Northern Wilds

A gathering of the tribe

On a Saturday in September, we welcomed Northern Wilds writers from Duluth to Nipigon to our offices in Grand Marais for a first-ever meeting. It was an opportunity for our staff to connect a face to a byline or email address and for our writers to do the same. Not all of our writers were able to attend, but most of them made it. One even showed up in late afternoon because she had a prior commitment…at a childbirth class!

We brought everyone together for a couple of reasons. We wanted them to learn more about Northern Wilds and how we build the monthly magazine. Amber explained the magazine’s design and layout. Sue told them how she sells display advertising and how her advertisers like to know about the story topics that will be covered in upcoming issues. The writers also toured our offices and learned about the other business aspects of Northern Wilds Media, Inc., including book publishing, our print and sign shop, our line of in-room guest directories and ancillary advertising products like the Cook County Map and North Shore Menu Guide.

The main reason we got everyone together was to brainstorm story ideas for upcoming issues. We figured that having our writers in one room would generate creative energy. And it did. The ideas were flowing so quickly Breana had trouble jotting them all down. It was fun to watch the writers play off one another. Adding an international twist occasionally led to different perspectives on a topic. At one point, the Canadians digressed on a passionate, tangential discussion of Canadian history. The Americans in the room had no idea what they were talking about. If anything, the planning session came to an end too soon. We didn’t make as much progress as we intended. That’s ok, because the folks you read in every issue of Northern Wilds gave us plenty of new ideas for upcoming stories. We’re looking forward to some great issues of Northern Wilds.

We also got to know our writers a little better. Kim Casey of Nipigon is an expert on northwestern Ontario murders. As a child, Eric Chandler was sent to a special speech class because a northern Minnesota teacher couldn’t understand his native New England dialect. Virginia Beach, VA native Casey Fitchett has roamed widely and finds the North Shore to her liking. Joe Friedrich is the proud owner of a new (to him) solo canoe. Elle Andra-Warner was the only one in the room to ever have story notes stolen by a ghost. Kathy Toivenen is deeply immersed in Finnish culture.

Our Northern Wilds writers and crew recently got together for a day of story planning and food. From left to right: [BACK ROW] Shawn Perich, Casey Fitchett, Maren Webb, Kathy Toivonen, Kim Casey, Eric Chandler. [MIDDLE ROW] Breana Roy, Amber Pratt, Elle Andra-Warner. [FRONT] Sue O’Quinn. | KELSEY ROSETH

in September, she has become the social media guru of Northern Wilds. You can look for her posts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You can follow Northern Wilds on social media and find fun stuff. We are excited to have Kelsey on board in this role.

Actually, we’re excited about and proud of all the wonderful people who contribute to Northern Wilds as writ

fun and relevant to you, the reader. All of the writers who attended our September gathering said it was the first time a publication had invited them to a get-together of contributors. Several said they hoped we will make the gathering an annual event. And we may, because we enjoyed spending the day with such a great group of people.

—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt

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OCTOBER 2016

VOLUME 13, ISSUE 10 www.northernwilds.com

SERVING THE NORTH SHORE AND THE WILDERNESS BEYOND

PUBLISHERS

Shawn Perich & Amber Pratt

EDITORIAL

Shawn Perich, Editor editor@northernwilds.com

Breana Roy, Assistant Editor breana@northernwilds.com

ADVERTISING

Sue O’Quinn, Sales Representative sue@northernwilds.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Katie Viren • katie@northernwilds.com

Drew Johnson • drew@northernwilds.com

OFFICE

Roseanne Cooley billing@northernwilds.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Erin Altemus, Elle Andra-Warner, Kim Casey, Eric Chandler, Gord Ellis, Kim Falter, Casey Fitchett, Joe Friedrichs, Deane Morrison, Julia Prinselaar, Kelsey Roseth, Javier Serna, Kathy Toivonen, Maren Webb

Copyright 2016 by Northern Wilds Media, Inc.

Published 12 times per year. Subscription rate is $28 per year or $52 for 2 years U.S. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part requires written permission from the publishers.

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Artist finds hidden treasures in the land of Nipigon

NIPIGON—A poet, writer, photographer and musician, Jim McCullough has never had an interest in using his artistic talents to promote himself. Everything he creates is a celebration of Nipigon and what it has to offer. Jim’s greatest source of inspiration has come from his explorations of the area. As he enthusiastically explained, there is nothing more gratifying than walking along a trail where every corner offers a new vista to marvel.

Some of the most notable spots that Jim has visited have many things in common: they aren’t well-known, they are close to Nipigon, they can be enjoyed throughout the year, and they are in close proximity to a scenic body of water. He was quick to clarify that some lakes can be boring. But all the ones that have touched Jim, were set in surroundings that moved him to create passionate expressions of art.

One such place is Susie Lake. Located about 25 km from Nipigon, it can be accessed through the neighboring Elizabeth Lake or by Hwy 585. There are many reasons why this place is so special to Jim. It has majestic Norway pine trees, a massive mountain that can be seen from all angles and the Nipigon Tramway once ran alongside the lake’s shore. Built in 1908, it was used to transport supplies for the construction of a new railway

north of Lake Nipigon. Owned by the National Transcontinental, the tramway went from Alexander Landing on the Nipigon River, up to South Bay at Nipigon Lake’s south end. There is nothing left of the 18-mile light weight tracks, but so strong is the train’s former presence, Jim can envision its ghostly whistle greeting him from the past.

On the North Shore of Lake Superior, is the prized Ruby Lake. It’s about eight km east of Nipigon and is situated inside a non-operating provincial park. On the right-hand side of the Trans-Canada Highway is an unmarked gravel road. Just under 4 km in length, at its conclusion is a former marble quarry and the beginning of the trail. It takes about 30 minutes to hike to the lookout where Lake Superior and the western palisades from Dog Head Mountain to Big Pup can be admired. There are also cliffs and ravines, where peregrine falcons and bald eagles were sighted. Jim has been to Ruby Lake hundreds of times, and he never tires of what he calls its exotic-like offerings.

About 40 km east of Nipigon, also on the Trans-Canada Highway is the historic Caver’s Hill. Originally a siding for the Canadian Pacific Railway, its steepness posed a challenge for the engineers. The trail is approximately 4 km long and goes

from the highway to Nipigon Bay. Satisfying all of Jim’s adventurous senses, it has a hidden waterfall, amethyst outcroppings, and granite ridges. And what makes these natural wonders even more miraculous for him, was being able to watch the trains snake along the Lake Superior shoreline. Their effortless travels a tribute to the masterful train engineers of the 1800s.

Not one to keep these treasures to himself, Jim has brought many people to these places. Never charging a fee, his reward is being able to show them why the land of Nipigon is his greatest muse. He has posted photographs of these spots and many more on www.panoramio.com. They can be found under “Jimmcmac.”—Kim Casey

A clear day shows the reflection at Ruby Lake. | JIM MCCULLOUGH

Artist Jim McCullough draws inspiration from his surroundings. | KIM CASEY

Cook County celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day

COOK COUNTY—In late September 2015, the Cook County Board of Commissioners began considering a proposition from community members to declare the second Monday in October Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Ten Ojibwe students brought their proposal before the board on September 29, 2015 and supported their position with a statement read by Local Indian Education Committee student representative Jaden Aubid.

The five commissioners of the arrowhead region considering the proposition included Garry Gamble, Jan Siverton, Heidi Doo-Kirk, Ginny Storlie and Frank Moe. Moe is the Commissioner for District 1, which includes Grand Portage.

“The resolution to rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day came from Grand Portage students,”

explained Moe. “I was honored that they asked me. Cook County was the first county in the whole United States to make the overdue change and I think we should all be proud of that.”

After the initial vote for the resolution to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day failed 3-2, a modified version to recognize both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day was considered. It also failed by a 3-2 vote.

The tides turned two weeks later during a special meeting with the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Cook County school teacher David Liechty, superintendent Beth Schwarz and small business owner John Thompson were among the community members who expressed support for the resolution during the half hour for public comment.

Following discussion about the language in the proclamation, the commissioners present cast a favorable 3-1 vote. The proclamation states, among other things, that Cook County has “a responsibility to oppose the systemic racism and misunderstanding towards Indigenous People in the United States” and “Indigenous Peoples’ Day shall be an opportunity to celebrate the thriving cultures and positive values of the Indigenous Peoples of our region.”

Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux also offered his own resolution on October 5. The proclamation, which was officially adopted by the Grand Marais City Council on October 14, encourages the Cook County public schools, businesses, organizations and public institutions to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day. —Casey Fitchett

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COOK COUNTY—North Shore businesses are familiar with the struggle for seasonal workers. This year, the need for additional workers is apparent; Gene’s Foods in Grand Marais is closed on Sundays due to the lack of help, and World’s Best Donuts reported having to cut their hours for the same reason.

Brian Sherburne, the human resources director at Bluefin Bay, said the family of resorts brings on about 60 people each summer and fall, consisting of both domestic and international workers. That’s in addition to its domestic staff of more than 100 people.

Bluefin Bay first began hiring international workers in the mid-nineties. Like many businesses in the area, it hires utilizing two types of visa programs: J-1 and H-2B. To connect with the international candidates, the resort works with companies that sponsor visa holders, or, it reaches out to the workers directly by working with an attorney and the consulates in other countries. “Without the international help, we wouldn’t be able to operate,” said Sherburne.

The J-1 is a temporary visa for scholars, professors and exchange visitors to participate in programs that promote cultural exchange, like business training. People with a J-1 visa are typically students sponsored by a university, private sector or government program.

Sherburne said at BlueFin Bay, the majority of their J-1 visa holders are college students on summer break, often from the European Union and Baltic states. In the winter, a smaller number of J-1 students from South America work during the summer break in their home countries.

H-2B visas are for temporary, non-agricultural workers of any age. They can be here for a longer time based on the need of the business, typically from early April or May through late November. That can be a huge benefit to North Shore employers who are attempting to manage fall tourism.

Recently, Sherburne ran an ad in the Cook County News-Herald for a line cook, and he said about five other resorts were seeking to fill the same position. To recruit staff, he said that it’s often necessary for businesses to offer additional benefits. For example, Bluefin Bay provides housing, at a cost, for seasonal workers, and it runs a shuttle from Silver Bay to the resort.

Sherburne said the local labor pool is shrinking, and the continuous struggle for seasonal workers is a regular part of operating a business in our region.

“Business is increasing as the North Shore continues to become a popular vacation destination for people. It’s a challenge for businesses to keep going.”

—Kelsey Roseth

|

Remembering the Rossport

DORION—Lying on its side, nestled in some trees at the Hurkett Cove Conservation Area in Dorion, Ontario, lies the hull of a tugboat. Its history a source of pride for many, the Rossport was one of the first tugboats to be made at the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company. Built in 1915, it was 52’4” long, 6’6” deep, 12’ breadth and could carry 19 tons. The steel tugboat had a large, powerful propeller and could go quite fast. All one had to do was keep feeding the engine with wood or coal. But as Chuck Gerow explained, the engine wasn’t very efficient. Designed with a one pass boiler, most of the heat went up the stack.

Captain Fred Gerow was born in Nipigon, and worked with his father in the fishing industry. His parents Mary Jane and Captain George, along with his siblings, relocated to Rossport in 1902. Fred and his brother Charlie married sisters from the Aultman family. Fred and Annie had one daughter that became a nun and three sons. At the age of 29, Fred took possession of the newly built Rossport and continued the family tradition of commercial fishing.

Fred’s occupation wasn’t an easy one. Wood was his choice of fuel because it was so plentiful, but it would take two to three hours for the engine to build up enough steam to get the tugboat moving. Then an additional three to four hours would be needed to reach his fishing territory, at the west end of St. Ignace Island. Fred and his crew stayed on Lake Superior for two to three days at a time, which meant their wives had to run the households and care for the children. In the early years, these strong and resourceful women had the added burden of living in an isolated village with no roads or electricity.

There’s an old saying that fishermen can’t swim a stroke. Yet there were very few accidents that can be remembered by cousins Jim and Chuck Gerow. The reason being that Fred and his crew had an instinctual understanding of the winds, currents, waves and weather. They could be out in 45 degree cross waves or blinded

by thick fog, and they’d always find their way safely back to the village.

There were fishing seasons for herring, pickerel, and whitefish. But Fred’s main catch was lake trout. In the early years, after the fish were netted, they’d be gutted, salted and placed in barrels that would be shipped to markets. Later, after the CPR came through, fish were boxed in ice and shipped by rail. There wasn’t a lot of money to be made in commercial fishing. It was as Chuck Gerow explained, “a handto-mouth-existence.” But despite the hardships and demands Fred and his crew endured, it was a satisfying life. One that many were unhappily forced out of when the fish populations began to dwindle and the sea lamprey invaded Lake Superior.

On May 19, 1953, Captain Fred Gerow was out on his tugboat, when he became ill. He continued to direct his crew from the wheelhouse. But by the time the Rossport came to port, he was unable to walk and had to be carried to his house.

As the oldest living fisherman in Rossport, he died an hour later. His passing sadly felt by all those who had had the pleasure of knowing him.

Six years later, the tugboat was purchased by Alonzo Nuttall. Also a commercial fisherman, he had the Rossport towed to Hurkett Cove. He tossed some rubber tires into the engine, and people to this day still talk about the black smoke pouring out of its stack as it made its way into Black Bay. Alonzo’s goal was to overhaul the tugboat, but the government regulations made it impossible to achieve. And even though the Rossport hasn’t been in Lake Superior for over 50 years, many local people don’t see it as an eyesore or something that should be scrapped. To them, it’s a comforting reminder of an era when fish were plentiful and men could earn a living doing what they loved. —Kim Casey

Moose Madness Family Festival

October 21-23

A multi-day celebration complete with moose themed activities for the whole family.

More information at VisitCookCounty.com/moosemadness

Lake Superior Storm Festival

November 11-13

Celebrate the Lake Superior storm season with speakers, a fashion show, the annual Wave Dash and more!

More information at VisitCookCounty.com/stormfest

The Rossport Tugboat was built in 1915 at the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company.

HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE GREAT LAKES

1 Remove the smoke alarm from the wall or ceiling.

3

Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture.

2 Look at the back of the alarm for the date of manufacture.

4 Put the alarm back on the ceiling or wall if it is less than 10 years old.

Do you know this boat?

This small boat was found on an island near Grand Portage. Where did it come from? | SUBMITTED

THUNDER BAY—In September, Chelsea Ellard, age 11, found a little wooden three masted schooner marooned on a small island on Lake Superior. This island is located within a group of islands known as The Susies. The island is situate at N 47 degrees 58.718 W 89 degrees 35.287, which is near the U.S. border between Grand Portage and the Pigeon River Border Crossing.

The sailboat was hand carved with very distinct designs carved on the hull, a rock for a keel and birchbark for sails. But where did it sail from? Who carved this beautiful little vessel? Wherever it originated, it must have travelled many miles as The Susies are a considerable distance to any port.

Can you help solve the mystery? If you have any information, please email g.ellard63@gmail.com

The Cook County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors strongly supports the ISD 166 Bond & Levy increases on the November 8 ballot .

The young people being educated today by ISD 166 will in 10 years and 20 years be the employers, employees, non-profit board members and volunteers who power our economy forward. We need to make sure they are ready to take on the challenges and responsibilities by giving them a good education.

Why bonds for capital improvements?

Fairness: By stretching out payments over 20 years the district ensures that those who benefit from these improvements pay for them.

Low Interest Rates: Interest rates are at historic lows; it is prudent to invest now. Spreading the load: Seasonal properties will share in repaying the bond, lightening the load for everyone.

The path less taken

Sonju Trail

TWO HARBORS—For those seeking to take a leisurely stroll, rather than a vigorous hike, check out the Sonju Trail in Two Harbors. It’s a quiet, partially paved trail between Agate and Burlington Bays, and often overlooked by visitors. The trail is about one mile, and it’s the perfect place to watch for wildlife, pick agates, and soak in the relaxing sound of Lake Superior crashing against the rocks. As the seasons change, this trail offers breathtaking views of sunrises and sunsets, ice formations, and storms over Lake Superior.

To access the trail from Highway 61, turn on Park Road, between the Burlington Bay Campground and the Two Harbors Chamber of Commerce. Parking will be on the left, next to the campground. The first section of the trail is paved and meanders through tall pines, with frequent, short spur trails that take hikers to the edge of Lake Superior. A place for picnicking will be on the right. The paved path leads to a short hiking trail that takes walkers along the rocky shore of Lake Superior. The trail ends near the breakwater and Two Harbors lighthouse.—Kelsey Roseth

East rim of the Devil Track Gorge

GRAND MARAIS—The final 2-mile stretch of the Devil Track River winds through a canyon deep enough to be called the Grand Canyon of the North Shore. While many of the North Shore rivers plunge over falls and through granite crevasses, the geography of the Devil Track canyon tells a different story.

The Sonju Trail is partially paved and stretches about one mile. | GEORGE PETERSON

An A-frame timber bridge spans the Devil Track River and is a great place to rest. | ERIN ALTEMUS

The 2.4-mile hike starts from a small parking lot on County Road 58. If you are driving from Grand Marais, it’s just a few miles from town, and a quarter mile past the bridge over the Devil Track River. Follow 58 about a mile, keeping left at a fork in the road. A Superior Hiking Trail sign guides you into the lot.

At first, you are hiking along Woods Creek, but soon enough you pop out atop the rim of the gorge, already well above the Devil Track River. The trail winds through red pine plantations that are thick enough to keep the understory shaded year-round. Occasionally, you are along the gorge rim itself, several hundred feet above the river. Over time, the river has cut deeper into sandstone and red shale, which is softer and more yielding to forces of erosion than granite.

