Superior Outdoors Vol6 No1

Superior Outdoors Bear Aware!

Life & times of the black bear

Vol.6 No.1

What’s SUP?

Going with the flow on the Michipicoten River P. 34

Around the Lake in Nineteen Days

A cycling adventure P. 42

Lake Superior Provincial Park

The Coastal Trail by canoe P. 24

Vol6No1 (display until Nov 15) Canada/US $4.95

Winter 11

PLUS Routes

Norwester Bouldering

Food Weather Wild Rice Fog Alert

Tbaytel’s Connected Home just got a whole lot faster.

contents

features

Lake Superior Provincial Park The Coastal Trail by canoe

24

by Kas Stone

Our brand new High Speed Internet packages have download speeds up to 25 Mbps and free in home WiFi. Your whole family can surf, play and stay connected without missing a beat. Start building your connected home bundle with Tbaytel Digital TV and add High Speed Max for just $19.95/month for six months. Plus, we’ll give you a free HD PVR!

You Make it a Home, We Make it Connected

What’s SUP?

Going with the flow on the Michipicoten River

by Michelle McChristie

34

Around the Lake in Nineteen Days A cycling adventure

42

by Joseph Pettorini

HOME PHONE | INTERNET | MOBILITY | DIGITAL TV | SECURITY

Arts & Literature 15

Weather 4

Adventure Travel 17

Superior Styles 7

Routes 19

Sustainable Developments 8

Reflections 48

The Food Chain 11

P. 19 Aaron Peterson

Intro 3

Kas Stone

departments

Perspective 56

Find out if Digital TV is available in your area visit tbaytel.net/availability Visit an Authorized Tbaytel Digital TV Dealer Call Customer Care 807-623-4400 or 1-800-264-9501 tbaytel.net

Tbaytel Digital TV service is subject to availability where access and technology permit. Regular rental terms and conditions apply to free equipment. Equipment must be returned if service is cancelled in the first 36 months or regular charge out rates apply. Promotional pricing for new residential customers who have not subscribed to Digital TV in the last six months. Internet only pricing for new High Speed customers who have not subscribed to High Speed Internet in the past 60 days. High Speed Max and High Speed Plus service only available to Tbaytel Digital TV subscribers. Prices and channels are subject to change. All Taxes Extra. Limited time offer.

P. 43 On the cover: SUPing near the mouth of the Michipicoten River Photo by: D. McChristie

This page: Sharing stories around the fire Photo by: D. McChristie

Superior Outdoors

1

intro

Superior Outdoors

Coffee meets the Outdoors

A Great Combination!

Late night campfire Red Rock Folk Festival Red Rock, Ontario

m ag azi ne

Editor-in-chief/Design Darren McChristie Contributing Editors Tiffany Jarva, Michelle McChristie Copy Editor Michelle McChristie Business Manager Doug McChristie

Contributing Writers Justin Allec, Bryan Hansel, Tiffany Jarva, Darren McChristie, Michelle McChristie, Conor Mihell, Joseph Pettorini, Kas Stone, Graham Saunders

•Packs •Dry Bags •Urban Ostrom •Barrels •Rope •Camera Cases

(807) 473-4499 313 Victoria Ave. East (Beside Fresh Air Experience)

www.ostromoutdoors.com

Contributing Photographers Eric Berglund, Joel Cooper, Rich Cook, Bryan Hansel, Ashley Hockenberry, Mike Johnston, Dale Robert Klous, Greg Maino, John-Paul Marion, Darren McChristie, Michelle McChristie, Jim McDonnell, Travis Novitsky, Aaron Peterson, Joseph Pettorini, Les Piccolo, Jimmy Warner Publisher Superior Outdoors Inc. Advertising Sales/Distribution Logan Wright Michelle McChristie Superior Outdoors is published twice a year: Summer (June) and Winter (November) Copyright © 2012 by Superior Outdoors Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without written permission is strictly forbidden. Views expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.

Editorial and Advertising: Submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Superior Outdoors cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material.

IF UNDELIVERABLE RETURN TO: Superior Outdoors Inc. Suite 242, 1100 Memorial Avenue, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 4A3 Telephone (807) 624-1215; Fax (807) 622-2575 E-mail: info@superioroutdoors.ca

What goes up, must come down.

That’s half the fun!

(We know bikes.)

Disclaimer: the activities described and illustrated herein are performed by trained athletes and could result in serious bodily injury; do not attempt them without proper training, safety equipment, and supervision. The Boreal Company is not responsible for injuries sustained by readers or failure of equipment described or illustrated herein.

ISSN Number 1913-444 Canada Post Publications Agreement Number 41497554 Printed in Canada on Acid and Elemental Chlorine Free, Post-Consumer Recycled Paper Superior Outdoors Inc donates 1% of all sales to 1% for the Planet www.onepercentfortheplanet.com

623.3800 831 MAY STREET N. www.weknowbikes.com 2

Superior Outdoors

(ACROSS FROM SILVER CITY)

subscribe online www.superioroutdoors.ca

F

or most people, their aversion to risk increases with age. I think this can be said for any kind of risk, whether they be related to financial investments or outdoor adventure.

In the past few years, I have started looking at my actions in a different light — the stakes are significantly higher now that my wife and I have two children. So, I always wear a bike helmet and a PFD (though not generally at the same time).

A recent article in National Geographic examines the teenage brain and states that risk-taking peaks during a person’s adolescent years. It’s not because teenagers fail to understand the consequences or think they are immortal, it’s because their system of evaluating risks and rewards is different from that of adults. Basically, teenagers give more credence to rewards, such as acceptance from their peers. From a physiological standpoint, teenage brains thrive on the neurotransmitter dopamine which reinforces the learned behaviour of revelling in rewards after taking risks. From an evolutionary standpoint, “popular” members of a species are likely to get the best habitat, more food, more sex...you get the picture.

So, once humans have established their position in the social order, I suppose it no longer makes sense to take unnecessary risks and, as we age, taking physical risks becomes increasingly difficult (and illogical). But, this doesn’t mean we should hole-up in a corner reading and sell our gear on ebay, there are plenty of lower-risk (but fun) activities out there.

In this issue, writer Kas Stone remarks on her transition from epic hiking trips to “gentler” paddles, while Michelle McChristie reflects on our family’s experiences learning to standup paddleboard. We’ve also included a review of Conor Mihell’s first book, The Greatest Lake, which is chock-full of adventure narratives and stories about the people and places along the north shore.

Regardless of your age or physical abilities, it is never too late to pick up a new sport or get back into one you’ve left behind for a few years. We can all benefit from a blast of dopamine now and then!

D. McChristie Superior Outdoors

3

FOG weather

Fog has always had a sinister reputation. Medieval fogs were dreaded as the embodiment of unhealthy dampness, rheumatic aches, pains and fever. Sometimes these fears were justified; the combination of persistent smoke and fog, termed smog in the 20th century, routinely affected health and contributed to mortality in industrial cities. The London fog of December 1952 claimed more than 4,000 lives.

weather The Ontario Medical Association states that smog is responsible for an estimated 9,500 premature deaths in the province each year. Breathe easy: Thunder Bay has the cleanest air in the province and is the only city in Ontario to have met national standards for smog every year since 2006.

Fog, whether clean or not, reduces visibility. Fog, by definition, is composed of tiny droplets of water suspended in the air in sufficient numbers to reduce the horizontal visibility to less than 1,000 metres. These droplets are so small that it would take more than a billion to make a single teaspoonful of water. The worst-case scenario is zero visibility, technically vision reduced to less than 100 metres. Airports and highways occasionally are closed when visibility is reduced to critical limits. Transport by aircraft can be limited and reduced speed can help with driving on roadways. Travel on oceans and lakes is more complicated in dense fog conditions.

Different methods have been used over the centuries in dealing with the dangers. In early days of seafaring, any crude device for making noise could help sailors in fog. Fishermen’s wives on shore might create noise with cooking pans or

whistles to guide their men home. Sailors themselves would shout and listen for the echoes to judge their distance from any nearby cliffs or headlands.* Pounding drums were used to guide the Vikings safely into harbour, and the Imperial Gong supplied a navigational aid in ancient China.

Cannons on shore were used at some locations to sound a warning. Manually operated fog bells became common during the early 1800s. In 1859 a new kind of fog signal made sailing much safer for mariners. The world’s first steam-powered fog alarm was installed on Partridge Island in the harbour of Saint John, New Brunswick.

Inventor Robert Foulis was born in Scotland and immigrated to Canada in 1818. He had a busy life as a teacher, land surveyor, ship engineer, portrait painter, chemistry professor and owner of an iron foundry. He also established a School of Arts in St. John. In his spare time he designed and built a device which forced compressed air to vibrate a diaphragm or reed in a horn. It emitted a loud and deep tone which could be heard for a considerable distance. He further refined his idea

so tones were spaced with differing frequencies. Each alarm location in an area was distinct, so a person sailing the ship could determine which alarm they were hearing and then calculate where their vessel was located. This device has saved the lives of literally thousands of sailors.

