Along the Shore

After 30 years of tent camping while visiting the Gunflint Trail, Joan and Douglas Levergood decided to purchase an off-grid rustic log cabin near mid-trail. | JOAN LEVERGOOD

One couple’s journey to bring an off-grid cabin “on-grid”

By Kalli Hawkins

GUNFLINT TRAIL—After nearly 30 years of tent camping while visiting the Gunflint Trail, Joan and Douglas Levergood decided it was time to find a proper roof to put over their heads.

The Levergoods, who reside in Chicago, Ill., first visited the Gunflint Trail on a camping trip in the early 1990s. Joan and Douglas were camping in central Minnesota when Joan looked at a map and said to her husband, “Look at this campsite up by the Canadian border. Let’s camp there.” The Levergoods then packed the car and road-tripped to the end of the Gunflint Trail. They secured campsite #19 at Trails End Campground and, unbeknownst to them at the time, initiated a 30-year tradition of camping at the end of the Gunflint Trail.

Throughout the decades, the couple strategically rearranged their work schedules in Chicago to return to the Gunflint Trail to camp between May and September. Joan’s occupation as a spiritual healer allowed her to work remotely at times, while her husband, a traveling freelance double bass musician, did not have the same flexibility. Despite their occasional conflicting schedules, they made time to pack the vehicle and make the 629-mile trek to the Gunflint Trail.

In recent years, Joan and her husband pondered purchasing property on the trail and having a place to call their own. They actively kept their eyes on property listings on the off chance there was something that fit their budget.

“I would look at listings and drive around and look too,” Joan added. She said they were open to purchasing a vacant lot, a cabin, or simply “something with a roof over our heads, a wood-burning stove, and walls.” She added, “it would be an improvement over a canvas tent and a propane heater at the Trails End Campground.”

After years of searching, the Levergoods stumbled on a real estate listing in August 2022 of a rustic log cabin built by Dennis Johnson on 11.5 acres near mid-trail that piqued their interest. “I was like, wow, that’s kind of perfect,” Joan said.

The first few sentences of the real estate description shed light on the extensive work the Levergoods would have in front of them if they decided to purchase the property. The listing stated, “Hand-hewn small log cabin needs love and care (and some cash too!) to bring it back to its glory.” The listing went on to say the cabin did not have plumbing, a well, a septic system, or electricity. However, despite the call for ‘home project lovers,’ it had large windows to provide lots of natural light, a loft, and a cozy wood-burning fireplace to curl up next to. Joan and Douglas immediately put an offer on the property.

The real estate world moves fast in Cook County, even more so with property on the Gunflint Trail. The Levergoods closed on the property a month later, in September. The couple spent one week enjoying the cabin before winterizing the property and driving back to Chicago. “It’s kind of like a dream come true. It was really fast, very suddenly. So unexpected,” Joan said.

The work needed to convert this off-grid cabin to “on-grid” will be lengthy and difficult, but the Levergoods are up to the challenge.

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While the time spent enjoying the rustic off-grid cabin was short-lived, the work to convert it to ‘on-grid’ will be lengthy and challenging. Joan said the winter months have been a busy time contacting well and septic contractors and electricians to line up work once the snow eventually recedes this spring. She has also reached out to Arrowhead Cooperative, an electric cooperative that provides electricity and broadband services to Cook County, to schedule the construction and installation of services. Joan said a few steps remain before construction is scheduled. First, Arrowhead Cooperative must conduct a site visit on the property and have an electrician set a meter socket in the staked location.

In addition to adding electricity, wi-fi, plumbing, and running water, Joan said the improvement projects are far from finished. The rustic cabin also needs a new roof and a new wood stove. She said there is a long list of projects to bring the off-grid cabin into the 21st century and on-grid. “We knew going into it there were things that needed to be fixed,” she said. “I’d like to keep a small footprint but still be in modern times.”

While she’s optimistic that she can check off numerous projects on the to-do list this year, she is aware that only some things will be completed and may take many more years. “The only concern I have is of having trouble finding somebody to do the work,” Joan said.

And she is not alone in having that concern. Many new homeowners in Cook County would agree. The booming real estate market along the North Shore, particularly in Cook County, has created tremendous demand for local contractors.

While the Levergoods intend to reside in Chicago and use the cabin seasonally, they are happy to have a place on the Gunflint Trail to escape and call home. Joan said the Gunflint Trail region is “the closest to a wilderness we have here in the Midwest.” She added, “There’s something really magical about that. And there’s something really comforting about being at a place like that.”

