Northern Wilds February 2021 by Northern Wilds Magazine

DANCING HARES— CHARLIE PARR—PIZZA—VALENTINE MEMORIES—SKI RESORTS—DOG BLOG

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Winter-Lite and Postal Woes At this writing, we have so far experienced winter-lite, a season marked by warmer-than-average temperatures and less-than-average snowfall. This has in turn led to some grumpiness among resident and visiting winter lovers, although few complain about enjoying a midwinter day outdoors when the temperature is hovering near the freezing mark. If Mother Nature decides go easy, you might as well take advantage of it. In the Northern Wilds, she’ll change her mind soon enough. Unfortunately, some of our subscribers are off to a bumpy start for 2021, because their January issue was slow to arrive or has yet to appear. Our bulk mailing went out on time, but we have no control over postal service delivery. We have not had widespread delivery issues in the past, so we’re hoping the postal situation will soon improve. You can also purchase a more expensive, first class subscription to receive a more consistent delivery time.

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.

In this issue, we pay tribute to a hallowed February holiday: Valentine’s Day. In a feature story, some of our writers reminisce about memorable dates, a couple of which eventually led to marriage. Our resident historian, Elle Andra-Warner, looks into the surprisingly long and interesting of Valentine’s Day greetings. Speaking of history, Rae Poynter speaks with a Hovland woman who has

spent years researching her family’s ancestors. Julia Prinselaar explores the history of Nordic skiing. It wouldn’t be winter in the Northern Wilds if we didn’t get outside and have fun. Eric Weicht has a roundup of the area’s downhill ski slopes and what each of them offers. Gord Ellis discusses high tech add-ons for your fishing boat that you can install now to be ready for the coming open water season. Erin Altemus shares some strategies for running and winning the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. Did you know there are polar bears in the Northern Wilds? Well, there aren’t any, although they are found no more than a few hundred miles due north of here. Elle Andra-Warner has seen them on the shores of Hudson’s Bay and shares some interesting polar bear facts. Joe Shead introduces us to a local phenomenon not everyone has seen: dancing snowshoe hares. On a musical note, Eric Chandler introduces us to another local treasure: Duluth folk singer Charlie Parr. And, if reading all of these fine stories makes you hungry, Chuck Viren has some suggestions for finding a great local pizza. Just be sure to save a slice for us.—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt

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VOLUME 18, ISSUE 2 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, Kim Casey, Eric Chandler, Gord Ellis, Peter Fergus-Moore, Deane Morrison, Hartley Newell-Acero, Christine Novotny, Rae Poynter, Julia Prinselaar, Walter Rhein, Amy Schmidt, Joe Shead, Chuck Viren, Eric Weicht, Sam Zimmerman Copyright 2021 by Northern Wilds Media, Inc. Published 12 times per year. Subscription rate is $28 per year or $52 for 2 years U.S. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part requires written permission from the publishers. Northern Wilds Media, Inc. P.O. Box 26, Grand Marais, MN 55604 (218) 387-9475 (phone/fax) PRINT & DESIGN print@northernwilds.com

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Dusty Nelms has spent years researching her family history, amassing a wealth of information about her ancestors. Shown here is Moose Valley School in Hovland, where her grandpa, his siblings and cousins all attended. | SUBMITTED

Dusty Nelms has been able to collect lots of old family photos. Show here is a photo of Mary Sundquist, Nelms’ great-grandma. | SUBMITTED

Stories, old photos and new connections

The journey of genealogy HOVLAND—The desire to know and understand where we come from has been part of the human experience for as long as human history. Today, starting the journey into genealogy has never been easier. Dusty Nelms, of Hovland, has spent years researching her family history, witnessing the changes in information and technology over the years and amassing a wealth of information about her ancestors. For Nelms, it was a middle school classroom assignment that sparked her interest in genealogy: the theme was autobiographies, and for the assignment Nelms did research on her family tree. That research was the beginning of a lifelong interest that she has been pursuing ever since. “Family has always been an important part of my life,” Nelms said. “There is always more to learn, and once you get started it can be hard to stop.” Nelms’ great-grandparents came over from various countries, with some of her ancestors arriving at the Hovland Dock on the America. Early on, her work involved talking with family members about past stories and collecting hand-written letters. She has also been able to collect family photos, including all four sets of her great-grandparents’ wedding photos.

FEBRUARY 2021

“I’m really thankful that I saved letters from people who are now gone. And it’s always fun to be able to see pictures since they add so much to the story,” Nelms said. Now, technology has introduced incredible resources for those wishing to learn about their family history, including sites like familysearch.com, ancestry.com, and the Minnesota Historical Society. Some sites like Ancestry require a subscription, but offer lots of information as well as the ability to meet and connect with others who are researching the same family line. (Nelms said to always verify information found online, as sometimes it can be incorrect.) Those interested in learning about their family trees, including when certain ancestors moved to a specific area, can also look into state marriage records, land records through county recorder offices, or census records. “Different census years contain different information,” Nelms said. “Some list occupations, some have whether residents rented or owned their land, some include current ages, and by piecing together different years you can start to paint a clearer picture. Newspaper obituaries are also great if you can get ahold of those, as they will often list the names of siblings and children.”

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Farming at the Moose Valley school in the Hovland area. | SUBMITTED To keep track of all of this information, Nelms creates a separate binder for each relative, where she keeps relevant photographs and information learned from various sources. She has also created books for her family members with the information she has

collected over the years. No matter one’s preferred organizational method, Nelms recommends that those getting started in genealogy always keep a record of where they learned their information. Sometimes she has found conflicting information from

different people and sources, and keeping records of what you learned and where you learned it can help solve discrepancies. Perhaps the greatest adventure that Nelms’ journey into genealogy sparked was a real-life journey to Scandinavia. As someone with Swedish and Swedish-Finn ancestry, Nelms had joined the Finlandia Club in Thunder Bay, and in 1987 was the lucky winner of a prize trip to Finland and Sweden. She was able to travel to some of the areas her ancestors came from, including some of the old family farms. Nelms said it was striking how the area bore such a close resemblance to Minnesota. Her trip was also touched with serendipity: while traveling by train from Stockholm to southern Sweden on Midsummer Eve, Nelms got talking to a woman about how she was traveling to the region of her ancestors. The woman then invited her to a party, and when Nelms announced at the party that she was from Minnesota, she ended up meeting a distant relative. “I met the grandkids of my great-grandpa’s brother,” Nelms said. “They were strangers, but when they found out who I was they just took me in and showed me around. They showed me the farm where my great-grandpa was born—back then, the oldest son in the family inherited the farm. My great-grandpa was a younger brother which is why he moved away, and why their branch of the family was still in the area. The fact that these relatives just welcomed me and took me in was so kind.” Through all that she has learned and the changes that technology has brought to genealogy research, Nelms said that the best way to get started in genealogy remains the same: talk to your older family members.

Werner Sundquist, Nelms’ great-grandpa, is shown here logging. | SUBMITTED “If you have living parents or grandparents, try to talk to them and get their stories,” Nelms said. “See what they did, what their living conditions were like, and start to

collect their memories. It’s so important to talk to the relatives that you can, while you can.”—Rae Poynter

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Two polar bear cubs and their mother along the Beaufort Sea at Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The cubs are born in snow-hidden dens dug in the fall by the mother where she gives birth and nurses them, staying up to eight months before emerging in the spring. | SUSANNE MILLER/USFWS

Polar Bears don’t have white fur THUNDER BAY— Polar bear cubs are adorably cute. At birth, they only weigh up to 1.5 pounds (.6 kg) and within a few months, have grown to 15-30 pounds (6.8-13.6 kg). Adult males weigh 775 to 1,300 pounds (350-650 kg), and females, 330 to 650 pounds (150290 kg). The height for adult bears is around 3.3 to 5 feet (1-1.5 metres), measured at the shoulder when they are on all fours. Polar bears—called “Nanuq” in Inuktitut; scientific name Ursus maritimus—are the world’s largest land carnivore. They live on Arctic sea ice and coasts in Norway, Russia, Greenland, The United States (Alaska) and Canada (including the northern edge of Northwestern Ontario).

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There’s a fascination with polar bears and seeing them roam wild and free in their natural habitat is an extraordinary experience. A few years ago, I was fortunate to see 21 polar bears while flying in a bush plane along the western Hudson Bay coast while on a tundra-trekking camping trip at the remote sub-arctic 9,093 square-mile Polar Bear Provincial Park in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. During the summer, as the bay’s sea ice melts, several hundred polar bears travel to the coastal areas in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. We saw a mother and two cubs feeding by a small lake; another bear was standing alone on a sandbar, and others walked the tundra, roamed the coastline or splashed along the bay’s shoreline. About two-thirds of the world’s polar bear population live in Canada, including 13 of the 19 sub-species.

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With home ranges that exceed 370,000 miles, they can travel more than 1,800 miles per month. The Polar Bear Capital of the World is recognized as Churchill, Manitoba on the shores of Hudson Bay. Though famous for their white fur coats, did you know that their fur is actually not white and their skin is black? Their fur is transparent with a hollow core that reflects and refracts light from the sun and off the snow, making it appear white. Heat from the sun is scattered down the hair shaft and is absorbed by their black skin. Polar bears have two layers of fur and solid body fat up to 4-5 inches thick. Polar bears are classified as a marine mammal as they spend more time on ice than on land and can live 25-30 years in the wild and 38 years (average) in captivity. Strong swimmers, they can paddle at an average speed of six miles per hour; swim sprint up to 30 miles per hour; dive to depths up to 15 feet; and, hold their breath underwater for more than two minutes. On land, they walk at speeds up to three miles per hour. Their paws are huge, measuring up to 12 inches in diameter and have small bumps (papillae) on their footpads to help grip the ice and keep from slipping. Unlike other bear species like the black bear and grizzlies, polar bears do not hibernate. The exception are female bears during pregnancy when she digs a den and gives birth to her cubs (often twins). They then stay sealed in the den up to eight months until the cubs can survive outdoors; during

that time she doesn’t eat, surviving off her body’s storage of fat. Polar bears rely on blubber (marine fat), primarily from fat-rich seals which they hunt from the sea ice and can eat over 100 pounds of blubber at one time. Polar bears depend on sea ice for their existence, but due to climate change warming, the sea ice is forming later and melting earlier, resulting in bears having to search for other food to survive (e.g. reindeer, eggs of snow geese, rodents, even seaweed). If seeing the polar bears in the wild isn’t an option, in Ontario you can view them in a habitat as close to wild as possible. It’s at the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat (CPBH) in Cochrane, Ontario (8-hour drive northeast of Thunder Bay), the world’s only captive bear facility dedicated solely to polar bears. CPBH’s current three resident polar bears— Ganuk, Henry and Inukshuk—have access to several enclosures with trees, rocks, natural vegetation and a swimming pool (visitors can watch them swim through a clear partition at the visitor’s centre). Polar bears have become the iconic symbol for climate change. And each year on February 27, the International Polar Bear Day raises awareness of the impact of global warming and reduced sea ice on polar bears. The annual event was created by the Polar Bear International (PBI), a group of conservationists, scientists and volunteers with a mission to “conserve polar bears and the sea ice they live on.”—Elle Andra-Warner

March madness The season of the dancing hares TWO HARBORS— When you think of winter animals across the north country, you might envision chickadees, wolves, deer or even some boreal bird species that show up here in winter, only to migrate back north come spring. But few species are more iconic or better adapted to our long, snowy winters than the snowshoe hare. If the name “snowshoe” isn’t enough to make you think winter, consider the fact these hares completely replace their summer brown pelage with white fur—the perfect camouflage to help them blend into a snowy landscape. Although their feet remain white year-round, starting in fall, white hairs gradually replace brown ones over the course of about 10 weeks. In spring, the process reverses. Snowshoe hares also have large hind feet lined with stiff hairs that act like snowshoes, helping them move across snow without sinking. This helps them navigate the coniferous forests they frequent and to outrun predators, such as bobcats, lynx, coyotes, wolves and foxes. But even though snowshoes are “winter’s animal,” even hares go a little stir crazy by the end of a long winter. This leads to one of the most entertaining spectacles in our Northern Wilds. Around March, male hares (called bucks) begin to feel their oats and make advances toward females (does).

But does don’t simply swoon and fall for their prospective mates. Instead, they stand up and fight! The female rears up on her hind feet and boxes with the male. Both combatants stand erect and bat forefeet with each other. They chase each other around, looking for an advantageous place to duke it out. If things get really heated, one may even leap in the air and land on top of the other. Fur flies and tracks pockmark the snowy dance floor. The male may take a real drubbing, because females are slightly larger. But if he backs down, he has no chance of getting what he wants. But why do hares do this? It’s not known for certain why female hares act this way (and this behavior is not unique to snowshoes; other hare species “box” as well). For one thing, the female is likely not yet ready to breed and she’s fighting off the male’s advances. But also, it seems she may simply be testing him to learn his degree of fitness and see if he is a worthy mate. The fact that sometimes mating occurs after these fights lends credence to that theory. It’s likely a little bit of both. This behavior is interesting because often males fight other males for the right to breed and the winner gets the spoils. But with hares, the female gets the final say. Hmm, seems like another species I know. Another interesting fact is that female

Snowshoe hares completely replace their summer brown pelage with white fur—the perfect camouflage to help them blend into a snowy landscape. | DAVID JOHNSON hares are induced ovulators, which means they start ovulating when they have sex, which pretty much guarantees they are impregnated. They give birth about 35 days after copulation. A typical litter is two to four “leverets,” although sometimes does give birth to as many as eight. The leverets are born fully furred and with their eyes open. In contrast, rabbits are born with their

eyes shut and without fur. Hares typically have two to three litters a year, and males attempt to mate with females immediately after giving birth. The young leverets are on their own after just a month. So, if cabin fever is making you feel “mad as a March hare,” know you’re not alone. It might be time to get outside. Just try not to throw any punches.—Joe Shead

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From Aleppo with love THUNDER BAY—Thunder Bay is a far cry from Aleppo, Syria. The Royal Aleppo Food restaurant, operating in takeout mode due to COVID-19, is nonetheless a bit of the Middle East in northwestern Ontario. In the cozy space of the restaurant are stories of flight from war, survival and making one’s way in a new land. Nothing is as it was for 24-year-old Aya Wadi, her 6-year-old brother Alaa, their father Khaled Wadi and mother Duha Shaar. “I wanted to be an interior designer,” Aya says as she relays a dinner order to her mother, the restaurant’s main chef. “I used to draw all the time. Not much, now...” “My mother was a seamstress,” she adds as she helps wrap the order for a waiting customer. Her father Khaled is not evident at the moment, as he is out doing the shopping for the restaurant. The city of Thunder Bay is also a far cry from the Middle East, especially from the Wadi family’s experience in a refugee camp in Istanbul, Turkey, where they lived for three years. “We worked while we were there,” Aya explains. “We did not take any aid, but we were not welcome in the country. It was the worst three years of my life.” Eventually, most members of the family made it to Canada in 2017, only to encounter a seasonal challenge: A Thunder Bay winter. In an unhappy way, this was nothing new for them. “We didn’t have adequate winter clothing when we came here, “Aya remembers. “But

life conditions were getting harder and harder in Aleppo. It was a struggle in winter to keep warm.” Just then, another customer comes in to place an order. “I liked your Facebook page,” she exclaims, as she and Aya read over the whiteboard menu that covers a sizable portion of the interior wall. The illustrated menu board shows such now-familiar Middle Eastern meals as shawarmas and donairs, featuring thinly-sliced meat roasting fragrantly on a vertical rotisserie against the back wall, and mezze (appetizers) or rice platters. The customer agrees to a shawarma and adds, at Aya’s suggestion, a package of special Middle Eastern desserts. Grateful to be able to start life over, the family cast about to find work. Mother and daughter participated in the local Roots to Harvest Cultural Kitchen program in 2018, a move that was to have far-reaching results. Firstly, Duha Shaar’s cooking skills came to the fore, and secondly, one of their recipes from home was chosen to be included in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) e-cookbook, Tastes from Home. Encouraged that food service might be a way to make a living, the family created the Royal Aleppo Food catering business. As catering proved to be too much effort for the return, the Wadi family purchased the popular Toubadji family Damascus Donair restaurant on St. Paul Street in early 2020. Royal Aleppo Food restaurant was born, and took off like a rocket as many Lakeheaders had developed a taste for Middle Eastern cuisine. And then suddenly, COVID-19 hit.

