Northern Wilds September 2021 by Northern Wilds Magazine

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JHP ART GALLERY UPCOMING EVENTS

Paddle on Golden Water this Autumn.

Plein Air Grand Marais (PAGM) is a 19 year tradition bringing outdoor painters to the North Shore of Lake Superior for a week of painting, learning, competition, and camaraderie. Join the JHP Art Gallery and Outdoor Painters of Minnesota for the Annual Quick Paint on Artist Point! The Quick Paint will be Thursday Sept 16, 3:30-5:00, Artist Point in Grand Marais (on the rocks and in Harbor Park). For more information: www.outdoorpaintersofminnesota.org/plein-air-grand-marais Sept 10-17 PAGM Competition Week in Grand Marais Sept 17 PAGM Competition Awards Reception, 5pm Sept 17-Oct 10 PAGM Exhibition at JHP Art Gallery

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A bridge to cross for adventure In the Northern Wilds, you have to cross a bridge, likely many of them, to reach any destination. Some are so small you hardly notice them. Others, like Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge, are iconic. In this issue, we pay tribute to some of the landmark bridges throughout the Northern Wilds. Possibly you’ll cross one of these structures on your way to a September adventure. This is the time we make the transition into autumn. It usually begins with cool nights and crisp days. The leaves begin to change color. First the maples paint the hillsides red and orange. Near the end of the month, the aspen and birch glow with gold. Unfortunately, this fall we may see lackluster colors due to drought. The lack of moisture caused trees to begin dropping leaves in August.

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.

September still promises to be a fun-filled month with art tours, festivals, races and musical events. Several writers share the ways they have fun in the fall. Grouse season begins this month. Inside you’ll find a guide to hunting this common and tasty gamebird. Marie Zhuikov recounts an autumn paddling adventure on the Whiteface River. Chris Pascone shares the story of a wooden sailing vessel that made it all the way from Russia to Duluth. Laura Ricketts explains the craft of Sámi knitting. Love cheesecake? Kitty Mayo has the lowdown on where you can find some of the Northern Wild’s

best cheesecakes. Peter Fergus-Moore reports on a new independent bookstore in Thunder Bay. Speaking of Canada, the U.S. border remains closed to Canadians until at least September 21, but fully vaccinated Americans can cross into Canada. Inside you’ll find the information you need to enter Canada. Canadian columnist Elle Andra-Warner weaves a historical tale that begins on a sternwheeler plying a remote Ontario and leads to the origins of the National Hockey League and the Montreal Canadiens. You can’t get more Canadian than that! Evan Kutzler serves a unique slice of Grand Marais history with a fascinating look at the background story from a postcard sent more than 100 years ago. The postcard contains notes about the aftermath of a wildfire that nearly destroyed Grand Marais. Ironically, as we put the finishing touches on this issue, numerous wildfires are burning across the Northern Wilds. It’s a tense time. Our hearts go out to the folks who have suffered property loss from the fires. We are grateful for the numerous people working to get the fires under control. And we fervently hope there will be no more.—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt

! s e g d u J r

u O t e me

A full time Grand Portage/Cook County resident for the past 49 years, Rick Novitsky is now retired after a rewarding career with the Tribal DNR (25 years) and as a park ranger with the MNDNR (15 years). He loves spending time with his four grandkids and his hobbies include hiking, fishing and photography.

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Enter by Sept. 30

Enter photos and win prizes! Categories include Landscape, Wildlife, People and Pets, and Macro. Prizes will be awarded to the top three photos per category. This year’s photo contest winners will be selected by our judges: James Smedley, David Johnson and Rick Novitsky. Winners will be announced in the January 2022 issue of Northern Wilds.

Submit entries and find contest rules at: northernwilds.com/contests/photography-contest

James Smedley’s wiry frame regularly labours under a heavy pack of camera gear in search of fish, photos and outdoor adventure. His contributions to U.S. and Canadian books, magazines and newspapers have earned him an arm load of National and International awards. He currently resides in Wawa, Ontario with his wife Francine.

David R. Johnson is a photographer from Grand Marais. A fourth-generation resident of the area, he grew up exploring the area’s vast forests, lakes, rivers and streams. “I travel the back country all the time taking photos of anything that catches my eye; the northern lights are my favorite, followed by wildlife,” he says.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

VOLUME 18, ISSUE 9 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 Destry Winant, Sales Representative ads@northernwilds.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Katie Viren • katie@northernwilds.com OFFICE Roseanne Cooley • billing@northernwilds.com CONTRIBUTORS Elle Andra-Warner, Gord Ellis, Peter Fergus-Moore, Evan Kutzler, Kitty Mayo, Deane Morrison, Hartley Newell-Acero, Chris Pascone, Rae Poynter, Laura Ricketts, Amy Schmidt, Joe Shead, Chuck Viren, Eric Weicht, Marie Zhuikov, 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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20 FEATURES 20 Canoeing “Old Blue” Down the Whiteface River 22 The Iconic Bridges of the Northern Wilds 40 Fall Adventures

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The Summit Express Gondola at Lutsen Mountains provides riders with an amazing view of the fall colors. | SUBMITTED

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW: Color spotting at Lutsen Mountains LUTSEN— While fall hikes and backroad drives may be the most common ways to enjoy the brilliant fall colors, the North Shore offers another way to soak in the fall foliage: from the gondola at Lutsen Mountains. In fact, the Summit Express Gondola is the only gondola in the Midwest, making this aerial excursion a unique way to experience the best of this season. Originally built in 1989 and then replaced in 2015, the Summit Express Gondola carries skiers over the Poplar River valley, between the main area of Lutsen Mountains to ski runs on Moose Mountain and Mystery Mountain. But the gondola is not just a means of transportation; with spectacular views of the Sawtooth Mountains and Lake Superior, the gondola is also a destination in itself, and peak color season even sees more users of the gondola than peak ski season. To take the Summit Express Gondola, visitors can purchase tickets at the ticket office at Lutsen Mountains. (The gondola runs every day from early June to mid-October.) The ride is just over a mile long and takes about eight minutes to complete. Jim Vick, Director of Operations, Marketing, and Guest Services at Lutsen Mountains said, “The gondola takes you right over the tree tops, which makes it a fully immersive fall color experience. It’s also accessible, making this one of the few spots where you can access a mountaintop without hiking.”

Once on Moose Mountain, visitors can stop by the Summit Chalet for a bite to eat, or explore the mountain top’s observation decks and short walks. For those wishing to combine a gondola trip with a fall hike, Lutsen Mountains offers just that. Hikers can take the gondola one way to Moose Mountain. Once there, a spur trail connects Moose Mountain to the Superior Hiking Trail. Going east, the trail takes hikers down Moose Mountain, over Mystery Mountain, and across the Poplar River. The Superior Hiking Trail then intersects with cross-country ski trails that take hikers right back to the parking lot, for a hike that totals just over four miles. For those that crave more adventure, hikers can do a shuttle hike starting at Lutsen Mountains and ending at Oberg Mountain, one of the most-loved fall hikes in the area. Hikers can leave one vehicle at the Oberg Mountain trailhead (the next trailhead to the west from Lutsen Mountains) and then return to Lutsen Mountains to take the gondola. At the connection to the main Superior Hiking Trail, hikers can go west to reach Oberg Mountain for more spectacular fall views. Another unique way to experience the fall colors at Lutsen Mountains is to take the Alpine Slide, which is open on the weekends through mid-October. A ski lift takes visitors to the top of the slide, which offers com-

An aerial view of the fall colors at Lutsen Mountains. | SUBMITTED manding views and the added fun of a thrilling ride down the mountainside. Whichever mode of adventure you choose, the North Shore has opportunities for everyone to get out and experience the best of autumn.

For more information about Lutsen Mountains, including gondola operating schedules, visit lutsen.com.—Rae Poynter

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GRAND MARAIS–Ruffed grouse hunting is part of the Northern Wilds way of life. For many folks, grouse hunting consists of taking a ride along the gravel backroads to see the autumn sights and hopefully happen upon a bird or two to shoot for dinner. Others prefer to hike along old logging roads (not busy designated hiking trails) to get some fresh air and exercise with a grouse dinner as a reward. Then there are a few serious hunters who pursue grouse with a trained dog; either a pointer or flusher. Using a dog adds immeasurably to the enjoyment of a bird hunting experience, but isn’t necessary to get out in the grouse woods. One of the best things about grouse hunting is that it is accessible to just about anyone, making it an excellent choice for entry level hunters. So, what do you need to know to get started grouse hunting? First, know the rules. If you are new to hunting, begin by taking the Minnesota DNR’s firearms safety course. All persons born after December 31, 1979 are required to possess a firearms safety/hunter education certificate in order to purchase a hunting license to hunt in Minnesota. Regardless your birth date, taking a firearms safety class starts you out with a solid safety foundation. You can learn more about the courses offered on the DNR website. Another thing you’ll need from the DNR is a small game hunting license. With the license, you’ll receive a booklet with the state’s hunting regulations. While the booklet is formidable, you can find most regulations pertaining to grouse hunting in the Small Game section. Note that you are required to wear a hunter orange hat. Wearing a hunter orange vest or outerwear is advisable so other hunters can easily see you in dense forest cover. Once you take care of the paperwork listed above, getting prepared for grouse hunting is pretty easy. All you really need is a shotgun, comfortable boots and clothing appropriate for walking in the woods. Some folks may feel more comfortable carrying a GPS or a smartphone app that shows property boundaries and ownership. Considering that most forest land in this region is public and you’ll be walking overgrown logging roads, you can get by without an app if you avoid posted private property. You can carry just about any shotgun, provided it is loaded with number 8, 7½ or 6 shot. Most likely you’ll be shooting lead loads, because steel loads suitable for grouse can be hard to find. Be sure to spend some practice time shooting at clay pigeons to familiarize yourself with the gun and to develop your shooting skills. You can hunt grouse at any time of day, but generally the birds are most active in the morning or evening. Since the morning dew is often heavy, you may become soaking wet walking through the foliage on an early hunt. This isn’t a problem in the late afternoon. Speaking of getting wet, waterproof boots are handy if you encounter muddy or swampy areas on your walk. You can find grouse just about anywhere in our northern forest, although they are scarce in maple forests and red pine plantations. The best places to look for them are in mixed forests of aspen, alder, balsam

Ruffed grouse hunting is a great starting point for beginning hunters. | RYAN PENNESI and spruce. Sometimes they are abundant in stands of young aspen where the tree trunks are the diameter somewhere between your wrist and your calf. Grouse are attracted to forest openings, such as the one created by a logging road, where they forage on clover, strawberry leaves, various berries and catkins. Like chickens, they also pick grit to aid with digesting their food. If you are hunting without a dog, you will likely first see a grouse when it is on the ground. Perhaps it will be standing in the logging road or you will hear its distinctive peep-peep-peep call as it tries to avoid you in the underbrush. While you won’t see it depicted in grouse hunting stories, where all birds are shot on the fly, the vast majority of ruffed grouse in the Northern Wilds are shot on the ground. If you have a clear shot and a safe backdrop, take the shot. Aim for the head, which will make a clean kill and leave few pellets in the breast. Ruffed grouse flush with a thunderous whirr of wings, which can startle an unsuspecting hunter or just about anyone. Grouse have an uncanny ability to twist and turn among the trees, flying through the forest at top speed. Shooting grouse on the wing is challenging even for experienced bird hunters. In September, when the forest is thick with foliage, flying grouse quickly disappear. Your chances of shooting them on the wing improves after the leaves drop in October. What do you do with a grouse after you kill it? They are easy to clean because their thin skin pulls away from the flesh. The plump breast contains nearly all of the edible meat, although you can get a bite or two off the thighs and legs. Any recipe you use for boneless chicken will work for grouse— and taste better, too.—Shawn Perich

SMALL BUT MIGHTY: Thunder Bay’s Entershine independent bookshop THUNDER BAY—Thunder Bay’s newest (and only) independent bookstore, Entershine, is now open for business. Understandably, the first question a visitor might have is, what is “Entershine?”

bookstore. Lori Carson has 22 years as an educator—in addition to being the shop’s finance person, she will be in charge of the children’s section.

Among the four co-owners is close to half a century of collective experience in the retail book trade. “It’s an old word,” co-owner David Tranter answers as he rings up another sale during the book shop’s “soft opening” in July. “It’s the dappled light shining through leaves of trees. Or maybe it’s not a word, but it did show up in literature a couple of hundred years ago.” Whatever its origins, the name Entershine, on a carved wooden sign above the doorway, announces the arrival of Thunder Bay’s first independent bookshop since the closure of Northern Woman’s Bookstore in 2016. “It’s the combination of opportunity, an ideal location, and our desire to do something meaningful for the city,” Tranter says. “There’s a real trend in North America right now, a return to independent bookstores,” co-owner Lynne Warnick chimes in during a zoom interview. “We want to give back to the community, even though it’s a frightening thing for all of us to be involved in,” she smiles. Among the four co-owners is close to half a century of collective experience in the retail book trade. Warnick brings a wealth of experience in Canadian libraries and bookstores in the UK, while her colleague Jennifer Wreszczak-McKenzie contributes her management experience at Chapters/Indigo and experience in the Lakehead University

“I have a huge fondness for children’s books,” Carson says. “They were a great source of comfort in my relationship with my daughter.” As the former spa space was renovated, and inventories built up in anticipation of the opening, the Entershine co-owners knew that they would need every bit of their experience and savvy. “It can be a romantic notion, but it’s a lot of work running an old-time bookshop,” says Tranter. With the technological communications revolutions in recent years, bookstores have had to scramble to find ways to survive. One strategy is to include coffee shops on their premises. Not so, Entershine. “Our goal is to compliment, not compete,” says Carson, pausing between customers. “We won’t offer a food service since we’re right by The Bean Fiend and other establishments right near us. We take care of the books; they take care of the food.” “We’re open to any and all partnerships,” says Warnick. The entrepreneurs are also open to trends and customer needs: “From early on, one of our priorities is a large Indigenous section,” Warnick says.

Entershine, Thunder Bay’s newest and only independent bookstore, offers a bright and pleasant ambience. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE “And best sellers, and quirky, not all predictable stuff,” Tranter grins. Though books will comprise the main strength of Entershine’s inventory, the entrepreneurs have kept an eye on people’s behaviours on social media. The enterprise already has a Facebook and Instagram presence, as well as a webpage (see below). “We’ll have the latest online access in the store,” says Tranter. “We want to meet customer expectations which are quite rightly, high. We’re small, so we can be really nimble.” Entershine’s agility means that tables will be on wheels, for easy moving to accommodate readings and other community events. Shelving is specially placed so as not to interfere with attendees’ lines of sight. While the compact premises can host a gathering of up to 30 people, Warnick explains that Entershine might well sponsor gatherings in larger venues, as it makes sense to do so.

artisanal creations in the store’s space. The works of local writers will also feature prominently. “I’ve already talked to a few local authors,” says Warnick, whose responsibility includes book ordering. “Their works will be front and centre in the store—we want them to be very visible to customers.” The sense of excitement and of giving back to the local community pops up repeatedly throughout the conversation with Entershine’s co-owners. Despite the understandable trepidation about managing a complex enterprise in today’s pandemic-impacted retail environment, there is a sense of sturdy, resilient hope among the group. Perhaps Lynne Warnick says it best, “We’re small but mighty!” To learn more, find Entershine Book Shop on Facebook or visit: entershinebookshop. ca.—Peter Fergus-Moore

Being a local enterprise means also that Entershine will showcase local artistic and

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The Pilgrim made Loon’s Foot Landing in Superior its home from September 2020 to early July 2021. As of late August, the ship and its crew had reached Sitka, Alaska on their way to Siberia. | CHRIS PASCONE

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DULUTH—Sailing a hand-built, wooden boat from Petrozavodsk, Russia around the world would seem like a preposterous fantasy. Doing it during Covid times and making a 10-month layover in the Twin Ports—even more. Yet this seemingly impossible voyage was successfully carried out by Captain Sergey Sinelnik and his small crew with the historic ship Pilgrim. How did they do it? This is a tale of Russian magic which my family was privileged to be a part of; it’s a remarkable story of how Duluth/Superior became a temporary home to a Russian historic replica ship of the 18th century.

see something as different, as historic, and as real as the Pilgrim in your own backyard. The ship invariably made people happy. Kids got to imagine themselves as pirates. The Russian-speaking community of greater Minnesota flocked to meet these heroes in person. Wooden boat builders and admirers, of whom there are plenty in our region, felt an instant connection to these like-minded souls. These sailors brought the world to us.

Captain Sinelnik’s incredible journey started on June 22, 2017, when the Pilgrim launched from Duluth’s Sister City of Petrozavodsk, in a remote area of Russia near the Finnish border. The crew, which included Sinelnik’s wife Marina and children, sailed a route through the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea, then up the Atlantic coast to the Hudson River, and finally through the St. Lawrence Seaway and into the Great Lakes. The journey from Russia to Duluth took three years. The Great Lakes must have exerted some subconscious, irrational force on Sinelnik, enticing him to come north rather than take the more direct route through the Panama Canal. Our “Zenith City” is an end of the road for any round-the-world route by water… How was Captain Sinelnik going to get past that?

As more and more visitors came to see the ship and chat with the crew, Mayor Emily Larson came up with a beautiful tribute to the city’s foreign guests, proclaiming September 9 Lodya Day in Duluth (using the northern Russian word Lodya—an old Slavic wooden cargo ship). Having these guests in town was all the more meaningful to our family, considering that schools were closed to in-person classes at the time, and the outside world seemed to have grown much further away during the summer’s international travel ban. We couldn’t go to Russia last summer, as had been our annual routine ever since moving to Duluth from St. Petersburg in 2014. Now suddenly Russia had come to us. These seamen had surmounted incredible barriers, and made tremendous sacrifices, to be here in Duluth. We invited them over for a smelt fry, and I sensed the crew savoring the richness of our Lake Superior fishery. We felt lucky to have foreigners in our home.

Sinelnik’s quandary was the Twin Ports’ gain. With nowhere left to sail, the Pilgrim motored under the Lift Bridge and docked alongside the DECC in the Duluth Harbor on August 31, 2020. My family immediately became enchanted with these visitors from overseas. We headed down to say privyet (the ship was open to any and all), and I felt I was half Robinson Crusoe the moment I stepped onboard. Who were these mighty sailors? There can be no greater way to instill an appreciation for foreign cultures than to

So, what do you do with a 42-foot wooden boat weighing 35,000 pounds and with nowhere to put it for the winter? The Duluth Sister Cities International organization came to the rescue—taking Sinelnik and the Pilgrim under its wing, they found a home for the ship to spend the winter at Loon’s Foot Landing in Superior. Sinelnik and his crew returned to Russia once the sailing season ended, and Sinelnik asked me to send him reports on the ship’s condition through the winter months ahead.

along the Lake

Captain Sergey Sinelnik [FOREFRONT] handles the sails as helmsman Alexey “Volchok” maneuvers the Pilgrim with American guests on board. | CHRIS PASCONE The Pilgrim was reunited with its captain in May of this year. Sinelnik and crew flew from Moscow to New York City, drove from there to Superior, and took ample time preparing for the crucial next leg of their trip—trailering the ship to Seattle. Yes, the magician had found his solution. The local Northland hospitality took any rush out of their plans… Invitations to backyard Duluth saunas, more smelt fries, and exploring Lake Superior on the Pilgrim gave Sinelnik and first mate Alexey a way to connect with our community more than they had at perhaps any other stop on their four-year route to date. It culminated in sailing the Pilgrim to the North House Folk School Wooden Boat Festival in Grand Marais in June—a place and a crowd where the Pilgrim was truly in its element. On July 6, the Pilgrim said goodbye to its second home on the shores of Lake Superior.

Having spent almost three months in total in Duluth and Superior, Captain Sinelnik, who was awarded the title of “Honored Traveler of Russia” by the Russian government in 2005, summarized his experience here. “Lake Superior has a huge amount of fresh water. All this water gets into people’s soul and leaves a positive imprint on them. You can’t help but take a positive view on life when you’re surrounded by this much water. It has a positive effect on people’s psyche. Maybe that’s what makes people here so hospitable. Maybe people here underestimate what a strong effect this lake has on them.” We won’t ever underestimate the miracle of these Russians sailing their wooden boat to Duluth, and becoming part of our local history. We have Lodya Day to prove it. —Chris Pascone

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To be eligible to enter Canada, American citizens and permanent residents must be fully vaccinated and have received the full series of a vaccine—or combination of vaccines—recognized by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada.

Have a paper or digital copy of your vaccination documentation along with the original to show a government official on request. Upload the digital documentation to the ArriveCAN app (see below).

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eligible for entry. A doctor’s note is not an accepted piece of documentation.

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Please note: A person who submits false information on vaccination status could be liable to a fine of up to $750,000 or six months imprisonment or both, under the Quarantine Act, or prosecution under the Criminal Code for forgery.

2. GET AN ACCEPTED COVID-19 TEST You must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test (it must be a PCR test and NOT an antigen also known as a “rapid” test) completed within 72 hours prior to arriving in Canada. Upload the digital documentation to the ArriveCAN app (see below). Refer to the Government of Canada’s website for the types of accepted tests. You must present an accepted test result (paper or electronic proof) which must include:

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• Traveller name and date of birth • Name and address of the laboratory/clinic/facility that administered the test • The date on which the test was conducted • The type of test conducted (it must be a PCR test) • The test result At this time, travellers should have their test performed at a reputable laboratory or testing facility (i.e., one recognized by the local government or accredited by a third party, such as a professional organization or international standards organization). Many pharmacies, hospitals and clinics, including Walgreens, offer free testing. Make sure you request a PCR test that’s valid for travel, as many places also offer tests that are not valid for entry to Canada. Please note: It must be a PCR test. Antigen tests also known as “rapid” tests are not accepted.

3. SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION VIA ARRIVECAN ArriveCAN is free and secure and is the official Government of Canada platform to provide mandatory travel information when entering Canada. It is available to download as a mobile app or you can create an account and sign in online. Each individual in your party needs to submit their own information. This must be done within 72 hours before their arrival to Canada. Once you submit your information through ArriveCAN a receipt will be displayed and emailed to you. You can show the receipt to a Canadian border services officer when you enter the country.

4. HAVE A BACK-UP QUARANTINE PLAN There will be no quarantine requirement when you enter Canada. However, just in case something unforeseen happens, have a back-up 14 day quarantine plan. This information is requested when you submit your ArriveCAN information. A quarantine plan includes an address of where you will perform your quarantine.

officers will give you instructions on what is required of you during quarantine. This quarantine is enforceable by law and you may be subject to random checks by enforcement officers either in person or over the phone.

6. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NO COVID-19 SYMPTOMS UPON ARRIVAL Before you leave to travel to Canada and when you arrive at the border, make sure you have no COVID-19 symptoms.

7. BE PREPARED TO FOLLOW A FEW PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES Upon entry into Canada, be prepared to follow some public health measures such as: • Wearing a mask when indoors in public • Monitoring yourself for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 • Keeping a list of close contacts and locations visited for 14 days after you enter Canada

8. FOLLOW ADDITIONAL STRICT PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES IF YOU ARE BRINGING UNVACCINATED CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 YEARS

ESCAPE TO THE GUNFLINT TRAIL

Entry will be allowed to unvaccinated children under 12 years of age, or unvaccinated dependent children (due to a mental or physical condition), who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently residing in the U.S. and who are accompanying a fully vaccinated parent, step-parent, guardian or tutor who either has a right to enter Canada (e.g. Canadian citizens and permanent residents), is a U.S. citizen and permanent resident currently residing in the U.S, or is otherwise is permitted entry under the U.S. Prohibition on Entry Order made under the Quarantine Act. These children must follow strict public health measures. This means they can move around with their parents but must avoid group settings—such as camps or daycares— during the first 14 days after their arrival. Unvaccinated children will remain subject to the Day 1 and Day 8 testing requirements.