When you begin a steep descent down stairs, you are close to the destination; an impressive A-frame bridge over a narrow part of the canyon. If you have energy left, you can continue another mile to the Pincushion Mountain overlook, which gives an impressive view of the surrounding landscape and an expansive vista of Lake Superior.—Erin Altemus

Great Dog Portage

KAMINISTIQUIA—My favorite trail, the Great Dog Portage, leads to a mystery; the Dog Effigy. The portage bypasses a series of rapids and falls between Dog Lake and Little Dog Lake in Kaministiquia, about 30 km west of Thunder Bay. The trail has

been traversed for hundreds of years by the first peoples of the land; French explorers, American invaders, voyageurs, professors, and curious hikers. The historic portage is about 3 km long, but a 1 km (approximately) portion is regularly traveled and leads to the effigy. The Dog Effigy is a crude representation of a dog-like creature that was dug out of the ground and the edges were mounded up with the debris. Who made the effigy or when it was made are unknown. There have been no artifacts found at the site, except for one small projectile point. However, the first written account is in an exploration report by W.H. Keating in the 1820s and oral stories date back even further.

From 1962 to 1965, K.C. A. Dawson, assistant professor of anthropology at Lakehead University researched, identified, and excavated the site and published his findings in The Kaministikwia Intaglio Dog Effigy Mound. The original portage trail was cleared, and the effigy site was fenced off by The Ontario Department of Lands and Forests (now known as the Ministry of Natural Resources). Today, over 50 years after Dawson’s excavation, the approximately 30-foot impression of the dog is visible; and some of the wooden fence-posts still stand to mark the spot.

To find the portage trail, travel north on Silver Falls Road (the road name then changes to Shields Road). Travel 3 km along Shields Road and turn north at the fork. Travel northwest for 1.8 km, until you see an old drive on the north side that has been blocked from driving in. That trail is part of the Great Dog

The Great Dog Portage leads to the Dog Effigy; a crude representation of a dog-like creature that was dug out of the ground and the edges were mounded up with the debris. | KATHY TOIVONEN

South Lake Trail

GUNFLINT TRAIL—The first time I hiked on the South Lake Trail, I saw a moose and caught an 18-inch lake trout. It’s no wonder I continue to make this six-mile round-trip journey a frequent location to place my boots on solid ground.

The South Lake Trail (SLT) is one of the pathways not classified as a portage into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The trail is easy to moderate and passes though old growth red and white pines, while weaving from the Gunflint Trail to the Canadian border.

satisfy your outdoor desires. Though for my purposes, any trail that offers lake trout fishing from shore and outstanding views to the Canadian wilderness is one that’s tough to beat.—Joe Friedrichs

Leveaux Mountain

Portage and leads to Dog Lake. The trail that leads to the effigy is on the south side, where you will find the trail through the trees. Walk south for about 1 km to the effigy, on the west side off the trail.

—Kathy Toivonen

Because the trail enters the BWCAW, that means you will need a permit to hike, either a day permit or an overnight (entry point #59), if you’re opting to spend the night. Two excellent campsites are located on the SLT, one on Partridge Lake (where I caught the lake trout) and another at the trail’s end on the shores of South Lake.

The SLT crosses both the Moss Lake Trail and the Border Route Trail on its way north. Both provide great options for extended hiking if the six-mile trek doesn’t

TOFTE—It was going to be our fifth time hiking Oberg Mountain. I turned into the parking lot off the Onion River Road and saw lots of cars. I just drove 90 miles away from people in Duluth so I could be around more people? I looked at the opposite end of the parking lot. The end where nobody was going. I suggested Leveaux Mountain instead. My adventurous crew agreed to try something new.

My family found the tip of the mountain and got the same view you get from Oberg. The vast sweep of the big lake from a ledge of rock. Nice views over the fall foliage. The colors rolled like ocean swells down Britton Peak to Carlton Peak, farther west. We were the only ones there.

Three years later, my dog Leo and I ran on the Superior Hiking Trail. An 18-miler

from Lutsen to the Temperance River. We ran by Oberg Mountain and I thought, “Let’s take the spur to the summit.” We saw 30 people in a quarter mile. We blew it off, retreated, and ran out the west end of the parking lot again. Leo rounded the end of Leveaux Mountain, surrounded by orange leaves. We sat there all by ourselves and basked in the sun glinting off that giant blue mirror. Sometimes, your second choice should be your first choice.—Eric Chandler

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The South Lake Trail is an easy trip in the mid-Gunflint Trail region.

| MAGGIE FRIEDRICHS

A beautiful fall panorama from Leveaux Mountain. | ERIC CHANDLER

Capture the Colors

The Art of the Fall Photo

By Erin Altemus

When the maple leaves start turning from greens to reds, and the birch, aspen and tamarack transform to hues of gold, Minnesota’s North Shore beckons us to capture fall in a picture.

There are two runs of color, and in a good year, each burst can last for weeks.

“You have the maple run in mid-September with the reds, and then the yellows in the Boundary Waters,” said Paul Sundberg, a North Shore photographer who has spent decades perfecting the art of the fall photo.

“Temperatures are cooler, there are no bugs,” said Sundberg. He loves the cool weather and smell in the air. “Everything is changing. You can keep going to the same spot and it’s different every day.”

Taking a great picture can take years of practice.

Sundberg bought his first camera, a film camera when he was in the military in Texas. When he got out of the military, he ended up working in the state parks.

When you are in the state parks, there are many opportunities to take photos, Sundberg said.

“What really got me into the photography was moving to the North Shore. I was

said

Canoe Area.

“I took my two-year old granddaughter into the Boundary Waters this year,” Sundberg said. “And that was my 76th trip.”

As for great places to take autumn photos, Sundberg recommends hiking to Lake Agnes along the Superior Hiking Trail. He also enjoys the Honeymoon Bluff Trail and Caribou Rock Trail off the Gunflint Trail.

And how to capture the color?

“The best time to take vibrant colorful photos is early in the morning and late in the evening, when the color pops that much better. The golden hour,” Sundberg said.

And after a rain.

“The colors of the leaves when they are moist are so much richer. Or in the morning with the dew,” Sundberg recommended. He also suggests a polarizing filter if you are out shooting during the day.

Fall colors coincide with the moose rut, which, if you want what Sundberg dubbed “an adrenaline pumping experience,” perfect your moose calls and call them in.

Sundberg recounted one time when he was up the Bally Creek Road and hiding behind a brush pile early in the morning. He started calling and a bull moose answered. The animal came closer, and clos -

manager at Cascade State Park and then worked at Gooseberry State Park until I retired,”

Sundberg.

He retired with his wife to the Grand

Marais area and now spends much of his time photographing Lake Superior and what he calls her “changing mood,” and taking pictures in the Boundary Waters

The Gunflint Trail beckons during the peak of fall colors. | PAUL PLUSKWIK

The colors appear more vibrant after an autumn rain. | PAUL SUNDBERG

er and was soon in range to start taking photos. Then a bigger bull came out of the woods—he hadn’t made a sound, Sundberg said. The larger bull confronted the smaller, younger bull.

“They fought,” recalled Sundberg, “but they were around a corner so I couldn’t get photos.”

Sundberg laughed. “They were fighting over me.”

Sundberg said he does the moose cow call, not the male bull moose call. That way the moose coming in are looking for love, not to fight.

Another photographer for whom looking through the viewfinder has become a lifelong passion is Paul Pluskwik, from Virginia, Minnesota. He is a social worker by day and out taking pictures whenever possible. He’s been taking photos from a young age when his mother worked at a drugstore with a film department.

“She bought me camera equipment—instamatics, pocket 110s, and then a 35 mm. For a young kid in high school, I had a really good collection of camera stuff,” Pluskwik said.

Fall and winter are his favorite seasons to take pictures, and he tries to take photos that evoke a feeling or create an emotion.

“A person should be able to step into the picture,” he said. “Just because it has leaves or a road doesn’t mean anything. I use fall colors to add to the picture, but it’s not the only thing in the picture.”

An example would be a sunset shot.

“A sunset is okay, but with a kayak, a flock of geese or even the lighthouse at Split Rock, you feature an element that adds to the picture.”

One of Pluskwik’s favorite fall photos came about after his friend Paul Sundberg suggested a little lake to visit near Grand Marais.

“Go in the morning,” Sundberg told him.

“When I got there, the lake was reflecting the fall colors. The path along the shore

The addition of a canoe in this shot is an additional element that adds to the story. | PAUL PLUSKWIK

framed it in. I was just in awe. Twenty minutes later, the breeze kicked up and the moment was gone,” Pluskwik said.

If you’ve seen Pluskwik’s pictures, you know the colors are vibrant. He doesn’t use photoshop or other computer programs to deepen the color. Instead, he gets outside early and late in the day, when the lighting is best. A cloudy day can be better than a sunny one, he said. And for the best color in your photos, play around with the camera settings.

“Don’t use the auto setting on your camera, the camera has to work too hard.”

Pluskwik is looking forward to fall; being outside as the leaves change, visiting the Echo Trail and the Gunflint Trail, and especially Oberg Mountain, which he said, is spectacular.

This year Sundberg will be out west taking pictures in the National Parks. But he hopes to make it back to the North Shore in time for the second wave of color—when the birch and aspen turn yellow.

“Hopefully the yellows will still be going. Sometimes a storm will blow the leaves off in one day,” Sundberg said.

Pluskwik’s best advice to folks heading out with their camera is to not compare your photos to others; just have fun.

“There is no bad picture,” he said.

For inspiration, check out Paul Sundberg’s photos at www.paulsundbergphotography.com and Paul Pluskwik’s photos at www.pluskwikphotography.smugmug. com. Both have Facebook pages, too.

A close-up of the leaves looking into the sun. The sunlight shows the detail on the leaves. | PAUL SUNDBERG

This moose answered Paul Sundberg’s female moose call and came looking for a mate. | PAUL SUNDBERG

Fleeting Moments

Beautiful yellows, oranges and reds adorn the trees and there’s a familiar crisp in the air. Autumn is here, but it’s fleeting. Leaves fall as quickly as they change color and snow soon follows. The chilly air reminds us that winter is right around the corner. But first, we must cherish the beauty of October.

By Breana Roy

of the Dead Female” was created by

artist

Her work can be found at www.madebykristi.com. | KRISTI ABBOTT

Andrea Martin creates hand-cut paper art, such as “Red Moon.” Martin can be found through the Grand Marais Art Colony or at www.andreamartin.com. | ANDREA MARTIN

Kit Eastman uses a Japanese textile tradition called Katazome. Eastman ocassionally teaches classes at the Grand Marais Art colony. Her work can be found at www.kiteastman.com. | KIT EASTMAN

www.rootriverphotography.com

“Day

collage

Kristi Abbott.

Independent artist Lauri E. Hohman of Silver Bay loves to create chalk art, as well as paintings, such as “Harvest-Full Moon” seen here. | LAURI E. HOHMAN

Heidi Pinkerton specializes in photographing the Aurora Borealis. Her photos are currently on display at the Ely Wolf Center. Visit

for more photos. | HEIDI PINKERTON

Musician’s Home Will Always Be by the Lake

By Casey Fitchett

North Shore musician Hannah Rey comes by her talent honestly, enjoying singing for as long as she can remember. With a singer and a high school band director in her immediate family, Rey spent much of her youth reading music notes.

“I was always in band and choir growing up and I’m very thankful for the five years of piano I had in elementary school,” mused Rey. “I learned my first guitar chords from a VHS by Marcy Marxer in elementary school. My parents were always very supportive of me and still are. That really helped me feel that music was an important thing and that I had something special to share.”

That constant encouragement from her parents throughout her formative years gave Rey the boost she needed to share her talent with a broader audience. At 19 years old she jumped into playing gigs with band mate Ryan Oikari and his uncle, Ron Occhino. The regular appearances quickly progressed to specialty shows like festivals and birthday celebrations for the small group. Rey acknowledges one of the trio’s gigs at the Gunflint Tavern in Grand Marais as the “first time people were really paying attention and listening.”

Soon, Hannah began to pursue her own acoustic shows in Two Harbors and Duluth. Her first solo show at the Landing 61 Sports Bar in Two Harbors started the nine year streak of gigs at bars and restaurants along the shore. Though the exact number is unknown, Rey estimates she has played hundreds of shows.

Covering songs by artists like Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Sam Cooke and Bright Eyes has helped her develop her own sound and become who she is as an artist. The variety of covers— from 60s pop to current tunes—extends to the originals she performs as well. Creating music with a backdrop of Lake Superior has also been instrumental in her creative flow.

“I love living in Duluth. I grew up in the woods towards Two Harbors and have always felt a connection to the lake,” said Rey. “I love having the water basically outside my front door. It’s a wonderful feeling to sit by the lake and write.”

The guitarist and vocalist has also found herself gracing the stage in a cover band called South of Superior since 2012. Crowds frequently dance to the group’s high energy tunes in

Glass artist Dan Neff created this amber “Windswept Trees” piece. His work can be found at Lake Superior Art Glass in Duluth. | DAN NEFF

Sept. 30-Oct. 29

Sarah Link: Rain / Red Room Ceramic Exhibition Definitely Superior, Thunder Bay www.definitelysuperior.com

Riaz Mehmood: Light Poem Multimedia Projection Installation Definitely Superior, Thunder Bay www.definitelysuperior.com

Oct. 3-27

My Mind’s Eye: Portraits Inspired by Shakespeare’s First Folio Duluth Art Institute www.duluthartinstitute.org

Through Oct. 9

Lakehead Visual Arts Display Baggage Building Arts Centre, Thunder Bay www.thunderbay.ca

Hannah Rey’s on the path to recording and potentially touring. No matter how far away she may go to share her music, she doesn’t ever anticipate straying from her roots.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to leave the North Shore permanently,” said Rey. “It’s a huge part of who I am and it holds a huge part of my heart.”

For more info visit www.facebook.com/hannahreygun or follow her on YouTube.

Breana’s Pick OF THE MONTH

Last year, Grand Marais photographer Lesli Higgins and her three kids decided to do a Halloween photo shoot. With full makeup, hair, and costumes, her son General posed as The Huntsman [NEAR LEFT] and Michael Jackson from Thriller. Scarlet dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White [FAR LEFT] Her other daughter Alivia posed as Cinderella and Juliet. When I asked why, Lesli replied, “I just wanted to do something fun with my kids. Normally they won’t even look at me when I have a camera in my hand.”

Oct. 15, Saturday

2016 Inuit Premiere Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais www.sivertson.com Through Oct. 22 Collection from Various Artists Cross River Heritage Center, Schroeder www.crossriverheritage.org

Oct. 28-Nov. 20

Member Show & Sale Exhibition Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Through Oct. 31

Die Active Graffiti Art Tour Thunder Bay www.definitelysuperior.com

Through Nov. 6

Thunder Bay Potters’ Guild 40th Anniversary Juried Exhibition Thunder Bay Art Gallery www.theag.ca

Brent Kusterman: From the Basement Duluth Art Institute www.duluthartinstitute.org

David Everett: Rust & Flow Duluth Art Institute www.duluthartinstitute.org

Adam McCauley: Fragments/ Memory Duluth Art Institute www.duluthartinstitute.org

Through Nov. 13

Plein Air Exhibition Johnson Heritage Post & Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

the winter months at Mr. D’s and The Other Place Bar and Grill in Duluth.

Hannah Rey draws inspiration for her music from her connection to Lake Superior. | SUBMITTED

c to b e r

6th – 9th

13th – 16th

20th – 23rd

27th – 30th

• $15.00 per person

• Tours star t at 7pm nightly

• Reser vation required

• Recommended ages 12 and up

• Visit ww w.fwhp.ca for more details

ORCHESTRA

OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

According to the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women, at least 22 women and 3 men died from domestic violence last year (www.mcbw.org). To help stop this atrocity, the Violence Prevention Center in Grand Marais is encouraging everyone to wear purple on Thursday, Oct. 20, as a show of support for survivors. They will also be holding a Vigil of Hope and Remembrance to honor people affected by domestic violence on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in Harbor Park. Help put a stop to violence by spreading awareness. Visit www.violencepreventioncenter.org for more info.

PUMPKINFEST

Oct. 7, Friday Former Late Show sidekick and band leader Paul Shaffer will be performing a very special “once in a lifetime” concert with the NYC Orchestra at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 7.

For 33 years, Paul Shaffer served as David Letterman’s musical director and sidekick on The Late Show with David Letterman. Since the show’s final episode aired last year on May 20, the band hasn’t had many opportunities to play together and they have no plans to go on tour, presenting a rare and

unique opportunity for concertgoers. Not only will there be music, but Shaffer will also share stories and memories from the show and his past.

Tickets are on sale now and a limited number of VIP tickets are available, providing the opportunity to attend a reception with Paul and the band.

Come celebrate the 30th anniversary celebration of the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium in style with Paul Shaffer and the NYC Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Visit www.tbca.com for more details.

