Northern Wilds December 2020 by Northern Wilds Magazine

FAMILY TRADITIONS—ORE BOATS—ROSEMALING—WINTER COCKTAILS—WOLF MANAGEMENT

FREE!

FOR THE

LOVE

DEC 2020

OF THE

NORTH

VOLUME 17 ISSUE 12

TWO HARBORS SILVER BAY TOFTE LUTSEN GRAND MARAIS GUNFLINT TRAIL GRAND PORTAGE THUNDER BAY NIPIGON

OUTDOORS EVENTS ARTS REVIEWS HEALTH DINING CALENDAR CATCHLIGHT

POST OFFICE BOX HOLDER LOCAL HWY. CONTRACT ROUTE Grand Marais, MN 55604 Permit #45

Includes

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

page 37

A season to celebrate Tis the season to be jolly; albeit while practicing social distancing and following the guidelines for gatherings. Christmas will be different this year. As we are working on this issue, the rapid spread of covid is cause for alarm on both sides of the border. It appears most of us will be making merry with only the immediate members of our household. On the bright side, lots of folks can breathe a sigh of sweet relief—office Christmas parties will be cancelled! We’ve included some Christmas cheer in this issue. Four of our favorite writers, Eric Chandler, Elle Andra-Warner, Shelby Lonne-Rogentine and Gord Ellis, share their favorite family holiday traditions. Breana Roy has complied a collection of holiday-themed art. Rae Poynter catches up with Norwegian rosemaling expert Mary Schliep. Talking to barkeeps from Duluth to Thunder Bay, Chuck Viren provides a selection of holiday cocktails. Spanning the centuries, Elle Andra-Warner delves into the history of Christmas carols.

Do you have a question for one of our writers? Or an interesting photo, recipe, or story you’d like to share with Northern Wilds? Please send it to storyideas@northernwilds.com.

December is also when lake freighters hug the North Shore to stay in the lee of the prevailing northwest winds, creating some the year’s best ship-viewing. Eric Chandler discovered that even though he’d toured an ore boat as a child, he really didn’t know anything about them. Now he does and, if you read his story, so will you. New (and ex-

pecting) mother Ali Juten has found lots of ways to share her love of the outdoors with her 16-monthold daughter. Another mom, Erin Altemus, is facing a challenging winter as she combines work, motherhood, mushing and caring for her husband Matt as he recovers from a health emergency. Exploring her family heritage, Julia Prinselaar teaches us about once common cuts of meat that have fallen out of favor, such as beef tongue. Gord Ellis reflects on how the extraordinary year of 2020 affected the world of fishing. Sam Zimmerman teaches us about the jingle dress with a lovely new painting. Since most of us will be sticking close to home this month, you’ll probably have plenty of time for reading. We’ve packed this issue of Northern Wilds with lots of good stories just for you. We appreciate the kind remarks and encouragement that we receive from our readers. We are thankful as well for our many advertisers whose support allows us to produce Northern Wilds magazine for you. Enjoy the holidays and take heart. A new year is just ahead.—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt

Amber, Shawn, Roseanne, Destry, Katie & Breana

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

VOLUME 17, I SSUE 12 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 Amber Pratt, Sales Manager ads@northernwilds.com Destry Winant, Sales Assistant destry@northernwilds.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Katie Viren • katie@northernwilds.com OFFICE Roseanne Cooley • billing@northernwilds.com CONTRIBUTORS Erin Altemus, Elle Andra-Warner, Eric Chandler, Carol Colburn, Gord Ellis, Ali Juten, Shelby Lonne-Rogentine, Deane Morrison, Rae Poynter, Julia Prinselaar, Amy Schmidt, Joe Shead, Sofia Vanderlan, Chuck Viren, Eric Weicht, Sam Zimmerman Copyright 2020 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

Where can I find Northern Wilds Magazine? Go to: northernwilds.com/distribution

AD DEADLINE December 16

19 FEATURES 16 Ore Boats

The legend lives on

18 Family Traditions

From turkey dinners to Christmas stockings

REAL ESTATE 37 Backlund Realty 38 Lutsen Real Estate Group 40 Coldwell Banker North Shore 43 Red Pine Realty 46 Timber Wolff Realty 50 Bluefin Bay, Real Living, Remax

Take the North Shore home with you! From Duluth to Thunder Bay, Ont. and beyond, we cover the stories from the area featuring the people and places that make this place unique.

Cover

DEPARTMENTS 5 Along the Shore 14 Points North 20 Spotlight 23 Events 25 Dining 27 Health 29 Northern Trails 30 Fishing Hole

“Merry Christmoose” by Kari Vick

31 Dog Blog 32 Northern Sky 33 Wild Traditions 34 Reviews 35 Following the Ancestor’s Steps 36 Strange Tales PLEASE CHOOSE ONE: UNITED STATES

Name:_____________________________________________

Address:_____________________________________________ City:_____________________________________________ St./Prov:____________________ Zip/PC:___________________ Email:_____________________________________________ Tel:_____________________________________________

Subscribe Online at http://bit.ly/NWSub Single issues also available.

 One Year 12 issues $28 USD  Two Year 12 issues $52 USD CANADA

 One Year 12 issues $36 USD  Two Year 12 issues $68 USD Please cut this out and mail with your check to:

Northern Wilds Media, P.O. Box 26, Grand Marais, MN, 55604

We do not sell or share subscription information.

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Happy Holidays to you! Enter December 1st - 15th for your chance to win fabulous prizes from these participating business. WINNERS WILL BE CALLED AND ANNOUNCED ON FACEBOOK ON DEC 18TH

Two Ways to Enter: 1. Online daily: northernwilds.com/christmas-sweepstakes 2. Mail in: Entry ballot below Family Fun Gift Package

(puzzle, game, art project, mug, cookies)

Adventure tour for two

1/2 day kayak tour, full day BWCAW Canoe Tour, 1/2 day X-Country tour, or 3-day ski rental

$75 Gift Certificate

lake superior trading post

www.lakesuperiortradingpost.com

2 x-country ski passes & 2 1-day ski rentals

Golden Eagle Lodge www.golden-eagle.com

Joynes Ben Franklin

www.joynesbenfranklin.com

stone harbor wilderness supply www.stoneharborws.com

$100 Gift Certificate

DeWalt 108-piece Mechanics Tool Set

buck’s hardware www.buckshardware.net

Edgewater Hotel & Waterpark www.duluthwaterpark.com

$100 Cash

North Shore Federal Credit union www.northshorefcu.org

Name: __________________________

Young Artist Essentials & Mondeluz Drawing/Toning/Colouring Pencil Set

Joy & Co.

www.joy-and-company.com

$100 Gift Certificate

Phone: _________________________ Email: ___________________________ SEND YOUR ENTRY TO: Northern Wilds, PO Box 26, Grand Marais, MN, 55604 Ballot must be received by Dec. 17

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

Free one-hour massage

North Lake Wellness www.northlakewellness.com

Cook County Home Center www.cookcountyhc.com

At only 16 months old, Holland has already had quite a few outdoor experiences, including fishing, ice fishing, camping, hiking and bow fishing. | NICK JUTEN

Motherhood in the outdoors DULUTH— Family time and hunting has always gone hand-in-hand, at least for me. My hunting experiences began when I was a child. My dad is a hunter, so naturally, I wanted to be. At age 11, I told my parents that I wanted to take firearm safety so that I could go hunting with dad. I think the reason was because I saw how passionate he was for the sport. I wanted to share the excitement of getting ready for season, sighting in rifles, scouting, and swapping stories about bucks of years past. Not to say my dad didn’t try to keep me interested, but after a couple years, I stopped hunting. I became way more active in high school sports, theatre, choir and academics that I didn’t have the time, or make the time, for hunting. As a college senior, though, I picked up a used Mission Menace bow and my addiction to hunting began again. This time, I also fell in love with archery and wanted to challenge myself by hunting with a bow. Fast forward a couple years, and I’m now married to a hunter and we try to hunt everything we can that is in season. When I first became pregnant, I knew that my life would change tremendously, but didn’t quite realize how. I continued hunting throughout my pregnancy and was able to go goose hunting, pronghorn hunting in South Dakota, bow fishing, harvest a doe with my bow and a buck with my rifle. I remember thinking to myself, “I can do this mom thing and still do what I love.” So far, I have, but my thinking has shifted to, “I can do this mom thing and teach my daughter to love the outdoors.” And she does. Her name is Holland and in the 16 months she’s spent on earth so far, she’s had quite a few outdoor/hunting experiences. She’s been fishing, ice fishing, camping, hiking and bow fishing. She’s even been grouse hunting, but not in the traditional sense. We always want to be sure she is safe, so we hunt with her on private land and she wears hearing protection. Not only that, but typically her

When she’s parenting solo, Ali Juten puts her daughter Holland in a carrier and sets out on adventures. | ALI JUTEN dad or I will drive with her in the side-byside while the other parent walks on the trails ahead with a shotgun. We take turns and it doesn’t always end in success, but it certainly is quality time together outdoors. When I’m parenting solo, I put Holland in a carrier and we set out on adventures. Sometimes it is just a walk around the family farm, a hike on a local trail, or if we are feeling adventurous, a little archery practice or bow fishing. This past spring, I took her bow fishing for the first time on a local riverbank. I spent a couple different days out on the bank locating suckers and flinging arrows with her on my back. Once I shot enough for a meal, we cleaned, brined and smoked them. Holland loved hearing the sound of the flowing water, watching mom

Sixteen-month-old Holland loves being outdoors. | ALI JUTEN shoot and especially touching the fish. Having success hunting or fishing is always exciting, but the absolute best part about this time was that I could share the experience with my daughter. There was actually a time in my life where I thought I would never have kids. Maybe it was because of my adventurous soul and shiny new journalism degree that, I figured, would take me all over the world. Or maybe it was the past relationships I’ve been in where, deep-down, I knew there was no future. A little time, maturity, and a good partner, and here I am. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade motherhood for anything else in the world. In fact, baby number two will join our outdoor adventures this March.

It’s sure going to be a wild ride full of work, balance and adapting but, as anyone who has children knows, it will all be worth it. At this point, all I have to say to Holland is, “Do you want to go outside?” and she goes wild. She hops onto my lap so I can put her shoes on and then goes to the door and rings the bells (the bells are for our dog to ring when he needs to go out) and waits for me to get my stuff together and open the door. If there is anything in my parenting journey that I’d like to call a success, that is definitely it. She loves the outdoors and it makes my mama-heart soar.—Ali Juten

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Modern-day historian-adventurers take to YouTube and social media

Matthew Carlson’s great-grandfather worked on the historic tug James Whalen. | MATTHEW CARLSON COLLECTION Thunder Bay has a very strong marine history. | MATTHEW CARLSON COLLECTION THUNDER BAY—Some modern-day historian-adventurers are changing how history is documented and shared with the public. And three that are among the best are Thunder Bay’s David Battistel, Matthew Carlson and Rob Farrow.

“Our history is an important part of our lives whether you want it to be or not,” said Farrow. “I really enjoy finding abandoned buildings or structures such as fire towers or mining activity, both of which played a big part of our history and I believe that needs to be preserved and told. And the best way I know how to share what I find is on YouTube and Facebook medias.” “I became interested in seeing these old remains at an early age but never recorded them, unfortunately. On journeys with my family I would notice old rundown places and would wonder what, if any, interesting items they contained and why they were left to the elements,” continued Farrow, adding many of the old places he saw are gone, their stories lost forever. “Now I have the opportunity to record and share my finds with the public.” Before doing the footwork to find a particular spot, Farrow does intensive research. “It’s a race to discover and document these sites in order to keep the history alive. GPS coordinates help guide me through some rough terrain and will narrow the search areas,” says Farrow, adding, “I enjoy wandering around the bush and adventuring into the unknown, you never know what you will find out there. Farrow has approximately 259 videos of his “Outdoor Rob Adventures” on YouTube, covering a variety of themes and encompassing adventures from wildlife and abandoned places to marine industry. “The marine industry was where I got my start with documenting with photos at first and then videos. I still enjoy the old boats and tugboats around Northwestern Ontario,” he says. 6

DECEMBER 2020

Thunder Bay mariner and historian Matthew Carlson is the person to ask for information on vessels and marine history. | MATTHEW CARLSON COLLECTION Carlson is the person to ask, or check his postings on social media, for information on vessels and marine history.

in the late 1950s for the Oscar Styffe Company, then was put on the gators and small tugs used to bundle log booms,

“It is an important part of our heritage here and shouldn’t be forgotten.” “I grew up on a tugboat in Thunder Bay Harbour,” said mariner-historian Carlson, whose family’s history is itself a historical record of mariners and tugs on Lake Superior—starting with his great-grandfather who worked on the historic tug James Whalen to his father Albert Carlson who worked on tugs for 18 years until his death in 2003. And since 2012, Carlson has worked on tugs as deckhand and general helper. “My grandfather Roger Hurst was involved with logging, working in the bush

NORTHERN WILDS

usually working in Cloud Bay and area,” said Carlson. Then for 25 years (19631987/88) his grandfather was the captain of the Styffe tug Donald Mac. “In his time running the Donald Mac, he often worked alongside the Alexander Henry breaking ice and often assisted if the ice was too tough for just Henry to break. He also assisted the Henry when they used the air cushion icebreaker experiment.” In 1988, Hurst started a company with a partner, leasing the tug W. J. Purvis to

work in Thunder Bay Harbour. Four years later, they purchased the 100-foot tug Point Valour from Nova Scotia and on the journey to bring her to Thunder Bay, also towed the James Whalen to be the city’s tourist attraction. Hurst continued as Valour’s captain until 2015, even after selling his company shares. “Thunder Bay has a very strong marine history. It is an important part of our heritage here and shouldn’t be forgotten. Its history will always live on,” says Carlson. Battistel, a high school history teacher, has become a leading historian of abandoned rail lines in Northwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota. “My interest in railway lines, specifically abandoned ones, began in 1990 when I made my first trip to North Lake. I had no idea there was an abandoned rail line

[L TO R] Thunder Bay historian-adventurers Rob Farrow, Matthew Carlson

and David Battistel are changing how history is documented and shared with the public. | SUBMITTED Matthew Carlson’s family history is itself a historical record of mariners and tugs on Lake Superior. | MATTHEW CARLSON COLLECTION

Christmas Gifts

Lodge

that ran through the area and the remnants that I saw (railway station, rock cuts, etc.) fascinated me,” recalled Battistel. “I was intrigued. Several years later, when I was in university, I decided that I’d like to learn more about this obscure railway, the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railroad (PAD&W). I began researching at the library and museum, finding information and maps of the line. Wanting to see it myself, I began walking the grade and ended up tracing the whole route in 1994.”

(CN_Graham Subdivision).

Over the years, Battistel has researched and explored rail lines including the PAD&W; Gunflint & Lake Superior; Canadian Northern (CN_Kinghorn Subdivision); and the Grand Trunk Railway Pacific

The public can follow Battistel’s work online and on social media such as Facebook and YouTube, all of which can be accessed through his website at: padwrr. com.—Elle Andra-Warner

“They each have their unique stories and features,” said Battistel. Beginning in the late 1990s, Battistel has made public presentations about these railways and developed online sites to share information. “These rail lines were (and still are) a tremendous part of our collective history. If no one takes the time to record what happened, those stories and places will be lost forever and the lessons that go along with it,” said Battistel.

Cast Iron Pots & Pans variety

NordiCwar

Baking Pans & Sheets

MagiC buLLet

Blender 11 pC Set

variety

wide variety

Bird Houses & Seed Come check them out!

CharbroiL

Smoker

Games

Cook County

Line

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

variety

What day is it?

StaNLey • dewaLt •MiLwauLkee

Hand & Power Tools Large variety

Social distancing and long, dark winter nights can make days blur together. Having a plan for each day of the week can make the things go by better.

Need help with your COVID plan? Call the Community Support Line!

(218) 877-7071

Housewares • Paint Hardware• Tools Bait & Tackle www.buckshardware.net · BIG CITY PRICES ... SMALL TOWN SERVICE 218-387-2280 · Open 7 Days A Week · Downtown Grand Marais NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

1457

145

790

US! BON

GIFT CARD SALE

ING START ! EARLY

NOW - Dec 31, 2020

BON US!

BUY

$100

GET 2 WATERPARK WRISTBANDS

(UP TO A $40 VALUE)

OFFER AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY. Purchase $100 in gift cards, receive one bonus voucher for 2 waterpark wristbands. Purchased gift cards are valid for stays starting January 1, 2021 and do not expire. Promotional bonus vouchers (wristbands) are valid for stays January 1 - December 31, 2021. PLEASE NOTE: Orders are processed off-site and will be mailed. Allow 7 days for processing. Orders cannot be picked up at the property. To guarantee delivery by December 24, orders must be placed by December 17. Waterpark wristbands must be reserved prior to arrival. Limited wristbands are available. Waterpark hours will be posted online as they are available.

duluthwaterpark.com 218-728-3601

HANFTLAW.COM

LET’S

CELEBRATE.

Golden Eagle Lodge owners Zach Baumann and Ruth Wagner take delivery of their brand new PB100 on October 13. | GOLDEN EAGLE LODGE

Golden Eagle Lodge buys new groomer GUNFLINT TRAIL—The owners of the Golden Eagle Lodge, located on Flour Lake just off the Gunflint Trail, have purchased a brand new PistenBully 100 to groom cross-country ski trails. Golden Eagle Lodge will use this machine to groom the Nordic ski trails on 35 kilometers of the Central Gunflint Trail System. Bearskin Lodge grooms the other half of the 70k trail network. Zach Baumann and Ruth Wagner, Golden Eagle Lodge owners, said this snow groomer is “state of the art” and will “take the trails to the next level” which is great news for XC skiers. Wagner described several of the features of this new groomer. “It has a Cummins diesel engine which is quieter, more powerful, and eco-friendly,” she said. PistenBully says that the treatment of the diesel exhaust is even good enough for it to meet the stringent requirements of working indoors. “The blade in front articulates in three dimensions. We purchased an aftermarket cutting blade that works behind the 3D blade to break up packed snow. It makes the adjustable depth tiller more effective. Our previous groomer didn’t have these features. As a result, we can groom in a broader range of snow conditions. All the grooming tools are now on one bar and we don’t have to swap them out for each task. This groomer also allows us to make a skate lane that is 2 feet wider.”

Hanft Fride knows that our clients matter. We want to thank you for your business and wish you a great holiday season.

This PB100 is a significant investment at a cost of $269,000. Like most businesses, COVID initially threw a wrench in their plans.

YOU MATTER HERE.

“We were fully committed to buying this groomer in March. Then COVID hit and we decided that now was not the time to buy it. But later, our business picked up and in June, we called our rep to see if it was still possible to buy it,” said Baumann. Normally, no PistenBully groomers would be available that late in the year. “Luckily, we were able to get the groomer with the exact features we needed,” said Baumann.

DULUTH 218.722.4766 | CLOQUET 218.879.3333 8

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

“We looked at what it would take to keep repairing our old machine [a 1980s vintage

PB130] versus buying a new groomer and it made sense to make the investment. We want to give the skiers good grooming and we couldn’t afford to wait a few days for parts each time we needed to repair our older groomer,” Wagner said. While they described this purchase, the groomer was still two weeks away from being delivered. Baumann and Wagner said, “We’re excited to see it!” Now the groomer is there. Bearskin Lodge also bought an updated groomer within the past several years. So, the arrival of this new groomer is more outstanding news for cross-country skiers who visit the Central Gunflint Trail System this winter. —Eric Chandler

Cook County Salvation Army GRAND MARAIS— Due to COVID-19 the Cook County Service Unit of the Salvation Army will not be doing the traditional red kettle bell ringing campaign this holiday season. Instead they will be accepting donations at the Grand Marais State Bank at both the Grand Marais and Tofte locations. Checks can also be made payable to Salvation Army-Cook County Service Unit and mailed to: Salvation Army-Cook County Service Unit c/o Grand Marais State Bank PO Box 100 Grand Marais, MN 55604

Voyageurs Wolf Project INTERNATIONAL FALLS— A short distance inland from Lake Superior in nearby Voyageurs National Park, a fascinating research project is underway with a focus on an iconic North Shore species; the gray wolf. Over the past five years a team of four full-time biologists and six to seven seasonal technicians have been hard at work in the national park trying to answer a deceptively simple question that has puzzled scientists for decades—what do wolves do during the summer? Voyageurs National Park started studying its wolf population back in 2012 when park researchers began collaring wolves in order to better understand the wolf population within the park’s borders. At first, the Voyageurs Wolf Project’s mission was to collect basic data about the national park’s wolf population such as number of wolves in the area and the number of wolves per pack. However, over the years the project continued to expand, and in 2015 the project shifted its focus to studying the summer habits and behaviors of wolves, one of the first studies of its kind. “Summer predation and pup-rearing for wolves is something that has been sorely understudied around the world,” says Tom Gable, a University of Minnesota biologist who serves as the lead for the Voyageurs Wolf Project. Gable has been working on the project for seven years and will be receiving his PHD at the end of the 2020 season. “There is just so much that we don’t know about wolves in the summer,” continues Gable. “For example, we know that wolves in a boreal ecosystem rely more heavily on smaller prey such as beavers and deer fawns during this time, but there are no estimates on wolf kills of beavers or deer fawns. That data just doesn’t exist.” How do wolves’ hunting methods change during the summer? How do these habits affect wolf pup survival? These are some of the questions that Gable and his team hope to answer with their research.

The Voyageurs Wolf Project, which started in 2012, has since evolved into a collaboration between the University of Minnesota and Voyageurs National Park that strives to better understand the summer ecology of wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem. | SUBMITTED Today, the ongoing Voyageurs Wolf Project has evolved into a collaboration between the University of Minnesota and Voyageurs National Park that strives to better understand the summer ecology of wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem. “One of the main challenges that we face with our research,” says Gable, “is that it is hard to directly observe wolves during the summer. It’s almost impossible to watch a wolf hunt small prey during that time of year.” According to Gable, this challenge is caused in part because of wolves’ tendency to become more solitary predators in the spring and summer during pup-rearing, but also because of dense summer vegetation that can obscure hidden cameras and researcher’s line of sight. To overcome the challenges associated with direct observation, Gable and his team have GPS-collared seven different wolves in the area in order to track and study the predation behavior of these individuals. Using the information from their collars, the Voyageurs Wolf Project team is able to follow up

on kills as well as discover the locations of den and rendezvous sites. Tracking the wolves through the boreal forest is hard work, forcing Gable and his team to work long hours in the field seven days a week between April and October. But the work is rewarding, according to Gable, and despite rarely seeing wolves in the field, the team’s research has already produced a number of fascinating findings. “One interesting observation that we made,” says Gable, “is we found a pack of wolves that hunted and killed spawning suckers in a creek three years in a row. This was the first documented observation of wolves hunting freshwater fish anywhere in the world, and we caught it on video.” “It’s well known that wolves go after spawning fish in coastal environments where you have big salmon runs,” continues Gable, “but catching wolves fishing in a small creek in Minnesota is categorically different from that.”

