Superior Superior Views p.22
Small Boats & Heavy Weather p.30
Yo-Yo Madness p.46
The Best in Summer Photography p.38
o u t d o o r s
Vol.7 No.1
SUM 13 Vol7No1 (display until Nov 15) Canada/US $4.95 Winter 11
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62825 22634
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Beavers as Eco-heros p.8
The Bush Martini p.11
Kayaking Lake Nipigon p.19
Towering Pines Canopy Tour p.21
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contents
features
Superior Views
The 12 Best Views on Lake Superior’s Canadian Shore
22
by Kas Stone
Small Boats and Heavy Weather
A Sailing Voyage to the Remote Northern Shores of Lake Superior
30
by Marlin Ledin
Yo-Yo Madness
A 36-Hour Day Hike at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
46
departments Arts & Literature 13
Weather 4
Adventure Travel 17
Superior Styles 7
Routes 19
Sustainable Developments 8
Reflections 38
The Food Chain 11
P. 8 Hansi Johnson
Intro 3
Brian Lasenby
by Roy Kranz
Perspective 52 P. 45
On the cover: Kayaking the Rossport, Islands Photo by: D. McChristie
This page: Foster Island view across Thompson Channel to Pic Island Photo by: Kas Stone
Superior Outdoors
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Towering Pines Canopy Tour
Towering Pines Canopy Tour at Gunflint Lodge is the most exciting new way to experience the wilderness — get a bird’s-eye view plus a thrilling ride through the treetops! It’s a two-and-a-half hour nature adventure led by two sky guides. Open daily April 26th to November 11th. $79.00 per person Call 218-388-2296 for reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner available, too.
Gunflint Lodge is 43 miles up the Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais. Minimum age is 10; maximum weight/person is 240 lbs.
Discover
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Are There Viruses In Our Recrea onal Lakes, Rivers, and Streams? Is Your Water Filter Rated To Remove Viruses?
ENTUR
www.RedRockTownship.ca 2
Superior Outdoors
Find out the answer by scanning the QR Code with your smartphone or visi ng our blog at www.globalhydra on.com/blog
Where do you need safe drinking water?
Editor-in-chief/Design Darren McChristie Contributing Editor Michelle McChristie Copy Editor Amy Jones Business Manager Doug McChristie Contributing Writers Kevin Callan, Shelby Gonzalez, Bryan Hansel, Roy Kranz, Marlin Ledin, Darren McChristie, Michelle McChristie, Conor Mihell, Julia Prinselaar, Graham Saunders, Kas Stone Contributing Photographers Kevin Callan, Bryan Hansel, Ron Harper, Hansi Johnson, Roy Kranz, Brian Lasenby, Susan Lee, Darren McChristie, Travis Novitsky, Aaron Peterson, Les Piccolo, Rob Stimpson, Ryan Zimny
Advertising Sales/Distribution Logan Wright, Michelle McChristie Publisher Superior Outdoors Inc. Copyright © 2013 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. 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 ISSN Number: 1913-444 Canada Post Publications Agreement Number: 41497554
S
intro
even is my lucky number. I’m not sure why exactly and I can only think of one instance where the numberLate actually night brought campfire Rock Folkmy Festival me good luck—on theRed night I met wife, Rock, Ontario we exchanged phone numbers onRed a playing card, the seven of hearts, that I had ripped in half. We started publishing Superior Outdoors in 2007. Last year, we were lucky to host the Superior Adventure Contest winners for their seven-day trip from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie—it was an amazing experience (although we missed our daughter’s seventh birthday). And, 2013 marks Superior Outdoors’ seventh anniversary. Seven is also significant in Anishinabek teachings. In the Seventh Fire prophecy, each of the seven fires represents an era in human history. In the time of the Seventh Fire, all people will come together through choosing the road of cooperation in the interests of the future. And speaking of the future, Anishinabek teachings suggest that we take into consideration the impacts of seven generations of children when making significant decisions. Seven is the number of the natural world. There are seven days in the week, seven notes on the musical scale, and seven colours in a rainbow. In this issue—the first in our seventh year—Julia Prinselaar writes about beavers, the unsung ecoheroes of hydrology and, on a related note, Graham Saunders reflects on last year’s flooding in Thunder Bay, Duluth, and Wawa. Kas Stone shares her 12 favourite lookouts along the Canadian north shore (it was impossible to limit this list to seven), Roy Kranz tells us about his endurance yo-yo hike, and Marlin Ledin shares a harrowing excerpt from his small-craft sailing voyage. Someday I’ll sail the big lake in my own 22-foot sailboat—its 7-foot beam is sure to bring good luck. D. McChristie
Superior Outdoors
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weather
Kakabeka Falls during flood conditions photo by Darren McChristie
4
Superior Outdoors
by Graham Saunders
T
he word “flood” refers to an overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines, especially over what is normally dry land. But the scale of a flood can vary immensely. Last year the Lake Superior basin experienced three major flash flood events that resulted from heavy rain and occurred with little warning—at best a few hours—and resulted in extensive damage. Thunder Bay: May 28, 2012 This flood was the result of a storm caused by an intense low pressure system with a feed of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico that had tracked northward. Minor to moderate rain amounts were recorded in the United States, and very heavy rain fell in Thunder Bay and rural areas to the west. Rain showers and thunderstorms began around midnight in the southern areas of Thunder Bay. After about 15 minutes this changed to a combination of heavy rain, lightning in all directions, reduced visibility, and reports of pea-sized hail. The storm set new records for the most rainfall ever recorded in a one- and two-hour period. The rain ended by about 4 am; rainfall during this short-duration storm reached the 100-year return period at about 1:15 am and maintained this status for about four hours. Flash flooding caused minor to severe damage to 5,000 houses, and extensive damage to infrastructure, such as roads and the municipal sewage treatment plant. Duluth: June 19 and 20, 2012 A storm similar to the one in Thunder Bay occurred approximately three weeks later and caused major damage
weather to homes and infrastructure in Duluth, Superior, and some nearby towns. The storm resulted in as much as 250 mm (10 in) of rainfall and was classed as a 500-year return event. The storm tracked northeast about 40 km (25 mi) away from the western shoreline of Lake Superior. About 50 mm (2 in) was recorded in Thunder Bay, but extreme amounts fell offshore. The level of Lake Superior rose 8-10 cm (3-4 in) in response to this storm. Wawa: October 24 and 25, 2012 Moderate rain began in the evening of October 24, continued overnight, and then became heavy in the afternoon. A 24-hour rain total of 117 mm (4.6 in) set a record and washed out the TransCanada Highway in several locations. It took a number of days to restore limited use and nearly two weeks to restore the highway to cautious two-way traffic. The Wawa storm was different than the earlier events in Thunder Bay and Duluth because at least some of the moisture was due to evaporation from Lake Superior. Storms passing over Lake Superior during the fall and early winter seasons are often enhanced by the relatively warm water. The water level of Lake Superior has been below its long term average since 1998. One might assume three major and record-setting floods would increase the annual lake level. The only obvious increase took place during the Duluth storm. The average level for Superior during 2012 was 183.1 m (600.7 ft) above mean sea level—30 cm (12 in) below the long term average. Of course, one can speculate where Lake Superior’s level would have been without these storms.
