Northern Wilds July 2022 by Northern Wilds Magazine

ROCK CLIMBING — ART FESTIVALS — CAMPING ADVENTURES — SURVIVAL GUIDE — ISLE ROYALE

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Seeking Adrenaline Rock climbing, mountain biking, ziplining, white-water rafting—the North Shore is filled will adrenaline-pumping activities, and so is this issue. But don’t worry, we know not everyone is an adrenaline-seeking junkie (myself included). So, for those who prefer to not have their blood pressure spike while relishing the outdoors, we have stories you’ll enjoy, too. When it comes to adrenaline, Eric Weicht has us covered with two Along the Shore stories. While Palisade Head and Carleton Peak are known as great rock-climbing locations, Weicht tell us that “climbing is everywhere” and gives us pointers on where to go and how to get started. His other story takes an in-depth look at mountain biking along the shore. Chris Pascone writes about Duluth’s Spirit Mountain Recreation Area, a four-season destination with plenty of activities for thrill seekers of all ages. Gord Ellis recalls unexpected adrenaline rushes in his latest Northern Trails column. Of course, before you do anything outdoors, you should know basic survival skills. Tom Watson has you covered, breaking down the seven steps to survival. When putting together this issue, I asked a few of our writers for camping stories and they didn’t disappoint. Pascone writes about surviving a nasty storm while tent camping on Trout Lake in the Boundary Waters. Elle Andra-Warner recalls camping where polar bears roam. Peter Fergus-Moore remembers his beloved tent-trailer

Share Your Thoughts 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.

and the many memories it brought his family. Walter Rhein’s family has a tradition to make campfire pizza when camping. Last but not least, Erin Altemus provides tips and tricks for camping with young kids. Joe Shead takes us to Brule Lake in the Boundary Waters for this month’s Fishing Hole and Shawn Perich writes about learning to fish at the age of 4 in his latest Points North column. Shead also takes us on a boat trip to Isle Royale that’s filled with fishing adventures and awe. Rae Poynter has a feature story on the Grand Marais Playhouse, which is celebrating its 50th year. She also interviewed Duluth mural artist Mollie Gilbertson for the Creative Space column. Want more art? Mark your calendar for the Hovland Arts Festival, Grand Marais Arts Festival, and Ely’s Blueberry/Art Festival, as well as many other family-friendly events along the shore. On a different note, our annual For the Love of the North photo contest starts this month, featuring four categories: Landscape, Wildlife, People/Pets, and Macro. See below for more details and be sure to enter. With summer in full swing, there’s no shortage of activities to try or events to attend. Get outside and make the most of summer before it’s gone.—Breana Johnson

Correction: In the June issue of Northern Wilds, the parking fee mentioned in the Strange Tales “Urban Explorers in the Wild” story was incorrect. For unlimited, year-round access to all Lakehead Region Conservation Authority (LRCA) sites, the annual Explorer’s Card parking pass is $40 plus HST ($45.20 CAD) and can be purchased at the LRCA office or ordered online at: lakehead.ca.com.

Enter photos and win prizes! Categories: Landscape, Wildlife, People and Pets, and Macro. Prizes will be awarded to the top three photos per category. Winners will be announced in the January 2022 issue of Northern Wilds. ENTER BY SEPT. 30 northernwilds.com/contests/photography-contest

Meet our Judges!

Photo Tip of the Month:

Light is one of the most important ingredients in a photograph. It’s well-known that the low light of mornings and evenings can provide pleasing images, but look for interesting weather events like thunderstorms and sun showers to provide opportunities for strong images. —James Smedley

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 fourthgeneration 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.

Paul Sundberg has done landscape and wildlife photography since the early 1970s. Paul and his wife Karla moved to the North Shore in 1976 managing several State Parks until his retirement in 2010. Paul and Karla currently reside near Grand Marais where Paul continues to pursue his passion for photographing Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters.

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VOLUME 19, ISSUE 7 w w w . n o r t h e r nw i l d s .c o m SERVING THE NORTH SHORE A N D TH E WI LDE R N E SS B E Y ON D PUBLISHERS Shawn Perich & Amber Pratt

EDITORIAL Shawn Perich, Editor editor@northernwilds.com Breana Johnson, 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

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18 Grand Marais Playhouse Celebrates 50 Years

A look at the past, present and future

20 Camping Adventures From scary storms to family traditions

Northern Wilds Media, Inc. P.O. Box 26, Grand Marais, MN 55604 (218) 387-9475 (phone/fax)

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Along the Shore Points North Spotlight Events Dining Health Northern Trails

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Fishing Hole Northern Sky Reviews Following the Ancestor’s Steps 47 Strange Tales

From Duluth to Thunder Bay, Ont. and beyond, we cover the stories from the area featuring the people and places that make this place unique. JULY 2022

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CONTRIBUTORS Erin Altemus, Elle Andra-Warner, Gord Ellis, Peter Fergus-Moore, Casey Fitchett, Virginia George, Paul Linden, Deane Morrison, Hartley Newell-Acero, Chris Pascone, Rae Poynter, Walter Rhein, Joe Shead, Tom Watson, Eric Weicht, Sam Zimmerman

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Grand Marais guide passes the paddle GRAND MARAIS— It’s time for a changing of the guard at a Grand Marais wilderness guiding service. After years of working for and with local outfitters in Cook County, Mike Bartz’s trajectory changed five years ago when he decided to branch out on his own. Catering mainly to the visitors who wanted a taste of the wilderness without an overnight stay, his Border Lakes Guide Service began showing customers the Northwoods. Gaining traction through word-of-mouth referrals, Bartz guided groups of all comfort and experience levels to see the beauty of Rose Lake, Horseshoe Lake, Round Lake, Caribou Lake, and many more. As more time passed with Bartz running the business predominately solo, he began to feel the weight of carrying more than just the canoes on his shoulders. After guiding about 500 individuals into the wilderness, he began to entertain the opportunities that arose to sell the company. After a bit of conversation, Bartz came to an agreement with prospective new owners. “I’m really happy to see these young people grab this opportunity,” said Bartz. “It’ll allow them to stay in the Grand Marais area, which is what they want to do. They’re going to take it to the next level, but they have a really good base to work from.” The passing of the paddle is officially underway. To ensure a smooth transition, the outgoing and incoming groups are spending time together both in the office and on the water. Bartz is passing along his knowledge of the routes, area flora and fauna, regional history of the area, and Indigenous culture. The new ownership team includes two individuals from Grand Marais, Matea Acero and Sean MacDonell, and Jacob Rachuy of Hastings, Minn. Beyond camping, canoeing and being young entrepreneurs, they also spend their time biking, skiing, hunting, gardening, cooking and making Northwoodsy art.

Grand Marais guide Mike Bartz recently sold his business, Border Lakes Guide Service, which offers visitors day trips into the wilderness. The new owners have renamed the business Border Lakes Tour Company. | SUBMITTED

“We have years of experience in the service and guiding industries in the Grand Marais area and pride ourselves on knowing almost every lake and backroad in the county,” explains MacDonell. “We want people of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels to find a way to enjoy the outdoors and see the value in preserving land for outdoor recreation.”

generations with lasting impressions of this place. Hopefully, they’ll come back to do overnight trips, attend summer camps, and really come to value this area,” explains MacDonell. “Whether a group wants a bit of a challenge or to sit back and enjoy the sights, we do our best to give them the outdoors experience that helps that particular group connect with the outdoors in the way that’s best for them.”

As with Bartz, the incoming owners want to help facilitate the connections to the land that ultimately encourage people to protect the wild spaces. Of course, new energy brings about the likelihood of some changes as well. The new leadership comes with their own approach and preferences as they embrace the control of the company. “We’re looking forward to bringing our own guiding style to the table without compromising on the quality of trips. We’ll be calling ourselves Border Lakes Tour Company to better reflect the direction we plan on moving in,” says MacDonell. “This summer we will continue to focus on canoeing and hiking tours, but already have other activities and guided tours in the works for next summer.”

Beyond their excitement about taking customers on adventures, MacDonell, Acero and Rachuy are also looking forward to developing partnerships with other businesses in the area. They hope that other local entrepreneurs will reach out with ideas about how they can be more inclusive or create opportunities. The newly-minted Border Lakes Tour Company is focused on positive experiences that instill confidence in guests to keep returning to nature and the wild. They welcome anyone who wants to spend a day in the outdoors, especially families with kids. They recognize that each person comes to

the northland with different expectations, goals and hopes. For them, creating smiles, encouraging a new worldview, and personalizing each trip are keys to success.

Learn more about the Border Lakes Tour Company and book a trip at: borderlakestourcompany.com.—Casey Fitchett

“Kids are so curious about the world around them, and we love to leave younger

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JULY 2022

Rock climbing is everywhere NORTH SHORE— I was mountain biking along the Duluth Traverse recently with a friend who is an avid rock climber. It was a blue-bird day, one of those days impossible not to appreciate, and during a break I asked him—where do people climb in Duluth? We were right in the middle of the city— somewhere between Chester Bowl and Hartley Nature Center—and without missing a beat he turned around and pointed to a small cliff next to the trail that dropped off into a bed of ferns. “We could climb right there if we wanted to,” he said, “climbing is everywhere around here.” The North Shore may not have the notoriety of Yosemite, or the reputation of Red Rocks out in southern Nevada, but for those who know where and what to look for, there is lots of rock climbing to be had in our neck of the woods. The basalt cliffs that fortify the North Shore of Lake Superior between Duluth and Thunder Bay provide some of the best climbing in the Midwest, while exposed rock faces and glacier-carved boulders inland offer unique opportunities for climbing in a wilderness setting with the boreal forest as a backdrop. And then, of course, in cities like Thunder Bay and Duluth there are crags to climb right in town, boulders to creatively navigate just off the local bike trail. Rock climbing is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S., with gear sales ‘climbing’ year after year and new climbing gyms opening across the country at an unprecedented rate. Competitive climbing even became an Olympic event in the most recent summer Olympics in Tokyo. Along the North Shore, the climbing “boom” can be seen in the number of established outdoor organizations like Camp Menogyn and the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center that have added climbing experiences to their summer programming, and the boom can be felt in how commonplace it has become to see people rappelling down cliffs at places like Palisade Head and Shovel Point in Tettegouche State Park. The reality of climbing on the North Shore is that it is not a lack of options that keeps

Taking a class or signing up for a guided trip is a great way to connect with the climbing community. | MATTHEW BAXLEY people from experiencing the sport, but rather all of the necessary gear and ‘knowhow’ that it takes to climb safely, responsibly, and with enough confidence to have a

“We could climb right there if we wanted to,” he said, “climbing is everywhere around here.” good time. Compared to other forms of outdoor adventure, rock climbing is particularly gear and knowledge heavy, and just knowing where to start can be a daunting task for first time climbers. “The culture of rock climbing is rooted in community; it’s teacher-mentorship based,” says Matthew Baxley, a longtime wilderness guide based out of Cook County. “To get into it, you connect with people, ask to go with, and learn along the way. I think it is a beautiful thing about the sport, this culture of relationships.”

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Taking a class or signing up for a guided trip is a great way to connect with the climbing community, and there are a number of ways to do that along the North Shore.

Vertical Endeavors—a Twin Cities based climbing company—has a Canal Park location in Duluth and Boulder Bear Climbing Centre brought 6,000 square feet of indoor climbing terrain to Thunder Bay, when it opened its doors in 2016. In addition to their modern indoor climbing facilities, Vertical Endeavors and Boulder Bear also offer a wide variety of events, classes and programs—both indoor and outdoor—for climbers of all skill levels. If gear and knowledge aren’t the issue and you just don’t know where to go, Palisade

Head (Silver Bay), Shovel Point (Silver Bay) and Carleton Peak (Tofte) are good places to start. Sawmill Dome along the Superior Hiking Trail is another great place to check out, with some of the best bouldering in Minnesota. Don’t forget though, climbing is everywhere. “From a climbing perspective,” says Baxley, “Carleton and Shovel Point are hard to beat, but there are so many great options. One of my favorite places that I guided was in the Boundary Waters—the Palisades on Seagull Lake.” “[Seagull] is a great place to top-rope, do some lead climbing, and even deep water solo for something a little more intense,” continues Baxley. “I definitely never did that with guided groups, but I did it every now and then for fun. Everything up here for climbing is super scenic, I mean, it’s the Northwoods, but Seagull is one of my favorite places on earth.”—Eric Weicht

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of Lake Superior, pointed just to the left of Rock of Ages Lighthouse as I anxiously wait for that moment when I can slow down and finally drop a lure in fishy waters. Reaching the area of the island feels like meeting up with an old friend. It always warms my heart to see it up close.

Reaching the area of the island feels like meeting up with an old friend. The sight of emerald-green reefs below the clear-blue waters gives me pause. These are the places where ships have met their ends. They are also the places where lake trout lurk; especially in the places where emerald-green suddenly gives way to an adjacent black abyss.

If you’ve never taken a trip out to Isle Royale, you need to. Only then can you truly appreciate the island and all its wonders, including the Rock of Ages Lighthouse on the way. | JOE SHEAD

The island calls — The wonderment of Isle Royale ISLE ROYALE— With the internet these days, it’s easy to look up Isle Royale and within minutes you can be an expert and rattle off all sorts of facts and figures. You can wow your friends by telling them Isle Royale is 45 miles long and 9 miles wide, but the national park actually includes more than 400 surrounding islands. And it’s well known that the island harbors a burgeoning moose population and that the waters surrounding it harbor some incredible, largely untapped fishing. But there’s something inside of me that wants to slam shut my laptop and forget the facts and figures it can tell me—like so many others, the island calls to me and beckons me to launch my boat. Only then can you truly appreciate the island and all its wonders. Visiting the island isn’t nearly as perilous these days as it was via canoe long ago, but you’re still taking your life into your own

Every trip to Isle Royale is memorable. I’ll never forget the time a friend and I had put out five fishing lines and before we could get our sixth rod in the water (in Michigan you can fish three lines apiece), we hooked a triple. We never bothered to put in more than four lines after that because it was too much work. We had our limit of lake trout in 42 minutes. I’ll also never forget the time when I decided to anchor in shallow water and wade to shore just to say that I set foot on the island. My anchor got stuck under a rock in 6 feet of water and I had to jump into the 45-degree lake to free it. Needless to say, the experience took my breath away. And I never did set foot on the island that day.

hands any time you try to make that 19-mile run from Grand Portage. Your boat must be in tip-top shape, with plenty of fuel. A backup motor and a tool kit are good insurance. Also consider bringing a marine radio. I don’t have cell service at the island. And I find it hard to relax on my Isle Royale adventures because my eyes are constantly on the sky. Any uptick in wind; any dark clouds and I’m on the throttle, heading for the mainland. In my boat, it’s a 45-minute run one way. I always say the best time to leave the island was 20 minutes ago. For most people, taking the ferry out of Grand Portage is the best option. Via the ferry, you can still experience the island in relative comfort and safety. But why take the risk of exploring the island in your own boat? For one thing, it’s the sense of adventure I feel. For 45 long minutes, the boat flies across the surface

Last summer I brought a fly rod along on the chance that I might encounter schools of herring in shallow water. In the sheltered waters near Cumberland Point, dimples on the calm surface caught my eye. Millions upon millions of herring swarmed in shimmering schools. Try as I might, I was unable to tempt one to eat a fly, but I sure enjoyed the show. I’ll never forget watching the immense school suddenly part as I watched a lake trout slowly cruise through. It was like something you’d see on National Geographic. Only it was right there in front of my own eyes.

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Spirit Mountain Duluth’s summer mecca

Mountain bikers can buy a day pass for $46 at Spirit, which gives unlimited rides up the chairlift with your bike. | SUBMITTED

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DULUTH— Duluth’s Spirit Mountain has built its reputation as a prime Midwest winter destination since opening alpine ski operations in 1974. Cross-country and alpine skiers, snowboarders, and fat bikers all flock to Spirit in the wintertime for its 678 feet of vertical drop, oak forests, and beautiful perch overlooking the St. Louis River. But today, Spirit Mountain Recreation Area is a four-season destination, with just as much to offer gravity thrill-seekers, and other user groups, in the summer, too. The resort has transformed itself into a well-rounded destination with lift-served mountain biking, an adventure park, and a plethora of low-cost options like hiking and disc golf. There’s even a 73-site campground starting at $35 a night for walk-in tenting. Here’s a look at more summer adventures in Duluth’s west end. Start by getting your full body armor on—it’s time for some serious mountain biking. If trail names like “Calculated Risk,” “Wrecking Ball” and “Blaster” don’t get your blood pumping, you have a heart made of stone. This is the stuff of adrenaline dreams. These three trails are for experienced mountain bike riders only, but there are easier trails mixed in to the 19-trail system at Spirit as well. Caleb Schnell, who drove eight hours with his friends from the Quad Cities area of Illinois to check out Spirit in early June, explained his initial impressions: “The mountain was a little bit bigger than I expected, and a whole lot rockier. I’m not used to the rocks.” Schnell described the mountain biking as “challenging,” and added that he really enjoyed it. He insisted that the mountain biking in Illinois was “tame” compared to Duluth and said another huge draw for him and his friends was the “clean, fresh air” blowing in off Lake Superior. Mountain bikers can buy a day pass for $46 at Spirit, which gives unlimited rides up the chairlift with your bike. Plan on getting

in about two runs per hour down the long trails. The chairlift operates four days per week; Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is also open on the Mondays of July 4 and September 5. Jon Regenold, director of resort services at Spirit Mountain, lists a bunch more opportunities for summer family fun besides mountain biking. He starts with the Timber Twister, which is an alpine coaster that riders can take down the mountain alone or in pairs, with complete control over their speed. Regenold describes the Twister as “unique for the region and fun for folks of all ages.” It’s open to ages 3 and up (passengers must be at least 38 inches tall and accompanied by a supervising companion at least 16 years old). Next is the Timber Flyer, which is a seated zip ride where people sit on a bench-style seat and wear a seat belt. They get zipped down the mountain and then brought back up to the start. Regenold describes it as “a little less intense than a conventional zip line.” People can buy single-ride tickets to the Twister and Flyer, or they can do an all-day wristband, with as many rides as they want on the attractions, including the scenic chairlift. Regenold suggests trying the chairlift “just to relax” if you’ve never ridden one in the winter before. “Riding the chairlift in the summer is really cool because you’re not just using it as a mode of transportation,” he says. Chairlift riders start at the top and ride the lift down to the Grand Avenue Chalet, with amazing views of the valley the whole way down. Check out the St. Louis River basin, the iconic Lift Bridge and Lake Superior, all from a bird’s eye view. The Riverside Bar and Grill in the Grand Avenue Chalet has a full menu for guests to enjoy, as well.

The 19-trail system at Duluth’s Spirit Mountain has options for experienced mountain bike riders, as well as new riders. | SUBMITTED

like you’re just throwing directly uphill the whole time.” Most of the holes go crosswise across the hill.

The scenic chairlift offers amazing of views of the valley the whole way down. | SUBMITTED “In the winter you find yourself turning around in the chair and cranking your neck to see the lake. In the summer you have the full vista in front of you at all times. It’s spectacular. It’s a different perspective on a chairlift,” adds Regenold. Scenic chairlift tickets are available for a single ride or an all-day ticket. Regenold adds that the chairlift is slowed down in the summer to help the mountain bikers load their bikes, and that this adds time to admire the view for those taking the lift for scenic purposes.

The Adventure Park is rounded out with nine holes of putt-putt golf and a jumping pillow. Regenold promises the jumping pillow will work muscles you didn’t know you had. Another attraction is the 18-hole disc golf course, which takes advantage of both the open ski hill terrain and the surrounding forested areas. The course is in its fourth year and Spirit Mountain worked with the local disc golf community to establish it. Regenold explains that the course “climbs the hill in such a way that it doesn’t feel

“When you take in the difficult terrain, the beauty of nature, and you add in the view, it makes a great course. There’s a couple of spectacular downhill throws,” says Regenold. Disc rental is available at the Grand Avenue Chalet on weekends. Last but not least, take a walk on the Superior Hiking Trail, which winds through Spirit Mountain for a 3-mile loop, and is absolutely free to all users. For Schnell, who made the long drive from Illinois for a weekend at Spirit Mountain, the “super-friendly staff” was a bonus at Spirit that coincided with his overall impression of Duluth.

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Grand Marais: August 28th, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

“That’s still our name, and recreation for all is still our mission. We serve a broad spectrum of people, including mountain bikers, runners, birders, hikers and campers, and the list just goes on. The summer really embraces that wide range of people we serve,” says Regenold. If you’ve only been to Spirit Mountain in the winter and associate it with freezing cold skiing, you owe yourself a favor to see the summer sun shining down on this hillside full of adventure.—Chris Pascone

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Garton Herbarium Lakehead University’s time machine THUNDER BAY— On the third floor of Lakehead University’s Centennial Building is a time machine. Not as H.G.Wells and other fantasy authors have visualized such a thing, but rather a quiet room filled with rows of gray cabinets and sundry equipment. On a blackboard on one of the walls, a chalked sign tellingly reads: Sleep, Eat, Botanize. Repeat. Welcome to the Claude E. Garton Herbarium. Why is the Herbarium a time machine? Inside the bland cabinets is file folder upon file folder of preserved plant specimens from as far back as the 19th century. Kept in the carefully-controlled environment, these specimens can last hundreds of years past the collection date and botanical researchers in our present day, and even those who aren’t even born yet, might avail themselves of this trove of information. “We have over 115,000 plant specimens here,” says assistant curator Myles Cummins. “Thirty-thousand are from our area and the rest from all over the world.”