Radar and satellite navigation systems, properly used, have effectively removed many of the dangers previously caused by coastal fog on oceans and large lakes. It is still reassuring to have location confirmed by hearing when sight is not an option. * The Rossport area can be remarkably foggy. A few people, including me, have experienced a variation of this. Breaking waves on islands or the mainland give audio confirmation that rock hazards are close, perhaps too close. Sometimes jagged rocks just metres away can come into sight at almost the last second. Oops, wrong course, a quick reverse required.

Graham Saunders

Devil’s Chair Island Lake Superior Provincial Park photo by Joel Cooper

4

Superior Outdoors

Superior Outdoors

5

superiorstyles

6

Superior Outdoors

Joe O’Blenis

Paddle Maker, Long Distance Canoe & Kayak Racer

John-Paul Marion

In a corner lot of a quiet tree-lined neighbourhood of bungalows, Joe Oblenis creates his signature red cedar, pine, and other softwood paddles. There are gaggles of sea kayaks and specialized canoes on his property: in the driveway; lingering beside the house; and next to the outdoor pool—perfect for kayak rolling workshops. A resident of Thunder Bay since 2008, Oblenis says that he “fell in love with the north shore of Superior,” during a bike trip across Canada in 2000. And being a marathon canoe and kayak racer, living close to Lake Superior makes a lot of sense. “I kinda like paddling,” laughs Oblenis. “I can walk 110 metres from here, to the river, and paddle home.” Oblenis is referring to launching his boat into the Neebing River and essentially paddling back to his hometown in Nova Scotia. Perhaps a ludicrous thought to the majority of us, but not to Oblenis, who holds the fastest record (16 days!) for sea kayaking around Vancouver Island in 2010.

When Oblenis was about 11, his dad was gifted a canoe for Father’s Day. After getting hooked on paddling as a way to spend quality father-and-son time together, soon, Oblenis and his dad started paddling longer and longer distances. They entered local races, which they eventually started winning. Oblenis realized he really liked the long fast paddling and started doing longer and longer trips. “It’s almost as much work getting ready for one weekend as it is for two weeks, and after a week, I am way more relaxed.”

When asked if he has a boat preference, he answers: both. “I like canoes when paddling recreational inland lakes and when I have to portage, and a kayak when I’m on the ocean or Lake Superior.

So it depends.” In addition to kayaking (twice) around Vancouver Island, Oblenis has also completed a six-month solo expedition across Canada, paddled 700 km down the Yukon River, paddled 275 km in 22 hours down the Peace River, and is the founder and president of the Superior Kayak and Canoe Club.

Having worked for Clipper Canoes in B.C., Oblenis secured a good understanding of the business. He started creating his own paddles for himself and

friends, initially as a hobby. Today his Joe O’Paddles online business sells paddles to clients all over the world, from Iceland to Australia. Clients choose from specialized kayaking paddles: shouldered or non-shouldered (more of a gradual transition from loom to blade), or one piece or two-piece take apart Greenland paddles and transition sticks made from red cedar, pine, and other softwood. For canoeing, the Mackenzie Marathon bent shaft paddle has been designed for longer distances, with a “Sit and Switch” paddling style in mind, and a variety of beautiful straight shaft paddles (you can custom order with hardwood strips for added strength) are also available

including the O’Blenis Fraser, Shubenacadie, and O-Tail (Ottertail). Today Oblenis runs his business full-time, and every year it continues to grow. On the side, Oblenis also sells boats and other paddling gear.

When asked about plans for the future, Oblenis says he hopes to one day paddle the Northwest Passage, circumnavigate Newfoundland, and complete a Lake Superior North Shore guidebook, that is if he can find the time to steal away from creating his stunning paddles. Check for Joe O’Paddles on Facebook or www.joeoblenis.com Tiffany Jarva Superior Outdoors

7

sustainabledevelopments

sustainabledevelopments >conservation

Bear Aware

The life and times of the black bear

Ursus americanus

photo by Ashley Hockenberry

8

Superior Outdoors

If there’s one species of wildlife that sparks fear in humans it’s the black bear. Ursus americanus’ range encompasses much of the continent, from subarctic Canada to Florida and Vancouver Island to the Maritimes. Ontario is a black bear stronghold: About 100,000 bears roam the province, a figure which represents more than 10 percent of the North American population. The mixed forest surrounding most of Lake Superior hosts up to 60 bears per 100 square kilometres, ranking it amongst the most densely populated habitat in the world.

Despite the racing pulses and sleepless nights bruins elicit in outdoor enthusiasts, humans are actually 250 times likelier to be struck dead by lightning than killed by a bear. The University of Calgary’s Stephen Herrero has documented only 63 fatal black bear attacks in North America in over a century of data. A non-fatal attack last August in Pukaskwa National Park, south of Marathon, was one of only a small handful of violent encounters recorded in the Lake Superior basin in the past decade. Bears avoid confrontation, insists Ely, Minnesota.-based biologist Lynn Rogers. As the saying goes, they’re more afraid of us than we are of them.

“Probably the biggest breakthrough in my thinking was when I began to interpret bears’ behaviour in terms of their fear rather than my fear,” says Rogers, who has been studying bears for 45 years and is the founder of the North American Bear Center, an educational facility in Ely. “Their lives are ruled by fear and food.”

Rogers works in Minnesota’s Superior National Forest, a 16,000-square-kilometre stretch of rural land south of Quetico Provincial Park. Here, as in central Ontario, bruins emerge from the den in mid-April. Food is scarce at this time of year, forcing them to get by largely on tiny snowfleas until grasses, dandelions and clover become available in May. Occasionally, bears will prey on deer fawn and moose calves, but Rogers has observed only a short, 10-day window during which bears can catch and take down newborns. The real feeding frenzy kicks in mid-July, when berries and tree nuts ripen, and continues into September.

Females mate every second year starting at age six. A bear may mate with multiple partners from May until July, and while many eggs may become fertilized, implantation does not occur until November—a form of body fat-regulated birth control that ensures mothers will be healthy enough to support their cubs. In January, mothers will give

birth to one or more cubs that weigh less than a loaf of bread. After feeding in the den throughout the winter, a healthy cub will emerge in the spring weighing about two kilograms.

Interestingly, the common perception that mother black bears are dangerous is false. Herrero hasn’t documented a single fatal attack involving a mother and young, which experts attribute to the fact that cubs are agile climbers. And while some argue that the cancellation of Ontario’s spring bear hunt has caused populations to spike, the reality is the 2007 provincial harvest of 6,200 bears was only nine percent less than the average kill in the decade leading up to the elimination of the spring hunt in 1998. Meanwhile, Rogers contends that spring hunting targets bears when they’re most vulnerable. “With any other game animal, we respect it enough not to hunt it when the young are dependent,” he says. “But with bears, there’s money to be made by outfitters in the spring when there’s nothing else going on.”

Most bear researchers agree that surging human development in traditional bear habitat has precipitated increases in bear-human encounters.

Live-trapping and relocating “nuisance” bears has marginal success, says Cambrian College researcher Josef Hamr. His studies suggest that while relocation may work for juvenile bears, it is less effective with mature bears, which almost always return to their established territory. Hamr, Herrero and Rogers insist that education—the framework of the Ontario government’s Bear Wise program—is the best solution to managing conflict.

This theory is supported by research by Edward Tavss at New Jersey’s Rutgers University, who found that increasing hunting to control populations did not reduce the number of complaints compared to areas where education was used to manage human behaviour. “Perhaps the quantity of nuisance bears eating garbage is a function only of the quantity of garbage and not the quantity of bears,” concluded Tavss. It’s human behaviour that needs management, not bears’.

Of course, all this is moot when a bruin wanders into camp or you meet one on the trail. In these instances, Rogers is actually reassured by “blustery” behaviour—stomping, huffing and bluffs—all of which are harmless warnings to back off. Herrero’s research shows that the vast majority of lethal attacks involve predatory males silently stalking oblivious humans; so long as you keep your campsite clean and leave space, Rogers insists that the typical black bear encounter is nothing to worry about.

Conor Mihell Superior Outdoors

9

Atikokan_canoe_ad [C#13C27B.pdf

10/9/07

The Giant Fletcher Canoes Beyond nature retreats Custom built cedar canvas canoes

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Call or write for a free brochure: Fletcher Canoes Box 1321 Atikokan, Ontario P0T 1C0 807-597-6801 Toll free (US only) 888-802-0080

Solar powered, log cabins

on Lake Superior

www.fletchercanoes.com

CMY

K

Builders of the Bill Mason “Heavy Duty” Special & Fletcher’s Fancy

Near Sleeping Giant Provincial Park on the shores of the National Marine Conservation Area

For those who want the best...

Naturally.

www.beyondthegiant.ca

THE HOME

Carbon Steel (75 lbs.)

slatgrills.com

THE BASE CAMP

Hard-anodized aluminum (3.5 lbs.)

THE TRAIL

Titanium (1lb.)