Grand Marais, Minnesota
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Ahnisnabae Art Gallery 7-1500 James St. S Thunder Bay, ON 807-577-2656 www.ahnisnabae-art.com
Northwestern Ontario's largest selection of Native Art ‘Leadership’ by Roy Thomas 20" x 16" available as a canvas print or 10" x 13" paper print
The 100-year Flood
Meteorologists and weather reporters often describe extreme weather events as being a 100-year storm or flood. Instead of the term "100-year flood" a hydrologist would rather describe this extreme hydrologic event as a flood having a 100-year recurrence interval. The short explanation is that, according to historical data about rainfall and water levels, the probability of the flood occurring is once in 100 years. In other words, a flood of that magnitude has a one percent chance of happening in any year. (Source: The USGS Water Science School)
Superior Outdoors
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Lake Super ior’s Playground
2013 Events
Schedule
• Canada Day – July 1 • Lake Superior Day – July 21 • Drag Fest – Aug 2-4 • Lighthouse Street Festival – Aug 23 • Fall Crafts Fair – Sept 8
www.terracebay.ca
Terrace Bay is a Short Drive Away • 45 minutes from Neys • 25 minutes from Rainbow Falls
Aguasabon Falls Beaches Boating Fishing Golfing Hiking Kayaking Lighthouse Shopping Slate Islands
Tourist Information Centre • Open Daily • Located on the Hwy. 1-800-968-8616
tourism@terracebay.ca
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STAND UP PADDLE BOARDS it’s a whole new way to experience the BWCA and other inland lakes!
Visit our retail store for GEAR, TOURS & RENTALS for all your favorite warm-weather adventures, including:
KAYAKING CAMPING CANOEING ROCK CLIMBING FLY FISHING AND MORE! 6
Superior Outdoors
superiorstyles “I like to say I’m an American by accident and a Canadian by choice. I always felt I was born in the wrong place.” So begins an interview with Thunder Bay-Superior North Member of Parliament Bruce Hyer, a bush pilot, canoe guide, environmentalist, and entrepreneur. As a five year old in suburban New England, he was mocked for dreaming of moving to Canada, building a log cabin, and becoming a bush pilot. His dreams were validated as a teenager when his father introduced him to canoeing; as an undergrad, he had a life-changing canoe trip in northern Quebec. In 1976, after a decade of travelling the Canadian frontier in search of the perfect wilderness retreat, he discovered the island-pocked Shawanabis Lake, off the Canadian National main rail line, 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Thunder Bay. Hyer discovered his Shawanabis idyll at precisely the right time, when crown land was relatively easy to acquire for prospective wilderness entrepreneurs. He lived in a tipi for a year and guided and outfitted canoe trips, while his then-wife worked as a supply teacher in Thunder Bay. Soon he built a log cabin and got his wings as a floatplane pilot. Then came a pivotal moment when he began to doubt the provincial government’s assertion that his cherished tract of untouched boreal forest west of Armstrong, Ontario would “never be logged because its soils were too thin, the trees too small and the area was mostly water and bedrock.” Hyer marched into the offices of Great Lakes Paper and asked the boss about his logging plans. “He said, ‘It’s none of your business. Get the hell out of my office!’” says Hyer. “Well, he was talking to the wrong guy. I made a commitment to go to Thunder Bay and work five years to make it a protected area. I’m an eternal optimist. It took 25 years and at least a million dollars, plus time and energy, to get Wabakimi Provincial Park. My best friends told me it was hopeless. We lost many battles, but we won the war.” The Ontario government created a token protected area in 1983, and in 1997, after years of stakeholder negotiations,
On Hyer Ground Bruce Hyer’s Green Streak by Conor Mihell Bruce Hyer, 1977
made a significant expansion to its present-day size of 8,920 square kilometres (5,543 miles)—almost double the area of Quetico Provincial Park. “Bruce was officially representing tourism interests at the Wabakimi table,” says Peter Duinker, the former Lakehead University forestry professor who facilitated the discussions, “but his contributions went way beyond business and he was a key figure in the negotiations on all environmental matters. Bruce was a stalwart and shrewd negotiator on the main conservation themes we worked on to get the park expanded.” Duinker, who’s currently a professor of resource and environmental studies at Dalhousie University, credits Hyer’s knowledge of ecology and conservation (he holds a master’s degree in forestry from Lakehead), as well as his first-hand experience in the Wabakimi backcountry as some of his greatest assets. It’s been said that environmentalists must stave off repeated challenges, while developers need to win only once. Hyer has been frustrated by Ontario Parks’ lack of action on the original Wabakimi management objectives he helped create, including a focus on ecological integrity
and sustainable recreation and business opportunities for locals. The province recently drafted a new set of directions, which were recently made available for public comment under the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights. “Over the last decade, there has been no planning [and] a lot of non-management and mismanagement of Wabakimi,” notes Hyer, who calls the new plan “a disaster” for its lack of stakeholder involvement, among other things. These days, Hyer’s responsibility on Parliament Hill as an independent MP means he only spends a week or two in Wabakimi. He relies on friends Bert and Brenda Zwicker to manage his outfitting business, which includes a lodge in Armstrong and remote-access cabins on Shawanabis Lake and off the CN railway at Allanwater Bridge, and makes cameo appearances on the odd guided trip. “Before I had this job [as a politician] I flew floatplanes and guided canoe trips and did some consulting,” says Hyer, who might sometimes feel as out of place in Ottawa as he did the United States. “I love my job and I hate my job on alternate days.” Superior Outdoors
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sustainabledevelopments
>conservation
The Furbearing Conservationist Beavers as Eco-heros by Julia Prinselaar
With small forepaws and a compact, rotund physique, the beaver is slow and ungainly on land. But this unassuming rodent, the largest in North America, has earned a unique place in history for its vital role in the exploration and settlement of Canada and the United States during the fur trade, beginning in the late 1600s. At the industry’s height, 100,000 beaver pelts were exported to Europe each year, pushing the fur-bearing mammal to the brink of extinction by the mid-19th century. Today, the beaver has rebounded into a steadfast and resilient denizen of forested regions and wetlands throughout North America. In the Lake Superior basin, there is approximately one beaver colony every three river kilometers. The beaver constructs its habitat by building dams, canals and lodges at impressive rates—often resulting in flooded land and roadways. For this reason, beavers are widely regarded as nuisance animals by landowners and farmers, who wage an often futile battle against an animal that can have its home destroyed one day, 8
Superior Outdoors
only to rebuild it the next, due to industrious nocturnal activity. But with its tremendous ability to alter landscapes, store water, and replenish groundwater levels, researchers are touting the beaver, or Castor canadensis, as a valuable hydro engineer in the wake of climate change and water shortages. “Beavers are a valuable resource, not only as furbearers, but also as conservationists, when their dams and lodges do not cause damage to vital public infrastructure,” says Jason Abraham, a furbearer specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Many biologists believe that the beaver pond supports a greater variety and abundance of wildlife than any other ecosystem in the forest. The ponds also control spring runoff, thus lessening the possibility of downstream flooding. Weighing between 18 and 23 kilograms (40 and 50 pounds) on average, and measuring up to 1.3 metres (4.3 feet) long, an adult beaver is well-adapted to an aquatic environment. Large hind feet bear five long, blunt-clawed toes which are fully
Castor canadensis
photo by Brian Lasenby
webbed, making it a strong swimmer that can reach speeds approaching seven kilometres per hour. The beaver’s valve-like ears and nostrils close when it submerges below water. Nictitating membranes serve as natural goggles, affording protected underwater vision. The lips close behind its front teeth, enabling it to carry a branch in its mouth without drowning. The beaver uses its broad, scaled tail as a rudder when swimming, and can remain submerged for up to 15 minutes to evade predators like coyote, cougar, and bear. Trapping beavers and destroying their dams is a conventional approach to controlling nuisance beaver activity. While trapping is encouraged in Ontario and Minnesota during open season, landowners may shoot or trap the animals when beaver damage is occurring or imminent. However, certain flood mitigation techniques that work with the animal’s activity, instead of against it, have proven successful. Hundreds of pond leveler systems dot the wetlands of Gatineau National Park, Quebec.
