Superior National Forest Update - September 20

Superior National Forest Update
September 20, 2019

Hi.  This is Renee Frahm, Visitor Information Specialist with the Superior National Forest with the National Forest Update.  It looks like maybe it won’t be raining this weekend, so it’ll be a good time to get outside.  When you do head out, here’s the update on all that’s out there.

We are hitting the peak of the fall color season, and that means that there will be some slow moving vehicles, parked vehicles, pedestrians, and photographers out on our Forest roads.  Patience and courtesy will see you through.  Allow cars to pass, and keep the roadway clear if you are driving slowly or stopping.  Please, shut your car doors when you stop so others can pass, and walk or stop to take photos on the side of the road, not the middle.  If you are on the passing end of things, wait for safe passing areas, as the road sides are a bit soft from all the rain. So just relax, and make sure to take the time to enjoy the fall.  The leaves are really spectacular right now, and well worth going out to see.

Driving around here means paying attention to wildlife as well.  Spring and fall around the equinoxes seem to be high points for deer/car collisions.  Animals are moving around a lot during those times of year, and their daily time of high activity coincides with the morning and evening commute for many people.  We’ve had a lot of fog as well, which decreases visibility.  Please slow down on foggy days, make sure your lights are on, and watch out for deer.

Hunters are watching for deer as well, but for a different reason.  The bow hunt is in full swing, and with grouse and small game seasons open as well, everyone out in the woods should be sporting some orange.  Hunters need to be aware that you are not allowed to discharge a firearm, or shoot an arrow, within 150 yards of roads, buildings, or developed recreation sites.  You also may not shoot across trails or roads, so hunters should always be very familiar with their hunting area so they can avoid doing that.  These are really basic common sense rules which safe hunters should follow even without regulations – so, stay safe, wear orange, and good luck!

This fall you make see smoke in the air.  The Forest Service is trying to accomplish pile burning around the Forest and mother-nature isn’t always cooperating.  These are hazardous fuels reduction projects.  If you have questions, call one of the Forest Service offices.

There is some logging activity and trail work being done out there.  On the Gunflint District, log hauling is taking place on the Lima Grade, South Brule Road, Cascade River Road, Pike Lake Road, Cook County 7, Cascade Bluffs Road, Greenwood Road, Blueberry Road, and the Hall Road in Lutsen.  On the Tofte District, look for truck traffic on  the Dumbell River Road, Trappers Lake Road, Caribou Trail, and the road on the east side of the Timber-Frear area.   At the end of the Onion River road out of Tofte there is a construction crew camped out that is building 17 miles of fat tire bike trails between Britton Peak and Lutsen Mountains, so if you go up that road know that there is a crew camped out up there for a little while longer until the trail work is complete.  In the near future, the mountain bikers will have more great trails to explore.

We have two more weekends that our Forest Service front offices will be open to the public before we go back to Monday through Friday hours of operation.  Also, we are advertising our summer seasonal positions on USAJOBS.gov for next summer.  So if you know of anyone looking for summer work experience, send them to USAJobs.gov.  We will be hiring front desk staff, timber, recreation and wildlife positions across the Forest.  Positions will be open for applying to until September 30 so spread the word.  (FYI:  Search for duty locations of Tofte, Grand Marais, Ely, Aurora, or Cook) 

Lastly, there are a lot of fall chores you probably want to get after… window washing, cleaning the car and garage out, winterizing all sorts of things, and seeing if the snow blower runs – but this may be the weekend to set them aside for a while and go out to the woods and enjoy a gorgeous ride or take a hike on a trail.  You might want to throw in some fishing too.   Enjoy the forest, enjoy the day, and until next week, this has been Renee Frahm with the National Forest Update.