10

Superior Outdoors

the foodchain

10:23:44 PM

Wild rice (Zizania palustris) is a type of aquatic cereal that grows “wild” in lakes and river beds with most of the plant growing under water. An annual, wild rice is found in the nearshore areas of many lakes in the Lake Superior region and boreal forest. It is also native to ecologically similar regions located in Asia; however it is not related to varieties of white rice. There are thousands of different varieties of wild rice, each kind growing in its own particular place of depth, temperature, sediment and water quality. Wild rice is very sensitive to the environmental conditions of its niche and does not adapt well to changes.

Wild rice has been found in layers of the earth dating back 12,000 years. In addition to its role as an important food staple for indigenous peoples, it provides habitat for fish and waterfowl and food for several types of birds. Wild rice has a very large, erect, branched inflorescence which produces edible grains. The reeds grow as tall as three-four metres in water that is about one-three metres deep. The grains are long, slender and black, with a distinctive earthy, nutty flavor and are available in three different grades: giant, which is a very long grain and the best quality; fancy, which is a medium grain and of lesser quality; and select, which is a short grain and of lowest quality. Many of the indigenous peoples of North America consider the wild rice to be a gift from the Great Spirit—spiritually sacred and therefore distinct from the cultivated or farm-grown varieties. The Chippewa refer to wild rice as manomin which is a combination of the words mano, meaning good and min, meaning grain of berry.

Manomin gave its name to the moon (month) of harvest, which is typically the end of August to early September in the Lake Superior region. Harvest time can be fun, but a lot of hard work is involved, especially processing the grain (even despite the use of modern technology!). The methods used to harvest rice have remained unchanged for centuries. A canoe is pushed through the rice beds with a long forked pole. The “poler” stands in the bow of the canoe, while the “knocker” sits in the stern. The

Wild Rice knocker uses two carved cedar sticks— one to gently bend the rice stalks over the side of the canoe, and the other to stroke or tap the rice kernels off the stalk (some kernels fall into the water to reseed the rice bed).

Past generations would process the “green” rice at the landing using traditional methods. The rice was dried by spreading it out on birch bark or blankets and continuously raking it to allow the air and sun to dry it for a day or two.

Another method was to spread the rice out on drying racks constructed from green branches and grass and then place the racks over a fire. With the introduction of the cast-iron kettle during the fur trade era, parching became the preferred drying method. The rice was roasted in a cast-iron kettle over a fire and stirred with a cedar paddle for about an hour.

After parching, the rice kernel was further loosened from the hull by strenuous foot thrashing, also known as “jigging.”

The common method of jigging was to dig a small pit in the earth, line it with wood slats or a blanket, place a closed bag of rice into the pit, and start treading. The final step in processing wild rice is “winnowing,” or tossing the rice in the air using a winnowing basket, or nooshkaachinaaganan, to toss the rice in the air numerous times to allow the lighter

weight chaff to blow away, leaving the rice kernels ready for cooking or longterm storage. Today, the rice is put into large bags upon returning to the landing and taken to rice processing facilities.

Courtesy of Moose Lake Wild Rice Deer River, MN

Hell’s Kitchen Manomin Porridge 4 cups cooked wild rice 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (plus more for serving) 1/4 cup dried blueberries 1/4 cup craisins 1/2 cup roasted cracked hazelnuts 1 cup heavy cream (plus more, warmed, for serving)

Directions: In a heavy non-stick sauté pan, add the cooked wild rice, heavy cream, and maple syrup, and warm through. Add the blueberries, craisins, and hazelnuts, and stir to mix well. Serve in a bowl with sides of warm heavy cream and maple syrup.

Superior Outdoors

11

artsandliterature The Greatest Lake

by Conor Mihell 222 pp., softcover

CANOEING AND KAYAKING ADVENTURES IN GREENSTONE Welcome to Greenstone, home of the true “Spirit of the North!” Experience the rugged beauty of the boreal wilderness as you paddle through pristine sparkling waters, abundant with Walleye, Brook Trout and Northern Pike. In the serenity and splendor of this North Country, catch a glimpse of the majestic Bald Eagle nesting along a shoreline or listen for the haunting call of the elusive Grey Wolf. In the early morning mists, look for the Moose, king of the northern forest. Explore the region’s rich heritage of furs, gold, and forestry. Find peace with Nature on the quiet river or test her fury through a whitewater adventure when you Discover Greenstone.

Readers of Superior Outdoors will be familiar with the name Conor Mihell as he has been one of our regular contributors since we started the magazine in 2005.

Mihell is as skilled a paddler as he is a storyteller, and his collection of stories in The Greatest Lake offers insight into his experiences and the characters he has met along the way on the north shore of Lake Superior.

Mihell’s passion for the lake is evident in each of the 16 stories which weave-in natural and human history and environmental issues while introducing eccentric personalities and telling stories of adventure and misadventure. The fact that Mihell is a paddling machine becomes apparent when he describes one of his paddling partners as being “out of shape,” nevermind that he was embarking on a 50-kilometre paddle on day two of a multi-day trip, in wet clothes at a time of year when “ice chunks still clung to many of the rocky headlands.” Mihell had already paddled from Wawa to Rossport when his partner joined him for the last leg to Thunder Bay—his endurance seems fueled by an insatiable quest to experience everything Lake Superior has to offer, whether solo, in the company of friends, or as a guide.

The stories reveal Mihell’s deep concern to protect the lake and its tributaries from the impacts of anthropogenic influences, such as mining, hydro-electric development, and climate change. He brings to light that the lake’s ecosystem is vulnerable, not to be taken for granted, but his call to action is subtle, never preachy.

The Greatest Lake is Mihell’s first book; we look forward to reading his second. www.conormihell.com

Advanced Solo Canoeing

by Becky Mason DVD

Becky Mason doesn’t just paddle a canoe, she makes it dance. Her paddle strokes appear effortless and she controls the canoe as though it is an extension of her own body.

As an experienced instructor, she is skilled at breaking a stroke into a few steps to make complex maneuvers look simple. In this case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The DVD is shot in crystal-clear water with above and below-water cameras to provide a complete view of Mason’s paddle strokes. Musician Ian Tamblyn provides the soundtrack which adds an artistic elements that is not typical for an instructional video, but works perfectly in this case. The DVD includes the prerequisite Classic Solo Canoeing and bonus footage.

Lake Superior Above & Below Ground

by Tom Kimsal 196 pp., ebook

Author Tom Kimsal is a true outdoorsman. He is a former fishing guide, a licensed prospector, a photographer and a naturalist that relishes exploring Lake Superior’s eastern shore. In Lake Superior: Above and Below Ground, Kimsal shares his knowledge of the nooks and crannies of the area between Wawa, Sault Ste. Marie and Bruce Mines, with a section on Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

GPS coordinates and multiple photos are included for each site and many are former mines—some that date back to the 1800s, while others feature rare geological formations. In contrast to the relics of the region’s early mines, Kimsal includes a series of photos from current gold mines.

The book is a great resource for people looking to explore this stretch of coastline and delve into its geology and mining history. For true geology buffs, Kimsal has also produced two DVDs that document his explorations. www.lakesuperioraboveandbelow.ca

www.redcanoes.ca

12

Superior Outdoors

Superior Outdoors

13

play in the extreme!

Nestled on the shores of Manitouwadge Lake, on Hwy 614 north of Hwy 17 midway between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay

Young or old, visitor or resident, Manitouwadge challenges you to play in the extreme! Manitouwadge is a beautiful community that offers year round opportunities for outdoor adventure and indoor fun. In the summer, explore our great forests and wilderness while you kayak or canoe along pristine waters or rushing rapids, fish on any of the hundreds of nearby lakes, camp out under the stars, or spend the day hiking or biking on miles of marked trails and old logging roads. Manitouwadge also features a nine-hole golf course, complete with full clubhouse facilities and Canada’s first aquatic driving range.

play in the extreme “live your dream”

Artist Profile: Stephan Hoglund When Stephan Hoglund first visited Grand Marais, Minnesota in 1975, he found a community with a diverse and talented group of artists. According to Hoglund, there was a sense of purity associated with the small close-knit artists’ colony and this, combined with the natural environment, fed his artistic spirit. Since 1980, he has worked out of his studio on Wisconsin Street, a stone’s throw from Lake Superior—a source of inspiration for his jewellry, sculpture and photography.

Like many northern Minnesotans, Hoglund’s ancestral roots are in northern Scandinavia. In 1999 he was awarded a McKnight Fellowship and travel grant which enabled him to travel to Sweden, Norway, Finland and Estonia. Hoglund visited relatives and studied ancient monuments and stone works. He discovered a deep connection between the creations of his ancestors and his own artistic style, a connection that Hoglund says was “instilled in my DNA.” Hoglund grew up near Lake Vermillion on Minnesota’s Iron Range where his father worked in the mines.

He has witnessed the environmental and social legacy of the boom and bust cycle of mining towns and is passionate about protecting northern Minnesota from the expansion of mining. It is a cause that is presently taking energy away from his art because Hoglund feels strongly that “the lake tells us all that we need to protect it, honour it, and respect it.”