They consist of fencing and plastic piping that control the upstream water level of a dammed area. The pipe inlet is protected by a cage that is placed low enough so that the bottom of the pipe becomes the new upstream water level. Beavers build the piping into their dam, and when the pond level gets too high, the pond is drained. Despite being home to over 300 colonies of beaver on over 360 square kilometres (89,000 acres), pond levelers have virtually eliminated the negative impacts beaver have had on the park’s infrastructure and ended the practice of trapping as a means of population control. Other non-lethal control methods include the Beaver Deceiver, a trapezoidal fence that is narrow at the culvert and widens upstream. Compared to the continuous maintenance of unclogging culverts and deconstructing dams, these systems are seen as a cost-effective and humane way of marrying water and infrastructure with the tenaciously busy beaver. Superior Outdoors
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the foodchain
The Bush Martini
>RECIPES FOR HAPPY CAMPERS
story & photo by Kevin Callan
“A martini is the elixir of quietude” - E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web
Waking up with a hangover in a warm, stuffy tent is definitely something to avoid. However, serving a couple of cocktails, a mug of wine, a dram of single malt, or a splash of Irish cream in the morning coffees can really add to good group dynamics on any type of camping trip. There’s something to be said about gathering at the end of a long day and pouring spirits in everyone’s camp mug. It can really connect a group—and yes, it’s also true that groups that don’t bother bringing alcohol can have similar feelings achieved with mugs of hot chocolate. Whatever your stimulus, it’s a given that as your supplies dwindle the more priceless they become, and that’s when the trip really becomes interesting. If your camp mate runs out of rum or cocoa, you can use yours as bargaining chips for extra favours or the use of their favorite camp gadget. The only other item in you pack that has had more power is an extra roll of toilet paper. Also, the fancier the drink you mix for your mates, the better you are per-
ceived around camp. Mixing up a Cosmopolitan or igniting a shot of Sambuca instantly connects you with the group because swanky comforts seem to put people at ease in unfamiliar places. The simple act of having a glass of wine with dinner or a shot of brandy around the campfire makes everything a little more “civilized,” and the phobias of the unknown seem to slip away. There’s no better way to wind down on a trip then to sip elegantly on what is commonly known by all “happy campers” as the Bush Martini. The martini is said to have originated when a gold miner wandered out of the wilderness and into a saloon in Martinez, California in 1862. The miner wanted an empty whiskey bottle filled with something worth the weight of his small pouch of gold, and said plain whiskey wouldn’t cut it. So, the bartender filled his bottle with a concoction of lesser-known spirits hidden behind the bar, plopped an olive in it, and named the drink after the town. Beginners usually go for the simple but effective mix of equal parts gin and cherry-flavoured drink crystals that are shaken, not stirred, in a Nalgene water
Blue Sky Martini: four parts vodka, one part sweet vermouth, one part Blue Curaçao, garnished with three plump blueberries skewered on a long dried-up pine needle. bottle and served in an enamel coffee cup. But its presentation is less than civilized. There’s the classic Cosmopolitan: four parts vodka, two parts triple sec, two parts cranberry crystal juice mix, and a squirt of lime juice. But it’s a tad boring. The ultimate, however, is what’s called the Blue Sky Martini: four parts vodka, one part sweet vermouth, one part Blue Curaçao, garnished with three plump blueberries skewered on a long dried-up pine needle. Now that’s the perfect Bush Martini. In the civilized world, a connoisseur of mixed drinks would completely separate a martini from a cocktail, but during a camping trip no recipient of an evening drink would be so harsh as to criticize anything so creative (especially if he’s getting low on spirits). The best part about drinking in the wilderness is the experimental approach that comes with limited supplies and evenings around a campfire. Superior Outdoors
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YOUR OUTDOOR
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Superior Outdoors
artsandliterature
A Brief Time in Heaven by Darryl Blazino 137 pp., softcover
When Darryl Blazino’s friend introduced him to Quetico Provincial Park, he discovered what his life had been missing. Despite being an accomplished and successful professional, he felt his life slipping by and it was the wilderness of Quetico that caused him to shift his priorities so that he could spend more time in the outdoors. In A Brief Time in Heaven, Blazino shares his personal stories and heartfelt emotions about Quetico from over 12 years of exploring the park with friends and family. A highlight of the book is “The Terrific Twenty”— descriptions of the locations Blazino feels are worthy of being the centerpiece of Quetico (his initial thought was to make a top-ten list).
Far Distant Echo: A Journey by Canoe from Lake Superior to Hudson Bay
Rock Climber’s Guide to Ranwick Rock and Keetes Bluff Second Edition 2012
333 pp., softcover
41 pp., softcover
by Fred Marks & Jay Timmerman In the case of Fred Marks and Jay Timmerman’s journey, they began as a group of seven and finished as a pair. The trip was inspired by the routes paddled during the heyday of the fur trade and, for Marks, also by the mantra to be good at what you do, always strive to be better, and never walk away from a challenge. Marks and Timmerman share their perspectives through their respective journal entries. Marks chronicles the initial stages of the trip preparation, and details such as the list of food supplies (15 lbs of sausage, 472 granola bars) gives the reader insight into the magnitude of such an undertaking. The tag-team approach to storytelling makes for an engaging read that captures the experience of their 75-day, 2,250-kilometre (1,400-mile) canoe trip.
by Shaun Parent
Veteran climber, guide, and instructor Shaun Parent provides detailed descriptions for 34 routes in the Ranwick Rock and Keetes Bluff area, located 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Sault Ste. Marie. Parent includes details on the location and access, a summary of the development of the climbs in the area, an overview of the geology, straightforward directions, route descriptions, and grading. As a pioneer of climbing in the Lake Superior region, Parent has published several guidebooks including Rock Climber’s Guide to River Bend Rock (2012) which covers 33 routes in Batchawana Bay, along the Chippewa River.