Duhar Shaar (left) and daughter Aya Wadi, of Royal Aleppo Food in Thunder Bay. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE “It is important to keep everyone safe,” Aya says, gesturing to the drastically altered restaurant interior. A line of tables leading from the front door restricts customer access, but allows the Wadis to take orders and deliver the finished meals, while protected by large Plexiglas screens. “The name of our restaurant comes from our home city. My mom wanted to honour that,” Aya says with a smile. The recent publicity from the UNHCR cookbook has helped boost interest and business from local people; the family are very grateful for the manifest community support from fellow Lakeheaders. Besides the joy of sharing their cultural culinary her-

itage, the Wadis have an additional mission in mind. “My brother Mohammed is in Germany right now,” Aya explains. “He designed our logo. We want to bring him to Canada and reunite with him. We will sponsor him. That is one of the main reasons for the Royal Aleppo.” It is fair to say that every order at the Royal Aleppo Food brings the possibility of family reunification a little bit closer. For more information on Royal Aleppo Food, visit: royal-aleppo-food.square.site. To view the UNHCR e-cookbook, visit: bit.ly/ unhcrcookbook.—Peter Fergus-Moore

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Boundary Waters Quota Permits for the 2021 season DULUTH—The Superior National Forest has updated the quota permit issuance process for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) for the 2021 season. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the USDA Forest Service will offer alternatives to issuing permits in-person and will conduct a “virtual” Leave No Trace (LNT) education program. Last season saw unprecedented visitation to the BWCAW and along with that an unacceptably high amount of resource damage, including cutting of live trees, human waste not being properly disposed, trash left in campfire rings, disruptive and oversized groups, and campfires left unattended. To ensure visitors new to wilderness understand and follow BWCAW regulations and Leave No Trace Principles, we have adopted new methods of delivering this information. It takes a commitment from everyone visiting these treasured lands to ensure that the lakes, waterways and forests of the BWCAW are protected against resource damage, so the wilderness character is preserved for future generations. All permit holders are required to watch three LNT education videos and review the BWCAW Regulations and Rules prior to receiving their permit. Permit holders are required to watch Part 1 and Part 2 of the series prior to the final step to securing their permit. Video links are emailed to permit holders at the time of reservation and two weeks prior to their entry date. An additional resource to plan for a successful trip is the BWCAW Trip Planning Guide. Check the Cooperators tab online (recreation.gov/permits/233396) before securing a permit to see which issue stations are issuing permits in-person or virtually. Permit holders who select a cooperator issuing permits in-person will be required to watch the final LNT education video and

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review the BWCAW Regulations and Rules prior to receiving their permit. Permit holders with permits listed at issue stations operating virtually will be e-mailed their permit by the Forest Service after completing required virtual LNT education online. If a permit holder does not have access to the internet, they must call the Forest Service to complete the LNT education requirement.

ESCAPE TO THE GUNFLINT TRAIL

More information about the virtual Leave No Trace program will be available prior to the BWCAW on-sale. BWCAW quota permit reservations for the 2021 season are available on Wednesday, January 27. Visitors are encouraged to book their reservations for May 1 through September 30 online (recreation.gov) or by calling 1-877-444-6777. For more information on travel in this area and all visitor updates, visit: fs.usda.gov/superior.

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FEBRUARY 2021

Points North Minnesota plan will guide wolf management By Shawn Perich

On January 4, Minnesota resumed management authority for the state’s gray wolves when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed them from the federal threatened and endangered species list. The only state in the lower 48 where wolves were never extirpated, Minnesota presently has an estimated 2,700 animals occupying all suitable habitat across 40,000 square miles in the northern and central part of the state. Wolf numbers have held steady for at least two decades. Minnesota DNR biologists consider the population healthy and robust. Changes in the animal’s legal status in Minnesota has changed multiple times since 2007 as wolf advocates have sought to continue federal endangered species protection via legal actions. The state has a wolf management plan in place and even held hunting and trapping seasons from 2012-2014. That management plan is currently undergoing an updating that involves extensive public input. DNR large carnivore specialist Dan Stark said the agency hopes to have the updated plan out for review within a couple of months. In the meantime, the existing plan guides the state’s wolf management. Currently, no wolf hunting or trapping seasons are scheduled. A depredation program, which has existed for decades, allows state-certified or government trappers to remove wolves that have killed livestock and pets. The biggest change between federal protection and state management is Minnesota is now divided into Zone A, the northeast, and Zone B, which is the southern and western two-thirds of the state. The zone boundaries follow the boundaries of the 1837 and 1854 ceded territories (tribes also have the ability to manage wolves). More importantly, Zone A is lightly populated and considered to be the core area of the state’s wolf range. Zone B has a higher population and thus a greater likelihood of wolves coming into contact with humans. In Zone A, state law allows owners of livestock, guard animals or domestic animals to shoot and destroy wolves that pose an immediate threat (defined as stalking, attacking or killing) to their animals, on property they won or lease, in accordance with local statutes. Anyone killing a wolf under this provision must protect all evidence and report the taking to a DNR conservation officer within 48 hours. The wolf 12

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Minnesota’s wolf management plan allows people to defend livestock and pets from wolf predation. Hunting and trapping will be addressed in a plan update expected this year. | STOCK carcass must be surrendered to the conservation officer. In Zone B, a person may shoot a wolf at any time to protect livestock, domestic animals or domestic pets on land they own, lease or manage. The “immediate threat” aspect doesn’t apply, but a conservation officer must be notified within 48 hours and the wolf carcass surrendered. People in Zone B also may employ a state certified wolf predator controller to trap wolves on or within one mile of land they own, lease or manage. State statute also allows the harassment of wolves that are within 500 yards of people, buildings, livestock or domestic pets to discourage wolves from coming in contact with people and domestic animals. Wolves cannot be attracted or searched out for purposes of harassment and harassment cannot result in physical harm to the wolf. Both federal and state regulations allow a wolf to be taken in defense of human life, with the same reporting requirements as above. The liberalization of circumstances where individuals are allowed to legally kill a wolf may have some folks wondering if it could lead to a high kill rate. Recent history suggests this is not the case. Stark said between 2012 and 2014, when wolves were managed under same rules,

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24 wolves were killed in zones A and B. He knows of only a couple of instances where landowners employed a certified trapper to remove wolves. Landowners can still seek assistance from state wolf control or the USDA Wildlife Services for wolf removal if they have a verified complaint of wolf damage. Livestock producers are encouraged to try alternatives to lethal wolf control and may receive grants from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to purchase fencing or guard animals, such as donkeys. Stark says while alternatives are not effective in all situations, they may discourage wolf depredation. Regulated wolf hunting and trapping will be addressed in the updated management plan. Stark says the DNR must recognize the diverse public opinions, because the

Shawn Perich’s POINTS NORTH online

idea of hunting or trapping wolves draws strong, emotional responses from many people. The experience of other states and provinces shows wolf populations can sustain relatively liberal harvests. Stark said previous seasons in Minnesota may have been conservative regarding the percent of wolves taken from the overall population. Also, previous seasons were not based upon an established wolf population goal. Many of the public comments the DNR received have asked the agency to manage wolves for the benefit of prey species such as deer and moose. Studies in Minnesota have shown that wolves can suppress deer populations in some areas and have an impact on moose calf survival. However, deer population levels are also affected by winter severity, habitat quality and hunter harvest. Moose numbers are affected by

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

disease, habitat quality and tick infestations. Importantly, no studies have shown what sort of reductions in the wolf population would be necessary to benefit deer or moose. Stark said many people do not view wolves in the same light as other wildlife species and associate values with them. Many are opposed to hunting and trapping. He also said that no one in the public comments stated that Minnesota shouldn’t have wolves, including hunters and livestock producers. The challenge for the DNR in updating the wolf management plan is to strike a balance between conflicting views about the animal.

New campground, bike trails at Split Rock State Park BEAVER BAY— Construction is underway for a new Shipwreck Creek Campground north of Highway 61, as well as mountain biking trails at Split Rock State Park. A late summer or fall grand opening is anticipated. The campground will have three loops with 46 campsites, all with electrical hookups. There will be a modern shower and bathroom building, too. The campground is connected to the rest of the park’s amenities by a new road being constructed under Highway 61. A paved trail will connect the campground to the Gitchi Gami Trail. Another connection, with a parking area, will connect to Lake County’s Split Rock Wilds trails, also under construction.

“We want to have a plan to support a healthy and resilient wolf population across the state and address conflicts where they occur,” Stark said. “It is important to recognize wolves are not a fragile species in risk of extinction or becoming endangered or threatened.”

The campground project is a cooperative effort between Lake County and Minnesota State Parks and Trails. Project design, permitting and construction of the campground and associated facilities is funded with $7.5 million from the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund. Lake County funded the $1.6 million roadway with a grant from the State Park Road Account.

The practices that were used to eliminate wolves from nearly all of the North America largely belong to an era long past. Biologists have never considered regulated hunting and trapping of wolves to be a conservation issue. We don’t know how the updated Minnesota wolf management plan will address hunting and trapping. What we do know is the DNR will ensure the continued existence of this iconic Minnesota animal.

To offset the new facility’s energy consumption, solar panels will be constructed at a to-be-determined Minnesota Parks and Trails facility that is more conducive to generating electricity. The mountain bike trails are a Lake County project with assistance from the IRRB, Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails Legacy Fund, One Track Mind Foundation, Cove Point Lodge and Castle Danger Brewery. Twelve miles of mountain bike trails were constructed last summer between the campground and Cove Point Lodge, about 10 miles away in Beaver Bay. The trails can be accessed from Cove Point, but the campground access is closed until the grand opening. There is a beginner-friendly loop near the Shipwreck Creek Campground. On Pine Know, across the creek from the campground, are several advanced and expert level trails with jumps, rock rolls and drops. The trail becomes more rocky and technical until it descends near Cove Point. This year, Lake County plans to build a less technical, 10-mile trail from Shipwreck Creek to Cove Point, creating a loop ride. The One Track Mind Foundation will provide funding to build an intermediate level jump trail near Cove Point.—Shawn Perich

The new campground at Split Rock State Park provides access to a network of mountain biking trails. | STOCK

COMING NEXT MONTH: THE HOME ISSUE

Are you planning to purchase property on the North Shore? Build a home? Move to the North Shore part time or permanently? Our March issue will cover these topics and more! ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES: Do you do business with people who are purchasing property, building a home or moving to the North Shore? The March issue of Northern Wilds devoted to those topics. We have some great advertising opportunities available. Email: ads@northernwilds.com for more information.

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2021

Dates A Date that Became a Fracas in Paracas

By Walter Rhein I was working for a web page in Lima, Peru when I had to go on assignment to Lunahuana. I called up my girlfriend at the time, and asked her to come along. We were expecting a nice little day trip, but what we ended up with can only be described as a fracas in Paracas. Our first mistake came when we missed our stop. Lunahuana is a couple hours south of Lima, but we fell asleep on the bus and ended up in the coastal town of Paracas. The countryside becomes pretty bleak in that part of Peru, and it’s always unnerving when you’re standing on the wrong stretch of road in the middle of a desert with no transportation in sight.

The Drama of Valentine’s Day Cards By Elle Andra-Warner Over the years I have had my share of flowers and chocolates for Valentine’s Day, which were very much appreciated. However, what stands out for me about Valentine’s Day goes back many years to the dilemmas, decisions and drama around the annual exchange of Valentine cards when I was an elementary school student at Thunder Bay’s St. James School. My mom would buy a multi-card package or two of the ‘cutesy’ odd-shaped Valentine cards for me to deposit in the ‘mailbox’ the teacher would set up for us to send cards to classmates. Hardest part for me was deciding who gets which card. They weren’t easy decisions. For example, some cards had goofy ‘love’ messages—who to send them to? Well, definitely a dilemma that called for priorization and strategy. Those mushy goofy cards went to the group of ‘best friends.’ What cards to send to the guys I liked, maybe even had a ‘crush’ on? The card couldn’t send out the message of being obviously interested, so I’d pick out especially nice but ‘subtle’ cards for them. And the not-socool cards would go to those that I knew less well or didn’t have much to do with. The goal was to give everyone a card. But sometimes I ran out of cards and then had to figure out who wasn’t going to get a card 14

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and hope they didn’t notice (but of course, I’d notice who didn’t send me a card!). Decisions, decisions. When the day came to hand out the Valentine’s Day cards, the teacher would bring out the ‘mailbox’ and the calling out of the card recipients would begin. Drama was high. What if you only got a few cards or maybe none? What if the classmates you sent cards to didn’t send you one? Were you too obvious sending that special card to that particular guy you liked? And then would come that moment, when you realize that you did get a reciprocal card from ‘that’ guy, but then you try to look cool as you wonder if that meant he thought...well, you get the idea. Looking back now brings a chuckle and kind of nostalgia about those early days of Valentine’s Day drama!

