THE GIFTS OF CANOES—SHED HUNTING—BEEKEEPING—SUPERIOR RESPONDERS
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Paddling into Spring The moment that signifies the arrival of a northern spring is the first time you slide a canoe into the water. There may still be some rotten ice along the shoreline and lingering patches of snow in the woods, but the first stroke of the paddle pushes winter behind you. Ahead lies months of time on the water. The canoe is the vessel of the North. For centuries, it was the primary mode of conveyance during the open water season, because paddling and portaging along interconnected waterways was far easier than making your way on foot or horseback through dense boreal forests. Today, canoes are mostly used for recreation, but very often they remain the best or only way to get from Point A to Point B.
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In this issue, we explore the world of canoes, as well as the people who make and use them. In a lovely essay, Mike Furtman takes us deep into the canoe country to discover the gifts of the canoe. Peter Fergus-Moore introduces us to a woman who makes canoes in Atikokan. Eric Chandler visits a paddle-maker in Duluth. Naturalist Emily Stone explains how canoeing can be an excellent way to observe the natural world. Julia Prinselaar reports on a 50-year-old high school program that culminates with a 12-day canoe trip into Quetico Provincial Park. Northern Wilds’ favorite historian tells us about the world’s oldest canoes. Delving into the Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s permanent collection,
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Breana Roy shares canoe-themed artwork. Joe Friedrichs tells the stories of the two last residents of the canoe country, Benny Ambrose and Dorothy Molter. Veteran canoe-tripper Chuck Viren explores the specialized world of canoe cuisine. In this issue, we introduce two new writers. Jolene Banning of the Fort William First Nation takes us to an Anishinaabe sugar bush, where people continue and celebrate the ancient spring tradition of collecting and boiling maple sap. Duluth writer Shelby Lonne-Rogentine catches up with Eric Schultz, who creates everything from pontoon boats to bridges. Outdoor columnist Gord Ellis highlights the life of Nipigon angler and conservationist Ray Dupuis, who was inducted to the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in March. Rae Poynter introduces us to the sweet, yet challenging hobby of beekeeping in the North. Last, but by no means least, Joe Shead of Two Harbors shares his expertise in the spring pastime (make that obsession for the likes of Joe) of searching for antlers shed by deer and moose during the previous winter. We are hopeful that by the end of April, most of the snow will be gone from the Northern Wilds landscape and ice-out will soon follow. Just like you, we are itching to get on the water. Also, be sure to enter our new Facebook contest to win a Duluth pack. You can learn more about the contest below.—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt
Outdoor Adventures on Lake Superior’s North Shore.
What’s in your pack? Coming in May Win a Duluth Pack full of prizes.
Join in the Fun! Congratulations to the winners of our drawing at the Duluth Women’s Expo.
Book: Waterfalls of Minnesota’s North Shore & More Stacy Sosniecki & LeAnn Chambers Lake Superior Zoo Tickets Katie Dickey, Rebecca Graves, & Jan Piguet Subscription to Northern Wilds Magazine Cindy Sanders, Stephanie Worley, Tarra Kimmel, Cassondra Gudowic, Janet Young & Jenny Overman
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Northern Wilds wants to make you a winner. To find new contests: • Check this ad spot! • Follow us on Facebook: NorthernWilds • Check our website: NorthernWilds.com
We are an online community focused on outdoor adventures on Lake Superior’s North Shore and the wilderness beyond. We would love to see members share photos and stories from your trips to this area. Outdoor Adventures on Lake Superior’s North Shore Photo contest submission by Carol Bowman ‘Early Morning Paddle.’
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VOLUME 1 6, I SSUE 4 w w w . n o r t h e r nw i l d s .c o m SERVING THE NORTH SHORE A ND T H E WI L D E R N E S S BE Y O N D PUBLISHERS Shawn Perich & Amber Pratt EDITORIAL Shawn Perich, Editor editor@northernwilds.com Breana Roy, Managing Editor breana@northernwilds.com ADVERTISING Sue O’Quinn, Sales Representative sue@northernwilds.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Katie Viren • katie@northernwilds.com Leah Pratt • print@northernwilds.com OFFICE Roseanne Cooley • billing@northernwilds.com Mandy Theiner • print@northernwilds.com CONTRIBUTORS Elle Andra-Warner, Jolene Banning, Eric Chandler, Gord Ellis, Peter Fergus-Moore, Joe Friedrichs, Michael Furtman, Shelby Lonne-Rogentine, Will Moore, Deane Morrison, Rae Poynter, Julia Prinselaar, Amy Schmidt, Javier Serna, Joe Shead, Rhonda Silence, Emily Stone, Chuck Viren Copyright 2019 by Northern Wilds Media, Inc. Published 12 times per year. Subscription rate is $28 per year or $52 for 2 years U.S. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part requires written permission from the publishers. Northern Wilds Media, Inc. P.O. Box 26, Grand Marais, MN 55604 (218) 387-9475 (phone/fax) PRINT & DESIGN print@northernwilds.com
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26 FEATURES 16 The Gifts of Canoes
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18 At Home in the Boundary Waters Dorothy Molter and Benny Ambrose
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Help Prevent The Spread Of Invasive Plants And Animals. • REMOVE plants, animals & mud from gear, boat, trailer & vehicle. • CLEAN your gear before entering & leaving the recreation site. • DRAIN bilge, ballast, wells & buckets before you leave the area. • DRY equipment before launching into another body of water. • DISPOSE of unwanted bait in a sealed container.
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Moose spend a lot of time feeding on aquatic vegetation in the summer, which makes them easy to spot from a canoe. | EMILY STONE
Sneaking up on things in a canoe NORTH SHORE— Canoes are maneuverable, transportable, graceful, quiet, and require very little water to float. That’s only a partial list of their good qualities, of course. I could go on for hours. The bottom line is that what I love most about canoes is their ability to help me access some of the most beautiful places on Earth. And once there, they are also useful for sneaking up on things. On one of my very first work trips as a volunteer on the Forest Service’s portage crew, I traveled with a wilderness ranger in the vicinity of Winchell Lake. Dense fog swirled around us one morning as we headed to our first portage. Fog like that creates an unspoken pact of silence between paddling partners, so we took care that our blades entered the water smoothly and that no paddle clanked the gunwale. As we entered a bay and paddled down its narrowing length, the sound of running water reached our ears. A tributary stream? Then a dark shape materialized out of the gloom. Its head lowered, sloshed a bit among the water lilies, and then rose again. Rivulets of water coursed off of its head and tinkled back into the lake. We froze until the big bull moose lowered his head again, and then we quickly paddled a foot or two closer. Ranger Dan pulled out his camera. Freeze. Paddle. Freeze. Paddle. Finally, we weren’t comfortable getting any closer, so we just floated and watched this magnificent beast eat his breakfast. Moose are the classic example of something you can sneak up on more easily when you’re in a canoe. I sure wouldn’t want to startle one if it was on land! Loons are another icon of canoe country, but they aren’t quite so easy to outwit. I’m pretty certain that every close encounter
Below the sunny yellow flowers of bladderworts, meat-eating traps lie in wait. These plants capture and digest bugs in difficult-to-access bogs. | EMILY STONE A moose cow and calf swimming in the Boundary Waters. | EMILY STONE I’ve had with loons is due to their curiosity, not my stealth. On my very first trip to the Boundary Waters, a loon swam underneath our canoe. The checkered pattern of its back glowed up through tannin-stained water. Since then, loons in the wilderness have mostly kept their distance. Back home, though, in the middle of motorized vacationland, loons regularly swim toward and dive under our pontoon boat. Walter Piper, a loon researcher in Wisconsin, has found that tame parents produce tame offspring, and skittish parents produce skittish offspring. In busy areas, tame loons might benefit from not wasting energy swimming away from humans. While you may not truly be able to evade a loon’s notice, at least the quiet approach of a canoe will earn you the best look possible.
Slowly and quietly often is the key for paddlers to see wildlife. Frogs and turtles sit motionless while you glide past or splash into the lake at the last second. Animals aren’t the only living things worth sneaking up on, though. The sunny yellow flowers of bladderwort are difficult to approach on foot. They tend to grow in the soggy, insubstantial peat of a floating bog mat. Your foot might never find the bottom if you tried to step out for a closer look. Since canoes only need a few inches to float, you can hover safely over the muck. Why would bladderworts be worth looking for? Besides being pretty, they are one of the fastest plants on earth. And they are carnivorous. Dangling into the water and muck beneath the flower are many tiny bladders. Each one is a trap that the plant
pumps water out of, creating a vacuum inside. When a minuscule invertebrate critter nudges trigger hairs near the trapdoor, it only takes a fraction of a second for the flap to swing inward and suck in both water and lunch—that’s where they earn the speed record. Then the plant draws out the water and replaces it with digestive enzymes. Botanists might not think of going afield in a canoe. But next to the bladderworts you can often find sundews, pitcher plants and orchids. And at the end of a long day, when you’ve paddled and portaged hard, you’ve watched breathlessly as nature goes about its business, and you’ve landed on a high rock campsite overlooking the sunset, you might just find that the quiet peace of a canoe has snuck up on one more thing: yourself.—Emily M. Stone
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Thelma Fletcher Cameron “Most prefer a canoe built by a woman.” ATIKOKAN— It is said that a life-changing journey begins with a single step. For Thelma Cameron (née Fletcher) of Port Dover, Ontario, that step was her husband Randy accepting an Ontario Hydro position in Atikokan, just north of Quetico Provincial Park. For most southerners moving to the northwest of the province, the impact of the relatively pristine northern landscape is profound: “I thought this was heaven,” Thelma recalls. The mother of two little boys in the early 1980s, Thelma could not have guessed that another aspect of the northwest would have an equally powerful impact on her life: the canoe. Surrounded by a multitude of rivers and lakes limned by beautiful forests, the young family took to the waters in the Indigenous craft as soon as the seasons permitted. Within a few years, another step in the journey: “My Uncle Paul Fletcher was building canoes in Whitehorse at the time and wanted to retire,” Thelma says. “He was ready to sell his business to us, so Randy went to Whitehorse for three weeks to learn canoe building and to bring back the tools and moulds.” Paul had been a highly-respected canoe builder of many years. “Uncle Paul always wanted to build the perfect canoe,” Thelma says. “He’d worked at MacDonald Douglas and Studebaker, where he learned about aerodynamics.” Her uncle’s desire and sense of styling led to the creation of a canoe that caught the attention of iconic canoeist and naturalist Bill Mason in Whitehorse. Paul asked Mason to try his canoe out. “Bill came back three times to try that canoe,” Thelma says. “He loved it!”
Paul humbly asked if he could call his creation the Bill Mason Canoe. “Only if you add ‘Heavy Duty’ to the name,” Mason replied, delighted at the craft’s ruggedness and clean lines. Over the years, Paul created two versions, the heavy duty and a lighter, solo model, “Fletcher’s Fancy,” both lovingly described in Bill Mason’s iconic canoeing book, Path of the Paddle. Randy and Thelma, and eventually son Michael, inherited these models. Thelma began canoe building by caning the seats for Michael, who worked alongside his father. This led to helping with sanding, painting and applying Varathane, and yet another fateful intervention: Michael’s youthful wanderlust. “I’ve got to get out of here (Atikokan),” Michael told his mother. “You have one month to learn how to build canoes.” And so she did. “Michael wrote me a book, my ‘bible,’” Thelma says. “It has all the measurements and everything I needed to know about the two models.” Necessity turned out to be the mother of Thelma’s canoe building. “I had orders already,” she recalls. “I had to get going!” Over 120 canoes later, Thelma shows no signs of stopping. When asked how many she builds in a year, she hesitates. “The canoes are all in different stages of building, so it’s hard to put an exact number on canoes in a year,” she says. Thelma recalls one year where she built 10 canoes, a year she does not want to repeat. Fletcher Canoes in Atikokan consists of Thelma on new canoes, husband Randy on rebuilds, and Michael, who occasionally helps his mom.
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A female canoe builder is still what Thelma calls “a rare breed.” She is aware of Pam Wedd, of Bearwood Canoes in Seguin, Ontario near Parry Sound, and Jeanne Bourquin, of Bourquin Boats in Ely. Both build wooden and canvas canoes. How is it being a woman in a male-dominant field? “Most men who buy my canoes prefer a canoe built by a woman,” Thelma chuckles. “They say women take more care, pay more attention to that kind of detail.” What about builders of Kevlar craft, (such as Atikokan’s Souris River Canoes) or “strippers” (cedar strip canoes)?
“There’s absolute respect,” Thelma says. “Their people don’t want my canoes and my people don’t want theirs. It all balances out.” Thelma notes that it takes a lot of time and patience to build a canoe, but the response of the buyer is a reward in and of itself: “Some cry, saying ‘Omigod. I’ve waited all my life for this!’” she says. A bonus is that of Atikokan’s proximity to the provincial park. “Often, my customers’ first canoe ride is in Quetico, so both Quetico and Atikokan benefit.” —Peter Fergus-Moore
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Thelma Cameron building a canoe. She says, “Most men prefer a canoe built by a woman.” | MICHAEL CAMERON
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Northeastern Minnesota moose population remains low but stable significantly improved. Our goal is to use this new information to identify management options that better the chances for long-term survival of moose in northeastern Minnesota.” This year’s survey involved flying in 52 survey plots distributed across northeastern Minnesota’s moose range from Jan. 3 to Jan. 17. While the survey is statistically sound, there is inherent uncertainty associated with it, because researchers will never see and count all of the animals across the 6,000-square-mile survey area.
The DNR has conducted annual aerial moose surveys each year since 1960 in the northeast. Adjustments made to the survey in 2005 made it more accurate and its annual results more comparable from 2005 to the present. The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and 1854 Treaty Authority again contributed funding and provided personnel for the annual moose survey. More information is available on the DNR website at: mndnr.gov/moose.
Songs of Life & Nature: A Concert with Dick Kimmel —April 27
Survey results estimate northeastern Minnesota’s moose population at 4,180, statistically unchanged from 2018’s estimate of 3,030. | MNDNR
ST. PAUL— Results of the 2019 moose survey indicate northeastern Minnesota’s moose population remains stable but relatively low for the eighth year in a row, according to the DNR. “We’re encouraged that the moose population is not in the steep decline it was,” said Glenn DelGiudice, DNR moose and deer project leader. “In the short to medium term, we’re likely to keep seeing moose in the forests, lakes and swamps of northeastern Minnesota. But their longterm survival here in Minnesota remains uncertain.” Survey results estimate northeastern Minnesota’s moose population at 4,180, statistically unchanged from 2018’s estimate of 3,030. The results reflect a 90 percent certainty that the moose population is between 3,250 and 5,580 animals. The last significant population decline occurred between 2009 and 2012. Since then, the number of moose in northeastern Minnesota has been statistically stable. Since the DNR began its modern moose surveys in 2005, northeastern Minnesota’s moose population was at its highest in 2006, when survey results estimated 8,840 animals. Each subsequent year’s survey estimate is compared to 2006’s peak estimate to calculate the population decline. This year’s population estimate is 53 percent lower than 2006, an improvement from 2018 when the estimate was 65 percent lower. Reproductive success and adult survival have the greatest impact on the annual count and dynamics of the moose population over time. “We know from our research that adult female moose are getting pregnant,” DelGiudice said. “The problem is there aren’t enough female moose that are successfully producing calves and raising them to one year. That’s a significant challenge in our
efforts to maintain Minnesota’s moose population.” Survey results indicate that calf survival from birth in spring to January continues to be relatively stable but consistently low. Field studies have indicated that survival rates are even lower by spring, translating to low numbers of moose calves living through their first year. The DNR’s detailed field research has shown that wolf predation has consistently accounted for about two-thirds of the calf mortality and one-third of the adult mortality. In some cases, injuries suffered during predation attempts—not the predation itself—ultimately killed the adult moose. In others, sickness or disease likely made the adult moose more vulnerable to predation.
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The annual population survey is the most critical aspect of DNR moose management. Tracking moose numbers and determining the gender and age makeup of the population allows the DNR to closely monitor the health and well-being of moose. In 2012, the DNR made nine forested areas a permanent part of the moose survey. These areas include different types of forest, including forests disturbed by events such as wildfires, blow-downs and timber harvests. Higher population counts within specific areas may indicate that moose prefer certain types of habitat. The DNR and its partners can use this information to better target current and future habitat enhancement projects to provide better conditions for long-term moose survival in Minnesota. DNR wildlife research also is in its seventh year of an extensive study to determine how winter nutrition affects moose survival and reproductive success. “There are many things we still don’t know,” DelGiudice said. “But our understanding of habitat preferences, population structure, nutrition and predation has
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While different beekeepers have different ways to house their bees, Mark Ditmanson uses a Langstroth hive. | MARK DITMANSON
Bees are an important part of our environment, but they face threats such as habitat loss and the widespread use of pesticides. | MARK DITMANSON
Northern beekeeping: A sweet hobby hollow trees in this area that honey bees need, a swarm will die if the beekeeper doesn’t catch them.
GRAND MARAIS— Pollinators, such as bees, are necessary for maintaining a healthy ecosystem. A majority of the crops that people rely on for food are pollinated by bees, and they can help promote better growth in flower gardens. People have kept honey bees domestically for thousands of years, drawn to their many benefits including beeswax and honey. Many people along Lake Superior’s North Shore keep honey bees, including Grand Marais resident Mark Ditmanson. Ditmanson is a member of the North Shore Hobby Beekeepers, a group based out of Cook County that began with a handful of members and has now grown to around 15 people. “I’ve been keeping bees for the last 14 years,” said Ditmanson. “A friend encouraged me to get started. Around that time there was a big concern for pollinators. I got my first bees from local beekeepers and have been keeping bees ever since.” Honey bees aren’t native to North America. They arrived with European settlement, and as bees naturally escape and start new hives, they’ve now spread across the continent and are kept throughout the U.S. and Canada. Although the Northland doesn’t have wild honey bees due to the harsh winters, they do well domestically and are great at pollinating local gardens. “There are hives scattered all over Grand Marais, as well as outside of town,” Ditmanson said. “Anyone living in Grand Marais will see honey bees visiting their flowers—that’s grown over the last several years as more people have started beekeeping.” For those just getting started with beekeeping, a first consideration is where and how to house them. A single hive can contain over 30,000 honey bees. While different beekeepers have different ways of housing their bees, Mark Ditmanson uses a kind of hive called a Langstroth hive, which has frames that slide in and out where the bees build their honeycombs.
“Swarming bees are docile,” said Ditmanson. “They have a lot of honey and are focused on following the queen. When bees swarm on a tree branch, you can climb and cut off the branch with the swarm, and put them in a new box. The bees will follow the queen down into a new box since they’re following her smell.”
Grand Marais resident Mark Ditmanson has been keeping bees for the last 14 years. | MARK DITMANSON This design makes it easy for beekeepers to check whether the hive is healthy, whether it’s producing honey, and whether the queen bee is laying enough eggs. Once a beekeeper finds suitable hives and gets their first bees, the work involved in keeping them varies throughout the year. In the winter, the hives have to be insulated to protect them from the harsh weather, and in the spring, beekeepers feed the hives with sugar. Some other tasks include keeping hives protected from hungry bears and watching for swarms in early summer. Bee swarms occur when a new queen hatches. The new queen will leave the hive with a large portion of the worker bees to start a new colony. Typically, a swarm of honey bees will try to find a hollow tree to use for a new hive. But since there aren’t
While honey production may seem like the primary reason to keep domestic bees, beekeepers in the Northland don’t always collect a lot of honey. “We get some honey up here, depending on how close your hives are to meadows and blossoms,” said Ditmanson. “The boreal forest doesn’t have blossoms, and since bees will only fly three miles to get food, whether or not you’ll get honey from your bees is very location-dependent.” Despite that, Ditmanson said that beekeeping is a very rewarding practice. “Part of the joy is learning about the bees. I’ve seen them do their waggle dance, heard the queens give signals, and smelled their alarm smell. The more you learn about bees, the more you can respond to them. You learn to respect their space so they’ll want to stay. And since bees are so dependent on their surroundings, you become much more in-tuned to nature’s rhythms and are more aware of your own surroundings.” While bees are an important part of our environment, they also face threats such as loss of habitat and the widespread use of pesticides that weaken and disorient bees. Some ways people can help include planting bee-friendly flowers grown in natural soil and encouraging nurseries to grow plants in pesticide-free soil (pesticides in soil can make it into a flower’s nectar and harm bees). Any effort to help our pollinators helps to support a healthy and balanced ecosystem.—Rae Poynter
A superior conference for Superior responders GRAND MARAIS— In July 2018, a motorhome crashed on Highway 61, nearly tumbling into the Poplar River in Lutsen. In October 2018, a woman from St. Joseph, Minnesota fell from a cliff into the Cascade River. Since the beginning of 2019, there have been two structure fires and several searches for individuals lost in hazardous weather. There have been arrests and medical transports and more. All of these incidents are handled by our local emergency responders. These busy people don’t have much time to spare. Recognizing the growing need for emergency responder training, former Cook County Emergency Management director Nancy Koss and past Sheriff Dave Wirt, along with a handful of emergency response leaders, sat down to plan a twoday training session for local responders. They wanted to make it easier for North Shore emergency workers to obtain the crucial training necessary to do their work. The conference has become an annual event and has included training ranging from wilderness rescue, mock plane crash response, emergency communications, and hazardous materials response to water rescues, vehicle extrication, bloodborne pathogens and much more. Three decades later, the conference continues, bringing educators from law
enforcement, medical, and fire services to Cook County. This year’s conference, on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27, is the 30th Annual Superior Response Emergency Services Conference and Awards. Current Emergency Management director Valerie Marasco has continued the tradition established by Koss, and later Emergency Management director Jim Wiinanen, developing a conference agenda that has something for all emergency service departments. There will be hands-on training for firefighters in a live burn rotation. Firefighters will practice extinguishing fires in a number of simulated exercises. They will confront propane tank and barbecue grill explosions, as well as a vehicle fire. Police and emergency medical responders will participate in “3Echo training,” an active shooter exercise. Scott Lesnau and Steve Leslie of St. Louis County will give a presentation on the evacuation and emergency shelter operation following the massive explosion at the Huskey Oil Refinery in Duluth last year. There is a focus on resilience for emergency responders, with sessions such as The Story of One Wildland Firefighter: Staying Positive through the Stress by Wendy McCartney, a U.S. Forest Service fuels technician and Building Resilience to
Emergency Services Conference fire training 2014. | RHONDA SILENCE Overcome Trauma with RN Amy LaRue of the University of Wisconsin. All responders will have the chance to learn more about being safe at the scene of an emergency in Street Smart Incident Command with John Ehret of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office. There is much more and anyone interested can see the conference agenda and learn more about the conference by visiting the Cook County website and clicking on “Emergency Management.” More information is also available from Marasco by calling (218) 387-3059.
Perhaps just as important for responders though, is the opportunity to train together, across disciplines. Law Enforcement dispatchers get to know the folks on the other end of the radio. Firefighters who come together in mutual aid fire situations get to practice side-by-side. Ambulance workers get to know the traffic control volunteers who help keep scenes safe. And all get to relax and enjoy an evening dinner with a special keynote speaker and door prizes, donated by a community grateful for the always superior response from our emergency response team. —Rhonda Silence
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Museum opens a window into Grand Portage history
FREE DAY AT THE DENTIST
Healthy Smiles for Cook County Youth
Monday, April 15, 2019 The Oral Health Task Force will be sponsoring another “Free Day” at Grand Marais Family Dentistry on April 15, 2019 for Cook County children and young adults up to 26 years of age. The Free Day also applies to children who attend Birch Grove Charter School living in Silver call today to make an appointment at 387-2774. The “Free Day” includes an Mary Ann Gagnon stands besides a display of beadwork donated by the late Iola Wojtysiak, among the many hand-crafted items housed in the Grand Portage Museum. | SUBMITTED
of the Oral Health Task Force to any includes pre-natal moms, children and young adults again up to age 26, day cares, and grandparent’s homes. For further well testing information and instructions, please call either Joe Routh at Cook County Planning and Zoning, 387-3631 or Georgene Daubanton at Oral Health Task 387-2334.
For more information www.northshorehealthcarefoundation.org Sponsored by the Oral Health Task Force and Grand Marais Family Dentistry. This program is made possible by grants from Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Aitkins Memorial Cook County, Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation, First and Second Street Thrift Store, Grand Marais Lions and Lioness Club, Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, Mardag Foundation, Medica Foundation, Minnesota Dental Foundation, Minnesota Power Foundation, North Shore Health Care Foundation, Northland Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, St. Lukes Foundation, and Walmart Foundation.
GRAND PORTAGE— A little-known museum in Grand Portage doesn’t receive a lot of visitors, but everyone who goes there is charmed by what they find. The Grand Portage Museum, located in the log structure that once housed the school, contains collections that reflect the community, culture and families of Grand Portage.
The building was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps Indian Division in 1938 with logs, ironically, from the Pacific Northwest. It long served as a focal point for the community. The school had two classrooms for grades 1-3 and 4-6. Gagnon says there is a large bell in the basement that once hung outside. She hopes to have it restored and placed outside again.
Another collection, donated by Dr. Roger and Nancy Lienke, includes artifacts and photos, including pictures of all Grand Portage families at the time. Most of the artifacts are stored nearby at the Grand Portage National Monument, which has a climate-controlled storage area. Some of the photos are on display. They tell wonderful stories. Pictures of the old store, moose hunting, the Catholic church, the original stockade at the national monument and the Mineral Center community reflect times, places and people long gone. A 1932 aerial map shows the location of a surprising number of farms on the Reservation. There is also a photo collection of all Grand Portage military veterans. One case holds the medals and purple heart earned by World War II veteran James Deschampes.
The importance of the school to the community is evident in the museum displays. There are photos of athletes and team sports, especially the champion basketball team. Known as the Thunderbirds, the team generated a lot of hometown pride.
Local artists recognized at the museum include George Morrison, Raymond Duhaime, Mary Mitchell, Ellen Olson, Marcie McIntyre and Rose Porter. Shown, too, are paintings by Gordy Legarde. Children’s dance regalia is on display.
“The whole community went to the games,” Gagnon said.
One of the more interesting documents is an old letter authorizing Grand Portage to punish anyone caught bringing alcohol into the Reservation. Gagnon says Indians weren’t allowed to enter places serving liquor until 1964, including in Grand Marais. She told the story of two Grand Portage men who were asked to leave a Grand Marais drinking establishment. They noticed a Grand Marais local of native ancestry (perhaps unbeknownst by the barkeep) was sitting at the bar!
“People with ties to Grand Portage are the ones who visit here,” says museum director Mary Ann Gagnon. “If they went to school in this building, they walk in and say it still smells the same.”
Interestingly, the museum also has a Twins uniform. The late Gilbert Caribou was supposed to throw the first pitch at a Twins game, but he became ill. His grandson filled in for him. Grand Portage has also long supported the North Shore mushing communities. It used to host the Grand Portage Passage race and remains integral to the John Beargrease Marathon. The museum has memorabilia from both races. The Grand Portage Lodge and Casino began as a Radisson hotel. The museum has pictures from that era, as well as from the beginning of the casino. Gagnon was issued the casino’s first players card, which is shown, too. A significant display is the collection donated by the late Iola Wojtysiak, who worked in Grand Portage for
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many years. She and her husband Walter purchased beadwork from many families. They also had Cecilia Hendrickson make traditional tickanoggins for each of their children. The museum has two of them.
