Fisherman’s Picnic
Getting Around
$8/van within the Grand Marais area until 9 pm. Call or text Harriet Quarles at 218-370-9164
WEDNESDAY, August 2
5-6:30 PM Grand Marais Lioness Buffet Dinner and Silent Auction at St. John’s Catholic Church, 5th St. and Broadway Ave. Silent Auction bids 5-6:30 pm. Dinner served is buffet style. $15 per plate for adults, $7 per plate for children under 12.
THURSDAY, August 3
9 AM-3 PM Crazy Daze Sales – Visit local merchants around town.
9 AM-4 PM Cook County Craft Market – E. Wisconsin St.
10 AM-5 PM Kiddy Rides – Senior Center Parking Lot, 10 N. Broadway
11 AM Fishburger Stand Opens – Harbor Park
11 AM UNTIL FOUND Medalion Hunt – Clues and rules at Dairy Queen, $100 prize to the first person to find it. Sponsored by Dairy Queen
11 AM -12:30 PM Joe Paulik – Harbor Park Stage
NOON Bingo Tent Opens – Parking lot adjacent to Grandma Ray’s 1st Ave. West & Hwy 61
1-2:30 PM North Shore Community Swing Band
– Harbor Park Stage
2 PM Free Guided Tour of the Cook County School Campus (includes Elementary, Middle and High Schools) Meet at the Main Entrance. Alumni and visitors welcome.
3-6 PM Common Ground – Harbor Park Stage
5-7 PM Library Friends Members Only Book Sale Memberships sold one hour before sale. Cook County Community Center – 317 West 5th St.
7 PM Grand Marais Playhouse “The Games Afoot” The Arrowhead Center for the Arts – 51 West 5th Street, www.grandmaraisplayhouse.com
7-10 PM Street Dance: Plucked Up String Band – Harbor Park Stage
Friday, August 4
8-11 AM Pancake Breakfast, $7 for adult and $5 child (12 and under). Proceeds support Early Childhood Programming. Community Center – 317 West 5th
11:30 AM World’s Best Donut Bingo* Donut Shop – corner of Wisconsin St. and Broadway Ave. Sponsored by World’s Best Donuts NOON Bingo Tent Opens – Parking lot adjacent to Grandma Ray’s (formally the American Legion), 1st Ave. West & Hwy 61 NOON Minnow Races* – Beaver House, Corner of Wisconsin St. and Broadway Ave.
1-5 PM Dunk Tank Proceeds support the YMCA – Harbor Park
1-2:30 PM Bug House – Harbor Park Stage
2 PM Free Guided Tour of the Cook County School Campus (includes Elementary, Middle and High Schools) Meet at the Main Entrance. Alumni and visitors welcome.
3 PM Senior and Adult Tennis Matches – High School Tennis Court
3 PM DQ Upsidedownright Thick Blizzard Race* Maximum of 10 teams with up to 4 racers each, pick up registration form at Dairy Queen prior to race – 2nd Ave. West. Sponsored by Dairy Queen.
3-4:30 PM CCHS Alumni Baseball Game Registration
– $30 fee includes jersey – CCHS Ball Field, behind school.
3-6 PM Portage – Harbor Park Stage
5 PM CCHS Alumni Baseball Game
– CCHS Ball Field, behind school.
5 PM Shrimp Boil Dinner, 1st Congregational Church
– corner of 3rd Ave. West and 2nd St.
6-6:30 PM Minnesota State Loon Calling Championship* Preliminary Round – Harbor Park Stage
7 PM Grand Marais Playhouse, “The Pajama Game” The Arrowhead Center for the Arts – 51 West 5th Street, www.grandmaraisplayhouse.com
7-10 PM Street Dance: Brothers in Arms – Harbor Park Stage
SATURDAY, AUGUST 5
7:30-8:50 AM Fisherman’s Picnic Trail Run registration* Pincushion Mountain Trail – 2mi. north off Gunflint Trail, Co. Rd. 12
- 9 AM Pre-teen, 8 yrs and under – ¼ Mile, 9-12 yrs – 1 Mile
- 9:45 AM 5 Mile Walk/Run - 9:50 AM 3 Mile Non-Competitive Walk
8-11 AM Pancake Breakfast, $7 for adult and $5 child (12 and under). Proceeds support Early Childhood Programming. Community Center – 317 West 5th St.
8 AM-12 PM Library Friends Bag Sale, by donations, Cook County Community Center – 317 West 5th St.
8 AM Men’s Slow Pitch Softball* Pappy Wright Field and Rec Park Ball Field
8 AM Senior and Adult Tennis Matches*– High School Tennis Courts
8:30 AM Hoopin’n the Harbor Registration 3-on-3 Tournament*
– Wisconsin St.
9 AM-4 PM Cook County Craft Market – E. Wisconsin St.
9-10 AM Zumba Class – Harbor Park
9:30 AM Minnesota State Logrolling Championship Amateurs Only Tournament Must have previous log rolling experience. Warm up before each age bracket – 2nd Ave. West
9:30 AM Hoopin’n in the Harbor 3-on-3 Tournament*
– Wisconsin St.
10 AM-5 PM Vendor and Craft Show – 1st Ave. West
10 AM-5 PM Fun Games and Inflatables – Wisconsin St.
10 AM-5 PM Kiddy Rides – Senior Center Parking Lot
10 AM-5 PM Dunk Tank Proceeds support the YMCA – Harbor Park
11 AM Fishburger Stand Opens – Harbor Park
11 AM-4 PM Blacksmithing Demonstrations & Tours
– Bally’s Blacksmithing Shop, Broadway & 1st St.
11 AM-12:30 PM Pete Kavanaugh – Harbor Park Stage
NOON Bingo Tent Opens – Parking lot adjacent to Grandma Ray’s, 1st Ave. West & Hwy 61
NOON Minnow Races* Beaver House, Corner of Wisconsin St. and Broadway Ave.
NOON Artist Talk: Elements and Properties of Design with Karina Cutler-Lake, free and open to the public – Grand Marais Art Colony
– 120 W 3rd Ave
NOON Cross Cut Saw Competition Registration* – Wisconsin St. and 1st Ave. West
12:30 PM Cross Cut Competition* Sponsored by Hedstrom Lumber Co – Wisconsin St. and 2nd Ave. West
1 PM Art Demonstration: Functional Glass Painting with Anna Hess free and open to the public – Grand Marais Art Colony
3:30 PM Winners announced for Minnesota State Logrolling Championship Amateurs Only Tournament – 2nd Ave W.
4:30 PM Rock Skipping Contest* (all ages) – Harbor Park
5:30-6 PM Minnesota State Loon Calling Championship Finals*
– Harbor Park Stage
6 PM “Crazy Days of Summer” Rock Painting Contest winners announced, Sponsored by Joynes Ben Franklin – Harbor Park Stage
6:10 PM Cutest Puppy Contest* Sponsored by Dog Haus – Harbor Park
7 PM Grand Marais Playhouse “The Games Afoot” The Arrowhead Center for the Arts – 51 West 5th
SUNDAY, AUGUST 6
10 AM-5
Vendor and Craft Show – 1st Ave. West
– 120 W 3rd Ave
1-2:30 PM Michael Monroe – Harbor Park Stage
2 PM Pickle Herring Eating Contest* – Sven & Ole’s Restaurant –Wisconsin St. Sponsored by Sven & Ole’s.
2:30 PM Pizza Eating Contest* Sven & Ole’s Restaurant
– Wisconsin St. Sponsored by Sven & Ole’s.
2:30 PM Citizen of the Year & Senior Citizen of the Year Awards Harbor Park Stage
2:30-5 PM Kids Tractor Pull* (ages 4-11) – Wisconsin St. Sponsored by Mike’s Holiday & Bernick’s Pepsi.
3-5:30 PM Dat Dere Jazz – Harbor Park Stage
Battle of Fort William
HeAr tHe cANNONS rOAr! August 19-20, 2017 – 10am to 5pm daily
The Battle of Fort William highlights 19th century battlefield action and strategy, the daily life of soldiers, and period medical techniques. Fort staff and volunteer re-enactors from Canada and the US, come together to present a dramatic battlefield sequence. Throughout the day visitors will get pulled into the drama as they interact with Fort William’s costumed inhabitants.
ADMISSION*
• Adults $14
• Seniors (60 +)/Students $12
• Youths (6-12) $10
• Kids 5 and under are FREE!
New from Northern Wilds—Contests!
Some say print is dead, but here at Northern Wilds, we don’t believe it. Sure, big newspapers and magazines took a hit as online technology changed the way people receive news and information and companies advertise their products. But publications, such as Northern Wilds, continue to be supported by readers and advertisers, because they fill a niche within their community. As always, we thank those readers and advertisers for their continued support. We strive to provide you with a publication that is informative, useful and just plain fun to read.
While print is our strong suit, we’ve always recognized the importance of the Internet. We have an online edition of Northern Wilds magazine, an expansive website, a weekly e-newsletter and an active Facebook page. Our online following continues to grow. Now, we’re about to take another step into the online world. We’ve begun offering sweepstakes and contests where you can win some great prizes. Every month, we’ll feature our current contests on this page. Information will also be included on our website under the Contest tab. If you follow us on Facebook, you’ll see our contest promotions, too.
Our goal with this endeavor is to build our online audience and offer a new venue for our advertisers to reach their customers. We hope to have some fun with the contests and give you an opportunity to win some great prizes. Our first contest, with a prize of two passes to the Live from the Rock Folk Festival Aug. 11-13, closed after this issue went to press. We currently have two contests, our annual Northern Wilds Photo Contest with cash prizes in four categories and a sweepstakes with a prize of two tickets to the North House Unplugged performance, featuring storyteller Kevin Kling and seven
guest performers on Sept. 16. You can find the contests on our website, northernwilds.com.
This month we also introduce J Ron Tamanaha, the newest member of our Northern Wilds team. J Ron applied for the printer’s assistant position (also known as a printer’s devil), because he wanted to learn more about graphic design, printing and publishing. A resident of Hovland, he’s a student at Cook County High School, where he is on the cross-country team and involved in robotics. He also enjoys photography.
In June we attended the Outdoor Writers of America conference, which was held in Duluth. Three individuals whose work often appears in this publication were honored with awards: Emily Stone, James Smedley and Michael Furtman. A number of Northern Wilds contributors were in attendance at the conference, including Ali Juten, Kelsey Roseth, Eric Chandler, Javier Serna and Joe Friedrichs. We also met some writers and photographers whose bylines will appear in future issues.
Summer is a remarkably busy season in the Northern Wilds. While we enjoy the company of our many summer visitors, they do create some challenges for our distributors. Northern Wilds, the Cook County Map and the North Shore Menu Guide just fly off the shelves, so we work hard to keep them stocked up in our distribution locations. If you are having trouble finding our products, give us a call and we can direct you to another location, or view the online edition. If you are in Grand Marais, you can always stop by our office to find them.
—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt
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 breana@northernwilds.com.
Join the Northern Wilds
Win $100 Cash!
Enter your photos into our Photo Contest. Winners will be chosen in October. See ad on page 8 for details. www.northernwilds.com
Win 2 Tickets!
Unplugged 2017
Celebrate September under the big tent in Grand Marais.
We are giving away two tickets to the UnplUGGed performance at the North House Folk School Sept. 16. Featured this year is popular Minnesota Public Radio storyteller Kevin Kling and seven guest performers. Contest runs Aug. 1 and closes Aug. 20. www.northernwilds.com
Sign Up to Enter Our Monthly Contests!
Northern Wilds wants to make you a winner. Every month, we’ll be offering contests with great prizes.
• Check this ad spot in Northern Wilds to find new contests
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• Sign up for our Online Newsletter: northernwilds.com/subscribe
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Watch here for monthly winners!
J Ron Tamanaha is the newest member of our Northern Wilds team. He will be helping out in the print shop. | STAFF
ISLE ROYALE: How did you get here?
ISLE ROYALE—Besides its significant natural beauty and storied history, the most notable thing about Isle Royale is, of course, that it’s an island. So, during our first day of hiking north on the Greenstone Trail, we made sure to ask everyone we met “How did you get here?”
We were particularly interested in other people’s transportation experiences because our ferry ride from Grand Portage had been awful. Eight-foot waves and 30 mph gusts actually convinced the captain not to depart as planned, but to postpone the trip until 4:45 a.m. the following morning. By then the seas had calmed—a little. None of my family got seasick, but we did feel like we’d been trapped on a carnival ride gone awry.
Most of the hikers we encountered had also arrived by water (in calmer weather), but one couple landed in a float plane. After a few hours we stopped seeing people, so I started asking “How did you get here?” to the island’s residents. The babble of chickadees and calls of loons were obvious replies. Having your own pair of wings certainly simplifies things. A flock of cedar waxwings eating and pooping in a berry-laden mountain ash tree also gave a quick answer that applied to any bird-dispersed seed, including the tasty thimbleberries.
The chatter of a red squirrel, though, was a bit more confusing. Could that little thing really have rafted across Lake Superior on a mat of vegetation or floating log? Whatever their vessel, it couldn’t have been an easy trip. As a result of that arduous journey, the red squirrels on Isle Royale have been separated from the mainland for so long that they’ve become their own subspecies: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus regalis
Moose, too, are theorized to have made
an open water crossing, while their nemeses the wolves trotted across on the ice. With rising lake temperatures, that bridge now may have melted forever.
It’s impressive that birds, mammals and fruit somehow managed to travel 14 miles across open water and land safely on a 45-mile-long and 9-mile-wide hunk of bedrock, but they aren’t they only ones on the island. Isle Royale is teeming with all kinds of life that somehow made the treacherous journey.
And no species baffled me more than the delicate rattlesnake plantain orchids. Their ground-hugging whorls of grayish-green leaves sport white markings that reminded some long-ago botanist of snake skin. Since they are the only orchids
[LEFT] A rattlesnake plantain orchid on Isle Royale. | LARRY STONE [ABOVE] The leaves of a rattlesnake plantain orchid. | EMILY STONE
that I can identify just by their leaves, I noticed them everywhere. According to the National Park Service’s educational material posted on the inside of a latrine door, there are 31 other species of orchids on the island, too. Beautiful, charismatic, fragile…how did they get here?
Orchids don’t have big animal-dispersed fruits and seeds. In fact, orchid seeds are almost microscopic, and—unlike acorns or backpackers—they don’t carry any extra food rations. In order to germinate, a dust-like orchid seed must first be infected by a specific fungus. The root-like fungal mycelia provide sugar and nutrients to the emerging baby orchid protocorm as it produces leaves and roots.
How the heck would such a fragile seed make that treacherous journey, and then just happen to land on a friendly fungus? How could that happen for all 32 species
of orchids on the island?
When I posed that question to a mycologist, though, he was dismissive. “It’s almost inevitable,” he shrugged. Those dust-like orchid seeds are adapted for wind dispersal. That’s just what they do. The fungal spores also spread via wind, and the species that colonizes orchids is very common. Island hopping—whether across water or just from habitat to habitat—is a way of life for these two.
I was impressed by many things on Isle Royale—the beauty, the rugged trail, and the hardships of its past inhabitants. But what humbled me most was that a dainty flower seed and a fragile fungus could make the dangerous journey across the hulking beast of Lake Superior with enviable ease.—Emily Stone
A mainland red squirrel at Isle Royale. | EMILY STONE
Update on the St. Louis River cleanup
DULUTH—Efforts to clean up and restore the mighty St. Louis River are showing progress.
“The projects to restore the river have a positive economic impact,” said Kris Eilers, executive director for St. Louis River Alliance, a non-profit organization that works in the community to educate people about the importance of the river and its impact on our region. “We connect people to the river so they can experience it in a personal way and create stewardship.”
The St. Louis River begins near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota and weaves its way across St. Louis County before reaching Lake Superior at Duluth. The river’s watershed covers 3,650 square miles, making it the largest U.S. tributary to Lake Superior. The fast-moving river creates strong rapids, providing excellent whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking opportunities.
Unfortunately, the St. Louis has a polluted past.
The lower river was designated as the St. Louis River Area of Concern in 1987, which led to a government effort to develop a Remedial Action Plan. Part of the Alliance’s purpose is to serve as the community connection between government agencies managing the St. Louis River Remedial Action Plan and the public.
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the plan in progress is a road-map to remove nine impairments from the river. The plan includes
action to restore shallow sheltered bay aquatic habitat and to address harmful chemicals from the past which continue to contaminate the sediments and water in the estuary. The goal is to complete major cleanup and restoration projects by 2020 and remove these impairments and the Area of Concern designation by 2025.
At one time, “industries were allowed to dump things into the river unchecked,” said Eilers. Since the Clean Water Act of the 1970s and enactment of other environmental laws, the government has taken steps to reduce pollutants in water.
In the past few years, a lot of progress has been made. One project included removing non-native material from Radio Tower Bay, which restored the bay to an optimum depth. Other projects have been to develop detailed plans and document them, including one on invasive species control in the Area of Concern, and these documents serve as an informational tool to provide efficient and expedited efforts. Another project was to research reported odors at Hog Island/Newton Creek remediation site, to ensure the area does not pose a human health or ecological risk. The MPCA has also tracked progress of oil sheen control at the U.S. Steel Site. Fish sampling and an estuary-wide bird inventory have been completed, along with a number of other projects, all with a common goal of cleanup and restoration.
Partners on the project include the MPCA, Wisconsin and Minnesota DNR,
Relaxing on the St. Louis. | BARB AKER
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, City of Duluth, other state, tribal and federal agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations and research institutions.
Today, funding is provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Minnesota Land, Water, and Legacy Amendment (Clean Water Fund and the Outdoor Heritage Fund), and other sources.
This past June, the organizations celebrated the passage of a bonding bill in which the state legislature acted to clean up 10 contaminated sediment sites in
Minnesota. The bill includes $25.4 million in state funding, which will leverage about $47.2 million in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds from the EPA. The MPCA and EPA are also working through the Great Lakes Legacy Act on an estimated $69 million effort to clean up the Spirit Lake U.S. Steel site on the St. Louis River near Duluth.
“It’s a once in a generation opportunity,” said Eilers. “We’ve come out of an era of degradation and we are moving into an era of vitality”
To learn more, visit stlouisriver.org. —Kelsey Roseth
Submit all entries to: contest@northernwilds.com
Find contest rules at: northernwilds.com/contests/photography-contest
Deadline Sept. 30
Prizes: First Place $100, Second Place $50, Third Place $25
First place Landscape: Sleeping Giant by Brad Muckenhirn, Mankato.
DULUTH PARKS: A long history
DULUTH—Duluth is blessed with a robust system of parks. According to the City of Duluth website, there are 129 city parks on over 6,000 acres of city land. Trails are everywhere, including 12 miles of paved, accessible trails and a world-class system of bike-optimized, multi-use trails including the Duluth Traverse project. The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) designated Duluth as a Gold Level Ride Center in 2016, one of only six in the world. There are 150 miles of unpaved hiking trails, including stretches of the Superior Hiking Trail as it winds through the city. There are dozens of miles of municipal cross-country ski trails to choose from in the winter.
There’s a lot to celebrate. That’s why Mayor Emily Larson proclaimed May 11, 2017 as the first annual Duluth Parks Day. This will be celebrated on the second Saturday of May in the future. In conjunction with this celebration, Nancy S. Nelson and Tony Dierckins celebrated the release of their comprehensive book Duluth’s Historic Parks: Their First 160 Years. (Zenith City Press, 2017). It’s an expansive work that looks at many different aspects of Duluth’s long history with public outdoor spaces. The future is bright in Duluth with the multi-million dollar St. Louis River Corridor Project. This project will develop more outdoor public spaces in the western part of Duluth for cross-country skiers, paddlers, climbers, mountain bikers, hikers, and trail users of all kinds. Nelson provided some perspective on the past as more parks arrive in Duluth’s future.
Duluth’s topography is dramatic, but Nelson said that people were more instrumental in the development of parks than the land itself.
“The people who were involved were more important. They were the ones who made the choice to purchase land that led to making parks. Streams in Duluth sometimes pass through the city underground in culverts. There could’ve been more of that, instead of the parks in stream corridors that we have, if they made different choices,” said Nelson.
From the very origin of the city of Duluth in 1856, city leaders set aside typical square parks for the public. William K. Rogers is famous for leading the first Board of Park Commissioners in 1888, but Nelson was quick to point out that he was “not actually around that long.” She pointed at Luther Mendenhall and Bernard Silberstein as the real influencers in their roles as president and vice president for 20 years, starting in 1891. The development of the Skyline Parkway project took place during that time.
The Park Commission was disbanded in 1913 when the city government underwent a change of structure where the mayor’s role became more important. The tandem of Mayors Magney and Snively were prominent under this new structure because of the way they prioritized parks. Famously, Snively built Seven Bridges Road to access his farm, even before he was mayor. Nelson noted that Snively was good at fundraising and drumming up support among his fellow Duluthians for park projects.
Was there a key moment for Duluth City Parks? Nelson mentions the Depression era as being important for the city. F. Rodney Paine was the park superintendent under Mayor Snively. Nelson said Paine was good at leveraging federal funds for park projects via the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The book states that over $10.5 million federal dollars were spent on 459 WPA projects in Duluth. These projects were good for Duluth, but Nelson also mentions that this time was the beginning of a cycle for the parks. Periods of neglect and then refurbishment of the parks would start during the Great Depression and continue for decades.
Nelson sees two major challenges facing Duluth parks. First, the cost of operation and maintenance has always been a challenge.
“In the early days, Duluth felt like it was in competition with Chicago,” said Nelson.
The city fathers purchased land and came up with development plans that
were more ambitious than the population and tax base could support. Nelson commented that Skyline Parkway was completed with great fanfare and less than 10 years later, the city was already faced with having to replace wooden bridges. Second, Nelson mentioned that the parks have to meet the changing needs of the public. Early parks were designed for families to have a place to go, have a picnic or go for a walk. When skiing was more in vogue, they built Spirit Mountain. Now mountain bike trails are prominent.
Nelson asks an important question for park managers: “Are we ahead of the public or are we following the changing needs of the public?”
This was one of the surprises that she encountered while researching the book. In 1909, there were early plans for something called Lakeshore Park in the area between the head of Lake Superior and where Leif Erikson Park now sits. This plan
looked remarkably like the Lakewalk that the city ended up building 70 years later.
“One of the best things we’ve done is give people access to the lake,” said Nelson. She called it “the plan that wouldn’t go away.”
Past is prologue and may help inform the future of Duluth’s parks. Nelson and Dierckins make it clear in their book Duluth’s Historic Parks that visionary people are key. If you build it, they will hike, bike, ski, climb, and paddle on it. If Duluth’s current leaders develop parks with an eye on maintaining them for the long haul, Duluth will continue to have a healthy system of parks all the way to the city’s bicentennial.—Eric Chandler
Tischer Creek. | ERIC CHANDLER
The Chandlers along Duluth Traverse above Duluth. | ERIC CHANDLER
New restaurant combines history with modern fare
KNIFE RIVER—A young couple is breathing fresh life into a historical North Shore building in Knife River, preparing to open Emily’s Eatery in the space formerly occupied by Lighthouse at Emily’s. Backed by a small group of private investors, Duluth natives Evan Rollo, 25, and Chloe Dryke, 24, are managing the restaurant. They’re working to combine the location’s beloved, long-lasting history with modern meals and entertainment.