5. DON’T WORRY ABOUT A COVID-19 TEST UPON ARRIVAL

They must also meet all other required criteria, including submitting information electronically through ArriveCAN and all testing requirements.

You do not need to be tested upon arrival, but there will be a random testing program in place at the border. Therefore, if you are randomly selected you will be subject to a COVID-19 test.

More details will be provided by the Government of Canada in the coming days.

If you test positive after a random COVID test you will be denied entry to Canada or you may be offered the option of quarantining at your destination within Canada. Border

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www.rockwoodbwca.com 218.388.2242 NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Points North We need more than a rain By Shawn Perich

On a sunny, summer afternoon a number of years ago, we were driving along a backroad when suddenly the forest surrounding us took on a rosy hue. Though lovely, a rose-tinted Northwoods means one thing: somewhere a wildfire is burning. We spotted a plume of smoke towering over the trees. The fire wasn’t far away. Thinking the fire was likely near an isolated trout lake, I parked the truck near the access trail and started hiking. About 15 minutes later I found the fire burning along a rocky ridge beside the lake. The fire appeared to cover a couple of acres, larger than I could extinguish myself. Staying near the access trail so I could make a quick exit if necessary, I watched the fire burn. I’d never before been the first one to discover a wildfire. The ridge was relatively open, with a mix of hazel brush and scattered trees, including standing balsams that had been killed by a native insect called spruce budworm. While the needles had fallen off, the balsams had their branches and fine twigs. I watched as the fire creeped along the ground, burning the duff and brush. Whenever it reached one of the balsams, the entire tree would ignite with a roar, as though someone touched off a barrel of gasoline. I watched the fire burn and grow until I saw a small plane begin circling overhead. I knew then that fire had been reported. Although I belonged to the local volunteer fire department, this happened back when two-way radio coverage was very limited in the North Shore’s backcountry. I met a U.S. Forest Service crew as I walked out and hitched a ride with them back to my truck, which they had ordered my partner to move, even though she had been parked more than a half-mile away. We ended up at the staging area, where fire-fighting crews gathered prior to being deployed to the fire. Hours passed before the first firefighters hiked to the blaze. By this time, the fire had grown. As I recall, it burned a couple of hundred acres before it was extinguished a few days later. If you live in the Northwoods for any length of time, you come to know wildfire. Fire is a natural element of the northern ecosystem and our region remains wild enough for wildfires occur. Some fires are started by lightning and some have human sources. While no one condones reckless human activity that leads to a wildfire, it 14

SEPTEMBER 2021

Fire crews started this fire as a defensive burn-out to hinder the spread of the Greenwood Fire. | USFS must be noted that humans have started fires as long as they’ve lived on this landscape. Why? Because fire is essentially the reset button for the northern forest. A fire burns away the woods and begins a process of rebirth. Sunlight reaching the charred ground almost immediately triggers new life, a mix of ground cover, shrub and saplings that become habitat for an array of northern species that thrive in places recovering from a fire disturbance. This may range from moose browsing on young saplings to ladies in sunhats taking advantage of the wealth of blueberries that inevitably occurs after a fire. Although wildfire is natural, so is modern humans’ fear of such fires. We can sum up why with one word: property. When Indigenous people encountered fires, they likely stayed out of the area and away from the heavy smoke until the fire was out; easy enough for nomads to do. Now we own property for our homes, businesses and more. If we are burned out by a wildfire, we have much to lose. We also have collective memories of destructive wildfires that occurred during the early logging era more than 100 years ago. The difference is those fires were in a sense unnatural, because they were fueled by the forest debris,

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called slash, that was left behind by early logging operations. While a wildfire may flare up just about any time, large, landscape-level fires need the right conditions to gain momentum. Lots of fuel, drought and dry, windy weather are what it takes to build a big fire. This summer, those conditions have reached explosive levels across our Northern Wilds coverage area. We are suffering from prolonged drought and unusually hot summer weather. A periodic outbreak of spruce budworms has killed balsams and white spruce across a broad area. It is so dry that creeks are drying up. Numerous fires are burning in northeastern Minnesota and northwest Ontario, prompting the closure of the Boundary Waters and Quetico wilderness areas. In mid-August, a lightning strike near Isabella sparked a rapidly growing blaze named the Greenwood Fire. Of the many wildfires, it was the only one with a potent mix of dead conifers for fuel and a close proximity to homes and cabins. Battling the fire became a priority for the U.S. Forest Service and other fire-fighting teams. At this writing, the Greenwood Fire remains uncontained and threatens many homes and cabins.

Everyone in the North is on edge and will remain so until our drought-stricken landscape receives substantial precipitation. For old-timers, it’s a familiar feeling. Drought and extended dry spells occur periodically. Some compare our present situation to droughts in 1976 and 198889. Events such as insect outbreaks and windstorm blowdowns that create massive amounts of dead wood happen periodically, too. Memories of the destructive Ham Lake Fire in 2007 and Pagami Creek Fire in 2011 are still fresh in the minds of many. Right now, all we can do is wait. Perhaps our best hope is that a hurricane or tropical storm makes landfall somewhere along the Gulf or the southeastern coast and sends days of soaking rain our way. Someone else’s troubles ironically become our salvation. Without substantial rain, the fire danger will remain until the snow flies. If we don’t receive adequate snow over the winter, the drought conditions will resume next spring. This country runs better wet than dry. Pray not for merely rain, but a change in the precipitation pattern that restores water to the soil and swamps and bogs; the wellsprings of our boreal ecosystem. Anything less simply won’t be enough.

A significant decline in sharp-tailed grouse in east-central Minnesota ST. PAUL— Minnesota’s sharp-tailed grouse population has declined significantly in the east-central portion of the state, according to spring population counts conducted by the Minnesota DNR and cooperators who help count the birds. Based on the new population information, the DNR plans to close the hunting season in the east-central zone for 2021 and future years. The DNR also is continuing to work with the Minnesota Sharp-tailed Grouse Society (MSGS) to explore habitat management options. “Sharp-tailed grouse require areas of approximately 1 to 3 square miles of grassland and brushland, so managing their habitats often requires cooperation between multiple land owners,” said Charlotte Roy, DNR grouse project leader. “We’ve known for some time that the large, open areas of grassland and brushland that sharp-tailed grouse need are changing and becoming less suitable for these birds.” Sharp-tailed grouse habitat changes are driven by brushlands becoming forest, conversion to other land uses, and less fire and other large-scale disturbances on the landscape that historically created and maintained the large open areas of grassland and brushland. The Minnesota Sharp-tailed Grouse Society, Pheasants Forever and others have collaborated with the DNR on targeted habitat management for sharp-tailed grouse in the east-central range and remain committed to enhancing openland habitats. David Pauly, MSGS president and habitat projects coordinator, said the east-central zone season closure would be difficult, but imperative. “The east-central range sharp-tailed grouse populations currently exist in association with limited and disjunct habitats where harvest of even a few birds could seriously impact sustainability and genetic diversity within these isolated populations,” Pauly said. Pauly added that the MSGS is committed to continued collaborations and funding for habitat work. Past collaboration with Pheasants Forever included securing Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Fund grants totaling $9.2 million over the last decade for habitat enhancement and protection in the east-central range.

The MSGS also used about $715,000 in Conservation Partners Legacy grants over the last five years for habitat improvement and protection, and advocated for other targeted management work to enhance habitat. “We will continue to do all in our power to expedite the return of a sustainable and thriving east-central population, to maintain the sharp-tail legacy and hunting heritage,” Pauly said.

DNR SURVEY RESULTS

To count sharp-tailed grouse, observers look for males displaying on traditional mating areas, which are called leks or dancing grounds. No survey was conducted in 2020, so data from 2021 were compared to those from 2019. Comparisons of the same leks counted in both years indicate that counts per lek were similar to 2019 in the northwest survey region and statewide. However, sharp-tailed

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As recently as 2010, 70 leks were counted in the east-central region. The decline from 30 to 18 leks in just two years, and the contraction of the area with active leks, indicate a significant decline in the population. More information about sharp-tailed grouse hunting and season information is available online at: dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/ grouse.

Ruffed grouse counts down from last year ST. PAUL— Minnesota’s ruffed grouse spring population counts are down from last year as expected during the declining phase of the species’ 10-year cycle—a predictable pattern recorded for 72 years. Although peaks vary from eight to 11 years apart, the most recent peak in the cycle occurred in 2017. Ruffed grouse populations are surveyed by counting the number of male ruffed grouse heard drumming on established routes throughout the state’s forested regions. Drumming is a low sound produced by males as they beat their wings rapidly and in increasing frequency to signal the location of their territory. Drumming displays also attract females that are ready to begin nesting. The spring drumming counts are an important indicator of the ruffed grouse breeding population. The number of birds present during the fall hunting season also depends upon nesting success and chick survival during the spring and summer.

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grouse declined 32 percent in the east-central region, with the number of leks dropping from 30 in 2019 to 18 in 2021, and an average of 7.3 grouse per lek in 2021. In the northwest region, sharp-tailed grouse counts averaged 11.3 grouse per lek at 131 leks that were counted. This year’s statewide average of 10.8 sharp-tailed grouse per lek was similar to the long-term average since 1980, but changes in the east-central region, in the absence of changes in survey effort, indicate that the population has dropped significantly in that portion of the range.

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If production of young birds is low during the summer months, hunters may see fewer birds than expected based on counts of drumming males in the spring. Conversely, when production of young is high, hunters may see more birds than anticipated in the fall. The 2021 statewide survey results for ruffed grouse were 1.3 drums per stop. The most recent peak in 2017 was 2.1 drums per stop. During the low point of the cycles, counts are typically about 0.8 drums per stop. Drum counts were 1.4 drums per stop in the northeast survey region; 1.1 drums per stop in the northwest; 0.8 drums per stop in the central hardwoods; and 0.9 drums per stop in the southeast survey region. Minnesota’s ruffed grouse hunting season opens on Saturday, Sept. 18. More information about ruffed grouse hunting and sampling, and the grouse survey report is available online at: dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/ grouse.

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museum and nature center

Meteorology of the 1999 Derecho September 18, 2–3 pm

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Trout Lake Resort & Forest Lodge

September 25, 2–3 pm

Beth Drost Dog Mushing

October 2, 2–3 pm

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gunflinthistory.org NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

“Hallo Dear Friend” The Layered History of a Grand Marais Postcard

The front of the postcard showed Anna C. Johnson and her pet moose, ca. 1908. | EVAN KUTZLER

GRAND MARAIS— On October 3, 1908, Christina Paulson Wannebo went to Johnson’s Trading Post in Grand Marais and mailed a postcard to Anna Jacobson Gibson. “Are you folks in Duluth yet?” she asked. “If you are please give me your address & I will write you a long letter. I got your letter. The fire is out…. The fishermen is back. Fishing and smoking fish to beat the band. Ha! Ha!” This historic postcard, like so many, has multiple layers to discover and each one contributes to its local and regional significance. The central image of a woman and her pet moose is an early artistic representation of Grand Marais. Then there is the handwritten message that hints at the aftermath of an awful forest fire that devastated the Arrowhead region. The postcard’s circuitous path from Grand Marais to Duluth and back again reveals another dimension of the artifact.

[ABOVE] New York Times,

September 13, 1908. | EVAN KUTZLER [LEFT] A photo of Christina Wannebo. | WANNEBO FAMILY

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC CARD

Postcards were, and are, the cheapest and least private way to communicate through the mail. Beginning in 1907, postcards had one side devoted to an illustration, sometimes an original photograph and sometimes a mass-reproduced image. The other side had a “divided back” split between space for a message and space for an address. The lack of privacy and the limited space often made postcard writing predictable and sparse in personal details.

[TOP] Divided back postcard, mailed October 3,

1908. | EVAN KUTZLER [ABOVE] Poplar Grove Cemetery, 2021. | EVAN KUTZLER

Both public and personal, postcards also advertised for proud towns and aspiring tourist destinations. This postcard depicts Anna C. Johnson and her pet moose in downtown Grand Marais. Born in Arvika, Sweden, Johnson immigrated to the United States in the 1890s. She was an artist and, by 1908, owned a trading post in town with her husband that doubled as the post office. According to local tradition, Anna’s moose developed a taste for tobacco and would walk to the dock to inspect the pockets of arriving fishermen. In this way, the postcard represents the entwined efforts of an art community and a tourist industry that became part of Grand Marais’s identity in the 20th century.

SEPTEMBER 2021

THE MESSAGE

Despite its brevity that typified postcards, Wannebo’s message conveyed important information. Yet those four words, “the fire is out,” understated the severity of recent events in the Arrowhead region that made national news. Three weeks earlier, the New York Times described an apocalyptic scene in Grand Marais. Smoke made breathing difficult. Street lamps burned during daylight hours because the sky was so dark. “To-night the women are kneeling in the streets praying for help, while the men are fighting the flames on the outskirts of the little village,” the Times reported. “Many have sought safety in boats on the lake, and in some instances whole families have pushed out into the waters on home-made rafts.” Four days later, an ominous headline read, “Fate of Town in Doubt,” with the subtitle,

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“No Word from Grand Marais, Threatened by Forest Fires.”

friendship of which we only have this single artifact.

Grand Marais survived. After a 14-week drought, heavy rain removed the immediate fire threat. “While not extinguished,” the Duluth Evening Herald reported on September 19, “the forest fires are held in check as a result of the storm, and Grand Marais, Chicago Bay and other north shore settlements that have thus far escaped the flames, are considered safe.” By early October, when Gibson reported that the fishermen were “smoking fish to beat the band,” it signaled rapid economic recovery and the sights and smells of normal times. Wannebo must have had more to say about her recent experiences. She knew from experience the desperate choice between braving the fire on land or fleeing the shore on a home-made raft. If the “long letter” that Wannebo promised Gibson survives, it has not yet surfaced.

Old postcards are common but they represent only a small fraction of all the mail that has circulated around the globe. This one probably entered the collectibles market—and got a second life—after Gibson’s death. A handwritten price ($10) indicates the postcard spent some time in an antique store. For collectors, looking through boxes of old postcards can be like scanning Lake Superior’s shore for a rock. The “right” postcard is subjective. The image, the age, the number produced, the stamp, and the message are all variables for a postcard’s value. Purpose also matters. Like choosing the “right” stone, it matters whether someone will skip it across the water or put it in a garden. In a similar way, a postcard can serve decorative, utilitarian, or educational purposes.

JOURNEYS

The postcard also connected friends with similar backgrounds and life stories. Both Wannebo and Gibson came to the United States as immigrants from Norway and Wannebo spelled in a way that suggests she picked up English by ear as a second language. Unfortunately, beyond this postcard, the two women left few public clues about their lived-experiences of coming to the United States. Wannebo died only four years later of “Bright’s Disease” at the age of 37 and is buried in Poplar Grove Cemetery just south of Grand Marais. Gibson lived for another six decades. That Gibson kept the postcard suggests a deep and important

What makes a postcard historic is often different from what makes it valuable. When a seller in Stillwater, Minnesota, posted this postcard on eBay in 2019, the sentences about the fire and the fish first stood out to me as important. Then the other layers emerged: the friendship, the trans-Atlantic journeys, and the glimpse into the early 20th century history of Grand Marais. When the postcard traveled to Grand Marais in June 2021, it closed a circuitous path. Now it is back within 500 feet of where it was first purchased and postmarked.—Evan Kutzler

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THE FACELIFT

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Downtown Grand Marais Construction Project Early August through Early October The first phase, The Big Dig, is now complete leading into the second, and final, phase of Project 61 construction. The Facelift is a reconstruction of Highway 61, which when complete will add walking and biking paths, art installations, landscaping, trees, and more.

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NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Birchbark Books & Gifts

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Thank you for 25 yrs! Retirement SALE! Prices dropping! 30-50 percent off!

Grand Marais Businesses are ready and open to serve you!

All Gift Certificates expire October 1st.

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PARKING

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Canoeing “Old Blue” Down the

Whiteface River

Story and photos by Marie Zhuikov

Old Blue canoe awaits an adventure on the Whiteface River at the access near the intersection of Comstock Lake Road and Munger Shaw Road.

y husband Russ and I bought a cabin last year on a lake in the Northern Wilds of Minnesota. Our escapes to the cabin provide serene sanity during these crazy times. I don’t know how we would have fared this summer without the cabin and our camper.

rather portentous beginning. We soon learned that my roadway impression of the river was faulty. Many shallow spots necessitated getting out of the canoe and dragging it along. I winced the whole time. In my youth, I was taught to treat the bottom of a canoe with utmost care and reverence. I was so glad Old Blue was not made from fragile and expensive Kevlar.

Although I feel a bit privileged to have these opportunities, living by the water feeds my soul so deeply, it outweighs my guilt. After furnishing the cabin, we only had a short time to share it with others before COVID-19 hit and it became our exclusive domain. We are now looking forward to sharing it with more of our friends and family. One of the “toys” we acquired for our waterfront is a blue Old Town Discovery canoe. Bought used from a guy in northern Wisconsin who needed the money, the canoe’s rough polyethylene skin tells the story of many trips. Old Town ads say this ultra-tough stable workhorse of the line is supposed to stay agile, even when loaded with camping equipment, and it’s designed to take a beating. We glided around our small lake many times in Old Blue this summer with no problems. Over Labor Day weekend, we decided to ratchet up a level with an adventure on the Whiteface River. Every time I drove past, the river called to me with its siren song of smooth water and shady banks. From the roadway overpasses, it seemed mellow. I wanted to get better acquainted. The Whiteface flows south and west of the Whiteface Reservoir, which is near Makinen, Minnesota, and into the St. Louis River. Russ and I entered off the intersec20

SEPTEMBER 2021

The low water levels also uncovered more rapids than depicted on the map— nothing too major, just lots of twists and turns, and last-minute frantic paddling.

A quiet stretch of the Whiteface River. tion of Comstock Lake Road and Munger Shaw Road. I found the entry point by accident, just from being observant during a previous drive. It’s not the type of water access that offers signs or smooth paved roads—just a rutted gravel ATV trail with several primitive campsites along the riverbank. Our guide for this adventure was a book Russ happened to own called Paddling Northern Minnesota by Lynne Smith Diebel. We were also informed by my Duluthian friend Eric Chandler’s account of paddling a section of the river closer to the reservoir in a story he wrote for Northern Wilds a few years back. The Diebel book said spring was the best time to canoe the river, when water levels

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are high and discharge from the reservoir is 100 cubic-feet-per-second (CFS). Well, it was fall now, and the discharge was only 34 CFS. From the road, it looked like the river had plenty of water, so we packed some snacks, donned our water shoes, and decided to give it a go. The high temp that day was predicted in the mid-70s. Highs were going to dip into the 50s for the foreseeable future, which added urgency to our quest: it might be the last warm day of the season. Our goal was Jenkins Road, a little over six-and-a-half river miles away, with two stretches of Class I rapids. Casting off, we soon met our first submerged rock, camouflaged by the brown tannin water. We stopped with a jolt—a

Despite the rough water, or perhaps because of it, the scenery along the slow parts of the river was stunning. Dark pointy spruces lined the banks, softened by fresh green willows. The blue sky and idyllic white clouds reflected perfectly on the surface, making us feel more like we were flying than canoeing. I’ve canoed a lot of rivers in my day, near and far, and I cannot recall prettier scenery than the Whiteface’s treelined pools. Two kamikaze kingfishers zoomed ahead of us the whole route, rattling off their machine-gun-burst calls. A bald eagle shifted nervously in its high tree perch, watching us pass. A flock of ducks kept erupting from the water in front of us, only to meet us downriver and repeat their performance half a dozen times. A few finally got smart and flew up and behind us, but a few we followed until the end. We did not see any other water adventurers, but we did pass a couple of fellows angling from shore. One chided us for not

Author Marie Zhuikov and husband Russ enjoyed a Labor Day adventure on the Whiteface River near Cotton, Minnesota. having a lure out as we paddled. We floated by only two or three cabins during our three-hour sojourn.

around every bend. Soon, the roadway appeared. We hauled Old Blue out on the left side just before the bridge. Mounting the steep bank, we discovered that if we had paddled under the bridge, a much gentler slope on the left would have offered a less-strenuous place to disembark. Live and learn!

The mermaid warned us about the approaching rapids.

As we loaded Old Blue onto our truck, we noted innumerable new scrapes and gouges decorating its bottom—badges of our new acquaintance with the Whiteface.

After one lusty canoe scraping session, Russ mentioned he was surprised not to see any aluminum scrapes on the rocks from other canoes as is common in the Boundary Waters. I replied that I didn’t think many canoes travel down this river. Although the place felt remote, we could hear the distant whistles of trains and the whisper of cars on Comstock Lake Road when the river meandered nearby. It was comforting to know help was not far away, if necessary. Pale denuded beaver sticks floated against the shore. Huge white pines enlarged our hearts with awe. One old monarch of the forest looked recently blasted by lightning—a splintered branch formed a large white scar on the trunk, with the remainder laying shipwrecked in the river below. Rounding a bend before the last set of mapped rapids, we met an ethereal flock of white water birds. Were they swans, perhaps? As we neared, we could make out a woman in a swimsuit, lounging on a rock like a mermaid in the river with the birds. A man sat stationed on a chair onshore. They explained the birds were their

This bald eagle shifted nervously in its high tree perch while watching us pass. barnyard geese, led to the river for a frolic. A turkey lurked nearby, which I assumed was also theirs. The mermaid warned us about the approaching rapids. The man countered that we had already survived three sets of rapids and should have no problem with this one. He was right. The rapids were long, but nowhere near as complicated as some we had already paddled through. As we neared Jenkins Road, our arms started to ache. I was glad the Whiteface was calmer in this stretch and found myself hoping for a glimpse of the overpass

On our drive back to the cabin, I marveled that a trip that takes about five minutes by car could take three hours by canoe. But in a car, we would not have had the wonder of the white birds, a mermaid, and a lightning-blasted pine. Now, we have a mental map of the liquid emerald that flows beyond the screen of trees bordering the road. We hope to explore more of the Whiteface in the future and abuse Old Blue again, adding a few more gouge badges. If you paddle the river and see any blue scrapes on the rocks, you’ll know it was us.

This quiet stretch of the Whiteface River belies the many small rapids found along it. NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

The Iconic Bridges of the Northern Wilds By Rae Poynter

In a land so saturated with water, it is of little surprise that the Northern Wilds is dotted with numerous bridges. But many of these bridges are more than just utilitarian; with some dating back 100 years or more, several of the North Shore’s bridges have become emblematic of the area and even destinations in themselves. With fall being the perfect time for scenic hikes and drives, here are some of the best bridges to see along the way.