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Luckily, we managed to wave down a taxi. The driver turned out to be an affable man called Peluca, which is Spanish for wig. He agreed to take us back out to the central highway to look for a bus. We arrived at the Panamericana highway and Peluca gasped, “There’s one!” We looked where he was pointing to see a bus hurtling along at full speed. My girlfriend sprinted to flag them down and I paid Peluca, thanking him profusely. There were a few moments of chaos as the bus ground to a halt and we ran a couple hundred yards to get onboard. Things were looking up when we took our seats when my girlfriend let out a tormented cry. “We have to go back!” “Why?” “I left my purse in the taxi!” Nobody on the bus was happy as we sprinted back towards the front and begged to be let off. We ran back but Peluca was already gone. Losing a purse is always a pit in the stomach moment and my girlfriend was lamenting the expense of getting all her identification cards replaced. “Paracas isn’t that big, maybe we can find the guy.” We stumbled across a small collection of

buildings where the local drivers conglomerated. “Do any of you guys know Peluca?” “Sure, he’s right down there.” Hope soared as we headed over to Peluca, only to discover he wasn’t the right guy. “You’re not Peluca, the guy we knew drove a gray taxi.” “Oh, you’re thinking of my brother, I’m Peluca Dos.” We explained the situation and Peluca Dos got on the phone with Peluca. “Do you have a handbag that some passengers left?” From the other end of the line we could hear, “Yes, you can’t have it.” “No,” Peluca Dos said, “They came back, can we meet and get them their bag?” “Sure!” We eventually got the bag, took the contact information from the Peluca brothers, and made our way to Lunahuana. I ended up writing two stories. One was about the event I was supposed to cover, the other was about the good deed done by the two brothers in Paracas. I’ve been giving their email away to people asking for recommendations for years. And I married the girl.

A Pair of Firsts By Eric Weicht It started with a text. “Hey! Want to come over for a bonfire tonight?” We’d known each other for weeks by this point, but it still made my heart race to text her directly. Usually, I’d have sent out a text to all of the Lutsen summer guides, inviting everyone over for a bonfire even though she was really the one that I wanted to see. But, on that clear-skyed June afternoon, I wasn’t so sure that I wanted other people to come over. I wasn’t so sure that that’s what she wanted.

The sun started to cast lengthening shadows from behind the trees, so I lit a fire in the fire pit and continued to wait outside. Stars cut through the darkening sky, while Superior gently polished the rock shelf behind my little red home. I read Jack Kerouac’s rambling prose to pass the time and distract from the growing, almost unbearable feeling of excitement in my chest.

I was shivering in a t-shirt and exhausted from a big day at work, but I toughed it out because it was her! And I was starting to fall. Hard.

An hour passed before movement on the path behind me caught my eye. I looked up from my book and saw her walking towards me, wearing a flannel.

Fast forward to four years later and I’m back behind the little red cabin, waiting for her to finish the scavenger hunt that took me weeks to plan and put together. I’m a little bit older but not all that much wiser, still just wearing a t-shirt when I probably should have had on a sweater.

“No,” she replied, “Did you?”

I gave her a time. It was the summer of 2016 and we were both working as summer guides at Lutsen Resort. I was living in a little red cabin 20ft from Lake Superior with no running water

When we ran out of firewood, we went inside to play cribbage under the light from a headlamp. When I got tired of losing, we decided to walk out on the rock shelf behind ‘Little Red’ to look at the stars.

“Did you invite anyone else?” I ask.

“Sure!” she replied. “What time?” “Great see you then!” she said.

We were two wildly different people on two completely different life paths brought together by chance, a mutual desire for adventure, and a love for paddling big water. The future was anything but certain.

or electricity and had little in the way of a “life plan.” She had just graduated from undergrad that spring and was taking the summer off to be a kayak guide before committing herself to med school.

We laughed and swapped knowing glances. We spent hours talking by the fire, sharing stories and describing childhoods while the little red cabin danced in the background by the lit of the flickering flames.

Finally, after hours of staring at the stars across the largest lake in the world, I built up the courage to ask, “May I kiss you?” She said yes.

I look up and see her walking down the path towards the Lake that first brought us together. “Will you marry me?” She said yes.

Our First Date By Kim Casey

We Connect in Nature, the Wild / Giga-Zagibinaamin Bagwajiing, my Life in One Day By Sam Zimmerman My best friend and I have made it a tradition to take destination vacations on birthdays when we can. When my fortieth birthday was approaching, I convinced her to go to Alaska with me as I have always desired to see the glaciers, whale watch and, most importantly, visit the Saxman Native Village in Ketchikan. The trip to Alaska had been a lifetime dream of mine having always been entranced by the natural beauty of the landscapes. On September 6, 2018, as we began to hike to the Mendenhall Glacier (with four new friends we made while whale watching) under the piercing blue skies, an eagle flew over us and dropped a feather. Indigenous people know that eagle feathers are powerful medicine to be respected and

cherished. I believe that eagles are messengers of blessings and to have this eagle gift me with a feather was such a powerful experience. While sitting along the shores of the Mendenhall glacier, burning sage and thinking about the eagle, where my life had taken me, and what I wanted my life to be, I prayed. This one day changed the course of my life. I returned back to the lower 48 states, carrying the blessings of this eagle and the sense of calm from this experience to begin the first step of many to follow in my ancestors’ steps and began painting again after not having picked up a paint brush for over 15 years.

It was the late 1980s, and I was thoroughly enjoying my single existence. This did not go over well with my grandmother, who feared that I would never settle down. So concerned was Ida, that she would call me at work every few days to see if I had found a man yet. And each time I would report with a sigh, “Nope, no change.” What I didn’t tell the persistent woman was that I wasn’t even looking. I had come to the conclusion that things, especially of the romantic nature, should never be forced, but evolve on their own, if they are meant to be. And that is exactly what happened. One evening a friend and I went to my favorite coffee shop on Cumberland Street, and there in the corner sat this handsome man with a radiant glow. Turned out my friend knew him and she introduced us. Except for a little misunderstanding over an ashtray, we seemed to hit it off. After that I kept bumping into Jon at various places in my neighborhood, and the connection between us became even stronger. So much so, that I could no longer deny I was really interested in the charming man. But before I would consider anything serious, I needed Jon to meet my grandparents. As they were great judges of character, and after all the mistakes I had made with the opposite sex, I greatly needed their guidance. Jon and I dropped by Ida and Norman’s house early one evening and we started playing cards. There was a nervousness in the air and things felt a little awkward amongst us all. Midway through a game of crib, Jon announced he needed to use the bathroom, which was located off the kitchen where my grandparents and I were seated. While

he was gone, the three of us were chatting about the weather, when this loud BRRRRRAAAAP came from the bathroom. My grandparents and I immediately stopped talking and were looking at each other with raised eyebrows. Then we all burst out laughing. Jon obviously was in no rush to rejoin us, and when he did finally arrive at the kitchen table, his face was bright red. But it was not long before he was also laughing about his gaseous emission. And it was at this moment, that everything shifted. Everyone relaxed and the rest of the night went exceedingly well. Later when I was alone with my grandmother, she announced Jon was the one. Her reason being that he and I laughed a lot when we were together, which was the sign of a good relationship. And of course, she was right, as we are still together. And no matter what challenges we have faced, we have never lost the ability to embrace the lighter side of life.

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FEBRUARY 2021

Ski Resorts in the Northern Wilds

By Eric Weicht

Lutsen Mountains is the largest ski resort in the Midwest, with 95 runs spread over four mountains. | LUTSEN MOUNTAINS Despite an unusual start to the winter, ski resorts all along the shore are open and determined to provide guests with safe, socially distanced adventure throughout the 2021 season. The following are some of the world-class local ski resorts that we are blessed to have on the North Shore.

Spirit Mountain

Located in Duluth, Spirit Mountain is a classic North Shore ski resort that has been in operation since 1974. In addition to the 22 runs that are currently open and ready to ride, Spirit Mountain offers opportunities in snow tubing and fat tire biking for those looking to experience winter in a less traditional way. “Spirit Mountain has numerous runs that give it a feeling above your typical Midwest ski area,” says Jon Regenold, co-director of resort services at Spirit Mountain. “Plus,” continues Regenold, “each of those runs has an impressive vista overlooking the Saint Louis estuary and the city of Duluth—you just can’t beat that view!” 16

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There are plenty of great runs for skiers and boarders of all skill levels at Spirit Mountain. Four Pipe is long and wide and perfect for beginners looking for their first full run experience, Timber Cruiser is a “crowd favorite” with its multiple rolls and turns, and then Gandy Dancer, which is often used “by race teams and high-level racing events” according to Regenold, is ideal for those looking for advanced turns and good speed. “People should know,” adds Regenold, “that we are continuing to offer lessons through our Snowsports Center, both private and group, this winter which are available for anyone ages 3 and up.”

of their abilities on snow,” says Regenold. “We also offer Glow Tubing, which is when we light up the hill with multi-colored lights to give the experience a more magical feel.” For more information on happenings at Spirit Mountain, visit their website at: spiritmt.com.

Mont Du Lac

Just 15 minutes south of Duluth in neighboring Superior, Mont Du Lac Resort is another excellent North Shore ski hill that is open for adventure during the 2021 season.

And then, of course, there is the snowtubing.

Mont Du Lac is set in a beautiful cedar forest on a hill that was once sculpted by glaciers. In addition to their 10 runs, double chairlift, highspeed towrope, and conveyor carpet for the beginner’s area, Mont Du Lac offers skiers and boarders the opportunity to challenge themselves on a 10-acre “western-style” back bowl as well as on a terrain park with more than 20 features in rotation.

“Snowtubing is an opportunity for entire families to recreate in the winter regardless

Outside of its regular downhill offerings, winter enthusiasts can also have a blast

Spirit Mountain also plans to cater to the fat tire biking crowd this winter, holding three Sundays for fat tire bike lift service and hosting their annual Frosted Fatty event on February 20.

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cruising down the hill in Mont Du Lac’s “Outta Bounds” tubbing park, which is open Friday-Sunday each week this winter. Mont Du Lac offers great opportunities for skiers and boarders alike to develop their skills by taking lessons or by participating in one of their clubs or camps. Their alpine club and ski team, for instance, is perfect for youths ages 5-18 looking to “hone their skills, build self-esteem, and learn proper mountain etiquette in a team environment.” For more information on Mont Du Lac Resort, visit their website at: mdlresort.com.

Lutsen Mountains

Lutsen Mountains is the largest ski resort in the Midwest. With 95 runs spread over four mountains that boast an impressive 825 feet of vertical, Lutsen Mountains is the perfect destination this winter to find adventure in a safe, socially distanced setting. “Things have been going remarkably well this year,” says Jim Vick, director of sales and marketing at Lutsen Mountains,

“especially given all of the hurtles we’ve had to navigate so far.”

in advance to speed up transactions and limit time spent indoors.

According to Vick, the season as a whole has been pacing ahead of previous years, in large part because of increased demand on weekdays.

Obviously, limiting chalet usage is less than ideal in a place that can experience low temps well below zero. However, in true northern Minnesotan fashion the ski community has been adapting in some pretty awesome ways.

“With slightly freer schedules because of things like working from home and remote learning for kids,” says Vick, “more people are finding ways to take advantage of the mountains during the week, which is really great to see.” “Weekday vacations really allow somebody to follow all of the guidelines and stay safely in their ‘pod,’” continues Vick. “There’s plenty of space with virtually no lift lines, and, thanks to the efforts of local resorts to offer contactless check-in, now more than ever it’s possible to have a ski vacation without once having to leave your family bubble.” As is the case every year, Lutsen Mountains offers a variety of runs that cater to skiers and boarders of all skill levels. Ullr Mountain is a great place for beginners to stretch themselves after mastering the magic carpet, while Moose Mountain— with its high-speed chairlift and plethora of challenging blue and black runs—is always a favorite for the more experienced skier or boarder. There are also plans in the works this winter to bring back some of the music events that Lutsen Mountains has become famous for over the years. “The music festival and Saturday night ‘late’ scene is just a no go this winter, we won’t get there,” says Vick, “but we’re hoping to bring back some of our smaller events like the Monday night songwriter series depending on what is allowable within the current executive order.” “Given the size and lay-out of our venue and the general ‘vibe’ of our events,” continues Vick, “we have the potential to be one of the unique music venues in the state that can successfully operate and host safe weekday shows.” For updated information on COVID-19 procedures, special events, and snow conditions on the mountains, visit: lutsen.com.

Giants Ridge

Giants Ridge is best known as a downhill ski resort with excellent on-site lodging, but winter outdoor enthusiasts will find lots more to explore beyond the hill while staying at “the Ridge.” “We have 35 runs with five chairlifts— one of which is a highspeed quad—and a beginner’s area, but we offer much more than just downhill,” says Benji Neff, director of mountain sports at Giants Ridge. “In addition to the ski hill,” continues Neff, “we have a tubing park, over 60 kilometers of cross-country ski trails that abut or are in the Superior National Forest, lift-service and cross-country fat tire biking routes, and lots of snowshoeing.” Staying in accordance with Minnesota’s COVID-19 executive orders, Giants Ridge has kept numbers of people in the chalet at a time to a minimum by only allowing folks inside to purchase tickets, use the restrooms, and pick up to-go food orders. They are also asking guests to book online

“Since people haven’t been able to come inside the chalet to warm up,” says Neff, “we’ve been encouraging them to bring their own ice houses to set up at the base of the hill.” “I don’t know that six months ago any of us would have foresaw an ice house village popping up at the base of the hill,” continues Neff, “but that’s exactly what’s happened. It’s been really great to see something so uniquely Minnesotan come about in response to this pandemic.” For more information on “the Ridge” and it’s various COVID-19 adaptions, visit their website at: giantsridge.com.

