Northern Wilds February 2018 by Northern Wilds Magazine

H A M M ’ S B E E R — V I N TA G E S N O W M O B I L E S — C H O C O L AT E T R U F F L E S —Y O U T H O U T D O O R S

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TWO HARBORS silver BAY TOFTE LUTSEN GRAND MARAIS GUNFLINT TRAIL grand portage THUNDER BAY NIPIGON

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Caution: Big Bear Ahead If you are a Minnesotan of a certain age (kinda old), you may have fond memories of the Hamm’s Bear. The cartoon bear was synonymous with the Minnesota Twins, which were sponsored by Minnesota-based Hamm’s Brewing Company. Television and radio ads often began with a tom-tom beat for a little ditty that included the company’s slogan, “From the land of skyblue waters.” You could find Hamm’s lighted signs at every backwoods watering hole and memorabilia in more than a few Northwoods cabins. Minnesota’s upnorth mystique was the backdrop for much of the advertising, which enhanced the state’s image as a vacation destination. In the 1970s, Hamm’s traded its cartoon bear for the real thing. Footage for an advertising campaign featuring a man and his Kodiak bear was filmed on the Gunflint Trail. Of course, the city slickers from the ad agency needed a local guide. They found a good one: Rolf Skrien. In this issue we have a story we think you’ll enjoy. Chuck Viren recently visited with Skrien to hear his memories of working with the only Kodiak bear to ever visit the Gunflint Trail.

Do you have a question for one of our writers? Or an interesting photo, recipe, or story you’d like to share with Northern Wilds? Please send it to storyideas@northernwilds.com.

While the big bear occupies center stage, this issue is really for the birds. You’ll find a collection of stories about our feathered friends. Kelsey Roseth catches up with a couple of our favorite bird photographers, who share their advice on how to become a bird-watcher. Mike Creger tells us about the Sax-Zim Bog, which draws birders from across the country every winter to observe northern owls and other creatures of the boreal forest. Naturalist Emily Stone explains how to distinguish the common, look-a-like hairy and downy woodpeckers. Joe Friedrichs delves into a local mystery:

Are wild turkeys moving up the North Shore? Rhonda Silence introduces us to birders extraordinaire, Ken and Molly Hoffman. Also in this issue, Peter Fergus-Moore talks with a Thunder Bay climber who’s found no shortage of rock and ice to test his skills. Ali Juten delves into the world of vintage snowmobiles. Eric Chandler writes about a Duluth program that connects kids with the outdoors. Our newest writer, Rae Poynter, reports on a popular North Shore art gallery and studio that is changing hands. Speaking of art, Breana Roy features a collection of photos taken by local photographers during last month’s deep freeze. North Shore Dish columnist Maren Webb shares a few places where you can find chocolates for your special Valentine. Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux, in her first piece for Northern Wilds, tells us how to make your own truffles. Javier Serna samples the wares at two Irish pubs in Duluth. In the face of adversity, Amy Schmidt offers ways to foster your resilience. Out in the woods, Erin Altemus explains why she prefers to run a dog team after dark. Gord Ellis fills us in on fly-fishing. Julia Prinselaar explains how to find your way without the help of GPS. Elle Andra-Warner delves into the ancient legends of the thunderbird. Michael Furtman’s wonderful Catchlight photo “tops” this issue. So curl up, stay warm and start reading. Happy February!—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt

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VOLUME 1 5, I SSUE 02 w w w . n o r t h e r nw i l d s .c o m SE R VI N G T H E N O R T H S HO R E A ND T H E WI L D E R N E S S BE Y O N D PUBLISHERS Shawn Perich & Amber Pratt EDITORIAL Shawn Perich, Editor editor@northernwilds.com Breana Roy, Managing Editor breana@northernwilds.com ADVERTISING Sue O’Quinn, Sales Representative sue@northernwilds.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Katie Viren • katie@northernwilds.com Drew Johnson • drew@northernwilds.com OFFICE Roseanne Cooley billing@northernwilds.com CONTRIBUTORS Erin Altemus, Elle Andra-Warner, Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux, Eric Chandler, Michael Creger, Gord Ellis, Peter Fergus-Moore, Casey Fitchett, Joe Friedrichs, Ali Juten, Deane Morrison, Rae Poynter, Julia Prinselaar, Kelsey Roseth, Amy Schmidt, Javier Serna, Rhonda Silence, Emily M. Stone, Chuck Viren, Maren Webb Copyright 2018 by Northern Wilds Media, Inc. Published 12 times per year. Subscription rate is $28 per year or $52 for 2 years U.S. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part requires written permission from the publishers. Northern Wilds Media, Inc. P.O. Box 26, Grand Marais, MN 55604 (218) 387-9475 (phone/fax)

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20 FEATURES 16 Winter Birding 101

Tips for observing and attracting our feathered friends

18 Sky-Blue Waters, Bears and Beer

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aD dEADLINE February 16

Cover

Catchlight

Light Dee Night by Aaron Kloss

Boreal owl by Michael Furtman

WE ASK...

Do you enjoy bird watching, yes or no? Let us know at www.northernwilds.com Have you gone ice fishing yet this winter? 67% Yes, 33% No NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

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Boreal chickadee at Sax-Zim Bog. | SPARKY STENSAAS

Exploring the Arctic Riviera DULUTH—The Sax-Zim Bog is in the middle of nowhere, some 40 miles northwest of Duluth. That has never been a deterrent for birdwatchers from across the country and globe. And neither has harsh winters. This is prime time for species sightings and it’s estimated that more than 2,500 people with binoculars come to the area each season. If they run into Sparky Stensaas, they will likely hear a familiar refrain. “It’s an Arctic Riviera,” he says. Stensaas is executive director of Friends of Sax-Zim Bog, a group that has led efforts to preserve the area and enhance the bird and animal watching experience. It’s work led to environmental protection designations, a nature center building and, coming this year, a boardwalk that will ease exploration into the heart of the 300-square mile bog.

The Sax-Zim Bog is a great location for sighting birds, such as evening grosbeaks and blue jays. | SPARKY STENSAAS

“No more bushwhacking,” Stensaas said. The key importance of the bog, he says, is that it serves as the southern range for birds that summer north into Canada and beyond. Because of its unique characteristics, a “magic mix” of old-growth tamarack and spruce lowlands—each winter you’ll find great gray and northern hawk owls, rare redpolls and grosbeaks, blackbacked woodpeckers and boreal chickadees. In the summer are warblers and the flora of orchids. It’s here where you’ll find non-winged wolves, bobcat, hares, moose, ermine and pine martens.

The Sax-Zim Bog Winter Bird Festival will begin Feb. 16. | SPARKY STENSAAS

“The amazing stuff is always the critters,” Stensaas said. He estimates there are 1,100 species of animals that make the bog home at least part of the year. He said 85 percent of visits to the bog occur in the winter. The Friends are proud of the work at the bog, which includes making neighbors comfortable with the crowds that gather in what would usually be a quiet area. Visitors are instructed to respect private property and the people who live near the bog. Stensaas said public relations have come along and proof can be found in the neighbors who’ve put up bird feeders and welcome visitors into their yards for a peek.

More than 2,500 people are estimated to visit the bog each season, traveling from both near and far, such as this birder from Florida who witnessed a great gray owl. | SPARKY STENSAAS

“They like people and they like birds,” Stensaas said of the neighbors.

The three-day festival, now in its 11th year, begins Feb. 16 with the support of the Toivola-Meadowlands Development Board, Friends of the Sax-Zim Bog, and residents of Meadowlands and neighboring communities. Registration is required for structured events like tours because only 150 people can be accommodated.

The Friends host a festival each year with tours of the bog and other areas in the region, including in Duluth.

Evening programs on Friday and Saturday are open for more people as the festival encourages neighbors to meet

the hardcore birdwatchers from around the world. Most tours are of the bog but the side trip to Duluth will take people to the harbor for a search for snowy owls and gulls.

A photo blind near the bird feeders at Sax-Zim Bog. | SPARKY STENSAAS

For details, visit the Friends website at saxzim.org. Call Stensaas at (218) 341-3350 or email info@saxzim.org. —Mike Creger NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

Ken and Molly Hoffman—A lifetime of birding together GRAND MARAIS— Molly and Ken Hoffman of Grand Marais are well-known locally as accomplished birders. They’ve lived in Cook County for nearly 40 years, enjoying the multitude of birds on the North Shore. What came first? Their love of birding? Or did North Shore birds get them started? It turns out they’ve both always enjoyed bird watching. Ken started as a very young boy. Proof of that is a memento sitting alongside an abundance of bird books in the Hoffman’s cozy living room. It’s a little green recipe box, decorated with cutouts of birds. It was Ken’s when he was just 12 years old, his first filing system for his study of birds. The two met in Duluth, where Molly grew up. She was in college when she met Ken, a U.S. Forest Service worker transferred to the northland from New Jersey. After they married, they continued to pursue their hobby. Molly laughs, “When you put two birders together, you’ve got some very intense birders.” They learned from recognized birders in the Duluth area—Professor Kim Eckert, author Jan Green, geologist and birder John Green and others.

Some kids collect baseball cards. Ken Hoffman collected data on birds and kept it in this special box. | RHONDA SILENCE

“When you start out, you are amazed at their abilities,” says Molly. “They know all these songs and they stun you with their knowledge.” Over the years, Molly and Ken have become experts as well. They’ve learned that calls vary depending on the species of bird and why it’s singing. The sound changes when a bird is establishing its territory or when it is seeking a mate. “It isn’t always ‘chip, chip, chip’ or ‘chirp, chirp, chirp,’” Molly says. “It’s more complicated than that.” The Hoffmans made many trips to Grand Marais and eventually settled here in 1980. Using Ken’s civil engineering skills, they launched their own business— Hoffman Land Surveying, which they operated for 22 years. Both Ken and Molly enjoyed the survey work which took them all over the county—and offered bird sightings along the way. Molly recalls that sometimes while assisting Ken (by holding the “dumb end” of the survey equipment, she says), she would catch the song of a warbler. With her ever-present binoculars, she could seek out the bird sharing its song. It’s not hard to hear bird song in the boreal forests of Cook County. Molly explains that the highest concentration of breeding birds in North America runs from the Arrowhead to western Minnesota, and then across the continent. It is harder to see a bird than hear it, says Ken. When a bird is perched high in a tree, it’s difficult to spot. But when you hear the song, it’s easier to pinpoint the bird amongst the foliage. “You hear something—and then you just watch and wait,” Ken says. Most of the watching and waiting happens in April, May and June—during breeding time. “After mid-July, it gets quiet,” says Ken. 6

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Molly remembers wading through nearly waist-deep swamp muck to see the bird. She and Ken stayed behind as other bird watchers filtered off. They were rewarded for their patience by seeing not just the adult solitary sandpiper, but its chicks as well. Molly and Ken Hoffman have a lifetime of experience identifying birds in our northern forest. | RHONDA SILENCE But that doesn’t mean the Hoffmans aren’t birding in the off season. In fact, for many years they were involved in the area’s premiere winter birding event, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. They were participants in the counting at first and then took over the recording and reporting from Dale Peterson in the 1980s. Molly kept meticulous records of the birds spotted during the Christmas Bird Count, adding exquisite sketches of some of the birds. They enjoy sharing what they’ve learned. Molly has been an instructor at North House Folk School and Cook County Community Education. And for about five years, with encouragement from her neighbor, Randy Eastland, she produced Field Notes with Molly Hoffman for WTIP Community Radio. “It was a challenge to learn to hold the mike at a certain distance,” remembers Molly. “And it was tough with the bugs. Holding the equipment, you can’t swat the bugs!” Field Notes lead to the production of three Bird Songs of the Northern Woods CDs, produced for WTIP, with the support and assistance of Cathy Quinn. Proceeds

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of the sale of the CDs benefit the local radio station and it can be purchased there. The set is coveted by aspiring birders. And Bird Songs of the Northern Woods 3 includes a “bonus” song, the call of the Parus major, a great tit. Molly says it is the rarest bird they’ve seen in Cook County. The great tit, which looks a lot like a chickadee, but has a yellow breast with a black stripe, is normally found in Europe. It is a mystery how the bird came to be in Minnesota. The bird’s identity was determined by sightings and photos taken at a feeder by Gail Johann of Hovland. Because it is not native or doesn’t migrate through this area, it doesn’t count for Minnesota birding lists. But it was still exciting to see it, says Ken. And Molly adds that it was exciting to capture the bird’s song. When asked about other unusual birds, they are quick to recall sightings. There was a fieldfare, a rock ptarmigan, an Anna’s Hummingbird, and a slaty-backed gull. One of the most difficult, but satisfying sightings was the solitary sandpiper, seen on the Lima Grade Road off the Gunflint Trail.

Memorable sightings like that, is what has kept them bird watching all these years. Do they have advice for someone thinking of taking up the pastime? Molly suggests taking a birding class when offered at North House Folk School or Community Education. She says a good way to start is just by watching your bird feeder in the winter. Ken adds that a good book is helpful. Their favorites? Ken prefers The Sibley Guide to Birds and Molly, Peterson’s Field Guide: Eastern Birds. They both stress the importance of good binoculars—not too small as that doesn’t give you the range you need; but not too heavy either, so they are easy to carry. But the main thing they want people to know is how much birding can bring to your life. Molly says, “It enriches our lives. For most people, when you try to go out to observe wildlife, you may not see anything. Try to find a wolf or a moose, and you probably won’t have any luck. But birds—you can always see birds.” Ken agrees, “The more you do it, the more you enjoy it.”—Rhonda Silence

Hairy and downy woodpeckers—size matters NORTH SHORE—Sometimes when you go for a hike in the winter woods the air is filled with a constant chatter of chickadees, redpolls, and kinglets with ravens croaking in the distance. Sometimes it feels silent and eerily still. No matter which mood the woods are in, I can count on hearing the soft tap-tap-tap of a hairy woodpecker prying insects out of tree bark. Or is that a downy woodpecker? These two black-and-white-checkered woodpeckers have infuriatingly similar plumage, right down to the red spot on the back of the male’s head. As experienced birders know, size matters when telling these two apart. Downy woodpeckers are only two-thirds the length of a hairy. Even that is hard to gauge from a distance though, so relative beak size can be a better guide. My dad initiated me early with this simple comparison: when you see a hairy woodpecker, you think “What a beak!” because it is almost as long as the woodpecker’s head. When you see a downy woodpecker, on the other hand, you might ask yourself “What beak?” because it is so tiny and inconspicuous—only one-third the length of its head. The size difference actually helps reduce competition for these rivals trying to eke out a living in the same neighborhood with comparable tools and similar skills. For example, the small bodies and needle-sharp beaks of the downies make it easy for them to cling to the dried stalk of a goldenrod plant and drill precisely

diet, downies and hairies are not closely related. Scientists think that the resemblance evolved to help downies avoid confrontation with their bigger neighbors. From a distance, hairies have as much trouble telling themselves apart from downies as we do, so, mistaking a downy for another hairy, they might choose not to attack when faced with a competition for resources and space. It probably doesn’t work all the time, but even a small advantage can drive natural selection. If that feels like a bit of a stretch to you, consider the fact

that evolutionary ecologists have identified nearly 100 other pairs of birds that exhibit this same pattern of mimicry. For example, shorebirds are tough to identify no matter what, but Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs are particularly confusing. They aren’t closely related, though, and Lesser Yellowlegs’ “interspecific social dominance mimicry” as scientists call it, is technically a form of social parasitism, just as it is with the downy woodpeckers. Tap-tap-tap…Hear that? It’s the sound of a clever underdog calmly eating his lunch.—Emily M. Stone

Hairy woodpeckers have a longer beak compared to a downy. | STOCK into a gall on the stem. Inside, they might find a sweet, juicy goldenrod gall fly larva for dinner. The feather-light downy, who weighs only one-third as much as a hairy, can also glean insects from bark crevices on flimsy branches, and will often dangle acrobatically on twigs like a chickadee. Meanwhile, the heavier hairy woodpeckers dig for wood-boring insects on trunks and large limbs that won’t swing under their weight. They also follow behind pileateds to clean up the crumbs of insects that those much bigger woodpeckers didn’t bother to lick up. Here’s the crazy part, despite the similarity of their appearances, habitat, and

Downy woodpeckers are two-thirds the length of a hairy. | STOCK

Cozy Warm Get

and

Slow down, unwind and embrace Hygge in Cook County this February.

2nd Annual Hygge Week | February 9-15, 2018 Fireside gatherings, candlelit skiing, guided snowshoe adventures, late night stargazing, lodging specials and more. VisitCookCounty.com/Hygge

Cook County Fireplace Tour | February 1-28, 2018 Take our fireplace tour and cozy up by the fire after a day of outdoor winter adventures. View participating locations online. VisitCookCounty.com/Fireplace-Tour

VisitCookCounty.com/Hygge

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FEBRUARY 2018

A turkey wanders near the North Shore in 2017. | THOMAS SPENCE

2018…The year of the turkey? TOFTE— It took Thomas Spence more than 20 years to see his first wild turkey near the North Shore of Lake Superior.

another subspecies known as Eastern wild turkeys several years later.

“I’d heard about some sightings in Lake County near Two Harbors,” Spence said, “and a few near Silver Bay, but I’d never seen one until April 2017.”

Though a rough winter not long after the introduction wiped out some of the turkey population, it appeared Minnesota was now home to wild turkeys for the long haul. Eventually, Ingebrigtsen and other wildlife officials introduced the birds in the Minnesota River Valley, and as far north as the Brainerd area. Due to the result of the harsh winter that killed the birds in southern Minnesota, Ingebrigtsen said he and his fellow researchers believed there would be a northern limit to the turkey range in Minnesota. They also believed the North Shore never presented itself as a realistic option to maintain a population of the wild birds.

This unexpected sighting of a turkey near the Sawbill Trail in Cook County is probably why Spence had the reaction he did upon witnessing the feathered creature dart through his yard. “It kind of startled me,” Spence said. “It was bigger than anything I’m used to seeing here. I thought maybe it was the state record grouse!” During the winter of 2017-18 snowy owls have been the bird of local lore in the Northern Wilds, with many reported sightings throughout the region. However, once spring arrives, there is the chance wild turkeys on the North Shore could once again become a hot topic. Last spring there were numerous reports of wild turkeys that reached the desk of Dave Ingebrigtsen in Grand Marais. Ingebrigtsen, the recently retired Minnesota Department of Natural Resources assistant area wildlife manager, said most of the reports were credible, though it’s not certain if the animals were wild turkeys or farm birds. “Cook County is likely the edge of the wild turkey range,” he said. “Whether turkeys expand their range or are introduced here, the winter will ultimately be the decider of their viability.” A brutal cold snap in late December and early January likely put a damper on any form of a ‘turkey movement’ along the North Shore and surrounding region. Furthermore, harsh winter weather is not the only obstacle turkeys face in northern Minnesota and across the border into Ontario. Ingebrigtsen questioned whether there is a sufficient food source for wild turkeys along the North Shore and inland forests. And there’s the region’s wolves, bears, lynx and other animals that might consider turkeys an appropriate meal if given the opportunity. “Cook County has the deepest snow in the state,” Ingebrigtsen said. “The shore land area has less snow, but it does have abundant predators.” Ingebrigtsen has a long history of working with turkeys in Minnesota. He entered the scene not long after a wildlife research team introduced Merriam turkeys to a remote area in southeastern Minnesota in the 1970s. The genetics of that strain failed to take in Minnesota, so Ingebrigtsen and some other wildlife managers introduced 8

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However, it seems the times have changed. And as of 2017, many local residents, hunters, outdoor writers and wildlife officials are comfortable stating that turkeys now inhabit the forests near the North Shore. And if they do in fact set up residency in the Northern Wilds, it’s possible some area hunters will take an interest in the fowl. Darin Fagerman is a conservation officer for the DNR based in Cook County. Fagerman said there are spring and fall turkey hunts, and that it is legal to hunt turkeys along the North Shore and surrounding area when seasons are open. Lake, St. Louis and Cook counties all fall in the 508 Permit Area with regard to hunting seasons for wild turkeys in 2018. There are specific dates to hunt legally based on firearm or bow, and the type of permit one is hunting under. In general, the season runs from late April to May, but check with the DNR regulations to be certain of legal hunting seasons. Fagerman said he has never encountered a turkey hunter in Cook County, adding that he doesn’t expect the sport to become a trend anytime soon. “It will be interesting to see if any turkeys make it through this winter,” Fagerman said, specifically mentioning the brutal stretch of cold around the holiday season where temperatures failed to climb above zero degrees Fahrenheit for almost a week straight. Meanwhile, if they can survive the harsh climate, Spence said he wouldn’t mind seeing another turkey bolt across his yard near the Sawbill Trail again this year. “I would love to see them thrive up here,” he said, “but I think they may have a tough time finding food and adapting to our winters.”—Joe Friedrichs

Climber finds year-round opportunities ice from the freezing of cascading creeks in winter. Climbing is thus a year-round activity in the region. “People actually travel to this area for the ice climbing,” Fishman explains. “But when I came here first, I didn’t notice that people were doing that nearly as much as for the rock.” So when Fishman started up his business Outdoor Skills and Thrills, he focused on providing climbing adventures yearround. Certified by the respected Professional Climbing Guides Institute, he offers climbing adventures suited to his clients’ abilities and desires.

Outdoor Skills and Thrills owner Aric Fishman. | PAUL DESAULNIERS

THUNDER BAY—The teenager gazed up at the portable climbing wall brought for a day to his Thornhill high-school. Intrigued by it, he climbed. And climbed. Arguably, he has never stopped climbing.

“There’s a pretty good history of climbing in this region, an astounding number of cliffs to climb on,” he says. “Having already been a climber in different regions, I saw this place as unique and special.”

“I spent most of the day on that wall.” Aric Fishman remembers. “I always had a fascination with climbing.”

The region owes its unique climbing opportunities to massive glaciers moving in a southwesterly direction over 10,000 years ago. The profoundly heavy ice gouged out deep grooves in the landscape, leaving long “islands” of land called drumlins and eskers when the climate changed for the warmer as the ice melted. For the northwest, this has meant land formations like Thunder Bay area’s Norwesters, hard remnants of rock from which softer rock has long since weathered away. The perpendicular sides of some of these formations lure climbers from around the world, and as a bonus, are draped in huge sheets of

His older brother and a friend belonged to a climbing gym, which Fishman soon joined. In fact, his brother’s friend wound up being his mentor as Fishman pursued outdoor climbing with a passion that to this day shows no signs of abating. Now, here in the northwest, Fishman shares his passion year-round. And to hear him tell it, there is no better place than the northwest region of Ontario.

“I take people out on rock and ice climbing adventures, guided courses, outings and clinics,” he says. “I provide a lot of avenues through my website for people to book an adventure. When they book, I give them an information package, which has all the information that anyone could ask for or ever want to know—here’s where they’re going to meet, GPS coordinates, what they will do when they arrive, clothing considerations—this increases their confidence in the climb.” Aware that not everyone who wants to try a climbing adventure is at his skill level, Fishman pays close attention to detail. “Not only do I prepare them as much as possible before the time, but I have backup equipment because that can make or break an experience,” he says. “Being pre-

pared for people who come unprepared is very important.” Fishman’s climbing adventure business has been so successful that he has expanded its scope, hiring a team of qualified guides to extend Outdoor Skills and Thrills’ reach. And that brings into play his own personal quest for a balanced life. “I am nearly at capacity in output,” he says. “That’s why I am putting together a guiding team so that the business can handle more people who wish for a climbing adventure, without the risk of my burning out.” This astute awareness of his own personal needs balanced against his passion to share his love of the outdoors in what he unabashedly calls “the incredibly beautiful sights” of this region, resonates with what he sees outdoor climbing adventures offering his clients. For him, climbing itself is more than just scrambling up and down rock or ice cliffs. “Climbing outdoors ties everything together,” he says. “There’s the physical, of course. The mental aspect is a big part, where you are dealing with situations in front of you on the climb, stress, group dynamics if you’re in a climbing party. You learn when to back down, when to push ahead. It’s a great self-confidence builder.” To learn more, visit: outdoorskillsandthrills.com.—Peter Fergus-Moore

DNR announces new special angling regulations NORTH SHORE—Special fishing regulations will change March 1 on a number of Minnesota waters following an annual public input and review process, according to the DNR.

regulations were shown to be effective, the new protected slot is expected to provide a similar protection to quality fish and with the added benefit of allowing additional harvest of abundant smaller bass.

For this spring, new statewide northern pike zone regulations that take effect on inland waters will make it possible to do away with several previously existing special regulations that apply to individual waters and aim for similar outcomes as the zone regulations. The new statewide pike regulations go into effect in time for the fishing opener on Saturday, May 12.

Kraut, Peanut, North Shady, Squash and Tomato lakes in Cook County: Catchand-release regulations on trout in these five lakes will be dropped this spring. Additionally, the ban on winter fishing and special tackle restrictions for these lakes will go away. The catch-and-release with tackle restrictions and the winter fishing closure did not meet management goals for these stocked trout fisheries. They are remotely located and special regulations and the closed winter season did not provide quality fishing in these lakes. But the same special regulations will continue on three other lakes—Thompson, Thrush and Turnip lakes—that were reviewed at the same time.

On waters that have a special fishing regulation, anglers are required to follow the special regulation and unless otherwise mentioned, all other regulations apply. Flour, Hungry Jack and Two Island lakes in Cook County: These three lakes with restrictive size regulations (either a 12-20 inch protected slot or catch-and-release only regulation) on bass will be modified to a less restrictive, 14-20 inch protected slot with one over 20 inches to allow additional harvest of small bass while still protecting quality sized fish. Although the existing

Visit mndnr.gov/fishmn for more information on special fishing regulations. Special regulations that change March 1 will be listed in the 2018 Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet.