The Swinging Bridge

The Jay Cooke State Park Suspension Bridge, more commonly known as the Swinging Bridge, was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Spanning 220 feet across the St. Louis River, the bridge has been destroyed by floods several times, most recently in the 2012 flood event. The reconstructed bridge opened in the autumn of 2013, and its design mirrors the original suspension bridge of 1934. Connecting visitors to the state park’s many trails, the Swinging Bridge makes for a great vantage point from which to view the St. Louis River and the fall colors in this beloved park. | CODY OTTO

Aerial Lift Bridge

Perhaps the most recognizable bridge on Superior’s shores, the Aerial Lift Bridge has become an emblem of Duluth and one of the most recognizable landmarks on the North Shore. Completed in 1905, the bridge was originally designed as a transporter bridge, with a gondola that transported passengers from one side of the canal to the other. The bridge was remodeled into a lift bridge in 1929, accommodating both the increased traffic to Minnesota Point and ship traffic into and out of the canal. Today the bridge lifts thousands of times per year for both small vessels and the many lake freighters that visit the Twin Ports. | CODY OTTO

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NORTHERN WILDS

Gooseberry Bridge

Crowning the falls of the Gooseberry River is a steel arch bridge used both by vehicles traversing Highway 61 and pedestrians within Gooseberry Falls State Park. A bridge has spanned this location of the Gooseberry River since 1922. By the 1990s the original bridge had deteriorated, and it was replaced with the current bridge in 1996. The lower level of the bridge is a pedestrian walkway connecting the park’s hiking trails, while the upper level of the bridge has access to the Gitchi-Gami State Trail and a plaza with information about the history of Gooseberry Falls State Park. | WESTON STUDIOS

Seven Bridges Road

One of Duluth’s most scenic drives, Seven Bridges Road runs along Amity Creek as it flows south toward Lake Superior. The road traces back and forth over the creek numerous times, hence the multiple bridges. Seven Bridges Road was the brainchild of Samuel Snively, who would later become the longest-serving mayor of Duluth. Construction of the road began in 1899, complete with wooden bridges that quickly became unsafe. In 1912 the wooden bridges were replaced with stone bridges. Four of the original stone bridges remain, while others have been reconstructed. | PATRICK FORSLUND

Nipigon River Bridge

Along the very northern reaches of Lake Superior is the Nipigon River, and across the river is the commanding Nipigon River Bridge. While a highway bridge has been located at this site since the 1930s, the current cable-stayed bridge—the first of its kind in Ontario—was fully opened to traffic in the fall of 2018. Part of the Trans-Canada Highway, which traverses all 10 of Canada’s provinces, the 827-footlong bridge is part of an effort to widen the highway from two lanes to four. | HEATHER ELLAM NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

By Breana Roy

Studio Tours & Festivals

It’s another busy month with studio tours and art festivals, starting with the Harvest Moon Festival in Ely Sept. 10-12. Next up is the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio and Art Tour in Two Harbors, held Sept. 24-26. Last but not least is the Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour in Cook County, held Sept. 24-Oct. 3. See the events section for more info.

This lidded clay vessel by Natalie Sobanja can be found at Art of the Elements Gallery in Grand Marais, which is part of Art Along the Lake. | NATALIE SOBANJA

This untitled painting, by Andy Ness, is part of Art Along the Lake. Ness will be a featured artist at the Grand Marais Art Colony and at Upstate MN. | ANDY NESS

Elliot Crompton is a new guest artist for the Lake Superior 20/20 Studio and Art Tour. This linoleum block print on paper is titled “Grand Marais.” | ELLIOT CROMPTON

Kristin Webster is one of many artists participating in the Harvest Moon Festival. This painting is titled “Evening Paddle.” | KRISTIN WEBSTER Jewelry, like this blue bracelet by Diane Rihiloma, can be found at the Harvest Moon Festival in Ely. | DIANE RIHILOMA

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NORTHERN WILDS

Mixed media artist Joan Bellin is a new host for this year’s Lake Superior 20/20 Studio and Art Tour. This piece is titled “Satellite.” | JOAN BELLIN

museum and nature center

Old Fashioned Pie Social Sunday, Sept. 5, Noon - 4 pm Free admission all day

Superior Siren is led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Laura Sellner. | KEELY ZYNDA

Superior Siren CREATIVE SPACE: By Eric Weicht With a sound as alluring, dark and ethereal as the sirens of Greek mythology, Superior Siren is one of the North Shore’s premier musical talents. Their version of “eerie folk music” is comprised of a mesmerizing blend of vocals, strings and percussion, all of which is anchored by lead vocalist Laura Sellner’s powerful voice and poignant, honest songwriting. Superior Siren was started as a solo project in 2014 by the group’s lead singer-songwriter, and guitarist Sellner who finds inspiration for her music in “human connections and the beauty and challenges of relationships.” “My songwriting is raw and vulnerable,” says Sellner, “and my goal is to evoke deep emotions within listeners.” Born and raised in Duluth, Sellner got her start as a musician writing songs and performing at open mic nights along the North Shore. Sellner always enjoyed singing and listening to music growing up, and after graduating high school she found herself surrounded by talented musicians and people involved in the local music scene. Encouraged by this musical community and the acoustic Fender gifted to her by her mother, Sellner picked up the guitar to accompany her vocals and began writing her own songs. “I worked with a number of different musicians at first,” continues Sellner, “and then, over time, began to develop my own sound. I pondered a number of different life paths throughout college, but knew that I needed to pursue a career in music to support my happiness, so that’s what I did.”

After the solo release of Superior Siren’s first EP Lotus in the Muck in 2014, Sellner spent the next few years searching out local female talent to compliment the project’s “ethereal melodies and ominous tones.” In 2016, cellist Rachel Gobin, bassist Nyssa Krause, and drummer Emma Deaner joined the group, all of whom played an integral part in creating the band’s first album—Superior Siren—in 2018. “We are a musical collective,” says Sellner, “as well as a sisterhood, and are grateful to be creating soundscapes together.” 2018 also marks the year Superior Siren produced one of their boldest projects to date, the music video for her song Trying Too Hard off the self-titled LP. “The song was originally about the turbulence of intimate relationships, feeling underestimated by others, and breaking free from limitations,” says Sellner. “We worked with the innovative videographer Killy Kay and filmmaker extraordinaire Caelan Mars to create the video, and had Allison Peluso play the three different characters—a young women tapping into her inner wisdom, an oppressed ancestor unable to stand up for herself, and a third character representing divine feminine energy and the goddess within.” In addition to telling a story of empowerment and universal well-being, the film acknowledges Ruth Bader-Ginsberg by highlighting her iconic necklace and showing the groups appreciation for “her life-long efforts to promote equality for all and her role in establishing authority for women to make their own life choices.”

Earlier this year, Superior Siren released a new solo EP Kill Your Darlings, a project funded through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. The EP was released as a way for the band to stay connected to listeners as they work towards their next full-length album.

Suggested donation of $5 per slice of pie, ice cream and beverage. This day also features the annual Chik-Wauk “sidewalk” sale which offers steep discounts on many gift shop items, live music on the front porch by The North Shore Swing Band, and guest author Tim McDonnell will be available to sign his latest book; “Where Water Collides with Stone”. It will be a fun way to wrap up the summer.

28 Moose Pond Drive, 55 miles up the Gunfl fliint Trail (Hwy 12).

218-388-9915

gunflinthistory.org

When not actively pursuing her career, Sellner immerses herself in music by keeping a steady flow of music playing and attending as many performances as she can. Staying “immersed” in music is something that Sellner finds keeps her inspired while supporting the local artistic community. Sellner is also passionate about yoga, and as a certified trauma-conscious yoga strives to serve as a “vessel in which the benefits of yoga and the healing power of music can flow through.” The ladies of Superior Siren had a busy summer of 2021, highlighted by a performance on August 18 at the Water is Life event where they played alongside an outstanding set list that included performances from the likes of Bon Iver and Lissie, all in support of the environment. They look forward to performing with Trampled by Turtles and more at the Grand Rapids Riverfest on September 10. In addition to live performances, Laura Sellner plans on starting “Superior Siren Studio Sessions” this winter, where she will provide free virtual solo shows live streamed from her creative space. You can find Superior Siren’s music on Spotify and Apple music, as well as on their website: superiorsiren.com.

Share the gift of your presence with those on the journey of aging or serious illness. Volunteers provide friendly visits, phone calls, or caregiver respite. Choose how and when you want to help.

Companion Volunteer Training

Wednesdays Sept. 22 & 29, 4:30—7:30 pm and Oct. 6, 6:30 - 730 pm  All 3 sessions needed to complete training  Can choose to attend classes in person at Cook County Higher Education or online via Zoom  Pre-registration required

Call 218-387-3788 or go to carepartnersofcookcounty.org NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

are no different. Cuffs can be either fitted with ribbing or as wide as the mitten—the style chosen according to the mode and need for the mitten. For fishing or forest Sámi, most often their mitten styles have a fitted/ribbed cuff. Nothing could be worse than fishing above the Arctic circle and losing a mitten! For reindeer herding Sámi, the mitten design more closely resembled the reindeer mittens, which could be worn over the knitted mitten for colder seasons. Wide, open cuffs allowed the wearer to be able to shake the mitten off when the hands were needed quickly to adjust a harness or tend to an animal.

Organic, Local & Natural Groceries Fresh Bakery Goods Hot Coffee & Cold Drinks Grab & Go Deli Wellness Aisle

Open 7 Days a Week 9:00 am - 7:00 pm

Shop Online for Next Day Curbside Pick Up! Monday - Friday Shop at: cookcounty.coop Where Community Health is our Greatest Wealth!

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

Swedish Sámi mittens by Laura Ricketts. | SUBMITTED

Sámi Knitting BEHIND THE CRAFT: Laura Ricketts

Color—that is what has lured me down this garden path of Sámi knitted items. I was already a lover of all things knitted and Nordic, but those beautiful colors on the Sámi gákti (traditional outfit) called to me. In 2010 I flew to Seattle to attend the Nordic Knitting Conference held at the Nordic Heritage Museum so I could expand my knowledge of knitting. I love the precise work, the wool, and the patterning. During my time there, I toured the permanent holdings at the museum and stopped to wonder at the Sámi traditional outfit. But before we go on, we must answer the question: who are the Sámi? The Sámi are the Indigenous peoples of the northern Nordic lands and the Kola peninsula of Russia. Perhaps you know them by the name “the Lapps,” but today this is considered an ethnic slur. They prefer to be called by their self-name “the Sámi,” which means “the people” in their own language. Historically known as the reindeer people, today only 10 percent of the Sámi are involved in reindeer husbandry.

Celebrating 5 Years Thank You Cook County! Date Nights Thursdays 7-9 p.m. Weekend Wine Down Sundays 3-5 p.m. 202 Ski Hill Road in Lutsen

northshorewinery.us 26

SEPTEMBER 2021

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Back in 2010, the first gákti I viewed had a clear blue background edged with a multitude of thin ribbon, each sewed on individually. The neck opening, the cuffs, and the various seams along the shoulders and back had echoing rows of ribbon. Each gákti is different and can indicate to others the area of Sápmi (the traditional homeland of the Sámi peoples) from whence the wearer comes. Styles can be so precise and specific that the gákti can communicate if the wearer is male or female, married or unmarried, and from which family he or she comes.

The knitted mittens are a later addition to the traditional gákti. Knitting came to the Sámi from the peoples of the south. One visiting Dane wrote about viewing Sámi knitting in the mid-1700s, but, through my research, I have not found more references to knitting prior to the mid1800s. Before this time, most Sámi garments were made from reindeer skin. Reindeer skin leggings and mittens were de rigueur. Such items would be wind-proof and warm with the materials easy to obtain. Instead of socks, Sámi would use sedge grass, harvested and dried during the summer. Sámi traditional shoes have the curl at the toe, which allows for extra space (as well as toeing into skis, which the Sámi invented). Sedge grass was both an insulator and absorptive for sweat. Since all these traditional elements of dress were well covered already, once knitting came on the scene the only area it really impacted was hand coverings. Sámi mittens are a beautiful, colorful celebration reflecting the rest of the gákti. As a result, each area of Sápmi has different mittens. The patterns are all different, but all share four similar elements according to my study: the style of cuffs, the making of the thumbs, the manner of decreasing on the mitten tip and thumb, and the braid that hangs from the cuff. Sámi traditional craft is both beautiful and useful. For a people who traditionally packed up all their belongings to seasonally follow the reindeer, they did not own many items, but what they owned needed to be durable. And, often, those items would be decorated—inlayed, carved, embroidered—with beautiful designs. Traditional Sámi mittens

Knitted “peasant” thumbs are arguable the easiest knitted thumb to make and have been used on every knitted Sámi mitten I have observed save one. Peasant thumbs are easy to make, easy to fake (if you forgot to make one) and can more easily mimic the pattern on the palm of the hand during knitting. Decreases on the mitten tip and thumb are likewise easy and are exactly like each other. Braids from the cuff allowed the mittens to be tied together during drying, in storage, or on a reindeer harness while tending to other work. After I returned from the 2010 Nordic Knitting Conference, I started to research the contributions that the Sámi have made to knitting. It was very difficult to do in English, as so little has been written about it. I turned to Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish books and online sites and found more. Gradually, my queries turned to northern Nordic museums. By 2013, I had exhausted what I could by communication alone and I journeyed to northern Norway, Sweden and Finland. I visited two national folk museums and 12 regional museums and studied the Sámi knitted items in their holdings—over 500 pairs of mittens. I have written articles, patterns and an eBook based on these historical items, and greatly enjoy teaching about both the knitting and culture of the Sámi peoples whom I love. This journey started with the textile colors of a people. Only after I had studied for a couple years did I learn my Minnesota aunt is part Sámi and active in the North American Sámi organizations. What a joy! Through her and others, I have been introduced to fabulous work being done in the States through descendants of Sámi immigrants. For example, Marlene Wisuri, head of the Sámi Cultural Center of North America in Duluth (samiculturalcenter.org), is a storehouse of knowledge. The museum is a great place to visit. And every region of America and Canada with large amounts of Nordic people also has Sámi clubs. You can look them up online or in Facebook groups. Laura Ricketts is a Lead Fiber Art instructor at North House Folk School, where traditional craft is taught on the shore of Lake Superior.

Summer’s End Preserve your Bounty! Food Dehydrators Peelers Food Mills Smokers

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Dry • Freeze Can • Smoke Preservatives Lids • Jars Stock Pots Wax Tools

Prepare YOUR HOME & Yard!

Stays strong down to -35

Chainsaws • Leaf blowers Trimmers • Edgers Rakes • Shovels www.buckshardware.net · BIG CITY PRICES ... SMALL TOWN SERVICE 218-387-2280 · Open 7 Days A Week • Downtown Grand Marais NORTHERN WILDS SEPTEMBER 2021

Wake the Giant Music Festival in Thunder Bay will take place Saturday, Sept. 18. | DAVE ZAHODNIK to become cognizant of their bleak situation and attempt to lead a rebellion against the game itself. This surreal dark comedy fuses street theater, contemporary dance, and puppetry into a whimsical critique of the American condition. The show will be performed on a new hand-painted traveling double-decker pop-up vaudeville stage, with a live band performing on the roof. The first performance will be held Sept. 3-4 at Gichi-ode’ Akiing Plaza in Duluth and next on Sept. 5 in Grand Marais at Harbor Park. All shows are from 7:30-9 p.m., with an audience Q&A from 9-9:30 p.m. This is a free show (suggested donation of $14) and open to all ages (though written for ages 16 and over). foxandbeggar.com/absalom

NIPIGON FALL FISHING FESTIVAL “GOODNIGHT, ABSALOM!”

Sept. 3-5 “Goodnight, Absalom!” is the latest stage production from Fox & Beggar Theater and the show will tour with a cast of 14 vaccinated artists and one cat around the Great Lakes region this fall. Here’s the setup: In the fictional town of Absalom, a larger-than-life chess match is played between two sinister railroad barons. Their strange game moves through a series of vignettes— the Dance of the Pawns, the Dance of the Knights, the Dance of the Bishops, etc.—in which the unfortunate chess pieces find themselves being made to do battle inside a prison they do not fully understand. As the game progresses, the chess pieces begin

SEPTEMBER 2021

Sept. 3-5 Enjoy three days of family-fun and excitement with the Annual Fall Fishing Festival in Nipigon. There will be two fishing derbies: the new One Day Salmon Derby held on Saturday, Sept. 4 (tickets are $30 per angler) and the free, Huck Finn Derby on Sunday for ages 12 and under. Other weekend activities include a slow-pitch tournament, a 5km fun run/walk, a parade, an ATV fun run, food trucks and a beer garden, a vendor market, live entertainment, a raffle drawing, a giant penny auction, the firefighter’s kids challenge, and more. nipigonfallfishingfestival.com

NORTHERN WILDS

While it’s usually held at Sweetheart’s Bluff, this year’s Radio Waves Music Festival by WTIP will be a virtual, on-air live music event. | ELLEN STUBBS

PIE & ICE CREAM SOCIAL

Sept. 5, Sunday Join the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center for their annual pie and ice cream social, held from noon to 4 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $5 per slice of pie, ice cream and a beverage. The day also features the annual Chik-Wauk “sidewalk” sale, which offers steep discounts on many gift shop items. There will also be

live music on the front porch by The North Shore Swing Band, and guest author Tim McDonnell will be available to sign his latest book, Where Water Collides with Stone. gunflinthistory.org

RADIO WAVES MUSIC FESTIVAL

Sept. 10-11 Once again, WTIP’s annual Radio Waves Music Festival, usually held at

Open in September Fridays & Saturdays 10am - 5pm Plus the 10 day Fall Studio Tour Regional artists work Working studio in glass, metal, wood & stone

frykmanart.com

2183871949

CROSS RIVER HERITAGE CENTER MUSEUM & GIFT SHOP Open thru October 16, 2021

The Superior Fall Trail Race offers distances of 100, 50 and 26.2 miles. | CARY JOHNSON Sweetheart’s Bluff in Grand Marais, will be changed from an in-person concert to a virtual, on-air live music event, featuring 18 acts and selected video performances via Facebook live. The festival begins Friday, Sept. 10 from 3-10 p.m. and continues on Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. This marks the 14th year of the festival and the musical lineup features 18 acts, including Cherry Dirt, DJ Beavstar, Timmy Haus, Sapsuckers, Cook County’s Most Wanted, Bump and Jim, Joe Paulik, and more. The festival will be on the air at 90.7 FM North Shore, 90.1 FM Grand Portage, and 89.1 FM Gunflint Trail. And stay tuned to WTIP on Facebook, Vimeo and on the web for video performances (music can also be heard in its entirety on WTIP’s website). wtip.org

SUPERIOR FALL TRAIL RACE

Sept. 10-11 The Superior Fall Trail Races are extremely hilly, rugged and technical trail races that traverse the Sawtooth Mountain Range via the Superior Hiking Trail. This challenging foot-race offers three distances of 100, 50 and 26.2 miles. All three races are run point-to-point, finishing at Caribou Highlands Lodge on Lutsen Mountains. The course offers breath-taking vistas of Lake Superior and inland forests, and crosses whitewater rivers and serene streams while traversing through boreal forests. The 100-mile race starts at 8 a.m. on Friday at Gooseberry Falls State Park; the 50mile race starts at 5:15 a.m. on Saturday at the Finland Rec Center; and the 26.2-mile race begins on the Cramer Road

Trailhead in Schroeder at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Race registration required. superiorfalltrailrace.com

FEATURED EXHIBITS CANADIAN MOUNTIE PAINTINGS OJIBWE CULTURE

SEPT

Featuring:

Thursday, 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Wine & Beer Tasting $25 in advance; $30 at the door Tickets are available at the Heritage Center

North Shore Winery Voyageur Brewing Live Music by Trevor McSpadden

Fundraiser for the Schroeder Area Historical Society Visit Cook County Information & Explore MN Welcome Center 24/7 Outdoor Kiosk

HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL

Sept. 10-12 Enjoy autumn in Ely with the 27th Annual Harvest Moon Festival. Held at Whiteside Park, the festival will feature roughly 125 local and regional juried artists, crafters and makers, including Anita Tykwinski (artwork above). There will also be a wide variety of food vendors. The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. A Covid-19 plan for both vendors and festival-goers will be announced closer to the event. ely.org

Hours: Wed & Thu 10 – 4, Fri 10 – 6, Sat 10 - 4 Closed Sun-Mon-Tue & holidays 7932 W Hwy 61, Schroeder • 218-663-7706 crossriverheritage.org

NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

GOLF TO CHAMPION SOLUTIONS

GOLF Health Care Foundation Weekend @ Superior National Golf Course Friday & Saturday

Sept 24-25, 2021 Tee Times Between 8 am - 3 pm $40 donation, on top of green fee gives You: Multiple fun contest holes Chances for outstanding prizes Lunch

PLEIN AIR COMPETITION

Friendly competition A beautiful day on the links to support local Health & Emergency Services!