Lake Superior is present in all of Hoglund’s work— as an underlying theme and more obviously through the use of beach stones like thomsonite, agates, granite and rare colored gemstones, like the rare chlorastrolite (Isle Royale greenstone). “My present work, and quite possibly my life’s work, comes from these shores, this lake, the mysteries and truths they offer up to me,” says Hoglund. When asked how he decides how to use a stone, Hoglund says, “the stones tell me what to do...I spend time with them and get to know each one intimately.” Hoglund’s favourite stones are those used in their natural, unaltered form which Hoglund describes as being “amazing in their creation.” He considers the stones to be gifts from a higher power, some of them he finds on the beaches of Lake Superior while others he purchases—all of the stones are found on the surface of the earth, not mined.

Although currently inspired to take action against the proposed sulphide mines in the Iron Range, Hoglund knows he will be driven back to art, perhaps once he is satisfied that the lake is protected.

artsandliterature

Buffalo Preceptor

Brooch in 18k gold and silver. Chlorastrolite (Isle Royal Greenstone), Black Drusy Onyx, Pre-Historic Buffalo Tooth found in Beaver Pond in North West Minnesota.

www.manitouwadge.ca 14

Superior Outdoors

Superior Outdoors

15

adventuretravel Board Across the Bay July 27-29, 2012 Washburn, Wisconsin

FRESH IS SERVED HERE STE A KLOUNGE

STEAK WITH A SIDE OF STYLE Located in the Valhalla Inn • 1 Valhalla Inn Rd., Thunder Bay • 577-1121 ext. R25 • 1-800-964-1121 • valhallainn.com

Tom Blake is considered to be the 20th century’s greatest surfing innovator and lifestyle pioneer. According to Blake’s friend and biographer, Gary Lynch, “in Blake’s life, there was no separation between religion, surfing, swimming, building surfboards, eating, and exercise. At the time, no one guessed that his unorthodox lifestyle would one day become the accepted standard for the beach culture.” Among his inventions are the hollow surfboard, water-proof camera housing, sailboard, and the surfboard fin (skeg).

Tom Blake was born in Milwaukee and raised in Washburn. In his honour, the first annual “Tom Blake Board Across the Bay Race and Festival” will take place on July 27-29. The event includes three races: a 17-mile race across Chequamegon Bay to the City of Ashland and back, an 8.5-mile race, and a one-mile sprint race. Racers can paddle a stand‐up paddleboard (SUP), prone paddleboard, surf ski, sea kayak or outrigger canoe.

There will also be SUP, surf ski and sea kayak demos, instructional clinics, a Hawaiian-themed dinner, and great prizes.

As the icing on the cake, the festival takes place during Brownstone Days, so downtown Washburn will be hopping with a mountain bike race, flea market, tours to historic buildings, and live music. www.washburnchamber.com

An Epic Weekend August 17-19, 2012 Nipigon, Ontario

“Pedal hard, pedal long” is the motto for Epic Adventures’ Mountain Bike Festival.

Mike Elliot, owner of Epic Adventures, says the event began in 2008 with a small group of dedicated mountain bikers looking to check out Nipigon’s newly developed trail system. Since then, the annual festival has grown steadily with more participants, more events and longer trails.

The festival kicks off on Friday evening with the Pump Track/Dirt Jam Session.

If you’ve never seen on a pump track, picture a series of rollers carved out of dirt that are close enough together to allow a rider to rely on momentum (increased by shifting his/her body weight) instead of pedalling. The event is as much about the spectators and the riders and features a lively tailgate party.

The 8-Hour Enduro event starts at 11 am on Saturday morning (the late start time could have something to do with the tailgate party). Elliot calls this race 16

Superior Outdoors

a “throw-back to the good ‘ole days with an old-school, tight, twisty and technical trail. The advanced loop is 6.5 km while the novice loop is 3.5 km. Both trails have mixed terrain, so riders are not likely to get bored, even after eight hours.

On Sunday afternoon, the “Last Man/Woman Standing” event pits riders against each other in a battle of wits, speed and endurance. The race is similar to a traditional criterium road race but held on a short cross-country track. Riders will complete as many laps as possible, any rider that is lapped is eliminated, and the “last man/woman standing” wins. The race could come to an abrupt end if one rider grossly outpaces the others, or it could last all day as riders jockey for position.

Elliot says the festival is welcoming of riders of all ages and abilities, including children. Thanks to generous sponsors, race kits include a good “swag bag” and a cash purse is up for grabs for the top male and top female in the 8-Hour Enduro event. www.epicadventures.ca

Superior Outdoors

17

routes Roy Thomas, Spirit of Ahnisnabae Art, 1997, Acrylic on Canvas, 244 x 122 cm, Collection of Thunder Bay Art Gallery

VISION CIRCLE: THE ART OF

ROY THOMAS A RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION

When I use my paintbrush I understand that I am not the only one doing the painting even

OPENING RECEPTION JUNE 7, 7:30 PM

JUNE 7 – SEPTEMBER 9, 2012

though my name goes on the

THUNDER BAY ART GALLERY

finished work.

Check theag.ca throughout May for details of other opening events including readings by Joseph Boyden.

— Roy Thomas

walleye Thunder Bay’s arts & culture alternative

2012 Sawtooth Mountain Bike Challenge Sunday, September 2, 2012 www.sawtoothchallenge.com sponsored by

BAY

by Darren McChristie

Getting there:

Sturgeon Bay Road is located halfway between Thunder Bay and the border, east of Highway 61. Follow the road down to the lake. The public boat launch is on your right where the road first meets the lake.

ONTARIO CULTURAL ATTR ACTIONS FUND LE FONDS POUR LES MANIFESTATIONS CULTURELLES DE L’ONTARIO

the

STURGEON

It’s hard to resist fixating one’s eyes on the Sleeping Giant while paddling near Thunder Bay—the towering cliffs are visible from almost everywhere. However, the Giant is only one of the many flat-topped, steep-sided mesas along Lake Superior’s northwestern shore. A series of these mesas, known as the Norwester Mountains, extends from the city towards the border. There is little to no development along this stretch of shoreline which is home to the impressive Peregrine Falcon and delicate orchids. Many of the offshore islands have campsites and a few have saunas.

WTIP

North Shore Community Radio The only local radio station on Minnesota’s North Shore

* Local information and events

* Local music and entertainment

13 South Broadway

Grand Marais, MN 218-387-2186 www.superiornorthoutdoor.com rock climbing gear • bikes • repairs • rentals • maps • kites

* Programming that reflects area arts, history, and culture With programming, features, and projects to serve listeners in Minnesota, Ontario, and beyond

90.7 FM Grand Marais 89.1 FM Gunflint Trail 90.1 FM Grand Portage

listen online: www.wtip.org 18

Superior Outdoors

Superior Outdoors

19

THOMSONITE BEACH INN AND SUITES 1-807-473-9123 or 1-888-473-2378

When you see the sign...

Stop next time!

Lakeside accommodations Between Lutsen and Grand Marais Thomsonite Gemstone Jewelry Shop

Experience The Setting... The Service... The Satisfaction... www.bestwestern.com/prop_66055 Each Best Western ® branded hotel is independently owned and operated.

www.thomsonite.com 888-387-1532

218-387-1532

Be in the woods.

Feel miles away, you’re not too Be inwhen the woods.

Feel miles away, When you’re not too far from far home. from home.

routes Get Outside!

New reports says fewer people enjoying wilderness areas A new report from the U.S Forest Service, The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: Examining Changes in Use, Users, and Management Challenges, documents an alarming trend that could change the way we protect wilderness in the future.

The report states that the average age of Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) users has risen from 26 in 1969 to 45 in 2007 (as a point of reference, the average age in Minnesota is 36). In addition, first time visitors have dropped from 30% of visitors to a mere 6%—meaning that fewer people are being introduced to the BWCA. During the same time period, the study found that BWCA visitors are increasingly visiting other wilderness areas and have more wilderness area experience.

An interesting find was that more BWCA visitors now have memberships in outdoor recreation and conservation organizations than in the past. Other findings include the following: that people are staying longer (four days versus 4.4 days); group sizes are smaller (5.2 versus 4.4); organized groups as a percentage of users has decreased (11.1 versus 5.1); solo paddlers as a percentage of users has increased (0.5 vs. 2.3); and family trips as a percentage of users has increased (43.3 versus 68.7).

Most of that sounds great—people are becoming more passionate about wilderness areas and visiting more of them, but the problem is that fewer new people are being introduced.

The study quotes from another paper that cautions “as relationships change, there is also a potential for the wilderness constituency to change or even disappear.” It’s safe to infer from the statistics that wilderness participation increases the desire to protect wilderness, and this is reflected in the increase in conservation organization membership. However, if fewer new people are introduced to the wilderness, there will

be fewer people that feel the desire or the passion to protect wilderness from the pressures of development. In the BWCA, that development includes sulfide mining, vacation homes and cell towers. For BWCA lovers, ensuring protection wins over opposing land uses will become increasingly difficult.