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Trumpeters a triumph of conservation ST. PAUL—When you hear the call of a trumpeter swan, it is a sound you never forget. A bold and ringing song of solitude and wildness, it is a call you will most likely hear in a lonely place. Trumpeter swans are increasingly common in the Northern Wilds, but they seek out the marshes, ponds and lakes where they are least likely to encounter people. The swan’s song is also a triumph of conservation. The trumpeter is a native bird that disappeared in the 1870s due to unregulated subsistence hunting. In late summer, swans are unable to fly; the adults due to molting their primary wing feathers and the young, called cygnets, because they haven’t acquired the skill. This annual occurrence made them especially vulnerable to hungry pioneers. Fast forward to the 1980s. Five or six pairs of trumpeter swans, the results of a small reintroduction effort, are nesting in Hennepin County parks. They are the only trumpeters in the state. The Minnesota DNR’s fledgling Nongame Wildlife program begins work on a statewide trumpeter swan restoration plan. Funding for the plan was provided by the then-new “Chickadee Check Off” on the state income tax forms, which allows individuals to donate a part of their refund to the Nongame Wildlife Fund. While the management of game species is funded

with hunting license fees and excise taxes on guns and ammunition, funding for specific nongame management, such as trumpeter swan restoration, comes from sources like the nongame fund. Carrol Henderson, DNR nongame wildlife program supervisor, wrote the trumpeter swan restoration plan along with Dr. Jim Cooper from the University of Minnesota and was actively involved in the reintroduction effort. At the time, he said, it was believed the birds would repopulate the northern prairie potholes. It turned out the swans had other ideas. The eggs came first. The DNR started the program with eggs from wild, nesting populations at the Red Rocks National Wildlife Refuge in Montana and other sources. Hatchlings were reared at the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area on the northern edge of the Twin Cities. For three years beginning in 1986, Henderson traveled to Alaska to collect, under permit, 50 eggs from wild trumpeters. The Alaskan swans weren’t living in a prairie ecosystem. Instead they nested on bog mats in forested wetlands; a backdrop similar to habitat found in northern Minnesota. In 1987, 21 two-year-old trumpeter swans were released at the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in Becker County.

Starting in the 1980s, the trumpeter swan restoration project has been a huge success. | EARL ORF The following year, five trumpeters were released at Swan Lake in Nicollet County. In subsequent years, swans were released at other locations around the state from the southwest to north. Swans also began moving into new areas on their own. To Henderson’s surprise, trumpeter swans introduced in northwestern Minnesota didn’t head west into the prairies. Instead, they began moving north and east. Henderson began receiving reports of nesting trumpeters from Ontario, as well as from places in northern Minnesota. He says the birds are well adapted to secluded northern lakes. The Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas shows confirmed and potential trumpeter nesting activity in

Lake and Cook counties. From humble beginnings in the 1980s, the trumpeter swan restoration has been a resounding success. Henderson says the state population now exceeds 20,000. The total cost for over 30 years of restoration effort has been $500,000 from the Nongame Wildlife Fund. While you may happen upon trumpeter swans in the Northern Wilds during the open water months, the best time to see them is during the winter. Trumpeters are short distance migrators. Thousands of them winter in the open waters downstream from power plants in Monticello and Fergus Falls. Others migrate to Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas.—Shawn Perich

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More than a hobby, it’s vintage

[LEFT] Clint Deraas’ 1962 Polaris Sno Traveler. | CLINT DERAAS [RIGHT] Clint’s 1963 Polaris Sno Traveler. | CLINT DERAAS

Mike Deraas with the first snowmobile he restored himself, a 1963 Arctic Cat [LEFT] and a 1965 Bombardier Ski-doo. | ALI JUTEN

As any hobbyist knows, it is more than enjoying the work you put in, it is also about showing that work off to fellow enthusiasts. And, believe it or not, there is a vast community of people and vintage snowmobile events that support this hobby.

DULUTH— For brothers Mike and Clint Deraas, it was their childhood and their dad, Melvin “Mel,” that first sparked their interest in restoring vintage snowmobiles. In 1968 when Mel brought home a 1964 Polaris “Pacer,” their family of eight had years-worth of rides and entertainment and, the best part, it still runs.

“If you need a part that you can’t find anywhere, chances are somebody will know somebody that you can get what you need. Nobody is out there to make a bunch of money on it, if you need something, somebody will gladly help you out in order to get you what you need to keep your hobby going,” Clint said.

“I think what got us into it, primarily, was because my dad was still wanting to go out and snowmobile. He had that old snowmobile of his and, well, he had one and so we had to get one, then two, then three. Then we started participating in the vintage rides and my dad was really into that,” Clint said. Mike Deraas definitely remembers his first vintage ride with his dad’s old Polaris. After his dad restored it, he participated in the Fish Lake Classic Snowmobile Challenge and ended up winning a trophy for the oldest snowmobile to finish the challenge. “That was really exciting, I guess, and one thing lead to another and I just started picking up more and more old sleds,” Mike explained. This year, the Fish Lake Classic Snowmobile Challenge will be on February 17. Between the two brothers, they own at least a dozen vintage sleds that they have either restored or are in the process of restoring. Mike’s latest project is a 1962 Polaris Snow Traveler. To put it into perspective, the first Polaris snowmobile was created in late 1955; so it’s a very old sled. Mike focuses his restoration efforts on functionality. “I like to keep these things original, sometimes I’ll go completely through and restore them. But this sled runs and moves fine, and so I am just going to make it so it is functional, and take ‘er out on the trail,” he said. Clint, on the other hand, also wants to restore them to ride, but would be happy with a show room piece, too. His newest project is a very rare, 1964 Polaris Comet. This particular model was the very first that Polaris attempted to make with a front engine and, it was recalled. At this point, there are less than 20 machines left.

He’s taken some liberties with some of the other one’s he’s restored, but he plans to keep this one as original as possible, while fixing the issues of the original recall. “The problem mainly was that they didn’t go in the snow very well. Well, if you’ve got a snowmobile that doesn’t go in the snow very well, it’s not very functional,” he laughed. “For me, it is not going to be seeing much trail time anyways. And, if it is a show piece, it’s a show piece, if it does get occasionally used that’s fine too.”

Blast From The Past Lutsen Trailbreakers Snowmobile Club is hosting it’s 3rd Annual Vintage Snowmobile Ride at Cascade Lodge on

Saturday, February 24

Bring your vintage sleds and enjoy a 20 mile ride on the trails. Registration: 10-11:30 am Cascade Lodge, Hwy 61, Lutsen Ride begins at Noon. $10 per Sled

Grand Prize: Two night stay at Cascade Lodge for Best of Class. Cash prizes for: Best of Show, Winner and Loser of the Fun Run. For more info and event details visit: cascadelodgemn.com or call 218-370-9268

After all, as the Deraas brothers know, snowmobiles will always be vintage, at least someday.—Ali Juten Clint’s upcoming project, a 1964 Polaris Comet. | ALI JUTEN

Come Join the Fun!

at the Two Harbors Curling Club, 1349 Hwy 61 Outside in the huge heated tent.

So much to Do! Pancake Breakfast Restaurant Chili Cookoff Bonfire with FREE Smore’s Lots of Kids Events Sliding and Skating Snow Sculpture Contest

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Live Music

Want to know more? Information & Registration Forms can be found at:

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na. Though new to northern Minnesota, Mueller has been a part of several Grand Marais Art Colony workshops and Art Along the Lake, and through those experiences has become familiar with the North Shore. He said he is looking forward to becoming part of the community. “It’s beautiful here,” Mueller said. “The people are creative and very welcoming.” As Mueller takes over the business, perhaps the most noticeable change is that Last Chance will no longer be open as a gallery. Instead, the retail side of the business is shutting down this February and re-opening in Grand Marais in the spring. The change will allow Mueller to focus more fully on his own art, specifically public art for cities and commissioned work. Sculpture artist Greg Mueller will take over ownership of Last Chance Gallery on Feb. 1. | RAE POYNTER

Gallery changes hands LUTSEN—When Tom Christiansen opened Last Chance Fabricating in 1989, he considered it his last chance to make a living as an artist. You could say the chance paid off. For nearly 30 years now, Last Chance Fabricating has served as a sculpture studio, an art gallery, and a last resort for designers with unique projects to build. Tom Christiansen and Marcia Hyatt built Last Chance to be “a welcoming stop along the North Shore.” After many years of welcoming artists and visitors alike, Last Chance will be undergoing several chang-

nner! wi

es this year as Greg Mueller takes over the business and Christiansen moves his work to his in-home studio. “I want to concentrate more on 2D art,” said Christiansen. “I will be working on sculpture too, just downsizing.” Last Chance’s new owner, Greg Mueller, is also an experienced sculpture artist, having studied sculpture in art school and apprenticed under Paul Granlund. Before coming to Lutsen, he taught art across the country, from Ohio to South Caroli-

Despite the closing of Last Chance Gallery, Mueller is glad that the building will still be used as a studio: a site for keeping the arts alive and celebrating creativity. “I’d like to grow the sculpture garden,” he said of his future plans for the property. In addition to his own work, Mueller plans to host art events at the studio and let Christiansen continue some of his sculpture work there. “Last Chance isn’t stopping,” Christiansen affirmed. While Mueller looks forward to having more time for his sculptures, Christiansen is ready for the freedom to pursue his own art from home. Even though he is moving on, Christiansen is grateful for his years at Last Chance Gallery and the opportunity to connect with so many people. One of his favorite aspects of operating the busi-

ness was working with Stan Tull and Lester Morrison for five years. “They came out of curiosity and worked alongside me to learn about casting art. They were extremely helpful to me and I learned as much from them. We had a lot of fun together.” While the gallery will be closing Feb. 1, Last Chance Fabricating will continue to be an important part of the arts culture along the North Shore: a place to celebrate the need for creativity and the good that can come from taking the final chance. For more information on Last Chance Fabricating, visit lastchancefab.com. —Rae Poynter

Caribou Moved WAWA— In January, the Ontario government used a helicopter to capture woodland caribou from Lake Superior’s Michipicoten Island, where they are being wiped out by wolves. Eight females and one male were moved to the Slate Islands, which have long supported caribou. Wolf predation had reduced the Slate Island population to about four bull caribou. Wolves are now absent from the archipelago. It is hoped the released caribou will breed and repopulate the islands.

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Youth Outdoors-Duluth enters third year DULUTH—The kids were all ready for a mountain bike event in Lincoln Park. Bad weather forced them indoors at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. With the help of the Duluth Police Department, they set up skills courses and drills. The kids loved it and stayed a half-hour longer than scheduled. When Melody David-McKnight told the story, you could tell she was happy that this hiccup turned into a success for outdoor sports. This story is Youth Outdoors-Duluth in miniature: A town comes together to overcome challenges and get kids into outdoor recreation. David-McKnight is the Youth Outdoors-Duluth coordinator. Youth Outdoors-Duluth (YOD) is part of the Duluth Area Family YMCA. Started in 2015, this organization works to give all kids nature-based resources and expertise they might not otherwise get due to economic, cultural, or racial reasons. Over time, this will help build a diverse population of outdoor leaders. A few years before YOD came into being, the Northland Foundation and the Minnesota Land Trust talked about ways to get kids engaged in the outdoors. This resulted in the Duluth Children’s Outdoor Charter approved by the Duluth City Council in 2015. This charter states that Duluth is uniquely filled with outdoor amenities that benefit children. There’s a growing body of evidence that outdoor activities have a positive impact on kids. “Research has shown that just 20 minutes outdoors can reduce ADHD symptoms. Outdoor activities have a broad range of physical and mental health benefits that can help kids in school and in life,” said David-McKnight. The Duluth Children’s Outdoor Charter covers a lot of ground. YOD pays attention to the access portion of that charter. They address the idea that all kids should be able to partake in Duluth’s outdoor opportunities, regardless of their background. The health benefits of outdoor activities are well established. But why is it important specifically that underserved populations get access to the outdoors? “Typically, people make a conservation argument: That if young people don’t grow up caring about the outdoors, there won’t be anybody to protect public lands in the

11-year-old kids will participate. The key part is teen participation. We need to put planning in the hands of kids to make sure what we’re doing is what they want.” David-McKnight is training a teen cohort in February so they can plan and teach many of the year’s upcoming outdoor activities. “Teens are the key to success,” she said. She repeatedly referenced the success of a bike rodeo at the Family Freedom Center in Lincoln Park that was led by three African-American teens. “Seventy-five percent of the kids who participated were African-American,” she said. When asked, David-McKnight said this bike rodeo was one of the best things she’d seen from the program so far. Long term, YOD will work to create a pyramid-shaped “engagement progression.” It’s a path that leads from introductory outdoor activities through many levels including leadership development, advanced education, and culminating in careers in outdoor education and conservation. The programming in 2017 was the first step in that upward progression. True North AmeriCorps members build a quinzee with Outdoor Club youth. | YOUTH OUTDOORS-DULUTH future. But I think it’s important to take a people-based approach,” said David-McKnight. “By taking care of our environment we are caring for each other. It will build community and tie people together.” David-McKnight talked about the beginning stages of this endeavor. She took on the YOD coordinator role in 2016 and spent the year gathering information, coordinating and planning. “2017 was the first big year of programming,” she said. “Most of the events take place in Duluth, but the archery event took place out in Jay Cooke State Park.” Four hundred eighteen kids have used the Gear and Curriculum Library and 150 positive adult role models were trained. As part of the Adventure Series, 126 kids learned to swim, mountain bike, paddle, climb, and shoot a bow. YOD is a grant-funded venture. The Northland Foundation, The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, and the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation are just a few of the grantors that support YOD. Partner organizations include the City of

Duluth, Neighborhood Youth Services, Valley Youth Centers of Duluth, American Indian Community Housing Organization, the Duluth Cross-Country Ski Club, and many more. David-McKnight said that she enjoys working with the different community organizations. That’s good considering the list is 23 organizations long and growing. “Learning what gets people excited is really cool,” she said. “Fun, creative ideas. Creative ways to weave these things together.” There are difficulties to overcome. “Transportation is a challenge. Also, there’s so much enthusiasm that people are taking their own initiative to get kids outdoors. Enthusiasm is good. But we also need to network closely with partners so the greatest number of people can participate and get something out of the movement,” said David-McKnight.

But there’s a long way to go. The public can help in many ways. During the month of April, Whole Foods COOP in Duluth will dedicate the “Round Up” fundraiser to Youth Outdoors-Duluth. You can even check out the AmeriCorps job postings to become a summer volunteer. Visit the Youth Outdoors-Duluth website for more details: youthoutdoors-duluth.org. Things look good entering the third year of the program. “I enjoy working with people I wouldn’t normally meet otherwise,” said David-McKnight. “It’s great to see kids from diverse backgrounds playing and cooperating in the outdoors.” A cross-country skier and road cyclist herself, she has a lot of outdoor education experience. A 2009 UMD graduate, she taught place-based education in Montpelier, Vermont and was an educator at the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center. “I’ve taught everything from fly-fishing to lacing up snowshoes,” she said. Youth Outdoors-Duluth is in good hands with Melody David-McKnight.—Eric Chandler

“Buy-in from youth serving organizations is important,” she said. “We have to be creative about how we link opportunities together and incentivize. The eight to

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Good Times Await

North of the Border

Don’t miss the chilling mystery, The River, showing at the Magnus Theatre Feb. 1-17. On a moonless night in August, a man brings his new girlfriend to his remote family cabin. Be she’s not the only woman he has brought here—or the last. Tickets can be purchased online. magnustheatre.com Head to Definitely Superior Art Gallery for the Stories of Truth 2.0 poetry night, held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 2. The event is hosted by the Racialized Young Professionals Network and features local poets Jana-Rae Yerxa, Ardelle Sagutcheway, and out of town guests Shadiya Aidid and Nasim Asgari. There will be an open mic to end the event. Tickets are $10, paid in cash at the door or purchased through Eventbrite. definitelysuperior.com The Thunder Bay Community Auditorium will host multiple events throughout the month, starting with CCMA award winner Brett Kissel on Feb. 2. Other shows include Gobsmacked on Feb. 10; Gord Bamford Feb. 14; Abbamania Feb. 15; the Fly Fishing Film Tour Feb. 17; Mini Pop Kids Feb. 19; and The Debaters Live Feb. 26. And don’t miss Serena Ryder’s Utopia World Tour, held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27. Betty Carpick’s Birds of the Bay project continues into February, with two more maker sessions held Feb. 4 and Feb. 11; from 1-3 p.m. at the Baggage Building Arts Centre. Carpick’s project invites people of all ages and abilities to share their relationships with the birds that reside in Thunder Bay. Six fibre arts bird sculptures will be made by tying, weaving, and stitching on wire armatures. The completed sculptures will be displayed at Marina Park on Feb. 19 during SnowDay. There will also be a drop-in unveiling on Feb. 18 from 2-4 p.m. at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery Confederation College Campus. All sessions and activities are free. facebook.com/birdsofthebayproject The ninth annual Thunderwolves Indoor Marathon will take place Sunday, Feb. 11, held by Children’s Centre Foundation Thunder Bay, in partnership with Lakehead University. Held at the Lakehead University hanger, this year’s event features a full marathon, half marathon, 10km run and walk, and a mar-

athon relay for ages 12 and older. The full marathon is a 211-lap race, which will start at 8 a.m. There will also be a kids fun run; free for all children ages one to 10. Proceeds from the event remain local, supporting children’s mental health education and prevention initiatives through Children’s Centre Foundation. Registration required. thunderwolves.ca/indoormarathon SnowDay, held Monday, Feb. 19, is a free celebration of all things winter that takes place annually on Family Day at Marina Park. There will be activities and entertainment for all ages, including snow sculptures, ice skating, fat tire biking, learning to make bannock over a fire, snow carving and more. Warming activities and craft demonstrations will take place inside at the Baggage Building Arts Centre and Mariner’s Hall, featuring music performances and buskers. Be sure to cast your vote for Best Chili at the Chili Cook-Off, a fundraiser in support of the Regional Food Distribution Association. There will also be local food and drinks, including hot chocolate. thunderbay.ca/snowday The Northwestern Fur Trappers Annual Convention will be held Feb. 23-24 at the CLE Heritage Building. There will be a wild fur fashion show, fur handling demonstrations and competitions, live and silent auctions, raffles, and exhibits. The convention will be held from 11 a.m.5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free; open to the public. There will also be a smorgasbord, dance and silent auction from 6:30 p.m.-1 a.m. at the Slovak Legion. Tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for kids under the age of 10. fwfta.ca

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winter birding 101 Local birding experts share tips for attracting and observing our feathered friends

by kelsey roseth

Bohemian waxwings are a winter visitor on the North Shore. | MICHAEL FURTMAN

s we endure winter’s bitter winds and harsh cold snaps, many of our feathered friends have long since abandoned us for a warmer season down south. Birds that remain experience the season by our sides, and there’s something uplifting about their presence. That’s what makes winter birdwatching so special—we get a glimpse of their exceptional survival instincts and can celebrate their successes.

The great gray owl can be found in the Northern Wilds all year long. | EARL ORF

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERN WILDS

birds to watch for Species that often arrive: Winter finches, northern owls, Bohemian waxwings, northern gulls, sea ducks, pine grosbeaks, redpolls. Species that often stay: Chickadees, woodpeckers, pine siskins, nuthatches, finches, jays, red crossbills, white-winged crossbills. Species that often leave: Robins, cardinals, cedar waxwings, warblers, sparrows, raptors, juncos. Both the chickadee [LEFT] and gray jay [ABOVE] remain on the North Shore year-round. | EARL ORF

Where to Find Them

During our long, dark winters, “Birds from farther north move in, sometimes in large numbers, and it brings the winter woods and fields to life,” said Michael Furtman, a Duluth-based outdoor writer and nature photographer. He’s the author of seven books, a principal photographer for Ducks Unlimited, and his work has appeared in dozens of magazines, including Bird Watchers Digest, Field & Stream, Northern Wilds, Minnesota Outdoor News, and Pheasants Forever Journal. The subjects of his photography are often birds, and some of his most stunning work is produced during the winter. Over the years, he’s developed a keen memory about the habits of our feathered friends. “Insectivores have to move as far south as there are consistent patches of insects, whereas seed-eating birds and generalists like robins will only move as far south as they need to find food,” said Furtman.

suets made from animal fat or nut butters attract chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers. The high-fat foods help birds stay warm when temperatures drop. Furtman and Orf both agree on one secret feeding weapon: deer ribs. “During deer hunting season, I go to the local butcher and pick up some deer ribs and I hang those up in the yard. Those are really attractive to the birds,” said Orf, who goes through about three ribs each season. Other food options include peanut seeds, millet, and cracked corn. It’s important to remember that birds need fresh water during winter. Since it’s not as easily accessible, consider buying a heated birdbath or using other tools recommended by a local bird-feeding supply store to keep the water from freezing.

To start, “People need to learn about the habitat of the species that they are interested in viewing, and focus on that,” said Furtman. He checks online birding forums and the Minnesota Ornithologist Union’s website (moumn.org) for hotline reports. Once he identifies a species he wants to observe and their preferred habitat, he’ll often birdwatch from his vehicle. “[Birds] are much less likely to be disturbed by a vehicle than by the human form,” said Furtman. When taking photographs, he turns the vehicle off and opens both front windows so his car is as cold inside as it is outside. Those seeking to catch a glimpse of the typically-coastal water birds can visit the Lake Superior shore to see scoters, jaegers, gulls and sea ducks. And if you haven’t been to Sax-Zim Bog already, get there! Both photographers say it’s a winter haven for elusive northern species, such as great gray owls. If you’re hoping to observe more activity at your feeders, check on them right away in the morning or at nightfall when

they’re most active. Feeders will also be busier during cold spells, heavy snows, or ice storms when birds need extra calories.

Birding Resources

Websites including wildbirds.com and birdwatchersdigest.com provide helpful information for Minnesota and Ontario winter birding. For information right at your fingertips, download iPhone and Android apps including Minnesota Birding News, which provides access to the latest Minnesota bird sightings. If you’re near Thunder Bay, download the Parks of Ontario app for information on seasonal birding. The Merlin Bird ID app can help you identify mystery birds. It was created by experts at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You can also use Cornell’s eBird app, which makes it easy to record birds you see in the field. Orf uses a software called Birder’s Diary. Facebook groups are also a great place to dialogue with other local birders. To see more photos from Orf, visit: earlorfphotos.com. To see more from Furtman, visit: michaelfurtman.com.

The winter birds who remain include chickadees, woodpeckers, grosbeaks, nuthatches, finches, jays, crossbills, and pine siskins. At times, we can witness northern owls drop by for an infrequent visit. “A lot of times we get owl irruptions during the wintertime. And this year, there seems to be a lot of snowy owls coming down,” said bird photographer Earl Orf. “When the food sources dry up north, they come further south.” The Minnesota-based photographer has spent about 30 years birding. Once he retired in 2004 from a career in programming, he began working as a professional nature photographer, selling his prints along the North Shore and to private parties. Both Orf and Furtman were willing to share these tried-and-true tips for winter birding:

Feeding birds in winter

For more enjoyable winter birdwatching from home, first switch to large-capacity feeders so you won’t have to fill them as often. Bring feeders closer to your house to make your filling routine less challenging; this also provides a better vantage point for indoor viewing. The winter feeding essentials are simple. Black oiler sunflower seeds and thistle are many birds’ favorites, and the high-calorie

Blue jays mainly feed on nuts and seeds. | EARL ORF NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

Sky-Blue Waters, Bears and Beer HAMM’S BEER ADVERTISING ON THE GUNFLINT TRAIL BY CHUCK VIREN The Gunflint Trail near Grand Marais has long been renowned for its rugged, pine-filled forests and pristine lakes. People travel the world over to hunt, to fish, or to paddle the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The unique characteristics of this landscape have long been known to advertisers as well. The best known and most extensive advertising campaigns were created on behalf of Hamm’s Beer of St. Paul. Their slogan, “From the land of sky-blue waters” is etched in memory of Minnesotans who have spent several decades on this earth. While most of these ads featured cartoons of the Hamm’s Bear set to the beat of tomtoms, others featured live photography. Beginning in the 1950s, Hamm’s began using print ads and calendars with carefully orchestrated photographs of the lakes and streams near the end of the Gunflint Trail. And in 1973, Hamm’s television commercials featured Sasha the bear and his bearded trainer, Earl Hammond, traveling along Seagull and Saganaga lakes. Throughout those years, one man was an integral part of all these ads. Rolf Skrien, former owner of Way of the Wilderness Lodge at the end of the Gunflint Trail, served as location scout, or finder, as he puts it, for all these ads. Remember that iconic image of the man fishing in

Rolf with Earl and Sasha the bear. | STUART SKRIEN

Rolf holding a photo of himself in the red canoe. | CHUCK VIREN the red canoe atop the blue water, beneath the blue skies, next to a rocky shoreline? That’s Rolf in the canoe. He also guided the crew to that spot. By the time the Hamm’s beer advertisers came calling in the 1950s, Rolf had extensive experience as a guide and location scout. It all started in 1946, shortly after Rolf was discharged from the Coast

The film crew often held wooden poles, just in case. | CHIK-WAUK 18

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERN WILDS

Guard after World War II. He and three Coast Guard buddies set off on a late April canoe trip from Saganaga Lake. With poor maps and not much experience, they headed north. After they hit French Lake, they turned west without a clear idea of where they were or how they would return. They had brought pistols and supplemented their rations with grouse they shot along the way. Near the western edge of the Quetico Provincial Park, after not having seen anybody for about a week, they encountered some native people who told them how to get to Ely. From there they re-supplied themselves and returned via Knife Lake. Upon their return, Russel Blankenburg, who owned End of the Trail Lodge, asked

if any of them could stay and guide for the fishing opener. “That whole trip really got into me,” said Rolf; he realized that, “this is the life for me.” So Rolf talked one of his buddies into staying for a few more days. After the opener, Russel asked Rolf to stay on and guide. Having no real prospects at home, Rolf agreed. He never left. Later, nature photographer Les Blacklock began using him as a location guide for his calendar shots. By the time the Hamm’s Beer people called, Rolf was their obvious choice as a location scout. He brought them to Seagull Creek. They wanted a guy fishing in the photo, so Rolf floated strategically in the red canoe. In order to give the appearance of success, Rolf tied a

It takes a lot of food to feed a hungry bear. | CHIK-WAUK

[ABOVE] Earl and

Sasha at Chik-Wauk. | CHIK-WAUK [LEFT] Photo op

with Earl. | CHIK-WAUK Sasha cools off during a break. | CHIK-WAUK

Rolf and Gail Skrien at their cabin on Seagull Lake. | ROLF SKRIEN rock to the end of his line, a trick he had used before. Then they waited. And waited. Hamm’s was promoting their slogan, “from the land of sky blue waters,” and so they wanted a shot with clear blue skies that reflected on the water. However, the clouds were moving pretty fast that day, so the opportunity to film a cloudless sky never came. Then it started to get late; they took the picture anyway. In the photo there are mostly blue skies overhead, but many white clouds appear in the background. Rolf said the photographer feared the picture would never sell. Years later, Rolf was in a bar in Duluth and overheard a man claiming that the photos were shot in California. Rolf refrained from setting the record straight. In 1973, Rolf’s services as a finder were called upon when the New York advertising agency of Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, Inc. brought animal trainer Earl Hammond and his Kodiak bear Sasha to Chik-Wauk Lodge to shoot a series of ads, mostly

during two weeks in late September. Suddenly Rolf was not just location scout but assistant animal trainer. Earl used marshmallows to reinforce Sasha’s behavior, and Rolf was assigned to go ahead of the bear and leave a marshmallow every 10 feet or so along the path they wanted the bear to follow. Sasha had an acute sense of smell, and the trick worked well. That is until Rolf ran out of marshmallows. They were atop the Palisades on Seagull Lake when Sasha came up to him looking for a handout, and suddenly Rolf was worried. Sasha was well trained but was still a wild animal and unpredictable. Sasha didn’t hold a grudge, though, and Rolf emerged unscathed.

about to leave for their farm in Pennsylvania, Ralph Griffis, owner of Chik-Wauk Lodge, asked for a photo of Rolf with the bear. Rolf began to run down to Sasha when Earl waved for him to slow down. Running toward a 340 pound bear is not exactly a good idea, as they might perceive that as a threat. As Rolf walked slowly into position for the photo, Sasha took Rolf’s hand into his mouth. Evidently Earl had trained him to do this, but Rolf

was understandably nervous. If one looks closely at the photo, they can see that Rolf’s smile is perhaps a bit more strained than it otherwise might have been. Advertisers sell dreams and emotions. Our land of sky blue waters offers the promise of crisp, clean air, warm sun on our faces, and wilderness adventure. For over 60 years, advertisers have come here to capitalize on that promise. None have been more successful than Minnesota’s own Hamm’s Beer.