“Hunting beavers by ambushing them might seem intuitive to us,” says Gable, “but prior to our work wolves had not been thought of as hunting prey in this way.” “In fact,” continues Gable, “many scientists would adamantly argue that they were not ambush predators, but instead exclusively cursorial, meaning that they hunt by outrunning and outlasting their prey. The fact that wolves can go back and forth between these two strategies is really quite unique and speaks to their general intelligence.” To learn more about the Voyageurs Wolf Project and its ongoing work in Voyageurs National Park, visit their website: voyageurswolfproject.org. You can also find lots of up-to-date information, photos, and videos from their research on their Facebook page. The Voyageurs Wolf Project is funded in part by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Research Trust Fund.—Eric Weicht

Another breakthrough came when Gable and his team observed wolves “ambushing” beavers by waiting by their lodges and dams.

BUY 1 GET 1

half price

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

Buy 1 subscription for only $28/year, and give a second subscription for half price.* 1 for $28 usd—U.S. residents, $36 usd—Canadian residents

2 for $42 usd—U.S. residents, $54 usd—Canadian residents

Name: ___________________________________________

Address:_________________________________________

City: _____________________________________________

State: _________________ Zip: ______________________

Phone or email: __________________________________

Gift subscriptions begin with the January 2021 issue. *All gift subscriptions are sent a postcard announcing the gift. We do not sell or share subscription information.

Please mail this form with your check or credit card information to: Northern Wilds Media, P.O. Box 26, Grand Marais, MN 55604 CC#__________________________________________ Exp___________ CVV______________ NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Building a better beachfront TERRACE BAY— Construction is underway in Terrace Bay to improve the amenities at what is arguably the best beach on Lake Superior’s North Shore. The Township of Terrace Bay is working with Parks Canada to build a pavilion that will include an office for the Lake Superior Marine Conservation Area, a township meeting hall, a picnic area and washrooms. Leading from the pavilion is a boardwalk extending eastward along the entire length of the beach. At its terminus is a nature trail leading to a pair of Parks Canada Red Chairs on a point overlooking Lake Superior and the Slate Islands.

Spotting reindeer isn’t your only superpower.

Dean Main, Terrace Bay’s community development supervisor, says the beach project is intended to “enhance the quality of life for community residents and to help diversify our economy by attracting tourists to our community.” Adjacent to the community golf course, the beach was already a popular location for locals and visitors alike. It also includes a boat launch for Lake Superior located in the mouth of the Aguasabon River. Main said the project includes improvements there as well. New floating docks were installed to allow day use docking and better boat launching. The docks rise and fall with the river’s changing water levels. The launch site is now a staging area for the Lake Superior Water Trail, a paddling route leading from Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay that is part of the National Trans Canada Trail System. It also provides access to the Slate Islands Provincial Park and the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. Assisting with funding for the beach project are FedNor ($1.1M), Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation ($1.5M) and the Métis Nation of Ontario ($8,600). In addition to the waterfront project the Ontario Ministry of Transportation is building a new wayside rest stop in Terrace Bay to better accommodate truckers and travelers along Highway 17. Scheduled to open in 2022, the wayside will have year-round running water, washrooms and commercial vehicle parking. The need to upgrade provincial rest stops

Terrace Bay’s new beach project is underway with construction ongoing for a new pavilion and boardwalk. New signs such as this one have been installed for amenities throughout the community. | SUBMITTED became apparent in the early months of the covid pandemic, when many truck stops refused to allow truckers to use restroom facilities. Main said despite the closure of the U.S.-Canada border, there was a noticeable increase in tourism last summer as many Canadians discovered Lake Superior’s North Shore. He anticipates the increase in tourism will continue into the future. To better guide travelers and improve its appearance, Terrace Bay has new signage for its amenities. The large timber signs are themed with natural materials. FedNor, Destination Northern Ontario were the funding partners for the signage project.—Shawn Perich

New curator appointed to Thunder Bay Art Gallery Join in. Shine on. Save the holiday for our North Shore neighbors in need. Sign up today or make an additional one-time contribution. We’ll match up to $3000 of pledges and donations to local food shelves. northshorefcu.org/hungerheroes

THUNDER BAY—Thunder Bay Art Gallery recently announced the appointment of Penelope Smart as curator. Smart holds an MFA in Criticism and Curatorial Practice from OCAD University (Toronto) where she received the President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Studies. With family ties to Red Lake, ON, Smart is returning to the Northwest with valuable expertise as both a curator and writer. She has held curatorial positions at The Art Gallery of Ontario, MULHERIN galleries (Toronto/New York) and Eastern Edge Gallery (St. John’s, NL). Her writing has appeared in Canadian Art, C Magazine, n.paradoxa, and a variety of artist publications and exhibition catalogues. “I see the contemporary curator as someone who is acutely aware of her discipline as a contested one. I strive to make exhibitions and texts that are thoughtful and sensitive to the social, cultural and economic consequences at stake,” said Smart. “I feel honoured and humbled to learn from and help celebrate an art collection of immense beauty, meaning and power. To step into the curator role at a time of transition for the Gallery and for contemporary Canadian and Indigenous art in my home region is very exciting.”

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

Penelope Smart was recently appointed as the new curator of Thunder Bay Art Gallery. | SUBMITTED

“Penelope has already expressed sensitivity to our permanent collection and the exhibitions that provide meaning in our community,” said director Sharon Godwin. “With her passion for collaboration and mentorship, we are very much looking forward to the contributions Penelope will make to the Art Gallery.

exhibitions, showcasing contemporary Indigenous and regional artists.

For close to 45 years, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery has been sharing the experience of visual art with the community. The Gallery hosts over 20 exhibitions annually, drawing from its Permanent Collection, borrowing touring

The Gallery continues with its ambitious plan to move to the waterfront on Lake Superior where we can expand our positive engagement with other galleries, community organizations, and people of all ages in celebrating visual art.

Working as a teen ranger GRAND PORTAGE— For the past two summers, I worked at Grand Portage National Monument as a teen ranger on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. Being a teen ranger has taught me many things. Every single day at Grand Portage National Monument is unique and different. One day I might be cooking in the 1790s kitchen, the next I might be crafting my own black ash basket. Being a teen ranger was my first job. I packed up my things after freshman year of high school and moved in with my grandmother on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. Grand Portage was definitely different than living in a suburb of Minneapolis; not as many people, but more sense of belonging. Everyone welcomed and cared for me. I did not know what I was getting myself into when I submitted my resume to Grand Portage National Monument. I had only visited the Monument a couple of times before that, and I always thought the people in the historical outfits were a little funny. And now I was going to be one of those funny people in the historical attire. The first summer on the job was full of learning new things that I never expected to learn, like how to finger weave or cook an entire chicken over a fire. My favorite place to work was the kitchen. I got to cook over a fire the entire day using cast iron tools. I had to wear my historical clothing all of the time, which can get hot when by a fire and carrying around cast iron tools all day, because it is made from wool. An important part of my job was telling visitors about the history of Grand Portage,

Sofia Vanderlan recently spent two summers working as a teen ranger at Grand Portage National Park. | SUBMITTED mainly centering around the late 1700s. Even though I didn’t know what to do at times or how to answer a visitor’s question, I was blissfully in love with my job. Every day at work made me try something completely new that I never would have tried on my own, but once I did it, I was glad. With the COVID-19 pandemic, this past summer was definitely different than my first. I could not connect with visitors as much because I could not go inside of buildings with them, and we had to wear masks and stand six feet apart. Even though I could not teach people about the fur trade as much, I did have more memorable experiences. I learned

how to do beadwork, learned a couple of phrases in Ojibwe, created a 1790s cooking video, did some forestry, attempted to start a fire using flint and steel, saw lots of wild animals, and swam in freezing Lake Superior too many times to count. Another thing that I did this past summer was hike the entire Grand Portage by myself. The Grand Portage is an eight-anda-half-mile hike to Fort Charlotte. It is such an important trail in the 1700s and 1800s because it was used to avoid the High Falls, a death warrant for any voyageur who wants to take his canoe over the waterfall. The path goes in between the hills, so there is less elevation change, which makes it better

for those voyageurs carrying two 90-pound packs of furs or goods on their back. Fortunately, I did not have to carry a single 90-pound load across the Grand Portage. All I had with me was a backpack with some food, water, and lots of bug spray. While I was hiking, I saw some moose tracks and absolutely no people. It was just me, myself, and I for 17 miles. On the way back from Fort Charlotte it began to rain and I got soaked. But even though I was drenched by the end of the hike, it was still my favorite part of the summer.—Sofia Vanderlan Sofia Vanderlan does not represent the National Park Service.

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Self-taught artisan and the classic Christmas Danish star THUNDER BAY— At the Swedish Christmas dinner last year at the Prince Arthur Hotel, on each table there were beautiful white hand-crafted Danish stars in two sizes. Everyone at our table was so intrigued as to how they were made that we carefully took apart one of the stars, but still couldn’t figure out how to make them.

goyne. “If people are interested to learn how to make Danish stars, I’d suggest Googling for the instructions, plus they can find online places that sell packages of pre-cut paper strips. Stars can be made in different sizes, with the six-inch diameter star being most difficult.”

Elsie Burgoyne, a self-taught artisan in Thunder Bay, has been making the lovely Danish stars for about 30 years. She’s the daughter of Danish immigrants who settled in the 1920s in the Danish community of Pass Lake, Ontario, about 59 km (36 miles) east of Thunder Bay.

Only four paper strips are used to make a Danish star. | JONATHUNDER

“My parents brought the Danish traditions with them,” says Burgoyne. “During my childhood we didn’t do Danish stars, but we did hand-make Christmas decorations for the tree, like braided baskets from cut pieces and weaved, paper angels, and cut-out shapes of birds from colour books.” The iconic three-dimensional star is a classic Danish Christmas decoration made by weaving folded paper strips and used as Christmas tree ornaments and decorations. When Burgoyne first started making stars, she ordered special papers from Denmark but now cuts her own pieces. “The strips have to be exact because of the folds that need to be made. In the begin-

utes,” said Burgoyne, adding she prefers to use Scandinavian colours of red and white.

Elsie Burgoyne, a self-taught artisan in Thunder Bay, has been making Danish stars for about 30 years now. | JEREMY NOBLE ning it would take me 20 minutes to figure out. Now I make a Danish star in 10 min-

She created about 120 white Danish stars for dinner guests to take home at the Swedish Christmas event; has made stars for the Pass Lake Historical Society; and, each year makes the star decorations for the Danish tree at the annual International Gallery of Christmas Trees at the Valhalla Inn (not happening this year).

A talented self-taught craftsperson, Burgoyne also knits and creates freehand pottery. About three years ago, she taught herself needle-felting and now makes Christmas gnomes, fish, and life-size birds like cardinals, doves and chickadees. Needle-felting uses a needle to agitate the wool to bond into felting, similar to felting that results from using a washing machine and hot water. “You start with a little needle and ball of yarn about the size of a marble. Poke at it until it has the shape. Each item takes about 48 hours to complete,” she says. Along with her knitting, the felted items are sold at the Fireweed Store in Thunder Bay as well as from her home.—Elle Andra-Warner

It’s hard to imagine that only four paper strips are used to make a Danish Star. “I cut the four strips 17 inches long and l/2inch wide. I also have made stars out of foil, wrapping paper and birch bark,” said Bur-

Marley Vida in his Christmas finery. Merry Christmas to all from Marley and Sandy Breitzmann.

Bailey celebrating Christmas in Tennessee 2018, from Terri Lahti. Kaija the Pomeranian, from Kayla Laukka. 12

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

Celebrating Christmas in Tennessee with the grandkids, 2018, from Terri Lahti.

Shop Northern Wilds’ bookstore for the perfect gift this season. New

New

lighthousEs of Lake Superior’s North Shore

THE ALEC BOOSTROM STORY

ThruHike

Boundary Waters Boy

THE

Superior Hiking Trail PLANNING, RESUPPLYING, SAFETY, BEARS, BUGS, AND MORE

The Historic Beacons of Minnesota, Isle Royale and Ontario

BY ANNIE NELSON By Jack Blackwell

By EllE AndrA-WArnEr

A comprehensive guide to the lighthouses and navigational beacons from Duluth, Minnesota to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Learn about the storms and shipwrecks that led to their construction, the lonely lives of the keepers and the role lighthouses play in present-day maritime navigation. $22.95

Veteran long-distance hiker Annie Nelson compiled the information and advice you need for a successful thru-hike adventure on the 310-mile Superior Hiking Trail. $14.95

CATCH:

Inle

t 15

10 5

20 30

Inlet

Seventeen-year-old Jack Blackwell joined his grandfather, Alec Boostrom, on his northern Minnesota wilderness trapline. There he learned the story of his grandfather’s life of wilderness adventure on Lake Superior’s North Shore and deep within the canoe country. $14.95

Join the authors on the trails that lead to the magnificent waterfalls of Lake Superior’s North Shore. Maps and directions to over 150 waterfalls are included in this unique guide. $19.95

Rock paintings, called pictographs, were created by Indigenous people. This book contains a description of every known pictograph site in the Boundary Waters and Quetico, complete with maps and directions to find them. $14.95

Bob Olson discovered the North Shore and Gunflint Trail in the 1950s. Driving a Ford Model A truck, he roamed the lonely north, meeting the resourceful characters who lived there, eventually making his home on a Gunflint Trail lake. Hop in with Bob and take a ride to adventure! $14.95

From his career as an F-16 fighter pilot to the challenges and joys of being a husband and father to his passion for the outdoors, award-winning Duluth writer Eric Chandler’s first collection of poetry reflects his rich and varied life. $9.99

Join Shawn Perich on the North Shore of Lake Superior where everyday experiences, from an encounter with a curious coyote to a wilderness search for a lost hiker, become lively stories and the stuff of adventure. $14.95

WALLEYES, BROOKIES, PIKE, LAKERS, BASS AND MORE

5 10

Portage to Skipper Lake

30 40

15 20

10 15

50 40

40 30

Where do you start? Right here. 20

The Legendary Great Lakes Shipwreck Cook County is justly famed for its quality 20

flint

Where the Fish Are!

So many lakes…so little time to fish.

Gun

20 15

Cook County, Minnesota

fishing. From wilderness waters teeming with trophy walleyes to secluded ponds Prune Lake stocked with brook trout, this county provides wonderful fishing opportunities. Lake trout, smallmouth bass, walleyes, northern pike, black crappies, yellow perch, whitefish, muskies and stream trout swim in the county’s lakes. This book tells you where to find them.

5 10 15 20 30 40 60

70 60

50 40 30 20

5 5

Lizz Lake

Where the Fish Are! Cook County, Minnesota is a guide to 366 lakes with data about the fish species and population status, public access and acreage. Contour maps for 68 popular fishing lakes are included.

Trail

10 10

5 10 5

tlet

Portage to Swamp Lake

“Inside this book, endless fishing adventures await.” —Shawn Perich Outdoor Writer and Publisher $14.95 ISBN 978-0-9740207-7-8

51495> Northern Wilds Media, Inc. of Grand Marais publishes the monthly Northern Wilds magazine, which is available at dozens of North Shore locations from Duluth to Thunder Bay. Printed in the United States by Northern Wilds Print & Copy. www.northernwilds.com

Elle Andra-Warner

A guide to over 350 fishing lakes Includes 68 depth contour maps

9 780974 020778

One devastating day in November, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald succumbed to gale-force winds, plunging to the bottom of Lake Superior and leaving no survivors. This haunting tale looks back to one of the most legendary, mysterious and controversial shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. $9.95

From wilderness waters teeming with trophy walleyes to secluded ponds stocked with brook trout, this guide contains data about fish populations and access for 366 lakes. Contour maps for 68 popular fishing lakes are included. $14.95

Sawdust SawduSt in Their Blood their 100 years of the Hedstrom Lumber Co.

On July 14, 1914, North Shore pioneer Andrew Hedstrom began sawing lumber on the banks of the Devil Track River north of Grand Marais, Minnesota. A century later, the Hedstrom Lumber Company remains a familyowned business operating at the same location. This is the company’s story from its humble start in a pioneer settlement during the tall-pine logging era through several transformations into the modern no-waste sawmill operation of today. Throughout the years, the Hedstrom family has met challenges and adversity with problem-solving ingenuity and tenacity. By their pluck, they were able to remain in business when other mills failed and became a North Shore institution. In the remote settlement of Scandinavian immigrants, Andrew Hedstrom first began sawing lumber to meet the needs of his carpentry business using a sawmill he purchased and rebuilt after it was ruined in a fire. As the demand for lumber grew, so did the company. During the 1930s and 40s, the company hauled a portable sawmill to winter logging camps deep within the wilderness, where teams of horses were used to haul massive logs to the mill. Later, when the advent of mechanization and the development of a forest road network made it possible to deliver logs greater distances, the family returned to a new, permanent mill on the Devil Track River.

Carl

This is a story of perseverance. Even today, it isn’t easy to run a business in a location as remote as Grand Marais. Andrew and his sons faced many challenges, including several devastating fires. Yet they always recovered from adversity by making the mill better and more efficient than it was before. Today, Hedstrom Lumber Company is one of the few lumber mills remaining in northern Minnesota. Sawdust in Their Blood is a celebration of the Hedstrom family’s achievements during 100 years in the timber industry. It also celebrates the North Shore community of which they are such a prominent part, and which played a powerful, continuing role in their success. About the Author Jim Boyd is a retired journalist who lives in Cook County with his wife, Jetty St. John, and his dog, Scarlett. He currently serves as executive director of the Cook County Chamber of Commerce.

Phil

Wilderness anglers will find this book an invaluable resource for where to find the fish and how to catch them. $14.95

Sawdust in Their Blood: 100 Years Of The Hedstrom Lumber Co.

A Century of Perseverance

From Andrew Hedstrom’s humble start sawing lumber on the banks of the Devil Track River north of Grand Marais, the Hedstrom family survived a century to become the modern, no-waste sawmill operation of today. $19.95

shop.northernwilds.com

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Points North Killing wolves is the real issue By Shawn Perich

The gray wolf is a political animal. On October 29, days before the election, the Trump Administration announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was announcing the successful recovery of the gray wolf and delisting the species from the federal protection of the Endangered Species Act. While most wildlife biologists and conservationists agree that the wolf population in the Upper Great Lakes and northern Mountain West has met biological recovery goals for many years, the timing of the recent delisting probably wasn’t coincidence. The Department of the Interior news release contained laudatory statements from politicians, farm groups and hunting organizations celebrating the delisting and the subsequent return of wolf management authority to states and tribes. Their figurative backslaps and high fives may prove to be premature. Wolf advocates have successfully blocked the USFWS’ previous attempts to delist the wolf in Great Lakes States. Most recently, the wolf was delisted in 2012, leading Minnesota to hold regulated hunting and trapping seasons for three years through 2014. Then a court ruling to a lawsuit challenging the USFWS delisting returned federal endangered species protection to the wolf. Wolves are among the few wildlife species where the federal government, rather than states, has management authority. Nearly all wildlife, game and nongame, is the responsibility of the states. For game and furbearing species, the state’s responsibility includes setting seasons and bag limits to ensure sustainable harvests. Wildlife managers in this state and others do a good job of maintaining a relative abundance of these species. There is absolutely no reason to believe they would do any differently with wolves. Let’s get the nut of the wolf issue. When it comes to wolves, the word “manage” is a euphemism for killing. The wolf is an animal that comes into conflict with humans. When that occurs, the outcome may be lethal for the wolf. Under endangered species protections, Minnesota wolves that prey on livestock or pets are trapped and killed by government-authorized trappers. In recent years, they have killed from 132 to 263 wolves. Livestock owners are financially compensated by the state for verified losses. Pet owners are not. When the state has assumed wolf management in the past, the government depredation program has continued. That’s not the only way Minnesota chose to kill wolves. The state also held a lottery-based hunting and trapping season which concluded when

DECEMBER 2020

The real issue in Minnesota is not whether wolves are endangered with extinction, but rather if members of the public will be allowed to kill them. | RYAN PENNESI participants reached a harvest quota. A significant portion of the wolf kill was taken firearms deer season by deer hunters who’d drawn a wolf permit. This brings us to the flip side of the word “manage.” In addition to being a euphemism for “kill,” the word also has a social aspect. “Managing” wolves is really about managing people. It is no secret that some deer hunters see wolves as competition. Allowing deer hunters to shoot a few wolves does little to improve their hunting, but provides at least an illusion that they are doing something to “help” the deer herd. Every action has a reaction. Wolf advocates viewed regulated hunting and trapping as reprehensible. By the same token, most advocates seem to view the wolf depredation program as a necessary evil, because it allows wolves to exist on a human-populated landscape. Actually, going from endangered status to regulated hunting and trapping a year or two later is pretty big leap of logic. Wildlife biologists and hunting advocates often seem to believe that wolves need to be removed from a fully protected status so we can immediately begin killing them through hunting and trapping. While this may make some sense to professional biologists who understand wolf population dynamics and hunters concerned that wolves eat too many deer, it’s a hard sell for the general public. After all, unless you are biologist, hunter or livestock producer, you probably don’t spend much time thinking about wolves unless they are in the news. Our past history with wolves is enough to give many folks pause when it comes to reinitiating hunting and trapping. Wolves were placed on the Endangered Species list in the

NORTHERN WILDS

1970s, after they were wiped out everywhere in the Lower 48 with the exception of northern Minnesota. Prior to that, wolves were unprotected. You could kill a wolf whenever you saw one. At various times and places, wolves were relentlessly pursued for a bounty, and subjected to eradication attempts that included poisoning and hunting from airplanes. For more than a century, wolves were considered a scourge on the landscape. Some folks still view them this way. Biologists correctly argue modern wolf management, including regulated hunting and trapping, is a far cry from the killing free-for-all of the bad old days. Unfortunately, some of the rhetoric spewed by folks who don’t like wolves, and there are plenty of them, is enough to give pause to anyone who is inclined to give the wolves a break. Sure, wolf management may begin with regulated hunting and trapping, but what assurances does the public have that regulations won’t eventually devolve into killing more and more wolves in an attempt, even if misguided, to create wolf-free zones for livestock producers or to bolster deer and moose populations? In states such as Alaska and Idaho, such policies already exist.

accepts hunting for food. They are far less tolerant of hunting for trophies. Since we don’t eat wolves, it is unlikely they will look favorably upon wolf hunting. Those who do support regulated hunting and trapping need to bear this in mind. At this juncture, we don’t really know what Minnesota will do with its newly acquired wolf management authority. The state is in the process of updating its wolf management plan and has convened a broad-based citizen’s committee as well as soliciting public input for guidance. It is reasonable to assume the state will continue a depredation program to assist livestock producers and perhaps establish regulations that allow folks to kill a wolf to defend either livestock or pets from an attack. As for authorizing hunting and trapping, it wouldn’t be surprising if the state took a slower, phased-in approach. Whatever occurs, whether the state is able to move forward and implement its management plan or a lawsuit returns the wolf Endangered Species protection, the outcome will matter more to people than it will to wolves. In Minnesota, wolves will remain.

