North Shore Morning

Superior National Forest Update with Renee Frahm, visitor information specialist with the Superior National Forest.
November 1, 2019

Wildersmith on the Gunflint     by     Fred Smith
November 1, 2019    
 
What happened to October? November has suddenly opened the gates to our next thirty days.  The reality of month eleven finds Mother Nature giving us her final warning, and the warmer season has made its’ final curtain call.                                                                                            

The “gal” in charge of all things natural has been busy checking things off her list. She too has been “getting ready.” Three items of current note include:  golden needles trickling down from those beautiful Tamarak torches, the first skimming of ice on ponds and wetland swamps along the Trail and this weekend, she takes back control of the timepiece. Don’t forget to “fall back” before retiring Saturday night as we go back to “nature’s time.”                                                                                                                                        

Meanwhile, her kin, “old man winter,” dropped another dose of the white stuff on parts of the Trail late last week. Although it was much lighter than the first attempt, it made for winter driving conditions along the Byway. Good planning on my part had winter wheels in position where the rubber meets the road. Since that episode, things have vanished back to normal. Nevertheless, I’m declaring winter official as the temp has remained below freezing in this neighborhood for few days (my self-contrived criteria for such).                                                                                                                                                               

With exception of inland lakes yet to freeze, I’d say the rituals for dealing with character of the next six months are in order. In fact, taking this “getting ready” to the next level, organizational planning is already under way for the first big snow activity up the Trail. Yep, the call is out for volunteers to help administer the annual Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Races. Director Cathy Quinn is hard at work on the event which will be held on January 11^th. If residents and others didn’t get their “E” mail volunteer sign-up notice, Cathy needs to hear from you, 387-3352.                                                                                                                                                                               

One day last week, as I was finishing up the snow blade installation, I had one of those eerie feelings I wasn’t alone. This turned out to be no Halloween trick as I puttered around putting tools away.                                                                                                                                                                            
As this feeling dogged me a little, I started looking around. Sure enough, my hunch soon became a reality, and it wasn’t “Sasquatch.” The friendly fox that buddied around with me late last winter came out of the woods and meandered down to see what was going on. I soon confirmed this was definitely the one AWOL, as it was quite familiar with the process to get a free hand-out.                                                                                                                                                               
With my furry red pal right behind me, I trudged down the drive way to my wood shop where treats are kept in the freezer. Mr. Fox has a good memory and was not bashful as it came right up to the door threshold.                                                                                                                                                                     

The hungry critter caught me unprepared for early season hand-outs, but a couple frozen Ciscos seemed like a good offering. I tossed them out on the ground, but after a little sniffing, the Fox kind of turned up its nose.  Guess it may not have been in the mood for frozen fish at this particular moment.                                                                                                                                                                 

I next turned to a bag of old frozen French fries I’d been saving for my Whiskey Jack visitors. Offering a few of these morsels was “just what the Doctor ordered.” Foxy scarfed them down like a hungry teenager at McDonalds. I’ve got to assume it was the greasy aroma and not a need to load up on Carbs. Anyway, after a second helping of FF, it trotted away into obscurity.                                                                                                                                                        

Apparently, it came back later, as next morning the Ciscos were gone as well, or maybe some other craving varmint sniffed them out in the darkness. To assure me he favors my kindness, it was back a couple days later.  So I have the responsibility of “pet-manship” in the cold days ahead.                                                                                                                                                                                      

I don’t know how Halloween went for area ghosts and Goblins, but there was nothing scary around WTIP this past week. There were no tricks, but plenty of treats as new and renewing members showed their continuing loyalty during the “Fearless Radio” autumn support campaign.                                                                                                                              

The Board of Directors, management staff and uncountable volunteers cannot say enough in thanking the wonderful family of WTIP Radio listeners.                                   

Together we did it, made the goal! With all the gracious support, WTIP will continue to bring you the best Community radio has to offer!                                                                                                        

For WTIP, this is Wildersmith on the Gunflint Trail, where every day is great, and some are even better than great!
 
 

Superior Reviews by Lin Salisbury

In this edition, Lin reviews Kate Atkinson's book, "Case Histories".

Listen below...

