North Shore Weekend

Dr. Seth Moore is Director of Biology and Environment with the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. 

The Grand Portage Reservation is located in the extreme northeast corner of Minnesota, on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Cook County. Bordered on the north by Canada, on the south and east by Lake Superior and on the west by Grand Portage State Forest, the reservation encompasses an historic fur trade site on scenic Grand Portage Bay.

The band engages in fisheries and wildlife research projects throughout the year, working with moose, wolves, fish, deer, grouse, and environmental issues. Dr. Moore appears regularly on WTIP North Shore Community Radio, talking about the band's current and ongoing natural resource projects, as well as other environmental and health related issues.  In this segment, Dr. Moore talks about ongoing wolf research at Grand Portage.  Produced by Carah Thomas.

During the mega-storm back on July 17, two dogs were lost in the BWCA Wilderness.  A collie named Tomah was lost on Brule Lake, and a border collie named JJ was lost on the portage south of Cherokee Lake.
 
Tomah was found a few days later by members of the Minnetonka High School cross-country team and returned safely to his owners.  The feel-good story was reported statewide. 
 
Meanwhile, JJ stayed lost.  And here, as Paul Harvey used to say, is the rest of the story:
 
Rich Werner is an American who lives and works in China.  Every year, he returns to Minnesota to visit friends and take a solo canoe trip in the BWCA Wilderness. He enjoys taking a dog with him in the wilderness, so for years he has borrowed a dog from his good friends, Nicole Paradise and Greg Rohleder.  This was the third trip that Rich had taken JJ on, with no problems in the past.
 
July 17 was the day of the mega-storm that included giant bolts of lightning, deafening thunder and torrential rain.  Rich and JJ were making their way out of the wilderness on the 180-rod portage south of Cherokee Lake, headed for Sawbill Lake.  Partway across the portage, they experienced a terrific flash of lightning with a simultaneous crash of thunder, while at the exact same moment another person came into view on the portage.  The combination was too much for JJ and he bolted into the woods.
 
Rich stayed on the portage for 24 hours, searching and calling in vain for his friends’ dog.  Heartsick, he returned to Sawbill, left word of JJ’s loss and headed back to the Twin Cities to break the bad news to his friends and their two children, ages 10 and 11. 
 
Two days later, a canoe party saw JJ on the portage, but he ran off when they called to him.  For the next 9 days, no one saw hide nor hair of JJ, and hope started to dwindle for his safe return. 
 
Then, on July 29^, a couple day-paddling on Sawbill Lake reported seeing a border collie when they stopped for lunch.  They called to him too, but once again he ran off.
 
The Sawbill crew updated all the social media sites where the family had posted lost dog notices and within minutes, the owners were in their car and on their way north.  Early on the morning of July 30, they headed up Sawbill Lake to the campsite where JJ had been spotted. 
 
Meanwhile, two men from Lakeville, Dave Krings and Mike Raub, had been camped on Sawbill Lake for several days.  While Nicole and Greg were searching at one campsite, JJ appeared at Dave and Mike’s campsite, about two miles farther south.  They recognized that he was probably a lost dog and tried to call to him, but he was wary and kept his distance.  They were able to feed him some pancakes, but he turned his nose up at the apples and carrots that they offered, so they cooked up some broccoli cheese pasta.  JJ accepted the pasta but wouldn’t let them get close enough to capture him.
 
Soon, word spread that JJ was at their site, so several members of the Sawbill crew showed up with a couple of packs of hot dogs.  By then, JJ had taken off again.  Word reached his owners and they came to the site, where they waited and called for the rest of the day with no success.  Discouraged, tired and bug-bitten, they paddled back to Sawbill and returned to their lodgings in Lutsen. 
 
Less than an hour after they left, JJ returned to the site.  At first he just watched the two men from a rock across the bay, but eventually he appeared at the edge of the site.  Dave and Mike patiently coaxed him closer and closer with a trail of hot dog bits.  After many false starts, they finally got JJ to enter one of their tents, which they quickly zipped shut behind him.  Although he could have easily in there, eating hot dogs and drinking water from a bowl. 
 
The next morning, July 31, Nicole and Greg headed out early and arrived at the campsite for a joyful reunion with JJ.  He was in amazingly good shape - his coat was sleek and clean, he didn’t have a scratch on him and he seemed to be in good spirits.  Other than a couple of wood ticks on his ears and looking a little skinnier, he was fine. 
 