Gammondale Farm in Slate River (near Thunder Bay) will hold the 22nd annual Pumpkinfest, featuring over 20 attractions for families, such as pumpkin train rides and local food. The festival will be open all weekends in Oct., including Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 10. Cost is $10 per person. Also, daring souls can enter the Haunted Cornfield, Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 28-30, from dark until 10 p.m. Cost is $15 per victim. Ages under 18 must be accompanied by an adult 21 years or older. www.gammondalefarm.com

HECK OF THE NORTH

Oct. 1, Saturday This year’s Heck of the North gravel bike races will start and finish just eight miles north of Two Harbors. There will be two course options; a 105-mile course and 55-mile course, both equally challenging. Each course will have its own checkpoint with water and snacks. www.heckofthenorth.com

The Grand Marais VPC will hold a Vigil of Hope and Remembrance on Oct. 13. | SUBMITTED

LAUGHTER FOR PAWS

Oct. 1, Saturday Enjoy a night of comedy at the Laughter for Paws show with comedian David Cornel. The show is a fundraiser for the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society. There will be door prizes, raffles and a silent auction. Event will be held at 6:30 p.m. and again at 9:30 p.m. at the Finlandia Club in Thunder Bay. Tickets are $10. www. thunderbaylaughs.wix.com/comedy

PAUL SHAFFER AND THE NYC

The North Shore Health Care Foundation is hosting the annual Golf Scramble tournament on Sunday, Oct. 2. | SUBMITTED

Oct. 1, Saturday The Grand Marais Art Colony will host its fourth annual Tour d’ Art Beach House Fundraiser at noon on Saturday, Oct. 1. Participants will have the unique opportunity to visit four homes located near Lake Superior. Homeowners will be present to share their stories and answer questions. A private reception at the Johnson Heritage Post will conclude the day, highlighting the Grand Marais Art Colony Plein Air Exhibit. Tickets are limited and can be purchased in advance. www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

FALL ENERGY EXPO

Oct. 1, Saturday Cook County Local Energy Project will be holding a free Fall Energy Expo at the Grand Marais Community Center from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. Discussions include home energy efficiency for the long winter with builder and energy auditor Mike Senty, and exploring solar energy systems for your home or business with Jason Edens from the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance. Guided tours include neighborhood solar-thermal sites, efficient root cellars, and a house and oven powered by the sun. RSVP to localenergy@boreal.org.

NSHCF GOLF SCRAMBLE

Oct. 2, Sunday The North Shore Health Care Foundation will host its 20th annual Golf Scramble Tournament at the Superior National Golf Course in Lutsen.

The tournament will begin at 10 a.m. and includes 18 holes, a golf cart, lunch, a drink ticket, $10 in fun money, contests and prizes, and a reception afterwards. Join a team or put together your own. Registration required. www.northshorehealthcarefoundation.org

CIBC RUN FOR A CURE

Oct. 2, Sunday With over 100,000 participants and over $20 million raised since it began in 1992, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation brings awareness and provides support to those affected by breast cancer. Help fund research and show your support by participating in the Run for a Cure at Fort William Stadium in Thunder Bay. The race will begin at 10 a.m. www. cibcrunforthecure.com

HAUNTED FORT NIGHT

Dare to be scared? Take the Carnival of the Damned Haunted Tour of Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay, featuring a menagerie of wonders collected from the darkest corners of the world; the beautiful, the exotic, and the insane. New this year is the Zombie Paintball Gallery—test your aim at moving zombie targets in a sniper-style paintball experience. Tours start at 7 p.m. and are open Thursday-Sunday in October. The tour is $15 per person and recommended for ages 12 and older. Adult only tours are also available. www.fwhp.ca

This year’s Heck of the North bike race will be held on Oct. 1 near Two Harbors. | JEREMY KERSHAW

ANTLER, BEAR, CANOE! CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

Oct. 8, Saturday Betsy Bowen’s classic book of prose and original woodcuts turns 25 years old this year. Published by Houghton Mifflin in 1991, the book uses cyclical rhythms to teach children the alphabet. In honor of this milestone, the Betsy Bowen Gallery in Grand Marais will hold live music by the Plucked Up String Band from 2-4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8. There will also be s’mores in the backyard, exclusive Antler, Bear, Canoe! prints and images, and other fun events for all ages, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. www.woodcut.com

INUIT PREMIERE

Oct. 15, Saturday Enjoy the annual Inuit Premiere at the Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, featuring exquisite sculptures and carvings by Canadian Inuit and native Alaskan artists. There will also be kattajjak, or Nunavik-style throat-singing performances at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and a fireside chat and poetry reading by Inuit spoken word artist and throat-singer Taqralik Partridge at 6 p.m., followed by the release of the 2016 Cape Dorset annual Print Collection. www.sivertson.com

FAMILY WEEKEND

Oct. 20-23 Bring the whole family to the North House Folk School in Grand Marais during MEA break and celebrate the joy of learning together. Enjoy free interactive craft demos, a contra dance, and student pizza bake, as well as over 12 hands-on courses, such as Felting for Kids, Make Your Own Hotdogs, Basic Leatherworking, Swedish Baking for Families and more. All courses feature an intergenerational tuition rate. Ages vary for each course. www.northhouse.org

MOOSE MADNESS

Oct. 21-23 The annual Moose Madness Festival in Grand Marais, hosted by Visit Cook County, offers all sorts of activities and events for the entire family. Attend Moose-a-Rama with the Muffin Man at Drury Lane Books, earn moose bucks in exchange for prizes, or try your luck with the Moose Medallion Hunt. And be sure to take a selfie with everyone’s favorite moose Murray! See the Moose Madness insert for more events info. www.visitcookcounty.com

ALL OUR OWN JAZZ

Oct. 22, Saturday The North Shore Music Association will host Sky Blue Jazz Ensemble and four guest musicians, performing original jazz/ classical fusion pieces composed by ensemble director Mike DeBevec. Guest artists include Philis Anderson on oboe, Barb Lavigne on flute, Kathy Bolstad on clarinet, and Max Bichel on violin. The performance will be held at the Grand Marais Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and free for youth, and can be purchased at the door. www.northshoremusicassociation.com

GRAND MARAIS ART COLONY MEMBER SHOW & SALE

Oct. 28, Friday The annual Grand Marais Art Colony Member Show and Sale lets artists share their inspiration with each other and the public. This year’s theme is Ode to the Ordinary, which honors the beauty, humor, resilience, and steadfastness of the everyday. Don’t miss this chance to view and purchase one-of-a-kind artwork. The member meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. and the reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. at the Art Colony. Artists must submit their artwork by Monday, Oct. 24. The exhibit will be held from until Sunday, Nov. 20. www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Loggin’ Food at its Finest

Lakeside Dining [ Full Bar

Breakfast 8-11 am

Loggers Lounge: Starting Oct. 1

Mon-Thurs 3-9 p.m., Fri-Sun Noon-9 pm

Available for banquets & weddings

through Fifth grade.

The Saplings Program

for children ages 3-5, from 7:00am to 5:00 pm, Mon.-Fri. at Birch Grove Community School Lead Teacher: Sheryl Martinson

This year’s Grand Marais Art Colony’s Tour d’ Art fundraiser will be held on Oct. 1. | SUBMITTED

CARAVAN DU NORD

Oct. 28, Friday The 6th annual Caravan du Nord will return to Ely for a special day of artist workshops, a music industry social hour, and an evening concert, featuring Germaine Gemberling and Rich Mattson, Martin Zellar, and Christopher David Hanson. The event will begin with free workshops at 3 p.m. on Working with a Band and Songwriting. Event will be held at the Amici’s Event Center. www.mnmusiccoalition.org

THE HUNGER 11

Oct. 29, Saturday Definitely Superior Art Gallery will hold the 11th annual Hunger 11 Halloween Cabaret, featuring 52 performance acts and taking place at seven bar venues downtown Thunder Bay; Crock’s, Black Pirates Pub, The Foundry, The Sovereign Room, Gargoyle’s, Red Lion Smokehouse and *HELL. There will be prizes for best costume at each location and prizes in the streets. Party goes from 8 p.m.-2 a.m. and a cover charge of $15 will get you into all venues. Must be 19 years or older to attend. www.definitelysuperior.com

COOK COUNTY COMMUNITY CONNECT

Oct. 29, Saturday The Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) is bringing together a wide range of local service providers to offer information about community services available to assist folks who are struggling. Services represented include those related to housing issues, county financial and food assistance, emergency assistance, energy assistance, health and medical assistance, churches, schools, clubs, and more. There will be free giveaways, snacks and door prizes. Event will take place at the Grand Marais high school from 1-4 p.m. All are welcome.

OPEN BONSPIEL

Oct. 29-30 The Cook County Curling Club will be holding the 6th annual Halloween Open Bonspiel at the Grand Marais Community Center, Oct. 29-30. The entry fee is $160 per team and will include lunch and dinner on Saturday, and cash prizes. www.cookcountycurlingclub.com

Xmas

The Sky Blue Jazz Ensemble will perform at the Grand Marais Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Oct. 22. | SUBMITTED

HALLOWEEN WEEKEND

Oct. 28-31

Halloween festivities can be found at numerous locations throughout the weekend.

The William A. Irvin Haunted Ship Tours in Duluth will be held Thursday-Saturday throughout the month of October, and on Halloween Monday.

The Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth will hold Boo at the Zoo on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22.

Bluefin Bay in Tofte will hold Halloween weekend festivities, including food and drink specials, live music on Friday, and trick-or-treating on Saturday.

Four Seasons Supper Club in Finland will be holding a Halloween Party on Oct. 28, featuring upbeat entertainment with Tara Nelson from 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

The Fairlawn Mansion in Superior will have Halloween Flashlight Tours Oct. 28-30.

Prevention CenterO ce: (218) 387-1262 • 24 hour Crisis Line: (218) 387-1237 email: hope4u@boreal.org • www.violencepreventioncenter.org

The Thunder Bay and District Humane Society will hold a Howl ‘O Ween Party at 8 p.m. on Oct. 29, at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition.

The Birch Grove Community School in Tofte will hold the annual Halloween Carnival from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30. There will be bingo, kid’s games, prizes, a cake walk, fabulous foods, and cookie decorating. Wear a costume and bring the whole family.

A Halloween celebration will also be held at AmericInn Lodge & Suites in Silver Bay with trick-or-treating from 4-6 p.m. on Oct. 31, and prizes for best costumes and best decorated doors.

See the Northern Wilds calendar for more events info. Happy Halloween!

Mon.-Fri. 9-5 218-387-9475 print@northernwilds.com

Full color indoor or outdoor custom banners. For events, trade shows, parties and sales. 1708 West Hwy. 61, Grand Marais, MN

There’s something to entertain everyone Halloween weekend. | BREANA ROY

OCTOBER Northern Wilds Calendar of Events

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Sept. 17-Oct. 30

Corn Maze & Activities Engwall’s Corn Maze & Agri-tainment Center, Hermantown www.engwalls.com/ corn-maze.html

Sept. 22-Oct. 2

It Runs in the Family 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. Sunday) Duluth Playhouse www.duluthplayhouse.org

Sept. 23-Oct. 2

Crossing Borders Studio Tour

10 a.m. North Shore www. crossingbordersstudiotour.com

Sept. 30-Oct. 1

Agate Bay Homemade Crafters Sale Little Red Schoolhouse, Larsmont www.larsmont.org

Gypsy Lumberjacks 9 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Sept. 30-Oct. 2

Giant Digital Photography Workshop: Fall Colours Weekend Workshop Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario www.superiorvisits.com Ontario Culture Days on.culturedays.ca

Oct. 1, Saturday

Heck of the North Bike Race Two Harbors www.heckofthenorth.com

Do you Raku? We Do! Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais www.sivertson.com

Fall One Stop Shop & Flea Market 8 a.m. Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www.cle.on.ca

Cook County Farm & Craft Market

9 a.m. Senior Center Parking Lot, Grand Marais www.facebook.com/ ccfarmandcraft

Kakabeka Farmers Market 10 a.m. Kakabeka Falls Legion www.kakabekafarmersmarket.ca

Fall Energy Expo 10 a.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais localenergy@boreal.org

Tour d’ Art Home Tour Fundraiser Noon, Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Bronze Pour Demo 4 p.m. Last Chance Gallery, Lutsen www.lastchancefab.com

Writer’s Salon with Paul Gilk: Get Poor Now, Avoid the Rush 5 p.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais www.drurylanebooks.com

Laughter for Paws Fundraiser Finlandia Club, Thunder Bay www.thunderbaylaughs.wixsite. com/comedy

Michael Monroe 7 p.m. Log Cabin, Grand Marais www.michaelmonroemusic.com

Gypsy Lumberjacks 9 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Oct. 1-2

Book Arts Weekend Grand Marais Art Colony www. grandmaraisartcolony.org

Oct. 1-31

Haunted Fort Night (Thurs.-Sun.) Fort William, Thunder Bay www.fwhp.ca

Oct. 2, Sunday

Golf Scramble 10 a.m. Superior National, Lutsen www.northshore healthcarefoundation.org

CIBC Run for a Cure 10 a.m. Fort William Stadium, Thunder Bay www.cibcrunforthecure.com

Small Business Showcase Noon, Intercity Mall, Thunder Bay www. thunderbaycedc.ca/showcase

Splash ‘N Boots! 1 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium www.tbca.com

Oct. 3, Monday

Songwriter Series 8:30 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen www.lutsen.com

Oct. 5, Wednesday

Duluth Senior Expo 9 a.m. Duluth DECC www.seniorexpoduluth.com

Ziggy Marley 8 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium www.tbca.com

Oct. 6, Thursday

Free: Minnesota Ballet

Performance 1 p.m. William Kelley Auditorium, Silver Bay www.minnesotaballet.org

Rich & Germaine 7:30 p.m.

Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Curator Talk 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Art Gallery www.theag.ca

Oct. 6-8

Duluth Haunted Ship 6:30 p.m. (4 p.m. Saturday) William A. Irvin www.duluthhauntedship.com

Oct. 6-9

Mentor Residency Workshop with Elizabeth Erickson Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Oct. 7, Friday

First Fridays 5 p.m. Participating Businesses, Grand Marais www.visitcookcounty.com

Minnesota Ballet’s Black & White Ball The Depot, Duluth www.minnesotaballet.org

Paul Shaffer with the NYC Orchestra 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium www.tbca.com

Oct. 7-8

Black River Revue 8:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Oct. 8, Saturday

Essentia Health Harvest Run

8 a.m. Fitger’s, Duluth www.dccharvestrun.com

Cook County Farm & Craft Market

9 a.m. Senior Center Parking Lot, Grand Marais www.facebook.com/ ccfarmandcraft

Taking & Making Great Fall

Photographs 9 a.m.

Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder www.sugarloafnorthshore.org

Kakabeka Farmers Market

10 a.m. Kakabeka Falls Legion www.kakabekafarmersmarket.ca

Nice Girls of the North Marketplace 10 a.m.

Lakeside Lester Park, Duluth www.nicegirlsofthenorth.com

Guest Speaker 10 a.m.

Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder www.sugarloafnorthshore.org

Celebrate 25 Years with Antler, Bear, Canoe! 11 a.m. Betsy Bowen Gallery, Grand Marais www.woodcut.com

The Music of Patsy Cline featuring Cassie & The Bobs 7 p.m. William Kelley Auditorium, Silver Bay www. northernlakecountyartsboard.com

Oct. 9, Sunday

Leif Erikson Day

Oct. 9-15

Fire Prevention Week www.firepreventionweek.org

Oct. 10, Monday

Indigenous People’s Day & Columbus Day

Canada

Thanksgiving Day

Oct. 11, Tuesday

Ruby’s Pantry 5 p.m. Cook County High School, Grand Marais www. facebook.com/rubyspantrycc

Pavlo & Friends 8 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium www.tbca.com

Oct. 11-22

Northern Delights Participating Restaurants, Thunder Bay

Oct. 13, Thursday

Free Self-guided Tour 6 p.m. Glensheen Mansion, Duluth www.glensheen.org

Vigil of Hope & Remembrance 6:30 p.m. Harbor Park, Grand Marais www.violencepreventioncenter.org

Relationships Matter: Connection is the Key 7 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium www.tbca.com

Jon Miller 7 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Oct. 13-15

Duluth Haunted Ship 6:30 p.m. (4 p.m. Saturday) William A. Irvin www.duluthhauntedship.com

Oct. 14-15

Gin Strings 8 p.m.

Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Oct. 14-16

Wellness Expo Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www.wellnessexpo.com Trade Show Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www.cle.on.ca

Oct. 15, Saturday

2016 Inuit Premiere Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais www.sivertson.com

Boo at the Zoo 10 a.m. Lake Superior Zoo, Duluth www.lszooduluth.org

Full Moon Reading with Tom McCann & Nancy Haarmeyer

5 p.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais www.drurylanebooks.com

DSSO: Pops: Time for Three 7 p.m. Duluth DECC www.dsso.com

Oct. 15-16

Make-a-Bowl for Empty Bowls Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Oct. 16, Sunday

Empty Bowls 5 p.m. Moose Hall, Thunder Bay www. emptybowlsthunderbay.com

Lovesick & Lonesome 8 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Oct. 16-18

Fall Art Weekend Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Oct. 17, Monday

Listening Session on Women’s Economic Issues 6 p.m.