A safe way to still golf for the NSHCF! Book a Tee Time now. Special event pre-registration not required, pay for event play on site. NSHCF@boreal.org 218-387-9076 www.NorthShoreHealthCareFoundation.org www.SuperiorNational.com

BALLY

BLACKSMITH & METAL SHOP The Bally Blacksmith Shop has chronicled Cook County’s economic history since 1911 - progressing from horse-drawn lumber camp equipment to motorized commercial fishing rigs, automobiles, and snowmobiles. The blacksmith shop was placed on the Na�onal Register of Historic Places in 1986 and has been managed by the Cook County Historical Society since 2013. The metal Forest Service building was added to the site in the early 1960s and serves as a working metal shop. Visitors can tour the buildings each Friday and Saturday 1-4. There will also be blacksmithing demonstra�ons in the yard from 11 am - 2 pm July 10-11, August 6-7, and September 24-25. Thank you to our grantors and supporters:

100 N Broadway Ave, Grand Marais

SEPTEMBER 2021

Artists paint outside during the annual Plein Air Competition in Grand Marais. | SUBMITTED

NORTHERN WILDS

Sept. 10-17 Plein Air Grand Marais is a 19year tradition bringing outdoor painters to the North Shore of Lake Superior for a week of painting, learning, competition and camaraderie. Plein Air Grand Marais welcomes artists of all ages and abilities. The competition class consists of invitational and juried painters. The open class consists of registered artists who may exhibit their best original painting created during the event in an exhibit and compete for the Art on the Rocks award in the Quick Paint. Daily paintouts and mini-workshops with professional plein air competition artists are open to all artists. This year’s competition juror is David Gilsvik from Two Harbors, and the open class juror is Sandi Pillsbury from Castle Danger. See the open class exhibit at Voyageur Brewing on Wednesday, Sept. 15, starting at 5:30 p.m. An opening reception for the competition class will be held at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 17 at the Johnson Heritage Post and the exhibit will be on display until Oct. 10. pleinairgrandmarais.org

enjoy this from the comfort of your home or gather on campus for a social hour and to watch the event with others. Other activities include an on-campus celebration at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, and a Points North Auction, held online from Sept. 10-19. Note that proof of vaccination or a recent negative covid test are required to attend on-campus events. Tickets can be purchased online. northhouse.org

LAKE SUPERIOR HARVEST FESTIVAL

Sept. 11, Saturday For 27 years, the Lake Superior Chapter of SFA (Sustainable Farming Association) has put on the Harvest Festival, connecting producers and consumers. Located in Bayfront Festival Park in downtown Duluth, the festival features a large farmers’ market, live music, art and craft vendors, educational exhibits, food trucks, family activities, an energy fair, and more. The festival will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission and parking are free. facebook.com/ lakesuperiorharvestfestival

UNPLUGGED XX MUSIC FESTIVAL

Sept. 17-18 For 20 years, the North House Folk School in Grand Marais has celebrated craft, community and music on campus with the Unplugged Festival. This year, the festival will be held both online and in-person, starting with a harborside gathering and pie social on Friday, Sept. 17 from 5-8 p.m. On Saturday night, enjoy an evening with featured speaker Jay Blades and featured performer Amythyst Kiah. Both guests will be joining the event virtually, so you can

DULUTH OKTOBERFESTIVAL

Sept. 17-19 The second annual Duluth Oktoberfestival, held at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, will feature food, games, arts and craft vendors, a bier (beer) hall, live music, and fun for the whole family. There will be authentic Bavarian bands and musicians performing, as well as the Grammy nominated Alex Meixner Band. Bring the kids to Der Kinderplatz for carnival rides and traditional German games. Other games include stein holding contests, corn hole, a pretzel toss, nagelbalken, barrel rolls, kids’ tug of war, a dachshund derby, and more. There will be authentic German food and drinks available alongside a wide variety of food choices from elsewhere. Tickets can be purchased online. duluthoktoberfestival.com

 Finland Food Chain Presents

Harvest Booya

A fall harvest  celebration featuring 

The Heck of the North gravel bike races will take place on Saturday, Sept. 25. | TONE COUGHLIN

WAKE THE GIANT MUSIC FESTIVAL

Sept. 18, Saturday Held in Thunder Bay, Wake the Giant is a cultural awareness project aimed at creating a more welcoming and inclusive city for Indigenous people, youth and their communities. The music festival is a celebration of all cultures with a focus on Indigenous artists and musicians. Held from noon to 11 p.m. at Prince Arthur’s Landing, the lineup is stacked with artists from all genres. This year’s headliners are Jessie Reyez, Third Eye Blind, and Loud Luxury, joined by William Prince, iskw, DJ Shub, Northern Cree, Nick Sherman, and Jingle Dress Dancers. The festival will also include celebrity appearances, a live art installation, cultural performances and an Indigenous craft market. Tickets can be purchased online. wakethegiant.ca

HARVEST BOOYA FEST & CLASSIC CAR SHOW

Sept. 18, Saturday The annual Harvest Booya Festival has been a 27-year tradition in Finland of celebrating community and serving a traditional booya stew, carefully simmered overnight. This year’s celebration features live music by The Barstones, Gene LaFond and Amy Grillo, and Steven Solkela and His Overpopulated One-Man Band. There will also be agricultural demonstrations, activities for the kids, and great food. The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clair Nelson Center and runs alongside Don’s

Auto Repair and Towing Classic Car Show. facebook.com/finlandfoodchain

LAKE SUPERIOR 20/20 STUDIO & ART TOUR

Sept. 24-26 The annual Lake Superior 20/20 Studio and Art Tour is back for 2021 and celebrating their 10th anniversary. Located in the Two Harbors area, this year’s lineup includes over 35 returning and new artists, 10 host studios, various pop-up artists and, new this year, three host farms: Little Chili Farm, Lucky Dog Farm, and Shoreview Natives. Held from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. both Friday and Saturday (until 5 p.m. on Sunday), ceramic, woodworking, painting, printmaking, jewelry, fiber, and photography will be on display and offered for sale (the earrings above are by Melanie Leib). A PDF printable map and brochure of the tour is available online, as well as a list of artists and information on each studio stop. lakesuperior2020.com

ART ALONG THE LAKE: FALL STUDIO TOUR

Sept. 24-Oct. 3 Fall in Cook County is a time of tumultuous beauty, so take some time to explore the colors and meet artists during the Fall Studio Tour. Stops include home studios, as well as galleries with guest artists. All locations will be open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. This year includes over 20 locations participating, such as The North Country, Upstate MN, North House Folk School, Betsy Bowen Studio, Joy & Company, The Big Lake, Art of the Elements Gallery, Grand Marais Art Colony and Sivertson Gallery. A full list of participants and locations can be found online. visitcookcounty.com/fallstudiotour

HECK OF THE NORTH

Sept. 25, Saturday The 13th Annual Heck of the North gravel bike races will start and finish on the East Alger Grade, North Shore State Trail parking lots (north of Two Harbors on Hwy 2). There will be three course options: a 100-mile course, a 55-mile course, and a 20-mile course (perfect for those new to gravel cycling). The races will take place in waves, starting at 8 a.m. with the 100-mile race. The 50-mile race will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the 20-mile race at 10 a.m. Race registration is required. heckofthenorth.com

XX Pine Peak Rd. – $89,900 1.76 ac. XXX Pine Peak Rd. – $84,900 2.15 ac. For more information contact; Amanda Peterson – RE/MAX Results 612-812-5732 – Amanda@TheRitterTeam.com

Booya Stew, Fry Bread, and Finland Produce Stand featuring local farms: Finnskogen Farm, Maxwell’s Woodland Nursery, Salt and Light Heritage Farm, Wolf Ridge Organic Farm

Live Music!

The Barstones, Gene LaFond and Amy Grillo, Steven Solkela and his Overpopulated One-Man Band

Kid’s Activities! 

2 EXCEPTIONAL BUILDING SITES

Tait Lake Access – Lutsen, MN

Local Food!

– give us a call to reserve a pet-friendly room. o o We are PET-FRIENDLY 655 Arthur Street W., Thunder Bay, Ontario

Ask Askabout aboutour our Northern Shore Northern Shore Rate Rate–-Hot breakfast and airport shuttle Rate Rate Code Code Wherever Life Takes You. Best Western Is There.® “NORT” “NORT” Each Best Western branded hotel is independently owned and operated

807-577-4241 or 800-265-3253

Saturday, September 18 10 am-4 pm Clair Nelson Center 6866 Cramer Rd, Finland



NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS CALENDAR OF EVENTS Thru Sept. 5

Sept. 1-30

John A. Spelman III Exhibit: Artist & Printmaker: From Appalachia to Minnesota’s North Shore Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org

Ancient Cedars Trail: An Artistic Exploration 2021 Exhibit Northwoods Friends of the Arts, Cook, srauschenfels@live.com

Labor Day

Sept. 2, Thursday

Grill Wars 5 p.m. Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, bayfrontfestivalpark.com

Chesley Antoinette: Tignon Duluth Art Institute, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org

Movie Night in the Park: Trolls World Tour 9 p.m. Balsam Park, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca/movienights

Sept. 9, Thursday

Thru Sept. 12

Sept. 2-5

Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Reid Thorpe Exhibit Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org

Cirque Italia: Water Circus Gold Miller Hill Mall, Duluth, facebook.com/millerhillmall

Tia Keobounpheng: Defuse Duluth Art Institute, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org

Duluth Superior Pride Festival Twin Ports, facebook.com/duluthsuperiorpride

Thru Sept. 6

Dakobinaawaswaan (Baby in a Cradleboard) Exhibition Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

Thru Sept. 26 Annual Member Show (Reception Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m.) Duluth Art Institute, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org

Karlyn Atkinson Berg: Unfolding Odyssey Duluth Art Institute, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org

Thru Oct. 16 Tweed Museum of Art’s Royal Canadian “Mountie” Paintings & Ojibwe Cultural Heritage Exhibits Cross River Heritage Center, Schroeder, crossriverheritage.org

Thru Nov. 21 Piitwewetam: Making is Medicine Exhibition Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

Thru Dec. 1 Kwewog Giiwednog: Women of the North Mural Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca

SEPTEMBER 2021

Sept. 10, Friday Music in the Park: Sarah Burton 7 p.m. City Center Park, Silver Bay, rockywallproductions.org

Sept. 10-11

I Love the 90s Tour

Superior Fall Trail Race Caribou Highlands, Lutsen, superiorfalltrailrace.com

6 p.m. Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, twinportsnightlife.com

Sept. 3-4

Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

The Art of Reciprocity Outdoor Exhibit by Sean Connaughty Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center, Schroeder, grandmaraisartcolony.org

Kenna Rose 5 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern,

Virtual Radio Waves Music Festival

The Federalies 8 p.m.

Thru Sept. 30

Sept. 8, Wednesday

Sept. 3, Friday

“Goodnight, Absalom!” 7:30 p.m. Gichi-Ode’ Akiing Lakewalk Plaza, Duluth, foxandbeggar.com/absalom

Thru Sept. 27

Sept. 6, Monday

Sept. 3-5 Nipigon Fall Fishing Festival Nipigon, Ontario, nipigonfallfishingfestival.com

Sept. 4, Saturday Muffin Man Story Hour for Kids 11 a.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, facebook.com/drurylanebooks

Sept. 5, Sunday Old Fashioned Pie & Ice Cream Social Noon, Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org “Goodnight, Absalom!” 7:30 p.m. Harbor Park, Grand Marais, foxandbeggar.com/absalom Free Drive-In Movie & Ice Cream: Raya and the Last Dragon 8:30 p.m. Outside Clair Nelson Center, Finland

NORTHERN WILDS

WTIP, Grand Marais, wtip.org

Rural Heritage Days Slate River: At the Corner of #130 & Piper Road, Ontario, slateriverplowingmatch.ca

Light Duluth Teal Gala 6 p.m. Duluth DECC, mnovarian.org

Sept. 12, Sunday Fall Street Market Noon, Simcoe Plaza, Terrace Bay, terracebay.ca

Sept. 13-16 Alice in Wonderland 7:30 p.m. Outside Glensheen Mansion, Duluth, tickets.umn.edu

Sept. 15, Wednesday Artist Talk: Writing with Light: From the Darkroom to Etching with the Sun 4 p.m. Studio 21, Grand Marais, grandmaraisartcolony.org Plein Air Open Class Exhibit 5:30 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, pleinairgrandmarais.org

Sept. 16, Thursday Billy Johnson 8:30 p.m.

Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Sept. 16-26

Big Wu Duo 8:30 p.m.

Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Vox Popular Media Arts Virtual Festival Thunder Bay, facebook.com/voxpoptbay

Sept. 10-12

Sept. 17-18

Harvest Moon Festival 10 a.m. Whiteside Park, Ely, ely.org

Unplugged XX Music Festival

Sept. 10-17 Plein Air Competition Grand Marais, pleinairgrandmarais.org

Sept. 11, Saturday Lake Superior Harvest Festival 10 a.m. Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, facebook.com/ lakesuperiorharvestfestival Nice Girls of the North Second Saturday Marketplace 10 a.m. Masonic Lodge, Duluth, nicegirlsofthenorth.com AICHO’s Indigenous Food & Art Markets 11 a.m. One Roof Parking Lot, Duluth, indigenousfirst.org/general-6 Annual Shuniah Forty Miner XC Race 11 a.m. Kinsmen Park in the Trowbridge Forest, Thunder Bay, blacksheepmtb.com

North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org

Sept. 17-19 NorthShore Inline Marathon & Skate Fest Duluth, northshoreinline.com Duluth Oktoberfestival Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, duluthoktoberfestival.com

Sept. 18, Saturday Lutsen Fire Department’s Annual Pancake Breakfast 8 a.m. Lutsen Town Hall Chester Bowl Fall Fest 9:30 a.m. Chester Bowl Improvement Club, Duluth, chesterbowl.org Booya Harvest Fest & Don’s Auto Repair & Towing Classic Car Show 10 a.m. Clair Nelson Community Center, Finland, facebook.com/finlandfoodchain Peregrine Falcons Program: Live! 11 a.m. Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay, lovinlakecounty.com

Wake the Giant Music

Festival Noon, Thunder Bay Waterfront, wakethegiant.ca

Sept. 18-19 Alice in Wonderland 7:30 p.m. Outside Glensheen Mansion, Duluth, tickets.umn.edu

Sept. 19, Sunday Terry Fox Virtual Run Thunder Bay, terryfox.org Duluth Fall Wedding Show 9 a.m. Duluth DECC, duluthfallweddingshow.com Hymers Fall Fair Market 10 a.m. DaVinci Centre, Thunder Bay, hymersfair.com

Sept. 21-26 Virtual Franco-Festival Francophone Center, Thunder Bay, francofestival.com

Sept. 23, Thursday Kenna Rose 5 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Hawk Weekend Festival Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, Duluth, hawkridge.org

Wine & Beer Tasting 6:30 p.m. Cross River Heritage Center, Schroeder, crossriverheritage.org

Sept. 17-Oct. 3

Sept. 24, Friday

Monty Python’s Spamalot NorShor Theatre, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org

Music in the Park: Courtney

Sept. 17-Oct. 10 Plein Air Competition Class Exhibition (Reception Sept. 17 at 5 p.m.) Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org

Yasmineh Band 7 p.m. City Center Park, Silver Bay, rockywallproductions.org

Sept. 24-25 BrewHa! Craft Beer Festival Waterfront District BIA, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/brewhafestival

NSHCF’s Golf for the Good 8 a.m. Superior National Golf Course, Lutsen, northshorehealthcarefoundation.org Alice in Wonderland 7:30 p.m. Outside Glensheen Mansion, Duluth, tickets.umn.edu

Brotherhood of Birds 8:30 p.m.

Heck of the North 8 a.m. East Alger Grade, North Shore State Trail Parking Lots, Two Harbors, heckofthenorth.com

Finland Farmers Market 5 p.m. Clair Nelson Community Center, Finland, finlandfarmersmarket.com

MN Brain Injury Alliance Walk for Thought 9 a.m. Miller Hill Mall, Duluth, facebook.com/millerhillmall

Music by Gordon Thorne 7 p.m. North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us

Sweater Weather Fest 10 a.m. The Fisherman’s Daughter, Grand Marais, thefishermansdaughtergm.com

Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Sept. 24-26

AICHO’s Indigenous Food & Art Markets 11 a.m. One Roof Parking Lot, Duluth, indigenousfirst.org/general-6

Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour 10 a.m. Two Harbors, lakesuperior2020.com

Date Night at the Winery with Live

Saturdays Thunder Bay Country Market 8 a.m. CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, tbcm.ca

Lotus Creek Events Craft & Vendor Show 10 a.m. Miller Hill Mall, Duluth, facebook.com/millerhillmall

Concert 6:30 p.m. Grand Marais, michaelmonroemusic.com

Bay Area Craft and Farmers Market 9 a.m. North Shore Adventure Park, Silver Bay, facebook.com/finlandproducestand

Sept. 24-29

WEEKLY EVENTS

Cook County Market 10 a.m. Senior Center Parking Lot, Grand Marais, facebook.com/ccfarmandcraft

Culture Days Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca

Tuesdays

Michael Monroe Log Cabin

Sept. 24-Oct. 3 Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour 10 a.m. Throughout Cook County, visitcookcounty.com/fallstudiotour

Sept. 25, Saturday Ely Marathon Ely, elymarathon.com Hike for Health 8:30 a.m. Marina Pagoda, Nipigon, Facebook: Hike for Health NOCC Fall Colour Tour 10 a.m. Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, grandportage.com

Ely Farmers Market 5 p.m. Whiteside Park, Ely, facebook.com/elymnfarmersmarket

Harbor History Tour (Weather Permitting) 1 p.m. Cook County Historical Museum, Grand Marais, cookcountyhistory.org

Wednesdays

Tour the North House Campus 2 p.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org

Thunder Bay Country Market 3:30 p.m. CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, tbcm.ca

Free Family-Friendly Presentation 2 p.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org

Thursdays

Sundays

Local Food Market 4:30 p.m. Cook County Community Center, Grand Marais

Weekend Wine Down Music

3 p.m. North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us

Friday, Saturday & Sunday September 24, 25 & 26 Hours 10-6 Friday and Saturday 10-5 on Sunday

www.lakesuperior2020.com

Ready to Move North? Find the home of your dreams in the Northern Wilds Ultimate Real Estate Guide Visit www.northernwilds.com to subscribe to our print edition, or sign up for free for our monthy onine edition.

Want a Good Read?

Check out our bookstore online. E 2nd of Lake Superior’s North Shore

on!

t 15

20 30

5 10

So many lakes…so little time to fish. 30 40

15 20

10 15

50 40

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

5 10 15 20 30 40 60

20 15

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

Gunfl int Tra

15 30

Where do you start? Right here.

Superior Hiking Trail

WALLEYES, BROOKIES, PIKE, LAKERS, BASS AND MORE

Portage to Skipper Lake

THE

70 60

50 40 30 20

Lizz Lake

5 5

10 10

5 10 5

Out

let

Portage to Swamp Lake

“Inside this book, endless fishing adventures await.”

PLANNING, RESUPPLYING, SAFETY, BEARS, BUGS, AND MORE

The Historic Beacons of Minnesota, Isle Royale and Ontario

10 5

Inlet

Cook County, Minnesota

ThruHike

CATCH:

Inle

THE ALEC BOOSTROM STORY

Boundary Waters Boy

Where the Fish Are!

lighthousEs

diti

—Shawn Perich Outdoor Writer and Publisher

BY ANNIE NELSON

$14.95 ISBN 978-0-9740207-7-8

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

By Jack Blackwell

By EllE AndrA-WArnEr

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

9 780974 020778

SECOND EDITION

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

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

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

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

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

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

s h o p . n o r t h e r nw i l d s . c o m NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

POPLAR H AUS G U N F L I N T

T R A I L

........................................................

Indoor & Outdoor Dining Wednesday 3pm-8pm Thursday 3pm-8pm Friday 12pm-9pm Saturday 12pm-9pm Sunday 12pm-8pm CLOSED MONDAY & TUESDAY

Two Locations Grand Marais

120 W Hwy 61

Two Harbors

530 7th Ave

(Limited food menu)

Don’t forget to stop by The Gunﬂint Trail’s

ONLY

Liquor Store

11am-9pm Monday-Saturday 11am-6pm Sunday www.poplarhaus.com 218.388.2222 7890 Gunﬂint Trail 34

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Buy Any DQ Item Get Any DQ Item

Any Two Blizzards

1/2 Off

50 (sm or med)

The North Shore Dish Decadent Cheesecakes By Kitty Mayo

One of the great unifiers, cheesecake has a flavor for just about everyone. Whether you take your cheesecake “neat” or layered in exotic flavors, every bite is decadent. Even those who have gone a lifetime saying “no” to cheesecake can come around, especially after they have a slice from The Cozy Hen in Duluth. Heather Birong’s cheesecake business came to be because of that sort of conversion. Heavily into cheesecake gifting, cheesecake-as-a-business was a natural next step. The gift that took the cake was the one Birong made for a friend’s mom, who was not a cheesecake fan. Turns out she loved it, and told her friends. Through more contacts, and spreading the cheesecake love, Birong eventually baked her way into a storefront at Duluth’s Holiday Center in mid-2019. During 2020, Birong moved to a commercial kitchen where she has been running cheesecake curbside for the last year. Watching Birong apply artistic flourishes to her cakes, you might be surprised to learn she is 100 percent self-taught. “Like most things in life, the more you cook the better you get. I’m a home baker, that’s it,” says Birong. A bit of a purist, Birong locked on to her recipe for vanilla bean cheesecake. “For many years I refused to make anything other than vanilla bean, I said all of these other flavors were an adulteration of a simple classic,” Birong said. Eventually her fans wore her down, and a friend’s birthday request for a turtle cheesecake opened the floodgates. After trying a store-bought version of the turtle flavor, she said, “I wasn’t impressed, I knew I could make it taste better.” From her made-from-scratch caramel and fudge sauces, to insisting on small-batches to avoid sacrificing the consistency for efficiency, The Cozy Hen originator clearly holds herself to a high standard.

The Cozy Hen, located in Duluth and owned by Heather Birong, typically offers six flavors of cheesecake, with vanilla bean always in the rotation. You can also order a sampler cake. | THE COZY HEN

She typically has six flavors going, with vanilla bean always in the rotation. A few examples are tiramisu with ladyfingers soaked in coffee and coffee liqueur for the crust and a mascarpone whipped topping; lemon topped with lemon curd and a lemon cookie crust; and eclair with a choux pastry crust and a dark chocolate ganache topping. NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Avoid the anxiety of having to choose just one flavor and order the sampler cake. Six flavors come to your car tied up in a pink box, and inside you will find a collage of textures and colors forming a beautiful mosaic design. A visual treat topped only by the tastes. Cheesecake & Company came to life in Duluth this spring as Ashley Woodard was staring down the last days of her fourth pregnancy. Faced, as pregnant women everywhere are, with wanting badly to eat cheesecake, she filled up too fast to eat a whole slice. “I was just sitting there eating a big slice of cheesecake, and I didn’t want to throw it away, but I needed a better way to save it for later in the fridge,” said Woodward. A small jelly jar was Woodard’s brilliant idea to store her cheesecake “for later.” And, the cute jars have translated well to her business model, if sales are any indication. Enlisting her husband Juann’s help, Woodward knew that getting busy by starting a small business would be a great distraction, plus, “I thought it would maybe kick me into labor!” It didn’t, at least not right away, but Cheesecake & Co. was born. The canning jars of cheesecake turned out to be a crowd hit, in addition to being “a better way to share individual desserts during a pandemic,” says Woodard. When it came to developing her own recipe Woodard “took a leap of faith, but kept it simple.” The cheesecake jars are easily frozen—Woodard’s favorite way to enjoy a slice—and each jar is customizable. Cheesecake & Co. posts available flavors on Facebook, like pineapple upside-down cheesecake, banana pudding, key lime, Oreo and strawberry. Offering delivery to Duluth and Superior, Cheesecake & Co. can also be found at Jamrock Cultural Restaurant in Superior, under an awning at Cub parking lot in Duluth with regularity, and for pick-up.

Interested in developing more flavors, Woodard is most focused on having a fun experience that tastes good. “I feel really humble about the situation, it’s so surreal how popular this is, we just love making people feel good,” Woodard said. Crosby Bakery in Grand Marais is so well-known for their cheesecake that owner Hana Crosby says she can’t keep it in stock, “no matter how much I bake.” This wholesale bakery’s cheesecake is available for special order through this summer. Crosby plans to have her cheesecakes back for sale at The Fisherman’s Daughter restaurant, and at the Whole Foods Co-op in coming months. Crosby’s cheesecake is special, she says, “for being smooth and creamy, by getting the right ratio of eggs and cream cheese.” Her signature flavor is a maple blueberry, using local maple syrup, with the extra special touch of mixing the flavors right into the batter. Looking for cheesecake in Thunder Bay? Check out Kangas Sauna, run by Calley Onchulenko since 2003. Catch a sauna if you’re in the mood, but definitely hit the Little House of Pancakes restaurant or the “grab and go” for a slice of Persian cheesecake. Wait, what’s a Persian, you ask? It’s basically a fried cinnamon roll with pink frosting, but Thunder Bayites have something more intensely loyal to say about their favorite pastry. They are, “The best-ever dessert of Thunder Bay,” according to Onchulenko. Her bias is born from childhood memories of visiting the original Bennitz Baker run by the Nucci family, who she claims “invented the best Persian.” Those love-laden kid dreams led Onchulenko to invent a new dessert of her own using Persians made by the Nucci family incorporated into the crumb bottom, and the layer of cheesecake topped with raspberry icing. Other flavors at Kangas include pistachio, Northwest Ontario blueberry, and raspberry.

Cheesecake & Company, owned by Ashley Woodward and her husband Juann, serves cheesecake in canning jars. | CHEESECAKE & COMPANY

Sweater Weather Fest Sept 25, 10 am-4 pm · Local Artists · Fall Drink Specials

418 Hwy 61, Grand Marais, MN

Art by SJ Nielson

Check our website & Instagram for updates on our hours.

Dock to Table Fish + Chips Lake Superior Smoked Fish Fresh Fish by the Pound

Homemade Chowder Deli Cooler Cold Brew and Hot Coffee Harbortown Gift Market

www.thefishermansdaughtergm.com · instagram @thefishermansdaughtergm · (218) 387-2906 36

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Just North of Ordinary...

