This is my flood video from Jay Cooke State Park…only a few miles from our house [Taken morning of June 22nd].
The swinging bridge is normally about 25 feet above the river this time of year! (see below photo for “normal” water levels and span)
It is a suspension bridge that spans 126 feet of river. The stone support pillars were built by the CCC but the bridge itself was replaced after the 1950 flood.
The river set a new all-time record flood height yesterday, eclipsing the 1950 spring-runoff flood. That’s what 9 inches of rain in 24 hours will do!
June 24, 2012
Sparky Stensaas
thesparkygroup@gmail.com
4 responses to “Flood 2012—Jay Cooke State Park’s MANGLED Swinging Bridge”
Joanne Stensaas
June 24th, 2012 at 21:55
I hope youj weren’t as close as it looked. Aunt Joanne PS. It did remind me of the power of nature.
Julia
June 26th, 2012 at 19:38
What incredible force! Did the bridge survive?
Wadeen Baribeau
July 25th, 2012 at 08:16
Very powerful footage! I used to hike there all the time and the bridge was my favorite place to linger and bask in the sun and listen to the river. The flood waters would be exciting but I would still prefer the more quiet sounds of a normal flowing river. Thanks for sharing and how is the bridge now?
Sparky Stensaas
July 27th, 2012 at 14:44
Hello Wadeen,
Unfortunately the bridge was severely damaged…And the road into the park was totally destroyed in spots (canyons where there was once a hillside and road!). They say the park is closed indefinitely…at least until late fall, but I’m guessing it will be a year or more.
2 Trackbacks / Pingbacks
Rap, Country, and Domestic Violence | slowingtheracingmind July 4th, 2012 at 07:01
[…] note: I am completely devastated by the fact that the suspension bridge over the St Louis River in Jay Cooke State Park is gone. This is not an easy reality for me to […]
Top Twenty Images of 2012 « The PhotoNaturalist February 4th, 2013 at 18:03
[…] #8—The banner headline of 2012 for us Duluthians/Carltonians was the Great Flood of June. It affected all of us dramatically. But my most powerful image was this shot of the raging St. Louis River taking out the historic and much loved Swinging Bridge of Jay Cooke State Park. Read more here. […]