Nicole and Greg had the great pleasure of calling their children, and their friend Rich, who was already back in China, with the wonderful news.
 
If only JJ could talk, I wonder what stories he would tell?  I know for a fact that there are a lot of wolves in that area, but somehow he managed to avoid them.
 
Mike captured the moment of reunion between JJ and his owners on his iPhone and you can find it on YouTube by searching for “Lost Dog Reunion 7/31/13,” or go to Sawbill.com where it is posted on the newsletter page.  I highly recommend having a hanky handy before you watch the video.

(Photo by Dave Raub)

This green tunnel through the woods has forever been blessed with magic, and the past week saw the “old gal” who is in charge of things adding some much needed enhancement.  Rain the likes of which this area has not seen in a while came and hung out long enough to energize rivers and streams into raging serpentines.
            Many roads and driveways were gashed with washouts, but on the good side, lake levels were raised substantially from their usual summer decline. Here on Gunflint Lake, the surface level has upped a good foot from input throughout the watershed.
            The rain gauge at Wildersmith did not register as much as several other places in the upper Gunflint. Nevertheless, I’ve recorded 3 1/4 inches since we last met on the radio waves.
 Meanwhile, the stickiness has lessened for the time being, and a swell cold front gave us a taste of autumn this past Sunday.  With a morning low here on the Mile O Pine of 39 and sunny afternoon skies with a high in the 50s, all that was missing from a simply splendid day was some fall color. It was definitely a day from which a border country travelogue could be written.  As July has almost faded into the annals of 2013, we north woods folks hope this natural air conditioning extends into the coming of August.
Folks who put nectar out for the hummingbirds are being treated to a real buzz around their feeders. Just off the hatch, these tiny miracles of avian flight are swarming these scarlet stations like bees attracted to fruit tree blossoms.
Many report that every perch on their sweetness units are occupied continually with cousins swooping about in holding patterns. Patience among these little guys and gals often gets strained when they are so hungry, often erupting into mid-air combat skirmishes. One would have to think that these wonderful creatures must really be tired after a day darting about at near-blinding speed.
An exciting link, about a lynx, came to me the other day from friends over on Hungry Jack Lake. Guess the feline casually strolled through their yard, probably in quest of an afternoon snowshoe bunny treat. Another report comes from that same area along the south Hungry Jack road where a momma moose and her calf were spotted.
Meanwhile a wolf has been seen tramping around the neighborhood where Mile O Pine and County Road 20 intersect.
            And if you haven’t seen any bears of late, they’re probably busy in the blueberry patches. The precious blue morsels are on the stem and ready for harvest. So far, those I’ve seen are of prime quality, big and plump. It would look as though the area will have a bumper crop, so grab those buckets, watch for the brunos and have a pickin’ good time!
Kudos are extended to the organizers and volunteers of the Clearwater Lake cabin tour. I heard many oohs and aahs from attendees as they trekked around the lake getting an up-close look at the wonderful north-country domiciles of those gracious homeowners. Sincere thanks go out to all who opened cabin doors to share a bit of their Clearwater resident history.
On a final note, the annual Gunflint Canoe Races are in the history books with another successful run. A magnificent evening on the waterfront at Gunflint Lodge a week ago Wednesday saw a record number of participants hit the lake in the various canoeing events. Proceeds from the event’s many activities came in from all directions and, in the final tally, over $12,500 was netted in support of our Gunflint volunteer fire and recues crews.
Thanks go out to everyone who pitched in as raffle/auction prize donors, event planners/volunteers and participants. The drawing for that grand prize, the Wenonah Canoe, found the Baker family of Gunflint Lake getting to paddle it home.
Summer events on the Gunflint community calendar seem to be never-ending. Next up on the docket is the Mid-Trail property owners flea market, auction and gift boutique. The date is Thursday, Aug. 8 beginning at 1 p.m. in Fire Hall #1 /Mid-Trail. Don’t miss this energetic occasion.
Then on Saturday, Aug. 17, the Gunflint Trail Historical Society is hosting its first chamber music concert, by and for residents and guests of the Gunflint Trail. This classical chamber music, in a north woods setting, is heralded as “The Gunflint Woods, Winds and Strings.” It will begin at 4 p.m. in the new Schaap Mid-Trail Community Center. Featured will be music by Grieg, Bach, Chopin, Britten, Hoover, Rossini and Beckstrand.
 Tickets include a post-concert reception. With a limited number available to be sold, you can get your reservation secured by calling the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center at (218) 388-9915, or order online at www.GunflintTrailHistoricalSociety.org. Watch for headlines on the performing artists in weeks to come.
Keep on hangin’ on, and savor times in the northern sun!
            

