In the Northland, the best place to turn for good sound advice is usually your friends and neighbors. At North Shore Federal, we make sure to offer up the products and services that our members need and we consistently offer the best rates and lowest fees around. We operate with a business plan that puts our members first—and that’s a good place to be. So ask around. Like a berry picking hot spot, we’re worth sharing.
GUNFLINT TRAIL—Martin Trahan lost 25 lbs. in just over two months while paddling, portaging and trudging from Montreal to Gunflint Lake. That’s probably why the cheeseburger he devoured at Trail Center Restaurant along the Gunflint Trail tasted outrageously delicious.
“I actually had two,” Trahan admitted, though the burgers were not both consumed in one sitting.
Trahan is among a group of six Canadian adventurers traveling some 7,000 miles from Lake of Two Mountains near Montreal, to their final destination along the Mackenzie River near the Arctic Ocean. The expedition set forth on April 25, traveling in a trio of 18-foot tandem Souris River Kevlar canoes. The adventure is set to conclude on Oct. 20.
Traveling under the name “On the Blue Gold Paths,” (officially “les chemins de l’or bleu” in French), the group stopped at the 1/3-mark of their journey to rest, resupply and enjoy a break in the United States. This happened to be on the shores of Gunflint Lake, where the group stayed in a bunkroom at Gunflint Lodge for five nights at the end of June. It was the first time in Minnesota for all of the adventurers, and apparently the Land of 10,000 Lakes was a welcome resting point.
“It’s beautiful here,” said Annik Shamlian, a member of the group. “Great people, too. And it has been so nice to break here and eat good food and rest.”
During the six-month adventure, the expedition will cross from east to west across Canada, mainly through the Boreal Shield and the Arctic. They are recognized as the 2015 Expedition of the Year by The Royal Canadian Geographic Society, an acknowledgement that netted them $10,000 for travel expenses and other related costs. Officially, the group’s goal is to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving the natural heritage
and conservation planning, the wealth of water and the benefits on physical activity. However, Shamlian said their purpose is simpler than that.
“We really have no cause,” she proudly stated. “This is all about living our dream. To do what we wanted to do, finally.”
Julien Bilodeau, another member of the team, said the most challenging aspect of the journey by the time they reached the shores of Gunflint Lake was learning everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.
“We weren’t all great friends or anything before this started,” he said. “So we had to learn how to work together and how to find that balance.”
All members of the expedition, whose ages range from 22 to 45, rotate daily duties, ranging from cooking to setting up camp. Each day brings a new set of challenges, ranging from knee-deep mud on portage trails and navigating rapids, to dealing with ticks, a new critter for most members of the team. Physically speaking, Shamlian said the 8.5-mile Grand Portage along the Pigeon River was the most challenging aspect of the trip thus far.
“I always had a great deal of respect for the French-Canadian voyageurs and everyone who has used that route,” she said. “But now after having done it, I have a whole new level of respect for them.”
Though some of the most rugged and remote areas of wilderness still lie ahead, by the one third point of the expedition, the group had encountered four moose and one porcupine, amongst dozens of other animal encounters, including eagles and fox. Their gear was holding up very well, Shamlian said, though some of their dry suits had worn through in the neck area and one paddle was destroyed while snaking through a set of rapids. The canoes, which were provided by Souris River, were given an
The team members have come to know one another and learn to work together as they travel. | JOSEPH FRIEDRICHS.
extra layer of Kevlar for increased durability, though they aren’t equipped with portage pads.
“We don’t typically use pads where we are from in Canada,” Shamlian said.
When offered a set of pads at no charge, Shamlian kindly shrugged her shoulders, “Our yolk is too wide, but no matter, I like to go without. Thanks,” she said.
With that kind of mental and physical toughness, the group should be arriving to the Arctic Ocean in October with their heads held high.—Joe Friedrichs
Members of the 2015 Canadian Expedition of the Year inspect their canoe on the shores of Gunflint Lake. | JOSEPH FRIEDRICHS.
Red Rock Marina interpretive centre
RED ROCK—Located 90 kilometers east of Thunder Bay, the township of Red Rock is nestled between the red cliffs of Red Rock Mountain and the shore of Lake Superior. Its serene beauty is matched by the kindness of its sincere inhabitants. The small town has a large, welcoming presence, made all the more so by the newly opened Marina Interpretative Centre. There are nine exciting exhibits and each one offers an interactive and unique understanding of Red Rock and the surrounding area.
It begins with the exhibit of Camp R, a prisoner of war camp. Britain needed their captured Nazis and German citizens out of the country, and sent some of them to Red Rock during World War II. Various aspects of the camp’s life are explained
through four slideshow vignettes and old fashioned telephone receivers.
To truly understand Red Rock’s origins, the exhibit on the pulp and paper mill is a must. It operated from the 1940’s to 2006, and produced high quality paper. The mill not only employed people, they provided housing and medical services, built the school and auditorium, and had a large role in the sports and entertainment of the community. The exhibit explains how the mill operated and the role of the forest industry not only in Red Rock, but the entire region.
The town alcove exhibit has 10 short recordings of people from the community. The participants talk about the first fam -
ilies to settle in the area, such as; what it was like to live and work in a town that was dependent on a mill for its economic well-being; the challenges faced by the residents when the mill closed down eight years ago; and how through the determined efforts of the town’s people, Red Rock transformed itself into an amazing tourist destination by developing its waterfront into a scenic park, full-service marina and eco-friendly centre that contains the exhibits.
Anyone wanting a close up view of various animals, trees and vegetation in the area will enjoy the boreal forest exhibit. A full-sized mounted moose stands on a mossy floor. There are skulls and tracks of various animals, tree samples and a great
blue heron nest. There are also puppets and books for children to enjoy.
The community’s name is derived from the striking red rocks that form its breathtaking backdrop. This unusual formation is called a cuesta. A touch screen shows visitors how they were formed in the natural world. Another touch screen, called the splash table, provides information on various species of fish that can be found in the region.
Pictographs, painted long ago by First Nation people, are located across the bay.
A simulated four-seat submarine lets people experience what it would be like to descend into Lake Superior’s mysterious depths. Done through animation, it shows animals, plants, even a shipwreck in the National Marine Conservation Area.
Along the windows there are four stations with peep pipes directing visitors to must-see sites around the marina. An incredible view of Red Rock and the bay can be found at Lloyd’s Lookout. Pictographs, painted long ago by First Nation people, are located across the bay. In a nearby rock face, when the light is shining just right, people can see a water vessel. Some say it is a voyager canoe, while others believe it is a Viking ship. Lastly, there is Nipigon Bay, which plays a vital role in the town’s existence.
The final exhibit has four large screens that puts everything Red Rock was and is evolving to become, in a visual context for its visitors.
At the conclusion of the exhibits, visitors can check out the gift shop. They can even purchase rocks from the cuesta, all of which were carefully collected so not to harm the environment. A fully-licensed restaurant serves delicious food and seats 35 inside and 15 outside.
The exhibits can be seen seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m. They are offered in both English and French. —Kim Casey
The Boreal Forest exhibit includes puppets and books for the kids to enjoy. | SUBMITTED
BWAC volunteers plan to repaint the Stony River Café this fall.
| SUBMITTED
ISABELLA—Over the weekend of June 26-28, Boundary Waters Advisory Committee volunteers led by retired 3M employees Doug Rude and Lynn Schwartz donated materials, paint and their time to repaint a guest cabin behind the Stony River Café. The idea was born last year when one of the members stayed at the cabin and noticed peeling paint.
“It looked like a lot of hardship for Tom and Liz Pearson, and this is one way we can help the community affected by the fire,“ said Martin Kubik, BWAC president.
The Pagami Creek Fire of 2011 was put down four years ago at a cost of $22 million dollars. A Federal study indicates that the economic loss to communities affected by fire is 10 times the cost of fire suppression. For the Ely/Isabella area, the fire caused a drop in customers.
Now that the cabin is painted, BWAC is going a step further and offering a five dollar food rebate with the hope of attracting new customers to the historic Stony River Café. Rebate rules and details are listed online at www.bwac.homestead.com.
In nearby Cook County, hiking is the number one reason why people visit Grand Marais and the surrounding area.
“The BWAC hopes some of the Stony River Café customers will venture on the Pow Wow Trail and discover the resilient nature in the BWCA Wilderness. The US Forest Service and BWAC volunteers have done significant restoration on the Pow Wow Trail this year, but much more work remains to be done.
“We want to help preserve these treasures, whether it is the experience of eating at the historic Stony River Café or hiking on the Pow Wow Trail where the jack pines are emerging, green and strong,” said Kubik.
The club members plan to come back in the fall to paint the Stony River Café. The job will be about three times larger and require more volunteers.
The BWAC was established in 2002 to advocate for hiking trails and special places in the BWCAW. Its current focus is restoring the 32-mile Pow Wow Trail which burned in the Pagami Creek Fire in 2011. For more information contact Martin Kubik, wtrails2@yahoo.com or by phone (651)214-5849 or Tom Pearson at Stony River Café at (218)323-7650.
BWAC volunteers repaint a guest cabin. | SUBMITTED
Going Solar: A Cook County Guide
This Guide is for Cook County Landowners.
Learn about solar PV
Determine what type and size PV system is for you
Take advantage of Federal Tax Credit (30%) which expires the end of 2016
Find the guide at: www.cookcountylocalenergy.org
Tour Solar Workshop
mount, pole mount or ground mount panels all do the same thing: produce electricity from the sun. Learn what’s involved, how it works and what it costs in Going Solar: A Cook County Guide and Grid Connected or Stand Alone? www.cookcountylocalenergy.org | SUBMITTED
Going Solar? New guide book can help
Cook County Local Energy Project, CCLEP, recently published Going Solar: A Cook County Guide. This 38-page guide is designed to raise local awareness of the benefits of photovoltaic (PV) systems and to assist Cook County landowners in evaluating the best options.
The Guide is packed with information about how PV systems work, how to decide what type and size system to install, how to estimate cost and examples of local installations. There are financial resources, checklists, calculators and more.
For those wanting to get to the basics, CCLEP has produced a brochure, Grid Connected or Stand Alone? featuring a fun flow chart and things to consider. It highlights the basic steps used in designing and choosing a system.
Both publications will be used in workshops that CCLEP will give on installing a PV system. The next workshop is Tuesday evening, Sept. 8 at North House Folk School and a tour of installations in the Hovland area on Saturday morning, Sept. 12. These events are free.
Both documents are on the CCLEP website, www.cookcountylocalenergy.org. Hard copies are available at the Grand Marais Public Library and several other public places.
The largest financial incentive currently active is the 30 percent federal tax credit that is available until Dec. 31, 2016. Now is the time to consider and plan a solar PV installation.
This project is made possible by a grant from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation.
Cook County has an app for that
GRAND MARAIS—Visit Cook County announced the release of their new smartphone app. The app, designed to give visitors quick access on places to eat, stay and play in Cook County. The app also includes an events directory that is synced automatically each day with the event calendar on the Visit Cook County website, ensuring up-to-date information.
The app is designed to work even if the user is not connected to the internet, making it a pretty handy tool for locals, too. “I use it constantly, especially to find phone
numbers for businesses,” said Kjersti Vick, marketing manager at Visit Cook County. “It only takes two steps. Open app, select category. It’s very convenient.”
A person can contact listed businesses by phone and email, and, if online, visit business websites and social media tools, all without leaving the app.
The app can be downloaded free on Apple and Android phones at Google Play and the Apple iTunes store (search for “Visit Cook County.”)
Roof
Power to the towers
COOK COUNTY—A statewide project to improve emergency radio communications is extending the power and broadband grid into some of the most remote areas in Cook County. The Allied Radio Matrix Emergency Response (ARMER) program is intended to provide consistent coverage for local, state, tribal and some federal agencies involved in public safety and emergency response. In rugged areas such as the North Shore, the ARMER system greatly improves the communications capability for local responders ranging from volunteer fire departments to law enforcement, to road and utility crews and even school buses.
“The interoperability of the (ARMER) radios is amazing,” says Rena Rogers, director of management information systems for Cook County.
The cost for the new power lines and towers is being covered by the state via the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The bidding process was still open at press time, but sources said that running miles of underground lines was “not cheap.” Shane Chatleain, facilities contract manager for MNDOT, said two previous projects, running power to Pine Mountain and the Hovland Fire Tower cost about $700,000 and $150,000, respectively.
The new lines will service towers near Gust Lake, Cascade Lake and Devilfish Lake. At the latter site, the power line will run through the largest block of private land in Cook County and previously beyond the reach of the electric grid. John Twiest of the Arrowhead Electric Cooperative says the utility had considered extending power into the area about eight years ago, but the cost was more than local landowners could bear. The new power line will go up the
east side of Tom Lake, where there are a number of recreational cabins and a few residences, which presently rely on solar or generators for electricity. In the future, they’ll have the option of extending power from the new line to their homes.
The three towers will be built to a height of 180 feet, which is below the FAA’s minimum height of 200 feet for required lighting. Radio antennas may extend up to 20 feet above the tower. Cook County is a place where many, if not most residents and visitors disapprove of light pollution, which would include a lighted tower in the night sky.
While tower installations have been controversial in the past, in part because nearby residents were uninformed of the projects, Rogers ensured local communities were aware of the new towers and had a chance to provide input via public meetings. Since the power line will be buried and mostly follow existing roads and ATV trails to minimize right-of-way clearing, developers say it will be unobtrusive.
However, a group of area residents and landowners challenged the placement of the Devilfish tower, saying it would be less visible on five nearby lakes if it was placed a half-mile away on top of the high ridge beside the existing Devilfish Fire Tower. Rogers said that site was considered, but the rock outcropping was too small and considered an environmentally sensitive area. Tower installation there would have required extensive blasting and, Rogers said, likely wouldn’t pass an environmental review. Because the tower is unlighted, she doesn’t think locating it in the chosen site will be more visible.
Temperance River Bridge to be replaced
TOFTE—The USDA Forest Service will soon replace the bridge on the 600 Road (Forest Road 166) that crosses the Temperance River near the Sawbill Trail. This bridge, known locally as the Pink Bridge, is located on the Tofte Ranger District of the Superior National Forest. Monitoring by Superior National Forest engineers indicates that the bridge is no longer safe for passenger cars, logging trucks and commercial vehicles.
The current crossing structure had a long life of service but has deteriorated over the years, not meeting current safety standards. This bridge was built with a truss section that was originally part of a State of Minnesota bridge built in 1913. After the state bridge was disassembled, the Forest Service obtained the used truss in 1935 and installed it in its current location, along with a second concrete span to provide a crossing over the Temperance River. The Forest Service had progressively lowered the load limit for the bridge over the past couple of years. Finally, in fall of 2014, the bridge was closed.
The new bridge over the Temperance River will be constructed entirely of timber components fabricated in Minnesota and installed by a local contractor. The Forest Service has designed the new bridge with aesthetics in mind, as well as safety. Wood parts will be treated and metal parts will be burnished to present a rustic, weathered design that fits with the surroundings. The cost of the new structure is $600,000.
Demolition of the existing bridge and construction of the new bridge will begin in August or September.
ATTENTION HOME OWNERS IN BEAVER BAY or KNIFE RIVER!
Would you like some assistance with making some home improvements?
Are you of moderate income and planning on living in your home for at least 10 years?
If you answered yes to these questions – AEOA may be able to help!
Call our housing rehabilitation division for details on our deferred rehab loan programs in your city at 218-748-7349 or 218-735-6831
CALL TODAY before funds run out!
The new bridge should be opened by the end of October. | SUBMITTED
Day Trip Into the Wild
By Erin Altemus
August has arrived and with it, some hot, sultry days. The bugs have mostly dissipated and vacation time will soon be over. If you want to find a cool lake for swimming and get a taste of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) but aren’t ready for a big expedition and all the planning and packing that entails, try one of these day trips. Here are some easily accessible, scenic places in the BWCAW that are great day trips.
Granite River to Larch Creek
ACCESS: Put in at the boat access on Gunflint Lake (about 40 miles up the Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais).
MILEAGE: The loop is about 7 miles and includes five portages. The last miles on Larch Creek wind back and forth a lot, so leave extra time to navigate this section.
WHY HERE? Though much of this area of the upper Granite River (technically named Pine River on the map) burned in wildfires during the last decade, the waterfalls and granite outcrops give the area a striking beauty. There is a nice mix of lake, river and creek travel, as well as a mix of scenery.
THE TRIP: Paddle across Gunflint Lake through the channel to Magnetic Lake. At the end of Magnetic, a short portage takes you around a small set of rapids. Just downstream, take out again to portage around a nice waterfall. Stop and take a break here— it’s one of the highlights of the trip.
The next section takes you between tight rocky outcrops and is nothing short
of enchanting, but be careful as you approach Woodhorse Portage. The river splits into a few channels—take the middle one, and look for the portage straight ahead as the river veers right and around a corner to a falls. In August, the blueberries here are often a distraction.