Year Round Lodging Gifts • Eats • Grocery Cocktails Open 7 days a week 8 am - 9 pm Many people don’t feel thirsty until they’re already dehydrated. | STOCK

Hydration is Key By Hartley Newell-Acero & Amy Schmidt There was a time when people left the house without water bottles or any worry about that lack, when thirst was remedied by what flowed from the well or the tap, and not another thought was given to the subject. Things have changed. Now many of us grab a bottle every time we head out the door, and some of those bottles are hightech, branded, crystal-embedded, or filled with water from the other side of the planet. Is all that really necessary? How much time, money, energy and worry should we actually be spending on our hydration? As you may remember from middle-school science, our bodies are mostly water. This means that every organ, all our tissues, and every single cell needs enough water to work correctly. Dehydration occurs when you lose more water than you take in, and your body no longer has enough fluids to work properly. Children most often become dehydrated if they’ve been throwing up or having diarrhea. Older people may have physical conditions or take medications that make dehydration more likely. But dehydration can happen to anyone, at any time, if they don’t drink enough water. Unfortunately, thirst isn’t always a reliable signal that you need to drink some water. Many people don’t feel thirsty until they’re already dehydrated. Signs and symptoms of dehydration differ by age. In adults, symptoms can include (but aren’t limited to) dark colored urine, fatigue and dizziness. In children/babies, symptoms can include (but aren’t limited to) tearless crying, no wet diapers for three hours and irritability. Hydration needs to be taken seriously because the complications of dehydration can be dangerous. Seizures, heat stroke and

kidney problems can all result from severe dehydration. Life-threatening complications can occur too, including hypovolemic shock or low blood volume shock, leading to a severe drop in blood pressure and the amount of oxygen in the body. So, drink water and beware of dehydration. But you don’t have to go overboard. You don’t need expensive gear and gizmos. You don’t need wearable devices, sweat-analyzing patches, or urine test strips. Bottles don’t have to be bedazzled, synced to your phone, or have flashing LEDs. If they’re clean, safe and reusable—that’s good enough. There’s no benefit to be had by drinking bottled water from Fiji, France or La Fayette. In fact, there are huge costs both to you and to the environment. Bottled water is about 3,000 percent more expensive per gallon than tap water, and generally is no cleaner, or safer, or healthier. In fact, the federal government requires far more rigorous and frequent safety testing and monitoring of municipal drinking water. There are also substantial negative environmental impacts to bottled water: Eighty-six percent of plastic water bottles become garbage, and the shipping of all those bottles contributes to escalating levels of pollution. Most people, most of the time, don’t need water with added vitamins, minerals, herbs or electrolytes. The exception— if you’ve been doing a lot of sweating, throwing up, or having diarrhea. Then replacing those electrolytes is important. But beware—sports drinks have spent a lot on marketing themselves as the go-to answer for your everyday hydration needs. Just know that many of them also contain a fair amount of calories because they are sweetened with sugar. Combine that with the citric or other acids that they often are made with, and these drinks can spell trouble for your tooth enamel.

BREAKFAST

Loggers Breakfast Walleye Skillet Classic Breakfast Sandwich Up North (eggs & wild rice) Biscuits & Gravy The Rudy Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagel Bread Pudding French Toast “Normal” French Toast Pancakes Homemade Blueberry Pop Tart Oatmeal with Fruit Grits Breakfast ala Carte

APPETIZERS

Garlic Cheese Bread Chicken Strips Cheese Curds Onion Rings Wings - Hot, Asian, BBQ Deep Fried Portabella Mushrooms French Fries Tater Tots with “Crack” Mozz Sticks Cowboy Fries Popcorn Chicken

SANDWICHES

Italian Sausage Sandwich Fungus Sandwich Chicken Bob Jenny Henny Prime Rib French Dip PLL Tom E Drive-In Dog Smitty 3 Cheese Grilled Cheese Walleye Sandwich Classic BLT Chicken Little Salmon Patty Hot Ham & Swiss

BURGERS

California Burger Loggers Burger Canoe (full meal) American Bacon Cheeseburger Cheeseburger Mushroom Swiss Burger Bull Moose Burger Lacona Burger Poutine Burger Blue Cheese Burger Jalapeno Burger

SOUPS & SALADS

ENTRÉES

Hot Beef Sandwich Chicken Strip Basket Popcorn Chicken Basket Fish and Chips Chicken Pot Pie Prime Rib Steak Strips Swedish Meatballs BBQ Ribs Walleye Fillet Dinner Shrimp Dinner

KIDDOS MENU

Chicken Strips Burger Fish Fillet Kraft Mac & Cheese Corn Dog French Fries Fruit Cup

SWEET TOOTH Homemade Bread Pudding Strawberry Shortcake (made with Twinkies) Homemade Pop Tart Homemade Pies Floats Old-Fashioned Malts New-Fashioned Malts Worlds Smallest Sundae

Homemade Chicken Wild Rice Soup Homemade Red & Black Bean Chili TC Caesar Salad Ultimate Garden Salad with Bacon Dinner Salad

7611 Gunflint Trail 28 miles from Grand Marais, MN

218-388-2214 • www.trailcenterlodge.com NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Lead-free tackle works! And it protects our state bird, the common loon

Clean Your Prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

FREE BOAT WASH for a free drive thru boat wash

What’s the problem with lead?

Lead is toxic to wildlife. Even in small amounts, it is lethal to loons, eagles, and trumpeter swans. It is estimated that lead is responsible for up to 25% of loon deaths.

Lead is toxic to people, both when handling lead products and in the manufacturing process.

Teach your tadpoles!

Loons pick up lost lead tackle while gathering pebbles for their gizzards. Loons are also exposed when eating fish that have ingested lead.

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Create a lead-free tackle box for your kids or grandkids.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Spiny Waterfleas easily snag on fishing lines and can survive in a drop of water.

Stop the Spread!

Don’t throw lead in the trash! Bring it to you local Household Hazardous Waste dropsite.

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Lines Snag Spines

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Wipe fishing lines and reels. Drain and wipe live wells and bait buckets.

Northern Trails Bridges and Anglers By Gord Ellis

Northwestern Ontario is a land of much water. There are lakes, rivers, reservoirs and streams. These waterbodies intersect the landscape and break up the wilderness. This water also needs to be crossed to travel across country, so many bridges have been constructed. Some bridges are large; some are very small. Many are made of wood, but some are constructed of cement or steel. The common denominator with bridges is they often provide access to water for anglers. Not every bridge, however. Some bridges actually are bookended by private property or fishing isn’t allowed near or on them. Yet most bridges in northwestern Ontario allow anglers access to get down to the water and enjoy the area. And it is incredible how much of that fishing can be of a very high quality. Some of my favourite bridge fishing memories are from my youth. As a young trout angler, I would bike to local rivers in Thunder Bay and as often as not, the bridges were the first stop. Bridges create structure and cover for fish, and this makes them natural fish magnets. Many hours of my youth were spent watching brook trout and steelhead from bridges and then sneaking down and trying to catch them. Another fun game was throwing grasshoppers and other insects from the bridge and seeing trout come up and eat them. This was an amazing education in how fish feed and respond to bait. Bridges on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Thunder Bay have always been of special importance to steelhead anglers. When the lake run rainbow trout begin their migration up rivers each spring, bridges are often the jumping off spot for anglers. Many, but not all, have parking spots nearby and you can always tell how well the fish are running by the number of vehicles. It is also amazing how many bridges are located near prime steelhead pools. In some instances, the bridges created a pool or mini-falls, and these hold up fish as they move upstream. These bridges also carry the names of each river on distinctive green signs. What angler’s heart wouldn’t leap when names like the Nipigon, Steel or Michipicoten come into view? One memory I have from my teens is another reminder of the importance of the bridge to anglers. When my father and his buddy were spending a few weekdays fishing on one of the major steelhead rivers east of Nipigon, my only way to get to them on

Many bridges can create great fishing opportunities. | GORD ELLIS porting this bridge break the flow of the river and create a place where many fish can hold and feed. It’s not really surprising that there are often boats anchored under the bridge, jigging with a minnow in hopes of hooking a walleye or two. This is just one example of a way that a bridge creates a fishing opportunity that would not be there otherwise.

Walleye fishing near a train bridge. | GORD ELLIS the weekend was via bus. So, after school on Friday, I’d walk to the Greyhound bus station in Thunder Bay with my fishing gear and waders, buy a ticket and then get on board. When we got close to that green sign with the river name on it, I’d ask the bus driver to drop me off. The Greyhound would pull over at the bridge, and I’d jump off and join the steelhead adventure already underway. About 70 percent of the time, Gord Senior would be found fishing within 100 yards of that bridge. As mentioned earlier, many bridges offer fish a type of cover not often found in the wild. The major shade provided by bridges

appeals to all sorts of fish, from muskellunge to brookies to bass. In the heat of summer, fully-covered bridges can provide a respite for fish, and they will hold under the structure as the hay maker beats down. However, just because the fish are hiding there, doesn’t mean they will bite. I’ve seen this play out many times over the years. Larger bridges over major rivers nearly always create a current break that will hold fish. There are many examples of this in the northwest, but one prime example is the expansive bridge over the Kaministiquia River, on Highway 61, southwest of Thunder Bay. The huge cement pillars sup-

Sadly, not all bridges are great for fisheries. Bridges, particularly those that have culverts inserted, can create a major obstacle for migrating fish. Everything from walleye to steelhead run rivers to spawn, and an unnatural obstruction can create all sorts of issues. Some of these “trouble” bridges have been remediated over the years to improve fish movement, but many still exist. Where fish become bottlenecked, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry will sometimes enforce a fish sanctuary. At times there will be a sign below a bridge with an obstruction, but not always. Always be aware of this possibility and check your local regulations. While bridges are not always an improvement to the natural beauty of an area, they are a necessity. None of us would be traveling far in the north without them. It’s an added blessing that so many of them provide a doorway to fisheries that might otherwise be to remote or difficult to access.

NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Finding Peace on Joe Creek Trail By Peter Fergus-Moore In the fall of 2013, my wife Joyce and I drove down one last time to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park to walk a trail. No, we weren’t moving away from the northwest— this is home. But we were about to embark on a difficult journey halfway across the world to the Middle East, where we would serve as human rights monitors for Palestinian people for a three-month period. We had just finished a stint of training for the work in Switzerland, and knew as we drove south down the Pass Lake Road that we would leave in the falling of the leaves and return in deep winter. There was just enough time in our preparations for a few hours in our natural setting before we traveled to the relatively sere setting of Palestine. The gold, ochre and red of the leaves soothed us as we talked about our choice of trails. We wanted to find a relatively simple track and spend time within the changing forest and the astonishing abundance of the water of Lake Superior.

So, we chose the Joe Creek Nature Trail. By most hiking standards, this trail is a training-wheels track, not even a kilometre in length over reasonably flat terrain. It follows the course of Joe Creek until that watercourse empties into the big lake at Squaw Bay. It isn’t to say that Joe Creek is not worthy of anyone’s attention, but our purpose was well served by its gentleness. We were able to look up and around us as we walked, taking in the saturated colours of the trees as sunset approached. Eventually, in a state of calm and gratitude, we found the debouchment of the creek, and an unexpected gift: maybe 50 metres inland, a beaver was organizing cut poplar branch sticks to expand an already existing dam. Organizing seemed to mean stacking sticks on the bank of the creek for later use, a process we watched, bemused. Again, sighting a beaver in the wild is not a drop-everything-and-phone-home event, but it felt to us as though we were being treated to an unrequested bonus. For close

By most hiking standards, the Joe Creek Nature Trail is a training-wheels track, but our purpose was well served by its gentleness. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE to half an hour, we watched the beaver, who soon grew a bit nervous at our presence and disappeared under the water behind the half-finished dam. It was time to go, while we could still see our trail. We left, feeling blessed by the

encounter. In the ensuing months in the Palestinian winter, where the only green is provided by olive trees, and sizeable bodies of water are absent, we remembered the trail and the bay and of course, the beaver. With gratitude.

Moose in Rut By Chuck Viren A number of years ago I went on a solo grouse hunting excursion along an old logging road where I had experienced a lot of success. This road skirts a smallish lake, and on this day, I decided to bushwhack around the lake, figuring the untried portions of forest might yield good results. That proved not to be the case, but I witnessed something that day I have not seen before or since, and I got a real good scare in the process. When I was about a quarter of the way around, I heard an incredible commotion out on the lake; there were surprisingly loud sounds of splashing water accompanied by plaintive bellows that reverberated across the water. I worked my way to the shore; across the lake three cow moose were standing chest deep in the water. The moose would rear up and thrash the water with their forelegs, all the while issuing their urgent wails. I stood transfixed and took in this extraordinary exhibit. After several minutes the cows quieted, and I resumed my hike. Twice more the cows went crazy in the lake, and twice more I edged to where I could witness this spectacle. When I was halfway around the lake, directly across from where the cows had 40

SEPTEMBER 2021

been, I heard another call that stopped me in my tracks: the challenge grunt of a bull from the other side of a small hillock. Things quickly went from entertaining to deadly serious. I did not move a muscle and forced myself to control my breathing. I had long thought that a 12-gauge shotgun, even loaded with bird shot, would be an effective deterrent to a charging moose, at least at very close range. Any such notions were quickly dispelled. I might just as well have been holding a pea shooter. The bull issued its challenge repeatedly. I could hear him stomping as he awaited a reply. I barely breathed. I’m sure the encounter lasted mere minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Eventually the frustrated bull stomped off, thankfully in the opposite direction. After the sounds of his retreat died, I stood motionless for many minutes. Eventually I continued, perhaps foolishly, certainly skittishly, on my route. The cows had withdrawn from the lake, and I hoped the bull had followed. On the other side of the knoll there was a small creek. In the mud on the far side of the creek, I found the bull’s footprints, pointed directly at where I had been standing.

NORTHERN WILDS

While this isn’t a photo of the exact moose, the memory of the encounter will remain with me for as long as I walk this earth. | KEITH ANDERSON The memory of that encounter will remain with me as long as I walk this earth. I learned a bit about my own hubris on that day. Still, I would love to hear the sounds of cows in rut again; it was otherworldly

and completely unforgettable. If it should happen again, though, I will listen and then retreat.

WTIP Community Radio presents:

Radio Waves Music Festival

Fall of 1991: A Visit to My Homeland

September 10 - 11

A Virtual Music Festival

By Elle Andra-Warner

Tune in from near and far!

It was fall 1991 when I went back to somewhere I’d never been. That’s what it felt like in mid-October 30 years ago when I boarded a Finnair flight from Toronto to Helsinki, Finland then continuing on by ferry to a country that had just regained its independence after 44 years of Soviet/Russian occupation: my ancestral homeland of Estonia. But there was also something else happening on that visit—it would be the first time I’d be meeting my two half-brothers Jüri and Tõõmas (we had the same father). They and their mother were unable to leave the homeland before the Soviet’s ‘iron curtain’ (occupation) came down to close their access to the world. Would it be awkward, even strange, to meet up with siblings you only recently knew you had? Surprisingly, it all worked out wonderfully, even though my speaking Estonian was a bit rusty. The two brothers and their families set aside the week for us to get to know each other and to be our personal behind-the-scenes ‘tour’ guides. (My husband and eldest daughter also were on the trip that took place about two months after Estonia became a free country again.) One question, though, lingered in the back of my mind as it did for many of us former child immigrants visiting the homeland for the first time—what if the pull of the homeland became so strong that I didn’t want to return to Canada? After arriving in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, we had a whirlwind week of activities. We explored an abandoned Soviet airbase, with its hidden hangars and empty military buildings. We travelled through the deserted, eerie, ghostlike town Paldiski, once completely fenced with barbed wire by the Soviets/Russians because it was the site of a secret submarine and naval base. We toured the beautiful 16th century Renaissance building of the Brotherhood

Standing in front of the iconic doors of the historic 16th-century building in Tallinn, Estonia, of the Brotherhood of Blackheads. Standing with me are my two Estonian half-brothers that I met for the first time. [LEFT TO RIGHT] Tõõmas, me and the late Jüri. | ELLE ANDRA-WARNER of the Blackheads with its iconic front doors and I even played on the grand piano in its acoustically-perfect concert hall. We visited the open-air museum Rocca al Mare, with its original re-located historic structures (thatched farm buildings, windmills, wooden church, etc). We also shopped in a Soviet-era ‘foreigners only’ store that was still in operation; visited my father’s hometowns of Sindi and Parnu; spent time inside medieval churches and castles; and attended the theatre to see a Broadway show “Hello Dolly” in Estonian. One evening, we were special guests at a formal dinner in our honour in the president’s private dining room at the presidential Kadgriog Palace (built 1718-1725 by Peter the Great). So, the fall of 1991 holds all kinds of very special memories for me. Oh, and the question about the pull of the homeland? Well, while my Estonian heritage is very much a part of who I am and I’m comfortable being in Estonia, I found without question my home now is Canada. It is where I belong.

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With photo thanks to Rich Mattson

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Having a Heck of a Time By Chris Pascone A favorite fall adventure of mine is the Heck of the North gravel cycling race, taking place this September 25 north of Two Harbors. Not only does it have a really cool name, this event can change you as a person. I had never tried bicycle racing until I was 37, and that memorable first Heck race in fall of 2016 opened a new world to me, and a new part of my soul. I was never a competitive person, but something about the Heck brought out some primeval inner desire to test myself. Maybe it was the excellent race marketing that hooked me? The fascinating photography of the racers and the course? I wanted not only a physical endurance test, but a mental one, too. Could I manage riding 55 miles on gravel roads and ATV trails, navigating over rocks and submarining gaping puddles, taking on a course that could break me? I was skeptical. Yet for the first time, I felt an odd pull to give it a shot. My general familiarity with biking gave me the fool-heartedness to try taking on this beast of the Northern Wilds. I was a nervous wreck the morning of the race. I picked up my friend Nahom before sunrise in Duluth, and we drove out to the start location in the enormous North Shore State Trail parking lot. I was fumbling my way to the start line, feeling intimidated by all the racers in spandex, the special language that they used, and the raw energy in the air. But once that start horn rang out, it hit me: the fresh fall air, the autumn scent of the Su-

Author Chris Pascone [LEFT] at his first ever Heck of the North race in 2016, alongside his friend and guide Nahom Abegaze. | JEREMY KERSHAW

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perior National Forest, and my inner drive were all making me race-worthy. I was suddenly up for the challenge. Nahom was my guide and I just tried to hang on for dear life as we sped through the woods. Come to find out, I had it in me all along. As Nahom and I put more miles behind us (I signed up for the 50-mile race), and the crisp morning began to warm, I figured it out: this was exactly what I had been looking for subconsciously. It was the camaraderie of being with like-minded people in the great outdoors that I found so satisfying. These were my people. I was part of something bigger—our welcoming North Shore biking community. I was a direct part of nature’s intense beauty, too. Every crank of the pedals brought me a little more harmony, an impulsive rhythm. The next four hours were a transformative experience. Five years and many more Heck races down the line, I’ve signed the whole family up to do our first 20-mile Heck together this year. I’m looking forward to exposing my wife and daughters to the same awe I always feel on this amazing north woods ride. I know they’re ready for this fall tradition, too. Biking through rugged northern Minnesota’s fall colors is a special way to discover who you really are inside, and to embrace a community of outdoor enthusiasts who pay their respect to nature on two wheels.

Fall Fun Day By Rae Poynter

At last, when our treats are out of the oven, we cut into the first tastes of fall. My sister introduced the tradition of watching Anne of Green Gables to top the day off, and there’s something very winning about the pairing of apple pie and Anne Shirley’s adventures. Finally, the sun goes down—earlier than it should, it seems—and Fall Fun Day is a wrap for the year. Though we’ll continue hitting the trails and soaking in the colors all season long, I’m glad that we’ve created a tradition that has become like its own little holiday. Because if you ask me, this is the most wonderful time of the year.

Every September, author Rae Poynter takes part in her own annual Fall Fun Day, which includes a hike with her dog and delicious fall treats. | RAE POYNTER

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The day’s festivities begin with hiking. Though I’ve tried out a few locations, my favorite fall hike is hiking from Caribou Lake to the Poplar River Overlook in Lutsen. Sometimes it’s been just my dog and me, sometimes my husband has joined, and recently my sister and her golden Retriever have made the trek up from Wisconsin to join us—the more the merrier! The trails through the maple forests are busy this time of year, but I don’t mind—there’s

After a good long jaunt through the woods, we stop through town on our way home to buy fresh spices and other ingredients for the afternoon’s baking adventures. I simmer the ingredients for made-fromscratch chai on the stovetop while we page through pie and cake recipes before settling on something fall-themed to bake. Then, while our treats bake and the pups nap, we chat over our mugs of chai, recapping the favorite parts of our hike.

SEA

A few rules and regulations govern Fall Fun Day. It should be in September, when the maples are peaking along the North Shore’s ridgelines. It must involve delicious fall treats. And dogs are most definitely allowed.

something about the changing colors and those bright September skies that seems to put a smile on everyone’s faces.

What’s the best thing about fall? Is it the bright, cool days that just beckon you outside? Is it pulling out that cozy sweater for the first time in months? Is it baking something that fills the whole house with delicious smells? The correct answer, of course, is all of them. A few years ago, I decided that there could be nothing better than synthesizing all the best things about fall and packing them into one fun-filled day, slapping on a delightfully dorky name to top it all off. And so, with great excitement, my annual Fall Fun Day was born.

E SON R

NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Minnesota DNR pursues future outdoor funding framework ST. PAUL—The Minnesota DNR is embarking on a transformational effort, in collaboration with Minnesotans, to identify a new funding framework for outdoor recreation and conservation. The goal is to ensure the DNR can serve new, returning, and longtime outdoor enthusiasts, and sustainably manage the state’s natural resources for generations to come. “Minnesota’s high quality, diverse, and abundant outdoor spaces and opportunities are available today because the state made significant investments in the past. Unfortunately, those same foundational investments are not being made today,” said DNR commissioner Sarah Strommen. “I am excited and encouraged as we undertake this critical effort to ensure that conservation and outdoor recreation are adequately and sustainably funded. With the help of Minnesotans, we have the opportunity to co-create a vision for the future we want for generations to come.” Minnesota’s current outdoor funding model faces several challenges. For example, user fees do not keep pace with inflation, which makes it challenging for the DNR to appropriately steward resources and provide open

and affordable access to the outdoors. Additionally, while Minnesotans have demonstrated support for the environment and outdoors through the constitutionally-dedicated Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, these funds are targeted to specific uses and not available to support some key aspects of natural resource management and outdoor recreation. “More Minnesotans than ever recognize the physical and mental health benefits of being in nature,” said Erika Rivers, DNR director of parks and trails. “The increased use and appreciation of public lands throughout the pandemic has demonstrated the need for a new funding framework that will ensure those experiences are equitable and available to all Minnesotans—now and in the future.” The current phase of the future funding project will focus on idea generation and public engagement to identify a future vision for outdoor recreation and conservation and possible funding solutions. In addition to engaging with the public, the DNR will work with key advisors and DNR staff. By the second half of 2022, this collective ef-

fort will produce an actionable funding framework that is reflective of research, best practices, and diverse public input. “Minnesotans’ perspectives on this framework will be critical—we want to hear from new and long-time outdoor enthusiasts, as well as those who have felt unwelcome or left out,” said Dave Olfelt, DNR fish and wildlife director. “High quality natural resources and access to outdoor recreation opportunities are central to our quality of life in Minnesota. Conservation and outdoor recreation funding needs a collaborative approach that includes the spectrum of ways people engage with the outdoors.” Current public engagement opportunities are available on the DNR’s online engagement page (engage.dnr.state.mn.us). The public is invited to stay informed about future opportunities and receive updates by signing up for the project’s email list.

