Loon Lake Tales

SNOW!!!

2012-01-24T12:10:00.000-08:00

This guy was just sitting outside our window enjoying the new snow.

As I have said before we are having a mild winter. Last week we did get some colder temps - 22 below and last night we got some much needed snow. As I am writing this 5 snowmobiles just came across the our lake from Gunflint Lake. So maybe now winter can begin.

With the cancellation of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Race some locals are going to have a shorter race from Devils Track Lake to Popular Lake ending at Trail Center. There are a number of dog teams in the area and there was a lot of disappointment when the Beargrease couldn't run because of lack of snow. Most of the problems were down in the Duluth area. Now with the new snow there should be no problem having just a local race.

So now after all this talk about winter lets talk about summer! If you need or want a specific cabin or time this summer it is never too early to call. Remember you can check dates and make reservations from our web site or give us a call - 1-800-552-6351.

Tom & Terry

Ice conditions improving!!!

2012-01-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

Looking out the Shack window

Well last night we were at 21 below zero!!! That should add to the ice thickness. It can't happen soon enough because Gunflint Lake and Loon Lake are two of the favorite lake trout lakse in the area. Both are easy for people to get to and year in and year out people have success. Up to this point we haven't seen fishermen pushing their luck and that is a good thing. The smaller lakes have had good ice covering but with Gunflint and Loon both over 200 feet deep it just takes longer and the warmer than normal temps haven't helped. Now if we can just get a good snow storm.

Tom & Terry

Beargrease Cancelled

2012-01-16T13:31:00.000-08:00

For only the second time in its 30 year history the John Beargrease Sled Dog Race has been cancelled. The winter has been very mild to this point and there just wasn't enough snow on the trails to have a safe race for the dogs and the drivers.

The race runs almost 500 miles from Duluth to just past Gunflint Lake and back. It is the longest race in the lower 48 states and has been well attended by the top teams in the country. So if that is your thing you will have to wait another year.

Tom & Terry

Mild Winter

2012-01-08T10:50:00.000-08:00

Well here it is almost the middle of January and we haven't had much for winter weather. Snow has been limited to about 8 inches on the ground. The trail system still has some rocks and stumps you have to watch out for and only the smaller lakes are safe for travel. We have about 12 inches of ice on the bay but I wouldn't go out to the main lake at this point. Gunflint Lake had open water just last week.

Terry has been able to get out skiing just about everyday. She and our neighbor Sue go on the bay and then take the trail back to Crab Lake. Some of the neighbors are also fishing on Crab. So far they have been catching some nice northerns.

So let's all hope for some real winter weather soon.

Tom & Terry

Great Weather

2011-10-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

October weather has been spectacular! Most of our flowers survived the few cold nights we had in September. We had a couple of nights below 30 degrees but the last couple of weeks have been just great. Guests have been able to get out and fish, hike and just enjoy a beautiful fall experience. We all know it will not last forever but you have to learn to enjoy what you have and not worry about what might happen next week.

Flowers going strong in October!!!

Scott, Mike and Austin went fishing most days they were here and had good luck with the northerns. They are going to send pictures so I will post them later. Derick went to Crab Lake yesterday and caught some northerns but he was really trying for some walleye. Today he is fishing Loon to see if he can get some bigger northerns.

Fall Morning

Lots of people around for this late in the season. The fall colors are starting to fade but you can still find pockets of reds and yellows. We will be closing the cabins down on Monday and getting them ready for winter. Hope you had a great summer I know we did.

Tom & Terry

Guests Pics

2011-09-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures that Al took this summer and then sharied with us.

Al in front of Magnetic Rock

View from the top of Bridal Falls

Fall is upon us and the leaves have not reached their peak. Check us out if you are looking for a quick get-a-way. Cabins will be open until October 10th.

Tom & Terry

Dining Room Update

2011-08-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

For the last number of years we have spend most of our efforts updating and improving our cabins. We have put new kitchens, bathrooms, beds, etc in all of the cabins over the last few years. Even this year we redid cabin 1 with a new kitchen and bath but now it was time to work on the Lodge itself. We have been working on the foundation and that is an ongoing job that will take a few years. So the time was right to improve the dining room and porch. As you can see from the pictures we took out the wall and windows between the dining room and front porch. It really opened up the area and made it much brighter. We put down new flooring and we are adding a wood buring stove to the front cornor of the porch. So far the reviews have been positive. Many people had expressed concern when I told them what the plans were but when they see the finished project they agree it was a good idea.