Not too far ahead, you reach Pine Portage, which is 100 rods and takes you to Clove Lake. From Clove, you’ll then veer off the river, portage to Larch Lake, then find the creek and paddle out to the Seagull Guard Station on the Gunflint Trail. From here, you could hitchhike back to retrieve your car, or arrange with an outfitter for a shuttle—well worth it.
GOOD TO KNOW: Larch Creek is not always navigable. Ask a local outfitter about current conditions. In wet summers, the creek stays high, but it can be a paddler’s nightmare if the water gets too low.
You don’t have to go on a multiday trip to experience the beauty of the Boundary Waters. | BRYAN HANSEL
The Duluth Rowing Club Back to the Future
By Eric Chandler
Scott and I were going nowhere fast. We rowed our Ergometers (or “Ergs,” in rowing slang) outside the Duluth Rowing Club (DRC) boathouse. We were working on the basic body mechanics of how to row on the stationary rowing machines. Instructor Maddy Conklin encouraged us to use our legs, then back, and then arms. As we finished the stroke, we unfurled in reverse order: arms, back, then legs. This was my first day of the Learn to Row class through the DRC.
I wasn’t alone. There were about 10 other students gathered on Park Point in Duluth to learn the sport. Scott’s family is filled with rowers, so he wanted to join in. One woman had a husband in Duluth with the Coast Guard and said she wanted bragging rights for the most time on the water. Another lady had just moved to Park Point, saw the rowers every morning and wanted to see what it was about. A married couple was taking the lesson together. She wanted to get on the lake instead of just looking at it. Her husband, like me, was looking for a summertime activity that was good for his cross-country skiing.
This was the first day of a two-week long session that spends two hours each evening teaching newbies. Unfortunately, this first lesson was one of the only ones I could attend with the class. Fortunately, the head coach of the DRC, Bonnie Fuller-Kask gave me a private lesson the week before the large group met. She is a successful rower herself and has raced at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Massachusetts (the world’s largest two-day rowing event) with the Duluth women in her “four.” She coaches newcomers to the sport like me. She also coaches dozens of kids who row with the DRC each morning all summer long. Many of these kids are also cross-country skiers in the winter. This is natural since Bonnie is also the coach of the Duluth East High School cross-country ski team, along with her husband Dave Kask. Dave also serves as the President of the DRC. Leading hundreds of youths in active outdoor sports is a year-round thing for them.
Bonnie took me out on the water in a “double” to learn to row by sculling. This means I’ve got two oars, one on each side of the boat. She rowed in the seat behind me, but that’s actually the bow of the boat since you face away from your direction of travel. She coached me on an Erg also, but soon we were out on the smooth water of the bay behind the point. Turns out, there’s more than legs/back/arms. You are also feathering the oar as you finish a stroke, so the oar can return to the “catch” at the beginning of the stroke without hitting the water. Right before you start the stroke, you rotate the paddle again, so the blade is perpendicular to the water instead of parallel. Then you try to remember what the rest of the body is supposed to do.
How much would you pay? Don’t answer yet! There is also a pattern for how high your hands are held. As you start the stroke, you think about rowing straight back across a table with your hands. Then you move the handles of the oars down slightly and return to the catch as if you’re moving them forward underneath that imaginary table. Up and then back across the table as you apply power. Three things at once, all with correct timing: hands rotating, the path of the oars around the “table,” and your legs/back/arms. The oars are in oarlocks, so you just sit there and churn away, right? Um. No.
This multi-tasking is a good thing. Bonnie coached me to keep my arms straight at the catch, using my skeleton instead of muscles to yank the oars. Slowly, I started to stitch together the three actions in the right order. It was a blast, but maybe not the way you think. It’s completely absorbing, requiring all of your attention. It’s impossible to think about anything else. We were out rowing on the water in the fading light, the oars creaking, and moving right along. But daydream away from what you’re doing and you’ll “catch a crab” when the blade hits the water wrong. The oar hits you in the chest or knee, reminding you to pay attention. It keeps you focused so you can leave your troubles behind. You’re on the water paddling. That’s it. It’s similar to cross-country skiing: just the right amount of distraction. I was fried in an hour, which is also similar to skiing. As Bonnie said, “If you row in the morning, you know you really did something that day.”
As she gave me a tour of the boathouse, she pointed out the modern single sculling boats made of carbon fiber. They looked like black spears. She showed us the old wooden sweep boat that was Olympic caliber in its day and still beautiful. Sweep boats mean the rowers each have one oar on one side of the boat. Sculling means each rower holds two oars. All the boats stacked in the old boathouse were pretty impressive above the worn, but still pretty, wooden floor. Duluth has an impressive rowing history. Back before World War I, the Duluth Boat Club, as it was known then, was a vibrant part of the community. Four men, known as the “Invincible Four,” won 22 national and international titles without a loss over a four-year period. You could feel Bonnie’s pride in this part of Duluth’s past as she told the tales of their victories. This town’s rich rowing history is described in the book Invincible: History of the Duluth Boat Club, by Michael Cochran. The future is also very bright for the DRC. Thanks to a very generous endowment from a person with ties to the Club, the DRC has major plans to construct a new boathouse and to improve on the existing one. Dozens of rowers, adults and children both, came and went from the boathouse while I was there. The days of Duluth domination at the national level in this sport may return if Bonnie and Dave have anything to say about it.
[FACING PAGE] A century ago, Duluth was nationally known as an epicenter of competitive rowing, based at the former Duluth Boat Club shown in this historical photo. | IMAGE FROM THE DULUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY COURTESY OF ZENITH CITY ONLINE
[ABOVE] Instructor Maddy Conklin briefs students about the “barge,” which is comprised of two boats rigged with a platform for the instructor between them.
| ERIC CHANDLER
[LEFT] The intrepid author demonstrates his sculling technique on a stationary rowing machine, which is the starting point for learning how to row.
| ERIC CHANDLER
At the end of our group lesson, the winds rapidly picked up, making it too dangerous to take the group out on the bay in the “barge.” The barge is made of two “eights” strapped together with a plywood decking area in between. This platform, built by Dave Kask, is sturdy enough for a coach to walk up and down and give each rower personal attention. We practiced with a single oar and went through all the motions of this simultaneously graceful and intense sport while motionless next to the dock.
I’m ready to go back and keep rowing. If you’re interested in learning more, visit the Duluth Rowing Club website (www.duluthrowing.org). Sign up for one of the Learn to Row classes offered next summer. You can also swing by the boathouse on the bay side of Park Point in Duluth just about any weekday morning in the summer. You’re apt to run into a club member or coach who can show you around. As I write this, serious rowers are giving it their all in the annual DRC-hosted Duluth Regatta on July 11. Rowers from all over the region are demonstrating power and speed on the water almost exactly 129 years from when the Duluth Boat Club was founded on July 10, 1886. Like Scott said as we rowed our Ergs in the driveway, “It’s kind of fun to be new at something!” If you’re watching the bay and wonder which rower I am, look for the guy catching a crab.
Art from one end to the other
This month we travel along the shore from Duluth to Thunder Bay, to find a wide variety of art by numerous artists, many of whom will be exhibiting together at upcoming art exhibits and festivals.
We begin with the Art in Bayfront Park festival in Duluth, Aug. 16-17, with over 150 artists. To participate in this art fair, your work must be hand-picked by a jury. Featured artist Kristi Abbott will be presenting her photo collage of Duluth tourist attractions, which incorporates photographic imagery, spray painting and paper on wood panel. Abbott was commissioned to produce this piece, which will be the collector’s edition piece at the fair. Visit www. artinbayfrontpark.com for more info.
Next, we stop in Two Harbors for the Under the Spreading Walnut Tree Art Fair on Aug. 1-2, featuring over 25 artists, including featured clay artist Jedd Peters. Artwork of all sorts will be on display and available for purchase and free art classes for all ages will be available from 2-4 p.m. Folk musician Thea Ennen will set the mood with live music both days. The fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the P.K. Anderson House on Hwy 61. For more info, check out Facebook.
In Canada is the Lakehead Visual Arts, the longest running art club in Thunder Bay. They will be holding an art exhibit throughout August at the Baggage Arts Centre on the marina. They will also have an ongoing exhibit at Gallery 33 until January. The club contains 35 members and to become a member, your artwork must be juried. Visit www.thunderbay.ca/artscentre for more info.
[TOP] Mixed Media art “Sunny Days Ahead,” by Terry Williams, will be showcased at the Two Harbors Art Fest.
[FAR LEFT] Also being shown at the Two Harbors Art Fest is artwork by Sandra Haff.
[ABOVE] Artist Jedd Peters of Mill Pond Clay Works was the winner of the 2012 MN Pottery Festival Potters Olympics.
[TOP LEFT] Part of Lakehead Visual is Gladys Postans. Featured is her watercolour, “Coral Bay #1.”
[TOP RIGHT] Elizabeth Stille’s watercolour, “Rocky Island” is also featured by the Lakehead Visual Arts Club.
[ABOVE] Janice Bonish, who is also part of the Lakehead Visual Arts Club, painted this watercolour “Abstract Rock.”
[LEFT] Artist Kristi Abbott will be showcasing her collage at the Duluth Art Fest, which highlights the Duluth aerial lift bridge and lighthouse. Can you spot all 30 Duluth tourist attractions?
[RIGHT] Also part of Lakehead Visual is Pat Izsak’s, acrylic mixed media “Bye Bye Birdie.”
Tori celebrates Finland’s past and present
Finland, one of the North Shore’s oldest communities, celebrates its heritage Aug. 8-9 with the Tori Festival. Tori, which means “open market” in Finn, is a two-day family friendly event held at the Finland Heritage Site on CR 6. While it began as a music festival in 1997, the annual event has grown to include food, art and craft vendors, historical demonstrations and games for kids.
The Heritage Site is operated by the Finland MN Historical Society and contains several buildings from the pioneer era, including a one-room schoolhouse, the original Park Hill School. During Tori, a schoolmarm in period dress greets “students” and gives them a pioneer “education,” complete with a dunce hat.
The first Finnish settlers arrived in 1895, generally getting off a boat at Kennedy Landing in Little Marais and then walking cross-country to Finland. Sometimes fathers came alone or with their sons to first create a homestead and then send for their families. The pioneers were largely self-sufficient, growing hay, oats, potatoes and garden vegetables. Enough agriculture occurred that for a number of years the commu -
nity had a threshing machine association so they could cooperatively use a thresher that went from one homestead to the next.
In the early years, most travel to and from Finland was by boat, including the famous steamer America, which also delivered supplies. If pioneer brought a cow from Duluth, it would swim to shore from the steamer by following the owner’s rowboat.
The past is very much part of the present at Tori, which draws several hundred people each year, many of whom have ties to the community. But Tori is more than a community reunion. It is also a celebration of the present. Live music is continuous through the day. There is an emphasis on fun and games for kids, as well as fun foods, such as root beer floats, hot dogs, brats and tacos in a bag. There is also that North Shore standby: fresh herring burgers. Sunday morning begins with a pancake breakfast.
There is a silent auction with items from local businesses, as well as a cash raffle with $1,500 in prizes. Parking is ample and free, although visitors are asked to make free will donation.
—Shawn Perich
[ABOVE] Shown is an array of vintage hunting knives. | SUBMITTED
[TOP LEFT] Bird houses are one of many handcrafted items for sale. | SUBMITTED
[LEFT] Last year’s festival featured a new vendor with handcrafted wooden spoons. | SUBMITTED
The Wannabees from Kakabeca Falls, Ontario performed at last year’s Tori Fest. | SUBMITTED
Creative Arts CLE Fair
Aug. 5-9
Celebrate 125 years at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition with the Creative Arts Family Fair at the Dorothy Dove Building in Thunder Bay, from noon to midnight daily. Explore kid’s world, a petting zoo, cooking demos, midway rides and concessions, a baby boom contest, creative arts contest and fireworks. Tickets are available at select locations. Parking is $6. Visit www.cle.on.ca for more info.
Trunk Show
Aug. 5-20
Yarn Harbor in Duluth will be featuring a Trunk Show from August 5-20, inspired by nature and featuring garments from the book Botanical Knits. Come see them in person and decide what you will be knitting next. For more info, visit www.yarnharborduluth.com.
This Twigs and Willows Top will be featured at the Yarn Harbor Trunk Show. | SUBMITTED
Bayfront Blues Festival
Aug.
7-9
This year marks the 27th annual outdoor music fest in Duluth’s Bayfront Park on Lake Superior. Over 30 performers will be taking the stage, including Ken Valdez, The Swamp Kings, Tweed Funk, Sugaray Rayford, Otis Clay, Jennie DeVoe and many others. There will also be food vendors on-site. Tickets will be sold as general admission and can be purchased in advance or at the gate. Children 12 and under are free. This is a rain or shine event. Find more info online at www.bayfrontblues.com.
Live from the Rock Folk Festival
Aug. 7-9
This year’s Festival in Red Rock, Ontario will feature roughly 20 performers, as well as instructional workshops, the Parks Canada Voyageur canoe excursions, talented artisans, craft sessions, yoga, the family-friendly zone, food vendors, campfires and much more. Tickets are available for a day pass or the entire weekend. Check out www.livefromtherockfolkfestival.com for more details.
A crowd gathers at the 2010 Red Rock Folk Festival. | SUBMITTED
The Red Rock Folk Fest features over 20 live performances. | SUBMITTED
Gunflint Woods, Winds and Strings
Aug. 9
Relax with an afternoon of chamber music to benefit the Gunflint Trail Historical Society and the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Performances will include Yvonne Caruthers, Karina Roth, Kathy Bolstad, Paul Jacobson, Barb LaVigne and more. A “Meet the Artists” social hour will follow the concert. Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children. Concert will be held at the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Dept. Hall #1 on Poplar Lake. Contact Susan Scherer at scher012@ boreal.org for more details.
SAWMILL TOURS
Mid-Trail Auction and Fundraiser
Aug 12th
If you are looking for a unique collectable, a beautifully crafted piece of hand-stitchery, or that perfect treasure to remind you of the Gunflint Trail, chances are you will find it at the annual Mid-Trail auction, flea market, boutique and quilt raffle, to be held at the Schaap Community Center from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12. Raffle tickets are $5 each or three for $10 and can be purchased at the event or from participating local businesses. Homemade cakes, coffee and lemonade will be available during the fundraiser. Proceeds from the event benefit the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department.
Betsy Bowen
The Mid-Trail Auction will be holding a raffle for a hand-stitched quilt. | SUBMITTED
The Gunflint Woods, Winds and Strings is an annual benefit. | SUBMITTED
Boundary Waters Blues Fest
Aug. 13-16
The 15th annual Boundary Waters Blues Fest will take place in Winton and feature over 10 different performances, including Renee Austin, Harper, Tinsley Ellis, Virgil Caine, and Ramm Band with Paul Mayasich. There will also be food, art and merchandise for sale. The festival will take place on Fall Lake, about five miles from Ely. This is the perfect weekend getaway location, with access to shopping and other area attractions. Check out www. elyblues.com for more details.
BrewHa Craft Beer Festival
Aug. 14-15
Sample craft beer, participate in demos and attend educational talks at BrewHa Craft Beer Festival in Thunder Bay. There will also be live music and numerous food trucks. Festivities will be held at Prince Arthur’s Landing. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, per session, with three sessions total. Each session ticket comes with admission, a sampling cup, and 4 free drink samples. Visit www.brewhafestival.com for more info.
John Schroeder Day
Aug. 15
Celebrate John Schroeder Day, beginning with the Schroeder Fireman’s Pancake Breakfast from 8-10 a.m. at the Schroeder Town Hall. Then join Skip Lamb for a walking tour of Schroeder. There will be local artisan vendors and a Zoar Lutheran Brat stand outside the Cross River Heritage Center from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and U.S. Forest Service archeologist Lee Johnson will speak on the dams of Cross River at 11 a.m. Lastly, take a Cicak Sawmill Tour at 12:30 p.m. www.crossriverheritage.org.
Family on the Water Rendezvous
Aug. 15-16
Come to Point Porphyry Lighthouse on Black Bay for some Lake Superior fun. Once you anchor down, you will be greeted by a member of the Canadian Lighthouses of Lake Superior Group and you will have the opportunity to take a guided tour of the historic property. Enjoy a walk to the lighthouse, climb the tower, go hiking, camp -
ing, birdwatching, rock hunting, play games and have a bonfire. The Lighthouse Dwellings will be available for rent, including the Lighthouse Keeper’s home, which can accommodate up to six people. All Superior boaters welcome and admission is free. Contact clls@morvision.on.ca for more info.
An aeriel photo of the Point Porphyry Lighthouse. | SUBMITTED
Art in Bayfront Park
Aug.
16-17
This two-day art festival includes over 150 artists, hand-picked by a jury, including featured artist Kristi Abbott and her painting collage of Duluth. New this year, artists will be demonstrating their work with the help of audience participates, such as artist Stephen Morse, who will be having individuals carve their own scratch molds and casting them in aluminum. There will also be a painting class during the afternoon and the Duluth Sings competition will be taking place during the fest. Visit www.artinbayfrontpark.com for more details.