Changing demographics play a role as well. The majority of the nonhunting public

Shawn Perich’s POINTS NORTH online

Follow outdoor writer Shawn Perich as he reports on conservation issues and explores the North Shore wilderness with his dog Rainy. Sign up for this web exclusive blog at northernwilds.com

SPONSORED

Based on historical Finnish farmsteads, the project employs a shallow frost-protected foundation to minimize excavation and protect existing site hydrology. | A. RUGG

This projects spans two hills and takes advantage of a natural col to direct both water and people through the site. | J. GREER

When Land and Life become Home CHERYL FOSDICK’S COMPELLING DESIGNS As many in the Northern Great Lakes have, I came in on a midwestern contour, from Chicago through St. Paul to Duluth, and continued bending with the compass around the big lake. For more than 30 years, I have conceived buildings on sand and rock, open to gales or protected by woodlanddesigned for incomparable individuals and in the name of family legacies. Every project has a unique site and distinct stories that have been my pleasure to discover and merge through my design practice. In 1991, I opened a branch office of a Minneapolis architectural firm, Mulfinger Susanka—in Duluth. I had not yet grasped the “local soul” of Duluth. Within 3 years a new Duluth firm and partnership was founded. Our work and value grew quickly. Our last co-designed project was the Gooseberry Falls Visitor Center in 1996. I spent a few years teaching at the U of MN School of Architecture, which I still do occasionally now in the College of Design, while working through several regional projects. The combination of an affordable storefront in a depressed section of downtown Duluth and an entrepreneurial ambition had me up and running with a new firm in 1999. My current architectural firm, CF design, has now lived at 230 East Superior Street in Duluth for 22 years. I added an office in Bayfield, WI in 2009. My talented staff and I carefully design residential projects at a variety of scales, from cabins and cottages to family compounds. In all cases, we create homes, fit to a specific site a home depends upon and for specific people that inhabit our projects. We are still in our original office, and

places, if only partially present, are ingredients of an important objective of design. Namely, to recognize, incorporate, and delight in both pleasing harmonies and contrasts between building and site. Before a building program or list of necessities is even penned, a site “in step with a lifetime” generates ideas and desires about inhabiting, using all our senses.

Cheryl Fosdick. | SUBMITTED now sit quite happily at the center of the highly active Duluth Arts and Theater District. Patience regarding Place most certainly paid off. We are happy here—a place I can always hear the deep bass of the Edwin Gott as she passes under the Lift Bridge and watch peregrines fly from the roof of the Greysolon Plaza. Some things, delightfully, never change. In fact, we all have experiences in our lives related to place-making and communing with environments, whether urban, rural, settled or pristine. Qualities of places we have loved alone or together with others stay in memories in the form of scale, color, aroma, texture and sound. That we are comfortable in a leggy forest or an open valley, on a breezy promontory or a rolling grassland is palatable. We know what we like because we recognize the feeling. Memorable qualities we find in

Everyone has a story to tell—a family yarn to spin. When a home is designed for a couple, for instance, collective practices and habits are as important as individual aspirations and memoirs. While our houses should speak to our comforts, motivations and strengths houses also communicate our stories. At their best, our homes represent us—our inheritance, our recollections and our current culture. Designing a home is an opportunity to celebrate ourselves, and our place in the bigger shared community around us. A well-designed home improves many lives, in many ways. In residential design, to be in a hurry is to neglect opportunity. Nothing designed hastily is truly designed well. Sometimes, revelations can occur with the passage of seasons or new love, for instance. It is important to take time in the process to stop and think and to wander outside of our preconceptions. From a business standpoint, the unpredictability of a design process that encourages “pausing at will” is the enemy of good cash flow. As a consumer of the design service, however, it is beneficial to depressurize the process—to pay for time worked and to save when resting with ideas. At my office, we carry many active projects, at

Overlooking a watershed this project designed around daylight opportunities extends indoor space to the outdoors in all directions. | A. RUGG various stages of evolution, knowing that Time is everyone’s greatest asset. It is crazy making, but it works. We are still here. I am always interested in projects at any scale. If you imagine you would enjoy a conversation about your land or structure, let us have a discussion. We suggest an exploratory meeting and hope to include a visit to your site. There is no fee and no obligation. It is an opportunity for us to find our “common ground” and learn a bit from each other. Let us help clarify

our process of design and subsequent construction. Engaging in a design process can be intimidating, but engagement is important: listening, criticism and speculation are the engines driving good work and good work is a matter of confident, committed, diligent—even painstaking practice, mixed with ample magic. Yes. Magic—a belief that creative dexterity and storytelling results in beauty, commodity and performance in built work.—Cheryl Fosdick

CHERYL FOSDICK CF design ltd. o: 218.722.1060 m: 218.343.0983 a: 230 E Superior St. Suite 102 Duluth, MN 55802 w: www.cfdesignltd.com e: cheryl@cfdesignltd.com NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

A Howard Sprague painting depicting bustling activity at the Duluth ore dock in the 1890s. Whaleback barges and whaleback steamers are depicted getting cargo of iron ore. | FROM “THE MISSABE ROAD” BY FRANK A. KING

ORE BOATS

THE LEGEND LIVES ON BY ERIC CHANDLER When I was nine, my family climbed onto the deck of the M/V Roger Blough. During a rare open house in Duluth, we saw first-hand that lake freighters are huge. Vessels that only travel the Great Lakes are traditionally called “lakers” or boats, even though they’re technically ships. The Roger Blough first sailed in 1972, so when I stepped on board in 1976, it was relatively new. At 858 feet long, the boat has been stuck in my mind ever since. My family lives in Duluth now. Sometimes I see the Roger Blough floating by and it makes me smile. When I looked into ore boats, I learned they’re connected to everything else. Shipping is connected to iron mines, railroads, ore docks, the Soo Locks and steel mills. As a curious amateur, it was hard for me to focus on just the ore boat piece of this network. Three things surprised me. First, the earliest shipments of ore happened from places I didn’t expect in interesting vessels. Second, the scale of ore shipping today is bigger than I thought. And third, ore shipping has a massive impact on our economy. 16

DECEMBER 2020

A profile depiction of the completed M/V Mark W. Barker, the newest laker expected to launch in 2022. | THE INTERLAKE STEAMSHIP COMPANY Thanks to Laura Jacobs at the University of Wisconsin-Superior (UWS), I was able to explore the university’s Lake Superior Maritime Collection. With her help, I was able to zero in on the first ore boats. Iron ore was discovered near Marquette, Michigan in 1844. One source from UWS said a test batch of Marquette Range ore was sent to Pennsylvania steel mills in 1850. There were only a couple of small steamers and just a few schooners on Lake Superior at that time.

on the steamer Baltimore. This small consignment to Detroit was the first commercial shipment of iron ore on the Great Lakes. According to a brief history published in the 1910 Annual Report of the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA), the first ore shipped “in any quantity” on Lake Superior happened in September, 1853. Four unnamed vessels took those 152 tons from Marquette to Sault St. Marie (“the Soo”) where they were portaged around the rapids and shipped to steel mills in Pennsylvania.

Then, two sources pointed to a “six barrel” shipment from Marquette in July 7, 1852

Then the LCA report says the steamers Samuel Ward, Napoleon, and Peninsula

NORTHERN WILDS

shipped ore from Marquette in 1854. Supposedly, Mr. McKnight and his horse carted every pound of freight around the rapids at the Soo that year. Construction of locks on the St. Mary’s River connecting Lake Superior to Lake Huron began in 1852. The Soo Locks were finished in 1855 and McKnight’s horse was probably happy about that. The brig Columbia was the first craft to carry Marquette Range ore through the new lock on August 17, 1855 when it took 132 tons to Cleveland. Then ore was mined from the Vermilion Range in Minnesota and shipped by railroad to Two Harbors. The steamer Hecla and the Ironton carried the first ore from there on August 1, 1884. The Ironton was a schooner used as a consort barge, towed by steamships. Then, the Mesabi Range opened up near Mountain Iron, Minnesota. Barge 102, a “whaleback” designed and built in Duluth by Alexander McDougall, carried the first Mesabi Range ore from the Allouez dock in Superior, Wisconsin on November 11, 1892.

A different view of the steamship Hecla, one of the first two boats to carry ore from Two Harbors on August 1, 1884. | LAKE SUPERIOR MARITIME COLLECTIONS, UW-SUPERIOR On July 22, 1893, a brand-new dock on the Duluth side of the harbor got its first Mesabi Range ore. I couldn’t find the name of the boats that carried that first trainload. But there’s a wonderful painting by Howard Sprague. It depicts that Duluth ore dock bustling with barges and steamships, both with the whaleback design. Go see the last surviving whaleback freighter, the SS Meteor, on Barker’s Island in Superior. That 1910 LCA article mentioned that iron ore became the largest percentage of freight on the Great Lakes in 1888. This brings me to my second surprise: the scale of ore shipping today. Several years ago, I saw the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha, the largest boat on the lakes at 1013 feet long, sail out of the Duluth Harbor loaded with coal. Ever since, I mistakenly thought that, since the biggest laker carried it, coal must be a bigger deal than iron ore. I spoke with Deb DeLuca, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, and she quickly corrected me. “In 2019, 59 percent of the 35 million short tons of bulk cargo that was shipped from the Twin Ports was iron ore. That’s over 19 million short tons of ore,” DeLuca said. “The next largest categories were coal at 24 percent, limestone at 10 percent, and grain at 4 percent.” The Port of Duluth-Superior is the largest freshwater port in the world and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics ranked it as number 20 in all American ports by tonnage. Iron is still the champion at one of the busiest ports in the United States. My third surprise was how much those ore shipments impact the rest of our economy. DeLuca pointed me to a study about the Soo Locks that was written by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). While I read it, I kept wondering, ‘Why are they so focused on Lake Superior iron mines?’ Somehow, until I read this 2015 re-

port, I didn’t realize there aren’t any other U.S. iron mines. There’s one mine left near Marquette and several on the Mesabi Range in Minnesota. That’s it. DeLuca told me that “roughly 80 percent of the iron ore shipped from Duluth-Superior goes to U.S. ‘first pour’ steel.” Since most of the integrated steel mills in the U.S. are reached via the lower Great Lakes, the Soo Locks are incredibly important. The biggest modification to the locks was the construction of the Poe lock in 1896 and the expansion of that lock from 800 feet to 1200 feet in length in 1968. That led to the building of the 13 lake freighters that are each at least 1,000 feet long. They all continue to work today. A single One Thousand Footer can carry 70,000 short tons of iron ore. That’s seven trains with 100 rail cars each or 3,000 trucks. The iron ore in a single One-Thousand-Footer is worth about $4 million. The DHS report estimated the value generated by one ton of that ore at $23,800. That means just one laker has an economic impact of $1.7 billion. That’s billion with a B. It’s amazing that such a massive vessel can be run by just a few people. Chrissy Kadleck, Public Relations for The Interlake Steamship Company, taught me about the crews. Kadleck said, “Our crews generally range in size from 22-25 per ship. On the deck side, we have a captain, mates (first, second and third), several deckhands. On the engine side, we have a chief engineer, and three assistant engineers (first, second and third), and a few additional unlicensed positions.” The harsh winter weather and lake ice limit navigation on the Great Lakes. The Soo Locks typically close from approximately January 15 until March 25 each year. That leaves just under a 10-month shipping season. Crews spend a lot of that time away from home. “On the licensed side (the

Barge 102 carried the first Mesabi Range iron ore from the Allouez dock in Superior on November 11, 1892. | LAKE SUPERIOR MARITIME COLLECTIONS, UW-SUPERIOR

captain and mates, chief engineer and assistant engineers), our crewmembers work 60 days on and 30 days off,” said Kadleck. The Interlake Steamship Company is building a brand new laker, named after the company’s president. Construction is underway in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Kadleck said, “Engineering on the M/V Mark W. Barker is progressing well at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding with module fabrication, hull structure, accommodation house structure and engine control room on schedule. The ship is expected to sail in Spring 2022.” This is a milestone event since that will make around 40 years since a fleet added a new laker. “Our M/V Paul R. Tregurtha, originally launched as the M/V William J. DeLancey, was the last ship built for our fleet and she sailed in 1981,” said Kadleck. This new vessel will be 639 feet long and 78 feet wide and will be able to pass through the Welland Canal. This ship will be versatile because it’s able to sail the entire St. Lawrence Seaway as well as the Soo Locks.

The first train to deliver Mesabi Range iron ore to the newly built Duluth ore dock on July 22, 1893. | FROM “THE MISSABE ROAD” BY FRANK A. KING Author Eric Chandler [LEFT], his sister, and his mother tour the M/V Roger Blough in Duluth in 1976. | STEPHEN CHANDLER

I’ve only dipped my toe in the Lake Superior water when it comes to this topic. Because I visited the Roger Blough as a kid, I thought I was smart about lakers. Because I live in Duluth and see them all the time, I thought I knew about shipping. Turns out, I was no smarter than somebody who’s never seen Gitche Gumee and only knows the Edmund Fitzgerald song. Now I know ore boat history on the Great Lakes is richer, larger in scale, and has a broader impact than I realized. Ore boats are sailing into the 21st century and will soon be joined by a brand-new U.S.-built laker. Like the first lyrics in Gordon Lightfoot’s song, “The legend lives on…” The newest laker on the Great Lakes, the M/V Mark W. Barker, under construction at the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding company in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. | THE INTERLAKE STEAMSHIP COMPANY NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

The Yule Log Growing up, the Lonne family did a lot of the same things that everyone else in Minnesota do during the holidays. We cut down our own tree, we drew names for holiday gift giving with our cousins, and we always had a lot of good food to eat. However, my absolute favorite family holiday tradition is our Christmas Eve/Christmas morning festivities. Every year we go to our church’s evening candlelight service, come home, cry while watching “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and then, we wish on our yule log. To be honest, as a 90s baby, I first heard about this tradition when I was about 5 years old after having seen the movie “Beauty and the Beast Enchanted Christmas.” My sisters and I made our parents do it

[L TO R] Author Shelby stands next to her

sisters Carly and Abby. | SHELBY LONNE-ROGENTINE

with us and we’ve been doing it every year since (over 20 years now). The tradition of the yule log is that my dad picks out a log from his wood box near my parents’ wood-burning fireplace in their living room. We then each take a chance to silently hold the log and make a wish on it. Then, either Christmas Eve night or Christmas morning, we burn the log and let our wishes out into the world with the swirling smoke from the chimney. I’ve since looked up the origin of this tradition but the Wikipedia page is pretty vague. It has European descent and used to be used on the 12th night of Christmas as a kind of “good luck for the coming

year” thing. Wherever it comes from, I’ve always really enjoyed this tradition of ours and hold it near to my heart. As I’ve grown up, Christmas doesn’t have this overpowering, jittery, magical feeling like it used to when I was a kid. I still love having a cinnamon roll and coffee and opening up gifts with my family Christmas morning, but I also don’t feel the need to get up at 5 a.m. But the yule log wishing and being together still captures that bit of magic for us, even my sisters and I who are all now adults. We’ve pulled other loved ones in for this tradition in the years since we’ve started it, and I hope we continue to keep it up for years to come.

Where’s the Turkey Dinner? My mom always made a fabulous Christmas Eve dinner, followed by Christmas music and chaotic opening of Christmas presents. A wonderful evening of celebration. Our house was small, so we all crammed into the kitchen and squeezed along the table for the meal (no dining room in this house). But wow, what a great dinner. Juicy roast turkey with apple stuffing (never Canadian bread-like stuffing). Oven-roasted potatoes, browned just perfectly. Her special Estonian sweet-and-sour sauerkraut. Baked verivorst, a national Estonian dish (other countries have different names for it but the English translation “blood sausage” covers it). And a great selection of desserts including Thunder Bay persians for the kids. And when my dad was still alive, each Christmas he’d pour each of the kids a small glass of Sweet Vermouth for the pre-dinner Christmas toast. Mom’s Christmas Eve dinner was a highlight of the season. Later, once I was married and had three children, the traditional turkey dinner continued at mom’s place on Christmas Eve. 18

DECEMBER 2020

Then, a few years before she passed away in 1992, we arrived at her place, looking forward to that home-cooked Christmas turkey dinner. But when we walked in the door, we knew something was different right away—there was no ‘cooking’ aroma. But mom was super cheerful and smiling like she had a wonderful surprise for us. After some chit-chat, we piled into the kitchen and had a moment of “What’s going on? Where’s the Christmas turkey?” The plates were set-up on the Christmas-themed tablecloth—just like every year—but on the table were lots of white closed boxes. Mom’s surprise? Well, she had decided to scrap the traditional turkey dinner and order in Chinese food. That’s what was in the white boxes. From that time on, take-out Chinese food became our new Christmas Eve dinner, even after my mom was gone. Each Christmas, we still chuckle as we reminisce about “Remember when mom ordered Chinese food for Christmas dinner?” Memories.

NORTHERN WILDS

Christmas time was a big deal during our childhood, starting with decorating the Christmas tree to Christmas Eve with turkey dinner, followed by opening the presents. This picture from the mid-1950s was taken a few years after arriving to Canada with me [FAR RIGHT], my sister Molly and brother Tom, with mom hiding behind us. | ELLE ANDRA-WARNER

Christmas Stockings Christmas has always been a big deal in our family, due largely to the influence of my mother, Nora. Our family house was heavily decorated with stars, garlands and angels. But the centerpiece was always the fireplace and the stockings. My brother Roy, sister Marlo and I all had beautiful, hand-crafted felt stockings with reindeer, glitter and our names on them. Mom and Gord Sr. had stockings, too. I’d always assumed my very handy and creative mother made our stockings, but I recently learned my aunt Sharon Ellis made them way back when. You never stop learning. Anyway, the stockings were always first stop on Christmas morning, and had many treats, including chocolate, Mandarin oranges and figs. Yes, figs. My father felt this would be a good dietary choice for his children. There were also more practical things in those stockings, including socks and underwear. You just never knew. As we grew up and gained partners, the Christmas stocking collection grew. Some stockings only had a couple uses; some were around longer. A few were bought, several made by hand. My wife Cheryl had her own stocking before we married, and

Author Gord Ellis [LEFT] his sister Marlo and his brother Roy sit next to the fireplace, where the Ellis family Christmas stocking collection hangs. | GORD ELLIS that one has been hanging at my parent’s house on Christmas day for 30 plus years. Both our boys got their own family Christmas stockings early on as well. My folks house has remained where the “historical” family stockings have hung. And they are opened as a group. A few years back, my mother floated the idea of discontinuing the Christmas

stocking tradition in our family. It was time she said, we were all grown up and adults. The grandkids could still have them, but us grown kids and spouses should be over it. Well, this news was not greeted well by my siblings, or myself. This was our last, thin connection to our childhoods Christmas memories. We might be old, but we wanted our stockings! This hilarious, slightly weird, reaction had my

mother throwing up her arms. Despite her common-sense idea, we broke her down. The vintage Christmas stockings remain, although it is getting crowded on the mantle as my boys both have partners now. The stockings are still hung by the chimney with care. And I couldn’t imagine Christmas without them.

Snacks for Santa When I was a kid, it amazed me how those ungulates landed on our steep roof. Then a giant man in a red suit somehow jammed himself down our chimney on his way around the whole world. I didn’t ask questions because there was a 100 percent chance of new presents under the tree after those unlikely events. My parents always did certain things on Christ- Sam (age 3) examines mas Eve. For example, the evidence and my mom made fondue escape route, 2003. for supper. We took long | ERIC CHANDLER skinny forks, more like swords, and dipped pieces of bread into a pot of melted cheese. I never understood this weird 1970s meal. This tradition didn’t survive into my own family. However, a couple of other rituals lived on for my kids to experience. My parents let me and my sister open one present on Christmas Eve. I ripped open the wrapping

Santa’s aftermath, Christmas 2005. | ERIC CHANDLER paper with the roof of my mouth blistered from superheated cheese. Our main gift-opening frenzy is on Christmas Day. One present the night before is a pressure-relief valve that we still use. My favorite tradition from childhood is leaving messages for Santa on Christmas Eve. The kids wrote their notes and left him a cookie with something to drink. They made sure Rudolph got a carrot. My children did this all through

their younger years. And on Christmas morning? “Wow! Look! Half the carrot is gone!” Just a few crumbs left from the cookie. A film of egg nog drying inside the empty glass. This forensic evidence near the fireplace stopped any childish questions about Santa’s waist size compared to the chimney. In recent years, the empty glass of egg nog smells a little like rum or whatever Santa finds in the cupboard. But maybe that’s my imagination. NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

By Breana Roy

“Northern Animals Wearing Sweaters” by Duluth illustrator and printmaker Carrie Schaefer. | CARRIE SCHAEFER

‘Tis the season It’s my favorite time of year; the festive decorations and sparkling lights, the time spent with loved ones laughing and playing games, eating way too much delicious food, and sipping hot chocolate or cider next to a crackling fireplace. Here’s some winter and holiday inspired artwork in honor of this magical season. Happy Holidays!