A room that once served at the school library (and still contains library books), as well as the tribal courtroom, is now used as a classroom for traditional crafts such as beadwork. It is just one example of the many ways Grand Portage’s past remains alive today.—Shawn Perich
Split Rock Lighthouse’s Keeper Retires after Nearly Four Decades TWO HARBORS—Since it first opened in 1910, Split Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior has only been entrusted to a handful of head lighthouse keepers. Split Rock’s latest and longest resident keeper, Lee Radzak, will retire this month after 36 years in the role and 42 at the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS). When Radzak first started the job at Split Rock Lighthouse in 1982 after six years as an MNHS archaeologist, he and his wife Jane took up residence in one of three historic keepers’ houses at the site. They have spent almost 40 years living and caring for one of Minnesota’s most popular tourist attractions, and the couple easily holds the record for the longest residents at Split Rock Lighthouse in its nearly 110-year history. While job duties as site manager don’t involve protecting ships from Superior’s rocky shores—Split Rock was decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1969— Radzak’s work has included everything from dealing with power outages and raging storms to overseeing restoration on the site’s historic buildings. All while welcoming a constant stream of year-round visitors; an estimated 4.75 million people have visited the site during his tenure. “It’s arguably the biggest tourist destination north of Duluth. About 160,000 people now come here every year and have ever since the highway opened up in the 1920s,” Radzak said. When he’s asked by visitors if it ever gets lonely, he has to laugh a little. “You want to say: ‘Well look around, there are 50 people standing behind you walking up to the lighthouse.’ No, it’s not a lonely place.” While today few people can say they’ve lived and worked at a lighthouse for so long, Radzak is humble about the unique experience. “My wife and I feel that we are just ordinary people that were given the unique privilege to live an extraordinary life at Split Rock.” Radzak’s time as the lighthouse continues a long tradition of resident keepers tasked with protecting ships—often carrying iron ore—on Lake Superior during the May-December shipping season. Novelist James Oliver Curwood once called the North Shore “the most dangerous piece of water in the world.” During Lake Superior’s iron ore boom in the early 20th century, a single November 1905 storm damaged 29 ships on the lake—one-third of the U.S. Steel Corporation’s uninsured property. After lobbying led by U.S. Steel’s president, Congress appropriated $75,000 to build a lighthouse and fog signal at Split Rock to protect ships along the lake’s rocky shores. Construction was completed in 1910, and Orren “Pete” Young became Split Rock’s first head keeper tasked with keeping the station operational. For its first 15 years, the isolated lighthouse was only
Lee Radzak and his dog. | SUBMITTED reachable by water; it didn’t become accessible by land until the Lake Superior International Highway was built in 1924. The highway made it easier for keepers and their families to live full time at the lighthouse, and it also brought a tourism boom to the North Shore. By 1938, head keeper Franklin J. Covell estimated nearly 100,000 people had visited the site. Over time, with the rise of new navigational technology like GPS, lighthouses became increasingly obsolete, and Split Rock was decommissioned in 1969. The site was obtained by the state of Minnesota in 1971, which transferred management to the Minnesota Historical Society in 1976. It remains a popular tourist site and is one of the most photographed and iconic locations in Minnesota. Radzak’s career has paralleled some the biggest achievements in the site’s last 40 years, including the Secretary of the Interior naming Split Rock Lighthouse a National Historic Landmark in 2011—one of only 25 in Minnesota—a process that took several years to complete. He also oversaw construction of a visitor center in 1986, led the celebration of Split Rock’s 100th birthday in 2010, expanded the interpretive program and led a major restoration of the lighthouse and fog signal building. Radzak has been repeatedly recognized for his service on the North Shore and in the lighthouse preservation community, including receiving the 2014 Lake Superior Magazine Achievement Award and the F. Scott Holland Award, the American Lighthouse Council’s lifetime achievement award, in 2016. “I can’t think of a better representative of the Minnesota Historical Society than Lee Radzak,” said Ben Leonard, director of Greater Minnesota sites and partnership sites at MNHS. To learn more about Split Rock Lighthouse, visit mnhs.org/splitrock. NORTHERN WILDS
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Josh Rude of Glørud Design holds the unfinished first paddle he ever attempted to build. | ERIC CHANDLER
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DULUTH— Drive past one of the oldest grain elevators still working on Rice’s Point. Go east of where that tugboat is moored in the slip. You’ll find the home of Glørud Design across the harbor from the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. Open the door to the shop and you’ll see Josh Rude, a tall man surrounded by the pleasant aroma of sawdust. Rude says he’s in “production mode.” Summer is coming and people need paddles. Finely crafted canoe paddles. The spacious wood shop is filled with dozens of paddles in various stages of completion. The finished products are beautiful, but Rude believes form should follow function. “These paddles are made to put in the water,” says Rude. It began as an engagement gift for his wife, Natalie. His first try at construction hangs incomplete on the wall of his shop. Rude brought the unfinished paddle down, held it and said, “I got that far and...yuck.” On a second attempt, he got some tips. He had a neighbor who worked for Whis-
keyjack Paddles, a Duluth outfit that’s no longer in business. He has that unfinished paddle hanging next to the first one. The third attempt was good enough to sell to a family-friend. At last, Natalie got her gift on the fourth try. According to the Glørud Design website (gloruddesign.com), that design was the Innsjø, which means “lake” in Norwegian. It’s striking. After moving back to Duluth in 2014 from living abroad, his artist wife Natalie opened Studio Haiku (nataliesalminen. com) and Rude took the leap into making paddles. He asked Frost River if they’d like to display and sell some of his work and they did, followed soon after by Duluth Pack. Rude started in his father-in-law’s wood shop in Fredenberg and later, became the first tenant to work in the newly launched Duluth Folk School. He started his company Glørud Design and incorporated as an LLC a few years later in 2018. On January 1 of this year he moved into his new workshop, the former home of the Duluth Timber Company.
rockwoodbwca.com/routes [LEFT] The Innsjø paddle which means lake in Norwegian. This was the design that Josh Rude made for his wife that started it all. [CENTER] The Rød paddle, which translates as red, was created as a result of a “happy accident.” [RIGHT] The Nordlys paddle, Norwegian for northern lights. | GLØRUD DESIGN
Rude makes paddles using many different types of wood including walnut and cedar. Some designs include locally sourced aspen from the Lester River Sawmill. One paddle he pulled out of the assembly line included maple in the blade. The maple came from trees that were removed from 4th Street in Duluth when the city worked on the underground infrastructure and repaved that road. It’s a unique paddle with an interesting local connection. It takes Rude about four hours to make a paddle, but almost every step requires a pause. That four hours of labor spreads to fill two weeks. Gluing together the wood to create the shaft, then waiting for the glue to dry. Gluing the woods in the blade together. Pausing for drying. Shaping the blade with a router. Molding and pouring an epoxy rock-guard on the blade tip. Shaping that. Applying a fiberglass layer to the blade. Layers of epoxy. Repeat on the other side of the blade. Tools include saws, planes, forms for shaping shafts, jigs and forms for use with a router, and a sanding disc on an angle grinder for shaping. Each paddle is made with bursts of activity followed by necessary stops. When asked what motivates him during all this work, Rude chose his words carefully. He said his tagline is: Custom Woodwork for Life. “Sometimes I make a paddle that’s personalized. I even made a paddle that had poetry embedded in the fiberglass,” said Rude. “Hanging the paddle on the wall is fine. I want to create a sense of beauty. But I hope that people are using these things. I want them to put it to use.” Rude makes more than just canoe paddles. He also makes kayak paddles and standup paddleboard (SUP) paddles. People often notice his paddles and ask him if he does other woodworking. He created two tables and a wine cabinet for the Popol Vuh restaurant in the Twin Cities. Rude says he likes these other types of projects because they’re another “creative outlet,” but he’s quick to point out that “paddles are the focus.” As a one-man shop with a wife and three kids, his time is limited. But a side benefit of these other projects is that remnant wood can be used to make more paddles. Rude described a happy accident that happened while he was working on a paddle design called “Rød” which translates as “red.” The router slipped while shaping a paddle blade. Rather than giving up on the paddle, Rude tried to think of a way to salvage his work. He came up with a wave design that he incorporates into a paddle called the “Rød – Wave.” He described the challenges of pouring and molding epoxy to create the combination wave design and rock-guard at the blade tip. It’s not easy. In one version, he adds a tint of color to the epoxy that fills the semi-transparent, Hokusai-like wave shape. Pad-
dlers have told him the design is stunning when the sun lights up the paddle on the water.
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Rude says he’s not too active on social media, but that he enjoys hearing from paddlers who use his creations. “I like being creative. There’s freedom in that. It’s a gift,” said Rude. “It’s fun to get feedback. I look at people using my paddles on Instagram or I get an email from them. That feels good, I’m not gonna lie.” Rude said it’s the “gift of the internet” that allows people to find his work and buy his paddles. Paddlers from Michigan, Ontario, and as far away as Seattle, Florida, and California are using his creations on the water. Rude brands each paddle with the Scandinavian letter “ø.” The slash through the letter on each paddle is actually a narrow paddle shape. The letter is also in the name of his company, Glørud Design. Rude is an Americanized version of his ancestors’ family name Glørud. They came from southeast of Oslo in Norway along the fjord and changed their name to Rude when they immigrated. The brand on each paddle is a homage to his family heritage and kind of a signature. There may be another subtler signature on each paddle. If you see one of his paddles in person, there are shiny finishes and varnishes that cover the paddle blade and shaft. But then, at the top of the paddle at the grip, the texture of the wood visibly changes. “I finish the grip with tung oil,” Rude said. “It gives the grip a more natural feel than the rest of the paddle.” He might ask you to hold the paddle yourself and sense how the paddle grip feels in your hand. Because you’re going to use it, not just look at it.—Eric Chandler
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Hunting for spring treasures NORTH SHORE—There are plenty of reasons to go for a hike after a long, snowy winter. It’s just great to get some fresh air, listen to birdsongs and get out of the house. But the idea of finding naturally shed deer and moose antlers is what really drives me to get into the woods each spring. Over the winter, male moose and deer naturally shed their antlers, and around April, they start growing a new set. Since they don’t need their old antlers anymore, I help myself to their discarded natural works of art.
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Shed antlers are free for the taking…if you can find them. The search itself is enjoyable. Even if you don’t find anything, you still get a nice walk in the woods. But actually finding an antler is like finding a treasure! There’s certainly an art to finding sheds. As you spend more time shed hunting, you’ll learn how critters move across the landscape. For simplicity’s sake, you need to spend your time in areas where the animals feed and bed. In winter, deer in the North Woods eat what they can get. They love to eat white cedar and red osier dogwood. They will also eat aspen bark, hazel and grass if they can find it. Where available, they’ll eat acorns, crab apples and other mast. Moose feed on a variety of plants as well. They like mountain maple, red osier dogwood, aspen, balsam, hazel, willows and young birch. Surviving our cold, snowy winters is hard for deer, so they bed in areas that provide warmth or shelter. Coniferous forests make good bedding areas because the branches catch the snow and hold if off the ground. As a result, there is less snow on the ground for deer to step through. Plus, evergreens form a thermal canopy, making these forests slightly warmer than the open areas. However, on sunny days, deer sometimes move away from cover. When the sun is shining, they bed on the south face of a hill or the south side of a blowdown to soak up radiant heat, just like a cat sitting in a windowsill. South-facing hillsides are good places to find sheds. These hills don’t have to be mountains—any little rise can be an attractive bedding site. Moose have large bodies that retain heat better than the smaller bodies of whitetails. Cold isn’t such a factor for them. But they’ll still seek shelter for bedding. They often bed inside or along the southern edge of balsam stands. And like deer, look for them to bed along southern hillsides on sunny days.
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Joe Shead with a 10-point matched set from a whitetail. The antlers were lying about 50 yards apart. | JOE SHEAD
There is ample public land to seek sheds, including state, national and county forest. Get landowner permission before searching for antlers on private property.
[TOP] A deer shed as it was
found in a northern Minnesota deer wintering area. Note the droppings around the antler—evidence of heavy deer concentrations. | JOE SHEAD [LEFT] Joe Shead holding up a
large moose antler he found in the spring of 2018. This single antler has 13 points and weighs 15 pounds. | JOE SHEAD Now that you have an idea of the places to search, here are a few tips to help you find antlers. Try clear-cuts. Young stands of aspen that pop up a couple years after clear-cutting are great places to find both deer and moose antlers. Check ditch and fence crossings. Any time a deer jumps over an obstacle, such as a ditch, creek or fence, it could knock loose an antler. Look on the south side. Always check the southern exposure of anything that could provide bedding cover, whether it’s a hard forest edge or a single fallen tree. Pay attention to sign. When deer or moose winter in an area, they leave plenty of sign. You’ll find droppings, nipped-off branches, wellworn trails and old beds. Trails and beds may disappear after the snow melts, but you should see other signs of their presence. If you’re not seeing sign, move on.
Walk slowly. Antlers are hard to see. They look a lot like sticks and can blend into the forest floor. Sometimes they are buried by leaves and grass, especially if they are from a previous year. (It’s easiest to find antlers before emerging green vegetation covers them in late spring.) Keep your eyes on the ground. It seems obvious, but new shed hunters frequently look too high—at deer level. Remember, you’re not looking for deer; you’re looking for an antler on the ground. Don’t get frustrated. Even the best shed hunters get skunked. You shouldn’t expect to find an antler every time. Be patient and diligent. Especially when you’re new, it may take days or even years to find an antler. But once you find one, something clicks and the rest become easier. —Joe Shead Joe Shead of Two Harbors is the author of Shed Hunting: A Guide to Finding White-Tailed Deer Antlers, available at: www.goshedhunting.com.
Points North Deep snows make winter difficult for deer By Shawn Perich
If you’ve struggled to get through this snowy winter, imagine what the last few months were like for white-tailed deer. Commonly seen along the North Shore’s Highway 61 during the winter, deer migrate to the south-facing ridge near Lake Superior to take advantage of somewhat lesser snow depths and more moderate air temperatures. This makes winter easier, but by no means easy, especially in years such as this one. Many North Shore deer have access to backyard feeding stations that provide some additional sustenance, but they still must contend with wolves, their primary predator, and some of the most consistently severe winter conditions in Minnesota. Corn, the common feed supplement offers calories that are used for energy, but are actually poor in nutrition. Nancy Hansen, DNR wildlife manager in Two Harbors, said the annual migration to North Shore wintering areas occurred early in the winter as inland snow depths started to pile up. “I expect this will play out as a tough winter,” she said. “Does may not produce a lot of fawns this spring.” So why is that? DNR research biologist Glenn DelGiudice explained what happens to winter-stressed does in an email. He wrote: “Best evidence indicates that the poor fawn production that may follow a severe winter is primarily associated with stillbirths (dropped mummified fetuses) and high early mortality of fawns (born alive) shortly after birth, typically associated with light birth-weights, poor skeletal development, and diminished viability. These fawns are often not capable of nursing effectively, and as they become less viable with the progressive nutritional deprivation, their mothers quickly show less interest in them and are less likely to invest in them. Additionally, if a doe survives a very severe winter, but is in very poor condition, the volume of her milk production may be inadequate to support her newborn(s)…the quality (nutrient composition) is less affected than the quantity of the milk.” During a long-running whitetail research project, DelGiudice learned does that lost their fawns are in better shape when they enter the following winter. He continues: “Interestingly, because lactation is the greatest energy drain experienced by does all year, those does that lose their fawn(s) early in spring and don’t have to lactate all spring and summer, typically come into
North Shore whitetails exist on the northern end of their continental range where long, snowy winters challenge their survival. | STOCK the following fall’s rut and that next winter in extraordinarily good condition, which contributes to their higher survival capacity and reproductive potential that following spring. We documented this during our 15-year (1991-2005) deer study for the back to back historically severe winters of 199596 and 1996-97.” The difference in deer losses between the nearly identical hard winters was striking. In 1995-96, DelGiudice documented 37 percent mortality of collared does. In 96-97, there were significantly fewer deer competing for food resources and fawnless does were in better physical condition. Mortality on collared does dropped to 7 percent, which was below the average overwinter mortality of 10.7 percent (excluding the winters of 95-96 and 96-97). Tracking radio-collared deer also gives biologists insight into the extent of winter predation. On the Grand Portage Reservation, where biologists have been tracking radio-collared deer since 2016, tribal fish and wildlife biologist E.J. Isaac says whitetails made an early migration to the Shore, where their movements are restricted by deep snow. He says about 15 percent of the collared deer have been taken by wolves this winter. “This is the way nature works,” Isaac says. “Higher snow depths are advantageous to wolves.” Wolves negotiate deep snow better than deer. The thaw-and-freeze cycles of late winter create a hard crust on the snow that is especially good for wolves, because they
can then walk on top of the snow while sharp-hooved deer punch through the crust. Along the length of the North Shore, biologists have found very few pockets of wintering deer away from Lake Superior. This vast area, stretching from the lake across the Superior National Forest and BWCAW to the Canadian border, supports the bulk of Minnesota’s remaining moose population. Wildlife managers hope to keep the deer population minimal within the moose range, because deer transmit a parasite commonly called brainworm that is fatal to moose. During the annual aerial moose survey, biologists also record the number and location of deer and wolves they observe. In 2019, they saw no deer in the inland regions of Cook County and just nine in northwestern Lake County. In a written report, Fond du Lac Reservation biologist Mike Schrage cautions the deer and wolf data are collected ancillary to the moose survey and thus is not a good estimate of deer numbers. With that caveat, he writes that the data do offer insight about
geographic distribution trends of deer within the moose range since 2010, when he began compiling it. During that time period, inland deer range appears to have changed. He notes that three traditional inland deer wintering areas, south of the Echo Trail, Isabella and Gunflint Lake, whitetails apparently have declined or disappeared during midwinter. The apparent decline in deer numbers will be no surprise to deer hunters in Lake and Cook counties, many of whom have experienced diminished hunting success in recent years. While some hunters point to wolf predation as the cause of the whitetail decline, the reality is Old Man Winter calls the shots when it comes to deer abundance along the North Shore. In addition to deep snows this year, Schrage points out the winters of 2012-13 and 2013-14 were “exceptionally severe.” The North Shore deer population simply hasn’t had an opportunity to bounce back. After a couple mild winters in the future, maybe they will return.
Shawn Perich’s POINTS NORTH weekly online
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Story and photos by Michael Furtman
A canoe beached on a perfect sloping rock in the Northern Wilds.
A
dventure begins where control ends.
It begins with that delicious moment when you push off from your starting point in a loaded canoe. Behind you lies the gravel public landing, the parked cars, the roads funneling from civilization. Before you, the spires of dark spruce and pine perforate the horizon. Beneath you lay a lake’s dark waters, your path to unknown experiences. Wilderness canoe trips are a joy for many reasons, but no small amount of our pleasure comes from the aspect of adventure. We come from our workaday lives, a world largely predictable and mundane. Once in a canoe, whether for a day or a week, we commit to serendipity, for inevitably plans will collapse as wind, weather and tricks of fate rule the day. The canoe is a remarkable craft. Without it, the lakeland wilderness stretching from Minnesota to Hudson’s Bay would be impossible to explore. But as wonderful as canoes are, they have limits. A motor-powered boat can overcome wind and waves, and is designed with the potential to subdue. The canoe, though, must work with the wind, with the waves; it is designed to cooperate. That cooperation is a good thing and a lesson too few learn. Fighting nature leads only to frustration. Nature cares nothing about whether you struggle or not. Relentless winds might stream from the heavens, piling before it mountains of waves, white capped and cold, living peaks over which, if you deem to fight, must paddle again and again.
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If the wind tells you to paddle the calm lee, even though the route is longer, listen to it. You might just discover you’re not the only critter along that quiet shoreline. When the trip came we found that the worries eased. As we labored over portages and paddled our heavily laden canoe, we grew in confidence. There was no one there to hold our hand, and we found that we liked it that way. As lake gave way to lake, as rivers were run, even after we “misplaced” ourselves for the better part of a day, we thought of how well we had handled each task or minor crisis.
Long ago, my wife Mary Jo and I took a 30-day canoe trip. There was apprehension when we thought of only the two of us together in remote country; fear of an accident and how we might respond with only each other for assistance. But through these uneasy moments flickered a gleam of excitement. We knew that at least for one month out of our lives we would live by nature’s rules, and that the unexpected would happen.
A week into the trip, as we eased from the mouth of a narrow creek into the surf of a broad and windswept lake, we hesitated. Gray skies blanketed the horizon, and down the lake rolled miles of large, foaming waves. We talked of our options. Our planned route called for us to traverse directly south across this lake, exiting it from a portage along its far shore. The wind, however, dictated another route, one that would take us miles out of our way and require paddling in waves of two feet. The last option was to remain where we were, to camp somewhere in the broad marshes that lined the nearby shore.
Wind, weather, and good fortune can often push you to that perfect campsite.
Only briefly we thought of risking the crossing, dismissing it as dangerous. The marshes, though beautiful, were
Pink lady slippers are often found growing in open fens, bogs, swamps and damp woods. an unappealing place to camp. We chose to paddle the long way around, to embrace only that which the wind and canoe would allow, deciding that we could detour and still find our destination. That choice meant taking not only a different path on this lake, but exiting it at a different place, leading us into a remote chain of lakes that paralleled our planned course. We had studied our maps for months before departing, confident in our choice of routes. This detour meant dashing that plan and accepting whatever lay ahead. Once the decision was made, we entered into the waves with a feeling of apprehension tempered with adventure. Quartering downwind around points, running with the black waves across open reaches, we felt both the heaving power of the lake and the agility of a well-designed canoe. An hour passed, then two, and still we were afloat, grinning as we sped along, conscious of the risks, but intoxicated with excitement. What happened that day afterward made us thankful for what had then seemed like a cruel wind. We found that although we were at times tense in the big waves, we also enjoyed testing our skills. As our canoe surfed down the hissing swells, the wind that kept hats from our heads blew us beyond any point of return. Our plans had been dashed. We had given ourselves cautiously to the wind, and to the limits of the canoe. When later we shot behind the lee of a small island, turning the canoe into the
The view from a well-hidden, back bay Quetico campsite. “V” of calm water along which the relentless waves marched, we discovered a fine broad shelf of granite sloping up to a tiny, but perfect, campsite. Dragging ourselves and gear up the slope, we sat unmoving for what seemed like an hour on a breezy perch of rocks above the waves, exhausted and exhilarated from effort. Finally, after resting and under a steeply slanting sun, we began to notice just how lovely was the place that canoe had chosen. Uncompromising jackpines forced toeholds in the otherwise intractable granite, prospering above the knob like some unkempt Japanese garden. Luxurious beds of caribou moss, untouched and unburned for decades, rolled soft and silver-green along shaded ridges. In the calm of the island’s tiny crescent-shaped bay grew a wild pageant of water lilies, white tiara’s presented
A serene scene as reward after a hard day of paddling. on green platters. The lowering yellow sun, flirting from beneath the hem of the dark clouds, warmed us and the island, releasing from the pines and spruce their heady perfume. White-capped waves glistened in its light, the distant east shore bathed in butterscotch beams. In those moments our fortunes seemed immense. And all of it was an accident. When camp was made and dinner done, when our canoe rested safely above the shore, we sat alongside a little fire of snapping jackpine. Sipping well-deserved brandies and watching the purple light of the sun’s afterglow curtain the western shore, we knew even then that afterwards this spot and this day would be special. Neither the moose, nor the paddlers, expected to see each other.
This is what the canoe gave us, taught us. From then on we knew that such unex-
pected events often brought special places and times to a canoe trip. So I say to you, if you never detour from your planned route into that back bay, you will not see the bull moose that lives there, rising black from the murky shallows, water streaming from its cupped antlers. If you do not listen to your canoe when it tells you to paddle near shore to avoid the wind, you will miss the loon that submarines through the clear, calmer water, or the otter napping on the sun-warmed rock. And if you do not choose to cease paddling into a fierce wind, and to beach your wise craft and stride ashore, you will miss that lady slipper in its brief bloom. For these are gifts of the canoe. To ignore them can be perilous. To embrace them can be pleasing. NORTHERN WILDS
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At Home in the Boundary Waters The remarkable stories of the last two residents of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness By Joe Friedrichs Indeed, many weary paddlers who finish a trip to the Boundary Waters will mention that life in canoe country feels like ‘home’ while reflecting on their experience. The pace of life slows, technology largely goes by the wayside and a connection to ‘the way things ought to be’ are often cited for why the wilderness setting simply feels like, well, home. And yet, for anyone visiting Quetico Provincial Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness these days, they are merely guests. It’s been this way for a few decades now, as the last two full-time residents of the Boundary Waters closed their doors for the final time in the 1980s. Their names were Benny Ambrose and Dorothy Molter. These are their stories.
The R oot Beer Lady
There’s A&W, Barq’s and Dad’s. The list of major root beer manufacturers in the United States goes on and on. And yet, here in the Boundary Waters, none of them can hold a candle to Dorothy Molter. Legendary for the root beer she batched, bottled and distributed to thirsty canoeists from an island on Knife Lake in the Boundary Waters, Molter is often referred to by her nickname: The Root Beer Lady. A native of Pennsylvania who also spent time during her younger years in Chicago, Molter is a legend in the Boundary Waters region. She was a magnet for media, equally as popular for her root beer as she was for her pure pioneer spirit. For more than 50 years she lived on Knife Lake without electricity, telephone or any type of utility, according to Jess Edberg, the executive director for the Dorothy Molter Museum in Ely. “So much of what we know about Dorothy comes from local stories and from her friends and relatives,” Edberg said. By all accounts, Molter was a hardworking, intelligent and caring soul who loved the lakes and woods of northern Minnesota. She had five brothers and sisters and family remained important to her despite her isolation on Knife Lake. Molter didn’t swear, drink alcohol or smoke, Edberg said, unlike many of the characters who led a life of solitude at the time. 18
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The Root Beer Lady was never short on work to do. | DOROTHY MOLTER MUSEUM Molter first visited the Isle of Pines Resort on Knife Lake in 1930, according to records at the museum in Ely. The area and rugged lifestyle appealed to Molter, who was attending nursing school at the time of that initial visit. Even at its peak, the Isle of Pines resort was essentially nothing more than a set of rustic cabins and fishing camp on the isolated lake near the international border. At the time of Molter’s first visit to Knife Lake, a man named Bill Berglund was the owner of Isle of Pines. After working there for more than a
A healthy supply of split timber was important for both Ambrose and Molter to make it through winter. | DOROTHY MOLTER MUSEUM decade and proving she was up to the task, Molter became the owner of the lodge when Berglund died in 1948, according to Edberg. Molter spent winters in a cabin on the Isle of Pines and summers in a canvas tent. The root beer for which she became famous was made from Knife Lake water, sugar, yeast and root beer syrup, Edberg said. During any given summer she served more than 10,000
bottles and accepted cash donations from paddlers. Once drained, Molter washed and reused the same bottles year after year. Some of these bottles are likely situated on the bottom of Knife Lake, while others were sold at auction and a few are on display at the museum. Life on the island didn’t change much during those first several decades, with float planes and motorboats delivering
supplies and guests during the summer months, and others arriving by snowmobile when the Boundary Waters froze. This all changed in a series of decisions by the federal government that stretched on for years, including a regulation to no longer allow planes to land at the island, and eventually complete motor restriction within what is now the BWCAW. There’s no question that the designation of the BWCAW impacted life for Molter and many others who lived in, or became accustomed to using motorized equipment in the Boundary Waters. If for no other reason than coming and going, the restrictions added time for Molter to reach the mainland. After all, Edberg said the nearest road from Molter’s cabin was five portages and 15 miles away across water or ice. From there, town was another 20 miles. Unlike other residents near Ely at the time, including Sigurd Olson and his associates, Molter was not an activist who claimed it was essential to restrict usage in the Boundary Waters, according to Edberg. “When the Wilderness Act of 1964 was being discussed, she made a comment that most of the people that go into the Boundary Waters are only scratching the surface,” Edberg said of Molter.
A young Dorothy Molter portages a canoe in the Boundary Waters. | DOROTHY MOLTER MUSEUM
Though she never publicly came out for or against the BWCAW designation, Molter may have felt most motorized recreation took place on only a handful of lakes, and that restricting all motor access wasn’t entirely necessary to preserve a sense of “true wilderness.” Nonetheless, Molter was not interested in selling her property on Knife Lake to the federal government. And so she remained there until the time of her death, grandfathered in under a clause that likely had something to do with all of Molter’s friends in the media and the potential for negative press if she was forced to leave Knife Lake, Edberg said. Molter died in 1986 after living for more than five decades in the Boundary Waters. After her death, some of the Isle of Pines cabins were dismantled and moved to the edge of the BWCAW. Some of those original structures form what is now the Dorothy Molter Museum in Ely.
