The bite of fall has sunk its teeth deep this week and there are more wet, cold, and windy days ahead in the forecast. Traditionally we get a week or two of late summer sunshine during the leaf season, but it might be a short window this season. Fall is arguably the best season of the year for many Cook... READ MORE >
Hard to decide between chasing birds and fishing for outdoor sports enthusiasts this time of year, especially on those magical days when the sun shines. Small game hunters and anglers have overlapping seasons for the next few weeks as the leaves change color and the temperatures drop. I prefer fishing to hunting and have never even shot a grouse before—... READ MORE >
Post Labor Day summer has become my favorite weeks of the year. The kids are back in school with many activities to keep them busy while the lodge and restaurant begin slowing down, allowing me to get some things done before the snow begins to fly. The slow decline in tourism has sparked us to adjust the hours of operation... READ MORE >
The Pincushion maple trees are beginning to turn, and the lakes are cooling off while we enter the beginning stages of fall. Leaves will change colors as the forest ripens, and the wildlife begins to prepare for a long winter ahead. It feels much too soon to start talking about winter. Rachelle and I are still licking our wounds from... READ MORE >
This is the last week of summer vacation for Cook County students, and I cannot believe how fast the season has gone. We tried taking our kids swimming on Seagull Lake for an end-of-summer family day, but instead were faced with misty cold weather that felt like the beginnings of fall. Swimming at the Seagull beach was not happening once... READ MORE >
Residents of Grand Marais are saying goodbye to the summer heat as temperatures drop near Lake Superior this week. Tourists are still lining the streets and waiting in line for a chance to purchase anything to show they have visited the coolest town in the nation. A short drive “over the hill” from Grand Marais presents a very different scenario... READ MORE >
Grand Marais has survived another Fisherman’s Picnic, and everyone in the service industry looks a little worn out. I witnessed the massive amounts of people and vehicles on Saturday while filling a few much-needed gas cans for our rental boats, and Highway 61 looked like the main street at the Minnesota State Fair with hordes of pedestrians making their way... READ MORE >
The window of opportunity is closing fast if you have yet to fill a bucket of blueberries this season. Saganaga Lake patches are quickly drying and most of the ripe berries have fallen to the ground making berry picking difficult. A few miles south, near the Seagull area, the berry patches are slightly healthier this week and I have been... READ MORE >
Summer is escaping rapidly, and the window of opportunity for activities to share with my children is closing as well. Operating the lodge and restaurant takes most of my time, but it is important to make memories with my family despite the daily demands and long hours. Luckily, my family enjoys being on the water and having access to a... READ MORE >
Grab your pail and head up the Trail; it’s blueberry-picking time again. The patches are just beginning to turn blue and already we are seeing some berry pickers parking along the Gunflint Trail. Blueberries grow abundantly near the end of the Gunflint Trail and throughout the BWCA wilderness due to the rockier terrain and history of forest fires. Berry patches... READ MORE >