“Reach for the Stars” by Aaron Kloss. His work can be found at numerous stores along the North Shore, including Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. | AARON KLOSS 20

DECEMBER 2020

This oil painting by Sara Qualey is titled “Holiday Cheer.” Her work can be found at Lizzards Art Gallery in Duluth. | SARA QUALEY According to Lutsen artist Kari Vick, “there’s no better way to pass a winter’s eve than with the ones you love.” This painting is titled “Merry Me?” | KARI VICK

“Cardinals” is a woodcut by Grand Marais artist Betsy Bowen. View more of her work at Holiday Art Underground. See the event section for more info. | BETSY BOWEN Duluth illustrator Jordan Sundberg created this piece, titled “Hello, Dalaling.” | JORDAN SUNDBERG

NORTHERN WILDS

MARY SCHLIEP

Traditional Norwegian Rosemaling CREATIVE SPACE: By Rae Poynter Art is one of the most powerful ways of keeping heritage alive. While the modern world seems to evolve at an increasingly rapid pace, art has a staying power that connects us to the ways of the past and those who have gone before us. For Mary Schliep, the art of rosemaling is both a beautifying craft and a way to honor her Norwegian roots. Schliep’s father Chris Tormondsen was an immigrant who left Norway at the age of 14 bound for Tofte. It was there that he built a life and where Mary Schliep grew up. Her interest in rosemaling began when her father came home one day with a Norwegian “Tina” box that was decorated with rosemaling. She was captivated by the design and in 1989 she began taking rosemaling classes once a week in Two Harbors. Rosemaling, which means “flower painting” in Norwegian, dates back to the mid1700s. At the time, decorative painters from greater Europe came to Norway to decorate homes for wealthy merchants. In rural Norway, local residents began to imitate the work of the artists who visited the upper-class families, and distinctive styles of rosemaling began to emerge in each region. For example, Telemark rosemaling tends to feature asymmetrical scrolls, while the Hallingdal style features symmetrical designs, and Vest-Agder tends to feature tulips due to frequent trade with Holland. Rosemaling also became popular in rural Sweden. Eventually, immigrants like Schliep’s father brought their folk art with them when they came to the United States, and in places like Minnesota, where many Scandivanian immigrants settled, the tradition of rosemaling continues on.

In 1989, Mary Schliep began taking rosemaling classes once a week in Two Harbors. Now, she teaches six classes a year at the North House Folk School on the Telemark and Valdres styles. | MARY SCHLIEP Most of Schliep’s work comes from consignments. Through attending festivals, people from all over North America have come to know her work, and she gets orders from all over the U.S. and Canada. And in addition to rosemaling, Schliep also teaches Swedish folk painting, or “dalmalning,” which is often more personalized than rosemaling and used to tell stories.

terheim, The National Norwegian-American Museum and Heritage Center in Decorah, Iowa. It was there that she took classes from top instructors, including two instructors from Norway, and perfected her painting skills. The most basic building blocks of rosemaling are C curves and S curves. From there, the scrollwork in rosemaling is made more intricate with detailed patterns and flowers. Rosemaling is often painted on furniture, bowls, platters, or other wood surfaces, sometimes with an accompanying quote.

While the current pandemic has put a pause on in-person classes, those who are interested in learning rosemaling for themselves have options online. “There are so many resources out there today,” Schliep said. “Zoom classes are really interesting and fun to watch—some of them have a fee but some of them are free. North House will have some Zoom classes, and there’s a lot you can find online if you want to learn.”

“I mainly use oil paints for rosemaling,” Schliep said. “Sometimes I’ll use acrylics for other things like painting gnomes, but oils are better for rosemaling.” When the North House Folk School opened in Grand Marais, Mark Hanson contacted Schliep about becoming a rosemaling instructor. She agreed, becoming one of North House’s earliest instructors, and has been teaching six classes a year on the Telemark and Valdres styles. Schliep says that rosemaling is quite popular, and her classes typically have waiting lists for interested learners.

In addition to rosemaling, Schliep also teaches Swedish Folk painting, or “dalmalning.” | MARY SCHLIEP

After taking classes in Two Harbors and continuing to do rosemaling, Schliep headed where many serious rosemalers go: VesNORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

FOCUS ON ARROWHEAD FIBER GUILDS

Warm Up with Fiber Crafts

Betsy Bowen Studio’s

Holiday Art Underground 2020

BEHIND THE CRAFT: By Carol Colburn

November 27 - December 31

Fabulous fresh art from dozens of makers: fiber, glass, woodcuts, cards, books, paintings, pottery, tiles, and wooden ware.

December Studio Hours:

11-5 Thursday through Sunday.

Betsy Bowen Studio

301 First Avenue West Grand Marais ª 218-387-1992

woodcut.com for the webstore @betsybowen for Instagram and Facebook

Winter means cold outside, but cozy inside with the warm embrace of fibers. It is a good time to immerse yourself in fiber in all its forms. Want to start a fiber craft but need inspiration, direction, or don’t know where to start? There are others in the same boat and many more who are willing to help. That is what the fiber guilds do best. In the Minnesota Arrowhead region, we have a number of strong organizations whose main mission is to share the joys of fiber crafts. Knitting, crocheting, felting, spinning, weaving, rug braiding, quilting, sewing, dyeing—the list goes on of crafts that have fiber as their core material. Fibers of all sorts are used to create useful or decorative textiles that enhance our lives in many ways. The fiber community on the North Shore has an allure that stems from the immediate need to stay warm and busy in the cold weather, but also comes from the easy exchange of techniques among crafters, and the traditions of handing down craft in families and among friends. With so many fiber techniques, where do new or curious fiber artisans find community? The North House Folk School in Grand Marais regularly teaches a long menu of fiber courses and is a wonderful place to begin honing and exploring fiber techniques. Fiber guilds are another place to learn and craft together, and to find mentors and fellow enthusiasts in a welcoming environment. Nearby guilds include the Northwoods Fiber Guild, the Range Fiberart Guild, and the Duluth Fiber Handcrafters Guild. One thing that I have observed while teaching both in folk schools and fiber guilds is that cooperation between these small organizations is essential for the betterment of all. In the last couple of years, North House has cooperated with three regional fiber guilds to expand its programming to include floor loom weaving, which required an investment in space and equipment. To help make this happen, guilds worked

Carol [RIGHT] prepares fiber for spinning with the Duluth Fiber Handcrafters Guild. | SUBMITTED together to gather borrowed looms and teach the first series of classes. Students at North House can now learn to weave colorful rag rugs and weave their own fabric for home, clothing and accessories. The Northwoods Fiber Guild, based in Grand Marais, also works closely with North House to co-sponsor the annual Northern Fibers Retreat. Each February, a full week of classes, presentations, and children’s workshops all focus on fiber topics. Many area instructors contribute by sharing the rich history of fiber arts in this region. This is a sampling of the cooperation that enriches fiber craft in our home territory. All small volunteer organizations are facing challenges this year during the pandemic, and the guilds are no exception. Annual fundraisers, meeting locations, and scheduled presentations and classes have all had to change as we look for ways to connect safely. Some virtual programming is starting among these guilds, but many guild members live in remote areas across the North Country, and may

NORTH HOUSE FOLK SCHOOL

TRADITIONAL CRAFT ONLINE & ON THE HARBOR

NORTHHOUSE.ORG

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

not have strong broadband connections. Although we miss gathering in person for now, we are working to adapt and connect in new ways to continue to support each other in our craft. You can visit North House Folk School’s website where some classes and free programs are now offered virtually to help inspire artisans crafting in isolation (northhouse.org). Fiber crafters report that they are finding joy in crafting at home, even if we all miss the wonderful visual and tactile experiences at in-person showand-tells when fiber folks gather. I hope this introduction and update on fibers will inspire you to find new fiber friends, and lend your support to our organizations and guilds in your local area. If you do, the snowy days ahead will be warmed by your own inspired fiber craft. Carol Colburn lives in Duluth and is a lead Fiber Art instructor at North House Folk School, where traditional craft is taught on the shore of Lake Superior.

VIRTUAL HOLIDAY CRAFT REVIVAL

Nov. 22-Dec. 6 Due to Covid-19, this year’s Holiday Craft Revival in Thunder Bay will take place virtually. The shopping portal will open Sunday, Nov. 22 and will close on Sunday, Dec. 6. Shop from over 150 art and craft vendors, all from Northwestern Ontario. Artists and vendors include Vik Wilen, Gold Sparrow, Superior Mandalas, Indigo Jane, Monique Gouthro, Pulp + Paper, Urban Farmchick, and more. To access the shopping portal, visit: thecraftrevivaltbay. com. More information can also be found at: facebook.com/craftrevivaltbay.

BENTLEYVILLE “TOUR OF LIGHTS”

Nov. 21-Dec. 27 The annual Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” walking display in Duluth will be held as a drive-thru experience this year, due to Covid-19. Located in Bayfront Festival Park, enjoy a drive-thru tour under the glow of over 5 million lights in a 20-acre park, situated on the shores of Lake Superior. Held from Nov. 21-Dec. 27, it will be open from 5-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 5-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is $10 per vehicle, paid at the gate (cash or credit cards accepted); no vehicles over 20 feet in length or 8 feet in height will be permitted. Presale tickets will not be available. Kids 10 and under will receive a free knit hat and cookies from a window-side Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the Bentleyville Gift Shop will be located in The Sports Garden in Canal Park. To learn more, visit: bentleyvilleusa.org.

HOLIDAY ART UNDERGROUND

Nov. 27-Dec. 31 Betsy Bowen Studio in Grand Marais presents the annual Holiday Art Underground show, featuring new art from dozens of makers. You’ll find paintings, pottery, fiber, woodcuts, glass, tiles, cards, books, and wooden ware. The studio will be open from 11-5 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays. To learn more, visit: woodcut.com.

This year’s Julebyen fest, located in Knife River, will take place virtually Dec. 5-6. There will be family activities, virtual performances, a marketplace, and more. | SUBMITTED and music. This year’s Julebyen fest, held in Knife River near Duluth, will take place virtually, featuring family activities, a marketplace, and more. Visit the Troll Village’s virtual book corner and a variety of recreational exhibits and vendors, as well as the Gnome Dome for virtual performances and activities. Families can also hike on their own along the Knife River hiking trail to decorate a special tree with handmade ornaments (easily assembled in the woods) or edible ornaments for animals, or notes with well wishes for the world. To learn more and see the full schedule, visit: julebyen.us.

DSSO BENTLEYVILLE HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR

Visit the Betsy Bowen Studio in Grand Marais for the annual Holiday Art Underground art show, now through Dec. 31. | SUBMITTED

Dec. 5, Saturday Enjoy a concert by the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra right from your living room. DSSO Live provides you with an at-home experience, so you’re guaranteed to have the best seat in the house. On Saturday, Dec. 5, enjoy visuals from Bentleyville’s archives paired with your holiday favorites from the orchestra. You can even join the orchestra in a sing-a-long. The concert will take place at 7 p.m. To register and purchase tickets, visit: dsso.com.

VIRTUAL JULEBYEN

Dec. 5-6 Julebyen means “Christmas Village.” It is a centuries-old Scandinavian and German tradition celebrated with ethnic foods, crafts, holiday decorations

VIRTUAL SANTA SHUFFLE FUN RUN AND ELF WALK

Dec. 5-12 Every year, the Santa Shuffle brings individuals from across the country to support vulnerable Canadians and the

work of The Salvation Army. This year is no exception, but it will be held virtually. This family-friendly 5k run/walk, held Dec. 5-12, will feature lots of fun surprises, prizes and contests. Participants are encouraged to complete the run/walk on their own or with a team (physical distancing practices in place). And don’t forget to dress up to spread the joy and festivities of the season with your community. All participants will receive a special 30 th anniversary medal and participants who fundraise $50 or more will receive a free Santa Shuffle T-shirt; if you fundraise $250, you will receive a $25 Running Room gift card. To register, visit: santashuffle.ca.

LIGHT UP A LIFE

Dec. 10, Thursday Sponsored by Care Partners of Cook County, the 12th Annual Light Up a Life event offers community members the opportunity to celebrate the life of a loved one during the holiday season, while supporting end of life care. Each $5 donation lights one bulb in memory of one person on the memory tree, located in front of Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais. This year, a virtual candle-lighting ceremony of celebration and reflection will be held on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 5 p.m. Donation forms are available online at: carepartnersofcookcounty.org.

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

We would like to express our thanks and gratitude for being named Cook County Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year

Wishing Everyone a safe and healthy Holiday Season! Nora, Margie, Smith Law Scott & Tyson

www.GrandMaraisStateBank.com

PLLC

Scott Smith, Attorney at Law 1710 West Highway 61, P.O. Box 66 Grand Marais, Minnesota 55604 Telephone: 218-387-9800 scott@arrowheadlegal.com

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

Grand Marais: 218.387.2441 · Tofte: 218.663.7891

The North Shore Dish Winter Cocktails for the Holiday Season By Chuck Viren

It takes a special sort of genius, I think, to devise innovative cocktails that delight the palate and warm the belly on a cold winter night. This genius must have a keen sense for blending flavors, the spirit of an alchemist, and an artistic flair. For this article I sought out establishments with a reputation for quality and spoke with their knowledgeable experts. They are Emily Vikre of Vikre Distillery in Duluth, Mari Skaf at The Sovereign in Thunder Bay, and Seth Johnson at Lutsen Resort. Emily Vikre grew up in Duluth, and as the child of a Norwegian mother, holds dual citizenship. After studying biology at Carleton College, she moved out East, where she worked as a science journalist and as a museum educator. She eventually earned a Ph.D. in food policy and behavioral theory from Tufts University. Lake Superior had a grip on her, though, and she would reacquaint herself when she visited her mother. It was at a wedding on one such visit that she met her husband Joel, who ironically was from out East. During one visit home with Joel, they were sipping whiskey at her mother’s house. The conversation turned to distilling spirits, and it dawned on them that Duluth was a great place for a distillery: It had an abundance of great water and proximity to the grains used in making spirits. The idea possessed them, as they were attracted to the notion of moving back to Duluth. What followed was a couple of years of research, fundraising, acquisition of materials, and an apprenticeship on Bainbridge Island. By 2013 they had all their license to distill and started making gin. That’s when Emily’s creative genius inspired them to make some very innovative spirits. Gins infused not only with juniper berries, but with spruce or cedar. They have also developed the first aquavit produced in Minnesota, vodka, and now several varieties of whiskey. Throughout it all, the North Shore has been their inspiration. They have designed a place where people can come and enjoy some very creative cocktails as well. Before the age of covid, they had a cocktail room. Now they only operate outdoors. That will not change during the winter months, either. Tapping into the Norwegian spirit of “friluftsliv,” the free-air life, they are creating their Winter Wunderbar in the back of their building. They will build fires and, as Emily says, “capture the joy that is winter.”

Visit Vikre Distillery in Duluth for a selection of winter and holiday-themed cocktails, as well as hot drinks, such as their take on a Norwegian hot chocolate. | HANNA VOXLAND NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Warming cocktails will, of course, be served. Emily has developed a line-up of winter and holiday-themed cocktails, featuring their own spirits and house-made liqueurs and syrups, to sip around their backyard fire. There is the Minnesota Martinez, which contains their spruce gin, vodka, an herb liqueur, vermouth, and a spiced ginger syrup. Also on the menu is a mizo caramel old-fashioned. Their take on a Manhattan blends whiskey, fig vermouth, and a house-made amaro. They have a variety of hot drinks for a cold winter night as well. There is the Norwegian hot chocolate. It contains geitøst (brown goat cheese), white chocolate, lingonberry, and aquavit. You can also order hot toddies and spiced hot cider. Speaking of spice, there is the Patience Young Grasshopper. In it you will find ancho chili aquavit, whiskey, mint eucalyptus syrup, and a quinine tincture. Further up the shore in Thunder Bay, The Sovereign has been serving up good food and drinks for about 10 years. Owner Scott Arnot moved back from Toronto with a desire to open a bistro pub that serves quality food. They are well known for their brunch menu. According to front of house/bar manager Marie Skaf, this winter’s menu will include their famous chicken and waffles with maple bourbon syrup, egg salad sando, a Japanese finger sandwich, and their Full Sov, a traditional breakfast with in-house smoked bacon. Their dinner menu will also feature many hearty items for winter.

Enjoy an espresso martini at The Sovereign in Thunder Bay. | THE SOVEREIGN

The Vikre aquavit cocktail is popular at Vikre Distillery. | DANA HAIFERTY

house-made eggnog that Skaf says, “tastes like a liquid Captain Crunch.” It can be served alcohol free or with Sortilege maple whiskey. Either way, it is topped with fresh grated nutmeg. They will also have their honey chili bourbon with chili-infused honey, ginger beer, and bourbon that is sure to warm their patrons on a cold winter day. Or you could try their seasonal old fashioned, where they mix maple syrup into their traditional old-fashioned syrup.

Their line-up of winter cocktails is out as well. It stars their Sov Nog, which is a

At Lutsen Resort, food and beverage supervisor Seth Johnson revealed some high-

lights from their new winter cocktail menu. There is Santa’s Stumble, a sugar cookie themed martini with bay leaves, amaretto, and vanilla vodka. It is shaken until frothy and served in a glass rimmed with Christmas-colored sprinkles. Another soon-to-be classic is A Winter’s Walk, which plays on the Moscow mule. It contains Vikre juniper gin, ginger beer, fresh lime juice, and pureed lingonberries. For hot drinks they will have a house mulled wine. This combines North Shore Winery’s Boundary Waters Red with apple cider, honey, cinna-

Try the Santa’s Stumble cocktail at Lutsen Resort. It’s a sugar cookie themed martini with bay leaves, amaretto and vanilla vodka. | LUTSEN RESORT mon, star anise, and cloves. Another hot option is their Comet’s Coffee, Cocoa, and Cordials. One selects coffee or cocoa, then adds either Bailey’s, Kahlua, RumChata, or Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey. So, wherever you are, there is a dedicated cocktail alchemist near you, just waiting to warm you with their wintery concoctions of spirits. Or perhaps you can take inspiration from these recipes and develop your own version of wondrous winter warmth.

Shop Online for Next Day Curbside Pick Up M-F, 11am-6pm Shop at: cookcounty.coop

Money Exchange Parcel Pickup Family Owned Since 1947

Gifts Galore!

nner! wi

Gas

www.RydensBorderStore.com

10 am - 7 pm

D ate Nig ht T h ur s d ay s 6-8 p .m. R ese r vation s R e co mm e nd e d 212 Ski Hill Road, Lutsen

northshorewinery.us DECEMBER 2020

10,000 U.S. and Canadian Souvenirs

Open 7 Days a Week

2020

218-475-2330

Duty-Free Liquor

NORTHERN WILDS

Organic, Local & Natural Groceries Freshly Made Bakery Goods Hot Coffee | Cold Drinks Grab & Go Deli | Wellness Department Where Community Health is our Greatest Wealth!

20 East First St. Grand Marais, MN cookcounty.coop 218.387.2503

The North Shore’s full-fiber broadband network, providing phone & internet service throughout Cook County.

218-663-9030

TrueNorth@arrowhead.coop TrueNorthBroadband.com

Mind Your B’s and Glu(cosamines)

We tend to consider vitamins and supplements as harmless, but many supplements contain active ingredients that can have strong effects in the body, especially in conjunction with other prescribed medications you may be taking. Vitamin K, for example, can reduce the effects of anti-clotting drugs such as Warfarin. St. John’s wort can speed the breakdown of many medicines and reduce their effectiveness (including some antidepressants, birth control pills, heart medications, and anti-HIV medications). Antioxidant supplements, such as vitamins C and E, might reduce the effectiveness of some types of cancer chemotherapy. Other supplements, if taken before surgery, can change your response to anesthesia. The list goes on with the point being the same—

Another thing to keep in mind when considering the intake of vitamins or supplements is that many manufacturers add vitamins, minerals, and other supplement ingredients to foods you eat, especially breakfast cereals and beverages. As a result, you may get more of these ingredients than you think, and more might not be better. Taking more than you need costs more and might also raise your risk of side effects. For example, too much vitamin A can cause headaches and liver damage, reduce bone strength, and cause birth defects. Excess iron causes nausea and vomiting and may damage the liver and other organs. Pregnant and nursing women should be cautious about taking dietary supplements. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by a healthcare provider. Many supplements have not been sufficiently tested for safety in pregnant/nursing women or children. Also keep in mind the term “natural” doesn’t always mean safe. Some all-natural botanical products can harm the body if not taken properly. A dietary supplement’s safety depends on many things, such as its chemical makeup, how it works in the body, how it is prepared, and the amount you take.

When meeting with your health care provider, it’s important to list all medications you’re taking, including any vitamins and supplements. | STOCK Communication is the bottom line. If you feel like you are deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral or feel you might benefit in some way from taking one, talk to

Line

If any of this sounds familiar or can be found lurking in your medicine cabinet, have you mentioned it to your health care provider? Typically, when you have an appointment with your medical provider, you will be asked to review the list of medications you are taking. It’s critical that you list the new blood thinning medication your cardiologist put you on, but did you also remember to mention the new multivitamin you’ve started, the one with vitamin K in it?

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Do you take a daily vitamin or dietary supplement? Common vitamins include vitamin D and B12, minerals such as calcium and iron, herbs like echinacea and garlic and other products like glucosamine, probiotics and fish oil. These supplements come in a variety of forms: tablets, capsules, gummies, powders and even energy drinks and bars.

it’s incredibly important to list all the pills, powders, gummies and tablets you ingest. Consider everything an important medication that needs to be listed right alongside your blood pressure and cholesterol pills. A simple form found online can be helpful for keeping track of what you take. Google “dietary supplement record sheet” to find a convenient print out and bring it with you to your next visit.

Cook County

By Amy Schmidt

your medical provider first. Together, you can decide what is best for your particular health needs.

How the heck are you?

Hard time concentrating?

Feeling sad or burned out? Anxious about getting through the winter? Irritated with your spouse or kids? COVID stress can be hard, and these are all normal responses to our stressful situation. Having a plan for each day of the week can make the things go by better. Need help with your COVID plan? Call the Community Support Line!

(218) 877-7071

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

T B AY ON

WHERE LIVING IN THE MOMENT LASTS A LIFETIME

STAY HOME & STAY SAFE VISITTHUNDERBAY.COM

s a m t s Chri at

y r nds r e i e r f r M om you nklin. ra F n e B s e n y o J fr

10 off

every $50 spent with this coupon

One coupon per purchase. Good Nov. 30 - Dec. 31, 2020

Sale items included. In-stock items only. Gift Certifcates not included.

Everyone’s Favorite Store on the Shore 105 Wisconsin St., Grand Marais, MN 55604 (218) 387-2233 • joynes@boreal.org

CLIP OR MENTION COUPON AT CHECK OUT.

POLYMET’S MINE WILL PROVIDE ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AND STABILITY

Iron mining built the Iron Range. Mining seven new metals will diversify and expand its economy buffering against cyclical downturns affecting any one of them. polymetmining.com NYSE American: PLM TSX: POM

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

Northern Trails 2020 The Good, Bad and Ugly By Gord Ellis

As we approach the end of 2020, it is a good time to look back and take stock. I don’t think any of us could have imagined the changes we were facing as the clock flipped to January 2020 and the new year was born. This past year, so much has changed, and yet some things have stayed the same.