One of the commercials featured Sasha riding in the front of a canoe with Earl in the stern handling an outboard motor. The stern was loaded with rocks and sand to provide a counterbalance to Sasha’s bulk. Sasha, however, repeatedly wanted to dip his paw into the water as they motored along, and Earl could never break him of the habit. Fortunately, he never fell from the canoe or had it capsize. There was only one incident with Sasha where things got a bit out of control. The crew had taken a break for lunch. The bear had been chained to a log while they ate, and Sasha, who evidently did not like being excluded from their party, picked up the log and began swinging it around. Earl however knew just how to handle him, and after he was fed, he immediately settled down. As Earl and his bear were

Rolf in the iconic red canoe. | ROLF SKRIEN NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

By Breana Roy

Frozen Photographers

Recently, the North Shore experienced a streak of bitter cold weather—and I’m sure there’s more to come—with the daytime highs remaining below zero and dropping beyond 20 below at night. If you’re someone who doesn’t tolerate the cold Claire Dronen recently shared this photo, titled “Sisters,” in the Facebook group North well, like me, then it can make for a long day, or Shore Tribe. | CLAIRE DRONEN days, cooped up inside. But those brave enough to venture outdoors captured images of the ice and snow with their cameras, reminding us that despite the bitter cold, the North Shore is a wonderful, beautiful place, all year long. Paul Sundberg took this photo of the Grand Marais lighthouse through the icicles. | PAUL SUNDBERG

This stunning Lake Superior sunrise photo, titled “Golden Clarity,” was taken near McQuade Harbor outside of Two Harbors by Matthew Pastick. | MATTHEW PASTICK

This Lake Superior photo, titled “Ice Eggs at Hollow Rock,” was taken by Grand Portage photographer Travis Novitsky. | TRAVIS NOVITSKY 20

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NORTHERN WILDS

Sandra Updyke captured a cold, blustery day on Lake Superior in Hovland, titled “Wind and Waves.” | SANDRA UPDYKE

Danny Saathoff’s exhibit, Swinging the Compass, will begin Feb. 20. | DANNY SAATHOFF

EXHIBITS The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra will perform Revelations: The Beethoven Project on Saturday, Feb. 3 at the Duluth DECC. | SEK DESIGN

2018 Member Show Depot Great Hall, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org

Thru Feb. 25

By Casey Fitchett

Professional orchestras have a storied history in the Duluth area. The Duluth Civic Orchestra began in the 1930s under the direction of Walter Lange and subsequently Paul Lemay. The Duluth Armory was host to the earliest concerts until the performances moved to the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center in 1966. A name change in the mid-1970s to the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra (DSSO) reflected the “close cultural and economic relationship of the two port cities.” The present season of the DSSO—its 84th—pays homage to music that has pushed boundaries and had a part of important moments in history. Music Director Dirk Meyer will lead the group in upcoming performances, including a Saturday, Feb. 3 show as part of their Beethoven Project. Nature lovers like Kevin Hoeschen, the Principal Viola in the DSSO and a fan of Gooseberry Falls State Park,

are especially enthused about this upcoming show. “I’m really looking forward to playing Beethoven’s 6th Symphony next month,” said Hoeschen. “This is Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral Symphony’ and one in which he reflects on the beauty of nature.” A month later the group will be joined by the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra Chorus to perform works that include Grieg’s Symphony Dances of the 1890s and Ravel’s ancient Greek story of Daphnis and Chloe. On March 17 the group will showcase collaborations with heritage groups and artists from Duluth, including classically trained violinist and songwriter Gaelynn Lea. The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra also offers Sinfonia, Concert Orchestra, and Youth Symphony concert programs for youth as well as a percussion ensemble and a chamber music group. Through the traveling programs in the community, the group has taken their programming to various organizations, schools, and work sites to bring the sounds of classical music to a broader audience. Programs are less

On the Line: A Military History of Cook County Cook County Historical Society, Grand Marais, cookcountyhistory.org

Thru Feb. 23

A Special Note for the Twin Ports The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra embraces its mission to engage a wide audience around the Twin Ports by performing high-quality symphonic music.

Permanent Exhibit

than an hour long and explore different themes, such as the science of musical instruments, the connection between music and memory, and the unique features of the tuba and viola. For the musicians, playing in the symphony is in many ways an indescribable experience that aims to add another dimension of beauty to the area. “Playing in the orchestra gives me a chance to express myself in a different language and play on a different level. It is difficult to explain to someone who doesn’t play an instrument how invigorating it is to convey human through the medium of music,” explains Hoeschen. “The musicians of the DSSO are friends and neighbors united by a common purpose to perform quality music to the best of our ability, with the intent of enhancing the beauty of our Twin Ports.” Past shows during this season include music inspired by the collapse of the Russian Empire, the Protestant Reformation, and the work of Minnesota-born artist Prince. For more information about DSSO, visit: dsso.com.

Breana’s

PICK OF THE MONTH Since this is the birding issue, it seemed fitting to share a bird photo. Grand Marais photographer David Johnson recently captured this image of a snowy owl chasing off a pestering raven. To see more of his work, visit davidrjohnson.zenfolio.com.

Converging Lines: Recent Art from the Northwest Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca Wood Quill Stone: Works from the Permanent Collection Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca Type13: David Short Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org Art & Craft: Penny Perry Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org 100 Days: Tia Salmela Keobounpheng Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org

Thru March 11

At Pelican Falls: Rebecca Belmore Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

Thru March 18

Modern(ism) Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma

Thru April

Arctic Wolf Exhibition: Featuring the Photography of Heidi Pinkerton International Wolf Center, Ely, wolf.org

Thru April 7

Urban Infill: Art in the Core Waterfront District, Thunder Bay, definitelysuperior.com

Thru Aug. 19

Treasures from Home: An Anthology of Gifts from Collectors Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma

Thru October

Chance: Kathy McTavish Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma

Thru November

Pacific Northwest Native Art from the William J. Saul Collection Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma

Feb. 3-28

Karen Anderson: Watercolors Lakeside Gallery, Duluth, lakesidegalleryduluth.com

Feb. 18, Sunday

Birds of the Bay Drop-In Unveiling 2 p.m. Thunder Bay Art Gallery, facebook.com/birdsofthebayproject

Feb. 20-March 3

Swinging the Compass: Danny Saathoff (Reception Feb. 20 at 5 p.m.) Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org

Feb. 24-March 25

Fibre Arts Exhibition Baggage Building Arts Centre, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/baggagebuildingarts

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

FL A

Monday March 12th

Chef Swap N

SMOKEHOUSE C

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Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar will be at Red Lion Smokehouse

Monday April 23rd

Red Lion Smokehouse will be at Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar Tickets are $60 for a four course meal. Make your reservations now! Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar Dewitt-Seitz Marketplace 394 S Lake Ave, Duluth lakeaveduluth.com 218-722-2355

EXPERIENCE

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NORTHERN

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MARCH 2- 4

Photo by Aric Fishman

FEB 14 - 18, 2018

1 hour east of Thunder Bay, Ontario

outdoorskillsandthrills.com/nipigonicefest 22

FEBRUARY 2018

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30+ classes | Community Events Lunch-and-Learns Featured Instructor : Robbie LeFleur

grandmaraisartcolony.org 218-387-2737

northhouse.org 888-387-9762

TAPIOLA FAMILY SKI DAY Feb. 19, Monday Head to Tapiola Sports Park in Thunder Bay for an afternoon of family-friendly activities. Held from noon4 p.m., there will be free skiing, kick sleds, whip sleds and other activities to try. There will also be a bonfire, and hot chocolate and apple cider, compliments of the Finlandia Association of Thunder Bay, as well as smokies, hot dogs and Hernekeitto (Finnish pea soup) for sale. Try a maple syrup stick for $2 each, from the NW Maple Company. Be sure to register for the Winter Wife-Carry Contest; carry your wife through the snow obstacles on snowshoes for a chance to win a prize. Registration cost is $20 a couple. There’s also a Kids Carry Contest; run through the snow carrying one of the stuffed animals. Fastest kid wins a prize. Registration cost is $2. And be sure to take part

COLD FRONT FEBRUARY

Feb. 1-4 Held in Canal Park, Duluth’s Cold Front February celebrates the best of winter fun, starting with Duluth’s largest coffee break on Thursday, Feb. 1. The Greater Downtown Council and Duluth Coffee Company will provide free coffee and The Greenery Café will provide free donuts; held at 10 a.m. at Lake Place Park. There will be also be free apps at Grandma’s Sports Garden at 4 p.m. On Friday, the celebration grounds will be open from 3-8 p.m., featuring a snow play hill, an ice skating rink, a skating trail and fire pits. Other weekend events include local pop up shops, local foodie samples and sales, free s’mores, yoga in the snow, live mu-

in the Snowball Surprise. Buy a snowball for $2 for your prize; everyone’s a winner. There will be prizes for all ages from many local sponsors to choose from. For more information, call (807) 344-7081 or visit: thefinlandia.com.

sic, fat bike demos and rides, a 45 minute stroller strides class, and a 5k run with the G-Crew. coldfrontduluth.com

ELY WINTER FESTIVAL

Feb. 1-11 The annual Ely Winter Festival features dozens of family-friendly activities, such as a spaghetti feed, fat bike demos and rides, an amateur snow carving contest, Dorothy Molter Museum tours, live music, a kubb tournament, snowshoeing, a fish fry, and the Great Nordic Beard Fest Throwdown. The Ely Folk School will offer a variety of classes, such as rosemaling in telemark, making walnut potica, sewing with beaver hides, wool needle felting, and intro to digital

Join one of the numerous snowmobile rides on the North Shore this month. | VISIT COOK COUNTY photography. And don’t miss the night sky show on Feb. 3 from 7-9 p.m.—Mike Lynch and his travelling telescope will offer a cool green laser beam tour of the constellations, including mythological stories and an arsenal of telescopes to view planets, the moon, galaxies and more. elywinterfestival.com

SNOWMOBILE RIDES

This month, multiple snowmobile fun runs will take place along the North Shore, starting with the ninth annual Cook County Ridge Riders Snowmobile Fun Run on Saturday, Feb. 3 on the Gunflint Trail. Collect cards from participating locations,

while enjoying a ride on the scenic trails; open to anyone and everyone. Upon completion, you’ll return to the club house on Devil Track Lake. There will be cash prizes, numerous giveaways, raffles, live music and food. And don’t miss the drag races at Hungry Jack Lake on Feb. 17, held from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Classes are: 600cc, 700cc, 800cc and Open. cookcountysnowmobileclub.com The Winter Frolic Vintage Snowmobile Ride will be held on Saturday, Feb. 10 in Two Harbors. Registration is from 9-11 a.m. at 815 Airport Road. The ride leaves at 11 a.m. and arrives in Two Harbors

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

52nd Annual

Duluth

BOAT, SPORTS, TRAVEL & RV SHOW Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Duluth, MN and the

Northland OUTDOORS

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minnesotasportshow.com

Deer Classic

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February 14-18, 2018 Held in Washburn, Wisc., Bike Across the Bay will take place Sunday, Feb. 18. | SUBMITTED around noon. Lunch is included by Carmody 61. For more info, call (218) 834-5612 or email scrappinklink@lakenet.com.

Live Duck Racing Daily! World Class Bull Elk Taxidermy Display

First Time Ever!

Daily Presentations

Live Deer Display Participate Mac and the in the Ducks Big Cheese Unlimited Ultimate Outdoor Treasure Hunt Cooking Show

Attend a Variety of Fishing & Hunting Seminars Outdoor Family Fun! YOUTH VILLAGE • Indoor Sling Shot • Safe Archery • BB Gun Range

Join the annual FXR Sled for Eternity Snowmobile Ride in support of Adult and Teen Challenge in Thunder Bay. Held on Saturday, Feb. 17 in Kakabeka Falls, the ride starts and ends at the Kakabeka Falls Legion. Registration is from 8:30-10 a.m. and includes ride participation, meals and a chance at various prizes. The grand prize is a 2017 Polaris Switchback Pro-S. teenchallenge.mb.ca/sledtbay Also on Feb. 17 is the annual Finland Vintage Snowmobile Run, sponsored by the Finland Snowmobile/ATV Club and local businesses. The ride will start at 10 a.m. at the Wildhurst Lodge and Campground. There will be outdoor music, food and beverages, various vintage run awards, and a raffle. All sleds are welcome. To learn more, find the Finland Snowmobile/ ATV Club on Facebook. The 20th annual Fish Lake Classic Snowmobile Challenge will be held Feb. 17, too. The ride will start at 11 a.m. at Blue Max Resort on Fish Lake in Duluth. This fun run requires no registration fees and there are no prizes. Simply enjoy a day on the lake snowmobiling, socializing and making memories. facebook.com/ fishlakeclassicchallenge

Marine Electronics University

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Show Admission & Hours

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HEAD DOOR OVER

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Exhibit Hours: Hours! Wed. & Thurs. .................................. 5pm to 9pm Fri. & Sat........................................ 10am to 9pm Sunday .......................................... 10am to 4pm While at the SPORTS SHOW stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown or Radisson Hotel Pick up your $2.00 coupon at

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NORTHERN WILDS

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The Lutsen Trailbreakers Snowmobile Club is hosting its 3rd annual Vintage Snowmobile Ride and Show in Lutsen on Saturday, Feb. 24. Bring your vintage sleds and enjoy a 20 mile poker run on the trails, with a prize for the best hand. Other prizes include best of class, best of show for antique and vintage, loudest pipes, best vintage clothing, oldest and youngest rider to complete the ride, most impressive trail-side repair, and more. Registration is from 10-11:30 a.m. at Cascade Lodge; $10 per sled. The ride begins at noon. cascadelodgemn.com

SnowDay in Thunder Bay will be held Feb. 19. See page 15 for more info. | EPICA PICTURES The Hartley Nature Center in Duluth will hold the 12th annual Candlelight Ski, Skate, Snowshoe and Fat Bike on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 4-7 p.m. Fun seekers will have a chance to join naturalists-led hikes, ski a luminary-lined Hartley cross country trail, try out fat tire biking or kicksledding, enjoy a light dinner from Black Woods Catering, ice skate on Hartley Pond, enjoy Bent Paddle beer tasting and have warm drinks and dessert in the yurt. This is a family-friendly event; pre-registration encouraged. hartleynature.org Head to the Oberg Mountain parking lot near Tofte for the Candlelit Ski and Snowshoe on Saturday, Feb. 17. Held from 6-8 p.m., the Oberg Mountain Trailhead will be lit with luminaries for this fun, family-friendly event, created by ski enthusiasts, area resorts, and members of the Sugarbush Trail Association. sugarbushtrail.org

CANDLELIGHT SNOWSHOE, SKI OR HIKE

Bundle up for a candlelight snowshoe, ski, skate or hike at one of the various locations, happening throughout the month of February. The first Candlelight Snowshoe and Hike is at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park near Two Harbors on Saturday, Feb. 3. Held from 6-8:30 p.m., this self-guided hike is roughly a two-mile round trip, suitable for all ages. Begin at the Trail Center and follow the glowing luminaries to Day Hill. A bonfire and marshmallows await visitors partway through the trail. Afterwards, enjoy a hot beverage and snack at the Trail Center. mndnr.gov/splitrocklighthouse The Ely Nordic Ski Club will also hold a Candlelight Ski on Feb. 3, from 6-8 p.m. Held in Ely, there will be warmth and socializing in the Hidden Valley Chalet, an open fire ring, and candlelit trails for both kids and adults. elynordic.org

Gooseberry Falls State Park near Two Harbors will also hold a Candlelight Ski, Snowshoe and Hike on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 6-8:30 p.m. Begin at the Visitor Center and follow the glowing luminaries along the trail. A bonfire and marshmallows await visitors at Lady Slipper Amphitheater and hot beverages and snacks are available at the Visitors Center. mndnr.gov

WINTER FROLIC

Feb. 9-10 The annual Two Harbors Winter Frolic includes events the whole family will enjoy, including a medallion hunt, a photo scavenger hunt, snow sculptures, curling, sledding and skating. Friday night events include the restaurant chili cookoff, the community curling challenge, and the city vs county exhibition curling challenge. Saturday is also jam-packed with events, starting with a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon. There will also be a bonfire with free s’mores, a bean bag tournament, mattress races at the sliding hill, fat bike demos, live music, a broomball tournament, fireman’s kids races, and more. Pre-registration needed for most events. twoharborswinterfrolic.com

The Two Harbors Winter Frolic will take place Feb. 9-10. | SUBMITTED

HYGGE FESTIVAL

Feb. 9-15 Cook County will celebrate the second annual Hygge Festival, held Feb. 9-15. Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) is the Danish ritual of embracing life’s simple pleasures; feeling relaxed, cozy and surrounded by the warmth of family, friends and community. This year’s activities include daily fat bike demos at Fireweed Bike Coop, snowshoe tours with Lake Superior Trading Post, drop-in felting and knitting lessons at Voyageur Brewing, and spoon carving demonstrations at the North House Folk School. On Friday, Feb. 9, Drury Lane Books will host the Sawtooth Elementary Many Tiny Lights Fundraiser at 6 p.m., followed by a bonfire and music by SVEA Singers at 6:30 p.m. Other hygge inspired activities include stargazing, dogsledding and cross-country skiing. There will also be a Cook County Fireplace Tour held all month long. visitcookcounty. com/calendar

SNOWARAMA FOR EASTER SEALS KIDS

Feb. 10, Saturday Once again, the Thunder Bay Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids will head south of the border to Grand Portage for the 15th annual Snowarama fundraiser. Over the past 15 years, the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino Snowarama has raised over $410,000 for children and youth with physical disabilities in our community. There is a minimum pledge of $100 to ride. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the poker run begins at 10 a.m. All Snowarama participants will enjoy a complimentary dinner and awards ceremony at 5 p.m. on Saturday, followed by live music by Tempted Fate at 9 p.m. There will also be a bonfire and prizes throughout the weekend. snowarama.org

NORTHERN FIBERS RETREAT

Feb. 14-18 The Northern Fibers Retreat, hosted by the North House Folk School, the Grand Marais Art Colony, and the Northwoods Fiber Guild, celebrates all styles of fiber art. This year’s retreat features seminars, community gatherings and coursework from new guest artisans. The featured instructor is Robbie LaFleur, an expert in Scandinavian textiles. He will give a presentation “From Virgins to Spaceships: A visual journey through Nor-

See live duck racing daily at the Duluth Great Outdoors shows Feb. 14-18. | SUBMITTED wegian tapestry,” on Feb. 17. Courses include fibers for kids, knitting socks, twig and net hanging baskets, needle felting for repair or embellishment, bookbinding, bead embroidery, making penny rugs, caring for your heirloom textiles, and more. Programs will be held at the North House Folk School and the Grand Marais Art Colony. northhouse.org & grandmaraisartcolony.org

NORTHLAND OUTDOORS DEER CLASSIC & THE BOAT, SPORTS, TRAVEL & RV SHOW

Feb. 14-18 The great outdoors is headed indoors for the 52nd annual Duluth Boat, Sports, Travel and RV Show, and the Northland Outdoors Duluth Deer Classic; two expos in one. This family-friendly event will feature a variety of fishing and hunting seminars, vendors, workshops, and manufacturers on hand demonstrating and showing off their newest products. There will also be live duck racing daily, a live deer display, a Ducks Unlimited treasure hunt for ages 17 and younger, a world class bull elk taxidermy display, Mac and the Big Cheese ultimate outdoor cooking show, live trout fishing, the Pheasants Forever youth village, face painting for kids, and more. One ticket gives you admission to both expos, located at the Duluth DECC. minnesotasportshow.com

VOYAGEUR WINTER CARNIVAL

Feb. 17-19 Enjoy a weekend full of winter fun for the whole family at Fort William Historical Park’s Voyageur Winter Carnival in Thunder Bay. There will be a giant snow maze, tubing and sliding hills, skating, horse-drawn wagon rides, snow graffiti, winter golf, snowshoeing, curling, carnival games and contests, live indoor and outdoor entertainment, and more. Watch the snowmobile stunt show, featuring X Games and Red Bull competitors Fred Rasmussen and Brody John Wilson as they perform amazing stunts over the Kaministiquia River. You can also fire a historic musket with the Canadian Corps of Voyageurs. The festival will be held from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. fwhp.ca

BIKE ACROSS THE BAY

Feb. 18, Sunday Ride on the awesome expanse of Lake Superior ice with the Bike Across the Bay event in Washburn, Wisc., hosted by the North Coast Cycling Association. Enjoy the incredible shoreline scenery, stunning rock formations, and discover the brownstone ice caves, cracks and crevices. The ride will be approximately 10k (one lap) and 20k (2 laps) and start at 10 a.m. on the Washburn shoreline. Male and female categories for studded and non-studded; first place winners will be awarded for each category in each distance. An awards ceremony will be held after the ride. Registration required. northcoastcycling.com

NIPIGON ICE FEST

March 2-4 Ontario’s longest running, premiere ice climbing festival features ice climbing clinics for beginner to advanced levels and a women’s only clinic. There will also be guided snowshoe treks, a game night and a gear swap and raffle. After a day of climbing or snowshoeing, warm up at the Legion Hall and get inspired with presentations by outdoor adventurers and climbing enthusiasts, starting at 7 p.m. Food and drinks will also be available. Event registration is required. facebook. com/nipigonicefest

DRURY LANE BOOKS

SLEEPING GIANT LOPPET

March 3, Saturday Held in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park in Thunder Bay, the Sleeping Giant Loppet is a mass participation ski festival that offers fun for the whole family and challenges competitive athletes. It features multiple events with distances for skiers of all levels and abilities. The 8km mini-loppet is perfect for families, children and rookies. If you’re ready to increase your distance, than try the 20km Marie Louise Lake loop. The popular 35km is a relaxed event that takes place on the Burma Trail. For the ultimate challenge, register for the 50km Classic, Skate or Skiathlon distance. Following the races will be a party and awards ceremony at Sleeping Giant Brewery from 6:30-10 p.m., featuring brewery tours, food from Pinetree Catering, and a separate children’s area with a movie and kids menu available. Race registration required. sleepinggiantloppet.ca

Celebrate Hygge with

SVEA Singers

around the Bonfire Friday, Feb. 9 6:30 p.m.