Mount Baldy and Loch Lomond

Located in Duluth, Spirit Mountain has been in operation since 1974. There are currently 22 runs open and Spirit Mountain offers opportunities in snow tubing and fat tire biking, too. | SPIRIT MOUNTAIN

Farther north, there are two fantastic ski resorts in the Thunder Bay area that have plans to continue operating through the winter once they are again allowed to do so. At the time that this article was written, all Ontario ski hills were shut down as a result of a recent provincial COVID-19 order. Mount Baldy has been in operation on the North Shore for over 60 years, and with an average annual snowfall of 187.6 cm (74 in) it is a great place to get out and ski all winter long. Though not as large as some of the other ski hills along the shore, Mount Baldy still offers skiers and boarders a variety of runs—ranging from beginner to expert— with a vertical rise of 475 feet. They offer great lesson packages too, for anyone new to the sport looking to develop as a skier or snowboarder. In addition to its 10 runs, Mount Baldy also boasts a full terrain park, an excellent “All Ages Beginner Area,” and night skiing every Friday and Saturday from 5-9 p.m.

Alongside 35 runs with five chairlifts, Giants Ridge in Biwabik contains crosscounty fat tire biking routes. | GIANTS RIDGE

More information on Mount Baldy can be found by visiting their website: skimountbaldy.ca. On the south side of Thunder Bay, Loch Lomond is another excellent option for North Shore skiers and snowboarders. Three chairlifts give riders access to some of the “best terrain in Central Canada,” with plenty of runs for people of all skill levels. The South Side of the mountain is a great place for beginners to explore, while the North Side with its longer, more demanding black and double black runs is better suited for those looking to challenge themselves. There is even an opportunity for “a little backcountry experience” on the top of the North Side with the run Old Joe’s. The ski hill’s park crew is usually busy updating rails and snow features to keep things interesting for frequent visitors, and moguls are always maintained somewhere on the mountain each season. Information with hours of operation is available on their website: lochlomond.ca.

Giants Ridge also has a tubing park, as well as over 60 km of cross-country ski trails that abut or are in the Superior National Forest. | GIANTS RIDGE

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2021

By Breana Roy

Love and Kindness

Dealing with the current pandemic has left many people feeling down in the dumps. But with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to spread some extra love and joy. Remind family, friends and even strangers to hang in there. And be sure to throw some kindness around like confetti.

“Comfort. Distance Hug” by Grand Marais artist Betsy Bowen. Bowen will be assembling her Comfort drawings into a book this spring, titled One Hundred Comforts. To see more, visit: woodcut.com. | BETSY BOWEN

Lutsen artist Kari Vick created this piece with Valentine’s Day in mind, titled “No One Otter Than You For Me.” Learn more at: karivick.com. | KARI VICK

This heart chime was created by Terry Lewis of Serenity Pines. To see more from Lewis, visit: serenitypinescreations.com. | TERRY LEWIS 18

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Dryden artist Sharon Girdwood created this abstract acrylic piece, titled “Let It Be.” To view more of her work, visit: studiogirdwood.com. | SHARON GIRDWOOD

Duluth artist Louise PayjackGuillou, of Atelier and Stone, creates one of a kind jewelry, such as these pink sapphire “satellite” earrings. To view her work, visit: atelierandstone.com. | MICHELLE BENNETT

“Faith Holding Hope” is an acrylic piece by Duluth artist Shawna Gilmore. To see more, visit: shawnagilmore.com. | SHAWNA GILMORE

Most floor looms can make everything from delicate table linens to hardy woven rugs. It all depends on how the loom is set up, and how the weaver takes the weft into the warp. | SUBMITTED or an opening, that I can throw my weft through and begin to weave. By the time the whole floor loom is dressed, before I even begin weaving, I have touched each individual warp thread at least six times. Dressing a loom can take anywhere between three to 15 hours, and that does not include the time it takes to weave.

Christine Novotny primarily weaves on a floor loom, which allows for versatility and efficiency in producing woven textiles. | SUBMITTED

Floor Loom Weaving BEHIND THE CRAFT: Christine Novotny The clothes we wear, the towels that dry our hands, the curtains that shield us from excessive sunlight—all these textiles are created with a few methods of production, one of which is weaving. Weaving is among the oldest of cloth production, with the first woven linen pieces dating back to 5000 B.C. Weaving is a simple method where yarn interlaces yarn at right angles to build up a cloth. The two yarns are called warp and weft. The warp runs vertically, organized neatly with consistent spacing. The weft is the yarn used for weaving. The weft thread runs over and under warp threads to build the cloth thread by thread. I primarily weave on a floor loom, which allows for versatility and efficiency in producing woven textiles. Floor looms are large boxy-looking pieces of machinery meant to store excess warp, keep threads under tension, and provide a mechanized system for lifting warp threads in particular order so the weft can travel through them. Weaving is really simple binary code— warp thread up, or warp thread down. When the warp threads are lifted, the weft travels under them, and we will see the warp instead of weft on the cloth. When the warp threads are lowered, the weft covers them, and we will see the weft instead. In every pick of weaving, a different combination of warp or weft visibility is created. In that simplicity one can create a myriad of patterns in an end-

less combination of materials and colors. Most floor looms can make everything from delicate table linens, to hardy woven rugs. It all depends on how the loom is set up, and how the weaver sets the weft into the warp. I often liken setting up a floor loom to programming a computer. I begin by making several choices—what I’d like to make, what material it will be, the pattern, and the feel of it. Then I set up the loom to effectively weave it. I measure the warp on a warping board, and then chain the long threads and bring them to the loom. From there, I attach the warp to the back of my loom and wind it evenly onto the warp beam. The warp beam stores the excess warp while I’m not weaving on it. Once the excess is wound, I sit at the front of my loom and thread each individual warp thread through the eye of a heddle. The heddles are metal or cloth pieces suspended on a harness, a large frame that houses groups of heddles. I follow a weaving draft that gives me the sequences to thread each thread. One thread through the first harness, one through the 3rd harness, one through the 2nd harness, on and on until I’ve completed the threading. Next, each warp thread goes through the reed of the beater, which keeps the warp threads spaced out evenly at the width I’m looking for in my woven piece. Finally, the warp is attached to a rod at the front of the loom, and I tie up the

treadles to the harnesses. The treadles are foot pedals that sit below the weaver at the front of the loom. When I push down on a treadle, it can lift a combination of harnesses, which in turn lifts warp threads. Lifting the warp threads creates a shed,

I choose floor loom weaving because I love the problem solving of creating new patterns and woven objects, the rhythm of the movements, and the fact that I can involve my whole body in the process. Both of my feet are working to press down treadles to lift warp threads. My hands and arms are moving in a steady rhythm as I throw the shuttle across my warp. I also love the endless amount of options available in floor loom weaving and the relative simplicity that the weaver discovers in what seems like an incredibly complex system. I am always thrilled to show people how a floor loom works for the first time. The loom looks so daunting, but once the machine is demystified, you can relate it to the simplest weaving we know. Over under, over under, one thread at a time. Christine Novotny is a weaver in the Artisan Development program at North House Folk School, where traditional craft is taught on the shore of Lake Superior.

SUPPORT LOCAL MUSICIANS:

The Tip Jar GRAND MARAIS— Mary Somnis, EDA executive director and WTIP board member, suggests it would be helpful to Cook County musicians if businesses in the county would stream WTIP’s local music programming into their establishments on Fridays from 4-7 p.m. That programming is in support of The Tip Jar, an effort by WTIP, with support of the Chamber foundation, to raise money for Cook County musicians, who have suffered income losses due to the pandemic. Donations are lagging, and Somnis thinks that streaming the programming into businesses might encourage more people to donate.

“WTIP has received awesome responses from listeners and musicians. It is just wonderful that our community can experience this great uplifting right now, when everything is so hard,” says Somnis. “I received this suggestion from someone: ‘How cool would it be if ... businesses all over Cook County would live stream the Tip Jar MiniFest from 4-7 p.m. for the next several Fridays?’” Make a donation to The Tip Jar online at: cookcountychamber.org/musicians_fund.

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FEBRUARY 2021

Charlie Parr Signed by Smithsonian Folkways CREATIVE SPACE: By Eric Chandler

Charlie Parr has recorded 13 albums in his career. | SHELLY MOSMAN

uluth-based musician Charlie Parr signed with Smithsonian Folkways in the autumn of 2020. Parr plans to release a double album of 12 new songs with the label in June 2021. Smithsonian Folkways is the non-profit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. Their stable of recording artists includes legends like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. In his youth, Parr listened to a lot of music recorded by Folkways Records, which was absorbed by the Smithsonian in 1987. He still seems awestruck by the news. “I haven’t been able to process it yet. You know, this whole thing happened in the pandemic and it almost doesn’t feel real,” said Parr. “If I go to my record collection right now, fully half to maybe even two thirds of this collection of music is on labels that are either Smithsonian Folkways, or Folkways or some other kind of related label. This is music that I listened to my entire life. My dad had Folkways Records in his collection.” Parr recorded tracks of music in Minnesota in November and the 12 new songs are taking shape with the album’s producer. Parr said this recording experience was a departure from his normal studio behavior. “What I’ve done in the past is I’ve recorded everything live in a studio. Just play it, have a microphone there, and it records it. That’s the record. This time we decided to do things differently and Smithsonian was really encouragDuluth-based musician Charlie Parr plans to release a double album of 12 new songs in June. | SHELLY MOSMAN 20

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ing about this. I recorded a bunch of different vocal tracks, guitar parts, different things. And all that stuff is currently in Durham, North Carolina. Brad Cook is taking it and mixing it all down to what’s going to be the record,” said Parr. “This week, I’ll have an opportunity to hear rough mixes and collaborate with Brad and see how I feel about it and what needs to happen with it. With the pandemic, that’s the best way we could figure out how to do this.” By press time, Parr will have completed five live streaming concerts on Sundays in January from the stage of First Avenue in Minneapolis. But Parr is looking forward to playing concerts with in-person audiences again. “By the end of June, it’ll be released. Hopefully, I’ll be able to at least play outdoor shows by that time to kind of celebrate,” said Parr. Parr has recorded 13 albums in his career and his fans are looking forward to this new addition in 2021. Parr himself seems especially grateful for this new recording. “I think, as the pandemic eases, I’ll be able to get back to what it is that I like to do, which is play shows and be on the road. Then, at that point, I’ll have to kind of reckon with it, especially around the time that the record comes out. Because when I actually see a record with both my name and Smithsonian’s name on it, that’ll hit home a lot harder.”

SNOWARAMA

Jan. 23-Feb. 28 Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, there will be no in-person Snowarama events this year. But don’t worry; Easter Seals Ontario will host Snowarama virtually this winter. This means snowmobilers can still get out and enjoy the trails while connecting with the Snowarama community and supporting Easter Seals kids. Officially, Snowarama is held Jan. 23 to Feb. 28. However, this year’s event is a ride anytime/anywhere format. All you need to do is register online, start fundraising, and then go out and ride whenever it’s convenient for you. Anyone who raises a minimum of $100 will receive a toque and glove set courtesy of Fast Eddie Racewear. This year, all Snowarama locations are working together towards a combined goal of raising $100,000. This funding will help to provide Easter Seals kids with the essential equipment they urgently need to live with dignity, safety and greater freedom in their own home. To learn more or register, visit: snowarama.org.

FIBER FEBRUARY

Feb. 1-28 The North House Folk School in Grand Marais is celebrating the warmth and wonder of fiber crafts all month long. There will be an array of online coursework, as well as online webinars, Lunch and Learns, and a knit along with dappled fern fibers, offering something for everyone. Free webinars include Swedish weaving with Arianna Funk, family ties and textile history with LaChaun Moore, and a wool webinar with Linda Johnson Morke. There will also be an online Fiber February Show and Share, allowing you to show off your new creations and celebrate all things fiber. To view course offerings or register, visit: northhouse.org.

ELY WINTER FESTIVAL & ARTWALK

Feb. 4-14 The Ely Winter Festival will have a very different look and feel this year. Due to the pandemic, the Snow Sculpting Symposium will be scaled back, although the Ely ArtWalk will look the same as before. To enhance everyone’s ability to experience and enjoy the festival, a virtual experience will be added. This will allow in-town and out-of-town friends an opportunity to enjoy the festival from home. Virtual experiences include daily snow sculpting symposium progress videos and a virtual walk through Whiteside Park after the sculptures are completed. You will also be able to watch daily Ely ArtWalk videos featuring different artists each day. Unfortunately, there will be no skating rink, Kubb tournament, beard fest, literary gatherings, hikes to Sigurd Olson’s cabin, or sled dog meet and greets. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, nature photography, observing the night sky, and numerous art classes will be offered by the Ely Folk School, either by Zoom or outdoors. Other traditional events will be offered, including the Vermilion Community College’s Law Enforcement program’s ice fishing contest and a virtual fundraiser for the Dorothy Molter Museum. For more information and a schedule of events, visit: elywinterfestival.com.

HYGGE FESTIVAL

Feb. 5-14 The Danish concept of “hygge” (pronounced hoo-gah) refers to the ritual

Enjoy life’s simple pleasures during the annual Hygge Festival in Cook County, held Feb. 5-14. | VISIT COOK COUNTY of embracing life’s simple pleasures; feeling relaxed, cozy and surrounded by the warmth of family, friends and community. This year’s Hygge Festival in Cook County includes a specially curated Hygge-themed menu available at Blue Water Café, and the annual Fiber February festival at the North House Folk School. You can also participate in mellow snowshoe hikes with Lake Superior Trading Post. Pre-registration is suggested for those needing to borrow snowshoes (limited supply) and a $5 suggested donation will benefit the Cook County Food Shelf; event will be socially distanced. Unfortunately, there will be no fireplace tour this year. To learn more, visit: visitcookcounty.com/hygge.

SWEETHEARTS’ FUN FOR ‘21

Feb. 5-17 Spring is just around the corner and soon everyone will be looking forward to summer-time activities. As you think about fun in the North Country, the Gunflint Trail Historical Society is offering an online fundraising auction event, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The selection of distinct items will capture your fancy, tempt your taste buds, add to your cache of Trail treasures, and perhaps offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The auction will begin online Friday, Feb. 5 and continue through Wednesday, Feb. 17. Auction items include a guided moose calling adventure, an artist painting by Barb Tuttle, an ice fishing excursion with guide Mike Berg, a historic picnic tour on Saganaga Lake, weekly baked goodies for a month, a pontoon/walking cabin tour on Hungry Jack Lake, and more. To learn more, visit: bit.ly/gthsfundraiser.