“I grew up coming here,” said Dryke, referring to Lighthouse at Emily’s, which is located on the mouth of the Knife River, across from Great Lakes Candy Kitchen. “I remember sitting in the corner room and looking out over the river,” she said.
The former establishment was run by four locals and closed in 2015 due to the owner’s intent to sell the property. The bright, cheery building has history dating back to the 1920s, when it was a general store operated by locals Emily and Sig Erickson.
“We really want to keep the history going here because it’s a really cool story,” said Rollo.
Emily was 13-years-old when she immigrated from Norway by herself, and eventually settled in Knife River. After she married Sig and opened the store, the pair added living quarters to the back of the building and began renting rooms and serving meals to travelers. Over the years, the building served a few different purposes including a post office, filling station and a bed and breakfast.
Today, Rollo and Dryke have made the living quarters over the restaurant their new home, along with their miniature Australian shepherd Junie.
“We want it to feel like we’re inviting people over for dinner in our own house,” said Dryke, and that philosophy will apply to the operation of their restaurant. “No
guest will come through the door without being greeted. That’s our number one priority.”
The cozy eatery is planning a nautical theme, and will prepare homemade offerings that are locally sourced, including fresh-caught fish from Lake Superior.
“We’re keeping the fishing village alive,” said Dryke.
The restaurant will serve American favorites during breakfast, lunch and dinner, and all meals are planned to have a creative, modern twist.
Over time, they plan to add front porch seating, fire pits in the backyard, and landscaping on the property. Eventually, they’re hoping to rent out the venue for weddings and other parties. They also mentioned that the North Shore Scenic Railroad is considering a potential destination stop in Knife River in the future.
As the pair get ready to open the restaurant, they say about 20 to 30 people drop by each day—either Knife River community members or curious passersby.
“We feel very welcomed,” said Rollo. “They’re always stopping by to offer help, and checking in on us,” Dryke added.
Aside from managing the restaurant, Rollo is planning to complete his thesis and graduate with his masters in rural healthcare and business administration from the College of St. Scholastica this winter. Dryke received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the same college. Most recently she was teaching at North Shore Community School, where she’ll now work as a substitute teacher.
For the latest information on the store’s menu and hours, visit: emilyskniferiver. com.—Kelsey Roseth
The exterior of Emily’s Eatery. | KELSEY ROSETH
Birch Grove Community School
DRESS TO PLAY OPEN HOUSE!
Tues., Aug. 15 4 – 7pm
Current, past, and potential Birch Grove families, and the entire community is invited to join us on this fun-filled day at Birch Grove Community School in Tofte!
• Free grilled hot dogs and beverages!
• Meet school staff and board members!
• Ask questions, get answers!
• Tour the school!
• Make s’mores over a bonfire!
• Meet other Birch Grove families and friends!
• Bouncy House inflatable in the gym!
• Art project in the Bobcat Den!
Registration information for Community Service Program –The Saplings Program (3 to 5 year olds) and the K – 5th grade program will be available! Bring family and friends and DRESS TO PLAY!
www.birchgroveschool.com
(218)663-0170 • birchgrove@boreal.org
Birch Grove Community School …“Where Roots Grow Deep and Branches Reach High!”
Canada plans to protect Lake Superior shore, islands
Dining Room is closed after Brunch on Sundays
Sunday Brunch served from 8 am - 2 pm,
(8:00-10:30) Lunch (11:30-4:00) & Dinner (5:00-8:00) *Some items are gluten-free* Afternoon Tea (2:30-4:30 pm) No Afternoon Tea Sundays
NIPIGON—The wildest area on the Great Lakes will receive protection as Canada Parks works to establish the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. Once established, it will be one of the largest freshwater protected areas in the world; approximately 10,880 square kilometers in size, occupying almost 13 percent of the surface area of the largest Great Lake.
Located in Northwestern Ontario, the Marine Conservation Area extends across the top of Lake Superior from Thunder Cape at the foot of the Sleeping Giant, all the way to Bottle Point just east of Terrace Bay, and south to the Canada-United States border. Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area is comprised of a rich natural and cultural heritage, and encompasses remarkable features including: over 70 fish species and rare arctic-alpine plants; dramatic terraced landscapes, Superior Shoals, some of the world’s oldest known rocks; and 70 known archaeological sites varying from pictographs, to grave sites, shipwrecks, and more. Once established, Lake Su -
Superior Vacation Rental with an awesome
Lake
perior National Marine Conservation Area will be protected from harmful activities, such as mining, dredging, and dumping, that negatively affect these natural and cultural resources.
Currently, Parks Canada has an administrative office in Nipigon, but it hopes to create a visitor centre after the area is established. Current public outreach includes a student staff worker at the Red Rock Marina Interpretive Centre, as well as workers at local tourist information centres.
“We are working on our visitor experience strategy,” said Sarah Shruiff, interpretation officer coordinator with Parks Canada.
This involves creating a prioritized list of products, programs and site-specific activities, and identifying where our infrastructure and investment should be focused to ensure potential visitors will have a high-quality and meaningful experience at Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area.
The Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area will be among the largest freshwater protected areas in the world, including 13 percent of the big lake’s surface area. | PARKS CANADA
Visitors to the area are commonly interested in hiking, boating, fishing, camping and lighthouse experiences. As the establishment of Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area progresses, site staff are working with North Shore communities to create memorable visitor experiences that will contribute to an increase in tourism and economic benefit, while protecting this extraordinary natural area for Canadians and other visitors to enjoy for future generations. This includes contributing to new viewing platforms on local trails, producing interpretive signs, hiking trail improvements and marina access. In addition, Lake Superior NMCA, in collaboration with Tourism Northern Ontario and Superior North CFDC, produced a Top of Lake Superior Hiking Trails Guide that was distributed to Tourism Information Centers across the North Shore. Parks Canada protects and presents national treasures, such as Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, because they tell stories of who we are, including the history, cultures and contributions of Indigenous peoples.
Parks Canada manages one of the finest and most extensive systems of
protected natural and cultural heritage areas in the world, consisting of a vast network of natural and heritage places that include 46 national parks, 171 national historic sites, four national marine conservation areas and one national urban park.
Protected areas play an important role to help mitigate the impacts of climate change by protecting and restoring healthy, resilient ecosystems and contributing to the recovery of
Learn more at the Upper Midwest
Email: info@umsatshow.org or info@glsps.org
species at risk. The Government of Canada is committed to preserving and expanding the system of protected areas, including national parks and marine conservation areas, and delivering on the target to protect at least 17 percent of land and inland waters, and 10 percent of coastal and marine waters by 2020.
Mike Durkalec, a fisheries biologist and avid trout/steelhead angler from Ohio, makes annual trips to the Nipigon area to fish for trophy brook trout. He caught this fish at Lake Nipigon on July 13. In an email he wrote, “I did not weigh or measure this brook trout, but as a fish biologist I’d say 27-28 inches and easily 10-pound class (fish was quickly released after photo). It hit a smelt streamer right next to the boat like a musky!” He advises fly anglers who are seeking giant brookies in Lake Nipigon, Nipigon River, and Lake Superior’s Nipigon Bay should mimic smelt, sculpin, giant stoneflies and crayfish with their flies. There are lots of caddis and other insect life, too. Look for shallow flats of cobble or boulder with drop offs nearby. | SUBMITTED
DNR seeks input on Lake Vermilion fisheries plan update
TOWER—The Minnesota DNR wants public input on an updated draft management plan for Lake Vermilion. The new six-year plan (2017-2022) retains the walleye regulation implemented in May 2017 and is more specific than the previous plan about management goals and activities for individual fish species including walleye, muskellunge, northern pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass and panfish.
Other changes include new stocking guidelines for walleye and muskie, evaluation of the northern pike regulation, and adjustments to fish survey methods and the timing of sampling.
The plan was developed in partnership with the Lake Vermilion Fisheries Input Group, which is comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders representing local, statewide and tribal perspectives. The 20-member group held eight meetings over eight months in 2016.
“Lake Vermilion is a special place to area residents and visitors alike, and that was reflected in the time commitment and hard work of our fisheries input group,” said Edie Evarts, Tower area fisheries supervisor. “The public comment period is the last step in finalizing this plan and we appreciate everyone who has contributed their time and input to the management plan for this popular, multi-species fishery.”
An executive summary and full management plan are available at the Lake Vermilion webpage of the DNR website at mndnr.gov/lakevermilion.
The public is encouraged to comment by responding to the web questionnaire, or by emailing written comments directly to Edie Evarts, Tower area fisheries supervisor at: edie.evarts@state.mn.us.
Minnesota DNR wants public input on the new sixyear plan for Lake Vermilion. | STOCK
Jump Start Christmas!
Great holiday gifts for everyone who loves the Northern Wilds.
Bring the North Shore home with you! A great gift for the North Shore lovers on your list. All new subscribers receive a 2018 Northern Wilds calendar!
Northern Wilds Calendar
Enjoy North Shore’s beauty every day with a calendar from Northern Wilds. Calendars will ship in early December. $9.95 + $3 shipping.
Available at Northern Wilds, 1708 W. Hwy 61, Grand Marais Or shop at www.northernwilds.com for subscriptions, calendars, books, and more!
Agate Bay docks in Two Harbors. | KELSEY ROSETH
A RICH HISTORY OF TRANSPORTATION:
Two Harbors’ Agate Bay
TWO HARBORS—Lovers of the quiet, quaint community of Two Harbors have transportation to thank for its very existence.
Back in the 1850s, the United States and Native Americans signed the Treaty of LaPointe, which opened the North Shore of Lake Superior to white settlement. Flash-forward 30 years, and the Minnesota Iron Company, based in Duluth, set up shop in Tower, MN and was mining iron ore from the Vermillion Range at a rapid rate.
The Duluth and Iron Range Railroad needed to haul the mined rocks and minerals to Lake Superior, in order to ship them across the Great Lakes. The shortest route between Tower and Lake Superior was straight through Agate Bay in Two Harbors. As an added benefit, the clay bottom in the bay was perfect for ore dock development.
About 70 miles of railroad, which is deemed a shortline railroad by today’s standards, was constructed from the Vermillion Range to Agate Bay. In time, it became the most successful short-line railroad in the history of the country.
Before the advent of diesel locomotives, the Yellowstone Mallet ran the rails. It is arguably the largest locomotive ever built and the exhibit in downtown Two Harbors today is one of the only three in existence.
“It was capable of pulling what four diesels pull today,” said Mel Sando, director of the Lake County Historical Society. “It’s a slow locomotive, but very powerful.”
In its early days, Two Harbors was a construction camp for the railroad with a permanent population of about 300 people.
“Two Harbors was always about transportation, particularly shipping,” said Sando. “It was a major transportation center along the North Shore.”
Two Harbors’ port, which was developed about 10 years before Duluth’s, sent its first ore shipment in 1884, consisting of 10 train cars with 20 tons each.
“It wasn’t much. They actually had a hard time selling it,” said Sando.
But only a few years later, they were shipping about 225 thousand tons of product per year. For comparison, the docks today ship about 12 million tons per year. In
addition to iron ore, the port shipped out millions of board-feet of timber. It received Pennsylvania coal for locomotives and communities on the east range.
Before Two Harbors developed into a full-fledged city, “It was pretty rough and tumble,” said Sando. “A lot of people forget that this was the frontier. It wasn’t a community by any means.”
Most of the property surrounding Agate Bay was owned by the railroad, except for four acres that businessmen developed with saloons, shops, restaurants, warehouses and hotels. Called “Whiskey Row,” the area was known for a place where the young, working men would take part in excessive drinking, crime and prostitution, said Sando.
“All these young men that immigrated here, despite the rough-and-tumble nature of Whiskey Row, these people moved here to make a better life for themselves and for their family,” said Sando.
By the late 1880s, the workers sent for their families and the city became domesticated. A police department and town council was formed, and churches were built.
During that period of population growth, the service of transporting passengers became popular on the Great Lakes.
“You had all these boats coming in to Two Harbors with passenger service…but the purpose was to pick up fish catches and deliver mail.”
Dropping passengers off at various points around the Great Lakes gave boat owners extra income, and this practice ran up until World War II.
In addition, as automobiles increased in popularity as a means of transportation, tourists began to flood the North Shore seeking to escape hay fever, or allergies, and
enjoy the cooler temperatures and outdoor sports. In the 1920s, Highway 1, now Highway 61, was built.
In the 1960s, everything changed for Two Harbors. That’s when United Steel shut down operations in Tower, a date that was called “Black Friday.” Natural ore was played out of the Vermillion Range, and there wasn’t a market that made mining profitable, said Sando.
“It pretty much sent a panic through the community,” said Sando.
Lots of people living in Two Harbors left at that time, but those who stayed identified other industries to work in, and developed a diversified workforce.
The panic lasted less than one year, because in 1965 the State of Minnesota decided not to tax taconite production to spur investment in the Northland. But by then, the shape of the community had changed—transforming the transportation hub into the community that residents and visitors experience today.
To learn more, visit the Lake County Historical Society in Two Harbors or check out their website: lakecountyhistoricalsociety.org —Kelsey Roseth
The Pajama Game was awarded the 1955 Tony for Best Musical and, over half of a century later, claimed the award for Best Revival of a Musical, proving that the story is truly timeless.
A panoramic view of Two Harbors in 1921. | LAKE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
DRURY LANE BOOKS
Monday August 7 7:30 PM
Full Moon Reading with Mary Ellen Ashcroft
Saturday August 26 7 PM
Storytelling with local author Rose Arrowsmith Decoux
Children’s Story Hour with the Muffin Man
Saturdays, 11 AM
Trans Canada’s great trail opens across the country
ONTARIO—On August 26, communities across the country are invited to explore the Trans Canada Trail. Twenty-five years in the making, 24,000 km of hiking, biking and paddling trails will be connected and local sections of the trail will be celebrating.
The communities of Thunder Bay, Atikokan, Dryden and Kenora are inviting you to explore along the local Path of the Paddle water trails that connect the Trans Canada Trail in Northwestern Ontario (NWO).
The creation of the Trans Canada Trail was initiated in 1992 with the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Twenty-five years later, a network of community groups have planned and developed trails to create one of the world’s longest network of recreational trails.
The Path of the Paddle Association, a volunteer-driven not-for-profit, is tasked with completing the Trans Canada Trail from Thunder Bay to Manitoba.
The Path of the Paddle water trail spans from the Great Lakes to the edge of the prairies and includes the world’s larg-
est inland sea, historic waterways that have been traversed by canoe for thousands of years.
With six Path of the Paddle trails joining the communities in NWO, there are many opportunities to celebrate the opening of the Great Trail.
In Kenora, the Iinoo Oowan (canoe trail) Trail, travels 170 km east from the Whiteshell Provincial Park and TCT land trail (Borders to Beaches) on the Manitoba border following the Winnipeg River.
East of Kenora, Rushing River Provincial Park provides the gateway to Dryden through the Experimental Lakes area on the 199 km Migizi (bald eagle) Trail.
The 160 km Maukinak (turtle) Trail travels south from Dryden to the Turtle River-White Otter Lake Provincial Park and on to Atikokan, joining with the 208 km Quetico Trail.
At the south end of Quetico Park, the Omimi (pigeon) Trail travels 100 km through La Verendrye Provincial Park to the Pigeon River Provincial Park in the east and provides access from the world
The Path of the Paddle Association is promoting a day of travel on the Great Trail on August 26. Trail explorers are asked to submit photos and stories about their day on the trail. | PATH OF THE PADDLE
renowned Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
Along the U.S.-Canada border, the 100 km Omimi Trail is a unique and special part of the Trans Canada Trail. Following the rivers and lakes that straddle the international border, the trail lies within La Verendrye Provincial Park on the Canadian side and the BWCAW on the American side. The Omimi trail joins Lake Superior’s Animikii Trail with the Quetico Trail.
Traveling north along the spectacular Lake Superior coastline the 136 km Animikii (thunder bird) Trail links the Path of the Paddle to the Thunder Bay hiking trail at Fort William Historical Park on the Kaministiquia River.
Regional Trail Committees of the Path of the Paddle Association will promote a day of travel on the Great Trail on August 26. Trail explorers are challenged to submit photos and stories of their day on the trail and receive a memento of the day.
For more information on activities in Thunder Bay, Atikokan, Dryden and Kenora, check out: pathofthepaddleassociation.com
DNR to modernize its electronic system for hunting and fishing licenses
ST. PAUL—Hunters, anglers and everyone who has a role in selling licenses for the Minnesota DNR can anticipate a new electronic license system that will enhance customer service starting in the spring of 2020.
“Over the next two years, we will be modernizing the electronic license system to create a better and more efficient experience for customers—changes that will save the agency as much as $1.5 million,” said Steve Michaels, DNR licensing program director. “Customers will find it easier to purchase licenses and tags online and record their harvests from a mobile device or computer 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
The DNR sells licenses through a vendor that administers the electronic license system that allows customers to buy licenses in-person at nearly 1,500 locations around Minnesota, online and by telephone. The contract with the current vendor expires in 2020.
Be bear aware
DULUTH—Superior National Forest managers urge the public to learn and practice bear aware principles for the protection of both people and bears. There are several things that people can do to reduce the potential for unwanted bear encounters.
A clean campsite is much less likely to catch the attention of bears in the area. When camping, all food, cooking equipment and garbage should be stored out of reach of bears or in a certified bear-resistant container. Be aware that bears may also find the smell of toothpaste, lipstick, scented personal hygiene products, sunscreen, clothing with food odor, etc. attractive. A bear can even smell a candy bar wrapper inside a tent. Here are some important points:
• Once a meal is concluded, the cooking equipment should be washed immediately and away from the sleeping area. Toiletries, food and garbage should be placed in a bear-resistant container, out of view in a hard-sided vehicle or hung out of reach by hanging the food pack from a high line between two trees. The bag should be located at least 12 feet above ground and at least six feet from the trees on either side.
The first step in modernizing the license system happened in late May when the DNR issued a request for proposals for contractors to bid on a project to develop a new system.
“The new system won’t go into effect for more than two years but we have to begin work now to allow enough time to choose a vendor, design and implement the system, and communicate with customers and license sales agents,” Michaels said. “Across the spectrum of retail, customers are demanding the convenience of modern technology as part of their purchasing experiences, whether it is movie theaters, airlines or retail stores.”
The DNR sells about 1.5 million fishing licenses and 580,000 hunting and trapping licenses.
Use of the current system continues through March of 2020. The DNR plans to provide regular updates about the development of the new system.
• Don’t count on a cooler to protect your food. Coolers are not bear-resistant containers. Bears can smell bottled beverages and food in plastic coolers. Once a bear is rewarded with food or something sweet in one cooler or tent, it learns to bite and tear into other tents and coolers.
• Dispose of fish remains by traveling well away from campsites, trails, portages and shorelines.
• Avoid leaving food unguarded at the end of a portage. If it is not in a bear-resistant container, it is an easy target and can teach a bear to frequent the portage.
Residents in bear country should also be bear aware. Keep pet food secured in the house, remove bird feeders at night and store garbage in a building or in trash containers that cannot be opened by bears. Once a bear learns that human food is easily accessible, the bear will elevate its efforts to get it; putting people and bears at risk.
To learn more about safe living and camping or hiking in bear country, check out: bebearaware.org.
National
Honey Bee Day
Special Presentations
Saturday, August 19, 11 am - 3 pm
12:30 pm - pollinator-focused nature hike 1:00 pm - Mark Ditmanson: the diversity & importance of the wild bee populations and beekeeping in the boreal forest.
Approx 2 pm - Master Gardeners Maxene Linehan and Janet Ditmanson: why provide pollinator plants and habitat in gardens, and tips and suggestions for planning, choosing plants and other features, and maintenance.
Activities:
Bumblebee ID Building for native bees Making seed paper Wax crafts
Children’s bee and flower crafts
Geology of Our Area
August 27 – 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Don Wendel, local geologist will be presenting on the study of the Saganaga Batholith on which Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center now stands.
Kids’ Day
Tuesdays, June 27 to August 22, 11 am to 4 pm Free Kids’ Activities Stories, hikes, journal-making & crafts
USFS Presentations
Tuesdays, June 20 – August 22, 2 –3 pm Various Northwoods-themed topics presented by U.S. Forest Service naturalists
Weekend - October 22 10 am - 5 pm
Center 11 am - 4 pm
Good Times Await North of the Border
The Live on the Waterfront Concert Series will continue every Wednesday throughout the month of August. Held from 6-9 p.m. at Marina Park, performers include Kardinal Offishall, Magic!, The Roosters, Milton Shushack, the Thunder Bay Community Band, La Reese, Cold Lake Sun and The Dead South. thunderbay.ca/live
Festa Italiana will be held Aug. 6-7 at the Italian Cultural Centre on Algoma Street. Enjoy home-cooked, traditional Italian food like lasagna, ravioli, gnocchi and more at the various food booths. Learn about the city’s Italian heritage, view art displays, and hear international and local performers on the outdoors stage. There will also be kid’s activities and fireworks each night at 11 p.m. Don’t forget to enter the prize drawing Monday night; you could win a trip for two to Italy. bayalgoma.com/festa-italiana
The CLE Summer Family Fair will take place Aug. 9-13, held from noon to midnight daily. Activities include Midway rides and concessions, main stage entertainment, cooking demonstrations, a petting zoo, Kid’s World, the baby boom contest and creative arts contest. The fair will be held at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition. Ticket information can be found online. cle.on.ca/family-fair
The BrewHa Craft Beer Festival will take place at Prince Arthur’s Landing, Aug. 11-12. There will be food vendors, live-local music, educational talks and demos, and of course, beer tastings. This year’s breweries include Lake
Seeking a Hip Scene?
Head for Thunder Bay’s Waterfront District and the nearby Algoma & Bay Neighborhood. You’ll find it all: live music, great food, funky galleries, unique shops, the OLG Casino, Marina Park and more.
This ain’t your daddy’s Thunder Bay www.thewaterfrontdistrict.ca
(Remember, Thunder Bay is on Eastern Time —1 hour ahead of MN time.)
of the Woods Brewing Co., Dawson Trail Craft Brewery, Nickel Brook Brewing Co., Muskoka Brewery, Highlander Brew Co., Brickworks Ciderhouse and more. Tickets to attend can be purchased online. brewhafestival.com
Hosted by the Lakehead Canoe Club (LCC), the annual Family of Dragons Festival is set for Saturday, Aug. 12 on Boulevard Lake. Join a race team and pledge to raise money for a community charity. Or sign up for one of the individual relay races involving canoes, kayaks and standup paddle boards. Registration information can be found online. paddlesport.org
Movie Nights on the Waterfront are a free series of outdoor film screenings that take place at Marina Park. Movie Nights include the summer Family Series every Friday and Saturday, starting Aug. 18 and continuing into Sept. Movies start after sunset (roughly between 8-9 p.m.) and each movie opens with a locally-made short film. Bring warm clothing, a blanket and lawn chair, and enjoy the show on the big screen overlooking Lake Superior. Concessions will be available. thunderbay.ca
The Red Lion Smokehouse will host Celtic Night at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays throughout the month of August, as well as live music every Friday and Saturday. Other events include a rock, paper, scissors tournament at 8 p.m. on Aug. 2, arts and craft beer on Aug. 16, game night on Aug. 23 and a quiz night on Aug. 30. Then, enjoy an
8-course summer inspired meal at the Red Lion Smokehouse at 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 28; tickets are available on EventBrite. redlionsmokehouse.ca
Following the Voyageurs through the Fur Trade
By Casey Fitchett
The canoe is heavy and the bale is full of goods to sell. The trail is long, but paddling the river would be nearly impossible. The bugs are swarming and there are challenges around every bend. The terrain seems unforgiving, but there is no option other than to put one foot in front of the other on this path, the Grand Portage.