Benny Ambrose
For one of his first assignments as an outdoor columnist for the Duluth News Tribune, Sam Cook paddled into the Boundary Waters to visit a legend. Cook paddled from Ely across Knife Lake to the border waters of Ottertrack Lake. It was there he met Benny Ambrose. “Unlike Dorothy Molter, who lived down the border on Knife Lake, Benny wasn’t keen on receiving visitors at his homestead on Ottertrack Lake,” Cook said. “I visited and interviewed him there during the winter in 1981.” Though far from the media magnet Molter was, Ambrose is an equally
Cook made his winter voyage in 1981 with Bob ‘Jake’ Jacobsen, a DNR conservation officer from the Ely area who over the years developed a friendship with Ambrose.
out, McIlhenny was Justine Kerfoot’s college roommate. After striking up a relationship, Ambrose and McIlhenny raised two daughters while living in what is now the BWCAW.
“We sat around the woodstove in Benny’s humble cabin,” Cook said in an interview with Northern Wilds. “Benny wore heavy wool pants and a buffalo-plaid wool shirt, and his face hadn’t seen a razor in a while.”
Meanwhile, knowing at the time he was in the presence of a Boundary Waters legend, Cook said he mostly listened as Ambrose and Jacobsen talked over coffee.
At one point, Cook said Jacobsen recalled the time Ambrose asked him to help carry ‘a couple of packsacks’ over the lengthy portage from Swamp Lake to Ottertrack along the border.
Benny Ambrose lived on Ottertrack Lake in the BWCAW until his death in 1982. | DOROTHY MOLTER MUSEUM
“So, we go over there, and, my God, there were all kinds of packsacks full of rocks he’d gotten over on Big Sag,” Jacobsen recalled. “I said, ‘Are you crazy, Ben? Why are you haulin’ rocks from Sag when you got all kinds where you are?’ He just looked at me and said, ‘They’re the wrong shade.’” When it comes to being tough, good old-fashioned North Woods tough, Ambrose remains in a league of his own.
compelling character. In fact, in many ways, Ambrose’s life is something straight out of a Mark Twain novel. He ran away from home in Iowa at age 14 to seek adventure, or perhaps out of fear. As the story goes, Ambrose hurled a live hornets’ nest the size of a watermelon into his stepmother’s bedroom early one morning because the two didn’t get along. Ambrose skipped town that same day.
Take, for example, a sentiment from Bruce Kerfoot—a lifelong resident of the Gunflint Trail and the son of Gunflint pioneer Justine Kerfoot—to consider what type of man outdoorsman Ambrose was. Kerfoot once described Ambrose as “the kind of guy who at 40 degrees below zero would come out of the woods with his wool shirt unbuttoned down to the waist. He was as rough and tough as they come.”
After a stint in the military, Ambrose found the seclusion he was looking for on Minnesota’s border lakes. And it was there he established his roots for the next 50-plus years.
Though it was seclusion he sought, Ambrose did find companionship in the Boundary Waters as well. He married Val McIlhenny, a woman he met one day at Gunflint Lodge. As it turns
“I remember that Benny had several calendars on the wall, all from different years, as if time itself was a relative concept,” Cook observed. In 1975, Molter and Ambrose were appointed as Forest Service “volunteers in service.” This essentially meant they would be allowed to stay in the designated wilderness while everyone else had to sell their property to the government. Seven years later, Ambrose died, leaving Molter as the last full-time resident within the almost 2-million-acre BWCAW/Quetico wilderness areas. For Cook and others who frequent the border lakes, the stories and legacy of the last two residents of the BWCAW are as permanent as the rocks underneath these treasured waters. “To me, people like Benny and Dorothy added an allure and a kind of authenticity to the border-country wilderness. They were a part of the landscape, part of its character and its history. I’m glad we have protected wilderness areas like the Boundary Waters, where humans are only visitors passing through,” Cook said. “But when I fish lake trout off Dorothy’s island or paddle past the high rocks where Benny’s cabin used to be, my experience is richer for having known they once lived there.”
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By Breana Roy
Celebrating the Canoe
While April might be a bit early to go canoeing, it’s never too early to celebrate the canoe. Adventurers and outfitters rely on the canoe for their Boundary Waters exploration, and authors and artists find inspiration from it. You could say the canoe is the icon of the Northwoods. The Thunder Bay Art Gallery has quite the assortment of canoe-themed artwork in their Permanent Collection. Here’s just a few from that collection.
“View from the Canoe #2,” 2007, is an acrylic on canvas by Christi Belcourt. It was purchased with support of the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance Program. | CHRISTI BELCOURT
“Scraping Skins,” 1988, is a pen and ink on paper piece that was given to the gallery as a gift from the artist, John Hartman. | JOHN HARTMAN
Artist Rick Rivet titled this acrylic on canvas “Journey #15,” 1994. Rivet gifted this piece to the gallery in 1998. | RICK RIVET
Michael Robinson gifted the gallery this etching on paper in 1988, titled “The Old Man and the Hunters, at the End of the Day,” circa 1987. | MICHAEL ROBINSON
This piece by Francis Kagige, titled “Ma-NitToosh,” circa 1976, is part of the Helen E. Band Collection. It is an acrylic on canvas board. | FRANCIS KAGIGE
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Eric Schultz: An Unexpected Artist CREATIVE SPACE: By Shelby Lonne-Rogentine When one thinks of art, usually paintings, sculptures, and drawings come to mind. Museums and art classes enforce that idea. Really, anything can be art if it’s a labor of love and dedication. Eric Schultz of Electroforge Custom Welding and Marine Fabrication uses his creative juices to form a different kind of art than one might find in the Louvre or the Met. He isn’t the cookie-cutter Bob Ross type. This is what makes him a Minnesotan treasure. Electroforge Custom Welding website describes Schultz’s business as follows: “Electroforge Custom Welding & Marine Fabrication is headed by master marine fabricator Eric Schultz. With more than 20 years’ experience, Eric is a master of his trade. The highest quality and standards show in every piece. Eric’s perfectly crafted structures are well known from Hawaii to Minnesota. His fabrication style is one of a kind; unique, functional, and built to last! We work closely with each customer to help give them the unique, personalized structure they desire. We specialize in Radar arches, hard tops, soft tops, and much more! We can design and fabricate your dreams!” Just looking at the photos of his work, it is apparent that what he does is more than simply working with metals. Schultz spent his early working years working in the ship yards in Duluth. He had an interest in underwater welding, so he decided to join the Navy to give it a shot. He didn’t end up liking the underwater welding, but kept working with the Navy. For 10 years he lived in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu, spending his weekdays working for the Navy and his weekends doing welding projects for extra money. After transitioning out of the Navy, Schultz decided to move home to Minnesota and settle in Two Harbors, roughly six years ago, to continue welding. Living in Hawaii had gotten expensive and he looked forward to moving back to his home state. He got a job in Silver Bay at the taconite plant and did welding on the side. He had his first boat show that year and the rest is history. Electroforge is now popular all over the state and Schultz is busier than ever.
One project Eric Schultz really enjoyed putting together was this bridge, made for a client’s personal yard. | SUBMITTED
“I would say that I do half and half. Half of my projects are commercial; for the City of Two Harbors, DNR [Department of Natural Resources], Castle Danger Brewing, places like that. The other half is private, people’s own personal projects,” Schultz said. The Electroforge website features photos of a custom bar, a memorial cross, an intricate metal fence, and of course lots of marine fabrication (using a variety of welding tools and techniques to assemble pieces together for boat projects). Marine fabrication is Schultz’s favorite part of the job, which is no surprise as he explored his love for welding in Hawaii where boat projects were not hard to come by. Luckily, living in Two Harbors in such close proximity to Lake Superior, boat projects are plentiful here, too.
[ABOVE LEFT] While boats might be his thing, it’s clear that Schultz has a knack
for creative projects, like this Skandic ice fishing rack. | SUBMITTED
[ABOVE RIGHT] Schultz’s favorite project that he recently completed was this
white Electroforge boat. | SUBMITTED
The bridge that Schultz assembled crossed over a small pond to this lighthouse playhouse. | SUBMITTED “My favorite project that I’ve recently completed is the last boat I worked on. It was a white Electroforge boat,” Schultz said.
A lot of artists say that their work can tell a story. Schultz had one particular project that he really enjoyed putting together. Two to four years ago, Schultz assembled a bridge that was pretty diversified in design. It was for a client’s personal yard, running over a small pond. It was a kind of yard art and something Schultz was very proud of. Now the client also has a lighthouse playhouse in the yard as well. While
boats might be his thing, it is clear that Schultz has a knack for creative projects. One might even call him a welding artist. Anyone interested in contacting Eric Schultz for their welding needs should call him at (218) 343-7174 or visit Electroforge’s Facebook page. The Facebook page is also filled with pictures of his work. NORTHERN WILDS
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Easy Riders JAMS: By Will Moore Headed north once again from Illinois comes Easy Riders, a trio of rambling rockers who’s sound evokes vintage rock-and-roll with funky undertones and plenty of cathartic jams. The group brings shredding solos, crooning harmonies, and plenty of power to their live shows, giving people a taste of Peoria’s best music. “It’s really the best kept secret in the Midwest,” says bass player Aaron Miller of his hometown’s music scene. “And it really shouldn’t be. There’s something going on pretty much every night of the week.” Aaron says the group is returning to Grand Marais after having a terrific response to their shows there last year. “It’s my favorite part of the country by far. It’s just so beautiful out there,” he says. When playing at home, the group consists of Aaron, lead vocalist and guitarist Mike Miller (no relation), drummer Nick Fairley and keyboardist Mike Nellas. Out on the road, Aaron and Mike play as a trio with drummer Bob Kelly. Aaron says that playing with a smaller group can be a freeing experience that lets the band transition between songs easily. “If Mike knows the changes he’ll write them down for me, and if I know the changes I’ll write them down for him, so we can just quick put tunes together on the spot... that’s how we build our setlist a lot,” Aaron explains. 2017 marked the release of their album Mountains & the Moon, the songs on which had people drawing comparisons between Easy Riders’ sound and that of the Grateful Dead. Some may find Mike’s voice somewhat reminiscent of John Fogerty. Aaron says the record was recorded in a living room, but with Nellas, he’s extremely happy with how that record turned out. “Recording with him, he really did some good work to get us tuned up on that one. He made it a much, much better album than it was going to be,” says Aaron. The band went out on their first major tour through much of the Midwest and Rockies regions in support of
Down-home Northwoods Atmosphere
2017 marked the release of Easy Riders’ album Mountains & the Moon. Aaron Miller is on the far left. | SUBMITTED Mountains & the Moon. “I’d never really done much [touring] before this last one. And I really, really do enjoy the hell out of it,” says Aaron. This year they’re hitting the road again revisiting many of the same areas. They’re titling it the “Drive Till the Wheels Fall Off” tour, possibly after an incident they ran into on their first venture. “We got four hours outside of Denver and the back right wheel just comes off. We were on the side of the road with the wheel, and of course Bob was driving, so now we can’t make him drive anymore,” Aaron jokes. Aaron says the last tour they went on did have some surprising moments, like playing prestigious restaurants with famous attendees. “Livingston Bar and Grill in Montana was a very interesting place to play because they’re saying, like, ‘John Mayer and Katy Perry just watched. Just be cool, don’t even look at them,’” says Aaron.
Sun-Thurs: 11am - 8pm Fri & Sat: 11am - 9pm
WINE
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MySistersPlaceRestaurant.com 218-387-1915 401 E. Hwy 61, Grand Marais
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Recently, Easy Riders were working on a few sets worth of Led Zeppelin songs for a tribute show in Illinois. Aaron says he was inspired by several bass players of that late 60s era. “John Entwistle and Jack Bruce are the big ones for me,” he says. Between playing bass with Easy Riders, another funk band called Brainchild, and a Wood Brothers cover band, all in addition to working at a bike shop, Aaron has a lot of musical work to juggle. “It’s a challenge, but I enjoy it. I wouldn’t do anything else,” says Aaron. Grand Marais residents and visitors will have plenty of opportunities to see Easy Riders play during the first week of April. They’ll be at the Wunderbar on April 3, Grandma Ray’s on April 4, and at the Gunflint Tavern, April 5-6.
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Aaron says Easy Riders are currently in the very beginning stages of recording new material this year.
NORTHERN WILDS
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Virginia, MN artist Thomas Anderson uses colored pencil mixed with graphite to create his works of art, like this piece, titled “Wilderness Guide.” Like many artists, his interest started when he was a child. Anderson says, “I like to idealize life in my work, delivering a measure of nostalgia and telling the viewer a story is uppermost on my mind. I want my work to trigger a memory from the past.” Anderson also creates pen and ink illustrations. See more of his work at: thomasandersonfineart.com.
EXHIBITS Permanent Exhibits New Acquisitions Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth Selections of Traditional & Contemporary Native Art Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth
Thru April 7 Thin Places: Spirit of the Wilderness Exhibition Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org Lakehead University Annual Juried Student & Major Studio Exhibitions Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca
Thru April 15 62nd Annual Arrowhead Regional Biennial Exhibition Duluth Art Institute
Thru April 22 We Are Water: Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Great Lakes Aquarium, Duluth, mnhum.org/we-are-water-mn
Historic and architecturally significant sites!
Thru April 2020 Moose of the Bold North: Root River Photography International Wolf Center, Ely, rootriverphotography.com
Thru May 5 Vern Northrup: Akinomaage Duluth Art Institute Emerging Photographers Duluth Art Institute
Thru May 26 Manifesto: Jonathan Thunder Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth
Thru June 1 Sirpa Särkijärvi: Transcriptions Joseph Nease Gallery, Duluth
Thru Aug. 18 Intersections Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth
Thru Sept. 22 Space: Time and Place Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth
April 2-May 26 BBAC Spring Exhibition Baggage Building Arts Centre, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/ baggagebuildingarts
April 11-May 19 #nofilterneeded: Shining Light on the Native Indian/Inuit Photographers’ Association, 1985-1992 Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca
April 11-June 2 Fragile (Reception April 11) Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca
April 20-May 20 Celebrating the Northern Night Sky (Reception April 20 at 1 p.m.) Siiviis Gallery, Duluth, sivertson.com
July 13, 2019
The Tour:
Five Sites on North Shore of Lake Superior
Tour includes the Historic Slade House!
Plus…
Architects on Tour, including Dale Mulfinger! Free and Open to the Public: Panel discussion of Edwin Lundie and his works
Our famous Picnic on the Ledge Rock
hosted by authors
Dale Mulfinger & Peter O’Toole
with beverage bar
Transportation provided by ISD 166!
Schroeder Township Hall 10:00-11:30
RSVP: $150 Donation
For further Information or to RSVP contact the Cross River Heritage Center
218-663-7706
Space is limited! Sign up online www.crossriverheritage.org A fundraiser for the Schroeder Area Historical Society and Cross River Heritage Center (Home of the Lundie Room)
April 24-May 5 Art Colony Member Show (Reception April 26 at 5 p.m.) Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org
May 24-October 19 Electrifying Cook County Cross River Heritage Center, Schroeder, crossriverheritage.org
April 12-May 5 North Shore Artists League Group Exhibit (Reception April 12 at 5 p.m.) Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org
EASTER
EGG-STRAVAGANZA AT THE LAKE SUPERIOR ZOO!
April 19-May 5 Student Member Show Duluth Art Institute
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Buy tickets online & save!
Hope, Health, Happiness. Shining in the sun, pinwheels represent a bright future for our children and our community.
LUNDIE Vacation Home Tour FIFTEENTH
BREANA’s
ZOO MEMBERS RECEIVE FREE ADMISSION Mark your calendars:
Pinwheels for PREVENTION®
Project sponsored by the Cook County School Community Action Team. For more information call: 218-387-1262
WILDERNESS FIRST AID COURSE May 4-5, 2019 Find more information at stoneharborws.com • 218.387.3136
Saturday, April 20
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Egg Hunt, Games & Activities Meet the Easter Bunny & More! 7210 Fremont Street, Duluth MN
LSZooDuluth.org NORTHERN WILDS
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Held Saturday, April 13, the 11th Annual Iron Range Earth Fest features local exhibits and vendors, presentations, demonstrations and more. | SUBMITTED
See over 100 tents on display indoors at the Tent and Everything Else event. See page 29 for more info. | SUBMITTED
ARROWHEAD HOME & BUILDER SHOW
April 3-7 The Arrowhead region’s largest, annual spring event for building, remodeling, and home and garden products will take place at the DECC in Duluth. There will be hundreds of exhibitors with the newest products and technology, informative seminars, a fully furnished and landscaped model home you can tour, and more. Watch live wood carving demonstrations by an internationally known carving champion and enter to win free custom wood carvings. Get life changing laundry tips from the Laundry Evangelist. Attend presentations from the Renegade Gardener. Grill with Mad Dog and Merrill. Meet Minnesota’s own “Blue Ribbon Baker” Marjorie Johnson and tomato growing expert Lloyd Vollmer. And be sure to bring the kids and interact with parakeets at the 24
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colorful parakeet landing. Tickets are $10 adults and $6 for ages 6-17; ages 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the door. homeshowmn.com
ONE-DOG CANOE AND MORE! April 5-10 You’re invited to meet celebrated Minnesota author Mary Casanova as she visits various locations this month. With a PowerPoint program that includes images of northwood’s animals, book cov-
Michael Gulezian will perform at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais on April 13. | SUBMITTED ers and illustrations, Casanova will recount her journey growing up in a family of 10, struggling with reading and discovering that books are a window into the world and writing is a way to “have a voice.” Audiences of all ages will engage with Casanova’s warm presentation style, including a Q&A, and respond with a greater desire to read—and write stories of their own. The program is 55 minutes in length, and while geared towards grades Kindergarten through 5th, any age is welcome to attend. The first program will be held on Friday, April 5 at the Ely Public Library. The next program is Monday, April 8 at 6 p.m. at the Silver Bay Public Library, followed by a program on Wednesday, April 10 at
4 p.m. at the Two Harbors Public Library. This program, sponsored by Arrowhead Library System, was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. alslib.info
HOCP SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM
April 8-9 Heart of the Continent Partnership (HOCP) will hold their second Science Symposium, held April 8-9 in Duluth. HOCP’s science committee is continuing its mission to “build and strengthen a coalition of scientists, land managers, and stakeholders dedicated to the preservation of natural and cultural resources” across Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Ontario. The Symposium
Take part in the Upper Midwest Scuba and Adventure Travel Show on April 13. | SUBMITTED will provide scientists workings in these areas the chance to share their findings and discuss research. The symposium will start with evening poster presentations on Monday, April 8, held from 7-9 p.m. at the Duluth Folk School. Then, listen to oral presentations from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Kirby Student Center at UMD on April 9. Research topics include everything from wolves to air pollution, based on studies taking place at sites from Isle Royale to Voyageurs National Park. Register online to take part. heartofthecontinent.org
ASTRONOMY NIGHT
April 13, Saturday How long is a billion years? Why do the northern lights appear in different colors? When will we visit Mars? Is there life in space? Visit Sugarloaf Point SNA in Schroeder for an evening filled with astronomy fun for everyone. You’ll leave with some questions answered and many more unanswered questions to think about. Held from 7-9 p.m., the evening will start off with a mind-blowing presentation where you’ll learn about everything from galaxies to meteors to the Hubble Space Telescope. Once the sun goes down, you’ll head outside to view the moon, stars and even Mars. Be sure to dress appropriately and bring lawn chairs and blankets for relaxing outside under the stars. If you have binoculars or a telescope, bring that, too. Donations to attend are appreciated. sugarloafnorthshore.org
EARTH FEST
April 13, Saturday The 11th Annual Iron Range Earth Fest, hosted by the Iron Range Partnership for Sustainability, is a celebration of local traditions and practical resources for sustainable living in northeastern Minnesota. Held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at various locations throughout Mountain Iron, this year’s theme is Feeding Our Future. There will be many local exhibits and vendors, presentations, demonstrations, a silent auction, children’s activities, the Green Innovator’s Expo, and live music by Eli Bissonett, and by Sara Softich and Friends. This year’s keynote speaker is Mark Shepard, award-winning author and CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises LLC. Shepard will offer a session on “Beginning Restoration Agriculture” and there will
The Grand Marais Art Colony’s Annual Members Show and Sale will take place April 24-May 5, with a reception held on April 26 from 5-7 p.m. | BRYAN HANSEL be a screening of the short documentary The Power of Minnesota, held on Friday, April 12 at 6 p.m. at the Messiah Lutheran Church. Other guest speaker topics (held Saturday) include “Seed Saving,” “Is Hunting Sustainable,” “Hop Farming for Brewing,” “Vegetable Gardening in Very Cold Environments,” and “Firewise and Forest Ecology.” Admission to Earth Fest is free. irpsmn.org/earthfest
known for his charismatic stage presence, offbeat humor and genuine humility, which has earned him an ever-growing fan base. The North Shore Music Association
will host Gulezian at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais on April 13 at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $18 adults and $10 youth. Tickets can be
UPPER MIDWEST SCUBA & ADVENTURE TRAVEL SHOW
April 13, Saturday The Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society presents the annual Upper Midwest Scuba and Adventure Travel Show on Saturday, April 13, in Vadnais Heights, Minn. There will be guest speakers, a raffle, exhibits, a luncheon, and a silent auction. This year’s featured speaker is Brett Seymour who will talk about the USS Arizona. Other speakers include Ken Merryman, Dr. Jim Chimiak and Dr. John Walstrom, Dan Fountain, and Aquaventure Steve and Jolene Philbrook. Topics include, “Advantages of Group Travel Diving,” “D.A.N. Frequently Asked Questions: Why Have Dive Travel Insurance,” “Choctaw and Ohio Shipwrecks,” and “Comparing Caribbean Dive Destinations.” The show takes place at Jimmy’s Event Center from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online. umsatshow.org
MICHAEL GULEZIAN
April 13, Saturday Over the past three decades, Michael Gulezian has established himself as one of the most significant solo acoustic instrumental guitarists of our time. Raising the aesthetic of contemporary acoustic guitar to a higher level with each new album, Gulezian has been named as a primary musical influence by artists as diverse as Michael Hedges, Willy Porter and Henry Kaiser. Gulezian is also
MAY 5, 2019 THECRAFTREVIVALTBAY.COM 25 + VENUES 25+ VENUES 200LOCAL LOCALARTISANS ARTISANS 200 LIVEPERFORMANCES PERFORMANCES LIVE
NORTHERN WILDS
APRIL 2019
25
Cabins - Camping - Fishing Hiking - Canoeing
www.Golden-Eagle.com 800-346-2203
April is Seual Assult Awareness Month
Learn new skills while helping the North House Folk School in Grand Marais during Volunteer and Service Learning Weekend. | SUBMITTED VIP pass will get you in the doors a full hour early before general admission ticket holders, as well as first access to brewer’s kegs, access to specialty kegs, free food catered by Lake Superior Catering and access to a clean, private bathroom. Must be 21 years of age or older to attend. Tickets are limited and can be purchased online. ggbrewfest.com
www.nsvrc.org/saam
Consent is: Clear, voluntary, on-going, The North Shore Artists League will hold an exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais April 12-May 5. | KATHY WEINBERG purchased online in advance (aca.tix.com) or at the door, starting at 6 p.m. northshoremusicassociation.com
GITCHEE GUMEE BREWFEST
AC TIO TH E
ET O CL OS ST AY
5
NIGHTS OF COMEDY
N!
April 13, Saturday Now in its 21st year, the annual Gitchee Gumee Brewfest in Superior draws more than 1,200 people
violencepreventioncenter.org
Reservation s: PrinceArthu 1-800-267-2675 rWaterfront. com
LOCAL COMPETITION
In Support of
“Dew You Think You’re Proceeds go to Dew
APRIL 2019
NORTHERN WILDS
April 18-21 Learn new skills while also helping the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, by participating in one of the Service Learning courses during the weekend: Sturdy Stackable Sawhorses or Sewing Bee. Volunteer projects will also take place; help refinish picnic tables, paint walls, wash windows, improve campus storage systems, and more. Lunch will be provided. Then, cap off a day of projects and hard work with a pizza potluck at
to Wessman Arena (on UW-Superior campus) to enjoy unlimited samples of craft beer from over 30 brewers, including your favorite local and regional breweries, such as Surly, Bells, Castle Danger, and Hoops. Brewfest will be held from 3-6 p.m. General admission is $30 and VIP admission is $55. Designated drivers get in free. The
Drop Inn
QUALIFYING ROUNDS
Violence Prevention Center
218-387-1262 or 218-387-1237
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VOLUNTEER & SERVICE LEARNING WEEKEND
LUB
COMEDY C
248-B Bay St | (807) 707-0584
WED THUR APRIL 17 - 8:00
FRI
FESTIVAL SHOWS*
APRIL 19 - 7:00 & 10:00
Funny ?”
TUE
APRIL 18 - 8:00
APRIL 16 - 8:00
15
FESTIVAL FINALS
enthusiastic agreement to do something Clearly communicated Mutually agreed upon without coercion
201 Syndicate Ave. S.
20 $ 25
$
SAT
Advance Tickets Tickets at Door
APRIL 20 - 8:00
$
s available Festival Passes & VIP Passe CricketsComedyClub.com
nner! wi 2018
Voted Best Wine
Travel the world in 48 hours at the annual Folklore Festival. | SUBMITTED 5:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by a talent show featuring you. Friends and families are welcome. Signup online to volunteer. northhouse.org
Thursday Date Nights 6-8 p.m.
EASTER ACTIVITIES
Music, wine, candlelight, and fires.
The Fort Kinettes will hold the 23rd Annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Sunday, April 14, held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Moose Hall in Thunder Bay. Enjoy a delicious breakfast of pancakes, sausages, hash browns and juice, coffee or tea. You’ll also get an opportunity to meet the Easter Bunny and buy sweets from the bake sale table. Tickets are $10 adults and $5 for children; ages two and under are free. Proceeds to this year’s breakfast will be donated to the Northern Cardiac Fund, Baby’s Breath, and the Fort City Kinettes. Tickets are available from the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital Foundation office, Sign Design, all Royal Bank locations, ABC Embroidery, and from any Kinette. The annual Easter Egg-Stravaganza will take place on Saturday, April 20, at the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth. Held from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., there will be a special Easter egg hunt, kid’s games and activities, and photos with the Easter bunny. Watch the animals enjoy their own Easter treats and interact with the education animals in the Griggs Learning Center. Kids can also participate in the annual coloring contest. Admission at the door is $13 adults, and $6.50 ages 3-12. Kids 2 and under, as well as all Lake Superior Zoo members, receive free admission.