Extrapolating this to the country as a whole, which other studies support, we could see fewer areas designated as wilderness in the future and others lose their current designation.

It is easy to imagine a government controlled by anti-environmental interests that do away with wilderness areas and we’ve seen this in states such as Michigan, Florida, Ohio, and Utah. Even the presumptive Republican party nominee admitted that he doesn’t know “the purpose” of public lands. If we want to preserve wilderness, we need politicians of all parties to love the wilderness. If we fail to introduce new people and the average age of visitors continues to increase, there will be little hope of introducing future politicians to the wilderness in their formative years.

The findings of the BWCA report, combined with the growing number of reports showing that outdoor participation among children is down, amounts to an alarming trend.

So, what can you do?

• Vow to visit wilderness in the next year if you haven’t gone before.

• Get your kids and the neighborhood kids involved in the outdoors. Take them camping. Send them to summer camps that specialize in wilderness travel and camping.

• Teach someone how to paddle, backpack or climb, especially someone young.

• Join an outdoor club, organization or advocacy group and get other people to do the same.

We need to act now to preserve the wilderness that we love.

Bryan Hansel

Great Cabins Great Cabins Warm Hospitality Warm Hospitality

Heston’s Lodge Heston’s Lodge On Gunflint lake on Gunflint Lake N.E. Minnesota N.E. Minnesota www.hestons.com www.hestons.com 800-338-7230

800-338-7230

20

Superior Outdoors

Superior Outdoors

21

www.GunflintCanoeing.com

free maps of flour lake canoe trips

www.Golden-Eagle.com

year round private lake front cabins

800-346-2203 • 218-388-2203

Unspoiled and Unforgettable

22

Superior Outdoors

www.GunflintCamping.com for campground listings

Climbing Erratics

routes words by Justin Allec photos by Eric Berglund

The Mt. Godfrey area tends to refer to the valley between Mt. McKay and Mt. Godfrey in the Norwester Mountains, near Thunder Bay. In the winter, there is heavy traffic by ice climbers because of the local favourites ‘Ice Stud’ and ‘White Lightning.’

The initial rock route development around Mt. Godfrey matched the interests of rope climbers almost 15 years gone. Much thanks to climbing pioneers, but their eyes measured the cliffs, pondering, thinking in rope lengths. They were after veins of silver and gold—whole lines of movement a little past priceless. Some bolts and anchors were placed, but the straight trad approach deters many climbers, so the valley is largely neglected in the summer. There are about 20 routes with potential for countless others as the area features some of the more solid cliffband around Thunder Bay. The valley floor is littered with the shrugged remains of the mountain’s disintegration — huge boulders have fallen the furthest, while smaller pieces of rubble form the talus slope.

My eyes widen and look below those cliffs to plump nuggets of house-sized granite, a shining glacier erratic. Boulders — that’s what I’m after.

A friend took me to Mt. Godfrey a few years ago specifically to see this one boulder. It’s so prominent that it is marked on the local guide book’s topo of the area. This boulder acts as a trail marker for the start of the climbing routes. As a large square-cut block with some interesting features and decent height, I spent some time cleaning it, recognizing its climbing potential. The rock has two arretes—a flash-lightning crack and a flake that resembled the shape of Manitoba.

I’m brushing the edge down while avoiding tipping over. There’s just enough texture to grab. Once I’m down I try my hands along the first bit of the climb, and it’s fine from below if I swing a heel up, I think, until I reach the mid-point where everything changes. Halfway through the motions, my feet come off and down I go with the sky bright and more than enough rocks around me.

Superior Outdoors

23

Coastal Trail Lake Superior Provincial Park’s by canoe

24

Superior Outdoors

words and photographs

by Kas Stone

Superior Outdoors

25

(previous page) Agawa Islands; (above ) Backcountry campsite (right) Agawa Rock hanging boulder

I

started out as a hiker. True, I did bring my canoe along most holidays too, but in the early days it was merely a means of transport. Paddling took me to remote and interesting trails, and ferried all my gear to beautiful backcountry campsites. But it was my hiking boots, not my boat, that inspired my outdoor adventures then.

When I “discovered” Lake Superior and fell in love with its wild north shore, my explorations began, predictably enough, on foot. I was in my early forties and my dog Skye was just a pup. Fit and energetic, we could cover an astonishing amount of ground. My travel diary from that first visit records a hike of 26 km one day and 19 km the next, then a “rest” day of only 8 km, and longer treks again in the days that followed. Lake Superior’s scenery and exhilarating topography left me want-

26

Superior Outdoors

ing more. So year after year I returned to hike as many trails as I could find along the coast between Sault Ste. Marie and the Pigeon River, and I repeated favourite routes until they became familiar friends.

One such favourite was the Coastal Hiking Trail in Lake Superior Provincial Park, the trail where I’d enjoyed all those long hikes during my first visit to Lake Superior. It was September then, and I could not have paddled far in any case, as the constant autumn wind had whipped up a frenzy of whitecaps. I put my canoe in the water only once, for fifteen minutes the final day of my holiday, just to say I’d done it.

That was more than a decade ago. Alas the years are starting to show. Skye is now thirteen with a lengthy catalogue of orthopedic ailments. And I am… well… refusing to admit

that I’m no longer in my early forties, or that my chronic foot problem likely began with excessive hiking in rough terrain.

Lameness might have spelled the end of our Lake Superior holidays. But the lure of the inland sea was irresistible.

Somewhere along the way I realized that hiking was merely the means, not the reason for our visits, so we overcame our terrestrial limitations by taking to the water. Hesitantly at first, for short excursions close to shore, then with increasing confidence and skill I ventured farther afield, sometimes with friends, often solo with Skye. Over time, marine charts replaced topo maps in my map case, and my paddle became as essential a piece of gear as my hiking boots. I looked forward to my Lake Superior holidays more than ever, excited to investigate previously inaccessible corners of the coast and

see how familiar landscapes looked so refreshingly unfamiliar from the perspective of the water.

Thus began a new project: retracing the routes of the many coastal trails we had hiked earlier, but this time by canoe. Mind you, we still made frequent visits ashore, regularly windbound or distracted by features on land. It became the perfect way to spend our Lake Superior holidays, giving Skye’s legs a gentler journey, and me a comfortable mix of paddling and hiking.

This trail-paddling project inevitably brought me back with my canoe last spring for a voyage along the Lake Superior Provincial Park’s Coastal Trail.

Superior Outdoors

27

(clockwise from above) Agawa Rock; Pictographs; Sinclair Cove

About The Trail Stretching between Agawa Bay and Chalfant Cove, the Coastal Trail hugs the shoreline closely for much of its 63 km. Adjacent to the trail’s southern half, Highway 17 also follows the shore, providing several access points for shorter hikes. Then, near Bald Head, the highway cuts inland while the Coastal Trail continues along the water toward Cape Gargantua. This northern portion of the trail is considerably more isolated, accessible only from the terminus of the 14 km twisty, bumpy Gargantua Road.

The park’s hiking trails brochure describes the Coastal Trail as “very demanding” and “extremely rugged” with “difficult terrain,” recommended for “experienced hikers” only. With good reason! Rarely smooth or obvious, the trail’s route winds across all manner of craggy shoreline features: bald rock outcrops and battered headlands, boulder beaches and jagged piles of talus, steep hills and precipitous ledges, jumbled driftwood and tangled forests, spongy bogs and numerous streams. Often the trail seems to disappear altogether, revealed, after a frantic search, by a cairn or blue plastic hiker icon in some improbable location.

When paddling the Coastal Trail, of course, you can slip 28

Superior Outdoors

past these obstacles with ease. Unless, that is, you are straining against a howling gale, or buffeted by reflection waves off a cliff, or groping your way through pea-soup fog.

It should go without saying, though naturally I will say it anyway, that canoeing or kayaking on Lake Superior must be undertaken with great circumspection. Solid paddling and navigation skills are essential. Even more important are patience, respect and common sense. Superior’s menacing reputation is legendary amongst Great Lakes mariners. So, if you are inclined to be cocky, set Gordon Lightfoot’s “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” to loop in your car’s audio system as you drive to the boat launch.

The Lake Superior Provincial Park map (available for purchase from the park office or outdoor stores across Ontario) is an essential guide whether hiking or paddling the Coastal Trail. With an overview map on one side and detailed coastal segments on the other, it includes access points, campsite locations, lookouts and other attractions, and provides useful information about park regulations and travel logistics.

What makes the Coastal Trail so picturesque, and so challenging, is the extraordinarily rugged landscape it’s carved from.

The original bedrock of Lake Superior Provincial Park is ancient metamorphosed granite. It dates back to a time be-

tween 3 and 2.5 billion years ago when the Canadian Shield slowly solidified from molten material to form the continental crust of North America. This is the rock that shapes the resolute hills and headlands so prominent in the park.