Wood burning stove will go in the cornor.

View from the back of the Dining Room

So we are pleased with the new look and hope you will be too. Thanks to Bill and David for their help. Without which I could have never got the job done!

There are still openings for the fall so give us a call or go to our web site and make a reservation!

Tom & Terry

The Dronecks Invade Loon Lake Lodge!!!

2011-07-31T19:22:00.000-07:00

The Droneck family started the annual family reunion this week at Loon Lake Lodge. Grandpa Stan and Grandma Edie started coming to the Lodge a number of years ago and then 3 years back they decided to try a large family gathering. It isn't easy to get a big family to agree to the same week or the same location for a family reunion. As you can see from the pictures things have worked out just fine.

Hanging out at the beach.

Loon Lake or bust!!

Kids enjoying the kayaks.

Thinking of a family reunion? You need to plan ahead with us and your family. Give us a call, check out our web site and start talking to your family.

Tom & Terry

Recent Pictures!!!!

2011-07-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures sent to us by guests and neighbors. Some fish, some wildlife and just some people! I think they all had a great time while at Loon Lake.

Loon Lake Walleye!!! Caught by Adelle

Laura & nice smallmouth bass

Mother and calf moose

New Owners?? No it is Bill, Amy & Sue

Jesse with his bass

Picture yourself at Loon Lake Lodge and give a call 800-552-6351or book on line at www.visitloonlake.com. We look forward to hearing from you real soon.

Tom & Terry

Cabin 1 gets remodeled!

2011-07-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

We just finished a remodel on cabin 1. We put in a new bathroom and kitchen with all new fixtures, cabinets, flooring and paneling. I am really pleased on how it came out and our guests have been happy with the results.

Fishing Licenses in Trouble!!!

2011-06-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

No Fishing License Sales if Minnesota State Government Shuts Down! If state government shuts down at the end of next week, fishing licenses will not be available for purchase from the DNR beginning July 1. No manual alternate system for issuing licenses will be in place. So if you are coming to Loon Lake or any other resort in Minnesota in the near future you should buy your fishing licenses now. You can go to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources web site and you can buy them on-line or call their 800 number and get one over the phone.

Just in case you are wondering -- game wardens will be working!

The Fishing Season Begins

2011-05-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

We have our first fishing type people in camp. The early reports are the northerns are biting the best! Lake trout have been harder to come by but some are being caught. No sign of bass or walleye. The water is cold with the ice just having gone out on Tuesday and Wednesday. Surface water temps on the main lake were at 37 degrees. So the fish aren't too active in the main part of the lake. The bay is warmer and thus we have seen most fishing done close to the Lodge.

Tom and a northern

15 lb. 5 oz Lake Trout

Kathy caught this nice trout and along with her husband Tom they landed a number of northerns. Fishing should improve over the next couple of weeks. As the water warms the fish will become more active and more likly to take your bait.

Remember we are still running our Spring specials until June 5th and other than Memorial Weekend there are still openings. Check us out on the web or give us a call - 1-800-552-6351.

New Beach?

2011-04-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

New beach for this summer at Loon Lake Lodge. As you can see we added sand, palm trees, new chairs and even thatched roofed huts. We know you will enjoy the improvements! O.K Not really. Terry and I just got back from vacation and this is a shot of Maya Chan beach in Costa Maya, Mexico. We had a great time and would recommend this place if you are ever in that part of the world.

Now back to reality. The shot below was taken about 10 minutes ago from our deck looking down towards the Lodge. We really don't need any more snow this time of the year. Terry and I have been busy cleaning cabins since our return from vacation and new snow just makes it harder.

The bay on Loon Lake 4/23

Upcoming events!! Don't forget we have the Ham Run Half Marathon on May 1st. If you like to run this may be for you. If you would like to help restore the damage done by forest fires the Gunflint Green Up is your event on May 6 & 7. It really is more than just planting trees. Check it out. Finally check out our specials for the spring season. Remember if you like to fish this is the time of year to get out there. Hope to hear from you soon.