It was a devastating season, and only time will tell what the long-term impact will be. Like most people, when the pandemic hit in mid-March, and the new COVID-19 measures were implemented, I stayed mostly in my house. I can recall my last ice fishing trip of the year, which was the weekend before the strictest measures came in. There was already talk of masks and social distancing. It didn’t seem like it would impact my outdoor adventures, but that was my last time on the ice. It felt safer to stay home, although being inside all the time is not my happy place. When spring came, and the snow disappeared, cabin fever was at its height. Working from home, slipping out once a week for groceries, made the world seem very small. A general sense of foreboding didn’t help. Fresh air and natural light were much needed. Luckily, the arrival of spring also meant the streams were opening and the steelhead would be running. But could normal fishing happen safely? In southern Ontario, there had already been news of boat ramps being closed, and access to certain popular fishing spots being closed due to concerns about COVID-19. In the northwest of Ontario, that never really happened. However, the North Shore Steelhead Association had the good sense to be pro-active and encouraged anglers to socially distance on the streams. They suggested a “rods length away” as a good distance and that resonated. When I did finally get out steelhead fishing, it was quite obvious that most people were doing their best to keep a safe distance from each other on the streams. Sure, it

A nice steelhead caught by Gord Ellis last spring. | GORD ELLIS varied depending on where you were—and when—but mostly I felt safe. And what a difference fishing made to my overall mental health and happiness. It was also in the springtime that it became abundantly clear how big an impact COVID-19, and the subsequent border closure, would have on the outdoor tourism industry in northwestern Ontario. It is hard to overstate what an important part of the northern economy fishing and hunt-

ing tourism is, and how many spin offs there are. Sufficient to say that many small towns in the north depend on that largely American money to drive the economy. Yet in 2020, this sector of the economy never really happened. Some outfitters never opened at all. Many got prepared to open, awaiting news the border would re-open during the summer. Some of the larger outfits rescheduled people who would normally come up in the spring to later summer,

only to have that become a reschedule until 2021. Most fishing and hunting guides worked very little, if at all. Some businesses worked to attract Canadian business where possible. However, it was a devastating season, and only time will tell what the long-term impact will be. Another outdoor sector in the northwest that saw a large impact was tournament fishing. While cancelling tournaments alone may not seem like that big a deal, it’s

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Cook County

smaller and done under strict COVID-19 policies. Again, the impact of the loss of these types of events is difficult to fully gauge, but one wonders how many will be able to rise from the ashes when the pandemic is finally over. On the plus side—and despite so much fear—the boating, RV and fishing gear industry seemed to do pretty well through 2020. Boats sold especially well, as did ca-

Making a Covid Plan

Line

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

once again the spin offs that caused a hit. Places like Atikokan, Fort Frances and Kenora have huge fishing events that become the biggest week of the summer. Anglers taking part stay in hotels or lodges, buy food, booze, tackle and gas, and promote the region via social media. Local folks normally jam tents to watch the weigh-ins live. In 2020, most of the large summer tournaments were cancelled. There were some events in the fall, but they were generally

Plan ahead in case you have to stay home as a close contact or you test postive for COVID-19. Here are some things to think about: Who can walk my dog? Who can pick up my medications? How will I get my groceries? Having a plan for each day of the week can make the things go by better. Need help with your COVID plan? Call the Community Support Line!

noes, kayaks and other watercraft. People seemed to want to get outside, and the reality of the stay-cation in 2020 meant a lot more folks went camping. Provincial parks were jam packed, and crown land camping sites were also in high demand. Hiking trails were very popular spots, too. While there was no American traffic on many of the waters that typically have a lot of state-side use, that didn’t mean that there was a ton less angling. During a summer trip to Lake of the Woods this past summer, I was surprised to see how much fishing was still taking place, both by locals and visiting Canadians. The large guide boats weren’t out, but a lot of other boats were. At a local tackle store in Kenora, the owner told me while the lack of American anglers had been noticeable, he said there had been a large uptick in sales to locals. As we look towards 2021, there are too many variables in play to even hedge a guess at what the year will hold. It is hard to imagine the year being worse than this one. There is enough talk of a potential vaccine to provide some hope that life will return to a semblance of normal. Yet there is still a ways to go. So many people have suffered this year, whether it be due to a lost job, a family or friend who got sick, or due to anxiety

caused by the pandemic. My heart goes out to them. Speaking personally, I’m thankful that my family and I were able to get through 2020 healthy and whole. I wish you all the very best as we continue to negotiate these unprecedented times.

(218) 877-7071

11' 10'

11'

BY JOE SHEAD WHY GO: Lake Eighteen is a quiet, out-ofthe-way lake with good shore fishing opportunities. Anglers have to carry in their boats, which keeps big boats out, although the trail from the parking lot to the water is only about 10 feet. The shoreline is entirely publicly owned and a trail all the way around the lake provides shore fishing opportunities. ACCESS: Lake Eighteen is located 2 miles north of Isabella, just off Trappers Lake Road. There’s a USFS carry-down access on the east shore with parking for about five vehicles. The lake also has three free USFS campsites available on a first come, first served basis. An outhouse is also available. VITALS: At just 102 acres and with a maximum depth of 12 feet, Lake Eighteen is relatively easy to figure out, which is good, since anglers are limited to shore fishing or using small boats. It’s a simple fishery, pretty much consisting of just perch and walleyes. The bottom content is mostly rock, rubble and gravel, with few aquatic plants. You’ll also find downed trees along the shoreline for structure. GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Walleye and yellow perch. WALLEYE: “(Eighteen) produces above-average walleye catches in our surveys,” said Kevin Mott, assistant area fisheries supervi-

DECEMBER 2020 NOVEMBER 2020

sor at the Finland DNR office. “It has good numbers of fish in the 14- to 18-inch range.” Mott said most anglers who visit the lake target walleyes. He said the DNR began stocking walleyes around 1970 and has stocked them fairly consistently since then. In recent years, he said the DNR has stocked walleyes at a higher rate, but it hasn’t seemed to increase the catch rate, so stocking will likely be pared back. With fairly good water clarity (6 feet) Mott said fishing during low-light periods is best. Campers at the three sites on the lake can even catch walleyes right from their campsites. YELLOW PERCH: Yellow perch serve as forage for walleyes. “It’s a pretty simple fish community,” Mott said. “The perch tend to not get too big, but people can catch a meal of perch if you’re willing to sort.” There are about three little clearings along the walking trail where shore anglers can fish comfortably and have a chance at catching fish. BYE BYE, BASS: Smallmouth bass were stocked decades ago, but few, if any remain. This bucks the trend of other area lakes where smallies are on the rise, to the detriment of walleye populations.

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

NORTHERN NORTHERN WILDS WILDS

EIGHTEEN LAKE

10'

12' 10'

8' 5'

Lake Access

MUSH LAKE RACING DOG BLOG BY ERIN ALTEMUS

Hindsight is Always 2020 I ended my last blog on a rather upbeat note in a year when I should have known better. At the end of our first month of fall training, I felt we were focused on a solid race team. Our training miles were accruing nicely. The weather had been cooperative. The dogs were healthy. All of this fell apart after my husband Matt suffered a major health event. Many say he is “lucky to be alive.” Lucky or unlucky, his story is his own and I can only tell you mine. I spent a week at my husband’s bedside at a hospital in Duluth in mid-October. Friends and family jumped in to help take care of the dogs at home. Halfway through this week, I went home for a night, taking our daughter Sylvia with me and meeting up with my parents at Mush Lake. That evening, I made a grave mistake, running a dog team instead of tending to my daughter. I thought she would enjoy the time with grandma and grandpa. I thought she would adjust to me being gone for a few hours. Mostly though, I didn’t really think. According to my parents, the tantrum was long and intense and finally ended with her falling asleep on the stairwell up to her bed. That night it snowed five inches. I took pride in starting up the skid steer, putting on the tire chains and changing out the bucket for the snowblower, thanks to some helpful YouTube videos. But my father and I couldn’t quite figure the snowblower out. The stress of needing to return to Duluth while worrying that my parents wouldn’t be able to forge through the unplowed driveway weighed heavily on me. In the

end, I lent them my car with the snow tires in place. Sylvia and I went back to Duluth and she went on to stay with her cousins. A week after Matt’s trip down to Duluth in a helicopter, Sylvia and I drove him home. Over the past three weeks, I have continued training dogs. What once felt like a difficult task to hook up and run a 16dog team, is now feeling easy compared to mothering a three-year-old. Harness 16 dogs, run each one to the line, duck the biters, avoid tripping, and stay calm amidst the chaos. The crescendo of frothing, biting and screaming dogs heightens until finally the last dog is hooked up and I run to the ATV, release the parking brake and catapult out of the yard. Then, each dog runs. It’s quiet except for the low hum of the ATV. I gradually get colder and colder sitting there in the windchill and while it’s uncomfortable I persevere because hey, this is easy. One day my mother helped me hook up the team. She managed to harness a few dogs and let them drag her over to the gangline without falling over. I watched her struggle with the clips while they jumped and lunged. Finally, I sent her for Ringo and soon he flew by the parked team and up the driveway ahead. I found Ringo a mile later where he let me hook him up. We don’t know yet if Matt can run or race dogs this year. He gradually recuperates strength each day. Our friend Anna returned to the area after a brief trip to Alaska. She helped us a lot with the dogs last year and has volunteered to help until

The cookie litter: Chip, Oreo, Ginger and Lorna with their favorite playmate, Sylvia. | SUBMITTED Matt gets back on his feet. The two of us have done a few runs together. Yesterday, we hooked up the 16-dog main team and took the trail north where we had yet to go this year. The trail veers down an incredibly steep, but short hill toward the Gunflint. On the ATV, this means gearing down to avoid careening out of control. At the bottom we could see a large tree across the trail and as the ATV bumped down the hill, I tried everything in my power to stop before hitting the tree. The dogs all jumped over the tree and though I slowed the machine, we still hit the tree with a thunk, cracking the tree in the middle but not enough to move it. The dogs lunged ahead energized by this new and exciting trail that proffered up an obstacle for the mushers to contend with. I tried pushing the tree with the ATV to no avail. We tried putting the weight of the team on the tree itself so that the dogs would pull it ahead. This worked to move

half of the tree forward, but still we were stuck on the trunk. Finally, I unhooked a bunch of tug lines which took some of the power out of the team, allowing us to reverse the ATV and finally get unstuck from the trunk and free. We all know 2020 has been a terrible year. Which brings me to hindsight. If we had known about the tree across the trail, we would have brought the chainsaw, or scouted the trail before running. If I had known that running dogs when Sylvia needed me most, while she tried to make sense of the chaos surrounding her, I would have stayed home. If I had realized Matt was having a bad, bad heart issue, I would have brought him in sooner. That’s the nature of looking to the past. But who’s looking behind them now? Let’s ring in a new year.

BEST THING ABOUT A WINTER DAY?

A WINTER NIGHT.

Sometimes the best thing about a North Shore winter is escaping it for just a little while. Come inside and make yourself at home!

AmericInn Lodge & Suites Silver Bay 150 Mensing Drive, Silver Bay, MN 218 226-4300

AmericInn.com | 800.634.3444

AmericInn Lodge & Suites Tofte 7231 W Hwy 61, Tofte, MN 55615 218.663.7899

Free hot, home-style breakfast | Hotel-wide, high-speed Internet | Indoor Heated Pool, Hot Tub & Sauna | Wyndham Rewards loyalty program NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Gunflint Pines

Glide on Frosty Trails this Winter!

Year-Round Cabins Ski/Snowshoe Rentals Ice Fishing Gift Shop & Grocery Pizza & Ice Cream Open to the Public

Over 70 km of Ski Trails

218.388.4454 www.gunflintpines.com 217 South Gunflint Lake Grand Marais, MN 55604

218-388-2203 www.Golden-Eagle.com

South of the Border

The Genuine. The Original.

Breakfast Served All Day

HEAD DOOR OVER

C · a · f · e

Lunch • Homemade Soups

DECEMBER 2020 By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH

Overhead Door Company of Duluth

We’re Open Before the Fish Bite!

24 hour service

Open 5 am - 2 pm Everyday!

Phone 218-722-2884 www.ohdnorthernmn.com

Located at the stop light in Grand Marais

218-387-1505

4214 Airpark Blvd. Duluth, MN 55811

FREE Shipping* & 33% OFF

Rich In Vitamin C

Mixed Fruit Medley

This year, December belongs to Jupiter and Saturn. The two giant planets put on a show just before they drop over the horizon, on their way to the morning sky And what a show it is. At 7:25 a.m. on the 21st, Jupiter and Saturn make their closest approach since 1623. Jupiter, with its higher orbital speed, glides just 0.1 degrees—about one-fifth of a moon width— below Saturn. Because this happens in early morning, when Jupiter and Saturn aren’t visible, the evening of either the 20th or the 21st will be the best time to look. The two planets will be so close that through a small telescope they, along with many of their moons, will fit into a single field of view. Jupiter regularly overtakes Saturn like this; on average, it passes the ringed planet every 19.6 years. But they won’t get this close again until 2080. To see them, go out as soon as the sky darkens enough to reveal two orbs, one (Jupiter) much brighter, very low in the southwest. Try following the

WAS $29.99

NORTHERN SKY

NOW ONLY

planets’ approach and separation over several days; say, from the 16th through the 23rd. On the 16th, a very young, thin crescent moon comes out below them, making a pretty trio. If you have neither a small telescope nor a good friend with one, try binoculars, especially if you can steady them with a tripod. If all else fails, images of the event are sure to pop up online. Winter arrives officially at 4:02 a.m. on the 21st. At that moment the sun reaches a point over the Tropic of Capricorn and begins its annual trek back toward the northern sky. December’s full moon comes at 9:28 p.m. on the 29th. It rises in late afternoon, opposite a sinking sun. The University of Minnesota’s public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth and Twin Cities campuses have been curtailed due to the pandemic. For more information and viewing schedules, visit: d.umn.edu/planet.

Send a box full of Winter Sunshine. 3 unique varieties + FREE Shipping!*

These healthy, hand-picked, snack size fruit are specially nurtured and treasured for their ultra-sweet flavor. These will delight everyone on your list and for a very special price.

• 6 Rio Ruby™ Red Gems • 8 Tiny Tim Navels • 4 Mini Fuji Apples

1-855-736-7623

Visit PittmanDavis.com/MN109 Order Item #MXSP, mention Code PNVH-N109 and Save 33%

Only $19.99 (reg. $29.99), plus FREE Shipping.* Satisfaction completely guaranteed. Order by December 17, 2020 for GUARANTEED Christmas delivery.

Call Now or go Online and SAVE 33% with FREE Shipping* Limited time offer, good while supplies last. Not valid with any other offer. Limit 5 boxes per customer.

* Free standard shipping to the 48 contiguous states.

DECEMBER 2020

Pittman & Davis, Harlingen, TX 78552

NORTHERN WILDS

IC: PNVH-N109

Sponsored by

Mark D. Consulting, LLC Serving Businesses and Residential Customers. 218-663-7149 Mark@MarkDConsulting.com

Wild Traditions The offal truth: Culinary art of organ meats and offal mixed with onions, oats, suet, salt, stock and spices traditionally blended together inside of a sheep’s stomach. From the home kitchen to the neighborhood pub, haggis is still celebrated in Scottish culture and can even be found in tins on supermarket shelves.

By Julia Prinselaar

If you’re willing to try beef tongue or any unusual cut of meat, contacting a local farm, butcher or the nearest abattoir should yield promising leads. You may want to consider quality and opt for grass-fed beef or free-range chicken. Here’s a simple recipe for cooking beef tongue that’s popular in Latin America. The result is a tender, soft meat that could easily double as brisket. For the price and the satisfaction of using more of the animal, you may be converted—maybe even inspired to try something a little different for Christmas dinner.

As a dog owner I have noticed a growing, often confusing selection of pet foods on the market. From single-source protein diets to raw food, the pet food industry appears to have taken a sophisticated turn from grocery store kibble supplemented with grains and unfamiliar additives. Brand preferences aside, a key ingredient in most pet foods is offal—the internal organs and entrails of butchered animals. These and other byproducts of meat processing contain the nutrients animals crave for optimal health. But is offal just food for the dogs, and is there a message here for humans? Growing up in a family with close ties to our European ancestry, I was exposed to a sense of appreciation for using more of the whole animal. My mother, who considers wasting food tantamount to a biblical sin, occasionally stews beef tripe in tomatoes, a dish she enjoyed in a household with roots in pastoral Southern Italy. After every Thanksgiving dinner, she puts the turkey straight into a stock pot and lets it simmer well into the evening (poultry is known for high contents of collagen). Both of my parents love to cook breaded liver and onions, and my dad was raised in a family that roasted beef tongue on a weekly basis. “You used to be able to find it everywhere,” recalls my grandfather, who lived in a time when this kind of food was widely available and an economical choice for feeding a large family. Roasted beef tongue

Slow Cooker Beef Lengua (Beef Tongue)

Slow cooker beef lengua served with sauteed vegetables. | JULIA PRINSELAAR for dinner, leftovers in sandwiches for lunch the next day.

aesthetic of muscle meats with the occasional bone-in packaging.

While offal meats may not look pretty, they hold their beauty on the inside. Science tells us that many organs contain vitamins and minerals essential for human health. Beef tongue, for instance, is packed with zinc which supports the body’s immune system and plays a vital role in cell generation and wound healing. It is also exceptionally rich in B-complex vitamins and especially B-12, which maintains healthy blood, nervous system and brain function.

During a visit to pick up pastured beef from a family farm in the Slate River Valley outside of Thunder Bay, I asked about the availability of less-common cuts of meat. The wife of the farming couple led me to a large chest freezer and reached into her stockpile of unwanted animal parts.

And yet, North American supermarkets, restaurants, and therefore our home kitchens have largely steered away from the culinary use of obscure variety meats—it is niche at best. Consequently, we’ve become culturally-adverse to little else than the tidy

The good news is, with a bit of curiosity we don’t have to look very far for inspiration to familiarize ourselves with these lesser-loved parts of the whole animal. Haggis, the national dish of Scotland, is a savory pudding comprised of sheep’s intestines

“Most people aren’t interested in these,” she said, as she fixed me a paper bag of oxtail, liver and tongue.

Adapted from Vianney Rodriguez Ingredients: 1 beef tongue 1 onion, coarsely chopped 2 garlic cloves Salt and pepper, to taste 1 bay leaf 1 beef bouillon cube Thoroughly rinse the beef tongue and place in a slow cooker. Season generously with salt and pepper, then add onion, garlic, bouillon and bay leaf. Add enough water to nearly cover the tongue and cook on low for 8 hours or until tender when pierced with a knife. Carefully remove the tongue from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. With a paring knife, remove the skin and cut the meat into thin slices. Serve with potatoes drizzled in jus from the slow cooker. In Mexico, lengua is served in warm tacos with chopped onion, tomato, cilantro and wedges of lime.

Give Them (and Yourself) Canoe Country All Year Long! • 9”x12” Wall Calendar • Extraordinary photos with locations identified • Moon phases • Hunting and fishing dates • Permit information • Emergency contacts • Camping tips • Natural history info • Donations to youth BWCA trip scholarships $13.95 www.

Order by mail, phone, or online or find it at your favorite store. See our website for store locations.

+ $6 shipping

RavenWordsPress .com

Minnesota Made!

P.O. Box 188, Ely, MN 55731 218-365-3375 order@ravenwords.com

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Give the perfect book! Our booksellers can help We take special orders Open Mon-Sat 10-5 12 E. Wisconsin St., Grand Marais 218-387-3370 www.drurylanebooks.com

30 Shopping Center PO Box 68 Silver Bay, MN 55614 218-226-4383

By Louise Erdrich

University of Minnesota Press, 2020, $17.95

At the heart of a home in the Turtle Mountains sits a woodstove. It’s where mama makes soup, and where she heats a stone for warming cold toes at night. On the stove’s blue enamel door are raised letters, The Range Eternal, and in the dancing flames a child can see pictures: the range of the buffalo, the wolf and bear, and the eagles, herons and cranes: truly, the Range Eternal. In this beautifully illustrated children’s book, author Louise Erdrich (a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa), tells a story of hearth and home, and of childhood recaptured in the reflection of a shiny blue woodstove.—Breana Roy

American Gospel

Tax Services Silver Bay

The Range Eternal

A Novel By Lin Enger

Two Harbors

526 7th Street PO Box A Two Harbors, MN 55616 218-834-3600

University of Minnesota Press, 2020, $24.95

On a small farm beside a lake in Minnesota’s north woods, an old man is waiting for the Rapture, which God has told him will happen in two weeks, on Aug. 19, 1974. Soon, Last Days Ranch becomes ground zero for The End, drawing in curiosity seekers, zealots and reporters—among them the prophet’s son, a skeptical New York writer now caught between his overbearing father and the news story of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Nixon’s resignation has transfixed the nation. Filled with turmoil, dark humor and biblical themes, American Gospel contains an unlikely cast of characters and an unpredictable ending.—Breana Roy

Flat Fee Freelancer Why you can (and should) triple your income in the gig economy By Stephen Poynter

Northernwords Press, 2020, $7.99

This slim volume by Grand Marais author and entrepreneur Stephen Poynter offers advice for how freelance writers and self-employed service providers can set realistic fees for their work. Explaining that the costs associated with self-employment are not easily summed up with an hourly rate, he suggests charging a flat fee per project. Poynter’s advice is backed up with research and includes links to additional information. The book is available in print and on Kindle from Amazon.—Shawn Perich

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

Gidaanikeshkaagonaanig Gidaanikoobijiganinaan Following the Ancestor’s Steps

Niimi (She Dances, is Home at Hollow Rock) By Sam Zimmerman I remember the first time I saw a zaangwewemagooday (jingle dress). Home during Gichi-onigamiing (Grand Portage) Rendezvous Days as a teenager, I was captivated by its beauty and power. The jingle dress is a significant part of Ojibwe culture as its dance brings healing. I have always been drawn to its beauty and sound and was envious that it was for women to wear. After speaking to my cousin, who is a beautiful dancer with an ogichidaa manidoo (warrior spirit); and getting her approval I featured the colors of her own dress in this painting, titled, Niimi (She Dances, is Home at Hollow Rock). As a two-spirted (LGBTQ) Ojibwe artist, Niimi is a figure that I have created that appears in many of my paintings as a way to celebrate the power of my female spirit alongside my male spirit. Niimi (She Dances) is along the shores of Gitchi Gami (Lake Superior) under the baboon (winter) sky dancing for healing under the Minado Giisoonhs (Little Spirit moon). The sound of the jingles echoing across the waters bringing healing. It is my wish for all of you that this painting brings healing and peace to you during the upcoming holiday season.

