North Shore Morning

Great Expectations School News with Aria and Mary June.
May 12 - 25, 2018.

Wildersmith on the Gunflint     by     Fred Smith   May 11, 2018 
            
Going into week two of month five, this time of the Ojibwe “budding flowers moon” is not yet a reality. However, at the rate things have been going for the past seven, there’ll be blooms by the time we reach the fullest of heavens “big cheese” near months’ end.                                                  

Days, since we last met on the radio, have been pleasant, comfortably warm and sunny with cool nights settling back into the thirties. In spite of this pleasing atmosphere, the territory continues struggling to muster significant rain. Light showers earlier in the week tempered the wildfire potential. Yet the danger is only a few hours of drying wind and sunshine away, still no burning ban.
                                                                                                                                                                           
With the fishing opener at hand, hard water has not given up on the bigger lakes out this way, but several smaller bodies are said to be beckoning anglers. So, wetting a line is not going to be the opening day bust we expected a few weeks ago. 
                                                                                      
Most wetlands, swamps, and ponds along the Trail have become liquid again, attracting any number of waterfowl. Further, there are several reports of loons overhead, and I’m told the nesting pair at Chik-Wauk has returned to their seasonal home on Sag Bay. One more winged note, robins have returned to the area, but none have been observed in this neighborhood to date.                                                                                                                                                       

We at Wildersmith have been privy to a menagerie of up north critters over the past week. Observations include a moose, fox, snowshoe hares, a new pine marten and large wolf tracks along the Mile O Pine. While Trail neighbors have reported bear sightings, and a lynx.  
                                                                                           
The moose, perhaps a two-year-old bull, interrupted an evening trip up the Trail by slogging along in front of our vehicle for quite a distance. It stopped several times and turned to look at us who were no doubt interrupting his meanderings too. Without a close encounter, “Murray the Moose” eventually went off into the forest.  
                                                                                                                                        
Meanwhile, those north woods bunnies are out and about after having not been seen for weeks. In the process of changing to summer attire, the only lagomorph memory of winter can be found in their bleached undercarriage and white socks.  
                                                                                         
The fox mentioned has paid us a visit twice in the past few days. While I’ve heard of many folks with friendly foxes, this is a first at Wildersmith. This foxy guy shows up out of nowhere and might be a lost pet because it has no fear of us    two-legged creatures. It is quite persistent about wanting a hand-out and hangs around until we willingly oblige. Guess it has us hooked, and the pine martens now have to share their poultry treats.
                                                                        
While I have not observed any bears yet, the first reported observation came from some folks over on Washout Rd. Since that news came in, more of the ebony beasts have been poking around at various locations. And the lynx sighting came from somewhere up the Trail. 
                                
My earlier mention of Chik-Wauk causes me to remind WTIP listener/readers the historical campus will be opening for the season two weeks from this one (on Memorial Day weekend). It looks to be a busy season with more of the Gunflint story, great natural history programming, and construction of two exciting facility additions. 
                                                                                            
The timber frame Watercraft Exhibit Building (WEB) will be raised in a week or so and an Interpretive Cabin will go up as soon as the frost is out to allow for footings. The cabin will be located on one of the original resort cabin sites, while the WEB will be near the Back Bay just off the entrance lane. Actual exhibits in the two buildings, are dependent on funding resources becoming available but hope to be open for viewing the summer of 2019.  
                                                                                                                                                                                  
Two of our Gunflint neighbors have recently been honored for their devotion to helping people. Gunflint Community congratulations are extended to John and Rose Schloot. The longtime residents and owners of Cross River Lodge (formerly Borderland Lodge) were recognized as 2018 winners of the Dolly Johnson Friend of Emergency Services Award.  
                                                                                            
Commencing in 2003, the awards program recognizes people who are not on the front line in emergency situations. The honor for John and Rose is bestowed for their on-going and ever-present support of our local EMS and Search & Rescue volunteers in crucial behind the scenes roles during times of crisis. We on the Gunflint are so fortunate to have folks like the Schloot’s in our midst. Thanks to the both of them and many others always standing ready!   
                                                                                                                                         
On a final note, the Gunflint Green-up reunion held last Saturday was a lively and scrumptious success. The potluck provided so many delectable offerings, one attendee who shall remain anonymous, was observed with an assortment of five desserts on his plate. Big thanks to the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Committee organizers and all who attended.     
                                                                                                                                         
For WTIP, this is Wildersmith, on the Gunflint Trail, where every day is great, with wilderness adventures yet to be seen.
 

WTIP volunteer, Mark Abrahamson talks with John Storkamp, race director for the 2018 Superior Spring Trail Race. 

Sawtooth Mountain Elementary School News with Fourth Graders, Ruby, Aaliyah and Landon.
February 26, 2018

Sawtooth Mountain Elementary School News - May 01, 2018
with Jack, Elizabeth and Hunter.

