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Happy New Year

Share Your Thoughts 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.

It’s a new year, and things are already looking different. For one, it seems we already have more snow from December alone than we did all of last winter. And unlike last year, I now have to worry about dressing not only myself for cold days outside, but also my 5-month-old daughter. While she’s not a huge fan of bundling up and wearing mittens, she doesn’t seem to mind the snow.

I can’t wait to see what adventures the future holds. With so little snow last year, there wasn’t much in the way of snowshoeing, snowmobiling, or cross-country skiing. Hopefully, this winter will deliver—so far, so good.

Erin Altemus, a registered nurse at North Shore Health in Grand Marais, writes about common winter emergencies seen in the ER. Most of these are tibula/fibula injuries and concussions, alongside the usual cardiac problems, stroke symptoms, migraines, and abdominal pains.

Looking for a new type of outdoor adventure?

Dana Johnson suggests trying winter trail running. Feeling competitive? Take part in the Duluth Winter Trailrunning Series. The next race takes place on Jan. 4 in Lester Park, followed by a race on Jan. 25 in Hartley Park, and another on Feb. 15 in Lester Park. Want to go ice fishing? Joe Shead recommends trying Caribou Lake, just a short drive from Duluth. And Gord Ellis teaches us all about the evolution of the ice fishing rod in his latest Northern Trails column.

Don’t forget to check out the winners of our 2024 For the Love of the North photo contest on pages 16-17. I know our professional photographer judges had a hard time picking the winners, as there were so many great photos to choose from. For this reason, I included some honorable mentions in my Spotlight piece, but with over 500 entries, there are still many more photos worthy of showcasing. Thank you to our judges and everyone who participated in the contest. Be sure to keep an eye out for our 2025 photo contest, coming this summer.

Unfortunately, as with any activity, there’s always the risk of injury. Tom Watson reminds us to stay safe outdoors and watch for snow cornices, tree wells, avalanches, and snow bridges.

Don’t feel like braving the cold? Michelle Miller suggests visiting the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, where you can say hello to Fitz, a giant Pacific octopus in the Oceans Alive exhibit. Or check out the new art exhibit by Alexa Carson, opening Thursday, Jan. 16, and running through March 24.

On behalf of everyone here at Northern Wilds, have a wonderful New Year and enjoy the snow!

—Breana Johnson

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14 Winter Emergencies in the Grand Marais ER

CONTRIBUTORS Erin Altemus, Elle Andra-Warner, Gord Ellis, Virginia George, Kalli Hawkins, Dana Johnson, Michelle Miller, Deane Morrison, Hartley Newell-Acero, Chris Pascone, Rae Poynter, Joe Shead, Tom Watson, Sam Zimmerman

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DEPARTMENTS 7 Along the Shore 18 Spotlight 20 Events 24 Dining 25 Health 26 Northern Trails 27 Fishing Hole

“Snowshoeing by the Big Lake”

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28 Reviews 29 Dog Blog 30 Following the Ancestor’s Steps 31 Northern Sky 32 Strange Tales 43 Catchlight

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Emily Ford and her first husky, Diggins, solo hiked the 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail in winter. | SUBMITTED

Duluthian Emily Ford Signs on for Rookie Iditarod DULUTH —Emily Ford, born and raised in and resident of Duluth, will be the third Minnesota woman in two years to take on Alaska’s 1,000-mile Iditarod sled dog race. Ford, the head gardener at Glensheen Mansion, is no rookie to cold weather. In fact, she is quite renowned as a person of color who is a champion of the outdoors.

Some people just seem drawn to adventure, and Ford is one of these. Perhaps it was the exploring she did as a child on her grandparents’ farm in northern Minnesota or on Boundary Waters canoe trips with a friend that brought out this adventurous spirit early on. By the time she was 12, she was taking off on Brooklyn Park trekking trips (where she grew up), which later led to thru-hikes of the Kekekabic, Border Route Trail, Superior Hiking Trail and in 2021 a winter solo hike of the 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail. In 2022 she skied and winter camped across the Boundary Waters. All the while, she has been drawing attention to inclusivity in the outdoors—inclusivity for people of all backgrounds—persons of color and sexual orientation first and foremost.

These initial trips were solo with her adopted husky Diggins, but now she works with her partner Anna Hennessy to train and run Alaskan huskies with the goal of running the Iditarod, held March 1-16.

Ford loves to talk about dogs, particularly with kids. She recently spoke at a library event and recounted an experience where a child attending stated outright that he had a huge fear of dogs. Ford had brought an older dog named Gabby, a now retired Alaskan husky. Gabby simply sat calmly and allowed the kids to pet her, and this child who was so fearful was able to really connect with her in a way he had never been able to connect with a dog before.

“People’s relationships with dogs, black people’s relationships with dogs, were once

ones of weapons,” Ford explained, going on to say that the relationship with working dogs and sled dogs has been, for her, a way to work against that history.

“I love winter. I love dogs, and I love being able to represent that to people that are interested. Not everyone is interested and that’s okay.”

Ford had done some mushing before meeting Hennessy. She had worked a brief stint at Positive Energy Outdoors near Duluth and then at Wintergreen in Ely. But getting to Alaska in the winter of 2023 was really getting in deep. There she was helping Hennessy train dogs and signed up to do a race, primarily with the goal of training the dogs. Hennessy convinced her she might as well run the race as a qualifier for the Iditarod.

That was the Goose Bay 150, and Ford said it dumped snow the entire time, and though she could have run up to 12 dogs, she only had nine available to her. Needless to say, it was quite challenging. Then in 2024 with Hennessy signed up to run her rookie Iditarod, it became clearer that Ford would need to run an Iditarod as well. She ran her second qualifier in January 2024, the Copper Basin 300 and in April, she finished her final qualifier, the Kobuk 440, a race that runs along the frozen Kobuk River from village to village, starting and ending on the coast. Ford ran into some trouble at the end of that race when a ground blizzard came up. She was only 15 miles from the end of the race, but she had been running a solo leader for 200 miles because “things had been going well.” Ford said. Suddenly they weren’t. The dogs quit, laying down on the ice. Ford persevered though, despite a visit from the race marshall who wanted her to withdraw for her own safety. Ford wanted to finish and periodically checked with the dogs saying “we’d stay as long as it took.” Finally,

Emily Ford will run the 1,000-mile Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska in March 2025. | SUBMITTED she found an older, more experienced dog, Laurakins, who wanted to go and led them to the finish.

Ford acknowledged that her “greenness” as a musher just shows up sometimes. But even experienced mushers make mistakes.

Ford seems unphased by the Iditarod. She is sleeping well at night. When asked if anything scares her about it, she replied: “I don’t know yet. I love tough adventures. I’m scared of being tired and turning incompetent. There’s not much I can do about a storm. There’s not much I can do about the weather.”

She says she’s excited about the adventure ahead: “I love being out there, just me and the dogs.” She plans to run toward the back of the pack. She hopes to have someone

behind her in case something happens. And she says she’s not super competitive.

Before the Iditarod, Ford, Hennessy, and their friends and handlers Skylar Whitcomb and Olivia Frank, will take on a slate of races to train up for Iditarod 2025. Be sure to follow the Shameless Huskies in the Knik 200, the Copper Basin 300, the Su Dog 300, and the Canada Quest 450.

Ford posts about the Shameless Husky Dogs daily on Facebook and Instagram, and has a website: emilyontrail.com. Running the Iditarod is an expensive endeavor and she continues to look for dog sponsors and bootie funds—information can be found online.—Erin Altemus

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Preserving the Past, Celebrating the Future Cook County Historical Society Marks 100 Years GRAND MARAIS —The Cook County Historical Society is celebrating a remarkable milestone in 2025: its 100th anniversary.

Another area of focus in 2025 and years to come for the historical society will be to find additional space for the growing archive collection. Many archives are stored at the Cook County Museum and the Johnson Heritage Post, but space is limited, and the donations keep rolling in. “One of our long-term goals is to find appropriate climate-controlled storage for our collections,” Hedstrom said. The organization also aims to expand the digitization of its collections, making them available in online records to improve public accessibility.

For a century, the organization has been committed to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history and culture of Cook County and its inhabitants. While volunteers, board members, and staff have come and gone over the years, the organization’s mission has remained unwavering.

The historical society maintains thousands of artifacts and oversees five historic sites in the county: the Cook County History Museum, the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, St. Francis Xavier “Chippewa City” Church, Bally Blacksmith Shop, and a 1930s fish house replica featuring the Nee-Gee fishing tug.

As the historical society prepares to commemorate the centennial milestone, the organization is undergoing staffing changes.

Recently, Katie Clark, the executive director, stepped away from the position after five years. During the transition, Aliya Marxen, the current gallery manager at the Johnson Heritage Post, serves as interim director.

In addition to the physical sites, the Cook County Historical Society staff and volunteers make a committed effort to engage with the residents and visitors of the community by hosting educational and informational events, such as artist talks, exhibits, and demonstrations.

While the organization intends to host numerous special centennial events to celebrate the 100-year milestone, Hedstrom said that the 2025 event schedule won’t be finalized until an executive director is hired.

However, she remains optimistic about finding a qualified executive director to lead the historical society in 2025 and beyond.

“Our responsibilities are to preserve these historic places and preserve the collections,” said Margaret Hedstrom, the Cook County Historical Society board vice president. “To make sure that people in the present and the future are going to learn about the history of this area.”

Each of the historic sites is rich in history, and for some, given the year they were built, require a significant amount of resources and funding to operate and preserve. The organization has recently conducted minor site improvements, such as roof upgrades, paint, log rot repair, landscaping, etc. Hedstrom said the Bally Blacksmith Shop is the most recent historic site to undergo upgrades, enabling the historical society to expand its educational blacksmithing demonstrations.

“We like to be able to show how it was really done in the past and do that in a way that’s interesting to people who maybe never thought about something like that before,” Hedstrom said.

The Cook County Historical Society intends to host numerous special centennial events to celebrate the 100-year milestone. | KALLI HAWKINS To complete the necessary facility and grounds improvements, the Cook County Historical Society board members and staff have worked to secure funding to support the preservation of the five historic sites and to enhance archival storage and public accessibility. In 2023, the Cook County Historical Society was awarded $700,000 in Minnesota appropriations for renovating the sites and constructing an archival storage facility.

While there is a long list of priorities moving into its centennial year, Hedstrom said the board is focused on moving forward with preservation work on the Chippewa City Church. After an architectural assessment of the property, Hedstrom said there were structural issues.

“We need to do some structural repairs,” Hedstrom said. “And we need to do some work on the siding, the painting, possibly the roof. So, it’s going to be a big project.”

As someone who grew up in Grand Marais and spent 26 years as an archives and museum studies professor at the University of Michigan, Hedstrom said, “The Cook County Historical Society has been around for 100 years, and that’s very unusual for a small community like this.”

She believes that the expansive interest in the historical activities, lifestyle, landscape, and culture of the region, and the historical society’s approach to sharing and displaying that information, is what “keeps people engaged in coming back to the museum and our historic sites.”

“Interpretations of the past are constantly changing, and as we learn more, we get new collections. We ask different kinds of questions,” Hedstrom said. “History is a living thing.”—Kalli Hawkins

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The next Duluth Winter Trailrunning Series race takes place on January 4 in Lester Park, followed by a race on January 25 in Hartley Park. | SUBMITTED

The most important thing to consider when it comes to winter trail running is dressing for the weather. | SUBMITTED

Conquering the Cold The Duluth Winter Trailrunning Series DULUTH —Outdoor recreation in the north woods doesn’t freeze as the snow falls and the temperatures drop—it heats up! A growing number of adventurous people are taking to the trails in cold weather with activities like skiing and snowmobiling, but all you really need are a good pair of shoes.

ditions and have never cancelled a race due to weather,” Holak explains. “We’ve had sub-zero temperatures, snowstorms, and sunny days and you never know what the weather will be like, which increases the challenge and fun.”

The most important thing to consider when it comes to winter trail running is dressing for the weather. “You can run in any conditions as long as you dress appropriately,” Holak says. “Wear layers, cover your face and any skin on brutally cold days, wear good gloves or mittens, and be sure to find shoes that keep your feet warm.”

Winter trail running is an invigorating way to stay active during the colder months, and scenic trails make it an especially rewarding experience. Duluth boasts several multi-use trails in its picturesque parks, winding up and down the hills, meandering along river gorges and through quiet forests, leading to incredible views of the city and surrounding area.

For those with a competitive spirit (or who just want to join the fun), the Duluth Winter Trailrunning Series (DWTS) is an annual series of four beautiful and challenging winter races that run from December to February.

The races take place at various locations throughout Duluth’s rugged landscape, including the popular trails of Chester, Hartley, and Lester Park.

“We started the race series in 2019 when we realized how fun running on the packed snow trails in Duluth are and we wanted to share it with people,” says Andy Holak, the DWTS race director. “We thought it was a great way to get people outdoors and having fun during the winter.”

Holak and his wife, Kim, are longtime residents of Duluth with an appreciation for the area and people there. In 2009, Holak developed Adventure Running Co. “Our primary activity is leading multi-day trail running tours all over the country and now even the world,” Holak explains. “Most of our tours are now lodge to lodge or inn based, but we still run a couple of camping tours as well.”

What started as a side gig eventually became a lifestyle, and Adventure Running Co. has been Holak’s full time job for the last five years.

Normal trail shoes often work fine and traction devices are only necessary on the iciest days. However, regular running shoes are designed with good air flow to keep your feet cool, so Holak recommends Gore-Tex or waterproof trail running shoes for really cold days, as well as a good pair of warm socks.

Duluth Winter Trailrunning Series race director Andy Holak, and his wife Kim. | SUBMITTED “We’ve run tours in Minnesota, California, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington, as well as our Tour du Mont Blanc in France, Italy, and Switzerland,” Holak recalls. Another trip to Italy is planned for this spring, and Portugal in 2026.

“In addition to our tours and Winter Series, we’ve been directing Wild Duluth races since 2009,” Holak mentions, “...and this year we had over 1,000 runners for the twoday event.”

Trail running is more challenging than track style running because you have to maneuver around natural terrain, but it’s also rewarding. “I find trail running way more enjoyable and interesting,” Holak says, and explains how running trails in the winter can be even more fun because most of the roots

and rocks are buried under packed, nicely groomed snow. “You don’t have to worry as much about turning an ankle.”

The groomed trails used in the DWTS races were also designed for fat tire bikes, and Holak works with the city of Duluth as well as the Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS) to ensure trails are re-groomed after the races into “as good or better shape than we started,” he says.

The trails are often already packed well, and grooming isn’t necessary. Runners are also advised to stay off trails on non-race days if the snowpack is soft and they sink in. “Potholes aren’t fun for anyone whether they’re running or biking,” Holak says.

Weather is another factor to consider, though it isn’t as much of a problem as you might think. “We run the races in all con-

Conditioning and training for winter trail races isn’t much different than what one would do for a regular running race. Holak advises practicing running in winter conditions as that will help you figure out what clothing works best for you in different temperatures and get you used to the cold.

The DTWS races have already started, but it’s not too late to join the fun. The Northwoods Winter Marathon and Half Marathon take place in Lester Park on January 4, the Hartley Park 10K is on January 25, and the Frozen 4 Hour and 5K in Lester Park is on February 15. You can register up until the day before the race.

For more information and DWTS registration, visit: duluthwintertrailseries.com. To learn more about Holak’s other running opportunities, visit: adventurerunningco.com.

