Wildersmith on the Gunflint - May 8

May 8, 2020     

 

Weather along the Gunflint has been on the fickle side as I hit the keyboard after one week of May. The only constant has been with precipitation up at end of the Trail, and the lack thereof.                                                                                                                                                                 

Conditions looked like spring put a choke hold on an ailing “old man winter.” Temps soared into the fifties and sixties for several days, at least where the sun bore down on the thermometer. Our fair “princess spring” finally had conditions in hand going into last weekend as “Sol” gulped up gobs of snow.                                                                                                                     

 

About all the snow remaining is that heaped during snow removal efforts over the past six months.  The Mile O Pine neighborhood is about ninety percent bare brown earth and mud right now.                                                                                                                                                                       

But in a not to unusual twist, and in what may be a last gasp, the “spirit of the north” blew in with cold northwest winds and a brief snow shower at Wildersmith to end last weekend. Such was happening in spite of lake ice trying to do its disappearing act.                                                                                                                           

 Ice conditions on Gunflint Lake have deteriorated rapidly. The big ice cube looks to be of the liquid sort as this scoop hits the air. Alas, the fishing opener should not be interrupted by ice, as I declared the official ice-out date, May 5.                                                                                                                                                                             

 I’m told by folks further up the Trail, Seagull Lake is now clear of hard water. Other big lakes, like Loon, Poplar and Saganaga are likely the same or in close pursuit of lapping at the shores.                                                                                                                                                                   

Rocks are a way of life around this place on the planet, and anyone who has tried to pierce the earth in these parts will attest to frustrations they present. A rock happening (not of hip-hop character) awhile back has been reported by a couple folks out for a walk on one recent bright spring day.                                                                                                                                                                         

During their trek along what locals call Warren’s Road (running through the Cross River Gravel Pit), the twosome came upon what looked to be an optical illusion of something a distance down the road. As they got closer, it turned out to be no illusion. It was a huge chunk of granite, smack dab in middle of the road.                                                                                            

 

Apt to weigh several tons, it turns out this boulder did not plummet from the heavens, but broke away from a roadside cliff. With dimensions of a small car, this natural road block likely succumbed to ages of freezing and thawing before disconnecting from its glacial placement thousands of years ago.                                                                                                                                                         

The impact was probably a pretty big thud, and maybe shook the earth nearby, but with summer residents living along Warren’s Road not yet back for the season, it’s like a tree falling in the forest, nobody heard or felt an earthly tremor.                                                                                                         

In the meantime, some good neighbors of the Gunflint territory are plotting its removal. Thank goodness this squashing moment didn’t occur during summertime usage!                                                                                                                       

WTIP website readers can see a digital of the temporary monument by scrolling down to the Wildersmith column under Community Voices.                                                                                       

 

First forest babies of spring have been announced by a gal up on Seagull Lake. She spotted a momma cross fox out and about with her kits on a recent sunny day. And with summer camouflage not yet emerging, it’s easy to spot members of the “wild neighborhood.” Trail cams on trails at the Chik-Walk Museum Campus have captured lynx, moose and wolves in the past couple weeks. Check out the Chik-Wauk website as they are often posted.                                                 

One annoying note associated with the big warm-up, is the sudden appearance of creepy things that crawl and winged critters that get in your hair and bite. I’ve been engaged by both over the past few days.                                                                                                                                     

 

On a couple happier notes, those arachnids (creepy as they can be) have already been hard at work running fiber though the forest. The beauty of early morning sunshine has this webl network glistening with dew. So yes, it’s another example of every creature having purpose, even artfulspiders.                                                                                                                                                                           

In another warm season happening, a White Admiral has been meeting me each day in a select location along the Mile O Pine during my mail box run. Not far beyond a Mourning Cloak has been hanging out too. Both butterflies, observances seem early, but apparently guess not!                     

With COVID-19 continuing to ravage thousands, folks along the Trail are still minding the recommendations of science. Hope all listeners are too! It’s masks up, stand away, stay well, and CARE for one another.                                                                                                                  

 

For WTIP, this is WIldersmith, on the Gunflint Trail, where every day is great, as we wait for showers and more May flowers!