The DNR is looking for new ways to fund its operations. | STOCK

BEAR LAKE BY JOE SHEAD WHY GO: Bear Lake is a tiny little trout lake tucked inside Tettegouche State Park. Bear is off the beaten path, but the trip is worth it. Not only does it offer some relatively untapped trout fishing; the views of the rocky cliffs are incredible. ACCESS: It takes some effort to reach Bear Lake. There are a couple ways to get there. Parking is available at the Bean and Bear trailhead on Penn Blvd., just west of Quincy Drive in Silver Bay. From this trailhead, you can take the trail to Bean Lake. ATVs and snowmobiles are allowed on this trail. From Bean Lake, take a .16-mile portage trail from the northeast end of Bean Lake to the southwest end of Bear Lake. Or, you can park at the Bay Area Historical Society near the intersection of Outer Drive and Davis Drive in Silver Bay. From there, take a spur trail off the Superior Hiking Trail to reach Bear Lake directly. You’ll find four walk-in campsites on the northeast end of the lake, but they are in high demand. You’ll need to go at an off-peak time—or be really lucky—to get one. VITALS: Bear Lake is an 18-acre lake with a maximum depth of 69 feet, located within Tettegouche State Park. It’s a designated trout lake that contains splake and lake trout. Lake Superior notwithstanding, there are few lake trout lakes in the area, so the lake does get some pressure from anglers. Nearby Bean Lake gets quite a bit 44

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of fishing pressure (it’s stocked mainly with rainbows and occasionally splake), but due to its remote location, Bear gets relatively little angling pressure. Most anglers fish it in winter. Although you may not see another angler in summer, you might see other people because the lakeside cliffs are popular with hikers on the Superior Hiking Trail. Bear is incredibly scenic and is one of the most photographed lakes in the state. GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Splake and Lake Trout.

mark. It’s unknown for sure what they eat, but Paron says there is a good minnow forage base for them. Anglers who make the effort to reach the lake will probably be happy with the fishery.

SPLAKE: Dean Paron, DNR Area Fisheries Supervisor in Finland, says splake are stocked in Bear Lake in the fall of odd-numbered years. He says his crew transports the splake fingerlings via ATV to Bean Lake, then canoes across the lake and hikes them via the portage trail to Bear. “Right now it seems the splake are doing well,” Paron says. “They’re there if people want to fish them.” Paron says the majority of splake in DNR surveys measure from 12 to 15 inches, with a few around the 20-inch

LAKE TROUT: Lake trout are an interesting story in Bear Lake. “Bear Lake also has a remnant population of lake trout,” Paron says. “They were stocked off and on prior to 1970.” Although they aren’t numerous, the population has hung on, sustained by natural reproduction over the decades, and every DNR lake survey turns up a laker or two. Paron says the naturally reproducing lake trout raise some questions for his staff. There have been thoughts of temporarily stopping splake stocking and trying

NORTHERN WILDS

to give lake trout a boost. “The opportunity to have a lake with lake trout is very appealing, but it’s a small lake that probably couldn’t sustain much harvest,” Paron says. “With splake fishing so popular, how would people react to us not stocking splake for a couple years?” For now, it’s just an idea, but it’s something to consider. He knows a few locals do target lake trout on Bear, but with a good population of nice splake, he hesitates to mess with a good thing.

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

Drought affects trout streams GRAND MARAIS— Drought conditions have reduced the flows of many North Shore streams to just a trickle. Northern Wilds reached out to Grand Marais area fisheries manager Steve Persons to learn how low flows affect the brook trout and other fish living in those streams. Below is his response. Droughts like this test the resilience of our streams in several ways, and outcomes will vary. However, common effects are loss of habitat and connectivity. Fish are squeezed into smaller and smaller spaces. Shallow riffles that are major sources of food production dry out, so the fish packed into the deeper pools are competing for a very limited food supply. With very low water, the ability of fish to reach another refuge, with deeper water, or colder water, or both, becomes very limited. If areas where flow is stagnant, and waters are exposed to direct sunlight, water temperatures can become high enough to be very stressful, or lethal. In extreme cases, fish can become stranded as their pools dry up. If we go into the fall with low water, trout may not be able to reach spawning sites, and those sites may lack the upwelling water that brook trout, at least, rely on for spawning and egg incubation. With very low flows, we could see bars at the mouths of many of our streams blocking movement of fall-spawning salmon and coaster brook trout into the streams from Lake Superior.

The streams better able to hold fish through a prolonged drought are those with some deeper water, and with good shading (forest cover) or some groundwater input to keep those waters cool. Streams with a lot of intact wetland in their watershed are more likely to maintain enough base flow to support fish. Paradoxically, when water levels in the streams get down to or below base-flow levels, they may actually stay quite cool if shaded, because the little flow remaining comes mainly from cool or cold sub-surface sources. So, for example, although recently the upper Cascade River was quite low, its waters, which can get quite warm in a normal year, were some of the coolest we’ve seen there in mid-summer. That’s one reason why maintaining intact forest cover along our streams has been one of our highest priorities. As bad as a summer drought can be, particularly in smaller streams, effects could be worse if we go into the winter with low flows (and little snow). In small streams those conditions allow anchor ice to form on the bottom as cold seeps in under the bed, and streams can freeze entirely, from the bottom up. That can result in the complete loss of fish in the stream, or at least a great reduction in numbers that can take years to recover from. Several small trout streams in this area lost their trout in the severe 1976-77 drought, and never recovered. Several more area streams were affected by anchor ice in the early

Usually a waterfall, a film of water trickles over rocks on the Flute Reed River and drips into the pool below. | SHAWN PERICH 2000s, when fall water levels were very low, the early winter was very cold, and little snow fell. Best case scenario for ending this drought will be a shift in weather patterns that brings us some prolonged periods of rain. Enough to recharge our wetlands and fill our streams, but not enough (at one time) to bring in a large surge of warm water, or to wash in a load of sediment from eroding banks and exposed soils.—Steve Persons, Area Fisheries Supervisor

Safe Driveways in Rural Areas Driveway Access for Emergency Vehicles Emergency personnel try their best to respond to calls in a timely manner. Planning for access by emergency vehicles improves safety for homeowners and their families. This is especially important in rural areas where response times may be considerably longer than in cities.

Trophy Trash!

Every month we will publish a photo of our readers showing off their trash trophies. If we select your photo, you’ll win a gift certificate from Cook County Home Center.

• Have an unobstructed vertical clearance of 14 feet. • Have at least a12-foot wide drivable surface, with a 2-foot clear zone on each side of the driveway (16-feet overall). • Driveway must not exceed 12% grade overall.

411 W 2nd St, Grand Marais, MN 55604 firewise@co.cook.mn.us Phone: 218.370.8966 www.cookcountyfirewise.org

| Tim Beaulier

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Driveway Width, Height & Grade For emergency vehicles to safely access your property, your driveway must have an all-weather surface that can support large, heavy vehicles. Vegetation must be cleared to the following standards:

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Ka’mon man! I wanted to fish and take a few pictures this morning, but I had to spend my time cleaning up after some supposed adults who trashed the Brule River.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN SKY SEPTEMBER 2021 By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH

With daylight slipping away, September’s skies make an excellent background for watching stars and planets. Venus shines briefly above the western horizon after sunset. On the 9th, a young crescent moon joins the planet. As both sink, the brilliant star Arcturus, in Bootes, the herdsman, comes out above them. At nightfall, the Teapot of Sagittarius hangs low in the south. Its spout tips downward, as if pouring the tea onto the tail of Scorpius. West of the Teapot glows Antares, the scorpion’s red heart. East of the Teapot, Saturn and brilliant Jupiter dot the darkness. The two planets are now inching westward against the background of stars, a consequence of Earth having recently lapped them in the orbital race. East of the planets, the Great Square of Pegasus is gaining altitude. Above the planets, the Milky Way courses through the large Summer Triangle of bright stars. If you haven’t seen the Triangle stars and constellations yet, September

is the best month to check them out. Turn your binoculars on the brightest of the three stars: Vega, in Lyra, the lyre. Enjoy its brilliance and the almost perfect parallelogram of stars right below it. Those stars represent the lyre of the mythical Greek musician Orpheus. Also look east of Vega to see the Northern Cross, which outlines the body of Cygnus, the swan. A waxing moon shines above Antares on the 12th, below Saturn on the 16th, and below Jupiter on the 17th. The moon becomes full at 6:55 p.m. on Monday, the 20th. It rises just 29 minutes later, so it will be very round as it climbs into the pale but rapidly darkening sky. The fall equinox arrives at 2:21 p.m. on the 22nd. At that moment the sun crosses the equator on its way south and Earth will be lighted from pole to pole. 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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The View from Split Rock A Lighthouse Keeper’s Life By Lee Radzak with Curt Brown Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2021, $19.95

Hired by the Minnesota Historical Society in 1982, Lee Radzak spent 36 years as the site manager and lighthouse keeper for the iconic Split Rock Lighthouse; living on-site alongside his wife, two kids, and their dog. Filled with historical data and captivating stories, the book is broken up into the four seasons, for as Lee’s wife Jane says, “Our lives were ruled by the seasons.” The pages are also filled with numerous photos, diagrams, and even a few recipes. The View from Split Rock is a beautiful coffee-table book that will be adored by many folks, myself included.—Breana Roy

Art on the Edge of the Boreal Forest

This is an unusual book. It’s the culmination of an art project begun in 2010 to create a visual archival record of Minnesota’s boreal forest, which is threatened by climate change. Guiding the project were some of the state’s top forest scientists. Scientifically accurate artwork depicts boreal trees, birds and insects. Short text chapters written by the scientists and accompanying graphics explain what common boreal species are at the most risk from rising temperatures. Their predictions are grim and thought-provoking. Proceeds for the sale of the book (which can be purchased online at: store.bookbaby.com) will be donated to The Center for Forest Ecology at the University of Minnesota and the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth.—Shawn Perich

Ron Schara’s Minnesota Mostly True Tales of a Life Outdoors By Ron Schara

Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2021, $18.95

Ron Schara is among the last of a breed: a newspaper outdoor writer. During his years at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Schara was as comfortable sharing a boat with a major league baseball player as he was with a crusty fishing guide. From walleyes on Mille Lacs to pheasants in South Dakota, Schara covered the fishing and hunting beat. He promoted the conservation and protection of clean water and wildlife habitat and played an invaluable role in the development of some Minnesota conservation organizations. Schara successfully transitioned from newspaper ink to the television screen where he and his black Lab Raven (there were three of them) became household names on his popular show, Minnesota Bound.—Shawn Perich

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The Finland Farmers Market runs until Early October! Under the Pavilion at the Clair Nelson Center, 6866 Cramer Road, Finland, MN

Every Thursday evening from 5-6:30 pm through October 7th!

Vendors: 1st week is free! Fee: $5/week or $50/season More info or to register call

218-353-0300

or check out our website at www.finlandfarmersmarket.com

We also want to offer community learning experiences related to food at the market, so it’s time to get creative. Want to be involved? Have an idea? Contact us! 218-353-0300 or email Market Coordinator katee@friendsoffinland.org We are able to accept credit cards, EBT and SNAP

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We are proud to serve as your community bank for over 100 years! Come see what we can do for you! Grand Marais Branch • (218) 387-2441 Tofte Branch • (218) 663-7891 www.GrandMaraisStateBank.com NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Gidaanikeshkaagonaanig Gidaanikoobijiganinaan Following the Ancestor’s Steps

Mookise Meme (Dawn Pileated Woodpecker) By Sam Zimmerman Recently, I was driving back from Gichi-onigamiing (Grand Portage) when I saw a beautiful flash of miskwaa (red) launch from the trees and dive across Highway 61. At the same time, a semi-truck was coming through the second Silver Bay tunnel. I did not see it land and then saw something on the road. I slowed down and saw the meme (pileated woodpecker) had been killed. I pulled over, put my flashers on, got out of the car and put down aseema (tobacco) for this beautiful manidoo (spirit) and got it out of the road. It was weighing on me all the way back to Onigamiinsing (Duluth). I went home and sketched it out perched on a Giizhik (white cedar tree) to honor it. Now that I’m back in the studio from Gichi-onigamiing, I was able to finish it. Follow my studio on Facebook and Instagram @CraneSuperior or if you have ideas for a North Shore painting, you can email me at: cranesuperiorstudio@gmail.com.

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www.visitloonlake.com • 218-388-2232 48

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Strange Tales The Sternwheeler, a multi-millionaire, the National Hockey League and the Montreal Canadiens By Elle AndraWarner

A sternwheeler is a steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives a single paddle wheel at the stern to propel the vessel through the water; quite elegant looking. Back in 1908-1909, Port Arthur’s famous pioneering entrepreneur and shipbuilder James Whalen—owner of Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company (later became the Port Arthur Shipbuilding Company)—built a 150-foot sternwheeler at what is now called O’Brien’s Landing at the southern end of Sturgeon Lake, north of Ignace, Ontario. Named the M. J. O’Brien, it was built for Canadian multimillionaire, railway construction contractor and Whalen’s business partner M. J. O’Brien, who was the vice president and Whalen the second vice president of the Superior and Western Ontario Railway and New Ontario Transportation Company with Headquarters in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay). According to Poor’s Manual of Railroads, the company was contracted to build 720 miles of Ontario railway of the Transcontinental Railway (now the Canadian National Railway). The sternwheeler, which operated from 1909 to 1912, carried supplies, freight and up to 60 passengers on a 45-minute water journey to the north end of Sturgeon Lake during the railway construction. For a fee of $2 or less, passengers could travel on the sternwheeler from any landing to any other part of the lake. The captain of the M. J. O’Brien was William Cross, the son of James W. Cross (caretaker of abandoned houses at Silver Islet after the sil-

The O’Brien Trophy, created in silver from M. J. O’Brien’s silver mine in Cobalt, Ontario, was presented to the NHA Champion from 1910 to 1917. After the NHA became the NHL, it was awarded from 1921 to 1950. It is now in the Hockey Hall of Fame. | ALEX LANEY ver mine closed) and brother of the Silver Islet’s Julian Cross (founder of the Steep Rock Mines). Michael John O’Brien (M. J.) was a railway builder, industrialist, philanthropist and founder of the town of Renfrew, Ontario. Born in Nova Scotia in 1851, he quit school at age 14 for a water boy position at a railway construction site. By age 18, he was subcontracting for railroad work; went bankrupt in 1891 (after a disastrous contract with Canada Atlantic Railway), then

Rieka is the newest member of the Exhibit Pack

rebuilt his wealth through railway construction contracts and mining. By 1916, he was worth $1.6 million; in 1918, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate. In Northwestern Ontario, M.J. also owned, controlled or supported the Great Lakes Dredging Company, Whalen Land Corporation Ltd., Thunder Bay Contracting Co., Canada Pebble Company and National Transcontinental Rail Road. Besides the railway contracts, he was involved with building grain terminals in Port Arthur and

The Stanley Cup Championship Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL playoff champions. Commissioned in 1892, the trophy was donated by, and named after, Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor General of Canada. The first champions were the Montreal Hockey Club. Stanley Cup image from 2015. | ALEX GOYKHMAN STERNWHEELER cont. on page 50

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FOR SALE Rustic Summer Cabin 384 E. Bearskin Rd.

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MCKAY ISLAND, RED ROCK, ON

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The sternwheeler M. J. O’Brien was built by Port Arthur’s pioneer shipbuilder and entrepreneur James Whalen. The boat was built at the southern end of Sturgeon Lake at what is now O’Brien’s Landing, located north of Ignace, Ontario. | ELLE ANDRA-WARNER STERNWHEELER cont. from page 49 Fort William (now Thunder Bay) and sections of the Welland Canal. In 1903, M.J. purchased four mining claims from a prospector for $4,000 that would become the O’Brien Silver Mine in Cobalt Ontario, one of the world’s richest silver mines. When his son Ambrose founded several hockey teams, M.J.—a resident in Renfrew—financed four teams including the Renfrew Creamery Kings (aka Renfrew Millionaires), the Stanley Cup challenge team. Their goal was to win the hockey’s Stanley Cup, but they were denied the opportunity for Renfrew team to play it. So in December 1909, M.J.’s son Ambrose co-founded a separate hockey league, the National Hockey Association (NHA), mainly financed by his father. The NHA, which operated from 1909 to 1917, was the forerunner of today’s National Hockey League (NHL), founded in 1917. The new hockey league included the NHA’s Montreal Canadiens as one of the four original NHL teams and the only one still in operation. M.J. donated the O’Brien Trophy (O’Brien Cup), created with silver from his Cobalt mine, awarded to NHA champion from 1910-1917. “The coveted prize for teams in this era wasn’t the Stanley Cup—it was the silver O’Brien Trophy made from the rich Cobalt mine,” writes author Frank Cosentino in his book The Renfrew Millionaires: The Valley Boys of Winter 1910. In 1921 the O’Brien Trophy was transferred to the NHL and awarded until 1950; it’s now on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame. But what happened to the sternwheeler M. J. O’Brien? In Jack Snider’s 1965 column Shipping, he writes that an old-timer told him after being in service for about three years, the sternwheeler was dismantled and the superstructure made into camp

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

An Irish immigrant, M. J. O’Brien left school at 14 to work as a water boy on construction projects. He became a multi-millionaire through mining, railway construction contracts, and businesses. He also financed four hockey teams of the National Hockey Association, which was dissolved in 1917 to become the National Hockey League. In 1918, he became a Canadian senator. | LIBRARY OF CONGRESS housing on shore. In 1924, the sternwheeler burned to the waterline and was left in the water as a derelict shipwreck. Later, the sunken hull of the M. J. O’Brien became the foundation for the Sturgeon Lake Lodge’s dock at O’Brien’s Landing. Snider notes in a 1966 column, that for the sternwheeler, it is a “rustic requiem and fine finale to the career of a pioneering Northwestern Ontario inland steamboat of a bygone era.”

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NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

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

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604

LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTIES BIG BAY – BIG VIEWS

AMAZING LAKE SUPERIOR LOT

Property features 1,850 feet of magnificent shoreline enveloped by a seemingly infinite expanse of fresh water, and dense, mossladen forest. Take the long boardwalk through the woods to 3 observation decks with vantage points of the scenery. Follow the driveway to the lake view building site with electric and fiber optic access. Or preserve its natural serenity and leave the property as it is.

MLS#6097902 $1,500,00

SOLD

THREE GENERATIONS – LAKE SUPERIOR COTTAGE

Tucked peacefully into the dense woods, only feet from the craggy ledge rock shore of Lake Superior, lies this charming old family cabin. Well cared for, and simple, the small structure has everything you’ll need for your summer stays on the shore. Power and Broadband are there. The 350+ feet of dramatic shoreline and 8 acres provides protection and many great sites for a future home or additional cabin.

MLS#6097560 $489,900 LAKE LOVER’S PARADISE

Lake Superior views that will take your breath away. In addition to dramatic cliffs and mature birch that characterize this property, there is ample acreage above the north side of Hwy 61, with a variety of lake view building sites. 510 feet of shoreline with 46+ acres. Shown by appt only, listing agent must be present, buyer must provide lender’s pre-approval letter or proof-of funds to secure appt. MLS#6097546 $450,000

PREMIER LAKE SUPERIOR LOT

Spectacular views of the big lake from a slightly elevated build site. Very secluded and private, a one of a kind opportunity with 332 ft of ledge rock shoreline! Right in the neighborhood of Lutsen Mts., Superior National Golf course, dining and recreation. MLS#6096904

$299,000

LAKE SUPERIOR – LEVEL LOT, GREAT VIEWS

This 1.76 acre lot has 214 feet of rugged rocky shore. Building site close to the water’s edge in mature spruce trees. South and east views of sun rises and moon rises. Secluded area adjoining state land. A great home site from which to watch the crashing waves. MLS#6095526 $199,900

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES Lake Superior lot with 206 ft of shoreline, deep spruce forest, adjoining state land and outstanding sunrises and sunsets with east view of the lake. Enchanting forest with huge mosscovered boulders. Build your home or cabin here and enjoy seclusion with the charm and

peacefulness of the Hovland area. MLS#6097037 $199,900

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES MILLION DOLLAR WILDERNESS VIEWS

A fantastic stand-alone luxury home on the edge of the BWCA on remote and scenic McFarland Lake. A full wall of windows brings the stunning scenery into all 3 levels, with 6 bdrms, 4 baths and full lower level kitchen. Custom built home shows quality throughout, including 2 fireplaces, sunroom, large loft, sauna and laundry room. Spend summer evenings on the expansive deck and outdoor spaces, or in the screen house off the patio. Huge 3-bay floating dock system, detached 2-car garage with workshop and generator room, and a 4-stall garage. Comes fully furnished. MLS#6097293 $950,000 REDUCED

LARGE TWO ISLAND LAKE RETREAT - GRAND MARAIS.

This 46+ acre property includes a peninsula with outstanding lake views. Wide creek and tons of wildlife. Privacy assured with over 1600 ft of lake front, plus over 2000 ft of creek. Literally walk to the BWCAW. Charming 4-season, 2 bdrm cabin with large dock and easy lakeshore access. Property can be sub-divided. MLS#6087574 $845,900

GUNFLINT LAKE LOT

Property ready for a house to be built on 16.9 acres. Includes garage with loft, power and high speed internet. Enjoy 677 feet of calm, sandy shoreline on Gunflint Lake. Southern edge of property borders an inlet, occasionally animated by moose, beaver and waterfowl activity. Unique opportunity to establish yourself in a quintessential location in northern Minnesota, and take advantage of its many activities and sights. MLS#6097781 $499,000 REDUCED

SALIENG PE N D

LOG HOME SERENITY – WILSON LAKE

This 2 bedroom lake home is situated on the quiet & pristine Wilson Lake. Log framed home features vaulted ceilings, wood stove, loft bedroom, natural woodwork, screened in porch & broadband Internet. Spacious bonus room above the 2-car garage features a wood burning stove and extra sleeping area. Screened-in boat house to store your water toys or enjoy an evening without bugs. Protective covenants protect the peace and quiet. MLS#6098278 $449,900

TOM LAKE ESCAPE.

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

LARGE, PRIVATE RETREAT – TOM LAKE.

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

MLS#6092390 $299,000 MUSH LAKE CABIN

Imagine escaping to this 44+ acres of peace and serenity surrounded by Superior National Forest. A cabin in the woods, a yurt, a sauna and what feels like your own private lake since this is the only cabin on the lake, the rest of the shoreline is USFS land.

SALIENG PE N D

MLS#6097971 $264,900

DEVIL TRACK LAKE – REMOTE CABIN

Quality 2-bdrm cabin, built in 2012, featuring large windows, cathedral ceiling in the great room, loft, and beautiful kitchen. There is a well and a holding tank sewer system. Unique location, at the far end of the South Shore Dr of Devil Track Lake, surrounded by state and USFS lands. 150 ft of lake frontage in a protected and sheltered bay. The 4.78 acre parcel adjoins thousands of acres of remote public lands for exploring.