Grab your windbreaker, lace up your shoes, and let the trails of Duluth be your winter playground.—Dana Johnson

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JANUARY 2025

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Naturally, all this public space makes Cook County a recreational paradise. Unsurprisingly, tourism plays a vital role in driving local economic growth and prosperity. So, how does a county with 5,600 people attract 1.2 million visitors a year to this extreme northeast tip of Minnesota? And who are the creative brains that transform mud season into Waterfall Season, and American Siberia into skiers’ bliss?

Visit Cook County (VCC) is the county’s destination marketing organization launched in 2010 to capitalize on the area’s vibrant culture, natural beauty, and thriving arts and craft community. Here’s how VCC turns seeming isolation into tourism lifeblood.

Linda Jurek, executive director of Visit Cook County, sees her “small but mighty” staff as playing a key role in the county’s livelihood. “We in Cook County are 81% reliant on tourism for jobs in our economy.

And we have a lot of data that supports that.

We track our Canadian traffic at the border, for example,” says Jurek. (For those curious, personal vehicle passenger totals entering Cook County from Canada ranged monthly from 13,841 people in January to 46,696 in August, 2024).

“We do campaigns in Thunder Bay. Canadians love coming here for alpine skiing at

NORTHERN WILDS

Lutsen, bike races like the Le Grand du Nord and Lutsen 99er, and for snowmobiling,” says Jurek. Vick adds that Canadians are critical to the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino’s visitor base, where there is an immense network of snowmobile trails.

The founding members of Visit Cook County include the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association (GMATA), Lutsen-Tofte Tourism Association (LTTA), Gunflint Trail Association (GTA), Lutsen Mountains, and the Grand Portage Tribal Council. These organizations came together in 2010 to strengthen Cook County’s brand identity.

They combined their efforts to provide a coordinated marketing approach to attracting visitors to Cook County, while increasing efficiency and better leveraging budgets and personnel.

But Visit Cook County goes beyond promoting the average touristy stroll on the Lake Superior waterfront in Grand Marais, or sending it down the slopes at Lutsen Mountains. While everyone wants to vacation around crystal blue waters and catch lots of fish in summer (Cook County has both in spades), or experience Minnesota’s longest vertical runs at Lutsen, it takes a certain creative flair to turn other times of the year, such as “mud season,” into tourist gold.

Take the “Hygge Festival,” created by Visit Cook County to celebrate everything warm and cozy on cold winter days. “It’s about getting people to rethink their perspective on winter,” says Kjersti Vick, marketing and public relations director at Visit Cook County.

Moose Madness is one of the many events organized by Visit Cook County. | VISIT COOK COUNTY “Hygge” (pronounced hoo-gah) is a Danish cultural concept that refers to the ritual of embracing life’s simple pleasures. The idea is right at home in Cook County, where people come to relax, get cozy by a fire, and be surrounded by the warmth of family, friends, and community. Think mulled wine, sleigh rides, and the “Winter Fireplace Tour of Cook County” curated by VCC – a listing of all the different public locations in the county with crackling fires.

Visit Cook County elevated the hygge concept to festival status in 2017, the same year the word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary. This year’s Hygge Festival

takes place on February 7-17, 2025, and is actively promoted by Visit Cook County.

Another fine example of VCC’s creative approach to tourism is the “Dark Sky Festival,” the 6th annual edition of which took place December 12-14, 2024 in Grand Marais. “We were on the forefront of the dark skies initiative in Minnesota,” recounts Vick.

“You can see other communities building off that, and people are getting really excited about it.”

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The data backs Vick up: “People really want to know about finding Northern Lights, and where to go. Other than our home page and our webcams, the Dark Skies content pages are consistently in the top 10 website hits,” Vick says. One of these popular online resources is VCC’s “Northern Lights Driving Routes” map, which gives suggestions leading to the best places in the county for dark sky viewing.

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The list of creative “shoulder season” activities goes on, such as the Moose Madness Family Festival in October. Visit Cook County makes these tourism events tick at times of the year when visitors are less likely to venture north otherwise.

The county had to adapt quickly. “We really took care of how we handle a lot of people,” explains Jurek. “Part of it is providing education to those visitors who are new to the area,” concurs Vick. “We work on building awareness of ‘here’s how you respect the environment that you’re in.’”

Vick also mentions wayfinding. “As tourism increases, we’ve had to get better at providing more wayfinding information, and not direct everybody to exactly the same spot to see fall colors, or hike the same loop. There are so many other good spots to go explore and see.”

Visit Cook County also impresses on visitors that the isolated nature of the county’s geography means people can be far away from the only hospital, in Grand Marais, or from fire or police services. “We educate people to be safe and take care of themselves,” says Jurek. “Sure, we love to pro-

Visit Cook County’s team mascot, Murray the Moose—a role every employee has played. | VISIT COOK COUNTY mote wild ice, for example, and we want you to get out there and experience it, but you better have a rope, and a lifejacket, and tell people where you’re going,” Jurek explains.

And yet the county does a remarkable job keeping roads plowed in wintertime, clearing downed trees on remote forest roads, and generally helping outsiders who get lost, or stuck in the snow. “That’s the advantage of working in a tight-knit community,” says Jurek. “Government and community advocacy relationships work really well here, knowing what issues are happening.”

Tourism brings energy, excitement, and enthusiasm into the community, and the community gives back. The annual summer and winter solstice pageants at the North House Folk School, for example, are free outdoor puppet theater events that bring community members of all ages together to perform for wide audiences. The arts, such as these solstice shows, benefit from

Image by Karie Wrich

Sometimes tourism can take on oversized proportions for the local communities, burdening public services. Take the COVID summer of 2020, for example. Cook County’s “One Moose Apart” (6 feet) tourism campaign was a major success, and the county was inundated with visitors. In comparison to many other tourism destinations, Cook County was identified early on as a safe location for travel. Having so much outdoor space, many county communities saw increased visitor traffic.

increased visitation to the otherwise quiet county, and vice versa.

Visit Cook County has a small but mighty administrative team of nine employees.

These hearty souls have taken a remote area of the state, surrounded by the endless water of Lake Superior to the east, the international border with Canada to the north, and the roadless Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to much of the west, and turned these extremes into assets.

from your friends at North Shore Community Radio

With winter 2024-2025 shaping up to be a prime snow year in Cook County, the region is once again shaping up to be the envy of the whole state for its snowpack. But once mud season (oops, Waterfall Season) sets in come spring, look for Visit Cook County to cook up more crafty ways to attract new visitors in sustainable ways.

Go to visitcookcounty.com to learn more about upcoming events, or plan your next trip up north.—Chris Pascone

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Sunday, February 16, 2025 Grand Marais, Minnesota

10:00am-12:00pm-Classic, Freestyle & Woodie Division Races, and a Ski Tour 1:00pm—Ski Sparks Kid Races 2:30pm-Skijoring Races For more information or to register go to

pincushionskiandrun.org 12

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Fitz, a giant Pacific octopus in the Oceans Alive exhibit, is very popular at the aquarium. | SUBMITTED

Great Lakes Aquarium Connecting Art and Nature DULUTH —The Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth prides itself on truly serving the community and its visitors. This is evident in how the facility was designed from the beginning, by including a dedicated space for a public art gallery.

The Merril Lynch Fine Art Gallery focuses on local and regional artists with work that has a connection to the natural world and captures the spirit of the Lake Superior region. The aquarium’s communication director, Alison Iadio, says there are so many “profoundly talented artists in the area, we try to highlight as many as possible each year.”

Exhibits rotate every six to eight weeks, with a quick three-day turn over to ensure the space is available for visitors with little down time. Artists interested in being considered for future showings can review the guidelines and submit an application online.

January’s exhibit hosts Alexa Carson’s show titled “Tapestry.” Carson’s work tends to be tiny pieces, however the pieces selected for this display are a departure from her usual, being on a much larger scale. She is a painter, illustrator, and designer, with the goal of representing the beauty of nature and wildlife in her work. Originally from Ohio, she now lives in Duluth and feels an even deeper connection to nature in the Northland. In Carson’s artist statement, she shares her feelings about living in northern Minnesota: “Wildlife became even more accessible and personal. I fell deeper in love.” The collection includes wolves, owls, and a variety of water-loving animals. The opening reception is Thursday, January 16 from 6-8 p.m. and the show runs through March 24. The Gallery is located on the first floor of the aquari-

She is less than a year old and her name was chosen through a public naming contest. In addition to learning all about this amazing octopus in her exhibit designed as an underwater cave, large tanks filled with aquatic wildlife are also featured. The interactive exhibit gives visitors a chance to explore a variety of habitats, including vibrant coral reefs, and it’s appropriate for all ages. The aquarium’s other permanent exhibits are sprawled throughout the multiple floors of the building. Explore Freshwater Forest, Raptor Ridge, Shipwrecks Alive, and Otter Cove, home to two North American river otters named Agate and Ore.

“Luna” by Duluth artist Alexa Carson. | SUBMITTED um and is free and open to the public during regular hours of operation. To learn more about Carson and view her paintings, follow her on social media or visit: alexacarson.com.

Iadio gives credit to past directors with continuing the original vision for the gallery space. “It is a sacred space, highly regarded,” she explains. While space is becoming limited for expanding animal exhibits, there has never been any consideration of removing the public art component from the aquarium.

Visitors are also invited to explore the newest animal exhibit installed and opened last summer at the aquarium.

The Oceans Alive exhibit is a more global installation, focusing on climate change and how the natural world is adapting to the pressures of the changing climate. A popular resident of the exhibit is Fitz, a giant Pacific octopus.

A full schedule of winter programming is also offered for school-aged students, including field trips and special group experiences, and weekly early childhood Natural Play Programs are offered year-round—sensory friendly experiences are also available. Last year, more than 10,000 students participated and visited the facility, experiencing educational opportunities. A full schedule of events, special experiences, and educational opportunities are listed online.

The Great Lakes Aquarium celebrates 25 years this summer and special events are being planned to celebrate this landmark. A massive new exhibit is under construction as an immersive experience called Lava to Lakes, planned to open in time for the anniversary.

The Great Lakes Aquarium is open every day, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with special discounted rates on Wednesdays through February—located near canal park on Harbor Drive with onsite parking for a fee. Ticket information can be found online (glaquarium.org) or call 218-740-3474.—Michelle Miller

A Wintry Landscape’s Dual Personality NORTH SHORE —A wintry landscape in Minnesota’s north country can have a dual personality: expansive fields of glistening, rolling, snow-covered hills and pillowy mounds gracefully clinging to limbs and boughs throughout our forests; while potentially life-threatening hazards such as collapsing hillsides of snow, deep wells, and deceptively hidden pockets and wells create a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde landscape in what may appear to be an alluring, winter wonderland.

Although our region doesn’t receive the amounts of snow common to the mountainous regions out west, Minnesota’s topography is diverse enough to create dangers from snow accumulations at levels that could be just as life-threatening—demanding our awareness of those dangers anytime we travel in our own snow country.

AVALANCHES Landscapes featuring steep, snow-covered slopes can breed avalanches that may have enough volume to severely injury or even prove fatal to those caught in its path.

Unstable snowpack accumulated on slope angles of 30º-40º are most prone to collapsing, and most often triggered by human activity (skiing/snowmobiling/snowshoeing).

CORNICES A snow cornice is an overhanging edge of snow formed by wind blowing snow, projected and extending out over sharp terrain breaks such as ridge lines or steep embankments. Often undetected when approached from their backside, the leading edge of these snow lips are unsupported and only as strong as the integrity and load of the snow beyond the solid land-base from which they have formed.

Danger lies in the height one might fall upon their collapse, the type of terrain below, and the possibility of being buried beneath the volume of snow in the cornice. It’s important to pay careful attention to the lay of the land and potential ridge/bluff/bank edges that could produce these wind-generated overhangs—and avoid stepping out onto them or walking too closely underneath these potential collapsing volumes of snow.

narrow gullies, air pocket/depressions, or steeply-banked streams, spanning the space and leaving an opening beneath the snow—creating an arch or snow ‘bridge’ across the surface.

Stream beds filled solid with snow can be burrowed out by melting spring thaws that create tunnel-like corridors along the surface of the stream, creating an overhanging archway of fragile, non-weight-bearing snow still deceptively connecting one bank to the other. Injuries from a long or hard fall, deep water, and entrapment are just a few of the dangers from a collapsing snow bridge.

TREE WELLS Heavy or frequent snowfalls in a spruce/ evergreen forest can create depressions around the base of some trees as upper branches act as an umbrella to prevent snow from accumulating deeply right up to its base/trunk. Instead, a deep-walled depression or well is formed beneath those branches creating a snow pit several feet deep.

A snow cornice is an overhanging edge of snow formed by wind blowing snow, projected and extending out over sharp terrain breaks such as ridge lines or steep embankments. | TOM WATSON

Approaching too closely (snowshoeing) or veering off into the trees (skiing, snowboarding) and crashing into a well can cause the victim to have a suffocating face plant, buried head-first down into deep, fine, incapacitating snow. Tree wells are almost impossible to self-rescue from, and if buried deeply beneath the overhanging, snow-burdened branches, one may be completely concealed from the view of searchers.

PLAYING IT SAFE Like ice, traveling across snow is never 100% safe! Knowing the potential risks of trekking in snowy backcountry is critical to your safety and having the sense to select alternative routes if necessary. When tromping or gliding across a smooth mantle of snow, you cannot be certain of what you are actually traveling on top of or how far below you solid ground actually is. Changing weather and temperatures can cause snow conditions to change from when you first started out, and the return/final route may be fraught with new dangers.

SNOW BRIDGES

Winter’s dual personality beckons enjoyment of its beauty coupled with the precautions of its potentially more danger disposition. When in doubt, re-route.

Sometimes the same dynamics that can form a cornice can project snow across

Be safe, be smart, and have fun out there!—Tom Watson

Sometimes the same dynamics that can form a cornice can project snow across narrow gullies, air pocket/depressions, or steeply-banked streams, spanning the space and leaving an opening beneath the snow—creating an arch or snow ‘bridge’ across the surface. | TOM WATSON

Fiber Week February 11-17 Fiber Art Courses Evening Gatherings Fiber Fair & More 218-387-9762 · northhouse.org 500 W Hwy 61, Grand Marais, MN NORTHERN WILDS

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Eric Bjustad is North Shore Health’s newest paramedic and also works ski patrol at times. | BEN BELLAND

Winter Emergencies in the Grand Marais ER

By Erin Altemus “Ski patrol to dispatch…” The radio at the nurse’s station comes alive and the nurses within earshot walk closer to listen while the EMTs nearby get ready for their next ambulance call.

Shore Health, most of these injuries are tibula/fibula injuries (tib/fibs for short) and concussions. But we also see a lot of knee, femur, and shoulder injuries. In the ER, we know this to be ‘ortho’ season.

“Go ahead ski patrol,” dispatch responds.

According to Pankow, we are also seeing an influx of diabetic emergencies at the ski hill. And of course, any other medical problem that you would see at any other time—cardiac problems, stroke symptoms, migraines, and abdominal pain.

“We’re going to need an ambulance for a 16-year-old male who hit a tree while skiing. He is conscious, but vomiting. He was wearing a helmet and does not remember what happened.”

The “tones” as we call them sound off in the Emergency Room and the ambulance is already on its way to Lutsen Ski Hill, a 20-minute drive.