I join many, many people in mourning the passing of my friend, Steve O’Neil, last week.  Steve was best known as a St. Louis County commissioner and a long-time community organizer in Duluth.  His public accomplishments have been well documented since his death and at his memorial service, which had to be held at the DECC Auditorium in Duluth.  Suffice it to say that the word “saint” is most often used to describe Steve.
 
A less known fact about Steve was that he was an avid visitor here in the West End, especially at the Sawbill Lake Campground and in the BWCA Wilderness.  The picture on his Caring Bridge site was of him carrying a Sawbill canoe on a portage, and one of his last wishes was to paddle one last time on Sawbill Lake.  Sadly, he became too ill to fulfill that wish and died just a few days after his planned visit. 
 
A few days after his funeral, Steve’s wife, Angie Miller, along with his children, Brianna and Brendan, brought some of his ashes to Sawbill for a canoe ride up the lake. While our hearts ache for Steve’s absence from our community, I’m glad he was able to visit Sawbill one last time.
 
During the big storm last week, a border collie named JJ was spooked by lightning and ran off into the woods on the 180-rod portage between Cherokee and Scoop Lakes.  The owners searched in vain and finally had to return to their home.  They are asking that everyone in the West End keep an eye out for JJ.  Dogs have tremendous survival instincts and can sometimes show up far from where they are lost.  If you see JJ, you can call the sheriff’s department to report it.  
 
Another dog was lost on Brule Lake at almost the same time, but was found and returned to its owner after several days alone in the woods.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the same happy ending for JJ.
 
I am pleased to report that a new business is planning to start up at the Eco-industrial Park in Silver Bay.  Rocky Coast Brewing will include the brewing of fine, artisan beer, a taproom, food service, fire rings, live music and booths for local artists to display their art.  Head brewer, Jonathon Klinkenberg, is planning to make Rocky Coast a destination brewery, where people come to camp, hang out and socialize over some excellent beer.  He hopes to start operation this winter and have a grand opening in April.
 
This is the time of year when blueberries start to figure prominently in local conversations.  Up until recently, there was a consensus that this would be a good berry season, but that it would be late, due to the late spring.  Now it appears that it will be a good berry crop, but it seems like the berries are ripening right on schedule, with the peak coming around the first week or two in August, which is normal for this area. 
 
Serious berry pickers in the West End have already been able to find quarts of ripe berries in a single picking session.  But the good news is that they are reporting a heavy crop of green berries, just waiting for some warm sun to turn them blue, plump and sweet.
 
The areas burned by the recent Pagami Creek Fire should be loaded with blueberries this year, or next, at the latest.
 
I was interested to read in the Cook County News Herald about the Sasquatch Crossing signs that appeared, and were subsequently removed by the highway department, along the Gunflint Trail. 
 
I just want people to know that there is a Sasquatch crossing that has been marked by signs for many years on the Picnic Loop ski trail at the Sugarbush Trail system in Tofte.  In fact Sasquatch has been seen often at the crossing over the years, although some people believe that it might just be well-known Tofte resident, Jan Horak.