Visitors to the Grand Portage National Monument are transported through time to when the fur trade dominated the Northland. The infamously long and grueling portage connected the fur traders and the nearby residents, the Grand Portage Ojibwe. Today at the park, there are countless opportunities to connect with history through interpretive exhibits and re-enactments of daily life through cross-cultural experiences.
To understand the efforts of the fur traders and the uniqueness of their journey, it is helpful to consider the pathways through which they traveled. The park’s name comes from the footpath between the Pigeon River and Lake Superior. These native Ojibwe people have traveled this ‘portage,’ or path, for centuries to conduct trade with neighboring tribes and to access local hunting and gathering areas. The portage itself has its western terminus at the Pigeon River, which also forms part of the international border between the U.S. and Canada. Fort Charlotte, which was named after the wife of King George III, was a small depot used to store the trade items and furs before being delivered to either Grand Portage or interior trading posts of the North West Company. Voyageurs and Native peoples would also often carry their birch bark canoes, freshly caught Lake Superior fish, wild rice and raw copper from Isle Royale. Using the portage was a way to avoid the treacherous rapids, cascades and waterfalls of the Pigeon River.
Although explorers may have learned about the portage from Native peoples in the late 1600s, the first documented travel along the Grand Portage was made in 1731. Other explorers and traders soon learned about the pays d’en haut, or the “up country” of the northwest. When the Brit-
ish took control of the fur trade from the French in 1763, trade with the Ojibwe and other tribes expanded. The North West Company built its summer headquarters at the eastern edge of the Grand Portage and the route was used by guides, interpreters, voyageurs, clerks and others for the next 25 years.
“That time period of the fur trade was known on the world stage. If you were living in London or Paris you knew of the Grand Portage,” explained Pam Neil, chief of interpretation for the park.
Through her role, she is responsible for managing all the public access to the park, including the exhibits, programming and audiovisual presentations. She and her team is tasked with ensuring that each visitor has an amazing and interactive experience.
“Last year we had around 95,700 visitors to the park,” said Neil. “With budgets tight for all the national parks, we are very fortunate to have a team of seasonal rangers and volunteers that give visitors an opportunity to interact with no less than eight staff members during their visit on most days. We also have the ability to get visitors directly involved with a variety of interactive demonstrations and activities.”
The personal interaction extends to the exhibits in the four structures at the park: the Great Hall, the kitchen, the warehouse and the gatehouse. The Great Hall is historically furnished with period decoration from the 1790s and includes a try-it-on historic clothing exhibit. For those who are curious about the culinary choices of the era, the kitchen space is the place to see period cooking and baking demonstrations in the summer months. The Voyageur Encampment and Ojibwe Village includes demonstration of Ojibwe and voyageur life in the late 1700s.
“It’s fun to integrate people into their visit. They can get their hands in the dough and knead the bread if they want,” explained Neil. “When we have the lacrosse sticks out, you are welcome to just come and start playing. Join us in whatever we are doing.”
The second weekend in August is one of the largest festivals of the year for the Grand Portage Reservation and the National Monument. Representing the peak of the summer activity, the North West Company Rendezvous was when the furs from the wintering posts, which reached into Canada, were delivered down the Grand Portage. At the national monument, re-enactors from across the country and Canada gather to camp and challenge each other. The celebration is also held in conjunction with the Powwow, which is sponsored by the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
The Grand Portage National Monument has a special relationship with the native inhabitants of the land on which it sits.
“We are full partners with the tribe; that is really unique. That’s so important to what we do,” said Neil. “Our partnership is an example that other parks are hoping to follow. We are integrated into this community and it’s very special how we have grown together and worked together.”
There are always other research and restoration projects happening at the park.
Steve Veit works in Cultural Resources as a museum technician. His role is to manage the museum collection, which includes checking the condition of the objects and processing the new finds.
Veit also works on the archeological excavations that take place within the monument boundaries and right now on the actual monument grounds themselves. The legal requirements on such a protected area ensure that any changes made to the physical environment are given intense consideration. The cultural resources staff also provides technical assistance to the Grand Portage Band and Cook County Historical Society in a variety of disciplines.
“Currently, we are conducting an archaeological survey in the depot area in preparation for the relocation of public restrooms. It will be almost like a public excavation around Rendezvous time. In order to do any serious ground disturbance as far as construction, we need to be able to evaluate the site first as part of a legal requirement,” said Veit. “We are looking at the ground there to make sure we aren’t impacting any significant archeological resources. That project will be taking us all through August and possibility into September.”
Natural resource restoration and research is also crucial to ensuring that the park can be enjoyed for many generations to come. Forest restoration, including putting white pine and tamarack back on the landscape, is a big undertaking for the biological team. Trade activities also affected the environment in ways that are still being discovered.
“The fur trade left an environmental legacy. There is quite a bit more mercury in the ground than there would have been otherwise,” resource assistant Brandon Seitz explained. “The mercury is there because of a trade object called vermillion. There was so much of it used, stored and applied at that time, that the mercury level is about 100 times what it would have been otherwise.”
Vermillion is a deep red pigment that was used as a face makeup by both women and men. Some of the voyageurs also applied it on tips of blades of paddles, and it might have been part of a fabric dye. The small sample they have is now used for scientific research and interpreted during visitor tours of the archives.
With help from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the staff includes summer interns who have been working on exotic invasive species and traveling across the Arrowhead to do interpretation with the public.
Ranger-led interpretive programs and video presentations also help history come alive in the park. Those wishing to recreate and connect to the voyageurs and Native peoples can hike the entire 8.5-mile Grand Portage and camp at Fort Charlotte free of charge; a permit for camping is required, however. The steep half-mile Mt. Rose Nature Trail also offers scenic views of the depot and Lake Superior. This year’s Rendezvous Days expects to host 4,000-6,000 visitors and will be held on August 11-13. A schedule of events is available online at: nps.gov/grpo.
An archeological excavation on the Lake Superior shoreline. | GRAND PORTAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT
History comes to life in Grand Portage with voyageur re-enactors. | GRAND PORTAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT
Grand Portage National Monument archaeologist Bill Clayton and Anderson stand near a historic timeline at the monument’s visitor center. Near the bottom center of the photo can be seen some copper artifacts from the Anderson collection.
Stone points from the Woodland Culture are more roughly formed. In addition to Woodland tools, the collection also contains some pottery shards from that era.
The Woodland people may have gathered annually at specific locations for social times and ceremonies or to harvest food from massive fish spawning runs. Mostly they lived in nomadic, small family groups that moved across the landscape based upon available food and the seasons. Indigenous people were still living this lifestyle when European explorers arrived in the region about 400 years ago.
“The North Shore Ojibwe remained nomadic until three generations ago,” Anderson said. My great-great-grandparents would move between Madeline Island and Beaver Bay.”
Because the European traders and trappers used the same water routes as the Indigenous people, they’ve left behind artifacts as well. The collection has the broken pieces of clay pipes carried by the voyageurs, trade beads, a small silver heart and foot-long rusted rods used to make muskrat and beaver spears.
The trove of artifacts remains fascinating to Anderson, who remembers when and where most of them were found. And they are clearly a link to his mother, who died in 2008, and the many hours the duo spent looking for them.
“Mom wore nylons to ward off the bloodsuckers,” he says of the times they spent wading in the lake’s shoreline shallows. “When I’d come out, my legs would be covered with bloodsuckers.”
For many folks, just the thought of bloodsuckers would be enough to keep them on dry land. For the Andersons, it was a small price to pay for the recovery of 9,000 years of history.
“Every one of these items is like a little gift,” said Anderson. “Our family wanted to pass this gift along.”
Clayton said that today, collecting artifacts is discouraged and on some public lands, unlawful. But he is grateful the Andersons took their hobby so seriously and are willing to share their collection with others.
“It’s a gift to archaeology,” he said. “If people hadn’t picked this stuff up, we wouldn’t have it today.”
Exhibit Coming
The Grand Portage National Monument is preparing an exhibit of the Anderson Collection artifacts, which it plans to open in October.
This stone point is an excellent example of a tool-making technique called overshot flaking.
[TOP] The collection is stored in a climate-controlled vault in the monument’s basement. Anderson holds a stone tool found by his mother, Lou.
[LEFT] Every item in the collection, such as these copper needles, has been cataloged.
A hammered and rolled copper bracelet. A piece of Lake Superior agate with a sharp edge for scraping or cutting.
By Breana Roy
|
The Art of August
August is filled with new exhibits opening and more art festivals occurring, starting with the Under the Spreading Walnut Tree Art Festival in Two Harbors, Aug. 11-13, followed by the Brighton Beach Art Festival in Duluth on Saturday, Aug. 12. Art in Bayfront Park will be held Aug. 19-20 in Duluth.
[ABOVE] Definitely Superior’s Die Active Art Collective has 24 street art/graffiti murals in Thunder Bay. Check out the latest mural, completed in July on Cooke Street. | PATRICK CHONDON
Risberg of
blown glass bird feeders. He will be at the Brighton Beach Art Festival in Duluth, Aug. 12. To see more of his work, visit rizzglass.com.
| JOHN RISBERG
[LEFT] “Sad Bear,” by Jill Levene. Levene is the featured artist at Tettegouche State Park this month. To see more, visit: middlesistermade.com. | JILL LEVENE
John
Rizz Glass creates
Lakeside Gallery in Duluth will feature Shawna Gilmore in Aug. The exhibit, titled Woodlandia, will feature paintings similar to “Boris’ Big Bunny.” | SHAWNA GILMORE
Duluth Art Institute’s Plein Air Exhibit will be held at Blacklist Beer until Aug. 27. Thirty-four artists were selected to participate, including Teresa Kolar. Her mixed media piece, titled “Katy’s Lake Superior Garden” will be on display.
TERESA KOLAR
“Big Red Owl,” by Jonathan Thunder, is part of the PeripheralVignettes exhibition, currently on display at the Duluth Art Institute until Sept. 1.
| JONATHAN THUNDER
Music around the Campfire
BY CASEY FITCHETT
Although Eric Frost had a genuine interest in playing the guitar from a young age, his parents were hesitant that the desire was a passing fad. Fans of his acoustic guitar strumming and vocals may have one of his unsupportive elementary school teachers to thank.
“I got my first guitar when I was in fourth grade. My parents were somewhat reluctant to get me a guitar before they knew that I was going to stick with it,” he explained. “They really wanted me to pick a band instrument in the elementary school band. When my fourth grade teacher told them that I was never going to be a musician, they got me a guitar because they thought that was a cruel and insensitive thing to say.”
Frost continued to prove his teacher wrong throughout his elementary, middle and high school years. The small band he formed in high school had some success playing at showcases and even writing some music. When college took the group in different directions, Frost took a hiatus himself.
“While I was in college I ended up shelving my guitar for other interests, mostly due to when I got there I was friends with a bunch of musicians who could all play circles around me,” he said. “I didn’t think I had what it took, so I put it on the back burner.”
After not playing for almost a decade, a change of location about 11 years ago provided an inspirational catalyst. As is the case with many musicians and artists, an introduction to the North Shore’s community of people reignited his spark.
“I found a new circle of musicians who were supportive and encouraging of me to get back out there and play in front of people, most notable Bump Blomberg,” said Frost.
Though operating under the loose umbrella of an Americana sound, ‘Frosty’ is hesitant to limit himself by applying a label to the music he plays. The cover songs he plays have found their way into his life either through a particular personal identification or a connection with the “way the song lays out on the guitar.” Playing mostly covers doesn’t mean the audience will always be singing along; he notes that many of his choices are a bit obscure.
“Hopefully, I can introduce the listeners to where I am coming from through who I choose to cover. I don’t really work from a set list, rather I go with the flow and the songs that come to me,” he said. “I do write songs, but my biggest hurdle is my own self-criticism. The songs I’m writing now just aren’t up to my standard.”
Traveling for gigs doesn’t have much of an appeal at this point
in Frost’s career. His gigs are mainly in smaller bars and restaurants between Tofte and Grand Marais, though a new type of venue has been a favorite this summer.
“I have gigs in August at Papa Charlie’s and Cascade Lodge Restaurant in Lutsen, and the Gunflint Tavern in Grand Marais. I am also playing some campfire gigs at Lutsen Resort and Eagle Ridge,” said Frost. “Those are really fun; very stripped down and casual. You can really connect with people and I like playing for people who are actively listening and giving me that instant feedback.”
Connecting with a variety of people comes naturally for the musician and he is pleased to be able to play for almost a completely different audience every night. More information about his upcoming shows can be found in the Northern Wilds Events Guide and through the Visit Cook County Event Calendar.
Breana’s
Pick OF THE MONTH
Artist Terry Williams of Infinity Arts & Designs will showcase his work at the Under the Spreading Walnut Tree Art Festival in Two Harbors, Aug. 1113. This piece, titled “Summer Breeze,” is a mixed media using acrylic paints and sculpted paper. Williams is one of the event coordinators for the festival. To see more of his work, visit: mnartists.org/terry_williams2.
Permanent Exhibit
On the Line: A Military History of Cook County Cook County Historical Society, Grand Marais, cookcountyhistory.org
May 23-Dec. 21
1000 Words Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma
May 26-Oct. 21
Boom Town to Ghost Town: Taconite Harbor Cross River Heritage Center, Schroeder, crossriverheritage.org
May 30-Sept. 24
Sinew: Female Native Artists of the Twin Cities Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma
June 6-Aug. 27
Mounties Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma
June 23-Sept. 24
The Perspective From Here: 150 Artists from the North Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca
June 29-Sept. 1
Play: Robert Dewitt Adams, Elizabeth LaPensee & Christopher Selleck Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org
Peripheral Vignettes: Jonathan Thunder Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org
July 14-Aug. 12
29th Anniversary Members Show Definitely Superior, Thunder Bay, definitelysuperior.com
Jeneen Frei Njootli: Performance & Installation Definitely Superior, Thunder Bay, definitelysuperior.com
Amanda Strong: Four Faces of the Moon & Mia Definitely Superior, Thunder Bay, definitelysuperior.com
July 15-Aug. 27
Plein Air Duluth: Paint du Nord Exhibit Blacklist Artisan Ales, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org
July 21-Aug. 13
Marie Westerman & Jill Ewald Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org
July 29-Sept. 30
NLAA presents A Pop-Up Art Gallery 10 a.m. Downtown Ely, northernlakesarts.org
Aug. 1-31
Winged Ones Exhibition (reception Aug. 7 at 5 p.m.) Art & Soul Gallery, Ely, elyartandsoul.com
Woodlandia: Shawna Gilmore (reception Aug. 5 at 1 p.m.) Lakeside Gallery, Duluth, lakesidegalleryduluth.com
Jill Levene Art Exhibit (reception Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.) Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay, middlesistermade.com
Aug. 15-Nov. 11, 2018
Pacific Northwest Native Art from the William J. Saul Collection Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma
Aug. 18-Sept. 10
David R. Johnson Photography (reception Aug. 18 at 5 p.m.) Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org
Eric Frost first began playing the guitar in fourth grade.
| ERIC FROST
LAKE COUNTY FAIR
Aug. 17-20
Mark your calendars for the Lake County Fair, featuring games, food, live music, contests and fun for the entire family. Held Aug. 17-20, daily activities include the old west living history camp and re-enactments, Todd Armstrong shows, food vendors and commercial exhibits, live entertainment, the beverage garden by Carmody 61, daily prize drawings, the Midway Carnival (except Thursday), the 4-H kitchen and breakfast served in the Fair Kitchen. The Lake County Fair is held at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Two Harbors. Admission is $5 ages six and up, and free under six years of age. Gates open at 8 a.m. daily. Parking is free. thelakecountyfair.com
Thursday: Senior Day Senior luncheon at 12:30 p.m., followed by the Senior Citizen of the Year award. Thursday activities also include the amateur talent contest, 3k Dirty Dash and Doug Ohman: Bringing MN History to Life presentation.
Friday: Kid’s Day There will be a 4-H pet show, balloon artistry by Mandana, a coloring contest, kid’s games, the Midway Carnival, and a family-friendly movie with a build-your-own ice cream sundae bar.
Saturday: 4-H Day Includes the annual pie contest, 4-H horse show, the Renegade Riders Saddle Club barrel run and live music by the Northwoods Band.
Sunday: Family Day Features open horse play day, the truck mud run, a 4-H fun show, a silent auction, the Laying Hen Auction (proceeds support North Shore 4-H Club), and multiple contests; blind-folded lawn mower race, hay bale toss and the frying pan toss.
The Fattenin’ Frogs will perform at the Boundary Waters Blues Fest in Ely, Aug. 17-20. | CARRIE HAUGAN
Get muddy at the Lake County Fair; try your luck with one of the many contest and races, such as the hay bale toss. | LAKE COUNTY FAIR
Between ropes courses, animal-tracking and canoeing, you'll learn something new every time you open your eyes.
,��. WOLF RIDCE ™ 4\�
Learn about our family & youth camps and trips. wolf-ridge.org.
Adventures in learning.
Community Fun Day & Silent Auction
Saturday, August 12
11 am - 2 pm
Join our annual community gathering, tour the Historic Red Schoolhouse, participate in some classic picnic games, win cool stuff in our auction, use the spiffy biffy and have a great time. Enjoy our picnic basket containing hot dogs, sloppy Joes & fruit with coffee, pop and water. Please help with dessert by bringing some Bars or Cookies.
FISHERMAN’S PICNIC
Aug. 2-6 There’s lots to look forward to at the 88th annual Fisherman’s Picnic festival in Grand Marais. Activities include bingo, live music, a dunk tank, Crazy Daze Sales, food and artisan vendors, kiddy rides, blacksmithing demos, logrolling, Library Friends book sales, the fish toss, and of course, the fishburger stand. There will be multiple contests, including the Big Fish Contest sponsored by Bucks and Northern Wilds; held July 29-Aug. 5. Don’t miss the fireworks over the harbor at 9:45 p.m. on Saturday, and the parade at 1 p.m. on Sunday. facebook.com/ grandmaraislionsclub
Bring the Whole Family! We really have fun!
At the Historic Red Schoolhouse, 701 Larsmont Road Two Harbors
Sponsored by the Larsmont Community Club. For more info: mwisch@lakeconnections.net
- Unique access by train and floatplane.
- The only full-service canoe outfitter for Wabakimi.
- Main base B&B plus 6 remote fishing outposts.
- Full or partial outfitting, with or without guides.
- Permits, maps, route planning and shuttles.
- Quote this Code # NW0516 for a free $100 gift certificate.
- Call Bruce Hyer (park co-creator) anytime for free advice. - 40-years experience.
MID-TRAIL FUNDRAISER
Aug. 9, Wednesday Support the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department with the annual Mid-Trail Fundraiser, held at Fire Hall #1 on the Gunflint Trail. This year’s fundraiser will begin at noon, featuring a flea market and boutique, followed by a live auction at 1:30 p.m. under the big tent. Don’t forget to buy a raffle ticket to win a handcrafted quilt, donated by the Mid-Trail Quilters. Tickets are $5 each, or three for $10.
MURILLO COUNTRY FEST
Aug. 11-12 Country 105 presents two full days of music at the 2nd annual Murillo Country Fest, held in the small town of Murillo, Ontario. This year’s festival will include performances by Brett Kissel, Tim Hicks, Cold Creek County, Jess Moska -
luke, Bobby Wills, Doc Walker, The Washboard Union, James Barker Band and more. The festival will be held at the Murillo fairgrounds. Tickets can be purchased online in advance. murillocountryfest.com
LIVE FROM THE ROCK
Aug. 11-13 Held in Red Rock, Ontario, the Live from the Rock Folk Festival is an annual music and arts festival that first began in 2002. The festival offers world class music on four, daytime workshop-style stages, as well as an evening festival concert stage. During daytime workshops, multiple musicians/bands will grace the stage at the same time, taking turns and feeding off each other’s stories and songs. This year’s performers include Cassidy Houston, Angie Nussey, John Muirhead, Anne Lindsay, Wax Mannequin, Murder Murder, Patty McLaughlin, and more. Tickets can be purchased at the festival gate or online at: livefromtherockfolkfestival.com. Held in coordination with the festival is the 35th annual Paju Mountain Run on Saturday, Aug. 12, featuring a competitive and non-competitive race with multiple divisions. Registration required. redrocktownship.com/ pajumountain
BAYFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL
Aug. 11-13 The annual Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth features more than 30 acts on two stages, making it one of the biggest outdoor music events in the area. Held in the beautiful Bayfront Festival Park, this year’s performers include Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin’ Alter Boys, Alexis P. Suter Band, Shane Henry,
Canoeing & Fishing Outfitters
Drew Johnson will provide blacksmithing demos at Bally’s Blacksmithing during Fisherman’s Picnic. | STAFF
PLEIN AIR Grand Marais
COMMUNITY FUN DAY
Aug. 12, Saturday Tour the Historic Red Schoolhouse near Two Harbors during the annual Larsmont community gathering. Partake in classic picnic games, use the spiffy biffy, and enjoy a picnic basket with hot dogs, sloppy joes, fruit and coffee, pop or water. There will also be a silent auction. Community Fun Day will take place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Historic Red Schoolhouse; 701 Larsmont Road. mwisch@lakeconnections.net
ELY WATERCROSS RACE
Aug. 12-13 The 12th annual Ely Watercross Races will take place at Longbranch in Winton, MN near Ely. Racing starts at 10 a.m. both days, and features the Boundary Waters Challenge Novice Race on Saturday, and the Last Man Standing ALS Race on Sunday; all proceeds go to ALS. Don’t miss Velvet Jones on Saturday at 7 p.m. There will also be food and product vendors, as well as family-friendly activities throughout the weekend. Tickets are $15 for one day or $25 for both days, $5 for kids ages 11-15 for the weekend, and free for ages under 11. facebook.com/ ely-watercross-association
GUNFLINT WOODS, WINDS, STRINGS & A LITTLE JAZZ
Aug. 13, Sunday Journey up the Gunflint Trail for a delightful afternoon of classical and jazz music at the Gunflint Trail Fire Hall #1, mid-Trail. This is the fifth year of this mid-summer concert, featuring both returning musicians and new performers. Philis Anderson, Karina Roth, Kathy Bols -
tad and Erika Ternes will return to play, as will the Sky Blue Jazz Quartet and Orange girl. The jazz ensemble includes, Mike DeBevec, piano; Eric Hahn, sax; Mike Roth, bass; Thomas Stamps, percussion; and Karina Roth, vocal. New musicians performing include, Robert Reed, trumpet; Fred Anderson, guitar; and Hugh and Nancy Magill, piano. The concert is at 4 p.m., followed by a reception in the Schaap Community Center, adjacent to the fire hall. Ticket reservations can be made by calling Patsy Coleman at (313) 6736202, or emailing her at: pcolman@chem. wayne,edu. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for ages five to 18; kids under five are free. Proceeds of ticket sales go to the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department. Seating is limited due, so make reservations early.
BOUNDARY WATERS BLUES FEST
Aug. 17-20 The 17th annual Boundary Waters Blues Fest begins with an indoor kickoff party on Thursday, Aug. 17 at the Longbranch in Winton, MN; Winton is located about 5 miles east of Ely.
