Archive for the ‘Outdoor Activities’ Category
A Ski Through George Washington Pines
Thursday, January 26th, 2012
The weather last weekend was perfect – no wind and mild winter temperatures. What better to do on a day like that than go cross country skiing at George Washington Pines. This quiet ski spot is a little less than 7 miles up the Gunflint Trail. You still have cell phone reception in case you are alone (or want to post a great skiing picture to your friends back home on facebook). It is a 3.5k loop that runs through some of the larger pines in our area. When I got to the parking spot, there was only one other car. The trail itself didn’t have a lot of snow, but was well groomed. It is mostly a flat ski with 1 medium size downhill and one large downhill. It is a great spot for people who are new to skiing or just want an easier ski. -Kris
Tags: Cross Country Skiing, George Washington Pines, Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Uncategorized |
Family Vacation on the North Shore (Part 1)
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
Over the years my husband’s family has enjoyed a week together during the summer to get together and catch up with everyone. Before we all had kids we enjoyed some warmer weather climates. Now that we all have kids, we have stayed a little closer to home. This year we all got together in my neck of the woods. We had the whole family here in Tofte and stayed at two Aspenwood townhomes. It was fun to play tour guide for the week!
We started out the week’s event with a trip up to Nanaboujou Lodge. We went to their annual Caroled Dinner. It was wonderful event with mulled apple cider, four course dinner, and a group of carolers singing Christmas music. The atmosphere was perfect with Christmas lights and a huge Christmas tree. I found myself staring at the walls and ceiling throughout dinner because there is so much going on with the beautiful painting.
The next day our group split in two – one set went downhill skiing and snowboarding and the others went skating at the Grand Marais ice rink (with warming house). For those who didn’t bring skates they rented some for $1.00 each! That is some cheap entertainment! The colder weather kept us moving on the ice. When we were finished, some of us went home for lunch and a few others ventured to My Sister’s Place to try the infamous Goober Burger (a burger with peanut butter and mayo)! The week definitely started off well! Warm temps and fresh snow added to the fun.
Look for Part 2 of this story which will include some Cross Country Skiing and a Dog Sled Ride! -Kris
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Uncategorized |
Cross Country Skiing Begins
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
The Norpine Trail Association reports the latest snow base depth of 1-5″ on their groomed cross country ski trail report dated 12/30/11. I am sure that we all have been anxiously waiting for this report and are looking forward to other reports of snow and grooming. We are all ready to begin our adventures in the beautiful, white, and fluffy snow where opportunities exist. Norpine Trail Association talks about how they have been busy grooming the Cascade/Deeryard Lake area, packing and tracking it with a roller. They have opened the Main Pioneer and Main Deeryard loops as far as 18km in a 1 track classic fashion. -Cindy
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Winter Events |
Seagull Beach up the Gunflint Trail
Thursday, August 25th, 2011
This Monday I had the chance to take my son on a little road trip up the Gunflint Trail. Our destination – Seagull Beach - one of the only public sand beaches in our area. We left our home in Lutsen and the outside temperature on my car thermometer read 55 degrees. I thought I was crazy for even attempting the beach when it was so cold, but I could only imagine it was warmer up the trail! If it wasn’t maybe we would go on a hike to keep warm instead!
The drive up the trail was nice. We unfortunately didn’t see any wildlife, but the scenery was worth it. We had a conversation about why the trees didn’t have any leaves and were black because of the Ham Lake fire in 2007. As we reached the end of the trail, sure enough my thermometer had risen to 70 degrees! Yeah – swimming would happen after all.
The Seagull beach is right at the Seagull Lake boat landing. It has a bathroom, flat ground for some games of catch, and a nice picnic table with fire ring close by. You walk below the picnic area to a wonderful sand beach. It isn’t very big, but plenty of room for a few families. We had the beach to ourselves most of the time we were there! The other great part of the area, is you can walk about 200 feet out into the water and it is still only up to your knees – a great spot for toddlers and kids. The water is so clear you can see the ripples in the sand from the waves, any rocks or tree debris and of course fish!
We enjoyed our picnic lunch and made some grand sand castles, which were promptly smooshed by little feet. We also enjoyed the water and walked almost all the way to the deep part of the water. You can see some burned branches and places where the fire had been, but does not overwhelm the beauty of the area.