The New Trailside Cookbook: 100 Delicious Recipes for the Camp Chef by Kevin Callan & Margaret Howard 191 pp., softcover
If your repertoire of camping recipes has gone stale, this book could be the savior of your next camping trip. The recipes are diverse and tasty, including peanut butter banana muffins, mushroom quinoa salad, Hawaiian marinated pork chops, and an assortment of mixed drinks (we recommend the Mexican coffee and any of the five martini recipes). Instructions are provided for “at home” and “at camp” preparation, noting ingredients that can be brought to the camp dehydrated. The book also includes expert advice for shopping and packing, campfires and stoves, menu planning and nutrition, foraging wild edibles, and preparing fresh fish. This collaboration between renowned author, filmmaker, and outdoor personality Kevin Callan, a.k.a. “The Happy Camper,” and Margaret Howard, a registered dietician and nutrition consultant, makes for a practical and reliable cookbook. Superior Outdoors
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Downtown Volkswagen 591 Central Ave, Thunder Bay, (807) 344-9700, www.downtownvw.com 14
Superior Outdoors
artsandliterature
Lake Superior North Shore (2009) Acrylic on canvas 40 x 72 inches
Artist Profile: Luke Nicol A sight as common as Lake Superior’s waves retreating over the rocks on its shoreline proved to be a deciding moment for Luke Nicol’s art. At the time, he had recently graduated from the fine arts program at Lakehead University and painted in the style of pop surrealism, inspired by the works of Salvador Dali, H.R. Giger, Tim Bishop, and Robert Williams. Nicol made a trip with his family to Silver Harbour, not far from Thunder Bay, as he had many times before, but this time was struck by the look of a thin layer of water over a huge, smooth rock combined with the reflection of the sunlight and wondered if he could depict the scene in a painting. Clearly, Nicol was satisfied with the result, because since then he has focused most of his artistic effort on painting Lake Superior landscapes. As a high school senior, Nicol applied to study both film and fine art. Upon receiving notice that the film program had a waiting list, but that he was accepted to the fine art program, he accepted this as fate. He prefers to paint with acrylic on canvas and considers paint to be “a pliable medium that is vision.” He adds that “all of the elements of a landscape can
be captured in a painting.” Nicol paints en plein air, and in his home studio and often creates smaller paintings or takes photos of landscapes upon which to base larger paintings. The smaller paintings serve as more of a colour reference, whereas photos help him capture the shapes and composition. “I’ve internalized my palette enough to reference a photo for shape and anatomy, and draw from my subconscious memory or familiarity with the landscape,” he says. Nicol’s favourite location on Lake Superior is between Terrace Bay and the ghost town of Jackfish. His family has a long history in the area that dates back to the heyday of the railway and the commercial fishing industry, when Jackfish was a bustling community. He grew up exploring the shoreline of Jackfish Bay and the abandoned buildings—remnants of a bygone era that he describes as having a “post-apocalyptic” feeling. But the spirit of Jackfish and the existence roughed out by its early inhabitants—Nicol’s ancestors—is carried in his veins. Perhaps this contributed to the feeling he had that day at Silver Harbour, and to the deep connection he continues to have to Lake Superior. Michelle McChristie
Superior Outdoors
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your next mini-vacation is only 15 minutes away… pack up the family and head to CHIPPEWA
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SANDY BEACH CABINS CAMPING SPOTS WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT IN THE PAVILION PICNIC& PLAYGROUND AREAS AMUSEMENT RIDES WILDLIFE EXHIBIT
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Superior Outdoors
robstimpson.com
adventuretravel
Gales of November Photography Workshop October 31-November 3, 2013 Wawa, Ontario While everyone has the potential to take great photos, some of us need instruction and inspiration. The Gales of November Photography Workshop is a landscape photography workshop that provides both. The workshop is led by Rob Stimpson, an internationally published, award-winning photographer best known for his outdoor photography, and hosted by Rock Island Lodge. As November is infamously known as Lake Superior’s stormy season, tumultuous waters, dramatic skies, and
Superior’s rugged coastline culminate to provide powerful imagery—a photographer’s dream. Stimpson describes the workshop as an “exploration of the Superior landscape,” and cautions that, “while everyone wants a classic gale to photograph, the lake doesn’t always give us what we want.” If weather conditions permit, workshop participants take to the water by canoe or kayak and travel to other local photographic hotspots, such as Old Woman Bay and the Badlands, or hike
Hike for Health September 28, 2013 Nipigon, Ontario
Hike for Health is an annual event that is hosted by the Land of the Nipigon Waterways and the Rotary Club of Nipigon to raise funds for local and area needs. The hike is on the Nipigon River Trail, a ten-kilometre (six-mile) trail that connects the towns of Red Rock
and Nipigon and follows the Nipigon River, Lake Superior’s largest tributary. The trail is rugged and scenic, with rest stops and overlooks that offer spectacular panoramic views of the river, and the flat-topped islands that are characteristic of the Canadian north shore. The
on nearby trails. This workshop will appeal to people who know the workings of their cameras and want to create, not just take, photographs. Stimpson says that he teaches participants, ranging from beginners to advanced amateurs, “how to see photographically and interpret light,” adding that he “learns as much from them as they do from me and each other.” rockislandlodge.ca
trail also provides excellent birding opportunities as the wetland at the mouth of the river and cliffs on the east shore provide habitat to an array of species. Transportation is provided from the Nipigon trailhead to Red Rock, where hikers enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast. Water stations are available along the hike, and a lunch and entertainment greet the hikers at trail’s end in Nipigon. Pledge sheets are available in advance of the hike and at final registration during the breakfast in Red Rock. Participants who raise over $200 in pledges receive a gift and a chance to win one of many prizes. All hikers who enter with a minimum pledge have a chance to win one an attendance prize. Hike for Health is a great family event that welcomes participants of all ages. nipigon.net Superior Outdoors
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THOMSONITE BEACH INN AND SUITES When you see the sign... Stop next time! Lakeside accommodations Between Lutsen and Grand Marais Thomsonite Gemstone Jewelry Shop
house folk school
BYO
www.thomsonite.com 888-387-1532
218-387-1532
aking so much more!
uild byour own
boat cabin bowl stool basket
Hands-on learning in traditional Northern craft Courses from boatbuilding to blacksmithing to fiber arts
www.northhouse.org North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN 18
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The Sixth Great Lake
routes
Lake Nipigon by Kayak
story & photo by Bryan Hansel
From atop the hill north of High Hill Harbour, west of Beardmore, Ontario, I gazed out to where the water became the western horizon. Clouds darted across the sky above whitecaps and blowing froth. My friend Tim Russell and I were about to start a week-long trip into the wilderness of one of the last big, untouched lakes in the Great Lakes system— Lake Nipigon. With a total area of 4,848 square kilometres (1,872 square miles), including over 500 islands, Lake Nipigon is the largest lake entirely within Ontario; it is sometimes described as the sixth Great Lake. Our goal was to circumnavigate Shakespeare Island, an island ragged with coves and headlands and nearly split in two by a long narrow bay roughly six kilometres (four miles) long and scarcely 800 metres (0.5 miles) wide. Several mile-long lakes dot its interior, and if we had time, we planned to visit Vanooyen Lake, which has its own island—an island on a lake in an island on a lake. On the first two days of our trip, gales forced us to abort the planned open-water crossing to Shakespeare and detour south to the Virgin Islands. Before making it to a campsite, the 30-metre (100-foot) high Pipestone Point dwarfed our kayaks. Near the water, soft, dinner-plate-sized, red, black, and white stones littered the shore. It appeared that the base of the cliff had been dug away to quarry the soft stone. At lunch the next day, a Bald Eagle just 27 metres (30 yards) up the rocky beach from us sat on a boulder pecking at a fish.
It pulled a string of intestines from the fish’s body and then lifted its head, opened its yellow hooked beak and swallowed the meal. The south shore of Shakespeare loomed in the distance as we headed towards the Macouns, a group of islands that is a popular destination for canoeists who hop a charter from the mainland. Because of the detour and a coming storm, we’d have to circumnavigate Shakespeare in one day, missing out on some of the planned exploration. Along the south shore of Shakespeare a dense cedar forest blocked the view of the island’s interior. Once through the Dockrey Islands, a group of rocky, densely forested islands on Shakespeare’s southwest corner, we found an abandoned hunting camp, then turned east around the island’s northwest corner and paddled past crumbling, eight-metre (25-foot) sea stacks. The highlight was paddling under the granite cliffs of the 107-metre (350-foot) King’s Head while bobbing up and down in overhead waves that rebounded off the sheer cliffs. Just before the sunset, we landed at a grassy and flat campsite in the Asseff Islands. In the morning, gale force headwinds made the paddle back to the Macouns to finish our circumnavigation a struggle. After a day pinned in camp, we welcomed the crossing back to High Hill Harbour.