202 Ski Hill Road, Lutsen
Celebrate Easter early with Easter Egg-Stravaganza at the Lake Superior Zoo. | SUBMITTED You can also purchase your tickets in advance for $1 off your admission. lszooduluth.org The Easter Bunny will make an appearance at 8 a.m. at the AmericInn Lodge and Suites in Silver Bay on Sunday,
Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery
Thin Places
North Shore Artists League Show
Presented by The Spirit of the Wilderness
April 12 - May 5
Through April 7
Money Exchange Parcel Pickup
Opening Reception
April 12th from 5 - 7 pm
Family Owned Since 1947
218-475-2330 Winter Hours: Thursday-Saturday 10am - 4pm and Sunday 1-4 pm 115 W. Wisconsin St. | 218-387-2314 | www.johnsonheritagepost.org
Duty-Free Liquor 10,000 U.S. and Canadian Souvenirs
Gas
www.RydensBorderStore.com
Annual Free Tree Seedling Giveaway at Hedstrom Lumber Offering White Pine, White Spruce, and Red Pine. Mix and match any variety up to a total of 250 seedlings per person. Persons interested should contact tina@hedstromlumber.com, or call 218-877-7030 before April 19th. Pickup date: May 3rd, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Over 525,000 seedlings given out since 1997. www.hedstromlumber.com
Celebrating Over 100 Years. NORTHERN WILDS
APRIL 2019
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T B AY ON
WHERE LIVING IN THE MOMENT LASTS A LIFETIME
The 21st Annual CLE Spring Home and Garden Show will take place April 5-7 in Thunder Bay. | SUBMITTED April 21, followed by an Easter egg hunt at 9 a.m. There will also be a breakfast bar with a waffle bar, starting at 6 a.m. Cost to attend the buffet is $6.50 per person; free for hotel guests. (800) 634-3444
ANNUAL MEMBERS SHOW & SALE
April 24-May 5 The Grand Marais Art Colony’s Annual Members Show and Sale provides an opportunity for artists to share their inspiration with each other and the public. There is no theme to this year’s show; all art is welcome. An opening reception (open to the public) will be held April 26, from 5-7 p.m. Prior to the show will be an Art Colony member meeting at 4 p.m., featuring Sheila Smith, director of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. Smith will talk about the Legacy Amendment and what Arts Advocacy means to the great state of Minnesota. Then, during the reception, take part in the member appreciation activity: floating ink with Josie Lewis; free for members and $10 for non-members. grandmaraisartcolony.org
MIDWEST EXTREME SNOWMOBILE CHALLENGE
April 27-28 Cor PowerSports (CPS) presents the annual Midwest Extreme Snowmobile Challenge (MESC) at Lutsen Mountains. Sponsored by Fly Racing, this event has been a racers and fan favorite
for over four years. The races will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 with the Hill X and Hillclimb qualifiers. The Cross-country races will be held on Sunday at 9 a.m. All races feature multiple classes, including junior, women’s, snowbike, vet 30+, sport, pro, and open. Race registration is required to participate; deadline is 6 p.m. on Monday, April 22. Spectators are welcome. corpowersports.com/mesc/mesc3
FOLKLORE FESTIVAL
May 4-5 Travel the world in 48 hours at the 46th Annual Folklore Festival, held at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay and presented by the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association. Lots of tantalizing international foods, imported wines and beers, incredible entertainment, “shopthe-world” booths, a children’s area with free activities, exhibits and displays, and local artists on site await you. Enjoy Saturday night’s featured entertainers, the Thunder Bay Ceili Band, playing traditional Irish music with rigs, reels, and a lively Ceili Dance with Caller Terry Smith. You can also win a “Free Stay-Cation,” courtesy of the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre. Festival hours are from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday, and from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $5 adults, $3 seniors and students, and $1 ages 4-12. folklorefestival.ca
“Michael Gulezian composes, arranges, and performs some of the most complex and emotional music ever written for solo acoustic guitar.” Richard Adler
HERE IS WHERE I FOUND MYSELF VISITTHUNDERBAY.COM
Michael Gulezian Sat., April 13, 7 PM Arrowhead Center for the Arts 51 W. 5th St. Grand Marais
$18 adults $10 youth Tickets: aca.tix.com, via phone, or at the door
northshoremusicassociation.com • 218-387-1272 • music@boreal.org 28
APRIL 2019
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Good Times Await The Thunder Bay Community Auditorium will host various shows throughout the month, starting with Colin James’ Miles to Go Tour on Tuesday, April 2, with special guest Roxanne Potvin. Next up, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra will perform April 6 and April 18; both shows begin at 7:30 p.m. The Australian Bee Gees Show—a tribute to the Bee Gees—will take place Wednesday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m., featuring hits like, “Staying Alive,” “You Should Be Dancing,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” and “Jive Talkin.” On Thursday, April 25, the Great Russian Ballet presents the death defying love story, Giselle. And on Saturday, April 27, the Chaban Ukrainian Dance Group will perform Vasyl and the Varenyky Factory, a Ukrainian take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Le Stelle Alpine Italian Dancers will perform on Sunday, April 28 at 7 p.m. And don’t miss the Rock of Ages: Tenth Anniversary Tour, held at 7 p.m. April 30 and May 1. tbca.com The 21st Annual CLE Spring Home and Garden Show will be held April 5-7. There will be multiple craft and merchandise tables, exhibitors in five venues, plus an extended outdoor display area, attendance prizes, a special drawing, and the latest in home and garden products. The
North of the Border
Country Market will also be in attendance Friday and Saturday. The show will take place on the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition grounds. Admission is $3 (good for all weekend) and parking is free. Children under age 12 are free. cle.on.ca The 26th Annual Northwest Film Fest will take place April 7 and April 14 at Silver City, featuring 28 great Canadian and foreign films, including Colette. There will also be prelude films taking place April 4 and April 10. Cost to attend is $70 for a festival pass, $40 for a six-pack, or $15 with a membership. nosfa.ca On Monday, April 8, Lake Avenue’s kitchen team will head north from Duluth to take over Red Lion’s kitchen as part of the Sister City Chef Exchange. They will serve up a tasty five-course meal. Tickets to attend can be purchased on Eventbrite. facebook.com/redlionsmokehouse Enjoy five nights of comedy with the First Annual Thunder Bay Comedy Festival, held April 16-20 and featuring headliner Tim Nutt. A local competition will take place on Tuesday, April 16 at 8 p.m., with proceeds going to Dew Drop Inn. Three nights of qualifying rounds will take place at Crickets Comedy Club, April 17-19. Cost to attend is $15 a show. Then,
The CLE Presents The 21 st Annual Spring Home & Garden Show
Remember, Thunder Bay is on Eastern Time—1 hour ahead of MN time. to keep it all under control. Tickets can be purchased online in advance. The paywhat-you-can performance is Sunday, May 5. magnustheatre.com
The Spring Craft Revival will take place Sunday, May 5. | JAMIE DAWN PHOTOGRAPHY see the final round on Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m. at the eVents. Cost to attend is $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Festival passes and VIP passes are available. cricketscomedyclub.com Boeing Boeing, by Mark Camoletti, will take place at the Magnus Theatre, April 25May 11. This classic 1960s French farce was a smash hit recent Broadway revival. The story concerns the self-styled Parisian Lothario Bernard, who has three fiancées, each one an airline hostess on competing airlines. All is going smoothly until an unexpected schedule change brings all three to the apartment for an overnight stay at the same time. Chaos ensues, as Bernard enlists his best friend and his cleaning lady
Gear Up will hold their 33rd Annual Tent and Everything Else Sale April 26-27 at Lakehead University Hanger, featuring over 100 tents on display indoors. Find the newest and trendiest outerwear, clothing, footwear and gear, from brands like Eureka, Nemo, MSR, The North Face, Hennessy Hammock, and Marmot. Held from noon to 8 p.m. on Friday, and from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday. gear-up.com Attend the biggest yard and crafts sale in Thunder Bay on Saturday, April 27, with over 60 tables to shop at. The Military Family Resource Centre Spring Yard and Craft Sale will be held indoors at HMCS Griffon, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Admission is $2. All the proceeds will go towards programs and services for military families in Thunder Bay. my.tbaytel.net/ tbaymfrc Held on Sunday, May 5 in the Waterfront District, the Spring Craft Revival features all types of local artisans and numerous venues. This family-friendly event will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. thecraftrevivaltbay.com
presents
FOLKLORE FESTIVAL 2019 A WORLD TOUR OF NATIONS
APRIL 5, 6 & 7 2019
Friday: 4 pm - 9 pm Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm Sunday: 11 am - 4 pm
See The Latest In Home And Garden Products Exhibitors in 5 Venues PLUS Expanded Outdoor Display Areas Craft and Merchandise Tables Country Market (Fri, Sat) ● Attendance Prizes Special Cardinal Room & Scarnati Bldg. Draws
www.cle.on.ca FREE PARKING $3 ADMISSION 425 Northern Ave., Thunder Bay
Children’s Area FREE Facepainting, Inflatable, Arts, Crafts, PRIZES WIN a Stay-Cation from
Victoria Inn Thunder Bay! Sat. Feature Entertainers Thunder Bay Ceili Band
Irish traditional music with rigs, reels & a lively Ceili Dance Listen, Dance, ENJOY Sat. 7:30pm
Imported Beers & Wines International Foods & Entertainment
Sat. May 4 - 12 noon to 11pm ADMISSION Sun. May 5 - 12 noon to 7pm Adults $5 Fort William Gardens & Curling Club Students/Seniors $3 901 E. Miles Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario Children 4-12 $1 (prices in Canadian dollars)
www.folklorefestival.ca NORTHERN WILDS
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Northern Wilds Calendar of Events March 16-April 7
April 5, Friday
April 9, Tuesday
April 13, Saturday
April 16-20
Thin Places: Spirit of the Wilderness Exhibition Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org
One-Dog Canoe and More! A Visit with Mary Casanova 3:30 p.m. Ely Public Library, alslib.info All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry Fundraiser 5 p.m. St. Anthony’s Church Hall, Ely Two Bit Auction for Le Stelle Alpine Italian Dancers 7 p.m. West Thunder Community Centre, Thunder Bay Shelter from the Storm: Stories from the Street 7 p.m. Confederation College Lecture Theatre, Thunder Bay
Blood Drive 9 a.m. Two Harbors High School, mbc.org Ruby’s Pantry 5 p.m. Cook County High School, Grand Marais, facebook.com/rubyspantrycc ARE Youth Spoken Word Open Mic 6 p.m. Zeitgeist Arts, Duluth Tim & the Glory Boys: The Buffalo Roadshow 7 p.m. Faith City Church, Thunder Bay
Upper Midwest Scuba & Adventure Travel Show 9 a.m. Jimmy’s Event Center, Vadnais Heights, MN, umsatshow.org Iron Range Earth Fest 9 a.m. Mountain Iron, irpsmn.org/earthfest Nice Girls of the North Marketplace 10 a.m. Lakeside Lester Park Community Center, Duluth Visit the Easter Bunny 11 a.m. Toy Sense, Thunder Bay Volunteer Recruitment Fair 11 a.m. Victoria Inn, Thunder Bay, volunteerthunderbay.com Gitchee Gumee Brewfest 3 p.m. Wessman Arena, Superior, ggbrewfest.com Gourmet Food & Wine Experience 6 p.m. Gunflint Lodge, Gunflint Trail, gunflint.com Michael Gulezian 7 p.m. Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais, northshoremusicassociation.com DSSO: Toward the Heavens 7 p.m. DECC Symphony Hall, Duluth, dsso.com Astronomy Night 7 p.m. Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center, Schroeder, sugarloafnorthshore.org
Thunder Bay Comedy Festival Crickets Comedy Club & eVents, Thunder Bay, cricketscomedyclub.com
March 28-April 6 Ely Spring Musical: Cabaret 7 p.m. (2 p.m. March 31) Vermilion College Theater, Ely, northernlakesarts.org
March 28-April 14 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. Sun.) Duluth Playhouse
March 29-30 Tony Peterson & Colleen Myhre 8:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
March 30, Saturday SMASH Spirit Mountain, Duluth Nearly Naked Ruck March Duluth, 23rdveteran.org Business Energy Workshop Grand Marais, cookcountylocalenergy.org The Grace Notes 5 p.m. Cove Lobby Bar at Best Western Plus Superior Inn, Grand Marais Family Fun Night 5:30 p.m. Summit Chalet, Lutsen Mountains
March 31, Sunday High Tea & Fashion Show Noon, Victoria Inn, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/communitylivingtb
April 2, Tuesday Revel With the Daredevils Fundraiser 5 p.m. Duluth East High School The Sound of Music 7:30 p.m. DECC Symphony Hall, Duluth Colin James: Miles to Go Tour 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com
April 3-7 Arrowhead Home & Builder Show Duluth DECC, homeshowmn.com
April 4-6 Sweetwater Shakedown
Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen Mountains
April 5-6 Easy Rider 8 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
One-Dog Canoe and More! A Visit with Mary Casanova 4 p.m. Two Harbors Public Library, alslib.info
April 5-7
April 11, Thursday
Spring Home & Garden Show CLE, Thunder Bay, cle.on.ca Celebration Talent Dance Competition Duluth DECC
Taste of the North 6 p.m. Superior Shores Resort, Two Harbors Plucked Up String Band 6 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com Intersections Panel Discussion 6 p.m. Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth Luke Combs: Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour 7 p.m. Amsoil Arena, Duluth, decc.org
April 6, Saturday Vintage Snowmobile Meltdown 10 a.m. Spirit Mountain, Duluth Visit the Easter Bunny 11 a.m. Toy Sense, Thunder Bay Hairball with Chris Hawkey 6:30 p.m. Wessman Arena, Superior TBSO: Diversity Concert: Tom Jackson & Indian City 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbso.ca
April 7, Sunday Enchanted Tea Party Greysolon Ballroom, Duluth Northwest Film Fest Silver City, Thunder Bay, nosfa.ca Pysanka Easter Egg Workshop Noon, Toy Sense, Thunder Bay
April 8, Monday One-Dog Canoe and More! A Visit with Mary Casanova 6 p.m. Silver Bay Public Library, alslib.info Sister City Chef Exchange: Lake Avenue at Red Lion 6:30 p.m. Red Lion Smokehouse, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/redlionsmokehouse
April 8-9 HOCP Science Symposium Duluth, heartofthecontinent.org
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April 10, Wednesday
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April 12, Friday St. Joseph’s Curl for Care 8:30 a.m. Port Arthur Curling Club, Thunder Bay All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry Fundraiser 5 p.m. St. Anthony’s Church Hall, Ely Jazz Band Concert 7 p.m. William Kelley High School Auditorium, Silver Bay
April 12-13 10x10 Play Showcase 7:30 p.m. (& 2 p.m. April 13) Magnus Theatre, Thunder Bay, 10x10tbay.ca
April 12-14 Mountain Meltdown Lutsen Mountains
April 12-May 5 North Shore Artists League Group Exhibit (Reception April 12 at 5 p.m.) Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org
April 13-14 73rd Annual AAD Shrine Circus Amsoil Arena, Duluth
April 14, Sunday Northwest Film Fest Silver City, Thunder Bay Breakfast with the Easter Bunny 9 a.m. Moose Hall, Thunder Bay Gag Me with a Spoon 7 p.m. Zeitgeist Teatro Zuccone, Duluth
April 15, Monday Free Day at the Dentist: Up to Age 26 Grand Marais Family Dentistry, northshorehealthcarefoundation.org
April 16, Tuesday Blood Drive 9:30 a.m. Dairy Queen, Ely, mbc.org Grow-Me-Instead Home Gardening Workshop: Free 7 p.m. EcoSuperior, Thunder Bay
April 18, Thursday Pinterest Projects: DIY Bracelets 3:30 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org TBHS Meeting with Amy Veroot: Bird Friendly Spaces 7 p.m. Oliver Road Community Center, Thunder Bay, tbayhortsociety.weebly.com TBSO: World Concert 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbso.ca
April 18-20 Sister Act 7:30 p.m. Marshall Performing Arts Center, Duluth
April 19, Friday Free Tree Seedling Giveaway Signup Deadline Hedstrom Lumber, Grand Marais (218) 877-7030 Plant Propagation 10 a.m. Fruits for Cook County 3 p.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais
April 19-20 Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
8 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
April 19-21 Volunteer & Service Learning Weekend North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org Cirque Du Soleil Crystal: First-ever Ice Experience Amsoil Arena, Duluth
April 20, Saturday A Children’s Home Easter 9 a.m. Fairlawn Mansion, Superior Easter Egg-Stravagnza 10 a.m. Lake Superior Zoo, Duluth, lszooduluth.org Gallery Hop for Earth Day 10 a.m. Various Galleries, Duluth Hogwarts Presents: Crafts for Young Witches & Wizards 11 a.m. Duluth Public Library Community Earth Day: Grand Marais Clean Up 11 a.m. Downtown Grand Marais, greatlakesadopt.org/ secure/event/14862 Peregrine Falcons on the North Shore 1 p.m. Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors, mnhs.org/splitrock
Family Day & Trunk Show 1 p.m. UMD Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth
April 20-May 20 Celebrating the Northern Night Sky Exhibit (Reception April 20 at 1 p.m.) Siiviis Gallery, Duluth, sivertson.com
April 21, Sunday Easter Easter Activities & Breakfast Bar 6 a.m. (Easter Bunny at 8 a.m.) AmericInn, Silver Bay (800) 634-3444 Easter Egg Hunt Lutsen Mountains Bump Blomberg 7 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
April 22, Monday
Earth Day
April 23, Tuesday ARE Youth Spoken Word Open Mic 6 p.m. Zeitgeist Arts, Duluth
April 24, Wednesday The Australian Bee Gees Show:
A Tribute to the Bee Gees 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com
April 24-28 Sister Act 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. Sun.) Marshall Performing Arts Center, Duluth
April 24-May 5 Art Colony Member Show (Reception April 26 at 5 p.m.) Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org
April 25, Thursday Movie Matinee: Star Wars: Clone Wars 3:30 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org Minnesota Ballet’s Wines & Steins 5:30 p.m. Depot Great Hall, Duluth Joe Paulik 7 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com The Great Russian Ballet: Giselle 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com
April 25-May 11 Boeing Boeing Magnus Theatre, Thunder Bay, magnustheatre.com The Fantasticks 7:30 p.m. The Underground, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org
April 26, Friday Downtown Duluth Arts Walk 5 p.m. Downtown Duluth, downtowndulutharts.org
April 26-27 Cook County Superior Response Emergency Services Conference & Awards Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais, cookcountyesc.org 33rd Tent & Everything Else Event Noon (9 a.m. April 27) Lakehead University Hanger, Thunder Bay, gear-up.com
April 26-28
April 30-May 1
Outdoor Adventure Expo Midwest Mountaineering, Minneapolis Celebration Talent Dance Competition II DECC Symphony Hall, Duluth Birds of a Feather 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. April 28) Zeitgeist Arts Building, Duluth
Rock of Ages: Tenth Anniversary
April 27, Saturday
Cork & Canvas Painting Party 9:30 a.m. Gunflint Lodge, Gunflint Trail, gunflint.com
Nature Play & Learning Gathering 8 a.m. Hartley Nature Center, Duluth 30th Annual Fitger’s 5K Run & Walk 9 a.m. Fitger’s, Duluth, grandmasmarathon.com MFRC Spring Yard & Craft Sale 10 a.m. HMCS Griffon, Thunder Bay, my.tbaytel.net/tbaymfrc Children’s Story Hour with the Muffin Man 11 a.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, facebook.com/drurylanebooks Dance Day with Minnesota Ballet: Free 3 p.m. The Depot, Duluth Book Signing & Reading with Betsy Bowen & Phyllis Root: The Lost Forest 5 p.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, facebook.com/drurylanebooks Chaban Ukrainian Dance Group: Vasyl & the Varenyky Factory 7 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com Songs of Life & Nature: A Concert with Dick Kimmel 7:30 p.m. Gunflint Lodge, Gunflint Trail, gunflint.com Tony Peterson & Colleen Myhre 8:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Tour 7 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com
May 3-4 Duluth Junk Hunt Duluth DECC
May 4, Saturday May 4-5 Folklore Festival Noon, Fort William Gardens & Curling Club, Thunder Bay, folklorefestival.ca Wilderness First Aid Course Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply, Grand Marais, stoneharborws.com
May 5, Sunday Spring Craft Revival 10 a.m. Waterfront District, Thunder Bay, thecraftrevivaltbay.com
Monday
Live Music 4 p.m. Voyageur
Preschool Storytime 11:15 a.m. Two Harbors Public Library, twoharborspubliclibrary.com
Tuesday Live Music 6 p.m. Lutsen Resort, Lutsen, lutsenresort.com
Wednesday Country Market 3:30 p.m. CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, tbcm.ca Open Mic 6:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Thursday Date Night with Live Music
6 p.m. North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us Live Music 6 p.m. Lutsen Resort, Lutsen, lutsenresort.com
Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com Live Music 7 p.m. Castle Danger Brewery, Two Harbors Renegade Improv 10:30 p.m. Zeitgeist Teatro Zuccone, Duluth
Saturday Country Market 8 a.m. CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, tbcm.ca Voyageur Brewing Tours 11 a.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com Free: Tour the North House Campus 2 p.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org Live Music 7 p.m. Lutsen Resort, Lutsen, lutsenresort.com Renegade Improv 10:30 p.m. Zeitgeist Teatro Zuccone, Duluth
Friday Preschool Storytime 11 a.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org
Flooring Cabinets
April 27-28 Midwest Extreme Snowmobile Challenge 9 a.m. Lutsen Mountains, corpowersports.com/mesc/mesc3 Continental Ski & Bike “Bike Swap” 10 a.m. (9 a.m. Sunday) Continental Ski & Bike, Duluth, continentalski.com
Countertops Tile
April 28, Sunday
Kitchens
Wildwoods 5th Annual Fundraiser 2 p.m. Clyde Iron Works, Duluth, facebook.com/wildwoodsrehab Tony Peterson & Colleen Myhre 7 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com Le Stelle Alpine Italian Dancers 7 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com
Bathrooms Spring into a new look and feel for your home.
April 30, Tuesday Journey to Life Dinner 5:30 p.m. Valhalla Inn, Thunder Bay Sons & Daughters of the Northern Lights with the Sutter Brothers 6:30 p.m. Duluth Public Library, duluthlibrary.org
Open: Mon.-Fri. 9 am-5 pm Sat. by appt. 1010 E. Highway 61 Grand Marais 218-387-1998 1010interiors.com MN RBC Lic. #BC741688
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The North Shore Dish Canoeing Cuisine By Chuck Viren
Canoe trips in the Northern Wilds are both strenuous and immensely rewarding. The bugs, the aches, and the sore muscles are a fair price to pay for the vistas and wildlife encountered along the way. And in the evening, after the camp has been squared away, there is time to relax, look out over the lake, and enjoy a well-earned meal. However, due to lack of refrigeration and a desire to lighten the food pack, preparing a hearty meal that is delicious, portable, and easy to cook over a camp stove is problematic. Sure, Rice-A-Roni tastes good on the trail, especially with a fresh walleye fillet, but there certainly must be better options. The early freeze-dried meals from my childhood more closely resembled Styrofoam. So what is a person to do? To answer that question, I asked some people who have been working hard to solve this problem. It turns out there are many tasty options available. Not every option has to do with dinner. Clare Shirley, owner and general manager at Sawbill Canoe Outfitters, said the iconic food they send along with their guests is their gorp. Gorp stands for Good Old Raisins and Peanuts, and is a canoeing staple. It can be eaten for lunch or as an energy boost after a long portage, a snack while out fishing, or for dessert. While Shirley would not reveal their recipe, she said their gorp is made in-house with natural ingredients purchased at the local food co-op. They substitute cashews for peanuts and add plenty of chocolate. Trips outfitted by them always include a big bag of gorp. The Cook County Whole Foods Coop has an iconic item that also sees its way into many food packs. Made from scratch on site, their granola has become a must-purchase item for many before they head out onto the trail. Like gorp, it can be a great snack or a finger food for lunch. And for breakfast with powdered milk, it is bursting with flavor and will provide one with the energy for hours of paddling. Deli manager Adam Mella says that demand for this granola is so great during the summer that they make three large batches and will sell 40 to 45 gallons each week. What makes this granola so popular? “Love is the key ingredient,” states Mella. That said, it is chock full of high-quality ingredients such as organic oats, pecans, sliced almonds, cranberries, and toasted coconut. It is sweetened with locally pro-
The Mullins family’s love of canoeing and the outdoors morphed into a family business, Packit Gourmet. | PACKIT GOURMET NORTHERN WILDS
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duced Caribou Creme maple syrup. It is crunchy, sweet and satisfying.
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It turns out, dehydrated trail dinners no longer have to crunch when you eat them. Sarah Hamilton of Trail Center Lodge on the Gunflint Trail has made it her mission to develop tasty, nutritious meals that can be easily reconstituted by adding hot, or in some cases, cold water. The result is Camp Chow, available online (shop. trailcenterlodge.com), at selected retailers in Minnesota, California, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and of course, at Trail Center Lodge. Their best-selling dinner is beef stroganoff. Packed with wild mushrooms, egg noodles and beef, this creamy dish is the ultimate camping comfort food. The buttery gravy and secret spices will remind one of passing the bowl of stroganoff around the dinner table. As with all their meals, the only “cooking” that needs to be done is to boil water. Just pour the water into the bag, seal it up, and let it sit. Backpackers love this set-up for this reason. All one needs is a compact stove and a pot in which to boil water. The stroganoff is also available with couscous instead of noodles or chicken instead of beef. Another popular item is their wild rice sausage casserole. It features, in addition to wild rice and pork sausage, peas, dehydrated cheddar cheese, cream, butter and chives.
Packit Gourmet offers Tex-Mex dehydrated meals. Their most popular dinner is the boldly-spiced state fair Texas chili. | PACKIT GOURMET family’s love of canoeing and the outdoors. Daughter Sarah Mullins’ MBA project morphed into a family business where recipes developed for personal use were refined and offered for sale online.
tortilla chips, True Lime juice, and Cholula Hot Sauce. Ingredients include cage-free chicken, black beans, bell peppers, roasted corn, tomatoes and cilantro. It is packed with flavor and quite satisfying. Another popular item is Dottie’s chicken and dumplings. Based on a family recipe, this dish features cage-free chicken, peas, corn, carrots, mushrooms, and of course dumplings, in a chicken gravy.
All of Camp Chow’s foods are packed at Trail Center Lodge. There are vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, and low sodium options available. Many dishes can be rehydrated with either hot or cold water, a popular option with some ultra-light backpackers or for lunches on the go.
Their most popular dinner is their state fair Texas chili, and it will definitely make you sit up and take notice. This dish contains red and kidney beans, ground beef, tomatoes, onions and peppers. It is spiced boldly and surrounds the palate with rich flavors. It comes with packets of dehydrated Monterey jack cheese, Fritos corn chips, and Texas Pete hot sauce. Add the chips and cheese after cooking and season to taste. As with the Camp Chow, these meals can be cooked in their bags by adding boiling water. Just seal up the back, wait 10 minutes, then enjoy. This chili is tasty enough to serve at home to guests.
If you are looking to add a little spice to your camping experience, Packit Gourmet of Austin Texas has some delicious Tex-Mex dehydrated meals. This family-owned business was an outgrowth of the Mullins
Their Austintatious tortilla soup is a winner, literally, having won an award from Backpacker Magazine. It is prepared in the same manner as the chili and comes with packets of dehydrated Monterey jack cheese and
For breakfast, Sarah recommends the sausage gravy on toast. This dish boasts pork sausage in a creamy gravy. Dried bread is included and is added after the meal has been cooked. It is rehydrated by the gravy. This meal is sure to get your day off to a good start.
While these products are not currently available in retail stores locally, they can be purchased online at: packitgourmet.com. One need not purchase dehydrated meals to eat well in the Boundary Waters. I usually pack fresh vegetables, apples, cheese and sausage. The grocery stores and co-ops have many fine options for quick, portable dinners. What is clear, though, is that dehydrated meals have developed to the extent that they are not only practical but delicious, and family-owned businesses are leading the way.
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Minnesota Canoe Museum’s Annual Paddling Celebration Saturday, August 17, 2019 Semer’s Beach on Shagawa Lake, Ely, MN To preserve and promote the art, culture, and history of canoeing
www.minnesotacanoemuseum.org
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WHERE VIBRANT EVENTS BRING OUT THE LOCAL COLOUR SISTER CITY CHEF EXCHANGE Red Lion Smokehouse - April 8
FOLKLORE FESTIVAL Fort William Gardens - May 4 & 5
THUNDER BAY COMEDY FESTIVAL Crickets Comedy Club - April 17 – 19 eVents - April 20
SPRING CRAFT REVIVAL Waterfront District – May 5
NORVAL MORRISSEAU: WORKS FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION Thunder Bay Art Gallery April 11 – May 19
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North Shore brewers turn out a few kettle sours By Javier Serna Not everybody is a fan of the sour beer craze that many breweries are dabbling in these days. Me? I love sour beers. So I was bummed last year when plans for Oakhold Brewery, which planned to specialize in wild ales, were abandoned. Thankfully, a few of the North Shore brewers have been trying their hands in the style, and Thirsty Pagan was probably the first to do so—and that brewer’s sour Ivy, reviewed here last May, was memorably good. Ivy is a traditional, barrel-aged sour beer, meaning the beer spent many months in a barrel developing character. There is a quicker way to make a sour beer, via a process that cuts out those many months to produce what is known as a kettle sour. Some of these kettle sours are really good. Others, less so.