AUGUST EVENTS
SATURDAYS IN AUGUST (8, 15, 22, 29)• 11 A.M.
e Mu n Man Stories for young children. (No Mu n Man on Saturday August 2 - Fisherman’s Picnic.)
SATURDAY AUGUST 8 • 5 P.M.
Writer’s Salon with author Shannon Drury reading from e Radical Housewife
SATURDAY AUGUST 22 • 5 P.M.
Writer’s Salon with author Margi Preus reading from Enchantment Lake: A Northwoods Mystery
SATURDAY AUGUST 29 • 5 P.M. Full Moon Reading featuring Kate Fitzgerald. Outside on the lakeshore.
Lake County Fair
Aug. 20-23
A standing tradition of 107 years, the Lake County Fair holds true to its original roots with agricultural education and entertainment. The fair will include showcases of livestock, home arts and farming techniques, as well as live music, games, prizes, an auction, the ATV Mud Run and a street dance featuring Dirt Road Dixie and American Idol contestant Cindy Jo. There will also be food vendors, family movie nights and the 27th annual pie contest. Visit www.thelakecountyfair.com for more info.
Brit Floyd
Aug. 21
Brit Floyd will be performing their Space & Time World Tour to celebrate 50 years of Pink Floyd, on Friday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium. This year’s tour includes a spectacular new light show and an even bigger stage production, including performances off Pink Floyd’s bestselling albums Wish You Were Here, The Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, The Wall and The Division Bell. To order tickets, visit www.tbca.com
Pink Floyd tribute band, Brit Floyd, will be performing a new show in Thunder Bay. | SUBMITTED
Celebrate 30 years of good music in Cook County with Rev. R. L. Bush and the Revived Sons. | SUBMITTED
NSMA’s 30th Anniversary Celebration with Rev. R.L. Bush & the Revived Sons
Aug. 22
You’re invited to come celebrate the North Shore Music Association’s 30th anniversary birthday party, featuring cake, dancing and live music by African American gospel and roots group Rev. R.L. Bush and the Revived Sons. Born into a legacy, Rev. R.L. Bush is the grandson of Louis Johnson, longtime lead singer for the Swan Silvertones. Rev. Bush has performed with multiple groups and is rec -
ognized as one of the strongest performers on the gospel circuit. His group will be performing at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 adults, $5 youth and can be bought at the door or online at www.tix.com. Visit www.northshoremusicassociation.com for more details.
The Really Really Really Long Table
Aug. 22
Indulge in a five course dinner prepared by Chef Steve Simpson with 300 other people at the longest dinner table in Thunder Bay. The event will fundraise money for the non-profit organization Roots to Harvest, committed to food, young people and community. Dinner will take place on St. Paul Street and seating will begin at 5 p.m. Tickets are $125. Visit www.keynoteevents.ca for more info.
Embarrass Regional Fair
Aug. 28-30
The Embarrass Region Fair Association sponsors the annual fair. This three-day event is loaded with family fun, including exhibits, softball, a horse show, mud run, demolition derby, Flying Finn 10K Run, horseshoe tournament, team penning competition and much more. The event will be held at the Embarrass Timber Hall. For more information or to volunteer, please call 218-753-8965.
2015 Ribfest
Aug. 28-30
Calling all BBQ lovers for the annual Thunder Bay Ribfest, complete with a rib contest and hotdog eating contest. Don’t miss out on Country Music Friday, Classic Rock Saturday and Family Entertainment Sunday, each day featuring live music, games, contests, lots of food and more. There will also be a bike and car show and a $500 drawing for BIA Bucks. Ribfest will take place on Park Ave. and Red River Rd. at 11 a.m. Admission is free. Visit www.ribfesttbay.com for more details.
BBQ fans are sure to enjoy Ribfest. | SUBMITTED
AUGUST
July-Sept. 6
Sonny Assu: Interventions on the Imaginary Thunder Bay Art Gallery www.theag.ca
Jenna Brown: Still Echoes Resound Thunder Bay Art Gallery www.theag.ca
Christian Chapman & Bev Koski Exhibit Thunder Bay Art Gallery www.theag.ca
Interwoven: Baskets from the Permanent Collection Thunder Bay Art Gallery www.theag.ca
July 15-Sept. 1
Lost Resorts Exhibit
Cross River Heritage Center, Schroeder www.crossriverheritage.org
July 24-Aug. 9
Belvo/Cushmore Exhibit
Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais www.johnsonheritagepost.org
July 25-Aug. 1
Big Fish Contest sponsored by Buck’s Hardware & Northern Wilds
July 29, Wednesday
Lioness Club Buffet Dinner and Silent
Auction 5 p.m. St. John’s Church Hall, Grand Marais
Jim & Michelle Miller 9 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte www.bluefinbay.com
July 30, Thursday
Earth Wind and Todd 8 p.m.
Grand Marais American Legion (218) 387-2974
Step Rockets 6:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com
“Moon Over Buffalo” 7 p.m.
Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais www.grandmaraisplayhouse.com
July 30-Aug. 1
Library Friends of Cook County Book Sale Grand Marais Community Center
July 30-Aug. 2
Fisherman’s Picnic Grand Marais www.grandmaraislionsclub.com
Live Music 11 a.m. Harbor Park, Grand Marais www.visitcookcounty.com
July 31, Friday
Howling Moon Fest Bayfront Park, Duluth www.howlingmoonfest.com
The SplinterTones 1 p.m. Sidney’s Rooftop, Grand Marais www.visitcookcounty.com
“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” 7 p.m.
Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais www.grandmaraisplayhouse.com
Sundays in the Park Concerts 2 p.m. Chippewa Park, Ontario www.chippewapark.ca
Bronze Pour or Sculpture
Making Demo 4 p.m. Last Chance Studio & Gallery, Lutsen www.lastchancefab.com
Sunday Music on the Mountain 5 p.m. Caribou Highlands Lodge, Lutsen www.caribouhighlands.com
The Dorr Report
Cook County’s Only Jail Break
By Dick Dorr
After a second homicide occurred in Cook County on New Year’s Eve, 1971, my role in the investigation was to watch an out-of-town private investigator work the case. I decided to work most of the summer and leave the department in July, 1971. Uncertain about a law enforcement future, I returned to school and finished up some credits for my A.A. degree. After that, my wife and I returned to Grand Marais in March, 1972. I began working as a dispatcher for the Grand Marais Police Dept.
It seemed whenever I left town something significant happened. Shortly after I left the Sheriff’s Dept., a plane with three men went missing in October, 1971. They were flying to Grand Marais from McFarland Lake, but never arrived. A low cloud ceiling created poor visibility the day they went missing. It would be several years before the crash site was discovered.
Changing Times
In May, 1972, Sheriff Morris submitted his resignation. After the county board accepted it, the Sheriff attempted to take it back in June. His efforts were unsuccessful and the county board requested candidates interested in the job apply. Six men applied for the position. On July 14, 1972, John Lyght was appointed sheriff.
Working as a dispatcher downtown, I got to know the police and highway patrol officers quite well. Stan, one of the city officers, had been in the Coast Guard and was stationed in Grand Marais. He met and married a local woman. After he com -
pleted his Coast Guard duty, he went into law enforcement in his home state of Nebraska. When Grand Marais advertised for a police officer, he applied and got the job. Joe Jurek was the police chief.
In July, 1972, Cook and Lake County consolidated to form a single court district to handle criminal and other cases. Our new judge would come to Grand Marais on a scheduled court day from Two Harbors. That eliminated our local probate judge. The justice of the peace only took bail on traffic violations and that position also went by the wayside.
Red light means trouble
The municipal building had jail cells and I was required to check on any prisoners. There was also a liquor store and lounge attached. The police didn’t have to go far to answer a call to the bar. The dispatching history was unique, to say the least. Originally, the Northern Lights bar, then located on Main Street, had a red light on the roof. If someone had a problem, they called the bar and the bartender turned on the light. The police would stop at the bar and go where they were needed. After that, the city decided to give the bartender in the city-owned municipal bar a radio so he could communicate with city officers. Soon thereafter, the mayor thought better of that plan and the city created dispatch positions for the police department. That’s how I became a regular dispatcher. I got a kick out of listening to the officers’ stories. Tending to the prisoners was interesting, too.
Jailbreak!
One of the most unusual incidents, the only jail break I know of, occurred in September, 1972. A runaway teen from Detroit was stopped by Canadian officers as he attempted to enter Canada. He was turned over to U.S. Customs/Immigration
officers who, in turn, handed him over to a highway patrol officer who was on patrol near the border. This officer transported the teen to Grand Marais where he was handed over to the local police and put in a cell.
The city clerk was the daytime dispatcher. When the clerk showed up for work the following morning and checked the prisoners, the jailed teen pulled a gun out of his boot and made the clerk unlock his cell. He then locked the city clerk up, released another prisoner and fled. I felt bad when the police chief called me up and informed me of what happened. I was the evening dispatcher who locked this guy up. I figured he had gone through so many police agencies he had to have been searched. That was also in the days prior to jump suits, so folks who were locked up stayed in their own clothes.
Later that day, my dad and I, a retired Border Patrol officer, were hauling our garbage to the local dump. In the early Seventies, the dump was located just above Grand Marais on the road to what is now the Pincushion ski area. The road used to be a dead-end on a bluff. We just tossed our garbage over the edge. It was a great place to see bears and shoot rats. While we were there, I spotted two men coming out of the woods from the east. As they got closer, I recognized them as the escapees. I told Dad and he took a .45 semi-auto out of his glove box. We let them get close and then my Dad threw down on them. The Detroit teen instantly went into his belt for his gun. Dad told him in words of one syllable not to move. Dad swiftly removed the teen’s belt and his pants fell down and the gun fell out. We returned the two men to jail.
We called them hippies
From time to time, I stopped at the court house and talked with Sheriff Lyght. I knew him well from his days as a parttime deputy when I was working for the
sheriff’s department. It was a hectic time for him. He was understaffed and trying to learn the job on the fly. His goal was to grow his department and provide more coverage to the county. Times were changing in Cook County and part of those changes included a new type of folk to the area. We referred to them as hippies.
Home Again
In July of 1973, I was notified of a deputy position in Lyon County, (Marshall) Minnesota. I applied and got the job. I started work in August and soon discovered this job was everything my former job wasn’t. Marshall was a busy farming community of 12,000 and also a college town. Several major highways came through this area and provided access for out-of-the-area criminals.
Just months after arriving in Marshall, I received devastating news from Grand Marais. Don, a local highway patrol officer, was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Tofte. He had been in Grand Marais for several years. This was a call you never want to get and to have this happen in Cook County felt like a total loss of innocence. In 1975, I learned that Joe, the police chief, had passed away from an illness. Stan became the next chief.
In April of 1977, Cook County advertised a deputy sheriff position and I applied. I was hired and upon my return, discovered how much had changed in four short years, including a new sheriff, police chief, a state trooper and a different county attorney and court system.
Full Service RV Park ● Live Wildlife Exhibit ● Cabin Rentals ● Amusement
THE FRIENDS OF CHIPPEWA PARK presents
For the schedule of entertainers go to: www.chippewapark.ca
FREE CONCERTS AT CHIPPEWA PARK EVERY SUNDAY TBaytel FAMILY STAGE 2:00 PM TO 4:00 PM
Join us each and every Sunday afternoon from July 5 to August 30 for an open air concert on the TBaytel Family Stage. The concerts start at 2 pm and run until 4 pm. Please bring your own lawn chairs. There is no charge for the concerts. The concerts are organized by The Friends of Chippewa Park with financial support from the City of Thunder Bay’s Culture and Recreation Division.
SPEND YOUR SUMMER AT
CHIPPEWA PARK
JAM SESSIONS
7 TO 10 PM TUESDAY NIGHTS
Chippewa Park’s Pavilion Coffee House is alive with music every Tuesday night at 7 PM from now to September 1. Musicians are invited to participate in the ‘open jam’ and the audience is invited to listen, dance and even sing along when appropriate. The evening features a mix of old and new country, folk and some rock & roll and gospel. Existing seating is limited to the first 100 so it would be wise to bring your own chairs. There is no admission but we would welcome a ‘good will’ donation to help cover expenses. Coffee, tea, juice, cakes and cookies are available at no cost. The evening ends at 10 PM. The pavilion and adjacent washrooms are wheelchair accessible.
in the Park
2
Road
& Roots August 9 Gibson, Martin & I Bluegrass August 16 JC Wilkinson Country Blues August 23 Flipper Flannigan’s Flat-Footed Four Celtic Folk August 30 Rebel Spirit Retro Rock & Roll September 6 Southern Comfort Roots and Blues
Chippewa Park is located off Highway 61 at the south Take Chippewa Road then City Road to get to this great family park.
SUMMER AT CHIPPEWA PARK
Amusement Rides
Come and experience compelling stories of animal rescue from around the world! Through interactive exhibits, you’ll step into the rescue efforts to experience and learn innovative science involved in wildlife rescue. Experiment with techniques and tools used by rescuers through hands-on exhibits and multimedia experiences. Wildlife Rescue explores the rehabilitation of different species that share Earth with us, and how we as individuals can make a difference.
Fun for all ages Weekends in June: 1 - 8 pm; July to September Labour Day weekend, 7 days a week: 1 - 8 pm (weather and crowd permitting)
Wildlife Park
The Chippewa Park Wildlife Exhibit features animals and birds native to Northwestern Ontario, showcased in their natural environment. An elevated, wheelchair-accessible walkway encircles the spacious animal enclosures and provides visitors with a spectacular viewing opportunity.
June Hours: Monday to Friday: 11 am to 4 pm; Weekends: 11 am to 8 pm Hours for July to September: 11 am to 8 pm
Tourist Campground
RV Sites
Thirty-four full-service RV sites are available with water and 50 amp/240 volt electrical service. These RV sites are located along the shore of Whiskey Jack Creek. This area has its own central washroom and shower facilities.
Twelve electrical-only RV sites are available at the campground. Water is only available for filling tanks. Six of the sites have 30 amp electrical service, and six have 15 amp service. Each site has a picnic table. These RV spots are located around the outside of the centre green.
Log SevenCabins
modern, wheelchair-accessible cabins are available. Cabins are electrically heated and have two queen-size beds, table and chairs, microwave and small fridge. A beautiful wooden deck at the front is perfect for relaxing in the sun.
Tent Sites
Approximately 16 tent sites are conveniently located in a wooded area near the main campground building and a large open playfield. Additional sites are situated on grassed areas adjacent to the treed areas. This unserviced area is also available for group bookings for trailers and tents. This area will hold approximately 40-50 trailers.
Dump Station
The public dump station can be used free of charge by registered Chippewa campers. Non-registered trailers/RVs will be charged a fee.
For reservations or more information: Chippewa Park Campground: (807) 623-3912 • www.chippewapark.ca • chippewacampgroundsstaff@thunderbay.ca
end of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. park. Check us out at www.chippewapark.ca for more
The North Shore Dish
Farmer’s Markets—A Focus on Local Food
By Kelsey Roseth
There’s a large blue and white striped tent perched in the northwest corner of Thomas Owens Park in Two Harbors. Most Saturday mornings, this is where you’ll find Ian Fritz and his dog Pretzel.
“Every week I try to buy something. Last week I bought some maple syrup. This week I bought a book and will get some baked goods,” said Fritz.
Fritz is shopping the Two Harbors Farmers Market, and just bought a book titled “Agates,” by poet Shelley Getten. “This is a wonderful opportunity for small vendors and small business people to sell, so I try to support it as much as I can,” said Fritz.
Four years ago, Two Harbors resident Bianca Seay and her partner Alex Deters joined forces with a couple other vendors to start a mini farmer’s market and encourage people to purchase locally grown food. The group showcased their wares on one long table placed in an empty lot along Highway 61, right across from the Dairy Queen. Occasionally, people would wander over from DQ and ask them if there was a farmer’s market in town. “We had humble beginnings,” laughed Seay, “but it’s doubled in size as far as vendors each year.”
The market got the support of the city and has since moved to Thomas Owens Park, where it has seen great success. “There is a lot of enthusiasm from the public,” said Seay. “People like seeing where their food comes from, and they can talk to the grower.”
The market takes place on Saturday mornings. Each week, about 10 to 15 vendors arrange their tables and greet their loyal customers. Some days, up to 100 people visit and shop the bright, locally grown vegetables, fresh-baked treats, granola, sugary maple syrup and unique art.
Markets promoting locally-made products are common on the North Shore. The Cook County Farm and Craft Market takes place on Saturday mornings in the parking lot of the Senior Center in downtown Grand Marais.
The atmosphere is vibrant; more than 100 customers peruse the wares most weekends and the vendors are close-knit. “Everybody knows each other,” said Hana Senty, a market board member and vendor. “A lot of the times, the vendors are talking
MARKET cont. on page 42
New Song Farms’ Monica Highmark providing change to a customer. | KELSEY ROSETH
Lakeside Dining Room
New Song Farms’ Homemade jellies and jams. | KELSEY ROSETH
Peterson,
to each other across the parking lot. It’s very friendly.”