On a typical weekend day in the winter, our ambulance service brings in several patients from the Lutsen ski area, and there are even more that come in private vehicles.

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I say “we” because I am a registered nurse here, working three 12-hour shifts a week as I have been since 2018 when I obtained my nursing license through Northland Community College, a task accomplished by taking classes remotely and also driving one weekend a month to Bemidji for clinicals and labs. This was a full year program accomplished as a bridge to completing a remote LPN program.

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I started working as an LPN at the Care Center in 2016, but I won’t lie, I wanted to work in the Emergency Room, and the first day I saw my name on the assignment board “ER Nurse: Erin,” was a good one. Like many of us here, I am excited about a busy day and a challenge.

In the ER, we often see things come in groups of three: three patients with abdominal pain, or three with broken legs. If there’s two, there is often a third on the way. But sometimes, there is just general chaos.

possible urinary tract infection. The front desk calls and says they have a patient who is bleeding and needs immediate attention.

I run up there, and bring the patient right back to ER C. When I take off the dressing, the wound starts spurting blood, so I call for the doctor and nursing assistance. We need to place a tourniquet. At the same time, someone pulls into the garage. I run out there to see what is happening, and there is a woman with an obvious lower leg deformity in the back of a pick-up truck who will need to be pulled onto a gurney. She is in a good deal of pain. The other nurses are in C at this time, along with the doctor. I start running around the hospital trying to find any help I can find. It’s a busy shift, but unusually so?

Not really.

Example: ER A has a patient with cardiac symptoms who has been getting a full work-up—this takes several hours and he has been there for some time. ER D has a

Our hospital is at minimum staffed with three RNs during the day and two at night.

There is one doctor and usually EMTs who can help out, if they aren’t out on a call or a

Pankow feels this way as well, and has a sign on her desk that reads “Chaos Coordinator,” and she says she thrives on figuring out the puzzles: finding staff, training staff, true emergencies, and helping people.

transfer. This is for both the hospital and the Emergency Room. If the Emergency Room gets full (four rooms plus overflow), that overwhelms our small staff fairly quickly.

But sometimes, the ER is empty, so how do you staff for these fluctuations?

Staff must be ready to go from zero to 100 in seconds. One moment we might be sitting here, the ER empty, and it’s a slow afternoon. Then someone shows up at the side door who is in full blown anaphylaxis. We must save his life in a matter of minutes.

For Kia Gruber, registered nurse, fixing people is one of the most gratifying parts of the job. “When people come into the ER and they’re in bad shape, we piece them back together and that’s fulfilling.” We can’t always fix people, but in regards to orthotic injuries, specifically something like a dislocated shoulder, we can. “We put it back in place and we’ve fixed them. It’s gratifying,” Gruber said.

Of course, it’s a small town as well, which has its many facets. Connie Koppenhaver, a registered nurse, remembers a woman with an injury from the ski hill coming in one day and then the next day her husband coming in with a matching injury. They both had matching braces by the end of the weekend. And it’s not uncommon to know our patients personally.

A huge challenge of working at one of the most remote critical access hospitals in the country in terms of transfer time to a larger facility is just that: transfer time. Because North Shore Health does not do surgeries and has limited diagnostic services (MRI only comes once every two weeks and ultrasound is infrequent as well), many patients must go to Duluth for a higher level of care and to see specialty services.

North Shore Health EMS parked at the ski patrol shack at the Lutsen Ski Hill. | BEN SILENCE

Half the days of the year, the weather is inadequate for flying. So, imagine you have suffered a trauma. Ideally, an EMT or paramedic on scene identifies that you have a life-threatening condition from the site of your accident, whether that’s the ski hill or the woods at the site of a snowmobile accident. Maybe you fell off a deck. In any case, the EMT calls in to the hospital and requests a helicopter. The helicopter can launch from its home base and be at the hospital at almost the same time as the ambulance…on a good day.

Or maybe the weather is iffy, the helicopter turns around halfway. The ambulance arrives at the hospital and the staff begins to stabilize the patient. Another helicopter or airplane attempts to fly here. They also bail. Now valuable time has been spent and finally the decision is made to transport the patient by ground, aka ambulance, to Duluth. Most days there is a paramedic here and everyone moves quickly to get the patient moving down the road.

On a bad day, such as one I remember several years ago, a critical patient came in who wouldn’t have survived without transfer to Duluth. Luckily, we had a paramedic willing to take the patient to Duluth through a blizzard. In Duluth, the crew had to push the patient on the gurney through a snowbank to get her inside the hospital. The patient survived, but the ambulance was stuck in Duluth overnight.

For Pankow, it is the partnerships between the various entities in the county—

North Air Care partners with North Shore Health to transport a patient to Duluth or beyond. | KATE BATTEN different ambulance services (Grand Portage and Gunflint Trail), Search and Rescue, Lutsen and Tofte EMS, and the various fire departments that gets her excited. She says in the few years that she has been working as a paramedic here, she has been on snowmobiles, snowshoes, canoes, ATVs, and foot to reach patients in all kinds of remote places around the county, and it’s largely when all these entities work together that “we make things happen.”

Given how many of these partners—firefighters and first responders—are volunteers, it is impressive how many are willing to risk their own safety for the good of others. There have been multiple Gunflint Trail responders that have gone out in the middle of large thunderstorms to rescue patients caught by fallen trees or in rough waters. It is not uncommon for responders to carry patients on a gurney over rough terrain for a mile or two or three.

“The community just rallies and puts themselves in uncomfortable situations,” she says.

This is emergency medicine—teamwork, caring, challenge, and problem-solving and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

An EMS crew member hikes in to retrieve a patient mid-winter. | BEN BELLAND

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FOR THE LOVE OF THE NORTH

PHOTO CONTEST

2024 WINNERS

We received over 500 entries for our annual photo contest. This year’s first and second place winners were chosen by professional photographers Paul Sundberg, David Johnson, and James Smedley. With so many incredible photos to sort through, it took them many rounds of voting to determine the winners. Third place winners were voted on by you, our readers. A big thank you to everyone who participated in the contest. The 2025 photo contest will begin later this year.

1 1

M A C R O

2

2

1st Place Nicole Birch “Tree frog. That face!

The little feet! Yes, I would like to be friends too little buddy.”

3

WILDLIFE

2nd Place Glenda Mueller “I found this crab spider on some flowers outside of the motel I was staying at.

Like crabs, they tend to walk sideways.”

3 1st Place Thomas Johnson

People’s Choice

“I was hiking in a wooded area along Lake Superior. I was watching a bird making its way around a tree when I

Izzy Rejman “Pine In Grand Portage.”

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spotted this forest friend making its way across the branch. It stopped and looked at me. It then proceeded a little further, stopped, closed its eyes, and fell asleep.”

2nd Place

People’s Choice

Bob Berlute

Adam Lein

“This photo was taken on a June evening along the Grade Road in Cook County.”

“A snowy owl in SaxZim Bog resting on a railroad crossing sign after eating an ermine.”

LANDSCAPE

2 1st Place Ken Harmon “Cave view to greeting the sunrise in a sea kayak, North Shore of Lake Superior.”

2nd Place Ed Lee “Milky Way at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.”

1

People’s Choice Grace Burns “Waterfalls at Amnicon Falls State Park in Wisconsin.

Taken with a Canon T7.”

3

ADVENTURE LIFESTYLE

1 1st Place

2nd Place

People’s Choice

Andrew Schultz

Kim Nelson

Kaitlyn Maslowski

“The thrill of the catch!

Father/daughter canoe trip into the wilderness, midway off the Gunflint Trail.”

“Hiking through a brillant stand of birch trees on our way to Agnes Lake.”

“Bentley and beautiful lupines, June 2024.”

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By Breana Johnson

Honorable Mentions

When it comes to our annual photo contest, picking the best of the best is no easy task, especially when there are so many amazing photos to choose from. Although they didn’t win the top prize, here are a few photos that definitely deserve recognition.

Taken by Bruce Symington in the Adventure Lifestyle category. “Wetting a line in Cranberry Bay, in Black Bay, Lake Superior.” | BRUCE SYMINGTON

Taken by Brenda Hadrich in the Adventure Lifestyle category. “The end to a great day on the shores of Lake Superior.” | BRENDA HADRICH

Taken by Carol Bowman in the Macro category. “Beautiful big bee on one of my flowers.” | CAROL BOWMAN Taken by Sherry Malinoski in the Wildlife category.

“The pelican has been a popular bird to see on Lake Superior, some staying for several months.

Such unique birds!” | SHERRY MALINOSKI

Taken by Jenna Martin in the Macro category. “Close up of a dragonfly!” | JENNA MARTIN

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Taken by Ladona Tornabene in the Landscape category.

“After returning from a run, I could not believe how illuminated these trees were in the Duluth Rose Garden. It was worth the trip home to get the camera!” | LADONA TORNABENE

Rebecca Barrett didn’t set out to be a woodworker; in fact, before she started making cutting boards, she said she’d never picked up a tool in her life. | LAURA MUUS PHOTOGRAPHY

Rebecca Barrett of the Wilder Woodshop CREATIVE SPACE: By Rae Poynter Sometimes, our paths in life come about by joining together the things that matter most to us. For Rebecca Barrett, her journey as a craftsperson began with two pieces: family, and a gift. Barrett is a woodworker and the owner of the Wilder Woodshop, where she makes one-of-a-kind, functional wood art. From cutting boards to cribbage boards, each of Barrett’s “wood goods” is made up of many smaller pieces that have been carefully fit together. In a similar vein, Barrett’s own story joins together a love of family, creativity, and giving back, all of which make the Wilder Woodshop in Grand Marais what it is today.

“I never make the same design twice, so once you see me use one design, you’ll probably never see it again,” Barrett said. “Wood is unique and doesn’t really allow you to replicate it the exact same way anyway, so part of my design process is never doing something two times.”

Barrett’s journey as a woodworker started with giving a gift. Today, giving is still a part of the Wilder Woodshop. A key part of Barrett’s yearly production cycle is what she calls “Give Back Month” in March.

“During March, I donate a percentage of my sales to the University of Minnesota Masonic NICU, in honor of my son’s birthday month,” she said. “All month long, I release the best boards that I made that year. There’s a purpose and a story behind every board, so December through March I’m especially making more time-consuming boards to release during that month.”

Rebecca Barrett didn’t set out to be a woodworker; in fact, before she started making cutting boards, she said she’d never picked up a tool in her life. That all changed one Mother’s Day when she wanted to give her mom a unique gift, and the idea of making a cutting board came to mind. Barrett’s husband Ian, a carpenter, had learned to make cutting boards during his internship at North House Folk School, so they decided to give it a try. As it turns out, Barrett got much more than she bargained for. Upon making that first cutting board, she hadn’t just made a unique gift, but stumbled upon a new passion—a passion that would become her livelihood.

“The Wilder Woodshop started as a creative outlet to do outside of my day job, and it just got bigger from there,” Barrett said.

At first, Barrett made cutting boards as gifts for friends and family. Then she began to do wholesale orders, started an online shop, and made the switch to running the Wilder Woodshop as her full-time job, where she not only makes cutting boards, but cribbage boards, cheese slicers, and serving boards, all of which she describes as “functional wood art.” It’s a path that’s not only allowed Barrett to pursue her passion, but also allowed for flexibility after the birth of her son, Wilder, for whom the Wilder Woodshop is named.

New this year, community members can participate in Give Back Month while learning the art of cutting board design. Barrett is opening the Wilder Woodshop Studio during certain days in January—people can sign up on her website to come to the studio to design and put together a cutting board with pre-cut pieces. Participants get to name their boards, and Barrett will do the tough work of finishing up the boards in preparation for Give Back Month.

The Wilder Woodshop is named after Barret’s son, Wilder. | LAURA MUUS PHOTOGRAPHY “Going full-time and making my own business allowed me to be flexible and be the mom that I needed to be,” she said.

If you were to close your eyes and pick up one of Barrett’s boards, you’d probably think that you were holding a solid piece of wood.

The reality is quite the opposite. Each board is made up of many smaller pieces, lovingly put together like a freeform puzzle. Barrett starts each project with hardwood lumber. Her signature style uses a blend of domestic hardwoods like cherry, walnut, and maple, the different tones of which create eye-catching

contrast. (Some projects also include woods like mahogany, purpleheart, and padauk.)

Next is a careful sequence of cutting the wood into smaller pieces, laminating with a special glue, and clamping (and re-cutting, re-laminating, and re-clamping). Once the rough board is assembled and cut into smaller sections, Barrett begins a six-part sanding process, resulting in a cutting board that feels like one smooth piece. The final step is adding her signature and a 1/1 mark to the back, signifying the one-of-a-kind nature of her work.

“This is a family-friendly event where I show people how to make a board,” Barrett said. “The makers can choose to purchase their boards if they want, but they’ll all be on my website with the name that they chose for March Give Back Month.”

Although much has changed since Barrett picked up that first tool, her work continues to be defined by joining together the things that matter most. You can learn more about the Wilder Woodshop and Rebecca Barrett’s work online at: thewilderwoodshop.com.

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The Norpine Fat Bike Classic in Lutsen will feature two race options, as well as a Dark Sky group ride, fat bike demos, music, and more. | SUBMITTED

WINTER FUNDAYS

(25 miles), and the Short Pine Race (14 miles). Both races take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, starting and finishing at Cascade Lodge near Lutsen. There will also be a 4-6-mile Dark Sky Tour group ride held at North Shore Winery at 5:30 p.m. on Friday—free with race registration, otherwise $25. The Winery will also host a day of fun on Friday, featuring fat bike demos, music, mulled wine, and more. Last but not least, there will be a free group ride on the groomed singletrack trails at Pincushion Mountain Trailhead on Sunday at 10 a.m. Race registration is required. superiorcycling.org

Jan. 5-March 16 Every Sunday, from Jan. 5 to March 16, embrace winter by taking part in fun indoor and outdoor activities that highlight the joy of winter. Held from 2-4 p.m. at various locations throughout Thunder Bay, all activities are free and family-friendly. January activities include figure skating, creating fibre art puppets and toys, snowshoeing, writing poetry, learning about winter science, creating pop culture collages, and more. A full schedule of events can be found online. thunderbay.ca/ winterfundays

ELY DARK SKY FESTIVAL

Jan. 10-11 Get ready to experience the magic of the night sky and winter recreation at the inaugural Ely Dark Sky Festival, held Jan. 10-11. This two-day event will immerse visitors in a world of wonder featuring a variety of activities, from astronomy and photography workshops to night snowshoe hikes, stargazing sessions, and educational presentations. There will also be theater workshops, painting classes, moonlit kicksledding, and hiking. A full schedule of events can be found on the Ely Dark Sky Festival Facebook page.

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL

Jan. 10-11 The Banff Mountain Film Festival (BMFF) returns to Duluth Jan. 10-11 at the Decc Symphony Hall. Held at 7 p.m. and

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GARY RUE & RANDY SABIEN CONCERT

The inaugural Ely Dark Sky Festival will take place Jan. 10-11. | SUBMITTED hosted by the Duluth Cross-Country Ski Club, BMFF is a compilation of high-energy outdoor films and documentaries with environmental messages. The film competition is held in Banff, Alberta, every fall, followed by a world tour featuring the winning films.