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that are a little less “buttoned up.” Over at fellow Lincoln Park brewer Ursa Minor, which opened last year, I was very pleased with the kettle sour known as Pink Lady Slipper.
I decided to review a few of these sours this month, now that there are a handful to choose from.
This beer poured a clear rose color. Ursa Minor served it in a teku glass, which did a good job of showcasing its aroma and flavor.
I’ll start out with Bent Paddle’s Wilderness Tuxedo, billed as a boysenberry American sour ale. It’s a berliner weisse, low in alcohol (4.4 percent alcohol by volume), with “buttoned-up tartness,” according to the brewer. It can be picked up in six packs in the region.
It was “matured” according to the brewer on locally foraged grapes and chokeberries. They definitely come through and achieve that delicious, punchy tartness that I am seeking in my sour beers. At 4.9 percent ABV, it’s still fairly light and easy to drink.
It pours an opaque, deep berry red. The boysenberries definitely come through, but it lacks the tartness that I’ve come to love most about the style. So, maybe the brewers intended for the beer not to be too tart, but I guess I prefer kettle sours
I’d say Pink Lady Slipper is among the better kettle sours out there, and definitely in the region. It’s available in the taproom on draft and in crowlers.
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Bent Paddle’s Wilderness Tuxedo is billed as a boysenberry American sour ale, with 4.4 percent ABV. | JAVIER SERNA
B E E R B I L L S : There’s a package of four bills in the state capitol this year that could impact the breweries on the North Shore. One of those would lift the cap on growler sales. The current rule prohibits breweries that produce more than 20,000 barrels a year from selling growlers. Bent Paddle and Castle Danger would be positively impacted if that rule was eliminated. The other bills would loosen the rules on collaboration guest taps at taprooms, allow growlers to be filled at restaurants, bars and liquor stores (currently, fills are limited to taprooms), and expand the sizes of vessels that can be sold off-sale at taprooms.
W I L D S T A T E U P D A T E : Lincoln Park’s second cider house, Wild State Cider, is getting very close to opening. While an exact opening date was not available before press time, sources at the cider operation were hoping to open as soon as early April. C R A F T B E E R W E E K : Voyageur Brewing Co., in Grand Marais was the first among North Shore brewers to announce events to recognize American Craft Beer Week. Among several events to celebrate the occasion, including a beer and cheese pairing on May 14, will be the two-hour class called Craft Beer 201 on Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m. For $10, the course will educate participants on evaluating and tasting craft beer. The class is limited to 20 participants and the fee includes a beer sampling and a pint glass to take home.
Herd Immunity For Kids, Not Cows
Earth Fest brings the whole community together to explore sustainability. FREE ADMISSION Saturday, April 13, 9 AM - 3 PM Children’s Activities • Local Marketplace • Demos and Exhibits • Silent Auction • Green Innovator’s Expo • Local Lunch • Music by Sara Softich & Friends, Eli Bissonett • Keynote speaker: Mark Shepard award-winning author and CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises LLC
Gala for the Grove
Saturday, May 18 Semi-formal benefit
Surfside Lakeside Ballroom, Tofte
Locations: Mtn. Iron Comm. Ctr., Merritt Elem. School, Messiah Luth. Church and NE Service Coop, Mtn. Iron
Details at: www.irpsmn.org/earthfest
Enjoy an evening out at this spirited event while supporting Birch Grove Community School. 5:00 p.m. Champagne Social 6:00 p.m. Fine Dinner and Wine 7:30 p.m. Live Auction & Raffle
Music & Dancing to follow. Limited number of tickets: $75 It sold out last year! For tickets call the school office at 218-663-0170 or visit our website at birchgroveschool.com/ Events/ GalafortheGrove for a downloadable invitation/order form.
Vaccines can prevent horrible diseases, such as polio and measles. | STOCK
By Amy Schmidt Have you heard of herd immunity? It’s an odd term for a really important health concept and it has absolutely nothing to do with cows. It has everything to do with kids though, our kids, the kids in our community. Herd immunity or community immunity (that has a nicer ring to it!) is the term used to describe why vaccinating yourself (and your kids) helps protect not only the person being vaccinated but the entire community they live in. Here’s how it works: Germs travel quickly, especially through communities with lots of young children (think schools, parks, libraries, churches, etc.). These germs make people sick and if enough people get sick, it can lead to an outbreak. But when enough people are vaccinated against a certain disease, the germs can’t travel as easily from person to person because those vaccinated people are resistant to the disease. The end result is a community that is less likely to have an outbreak. The principle of herd immunity states that if you reach a critical percentage of community immunity, typically between 85-95 percent [of people vaccinated against a certain disease], the herd effect will protect the remaining 10-15 percent without immunity. Who is the 10-15 percent without immunity? This small subset of people are those who can’t get vaccinated for reasons including, but not limited to, age (infants, for example) immune-weakening conditions like cancer or HIV/AIDS or life-threatening allergies to vaccine components. So, if you’re healthy and you vaccinate, you will be giving critical immunity will to those who need it most.
But what if a person does get sick? In this case, there’s less chance of an outbreak because it’s harder for the disease to spread to all the vaccinated people. Eventually, the disease becomes rare—and sometimes, like polio in this country, it’s wiped out altogether.
Birch Grove Community School is a 501 c3 nonprofit.
But here’s the thing: polio isn’t gone. It still exists in developing nations and, given the rise of international travel, is only a short vacation plane ride away from this country. If an unvaccinated child travels to a foreign country, gets polio and comes back here, he can spread that devastating disease to his unvaccinated friends and, guess what? We’ve got polio. And we don’t want to see polio here. Just ask Dr. Jennifer Delfs, MD at Sawtooth Mountain Clinic. She never had the chance to meet her grandparents because they died of polio after attending a bridal shower in Iowa. Someone there had polio and didn’t know it. Half the young couples contracted polio and many of them died. We’ve seen this, on a smaller scale, with measles. People stopped vaccinating their kids against measles because no one ever got measles, so “why vaccinate against an irrelevant disease?” Sadly, cities all over the U.S. have had recent measles outbreaks as a result. Each person, and parent of a minor, has a right to choose whether or not they will vaccinate. But, for the sake of your community and the health of the children you love, consider your sources and get the facts. Vaccines prevent diseases, awful diseases, that we don’t ever want to see our children, or anyone in our community, suffer from. For more information visit: chop.edu/ centers-programs/vaccine-education-center.
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Northern Trails Nipigon trout legend Ray Dupuis Sr. By Gord Ellis
I can’t recall when Ray Dupuis Sr. and I first crossed paths, but I do know it was at least three decades ago. I have this in my memory bank because one of my very first interviews as a budding outdoor writer was with Dupuis. That interview was done in 1989, and at that point he was already a brook trout fishing legend in the Nipigon area. To me, a brook trout nut from my earliest days, interviewing Ray Dupuis Sr. was like meeting the Dalai Lama. The master. So last fall, when I heard that Dupuis, 86, was to be inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, in Hayward, Wisconsin, I could not have been happier for him. Ray Dupuis Sr. is truly a great angler for sure, but he is largely being recognized for his life-long promotion of fly fishing, catch and release of Nipigon brook trout and his leadership in conservation. The rebirth of the Nipigon River, and the local anglers general embrace of more conservative bag and size limits, is at least partly due to Dupuis and his exemplary actions. As a young man, Dupuis spent hundreds of hours fishing speckled trout on the banks of the Nipigon River. In the 1950s, Dupuis says there were “loads” of brook trout, from one to nine pounds in the river, but catching those fish then was a real trick due to the log drives on the river.
Ray Dupuis Sr. fly fishing on the Nipigon River. | ROB SWAINSON named Angler of the Year by the Big Fish contest for the many trophy-sized trout he caught and released.
“In those days they were always driving wood down the river,” said Dupuis. “And we got to know how to cast out between the logs and stick the point of our rod down underneath the logs and then reel. We got quite a few fish that way.” Then things began to change. Fishing pressure and harvest increased, and water levels on the river began to yo-yo, a by-product of Hydro generation. This rapid change in water levels often left trout eggs high and dry. In the 1970s and 1980s, Dupuis says he slowly noticed a decline in the number of brook trout in the river. He began to release all the brookies he caught and encouraged other local trout anglers to do the same. Dupuis says his promotion of live release and harvest limits for the Nipigon’s famous speckled trout was not always an easy sell. In fact, there was some kick back. “I haven’t kept a trout from the Nipigon River in over 25 years,” he said. “That live release...we got in quite a few heated discussions with other sport fisherman on that. But it’s workin’ real good.”
A young Ray Dupuis Sr. | SUBMITTED What Dupuis had to say about trout conservation would only have mattered if he was both a community leader and a great fisherman. He is both. In the 1980s, the Ontario Molson Big Fish contest was the biggest angling contest in Canada. There were prizes for both caught and kept and caught and released fish, but the focus was on anglers who released. Dupuis owned the brook trout catch and release category and usually showed up in a couple of other categories. In 1985, Ray Dupuis Sr. was
One of the people who worked closely with Dupuis on the resurrection of the Nipigon brook trout is retired Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry biologist Rob Swainson. Dupuis credits Swainson with pushing for many of the regulation changes that helped save the Nipigon River fishery. For over two decades, both men worked together on the river and its fishery. Dupuis and his boys tagged many hundreds of brook trout as part of a co-operative angler program that helped track the fish, and proved that catch and release was working. Swainson has high praise for the veteran Nipigon angler. “Ray was the first to raise the alarm bells and ask the MNR to do something about the decline,” said Swainson. “By sharing his incredible knowledge gathered through all those years fishing on the river, Lake Superior and Lake Nipigon, he saved me years of work. His help allowed me to right away tackle the real issues...water level fluctuations and over-fishing. Ray’s vocal support of the proposed recovery efforts was instrumental in garnering the public’s support.”
Last year, Dupuis was nominated for the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame by his childhood friend Dan Gapen. A wellknown name in the North American fishing industry for his writing, TV shows and tackle company, Gapen is also a member of the Fishing Hall of Fame. Gapen’s father, Don, owned the legendary Chalet Lodge, on the Nipigon River. Gapen and Dupuis spent many early days together around the region fishing and guiding. While the two were close childhood friends, their bond has continued into their 80s. A few years back, Gapen returned to Nipigon for the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the world record brook trout caught in 1915. Both men once again fished together on the system and renewed a life-long bond. “Now in our later years, we’ve gotten together and it’s been really great to have such good friendship and longtime memories,” said Dupuis. “We have been away for a long time from each other, but we are still good friends after many years.” Dupuis said he is humbled and excited to be entering the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. “It’s not anything I ever thought about,” he said. “But I am happy to be there.” Dupuis was inducted in March, in Minneapolis, at the Sportsmen’s show. NORTHERN WILDS
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Wild Traditions High school outdoors program over 50 years old By Julia Prinselaar
In a small Northwestern Ontario town that sits at the doorstep of one of Canada’s premier paddling destinations, it’s not surprising that the local high school runs an outdoor education program. But the unique thing about the Atikokan High School Outers Program is that after 54 years of operation, it has become the envy of other schools and a longstanding tradition in the community. “It’s a big part of our school. Some of the students we have this year are third generation ‘Outers’ in their families,” said Brad Gascoigne, director of the program and vice principal of Atikokan High School. Gascoigne took part in the program as a student in 1998, and since becoming a teacher has been involved with trips every year since 2005—as equipment manager, trip leader and director. He says he’s routinely contacted by other institutions wanting to model their program after Outers, which becomes increasingly difficult in the wake of safety requirements, insurance and liability. “It’s hard to start a program like this right now with all the safety concerns. But with 54 years, there’s a lot of trust in the community with what we’re doing, and that definitely goes a long way,” said Gascoigne. The program is available as an elective school credit to students in their Grade 11 year. Within the first two weeks of school, students complete a swim test, some preliminary planning, and a day-long canoe orientation. The program then progresses into trips that incorporate wayfinding and
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Multiple portages, black flies, and wet weather are all part of the Outers Program, as are teamwork and cooperation in each brigade. | ATIKOKAN HIGH SCHOOL navigation skills, followed by overnight trips that run in the fall and winter once the lakes freeze over. That includes an allnight walk by compass that culminates with a big breakfast at a local restaurant at the end of the trip. “The whole program is based on progression,” said Gascoigne, which leads to a 12day trip through Quetico Provincial Park each spring.
“That’s a long time away from home. No technology and no communication with the outside world. You’re living with your canoe and your tent for 12 days with these other students. We’re pushing them to their limits, with long portages, mud and bugs, the rain, whatever.” It’s under these challenging conditions that students learn to manage their time, cooperate with one another, build confi-
dence, trust, independence and leadership. “I think the canoe and the paddle is the vehicle we use because that’s what we have around here. We’re teaching kids the value of hard work, and just trying to imitate life. They’re finding out that they can do a lot more then they realize,” he said. In a typical year, about three-quarters of all Grade 11 students at the school en-
Cook County Real Solar Deal With solar photovoltaic (PV) prices falling rapidly and a 30 percent federal tax credit scheduled to diminish in 2020, consider installing a solar energy system. CCLEP and its partners will hold four free, and open to the public, Real Solar Deal workshops throughout Cook County over the weekend of March 30-31. Additional workshops to be held in April. The goal is to sign up 10-15 solar projects by May 15, with installation to begin in early fall.
About three quarters of Grade 11 students enroll in the Atikokan High School Outers Program each year. | ATIKOKAN HIGH SCHOOL roll in the Outers Program, and each student who finishes is required to complete an additional 30 hours of community service in return for the support that the program receives. “I think a big part of the program is that we give back to the community,” said Gascoigne. Service days typically involve trail
restoration in Quetico Provincial Park in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. “It’s important that the community is behind us, and that we give back to the community,” he said.
Home or business owners who decide to participate in the program would be charged a $100 site assessment fee (attending the workshops is free, and participation in the site assessment does not oblige one to purchase a system). The more people that sign up, the greater the potential savings. Real Solar Deal Workshops Schedule: Saturday, March 30 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais.
These workshops cover the basics of solar PV energy systems and provide details about the Cook County Real Solar Deal—a solar “group-buy” program offered by CCLEP in partnership with Real Solar. Real Solar is a subsidiary of the non-profit Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL) located in Backus, Minn. The idea of a “group-buy” is to pool several solar PV projects together so that savings can be realized through bulk purchasing and efficiencies in site assessment and installation processes. The program will be implemented in coordination with Arrowhead Electric Cooperative and the Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission.
4-6 p.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais. Sunday, March 31 12-2 p.m. Hovland Town Hall, Hovland. 4-6 p.m. Birch Grove Community Center, Community Room #1, Tofte. April Workshops haven’t been scheduled. For more information, contact: Tony Walzer, CCLEP at (218) 877 7293, or email: anthony@paulbunyan.net. Or contact George Wilkes, CCLEP at (218) 387 2137, or email: gwilkes@boreal.org.
LESTER RIVER
“It is one of the few streams on the North Shore with wild brown trout,” he said. “That doesn’t mean it’s always easy or a cake walk.”
THE FALL TURNS PINK: While Haensel dismissed DNR’s mention of Chinook salmon in the stream as not being a viable fishery, he mentioned the presence of pink salmon in the fall. “The Lester absolutely has a pink salmon run in the fall,” he said of the bonus fishery. “They will be there after the first decent rain in September.”—Javier Serna
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INLAND BROOKIES AND BROWNS: Haensel said the Lester, and its tributary Amity Creek, offer some excellent brook and brown trout fishing, particularly the farther up the stream you go.
“There have been more coaster brook trout poking around,” Haensel said. “You would be surprised, but they are in there. This last year we saw more coasters in the 15 to 20 inch range than we have for a while.”
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Minnesota DNR recently killed its Kamloops rainbow trout program following genetics testing showing they were hybridizing with steelhead. The Lester did receive Kamloops, which should continue to return for the next couple of years.
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The mouth of the stream is popular among shore anglers and boat anglers, Haensel said.
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How soon it might open was hard to imagine in the middle of March, with its mouth firmly locked up.
COASTERS: The stream also has been known to have some good coaster brook trout action. DNR has been working on restoring this catch-and-release fishery, and it’s been a slow go. While these anadromous brook trout are known for running the streams in the fall, Haensel said they are just as likely to follow steelhead runs up the stream in the spring, when they opportunistically feed on rainbow eggs.
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GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Brook trout, brown trout, Chinook salmon,
“It is the first big river that opens up to steelhead fishing,” he said. “As soon as we get everything to melt, it will be open. That lower end of it will have plenty of fish.”
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VITALS: It’s unclear just how much of this St. Louis County stream is open to anadromous fish that spend part of the time in Lake Superior but also run up the Lester. DNR’s soon-to-be updated guide to North Shore trout streams suggests there are 5.1 miles of stream before the first barrier, and 16.5 miles of stream above that barrier. Fishing guide Carl Haensel of Namebini said there is definitely fewer than 5 miles of stream before the first barrier. Most of the fishing for steelhead occurs below the high falls upstream from the Superior St. bridge.
OVER THE RAINBOWS: The Lester is well-known for its spring steelhead runs, said Haensel.
The stream narrows towards the top of the watershed and it gets pretty remote, despite being so close to the hustle and bustle of Duluth. That’s where you might tangle with some of the bigger stream trout, though, so don’t shy away from these waters.
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ACCESS: You’ll have to look closely at maps, but there’s a mixture of land ownership bordering the Lester, providing a lot of opportunities for anglers afoot. Yes, this stream on the east side of Duluth, borders some private property. But there are public easements offering access on some of that private property. And there is a considerable amount of public land bordering the upper reaches of the Lester and its tributary Amity Creek.
coaster brook trout, Kamloops rainbow trout, pink salmon and steelhead rainbow trout.
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WHY GO: This stream, inside Duluth city limits, has a lot to offer anglers in the spring, summer and fall. It has a major steelhead run in the spring, some excellent brook trout fishing in its upper reaches, and the opportunity in the fall to catch pink salmon.
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Lake Superior
View our complete collection of Fishing Hole Maps online at: northernwilds.com/ fishingholemaps NORTHERN WILDS
APRIL 2019
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The Maples of
Fort William First Nation By Jolene Banning
Jars of maple syrup after one boil. It takes 40L of maple sap to produce 1L of maple syrup. | HELEN PELLETIER
T
he land where I come from, near the shores of Lake Superior, is very giving and provides our people with everything one could need, from shelter to education to medicine. Every year, near the end of winter and beginning of spring, a collective of people, called the Sugarbush Family, goes out on the land daily to see when the maples are ready to tap. I am a member of that collective. I am a part of the Sugarbush Family. Each year there are familiar faces and some new faces. There is so much love and pride when we are on the land remembering where we come from and who we are. It’s where Anishinaabe governance happens so naturally, as natural as breathing and saying miigwech (thank you). To an outsider, you might not see a structure in place. There are no dates planned out in the calendar, no one is in charge or giving orders. But there is law and order. All one has to do is listen to the land. My father, Myles Pervais, has been tapping since the mid-60s when he was a young boy. He would help the elders when large school groups would visit the maple sugar bush. School buses would come full of little kids, they would watch the sap flow and eat snow cones made from fresh white snow and some cold sweet sap poured on top. Then they’d watch the sap turn to syrup. “My job was to show the children the process, a demonstration of what it was like. I wasn’t very heavy so I could put some snowshoes on and stay on top of the snow. The snow was deep yet, and I’d run the plastic lines from tree to tree, connecting them to the spigots and the lines would Volunteers collecting sap on top of Anemki Wajiw during a Community Day event in the sugar season of 2018. | HELEN PELLETIER
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something our children will grow up doing and one day share with their children.
smoky fire and sweet. Your taste buds are wide awake.
Educators recognize the benefit of experiential learning and get excited talking about science experiments, figuring out the math measurements of drips per day, and size of the tree, not to mention the great physical education. Hike up and down the mountain, lunch on the land, nature all around.
Our re-connection to the land is an act of resistance to colonialism. Colonial impacts have displaced Indigenous people from their land and others stake a claim to maple syrup and erase us from the history of sugaring by naming it Canadian heritage.
When the boil takes place, while roasting the maple sugar water, hundreds of people come by and bring about the conversation on what our nation could be. People help out and contribute in all sorts of ways. From the beginning of warmer temperatures, someone is making a daily hike up; another offers up the pressure washer to clean the equipment; someone will bring firewood when it’s time to boil and nearly everyone offers up a dish for the feast during the full day of boiling. The Sugarbush drum is almost always brought out for the hikes and songs are always being sung. The boil can take all day, depending on how much we’ve gathered, and as we boil it down you can feel, smell and see the water change. It glows dark and rich, as it gets thicker with a smell that is both
All my life I was told that Indigenous people are burdens to the tax system, homeless and alcoholic, uneducated, savage, heathens, but by being on the land I am shattering those stereotypes within. I am on the land working hard, remembering our past ways, talking about the future, being proud of who I am and where I come from. We are the roots of the pride Canadians feel for the sweet product of maple syrup. Maple syrup is not only part of Canadian heritage, it is my heritage. In Anishinaabe culture, we see that what is living has life, how we are all connected. The tree carries sap and we drink the sap and we are in ceremony when we honour that connectedness. When we are practicing our traditional ways of being, we are restoring governance. Tapping shows us who we are and all we are meant to be.
Helen Pelletier checking the amount of sap collected over one night. | HELEN PELLETIER sit right on top of the snow, collecting the sap into a 1,500 gallon tank,” says Pervais. From the time the coldest of winter days has passed, usually around mid-February, the Sugar Bush family hikes up the mountain daily. Sometimes there are only a couple of us making the trek up. Sometimes we have all the little children of the community come up, leading the way laughing and giggling the whole time. But most times there are about half dozen of us hiking up, documenting the event by taking selfies and pictures of the land, recording the sounds of the sap dripping into the buckets. In this region, you mostly see birch and balsam, cedar and poplar, spruce and pine, ash and tamarack. The grove of maple trees all nestled on top of Anemki Wajiw, also known as Mount McKay, is shielded by mountains on either side. Natural water sources, Loch Lomond and Crescent Lake, are also on top of the mountain. There is a theory that the maples were strategically planted there to protect the trees from our cold, harsh winters. Every year as we walk up the mountain we are affirming our relationship to one another and to the land. When we walk up the mountain we remember how it was and dream of how it can be, we follow in the footsteps of our ancestors, we seek guidance from the land and look to our future. By doing so we are enacting Anishinabek Governance. Sugarbush Family member Stephanie McLaurin recognizes the differences between our systems of learning and Euro-western systems. Most educational institutes would compartmentalize the learning into science or math, but she says “our science isn’t separate. Tapping is our science, our philosophies, our governance. It’s everything.”
From time immemorial the Anishinabek of Fort William First Nation have been tapping the sugar maples on top of Anemki Wajiw. Jesuit records dating back as far as 1827 record daily activity of Anishinabe women going up and down the mountain to collect maple sap. Since maple trees need at least 50 years to mature before tapping can begin, they must have been here since before the 1780s. Sugar maples are an otherwise rare find this far north. The ideal temperature for the sap to flow is when it is above zero (centigrade) during the day and below freezing at night, but Dr. Damien Lee of Fort William First Nation learned another way. “I asked my teachers once when is it the right time to tap. They never said anything about the temps, but about the relationships: when you see the squirrels nibbling on the bark, because they’re getting the sap, because it’s flowing.” This teaching was given to him while he was tapping in southern climates, where it is a little warmer. Another teacher said “when all the snow is really deep but just around the bottom of the tree you can see the soil, once the sun has heated the ring, that’s when it’s time.” Both of those are highly relational between not only tree and sun or tree and squirrel, but tree and us— we have to go up there every day and look for the signs. Hundreds of people from all over come to watch and learn the tapping process and everyone is given an opportunity to take part in the sugaring process. The Sugarbush Family has invited students from grade school to university, visitors to the territory just passing through, and land-based educators. We’ve been invited to share our worldviews with educators and students. Tapping the sugar maples is one of our oldest and most significant traditions. It is
[ABOVE] Sugarbush
Family member Beau Boucher relaxing while pans of maple sap boil. Drums next to him were played throughout the process. | HELEN PELLETIER [LEFT] Daanis Pelletier,
Helen’s daughter, admiring the finished product after a day of boiling. There can be two or three boils during the season. | HELEN PELLETIER NORTHERN WILDS
APRIL 2019
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Paddle your canoe!
Illustration by Leah Pratt
ry a n i d r No O& Dime! Five 218-387-2233 • Grand Marais
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Tucker Lake Chronicle Thirteen Months in the North Woods By Joan Crosby Nodin Press, $19.95
Many people dream of moving to a small cabin on a wilderness lake. Fifty years ago, Joan Crosby and her husband, Dick, did just that, moving from the Twin Cities to a tiny cabin accessible only by canoe or snowmobile from the Gunflint Trail. Here they forged a new existence, spending just over a year at a place that completely changed the course of their lives. Crosby tells their story in short, smooth-flowing chapters that make the book a prefect read for your nightstand or a summer vacation. It’s a wonderful addition to the ever-growing collection of titles about life in Cook County.—Shawn Perich
DRURY LANE BOOKS Saturday, April 27th
Free surprise book with every purchase! 11 AM
Children’s Story Hour with the Muffin Man
5 PM
Betsy Bowen and Phyllis Root
The Sock Goblin
Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat
By Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux Illustrated by Kari Vick
Open 24/7 Online drurylanebooks.com
Who steals the missing socks? Well, the Sock Goblin, of course! He lives on the hot water pipe under the laundry room and he never takes a matching pair. It’s easy pickings for the Sock Goblin, that is until the tall boy leaves for college. Is it going to be a threadbare winter, or does the arrival of a stranger promise better times to come? Written by Grand Marais author Rose Arrowsmith DeCoux, The Sock Goblin finally gives us an answer as to where our missing socks go in this fun and silly children’s story, complete with colorful illustrations by Lutsen artist Kari Vick. The Sock Goblin can be found at various stores and online at: rosearrowsmithdecoux.com.—Breana Roy
SUMMER CLASSES ARE HERE
Celebrate Indie Bookstore Day!
Reading & signing their new children’s book The Lost Forest
Alchemy Storyworks, $16.95
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11 AM - 4 PM
12 E. Wisconsin St., Grand Marais
218-387-3370
EXPLORE ART BY TAKING A CLASS AT
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Bim, Bam, Bop… and Oona By Jacqueline Brigs Martin Illustrated by Larry Day University of Minnesota Press, $16.95
When these ducks go to the pond, it is Bim, Bam, Bop… and Oona, always last. Bim, Bam, and Bop are runners, and Oona’s a waddler. “Last is a blot on my life,” Oona says to her frog friend, Roy. “I don’t feel as big as a duck should feel.” But she’s good with gizmos, Roy reminds her. So Oona tinkers with scraps and strings and eventually creates the perfect gadget to get her to the pond first. In this children’s picture book, Oona will inspire and delight all who see her final triumphant creation, while reminding us to never give up and to look for our own special gifts.—Breana Roy
1708 HWY 61, GRAND MARAIS, MN 218.387.9475 • WWW.NORTHERNWILDS.COM NORTHERN WILDS
APRIL 2019
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2
northern sky APRIL 2019 By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH
Sponsored by
Mark D. Consulting, LLC Serving Businesses and Residential Customers. 218-663-7149 Mark@MarkDConsulting.com
The first day of April dawns with a crescent moon closing in on Venus just above the east-southeastern horizon. Bathed in the sun’s foreglow, both have a rendezvous with the sun—the moon as it glides below and in front of the sun, Venus as it circles behind it—on their way to the evening sky. At new moon on April 5, the moon begins its next climb out of the sunset. But Venus won’t pass behind the sun until August, and only reappears as an evening star in late fall. On the 19th, early risers may see April’s full moon hovering over the western horizon. Fullness comes at 6:12 a.m., moonset at 6:38 a.m. During April the spring constellation Leo, the lion, prances high in the south during prime evening viewing hours. Its brightest star, Regulus, shines from the bottom of the Sickle of stars outlining the lion’s head. The Sickle resembles a backward question mark, with Regulus at the point. East of the Sickle, a triangle of stars represents Leo’s hindquarters and tail. At
the tip is Denebola, whose name comes from the Arabic for “tail of the lion.” East of Denebola shine two bright stars: brilliant Arcturus, at about the same altitude as Denebola, and Spica, nearer the horizon. These three stars are sometimes called the Spring Triangle. In the west, the winter stars are streaming past Mars. In the first week of April, watch the Pleiades star cluster go by Mars on the right. On the left, the V-shaped Hyades star cluster, marking the face of Taurus, the bull, soon follows suit. Compare the color of the red planet and Aldebaran, the bright and yellowish eye of the bull, as the two bodies pass. The University of Minnesota offers public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth and Twin Cities campuses. For more information and viewing schedules in Duluth, see the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium: d.umn.edu/planet.