“Every single vendor at the market has a customer, if not many customers, who come back every year and want to know what was done over the winter,” said Senty.
The market is full of variety. Customers can shop for birdhouses, furniture, hand carved items, handmade jewelry, locally roasted coffee, hand woven rugs, traditional needle work, mittens, dog treats and a variety of baked goods, like those found at Senty’s booth. Her business is called “Hands of Harvest,” and she puts distinct twists on simple recipes to create mouth-watering confections.
“I am very picky about what I put on my table. If it doesn’t stand out to me and my family when we try out recipes in the winter, I walk away from it,” said Senty.
Her lemon bars are by far her biggest hit; they’re a sweet lemon bite with a lemon frosting glaze on top. The recipe has been passed down in her family for generations. Senty has sold at the market for four years, and she said it’s been a great way to build a business. She hopes to eventually expand into farming.
Senty credits the farmer’s market for helping her get this far. A strict association runs the event to ensure the vendors are local and that their products are checked for quality. “It’s important for the original board members that this is a local event…It gives customers the connection to the little town of Grand Marais.”
Meantime in Finland, food is the focus at their community farmer’s market. “It just has to be food related or agriculture related. That is what customers are expecting,” said Honor Schauland.
Sun-Thurs: 11am - 8pm Fri & Sat: 11am - 9pm
The market is in its 18th season, and this year, boasts 27 local vendors. Some individuals have been involved since the beginning and continue to sell.
The market is unique, Senty said, because it isn’t a typical farmer’s market. There are few food vendors, due to the limited growing season in Cook County, so the majority of vendors craft and sell handmade items, but that’s built the market a loyal customer base.
Schauland is the director at the Clair Nelson Center in Finland and organizes the market, which kicked off last year. The event is set for Thursday evenings to accommodate the Finland Farmer’s Market’s primary vendor, who hoped to sell produce on the same days that they pack their CSA coolers full of fresh veggies. “This year, you can tell people are really excited and chomping at the bit to sell and buy produce,” said Schauland.
The market is a small operation; up to 50 people visit each week for canned relish and sauerkraut, homemade bread, fresh herbs, garden vegetables and more. It takes
Judy
aka the Garlic Lady, setting out rhubarb. | KELSEY ROSETH
Ian Fritz browsing vendor booths. | KELSEY ROSETH
place next to the Clair Nelson Center’s new building.
Schauland said in 2013, the center got about $10,000 from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation to organize and promote its kitchen, which is set up and certified as a business incubator. It can be used to make food products for sale, so long as people have the proper licensing.
The farmer’s market was designed as a project to tie in with the commercial kitchen. Organizers are seeking producers to prepare products in their facility and then sell at the market. Schauland said that’s in the works; the Finland Cooperative is hiring a baker who will use the space to make bread and sell at the co-op and farmer’s market. The fresh bread preparation “wouldn’t be happening unless we
SurfSide Resort on Lake Superior, Tofte, MN 218-663-6877
Cellars Wine Tasting
4 Wines paired with 4 Plates
Wed., August 19th, 6 pm Seating Reservations 218-663-6877
had a business incubator kitchen,” said Schauland. “We are really hoping that other things like that develop.”
Then, there’s the largest, most visited farmer’s market around—the Thunder Bay Country Market. It’s set up in the Dorothy Dove Building at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition Grounds Building. Every Saturday, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. (also on Wednes -
day evenings during the summer), vendors display their handmade wares from food to art to hair pieces. Six thousand people visit the market each week and shop the 100 vendor booths. The market, which has been around about 20 years, proudly promotes that it sticks true to its motto, “We Make It, Bake it, Grow it!”
Two Harbors Farmer’s Market
www.twoharborsfarmersmarket.com
9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Saturdays, June 20-September 19
Finland Farmer’s Market
Search “Finland Farmers Market” on Facebook
5:00-6:30 p.m., Thursdays, Mid June-September 24
Cook County Farm and Craft Market
Search “Cook County Farm & Craft Market” on Facebook
9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Saturdays, Memorial Day weekend—third weekend in October
Grand Marais
Local Food Market
Cook County growers started a new food market (no crafts) in July. Located at the Cook County Community Center in Grand Marais, the market is open 4-6 p.m. Thursdays, rain or shine. At present, the market is cashonly. It is sponsored by Statewide Health Improvement Program, Cook County Extension and the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic. For information, contact Diane at (218) 387-3015 or Kristen at (218) 387-2330.
Spa Open 9am - 6pm Spa 218-663-6888 www.surfsideonsuperior.com
Reader’s Choice Awards
In February, the polls opened for our annual Northern Wilds Restaurant Awards, featuring 21 different categories, from Best Fish to Best cServer. The winners were picked by our readers and the results were posted in May. Here are a few of our winning restaurants, proudly displaying their awards. We’ll feature the other winners in upcoming issues.
Angry Trout
The crew at the Angry Trout Café proudly gather around outside to show off their Restaurant Award for three different Northern Wild categories; Best Salad, Best View and Best Use of Regional Ingredients. This small indoor/outdoor restaurant, located on the Grand Marais Harbor is open from May-October and serves fresh Lake Superior fish, uses locally grown produce and hand-harvested wild rice. Many of their recipes can be found in the cookbook Angry Trout Café Notebook: Friends, Recipes, and the Culture of Sustainability by George Wilkes. | BREANA ROY
Naniboujou
Cynthia Fahrman and Steven Brown display the 2015 Northern Wilds Restaurant Award for Best Soups. In addition to its hallmark French onion soup, the lodge offers two different made-from-scratch soups daily. Perennial favorites are the chicken wild rice and cream cheese tomato soups. Some recipes can be found in the cookbook Dining in the Spirit of Naniboujou: Recipes Collected From Naniboujou Lodge, Grand Marais, Minnesota by Bonnie Swanson. | SHAWN PERICH
Cascade Lodge Restaurant and Pub
Cascade Lodge and Pub co-Owner Maureen O’Phelan holds her Restaurant Award for Best Happy Hour. Cascade Pub, located between Grand Marais and Lutsen on Hwy 61, has a full beer, wine and liquor selection, as well as live music on weekends. Their Happy Hour occurs every day from 3-6 p.m., with $1 off tap beer, wine and rail drinks, and half price appetizers. | BREANA ROY
Gunflint Mercantile
Chelsea Lueck, owner of the Gunflint Mercantile, displays her 2015 Northern Wilds Restaurant Award for Best Sweets. The Mercantile, loaded with candy, jams, syrups, coffee and more, also makes fudge from scratch in a multitude of flavors such as cake batter, dark chocolate cayenne, maple bacon, almond joy, red velvet and malted milk ball. You can also purchase gifts in a jar, most of which are cookies, soups and hot chocolate mixes that are pre-mixed and nearly ready for your enjoyment. | BREANA ROY
By Kim Falter
There’s a lot of controversy surrounding the effectiveness of supplementation. On one side, are those who claim supplements are a waste of time and money. On the other side are those who believe in supplementats for the maintenance of health. At the root of the research are people with varying lifestyle choices who take supplements, while researchers monitor their health. One study claimed that supplementation does work. However, the subjects in their study tended to lead healthier lifestyles. It was difficult to decipher if these people were at optimal levels of health from the supplementation or simply because they chose to eat healthier. So does supplement use lead to healthier lifestyles or does a healthy lifestyle lead to supplementation? All of this aside, they are called “supplements” for a reason. They are meant to supplement your diet, not replace it. Here are four worth considering:
Multivitamin
We need vitamins and minerals. Our body does not make them on its own. If you eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables in their raw form and they are grown organically by a farmer that is enriching the soil with vital nutrients, you can probably forgo the multivitamin. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. We don’t know who grows our food. Therefore, we don’t know how nutrient dense it is. Add in our depleted soils from the overuse of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, and we are talking about a lot of foods that are not only devoid of necessary vitamins and minerals, but that may be potentially toxic to our bodies. A multivitamin of good quality can help achieve optimal levels of necessary vitamins and minerals.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids make up the fat layer that surrounds every cell in our body. They are called “essential” fatty acids because they are essential in the proper functioning of our body. Canada, Sweden, Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom have all set a recommended daily allowance for this vital nutrient at 300-500 mg per-day. If you eat fish twice a week, you probably won’t need a fish oil supplement. If this is not the case, or you suffer from cardiovascular disease, you need to consider supplementing. Omega-3 supplements are derived from fish fat and toxins are stored in fat cells. Make sure the supplement is third party tested. Don’t buy it if the company is not willing, or able, to send you a Certificate of Analysis, which notes levels of potential toxins. Also, your fish oil should not make you burp up a fishy smell. If this is the case, you purchased an inferior Omega-3 supplement. Look for one that has been manufactured using the superior triglyceride form. This form of production eliminates oxidation, which leads to rancidity, producing a fresh product that will not cause you to burp.
Supplement or Not? Attention Parents!
Make sure your kids are up to date on required vaccines before school starts.
Vaccinations are available at: Sawtooth Mountain Clinic
CoQ10, or ubiquinol, is found in every cell of our body. It acts as an antioxidant and it helps create energy. We actually make CoQ10 on our own. At 20 years of age our body is producing CoQ10 at optimal levels, then levels begin to decline, mostly due to age, but it can also be depleted due to stress, poor diet and the use of statins. Due to its important role in energy levels, the tendency is to feel tired and drained when levels are low. A study conducted by researcher at UCLA noted mice given CoQ10 supplements aged looking younger, with healthier fur and more energy. The study indicated that the antioxidant effects of this supplement slowed the aging process and potentially extended life. CoQ10 is found in a variety of foods, liver, sardines and peanuts, to name a few. Unfortunately the quantities you’d need to ingest to attain proper dosage (approximately 100-200 mg) would be large. For example, you’d have to eat a pound of sardines to get only 30 mg of CoQ10.
Probiotics
Ultimately, your true health starts with your gut. Everything from immunity to your mood start with the healthy (or unhealthy) bacteria in your intestines. If your gut is not thriving with healthy bacteria, you cannot pull vital nutrients from the food you eat, resulting in vitamin and mineral deficiencies. If you have ever taken an antibiotic, you have depleted your healthy gut flora. Same goes for an unhealthy diet, stress, alcohol consumption and smoking. Eating probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt and kefir is helpful, but when you consider the sugar content of some of these flavored yogurt products, you are actually doing yourself a disservice as bad bacteria thrive on sugar. Stick to plain yogurt if you want all the benefits, and try adding in some fermented foods. These foods “feed” healthy bacteria. Sauerkraut, kimchi and miso can improve healthy gut flora.
Ideally, food is the answer for optimal health, but not always attainable. The question is: will adding a supplement create a place where a healthy diet is more likely?
Nurses are available to answer questions or to review your child’s immunization record by calling 218-387-2330
sawtoothmountainclinic.org
North Shore Health Care Foundation 3rd Quarter Grant Applications Due 8/10/2015
NSHCF welcomes grant applications for qualified healthcare initiatives within Cook County. Visit www.northshorehealthcarefoundation.org for the grant application form
For the purpose of applying for NSHCF grants, healthcare refers to the prevention, treatment and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by medical and allied health professions. This includes the hospital, care center, clinics, home health, public health, EMS services, health educators and others deemed appropriate by the NSHCF Grant Committee and Board.
Supplements are often taken by people who pursue a healthy lifestyle. | STOCK
Be Firewise Be Firewise
Over 1,600 wildland fires occur in Minnesota each year burning nearly 55,000 acres*. The Cook County Firewise Program reaches out to the community to educate and help property owners understand hazards associated with their areas. Funding programs through the USFS and MNDNR assist property owners with free Firewise Assessments, hazardous fuels reduction projects, sponsoring chipper days, and providing county-wide brush disposal areas. For more information about Firewise and what you can do to better protect your property from wildland fires, call 218-235-0899 or email toddarmbrust@gmail.com
Towering Pines Canopy Tour
Towering Pines Canopy Tour at Gunflint Lodge is the most exciting new way to experience the wilderness get a bird’s eye view plus a thrilling ride through the treetops! It’s a two-and-a-half hour nature adventure led by two sky guides.
Open Daily $89.00 per person Call 218-388-2296 for reservations.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner available at Red Paddle Bistro.
Gunflint Lodge is 43 miles up the Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais. Minimum age is 10; maxiumum weight/person is 240 lbs.
Northern Trails
The Joy of Blueberry Picking
By Gord Ellis
Blueberry picking, when you examine all its elements, really should not be that popular. To pick this wild delicious fruit, you often have to drive long distances on bad, dusty roads. Then, when you get to the picking areas, it’s cold and buggy in the morning, followed by hot and sweaty in the afternoon. To top it all off, you need to be either stooped over, kneeling or sitting to properly pick. People of a certain age and height are especially uncomfortable in this position. Almost no other activity, outside of maybe fishing and hunting, delivers so many discomforts. Yet if you are a Northern Wilds blueberry picker, you accept this as the cost of doing business. And usually with a smile. Judging by the amount of interest there is in blueberry picking these
days, the down sides are not really a factor.
Like so many in northwest Ontario, I grew up with blue berry picking. Sometimes the picking trips were taken only for the berries, other times they were mixed in with some trout fishing. I recall one outing where my father, brother and I took a summer excursion into the Dorion area. We were supposed to try and find a brook trout lake that was accessed via a power line, but I don’t remember making it to the lake. When we got to the opening, the berries were so thick and ripe the hillside glowed blue. There was some picking, and much eating, of wild, warm blueberries. The trout could wait.
Finding good berry patches, and getting the timing right to pick them, is something that can take a serious time commitment. The people I know who take their berry picking seriously spend a lot of time driving back roads and cut over areas looking for blueberry plants. There are many factors that can influence the quality of the crop including air temperature, late frost, precipitation and overall amount of sunlight. It is also no guarantee that a great berry picking spot one year will be good the next. Although there are areas that can be perennial, most wild berry patches seem
to have a peak of just a couple of years. I’ve found logging cut-overs that are about 5 or 6 years post-harvest seem best, with the returns dwindling as the shrubs, trees and tall grass grow up. Berry picking in the northwest generally gets good at the end of July and will peak in early August. Some years, there are still good blue berries for picking well into September.
Almost everyone who picks blueberries has a method. People who don’t like to clean up leaves and sticks are generally careful about picking individual berries with no “junk.” Then there are those of us—ahem—who are “grabbers,” and peel off large clusters of berries at once. This fills a bucket faster, but means a lot more sorting out of excess leaves and un-ripe berries later. There are also those who treat berry patches like a wild farm field and use wire scoops to quickly thrash through the bushes. This is done to scoop up as many berries as possible in the shortest amount of time. The scoops work, but do a number on the blueberry bushes. These scoops aren’t for me, but to each their own.
When you go blueberry picking, especially for several hours at a time, you need to
GORD ELLIS cont. on page 48
Berry picking is a northwest Ontario tradition. | GORD ELLIS
Wild blueberries are as good as it gets when it comes to wild fruit. | GORD ELLIS
be prepared. Bring smaller buckets to pick with and have a cooler for dumping the full buckets. Bugs are a fact of life when you pick berries and they can be horrid. There will be mosquitoes and blackflies, as well as ticks, but during the heat of the summer, the horse flies can really drive you crazy. Generally, it is best to cover as much of your skin as possible as this will lower the odds of both sunburn, and being drilled by bugs. However, horseflies have been known to bite through clothing so a repellant of some sort is a must. A DEETbased bug dope is best, but if you are picking in a small area a Therm-A-Cell can be worth its weight in gold. This odd-looking gadget really does work.
Finally, if you’ve made it this far in the column, you already know why so many of us endure the rigours of blueberry picking year after year. They are simply the most delicious, delicate wild fruit that you can find. Farm grown blueberries are ok, but what wild berries lack in size, they make up for with flavour. Nothing can touch them. Fact is, wild blue berries are so good (and good for you) it’s often hard not to shovel them directly into your mouth. No treat tastes better on the trail than a handful of sun warmed wild blue berries. However, having good supply of berries picked, canned, jellied or frozen ensures a year-long supply of blueberry products ranging from pancakes to jam.
There are worse fates.