This year’s festival lineup includes Virgil Caine, Fattenin’ Frogs, Harrison Street, Conspiracy Theory, Brian Naughton Band, Squishy Mud Band, Daina De Prez and more. After the music, socialize around a campfire and you might be treated to a fireside acoustic jam by one of the musicians. The festival will wrap up on Sunday with a gospel brunch at the Historic Winton Church. Tickets for the festival can be purchased online. elyblues.com
INTERNATIONAL UKULELE CARNIVAL
Aug. 18-20 The 7th annual Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival will be held at the Silver Creek Town Hall, Aug. 18-20. Be a part of the live Facebook streaming singalong at 4 p.m. on Friday and enjoy the free ukulele concert Saturday afternoon. There will also be open mic times, jam sessions, beginner classes and lessons all three days. On Sunday, a ukulele church service will be held at 9 a.m. at Gooseberry Falls State Park, followed by a farewell picnic at Silver Creek Pavilion and Town Hall. twoharborsukulelegroup.com
The BrewHa Craft Beer Festival in Thunder Bay will be Aug. 11-12. See page 23 for more info. | SUBMITTED
WAWA SALMON DERBY
Aug. 18-20 The 35th annual Salmon Derby in Wawa, Ontario, will be held Aug. 18-20 on Lake Superior. Known as “Wawa’s Superior Sporting Event,” the contest includes multiple categories, prizes and activities for the whole family. The winner of the largest salmon wins $6,000 in cash. There is also a pre-fishing contest Aug. 12-16. Derby headquarters are located at Buck’s Marina. Registration fee required. wawasalmonderby.com
WORLD HONEY BEE DAY PRESENTATIONS
Saturday, Aug. 19 World Honey Bee Day, previously known as Honey Bee Awareness Day, is an idea put to -
gether by beekeepers in the U.S. who petitioned the USDA in 2009 for an official day to honor honey bees and beekeeping. A few years down the line, people across the globe are holding a date of observation every year. This year, the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, located up the Gunflint Trail, will hold honey bee inspired presentations and activities from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. There will be a short, guided nature hike focusing on pollinators at 12:30 p.m. At 1 p.m. Mark Ditmanson will present on the great diversity and importance of the wild bee populations in Cook County and beyond. The presentation will also cover the practice of beekeeping in the boreal forest. At roughly 2 p.m. Master Gardeners Maxene Linehan and Janet Ditmanson will present on the rationale for provid -
Every Saturday 4 pm throughout the summer and fall. Watch a live bronze pour as Tom Christiansen and Greg Mueller create bronze sculptures. Open every day 10-5
ing pollinator plants and habitat in gardens, and also tips and suggestions for planning, choosing plants and other features, and maintenance. Activities include building for native bees, making seed paper, wax crafts, bumblebee ID, and children’s bee and flower crafts. chikwauk.com
GGTA NORTH SHORE BIKE RIDE
Aug. 19, Saturday The 17th annual Gitchi-Gami Trail Association North Shore Bike Ride will take place on Saturday, Aug. 19 on the Gitchi-Gami State Trail and connecting roads. New this year is the 8-mile family ride. Other options are the 28-mile, 37-mile and 55-mile ride. The ride begins at 9 a.m. at Gooseberry Falls State Park in Two Harbors. All riders must sign a waiver and wear a hel -
We need your help. Together we can end domestic and sexual violence in our community. Make a pledge or register to dance with us to support the Violence Prevention Center.
Dance registrations are due by SEPT. 1, 2017. To dance, pledge, or just learn more, contact us, find us on Facebook, or visit our website.
The International Ukulele Carnival will include jam sessions, classes and a concert. | DALE MOE
Art in Bayfront Park will include over 100 artists, such as Kristi Abbott. | SUBMITTED
THE MARKET
Carol: 218-750-2800 email Carol: cbgk2414@yahoo.com
Also available at: Kah.Nee.Tah Gallery & Cottages, Lutsen; Piragis & Dorothy Molter Museum, Ely; Naniboujou, Joy & Co., & Lake Superior Trading Post, Grand Marais
met. Adult riders will receive a t-shirt and younger riders will receive water bottles. Registration can be completed online, and riders 17 and under ride free with a paid adult. ggta.org/ride.php
BLUEBERRY BLAST FESTIVAL
Aug. 19-20 The 16th Annual Blueberry Blast Festival will take place in downtown Nipigon near the Paddle to the Sea Park. This is a fun-filled family event with live music, a magician, food and craft vendors, a penny auction, attendance prizes, face painting, a kids’ scavenger hunt and guided blueberry picking. There will also be a waterfall tour and a hike, Science North’s “Out of this World Exhibit” (Saturday) and Confederation College’s “Let’s Talk Science” (Sunday). New this year is a Square Dance with live music, preceded by a soup supper at the marina area Saturday evening. There will also be acro-yoga demonstrations and yoga classes at the marina. nipigonblueberryblast.com
BATTLE OF FORT WILLIAM
Aug. 19-20 Held at Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay, the Battle of Fort William highlights 19th century battlefield action and strategy, the daily life of soldiers, and period medical techniques. Fort staff and volunteer re-enactors from Canada and the U.S. come together to present a dramatic battlefield sequence. Daily dramas include heated debates, the Ojibwa Council of War, historic battle strategies, and Dr. McLaughlin treating a musket shot wound. View battle demonstrations and hear shots being fired, try your hand at axe throwing, and fire a historic musket. Kids can partake in their own army drill and make crafts. The event will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., daily. fwhp.ca/ battle-of-fort-william
DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL
Aug. 25-26 Head to Barker’s Island in Superior for the annual Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival. Watch or participate in the races, feast on fantastic food, peruse the craft fair and gather for celebratory music and dancing. New this year is a bag tournament from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. There will also be children’s activities, a pancake breakfast, a parade and Korean sword demonstrations. An awards and closing ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Race registration required. lakesuperiordragons.com
RIBFEST
ART IN BAYFRONT PARK
Aug. 19-20 Held on the beautiful Lake Superior waterfront in Duluth, Art in Bayfront Park features over 100 artists, as well as live music, food vendors and a car show. Artwork includes jewelry, paintings, photography, ceramics, metalwork, glass, wood, sculptures and more, by local and regional artists. The festival will be held at Bayfront Festival Park from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday, and from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. The car show will be held from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., daily. artinbayfrontpark.com
Aug. 25-27 The aroma of fresh barbecue will fill the Thunder Bay air during the 6th annual Ribfest in the Waterfront District, featuring local restaurants battling it out in the Local Ribbers Contest to earn the “Best Ribs in Thunder Bay” title. This free festival will also include live entertainment, local artisans and food vendors, beer gardens, daily activities for all ages and a fully expanded children’s area. The Canadian Strong Man Competition will be held on Saturday, followed by the Fat Guys Auto Parts Kub Car Races. Other events include the BMX Challenge, Excavator Challenge, Drag Race Challenge and the Red River Rumble Car and Bike Show. This year’s special guest will be Rachel DeBarros from TVs All Girls Garage. Fans will have a chance to meet Rachel on Saturday and Sunday. ribfesttbay.com
The Dragon Boat Festival in Superior is fun for the whole family.
| KARL EVERETT
JOHN SCHROEDER
DAY
Aug. 26, Saturday Visit Schroeder for John Schroeder Day on Saturday, Aug. 26, beginning with the Schroeder Fireman’s pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m., held at the Schroeder Town Hall (outside the Cross River Heritage Center). Then, take the Skip Lamb walking tour of Schroeder at 10 a.m., followed by Fred Bonin’s grilled salmon feed at noon; all proceeds go to the Schroeder Area Historical Society. crossriverheritage.org
LAKE COUNTY FAIR
August 17-20, 2017
Northwoods Band RRSC Jackpot Barrel Race
Famous Bowl of Booya & Bread Car show sponsored by Don's Auto & Towing, Crafters/Vendors, Farmers Market, Kids Games, Music, plus more
SLEEPING GIANT XTERRA TRIATHLON
Aug. 26, Saturday Come race the giant at the Sleeping Giant Xterra Triathlon, held at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park in Thunder Bay. The course has everything you would expect when racing in Ontario’s remote wilderness. The swim will be in Marie Louise Lake. From there, ride on the grassy mountain bike trail. Then, enjoy views of Lake Superior on the technical, yet beautiful trail run. Participants can register online now until Wednesday, Aug. 23. elementracing.ca/xterra-sleeping-giant
BASEBALL WORLD CUP
Sept. 1-10 The best young baseball players from around the world will compete for the title of World Champion during the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup, held in Thunder Bay this year. Fifty games will be played between Port Arthur Stadium and Baseball Central, and 12 national teams will represent the baseball playing continents of the world, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Japan, South Africa, Australia and Italy. Several Major League Baseball stars once played in this event, such as Joe Mauer, JJ Hardy and Russell Martin. Game tickets and volunteer opportunities can be found online. thunderbay2017.com
Ribfest isn’t just about the food; there will also be a car show.
U-18 Baseball World Cup will be held in Thunder Bay this year.
SUBMITTED
Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival Silver Creek Town Hall, Two Harbors, twoharborsukulelegroup.com
Tracking the Pack 5 p.m. International Wolf Center, Ely, wolf.org
Aug. 19, Saturday
Westfort Street Fair Frederica Street, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca
GGTA North Shore Bike Ride
9 a.m. Gooseberry Falls State Park, Two Harbors, ggta.org/ride.php
Free: Aquatic Macroinvertebrate
Educational Event 9 a.m. Kadunce River: Meet at Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais, cookswcd.org
Rampage at the Ridge 8 a.m. Giants Ridge, Biwabik, rampagerun.org
Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital
60th Anniversary Exhibit & Expo
10 a.m. Whiteside Park, Ely, ely.org
Wolves at Our Door 10:30 a.m. Grand Marais Public Library, wolf.org
National Honey Bee Day: Special Presentations 11 a.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, chikwauk.com
Open Art Group 1 p.m.
Northwoods Friends of the Arts Gallery, Cook, nwfamn.org
Michael Monroe Log Cabin Concert 7 p.m. Grand Marais, michaelmonroemusic.com
Mondays
Open Mic 6 p.m. Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974
Songwriter Series 8:30 p.m.
Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com
Live Music 9 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte, blufinbay.com
Tuesdays
Kids’ Day (through Aug. 22) 11 a.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, chikwauk.com
Downtown Farmers Market
11 a.m. Lake Superior Plaza, Duluth, downtownduluth.com
Art Canopy (through Aug. 15) 11:15 a.m. Duluth Depot, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org
Sawmill Tours (through Aug. 22) 12:30 p.m. Hedstrom Lumber Company, Gunflint Trail (218) 877-7030
Free USFS Presentation (through Aug. 22) 2 p.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, chikwauk.com
Tuesday Nite Live 4 p.m. Downtown Ely, ely.org
Ely Farmers Market & Artists Market
5 p.m. Whiteside Park, Ely, ely.org
Tuesday Trivia 7 p.m. Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974
Tuesday Jam Sessions
7 p.m. Chippewa Park, Thunder Bay, chippewapark.ca
Chester Creek Concert Series
7 p.m. Chester Bowl Park, Duluth, chesterbowl.org/events
Carnivorous Plants: Life in a Minnesota
Bog (through Aug. 22) 7:30 p.m. Lutsen Resort, Lutsen, lutsenresort.com
Aug. 19-20
Nipigon Blueberry Blast Festival Downtown Nipigon, Ontario, nipigonblueberryblast.com
Thunder at the Bay Motorsports
Extravaganza CLE Grounds, Thunder Bay, cle.on.ca
Battle of Fort William 10 a.m.
Fort William Historical Park, Thunder Bay, fwhp.ca
Art in Bayfront Park 11 a.m. Bayfront Park, Duluth, artinbayfrontpark.com
Aug. 20, Sunday
Craft and a Craft with Elise Kyllo Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com
SplinterTones 5 p.m. Moguls Grille at Caribou Highlands, Lutsen, caribouhighlands.com
Mysterious Ways 8:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Aug. 21, Monday
Solar Eclipse
World Press-Ely Echo Journalists Forum
9 a.m. Miner’s Dry House in Ely Arts & Heritage Center, Ely, ely.org
Solar Eclipse Party Noon, Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org
Aug. 22, Tuesday
Free: Fishing Basics with Bob Baker, Sr. 9 a.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, chikwauk.com
Teague Alexy 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Take It With You: Live Radio
Theatre The Underground, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org
Aug. 23, Wednesday
Patrick Scully performs Leaves of Grass 1 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org
Play : What Games Tell Us About Human Nature Lecture 5:30 p.m. Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org
Aug. 23-26
The Tribute Fest Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, thetributefest.com
Aug. 24, Thursday
Free: Shoreline Planting Workshop Cook County, cookswcd.org
Wolves at Our Door 6 p.m. Duluth Public Library, wolf.org
Mysterious Ways 9 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Aug. 25, Friday
Free: Aquatic Vegetation Workshop Cook County, cookswcd.org
Migration 1 p.m.
Minnesota Point Pine Forest SNA, Duluth, sugarloafnorthshore.org
Aug. 25-26
Lake Superior Dragon Boat
Festival Barker’s Island, Superior, lakesuperiordragons.com
Movie Nights on the Waterfront: Family Series After Sunset, Marina Park, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca
Aug. 25-27
Embarrass Region Fair
Embarrass Timber Hall, Embarrass, MN, embarrassregionfair.org
Ribfest Waterfront District, Thunder Bay, ribfesttbay.com
Aug. 26, Saturday
Xterra Sleeping Giant Triathlon
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Thunder Bay, elementracing.ca/ xterra-sleeping-giant
John Schroeder Day 8 a.m. Schroeder, crossriverheritage.org
Electronics Recycling Collection 9 a.m. Cook County Recycling Center, Grand Marais (218) 387-3630
Storytelling with Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux 7 p.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, drurylanebooks.com
Brothers in Arms 8:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Aug. 26-Sept. 4
History Week Throughout Cook County, visitcookcounty.com/entry/historyweek
Aug. 27, Sunday
Care Partners Ice Cream Social 2 p.m. Sydney’s Frozen Custard, Grand Marais, carepartnersofcookcounty.org
Free: Geology of our Area with Don Wendel 2 p.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, chikwauk.com
Jason Wussow 9 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Aug. 28, Monday
Joe Paulik 8 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Aug. 29, Tuesday
Bump Blomberg 8 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Aug. 31-Sept. 3
Duluth-Superior Pride Festival Throughout the Twin Ports, dspride.com
Sept. 8-10
Radio Waves Music Festival Grand Marais Rec Area, wtip.org
Minnesota Wild! Discussions (through Aug. 22) 7:30 p.m. Grand Marais Rec Park, grandmaraisrecreationarea.com
Wednesdays
Up & Out with the Birds & Nature Hike
6 a.m. & 9 a.m. Ely Visitor Center, ely.org
Wonderful Wildflowers (through Aug. 23) 10 a.m. Cascade Lodge, Lutsen, cascadelodgemn.com
Country Market 3:30 p.m. CLE
Dove Building, Thunder Bay, thunderbaycountrymarket.com
Open Mic 5 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Live on the Waterfront 6 p.m. Marina Park, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca
Shark Watching Society
7 p.m. Glensheen Mansion, Duluth, glensheen.org
Bats in the Belfry (through Aug. 23) 7:30 p.m. Bluefin Bay, Tofte, bluefinbay.com
Wildcats of the Northwoods (through Aug. 23) 7:30 p.m. Lutsen Resort, Lutsen, lutsenresort.com
Live Music 9 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte, bluefinbay.com
Thursdays
Bird Banding 7 a.m. Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder, sugarloafnorthshore.org
Instructor-in-Residence Demos & Mini
Classes 10 a.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org
Explore the Shore: A Beach Walk (through Aug. 24) 10 a.m. East Bay Suites, Grand Marais, eastbaysuites.com
The Nature of Oberg Mountain (through Aug. 24) 10:30 a.m. Oberg
Mountain Trailhead, Lutsen
Finland Farmer’s Market 5 p.m.
Clair Nelson Center, Finland, friendsoffinland.org
Group Bike Rides 6 p.m. Trezona Trailhead, Ely, bikeely.com/community
Beach Bonfire Music 6 p.m. Lutsen Resort, Lutsen, lutsenresort.com
Live Music 6:30 p.m. Cove Point Lodge, Beaver Bay, covepointlodge.com
DJ Trivia 7 p.m. Kamloops, Two Harbors, superiorshores.com
Black Bears: An American Original (through Aug. 24) 7:30 p.m. Caribou Highlands, Lutsen, caribouhighlands.com
Wolves in the Night (through Aug. 24) 7:30 p.m. Eagle Ridge Resort, Lutsen, eagleridgeatlutsen.com
Karaoke 9 p.m. Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974
Fridays
Sawmill Tours 10 a.m. Hedstrom Lumber Company, Gunflint Trail (218) 877-7030
Instructor-in-Residence Demos & Mini
Classes 10 a.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org
Build a Dreamcatcher
10:30 a.m. Eagle Ridge Resort, Lutsen, eagleridgeatlutsen.com
Live Music Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974
Live Music 4 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com
Live Music 8 p.m. Kamloops, Two Harbors, superiorshores.com
Live Music 7 p.m. Castle
Danger Brewery, Two Harbors, castledangerbrewery.com
Music by the Campfire
7 p.m. Eagle Ridge Resort, Lutsen, eagleridgeatlutsen.com
Life of a Voyageur 7:30 p.m. Chateau LeVeaux, Tofte, chateauleveaux.com
Leave it to Beavers 7:30 p.m. Bluefin Bay, Tofte, bluefinbay.com
Movies in the Park at Sunset Leif Erikson Park, Duluth, downtownduluth.com
Live Music 9 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte, bluefinbay.com
Live Music 9:30 p.m.
Red Lion Smokehouse, Thunder Bay, redlionsmokehouse.ca
Saturdays
Country Market 8 a.m. CLE
Dove Building, Thunder Bay, thunderbaycountrymarket.com
Cook County Market 9 a.m. Downtown Grand Marais
Two Harbors Farmers Market
9 a.m. Thomas Owens Park, Two Harbors, twoharborsfarmersmarket.com
Instructor-in-Residence Demos & Mini
Classes 10 a.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org
Good Morning Birds!
10 a.m. Caribou Highlands, Lutsen, caribouhighlands.com
Children’s Story Hour with the Muffin Man 11 a.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, drurylanebooks.com
Voyageur Brewing Company Tour 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com
Interpretive Hikes 12:30 p.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, chikwauk.com
Free Art Demos 1 p.m. Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org
Harbor History Walking Tour
1 p.m. Cook County Historical Museum, Grand Marais, cookcountyhistory.org
Nature of the Point 1:30 p.m. Artist Point, Grand Marais, visitcookcounty.com
Tour the North House Campus
2 p.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org
Bronze Pour Demo 4 p.m. Last Chance Gallery, Lutsen, lastchancefab.com
Live Music 4 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com
Music on the Deck 6 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com
Live Music 7 p.m. Lutsen Resort, Lutsen, lutsenresort.com
Live Music 7 p.m.
Cascade Lodge & Restaurant, Lutsen, cascadelodgemn.com
Campfire Music 7 p.m. Bluefin Bay, Tofte, bluefinbay.com
Legends of Loons 7:30 p.m. Cascade Lodge, Lutsen, cascadelodgemn.com Minnesota Wild! 7:30 p.m. Sawbill Canoe Outfitters, Tofte, sawbill.com
Live Music Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974
Timmy Haus 9:30 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com
Live Music 9:30 p.m. Red Lion Smokehouse, Thunder Bay, redlionsmokehouse.ca
Sundays
Instructor-in-Residence Demos & Mini Classes 10 a.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org
Geology Walks 10 a.m. Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder, sugarloafnorthshore.org
Voyageur Brewing Company Tour
1 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com
Sundays in the Park 2 p.m. Chippewa Park, Thunder Bay, chippewapark.ca
Music by the Lake 5 p.m. Skyport Lodge, Devil Track Lake, skyportlodge.com
The North Shore Dish
Waterfront Dining: Not Just a Great View
By Maren Webb
Lake Superior is a magnificent sight, whether standing on her shores or seen from afar. The lake often serves as a muse for artists and even inspiration for chefs and restaurants that perch on her edge. For the diner and artist alike, proximity to this Great Lake allows one to experience all her moods, from the calm, mirror-like days to the raucous, turbulent waves on a blustery day. These waterfront restaurants each feature views and menus that highlight the natural setting on the lake, often using ingredients harvested and grown locally. Ready your senses for delight with the combination of beautiful views and delicious food waiting for you on the shores of Lake Superior.
Tucked into the Thunder Bay Marina is a not-so-hidden scenic gem, Bight Restaurant and Bar. The brainchild of owner and general manager Bianca Garofalo, Bight is aptly named. A nautical term meaning “a curve or bend in the line between land and water” and pronounced “bite,” it provides a double meaning. Bight offers diners everything from a quick bite with a drink on the patio to a full meal at your leisure.
The marina and Lake Superior offer the perfect backdrop for Bight’s seasonally-inspired menu. Walls of large windows frame the picturesque surroundings.
“It’s like living art,” said Garofalo.
The restaurant is also located in the Water Garden Pavilion, with the popular summer splash pad and winter ice rink next door. If you aren’t interested in joining in the fun of the seasonal splash pad/ice rink, do consider a stroll around the marina before or after your visit to Bight to take in the full surroundings, including views of the Sleeping Giant.
While Bight’s menu changes with the seasons to take advantage of local foods, you can always expect flavorful options and some long standing favorites on the menu. The Tarrymore burger is a staple, named after Tarrymore Farms that raises the beef. The fish and chips, breaded with local Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. beer, and the shrimp and lobster pasta, made with fresh pasta from local Big Lakes Pasta, are two other favorites to try. For other seasonal dishes, head chef Joe Sposato draws inspiration from his childhood in an Italian family, where food was always a passion.
“He creates dishes for Bight based on seasonal influences, but always tries to keep it
fresh and light,” said Garofalo.
This fall, Sept. 26 through Oct. 7, Bight will be part of “Northern Delights,” a restaurant prix-fixe special in Thunder Bay. If you can’t make it to Bight this month, consider a visit this fall. Bight Restaurant and Bar (2210 Sleeping Giant Parkway, Unit 100, Thunder Bay) is open daily at 11:30 a.m. Closing times vary by day of the week (Sunday and Monday: 10 p.m., Tues -
day and Wednesday: 11 p.m., Thursday: 12 a.m., and Friday and Saturday: 1 a.m.).
On the rocky Lake Superior shoreline of Cook County, another restaurant is bringing together stunning views and a regionally-inspired menu for a memorable dining experience. Bluefin Grille, located at the Bluefin Bay Resort, reflects its location on the beautiful Lake Superior cove.
The name, Bluefin Bay, stems from the lake and its fish. Ted Tofte, son of the founder of the town of Tofte, came up with the name, from the bluefin herring that was caught there in the past in great numbers. From the name to the menu: now other Lake Superior fish are highlighted on the Bluefin Grille menu. Currently, the seared Lake Superior trout served with smoked bacon, braised lentils and caramelized carrots, is a guest favorite. Executive chef Dan Dommer enjoys focusing on seasonal ingredients and sources locally, including the Lake Superior trout, duck, sausage, turkey, maple syrup and wild rice.
“There is nothing quite like enjoying a meal or cocktails while watching the waves crash in, seabirds in flight, or witnessing a storm roll over the lake and disappear over the horizon,” said James Taylor, Bluefin Bay food and beverage director.