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The Herbarium is in a collegial relationship with similar agencies in Australia, Finland and many other places in large part due to the tireless collecting and networking of the late Claude E. Garton. “He started collecting and preserving plants here in the early 1930s after he started teaching in Port Arthur in 1928,” explains acting curator Kristi Dysievick. “By the time he retired from teaching, he had over 10,000 specimens, so he donated them as the nucleus for the university’s herbarium. He was the first curator and contacted other herbariums around the world for some of their specimens.” The passionate renaissance man Garton lives on not only in the Herbarium’s name, but in many of the careful “vouchers,” as the mounts with preserved plants are known. A voucher consists of a stiff, acid-free cotton rag or alpha cellulose, some 27.9 by 43.2 cm (11 by 17 inches) in size, on which a dried plant specimen is carefully mounted. The plant’s Latin name, common name, date/ location and collector’s name are recorded in the bottom right corner of the voucher. The vouchers are organized by plant family in the file folders, of which thousands are stored in the gray cabinets. Garton’s records are so thorough that it’s possible to return to almost the exact original location of any of his collected plants.

Assistant curator Myles Cummins shows visitor Emma Fergus-Moore how to press a plant specimen. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE “Anyone who wishes can go back to the same location at a different time and see what changes have occurred in the flora there,” explains Dysievick. “We can then maybe track how plants react to changes in the climate, weather and human activity over the years.” One such plant is the Carolina springbeauty (Claytonia caroliniana), which has been collected in the same location from 1937 to 1991—the voucher records show a noticeable lag time in the plant’s flowering over the years, possibly due to climate change. “All of these are important because botanists are able to get a snapshot of how a given plant species behaved in certain conditions years ago,” Dysievick adds. “The collection is arranged by plant family, from the earliest evolutionary development of plants, like conifers and cattails, to the most recently evolved, like dandelions. This makes it easier to find what you are looking for.” The Herbarium acts as a repository for collectors of plant specimens, many of whom locally are amateurs as members of the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists club. Collectors also take soil samples with the plants to track changes in the soils. Dysievick notes the Herbarium has previously provided re-

searchers with viable material (e.g. DNA extracted from seeds, soil samples) from samples taken 90 years ago for study. In addition to the vascular plants, which comprise the familiar flowers, ferns and trees, the Herbarium boasts a sizable moss (bryophyte) collection as well as a collection of lichens and another of algae. An army of volunteers is helping the Herbarium staff digitize the entire collection, an accomplishment which will take some five years to complete. With digitization, it will no longer be necessary to send a voucher to another institution for analysis—a digital image will suffice. The Herbarium provides resources for five to six courses per year. Also, it is heavily involved in education, hosting student groups for tours and tutorials in conjunction with the local school boards and EcoSuperior environmental organization. All of the Herbarium’s activities and resources have an importance well beyond the facility itself. Lakehead’s time machine serves not only as a preservation and research facility, but a tool in diagnosing and perhaps mitigating the effects of climate change in the northwest of Lake Superior country. —Peter Fergus-Moore

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Cycling on the North Shore NORTH SHORE— Now is a great time to be a cyclist on the North Shore. Bicycle technology has come a long way since the days of coaster brakes and “fixie” bikes. Developments in the industry like improved suspension, the evolution of the “gravel bike,” and the recent ‘surge’ in e-bikes have made more types of terrain accessible to a broader base of riders. Increased accessibility has led to increased interest in the sport, and increased interest has meant a spike in demand for new bikes and—more importantly—new trails. Thanks in large part to grass-root efforts by organizations like COGGS (Cyclists of Gitchi Gumee Shores), the SCA (Superior Cycling Association), the Gitchi-Gami Trail Association, and the small army of volunteers and trail builders that make their work possible, the North Shore has not only kept up with rising demand for bike trails, but evolved into a recognized biking destination. In Duluth, mountain bikers can now pedal from one side of the city to the other along a near continuous 40-mile stretch of singletrack known as the Duluth Traverse. The “traverse” connects close to 100 miles of multi-use singletrack trail and treats riders to a healthy mix of terrain through birch groves, pine forests, wetlands, and exposed rockfaces that open onto sweeping views of the city below. For anyone looking for a more adrenaline fueled, downhill riding experience, both Spirit Mountain in Duluth and Mont Du Lac in Superior offer lift service to their growing networks of “best in the Midwest” downhill mountain bike (MTB) trails. These trails are not for the faint of heart, and take some practice and the right bike to ride confidently. But, boy are they a good time. Information on Spirit Mountain and Mont Du Lac’s bike parks, facilities, hours and more, can be found by visiting their websites at: spiritmt.com/about-mtb and mdlresort. com/summer/mountain-biking respectively. Further up the Shore, Lake County has been hard at work developing their own network of MTB trails to rival those of its neighbors.

The Britton Peak trail system in Tofte is approachable for riders of all skill levels. Though taking the ramp to the left is a bold choice on the Crosscut Trail. | SUBMITTED one go makes for a big day, especially as an out and back. It’s not just singletrack trails that are seeing an expansion along the shore. The Lake Walk in Duluth is 8 miles of paved bike trail that follows Lake Superior from Brighton Beach to Canal Park, and then beyond Canal Park, riders can continue cycling a combination of paved bike path and designated bike lanes to the “craft” district in Lincoln Park. Further north, the Gitchi Gami State Bike Trail has expanded to include some 34 miles of paved bike path along Lake Superior, with the most recent 4-mile stretch between Grand Marais and Cutface Creek having been completed in the spring of this year. The Gitchi Gami will eventually span the full 89 miles between Two Harbors and Grand Marais, making for an awesome bike-touring opportunity once completed.

Located 8.5 miles outside of the town of Two Harbors, the Demonstration Forest is home to the first purpose-built MTB trails in the county. While the mountain bike system at the Demonstration Forest is relatively small, all of the trails are well-made and varied, making them a great choice for beginner riders.

In addition to expanded trail networks, the quantity, nay, the quality of bike shops that can be found all along the North Shore is absolutely incredible. Today, riders can rent a well maintained full-suspension MTB from Sawtooth Outfitters in Tofte, sip an espresso at Spoken Gear in Two Harbors, and check out the latest and greatest bike tech at Continental Ski & Bike or the Ski Hut in Duluth, just to name a few of the shops available to North Shore riders.

Split Rock Wilds—Lake County’s newest network of MTB trails—is a much different riding experience from the trails at Demonstration Forest. Split Rock Wilds comprises 21 miles of “rugged backcountry” trail that takes full advantage of the natural, rocky terrain of the North Shore, and is best ridden on a full suspension. Find them on Trailforks for current maps and information on the Lake County MTB trails.

New to the sport but want to get involved? Bike shops have finally started to move past the supply shortages of the pandemic, and have bikes on hand to meet just about any budget. Group rides, clinics, and events are commonplace these days on the North Shore, with the COGGS and SCA websites/social media accounts being good places to start looking for ways to connect to the broader cycling community.

In Cook County, the (relatively) new Jackpot/High climber singletrack trail that connects Lutsen Mountains to the Britton Peak trails system is an absolute blast to pedal. The trail is approachable for riders of all skill levels, though doing the whole 16 miles in

The possibilities are endless when it comes to what you can do on a bicycle—nothing to do but get out and ride.—Eric Weicht

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Owner of Lutsen Mountains to purchase Big Snow Resort, Mich.

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LUTSEN— Charles Skinner, owner of Minnesota’s Lutsen Mountains Ski Area and Wisconsin’s Granite Peak Ski Area, has a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Big Snow Resort, which consists of Indianhead and Blackjack ski areas, from Art Dumke. Skinner’s family has owned and operated vacation destination ski areas catering to Midwest families for 60 years. All the resorts in the Skinner ownership portfolio are accessible to Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and Minneapolis/St. Paul markets, offering customers the luxury of travel flexibility. Big Snow Resort in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Lutsen Mountains Ski Area owner Charles Skinner has a definitive purchase known as “Big Snow Counagreement to acquire Big Snow Resort in Michigan. | SUBMITTED try,” was named thanks to the lake effect snowfall of Lake Superior, delivering 200-inch averages annually. Indian- Charlotte Skinner, VP of finance and resource management. head was the first ski resort built in this region of Michigan, “We are planning major investments at Big Snow that we know everyone will be very excited about when details are while Blackjack is the most recent ski area built in 1977. announced later this summer.” “We are thrilled that these two historical, Upper MichiThe Skinner family plans to retain all Big Snow Resort’s gan ski areas, known for their prodigious powder snow, will current employees. be joining our legendary family of resorts in Minnesota and Wisconsin,” stated Skinner. “The current owner and his ex“Art has told us great things about the current staff, and cellent staff have done a terrific job honoring the legacy we look forward to working with the entire team on this of Indianhead and Blackjack and combining them into the exciting new chapter for this legendary resort,” explained largest ski area in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We intend to Charlotte. “The current management team will enjoy supbuild upon this work by investing in new lifts, snowmaking port from our management teams at Lutsen and Granite and base area infrastructure at Big Snow soon.” Peak, and our goal is always to be the best employer in the Big Snow will join the tradition of its sister resorts provid- region.” ing Midwest families with diverse and high-quality alpine “This transaction will strengthen all three areas. We will ski vacations in some of the most picturesque areas in the continue our pace of investments at both Lutsen and Granite Midwest. Peak,” emphasized Skinner. “At Lutsen, we are pleased to an“I would first like to say how grateful we are to the many nounce that we will be installing a new, high-speed, six-place awesome employees, skiers and community members who chairlift from Leitner Poma on Eagle Mountain next summer we’ve had the privilege of serving and working with the past to replace the ‘Bridge Lift.’ This summer, major investments many years,” stated Dumke, owner of Big Snow Resorts. are also taking place in snowmaking and a host of building “I’m also pleased that the new ownership has so much ex- improvements at both Lutsen and Granite Peak.” pertise in operating premium Midwest ski areas and is vestThe transaction includes all of the assets of Big Snow Reed in improving the ski area for skiers, employees and the sort, including over 1,000 acres of private land. The closing, community.” subject to financing and due diligence completion, is expect“We’re committed to providing Midwest families with ed to occur by the end of July. great destinations close to home that offer the best snow, great customer service, and fast, modern ski lifts,” added

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Built by Lawrence Larsen, Larsen’s Lakeview Cabins in Croftville was established in 1932. | SUBMITTED

Lakeview Cabins turns 90 this year

CROFTVILLE— Larsen’s Lakeview Cabins, a five-generation business in Croftville, is celebrating their 90th anniversary this year. The celebration will culminate with a float in the Fisherman’s Picnic parade on Sunday, Aug. 7 and an open house for everyone after the parade. In the early 1900s, Norwegian immigrants Olai and Asta Larsen came to Skipper Bay in Croftville, about one-quarter mile west of the present location of Lakeview Cabins. Their three children, Elsie, John and Lawrence, were born in that house. Olai was a carpenter in the early 20s. He soon passed away, leaving Asta to raise the children alone.

While many tourists came for the fishing, they soon learned that this area was beneficial for people suffering from hay fever. The first of the cabins was built in 1932 by Lawrence. It was a duplex-style cabin and each unit was furnished with a gas hot-plate, water pail and ice box. There was a common out-house and an outside water pump. It is thought that they rented for $2 or $3 each! The laundry was done in a wash house with a wringer washing machine and then hung on the lines to dry. In the late 30s, six more cabins were built and shortly after, four modern cabins were

Elsie Larsen Scott stands next to an old Lakeview Cabins sign. | SUBMITTED

added to the business. When running water and indoor bathrooms were eventually added to the cabins, the name was changed to Larsen’s Modern Cabins. Elsie started working at Cherry’s Bakery in Grand Marais, and Lawrence and John started fishing commercially. When Elsie and John moved to California in the early 40s, Lawrence continued his fishing business, taking private parties deep-sea fishing. Soon after, Lawrence was drafted into the Army. Irma Haugen, who had graduated from the Duluth Beauty School in 1939, came to Grand Marais from Virginia, Minn. to work as a beautician. Her means of getting here was to catch a ride with the bread man, Walter Schulte. She worked at a shop in town until she and Lawrence were married February 1942.

Curt Larsen, born in 1948 to Irma and Lawrence Larsen. | SUBMITTED

Lawrence Larsen also had a deepsea fishing business. | SUBMITTED

Their first child, Jackie, was born in July 1943 and Lawrence was allowed to come home to see the baby before he was shipped out to Normandy. With Lawrence gone, Irma and the baby temporarily moved to Virginia to live with Irma’s parents. They would periodically come back to check on their home in Croftville.

born to them: Larry was born in 1946 and Curt was born in 1948. Lawrence went back to his fishing business and Irma ran a beauty shop in their home, alongside raising a family and helping to run the cabin business. Lawrence also worked at Silver Bay Mining and Hibbing Taconite.

old enough. Later, in her early teens, she learned how to clean fish and pick spawn, a job that, today, is called harvesting roe.

Lawrence came home from the Army in December 1945. Two more children were

One of Jackie’s first jobs was to help hang out the laundry as soon as she was

Today, five of the Lakeview Cabins are being run by Jackie and five are run by Karen, who is Elsie’s granddaughter. —Jackie Larsen Hyovalti

! 90 yearstions! ra e n e G e v Fi Come see for yourself August 7th! 90th Anniversary Open House Celebration after Fisherman’s Picnic Parade! 1423 County Road 87, Grand Marais, MN 55604 | Phone 218-387-2710 | larsenslakeviewcabins.com NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

Points North Casting to Consistency By Shawn Perich

I didn’t really learn to fish until I moved to the North Shore. This wasn’t due to a lack of time on the water. I began fishing whenever possible around the age of four, starting with long sessions for sunfish off the dock at Aunt Dorie’s cabin. Soon I expanded my horizon to include brook trout. By age nine I couldn’t get enough of it, spending endless hours along the creeks and ponds in our neighborhood. The kids I fished with back then were better fishermen then the adults of our acquaintance. I still fish with one of them, my friend Alan Lutkevich. Bicycles in our early teen years further broadened our horizons. Driver licenses were the game changer. We discovered steelhead, bass and the wonderful wild fishery that existed back then in the St. Louis River between Duluth and Superior. The river was terribly polluted, so you couldn’t eat the fish, but they were there for the catching. At age 12, casting a fly I made, my first fly-caught fish came to hand, a tiny rainbow trout, soon followed by a brookie of equal stature. The passion for fly fishing and tying flies developed slowly and surely. Eventually I lost interest in fishing by other means. That said, a love of fresh walleye fillets and calm dawns of Lake Superior prevent me from becoming exclusively a fly fisher. College and the years following introduced me to new anglers, waters and fishing methods. Living in the Twin Cities I was introduced to wily brown trout in the nearby creeks of western Wisconsin. I truly learned to fly cast on the wide reaches of the Mississippi River, where you never knew if your next catch might be a smallmouth bass, channel catfish or a common carp. All three were a joy to land with a fly rod. Along the way from Aunt Dorie’s cabin to the Mississippi I became a decent angler. My fishing experience could be described as broad, varied and shallow. Perhaps that was the inevitable result of growing up in a place where endlessly varied fishing opportunities are available. I certainly don’t regret it. Moving to the North Shore I made slow, sure steps to becoming a good angler. The key to doing so is simply achieving consistency. Fish the same waters frequently and you come to know the fish you seek and 16

JULY 2022

The goal of walleye fishing is a meal of fried fish, which was reason enough for the author to improve his ability to catch them. | SUBMITTED the place where they live intimately. Meet someone who likes to fish as much as you by compatible methods and you’ll become better still. Arriving on the North Shore I first became adept at catching dinner-sized walleyes. My father was a walleye guy, so I was already on my way around the learning curve. Living in Grand Marais, I began fishing summer evenings with two brothers who were my coworkers at the Cook County News-Herald. Hal and Jon Kettunen were nearly obsessive in their pursuit of walleyes on a handful of nearby lakes. They were catch and keep anglers with such appetites I doubt either of them ever had more than a meal of walleyes stored in the freezer. Their fishing techniques were simple and effective. Small jigs were baited with a minnow or two when the lake water was cold in the spring, shifting to leeches as the water warmed with the coming of summer. They were almost psychic at detecting the faintest strikes when the walleyes were “biting light.” Lessons learned from the brothers led Vikki and I to countless soft summer evenings on the water followed by platters heaped with golden fillets. Dick Lenski was rooted in the soil of old school trout fishing, although his unique methods were his own. We fished the stocked trout lakes of the Gunflint country with his small canoe and an electric motor. He liked to troll with what he called a “spin-

NORTHERN WILDS

ner fly” that was often tipped with a tiny piece of nightcrawler. I was far enough down the fly-fishing path to forgo the worm, but I couldn’t match his success. People thought he was lying when he said how many trout he caught and released. He wasn’t. Fishing with him led me to pursue my own trout path with a fly rod and canoe. Ken, publisher of the News-Herald and father of the Kettunen brothers, introduced me to the big hexagenia mayflies that rise from lake bottoms in midsummer to make their mating flight. In doing so, they create the best opportunity to fish with dry flies in lakes and ponds across the North. Kenny was among the very few North Shore anglers I’ve known who understood the mayflies and tied his own flies to imitate them. My dry flies are loosely based on his designs and have fooled brook trout, browns and walleyes for decades. As important as learning from others is to becoming an angler, so, too, is teaching yourself. This was very true of my lifelong passion for steelhead, the big rainbow trout that spend their lives in Lake Superior, swimming up tributary streams in the spring to spawn. My friends and I had no mentors when we began fishing for them as young teens. We learned everything the hard way with lots of mistakes and false starts along the way. Rounding the bend of the learning curve was worth the effort, leading Lutkevich and I to uncountable adventures around Lake Superior and beyond.

Trolling for lake trout and salmon on Lake Superior near my Hovland home was something I largely taught myself, starting with an open 14-foot boat and eventually graduating to the 18-footer I use today. The early self-lessons stuck with me. Sometimes I wish my time was still spent in the 14-footer sliding along the shoreline where the next catch might be a 10-inch salmon or a 10-pound lake trout. These days I like to be on the water at dawn, when Superior is mirror-smooth and salmon chasing bait fish break the surface and shine like ingots of stainless steel in the rising sun. Catching a fish or two is sufficient, any more than that doesn’t necessarily make for a better day. Fish or not, I head in as the sun becomes bright. Other boats are just launching from the dock, but they’ve already missed the best of the day. After a lifetime of doing it, there remains something new to learn or an old lesson to relearn every time I go fishing. Like most avid fly-fishers I often fish alone, with no company other than a patient Labrador retriever. Yet I relish the occasional times when I can get out with the few angling friends whose company I truly enjoy. My fishing sessions are usually just a couple of hours, because the best fishing rarely lasts longer than that. Good fishing is wonderfully satisfying, but poor fishing doesn’t disappoint. Being there, just fishing, is what truly matters to me.

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Hungry Hippie Hostel Know the do’s and don’ts when dealing with storm-damaged trees. | STOCK

Advice for dealing with storm-damaged trees ST. PAUL— Cleanup following a storm can be an overwhelming task for homeowners. If trees have been damaged, knowing which to save and which to remove can enhance people’s safety and the survival of remaining trees, according to the Minnesota DNR.

WHEN ADDRESSING STORM-DAMAGED TREES: DO: • Use caution when approaching damaged trees. If there are downed wires, stay clear and call 911. • Carefully inspect standing trees for damage and address hazardous trees first. Hazardous trees have detached or loosely hanging branches and split or cracked trunks that can cause injury or damage to property. • Remove trees if more than 50 percent of the trunk or live branches in the crown are damaged, the tree is unnaturally leaning or roots are damaged, or the tree could injure people or damage property. If you’re unsure if a tree should be removed or can be saved, consult with a certified arborist. • Assess the size of the tree and pruning job and play it safe. Consult a certified arborist on medium and large branches, or whole tree removal. • Use proper pruning techniques to remove small, broken limbs by cutting just outside the branch collar, but limit pruning to the minimum amount necessary to address safety risks. Too much pruning can weaken an already stressed tree—and many trees are stressed due to last year’s drought. • Make sure damaged trees get rain or are watered weekly to help them repair and rebuild. Be careful not to overwater, especially in heavy clay

soils—the equivalent of 1 inch per week is ideal. • Monitor damaged trees in upcoming years to make sure they don’t decay or become a hazard.