Sherry Brochu of Thunder Bay picks in a good patch of berries. | GORD ELLIS
The Original Betty’s Pies
Favorite Recipes
Second Edition
By Betty Lessard
Lake Superior Port Cities Inc., $18.95
The iconic Betty’s Pies Restaurant in Two Harbors shares dozens of favorite recipes, straight from the kitchen. Betty Lessard, the original owner of the restaurant, baked roughly 60,560 pies during her career, making her a North Shore legend. From pies to cookies, and salad dressings to baked eggplant, this classic cookbook celebrates Betty’s phenomenal career and is a must-have in every kitchen.—Breana Roy
The Last Laker
Finding a Wreck Lost in the Great Lakes’ Deadliest Storm
By Frederick Stonehouse Lake Superior Port Cities Inc., $19.95
In 1913, the “White Hurricane” plundered its way through the Great Lakes, inflicting damage and taking down numerous vessels, earning it the title of the deadliest storm to date. Since the devastating storm, the shipwreck location of the SS Henry B. Smith remained a mystery for over a century, puzzling divers and experts. The Last Laker retells this riveting tale of a deadly storm, the search and discovery of the Smith, why some ships were able to withhold the storm and where those less unfortunate are now. Filled with pictures, graphs, history and mystery, this book is a great addition for any maritime lover.—Breana Roy
The Hungry Coast
Fables from the North Shore of Minnesota
Stories by Marlais Olmstead Brand & Woodcuts by Noah Prinsen North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc. $14.95
Author Marlais Olmstead Brand writes her first collection of short stories, featuring seven short fables that span over two centuries and takes place at various locations along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Mysterious legends, ghosts and myths make this collection a quick, but memorable read. The author is a Minnesota resident and a recipient of the Katherine Anne Porter Fiction Prize. To accompany each story is a woodcut art print by Grand Marais resident and artist Noah Prinsen. The woodcuts are carved from pine and hand-printed on an antique Line-O-Scribe press, creating a beautiful, yet eerie print to correspond with each fable. This collection is a must read for anyone interested in the North Shore.—Breana Roy
WHY GO: Mistletoe’s general remoteness keeps the fishing pressure low and makes it a place you can probably have to yourself for the day.
ACCESS: There’s a DNR carry-in access trail from Caribou Trail (C.R. 4) across state land to the east bay of the lake. Also, you can portage in from the southwest end of Holly Lake.
VITALS: This 145-acre Cook County lake, (near Lutsen), is fairly shallow, with a maximum depth of six feet.
FISH SPECIES PRESENT: Walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, white sucker.
SAMPLED: Minnesota DNR fisheries got into Mistletoe to survey the lake in 2014 for the first time since 1989, according to Grand Marais area fisheries supervisor Steve Persons. Among the surprises were the presence of pumpkinseed sunfish, which likely got into the lake via Holly Lake, and shallower depths than they were expecting. “Some of these lake maps are pretty old and the techniques they used weren’t always the best,” Persons said. “It’s not unusual to see some pretty striking differences between what the map says and what’s actually there.” Despite much of the lake being shallower than five feet, there was no evidence of winterkill in the survey. “There is a fair amount of water moving through it, even during the winter,” Persons said.
MISTLETOE LAKE
WALLEYES: DNR set both gill nets and trap nets. It’s hard to say just how good or bad the walleye population is doing, Persons said, because a below-average number of walleyes were found in the gill nets while a higher-than-average number of walleyes were counted in the trap nets.
“I don’t know if I would say walleyes were abundant,” he said. “I would settle on average compared to similar lakes.”
A single larger walleye, falling into the 25- to 29-inch range, was sampled, with most of the walleyes between 12 and 19 inches. The lake isn’t stocked. “It’s self-sustaining,” Persons said. “It looks like there is pretty good reproduction in there. That was good to see. They have a fair amount to eat. There’s a yellow perch population, and that always benefits walleye.”
While there are lots of yellow perch in the lake, there aren’t many big ones, which means they are probably not worth an angler’s attention.
NORTHERN PIKE: According to Persons, while no fish were surveyed that were 30 inches or larger, the toothy fish were fairly abundant in the lake, with a lot of fish longer than 20 inches and many approaching 30 inch lengths. “It’s better than a lot of other lakes,” he said. That’s where the lake’s remote nature probably helps, since anglers can quickly wipe out a population of larger pike, especially on a smaller lake such as Mistletoe.—Javier Serna
Mistletoe Lake
Holly Lake
Tundra-Trekking and Looking for Polar Bears
Story and photos by Elle Andra-Warner
Polar bears living free and wild in Ontario? It’s true. During the summer several hundred polar bears travel the coastal areas of the sub-arctic Polar Bear Provincial Park in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. A few years ago I joined a tundra-trekking group visiting the park.
It was a warm August day when we flew to the small Cree community of Peawanuck on Winisk River where we were met by the famous Cree guide Sam Hunter and his assistants Nick Mack and Todd Spence. About an hour later, after loading us and the supplies on two motorized freighter canoes, we were on our way to our base camp at Polar Bear Provincial Park, about a three-hour journey on the Winisk River (meaning “woodchuck” or “groundhog” in Cree) to where it empties into Hudson Bay.
The river winds through a changing landscape of boreal forest, limestone cliffs, tundra and muskeg. We passed the site of the former Cree village of Winisk which was swept away by massive chunks of ice and the river’s floodwaters on May 16, 1986. The entire community had to be evacuated and re-established 30 kilometres to the south in a new settlement that became Peawanuck.
By the time we travelled the 32 km to our landing spot on Winisk River, dusk was settling in. As our campsite was inland about half-mile, the plan was to haul in the food and luggage first in the wooden box trailer towed by a snowmobile, before using the ‘trailer’ to transport us to the site. Or we could walk to the campsite. Our hardy bunch shouted with bravado, “We’ll walk!” and quickly set off in single file down the well-trodden trail. We were adventurers tundra-trekking into a darkening sub-arctic environment.
But we had only gone a few feet when a booming voice yelled “Stop!”, and we saw Sam quickly walking over to us carrying a rifle. “This is polar bear country. You can’t walk out there without a rifle,” said Sam. “There could be polar bears anywhere.” After handing a rifle to Todd to lead us to camp, Sam went back to unload the freighter canoes. We plodded on, our senses now heightened as we scanned the horizon, listening intently and watching for polar bears.
Once settled at the campsite, we relaxed beside a roaring bonfire, drank hot drinks, and ate caribou stew and
Two motorized freighter canoes on Winisk River as we get ready to leave.
When we left, we rode on the wooden box trailer towed by a snowmobile to get back to Winisk River, about half-mile from campsite.
bannock. Later, a group of eight paddlers with tents arrived to stay the night.
Our accommodations were sleeping bags on mattresses in two large yurt-style co-op tents and that was fine—we were here to see the polar bears. And the next day we did.
After a hardy breakfast, Sam took us to where a bush plane met us. Pilot Rob Butts landed his Beaver floatplane on the Winisk, we got on board, and took off into an overcast sky.
Within minutes, we were flying over our first polar bears—a mother and two cubs feeding by a small lake. Over the next couple hours of flying, we saw over 21 polar bears. Some stood alone on sandbars, others walked the tundra, roamed the coastline or splashed along the bay’s shoreline. Even from the air, the polar bears looked huge. To see these formidable bears wild and free in their natural habitat is an extraordinary experience.
Looking out at the tundra landscape became one of life’s ‘wow’ moments. The tundra hooks you. Here was a boundless uninhabited landscape dotted with stunted trees and punctuated with small ponds in a palette of colours, from rust, yellow, green, to turquoise, black, ivory, and brown (the colour depending on the plants and minerals in the water). There were also dry lake beds, an occasional huge boulder and remarkable flocks of snow and blue geese.
The sandy shore of Hudson Bay is wide, extending far out into the light green saltwater during the Arctic low tide. No wonder England’s 17th- and 18th-century Hudson’s Bay Company fur-trade sailing ships had to anchor far from the sandbar coastline, and use small boats to row people and supplies to shore.
There was a blight however on this remote wilderness of Canada’s far north that shocked me: a bizarre scene of decrepit buildings, large deserted airplane hangar, control towers, long gravel runway, derelict vehicles and heaps of empty fuel barrels (over 50,000). It was the littered site of the abandoned military base Winisk Site 500, which operated 1957-1965 during the Cold War when Canadians and Americans maintained the Mid-Canada DEW Line. After our visit, the site was remediated between 2011 and 2013 after 46 years of neglect.
Looking back, one of my favourite memories was going for an early evening hike along the Hudson Bay shoreline. The
“The tundra hooks you. Here was a boundless uninhabited landscape dotted with stunted trees and punctuated with small ponds in a palette of colours, from rust, yellow, green, to turquoise, black, ivory, and brown (the colour depending on the plants and minerals in the water).”
tundra was a surprisingly colourful spectacle of wildflowers in glorious bloom as Sam led us, accompanied by rifle-carrying Todd, through traditional First Nations hunting grounds that dated back hundreds of years. This was raw rugged nature. Would I go again? You bet.
[ABOVE] “Looking back, one of my favourite memories was going for an early evening hike along the Hudson Bay coastline. The tundra was a surprisingly colourful spectacle of wildflowers in glorious bloom.”
[LEFT] Seeing polar bears in the wild is an extraordinary experience.
AUGUST 2015
By Deane Morrison— MINNESOTA STARWATCH
Every August, even casual starwatchers go on the lookout for the Perseid meteor shower, and this year it should be good.
The shower is predicted to peak at 1 a.m. on the 13th, hours before the moon’s harmlessly thin sliver rises through the dawn’s early light. The meteors radiate from a point near the helmet of Perseus, which will be high in the northeast during the peak hour. Meteors will probably begin flying soon after nightfall, and under dark skies, they could intensify to as many as 50 per hour. Perseids are fun to watch because they tend to be fast and often leave persistent trails.
On moonless evenings—roughly between the 4th and 17th—the hours before midnight will be great for finding summer constellations.
Look low in the south for red Antares, the heart of Scorpius, and bright Saturn to the west, beyond the scorpion’s claws. Facing west, you’ll see brilliant Arcturus dragging kite-shaped Bootes, the herdsman, down toward the western horizon. Moving east from Bootes, we have the semi -
circle of stars known as Corona Borealis, the northern crown; the hourglass that defines upside-down Hercules; and the constellation Lyra with its brilliant star Vega, part of the Summer Triangle of bright stars. Turn your binoculars on the parallelogram of stars below Vega; this is the lyre of mythic musician Orpheus, whence the constellation’s name.
Above Scorpius, use a star chart to make out Ophiuchus, the snake handler, and trace the snake from its head near Corona Borealis to its tail pointing to the Summer Triangle.
August’s full moon comes on the 29th at 1:35 p.m., but it won’t rise until nearly sunset. Algonquin Indians called it the full sturgeon moon, because the large freshwater fish is abundant this time of year, and also the full green corn moon.
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 www.d.umn. edu/planet.
Strange Tales
Pickerel vs Walleye: Setting the Record Straight
By Elle AndraWarner
So, what’s all this about the “Canadian pickerel” really being a “walleye?” Are we talking about the same fish having two names? For generations, when Americans have said “It is a walleye,” we Canadians have—sometimes defiantly—responded, “We call it pickerel in Canada; Americans call it walleye.” Have we been wrong all these years? Well, the answer is yes.
A few years ago after I wrote about pickerel fishing on Lake Winnipeg with commercial fishermen, a retired fish biologist contacted me to say that I had actually been fishing for walleye not pickerel. He said that the walleye and pickerel are two unrelated fish, do not even look similar and belong to two different fish families. “But don’t take my word for it” he said, “Check it out yourself.” I did. He was right. Who knew that all these years, we Canadians have been erroneously calling a walleye by the wrong name of pickerel?
A walleye (Sander vitreus) is the largest member of the perch family; can weigh over 20 pounds; varies in colour; tastes delicious, and is found in most of Canada and northern U.S. The pickerel is a member of the pike family (Esocidae); found only in eastern North America and is the common name for three closely-related freshwater fish: chain pickerel (Esox niger) which looks like a northern pike with a long snout; and the smaller redfin pickerel and grass pickerel (both Esox americanus).
To many of us Canadians, the walleye is still our pickerel. Restaurants still list pickerel dinners on their menus and most stores (including the famous Fish House)
still sell pickerel (not walleye) fillets and the delicious delicacy of pickerel cheeks.
Two states and two provinces have adopted the walleye as their official fish: Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (though both provinces admit most residents still call it “pickerel”) and American states of Minnesota and South Dakota.
Laying claim to the title “Walleye Capital of the World” are a number of places in the U.S: Baudette, Minnesota; Garrison, Minnesota and Garrison, North Dakota; Mobridge, South Dakota; Port Clinton, Ohio; Big and Little Bays de Noc, Escanaba, Michigan; Saginaw Bay, Michigan; and Umatilla, Oregon. In Canada, only Bay of Quinte gives itself the title, though in 2007 Colchester did proclaim itself the Walleye Capital of Canada.
Some ‘’capitals’’ have large walleye statues to bolster their claim, like Baudette’s huge 40-foot-long, 2-ton Willie the Walleye, built in 1959. Minnesota’s Garrison, located on Mille Lacs Lake, has had its giant fibreglass walleye since 1980, while the same year at a cost of $10,000, North Dakota’s Garrison erected its own 26-foot 820-pound fibreglass Wally the Walleye. A few like Umatilla and Mobridge put their claim on signs or billboards, while other contenders rely on their walleye fishing reputation and/or hold events like the Lake Erie fishing village of Port Clinton’s New Year’s bash, “Madness at Midnight Walleye Drop,” when their 20-foot long, 600-pound fibreglass walleye, Captain Wylie, is lowered by crane from a roof in downtown.
Though not claiming capital status, other giant walleye statues in Minnesota are in Rush City, Isle, Ottertail, and eight miles east of Ray, the 14-foot fibreglass Lake Kabetogama Walleye comes equipped with a saddle for those that want to climb up the stairs and ladder to ‘’ride the walleye.’’ And in Wisconsin’s Shell Lake, there’s an unusual two-tailed walleye statue.
Over in Michigan, the City of Algonac on the southern end of St. Clair River has
been nicknamed the “Pickerel Capital of the World” and for the 77th year, is hosting the Pickerel Tournament. But strangely, there are no pickerel in the area—just walleyes.
The why, where and who first started the misnaming of the walleye remains a mystery. In Canada, to set the record straight, there’s a push by governments, scientists and fishing aficionados to give the walleye its proper name. Traditions, however, take time to change, so for the next while, expect us Canadians to still call the walleye, our pickerel.
A few years ago, after I wrote about pickerel fishing on Lake Winnipeg, a retired fish biologist contacted me to say that we had actually been fishing for walleye not pickerel. Here’s my friend Shel holding her catch. Walleye or pickerel? | ELLE ANDRA-WARNER
A Visit with Margaret’s Furry Family
Story and photos by Breana Roy
Margaret Carlson, age 81, lives in a quaint little house, tucked away next to a hillside on Croftville road, and she takes care of very large family. And according to Margaret, they’re quite spoiled.
On a recent afternoon, I joined Margaret in her yard. At the sound of her voice, sweetly calling, “Babies, come get some nummies,” 10 chipmunks quickly arrived on scene, wasting no time to dig into the pile of peanuts she provided.
“Oh goodness,” she laughs and says with a smile, “they are so much fun. And they absolutely love company.”
Looking around, it’s clear the chipmunks have found a five star location to stay, complete with five chipmunk houses courtesy of Margaret’s kids and grandkids, a water dish, and toys to play on. Not to mention a very generous host that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Margaret says she spends most of her summer days outside with them.
“When I dig in the garden, they dig too. And they recognize my voice. I usually just shout babies, or sweethearts, and they come running over,” says Margaret.
Judging by their behavior as I interviewed Margaret, new guests certainly don’t faze them, as they immediately ran over to me, checking for more food. Apparently, her previous guest had a chipmunk sitting on his shoulder while working on her house. And according to Margaret, they love company, especially kids.
“I think they know if it’s a kid interacting with them. They’re pretty famous, you know. I have people stop by to see them quite often and sometimes they will bring me peanuts or sunflower seeds for them. I once had a woman bring me a 40 pound bag of seeds,” Margaret said.
With so many chipmunks eating so often, I wondered if she had experienced any revolts when food rations run low. She laughs, “I haven’t had that problem yet. Just ask them down at Hanks (Bucks
Hardware) how often I’m there buying food. Why, I’m probably going to have to get more today.”
But chipmunks aren’t the only animals she’s taken care of. She has a full list that includes ducks, a seagull, deer, a squirrel and even a bobcat. She proudly showed me pictures of all of them.
“I named the ducks Jon and Kate Gossling,” she says. And like the chipmunks, the birds and deer will feed out of her hand too. The bobcat she admired from inside.
When I asked how it all began and how much of her time and patience it took for the animals to become so trusting, she simply replied, “Oh I don’t really know. It just happened. They just know.”
A Loan in the Woods A Loan in the Woods
Margaret has five chipmunk houses, among other toys in her yard.
New visitors don’t faze the chipmunks.
Margaret provides a plate of peanuts.
2400 square foot lodge on beautiful semi-private bay situated on one acre with 158 feet sand beach frontage. Paved road to lodge off of Hwy 17, 1 ½ hours east of Thunder Bay. It has a commercial grade septic field and new hydro poles and lines. $225,000 USD. Contact Gary Johnson @ johnson.garyb@gmail.com.