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Strange Tales World’s Oldest Canoes—Where Are They? By Elle AndraWarner
For many of us, the word “canoe” brings to mind the historic birch bark ones first used by First Nations peoples and later by the French-Canadian Voyageurs and fur-traders. But it is Europe that lays claim to the world’s oldest surviving canoe. Known as the Pesse Canoe, it was discovered in the Netherlands in 1955 and has been carbon dated as being built between 8040 BCE and 7510 BCE (10,059 to 9,529 years ago). Constructed in dugout canoe style from a Scots pine log, likely using flint or antler tools, it is nearly 10 feet long and 17 inches wide. The canoe, also considered the world’s oldest boat, is now on display at Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands. Another of the world’s oldest canoes is the Dufuna Canoe, discovered by a cattle herdsman in northeast Nigeria while digging a well for water. Made of African mahogany and rubbed with animal fat to prevent from cracking, the dugout was carbon dated to be about 8,500 to 8,000 years old. Others on the oldest canoe list include the 8,000-year-old dugout canoe found in Zhejiang province in east China (Asia’s oldest canoe). In Northern Europe, the oldest canoe is in Denmark, dated back 7,200 to 6,900 years ago, while in the Baltic area, Germany has dugouts dating back 7,000 to 6,000 years. Over here in North America, it is Florida that holds the title to having the world’s largest concentration of ancient canoes, the oldest dugout being about 7,000 years old. According to the Florida Museum, there are almost 400 recorded dugouts over 235 sites, ranging up to 27 feet long. Most were crafted from pine or cypress using stone or shell tools in the pre-contact era. An amazing rare find happened 19 years ago when 101 dugouts, most 5,000 to 3,000 years old, were found in Newnan’s Lake near Gainesville; after documentation and carbon-dating 53 canoes, all were reburied in the lake bottom. In the Great Lakes region, the oldest dugout was found in Lake Mary, Wisconsin and dated around 2,000 years. Up here in our Northern Wilds country, Minnesota’s oldest is a 1,000-year-old dugout discovered in Lake Minnetonka and now on display at the West Hennepin County Pioneer Association. But what about the birch bark canoes? Well, two of the world’s oldest birch bark canoes, both over 220 years old, are linked to British soldiers, and housed in museums
The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario, houses the world’s largest collection of canoes, kayaks and self-propelled watercraft. It was established in 1997. | WIKIMEDIA P199 in Maine and Ontario. The world’s oldest birch bark canoe is the Wabanaki Canoe, now on display in a museum in Brunswick, Maine. Built in the mid-1700s by people of the Wabanaki Confederacy, the 269-year-old canoe is 16.5 feet in length, built without nails or fastenings and has a stem strip made of tanned deer. As the story goes, a Maine sea captain received the canoe as a gift from the Wabanaki. In 1889, his family donated to the Pejepskot Historical Society. For decades it was stored in a barn before placed in the Pejepskot Museum and Research Centre. The second oldest birch bark canoe—or rather its remains—is at least 231 years old and on display at the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario which houses the world’s largest collection of canoes and kayaks, numbering more than 600. The birch bark canoe is almost 20-feetlong, with ribs poking out from the sides and a frame that is mostly disintegrated. Built in Canada in the 1700s and donated to the museum by its British owners in 2012, its exact origin and which First Nation created the canoe remain somewhat of a mystery, though it is believed to have been constructed near Quebec City. According to family lore, the canoe was owned by British soldier Lt. John Enys, who had arrived in 1776 in Quebec to defend Quebec City during the American War of Independence. When he finally returned to his home in Cornwall, England in 1788, the canoe came, too. Speaking of the Canadian Canoe Museum, there’s a cool direct link with the Thun-
Minnesota’s oldest dugout canoe is dated to 1025-1165 AD. It was discovered in August 1934 in North Arm of Lake Minnetonka. | WESTERN HENNEPIN COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION der Bay area. Apparently, the museum’s distinctive logo of a canoe and paddlers comes from the canoe pictograph found at Pictured Lake, located near Thunder Bay. Did you know that Ely has the title of Canoe Capital of the World and is home to the Minnesota Canoe Museum? While a permanent facility is in the planning stages, in an article in the Star Tribune, journalist Scott Stowell writes the “organization’s vision includes showcasing historic birch bark, wood-canvas and cedar-strip canoes,” as well as canoe-related exhibits. The museum’s current three canoes all have unique stories: the Arrowhead Jour-
ney birch bark canoe (made a 1,000-mile journey around perimeter of Arrowhead in 2009), the Mando racing canoe (cedar, ash and painted canvas built by Ontario’s Peterborough Canoe Co.) and the Detroit-to-Moscow Canoe (attempt to paddle from Detroit west to Moscow in time for 1980 Summer Olympics; ended in Lake of the Woods). Should be noted that in addition to Ely, both Peterborough, Ontario and Eminence, Missouri claim to be the “Canoe Capital of the World,” while Atikokan in Northwestern Ontario promotes itself as the “Canoeing Capital of Canada.” NORTHERN WILDS
APRIL 2019
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Grand Marais Area
Aspenwood on Lake Superior. Gorgeous lake
Lutsen Real Estate Group Office 218-663-7971
lutsenrealestategroup.com
Meet Our Awesome Agents!
Coveted Cobblestone Cove Villa on Grand Marais Harbor. The most coveted location on the entire North shore. This beautiful two bedroom townhome front faces the Grand Marais Harbor with the Sawtooth Mountain ridgeline and north coast of Lake Superior serving as the backdrop. Walking distant to an eclectic selection of foodie restaurants and cool art scene with so much more. Call today for your private showing. MLS 6080023 $375,000
PRICEED C REDU
Lutsen Heritage Townhome with Superior Views Panoramic views of Lake Superior &
Lutsen Mountains can be enjoyed from nearly every room. High end finishes, including maple woodwork, stainless appliances, granite counters, Mission-style raised panel doors, and two gas fireplaces with dry-stacked stone. Maintenance-free living and part of a distinctive neighborhood. Main floor bedroom allows onelevel living. MLS 6077102 $315,000
Stunning End Unit at Chateau. Just West of Grand Marais.
Nicely appointed and extremely well maintained beautiful 3 bedroom home just west of Grand Marais. Home includes a two stall garage with adjacent office, workshop, wine room and more. Many wonderful upgrades made to home in 2010. Nice clean yard and garden areas. Move in ready. All you need is the key. Call our office today to schedule your private showing. MLS 6029508 $329,900
ING
PEND Bruce Kerfoot 218-388-2294
SOLD
Chateau LeVeaux is the ideal choice for a North Shore getaway. Use it when you like, and rent it at other times to offset your costs of ownership. Upper level end unit with panoramic views of Lake Superior. Open concept main level includes living, dining & kitchen along with private deck. Distressed hdwd floors, rainfall showerhead, glass bowl sink, fireplace & sleek Scandinavian décor make this a stunning place to hang out. Added windows for both south and west exposures. Chateau comes with many amenities, including pool, whirlpool, sauna and their spectacular deck for those big sky views. Tofte is close to all the action on the shore, such as the ski hill, hiking trails & golf, plus great restaurants and cool music. MLS 6079941 $115,000
Gorgeous Chateau LeVeaux Condo
44 Caspers Hill Rd. Peaceful country home w/ 3 bdrms, 3 baths & 3 gorgeous stone fireplaces. Eat-in kitchen has a wood-burning fireplace to warm those winter nights. Huge master bedroom with a stone fireplace and whirlpool tub. Upper level includes loft family room, office and large bedroom with dormers. Walkout LL has Fam room & bathroom. Exterior includes cedar-shingled roof, deck, detached dbl garage w/loft bunk rm, circle driveway & 5 acres. Located on a county-maintained road with close proximity to Grand Marais for work or leisure activities. MLS 6078471 $249,900
ING
PEND Mike Larson Broker 218-370-1536
views from every level of this sharply-remodeled Lake Superior townhome. Quality finishes including granite, wood and tile floors, maple cabinets, plus pale gray walls with white trim for a cool, modern vibe. There are multiple spaces to spread out in the spacious, three-level, end unit with 2 bedrooms and 3 baths. The large windows afford wide-open views of the big lake. Currently offered as a rental unit through Cascade Vacation Rentals; helps to offset the cost of ownership, if desired. With the exception of a few personal items, this townhome could come fully-furnished with an acceptable offer. Brand-new furnishings! Enjoy your time on the North Shore without any pesky chores. Your only job is to enjoy lake living, and all of the activities this area has to offer: golfing, skiing, hiking, biking, beach combing, music, shops & restaurants, plus much more. Make a showing appointment to see this stunning townhome! MLS 6081095 $317,900
SOLD
Sandy McHugh Kelsi Thompson 218-428-0992 218-370-7841
Jack McHugh 218-370-2602
Lutsen/Tofte Townhomes and Condo’s
Steve Surbaugh Broker 218-663-7971
Kelly’s Hill.
Very nice and well-kept 2 bedroom 2 bath home on nearly five acres just east of Grand Marais. Private trails cut on land with the Superior Hiking trail nearby. Yard and large garden areas surrounded by mature forest and some wonderful large White Pine trees. Beautiful sunrise and sunsets with Lake Superior views from the second level master bedroom and deck. MLS 6077096 $219,900
Quality finishes along with tasteful new furnishings make this an ideal choice for anyone’s North Shore getaway. Open concept layout, with a high-end look and those ever-changing moods of Lake Superior. Walk-out to a private patio to watch the sunrise. Or take in the morning views of the big lake tucked into your cozy bed. Plus a wood-burning fireplace for those chilly nights. Chateau LeVeaux comes with many amenities, including pool, whirlpool, sauna, and their spectacular common deck for those big sky views. Tofte is close to all the action on the shore, including the ski hill, hiking trails, golf, and great restaurants & cool music. This one is not to be missed! Showing appointments being taken now. MLS 6078779 $76,000
Caribou Highlands Condo.
Nicely remodeled Nordic whirlpool studio condo at Caribou Highlands ski-in ski-out resort in Lutsen. With many amenities at the resort as well as hiking and biking trails on the ski hill, you won’t have a lack of options during the day. Enjoy relaxing on the new deck overlooking Moose Mountain, with distant views of Lake Superior. With new siding, roof and deck all part of the updates in the past few years this Nordic studio is not one to overlook! MLS 6077413 $69,000
EARN MONEY WHEN YOU ARE AWAY BY PLACING YOUR HOME IN OUR VACATION RENTAL PROGRAM. Give Andrew a call at 218-264-0497 When you visit our website www.lutsenrealestategroup.com you will find additional information on all properties in the area accompanied by multiple photographs for a more comprehensive overview of properties you may be interested in. 48
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Lutsen Real Estate Group
Using a fundamental business approach for all your real estate needs Office 218-663-7971
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WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Gunflint Trail Area
Devil Track Lake Lots
Lakeshore lot on Poplar Lake with a new 2 stall garage, electric, driveway, nicely wooded, great views to the north and west, 200’ lake frontage, 1.8 acres, on a private road with year around access. MLS 6074074 $158,000
Other Vacant Land Parcels Lund Road off Honeymoon Trail. Looking for a peaceful
spot close to some lakes? This 5+ acres is tucked 15 min from downtown Lutsen, close to Christine Lake, White Pine Lake and Tait River, a great location for exploring the lakes and woods while still being close to the ski hill. A great quality on this land is gravel! Since the gravel is already on the property it can be used for the driveway, site prep and other. No hauling required! MLS 6075805 $45,900
Devil Track Lake! Four lakeshore lots available. Great location for second home, primary residence, or cabin. Wooded shoreline with many potential building and driveway locations. Ample space for septic and well. Pristine shoreline, plus close proximity to Grand Marais and many area activities. MLS 6081021, 6081022, 6081023, 6081024. Priced from $99,900 to $149,900.
G Pike Lake. Have you ever wanted your very own 20 acres in a remote, peaceful Murmur Creek INNear ND E with a diverse forest and absolute privacy? Look no further than this sweet spot. Beautiful parcel Pplace with building and septic sites located. Call for specific directions for finding this pristine and secluded forested property. MLS 6076404 $31,500
Tait Lake, Lutsen. Recent sales
of undeveloped lakeshore lots show prices exceeding $200,000. Lots 16 and 17 have the benefit of Tait Lake access without lakeshore prices. Tucked hillside overlooking Tait Lake on Caps Trail, Lot 16 offers 2.8 acres with convenient and deeded access to the association’s private dock. Lot 17 provides the same with 3.3 acres. Beautiful, wild and unspoiled and simply outstanding values.
Lake A cce Lakesh ss without ore pr ices!
Great parcel of land right conveniently located just 2.7 miles east of Grand Marais. Well already in place. Located on Hwy 61; perfect place to build a new home. MLS 6081081 $55,600.
Lot 16 MLS 6080165 $39,999 Lot 17 MLS 6032087 $49,499
PRICES REDUCED! GREAT VALUES!
Superior National Golf Course Homesites Few Golf Courses have been built on land as spectacular as Superior National. And more recently the golf course just completed its nearly $4.5 million course improvement project on the River and Canyon Nines. The homesites listed below are tucked within the Cedar Forest along River 6 fairway and River 6 green. With water, sewer, power and broadband available, combined the sounds of the Poplar River just across the fairway and so much more beauty, the value offered simply is unbelievable. Act now, the golf course will launch its new marketing campaign in 2018 announcing the grand-re-opening – with that, lot prices will likely increase next year. Lot 4 Block 2. This lot sits adjacent to #4 fairway on River 9 at Superior National Golf Course. Very nice build site with easy access from Ski Hill Road. Water, Sewer, power and broadband available curbside. This is an excellent value. MLS 6079877 $59,900
Geodesic on Lake Superior. Unique 4 bedroom, 2 bath geodesic dome home on Lake Superior.
Located just inside the western Cook County line, this home is unlike any other on the North Shore! Open concept kitchen, living & dining, all with views of the lake. Accommodates large gatherings. Upper loft with bathroom to hold overflow guests. Finished, walkout lower level with beautiful T&G wood ceiling & walls, plus another bedroom with big lake views. The shoreline is amazing, and is accessible for all your activities: meditating on the beauty, picking rocks or launching your kayak on a calm day. There is an additional deck located near the lake, perfect for entertaining. On rough water days, watch the waves crash against large rock outcroppings. Two-car detached garage to store both gear & vehicles. Great vacation rental history, which helps to offset expenses. Request your showing today! MLS 6076429 $399,900
EARN MONEY WHEN YOU ARE AWAY BY PLACING YOUR HOME IN OUR VACATION RENTAL PROGRAM. Give Andrew a call at 218-264-0497 NORTHERN WILDS
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49
e! tanding Lake Superior Valu
Own a slice of Minnesota’s Favorite Resorts We bring you closer. To the lake, each other and your vacation property dreams.
Surfside on Lake Superior
Bluefin Bay Condos & Townhomes Bluefin Unit 7
Bluefin Unit 18
3 BR, 2 BA. Recent $130K elegant remodel. Only a few feet from shore. $419,900
2 BR, 2 BA floorplan. Unique to the whole resort. A guest favorite. $340,000
New townhomes, total coastal luxury right on the shore of Lake Superior. 3,000 s/f, 3BR, 3BA. Quarter-share ownership w/ flexibility for personal use & rental income. Excellent family retreat or investment property. Prices from $174K-$215K, includes furnishings.
Bluefin Unit 32
Bluefin Unit 26
1 BR, 1 BA. Charming unit with brand new bath, kitchen, and fireplace. $50K in Rental Income. $275,000
1 BR/1 BA. Ideal location. Exceptional value and solid investment at reasonable price. $259,900
Eric Frost Sales Agent, Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts
SOLD
Bluefin Unit 37
Bluefin Unit 38
2 BR, 2 BA. Upper level unit affords panoramic lake views. Over $60K in rental income. $315,000
2 BR, BA turn-key rental property. Newly remodeled and tastefully decorated. $319,000 SOLD
Bluefin Unit 55
Bluefin Unit 61
Deb Niemisto 218-370-8434
LAKE SUPERIOR CONDOS
Chateau 1 BD 1 BA Turn-Key Rented Units
218-663-6886 | eric@bluefinbay.com
3 BR, 3 BA Bluefin’s largest town home. Grosses over $110K in rental income. Absolutely stunning. $564,000
3 BR and 3 BA. Beautiful upgrades and appointments. Great location near outdoor pool. $569,000
NORTHWOODS REALTY
Let Eric, exclusive sales agent for Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts, provide the details about each property and guide you through the process. Contact him today to learn more.
Nan Bradley 218-370-8433
lockport@boreal.org
www.coldwellbankernorthwoods.com 7072 Two Moose Trail Wilson Lake - Finland
Caribou Lake - Lutsen 38 Sawmill Lane
Lutsen 4-Season Retreat 131 B Caribou Highlands
PRICEED C REDU
Lake Superior - Lutsen 19 Norwood Shores East
PRICEED C REDU
SALE G IN PEND Newly remodeled log lodge Upgraded cottage cabin like condo with spec- themed condo. Great tacular lake views. rental income! MLS 6077019 $79,900 MLS 6077201 $69,900
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Experience Solitude on one of the most beautiful lakes around. Acreage with many amenities ready for use & enjoyment. MLS 608329 $246,900
WOW 4 BD, 2 BA custom built home on Lutsen’s #1 premier lake. Gazebo, dock, fire pit, large family room, open concept one level living. MLS 6074363 $449,500
Ski in/out from this condo with a stella view of Lutsen Mts. Rental income offsets ownership expenses. MN favorite family resort. Own a slice of MN’s North Shore. MLS 6080501 $137,000
3 BD, 3 BA Townhome, open Concept, Fireplace, garage MLS 6078350 $349,000
Talk to Terry! Terry R. Backlund Broker/Owner
Lori A. Backlund Real Estate Agent
Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Terry@BacklundRealty.com 635 CTY. RD. 6 GRAND MARAIS, MN
7 DEVILS TRACK RD GRAND MARAIS, MN
We welcome Frank Lehto to Backlund Realty extending our reach down the shore to Two Harbors
2+ Bedroom 2 Bath 1176 sq.ft.home on 5 acres MLS# 6079593 Price: $179,000
2 Bedroom 1 Bath 2 Car Garage 12+ Acres MLS# 6080322 Price: $183,750
1620 E HWY 61 GRAND MARAIS, MN
10 ONGSTAD RD. HOVLAND
Priceed c u d e R
4 Bedroom 5 Bath 2 Car Garage Huge home at 3900 sq. ft. MLS# 6077992 Price: $307,750
Priceed c u d e R
338 ft. of Lake Superior on 14.53 acres. 1 Bedroom Cabin, Garage, Dock MLS# 6029532 Price: $317,900
Frank’s lifetime of experience on the North Shore will be an asset to anyone looking to buy or sell property. Frank and his wife Becky moved from Lutsen to rural Two Harbors recently. They both enjoy a variety of winter sports, such as skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and ice fishing, and are adjusting to their new life on a beautiful inland lake with their new aussie/lab puppy Wilson.
Give Frank a call at 218-387-4955 or email him at Frank@BacklundRealty.com for help buying or selling real estate
For results list your property here
For more details call or check my website Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Terry@BacklundRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS
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www.CBNorthShore.com Serving Cook County since 1971
NORTH SHORE
(218) 387-2131 (800) 732-2131
101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com
On Lake Superior
68 Trailsyde
22 E Rosebush Lane
Extremely rare opportunity to purchase over 1000’of beautifully rugged and secluded Hovland Lake Superior shoreline with over 30 acres of land to ensure ample exclusivity and privacy. Property is amazing and includes an unfinished concrete mansion structure plus a guest cabin. Whether you subdivide or keep it as an exclusive retreat, you won’t find another property like this one!
Marvel at the views of Artist Point from this stunning 4 bedroom, 4 bath premier home located west of Grand Marais. Must see to appreciate the custom tile work, built-ins, floor to ceiling windows, cobblestone fireplace, decks and expansive gourmet kitchen & much more. Home is complete with AC, back-up generator & oversized garage. Private 2.96 acre lot with 243’ of gravel shoreline.
MLS 6026201 - $995,000
MLS 6080232 - $890,000
Lake Superior Lots Schroeder Lots
Massively expansive ledge rock shoreline make these two lots some of the most amazing shoreline you will see on the North Shore. Lots are 2+ acres and 200 ft wide with significantly more meandering shoreline.
MLS 6078583 $299,900 and 6078584 $339,900
2888 W Hwy 61, Grand Marais
Fabulous views of both Artist Point and the Sawtooth Mountains! Stunning Lake Superior lot with 1.24A, 200’ ledgerock shoreline embedded with Thomsonite Stones, making this piece of Lake Superior Shoreline truly unique.
MLS 6076120 $239,900
Stonegate Rd, Hovland
Lovely Lake Superior lot, located on the scenic Chicago Bay Road. Nicely wooded, private, and well insulated from Highway 61, this lot offers an escape with no inconvenience.
8650 W Hwy 61
Talk about your Lake Superior value!!!!! This 2 acre Schroeder lot has plenty of privacy, year round creek AND an incredibly beautiful Lake Superior ledgerock beach with a private inlet to launch your kayaks. Large, roomy 3 bedroom, 2 bath manufactured home.
MLS 6030329 $189,900 and 6030330 $194,900
MLS 6078585 - $269,900
Lake Superior View
Commercial 8 N.Broadway
Prime commercial property has immediate income. Two upper level apartments with space for more, plus storefront, and grounds rental. For Grand Marais the location could hardly be better for tourism and traffic potential.
MLS 6029037 $437,900
Raven Feather Road
Seriously amazing Lake Superior views, including Alligator Island from the rock outcroppings on this stunning lot. Property consists of 6.65 acres, end of the road location AND abuts Federal land to the west. Close to town & all amenities
MLS 6075126 $119,900
County Road 67
Check out the Lake Superior views from these properties! 2 .7 - 3.48 acres with all utilities readily available - electric, broadband & telephone. DNR owned Lake Superior shoreline across the road so you can have the enjoyment of the lake without the cost.
MLS 6029971 $69,900 MLS 6029972 $82,000
Birch Drive
Dream big or dream small--most likely it will involve huge windows facing South! Bordering Cascade State Park, this lot is ready for outdoor activities. Features a partial driveway, 4.9 acres & year round access.
MLS 6075803 $79,900
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1st Ave West
Great opportunity in the downtown business district! This building is located on 1st Avenue West close to the harbor, Wisconsin Street, and Highway 61. Busy retail area year round--heavy foot traffic all summer long! A cafe, jewelry store, and t-shirt shop have all prospered at this location--what is your dream business?
MLS 6075583 $224,900
condos East Bay Suites
Check out these condos
located in the heart of Grand Marais on the shores of Lake Superior. Great property if you are wanting a 2nd home or an investment property.
UNIT 202 MLS 6074935 $319,900 2 BR, 2 BA
Bluefin Bay Tofte MLS 6078520 Unit 26, 1BR, 1BA $259,900 MLS 6074681 Unit 32, 1 BR, 1BA $275,000
Homes
&
Cabins
1001 Pike Lake Rd Check out the charming farmhouse character of this 2 BR, 1BA fixer-upper on a great 10+ acre property that is close to lakes, trails, state and federal land yet still 15-20 minutes from Grand Marais. MLS 6080310 - $149,900
REDUCED 54 Morgan Rd Special one room getaway in the woods on 40A of mature trees, abuts Cascade State Park and Federal land! Beautiful Lake Superior Views. Garage and bonus space is quite functional as it is, or remodel as you desire. MLS 6073759 - $209,900
210 Bloomquist Mtn Rd This 2BR, 2BA year-round home has all the modern amenities together with an open floor plan that is perfect for entertaining. Detached garage, ready for your toys all on 6+ acres of fields and amazing views of Lake Superior. MLS 6032433 - $176,000
NEW 214 9th Ave. W Must see 3BR, 2BA home, located on an oversized lot in a great neighborhood! Updated kitchen with beautiful wood cabinets, wood flooring, spacious pantry, and stainless-steel appliances. Recently remodeled bathroom, finished lower level with a kitchenette/wet bar, and heated two-stall garage. Enjoy the entire home yourself or convert to a duplex. MLS 6081002 $259,900
68 Springdale Rd, Tofte Sweet 1+ bedroom home that has been lovingly updated with many new features to include wood floors and an updated kitchen. Attractive neighborhood with a nice lot, featuring a stream. Motivated Seller! MLS 6079139 - $133,900
REDUCED 418 4th Ave W Spacious 4 BR home on a large corner lot with a 5-stall garage & 24x24 workshop. Features vaulted ceilings, open floor plan, huge windows surrounding the gas fireplace and an updated kitchen. MLS 6075590 - $350,000
319 E 2nd Ave Three rental units for the price of a single home, or the lower units can be combined leaving a family home with a studio apartment overhead. Or restore home into a two story single family home. MLS 6027869 - $168,000
413 3rd Ave E. Affordable Grand Marais living that is located on a very quiet street. Cute 3BR, 1BA home will remind you of a cabin in the woods with the spacious .29A heavily wooded lot. Distant Lake Superior Views from the upper level balcony adds to the charm. MLS 6079884 - $214,900
G N I D N PE 117 W 6th Ave Classic 3+BR, 3BA home in a quiet neighborhood, but a short walk from the lake and downtown. Wonderful natural light, hardwood floors, a stone fireplace, updated kitchen, & finished lower level. MLS 6079902 - $319,000
Inland
11 Wildflower Lane, Lutsen Beautiful 4 BR, 4 BA home with lots of special touches - gourmet designed kitchen, hickory floors, fireplace, eagle nest style loft, custom tilework and a separate w/o apartment, Lake Superior Views, Large Deck all on 6+ acres in Lutsen. MLS 6080005 - $489,900
Lake
234 W 10th Ave W Lovely traditional 4 BR, 3 BA home with floor to ceiling FP, dining nook overlooking the creek, open floor plan, spacious kitchen, w/o lower level and det’d 2 car garage. This is a totally move-in-ready masterpiece. MLS 6079966 - $389,900
Homes
Facebook.com/ cbnorthshore61 Coldwell Banker North Shore
Check out OUR BLOG Birch Lake 42 Soderberg Lane SERIOUSLY! Check out one of the only grandfathered-in Boat Houses in Cook County. This lot features 412 ft of shoreline with 3+ acres; plus there is add’l acreage available. Property includes an older rustic cabin, is fully surveyed, year round access. $199,900 - MLS 6080113
NORTH SHORE
at ColdwellBanker NorthShore.