Open Thurs-Sat 10 AM - 4 PM

12 E. Wisconsin St., Grand Marais

218-387-3370

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

February

Northern Wilds Calendar of Events Jan. 20-Feb. 4

Children’s Theatre: The Jungle Book Duluth Playhouse, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org

Jan. 21-April 30

The 100DayProject Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org

Jan. 27-April 7

Urban Infill: Art in the Core Waterfront District, Thunder Bay, definitelysuperior.com

Jan. 31-Feb. 2

Annual Bird Feeder Design Contest Dorothy Molter Museum, Ely, rootbeerlady.com

Jan. 31-Feb. 3

The Cover Show 21 Black Pirates Pub, Thunder Bay, blackpiratespub.com

Feb. 1, Thursday

One Act Play Performance 7 p.m. William Kelly High School Auditorium, Silver Bay, lakecountycalendars.org Plucked Up String Band 7 p.m. Wunderbar Eatery & Glampground, Grand Marais, facebook.com/wunderbarmn North Country Fair 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com Norshor Grand Opening Gala 6 p.m. Norshor Theatre, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org

Feb. 1-4

Annual Elks Central Canada Hockey Tournament Thunder Bay, giantevents.ca Cold Front February Canal Park, Duluth, coldfrontduluth.com Winter Wonderland: From Concept to Fine Art Photography Workshop Tettegouche State Park Visitor’s Center, Silver Bay, coldsnap.com/workshops

Feb. 1-11

Ely Winter Festival Ely, elywinterfestival.com

Feb. 1-17

The River Magnus Theatre, Thunder Bay, magnustheatre.com

Feb. 1-18

Mama Mia 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. Sat. & Sun.) Duluth Playhouse, duluthplayhouse.org

Feb. 1-28

Cook County Fireplace Tour Cook County, visitcookcounty.com/fireplace-tour

Feb. 2, Friday Groundhog Day National Wear Red Day: Heart Health Awareness goredforwomen.org

FEBRUARY 2018

Winter Dynamics Webinar 3 p.m. International Wolf Center, Ely, wolf.org Pinterest Projects 3:30 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org Henry’s Homecoming Fundraising Dinner 6 p.m. Prince Arthur Hotel, Thunder Bay, ltms.ca Stories of Truth 2.0: Poetry Night 7 p.m. Definitely Superior Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, definitelysuperior.com Brett Kissel: We Were That Song Tour 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com

Trailgating Party 2 p.m. Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters, Gunflint Trail, gunflint.com

Feb. 2-3

Feb. 8, Thursday

Great Nordic Beard Fest 7 p.m. Boathouse Brewpub, Ely, greatnordicbeardfest.com Dedric Clark & Tony Petersen 8 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Feb. 2-4

DCC Duluth Ice & Mixed Fest Duluth, duluthclimbers.org Disrupt It Weekend Waverley Thunder Bay Public Library, disruptit.ca

Feb. 3, Saturday

Ridge Riders Snowmobile Fun Run 9 a.m. Gunflint Trail, cookcountysnowmobileclub.com Father Daughter Ball 5 p.m. Duluth DECC, fatherdaughterballduluth.org Family Fun Night 5:30 p.m. Summit Chalet, Lutsen Mountains, lusten.com Candlelight Snowshoe/Hike 6 p.m. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Two Harbors, mndnr.gov/splitrocklighthouse Candlelight Ski 6 p.m. Hidden Valley Chalet, Ely, elynordic.org DSSO: Revelations 7 p.m. Duluth DECC, dsso.com TBSO Pops 4: Music in the Dark 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com The Big Wu 9:30 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com

Feb. 3-4

Try Our Trails Permit Ontario Snowmobile Trails, permits.ofsc.on.ca

Feb. 3-11

Winter Bike Week Duluth, zeitgeistarts.com

Feb. 4, Sunday

Super Bowl LII “Tail”-Gate Party 11 a.m. Lake Superior Zoo, Duluth, lszoo.org Birds of the Bay Maker Session 1 p.m. Baggage Building Arts Centre, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/ birdsofthebayproject

NORTHERN WILDS

Feb. 4-5

Mark Joseph 6 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Feb. 6, Tuesday

Blood Drive 9 a.m. Two Harbors High School, mbc.org Tweevening: Treasures from Home: An Anthology of Gifts from Private Collectors 6:30 p.m. Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma Duluth Draft: Bikes, Biz, Beer 5:30 p.m. Clyde Iron Works, Duluth, facebook.com/duluthbikes Artist Talk with Penny Perry 6 p.m. Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org Garden Talks: Peonies in the Northland 6 p.m. Fairlawn Mansion, Superior, superiorpublicmuseums.org Opening Reception: Fine. (Re)Fine. (De) Fine Faculty Exhibition 6 p.m. Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma Minnesota Ballet’s Celebrity Dance Challenge 7 p.m. Marshall School, Duluth, minnesotaballet.org James Moors 7 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Feb. 9, Friday

Provide Your Input on Restoring the North Shore Forests 9:30 a.m. Beaver Bay Town Hall, Beaver Bay, northshoreforest.org Pop Up Show with The Big Lake 4 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com Free: All-Inclusive Night Cross Country Ski 5:30 p.m. Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply, Grand Marais, soneharborws.com Many Tiny Lights: Sawtooth Elementary Fundraiser 6 p.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais SVEA Singers Around the Bonfire 6:30 p.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, visitcookcounty.com/events TBSO Masterworks: The Romantics 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com Pete K Group & Olympics Screening 8 p.m. Wunderbar Eatery & Glampground, Grand Marais, facebook.com/wunderbarmn

Feb. 9-10

Two Harbors Winter Frolic Two Harbors Curling Club, twoharborswinterfrolic.com Atikokan Sno-Ho Snowmobile Club Rally, Poker Run & Dance Club Chalet, Atikokan, atikokansnoho.com

Mark Verdin Trio 8:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Feb. 9-15

Hygge Festival Cook County, visitcookcounty.com

Feb. 10, Saturday

2017 Lessons Learned: Minnesota State Building Code, Year in Review Grand Marais, localenergy@boreal.org One Woman FEARLESS: Thunder Bay Summit 9 a.m. Victoria Inn, Thunder Bay, keynoteevents.ca Vintage Snowmobile Ride 11 a.m. Two Harbors, twoharborswinterfrolic.com TBFN Brule Bay Shoreline Snowshoe 9:30 a.m. Brule Bay, Thunder Bay, tbfn.net/field-trips Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids 10 a.m. Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, snowarama.org The Inaugural Skinny/Fat Relay 10 a.m. Hidden Valley Recreation Area, Ely, elynordic.org Nice Girls of the North Marketplace 10 a.m. Lakeside Lester Park Community Center, Duluth, nicegirlsofthenorth.com Pop Up Art Show & Mukluk Ball 4 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com Candlelight Ski, Skate, Snowshoe & Fat Bike 4 p.m. Hartley Nature Center, Duluth, hartleynature.org DXC’s Snow Ball Gala 5 p.m. Greysolon Ballroom, Duluth, duluthxc.com/snowball Michael Monroe Log Cabin Concert 7 p.m. Grand Marais, michaelmonroemusic.com Gobsmacked: A Cappella & Beatboxing Show 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com 50+ Dance 8 p.m. Moose Lodge, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca/events Cloud Cult 9 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com Tempted Fate 9 p.m. Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, grandportage.com

Feb. 10-11

PAW Patrol Live 2 p.m. (& 10 a.m. on Feb. 10) Duluth DECC, decc.org/paw-patrol-live

Feb. 11, Sunday

Thunderwolves Indoor Marathon 8 a.m. Lakehead University Hanger, Thunder Bay, thunderwolves.ca/indoormarathon Ride with the Wolves 10 a.m. Lake County Ferguson Demonstration Forest, Two Harbors, rwtwwinter. brownpapertickets.com

Birds of the Bay Maker Session 1 p.m. Baggage Building Arts Centre, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/ birdsofthebayproject Picture & a Pint Movie Screening 2 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com Stacie Juten’s Duluth Dance Center Rock the Chair Fundraiser 2:30 p.m. Two Harbors High School Auditorium Timmy Haus 7 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Feb. 12, Monday

Trains & Toddlers 10 a.m. The Depot, Duluth, duluthdepot.org Beer & Paint 5:30 p.m. Castle Danger Brewery, Two Harbors, castledangerbrewery.com

Feb. 13, Tuesday

Ruby’s Pantry 5 p.m. Cook County High School, Grand Marais, facebook.com/rubyspantrycc Mukluk Mardi Gras 5:30 p.m. Justine’s at Gunflint Lodge, Gunflint Trail, gunflint.com Library Tech Night 6 p.m. Grand Marais Public Library grandmaraislibrary.org

Feb. 14, Wednesday

Valentine’s Day

Best.Date.Ever: Behind the Scenes Tour 4:30 p.m. Lake Superior Zoo, Duluth, lszoo.org Love Letters 7 p.m. Lyric Center for the Arts, Virginia MN, lyriccenterforthearts.blogspot.com Gord Bamford: Neon Smoke Tour 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com

Feb. 14-18

Northern Fibers Retreat Grand Marais Art Colony & North House Folk School, grandmaraisartcolony.org, northhouse.org Northland Outdoors Duluth Deer Classic & Duluth Boat, Sports, Travel & RV Show 10 a.m. (5 p.m. Feb. 14-15) Duluth DECC, minnesotasportshow.com

Feb. 15, Thursday

Blood Drive 9 a.m. Vermilion Community College, Ely, mbc.org Movie Matinee 4 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org ABBAMania 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com Gordon Thorne 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Feb. 16, Friday

Blood Drive 8 a.m. Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital, Ely, mbc.org

Late Night Lord of the Rings 7 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org

Feb. 16-18

Art ‘Round Town Fundraiser: A Collectors Art Sale (reception Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m.) Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, amershon@boreal.org Love Letters 7 p.m. (2 p.m. Feb. 18) Lyric Center for the Arts, Virginia MN, lyriccenterforthearts.blogspot.com

Feb. 16-19

Winterfest Terrace Bay, Ontario, facebook.com/yourterracebay

Feb. 17, Saturday

Sled for Eternity: Kakabeka Falls Ride 8:30 a.m. Kakabeka Falls Legion, teenchallenge.mb.ca/sledtbay Vision 2018: An Event to Help Women Design & Live Their Best Life 8:30 a.m. The Boat Club, Duluth, sarahvandermeiden.com Ridge Riders Hungry Jack Drag Races 10 a.m. Hungry Jack Lake, Gunflint Trail, cookcountysnowmobileclub.com Vintage Snowmobile Run 10 a.m. Wildhurst Lodge & Campground, Finland, Finland Snowmobile/ ATV Club on Facebook Fish Lake Classic Snowmobile Challenge 11 a.m. Blue Max Resort on Fish Lake, Duluth, facebook.com/ fishlakeclassicchallenge Core Values Snowboarding Tour 2 p.m. Spirit Mountain, Duluth, spiritmt.com Youth Ski League Pasta Feed 5:30 p.m. 1st Congregational Church, Grand Marais, pincushiontrails.org Fly Fishing Film Tour 6 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com Candlelit Ski & Snowshoe 6 p.m. Oberg Mountain Trailhead, Tofte, sugarbushtrail.org Candlelight Ski, Snowshoe & Hike 6 p.m. Gooseberry Falls State Park, Two Harbors, mndnr.gov Neebing Stampede Party 9 p.m. Neebing Roadhouse, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/theneebing SplinterTones 9:30 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com

Feb. 17-19

Voyageur Winter Carnival Fort William Historical Park, Thunder Bay, fwhp.ca

Feb. 18, Sunday

Pincushion Mountain Winter Festival 10 a.m. Pincushion Mountain, Grand Marais, pincushiontrails.org Bike Across the Bay 10 a.m. Washburn, WI, northcoastcycling.com Birds of the Bay Drop-In Unveiling 2 p.m. Thunder Bay Art Gallery, facebook. com/birdsofthebayproject Bug Dope 7 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com Jim & Michele Miller 7 p.m. Skyport Lodge, Grand Marais, skyportlodge.com Live Classical Music 8 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte, bluefinbay.com

Feb. 19, Monday

President’s Day

Family SnowDay on the Waterfront Marina Park, Thunder Bay, visitthunderbay.ca/snowday Tapiola Family Ski Day Noon, Tapiola Sports Park, Thunder Bay, thefinlandia.com Mini Pop Kids 2 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com

Feb. 19-20

Open Skating 11 a.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais (218) 387-3015

Feb. 19-21

Energy Design Conference & Expo Duluth DECC, duluthenergydesign.com

Feb. 20, Tuesday

Vintage Aprons with Mary Lulari 10:30 a.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org Artist Talk: Swinging the Compass with Danny Saathoff 5:30 p.m. Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org Chance on Tap: Poetry Reading & Book Release with Kathleen Roberts 6 p.m. Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma Open Mic 7 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com

Feb. 20-25

Schreiber Winter Carnival Schreiber, Ontario, schreiber.ca/visiting/annual-events

Feb. 21, Wednesday

Community Conversation: Our Arts Economy with Amy Demmer Noon, Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org Nerd Nite 7 p.m. Sleeping Giant Brewing Company, Thunder Bay, sciencenorth.com/thunderbay

Feb. 22, Thursday

Garden Talks: Planning Your Garden 6 p.m. Fairlawn Mansion, Superior, superiorpublicmuseums.org Joe Paulik Band 8 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com DJ Beavstar 9 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com

Feb. 22-25

Boat Show 10:30 a.m. CLE Coliseum, Thunder Bay, cle.on.ca

Feb. 22-March 3

Death of a Salesman 7:30 p.m. The Underground, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org

Feb. 23, Friday

Library Scientist: STEM at the Library 3:30 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org Beer Lover’s Dinner 6:30 p.m. Lutsen Resort, lutsenresort.com/dining Plucked Up String Band 8 p.m. Wunderbar Eatery & Glampground, Grand Marais, facebook.com/wunderbarmn

Feb. 23-24

Science Carnival 1 p.m. Victoria Mall, Thunder Bay, sciencenorth.com/thunderbay Consortium Aurora Borealis Concert: Celebrating the Flute 8 p.m. St. Paul’s United Church, Thunder Bay, consortiumauroraborealis.org Viva Knievel 9:30 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com

Feb. 24-25

WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race Ely, wolftrackclassic.com Thunder Bay Field Naturalists Annual Dinner Meeting 4:30 p.m. Current River Community Centre, Thunder Bay, tbfn.net The Debaters Live 8 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com

Feb. 27, Tuesday

Open Mic 7 p.m. Papa Charlie’s,

Lutsen, lutsen.com Serena Ryder: Utopia World Tour 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com

Feb. 28, Wednesday

Great Lakes Monoski Madness Spirit Mountain, Duluth, spiritmt.com Cribbage Tournament 5 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com

Feb. 28-March 3

Cambrian Players presents William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 7:30 p.m. First-Wesley United Church, Thunder Bay, cambrianplayers.ca

March 2-4

Nipigon Ice Fest Nipigon, Ontario, facebook.com/nipigonicefest

March 3, Saturday

Duluth Women’s Expo 9 a.m. Duluth DECC, duluthwomensexpo.com Sleeping Giant Loppet 9:30 a.m. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Thunder Bay, sleepinggiantloppet.ca

Mondays

Live Music 4 p.m. Voyageur Brewing,

Open Mic Night 6 p.m. Grandma Rays,

Grand Marais (218) 387-2974 Live Music by the Fireplace 8 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte, bluefinbay.com Songwriter Series 8 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com

Tuesdays

Feb. 25, Sunday

Feb. 26, Monday

WEEKLY EVENTS

Live Music 6 p.m. Poplar River Pub at Lutsen Resort, Lutsen, lutsenresort.com Tuesday Trivia 7 p.m. Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974 Songwriter Series 8 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com

Saturdays

Wednesdays

Country Market 3:30 p.m. CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, thunderbaycountrymarket.com Open Skating 3:30 p.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais (218) 387-3015 Open Mic 5 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com Live Music with Boyd “Bump” Blomberg 5:30 p.m. Skyport Lodge, Grand Marais, skyportlodge.com Winter Series Presentations 6 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Feb. 7) Grand Marais Public Library grandmaraislibrary.org Songwriter Series 8 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com

Thursdays

Live Music 4 p.m. Moguls

Grille at Caribou Highlands, Lutsen, caribouhighlands.com Date Night at the Winery 6 p.m. North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us Live Music 6 p.m. Poplar River Pub at Lutsen Resort, lutsenresort.com

Fridays

Preschool Storytime 10:30 a.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org Open Skating Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais (218) 387-3015 Live Music Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974

EAT .

Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com Friday Night Reels 6 p.m. Grand Marais Public Library, grandmaraislibrary.org Live Music 7 p.m. Castle Danger Brewery, Two Harbors, castledangerbrewery.com Live Music 7 p.m. Cascade Restaurant, Lutsen, cascadelodgemn.com Live Music by the Fireplace 8 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte, bluefinbay.com Timmy Haus 9 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Luten, lutsen.com Country Market 8 a.m. CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, thunderbaycountrymarket.com Open Skating 11 a.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais (218) 387-3015 NCAA Free Winter Fat Bike Rides 11 a.m. Bayfield, WI, murph007swat@gmail.com Open Knitting 1 p.m. Sisu Designs Yarn Shop, Ely, sisudesigns.org Free: Tour the North House Campus 2 p.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org Live Music 3 p.m. North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us Live Music 7 p.m. Lutsen Resort, lutsenresort.com Live Music 7 p.m. Cascade Restaurant, Lutsen, cascadelodgemn.com Live Music 8 p.m. Wunderbar Eatery & Glampground, Grand Marais, facebook. com/wunderbarmn Live Music 8 p.m. Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974

Sundays

Live Music 10 a.m.

Moguls Grille at Caribou Highlands, Lutsen, caribouhighlands.com Live Music & Brunch 11 a.m. Wunderbar Eatery & Glampground, Grand Marais, facebook.com/wunderbarmn Open Skating 1 p.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais (218) 387-30

SLEEP.

PLAY .

Northwestern Fur Trappers Convention & Trade Show CLE Heritage, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/northwestfurtrappers Thunderheads Trio 8:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Feb. 23-March 4

Annual Winter Carnival Nipigon, Ontario, nipigon.net/events

Feb. 24, Saturday

Proctor Classic Snowmobile Challenge 9 a.m. Spirit Mountain, Duluth, spiritmt.com Lutsen Trailbreakers Vintage Snowmobile Ride & Show 10 a.m. Cascade Lodge, Lutsen, cascadelodgemn.com Gunflint Lake Cabin Fever Festival 10 a.m. Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters, Gunflint Trail, gunflint.com

Country Inn & Suites Duluth North 4257 Haines Road, Duluth, MN 55811

(218) 740-4500

15% off Any Room Type

Valid November 1, 2017 through May 31, 2018 Some restrictions apply. Not valid with other discounts, promotions, groups, holidays or special events. Advance reservations required. Country Inn & Suites Duluth North location only.

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

r u o y r o f Vote

e t i r o v Fa s t n a r u Resta a n i w o t e anc for a ch ate $ 5 0 g i f t c e r t i fi c

Do you have a favorite place to get a coffee, to eat breakfast or take the kids for dinner? The restaurants you vote for must be located in the Northern Wilds coverage area, which includes the North Shore communities from Duluth to Terrace Bay and over to Ely.

2018

Only one ballot per person. Do not choose the same restaurant in more than three categories or your entire ballot will be disqualified (Best server is exempt from this rule). You can mail in your ballot, drop it off at our office or vote online at northernwilds.com. Voting ends March 31, 2018. Look for the results in the 2018 Menu Guide and the June issue of Northern Wilds.

Official Ballot Which restaurant has the best: Limit 3 entries per restaurant (except for best server)

Use of regional ingredients? _____________________________________________

Appetizers? ___________________________________________________________

Ethnic fare? ___________________________________________________________

Steak? _______________________________________________________________

Northwoods character? _________________________________________________

Burger? ______________________________________________________________

View? _______________________________________________________________

Fish? ________________________________________________________________

“Worth the drive?”_____________________________________________________

Pizza? _______________________________________________________________

Kid-friendly menu? _____________________________________________________

Soup? _______________________________________________________________

Vegetarian-friendly menu? _______________________________________________

Salad? _______________________________________________________________

Server or bartender? (include full name and restaurant) ________________________________________

Breakfast? ____________________________________________________________ Baked goods? _________________________________________________________

Speedy service? _______________________________________________________ Take-out? _______________________________________________________

Sweets? ______________________________________________________________ Coffee? ______________________________________________________________ Wine? _______________________________________________________________ Cocktails? ____________________________________________________________ Beer selection? ________________________________________________________ Regional craft beer? ____________________________________________________ Happy hour? __________________________________________________________ Music venue? _________________________________________________________ Fine dining? __________________________________________________________ Artistic flare from the chef? _____________________________________________ 28

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERN WILDS

Mail this ballot to: Northern Wilds Media, Inc., P.O. Box 26, Grand Marais, MN 55604 or Vote online at surveymonkey.com/r/rest2018

Only one ballot per person. Name ________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________________________________ Phone _______________________________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________________

The North Shore Dish Sweet Stuff this February By Maren Webb

Thanks to a certain holiday, February is well associated with chocolate, even celebrated as Chocolate Lovers’ Month. The connections between Valentine’s Day and chocolate dates back to the mid-1800s, when Richard Cadbury, son of the Cadbury founder, started creating special boxes of chocolates to increase sales. In 1868, he debuted a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day, dubbed a “Fancy Box,” well adorned in the Victorian fashion. Whether you are seeking out a Valentine’s Day gift or simply some scrumptious chocolate, take a look at one of these local shops to satisfy, no fancy box required with these delicious chocolates. In the Waterfront District of Thunder Bay, a small shop brimming with chocolates is not to be missed. ChocoLitts opened just over a year ago, with owner, Rena Litt, at the helm. The unique name was inspired by her last name and a nickname for her children, “chick-litts.” ChocoLitts, pronounced like chocolates, is known for just that. Litt has been doing special orders of printing on chocolate for 10 years and has now expanded into truffles, sponge toffee, and other delectables. All items are made in house, using real chocolate. Litt sources locally and other items are fair trade. I sampled a spicy dark chocolate truffle on a visit this winter, made with chili powder from a local vendor. While not for the faint of heart, it was a hit at our house. Chocolate-covered bacon is another specialty to check out, especially for the bacon lover. For a more quintessential Valentine’s gift, look to ChocoLitts’ truffles. With a wide variety of flavors, you are sure to find some that will please your sweetheart. Choose from options like dark chocolate orange, Kahlua, creme de menthe, cinnamon, raspberry, and sea salt and caramel. Valentine’s Day specials will be featured on ChocoLitts website (chocolitts.com) and Facebook page. Another popular gift idea for out-of-town relatives and friends is ChocoLitts’ Thunder Bay chocolate bar, featuring the Sleeping Giant in chocolate form. Chocolate-dipped wine bottles make another special, one-ofa-kind gift. For the most customized gift, work with Litt to create an edible chocolate with your own personalized message or picture. For more information on special orders, contact ChocoLitts.

ChocoLitts in Thunder Bay creates everything from truffles and sponge toffee, to customizable chocolates that include your own personal message. | CHOCOLITTS NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

HIllhaven Hillhaven is now closed! Thank you all for

a great 13+ years of eldercare! We’ll now be concentrating our energies at the Grand Marais Wellness Center being a Physical Therapist and Chiropractor. —Becky and Loren Stoner

HILL HAVEN

Share the Gunflint Trail With Someone You Love Valentine Dining and Lodging Specials Available

The Gunflint Mercantile in Grand Marais will offer boxes of truffles for Valentine’s Day. | GUNFLINT MERCANTILE In February, ChocoLitts (207 Park Avenue, Thunder Bay) is open Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shop will be open Tuesday, Feb. 13 for last minute Valentine’s Day shoppers.

c i t n a m Ro

At Legendary

Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters

#1—Most Romantic Restaurants Worth a Short Drive —Star Tribune, Feb. 10, 2017 Dog Sledding $ Snowmobile Rentals ! Fat Biking Fireplace Cabins " Lakeside Dining U Saunas & Hot Tubs

(800) 328-3325 www.gunflint.com 30

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERN WILDS

of Valentine’s Day. For more information on orders, visit: gunflintmercantile.com. In Canal Park Duluth, a small shop tucked inside the DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace has a presence much larger than its square footage. For 30 years, Hepzibah’s Sweet Shoppe has been fulfilling customers’ dreams of chocolates, fudge, licorice, and other imported sweets. Having grown up on the North Shore, I have fond childhood memories stopping in for a special treat and one day look forward to sharing the tradition with my daughter.

In Grand Marais, another entrepreneur is making delicious things with chocolate. Chelsea Pusc is the brains and arms behind the Gunflint Mercantile, whipping up fudge, truffles, and much more. After coming to the area to work for Voyageur Canoe Outfitters, Pusc purchased the Gunflint Mercantile seven years ago this FebruThe name may seem a bit unusual to ary. She has brought her passion for creatsome, but Hepzibah goes back to the start ing and ideas to the business. She is always of Duluth. The shop is named after Hepzitesting new flavors, so stop in and “you just bah J. Merritt, a woman who helped estabmight get to be a taste tester,” said Pusc. lish the first settlement in the Oneota TerriKnown for its fudge, the Gunflint Mer- tory, which is now West Duluth. A mother cantile offers some popular varieties includ- to eight boys, her sons discovered the ing maple bacon and dark chocolate sea salt world’s largest iron range, the Mesabi Iron caramel. The base fudge recipe is an old Range, creating Duluth’s place in history. recipe from the Patton family up the Gun- With the shop located across from the shipflint Trail. For ingredients, Pusc goes closer ping canal in Canal Park, it is quite fitting. to her childhood home, sourcing her sugar Hepzibah’s sells one of a kind chocolate ore from the Renville, Minn. beet sugar factory, boats, connecting to both its location and where she grew up. Butter comes from Wis- historical name. consin, bringing Minnesota and Wisconsin If a sweet ore boat won’t tickle your together in the most delicious way. sweetie, award winning truffles and imThis February, you’ll want to stop in the ported chocolate and treats from Europe shop or check out the Gunflint Mercantile’s might fit the bill. “We have Austrian black website. forest cherry chocolates, Reber Schwar“One of my favorite holidays is Valen- zwälder Kirsch, which also make the tine’s Day, so I have a few things up my chocolate Mozarts,” said shop manager, John Ryde-Crane. Imported from Holland, sleeve,” said Pusc. they also have Droste Pastilles with bitterBoxes of truffles are a great option for sweet and dark chocolate, among many a more quintessential Valentine’s gift, fea- other imported Valentine chocolates. Two turing her large, handmade truffles. Each of the favorite truffles are the Minnesota batch is made from scratch and stirred by moose, dark chocolate with dark chocolate hand. If you are looking to really cover ganache, and Baileys Irish cream, Baileys in your bases, Chelsea partners with Grand milk chocolate ganache. They have a large Marais florist, Terra Bella Floral, to have a selection of candy as well, for the non-chocfudge kabob delivered with your flower or- olate fan—I love the red licorice wheels. der. Other Valentine’s Day specials will be Hepzibah’s Sweet Shoppe (394 S. Lake posted on the Gunflint Mercantile’s FaceAve, Ste 104, Duluth) is open Monday book page. If your Valentine is not a fan of through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and sweets, her wild rice and mushroom soup Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (call if you’ll be mix is another customer favorite. stopping by on a Sunday evening to ensure The Gunflint Mercantile (12 First Ave- they are open: 218-722-5049). nue West, Grand Marais) is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in February. It will also be open every day the week

A pair of Superior Street Irish IPAs Looking for common ground between Duluth’s two Irish brew pubs on a recent weekend, I settled on their IPAs. It had been a while since I had Carmody Irish Pub and Brewing’s Scanlan IPA. It poured hazy off the tap with very little head. Scanlan IPA is malty and a little bitter, with a decent amount of grapefruit-tinged hoppiness. It seemed pretty close to the 6.3 percent alcohol by volume that was scribbled in chalk, among only a handful of Carmody-brewed options. Carmody-brewed beers are available for growler fills, asides from buying it on tap at the pub in downtown Duluth and at Two Harbors’ Carmody 61. If only I had been to Carmody’s the night before when Trampled by Turtles’ mandolinist Erik Berry was on stage—I would have likely stuck around for another beer. Instead, I headed down Superior Street to Duluth’s other Irish brew pub, Dubh Linn. There I was greeted to a fairly extensive list of offerings from head brewer Seth Maxim, who happened to be around, and shared a light, nearly session-style pale ale that had not yet been released. But it was Celtic Equinox IPA that was on tap among a two-column list, which also included a double IPA. Celtic Equinox poured with less haziness and with more

By Javier Serna carbonation. It had a creamier mouth-feel, and the Equinox hops burst with the tropical, fruity flavors that have been a big part of the rise in popularity that pale beers have enjoyed in recent years. Maxim said the beer is also brewed with Chinook hops.