Northern Sky by Deane Morrison for April 28 - May 10 2018

April's weather has been forgettable, but on the evening of the 29th it gives us a gorgeous full moon. Perfect fullness happens at 7:58. That's just minutes after moonrise in Grand Marais, so when it first clears the eastern horizon it'll be one of the roundest moons ever. April's full moon is called the full pink moon, after wild ground phlox, also known as grass pink, a small pink flower that carpets the land this time of year. This full moon won't be especially large or small, but if you can get outside just before eight o'clock on Sunday, the 29th, it will be worth it.
 
The next night is a treat for anybody who follows the Celtic holidays. It's April 30, the eve of May Day. According to old Celtic tradition, sundown on April 30 was the beginning of the holiday known as Beltane. It signified the end of the dark half of the year, which began at sundown on Halloween. The critical events that defined the dark and light halves of the old Celtic year had to do with evil spirits. At sundown on Halloween, they came rushing out of exile and started causing illness and otherwise making trouble, but at sunrise on May 1 they disappeared into exile again, and the light half of the year began. Beltane, or May Day, and Halloween are astronomically based holidays. They're what's known as cross-quarter days and they fall more or less halfway between an equinox and a solstice. Groundhog Day is another one, but the fourth cross-quarter day doesn’t get much press. That’s Lughnasa, a harvest holiday at the beginning of August.
 
As we get into May, the moon will be waning and spending less time in the evening sky. Be sure to have a look at Venus; it's the bright object that comes out in the afterglow of the setting sun. In the east, Jupiter is a rival beacon. These are the two brightest planets, and when darkness falls you can compare them not just in brightness but in color. On the night of the full moon, Jupiter rises below the moon and follows it across the sky.
 
Jupiter is about as bright as it gets now because Earth laps it in the orbital race early on the night of May 8th. That event is called opposition because it puts Jupiter opposite the sun in the sky. At opposition an outer planet rises around sunset and sets around sunrise. On the 10th, Jupiter and Earth come within about 409 million miles. That's their closest approach, and it comes after opposition because Earth is moving farther from the sun while Jupiter is moving in, and that brings them closer before speedier Earth pulls away.
 
For early risers, we still have, in this order, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter strung from left to right across the predawn sky in the south. This string of planets is lengthening as Mars moves eastward against the background of stars while Saturn and Jupiter move westward. Saturn and Jupiter appear to move westward against the stars, in what's called retrograde motion, now because they’re at or nearing opposition. When Earth is lapping one of the outer planets, the act of passing it by makes it appear to move backwards, or westward, even though the planet’s own motion carries it eastward. It's the same when a runner in an inside lane laps a runner in an outer lane. The outer runner will seem to move in the opposite direction from how he or she is actually moving. Saturn reaches opposition in late June, Mars not till late July.
 

National Forest Update – April 26, 2018.
 
Hi.  I’m Chris Beal, a wildlife biologist on the Gunflint Ranger District, with this week’s National Forest Update, everything, or at least a reasonable amount, of what you need to know when you are visiting the Superior this week. 

It is nearly May, and winter is, hopefully, maybe, cross your fingers, over.  After some truly spectacular storms, the lake has calmed down, the snow has quit, and it seems spring is actually here to stay.  With spring comes the migrating birds.  Robins went from some sporadic sightings to large numbers in people’s yards over the past week.  Most of the robins are males right now, arriving early to set up territories.  You can observe a lot of fighting and other territorial behavior as they settle disputes over who owns which patch of grass, which can be pretty entertaining for us.  Sparrows have also started to trickle in, and the clear plaintive whistle of the white-throated sparrows can be heard welcoming the warmth to the north woods.  Their song is supposed to sound like ‘Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody’, or if you learned it north of the border, they sing ‘Dear sweet Canada, Canada, Canada’.  Mixed in with the white throats are white-crowned, tree, and other sparrows.  These birds all love seeds, so it is a good time to keep the feeders full and sprinkle some millet on the ground as well.  Yellow-rumped warblers are the leading edge of warbler migration, and they’ve been seen in Duluth.  They’ll be working their way north along with the rest of the warbler tribe as our insect population increases.  Speaking of insects, butterflies are back. Mourning cloak butterflies with dark wings trimmed in cream are fluttering along roadsides.  These hardy insects actually hibernate through winter, so they are some of the first butterflies to appear.

If you do have bird feeders, you need to start taking them in at night because butterflies aren’t the only hibernators awakening.  Bears are starting to roam, and they are pretty hungry right now.  We heard one description of someone who had taken in the feeders but had the bear come up to the deck to lick the grate on their grill.  So, plan on hiding in the garage anything that could even remotely be thought of as tasty to a hungry bear.  Remember that bears are after food, and not particularly interested in you.  So long as you don’t put yourself in a situation where you are a threat to them, they are going to leave you alone.  It is in their nature though to chase dogs, so keeping your dog leashed and under control when outside is a good plan.  While you’re at it, with the birds returning and starting to nest soon, it is also a good time of year to keep Kitty indoors. 