37 Overlook Drive Beautiful Greenwood Lake home situated on 6A and 300’ shoreline. Home features 3 fireplaces, beautiful lake vistas, open floor plan, gorgeous tile floors, and state-of-the-art solar power system. MLS 6079981 - $675,000
101 West Hwy . 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com
(218) 387-2131
wordpress.com
•
(800) 732-2131
www.CBNorthShore.com NORTHERN WILDS
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Land Whispering Pine Private lot at the end of Wes Hedstrom Trail, just high enough for a view of Leo Lake. Convenient location midGunflint Trail. MLS 6077021 - $45,000 19XX Camp 20 Road Affordably priced 20 acre parcel with privacy, situated near Federal land to the north. Seasonal access off of the Camp 15 Loop Rd in Hovland. MLS 6076349 - $24,900 West Hwy 61 – Grand Marais Attractive & affordable building site with 3+ acres & easy access right off of Hwy 61. Minutes from town and Close to Cascade River State Park MLS 6078588 - $44,000 310X East Highway 61 Nice lot east of town with 5.56 Acres; excellent topography lines. Lake Superior Access across the road. Owner will Carry a CD. $59,900 County Road 7 Check out this property with 2.27 acres within city limits. Build your home or consider doing a subdivision. MLS 6075749 - $55,000 14x Bloomquist Mtn Rd Ten acres of mature trees including huge White Pines! Sloping lot with lots of southern exposure for sunshine all year long. MLS 6075850 - $59,900
23XX Co Rd 7 Cabin or future home site? Beautiful lot with 6.83 acres, abundant with trails, flowing creek and abutting State land! Includes a camper with a nice deck & outhouse. MLS 6079953 - $57,500 North Rd – Hovland Affordably price 20 acre lot that is perfect for a private, year round retreat. Power, phone and broadband available at the road. MLS 6024552 - $39,900 Railroad Drive – Lutsen Sweet 1.7 A building site located in the heart of Lutsen. Gently rolling topography, mature trees – easy building site and near many recreational opportunities. MLS 6023743 - $39,900 Moose Valley Land Imagine owning 700 acres of contiguous land that abuts State Land & is 2 ½ miles in length? Multiple road access points from Highway 61 to Moose Valley Road to Whippoorwill Road. Property is abundant with wildlife; natural ponds; spectacular Lake Superior views; driveways and trails! Whether you keep this as one parcel or subdivide, the options are endless. Priced to sell and Owner will Carry a CD. MLS 6079583 $399,900
D L SO
Inland
Lake
County Road 67 – Grand Marais Breathtaking views of Lake Superior from this 2.24 A lot. Year round access, surveyed, private driveway and directly abuts State land to the east. MLS 6029973 - $39,900
1643 Caribou Trail Location, location, location! 40 A, surrounded by Federal land, yet features year-round access, electricity, broadband and phone for a truly convenient home site. Rare acreage with frontage on The Caribou Trail! Potential to subdivide and a motivated seller!! MLS 6079699 - $129,900
Tom Lake One of the nicest lots on Tom Lake w/300’ of shoreline in a private bay with spectacular views of the Palisades and your own private peninsula. Year round access, driveway and cleared building site. MLS 6076298 - $97,900
160 Acres Gunflint Trail Remote, yet not far away from many mid-Gunflint Trail resorts. Incredibly unique chunk of land surrounded by USFS & abutting the BWCA for the ultimate northwoods getaway. Extremely close to Iron Lake. Access is a little rough! MLS 6074802 - $139,900
Birch Lake Appealing 4.15 A lot with private driveway and cleared building site. Over 300’ of shoreline on this fabulous lot in the heart of the Gunflint Trail. Can be subdivided. MLS 6080112 - $179,900
RICK AUSTIN 388-9434
JULIE JOYNES CARLSON 370-8068
ERIC FROST 370-1362
KALI BLOMBERG 370-9260
RACHELLE CHRISTIANSON 370-2403
AIMEE LUICK 387-2131
Acreage
110 Acres 180X W Gauthier Rd 110 acres of privately owned acreage directly abutting Judge Magney State Park, with distant Lake Superior views. Direct access to the Superior Hiking Trail, with plenty of wildlife to observe! MLS 6079702 - $110,000
NORTHERN WILDS
BOB CARTER 370-9054
Chester Lake Imagine being the private owner on this lake? Property consists of 40A surrounded by USFS & 300’ frontage! Rough cabin sold “as is”. MLS 6079842 $149,900
NORTH SHORE APRIL 2019
VIRGINIA DETRICK PALMER 370-0211
Lots
Onagon Lake Amazing building spots with views overlooking both Onagon and Cupid Lake. 5 A and over 1000’ of shoreline between both lakes. MLS 6078278 - $99,900
Large
Serving Cook County since 1971
XX Boulder Point Rd Attractive YR building site with 3.22 A; private driveway; seasonal creek and gentle southern slope with some partial views of Lake Superior. MLS 6078705 - $59,900
Tom Lake Enjoy stunning sunsets and views of the Palisades! Year round access, 171’ shoreline, driveway and a cleared building site plus a stairs to the lake for easy access. MLS 6076516 - $49,900
Squint Lake Mid-Gunflint Trail lot with 2.13A & 221’ shoreline. Gently rolling topography, old white pine trees & abuts USFS! YR access, elec & broadband. MLS 6028920 - $75,000
MEET OUR AGENTS:
Lot 7 LeVeaux Ridge Beautiful and affordable lot, with electricity, phone and broadband on site, abuts to State land for added privacy! Close proximity to many recreation options! MLS 6077826 - $29,900
Poplar Lake Convenient mid-Gunflint Trail 2.75 acre building site featuring deeded lakeshore access. Building site cleared, driveway in, utilities available. MLS 2158160 - $52,500
Poplar Lake Private lot with over 2 acres & 250’ of rocky shoreline on Fireplace Road. Great open lake views and a Southeastern exposure provides a perfect building site. MLS 6077828 - $139,900
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313X East Highway 61 Fantastic lot with 20.89 acres, that could be subdivided. Features a pond, great views & healthy trees. Owner will carry a CD. MLS 6079768 - $159,900
170 Acres Camp 20 Rd Heavily forested land that has been replanted with pine trees. Rolling topography, many building sites and hiking trails. Features a gravel pit on the northwest corner and a small wildlife pond to the south. State land to the south & east. MLS 6074422 - $149,900
101 West Hwy . 61 (218) Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com
387-2131
•
(800) 732-2131
www.CBNorthShore.com
REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI • Linda Garrity, Realtor Cathy Hahn, ABR/GRI • Larry Dean, Realtor • Bruce Block, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor
Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604
LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTIES NEW! LAKE SUPERIOR HOME IN GRAND MARAIS. Beautiful 2 bdrm, 2 bath home and guest house with 110 ft of Lake Superior shoreline! Fireplace, city sewer and water, nice pebble beach. Each building has its own garage. Walking distance to downtown! Priced below recent appraised value. MLS# 6081150 $450,000 FOUR SEASONS GUEST HOUSE. Four quiet apartments with endless big lake views. The 3-bdrm main house could be an owner’s home with 3 rental units in the guest house. Property includes a buildable 4-acre lot with views and driveway in place. Great opportunity! MLS# 6080025 $400,000 PANORAMIC LAKE SUPERIOR. Gorgeous 10 acres with panoramic views on Lake Superior. 545 feet of beautiful sand/gravel beach with a stream running through the property. Located only 1.5 miles from Gooseberry State Park. Septic hook up is at the road. MLS# 6031490 $399,000 LAKE SUPERIOR – OLD FISHERMAN’S CABIN. Tucked in the corner of beautiful Big Bay on the shores of Lake Superior lies the old fishing cabin and remains of an old pier and boat from a bygone era. This lot has great lake views, and looking east to the ridges running up the coast. The cabin could be renovated and is situated right along the shore. There are nice home sites with access to power and Broadband. The woods is deep and enchanting with large spruce and moss covered boulders. End of the road privacy. This is a unique spot for your home or cabin, and maybe a great place to launch your own fishing adventures. MLS# 6079826 $255,000 LAKE SUPERIOR, BIG BAY, BIG VIEWS. Dense spruce forest, moss covered boulders and privacy make this a classic Lake Superior lot. 200' shoreline with partial driveway in place, shared road maintenance, power and Broadband. Easy access from Hwy 61, yet private and secluded feeling. MLS# 6075213 $189,900 BIG BAY LOT. Lake Superior lot with views, deep spruce forest, adjoining state land and outstanding sunrises and sunsets with the east view of the lake. The forest is enchanting with huge moss-covered boulders. Build your home or North Shore cabin here and enjoy the feeling of seclusion with all the charm and peacefulness of the Hovland area on the east end of Cook County. MLS# 6079835 $179,900
SALIENG PE N D
INLAND WATER PROPERTIES HERMITAGE OR HERITAGE – LARGE INLAND LAKE RETREAT. Charming 4-season, 2 bdrm home on 46+ acres with over 1600’ beautiful frontage on Two Island Lake. Privacy assured with US Forest surrounding you. Development potential. Located just 20 minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6075756 $749,900 REMODELED DEVIL TRACK HOME. Like new! 2 bdrm, 2 bath home with all new interior. Many nice features and upgrades including tile and hardwood floors, Marvin windows, wood siding, deck, fixtures, appliances, and more. Two levels, 2 kitchens, incredible lake views! MLS# 6078755 $375,000 PRIVATE LAKESHORE – WILDERNESS LAKE. Eggers Lake is surrounded by the Superior National Forest and has only one private land owner on its shore. This 160 acre island of private property sits within the scenic and rugged Misquah Hills with remote privacy plus a large wildlife pond. MLS# 6076498 $349,900 QUALITY GARAGE ON WILSON LAKE. The perfect place for your north woods dream. The Timberland garage is well built and provides an excellent cabin while you build your dream home on a great walleye lake. Knotty pine, wood burning stove, outhouse, and dock with 313' shoreline. Year round access. MLS# 6078042 $239,900 DEVIL TRACK LAKE – REMOTE CABIN. Quality 2 bdrm cabin featuring lrg windows, cathedral ceiling in the great room, loft, and beautiful kitchen. New well, compliant outhouse. Unique, secluded location with 150 ft frontage in a sheltered bay. 4.78 acres adjoins remote public lands. MLS# 6078684 $225,000 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. Direct BWCAW access. MLS# 2309237 $199,000 WILSON LAKE WILDERNESS - FINLAND. True Solitude! Over 5 acres and 355' shoreline with great build sites near the lake or tucked around the bluff for gorgeous views. Appreciate the stunning sunrises and paddle the bays in a canoe or kayak. Wilson Lake is also a great fishery! MLS#: 6074552 $199,500
SALIENG PE N D
CABIN WITH BWCAW VIEW ON MCFARLAND. This super 2 bdrm cabin has great views of the Palisades and the west end of McFarland Lake. Just a stone’s throw from the BWCAW! Comes furnished including pontoon boat, fishing boats, canoe, dock, and two Onan generators. MLS# 6029644 $199,000 LEVEL LOTS, NICE WOODS, EASY SHORE. These Devil Track Lake lots have easy access from a county road, power, phone and great building sites. South shore, 200+ ft. frontage, great views. Build your home on the lake here! MLS# 6033181, 6078259 - $198,900 Each MARK LAKE - 159 ACRES. The only private land on Mark Lake! Good northern fishing. 200ft. Shoreline, forestry road or snowmoblie access. Motivated Seller! MLS# 6026299 $189,000 PRICE REDUCED! LOON LAKE GETAWAY. Lovely furnished cabin on pristine Loon Lake. Includes a newer 1 bdrm addition, cozy loft, open living/dining room, sturdy deck, and 24' dock on 142' shoreline. Cabin easily sleeps 6. Lakewater system, septic holding tank. Great lake views! MLS# 6030355 $186,000 RARE GUNFLINT LAKE PARCEL. Exceptional lot with 344' of waterfront features unreal views and privacy. Use the slope of this lot to your advantage when considering what style to build. Power and broadband available. Borders public land! MLS# 6073686 $150,000 PRICE REDUCED! NORTH FOWL LAKE CABIN. Only a lucky few get to own cabins here. Remote water access from the US side, or drive in to the landing on Ontario side. Stunning views, easy access to the BWCA. The 2 bdrm cabin is one of the nicest remote cabins you'll find. Includes a great sauna. MLS# 6023214 $149,900 SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. These 1-2 acre lots are located on the south side of Loon Lake and offer great lake views, 152-218’ beautiful shoreline and many nice trees. The main road is in place and power is on the lot line. MLS# 6032216-18, 6032220 $120,000+ NICE TOM LAKE LOT. Gently sloped 4.34 acre lakeshore lot that would offer some incredible views. Situated in a quiet and peaceful private bay. MLS# 6076728 $110,000 LEGENDARY SAWMILL BAY. Magnificent old-growth cedars and maples frame a corner lot with a high and dry build site. Yearround road access and a terrific wildlife habitat awaits your cabin in the woods. 185' of Caribou Lake frontage. MLS# 6032953 $89,000 ESCAPE TO NINEMILE LAKE. Nice, quiet lake between Tofte and Finland known for its recreational opportunities. Very near the BWCAW. Good snowmobile access to the Tomahawk Trail and miles of trail riding. 2.90 acres, 184' frontage. MLS# 6077701 $59,900 PRIVATE COVE ON TOM LAKE. Nice private lot with vibrant, wooded 255' lake shore. Desirable old growth cedar grove supports a great build site. Driveway and cedar walk corridor complete. Great recreational opportunities. MLS# 6077180 $46,000
www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS
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HOMES & CABINS
CONDOMINIUMS WELCOME TO LAKE SUPERIOR. Warm & beautiful lightfilled end unit Aspenwood Townhome. The 2-story walkout style leaves you with plenty of options to get outside and close to the Big Lake. This 2 bdrm, 3 bath home includes 98% of all furnishings & personal property. It is also part of a successful vacation rental pool. MLS# 6022175 $280,000
CARIBOU HIGHLANDS CONDO 113A. This is the epitome of a northwoods vacation get-away. Ski-in/skiout from this condo overlooking Bridge Run, offering unreal views of the ski hills. Remodeled exterior and remodeled and updated interior. Walk to Lutsen Mountains activities. Comes furnished! MLS# 6074164 $81,700
HOMES & CABINS HOME WITH DRAMATIC VIEWS. This large, efficient 3bdrm home has panoramic views of Lake Superior and the surrounding hills. Secluded with landscaped yard and 20 acres bordering Gov't lands. Quality features, many windows, shop building and more! MLS#6080983 $429,900 FANTASTIC LAKE SUPERIOR VIEW Comfortable, beautifully furnished 2 bdrm, 3 bath cabin on 2.86 acres. Laden with warm hospitality and charm. Over 1500 sq ft of living space, with a wood burning fireplace and full walk-out basement. MLS# 6080682 $330,000 GRAND MARAIS HOME AND GARAGE. This 4 bedroom, 3 bath house features a simple, yet beautiful, convenient layout. Large kitchen, warm family room with gas fireplace, formal dining room, lake views, partially finished basement, and tons of storage space. This home has it all! MLS# 6080314 $319,900
SALIENG PE N D HOME IN PARADISE. This 2 bdrm, 3 bath home enjoys the view and proximity to Lake Superior's beauty without the lake-front taxes. Home could be converted to a duplex for extra income. Huge garage/workshop with lake-view windows. MLS# 6074449 $275,900
CHARMING HOME NEAR TAIT LAKE. This 2 bdrm, 2 bath cabin is cozied up to a giant beaver pond that is part of the Tait River. Updated through the years but still has the lake cabin charm that is often sought after in the North Shore area. Close to the boat landing and borders public land. MLS# 6078290 $304,900
SALIENG PE N D
REMOTE HIDE-AWAY. Charming custom built 2 bdrm, 2 bath cabin tucked in the woods overlooking a beaver pond. A screened porch for summer dining. The living room is open and includes the kitchen and dining. A cozy Franklin stove warms the whole building. The full basement is a complete guest space. Generator power and over 100 acres to explore. MLS# 6029349 $244,000 COUNTRY LIVING CLOSE TO TOWN. Enjoy country living in a renovated, contemporary, energy efficient 3-4 bedroom home. 1900+ sq. ft. of living space only 10 minutes from Grand Marais. Many quality and custom features. Large 2 car garage with room for workshop and storage. MLS#: 6079399 $239,000 COTTAGE HOME ACROSS FROM LAKE SUPERIOR. This cute home sits just across the highway from the big lake shoreline. The 2 bdrm, 1 bath cottage has wood floors, beamed ceilings, and a warm, comfortable feel. Septic and well, a small shed and 11 acres of privacy. MLS# 6030154 $167,900 NEW! RUSTIC CABIN – 77 ACRES. Amazing rustic cabin with beautiful acreage. The one bdrm, cedar sided cabin is wired for electric, though it's currently powered with propane. Cabin features 6” insulated walls for efficiency. Composting toilet, compliant outhouse, and pond. MLS# 6081010 $165,900 COMFORTABLE LOG HOME IN BEAUTIFUL WOODS. This 2 bdrm cabin was set up for a simple lifestyle with solar electric, hand pumped well and composting toilet. Charming living room with stone fireplace, large kitchen and comfortable bedrooms. 12 private acres with mature white pine and cedar. MLS# 6076755 $139,900
SALIENG PE N D
NEW! CHARMING HOVLAND HOME. Only 25 minutes from Grand Marais and walking distance to the Flute Reed River. Quiet, simple, and functional with privacy and charm. Hand-pump well, wood burning stove, propane heater, and outhouse. You'll love the recent updates, too! MLS# 6080915 $134,000 CABIN RETREAT NEAR TWO ISLAND LAKE. This sweet off-grid, log sided cabin is in excellent condition with plenty of room and a comfortable feel. Located about 12 miles from Grand Marais. Public land adjoins the 20 acre property with many fishing opportunities nearby. MLS# 6073794 $129,900 RUSTIC RECREATIONAL CABIN ON 40+ ACRES. Very private recreational 42 acres with rustic cabin and a beautiful, large pond for wildlife. Great grouse hunting and deer hunting. The timber cabin can easily sleep 6 in the loft. Offering to sell furnished! MLS# 6079154 $109,900
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES PRIME RETAIL DOWNTOWN GRAND MARAIS. Main traffic location in the heart of down town. Located on Wisconsin St between Blue Water Cafe and Sivertson Gallery, with 25 ft street frontage and over 2300 sq ft each. Build up for a lake view – lots of possibilities! MLS# 6029930, 6029951 $144,900 each PRIME COMMERCIAL LOTS IN LUTSEN.Two acre-sized lots with Highway 61 frontage-road access and great visibility in downtown Lutsen. Nice creek borders the east property line, nice mature forest. Great location for a small gallery, retail or restaurant. A residential lot is available adjoining to the north. MLS# 6080639 $97,900 • MLS# 6080640 $89,900
RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE LARGE TRACT WITH CREEK. This 319 acre parcel has ponds & creek frontage on the Flute Reed River. Has been in DNR management program. Great for hunting or homesteading. Access is by unimproved easement from the Camp 20 Road, near county maintenance. The land may be split - take your pick of "40's"! MLS# 6027384 $258,000 CHARMING CABIN ON DEVIL TRACK RIVER. Well built, comfortable cabin with over 450’ frontage on the beautiful Devil Track River. Property also features a lovely creek with fantastic bridge. Plenty of room to build another structure and install a septic system. Once you experience the river life combined with the woods you’ll never want to leave! MLS#6080203 $159,900 SUGARBUSH, BEAVER, TROUT. Remote 80 acres ,10 miles from Grand Marais with easy access. Surrounded by public land. 700’ of Durfee Creek frontage. MLS# 6024638 $149,000 BRULE RIVER RETREAT. Remote 40 acre parcel with small bunk house, covered camp shelter and outhouse. Walk the path to the river with 660' shoreline where you can launch your canoe and fish this placid stretch. Surrounded by wildlife and thousands of US and State Forest land. MLS# 6076495 $99,900
www.RedPineRealty.com • (800) 387-9599 Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com 56
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REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI • Linda Garrity, Realtor Cathy Hahn, ABR/GRI • Larry Dean, Realtor • Bruce Block, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor
Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604
RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE NEW! CROWN CREEK – FINLAND. Incredible 40 acre parcel with 700' of gorgeous river frontage. It's a unique property with a healthy mix of varied trees, forest floor growth, native plants and endless amounts of privacy! Just a short distance from downtown Finland, lakes, and trailheads. MLS# 6080793 $90,000 TWENTY ACRES – GREAT LOCATION. Great larger parcel near Grand Marais with road in to the “top” of the property. Lake views, maple and mixed forest, small creek. County road access with power and broadband close by, borders public land on three sides. MLS# 6030517 $89,900 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# 6073876 $59,900 or MLS# 6073877 $69,900 or MLS# 6073878 $74,900. NICE HOME SITE NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Nice elevation and views from this 6.75 acre lot off of County Rd 6 just minutes from town. Frontage on Little Devil Track River, with lowland and highlands. Nice forest and privacy for your home or cabin in the woods. MLS# 6031740 $51,000 FLUTE REED RIVER HOME SITES. These two heavily wooded parcels have the seclusion of 11-13 acres and about 330' frontage each on the trout stream Flute Reed River. Access is easy from frontage on a county road. Power and broadband are available. These lots are the perfect place for a retreat property or a year-round home. MLS# 6030884, 6030885 $49,900 each 500’ ON MOHNS CREEK. Mixed topography of beautiful rolling land with many great build sites on 25 acres. Old growth cedar, spruce, pine and birch. Abuts state land. MLS# 6029353 $37,000
LAND/BUILDING SITES LOCATION, VIEWS, PRIVACY – 80 ACRES. This former homesteaders property has it all: rolling topography, ravines, grassy meadows, mature timber, flowing creek and expansive Lake Superior views! Minutes from Grand Marais, adjoins USFS land. MLS# 6076511 $279,000 TOP OF BIRCH CLIFF. See 50 miles across Lake Superior – incredible 180 degree views! Private drive and buried power in place. Nice mature trees and public lands on 2 sides. More land is available. This site will rock your world. MLS# 6080373 $249,900 BEAUTIFUL LAND, TUCKED AWAY PRIVACY, LOG CABIN AND POLE BARN. This 36 acre parcel is tucked up against the "Hovland mountain range" with mature forest, easy road access and a moderated Lake Superior climate. Charming log cabin/home plus lrg 34' X 56 pole building. Build a future home amongst the pines and with a lake view. Property can be split, utilities are nearby. MLS# 6076757 $229,800 ACREAGE ADJOINS WILDERNESS - LAKE ACCESS. This 42 acre parcel includes 400 feet of shoreline on McFarland Lake. Building sites are located across the road on the hillside with potential lake views. Easy access to the BWCAW and Border Route Hiking Trail. MLS# 6024602 $179,000
LAND/BUILDING SITES INCREASINGLY RARE, LARGE RECREATIONAL PARCEL. 190 arces fully surveyed. The perfect retreat. Has a rich variety of trees, ponds, high and low lands, some meadow land and wetlands. MLS# 6029820 $139,000 PROVEN GREAT HUNTING AREA - 80 ACRES. Prime hunting land in Schroeder. Rolling land with great wildlife habitat incl. stream, beaver dam with large pond, and a good mixture of trees and low vegetation. Older 2 bdrm cabin in a beautiful park like setting overlooking large beaver pond. MLS# 6080300 $112,500 LARGE ACREAGE NEAR TOM LAKE. 128 acres with good road access and an easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Year-round road, power is possible here. The 3 forties may be split - take your pick. MLS# 6027383 $111,000 HUGE POND-HUGE PRIVACY. Large 45+ acre wooded parcel located across from Tom Lake. Huge pond/lake in the very center of the acreage. MLS# 6029352 $90,000 NEW! TWO INCREDIBLE LUTSEN PARCELS. Driveway, electric/broadband, survey and a cozy camper/RV are all set on Lot 3, while Lot 4 offers unending privacy as it abuts federal land. Christine Lake public boat landing is within walking distance with Poplar and Tait rivers nearby as well. MLS# 6080792 $89,000 LARGE UNDEVELOPED CITY TRACT. This large Central Addition property is perfect for a lot development plan, or as a private home site. City utilities are close, street access on two sides. Many possibilities. MLS# 6076673 $89,900 RESORT COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL LOT – TOFTE. This 8.64 acre parcel has over 900 feet of Highway 61 frontage with great visibility. Utilities are on the lot. Lake Superior views. If you have a lodging idea in mind this might be the perfect spot. Great location between Tofte and Lutsen. The bike trail is just across the highway. MLS# 6079287 $82,900 LAND NEAR WILSON LAKE. A special piece of the Northwoods – 16 acres with deeded access to Wilson Lake! USAowned forest is your backyard. Driveway, electric, and a small bunkhouse/shed are in place. MLS# 6028685 $80,000 HIDDEN GEM IN HOVLAND. Explore the 40 acres of seclusion with dramatic views from the south facing bluff. Enjoy the beautiful mixed forest and abundant wildlife. It even has a small gravel pit for your future building needs. The neighbors have electricity and the road has been kept open all winter through a road association. MLS# 6076192 $75,000 FORTY WITH PONDS – COUNTY RD FRONTAGE. This 40 acre parcel has beaver ponds, adjoining federal land and easy access with frontage on County Rd 14. Just 15 minutes from Grand Marais, this would be a great large home parcel, or rec land with 1000s of acres of USFS lands on the west border. MLS# 6076727 $69,900 GREAT BUILDING LOT NEAR TOFTE. This 5.82 acre parcel has privacy, adjoins US Forest land and has Lake Superior views. Utilities are at the lot. It's also zoned Resort Commercial if you have a lodging idea in mind this might be the perfect location. Great location between Tofte and Lutsen. The bike trail is just across the highway. MLS# 6079285 $66,900 GREAT LOCATION FOR YOUR HOME. 7.5 acres located just 5 miles from Grand Marais on County Rd 7 blacktop. Some lake views, good building sites, driveway and a tiny cabin set up for your camp outs until you build. MLS# 6080346 $64,900 LARGE LAND, POND, LAKE RIGHTS. Densely wooded 60 acre parcel with beaver ponds and access to Lost Lake. Good seasonal road access, many great building sites and southerly exposure. Lots of elbow room, privacy, and miles of forest roads to explore. MLS# 6033463 $63,900
ROLLING LAND, PINES, HOME SITES. Two 10 acre parcels of heavily wooded land within 10 minutes of Grand Marais. Great location with remote feel near trails and thousands of acres of Federal land, yet close to town and the big lake. County road with utilities. MLS# 6076524, 6076539 $62,900 - $64,900 WOODED SECLUSION IN GRAND MARAIS. Six great wooded lots on the west side of Grand Marais. Build your home within a short distance of the bike trail and just a mile to downtown. Septic systems and wells are allowed here with power and broadband. Privacy on a dead end road. MLS#: 6079335-40 $49,500 – 59,500 SUNNY 5 ACRES NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Beautiful sunny hillside with distant Lake Superior views. This is country living only 2 miles from Grand Marais. Large lot, great home sites with abundant wildlife. Driveway partially in place. MLS# 6077083 $54,900 DEEP WOODS NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Two 5+ acre lots adjoining USFS land with power/phone/broadband. Great location near Grand Marais with good road access and very secluded location with mature trees. Ready for you to build your country home. First time on the market. MLS# 6076518/6076517 $49,900 – $52,900 NICE 20 WITH BEAVER POND. The driveway and trails are in place on this nice 20 acre parcel with maples, cedar and variety of forest types. Large beaver pond adds a water feature for wildlife! MLS# 6077902 $45,900 BUILDING SITE OVERLOOKING MCFARLAND. This pine studded 7 acre property has easy walking access to the county beach on McFarland Lake. Nice elevated build site with easy county road access. MLS# 6024601 $43,000 GREAT LOCATION HOME SITES. Just minutes from Grand Marais on black top County Rd 7 are two 5+ acre lots with easy access to power and Broadband. Good building sites. MLS# 6079612 - $42,900 • MLS# 6079615 - $64,900 BEAUTIFUL WOODED LUTSEN LOT. Beautiful level lot with an open build site for your cabin or new home in a quiet and peaceful area of Lutsen. You'll be minutes away from every type of north-woods activity, including Lutsen Mountains and Superior National Golf Course. MLS# 6033068 $32,900 5 ACRES NEAR CARIBOU LAKE. Gorgeous corner lot with colorful maples and majestic cedars. Plenty of privacy. Close to hiking trails and the Caribou Lake boat landing. Year round access with power! MLS# 2279179 $35,000 LAND FOR ESCAPE AND RECREATION. remote yet accessible 20 acres near Judge Magney State Park. Good mix of trees, high building site, some distant Lake Superior views. MLS# 6025397 $33,900 GREAT LOCATION HOME SITE. Wooded home or cabin site near Devil Track Lake. The 1.72 acre lot has nice trees and maybe a view of the lake from a second story. The boat landing is just down the road, as are many other lakes and trails. MLS# 6029872 $33,000
www.RedPineRealty.com • Your easy source for new MLS listings daily • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS
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Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!