Crooked Spoon

The IPA, which clocked in at 6.0 percent ABV, didn’t seem lighter than Scanlan, and had a bit of a malty and sweet aftertaste.

Harbor House

Because Dubh Linn’s brewing system is so small, and Maxim was trying to keep at least eight different beers on tap, the brew pub’s beers are not available for growler fills. You’ll have to head down to Superior Street to try them.

Cascade lodge Lutsen Resort

BELGIAN OR BUST: Sleeping Giant Brewing Company recently held what was billed as Thunder Bay’s first Belgian-only beer event, Biere Belge, in late January.

Dubh Linn in Duluth offers the Celtic Equinox IPA. | JAVIER SERNA

It was an interesting concept for an event, which showcased a Belgian trippel, Belgian wit, Belgian pale ale and a Belgian dubbel.

cently that co-lead brewery Allyson Rolph is working on a sour beer, Allouez amber ale, which is expected to have some of the funk that fans of the style look for.

Moguls

STARTING TO SOUR: Upstart Superior brewer Earth Rider Brewery announced re-

It’s expected to take about nine months to finish the beer in wood barrels.

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FEBRUARY 2018

Make Your Take the Own Truffles By Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux

Quiz! Which products and services can you find at Northern Wilds? (answers below)

 Printing, faxes and scans.  Best-selling local books.  Chinese food take-out.  Banners.  Vinyl lettering.  Advice for the lovelorn.  The North Shore’s favorite magazine! We don’t sell Chinese Food or hand out advice for your love life, but we do everything else. Got a project? Give us a call!

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Treat yourself this Valentine’s Day with these decadent—and deceptively easy to make—chocolate truffles. A peaty, smokey whiskey like Laphroaig adds depth to the chocolate, and salt balances the caramel’s sweetness.

Salted Caramel-Toffee Whiskey Truffles 11 oz dark chocolate (60% cacao or higher), finely chopped 8 tablespoons heavy cream 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (recipe below) 1/4 cup whiskey 1/2 cup chopped toffee pieces, such as Heath, optional 1/3 cup cocoa powder for rolling Additional chocolate, melted, for drizzling Kosher salt for sprinkling DIRECTIONS

Truffles are easy to make and easy to customize. | ROSE ARROWSMITH DECOUX

Prepare caramel and set aside. Measure out a half cup for the truffles, and refrigerate the remainder. Bring an inch of water to a simmer in a pot. Place a heatproof bowl, preferably glass, on top to create a double boiler. Be sure the bowl is not touching the water. Add chopped chocolate and cream to the bowl. Let sit for three minutes, then whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in caramel and whiskey. Fold in toffee pieces, if desired. Pour into a casserole dish or pie plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate about three hours until firm enough to scoop. Using a melon baller or small spoons, scoop one-inch balls of chocolate onto a cookie sheet. Round truffles by rolling between your palms, chilling them in the freezer at any point if they become too

Whiskey and caramel dress up a classic chocolate dessert. | ROSE ARROWSMITH DECOUX soft to manage. Finish by rolling truffles in cocoa powder. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt and toffee. Store in fridge or freezer. Makes approximately 36 truffles.

Easy Microwave Caramel 6 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup brown sugar

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3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons corn syrup, light or dark 3 tablespoons cream 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon vanilla Microwave all ingredients (except salt and vanilla) in a large bowl, preferably glass, for two minutes. Whisk. Microwave for two more minutes. Whisk in salt and vanilla. Caramel will thicken as it cools.

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The Strength to Stand Back Up By Amy Schmidt If it were possible to control life’s circumstances or, better yet, if we lived in a perfect world, this article would not be worth reading (or writing, for that matter). But, seeing as life’s circumstances are sometimes uncontrollable and the world is far from perfect, discussing a concept termed resilience seems prudent if not critical. Resilience, by way of definition, is “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.” These sources of stress can be as varied as the humans that experience them and can range from inconvenient to life-threatening. From car trouble to a natural disaster and everything in between, your reaction to the hardship is paramount. Our default is to react to stressful circumstances with strong emotions, emotions that, if left unchecked, can flood out any sense of hope at overcoming the adversity. This is where resiliency, or the ability to ‘bounce back’, becomes necessary.

involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that anyone can develop. Think of it more like whistling or being able to roll your R’s. Does it come more naturally to some people? Yes. Can anyone, if dedicated, gain the ability? Absolutely. So, if it’s a learned trait, how does a person, or a community, become resilient? Scour the internet, and you will find no shortage of advice, tips, strategies and pamphlets on the matter. Because everyone learns differently, take the time to research and to consider what approach to resiliency might best fit with your personality. As a jumping off point though, here is a fly-over view of the American Psychological Association’s 10 steps to fostering resilience.

10 steps to fostering resilience

Fortunately, unlike eye color or body type, resilience is not a trait you either have or do not have. Rather, it is learned and

1. Stay connected. Relationships are important, whether familial, faithbased or neighborly. 2. Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. 3. Accept that change is a part of living.

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While not an exact formula, some variation of these steps will result in more resiliency.

6. Look for opportunities for selfdiscovery or growth during hardship. 7. Nurture a positive view of yourself. In other words, be confident in your ability to get through it. 8. Keep things in perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion by keeping your eye on the big picture. 9. Maintain a hopeful outlook. Every tunnel has an end and, as the saying goes, there’s light.

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10. Take care of yourself. Sleep plenty, exercise regularly and eat well.

5. Take decisive actions. Don’t react passively to a tough situation but rather move toward resolution with concrete actions.

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4. Move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself what small thing you can accomplish.

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The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you and practice them. Practice when it’s easy, when the stakes are low and the stressful situation is fairly minimal. Encourage those around you to practice resiliency, too. Parents, model resiliency for your children. Employers, model it for your employees and community leaders, for your community. We are always better together and this is no exception. Consider this quote from Nelson Mandela: “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” As individuals, as families, as communities, let’s work toward resiliency—because the world is not and never will be perfect.

By candlelight in the beautiful Superior National Forest.

Saturday

February 17, 2018 6-8 p.m. Oberg Mountain Trailhead Tofte, MN

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We use Grass fed beef and pork sausage for our italian seasoned patty, grill it, toast our baguette, slather with our house marinara and melted mozzarella.**

Organic house roasted turkey served open faced with Tavern mash and turkey gravy, side of cranberry compote Sauteed ribeye strips, green pepper, onions, provolone cheese and horsey sauce.**

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Baked, bubbly and delicious like grandma would do.

Baked open faced with tomatoes, pickles, celery and onions in our mix .** Your choice of our soup of the day and salad with a chunk of buttered warm bread. On french with honey dijon, tomatoes, onions and greens.**

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Northern Trails All About Fly Fishing By Gord Ellis

Fairly recently, on a cold winter night, my wife was watching television as I tapped away on my laptop in the other room. “Come see this,” she said, and I did. There, on the little screen, was a very young Brad Pitt, casting a reasonable loop of fly line. Soon he was fighting a make believe fish. It was the movie “A River Runs Through It.” During the part where he goes down the rapids with only his head and his hand holding the rod out of the water I said “I’ve done that.” And I have. But it never looked as pretty. A world of people took up fly fishing after Hollywood immortalized that book on film. The movie did capture many of the elements of fly fishing that are so appealing, even if few anglers look anything like Brad Pitt while doing it. I’ve been fly fishing for nearly as long as I can remember. My first steelhead rod was actually a fly rod and reel loaded up with monofilament instead of fly line. This set up was used to bounce heavy sinkers and flies along the bottom. It wasn’t true “fly fishing” but it was close. These days, anglers use what’s called a running line instead of monofilament to do exactly the same thing. The progression from monofilament to real fly line took place while I was in my mid-teens. There was a tackle shop in the downtown north core of Thunder Bay called Lorne’s Camera and Fishing Tackle, and the proprietor, Lorne Allard, hooked me up with a floating fly line, some leaders and a handful of flies. “Try these for specs,” he said, dropping a half dozen Muddler Minnows in my palm. “Cast them out and then pull them back across the surface.” Seemed simple enough. So the next day, on a section of the Current River, not far upstream from Boulevard Lake, I tried out my new fly line and flies. I’d also been given a few casting tips from Lorne, but my execution was poor. However, the floating fly line had enough weight that even a bad cast got me out seven or eight feet. Far enough. My muddler fly—half submerged and looking very buggy—was then stripped back against the current. There was nothing very pretty or natural about any of it, but that didn’t stop a 10-inch brookie from leaping right out of the water to eat the fly. It was all terribly exciting. The tug of that trout on a fly line felt wonderful and to this day, it is one of my favourite experiences in fishing.

A beautiful Lake Superior steelhead taken with a fly. | GORD ELLIS er elements began. By miraculous fate, a decent fly tying vise had been won at a fish derby so that big ticket item was already in hand. However, the hard part was the actual fly tying. It was intricate work, and most patterns demanded that a certain recipe be followed. The really good tiers were able to make each fly look practically the same. That was not my gift. However, flies that came of my vise were good enough to catch a few trout, and that was excitThe fly box is the magic tool every fly fisherman ing. In time, experiments turns to for answers. | GORD ELLIS were undertaken that included making pike-sized A whole other world of fly tying opened flies, and various bass poppers, including up when I joined the (now sadly defunct) some that used cut up flip-flop foam as the Thunder Bay Fly Fishing club. What an base body. Many winter nights were spent amazing experience it was to meet a bunch huddled under a lamp, snipping off chunks of people who tied flies for fun, pleasure of feather, hair and rabbit strip to create and occasionally profit. These tiers ran the flies. It was relaxing, and allowed for both gamut from teens to octogenarians, but ev- creativity and the pleasant recollection of eryone was willing to show their tricks. fishing trips past. Fly tying only left my It was during this time the collecting of life as writing—and the inherent need to feathers and the buying of hooks, capes, create stuff on a keyboard—began to take bucktail, lacquer, paints, thread and oth- my excess time away. I’ve kept my vise

though, and a bag of basic materials, so if the urge to tie ever needs to be addressed, it can be dealt with quickly. In the meantime, there are other fly fishing related outlets that one can enjoy while favourite creeks and rivers lay buried under ice. On Saturday, February 17, at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, the North Shore Steelhead Association will present the Fly Fishing Film Tour 2018. Fly-fishing-based movies from around the world will be featured, and if these flicks are anything like past years, it will be an epic night. There will also be some vendors on hands and a large number of goodies will be given away. Tickets are $15 Canadian and can be purchased online at: tbca.com. I’m happy to say I’m MCing this event and expect to see a room full of anglers. If you want to feel the magic of fly fishing, but can’t wait for the ice to recede, the Fly Fishing Film Tour is a good place to start.

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FEBRUARY 2018

Hugging this Rock

The Devil’s Wedding Ring

Poems of Earth & Sky, Love & War By Eric Chandler

By Vidar Sundstøl University of Minnesota Press, $25.95

After his friend’s mysterious disappearance, private investigator Max Fjellanger returns to his native Norway, determined to learn the truth. However, he is plunged into a dark world, filled with ancient superstitions, religious cults and sinister forces, all revolved around a 13th-century church and connected to Midsummer Eve, which is fast approaching. Award-winning author Vidar Sundstøl is known for his Minnesota crime trilogy, The Land of Dreams, Only the Dead and The Ravens.—Breana Roy

The Hidden Life of Trees What They Feel, How They Communicate By Peter Wohlleben

Middle West Press LLC, $9.99

Award-winning writer Eric Chandler is no stranger to regular readers of Northern Wilds, because he is a frequent contributor of stories to this publication. He is also a poet. This collection of his poetry reflects his rich and varied life, from a former F-16 fighter pilot, to a husband and father, to an avid outdoor enthusiast. Chandler has a way of provoking a thought or a smile that poetry readers will enjoy.—Shawn Perich

Greystone Books

Ever wonder about the life of a tree? This international bestseller by German forester and author Peter Wohlleben has been changing how people think about trees. Drawing on scientific discoveries, he describes how trees in the forest are part of a social network, a community, and describes how “trees are like human families” living with their children. Trees also assist neighbouring trees; share nutrients with the sick or struggling; warn each other of impending danger; and have different ways of talking and communicating with each other using smell and electrical signals. “And who knows, perhaps one day the language of trees will be deciphered” writes the author in the closing chapter. “Until then, when you take your next walk in the forest, give free rein to your imagination—in many cases, what you imagine is not so far removed from reality, after all!”—Elle Andra-Warner

PARTRIDGE LAKE WHY GO: Being completely inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and a bit off of the beaten path, Partridge Lake remains a solid option for catching lots of lake trout, mainly in the winter or spring. You’ll likely have the lake to yourself. ACCESS: ABWCAW entry permit is required to visit Partridge Lake. One way of accessing Partridge is via Entry Point No. 59 (South Lake Trail/Partridge Lake). The South Lake Trail is basically an old road bed, and snowmobilers are known to use the trail almost all of the way to Partridge, stopping at the BWCAW boundary and hiking the rest of the way in, according to David Seaton of Hungry Jack Canoe Outfitters. Partridge is about two miles on the South Lake Trail from the Gunflint Trail. Otherwise, according to Voyageur Map No. 9, Partridge is a 173-rod portage from Duncan Lake, and Seaton said the portage is every bit of 173 rods, if not more. Seaton noted a beaver pond that can be a pain navigating around during the soft-water months can be walked across in the winter. VITALS: Partridge is a 118 acres, according to the Minnesota DNR’s Lakefinder website, with a maximum depth of 80 feet, and a mean depth of 35 feet. It had an average water clarity of 15 feet during the most recent DNR fisheries survey in July of 2013. It’s entirely inside Cook County. SPECIES PRESENT: Lake trout, green 36

FEBRUARY 2018

sunfish and white sucker. GOOD FISHING: Because there is little for forage in the lake (no dwarf cisco) beyond bugs, the lake is not known for producing large lake trout and its potential to do so is limited. It is known for putting out lots of smaller lake trout. “It can be a really good lake,” Seaton noted. “Not everyone that goes in there does well. If whatever the gods do that make fish bite happens, it can be a pretty cool place.” Seaton noted that the lake was hit hard by the infamous 1999 blowdown, though the trails to the lake are still lined with some pretty tall trees.

survey was the second highest ever recorded for the lake. That might not mean that the fish are actually getting bigger, but more likely means there is less reproduction in the lake, and that could be because of climate change, Persons said. There were several year classes present in the lake, during the recent survey, but it was observed that Partridge lakers grow slower than in similar lakes in the area (an average of 15.1 inches by the end of their sixth year, compared to 17.7 inches for similar lakes).

CLIMATE CHANGE: Steve Persons, DNR’s Grand Marais area fisheries supervisor, said that the mean weight in the last

NORTHERN WILDS

deeps of the lake, squeezing their comfort zone. INTERESTING GENETICS: Partridge, Persons noted, is part of the Lake Superior watershed, unlike many of the waters inside the BWCAW, which flow to the Rainy River watershed. The lake trout in Partridge, researchers have found, have genetics that are more similar to the lakers in Lake Superior.

“It’s at the top of the hill and it got clipped off,” Seaton said. “If people want to go somewhere quiet, it’s always quiet there.” During the winter, Patridge lakers can roam freely about the lake, uninhibited by low oxygen levels and then have better access to the lake’s population of green sunfish, which were not sampled at sizes exceeding 5 inches in 2013.

View our complete collection of Fishing Hole Maps online at: northernwilds.com /fishingholemaps

Basically, with warmer, longer summers, that might be making the lake less hospitable for lake trout, which need cool, deep, highly oxygenated lakes to thrive. It probably doesn’t help that Partridge is fed by tannin-stained bogs, which keeps the lake darker than clearer lakes. Those darker waters absorb more heat, and longer periods of lake stratification are probably reducing oxygen levels in the

“You would not be able to tell them apart by looking at them,” Persons said, noting that Partridge’s lakers tend to be dark, bronze-colored, with very orange flesh. CAMPING: There are three campsites on Partridge Lakes, each with latrines. All three are on the south-facing shore of the lake. The Border Route Trail is accessible via the South Lake Trail and a relatively short trail from the easternmost campsite.—Javier Serna

MUSH LAKE RACING DOG BLOG:

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By Erin Altemus Our best runs are at night. This usually surprises people. “How can you see?” People ask me. “How can the dogs see?” I don’t know exactly why, but I think it is precisely because the dogs can’t see, that they run best in the dark. The dogs seem to be more focused, more excited and more determined. During the day, there are distractions as far as their eyes can see, and the slower pace is noticeable. The Gunflint Mail Run, our first race of the season, is staged so that the first run starts at 8 a.m. The dogs finish their 50mile run before 1 p.m., rest five hours, and then leave again for the second run. We assume the second run will be faster, because it’s dark, the dogs know the trail by then and usually the trail firms up. This year, however, turned out different. The day before the race, vets checked over 300 dogs to make sure they were each fit to run. The vet check was followed by a musher meeting. Matt and I took our daughter Sylvia with us to the meeting. Amidst a room packed with mushers, Sylvia was in great spirits, not uttering a peep throughout the entire meeting, except when the trail boss told everyone that at the race start, temperatures would be at least 20 below. At this news, Sylvia let out a loud wail of displeasure. Everyone laughed. Temperatures were at least twenty below at race start, but it was a beautiful morning, the sun shining brightly on the far lake shore as Matt’s team took off down Poplar Lake. When Matt returned, he was in fourth place. On the second leg, Matt passed two teams, coming into second place with less than 10 miles to the finish. Unfortunately, as the day progressed and temperatures rose, the winds grew strong and snow started falling. By the time he reached Poplar Lake, with just a couple miles left to race, he was in white-out conditions in the dark. Starting off down the lake, he

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Year-round Cabins & Cottages on Minnesota’s Gunflint Trail saw a headlamp in the distance. Thinking that was a musher ahead on the trail, he turned the team toward the headlamp. Not much further, the team ran straight into shore. He turned them back toward where he came, but with all the blowing snow, he became disoriented and when he hit the race trail again, he turned the wrong way, quickly running headfirst into another dog team. Realizing his error, he had to turn the team again.

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21 W. Highway 61, Grand Marais

By this time, Nathan Schroeder who was in third place, passed Matt taking second. Somehow, Matt managed to hang onto third place. Perhaps because of the cold, several teams had problems with their headlamps, which caused them more problems in the blowing snow. One team ran towards lights on the lake and ended up at a resort and necessitated a rescue. Another team took over an hour to find his way off the lake. Matt has had a little practice running blind. One year, on a training run, he only brought one headlamp. As the team ran along, a stick reached out and whisked the headlamp right off Matt’s head. Matt turned around to see it hanging there, but he didn’t dare let go of the team to retrieve the headlamp, so he ran home in the total dark, trusting that the dogs would make the right turns. By the time this blog hits newsstands, the Beargrease will be upon us. Matt will take the runners and I will manage from behind the scenes. We’ve done the race enough times now to know that the best runs will be at night. The race legs during the day will feel slow. It is up to the musher to never let on to the dogs that this is a problem. We keep it positive. The dogs pick up on our moods. We have a few changes to try this year, but mostly we know that our success in the races hinges on a race without mistakes. It is the musher who has the cleanest race—no dogs carried in the sled bag, no wrong turns, no bad luck—that is most likely to win. NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

Wild Traditions Celestial Navigation: A Lost Art of Finding Our Way By Julia Prinselaar

We are all navigators. To find our way from one place to another, we often look for landmarks or use maps when we are traveling through unfamiliar places. In today’s world of hand-held computers, navigating has never been easier. With a few effortless taps on our smart phones, mapping tools can give us the fastest route to our destination, all in a matter of seconds. Unlike the civilizations that came before us, and especially since Global Positioning System (GPS) development in recent decades, we no longer need to rely on our senses to give us clues to where we are in the world—the position of the stars, the Sun and other planets. While it’s been a major boon to personal travel and industry, our over-reliance on GPS has made natural navigational skills all but vanish. “Celestial navigation is what first let ancient peoples on earth begin to travel. They realized, when they first recognized constellations, that when they started getting further away from home, the stars would rise in [correlation] to a certain time. As people got more advanced, they understood why that happened, and from there they could start figuring out where they were,” says Brendon Roy, president of the Thunder Bay Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. Established in the 1980s, the local chapter currently has about 50 members and is dedicated to promoting sciences and astronomy, and exposing people to the night sky. According to Andrew K. Johnston and co-authors of the book, Time and Navigation, the Untold Story of Getting Here to There, mod-

ern voyagers suggest that early Polynesian navigators sailed from island to island observing the sun and stars, wind and waves, and the behaviour of birds and fish. The Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans sailed the Mediterranean Sea for centuries by observing the same indicators. With the publication of Claudius Ptolemy’s Geography, written in the second century and translated into Latin in 1409-10, the world was mapped with longitude and latitude coordinates, and propelled early explorers into a more accurate means of getting around. Mariners relied heavily on clocks and angle-measuring instruments like the quadrant, the astrolabe, and later the sextant to plot their location on a trackless sea, aligning the stars in the sky to find their own place on Earth. “In the 1800s, a good time piece was worth its weight in gold,” says Roy. Explorers who could find their way around the world were, in effect, able to discover new land, and establish colonies that helped to expand the great empires throughout history. “Astronomers were heavily employed during most of the British Empire’s history, because they were the only ones who could get the ships from Point A to Point B. An astronomer on a ship in the old days— even today—if he knew his math and had a good time piece, he could get you down to within a few hundred meters of where you were supposed to be...It had huge impacts, and history today still shows how significant the British Empire is.” The entire world is set to Universal Time from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, UK. It’s the location of the Prime Meridian, an imaginary line that divides the Earth into eastern and western hemispheres. By the late 1800s, more than twothirds of all ships used it as the reference meridian on their charts and maps. “The history is tied into our present day really tightly,” says Roy. “And it’s kind of funny when you start seeing how it all comes together. So if you look on a map over the years of where observatories are built or what ports had observatories,

Our over-reliance on GPS has made natural navigational skills all but vanish. | STOCK you’ll find that the British built an observatory at every one of their major ports— there’s one built in Halifax, there’s one in Cape Cod, throughout East Asia for the trading companies. And the reason that they built them was not so much for scientific advancements, but for finding the positions of the stars to update their tables.” In our corner of the world, British explorer David Thompson mapped nearly two million square miles of North America using celestial navigation, including Northwestern Ontario. Sources say he was nicknamed “Koo-Koo-Sint,” or “the Stargazer” by some indigenous peoples. Fast forward to recent decades, and the popularity of satellite positioning outshines navigation by the stars. Or does it? Recognizing the vulnerabilities that come with modern technologies, the U.S. military is going back to basics—or, at least, reintroducing them to their training modules. Since 2015, its Naval Academy has resumed training officers in the lost art of celestial navigation. In what was once the national standard, this training was eventually phased out in the 2000s with the advent of GPS technology that simplified and improved the ability to find a ship’s position at sea.

“We went away from celestial navigation because computers are great,” Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Rogers, the deputy chairman of the academy’s Department of Seamanship and Navigation, told the Maryland-based Capital Gazette in a 2015 report. “The problem is, there’s no backup.” Threats to technological infrastructure could disrupt these systems or knock them out entirely, through a deliberate attack, space debris, or even a strong Earth-directed solar storm, according to a 2016 article published in Sky and Telescope Magazine. Even though the training is a small portion of the curriculum for naval students, using a sextant and the stars has worked for seafarers for centuries, and places less reliance on a method that cannot be hacked. It’s a start to improving resilience. And from our doorsteps, it doesn’t hurt to look up once in awhile and gaze at the night sky in search of Polaris, or the North Star, one of the most important celestial markers in natural navigation. A GPS might be a useful tool to tell us literally where we are on this planet, but tuning in to the natural world will surely offer us the ever-so important sense of our belonging.

EXPERIENCE THE SPIRIT OF HYGGE WITH US! Join us for a free, all-inclusive night cross country ski Friday, February 9 @ 5:30pm.

Visit us in store or online for IBEX MERINO WOOL BASE LAYERS while they last.

218.387.3136 stoneharborws.com 38

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERN WILDS

The Snowshoe Hare: Just a Tricky Rabbit? Imagine if you were the primary food source for most of the forest carnivores. You would spend your entire life playing hide-n-seek, except you are always the one hiding. This is the life of a snowshoe hare—trying to get by from day to day while everyone hunts you down. Because of this, the hare has some extraordinary adaptations that help it survive. Can you guess what these adaptations are?

Be Invisible

Speedy

If a snowshoe hare could choose a superpower, it would likely be to disappear. The hare can’t actually disappear, but it comes close by carefully blending its fur to match the colors around. In the late spring the hare is a mottled brown, helping it match the undergrowth of the forest. In the late fall, its fur turns white to match the snow.

The hare can move as fast as 30 mph and jump nine feet if it really wants. This kind of speed can at least make it difficult for predators to catch up.

Big Feet

More than Just a Rabbit

While not quite as large as the elusive Bigfoot, the snowshoe hare does have really big feet. Its back feet are particularly large and give the hare its name—because its feet resemble snowshoes—they are long and wide and help the hare float on top of the snow, allowing it to move fast when chased by predators.

A Rabbit in Water?

Whoever thought a hare could swim? In fact, hares are strong swimmers and will take to water if necessary to escape. There are distinct differences between cute and fuzzy rabbits and the hare. Baby rabbits are born without hair and eyes shut while the hare babies are ready to hop away within hours of their birth. Rabbits sleep underground and the hare sleeps on the forest floor, under bushes.

The snowshoe hare is named after its big feet, which resemble snowshoes. This allows the hare to float on top of the snow and reach speeds up to 30 mph. | STOCK

WINTER SPECIALS Friday Night Prime Rib

Grand Marais

Rubbed with herbs and spices and slow roasted to perfection Starting at $19.95

Tues. & Thurs. Wing Night $.50 wings with dipping sauces, blue cheese or ranch along with celery. Only available in the Poplar River Pub.