Great Day for a Walk

2011-03-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

It is the time of year when you can walk anywhere! There is a hard crust on top of everything from the lake to the woods. Terry and I started at the Lodge and walked on the lake around to the Crab Lake portage. Just like walking on pavement. We didn't see any sign of animals -- no deer, wolves or moose.

I thought the portage would be more of a challenge but it turned out to be easy. A snowmobile had been over the trail so it was packed and crusty just like everything else. Once we hit Crab we headed down towards the narrows but decided to cut through the woods and hit the trail back towards Loon Lake. I climbed up to the top of the cliffs on the south side of Crab and was able to get some nice pictures overlooking Crab back towards Loon.

Looking over Crab Lake with Loon Lake upper left. 3/25/11

There will be only a few days like this. So if your in the area this weekend you are in luck. Enjoy your hike!

Gunflint Green Up

2011-03-23T14:51:00.001-07:00

May 6-7, 2011 will be the 4th annual Gunflint Green Up. If you have

read our blog in the past you know we think it is a great event. Just

about everyone who works or lives on the Gunflint Trail participates.

Plus hundreds of friends of the Gunflint Trail have over the years

have also been involved. This may be the last or almost certainly the

last of this type of tree planting party involving the entire area.

Check out the Green Up web site for additional information and

registration forms. Then if you are looking for a cabin check our

our site and see if we have an opening. We are offering a special

that weekend of $99/nt for up to 4 people.

Great cabin, great cause leads to a great weekend.

Northwoods Spring

2011-03-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought it was safe to put the skis away winter returns! South of us they have been getting lots of snow. Today, and it looks like all of next week, we are getting the colder temps. Right now it is about 15 degrees but tonight they are predicting 8 to 10 below zero. Now that is not nice! A few weeks ago ok but not after we have been teased with some nice 45 degree days. Of course the reality of life is this is normal. Every spring we have these ups and downs with the temps and the snow fall but we tend to forget from year to year or at least I do. Maybe it is my age. Who knows.

The pine martins have been regulars at the bird feeder as of late. This one cleaned out the sunflowers seeds yesterday. They don't seem to have much fear of us. They just turn around an look at you when you start to approach them but if you get too close they take off.

We are booked for the Ham Lake Run but still have space for the Green Up weekend and some availability for Memorial weekend. Great spring rates so check us out.

Redpolls

2011-03-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

The redpolls have taken over the bird feeders! We still have nuthatchs and chickadees but the redpolls have arrived in great numbers. A few of them will sit in the feeder and throw sunflower seeds out onto the ground. Then there must be 20 to 30 of them sitting on the ground waiting to be feed. When you walk outside they all take off and the trees are alive with chirping birds.

We are getting some rain today and the skiing is going to be tough from this point on. The lake has some puddled water but it will freeze again so you will be able to fish for awhile longer but the signs of spring are clear.

Winter season is winding down

2011-03-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

Well here it is the 15th of March and the winter season is starting to wind down. Terry and our neighbor Sue have been skiing the trail to Crab Lake and to this point the snow conditions are very good. With warmer weather during the day the trail will start to ice up and become harder to ski. I skied down at Golden Eagle this weekend and had a great time. The snow was a little sticky but not too bad.

We have some guests out fishing today. So far this winter I think this is our first fishermen of the season. From what I hear this hasn't been a great winter to fish. The lakes have been in good shape with little slush but the fish themselves haven't cooperated. Oh well maybe they will have more luck this summer.

We will be closing for the winter season March 20th and taking a little time off. Then the summer season starts with the Ham Lake Run and the Gunflint Green Up the first part of May. Don't forget the fishing opener May 14th. We still have openings so check out our vacancy calendar and get ready to catch fish!

Hard as Ice!

2011-02-19T14:01:00.000-08:00

Like many of you we had some warm weather this last week. High 40s for a couple of days and it didn't get below freezing at night. So we had 48 hours plus of melting that has lead to some very slippery roads, slushy lakes, poor ski trails and even hazardous walking conditions. It seems that we have a mid February warm spell and then in a short time winter returns. The cold temps have returned and everything is frozen hard and the snow will return soon.