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DON’T: • Be rushed by promises of bargains from inexperienced or unqualified tree service providers. Ask for references and proof of insurance. • Repair a broken branch or fork of a tree with tape, wire, bolts or other wraps. The wound will not heal, and the split will invite decay and further weaken the tree. Cabling or bracing should only be performed by a certified arborist and inspected annually. • Remove the tops of trees. This makes the tree more susceptible to insects and disease, and promotes the growth of new branches that are weakly attached. • Apply paint or dressing to wounds, as these materials interfere with a tree’s natural wound sealing process. • Remove small, leaning trees. Trees less than 15 feet tall may survive if they are gently pulled back into place. Press out air spaces in the loosened soil. The tree can then be staked for up to a year. • Fertilize stressed or damaged trees. Fertilizer can trigger rapid but weak growth and deplete the tree’s energy reserves that are needed to recover from damage. Information on tree care, proper pruning techniques and handling damaged trees is available on the storm damage page of the DNR website. For more extensive information on tree care, contact a DNR forester, city forester, certified arborist or county extension staff.

you can help champion local Health solutions Support the Foundation through a financial gift Learn more or donate online at: NorthShoreHealthCareFoundation.org

The Foundation is proud to support a variety of local programs and projects, through our grants. Congratulations to the following organizations on successful grant applications so far in 2022: $5,000 - The Hub (Cook County Council on Aging) – Food Program Support $1,000 – North Shore Collaborative - Learning Opportunities Through Stories Program $3,700 - MN Children’s Press – A Children’s Ojibwe Alphabet Book: Youth and Elders Co-create a Primer on Language and Culture. $10,000 - Care Partners of Cook County - Senior services and palliative care programs $10,000 - Cook County Higher Education - Healthcare education delivery $10,000 - Tofte Fire Rescue Lucas 3.1 Automatic CPR Machine

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JULY 2022

In January of 1971, the Grand Marais Playhouse held its first production in the old Congregational Church. The production was a success and 50 years later the Playhouse is still an integral part of Cook County’s arts community. | SUBMITTED

“Our little community has supported a theater for 50 years, which is an amazing milestone, and we’ve had so many community members get involved over the years. We should be really proud of ourselves for that.” — Sue Hennessy 18

JULY 2022

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GRAND MARAIS

Playhouse Celebrates 50 Years! By Rae Poynter

On a January night in 1971, the Grand Marais Playhouse held its first production in the old Congregational Church. The production was a success and 50 years later the Playhouse is still an integral part of Cook County’s arts community. Artistic and technical director Sue Hennessy shared about the Playhouse’s past and what is in store for this summer. The Grand Marais Playhouse started when a group called Operation Cooperation was seeking ways to involve kids and adults together in projects around the community. The idea for a community theater involving both adults and youth was suggested, and the rest, as they say, was history. The Playhouse put on three productions during its first year, and after the first year moved into the old Lutheran Church, now the Betsy Bowen studio building. Over the years, many dedicated community members have stepped into roles as directors, actors, set constructors, costume designers and more to bring theater productions to this little town. “The old playhouse, as everyone still calls it, has very deep, strong memories for many people in the community,” Hennessy said. In 1998, the community built the Arrowhead Center for the Arts (ACA), which started a new era for the Playhouse. Building the ACA was truly a community effort, and involved the contributions of five organizations in Cook County, in addition to the school district. Many technological changes have been incorporated to productions throughout the years; some more recent changes have included new lights and lighting software so lights can be pre-programmed for a show. “People who have come here are surprised with the space,” Hennessy said. “A lot of the artists who come here are expecting something like a gymatorium, but

when they walk in here, they’re impressed. It’s a very well-done theater for the size of our town.” 1998 was also the year that Hennessy came back to the Playhouse. In many ways, it was coming full circle: Hennessy grew up three houses away from the old playhouse and began her theater career in one of the Playhouse’s productions. She went on to graduate with a theater degree from Concordia College and moved to New York City to work as a set carpenter and stage manager. This was followed by a move to Minneapolis to become the lead carpenter for the Guthrie. When Hennessy returned to Grand Marais, she got involved in the Playhouse and has been involved ever since. This summer, the Playhouse is putting on a production of Little Shop of Horrors, a horror comedy musical about a florist with a blood-sucking plant. Little Shop of Horrors is special because not only did the Playhouse put on this production 22 years ago, but it was the first musical that Hennessy directed. While she said she was nervous to direct her first musical, the show went better than she could have expected. “That production solidified for me that I wanted to stay in this community and in community theater,” Hennessy said. “I realized that community theater is transformative for each student who participates. It builds self-esteem and self-worth, and you build trust in an ensemble when you’re going on stage together. There’s a bond that forms that outlasts the life of a production. It’s something I love watching grow and I’m grateful that I get to build community as a life calling.” For actor Tina Hegg Raway, the 2000 production of Little Shop of Horrors was also a special one: not only was it her first leading role, but it led to a lifelong passion for singing and performing. In fact, she is reprising her same role as Audrey in the 2022 production.

“I can’t wait to do this show again,” Hegg Raway said. “I have so many great memories! Plus, people who saw me 22 years ago are still here and want to see it again, which is extra fun.” While Hegg Raway has had many years of singing and performing experience now, she said that landing the role of Audrey in 2000 was a surprise to everyone, including herself. Her audition involved singing, but as a busy 11th grader, she hadn’t had much time to prepare. So she practiced an a cappella version of the Star-Spangled Banner on the way to auditions and sang it for the casting directors. “They were speechless and I thought that maybe it was fine, but I wasn’t sure. Apparently, they were blown away,” Hegg Raway said. “My family was totally stunned that I got a leading role, as my roles in other shows were pretty minimal and I had never been cast in a major show before that. I remember feeling so proud to discover a new talent, and so chagrined at surprising my family with that talent. That was really the beginning of my lifelong interest in singing.” In addition to Little Shop of Horrors, this summer the Grand Marais Playhouse is also planning to put on a production of Blithe Spirit, a feel-good play that the Playhouse has put on twice in the past. For youth, there will be a musical called We Will Rock You, as well as a summer camp in early August. Hennessy is also planning to bring in other theater professionals to prepare for some of this summer’s productions, including Pamela Knourek, North Carolina School of the Arts’ director of costuming, who will be here for the month of July to help the Playhouse’s costume committee and to get people excited about costume making.

drop in, dabble, and see what costuming is all about so we can get more costumers in our community,” Hennessy said. “We’re doing the same with building and painting, and we always need people to help with that.” Looking back, Hennessy said what stands out to her most is how much of a community effort the Playhouse has been and continues to be. “Art is really important for the life of a community and I’m so glad we have the Playhouse here,” she said. “Our little community has supported a theater for 50 years, which is an amazing milestone, and we’ve had so many community members get involved over the years. We should be really proud of ourselves for that.” Hegg Raway said that her involvement in the Playhouse has continued to be an inspiration and that the skills that she’s learned from performing are ones she utilizes offstage in her career and personal life as well. “Working on these big shows is so much fun because you get an incredible multigenerational experience unlike any other in Cook County, and because theatre in Grand Marais is so inclusive, positive, welcoming and creates a ton of valuable memories,” she said. “I highly encourage anyone with interest to get involved in these shows…it takes a bit of time investment and a little courage to stand up and be seen, but what you get out of it is much more than what you put in.” To learn more about the history of the Grand Marais Playhouse, the ACA lobby will have a display of old photos, costumes and play rosters throughout the summer. For more information on productions or to get involved, visit grandmaraisplayhouse.com

“We’re going to change the conference room into a sewing studio, so people can NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

CAMPING ADVENTURES We spent three nights camping on the western side of Trout Lake in the Boundary Waters. The first night was blissful. Then, history repeated itself with an absolute beast of a storm. | CHRIS PASCONE

Shelter from the Trout Lake Storm By Chris Pascone

Everybody who’s ever gone tent camping has a story about “that storm” barreling through camp in the middle of the night. You never forget it, once you’ve lived through it. I think going through these big storms in a scrawny tent is part of the allure of camping for many of us. I have unwittingly made living through big storms into a family tradition, and I know I’m not the only one. I remember tent camping once with my parents in Porcupine Mountains State Park in Michigan, when I was 7 years old, and a vicious thunderstorm ripped into us at 5:30 in the morning. We were right on the shore of Lake Superior, and my parents evacuated me from my sleeping bag into the truck so they could take down the absolutely flooded tent in the pouring rain. The storm was loud and furious, and we drove to whatever nearby town had an early-morning café open. I still remember the panic in my parents’ voices as they rushed me into the truck for safety. Thirty-four years later, I was camping with my own two daughters and three of our family friends on big Trout Lake in the western Boundary Waters. We paddled in from Lake Vermillion, then headed halfway up the deep, 8,000 acre lake. There we found a nice campsite on the western side of Trout to call home for three nights. The first night was blissful. Then history repeated itself in a roaring, tempestuous way. Keeping the family tradition alive and well!

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Everyone was sleeping soundly until suddenly, at 2:47 a.m., an absolute beast of a storm whipped up on the lake and tried to flatten our campsite. I spent the next two hours lying on my back propping up the tent poles with my feet and legs while 60 mph winds pounded our poor structure relentlessly. The whole while the girls (8 and 10 years old) were sitting up wide-eyed in their sleeping bags, contemplating how the wind can be THAT loud, how the lightning can strike THAT close, and how the rain can fall THAT hard. It was terrifying. As I worked my legs to keep the tent from buckling in half, I was imagining the newspaper headlines the next day: “Campers Turned into Human Pancakes after Getting Pulverized by Storm.” I’ve never been good at story titles. We heard a rattling, banging sound in camp: the wind was powerful enough to lift my canoe off the ground and move it up the rocky shoreline. Those who’ve portaged my 75-pound Bell Northshore know this is no easy feat. We all got through that storm, but not without having some fear struck into us. That’s part of the tradition. None of us got any more sleep until it started getting light out at 5 a.m. and the storm subsided. Later that morning, bleary-eyed and staggering, all we could talk about over coffee and backcountry cinnamon rolls was the power of the storm we had just been through. In retrospect, I was happy my friends and family went through it together. It was a

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My daughter passing the time with a game of frisbee. | CHRIS PASCONE formative experience for my daughters, and even for the adults. We tested a big lake and it tested us back. We needed each other to get through that storm. That’s our tradition. Meanwhile, little did we know that less than a mile away from us, on the same Trout Lake, the drama was much more intense, as a party of nine people from St. Paul literally made the pages of the Star Tribune newspaper after a funnel cloud touched

down right in their camp and smashed 20 trees to pieces on top of their tents. Miraculously, none of the campers were injured, but they had to abort their trip after one night (of a five-day trip) because their tents and belongings were ruined. Trout Lake, folks—it’s a different world up there.

Wilderness Camping Where Polar Bears Roam By Elle Andra-Warner I admit it—I’m the kind of camper who likes four-solid walls around me. But I’ve enjoyed the non-traditional tent-camping trips I’ve gone on, including wilderness camping at Polar Bear Provincial Park where polar bears roam freely and you don’t walk around without a rifle-carrying guide to accompany you. A few years ago, I was invited to join a six-person group in August for a three-day ‘roughing it’ expedition to look for polar bears at Polar Bear Provincial Park, located on the southern shores of Hudson Bay and home to the world’s most southerly place for polar bears in the wild. AirCreebec flew us to the Cree community of Peawanuck on the Winisk River and that’s where we met up with our host-guide Sam Hunter and his two assistants. We loaded up in two motorized freighter canoes for the three-hour journey (about 35 km/22 miles) to our park basecamp at the end of the Winisk River. That night we dined on caribou stew and bannock by the bonfire, and later headed to our four-person yurt-style tents and cozy sleeping bags on mattresses. A touring kayak group had joined us that evening, setting up their tents on the camping site. Then came the night and the dilemma of having to visit the outside privy about 75 feet away and wondering, “What if I meet

up with a wandering polar bear on site, or our guide with a rifle mistakes me for a polar bear and shoots?” And once I thought about it, the more I needed to make that jaunt. Quietly, I peeked out of the tent at the almost pitch-black night, selected the shortest route to the privy, and then, with my heart thumping, focused on reaching that privy door. Got there—mission accomplished. I then quickly retraced my steps back to the yurt. The next day, after a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, hash browns, bacon, toast and coffee, we took turns boarding flights in a Beaver bush plane to fly over the park and search for polar bears from the air. Over the next couple of hours, I saw 21 polar bears in the wild. Later that evening—as we were mulling around after a supper of sea trout, potatoes and corn—I thought I was seeing my first UFO sighting. Someone had called out, “Is that a UFO in the sky?” We all looked up at a bright round light above us moving strangely in the sky. A short while later, one of the kayakers joined us and had an answer—it wasn’t a UFO. Rather, it was “scrambled light” phenomena where a bright star appears to be moving as its star light travels from the top of Earth’s atmosphere to the ground.

See the wooden privy in the background? You can also see a couple of the guides’ tents on the site in the picture, too. Our yurt-tent was about 75 feet away from the privy. | ELLE ANDRA-WARNER My non-traditional camping in polar bear country had many ‘wow’ moments, from seeing the bears in the wild, flying

over Hudson Bay to walking through wildflowers in full bloom on what had once been ancient hunting grounds.

T for Trailer

By Peter Fergus Moore The summer of 1991 saw a major change in our lives. As of early June that year, we became the delighted parents of a baby daughter, Emma, born in Manitoba, where my wife Joyce was the minister of a threechurch pastoral charge, or parish. Before Emma, we had been tenting in three different provinces as we had moved around, but with a young baby, we reasoned, camping now meant that we ought to sleep off the ground. So, we bought a small tent trailer. By today’s tent-trailer standards, the little Palomino was not only small, but much lighter than most and with fewer features. But as we learned to use it, we found it filled our needs to a T (for trailer). When it came time later that summer to take Emma east to show her to our families, the Palomino became our motel, so that our impact on our families was minimal. For the first of many times, we parked it at Joyce’s cousin Ken’s house in the country west of Wahnapitae, Ontario. When not visiting relatives, we camped at provincial parks, and found that the propane stove system gave us great hot meals and a simple garden hose attachment meant having running water for dishes and tooth-brushing, etc. Two years later, having moved east to Nipigon, we found a handy private campground just outside of town. After a few times there, we found a delightful camping

spot where it was easy to level the trailer and park beside a bubbling creek that helped us fall asleep at night—until one night, that is. I remember seeing lightning flashes to the west of us as we started getting ready for bedtime. They came closer and soon we could hear the thunder of their presence. Being well off the ground and insulated by the tires, we turned in without thought. The rain started and got stronger, soon drowning out conversation. We didn’t mind—we were snug, dry and content. Then, some time after midnight, all hell broke loose. All we remember is a deafening explosion amid the Biblical-dimensional rainfall. Sometime later, the storm quieted and we went back to sleep. The following morning was a revelation. We saw our host walking around in pajamas and rubber boots, looking dazed and crestfallen. The explosion, we learned, had been a direct hit on his house that not only fried the wiring in it, but started a fire that burned him and his wife out. All they had was the clothes they managed to throw on before they escaped the fire. We were luckier. All the damage we had to show was a fried electrical system from the lightning’s power surge. No matter. We continued to patronize the campground and even found that, if I led an evening hootenanny for the other

The trailer in its last days with us. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE campers, we got to park the trailer there free for the summer. Another move, this time to Thunder Bay, and we continued to camp at the nearest provincial park, the Sleeping Giant. Later on, as our trailer was wearing out, it became a parked gazebo in our backyard. Over winter, it sat, closed up until the return of late spring. Years went by until one day, we looked at the Palomino and saw that time and use had made it impossible to camp with, let alone the addition of the

extra insurance necessary for highway travel. We gave it to a neighbour who knew someone who took tent trailers apart and made cargo trailers out of them. All in all, the Palomino was a part of our lives for 25 years, in good weather and foul. We no longer camp, but our hotel on wheels made for many happy memories.

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Campfire Pizza By Walter Rhein “Let’s make campfire pizza, kids.” “What?” “Campfire pizza.” “You can’t make a pizza on a campfire, Daddy.” “Of course, you can!” The best thing about being a dad is that your kids regard you with skepticism whenever you have a great idea. The second-best thing about being a dad is that your kids are absolutely delighted when you prove them wrong. Case in point: campfire pizza. The first thing to do when you go out camping is to throw every digital device you brought with you into the lake. However, the problem with throwing the digital devices away is that your kids sit around with blank looks clutching desperately in the air for the cellphone that’s no longer there. They’ve been zombified. The only cure is to keep them busy, or to shock them with a concept that they think is impossible. Making a pizza on a campfire does the trick. “We’ve got to make a pizza.” “It’s not possible!” “Daddy’s gone crazy!” Camping should be a collective activity. It’s an opportunity to do things together. | WALTER RHEIN

Camping should be a collective activity. It’s an opportunity to do things together. You put up the tent together. You get a bad night’s sleep together. You walk down to the lake, realize it’s too cold to retrieve your digital devices, and then walk back to the campsite together. At the end

Wednesday, July 20, 2022 4:00 pm to Dusk 44 miles up the Gunflint Trail

• Trail Cup Trophy for Outfitter/Resort Teams • Food by the Gunflint Lodge Culinary Team

“Where did all that come from?” “I told you we were going to make campfire pizza.” “You were serious about that?”

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Most campsites have a grill, so I set that down as close to the coals as possible and then place the cookie sheet with the pizza on top. You don’t have to cover the pizza, just let it cook. In the absence of digital devices, your kids will delight in being able to watch the cheese melt. When the pizza is done, remove it from the fire and cut it into slices. There’s something about cooking a campfire pizza that kind of feels like you’re breaking the rules. “We’re supposed to be eating hamburgers.” “I know, but we’re rebels. We don’t do what we’re told. Our family has pizza when we go camping because that’s the way your Daddy rolls.”

RAFFLE

KAYAK • PADDLE BOARD • HYGGE QUILT Raffle tickets sold at most outfitters along the Gunflint Trail. JULY 2022

Once you have the dough pressed out on the cookie tray, everyone gathers around and adds the toppings they prefer. It’s camping. Let them go crazy.

“We’re supposed to be eating hot dogs, Daddy.”

SUPPORTS THE GTFD

The first thing you have to do is get the coals to burn way down. I always bring along a cookie pan to make the pizza, so I use this to fan the flames down to white hot coals. You need a good, controlled heat. This is also a great opportunity to make a delightful show of sparks.

The next step is to break out the supplies. Even when my kids come with me to purchase camping groceries, they’re astounded when I pull out the dough, sauce, pepperoni and cheese.

GUNFLINT LODGE ON GUNFLINT LAKE

Like everything camping, campfire pizza takes way more effort than what you get out of it. Making a campfire pizza teaches you to really appreciate the convenience of a delivery pizza.

“Daddy, stop it! Those sparks are going to ignite the tent!”

Gunflint Trail Canoe Races Return!

LINT TRAIL F T: GUNF IRE D N E V E EPA IT F RT E • 16 Canoe races for all ages and abilities M EN

of the trip, you’re all ready to go home... together. A pizza is a way to make food together.

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There’s something about unexpected behavior that makes your kids momentarily forget the fact that you chucked their cell phones into the lake. Next time you’re out camping, give campfire pizza a try. You can’t screw it up and even if you do, there’s always hamburgers and hot dogs to fall back on.

Just Get Out There By Erin Altemus The first time we took Sylvia camping, she was five months old. We paddled straight away from our cabin, took two small portages and made camp less than two miles as the crow flies from home. She doesn’t remember it, but perhaps the tent smell, the pine needles, and the campfire smoke all took hold. She’s now five years old. Every year we’ve ventured on several camping trips. Sometimes we car camp, but often we load up the canoe with a family size tent, a dog or two and enough snacks to get us several miles into the wilderness. Sylvia will tell you she loves camping. She doesn’t necessarily love the traveling part yet, though she’s endured some long portages, high waves and long paddles to get to the next rocky outcrop. Over the past five years, we’ve learned how to make camping fun and so far, it’s paying off. Here are my top five “musts” for our family camping adventures. 1.

Always bring s’mores. I personally feel that roasting a marshmallow and indulging in a s’more is what makes camping great. Sylvia is a fan of marshmallows plain or roasted.

Hammock. We enjoy having a lightweight hammock tied up between two trees. Sylvia will spend hours asking us to push her back and forth. If we

are lucky, she will let us join her in the hammock. 1. Child size paddle and camping chair. Sylvia has her own paddle and camping chair. A little ownership of key gear goes a long way. Her paddle stroke improves each year. 1. Snacks and more snacks. Our child is addicted to snacks. Some of them are healthy, some of them not. We have found that a nice supply of interesting, new, tasty snacks is one way to capture Sylvia’s interest while trekking down the lake. 1. Just Be. At one point in my life, pre-child, Matt and I paddled and portaged many miles a day. Now we spend a lot more time in the campsite, playing in the tent, swinging in the hammock, and exploring the woods and trails. Our tradition is just to get out there. Allow time for rest and relaxation and camping becomes fun. Last year, the main Boundary Waters trip we planned was cancelled due to the fires and closure of the BWCAW. This year we have an even better trip planned. Whether it’s a new entry point, a great campsite, blueberries or wildlife sighting, the camping trips are always memorable. All three of us can’t wait.

Sylvia’s first Boundary Waters trip at age 2 was a rainy, one-night adventure into Saganaga. | MATTHEW SCHMIDT

93rd Annual

2022 Fisherman’s Picnic August 4-7

e BIG Raffl

$10,000 rize! Grand Per prizes th Numerousoonations $5 d

Get your collectible button! It’s your pass to participate in events all weekend long!

Downtown Grand Marais All Kinds

of FUN:

• Live • Fabulou Music s Fishburg ers • Trail Run • Log Saw in • Cutest P g Contest uppy Con test • Tractor • Craft Sh Pull • Fish Toss ow • Kids Activities • Daily Co ntests • State Lo on-ca • Firewor lling Contest ks • Para de And muc for the w h more fun hole fam ily!

Like Grand Marais Lions Club on Facebook NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

By Breana Johnson

Art Festivals There’s no shortage of art festivals along the shore, especially in the summertime. This month we have two juried art festivals, starting with the Grand Marais Arts Festival, held July 9-10. Then, don’t miss the Blueberry/Art Festival at Whiteside Park in Ely, held July 29-31. See our events section for more information and festivals.