It took us about an hour and twenty minutes to get from Lutsen to the beach and it was totally worth it! – Kris
Picnic Area
Seagull Beach
Carson testing out the water
Tags: Gunflint Trail, Lutsen, Minnesota, Seagull Beach
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Uncategorized |
Temperance River – Geocaching
Monday, August 8th, 2011
Becoming a state park in 1957, Temperance River was named, they say, because unlike other North Shore streams, the river had no bar at its mouth. Around 1660, when the first white travelers came to the North Shore, the waters of the Temperance River flowed so deep and strong into Lake Superior, that there could not be a build-up of debris, unable to form a “bar”.
On any given summer or fall day, 22 miles of hiking, beautiful waterfalls, picnicking, rock climbing, wildlife, plants and the Shore of Lake Superior can be enjoyed at Temperance River State Park. Because Temperance River is a designated trout stream, along with Chinook Salmon and Steel Head, lake and stream fishing can also be explored.
This Saturday, the park will host Geocaching, an outdoor game with a nature cart, located in the picnic grounds. This rapidly growing, popular sport includes park history, wildlife and hidden treasures.
Temperance River State Park is located on Highway 61, approximately 77 miles north of Duluth, in Schroeder. It is on the way or not far from the home you have rented or one that is available this week or weekend. -Cindy
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Summer Events |
The Gnome Place
Monday, May 16th, 2011
If you’ve spent any time in Minnesota’s north woods, you’ve likely walked through a cedar grove. These lovely trees have sinuous trunks, twisty roots and flat, evergreen “leaves.” A grove of cedars usually filters out most light, leaving an open forest floor and a quiet, special atmosphere.
We have a cedar grove just a short walk from our house, and our children have dubbed it “the gnome place.” They thought the caverns under the roots looked like perfect gnome houses. Friends and family heard about the gnome place and provided them with some garden gnomes to house there. Visiting the gnome place is one of the first things they do as soon as the snow melts. Here are a few photos of our trip there last week. -Kate
Tags: cedars, gnomes, Hiking
Posted in Fun for Kids, Outdoor Activities, Stories and Pictures |
March Gales On Lake Superior
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
Instead of receiving the predicted blizzard on the North Shore last week, we were visited by the Gales of March on Lake Superior. The picture of our Great Lake was magnificent, painted with dark blue, green and sometimes brown. The waves came crashing in with an enormous white cap topping. To add to this beautiful and surreal scenario, was the magnificent artistry of ice sculptures found on rock ledges and cliffs. This scene, I am certain, can only be created by Mother Nature herself. Watching the waves on the shores made me daydream about the tales of Lake Superior. My speculations are that if Lake Superior could talk, the stories would fill the Lake itself. Lake Superior was named Gichigami by the Ojibwe for ‘big water’ and is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It is truly the greatest of the Great Lakes measuring to be the largest, deepest and coldest of the five with an average temperature of 40 degrees in the summer (brrrrr!). The best part about Lake Superior is that it is ‘right out the back door’ and for miles and miles and miles! -Cindy
Tags: Cascade Vacation Rentals, Duluth, Grand Marais, Lake Superior, Lutsen, Minnesota, North Shore, Northern Minnesota, Tofte
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Specials, Spring Events, Travel, Views and Scenery |
The Warmth of Winter
Tuesday, February 8th, 2011
We’re still in what I think of as the “deep freeze” part of winter – the days are still pretty short and the snow, while beautiful, is deep and hard to traverse unless you are on groomed trails. But, very soon, the warmest part of winter will be upon us, and I can’t wait.
Starting sometime between late February and early March, the days get noticeably longer. Nighttime temps are still well below freezing, but sub-zero days are behind us. The longer, sunnier days melt the snow slightly, giving a firmer base for skiing, snowshoeing or sledding. Plenty of people take advantage of these conditions at Lutsen Mountains or the xc trail systems, and they should, because it’s great. But, when I want to get away from the crowds, I head to the lakes. The snow there often forms a crust, making it possible to skate ski across the surface at high speeds.