Looking out the bay on Loon Lake

We have been taking a number of reservations for the summer so if you have a specific week or cabin in mind for this summer it isn't too early to book. If you haven't been here before and you are looking for a log cabin resort we may be just what you are looking for. Check us out on the web or give us a call - 1-800-552-6351.

Beargrease Race is On!

2011-01-30T15:32:00.000-08:00

The dogs have left Duluth on their way to the Gunflint Trail. The John Beargrease sled dog race is the longest in the lower 48 states. The teams left Duluth starting at 1:00 pm today and they will reach us sometime very early Tuesday. Terry and I will be working a road crossing making sure the mushers can cross the Gunflint Trail safely.

The trail is in very good condition with some fresh snow and the temps shouldn't be a problem. We are expecting lows in the teens below 0 and highs in the teens above 0. It may sound cold for you but the dogs like cooler weather.

January Happenings

2011-01-17T15:07:00.000-08:00

Winter on the Gunflint Trail offers several unique experiences. Most of you know about the skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling but there are other activities namely ice fishing and the John Beargrease sled dog race.

The lake trout season opened this last weekend and that means more action on lakes like Loon Lake. The most popular spot to fish Loon in the winter is accessed from the public landing at the far west end of the lake. There is a shelf that runs along the north side of the lake just down from the landing. It extends about 20 to 30 yards out from the shore and then drops off to depths of 90 feet plus. So people fish the shelf where the fish come up out of the deep water to feed.

For almost twenty years, between 1879 and 1899, John Beargrease and his brothers delivered the mail between Two Harbors and Grand Marais. During winter months deliveries were made using sled dogs and today the John Beargrease Sled dog race is a celebration of those years. The race is the longest in the lower 48 states running between Duluth and the Gunflint Trail and back again. Terry and I have volunteer the past few years and have developed a tremendous respect for the dogs and mushers.

The past two years the race course comes down the length of Loon Lake. The teams come off the lake at the Lodge and then up our drive to cross the Gunflint Trail and then run the state snowmobile trail back towards Duluth. We have a front row seat from the house.
.

Jerry and a nice Loon Lake trout

Dog team heading towards the Lodge

Winter at a Northwoods Log Cabin

2010-12-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

The weather outside is beautiful today! It is about 23 degrees and sunny with no wind. It couldn't be any nicer for this time of year. You may not know that we now are renting out the Shack for winter guests! It is a great cabin with king beds a full living room with wood burning fireplace and a complete kitchen. We just recently finished replacing all the old leaky windows with new ones and putting in a new high efficiently furnace. So, even if you don't want to use the fireplace you are toasty warm.

Shack Living Room

Shack Kitchen

The rest of the Lodge is not open. It is like going to your own cabin in the woods except it is warm and clean when you get there and when it is time to leave you don't have to worry about closing the place down.

If you are looking for a winter log cabin rental check us out.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2010-12-22T16:26:00.000-08:00

We did not get our Christmas cards out this year there was just too much happening. So here is our Christmas blog. We celebrated Christmas early with our daughter Lindsay and her family visitling from Alaska and our son Adam and his family were up from Duluth. The kids were excited to open their gifts early!

Lindsay and Adam

Mya, Lindsay and friends

Hannah

Tanner and Mya

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS --HOPING YOU HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

TOM & TERRY

Lots of Snow

2010-12-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

Here it is just the first part of December and we have had lots of snow. Officially we have gotten over 25 inches so far! At this rate we should have a good winter for all of our outdoor sports. The cross country ski trails have been packed but not groomed as of yet and the snowmobile trails are still being cleared of summer blow down. The smaller lake are frozen over but the main part of Loon and Gunflint are still open with much sign of freezing.

The bay 11/29

The Bay covered with ice 12/3

Terry is already to start skiing and I am ready to watch her. Hope you are all getting ready for the Holidays and enjoying family time.