Ceramics artist Nina Wray will be at both the Grand Marais Arts Festival and the Blueberry/Art Festival. To see more of Wray’s work, visit: moondogceramicstudio. com. | NINA WRAY

This painting by Kari Townsdin is titled “Canoe Trip.” She will be attending the Blueberry/Art Festival in Ely. For more art from Townsdin, visit: karitownsdinart.com. | KARI TOWNSDIN

Tracy Chaplin will sell her stoneweavings at the Grand Marais Arts Festival. Stoneweavings are spirit-infused earth sculptures, weaving natural materials around Lake Superior stones. For more, visit: stoneweaver.org. | TRACY CHAPLIN 24

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Duluth artist James Ellis will showcase his work at the Grand Marais Arts Festival. This oil on canvas piece is titled “Temperance.” For more from Ellis, visit: jellis.artspan.com. | JAMES ELLIS

This handwoven tapestry by Emily Wick is titled “Aurora Borealis.” Wick will attend the Grand Marais Arts Festival. To see more, visit: northwoven.com. | EMILY WICK

Buckthorn and Birch owner Courtni Berg will be at the Blueberry/Art Festival. This wooden piece is titled “New Sally.” For more from Berg, visit: facebook.com/buckthornandbirch. | COURTNI BERG

In addition to murals, Mollie Gilbertson also does her own artwork, as well as commissioned pieces. | SUBMITTED Duluth artist Mollie Gilbertson’s love for Lake Superior and the surrounding region is evident in her art. | SUBMITTED

Mollie Maxine Art

Telling Stories Through Art CREATIVE SPACE: By Rae Poynter Sometimes art can speak to us in ways that words can’t. Whether it’s commemorating a loved one, beautifying a city, or expressing experiences that go beyond words, art has a special way of communicating the deeper parts of our life experience. One artist who exemplifies this is Duluth artist Mollie Gilbertson of Mollie Maxine Art. With vivid colors and evocative imagery, her work depicts not only the wild beauty of the Lake Superior region, but the unique stories and relationships forged among its people. While Gilbertson has lived in the Duluth area for about 10 years, she grew up in northwest Wisconsin where her love of art emerged early as a child. Her art was always more than a mere hobby; it was a way of communicating and conveying her interpretation of the world. Later it grew into a tool for connecting with others, and today has taken the path of expressing her rich dream life. “My dreaming life has become a huge part of who I am, and I feel I am just as ac-

tive if not even more active in my dreaming life than in my waking life,” she said. “I harness that as much as I can through painting and mural work because I learn a lot of lessons through the symbols and imagery in my dreams that help me guide myself throughout my waking life.” Uncertain about pursuing an art degree, Gilbertson started college at UWStout for interior design, but she felt a deep connection to Lake Superior and started taking trips to Duluth on the weekends. Gilbertson followed that pull to the lake–and to art–and transferred to UMD her sophomore year to study fine arts. Her love for Lake Superior and the surrounding region is evident in her art, with many pieces featuring the lake and forests, as well as the people who have called these shores home. “Humans gathered and built our communities around water,” she said. “It’s a source of life for us, and I think that I, like many other people, have that innate draw to large bodies of water.”

As can sometimes happen when studying something you love, working toward an art degree left Gilbertson feeling burnt out, and her passion for drawing and painting started to fade. She took a few years away from pursuing art more seriously, but that changed when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. At the time, she was in the midst of painting a large mural for VIP Pizza in Superior. Despite being a huge undertaking, the project went well, and the mural–as well as the timing–became a catalyst that started her pursuit of the arts once more. “When Covid hit it was like the world stopped moving, and even though it was a traumatic time for all of us, I also took it as an opportunity be in the fresh air and to start to paint for a living,” she said. This was the start of a new adventure for Gilbertson: she gave up her apartment and during the summer of 2020 she traveled and painted, sometimes staying in a tent with her cat and other times exchanging a mural for room and board. That summer reignited Gilbertson’s deep-seated love for art. “I regained my passion for art and confidence as an artist, which I didn’t realize was lacking so immensely before,” Gilbertson said. “But now when people ask me who I am or what I do, I can confidently say, ‘I’m an artist.’” The mural-making process involves several unique components: not only is the scale and shape of each project unique to its specific location, but other factors such as the weather and wall textures have to be taken into account during planning. While some mural artists use spray paint,

Gilbertson works with a brush. She also said that she prefers not to plan out her murals in advance, which makes space for them to evolve with the creation process. “I get to go on this little journey with each project, and incorporate different things that happen as the week goes on, or different dreams that I have during the process,” she said. “People sometimes also come and pull up lawn chairs to watch, which is in some ways daunting, but it’s also such a gift because it helps give the piece a little more heart when the people that I’m making it for were involved in the process too.” Over the past two years, Gilbertson has built out her business, Mollie Maxine Art. In addition to murals, she also does her own artwork as well as commissioned pieces. Gilbertson said that a unique aspect of commissioned artwork is the relationships that have grown from it; many of the people who have reached out to her for commissioned art have lost a loved one, and she makes a point to get to know each client and their story when working with them. “I’ve made some beautiful friendships in the process, and commissions are my favorite way to work now,” she said. “I love connecting with people and both hearing their stories and helping develop their stories with my visuals. I feel like I’ve always been a compassionate person, and art is an extension of that compassion and a way of utilizing it for the world, for individuals, and the community.” To reach out or to learn more about Mollie Gilbertson’s art, visit Mollie Maxine Art on Facebook.

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involved creating special rock tunnels and caves to provide shade and privacy for the little friends. We also spent a good amount of time in our backyard, working and playing with various crafts and creative activities. These ranged between dedicated and specific woodworking projects like splitting, sawing and shaping a small hay fork, to mixing paints and potions from crushed berries. It was a time when spending over an hour splitting and processing firewood for a cookout suddenly seemed totally fitting, whereas previously any more than five minutes would have felt like dawdling. My kids have always enjoyed working with tools and having projects to complete, but part of the fun also became completing some of the manual work that was connected to cooking outside.

museum and nature center

Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center

We worked together to make a large cedar table for our outdoor eating space, and as summer approached, we took advantage of every opportunity to cook and eat our meals outside. At a time when it was easy to use terms like “feeling trapped” in our home, it also felt liberating to fully activate and utilize the safe outdoor space that was all ours.

Presentations

Thursday, July 14, 2 – 3 pm

Lee Johnson from the US Forest Service will give us information on Archaeology of the Fur Trade Period at the Seagull Lake Community Center

Sunday, July 17, 2 – 3 pm

I have taken inspiration from the ways that I see my children investigate and enjoy the objects and materials of the world, from stacking rocks to collecting small flowers. Spending time arranging leaves according to color, or comparing the shapes and sizes of acorns or pinecones. I have appreciated the awesome value of parenthood inherent in experiencing things through the eyes of your children. I am grateful to have had the gift of a slower time to allow this to be more fully absorbed.

Betsy Bowen on illustrating picture books

July 28 6pm-7pm

Margie Menzies talks Hawks

of the North Woods Counting for Conservation

July 30 11am-12:30pm

Kelly Amoth of Get the Lead Out MN

discusses conservation and lead tackle

Tuesday Kids’ Day

Paul Linden is a woodworking and toolmaking instructor at North House Folk School in Grand Marais. | SUBMITTED

Starting June 28 – August 30 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Slow Down

Held all day on Chik-Wauk Campus!

Reflecting on Simple Craftwork in an Unhurried Time

Children under the age of 18 can visit free of charge. Chik-Wauk staff will offer a variety of hands-on activities all related to the unique history and nature of the Gunflint Trail.

• Museum • Nature Center • Watercraft Building • Cabin Exhibit

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

218-388-9915

gunfl fliinthistory.org 26

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Behind the Craft: By Paul Linden Looking back to the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, when we were all sent home from work and school to keep everyone safe, I reflect fondly on some very special times that my kids and I shared. In our busy lives, it is common for us to settle into a routine of hurried activities and commitments, only periodically stopping for a break or vacation to relax and reset. (Our favorite destination for such a break is the North Shore.) It was a bit of a challenge to envision making our small space in South Minneapolis fulfill all of our needs, but we suddenly had the benefit of time. The slow down allowed us to stretch out our activities and enjoy them in a different way. This special time began with our new morning ritual of taking slow walks around our neighborhood, heading in a different direction from our house each day. I carried a pick-up tool and pulled a wagon be-

NORTHERN WILDS

hind me with two garden buckets inside, separating recyclable materials from standard trash. It felt satisfying to be productive during what became several months of feeling very out of control of so many things; I am sure it was keeping me sane to feel in control of at least one small thing— picking up trash. We enjoyed the unhurried pace of our walks and the ability to stop and investigate whatever interested us. We got to know our dense neighborhood so much better, and even though we were not able to have a lot of social interactions at the time, we learned a little more about our neighbors just by watching the activity around us. A nearby creek became not only our favorite swimming spot, but also a source of critters (mostly crayfish) that could be carefully collected and brought home with us to be studied before they were returned the next day. So often this

As a person who is connected to the teaching of traditional crafts, I have certainly enjoyed exposing my kids to tools and techniques that I employ, at a level appropriate to them. But I have also enjoyed watching how they apply their creativity in such interesting forms as they work and play with their hands. On sleepover trips to their grandma’s house, I have ceased being surprised to see their time together resulted in small hand-stitched critters, rudimentary stuffed animals, or perhaps simple sewn “pockets” with buttons for decoration. It has reminded me to allow their work to remain fun and interesting to them, and not to discourage their interest by struggling through activities that are beyond their skill level. Whether working inside or out, utilizing found or natural materials, from mud pie making to sewing felt with a fine needle, I think that my kids have been enjoying a bit of craft therapy that has been stimulating to them in the same way that I felt grounded in my trash pick-up duties. There is no doubt that exercising our creativity and using our hands is enriching to us on many levels—all the better when we remove the burden of a hurried pace or a prescribed outcome. My hope is that of all the ways that the significant events of the past couple years have changed all of us, that I can remember to keep focused on the value I found from slowing down. I will strive to continue providing my kids with an opportunity to explore, craft and create, and help them connect to the natural world of our surroundings with all of their senses.

NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

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4/11/2022 10:23:07 AM

The North Shore Water Festival in Grand Marais will take place July 15-17. | SUBMITTED

HOVLAND ARTS FESTIVAL

BAY DAYS

July 2-3 The annual Hovland Arts Festival, held at the Hovland Town Hall, will showcase numerous artists, featuring everything from jewelry, paintings and pottery to carvings, photography and even soaps. There will also be live music and food provided by Trinity Lutheran Church. The festival will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days. hovlandartsfestival.com

July 8-10 This year’s Bay Days Festival, held in Silver Bay, features live music, vendors, kids’ activities, a golf scramble, raffle drawings, an escape room, morning yoga, pancake breakfasts, a street dance, a bean bag tournament, a book sale, class reunions, a lighted boats display, a logging competition and more. A parade will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday and fireworks will be held at dusk. The Bay to Bay Run/Walk will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, followed by the golf scramble and book sale. The Classic Car and Motorcycle Show will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sunday. bay-days.org

Two Harbors Heritage Days features four days of family fun. | SUBMITTED

FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVITIES

July 4, Monday Head to Tofte for a full lineup of family-friendly events, beginning with the Tofte Trek 10k at 9 a.m. at Birch Grove Community School. Then, head to the Tofte Town Hall/Park at 11 a.m. for bouncy houses, minnow races, craft vendors, music by

Southpaw, a beer garden, food vendors and more, followed by a parade at 2 p.m. There will also be hotdogs and brats at Zoar Lutheran Church at 5 p.m. At roughly 10 p.m., find a spot in either Grand Portage, Grand Marais, Tofte, Silver Bay, Two Harbors, or Ely for the fireworks show. Or, head to Duluth’s Bayfront Festival Park for Fourth Fest— gates open at 4:30 p.m. followed by live music at 5 p.m. This year’s lineup includes The Crunchy Bunch DJ Collective, Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, All Tomorrow’s Petty, Katie Switzer, and Christina Stroup. There will also be food, beverage and craft vendors. Fireworks start at 10:10 p.m. Admission is free.

TWO HARBORS HERITAGE DAYS

July 7-10 The annual Two Harbors Heritage Days features four days of family fun. Activities include live music and entertainment, a medallion hunt, a lutefisk toss, pancake breakfasts, kids’ activities, a street dance, class reunions, the Lake Superior Zoomobile, a rummage sale, a softball tournament, Edna G tours, art and craft vendors, and more. A kiddie parade will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 7, followed by a free ice cream social and kids’ games at Thomas Owens Park. On Saturday is the car show at Danny’s Auto from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Also on Saturday is the full parade at 1 p.m. A full list of events can be found online. facebook. com/twoharborsheritagedays

GRAND MARAIS ARTS FESTIVAL

July 9-10 The annual Grand Marais Art Festival, held in the parking lots of Cook County ISD 166 school this year (101 5th Street), will feature more than 80 local and regional juried artists showcasing their unique, handcrafted work. Enjoy a selection of artwork, such as jewelry, photography, woodcarvings, pottery, glasswork, watercolor paintings, fiber art and more. The festival will be held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. grandmaraisartcolony.org

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JULY 2022

CROSS RIVER HERITAGE CENTER MUSEUM & GIFT SHOP Open thru October 15, 2022

ON DISPLAY THIS SEASON

Francis Lee Jaques Paintings

Renowned Wildlife Artist This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Reprinted with permission of the Jaques Art Center.

Visit Cook County Information & Explore MN Welcome Center 24/7 Outdoor Kiosk

Open: Wednesday - Saturday 10 am – 4 pm Closed Sunday - Tuesday 7932 W Hwy 61, Schroeder • 218-663-7706 crossriverheritage.org

Enjoy amazing views while listening to great music at the LutSong Music Festival. | SUBMITTED

LUTSONG MUSIC FESTIVAL

July 15-17 The first annual LutSong Music Festival, held on Ski Hill Road in Lutsen, will feature three days of live music, held July 15-17. Twelve acts are scheduled to play at Caribou Highlands and North Shore Winery, including Bump Blomberg, Chris Castino & Chicken Wire Empire, Gordon Thorne, Erik Koskinen Band, Teague Alexy, Black River Revue, Dusty Heart, Sarah Morris, and more. Alongside the music, attendees will enjoy an art village, guitar demonstrations, a bronze pour demonstration, campfire jam sessions, and food and beverages, while starting each day with easy power yoga. lutsongmusicfestival.com

NORTH SHORE WATER FESTIVAL

July 15-17 Head to the Grand Marais Harbor for a weekend on the water, hosted by Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, see the newest watercraft and camping equipment on display, with reps available to answer questions, and take part in small mini-tours (kayak and standup paddleboard) in the harbor—pre-registration is available and recommended. Also on Saturday, meet Her Island author Joe Friedrichs at Stone Harbor from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. for a book signing.

Other activities include live music in Harbor Park all weekend. stoneharborws.com

SCHREIBER HERITAGE DAYS

July 15-24 Celebrate the culture and heritage of Schreiber with the 30th annual Schreiber Heritage Days, featuring a wide variety of exciting events for the whole family. Activities include a softball tournament, class reunions, adult and children’s bocce ball, a town-wide yard sale, a painting party, bingo, a scavenger hunt, luncheons, live music, a merchant market, a carnival, a BMX performance, hikes, a beach bonfire, dances, a penny auction, a scooter race, a chalk drawing contest, and more. Don’t miss the parade on Sunday, July 24 at 12:30 p.m., followed by the Classic Car Club show at 1 p.m. schreiber.ca

WEST END GARDEN CLUB FLOWER SHOW July 16, Saturday The West End Garden Club invites all to their free annual flower show, held Saturday, July 16 from 1-5 p.m. at the Birchgrove Community Center in Tofte. This year’s theme is called Garden of Eatin’ and members will display interesting and creative ways that both flowers and vegetables can be incorporated into delicious cooking. There will also be refreshments and live music to enjoy.

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS

The annual Festival of Colours in Thunder Bay will take place Sunday, July 17 at Marina Park. | SUBMITTED

BAYFRONT REGGAE & WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL

July 16, Saturday Held at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, the annual Reggae and World Music Festival is a celebration of world music whose artists spread the message of love, hope and equality for everyone. This year’s lineup includes Ce’cile, Tarrus Riley, Afro B, Gyptian, Carolyne Naomi, Indika, Nerry, and DJ Sound of Fujun. Gates will open at noon; this is a rain or shine event. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. bayfrontworldmusic.com

LAKE SUPERIOR SALMON CLASSIC

July 16-17 The annual Lake Superior Salmon Classic fishing tournament, hosted by the Silver Bay PTSO, will take place in the Silver Bay Marina. There are three contest divisions, with five place winners per division: coho, king salmon and lake trout. The tournament will take place from 4 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and from 4 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday. An air horn will announce start and stop times. The entry fee is $25 per person. There will also be a raffle drawing with cash prizes—first place gets $1,000—as well as other prizes. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at the marina during the tournament. silverbay-marina.com

Enjoy a performance by Eleanor Dubinsky and Dario Acosta Teich in Grand Marais on July 23. | SUBMITTED

DULUTH AIRSHOW

July 16-17 Minnesota’s largest airshow, the Duluth Air and Aviation Expo, presented by Essentia Health, will return to Duluth International Airport July 16-17. This year’s headline is the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Other performers and attractions include aerobatic pilots Kent Pietsch, Jessy Panzer, Craig Gifford, and the Vanguard Squadron, a B-25 Bomber, a U.S. Air Force F-16, the Shockwave Jet Truck, a B-52 fly-by, and more. There will be aircraft displays and vendors, more than 75 food and drink vendors, and a kids’ zone with inflatables, an obstacle

course, a turbo shuttle slide and more. Gates will open at 9 a.m. both days. Tickets can be purchased online. duluthairshow.com

FESTIVAL OF INDIA & COLOURS

July 16-17 Held at Marina Park on July 16, the annual Festival of India in Thunder Bay is a celebration of culture, arts, music and food. Festivities include a chariot parade, live music and dancing, henna tattoos, art and cultural exhibits, a yoga show, free Indian food, door prizes and more. The festival is free and takes place from 3-9 p.m.

NORTH SHORE

Water Festival JULY 15-17

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 10 AM-4 PM SMALL MINI-TOURS (KAYAK AND SUP) IN THE HARBOR. Pre-registration will be available and is recommended.

July 28-31 Aug 4-7 grandmaraisplayhouse.com

10AM-4 PM WATERCRAFT/ CAMPING EQUIPMENT ON DISPLAY with reps available to answer questions. 10 AM-1 PM HER ISLAND BOOK SIGNING with author Joe Friedrichs at Stone Harbor

LIVE MUSIC ALL WEEKEND ON THE WATERFRONT! For more info: www.stoneharborws.com/coursesevents/north-shore-water-festival

Visit us in-store or online today!

218.387.3136

stoneharborws.com NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

born as long as he keeps feeding it blood. Over time, though, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s out of this world origins and intent towards global domination. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for youth, and $50 for a household (up to five people). grandmaraisplayhouse.com

Art of the Elements

Gallery

at Frykman Art Studio

BLUEBERRY/ART FESTIVAL

July 29-31 Ely’s signature summer event, the Blueberry/Art Festival features 240 juried artists and crafters selling their hand-crafted items, as well as 25 food vendors and local musicians. Held at Whiteside Park, the festival includes a beer garden, live music, activities for the kids and fresh baked blueberry pies, as well as delicious burgers, brats, pork chops on a stick, seafood, kettle corn, waffles and more. The festival will take place from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. ely.org

Open 10am - 5pm Thursday - Saturday

The Blueberry/Art Festival in Ely will feature 240 juried artists and crafters selling their hand-crafted items. | SUBMITTED Then, take part in the Festival of Colours on Sunday, July 17, also at Marina Park. With roots in ancient India, the Festival of Colours is a joyful reminder to cast away bad feelings and throw worries to the wind. Join the crowd of people laughing, dancing, playing, eating and filling the sky with clouds of bright colours. Held at 4 p.m., there will be interactive dances, live Kirtan bands, DJ’s, yoga, food, colour throwing and more. The colours used are plant-based, non-toxic, and environmentally-friendly. Open to all ages. facebook.com/festivalofindia.thunderbay

GUNFLINT TRAIL CANOE RACES

kilnworked glass Sharon Frykman

Exhibiting 12 regional artists

July 20, Wednesday The annual Gunflint Trail Canoe Races, which began in 1976, is a fundraiser for the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department. Held at Gunflint Lodge on Gunflint Lake, the event starts with long-distance canoe races, followed by sprints and then concludes with the gunnel-pumping races. There will also be a silent auction, food, t-shirt sales and a raffle. After the water-based events, Poplar Haus will host a dance. The races start at 4 p.m. and those who wish to participate can sign up on the spot—canoes and gear are also provided. gunflint.com

ELEANOR DUBINSKY & DARIO ACOSTA TEICH

July 23, Saturday Multilingual vocalist/ songwriter Eleanor Dubinsky and virtuoso Argentine guitarist Dario Acosta Teich will perform at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 23. Bringing audiences together with fresh interpretations of jazz, Latin, French, popular and original songs, this duo has been called “a bright light on the musical landscape” and “powerful magic.” They’ve been hailed for the way they grace the stage with performances that transcend genre and geography and celebrate the healing power of music. Tickets are $20 general admission and masks will be required. northshoremusicassociation.com

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

July 28-31 & Aug. 4-7 The Grand Marais Playhouse will be performing Little Shop of Horrors July 28-31 and Aug. 4-7 at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais. Based on the film by Roger Corman, this Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash musical has devoured the hearts of theatre goers for over 30 years. The meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he names Audrey II after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down and out Krel-

FISHERMAN’S PICNIC

Aug. 4-7 This year marks the 93rd annual Fisherman’s Picnic festival in Grand Marais, and there’s lots to look forward to. There’s bingo, live music, food and artisan vendors, the fish toss and loon calling contests, kiddy rides, blacksmithing demos, the Friends of the Library book sale, a trail run, pancake breakfasts, a raffle drawing, and of course, the fishburger stand. There will be multiple contests and races, including the Big Fish Contest held July 27-Aug. 3, sponsored by Bucks and Northern Wilds. Don’t miss the fireworks over the harbor at 9:45 p.m. on Saturday and the parade at 1 p.m. on Sunday. facebook.com/grandmaraislionsclub

Frykman Art Studio

Studio & Gallery 301 First Avenue West, Grand Marais, MN 218-387-1992

Hwy 7 Hwy 7

Hwy 61

Co 44

road closed

Lutsen



Grand Marais



Open Daily 11 am-5 pm

306 County Rd 44

New for 2023 A Year of Trees

frykmanart.com

Shop online for books, cards, and prints

218-387-1949

JULY 2022

Celebrating 50 Years!