E XPL O RE T HE SO UT H SHO RE

Photo by Mike Eskola

My work can be found online on Instagram and Facebook under the name Crane Superior.

For more information on visiting Washburn, WI Washburnchamber.com 715-373-5017

Did you know powerlines can start wildfires? Report trees near powelines to your electric provider. Never attempt to cut or trim trees near powerlines yourself. Outdoor & Casual Clothing, Footwear & Equipment Guided Tours & Rentals for all Seasons Open Daily, Year Round On the East Bay in Grand Marais 218.387.3136 • stoneharborws.com

M I N N E S O TA

COOK COUNTY FIREWISE, 411 W 2nd St, Grand Marais, MN 55604 firewise@co.cook.mn.us • 218.235.0899 • www.cookcountyfirewise.org NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Strange Tales Christmas Carols: From Medieval to Modern-Day town of Oberndorf, Austria. The first English translation was done in 1871 and today there are over 300 known translations of it into different languages and dialects. In 2011, “Silent Night” was declared an “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO. As a legacy to the song and creators, a Silent Night Chapel was completed in 1937 on the site of the first performance (original church was destroyed by flooding).

By Elle AndraWarner

Surprisingly, the Christmas song “Jingle Bells” isn’t about Christmas at all. Yet, it’s one of the most recognized and popular Christmas season songs. Originally titled “One Horse Open Sleigh,” it was created in 1857 by Boston-born songwriter and organist James Lord Pierpont.

Most of us know at least some of the words to Christmas carols but what’s the history behind the songs? When was the first carol and where? Scholars credit the world’s oldest Christmas hymn-song to the 4th century in France and written by St. Hilary of Poitier (c310-367). The carol was “Jesus Refulsit Omnium” (“Jesus, Light of All the Nations” aka “Jesus Illuminates all”). It’s believed to have been created just after the first recorded Christmas celebration took place on December 25, 336 during the reign of Roman Emperor Constantine II. Another Christmas carol-hymn written later in the 4th century in Roman province (today’s Spain) but still performed in some churches, is “Corde natus ex Parentis (“Of the Father Love Begotten”). The early Christmas songs were more like religious hymns.

Based on a 13th century carol from Finland and set to the melody of a 13th century hymn, one of theoldest Christmas carols still being sung today is “Good King Wenceslas” written in English in 1853. | WIKIMEDIA

So, what is the oldest popular Christmas carol that we are still singing today? The strongest contender is “The Friendly Beast,” a song created back more than 900 years ago. Written by an unknown author in France in the 12th century and set to the melody of the Latin song “Orientis Partibus,” it’s about animals surrounding Jesus at the nativity scene. It wasn’t until 1920 that the English version was written by Robert Davis and has been sung by artists like Garth Brooks and Johnny Cash.

In addition, the song “White Christmas” had a large impact on future Christmas music. In their book, Merry Christmas, Baby: Holiday Music from Bing Crosby to Sting, authors Dave Marsh and Steve Propes wrote “White Christmas changed Christmas music forever, both by revealing the huge potential market for Christmas songs and by establishing the theme of home and nostalgia that would run through Christmas music evermore.”

Another one of the oldest popular Christmas songs, “Good King Wenceslas,” is based on a 13th century carol from Finland published in the 1582 Finnish song book Paie Cantiones. The English lyrics were written in 1853 by England’s priest and hymn writer John Mason Neale and set to the Finnish melody. Moving ahead to 14th century, two widely-sung Christmas carols in medieval Europe originated in Germany: “Christ Born on Christmas Day” and “Good Christian Men, Rejoice.” According to folklore, the latter was written by Heinrich Seuse after he heard angels sing the words. A Jesuit missionary Jean de Brebeauf in 1642 wrote the first Canadian Christmas Carol, the “Huron Carol” (also now known as “Twas in the Moon of Wintertime”). Written in the Indigenous language of Huron/Wendat people living near modern-day Midland, Ontario, it was originally titled “Jesous Ahatonhia” (“Jesus, He is Born”) and set to the melody of a French folk song. When the English lyrics were written in 1926 by Canadian journalist, historian and songwriter Jesse Edgar Middleton, 36

DECEMBER 2020

And the world’s best-selling all-time modern Christmas song? Well, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it’s “White Christmas” recorded by Bing Crosby in 1942 and 1947. Not only is it the best-selling Christmas holiday single in the U.S., it is also the world’s best-selling single with more than 50 million copies sold worldwide. Irving Berlin wrote it in 1941 for the movie “Holiday Inn” (1942) and the song went on to win an Academy Award (Oscar) the following year for Best Original Song in a movie. It was later featured in the 1954 movie “White Christmas” starring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen (my favourite Christmas movie).

The song “White Christmas,” written by Irving Berlin, won an Academy Award in 1943 and was later featured in the movie “White Christmas” starring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen. | WIKIMEDIA The first page from the 1582 Piae Cantiones, now known as “Good King Wenceslas.” | WIKIMEDIA the words were apparently made to fit the melody rather than a direct translation. The “Huron Carol” is about Jesus born in a lodge made of broken bark; swaddled in the robe of rabbit skin; hunters replacing the shepherds; and, the Magi being chiefs bearing gifts of fox and beaver pelts. In 1977, the carol was honoured in a series

NORTHERN WILDS

of Canadian postage stamps and in 2005, the song was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. (Copyright for the song entered public domain in 2011.) Most of today’s popular Christmas songs were created since 1800, including “Silent Night” written as a poem in 1816 by young priest Joseph Mohr. Two years later, he composed it as a song for voice and guitar, and on December 24, 1818, it was first performed in St. Nicola Church in small

Just prior to 1950 and onward, Christmas music has become more ‘modern’, with less emphasis on religious themes and more about fun, holiday activities and romance, like the jolly “Here Comes Santa Claus” (Gene Autry, 1947); “Silver Bells” (Bing Crosby/Carol Richards version, 1950); rock-and-roll classic “Blue Christmas” (Elvis Presley version 1957); “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (Brenda Lee, 1958); “All I Want for Christmas is You” (Mariah Carey, 1994); and “Happy Holidays” (Robbie Robertson, 2019). Happy Holidays to everyone!

Talk to Terry! Terry R. Backlund Broker/Owner Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Email: Terry@BacklundRealty.com

Frank Lehto Real Estate Agent Phone: 218-387-4955 Email: Frank@BacklundRealty.com

Lori A. Backlund Real Estate Agent 1478 CROFTVILLE RD GRAND MARAIS, MN

Saleng Pendi

22 ISAK RIDGE RD LUTSEN, MN

34 HUNGRY JACK RD GRAND MARAIS, MN

Saleng Saleng Pendi Pendi

30 JONVIK CREEK DR. LUTSEN, MN

SOLD

Sweet Bungalow 428 ft of shared Lake Superior. Rental Potential MLS# 6093536 Price: $269,500

3 Bed 3 Bath 1896 Sq. Ft. Lindal Cedar Home. Fabulous rental potential MLS# 6093563 Price: $425,000

3 Bedroom Log Cabin 313 ft. lakeshore on Road Lake MLS#6093449 Price: $237,500

5 Bedroom 4 Bath 4 Car Garage 3300+ Sq. Ft. MLS# 6092641 Price: $347,500

9 N BROADWAY GRAND MARAIS, MN

313 W 2ND AVE GRAND MARAIS, MN

XXX BIG BAY POINT HOVLAND, MN

40X E COYOTE RIDGE GRAND MARAIS, MN

212 ft of Lake Superior shoreline on 1.79 acres. The perfect canvas for your dream home or weekend getaway. Price: $179,900 MLS# 6091723

40 Acres. 360 degree view of Cook County. Amazing Lake Superior view. Price: $400,000 MLS# 6091729

SOLD Rare. Commercial lot on Broadway. 50 front ft. Over 6600 sq. ft. MLS# 6087575 Price: $195,000

34 HIGH FOREST TRAIL LUTSEN, MN

Saleng i d n e P

4 Bedroom 3 Bath 2 Car Garage 3078 Sq. Ft. Lindal Cedar Home MLS# 6093561 Price: $525,000

5 Bedroom 2 Bath 5 Car Garage 2400+ Sq. Ft. MLS# 6092424 Price: $357,000

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 NORTHERNâ&#x20AC;&#x201E; WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Lutsen/Tofte/Lake Superior

Lutsen Real Estate Group Office 218-663-7971

lutsenrealestategroup.com

Meet Our Awesome Agents!

S A L EN G I PEND

High quality custom home in a gorgeous golf course setting. Open concept LR w/gas FP set into a lovely stone surround. Perfectlysized home office. Sharp, inviting kitchen sits adjacent to LR and DR, with French door leading out to expansive deck. Main level also includes full bath, utility rm and attached heated garage. Upper level has two bedrooms, ¾ bath, laundry & exercise room which is actually an optional third bedroom that could be easily converted. Designed for comfort with spray foam closed cell insulation, frost footings around slab, in-floor heat on LL, hot water heat on UL and dual fuel electric rates. Low-maintenance lifestyle plus detached dbl garage with 600’ of additional living space & composting toilet. Amazing setting for your North Shore getaway or year-round home! MLS 6093436 $429,900

Lutsen Log Lodges.

Sandy McHugh 218-370-7841

Kelsi Williams 218-428-0992

Steve Surbaugh Broker 218-663-7971

Lutsen Heritage Townhome.

Stunning end unit at Heritage Townhomes, located within the golf community of Superior National at Lutsen. Absolutely panoramic views of Lake Superior and 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 North Shore neighborhood. MLS 6092794 $369,900

S A L EN G I PEND Mike Larson Broker 218-370-1536

SOLD

Cozy get away lodge forest feel up the Lutsen, “Ski Hill Road” yet sleeps for larger groups. The only home on Lodge Lane with the upgrade of a large 4th Room addition, with a Cantilever Loft glass privacy divider and railing. Beautiful kitchen features including Lake Superior Stone granite on custom log Center Island, custom designed ceramic kitchen floor with added recessed lighting... New Zealand Wool Carpet from Godfrey Hurst. MLS 6092825 $289,000

S A L EN G I PEND Inger Andress 218-216-7141

Amazing Golf Course Home.

Lake Superior Poplar River Condo.

Poplar River unit 552 is part of the Lutsen Resort vacation rental program and provides a unique opportunity for multiple rental options with room - lock-out considerations. This unit is perched hillside resting adjacent to the Poplar River Cauldron’s and falls, with Lake Superior views. This 3 bedroom, 3 master bath units offer an open air living/dining/kitchen concept in the main unit with deck offering views and comfort. Each break-out room has a wet bar. The unit also provides the opportunity to enjoy the outdoor rec programs offered by Lutsen Resort and the convenience to enjoy fine dining, the Poplar River pub, large indoor swimming pool and of course nearby Superior National at Lutsen golf course, Lutsen Mountains and the Gitchi-Gami trail. MLS TBD $359,000

Beautiful Lake Superior Views! Wonderful views of Lake Superior. 3 Bed and 3 Bath with wooded pathways taking you to the ledge rock shoreline, or to the Poplar River and then go over the red bridge to the Lutsen Resort Lodge/Restaurant or to the beach for a bonfire. This ‘original owner’ property is a stand-alone unit with privacy and spectacular Lake Superior views being on the upper level with all three decks. A beautiful home that has the ability to rent three different ways providing the opportunity for revenues. Managed by historical Lutsen Resort allowing owners and their guests to enjoy all the resort amenities including the large indoor swimming pool, spa, two restaurants, live music and more. Activities include the Gitchi-Gami Bike Trail, Lutsen Mountains summer recreation and winter skiing, Superior National Golf Course, fishing and hiking. All furnished and ready for your use and enjoyment while also earning income to help offset ownership costs. No need to worry about private septic and well, with shared association to manage property… turn key accessible. A great North Shore vacation home to get away and enjoy year round! MLS 6093850 $410,000

Favorite Aspenwood Floor Plan! Panoramic lake views on all levels of this open concept Lake Superior townhome. Terrific gathering spaces: hang out at the kitchen peninsula, cozy up near the cobblestone FP, or watch the big lake from the great room. Deck/patio access on each level. 3 beds, 4 baths, plus bonus space on the walkout LL. Both upper bedrooms have private baths. High quality finishes including maple cabinets, granite counters, wood & tile floors. High ceilings, jetted tub, 2 gas fireplaces, main floor bedroom, laundry & oversized single garage. Currently offered as a rental unit through Cascade Vacation Rentals; helps to offset the cost of ownership, if desired. 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! MLS 6093871 $479,900.

Aspenwood on Lake Superior. Gorgeous lake views

from every level of this sharp Lake Superior condo. Quality finishes including granite, wood & tile floors, maple cabinets, with a cool, modern vibe. Multiple spaces to hang out in this spacious, three-level unit with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Large windows for wide-open views of the big lake. Vacation rental revenues help to offset the cost of ownership. Enjoy your time on the North Shore without any pesky chores. Just enjoy lake living, and all of the activities this area has to offer: golfing, skiing, hiking, biking, beach combing, music, shops & restaurants, plus more. Seller is a licensed real estate agent in the state of MN, unrelated to listing agent. MLS 6085503 $294,900.

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

Lutsen Resort Townhome.

Own a townhome at the famed Lutsen Resort! Stunning Cliff House unit with amazing Lake Superior views. 3 bed, 3 bath, two-level townhome. Open concept great room, with oversized windows and big lake views. Cozy up to the fireplace with a book, or hang out with friends and family. Walkout onto deck and sit amongst the pines, breathing in that fresh Superior air and watching the sparkling waters. Main floor bedroom with full bath. Two upper bedrooms with two more baths. Spa room with jetted tub looking out at the lake and sky. Participate in the many activities and amenities available through the resort, plus world-class dining. Full ownership with rental revenues helping to offset expenses. Unit is being sold fully-furnished; all you need is the key. Seller is a licensed real estate agent unrelated to listing agent. MLS # 6093677 $399,000

- EARN MONEY WHEN YOU ARE AWAY Place your home in our Vacation Rental Program. Give Andrew a call at 218-264-0497

S A L EN G I PEND

Lutsen Real Estate Group

Using a fundamental business approach for all your real estate needs Office 218-663-7971

lutsenrealestategroup.com

Real Estate is serious business, and we understand that.

From the Gunflint Trail, to the shores of Lake Superior- we have full time agents ready to assist you in selling and buying. Our agents live here, work here and are defined by service and expertise.

Give us a call today!

Grand Marais Area SOLD

Lake Superior Parcels

Spectacular Devil Track Home.

Fullyfurnished, turnkey DevilTrack Lake Home. Updated 2-story home located on Devil Track Lake, just 8 miles up the scenic Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais. Modern decor with a flare of up north touches. Lake-facing deck and LL patio allowing you to enjoy the spacious backyard that leads up to the lake. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, spacious master suite on the main level. Two living areas, full sized kitchen and dining room. Unique artwork and carefully selected furnishings. Wall to wall windows to take full advantage of the Devil Track Lake views year round. This home is the ideal place to set up your year-round base for adventure while being just minutes away from beautiful downtown Grand Marais. MLS 6089182 $399,900

Gunflint Trail S A L EN G I PEND

Poplar Lake Lot. Make your dreams come true on this beautiful lot overlooking scenic Poplar lake. Enjoy incredible views of the bay and majestic sunsets. A building site at the crest of a plateau is cleared and ready for a walkout or slab. There is a high quality garage built in 2011 ready and waiting for you to store your car, cabin toys, and materials while you build. Enjoy the surrounding trees and wooded hiking trail down to your own 200+ ft of pristine shoreline. Do you like to camp, fish or canoe? Poplar Lake provides four access entry points into the BWACW. Tired of being in the wilderness? You are only 30 minutes from town. Better yet, take a 5-10 minute walk (or paddle across the bay) to the nearby Trail Center Lodge for a delicious meal, full service bar, and essential groceries. So quiet you can hear the loons calling. All of the Northwoods wildlife sights and sounds await you. MLS 6091640 Price $169,500

Other Vacant Land Parcels Sugar Loaf Road ‘Eighty’

This wooded ‘untouched’ property is secluded yet has year round public road access that is snow plowed and maintained for you... approximately 1/4 mile of frontage road access. Only less than 30 minutes away from Lutsen Mountain’s ski hill and Superior National golf course. For the outdoor enthusiast, it is close to several destinations, the Sugar Loaf Nature Trails and Center, Caribou Falls, Temperance River and the Superior National Hiking trail. This is a generous eighty-acre parcel, with many older cedar trees that would be an ideal place to build a forest home, cabin for hunting or to have a piece of pristine nature! MLS 6085833 $129,900

Coveted Stonegate Rd. Build-ready Lake Superior parcel. Driveway, power & septic already in place. Private setting with no hwy noise. Accessible shoreline, cleared build site, surveyed. Make this beautiful spot your new Lake Superior homesite! Seller is a licensed real estate agent in the state of MN, unrelated to listing agent. MLS 6082793 $229,900

Inland Lake Lots

Devil Track Lake Lots 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, 6081024. Priced from $99,900 to $149,900.

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.

Hwy 61 Frontage Convenient Build Site. Great parcel of land 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. 2.29 acres. MLS 6081081 $55,600

Lots 1 and 2, Block 1. Outstanding location. These lots lay adjacent to River #3 fairway, near the green. Lots 1 and 2 are the only golf course lots that are independent of all other golf course lots and therefore nicely private. Walking distance to Gitchi Gami bike and walking trailhead. Minutes to Lutsen Mountains. Common Water and Sewer hook-up available thru HOA. Seller is an owner/agent. MLS 6090570 $79,500. 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 6089187 $59,900

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

N i d N E P www.CBNorthShore.com Serving Cook County since 1971

(218) 387-2131 (800) 732-2131

101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com

On Lake Superior 140053 _ NORTH SHORE

16 Tamarack Trail

Peaceful and private Lake Superior retreat with 200 feet of shoreline on a park-like 2+ acre setting. Best of all worlds with gorgeous views of the big bay and easy access to town. This split-entry, 3-bedroom home takes full advantage of its southern exposure and views of the lake. Large garage.

MLS 6089858 $375,000

NEW 13XX Old Shore Road

Fantastic Lake Superior lot literally within walking distance of downtown Grand Marais. Located on charming Old Shore Road this parcel is level with super easy access to the lake and easily walkable shoreline.

MLS 6093817 $199,900

Your Luxury Property Expert

g N i d

N E P

122 Stonegate Rd

3 bedroom, 3 bath comfortable, elegant home on 218 feet of Lake Superior shoreline. Open concept, large window, gas fireplace, high quality home. Huge heated attached garage and workshop. Plus private rustic guest cabin in a wilderness wonderland. What are you waiting for? This place is going to knock your socks off!!

MLS 6086682 $745,000

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERNâ&#x20AC;&#x201E; WILDS

730 devil Track Road

This stunning 5 bedroom, 4 bath home is situated on 3 manicured acres facing south on Devil Track Lake shoreline. Great room with vaulted ceiling and massive stone fireplace. Huge kitchen, spacious dining room opens onto beautiful patio overlooking the lake. Lovely grounds are complimented by a 3 stall attached garage, boat house, and 3360 sq. ft. heated shop building. This is truly one of a kind! MLS 6093508 $1,100,000

Homes

Cabins

2307 County Rd 7 Beautifully maintained 3 BR, 3 BA home with a great Location! Only 3 miles from Grand Marais but with over 10 acres to spread out. Attached 2-stall heated garage AND a separate insulated and heated pole building both served by a paved driveway. MLS 6092976 $449,900

42 County Rd 60 Listen to the murmur of the Devil Track River from this lovely, beautifully maintained 4 BR, 3 BA home. Spacious living room, dining room and master bedroom. Attached 2-stall heated garage and detached garage is a great space for a workshop or toys. MLS 6092982 $469,900

1189 Pike Lake Rd Watch the moose from the sunny family room in this attractive 2 BR, 2 BA country home! Beautiful property, great views & close to many outdoor trails. Includes a heated garage, guest cabin, sauna & storage building. MLS 6089685 $329,500

510 Humphrey Circle Need more space?! 7 BR, 4 BA plus a 3 stall garage could be just what you’ve been looking for. Lower level could make a great mother-in-law apartment with a kitchen, 4BR and 2 BA. MLS 6091991 $309,900

2371 County Rd 7 Here is a turn-key, charming and rustic cabin getaway on 12 + acres. It is close to town on a paved road, but feels like a secluded forest cabin you can escape to. The old Backlund farm’s milk house served as the bones for the cabin. MLS 6089300 $139,900

NEW 4882 North Road 10+ Acres of very mature forest on land that gently slopes and with a 10+ beaver pond. Cute 15 by 20 cabin that needed interior finishing and unfortunately has serious foundation issues. MLS 6093865 $74,900

iNLANd

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 on Birch Lake with 3+ acres. Property includes an older rustic cabin, is fully surveyed, year round access. MLS 6088180 $232,000

HOMES

CABiNS

Condos

100 Sag Lake Trail Primary cabin features 2 BRs, 1BA with a spacious open floor plan. Adorable guest cabin with knotty pine woodwork, bath & kitchenette. Large garage! All of this on 1.3A with 150’of shoreline & dock. MLS 6090284 $359,000

Bluefin Bay Condos & Townhomes Unit 72 3BR/3BA

$580,000 MLS 6093640

Surfside on Lake Superior Unit 12, Share D 3BR/3BA

MLS 6091676 $185,000

Unit 10, Share D 3BR/3BA

MLS 6092113 $200,000

Unit 20, Share D 3BR/3BA MLS 6092200 $224,500

101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com

(218) 387-2131

•

(800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com

140053 _ NORTH SHORE

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

Commercial

NEW 17 1st Ave West

This commercial space in downtown Grand Marais has plenty of space with an open front for whatever business you imagine. It is equipped with a full commercial kitchen, complete bar, walk-in cooler, security & fire alarm system, surveillance system, restaurant cash register system, pool table, TV screens, and games.

NEW 1807 Hwy 61 West

A commercial building prominently located on the Hwy 61 corridor has off-street parking and great visibility. Over 1100 square feet of space for offices or restructure it to retail space. Complete with kitchen and bath, it could be repurposed to residential living. Dare to imagine what business you might create.

MLS 6093975 $189,900

MLS 6093980 $389,900

610 E 5th Street

Commercial lot in Grand Marais with a great location. Just over 100 feet off the Gunflint Trail on East 5th Street with over 10,000 square feet to develop.