COLD FRONT FEBRUARY

Feb. 6-12 Celebrate winter with the annual Cold Front February festival in Duluth. While things will look a bit different this year, there will still be various family-friendly activities offered, encouraging everyone to get outside and embrace the

spirit of the outdoors during the winter months. Activities include dog sledding with Silver Creek Sled Dogs, a citywide snow-building extravaganza, a winter wonderland equipment pop-up at Enger Park Golf Course, a liminary candle-lit walk along the Lakewalk between Canal Park and Fitger’s, a yeti hunt, a BAE-front Valentine’s skate, and more. A new program this year is Agents of Discovery, a free educational app for your smart device that will bring GPS-based adventures to local parks all year long. Staff will be on hand from 1-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10 to help get your started as you try your first detective ‘mission’ around Bayfront Park. Activities within the app are designed for families with youth ages 6-14. For a full list of events, visit: coldfrontduluth.com.

PINCUSHION VIRTUAL RACE/TOUR

Feb. 8-15 The annual Pincushion Mountain ski race, located near Grand Marais, will be held under a new format this year. For everyone’s health and safety, the race organizers have modified the event to a week-long, self-timed format. The Pincushion Virtual Race/Tour opens Monday, Feb. 8 and continues through Monday, Feb. 15. Participating skiers can go to the Pincushion Chalet, start their stopwatch or timing app, and follow the signs along a marked 10-kilometer racecourse. For skiers who use the Strava app, the race course is set up as a segment on Strava, “2021 Pincushion 10k,” starting at the Trailhead sign in the stadium. Skiers can choose freestyle or classic technique, or both. Individuals’ timed results can be emailed to pincushiontrails@gmail.com. Race results will be posted daily. No registration fee is required, but the race organizers suggest a $20 donation for those racing one technique, or a $35 donation for those racing both. Donations can be made by visiting pincushiontrails.org.

WOLFTRACK CLASSIC SLED DOG RACE

Feb. 21, Sunday The annual WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race in Ely will begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21. Unfortunately, there will be no spectators allowed at the vet checks or the start-finish line. However, faithful followers will be able to monitor the race virtually. The WolfTrack Classic consists of two mid-distance races: a 30-mile 6-dog and 50-mile 8-dog competition. To learn more or follow the races, visit: wolftrackclassic.com.

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FEBRUARY 2021

The North Shore Dish Pizza on the North Shore By Chuck Viren

Flatbreads were known to have been eaten in ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece. It didn’t take long for people to add toppings to these flatbreads. Not until after tomatoes were brought to Europe from the Americas, though, did the people around Naples, Italy begin creating what we now think of as pizza. Italian immigrants brought this dish back over the Atlantic, and throughout the 20th century, the popularity of this dish grew into the craze we know it to be today. In all that time, people have continued to tinker with pizza recipes. Innovation and attention to quality seem to be the hallmarks of successful pizza restaurants today. We see those qualities at Eat Local Pizza in Thunder Bay, My Sister’s Place in Grand Marais, and Jimmy’s Pizza in Silver Bay. At Eat Local Pizza in Thunder Bay, their commitment to quality is highlighted by the use of local ingredients in their pizzas whenever possible. Their list of local growers and producers is long and includes flour and canola oil from Brule Creek Farms, cheese from Thunder Oak Cheese Farm, meat from Bogdala’s Smoked Meats, and produce from local farms. CEO Jim Stadey grew up on a farm and worked in pizza place as a kid. His dream of a pizza shop using local products came to fruition 10 years ago. He had previous relationships with local growers, and those relationships have become the mainstay of how they do business. Innovation has also been prominent in their business. Those who innovated to add tomato to their pizzas hundreds of years ago would probably have difficulty contextualizing Eat Local’s best seller, the perogie pizza. Made from George’s Market cream sauce, caramelized onions, Bogdala’s bacon, Brule Creek flour, Lucy Q Perogies, and Thunder Oak extra old gouda, and with two sour cream dips, this pizza certainly fits their business model. And it’s a big hit. “When you taste how the sweet, dark caramelized onions and smooth rose cream sauce pair with the salty sliced bacon and the cheesy perogies, and then you get hooked by the punchy extra old Gouda... we’ve got you hooked,” says Stadey. Another big seller is their cheeseburger pizza. For the beef topping, they mix local beef with horseradish and mustard, press it flat, and blast it at 500 degrees to duplicate 22

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The best sellers at Eat Local Pizza in Thunder Bay includes their cheeseburger pizza (top left) and perogie pizza (top right). | EAT LOCAL PIZZA The Sister’s House Special pizza (bottom left) is a best seller at My Sister’s Place in Grand Marais. Another favorite is the basil pesto margherita pizza. | MY SISTER’S PLACE

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“the caramelized flavors of a char broiler.” Added to this is a secret onion relish base, a secret sauce drizzle, extra old gouda, and local bacon. It has been competing with the perogie pizza for most popular. Stadey says, “This pizza is bonkers. If you have tried it, you know what I mean.” Among the other notable things going on at Eat Local Pizza is their Pay It Forward program. Through it, they have offered thousands of free pizzas to people in need since March. They have also begun selling frozen pizzas. The roll-out of this side of the business has been hugely successful. Their pizzas are available in six local grocery stores. As they have had difficulty keeping up with demand, they are looking into opening a separate facility to make the frozen pizzas. Innovation is nothing new to My Sister’s Place in Grand Marais. This local eatery has long been known for their unique takes on the hamburger. When Paul and Cara Sporn purchased the restaurant a little over 10 years ago, they added the pizza kitchen. The same attention to quality and innovation that has gone into their burger business is evident with their pizzas. According to Jenny Schuler, “Our pizza starts with a homemade crust that we roll out to a thin blank canvas to be topped with fresh hand-sliced ingredients. Baking it on a stone oven really gives the crust that crisp finish that so many find desirable.” Their bestseller is the House Special. It contains homemade Italian sausage, pepperoni, fresh mushrooms, onions, green pepper and black olives, combined with their house sauce and plenty of mozzarella. It doesn’t take a deep dive into the menu to discover some of their more innovative pizzas. One of their big sellers is the Mexi pizza. A bit like a taco salad on a pizza crust, this pizza incorporates taco sauce, ground beef, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, then adds fresh lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, and more cheddar cheese. Sour cream and salsa are available on request. Of this pizza, Schuler says, “Yes, putting lettuce on pizza is a good thing.” Other crowd-pleasing innovations include the lemon arugula pizza, which features olive oil, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses and is then topped with fresh arugula and fresh lemon juice. My personal favorite, the pulled pork kimchi pizza, was inspired during a Sporn family trip to Hawaii. This pizza combines house-smoked pulled pork, sambal BBQ sauce, kimchi, red onion, pineapple, mozzarella cheese, and spicy sambal mayo sauce. This pizza will definitely light up every part of your palate. My Sister’s Place also offers half-baked (and fully baked) pizzas for take-out and calzones. Jimmy’s Pizza in Silver Bay is part of a franchise out of Wilmar, Minn. Owner Roger Jacobson has a degree in restaurant management and decided on a pizza restaurant when he opened for business nearly 16 years ago. Jacobson prides himself on the quality of his pizzas. “I like to say I’ve got the best pizza on the North Shore,” he quips. For him, it all starts with a high-quality sauce. They offer a choice of regular or deep-dish crusts, baked on a stone deck oven, which he says takes a little longer for the pizza to cook but crisps up the crust a little better. His best-sellers include the Jimmy’s Deluxe, with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and green pepper. The meat lover’s pizza also tops the charts. It is loaded with sausage, pepperoni,

Another big seller at My Sister’s Place is the Mexi pizza, topped with taco sauce, ground beef, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, tomatoes, fresh lettuce and black olives. | MY SISTER’S PLACE Canadian bacon, beef, and a combination of three cheeses. The chicken alfredo and bacon chicken ranch round out the best sellers.

Soft serve ice cream in the form of cones, malts, shakes, and what he calls a Storm, are also for sale. After the hectic summer months, they also offer house-made pastas, including chicken or shrimp fettuccini, Italian spaghetti and lasagna. Jacobson credits his first-rate staff and the quality of their foods for their longevity and success. Quality and innovation are hallmarks of modern pizza restaurants. We can thank the residents of ancient Naples for their innovations to the cooking of yeasted flatbreads, even though they probably would not recognize the surprising array of ingredients that are featured on pizzas today.

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Perfectly Average By Amy Schmidt and Hartley Newell-Acero “You’re perfectly average.” If you were told that, would it be an insult? How about ‘mediocre’? Listed as a synonym of average, mediocre is defined as “of base-level quality; not very good.” Ouch. Call me late for dinner, but don’t call me average. The antonym of average is ‘exceptional; outstanding’. Now there’s something most wouldn’t mind being called. But speaking in terms of actual statistics, most of us, on a given day, in a given life, are more likely to perform averagely than exceptionally. Why? Because our lives are comprised of both “not very good” moments and “exceptional moments.” All those moments combined and averaged result in, well, an average life. Being perfectly average isn’t an insult. Rather, it denotes someone who has embraced both their strengths and their weaknesses, weaving them together into a life of experience and growth. Embracing “average” can allow us the freedom and the courage to try new things and take healthy risks because we already know that sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail and it’s okay.

Embracing average is a powerful antidote to perfectionism, an internal drive that can quickly become destructive and, sadly, plagues many in our current culture. As a species, our progress from the savannah to the stars was only made possible by individuals and groups striving to be and do “more.” This yearning for growth is to be celebrated and supported, but there is a tipping point. The degree of a person’s ambition (their drive) is rarely destructive but the way they react if they fall short of achieving their ambitions can be. If personal perfection is the only acceptable outcome, that means you have to limit yourself to only doing things that are guaranteed to succeed. And since nobody is actually perfect, you will never be satisfied with “good enough” in any aspect of your life. It is possible to split progress apart from perfection though, by shifting our focus to include not just “Results” but also “Process.” On one hand, it’s important to keep an end result in mind, because it offers us a landmark to move toward. We can only plan effectively if we know what we’re planning for. We can only navigate accurately if we know where we want to go. On the other hand, paying attention to the process by which we choose to get there offers us opportunities to learn more about

ourselves and our world. It’s even possible that what we learn will end up helping us to refine, or even change, our end goals. Being curious about our objectives and the choices that will move us closer to or farther away from them is a very different experience from the unrelenting pursuit of an unreachable goal. Perfection demands everything all the time. Accepting averageness, the honest reality that claims the inevitability of both success and failure,

allows us to be kinder to ourselves and others. It’s possible to strive for improvement while we learn from mistakes. It allows us the opportunity to put forth great effort, in the face of knowing that we might fail, because we are confident that what we will learn from our failure will be worthwhile. Note: Written by staff members of the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, in collaboration with Cook County Public Health and Human Services.

Free Oral Health Screening The Oral Health Task Force will provide free oral health screenings: • Saturday, February 20th from 1 to 4 p.m. • Cook County YMCA • For all Cook County and Grand Portage children and young adults up to 26 years of age • Also available for expectant mothers No appointments necessary - just come to the gym! For everyone’s protection, masks must be worn inside the building, and we will follow CDC guidelines for the prevention and control of COVID-19 infection.

For more Information, contact Bonnie Dalin: 218-370-2559 bjdalin5@gmail.com

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Sponsored by the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic’s Oral Health Task Force with funding provided by: • Arrowhead Electric Cooperative • Cook County Community Fund • Cook County Public Health & Human Services Community Funding • Cook County Whole Foods Coop • Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation

• Grand Marais WISE • Lloyd K Johnson Foundation • Medica Foundation • Minnesota Dental Foundation • Minnesota Department of Health • Northland Foundation

Lead On

By Krista Betcher Illustrated by Kari Vick

Supporting local music for 23 years!

Beaver’s Pond Press, 2020, $16.95

Directed towards children, this book is a great reminder that everyone is a leader in their own way, and “however you choose to lead, the world needs you.” It’s also a great resource for anyone who works with youth, leading to discussions on positive leadership and finding your talents. Leaders are both introverts and extroverts, can be quiet or loud, funny or serious; the list goes on. Just remember to believe in yourself and “share your gifts with the world.”—Breana Roy

Becoming Canadian

Memories of an Italian Immigrant By John Potestio Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, $20

The author brings the reader along on his life’s journey that began in the small Calabrian town of Grimaldi during the war years, followed by immigration to Thunder Bay (then Fort William and Port Arthur) where he grew up in both Italian and Canadian cultures and continues to live today. By the 1950s, the local Italian community was one of the largest but it was also a time where the term “DP” was used as a very negative term applied to European “displaced persons” who had immigrated after World War II to Canada and the U.S. In a storytelling style, Potestio tells about his life experiences and the challenges in fitting into Canadian society, with an awareness that he’s now “...a Canadian with strong Italian traditions.”—Elle Andra-Warner

What’s in the Rømmegrøt?!

By Carol Hagen Illustrated by Kari Vick

DRURY LANE

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The TIP Jar virtual minifest! Scenic Route - Fridays at 4 pm Roadhouse - Fridays at 5 pm

North Shore Community Radio 90.7 FM Grand Marais 90.1 FM Grand Portage 89.1 FM Gunflint Trail Listen online at

wtip.org

NORTH HOUSE FOLK SCHOOL FIBER FEBRUARY

Join us all month long to celebrate the warmth and wonder of fiber crafts with online courses, free webinars, and other ways to engage

NORTHHOUSE.ORG

Penfield Books, 2020, $29.95

In this fun children’s book, Ella and her Grandma decide to make rømmegrøt (a thick, simple porridge made by early Norwegian immigrants to the U.S.). But when they go to enjoy their breakfast, something doesn’t taste right. In fact, it tastes awful! Turns out, Grandma accidentally sprinkled garlic instead of cinnamon on top of their bowls. Thankfully, the rømmegrøt in the pan is still fine, so they’re able to enjoy their meal. For those interested in making rømmegrøt, a recipe is included at the end of the book, as well as the history of it. There’s also a page of rosemaling designs that kids can color.—Breana Roy

Sponsored by

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

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FEBRUARY 2021

Northern Trails The Fishing Boat: Some High-tech Add-ons By Gord Ellis

For many of us, fishing and boats are a magical pairing. Yes, you can work parts of a lake from the shore, or from a dock, but the angler it is at a significant disadvantage. Get in a boat on a lake, however, and the whole game changes. While any boat is better than no boat, the basic fishing craft has really changed over the years. Generally, modern fishing boats are larger, drier and have cleaner running outboards than the craft many of us grew up with. On top of that, technology has made some remarkable advances. Here are just a few of the neat additions you can consider on your boat before this year’s open water season.