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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
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www.GunflintCamping.com for campground listings
H
High Fliers Towering Pines Canopy Tour gives bird’s-eye view of the boreal wilderness by Shelby Gonzalez photo by Darren McChristie
routes
ave you ever had a flying dream? You know the one I mean. Arms (or wings) outstretched, you glide through the sky as if through water, feeling the fresh, pinesap-scented wind on your face. Below, the landscape is green and beautiful. You’re smiling. While the Towering Pines Canopy Tour doesn’t actually involve flying, it might be the next best thing—conveying the rush of flying through the air with old-growth white pines (some as old as 450 years) stretching high around you. The canopy tour, which is a first for Minnesota, opened last summer on the grounds of Gunflint Lodge, located on the Gunflint Trail, a National Scenic Byway that cuts northwest from Grand Marais through the boreal wilderness. Zip lines are often seen in tropical places, like the cloud forests of Costa Rica. The Towering Pines Canopy Tour brings the same experience to the northern wilderness. Don a harness, helmet and gloves with help from a trained “sky guide,” go over the basics on the ground course, then pile into a Ranger ATV and head to the first zip. There are eight zip lines in total, strung between wooden towers and platforms that have been designed to complement the aesthetics of the surrounding trees (one tower has two decks and a pagoda-like roof while another has a spiral staircase). The highest zip line starts from a cliff that is about 24 metres (80 feet) above the forest floor and the longest zip is nearly 244 metres (800 feet) long. During the zips, you control your speed by applying pressure to the cable with your hand—the brake is an extra thick leather strap that covers the glove’s palm. Two experienced sky guides are with you every step of the way and use hand signals to help guide your speed. On the platforms, the guides share their knowledge about the area’s natural and human history while you soak in sweeping panoramas of Boundary Waters lakes, rocky palisades, ridges, and valleys. It gives the phrase “bird’s-eye view” a whole new meaning. gunflint.com Superior Outdoors
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The 12 Best Views on Lake Superior’s Canadian Shore
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hat is it about the wide view from a wild summit that brings my spirit to life? I have pondered this question many a time while eating my sandwich on some windswept hill or headland. Perhaps it’s just the endorphins kicking in from the scramble required to get there. Or perhaps it is the vista—the pure aesthetic delight inspired by a panorama of rock, water, and sky. Or maybe it is the comforting perspective it brings, with life’s daily tribulations reduced to insignificance by the vast beauty of the natural surroundings. The lookout is something of a mecca for me, and hilltops, cliffs and headlands have always been favourite destinations
for my outdoor adventures. Lake Superior’s wild north shore offers a wealth of lookouts to keep me satisfied, with dramatic coastal topography washed by the inland sea in all her turbulent moods. Of the many “best” lookouts I have visited on Lake Superior, the 12 that follow are my favourites. They are scattered along the Canadian coast from Sault Ste. Marie to the border at Pigeon River, and each one features Lake Superior prominently in the view. There are “classics” that grace the tourist guides to whet the appetite of newcomers, while others are less familiar locations that will appeal to area veterans. Most can be reached by easy day-hikes, but several venture farther afield, and at least one requires a boat.
words and photographs by Kas Stone
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1 Gros Cap
Steep hills channel Lake Superior into the St. Marys River, rounding the rocky bulge of Gros Cap near the river’s northern entrance. Here the busy Great Lakes shipping lanes funnel giant freighters in and out of the Soo Locks, passing through a bustle of fishing boats and pleasure craft on Whitefish Bay to get there. Aerial migrants favour the thermals above the hills, and the wheeling silhouettes of raptors are a common sight above this coast in spring and fall. An easy 3 km (1.9 mi) loop
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hike follows the Voyageur Trail through the Gros Cap Conservation Area to three lookouts over Whitefish Bay. A visit to the scenic northernmost lookout as day draws to a close (with a flashlight for the return journey!) will treat you to a glorious sunset framed by Whitefish Point and ĂŽle Parisienne on the horizon. Access: From Second Line West (Hwy 550), 18 km (11 mi) west of Highway 17 Great Northern Road (see Voyageur Trail Map 20 for details).
2 Bald Head
Lake Superior Provincial Park (LSPP) has no shortage of stunning vistas, and the Baldhead lookout is one of the best. Located on a rocky ridge, 500 m (547 yd) inland and 100 m (110 yd) above Lake Superior, it takes in a large sweep of the coast and offshore islands near the mouth of the Baldhead River. The lookout can be reached via the Orphan Lake Trail, which itself is a highlight of a visit to the park. From the trailhead at Highway 17 it is only 2 km (1.2 mi) to the lookout (turning left where the main trail forks, then left again onto the steep side-trail up the ridge). But it is well worth continuing all the way around the 8 km (5 mi) loop to see the beautiful cobbles at Baldhead Beach and the cascades along the lower reaches of the Baldhead River. From the beach it is possible to extend the hike, picking up the Coastal Trail south and climbing to other lookouts near the crest of Baldhead. Access: Orphan Lake Trail parking lot off Highway 17, about 7 km (4.3 mi) north of Katherine Cove (LSPP map and Hiking Trails brochure; Voyageur Trail Map 15; Superior Outdoors Summer 2012 Coastal Trail story; park fee).
3 Old Woman Bay
Another must-see view in Lake Superior Provincial Park is at the lookout over Old Woman Bay. The 200 m cliffs that line the bay’s south side are especially marvelous when bathed in warm evening sunlight or battered by a northwesterly gale. It is said that if you search hard enough, the Ojibwe
grandmother, Nokomis, is visible in the cliff ’s rocky face. Her namesake trail follows a 5 km loop from lake level to a series of lookouts from the open bluffs on the east side of Highway 17. Hiking the Nokomis trail in the recommended direction, counter-clockwise, saves the best views for last. Access: Old Woman Bay parking lot off Highway 17 about 7 km north of the Rabbit Blanket Lake campground (LSPP map and Hiking Trails brochure; park fee).
4 Hattie Cove Headlands
Pukaskwa National Park’s tagline as the “Wild Shore of an Inland Sea” is fitting given that the park protects the largest area of undeveloped shoreline on the Great Lakes. Lake Superior’s oldest rocks are found here—2.5-billion-year-old metamorphosed granites and greenstones that form the basement of the Canadian Shield. A 6.3 km (4 mi) network of short hiking trails from Hattie Cove gives access to many lovely views over this wilderness landscape. The most striking lookouts are found on rock outcrops and viewing platforms along the Southern Headland Trail at 2.2 km (1.4 mi) and Manito Mikana Trail at 2.0 km (1.2 mi). Access: Pukaskwa National Park’s day-use parking lot or adjacent Hattie Cove campground at the end of Highway 627, about 15 km (9 mi) southwest of Highway 17 near Marathon (day hiking map available for download from the Pukaskwa National Park website; park fee). Superior Outdoors
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5 Marathon’s Picnic Table Hill
Geology buffs will delight in Picnic Table Hill, as it overlooks the core of an ancient volcano. The volcano erupted here several times about 1.1 billion years ago, but all that remains today is its petrified magma chamber—massive rocky lumps that rise 200-250 m (218-273 yd) from the lake to create the area’s imposing topography. From the bald summit of Picnic Table Hill, half a dozen of these “lumps” are visible: Peninsula Hill in Marathon to the left; the ridges of the Coldwell Peninsula and Pic Island to the right; and straight ahead, Blondin and Hawkins Islands sheltering the mouth of Peninsula Harbour. The superb view is well worth the steep scramble to get there and, astonishingly, there really is a picnic table at the summit to give you a comfortable place to eat your sandwich. Access: Carden Cove, 3.6 km (2.2 mi) from Peninsula Road at the entrance to Marathon; park on the roadside and follow the Voyageur Trail for a scenic 5 km (3 mi) loop from Carden Cove to Sturdee Cove, with the 400 m (0.25 mi) side-trail to the lookout (Voyageur Trail Map 5).
6 Thompson Channel
This is a view for paddlers. Located on Foster Island’s southwest margin, just feet above Lake Superior, the lookout requires a voyage along the exposed and unpredictable shore of the Coldwell Peninsula. The reward is a scene worthy of a Group of Seven painting: Foster Island’s smooth rocks and reflective pools in the foreground, and the waters of Thompson Channel curving between Pic Island and Guse Point in
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the background, at its most dazzling as the sun sets between the hills and sinks beyond the western horizon. It must be emphasized that this lookout should only be attempted by seasoned paddlers with excellent navigation and leave-notrace camping skills. Access: Neys Provincial Park boat launch; paddle down the Little Pic River to Ashburton Bay and follow the left-hand shore for 15 km (9 mi) to Foster Island at the eastern end of Thompson Channel (Neys Provincial Park visitor guide; Canadian Hydrographic Service marine chart #2304 – Oiseau Bay to Jackfish Bay; Superior Outdoors Summer 2011 Coldwell Peninsula story; park fee).