Most of our weekends are booked but there are still midweek nights open and weekends in January so check us out www.visitloonlake.com

Quiet Time

2010-11-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

This is a quiet time of the year on the Gunflint Trail. Many resorts are closed during this time to give the owners a chance to recharge their batteries and get ready for the winter season. The weather has been great. Temps have been above normal and it has given Terry and I a chance to do some hiking and just enjoying the area. Summers are busy and we miss out on doing the things many of our guests come here to do.

Grandma Terry and Tanner

Our daughter Lindsay and her family are back from Alaska. They are building a log cabin that replaces a cabin that was lost in the 2007 Ham Lake fire. We don't know how long they will be here but we are thankful for whatever time we can spend with the grandkids. We don't get to see Tanner and Mya very often so we are glad they are here during the quiet time of the year.

If you are looking for a quiet few days in the woods give us a call. We are offering the Shack at $89 a night for 2 people from now until the 12th of December! Check it out at www.visitloonlake.com

Beautiful Weather!!!

2010-10-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the weather. It has been just beautiful the last couple of weeks. Temps have been 10 to 15 degrees above normal and Terry and I have taken time to enjoy the wonderful days of Indian summer. So much so we have been slacking off getting the resort ready for winter but that will get taken care of soon or later.

Yesterday we walked to Bridal Falls. This summer the Youth Conservation Corp came in and cleared the trail to the Falls. After the Ham Lake fire in 2007 it became difficult to walk the trail because of new growth of Aspen, raspberry bushes and just brush. If you haven't done the trail, it is part of the Border Route Trail and it goes from the Lodge around Crab Lake almost over to Gunflint Lake then to the falls. It take about 2 hours to get all the way to the falls and is a moderate walk.

It was a great walk with a number of great views along the way. We also saw a number of ruffed grouse along Crab Lake. When we got to the falls we sat down in front of the falls and had a leisurely lunch before heading back to the Lodge.

Signs show the damage from the Ham Lake fire.

Low water at Bridal Falls

Dinning Room Closes for the season.

2010-10-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

We had a very good summer season which kept the dinning room busy. We started serving meals in May this year. If you were here in 2009 you may remember we had to wait until July because we were working on the Lodge. Well that work was finished and we were able to open this year by mid May. We added a new chicken dish this year and we are making plans to change one or two meals for next year. Our rib dinner continues to be one of our most popular meals followed closely by walleye, steak and duck. The big surprise this year was the popularity of our meatloaf. It is one of the old-time Loon Lake Lodge recipes from the Taste of the Gunflint cookbook.

So thank you to all who made this a great summer season and if you are looking for a winter retreat check out our winter page. We will open after the first of December so give us a look.

Fall colors peaking!!

2010-09-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

If fall colors are what you are looking for, you should make plans soon. I took this picture from our house yesterday. The leaves are just about at there most colorful. Driving the Gunflint Trail you will see lots of reds and yellow along the road. Maple Hill just out of Grand Marais is very colorful right now. So you have less than a week for peak colors in this area.

We still have some openings starting on Sunday so check out our fall specials and give us a call.

Fall is in the air!!!

2010-09-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

I think it is safe to say summer is over. We have had some cool temps in the morning. We dropped to the low 30s a few days ago. This causes fog in the morning to lay over the warmer water creating a beautiful scene.

The fog stays around until the sun heats up the air and burns it off. A great time to sit on the dock and just take it all in.

The leaves are also starting to turn but not as fast as I would have thought. Moisture or lack of it is a major factor in leaves changing colors and we had a very dry summer. So I thought by this time we would have more yellow in the bay.

We are going to try and keep all of the cabins open until the 10th of October so check out our fall specials and give us a call.

Some excitement!!

2010-09-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

We had some excitement just before the Labor Day Weekend. A small fire became visible just a couple of miles west of Loon Lake. The Forest Service says it was started by a lighning strike from a thunderstorm that passed through 7-10 days before. When it was all over it burned less than 60 acres and we were never in any danger but the air show was impressive.

First on the scene was the Beaver aircraft. They are used to spot fires and fly over the area one to three times a day depending on the fire danger. They were called in to assess the danger posed by the fire and what resources should be called apon. It was decided to let it burn but not to the area where it would be a danger to people or structures.