Steve and I have crossed large lakes at more than twice the speed it would take in a canoe. It’s such a fun way to explore a wilderness lake from a new perspective, noticing otter tracks and bird nests. We’ll often see a wolf kill site. The wolves can run on top of the crusts with their large feet. Deer and moose, with their relatively small feet, “posthole” in the snow and get caught by the wolves. It’s over quickly, and the wolves (helped by the ravens and eagles) leave just a bit of hair and blood to mark the site.
Fast snow is, of course, also great for sledding. The warmer temps make it easier for little kids to stay out all day, building and improving their sledding runs. My 3 kids are already working on their run – from the driveway plow pile, down the drive, where they run into the other plow pile at the bottom. My 9 year-old tells me that the plan is to cut a channel in the second plow pile, allowing them to jump over it and continue down the long slope to the pond. We’ll see if that happens. Either way, I’m sure there will be a lot of excited screams and epic crashes that end in a pile of laughing kids.
If you think you might visit us this winter, I highly recommend March. It’s my favorite month of “Warm Winter.”
Tags: skiing, sledding, snow
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Wildlife, Winter Events |
Beargrease 2011
Tuesday, February 1st, 2011
For the second year in a row we have been able to make it to the Beargrease Mid Distance finish here in Tofte. It is such an awesome feeling to see the teams race down the hill towards the finish line. The dogs and mushers stop for a minute before they go to their trucks so you get a chance to really see the dogs that went through the race. They are always smaller than I think they should be. Some are wearing booties and others are not or maybe they fell off during the race. Most of the time the dogs are quiet, but this year there was one dog who insisted on letting the others know he wanted to race a little more (his picture is below). The local school brings kids to see the race which is a wonderful learning lesson for them on what people can achieve when they put their minds to it.
I was a little star stuck when I saw Jeff King, a 4 time winner of the Iditarod, who was a host of the race. I should have gotten up the courage to ask for a photo with him.
We will also look forward to Mush for a Cure which will be held March 11-12. It has gotten lots of publicity over its fight to keep its name. This local race benefits breast cancer research. It is a fun one to watch too! The race starts on Gunflint Lake and the teams make their way to Trail Center. If you are in the area that weekend, head up the Gunflint Trail for some dog sled excitement! – Kris
Tags: Beargrease, Gunflint Trail, Jeff King, Mush for a Cure, Tofte
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Stories and Pictures |
Country Snow vs. City Snow
Wednesday, January 26th, 2011
I was down in Minneapolis recently, and they have some big snow down there this year. Lots of people were getting out to enjoy the snow in the parks and on the trails, snowshoeing and skiing. But, I also saw lots of people trudging along icy sidewalks on their way to work, sitting in traffic jams and freezing at bus stops. There were plow piles at everyintersection and the streets were covered in dirty snow and ice. I do not miss that part of city life. I much prefer snow up north.
Up here, our snow stays nice and clean all winter long. It’s positively pristine in the woods. Everywhere you look, unblemished white snow stretches off into the trees, just waiting to be explored. It clings to the spruce trees in big fat dollops, like icing, changing shapes when the sun hits them. While the snow is great for sports like skiing and snowmobiling, I think this lovely, powdery snow just begs to be explored on snowshoes. The great thing about snowshoeing is that anyone can do it. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. If you’re interested in trying it during your stay, just give us a call and we’ll direct you to a knowledgeable outfitter.
Another piece of our winter landscape you just can’t see in the city: ice formations on Lake Superior. Even though I don’t live on the lake, I drive past it for long stretches every day. I think it’s especially beautiful in the winter, when the steam rises off it in the morning (because the lake is often warmer than the air) and when you can watch the changing ice formations. Sometimes the lake freezes solid, but more often it freezes at night and thaws in the day, creating ice floes of different sizes, shapes and colors. Sometimes you can even hear them hitting each other with each wave, like windchimes. The waves also create ice sculptures on shore – coating rocks, logs, trees and railings to create fantastic icicles, swirls and domes.
Snowshoeing and ice-watching: Two of the simplest ways to enjoy the North Shore in winter. Of course, there are a million other outdoor activities as well, from ice-climbing to dogsledding, trips are offered most days from January through March. Why not give us a call to help plan your winter adventure?
Tags: Lake Superior, North Shore, Snowshoeing
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Stories and Pictures, Winter Events |