Diners are also welcome to enjoy more of the lake, with a quick walk down the Bluefin boardwalk, skipping a few stones, or sitting on the beach to watch the waves roll in. If you are looking for a meal even closer to Lake Superior, this summer Bluefin Grille will be hosting Friday night grillouts through the month of August on its lakeside patio, 5-8 p.m. More information available by phone at (218) 663-6200. Resort guests, residents and visitors passing through Tofte are all welcome.
Bluefin Grille is located at Bluefin Bay
Bluefin Grille offers delicious food with amazing views of Lake Superior. | BLUEFIN GRILLE
Enjoy a salmon entrée at Bluefin Grille. | BLUEFIN GRILLE
Recipes
Ingredients from the Garden
Veggie Pasta Salad
Substitute veggies to suit your taste; from allrecipes.com.
1 (8 ounce) package of pasta spirals
¼ cup sweet onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and minced
½ fresh hot Chile pepper, seeded and minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup lime juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta spirals at a boil until tender, yet firm, about 8 minutes; drain. Rinse pasta with cold water until cool; drain.
In a large bowl, toss pasta, sweet onion, green bell pepper, Chile pepper, tomatoes and cucumber together.
In a separate bowl, whisk olive oil, tomato sauce, lime juice, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, salt and pepper together. Drizzle over the pasta mixture and stir to coat.
Chill in refrigerator for roughly 2-hours. Stir before serving.
Hungarian Cucumber Salad
From Michelle Berger; allrecipes.com.
2 large cucumbers, sliced thin
1 extra large onion, sliced thin
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
In a large bowl, lightly toss cucumber slices, onion slices and chopped dill together.
Pour vinegar over cucumber mixture; toss to coat. Then, pour oil over cucumber mixture; toss to coat. Season with salt and black pepper. Enjoy!
Farmer’s Market Vegetarian Quesadillas
Serve hot with your favorite salsa, sour cream and guacamole. From Jennifer Baker; allrecipes.com.
½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup zucchini, chopped
½ cup yellow squash, chopped
½ cup red onion, chopped
½ cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooking spray
6 tortillas
1-1/4 cups shredded
In a large, nonstick pan, cook red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, onion and mushrooms in olive oil over medium to medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until tender. Remove vegetables from pan.
Coat the same pan with cooking spray and place a tortilla in pan. Sprinkle ¼ cup of cheese evenly over tortilla, and layer ¾ cup of the vegetable mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle another 1/8 cup of cheese on the vegetables and top with a second tortilla. Cook until golden on both sides, roughly 2-3 minutes per side. Remove quesadilla from pan and repeat with remaining ingredients. Serves 6.
Bent Paddle’s Lollygagger Pale Ale
By Eric Weicht
Nowadays, if you walk into any brewery, bar or restaurant, you’re most likely going to find a pale ale listed somewhere on the menu. A style with English roots, pale ales have come to define the recent craft beer movement in the U. S. Characterized by their “pale” color (the result of a light colored grain bill) and definitive hoppy flavor, pale ales are a diverse group of brews that are delicious, clean, crisp, and packed with a bitter punch of hops. Even though pale ales are common, not all pale ales are created equal. Often times the flavors from the malt are buried in bitterness, other times the hops are so subtle that a pint just leaves you craving something more. Brewing a good, well-balanced pale ale that stands out from the rest is a challenge, and something not all breweries achieve.
The Lollygagger Pale Ale from Bent Paddle, however, is a good, well-balanced pale ale. The nose on the beer is awesome—citrus with a layer of malt coming through that’s potent enough to smell through allergies. When drinking the beer, it was the malt that took over first—defined by a nice biscuit flavor—followed by a dry finish with a lingering bitter aftertaste. The hops do add a noticeable bitterness to the beer, but at 57 IBU’s it’s not overwhelmingly so.
The Lollygagger is a great pale ale, perfect for a warm, summer day along the shore. And on top of its great taste, five percent of the proceeds go to COGGS (Cyclists Of Gitchee Gumee Shores).
cheddar cheese
Cook County invited to become a Dementia Friendly Community
For aging Americans, the fear of dementia now exceeds the fear of cancer. The challenges of Alzheimer’s and other dementias are overwhelming, whether it’s a person asking “How do we take care of mom?” or agencies and governments trying to address the huge burden of care. Currently, over 91,000 Minnesotans age 65 and over are living with Alzheimer’s.
There are no easy solutions, cures or political fixes, but there is a growing movement taking root in Minnesota and across the country to address the needs at a local level: Dementia Friendly Communities.
A Dementia Friendly Community
It’s a place where there’s improved detection and care for dementia. Where business owners train employees to recognize customers with dementia to offer special assistance. Where arts organizations infuse extra patience and compassion into programs targeting dementia. And where stressed family caregivers can easily access support groups and take much-needed breaks—respite care—from the exhausting round-the-clock task.
In other words, communities where dementia is understood, not feared, and people affected by dementia feel understood and included.
Creating a Dementia Friendly Community involves:
• Raising awareness about Alzheimer’s, transforming attitudes, and moving people to action.
• Supporting family and friend caregivers by providing accessible information, resources, and in-person support
• Promoting meaningful participation in community life for everyone, regardless of who they are.
Care Partners of Cook County is raising awareness about Dementia Friendly Communities and is engaging individuals, organizations and agencies to join in the effort.
“We work with many local caregivers who experience stress, isolation and poor health from the 24/7 demands of caring for a loved one with dementia,” explains Care Partners director Kay Grindland. “We also work with many individuals with dementia who struggle to live alone in their homes and navigate the community.”
“Imagine their relief when someone who understands takes the time to help them find their way, or uses simple questions or visual cues to help them complete a transaction. And imagine the relief of a caregiver when someone reaches out to help or make them feel comfortable with their loved one in public.”
With the help of funding from the Cook County Community Fund, Care Partners is taking some initial steps:
Plat First Na�on, Rossport, Schreiber, Terrace Bay, Marathon, Pic River, or/ou Manitouwadge?
1. Engaging interested groups, providers and leaders in conversations about what the unique strengths and needs are in Cook County around issues of dementia.
2. Offering education and training opportunities.
3. Offering individuals the chance to become Dementia Friends.
Become a Dementia Friend
Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects people, each of us can make a difference for people touched by dementia.
You become a Dementia Friend by attending a one-hour informational session to learn the five key messages about de -
mentia, what it’s like to live with the disease, and how to turn your understanding into action that supports people living with dementia. The action can be big or small—every action counts.
Join a growing movement of people who are helping fellow community members living with dementia. A little support can make a big difference in the lives of people affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Care Partners is sharing information about Dementia Friendly Communities at their Ice Cream Social on August 27, from 2-5 p.m. at Sydney’s Frozen Custard. An initial Dementia Friends information session will be held Thursday, September 14 from 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Contact Care Partners at (218) 387-3788 to learn more, sign up, arrange a session with your group or get involved. You can also visit the Act on Alzheimer’s web site at: actonalz.org for more information.
FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTHY LIVING FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Be Healthy. Be Strong. BELONG
The Y has something for everyone! Visitors and all members of the community can play for just one day or longer with these programs.
SUMMER PROGRAMS
Summer Kids Camp for ages 5-12
Parent’s Night Out events
Fitness Classes: Yoga, Zumba, Pilates, ForeverWell, Kickbox, etc.
Drop-in care for on-site workouts
Swimming lessons for all ages
Visit cookcountyymca.org for our current program guide!
One-Adult Famiy $54
Two-Adult Famiy $68
Join any day!
Care Partners board members Caroline Schmidt, executive director Kay Grindland, Judy Peterson and Jayne Johnson are Dementia Friends. | CARE PARTNERS
| SUBMITTED
MDH and partners honor rural health workers
At the Minnesota Rural Health Conference in Duluth, some of Minnesota’s most talented public health workers received well-deserved recognition for their service to the state’s rural communities and residents.
The Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Rural Health Association and Duluth-based National Rural Health Resource Center presented the 2017 Minnesota Rural Health Awards, honoring outstanding service to rural Minnesota communities. The North Shore Health Care Foundation’s Oral Health Task Force received the Rural Health Team award.
The Oral Health Task Force works to bring critical, preventive and restorative dental care to all infants, children and young adults in Cook County and the Grand Portage Reservation, regardless of their caregivers’ ability to pay. They have shown tremendous leadership in overcoming significant barriers to oral health care, such as poverty, maltreatment, transportation and misconceptions about what comprises good oral health. To achieve sustainability, the task force has begun
integrating preventive oral health into the work of other medical and social service providers in the county.
It takes local innovation to create sustainable solutions, and today’s health care workforce is creating visionary collaborations for the future.
“The honorees embody the spirit of service and innovation that helped Minnesota build a robust, nationally respected rural health system,” said Minnesota health commissioner Dr. Ed Ehlinger. “They exemplify the many ways people work to promote health and strengthen rural communities.”
The Minnesota Rural Health Conference presents these awards each year. The Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, the Minnesota Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Resource Center host the conference. This year’s conference focused on “Shaping Sustainable Solutions.” More information is available online at Minnesota Rural Health Conference.
BACK ROW [L TO R] Rita Plourde, Jetty St John, Bill Heitzman, Karl Hansen, Dr. Alyssa Hedstrom and John Bottger. FRONT ROW [L TO R] Joni Kristenson, Teresa Borak, Paul Nelson, Georgene Daubanton and Bonnie Dalin.
Northern Trails A Big Birthday and a Look Back
By Gord Ellis
I marked a big birthday this year; yours truly turned 55 years old, or years young, if you are the optimistic type.
It’s a big number and carries some baggage with it. In some circles, 55 equals senior status. For others, it is a number that equals retirement. My father retired close to that age. A well-known Canadian insurance company advertises something called Freedom 55. And I’m a couple blocks from a building called the 55 Plus Centre. Let’s just say it’s not frequented by millennials.
Yet with the age comes recognition that I’ve also been working for a long time. As a younger man, I did everything from tree planting to janitorial work to land surveying. Yet for the past 31 years or so, I’ve been working as a writer, broadcaster and journalist in a wide variety of mediums. During those three decades, the technology has exploded. In those early days, I banged out stories on a typewriter. I went through a lot of white out. In the early days on radio, I edited raw tape on reel to reel and cut the stuff up with a razor blade. Really. Then came word processors, computers, digital audio and, finally, the Internet. The web changed a lot of things, including the media landscape.
I still work in print and on the web, as well as in radio and enjoy it all. There has been one consistent during my career so far and that has been my focus on the outdoors. Much—but not all—of my work has focused on fishing, hunting, natural resources and conservation. Being able to turn a passion for the outdoors into a life’s work has been a gift I try not to take for granted. Yet the path has not always been easy. The early days were starving artist material, and included some run ins with people who doled out rubber checks and outright stole some work and used it as their own. It didn’t scare me off, it made me work harder and get tougher. In time, I developed long term working relationships that include this fine publication.
However, as I look back over the years in this business, I can see some changes in the outdoor world that make me nostalgic. My biggest disappointment as a journalist has been watching the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), and it’s many hard working professionals, become inaccessible to both the public and media. At one time, I had a network of people within MNRF who would tell me about the good work that was being done, and even invite this reporter out to see
first-hand. These outdoor stories were my bread and butter. But over the past decade or so, the culture within the ministry has changed so much that it is now rare to talk on the record to a biologist or technician, even if they want to. They have to get the OK from up above and fill out a report about what was said. Mostly it is communication people speaking on behalf of the field people. I understand that controlling message is important to government, but it’s taken a lot of the colour and flavour out of covering MNRF issues. I also understand communications people are doing as they are told. It’s not their fault. My hope is the pendulum will swing back within government, or at least find some middle ground. I miss the contact with people on the ground.
Yet there has been a lot of good stuff that’s happened the last few years as well. The advent of social media has created forms of communication that could not have been imagined just a decade ago. Stories and radio broadcasts can be read and streamed all around the world. Regional stories about unique and unusual things can go viral and become something that trends via Twitter and Facebook. It really is a worldwide marketplace.
I’ve also been encouraged to see so many women becoming active leaders in the outdoor community. Social media seems to have played a role in this, as it’s allowed a community to form. But I also think women have been at the forefront of sustainable foods and living, which include
angling, hunting and foraging. Making the outdoors community less of a boys club bodes well for its long term health and has been a long time coming.
So I celebrate my 55th year feeling both optimistic about the future and excited about the work.
Gord Ellis in the early 1990s with a trophy brook trout. | GORD ELLIS
Gord Ellis in June 2017 with a brookie. | GORD ELLIS
Walleye. Lake trout. Trophy pike.
Undoubtedly, these are the fish which lure anglers to the waters of the Northern Wilds.
And yet, one fish and one specific means of catching said species remains the hidden gem of the region: fly fishing for smallmouth bass.
Far too many anglers in Minnesota and Ontario dismiss smallmouth as pests, lacking as adequate table fare or simply as rogue garbage fish. What these same anglers overlook is the sheer joy that comes with catching smallmouth. They pull hard. They jump high. They are the powerful bronze-backed beauties of the region.
“Smallies are pound-for-pound the hardest fighting freshwater, warm-water fish,” said Erik Fleming, a Minnesota resident who frequently fishes for smallmouth up the Gunflint Trail. “In fact, I have fished a lot in saltwater and guides will compare crevalle jack to smallmouth as one of
the hardest fighting fish pound-for-pound.”
Though far from ‘garbage fish,’ it would be an oversight to assume that smallmouth are welcome in every lake along places such as the Gunflint Trail near the Minnesota-Ontario border. A major knock on smallmouth is that they’re not native to most lakes in the North Woods. (It’s worth noting that the same thing could be said about walleye, by the way.) And be that as it may, according to Steve Persons, the area fisheries manager for the DNR in Grand Marais, stocking of fish such as smallmouth along the Gunflint Trail began well before there was an established and protected wilderness area that is today commonly known as the BWCAW. Early stocking records for wilderness-area lakes date back to before the 1920s. Much of those early stocking efforts were focused on bringing diversity to game-fish populations in area lakes.
And it’s true, smallmouth may wreak havoc on other game fish populations in certain lakes. The list of lakes
where smallmouth are considered a nuisance by some anglers is long enough to fill many pages in this magazine. But a negative attitude typically leads to fewer fish. And so this article is about the positive aspects of fishing smallmouth. And with a fly rod in hand, there are many positives to focus on.
Catching smallmouth on a jig, under a slip-bobber or on topwater lures such as the Hula Popper or Jitterbug, can create fantastic days of memorable fishing. However, using a fly rod to catch smallmouth takes the sport to a new level of excitement. Ask anyone who has landed a smallmouth over 18 inches while using a fly rod if they enjoyed the experience and you’re bound to get an enthusiastic response.
And for those who have enjoyed catching smallmouth in Minnesota and Ontario on fly rods, fish on. For those new to the sport or who have not experienced its many thrills, let’s try to keep this simple. Don’t get too caught
Smallmouth are abundant in many lakes along the Gunflint Trail.
| JAY POWELL
| JOE FRIEDRICHS
up in what type of rod, reel and line to use. Such notions can be investigated as you progress as a fly angler. For now, stick with a 7-weight rod that is 9-feet in length. Use any functioning fly reel you can get your hands on and equip it with floating, weight-forward line. During the summer months, fishing with poppers or imitation frogs is a tremendous, and arguably the most entertaining way to fish for smallmouth using a fly rod. In fact, mid to late summer is an excellent time to try fly fishing on lakes throughout the Northern Wilds. Insects are abuzz and that often means fish are feeding on top of the water. After the bugs begin to taper off, try using a Clouser minnow which sinks, going deeper to find the fish.
Considering the fact there are hundreds of lakes where you can fish for smallmouth in northern Minnesota and across the border in Ontario, let’s start with just two. And let’s narrow our search to the Gunflint Trail.
Poplar and Hungry Jack lakes are excellent locations to chase smallmouth using a fly rod.
Poplar Lake and Hungry Jack Lake are found approximately 30 miles up the Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais. Poplar is on the southwest side of the Gunflint, while Hungry Jack is located on the northeast.
When and how to fish: For early morning and late evening, use floating line with any color and size of foam popper. During late morning and through the afternoon,
fish with intermediate line and streamers, leech pattern or a blacknose dace with hook size 4. A 7-weight rod is recommended. A 9-foot tapered leader with an 8-pound tippet is the perfect combination. Use fluorocarbon leaders for streamers and nylon for floating flies or poppers.
Where to fish: On Poplar, target the island chains in the southcentral part of the lake. Stick close to the shorelines with poppers, and move slowly outward when the heat of the day arrives. Other areas to fish include shorelines in the bays near the Lizz Lake portage, near the mouth of the Rush River on the west side of the lake, and in the southeast corner of the lake along the reef just north of the portage to Swamp Lake. On Hungry Jack, bass are abundant in most bays, including the large bay beneath Honeymoon Bluff and those found on the lake’s southern shore.
Sat. July 29 - Sat. August 5
What to expect: Smallmouth numbers are good in Poplar and Hungry Jack, with most fish averaging 13 to 15 inches, though there are fish in the 19- to 21-inch range.
Special regulations: While Poplar follows standard smallmouth regulations for fishing in the northeast part of the state (see DNR regulations book or website), Hungry Jack has special possession limits for smallmouth. On Hungry Jack, all smallmouth that are between 12 and 20 inches must be immediately released, with one over 20 inches allowed in possession.
Fly fishing on Poplar Lake can be done from ice out until fall using a variety of flies and techniques.
The Business of RocksClimbing
Young couple offer a variety of guided adventures into the Northern Wilds
BY JOE FRIEDRICHS
I wasn’t sure where to put my left hand.
For the first time since that awkward homecoming dance during my freshman year of high school—an event that featured the first slow dance of my life—I had no idea where my hand needed to be placed. And though the homecoming dance seemed important in the moment, this time I was rock climbing on a massive cliff at the end of the Gunflint Trail. And so my next move was important.
My climbing guides, Matthew Baxley and Lindsey Gau, kept the situation cool. Baxley sat on the crest of the rock face about 20 feet above me. Gau, who essentially held my life in her hands via a large section of climbing rope, was standing on the forest floor below.
“You’re doing great, Joe,” Gau calmly said.
Confidently, I found a tiny crack in the rock to place my left hand. Using the strength from my right shoulder and both legs, I gave a solid pull and resumed my mission toward Baxley and the top of the cliff. The scene took place along the shores of the Seagull River on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). And considering this was my first time rock climbing in any capacity, the efficiency of the process was amazing. I was, after all, dealing with professionals.
Baxley and Gau are the co-owners and lead guides for Cook County based Spirit Guiding Adventures. For the past year, the duo have led rock climbing, canoeing and other adventures along the North Shore and into the BWCAW. Baxley and Gau launched their business based on a shared passion for getting outdoors, and particularly for traveling where others might simply pass by. Or in the case of Spirit Guiding Adventure’s destinations, paddle past.
“When it comes to climbing, the Boundary Waters offers a unique adventure like no other,” Baxley said. “It’s unique because you have to travel into a wilderness only accessible by canoe, and then you spend the day learning to climb rock, surrounded by glacier lakes and rivers as far as the eye can see.”
I’ve been asked by the editors of this magazine to participate in some amazing adventures while on assignment. I’ve hiked the Border Route Trail. I’ve been fly fishing with a hall-of-fame angler in the Boundary Waters. And the list goes on and on. Through the years, however, the only story pitch I’ve been served that created anxiety was to go rock climbing up the Gunflint Trail.
In hindsight, the location likely had something to do with the mild concern. I associate—as do many hundreds of thousands of people—canoeing and fishing with the Gunflint Trail. However, with steep rock faces towering over many of the region’s lakes and rivers, Baxley and Gau appear to have tapped into a unique and largely unexplored sector that the area has to offer.
“The North Shore of Lake Superior is already the home of the biggest and baddest rock climbing in Minnesota, and probably even the Midwest,” Baxley said. “Palisade Head and Shovel Point are iconic destinations for many climbers. The Gunflint Trail, however, is a well-kept secret. There is something magical about specifically paddling into the wilderness to rock climb.”
So how does one get into the business of becoming a rock climbing and adventure guide in an area world-renowned for its canoeing and fishing?
“This land has an incredibly beautiful and powerful energy that pulses through its veins and most people who live here and visit feel this energy,” Gau said. “Grand Marias and the surrounding area has an incredible community of people whom we are grateful for. These people contribute to the energy of this place, which contributes to the success of the small businesses. This is evident in the wave of new small business owners either starting their own business or buying existing businesses in Grand Marias and on the Gunflint Trail.”
Both Baxley and Gau have a deep and well-educated background in family therapy. They were both practicing the healing arts and counseling those in need in
the Twin Cities area until the wilderness pulled them north.
Gau said their new home is prime for like-minded business owners who have creative ideas and a desire to share the legacy of the land with the next generation.
“The sense of community,” she added, “along with the new energy and creative ideas that are being cultivated and supported, make this area a wonderful place for Spirit Guiding Adventures to be born and continue to grow.”
Back on the rocks above the Seagull River, I reached the top of the cliff not long after my left hand found where it needed to be. I did a quick hand shake and highfive combination exchange with Baxley before beginning my descent. It was one of those moments where you realize you’re onto something new and no longer need to be afraid of the unknown. Much like conquering that first portage, or catching that first lake trout in canoe country. And when it comes to something as technical as rock climbing, having two people who know exactly what they’re doing show you how it all works is essential.
“Adventuring in the wilderness, including rock climbing can be very dangerous,” Gau said. “I have witnessed people attempting to navigate difficult situations within these settings that had not yet gained that necessary knowledge to guide them through their decision-making process. It is important to take the time to learn from qualified and certified people.”
When it comes to climbing, one thing Baxley and Gau are not short on is experience. Baxley has been climbing for over 12 years and obtained a guiding certification with the highly accredited American Mountain Guide Association. The duo are also insured and in compliance with all U.S. Forest Service requirements to guide on federal land. In addition, Gau has over a decade of professional water-safety experience, including lifeguarding at both indoor and open-water areas.
Aside from the outdoor credentials, Baxley said the duo’s background in family therapy plays a large role in what Spirit Guiding Adventures is all about.
“Our training and background in mental health has gifted us with tremendous experience assisting people of all ages with overcoming personal barriers,” he said.
Baxley and Gau arrived to northeastern Minnesota full time in 2015, though they have both held the area in high regard for many years. They worked at a local canoe outfitter and lodge up the Gunflint Trail to find their footing in the region, and have since branched out to other local businesses as they work to support Spirit Guiding Adventures.
Pat Campanaro is a consultant with Cook County’s Small Business Development Center, a program aimed at assisting ambitious entrepreneurs that is supported in part by the University of Minnesota. She helped Baxley and Gau gauge the realistic possibilities of their vision. And indeed, Campanaro said, the dream for what is now Spirit Guiding Adventures is a perfect example of two people following their passions.
“In a lot of cases, when you get older you’ll regret what you did not do, not what you did do,” Campanaro said. “Matthew and Lindsey are going for it and have hearts of gold. And they are showing, if you have a dream, nothing can stop you.”
And much like starting a business, when it comes to rock climbing, often times the first step is the hardest one to take.
“These adventures can be incredibly beautiful, exciting and fun,” Gau said. “However, many people are unsure of where to start, how to plan and how to safely move along in this process. This is the space where Matthew and I like to meet people. We want to walk alongside others through the discovery, navigation, and learning process of re-connecting with themselves and with others through nature.”