MLS 6091598 $52,500

inland

Lake

Kemo Lake This lot has over 500’ of lakeshore on a very special and very private lake. One of only four lots on this side of the lake. Power to the lot, driveway and building pad are in. MLS 6093421 $179,900

devil Track Lake 5.9 acres to make your dreams come true on the popular north side of Devil Track Lake! 340 feet of shoreline to enjoy all the fun things to do on the water! MLS 6085879 $159,900

Poplar Lake Exceptional 1.65 acre lakeshore lot on the shores of Poplar Lake with 144’ of shoreline, located mid-way up the Gunflint Trail. Year round access, 240 sq ft boat house, dock and driveway. MLS 6090960 $159,900

Tom Lake Affordable AND attractive lot on Tom Lake, complete with a solid driveway and cleared building site. Very private with 1.6 acres and 189 ft of shoreline. MLS 6090351 $64,900

Lots

Tom Lake Tom Lake lot with over 200 feet of frontage and an easy slope to the lake! There’s a shed and a dock waiting for you to start your adventure. MLS 6083377 - $69,900

Squint Lake Mid-Gunflint Trail lot with 2.13A & 221’ shoreline. Gently rolling topography, old white pine trees, YR access & abuts USFS! MLS 6028920 - $75,000

greenwood Lake Gorgeous south facing 2+ acre with 276’ of shoreline. Features YR access, driveway in, picnic area and walking trails. Development shared ownership includes private boat launch and surrounded by federal lands. MLS 6089975 $149,900

Pike Lake Pristine Pike Lake lot with 190’ of rocky shoreline on the north west side of the lake. Easy year round access off of the Caribou Trail, electricity & broadband available. MLS 6084251 - $178,900

Land

1XX Foothill Blvd. 1.6A Lot of beautiful maple forest. The lot has high ground and could have a great view of Caribou Lake. Caribou Lake’s public access only minutes away and only a few miles from Lutsen. MLS 6093175 $44,900

2X South Shore drive Location is everything! This 5+ acre lot is just minutes to Grand Marais with a country setting yet close to the action. Easily accessible from County maintained roads. MLS 6091924 $45,000

XX 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 6093481 $22,500

Coyote Ridge Lots Six five acre lots available. These beautifully wooded lots have the benefit of being close to all the amenities Grand Marais has to offer and all the privacy of a secluded acreage in the woods. $39,000

1XX Ski Hill Rd Dreamed of a getaway on the North Shore? Over a half acre on Lutsen’s Ski Hill Road with the west side of the property overlooking Superior National Golf Course. MLS 6093169 $49,900

COyOTE RidgE LOT 6 Magnificent views are yours to be had from these 5 acre parcels! Only minutes to downtown Grand Marais or Cascade State Park. MLS 6087781 $84,900

13XX Mineral Center Road Talk about privacy. Nine nicely wooded acres completely surrounded by tribal land. This is truly getting away from it all. MLS 6091085 $49,900

XX OLd SKi HiLL ROAd 3+ acres just minutes from town on a quiet county maintained road with a nice mix of trees. Easy access to snowmobile trails and fun at Pincushion Mountain. MLS 6088343 $45,000

117 Timberwolf Lane Check out this stunning 4.6 acre lot with stunning views overlooking 5 Mile Rock. Mature trees, great topography, surveyed - ready for you to build your home or cabin! MLS 6090694 $89,900

XXX Broadway Ave Want to live in the country and yet want access to City Sewer & City Water? Check out this over-sized lot that is located on the Gunflint Trail in city limits. MLS 6085408 $39,900

Railroad drive Lutsen Sweet 1.7 A building site located in the heart of Lutsen. Gently rolling topography, mature trees and easy building site. MLS 6084050 - $39,900

West Hwy 61 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 6093939 - $35,000

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

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 - $47,500 XyZ Maple Hill Rd 6+ acres with quick and easy access to all the charm of Grand Marais with excellent build sites. This parcel features nice tree cover and a roughed in path/driveway. MLS 6089729 $44,900 County Rd 14 Terrific and extremely affordable pieces of land with good high building sites and interesting game attracting low areas as well. MLS 6086957 $38,900 12XX County Road 7 5+ acres on County Rd 7 only a half mile from the hospital. You can have the privacy of a country size lot and the convenience of being in the city of Grand Marais. MLS 6092003 $54,900 13XX County Road 7 Want to be in Grand Marais, but have the space and privacy of a country lot? This 6 acre lot is it!! The driveway is already in waiting for you to build your dream home MLS 6092002 $69,900 1X South Shore drive So many options with this 5+ acre lot! Mature trees in a country setting close to popular Devil Track Lake, the airport, and only minutes to Grand Marais. MLS 6091923 $45,000

Jonvick Creek Sites 12 lots available from 1.5 - 4.8 acres In the heart of Lutsen, just off the Caribou Trail. Maples, Pines, and cedars in varied arrangements will make a great back-drop for your home or cabin. Each property adjoins public land making your space seem even more private. $29,900 - $49,900 1xx High Ridge drive Schroeder 15 acre lot high on the ridge is ready for your dream home or weekend getaway! Views of Lake Superior to the south and valley to the north. MLS 6082812 - $94,900

Ng i d EN

48 Caspers Hill Rd Cabin in the woods or dream house in the country? This gently sloped, south facing 9.5A lot should not be missed! Garage, drilled well, electricity, and broadband. MLS 6092975 $89,900

Large Acreage Camp 20 Rd 170 acres that has been replanted with pine trees. Rolling topography, many building sites and hiking trails. Gravel pit and a small wildlife pond. State land to the south & east. MLS 6074422 - $149,900

RealtoRs®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI • Linda Garrity, Realtor Cathy Hahn, ABR/GRI • Larry Dean, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor • Jess Smith, 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 superior loCatioN, WaterfroNt iN GraNd Marais.

Situated on 160 ft of stunning shoreline with awesome views of the east bay and Artist Point, this early homestead has great commercial potential, or use as a residential home. The large 2 bdrm, 3 bath home has many options for an Inn or B&B. Two garages, one with living space above, plus a charming shed. Mls# 6090933, Mls# 6091122

BiG VieWs oN fiVe aCres.

This cabin sits on almost 5 acres of land and includes 543 feet of Lake Superior shoreline in the Big Bay area of Hovland. Whether or not you are looking to build your dream home or use this as is for a getaway you will have some amazing views on the Big Lake. Mls#6086940

$249,000

$650,000 reduCed stuNNiNG lake superior hoMe. Beautiful,

salieNG pe N d

completely remodeled home that is entirely impressive in every way. The bunkhouse transformed into a 2 bdrm suite. Nice level lot makes it easy to get to the water's edge. Just a few minutes from downtown Grand Marais! Mls#6088834

$599,500

preMier lake superior lot iN lutseN.

332 ft of ledge rock shoreline! Spectacular views of the big lake from a slightly elevated build site. Very secluded and private.

Mls# 6090125 $299,000

iNlaNd Water properties

lake superior – eNChaNtiNG BiG Bay. This lot

has great lake views and looks east to the ridges running up the coast. An old cabin is situated right along the shore. 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. Mls# 6088024 $219,000

reduCed

340 feet of shoreline on Lake Superior, and 120 feet of additional shoreline on Carlson Creek! The cabin features vertical Aspen half-log exterior, with wood panel interior. The creek flowing through the property gives you your own spot to hook some spring steelhead. Mls# 6090311 $280,000

CroftVille road paradise. A

rare find! Enjoy a view of Lake Superior from this well built, spacious 1+ bdrm home. Solid front deck, hard oak floors, accessible private beach, and room for a new garage.

Mls#6086969 $279,000

cabin boasts 195 ft of gorgeous shoreline on Tom Lake, manicured lawn, and covered deck space on two sides of the house for relaxing and entertaining! Lake draw water, a mound septic system and generator power. Additional land and lakeshore available for purchase. Year round access.

Mls# 6092306 $339,000 larGe, priVate retreat – toM lake. This

original family cabin is well built and in good shape, tucked into a large private tract on beautiful Tom Lake. 52 acres of pine and cedar with 1287' private shoreline. Adjoining state land for plenty of room to explore. This is a rare find. Mls#

6092390 $324,900

deVil traCk lake - reMote CaBiN. Quality 2

stuNNiNG paNoraMiC VieWs. Beautiful,

bdrm cabin features large windows, cathedral ceiling, loft, and beautiful kitchen. The 4.78 acre parcel is in a unique location surrounded by state and USFS

very private residential lot on Lake Superior in Chimney Rock Platted development. Premier quality with stunning elevated and panoramic views of the big Lake. The over sized septic in and paid.

land. Sheltered bay with 150' lake frontage. Mls# 6088269

$215,000

Mls# 6092289 $204,500

hoVlaNd CaBiN oN superior. Over

toM lake esCape. This

iNlaNd Water properties larGe tWo islaNd lake retreat - GraNd Marais. This

46+ acre property includes a peninsula with outstanding lake views. Wide creek and tons of wildlife. Privacy assured with over 1600 ft of lake front, plus over 2000 ft of creek. Literally walk to the BWCAW. Charming 4-season, 2 bdrm cabin with large dock and easy lakeshore access. Property can be sub-divided. Mls# 6087574 $799,500

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# 6085583 $349,900

Cedar loG CaBiN MCfarlaNd lake. Two

salieNG pe N d

bedroom cabin, large deck, cathedral ceiling and open floor plan. Log guest cabin, storage buildings, log sided sauna and new outhouse to code. Wilderness views from 150 feet of shore, good for swimming, newer dock. Comes partially furnished. Mls# 6090709 $229,000

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 toM lake lot With doCk.

Imagine owning over 650 feet of shoreline on a fantastic walleye lake! The driveway is in and the dock is at the shoreline. Gentle slope with nice building sites. Electric and broadband are nearby, year round access.

Mls#6083761 $169,900

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

iNlaNd Water properties CaBiNs RealtoRs®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Gail J.hoMes Englund, & GRI • Linda Garrity, Realtor uNiQue opportuNity oN toM lake.

Cathy Hahn, ABR/GRI • Larry Dean, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor • Jess Smith, Realtor

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599

Two classic cabins and a boat house are situated on three gorgeous lots along a secluded stretch of shoreline. Power and broadband nearby, propane on site. Note: List price includes a $25,000 allowance payable at closing for installation of power and broadband! Mls# 6091716

$150,000

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 $139,900 tWo eXCeptioNal toM lake lots. These special

properties offer opportunities. One lot is a beautiful forested peninsula with cove, and the other has a nice mix of tree cover and open build sites. Accessible, yet away from it all. Build your dream here! Mls#

6092307 $97,000, Mls# 6092308 $129,000 sWeet CaBiN oN poiNt. This comfortable and

rustiC the Bally hoVlaNd house B&B. retreat. A small Seeped in deep history log cabin on 40 acres and an abundance highlighted by rolling of charm and •class, (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 info@RedPineRealty.com hills and some mature The Bally House Bed white55604 pines. This is a PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN & Breakfast is now very pretty property available. Not only near Devil Fish Lake. does it have 4 guests Real log construction rooms (each w/ their in this simple, yet functional cabin. own bathroom), but Mls# 6090303 $74,900 reduCed the owner's home/quarters is spectacular itself. Absolutely turn-key. Updated throughout and lovingly maintained. Massive garage, GetaWay lovely little stone garage, garden shed, unbelievable grounds. CottaGe Near Mls#6092798, 6092800 $649,000 deVil traCk MouNtaiN riVer. This little top VieWs – cottage needs some loG hoMe. The good TLC, but it's a start ultimate wilderness for someone who wants retreat - 160 acres a seasonal getaway surrounded by gov't at an affordable lands. No one will find price. Spacious yard, you here! The log home surrounded by towering is masterfully built pines and poplars. Property boundary is steps away from Devil Track and lovingly cared for. River. Mls# 6085486 $76,000 Incredible views, you

salieNG pe N d

cozy cabin sits only feet from the shore with great views of the lake. The beamed ceilings and updated interior make it a pleasant retreat, looking out the large windows is like being on a boat. Gas appliances make a full working kitchen. The charming wood stove takes off the chill on cold mornings. Mls# 6092950 $115,000

solitude oN looN lake. Four great lots on the south side of Loon Lake. Fantastic shoreline, beautiful views, many nice trees. Located near the Gunflint Trail on a private road. Driveway in with power on the lot line. Mls# 6089603 $94,900, 6089604 $96,000, 6089605 peNdiNG, 6089606 $88,000 priVate toM lake lot. 25 acres and 671 ft of shoreline

on a great walleye lake! Nice white pines, fantastic rock outcropping for your dock. Remote access - no road easements are in place. You can visit this spot by boat or snowmobile. Mls#6083597 $99,999 larGe toM lake lot. Gently sloped 4.34 acre lakeshore lot with some incredible views. Situated in a quiet and peaceful bay. Tom Lake is a good fishing lake with access to power/electric and broadband.

Mls# 6091084 $87,900 esCape to NiNeMile lake. Nice, quiet lake between

Tofte and Finland known for its recreational opportunities. 2.9 acres very near the BWCAW. Good snowmobile access to the Tomahawk Trail and miles of trail riding. Mls#6085601 $59,900 Great priCe lake lot. Deep woods, seclusion and nice views from this Tom Lake lot. This is the desired west side of the lake with access from the Camp 20 Rd. Enjoy a peaceful lake property with good access. Adjacent land available. Mls#6085287 $43,900

NeW! Beautiful priVate lots oN hare lake. Deep,

private lots with maple, spruce and cedars, accessible shoreline and nice elevated building sites. Power and cell phone service. This area is surrounded by U.S.F.S. lands near Finland and Isabella. Priced to sell! 13 lots ranging from 1-7 acres. Mls# 6093661-65, 6093667,

6093669-72 $34,900 - $49,900, Mls# 6093660, 6093666, 60936668 peNdiNG

salieNG pe N d

can see for miles! Solar power, well and septic. Super nice sauna building. Mls# 6089634

$479,000

ClassiC loG hoMe – sCeNiC Moose Valley. Beautifully crafted, 4 bdrm log home on 81 acres with a mountainlike setting. Large kitchen, large walk out basement, huge heated garage with work shop, two historic cabins used for storage, small creek and thousands of acres of adjoining state forest to explore. Mls#6089088 $446,000 larGe hoMe With lake VieWs. Updated 4

salieNG pe N d

bdrm, 3 bath home sits on a private corner lot adjoining state land. Creek and great lake views. New outdoor wood/propane boiler, kitchen tile, appliances, bathroom tile, interior paint, landscaping and more. The 5-car garage has in-floor heat, efficiency apartment, 3/4 bath and cedar sauna, plus a washing bay for your car. Mls# 6090719

$323,000 reduCed

reMote hide-aWay. Charming custom built 2 bdrm, 2 bath cabin tucked in the woods overlooking a beaver pond. Screened porch for summer 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 CoZy hoMe Close to GraNd Marais. Comfortable 3 bdrm home on 8.8 beautiful, private acres less than 4 miles from Grand Marais. New septic and improvements! Fenced back yard and room for your new garage. Mls#

6093220 $209,000 reduCed

CoMMerCial the feather's Nest iNN. The

Feather's Nest Inn offers customers a clean, less expensive alternative to the chain hotels with 5 motel units, 4 with kitchenettes. This place is a perfect "day trip" headquarters. Includes a one bedroom apartment below the motel. The cute stucco house has 2 floors and a partially completed basement (with recreation room, laundry and office space). This is a 5 bedroom house!

Mls# 6092946 $505,000 reduCed GraNd Marais opportuNity. This is a rare

opportunity to acquire vacant commercial property in Grand Marais, and your business options are nearly endless! Zoned Service Commercial/ Industrial, any type of business is possible here. Property includes a paved driveway and frontage on Highway 61. Mls# 6092309

$168,000 larGe GraNd Marais lot. Nice 3.60 acre commercial

lot with potential for multi family housing subject to city approval. Good location on the west end of Grand Marais just off Hwy 61. Easy access to the bike trail. Mls# 6089284 $149,500

riVer/Creek froNtaGe larGe traCt With Creek. This 319 acre parcel has ponds & creek frontage on the Flute Reed River. 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# 6081432 $258,000 sWeet hide-aWay oN Creek.

Sit on your screen porch overlooking the Carlson Creek valley and listen to the babbling brook. Cute 2 room cabin + loft is simple and designed as an easy retreat with no power or cell phones, just nature and the flowing creek. Warm wood stove and updated kitchen with beautiful hickory cabinets.

Mls# 6091758 $120,000 reduCed

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com 44

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

RealtoRs®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI • Linda Garrity, Realtor Cathy Hahn, ABR/GRI • Larry Dean, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor • Jess Smith, 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

laNd/BuildiNG sites

riVer/Creek froNtaGe

salieNG pe N d

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 $129,999

deep Woods, MoNs Creek.

Nice “40” with good tree cover and creek frontage, where you could launch your canoe. There's a great building site overlooking Mons Creek from a high point. Good road access, but private and secluded. The property has private deeded access to Lost Lake, which is a short walk away. Wilderness feel. New trail cut into the property so you can see the potential! Mls# 6089091

$59,900

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# 6089089 $69,900 or Mls# 6089091 $59,900 or Mls# 6089090 $69,900 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. Mls#

6031740 $51,000 10 aCres oN the flute reed riVer. Very nice property for your homestead. The

Flute Reed River meanders through with a perfect build site about 200 ft from the river. Heavily wooded with mature trees. Electric at the road. Mls# 6087451

$49,500 Great reCreatioNal parCel.

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 $129,000

larGe aCreaGe Near toM lake.

128 acres with good road access and an easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Year-round road, power is possible here. The 3 forties may be split - take your pick.

Mls# 6081431 $111,000 larGe Wooded esCape. A rare 80 acre retreat or home site just off county road with power and Broadband nearby. Great location in remote area of Cook County with close proximity to Lake Superior and miles of trails and back roads to roam. Many good building sites. Mls# 6090145 $109,900 reduCed 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# 6083920 $90,000 larGe parCel Near shore. This

heavily wooded 12 acre parcel is within a short walk to the shore of Lake Superior. Great lake affect and plenty of privacy. Rough shared driveway in place. Close to Broadband and power. Older travel trailer included.

Mls# 6090231 $87,900 laNd Near WilsoN lake. A special

piece of the Northwoods – 16 acres with deeded access to Wilson Lake! USA-owned forest is your backyard. Driveway, electric, and a small bunkhouse/shed are in place. Mls# 6028685 $80,000

Mature Woods, lake VieW, Close to GraNd Marais. Great 20

salieNG Nd pe Mls# 6086641 $74,900

acre parcel on County Road 14 with mature forest and Lake Superior views. Good area for a home or recreational property. Could be subdivided.

deep Wooded 80 Near toM lake. Rolling, densely forested 80 acres just a mile

salieNG pe N d

Exceptional recreational parcel. Seller used for deer hunting, home base for fishing and hiking the area. There is a 1000' driveway that is brushed open, an open cleared space with a 30' Dutchman trailer. 1500' of Mons Creek runs the length of the property. Mls#

from Tom Lake public access. Year round road access. Power and broadband available. State DNR lands on two side, allowing hundreds of acres of wilderness to explore. Mls# 6092952 $70,000

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

Grand Marais on County Rd 48 and Bally Creek Rd. Some Lake Superior views and potential for more! Several driveways are in with buried electric along the northern border. New culverts, nice build sites, new survey. Mls# 6091811, 6091822,

6092273 $47,500 500’ oN MohNs Creek. Mixed topography

laNd/BuildiNG sites 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# 6085112 $169,000 speCtaCular lake VieW. Expansive lake views and enchanting forest make up a unique 13 acre parcel. Just 15 minutes from Grand Marais, and a short walk to Lake Superior's shore. Power and Broadband are available. Shared driveway leads almost to the property line. Mls# 6090230

$132,000

10 aCre lots Near GraNd Marais. Four 10 acre lots only a few miles from

6091826 $59-$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. 1000s of acres of USFS lands on the west border.

Mls# 6076727 $65,000 hiddeN GeM iN hoVlaNd. Explore

40 acres of seclusion with dramatic views from the south facing bluff. Beautiful mixed forest and abundant wildlife. 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 $68,000

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.

Wooded seClusioN iN GraNd Marais. Several great wooded

lots on the west side of Grand Marais, a mile from down town. Close to the bike trail with privacy on a dead end road. Septic and wells allowed, power and broadband available. Mls# 6087223, 26, 28 $49,900

Mls#6086104 $63,900 lake superior VieWs – Great loCatioN. Five heavily wooded acres with

driveway to a beautiful building site. Great lake view! Only minutes to Grand Marais. Nice mix of trees, quiet dead-end road, south exposure, power and Broadband nearby. Perfect for your home in the woods.

Mls#6086767 $63,000 NiCe 20 With BeaVer poNd. The

salieNG eNd Mls#p 6092670 $59,900

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!

GraNd Marais VaCaNt lot.Nicely wooded parcel on quiet street in the west end of town. Three full city lots facing south with city street, curb and gutter, utilities near by. Short walking distance to the harbor. Mls# 6093024 $59,900

larGe laNd, Maples, lake aCCess. This 67 acre parcel has high maple ridges,

a pond, and an easement to walk to Tom Lake. Many trails to ride and forest to explore. Mls#6085291

$59,900 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#6090492

$59,900 deNsely Wooded, hiGh GrouNd – 20 aCres iN hoVlaNd. Great

location not too far off the beaten path, potential lake views, nice forest and feels remote and private. Just off Jackson Lake DNR Forestry Road. Potential off-grid home site or cabin site. Mls#6085963

$54,900 NeW! 4 tofte lots. These lots (approx.

2 acres each) offer electric and walking distance from downtown Tofte! Perfect location to build a year-round home. Potential for Lake Superior views from some lots.

Mls# 6093756-59 $51,800 - $63,300 Wildlife haVeN. Fairly flat 5.92 acre

property despite being located on a hill. Nice mix of poplar, pines and birch trees. Lots of wildlife activity - deer, grouse and wolves. Potential distant Lake Superior view. Adjacent property available (MLS #6082089). Mls#6082090 $49,900

– 58,500 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# 6076539 $49,900

Wooded property Near GraNd Marais. 10+ acres with nice trees,

hills and a sm. creek. A great place for a home or deer camp. Adjacent lot also for sale (MLS#6082090).

Mls# 6082089 $46,900 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# 6085111 $43,000

aCreaGe iN GraNd Marais.