Betsy Bowen

Co 45

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www.woodcut.com

Crafts Music -Fun! Saturdays 10-2 through October

The Hub Parking Lot Grand Marais

Fine Art Pottery Weaving Knitting Quilts Jewelry Décor

2821 Hwy 61 (218) 834-4175

! p o h S p o t S e n O Your Gifts galore

Outdoor Gear

Grab & Go Food

Fill up on Fuel, Groceries, Pharmacy, Locally Made Goods, Clothing, Tackle, Bait, Recreational Licenses Mike’s Holiday 3 W. Hwy 61 Grand Marais, MN NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS CALENDAR OF EVENTS Thru July 9

July 1-2

July 7-10

July 14, Thursday

Making the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Exhibit Nordic Center, Duluth, nordiccenterduluth.org

Black River Revue 8 p.m. GunFlint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Heritage Days Two Harbors, facebook.com/twoharborsheritagedays

July 1-3

July 8-9

The Archaeology of the Fur Trade Period in the Eastern BWCAW 2 p.m. Seagull Lake Community Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org

Thru July 17 Northwoods Fiber Guild: Through Our Hands VI Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, cookcountyhistory.org Footloose NorShore Theatre, Duluth, norshortheatre.com

Thru July 24 And in 1948, I Came to Canada: The Holocaust in Six Dates Thunder Bay Museum, thunderbaymuseum.com

Thru Aug. 27 75th Anniversary Historical Display Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org

Jurassic Quest 9 a.m. (3 p.m. Fri.) Decc, Duluth, decc.org

July 1-31 Artist of the Month: Vincent DeZutti (Reception July 1 at 7 p.m.) Tettegouche Visitors Center, Silver Bay, friendsoftettegouche.org

July 2, Saturday Rock the Park 5 p.m. Whiteside Park, Ely, ely.org

July 2-3 Hovland Arts Festival 10 a.m. Hovland Town Hall, facebook.com/hovlandartsfestival

7-5 Summer Exhibition Studio 21, Grand Marais, grandmaraisartcolony.org

July 3, Sunday

Thru Sept. 5

p.m. Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, bayfrontfestivalpark.com

Christopher Harrison: Contemporary Visions Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org

Thru Mid-Sept. Wynn Davis: Salvaged Memories Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org

Thru Sept. 30

Party in the Park with Hairball 3:45

July 4, Monday Independence Day Tofte Trek 10k & Youth Races 9 a.m. Birch Grove Community Center, Tofte, sugarbushtrail.org

Free Family Concert 10 a.m.

George Morrison: Connections Grand Portage National Monument Heritage Center, nps.gov/grpo Steven Lemke & Kelsie Ward: Dislocation Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org

Thru Oct. 15 Francis Lee Jaques Paintings: Renowned Wildlife Artist 10 a.m. Cross River Heritage Center, Schroeder, crossriverheritage.org

Park Point 5-Miler & 2 Mile Walk 6:30 p.m. Park Point, Duluth, grandmasmarathon.com

Bay Days Silver Bay, bay-days.org

July 14-15

Thunder Bay Salmon Derby Thunder Bay, tbderby.com

July 9, Saturday Nice Girls of the North Marketplace 10 a.m. Spirit of the Lake Community School, Duluth, nicegirlsofthenorth.com AICHO Indigenous Food & Art Market 11 a.m. One Roof Community Housing Parking Lot, Duluth, aicho.org/markets 75th Anniversary Reception 6 p.m. Studio 21, Grand Marais, grandmaraisartcolony.org

Trampled By Turtles with the Jayhawks 6 p.m. Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, bayfrontfestivalpark.com

July 9-10 Grand Marais Arts Festival Cook County Schools, Grand Marais, grandmaraisartcolony.org

July 10, Sunday

Folktales From Around the World 7 p.m. Virginia, MN, lyriccenteronline.org

July 14-17 Duluth Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show Duluth Decc, decc.org

July 14-30 Home: A Bluegrass Celebration Magnus Theatre, Thunder Bay, magnustheatre.com

July 15, Friday Music in the Park: Charlie Parr 7:30 p.m. City Center Park, Silver Bay, Facebook: Rocky Wall Productions

July 15-16 Josh Cleveland 8:30 p.m. GunFlint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

July 15-17

Tofte 4th of July Celebration & Fireworks 11 a.m. (Parade at 2 p.m.) Tofte Town Hall/Park, Facebook: Tofte 4th of July

Duluth, decc.org

July 11, Monday

Ely Fourth of July Parade & Fireworks 1 p.m. (Fireworks at 10 p.m.) Ely, ely.org

Story & Play in the Park 9:30 a.m. Cascade Park, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

The City of Duluth Fourth Fest 4:30 p.m.

 “Weird Al” Yankovic 7:30 p.m.

Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, decc.org

Decc: Symphony Hall, Duluth, decc.org

Opwaaganisninng 30th Pow-Wow Lake Helen Reserve, Nipigon, Facebook: Red Rock Indian Band

Fourth of July Fireworks 10 p.m. Grand Marais Harbor, visitcookcounty.com

July 13, Wednesday

Northern Exposure Hockey Tournament Amsoil Arena, Duluth, decc.org

Canada Day

Fresh Air Trail Run 4:30 p.m. Kamview Nordic Centre, Thunder Bay, tbnordictrails.com

Canada Day on the Waterfront Marina Park, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca

Russell Peters: Act Your Age Tour 8 p.m. Fort William Gardens, Thunder Bay, visitthunderbay.com

Festival Park, Duluth, bayfrontcountryjam.com

July 8-10

Travis Tritt 7 p.m. Amsoil Arena,

July 5, Tuesday

Bayfront Country Jam 5:30 p.m. Bayfront

Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

Hiking the Superior Hiking Trail 5:30 p.m. Magney Snively Trailhead to Spirit Mountain Trailhead, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Historic State Theater, Ely, ely.org

July 1, Friday

Canada Day Celebrations 4 p.m. Terrace Bay Beach, Ontario, terracebay.ca

Rich Lewis Band 8:30 p.m. GunFlint Tavern,

Beach Party & Water Safety Awareness Noon, Park Point Beach House, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Busker Stroll on the Lakewalk 5 p.m.

The Lakewalk, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks Full Moon Hike 9 p.m. Quarry Park, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

July 7, Thursday

July 13-15

Movie Showing: The Joy Luck Club 2 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org

Sidewalk Days Festival 9 a.m. Downtown Duluth, downtownduluth.com

LutSong Music Festival Ski Hill Road, Lutsen, lutsongmusicfestival.com

North Shore Water Festival Grand Marais Harbor, stoneharborws.com

July 15-24 Schreiber Heritage Days, Schreiber, Ontario, schreiber.ca Roald Dahl’s James & the Giant Peach Jr. Duluth Playhouse, duluthplayhouse.org

July 16, Saturday Summerfest Tournament Skyline Social and Games, Duluth, skylinesocialandgames.com

Bayfront Reggae & World Music Festival Noon, Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, bayfrontworldmusic.com

West End Garden Club Flower Show 1 p.m. Birch Grove Community Center, Tofte

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS

Festival of India 2 p.m. Marina Park, Thunder Bay, Facebook: Festival of India Thunder Bay

July 23, Saturday

July 16-17

Story & Play in the Park 9:30 a.m. Chester Park, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Lake Superior Salmon Classic 4 a.m. Silver Bay Marina, silverbay-marina.com

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event 9 a.m. Cook County Recycling Center, Grand Marais, 218-387-3630.

Duluth Air & Aviation Expo 9 a.m. Duluth International Airport, duluthairshow.com

July 17, Sunday The Buzz Ryan & Half Buzzed Triathlons 9 a.m. Minnesota Power Picnic Area at Island Lake, Duluth, buzzryantriathlon.com “Betsy, Where’s the Northwoods?” 2 p.m. ChikWauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org Festival of Colours 4 p.m. Marina Park, Thunder Bay, festivalofcolours.ca

July 18, Monday Story & Play in the Park 9:30 a.m. Riverside Park, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Jumpin’ Jehosafats Concert 5 p.m. Whiteside Park, Ely, ely.org

July 19, Tuesday Fresh Air Trail Run 4:30 p.m. Kamview Nordic Centre, Thunder Bay, tbnordictrails.com Women Hike Duluth 6 p.m. Lester Park, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

The Sweet Caroline Tour: A Tribute to Neil Diamond 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com

July 20, Wednesday Duluth Women’s Club Tour of Home & Gardens 10 a.m. Duluth, duluthwomansclub.com

Kids for Kids Concert: Free 1 p.m. Ely Public Library, ely.org

Gunflint Trail Canoe Races 4 p.m. Gunflint Lodge Waterfront, Gunflint Trail, gunflint.com

July 20-24 Watercolor Show 10 a.m. Ely Arts and Heritage Center, elyartsandheritage.org

July 21, Thursday Jeff Dunham: Seriously? 7:30 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com

AICHO Indigenous Food & Art Market 11 a.m. One Roof Community Housing Parking Lot, Duluth, aicho.org/markets

July 31, Sunday

Festival by the Lake 11 a.m. Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, festivalbythelake.com

Eleanor Dubinsky & Dario Acosta Teich 7 p.m. Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais, northshoremusicassociation.com

Donuts at Dorothy’s 11 a.m. Dorothy Molter Museum, Ely, rootbeerlady.com

Beach House Jam 4 p.m. Park Point Beach House, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Billy Johnson 7:30 p.m. GunFlint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

July 23-24 Longlac Walleye Masters Fishing Tournament Long Lake, Longlac, longlacwalleyemasters.ca

July 24, Sunday Presentation by MN DNR Conservation Officer Mary Manning 2 p.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org

Mondays Walk and Talk Book Group Noon, Two Harbors Public Library, twoharborspubliclibrary.com

Outdoor Concert Series 6:30 p.m.

Waverley Park, Thunder Bay, Facebook: The Coalition for Waverley Park

Story & Play in the Park 9:30 a.m. Lester Park, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Tuesdays

July 26-Aug. 3 Fine Arts Show 10 a.m. Ely Arts and Heritage Center, elyartsandheritage.org

July 28, Thursday

Marta Duarte D’Almeida 6 p.m. Tofte Lake Center, Ely, toftelake.org

Aug. 4-6 Spirit Valley Days West Duluth, spiritvalleydays. com

Aug. 4-7 Fisherman’s Picnic Downtown Grand Marais, facebook.com/grandmaraislionsclub Little Shop of Horrors Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais, grandmaraisplayhouse.com

Aug. 7, Sunday 90th Anniversary Open House 2 p.m. Larsen’s Lakeview Cabins, Grand Marais, larsenslakeviewcabins.com

weekly events

July 25, Monday

Kids’ Day: Free 11 a.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org Sawmill Tours 12:30 p.m. Hedstrom Lumber Company, Gunflint Trail, hedstromlumber.com Summer Fun at Bayfront 4 p.m. Bayfront Family Center, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Finland Farmer’s Market 5 p.m. Clair Nelson Center, Finland, finlandfarmersmarket.com

Date Night at the Winery 7 p.m. North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us

Fridays Sawmill Tours 10 a.m. Hedstrom Lumber Company, Gunflint Trail, hedstromlumber.com Willow Springs Market 3 p.m. Willow Springs Creative Centre, Kaministiquia, facebook.com/willowspringscc Indigenous: The Art of Shaun Chosa Exhibition 4 p.m. AICHO Galleries: Robert Powless Cultural Center, Duluth, facebook.com/aichogalleries

Margie Menzies: Hawks of the North Woods Counting for Conservation 6 p.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org

Happy Hour Market 4 p.m. Hoops Brewing, Duluth, downtownduluth.com

Local Produce Stand (Begins July 15) 5:30 p.m. Outside North Shore Area Partners, Silver Bay, Facebook: Finland Produce Stand

Ely Farmers Market 5 p.m. Whiteside Park, Ely, ely.org

Movies in the Park (Begins July 8) At Sunset, Leif Erikson Park, Duluth, downtownduluth.com

Hiking the Superior Hiking Trail 5:30 p.m. Spirit Mountain Trailhead to Kingsbury Creek Trailhead, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Chester Creek Concert Series 7 p.m.

Chester Park, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Saturdays

Wednesdays

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

USFS Nature Talks 2 p.m. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org

Morning Yoga: Free 8 a.m. Enger Park, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Duluth Farmers Market 2 p.m. 1324 E. 3rd St., Duluth, duluthfarmersmarket.com

Duluth Farmers Market 8 a.m. 1324 E. 3rd St., Duluth, duluthfarmersmarket.com

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

Kakabeka Farmers’ Market 9:30 a.m. Kakabeka Legion, Kakabeka Falls, kakabekafarmersmarket.ca

July 28-31 Bowfest Mont du Lac Resort, Superior, bowfest.com

Rise Together: Superior Theatre Festival Thunder Bay, facebook.com/superiortheatrefestival

July 28-Aug. 1

July 22, Friday

Family Fest 101 Chippewa Park, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/chippewa.park

July 22-23

July 30-31 The Fox Bikepacking Race 9 a.m. Finland Community Center, heckofthenorth.com

July 21-24

Clearwater Hot Club 7:30 p.m. City Center Park, Silver Bay, Facebook: Rocky Wall Productions

All Pints North 3:30 p.m. Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, mncraftbrew.org

Woman-Made Marvelous Things Fair 10 a.m. Peace Church, Duluth, wendyupnorth.com

Little Shop of Horrors 7 p.m. (2 p.m. Sun.) Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais, grandmaraisplayhouse.com

Music in the Park: Sam Miltich & the

Get the Lead Out with Kelly Amoth 11 a.m. ChikWauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, gunflinthistory.org

July 29, Friday Music in the Park: Lolos Ghost 7:30 p.m. City Center Park, Silver Bay, Facebook: Rocky Wall Productions

Summer Fun at Bayfront 4 p.m. Bayfront Family Center, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Music in the Park 6 p.m. City Park on River Street, Cook, MN, nwfamn.org

Live on the Waterfront (Begins July 13) Marina Park, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca

Thursdays

Crazy Chester 8:30 p.m. GunFlint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com

July 29-31

Bird Banding 7 a.m. Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder, sugarloafnorthshore.org

July 22-24

Blueberry/Art Festival 10 a.m. Whiteside Park, Ely, ely.org

Pop-Up Play 4 p.m. Various Parks, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks

Country on the Bay Fort William Historical Park, Thunder Bay, countryonthebay.ca

July 29-Aug. 7

July 22-Aug. 14

Buck’s & Northern Wilds’ Big Fish Contest Cook County, bucksbigfish.com

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

Lake Superior Watercolor Society Exhibit (Reception July 22 at 5 p.m.) Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, cookcountyhistory.org

July 30, Saturday

Cook County Market 10 a.m. Senior Center (The Hub) Parking Lot, Grand Marais, facebook.com/ccfarmandcraft Two Harbors Farmers Market 10 a.m. 320 7th Ave, Two Harbors, facebook.com/twoharborsfarmersmarket Children’s Story Hour 11 a.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, facebook.com/drurylanebooks

Sundays North Shore Geology Walks 10 a.m. Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder, sugarloafnorthshore.org

Weekend Wine Down 3 p.m. North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us

Hillside Makers’ Market 10 a.m. Perception Coaching LLC, Duluth, facebook.com/hillsidemakersmarket

NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

House smoked meats Now Open! Hungry Hippie Tacos in Duluth!

Frybread tacos Burritos MN craft beer Dine-in and take-out

15 West Hwy 61, Grand Marais • 218-387-3382 36

JULY 2022

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Find your place on the North Shore No matter where you find yourself in Grand Portage, there will always be a place for you.

1-800-543-1384 GrandPortage.com

The North Shore Dish Music with Your Meal By Virginia George

One thing I’ve noticed about those of us who live or vacation in the Northland is that we take our summers seriously. In comparison with Minneapolis, the growing season is a full six weeks shorter, which means six weeks less time between frosts. Call it an accelerated summer. For this reason, we take advantage of the beautiful landscape in every way we can. One of the greatest ways to appreciate the outdoors and food is outdoor dining. Restaurants and brewpubs alike have worked to create beautiful outdoor eating spaces, and some of them also work to usher in our rich artistic community. I don’t know whether the North Shore draws in creative people, or if creativity is a byproduct of our long, cold winters, but I’m here for it either way. The North Shore has a wonderful “home grown” atmosphere that is rich in personal influence, from arts and crafts to food and music. One beautiful blending of these influences and small, craft experiences, is local restaurants who also feature local bands. Sir Ben’s in Duluth, Birch Terrace in Grand Marais, and the Bluefin Grille in Tofte all provide outdoor dining experiences and live music opportunities so you can experience more of what the area has to offer, and the Cascade Restaurant and Pub in Lutsen is a picturesque location for local music and good eats.

Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake, Duluth Sir Ben’s is a quaint little building located right on London Road in the heart of Duluth. The building itself has unique features, with exposed brick and a bright blue roof. The inside of Sir Ben’s is a little disjointed, with a gentle nod to the building’s previous life as a service station. The bar is at one end and piano at the other, and a giant chalkboard kept up to date with current beer, cider and kombucha offerings. Sir Ben’s is an English-style pub, with a menu that favors unique sandwiches, along with house-made pizzas. There are a few vegan and gluten free options as well, and when it comes to beer, Sir Ben’s has an exhaustive tap list that changes almost daily. They keep it well updated on their website, but at any time you can expect to find more than 20 craft beers on tap (there are 27 as I write this).

Sir Ben’s in Duluth is an English-style pub with a menu that favors unique sandwiches, along with house-made pizzas. | SIR BENEDICT’S NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

When it comes to outdoor seating, Sir Ben’s has a variety of tables that wrap around three sides of the building. Two of those sides have at least a peek at Lake Superior. When it comes to local music, Sir Ben’s offers nightly music year-round, including some open mic nights, if you’re a budding entertainer and want to get some experience in front of a crowd. It’s a popular place to cycle or walk to, and with great food and music, and is a wonderful choice when you want to catch some vitamin D or some tunes.

Cascade Restaurant and Pub, Lutsen The Cascade Restaurant is an unassuming building located right on the scenic drive of Highway 61, with a rustic interior and welcoming atmosphere. There is a large fireplace and windows that face Lake Superior, inviting the sunshine and majesty of the lake inside. Cascade Lodge’s menu is intentional, serving local ingredients in ways that are complimentary, unique, and delicious. They have gone to great lengths to provide a rounded menu that includes gluten free and vegan options, local Fika coffee, and a full breakfast menu which includes their famous bloody mary.

Birch Terrace Supper Club, Grand Marais Birch Terrace is seated in Grand Marais and it offers a great view of Lake Superior and some great history. Originally a trading post, the Birch Terrace dining room is rustic, with wood coffered ceilings and a brick fireplace. They also have a window enclosed porch for dining, a favorite space to feel outside, while remaining inside. Birch Terrace also has a large patio seating area, with views of Lake Superior and the Grand Marais Harbor. The menu is a mixture of sandwiches and baskets, steak, salads and pastas. Birch Terrace has a large open deck and patio space with music in the summer months. They feature music from various local bands, playing both original music and cover songs, and covering the scope of musical genres under the stars.

Bluefin Grille in Tofte offers live music three times a week in the summer, as well as a beautiful view of Lake Superior. | BLUEFIN GRILLE

Bluefin Grille, Tofte If you want a more formal and exclusive atmosphere, Bluefin Grille in Tofte is a great choice, offering a variety of food, dining and musical experiences. Bluefin Grille has a “sophisticated yet casual” atmosphere, perhaps displayed most significantly by the many large windows around the perimeter of the dining room, giving patrons a clear and unobstructed view of beautiful Bluefin Bay on Lake Superior. In 2021, Bluefin Grille expanded their outdoor seating to include several tables for lakeside dining.

Indoor & Outdoor Dining With a view of Poplar Lake

Wed-Sun 12pm-9pm

The menu at Bluefin Grille is also both casual and sophisticated in their menu options. From a casual burger or salad to a sophisticated salmon or filet mignon, there are options for just about anyone. Diners can look forward to the return of the much-loved (and missed) Breaker Burger! For the summertime, Bluefin Grille added an additional evening of music, so you can expect to hear live local tunes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, and on Saturdays you can find Lake Superior bonfire music out on the beach for some post-dinner tunes.

Cascade Restaurant features local musicians year-round, and in the summer months one can expect to find live music at least twice weekly. Cascade Restaurant and Pub is an inviting setting to relax and refuel after a day of exploration and relaxation along the North Shore. One thing that a lot of us have missed over the past couple years is live music. The North Shore is full of creative and talented artists, who showcase their passion and skill, often in dining establishments across the Northland. If you’re looking for that blending of nature, creativity and darn good food, I hope you will check out one of these restaurants.

Loggin’ Food at its Finest

Lakeside Dining Full Bar Logger Lounge 11 am-9 pm Food til 9 pm, Beverages til Close* Available for banquets & weddings

Lakeside Cabins Campground 5th-wheel Tents Water & Electric Hook-up

Home of the Gunflint Trail's ONLY Liquor Store Open daily @ 11am 38

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS

Watercraft Rental

Kayak

Fishing Boat

Canoe

Pontoon

Date Night Thursdays 7-9 p.m.