Andrew Ashcroft is a Grand Marais resident who has participated in several guided climbs with Spirit Guiding Adventures. For Ashcroft, climbing has nothing to do with being an elite athlete. In fact, it’s a family event. Along with his 9-year-old daughter Esme, Ashcroft has journeyed into the wilderness with the hired adventure guides leading the way.
“Any time you get into the Boundary Waters it’s usually amazing,” Ashcroft said. “But doing something you don’t always associate with it that is a mix of [BELOW] Canoes and climbing are the
| SUBMITTED
core principals of Spirit Guiding Adventures.
Matthew Baxley and Lindsey Gau are co-owners of Spirit Guiding Adventures, located in Cook County. | SUBMITTED
northern sky
AUGUST 2017
By Deane Morrison— MINNESOTA STARWATCH
In August, Jupiter heads into the sunset. Every evening it sinks lower, along with its longtime companion Spica, the brightest star in Virgo. Saturn comes out in the south, between the Teapot of Sagittarius to the east and Scorpius to the west.
Also during evening hours, the Milky Way stretches across the sky from northeast to southwest. In its middle is the Summer Triangle of bright stars. Southernmost is Altair, in Aquila, the eagle; in the northeast corner is Deneb, the anchor of Cygnus, the swan, which contains the Northern Cross; and in the northwest corner is Vega, the jewel of Lyra, the lyre. In the west, brilliant Arcturus seems to drag its constellation—kite-shaped Bootes, the herdsman—down toward the horizon.
Venus is still a morning star, blazing away in the east for a couple of hours before sunrise. As August begins, Venus rises in the middle of the knot of bright winter constellations. Surrounding Venus are Orion to the lower right and then, counterclockwise, Taurus and its brightest star, Aldebaran; Auriga the charioteer and its brightest star,
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Where can I find Northern Wilds in Thunder Bay?
• Calico Coffee House
Fort William
Historical Park
Gear Up for Outdoors
• Prince Arthur Hotel
Bay Credit Union
• Thunder Bay Art Gallery
• Terry Fox Info Centre
• Seattle Coffee House Ahnisnabae Art Gallery
• D&R Sporting Goods
Victoria’s Cupboard
• Red Lion Smokehouse
• KOA Campground
• In Common and many more!
Capella; and the Gemini twins Castor and Pollux. During the second week of August, the stars of Gemini stream by the planet. Watch as Venus, Castor and Pollux form an ever-shifting triangle as the stars go by.
August’s full moon arrives in the afternoon of the 7th, several hours before moonrise. The waning moon interferes with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower the nights of the 11th12th and 12th-13th, but on the 19th a lovely old crescent rises below Venus.
The biggest event is, of course, the solar eclipse on the 21st. In Grand Marais, the eclipse begins at 11:50 a.m., the maximum coverage of the sun comes at 1:09 p.m., and the show ends at 2:28 p.m. Make sure you have eyewear certified to protect you, and let’s hope for clear weather.
The University of Minnesota offers public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth campus. For more information and viewing schedules, see the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium at: d.umn.edu/planet.
Safe at Home
Kevin Pylka is an Iron Ranger and avid outdoorsman. He and his wife, Terri, raised two kids on the Range and continue to enjoy all there is to off er. He’s also PolyMet’s manager of environmental permitting and compliance, and Kevin knows that our plan will energize the economy and protect our environment – not only for his generation, but also for other kids growing up on the Range.
Northern
smaller inland lakes under the auspices of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Today, there’s still evidence of an economy and culture driven by locally-caught and marketed fish along the shores of northwestern Ontario.
Liisa Karkkainen operates the Fish Shop, a must-stop for visitors and residents along Lakeshore Drive east of Thunder Bay that sells locally caught freshwater fish landed by commercial fishermen. In 1970 her mother, Hilkka Hautala, began selling fish smoked in the traditional Finn fashion using green alder without the use of chemical additives.
Four decades later, Karkkainen continues to operate the Fish Shop and has since expanded its inventory to include imported seafood and fish prepared using techniques from other cultures, including salmon jerky and candied fish.
But the handful of shoreline restaurants and subsistence fishing that happens in our region represents only a fraction of the commercial fish stay in the surrounding communities. The Ontario Commercial Fisheries’ Association reports that a whopping 90 percent of the catch from Ontario’s commercial fishery is exported to the U.S. and Europe.
With an increasing demand for local food, at least one emerging business in Thunder Bay is trying to change that.
Eat the Fish is a social enterprise dedicated to ensuring a fresh supply of local fish from the region’s waters. Owned by An -
thony Chiodo and Paul Drombolis, Eat the Fish brings the likes of whitefish, herring, Superior lake trout (char) and other Lake Superior species to the Thunder Bay Country Market on Saturdays, and is expanding its market into online sales. They’ve also brought in pike and whatever else might turn up in bycatch including burbot, also known as ling or lingcod, the only freshwater species in the cod family.
“The commercial fishing industry is a tribute to our region’s past. The industry once sustained the development [of] the North. Our business is based on the desire to preserve this connection and bring it into the minds and tables of our community,” states the business website.
Historically, each of the Great Lakes supported sizeable commercial fisheries, but pressures from over-harvesting, non-native species and habitat degradation has caused many of those stocks to become relics of the past. Thankfully, more people in cities like Thunder Bay are seeing the value of serving local fish on local tables, helping to guide all those fish that would have found their way across oceans and continents to stay closer to home.
The cross section of a brook trout (speckled trout). | TAMARA SPENCE
My grandfather’s childhood home in Hakallestranda, Norway.
My grandfather, Hans Kragseth, arrived in Two Harbors from Hakallestranda, Norway, in 1910. There to greet him were two of his seven siblings who had emigrated earlier: brothers Johan and Gustav. Johan was at the time captain of the tug boat Edna G. Hans would eventually settle in Duluth. During the 60 years Hans lived in Minnesota, he returned to his homeland just once.
In May, my wife Kathy and I traveled to Norway to meet our son Tor, who had spent the year at a folk high school in Elverum. Tor had spent the year engaged in outdoor adventures and had become fluent in Norwegian. I felt his education would not be complete without a trip to the ancestral homeland, to connect with his Nordic roots, meet relatives, and get a feel for the place where his great-grandfather grew up.
After a morning of sightseeing in Oslo, we drove approximately 90 miles to Elverum. Situated along the Glomma River, Elverum’s topography is reminiscent of northern Minnesota. A short walk from our campground brought us to the Forest History Museum, which houses an exten -
sive three-story collection chronicling Norway’s relationship to forestry, hunting and fishing. The size and breadth of the collection was impressive. Outside was an arboretum and a vast collection of old buildings related to forestry. A walking bridge across the Glomma led to the Glomdal Museum with a vast collection of old farm buildings from throughout Scandinavia. Every parent wants for their child to be happy, to feel accepted, and to have a richness of experience. It was gratifying to witness the depth of Tor’s friendships and to hear in more detail the experiences of his year in Norway. He stated repeatedly that this was the best year of his life. He didn’t want for it to end. We were able to
NORDIC ROOTS
A Journey to the Ancestral Homeland
By Chuck Viren
meet the families of his friends, and even received an invitation to stay with one family in Oslo during our final night in Norway.
After we left Elverum, we headed west toward the coast and our relatives. We drove through Jotunheimen National Park, site of the two highest peaks in northern Europe. Tor had traveled here to climb and ski during his school year and recounted his adventures as we drove. The day was overcast and rainy, so we could not see the peaks. As we ascended the pass at Sognefjell, we nervously watched the car’s thermometer as temperatures dropped
precariously close to freezing. Norwegian roads are notoriously narrow and windy. Near the top of the pass, snow banks rose up to 10 feet on either side, obscuring any view of oncoming traffic.
We descended into fjord country. The next day we explored the famous Sognefjord, our big day of tourist sightseeing. At the town of Flåm, we splurged on a tour by Fjord Safaris of Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, two of the narrowest and most scenic fjords in Norway. We had to don wool-lined raincoats, a life vest and goggles. We traveled by high-speed rib boats and stopped frequently to observe
Coffee at Jacob and Målfrid’s.
Photos by Kathy McClure
porpoises, waterfalls, and well-framed views of the fjords. We also got great views of the towns of Undredal, famous for its goat cheese and for being the setting for the movie Frozen, and Gudvangen, where scenes from the T.V. series Vikings was filmed. Our captain served as our guide and provided interpretive information at all our stops. The narrow fjords towered above us, and the views were about as stunning as scenery can be. Our day ended at the town of Voss, where we met with our relatives Jørn-Magnus and Åse and their three young boys.
Kjellaug Kløvning, widow of my mother’s cousin, was waiting at the end of her driveway as we wound up the narrow coastal highway in Hakallestranda. This community of about 250 people is located near the western most point in Norway and is about 50 miles south of the city of Ålesund. After we were situated in the house and reacquainted, we sat down to a traditional Christmas dinner featuring pinnekjøtt, or salted lamb, homemade sausages, mashed rutabagas, potatoes, lingonberry sauce and bread. It is interesting to note that they do not eat lutefisk here for Christmas.
Our bellies full, we walked the length of the community. Kjellaug pointed out the houses of relatives, and we stopped in front of a smallish white house perched just up from the fjord—my grandfather’s childhood home. On our return trip we encountered Vidar, another relative, and his family. Vidar’s hobby is restoring old cars and boats. He tracked down and purchased his grandfather’s car, the first ever in Hakallestranda.
The next morning, Jacob Emblom, Jørn-Magnus’ father, led us on a hike up Kragset Horn, a small mountain from which my grandfather got his name. During his childhood, my grandfather or one of his siblings had to climb the mountain twice a day to milk the cow. I imagined how fit they must have been as I stopped to catch my breath. I felt a strong connection to my grandfather in this place, and it pleased me to see Tor’s enthusiasm for this journey. At one point, Jacob stopped to show us a boundary to my grandfather’s farm. The wind was fierce near the summit, and we were clad in jackets and wool hats as we marveled at the view of the fjord and the vast ocean beyond. We stopped briefly for pictures and hurried down, for this day was Syttende Mai, Norway’s independence day.
It is a rare honor to be included in the festivities of another culture; to be accepted as part of the community. The rest of the day was filled with rituals and celebrations. It began with a parade, led by a car festooned for the occasion, marching music blaring. Most of the locals were dressed in their bunads, traditional Norwegian costumes. The parade traveled along the length of Hakallestranda and back again, to the church. The church service featured a speech by the rector and much singing. After the service, people gathered at the graveyard to commemorate those who died in World War II and those who died at sea.
The community center is next to the church, and we filed there for a meal of meat, potatoes, and open-faced sandwiches. There was some free time where people ate hot dogs and ice cream, mingled, and some competed in shooting and darts. Afterward, there was a program in the community center that featured speeches, humorous skits, and music, topped off with a touching violin and piano duet of Edvard Grieg’s “Våren.” Afterward, there was coffee and cake and more socializing.
As the evening wound down, we went to the home of Jacob and his wife Målfrid for coffee and more conversation. Tor was invited to ride on the fjord in Vidar’s old boat. As the sun slid along the horizon, we stepped out onto the deck. The sunset was in full splendor; Tor puttered along in the old boat atop the crimson sea. I believe I have never felt more at home anywhere in the world.
[LEFT] Undredal—the setting for Disney’s Frozen.
Tor taking in the view from Kragset Horn.
[TOP LEFT] Kjellaug explaining her photo album.
[TOP RIGHT] Parade goers in their bunads during Syttende Mai.
Best Minnesota Camper Cabins
Roughing It in Comfort
By Tom Watson Adventure Publications, $14.95
Cabin camping is more comfortable than tent camping, and Minnesota is the perfect place to do it. Outdoors writer Tom Watson shares what he’s learned while staying in almost 100 camper cabins throughout the state, most of which are open to the public and located in places like Jay Cooke State Park. This handy guide provides details and photos on 98 camper cabins, including cabin ratings, amenities, fees, park highlights, firsthand advice about each site and recommendations when visiting the area. There’s also a special section dedicated to yurts.—Breana Roy
Secrets of the Pie Place Café
Recipes & Stories Through the Seasons
By Kathy Rice
Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc. $19.95
In this follow-up to the Pie Place Café Cookbook, author Kathy Rice reveals never-before-published secret recipes from the Pie Place Café, organized by the season. Paired with the food come delightful memories and fond tales of the local folks from the North Shore of Lake Superior. Recipes include everything from the Split Rock chicken brie sandwich and spicy beef tenderloin, to maple sausage, raspberry rhubarb streusel pie and Pie Place homemade vanilla ice cream. This fun, informative cookbook is a must-have for Grand Marais locals and visitors alike.—Breana Roy
WHY GO: It’s a solid walleye lake with the opportunity to chase nice bluegills, along with northern pike and smallmouth bass.
ACCESS: There is a back-in access at the U.S. Forest Service campground on the east end of the lake, with a large parking lot for vehicles and trailers. The campground is located on Forest Road 10, 10 miles west of Isabella. From Hwy. 61, turn on to State Road 1 at Illgen City and follow to Isabella. Proceed 10 miles west to F.R. 106. Turn left and continue a half-mile to the campground entrance.
VITALS: This 273-acre Lake County lake is relatively shallow, with a maximum depth of 13-feet. Fourth McDougal, Middle McDougal and South McDougal lakes can also be accessed via North McDougal. Despite some cabins scattered along the south and west shores, development is limited. “It’s a pretty scenic lake,” noted Dean Paron, Minnesota DNR’s Finland area fisheries supervisor. His office most recently surveyed the lake in the summer of 2016.
GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Bluegill, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch.
WILLING WALLEYE: North McDougal definitely gets some pressure from local anglers on account of its walleye fishery. Last year’s survey did turn up one walleye that topped 27 inches. But most of the walleye in the lake were
in the eater size or coming into that size, with a sizable 2013 year class noted among 9-year classes documented, not including young-of-year walleyes. In the gillnets, the mean length of walleye was 12.22 inches, with fish up to 18 inches long. In the trap nets, the mean length was 13.21 inches, with 36 percent of the catch longer than 14 inches.
“They’re there, they’re definitely there,” said Nathan Stewart, a Minnesota DNR fisheries specialist based out of the Finland office. Stewart worked on last year’s survey.
BIGGER BLUEGILLS: Northeast Minnesota is not known for it’s bluegill, but North McDougal has broken the mold recently, if last years survey is any indication, particularly in comparison to the previous survey in 2011.
The average length in the latest survey was 8 inches, Paron said, noting that bluegills of that size made up 60 percent of the catch for that species. Fish up to 10 inches were sampled.
“There are some big bluegills in there, but where they are, I can’t tell you,” Paron said, noting that he didn’t find any on a recent fishing outing on the lake.
Stewart, however, said the survey didn’t turn up a lot of 10 inchers, but the ones sampled last July were in the shallow side bays.
Thunder Bay District’s True Murder Investigations
1885 to 2016
By Kim Casey Ahneen Publishing
The first of its kind, this book offers readers a rare glimpse into the darker side of country life, covering 93 murder investigations that occurred in the District of Thunder Bay, excluding the city of Thunder Bay. A Jesse James inspired shooting spree, mysterious murder-suicides, outlaws on the run, and a fatal fight over bacon are just some of the true stories covered in this informative and interesting book.
—Breana Roy
NORTH MCDOUGAL LAKE
caught a lot of little guys,” he said. “We struggle up here keeping them around. It’s a little cold for them. But we should be good for the future.”
PIKE AND PERCH: didn’t have a lot of nice perch or northern pike, but it did turn up a few in the latest survey. The av erage pike in the survey was 19 inch es, Paron said, noting that one pike that measured 45 inches did turn up.
“Only 3 percent were longer than 30 inches,” he said.
Stewart said most of the perch measured between 5 and 8 inches, with a few about 10 or 11 inches.
“Right now, it looks like a healthy perch population,” he said. “Some lakes around here do very well for big perch, others not so much. This one is in-between.”
DIVERSE STRUCTURE: Stewart also noted the lack of development, which has boded well for habitat in the lake. “There’s diverse substrates, with sand, cobble, and boulders, a little bit of everything,” he said.
CAMPING: The U.S. Forest Service’s Tofte Ranger District manages the McDougal Lake Campground, with 21 single sites, a swimming beach, a boat launch and hiking trails. The $15 per night campground has water available, but no electricity.
—Javier Serna
Strange Tales
Standing on the Grounds of History
By Elle AndraWarner
People were making history here in our Northern Wilds well before there was England’s Stonehenge or Egypt’s Great Pyramids. For example, back more than about 9,000 years, mystery miners were digging for copper at Isle Royale. Around that same time on a glacial beach on Lake Superior near Thunder Bay, at what is now called the Lakehead Complex, circa 7,000 B.C., Paleoindians had quarry workshops and habitation sites. Standing on the original grounds of history can evoke a closer connection with, and curiosity about, the past. Here’s a few of the less-known original sites in our area.
Did you know there is an original site right in Thunder Bay where three forts were built, the earliest dating back 338 years? Locals may remember back 44 years ago when the reconstructed fur-trading post Old Fort William was opened in 1973 (now called Fort William Historical Park, it features 46 buildings to depict the fort in 1816). It was located nine miles downstream from the original location in 1803 at the mouth of the Kaministiquia River, now a CPR Railyard in Thunder Bay’s East End. Now marked with a plaque installed in 1914, the fur-trading history at the original site actually goes back to 1678-69 when Daniel Greysolon, Sieur de Luht (City of Duluth named after him) and his brother
The
trail at
Falls Provincial Park is 1.25 km long on a hard-packed, easy-walking gravel trail. | ELLE ANDRA-WARNER
Claude Greysolon, de La Tourette, built the first trading post on northwest Lake Superior, Fort Caministigoyan. Replaced in 1717 by a stockade fort built by French officer Zacharie Robutel de Le Noue, it was used from 1727-43 by the famous explorer Pierre Gaultier de la Verendrye as a trading post and base of operations. And then in 1803, North West Company (NWC) launched its new grand inland headquarters here, christening it Fort William. When NWC and Hudson’s Bay Company merged in 1821, it became a HBC fort.
A plaque at the end of McTavish Street recognizes the site’s history to 1803.
Northern Wilds waterways have been at the crossroads of fur-trade river routes since the 1600s, including the Kaministiquia River canoe route connecting Lake Superior with Lake of the Woods and the West. One of its grueling portages was at Kakabeka Falls’ Mountain Portage, first recorded in
The memorial tablet was installed by the Thunder Bay Historical Society in 1914 at the site of the original Fort William. Located at corner of McNaughton and McTavish Streets in the East End of Thunder Bay, it commemorates the locality made famous by the pioneer fur traders of the Great North West. The site is now a CPR railyard.
ELLE ANDRA-WARNER
Mountain Portage
Kakabeka
The first to record the portage around Kakabeka Falls was the French explorer Jacques de Noyon in 1688. Today, there is a hard-packed gravel 1.25 km trail along a gorge cut that retraces the steps of the Mountain Portage. | ELLE ANDRA-WARNER
1688 by the French explorer Jacques de Noyon. It was later abandoned for the shorter Grand Portage-Pigeon River route, and put into use again in 1803 onward. Today, visitors at the Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park can leisurely walk part of the original portage route on a wide, hard-packed gravel trail with viewing platforms along the way. It’s on the same route once used by fur-traders, explorers, soldiers and surveyors like David Thompson, Sir George Simpson and Colonel Garnet Wolseley.
One of the river routes that does not get much attention is the Nipigon River Route to James Bay. About seven miles north of Nipigon on Lake Helen, at the small Five Mile Park jutting out from Highway 11, there’s a historic plaque that tells about the well-travelled route that passed right by the park. Used by Indigenous people for eons, then later by fur-traders and explorers, looking out on those same waters brings home the importance of these river routes to the area’s history.
Prince Arthur’s Landing and McVicar’s Creek areas share an interesting event in 1870. Imagine, more than 1,200 British soldiers and Canadian militia camped for a time here with 150 horses, 36 oxen, 50 wagons, 30 carts, and 150 boats, as well as cannons, equipment and supplies. They arrived by steamships and because of shallow water at the dock, were “off-loaded and carried to land on a scow fifty-five feet long and fifteen feet wide
that bore the name Tiger Lily” (Neil McQuarrie, The Forgotten Trail, p. 46). This was the Red River Expedition with British Colonel Garnet Wolseley in charge, heading out to present-day Winnipeg to put down the rebellion led by Louis Riel. Wolseley is credited with giving the name Prince Arthur’s Landing to the tiny, fire-ravaged settlement of about 200 people and a few buildings.
There’s another interesting tidbit about McVicar’s Creek, this one connecting with one of the famous original Canadian Mounties, Major James Morrow Walsh, and the elegant McVicar’s Manor (until recently a B&B) built by the creek at 146 Court Street. Besides being a pioneer in policing the Canadian West, the Major gained international attention for his friendship with Chief Sitting Bull when the Sioux Chief took refuge in Canada after the Battle of Little Bighorn, aka Custer’s Last Stand. Built in 1906 on a near-acre lot beside the creek, the Manor was home to the Major’s brother Louis Walsh, a coal tycoon who, along with another brother Philip, partnered and worked with the retired Major in the coal business. In the Major’s July 26, 1905 newspaper obituary, it noted that the he worked with his brother Louis “in the coal trade up to the time of his death with Headquarters in Port Arthur.”
| ELLE ANDRA-WARNER
2017 FALL HOME ENERGY TOUR
• Solar Installation Straight Talk with Brian Bennett of Outback Solar
• Home Energy Tours, including on and off-grid solar pv systems, solar thermal heating & sustainable buildings The Cook County Local Energy Project Presents:
Electronics Recycling Collection Event
Bring in your old computers, TVs and other electronic equipment and have them recycled properly.
Saturday, August 26, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Cook County Recycling Center, Grand Marais
Recycle FREE
Electronics - stereos - misc. electronics - computer components (no monitors) Small Appliances - blenders - toasters - vacuum cleaners - etc
Recycle for a small fee
Computer Monitors Televisions
Large Appliances
Fluorescent
Compact fluorescent
Circular fluorescent
HID
- Incandescent
- Halogen
- Broken lamps
- Neon and UV
Ballasts
Shatter Shield - Built-in ballast
-Non-PCB ballasts
Batteries
- Alkaline
- Nickle cadmium
- Lithium ion
- Silver oxide and silver zinc
- Mercury batteries
- Sealed lead acid
View from a lookout on Mountain Portage looking up the Kaministiquia River towards the falls; taken during a summer when the water was low on the river.
Your own private island located in the south
NICOL ISLAND ROSSPORT
Tremendous Lake Superior building sites. Lakefront and interior lots for sale with docking facilities. Causeway opened year round. Power and phone. Starting at $55,000CDN
OLIVER LAKE
North shore. 215.5 acre parcel with 3900 feet of lake frontage. Rugged property-water access. Southern exposure, ultimate privacy. $169,000 CDN
Attractive, well-maintained 3BD, 3BA home. 2-story walk-out with 100’ of shoreline on the north shore of Devil Track Lake, 20 minutes from Grand Marais.
Electric heat on all levels, in-floor on lowest level, wood fireplace and stove. Vaulted ceilings, large screened windows, oak cabinets, doors, and stairways.