Wonderful, large wooded lot inside city limits, and conveniently located just 1 mile from downtown Grand Marais. Mls# 6088336 $43,000

Great loCatioN hoMe site.

salieNG d peN$34,900 Mls#6091152

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.

affordaBle lot Near lake superior. Two acres of mixed forest with spruce,

poplar and birch. Two great building sites separated by a creek. The roads are plowed by the association. The covenants do NOT have minimum house size requirements. Mls# 6092140 $33,000

affordaBle forested lot.

Beautiful . This 90 acre parcel nestled in the Wildwood Acres development near Tofte. A minimal road association fee keeps the road plowed in the winter with electricity and broadband available. Cute (A-Frame) tiny house on the property could be purchased separately. Mls# 6091360

salieNG pe N d

$22,000

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT TIMBERWOLFF REALTY!

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

Local 663-8777 • Toll free (877) 664-8777 DREAMING OF LAKE SUPERIOR? ON THE WATER, LAKE VIEWS! Info@TimberWolffRealty.com

DEVIL TRACK RIVER E COBBLESTONE HOME AT L A MOUTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR! S ING D N E P

D L SO

Fully renovated and much loved home, you’ve all seen the outside, the cool looking Cobblestone house on the Lake Superior side of the Devil Track River, just a few minutes east of Grand Marais. While the exterior is interesting, the interior is FANTASTIC! From the warm wood floors to the hand hewn interior beams and trim, this home welcomes you in to the history of the North Shore. Updated everything and move in ready, walk to the beach and up the river for a day of Fly fishing, just incredible home and location. MLS#6086342 $399,000

E SAL ING D PEN

MOUNTAIN TOP LIVING ON MINNESOTA’S NORTH SHORE! Breathtaking views of Lake Superior are the focus of this home, built by David Salmela. Lofty Red Pines are scattered amongst the boreal forest surrounding this 4 bedroom home while overlooking the wild country of Tettegouche State Park.

COTTAGE ON CASCADE’S LAKE SUPERIOR! Simple

Living, Small Footprint 3 bedrm Lutsen Lake Superior home, with large deck Overlooking Lake Superior. Accessible sprawling ledgerock shoreline. Lower level walks out with some overflow guest space and workshop area. $549,000

MLS#6088471

D L O S

MLS#6086880 $650,000

OLD WORLD CHARM AND CRAFTSMANSHIP MEET 300’ OF LAKE SUPERIOR BEACH! MLS# 6081939 $579,000 REDUCED!

D L O S 500+ FT ON LAKE SUPERIOR WITH LODGE STYLE HOME!Used as a Vacation

Rental, Bay Breeze is all about comfortable style with spaces designed for entertaining from the Great Room to the Lakeside Deck! A must see home! MLS#6084180 $479,000

AMAZING LAKE SUPERIOR HOME WITH A BEACH HOUSE! MLS#6083651 $589,000

LAKE SUPERIOR LAND JUST NORTH OF SILVER BAY, PALISADE VIEWS OF LAKE SUPERIOR! Gorgeous Lakeshore, Priced Way Below NEW! MEANDER THROUGH Tax Assessed Value! Gorgeous Views down the Coastline A SPRUCE FOREST TO FIND THIS AWESOME 3.72 ACRES and Well buffered from Hwy. MLS#2313255 WITH 240FT OF LAKE $185,000 SALE PENDING SUPERIOR SHORELINE! NEW! ENJOY 3.83 ACRES WITH Easily accessible shoreline allows for great 255FT OF LAKE SUPERIOR lake views and access! MLS#6092323 SHORELINE! Great site overlooking level access $249,900 SOLD! to Lake Superior! MLS#6092322 $249,900

SALE PENDING

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AND LIKE TIMBERWOLFF R EALTY! 46

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT TIMBERWOLFF REALTY!

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

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

Info@TimberWolffRealty.com

LAKE SUPERIOR TOWNHOMES/CONDOS

D L O S

NEW!! LUTSEN TOWNHOME ON THE EDGE OF THE BIG LAKE! MLS#6092040 $239,000

THE INLAND LAKES ARE CALLING!

D L O S

LAKE SUPERIOR TOFTE CONDO AT CHATEAU! MLS#6086139 $64,999 SURFSIDE #16A ON LAKE SUPERIOR, MINUTES TO LUTSEN MOUNTAINS! Clean 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!

JUST LIKE THE OL’ LAKE CABINS FROM YOUR YOUTH!

Rustic but comfortable, located on awesome Pike Lake with nice views and sense of wilderness while being part of a small lake community. Tons of value with the cabin and garage. Spend your days fishing on Pike and your evenings on the deck overlooking Pike Lake! MLS#6087771,

REDUCED $255,000

MLS#6080869 $179,900 FOR YOUR ¼ SHARE!

MOUNTAIN RESORT HOMES BIG VALUES AT CARIBOU HIGHLANDS, FANTASTIC SUMMER FUN ON THE MOUNTAIN!

MOOSE MOUNTAINS VIEWS! 3 bedrm 2 bath Lovely Townhome, TONS OF VALUE at an all time low price of $171,000

MLS#6082462 Ask for #515!!

BARGAIN BUY!

D L O S

120A Bridge Run at Caribou Highlands! Two levels of fun, upstairs bedroom/bunk space. Must See at this price! MLS#6084056

$79,900! SOLD 124B THE BEST AT CARIBOU because it is completely updated and has a double deck, gorgeous 1 bedrm condo!

MLS#6032522, SOLD $91,500 WOWSER!

#670 MOOSE MOUNTAIN! 5 Bedrm 4 bath MINT townhome with AMAZING VIEWS OF MOOSE MOUNTAIN! MLS#6087455 $319,000 SOLD

NEEDS TLC, A CHARMING CABIN ON CARIBOU LAKE WITH ALMOST 200 FT OF SHORELINE! MLS#6085653 $325,000

FAMILY CABIN ON PIKE LAKE, GRAND MARAIS! MLS#6086465 $449,900 BIG VALUE!

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AND LIKE TIMBERWOLFF R EALTY! NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT TIMBERWOLFF REALTY!

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

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

Info@TimberWolffRealty.com

WILDERNESS HOMES, LAKE VIEWS, AND IN TOWN…READ ALL ABOUT ‘EM!

D L O S

NEW!! KEEPIN IT REAL ON WILD ONION TRAIL! Off the grid, and all the comforts of home amongst

the Sugar Maples. Make your dreams of homesteading a reality with 20 acres to work on and a two bedroom home with amazing 3 season porch overlooking the valley! There is a comfortable Northwoods vibe at this home: room to let the mind explore, expand, exhale. It’s a place to reinvent yourself or just take a break. When you get the urge to explore head out on the Superior Hiking Tr just five minutes away. Or head on down to Sugarloaf Cove Interpretive Center on Lake Superior, a great place to hike, throw rocks and mediate on the majesty of Gitche Gumee. MLS#6093575 $179,000

NEW! WALK TO TOWN, LIVE IN THE WOODS MLS#6092647 $269,000

E L A S ING D N E P

NEW! WELCOMING HOME NESTLED ON 40 ACRES OF ROLLING HILLS AND HIGH GROUND! Located a hop skip and a jump

from the new Pike Lake Boat Access, you can spend your days fishing on Pike and your evenings listening to the breezes blow across the hilltops! Designed for good southern exposure, this is an off grid home with full solar system in place. Detached garage, generator shed, move in ready! Located between Grand Marais & Lutsen!

NEW! YEAR ROUND HOME IN FINLAND! Great elevation and 10 acres to play on

with nice views of the ridge and Baptism River. Home was moved and rehabbed from Cliff and Shore Resort, was the middle section of the building. Great home for year round living or just having it as a cabin with perfect location. Very charming open floor plan with lots of natural light in the living area. Master Bedroom and guest bedroom are in the west wing and living room with open floor plan to the kitchen in the East. Nice separation for entertaining and relaxation. All one level living! The large deck and spacious yard completes the whole North woods package! Borders public land to North and Baptism River is across the Cramer Road, many hiking and snowmobiling opportunities nearby!

cabin in Lutsen with a modern feel sitting on 5 acres! The Wood stove will take any chill off while you enjoy this 1 bedroom cabin, with enough room for a pull out couch to sleep four. Maintenance free deck wraps around three sides and the sauna has a changing room and beautiful cedar walls inside. The cabin is roughed in for electric and plumbing for the future! Great location to enjoy peace and quiet. MLS#6090139 $134,900

MLS#6090618 $189,000

NEW!! MODERN STYLE HOME IN TOFTE!

Plenty of room to relax in this 3 bedroom home with many recent upgrades thru-out. Large master suite upstairs with lots of natural light! Two guest bedrooms on lower level each have private walkout patios for friends and family to enjoy the sounds of the woods in the morning before the days adventures. Quiet neighborhood makes this a great affordable family home!

MLS#6093576 $269,900 GUNFLINT TRAIL WILDERNESS HOME WITH VIEWS OF GUNFLINT LAKE! Newer construction log sided home. 10 acres bordering the Superior National Forest on 2 sidesseclusion! Throw the boat in at the nearby Gunflint Lake landing when you want to hit the water. Newer home has Fabulous lake views, spacious deck. Fabulous stone fireplace, open dining/kitchen area. Gourmet kitchen, granite. Master en suite bedrm, screened porch. Lots of elbow room with the additional bedrms.

E SAL ING D N E P

MLS#6083975 $259,000 REDUCED

NEW!! AFFORDABLE HOME ON FIVE WOODED ACRES OVERLOOKING THE BIG LAKE AND GRAND MARAIS. Cute home, just up the

Gunflint Tr a few minutes from town. Big windows fill with sylvan light and Hardwood floors. Plenty of space and all single floor living. Two bedrooms or make one the office. Nice entryway with room for all the gear that supports our Northern lifestyle. Step outside and begin to imagine: Five acres is roomy, stretch your mind around the possibilities. Right across the Gunflint is the Pincushion X/C ski trail system and biking paths! Gunflint Hills golf course and Downtown Grand Marais are close. Yet, this place is in the woods – best of both worlds. MLS#6093286 REDUCED $199,000

E SAL ING D PEN

2 CABINS OUTSIDE GRAND MARAIS, RENTAL OPPORTUNITY. Yes, they need

fixing up but these cabins have a highly desirable location just “Up the Hill” from Grand Marais. Currently generate rental income, use your vision on upgrades!

MLS#6085107 REDUCED $55,000

MLS#6092561 $233,700

NEW! AWESOME LUTSEN RETREAT! Newly constructed off grid

E SAL ING D PEN

NEW! DREAMY TOFTE LOG CABIN-NEW CONSTRUCTION! Lovely home in a wilderness setting very near to Blue Fin Bay on Lake Superior! Spacious eat in kitchen, 2 bedrm 1 bath Mint home with large deck for relaxing after a day of Hiking at Oberg, just minutes away. MLS#6088871

E SAL ING D PEN NEW! VINTAGE VOYAGEUR IN GRAND MARAIS! MLS#6093695 $234,900

D L O S NEW! SPRAWLING HOME ON BIRCH DRIVE MLS#6092565 $449,000

E SAL ING D PEN

$224,900

Call TIMBERWOLFF REALTY or visit www.timberwolffrealty.com for more information! 48

DECEMBER 2020

NORTHERN WILDS

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT TIMBERWOLFF REALTY!

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

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

Info@TimberWolffRealty.com

CAMPN’, HUNTN’, FUN GETAWAY LAND, INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! NEW!! 26+ acres of wilderness just minutes from Lake Superior! Great location for a cabin or home!

MLS#6093334 $64,900

30 acres Wilderness, Borders lands next to Little Manitou River! MLS#2309327 $129,000 NEW!! 40 acres of privacy and serenity near Pancore Lake! Great diversity of trees and animals!

MLS#6093013 $89,000

Wildwood acres lots- ranging from $19-33,000 Great location! MLS#6087233 NEW!! 40 acres of Wilderness on the Cramer Road

MLS#6093678 $52,000

South Sloping land in Tofte, Seasonal Lake Views in beautiful setting at LeVeaux Mountain. Easy access, electric, fiber…build ready! Ask for 2xx and 3xx LeVeaux Ridge MLS#6089001 AND 6089003

$67,000 EACH

Crosswinds in Tofte, Walk to Coho! Large pkg lots, Great Value. $69,900

NEW!! 11+ Acres with Tent platform and driveway in place! Close to many inland lakes!

NEW!! Great getaway cabin site just waiting for you! 2+ acres with lots of privacy in Tofte Airport Development! Multiple lots available starting at

Well-Manicured Lot in Lutsen! Driveway and building site in place, 1.75 acres. MLS#6086735 $29,000

MLS#6077966 REDUCED

$29,900 MLS#6093572

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#6093970 $57,900

Wilderness land with canoe access to Tait Lake! 3+ ac a stone’s throw to Tait Lake!

MLS#6078839 $42,000

MLS#2024250 $42,000

5 ac in the heart of Lutsen, just above TimberWolff! Great location for family home or Vaca Cabin!

40 ac Sugar Loaf Rd-Hunter’s Paradise, upland and level land. Yr Round Access, minutes to Lake Superior. MLS#6086473 $48,000 SOLD

Caribou Hillside in Lutsen! Maple hillside above Ward Lake and Caribou Lake, FABULOUS location for summer and winter fun! Must see land!

Maples with lots of Elbow Room, Year Round access and nice location between Cross River in Schroeder and Finland! MLS#6028422 $49,000

RUSTIC CABINS AND GETAWAYS!

MLS#6077951 $37,500 REDUCED

MLS#6078781 5 AC $40,000

Hansen Hjemstead Rd, level build site with nearby pond! MLS#6084134 REDUCED $32,000

Woodland Foothills Build Ready lots, Shared Water & Community Septic from

High Ground above Lake Superior, Bloomquist Mountain area!

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!

NEW! 2160 Cty Rd 7-Gorgeous 5 acres with creek meandering along west border, partial driveway in place. Easy access to Grand Marais, no Covenants!

MLS#2309328+ FROM $39,000

MLS#6074981 $57,500

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 Tait Lake area, Legend Trail parcel bordering USFS lands with views of Wills and Williams Lake!

MLS#6028619 $67,500

Hilltop build site in the Maples, Isak Ridge Rd. Nice Lake Superior Views with Superior National Forest lands across the Road. Perfect for a Walk Out Home Design! MLS#6084133 $37,500

SALE PENDING

Tucked in the maples with cedar forest surround, 2 parcels at MLS#6084131-2 REDUCED

$25,000

NEW! Views Views Views of Tait Lake Pines! 2.27 acres of privacy with deeded access to Tait Lake -

MLS# 6090031 $50,000

NEW! 2.64 acres of Wilderness with deeded access to Tait Lake! MLS#6092302 $31,900

MLS#6091367 $69,900 SALE PENDING Quiet Side of Town Building Site, just off the East 5th Street in the heart of Grand Marais. Walk to East Bay!

MLS#6082222 $59,000

LAKE SUPERIOR views, Rolling terrain with creek meandering through the land. Beautiful setting less than five minutes to Grand Marais!

MLS#6029849 $65,000

Mature Trees In Town! Excellent location for your main level living home, tucked in to the trees while being a minute to Sawtooth Mountain Clinic and the YMCA!

MLS#6080711 $80,000 MLS#6080709 $79,000

Coveted County Road 7 Location! Two 5 acre parcels remain, with creek meandering along the border. Nice boreal forest, high elevations! Only one left!

MLS#6086990 $63,000 SALE PENDING

INLAND LAKE LANDS

NEW! DEERYARD LAKE: Back to the Basics LAKE DEERYARD LAKE GETAWAY! with 2.4 acres and 175ft of shoreline on Deeryard Lake! 2.30 acres and 175ft of shoreline! MLS#6086435

MLS#6090377 $172,000 SALE PENDING $174,900 SALE PENDING

NEW! SUNSHINE ON PIKE LAKE! Prime BEST OF THE VILLAGE AT NINEMILE! 1800ft of shared shoreline on shoreline on the “Lutsen” side of Pike Lake. Gentle

D SOL

MLS#6085097 $39,000

southern slope to the lakeshore, enjoy wading in to the water from a nice rocky beach area. Only 20 minutes to Lutsen Mountains Ski and Summer Resort. A must see lake parcel for your future dream home in Lutsen!

Ninemile Lake, great location and sense of privacy!

MLS# 6087908 $37,000

CLARA LAKE IN LUTSEN! Wilderness

Lakeshore Site with cleared build site, driveway

MLS#6091546 $176,000 SALE PENDING in place. Electric at road, 200 ft PRIME shoreline. $169,000 MLS#6088357

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

SALE PENDING CHRISTINE LAKE 10 AC bordering Superior

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 SOLD

NEW! CLASSIC GARAGE CABIN ON PIKE LAKE ROAD! Long winding driveway,

with cleared build site area. 2017 built garage with electric and fiber used as a SWEET summer cabin getaway! Porta Potty on site! MLS#6088829 $89,900

COMMERCIAL UP NORTH!

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 $55,000 SOLD! NEW! COMMERCIAL VACANT LOT WITH LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS! 4.89 acres with direct access from Highway 61 and leveled building site! MLS#6087649 $220,000

VISIT US AT WWW.TIMBERWOLFFR EALTY.COM FOR PICTUR E SLIDESHOW! NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

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

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 7

PENDING

SOLD

Bluefin Unit 26

PENDING

Bluefin Unit 39

NEW

PENDING

3 BR, 2 BA. Recent $130K elegant remodel. Only a few feet from shore. $419,900

1 BR/1 BA. Ideal location. Exceptional value and solid investment at reasonable price. $259,900

2 BR, BA with lock-out. Huge views of Superior and elegantly furnished. The view! $340,000

Bluefin Unit 18

2 BR, 2 BA floorplan. Unique to the whole resort. A guest favorite. $340,000

Eric Frost

Bluefin Unit 32

Sales Agent, Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts

1 BR, 1 BA. Charming unit with brand new bath, kitchen, and fireplace. $50K in Rental Income. $275,000

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.

Bluefin Unit 72

3 BR/BA Grand Superior Townhome. End unit on the edge of the property. $120K in rental income. $580,000

218-663-6886 | eric@bluefinbay.com

Lynne Luban

BUYING OR SELLING

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

Call: 218-591-0985 Email: stphn.carlson@gmail.com or Realliving.com/steve.carlson.

Email: lynneluban@mac.com Website: thelegacyminneapolis.com

White Tail Ridge Rd

11 LEFT LIVE OUT YOUR LEGACY IN NEW CONDOS IN MILLS DISTRICT BY THE GUTHRIE! CLOSINGS ARE BOOKED SOLID FOR AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER , NOVEMBER, DECEMBER!

Contact me for a personal viewing of floor plans photos of construction views and pricing.

Rocky Wall Rd Lake County, MN Parcel

Lake County, MN Parcel 27-5707-33490

27-5707-33790

27-5707-33730

27-5707-33670

27-5707-33850

27-5707-33910

27-5707-34550

27-5707-34610

27-5707-34490

27-5707-34790

27-5707-34730

26-5700-35550

27-5707-34670

27-5707-34850

27-5707-34910

26-5700-35610

11 Left at Legacy • 1 left at Porltand Tower

A New Luxury Condo Development 740 Portland Avenue • Downtown Minneapolis

DECEMBER 2020

• 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

26-5631-04070 26-5631-04190 26-5631-04030

26-5632-04210 26-5632-04390

26-5607-03310

26-5607-03250

26-5632-04460 26-5632-04160 26-5607-04191

26-5607-04130

26-5607-03070

NORTHERN WILDS

26-5607-02250

26-5635-01030

26-5607-02370

26-5607-02430

26-5607-03560 26-5607-03552 26-5607-03550

26-5607-03490

26-5607-03570 26-5607-03510 26-5607-03530 26-5607-03580 26-5607-03553 26-5607-03640 26-5639-00200 26-5607-03677

26-5635-01065

26-5635-00151

26-5635-02030 26-5635-00051

26-5607-02550

26-5607-02490

26-5635-02020

Roads

Township Rd

Townships Sixteenths

County Forest Rd

Sections

Private

Sixteenth

1:36,112

1/16/2020, 1:15:50 PM

Roads

County Hwy

Private

State Hwy

City-Municipal Rd

CSAH

Townships

County Forest Rd

Sections

0.2

0.33

0.4 0.65

0.8 mi 1.3 km

Sources: Esri, Airbus DS, USGS, NGA, NASA, CGIAR, N Robinson, NCEAS, Public Viewer Online map disclaimer applies to this resource

26-5607-03860

1:18,056

1/16/2020, 1:20:46 PM

Parcels

26-5635-01040 26-5607-03500

26-5607-04720

26-5607-02310

26-5635-01010 26-5607-03430

26-5607-04205

26-5607-04790

26-5607-03020

26-5635-00001

26-5607-04190

State Hwy

0.1

0.15

0.2 0.3

0.4 mi 0.6 km

Sources: Esri, Airbus DS, USGS, NGA, NASA, CGIAR, N Robinson, NCEAS, Public Viewer Online map disclaimer applies to this resource

• 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.

27-5707-33860

26-5639-00010

2 NEW CONSTRUCTION CONDO BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS

This 3.67acre lot is on the ridge above Hwy 1 just north of Silver Bay. Gated entrance must call agent for access. 218-591-0985

Steve Carlson 218-591-0985 stphn.carlson@gmail.com Realliving.com/steve.carlson.

10 acre 660x660 with easement for 20 acre lot to the south On Ridge behind Silver Bay

$57,600

20 acre 660x1320 Views of Lake Superior on the ridge behind Silver Bay $66,700

www.Realliving.com/Messina

CATCHLIGHT

Moose I came across these two bulls one morning up the Gunflint Trail. It was around -15 F and their bodies were all covered with frost from their breath and a thick fog from their breath hung above them. They let me take hundreds of photos before they ambled away, It was a wonderful morning.—David Johnson NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2020

We’ve got you covered!

YakTrax Walk

Stay Toasty Electric Heaters

Shop Local Online: acehardware.com 2 Pack

Variety

of ACE 16 oz.

Propane Cylinders $9.99

Bird Feed

Perfect for thousands of gift ideas.

BluE RHino

Propane Exchange $19.99

Get what you need, when you need it.

Variety

Free Shipping and Store Pickup.

COOK COUNTY

HOME CENTER

Cook County

Mon - Fri: 7 am - 5 pm • Sat: 8 am - 2 pm 1413 E. Hwy 61, Grand Marais • 218-387-1771  Toll-free 1-877-387-1771

Thousands of items available 52

DECEMBER 2020

Delivery

www.acehardware.com - Shop Online and Get Free Shipping to our store!

NORTHERN WILDS

Northern Wilds December 2020

Articles inside

Reviews

Wild Traditions

Spotlight

Points North

Health

Dog Blog

Events

Northern Trails

Ore Boats

Family Traditions