Sunshine Day Dreams, Spring Skiing, and Fun Times! Experience the Woods and Waters Coming to Life!
Local 663 - 8777 • I n f o @ T i m b e r W o l f f R e a l t y . c o m To l l f r e e ( 8 7 7 ) 6 6 4 - 8 7 7 7 ALL HOMES LAKESHOR E! INLAND LAKE, LAKE SUPERIOR, LAKE VIEWS!
NATURE LOVER’S LAKE CABIN IN LUTSEN! Surrounded by the beauty that
encompasses Tait Lake, this well maintained move in ready Lake Chalet awaits you. Get away from it all, minutes to the BWCAW Brule Lake Entry, yet an easy 30 minute drive down the Caribou Trail to Lutsen Mountains Ski & Summer Resort. Make your family memories here. Three bedroom, two+ baths. Screened porch, rocky shoreline full of Walleye, south facing for plenty of winter Sun! 2 car Plus boat Garage!
MLS#6073605 $345,000
DREAMING ON THE NORTH SHORE!
Overlooking BlueFin Bay on Lake Superior, this Tofte home has Amazing Lake Superior views! Top Notch Construction, with thoughtful design centered around family gatherings and individual spaces. Gourmet kitchen which will satisfy the fussiest chef, with kitchen island and breakfast bar. Wall of windows face Lake Superior, really fantastic interior spaces focused on the Big Lake. Master loft bedroom with nice views. Lower level bedrooms with rec space, your guests will love their own space, with Lake Views too! Large garage with guest space above. Gorgeous land, Gorgeous home.
MLS#6076479 $549,000
DESIGN AND ELEGANCE ON DEERYARD LAKE, LUTSEN.
Lindal Cedar Home, dramatic stone fireplace set amongst posts & beams of Douglas Fir. Designer kitchen, sunroom, secluded master bedroom and bath with soaker tub. Wood fired oven, Timberframe Sauna,
PEACE AND SOLITUDE AT A MAXIMUM ON LUTSEN’S LAKE SUPERIOR!
Simple and Solid Lake Superior Cottage. located on Lutsen’s Cascade Beach Road, All the folks that don’t like to hear the highway, this is the place for you! No sounds but the waves rolling up the sprawling ledgerock shoreline. A very unique and incredible piece of land and lakeshore, the long tree lined driveway opens up to an expansive view of Lake Superior, with the cottage centered in the middle of the nearly 200 ft of shoreline, with 3.4 acres of land! The cottage is all that you need, two bedrooms, a nice large bathroom, living room with fireplace and a walk through galley style kitchen. Well maintained, new roof, new furnace, and a cozy fireplace... it’s a very warm and inviting space ready for you to enjoy!
Woodshop and a large garage. End of the Road 4.48 acres, 175’ of frontage, adjacent public land buffers and beckons. Leave Everything behind and just enjoy the Good Life on Deeryard Lake!
MLS#6028689 $579,000
MLS#6079647 $575,000
LAKE SUPERIOR LANDS NEW! NEARLY 8 ACRES AND 473 FT OF COBBLE SCHROEDER, JUST OVER AN HOUR FROM DULUTH! BEACH SHORELINE ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Nice Build Sites, Home site just 40 ft from the Big Lake, level easy access, well buffered Rugged Terrain! Grand Portage area. MLS#6078704 $266,000 from Hwy! GREAT VALUE! MLS#6032752 $250,000 LARGE LAKE SUPERIOR PARCEL, JUST AN HOUR JUST NORTH OF SILVER BAY, PALISADE VIEWS OF LAKE SUPERIOR! Gorgeous Lakeshore, Priced Way Below Tax Assessed FROM DULUTH! Value! Gorgeous Views down the Coastline and Well buffered from Hwy.
MLS#2313255 $198,000 REDUCED!
Rolling terrain, level shoreline, and nearly 600 ft of it! Enjoy your own paradise on Lake Superior!
MLS#6032772 $499,900
JUST IMAGINE, A MODERN NEW CONSTRUCTION BUNGALOW ON LUTSEN’S CASCADE BEACH RD! Gently sloping hillside buffers the build site from highway noise. Lovely setting with easy access to the ledge rock shoreline. Minute’s to the Lutsen Mountains Ski & Summer Resort! Perfect for your Lake Superior getaway home!
MLS#2308906 $299,000
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Sunshine Day Dreams, Spring Skiing, and Fun Times! Experience the Woods and Waters Coming to Life!
I n f o @ T i m b e r Wo l f f R e a l t y. c o m
Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!
Local 663 - 8777 • To l l f r e e ( 8 7 7 ) 6 6 4 - 8 7 7 7
MOUNTAIN RESORT HOMES AND LAKE SUPERIOR VACATION RETREATS-INCOME GENERATING! UNIT 1 AT BLUEFIN BAY RESORT!
BEST OF THE HIGHLANDS! This Lutsen Mountains Ski In/ Out Condo was renovated from top to bottom, Inside & Out! New Exteriorwindows, slider doors in bedrm and family room, stylish dry-stacked stone fireplace. INCREDIBLE Cottage Style Kitchen w/ Quartz Countertops! Moose Mtn Views from the HUGE double sized deck! MLS#6032522 $99,900
670 MOOSE MOUNTAIN AT LUTSEN MOUNTAINS SKI AREA! 5 Bedrom, 4 Bath Lodge $338,000 MLS#6080338
you love Lutsen Vacations, then these Condos and Townhomes are for you! Use as often as you like and make money when you aren’t here! “Hands off or on Ownership” means flexibility for keeping all to yourself for family and friends, or choose a management company that will fit your needs. Some are newly renovated exterior and out, some are not. From Studios (with huge decks) to 3+ bedrms, See them all to find YOUR right fit!
144C BRIDGE RUN! End Unit at Caribou Highlands/Lutsen Mountains. Two levels, full bath on each level, this Condo is made for comfortable entertaining and Skiing! MLS#6080922 $139,900 124B BRIDGE RUN $99,900 MLS#6032522 114 BRIDGE RUN $109,999 MLS#6028015 128 BRIDGE RUN $111,900 MLS#2120739 120A BRIDGE RUN $109,000 BIG VALUE! MLS#6074478
and Crisp Modern Design, this Quarter Share is waiting for those looking to vacation A LOT along the North Shore! Sensible and cost efficient, this Townhome is a Stone’s Throw to Lake Superior! Check out the 3D Virtual Tour at www.TimberWolffRealty.com and walk through the townhome! You’ll see top quality and inviting spaces for you to create family memories! MLS#6080869
$188,000 FOR YOUR ¼ SHARE!
MLS#6077000 $349,900
Style Luxury! Ski In-Out Overlooking Moose Mountain! Family Fun, Lock Outs for maximizing rental revenue. TONS of Value.
SIMPLICITY OVERLOOKING MOOSE MOUNTAIN! Lutsen Mountain Ski and Summer Resort, if
NEW! SURFSIDE #16A ON LAKE SUPERIOR, MINUTES TO LUTSEN MOUNTAINS! Clean
Excellent Vacation getaway on the North Shore, this 2 bedroom Condo has modern design with vaulted ceilings and TONS of Lake Superior views, just a stone’s throw to Lake Superior! Super rental revenues, excellent amenities!
ASPENWOOD ON LAKE SUPERIOR, EXPANSIVE VIEWS! Upper level incredible master bedroom en suite, huge Views of Lake Superior from Bathtub and King Bed! Fantastic Layout, Stylish Living on Lake Superior with little maintenance! Gourmet kitchen, dining area, Step Down to the Great Room with fireplace and Fantastic Lake views!
MLS#603110 $309,900
COMMERCIAL ON THE NORTH SHORE! LOW MAINTENANCE RENTAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY! Enjoy solid long term rentals, self-sustaining solid local businesses. Highway frontage and Room to Expand Up! Support the Local Economy and Enjoy some passive income, Buy Now and bring your ideas for expansion!
MLS#6028366 $324,900
FORMER SITE OF THE CROSS RIVER CAFÉ! Lots of Opportunities, River Frontage and Established site.
MLS#6078629 $72,000
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THINK SNOW!
Sunshine Day Dreams, Spring Skiing, and Fun Times! Experience the Woods and Waters Coming to Life!
i n fo @ t i m b e r wo l f f r e a l t y. c o m I n f o @ T i m b e r Wo l f f R e a l t y. c o m
Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!
Local 663 - 8777 • To l l f r e e ( 8 7 7 ) 6 6 4 - 8 7 7 7
NORTHWOODS HOMES AND CABINS, IN TOWN OR IN THE WOODS!
FAMILY FUN IN SILVER BAY!
Large family kitchen will WOW you, three main level bedrooms and bath, and lower level rec room/bath/bunk space allows for plenty of elbow room! 2 car detached on a spectacular Hays Circle lot! You’ll LOVE the backyard patio! MLS#6075984 $149,900
BIG VALUE!
SNOWMOBILE FROM YOUR FRONT DOOR, HECK, RIDE TO THE LUTSEN MOUNTAINS SKI RESORT FOR LUNCH!
This hand crafted Log Home is situated just over the hill in Lutsen on the coveted Honeymoon Trail! Three bedrooms, two baths, Family Rec Room and vaulted ceilings in the kitchen/great room. LOVE THIS HOME not just for it’s location, but for it’s incredible QUALITY. A Must See Home for the Log Home Lover! $399,900
MLS#6078599
NEW! LOVELY LUTSEN HOME IN FABULOUS CARIBOU TRAIL LOCATION!
Perfect for family and guests…your guests will enjoy their own cabin! Main home has two bedrooms, two baths, galley kitchen open to family room, nice rec room! One bedrm, bath, full kitchen Guest cabin is newer, bright and cheery space your friends will rave about. South facing, distant Lake Superior views, so much to offer! $279,900
MLS#6080754
E L A S ING D N PE
WELCOME TO THE NORTHWOODS! MLS#6079618 $223,000 JUST EAST OF GRAND MARAIS, JEFFREY LANE HOME!
Lots of square footage for the money! Solid home, Good well and septic, GORGEOUS piece of land. The home needs a little TLC but has Great Living space upstairs with incredible views from the deck!
MLS#6078550 $189,900
NEW! SIMPLE LIVING IN A FABULOUS LOCATION! Just up the Sawbill Trail from Blue Fin Bay Resort on Lake Superior, this newer construction home is neat and tidy, perfect for your part time retirement getaway or year round living! Design is focused on low maintenance easy living on the Shore! Two bedrooms, large bath, sunny deck for outdoor entertaining! A Move in Ready Must See home! MLS#TBD $175,900
E L A S ING D N PE LUTSEN-TOFTE AREA HOME! MLS#6022904 $177,500
BIG LIVING ON BIG CEDAR TRAIL AT THE BASE OF LUTSEN MOUNTAINS! Large kitchen to die for: center
HUMPHREY CIRCLE HOME IN GRAND MARAIS! Newer SIP energy efficient construction, and fun layout! Wooded land envelopes this 3 bedrm 2 bath home that has some finishing left to do. Light flows throughout the home, bright and sunny!
MLS#6078699 $239,000
island, granite countertops, breakfast bar with stools…where the life of the party is! Dining area open to kitchen and living room. Vaulted ceilings cover it all, floors are warm with in floor-heat. The woods and light spill in through so many windows! Den/Office, extra sleeping space or to sequester the TV viewing. Owners Bedroom is light-filled, spacious, with private entrance to deck, walk-in closet, great master bath! Sunroom off the master bath awaits your vision. Additional bedrooms accommodate friends and family in style. Attached 2-car garage. Walk out to the golf course, jog up to the Ski Hill! Fabulous location, Fabulous home!
MLS#6079278 $429,000
Call TIMBERWOLFF REALTY or visit www.timberwolffrealty.com for more information! 60
APRIL 2019
NORTHERN WILDS
Sunshine Day Dreams, Spring Skiing, and Fun Times! Experience the Woods and Waters Coming to Life!
Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!
I n f o @ T i m b e r Wo l f f R e a l t y. c o m
Local 663 - 8777 • To l l f r e e ( 8 7 7 ) 6 6 4 - 8 7 7 7
CAMPN’, HUNTN’, FUN GETAWAY LAND, INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! ROCKY WALL outskirts of Silver Bay! Huge Lake Superior Views, Driveway and Campsite in Place! Maple Forest, Electric, Developed Build Site!
Maples with lots of Elbow Room, Year Round access and nice location between Cross River in Schroeder and Finland!
$99,900 MLS#6074084
MLS#6028422 $53,000 REDUCED!
Whitetail Ridge Overlooking Lake Superior! Just off Highway 1, Enjoy Sprawling Lake and Ridgeline views and Rugged Terrain! Yr Round Access, Electric.
BIG TIME VIEWS of Lake Superior-Tofte, Excellent value at Johannes Toftey MLS#6029322 $59,900
MLS# 6024856 $95,000 REDUCED! 30 acres Wilderness, Borders lands next to Little Manitou River!
MLS#2309327 $129,000
Lakeshore on Ninemile Lake at the Village, common water and septic, build ready, borderscommon land!
MLS#6076558 $37,000
NEW! Crosswinds in Tofte, Walk to Coho! Large pkg lots, Great Value.
FROM $45,000 MLS#6077966 10 Ac Parcels of Maples! Rolling Terrain of Mature Maples to a Sweet Building site Parcels Over a Mixed Boreal Forest. Year Round Access and Electric at Road! MLS#2024250
$49,900 REDUCED!
Sawbill Trail Tofte Lake Superior Views, Mature Spruce forest with driveway and well in place!
Overlook at LeVeaux Mountain-Tofte! Serene Woodsy setting with Lake Views!
MLS#6029324 $49,000
Beaver Ponds, 40 acres, awesome wild life habitat in Shcroeder/Finland area.
MLS#6029593 $99,000
Wilderness land with canoe access to Tait Lake! 3+ ac a stone’s throw to Tait Lake!
MLS#6078839 $42,000
5 ac in the heart of Lutsen, just above TimberWolff! Great location for family home or Vaca Cabin!
MLS#6077951 $39,000
Caribou Hillside in Lutsen! Maple hillside above Ward Lake and Caribou Lake, FABULOUS location for summer and winter fun! Must see land!
MLS#6078781 5 AC $40,000
MLS#6030129 $99,900
2 ac at the Foothills of Eagle Mountain at Turnagain Trail! $29,900 MLS#6077521
LeVeaux Mountain, Super Views and Wildlife Ponds!
10 ac site, minutes to Lutsen Mtn’s.
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!
Woodland Foothills Build Ready lots, Shared Water & Community Septic from
MLS#2220050 $69,000
MLS#2070509 Prices from $24,900!!
$62,500 MLS#6077523
MLS#2309328+ FROM $39,000
Heartland of Lutsen, 80 ac at the Foothill on Turnagain Trail, Fabulous Wilderness Build s of Ski Hill ridge, near downtown Lutsen!
MLS#2312987 $119,000 Over 8 ac of Wilderness on Turnagain Trail in Lutsen!
MLS#2216560 $45,000 Build New in the Heart of Lutsen at Jonvick Creek! Hillside builds with some lakeviews!
access to Gunflint Lake, these Rustic cabins are CUTE, with Log sauna (needs a wood stove). Don’t worry, we aren’t talking 4 Star Accomodations, it’s STILL a Camp near Gunflint Lake Up the Trail! A Must See for the Adventurous!!
SIMPLY MODERN RUSTIC STYLE!
Lutsen cabin is a MUST SEE if you enjoy the simple things in Life! Two bedrooms, open kitchen/dining spaces, covered porch area and a sauna house! No well nor septic, but there’s an Outhouse! Must see to appreciate.
MLS#6076115 $132,000
RUSTIC LIVING A HOP SKIP & A JUMP FROM GRAND MARIAS! Charming rustic cabin
on 10 acres of south facing forest with distant views of Lake Superior. Bordering public lands, great for hunting or hiking! MLS#6020031 $85,500
SWEET TOFTE LOCATION, ESTABLISHED BUILD SITE! Old trailer home that needs vision, or
easily removed so that you have a nice cabin site with drilled well, driveway in place.
MLS#6074783 $54,500
MLS#6076146 $129,900
FISHERMAN’S DREAM GETAWAY, WALTER IS WAITING! End of the bay bordering USFS lands and some Super Shoreline! Call today for details!
MLS# 6027279 $219,000
MLS# 603266 $44,900 HUGE VALUE!!
High Ridge Maples in Lutsen bordering public land. 44 ac of wild country, short distance to carry in access to Deeryard & Ward Lakes. Year round, power & fiber close.
MLS#6078431 $89,000 REDUCED 18 Maple Leaf, Hillside build site with lake views!
MLS#2240533 $49,000
Gorgeous 5 acre parcels in the Heart of Lutsen paved Caribou Trail locale bordering USFS lands! MLS#2174799 From $54,900 - $77,500 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
Jonvick Creek Runs Through It! Enjoy the Sounds of the Creek running by your future build site, Fabulous Lutsen Location just off the Caribou Trail!
MLS#6074179 $55,000
MLS#6079411 $49,000 NEW! 1xx 4th AveNice build site close to schools and hospital. Great trees! MLS#6079772 $75,000 PENDING Cty 44 and Pike Lk Road!
10 acres of high level ground, easy build site at a great price! MLS#6076094 $39,900 HUGE VALUE!
Tait Lake area, Legend Trail parcel bordering USFS lands with views of Wills and Williams Lake!
LAKE SUPERIOR views, Rolling terrain with creek meandering through the land. Beautiful setting less than five minutes to Grand Marais!
Wilderness Lutsen location at Tait Lake- backlot with Driveway in place! Yr Round and Electric
Gorgeous 42 acres near Pike Lake, Yr Round access, electric at street and INCREDIBLE ridgetop views!
MLS#6028619 $67,500
MLS#6029849 $65,000
MLS#6029115 $33,000
MLS#6073655 $109,900 SOLD
Ridgetop 5+ ac in Lutsen, Fantastic location, minutes to the Ski Hill,
Mature Trees In Town! Level build site, 4th Ave West .22 acres $80,000 MLS#TBA
INLAND LAKE LANDS
RUSTIC CABINS AND GETAWAYS! COME ON! AREN’T YOU A LITTLE TIRED OF SLEEPING IN A TENT? Very near the public
Yr Round Living with some Lake Superior Views, perfect for 2 story walk out home.
RUSTIC GETAWAY LAKESHORE, ISABELLA AREA. Mature pines, end of the
road location on Swallow Lake! MLS#2300576
$64,900
LUTSEN LAKESHORE ON DEERYARD!
WHITE PINE LAKE IN LUTSEN
Build ready with drilled well, new septic system, garage and Fabulous Lakeshore bordering Federal land, stroll to the Tait River for Moose Viewing! MLS#6079880
$229,000
Year Round access, elec/broadband. Maple hillside, Rocky PEACE AND WHITE PINES AT TAIT LAKE! Gorgeous piece of lakeshore, mature White prime shoreline! MLS#6074179 $185,000 Pines, driveway from days gone by leads to Sweet REDUCED! Build site area. Must see on Tait Lake in Lutsen! Owner is licensed REALTOR MLS#6079968 $219,000 CLARA LAKE IN LUTSEN! Wilderness Lakeshore Site with cleared build site, driveway in place. NEW! MAPLES, CEDARS, LAKE. LUTSEN. Electric at road, 200 ft PRIME shoreline. $189,900 30 Minutes to Lutsen Mountains, Moments to Solitude! Deep gravel shoreline, south facing. #240 West Deeryard! MLS#6033095
CHRISTINE LAKE 10 AC bordering Superior
MLS#6080664 $187,000
National Forest, Yr Round Access, electric/broadband avail. Hill top build site overlooking mature white pine, cedar lined shoreline on Christine. Serenity Now!
MLS#6023288 $99,900
PIKE LAKE LUTSEN SIDE!
Premium Shoreline, nice and rocky! South facing build site, boreal forest. Lot 6 Willard Lane, must see!
MLS#6031145 $190,000 REDUCED! WILLARD LANE PIKE LAKE VIEW LAND WITH LAKE ACCESS!
Rugged elevation, great build site. Shared 20 ft access to Pike Lake for $75,000 MLS#6078799
VISIT US AT WWW.TIMBERWOLFFR EALTY.COM FOR PICTUR E SLIDESHOW! NORTHERN WILDS
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Lynne Luban
Over 12 years selling downtown MPLS Condo living. Currently representing this developers 10th project PORTLAND TOWER & THE LEGACY. I am available to meet with you in Grand Marais or Minneapolis to go over prices & floor plans.
Cell: 612-599-6986
Email: lynneluban@mac.com Website: thelegacyminneapolis.com
263 OLD 240 S
ANCY OCCUP 8 1 FALL 20
BALCONY MASTER BEDROOM 15'-6" x 17'-11"
BEDROOM 15'-2" x 12'-9"
LIVING 38'-2" x 14'-0"
CLOSET
BEDROOM 15'-2" x 12'-9"
BALCONY
MASTER BEDROOM 15'-6" x 17'-11"
CLOSET
LIVING 38'-2" x 14'-0"
KITCHEN/DINING 35'-4" x 14'-8"
BATH
CLOSET
CLOSET
KITCHEN/DINING BATH 35'-4" x 14'-8"
BATH BEDROOM CLOSET
BEDROOM 17'-4" x 11'-8"
BATH
LAUNDRY
Unit 1424 2774 Square Feet Balcony: 184 Square Feet KEY PLAN
Riverdale Ventures, LLC. © 2016. All rights reserved.
cookcountylocalenergy.org
NORTH
THere’s a NEW CONDO BUILDING in DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS 10/14/16
ALL DIMENSIONS ARE APPROXIMATE PLAN SUBJECT TO CHANGE VERIFY CURRENT PLAN WITH PROJECT MANAGER
112 units with 79 SOLD! • 7 units available for immediate occupancy • 40 still available to customize.
KEY PLAN
email: localenergy@boreal.org
Contact me for a personal viewing of floor plans photos of construction views and pricing.
NORTH
10/14/16 ALL DIMENSIONS ARE APPROXIMATE PLAN SUBJECT TO CHANGE VERIFY CURRENT PLAN WITH PROJECT MANAGER
Unit 1424 2774 Square Feet Balcony: 184 Square Feet
Investigate the overall health of the home with a blower door test, infrared camera, carbon monoxide meter, specialized computer software, and a trained and certified inspector.
CLOSINGS ARE BOOKED SOLID FOR AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER , NOVEMBER, DECEMBER!
LAUNDRY
CLOSET
Cook County Local Energy Project can help with a REEP Energy Audit
LIVE OUT YOUR LEGACY IN NEW CONDOS IN MILLS DISTRICT BY THE GUTHRIE!
BATH
17'-4" x 11'-8"
BATH
How Healthy is the Home?
Riverdale Ventures, LLC. © 2016. All rights reserved.
A New Luxury Condo Development 740 Portland Avenue • Downtown Minneapolis
• 17 story New Contsruction • Pet-friendly building • High end standard features • Community and Fully equipped exercise room, and outdoor roof top green space • Climate controlled parking • Just a few blocks from US Bank Stadium • Additional garage stalls available for purchase • Walk the Skyway for all your needs
• Within a few blocks of Lightrail • Close to the Nicollet Mall • Choose from many restaurants close by! • Walk two blocks to the new 9 arce Commons Park that extends from the US Bank Stadium to Portland Avenue. • Choose from many available options to customize your unit.
Northern Wilds Real Estate covers the communities in the North Shore area from Duluth, MN past Thunder Bay, Ont. Check in with any of our advertising Real Estate Agents for information on how to buy or sell your property. Subscribe to our free online magazine with listings: northernwilds.com
Own a piece of
Historic Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior
Please call for more information or to set up an appointment:
Alyssa Sushoreba • Cell: 507-340-6189 • alyssa@lutsenresort.com
Enjoy resort living while you’re here! When you purchase a unit at Lutsen Resort, you get so much more. The historic resort offers an extensive list of amenities and activities! kayaking • standup paddle boarding • fly-fishing hiking • par 3 golf (and disc golf ) course on property kids camp • kids pizza and movie night snow shoeing • cross country skiing • ice skating door to door ski hill shuttle • game room indoor pool, hot tub & sauna • live music • beach bonfires
& more!
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Versatile rental on Lake Superior! These Poplar River Condos have 3 bedrooms, a sleeping loft, 3 bathrooms, each with a whirlpool tub, three gas fireplaces and amazing rental versatility. The ingenious floor plan allows rental as one, two, or all three bedroom units by guests making it a popular option for couples AND families visiting the resort. You and your family can enjoy a north shore getaway while earning an income. Unit 582 $339,000 Unit 562 $379,000 Unit 622 $389,000
Investment opportunity with Lake Superior views! These 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom Cliff House Townhomes at Lutsen Resort are the perfect Lake Superior getaway. An open concept kitchen, living, and dining area with a gas fireplace and a patio overlooking the lake, affords owners lake living at its best. This is a family favorite for guests of the Resort. Don’t forget the many activities and amenities a resort property offers to you as a unit owner. Unit 675 $429,000 Unit 673 $399,000
CATCHLIGHT
snowshoe hare Just outside Two Harbors, I saw this snowshoe hare sitting by the road. It was changing from its white winter coat to its brown summer coat. This transition period can last up to 10 weeks. During that time, the hare doesn’t always blend in with its surroundings as well as it does in winter or summer.—Earl Orf NORTHERN WILDS
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CALLING ALL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AP R I L 26 - 2 7 , 2 0 1 9 - R EG I S TE R N OW WW W. C O OK CO U N T YE S C .O RG Build Skills Dynamic Presenters Hands-on Exercises Networking and Camaraderie Awards Banquet, and Prizes!
AWARDS - Outstanding Volunteer or Professional Responder in 4 Categories:
Outstanding Emergency Service Provider The Dolly Johnson Friend of Emergency Service Award NEW – Professional Meritorious Service Award NEW – Exemplary Leadership Award
Volunteers Wanted! Individuals or groups are needed to adopt a meal - prep, serve and clean-up one of four meals for our community heroes - call: Teresa at 370-9568 Own a business and want to support your emergency crews (Fire, EMS and Law Enforcement, Search & Rescue, STOP Teams and others)? Make a cash or prize donation to the conference, contact: Valerie Marasco, Cook County Emergency Management Director at 218-387-3059 or valerie.marasco@co.cook.mn.us Grant support from:
An event from:
Public Comment Wanted on Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan Cook County has completed an updated draft of the County’s Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP) as required by the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000). Local jurisdictions are required to update the plan every five years to remain eligible for pre-disaster and post-disaster mitigation grant programs. The Cook County MHMP is a multi-jurisdictional plan that covers all of Cook County, including the City of Grand Marais, townships, and unincorporated areas. The Cook County MHMP also incorporates the concerns and needs of school districts, public utilities, the Grand Portage Reservation and other stakeholders participating in the Plan. Community involvement and feedback are vital to the success of the plan. Cook County invites public review and feedback of the draft plan prior to submitting it to the State of Minnesota and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for review. A copy of the draft County MHMP and Tribal Annex and a survey for public feedback is available online at https://scse.d.umn.edu/cook-county-mhmp. The plan review and comment period will be open until Monday, April 15, 2019. 64
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