Little Trout Bay on Lake Superior
750 sq. ft. fully-insulated for year-round use cottage built in 2003. Only 30 minutes from Thunder Bay off Hwy 61 and 12 miles from border. Features open-concept living room and kitchen, 1 bedroom, 3 pc. bath, sunroom that can be used as a bed/sitting room, utility room & mud room. All furnishings included. Dug well & septic field. Short 100 yd stroll brings you to your dock. $140,000 USD. 807-577-3060
and 500 ft. shoreline. Mixed timber. Moose, deer, grouse, and great lake trout fishing. 20 x 24 furnished cabin, shed, 14' Lund boat w/ 7.5 HP Evinrude motor. A great place to relax and enjoy nature.
$209,000 218-387-1926
For Sale By Owner
. Located in park-like woods
.Just outside city limits . 3 bedrooms
. 2 bathrooms
. Geo-thermal heat
. Full basement
. Attached garage
. 283 feet Hwy. 61 frontage
. Zoned commercial
. Price reduced!
. Will consider contract for deed.
MALCOLM CLARK, Broker
6 LAKE SUPERIOR ISLANDS
UPPER SCOTCH LAKE
New Levels of Service
640 Beverly Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 0B5 Canada
Phone (807) 344-3232
FAX: (807) 344-5400
Toll Free 1-888-837-6926
Cell: 807-473-7105
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Privacy and Comfort
2 to 95 acres. Starting at $90,000 USD
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
2 well built log homes. Each with log sauna buildings, sand beaches, sheltered mooring area, more building sites and southern views of Scotch Lake. Surrounded by crown land and largest of only a few private parcels on this huge lake. Very secluded and private. Great fishing/hunting retreat. $850,000 CDN
UPPER PASS LAKE North of hwy 587 and the hamlet of Pass Lake. 229 acres of property and 7000 feet of shoreline. South end of the lake-north part is crown cnr right of way landlocks the property.$129,000 CDN
LAKE SUPERIOR LOTS
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 $55,000 CDN
BLACK BAY Lake Superior. 98 acre piece with 4700 feet of shoreline facing south. Beautiful property between Superior shores and Pearl Harbour developments. Seclusion, privacywater access. $189,000 CDN
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 USD
Lakeville Office
17850 Kennwood Trail Lakeville, MN 55044
952-898-5800
LOT 18 KAM RIVER
Almost 400 feet on the north side of the Kam River with southern exposure. total of 12.36 acres - all high ground. Right in the city of Thunder Bay. $248,000 CDN
HARRY LAKE LODGE
The ultimate fly-in fishing resort. Totally outfitted with all the modern conveniences. 80 miles north of Thunder Bay. Incredible fishing! Main lodge, beach house with sauna and hot tub. Diesel generator, fish cleaning house, boats, motors. Harry Lake is a very large lake with no road access and Harry Lake resort is the only improvement. $295,000 CDN
NORTHERN LIGHTS LAKE ISLAND
Exceptional log home on over 2 acres with over 500 ft of shoreline. Cathedral ceilings, beautiful stone fireplace, guest camp, boathouse, large deck and more. Great views! $279,000 CDN
Lynne Luban
Realtor Specializing in Urban Cabins/Condos and Up North Living for 10 years. Cell: 612-599-6986 Email: lynneluban@mac.com
208 Fireweed Lane
Great home or vacation home with rental availability. This beautiful sunny 3 BR, 2 BA home has in floor heat on main level with floor to ceiling stone gas fireplace. Pine ceilings throughout adds to the charm of up north living. With 2 secluded patios great for enjoying warm summers. Walk across street to deeded access of 900 ft lakeshore on Devil Track Lake. Only 8 miles to Grand Marais. Sold furnished.
MLS# 4590545 $249,900
For Sale by Owner Well-built with modern conveniences, this efficient 2007 home has 2 large bedrooms, a full bath, infloor heat and woodstove. Sits on 10 beautiful acres with a creek, sauna, and gardens. Trails all around. Hovland, MN. Buyer agent commission negotiable.
$172,000 Call: (218) 475-0142
FOR SALE: 2010 550 sq ft. Cottage 2.2 acres 145 ft lake frontage. 80 min from border east of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Year around access, well, septic, electric. Excellent walleye, northern pike, bass, lake trout, salmon minutes away. 1-807-767-3744 chester2@tbaytel.net $259,000 USD
for years.
• Bluefin Bay on Lake Superior: Award-winning property, Minnesota’s Favorite Resort. One, two and three bedroom condos & townhomes on Lake Superior with access to restaurants, pools, saunas, tennis court, gift shops, & full service spa.
• Surfside on Lake Superior: New, spacious luxury townhomes on Lake Superior. Home to Waves of Superior Spa & Café. Offering shared ownership opportunities.
• Temperance Landing on Lake Superior: Distinctive log home luxury on ledgerock and cobblestone beach near Temperance River. 3 BR, 3BA custom log homes with access to resort amenities at Surfside.
| eric@bluefinbay.com
2067 W Hwy 61
SQUINT LAKE
Surfside on Lake Superior
Bluefin Bay Condos & Townhomes
STUNNING ARCHITECT DESIGNED HOME -
LAKE SUPERIOR. Beautiful timber framed, Mulfinger designed home. Ideal layout is suitable for a couple or a sizable crew. Tasteful, well thought out & comfortable details make it an impressive place. Top notch appliances, custom cherry cabinetry, black iron custom forged hardware, central air, custom front door w/ stained glass and more. Open main level offers views of the 2-story Montana stone fireplace. Hear the crackle of the fire & the roar of the waves at the same time! The screen porch is a favorite place to spend time. The over-sized heated 2 car garage has a 3 bed bunkroom/ guest room above with a 1/4 bath. MLS# 6003860 $945,000
EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY, STUNNING SHORELINE
Elegant and comfortable contemporary home, architecturally designed and built to fit into the ledge rock hillside of Chimney Rock. Beautifully wooded, exceptionally private, with lichen-covered dramatic rocks and panoramic lake views on 223 feet of Lake Superior shore. Easy access to water's edge. The great room is shared with the gourmet kitchen, formal dining, and living area centered around the Finnish fireplace. The master suite is a lovely open space with a private office, plus quiet reading corner. The master bath suite is exceptional. Upgrades throughout, beautiful maple flooring, fabulous storage on all three levels. MLS# 6003965 $750,000
ONE OF A KIND LAKE SUPERIOR PARCEL.
This Lake Superior lot has ledge rock, coves, creeks and a spectacular view of the lighthouse in Grand Marais and the Sawtooth Mountains. Septic installed and built to accommodate 5+ bedrooms. End of the road privacy, private bridge over a bubbling creek to access the site. MLS# 6003042 $729,000
NEW!
LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTIES
This new lake shore home sits on 110 feet of North Shore ledge rock with great views. The 2 bedroom, 2 bath home is quality constructed and partially completed inside. It's ready for you to use now and finish to your own taste and time frame. Kitchen, floor coverings, and master suite are waiting for your input. Build sweat-equity while enjoying a usable home, or complete the details before you move in. MLS# 6003520 $369,500
SPECTACULAR LAKE SUPERIOR LOT Framed by palisades, the nicely wooded property has two or more perfect sites on which to build your special lake home. Views are classic old North Shore looking over Chicago Bay. Shared septic system is in place. MLS# 6003937 $365,000
LAKE SUPERIOR COT-
TAGE. Exceptional Lake Superior property in highly regarded Lutsen area. 150 feet of accessible ledge rock and gravel beach shoreline with long magnificent views up and down the shore. Older north shore 2 bedroom cabin with large living area, large kitchen for cabins of this era, large storage area, and bathroom. The cabin could be refurbished or this could be the build site for the north shore getaway cabin you’ve dreamed about. MLS# 6004262 $349,000
LAKE SUPERIOR -BEAVER BAY LOT. Elevated site with slope to lake. Rugged shoreline. Towering white pines, spruce, birch and cedar. Must be seen to be appreciated. Views to offshore island. Great building site.
MLS #6002594 $299,000 PRICE REDUCTION
ing, wood stove and comfortable space makes for a cozy atmosphere. The lot is extremely tucked away and private, yet within easy walking distance to downtown. City services, water/sewer and convenience, yet a secluded feel. The 114 feet of shoreline is gravel beach and great for beach fires. There is garage slab ready for your plans (owner's plans available which included loft living space). Vacation rental history is excellent and would help off-set expenses if you choose that option. MLS# 6004331 $559,000
TOTAL PEACE, PRIVACY AND SOLITUDE ARE FOUND RIGHT
HERE! Spectacular custom executive log home and retreat located on 2 lots, 750' of shoreline and almost 10 acres on pristine Greenwood Lake. The main home consists of 3000+/- sq ft of living space. 3 bedrooms including a lovely master suite, 2 baths with showers and one with whirlpool tub. Kitchen, dining room, living room, sitting room, utility room, and large upstairs loft with 2 bedrooms, entertainment area with regulation pool table, bar tables and shuffleboard. The lake view is spectacular through lots of glass from all the rooms. MLS#: 6002467 $989,000
of shoreline on Cascade Lake. There is a neat, well-maintained cabin, sauna, dock and outhouse. Easy year-round access. Great fishing and wildlife sightings. This is one of the last of its kind in Cook County. MLS# 6004187 $669,000
NEW! VALHALLA - TWO CHARMING HISTORIC STRUCTURES the house and barn are two charming historic structures dating to 1912. They have been partially redone with a new steel roof and completely new bathroom plus some new electrical work, etc.. It has a fantastic location, 100 yards from Lake Superior with public access at the Hovland dock..right at the foot of the Arrowhead Trail. It is a nature lover's paradise but not in the "middle of nowhere". It is perfect for fishing and canoeing either in Lake Superior or the lakes to the north. A genuine bargain; both the price and the taxes (which are not assessed as lakefront). You can spend more, but you cannot get more for less $$. Some work needs to be completed to your taste . Southern, Lake view exposure, this cabin/cottage is one of a kind! MLS# 6004361 $103,500
HARRIET LAKE RETREAT. Want seclusion? Here is a classic homestead property at the end of a private road. It has 87 acres and 1300 feet of shoreline on a peaceful bay of Harriet Lake. There is no other private land on the bay, and adjoining on two side of this property. It's just you and the Superior National Forest! There are two older cabins that can be swept out and put to use. MLS# 6003484 $310,000
NEW! CHARMING
CABIN ON SEAGULL LAKE located near the end of the Gunflint Trail. Created and cared for by the Adams family for 37 years. 233' of gentle shoreline with breathtaking views of the lake and islands. Wrap around decking sets only 35 feet from the water's edge. Beautifully appointed, open living space will be sold furnished with a few exceptions of personal property. Crafted built-ins and storage space. Too much to mention! The lake lies partly within the boundaries of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and Superior National Forest is literally the backyard. There is a lively community and a neighborly, friendly group on the lake. MLS#: 6004385 $355,500
SEAGULL LAKE - WILDERNESS VIEWS. This large and rare parcel on SeaGull Lake has 488+ feet of frontage with high building site and beautiful southerly views down the lake. Dramatic exposed bedrock, wild flowers, blueberries and thousands of new growth pines on the 10+ acre property. The shoreline is easily accessible with a dock and perfect place for swimming. The driveway and power are in place. There's even a shed ready to store your gear for wilderness adventures, and a lake water system already installed. There's a perfect south-facing high point just waiting for your cabin. MLS# 6003847 $339,900
CARRIAGE HOUSE Solitude On Wilson Lake. The log sided "carriage house" has great views overlooking Wilson Lake. Building site has been prepared down by the shore. There is even a private sandy beach on part of the shoreline. The well and septic for a 4 bedroom home are in. There’s a private driveway to enhance your seclusion. MLS #6003767 $310,000
LOG CABIN, TOWERING PINES, WEST BEARSKIN LAKE. Totally charming Charlie Boostrom log cabin sits in a forest of towering pines. The cabin has been lovingly maintained. The 2 bedroom cabin is a summer-use place to reflect and escape. Hardwood floors, beamed ceilings and large kitchen. It comes furnished and is ready for you to move in. The BWCAW is just a short paddle. MLS# 6003448 $299,000
TROUT HAVEN Six lots at Trout Haven at Hare Lake. Excellent investment opportunity. Lots platted and ready to sell. Great location within 20 minutes of Lutsen/Tofte. Power and phone, county road, good home or cabin sites. Starting at $59,000. Or entire plat of lots at a package price MLS#6003161 $295,000
MCFARLAND LAKE
CABIN Beautiful cedar log cabin on McFarland Lake. Cozy hide-away with sauna building, Log guest cabin, storage building. Great shoreline with new dock. Partially furnished. Large deck, nice cedar trees. Great view of palisade. MLS #6002033 $273,900
WILSON LAKE-READY TO ENJOY. Wilson Lake is a magnificent layout of 29 private, pristine, and premier lake shore home sites. The driveway is in and the electric is at the site ready for your custom get away. Sparkling waters. Lot 11 Boasts great building sites near the lake or tucked around the bluff for gorgeous views. True Solitude! MLS# 6004182 $259,500
LARGE PARCEL - HARRIET LAKE. Tons of privacy with 92 acres and approximately 1300 feet of west facing shoreline. Many great building sites with views, mature mixed timber and lots of land to ramble around on. Adjoins thousands of acres of state and federal land. Good seasonal road access. MLS #6003810 $250,000
INLAND WATER PROPERTIES
PERFECT LAKE CABIN
- MCFARLAND LAKE. This custom built cabin shows quality and detail and feels just right. It has custom built-in cabinets and bookshelves. There is 1 bedroom plus a loft, nice kitchen and dining area with a cozy living area with wood stove. The deck and views overlook the palisades through a forest of mature cedar trees. The lot feels private and peaceful. There’s a large shed, with beautiful cedar sauna. Comes furnished and includes the dock, boat, canoe and kayak for your wilderness adventures waiting just a short paddle away in the BWCAW. MLS# 6004080 $237,900
BEAUTIFUL, LARGE LOT ON GULL LAKE
Over 342 feet of shoreline and 4 acres. A great location and many excellent building sites. There is a magnificent panoramic view of the lake with easy access to the water’s edge. The property is perfect for a trophy walleye fisherman! MLS# 6004098 $220,000
BIRCH LAKE CABIN. Two bedroom cabin plus charming log bunkhouse, small garage and shed on 150 feet of shoreline. Boat dock/platform and cart path to lake to launch the boat. Comfortable but simple accommodations with permanent lake water system and graywater septic system, generator power. MLS# 6004206 $194,900
SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. These lots are located on the south side of Loon Lake and offers great lake views. The main road is in place and power is on the lot line. These lots offer a great shoreline and many nice trees. MLS #6001605, 6002124, $175,000 and up
Easy year round access and only about 20 minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6004078 $159,500
CHARMING COTTAGE - POPLAR LAKE. A sweet, small original cabin on a quiet and private bay. Built
WEST BEARSKIN
PIKE LAKE - SHARED EXPENSES. This clean and neat 2 bedroom cabin sits privately within a common interest community shared with 4 other cottages. The Pike Lake views are great, large deck, 8 x 16 storage shed which sits on a garage lot if you want to build one. The shared 300 feet of shoreline is great for boats, canoes and swimming. MLS# 6003678 $189,900 PRICE REDUCTION
NEW! NORTH FOWL LAKE CABIN. A lucky few cabin owners get to call the Fowl Lakes their playground. Remote water only access from the US side of the border, or drive in from the Ontario side. Stunning views and easy access to the border lakes and the Royal River on the east end of the BWCA. The 2 bedroom cabin is one of the nicest remote cabins you'll find. Includes a nice sauna building. The private 200 foot of lake-front lot has gentle shoreline and great views of this stunning wilderness lake. If you really want to escape, this is your place. MLS# 6004402 $189,000
LOT 8, NINEMILE LAKE Enjoy expansive views from this parcel that features a spectacular point with 548' of shoreline. Property features 2.3 acres with ledgerock outcroppings, mixed tree cover, and outstanding views. For added privacy, lot adjoins State of MN lands for undeveloped shoreline as your neighbor to the south. MLS #6003205 $97,900
MID-TRAIL SOUTH FACING LOT In a private development of 11 lots surrounded by US Forest land. Heavy tree coverage of mature of red and white pine and cedar. Minutes from the amenities of the mid Gunflint Trail area. MLS #6003402 $94,900
LAKE CLASSIC. The original "Grandpa's Cabin" nestled in the woods right at the water's edge. Cute, the perfect getaway from town or work on those lazy days of summer. MLS #6003936 $89,900 SISTER LAKE PARCEL. Nice lake lot with good tree cover,
LAKE PRIVACY ON 20 ACRES. Beautiful Lost Lake is a remote wilderness lake with only a few privately owned parcels on the water. It holds the mystique of a hidden lake full of hungry trout. Even more privacy is guaranteed because the lots are all 20 acres in size with 600 feet of shoreline. This great lot has huge white pines, a cabin site on a knoll looking south over the whole lake and great accessible shoreline for your dock. The lake has no public access and is quiet and peaceful with a motor restriction and nearly half the shoreline protected by a conservation easement. MLS# 6004231 $179,000
SPECTACULAR BUILDING SITE W. BEARSKIN LAKE. Beautiful views, dense forest and direct BWCAW access. High building site affords spectacular views, level shoreline has lots of room for the dock and boats. Newly installed stairway system makes for easy access to the shore. MLS#6003655 $178,000
POPLAR LAKE CABIN. Large 2.11 acre parcel w/charming cabin sitting at water's edge has long view down the lake to west. Redone kitchen; one BDR with huge windows, living room with great view and stone fplc w/wood stove. Room to build new house overlooking lake, and garage site. Composting outhouse plus shower house. Septic sites located. Great sand bottom and drop off for swimming. MLS #6003945 $194,900 DEVIL TRACK LAKE - LOT. This Devil Track Lake lot has easy access from county road, power, phone and great building sites. South shore, 200 ft. frontage, great views. Build your home on the lake here. MLS #6001771 $198,900.