Large 3-season porch, lake-side deck, landscaped yard with fire pit. Includes: 2-car garage, fully-insulated 24' X 24' heated workshop, 10' X 16' storage barn. Maintenance free steel siding on house and workshop, maintenance free decking on dock sections. Property is close to the public landing and is on a paved road. Asking $425,000 Call for appointment 218-387-9172. e-mail: twoswans@boreal.org
LAKE SUPERIOR LOTS
Little Trout Bay, 20 minutes north of the Minnesota/Ontario border, 3 large estate-sized lots, very sheltered with southern exposure. Tremendous views. Power and telephone available. Priced beginning at $199,000 CDN
Homes & Cabins
Inland Lake Homes
Inland Lake Lots
Tom Lake
Year round access with 171’ shore. Nicely wooded, driveway in place and a cleared building site. Lot is surveyed and septic sites have been identified.
MLS 6027392 $59,900
Private 34+A and 600’ of shore. Property is surveyed and septic sites are identified. Will consider owner financing to a qualified buyer.
MLS 6028673 $149,900
Poplar Lake
Convenient mid-trail location with deeded lakeshore access. Building site cleared, driveway in, utilities available.
MLS 2158160 $52,500
.94A with 291’ of shore. Healthy mix of huge white pines, cedars & balsams. Cleared building site, electricity, phone & broadband available.
MLS 6028705 $169,900
Leo Lake
169’ shore, on 3.70A, mid trail location, with public access to other lakes nearby. MLS 6023878 $124,900
Two Island
5+ A of wooded land with 500+’ of shorelinea nd state land on two sides! Year round access; great recreational area. MLS 6023533 $74,900
Kemo Lake
One of only 4 lots on south shore. Private 2.34A with 200’ frontage on excellent trout lake! MLS 6021433 $139,900
Chester Lake The only private parcel on Chester Lake. One of a kind opportunity! 40A, 300’ frontage! Rough cabin sold “as is”. MLS 6022402 $149,900
McFarland Lake Very private 2.5A with 150’ shore overlooking the lake. Directly abuts the BWCA on the north side. MLS 6027374 $109,900
Squint Lake
Onagon
Additional R-1 acreage available. MLS 2170380 $149,900
County Rd 14 20A nicely wooded year round lot. Electricity and phone, abuts Federal land providing access to incredible amount of land.
MLS 2308865 $59,900 SOLD
North Rd 20A, very private, year round access. Power, phone and broadband available at the road!!
MLS 6024552 $39,900
Coyote Ridge Three 5A, private, beautifully wooded parcels close to town. Babbling, gurgling creek for your boundary.
MLS 6021224 $45,000 - $65,000
Rosebush Hill Lane Nicely wooded 5.40A with shared driveway only minutes from town. Identified septic sites and fully surveyed! Approx. 430’ of creek frontage. OWNER will consider a Contract for Deed!
MLS 6024624 $49,900
78 Squint Lake Rd 5A surrounded on 2 sides by government land. Convenient mid-trail location.
MLS 6020283 $59,900
Railroad Drive 1.7A in the heart of
Convenient location.
MLS 6023743 $39,900
Gunflint Trail 7.9A connected to the Pincushion Cross Country
Ski Trail system with the Little Devil Track River flowing through.
MLS 2313364 $69,000 PENDING
Broadway Ave Wonderful location, oversize lot is open to many opportunities for development and use.
MLS 6025787 $48,000
Co Rd 67 2.24A, year round access, directly abuts State Land to the east. Fully surveyed and well-built private driveway.
MLS 6029973 $39,900
Stonegate Rd 2A on public portion of desirable Stone Gate Road with lots of potential uses. Power, phone, and broadband are a stone’s throw away. MLS 6029678 $19,400
County Rd 7 Oversize lot on Co Rd 7 but inside the city. The obvious benefits of broadband and other services.
MLS 6028579 $58,000
Silver
easements onto Federal land.
MLS 6025690 $39,900
Camp 20 Rd 28A located off of the Camp 20 Rd. Surveyed, septic sites have been identified and there is even a wetlands delineation!
MLS 6027375 $27,900
Caribou Trail Motivated Seller. Year round 20A surrounded by Federal land on 3 sides, has year round access, electricity and phone.
MLS 6028663 $139,900
274 County Rd 6 Conveniently located, just a few minutes from town. 2+A bordered by State land on 2 sides. Driveway is in, well is drilled.
MLS 6029865 $33,900 PENDING
E Hwy 6110+A beautiful tree cover and magnificent rock out-croppings.Driveway to building site and septic holding tank installed.
MLS 6029042 $79,900 PENDING
County Rd 48 Year round 11A of nicely wooded land, close to town, yet has a country, northwoods feeling. Partial Lake Superior view!
MLS 6029188 $64,900
Lutsen. Gently rolling topography, mature trees.
Leave Everything behind and just enjoy the Good Life on Deeryard Lake! MLS#6028689 $629,000 NEW! QUIET CONTEMPLATION ON LUTSEN’S LAKE SUPERIOR!
High demand Lake Superior location on Rollins Creek Rd on the quiet side of Lutsen! Meander over the wilderness terrain to find the creek running in to Lake Superior along the east side of the property. Build ready with survey in place, lines flagged and SSTS soils approved. MLS#6028455 $299,900
NEW! OLD GROWTH WHITE PINES, SMOOTH GRAVEL SHORELINE MADE FOR SWIMMING, Tait Lake is surrounded by the Superior National Forest, an environmental gem where kayaking is more common than motor boats, but all are welcome! 2 car garage serves as temporary shelter while planning your future Tait Lake home! Established build site allows better vision and has good value. Year round necessities like plowing, electric, fiber optic, it’s all available for you! MLS# 6029117 $229,900
NEW! LOVELY CABIN ON CLARA LAKE, gorgeous parcel of land tucked in to the Wilderness surrounding Clara Lake, just 20 minutes to downtown Lutsen! Cabin features nice rustic living, with the ability to bring the electric in to the cabin from the street, but otherwise the cabin was built for rustic off grid living. One main level bedrm, upper level loft, and Vaulted ceilings in the family and kitchen area spaces. 200 ft of PRIME shoreline! MLS# 6029380 $239,000
OVER 600 FT OF LUTSEN’S LAKE
SUPERIOR! Meander the tree lined driveway along Lutsen’s Rollins Creek Road, stumble upon the connecting ponds with Fountain and Sculpture celebrating the Sounds of Springtime! Over 8 acres of rolling terrain, experience the manicured path to the ponds, or stroll down the rock steps to the Tumultuous Shoreline, the Waves Pounding the over 600 ft of Rock with plenty of Splash! Inside the Fabulous home your guests will enjoy the Cascade of the Creek to the Big Lake just outside their bedroom window. The master bedroom Welcomes the Sunrises via huge windows overlooking the drooling shoreline… 0r Says Goodnight to the Sun while watching the flickering of the fireplace from bed. All the other parts of the home are Magnificent, from the gazebo with hot tub, to the large library, to the gourmet kitchen with function and charm. See it to Believe it is the Best! MLS# 6019683 $1,197,000
LAKE SUPERIOR AT CUT FACE CREEK! This home is waiting for YOU to personalize this home and make it your OWN! Mint condition, well maintained, it’s just waiting for you to mold the master bedroom of your dreams in to this lovely setting and home. Plenty of Lake Superior shoreline to afford you lots of privacy! And the location just can’t be beat! Walk to the Cut Face Creek wayside park to look for agates, and come home to Comfort! Minutes to Grand Marais OR Lutsen! A Must See home! MLS#6023379 $549,000 SIMPLE LIVING ON LAKE SUPERIOR! A Step up from Thoreau’s Cabin, Enjoy the peace and quiet this lovely little cabin offers on over 300 ft of Lake Superior Shoreline! Electric, and Nice
Stove makes
a comfy and welcoming Cabin! MLS#6026595 $240,000 WOWSER LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTY! Jonvick Creek AND Lake Superior frontage! Lovely LUTSEN home, tons of potential for updating and making this home YOURS! Vaulted ceilings, welcoming warm feel to this Cabin, a Must See! MLS#6026038
LUTSEN MOUTAIN VIEW
LITTLE LOG CABIN IN TOFTE, A MINUTE FROM BLUE FIN BAY! Year round access, nice land, and a very habitable cabin! Enjoy as year round living or a getaway cabin! MLS#6026035 $84,000 REDUCED! Summertime on the Shore, Enjoy the Sunshine and Relaxation!
$195,000
Hwy 1 area Hunting Cabin on 10 ac MLS#2309318 $64,900
NEW! Whitetail Ridge Overlooking Lake Superior! Just off Highway 1, Enjoy Sprawling Lake and Ridgeline views and Rugged Terrain! Yr Round Access, Electric. MLS# 6024856 $110,000
30 acres Wilderness, Borders lands next to Little Manitou River! MLS#2309327 $129,000
Rocky Wall Overlooking Lake Superior just outside Silver Bay. MLS#2244646 $99,000 Rock Road in Silver Bay area! Great build site with creek frontage!
MLS#2308638 $45,000 Lakeshore on Ninemile Lake at the Village, common water and septic, build ready, borders common land! MLS#2309096 $39,000 REDUCED!
NEW! Creek Frontage 8 acres off Little Marais Rd. Perfect spot to set up your Camp, driveway and cleared building area ready for you to enjoy! MLS#6028686 $19,900
10 Ac Parcels of Maples! Rolling Terrain of Mature Maples to a Sweet Building site Perched Over a Mixed Boreal Forest. Year Round Access and Electric at Road!
MLS#2024250 $49,900 REDUCED!
DRAMATIC Mountain Top Views, Rolling Hills, Maple Forests fading in to Spruce and Pine and year round access. FROM $70,000 MLS#2090628
Sugarloaf Retreats on High Ridge Drive, Located a hop, skip and jump from Sugarloaf Cove on Lake Superior! Large parcel, with access to the Superior Hiking Trail! Yr Round access and electric to street! MLS#1598640 $36,200 SOLD!
NEW! Sawbill Trail Tofte Lake Superior Views, Mature Spruce forest with driveway and well in place!
MLS#6030129 $99,900
JAW DROPPING LAKE SUPERIOR
Ready to build with long winding driveway to build site, surveyed. Defined build site with Huge Views!! Rare opportunity close to Grand Marais and within walking distance from the Croftville Road, very nice for walks. MLS#6022564 $325,000
DREAMY LAKE SUPERIOR . land and lakeshore! Several acres of privacy and way more than 200 ft of Level Access Lake Superior shoreline in Schroeder, near Sugarloaf Cove Naturalist Area!
MLS#2090420 $275,000
MAJESTIC WHITE PINES ON TAIT
LAKE SHORELINE! Lutsen’s favorite spot for quiet recreation, this deep lot has 200 ft of shoreline and 3++ acres! Yr round access, electric, only 20 minutes to Lutsen’s Ski Resort! Five minutes to BWCA! Untouched virgin forest, a beauty of a lot! Includes the lakeshore lot and the back lot for TONS of value! MLS#6025368 $209,900 PENDING!
Relaxation!
LeVeaux Mountain, Super Views and Wildlife Ponds! MLS#2220050 $69,000
Just Up the Sawbill Trail Grab your little piece of the Northwoods, rolling terrain and small community feel with year round access, great build sites!
MLS#2070510 Prices from $24,900!!
Tofte vaag on the Sawbill, Nice Lake Views! Walk to the Coho, great location! FROM $49,900 MLS#1615956
Wowser Lake Superior views on Overlook Tr! MLS#2296509 $79,900
NEW! Maples with lots of Elbow Room, Year Round access and nice location between Cross River in Schroeder and Finland! MLS#6028422 $59,000
NEW! Wowser Lake Superior Views perched on LeVeaux Mountain in Tofte! Big Views, Great location minutes from Lutsen Mtn, BlueFin Bay. Must see land!
MLS#6028132 $79,000
NEW! Holy Smokes! End of the Road bordering County land, Tofte. HUGE value with 2 lots sold for the price of one! Lots 6 & 7 Chester Blvd. Lake Superior views, quiet spot, walk to BlueFin Bay on Lake Superior! MLS#6028792 $49,900
NEW! 1046 Cramer Rd-Schroeder-40 ac with creek and tons of Maples! OMG it’s a beautiful parcel with high elevations and ravine like creek. Driveway is in! Minutes to Sugarloaf Cover Interpretive Center on Lake Superior! MLS#6028837 $98,000
NEW! BIG TIME VIEWS of Lake Superior-Tofte, Excellent value at Johannes Toftey MLS#6029322 $68,500
NEW! Overlook at LeVeaux Mountain-Tofte! Serene Woodsy setting with Lake Views! MLS#6029324 $49,000
NEW! Maples Galore, Acreage! Schroeder Location with Yr Round Access and Electric! MLS#6029593 $99,000
PLENTY OF ELBOW ROOM ON LAKE
SUPERIOR! Nearly 800 ft of shoreline and 11 ac. of rolling terrain, with signs of the past logging roads and Spruce planted forests providing a sweet buffer from all of those pesky worries of the Real World! Driveway installed in to the mid-section of the land to allow you to explore which building site best fits your desires!
MLS#2309271 $799,000
LUTSEN LAKE SUPERIOR CASCADE
Mature Spruce and BIG Lake Views! Walk to Blue Fin Bay, drilled well in place! MLS#2272174 $49,900
NEW! Nice parcel bordering USFS land, driveway roughed in, access to Tait Lk! MLS#6023412 $35,000
High Ground End of Cul de Sac borders Superior National Forest! MLS#6021436 $49,900
Woodland Foothills Build Ready lots, Shared Water & Community Septic from MLS#2309328+ FROM $39,000
Heartland of Lutsen, 80 ac at the Foothills of Ski Hill ridge, near downtown Lutsen! MLS#2312987 $119,000
Over 8 ac of Wilderness on Turnagain Trail in Lutsen! MLS#2216560 $45,000
Prime Build Site(s) just off theCaribou at Jonvick Creek! MLS#2240533 $49,000
Gorgeous 5 acre parcels in the Heart of Lutsen paved Caribou Trail locale bordering USFS lands! MLS#2174799 From $54,900 - $77,500
Creek Build Site just off the Caribou Trail at Jonvick Creek! Rare and Unique Build site! MLS#2289515 $57,500
30 acres of Prime Wilderness Land with year round access and electric at street with Views of Lutsen’s famed Clara Lake! MLS#2080599 $137,500
Maple Leaf Trail at Jonvick, Maples Galore! Nice elevated build site. Yr Round access, electric. MLS#6024972 $49,000
“Sunset North” perched along the coveted Onion River Road this sweet 5 acre build site has a roughed in driveway and a nice mixture of trees. Super location for recreating! MLS#6027996 $57,500
Ridgetop Views Overlooking Caribou Lake! Tuck your home in to the Maple hillside in Lutsen, year round access. Super Location! MLS#6028429 $56,500
Tait Lake area, Legend Trail parcel bordering USFS lands with views of Wills and Williams Lake! MLS#6028619 $67,500
LAKESHORE
10+ ACRES BORDERING
SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST! in Lutsen, year round access with over 10 acres and 200 feet of shoreline! Hilltop building site with cleared path thru cedar forest to Christine Lake, a super wilderness lake great for paddling your days away! MLS#6023288 $99,900
NEW! Wilderness Lutsen location at Tait Lakebacklot with Driveway in place! Yr Round and Electric MLS#6029115 $37,500
NEW! Ridgetop 5+ ac in Lutsen, Ski Hill and Lake Superior Views! Fab Location, Boreal Forest with Maples! MLS#TBD $49,900
NEW! Ski Hill Road lands, Boreal Lane is your Key To Mountain Top Living! 5 ac lots from MLS#6029557+ $59,000 TO $99,000
Cty Rd 7 Murphy Mountain Lake View lands! Bargain Buys in young Poplar Forest, easy clearing for Sweet Lake Superior Views for as little as $39,900! Or Enjoy Hilltop Build Site with driveway in place. MLS#1599157 $79,900 REDUCED!
NEW! 20 Acres near Pike Lake, minutes to the new Boat Landing! Driveway is in place, nice shed. Panoramic Wilderness! MLS#6028569 $69,000
NEW! 10 Ac on North Rd , building pads and well in place! MLS#6029059 $99,900 PENDING
NEW! Old Ski Hill Road, 20 acres, sweet Beaver Pond! MLS#6029581 $120,5000 PENDING
NEW! Grand Marais Meadows on County Rd 7, Gorgeous Setting, Super location! MLS#6029849+ $65,000
BEACH RD LAND! Very accessible, build site close to the water, listen to the waves of Lake Superior lapping the rocky shoreline! Gorgeous morning sunrises over the Big Lake, a must see!
HEY HEY TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SUPER NICE CARIBOU LAKE BUILD SITE! The original cabin was recently removed, allowing for a nice “established feel” to this lot. Driveway in place, clearing done and electricity available!
MLS#2309132 $150,000 PENDING!
MLS#2308906 $299,000
SWEET CLARA LAKE SHORELINE! Level
Access from Build Site to Rocky Shores.Superior National Forest Lands! Electric, yr round access, Old Cabin in place to use now and build later!
MLS#1600179 $199,000
400 FT OF STUNNING LAKE SUPERIOR
SHORELINE minute’s to the Cross River in Schroeder! Rolling terrain, nice Evergreen stand giving nice buffer from ANY highway noise. Worth the walk through the wilderness to see the AMAZING 400 ft of sprawling ledge rock shoreline!! MLS#2313305 $440,000 REDUCED!
SWEET PARCEL ON SWALLOW LAKE
GRAND
EXPANSIVE LAKE SUPERIOR RETREAT. Lake Superior charm and seclusion awaits on this park-like private retreat property with almost 90 acres, 1793 feet of shore, and 3 classic Aldrich log cabins with outstanding lake views. A rare, unique opportunity! MLS# 6024299 $2,250,000
FOUR SEASONS GUEST HOUSE. Four quiet apartments with endless big lake views. The 3-bdrm main house can be an owner's home with 3 rental units in the Guest House. Property includes a buildable 4-acre lot with views and driveway in place. Great opportunity! MLS 6030289 $515,000
LAKE SUPERIOR, BIG BAY, BIG VIEWS. Dense spruce forest, moss covered boulders and privacy make this a classic Lake Superior lot. 200' shoreline with partial driveway in place, shared road maintenance, power and Broadband. Easy access from Hwy 61, yet private and secluded feeling. MLS# 6029039 $212,500
PREMIER LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTY. Beautiful, very private 1.84 acre residential lot with 240 ft of Lake Superior shoreline in the Chimney Rock Platted Development. Premier quality with stunning elevated and panoramic views of the lake. MLS# 2313197 $199,900 A UNIQUE & SPECTACULAR BUILDING SITE. This site is build-ready for your dream home plus garage lot. Spectacular views and privacy. All hookups are ready – septic, water, electric, phone & propane. House plans are available. Only 8 owners share this park-like former resort property. MLS 6023745 $60,000 PRICE REDUCED!
SALE
SECLUSION AND SERENITY IN MAPLE FOREST. Immaculate, Mulfinger designed 2 bdrm, 2 bath home situated perfectly into the terrain with rock outcroppings and stunning views through the tree tops. Deep woods privacy, beautiful features and 220' lake shore. MLS# 6029530 $362,900 GREENWOOD LAKE RETREAT. This is a "lakeside pavilion" created by SALA Architects, Inc. - a day cabin to use while a main house is being built. The base foundation is in for solar and septic. Great build site, amazing 740’ lakeshore, and almost 4 acres. MLS# 6029641 $349,000
LAKE HOME. Immaculate 3 bdrm home on beautiful & quiet Christine Lake. Over 200’ shoreline with private boardwalk to floating dock and 6 acres for privacy. Knotty pine and tastefully painted interior. Deck, balcony and
SPECTACULAR SEAGULL LAKE. This framedin home features BWCA views looking down Seagull Lake from high on a bluff. Septic mound is in place and rooms are roughed in. Finish to your taste, the frame is complete. Over 330’ shoreline! MLS# 6028863 $315,000
CLASSIC CABIN ON CLEARWATER LAKE.
Comfortable, well maintained 2 bdrm, 1 bath cabin cared for by the same family for over 60 years. 205 feet of shoreline on much sought after Clearwater lake with direct access to the BWCA.
MLS# 6027760 $259,000
LARGE LOT PRIVACY – POPLAR LAKE. Dense mixed forest, great views, & classic wilderness shoreline make these two lots perfect for a Mid-Trail lake home. Choose 2 acres with 165’ shoreline, 3 acres with 200’ shoreline, or both! MLS# 6026287 $134,900, MLS# 6026286 $142,900, both for $245,000.
LAKE. Cozy north woods cabin secluded on almost 6 acres of dense cedar forest with adjoining forestry lands. One bdrm plus loft with plenty of space. Generator power, electric at road. Easy access to 300’ lakeshore and great views! MLS# 6026819 $239,900
CABIN WITH BWCAW VIEW ON MCFARLAND. This super 2 bdrm cabin has great views of the Palisades and the west end of McFarland Lake. Just a stone’s throw from the BWCAW! Comes furnished including pontoon boat, fishing boats, canoe, dock, and two Onan generators. MLS# 6029644 $229,900
RARE GUNFLINT LAKE PARCEL. Exceptional lot with 344' of waterfront features unreal views and privacy. Use the slope of this lot to your advantage when considering what style to build. Power and broadband available. Borders public land!
MLS# 6027298 $225,000
EAST BEARSKIN LAKE
HOME. Charming 2 bdrm cabin on 180 ft of E. Bearskin Lake. Federal lease property. Awesome views of the lake, level walk to the dock and shore. Includes utility shed, woodshed, aluminum canoe & boat. MLS# 6028479 $195,000
SECLUDED AND PEACEFUL - MCFARLAND LAKE. Quality built cabin tucked in a mature cedar forest with great views of the palisade.
A-FRAME ON POPLAR LAKE. Classic 2 bdrm, 2 bath A-Frame cabin in a beautiful setting overlooking Poplar Lake. End of the road privacy with year-round access. Very nice, gentle path to the 156’ of lake shore. Nice mix of trees. MLS# 6024438 $187,500
THREE PRIME PIKE LAKE LOTS. Three lake lots with wilderness, woods, and lakeshore are waiting for your dream lake home or cabin. Pristine views, towering white pine, +/- 200' accessible shoreline each with crystal clear water and great privacy. Good driveway in place, ideal location, power and broadband available. Four total lots can be purchased together at a discount. MLS# 6028199, 6028230-31 $179,900 ea.
NORTH FOWL LAKE
BIRCH LAKE CABIN Two bedroom cabin plus charming log bunkhouse on 150 feet of shoreline. Comfortable accommodations for year-round recreational fun. Water, septic, generator power, small garage, large shed, dock platform. Very private, easy access to BWCA. MLS# 6028894 $179,900
CABIN. Only a lucky few get to own cabins here. Remote water access from the US side, or drive in to the landing on Ontario side. Stunning views, easy access to the BWCA. The 2 bdrm cabin is one of the nicest remote cabins you'll find. Includes a great sauna. MLS# 6023214 $158,500 PRICE REDUCED! WILDERNESS SETTING - TUCKER LAKE. A perfect place for your cabin or home with unspoiled views and lots of Gunflint Trail privacy. 3.68 acres and 554’ shoreline. Tucker Lake is a protected lake with added setbacks to protect the lake and views. Direct BWCAW access. MLS# 2309237 $222,900 PRICE REDUCED!
LEVEL LOTS, NICE WOODS, EASY SHORE. These three Devil Track Lake lots have easy access from a county road, with power, phone, broadband and great building sites. South shore, 200 ft. frontage, great views. Build your home on the lake here. MLS# 6027317-6027319 $198,900 each
PRIME PIKE LAKE.