Both July and summer are flying by. Having missed the past couple weeks of bringing the Gunflint scoop to you, it’s good to be back home in the woods.
            After a visit with family in Iowa, it was easy to reconcile living in the realm of 48 degrees north following the days of heat and humidity down that way. It seems that some of the nasty humidity even followed the Smiths back since it it’s been a bit on the sticky side over the past few days.
            I was pleasantly surprised to find a little over an inch of liquid in the rain gauge upon our return.  And this past Sunday, Mother Nature saw fit to bless us with about another 2 1/2 centimeters. Thus far July has accumulated slightly over 2 inches in the Wildersmith neighborhood.
            This is just so welcome out this way! While many areas of our great country have been swearing at the copious amounts of rain and flooding over recent weeks, we who live on the edge of wildfire danger for many months of the year are extremely grateful for anything wet to moisten this precious forest resource. Rain certainly never dampens our spirits!
            Lake water temps have warmed to a more than comfortable range for recreational dipping. It seems unreal that only eight weeks ago the ice went out, and the possibility exists that in another eight weeks we could see flakes in the air.
Here at the Gunflint dock, last Sunday’s lake reading was 74 degrees. Good for us humans but not too satisfying for those denizens of the deep who prefer cold northern waters.
            Fish catching has been spotty to good depending upon the time, place and skill level. A recent hatching of mayflies must be affecting their appetites for things on the end of a hook, as my visiting grandsons are finding the harvest numbers frustrating.
            Speaking of other hatching things, the ongoing battle with mosquitos has surged in these parts since our return. During last Sunday’s rain the stinging urchins were in a particularly foul mood.
Due to the excess and toughness of these nasty north woods antagonists, it makes me wonder if maybe they might have been more appropriately suited for selection as our state flying critter. Just kidding of course, but I’m betting they annoy the loons too!
The charge of Mother Nature never ceases to amaze.  The changes in the flora along the Mile O Pine and other back country roads since our southerly trek are nothing short of remarkable.  Roadside grasses have grown to nearly head high and are proceeding toward going to seed. Meanwhile, the candles of new growth on the coniferous branches have already matured into hearty stems and next generation evergreen stylus.
Early summer blooms are running to seed as well, and those next in line to flower are bidding for rays to allow their turn in our northern sun. It’s a glorious, virid jungle out here!
Gunflint Trail Historical Society members are reminded of the Clearwater Lake historic cabin tour this coming Sunday, July 21. Organizers report that only a few tickets remain. If interested, members can call Lee Zopff promptly at 388-4465 to secure a reservation. This event should be a splendid trip back in time. See you there!
From Wildersmith and all points beyond, congrats and thanks to the over 300 parties who pledged their support during the WTIP Shine On membership drive last week. The tremendous support for your community radio station is both heartwarming and energizing!
 The station’s board of directors, staff and volunteers are deeply appreciative of the many kind words expressed during the fund drive. Because you pledged, we also pledge to continue growing this air waves gem in the Arrowhead with quality programming!
Keep on hangin’ on, and savor the fleeting summer!   
           
           
           
             Photo by Belinda Rain via Wikimedia Commons: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

This “Moments in Time” features former Cook County commissioner Chet Lindskog.  He spoke at the Cook County Historical Society storytelling event "Stories You've Never Heard and Good Ones to Hear Again," held March 9th, 2013 at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais.

{photo courtesy of the Cook County Historical Society}

[click above to listen to audio]
 
Congratulations to organizers, volunteers and riders in the recent Lutsen 99er mountain bike race.  More than 650 racers participated in the 99- and 39-mile races, along with another 100 or so in the kids’ races. 
 
The first West End finisher in the 99-mile race was Regan Bolduc from Lutsen in 176th place overall.  The fastest West Ender in the 39-mile race was Tom Wahlstrom, who just moved from Tofte to Grand Marais, with an incredible seventh place finish. 
 
There were dozens of local folks in both races - so many that I can't mention them all here.  One of the many benefits of this great event is that it motivates West Enders to get on their bikes and enjoy the wonderful trails that are right outside our doors.
 
Here at Sawbill, we had a number of customers who told us that they came up for the race and were making an extended family vacation out of the trip.  I can only imagine that many more families did the same thing along the north shore.  I also had a campground customer who mentioned that they were here to ride the new single-track mountain bike trails in Grand Marais and Tofte.  They were dedicated and knowledgeable mountain bikers and they were highly complimentary of the new trails, declaring that they were as good as any they had ever ridden.
 
The Lutsen 99er is sponsored by a partnership that includes the Cook County Visitors Bureau.  The bureau was created three years ago to combine the efforts of four different tourism groups and promote Cook County as a whole.  The results are really starting to show now, with many quality events attracting tourists and positive press from all over the country.
 
The bureau is funded by a lodging tax and the spending is directed by representatives from each of the four areas of the county, Grand Portage, Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, and the Lutsen, Tofte and Schroeder area.  The funds are spent on each area in direct proportion to how much lodging tax is generated.  Although this makes for complicated accounting, it couldn't be more fair to each area.  The proof of success is not only the dramatic increase in tourism, but the fact that Cook County numbers are growing faster than any of our competitors.
 