Community Center Log Cabin, Grand Marais www.oesw.leg.mn

Oct. 18, Tuesday

Blood Drive 9 a.m. Vermilion Community College, Ely www.mbc.org

Toopy & Binoo 6:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium www.tbca.com

Extraordinary Native Vote 6:30 p.m. American Indian Center, Duluth www.onerivermn.com

Take It With You: Live Radio Theatre 7:30 p.m. The Underground, Duluth www.duluthplayhouse.org

Oct. 19, Wednesday

Two Harbors Area Chamber Membership Luncheon Noon, Grand Superior Lodge, Two Harbors rachel@ twoharborschamber.com

Oct. 19-22

Duluth Haunted Ship 6:30 p.m. (4 p.m. Saturday) William A. Irvin www.duluthhauntedship.com

Oct. 20, Thursday

Wear Purple Day: Domestic Violence Awareness www.violencepreventioncenter.org

Campus Open House 10 a.m. Vermilion Community College, Ely www.vcc.edu

Two Bit Auction 6 p.m. Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www.cle.on.ca

Oct. 20-23

Family Weekend North House Folk School, Grand Marais www.northhouse.org

Oct. 20-30

School of Rock: Youth Production Duluth Playhouse www.duluthplayhouse.org

Oct. 20-31

The Rocky Horror Picture Show & Hedwig and the Angry Inch The Underground, Duluth www.duluthplayhouse.org

Oct. 21, Friday

Free: Watercolor Resist Painting 10 a.m. Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Youth Food Frenzy 2 p.m. Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www.cle.on.ca

2016 Diabetes Expo 6 p.m. Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www.cle.on.ca

DAI Fundraiser 6:30 p.m. Duluth Timber www.duluthartinstitute.org

Oct. 21-22

Haunted Cornfield Gammondale Farm, Slate River, Ontario www.gammondalefarm.com

Oct. 21-23

Moose Madness Cook County www.visitcookcounty.com

Sawtooth Mountain Challenge Grand Marais www.superiorcycling.org

Fall Into Art Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Minnesota Ballet presents Dracula 7 p.m. (3 p.m. Sunday) Duluth DECC www.minnesotaballet.org

Oct. 22, Saturday

Wolf Photography Session 7 a.m. International Wolf Center, Ely www.wolf.org

Boo at the Zoo 10 a.m. Lake Superior Zoo, Duluth www.lszooduluth.org

Moose-a-Rama with the Muffin Man 11 a.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais www.drurylanebooks.com

Fur Ball Gala 5 p.m. Northland Country Club, Duluth www.animalallies.net

Michael Monroe 7 p.m. Log Cabin, Grand Marais www.michaelmonroemusic.com

All Our Own Jazz: Sky Blue Ensemble & Guests 7:30 p.m. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Grand Marais www. northshoremusicassociation.com

Oct. 22-23

ThunderCon Valhalla Inn, Thunder Bay www.thundercon.org

Oct. 23, Sunday

Halestorm with Lita Ford & Dorothy 7:30 p.m. Duluth DECC www.decc.org

Oct. 26-29

Duluth Haunted Ship 6:30 p.m. (4 p.m. Saturday) William A. Irvin www.duluthhauntedship.com

Oct. 27, Thursday

Rich & Germaine 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Oct. 28, Friday

Caravan du Nord

Amici’s Event Center, Ely www.mnmusiccoalition.org

Member Show & Sale Reception

5 p.m. Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Webinar: Celebrating 6 Months of Age 5 p.m. International Wolf Center, Ely www.wolf.org

Halloween Party with Tara Nelson 8:30 p.m. Four Seasons Supper Club, Finland (218) 3537371

Oct. 28-29

Pistol Whippin Party Penguins

9 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Oct. 28-30

Fairlawn Mansion Halloween

Flashlight Tours 7 p.m. Victorian House Museum, Superior, Wisc. www.superiorpublicmuseums.org

Haunted Cornfield Gammondale Farm, Slate River, Ontario www.gammondalefarm.com

Oct. 28-Nov. 20

Annual Member Show & Sale Exhibition

Grand Marais Art Colony www.grandmaraisartcolony.org

Oct. 29, Saturday

Community Connect 1 p.m. Cook County High School, Grand Marais Movie Night on the Waterfront Halloween Special: Beetlejuice

7:30 p.m. Prince Arthurs Landing, Thunder Bay www.thunderbay.ca

Def Sup Hunger 11 8 p.m. Thunder Bay www.definitelysuperior.com

Thunder Bay & District Humane Society Howl ‘O Ween Party 8 p.m. Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www.tbdhs.ca

Oct. 29-30

Cook County Curling Club Halloween Open Bonspiel Grand Marais Community Center www.cookcountycurlingclub.com

Oct. 30, Sunday

Halloween Carnival 2 p.m. Birch Grove Community School, Tofte Field of Screams Engwall’s Corn Maze & Agri-tainment Center, Hermantown www.engwalls.com/ corn-maze.html

Oct. 31, Monday

Halloween

Halloween Celebration 4 p.m. AmericInn Lodge & Suites, Silver Bay www.americinn.com

Duluth Haunted Ship 4 p.m. William A. Irvin www.duluthhauntedship.com

Oct. 31-Nov. 1

Dirty Dancing 8 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium www.tbca.com

Oct. 31-Nov. 12

Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar Magnus Theatre, Thunder Bay www.magnus.on.ca

Nov. 4-5

Fall Food & Wine Lover’s Weekend Bluefin Grille, Tofte www.bluefinbay.com

Mondays

Nature Nook 10 a.m. Hartley Nature Center, Duluth www.hartleynature.org

Open Mic 6 p.m. Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974

Live Music 8 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte www.bluefinbay.com

Tuesdays

UMD Market Day Noon, UMD Campus www.umdmarketday.com

Farmers Market & Artists Market

5 p.m. Whiteside Park, Ely www.ely.org

Live Music 6 p.m. Poplar River Pub, Lutsen www.lutsenresort.com

Wednesdays

Country Market

3:30 p.m. Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www. thunderbaycountrymarket.com

Open Mic 5 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais www.gunflinttavern.com

Timmy Haus 5 p.m. Moguls at Caribou Highlands, Lutsen www.caribouhighlands.com

Whiskey Wednesdays 6 p.m. Glensheen Mansion, Duluth www.glensheen.org

Spotlight North: Live Music

8 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen www.lutsen.com

Live Music 8 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte www.bluefinbay.com

Events

Thursdays

Live Craft Demos 10 a.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais www.northhouse.org

Local Food Market 4 p.m.

Grand Marais Community Center

Finland Farmer’s Market

5 p.m. Clair Nelson Center, Finland www.facebook.com/ finlandfarmersmarket

Live Music 6 p.m. Poplar River Pub, Lutsen www.lutsenresort.com

Music by the Fire

6:30 p.m. Lutsen Resort www.lutsenresort.com

Fridays

Live Craft Demos 10 a.m.

North House Folk School, Grand Marais www.northhouse.org

Pumpkinfest 11 a.m. Gammondale Farm, Slate River, Ontario www.gammondalefarm.com

Live Music 4 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais www.voyageurbrewing.com

Live Music 8 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte www.bluefinbay.com

Live Music 9:30 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen www.lutsen.com

Saturdays

Bird Banding Demos 7 a.m. Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder www.sugarloafnorthshore.org

Country Market 8 a.m. Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, Thunder Bay www.thunderbaycountrymarket. com

Birch Grove School

Two Harbors Farmers Market

9 a.m. Thomas Owens Park, Two Harbors

Live Craft Demos 10 a.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais www.northhouse.org

Pumpkinfest 11 a.m. Gammondale Farm, Slate River, Ontario www.gammondalefarm.com

Live Music 4 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais www.voyageurbrewing.com

Live Music 7 p.m.

Cascade Lodge & Pub, Lutsen www.cascademn.com

Music in the Lobby 7 p.m. Lutsen Resort www.lutsenresort.com

What’s for Dinner? 7 p.m.

International Wolf Center, Ely www.ely.org

Howling Safari 8:30 p.m. International Wolf Center, Ely www.ely.org

Live Music (through Oct. 22) 9:30 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen www.lutsen.com

Sundays

Live Craft Demos 10 a.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais www.northhouse.org

Pumpkinfest 11 a.m. Gammondale Farm, Slate River, Ontario www.gammondalefarm.com

AmericInn Lodge and Suites of Silver Bay

i AmericInn of Silver Bay Halloween Celebration i Trick or Treat 4 pm to 6 pm i Prizes for Best Costumes and Best Decorated Doors i Business who would like to sponsor a door and hand out treats, please contact the hotel. No fee for sponsoring a door.

www.americinn.com

The North Shore Dish

Enjoying the Fall Colors and Local Dining

By Maren Webb

Autumn is a beautiful time on the North Shore, with the star attraction being the fall colors. The leaves of the maple, birch, and aspen start their annual show each September, reaching full peak with a vibrant mix of reds, yellows, and oranges, often by early October. The seasonal colors can be enjoyed from a variety of modes, from a leisurely drive, a gondola ride, on a hike, or even from a treetop zipline canopy tour. Any outing wouldn’t be complete without a stop for a meal, so I’ve paired some of the favorite leaf peeping opportunities with restaurants to try. This fall, satisfy your desire for a gorgeous view and a delicious meal in one outing.

From the Sawbill Trail outside of Tofte, the 600 Road starts its meander through the forest that may be some of the best leaf viewing on the North Shore. Also known as Forest Road 166, the road goes through the highly colorful maple forest with the canopy overhanging the road in many spots. In 2015, the bridge over the Temperance River at the start of the 600 Road was replaced with a new bridge, constructed of timber components fabricated in Minnesota. Along the route you will come across Heartbreak Ridge, named for being a steep ridge that broke loggers’ hearts during the days of horse logging, as the horses could not haul up or down the rise in the winter. Don’t forget to stop the see the plaque about its history. Do be aware that the 600 Road is a gravel road that can be in varied condition, so plan for a leisurely, slow drive to enjoy the colors and save your vehicle’s undercarriage.

While Tofte has several tasty eateries including the Coho Café and Bluefin Grille, a fun destination for this fall colors drive is the Trestle Inn. Just across the county border in Lake County, the Trestle has been long known as a local restaurant destination year-round. To find your way to the Trestle, continue on the 600 Road until it ends at Lake County Road 7. Take a right onto 7 and drive less than two miles to get to the Trestle. You’ll see it on your left, with its hard-to-miss look. Built out of an abandoned railroad trestle bridge last used in the 1920s, the Trestle Inn was constructed with the long Douglas Fir timbers from the bridge, each weighing 1,950 pounds, and opened in 1985.

This restaurant is known for its burgers like the Trainwreck, which has a beef patty and bratwurst patty with bacon and cheese. Or get a “Trainwreck with Casual -

[LEFT] Antipasto Platter with marinated feta and artichokes, sun-dried tomato deviled eggs, and Kalamata olives at Gunflint Lodge. | SUBMITTED [CENTER] New romantic tables in dining room at Gunflint Lodge. | SUBMITTED [RIGHT] Baking bread with Shev at Gunflint Lodge. | SUBMITTED

ties” and the cook will surprise you with an additional unusual topping or two on this burger—from fried egg rolls to hash browns and eggs. Being a restaurant and saloon, the Trestle also has a full bar with some local beer options on tap. Recently, Castle Danger’s Cream Ale was featured. Bring cash or use their ATM for a cash withdrawal, as they do not take cards.

After your meal, there are several options for your return trip. If you enjoyed the 600 Road, return to take one more look on your way home. Or, take one of two other alternate routes back, either the

600 Road to the Temperance River Road to Highway 61 by Temperance River State Park, or follow Lake County 7 back down farther to Lake County 8, which turns into Cook County 1/Cramer Road and takes you back to Highway 61 in Schroeder.

If you are looking for a different kind of adventure for your fall colors viewing, look no farther than the end of the Gunflint Trail. Forty-five miles from Grand Marais on the south shores of Gunflint Lake sits the Gunflint Lodge and its Towering Pines Canopy Tour. The lodge was started in 1925 and over time has become a

destination for visitors and residents alike. In 2012, the Towering Pines Canopy Tour was added to the resort. This 2+ hour naturalist adventure trip brings participants through the canopies of huge old growth white pine trees with a series of eight zip lines. The tour is led by two sky guides and provides stunning views of the nearby lakes and forest behind the lodge. In the fall, the colors add to this beautiful and fun tour. Reservations are recommended for the $89/person tour (218-388-2296). Participants must be 10 years old or older and weigh between 75 to 240 pounds.

The 600 Road starts on the Sawbill Trail near Tofte and offers beautiful colors in the fall. | MAREN WEBB

After your tour, stop into the lodge and check out its dining options, with the Red Paddle Bistro and Justine’s Fine Dining offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The great views continue in the restaurant as it overlooks scenic Gunflint Lake. In the

and a pasta/vegetarian meal. All day long the Red Paddle Bistro offers casual fare, from blueberry buttermilk pancakes in the morning to walleye chowder and sandwiches the rest of the day. Wine, beer, and cocktails are also available, including several Minnesota specialties.

Interested in heading to Ely this autumn? Highway 1 offers another great opportunity for leaf viewing each fall. Traveling through the Superior National Forest, the drive offers beautiful conifers, fir, and spruce, with sections of maples, birch, and aspen mixed in. Late in the season, you can see some tamarack as they turn a yellow-golden color that pops in the forest once all the leaves have fallen and only the evergreens remain.

Once in Ely, check out Insula Restaurant at the corner of Sheridan Street and Second Avenue East. Opened in 2015 by executive chef Daniel Vollom and Sarah Wigdahl-Vollom, Insula is located in the spot vacated by the former Vertin’s restaurant.

The restaurant is named Insula for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness lake, where co-owner Daniel went on his first canoe trip. Calling itself fusion American dining, Insula is open Sunday-Saturday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (no dinner service on Sundays). At breakfast, enjoy

a different take on an eggs benedict with the New England-style crab cake bene or a breakfast burger, complete with grass-fed beef, bacon, egg, cheddar, and hollandaise. Sandwiches, burgers, and salads are also available for lunch. Look for some of the unique options like a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, with house-made pickled carrots. For dinner, entrees like braised short ribs, braised with Minnesota beer Surly Bender, will satisfy the meat-eater and a cassoulet is perfect for the vegetarians, made with vegetables, potato, mock duck, and tempeh. Cocktails, wine, and beer, including many local Minnesota favorites, are available. Reservations are appreciated but not required (218) 365-4855.

No matter where you enjoy the fall colors this autumn in the Northern Wilds, be sure to stop in and try a new restaurant or a new menu item at one of your favorite spots. Your eyes and your stomach will delight in these fall treats.

The Trestle Inn makes a great fall color day-trip destination. | MAREN WEBB

Insula Restaurant in Ely calls itself

Restaurant Awards

Last February, voting for the 2016 Reader’s Choice Restaurant Awards began, featuring 26 different categories, from Best Coffee to Best View. The winners were picked by our readers and the results were announced in June. Here are a few of the winning restaurants, proudly displaying their awards. We’ll feature the other winners in upcoming issues.

Gunflint Mercantile – Best Sweets

Chelsea Lueck, owner of the Gunflint Mercantile in Grand Marais, serves up all kinds of goodies, earning the Best Sweets award. Well known for fudge, the Mercantile also sells soup and cookie mixes, wild rice blends, homemade syrups and jams, gourmet coffee, candy and locally made gifts. Fudge flavors include everything from traditional dark chocolate or caramel pecan, to red velvet, maple bacon and cake batter. The Mercantile also sells fudge kabobs, truffles, chocolate-dipped Oreos, peanut butter cups, and more. Visit www.gunflintmercantile.com for more info.

Voyageur Brewing – Best Regional Craft Beer

Voyageur Brewing Company, located in Grand Marais, brews a variety of craft beer, making it this year’s Best Regional Craft Beer winner. Their flagship beers include Devil’s Kettle India Pale Ale, Trailbreaker Belgian Wheat, Palisade Porter, and Boundary Waters Brunette Brown Ale. At the taproom, they offer seasonal beers, appetizers and tours of the brewery. Their beers can be found at various locations throughout the Northern Wilds, and in the Twin Cities region. Visit www.voyageurbrewing.com for more info.

My Sister’s Place – Best Burger

This year’s restaurant award for Best Burger belongs to My Sister’s Place in Grand Marais. You’ll find burgers such as the Anna Banana; topped with grilled banana peppers and melted mozzarella cheese, and the God Father; homemade pesto, provolone and roasted red pepper, and of course, the famous Goober Burger; made with peanut butter and mayo. Other signature burgers include the Juicy Lucy, Blue Pig, Smoky Gouda and the Twin Sister. For more info, visit www.mysistersplacerestaurant.com.

Thirsty Pagan Brewing: Velo Saison

By Eric Chandler

We were hungry after mountain biking, so I suggested pizza to the family. My kids chanted, “Thirsty Pagan! Thirsty Pagan!” like they were at a concert. Twist my arm, I thought. We’ll get great pizza, but more important, I get to have great beer.

I ordered a Velo Saison (from the French for “bike season”). It was a hazy, gold color, with a thin, lacy head. It had a sweet and spicy aroma and finished smooth. I spoke with Allyson Rolph, head brewer at Thirsty Pagan Brewing, about this Belgian-style farmhouse ale.

“It’s made with a local Duluth yeast,” Rolph said. “Our neighbors had a plum tree. Some plums were fermenting on the ground. We gathered some in a bag, cut them up, and put them in a growler.”

The yeast colony she isolated is what they use in Velo Saison and Troublemaker Tripel (another great brew I don’t have time to praise). The fruity esters you sense come from yeast right here in the Twin Ports. You can’t drink more local than that.

Rolph described how they pitch the yeast (mixing yeast with wort) and carry the strain of yeast forward. She mentioned that if the character of the yeast were to “drift,” they have a backup plan. A microbiology professor at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point preserves a batch of this yeast, just in case. (I like to imagine the yeast protected in a secure underground bunker.) Drive over the bridge to Superior, Wisconsin and enjoy a Velo Saison. At the Thirsty Pagan, bike season lasts all year.

Grand Marais

Coworking Space

Facility in downtown Grand Marais offers: 24/7 access, high-speed wifi, and amenities. Rates start at $5/hr!

The Teal Pumpkin Project

Give your creative side a vacation! Bring the tools of your craft. You will be able to set up for the entire weekend and work non-stop if you desire. Demonstrators will be on-site featuring different techniques and tools, and they will be available for help. Call for package information, or email: info@naniboujou.com Closed for the Summer Season after Brunch on Sun., Oct. 23rd. Currently taking reservations for our winter season!

By Breana Roy

Halloween is all about being scared while having fun. Unfortunately, when it comes to trick-or-treating and living with food allergies, Halloween can become a nightmare.

According to the Food Allergy Research and Education Network (FARE), one in every 13 children has a food allergy, which can make Halloween challenging when it comes to trick-or-treating. Common allergens include milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. For some kids, even a tiny amount of an allergen has the potential to cause a severe reaction. However, by providing non-candy options to trick-or-treaters, you can help.