7 Lyda Bay
The hike to this lookout takes in a great variety of Lake Superior’s wonderful natural features, from rugged headlands and ankle-twisting cobbles to luxurious sandy beaches and woodlands carpeted with moss. The journey is worthwhile in itself, but at either end is an added bonus: the dramatic Aguasabon gorge near the trailhead, and the view from the rocks above Lyda Bay at the final lookout stop. Access: Aguasabon Falls parking lot 700 m (0.4 mi) off Highway 17 on the west side of Terrace Bay; pick up the Voyageur Trail westbound for 4.2 km (2.6 mi) to the lookout just past the beach at Lyda Bay (Voyageur Trail Map 4; Casque Isles hiking trail brochure).
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8 Mount Gwynne
The view from Mount Gwynne is arguably the most panoramic in this collection. On a clear day, with a map in one hand and binoculars in the other, it is possible to identify landmarks along Lake Superior’s coast from the Coldwell Peninsula and Slate Islands in the east, to Nipigon Bay and the islands of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area in the west. It is a climb of 260 m (850 ft) to the summit from Schreiber Beach or Worthington Bay. The approach can be made from either direction, but whichever route you choose, you will be equally impressed when you finally heave yourself up the short summit side-trail and emerge onto the tundra landscape at the top. Access: Schreiber Beach parking lot at the bottom of Isbester Drive then east on the Voyageur Trail for 4.5 km (2.8 mi), or Worthington Bay Road for 4.8 km (3 mi) down the hill to Worthington Bay (only the first kilometre passable by car) then the Voyageur Trail west for 2.5 km (1.6 mi) (Voyageur Trail Map 3; Casque Isles hiking trail brochure; Superior Outdoors Summer 2010 Casque Isles Trail story).
9 Eagle’s Ridge
Between Nipigon and Red Rock runs a high volcanic ridge that forms the western wall at the Nipigon River mouth. For hikers, the two towns are connected by the 9.8 km (6 mi) Nipigon River Recreation Trail, part of the Voyageur Trail system, which hugs the riverbank along its gentler northern section, but towards the south climbs to several splendid lookouts at the rim of Eagle’s Ridge. The views take in the Nipigon River, 28
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Nipigon Bay, and the terraces of thick diabase sills that give the area its distinctive structure. Hikes of varying lengths may be enjoyed here, depending on the selected starting point. Access: Nipigon Marina and Voyageur Trail for 8.6 km (5.3 mi) to Lloyd’s lookout, only 6.3 km (3.9 mi) from the end of Newton Street’s gravel extension; or Red Rock signposted parking area off Hwy 628 (just before railway crossing) and Voyageur Trail northbound for 3.8 km (2.4 mi) to the Eagle’s Ridge lookout (Voyageur Trail Map 1; Nipigon River Recreation Trail Guide brochure). 10. Sleeping Giant The lookout at the giant’s knees is the classic view on Lake Superior’s northwestern shore. It is also the highest in this collection, a sheer drop of 290 m (950 ft) from the western cliff overlooking Thunder Bay, and just a few metres less than that from the eastern cliff above Lehtinen’s Bay. Other viewpoints are found several kilometres to the north at the giant’s chest and head. Getting to any of these lookouts requires either a long, strenuous hike or a daunting paddle. Ideally, the journey is made over several days, stopping at backcountry campsites on route, to explore the glorious landscape in between. The effort will be amply rewarded by the most spectacular vistas in all of Ontario. Access: On foot via Sleeping Giant Provincial Park’s Kabeyun and Top of the Giant Trails to the giant’s knees, 11 km (6.8 mi) each way, and via Sawyer Bay Trail to giant’s head or chest, 9-11 km (6-7 mi) each way; by canoe or kayak from the boat launch at Silver Islet’s General Store to Lehtinen’s 30
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Bay, then on foot via Talus Lake Trail to other access trails (Friends of Sleeping Giant Interior Trails map; Canadian Hydrographic Service marine chart #2301 – Passage Island to Thunder Bay; park fee; boat launch/parking fee). 11. Finger Point Finger Point is a thin peninsula that juts into Lake Superior on the Canadian side of the border at Pigeon River. A short hiking trail leads to the beach at Pigeon Bay and continues 2.5 km (1.6 mi) to a scenic lookout on top of the peninsula. Here, a sculpted wooden platform in the shape of Lake Superior makes an excellent place from which to admire the view. It is well worth extending your return route to take in the 2 km (1.2 mi) loop to High Falls on the western side of Highway 61, which is especially magnificent when swollen with spring runoff. Access: Ontario Travel Information Centre just north of the border (Pigeon River Trail Guide). 12. A Lake Superior Lighthouse Lighthouses dot the Lake Superior coast, where they have guided mariners to safety since the first were constructed during the mid-1800s. They were built to be seen, and to see, far out into these dangerous waters, so they are perched high on headlands, hilltops, and cliffs—prime lookout locations. Their beacons are all automated now, and many of the beautiful old light towers have been replaced by ugly (but efficient) steel skeleton structures powered by solar panels. But some of the original towers remain, and a few are even accessible
12 by canoe or kayak. The properties are owned by the Canadian Coast Guard and the lighthouses themselves are usually offlimits, but the locations make wonderful lookout destinations for paddlers who have the requisite big-water skills. Several of these lighthouses are found among the islands of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area between the Sibley Peninsula and Rossport: Trowbridge Island, Porphyry Island, Shaganash Island #10, Lamb Island, and my favourite, Battle Island. Located near the eastern end of the island chain, Battle Island’s light tower stands high atop a cliff. But during a November gale in 1977 a wave smashed the glass out of the lantern room window—36 m (120 ft) above lake level! It’s a sobering thought as we paddle past the cliff in our puny canoe. Access: By boat from Rossport’s public boat launch, 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest to Battle Island’s western tip (Canadian Hydrographic Service marine chart #2312 – Nipigon Bay and Approaches); a complete list of lights can be found by following the links on the Canadian Coast Guard website at notmar. gc.ca, or just type “Lake Superior lighthouses Canada” into your favourite search engine to be overwhelmed by all the options.
But What About…?
The problem with “best-of” lists is all the wonderful things they leave out. A mere dozen best Lake Superior lookouts really doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface. What about the King Mountain, Pancake Bay, and Sinclair Cove lookouts in the east, or the mustsee Thunder Bay or Mount McKay lookouts in the west? You can share your favourite lookouts and expand our collection of reader favourites by emailing a photo and description to info@superioroutdoors.ca or posting the information on our Facebook page.