NEW! GREENWOOD LAKE LOT. Nice affordable lot on Greenwood Lake. Southwest location with astounding views down the lake. Surveyed and ready to build your dream home
cabin.
NEW! GREENWOOD LAKE LOT. Private and secluded Greenwood Lake lot with spectacular views of the Big Bay and islands. Driveway and building pad are in. A pristine 2100-acre
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES
BIG OPPORTUNITY, MANY
POSSIBILITIES
Prime com-
mercial location in Hovland, 1000 feet of Highway 61 frontage. Large commercial space operating as a gift shop, with a small 2 bedroom home and 1 functioning rental cottage. Many new improvements and upgrades. Two more small cabins could be rented, and there's room for many more...or other possibilities.
Large 2-car garage plus two sheds, also. This site has been a centrally located historical business location and has many options for your entrepreneurial pursuits. MLS# 6003889 $299,900
GRAND MARAIS PROFESSIONAL BUILDING. The options here are endless and the opportunity is great. The building has most recently been occupied by law offices. Ample parking, grassy, yard-like grounds and a nice sized storage building create a nice setting for a variety of business ventures. Several of the offices walk out to the back yard and the overall feel is one of warmth & professionalism. Own/occupy the entire building, rent out one side & offset your ownership costs, create "condo offices" & offer space to a variety of entities....so many avenues one could take!! The building is in wonderful condition and is ready for business. MLS# 6003947 $269,900
CEDAR GROVE BUSINESS PARK LOTS. Cedar Grove
Business Park is the ideal location for your existing business or new start-up!
Conveniently located in Grand Marais, near the start of the iconic Gunflint Trail. Full infrastructure in place including paved streets, municipal sewer and water, electric and telephone. Call us today for a guided tour of this unique and affordable business park opportunity.
COMMERCIAL LOTS IN LUTSEN. Two commercial-zoned lots fronting Hwy. 61 in Lutsen across from Lockport Store. Great visibility, nice forest, lake view. Third lot to north is zoned residential. Bring your business idea! MLS# 6003506 $179,000
RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE
STUNNING RIVER - PINCUSHION TRAILS. A unique opportunity for skiers and hikers. Trail easement runs through the property. The RC zoning allows for a resort/lodging type business. MLS #6003390 $103,900.
40 ACRES - MONS CREEK FRONTAGE. Easy road access. Good building sites. Mature trees. Deeded access to Lost Lake. MLS #6002120 $74,900
40 AC – LOST LAKE RETREATS. Mons Creek flowage with great views and tons of wildlife. Private and secluded location. Includes deeded access to private lake. MLS #6002121 $74,900.
WOODS, WATER & SECLUSION. Nice ‘40’ with good timber and 1000’ frontage on Mons Creek. Great building site. Private deeded access to Lost Lake. MLS #6002119 $64,900.
GRAND MARAIS - CITY LOT ON CREEK. Wooded lot with City services: water, sewer and electric at site. Nice south exposure and frontage on scenic Cedar Creek. Quiet street. MLS# 6001830 $63,900
LAND ON THE FLUTE REED RIVER Enjoy privacy and seclusion in a deep 13 acre parcel with over 300 feet of trout stream. County road with power, phone and broadband available. Good sites to build your home or cabin in the woods. MLS# 6002960 $49,900
LAND/BUILDING SITES
NEW! LOCATION, VIEWS, PRIVACY, 80 ACRES
Sweeping views of Lake Superior and Pincushion Mt from expansive open meadows. This former homesteaders property has it all: rolling topography, ravines, grassy meadows, mature timber, flowing creek and expansive views. Great property for horses or crop production. Minutes from Grand Marais on a county maintained road. Adjoining USFS land for even more privacy. You could build a dream home here on a site like none other. MLS# 6004264 $279,000
NEW! WILDERNESS SETTING -
TUCKER LAKE A perfect place for your cabin or home with unspoiled views and lots of Gunflint Trail privacy. There's only a few parcels on this peninsula and this property boasts two lots - one on each side - making for easy canoe or kayak launching out of the wind. There was a planned building site, and there's room for your plans if more is desired. Tucker Lake is a protected lake with added setbacks to protect the lake and views. Direct BWCAW access for easy day trips or to start your grand adventures. MLS#: 6004389 $237,900
LAND/BUILDING SITES
RECREATIONAL BASE CAMP Great Tofte lot has 2 garage buildings. They could easily become living space, one has a second story. Property has room for a home with views of a dramatic creek gorge with waterfall and Lake Superior view. 4.54 acres, year-round road, power, phone. MLS# 6003751 $179,900
NEW! TWO BEAUTIFUL LOTS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF LOON LAKE just off of the Gunflint Trail, on an aptly-named private road known as Solitude Drive. Electric available. Wonderful shoreline. MLS#: 6004378 & 6004379 $179,000 each
BIG LAND, BIG CREEK, BIG
TREES This Hovland area parcel is on the "front range" of the Farquhar Hills with a dramatic backdrop of rock cliffs and escarpments. There is a large creek running through the entire property with many fantastic building sites looking over its meandering flowage - rapids, pools and trout habitat everywhere! Many trails are cut so you can walk the whole property. It's a land baron's paradise. There's good gravel soils to work with and many fine places to build your dream home or cabin. Even some Lake Superior views. MLS# 6004009 $159,900
INCREASINGY RARE, LARGE RECREATIONAL PARCEL accessed by Powers Lake Road (logging road system). Fully surveyed. This property would be a perfect retreat, church camp, summer school, or outdoor learning center. Has a rich variety of trees, ponds, high and low lands, some meadow land and wetlands. The property is bound by USA lands to the west and south and State lands to the east. MLS# 6004255 $150,000
EIGHTY ACRE RETREAT 80 acres of prime hunting land in Schroeder, MN. Rolling land with wonderful wildlife habitat including stream, beaver dam with large pond, and a good mixture of trees and low vegetation. Good access on Zeke's Trail which divides the 2 40 acre parcels. Older 2 bedroom cabin in a beautiful park like setting overlooking large beaver pond and distant horizons. Call today to make this piece of Hunter's Heaven your own. MLS 6003804 $120,500
MAPLE HILL - HOME SITE Heavily wooded parcel with great privacy, county rd frontage, power and phone. Super location for your home or vacation retreat. Walk to golf course, easy access to Gunflint Trail or Devil Track area. MLS# 6002601 $64,500
THIRTY ACRES - PANORAMIC VIEWS Here is one of those rare mountain tops with a 180 degree view of distant Lake Superior and the ridge to the north. It's spectacular! Trails are in place to walk the whole perimeter. There is a cleared easement in place to get to the property. MLS# 6003353 $62,500
HOME SITE - COUNTY ROAD 6 Beautiful 5-ac lot just minutes from town. Meadow. Shed and pond. Driveway in. Power/phone. MLS #6003084 $59,900.
GREAT LOCATION NEAR DEVIL TRACK Nice wooded parcel, survey, septic site evaluations, and access road in place. Ready to build your home, cabin or recreational activities. Private access to snowmobile trails, administrative subdivision in place. MLS# 6003999 $59,900
BUILDING LOT - GRAND MARAIS A rare find. This lot is located on 8th Ave W in the heart of town with easy walking distance to the harbor and business district. All city services are at the street. There's even good potential for a lake view. Build your home here and enjoy living in the heart of "America's Favorite Small Town". MLS# 6003862 $54,900
REAL QUIET AND PRIVATE Choice lot at the end of the road, ready to build. Priced to sell! MLS#: 6004354 $54,900
READY TO BUILD - NEAR DEVIL TRACK. Nice wooded parcel, survey, septic and access road in place. A quality site for your home, cabin or recreational activities. Private access to snowmobile trails. Great
$49,000
GREAT 4-ACRE HOME SITE
LARGE PARCEL Lake Views. Large private parcel with possible subdivision potential. Great Lake Superior views on the higher elevations. A small creek runs through part of the 25 acre property. Priced way below assessed value. Good location close to Grand Marais. MLS 6003976 $124,900 PRICE REDUCTION! INTRIGUING PROSPECT How often can one buy a build site that has all of the sub-structure in place? High-quality items already in place include an insulated/heated slab for house/porch, insulated garage slab, electricity, driveway, the well, a time-dosed/ heated septic system. Over 18 acres of privacy, beauty and solitude. Priced well below what the seller has put into this property. MLS# 6003658 $119,900
READY TO BUILD Sugerloaf Road. Driveway and building pad already in place. A red pine forest climbs up to the highest point with stunning views of high ridges and valleys. Also a mix of birch & gorgeous cedars. Walk to the Superior Hiking Trail or Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center & stroll the shore of Lake Superior. MLS# 6003876 $99,900 MAPLES, VIEWS, PRIVACY 85+ acres near Hovland. Good end of road access, adjoining tons of federal land, great view of pond. South exposure and views. MLS#6003156 $99,900
HUGE POND-HUGE PRIVACY Large wooded acreage located across from Tom Lake. The highlight of this parcel is the huge pond/lake in the very center of the acreage. May be subdivided into 2 parcels or just one lovely parcel for your home and cabin. Year around access and will have broadband/ electric in place at the road by 2016. MLS 6004073 $99,000
CARIBOU LAKE - HOME SITE New price is well below tax assessed value, and seller is open to offers. Magnificent old-growth cedar and maple trees frame a corner lot with a great, high build site on Sawmill Bay.185' of lake frontage. MLS# 6002756 $95,000
GREAT LOCATION, QUALITY FOREST, BUILD HERE This 10-acre parcel has a mature and mixed forest, southerly exposure, easy county road frontage and is just minutes from Grand Marais. There are many great building sites and loads of privacy. Easy access to power, phone and broadband. Hiking trails are close by and access to the Gunflint Trail or Lake Superior are just a short drive away. MLS# 6004295
DEVIL TRACK AREA PARCEL Very nice 10 acre lot with direct access to South Shore Dr. Driveway to a cleared area that could be used as a building site. Slightly rolling terrain with moderately heavy growth that includes every type of Boreal Forest tree! MLS#6003184 PRICE REDUCTION! $65,000
NEAR HOVLAND. Close to Lake Superior, with some views, nice forest, easy access off of Highway 61 on shared driveway. MLS# 6003692 $47,900
BUILD YOUR HIDE AWAY Wooded 20 acres, it's a short walk to Magney State Park. Adjoins listing #6003580 with small cabin on 40 acres. MLS #6003581 $42,000
REMOTE 40 – POWERS LAKE ROAD. This is the beautiful '40' that you have been waiting for. Easy access off Powers Lake Road. Electricity and broadband scheduled for 2016-a real bonus! This is a fine opportunity for the person seeking a remote retreat with some modern amenities. MLS #6003811 $42,000
HOVLAND PARADISE Mixed topography of beautiful rolling land with many great build sites. Old growth cedar, spruce, pine and birch. Mons Creek meanders through the property border where it abuts State land.
MLS #6003078 $39,900
OFF THE BEATEN PATH. Can't beat this property for remoteness. If it's seclusion you seek, this wilderness 19-acre recreational property is for you. Surrounded by State & USFS lands. Hike in access from Devil Fish Lake. MLS#6002961 $37,000. NEW! EXCELLENT 44.25 ACRE RECREATIONAL PARCEL with the driveway in and a cleared camp site. Great location near Tom Lake, Chester, Esther, Devil fish for fishing and fun. Connected to the snowmobile trail. The perfect place for miles of hiking or ATV trails. There will be an easement at the road for electric power and broadband coming late this summer or by 2016. This parcel is at the location where Tom Lake Road and Powers Lake road meet. Owners will do CD to right party. MLS #: 6004364 $34,500
FIVE SECLUDED ACRES
One of eight secluded and heavily wooded 5-acre parcels bordering on thousands of acres of US and State of Minnesota Forest land. Yet, only 20 minutes from the amenities of the Lutsen area. An additional 5 acres may be available. MLS #6003981 $28,000
REMOTE PRIVACY If remote is what you're looking for, look no further. Forty beautiful acres abutted by thousands of acres of Federal land. Adjoining property is currently listed (MLS# 6001657). Buy it all and assure maximum privacy. MLS #6003593 $26,500
HOME SITE – TOFTE A nice lot in a residential development near the the business and services hub of Tofte. Surrounded by thousands of acres of US and Minnesota State Forests. Minutes from Temperance River State Park. A great location to build your North Shore getaway. MLS# 6003954 $24,750
BEST BARGAIN AND LOCATION ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Quality crafted townhome features an owner’s suite so luxurious your family and guests may wonder if you’ll ever reappear! 476’ of shared shore w/ a point that juts dramatically into the lake forming Good Harbor & Cutface Creek beach. Water, sewer, ext. maint. covered by Assoc., Just Show up, Relax, and Explore!
MLS#6002475 REDUCED! $299,000
FAMILY FUN ON LUTSEN’S LAKE SUPERIOR! Level
gorgeous shoreline, easily accessible from a beautiful home that has it all…Owner’s Suite, Vaulted Ceilings, Owner’s Lock out space…attached garage! Tons of value at MLS#6003870 $579,900
WATER AND WILDERNESS ON LAKE
SUPERIOR! Fab location on Cty Rd 34 in Lutsen, Classic Northwoods Cabin alongside a rambling creek dropping in to Lake Superior, accessible shoreline!
MLS#6003653 $399,000
WOWSER OF A LAKE SUPERIOR HOME IN TOFTE! Wrapped in the history of the North Shore! Accessible and SPECTACULAR 177 ft of Lake Superior in Wilderness Setting! Staggering views of Lake Superior from the kitchen and dining area! You’ll love having your morning coffee on the new deck surrounded by mature spruce and pine! 3+ Bdrms, 3 garages! Sweet location just west of Tofte, walk to Blue Fin, Bike to Lutsen!
MLS#6003473 $475,000
SERENITY ON LAKE SUPERIOR’S CASCADE
BEACH RD! Lovely home thoughtfully designed for year round living or Lutsen Vacation Getaway!
will LOVE the Mint guest cottage. Attached garage plus Gardner’s garage perfect for boat storage and lawn care.
MLS#6003640 $699,900 LOTS OF LAND AND LAKESHORE ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Well maintained Family Compound with yr round newer home on 8+ ac and 340+ ft accessible shoreline! But’s it really about “The Shining Rocks” The “Rock 1” log cabin was built early 30’s, and it’s been lovingly maintained by only a handful of families since. Cabins Rock 1, 2 & 3 create this incredible family compound!
MLS#6002529 $699,000
LUTSEN LAKE SUPERIOR CASCADE 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!
MLS#6004058 $299,000
KARMIC CABIN ON LAKE
SUPERIOR! Great vibes resonate from this home, comfortable in its design, it’s about the nice views from the entire main level, including main level bedroom! Nearby Taconite Harbor, watch the big boats pull in to the harbor!!
MLS#6003759 $349,000
STATELY LAKE SUPERIOR HOME!
Over 11 ac and 317 ft of shoreline, big Granite Chunks perfect for laying around on, while dipping your toes in the Big Lake! Prowl design maximizes the views up and down the shore, and you’ll love the elbow room this home offers! Two car attached garage, A Must See!
MLS#6003874 $799,900
CRAFTED IN TO THE LEDGEROCK! Sprawling ledge rock shoreline captivates you while this CASCADE BEACH RD Lutsen Lake Cottage will cradle you in its history and warmth! Functional space perfect for the family, but it’s all about the Big Lake! Come See the shoreline!