For neary 20 years, teal has been the color of food allergy awareness, so in 2014, FARE launched the Teal Pumpkin Project to help raise awareness of food allergies and promote safety and inclusion of all trick-or-treaters. The project encourages households to place a teal pumpkin on

their front porch, letting trick-or-treaters know that they offer non-candy options. Or, if you don’t have time to paint a pumpkin, FARE offers free, printable sings to hang in your window.

Catering to those with allergies doesn’t mean you have to exclude candy. This simply allows children different options, ensuring that everyone has a fun and safe evening. However, keep in mind that some non-food items may still contain food allergens, such as some brands of moldable clay, which may contain wheat. And try to choose latex-free items too, as many children are allergic to latex. Great, inexpensive options include glow bracelets, stickers, pencils, etc.

Help make a difference this Halloween; place a teal pumpkin on your doorstep and offer an alternative for kids with food allergies. To download free FARE posters, or to learn more information, visit www. foodallergy.org

Sunny D

By Kim Falter

We buy that bottle of vitamin D, guessing at the potency, simply because we are told to do. But why? We know it has something to do with the lack of sun, but do we really understand why we need this vitamin, or what it does to promote health?

Vitamin D has been shown to help with thyroid issues, psoriasis, muscle weakness and kidney problems. But its primary role is to regulate calcium and phosphorous, in order to build healthy bones. Part of this job of regulating calcium is to aid in absorption and maintain healthy calcium, phosphorus and other mineral levels in our blood. We are often told we need calcium for strong bones, but if our levels of vitamin D are low, we will not absorb calcium in a way that supports this. Rickets, a severe form of vitamin D deficiency, results in the softening of bones. This lack of vitamin D in the blood causes calcium and phosphorous to leach from the bones to maintain the amounts needed to sustain life. This is why vitamin D is so important: if we don’t have the right blood levels, we cannot build strong bones.

Vitamin D is actually made in our skin when we are exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Egg yolks, butter, oily fish, and

especially cod liver oil, also contain vitamin D, but food has never been our primary source. So how do you know if you are low in vitamin D? Until recently, research on vitamin D deficiency has been primarily in its relation to rickets prevention. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means we store it, there is also a concern for its potential toxicity.

Recent studies revealed an increasing problem of low levels of this vitamin in our population. No one has been able to narrow in on the culprit, as there are many factors that could contribute to this problem. Skin type plays a part, as those with darker skin do not absorb D as well as those with lighter skin. Location is a factor, as it has been noted that if you live above the 37th parallel (that would be us northerners) the sun does not rise high enough in the sky to provide adequate levels between the months of November through March. Exposure to the mid-day sun for 15 minutes, 3 times a week, should provide adequate levels, yet our increasing amount of time spent indoors could be playing a role in this as well. The reality is that we are all very different as to how long we store vitamin D or how well we absorb it from our food or supplementation. The only way to truly know is to have a physician test your vita -

min D levels. However, this will only give a small snapshot in time, as the body is in constant flux.

To maintain healthy vitamin D levels in the dead of winter we must not ignore the benefits of a healthy diet. Eat plenty of fish (also an excellent source of Omega-3’s) and eggs. Consider a few plant sources, such as mushrooms or dark, leafy greens.

Supplementation is an option, too. Vitamin D supplements are readily available and are typically taken in a soft gel pill form. Look for vitamin D3 as this is the natural form your body produces and utilizes from the sun. Potencies range from 400IU (the recommended daily allowance is 600IU) to 10,000IU. Cod liver oil is another excellent supplement as this source

contains some of the highest levels of naturally occurring vitamin D.

To further understand vitamin D’s role in our lives, it helps to look to cultures that have survived climates colder and darker than ours, such as the natives of the Arctic. They ate a wide variety of sea and land mammals. Caribou, seal, whale, walrus, geese, ducks and fish. Vegetables and fruit including wild greens, seaweeds, and berries were eaten fresh and collected and preserved for the winter. It takes 25,000 years for a genetic adaptation to appear in the human population. With the amount of time spent indoors on the rise, maybe someday we will adapt a need for less vitamin D, or we will be able to acquire more from our food.

Northern Trails Northwestern Ontario has a Problem with its Moose

By Gord Ellis

Northwestern Ontario has a problem with its moose. There are fewer of them all the time, and the decline is noticeable to hunters and non-hunters alike. Not all parts of the northwest are seeing the decline. In fact, moose in some of the more northern Wildlife Management Units are hanging in there. Yet, in the southern and western portions of the northwest region, moose are in trouble.

It wasn’t always this way.

As a young man growing up in Thunder Bay, moose were a common sight whenever you travelled the highways and back roads around the region. In the 1970s, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, on the Sibley Peninsula, was packed with moose. Our family used to travel to Joe Boy Lake in the park and watch the moose feed. I can remember counting 14 moose at once one summer day, and being amazed as giant bulls dove under the water and came up with lily pads dangling off the antlers. However, by the mid-1980s, the moose herd in that park was on the wane, and the whitetail deer herd was growing by leaps and bounds. By the mid-1990s, moose were all but gone from Sleeping Giant Park. Perhaps it was a foreshadow of what was to come for the rest of the northwest.

Yet, it took a while for the moose decline to become obvious. It first struck me during an aerial moose count done with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF) several years ago. I’ve been an observer on a few of these flights over the years, and was always struck by the number of moose there were, particularly rather close to Thunder Bay. Yet on this flight, it was quite a bit different. We flew some area around Whitefish Lake, northwest of the city, and saw a few moose and tracks, but less than there should have been. But on one section of the flight, the grim reality of what was happening to the moose population could be seen. This particular section, located near Dog Lake, had been considered good moose habitat by OMNRF with a decent moose herd. On this flight though, there were no moose, no tracks, nothing. There were deer though. A Lot of them. I think the count was 57 deer. It was a very sobering moment.

So what happened to our moose? It’s the million dollar question. I’ve interviewed several biologists in Ontario (as well as in Minnesota and Manitoba) about the moose decline, and their basic theories seem to be much the same. Certainly the spread of

whitetail deer has played a role. The deer carry brain worm, a parasite that is deadly to moose. As the bush has changed—and the climate—deer have spread into moose country. Winter ticks seem to have played some role as well. The ticks make moose lose their hair in winter and hypothermia follows. Wolves, bears and other predators? Sure, all these critters eat moose, and bear numbers have really increased in the past decade in the northwest. So what else? Well, hunting of moose—in all its variations—has played some role, for sure. Increased access to the bush via all-terrain vehicles, improved GPS and radio technology, and party hunting rules all make harvesting a moose easier. And let’s face it, our friend the moose has not changed much since when our ancestors were chasing them on foot with bow and spear. On the flip side, we humans have changed quite a lot.

The OMNRF has been doing what it can to try and tackle the decline of moose. Some people feel it’s too little too late, but I prefer to be an optimist. There have been some drastic moose tag cuts the past couple of years, including in my home unit of 13 around Thunder Bay. This has not only helped to ensure a lower harvest of moose, but also changes hunter expectations about both moose hunting and tags. There are other things going on that may not be so obvious, but the bottom line is this; no one

in the ministry, or anywhere else, wants to see moose disappear.

I like to be hopeful the situation with moose can turn around. This summer, I checked my trail camera on a property I hunt near Thunder Bay. As I scrolled through the shots, the image of a mature

bull moose appeared. It was in velvet and looked healthy. It was also my first moose sighting on that property in at least two years. Hopefully he finds a girlfriend this fall and help rebuild the herd.

Northwestern Ontario would be a much different place without moose.

Fond du Lac Band Holds

Minnesota Moose Hunt

Although moose hunting ceased in Minnesota the last three years due to concerns about ongoing population declines, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is holding a hunt. According to a recent report in Minnesota Outdoor News, the band’s moose season is scheduled for Sept. 24-Dec. 31 “or until 25 bull moose are taken.”

The band issued 50 bull moose permits for parties of up to four hunters. The season will close when a quota of 25 moose is reached. Band members are required to register their kill by phone within 24 hours of harvest, and hunters are given 48 hours-notice of the season closure.

Fond du Lac is one of three entities that may hold a moose season in northeastern Minnesota. The State of Minnesota and the 1854 Authority, which represents the Grand Portage and Boise Forte bands, are not holding hunts this year. Fond du Lac has a treaty-affirmed right to hold a moose hunt. The Minnesota DNR does not have authority to intervene in the band’s decision.

The northeastern Minnesota moose population is estimated to be about half of what it was 10 years ago. Based on annual aerial surveys, the 2006 population was estimated at 8,840 moose. This year’s estimate was 4,020.

Moose numbers continue to decline in Ontario. | EARL ORF

Doing the Sawtooth Mountain Trot

By Casey Fitchett

Every method of travel through the North Shore’s boreal forest provides a unique perspective of the environment’s natural sights and sounds. Though mountain biking, hiking, trail running and snowmobiling get the majority of the recreational notoriety, seeing the woods from the back of a horse can be an enjoyable adventure for beginner and advanced riders.

As the only resort north of Duluth with a stable, the Gunflint Lodge and Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail truly is in a class of its own when it comes to riding on the shore. Having an operational stable for at least 20 years, the lodge offers four rides a day with up to eight visitors at a time, from May to October.

Mandy Huskey, the head wrangler and manager of the stables, has been involved with horses since she was eight years old. Her degree in equine administration landed her at the lodge about 15 years ago.

“I like how small our rides are. With two wranglers accompanying every ride, it’s a very personal, naturalist experience,” said Huskey. “We utilize the cross country ski trail. It’s easier for the horses when they have a consistent route.”

Though travelers typically don’t make a trip up the Gunflint Trail specifically to ride horses, experiencing a trail ride while vacationing here can be a welcome addition to their northwoods getaway. With the rocks and hills along the trails, they are a walk-only facility, which is perfect for beginner riders and families.

“We are geared towards people adding something to their vacation, as opposed to having more of a dude ranch atmosphere.

These are usually families that don’t have the opportunity to ride back in their normal lives,” explained Mindy Fredrikson, co-owner of the resort and stables. “It gives them a different experience back in the woods and offers a different perspective.”

The horses themselves travel back and forth between Pine River for the winter months and the Gunflint Trail for the summer months. Huskey works hard to ensure the horses have the most positive experience at the lodge while she has them.

“The horses get scheduled days off with their best friend. They are so well taken care of; people are often surprised at how old they are. We have three horses that have been coming back for 20 years, and our oldest horse is 33,” she said.

The living arrangement isn’t too shabby either.

“We like to say that these horses have the best view in the state of Minnesota,” said Fredrikson with a laugh. “They are very spoiled.”

Because riding a horse requires full concentration, taking photos with a cell phone or camera is not allowed during the ride. With the increased use of technology in recent years, watching visitors spend quality

time together on the rides can be the most enjoyable part of all.

“It is a heartwarming opportunity to spend time in the woods with the families. I get to see kids interacting with one anoth -

er and putting down their cell phones to really be with one another,” said Huskey.

The North Coast Fjords and Stables, about 10 miles from downtown Grand

Val Littfin rides on various Cook County trails with the Sawtooth Mountain Saddle Club. | VICKI GERETSCHLAEGER

Mandy Huskey, head wrangler and manager of the stables at Gunflint Lodge, has been involved with horses since age eigth. | GUNFLINT LODGE

Marais, offers boarding, stabling and guided trail riding for travelers hoping to see the North Shore trails by horseback. Owner Mary Ofjord considered quite a few breeds of horses before deciding to add a fleet of Norwegian Fjord horses to the farm. This breed, which is well-suited to the weather conditions of northern Minnesota, is one of the oldest purest breeds of horse. Vedas, one of the horses on her farm, was evaluated in 2002 and found to be in the top 4 percent of the Fjords ever evaluated.

Lovers of Tennessee Walking horses can trail ride, board and and learn to ride at the Tenkula Farm just outside of Thunder Bay. Tennessee Walkers are well-known for their unique gait; called a “running walk,” it is inherited and cannot be taught to horses that don’t possess it naturally. Two other prominent gaits are the “flat-foot walk” and the “canter.” Walkers became very popular with the plantation owners of the American South for inspecting their large fields, as well as country doctors expected to travel long distances.

And at the Tenkula Farm, guests can learn more about the breed on their hourlong or overnight trail ride and camping trip at Fallingsnow Lake. Lessons are also available by the half hour or full hour.

Both beginner riders and seasoned amateurs will find riding lessons, training services and boarding at the Aspen Ridge Stables in Duluth. Owner Anne Aspoas has been working with individuals and their horses since 1980.

The lessons offered at the Aspen Ridge Stables include individual lessons, group lessons, and pony lessons for the youngest riders. The trainers work in English, western, dressage, and cross country with jump and stadium jumping.

Another riding, boarding and teaching facility near Duluth is the West Amity Stables. Located adjacent to the Amity Creek trail system, the space includes both indoor and outdoor arenas, as well as a cross country jump course. The outdoor arena has sand footing for riding in the spring, summer, and fall, as well as lights for night riding. The indoor space has rubber/ washed sand footing with a viewing area and mirrors.

The stables host numerous jump clinics for all levels of riders, with obstacles like banks, point jumps, corner jumps and single logs. Riders can continue to practice their skills on the course in the winter.

West Amity main trainer Deb LaFleur specializes in starting horses, rehabilitation, western basics, jumping basics and dressage. She offers full time or half time training that can focus on just the horse or the horse and rider.

An informal group of diverse riders that call themselves the Sawtooth Mountain Saddle Club rides together at various locations throughout Cook County. A current project includes research for the Cook County Comprehensive Trail Plan, a plan formulated with the goal of effective trail and land use for a variety of purposes throughout the county.

Val Littfin, the administrator of the group’s Facebook page, considers horses to be her main hobby. She currently owns three gypsy horses and rides at the Gunflint Horse Park in Grand Marais, on county roads, forest roads, and on the North Shore State Trail. She is very serious about her training; traveling annually to learn new techniques.

As with many aspects of living in the Northland, tracking down the proper resources can be a bit tricky. Through this group, the riders can pool together to bring in horse professionals like farriers, equine dentists, equine veterinarians, an equine chiropractor and an equine acupuncturist.

Independent riders often hop on trails like the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail that runs through St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties from Duluth to Grand Marais. Horseback riding is allowed on the trail with a pass purchased through the DNR. The proceeds from the sale of the horse pass help improve DNR horse facilities.

Jay Cooke State Park, southwest of Duluth, also allows horseback riding on designated trails throughout the park.

Though not quite to the level of the wild wild west, North Shore residents and visitors still find opportunities to see this varied landscape by horseback.

The Gunflint Lodge and Outfitters offers horse rides, as well the Towering Pines Canopy Tour. | GUNFLINT LODGE

If Bees Are Few: A Hive of Bee Poems

Edited by James P. Lenfestey

University of Minnesota Press, $24.95

Our beloved honey makers and pollinators are in danger of disappearing. And in the world of poetry, a lyrical hum has been buzzing for many years. Poets from Shakespeare, Emerson and Coleridge, to Yeats, Plath and Lawrence, have been writing about bees. Even Emily Dickinson has chimed in, providing inspiration to this book’s title: To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, / One clover, and a bee, / And revery. / The revery alone will do / If bees are few Her conclusion; bees are indeed becoming few—hives are collapsing and wild species are disappearing. To help save the bees, a portion of the proceeds from this anthology will be donated to support research at the University of Minnesota Bee Lab.

—Breana Roy

REI Flash 60 Backpack

MSRP $199, www.REI.com

Let’s start with the fact that the REI Flash 60 pack perfectly matches the blue blaze of the Superior Hiking Trail. I know, I know, coordinating with your local trail markers isn’t even on the pack-features priority list, but I’m counting it as a plus—one of many.

REI recently retooled its house brand, checking in with outdoor adventurers to discover what’s important in their gear stashes. They used that info to guide development of their new product lines; the Flash 60 was one of the results. I loaded the pack up with 30 pounds of gear for a weekend hiking trip, and for both comfort and utility it gets two big thumbs up. It’s roomy enough to fit all the essentials without a lot of wasted space. This makes it feather light compared to my other pack, tipping the scale at just 3.5 lbs empty.

The strap system and waistbelt were easily adjustable (and comfortable—no sore spots after the weekend), and it has lots of thoughtful touches: slanted side water bottle pockets for easy access while the pack is on, both stuff and zip pockets on the front, and a generous j-zip for easy access to the main compartment. The waistbelt pockets perfectly fit snacks (for me and the dog) on one side, and my phone on the other (essential for all the photo ops, of course).

As far as techy details, the pack boasts REI’s trademarked UpLift technology—straps that, when tightened, lift the load up and in, moving the weight closer to your center of gravity. Tightening the UpLift straps made a noticeable difference in the feel of the pack’s load. (This is a blessing and a curse because hey, maybe I can pack in more stuff!) And again, you’ll be perfectly coordinated with the best hiking trail on the North Shore —coincidence? I think not.—Kate Watson

One North Star: A Counting Book

By Phyllis Root with Illustrations by Beckie Prange & Betsy Bowen

University of Minnesota Press, $ 16.95

“Who lives here under one North Star? Five toads hop, four brook trout swim, three elk graze, two loons call, and one beaver gnaws on a paper birch tree, all under one North Star.” Accompanied by exquisite, colorful images, created in collaboration by Grand Marais resident Betsy Bowen and Ely resident Beckie Prange, children will enjoy learning how to count using creatures of all kinds that live in the North Woods. As the author of more than 40 books, Minneapolis writer Phyllis Root creates a fun, learning experience that can be enjoyed by everyone.