Then, about 1.1 billion years ago, violent shifts in the crust tore a 2,000 km gash through the centre of the continent—the Midcontinental Rift—beneath what is now Lake Superior. It also spawned a network of smaller fractures in the bedrock.

Magma oozed up to fill these cracks, and in many places erupted as lava at the surface. Then it cooled. Where it cooled beneath the surface it became the diabase sills and dikes we see today as horizontal and vertical slabs of dark rock, common all along Lake Superior’s coast. Where it erupted and cooled at the surface, it formed volcanic rocks, like rhyolite, from which Rhyolite Cove takes its name, and basalt, exposed most strikingly at Devil’s Chair. In both locations the rocks are rough and pitted in appearance because the original lava contained gas bubbles; many of these later filled with colourful mineral crystals.

The most recent chapter in the region’s geologic story is its scouring by glacial ice, meltwater and waves in recent millennia. Their erosive power stripped away hundreds of metres of overlying material to expose long-buried bedrock, carving channels and potholes, and washing loose debris away. Beach-

es from Lake Superior’s deeper glacial predecessors were also left behind—terraces of smooth, polished rocks extending far inland and uphill at many locations in the park. The process continues today. Just sit for a while on any beach along the Coastal Trail and listen to the waves rolling the boulders into cobbles, the cobbles into pebbles, and the pebbles into sand.

This dramatic landscape is connected intimately with the First Nations’ spiritual world. Manitous abound in Lake Superior Provincial Park: Nanabosho, the impetuous and beloved protector of the Ojibwe people; and Mishepeshu, the great horned lynx who lurks in the underwater world, creating storms with a flick of his powerful tail. First Nation travellers left offerings at sacred places around Cape Gargantua and honoured the spirits with pictographs on shoreline cliffs like that at Agawa Rock.

With the arrival of Europeans and their priests in the 17th century, these traditional practices were discouraged and their spiritual sites were given sinister names that still remain on modern maps: Devil’s Warehouse Island, Devil’s Chair and the sizzling shoal that surrounds it, Devil’s Frying Pan. When setting out in a canoe or kayak along this ragged coast today, however, prudent paddlers hedge their bets and leave an offering to Mishepeshu, just in case.

Superior Outdoors

29

(left) Rhyolite Cove; (right) Baldhead Lookout

Favourite Ports of Call for Coastal Trail Paddlers Whether you prefer to poke along the shore in day-trip segments from various launch sites, or tackle the entire Coastal Trail as a multi-day paddling expedition with overnight stops at wilderness campsites, there are certain places along the route that will beg exploration on foot, as well as by boat. The following are my six favourite ports of call, their locations indicated in red on the accompanying map.

1.Agawa Rock & Sinclair Cove The usual approach to Agawa Rock is a short, busy trail from the parking lot off Highway 17. The trail passes through an eroded diabase dike with a “hanging” boulder wedged into the crevice, and visits the famous pictographs, which are accessible in calm weather from a ledge at the water’s edge. But the ledge is narrow and steep, and offers only a partial view.

The perspective is significantly more expansive from the water, and additional pictographs can be found on surfaces not safely visible from the ledge. When you approach the cliff by canoe, you will be struck by the enormous scale of the rock face, and understand why the people who originally painted the pictographs chose this location as their canvas. (You may wish to purchase an interpretive booklet from the park office to guide your investigation.)

Sinclair Cove’s beach and concrete boat ramp provide a convenient launch for visits to Agawa Rock. From here your tour can be extended into the archipelago just offshore. Some islands are little more than bleak rocks, home only to gulls and lichens, while others support trees and even a few unexpected (private) cottages.

Back at the launch, be sure to follow the short side-trail (about 50 m southbound along the Coastal Trail) to the summit of a bare headland overlooking Sinclair Cove, where your scramble will be rewarded with sweeping coastal views.

30

Superior Outdoors

(facing page clockwise from top) Gargantua Beach; Sunset; Sinclair Cove Lookout; Devil’s Frying Pan

2.Baldhead Beach At the mouth of the Baldhead River lies a beautiful cobble beach, its stones uniformly sized and polished like a nest of colourful eggs. Landing here can be a challenge, as the beach is steep and exposed. Once ashore, however, you will find that the cluster of campsites at the north side of the river makes an excellent base for a windbound day or two. Explore the Coastal Trail along Baldhead Beach and over Bald Head to the south. Or follow the Orphan Lake Trail from the beach’s northern end. This is arguably Lake Superior Park’s most attractive and varied day-use trail. It loops 6 km inland and uphill, visiting a tranquil lake, a forest fire burnout area, a panoramic coastal lookout and a series of cascades along the lower reaches of the Baldhead River. The official trailhead is a parking area beside Highway 17, but I much prefer the approach from Baldhead Beach, as the homeward leg is 100 vertical metres downhill rather than up!

3.Rhyolite Cove Taking its name from an unusually large outcropping of this red volcanic rock, Rhyolite Cove offers paddlers a protected beach with two primitive campsites. The remote headlands and inlets along the Coastal Trail just south of Rhyolite Cove provide many opportunities to investigate the area’s unique geology. Everything here is red: red rocks, red water, and red sand (all over Skye’s feet and inside our tent and sleeping bag!).

4.Gargantua Bay This inlet (pronounced GAR-gan-twa) is a traditional rest stop in stormy weather, and the light that marks its entrance has guided mariners to safety since 1889. A commercial fishing station operated in the harbour at the north end of Gargantua Bay from the late 1870s until the 1950s. Several crumbling buildings can still be found along the mainland shore, but Gargantua Island’s lighthouse was replaced by an automated beacon in 1948. Today Gargantua is a popular backcountry

camping area, providing access to the northern portion of the Coastal Trail. Its lengthy beach alternates between stretches of sand and cobbles, bounded at either end by lookouts­—an 80 m cliff on the south side, and a scenic knoll on the north.

5.Devil’s Warehouse Island Even from the mainland shore, 2 km away, the imposing cliffs of Devil’s Warehouse Island command attention.

Paddling the Coastal Trail gives you the freedom to slip across the channel for a closer look. As you approach, watch for Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles and ravens that patrol the clifftop ledges, and pull in beside the massive rock face to admire the variety of lichens clinging to it. This island was once a source of iron oxide, mined to make red-ochre pigment for pictographs. Its caves also housed a collection of birchbark scrolls of spiritual importance to local First Nations, until the scrolls vanished mysteriously in the 1970s.

6.Cape Gargantua At Warp Bay, hikers must choose between two forks of the

Coastal Trail, one leading to a headland overlooking Devil’s Chair and the other to the trail’s terminus at Chalfant Cove.

It is a pleasant hike either way, but it misses many of Cape Gargantua’s most remarkable coastal features. These are best explored from the water. The volcanic landscape here feels eerily otherworldly, its rough black rocks pockmarked with colourful crystals and strangely carved by Lake Superior’s waves. Leaving the sandy shelter of Warp Bay, make your way up Tugboat Channel, a deep, narrow passage that separates the Cape from the collection of windswept islands just offshore.

Devil’s Chair comes into view around the corner, a spiky pyramid of basalt where you may feel inspired by traditional wisdom to leave an offering for Nanabosho.

The Coastal Trail ends at Chalfant Cove, but the coast itself stretches invitingly ahead­—around Ryan Point, Cap Chaillon and beyond. Reluctantly, hikers must retrace their steps.

Paddlers, however, will be tempted to extend their Coastal Trail journey along this, Lake Superior Park’s most formidable shore.

Superior Outdoors

31

sailsuperior.com ya c h t c h a r t e r s

Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year

Afterword In case I have left the impression that I have given up serious hiking in favour of paddling, I must add an ironic postscript to this story. It turns out that, like my canine companion, my orthopedic problems are not confined to my “hind” legs. Shortly after my return from Lake Superior last spring I was diagnosed with severe bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (in other words, both my wrists were toast), caused in part, the doctors suspect, by strenuous paddling in rough conditions (my struggle against the

wind up Tugboat Channel immediately comes to mind). Two surgeries and months of recovery later, my hands are regaining some of their former strength at last. But sadly I must accept that my adventures in paddling, like those in hiking, must be gentler in the years to come. In fact, lately I have caught myself scanning the “For Sale” notices for 2 HP outboard motors.

Who knows, perhaps next year you’ll meet Skye and me somewhere along the Coastal Trail, puttering: putt…putt…putt…putt…

SET SAIL FOR FUN! $49* 1.5 HOUR HARBOUR TOUR

* PeR PeRsOn HsT InCLUDeD

Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year

Kids 10 and under $25 with adult. Regular departures every day all summer long from Pier 3 at Thunder Bay Marina Park.

www.sailsuperior.com | 807-628-3333

marina park, lake superior, thunder bay, ontario

As is German custom, we’re going to celebrate by immediately going back to work.

We’re also known for our hospitality. So, come in and see exactly why the Touareg TDI Clean Diesel is worth celebrating.