Electronics Nothing has had more of a radical impact on how people fish on lakes, rivers and reservoirs than sonar. Although flashers and fish finders have been around for decades, modern sonar units have technology once only available to the military or NASA. Companies including Humminbird, Lowrance and Garmin have units that are not only high definition, but have advanced GPS capabilities. For instance, on my main fishing boat, the main unit—a Humminbird Helix 9— has the ability to run a number of different functions at once. The GPS mapping allows me to see where I am running on the lake and at what speed, while laying down a virtual “track.” Another function shows me the depth and bottom even when running at a high speed. A side scanning system shows what is on bottom to the right and left of the boat. The accuracy of this is similar to a radar as you can see individual rocks and fish. You can toggle over on the screen and drop a way point on some reef or structure that catches your eye. To top it all off, a program called Autochart builds a depth map of the lake and stores it on a chip. This slowly builds an accurate depth map of the lake. Best of all, you can watch all of these functions at once, or separately, if you desire. This is not your Grampa’s fishfinder.

Trolling Motors Another huge change for anglers has been the arrival of “smart” trolling motors. While the basic concept of the classic bow mount trolling motor has remained the 26

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Running a bow mount trolling motor with a remote. | GORD ELLIS

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big believer in underwater camera use on fishing boats, so I asked him where and how he uses them. “They really shine in clear water and are a great tool for species identification and learning more about your favourite spots,” Gussy said. “We’ve all had situations where we see fish on our electronics that we can’t catch. I have had my screen showing what I thought was a massive school of walleyes under my boat but couldn’t get one to bite. After going through my arsenal of baits, I’ve dropped a camera down…and it was a school of suckers.” Gustafson also said underwater cameras are great for viewing structure and trying to sort out why one piece of a reef or a weed-line is so much better than another. “You can drop a camera down and see what is attracting and holding fish,” he said. “Often it is a big boulder or maybe a patch of sand or clump of grass. You really learn a lot.” Gustafson said he mounts an Aqua-Vu HD7i unit at the console of his boat so it’s always there and ready to use. But he noted they do come with a portable bag so you can take them anywhere. Those are just a few of the options you can add to a modern fishing boat. Not all of them will be for everyone, but it is fascinating to see what is out there. Jeff Gustafson using an underwater camera. | JEFF GUSTAFSON tario, is one of those people. Gustafson—or “Gussy” as he is best known—is one of the pre-imminent Canadian bass pros. He is a

Unfortunately, the one thing none of these add-ons can do is make fish bite. That remains the most elusive angling mystery of all.

POLYMET’S MINE WILL GIVE NEW LIFE TO THE IRON RANGE

The Humminbird Helix 9 fishfinder has advanced options. | GORD ELLIS same—that is an electric powered propulsion system at the front of the boat—a lot of other things have improved. There are still manual deploy systems, but you can also buy trolling motors with remote deploy. In other words, you can raise and lower the motor from the water without going to the front of the boat. Another tool, which is especially useful if you have a few people in a boat, a family, or are guiding, is the ability to run a trolling motor from anywhere in the boat. The Garmin Force, Motorguide Xi and Humminbird IPilot are all remote-control capable trolling motors. Using the remote, you can turn the motor left and right, speed up or slow down, and even anchor in one spot using GPS triangulation. There are also a wide variety of other options in some units including the ability to save a path and have it run on auto pilot. You can wear the

remote around your neck and it is always handy. To make rigging with bow mount electronics even easier, many companies have incorporated a transducer in the bottom of the trolling motor with the ability to take a variety of electronics. This saves the rigger from having to attach a transducer to the prop and using cable ties to attach wiring to the shaft.

Underwater Cameras Underwater cameras have been popular for a couple of decades, but I never really found the early models user friendly. The screens were small and it was hard to see anything in day light. However, many newer underwater camera systems feature a much larger screen and have become extremely popular among top level anglers. My friend Jeff Gustafson, from Kenora, On-

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Wild Traditions Through Time: A Swift History of Skiing By Julia Prinselaar

It was March 1995, and for only the second time ever, the Nordic World Ski Championships were held outside of Europe and descended on the small town of Thunder Bay. As a grade school student, I remember standing on the sidelines of a ski track with my classmates, cheering on dozens of skiers as colorful flashes of Spandex zoomed past our crowd. Local news agencies report that an estimated 13,000 people braved temperatures approaching -30 C to partake in the championship’s opening ceremonies, welcoming roughly 600 athletes to the stadium. Within the span of the event’s 10 days, however, unseasonable temperatures soared into record double digits during competitions, forcing organizers to think fast and avoid a looming disaster. Truckloads of woodchips were brought in from the local paper mill and chemicals were sprayed onto the trails to stabilize the snow and combat rivers of mud. As it goes, the Nordic World Ski Championships moved on to shine an economic light on other host cities. The Big Thunder National Training Centre, which hosted the games, closed a year later. But a rich history of skiing was sewn into the cultural tapestry of the North Shore many generations before. With a similar climate and familiar forests, Finnish immigrants arrived in waves to areas of North America. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, the first Finn-

The author skiing along the McIntyre River in Thunder Bay. | JULIA PRINSELAAR ish people to make landfall were part of a group of settlers who established the colony of New Sweden along the banks of the Delaware River between 1641 and 1655. A couple of centuries later, others settled in modern-day Alaska, which was part of Russia at the time. Until the beginning of World War I, most Finnish migrants ended up in the United States, although a sizeable minority arrived as pioneers in Canada. During the mid-20th century, tens of thousands of Finnish homesteaders settled throughout the country, particularly in urban areas, British Colum-

bia, and Northern Ontario in communities like Timmins, Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay. Finnish folks brought Nordic traditions and recreation tied to the landscapes that represented their cultural identity and homelands. Perhaps the two most celebrated activities practiced by many people today are sauna-bathing and cross-country skiing, which coincidentally, pair very well together. Before written history, rock paintings and skis preserved in bogs were some of the first indicators that hunters and trap-

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pers used skis at least 5,000 years ago, but many contend that skis are even older than that. According to Morten Lund and Seth Masia for the International Skiing Association, skis came to be used across the Eurasian Arctic regions during the stone age as hunters followed reindeer and elk herds from central Asia’s Altai region, moving to the northwest and northeast, using skis covered with fur that worked like modern climbing skis. Throughout the Middle Ages, Swedish and Danish farmers, hunters and warriors regularly used skis. By the 18th century,

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units of the Swedish army trained on skis. From survival and transportation to recreation and sport, here is a short glimpse into the types of skiing and ski styles, and how they’ve evolved into what many of us know and use today.

Cross-Country Skiing Originating in Scandinavia thousands of years ago, cross-country skiing wasn’t introduced to Canada until the 1890s, according to the Canadian Encyclopedia, which reads: “In the early stages of the sport, most skiers carried a single pole and wore long (2.5 to 4m), wide (over 80 mm), unlaminated wooden skis that were so heavy…skiers usually removed them and carried them up steep hills.” The Norwegian Thorleif Haug is credited with inventing a more modern binding with screw-on steel toeplates, which allowed skis to be stronger, shorter, more narrow and lighter. With the Canadian Pacific Railway’s introduction of the Laurentian ski trails in Quebec, cross-country skiing began to take on a more rec-

reational form. Avid skiers like “Jackrabbit” Johannsen were trailblazers of their time, developing large networks that were similarly developed all across North America just before World War II. Today, two Nordic ski centres in Thunder Bay, Lappe Ski Centre and Kamview Nordic Centre, maintain an extensive network of classic and skate ski trails nestled in the forests on the city’s outskirts. The trails are used for recreation and competition each year, in addition to lessons for skiers of all ages. Even dogs are welcome on some of Kamview’s trails, too.

Cambered Ski Developed in Telemark, Norway, woodcarvers created a bow-shaped cambered ski that arches toward the center to distribute the weight of the skier more evenly across the length of the ski. This design principle remains consistent today for many Nordic ski styles. Before the invention of camber, skis had to be thick and plank-like to glide without bowing downward, causing the skier to sink in the snow under their own weight. Camber made thinner, lighter skis possible, allowing the skier to glide and float more easily across snow. They also offered more

flexibility over bumps and easier maneuverability to swing and turn.

Telemark Skiing Also originating in the Telemark region of Norway, telemark skiing combines elements of Alpine racing, Nordic skate skiing and ski jumping, and was once a popular mode of backcountry transportation. Synthetic fabric skins allowed for uphill travel into wilderness environments, and in the 1800s, skiers challenged one another on all sorts of terrains that involved steep climbs and bumpy courses, often ending in sharp turns on a field or icy lake. Today telemark racing is now a World Cup sport focused on carving. Specialist sports aside, skiing on the North Shore continues with recreational gusto today. Just spend a day sharing the trails with nearly 1,000 amateur and professional-class skiers at the Sleeping Giant Loppet, an annual ski festival hosted at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park east of Thunder Bay, and you’ll know what I’m talking about. The Loppet is cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but many of the region’s trails are open and maintained for your enjoyment.

One of the perks of living in the Lakehead watershed is exploring Thunder Bay’s urban waterways, like the McIntyre River (pictured here) during winter. | JULIA PRINSELAAR

HOGBACK LAKE BY JOE SHEAD WHY GO: Hogback Lake is one of the most popular designated trout lakes in the Finland area. Rainbow trout and splake are stocked annually, with splake sometimes topping 20 inches. ACCESS: Hogback Lake lies 12 miles east of Isabella on USFS Road 172 (Wanless Road). The lake features a USFS fishing pier, a gravel boat ramp, three roadside campsites and a remote campsite. In addition, hiking trails wrap around the lake and nearby Scarp Lake. The shoreline is entirely publicly owned. VITALS: Hogback Lake is like having two lakes in one. The entire lake encompasses 40 acres. The main lake (where the boat landing is) is shallower and larger. If you head south, you can squeeze through a shallow, narrow channel. This part of the lake (sometimes called Canal Lake) is only 14 acres, but it bottoms out at 43 feet. Trout can be found in both basins. GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Rainbow trout, splake, and yellow perch. RAINBOW TROUT: “Hogback has been traditionally one of our stronger trout fisheries,” said Dean Paron, Finland Area Fisheries Supervisor. Paron said each spring, the DNR stocks 1,000 rainbow trout yearlings that measure about 10 to 12 inches when stocked. These are already of harvestable size when trout season opens in May. SPLAKE: Splake can grow large in Hogback. Each fall, 4,000 splake fingerlings measuring about

6 inches are stocked. Wary specimens can grow to 20 inches or more if they avoid anglers. Y E L L O W PERCH: Yellow perch somehow showed up in the lake in recent years and they are becoming numerous. Paron said perch compete with trout for food and are considered undesirable in put-and-take trout lakes. Paron said the perch are small and are a nuisance to shore anglers fishing with nightcrawlers. BONUS BROOKIES: Crazy things happened in 2020. Paron said the DNR received some large, 1.5-year-old brook trout that needed to be stocked, so about 300 were placed in Hogback. Anglers enjoyed the one-time stocking and caught some good-sized trout. If any remain, they will be large. THE FUTURE: Due to the popularity of winter trout fishing, Paron said the DNR is looking into doing a fall rainbow trout stocking in addition to the spring stocking to provide more opportunities for winter anglers. For now, anglers will have to tolerate Hogback’s small, pesky perch. If trout growth rates suffer, Paron said the DNR could consider reclaiming the lake.

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on the tracker is the true order of standings. By this time, all rest has been accounted for. It happens frequently that the media will tout a musher as being in the lead of the Beargrease, when in actuality they are not, due to the rest factor. A key part of running a long-distance race is to control the team’s speed, especially early on in the race. A marathon runner cannot go into a marathon at a full sprint or she will exhaust herself early. A dog team must also not start out at a sprint or they will run out of steam. But do the dogs know this? Of course not. If I let my team run without controlling their speed, we’d be toast by Finland. So, I use a drag mat on the sled to slow the team down. Generally, I want to average 10 mph throughout the race. The team is often so pumped in the beginning that unless I have two feet on the drag mat for the first two legs of the race (which you remember from above is over 70 miles), they will fly down the trail. I try to keep them under 11 mph for these legs. A musher told me once that using the drag mat is kind of like a Prius. The break actually charges up the battery. By braking, I am charging up my team’s battery...so later in the race we can hopefully maintain our speed. You will sometimes see mushers head out quite fast in the first leg or two. Then you watch. Can their team maintain that speed or do they fade towards the end?

On days off from training, we run sled dog tours on East Bearskin lake. | MARK HENNESSY

MUSH LAKE RACING DOG BLOG BY ERIN ALTEMUS

Beargrease Race Strategy As I write this, the big race is three weeks away. The team has trained 1,100+ miles to date. I’ve spent almost every free day off from work running dogs since September. This will be our sixth Beargrease Marathon. I am competitive at my core and I am making a plan. What will be our race strategy? How do other mushers run the race? How should spectators interpret the race as it unfolds? The race this year runs from Duluth to Grand Portage in seven legs, varying from 30 to 60 miles in length. There are six checkpoints. Between these six rest stops, the team must use 24 hours of required rest. At two of these checkpoints, Sawbill and Mineral Center, the team must rest a minimum of four hours. The other rest can be split up however the musher desires, more rest at some stops and less at others. How to divide up the rest is a big part of the strategy. For a number of years, a musher had never won the Beargrease who hadn’t rested at the first checkpoint. The first two legs of the race are 38 and 35 miles. A combined distance of 73 miles is certainly a doable distance for a dog team to cover, but mushers generally find that resting the team early can prove advantageous later. So, you will see most teams resting one to four 30

FEBRUARY 2021

The team will rest on average four hours at each checkpoint, on straw with blankets. | ERIN ALTEMUS hours at Two Harbors. Incidentally, Ryan Anderson did win the Beargrease in 2017 after blowing through the first checkpoint. He was training his team for the Iditarod that year, so they were plenty used to running long legs. In past years, I have rested two hours at the first checkpoint. This year I plan to take more rest early on. The idea is that early rest may pay dividends later. As a spectator watching the trackers, you must account for how much rest each team has taken to really understand the

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musher’s current position in the race. Just because a musher is leading the race on the tracker, does not mean they are currently winning. The musher may have taken less rest at the first couple of checkpoints, so they are ahead on the race course, but they will be required to use their full rest, so unless they are actually running the fastest speeds on the course, they might, in theory, be further behind in the standings. It isn’t until teams leave Mineral Center, the last checkpoint, that the order of mushers

In 2009, Jason Barron won the Beargrease by giving one dog, his main leader Clumber, a ride in the sled for the first half of the race. When he put Clumber up in lead, fresh at Trail Center, Clumber was able to drive the team to the finish for a victory. In 2019, I tried this strategy, albeit for slightly different reasons. Our main leader Beezus had an early training injury. He recovered in time for the Beargrease that year, but he had much fewer training miles than the rest of the team. I carried him in the sled for two legs before it became clear I needed his leadership, so into lead he went. While we didn’t win the race that year, I was able to run Beezus, which to me was a victory. Without him, we likely wouldn’t have finished. To have the sought-after “magic carpet ride,” a team must have clean runs. This means, you can’t stop because the leaders you chose are not doing the job and you spend time switching leaders. You can’t have an injured dog that you have to carry in the sled. You can’t have dogs stopping to poop every mile because you overfed them at the last checkpoint (a common mistake of mine). You can’t take any wrong turns or have an equipment malfunction. You must take care of yourself so you aren’t making poor decisions or suffering from frostbite or dehydration. The team that has the magic carpet ride this year will make the fewest mistakes, have the most consistent speed, and drive their dogs to the edge of their ability but not beyond. A little luck helps too. Ten of the 20 marathon mushers this year are women. Over half the field are rookies, with a couple more who have attempted but not finished the marathon. There are two former champs running and several more marathon veterans with their eyes on the prize. I am counting down the days, planning my own strategy and praying for snow. It’s go time.