Detoxing: Meanings, Myths & Methods By Hartley Newell-Acero Discussing “detoxing” can be confusing. It can mean different things to different people. “Medical detoxification” means to manage intoxication by, and withdrawal from, drugs or alcohol. It’s used by medical personnel to help minimize the physical harm that dangerous substances can cause. “Internal detoxification” is the built-in processes that our kidneys, liver, large intestine and lungs use to first filter, then eliminate, waste and toxic materials. “Wellness detoxification” is probably the most common way that we now use the word “detox.” Sometimes referred to as a “cleanse,” it can include things like fasting or drinking only juices; limiting food intake to a few items or food groups; taking supplements; “cleaning” the colon with enemas, laxatives or irrigation; and using a sauna. These programs can be especially dangerous for people with medical conditions or who take certain medications.

Detox Myths There are plenty of detox myths floating around. We’ve flipped them to discover the detox truths. • Sweating doesn’t remove toxins. Sweating is your body’s way of cooling itself—not cleansing itself. • You can’t pull toxins out through your skin. Your skin protects you by keeping toxins from getting in—it doesn’t let toxins out. • Detoxing doesn’t rid your intestines of accumulated rotten fecal matter. Colon “cleansing” can lead to dehydra-

tion, electrolyte imbalance, impaired bowel function, and disruption of your intestinal microbiome. • Drinking large amounts of water doesn’t flush dangerous substances out of your body. There’s no medical benefit to over-hydration; in fact, it can be dangerous. • Your organs don’t need help to detox. Many products or regimens promise to help detox specific organs. Your kidneys, liver, intestines and lungs can’t be cleansed individually. • Special diets or foods can’t help you to detox, and detoxing won’t help you to lose weight. While they can cause weight loss, these diets are often dangerously low-calorie and/or nutritionally imbalanced. Dehydration and starvation are not routes to better health. Here are some tips to help you tell at a glance whether a detox or cleansing diet should be avoided. Red flags include: • Promises of rapid weight loss. Quickly losing weight indicates loss of muscle, bone and water. It doesn’t signal detoxification, cleansing or health improvement. • Drastic limits on most foods, excessive amounts of certain foods, or elimination of specific foods or food groups. These can lead to dietary imbalances and inflexible menus make life harder than it needs to be. • Requiring specific food combinations or timing. There is no wrong timing or combination of foods that will cause them to turn to fat or produce toxins in your intestines

• Ignoring physical activity. Moving your body is essential for good health and any diet that ignores that key element can’t be balanced.

Safest Method for Detoxing The ideal way to detox is to let your amazing body do what it does best. You don’t have to add anything extra to the process, but you can support it by doing the following: • Lighten the “filtering” load for your liver, kidneys and lungs. Minimize or eliminate the amount of commercial tobacco, alcohol and other drugs that you’re asking them to handle.

• Get active. Movement helps all your organs to work better, and this includes your “detox” organs. • Stay hydrated—but don’t drink until you slosh! If you pee every two to three hours and your urine is pale or clear, you’re good. If you have questions about “cleanse” or “detox” programs, ask your doctor for more information. This is a condensed version of the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic’s “Topic of the Month” newsletter. Want to learn more? Visit sawtoothmountainclinic.org to read the full issue, access the resources cited, and explore our entire library of newsletters.

• Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and lean protein. It’s the very same diet that’s good for your heart, brain, muscles, and every other part of you

Down-home Northwoods Atmosphere

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Order Online! 218-387-1915 401 E. Hwy 61, Grand Marais NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

Get Fishing! BUCK’S

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ADULT AND KIDS (16 AND UNDER) TOURNAMENTS Lake Trout • Salmon • Walleye • Brook Trout Northern • Smallmouth Bass

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JULY 2022

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Northern Trails Unexpected Adrenaline Rushes Outdoors By Gord Ellis

The wilderness is often full of surprises and not all of them are welcome. It is impossible to spend time fishing, hunting, hiking or boating and not have some experience that makes you question your sanity. Since the theme this month is adrenaline, I figured it would be a good time to share some of my more blood pressure spiking experiences. As a young man, canoe trips were a regular summer occurrence. Those forays into the deep northern woods helped me become the person I am today and gave me some decent bush smarts. Yet there were a few misadventures, too. One that I’ll never forget took place on the Drowning River, north of Nakina, in the late 1970s. The canoe tripping group included a few middle-aged men (including my dad) and two 17-year-olds, of which I was one.

It is impossible to spend time fishing, hunting, hiking or boating and not have some experience that makes you question your sanity. | GORD ELLIS

The trip was uneventful until we were faced with a long portage. The map said there was a decent, well-marked trail. The reality was the area had burned and was a twiggy nightmare with no trail in sight. So we went through the bush, using a compass and our strength. It was hot, buggy and we didn’t have enough water. At some point the group got lost. Keep in mind we were carrying canoes and Duluth packs full of food and gear. Some of the men got leg cramps from dehydration and were basically screaming. As a younger buck, I was carrying a bit more than expected but also started to overheat. I had no water, so there was no choice but to strain nasty swamp juice through my hat and drink it. The fact I am alive today is a miracle considering what was swimming in that ooze. It was a terrible situation and could have ended badly. Yet many hours later, we did break out on the target lake, and everyone collapsed in a heap. Well, almost everyone. I took a canoe and went fishing, but that’s another story. Speaking of water-related adventure, wading has provided some unexpected thrills over the years. Although you can wade wet, most of us prefer having a rubber or neoprene sheath over our legs. I’ve owned dozens of pairs of waders in my life, including custom fit ones. Wading is tricky as you have a number of things to deal with including current, gravel and general slipperiness. Most of us who wade regularly manage well, all things considered. Yet occasionally, things do not go so well.

Be careful when angling in fast water. | GORD ELLIS There have been a few wading incidents in my past that have nearly gone wrong. One that stands out took place on a North Shore Lake Superior stream about 30 years ago. I’ve always been a confident wader, but this has led to some bad choices. During the time in question, I was fishing off a side of the river that was very swift and steep. There were a few anglers on the same side as me, but most chose not to risk fate. As luck would have it, a very large steelhead intercepted my yarn fly and turned its nose back to Lake Superior. The fish ripped off downstream headed for a long set of rapids. I began to follow the fish and was soon belly button high in swift water. The few anglers below me stepped

back and watched the show. As the fish left the pool. I could feel my feet lose contact with the bottom. Suddenly, I too was heading for the rapids. Landing the steelhead no longer seemed a priority. Water began to trickle into my waders as I madly tried to stay upright and hold my fishing rod. Then, out of the blue, I felt the hands of another angler grab my suspenders and pull me out of the current. “Where you heading, Gord?” said the man who I knew well enough to be embarrassed. The fish was long gone, as was my pride. I thanked the angler for stopping what was sure to have been a thrill ride with dire consequences.

Another adrenaline inducing experience that always comes to mind—and has kept me up at night—is connected to a bear hunt that happened a decade or so ago southwest of Thunder Bay. I was hunting on farmland planted with corn and the bears were smashing large tracts of the stuff down and eating it. The destroyed corn areas looked like crop circles. The farmer was more than happy to allow hunters to take the bear on the property. One afternoon, I grabbed my crossbow, climbed into a tree stand and stood watch over a trail that led from a swamp into the corn. The plan was to intercept any bruin sneaking into the corn before dark. At least, that was my plan. About 15 minutes before dark, I sensed movement on the trail coming from the corn. I looked over and could see a gigantic black bear waddling its way down the trail. Clearly the 600-pound bear had not got the memo and was heading out of the corn before dark. At about 60 yards the bear stopped, sat down and looked directly at me in the stand. Holding my bow and pointy stick was not making me feel very safe. This bear was a giant. The animal sat for about a minute as I watched it, sweat beading on my brow. Then, as if bored, it got on all fours, turned tail and went back from where it came. I breathed a sigh of relief, until I realized it was last light, and I’d need to leave the stand soon and walk up the same trail as the Volkswagen sized bear. Rarely have I been as freaked out as I was on that walk. Never did my truck look so good. The woods can be full of mystery and excitement; and a little adrenaline is ok. Yet feeling calm and serene has its place, too. NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

The seven steps to survival By Tom Watson It can happen anywhere—becoming critically disoriented after wandering off a trail, losing vital gear after a canoe capsized or simply becoming camp bound in a remote location due to severe weather—just some of the many circumstances that can turn even a casual weekend camping experience into a survival situation. The Alaska Marine Safety Institute developed a list of sequential steps to take when in a survival situation. Initially introduced to commercial fishermen and the U.S. Coast Guard, these “Seven Steps to Survival” are a prioritized sequence of actions that can help guide one through an emergency regardless of their skill levels—wherever, whenever caught in a survival situation.

THE SEVEN STEPS TO SURVIVAL ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE

It may be hard to admit that you’re actually in a survival situation. Your first action, once out of immediate harm’s way, is to stop, relax and gain your composure. It’s important to kickstart a positive mental attitude and realize and accept that you are in a potentially life-threatening situation.

DO AN INVENTORY

A simple shelter—a pile of grass, leaves and foliage—can offer minimal protection against the elements. | TOM WATSON

Depending upon what caused your emergency in the first place (capsized, severe weather, etc.) you may need to seek out a more secure/safe base of operation. Once you are safe, check/treat yourself and others for injuries, and scan the area for any potential resources you might utilize for shelter, tools, etc.

CREATE A SHELTER

Sure, fires are great, but secure a shelter first, even if it’s only make-shift for starters. If you are spending valuable time trying to light a fire and the weather suddenly deteriorates, having no shelter just makes things even worse. Learn basic shelter construction—from leaf/brush piles to lean-to’s to covered, framed-in structures. Once you have protection from the elements, you can get a fire going for warmth, cooking, etc.

Typical survival shelters include (A) foliage or tarp-covered ridge pole; (B) tarp-covered ‘lean-to’ frame; (C) Natural cavities in rock ledges or overhangs, base of trees, etc. | TOM WATSON

MAKE SIGNALS

A) Machine/appliance parts for handles, snares; (B) cordage for lashing, fishlines, snares; (C) strands from larger rope for cordage; (D) containers for collecting water, cooking; (E) pieces of metal/ glass for cutting, reflective signaling; (F) containers for collecting water, food; broken to create sharp cutting edge; (G) scraps of building material for shelter construction, other fabrications. | TOM WATSON

The internationally-recognized emergency single is a trio of lights (or three bright fires, three columns of smoke). Create these in a clearing or high point of land and construct them so they can be quickly and easily ignited when needed. Bright-colored clothing or gear can be waved overhead to draw attention, too.

FIND A SOURCE OF WATER, STAY HYDRATED

Locating the cleanest source of water can be a life saver. Learn how to make it safe to drink (treated naturally through exposure to sunlight or filtered through a vertical column of moss, charcoal and sand). Even wiping the dew off leaves or other surfaces with a piece of clothing (bandana, sock, etc.) until saturated, can be rung out to drink. Seek out a water source as part of your initial inventory.

JULY 2022

Collecting morning dew off plants or gear is a quick source of drinkable water— just soak it up in a bandana and ring it into a container to drink. | TOM WATSON

EAT/FOOD

You need food for energy, stamina and even for its psychological benefits, but humans can go several days, perhaps a few weeks without it. Two axioms about survival food: If you don’t know what it is, don’t eat it and just because it’s edible, doesn’t mean it’s going to taste good.

NORTHERN WILDS

PLAY!

It’s all about composure, staying calm and focused—maintaining your positive mental attitude. Your best survival tool is right between your ears. These seven steps can be repeated as needed and acted upon accordingly. Regardless if your only forays into the outdoors are through participation in casual recreational activities, the more basic skills you have, the better you may be at coping in a survival sit-

uation. Simply spraining an ankle a half-mile from your public campsite could leave you stranded overnight without any protection from the elements. An accidental swamping of your canoe could mean you are stuck without a tent or gear pack. These seven steps to survival are a basic list of sequential steps anyone can follow and repeat as necessary to help them deal with an emergency situation, regardless of how minor or extreme the situation.

SAWMILL TOURS

Clean Your

Hedstrom Lumber Co. will be offering FREE tours of the Sawmill and Planing Mill

JUNE 21 - AUGUST 26

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TUES. 12:30-2 PM | FRI. 10-11:30 AM

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BY JOE SHEAD WHY GO: Brule Lake is a popular Boundary Waters entry point. It has numerous campsites for overnight stays, but as an entry point, it’s also well-suited to day trips. Anglers will find eater-sized walleyes, quality-sized smallmouth bass and potential for some good-sized ciscoes. ACCESS: From Lutsen, travel 17 miles up Highway 4 (Caribou Trail) to The Grade (Forest Road 153). Turn left on The Grade and proceed about 2 miles. Turn right onto Brule Lake Road (Forest Road 326) and follow it to the parking lot at the end of the road. Brule Lake has a concrete ramp with a rustic outhouse and parking for 90 vehicles. No motors are permitted on Brule Lake. Brule Lake has more than 30 campsites and is a very popular entry point. Six portages lead to other lakes beyond Brule Lake. VITALS: At 4,326 acres and with a maximum depth of 78 feet, Brule Lake is big water. In fact, it’s the second-largest lake contained entirely within the BWCAW. As such, paddlers should use caution on windy days and be aware that the weather may dictate your daily plans. Brule is a classic Canadian Shield lake: rocky, deep and clear, with 17-foot water clarity. It is believed lake trout were native here, and stocking did maintain a small population into the 1970s.

GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and cisco. WALLEYE: “Historically, it’s been one of our best large Boundary Waters walleye lakes in terms of relative abundance and size,” said Matthew Weberg, assistant area fisheries supervisor in Grand Marais. “Gill net catches are at or above the lake class median and there’s fairly consistent natural reproduction.” Weberg said walleyes were first stocked into Brule in 1929 and have been stocked “sparingly” since then. They reproduce well on their own, and with a cisco forage base, there is the possibility of hooking a big fish. However, most fish anglers will encounter will be good eaters in the 15- to 19-inch range, with a real possibility for something in the low 20s. NORTHERN PIKE: Northern pike are present in low numbers. The perch and minnow populations are low, which doesn’t provide a lot of forage for young pike. Despite the deep, rocky nature of the lake, there are a few shallow, weedy bays that provide cover for small pike. However, if pike are able to grow large enough to prey on ciscoes, there is real potential

BRULE LAKE

for growth while feasting on these abundant fatty fish. Whether large pike exist is a question. They haven’t shown up in DNR surveys, but then again, it’s a big, deep lake. SMALLMOUTH BASS: Smallmouth bass are another non-native species to Brule Lake. They first appeared in DNR surveys in 1970, and had likely been established for a while at that point. They are ideally suited to the rocky habitat found within the lake and have done well for themselves. “The fish we see tend to be 12 to 18 or 19 inches,” Weberg said. Although DNR survey numbers don’t show a lot of bass, smallmouths are wary of nets and are best detected with electrofishing, which isn’t practical in the Boundary Waters. Anglers should find lots of smallies, including some nice-sized ones.

CISCO: Ciscoes are an interesting story in Brule Lake. “Cisco are from Lake Superior and were brought here as an inland brood stock,” Weberg said. “Brule was commercially fished for cisco for many years, up to the ’70s. The lake is open to sport netting in mid-October and produces some pretty large ciscoes. If people are willing to brave the weather, it can be pretty fruitful.” Weberg said it’s impossible to know how many people actually net ciscoes in fall, but it’s likely not many. He said ciscoes can sometimes harbor parasites, but the ones the DNR has sampled have been clean. Hook-and-line anglers usually target ciscoes in winter, but Brule Lake Road isn’t plowed in winter, making access difficult.

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

NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

HOW TO

PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR WILDFIRES

NORTHERN SKY JULY 2022 By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH

WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION STEPS THAT CAN MAKE YOUR HOME SAFER DURING A WILDFIRE

6 3 1

2 VEGETATION MANAGEMENT 1. HOME IGNITION ZONES Limiting the amount of flammable vegetation, choosing fire-resistant building materials and construction techniques, along with periodic exterior maintenance in the three home ignition zones - increases the chances your home will survive a wildfire when exposed to embers and/or a surface fire. The zones include the Immediate Zone: 0 to 5 feet around the house; Intermediate Zone: 5 to 30 feet; and the Extended Zone: 30 to 100 feet. 2. LANDSCAPING AND MAINTENANCE To reduce ember ignitions and fire spread, trim branches that overhang the home, porch and deck and prune branches of large trees up to (depending on their height) 6 to 10 feet from the ground. Remove plants containing resins, and ensure mulches in the Immediate Zone (0 to 5 feet around the house) are non-combustible options like crushed stone and gravel. Maintain vegetation annually.

FIRE RESISTIVE CONSTRUCTION 3. ROOFING AND VENTS Class A fire-rated roofing products offer the best protection. Examples include: Composite shingles, metal, concrete and clay tiles. Roof and attic vents should be screened to prevent ember entry. 4. DECKS AND PORCHES Never store flammable materials underneath decks or porches. Remove dead vegetation and debris from under decks/porches and between deck board joints. 5. SIDING AND WINDOWS Embers can collect in small nooks and crannies and ignite combustible materials; radiant heat from flames can crack windows. Use fire-resistant siding such as brick, fiber-cement, plaster or stucco and dual-pane tempered glass windows.

July opens with four morning planets— Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn—strung out in that order from northeast to south. By month’s end, Saturn will be moving into the southwest and both Saturn and Jupiter start rising before midnight. Earth laps Saturn in the orbital race on August 14, and we catch up to Jupiter on September 26. As for Mars, it’s getting steadily brighter, but we won’t lap it until early December. If you’re unsure which object is Mars—or even if you’re quite sure— you may want to get outside just as day starts to break on the 22nd, when a waning crescent moon will be about midway between the Red Planet and the lovely Pleiades star cluster. Venus lingers very low in the east to northeast, but with the morning sky staying dark longer each day, we don’t have to get up quite so early to catch it. In the evening sky, Scorpius scrapes the southern horizon at nightfall. On the 10th, a waxing moon will be close to the scorpion’s heart, the gigantic red star An-

tares. High above Scorpius shine two brilliant stars. To the west, Arcturus anchors the kite-shaped constellation Bootes, the herdsman. To the east, Vega ornaments the smaller constellation Lyra, the lyre. Vega is also the brightest of the Summer Triangle of stars, which also includes Deneb, in Cygnus, the swan; and Altair, in Aquila, the eagle. July’s full moon will be another big, luminous supermoon. It gets its large size by arriving on the 13th, the same day it swoops closest to Earth in this lunar cycle. On July 4, Earth reaches aphelion, its farthest distance from the sun: 94.5 million miles. On that day we’ll be moving most sluggishly in our orbit—18.2 miles per second, compared to 18.8 miles per second when we’re closest to the sun. The University of Minnesota’s public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth and Twin Cities campuses have been curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For more information, visit: d.umn. edu/planet.

6. EMERGENCY RESPONDER ACCESS Ensure your home and neighborhood has clearly marked street names and numbers. Driveways should be at least 12 feet wide with a vertical clearance of 15 feet, for emergency vehicle access.

BE PREPARED Always evacuate if you feel it’s unsafe to stay – don’t wait to receive an emergency notification if you feel threatened from the fire.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS • Store firewood away from the home • Mow the lawn regularly • Prune low-hanging tree branches • Landscape with fire-resistant plants • Create small fuel breaks with hardscaping features

ORGANIC, LOCAL & N AT U R A L G R O C E R I E S 9AM - 7pM DAILY

COOK COUNTY

GRAB & GO ITEMS

Locally, visit cookcountyfirewise.org, or email firewise@co.cook.mn.us

M I N N E S O TA

Firewise© is a program of the National Fire Protection Association. This publication was produced in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service, US Department of the Interior and the National Association of State Foresters. NFPA is an equal opportunity provider. Firewise© and Firewise USA© are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA 02169.

Order a Reducing Wildfire Risks in the Home Ignition Zone checklist/poster at Firewise.org 44

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS

COFFEE

| SALADS

| BAKED GOODS |

| TA K E & B A K E P I Z Z A S

S A N DW I C H E S & W R A P S

2 0 E F I R S T S T, G R A N D M A R A I S

| HOT SOUPS

| C O O KC O U N T Y.C O O P

The Perennial Kitchen

Simple Recipes for a Healthy Future By Beth Dooley University of Minnesota Press, 2021, $27.95

In The Perennial Kitchen, James Beard award-winning author Beth Dooley provides the context of food’s origins, along with delicious recipes, nutrition information and tips for smart sourcing. Recipes include everything from mini bean cakes, polenta with fried eggs, and garlic scape pesto, to beef short ribs with lemon and thyme, holiday fruitcake, and cream-filled chocolate wafers. The book also includes a section titled “Perennial Pantry,” with information on using various grains, beans, flours, cooking oils, vinegars and nuts. This book is a great addition to any kitchen.—Breana Johnson

Seven Aunts

By Staci Lola Drouillard University of Minnesota Press, 2022, $21.95

Part memoir and part cultural history, Seven Aunts author Staci Lola Drouillard tells the history of her family through the lives of her beloved seven aunts, whose memories of holding home and family together tell the crucial, often overlooked story of women of the twentieth century. Seven Aunts is an inspired patchwork of memoir and reminiscence, poetry, testimony, love letters and family lore. It’s a must-read, honoring the heroism of these extraordinary women who defied expectations and overwhelming odds to make a place in the world for the next generation. —Breana Johnson

Begin with a Bee

By Liza Ketchum, Jacqueline Briggs Martin & Phyllis Root Illustrated by Claudia McGehee University of Minnesota Press, 2021, $17.95

Begin with a Bee follows the life cycle of a rusty-patched bumblebee queen, who’s “tiny body (not even an inch) holds everything she needs to create a whole new colony.” Her story begins in the spring when she emerges from a hole in the ground in search of pollen. She finds a nest, “underground best,” lays a few eggs and seals them in pollen. All summer, this single queen lays more eggs and more worker bees hatch. They gather pollen and maintain the colony until next year’s queen hatches in the fall. This well-written children’s book, accompanied by beautiful illustrations, is a great source of education for all ages. It also contains information on the importance of bees and what you can do to help save the bees, many of which are in danger of extinction.—Breana Johnson

NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

Gidaanikeshkaagonaanig Gidaanikoobijiganinaan Following the Ancestor’s Steps

Manidoo Makwa Spirit Bear By: Sam Zimmerman / Zhaawanoogiizhik My nindaangoshenh (cousin) shared a wawiiyazh (funny) story about hearing something in the middle of the naakshig (night). She said she woke her up a few weeks ago because of an enigok (loud) noise on her deck. She went downstairs to find a makwa (bear) looking through the window at her. The makwa (bear) onabi (he took a seat) on her deck. Wiisini (he was eating) the seeds and bagaanag (nuts) that she keeps out there. She told the makwa (bear) that they weren’t for him and he needed to ngaabzan (stop) and leave. I laughed and asked her, “Well what did you think was going to happen with leaving food out?” She said he gave her a dirty look as he walked off into the trees. Baabaapi’idiwag (We kept laughing at each other about it). I painted this piece, Manidoo Makwa (Spirit Bear) to honor this story.