There’s no logging traffic on the roads right now, but that it because the roads are very treacherous.  Our timber crews are really recommending staying off the back roads for a while unless you really need to be out there.  It is a mix of soft roadways, ice, and still deep slush in some places, so until it all melts and dries up, roads are hazardous.  If you have to be driving, leave word on where you are and when you are expected to return.  Take it slow, and expect the road conditions to change around every bend.

Most snowmobile trails in the area are closed or in poor condition according to the DNR website, and off-trail use of snowmobiles is not allowed if snow cover is less than four inches.  The trails are not in good condition for ATV use either.  It is easy for ATVs to create ruts and damage trails in the spring, which will ruin good riding for the rest of the year.  Don’t ride on closed trails or roads, but also use good sense and don’t ride when your machine will dig ruts even if the trail is theoretically open.  Check the Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use map to see if your route is open: some routes open mid-April, but some won’t be open for use until later.  You should also check for any posted temporary closures due to seasonal conditions.  Use of ATVs off of designated routes is not allowed on the Forest.

The remaining snow and the damp conditions reduce fire danger, so over the next few weeks, the Forest will try to conduct some spring prescribed burns.  Most of these are to maintain wildlife openings near the shore.  These openings are used by migrating birds and help keep the diversity of habitat available in the forest.  We can’t tell you the exact times of these burns because they are weather dependent, but you can check our website or Boreal for more information. 

Starting next week, May 1st, issued permits will be required for overnight trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  You can reserve these online at Recreation.gov, and pick them up at Forest Service offices and cooperating businesses after watching our Leave No Trace video.  To accommodate wilderness explorers, our offices also start our summer schedule of being open seven days a week, 8 to 4:30. 
Enjoy the return of birds, butterflies, and life to the Forest while you wait out mud season.  While you wait, this a probably the week to put away your snow blower and winter toys, and unearth the lawn mower and summer toys.  You might even look a little at the boat and canoe, but there’s no rush on that yet.  Until next time, this has been Chris Beal with the National Forest Update.
 

West End News   by   Clare Shirley    4/26/18

The Tofte township is still accepting applications for the Town Treasurer position. The Treasurer is a paid position, with minimal time commitments. There’s a bit of bookkeeping that you do from home, and you attend the monthly meetings with the Supervisors. It’s also a wonderful way to contribute and stay connected to the current events in the township. Outgoing treasurer Nancy Iverson is available to help guide you through your first couple of months, so don’t be nervous about bankrupting the town your first day on the job! If it sounds like a good fit for you, let the town clerk Barb Quade know. You can reach Barb via email at [email protected].

Spring is still springing over the hill in the West End. Sawbill lake is sporting 15 inches of solid ice with about 9 inches of rotten ice on top of that. On Wednesday we attempted to drive in to check on the status of Brule and Homer Lakes but had to turn around about halfway down the Brule Lake Road due to deep drifts of melty snow. I can only assume this means those lakes are frozen in for a while yet.

The snow is starting to recede, leaving great deep puddles in its wake. It’s sort of like a small scale glacial melt, leaving puddles behind instead of lakes.

Our 2-year discovered one such lake-like puddle just today. She is sporting a new pair of rain boots and is thrilled when the temps rise above freezing and the puddles magically turn from slippery ice rinks into splashy, muddy, wading pools. Her personal mission each afternoon seems to be to leave no puddle un-stomped. This afternoon, she got a little more than she bargained for when the puddle turned out to be a washed out corner of the Sawbill Lake canoe landing. Instead of standing in inches of water she found herself submerged up to her shoulders. Luckily her daddy was close at hand to pluck her from the slush and rush her back up to the house where a warm bath made everything better.

This should serve as a cautionary tale for all of us this time of year. Even ice that is a foot thick can be unsafe as it honeycombs in the warm weather. Ditches are deceptively soft. Puddles might turn into accidental polar plunges. So be safe out there and keep thinking warm thoughts!

Another happier spring surprise is that Lutsen Mountain is open for skiing on the weekends, through May sixth! The snow is silky corn in the morning and soft bumps in the afternoon. If you don’t know what that means, then you don’t know what your missing and you better go check it out! Season passes for next year are already available and on sale with a special early bird rate. If you buy one now, it will also cover the rest of the weekends this season, bonus! As if that wasn’t enough, on Saturday, April 28^th Papa Charlie’s is hosting the Beer Lover’s Dinner. For $75 you can enjoy a four-course dinner paired with local Voyageur beer.
 
 For WTIP, I’m Clare Shirley, with the West End News.
 

Great Expectations School News with Ella and Greta.
April 27, 2018