Seeing dry pavement on the Gunflint Trail is such a treat that I think it should be an annual event worthy of live music and fireworks. I am sure that many of the early returning snowbirds are excited to taste a little winter, but I cannot help getting anxious about the warmer days ahead, and the sight of open water.
My kids were lucky enough to go bike riding with mom at the end of the trail, on mostly dry pavement, while listening to the newly charged waterfall flowing through campgrounds. Every spring the rapids carve their way into the pool at their base leading into Gull Lake. As Gull loosens up, the Seagull River will begin slicing into Saganaga Lake, where it will merge with the already open water of the Saganaga narrows.
Winter breakup is an exciting time, each lake and river has its own unique routine during the transformation of ice to water that can be seen from some of the overlooks and side roads.
I like exploring through the campgrounds and trails while scouring the ground that has been covered for months. A lot has happened since then, and you could find anything from moose sheds to ratchet straps that have been lost since the ground was exposed. It is like a giant treasure hunt.
We are still a ways away from open water, but the first signs are showing, and the ice is not very thick this year. Gunflint Lake already has “thin ice” warning signs posted and anglers are telling me that the ice feels crunchy when they auger holes, which is usually a sign of weakening ice. We had a lot of powerful sunshine last week that was able to melt many of the lakes down to bare ice. Gunflint turned dark gray overnight, before getting 10 inches of snow dumped on top of it causing the lake ice to become pressured and unstable, which are adjectives normally assigned to things like atomic bombs, or Trump rallies.
The storm might have been the last significant blow of the season, since it is already beginning to recede each day, even though overnight temperatures are still subzero. The ground is too warm for the ice and snow to hang on for long, and soon enough it will be spring outside instead of just on the calendar.
Meanwhile, we are vacationing to the Florida Keys in search of sunshine, sand beaches, fruity cocktails with umbrellas in them, and with a little luck, I might even catch a tarpon or two.
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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