MLS#6096616 $220,000 REDUCED

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com 52

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

INLAND WATERREALTORS®: PROPERTIES HOMES CABINS Mike Raymond, Broker • Linda Garrity, Realtor • Cathy&Hahn, ABR/GRI • Larry Dean, Realtor JakeLOT Patten, TOM LAKE WITH DOCK

Realtor • Jess Smith, Realtor • Sue Nichols, Gail J. Englund, GRI HOME•ON LOG HOME NEAR Assoc. Broker

ALENG S D L Red Pine SO Realty • (800) 387-9599 PENDI

Imagine owning over 650 ft of shoreline on a fantastic walleye lake! Driveway is built and the dock is at the shoreline. Slope to the lake is gentle with nice building sites. Electric and Broadband are on Tom Lake Rd or you can use a generator/solar panels. Road association plows the road in the winter. MLS#6097952 $169,900

NINEMILE LAKE LOT

2.30 acres with 548' of gorgeous inland lakeshore in one of the most lovely and private areas of Lake County. Includes a beautiful point of land that naturally offers quiet and peacefulness. Lot adjoins MN State lands. Proximity to hiking and snowmobile trails, ATV trails, other amazing fishing and wilderness lakes nearby. Year-round access. MLS#6098089 $139,900 REDUCED

TWO EXCEPTIONAL TOM LAKE LOTS. These special

SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. Two 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#6089604

$96,000, MLS#6089606 $88,000

SECLUDED LOT W/ LAKE ACCESS LOT. This

SOLD

3.8 acre densely wooded lot has good access off a county road, and the Tomahawk Snowmobile Trail. Includes a 1.2 acre lot on Hare Lake. Perfect place to keep your boat and water accessories. The 2 lots are permanently joined by deed restriction. There is power and cell phone service..Only 20 minutes to Lutsen ski and golf! MLS#6094774 $44,900

HOMES & CABINS Custom built home w/ 4 bdrms, 3 baths and finished walkout lower level, including cozy gas fireplace. Feels like your own private getaway with many well thought out features throughout the home. 5-zone in floor heat, floor to ceiling stone fireplace, beautiful tiled baths, jetted tub, wood ceilings & maintenance-free deck to enjoy private backyard. Walking distance to Grand Marais & Lake Superior.

SALIENG PE N D

MLS#6099041 $499,900

NEW! BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM BUILT HOME 3 bdrm, 3 bath house

on 11.75 acres with county road frontage near Grand Marais. Quality craftsmanship, stone fireplace, custom cabinets and built-ins. Tile, wood and laminate floors with in-floor heat w/ dual heat sources. Master suite w/ walk-in closet and bath. Nice patio area and the feeling of seclusion. Attached 2-car heated garage w/ shop space. Access to SNF on adjoining forestry road.

MLS#6098774 $492,000

LUTSEN 2-STORY HOME Immaculate 4 bdrm/2 bath home on 4.4 acres, a mile off Hwy 61. Step onto the covered-farmer’s porch into the warm living room with gas stove perfect for chilly evenings. Main bedroom, with dressing room and full bath (with jet spa tub). Large kitchen, with walk-in pantry. Family room, with built-in bar, pool table, and gas-fed fireplace. Plenty of storage with 2 garages and a barn.

SALIENG PE N D

MLS#6098107 $393,000

SALIENG PE N D

SCHROEDER ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME 2 bdrm. plus large

LIVE WHERE YOU PLAY

MLS#6092307 $97,000, MLS#6092308 $129,000

DEVIL TRACK RIVER

This home is conveniently located only 6 Classic log home with custom miles from Grand Marais and just off of made doors and hand-picked local the Gunflint Trail. Includes 5+ bedrooms, logs. 2 bdrm, 2 bath home on 2.88 a large yard and open floor plan on the acres.387-9598 Enjoy sunrises from balcony (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) • info@RedPineRealty.com main level. There are 230' of river frontage off bedroom loft, sunsets from PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand MN 55604 on the beautiful Devil Track River which is back deck, and cozy eveningsMarais, on great for fishing stream trout or perhaps the porch. Includes custom kitchen island and cabinets, cedar railings, to find a place to sit and enjoy the sounds and views of the flowing river. split-log stairs and rich wood flooring. Detached garage with finished MLS#6096272 $180,000 REDUCED space. Adjoining federal land gives privacy, with Broadband to keep you connected. Comes fully furnished. MLS#6097279 $459,900 S. GUNFLINT LAKE

loft, 2 bathrooms, high-end craftsmanship, the ultimate in privacy/woods & direct access to Superior Hiking Trail. New construction with power/access to broadband, well/holding tank with room for a mound. Year-round access, outstanding setting! MLS#6098627 $362,500

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!

GORGEOUS GRAND MARAIS HOME

GRAND MARAIS

Beautiful SIPS panel home with detached 2-car garage, on 20 secluded acres of maple forest close to Tom Lake. Open concept main floor with soaring beamed ceiling. Large, open kitchen features Schrock solid maple cabinets and Italian stone tiled floor. In-floor heating and passive solar gain. Independent home with solar system and panels, but connecting to the grid is at the driveway. Includes Broadband, well & septic system, and a dual fuel outdoor wood boiler. MLS#6098199 $349,900

TUCKED-AWAY HOME – GRAND MARAIS

Secluded property just outside of town. The small 2 bedroom, 1 bath home is in like-new condition, well maintained and updated. Large wrap-around deck is perfect for evening grilling, or morning cup of tea. Detached 2-car garage with heated shop. Large wood shop building with adjoining garage-storage and an inside/outside dog kennel. Furnishings included. MLS#6097942 $289,900

SOLD

GUNFLINT TRAIL HOME & BUSINESS 3 bdrm., 2 bath home &

SOLD

business space with many updates. Fantastic heated shop spaces & garage, lovely garden space, pretty & peaceful wooded setting near lakes, trails, dining! On the famous Gunflint Trail. Home & business options...or just call it “home.” MLS#6097559 $289,900

NEW! CABIN OVERLOOKING CARIBOU LAKE Little log

cabin that overlooks Caribou Lake! The 2.29 acres are densely highlighted by beautiful cedars, birch, maples and various evergreens. Includes 1 bdrm., 1 bathroom, fireplace and a 3-season porch. Make it your permanent residence or visit it when you need to get away from noise and a packed schedule. MLS#6098534 $249,900

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

RD CABIN

Great off-grid camping or starter cabin, with access to power. Possible view of Gunflint Lake with selective tree removal. 10+ acre property abuts public land to the south. Really nice, simple getaway, or a good place to come to after a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters or a long weekend hike. Smaller building has storage space and a composting toilet. Come take a look, and have a seat on the screened porch. MLS#6097930 $169,000 REDUCED

CONDOS

SALIENG PE N D

OUTSTANDING LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS

Three bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a lower level walkout flexible space used for additional sleeping and lounging. Two fireplaces, a comfortable main level open layout, a fantastic deck with spectacular views of Lake Superior! Successful vacation rental, walk to dining, ski hill, winery, Superior Hiking Trail. MLS#6097395 $425,000

COMMERCIAL FORMER AIR FORCE BASE.

Formerly operated as an Air Force Base years ago and now somebody can bring their ideas and creativity to create something special. Endless possibilities w/ the existing structures, the sewer/water already in place, power, internet, sidewalks and streets. It'd be tough to beat the panoramic views, too! Complete with a beautiful trail system. Some structures potentially salvageable. New roofs on some.

MLS#6097816 $800,000

BIG OPPORTUNITY, MANY POSSIBILITIES

Prime commercial location in Hovland with 1000 feet of Highway 61 frontage. Large commercial space, with a small 2 bedroom home and 1 functioning rental cottage. Many new improvements and upgrades. Two other small cabins could be rented. Large 2-car garage plus 2 sheds. This site has been a centrally located historical business location and has many options for your entrepreneurial pursuits. MLS#6095045 $287,000

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

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

SEPTEMBER 2021

RIVER/CREEKREALTORS®: FRONTAGE Mike Raymond, Broker • Linda Garrity, Realtor • Cathy Hahn, ABR/GRI • Larry Dean, Realtor LARGE TRACT WITH CREEK.

SOLD

Jake Patten, Realtor • Jess Smith, Realtor • Sue Nichols, Assoc. Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599

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#6095106 $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 $199,000

(218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604

NEW! GREAT LOCATION 40 ACRE OLD HOMESTEAD Property was picked by an early settler as a

homestead for a reason. Gently rolling land w/ southern exposure & nice mix of trees, tapable sugar maples, year-round running creek, good soils, & a distant Lake Superior view. Secluded & private, surrounded by SNF lands, ~ 2 miles off a cty rd between Grand Marais & Lutsen. Old Forest road access is grown-in, could reclaim w/ work. MLS#6098856

$92,500 COYOTE RIDGE LOTS WITH POWER

Acreage close to Grand Marais with an out of town feel. Lots 10 and 11 on E Coyote Ridge Rd. are beautiful 5+ acre parcels with power on site and 1000’ 1400’ of frontage on Lone Pine Creek. Potential for big lake views with selective clearing. Affordable yearly association fee to cover plowing and road maintenance. Please schedule your showings with a licensed real estate agent. MLS#6096717

$64,900, MLS#6096707 $75,000 WOODS, WATER & SECLUSION.

Two 40 acre lots with easy road access, good building sites, mature trees and open water views of Mons Creek. Has private deeded access to Lost Lake, a short drive away. Lost Lake is a beautiful lake with no public access and wilderness views and wildlife. The walk-in landing provides easy access for a canoe or small boat. Roads are gated for security and privacy and minimum lot size is 20 acres. MLS#6089089, 9090

$69,900 each NEW! 60 ACRES, POND & COUNTY ROAD This large

parcel has nice woods, good county road frontage and a creek with large pond. There are many nice building sites. Close to Judge Magney State Park and miles of back roads and trails. The Superior Hiking Trail is just a short hop away.MLS#6098896 $67,900

FINLAND 40 ACRES

40 beautiful acres surrounded to the N/S/E/W by state lands, compete w/ its own creek/ stream and trails running adjacent to the east. Water, woods & winding roads for miles! Enjoy downtown Finland, the Baptism River & more.

MLS#6096627 $65,000 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 $58,900

NEW! 40 ACRE SOLITUDE

RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE 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

NEW! ROLLING TERRAIN & POND

Deep woods and private access to Lost Lake. Good road access and many building site options. Beautiful beaver pond and creek split the 20 acre property. Lost Lake is a tucked-away gem with limited private property and no public access. Good trout fishing and moose sightings. This is a remote retreat property with the added bonus of lake access on a pristine wilderness lake. MLS#6098652 $38,900

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

LAND/BUILDING SITES VIEW THE LAKE & PRIVACY This 40 acre tract is a few

miles from Grand Marais on a blacktop county rd with power and broadband available. Fantastic views of Lake Superior, with possible 100+ degree views looking up and down the shore. Mature forest with diverse landscape. Many great building sites with great lake views. Potential for buyer to do a residential subdivision. MLS#6098102 $324,900

NEW! ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES LOT

Off grid 40 acre parcel with small pond surrounded by wildflowers, ferns and raspberry bushes. Located in an area with plenty of trails to explore. Near Tom Lake. Seasonal access by 4WD vehicle. Year round access by OHV, snowmobile, cross country ski, snowshoes, dog sled or paratrooping! MLS#6098405 $55,000

15.71 acre parcel just 3 miles east of Grand Marais. Good Lake Superior views from multiple building sites. Resort Commercial zoning. Property has been surveyed and wetlands delineated. Subdivision potential. Access driveway on west boundary line is in place. Great location!

private road with an affordable yearly association fee to cover plowing and road maintenance costs. Both parcels have power available nearby and include 400’ – 520’ of frontage on Lone Pine Creek. Close to Grand Marais, with nearby access to all the north shore has to offer including, but not limited too biking and hiking trails, inland lakes and more! Please schedule your showings with a licensed real estate agent.

Beautiful 14+ acreage w/ sweeping views of Lake Superior. Gentle slope up east side for a driveway leading to magnificent ridge top views. Enjoy entire property for private retreat or look into possibility of dividing into separate lots. Nice mix of evergreen and deciduous trees, open areas for enjoying lake view to the south or valley view to the north. Arrowhead Power line runs through NW corner of parcel. MLS#6098647 $175,000

PEACEFUL LOTS ON LONE PINE CREEK Peaceful lots on a

MLS#6096709 $40,000, MLS#6096716 $55,000

MLS#6098504 $240,000 NEW! LOT W/ LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS

LAND/BUILDING SITES HOVLAND HOMESTEAD 117+ ACRES

SOLD

Hurry out and pick up this 117.83 acre property that has lots of potential for a homestead or recreational getaway! Located about an hour from Grand Marais, it has access to electricity and broadband internet just at the end of the driveway. Make your dream of living and working in the north woods a reality. MLS#6095932 $139,000

SPECTACULAR LAKE VIEW. Expansive lake views and

enchanting forest make up a unique 13 acre parcel. Just 15 minutes from Grand Marais, and a short walk to Lake Superior's shore. Power and Broadband are available. Shared driveway leads almost to the property line.

MLS#6090230 $132,000

INCREASINGLY RARE, LARGE RECREATIONAL PARCEL. 234 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

SOLD

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 $99,900 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

LOCATION, RECREATION, FOR VACATION These 33 acres are in

a great location for your escape cabin. Close to the BWCAW and within walking distance to Cascade Lake. Year-round road access in a secluded part of Cook County. No power, or Internet - you’ll need satellite for that. But, maybe this is the time and place to leave it behind. MLS#6096618 $79,900

MATURE WOODS, LAKE VIEW, CLOSE TO GRAND MARAIS. Great 20 acre parcel on County Road 14 with mature forest

SOLD

and Lake Superior views. Good area for a home or recreational property. Could be subdivided. MLS#6086641 $74,900

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com 54

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

REALTORS®: REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, MikeBroker Raymond, • Linda Broker Garrity, • Gail Realtor J. Englund, • Cathy GRI Hahn, • Linda ABR/GRI Garrity,• Larry Realtor Dean, Realtor Jake Patten, Realtor • Jess •Smith, • Sue Nichols, Assoc.Realtor Broker •• Jess GailSmith, J. Englund, GRI Cathy Hahn, ABR/GRI Larry Realtor Dean, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604

LAND/BUILDING SITES COYOTE RIDGE LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS

Two lots only 3 miles from Grand Marais. Lot 17 is a beautiful 5+ acre parcel with an amazing view of Lake Superior. Potential for views of the big lake from the top of Lot 18, with 6.43 acres. Broadband and power nearby. Features nearby access to all that the north shore has to offer. A peaceful lot on a private road with affordable yearly association fee to cover plowing and road maintenance costs. Please schedule your showings with a licensed real estate agent. MLS#6096676

$89,900, MLS#6096674 $70,000 40 OF PINES NEAR TOM LAKE.

SALIENG PE N D

40 acres with good road access and an easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Year-round road, power is possible here. Many great building sites. Nice forest of plated pine. Great recreational area. Adjoins state land. Easy access to trails and other lakes.

MLS#6095108 $69,900 10 ACRE LOT NEAR GRAND MARAIS

10 Acre lot only 41/2 miles from Grand Marais. Potential for great lake views! Frontage on both County Rd 48 and Bally Creek Rd. Property has new culvert, new survey and a separate driveway into the southerly portion. Nice corner lot, with buried electric cable along the Northern border. Nice home site or retreat location. Site has had soil and boring tests for septic. MLS#6091811

SALIENG PE N D

$69,500 NEW! CLOSE TO GRAND MARAIS LOT 20 acres less than 10 minutes from Grand Marais! This nicely wooded lot is ready for your home site. This is a plowed school bus route with electric and broadband at the road. Enjoy the deer and wildlife right out your window. MLS#6098748 $64,900

FORTY

GREAT SALIENG IN LOCATION This 40 acre parcel PE N D adjoins thousands

of acres of Superior National Forest lands, minutes from Devil Track Lake boat landing. Close to Grand Marais, MN State Trail, Superior Hiking Trail, many great lakes and Cascade River. An old logging trail goes through the mature timber property. Road to property is rough, but not far off of public roads. Live with off-grid power, or a recreational cabin. MLS#6097817 $62,000

LARGE ACREAGE NEAR TOM LAKE.

Two parcels with 40 acres near year round road access and power. An easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Shared easement granted to build driveway into property. Many great building sites. Great recreational area. Easy access to trails and other lakes.

MLS#6095113, 6095114 $60,000 each 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,

LD a pond, and an easement to Tom Lake. Many SOto walk trails to ride and forest to explore. MLS#6085291 $59,900

WOODS, VIEWS AND PRIVACY

Nice lot only 4 miles from Grand Marais on county road. Potential Lake Superior views from a high lot with dense forest. Great location for your home or cabin. Close to trails and all the recreational opportunities in the area. MLS#6096711 $56,900

HOME SITE NEAR GRAND MARAIS

Nice 5 acre property close to town on black-top county road. power and phone at the lot. Broadband available. Dense woods and potential Lake Superior Views. Close to hiking, bike trails and all the wilderness adventures you desire. MLS#6096706 $54,900

SALIENG PE N D

BUILDING SITE OVERLOOKING MCFARLAND. This pine studded 7 acre

property has easy walking access to the county beach on McFarland Lake. Nice elevated build site with easy county road access. MLS#6085111 $43,000

GREAT LOCATION FOR HOME OR CABIN

Just minutes west of Grand Marais on a black-top county road with power at the site, Broadband nearby. Five acre parcel with southern exposure. Potential Lake Superior views. Very affordable building site!

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

MLS#6096700 $42,900

$58,500, MLS#6087228 $49,900, MLS#6087226 PENDING BUILDING SITE 10 MINUTES FROM GRAND MARAIS

Deep wooded lot with 5.31 acres. Power and Broadband. Good road access. Easy access to trails and lakes. Great spot to build your home in the woods.

MLS#6095432 $49,900 NATURE LOVERS PARADISE

Broadband and electric on a year round, school bus route! This is a mature, wooded 5 acre lot with spruce, poplar, birch, cedar and Balsam. There is ample space for building your new home. Notice the huge National Forest land on the back side of the property. This is a nature lovers paradise, deer, grouse, wolf and fox hanging out in your backyard. MLS#6095674

These 3 lots offer electric and walking distance from downtown Tofte! This would be a perfect location to build a year-round home from which to launch all of your north shore adventures. Or you could work remotely from here and have immediate access to hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities during your leisure time. MLS#6096868

Beautiful 20 acre parcel with lake views!! If it's hunting you want, good luck finding 20 acres that can compete. Property borders reservation land on the north and east sides and Federal land to the south. The land is covered with beautiful trees and wildlife! Currently there is no road to the property, which is factored into the asking price. MLS#6094977 $49,000

SOLD, MLS#6096869 $67,000, MLS#6096873 $59,000

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

SALIENG PE N D

adjoining USFS land, mature trees and lots of privacy. Just minutes from town on Maple Hill. Power/phone/ Broadband at the site. Ready for you to build your country home. MLS#6095429 $51,900

DEEPLY WOODED 5 ACRES

This nice 5 acre parcel has many good building sites, easy access to power and Broadband. Good road access and only 10 minutes to Grand Marais. A great location for a home or cabin near lakes, trails and wilderness.

MLS#6095434 $50,900

MLS#6098012 $42,350

TAIT LAKE PINES LOTS

Private & peaceful location in Lutsen, MN with its own hiking trails, outstanding views/settings, maintained roads, year-round accessibility, access to power, a calm and serene overall vibe and deeded lake access to Tait Lake!! Close to the Superior Hiking Trail, many more inland lakes and trails, Lutsen Ski Resort, Superior National Golf Course and access to food/beverage. 2+ acre lots are priced to sell. MLS#6098275

$39,250, MLS#6098276 $43,250, MLS#6098277 $42,000

acre parcel is heavily wooded with good road access. Power and Broadband at the road. Nice mature forest. A perfect home site!

MLS#6095435 $52,900 BEAUTIFUL HOME SITE – NEAR GRAND MARAIS This 5.61 acre lot has

Beautiful 5+ acre wooded lots, covered in Maple forest. In the fall this beauty will be ablaze with stunning colors. Caribou Lake Public Access nearby, hiking trails, Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort, Gitche Gumee bike trail and all the things the North Shore has to offer. MLS#6098003 $39,700,

$49,000 20 ACRES WITH LAKE VIEWS

GREAT LOCATION – 5 WOODED ACRES Only 10 minutes to Grand Marais, this 5

TOFTE LOTS

LUTSEN MAPLE LOTS

COYOTE RIDGE LOTS Acreage close

to Grand Marais, but with that out of town feel. Nearby access to all that the north shore has to offer including, but not limited too biking and hiking trails, inland lakes and more! Lot 12 is 7.5 acres and has an absolute breathtaking view of Lake Superior. Lot 15 on Lone Pine Rd. is a great 5+ acre parcel and includes power nearby. Peaceful lots on a private road with an affordable yearly association fee to cover plowing and road maintenance costs. Please schedule your showings with a licensed real estate agent. MLS#6096712 $45,000,

MLS#6096714 PENDING

NEW! REMOTE PEACE & QUIET Hide away in this beautiful dense forest, with remote trails and private lake access to Lost Lake, a limited private property lake with no public access, and trout! Twenty acres of rolling topography and nice building sites for your cabin retreat. MLS#6098653 $36,900 NEW! REMOTE WOODED HIDEA-WAY This 20 acre parcel is remote and has nice

southerly exposure. Deeded access to Lost Lake gives you a place to fish and listen to the loons. It’s a lake with limited private property and no public access. Great area for ATV’s and miles of roads to explore.

MLS#6098654 $34,900 FORTY ACRES NEAR FINLAND

Old homestead property in “Cramer” adjoining state land, and very close to Cramer Lake. No road access.

MLS#6095233 $34,900

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

SEPTEMBER 2021

MOLLY O’NEILL Agent

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

SELLING YOUR NORTH SHORE HOME?

NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

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 109 TOM OVERLOOK TRAIL 33 PINE MOUNTAIN COURT TOM LAKE , HOVLAND, MN GRAND MARAIS, MN

New Listing

SOLD

Sweet Log Cabin with Bunkhouse and Sauna, 191 Ft Lakeshore on 3.31 Acres MLS# 6098700 Price: $299,900

3 Bedroom 2 Bath Mobile Home with enclosed sun porch. MLS# 6098455 Price: $30,000

17.81 EAST COYOTE RIDGE GRAND MARAIS, MN

6.88 EAST COYOTE RIDGE GRAND MARAIS, MN

X20 CTY RD 60 GRAND MARAIS, MN

we Love Listings!

New Listing



19+ Acres for homestead or hunting land MLS# 6078387 Price: $89,900

XXX SUCKER LAKE RD, BIG SUCKER LAKE, NASHWAUK, MN

9 N BROADWAY GRAND MARAIS MN

Saleng Pendi

17.81 Acres. Rolling parcel with seasonal creeks. Private and close to town. MLS# 6097455 Price: $99,900

6.88 Acres. Lake Superior view. Driveway in. Power at the road. Close to town. MLS# 6097459 Price: $89,900

XXX E 7TH AVE W GRAND MARAIS, MN

5 N BROADWAY GRAND MARAIS MN

Sweet lot. 90 x 120 Dead end street. MLS# 6098146 Price: $59,500

Commercial Building 2578 sq. ft. Restaurant. Great location. Possibilities MLS# 6095312 Price: $399,000

15.9 beautiful acres with 840 ft of lakeshore on Big Sucker Lake MLS# 6096525 Price: $139,900

Commercial 50 x 82 lot. Fab location MLS# 6095295 Price: $139,000

Welcome T.C. Backlund I’m so glad to be back in Grand Marais and feel incredibly fortunate to be able to live here again. When my daughter was born, I couldn’t think of a better place for her to grow up than on the North Shore. I look forward to helping you with your real estate needs. – T.C. Backlund

Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Terry@BacklundRealty.com 58

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Call TimberWolff for Fall Colors Will Be Early This Year, Head North Soon! Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!! Enjoy Mother Nature’s Magic On The North Shore!! Local 663-8777 • Info@TimberWolf fRealty.com Toll free (877) 664-8777 DREAMING OF LAKE SUPERIOR? ON THE WATER, LAKE VIEWS! NEW! HOME SWEET TIMBER FRAMED HOME ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Welcome to Schroeder’s East Bay with its sprawling level beach access to the Big Lake. The magnificent Timber Framing is warm and welcoming, your guests will be awe struck by its Beauty. Gorgeous gourmet kitchen with island opening to the views of Lake Superior. Saunter along the deck overlooking the lake, enjoy the stone fireplace centering the home. Lots of space for all your visitors, and all of it top quality craftsmanship. Truly one of a kind Lake Superior home! Located just over an hour from Duluth, half hour to Lutsen Mountains Ski and Summer Resort, and AWAY from all the hustle and bustle of the city life! GO to TimberWolff Realty for 3D Virtual Tour and aerial photography!