WILDERNESS DISCOVERY FAMILY RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTRE Unique Location Barrier Free Resort 5 Fully Equipped Cabins Conference Centre to organize your event Outdoor Attractions: paddle boating, canoeing, motor boats, kayaking, playground and many more..

Hunting /Fishing

LEARN TO SAIL WITH PROFessIOnAL sAILInG InsTRUCTIOn Receive your IsPA certification from Beginner to Coastal skipper.

We offer 36’-40’ Keel Boats with 20’ training boats for student use.

Cruise and Learn Holidays - Learn to sail on a week long Lake superior adventure. We’ll get you ready to bareboat charter or improve your confidence with your own boat.

GROUP ExCURSIONS Take a private excursion with our popular 3.5 hour Welcome Island tour starting at $360 (plus HsT) for 8 people. Packages extend to overnights and long weekend island holidays.

Perfect for gifts, family reunions, out of town guests and corporate retreats.

As is German custom, we’re going to celebrate by immediately going back to work.

Downtown Volkswagen

P20534E_AJAC_UtilityCOY_Dealer_4C.indd 1

Date: AD #: Dealer NameClient: Description: Dealer Address

12-03-01 9:59 AM

Studio Revisions

REV. # 3

2012 Feb 28, 29 Production Mgr: IMPORTANT: This art has been checked and proofed for accuracy by all signed.

20543E REM Volkswagen Date Signature PROOFREADER Art Director: AJAC Utility Car of the Year Dealer ads

591 Central Ave., Thunder Bay, ON Sales Phone: (807) 344-9700 (XXX)Free: XXX-XXXX File Name: 386-9689 P20534E_AJAC_UtilityCOY_Dealer_4C Toll (866)

Date Signature ART DIRECTOR Account Exec.: 0" Lance Date Signature ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 7.625" x 7" Trim: Operator: 0" Bleed: © 2012 Volkswagen Canada. “Volkswagen”, the Volkswagen logo, “Touareg” andKB “TDI Clean Diesel” are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG. Visit vw.ca or your Volkswagen dealer Date Signature COPYWRITER CMYK Colours: for details.

Dealer Website Live:

sailsuperior.com ya c h t c h a r t e r s

Superior Outdoors

© 2012 Volkswagen Canada. “Volkswagen”, the Volkswagen logo, “Touareg” and “TDI Clean Diesel” are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG. Visit vw.ca or your Volkswagen dealer for details.

We’re also known for our hospitality. So, come in and see exactly why the RED www.downtownvw.com Touareg TDI CleanURBAN Diesel is worth celebrating.

Highway #11, Shebandowan, ON T: (807) 343-0414 1-877-202-6404 www.wildernessdiscovery.ca

32

Dealer Name Dealer Address (XXX) XXX-XXXX Dealer Website

www.sailsuperior.com | 807-628-3333

marina park, lake superior, thunder bay, ontario

PUBLICATIONS: Dealer – AJAC COY – 4C P20534E_AJAC_UtilityCOY_Dealer_4C.indd 1

RED URBAN

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Signature

Date 12-03-01 9:59 AM

Superior Outdoors REV. # 3

Studio Revisions

33

WHAT’SSUP? Going with the flow on the Michipicoten River

34

Superior Outdoors

Superior Outdoors

35

After a six-hour drive to Wawa, we arrived at our destination at the mouth of the Michipicoten River on the north shore of Lake Superior.

It was late in the day and we were weary—looking forward to dinner and a comfy bed. But, when the winding road passed by Government Beach, the scenery was too perfect for a drive by.

(previous page) Returning to the lodge after an evening paddle; (above) Finally past the breaking waves; (left) Telling stories by the fire

36

Superior Outdoors

words by Michelle McChristie photography by Darren McChristie

“Wow, look at those waves,” I said to my husband, Darren. “Should I go change and grab the SUP?” I asked, knowing that Darren never passes up an adventure or the opportunity to take photos. With the golden light of the setting sun and a steady stream of rolling waves, Lake Superior seemed to beckon me to play in the waves. We pulled up to Rock Island Lodge and, while Darren unpacked the gear and our kids, I scurried off to change my clothes, grab my PFD, paddle and board and make the most of the last hour of daylight.

Okay, the waves looked nice enough from the road, but once standing on the beach, I wasn’t sure how to get past them. My first few attempts were disastrous, I couldn’t make it past the breaking waves because they were too big and breaking too close to shore. I kept getting knocked off the board, even though I was kneeling, and felt like I was getting thrown in a washing machine. “I need a little help here!” I called to Darren, in a panic. He gave me a few pointers— wait for a lull and then paddle hard to make it past the curling waves. Intuitively, I think I knew that, but it’s kind of like downhill skiing or mountain biking, you have to commit and go for it, no lollygagging. I finally got the timing right and soon I was comfortable enough paddling over the rolling waves that I could stand (hence the name, stand up paddleboard).

I rode the waves towards the shore a few times and felt a surge of adrenalin when I actually caught a wave and surfed it. Even if only for a few seconds, there is something sublime about feeling on top of the power of the lake. When the sun started to dip below the horizon, I faced the reality that I was freezing and my family on shore was no longer entertained by my SUP demo. I had to laugh when I hung up by board shorts and about a cup of pebbles fell out of the pockets— they were stone-washed.

Superior Outdoors

37

(opposite page clockwise from bottom) Keep those knees bent!; Exploring the nearby beach; Catching a wave; Taking a break on the deck

Standup paddleboarding is the fastest growing paddlesport in the world. It’s fairly easy to learn provided the student has a relatively good sense of balance and is familiar with basic paddle strokes. SUPs come in a variety of shapes in sizes and are tailored to their intended use—big wave surfing, flatwater paddling and everything in between.

Michipicoten Bay, just south of Wawa, is an ideal place for SUPing, particularly for beginners. Depending on the conditions, a paddler can stay in the sheltered bay, or paddle out into the big lake. Due to the four hydro-electric dams located on the river, flow rates vary—when the demand for energy increases, the volume of water pouring out of the river increases. If onshore waves on Superior are big, the standing waves at the mouth of the river, extending past the lodge provide surf for kayakers and paddleboarders.

Rock Island Lodge, home to Naturally Superior Adventures, is a popular paddling destination, particularly as a starting or ending point for multi-day trips by kayak and voyageur canoe.

Our family watched a lot of groups and individuals come and go during our visit which seemed fitting since the lake and the river served as transportation routes for indigenous peoples for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Europeans. The Hudson Bay Company had a trading post, Michipicoten Post, up the river until the early 1900s.

The lodge itself was once owned by the Queen of England 38

Superior Outdoors

(above) Sarah, 5, and Nathan, 7, exploring protected waters; (below) Rock Island Lodge

who sold the property to the Company of Adventurers in 1882. The present day lodge was built in the 1920s by John William Kennedy, a gold stock promoter, and more recently the property was owned by Great Lakes Power as a corporate retreat. David Wells, the current owner acquired the property in 1994 when he and his wife pulled up stakes in Toronto and headed north to Wawa. Wells took the opportunity to carve out a living from his true passion, paddling. Since then, he and his staff have created a haven for paddlers and travelers looking for a bed and breakfast or a tent site on the beach. Meals are simple, fresh and delicious, eaten as a group at a large table in the dining room. Depending on whether the guests are em-

Superior Outdoors

39

Paddling into the setting sun on Lake Superior

barking on a paddling trip or returning from one, the conversation varies from exchanges about hometowns, occupations and reflections on urban life, to recollections of paddling mishaps, wildlife encounters and the weather. It’s interesting that people returning from paddling trips rarely talk about their jobs.

“Mom, can I go out on the SUP?” asked my seven-year old son after scarfing down some breakfast. By his second day of SUPing, Nathan was inching his way towards the mouth of the Michipicoten River, dabbling in the surf, and the dissipating wake of passing boats. I could see that he was quickly developing balance, coordination and confidence. A SUP is a great way for a child to learn how to paddle because when he is on his own board, he has to troubleshoot for himself. The sheltered bay just before the mouth of the river provided a perfect place for kids to practice with a sandy beach and calm, warm water. Our kids felt liberated. My daughter, Sarah, was equally enthusiastic about SUPing, but quite content to stay in the sheltered bay, well out of reach of any waves. It was a funny sight to see two kids paddling such huge boards with little canoe paddles.

The weather on our last day was stormy, so we traded the 40

Superior Outdoors

paddleboards for a Scrabble board and watched the waves from the comfort of the lodge. When the rain stopped, we picked berries—raspberries, blueberries and gooseberries— from the bushes around the lodge and brought them to the kitchen in hopes they’d turn up in a pie (they did). We went out on the SUPs before dinner, but the conditions were rough and the wind cold. While we were eating dinner, the cumulous clouds parted to reveal the sun and, at the same time, Lake Superior’s mood turned from raucous to relaxed—perfect paddling conditions. A small group of us grabbed our boards and headed for the lake. When the sun started to set, the sky became a palette of orange and gold and we paddled as silouettes heading west. It was tempting to paddle into the light of the sunset, but the lodge was getting awfully small behind us.