WTIP's CJ Heithoff talks with naturalist Chel Anderson about the fall season so far, including what reasons may have contributed to the spectacular fall colors we enjoyed in this edition of North Woods Naturalist.

National Forest Update – October 23, 2019
 
Hi.  I’m Steve Robertsen, the education and interpretation specialist with the Superior National Forest with the National Forest Update for the week.  If you are planning on going out into the Forest, we try to keep you updated on everything that is going on out there – and this Halloween week, that includes possibly ghosts, zombies, and goblins.
 
Now, if you were to hit a ghost with your car, you’d probably get a chill up your spine and perhaps a bit of ectoplasm in the radiator.  Hitting a deer is another story.  Fall and spring are really prime time for vehicle/deer accidents.  Deer are moving around a lot and blend in well with the brown fall grasses by the roadsides.  Plus, the shortening days have pushed sunrise and sunset into prime commute time, so there are deer on the roads right when traffic is heaviest.  Take a moment to really be aware when driving right now – we don’t need to create any more ghost deer to haunt our highways.
 
Due to the heavy rain and high winds, roads are not in the best shape.  Mainline roads in the Forest are fine, but lower maintenance level roads may still have fallen branches on them, and may be too soft to travel.  Traveling on soft roads could get you stuck, but even if you get away, you will leave ruts behind.  This time of year, those ruts will freeze before being filled, and we will contend with frozen ruts all winter long, so please stay off soft roads. 
 
There are still some roadwork taking place on the Grade, Forest Road 170.  That work is mostly gravel placement east of the Sawbill Trail, but there is also some gravel and culvert work being done west of the Sawbill.  Large side dump gravel trucks are frequently using the Sawbill Trail as part of this operation.  Elsewhere in the Forest, logging operations have slowed a bit with log trucks using the Caribou Trail, Evergreen, and Bigsby Road on the Tofte District, and the Lima Grade, South Brule Road, Pike Lake Road, Cook County 7, Cascade Bluffs Road, Greenwood Road, and the Blueberry Road on the Gunflint District.
 
All the Forest fee campgrounds have gone into winter mode.  During winter, you do not have to pay a fee to stay at our campgrounds, but there is no water.  In winter mode, there’s no garbage service at campgrounds, so be sure to pack lightly going in and pack it all out when you leave.  By the way, take it all the way home – local gas stations and other businesses with dumpsters do not appreciate receiving everyone’s camping trash.  We are also winterizing the Forest by removing docks from the water.  There are an awful lot of docks out there, so we don’t post a list of which lakes have had their docks removed and which may still have a dock.  All the docks should be removed in the next two weeks, so at this point, you should just assume that there will be no dock for your boat.
 
Non-migratory bats are going into hibernation this time of year.  As many of us know, hibernating bats have been struck by an invasive fungal disease called white nose syndrome.  Last spring, Soudan Mine, where many of our local bats hibernate, reported a population decrease of 90% from 2015 before the disease struck.  To put that in human terms, if a disease like that struck Cook County’s 5400 people, only 540 of us would be left.  It has moved little brown bats from one of the state’s most common animals to one that is under threat of being wiped out.  This is national Bat Week, and while there is little that we as individuals can do about the disease, we can help the surviving bats.  Reducing your use of pesticides will help bats as well as insect eating birds and of course pollinating insects themselves.  Putting up bat houses provides roosting opportunities during the summer months.  And, if you need to evict a bat which has strayed into your house, do it in a way that won’t hurt the bat.  Bats, like people, are long lived and slow to reproduce, so every individual counts when rebuilding the decimated population.  Take some time this Bat Week to think about these marvelous night flyers and do what you can to help them.
 
About those ghouls and goblins – be on the lookout for them next Thursday night, and drive safely.  Until next week, this has been Steve Robertsen with the National Forest Update, and have a scary Halloween!
 