Back By Popular Demand!

H ME

Follow my studio on Facebook and Instagram @CraneSuperior or if you have ideas for a North Shore painting, cranesuperiorstudio@gmail.com.

Theatre

A Bluegrass Celebration

CONCEIVED AND WRITTEN BY

JO-ANN WAYTOWICH Jeweler of the North Shore

July 14-31, 2022 - In Our Brand New Tent! Tickets: magnustheatre.com | 807.345.5552

Evenings: 7:30pm | Matinees: 2:00pm (Eastern Time)

Magnus In The Park

In Downtown Lutsen - 5339 W Hwy 61, Ste 101 218-370-9648 • www.jewelerofthenorthshore.com

Eleanor Dubinsky & Dario Acosta Teich

jazz and global music by multilingual vocalist & Argentine guitarist

July 23 at 7 pm

– 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 Northern Shore Shore Rate Rate–-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

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS

Arrowhead Center for the Arts 51 W. 5th St., Grand Marais $20 general seating. Masks required. Tickets at door or northshoremusicassociation.com

northshoremusicassociation.com • 218-387-1272 • music@boreal.org

Strange Tales Canada’s Famous Dionne Quints By Elle AndraWarner

So, what did the launch in 1943 of five new coastal freighters at the Walter Butler Shipyards in Superior, Wisc. have to do with Canada’s famous Dionne Quintuplets, the five identical girls who at the time were the world’s only known quintuplets to survive? Both U.S. and Canada were part of the Allies fighting in World War II, and both countries were setting records building ships as part of the war effort, including the shipyards of Lake Superior. As the story goes, there were so many ship launchings each week in Duluth/Superior—an average of 10 ships a month—that the public was beginning to lose interest. At the time, one of the biggest shipbuilders in the Twin Ports shipbuilding industry of Minnesota and Wisconsin was the Walter Butler Shipbuilders (the former Lake Superior Shipbuilding). In 1943, the company had a contract to build 17 N-3 coastal freighters for U.S. Maritime Commission under its WWII shipbuilding program. To add excitement to the launches, the company’s president Robert Butler came up with the idea for a launch of five sister ships all in one day and be the first shipbuilder to accomplish such a feat. Since 1811, when Britain’s Prince Regent (future King George IV) invited a woman—rather than a man—to be a ship’s sponsor, a new tradition evolved where primarily women were invited to be a ‘sponsor’ and christen vessels at ceremonial ship launches to bring good luck and safe travels to the ship and crew. In more recent times, the list of prominent women sponsors includes Mariah Carey for Disney Fantasy; Oprah Winifrey, MS Nieuw Statendam; Whoopi Goldberg, MV Serenade of the Seas; and, Queen Sonja of Norway, MV Majesty of the Seas. In early 1943, someone at the Butler Shipbuilding suggested that each of the famed Dionne quintuplets, aka “The Quints,” be invited to sponsor one of the five ships— and that’s how the five 9-year-old Quints became involved with the company’s historic five-ship launch that became known as the “Quint Fleet.” Some background; the five girls—Annette, Émilie, Marie, Yvonne and Cecile—were born on May 28, 1934 to French-Canadian parents Oliva and Elzire Dionne in Corbeil, Ontario, who already had five children. A

The Quints starred in three Hollywood feature films, the last one being “Five of a Kind” (1939). They were also in a 1938 short documentary film, “Five Times Five,” which in 1940 was nominated for an Academy Award Oscar. | ELLE ANDRA-WARNER few months later, the government made the Quints wards of the court, and took over custody and care of them for the next nine years (parents won back custody of their daughters in 1943). The government constructed a U-shaped nursery and house, staffed with nurses, police, a housekeeper and maids, and surrounded by a 7-foot barbed-wire fence. Dubbed “Quintland” and located near the Dionne family home, the amusement-like park became Ontario’s major tourist attraction as visitors came to see the Quints, generating more than $50 million in total revenue to Ontario. Over 3 million people visited Quintland including Hollywood stars Clark Gable, James Cagney, Bette Davis, Jimmy Stewart and aviator Amelia Earhart.

Robert Butler inviting the Quints to be sponsors and christen the ship became a huge community and international media event. More than 15,000 attended to see the Quints at the ship launching, while millions in the U.S. and Canada listened on the radio. In the book Iron Fleet: The Great Lakes in World War II, author George Joachin wrote that there were 10,000 bleacher seats set up and sold at $3.30 each, plus 50,000 souvenir programs printed and sold at $1 each.

The Quints were featured in three Hollywood movies, the last “Five of a Kind” (1938) was released when they were 4-anda-half years old. As celebrities, their images as endorsements were on many commercial products, including Quaker Oats, Palmolive Soap, Colgate, Carnation Milk and Babe Ruth candy bars.

Built as N3-S-A1 class cargo vessels, the five ships were all named after early frigate captains: Watson Ferris; Bailey Foster; Gurden Gates; Moses Gay; and Asa Eldridge. After briefly working in the Great Lakes grain trade, all five ships of the Quint Fleet were on lend-lease to the British Ministry of War

As sponsors, each Quint would bestow the ship’s name while they smashed a bottle of champagne against the bow of the 250-foot steel-hulled ship; reports though indicate the Quints did their duty smashing but missed saying “I christen thee (name).”

Transportation (1943-1949). After the war, some were sold, others already wrecked. What did the Quints later think about their early life? In a 1997 published cautionary letter in Time magazine, “Advice from the Dionne Quintuplets,” to the U.S. parents of the first surviving septuplets in recorded history, the then-three surviving Quints—Annette, Cecile and Yvonne (died in 2001)—wrote “Multiple births should not be confused with entertainment, nor should they be an opportunity to sell products...And to those who would seek to exploit the growing fame of these children, we say beware.” Moving forward to current times, while the Quint Fleet ships are gone, as is the Butler Shipbuilding company, the two surviving Quints Annette and Cecile celebrated their 88th birthday on May 28 this year.

NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

Full views. A fraction of the price.

Bluefin Bay Condos & Townhomes

Own a piece of Minnesota’s Favorite Resort

All units are currently sold. To be notified when something comes available, email eric@bluefinbay.com.

Eric Frost

Sales Agent, Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts

New townhomes, total coastal luxury right on the shore of Lake Superior. 3,000 s/f, 3BR, 3BA. Quarter-share ownership w/ ﬂexibility for personal use & rental income. Excellent family retreat or investment property. Prices from $174K-$215K, includes furnishings.

Let Eric, exclusive sales agent for Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts, provide the details about each property and guide you through the process. Contact him today to learn more.

218-663-6886 | eric@bluefinbay.com

Want a Good Read?

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

ion!

t 15

20 30

5 10

Portage to Skipper Lake

30 40

15 20

10 15

50 40

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.

40 30

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

So many lakes…so little time to fish.

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

dit nd E

—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 48

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS

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

T.C. Backlund Real Estate Agent Phone: 651-373-5504 Email: Ty@BacklundRealty.com

Lori A. Backlund Real Estate Agent X470 BIRCH DRIVE GRAND X475 BIRCH DRIVE GRAND MARAIS, MN MARAIS, MN

New Listing

4.70 acres. Birch and poplar with a small ravine meandering through. MLS# 6103423 Price: $64,900

Newe Pric

For results list your property here!



Priceed c Redu

3700+ sq. ft. Commercial building on mainstreet. Exposure to high volume pedestrian and vehicle traffic. MLS# 6100518 Price: $499,900

4.75 acres. Close to Grand Marais. Awaiting your home. MLS# 6103426 Price: $79,900

X5 CTY RD 7, GRAND MARAIS, MN

5.9 acres close to town. Ready for your dreams. MLS# 6099380 Price: $62,500

7 W WISCONSIN ST, GRAND MARAIS, MN

4300 CASPERS HILL RD, GRAND MARAIS, MN 40 Acre parcel with open field. Hunting potential. MLS# 6101148 Price: $84,900

SOLD

902 W 5TH AVE W GRAND MARAIS, MN

Saleng Pendi

Cozy home on a large private lot. MLS# 6103176 Price: $199,000

We have buyers looking for homes



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

JULY 2022

PE SA N LE D IN G

LD JULY 2022

SO 50

NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Cathy Hahn, Assoc. Broker, 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

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES

NEW! WATERFRONT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

CLASSIC DEVIL TRACK LAKE CABINS

Beautiful waterfront commercial property in downtown district of Grand Marais, which includes 2 apartments overlooking Lake Superior, and a retail/ rental business.

MLS#6103262 $2,000,000

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES MILLION DOLLAR WILDERNESS VIEWS

Remarkable opportunity on iconic Devil Track Lake w/ 4 classic cabins that have been well maintained & rented out from June to October. Cabins come fully furnished w/ many new furnishings, appliances, & bedding. Owner’s cabin has been updated for a 5th sleeping cabin. Reservations & business inventory is yours after closing. High speed internet is ready to go. Dock & boat/canoes/ kayaks are part of the purchase. Septic system recently upgraded & has a letter of compliance. MLS#6103183/3204 Commercial/

SALIENG PE N D

Residential $509,000 TOM LAKE ESCAPE.

Luxury home on edge of BWCA on scenic McFarland Lake. Wall of windows brings stunning scenery into all 3 levels, 6 bdrms, 4 baths, full lower level kitchen. Custom built home, 2 fireplaces, sunroom, large loft, sauna & laundry room. Spend summer evenings on expansive deck or in the screen house. Floating dock system, garage w/ workshop & generator room, and a 4-stall garage. Fully furnished.

MLS#6102693 $799,000

NEW! GREENWOOD LAKE GEM

Unique in appearance, rare in its lakeside setting, Scandinavian designed cottage of glass, steel and wood calls you to nature. Wilderness enters the living space and makes you part of the experience. Indoor galley-like kitchen spills outdoors to large cooking area and patio space. Knoll above cottage has amazing views. Build site waiting for a main home, overlooks lake. Pines, rocks and wilderness shoreline surround private point, 740' of meandering lakeshore w/ almost 4 acres, protected cove for your boat. Outhouse with carry-in water make rough-it lake retreat, expand into whatever your dreams entail.

MLS#6103446 $699,900 WILSON LAKE HOME

Beautiful home in the woods w/ high-speed internet, located on pristine Wilson Lake, known to be among the best walleye fishing in Lake County. Watch the sunrise from the master bedroom & end your day watching the sunset by the fireplace. Custom beauty throughout: Hubbardton Forge lighting, Country Maple wood floors, slate & travertine flooring, hand-carved wood features inside & out. Kitchen features stainless steel appliances & granite countertops, opening to a great room overlooking the lake. MLS#6102669 $689,900

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. Year round access. Power & fiber optic coming soon!

MLS#6092306 $339,000

POPLAR LAKE CABIN

Here is your quintessential Northwoods cabin! Located just off the Gunflint Trail & close to the BWCAW. Enjoy views of Poplar Lake from the large picture window in the living room. Get out on the lake, catch some fish, then pull right up to the dock or use the natural cove to store your boat. Nice, level short walk to the lake from the cabin.

SALIENG PE N D

MLS#6103018 $329,000 TWO ISLAND LAKE LOT

400ft of beautiful shoreline on Two Island Lake ready for camping this summer or start making plans for your ideal lake home. Approx. 3.5 acres of land along the shoreline w/ added bonus of about 16 forested acres across the road on some of Minnesota's highest land. Easy 20 mile drive from Grand Marais & only 3.5 miles to Eagle Mountain. The Grade is plowed in the winter for year round access. MLS#6103095 $300,000

SALIENG PE N D

HUGE PINES, PRISTINE VIEWS, GUNFLINT LAKE

This large, densely wooded lot has 171 feet of shoreline on big water Gunflint Lake. Direct BWCA access, huge white pines, classic wilderness boulder shore and vast views of Canada across the lake. Nice building site with easy access to the water. Good year-round road access with power and Broadband at the parcel. Build your dream lake home on this outstanding lake lot.

MLS#6099440 $299,900

PREMIER LOT GREENWOOD LAKE

This is a premier lot on stunning Greenwood Lake with 4.24 acres. The lot was selected for the peninsula lake front with 300 feet of lakeshore. There are excellent build sites with lovely views of the big lake There is a stubbed in driveway to park and a brushed walking corridor to the lake. There is a sign at the drive. MLS#6102583 $249,900

NEW! WALK OR PADDLE INTO THE BWCA

35 acre property abuts Federal land & the BWCAW. It has 314 feet of shoreline on McFarland Lake w/ direct canoe access into the wilderness. Border Route Trail is a short walk away. Arrowhead Trail splits property w/ potential to have a small structure on the lake side, and a full cabin in a beautiful cedar, spruce and pine forest w/ high overlooks to the wilderness. There are not many opportunities like this still available!

MLS#6103514 $152,900

Serving buyer's and seller's needs in Cook and Lake County.

We'd love to help you sell your property, or if you're buying we would like to make your North Shore dreams come true. HOMES & CABINS NEW! MAJESTIC 4 BEDROOM HOME

WELCOME HOME! Majestic 4 bedroom home 1 mile from Grand Marais with Lake Superior views. Master suite with whirlpool. Check out the large dream kitchen with granite countertops and custom black ash woodwork. Efficient (dual fuel) in-floor heat, exquisite landscaping. MLS#6103486 $785,000

LUXURIOUS HOME W/ LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS

SOLD

Breathtaking Lake Superior views from every room, the deck, and the yard of this luxurious home on 6.94 acres. Special features include two fireplaces, heated floors, infrared sauna, walk-in custom closets, built in sound system, new carpet, 3 car heated/ insulated garage, and even a heated sidewalk so there's no shoveling! All furnishings including original local artwork can remain with the home.

MLS#6102250

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

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS

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

HOMES & CABINS

LARGE 4 BEDROOM HOME NEAR GRAND MARAIS

PRIME COMMERCIAL LOTS – LUTSEN

NICE HOME SITE NEAR GRAND MARAIS

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599SOLD

Original custom built Octagon home located just 4 miles from Grand Marais on the Gunflint Trail. The totally renovated home has bright sunny spaces, and cozy warm areas for separating a large family or guests. Quality is evident throughout, with beamed ceilings, gas fireplace, gas "wood stove", new hardwood floors, plus new mechanicals/appliances. 2-car detached garage w/ one side used as heated shop space. 8 acres of woods provides privacy & room to roam. Potential to split home into 2 units.

MLS#6102705 $459,900 REDUCED LAKE SUPERIOR VIEW HOME

Comfortable house conveniently located 3 miles east of Grand Marais. Home is accented w/ aspen paneling & hardwood floors. Ample deck space between house & garage to enjoy the outdoors, grilling or picnicking. Lots to explore w/ hundreds of public acres abutting north side of property and the Devil Track River nearby. Garage has plenty of room for vehicles & tools, includes a workshop area and unfinished studio apt. upstairs for guest room/rental space. MLS#6102062 $439,000 REDUCED

SOLD

CHARMING TOFTE COTTAGE

Lovely cottage in Tofte w/ year-round views of Lake Superior!! Home was completely remodeled in 2008. Includes 2 bdrms, office/den, bathroom, and a fireplace. One car garage w/ studio/workshop offers space to create/work/ relax. Complete w/ a creek, bridge, fire pit, sweet little gate & more in a natural setting. The perennials are beautiful as is the front deck. Cedar shake siding & a metal roof on the home. State bike trail across the road is a fun bonus. Adjacent lot to the east is included in the sale!

MLS#6102100 $250,000 SILVER BAY HOME Here's your chance to own a home on the North Shore and create your space with this fixer upper. Silver Bay is located an hour north of Duluth. Includes 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and a detached garage. Close to Split Rock State Park, Gooseberry Falls and plenty of activities along the North Shore.

COMMERCIAL GRAND MARAIS BUSINESS & RENTAL CABINS

Established nursery/ greenhouse/gift shop w/ good history & income. 6 cute cabins are long term rentals w/ potential for nightly rental. Largest cabin is owner's summer home. Other sheds & structures are used for storage/ shop space. Beautiful property w/ a few large white pine, dense woods & a creek. Lots of improvement potential w/ this great location on Highway 61 at the west entry to downtown. MLS#6102627

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 $159,500

Nice elevation and views from this 6.75 acre lot off of County (218) 387-9599 9361 • Fax$97,900 (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com MLS#6099360, each Rd 6 just minutes from town. Frontage on Little Devil Track PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604 River.

RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE

SALIENG PE N D

MLS#603174

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 $43,900

LAND/BUILDING SITES GUNFLINT TRAIL PARCEL

Enjoy the feeling of deep seclusion right in the hub of the Gunflint Trail. Over 22 acres w/ a nice mix of open space & forest. There are 2 cleared sites ideal for camping or building. SW portion has nice views of Poplar Creek & can be accessed through the MN DNR helibase. Lot split possible as there are 5 acre & 200' lot width minimums.

MLS#6103224 $150,000 MONS CREEK WILDLIFE

40 acres w/ easy road access, good building sites, mature trees & open water views of Mons Creek. Lots of moose & waterfowl inhabit this 600 ft section of Mons Creek! You can canoe for some distance in the creek. Includes deeded access to Lost Lake, private wilderness lake, only a short walk away. Homeowners association stocks lake w/ brook trout. Walk-in landing provides easy access for canoe or small boat. Gated roads for security & privacy. Lost Lake Retreats is a truly secluded & private wilderness escape. MLS#6089089 $69,900

MONS CREEK AND VIEWS

MLS#6102239 $99,900

SOLD

Highway 61 frontage-road access, nice forested lots (.95 acres & 1.05 acres). Great visibility in downtown Lutsen. Would make a great location for a small gallery, retail or restaurant. Another commercial 1.3 acre lot is available adjoining to the north, making potential for a large site.

1000 ft of Mons Creek frontage & a great view from a high build site. Easy road access, but lots of privacy. 40 acre property w/ private deeded access to Lost Lake, a short drive away. Private lake w/ limited use, a true wilderness feel. Perfect cabin retreat location w/ added bonus of private wilderness lake access. Homeowners association stocks lake w/ brook trout. Walk-in landing provides easy access for canoe or small boat. Roads are gated for security & privacy. Lost Lake Retreats is a truly secluded & private wilderness escape.

MLS#6089090 $69,900

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! LARGE PARCEL ADJOINING PINCUSHION TRAILS

This 14 acre parcel of mixed tree cover and rolling topography has all the great location aspects you desire. Just minutes from Grand Marais, close to the ski trails, hiking trail and wilderness access. Some lake view possible. Great location for your home or North Shore retreat.

MLS# 6103099 $219,000

ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES LOT

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!

SALIENG PE N D

MLS#6098504 $199,900

SALIENG PE N D

LARGE RECREATIONAL HOVLAND PARCEL

Increasingly rare, large recreational parcel accessed by Powers Lake Road (logging road system). Fully surveyed. This 234+ acre property would be a perfect retreat, church camp, ATV and Quad playground, or outdoor learning center. Rich variety of trees, ponds, high & low lands, some meadow land & wetlands. Property is bound by USA lands to the west and south and State lands to the East.

MLS#6102555 $159,000 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.

SALIENG PE N D

MLS#6090230 $132,000

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

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

10 ACRE GRAND MARAIS LOT

SOLD

LUTSEN MAPLE FOREST LOT

Beautiful 5.24 acre wooded lot, 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.

NEW! PRIVATE WOODED HOVLAND PARCEL

Northwoods seclusion with electricity & broadband. Driveway leads to a secluded build site w/ poplar, spruce and birch. Site is walking distance (250 yds) from a rural school bus stop! Flute Reed Road is a private drive maintained by residents• who further up. Current owners•have used it (218) 387-9599 Faxlive(218) 387-9598 info@RedPineRealty.com as a summer camp, complete with a cute shower house (bring your own PO& aBox 14outhouse. S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604 water) county938, compliant

MLS#6103451 $64,000

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 nearby. Build your home here and enjoy a quiet location within short walking distance to the harbor.

MLS#6101916 $88,900 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

REDUCED MLS#6102018 $62,500

LARGE ACREAGE NEAR TOM LAKE

SOLD CARIBOU HILLSIDE LOT

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.