The doors will open at 5 p.m. and there will be booths from local sponsors, gear demos, a raffle, and drinks. Advance tickets are $25 and can be purchased online or in-person

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at the Decc ticket office. The festival will also be held at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (tbca.com) on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. duluthxc.com

NORPINE FAT BIKE CLASSIC

Jan. 10-12 Cycling fanatics will brave the cold at the annual Norpine Fat Bike Classic in Lutsen this month, with two race options to choose from: the Long Pine Race

Jan 11, Saturday Gary Rue is known as a member of the groups FAB 6, Nip and Tuck, and the Sensational Sleepers, and for his 50-year career as a songwriter for national and international artists. Randy Sabien describes his sound as “Bob Wills meets Art Blakey (be-bop) meets the Allman Brothers (blues rock).” Sabien has toured the world playing in different styles and with many greats of the music world. A Rue/Sabien performance is an ad lib, rapid-fire event, riddled with a melodic cascade of personally-penned favorites, peppered with musical ideas, oblique social commentary, and comic highs and lows, all thoroughly plumbed from the musical depths of piano, guitar, violin, mando, and voices that soar,

growl, and bubble within a sardonic Robin Williams/Noel Coward sense of humor.

The duo will perform on Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais. Tickets are $20 general admission and can be purchased online or at the door. northshoremusicassociation.com

The Lake Superior Ice Festival offers fun for the whole family. | SUBMITTED on a frozen inland lake. Race registration starts at 11 a.m. and the races start at noon.

Prizes will be awarded inside Skyport Lodge after the races. There will also be raffles, Ridge Riders apparel for sale, and more.

Proceeds from the drag races go to benefit grooming and maintenance of over 400 miles of snowmobile trails in Cook County. facebook.com/cookcountyridgeriders

GUNFLINT MAIL RUN

Jan. 11, Saturday The Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race is a continuous race consisting of two legs of equal distance, separated by a mandatory layover. This year’s race will host a maximum of 15 teams and will be a 65-mile 10-dog race, with 32.5-mile legs.

The race will start at 8 a.m. on Saturday at Trail Center Lodge, located on the Gunflint Trail. Spectators can find great viewing spots at Trail Center Lodge, White Pine Lodge, and Rockwood Lodge. Remember to leave your own dogs at home. gunflintmailrun.com

JOHN BEARGREASE SLED DOG MARATHON

LAKE SUPERIOR ICE FESTIVAL

Jan. 24-25 The Lake Superior Ice Festival, held on Barkers Island in Superior, features fun activities for the entire family. There will be ice carving demos and sculptures, a sledding hill, disc golf, an ice carousel, kite skiing demos, a kids zone, a craft fair and market, a kubb tournament and demos, food and drinks, an escape room, curling, ice fishing, a cornhole tournament and demos, MIRA racing on the ice, mini golf, bonfires with s’mores, snowshoeing, fireworks, and so much more. A full schedule of events can be found online. lakesuperioricefestival.com

Friday, February 7th Noon-5pm “Tune up Time” Lutsen Trail Breaker Groomer Shack 6-8pm 2 mile run to the “White Sky” trail snowmobile shelter for a hot dog roast

Saturday, February 8th 11am Family Fun & Best Vintage Sled Competition, Vintage Ride Cascade Lodge

See Visit Cook County Events for more details.

Jan. 26-28 Established in 1980, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is the longest sled dog race in the lower 48 states.

It’s also a qualifier for the famed Iditarod in Alaska.

There are four races for mushers of all experience levels to enter: the 300mile full distance marathon, the Beargrease 120, the Beargrease 40, and the Beargrease 120 Junior Parcel Pickup Class. The races start at 11 a.m. at Billy’s Bar in Duluth on Sunday, Jan. 26. The full Family Owned distance marathon will fin10,000 U.S. and Since 1947 ish at Grand Portage Lodge Canadian Souvenirs and Casino on Tuesday, Jan. 28. beargrease.com

Money Exchange

RIDGE RIDERS DRAG RACES

Jan. 25, Saturday Got a need for speed?

Participate in the annual drag races on Devil Track Lake, held by the Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club. Compete in a variety of classes offered in double elimination style while racing down a snow groomed track

Beyond the Reel

www.RydensBorderStore.com

Play Rue & Sabien January 11 7:00 pm

music - film - Raffle - Food

a film fundraiser

and presentation of the joan drury award

Learn more: Violencepreventioncenter.org/community

Gas

218-475-2330

Rue & Sabien

Feb 1st @ 5:30pm

at the Arrowhead center for the arts

Duty-Free Liquor

$25

Tickets for sale at northshoremusicassociation.com or at the door starting at 6:00 pm, $20 General Admission Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 51 W. 5th St., Grand Marais NORTHERN WILDS

JANUARY 2025

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NORTHERN WILDS CALENDAR OF EVENTS Thru Jan. 5

Jan. 11-April 13

Colin Davis: Steel, Grease, Gasoline Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca Petal, Clay, Berry, Leaf: Natural Inks, Dyes and Pigments of Northern Ontario Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca Collections Remix: Robert Markle & Clifford Maracle Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca Everlasting Garden: Karly Huitsing Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

Gaganoonidiwag: They Talk To Each Other (Reception Jan. 11 at 2 p.m.) Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

Jan. 13, Monday

Dennis Warner in Concert 6 p.m. Mt Royal Branch Library, Duluth, alslib.info Full Moon Bike Ride 6 p.m. Real Canadian Superstore, Thunder Bay, calendar.visitthunderbay.com

Thru Jan. 6

Jan. 15, Wednesday

Brian Boldon: Scatter, Gather Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org Tom Rauschenfels: 34 Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org

Thru Jan. 30

Northern Nights: A Siiviis Artist Collaboration Siiviis Gallery, Duluth, siiviisgallery.com

Dec. 26-Jan. 12

Christmas Tree Recycling Throughout Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca/christmas

December 31, Tuesday

New Year’s Eve New Year’s Eve Family Frolic 4 p.m. Fort William Historical Park, Thunder Bay, fwhp.ca New Year’s Eve with Ian and Friends 6 p.m.

Ely’s Historic State Theater, northernlakesarts.org NYE in Tinseltown: A Murder Mystery 7 p.m.

Red Lion Smokehouse, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/redlionsmokehouse Renegade Unfortunate Specials: The Ball Dropping Special 8 p.m. Zeitgeist Teatro, Duluth, zeitgeistarts.com New Year’s Eve Celebration with the Sensational Hot Rods 9 p.m. Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, grandportage.com

Jan. 1, Wednesday

New Year’s Day Jan. 2, Thursday

Call of the Wild Poetry Nights 5 p.m.

Ely Folk School, northernlakesarts.org

Jan. 3, Friday

Dennis Warner in Concert 2 p.m.

Two Harbors Public Library, alslib.info First Friday: Free Event 5:30 p.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org

Jan. 3-31

Artist of the Month: Catherine Meier (Reception Jan. 3 at 7 p.m.) Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay, mndnr.gov/tettegouche

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History Happy Hour 5 p.m. Boathouse Brewpub Lookout Lounge, Ely, rootbeerlady.com

Jan. 16, Thursday

Josh Turner: The Country Music Thing Tour 7:30 p.m. Decc, Duluth, decc.org

Luna and Thor. | JEFF ROBINSON

Jan. 3-Feb. 23

100 Years of Art in Cook County (Reception Jan. 3 at 5 p.m.) Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, Grand Marais, cookcountyhistory.org

Jan. 4, Saturday

Northwoods Winter Trail Marathon & Half Marathon Championships 9:30 a.m. Lester Park, Duluth, duluthwintertrailseries.com Saturday Morning at the Races 10 a.m.

University of Minnesota Duluth, grandmasmarathon.com Dennis Warner in Concert 11 a.m. Duluth Public Library, alslib.info Morphology Exhibit & Reading 6 p.m. Wussow’s Concert Café, Duluth, lakesuperiorwriters.org Jim Holbeck 8 p.m. Green Door, Beaver Bay, lovinlakecounty.com

Jan. 6, Monday

Gone to the Dogs 4 p.m. Kamview Nordic Centre, Thunder Bay, tbnordictrails.com

Jan. 6-10

Create Your Dream 2025: Vision Board Crafting 5 p.m. Two Harbors Public Library, twoharborspubliclibrary.com

Jan. 7, Tuesday

Dennis Warner in Concert 10:30 a.m. Ely Public Library, alslib.info

Jan. 9-12

Annie Jr. 7 p.m. Trinity Hall Theatre, Thunder Bay, applauzeproductions.com

Jan. 10, Sunday

Activities Around the Fireplace Noon, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Two Harbors, mndnr.gov/gooseberry Bead Embroidery Demonstration Noon, Art & Soul Gallery & Gift House, Ely, elyartandsoul.com

NORTHERN WILDS

Haiku Workshop with Sandra Hisakuni 1 p.m. Two Harbors Public Library, twoharborspubliclibrary.com

Jan. 10-11

Ely Dark Sky Festival Ely, Facebook: Ely Dark Sky Festival Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival Tour 5 p.m.

Decc, Duluth, duluthxc.com

Jan. 10-12

Norpine Fat Bike Classic Lutsen, superiorcycling.org

Jan. 10-Feb. 2

The Great Nordic Shakespeare Festival Vermilion Fine Arts Theater, Ely, northernlakesarts.org

Jan. 10-March 16

Angelique Merasty: Bird and Snowflake Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

Jan. 11, Saturday

Gunflint Mail Run 8 a.m. Trail Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflintmailrun.com Nice Girls of the North Marketplace 10 a.m.

Spirit of the Lake Community Arts, Duluth, nicegirlsofthenorth.com Duluth Wedding Show 10 a.m. Decc, Duluth, duluthweddingshow.com Dennis Warner in Concert 11 a.m.

Grand Marais Public Library, alslib.info Gary Rue & Randy Sabien in Concert 7 p.m.

Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais, northshoremusicassociation.com Daylin James: Elvis the Legend Lives! 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com Consortium Aurora Borealis: Martin Blanchet Jazz Quintet 7:30 p.m. St. Paul’s United Church, Thunder Bay, consortiumab.org

Jan. 17, Friday

Exploring the Tempest: A Free Shakespeare Discussion 3 p.m. Zoom via CCHE, Grand Marais, mycche.org

Jan. 17-March 2

Biting Back: Our Cultural Resilience (Reception Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m.) Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

Jan. 17-March 9

Rebecca Belmore: March 5, 1819 Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

Jan. 18, Saturday

Saturday Morning at the Races 10 a.m.

College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, grandmasmarathon.com Beargrease Cub Run 11 a.m.

Lakeview National Golf Course, Two Harbors, facebook.com/beargrease Snowshoe Hike to the Cascades 1 p.m.

Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay, mndnr.gov/tettegouche Medicine River 7 p.m. Up Yonder, Grand Marais, upyonderon61.com TBSO: Matt Sellick 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbso.ca Folsom Prison Experience 8 p.m. Decc, Duluth, decc.org

Jan. 18-19

Two-Person Champagne Open Bonspiel Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais, cookcountycurlingclub.com

Jan. 19, Sunday

Finland Farmers Market 12:30 p.m. Clair Nelson Center, Finland, finlandfarmersmarket.com

Jan. 20, Monday

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Free Entrance Day All Minnesota State Parks, mndnr.gov/freeparkdays

Jan. 21, Tuesday

Chicago: The Musical 7:30 p.m. Decc, Duluth, decc.org

Jan. 22-Feb. 2

2025 USA Curling National Championship Decc, Duluth, decc.org

Jan. 24, Sunday

Activities Around the Fireplace Noon, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Two Harbors, mndnr.gov/gooseberry

Jan. 24-25

Lake Superior Ice Festival Barkers Island, Superior, lakesuperioricefestival.com

Jan. 25, Saturday

Hartley Park 10K 9:30 a.m. Hartley Park, Duluth, duluthwintertrailseries.com Cutest Puppy Contest 10 a.m. Fitger’s, Duluth, facebook.com/beargrease Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club Drag Races 11 a.m. Skyport Lodge, Devil Track Lake, ridgeriders.club Father Daughter Ball 5 p.m. Decc, Duluth, fatherdaughterballduluth.org Jo Koy: Just Being Koy Tour 8 p.m. Decc, Duluth, decc.org New Salty Dogs 8 p.m. Up Yonder, Grand Marais, upyonderon61.com

Jan. 26, Sunday

John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon Races Start 11 a.m. Billy’s Bar, Duluth, beargrease.com Beargrease 40 Finish “The Pit,” Two Harbors, beargrease.com Banff Centre Mountain Film Fest World Tour 7 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com Dr. Jordan B Peterson 7:30 p.m. Decc, Duluth, decc.org

Jan. 27, Monday

Beargrease 120 Finish Trestle Inn, Finland, beargrease.com

Jan. 28, Tuesday

Beargrease Marathon Finish Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, beargrease.com Dogman Party 4 p.m. Two Harbors Public Library, twoharborspubliclibrary.com Superior National Forest 101 with Northwoods Volunteer Connection 5:30 p.m. Two Harbors Public Library, twoharborspubliclibrary.com

Jan. 30, Thursday

Community Creations 4 p.m. Two Harbors Public Library, twoharborspubliclibrary.com Erin Walsh Q&A: How to Show Up For Your Kids in the Digital Age 6 p.m. Zoom via CCHE, Grand Marais, mycche.org

Jan. 31, Friday

Dennis Warner in Concert 2 p.m. Silver Bay Public Library, alslib.info TBSO: Big Tunes 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbso.ca

Jan. 31-Feb. 9

The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong 7:30 p.m.

(2 p.m. Sun.) Duluth Playhouse, duluthplayhouse.org

Feb. 1, Saturday

Beyond the Reel: A VPC Film Fundraiser 5:30 p.m. Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais, violencepreventioncenter.org/community DSSO: Masterworks 4: Brahms’ Three 7 p.m.

Decc, Duluth, dsso.com

WEEKLY EVENTS Tuesdays

Locals Night with Live Music 4:30 p.m.

North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us

Wednesdays

Weekly Game Day for Adults 1 p.m.

Two Harbors Public Library, facebook.com/communitypartnersth Thunder Bay Country Market 3:30 p.m. CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, tbcm.ca

Thursdays

Makers Mornings 9:30 a.m. Ely Folk School, elyfolkschool.org Date Night with Live Music 6 p.m. North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us

Fridays

Renegade Late Night Improv 10 p.m. Zeitgeist Arts, Duluth, zeitgeistarts.com

Saturdays

Thunder Bay Country Market 8 a.m. CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, tbcm.ca

Sundays

Winter FunDays 2 p.m. Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca/winterfundays

Gunflint Mail Run January 11, 2025

Take the North Shore home with you!

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4 VOLUM E 21 ISSU E 01 OUTDO OR EVENTS S ARTS REVIEW S HEALTH

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From Duluth to Thunder Bay, Ont. and beyond, we cover the stories from the area featuring the people and places that make this place unique. You will find upcoming events, arts coverage, outdoor activities, dining, community news and more.

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15 Teams,10 Dogs 65 Mile Race Race Start: 8 AM Start, Finish & Mandatory Layover at: Trail Center Lodge, 7611 Gunflint Trail (30 miles from Grand Marais)

For more information: gunflintmailrun.com

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Call (218) 387-9475 to pay by credit card (Visa or MC) NORTHERN WILDS

JANUARY 2025

23

The North Shore Dish Kombucha’s Tangy, Timeless Appeal By Virginia George

Kombucha has surged onto the market in recent years, and if you’ve been wondering “What is this new fan-dangled drink they’re trying to sell me?!” well, I would tell you that it’s not new at all. In fact, we know that people were drinking kombucha as far back as 220 BCE. As for what it is, well that will take a little more conversation.