Gidaanikeshkaagonaanig Gidaanikoobijiganinaan Following the Ancestor’s Steps

Niimi with Waawaashkeshi (She Dances with Deer) By Sam Zimmerman Recently, I was traveling north of Grand Marais and stopped to visit a niiji (friend). While visiting her studio, we saw different animal tracks in the snow. I commented on the waabooz (rabbit) tracks running through her yard. She shared a story about how she would often greet and feed the waawaashkeshi (deer) in the morning. Often, she would tell the ayaabe (buck) to shoo when he would bully the does. In her sharing of this story, I had such an amazing visual of this story that I asked her if I could paint it. She said eya (yes).

Ojibwe members of the waawaashkeshi doodem (deer clan) are known for their kindness, gentle and soft-spoken nature. In this piece, Niimi (She Dances) greets her waawaashkeshi friends at sunrise with friendship and food, and honors them with a dance. My work can be found online on Instagram and Facebook under the name Crane Superior and I can be reached at: cranesuperiorstudio@gmail.com.

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NORTHERN SKY FEBRUARY 2021 By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH

February evenings offer some of the best conditions for viewing the famous winter constellations. This year they approach Mars from the east, ending the month with the Pleiades star cluster closing in on the red planet. Meanwhile, the rising of Scorpius brings a hint of summer to the morning sky. The brightest stars in the winter constellations form the corners of the Winter Hexagon. To see it, start at the top with Capella, in Auriga the charioteer, and move counterclockwise through the other corners: Pollux, the brighter Gemini twin; Procyon, in Canis Minor, the little dog; Sirius, in Canis Major, the big dog; Rigel, in Orion; and Aldebaran, in Taurus, the bull. If you start instead at Aldebaran, you can trace a “G” by turning when you get to Rigel and finishing at Betelgeuse, Orion’s right shoulder. While viewing Orion, aim your binoculars at his sword—a line of stars that seem suspended below the three stars of his belt. On a clear moonless night you can see, even with the naked eye, a colorful, hazy “star” about halfway down the sword. This is the Orion Nebula, a chaotic cauldron of starlit gas and dust whipped

by interstellar winds. It is the closest large stellar nursery, where new stars—and potential planetary systems—are being born. In the predawn sky, the sinuous form of the summer constellation Scorpius rears up over the southeastern horizon. On the 6th, a hefty waning crescent moon hangs near Antares, the red heart of the scorpion. Groundhog Day also carries the promise of summer. It began as the astronomically based Celtic holiday Imbolc, which heralded the start of lambing season. Imbolc was one of four “cross-quarter” days falling midway between a solstice and an equinox. On the night of the 26th-27th, February’s full moon crosses the sky with the spring constellation Leo, the lion. 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.

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Strange Tales The History Behind Valentine’s Day More Than Just About Cards By Elle AndraWarner

England’s Richard Cadbury, of the Cadbury chocolate-making family, was the first to produce chocolates in heart-shaped boxes. | WOODLOT

OK, I admit it. Throughout the years I’ve considered the annual Valentine’s Day on February 14 as a modern-day commercialized event, promoted by businesses to sell cards, chocolates and flowers. But after doing some research, it looks like I was wrong—Valentine’s Day has a history going back more than 1,500 years ago. Historians place the origin of Valentine’s Day at 496 A.D. That’s the year when Pope Gelasius 1 established the first Feast of Saint Valentine on February 14 to honour Saint Valentine of Rome, a third century Roman priest and physician who died as a martyr around 270 A.D. As the story goes, before St. Valentine died, he wrote a note to his jailor’s daughter whom he had befriended, signed it “from your Valentine” and miraculously she regained her sight to read the note. (Some sources indicate the same story may have been two separate priests named Saint Valentine in different years, however, St. Valentine of Rome is the one attributed to Valentine’s Day.) According to historians, there is no record connecting romance and Valentine’s Day until medieval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote his 700-line poem “Parliament of Foules” in 1382-83, linking February 14, love and St. Valentine’s Feast day. In the poem, Chaucer refers to February 14 as the date for a parliament for birds to choose their mates (i.e. lovebirds). Chaucer wrote in the Middle English of the time, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / When every foul cometh ther to choose a mate.” So, while the Pope may have established the feast in 497 A.D., it was Chaucer hundreds of years later who first recorded Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic love. Written Valentines began to appear in England sometime after 1400. The oldest known surviving Valentine—now in the British Library in London, England—is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. By the mid-1700s, handwritten notes at Valentine’s Day were commonly exchanged in England. So popular were these notes that in 1797, a British publisher issued “The Young Man’s Valentine Writer” containing suggested sentimental verses for those who had trouble composing their own. Later in the 1800s, fancy printed paper Valentine’s with real lace and ribbons became so pop-

Red roses are the most popular flower for Valentine’s Day. | AUSSIEGALL In her book Bitter Chocolate: Anatomy of an Industry, author Carol Off wrote, “It was the firm’s marketing genius that first made chocolate a part of Valentine’s Day in Great Britain and a symbol of romantic love.”

Esther Howland from Massachusetts—known as the “Mother of the American Valentine”—is credited with popularizing Valentine’s Day cards in the United States through her company New England Valentine Company. | WIKIMEDIA ular that more than 3,000 were employed assembling them. In the United States, while exchanging Valentine notes may have started early in the 1700s, the first mass-produced Valentines of embossed paper lace appeared around 1850, thanks to Esther A. Howland (1828-1904) of Worcester, Massachusetts. Daughter of a book and stationery store owner, she was inspired by an ornate English Valentine she received from a business associate of her father. She began a business designing elaborate Valentine’s Day cards and hiring others to assemble them. Howland became known as “The Mother of American Valentines” and her company New England Valentine Company was

eventually grossing more than $100,000 annually. Since 2001, the U.S. Greeting Card Association has been awarding an annual “Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary.” Credit for the idea of Valentine’s Day chocolates in heart-shaped boxes goes to England’s Richard Cadbury, of the Cadbury chocolate making family. He used the excess pure cocoa left over from making the company’s chocolate drink to make ‘eating’ chocolates and packaging them in decorated boxes with artistically-designed Alpine and family scenes. Then, in 1861 for Valentine’s Day, he was the first to produce heart-shaped boxes decorated with Cupids and rosebuds for the Cadbury chocolates.

If you have received flowers for Valentine’s Day, well that tradition goes back the 17th century and Sweden’s King Charles II. As the story goes, during a trip to Persia, he was introduced to the “language of flowers,” the idea of sending flowers to a loved one with each flower having a meaning. In the 18th century, flower bouquets became a kind of secret romantic conversation. Today, red roses, which symbolize romantic love, are the most popular for Valentine’s Day. Fast forwarding to the 21st century, Valentine’s Day continues to be a big business, growing each year. For example, back in 1913, Hallmark offered its first Valentine’s card; three years later in 1916, they began mass-producing them; and, now 145 million Valentine cards are now exchanged industry-wide. The National Retail Federation reports that the average person celebrating Valentine’s Day spent $143 in 2018. And in February 2020, Forbes magazine estimated that in the U.S., about $20 billion would be spent that year on Valentine’s Day.

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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 UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY ON TOM LAKE.

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

SALIENG PE N D NORTH FOWL LAKE CABIN.

This 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

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.

LARGE, PRIVATE RETREAT – TOM LAKE.

TWO EXCEPTIONAL TOM LAKE LOTS. These special

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

MLS#6023214 $139,900

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

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com 34

FEBRUARY 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES CABINS REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Gail J.HOMES Englund, & GRI • Linda Garrity, Realtor SWEET CABIN ON POINT. This comfortable and

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

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 D L O S

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

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

SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. Three 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, 6089606 $88,000

SALIENG PE N D

RUSTIC THE BALLY HOVLAND HOUSE B&B. RETREAT. Seeped in deep history A small log cabin on 40 and an abundance acres highlighted by of charm and class, • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com (218) 387-9599 rolling hills and some The Bally House Bed mature55604 white pines. This PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN & Breakfast is now is a 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), MLS#6090303 $74,900 but the owner's home/quarters is spectacular itself. Absolutely turn-key. Updated throughout and lovingly maintained. Massive DOWNTOWN LUTSEN garage, lovely little stone garage, garden shed, unbelievable grounds. – MOVE IN READY! MLS#6092798, 6092800 $649,000 Affordable Living, many

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.

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 BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED TIMBER FRAME HOME

REMOTE HIDE-A-WAY. 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

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

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#6093661-64, 6093667, 6093672 $34,900 - $49,900 JUST 6 LOTS LEFT!

K BACH E ON TKET !! R A M

A monster-size pole barn with a rec room inside, a wood burning sauna, a charming wood shed... all on 36.30 acres of wonderful wooded land. Quality, style, warmth & uniqueness abounds. Short drive to downtown, Grand Marais. Power/ broadband, compliant septic, too! MLS#6091718 $264,900

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

SOLD

GETAWAY COTTAGE NEAR DEVIL TRACK RIVER. This little cottage needs some good TLC, but it's a start for someone who wants a seasonal getaway at an affordable price. Spacious yard, surrounded by towering pines and poplars. Property boundary is steps away from Devil Track River. MLS#6085486 $76,000

SALIENG PE N D

conveniences, access to recreation and views of Lake Superior. Open living concept with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Washer & Dryer included. Local lenders may finance mobile homes on leased lot. Lot rent is $325 per month.

MLS#6094306 $45,000

COMMERCIAL NEW PROSPERITY AWAITS -

Fantastic business/ commercial opportunity right in the heart of downtown Grand Marais. Bring your ideas and become part of a supportive and welcoming community!

MLS#6094481 $189,000

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 BRULE RIVER CABIN SOLITUDE-

1,300+ ft. of Brule River frontage with 80 acres, a log/wood cabin, sauna/storage & outhouse. No techy devices needed... unplug! Paddle/ swim/fish...(hello, BWCA!!) The cabin is outfitted with a wood burning stove, propane on site, comfortable furnishings, an incredible cook stove, ample sleeping space and plenty of storage. MLS#6094305 $425,000

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

GREAT HUNTING LAND

Easily accessible via the logging road at Casper's Hill Rd and runs east through the 158 acres. Includes creek front footage, aspen, balsam and spruce stands. Abundant deer sign, and good grouse habitat. East side of property abuts Judge Magney State Park. Property is subject to SFIA land use covenants. MLS#6094370 $228,900

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

FEBRUARY 2021

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

FORTY WITH PONDS – COUNTY RD FRONTAGE.

SPECTACULAR LAKE VIEW.

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

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

GREAT RECREATIONAL PARCEL.

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#6092273 $47,500

500’ ON MONS CREEK.

Mixed topography of beautiful rolling land with many great build sites on 25 acres. Old growth cedar, spruce, pine and birch. Abuts

state land. MLS#6029353 $37,000

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

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 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 MATURE WOODS, LAKE VIEW, CLOSE TO GRAND MARAIS.

SALIENG PE N D MLS#6086641 $74,900

Great 20 acre parcel on County Road 14 with mature forest and Lake Superior views. Good area for a home or recreational property. Could be subdivided.

10 ACRE LOTS NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Four 10 acre lots only a few miles from

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 $75,000,

MLS#6091822, 6091826 SOLD 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

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

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.

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

GREAT LOCATION HOME SITES.

Just minutes from Grand Marais on black top County Rd 7 are two 5+ acre lots with easy access to power and Broadband. Good building sites. MLS#6094098

$62,900, MLS#6094099 $42,900 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

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 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 – 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

SALIENG PE N D

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

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

SOLD

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 listings are coming in daily -

redpinerealty.com

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com 36

FEBRUARY 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Own a slice of Minnesota’s Favorite Resorts We bring you closer to the lake 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 5

PENDING

3 BR, 2 BA. The Big Lake is right outside your private deck. Excellent location and rental income. $404,900

SOLD

Bluefin Unit 18

SOLD

Bluefin Unit 39

SOLD

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

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

Bluefin Unit 7

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

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 15 years selling downtown MPLS Condo living. Currently representing this developers 10th project 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

10 LEFT LIVE OUT YOUR LEGACY IN NEW CONDOS IN MILLS DISTRICT BY THE GUTHRIE! 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

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11 Left at Legacy • 1 left at Porltand Tower • 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

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! T U O D SOL A New Luxury Condo Development 740 Portland Avenue • Downtown Minneapolis

26-5607-02250

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

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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

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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

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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

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2021

Itching to See a Home? Take our 3D Walk through Virtual Tour of any Home listed here! Info@TimberWolffRealty.com

D L O

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! DEVIL TRACK RIVER COBBLESTONE HOME AT MOUTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR!

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 L A S ING D N E P

MOUNTAIN TOP LIVING ON MINNESOTA’S NORTH SHORE!

OLDEN DAYS ON THE BEACH! BY THE SHINING BIG SEA WATER!

Large parcels of Lake Superior property are not easy to come by these days. Here’s one from the old days, back when the fisherman picked their spots. 4 plus acres, 318 feet of frontage. Not just any frontage, a really beautiful beach! Endless colorful cobbles churn up daily. It’s secluded here, downhill and distant from the highway. Peaceful below mature spruce. It first was a homestead, and little bits of yesteryear turn up here and there: a horseshoe, old bottle. There’s a story in this land. The old fish house is now a charming cabin, front row seat to all the Gitche Gumee action!