40 ACRES – STONES THROW TO TOM LAKE

40 acres with an easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Year-round road to within 1000 feet, power is possible here. Driveway easement granted to build shared access. Many great building sites. Easy access to trails and other lakes. MLS#6095114

MLS#6101915 $87,900

SALIENG PE N D

Conveniently located only 3 miles from Grand Marais and all the North Shore has to offer! Enjoy views of the "Big Lake" from the upper portion of the lot. The Gitchi-Gami Bike Trail is nearby with miles to ride. Great spot to work remotely with access to broadband internet. Wildflowers, blueberries, Birch and Pine scattered across this 6.43 acre lot, what's not to love!

MLS#6103135 $82,500

NEW! COYOTE RIDGE LOT

WOODS, VIEWS AND PRIVACY

MLS#6098277 NEW! BRULE VALLEY LOTS

These remote, off-grid parcels with deeded access to the Brule River could be your own seasonal retreat; whether you're looking for a place to pitch a tent for a few nights, or if you want to build your dream cabin, there is a good canvas here for your creation! Lot A (20ac) MLS#6102968 PENDING; Lot B

Broadband and electric on a year round, school bus route! This is a mature, wooded lot with spruce, poplar, birch, cedar and Balsam. Ample space on 5 acres 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#6101289

SOLD

GREAT LOCATION HOME SITE.

Just minutes from Grand Marais on black top County Rd 7, a 5+ acre lot with easy access to power and Broadband. Good building sites. MLS#6094099

$45,900

GREAT LOCATION FOR HOME OR CABIN

$58,900

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! MLS#6096700

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.

$70,000

Great wooded lot on west end of Grand Marais. Build your home within a short distance of the bike trail & a mile walk/ drive into town, with privacy on a dead end shared road. Mature evergreen forest, nice building sites & good lake effect, only a quarter mile off of Lake Superior. Small creek adds charm when it's running. Really secluded feeling location. Private sewer & water, city power. MLS#6087228 $69,500

$60,000

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

This 5-acre wooded lot is conveniently located close to Grand Marais but out of town just enough to have that woodsy feel. A quiet setting, close to biking and hiking trails. Enjoy all the North Shore has to offer! MLS#6102976

WOODED SECLUSION IN GRAND MARAIS.

Private & peaceful 2.39 acre location in Lutsen, MN with its own hiking trails, outstanding views, maintained roads, year-round accessibility, access to power, and deeded access to Tait Lake! Close to the Superior Hiking Trail, many more inland lakes, Lutsen Ski Resort, Superior National Golf Course and access to food and beverage.

(40ac) MLS#6102969 $43,000; Lot C (42.82ac) MLS#6102971 $46,000; Lot D (43.82ac) MLS#6102970 $44,000 NATURE LOVERS PARADISE

MLS#6095113 $60,000

Beautiful 5+ acre wooded lot, 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.

LAKE SUPERIOR VIEW LOT

PEACEFUL LUTSEN LOT

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 SOLD

Nice 10 acre wooded parcel with potential for lake views. Located about 15 minutes from Grand Marais. No association. Power and broadband available. MLS#6102687

TAIT LAKE PINE LOT

MLS#6096706 $56,900

Welcome to Tait Lake Pines! You'll appreciate the private & peaceful location in Lutsen, MN, complete with its own hiking trails, outstanding views/settings, finely maintained roads, year-round accessibility, access to power, a calm and serene overall vibe AND deeded lake access to Tait Lake!! It'll keep you close to the Superior Hiking Trail, many more inland lakes and trails, Lutsen Ski Resort, Superior National Golf Course & access to food/beverage. MLS#6098276 $55,900

REMOTE PEACE & QUIET

$45,900

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 $41,900

REMOTE WOODED HIDE-A-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. Lot C.

MLS#6098654 $39,900

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LIVING THE BIG DREAM ON THE BIG LAKE!

E C I PR UCED D E R

NEWER CONSTRUCTION LAKE SUPERIOR CABIN IN LUTSEN! Have you been waiting for you own piece of Lake Superior? Here it is. Built in in 2016 this home was well thought out with an open floor plan to enjoy the views of the big Lake. From the large kitchen to the relaxing Living Room, you will never miss out on the views. Walk out and soak in the sounds of the lake hitting the 144ft of Lake Superior shoreline or cozy up next to the fireplace and unwind. Two bedrooms gives you space for friends and family to visit. Close to Lutsen Mountains and only minutes to many hiking trails and Inland Lakes!

E L A S ING D N PE

MLS#6102607 $699,000

SUPERIOR’S CROWN JEWEL! Architectural Tofte Masterpiece! Dramatic, Gitche-Gumee Ledgerock, easily accessible. Including a protected pool for launching kayaks, or for the brave, a quick dip (be sure the sauna is fired up. 5 bedroom, 4 bath, to die for kitchen! Inside, the home is endless, room for everyone! Within all that space are: nooks with fireplaces, a recessed seating area for those important conversations that only the Big Lake can stir, a whole lower level that can function on its own with kitchenette, family room, a couple bedrooms, bathroom. Carleton Peak granite stone columns soar through the home. The Master bedroom has it all: private balcony, gas fireplace, spacious walk-in closet, large private bath with Jacuzzi tub. A sprawling deck overlooks the yard and shore. An awesome property in the Northwood’s!

MLS#6102646 $1,699,000

D L SO NEW!! SUPERIOR STUNNER! High-end, quality built home on the Shores of Gitche Gumee. Lightly used, with finish details rarely seen on the North Shore. Built-In cabinetry throughout, gorgeous tiling, granite counters. Right between Splitrock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls. Commanding view over the lake, and sweet little beach. 3 Bed, 3 Bath with additional workshop/studio. Sold with gorgeous furnishings. Bike Path right at the driveway entry. Iona’s Beach Scientific Natural Area and State Access Protected Harbor about a ¼ mile away. This is a Stunner!

MLS#6101781 $1,300,000

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HOMES, HOMES, HOMES, READ ALL ABOUT ‘EM!! NEW! BEAUTIFUL LUTSEN LIVING WITH CARIBOU LAKE ACCESS! Start living your Up North Dream in this 4 bedroom 3 bathroom home in Lutsen. Located right in the middle of beautiful Maple forest yet close to all the activities the North Woods has to offer. Custom woodwork throughout the home with West Coast Canada Cedar and Coastal Douglas Fir, Wood fireplace on main floor adds to the ambiance and takes away the fall and winter chills. Large windows give you lots of natural light and beautiful views of the surrounding forest. Custom kitchen with Granite counter tops, great space for cooking meals for friends or family. Nice open loft area with Master bedroom, ensuite and walk in closet. Easement to Caribou Lake where you can put in a dock for lake enjoyment!

E L A S ING D N PE

MLS#TBA $650,000

BEAUTIFULLY REMODELED LUTSEN HOME! Nestled downtown Lutsen with seasonal Lake Superior views, a nice yard, and a cool raised garden. The main level has a flowing floor plan with a kitchen, dining area, and nice size living room with a cozy stove and new deck. Check out the sunroom – perfect for plants, morning yoga, or an amazing home office with a view! 3 bedrooms and a recently added bathroom upstairs! Super nice detached garage used as a workshop, resided, insulated, and heated.

MLS#6102794 $289,900

CONTEMPORARY LUTSEN LIVING! Newly built 2 bedroom home in the Lutsen area only minutes to Lutsen Mountains Ski area, Superior National Golf course, the Gitchi-Gami bike trail, snowmobile trails and many lakes. Nicely thoughtout floor plan throughout home. Two bedrooms upstairs and an attached 1 car garage, what more can you ask for? Sitting on 5 acres you will have plenty of room to wander and enjoy the Northwood’s!

MLS#6102458 $389,000

D L SO

LAKE STYLE HOME WITH HARBOR VIEWS! This home is all about enjoying Lake Superior views. Great Location within walking distance to downtown Grand Marais and all it has to offer. Unwind and relax while enjoying the Lake Superior breezes on the sprawling deck and plan your next adventure. Quiet street location and tons of space for everyone to enjoy with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Detached garage completes the package!

E L A S ING D N PE

MLS#6101923 $349,900

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INLAND LAKESHORE OPPORTUNITIES! MAGICAL RETREAT ON CARIBOU LAKE! Surrounded by an enchanted Maple Forest, this four bedroom home features a sense of seclusion seldom found on Caribou Lake in Lutsen. Nearly 19 acres and 155 ft of prime shoreline on Caribou, as if that was not rare enough…this property also has a boathouse at the water’s edge for winter storage of your boat! Shoreline also has a nice level campfire area, and a year round dock! The home is tucked in the hillside above the lake, providing tons of elbow room from any neighboring property. And the home has plenty of elbow room too! Large kitchen awaits your vision on updating, Stunning Great Room has wood fireplace and Vaulted ceilings…a prow of Windows directed toward the White Sky Rock area of Caribou Lake. Main level bedroom/attached bath. Two bedrooms on lower level with full bath. Upper level built in bunk room. Lower level Rec Room has ample room for entertaining. In addition to the lakeside boathouse to store your boat, there is an oversized two car detached garage and large woodshed. As wonderful as the home is, it is the entire property that is so striking, so rare to find the sense of wilderness AND lakeshore…peace and tranquility that IS this property.

E L A S ING D N PE

MLS#6102770 $775,000

D L O S

LUTSEN TAIT LAKE OASIS— A LINDAL CEDAR HOME! MLS#6095596 $799,900

D L O S

WILDERNESS LAKE GETAWAY! MLS#6100777 $799,000

Considering Selling? Curious what your home or land is now worth? Follow the recommendations of our many satisfied clients….call TimberWolff for your updated Comparative Market Analysis TODAY! NORTHERN WILDS

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CAMPN’, HUNTN’, FUN GETAWAY LAND, INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! SILVER BAY TO SCHROEDER AREAS Enjoy the wilderness on 24+ acres! Year round access with electricity at the street! Plenty of space to create your up north getaway! Only 6 miles up the Cramer road from Schroeder you have close access to many inland lakes and trails.

MLS#6101541 $79,000

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 forin 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!

MLS#6097285 $78,900 SOLD!

TOFTE AREA NEW!! Bring your dreams of a North Shore Getaway to life on this

nice Tofte lot in Wildwood Acres! Located just a little ways up the Sawbill Trail you will be close to all your favorite outdoor activities like Hiking the Superior Hiking Trails or Snowmobiling. Year round road access via a simple association, electric at the road and a driveway in place means you can start building as soon as you’re ready! Visit today and start making your dream of owning a North Shore getaway come to life! MLS#6102865 $30,000

TOFTE AREA

GRAND MARAIS AREA

Beautiful parcel at Birch Cliff, located between Lutsen and Tofte, you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds! Dine at BlueFin and Ski the day away at Lutsen Mountains from this lovely corner build site with decent Lake Superior views and views of Carlton Peak in the distance. LeVeaux Mountain is to the North, wowser setting!

NEW! Beautiful 15 acres near Grand Marais! Bordering National Forest to the south you will have plenty of space to explore! Parcel has been surveyed and corners are flagged. Dreamy building spot near a group of pine trees, even a bubbly creek to create a magical setting! MLS#6103293 $129,000 SALE PENDING!

MLS#6099657 $75,000

NEW! Enjoy big views of Lake Superior from this gorgeous parcel, just minutes west of Grand Marais! 5+ acres gives you room to build your dream getaway but close enough Grand Marais to enjoy everything town has to offer!

LUTSEN AREA NEW! 8+ acre parcel in the Heart of Lutsen

with Lake Superior views! Great place to build your dream cabin or permanent home, with plenty of space to enjoy the quiet woods atmosphere. Close to all Lutsen has to offer and many inland lakes in the area which are a quick drive away. There is year round accessibility via association road. Visit today and start planning your dream getaway!

MLS#6102890 $181,900

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#6103292 $129,000 SALE PENDING!

HOVLAND AREA This Nearly 40 acres is a great recreational area 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#2309328 $39,000 AND OTHERS, JUST ASK ABOUT MINK RANCH! NEW! Enjoy all the North Shore has to offer

from this property in the Heart of Lutsen. This 2+ acres of Boreal Forest is just a minute from Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort and Lake Superior! Well buffered from Highway 61 on Turnagain Trail! Year Round Access!

MLS#6102750 $51,900 SALE PENDING!

LAKE SUPERIOR LAND

D L SO

LAKE SUPERIOR LAND 250+ FT 3.8 ACRES!! Wowser of a Lake Superior parcel just 20 minutes to Lutsen Mountains Ski and Summer Resort and just over an hour from Duluth! Meander the accessible 254 ft of rocky shoreline for agates, sit on the ledgerock for gorgeous Sunset views. This lovely piece of the Big Lake is BUILD READY with driveway to build site in place, electric and fiber are nearby. Enjoy the land as you wish, a quiet getaway small footprint cabin or the year round Lake Superior home you have dreamed of! And to top this all off, enjoy the hiking opportunities offered at Sugarloaf Cove Interpretive Center just a five minute walk from this land!

MLS#6100619 $375,000

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218-387-2131 800-732-2131 101 West highway 61 grand marais, mn 55604

INLAND LAKE PROPERTIES

PENDING SO

10 9 W i l dwood L an e

Sq uint Lake

Meticulously maintained 2BR/ 2BA home on Pike Lake. Situated on a beautiful private lot with amazing accessible lakeshore!

Convenient mid-trail location! 2+ acres of wooded forest on 200 feet of Squint Lake! Great getaway or starting point for your Boundary Waters adventure.

MLS 6102146 •

$625,000

MLS 6102752 •

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.

$129,900

MLS 6102806

•

$309,900

N E W Sag L ak e Trail

N E W Carib ou Lake

NEW 46 Devils P oint R oa d

345’ of gorgeous Saganaga lakeshore frontage. Well built and cared for main cabin with great lake views and historic log cabin.

Rare opportunity to find a lake lot to build your dream home on the shores of Caribou Lake. Lot abuts USFS, features 213’ of shoreline and 3.5 acres.

Get away to this delightful seasonal 3BR, 1BA cabin nestled on a wooded lot with 180’ of Devil Track Lake’s north shoreline. Peaceful and secluded, but only 12.5 miles from Grand Marais, sleeps 10 and comes furnished. Great water access for all your summer fun!

MLS 6103140 •

$449,900

MLS 6102146 •

$625,000

MLS 6103447 •

$399,900

MLS 6103495 •

$325,000

CONDOS G rand Marais Condominiums 209 1 st Ave. E., Unit #11 Carefree living is yours in this 2-bedroom, one bath condo in the heart of Grand Marais within walking distance of everything you need. It has been totally renovated including door & trim, cabinets, appliances, and floor coverings. There is a Lake Superior harbor view and a garage in this move-in ready unit.

MLS 6102598 •

$319,900

w w w. c b n o rt h s h o r e . c o m ©2022 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

NEW

1 1 0 0 Ol d Sh ore Roa d

A rare Lake Superior find, this exquisite 3+ bedroom home has beautiful beach, great privacy, and is conveniently located on the edge of the Grand Marais city limits. 194 feet of accessible private beach fronts this 1 acre property. A large garage with a heated shop space completes this golden opportunity. Call today!

MLS TBD

$1,395,000

6838 Tw o Mo o s e Trai l

PE N D I N G

The log home is the perfect complement to this 5.8 acre property on a peaceful 330 feet of Wilson Lake shoreline. This stunning 3 bedroom 3 bath Senty-built log home seems connected to the lake by walls of windows welcoming the view and capitalizing on all that natural light. A second building is more than a garage with its 2-stall garage/shop space plus an attic room with plenty of natural light plus a ground floor finished room. Top it off with an open porch for relaxing as you watch the sunset. The lake life awaits!

MLS 6102630

$799,900 NEW

7 1 1 0 E Hig h w a y 6 1

Amazingly beautiful Lake Superior shoreline is matched by this gorgeous 2 bedroom, 2 bath home. View the lake from every room! Almost 600 feet of shore with a mix of rock and some gravel beach. A second dwelling has a great studio space flanked by two separate apartments. The possibilities are endless!

MLS TBD

$1,200,000 w w w. c b n o rt h s h o r e . c o m ©2022 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

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HOMES & CABINS

NEW 5038 E Highway 61

It’s time to dream big with this property--what an opportunity for you! Land is split zoning: commercial and residential! Main home, multiple cabins, garage, and a seasonal commercial building. You could live in the two-bedroom home and decide what type of business would benefit the Hovland area. MLS 6102913

in nd

$289,900

55 G oo d Neighbor Hill Road

This magical wooded forest with amazing views of Lake Superior on 6+ acres is begging you to explore, relax, and dream! The home has two bedrooms and one bath--one level living with a large, south-facing deck. Paved driveway leads to an over-sized 2-stall garage with workshop areas. Additionally,there is a gardening shed, small storage barn, and a little cabin.

reduced MLS 6102221 •

$279,900

NEW 3066 County Rd 7

Amazing cabin situated on 5 acres and abutting State land. Just minutes from town with all the privacy you desire. This well built and well maintained cabin offers 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom with a loft for sleeping quarters. MLS TBD

NE W 3 1 Cardi n al R oad Absolutely adorable cabin, tucked away in the woods, minutes from Grand Marais. Cabin has been lovingly updated and features 1BR plus large sleeping loft. Property itself feels like a park with the mature trees and frontage on the Cut Face Creek Ravine.

MLS TBD

$169,900

$349,900

1818 W Highway 61 Unique opportunity to find long-term, residential rental homes in the city limits of Grand Marais. There are two 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom homes and a two bedroom, 2 bath home.

MLS 6101604

$549,900

NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

LAND 3 X X W 9th Ave .

49 XX North Road

Jonvick Creek Sites

This is a rare opportunity to find a landscaped lot in the heart of Grand Marais. The lot consists of 10,000 square foot and could be separated into two. Seller is licensed real estate agent in MN.

40 wooded acres on a well-maintained county road can be yours to build your dream house, your hunting cabin, or pitch your tent. Here is a great base from which to explore the Arrowhead Region or just hike your acreage. Make it your own wildlife refuge.

5 lots 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. Sites adjoin public land.

$119,900

MLS 6102484 •

623X L it t le Marais R oad Build your North Shore getaway on this large parcel! Located high above Little Marais with views of Lake Superior, perfect blend of peaceful forest and easy access to the area.

d pen

MLS 6102257 •

ing

$159,900

1 1 42 Ca mp 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. Seller is licensed real estate agent in MN.

$169,900

MLS 6102798 •

64 X C o u nty R oad 6 Here is a your space in the country. It is 4.87 acres of healthy birch,balsam, pine, and spruce gently rolling southern exposure that will create a wonderful building site. MLS 6098184 •

$57,900

6103079 •

$44,900 - $56,900

$209,900

XX Tamarack Trl

1X B randon Lane

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.

Beautiful lot just outside Grand Marais. Fall River runs through this property. Dramatic frontage! MLS 6095813 •

$62,000

N EW XXX Reason Road

MLS 6099224 •

If you’re looking for a remote property with access to recreation, this is the one for you! 120 acres of mature trees, varied topography, and wildlife. Make trails to explore the area and let your adventure begin. MLS 6103087 •

$174,900

X 1 3 M ur p hy M ountain Trail Nicely wooded 5 acre lot at the end of a cul-de-sac with views of Lake Superior! Great location--just minutes from Grand Marais

$119,900

MLS 6102645 •

N EW Two Island Ri ver Road

$129,900

NEW 2 9X 1 HWY 6 1 W

Large acreage! The lovely piece of land consists of 160 acres and is surrounded by the USFS. It is heavily wooded with some trails, gravel, wildlife pond - something for everyone! MLS TBD •

Beautiful 8.89 acre parcel, located minutes west of Grand Marais. This gorgeous lot with excellent Lake Superior views at the building site, with some tree removal! Directly abuts Federal Land to the north.

$199,900

MLS TBD •

$149,900

1 2 XX Hig h w a y 6 1 W RARE, I repeat, RARE opportunity to find almost 6 acres of Commercial acreage, located in the heart of Grand Marais, with city sewer and city water. This property has approximately 825 ft. of frontage on Highway 61 and also has access from 3 different points off of 1st Street.

MLS 6103253

$989,900 w w w. c b n o rt h s h o r e . c o m ©2022 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

JULY 2022

NORTHERN WILDS

CATCHLIGHT

lb ack eb ar This image a w s taken i n ym b a c k a y rd af ter I shooed this o y ung black bear away from ym bird feeders. Af ter it a w e lk d away slo, wly I a w s able to circle around the back of ym house— so as not to alarm it any more than necessary— and took this fun image. It had sat down yb the fence le ik a b ig d o g i n ym a y rd, proba bly o w ndering who I a w s. —John Alexander Kay NORTHERN WILDS

JULY 2022

on the Gunflint Trail

Unspoiled. Serene. Spectacular. Unforgettable.

elcome to Golden Eagle Lodge, a family oriented, year-round resort located on the Gunflint Trail of Northeastern Minnesota, only 30 miles north of Grand Marais. As the only residents on Flour Lake, and nestled in the 3 million acres of the Superior National Forest, you can look forward to the quiet and solitude offered only from a true wilderness setting. Each season has something special to offer; excellent fishing, canoeing, and hiking in summer and nationally-renowned Cross-Country Skiing

in winter. Visit our website to find in detail how each season can help shape your vacation. Try our 9-site campground which offers the same quiet and personal service as our cabins; each site comes equipped with water and electric hookups. We go out of our way to ensure every aspect of your visit will convince you to come back and see us again. We know much time, effort, and expense is invested in a vacation and we would be honored if you considered us as your vacation destination. You won’t be disappointed!

218-388-2203

Golden-Eagle.com

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Northern Wilds July 2022

Articles inside

Behind the Craft

Creative Space

Feature: Camping Adventures

Points North

Along the Shore

Along the Shore

Strange Tales

Following the Ancestor’s Steps

Grand Marais Playhouse Celebrates 50 Years

The North Shore Dish

Northern Trails