—Breana Roy

DOG LAKE

BIG WALLEYES: Warren Thibodeau, owner of Northern Walleye Lodge (formerly Camp Missanabie) notes that Dog Lake has some huge walleye swimming around. “We always catch 30-, to 32-inch walleyes throughout the year, and quite a few in the 26- to 28-inch range.” That being said, the lake has a lot of 14- and 15-inch walleye, and it’s not hard to find those 18- and 19-inchers, either. “Yeah, we have groups that catch 100 in a day,” he said, noting that despite the lake’s cavernous depths, it has a lot of shallow bays that congregate walleye.

Thibodeau said walleye angling doesn’t get real tough during the winter (and there’s typically three or four shelters on the lake during the winter months), though his lodge is shut down at the end of September, when the walleyes tend to be a little bit deeper.

DEEP WATER LAKERS: The aforementioned deep water hosts a sizeable population of lake trout, with Thibodeau stating that the largest he’d ever heard of being 36 pounds. “Our average laker is about nine or 10 pounds,” he said. “They are not huge, but they are good-sized.”

Anglers tend to go deep with downriggers or steel line or others will use an open spool with sucker minnows.

A FEW BIG PIKE: Dog Lake has a healthy population of northern pike, Thibodeau said. “There’s some big fish,” he said. “We aren’t one of those places where you are going to catch hammer handles all of the time.” He’s seen pike up to 48 inches pulled from Dog. “That isn’t huge, but it’s still pretty big,” But he said. “There’s some good quality.”

THE REST: Dog Lake has a number of other species worth targeting, including yellow perch, burbot and smallmouth bass. The best perch fishing starts up in late July and August, when the fish are fairly shallow, off the weeds. Thibodeau said there’s some good-sized perch, and the largest he’s seen from Dog was longer than 15 inches.

Around the same time, smallmouth bass fishing also picks up. The lake has lots of rock structure that smallies like, and the lake is a good place to pitch topwaters.

THE PARK: Silver Falls is noted for its glacial features that occurred in the past 10,000 years, including the Dog Lake moraine, kettle terraces, spillways and outwash deposits. The park has a parking lot, boat ramp, and toilets, and offers swimming, hiking trails, nature viewing and a 54-site campground.—Javier Serna

In Praise of Partridge Hunting

By Shawn Perich

Iremember the early birds. An October Saturday when we awoke to see the backyard blanketed with nearly a foot of fresh snow. Perhaps six years old, I was crestfallen, because we were planning to go partridge hunting. Dad was worried about road conditions, but we headed out around mid-morning. The roads were fine, but the deep snow made tough trudging for little boy legs, cutting short our hunt. When we returned home, we saw tracks in the snow where a partridge had come out of a nightly roost in the neighbor’s Norway pines and walked across our backyard. It was the closest we came to a bird that day and the first time I’d seen evidence of one in our yard. I wondered if Dad would’ve shot it had we been home. Even though we lived in suburban Duluth where the discharge of firearms was prohibited, when you are six you think about things like that.

We called them partridge. Back then, everyone did. I don’t recall seeing the term “grouse hunting” anywhere other than in outdoor magazines until I was in high school. Then suddenly it seemed all of us in northern Minnesota began calling ourselves “grouse hunters.” That was a big step.

The words “ruffed grouse” denote sophistication. A “grouse” is a bird you hunt with a pointing dog and shoot on the wing with a double-barrel shotgun while wearing fancy clothes from some outdoor company out East. A “partridge” is more pedestrian; an everyman’s bird. You can use a hand-me down shotgun to hunt partridge. And you don’t need a dog. And you can shoot them on the ground. They are pedestrian in a literal sense, too, because partridge hunting is a walker’s game.

I became a partridge hunter long before I was old enough to carry a gun, tagging along behind my father beginning at age 4. We often walked a network of two-rut trails north of Two Harbors. Dad called them tote roads. Back then, the forest was about 50 years into recovery from the original white pine logging era. One of the trails we walked was the remnant grade of a narrow gauge logging railroad. Sometimes we sat on massive, slowly deteriorating pine stumps to take a break.

We usually hunted all day, eating a lunch of white bread sandwiches and homemade cookies. We always seemed to come home with a couple of birds. I got to carry them, my small hand wrapped around their feathery legs just above the feet. Even though an adult grouse weighs around two pounds, they’d get heavy after a while and I’d switch from one hand to the other. Dad cleaned them in the basement when we got home, peeling away the skin to reveal a plump breast and tiny drumsticks.

Partridge were often on the supper menu. Sometimes I had sliced partridge breast sandwiches in my school lunch. I’ve always savored the delicate, distinctive flavor; the best of any fowl. The bird remains a constant component of my autumn diet.

I learned a lot while walking down those tote roads. I learned about gun safety long before I was allowed to carry even a BB gun. I learned to stay silent and walk quietly when in the woods; to look at and listen to the world around you. I learned how to identify animal tracks in the mud and know the trees in the forest. And I learned water drunk from a glass jar hung on a stick beside a forest spring is the sweetest in the world.

Our walks ranged deeper into the forest as I grew older. We left the tote roads and walked cross-country, following a ridge, a swamp edge or a deer trail through the woods. For Dad, such walks doubled as scouting for future deer hunts, regardless if he ever planned to return and hunt whitetails there. It was on these walks where I learned what it means to be free to roam.

Not long after becoming old enough to drive I began hunting grouse alone, though I still joined Dad in the woods whenever I could. My first hunting dog was a mutt named Maggie, followed by a yellow Lab named Rebel. Yellow Labs have been a constant in my life ever since. Each of them has loved the woods as much as me.

Although I’ve long called them grouse, I remain a partridge hunter at heart. Living in a county that contains over 90 percent public lands and waters provides endless places to walk. I know close-to-home places where I can hunt for an hour after work and brush-obscured labyrinths of nearly forgotten logging roads where I can wander all day without encountering anyone. Some walks lead to high outcroppings where you can get a long view of Lake Superior or the rugged hills of border country. Others pass secluded beaver ponds where you may flush a few mallards.

The abundance of birds varies from year to year, because the ruffed grouse population follows a well-documented, but little understood 10-year population cycle. I worry little about whether the grouse count is up or down in a given year and just go hunting. Walk far enough and you’ll nearly always come home with a bird or two.

If you measure grouse hunting by the amount of energy expended for the amount of protein acquired, it’s a losing proposition. But there is a certain satisfaction to sitting down to a meal from the forest of which you, too, are a part. It is more than sustenance. It is a communion with the land.

But rarely do I think such deep thoughts when I am partridge hunting. Instead, I breathe deep and savor the wonderful aromas of autumn. I look at the way the deep green of cedars contrasts with the bright yellow of changing birch. Sometimes I’ll pause and listen to a passing flock of migrating geese. On a lucky day, I may find a shed moose antler lying on the ground.

Sometimes I walk so far even the dogs are tuckered out. Those are the best days, because the long walks are just like my boyhood hunts with Dad. Even though he’s long gone, out in the partridge woods, he’s still roams with me.

A ruffed grouse strikes a pose near the Kawishiwi River. | RADIANT SPIRIT GALLERY

Wild Traditions

Wild Rice—Delicate Crop, Meticulous Process

By Julia Prinselaar

On a sunny afternoon in early September, I was paddling down a winding river in northern Minnesota. Flanked with reeds and tall grasses and the odd beaver lodge, the edges of this marshy wetland were interspersed with stalks of wild rice. I was with a group of North House Folk School students, and most of us were in unfamiliar territory. But before we knew it, the river opened to denser patches of rice about a mile downriver.

I hadn’t seen wild rice before this adventure—at least I wasn’t sure whether I had. During a recent canoe trip north of Atikokan, Ontario, there were many times when we paddled through low-lying wetlands in hopes of landing some rice, but unsure of exactly what to look for or what to do with it in the instance that we got lucky.

“Do you think that’s it over there?” my partner asked me, pointing to long stalks with brownish-pink flowers that looked like feathers of grain growing from the water. I had no idea, but having noticed a small body of water called Rice Lake on one our of maps not far from our route, it left us intrigued to find out.

As luck would have it, I was able to take a ricing course in Grand Marais and learned a few facts about manoomin, as it’s known in Anishinawbe culture. One of them being that it grows in shallow lakes or slow-moving water with an inlet and outlet. And harvesting is a two-person job: someone usually sits or kneels in the bow with two tapered wooden sticks, using one to bend the rice over the side of the boat and the other to knock the kernels into the bottom. Meanwhile, the other person has to skillfully maneuver the canoe through densely-vegetated water. Because rice grows in soft layers of peat, loam or claylike soil, a long, tapered pole with duckbilled footings are used to steer and move the boat forward. It’s a pretty effective core workout as you try to keep your balance without having the canoe lose momentum in the grass.

Our harvest wasn’t much to brag about. We drew up to each other’s boats to compare our hauls for the day, but none of us had more more than a layer of rice that lightly dusted the bottom of our boats. As we unloaded our gear from the river, there was an unspoken sense of mild disappointment that we wouldn’t go home with much. But in the end, we were thankful. Processing the rice was where the real work began,

and it was pain-staking, humbling labour. Traditionally, the rice is dried, parched over a fire, treaded by foot to separate the kernels from the hull, and winnowed by hand until all that’s left are sleek, dark grains of rice ready for cooking. The footwork to jig the rice loose from its hull is an art in itself. At the end of the class, our group of nine produced just five pounds of finished rice. And it took us all day.

It left me with an earnest appreciation for the meticulous work involved in gathering and processing rice, a traditional food staple for communities living around the Great Lakes, who considered it a sacred food. The Menominee nation of northern Wisconsin reflect this relationship in their name, which translates to “wild rice people” in the Ojibwe language.

Over decades, wild rice production has become industrialized and commercialized to the point where it’s not unusual to see

“wild” rice sold at bargain prices in supermarkets and gas stations throughout North America. The majority of these products are actually farmed in rice paddies, where the site is drained and allowed to dry before combining, although machine-harvesting of lake rice is practiced too.

Tom Lind has been ricing the traditional way in northern Minnesota since the late ‘70s and has witnessed the ebb and flow of the crop from year to year. Because rice re-seeds naturally but doesn’t germinate at the same time, some areas may not produce high for two or three years in a row, but in ideal conditions, a boom has the potential to follow. Some seeds can stay dormant for up to a decade or longer.

“It varies a lot from bed to bed and it’s partly because of the weather. Water table fluctuation is a problem,” he said. Heavy rains or flooding while rice is forming can easily uproot the plant. It’s also heat-sen -

[TOP LEFT] Parching wild rice over a small fire.

[TOP RIGHT] Just over five finished pounds.

[LEFT] Treading or jigging by foot helps remove the hull from the rice kernels. | PHOTOS BY JULIA PRINSELAAR

sitive and susceptible to fungus that can affect its quality.

In some years, Tom has filled his boat with more than 300 pounds of wild rice in a single day, but he confesses it’s been a long time since that’s happened. When I spoke to him in northern Wisconsin in mid-August, he and other ricers predicted a low yield in that area, which faced big rains and wash-outs in June.

Although most of his rice has been gathered and finished the traditional way, Tom now takes his harvest to a commercial processor and is building his own thrasher. “I’m getting too old for it,” he remarks reluctantly. “I enjoy the whole process, and I enjoy eating something that I put so much of my heart into.” Laborious but meaningful, part of why he enjoys ricing is to retain a traditional practice. “I just like the old way of doing things, and to keep that knowledge alive.”

northern sky

OCTOBER 2016

By Deane Morrison— MINNESOTA STARWATCH

With darkening skies but not yet the winter cold, October is ideal for watching stars and planets.

Mars holds its own in the south-southwest all month long, even as the stars of Sagittarius sweep by it and the Red Planet’s former companions—Saturn and Antares, the heart of Scorpius—head into the sunset.

Look to the southwest on the 27th, about 40 minutes after sunset, to see Saturn, Venus and Antares lined up (in that order) top to bottom. Antares is a gigantic red star, but you will need binoculars and a clear view of the horizon to find it.

On the 3rd, we’re treated to a nice pairing of Venus and a young moon in the early evening sky. Look in the west-southwest about half an hour after sundown to see Venus glimmering below a three-dayold crescent. On the morning of the 28th, look eastward about 40 minutes before sunrise for an old moon in an equally lovely pairing with Jupiter.

The full hunter’s moon shines the night of the 15th. As this moon wanes, however, it will wash out some of the Orionid

meteors when the shower peaks at night the 21-22.

Whenever no moon interferes, grab a star chart and look for the fall stars and constellations. Start with the Great Square of Pegasus, now riding high in the south. Just to the west, enjoy the leaping little form of Delphinus, the dolphin. And below the Great Square, the Circlet of Pisces is always fun to find. Farther south you’ll see Aquarius, Capricornus and a lone bright star—Fomalhaut, in Piscis Austrinus, the southern fish.

On Halloween we celebrate an astronomically based Celtic holiday, one of four “cross-quarter” days falling midway between an equinox and a solstice. In the past, Halloween marked the beginning of the dark half of the year, when evil spirits come out of exile to torment humankind for six months.

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

Ghost Towns in Northern Wilds

By Elle AndraWarner

What is a ghost town? A simple definition is a “town that no longer has any people living in it,” or as author T. Lindsay Baker (Ghost Towns of Texas) explains, it is, “a town for which the reason for being no longer exists.” In our Northern Wilds area, there are plenty of ghost towns on both sides of the border (some reports put the number at 200-300 ghost towns in Minnesota alone).

In her paper on Northern Minnesota’s Ghost Towns of Cook County, Olga N. Soderberg (then President of the Cook County Historical Society) wrote that the county had “its share of ghost towns,” and they were “…mementos of the iron ore, copper and gold rush days and later lumber-camp days.” She mentions a number of ghost towns, like Cartierville, Rove Lake, Redmyer, Paulson/Paulson Mines, North Cascade, South Cascade, Lockport, Saganga Lake, Saxton, Chippewa City, and Mineral Center.

She writes that “one of the most interesting” is Parkerville, which was located at the mouth of the Pigeon River on the American side, “across Rat Point from Grand Portage.” As the story goes, around 1680, Daniel Greyson Sieur du Luht set up and later abandoned a fur-trading post on the site. Then, from 1795 to 1804, William Parks and others operated a trading post before returning to Grand Portage. In 1836, Walter Parks arrived, established a store, trading post, and post office. He named the place Parkerville. Mail was delivered here weekly by dog team in winter and boat in summer. A savvy entrepreneur with hired staff at times, Parker also sold fish that he caught, fuel wood from timber on his land, and vegetables from the family’s farm.

The Parkers moved in the 1860s to Ontonagon, Michigan, and the store and post office was taken over by a Mr. Jackson.

When Jackson left in 1876, Parkerville was abandoned.

The “newest” ghost town in northern Minnesota may well be the former town site of Taconite Harbor, located 33 miles south of Grand Marais and built in the 1950s by Erie Mining for their nearby power plant employees and families. In 1986, LTV Steel acquired Erie, laid off employees, evicted the town’s residents (only 12 remained by November 1987) and moved out houses to dismantle the town. Reports indicate that all that is left now are overgrown paved streets where homes once stood, some streetlights and an abandoned basketball court.

On the Canadian side, just across the international border, is the ghost town of Leeblain, located on a small bay on the North Shore of Gunflint Lake. Largely forgotten until Thunder Bay historian David Battistel began researching the area about 25 years ago, Leeblain—once expected by

investors to be a growing metropolis—existed for 10 years, between 1893 and 1903.

Created as a stop on the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway—which was being built between Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), Gunflint, Ely and eventually Duluth—Leeblain was named after two of the railway’s Toronto investors: A. B. Lee and Hugh Blain. The remote town was expected to grow into a metropolis, a major railway terminus, thanks partly to Paulson Mines just across the Minnesota border. But the mines failed and the railway struggled financially. In 1903, the line to Gunflint Lake and Leeblain was abandoned.

Except for the rail bed and a few rock ovens built by Italian railway workers to bake bread, little remains of Leeblain. Nature has taken back the site, which was further damaged by the 1999 windstorm, logging in 2000 to remove storm’s deadfall and the 2007 Ham Lake fire.

North of Leeblain and connected to

the same railway line is the ghost mining village of Silver Mountain; which was a booming place back in the late 19th century. Located at the base of Silver Mountain and abandoned more than a century ago, the foundations of a few West Silver Mountain Mine buildings still exist. However, only a few scattered artifacts remain of the nearby miners’ village, where National Hockey League (NHL) Hockey Hall of Fame’s Jack Walker was born in 1888 (originator of hockey’s “hook-check,” he won three Stanley Cups with three different teams). When touring the site with one of the private owners, we came upon some blossoming apple trees—a reminder of the families that once lived here.

Ghost towns are also scattered across northwestern Ontario and include places like Jackfish, Coldwell, Cameron Falls, Tashota, Allanwater Bridge, Farland, Gold Rock, Osaquan, Burchell Lake, Pickle Crow, Goldpines and Grant.

At Leeblain, there are few remains of the rock ovens built by Italian workers to bake bread. | DAVID BATTISTEL

Support for PolyMet Mining’s proposed copper-nickel mine isn’t just about creating jobs to the leaders of Northeastern Minnesota’s four largest chambers of commerce. They know the people behind the company and believe in the science, the technology and the safeguards that they’ve put into place to protect the water, the woods and the wildlife that they all love.

PolyMetMining.com

MALCOLM CLARK, Broker

BLANKET ISLAND, ROSSPORT

Your own private island located in the south of Rossport Harbour. Sheltered by the main land, Whiskey Island, and Nicol Island. Approx. 1/2 mile from the town of Rossport. 764 ft of Lake Superior shoreline. Really neat 1 1/2 story cabin with water, shower, cooking facilities with woodstove. Gravity water feed from tank on roof. $199,000 CDN

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MLS 6021224 $45,000 - $65,000

Pike Lake Rd Wooded 4+A near Pike Lake! Nicely elevated build sites, survey in place and septic sites identified MLS 6019339 $29,900

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 6024624 $49,900

Tom Lake Year round, 1.10A, 171’ shore, nicely wooded, driveway and cleared building site. MLS 6020381 $54,900

Heavily wooded with year-round access. 112’ shore on county maintained road.