(Winter specials available November through April. Not available holidays or with other specials.)

Buy Any DQ Item Get Any DQ Item

1/2 Off

Grand Off regularly priced item of equal or lesser value. Excludes $5 Lunch, Marais, MN 120 W $6 Lunch, DQ Cakes, and Take Home Hwy 61 Boxes of Novelties. Not valid with any other coupons or specials. Limit Two Harbors, 1 coupon, 1 per customer. Limit 1 MN per coupon. Void if copied. DQ logo 530 7th Ave property of AM.DQCorp Minneapolis, limited food menu MN, 2011. Expires 12/31/2019

Any Two Blizzards

800

(sm, med or large)

Hwy 61, Lutsen MN 218.663.7212 for Dinner Reservations

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

Strange Tales Thunderbirds: Powerful Spirits of the Sky By Elle AndraWarner

According to the Ojibwe lore, the legendary mystical giant birds known as thunderbirds (Animikii) once called the top of Thunder Bay’s Mount McKay their home. Located on the Fort William First Nation and known as Animiki-waajiw in Anishinaabe, the towering 1,000-foot mountain—a sacred site to the Ojibwe—looks over the city and Lake Superior. But the mountain welcomes visitors. At the 500-foot level, there’s a scenic lookout and skywalk boardwalk that delivers an amazing panoramic view stretching out into the horizon, and there’s a hiking trail to the mountain top where the thunderbirds once lived. The thunderbirds are supernatural, powerful Manitous (spirits), and can create rain, wind and violent thunderstorms with their wings and eyes. There’s a story set back in the 1880s on Minnesota Point in Duluth about an Ojibwe mother telling her son that the thunder was the animikig [thunderbirds] striking their wings against the hills, and the lightning was the flashing of animikig’s eyes. And in the book Norval Morrisseau (National Gallery of Canada 2006), author Greg A. Hill describes thunderbirds as:

[TOP] Two thunderbirds in quillwork

are depicted on an Ojibway shoulder pouch from Boston Museum Collection, Harvard University. | WIKIMEDIA

“Gigantic birds who protect the Anishnabek [Ojibway]. They have the ability to cause thunderstorms. They make thunder by heating their brilliantly coloured wings and light the skies with their lightning bolts that shoot from their eyes. They are said to take their storms south in the autumn and return with them in the spring.” There’s also stories about thunderbirds and violent thunderstorms at Thunder Cape, located at the ‘toe’ of the Sleeping Giant Peninsula. And credit goes to the thunderbirds for the name of the largest city on Lake Superior. In the book Thunderbirds: America’s Living Legendary Great Birds, the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario is said to be named after a translation of Animike Wekwed, “Thunder Bird Bay.” While regional variations differ somewhat in the details surrounding thunderbirds, in the Ojibwe version the thunderbird was created by Nanabozho—a spirit in Anishinaabe creation storytelling—to fight underwater creatures and to protect humans against evil spirits. They arrived in spring and headed south in the fall. As ‘spirits of the sky realm,’ thunderbirds were believed to be links between the spirit and physical world; they are revered and considered sacred. The thunderbird is found in Indigenous 40

FEBRUARY 2018

[ABOVE] Thunderbird petroglyphs

were found at Twin Bluffs, WI. | WIKIMEDIA

was played. “Ojibwe believe that because lacrosse has celestial origins, it is ruled by cosmic forces and not merely by chance.” The sculpture of a thunderbird in flight, “Animikii (…Flies the Thunder)” by Anne Allardyce was installed in 1992 in Thunder Bay. | CITY OF THUNDER BAY cultures throughout North America. For example, on the Atlantic East Coast there are stories of winged creatures nesting on high cliffs and scooping up moose and caribou to feed its young. On the Pacific West Coast there’s accounts of thunderbirds flying out on the ocean, picking up a whale with its talons and bringing it inland to eat. Thunderbird tales were known continent-wide, from the peoples of the Navaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Cherokee to places like New Mexico, Vancouver Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, Texas, California, Alaska and Mexico. Closer to our Northern Wilds region, Wisconsin’s Thunder Lake is supposedly named for the legendary thunderbird, and a high rock in Michigan’s Thunder Bay at Alpena was said to be home to the thunder-

NORTHERN WILDS

birds. In northern Wisconsin, the Menominee have stories about thunderbirds living on a great mountain that floats in the sky and the state’s Thunder Mountain was frequented as a nesting place by thunderbirds. And in North Dakota, a thunderbird supposedly built a nest using sticks and brush at Devils Nest. Did you know there was a connection between thunderbirds and the game of lacrosse? In his book, Living with Animals: Ojibwe Spirit Powers, author Michael Pomedli writes the game of lacrosse was a “mimic war game believed to have been given to the men by the thunderbirds manidog [spirit], whose property it was considered to be.” Michael noted that the person who called the game had the thunderbird as his guardian spirit; dreams influenced how the game

Thunderbird images are found carved on totem poles, on rock art, pictographs, and represented in the paintings created by world-renowned Anishinaabe artists like Thunder Bay’s late Roy Thomas and Beardmore-born Norval “Copper Thunderbird” Morrisseau. In Pomedli’s book, he writes, “Because of their importance as protectors, thunderbirds were displayed in designs available to the public.” The image has been reproduced on paintings, bags, shoulder pouches, jewellry, tattoos, etc. A beautiful sculpture of a thunderbird “Animikii (….Flies the Thunder)” by artist Anne Allardyce is on view at the boardwalk end of the Kaministquia River Heritage Park. Installed in 1992 as one of the city’s first commissioned public art piece, the stainless steel silver-winged thunderbird is 7-metres (22 feet) high and 3.5-metres wide (12 feet) set on a stone base. A bilingual Ojibwe-English text is engraved in black granite slab.

northern sky FEBRUARY 2018 By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH

With a new moon on the 15th, February’s darkest skies come in mid-month. Use the moonless evenings to enjoy the bright winter constellations, which dominate the southern sky after nightfall. Grab a star chart and look low in the south for lovely Sirius, the brightest of stars. It radiates from Canis Major, the big dog, and can be imagined as a jewel in the dog’s collar. Sirius—also known as the Dog Star—owes its status to its proximity; not quite nine light-years away, it’s one of our closest neighbors. Above Sirius and east of Orion is bright Procyon, in Canis Minor, the little dog. Procyon is another of our neighbors, only about 11.5 light-years away. In the morning sky, Saturn is low but climbing in the southeast. The ringed planet is chasing Scorpius, with Antares, its bright red heart; Mars, which glides over Antares in mid-month; and Jupiter, the beacon just northwest of Scorpius. Antares’ name means rival of Mars, so now is a great time to compare the red planet to its stellar competitor.

About four times every century, February gets no full moon, and 2018 is one of those years. Only February can lack a phase of the moon, because it’s the sole month shorter than the time it takes the moon to cycle between, say, one full moon and the next, which is 29.5 days. And when February lacks a full moon, January and March are almost certain to get two apiece, as they do this year. But February always has Groundhog Day, an astronomically based holiday. It’s one of four “cross-quarter days” celebrated by the ancient Celts midway between a solstice and an equinox. It was believed that if the day was sunny it augured continued cold and winter, but cloudy, shadowless days presaged spring rains. The Celts called the day Imbolc, meaning lamb’s milk, because it fell at the start of lambing season. The University of Minnesota offers public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth campus. For more information and viewing schedules, see the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium at: d.umn.edu/planet.

Lynne Luban

Over 12 years selling downtown MPLS Condo living. Currently representing this developers 10th project PORTLAND TOWER & THE LEGACY. I am available to meet with you in Grand Marais or Minneapolis to go over prices & floor plans.

Cell: 612-599-6986

Email: lynneluban@mac.com Website: thelegacyminneapolis.com

OLD 166 153 S CY AN OCCUP 8 1 FALL 20

BALCONY MASTER BEDROOM 15'-6" x 17'-11"

BEDROOM 15'-2" x 12'-9"

LIVING 38'-2" x 14'-0"

CLOSET

BEDROOM 15'-2" x 12'-9"

BALCONY

MASTER BEDROOM 15'-6" x 17'-11"

CLOSET

LIVING 38'-2" x 14'-0"

KITCHEN/DINING 35'-4" x 14'-8"

BATH

CLOSET

KITCHEN/DINING BATH 35'-4" x 14'-8"

BATH BEDROOM CLOSET

BEDROOM 17'-4" x 11'-8"

BATH

LAUNDRY

CLOSET

Unit 1424 2774 Square Feet Balcony: 184 Square Feet KEY PLAN

LIVE OUT YOUR LEGACY IN NEW CONDOS IN MILLS DISTRICT BY THE GUTHRIE!

BATH

17'-4" x 11'-8"

BATH

166 SOLD! 1ST MOVE IN PROJECTED AUGUST 2018

Contact me for a personal viewing of floor plans photos of construction views and pricing.

NORTH

Unit 1424 2774 Square Feet Balcony: 184 Square Feet

NORTH

THere’s a NEW CONDO BUILDING in DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS 10/14/16

ALL DIMENSIONS ARE APPROXIMATE PLAN SUBJECT TO CHANGE VERIFY CURRENT PLAN WITH PROJECT MANAGER

112 units with 79 SOLD! • 7 units available for immediate occupancy • 40 still available to customize.

KEY PLAN

Sponsored by

Mark D. Consulting, LLC Serving Businesses and Residential Customers. 218-663-7149 Mark@MarkDConsulting.com

A New Luxury Condo Development 740 Portland Avenue • Downtown Minneapolis

• 17 story New Contsruction • Pet-friendly building • High end standard features • Community and Fully equipped exercise room, and outdoor roof top green space • Climate controlled parking • Just a few blocks from US Bank Stadium • Additional garage stalls available for purchase • Walk the Skyway for all your needs

NORTHERN WILDS

• Within a few blocks of Lightrail • Close to the Nicollet Mall • Choose from many restaurants close by! • Walk two blocks to the new 9 arce Commons Park that extends from the US Bank Stadium to Portland Avenue. • Choose from many available options to customize your unit.

FEBRUARY 2018

Talk to Terry! Terry R. Backlund Broker/Owner

Lori A. Backlund Real Estate Agent

Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Terry@BacklundRealty.com 47 W ROSEBUSH LN. GRAND MARAIS

4449 E HWY 61 HOVLAND

Sale ng i d n e P

For results list your property here!

Must See!!!

2350 Sq. Ft. Timber Frame, Superior view 2 Car Garage w/ Studio and Workshop MLS# 6030848 Price: $397,900

2 Bedroom 3 Bath 1 Car Garage 263 ft. Lake Superior shoreline MLS# 6032423 Price: $529,000

10 ONGSTAD RD. HOVLAND

405 N BROADWAY GRAND MARAIS

SOLD

!!! E U L VA

3 Bedroom, 1 Bath, 2 Car Garage MLS# 6032514 Price: $219,500

338 ft. of Lake Superior on 14.53 acres. 1 Bedroom Cabin, Garage, Dock MLS# 6029532 Price: $329,000

New Price

2679 CTY RD 7 GRAND MARAIS

Chalet Style 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath Large loft plus family room Two Car Garage MLS# TBD Price: $249,900

7X E HWY 61 GRAND MARAIS

200X ONGSTAD RD. HOVLAND

For results list your property here! Beautiful 200 ft. of Lake Superior shoreline on 7 acres. MLS# 6029661 Price: $249,000

7.7 acre Lake Superior view lot. Five Mile Rock. Divisible. MLS# 6031057 Price: $129,000

Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Terry@BacklundRealty.com 42

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERNâ&#x20AC;&#x201E; WILDS

Winter Wonderlands Along the North Shore! Call TimberWolff for Your Fun Times Skiing, Skjoring, Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!! Biking, Snowmobiling! Local 663 - 8777 •

I n f o @ T i m b e r W o l f f R e a l t y . c o m To l l f r e e ( 8 7 7 ) 6 6 4 - 8 7 7 7 LAKE SUPERIOR LIVING, MAKE YOUR DR EAMS COME TRUE! OVER 600 FT OF LUTSEN’S LAKE SUPERIOR!

WATERFALLS ON LAKE SUPERIOR, WALK TO GRAND MARAIS! Stunning home in a Wilderness

Meander the tree lined driveway along Lutsen’s Rollins Creek Road, stumble upon the connecting ponds with Fountain and Sculpture celebrating the Sounds of Springtime! Over 8 acres of rolling terrain, experience the manicured path to the ponds, or stroll down the rock steps to the Tumultuous Shoreline, the Waves Pounding the over 600 ft of Rock with plenty of Splash! Inside the Fabulous home your guests will enjoy the Cascade of the Creek to the Big Lake just outside their bedroom window. The master bedroom Welcomes the Sunrises via huge windows overlooking the drooling shoreline… 0r Says Goodnight to the Sun while watching the flickering of the fireplace from bed. All the other parts of the home are Magnificent, from the gazebo with hot tub, to the large library, to the gourmet kitchen with function and charm. See it to Believe it is the Best!

Setting with Incredible Lakeshore, a combination of Ledgerock and pebble beach! Awake in the morning to the sounds of the Waterfall cascading in to Lake Superior just outside your bedroom window! This striking home is move in ready, main level living with a sweet master bedroom and bath. Lower level walk out area for your friends and family to enjoy! Two plus car garage, with an awesome Man Cave with views of Lake Superior! Gorgeous Landscape, Gorgeous Lake Superior Home. A Must See, including the Little House! MLS#6026723 $799,900

MLS# 6019683 $1,197,000

RUGGED ELEGANCE ON LAKE SUPERIOR! LUTSEN’S CASCADE BEACH RD LOCATION 200 ft of level access shoreline and a helluva great home! Spectacular Fireplace, Remodeled KitchenIncredible! Master Suite with a bathroom to LOVE. Recently renovated and updated, this home is Move In Ready for your Family to Enjoy!

MLS#6029989 $799,000 MULFINGER HOME ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Wilderness Wonderland on Stonegate,

LAKE SUPERIOR AT CUT FACE CREEK! This home is waiting

Gorgeous home with incredible quality and design. Lake Superior is one with this Home! Gourmet Kitchen, Warm and Welcoming great room with Basalt Stone fireplace and huge hearth. Really a Must See home!

for YOU to personalize this home and make it your OWN! Mint condition, well maintained, it’s just waiting for you to mold the master bedroom of your dreams in to this lovely setting and home. Plenty of Lake Superior shoreline to afford you lots of privacy! And the location just can’t be beat! Walk to the Cut Face Creek wayside park to look for agates, and come home to Comfort! Minutes to Grand Marais OR Lutsen! A Must See home!

MLS#6028622 $745,000

NEW! MARVELOUS LAKE SUPERIOR COTTAGE ON CROFTVILLE ROAD IN GRAND MARAIS! Small

Footprint, Open Concept! The deck is almost at Water’s Edge, this Cottage was Just renovated and it’s adorable. Perfect Romantic Getaway, completely renovated and Turnkey (less some sentimental items the seller wishes to keep!) Summer Cottage on the Big Lake! MLS#TBA

MLS#6023379 $549,000

$275,000

SIMPLE LIVING ON LAKE SUPERIOR! A Step up from Thoreau’s

Cabin, Enjoy the peace and quiet this lovely little cabin offers on over 300 ft of Lake Superior Shoreline! Electric, and Nice gas Stove makes this a comfy and welcoming Cabin!

MLS#6026595 $240,000

ROMANTIC LOG CABIN ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Enjoy your space while your guest

live it up in the Carriage house! Stunning Lake Superior Shoreline, you’ll LOVE the updated interior and warmth of this cabin!

MLS#6030729 $399,900 REDUCED!

COMFORTABLE LIVING ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Sprawling ranch living with walk out living space! Nice Lake Views, level access to the shoreline. Updated and Move In Ready Condition, Call today! MLS#6032557 $399,000

WOWSER LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTY! Jonvick Creek AND Lake Superior frontage! Lovely LUTSEN home, tons of potential for updating and making this home YOURS! Vaulted ceilings, welcoming warm feel to this Cabin, a Must See! MLS#6026038 $530,000

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AND LIKE TIMBERWOLFF R EALTY! NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

Winter Wonderlands Along the North Shore! Call TimberWolff for Your Fun Times Skiing, Skjoring, Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!! Biking, Snowmobiling! Local 663 - 8777 •

I n f o @ T i m b e r W o l f f R e a l t y . c o m To l l f r e e ( 8 7 7 ) 6 6 4 - 8 7 7 7 WILDER NESS LAKESHOR E, FOUR SEASONS OF R EST & R ELA X ATION! NEW! LUTSEN’S CLARA LAKE, A WILDERNESS DREAM HOME!

E SAL ING D PEN

Prime shoreline overlooking Superior National Forest Lands! Welcoming home, INCREDIBLE lake views from a Great Room wall of windows. Fantastic home, two gas fireplaces, wood stove and entertaining space! Sauna, Two car garage. Only 20 minutes to Lutsen Mountains Ski & Summer Resort! A Must See home.

GREENWOOD LAKE CABIN, MAKE IT YOUR TINY HOME! End of the bay bordering USFS lands and some Super Shoreline! Call today for details!

MLS# 6027279 $219,000 REDUCED!

MLS#6031576 $499,900

DESIGN AND ELEGANCE ON DEERYARD LAKE, LUTSEN.

CUTE, FAMILY CABIN ON POPLAR LAKE.

200’ of level GORGEOUS frontage, secluded, cedars, swimming, walleyes, relaxation. Super Cabin if we didn’t already say it.

MLS#6025737 $226,500

PIKE LAKE LUTSEN SIDE! Premium Shoreline, nice and rocky! South facing build site, boreal forest. Lot 6 Willard Lane, must see! MLS#6031145

$199,900

DEERYARD LAKE EAST SIDE, bay shallow

shoreline but great views to the west down the lake! Boardwalk in place for lake access.

MLS#6031104 $74,900

HAND CRAFTED LOG CABIN ON DEERYARD LAKE IN LUTSEN! What a FAB Log home! Just stunning interior, stone fireplace and vaulted ceiling with log beams and open Great room. Main level living with finished lower level for friends and family to stay!

MLS#6030976 $459,000

Lindal Cedar Home, dramatic stone fireplace set amongst posts & beams of Douglas Fir. Designer kitchen, sunroom, secluded master bedroom and bath with soaker tub. Wood fired oven, Timberframe Sauna, Woodshop and a large garage. End of the Road 4.48 acres, 175’ of frontage, adjacent public land buffers and beckons. Leave Everything behind and just enjoy the Good Life on Deeryard Lake! MLS#6028689 $599,000 REDUCED!

LUTSEN SKI MOUNTAIN RESORT AREA AND LAKE SUPERIOR VACATION TOWNHOMES! NEW! SWEEPING LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS FROM THIS ASPENWOOD TOWNHOME ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Beach access via a nice

stairs, this townhome has a fantastic Master Suite w/ deck, and a gorgeous main level kitchen open to Great Room and BIG Lake Superior views! MLS#6031110 $309,900

LUTSEN LAKE SUPERIOR VACATION TOWNHOME AT LUTSEN RESORT! Enjoy all that the

historic Lutsen Lodge offers…a sandy beach, a cool River, Swimming pool, spa, FABULOUS dining…but enjoy it in STYLE at the Cliffhouse overlooking the historic lodge. Newer construction, Big views, Contemporary Design. Total Comfort. Nice rental income to offset expenses. MLS#6021422

$399,000 REDUCED!

FINE LIVING ON LAKE SUPERIOR!

GET PREPARED TO SKI IN SKI OUT AT LUTSEN

A perk to Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort is staying at a Primo Resort like Caribou Highlands! Ski In Ski Out, Overlooking Moose Mountain and Poplar RIver! View pics of each unit by searching MLS# on TimberWolffRealty.com!

1O8 BRIDE RUN, HUGE DECK MLS#6027475 $89,900 114 BRIDGE RUN MLS#6028015 $89,900 128 BRIDGE RUN MLS#2120739 $111,900 REDUCED! 526 MOOSE MOUNTAIN MLS#2217205 $128,500 518 MOOSE MOUNTAIN MLS#6023287 $159,900 SOLD!!

Welcoming main level living space has awesome views from every room. Kitchen is large and functional, great for entertaining! Dining area features birch flooring, and overlooks the Great room and beautiful Lake Superior! Sweet master suite! One car attached! Nice low maintenance living on the Big Lake!

MLS#6027026 $374,900

NEW! BEST OF THE HIGHLANDS! This Lutsen Mountains

Ski In/Out Condo was renovated from top to bottom, Inside & Out! New Exterior- windows, slider doors in bedrm and family room, stylish dry-stacked stone fireplace. INCREDIBLE Cottage Style Kitchen w/ Quartz Countertops! Moose Mtn Views from the HUGE double sized deck! MLS#6032522 $113,500

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AND LIKE TIMBERWOLFF R EALTY! 44

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERN WILDS

Winter Wonderlands Along the North Shore! Call TimberWolff for Your Fun Times Skiing, Skjoring, Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!! Biking, Snowmobiling! Local 663 - 8777 • i n fo @ t i m b e r wo l f f r e a l t y. c o m To l l f r e e (877) 66 4 - 8777 I n f o @ T i m b e r Wo l f f R e a l t y. c o m

THINK SNOW!

NORTHWOODS HOMES AND CABINS, IN TOWN OR IN THE WOODS!

RUSTIC LIVING A HOP SKIP & A JUMP FROM GRAND MARIAS! Charming rustic cabin on 10 acres of south facing forest with distant views of Lake Superior. Bordering public lands, great for hunting or hiking!

MLS#6020031 $85,500 REDUCED!

LUTSEN-TOFTE AREA HOME! Come take a Look at this

Tofte home with acreage! Lots to offer, the home is solid and has a nice flow. The kitchen has been upgraded! Large windows allow for lots of light, and accessory buildings are perfect for a workshop and garage! Curious? Give us a call to see this gem!

MLS#6022904 $177,500

NEW! LOVELY CARRIAGE STYLE NEWER CONSTRUCTION HOME. Features energy conscious

GORGEOUS PIECE OF PROPERTY JUST EAST OF GRAND MARAIS, with

construction, vaulted ceilings, and tons of light that flows throughout the home! Minute’s to Cross River and Lake Superior in Schroeder, less than 20 minutes to Lutsen Mountains!

MLS#6032195 $222,933

wide open views of Lake Superior. Designed for the owner to enjoy a guest home with rental income while living in the main home on the property. Main home was built in 2003. Public Lake Superior beach just across the road!

MLS# 6029625 $225,000

RIDGETOP MOUNTAIN VIEWS OVERLOOKING THE SKI RESORT! Welcoming home with lots of elbow room, Enjoy a glass of wine while watching the Skiers downhill! This home has it all including Gourmet Kitchen, lower level guest rec space, and detached garage with tons of storage and a COOL outdoor sauna! Must See Home! Home & 11 ac $425,000 or keep it simple with the home on nearly six gorgeous acres!

E L A S ING D N E P

MLS# 6030252 $399,900

NEW! MINT CONDITION, MOVE IN READY GRAND MARAIS HOME! Nicely updated Home, two car detached, Fab Location! MLS#6031750 $229,900

NEW! BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM LOG CABIN NEAR TRAIL CENTER! Solid

SUPER CTY RD 7 JUST WEST OF GRAND MARAIS LOCATION! Lake

Superior views, Welcoming home w/ master bedroom, nice guest spaces and a to die for deck overlooking the Woods and the Lake!

MLS#6030389 $350,000

and newer home, just needs some interior finishing. Nice entry area, featuring wood burning stove. Flawless transition to spacious living area, with amazing Stone fireplace, with super-efficient fireplace insert for heating! Gorgeous setting with beautiful pond, border USFS land. Poplar lake is a stone’s throw away!

MLS#6032396 $219,900

COMMERCIAL IN GRAND MARAIS! WELCOME TO “THE BASE CAMP”! 77 ac of wild forest for hunting or just creating trails. Already set up with a main cabin w/ mud room, open kitchen to the living room and 2 bedrooms. 2 add’l guest cabins. Detached garage with heated and insulated work shop, drilled well. There is a sauna/shower house on the premises.

MLS# 6029226 $139,900 REDUCED!

LUTSEN HOME AT MINK RANCH! Nice home for the money, three bedroom, one bath AND a garage. Really a cute place, just a minute from Lutsen Mountains, Move in Ready!

MLS#6030897 $149,800

COMFORTABLE AND CUTE MINT LOG CABIN! 20 ACRES AND YOUR OWN POND! Screened

porch extends the living space in the warm months, overlooking the pond! Rugged terrain, not for the faint of heart! A must see Log Cabin in the Woods, Year Round Living!

MLS#6028795 $194,900 REDUCED!

LOW MAINTENANCE RENTAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY! Enjoy solid long term rentals, self-sustaining solid local businesses. Highway frontage and Room to Expand Up! Support the Local Economy and Enjoy some passive income, Buy Now and bring your ideas for expansion! MLS#6028366 $334,900 SUPER VALUE!

Call TIMBERWOLFF REALTY or visit www.timberwolffrealty.com for more information! NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

Winter Wonderlands Along the North Shore! Call TimberWolff for Your Fun Times Skiing, Skjoring, Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!! Biking, Snowmobiling! Local 663 - 8777 • n f o @ T i m b e r Wo l f f R e a l t y. c o m i n f o @ t i m b e r w o l f f r e a l t y . c oI m To l l f r e e ( 8 7 7 ) 6 6 4 - 8 7 7 7

THINK SNOW!

CAMPN’, HUNTN’, FUN GETAWAY LAND, INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! SILVER BAY TO FINLAND

SCHROEDER AND TOFTE AREAS

LUTSEN AREA

Maple Leaf Lane off Hwy 1 near Finland. It’s a quiet getaway cabin, rustic living. Super hunting spot, man cave cabin! MLS# 6030497 $59,900

LeVeaux Mountain, Super Views and Wildlife Ponds!

Mature Spruce and BIG Lake Views! Walk to Blue Fin Bay, drilled well in place!

Tait Lake area, Legend Trail parcel bordering USFS lands with views of Wills and Williams Lake!

Nice parcel bordering USFS land, driveway roughed in, access to Tait Lk!

Wilderness Lutsen location at Tait Lake- backlot with Driveway in place! Yr Round and Electric

Woodland Foothills Build Ready lots, Shared Water & Community Septic from

Ridgetop 5+ ac in Lutsen, Ski Hill and Lake Superior Views! Fab Location, Boreal Forest with Maples!