MLS#6094219 $499,000

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.

MLS#6086880 $650,000

E L A S ING D N E P

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!

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

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

LAKE SUPERIOR LAND JUST NORTH OF SILVER BAY, PALISADE VIEWS OF LAKE SUPERIOR! Gorgeous Lakeshore, Priced Way Below NEW! BY THE SHINING BIG Tax Assessed Value! Gorgeous Views down the Coastline SEA WATER! and Well buffered from Hwy. MLS#2313255 4 plus acres, 318 feet of accessible Lake $185,000 SOLD Superior Beach frontage! Enjoy the show the big lake can put on with front row seats! NEW! ENJOY 3.83 ACRES WITH MLS#6094220 $499,000 255FT OF LAKE SUPERIOR SALE PENDING! SHORELINE! Great site overlooking level access to Lake Superior! MLS#6092322 $249,900

SOLD

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AND LIKE TIMBERWOLFF R EALTY! 38

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Itching to See a Home? Take our 3D Walk through Virtual Tour of any Home listed here! Info@TimberWolffRealty.com

Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!! Local 663-8777 • Toll free (877) 664-8777

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

OL D

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.

D L O S

MLS#6093575 $179,000

NEW! AWESOME LUTSEN RETREAT! Newly constructed off grid

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

E SA L ING D N E P

D L O S

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!

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! 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! MLS#6090618

D L O S

NEW! VINTAGE VOYAGEUR IN GRAND MARAIS! MLS#6093695 $234,900

$189,000

E SA L ING D N E P

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 sides- seclusion! 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.

MLS#6083975 $259,000 REDUCED

OL D

E L A S ING D PEN

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

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

D L O S

$224,900

Call TIMBERWOLFF REALT Y or visit w w w.timberwolffrealty.com for more information! NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2021

Itching to See a Home? Take our 3D Walk through Virtual Tour of any Home listed here! Info@TimberWolffRealty.com

Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!! Local 663-8777 • Toll free (877) 664-8777

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#6093324 $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 $79,000 REDUCED Crosswinds in Tofte, Walk to Coho! Large pkg lots, Great Value. $69,900

MLS#6077966 REDUCED

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

$29,900 MLS#6093572

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

MLS#6093678 $52,000 SALE PENDING

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

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

MLS#6078781 5 AC $40,000

6089003 $67,000 EACH

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

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

$31,900

$32,000

NEW!! 5 ACRES OF SECLUSION AND WILDERNESS! MLS#6094215 $80,000

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

NEW!! 6 ACRES BETWEEN DOWNTOWN LUTSEN AND LUTSEN MOUNTAINS SKI RESORT! MLS#6094216 $96,000

High Ground above Lake Superior, Bloomquist Mountain area!

MLS#2309328+ FROM $39,000

MLS#6085097 $39,000

Heartland of Lutsen, 80 ac at the Foothill on Turnagain Trail, Fabulous Wilderness Build s of Ski Hill ridge, near downtown Lutsen! MLS#2312987 $119,000

NEW!! 9 ACRES CLOSE TO LUTSEN MOUNTAINS AND SUPERIOR NATIONAL GOLF COURSE! MLS#6094217 $135,000

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!

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

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

MLS#6091367 $69,900 SOLD

MLS#6028619 $67,500

MLS#6093970 $57,900 SOLD

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

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

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

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

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

SOLD

MLS#6078839 $42,000

$25,000

MLS#6077951 $37,500 REDUCED

Coveted County Road 7 Location! 5 acre parcel with creek meandering along the border! Nice boreal forest, high elevations!

MLS#6086990 $63,000

INLAND LAKE LANDS NEW! DEERYARD LAKE:

Back to the Basics with 2.4 acres and 175ft of shoreline on Deeryard Lake!

MLS#6090377 $172,000 SOLD

CLARA LAKE IN LUTSEN!

Wilderness Lakeshore Site with cleared build site, driveway in place. Electric at road, 200 ft PRIME shoreline.

$169,900 MLS#6088357 SALE PENDING

NEW! SUNSHINE ON PIKE LAKE! Prime shoreline on the “Lutsen” WILLARD LANE PIKE LAKE VIEW LAND WITH LAKE side of Pike Lake. Gentle southern slope ACCESS! 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!

MLS#6091546 $176,000 SOLD

Rugged elevation, great build site. Shared 20 ft access to Pike Lake for

$125,000 MLS#6078799 SOLD CHRISTINE LAKE 10 AC bordering Superior National Forest,

DEERYARD LAKE GETAWAY! Yr Round Access, electric/broadband

2.30 acres and 175ft of shoreline!

MLS#6086435 $174,900 SOLD

avail. Hill top build site overlooking mature white pine, cedar lined shoreline on Christine. Serenity Now!

MLS#6023288 $99,900 BEST OF THE VILLAGE AT SOLD NINEMILE! 1800ft of shared shoreline

on Ninemile Lake, great location and sense of privacy! MLS# 6087908

$37,000

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 SALE PENDING

BARGAIN BUY!

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!

VISIT US AT WWW.TIMBERWOLFFR EALTY.COM FOR PICTUR E SLIDESHOW! 40

FEBRUARY 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

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

SOLD



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

9 N BROADWAY GRAND MARAIS, MN

I Love Listings!

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

I Love Listings!



I Love Listings!



34 HUNGRY JACK RD GRAND MARAIS, MN

I Love Listings!

Saleng Pendi



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

I Love Listings!



40X E COYOTE RIDGE GRAND MARAIS, MN

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

For results list your property here For more details call or check my website Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Terry@BacklundRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2021

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.

Lutsen Real Estate Group continues with its unwavering and deep commitment to this area that has set us apart as people and professionals – local experts who will provide you with an objective perspective. Whether selling or buying, you will find our approach forthright with straight talk. Our agents and staff live here, work here, play here, and are defined by service and expertise.

Inger Andress.

Inger is the third generation of Real Estate enthusiasts in her family, as her mother was an agent for many years with Edina Realty. Along with being a real estate agent, Inger serves on several boards in the community that include the North Shore Health Care Foundation, Moving Matters, and Founder of the Choices and Voices Project that coordinates multiple programs to bring about restorative healing to this community and globally. Her husband, Brad, who continues to consult, was formerly a MLB high-performance coach with the Tigers, Rockies and Mets. They have five “millennial” children who have left the roost and are actively pursuing their life dreams. Inger and Brad live on Lake Superior in Lutsen. Realtor 218-218-216-7141 Inger@lutsenrealestategroup.com

Jeanne Anderson. Jeanne is no stranger to all things Cook County. After annual Boundary Waters trips over the years she and her husband moved to Lutsen 12 years ago to raise their son and daughter. Jeanne has been active in the school community, having served as a school board member for seven years and spending many hours volunteering and advocating for students. With a lifelong passion for real estate and home remodeling, Jeanne provides a broad perspective to home ownership and selling to clients she serves. Jeanne and her family also live on Caribou Lake in Lutsen. Realtor 218-370-7901 Jeanne@lutsenrealestategroup.com Mike Larson.

Mike and his wife Jana moved to Lutsen in 1988 after Mike served Cook County in several consulting roles while working for The Northspan Group. Today, Mike, along with his Broker partner Steve Surbaugh, manage 150 vacation rental properties throughout Cook and Lake Counties. Such activities are complimented by the real estate group working with clients looking to buy, sell, and/or become part of a vacation rental program. Jana is a public school teacher in Grand Marais and they have three “millennial children – all who left the area for new challenges, work, and life experiences. Managing Broker, LREG (218) 370-1536 mike@staycvr.com

Sandra McHugh.

Sandra and her husband relocated to Lutsen from the Twin Cities after a career which included project and department management at General Mills, HealthEast and the Wilder Foundation. Sandra has successfully applied her skillset into the real estate world. She is mindful of the joys and challenges when making decisions about real estate and is there to guide you through the process. Sandra and Jack live on Caribou Lake in Lutsen along with their Viszla/ Dachshund pup, Chet. Realtor 218-370-7841 Sandra@lutsenrealestategroup.com

Kelsi Williams.

Kelsi moved to Cook County from Duluth several years ago and joined the Lutsen Real Estate Group as a sales agent. With a BFA in Interior Design, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and a background in hospitality project management, Kelsi brings a unique skillset to the real estate team. She enjoys sharing her passion for real estate, interior design, and construction with Cook County. In her free time, Kelsi enjoys spending time with her husband Seth, their three children and Goldendoodle, Maddie. Kelsi and her family live up on Devil Track Lake just outside of Grand Marais. Realtor 218-428-0992 Kelsi@lutsenrealestategroup.com

Steve Surbaugh.

Steve first came to Cook County guiding canoe trips for his college. After he and his wife graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, they worked at Sawbill Outfitters in Tofte and guided dogsledding trips in Ely, MN. After a stint in the Twin Cities working for dot-coms, he and his wife Kate returned north with their growing family. Only a few short years after he started his career as a real estate agent, he has accomplished a great deal as a broker, developer and principal visionary for Cascade Vacation Rentals and Cascade Maintenance Services. He lives with his wife, Kate, and their three children on an old farmstead near the Cascade River. Steve serves on local boards, including Boreal Access, Cook County Community Fund, the Lloyd K. Foundation. and Grand Marais State Bank. Managing Broker, CVR (218) 663-7971 Steve@staycvr.com

Serving all of Cook County and the entire North Shore for over 25 years. You will find our offices located in Downtown Lutsen. Give us a call today! We are here to serve you!

CONSIDERING SELLING THIS YEAR?

Don’t short yourself. Mistakes can be costly. We will demonstrate why working with Lutsen Real Estate Group is the best decision you will make. Look no further. Call any one of our Realtors shown above today to set up an appointment. 42

FEBRUARY 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Lutsen Real Estate Group

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

lutsenrealestategroup.com

Lutsen/Tofte/Lake Superior SOLD

Amazing Golf Course Home.

SOLD

Lutsen Heritage Townhome.

High quality custom home in a gorgeous golf course setting. Open concept LR w/gas FP set into a lovely stone surround. Perfectly-sized 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

neighborhood. MLS 6092794

$369,900

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. Maintenancefree living and part of a distinctive North Shore

Lake Superior Poplar River Condo. Poplar River unit 565 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 6094418 $349,900

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

Lake Superior Parcels 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

S A L EN G I PEND

Beautiful Lake Superior Views!

SOLD

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 $469,900.

Aspenwood on Lake Superior.

Gorgeous

S A L EN G I PEND

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.

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

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

NORTHERN WILDS

FEBRUARY 2021

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

Home s & C abin s

140053 _ NORTH SHORE

2307 County Rd 7

510 Humphrey Circle

Need more space?! 7 BR, 4 BA plus a 3 stall garage could be just what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been looking for. Lower level could make a great mother-in-law apartment with a kitchen, 4BR and 2 BA.

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 6091991 $309,900

MLS 6092976 $449,900

G N DI

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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

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 $449,900

O n Lake Sup e rior

19 8th Ave W

Here it is! A 4BR, 2BA home with Lake Superior views in Grand Marais and just a short walk to the harbor! Situated on a huge corner lot.Take a tour and see it for yourself.

MLS 6091887 $219,900 44

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NORTHERNâ&#x20AC;&#x201E;WILDS

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

INLAND LAKE HOMES & CABINS

D L SO 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 $227,000

100 Sag Lake Trail

191 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

Rare find and opportunity for someone who welcomes a challenge. Well built cabin that just needs TLC on 309’ shoreline of Gull Lake. Priced well below market value. MLS 6094163 $199,900

Inl an d Lake L o t s

XX Soderberg Lane

Devil Track Lake

Tom Lake

37 plus acres of accessible privacy with Birch Lake shoreline!! An old cabin on the SE corner could be used as temporary shelter and the acreage has potentially harvestable timber.

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!

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 6094314 $189,000

MLS 6085879 $159,900

MLS 6090351 $64,900

Greenwood Lake

Tom 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.

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

MLS 6094281 $149,900

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

FEBRUARY 2021

Commercial

17 1st Ave West

G N DI

N E P

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.

MLS 6093980 $389,900

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

Land

ING

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

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

ING

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

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 $79,900

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

12X Timberwolf Lane Looking for Lake Superior view close to Grand Marais with easy access? This 5+ acre lot is the perfect spot for your Northwoods cabin or year-round home. MLS 6094157 $89,900

PEN PEN

G N I D

PEN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FEBRUARY 2021

G N I D

PEN

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

NORTHERNâ&#x20AC;&#x201E;WILDS

13X Timberwolf Lane

Lake Superior views from this 5 A lot are spectacular! It fronts highway 61protecting your southern view and is accessed YR from the north by a well-built shared driveway.

MLS 6094156 $84,900

G N DI

1XX Ski Hill Rd

Dreamed of a getaway on the North Shore? Over a half acre on Lutsenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ski Hill Road with the west side of the property overlooking Superior National Golf Course.

MLS 6093169 $49,900

Lar ge Ac r e age

N E P

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

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

CATCHLIGHT

snowy owl This picture was taken in January 2014 during snowy owl irruption in Minnesota. It is a female (darker feather pattern) and she was spending the day hunting in an old corn field. In this photo she is coming in for a landing and spent some time just walking around or resting in the field before flying off to hunt again.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jim Stroner NORTHERNâ&#x20AC;&#x201E; WILDS

FEBRUARY 2021

on the Gunflint Trail

Intro new ducing o 2 trail 020 PB ur 100 groo m seas er this on!

Unspoiled. Spectacular. Unforgettable.

• Family oriented, year-round resort – ski from your cabin door • 11 fully equipped, modern housekeeping cabins – gas and wood fireplaces, pet-friendly options • Located 30 miles north of Grand Marais on the Gunflint Trail • On the Central Gunflint Ski Trail System, over 70km of beautifully groomed trails • Ski passes available to cabin guests at no charge • Ski and snowshoe rental available for all ages • 1.5km lit trail for night skiing

Golden-Eagle.com 218-388-2203

Trailcam! 48

FEBRUARY 2021

Stay updated on ski trail conditions and snow totals

NORTHERN WILDS

Northern Wilds February 2021

Articles inside

Dog Blog

Wild Traditions

Fishing Hole

Northern Trails

Dining

Spotlight

Events

Memorable Dates

Ski Resorts in the Northern Wilds

Along the Shore

Health

Points North