MLS 6025129 $114,900 PENDING

Private 34+A, 600’ of shore, surveyed and septic sites are id’d. Will consider owner financing to a qualified buyer. MLS 6020848 $149,900

Incredible Palisades views! Over 200’ shore, year-round access and healthy mix of trees.

MLS 6023502 $79,900

245’ of shore on 1.2A. Shoreline has its own natural boat slip!! MLS 6024080 $45,000

2.63A, 205’ shore with a healthy mix of trees! Property is surveyed, septic sites are identified. Additional 60A for sale.

MLS 6025008 $55,000 NEW

Birch Lake

Heavily wooded 1.54A, 150’ of frontage on great trout lake. Direct, year round access off the Gunflint Trail.

MLS 2183859 $99,900

Squint Lake

2.13A with lovely old white pine trees!

Mid trail location, 221’ shore, abuts USFS.

MLS 2308814 $79,900

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

MLS 2158160 $52,500

Two Island 5+ A of wooded land with 500+’ of shorelineand state land on two sides! Year round access; great recreational area. MLS 6023533 $89,900

Kemo Lake

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

MLS 6021433 $139,900

Loon Lake Very private, year round 4.4A with 298’ shore. Dramatic building sites overlooking the federal land across the water. MLS 6023845 $139,900

Land

78 Squint Lake Rd 5A surrounded on 2 sides by government land. Convenient mid-trail location.

MLS 6020283 $62,900

Railroad Drive 1.7A in the heart of Lutsen. Gently rolling topography, mature trees. Convenient location. MLS 6023743 $49,900

Gunflint Trail Cross country skiers, hikers; this property is connected to the Pincushion Cross Country Ski Trail system with the Little Devil Track River flowing through it

MLS 2313364 $69,000

Co Rd 67 2.24A, year round access, directly abuts State Land to the east. Fully surveyed and well-built private driveway. MLS 6024406 $39,900

Casper Hill Rd

19.6A just a few miles from town. Simple lean-to cabin to give you a head start on your get away. MLS 6023494 $45,000

Stonegate Rd 2A on public portion of desirable Stone Gate Road with lots of potential uses. Power, phone, and broadband are a stone’s throw away. MLS 6022528 $19,900

County Rd 7

Oversize lot on Co Rd 7 but inside the city. The obvious benefits of broadband and other services. MLS 6024916 $65,000

Greenwood Lake

Lots of privacy with 4.2A and 300’ shore including a slight peninsula which will provide multiple views!

MLS 6023267 $179,900

Devil Track Lake Beautiful lake lot on 2A and over 150’ of shore. Nicely wooded, close to town. Tons of recreational activities nearby.

MLS 2306066 $199,900

Heavily wooded with 112’ shore. Property is on a county maintained road for use all year long.

MLS 6025129 $104,900 PENDING

Chester Lake

The only private parcel on Chester Lake. One of a kind

6023300 $79,900

Marais.

STUNNING CONTEMPORARY HOME. Absolutely spectacular soft contemporary home

The kitchen has a huge granite island and custom hickory cabinets with lots of storage. Extra large garage with room for 4 vehicles. MLS# 6021770 $539,000

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# 2308784

LAKE SUPERIOR CABIN Nearly finished yet entirely functional cabin with Lake Superior frontage across the highway. Over 450’ of shoreline on Lake Superior! Many options to finish the interior, and the lot could be split if desired. MLS# 6021988 $164,900

LOG CABIN SECLUSIONLOON LAKE. This beautiful log cabin sits on the secluded north shore of Loon Lake and adjoins forest service land on two sides. The quality log work is impeccable. 2 bdrms, 2 baths, huge loft, wonderful 4-season porch, deck and full walk-out basement. The full stone fireplace is magnificent. The views are pure wilderness and the shoreline is classic Boundary Waters. MLS# 6023186 $439,000 PRICE REDUCED! GORGEOUS HOME ON DEVIL TRACK

LAKE. Impeccably maintained 2 story, 3 bdrm lake home with 3 season porch. Windows all around, vaulted ceilings, numerous upgrades, loads of finished living space. Workshop, landscaped yard and gardens. Easy walk to access the 100+ ft of lake shore and dock. MLS# 6023129 $399,900

BEAUTIFUL GUNFLINT LAKE

HOME. This turn key 3 bdrm, 2

PARADISE ON TOM LAKE. This 2 bedroom log sided cabin is the definition of superb craftsmanship! Charm in every room. 2 fireplaces! Generator power - elec-

LARGE LOT PRIVACY – POPLAR LAKE. Dense mixed forest, great views, & classic wilderness shoreline make these two lots perfect for a Mid-Trail lake home. Choose 2 acres with 165’ shoreline, 3 acres with 200’ shoreline, or both! MLS# 6023988 $134,900, MLS# 6024173 $142,900, both for $245,000.

GREAT BUILD SITE ON W. BEARSKIN LAKE. Beautiful views, dense forest, privacy and direct BWCAW access. High building site with spectacular views and 174’ level shoreline. New stairway makes for easy shoreline access. Power and phone. MLS# 6022126 $178,000

WILDERNESS SETTING - TUCKER LAKE. A perfect place for your cabin or home with unspoiled views and lots of Gunflint Trail privacy. 3.68 acres and 554’ shoreline. Tucker Lake is a protected lake with added setbacks to protect the lake and views.

to store your gear. MLS# 6021603 $339,900 GUNFLINT LAKE HOME & GUEST CABIN. Spectacular views across the lake to Canada! 2 bdrms + lrg loft, 2 baths, guest cottage with ½ bath & laundry facility. The 200’ of lakeshore is easy to access. MLS# 6021137 $375,000

tastefully painted interior. Deck, balcony and open design allow abundant light. MLS# 6024054 $319,500

POPLAR LAKE

A-FRAME ON POPLAR LAKE. Classic 2 bdrm, 2 bath A-Frame cabin in a beautiful setting overlooking Poplar Lake. End of the road priva- cy with year-round access. Very nice, gentle path to the 156’ of lake shore. Nice mix of trees. MLS# 6024438 $187,500

Cute 2 bdrm cabin on very special Clearwater Lake with 180’ frontage. Very affordable for up north cabin life. MLS# 6023119 $169,000 QUALITY DEVIL TRACK LAKE LOT. Wooded south shore lot with easy shoreline and great views from excellent building sites. 150 ft frontage. Power/phone. More lakeshore land available. MLS# 6020623 $149,900 NINEMILE LAKE RETREAT. Nice 3.40 acre property with 200’ shoreline near Finland. Driveway, electricity, well, build site, and huge garage are in place, plus dock and lakeside fire pit. The 26’ Keystone Springdale is a negotiable item! MLS# 6023329 $124,900 CARIBOU LAKE - HOME SITE. New price is well below tax assessed value. Magnificent old-growth

CABIN. Sweet, older 2 bdrm cabin on a bay of Poplar Lake with 100’ frontage. Great location! Charm in every room. Potentially a great vacation rental. MLS# 6023157 $154,500

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES

CONDOMINIUMS

THREE-LEVEL

WELCOME TO LAKE SUPERIOR. Warm & beautiful light-filled end unit Aspenwood Townhome. The 2-story walkout style leaves you with plenty of options to get outside and close to the Big Lake. This 2 bdrm, 3 bath home includes 98% of

QUIET

CLASSIC FARM HOUSE AND 20 ACRES. Simply charming country home with outbuildings and some pasture for your horse! The 3 bdrm, 2 bath home has a country kitchen/ dining room, huge living room, comfortable den with built-in bookshelves, & 3 season porch. The land is special with lrg wildlife pond & planted pines. More land is available. MLS# 2309191 $298,900

2312996 $374,900

HOVLAND OPPORTUNITY. Large home or commercial opportunity on Hwy 61 between Hovland and Grand Portage. This 7 bdrm, 3 bath home has resort/commercial zoning allowing for many options. Large deck, stone fireplace, Lake Superior views. A great home for a large family, or your business dream. MLS# 2313085, 2313088 $289,900

The living room is open and includes the kitchen and dining. A cozy Franklin stove warms the whole building. The full basement is a complete guest space . Generator power and over 100 acres to explore. MLS# 6022886 $269,000

LOG CABIN CHARM. This gorgeous lower level unit walks out to Lake Superior. Updated with top-notch finishes, open concept floor plan, bamboo flooring, stainless steel appliances, and stunning log cabin walls in the bedroom. One of the highest incomegenerating rental units - it has the only in-unit whirlpool at CL! This unit could come fully furnished allowing owners to earn rental revenues immediately. MLS# 6020672 $77,900 A GEM IN THE WOODS.

HOBBY FARM OR LOTS OF IDEAS. This large property features open meadows, gardens, orchards, and a beautiful river. The living quarters with 4 bdrms, 2 baths and open living space is located above a 6-stall horse barn. A large pole barn, huge gathering hall, garage and various storage sheds provide lots of sheltered space. Two wells and septic systems. Easy county

with hot tub & sauna, soaring cathedral ceilings, and 2000 sq ft attached garage. Not your typical home in the woods, this is a rare gem waiting for someone who loves the outdoors, but wants the class of an elegant home at the end of the day. MLS# 6022895 $750,000

fireplace, vaulted ceilings, open plan living-dining-kitchen with patio door to the deck. 1.5-car garage with finished space above plus 30 x 40 shop building. MLS# 6020988 $292,500 PRICE REDUCED!

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES

RENTAL COTTAGES - GOOD HISTORY - GREAT LAKE. Devil Track Cabins is a long standing seasonal resort on the beautiful north shore of Devil Track Lake. The 5 charming, cozy cabins and owner's cabin each have a private setting and lake view. A wonderful family retreat! MLS# 6019988, 6024447 $387,900

MARKET, DELI, LIQUOR STORE – HOVLAND. A bustling business in a beautiful rural community on the North Shore. Bakery, deli, pizza, convenience store, and liquor store under one roof. Large seating area & outdoor patio. Expansion/home site possible! MLS# 6023742 $349,900

BIG OPPORTUNITY, MANY POSSIBILITIES. Prime commercial location in Hovland, 1000 feet of Highway 61 frontage. Large commercial space with a small 2 bedroom home and 1 functioning rental cottage. Many new improvements and upgrades. Two more small cabins could be rented, and there's room for many more...or other possibilities. Large 2-car garage plus two sheds. MLS# 2308736 $297,500

GRAND MARAIS PROFESSIONAL BUILDING

The options here are endless and the opportunity is great. Ample parking and a nice sized storage building. Own/occupy the entire building, rent out one side & offset your ownership costs, or create “condo offices” & offer space to a variety of entities. MLS# 6020220 $269,900

GRAND MARAIS CABINS. Good income property with long-term tenants. All 5 cabins have had ongoing upgrades - roofs, baths, plumbing, heating. Cabin 1 has fireplace. Charming touches. MLS# 2312978 $210,000

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 is zoned residential. Bring your business idea! MLS# 6020464 $179,000

NEW! COMMERCIAL LOT IN GRAND MARA-

IS. Good opportunity for a commercial building with a nice second story view of the harbor. Level 40 x 50 lot. A two story vacation rental could be built with a harbor view. What is your dream? MLS# 6024992 $53,500

RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE

SUGARBUSH, BEAVER, TROUT.

Remote 80 acres near the Gunflint Trail, 10 miles from Grand Marais with easy access. Surrounded by public land. 700’ of Durfee Creek frontage with beaver dams. Good road, building sites. Northern third has sugar maples!

MLS# 6024638 $149,000

DRAMATIC CASCADE

RIVER PROPERTY. River splits the 20 acre property – never look at a neighbor across the river. The dozen large private parcels in this “island” of private land are surrounded by federal and state forest lands. MLS# 6020527 $74,900

WOODS, WATER & SECLUSION.Three 40 acre lots with 600 to 1000 ft frontage on Mons Creek. Also includes deeded access to Lost Lake. Private and secluded. MLS# 6021356 $59,900 or MLS# 6021357 $69,900 or MLS# 6021358 $74,900.

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# 2125228 $59,900 LAND ON THE FLUTE REED RIVER. Enjoy privacy and seclusion in a deep 13 acre parcel with over 300 feet of trout stream in Hovland. Easy access with power, phone and broadband. Nice build sites. MLS# 2313215 $49,900

RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE

500’ ON MOHNS CREEK. Mixed topography of beautiful rolling land with many great build sites on 25 acres. Old growth cedar, spruce, pine and birch. Abuts state land. MLS# 6021088 $39,900

TOP OF BIRCH CLIFF. See 50 miles across Lake Superior! Only a few spectacular view sites like this exist on the North Shore. You can see 180 degrees from Isle Royale to the east, the Apostle Islands to the south, and all the way down the Sawtooth Mountains to the west. There is a private drive and buried power already in place. Public lands border the 15+ acre property, and more land is available. MLS# 6022768 $350,000

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. MLS# 6021017 $289,000

LARGE WILDERNESS ACREAGE - LAKE ACCESS. This 80+ acre parcel includes 400 feet of shoreline on McFarland Lake. Building sites are located across the road on the hillside with potential lake views. Rugged property with high topography and old growth cedar and pine. Easy access to the BWCAW and Border Route Hiking Trail. MLS# 6024602 $203,000 OUTSTANDING LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS Gorgeous 14.69 acre parcel located within the boundaries of Cascade State park. Rolling hills, a variety of trees, and only 10 minutes from either Grand Marais or Lutsen. Many opportunities, potential for subdivision. MLS# 6023971 $175,000

MOUNTAIN TOP - WILDERNESS VIEWS. Fantastic vistas into the BWCA and surrounding rugged topography near McFarland Lake. Located at the end of the Arrowhead Trail with easy year-round access. The 122 acres has a high ridge and a “mountain top” for you to name. MLS# 6024599 $167,000 BIG LAND, BIG CREEK, BIG TREES. This nearly 100 acre 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. MLS# 6024136 $159,900

INCREASINGLY RARE, LARGE RECREATIONAL PARCEL. 190 arces fully surveyed. The perfect retreat. Has a rich variety of trees, ponds, high and low lands, some meadow land and wetlands. MLS# 6023211 $150,000 BEAUTIFUL ACREAGE WITH LAKE VIEWS. Four 80 acre parcels located just south of Schroeder and a stone’s throw from Lake Superior! Each parcel features shared access off State Highway 61. The land features a gradual elevation, tiered building sites, beautiful lake views, and the Caribou River is within walking distance. MLS #6020335, #6021914, #6021916, and #6021918 $149,900 each.

LARGE ACREAGE WITH WATER FEATURES. The headwaters of Irish Creek! Quality 160+ acres, 5 parcels sold grouped or separately. Many great features incl. old growth white pine, ponds, camping and building areas. MLS# 6023457 $149,500

INTRIGUING PROSPECT. 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. MLS# 6021384 $114,900 READY TO BUILD – 20 ACRES IN SCHRODER. Driveway and building pad already in place. A red pine forest climbs up to the highest point with stunning views. MLS# 2308723 $79,900

HUGE POND-HUGE PRIVACY. Large 45+ acre wooded parcel located across from Tom Lake. Huge pond/lake in the very center of the acreage. MLS# 6022858 $99,000

MAPLES, VIEWS, PRIVACY. 85+ acres near Hovland. End of road access, adjoins federal land, great view of pond. MLS# 2313198 $98,900 BUILDING SITE, CREEK, MAPLE RIDGE. This 47 acre parcel has a lot to offer. There’s a nice south facing building site just off a county road, a trout stream with beaver pond, and a maple ridge adjoining federal land. Great location close to Grand Marais. MLS# 6022087 $69,900

RUSTICATE, RECREATE, RELAX. Reclusive Hovland hideaway – 43 acres with new driveway to “base camp” with a nice camper trailer and shed. Trails have been cut throughout the property which adjoins State land. MLS# 2313223 $64,900

PINES & LAKE SUPERIOR VIEW. Large 13+ acre pine filled lot on the hillside above Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center in Schroeder. Great lake views! Power, phone and broadband at the lot. MLS# 2313242 $64,900

GREAT LOCATION, QUALITY FOREST, BUILD HERE. These 10-acre parcels have a mature and mixed forest, southerly exposure, easy county road frontage and just minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6023274 $64,900, MLS# 6023275 $62,900, MLS# 6023276 $64,900

HOME SITE NEAR DEVIL TRACK LAKE. Deep wooded home site steps from Devil Track Lake. 5 acres of secluded privacy. Enjoy the lake without the high taxes. MLS# 6022472 $64,900 SALE PENDING!