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Small Boats & Heavy Weather 32
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A sailing voyage to the remote northern shores of Lake Superior words by Marlin Ledin photos by Susan Lee
Several hours into day 23 of our 90-day journey, the large swells we had been merrily sailing up and down quickly morph into terrifying breaking waves. Their faces become steep and dark, appearing like liquid-lead walls of ice-cold water coming from astern. As the wind begins to gust harder, their crests begin to outrun their troughs, and their tops begin to curl, break, and blow off into the sky, disintegrating into prisms of light and color. The remainder of the wave would trip over itself, tumbling forth and foaming around Voyageur. These tumbling and foaming portions of the waves exceed the length of my humble little vessel, and the height of the waves exceeds my imagination. I never thought I’d be in a position where I might be looking up at the waves surrounding me. Superior Outdoors
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(left) View of Voyageur from the top of the mast; (right) Still smiling in heavy weather
I have been at the tiller for hours, and my trance is abruptly broken by a splash of cold water on my face. You have my attention, lake, now what is it? I think. After glancing over my shoulder, it becomes clear. I call out to my friend Susan, who is down in the cabin. “You should put your foul weather gear on. And if you could, please pass the harness. Also, some coffee might be nice.” A moment later my safety harness flies out of the cabin and lands at my feet. I handle the tiller with one hand, and with the other I reach down and pick up the safety harness, coax it over my life jacket, buckle it shut, run my fingers through its tether to get out any kinks, and clip its hefty carabiner to a large, stainless steel loop that is bolted to the cockpit. Looking into the cramped cabin, I see Susan wrestling with her foul weather gear, pulling it on over several layers of long underwear. When the ordeal is complete she pokes her head up into the clear plexiglass dome I’d bolted to the main hatch, and surveys the scenario. I can tell from her eyes that she’s surprised at how quickly things have changed. The waves have grown so big so fast and have become so powerful that they are beginning to push and shove Voyageur around like a toy in a tub. I feel like we’re being bullied by the lake, and I feel like I’m losing control. Fear moves from my subconscious to conscious. I’ve read many books about sailing over the years, but no “how-to” guides. Instead, I gravitated towards the accounts of other sailors and their journeys, specifically the ones in which they dealt with small boats and heavy weather. Now, my mind files through every chapter, every situation, and every scenario those sailors encountered. I’m searching through chapters written by Vito Dumas, Thor Heyerdahl, Bernard Moitessier. And with Moitessier, I find the answer and think to myself: These monster waves, they are pushing and shoving you around because you are not listening. They are trying to tell you something. “Go with it,” they say. “ You have no choice. Do you really think you are more powerful than us? Do you really think you can endure this, with your little tiny boat that disappears in our trough? Look at how easy it would be for us to gobble you up and spit you out on the bottom. We destroy stone, and we have infinite patience.” I decide to take the waves at a 30 degree angle and surf down their faces, the path of least resistance. I look over my shoulder and watch the leaden wall of water as it approaches from astern. I push the tiller over in order to maneuver Voyageur into position. The wall arrives and I am startled by how
quickly we rise in elevation. I half expect Voyageur to jump right out of the water. Near the crest of the wave and out of the trough, I quickly survey the area. There are white-capped pinnacles as far as I can see, all pumping up and down, with their peaks being blown off into the sky. The sky is mostly blue, a rich comforting blue, with fist-shaped cumulus clouds marching from west to east across its grand expanse. In the spaces between the clouds, beams of light shine down upon the breaking waves, like spotlights highlighting a star on a stage, with Susan, me, and Voyageur the audience. An interactive experience, to say the least. A howl of wind in the rigging grabs my attention. The crest of a wave is only an arms-length away, beginning to topple over, which is my cue. I quickly straighten out the tiller, counter-steering against the force of the wave. I need to stay ahead of the crest until the wave mellows out. For a moment, there is resistance from Voyageur and tension in the water, but then, like a roller coaster reaching the top of the first big climb, she releases herself and gravity begins to send us down the front side of the wave, with the crest curling right behind us. I push the tiller back over, maneuvering Voyageur back into the 30 degree position, and as the water erupts into a frothing stream of foam we begin to surf down the face of the wave without even a hint of resistance from the sea around us. At this point, I could steer with one finger. It’s exciting. It’s fun. It’s unbelievable, really. My obsessive reading has paid off. As if this triumph was a cue, Susan climbs out of the cabin with hot coffee, a granola bar smothered in peanut-butter, and a plate of hot rice and beans. How she managed to concoct these things within that cabin in these conditions is beyond me. I am grateful for her presence, and ask her to do some navigating and find out where we will end up if we stay with the course we are on. A moment later, she replies. “Slate Islands, fifty miles away.” With the conditions as they are, I don’t dare try to sail any way except in a straight line. The thought of trying to approach shore in these seas is utterly terrifying, considering the fact that neither of us has ever sailed the Canadian north shore of Lake Superior, and all it takes is one good look at a chart to see that the shoreline is riddled with shoals and reefs, magnetic anomalies, and shipwrecks. So, I guess it’s going to be a long night, and I that we are going to the Slate Islands sooner than we’d anticipated. We continue with the boat handling Superior Outdoors
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pattern we’ve developed: look over shoulder, Voyageur rises up, the crest at arms length, straighten the tiller, and surf down the front of the wave. I watch the knotmeter go from four in the lull of the trough all the way up to 7.5 while we surf the waves. My muscles quickly memorize the sequence and I fall into a trance. Amazingly, Susan is reading a book. Now that I’ve relaxed I can take in this most unusual scene, and think about other things. The previous winter I’d worked on Voyageur almost every day. Customizing my little vessel for cold weather sailing took up most of my time. I bolted a Plexiglas dome to my main hatch to serve as a makeshift pilothouse, complete with an inside steering station. After that, I made a tiny wood stove by welding pieces of scrap metal and bolted that to the cabin sole. Susan, my friend and sailing partner, and I stocked up on bulk foods like rice, beans, and coffee, and launched Voyageur in late March. On April 20, we waved goodbye to our friends and family in Washburn, Wisconsin—with two and half months of free time ahead of us, we could have gone anywhere. Looking at the map of Lake Superior and trying to decide where to go was overwhelming, so we just decided to take it as it came, with no real itinerary in mind. The one place we both agreed on was Canada. Via the Keweenaw Peninsula, and Isle Royale, we arrived at (left) A ladyslipper on the Slate Islands.; (above) Rainbow over the Slate Islands
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Passage Island off of Isle Royale’s northeast tip on May 1. We had applied and received our CANPASS permits weeks before, and so, once the weather window was right, we left Passage Island and sailed due north with Swede Island in our sights. The day was perfect weather-wise, and Voyageur bounced along excitedly, as if being pulled north by a powerful magnet. Silhouettes of landforms slowly materialized on the horizon, and some were warped and distorted by fog and mirages. It was a scene reminiscent of the American west. Wavering plateaus and inverted hills, all appearing in a deep purple hue above the shimmering blue sea. Whitecaps fluttered in my peripheral, and as we got closer, tiny islets began to appear as though a giant had scattered them there amongst the emerald green water. Rugged shoreline and lush boreal pines became distinguishable, and dark shadows on the surface of the watermarked dangerous shoals. The scene was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. Going to the remote northern shores of Lake Superior was my dream, and there we were. And here we are now, in these enormous seas with no end in sight until sometime tomorrow when we arrive at (right) Exploring the shore with banjo in hand
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Filtering water at the CPR Slip