The spread of popularity of kombucha in North America really began in the kitchen with home brewers who would share starter cultures with one another. In fact, I have been brewing kombucha on and off in my kitchen for about 18 years. The most critical component necessary to brew kombucha is the SCOBY. The SCOBY is named as such for it is a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast, and it forms on the surface of the brewing vessel, sort of sealing the culture below off from the atmosphere above.

When new, a SCOBY is clear and jelly-like, but when they get older, they are thicker and turn opaque. This is the source of the kombucha magic.

To brew a gallon of kombucha, I like to boil 3 quarts (or liters) of water with 4 teaspoons of black tea, or a black and green tea combination, (I like to do half black assam and half gunpowder green) and then add 1 cup of sugar and stir. I let it come back to a boil and then turn the heat off and let it cool. Once this starter tea is back to room temperature, or at least under 90 degrees F (32 C), I add it to my brewing vessel with a piece of SCOBY and 2 cups of the previous brew (this maintains acidity in the culture and helps guard against mold growth).

And that’s it! Wait two weeks or so, draw off 3 quarts of kombucha, making sure to save some for the next brew, and move on to bottling.

If you’ve seen commercial kombucha or tried any of your friends’ brews, you know that there are an infinite number of flavors.

This is the point in the process where flavoring happens. I have found that ginger often brings a delightful tang and fizz that we enjoy. You can add whole fruit, fruit juice, herbs—get creative! We bottle our kombucha in swing top bottles with some type of secondary ferment (often cranberry juice and ginger), leave them on the counter for maybe three or four days, and then put them in the fridge. Sealing them tightly in swing top bottles or mason jars can encourage carbonation, as the yeasts eat whatever sugar is left and release it into the 24

JANUARY 2025

Uffda Kombucha resides across the bridge in Superior, with distribution to Duluth, Superior, Grand Marais, and Grand Rapids. | VIRGINIA GEORGE liquid. Incidentally, it can also cause explosions, so be careful. Refrigerating slows the fermentation process, so it’s best to store your finished kombucha there. If you like your kombucha plain, you can skip the flavoring step and go right to drinking it.

Commercially, the kombucha market has grown in leaps and bounds. It used to be that there were only a few kombucha brands to be found in only a couple stores, but now availability has become almost mainstream. Because it is a fermented beverage that leaves a good part of its production up to nature, consistency between batches can be difficult to regulate. In 2010 in the United States, legislation was passed to regulate the amount of alcohol in commercially available kombucha. Because kombucha is a fermented product, small amounts of alcohol are a natural byproduct. You’ll remember that the SCOBY contains both yeast and bacteria—yeast eat the sugar and release carbon dioxide and alcohol, and then the bacteria will consume the alcohol and convert it to acetic acid.

Commercial brewers in the United States are generally expected to keep their alcohol levels below .5% alcohol by volume (ABV) to avoid being regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

Because of this fermentation process and the fact that kombucha starts as a living beverage, there are a wide variety of

NORTHERN WILDS

health claims to be associated with it. Peer reviewed studies do not support the claims that kombucha is a magical elixir, but they do support the suggestion that it is probiotic, a source for several B-vitamins, and can support a healthy immune system. So, while kombucha is unlikely to regrow a limb or give you superpowers, it is a delightfully tangy beverage with infinitely flavorful possibilities, that may give you a few extra vitamins and some immune support.

Because kombucha is more commercially available, you can find it on tap at several local breweries and a few cafes. The artisan-crafted nature of it means there are often new and unique flavors available in those settings, while canned and bottled versions tend toward staple flavors. Here are a few local brands you might seek out and find in your neck of the woods.

Uffda Kombucha, Superior

Uffda Kombucha resides across the bridge in Superior, with distribution to Duluth, Superior, Grand Marais, and Grand Rapids. Uffda Kombucha follows a 14-21 day fermentation time, using organic ingredients. The current flavors of Uffda Kombucha are blueberry, raspberry, honey ginger, and apple pie, which can be found in retailers around the Northland and several breweries in Duluth.

Home Grown Kombucha, Ignace

Home Grown Kombucha is headquartered in Ignace, Ontario, with distribution to its surrounding communities and Thunder Bay. Home Grown Kombucha (HGK) is known as “The Smooth Booch,” with a mild flavor made from hand-picked herbs, whole berries, and a low ABV. (Canada allows commercial kombucha to reach 1.1% ABV but HGK maintains their levels below .5% ABV.) Second fermentation is achieved with whole fruit instead of fruit juice, which imparts a subtle flavor to the drink. HGK staples are wild blueberry, raspberry lemonade, peach and wildflowers, and ginger chamomile, with seasonal flavors rotating through as well. You can find Home Grown Kombucha at several retailers in Thunder Bay, Kenora, and Longlac, with plans to expand to even more markets.

Small businesses face a tough market, and over the years many small craft businesses have come and gone. So, the next time you’re getting a non-alcoholic beverage at the brewery, or you want a good glass of fermented delight, consider supporting Uffda Kombucha, Home Grown Kombucha, or another small, local brand. They are small operations who began their business with the hope to provide a delicious and health supporting beverage to their friends and family and beyond.

One Change for a Healthier New Year

By Hartley Newell-Acero January is a time when lots of people decide to make changes in their lives. Sometimes these transformations are big and take a lot of work, but the hope is that the benefits will be large too. It’s common, though, for people to feel overwhelmed by the idea of starting a personal “New Year’s Revolution,” and to opt out of switching things up, even if that would benefit them. If this sounds familiar, how would you feel about a single small adjustment that can be made to your existing diet with very little effort, but that can provide huge health payoffs? What’s the simple switch? Adding more fiber.

Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that’s found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. There are two types: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance that slows down digestion and helps keep you feeling full. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve. It helps to clear out your colon and improves your gut health. Conveniently, most whole food sources of fiber contain both types.

Less than 5% of the U.S. population gets enough dietary fiber. That’s not just unfortunate, it’s a disaster, because this humble nutrient provides extraordinary benefits. A diet rich in whole-food fiber can: • Help control blood sugar, lowering the risk of both pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

• Lower the risk of cancer.

• Decrease the risk of constipation, hemorrhoids, and diverticulitis.

• Lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides (fat in your blood).

• Raise “good” (HDL) cholesterol.

• Lower blood pressure.

• Reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Reduce the risk of gallstones and gallbladder disease.

• Lower the risk of stomach ulcers.

• Satisfy appetite while helping with weight loss.

• Reduce chronic inflammation.

• Support a diverse, healthy gut microbiome.

Children and adults need about 25-35 grams of fiber per day. Fortunately, fiber is found in foods that are delicious, affordable, and easily accessible. Even better, getting more fiber doesn’t necessarily mean you have to totally overhaul your diet. It’s usually just a matter of making some additions and substitutions.

Breakfast

If you like cereal to start your day, that’s an easy place to bump up the fiber. Whether it’s hot or cold cereal, make sure the first

ingredient is a whole grain. In fact, any cooked whole grain (oats, brown or wild rice, quinoa, millet…) can be a great breakfast. Layer on your favorite fruit, and sprinkle with some nuts or seeds. You’re well on your way to a high-fiber day, without even being fully awake.

If you like a more savory start, scramble up some eggs or tofu, and toss in veggies such as onion, spinach, tomato, bell peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli. Add a couple tablespoons of whole or refried beans and serve on a whole wheat tortilla, with some whole-grain bread, or on leftover grains.

Lunch

Lots of folks need easy, portable options for lunch. Grabbing a piece of fruit or some cut up veggies (carrots, cucumber, cauliflower, bell peppers…) is a quick boost of fiber. Beans such as chickpeas, black beans, edamame, kidney, etc. are another easy addition. Scatter a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of beans (either canned or home-cooked) over a salad, tuck into a sandwich, or stir into some soup.

Supper

Vegetables as side dishes are already a common part of supper—increase fiber by just having some more and more often. If prepping vegetables feels too time consuming, check out the freezer section of your grocery store. Frozen veggies are just as nutritious as fresh and can quickly be steamed in the microwave or roasted in an air fryer or oven. Another bonus—frozen vegetables are often less expensive.

Fiber Fundamentals

• A little more fiber at each meal quickly adds up over the course of the day.

• When you eat bread or pasta, choose whole-grain over refined. Choose whole fruit over juice.

• Delicious, versatile, and inexpensive, beans have the highest amount of fiber of any food. Experiment with new recipes (eatusabeans.com/recipes) and look for ways to add them to food that you’re already making.

• As you increase your fiber intake, start with small amounts. Increase consumption slowly over time.

• Fiber needs water to work its magic. Increase your water intake as you increase your fiber intake.

• Fiber supplements can be helpful for certain health conditions, but they don’t provide the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that whole foods do. Check with your healthcare provider before using supplements on a regular basis.

WINTER SAFETY TIPS Every winter, North Shore Health treats Cook County visitors and locals for injuries sustained from winter activities including: hypothermia, frostbite, cardiac arrest and broken bones. Some preparations apply to all winter activities. Be aware of the time. You do not want to be out after dark. The sun sets early. Dress in layers, wear a scarf and gloves, and wear a warm hat. Thirty percent of heat loss is through the head. Check the weather in advance. Bring a rope when on or near ice covering rivers and lakes. Our recommended Winter Activities Safety Tips: Hypothermia:  Drink plenty of fluids and warm/hot drinks (not alcohol)  Keep dry and change out of wet clothes as soon as possible Snowmobiling:  Check trail conditions before riding  Don’t drink alcohol and ride  Never ride alone  Watch for tree stumps, rocks & ice heaves Snow Skiing and Snowboarding:  Know which slopes are right for your skill level  Don’t ski or snowboard alone  Stay on marked paths.  Pay attention to warning signs Ice Fishing:  Avoid thin ice  Bring an emergency flotation device  Don’t ice fish alone

Snowshoeing:

 Use maps, mapping tools and use a GPS  Bring a communication device  Pack the right gear, including food and water, first aid kit, and skin, lip and eye protection

 Don’t forget poles

Snow Shoveling:  Be careful in icy conditions  Don’t ignore chest pain  Use an ergonomic shovel  Use proper shoveling techniques  Don’t overdo it and take breaks Ice Skating:  Warm up before skating (exercise & stretch)  Choose right skates for your skill level and that fit well  Maintain skates (sharpen blades)  Practice falling

515 5th Ave West, Grand Marais, MN 55604 218-387-3040 / Emergency Call: 911 www.NorthShoreHealthgm.org

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JANUARY 2025

25

Northern Trails The Evolution of the Ice Fishing Rod By Gord Ellis

Anglers who began their ice fishing in the 1960s and ‘70s had a very limited array of tools to work with. The augers were basic— if you had an auger—and it often took a lot of work to make a single ice hole. Most of those anglers also used a limited array of techniques to catch the fish, the most common way was with a hook and sinker with a minnow or worm. That rig was then draped over something called a gad. The gad was generally a cut willow stick that you poked into the snow. That gad was, for all intents and purposes, your “rod.” In truth, ice fishing rods were very rare then, and if an angler jigged, it was often with just a hand or maybe a stick.

The first commercial ice fishing rod I ever saw was called a Thrumming Rod, made by Rapala. There wasn’t much rod really, just a couple of inches with an eye on the end. It also had a large diameter reel and a plastic handle. We started using these Thrumming Rods on Lake Superior for lake trout in the 1980s and they were fine unless it got cold, then the rod tip would snap on the hookset.

Sometime in the late ‘80s, relatively crude ice jigging rods started to appear. They were short, made of fiberglass, and quite heavy, but overall, it was better for jigging heavy Swedish Pimples and it didn’t break. This was the lake trout rod of choice for at least a decade.

Sometime in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, a lot of anglers seemed to be having the same idea: What if you used a shorter version of a normal fishing rod on the ice? There were some commercial “ice rods” starting to appear at this time, most of which were still quite basic. But a few of my angling friends and many people across the North American angling community started to make their own ice rods.

What I did was take a couple of the tips from rods I’d broken and affix them to the handle of the same rod, or another rod that was broken. The old rod handles would still have the reel seat. The biggest trick was getting the broken tip end secured in the handle. On rod blanks that were hollow, it was a breeze. I’d saw the broken blank at the handle and then stick the end of the rod tip into the hole, after adding a bunch of epoxy glue. I’d make sure the reels seat and rod eyes were lined up, and then let it cure. This homemade solution worked remarkably well, and some of those DIY ice rods are still around and get used occasionally.

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This ice rod is made for handling big fish like lake trout. | GORD ELLIS

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A longer and more sensitive rod allowed the ice angler a better feel, especially when jigging with lighter lures.

It also increased the fun and sport when fighting a fish. Having a longer, softer rod was also a real improvement when fishing with live bait. When a fish bit, you could see the rod tip go down slowly. Yes, the cut stick gad did a similar thing, but by having an actual spinning reel on the rod, you could ease off on the drag and let the fish swim with the bait. The addition of a balance made of wooden dowel, that the ice rod could sit on, allowed even more finesse.

By the early 2000s, the ice fishing industry was booming. Companies like Clam, Northland, Frabill, and Otter were targeting ice anglers and creating all sorts of cool accessories and shelters that made life more comfortable.

Yet the biggest boom was undoubtedly in ice fishing rods and reels. Suddenly, there were ultra-light panfish ice rods, medium weight walleye and trout rods, and heavy action rods for large fish such as pike and lake trout.

Many ice rods were developed to hold baitcasting reels, which was perfect for battling larger fish like lake trout. The drag on a quality bait cast is exceptional and they generally perform well in the cold. On top of that, you could buy rods that were graphite, or fiberglass, or a mix of both. Many ice rod eyes were made larger, due to the possibility of freeze up, and the handles were

A big, beautiful book trout. | GORD ELLIS foam or cork, to be warmer. It was a brave new world of ice fishing rods.

One of the interesting things that happened during the ice fishing booms of the 2000s was the appearance of custom rod builders, who specialized in ice rods. This was not something I had on my bingo card, but I was lucky enough to receive rods from several custom ice rod builders, including a couple in Northwestern Ontario. The thought and care that went into these rods were next level, and I often felt nervous using them as winter cold, mixed with snowmobile sled rides, can be a bad mix. I learned this the hard way one time when the power auger

that had been secured in the sleigh got loose on some bumpy snow and diced up a couple gorgeous ice rods. This was about the time all ice fishing rods got a protective case for transport.

In 2025, the array of ice fishing rods is vast, with every possible price point from $10 to $200 or more for a single rod. Many ice rods are now bundled with a reel, which can be great if the reel is of good quality, but unfortunately, that’s’ not always the case. Some reels just don’t like winter. One thing is for sure, the days of all ice anglers cutting a willow stick when they go fishing is long over.

Ice fishing rods are here to stay.

Gord Ellis jigging for trout with an ice rod. | GORD ELLIS

CARIBOU LAKE

BY JOE SHEAD WHY GO: You don’t find too many good largemouth bass lakes along the North Shore, but Caribou Lake, located a short drive northwest of Duluth, has some good bass fishing, along with good opportunities for walleyes and panfish.

ACCESS: Caribou Lake is just a short drive from Duluth. From the mall area, drive 10 miles up Highway 53/Miller Trunk Highway.