MAPLE HILL - HOME SITE. Heavily wooded 6.45 acre parcel with great privacy, county rd frontage, power and phone. MLS# 6023465 $64,500 30 ACRES - PANORAMIC VIEWS. Rare mountain top property with a 180 degree view of distant Lake Superior and the ridge to the north. Many trails in place with food plots for wildlife, plus an elevated viewing blind. MLS# 6020274 $55,000 RIDGES, PINES & VIEWS - ARROWHEAD TRAIL. Nice 20 acre parcel with high building sites and huge pines. The surrounding federal land leads directly into the BWCAW. McFarland lake is just a half-mile away. MLS# 6024600 $63,000 NEW! RUSTIC WOODED WONDERLAND. Beautiful 40 acres of maple forest with small rustic cabin bordering Judge Magney State Park. Enjoy the peaceful solitude of Aide Lake, rimmed by an open cedar grove just a short hike from the cabin into the park. MLS# 6025235 $59,900

NICE LOT NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Beautiful gardens currently inhabit this lovely lot. Though it rests on Hwy 61 there are nice private niches to rest your home on. Walk to downtown Grand Marais! MLS# 6022810 $55,000

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. MLS# 6019287 $54,900

PERFECT 5 ACRE HOME SITE. This private and secluded build site is just waiting for your custom plans! Only five miles from town with five acres of great woods bordering public land on two sides. MLS# 6021986 $51,500

GREAT PRIVACY CLOSE TO TOWN. This 5 acre property just outside of Grand Marais sits at the end of a private drive. Potential Lake Superior views, small creek and nice elevation make for a great ready-to-build home site. New driveway this summer. MLS# 6023747 $49,800

OWN A PIECE OF THE NORTHWOODS. 39+ acres of gently sloping, wooded land with easy access on Camp 20 Road. Less than one half mile east of Judge CR Magney State Park, and steps away from the Superior Hiking Trail. MLS# 6022163 $48,900

WOODED 10 ACRES IN HOVLAND. North woods seclusion plus electricity and broadband! Great forested parcel. The driveway is in leading to a secluded build site with nice trees. Cute shower house and outhouse. MLS# 6024396 $47,900

BUILDING SITE OVERLOOKING MCFARLAND LAKE. This pine studded 7 acre property has easy walking access to the county beach on McFarland Lake. Nice elevated build site with easy county road access. Just minutes from the BWCA by canoe or hiking shoe. MLS# 6024601 $47,000

NEW! 5 ACRES NEAR DEVIL TRACK LAKE. Must look! 5 acres in a diverse forest on the paved South Shore Drive. Private yet easily accessible. Lot borders forest service land. Driveway is in, septic sites identified. Ready for your plans! MLS# 6025167 $45,000

POWERS LAKE ROAD ACREAGE. This is the beautiful ‘40’ that you have been waiting for. Easy access off Powers Lake Road. Electricity and broadband – a real bonus! MLS# 6022202 $42,000

5 ACRES NEAR CARIBOU LAKE. Gorgeous corner lot with colorful maples and majestic cedars. Plenty of privacy. Close to hiking trails and the Caribou Lake boat landing. Year round access with power! MLS# 2279179 $40,000

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. Nice 6 acre parcel of mixed forest land only 6 miles from Grand Marais! Great site for nature lovers, birders and wildlife watchers. Shared driveway is in, transformer on the property. MLS# 6024077 $39,900

QUIET AND PRIVATE. Choice 2.31 acre lot at the end of the road in Lutsen, ready to build. Priced to sell! MLS# 2309202 $39,500 WOODED 2.4 ACRES. Tait Lake back-lot with driveway in and cleared building site ready for your cabin. Electric is on site. MLS# 2297619 $39,000 WOODED ACREAGE – GRAND MARAIS. Two private 20 acre lots with hiking and ski trails, and abundant wildlife. A high building site offers seasonal views of Lake Superior. MLS# 2313172 $46,000 & MLS# 2313173 $35,000

FIVE SECLUDED ACRES. One of eight secluded wooded 5-acre parcels bordering Govt. land. MLS# 2308827 $28,000

PRIVATE HOME SITE CLOSE TO SUPERIOR. Very nice parcel with driveway, power and cleared building site. Rock outcroppings, huge spruce and privacy on dead end road near Silver Bay. Very affordable home site or recreational lot. MLS# 6023748 $19,900

NEW! GORGEOUS SHORELINE WITH RARE SEA ARCH! The views are from the deck of a ship. A

the boathouse in the secluded cove for summer time peace and kayaking. And the rest of the year, enjoy the Spectacular Views from the home, an Eagle’s Nest perched along the Shore of Lake Superior in Tofte! MLS# 6023113 $585,000

NEW! THE ADVENTUROUS CABIN ON LAKE

SUPERIOR! Designed by the Architect/Owner to be the base camp to all the Outdoor Adventure the North Shore has to Offer! Sweeping views of Lake Superior from the interior of the home, but you’ll want to stroll out to campfire at the water’s edge to really soak in the Big Lake! All you need in your lake getaway…garage, wood fired hot tub, and even a part owner in the Bread Oven! A Must See. MLS#6024683 $467,500

NEW! WHIMSY AND LAKESHORE, A GREAT COMBINATION ON PIKE LAKE, LUTSEN! A Hunter’s Dream lake property, a cabin the wife will adore in the heart of the Wilderness. Well, only a short drive to Lutsen and Grand Marais for Shopping! $209,900 A MUST SEE MLS#6025134

playground, satellite TV, high speed internet! Nicely updated, Main level bdrm, upper sleep loft the kids will love! MLS#6022854 $175,000

SANDY BEACH SHORELINE ON LAKE SUPERIOR, AND A HECK OF A NICE HOME! Super value, completely renovated, the interior of this home should be in Architectural Digest! You will love it once you see it in person! MLS# 6022246 $399,000

SERENITY ON CASCADE BEACH, LUTSEN’S LAKE SUPERIOR.

Fantastic lakeshore home, reminiscent of days gone by while being lovingly maintained through generations. Craftsman built, you’ll be welcomed in to the comfortable kitchen, awed by incredible views through a wall of windows, very close to the water’s edge. You’ll fall in love with the large porch and stone flooring, move in ready yr round living. MLS#6023314 $610,000

AHH THE GOOD OLD DAYS ON LAKE SUPERIOR, INCREDIBLE LAND AND LAKESHORE!Well maintained Family Compound with yr round newer home on 8+ ac and 340+ ft accessible shoreline! But it’s 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#2187245 REDUCED! $599,900 HUGE VALUE!!!

OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME! Enjoy expansive views and a lot of elbow room with over 300 ft of Lake Superior Shoreline! Well constructed home is ready to be updated! Gorgeous Stone fireplace, two car detached, Lovely Lutsen setting! MLS#2038020 REDUCED! $625,000

SUPERIOR SENSE OF PLACE! Meander the tree lined driveway along Lutsen’s Rollins Creek Road, stumble upon the connecting ponds with Fountain and Sculpture celebrating the Sounds of Springtime! Over 8 acres of rolling terrain, experience the manicured path to the ponds, or stroll down the rock steps to the Tumultuous Shoreline, the Waves Pounding the over 600 ft of Rock with plenty of Splash! Inside the Fabulous home your guests will

GORGEOUS HOME ON SPECTACULAR LAKE SHORELINE! Very

JAW DROPPING LAKE SUPERIOR Ready to build with long winding driveway to build site, surveyed. Defined build site with Huge Views!! Rare opportunity close to Grand Marais and within walking distance from the Croftville Road, very nice for walks. MLS#6022564 $325,000

END OF THE ROAD SPECTACULAR 280 ft of cliff shoreline with unobstructed Views across Lake Superior! Little Marais area, Build ready, driveway already in place! MLS#2313255 $265,000

PLENTY OF ELBOW ROOM ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Nearly 800 ft of shoreline and 11 ac. of rolling terrain, with signs of the past logging roads and Spruce planted forests providing a sweet buffer from all of those pesky worries of the Real World! Driveway installed in to the mid-section of the land to allow you to explore which building site best fits your desires! MLS#2309271 $799,000

DREAMY LAKE SUPERIOR CABIN, ACCESSIBLE SHORELINE! Accessible ledgerock shoreline in the heart of Tofte! Walk to BlueFin for dinner, Enjoy seclusion amongst the Mature Spruce, Year Round living at it’s best. Perfect home to update and make it your own! MLS#2270954 $429,000

PEACE AND TRANQUILITY, A LOG CABIN ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Walk to Caribou Creek Waterfall from this Welcoming Log home! Vaulted, Beamed Ceilings, Wraparound deck and a wonderful move in ready interior! Some of the

lakeshore around, a must see! MLS#6022501 $549,000

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#2308906 $299,000

400 FT OF STUNNING LAKE SUPERIOR SHORELINE minute’s to the Cross River in Schroeder! Rolling terrain, nice Evergreen stand giving nice buffer from ANY highway noise. Worth the walk through the wilderness to see the AMAZING 400 ft of sprawling ledge rock shoreline!! MLS#2313305 $529,000

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#2308826 $429,000 REDUCED!

Change and So Do The LEAVES! North Shore Fall Colors Peak!!

MOVE IN READY ON CARIBOU

LAKE! Coveted 200 feet of Prime shoreline with rare earthen landing and a new dock! Sweet swimming shoreline, Family style home where you can relax at the lake while the kids romp around outside! 2 car attached, 2 detached for the toys! MLS#6023227 $495,000

JUST IMAGINE LOON LAKE! Let the kids romp and swim down on the shoreline while you enjoy relax on the large deck! It’s a small footprint which means more affordable to maintain and heat! Open concept main level with upstairs sleep space. Year round living on Loon Lake, fish for those Trout all day long! MLS#6022840 $211,000

SECLUSION ON GREENWOOD

LAKE’S EAST BAY! Charming newer construction log sided cabin with great Lake Views tucked in to the shoreline of a quiet bay…imagine fishing your days away on Greenwood! MLS#6019922 $249,000

CRAFTSMANSHIP ON GREENWOOD!

Big Waters, views that seem to sprawl for miles! Quality newer construction home, Everything about this cabin is Awesome. Easy lake access, huge views, Mint Condition. Borders State land, End of the Road privacy. MLS#6023062 $499,000

CHRISTINE LAKE! Located just off a designated Mountain Bike Trail system, enjoy year round access, electric at street and a TOTAL SENSE OF SECLUSION! Canoe on Christine, Fly Fish in the Poplar or just go for a hike in the Superior National Forest! MLS#2308836 $150,000 REDUCED!

GUST LAKE CABIN IN LUTSEN! Tons of value on a spectacular piece of shoreline! Super fishing cabin on a peninsula point overlooking peaceful Gust Lake and the Boundary Waters a hop skip and jump away. MLS#6020330 $239,000

SHUFFLEBOARD

ANYONE? Drift back to days gone by when you visit this lovely Greenwood Lake cabin! Incredible peninsula, Sweet cabin completely renovated and in tip top shape. Deep shoreline, huge ledgerock surrounds the home, you need to EXPERIENCE this property!

MLS#6023066 $429,000

SWEET CABIN ON TONS OF PIKE LAKE SHORELINE! End of the road, year round living in this Grand Cabin bordering the Superior National Forest! MLS#6022181 $349,000 AT THE WATERS EDGE! Rustic cabin on Gust Lake, a Real Charmer! MLS#6022642 $110,000

LUTSEN LAKE SUPERIOR VACATION TOWNHOME AT LUTSEN RESORT! Enjoy all that the historic Lutsen Lodge offers…a sandy beach, a cool River, Swimming pool, spa, FABULOUS dining…but enjoy it in STYLE at the Cliffhouse overlooking the historic lodge. Newer construction, Big views, Contemporary Design. Total Comfort. Nice rental income to offset expenses MLS#6021422 $429,000

Seasons Change and So Do The LEAVES! North Shore Fall Colors Peak!!

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

SILVER BAY TO LITTLE MARAIS TO FINLAND & ISABELLA!

Hwy 1 area Hunting Cabin on 10 ac MLS#2309318 $64,900

NEW! Whitetail Ridge Overlooking Lake Superior! Just off Highway 1, Enjoy Sprawling Lake and Ridgeline views and Rugged Terrain! Yr Round Access, Electric. MLS# 6024856 $110,000

30 acres Wilderness, Borders lands next to Little Manitou River! MLS#2309327 $129,000

Rocky Wall Overlooking Lake Superior just outside Silver Bay. MLS#2244646 $99,000

80 acres for $79,000 Blesner Lake Rd!. MLS#2234328

Rock Road in Silver Bay area! Great build site with creek frontage! MLS#2308638 $45,000 Sonju Lake Road in Finland! 39 ac Rolling terrain with some maples MLS#2313331 $45,000 SOLD!

160 acre parcel of upland maples and boreal forest. Total seclusion. Owned by the same family since 1904! MLS#2194145 $129,000

Lakeshore on Ninemile Lake at the Village, common water and septic, build ready, borders common land! MLS#2309096 $39,000 REDUCED!

SCHROEDER AREA NEAR THE CROSS RIVER!

Caribou River Frontage, Simply Gorgeous 38 ac! MLS#2313027 $65,000 SOLD!

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#2308954; 40+ ac $109,900

MLS#2308953

10 Ac Parcels of Maples! Rolling Terrain of Mature Maples to a Sweet Building site Perched Over a Mixed Boreal Forest. Year Round Access and Electric at Road! MLS#2024250 $56,900

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

TOFTE AREA NEAR BLUEFIN BAY RESORT!

Sugarloaf Retreats on High Ridge Drive, located up the Surgaloaf Road from Sugarloaf Cove Naturalist Area, Enjoy large acreage parcels w/ electric & Yr Round access! FROM $29,000 MLS# 159860

LeVeaux Mountain, Super Views and Wildlife Ponds! FROM $49,900 MLS#2216091, MLS#2220050 $69,000

Just Up the Sawbill Trail Grab your little piece of the Northwoods, rolling terrain and small community feel with year round access, great build sites! MLS#2070510 Prices from $24,900!!

Tofte vaag on the Sawbill, Nice Lake Views! Walk to the Coho, great location! FROM $49,900 MLS#1615956

Wowser Lake Superior views on Overlook Tr!

MLS#2296509 $79,900

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

MLS#2272174 $49,900

Gorgeous 19 acres with creek running through the middle, high ground! MLS#2309247 $65,000 SOLD!

LUTSEN LAKE VIEWS & WILDERNESS LANDS!

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

MLS#6023412 $35,000

Onion River Rd land, Hiker’s Heaven! MLS#2309316 $45,000 SOLD!

High Ground End of Cul de Sac borders Superior National Forest! MLS#6021436 $49,900

Woodland Foothills Build Ready lots, Shared Water & Community Septic from $19,000 MLS#2309328+

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

MLS#2312987 $119,000

Over 15 ac of Wilderness on Turnagain Trail in Lutsen! MLS#2216560 $69,500

Prime Build Site(s) just off theCaribou at Jonvick Creek! MLS#2240533 $49,000

LUTSEN LAKE VIEWS & WILDERNESS LANDS!

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

Creek Build Site just off the Caribou Trail at Jonvick Creek! Rare and Unique Build site!

MLS#2289515 $57,500

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

MLS#2080599 $137,500

80 Ac with Poplar River Frontage on the Honeymoon Tr! MLS#2307399 $95,000

Gorgeous Views of Williams & Wills Lake in Lutsen!

Year Round Access, electric, Mountain Top site bordering USFS land. A Wonderful place to build your home! MLS#2107927 $70,000

NEW! Maple Leaf Trail at Jonvick, Maples Galore! Nice elevated build site. Yr Round access, electric. MLS#6024972 $49,000

GRAND MARAIS LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!

NEW! Hammer Road East of town! Expansive Lake Superior Views! Great Build Site at $49,900 MLS#6023586

A Hop, Skip & Jump West of Grand Marais this lot is the perfect location to build. With an apron and culvert installed off County Rd 7, and the survey done you are ready to build! MLS#2313311 $68,900

A River Runs Through It!

160 Acres of Upland and River Frontage on the Cascade River near Eagle Mountain. Whether Hunting land or Wilderness Retreat, this is a Great Opportunity! MLS#1940786 $99,500 SOLD!

Corner Build Site in Town Walk to Harbor! MLS#2309203 $39,000

Cty Rd 7 Murphy Mountain Lake View lands! Bargain Buys in young Poplar Forest, easy clearing for Sweet Lake Superior Views for as little as $39,900! Or Enjoy Hilltop Build Site with driveway in place.

LAKESHORE BUILD SITES!

LAKESHORE 10+ ACRES BORDERING SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST! in Lutsen, year round access with over 10 acres and 200 feet of shoreline! Hilltop building site with cleared path thru cedar forest to Christine Lake, a super wilderness lake great for paddling your days away! MLS#6023288 $99,900

SWEET PARCEL ON SWALLOW LAKE IN ISABELLA AREA! 220 ft of shoreline, 2.5 ac! MLS#2300576 $64,900

150 FT ON CARIBOU LAKE, driveway roughed in, electric at street, dock in place with outhouse, Log bunkhouse! Great Summer Camp! MLS#2301994 $179,500 SOLD! SWEET CLARA LAKE SHORELINE!

out over the water and look down the bay. Nice path from dock to boat house and to elevated home site MLS#2184576 $159,000

\DREAMY LAKE SUPERIOR . land and lakeshore! Several acres of privacy and way more than 200 ft of Level Access Lake Superior shoreline in Schroeder, near Sugarloaf Cove Naturalist Area! MLS#2090420 $275,000

PIKE LAKE SHORELINE, SOUTHERN EXPOSURE! Nice big lake lot: 5+ acres, 225’ of frontage! Maples, cedars, fir, ash: a diverse mix of thriving Northwoods. The fall color is dreamy, try collecting maple sap in the spring! Shallow lake access, but it’s there, along with yr round access! MLS#2313068 $167,700

HEY HEY TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SUPER NICE CARIBOU LAKE BUILD SITE! The original cabin was recently removed, allowing for a nice “established feel” to this lot. Driveway in place, clearing done and electricity available! MLS#2309132 $150,000 REDUCED!

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#2279185 $1,575,000 GRAND MARAIS 4-PLEX IN THE HEART OF TOWN. Remodeled and well maintained. Big time shortage of rentals in Grand Maraismakes this property a must-see. Great views over the village to the harbor, Big Lake and Artist’s Point. Currently rented as yr round rental, but could be nice vacation rentals! MLS#2308951 $299,000 REDUCED!

CATCHLIGHT CATCHLIGHT

Moose

I photographed this bull moose on the Toohey Lake Road in October, 2014. I was with my friend, Paul Sundberg, who “called” him out by imitating a cow moose.

We were fortunate to be able to capture many shots as he walked out into the clear cut area. He stood there for awhile and then disappeared back into the forest.— David Brislance