Heartland of Lutsen, 80 ac at the Foothills of Ski Hill ridge, near downtown Lutsen!

Ski Hill Road lands, Boreal Lane is your Key To Mountain Top Living! 5 ac lots from

MLS#2220050 $69,000

Just Up the Sawbill Trail Grab your little piece of the Northwoods, rolling terrain and small community Whitetail Ridge Overlooking Lake Superior! Just off feel with year round access, great build sites! Highway 1, Enjoy Sprawling Lake and Ridgeline views MLS#2070509 Prices from $24,900!! and Rugged Terrain! Yr Round Access, Electric. MLS# 6024856 $110,000 Wowser Lake Superior views on Overlook Tr! MLS#2296509 $79,900 30 acres Wilderness, Borders lands next to Little Manitou River! MLS#2309327 $129,000 Maples with lots of Elbow Room, Year Round access Rock Road in Silver Bay area! Great build site with creek and nice location between Cross River in Schroeder and Finland! MLS#6028422 $59,000 frontage! MLS#2308638 $45,000 REDUCED! Holy Smokes! End of the Road bordering County land, Lakeshore on Ninemile Lake at the Village, common water and septic, build ready, borderscommon Tofte. HUGE value with 2 lots sold for the price of one! MLS#6028792 $49,900 PENDING! land! MLS#2309096 $39,000 REDUCED! 1046 Cramer Rd-Schroeder-40 ac Marks Drive Build Ready parcel in Silver Bay. City with creek and tons of Maples! OMG it’s a beautiful Utilities, Super location for a nice family home! Great parcel with high elevations and ravine like creek. neighborhood. MLS#6031871 $22,000 Driveway is in! MLS#6028837 $98,000 SCHROEDER AND TOFTE AREAS

BIG TIME VIEWS of Lake Superior-Tofte, Excellent value at Johannes Toftey

MLS#6029322 $68,500

10 Ac Parcels of Maples! Rolling Terrain of Mature Maples to a Sweet Building site Perched Over a Mixed Boreal Forest. Year Round Access and Electric at Road!

Overlook at LeVeaux Mountain-Tofte! Serene Woodsy setting with Lake Views!

MLS#2024250 $49,900 REDUCED!

MLS#6029324 $49,000

DRAMATIC Mountain Top Views, Rolling Hills, Maple Forests fading in to Spruce and Pine and year round access. FROM $70,000 MLS#2090628

Maples Galore, Acreage! Schroeder Location with Yr Round Access and Electric!

87 High Ridge Dr-Lot 3 Sugarloaf Retreats! Driveway in, cleared build site, just plan your North Shore home to take advantage of the Awesome Ridgeline Views! MLS#6030129 $59,000

Nice large parcel #19 at Sugarloaf Retreats, Boreal Forest land with yr rd access/electric.

Sawbill Trail Tofte Lake Superior Views, Mature Spruce forest with driveway and well in place!

LeVeaux Creek Runs Through this Sweet Build Site, minutes to Lutsen Ski Resort! Lake Views!

MLS#6030129 $99,900

MLS#6029593 $99,000 MLS#6031140 $44,400 MLS#6031876 $65,000

MLS#2272174 $49,900

MLS#6023412 $35,000

MLS#2309328+ FROM $39,000

MLS#2312987 $119,000

MLS#6028619 $67,500 MLS#6029115 $37,500 MLS#603266 $49,900

MLS#6029557+ $59,000 TO $99,000

Over 8 ac of Wilderness on Turnagain Trail in Lutsen!

GRAND MARAIS AREA

Prime Build Site(s) just off theCaribou at Jonvick Creek!

minutes to the new Boat Landing! Driveway is in place, nice shed. Panoramic Wilderness!

Gorgeous 5 acre parcels in the Heart of Lutsen paved Caribou Trail locale bordering USFS lands! MLS#2174799 From $54,900 - $77,500

Grand Marais Meadows on County Rd 7, Gorgeous Setting, Super location!

30 acres of Prime Wilderness Land with year round access and electric at street with Views of Lutsen’s famed Clara Lake!

NEW! 60 Ac East of Grand Marais with the Superior Hiking Trail thru leading to Lake Superior Beach!

Maple Leaf Trail at Jonvick, Maples Galore! Nice elevated build site. Yr Round access, electric.

NEW! Two Awesome City Lots, Great East 5th Street location.

MLS#2216560 $45,000 MLS#2240533 $49,000

MLS#2080599 $137,500

MLS#6024972 $49,000

20 Acres near Pike Lake,

MLS#6028569 $69,000

MLS#6029849+ $65,000

MLS#6031588 $89,900 SOLD! MLS#6031883 $54,900, MLS #6031882 $59,900

Ridgetop Views Overlooking Caribou Lake! Tuck your home in to the Maple hillside in Lutsen, year round access. Super Location!

MLS#6028429 $56,500

LAKE SUPERIOR AND INLAND LAKESHORE BUILD SITES! NEW! UNHEARD OF ON LAKE SUPERIOR! A nice level access lakeshore parcel 275 ft

END OF THE ROAD SPECTACULAR

of shoreline and 3.5 acres for only

QUIET CONTEMPLATION ON LAKE SUPERIOR IN LUTSEN! Creek runs along East

Border, with 200+ ft waterfront. Excellent Views, Wilderness

$250,000!! MLS#6032752

Setting. MLS#6028455 $269,900 REDUCED!

place! MLS#2313255 $235,000 REDUCED!

LUTSEN LAKE SUPERIOR CASCADE BEACH RD LAND! Very accessible, build site close

400 FT OF STUNNING LAKE SUPERIOR SHORELINE minute’s to the Cross River in Schroeder!

Big Lake, a must see! MLS#2308906 $299,000

MLS#2313305 $440,000

SWEET PARCEL ON SWALLOW LAKE in Isabella area! 220 ft of shoreline, 2.5 ac! MLS#2300576 $64,900

PIKE LAKE SHORELINE, PRIME rocky s horeline, dropping off to nice depth! Awesome mixed boreal forest, high ground for build site. South facing, year round access, electric. Build your dream home, ask for Lot 6 Willard Lane!

to the water, listen to the waves of Lake Superior lapping the rocky shoreline! Gorgeous morning sunrises over the

NEW! DREAMY LAKE SUPERIOR ACREAGE! 7.5 ac and nearly 500 ft of level accessible

shoreline! Nice Spruce forest, located just an hour from Duluth/Two Harbors area, Close to Lutsen Mountains!

MLS#6032772 $499,900

OVER 400 FT OF ACCESSIBLE SHORELINE with beach on Lake Superior, Lutsen’s Rollins Creek Road! MLS#6031579 $499,900 KAYAKERS GETAWAY ON TOM LAKE!

Sloping Wilderness Shoreline, Water Access Only!

MLS#6032237 $124,900

280 ft of cliff shoreline with unobstructed Views across Lake Superior! Little Marais area, Build ready, driveway already in

Rolling terrain, nice Evergreen stand giving nice buffer from ANY highway noise. Worth the walk through the wilderness to see the AMAZING 400 ft of sprawling ledge rock shoreline!!

LAKESHORE 10+ ACRES BORDERING SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST!

D SOL

in Lutsen, year round access with over 10 acres and 200 feet of shoreline! Hilltop building site with cleared path thru cedar forest to Christine Lake, a super wilderness lake great for paddling your days away!

MLS#6023288 $99,900

MLS#6031145 $199,900 LOVELY DEERYARD LAKE PARCEL!

Lutsen’s Secret Treasure, Deeryard is a peaceful respite from the busy life outside the Northwoods. Maple hillside cascades in to the clear waters!

MLS#6027527 $189,900

VISIT US AT WWW.TIMBERWOLFFR EALTY.COM FOR PICTUR E SLIDESHOW! 46

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERN WILDS

REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI • Linda Garrity, Realtor Sandra McHugh, Realtor • Jack McHugh, Realtor • Larry Dean, Realtor • Bruce Block, Realtor

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES

LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTIES EXPANSIVE LAKE SUPERIOR RETREAT. Lake

Superior charm and seclusion awaits on this park-like private retreat property with almost 90 acres, 1793 feet of shore, and 3 classic Aldrich log cabins with outstanding lake views. A rare, unique opportunity! MLS#

6030553 $2,250,000 STUNNING LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS.

Immaculate and beautifully furnished 4 bdrm, 3 bath Lake Superior home. Very little maintenance with smaller association benefits! All major rooms with stunning lake views. Master suite and laundry on main level.

MLS# 6028321 $565,000

Superior lot with an excellent site for walkout. Surveyed and level open location for your new home. This 1.07 acre parcel has a very neat, private cove and a 447' of meandering ledge rock shoreline. MLS# 6027506

$299,000

PREMIER LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTY. Beautiful, very private 1.84 acre residential lot with 240 ft of Lake Superior shoreline in the Chimney Rock Platted Development. Premier quality with stunning elevated and panoramic views of the lake. MLS# 2313197 $199,900

LAKE SUPERIOR, BIG BAY, BIG VIEWS.

Dense spruce forest, moss covered boulders and privacy make this a classic Lake Superior lot. 200' shoreline with partial driveway in place, shared road maintenance, power and Broadband. Easy access from Hwy 61, yet private and secluded feeling.

MLS# 6029039 $199,900 EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY, STUNNING SHORELINE.

Elegant and comfortable 3 bdrm, 2 bath contemporary home. Beautifully wooded & private, with dramatic rocks & panoramic lake views on 223’ of easily accessed Lake Superior shore. The great room is shared with the gourmet kitchen, formal dining, & living area centered around the Finnish fireplace. The master suite is a lovely open space with a private office. The master bath suite is exceptional. Upgrades throughout, beautiful maple flooring.

LAKE SUPERIOR HOME SITE. Great Lake

LENG SAD I EN

MLS# 6028499 $519,000

FOUR SEASONS GUEST HOUSE.

CHARMING CABIN ON SEAGULL LAKE.

Eof gentle shoreline with breathSAL233’ G I D PEN takingNviews of the lake and islands. Lovely 2 bdrm, 1 bath cabin with

Wrap around decking sets only 35 feet from the water’s edge. Sold furnished. Many crafted built-ins and storage space.

CLASSIC CABIN ON CLEARWATER LAKE. Comfortable, well

maintained 2 bdrm, 1 bath cabin cared for by the same family for over 60 years. 205 feet of shoreline on much sought after Clearwater lake with direct access to the BWCA. MLS#

6032657 $259,000

2000+ acres of Cook County land with 6 lakes. Over 10,000' of shoreline. Various parcels spread across the Superior National Forest, most accessible via forest service roads. The Mark Lake parcel is 159 acres with 200’ shoreline for sale separately: $219,000.

MLS# 6025545 $3,100,000 SECLUSION AND SERENITY IN MAPLE FOREST. Immaculate,

$239,000 RARE GUNFLINT LAKE PARCEL. Exceptional

lot with 344' of waterfront features unreal views and privacy. Use the slope of this lot to your advantage when considering what style to build. Power and broadband available. Borders public land! MLS# 6027298 $225,000

WILDERNESS SETTING - TUCKER LAKE. A perfect place for

Mulfinger designed 2 bdrm, 2 bath home situated perfectly into the terrain with rock outcroppings and stunning views through the tree tops. Deep woods privacy, beautiful features and 220' lake shore. MLS# 6032538 $359,900

Family compound or short-term rentals-you choose. Endless views, solidly built, rear parcel with lake views, new septic, and location, location, location!

MLS# 6030289 $515,000

PANORAMIC LAKE SUPERIOR. Gorgeous 10

acres with panoramic views on Lake Superior. 545 feet of beautiful sand/gravel beach with a stream running through the property. Located only 1.5 miles from Gooseberry State Park. Septic hook up is at the road.

MLS# 6031490 $399,000

NEW! DEVIL TRACK LAKE HOME AND CABIN. Incredibly well-built

4 bdrm Devil Track Lake home on a premier lot. Included is the main home along with a lovely guest cabin, all just a short distance from the water's edge. Nice 3 car garage, woodburning Carlton Peak stone fireplace, updated mechanicals (furnace, water heater, air exchanger), and lakeside deck. Potential for rental income (vacation rental or longterm). MLS# 6032678 $344,900

MARK LAKE - 159 ACRES. The only private

land on Mark Lake! Good northern fishing. 200ft. Shoreline, forestry road or snowmoblie access. Motivated Seller! MLS# 6026299

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES WILDERNESS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY.

MLS# 6023785 $319,000

your cabin or home with unspoiled views and lots of Gunflint Trail privacy. 3.68 acres and 554’ shoreline. Tucker Lake is a protected lake with added setbacks to protect the lake and views. Direct BWCAW access. MLS#

2309237 $222,900

CABIN WITH BWCAW VIEW ON MCFARLAND. This super

2 bdrm cabin has great views of the Palisades and the west end of McFarland Lake. Just a stone’s throw from the BWCAW! Comes furnished including pontoon boat, fishing boats, canoe, dock, and two Onan generators. MLS# 6029644 $199,000

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

HOMES & CABINS

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES A-FRAME ON POPLAR LAKE. Classic 2

bdrm, 2 bath A-Frame cabin in a beautiful setting overlooking Poplar Lake. Located at the end of the road with year-round access. Very nice, gentle path to the 156’ of lake shore. Nice mix of trees. MLS# 6024438

$187,500

LOON LAKE GETAWAY. Lovely

furnished cabin on pristine Loon Lake. Includes a newer 1 bdrm addition, cozy loft, open living/dining room, sturdy deck, and 24' dock on 142' shoreline. Cabin easily sleeps 6. Lakewater system, septic holding tank. Great lake views! MLS# 6030355 $186,000

PRIME PIKE LAKE. Wilderness, woods and lakeshore.

Pristine views of Superior Nat'l across the lake, towering white pine overhead. Virgin pine and cedar are unique here! The 252' frontage and 3 acres have gentle shore, crystal clear water and great privacy. Driveway and drilled well. Power and Broadband available. Fishing, wildlife and easy access to Lutsen or Grand Marais. MLS# 6032300 $179,900

LOG SIDED CABIN ON TOM LAKE. This 2

bdrm, 1 bath cabin is situated on the shore of Tom Lake with loons and walleye just off the 24' dock. Solar power with quiet generator, though grid electric is available. Features a spiral staircase to a spacious loft and energy efficient windows.

MLS# 6030876 $160,000

NORTH FOWL LAKE CABIN.

Only a lucky few get to own cabins here. Remote water access from the US side, or drive in to the landing on Ontario side. Stunning views, easy access to the BWCA. The 2 bdrm cabin is one of the nicest remote cabins you'll find. Includes a great sauna. MLS# 6023214 $158,500

VIRGIN PINE, GREAT SHORELINE, PIKE LAKE. Three lake lots with wilderness, woods, and lakeshore are

waiting for your dream lake home or cabin. Pristine views, towering white pine, +/- 200' accessible shoreline each with crystal clear water and great privacy. Good driveway in place, ideal location, power and broadband available. Four total lots can be purchased together at a discount.

MLS# 6032297-99 $129,900+ SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. These 1-2 acre lots are located

on the south side of Loon Lake and offer great lake views, 152-218’ beautiful shoreline and many nice trees. The main road is in place and power is on the lot line. MLS# 6032216-18, 6032220 $120,000 and up BEAUTIFUL NINEMILE LAKE LOT. End of the road, large lot adjoins Superior National Forest and Cabin Creek Unit Roadless Area. Great trees, views and building site on 4.1 acres with 397 feet of shoreine. Unique privacy, year round access and power. MLS# 6031840 $75,900

PRICE REDUCED! LARGE LAND, PINES, PRIVACY AND PIKE LAKE VIEW. Outstanding property with adjoining USFS lands, good

access on Murmur Creek Rd, and even nice views of Pike Lake. Launch your boat just a half-mile away. Nice planted red pine, power/broadband close by. MLS# 6032302 $84,900

PRIVACY AND VIEWS AT SISTER LAKE. Nice lake lot with great forest, and beautiful new building site. There's a high point of the surrounding area with awesome views. Excellent, accessible shoreline. New driveway to a great building site. This is a great area for fishing many lakes in the area. You're also close to Tofte/Lutsen on the North Shore. Priced to sell!! MLS# 6031704 $74,900 LOT ON NINEMILE LAKE. Beautiful, large lot on Ninemile Lake in Finland. Lot adjoins Superior National Forest and Cabin Creek Unit Roadless Area with excellent shoreline and views. Power and year round access! MLS# 6028511 $69,000 RARE ELBOW LAKE LOT. For the fisherman who has almost everything. This is a very private 1 acre parcel surrounded by federal land with 268’ shoreline. Your own shore lunch spot! MLS# 6031436 $50,000 GREAT PRICE LAKE LOTS. Deep woods, seclusion and nice views from these Tom Lake lots. This is the desired west side of the lake with access from the Camp 20 Rd. Enjoy a peaceful lake property with good access. Great back roads to explore. Adjacent land available. MLS# 6030741, 6030742 $49,900 each

CONDOMINIUMS WELCOME TO LAKE SUPERIOR.

Warm & beautiful light-filled end unit Aspenwood Townhome. The 2-story walkout style leaves you with plenty of options to get outside and close to the Big Lake. This 2 bdrm, 3 bath home includes 98% of all furnishings & personal property. It is also part of a successful vacation rental pool.

MLS# 6022175 $290,000 NORTHWOODS VACATION GET-AWAY. This recently remodeled and updated skiin/ski-out condo has 1 bdrm, 2 baths, fireplace, and great views of the ski hills, plus distant views of the Poplar River. Walk to the pool, playground, restaurants – everything you need!

HOME WITH DRAMATIC VIEWS. This large,

efficient 3bdrm home has panoramic views of Lake Superior and the surrounding hills. Secluded with landscaped yard and 20 acres bordering Gov't lands. Quality features, many windows, shop building and more! MLS# 6031033 $439,900

SECLUDED COUNTRY HOME - RURAL GRAND MARAIS. This single-

level, well maintained 2 bdrm, 2 bath home sits on 24 acres with a huge pond as part of Woods Creek. Great yard with beautiful views of the pond. High maple ridge, adjoins federal land. Huge insulated garage, large covered porch. Minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6029005 $317,500

REMOTE HIDEA-WAY. Charming

custom built 2 bdrm, 2 bath cabin tucked in the woods overlooking a beaver pond. A screened porch for summer dining. The living room is open and includes the kitchen and dining. A cozy Franklin stove warms the whole building. The full basement is a complete guest space. Generator power and over 100 acres to explore. MLS# 6029349 $269,000

COTTAGE HOME ACROSS FROM LAKE SUPERIOR.

This cute home sits just across the highway from the big lake shoreline. The 2 bdrm, 1 bath cottage has wood floors, beamed ceilings, and a warm, comfortable feel. Septic and well, a small shed and 11

MLS# 6027382 $118,000

BEAUTIFUL LAKE SUPERIOR CONDO. Nicely updated one

bdrm condo on Lake Superior. New fireplace insert, king-sized memory foam bed, cork flooring, rainfall shower, & spa bathroom with log walls. For right price unit comes fully-furnished!

acres of privacy. MLS# 6030154 $169,900

TIMBER FRAMED LOG HOME OVERLOOKING TOM LAKE. Charming

MLS# 6032109 $79,900

HOMES & CABINS A GEM IN THE WOODS.

There is quality and detail at every turn in this magnificent 2 bdrm, 2 bath home hidden on 30 acres in the Grand Portage State Forest. Marble stairs and floors, loft, master bath with hot tub & sauna, soaring cathedral ceilings, and 2000 sq ft attached garage. Not your typical home in the woods, this is a rare gem waiting for someone who loves the outdoors, but wants the class of an elegant home at the end of the day.

MLS# 6022895 $575,000

log cabin on 78 acres with seasonal views of Tom Lake. Large loft bedroom and covered porch with swing. Stone fireplace, hardwood floors, and metal roof. Year-round access. Furnishings and generator included. MLS# 6027412 $159,900

MOOSE VALLEY HOME. Cute modified timber

frame cabin with 10 acres on Moose Valley Rd. Natural woodwork, open floor plan, full bath & loft bedroom. Year-round access, forested setting, outbuildings & deck. Septic, well, electricity, broadband, propane heat, plus wood stove. Kids, Chickens & Berries – you can raise ‘em all

here! MLS# 6032105 $149,900

www.RedPineRealty.com • (800) 387-9599 Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com 48

FEBRUARY 2018

NORTHERN WILDS

REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI • Linda Garrity, Realtor Sandra McHugh, Realtor • Jack McHugh, Realtor • Larry Dean, Realtor • Bruce Block, Realtor

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604

HOMES & CABINS GUNFLINT TRAIL ESCAPE. Tucked away overlooking

Gunflint Lake are 9 acres of dense forest with a stream. Two small but functional cabins are remodeled and ready for you to move in. Great log sauna. Adjoins federal land - walk to the BWCAW. Public landing nearby.

MLS# 6031608 $129,900

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES MARKET, DELI, LIQUOR STORE – HOVLAND. A

bustling business in a beautiful rural community on the North Shore. Bakery, deli, pizza, convenience store, and liquor store under one roof. Large seating area & outdoor patio. Expansion/home site possible! MLS# 6023742 $329,900

BIG OPPORTUNITY, MANY POSSIBILITIES. Prime

commercial location in Hovland, 1000 feet of Highway 61 frontage. Large commercial space with a small 2 bedroom home and 1 functioning rental cottage. Many new improvements and upgrades. Two more small cabins could be rented, and there's room for many more...or other possibilities. Large 2-car garage plus two sheds. MLS# 6026089 $284,900

PRIME RETAIL DOWNTOWN GRAND MARAIS. Main traffic location in the heart of down town. Located

on Wisconsin St between Blue Water Cafe and Sivertson Gallery, with 25 ft street frontage and over 2300 sq ft each. Build up for a lake view – lots of possibilities!

MLS# 6029930, 6029951 $150,000 each PRIME COMMERCIAL LOTS IN LUTSEN.Two

acre-sized lots with Highway 61 frontage-road access and great visibility in downtown Lutsen. Nice creek borders the east property line, nice mature forest. Great location for a small gallery, retail or restaurant. A residential lot is available adjoining to the north.

• MLS# 6027064 $99,900 • MLS# 6030056 $89,900

RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE LARGE TRACT WITH CREEK. This 319 acre parcel has ponds & creek frontage on the Flute Reed River. Has been in DNR management program. Great for hunting or homesteading. Access is by unimproved easement from the Camp 20 Road, near county maintenance. The land may be split - take your pick of "40's"! MLS# 6027384 $258,000

LARGE ACREAGE WITH WATER FEATURES. The headwaters of Irish Creek! Quality 160+ acres, 5 parcels sold grouped or separately. Many great features incl. old growth white pine, ponds, camping and building areas. MLS# 6030177 $149,500

RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE

LAND/BUILDING SITES

SUGARBUSH, BEAVER, TROUT. Remote 80 acres ,10 miles from Grand Marais with easy access. Surrounded by public land. 700’ of Durfee Creek frontage. MLS# 6024638 $149,000 TWENTY ACRES – GREAT LOCATION. Great larger parcel near

LARGE LAND, MAPLES, LAKE ACCESS. This 67 acre parcel has high maple ridges, a pond, and an easement to walk to Tom Lake. Good seasonal road access, many nice building sites. A perfect escape property in an area with many trails to ride and forest to explore. MLS# 6030705 $69,900

Grand Marais with road in to the “top” of the property. Lake views, maple and mixed forest, small creek. County road access with power and broadband close by, borders public land on three sides. MLS# 6030517 $112,000 WOODS, WATER & SECLUSION.Three 40 acre lots with 600 to 1000 ft frontage on Mons Creek. Also includes deeded access to Lost Lake. Private and secluded. MLS# 6021356 $59,900 or MLS#

6021357 $69,900 or MLS# 6021358 $74,900. NICE HOME SITE NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Nice elevation and views from this 6.75 acre lot off of County Rd 6 just minutes from town. Frontage on Little Devil Track River, with lowland and highlands. Nice forest and privacy for your home or cabin in the woods. MLS# 6031740 $54,900 FLUTE REED RIVER HOME SITES. These two heavily wooded par-

cels have the seclusion of 11-13 acres and about 330' frontage each on the trout stream Flute Reed River. Access is easy from frontage on a county road. Power and broadband are available. These lots are the perfect place for a retreat property or a year-round home. MLS# 6030884, 6030885 $49,900 each 500’ ON MOHNS CREEK. Mixed topography of beautiful rolling land with many great build sites on 25 acres. Old growth cedar, spruce, pine and birch. Abuts state land. MLS# 6029353 $39,000

LAND/BUILDING SITES 100+ ACRES NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Great location for a home or recreational property just minutes from Grand Marais. Rolling land with creek, borders thousands of acres of federal and state lands. Great investment and subdivision project. Power at road. Seller willing to subdivide. MLS# 6032474 $277,900 ACREAGE ADJOINS WILDERNESS - LAKE ACCESS. This 42 acre parcel includes 400 feet of shoreline on McFarland Lake. Building sites are located across the road on the hillside with potential lake views. Rugged property with high topography and old growth cedar and pine. Easy access to the BWCAW and Border Route Hiking Trail. MLS# 6024602 $179,000 INCREASINGLY RARE, LARGE RECREATIONAL PARCEL. 190 arces fully surveyed. The perfect retreat. Has a rich variety of trees, ponds, high and low lands, some meadow land and wetlands. MLS# 6029820 $150,000 BIG LAND NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. Four 80 acre parcels located south of Schroeder off Highway 61 with shared access and approved septic sites. Mix of trees, gradual elevation, nice build sites and lake view. MLS# 6027841, 6027843, 6027844, 6027845 $139,900 each FANTASTIC FIVE MILE ROCK. Great 7 acre property abuts High-

way 61 at Five Mile Rock. Beautiful views of Lake Superior. Excellent build site and a 30 x 40 Morton building. Ready for your dreams! MLS# 6030238 $120,000 PROVEN GREAT HUNTING AREA - 80 ACRES. Prime hunting land in Schroeder. Rolling land with great wildlife habitat incl. stream, beaver dam with large pond, and a good mixture of trees and low vegetation. Older 2 bdrm cabin in a beautiful park like setting overlooking large beaver pond. MLS# 6032712 $115,000 LARGE ACREAGE NEAR TOM LAKE. 128 acres with good road access and an easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Year-round road, power is possible here. The 3 forties may be split - take your pick. MLS# 6027383 $111,000 HUGE POND-HUGE PRIVACY. Large 45+ acre wooded parcel located across from Tom Lake. Huge pond/lake in the very center of the acreage.

