We wished for snow and it came down with a vengeance totaling almost three feet over the past week. There is now enough snow in the county to enjoy any outdoor activity, especially if your activity happens to be shoveling.
Lake effect snow is often wet and heavy making it hard to push with a plow and heavy to throw with a shovel. The Devil Track area received 12-14 inches of lake effect snow that covered Grand Marais and the North Shore in a heavy blanket of white. The storm diminished as it traveled inland leaving only three inches of snow on the Gunflint Trail, that later turned into rain.
The snowfall totals have been impressive, but the high winds that have caused major drifting are even more impressive. We woke to our front door completely drifted in, and I was forced to shovel my way out of our house. Good thing I had a spare shovel in the garage or I might have had to burrow my way out.
The snowmobile trailer parked in our driveway is completely engulfed in snow and will likely take a while to locate and uncover. I am thinking of exposing the tongue, hooking the trailer up to my truck and driving down the highway to clear it off. Should work assuming there is nobody behind me.
Big snow can make ice fishing a challenge. Hiking to the spot, shoveling an area to fish, and drilling holes all become more difficult – especially if the lake floods from being pressurized by so much snow. Hopefully the conditions will improve in March.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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