Driving on icy roads is a problem for most people (including myself) during the first few weeks of the winter season. Overly cautious drivers who choose to creep around at a snail’s pace become just as dangerous as the hasty 4×4 that isn’t afraid to pass on a blind corner leaving the prudent vehicles in a cloud of white dust. This mayhem is reminiscent of preseason NFL games, eventually most of us become reacquainted with the game and gradually evolve into professionals again, but not without some degree of failure.
I was tested last weekend, despite the seemingly paranoid advice of a friend, while driving to town on a partially ice-covered Gunflint Trail. If I were forced to stay home every time someone told me that the roads are bad in the winter, I would never leave the house. Plowing snow is one of the many hats I wear so I rarely listen to advice when it comes to road conditions, but this time my friend was right.
The ice was bad from Loon Lake to the Trout Lake road and every shaded corner had enough glare to send a vehicle into the wrong lane. My truck took a quick slide past the center line more than once and I am a fairly slow driver with brand new all-terrain tires. Four-wheel drive vehicles are great for accelerating on snow and ice, but they do not aid in stopping. Luckily we have another six months to practice.
Every morning the swamps along the side of the Gunflint Trail have been icing over and many of the smaller lakes are doing the same. Overnight lows are expected to reach the 20s this week and I am thankful for the gradual transition of seasons this year. My unprofessional meteorological prediction is that we are going to see some snow soon that will not go away.
The ground has not begun to freeze yet but it is cold enough that the small amounts of snowfall have been lingering for most of the next day instead of melting away as soon as it touches the earth. I was even convinced that my door had frozen shut on my truck the other day, nearly pulling the handle off of the door before realizing that it was actually locked. You might be wondering why I would lock my doors being as remote as we are, and I don’t. The auto lock feature on the key chain is very sensitive and I sometimes hit the button while putting them in my pocket, so I keep a spare key hidden in my glove box….just kidding.
As the foliage disappears and the deep woods become hiker-friendly again, it is time to start scouting for deer. So far I have seen an even mix of moose, deer, and wolf tracks while walking a few of my favorite spots, but nothing too exciting. Rifle season is short and I would like to spend most of it in the woods. Hunting the Gunflint Trail is challenging since there are very few deer up here, but at least we have it all to ourselves.
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 or call 218-388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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