MLS#6004141 $399,000
ISLAND VIEW, HARBOR VIEW, SPECTACULAR VIEW!Accessible and Incredible shoreline, One of a KIND Lake Superior Parcel, Must Meander to See how much you will LOVE this Shoreline! MLS#6003980 $438,900
$250,000
LUTSEN BWCAW AREA FISH CAMP ON GUST LAKE! Half hour from down town Lutsen, while still being part of a nice little neighborhood that Gust Lake Rd is! Cabin is on a peninsula point jutting in to the lake, yr round access, possible power! MLS#6004096 $299,000
LAKE GEGOKA ISABELLA! 4 condos that share common access to a sweet dock on Lake Gegoka just 6 miles outside of Isabella’s Stoney Creek Café! Rental program in place to off set ownership costs! Very nice accommodations to come back to after a full day of fishing, boating, hiking, biking, snowmobiling and cross country skiing! MLS#6004247 $132,900
CRAZY CUTE RUSTIC LOG CABIN ON CHRISTINE LAKE! Located just off a designated Mountain Bike Trail system, enjoy year round access, electric at street and a TOTAL SENSE OF SECLUSION! But you’re in the heart of Lutsen, Recreation Central! Canoe on Christine, Fly Fish in the Poplar or just go for a hike in the Superior National Forest! MLS#6003989 $165,000
ON DEERYARD
LAKE, with garage/ workshop/cabin with 100 ft of Nice Shoreline and nearly 3 acres of south sloping land. Electric, well, septic tank, AND dock! Can’t beat this value for Lutsen Lakeshore Living! MLS#6001066 $139,000
GREENWOOD LAKE HOME SECLUSION, Peace, Lake. Quality Built by fine local craftsmen, End of the road location bordered by State land! Mature White Pines, level access in to Greenwood Lake. Hand Hewn Log Siding, and TONS of Lake Views! Move in Mint Condition! MLS#6004219 $499,900
COMMERCIAL DOWNTOWN LUTSEN
GUNFLINT TRAIL GREENWOOD LAKE! Incredible Lake cabin on a Peninsula on Greenwood Lake, over 580 ft of meandering Peninsula shoreline where you can cast in to 50 feet of water from one of many huge ledge rocks that surround the shoreline. Mint condition cabin, Must see! MLS#6004220 $429,000
LUTSEN DEERYARD LAKE 175 FT SHORELINE, S weeter than the sap flowing in the abundant maples on the property! View across the lake is miles of public land! Roughed-in driveway and dock materials. 15 min. to Lutsen for skiing, food, music, golf. Owner is licensed MN REALTOR® MLS#6004071 $193,000
SUPER OPPORTUNITY TO OWN MOST OF DOWNTOWN LUTSEN! Approx. 9 ac bordered by Lutsen creek, this hotspot hosts 5 commercial businesses and a lot of apartments with good long term renters! 13 lot trailer park has been established since the 70’s, w/ each trailer owner paying lot rent. GORGEOUS LAND, mature pines, nice setting for future expansion with zero lot line setbacks. New compliant commercial septic system. Rental housing is in high demand in the Lutsen area, all rentals are full with long term history. Potential add’l income from retail space and garage/warehouse space currently used by seller. Seller Financing optional. MLS#6003550 $1,575,000
ELEGANT AND INCOME GENERATING QUARTER SHARE AT SURFSIDE! at Tofte’s upscale Surfside Resort. #7 is a stone’s throw from accessible shoreline you’ll LOVE, this townhome, and it’s affordable with the Quarter Share option! No other end unit compares on price, views or locale to the Big Lake. The interior is right out of the pages of Architectural Digest, total Luxury! MLS#6003491 $199,000
Mint Condition! REDUCED! MLS#6002963 $168,900
LOVELY BLUEFIN BAY
Lake Superior home! Modern and functional space from the kitchen overlooking the lake and Great Room, flowing through a newly remodeled upper level,
CAMPN’, HUNTN’, FUN GETAWAY LAND, INVEST
SILVER BAY TO LITTLE MARAIS TO FINLAND & ISABELLA!
Rocky Wall Overlooking Lake Superior just outside Silver Bay PRICE REDUCED!
MLS#6003239 $99,000
80 acres for $79,000 Blesner Lake Rd!
MLS#6003110
Rock Road in Silver Bay area!
Great build site with creek frontage!
MLS#6003859 $45,000
Rocky Wall land with Driveway in place, HUGE views of Shovel Point!
MLS#6002434 $99,000
Sonju Lake Road in Finland!
Several large parcels from MLS#6001324 $44,900
Sugarloaf Retreats on High Ridge Drive, located up the Surgaloaf Road from Sugarloaf Cove Naturalist Area, Enjoy large acreage parcels at rock bottom prices! From $62,000! MLS#25701-4
TOFTE AREA NEAR BLUEFIN BAY RESORT!
LeVeaux Mountain, Super Views and Wildlife Ponds! FROM $49,900 REDUCED! MLS#6002929, MLS#6002995 & MLS#6004284 $59,000
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#6001347 Prices from $24,900!!
Lovely 20 acre parcel located on the outskirts of Lutsen, only minutes to Bigsby and Caribou Lakes! Nice mixed forest with high ground for choice building sites. Great price for your Northwoods getaway! MLS#31531 $29,900
Gorgeous Views of Williams and Wills Lake in Lutsen! Year Round Access, electric, Mountain Top site bordering USFS land. A Wonderful place to build your Northwoods home! MLS#6001685 REDUCED! $70,000
7.26 ac south facing land west of Grand Marais. White Pine, Maple forest in the Deeryard Lake area- East Deeryard Rd. Power/broadband. All high ground. MLS#6004007 $49,000
$44,900 New! Corner Build Site in Town-Walk to Harbor! MLS#6004355 $39,000
New! Lovely 40 ac Hunting Parcel with Flute Reed River! MLS#6004315 $44,900
LAKESHORE BUILD SITES!
Huge Lake Superior views, build site surrounded by cliff wall and creek!
Tofte vaag on the Sawbill, Nice Lake Views! Walk to the Coho, great location! FROM $49,900 MLS#30547
MLS#6001295 $89,900
160 acre parcel of upland maples and boreal forest. Beautiful forest, absolute quiet, total seclusion. Owned by the same family since 1904!
MLS#6002612 REDUCED! $129,000 Lakeshore on Ninemile Lake at the Village, common water and septic, build ready, borders common land!
MLS#6004249 $45,000
New! Commercial Lot for Bar/Restaurant at the Village at Ninemile Lake, in between Finland and the Trestle Inn!
MLS#6004416 $47,500
SCHROEDER AREA NEAR THE CROSS RIVER!
Maple forest with meandering creek , nice sized pond. Electric/broadband Yr Round access. 15 min from Hwy 61 in Schroeder. 20 ac $49,900 MLS#6004106; 40+ ac $109,900 MLS#6004105
40 Ac of Maples and boreal forest meandering toward a sweet moose pond and creek, with driveway in place and cleared build site! MLS#6002822 REDUCED! $110,000
Gorgeous Acreage
Overlooking Sawtooth Range! Yr Round, Electric. MLS#6003185 $35,000
DRAMATIC Mountain Top Views, Rolling Hills, Maple Forests fading in to Spruce and Pine and year round access…simply said a magnficent piece of land…tons of acreage available, or just pick up a 40 for $70,000! MUST SEE, call Emily today! MLS#6001560, multiple#’s call for full map and prices! FROM $70,000 MLS#6001560-66
10 Ac Parcels of Maples! Scramble across the Rolling Terrain of Mature Maples (Breathtaking in the Fall) to a Sweet Building site Perched Over a Mixed Boreal Forest, Good Levels of Serenity For Sure! Year Round Access and Electric at Road! MLS#6000676 $56,900
Wowser Lake Superior views on Overlook Tr! MLS#6003716 $82,900
Mature Spruce and BIG Lake Views! Walk to Blue Fin Bay, drilled well in place! $49,900 MLS#6003482
New! Gorgeous 19 acres with creek running through the middle, high ground! $65,000 MLS#6004399
LUTSEN LAKE VIEWS & WILDERNESS LANDS! GRAND MARAIS LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!
Lake Superior View, Prime Lutsen location. Located a half mile from the Ski Hill Road in Lutsen, and about the same from “downtown” Lutsen! Well buffered from hwy, nice wilderness feel! MLS#6004090 $65,000
Over 15 ac of Wilderness on Turnagain Trail in Lutsen! MLS#6002934 $69,500
Prime Build Site(s) just off theCaribou at Jonvick Creek! MLS#6003188 $49,000
Gorgeous 5 acre parcels in the Heart of Lutsen paved Caribou Trail locale bordering USFS lands! MLS#6002383 From 54,900-$77,500
Creek Build Site just off the Caribou Trail at Jonvick Creek! Rare and Unique Build site! MLS#6003633 REDUCED! $57,500
What an opportunity! 30 plus acres on Lutsen’s Ski Hill Rd, just down the hill from the Midwest’s best ski area: Lutsen Mountains. Great views of Lake Superior and toward Moose Mountain. MLS#6002951 REDUCED! $250,000
MLS#6002721 $375,000 Sunshine Day Dreams, It’s Summer on the Shore! SWEET PARCEL ON SWALLOW
Honeymoon Trail Wildlife Lands!
10 Ac nearby Poplar River in Lutsen, great hunting or hiking land at a SUPER GREAT price! MLS#26729 $39,900
3 0 acres of Prime Wilderness Land with year round access and electric at street with Views of Lutsen’s famed Clara Lake! MLS#6001462 $137,500
80 Ac with Poplar River Frontage on the Honeymoon Tr! MLS#6003850 $95,000
SUPER Views on Birch Drive! Complete with swimming pond on high ridge ledgerock setting, unique! MLS#6004089 $79,000
60 Acres Minutes to Grand Marais near Devil Track Lake! Easy walking/biking access across Fed land to Monker Lake! MLS#6002586 $95,900
Birch Drive, West of Grand Marais! Wilderness Setting with 5 ac HUGE Value $42,500 MLS#6002349 or HUGE Lake Superior views MLS#6003805 FOR $75,000!
A River Runs Through It! 160 Acres of Upland and River Frontage on the Cascade River near Eagle Mountain, a Rare Find with tons of opportunity. Whether Hunting land or Wilderness Retreat, this is a Great Opportunity! MLS#31732 $140,000
Own your own park in the heart of Grand Marais! MLS#6002396 $17,000 County 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, creek bordering site for MLS#25633 $89,900
60 Ac with Lake Views E of Grand Marais! Keep this gem all to yourself and enjoy plenty of elbow room!
MLS#6002841 REDUCED! $119,000
Parten Way on Pike Lake Rd! Panoramic Vistas of the Sawtooths, road rough in, a five minute drive to new Pike Lake Landing! Yr Round access! MLS#6003047 $39,900
Wild Plum Drive, East of Grand Marais! Nice level build site, yr round and electric avail. MLS#6003492 REDUCED! $40,000
20 Ac With Lake Superior Views! Awesome locale Cty Rd 56, minutes to Grand Marais, yr round access & Elec at Rd! MLS#6003835 $79,900
400 FT WITH 14 AC ON DEVIL TRACK LAKE! What more
Quite
Large Acreage
92A Tom Lake Rd - $69,900
Rolling, wooded, lots of potential for recreation or building. MLS 6002723
110A W Highway 61 - $649,900
110A wooded, year round land with multiple zoning. MLS 6002185
200A Camp 12 Rd - $159,900 Surrounded by state and federal land. Mature trees, gently rolling topography. MLS 6004110
40A Camp 12 Rd - $42,900
40A off of Irish Creek Rd, surrounded on 3 sides by state land. Creek frontage.
MLS 6004109
43A County Road 7 - $299,900
Seasonal Lake Superior views, multiple zoning, electric at road. MLS 6002300
25A Tom Lake Rd - $49,900 25A close to Tom Lake. Enjoy the lake without the high lakeshore taxes. MLS 6002625
115+A Arrowhead Trail - $84,900
Excellent property priced right. Electric and phone at street. Private access from Co Rd 69.
6002839
Forest Rd 304 - $159,900
80A of maples, spruce and balsam, Durfee Creek and beaver ponds. Bordered on two sides by public lands
Reason Rd - $109,900
MLS 6003013
120A wooded with trails, wildlife and State land on 2 sides. 1.5 miles from public Tom Lake boat landing MLS 6003857
Lima Grade Rd - $159,900
40A with solid tree coverage. Rolling land, abundance of wildlife, public land on all sides for maximum privacy!
On Lake Superior
Chessie Trl
Magney
Naniboujou Lodge.
Inland Lake Homes
Squint Lake
5A surrounded on 2 sides by government land. Convenient midtrail location with easy access to many recreational activities.
MLS 6003242 $69,900
116 Overlook Dr 3.33A with Lake Superior view, privacy, and is user friendly for building. Located at the end of Overlook Trail in Tofte, utilities available & year round access.
MLS 6003380 $59,900
Silver Fox Rd
5A of northwoods privacy with all modern conveniences about 8 minutes from town. Gently rolling with some very attractive building sites. Abuts government land.
MLS 6002967 $49,900
Roman’s Rd Close to Devil Track Lake and lots of recreational activities. 1.72A
MLS 6002323 $29,900
Stonegate RD
2A with lots of potential uses. Power, phone, and broadband are a stones throw away.
MLS 6003282 $19,900
Rosebush Hill Lane Nicely wooded 5.40A with shared driveway only minutes from town. Identified septic sites and fully surveyed! Approx. 430’ of creek frontage. OWNER will consider a Contract for Deed!
MLS 6003093 $49,900
W Hwy 61 Great location and development opportunities right off Hwy 61! 7.1A Commercial lot (Zoned Commercial and R-1). Additional acreage of R-1 behind. Agent Owned.
MLS 6002301 $149,900
Diagonal Rd 20A, not-so-remote remote parcel. Year round access to within a few yards. Septic sites identified. Great mixture of tree cover as well as highlands and wetlands.
MLS 6003602 $27,500
Land
Raven Feather Rd
6.65A of nicely wooded land just west of Grand Marais. End of road location with federal land to the west PLUS incredible views of Lake Superior.
MLS 6003776 $129,900
Pendant Lake Tr
5A, with year round access. Power on sight, phone close by. Beautifully wooded and privacy but only 12 minutes from town.
MLS 6003893 $48,000
E Hwy 61
Conveniently located near public access to Lake Superior, Kadunce Wayside, Kadunce River, Superior Hiking Trail and more.
MLS 6003752 $18,000
Pike Lake Rd
Wooded 4+A near Pike Lake! Nicely elevated build sites, survey in place and septic sites identified. Just a short walk to the lake.
MLS 6003854 $42,500
Solberg Lane
20A close to town but is definitely off-the-grid for a real North Woods getaway. Nicely elevated with the possibility of solar and wind power. Rustic outhouse and bunkhouse cabin on the site.
MLS 6003176 $62,800
4018 County Rd 14
10-20A nicely wooded year round lots. Electricity and phone, abuts Federal land providing access to incredible amount of land.
MLS 6004017 $44,900 - $74,900
31 Bloomquist Mtn Rd
Beautifully wooded 6+A in a great neighborhood. Easy drive to Grand Marais but feels ultra private.
MLS 6004132 $40,000
McFarland LakeBWCAW lake lot of 5+ A with 244’ shore.
Surveyed and all boundaries are fully flagged
MLS 6004373 $147,900 NEW
Poplar Lake
Convenient mid-trail location with deeded lakeshore access. Building site cleared, driveway in, utilities available.
MLS 6002116 $52,500
Very quiet 1.8A, over 200’ shore. Driveway and garage are in. Multiple portages into BWCAW.
MLS 6004001 $174,900
Squint
3.7A,
accessible shoreline. Healthy tree coverage; abuts federal land to the south for added privacy
MLS 6004324 $179,900
Leo Lake 169’ shore, on 3.70A, mid trail location, with public access to other lakes nearby.
MLS 6004265 $134,500
County Rd 7
5A, with seasonal Lake Superior Views! Nice mix of trees and quality build
Quist Rd
Park like .94 A, 291’ shore. Cleared building site, utilities available. Healthy mix of huge trees.
MLS 6003028 $169,900
Sag Lake
1+ - 7+ acres with 191-611’ of shore on year round county road with phone and electricity. Direct BWCA and Canada water access
MLS 6004019 $69,900
Two Island
5+ A of wooded land with 500+’ of shorelineand state land on two sides! Year round access; great recreational area.
MLS 6004214 $89,900
Tom Lake
Year round, 1.10A, 171’ shore, nicely wooded, driveway and cleared building site.
MLS 6003815 $54,900
Year round, 1.3A, 200’ shore. Nice gentle walking trail down to lake.
MLS 6004165 $69,900
Inland Lake Lots
CATCHLIGHT CATCHLIGHT
porcupine
As a nature photographer, I need to be ready to take advantage of any situation that presents itself. My wife Diana and I were eating dinner one evening on our porch. Suddenly, we noticed a porcupine waddling across the yard. Porcupines aren’t known for their speed so I had time to grab my camera and get out in the yard to snap some photos before it climbed up this tree.
—Earl
Orf
SerenitySpokenHere
Welcome to Golden Eagle Lodge, a family oriented, year-round resort located on the historic Gunflint Trail of Northeastern Minnesota. We are on the north shores of Flour Lake surrounded by the Superior National Forest; as we are the only residents on the lake, you can look forward to the quiet and solitude offered only from the true wilderness setting. We offer modern, housekeeping cabins to ensure comfort during your stay in the North Woods.
Each season has something special to offer; excellent fishing and canoeing in Summer and nationally-renowned Nordic Cross-Country Skiing in Winter. Our website describes in detail how each season can help shape your vacation.
Try our 9-site campground which offers a quiet and personal service; 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!
