Old man winter’s grip got a little tighter this week with wind chills reaching 50 degrees below zero and gusts over 20 miles per hour. The handful of anglers hiking into the B- Dub have been earning the trout being caught and despite the tough conditions, fishing has been good.
Duncan and Daniels lakes are two popular destinations for anglers fishing the Boundary Waters trout season and they have both been giving up some nice lake trout this week. My first two days of guiding this winter were both cancelled due to unfavorable weather which sounds dangerously familiar to last year’s disappointing season, but it is too early to start crying.
Cold weather was not enough to deter the dog mushers racing in the Gunflint Mail Run from Trail Center to Devil Track and back last Monday. The daytime temperatures were fairly pleasant for the first part of race day with some fresh snow to pad the trails, but as soon as the sun dropped behind the horizon so did the temperatures.
Rachelle and I took our kids to see the dogs and grab a burger at Trail Center prior to the start. The teams of sled dogs were wound tight with anticipation for the upcoming race barking loudly and pulling against their leashes. “Pretty intense,” Rachelle says while leading our two children through the maze of mushers and dogs spread across Trail Center’s lower parking lot.
One of the pros to living on the Gunflint Trail in the winter months is being able to attend the numerous events that are hosted here like the Mail Run. Most winter activities are showcased in one form or another through events that take place right here in our own back yard. Granted, it was a miserable 20 below during the start of the race and our kids only lasted an hour before their cheeks turned bright red and noses began running faster than the dogs, but it is a memory that will hopefully last them forever.
To see a team of dogs released into the night from less than 10 feet away is quite amazing for an adult much less a child. Within seconds the dogs and their musher were reduced to a bouncing glow as they sped into the dark night.
Winter on the Trail is very unique. Solitude is only peaceful for a while if you believe that great things are even greater when they are shared with others. Seeing the number of people who gather for such winter events stimulates an otherwise quiet place and reconfirms that we do live in a special area that is respected by many— not just the ones crazy enough to reside here.
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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