money to go up to Ore Be Gone, Lake Mine, St. James Pit, the Madeira or even hop on Jay's charter boat out of Duluth than go to Crosby. 

[DiverQueen]

I'm thinking about going up to Crosby the weekend of the 14th-15th as some folks I know are planning a camp and dive trip up there. 

Maybe I will have to bring some additional equipment a la "Rambo" style!  ;D 


And a few garbage bags to haul out the trash with!! :

[MNLakeDiver]

I have been diving and camping in the pits for many years. there is always more trash there in June as the schools are out and the teen agers go camping/parting in the pits. I was up there 2 weeks ago and spent 3 hours cleaning a camping spot befor I set up my camp. we always leave our site better then when we got there. if it was the same week you were there keep in mind there were 3 dive shops using Louise for classes that weekend.

[arcFlash]

I haven't had the same experience in Crosby but I'll sign a petition saying I'm fed up with the campground and general patrolling of the area.  No running water in June, WTH! If they want us to use the park turn on the electric and the water.

Crosby must have a tourism board, don't they care? You would think they need the resource as all the money we've spent was directly related to diving.

Fines alone would probably pay for the park maintenance given all the H-School kids I've seen. 

Oh, Ya and a map would be nice! They need to sell maps that actually have the 'real' roads on it.

[eric myers]

I was at Louise two weeks ago and there was a hole pile of trash just to the right of our favorite landing.  I made a mental note to remember trash bags next time.  If they aren't going to pick up after themselves than I will, because its too important to let it go to waste. 

I still like Crosby.  Distance wise it is just about as far from my house as it is to Wazee.  Admittedly, I would rather not pay but beyond that I like the idea that you don't have to be worried about  being watched by a park ranger who is only there to tell you what you can and can't do.  Its just unfortunate that you can't leave it to others to be responsible. 

Oh and for those who know me, if I am heading East on 94 to go diving, I am not stopping for some deep pit in the middle of nowhere.  I'd rather hit the big water on a boat...now that's freedom!

F.Y.I. - I work in Government Relations (lobbying) and as one enlightened previous poster mentioned the Dive Industry in MN is NOT at all organized.  This does stand in stark contrast to a well organized Snowmobile association.  Like we say in the biz "If you are not at the table, you are on the menu."

[Milt]

That is precisely my point! Three dive shops were camping in a non-camping area and blocking out the others that were camping in legal areas or staying in local motels, yet still wanted to dive in Louise. I would be willing to bet that when these dive shops left on Sunday, a lot of their trash stayed behind for other to clean up or simply trash up the area. Portsmouth has the only designated campground, all the other areas in the area are posted "NO CAMPING"! These dive shops teach students to abide by the rules and standards of diving yet turn around and demonstrate to them that the rules of common courtesy and state regulations mean nothing to them.

[LKunze]

  Milt, I do not know which shops were camping in the pits but that's a pretty bold assumption you have that the dive shop events are responsible for trashing the pits.  If you do not have facts then don't make accusations. 
  Also, from what I have heard from several sources, the state cannot enforce no camping rules on the entire cluster of pits because they do not hold land rights to the entire area. 
  For more information I'd recommend contacting MSD and talking to Bill or Todd.  No one is more in tune with the real deal regarding regulations up there than they are.