the Slate Islands. I shuffle my butt around to keep it from going numb, sip some coffee, and continue to handle Voyageur the same way I have been all day. The crotch in my rain pants has managed to rip, but I can’t figure out how because I haven’t moved all day. I’m pondering this when suddenly it dawns on me that things have changed. My reefed storm jib is beginning to luff, and the seas have stopped breaking. The seas are still large, but have taken on the manner of large swells, lumbering along and passing beneath us. Moments later the wind has completely died and Voyageur is rolling around uncomfortably. “Susan, could you put us on the chart?” “I already have. CPR Slip is about five miles north of us, what do you think?” “Let’s get on out while we’ve got this window. Who knows if it’ll pipe up again.” CPR Slip is a harbor due north of us, a nice harbor by the looks of it, well protected, and guarded by a myriad of tiny reefs lying just below the surface of the water. I start Voyageur’s tiny diesel engine, pull on my shades (the sun is fully out now), jam my handheld compass in between the slats of the bench, stand up, stretch, and push the tiller over. Voyageur turns slowly, rocking and bumbling in the large rollers that pass beneath us. The gradient on the compass hits north, and I steady her there. Looking towards our destination, I see a maze of small islets, and in between these islets the residual seas of the day’s weather are exploding upon the reefs that riddle our entry to CPR Slip. It’s another intimidating scene. Compared to earlier, navigating this should be a cinch. As if the thought was its cue, and the day wasn’t enough trial already, in comes the fog. It seems the fearsome waves were merely an usher for our next adventure on the inland sea. “Susan, could you put us on the chart?” I ask. “I already have.” After returning home to Washburn, Ledin decided to continue his sailing trip solo and spent another month and a half sailing to the Keweenaw Peninsula, then east to Rabbit Island, Marquette, and Munising. During his 4,800-kilometre (3,000-mile) voyage, he recorded the sounds of wildlife, wrote music and literature, and took photographs and videos. He is currently making a series of small, handmade books about his Lake Superior adventures, and developing a multimedia presentation about the lake. For more information visit : smallboatvoyageur.com
Beyond The Giant nature retreats
Solar powered, log cabins
on Lake Superior
Near Sleeping Giant Provincial Park on the shores of the National Marine Conservation Area
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reflections
Hungry Great Blue Herons Grand Portage, MN photo by Travis Novitsky
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reflections
Cow and Calf Moose Isle Royale National Park, MI photo by Aaron Peterson
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Agawa Rock Pictographs Trail Lake Superior Provincial Park, ON photo by Darren McChristie
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reflections
Young Lynx White River, ON photo by Les Piccolo
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reflections
Unidentified River North Shore, Minnesota photo by Ryan Zimny
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Grindstone Point Lake Superior Provincial Park, ON photo by Aaron Peterson
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reflections
Summer Storm Margaret Island, WI photo by Ron Harper
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reflections
The Flow Trail Copper Harbor, MI photo by Hansi Johnson
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YO-YO madness
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My college buddy, Morgan Anderson, and I stumbled out of the woods just as the sun was setting. We were dripping with sweat, our feet were blistered, our bodies were sore, but our pride was glowing. We had just hiked the entire Lakeshore Trail at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in 14 hours. At 68.2 km
(42.4 mi) it was my longest day-hike. As we posed for our victory photos at the trailhead sign, I turned to Anderson, completely spent, and joked, “How much would I have to pay you to turn around and walk back to the beginning?” We both laughed and quickly dismissed the idea as impossible. The year was 2003. Fast forward nine years to September of 2012, and I’ve decided it is time to attempt the impossible. Now I had experience on my side: I had completed four monster day-hikes that were more than 22 hours long and rated as multi-day backpacking trips. These monster hikes always involve hours of suffering. Your feet hurt, you feel horrible, you lose your appetite, you’re exhausted, and you have an overwhelming urge to give up and go home. “Why do you do this?” is a question that I’m often asked. As I approach 40, I guess I want to see if I still have “it”—whatever “it” is. I enjoy pushing myself to the brink physically and mentally. Pushing through that pain and succeeding is very rewarding.
Eight hikers strong early in the 36-hour day hike
A 36-Hour Day Hike at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore words and photos by Roy Kranz
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Seven months before the “yo-yo” (a there-and-back hike) at Pictured Rocks, I assembled the strongest crew I had ever hiked with. They included collegiate runners, Ironman triathletes, and several guys that had completed extremely long hikes. Heath Kaplan, one of the best support guys in the business, also signed up. On September 22, 2012, at 8:38 am, we started out from Munising Falls, eight hikers strong. Our pace was quick despite the cold temperature and rain. High winds whipped us around as we danced over tree roots and tiptoed across exposed sections of cliff that were perched several hundred feet above an icy Lake Superior. Loud booms startled us as the turquoise-colored waves slammed into eroded caves at the base of the cliffs below us. Thirty kilometres (19 mi) into the adventure, Todd Levitt injured his foot and was out. Next to drop was Pete Bultema Jr. at 50 km (31 mi). Mark Kowalcyzk, and Gabe Garcia threw in the towel at kilometre 60 (37 mi), and then Ryan Leetsma and Jason Schuringa quit after 68 km (42 mi). As the final two, Eric Carlson and I mentally prepared for the inevitable pain and suffering and pushed on into the night. We trudged, hour after dark hour in the small bubble of light that our headlamps cast ahead of us. Somewhere around 3 am I got nauseous, my mind started to dull, and I was unsteady on my feet. As the minutes ticked by, I felt worse. My hip and knee joints were killing me and I couldn’t force myself to eat. As we approached the Au Sable lighthouse, we entered a large clearing.
(left) Exposed sections of the trail provided spectacular views; (top) Hallucinating?; (middle) Hiker down; (bottom) And then there were two
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(left) The Grand Sable Dunes
Despite the incessant rain and clouds during the day, it was now completely clear. The stars were abundant and bright. Without a word, we both stopped walking and just gaped up at the sky. When we reached the checkpoint at 12 Mile Beach, it was 5:30 am on Sunday morning. At 87 km (54 mi) in, we faced the crux of the challenge. While most of the hiking sections between checkpoints were 5-10 km (3-6 mi), this next one was 39 km (24 mi)—we would be on our own, with no way to quit or get help for nine hours. We sat in the support vehicle eating, drinking, and repacking our backpacks. I was wet, sore, and completely exhausted. We didn’t talk. All I could think about was how much I wanted to be done. I blocked out thoughts of the comfortable bed waiting for me at the house we rented. It’s at this point in the hike when the internal war is waged between comfort and commitment, pain and resolve, and pride and logic. Do I want to feel good now or feel good about myself later? The choice sounds easy until you are struggling to make it. I’d planned, trained for, and thought about this hike for seven months. I simply could not quit. So I swallowed a handful of ibuprofen pills and, with as much enthusiasm as I could muster said, “Let’s do this!” Around 7:30 am Sunday morning, the sun came up. Surprisingly, I felt great. The light tricked my brain into thinking I had gotten some sleep. Even with my renewed energy, the last 50 km (31 mi) were a blur. Eric hallucinated. He saw buildings and bridges that weren’t there. When we finally hit the last stretch both of our minds were mush. We had been at this same spot the day before but it seemed like a week ago. Nothing looked familiar. We thought we had missed our exit trail but we hadn’t. We backtracked. We studied maps. We screamed in frustration. We ached to be done. As darkness closed in, we stumbled out of the woods completely shot, physically and mentally. It was 8 pm on Sunday night and we had hiked over 137 km (85 mi)—189,470 steps according to my pedometer—in under 36 sleepless hours. We accomplished what I once thought was impossible. Why do it? The challenge and pride definitely play a part. Society has become conditioned to think that the easiest and most comfortable way is the best way, but I disagree. I know some people will never understand why anyone would voluntarily put themselves through such suffering. But as ultra-marathon runner Dean Karnazes says, “There is magic in misery.”
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Why drive hours to go camping?
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Annual Summer Festivals Frazer Lake Walleye Classic - June 8 Blueberry Blast Festival - August 2 - 5 Lake Helen Annual Traditional Pow Wow (redrockband.ca for more information) Fall Fishing Festival August 29 - September 5 Hike Hi for Health - September 28
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Don’t miss the BEST part of Lake Superior parkscanada.gc.ca/superior
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Perspective
Agawa Canyon A climb up approximately 300 stairs, located at mille 114 along the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, provides a spectacular view of the canyon and the Agawa River. D. McChristie
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Stay 2 Nights, Save 2 Ways
Stay 2 or more nights between Thursday and Sunday and receive a $20 Gift Card to use in our Timbers or Runway 25 Steaklounge Restaurants and 15% off our rack room rate. $
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After enjoying our great outdoors, it’s good to relax at Thunder Bay’s Largest Full Service hotel.
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