The Bloodmobile will be in Tofte at Zoar Lutheran Church Tuesday, July 16 from 2:30 until 6 p.m.  If you would like to volunteer to donate a pint of blood, you can call Polly Erickson at 663-7398.  As always, you can contact WTIP for contact information.  Thanks to Polly for her tireless efforts in this important effort.
 
The turtles are out on the roads and at the boat landings right now.  Every year, female turtles seek out sandy soils to dig holes where they deposit their eggs.  The gravel road and parking lot shoulders make ideal nest sites.  Unfortunately, this leads many turtles to cross busy gravel roads during the height of tourism season.  If you see a turtle crossing a road, you can stop and carry them across in the direction that they are already heading.
 
Here at Sawbill, we've had two female snapping turtles that have been laying their eggs at the canoe landing for more than 40 years.  The scars and notches on their shells make them easy to identify as individuals.  They must be very old now, so every year we wonder if we'll see them again.  Last week, they appeared again, right on schedule.  Everyone has fun seeing them close up. I notice that swimmers are a little more tentative about jumping in the lake after they see the powerful beaks on these prehistoric-looking reptiles.
 
For WTIP, this is Bill Hansen with the West End News.

{photo courtesy of Lutsen 99er}

June is fast fading into the record books, and the halfway point of our year in border country is peeking over the horizon.  While time has quietly slipped away, we are already a week into summer with the sun having made its solstice stopover before heading back south.
           
Skies were mostly gloomy leading up to the full “super strawberry moon,” which was at its pinnacle in the wee hours last Sunday morning. Thus, this area was denied the glory of celebrating the close proximity of his “lunar highness” until the next evening when clear skies gave us a break.
           
In spite of the many gray days, Mother Nature failed once again to deliver on much needed moisture for this part of the territory. The minute 16/100ths found in the Wildersmith rain gauge since we last met has barely settled the dust. Further, the lake level on our Gunflint Gal has dropped another few inches, as our moisture subsidy keeps missing us in favor of all areas south.

Meanwhile the lake water temps here have improved into the low 60s. I even observed some brave souls swimming off the dock at Gunflint Lodge last Sunday.
           
The dry soils, however, do not seem to be having an adverse effect on flora development in areas along the byway and our back country roads. Flowering plants are beginning to bloom their fool heads off.

Wild roses are the headliners right now while those non-native invasive lupines are coming on fast with their rainbow spires. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, a portrait of the forget-me-nots and columbine in our yard at Wildersmith is sharing a beautiful story.

I’m told that there is a great blueberry bloom. So if the black flies are doing anything (like pollinating) besides tormenting us humans, folks had better be lining up their buckets and baskets. It would appear that there will also be a fine crop of wild strawberries if all patches are anything like the unusually big bloom of the tiny plants here along the Mile O Pine and in our yard. Pickin’ will make for a “jammin’ good” pie time!
           
Meanwhile, munching is good in several ponds and swamps along the Trail as a number of moose sightings have been noted. There is one pond along the Trail above the Laurentian Divide where both a cow and yearling bull have been hanging out on each of our last few trips to town.  A number of lucky visitors have been afforded photo ops. Thanks Mr. & Ms. Moose!
           
The 16th annual North Shore Health Care Foundation fundraising barbeque was the social feature of the week up this way. Nearly 70 people turned out to enjoy the fare at Gunflint Lodge last Sunday evening. Proceeds from the event go into the foundation endowment, from which many county health care projects are granted funding assistance. Thanks are extended to organizers, the staff at Gunflint Lodge, musician extraordinaire Gerald Thilmany and those who attended this fun gathering!
           
July is but days away, and along with the great American birthday celebration of the Fourth, a couple more Trail happenings are rapidly approaching for area residents and visitors. I’ve already mentioned the annual canoes races on the 17^th, while a second happening is the historic Clearwater Lake cabin tour on the 21^st.  Mark your calendar!
           
The tour of these historic places on Clearwater is being sponsored and organized by the Gunflint Trail Historical Society for members only. The 60-ticket allotment for the marvelous Hungry Jack Lake cabin tour was sold out quickly last year.

Those wishing to attend should get at making those reservations ASAP for what will be another fabulous trip through Gunflint history. Event planners have expanded the allotment to 75.  Tickets can be purchased by calling Lee Zopff at  (218) 388-4465.
             
Keep on hangin’ on, and savor a Gunflint holiday!