We didn’t plan on a SUPer vacation when we set off for Rock Island Lodge, but quickly realized that the sport is easy to learn, provided the conditions are right. The mouth of the Michipicoten River provides an ideal location for standup paddleboarders of all abilities. Like everything, there is a bit of a learning curve, and I won’t profess to be an expert, but I figured out how to make a sharp turn and even surf a wave, without filling my board shorts with pebbles.

LAKE SUPERIOR.

STAND UP PADDLEBOARD, KAYAK, AND CANOE RACE 715.373.5017

670411 4-28-12

Superior Outdoors

41

AROUND the Lake in NINETEEN DAYS A Cycling Adventure words by Joseph Pettorini photos by Joesph Pettorini & Jim McDonnell

42

Superior Outdoors

(above) Weary travellers Jim McDonnell & Joseph Pettorini after a long climb; (below) Fellow riders from all over the world

Superior Outdoors

43

I

All I did was ask a question about why a man would be wearing a skirt in a snowshoe race, and the next thing I knew I was embarking on a 1388 mile bike trip around Lake Superior.

(clockwise from left) One of the unique sights along the way; cooling off ; The Sea Lion; Curious fox; Upper Tahquamenon; Whitefish Point; Terry Fox Lookout

44

Superior Outdoors

met Jim McDonnell in 2007 at a snowshoe race in the Wausau, Wisconsin after I noticed a few fellow competitors snowshoeing in kilts—a pretty unusual outfit to be wearing given the frigid temperatures in northern Wisconsin. During the award ceremony I struck up a conversation with one of the kilt-wearing competitors. We introduced ourselves, talked snowshoeing techniques, and about different sports we were involved in, like triathlons, marathons, and bike races. Being new at snowshoe racing, I welcomed Jim’s tips from his snowshoe racing experience, but, back to the kilt…Jim belongs to a club and that is their attire. Since that race I started seeing Jim and his kilt at other competitive events around Wisconsin and over time we became good friends.

The following year at a snowshoe race Jim asked me what I thought about biking around Lake Superior. Without hesitation I replied, “When? Let’s do it, let’s plan it!” When Jim was around ten years old his family traveled around the Great Lakes Circle Tour, camping along the way. During that time they met a fellow camper who happened to be riding his bike around the lake. The idea was born in Jim and he held that dream for 47 years and finally accomplished it at age 57. He had tried many times to organize a trip with fellow bikers but they always fell short due to his friends canceling out on him for various reasons. I’m not sure why he asked me, but I am thankful he did.

A trip of this size takes a lot of planning. Jim organized the trip, but not without many phone calls between us regarding campgrounds, mileage per day, which direction to travel around the lake, provisions, passports, bike repair kits, first aid kits, time of year, etc.

We finally decided on the end of June and early July when the days are longer and would provide us with more daylight hours for pedaling. Our packs would be light and our route mapped on laminated cards—we were ready to go.

June 20th found us in Poplar, Wisconsin staying at Jim’s friends— Randy and Luann. They sent us off on June 21st with our sights set for Big Bay State Park, in Madeline Island, Wisconsin, 75 miles away.

Superior Outdoors

45

Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel

Roadside fruits and veggies

Duluth summer fun

Near Cornucopia

46

Superior Outdoors

Traveling east along Lake Superior, we followed the routes we had established. Averaging about 72 miles per day, give or take a few here and there to visit interesting places along the way, we pretty much kept to our scheduled plan. Our longest rides were 96 miles in a day. Anything less seemed like a piece of cake and we learned that ibuprofen taken three times a day, along with vitamins was icing on the cake.

We usually started our day with a 25-mile ride before finding a restaurant for breakfast. As our main meal of the day, we feasted on a oatmeal, eggs, toast, and hashbrowns. Some of the meals were great, others not so much, but people consistently commented on our huge appetites. We snacked the rest of the day on high-energy protein food and enjoyed local offerings, such as pasties in Michigan and whatever fresh foods roadside stands offered—peas, blueberries raspberries were always welcomed.

Riding a bike along the road gives you a much broader view of the world. You’re closer to the earth so you hear the sounds of nature, smell the lupines in bloom, and are lured by the lilt of a waterfall to cool off in its icy splendor. You are free to stop at the spur of the moment and watch the wildlife along the route. We saw bear, moose, deer and fox and I saw my first timberwolf, which would have eluded us had we been traveling by car.

I averaged speeds of 15.5 mile per hour with my touring bike while Jim did a little better with the flair on his bike, sometimes outpacing me by two miles per hour. We met many fellow bikers, especially along the Canadian north shore, which seems to be a popular route for Europeans. We met people from the Netherlands, Germany and Portugal, just to name a few. I called them “scoots” because they all seemed to be in such a hurry scooting across Canada just to see how fast they could do it. I wondered how these people could resist the urge to stop and explore the sights along the way.

Jim and I took many side trips. We splashed in Jacob’s Falls, north of Eagle River and ferried around the Pictured Rocks in Michigan, visited the sea caves east of Cornucopia, Wisconsin, skinny-dipped in Lake Superior, and visited mines in search of copper, gold, and amethyst.

We toured lighthouses, admired the Sleeping Giant near Thunder Bay, Ontario, and visited Gooseberry State Park in Minnesota, where we enjoyed the breathtaking sunrise over the lake from a rocky ridge where we had pitched our tents. We made a point of stopping and talking to the local people along the way. Water and bathroom breaks always created an interest from us or from the people we encountered.

But, the trip was not without its perils. The weather wasn’t always cooperative and we rode through some pretty heavy rainfalls. Canada, especially, had some narrow roads and we contended with huge semis that seemed to suck us into their wake or push us off the road. Physically, we were pretty fit other than the aches and pains that ibuprofen relieved. Jim did take a bad fall which resulted in a major road rash injury to his leg. I seriously thought that was the end of the ride because it was so painful and came early in the trip. But, Jim was determined to make this trip, so he doctored his leg using our first aid supplies and pushed on. Jim contacted his wife via cell phone each day and made no mention of this incident thinking that she would only worry and possibly push to end the adventure. I admired his persistence. I had some ankle swelling from pushing through the hills, but that subsided.

We met our goal of 19 days on the road as we rode into Poplar, Wisconsin on July 9 with approximately 1388 miles of road, two flat tires and some minor bike shop adjustments behind us. We amassed over 600 photos, countless memories and a newfound respect and awe

for Lake Superior and the interesting people and their stories we encountered along the way. We felt a renewed joy in being alive.

Spending 19 days on the road with the same person day-in and day-out, you would think that there would be arguments, leading to disagreements, leading to fistfights or sulky times. With the exhaustion from long rides, reality of having to face another day of riding in the rain, and then the exhilaration of meeting our mileage goals and experiencing the joy and wonder of the world, all emotions were brought to the surC

M

Y

face. We got along great, sharing stories of past and present. Our friendship was cemented.

A bike ride around Lake Superior wasn’t on my so-called bucket list, but now I can add it and cross it off.

I learned a few things along the way: Life is about doing something you love and sharing it, accepting the beauty of nature along the way, challenging yourself and meeting that challenge.

It’s about reaching out and testing your body, your mind and your spirit.

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Grand Marais, Minnesota

g

Why drive hours to go camping?

Try one of our municipal campgrounds with: Cabin rentals (Chippewa) Tent & Trailer sites Electrical hook-ups Laundry facilities Grocery store Showers & souvenirs Chippewa Park Trowbridge Falls 807-623-3912 807-683-6661

1-800-795-8068 or 218-387-1162 w w w. t h u n d e rb ay. c a

Superior Outdoors

47

reflections

Lone Wolf BWCA, MN photo by Dale Robert Klous

48

Superior Outdoors

reflections

Woodland Caribou Slate Island Provincial Park, ON photo by Rich Cook

Superior Superior Outdoors Outdoors 49 49

reflections

Stairway to Heaven Copper Harbor, MI photo by Greg Maino

50

Superior Outdoors

reflections

Mating Merlin Sault Ste. Marie, ON photo by Les Piccolo

Superior Superior Outdoors Outdoors 51 51

reflections

Lake Superior Surfing Marquette, MI photo by Aaron Peterson

52

Superior Outdoors

reflections

Kayaking to Trowbridge Island Silver Islet, ON photo by Mike Johnston

Superior Superior Outdoors Outdoors 53 53

reflections

Summer Storm Grand Portage, MN photo by Travis Novitsky

54

Superior Outdoors

reflections

Windsurfing Thunder Bay, ON photo by Jimmy Warner

Superior Superior Outdoors Outdoors 55 55

Perspective

Crossing Chigamiwinigum Falls Low water provided the opportunity for this unique view of the recently constructed White River suspension bridge which spans 30 metres across the gorge at a height of 23 metres. The bridge is located 12 kilometres from the trailhead of Pukaskwa National Park’s Coastal Hiking Trail.

D. McChristie

56

Superior Outdoors

A great story – It’s in our nature. visitthunderbay.com