Wildersmith on the Gunflint: December 19

‘Tis the week before Christmas, and oh what a mess, Old Man Winter has taken another hiatus!  Yep, border country experienced another December weekend meltdown as “Mr. Frigid” has gone AWOL. Perhaps the “global warming Grinch” took him south?                        
                                     
Drippy, dismal weather was the order, and those depending upon winter conditions for economic sustenance have had to put cold season activities on hold. The atmospheric scene even produced some April-like showers around Wildersmith last Saturday night and on into Sunday/Monday. In an area where there’s no business like snow business, one has to feel sad for the folks depending on such.         

About the only thing going has been some hard-water angling. In spite of the soggy surroundings, walk-on conditions are favorable on nearly all lakes except Gunflint and Saganaga (Sag). Meanwhile Sag and Gunflint refuse to cooperate with the ice in process. It’s difficult to get reports on Sag, but my watch over the Gunflint Gal has observed couple of almosts, giving way to wind and, now, abnormally warm temps.                                                                                                

A little Gunflint Lake ice-on trivia shows an average date of Dec. 13 (since 1982). Last year, she slipped into her winter coat on Dec. 8. The earliest date on my short-term data sheet was Nov. 26 in 1996, while the latest is Dec. 29, in 2001. One thing for sure, our Gunflint freeze-up is beyond the average, and unless we get some serious cold soon we’ll be pushing up against a new late record entry.         

Serious consequences occur with meltdowns in back country. This is usually a late March until May happening. As thawing and refreezing happens, our secondary roads, driveways and walking paths become slippery nightmares. Keeping the vehicles out of the ditches and our bodies upright can be challenging. About the only things mitigating these hazards are cold dry snow or spring. So everyone trekking about up this way should proceed with caution until normal returns.                                                     

On a brighter note, a couple days prior to the dank weekend sogginess, our Gunflint Lake shore was blessed with some Jack Frost artistry. Every time he performs his glazing craft, I’d swear it’s the best ever, and this instance was no exception. The most recent expression found him exploring a medium of icy needlework.                                                                                                   

As moist foggy air drifted over the lake and slid up the elevation of our landscape, the adjacent forest was converted into a sparkling wonderland of elegant diamond styluses. During my daily trip to the mailbox, I checked out several needlelike appendages up close. They ranged from a quarter inch up to nearly an inch in length, and when you multiply them by trillions you can understand my awe of the woodland brilliance.                                                                

I was completely captivated by the glistening brilliance as the sun occasionally pierced the clouds. The beaming setting was like I’d been caught in the middle of a glitter explosion. This scene extended as far as my eyes could see!   

The grand drama of this winter testimony lasted for the better part of 24 hours, and then, with an upward blip in the thermometer, was dripping history. The show was truly a magical moment in my memories of wilderness life. One just had to be here to fully grasp the regal charm of Mr. Frost!                                                                                                                        

On a final note, a trip down County Road 20  a few days before the snow became slush, another moment in north woods time popped up. One of those ghostly snowshoe lagomorphs scampered across the road in front of my vehicle.   

In a rather amusing occurrence, the long-eared critter must have misjudged its distance from the windrowed snow bank. In attempt to scale the white mound, it leapt too soon. In a flurry of snowy confusion, it went head first into the bank. Surprised to say the least, the bleached bunny flopped about and bounced straight up in the air before suddenly blending off into the scenery.       
                                                       
With a growing number of lynx sightings in these parts, I think yours truly should have been the least of this rabbit’s worries. Guess it just might have been a “bad hare” day!                                                                                                        

Keep on hangin’ on, and savor the joys of the holiday season. Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!

(Photo by Contemplative Images on Flickr)