MLS#6099060 $1,500,000

E SA L ING D PEN NEW! LAKE SUPERIOR TOWNHOME LUTSEN/TOFTE AREA! Welcome your guests in to this sprawling townhome, fun design and focus on Lake Superior! Big Views from Nearly every room, and enough deck space for everyone to enjoy those cool breezes off Lake Superior! Upper level owner bedroom en suite is spacious! Open kitchen, and dining areas, with a drop down Great Room with wall of windows and fireplace, Amazing Views. One car attached garage too! Stroll to the stairway to the beach just for owners! LOVE this place for year round living or vacation getaway! Minute’s to Lutsen Mountain Summer and Ski Resort AND Tofte’s Blue Fin Bay Resort!

MLS#6098625 $475,000

FUN TIMES AT THE HARBOR IN GRAND MARAIS! Modern interior, Sweeping Views, and FANTASTIC downtown location make this home away from home an amazing opportunity! Offset ownership with some rental income and enjoy all that Grand Marais has to offer from your front door. This Condo has a balcony made for morning sunrises overlooking the Sandy East Bay beach on Lake Superior, A MUST SEE!

MLS#6095992 $335,000

NEW! LUTSEN LIVING ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Enjoy this Norwood Shores townhome on Lutsen’s Lake Superior all four seasons! Minute’s to Lutsen Mountains Ski and Summer Resort, and ON Lake Superior, with a shared quiet ledgerock beach. Low maintenance living, just arrive and enjoy the spectacular views from your deck overlooking Lake Superior! Three bedrooms (Or two bedrooms and your Office!) and nicely updated, this home has a ton to offer!

MLS#6098532 $319,900

D L SO

COZY CABIN WITH SPECTACULAR LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS! MLS#6097909 $99,900

CHECK OUT OUR NEW LOCALLY CR AFTED TIMBERWOLFF WEBSITE , SEARCH ALL MLS LISTINGS AT TIMBERWOLFFREALTY.COM NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

INLAND LAKESHORE OPPORTUNITIES!

LUTSEN TAIT LAKE OASIS— A LINDAL CEDAR HOME!

This Lindal Cedar Home is a Classic, from the large foyer entry leading into the accommodating living room with a wall of windows overlooking the lakeshore and forest to the gas fireplace adding to the ambiance. Overlooking Tait Lake with a babbling creek and over 300ft of shoreline all in the midst of the boreal forest! From the Screen porch, the Spa room and the Main Level Owner’s Suite you won’t want to leave your personal Oasis, and who can blame you! Two car attached garage makes this home perfect for year round living in the Northwoods! With the Crib style year round dock in place you will be ready for all the seasons!

MLS#6095596 $895,000

PIKE LAKE CABIN, SHARED SHORELINE JUST WEST OF GRAND MARAIS! Super accessible, shared 282ft of shoreline on Pike Lake! The cabin sits very close to the Lake and offers wonderful Lake Views, or sit on the deck and listen to the loons. Very functional floor plan, all on one level and wood burning fireplace to take away the spring chills.

MLS# 6096148 $249,000 REDUCED

Hope to See you All at the Lutsen Fire Department’s Annual Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, September 19, 2021 at the Lutsen Town Hall, Highway 61 & the Caribou Trail! Serving Pancakes and Sausages with local Maple Syrup from Wild Country Maple and Caribou Crème that will NOT disappoint! All proceeds benefit the Lutsen Firefighter’s Fund, and with these DRY conditions all of our Visitors and Residents are encouraged to show up and support our local firefighters!! Pancakes served from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., and they are Darned Good Cakes!!

FIND THOSE NEW LISTINGS FIRST!! EMAIL INFO@TIMBERWOLFFREALTY.COM TO SIGN UP FOR AUTO EMAIL! 60

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

HOMES, HOMES, HOMES, READ ALL ABOUT ‘EM!! NEW!! DOVETAIL LOG CABIN NEAR TETTEGOUCHE STATE PARK!

NEW!! RENOVATOR’S DREAM ON THE CARIBOU TRAIL IN LUTSEN!

Yes, the home needs work and some TLC, but the five acres of BEAUTIFUL SUGAR MAPLES bordering the Superior National Forest makes all the work to be done WORTH IT! High on the hill going up the Caribou Trail, just minutes from White Sky Landing on Caribou Lake sits the Renovator’s Dream… two bedrooms with room to expand a second bath and 3rd bedroom in the lower level basement. Open concept kitchen to dining, with South facing family room with big windows. One car attached garage space has been partially converted to storage or could be living space. Two car detached garage too, just needs a little TLC too. And new roofs on the home and garage are needed as well, but what the heck, you are a Renovator looking for a Project!! Call today, this home won’t last long!

MLS#TBD AND $199,900 AS IS AND FIRM AT ASKING PRICE!

E SA L ING D N E P

Just an hour from Duluth, this dovetail log cabin features clean, modern lines and fantastic mountain views! Perched atop the hillside, this cabin has a ton to offer aside from the fantastic location. Modern design captures you as you enter, and the kitchen is efficient and awesome! Vaulted ceilings allow for a wall of windows facing the mountain view, with a wood stove to keep the chills down in the cold winter season. Large, stylish bathroom with beautiful tiled shower. Space efficient sleeping nook on main level and upper level loft bedroom. A screened porch completes this incredible space. After a long day of hiking and playing at Illgen Falls (an easy walk from the cabin), enjoy a barrel sauna and a glass of wine!

OL D

MLS#TBD $359,900

E L A S ING D PEN

THE HERITAGE AT LUTSEN MOUNTAINS!

The home’s charm is enhanced by being surrounded by dedicated open space . A tranquil pond at the edge of the property opens to the well-manicured, world-class Superior National Golf Course! A sprawling deck is for gathering, grilling, birding, snoozing. Inside is all shined up and ready for comfort, family time, meals, living tastefully in the great Northwoods near the shores of Lake Superior. High-end finishing materials are throughout, including granite countertops and oak flooring. Great room is all the greater with cathedral ceilings and stone fireplace. The kitchen is a dream. Plenty of bedroom space for the whole crew or make an office overlooking the pristine landscape, with cool, pure air drifting in. New garage with apartment above and man/she-cave shop in the back. This home is just waiting for you to live your dream on the North Shore!

MLS#6097591 $559,000

NORTHWOODS CABIN IN FINLAND! MLS#6097254 $120,000

SPACIOUS THREE BEDROOM HOME IN PEACEFUL LOCALE WITHIN GRAND MARAIS CITY LIMITS. MLS#6096339 $310,000

SIMPLE LIVING THE OLD STYLE WAY, RUSTIC AND FUNCTIONAL! JUST OFF THE BEATEN PATH!

This is not your typical Rustic Cabin- Only three miles from Highway 61, the Cabin has all the feelings of home without electric or water. The open floorplan gives you the feeling of more space and the large windows give you a new view every time the seasons change. With a loft and 3 season porch you have plenty of space to relax and unwind in the quiet woods. Listen to the birds sing while you plant your gardens or just roam on the 19+ acres!

E SA L ING D N E P

MLS# 6097509 $195,000

CHECK OUT OUR NEW LOCALLY CR AFTED TIMBERWOLFF WEBSITE , SEARCH ALL MLS LISTINGS AT TIMBERWOLFFREALTY.COM NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

CAMPN’, HUNTN’, FUN GETAWAY LAND, INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! SILVER BAY TO SCHROEDER AREAS

GRAND MARAIS AREA Come and live with the wildlife! 39+ acres of beautiful forest, accessible vie seasonal old logging road. Peaceful and Secluded Acreage with Flute River Frontage which attracts abundant wildlife! Borders Judge Magney State Park on the west and access to Superior Hiking Trail on state land. Create your own oasis in the woods and leave the busy lifestyle behind!

24 acres on Blackwoods Drive, approx. 8 miles up the Cramer Rd from the Cross River in Schroeder! Southern sloping maples, beautiful build sites! Electric, fiber, year round access.

$99,900 MLS#6094707

MLS#6096200 $64,900

Seclusion at 8271 Blackwoods Drive! Over 16 acres of sugar maples, beautiful! Year round access but gives you feeling of remote location. There is plenty of room to build and have the seclusion that you looking for- in fact the project has already begun since the current owners have already installed a driveway. Easily create a comfortable basecamp while building your dream getaway!

HOVLAND AREA NEW!! The Wilderness at your fingertips! 92+ acres just off the Tom Lake Road in Hovland. Dream and scheme the getaway cabin, build it out of timber right off the land. Wander all the nooks and crannies to find that ideal getaway. Make some ski trails or hunker down. Open up a patch for a back-to-the-lander’s dream garden or just keep it wild and natural: a place to walk, preserve, hunt, and contemplate the big questions. Unwind a bit here, get in a natural groove. Bring your vision, energy, passion and love!

MLS#6097285 $84,900

TOFTE AREA South Sloping parcels at LeVeaux Mountain! Beautiful build sites, one parcel has a wildlife pond and the other views of Lake Superior from the top! Yr Round access, electric and fiber along the road, sensible HOA makes this a gem to build your dream North Shore home!

MLS#6098528 $84,900 PRICED REDUCED

NEW! This nearly 40 acres parcel is recreational parcel for the outdoor enthusiast! Remote and secluded land, perfect for hunting or hiking, wild life viewing or planting trees and camping. Judge Magney State Park is close by – featuring the Devil’s Kettle and scenic hikes. The historic Naniboujou Lodge is also nearby and worth to visit! MLS#6098693 $69,900

MLS#6089001; MLS#6089003 $67,000 EACH! NEW! Outdoor Enthusiast Dream Location with 17+ acres to explore! Make your North Shore dreams a reality- this property is zoned resort/commercial/residential meaning the potential for creating your business and home just got that much easier. Great location close to The Cross Country Ski Trails, Superior Hiking Trails which both have access just a little further up the Onion River Road. And don’t forget about the Superior National Golf Course and Lutsen Ski and Summer Resort just a little further on the highway.

LUTSEN AREA Jonvick Creek RARE FIND with creek bordering common land, beautiful build site with distant Lake Superior view!

MLS#6094704 $57,500 SOLD!

Lutsen Build sites with shared septic and well just waiting for your little cabin ideas! Looking for a site to build without spending an arm and a leg? These sites are it! Well and Septic in place, just Build and Enjoy!

MLS#6097866 $179,900 SALE PENDING

GRAND MARAIS AREA

MLS#2309328 $39,000 AND OTHERS, JUST ASK ABOUT MINK RANCH!

Great lots in the heart of Grand Marais with city water and city sewer at the street!

80 acres in Lutsen! Nice for hunting and camping or to build your wilderness retreat! Wish we could say it was all high ground for this price, but it’s not but who cares, it’s 80 acres of your own land! Awesome wildlife!

.24 ACRES $96,500 MLS#6095459 .22 ACRES $90,000 MLS#6095460 .27 ACRES $70,000 MLS#6095461 ALL 3 SALE PENDING

MOUNTAIN R ESORT HOMES

MLS#2312987 $99,900 SOLD!

NEW! RELAX AT CARIBOU HIGHLANDS!

1 bedroom condo with balcony overlooking resort. Relax and unwind while planning each season’s adventures! Relax by the indoor or outdoor pools and soak up the views of Moose Mountain!

MLS# 6098169 $145,000

FIND THOSE NEW LISTINGS FIRST!! EMAIL INFO@TIMBERWOLFFREALTY.COM TO SIGN UP FOR AUTO EMAIL! 62

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

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

www.CBNorthShore.com

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

Serving Cook County since 1971

ON L AKE SUPE RIOR

140053 _ NORTH SHORE

2884 W Highway 61

317 ft. of magnificent ledge-rock Lake Superior shoreline, located minutes west of Grand Marais. Numerous outcroppings and rock formations that create incredible wave action together with the accompanying sounds of crashing water.

MLS 6095857 $359,900

NEW 4432 Cascade Beach Road

Incredibly rare opportunity to find a majestic, untouched 2.6A Lake Superior lot on the coveted Cascade Beach Road, in the heart of Lutsen. This stunning property features 246 ft of rolling ledgerock shoreline with beautiful rock outcroppings that create the magical sounds of the waves crashing & gurgling.

MLS TBD $589,900

NEW XX Tamarack Trail

Looking for a Lake Superior property to go camping on or to build your dream home? Make sure to check this lot with 386 ft. of shoreline, 3.83 acres, driveway, cleared area AND Farquhar Creek frontage.

MLS TBD $174,900

INLAND LAKE HOMES & CABINS

D L SO 21 Voyageur Bay

This sweet two bedroom, one bath cabin is surrounded by towering pine trees and located on the shores of Gunflint Lake, which is a very desirable lake because of the size & quality, fishing and direct BWCA access right out your front door. The cabin is situated on a USFS leased lot.

MLS 6097578 $349,900

78 Voyageur Point Rd

Relax and enjoy cabin life in this sweet 3BR, 1BA cabin, located on the shores of Poplar Lake. The property features 150’ of shoreline with 1.35A filled with mature trees that provide plenty of privacy. The location mid-Gunflint Trail is phenomenal with access to great fishing, canoeing, miles of hiking/biking/skiing/snowmobiling trails.

MLS 6097305 $489,900

108 Sag Lake Trail

Talk about a sweet spot on legendary and iconic Lake Saganaga. With 345’ of gorgeous lakeshore frontage this property consists of a well built and well cared for main cabin with great lake views from almost every room. Also on the property is a one of a kind historic log cabin that was built in 1950 on Ferrier’s Island on Sag. When the BWCAW was created the owner disassembled the cabin log by log and transported to this property where the cabin was lovingly reassembled.

MLS 6098007 $570,000 REDUCED

NORTHERN WILDS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Your Luxury Property Expert 7120 Two Moose Trail True solitude can be found on Wilson Lake in this stunning Mulfinger, architecturally designed 4 bedroom, 5 bath home that takes advantage of the many attributes of lake living. This exquisite home is tucked away on a gorgeous 4.5 acre lot filled with trails, gardens, and multiple water access points along the 284.17 feet of user-friendly shoreline. Escape to this peaceful retreat where you can enjoy the great outdoors, explore trails summer and winter, or just enjoy the views…. This is a truly special place!

MLS 6096401 $899,000

190 N Loon Lake Rd Majestic forest surrounds this equally majestic 3 bedroom, 3 bath home all set on 14 acres with over 650’ of Loon Lake shoreline. Open concept, granite counters, beautiful fireplaces, large attached garage…it has it all! Can you imagine having your own stunning forest, complete with walking & snowshoeing trails, majestic old growth cedar trees and plenty of wildlife? Cabins like this rarely come on the market and this home is being sold basically turnkey, making it easy to start living the dream!

MLS 6097081 $969,900

191 Needham Road Are you one of the many people intrigued by this gorgeous, contemporary home located on 160 ft of shoreline on West Bearskin Lake? This quality built, 3 bedroom, 1 ½ bath cabin focuses on the lake and outdoors with large windows providing tons of natural light, creating a very open & sunny space on a relatively small footprint. It is such a fun home to explore because of the design features, special finishes & furnishings that meld together to create the feeling of a minimalistic cabin with all of the modern conveniences you desire. Check it out – you won’t be disappointed!

G N DI

N E P

MLS 6097767 $819,000

101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com 140053 _ NORTH SHORE

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

(218) 387-2131

•

(800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com

HOM ES & C AB INS

NEW 37 Baraga Cross Road

NEW 68 Fradenburg Drive

Lake Superior views and the sounds of the Cross River from this 2BR, 2BA home nestled on 2 acres in the heart of Schroeder. Cross River runs along the property and you can walk down to Father Baraga’s Cross Park and enjoy Lake Superior.

Are you looking for a cabin or starter home that is very private, includes a well, septic system, electricity, broadband and yet minutes away from Highway 61? This combination garage & adorable 1BR apartment is located on over 6A in Schroeder.

MLS 6099087 $249,900

MLS 6099102 $195,000

1466 Tom Lake Rd

419 5th Ave W

Here is the log cabin in the woods you have always dreamed about! This charming cabin sits on nearly 80A with tons of trails for exploring and lots of wildlife to discover. Great location for the outdoor enthusiast with Tom Lake across the road.

Check out this well built affordable priced home! In City limits and situated on a large sunny lot. Looking for one level living? Here you go! This home has a spacious kitchen, a generous living room, 2BR, 1BA, mudroom and detached garage.

MLS 6097425 $299,900

MLS 6096141 $209,900

1292 Golf Course Rd

136 W 9th Street

Grab your clubs and play a round--this 3 bed/2 bath bright and sunny home is just down the road from the 8th tee at Gunflint Hills Golf Course on beautiful Maple Hill. Five acres with a large lawn, mature trees, and a pond.

Country living within the City Limits of Grand Marais! This 3BR home on an oversized lot will provide peace and quiet, room to explore, and easy access to downtown Grand Marais! Large deck with a distant Lake Superior view.

MLS 6097502 $315,000

MLS 6097748 $299,900 REDUCED

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

SEPTEMBER 2021

CONDOS

LAND 918 Cutoff Rd Beautifully wooded lot with garage and drilled well already completed. Close to town and the Pincushion Ski Area. What a location for your recreational getaway or year round home! MLS 6096726 $119,000 REDUCED

NEW Grand Marais Condos – UNIT 12

NEW 14X Bloomquist Mtn. Road Ten acres of mature trees including huge White Pines! Easy drive to town, yet secluded on a private road in a country setting. MLS 6075850 $44,900

10X County Rd 6 Top of the world views from this gorgeous property! Look to the West to see the Sawtooth Mountains, East to see Grand Marais and Everything in between is Lake Superior! MLS 6097090 $199,900

NEW 1XX Wesley Lane Imagine building your cabin or home on this 6+ acre parcel that is located only a couple of hundred yards from Devil Track Lake, providing tons of access without the shoreline taxes. MLS 6099118 $72,900

15X County Rd 6 Easy drive to downtown Grand Marais from this private lot on County Road 6. Fall River/Rosebush Creek frontage. MLS 6097095 $64,900

XXX Mountain Trail Nicely wooded 5 acre lot with fabulous views of Lake Superior. Close to Grand Marais, but country privacy--end of the cul-de-sac lot with great height. MLS 6097785 $124,900 REDUCED County Rd 6 Lots 3 lots available from 4.78 – 4.92 acres Own your own space in the country and only 10 minutes from Grand Marais and numerous recreational opportunities. Great mix of birch, balsam, pine and spruce. Check out these great Lots! $57,000 - $59,900 1X Brandon Lane Beautiful lot just outside Grand Marais. Fall River runs through this property. Dramatic frontage! MLS 6095813 $62,000 XX County Road 67 Breathtaking views from this 2.7A lot that directly abuts State Land to the east and there is DNR owned Lake Superior shoreline to the south. Quite accessible to year-round access and all utilities. MLS 6095245 $39,900 1X South Shore Drive So many options with this 5+ acre lot! Mature trees in a country setting close to popular Devil Track Lake, the airport, and only minutes to Grand Marais. MLS 6091923 $45,000 XX County Road 67 Gorgeous year round view of Lake Superior on this 2.7 acres with gently rolling topography with a gradual slope towards the lake. Truly a wonderful location to build that dream home! MLS 6095244 $82,000 1XX Ski Hill Rd Dreamed of a getaway on the North Shore? Over a half acre on Lutsen’s Ski Hill Road with the west side of the property overlooking Superior National Golf Course. MLS 6093169 $59,900

ING

Totally renovated with quality materials and workmanship, this 2BR, 1BA immaculate ground floor condo is move-in ready. The unit is close to all downtown Grand Marais has to offer. Complete the package with a heated under-ground garage and storage space and enjoy worry free living

MLS 6098687 $289,900

PEN

INLAND LAKE LOTS

12X-C County Rd 6 Private 10 acre lot with Lake Superior views--privacy at its best. Plenty of land for your oasis, hobby farm, cabin, home, retreat. MLS 6097096 $99,900 12X-D County Rd 6 Out in the country, but close to all the activities in Grand Marais! This peaceful 10A parcel will have you dreaming of easy living in a rural setting. MLS 6097097 $99,900 14XX Camp 20 Rd Terrific 55 acres with an amazing mix of forest. Balsam, spruce, birch, aspen and some maple and white pine. Want room to recreate? This is it. MLS 6097013 $60,000 1142 Camp 20 Rd 170+ acres of heavily forested land that has been replanted with many beautiful pine trees, poplar & cedar trees. Features gravel pit and pond and abutting State land. MLS 6097348 $159,900

Deeryard Lake

Just a little off the beaten path this 3.5 acres and 134ft of lake shore sits on Deeryard Lake. Build your cabin among the BEUATIFUL maples over looking the lake or close to the waters edge. MLS 6095803 $155,000

G N I D

4YYYS E Highway 61 This parcel has many great building sites, all with panoramic views of the Big Lake, Beautifully wooded 20 acre parcel with wonderful views of Lake Superior. MLS 6097721 $119,000

PEN

G N I D

4XXXN Highway 61 E Beautifully wooded 20A parcel with wonderful views of Lake Superior. Tree cover includes healthy balsam, fir and terrific Jackpines. MLS 6097659 $99,900

PEN

Tom Lake

Great 25 acre parcel right across the road from Tom Lake. The DNR owns the narrow strip of land between the road and the lake but you get all the views. MLS 6097232 $59,900

Greenwood Lake

Gorgeous south facing 2+ acre with 276’ of shoreline. Features YR access, driveway in, picnic area and walking trails. Development shared ownership includes private boat launch and surrounded by federal lands. MLS 6097422 $149,900

92XX Hwy 61 W 40A of healthy forest with Highway 61 frontage is ready for your idyllic place on the North Shore. Attractive tract with a potential Lake Superior view. MLS 6097501 $149,900 Jonvick Creek Sites 10 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

140053 _ NORTH SHORE

SEPTEMBER 2021

D L O S

PEN

Greenwood Lake

Here’s your chance to have property on the incomparable Greenwood Lake. Over 200 feet of rocky shoreline. A cleared building site on a rocky knoll gives an awesome view down to the lake. MLS 6095672 $129,900

101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com 66

NEW WILSON LAKE

Peaceful, private and serene lot on 4A and 285’ of picturesque Wilson Lake. Building site is situated with beautiful high views of the lake and surrounding forest. MLS 6098364 $199,900

NORTHERN WILDS

Tom Lake

Wishing for an affordable inland lake lot? Here it is! Over 20A with 300’ of shoreline on Tom Lake. All the privacy you long for and close to the BWCA and Superior Hiking Trail. MLS 6095017 $95,000

(218) 387-2131

•

(800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com

CATCHLIGHT

lb ack eb ar This is one of three bears that have visited my yard this summer. They usually come through at night, but this bear showed up in the early morning and put on a nice photo session for me. It was quite hot out and it was moving pretty slow when it sat down for this photo. It hung around for a little bit, then went off in the woods to cool down, I suspect. — David Johnson NORTHERN WILDS

OCTOBER 2021

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Northern Wilds September 2021

Articles inside

Northern Trails

Following the Ancestor’s Steps

Along the Shore

Along the Shore

Spotlight

Canoeing “Old Blue” Down the Whiteface River