Turn right onto Munger Shaw Road and proceed 1.7 miles north to Birch Point Road. Turn right and proceed a mile to the boat launch parking lot on your right. This boat launch, located on the northwestern corner of the lake, has the best ramp, although there are a couple other access sites as well. This one has a concrete ramp with a dock, a restroom, and parking for a half-dozen or so trailers.

VITALS: Caribou Lake is a 538-acre lake with a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lakeshore is heavily developed. The lake’s abundant weed growth serves as good habitat for northern pike, largemouth bass, and bluegills.

GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill, and yellow perch.

LARGEMOUTH BASS: “It’s a pretty neat little fishery,” said Dan Wilfond, Duluth area

DNR fisheries supervisor. “It has relatively clear water and a lot of vegetation. It’s one of our more high-density largemouth bass lakes.

If you’re looking for abundance, if you want to take the kids and get a number of 12- to 16-inchers, it’s a good place to go.”

WALLEYE: In addition to bass, Caribou is managed for walleyes. “We hammered down a historic high for walleyes in the 2023 fisheries survey. It’s one of our bread-and-butter fingerling-stocked lakes. There’s a number of decent year-classes,” Wilfond said. The 2023 survey turned up 6.3 walleyes per gillnet. Average size was 17.9 inches, and nearly 47% of the walleyes sampled exceeded 18 inches. Only about 7% of the fish were not stocked, so the stocking program not only supports the fishery, but seems to be working quite well.

NORTHERN PIKE: Caribou is a popular winter spearing destination. The weedy environment is good for pike, but despite the quality habitat, you’re not likely to tangle with a lunker. “It has pretty good pike production and there’s a lot of harvest, so I think those bigger fish get cropped down,” Wilfond said.

BLACK CRAPPIE: Winter anglers also hit Caribou hard for crappies. “It’s pretty well known in the area for some decent crappie fishing,” Wilfond said. “This one seems to have

consistent recruitment for crappies most years.”

That’s notable because crappies often have boom-and-bust cycles. But it’s good to have consistency here in terms of reproduction, because winter fishing pressure is also consistent.

BLUEGILL: Once again, the lake’s abundance of aquatic vegetation serves panfish well.

“It kicks out a lot of panfish,” Wilfond said. “It gets hit hard in the winter.” And although the DNR survey numbers don’t reflect it, Wilfond added, “There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that there’s some pretty nice panfish.”

YELLOW PERCH: If there’s one species that doesn’t make the highlight reel, it’s yellow perch. Although you’ll find small perch in the lake, their role seems to be feeding pike and walleyes instead of anglers.

View all our Fishing Hole Maps at: northernwilds.com/fishingholemaps

NORTHERN WILDS

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Bird Tracks

Cotton Grass

By Jonathan Poppele

New and Selected Poems of the North

The Rocks Will Echo Our Sorrow

Adventure Publications, 2023, $12.95

By Bart Sutter

The Forced Displacement of the Northern Sámi

Bird Trac k s provides detailed illustrations to 55 species of birds, including backyard birds like the American goldfinch, raptors like the bald eagle, game birds like the ruffed grouse, and water birds like the wood duck. The illustrations are carefully drawn to resemble the track prints seen in the field. It also provides size information, gait descriptions, and leg anatomy. This small, lightweight, tear-resistant book is perfect for anyone curious about birds.—Breana Johnson

Nodin Press, 2024, $19.95

By Elin Anna Labba

Cotton Grass is a retrospective collection of poems by Bart Sutter that celebrates the natural world with vivid imagery and emotional depth. Drawing inspiration from the north’s landscapes and urban settings, Sutter captures moments of beauty and insight— from ot ters eating golden walleyes to a raccoon lounging in a roof hole. His work mixes different styles—from free verse to sonnets to haikus—offering a refreshing take on tradition, rhyme, and meter.

—Breana Johnson

University of Minnesota Press, 2024, $22.95

Loggin’ Food at its Finest

More than 100 years have passed since the Sámi were forcibly displaced from their homes in northern Norway and Sweden—100 years since author Elin Anna Labba’s ancestors drove their reindeer over the strait to the mainland for the last time.

The place where they lived has remained empty ever since. Labba tells of this heartbreaking, forgotten history through stories, interviews, photographs, letters, documents, and joiks, reclaiming a place in today’s world for the Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia.—Breana Johnson

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Our dog yard at night after a fresh snowfall. | ERIN ALTEMUS miles into a 35-mile run she started limping.

She made a great companion in the side-byside. At the end of the run, I left her in the passenger seat while I attended to lining out the team in the dog yard post run. When I went back to the ATV, JuJu had her head in the snack bag, snarfing down fish as fast as she could swallow. “I guess your foot must not hurt too bad, huh girl?” I said.

I met Matt at a road crossing to help the team cross safely. One of our first days on sleds. | ERIN ALTEMUS

SAWTOOTH RACING DOG BLOG

Being Present

BY ERIN ALTEMUS We spend many, many hours training dogs, and during these hours, I find myself thinking about everything from life plans to my next snack. Sometimes I concentrate on what the dogs are doing in front of me, watching their gait, their tugs, and their demeanor with each other. Sometimes if I really “space out” or look away, especially if it’s a longer run, a dog will choose that exact moment to stop and use the bathroom, as if they know that finally mom’s not looking.

Suddenly, the team bunches up the second I look away and I must slam on the break to avoid a tangle.

A few times recently—maybe it’s my increasing age, I’m not sure—I have found myself so lost in thought that when I look ahead at the team it takes me a full minute to remember where we are. Of course I know I am mushing, but where? It’s as if the world

around me has spun away and I have to spin it back together until I can remember where we are, what run this is, and why we are mushing here. Maybe I’ve just put in so many miles that the trails have all run together.

I have often thought that mushing is one thing that usually keeps me in the moment.

Sometimes I don’t like the moment. I’m cold or hungry or wet or tired. I am getting dragged behind a sled, breaking up a dog fight, or maybe just wishing the miles would go by a little faster. But regardless of whether the miles are all pleasure or misery, they are lived. The miles and hours are not time on a screen. Forget texting and mushing.

I’ve tried on occasion in desperate circumstances, and besides the cold fingers, it is not easy to type on a bumpy sled while hanging on. It is often a struggle for me just to pull out my phone or camera to take a photo.

Trail grooming isn’t my favorite part of dog mushing, especially after getting the machine stuck by myself. | ERIN ALTEMUS Recently on one of our last ATV runs, I took out a 16-dog team by myself and as I hit Trout Lake Road, something didn’t seem right with Ginger. I stopped the ATV and went to see what was wrong and then it became apparent that the gangline had snapped. Our gangline is made of airline cable covered in polyethylene rope, and the cable itself had just gone caput. Ginger was actually being pulled from her neckline and tug in opposite directions, a very unsafe and dire problem. Somehow the dog next to her had broken his neckline, so he was okay.

Not knowing what else to do, I unclipped her tug, which also unleashed the front half of the team. Eight dogs took off, all hooked together running free.

I ran back to the ATV and sprinted forward, trying to catch that half of the team.

I caught them once and they surged ahead again. Luckily within another mile, I was able to catch them—they stopped and I reattached them to the back half with extra gangline. Everyone was okay.

If you’re a dog, being present in the moment simply means taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, and often that means eating food that is readily available. I had to give our girl JuJu a ride in the ATV during a recent run because 30

One day this fall, Matt and I set out to do some trail work together. It was just after a large rain event. Several inches of rain fell mid-November. If only it had been snow, I thought, but it wasn’t, so we pushed on with our plans to trim brush on a newer to us trail. There were suddenly large puddles to plow through where there weren’t before, and creeks were swollen and existent where they hadn’t been previously. One in particular had turned into a small river. We went in, full steam ahead, and suddenly found ourselves stuck, tires spinning on the gravel going both forward and back.

I won’t sugarcoat the situation. The next half hour could have been an exercise in conflict resolution. We worked through various ideas and failures that included an attempt at a Z-drag, levers, and pushing. One of us got quite soaked. There was cussing. I thought perhaps it would be best if I just hiked on out of there for a second ATV and tools (probably 5-7 miles to home).

But finally, along came our mushing friend Tim White on his 2WD ATV. He had a pickaxe, which helped us dig out the gravel underneath our ATV, and that—along with enough leverage from logs under the wheels—freed us from the river. Tim somehow managed to cruise right through.

The weather finally changed from rain and warmth to snow and cold and we were able to switch to sleds on Dec. 6. While the first days of sled runs weren’t perfect, with some unintentional head-on passes, super brushy trails, and rock grinding, I am reminded of a quote that I’ve known for many years that goes something like, “Even if you’re cold and wet, you’re always warm and dry.”

As far as we know, dogs always live in the moment. There is no future and no past, just now. I don’t know that I would want to live in that place all the time, but if my dogs have taught me anything, the present moment, no matter what the present brings, is a mighty fine place to be.

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Gidaanikeshkaagonaanig Gidaanikoobijiganinaan Following the Ancestor’s Steps

Giiyosewinini A Hunter

By Zhaawanoogiizhik / Sam Zimmerman When I am out wandering the woods, I am always delighted when I come across newly chewed and felled trees from amikwag (beavers). They are among some of my favorite awensiinyag (animal) relatives. These little manidoog (spirits) hold such an incredible place in the natural world as they can change ecosystems through building dams that can last many years. Sadly, one of their greatest threats are ma’iinganag (wolves), who love to ambush them when they leave the safety of the nibi (water).

While hiking in Tettegouche State Park, I recently saw a beautiful amikwiish (beaver lodge), which inspired me to do my first amik (beaver) painting. When beginning this piece, I was originally going to show the amik (beaver) on the shore. However, as I worked, the spirit of the piece changed. I decided to show the relationship of the ma’iingan mikonizhikaw (wolf flushing/chasing his prey), while the amikwag (beavers) are safe in their amikwiish (beaver lodge).

The ma’iingan (wolf) keeps a watchful eye along the shore, waiting under the twilight sky.

Follow my studio on Facebook and Instagram @CraneSuperior or if you have ideas for a North Shore painting, you can email me at: cranesuperiorstudio@gmail.com.

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NORTHERN SKY JANUARY 2025 By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH

The new year comes bearing gifts of bright planets and the annual splendid display of winter stars.

The year opens with Venus blazing in the southwest for a couple of hours after sunset. In the first three days of January, a young crescent moon climbs out of the sunset and passes Venus. But while Venus gains altitude throughout the month, Saturn—which starts out to the upper left of Venus— plummets. The planets pass each other between the 15th and the 18th.

In the east, all the bright winter stars and constellations will be up by 8 p.m., and earlier every evening.

Sirius, the brightest of stars, shines from Canis Major, the big dog. It is also the lowest bright star in the assembly. Try comparing it to Venus, the brightest planet, when the two objects are facing each other from opposite horizons.

Earth laps Mars in the orbital race the evening of the 15th. At that mo-

ment Mars will be gliding below Pollux, the brighter of the Gemini twins.

To find the red planet that night, follow an imaginary line leading upward and leftward from Sirius. It will lead first to Procyon, the bright star in Canis Minor, the little dog, then to Mars, which will rival Sirius in brightness.

January’s full moon arrives at 4:27 p.m. on the 13th. At approximately 8:08 p.m. that night, Mars disappears behind the advancing moon— an event that may be lost in the moon’s glare.

Also among the winter stars in the east, look for Orion, the hunter, with his hourglass shape and three closely spaced stars in his belt. At the top of the stellar assembly you’ll find brilliant Capella, in Auriga, the charioteer. And even more brilliant Jupiter is near Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus, the bull.

Next to the moon and Venus, Jupiter is the brightest object in the night sky.

P O P L A R H AU S

The University of Minnesota offers public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth and Twin Cities campuses. For more information on Duluth, visit: d.umn.edu/planet.

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Strange Tales

Tales of Lighthouse Keepers By Elle AndraWarner

Lighthouse keepers had their fair share of shipwreck rescues and riding out storms.

But many of them had good tales to tell, too.

Here’s a snapshot look at a few of them.

In September 1912, American author/ adventurer Raymond Smiley Spears rowed his small sail-powered open boat along the north shore of Lake Superior from Fort William (now part of the city of Thunder Bay) to Michipicoten. Along the way he stopped to visit some of the lighthouses, including Shaganash Lighthouse (aka No. 10 Lighthouse) built in 1910 on northwest Lake Superior at end of Island #10. In his book, A Trip of the Great Lakes, he describes his first sighting of the lighthouse while a few miles away: “Somehow, I do not remember having seen anything that seemed so lonesome as that light there on Great Shaganash Island.

The place was so utterly away from everything, separated by islands and channels and miles of woods.”

However, after he landed on the island and visited with the 68-year-old British-born keeper William Iles Fairall, who fixed the boom for his sail, Spears praised the island, later writing, “It was quite the most natural place I had seen, with water and islands and wild mainlands untampered by rude or commercial hands of mankind.”

A model ship built by John Whelan, featuring a carved mermaid figure to sit on the ship’s deck. | EAGLE RIVER MUSEUM COLLECTION oten and down the Moose Rivers. On the quickest trip he reached the bay on the eleventh day after leaving Superior, making 35 portages, and shooting 175 rapids on the way. Their quickest return trip was made in seventeen days.”

Known as the Michipicoten Canoe Route, it was an important link from Lake Superior to James Bay and Hudson’s Bay via Michipicoten, Missinaibi, and Moose Rivers.

Though the first recorded journey was in the 1770s when the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) began establishing fur-trade posts along the rivers, the route may well have been used for eons by Indigenous people.

Could the Norse explorers have accompanied them in the past as a route inland to Lake Superior?

Over at Michipicoten Island East End Lighthouse on Michipicoten Island in northeast Lake Superior, romance was in the air when in September 1972, the head lighthouse keeper Joseph Thibeault, an Ojibway, married Ann Whitehorse in a wedding ceremony that caught the attention of international media. The couple had met briefly in Toronto where Ann was living some years ago. Here’s what Missouri’s Sedalia Democrat published on September 27, 1972, about the couple: “They started writing each other, and Ann’s letters eased the loneliness in Joe’s life as a lighthouse keeper on Michipicoten Island. They became engaged by mail two years ago. The groom, a former fisherman who has been light-keeping for 10 years, was dressed in Indian regalia as he rode up to the beach on horseback for the outdoors wedding ceremony. The bride, from New Waterford, Nova Scotia, wore a long brightly-hued dress which Joe said signified nature’s colors and life.”

Could the Norse explorers have reached Lake Superior by a river link from James Bay or Hudson’s Bay in Canada’s far north?

In an 1896 article “Trouting on the North 32

JANUARY 2025

Sand Hills Light on Lake Superior, Michigan. | JJEGERS ON WIKIMEDIA Shore” in Outing magazine, writer W. O. Henderson mentions meeting the first keeper Louis Miron at Gargantua Lighthouse, which was built and lit in 1889 on a small island in northeast Lake Superior at the entrance to Gargantua Harbour.

Henderson wrote, “Three times Miron had been to Hudson’s Bay, a full seven hundred miles going by canoe up the Michicpic-

NORTHERN WILDS

So, what’s the story about a mermaid in Lake Superior? Well, the first assistant lighthouse keeper John Whelan at Michigan’s Sand Hills Light on Five Mile Point, Eagle River, for 15 years (1919 to 1930), became known as someone that had seen mermaids.