MLS# 6029352 $99,000 LAND NEAR WILSON LAKE. A special piece of the Northwoods – 16

LARGE LAND, POND, LAKE RIGHTS. Densely wooded 60 acre parcel with beaver ponds and access to Lost Lake. Good seasonal road access, many great building sites and southerly exposure. Lots of elbow room, privacy, and miles of forest roads to explore. MLS# 6029025 $64,900 GREAT LOCATION, QUALITY FOREST, BUILD HERE. These 10-acre parcels have a mature and mixed forest, southerly exposure, easy county road frontage and just minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6023274 $64,900, MLS# 6023275 $62,900, MLS# 6023276 $64,900 MAPLE HILL - HOME SITE. Heavily wooded 6.45 acre parcel with great privacy, county rd frontage, power and phone. MLS# 6023465 $64,500 RUSTICATE, RECREATE, RELAX. Hovland hideaway – 43 acres with new driveway to “base camp” with a nice camper trailer and shed. Trails have been cut throughout the property which adjoins State land. MLS# 2313223 $59,900 WOODED HOME SITE This 5+ acre parcel is only 1.5 miles from

Grand Marais and ready for your country home. Mixed forest, with forest service land in the back for exploring or hunting. A driveway and culvert are already in place. MLS# 6026053 $55,000 STONE'S THROW LAKE SUPERIOR. This heavily wooded, private 2+ acre building site sits just across the highway from Lake Superior's shore with a view of the big lake. You can walk the beach or have a bonfire on the State shoreline.

MLS# 6029899 $52,900 RUSTIC WOODED WONDERLAND. Beautiful 40 acres of maple forest with small rustic cabin bordering Judge Magney State Park. Enjoy the peaceful solitude of Aide Lake, rimmed by an open cedar grove just a short hike from the cabin into the park. MLS# 6025235 $52,000

PERFECT 5 ACRE HOME SITE. This private and secluded build site is just waiting for your custom plans! Only five miles from town with five acres of great woods bordering public land on two sides. MLS# 6028922 $51,500 30 ACRES - PANORAMIC VIEWS. Rare mountain top property with a 180 degree view of distant Lake Superior and the ridge to the north. Many trails in place with food plots for wildlife. MLS# 6020274 $49,500 BUILDING SITE OVERLOOKING MCFARLAND. This pine studded 7 acre property has easy walking access to the county beach on McFarland Lake. Nice elevated build site with easy county road access. MLS# 6024601 $43,000 WOODED ACREAGE – GM. Private 20 acre lot with hiking and ski trails, and abundant wildlife. A high building site offers seasonal views of Lake Superior. MLS# 2313173 $35,000 5 ACRES NEAR CARIBOU LAKE. Gorgeous corner lot with colorful maples and majestic cedars. Plenty of privacy. Close to hiking trails and the Caribou Lake boat landing. Year round access with power! MLS# 2279179 $35,000 LAND FOR ESCAPE AND RECREATION. Remote yet accessible 20 acres near Judge Magney State Park. Good mix of trees, high building site, some distant Lake Superior views. MLS# 6025397 $34,900 GREAT LOCATION HOME SITE. Wooded home or cabin site near Devil Track Lake. The 1.72 acre lot has nice trees and maybe a view of the lake from a second story. The boat landing is just down the road, as are many other lakes and trails.

MLS# 6029872 $29,900 GREAT LUTSEN LOT. Very quiet and private. Choice 2.31 lot

at the end of the road, ready to build. Borders state land and priced to sell!

MLS# 6031961 $29,900

acres with deeded access to Wilson Lake! USA-owned forest is your backyard. Driveway, electric, and a small bunkhouse/shed are in place. MLS# 6028685 $80,000

www.RedPineRealty.com • Your easy source for new MLS listings daily • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

(218) 387-2131 (800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com

101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com

Serving Cook County since 1971

NORTH SHORE

On Lake Superior

68 Trailsyde

41 Naniboujou Trail

1000’ of beautifully rugged and secluded shore. 6 lots, house structure; you finish the interior, plus more than 30A of land to ensure ample exclusivity and privacy.

MLS 6026201 $995,000

Clean, solid Lake Superior 4BR, 3BA home with a million dollar view. Practical layout, natural stone fireplace customizes den and multiple decks for you to enjoy the views.

7044 W Hwy 61

3BR, 3BA designed with appreciation for quality. 132’ gravel beach perfect for walking, fires, and kayaks! Family room, sauna, attached garage, workshop and large deck.

MLS 6029901 $569,900

MLS 6031425 $399,900

4794 Chicago Bay Rd

3298 W Hwy 61

3BR, 2BA, great room with floor to ceiling windows and a cobblestone fireplace. Multi-level lakeside deck, sunny 3 season porch, 157’ Lake Superior shore.

4.44A with 334’ shore located within the confines of Cascade River State Park. Guest home, 32x 40 garage and shop. Both homes are being offered fully furnished so you can start enjoying all that winter on the Lake has to offer.

MLS 6032511 $539,900

MLS 6032509 $770,000

Lake Superior Lots

L a ke S u p e r i o r V i e w

2884 W Hwy 61 - $279,900

1.30A, very attractive piece of vacant lakeshore located just past Terrace Point. 371’ of stunning ledgerock shoreline, with incredible views of the Grand Marais Harbor and the Sawtooth Mountain Ridge Line.

MLS 6027340

2888 W Hwy 61 - $249,900

Fabulous views of both Artist Point and the Sawtooth Mountains! Stunning Lake Superior lot with 1.24A, 200’ ledgerock shoreline embedded with Thomsonite Stones.

MLS 6027323

Stonegate Rd $194,900 - $199,900

2 lots along scenic Chicago Bay. Nicely wooded and private! 1-2A with 200+’ shore.

MLS 6030329

Co Rd 67 $72,000 - $82,000

Com m e r c ia l

Check out the views from these properties! 2 .7 - 3.48A with all utilities readily available - electric, broadband & telephone. DNR owned Lake Superior shoreline across the road so you can have the enjoyment of the lake without the cost.

MLS 6029971

Gunflint Trail - $97,500

Year round 6.46A on county maintained road with plenty of privacy. The cleared path up the property will help you visualize your future home on the North Shore! Also in close proximity to hiking, biking & skiing trails! MLS 6026498

Co Rd 7 - $69,900

Beautifully wooded 7.7A, wonderful views of Lake Superior, just minutes from town on a county maintained road. Septic sites id’d, building site has been identified. MLS 6026821

108-2 Gunflint Trail

Great commercial location with access off Gunflint Trail and Co. Rd. 7. Additional property available, or purchase with less frontage if you only want the shop building & area.

MLS 6024280 $124,900 PENDING 50

FEBRUARY 2018

Bally Creek Rd - $59,000

108 Gunflint Trail

4BR, 2BA home right on the Gunflint Trail. This lot is commercially zoned with great visible location at the beginning of the Gunflint Trail. 2.5 car garage could be converted to retail space.

MLS 6031733 $199,900 SOLD

NORTHERN WILDS

8 N. Broadway

Prime commercial property has immediate income. Two upper level apartments with space for more, plus storefront, and grounds rental.

MLS 6029037 $477,500

2 great 7+A parcels just minutes from town! Lake Superior views and mature trees! Recreation trails close by. MLS 6030620

Co Rd 48 - $85,000

Two 5+A lots with great country location, yet minutes to town. Lake Superior Views and mature trees. Recreation trails close by. MLS 6030623

Homes & Cabins Facebook.com/ cbnorthshore61 Coldwell Banker North Shore 319 E 2nd Ave

Purchase three rental units for the price of a single home, or the lower units can be combined leaving a nice little family home with a studio apartment overhead. Or restore home into a two story single family home.

MLS 6027869 $168,000

Check out OUR BLOG

176 Camp 15 Loop

160A with 180+ degree views of the surrounding foothills. Very diverse forest... spruce bogs, cedar swamps, healthy birch groves, spruce, fir and healthy white pine. Owner/agent.

at ColdwellBanker NorthShore.

MLS 2313220 $149,900

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175 Whippoorwill Ln

24+A with a 1944 sq ft pole building. What a spot for a hike-in writer’s cabin, artist’s retreat...or whatever your heart desires. Additional 12A and home is also available.

MLS 6030050 $89,900

2BR, 2BA year-round home with all the modern amenities, in a private remote setting. Open living space is perfect for entertaining. All on 6A!

Remote, turn-key rustic getaway on 53A. Heavily wooded rolling topography with an abundance of wildlife; moose, grouse, deer, and more.

MLS 6032433 $176,000

MLS 6027942 $54,900

160 Whippoorwill Ln

2447 E Hwy 61

133 Tower Rd

True retreat from the rush of modern life. Off grid with full solar power, propane wall heat and wood fireplace. Nearly end of the road privacy. Log and half log sided construction.

Located on a ridge above the highway this 3BR, 2BA property has lake views from every room. Quality and attention to detail throughout. Insulated and heated 3 stall garage.

MLS 6032698 $249,900

MLS 6030049 $139,900

MLS 6031432 $474,900 SOLD

1BR timber frame home with 2 lofts, great for guests. 56 x 40 garage with rec room. Sauna, another double garage and a well built storage shed all on 37A of beautiful forest.

Condos

Land W Hwy 61

1636 Camp 20 Rd

210 Bloomquist Mtn Rd

Great location and development opportunities right off Hwy 61! 7.1A, zoned commercial and R-1. Additional R-1 acreage available.

County Rd 7

North Rd 20A, very private, year round access. Power, phone and broadband available at the road!!

Super private piece of land with 6.83A that directly abuts Federal land. There is a seasonal camper on the property that is perfect if you are only using a few times a year.

Unit 27 - MLS 6022267 $275,000 PENDING

wooded parcels close to town. Babbling, gurgling creek for your boundary.

Silver Fox Rd

Unit 3 - MLS 6031810 $299,000 PENDING

25+A close to Grand Marais; healthy mix of trees with a very gently rolling topography. Approximately 800’ frontage on the Fall River.

MLS 6025690 $25,900

Rosebush Hill Lane Nicely wooded 5.40A with shared driveway only minutes from town. Identified septic sites and fully surveyed! Approx. 430’ of creek frontage. OWNER will consider a Contract for Deed!

MLS 6030629 $45,000 - $47,500

MLS 2170380 $149,900 MLS 6024552 $39,900

Coyote Ridge Three 5A, private, beautifully MLS 6021224 $45,000 - $65,000

MLS 6030910 $89,900

MLS 6030911 $49,900

Bluefin Bay Tofte

Oversize lot on Co Rd 7 but inside the city. The obvious benefits of broadband and other services.

Bluefin Bay has stunning Lake views and accessaward winning amenities and restaurants! Excellent rental potential.

MLS 6028579 $58,000

1BR,1BA unit

MLS 6031424 $59,900

Peaceful and quiet 5A close to town with easements onto Federal Land.

2BR, 2BA unit

Unit 61- MLS 6032687 $564,000

County Rd 48

3BR, 3Ba unit

2 lots 5-7A, 5+ and 7+A lots at a great country location just minutes from town. Recreation trails close by.

East Bay Suites

Own a piece of the North Shore and generate significant income as well. This stunning 2BR, 2BA condo is one of the top condos in demand at prestigious East Bay Suites.

Wildwood Acres

5 parcels in Wildwood Acres! .9A to 1.85A. Nicely wooded and private. Residential neighborhood.

MLS 6031563 $20,000 - $35,000

5.72A of nicely wooded land with gently rolling topography AND approx. 500’ frontage on the Rosebush Tributaries. OWNER will consider a Contract for Deed!

MLS 6030899 $39,900

Boulder Point Rd

3.55A in Lutsen off the Ski Hill Rd. Abuts State Scenic and Natural area providing hundreds of acres of untouched land.

78 Squint Lake Rd 5A surrounded on 2 sides

MLS 6031787 $59,900

MLS 6020283 $59,900

Conveniently located near public access to Lake Superior, Kadunce Wayside, Kadunce River, Superior Hiking Trail and more.

by government land. Convenient mid-trail location.

Railroad Drive 1.7A in the heart of Lutsen. Gently rolling topography, mature trees. Convenient location. MLS 6023743 $39,900

Broadway Ave Wonderful location, oversize lot is open to many opportunities for development and use.

MLS 6031909 $48,000

Co Rd 67 2.24A, year round access, directly abuts

State Land to the east. Fully surveyed and well-built private driveway. MLS 6029973 $39,900

Stonegate Rd 2A on public portion of desirable Stone Gate Road with lots of potential uses. Power, phone, and broadband are a stone’s throw away.

UNIT 301 MLS 6030011 $309,900 PENDING

2965 E Hwy 61

MLS 6031864 $15,900 SOLD

Victory Lane

20A with great building sites overlook a beautiful beaver pond and some great building sites overlooking the pond.

MLS 6032536 $25,000

E County Rd 14

Private 5A piece of property out of town yet close enough for school and work. The road is in place and great building sites whether it’s a year round home or a getaway cabin.

MLS 6032716 $37,500 PENDING

MLS 6029678 $18,400 SOLD

NORTH SHORE

Surfside

Grand Marais Condo

3BR, 3BA end unit with great views of Lake Superior. Excellent rental history!

UNIT #20 MLS 6031483 $209,900 PENDING

3BR, 3BA, can be divided into two separate units for rental flexibility.

Located in the heart of Grand Marais. Includes heated underground parking, security system and much more. 2BR, 2BA with full loft

101 West Hwy . 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com

MLS 6023870 $204,000 MLS 6032407 $204,000

(218) 387-2131

•

(800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

Inland

MEET OUR AGENTS:

Lake

Homes

Serving Cook County since 1971

Poplar Lake

Custom built, 4BR home on 4A. 250’ of shore with dock in a secluded bay. Vaulted ceilings, log beams,lots of woodwork. Screen porch on the full, walk-out lower level.

MLS 6019286 $549,900

BOB CARTER 370-9054

VIRGINIA DETRICK PALMER 387-2131

Swamp River

Livable but unfinished timber frame 3BR, 2BA home with 600’ frontage on 40A and surrounded by Govt land. Large great room with wood stove, 4 season porch, huge kitchen, outdoor wood furnace, and underground propane tank.

MLS 6032570 $179,900

RICK AUSTIN 388-9434

JULIE JOYNES CARLSON 370-8068

Inland Lake Lots Tom Lake

Squint Lake

Private 34+A and 600’ of shore. Property is surveyed and septic sites are identified. Will consider owner financing to a qualified buyer.

2.13A with lovely old white pine trees! Mid trail location, 221’ shore, abuts USFS.

MLS 6028920 $75,000

MLS 6028673 $149,900

Year round access with 171’ shore. Driveway in place and a cleared building site, together with some stairs to the lake.

MLS 6032510 $53,900

MLS 6031924 $139,900

I RE

TIRE

Thank you Harry Drabik for all of your hard work! We wish you the best of luck in Aurora, MN.

HARRY DRABIK

FEBRUARY 2018

5A with great building spots with views overlooking both Onagon and Cupid Lakes. 1000’of shore between both lakes. Federal Land to the west.

5+ A of wooded land with 500+’ of shorelinea nd state land on two sides! Year round access; great recreational area.

.94A with 291’ of shore. Healthy mix of huge white pines, cedars & balsams. Cleared building site, electricity, phone & broadband available.

1.1A with 222’ of shore. Electricity and broadband close by. Lot is gently rolling and there is a creek running along the west boundary line.

MLS 6023533 $74,900

MLS 6028705 $169,900

MLS 6029826 $99,900

MLS 6029825 $39,000

Lar ge Acr eage 200A Camp 12 Rd - $159,900

Over 200A of land, much of it abutting State and Federal land giving you access to thousands of acres!

MLS 6028671

170A+ Camp 20 Rd - $149,900

Heavily forested land that has been replanted with many beautiful pine trees. Rolling topography with many building sites and hiking trails. Features a gravel pit on the northwest corner and a small wildlife pond to the south. State land to the south.

43A County Road 7 - $299,900

Nicely wooded with excellent development potential. Close to hospital and all the amenities of Grand Marais.. Multiple zoning (R1 & Far 3), survey and wetlands delineation completed in 2007. Electric at road.

MLS 2170711

MLS 6022459

110A W Highway 61 - $649,900

Nicely wooded land with varied elevations on the Highway 61 corridor. Year round access via Highway 61 and County Road 7. Many development options with multiple zoning: Far-3, R-1 and commercial.

MLS 2164180

NORTH SHORE 52

Convenient mid-trail location with deeded lakeshore access. Building site cleared, driveway in, utilities available.

MLS 2158160 $52,500

Two Island

SEM

Onagon Lake

Poplar Lake

One of only 4 lots on south shore. Private 2.34A with 200’ frontage on excellent trout lake!

KALI BLOMBERG 370-9260

The only private parcel on Chester Lake. One of a kind opportunity! 40A, 300’ frontage! Rough cabin sold “as is”.

MLS 6022402 $149,900

Kemo Lake

ERIC FROST 370-1362

Chester Lake

NORTHERN WILDS

101 West Hwy . 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com

(218) 387-2131

•

(800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com

Homes and Land

Outstanding Land Values in Lutsen Jonvick Creek Sites in Lutsen.

Beautiful build sites at Jonvick.Power and broadband curbside. Great Lutsen location just offCaribou Trail. Convenient to everything, yet private. Great Pricing.

Lutsen Real Estate Group

Lot 6 Blk 10 Lot 1 Blk 2 Lot 2 Blk 10 Lot 7 Blk 14 Lot 5 Blk 10 Lot 1 Blk 14

Using a fundamental business approach for all your real estate needs Office 218-663-7971

Grand Marais Area

Acres 2.78 1.15 1.62 1.75 2.65 3.96

Price 49,000 49,000 49,000 49,000 54,900 59,000

Nicely appointed and extremely well maintained beautiful 3 bedroom home just west of Grand Marais. Home includes a two stall garage with adjacent office, workshop, wine room and more. Many wonderful upgrades made to home in 2010. Nice clean yard and garden areas. Move in ready. All you need is the key. Call Bruce today for your private showing.

Recent sales of undeveloped lakeshore lots show prices exceeding $200,000. Lots 16 and 17 have the benefit of Tait Lake access without lakeshore prices. Tucked hillside overlooking Tait Lake on Caps Trail, Lot 16 offers 2.8 acres with convenient and deeded access to the associations’ private dock. Lot 17 provides the same with 3.3 acres. Beautiful, wild and unspoiled and simply outstanding values.

Lot 16. MLS 6024063 $49,000

Outstanding Land Values in Lutsen

Steve Surbaugh 218-663-7971

Lot 17. MLS TBD $54,000

New Listing

MLS 6029508 NEW PRICE $359,900

Bruce Kerfoot 218-388-2294

Lot 2 Blk 14 Lot 4 Blk 10 Lot 2 Blk 11 Lot 5 Blk 11 Lot 1 Blk 12 Lot 6 Blk 14

Tait Lake, Lutsen

lutsenrealestategroup.com

Mike Larson 218-370-1536

Acres Price 1.50 29,500 1.95 35,000 1.70 45,000 4.82 45,000 2.15 49,000 2.67 49,000

24-40 Baraga Cross Rd

Beautiful cedar-sided, well-maintained 3 bedroom, 2 bath year-round home a stone’s throw from Lake Superior and the Baraga Cross historical site. A cute guest cabin, superbly crafted dove-tail log sauna and large garage complete the setting. Launch your canoe at the adjacent park, and collect driftwood and agates that wash up on the cobblestone beach. Varied shoreline nearby includes large expanse of ledgerock as well as the mouth of the Cross River – and only a short hike to one of the most impressive waterfalls on the North Shore! MLS TBD $469,500

Lutsen Area Homes and Townhomes Lutsen Resort – Log Cabin #403

Cathy Hahn 218-370-0139

Frank Lehto 218-387-4955

Ever so seldom does a Lutsen Resort authentic Log Cabin become available for sale. Here is your opportunityto become part of this unique family of home ownership at Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior. Outstanding views – awesome cabin. Call today for your private showing.

Superior National Golf Course Homesites Few Golf Courses have been built on land as spectacular as Superior National. And more recently the golf course just completed its nearly $4.5 million course improvement project on the River and Canyon Nines. The homesites listed below are tucked within the Cedar Forest along River 6 fairway and River 6 green. With water, sewer, power and broadband available, combined the sounds of the Poplar River just across the fairway and so much more beauty, the value offered simply is unbelievable. Act now, the golf course will launch its new marketing campaign early 2018 announcing the grand-re-opening – with that, lot prices will likely increase next year.

Lot 8 Block 5. Private lot tucked along River 6 Fairway. Water, sewer, power curbside. Great value. (Owner/Agent) MLS 602078 $64,500 Lot 6 Block 5. This was one of the very first lots purchased because of its outstanding location. Nestled adjacent to the River 6 Green - it offers so much. Great build site with outstanding orientation. Access to all HOA utilities. MLS 6028392 $92,500

MLS 6030300 $399,000

Lutsen Sea Villa Unit K-5

SOLD

This one bedroom Villa with loft is splashing distance to the level shoreline of Lake Superior. Enjoy all amenities provided by Lutsen Resort and the Lutsen Sea Villa Association - swimming pools, guest services, guest shuttle and so much more. This unit is managed by Lutsen Resort and their family of resort properties. All you need is the key. Unit is fully furnished ready for personal use and vacation rentals.

MLS 6030703 $179,000

When you visit our website www.lutsenrealestategroup.com you will find additional information on all properties in the area accompanied by multiple photographs for a more comprehensive overview of properties you may be interested in.

EARN MONEY WHEN YOU ARE AWAY BY PLACING YOUR HOME IN OUR VACATION RENTAL PROGRAM. Give Andrew a call at 218-663-7971 NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2018

Own a slice of Minnesota’s Favorite Resorts We bring you closer. To the lake, each other and your vacation property dreams.

Surfside on Lake Superior

New townhomes, total coastal luxury right on the shore of Lake Superior. 3,000 s/f, 3BR, 3BA. Quarter-share ownership w/ ﬂexibility for personal use & rental income. Excellent family retreat or investment property. Prices from $179K-$225K, includes furnishings.

Blueﬁn Bay Condos & Townhomes SOLD

Blueﬁn Unit 7

Blueﬁn Unit 3

3 BR, 2 BA. Recent $130K elegant remodel. Only a few feet from shore.

2 BR, 2 BA. Sweeping lake views with two decks.

Eric Frost Sales Agent, Blueﬁn Bay Family of Resorts

PENDING

Blueﬁn Unit 61

Blueﬁn Unit 27

3 BR 3 BA Blueﬁn’s largest town home. Grosses over $110K in rental income. Absolutely stunning.

1 BR, 1 BA. Charming unit with brand new bath, kitchen, and ﬁreplace.

Deb Niemisto 218-370-8434

NORTHWOODS REALTY

Lutsen Clara Lake Lot 15 Island Circle Build your dream lake cabin on SW facing 200’ lot in the Superior Nat’l Forest. Hiking & biking trails nearby, minutes from Lutsen & Grand Marais. MLS 6028329 $149,000

NORTHERN WILDS

lockport@boreal.org

Lake Superior Access 2895 E Hwy 61 - Grand Marais

Commercial hangar, heated, electric, insulated, rental income. MLS 2116969 $275,000

FEBRUARY 2018

Nan Bradley 218-370-8433

218-663-6886 | eric@blueﬁnbay.com

www.coldwellbankernorthwoods.com

Commercial - 126 Airport Rd Grand Marais Airport

Let Eric, exclusive sales agent for Blueﬁn Bay Family of Resorts, provide the details about each property and guide you through the process. Contact him today to learn more.

NEW

7072 Two Moose Trail Wilson Lake - Finland

E V I T C A

Check out this cute one level log sided 2 BD home, big kitchen, garage, low maintenance. MLS 6029561 $269,900

Experience Solitude on one of the most beautiful lakes around. Acreage with many amenities ready for use & enjoyment. MLS 608329 $246,900

CATCHLIGHT

Boreal owl It was snowing lightly when the tiny boreal owl popped out of the aspen forest to begin hunting along a rural North Shore back road. A 10-inch tall, five ounce bundle of intensity, it flit from perch to perch, pausing to listen for dinner—a mouse or vole—beneath the snow. I managed to get a handful of images before its hunt took it out of sight onto private land. Seeing a boreal owl is a rare treat. Although northeastern Minnesota is within the southern edge of their breeding range, it takes an irruption (a movement south) of more northerly cousins to increase the odds of actually stumbling across one. When you do, they are often asleep, for they hunt primarily during twilight hours. I count myself fortunate to have caught up with this owl when it was alert and eyes wide open. —Michael Furtman NORTHERN NORTHERN WILDS WILDS

FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2018 2018

55 55

on the Gunflint Trail

Unspoiled. Serene. Spectacular. Unforgettable.

elcome to Golden Eagle Lodge, a family oriented, year-round resort located on the Gunflint Trail of Northeastern Minnesota, only 30 miles north of Grand Marais. As the only residents on Flour Lake, and nestled in within the 3 million acres of the Superior National Forest, you can look forward to the quiet and solitude offered only from a true wilderness setting. Golden Eagle Lodge Nordic Ski Center is world class, nationally-known, and silent sports only. We are located on the Central Gunflint Ski Trail System, a well-marked network of more than 70km of beautifully groomed trails that begin right from your cabin’s doorstep. This trail system was built specifically for cross-country skiing and

is tracked for both traditional and skate skiers alike. All ski trail passes are offered at no charge to our cabin guests! We offer complete skiing and snowshoe rentals for all ages, a heated ski waxing room, a trail lit 7 days a week, and a private use sauna. All our modern housekeeping cabins have a fireplace, either wood, gas, or electric. We know much time, effort, and expense is invested in a vacation. We would be honored if you considered us as your vacation destination. We go out of our way to ensure every aspect of your visit will convince you to come back and see us again. You won’t be disappointed!

800-346-2203 • 218-388-2203

Golden-Eagle.com

Check out our Live Webcam! Stay updated on ski trail conditions and snow totals 56 FEBRUARY 2018 NORTHERN WILDS