Wildersmith on the Gunflint     by     Fred Smith
October 25, 2019    
 
The downfall of summer, along the Gunflint Trail, is characterized by the waning Ojibwe, “falling leaves” moon. In fact most deciduous tree branches are barren and lurking overhead with an eeriness of pre-Halloween fright. It’s as if those scraggily arms might just reach down and grab you from the landscape.                                                                                                                                                                                

Speaking of these sometimes scary occasions, yours truly had a spooky happening a while back that is fitting to share during the WTIP “Fearless Radio” membership drive. The episode took place after my recent winterization of neighborhood wild fire sprinkler systems.                                                                                                    

In order to complete this task I have to go into the Lake. This requires getting into my wet suit in order to deal with the now frigid lake water. This is all simple enough, and when the job is done the suit is rinsed out and hung up to dry outside my back door. I don’t give the process much thought as the black garment usually takes a couple days to dry.                                                                                                                     

Now if one gives the scene a nonchalant glance, it appears like a headless person lurking there. I’ll often walk by the empty ebony garment several times before it gets dry enough for indoor storage.                                         

The drift of my tale is revealed after my first hanging the suit up a few days ago. My wife summoned me to run an errand out to the wood shop, whereby I dashed out the door at around twilight time. Without giving this any consideration, out I flew, and there was this ominous being sneakily hanging right in front of me.                                                                                                                                  

To say I was taken aback for a moment is an understatement! My heart jumped in fright at the sight of this shadowy being, a “Sasquatch” or “Big Foot” look-alike at the very least. The breathless gasps relaxed as reality regained a grip. It seems laughable now, but it was an uncanny, wilderness moment.                                                                                                                                                                                     

As October fades, the unexpected ghost of winter has departed the territory, for the time being. Since the spotty winter storm of two weekends ago, warmer temps, even including a couple sunny days, have been energizing out here in the wild land as we Gunflinters check off the “getting ready” chores. The list for yours truly is down to less than the fingers on one hand, and among them a cord or so of firewood left to stack in the shed.                                                                                                                                   

Speaking of the storm, a narrow band of about twenty some miles was in the bullseye. Barely a trace accumulated around Tuscarora Outfitters on Round Lake, to upwards of eighteen inches deep in the woods in the mid-Trail snow zone. Closer to Wildersmith, our measurement pales in comparison to the foot piled up just over a couple ridges to the south at my neighbors on Loon Lake. “Mother Nature” and “old man winter” operate in funny ways and on their own terms!                                                                                         

The few days of “Moose Madness” weekend featured some actual moose appearances for a few Trail residents and visitors. The Smith’s were also among those treated to an Alces-alces moment. A young Bull ambled down the Trail in front of us one evening while another couple shared the siting of a big cow near the Trail/Moose Pond Dr. intersection. Yet another was said to have been seen on the South Gunflint Lake road.                                                                                                                                                                              

While I’m not hearing of too much bear activity in this neighborhood, the Smith’s did cross paths with one of the jet black growlers a few days ago.  And, some darkness hour travels have provided some golden/green eyed glimpses from roadside ditches of fox on the prowl.                                                                        

In closing this week, the voice of “Fearless Radio” is screeching for listener support during the days of this fall membership campaign. There is nothing tricky about WTIP as the station is the real thing, offering the best of information and entertainment. To keep this broadcast endeavor alive and well requires sustaining financial commitments from many sources, the most important of which is our listener members.                                                                                                                                                                           
So the hope is all will open their Halloween cache, and treat WTIP by re-upping or joining a new with your autumn assurance. The current drive lasts until noon on Monday, but don’t delay! Call in with your pledge, 387-1070 or toll free @ 1-800-473-9847; or click and pledge at WTIP.org; or stop by the station in person, 1712 West Highway 61.                                                                                                                    

The future of your Community Radio station depends on “we,” and as the song lyrics proclaim, “you plus me, equals “we.” Thanks so much in advance for stepping up!                                                                                                                            

For WTIP, this is Wildersmith, on the Gunflint Trail, where every day is great, as starlit heavens meet woods and water.
 

Birch Grove Community School News with Kayne.
October 24, 2019

Superior Reviews by Lin Salisbury.
In this edition, Lin reviews Colson Whitehead's book, "The Nickel Boys."

Magnetic North - Retro for Radio edition by Vicki Biggs-Anderson.

Retro for Radio editions are from columns written by Vicki for the Cook County News Herald.

"Storing Up Joy"  from mid-October, 1997