Perhaps it was because he said, “If you live around lighthouse stations long enough, you begin to see mermaids on the rocks and hear them sing.” In a Detroit News article (May 10, 1932) “Drama of the Lonely Man,” reporter Stella M. Champany wrote that another keeper told her, “Whelan sees mermaids on the rocks and hears them singing.”

Furthering his legendary connection with mermaids, when Whelan built a beautiful model ship, now on display at Eagle River

Museum, he also carved a mermaid figure to sit on the ship’s deck looking out.

Myth or something else? Some readers may have read about the well-documented sighting on May 3, 1772, by fur trader Venant St. Germain of a “merman” sea creature in the waters around Pie Island, which is located in eastern Lake Superior about 6.2 miles (10 km) south of Thunder Bay. St. Germain was so troubled by the sighting that 30 years after seeing the merman, he signed a court affidavit in Montreal, Quebec, dated November 13, 1812, to legally record the incident. And in his deposition, he recorded that another voyageur had seen a similar animal when paddling Pie [Pate] Island.

Over at Porphyry Island Lighthouse on Edward Island in western Lake Superior, there’s a heart-warming story told about a cat and lighthouse keeper Dave Sokalsky in the 1970s. During his last year at the lighthouse, Dave had taken a kitten with him for company and they had a great relationship. After locking down the lighthouse in November, Dave packed up all his things. But when the Canadian Coast Guard helicopter came to pick him up, his beloved companion was nowhere to be found and he had to lift off, leaving his cat behind, alone on the island.

Heartbroken, Dave paid the cost for a helicopter ride back to Porphyry to find his lost cat. When he arrived, his cat was waiting at the door of the lighthouse. Dave bundled her up in his coat for the ride back to the city, where the cat enjoyed a long life.

Red Pine Realty

Locally owned and operated since 1996 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN | 218-387-9599 V I S I T O U R O F F I C E T O S P E A K W I T H A R E A LT O R . H O U R S : M - F 9 A M - 5 P M , S AT 1 0 A M - 4 P M REALTORS®: Sue Nichols, Broker • Jake Patten, Associate Broker • Jess Smith • Melissa Gregg • Mike Raymond • Alice McFarlane, Admin.

NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

LOON LAKE 130 ACRES

Stunning 130-acre expanse featuring nearly 4000 feet of shoreline. Located 40 miles from Grand Marais in the popular "Mid-Trail" area with access to lodges, restaurants and outfitters. Property has mixed zoning: Lakeshore Residential with a 1-acre minimum and Forest/Agriculture Residential, with a 5-acre minimum. Potential for development, splitting off some parcels or preserving as a private retreat

NORTHWOODS RETREAT ACREAGE

The beginnings of a Northwoods retreat or homestead are already here.

7.5 acres located just 5 miles from Grand Marais with year-round county maintained road access on the north and south property borders. Good building sites, with driveway, bunkhouse, storage sheds and electric set up for your campouts until you build.

MLS#6117248 $1,400,000

MLS# 6117206

$155,000

INLAND LAKE PROPERTIES

SOLD

PRIME LAKE LOT – PORTAGE LAKE Two acre lot, 361 feet of shoreline, driveway and site prep has begun, septic sites located. Lot adjoins federal land. High view looking down the lake. Portage Lake feels like the BWCAW, which is a portage away. Premier site waiting for great home or cabin.

MLS#6116511

$249,000

SALE NG PENDI CARRIAGE HOUSE/GARAGE – PORTAGE LAKE

PEACE AND SERENITY – BWCAW-ADJACENT LOT

Mid-Gunflint Trail lakeshore, 1 bedroom apartment above garage on 5.24 acres. Apartment is ready to move in. The 233 feet of shoreline is ready to launch your wilderness adventure. Portage Lake has direct access to the BWCAW by portage, good trout fishing, and no easy public access.

Large lot on Portage Lake, dense forest, rolling terrain and accessible shoreline for launching your wilderness adventures.

5.86 acre lot, over 500 feet of shoreline. Mid-Gunflint Trail location is remote and private. Your stress level will dissolve here, surrounded by the peaceful setting.

MLS#6116510 $285,000

MLS#6116513 $239,000

PORTAGE LAKE – MID-TRAIL LAKE LOT Wilderness serenity surrounds you. Direct access to the BWCAW, or just enjoy it from your deck. 5.13 acre lot, 400 feet of accessible lakeshore, nice building sites amid typical boreal forest landscapes. Huge rock faced cliff guards a pond, deep forest and pristine lake views.

WILDERNESS PRIVACY LOG HOME – PORTAGE LAKE Pristine 20 acres, 2500+ feet of Portage Lake shore, unique Mid-Gunflint Trail location. Surrounded by Superior National Forest & BWCA. Beautiful full-log home, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, porch, 2-car garage and gardens. Peninsula, privacy and views. Pristine location on quiet wilderness lake.

MLS#6116512

MLS#6115290

$209,000

$849,000

www.RedPineRealty.com • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS

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V I S I T O U R O F F I C E T O S P E A K W I T H A R E A LT O R . B U S I N E S S H O U R S : M - F 9 A M - 5 P M , S AT 1 0 A M - 4 P M

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

3 BEDROOM GRAND MARAIS HOME Located in a quiet neighborhood and an enjoyable walk away from everything in Grand Marais! Three bedroom, 2 bathroom house has a newer roof and gutters. A brandnew deck and exterior stairs! Zoned Permanent Resident, so make this your own residence or rent it out long-term.

FEATURED LISTING

MLS#6114935 $275,000

LARGE HOME - SILVER BAY

SPECTACULAR LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS

Five bed, 2 bath home with plenty of room and comfortable spaces.

Hardwood floors, fireplace, updated appliances and new mechanical systems. The large lower level has space for projects or rec-room.

Large yard and extra garage.

This could be the most impressive private land in Cook County. Situated 300 feet above Lake Superior, the views rival those at Pincushion Mountain. The 40 acres is surrounded by county & federal land with the Superior Hiking Trail running through the SE corner. Historically known as the Jagerhaus Bed & Breakfast. An opportunity to create something new after a fire in 2023. The foundation and other buildings remain. Visitors are required to be accompanied by licensed real estate agent.

MLS#6115564

FEATURED LISTING

$307,900

INLAND LAKE PROPERTIES

GULL LAKE CABIN Own a beautiful cabin on coveted Watters Point near the end of the Gunflint Trail with direct access to the BWCAW. Cabin sits on 1.7 acres on Gull Lake and features an open concept layout with a spacious loft area, a wood burning stove to take the chill out of the air and a 3-season screened porch.

SOLD

MLS#6115841

$375,000

MLS#6116536

$600,000

SPACIOUS GREENWOOD LAKE LOT Spacious, wooded lot gently sloping to the waterfront. There are very nice views of the majestic Greenwood Lake, with 338ft of shoreline and 3.65 acres. Mature White Pines and a seasonal creek set this property apart. Owners have done cleanup of deadfall to open up more lake views.

MLS#6112437 $259,000

HOMES AND CABINS

SALE NG PENDI COZY LOG CABIN ON 83 ACRES One bedroom, 1 bathroom, log cabin on 83 acres, bordered by MN State land. Catch a glimpse of Lake Superior on a clear day from the bedroom window. Interior is accented by beautiful diamond willow railings and custom ironwork. Propane lights, refrigerator and cooking range reduce utility expenses.

MLS#6112373 $279,000

SINGLE WIDE TRAILER ON 2.5 ACRES Nice, spacious, wooded property on the east side of Grand Marais with a huge yard and a single wide trailer that can be updated and inhabited or removed so you can start your own plans from scratch. Wood floored garage, fenced pet run, and a bunkhouse/tool shed included.

MLS#6116831

CHARMING TOFTE COTTAGE Charming home in Tofte with seasonal views of Lake Superior. Includes 2 bedrooms, office, 1 bathroom, fireplace and a 1-car garage with shop or studio space. New water system and on demand water heater. Owner has made $25,000 in improvements in the last 2 years.

$175,000

www.RedPineRealty.com • info@RedPineRealty.com 34

JANUARY 2025

NORTHERN WILDS

MLS#6112828 $304,900

V I S I T O U R O F F I C E T O S P E A K W I T H A R E A LT O R . B U S I N E S S H O U R S : M - F 9 A M - 5 P M , S AT 1 0 A M - 4 P M HOMES AND CABINS

SPACIOUS 3+ BEDROOM HOME Check out this spacious 3+ bedroom, 2 bath home! Home sits on 6+ acres, very close to Cascade River State Park and only a 12 min drive to Grand Marais. Many recent updates with a finished basement and plenty of room to spread out! The property feels very private! The large yard around the house is quite beautiful!

MLS#6116568

MLS# 6116796 $165,000

$399,000

A charming gambrel style home nestled in the woods within an easy drive from Grand Marais or Grand Portage. The house has all the comforts of home with 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, large rooms and an upper loft area. There are trails through the woods or head to the garage with plenty of space to pursue a hobby.

MLS# 6116783 $349,900

CONDO

TOFTE HOME – LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS Beautiful property with a pond and a prime Lake Superior view! Brand new updates have created a large, attractive space on the deck and in the screened porch to enjoy the natural beauty of every season! This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home would make a great year round residence or a vacation getaway.

SOLD

CHARMING GAMBREL HOME

OFF GRID A-FRAME CABIN

Peaceful getaway on almost 9 acres of heavily wooded forest adjoining federal land. Property has an A frame cabin powered by the sun & everything you need to step away from it all. There are 3 murphy beds to help utilize the smaller space. The wood burning stove will keep you warm during the colder months.

CARIBOU HIGHLANDS CONDO

SALE NG PENDI

Experience life at Caribou Highlands with a view of Moose Mountain from your deck. An entire renovation of the unit was completed in September. Alpine unit features a great room style floor plan with a loft bedroom.

Enjoy your condo as often as you like and defray costs by participating in the optional rental program.

MLS# 6116780

MLS#6116213

$640,000

$275,000

LAND/BUILDING SITES

MLS#

ADDRESS

CITY

PRICE

ACRES

DESCRIPTION

6112002 6113950 6112701 6111840 6114892 6114894 6113513 6115303 6114472 6112490 6113698 6116520 6116523

4XX-C LOST LAKE RD XXC PINE PEAK RD XXB PINE PEAK RD L4 B1 CROSSWIND TR 2XX-C W 11TH AVE 2XX-F W 11TH AVE ABC LOST LAKE RD XX BLACK GRANITE TR 16XX CARIBOU TR XXXX-1 JACKSON LAKE RD 4177 JOSHUA RD #7 MURPHY DR #11 MURPHY DR

HOVLAND LUTSEN LUTSEN TOFTE GRAND MARAIS GRAND MARAIS HOVLAND HOVLAND LUTSEN HOVLAND SILVER BAY GRAND MARAIS GRAND MARAIS

$37,500 $55,000 $65,000 $70,000 $80,000 $80,000 $139,000 $160,000 $229,000 $425,000 $125,000 $75,000 $125,000

20.13 2.15 2.64 2.19 .27 .28 79.35 80.0 40.0 39.64 25.86 5.37 5.01

REMOTE, END OF THE ROAD PRIVACY DEEDED ACCESS TO TAIT LAKE DEEDED ACCESS TO TAIT LAKE SEASONAL LAKE SUPERIOR VIEW DRIVEWAY & BUILDING PAD PREPPED DRIVEWAY & BUILDING PAD PREPPED ADJOINS JUDGE MAGNEY STATE PARK POTENTIAL FOR SUBDIVISION ROAD FRONTAGE ACCESS ON 2 ROADS PANORAMIC LAKE SUPERIOR VIEW ON THE EAST BRANCH OF THE SPLIT ROCK RIVER 5 MILES FROM GRAND MARAIS 5 MILES FROM GRAND MARAIS

SOLD PRICE $135,000 $491,000 $1,425,000 $75,000

PROPERTY TYPE BUILDABLE LOT LAKE SUPERIOR LOT COMMERCIAL BUILDABLE LOT

R E C E N T LY S O L D ADDRESS 2717 COUNTY RD 7 10 BIG BAY PT 22 E 1ST ST LOT 6 BLOCK 1 MURPHY DR

CITY GRAND MARAIS HOVLAND GRAND MARAIS GRAND MARAIS

ACRES 7.51 1.90 .12 5.72

DESCRIPTION YEAR ROUND ROAD ACCESS LAKE SUPERIOR SHORELINE LAKE SUPERIOR COMMERCIAL BUILDABLE LOT

www.RedPineRealty.com • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS

JANUARY 2025

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218-387-2131 101 West highway 61 grand marais, mn 55604

LAKE SUPERIOR

new 4556 Cascade Beach Road

new 4190 Cas ca de Beac h R oa d

Looking for a stunning Cascade Beach Road retreat? This Scandinavian inspired 3BR/2BA home on 200’ of Lake Superior shoreline is it! Whether you dream of waves lapping on the ledge rock shoreline, the moonlight glistening on night waters, or vibrant painted sky sunrises, this property does not disappoint.

The kitchen is open to a lovely dining room complete with a fireplace and an amazing expanse of windows framing a spectacular lake view. The spacious primary bedroom is a true sanctuary, with vaulted ceiling, skylights, and panoramic view of the lake.

Nestled along Cascade Beach Road, this charming one-room cabin offers an idyllic retreat with 93 feet of private Lake Superior ledge rock shoreline. Inside, you’ll find a cozy space featuring a stone fireplace, warm wood floors, and a compact loft for additional sleeping. Unwind on the inviting 3-season porch, where you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic sunrises and the shimmering waters of the lake. The ledge rock is incredibly accessible, and you will spend hours pondering life at the lake, while listening to the waves roll in, it just doesn’t get any better.

MLS 6117163

$1,295,000

MLS 6117188

$579,900

LAKE HOMES & CABINS

185/ 187 Sag La ke Tra il 22 Austin’s landing Experience luxurious log home living on 300+ feet of Poplar Lake shoreline.

This custom 4-bedroom, 4-bath home features a gourmet kitchen, inviting living spaces, a spacious library, and a bonus room. Enjoy breathtaking lake views, direct BWCA access, and prime dining nearby.

MLS 6116128

Discover this exceptional 4BR/3BA home nestled along the scenic Gull Lake, with 467’ of frontage and approximately 5A of land, complete with rock outcroppings, pine trees, stunning views, and plenty of privacy. Ideal for the buyer wanting to enjoy paddling from their dock into the BWCAW. This meticulously maintained property features a back-up generator system, attached heated garage, HUGE spacious heated garage, and workshop along with two charming rustic sleeping cabins.

$1,595,000

218 Brumbaugh Road

Charming Tom Lake cabin is being sold turnkey so all you have to do is show up and start enjoying lake life! Situated near the water’s edge, on a beautiful 2.4A lot with stunning views and is in a protected harbor with a pproximately 300’ of shoreline.

MLS 6112837 $349,000

MLS 6114568

$1,500,000

11 Poplar Cre ek Dr

167 S o uth S h o r e Dr

Picturesque haven just off the Gunflint Trail offers an exceptional opportunity to own a versatile retreat. This unique property is situated on 7.2 acres of pristine land, with 309 feet of shoreline that abuts the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Delightful 3BR/2BA Devil Track Lake home. Expansive windows flood the space with natural light while offering breathtaking lake views. Inviting deck and patio. Include a two-stall garage with workshop and a wood-fired sauna building.