The road ahead to transition the off-grid rustic log cabin is lengthy. However, the Levergoods seem up for the challenge. They are excited to start a new tradition of returning to the Gunflint Trail to stay at their cabin and sleep somewhere with a roof over their head, even if it needs to be replaced someday.

Stay on top of spring maintenance

By Eric Weicht

NORTH SHORE—Spring can be a hard time for homeowners on the North Shore. As the snow melts, the lakes thaw, and the waterfalls roar, all of that moisture has a tendency to find its way into unwanted places. On top of that, winter is often destructive, damaging roofs, walls and foundations in a way that makes them even more susceptible to encroaching spring moisture.

The key to spring maintenance is to be vigilant and to stay on top of small issues before they have a chance to become worse. It’s always best to reach out to local professionals for inspections and preventative maintenance rather than letting it get to the point where the problem has turned into an emergency.

To help prepare for the coming spring season, here are a few common maintenance issues to be on the lookout for.

BASEMENT FLOODING

Basements are a part of the home that is particularly prone to water damage, especially in the spring.

Even in older homes, there are ways to prepare and protect your basement from moisture. A functioning sump pump is essential for removing standing water from your basement in the event of a flood, but things like waterproof wallcoverings, vapor barriers, waterproof subfloors, and dehumidifiers can be just as important in keeping your basement livable.

If you have concerns about water damage in your basement, hiring a local contractor that specializes in basement waterproofing and foundation work is not a bad way to go. They will be able to accurately assess the underlying cause of the issue—whether it’s musty smells, damp walls, or spring flooding—and provide estimates for possible solutions.

DBS is a company based out of Duluth that specializes, among other things, in keeping basements “drier, brighter, and more comfortable.” Their website is easy to navigate, and on it you will find a list of solutions that they use to solve wet basement issues.

MOLD

Mold is a common problem in homes, but it can be a challenging problem to resolve on your own. It is also a problem that you do not want to ignore—not only is mold bad for your home, exposure to mold and mold spores can be hazardous to your health.

As the snow melts, it's a good idea to walk around and inspect each part of your home, looking for signs of damage.

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It is important when dealing with mold to start by addressing the source of the problem. Before getting rid of the mold, make sure that you know how moisture is getting into your home, i.e., what caused the mold in the first place. Was it a ventilation issue? Was it seeping in from the outside? Was it the result of a plumbing issue?

The solution could be as simple as running a dehumidifier, or making sure gutters and downspouts are clear so that water can properly drain away from your home’s foundation. Regardless, if the underlying issue isn’t resolved when you remove the mold, it will likely reappear.

Removing mold can often be done by scrubbing with a simple detergent and water, or by using a specific mold cleaner with mold-killing properties. If the surface is too porous to scrub away the mold, you may need to consider replacing the contaminated material. Always use proper protective equipment like a mask and gloves when working closely with mold.

As always, there are contractors and professionals who specialize in mold prevention and remediation. Dryco Restoration Services is a business that offers mold remediation along the North Shore, and would be a solid resource if you have concerns about mold in your home.

ICE DAMS

According to the University of Minnesota’s digital resource page on “Dealing with and Preventing Ice Dams,” an ice dam is “a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof.”

Ice dams are problematic because water that is unable to properly drain off of a roof is likely to find its way inside the home, causing all sorts of damage to areas of the home that are meant to stay dry.

They are most often caused by insulation issues—i.e., heat escaping and melting snow on one part of the roof that flows to a cooler part of the roof where it then re-freezes into an ice dam—so long-term solutions involve making sure that the ceiling is sealed and that there is enough insulation between the roof and warm interior.

An immediate, simple solution, however, would be to keep your roof clear of snow. If there is no snow on the roof to melt and re-freeze, you might be able to prevent the dam from forming in the first place. However, always use caution when removing snow from a roof, both for your own safety and to prevent unnecessary damage to the roof.

BE DILIGENT!

Lastly, as the snow melts and exposes portions of your home that have been covered all winter long, it is a good idea to walk around and inspect each part of your home looking for signs of damage. It is much easier to repaint siding or reseal a deck than it is to replace rotting wood.

Use your senses to make sure everything looks as it should, and if something seems out of place or not as it should be, don’t hesitate to ask a professional.