TOM LAKE GETAWAY. Well constructed and maintained cabin with year round access, electric and broadband. Enjoy the solitude, wildlife, the new sauna, and great fishing from this perfect location. Level access to the lake shore. MLS# 6029506 $149,900
LAKE PRIVACY ON 20 ACRES. Beautiful Lost Lake is a remote wilderness lake with only a few privately-owned parcels on the water. No public access! This great lot features huge white pines, pristine views, 20 acres, and 650’ shoreline! Motivated seller. MLS# 6029314 $149,000
is well below tax assessed value. Magnificent old-growth cedar and maple trees. Great, high build site on Sawmill Bay. 5.34 acres and 185’ lake frontage. MLS# 2203572 $95,000 LOTS ON NINEMILE LAKE.
Private, deep wilderness parcel. 17 acres includes almost 300’ frontage on Tucker Lake plus a section of Tucker River. Superior Nat’l Forest lands next door with BWCAW just across the lake. MLS# 6028852 $69,900
SNOWSHOE RUN LOTS.
CLASSIC ELEGANCE ON LAKE SUPERIOR.
Tastefully remodeled one bdrm condo featuring white cabinets, glass tiled back splash, granite counters and island, and laminate wood flooring. Classic elegance within an open concept floor plan, plus a wood-burning fireplace for chilly nights. MLS 6030293 $79,000
POPLAR LAKE-BWCAW ACCESS. Nice 2.11 acre lot with beautiful west views of the lake and 244’ of shore tucked in a quiet bay. A small, updated 1 bdrm cabin sits right at the water’s edge. Plenty of room for a main home and garage. MLS# 6021031 $164,900 PRICE REDUCED!
SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. These 1-2 acre lots are located on the south side of Loon Lake and offer great lake views, 152-218’ beautiful shoreline and many nice trees. The main road is in place and power is on
LIKE NEW LAKE ESCAPE – TOM LAKE. Newer lake home, 2 bdrms, 1 bath, full kitchen, great screen porch. Grid power and Broadband available. Newer septic and well. Furnishings included + boat, motor, dock and boat lift. Protected 233 feet of shore. MLS# 6027514 $197,500 CHARMING LOG CABIN RETREAT This cozy little log cabin sits in the woods on beautiful McFarland Lake. The sleeping loft and screen porch make it feel bigger than it is. The
and
Broadband available. Fishing, wildlife and easy access to Lutsen or Grand Marais. MLS# 6028197 $192,500
has 150 feet of frontage and there's plenty of room for a future main cabin. MLS# 6028241 $152,900
NORTHWOODS VACATION GET-AWAY. This recently remodeled and updated ski-in/ski-out condo has 1 bdrm, 2 baths, fireplace, and great views of the ski hills, plus distant views of the Poplar River. Walk to the pool, playground, restaurants –
you need! MLS# 6027382 $118,000
STUNNING LAKE SUPERIOR CONDO. Quality finishes, granite tile counters, wood fireplace and spa-like bathroom. Open concept plan with floating island for flexible dining and food prep. Walk out to a private patio and enjoy morning sunrises over the big lake. MLS# 6025851 $79,000 PRICE REDUCED!
Wilderness, woods
lakeshore. Pristine views of Superior Nat'l across the lake, towering white pine overhead. Virgin pine and cedar are unique here! The 252' frontage and 3 acres have gentle shore, crystal clear water and great privacy. Driveway and drilled well. Power and
A GEM IN THE WOODS.
There is quality and detail at every turn in this magnificent 2 bdrm, 2 bath home hidden on 30 acres in the Grand Portage State Forest. Marble stairs and floors, loft, master bath with hot tub & sauna, soaring cathedral ceilings, and 2000 sq ft attached garage. Not your typical home in the woods, this is a rare gem waiting for someone who loves the outdoors, but wants the class of an elegant home at the end of the day. MLS# 6022895 $575,000
MOUNTAIN TOP VIEWSLOG HOME. The ultimate wilderness retreat - 160 acres surrounded by gov't lands. No one will find you here! The log home is masterfully built and lovingly cared for. Solar power, well and septic. Super nice sauna building. Solitude awaits from this mountain-top retreat. MLS# 6027934 $524,900
FANTASTIC LOG HOME
NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Two story 3 bdrm log home only 10 mins from Grand Marais. Stone wood-burning fireplace, dramatic curved stairway, views of Lake Superior, lrg garage, and wood-burning sauna. Spacious deck and lower level walk-out. MLS# 6028341 $364,900
BEAUTIFUL LEVEAUX RIDGE HOME. “Mountain top” 3 bdrm home with calming Lake Superior views. Many recent upgrades, 2 wood-burning fireplaces, and a 2+ car heated garage. Private setting and design, perfect for entertaining or escaping.
MLS# 6025932 $339,000
HOMES & CABINS
SECLUDED COUNTRY HOME - RURAL GRAND
CLASSIC FARM HOUSE AND 20 ACRES. Simply charming country home with outbuildings and some pasture for your horse! The 3 bdrm, 2 bath home has a country kitchen/dining room, huge living room, & 3 season porch. A cute log cabin sits near the home, and the land is special with a lrg wildlife pond & planted pines. More land is available. MLS# 2309191 $269,900
REMOTE HIDE-A-WAY. Charming custom built 2 bdrm, 2 bath cabin tucked in the woods overlooking a beaver pond. A screened porch for summer dining. The living room is open and includes the kitchen and dining. A cozy Franklin stove warms the whole building. The full basement is a complete guest space . Generator power and over 100 acres to explore. MLS# 6029349 $269,000
BEAUTIFUL HOME IN THE WOODS. Fantastic 3 bdrm, 2 bath cabin with sauna and bunkhouse. The 3.78 acres is surrounded by forest with Ninemile Lake across the road. Large kitchen/ dining space, incredible master suite, upper level sunroom. Lots of room for guests! MLS# 6029835 $229,900
systems. Easy county road access. What's your idea? MLS# 6018972 $225,000
FANTASTIC GRAND
MARAIS. This single-level, well maintained 2 bdrm, 2 bath home sits on 24 acres with a huge pond as part of Woods Creek. Great yard with beautiful views of the pond. High maple ridge, adjoins federal land. Huge insulated garage, large covered porch. Minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6029005 $319,900 HOME IN PARADISE. Great views and walk to the expansive Lake Superior beach. Large 2 bdrm, 3 bath home, quality updates, new large septic system, new kitchen appliances, new furnace and on-demand hot water heater. Lower level walk-out
4 BDRM HOME IN GRAND MARAIS Only 3 blocks from Lake Superior and 2 blocks from school! Move-in ready but waiting for your dreams. Open kitchen, large living room windows, basement,
NORTH SHORE RETREAT. A little one room cabin waiting for you to make it into something. 3.8 acres on the Lake Superior side of Hwy 61 with decent lake views; you'll feel the lake effect. The cabin is kind of rough, but maybe this is the project you've been looking for. MLS# 6027897 $38,000
MARAIS HOME. This solidly built one-level home has 3 bdrms, 2 baths, and attached 2-car garage. Open layout, updated mechanicals, geo-thermal system, new septic, and private wooded back yard with creek. Adjacent lot (MLS# 6022810) also for sale. MLS# 6029340 $199,000
TIMBER FRAMED LOG HOME OVERLOOKING TOM LAKE. Charming log cabin on 78 acres with seasonal views of Tom Lake. Large loft bedroom and covered porch with swing. Stone fireplace, hardwood floors, and metal roof. Year-round access. Furnishings and generator included. MLS# 6027412 $177,000
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES
PRIME COMMERCIAL LOTS IN LUTSEN.Two acre-sized lots with Highway 61 frontage-road access and great visibility in downtown Lutsen. Nice creek borders the east property line, nice mature forest. Great location for a small gallery, retail or restaurant. A residential lot is available adjoining to the north. MLS#: 6027064 $99,900 MLS#: 6030056 $89,900
NEW! PRIME RETAIL DOWNTOWN GRAND
MARAIS. Main traffic location in the heart of down town. Located on Wisconsin St between Blue Water Cafe and Sivertson Gallery, with 25 ft street frontage and over 2300 sq ft each. Build up for a lake view – lots of possibilities! MLS# 6029930, 6029951 $150,000 each
COMMERCIAL LOT IN GRAND MARAIS. Good opportunity for a commercial building with a nice second story view of the harbor. Level 40 x 50 lot. A two story vacation rental could be built with a harbor view. What is your dream? MLS# 6024992 $53,500
RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE
LARGE TRACT WITH CREEK. This 319 acre parcel has ponds & creek frontage on the Flute Reed River. Has been in DNR management program. Great for hunting or homesteading. Access is by unimproved easement from the Camp 20 Road, near county maintenance. The land may be split - take your pick of "40's"! MLS# 6027384 $258,000 SUGARBUSH, BEAVER, TROUT. Remote 80 acres ,10 miles from Grand Marais with easy access. Surrounded by public land. 700’ of Durfee Creek frontage. MLS# 6024638 $149,000
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY. Stunning Little Devil Track River frontage and Pincushion Mtn. trail access make this 6.3 acre property perfect for skiers, hikers and mtn bikers. Zoned Resort/Commercial. MLS# 6026067 $103,900
CASCADE RIVER RETREAT. Deep in the Superior National Forest, good road access and a small 150 s.f. starter cabin with solar power. Frontage on the mighty Cascade with rapids and trout pools everywhere. Views of the valley from nice building site. MLS# 6029531 $85,900 WOODS, WATER & SECLUSION.Three 40 acre lots with 600 to 1000 ft frontage on Mons Creek. Also includes deeded access to Lost Lake. Private and secluded. MLS# 6021356 $59,900 or MLS# 6021357 $69,900 or MLS# 6021358 $74,900.
NICE HOME SITE NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Nice elevation and views from this 6.75 acre lot off of County Rd 6 just minutes from town. Frontage on Little Devil Track River, with lowland and highlands. Nice forest and privacy for your home or cabin in the woods. MLS# 6027581 $54,900 PRICE REDUCED!
500’ ON MOHNS CREEK. Mixed topography of beautiful rolling land with many great build sites on 25 acres. Old growth cedar, spruce, pine and birch. Abuts state land. MLS# 6029353 $39,000
LAND/BUILDING SITES
TOP OF BIRCH
CLIFF. See 50 miles across Lake Superior – incredible 180 degree views! Private drive and buried power in place. Nice mature trees and public lands on 2 sides. More land is available. This site will rock your world. MLS# 6029487
$350,000
100+ ACRES NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Great location for a home or recreational property just minutes from Grand Marais. Rolling land with creek, borders thousands of acres of federal and state lands. Great investment and subdivision project. Power at road. Seller willing to subdivide MLS# 6027269 $282,900
LOCATION, VIEWS, PRIVACY - 80 ACRES. This former homesteaders property has it all: rolling topography, ravines, grassy meadows, mature timber, flowing creek and expansive Lake Superior views! Minutes from Grand Marais, adjoins USFS land. MLS# 6027073 $279,000
HOME SITE OR BUSINESS DREAM. This 13.4 acre property could be a great home site or resort-type business location. Adjoins Pincushion Mtn. hiking/ skiing/biking trails. Lake Superior view with more land available. Zoned Resort/Commercial. MLS# 6026068 $214,900
LARGE WILDERNESS ACREAGE - LAKE ACCESS. This 80+ acre parcel includes 400 feet of shoreline on McFarland Lake. Building sites are located across the road on the hillside with potential lake views. Rugged property with high topography and old growth cedar and pine. Easy access to the BWCAW and Border Route Hiking Trail.
MLS# 6024602 $179,000 PRICE REDUCED!
MOUNTAIN TOP - WILDERNESS VIEWS. Fantastic vistas into the BWCA and surrounding rugged topography near McFarland Lake. Located at the end of the Arrowhead Trail with easy year-round access. The 122 acres has a high ridge and a “mountain top” for you to name.
MLS# 6024599 $154,900 PRICE REDUCED!
INCREASINGLY RARE, LARGE RECREATIONAL PARCEL. 190 arces fully surveyed. The perfect retreat. Has a rich variety of trees, ponds, high and low lands, some meadow land and wetlands.
MLS# 6029820 $150,000
LARGE ACREAGE WITH WATER FEATURES. The headwaters of Irish Creek! Quality 160+ acres, 5 parcels sold grouped or separately. Many great features incl. old growth white pine, ponds, camping and building areas.
MLS# 6030177 $149,500
BIG LAND NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. Four 80 acre parcels located south of Schroeder off Highway 61 with shared access and approved septic sites. Mix of trees, gradual elevation, nice build sites and lake view. MLS# 6027841, 6027843, 6027844, 6027845 $139,900 each
NEW! FANTASTIC FIVE MILE ROCK. Great 7 acre property abuts Highway 61 at Five Mile Rock. Beautiful views of Lake Superior. Excellent build site and a 30 x 40 Morton building. Ready for your dreams! MLS 6030238 $120,000
NEW! PROVEN GREAT HUNTING AREA - 80 ACRES. Prime hunting land in Schroeder. Rolling land with great wildlife habitat incl. stream, beaver dam with large pond, and a good mixture of trees and low vegetation. Older 2 bdrm cabin in a beautiful park like setting overlooking large beaver pond.
MLS# 6029945 $115,000
LARGE ACREAGE NEAR TOM LAKE. 128 acres with good road access and an easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Year-round road, power is possible here. The 3 forties may be split - take your pick. MLS# 6027383 $111,000
NEW! LARGE TRACT OVERLOOKING SUPERIOR. This 30 acre parcel has mature trees and great building sites with lake views, and sits just across the highway from miles of State owned gravel beach. Just 15 minutes from Grand Marais with Judge C.R.Magney State Park a half-mile away. MLS# 6029924 $99,900
HUGE POND-HUGE PRIVACY. Large 45+ acre wooded parcel located across from Tom Lake. Huge pond/lake in the very center of the acreage. MLS# 6029352 $99,000
LAND NEAR WILSON LAKE. A special piece of the Northwoods – 16 acres with deeded access to Wilson Lake! USA-owned forest is your backyard. Driveway, electric, and a small bunkhouse/shed are in place. MLS# 6028685 $80,000
GREAT LOCATION FOR YOUR HOME. Convenient 7.5 acres located just 5 miles from Grand Marais on a Co Rd 7 blacktop, with some lake views, good building sites, driveway and a tiny cabin set up for your camp outs until you build. MLS# 6027933 $79,900 PRICE REDUCED!
LARGE LAND, POND, LAKE RIGHTS. Densely wooded 60 acre parcel with beaver ponds and access to Lost Lake. Good seasonal road access, many great building sites and southerly exposure. Lots of elbow room, privacy, and miles of forest roads to explore. MLS# 6029025 $69,900
RUSTICATE, RECREATE, RELAX. Hovland hideaway – 43 acres with new driveway to “base camp” with a nice camper trailer and shed. Trails have been cut throughout the property which adjoins State land. MLS# 2313223 $62,900
GREAT LOCATION, QUALITY FOREST, BUILD HERE. These 10-acre parcels have a mature and mixed forest, southerly exposure, easy county road frontage and just minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6023274 $64,900, MLS# 6023275 $62,900, MLS# 6023276 $64,900
MAPLE HILL - HOME SITE. Heavily wooded 6.45 acre parcel with great privacy, county rd frontage, power and phone. MLS# 6023465 $64,500 RIDGES, PINES & VIEWS - ARROWHEAD TRAIL. Nice 20 acre parcel with high building sites and huge pines. The surrounding federal land leads directly into the BWCAW. MLS# 6024600 $59,900 PRICE REDUCED!
UNIQUE 20 ACRES IN SCHROEDER. Beautiful property with driveway and building pad in place. Interesting mix of trees & topography. Stunning views of ridge lines and valleys. Quite a place to explore and see something new every time! MLS# 6027299 $59,000
WOODED HOME SITE This 5+ acre parcel is only 1.5 miles from Grand Marais and ready for your country home. Mixed forest, with forest service land in the back for exploring or hunting. A driveway and culvert are already in place. MLS# 6026053 $55,000 PRICE REDUCED!
NEW! STONE'S THROW LAKE SUPERIOR. This heavily wooded, private 2+ acre building site sits just across the highway from Lake Superior's shore with a view of the big lake. You can walk the beach or have a bonfire on the State shoreline. MLS# 6029899 $52,900
NEW! HEAR THE WAVES, FEEL THE BREEZE. Great building site just across the highway from Lake Superior with great views, dense spruce trees and easy access. The approximately 2 acres is located across from State owned shoreline with miles of beach to comb. MLS# 6029866 $52,900
GRAND MARAIS LOT. Nicely wooded lot on quiet street. City street, curb and gutter. There is a property assessment for city water and sewer. Location to be identified. MLS# 6029185 $52,900
RUSTIC WOODED WONDERLAND. Beautiful 40 acres of maple forest with small rustic cabin bordering Judge Magney State Park. Enjoy the peaceful solitude of Aide Lake, rimmed by an open cedar grove just a short hike from the cabin into the park. MLS# 6025235 $52,000 PRICE REDUCED! PERFECT 5 ACRE HOME SITE. This private and secluded build site is just waiting for your custom plans! Only five miles from town with five acres of great woods bordering public land on two sides. MLS# 6028922 $51,500
NEW! REMOTE WILDERNESS. Here is your remote wilderness parcel. 40 secluded acres with big trees, big pond, big hills, snowmobile trails and lots of Forest Service land to explore. East and West Twin lakes are close by for good fishing. MLS# 6029821 $49,900
30 ACRES - PANORAMIC VIEWS. Rare mountain top property with a 180 degree view of distant Lake Superior and the ridge to the north. Many trails in place with food plots for wildlife. MLS# 6020274 $49,500 LAND FOR FUN OR HOMESTEADING. Heavily wooded 39 acres with a large variety of trees and easy road access on Camp 20 Rd. Southern exposure great for solar set up. The Superior Hiking Trail is steps away. Close to county maintained road. MLS# 6027896 $48,900
GREAT PRIVACY CLOSE TO TOWN.This 5 acre property just outside Grand Marais sits at the end of a private drive. Potential Lake Superior views, small creek and nice elevation make for a great ready-to-build home site. MLS# 6029451 $48,000
BUILDING SITE OVERLOOKING MCFARLAND
LAKE. This pine studded 7 acre property has easy walking access to the county beach on McFarland Lake. Nice elevated build site with easy county road access. MLS# 6024601 $43,000 PRICE REDUCED!
WOODED 10 ACRES IN HOVLAND. North woods seclusion plus electricity and broadband! Great forested parcel. The driveway is in leading to a secluded build site with nice trees. Cute shower house and outhouse. MLS# 6024396 $42,900
WOODED ACREAGE – GM. Two private 20 acre lots with hiking and ski trails, and abundant wildlife. A high building site offers seasonal views of Lake Superior. MLS# 2313172 $39,500 PRICE REDUCED! & MLS# 2313173 $35,000
POWERS LAKE ROAD PARCEL. This is the beautiful ‘40’ that you have been waiting for. Easy access off Powers Lake Road with electricity and broadband. This is a fine opportunity for the person seeking a remote retreat with some modern amenities. MLS# 6027426 $44,900
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. Nice 6 acre parcel of mixed forest land only 6 miles from Grand Marais! Shared driveway is in, transformer on the property. MLS# 6024077 $39,900
QUIET AND PRIVATE. Choice 2.31 acre lot at the end of the road in Lutsen, ready to build. Priced to sell! MLS# 2309202 $39,500
5 ACRES NEAR CARIBOU LAKE. Gorgeous corner lot with colorful maples and majestic cedars. Plenty of privacy. Close to hiking trails and the Caribou Lake boat landing. Year round access with power! MLS# 2279179 $35,000
LAND FOR ESCAPE AND RECREATION. Remote yet accessible 20 acres near Judge Magney State Park. Good mix of trees, high building site, some distant Lake Superior views. MLS# 6025397 $34,900
NEW! GREAT LOCATION HOME SITE. Wooded home or cabin site near Devil Track Lake. The 1.72 acre lot has nice trees and maybe a view of the lake from a second story. The boat landing is just down the road, as are many other lakes and trails. MLS# 6029872 $29,900
Grand Marais Area
Nicely appointed and extremely well maintained beautiful 3 bedroom home just west of Grand Marais. Home includes a two stall garage with adjacent office, workshop, wine room and more. Many wonderful upgrades made to home in 2010. Nice clean yard and garden areas.
Move in ready. All you need is the key. Call Bruce today for your private showing.
MLS 6029508 NEW PRICE $374,500
Historic Lutsen Lockport sites
Great Lutsen location tucked up behind the Lutsen general business district, yet private with 5+ acre lots. This is a very nice opportunity. Buy and build today, or hold for the future.
Lot 1 Steam Engine Road 5.03 acres MLS 6028102 $39,000
Lot 2 Steam Engine Road 6.54 acres MLS 6028107 $45,000
Lot 4 Steam Engine Road 5.01 acres MLS 6028110 $39,000
Lot 5 Steam Engine Road 5.31 acres MLS 6028108 $39,000 Lot 6 Steam Engine Road 5.16 acres MLS 6028111 $39,000
Jonvick Creek Sites in Lutsen. Beautiful
sites
Jonvick.Power and broadband curbside. Great Lutsen location just offCaribou Trail. Convenient to everything, yet private. Great Pricing.
Pancore Lake, Tofte
Pancore Lake is a pretty special area. Only three private parcels adjoin this lake with the US Forest service occupying the majority of shoreline on the entire north shore side of the lake. This property is approximately 60 acres offering some towering views yet has a very nice gentle access to the lake with 250’ of shoreline and multiple build sites available. MLS 6028959 $195,400
Lot 6 Block 5.
This was one of the very first lots purchased because of its outstanding location. Nestled adjacent to the River 7 Green - it offers so much. Great build site with outstanding orientation. Access to all HOA utilities. MLS TBD $92,500
– Log Cabin #403 Ever so seldom does a Lutsen Resort authentic Log Cabin become available for sale. Here is your opportunity to become part of this unique family of home ownership at on Lake Superior. Outstanding views – awesome cabin. Call today for your private showing. MLS# $399,000
Lutsen Log Lodge – 24 Lodge Lane
“All ships rise with the tide”. This 3 bedroom Lutsen Log Lodge is located in the middle of $25++ million of related area improvements including the new North Shore Winery, the recent $4.5 million improvement project at Superior National at Lutsen Golf Course, new gondola and high speed lift at Lutsen Mountains and the trail head to Gitchi-Gami Bike Trail. Great location yet private. This is the only Log Lodge that is recessed back from the road and other buildings. Couple this with a nearly 4 season porch, and it’s the perfect home. This home has a strong vacation rental history with excellent return customer base.
MLS 6030254 $239,500
Welcome to Golden Eagle Lodge, a family oriented, yearround resort on Minnesota’s historic Gunflint Trail. Located on the quiet shores of Flour Lake, we are the only resident on nearly 8 miles of pristine shoreline. Here, you can look forward to the quiet and solitude offered only from a true wilderness setting. We offer modern lakeshore cabins to ensure comfort during your stay in the North Woods.
Each season has something special to offer; excellent fishing, canoeing, and hiking in summer and nationallyrenowned Cross-Country Skiing in winter. Visit our website to find in detail how each season can help shape your vacation.
Try our 9-site campground which offers the same quiet and personal service as our cabins; each site comes equipped with water and electric hookups. We go out of our way to ensure every aspect of your visit will convince you to come back and see us again.
We know much time, effort, and expense is invested in a vacation and we would be honored if you considered us as your vacation destination. You won’t be disappointed!