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in nd

g

MLS 6114875 $599,900

so

MLS 6116646

ld

$599,900

w w w. c b n o rt h s h o r e . c o m ©2022 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

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218-387-2131 101 West highway 61 grand marais, mn 55604

HOMES & CABINS 845 county road 14 3BR/2BA home on 10A offers 1,846 square feet of inviting living space, blending seamlessly with nature.

Features include vaulted ceilings, a woodstove, spacious deck, and a 2+ stall garage.

MLS 6115762

451 Lin ds ko g R oa d

reduced

Perfect blend of rustic charm and modern living in this delightful 4BR/2BA farmhouse on 20A featuring a private pond. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your own wooded retreat only a few short miles from Grand Marais.

MLS 6116800

$425,000

$499,900

LAND

COMMERCIAL new XX Bal ly Creek Rd

257 Seagull Lake Rd Exceptional Seagull Lake property with tons of privacy. 10+A with over 480’ of lakeshore ranging from a sandy beach to ledgerock outcroppings. Brand new floating dock, camper in mint condition, and 960’ oversized insulated garage.

MLS 6113853 $539,900

XX Murphy Drive

XX Ravenwood Drive

Discover your sanctuary among five lush acres of dense forest, located minutes from downtown Grand Marais on an end of road location to increase your privacy.

Your dream home is waiting to take shape on this fantastic lot close to the heart of downtown Grand Marais. Partially cleared build site and a roughed-in driveway.

MLS 6114679

$69,900

MLS 6116834

$82,000

Exceptional 26+ acre property nestled on the scenic Bally Creek Road, with the Cascade River flowing right through it. Offering unparalleled privacy, this land directly adjoins state and federal land on three sides. The gently rolling topography will easily accommodate your planned cabin or camp site. Access the river for a perfect spot to cool off during summer months or just relax and enjoy sounds of the rushing water.

MLS 6117080

$175,000

13 15 E H igh way 61 Incredible commercial opportunity.

Current use includes a 3BR rental unit, office, and home! Cathedral ceilings, ample parking and great location!

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in nd

g

mls 6104280 $995,000

11xx highway 61 w

12 XX H igh way 61 W

Unique opportunity to find a 1A lot in the heart of Grand Marais.

Directly abuts Highway 61, with commercial usage, perfect for someone considering a home for their business or wanting to build short-term rentals.

RARE opportunity to find almost 6A of mixed use located in the heart of Grand Marais, with city sewer and city water. This property has approximately 825’ of frontage on Highway 61 and access off 1st Street.

MLS 6114985

$169,900

MLS 6114986

$689,900

w w w. c b n o rt h s h o r e . c o m ©2022 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

NORTHERN WILDS

JANUARY 2025

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WE APPRECIATE YOU! We’d like our clients and customers to know how much we appreciate each and every one of you. It has been our pleasure to work with you and we at Songbird Realty MN are truly grateful. We look forward to working with you and new clients/customers in the future and wish you all a fantastic 2025!

LINDA GARRITY

KELLY HANSEN

218-370-8313

612-701-4062

Broker & Owner

Agent

Please reach out if you have any questions about the market, listing your home or want help finding that place you’ve been dreaming of. Happy to help!

P.O. Box 397 411 W. Highway 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604

1008 2nd St. N. Stillwater, MN 55082

songbirdrealtymn@gmail.com www.songbirdrealtymn.net

Northern Wilds Real Estate Covering the communities in the North Shore area from Duluth, MN past Thunder Bay, Ont. Check in with any of our advertising Real Estate Agents for information on how to buy or sell your property.

Subscribe to our free online magazine with listings: northernwilds.com

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JANUARY 2025

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Come for a Vacation,

S T A Y F O R E V E R ..

At Lutsen Real Estate Group, we’ll help you find the perfect home on the North Shore.

Whether you’re looking for a cozy retreat or an investment for the future, our team’s deep local knowledge and passion for the region will ensure you find a property that meets your aspirations.

Supported by Cascade Vacation Rentals, we offer unmatched insights into the vacation rental market. This expertise increases the potential for a strong return on your investment.

T U R N Y O U R VA C AT I O N I N T O A F O R E V E R S TAY.

MOLLY O’NEILL | Agent

MIKE LARSON | Associate Broker

(218) 370-2079 molly@lustenrealestategroup.com

(218) 370-1536 mike@staycvr.com

SARENA CROWLEY Agent and Co-owner

CLAIR NALEZNY Co-owner

STEVE SURBAUGH Broker and Co-owner

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Cheers to the New Year!

Start the Year off Right on the North Shore!

Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!

Local (218) 663-8777 Toll free (877) 664-8777

VIEWS GALORE!

NEW! ENJOY THE WILDERNESS AT TAIT LAKE!

Out amongst the Tait Lake Pines in Lutsen, at the end of the road, is this peaceful, tucked away lot. Nearly three acres but feels larger as it abuts miles of public lands to the south and dedicated open space to the east. Current owners have provided a good start with clearing, dirt-work preparation and building sites. Great Location close enough to all the fun: skiing at Lutsen Mts, golf at Superior National, paddling the BWCA, hike Eagle Mt. Also, plenty to do right in the ‘hood: dedicated neighbors have developed a sweet trail system in the open HOA lands. 2 private HOA docks provide access to Tait Lake. Come get your foothold in the cool north, living life in a lakeland wilderness.

MLS#6116905 $92,500

E L A S ING D N E P BEAUTIFUL, REMOTE 40 ACRES WITH DR AMATIC LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS! Close to Grand Marais, part of Murphy Mountain, off the Bally Creek Rd. Access road in place.

Subdivision possible or keep whole as a dreamy preserve and home site. Abuts miles of public land!

Price reflects incredible vibe, views, solitude and grandeur! Make it your own.

$400,000 MLS#6117131

LUTSEN PARCEL- MOUNTAIN OR LAKE VIEW – YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHOOSE!

Over 5 acres of high ground overlooking Tait Lake in Lutsen. The land offers nice views of Eagle Mountain, the highest point in Minnesota! High views of Tait Lake, framed by mature old growth White Pines. The Tait Lake area is known for its environmentally friendly wilderness area, about 20 minutes up the Caribou Trail in Lutsen. Year-round access, power at the build site and lake access available to Tait Lake owners via a private landing just a few minutes from this parcel.

MLS# 6117010 $95,000

WATER, WATER, WATER AND THE BIG LAKE!

S

OL D

NORTHERN ENLIGHTENMENT ON PIKE LAKE! MLS#6115941 $749,000

D L SO

D L SO

LOG CABIN LIVING ON TUCKER LAKE! $539,000 MLS#6115815

HAPPY PLACE IN ISABELLA! MLS#6115711 $339,900

FIND THOSE NEW LISTINGS FIRST!!

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JANUARY 2025

NORTHERN WILDS

Cheers to the New Year!

Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!

Local (218) 663-8777 Toll free (877) 664-8777

Start the Year off Right on the North Shore!

HOMES, HOMES, HOMES, READ ALL ABOUT ‘EM!!

BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM HOME ON LEVEAUX MOUNTAIN IN TOFTE!

Awake each morning to the beautiful sunrises over Lake Superior from the primary suite of this architecturally designed home. LeVeaux Mountain is part of the Sawtooth’s range between Lutsen and Tofte, a perfect location to enjoy Lutsen Mountains Summer and Ski Resort or a nice dinner at Blue Fin Bay Resort in Tofte on Lake Superior, both just minutes away.

Accommodating kitchen features lots of cabinetry and gathering space! Cozy up to the stone fireplace for your morning coffee, or a good book. This home has great spaces, you must see to appreciate all that this home has to offer! Hike, ski, or snowshoe from your front door in to the Superior National Forest, with a spur trail to cross country ski trails nearby! An outdoor enthusiasts dream home, close to everything the North Shore offers!

D L SO

MLS# 6115360 $549,000 PRICE REDUCED

CREATE YOUR OWN GETAWAY ON THE PIKE LAKE ROAD!! Prime location north of Babineau Corner – out in the wonderful woods of the Superior

D L SO

CUTE CABINS TUCKED AWAY IN THE WOODS OF GRAND MARAIS! Here is what happens when an upland, south-facing section of Boreal Woods meets a talented

carpenter with a retreat vision: cabins of character appear. One is for sleeping, thinking, reading and dreaming. The other for cooking, gathering and story-telling. Come reimagine yourself, that’s the vibe here – from the materials to the conversation, to the transitioning winds and temps. This is enough for most, but there’s more! 6+ acres that “play” larger, abutting public lands on two sides. Maybe back in there is a future homesite, the cabins can be for guests. Water collection comes off three of the roofs. Power and fiber are down at the start of the driveway. Nice mix of woods sways around: maples, aspen, birch, spruce. This is a creative, evolving space… come center yourself in the “courtyard” and take the reins.

MLS#6116829 $169,000

National Forest! Yet not too far to Grand Marais and all the fun and doins’ there! Cabin is all about functionality and creating memories! Two bunkbeds make this place the ideal deer camp, family getaway, or open it up and make the place a studio for dreaming big and making stuff! Big ‘ol deck for BBQing, bird-watching, aurora borealis viewing, or just watching the sunsets each day… heck take a nap. Spacious shed keeps all the tools and a Legitimate, tidy outhouse. North side of lot has a good build site, well away from the cabin. 13+ acres of elbow room and “plays” even larger, abutting public land on the north side. The SW corner “kisses” public land, too. Come have a look: dream a bit and get going on that vision of realigning with your goals, the plan of getting a foothold Up North!

MLS#6116947 $199,000

D L O S

D L O S

LUTSEN’S OZ! YOU’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE… AND THIS DREAM IS REALITY! MLS#6115382 $495,000

COUNTRY LIVING ON THE PIKE LAKE RD! MLS#6115304 $499,000

VISIT US AT TIMBERWOLFFREALTY.COM CHECK OUT OUR WEEKLY BLOG AND FACEBOOK POSTS OF FUN TIMES ON THE NORTH SHORE! NORTHERN WILDS

JANUARY 2025

41

Cheers to the New Year!

Start the Year off Right on the North Shore!

Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!

Local (218) 663-8777 Toll free (877) 664-8777

CAMPN’, HUNTN’, FUN GETAWAY LAND, INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! FINLAND AREA

LUTSEN AREA

GRAND MARAIS AREA

ENJOY THE QUIET LIFE IN FINLAND! Settle in and enjoy the sounds of the woods on 15 acres. This property connects directly to snowmobile trail, making it ideal spot for the outdoor winter enthusiast and is on a county road! The backside of the property has a pond and marsh, great area to see the local wildlife! MLS#6116819 $49,000

E SA L ING D PEN

EXPLORE THE WILDERNESS IN FINLAND!

What a great spot for your vacation getaway cabin!! This lot has great views of Ninemile Lake in the Village at Ninemile planned development. The infrastructure is already there: electricity, shared well and septic, all you have to do is hook up to it. Shared ownership of approx. 1800 ft of shoreline on Ninemile Lake, perfect for Summertime fun! MLS#6113405 $60,000

AFFORDABLE LOT AT NINEMILE LAKE!

Lake view lot ready to build, with 1800 ft of shared shoreline on Ninemile Lake! The Village at Ninemile Lake has all the infrastructure ready to go with shared septic and well, electricity at the lot. County Rd 7 is a year round plowed road and the Association plows the roads within the development!

This is a great opportunity to build your dream getaway!

MLS#6113406 $60,000

NEW! SAVOR NATURE AT TAIT LAKE!

Amongst the Tait Lake Pines in Lutsen, at the end of the road, is this nearly three acre lot. Feels larger as it abuts miles of public lands to the south and dedicated open space to the east.

Current owners have provided a good start with clearing, dirt-work preparation and building sites. Great Location close enough to all the fun: skiing at Lutsen Mts, golf at Superior National, paddling the BWCA, hike Eagle Mt. 2 private HOA docks provide access to Tait Lake. Come get your foothold in the cool north, living life in a Lakeland wilderness.

MLS#6116905 $92,500

LUTSEN PARCEL- MOUNTAIN OR LAKE VIEW – YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHOOSE!

Over 5 acres of high ground overlooking Tait Lake in Lutsen.

Nice views of Eagle Mountain, the highest point in Minnesota and High views of Tait Lake, framed by mature old growth White Pines. Year-round access, power at the build site and lake access available to Tait Lake owners via 2 HOA docks!

MLS# 6117010 $95,000

E SA L ING D PEN

GRAND MARAIS AREA

NEW! BEAUTIFUL, REMOTE 40 ACRES WITH DRAMATIC LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS! Close to Grand Marais, part of Murphy Mountain, off the Bally Creek Rd. Access road in place. Subdivision possible or keep whole as a dreamy preserve and home site. Abuts miles of public land!

Price reflects incredible vibe, views, solitude and grandeur!

Make it your own. MLS#6117131 $400,000

E SA L ING D PEN

REMOTE 80 ACRES OFF THE GUNFLINT TRAIL IN GRAND MARAIS!

OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST’S DREAM AT NINEMILE LAKE! Start enjoying your Inland Lake

Dream! This lot was created by combining two lots, so it offers plenty of room to build your dream cabin or home with an amazing lake view and direct lake access! Shared Septic System and Well already in place, 1800ft of shared shoreline on Ninemile Lake- all that is missing is you and your plans for a dream getaway! MLS#6113407 $150,000

Looking for a truly remote property? Here are 80 acres surrounded by federal land just south of the South Brule River and a bit west of the Gunflint Tr. Crossing the South Brule River is necessary in route to property, No formal access exists GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR currently.

Prospective buyers are encouraged to contact the US PURCHASING OVER 2 ACRES IN THE Forest Service regarding establishing a special use permit for CITY OF GRAND MARAIS! a path once they own the property. Moose tracks are plentiful.

You don’t have to give up solitude to live in the city of Grand Marais, this is a perfect fit for a home with a great location. The Wild, pure forest pulses along here – undisturbed, quiet and YMCA and school are within walking distance and just a hop, beautiful. The northern forty acres rolls and is a mix of upland and some lowlands. Go south, begin to climb, pass some giant skip and jump to the Gunflint Trail to access numerous trails for hiking, biking and snowmobiling and MANY inland lakes. ole’ aspens heading to some terrific views! Plenty of elbow room to expand the mind and soul. Get away from it all!

Visit today and start your dream of enjoying the North Shore!

MLS#6113905 $62,000 PRICE REDUCED MLS#6114386 $111,000 PRICE REDUCED

FIND THOSE NEW LISTINGS FIRST!!

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JANUARY 2025

NORTHERN WILDS

CATCHLIGHT

Snowshoe Hare I photographed this snowshoe hare 10 years ago north of Duluth. I stumbled across an area that had so many hares that at times it was almost scary! Since this is an elusive species to photograph, I spent much of that winter taking advantage of their abundance. Hares often stand on their huge back feet to reach the higher, more succulent twigs. That’s what this hare had been doing when it paused to look around. It gave me this great pose!—Michael Furtman

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on the Gunflint Trail

Unspoiled.

Spectacular.

Unforgettable.

• Family oriented, year-round resort – ski from your cabin door • 11 fully equipped, modern housekeeping cabins – gas and wood fireplaces, pet-friendly options • Located 30 miles north of Grand Marais on the Gunflint Trail • On the Central Gunflint Ski Trail System, over 70km of beautifully groomed trails • Ski passes available to cabin guests at no charge • Ski and snowshoe rental available for all ages • 1.5km lit trail for night skiing

Golden-Eagle.com 218-388-2203

Skijoring!

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Try our 3km dog friendly skijoring loop