Then large Bombardier CL215s were called in to drop water on the north and east perimeters of the fire. They would come towards Loon from the west down the bay then turn and land on the main part of the lake. They never stop but drop a 4 inch pipe into the water and fill up their tanks on the move then power up and take off. They would circle back to the fire and repeat. This went on for 5 hours a day for a couple of days.

So it is all over now. It is an interesting thing to watch how professionals deal with fire.

Crab Lake Trail/Bridal Falls Trail

2010-08-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

Good news for our hikers. The Conservation Corps has cleared the trail to Crab Lake and around Crab to Bridal Falls. The trail to Crab hasn't been too bad but it was cleaned up and the grass was mowed. It hasn't been possible to get to the Falls from Loon Lake since the fire in 2007. That area around Crab Lake was burned and when summer came brush and raspberries took over the area and it was impossible to even find the trail from the end of the Lake to the Falls. Terry and I walked part of the trail today and it is very easy to follow even better than before.

Big lake trout are still being caught on Loon. Joanne Johnson caught this 16 pounder just last week. Very nice.

Boys can catch fish too!!!

2010-07-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

We continue to have some nice lake trout caught here at Loon Lake. The women had been been successful in May but the men are having more success as of late. Here are two examples of fish brought in this week. The first one is 16 pounds plus and the second fish was almost 9 pounds. Both were very nice fish.

New Hiking Trail

2010-07-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

The Centennial Trail is one of the newest hiking trails on the Gunflint Trail. It is a combination of the Kekekabic Hiking Trail and a new trail cut along what was the Port Arthur, Duluth & Western Railroad. This was the railroad that was built to haul iron ore out of the Paulson Mine. The trail ran from what is today Thunder Bay to the north side of Gunflint Lake and then onto the site of the mine. Built in the early 1890's by hand with much of the work be done by Italian immigrants for Canada. After all of the work, only one car load of ore was ever taken from the mine before it failed!

The first 1.2 mile of trail is along the Kekekabic Trail which has been around for many years. It starts on the Gunflint Trail and ends outside Ely and is well maintained. Just after you come to the Paulson Mine you will cut back to the east and follow the new Centennial Trail. This was cleared late in 2009 by retired smoke jumpers. Every year they clear different trails around the country for public recreation. It is called the Centennial Trail because the Superior National Forest was 100 years old in 09.

The Centennial follows the old grade and is a diffuculte hike. The old trestles are gone and you have to climb up and down hills in a number of locations but I think it is a wonderful hike. Total length is about 3 and a half miles counting the part of the Kek you also hike. You will see old test pits, the Paulson Mine, historic railroad bed of the PAD & W and some great vistas of the area.

Sign at the Kekekabic Trail Sign at the Centennial Trail

It is a great hike but it is not for everyone.

Big Fish

2010-07-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

People always ask about fishing. Do you have fish in the lake? Does anyone every catch big fish?

Well here are some of the fish caught this year so far. The first big fish of the season was a 17 pound

plus lake trout caught on Loon Lake by Carol. The next day her friend Kathy caught this very nice northern. Their husbands didn't have as much luck but as long as your wife can catch fish what do you care.

Herold and Matt Becker had a great week of fishing. They tried Loon, Little Iron and Crab Lakes and had good luck on all of them. They fished a few hours a day and were able to catch northerns, bass and walleye. The largest was a 28 inch walleye and it was a beauty. They also had a nice stringer of walleyes later in the week

So if fishing is your thing -- good fishing can be found on the Gunflint Trail. Check us out at www.visitloonlake.com.

Family Time

2010-07-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

The season has been moving along faster than I want. Blogs are always hard to get to. Never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done. We have been working on the Lodge and the cabins. We now have finished the new Lodge roof. New roofing and a lot of new wood. It looks very nice. Cabin 2 and 3 have new bathrooms. Cabin 3 is completely new from the ground up and cabin 2 got new flooring and a new shower. We are now finishing new steps from cabin 7 down to the lake. We will add a new dock and low voltage lighting along the steps so when you come in from fishing you can dock there and find your way up the hill!

We just had our first family get together of the summer. The Sheatsley family from Minnesota and West Virginia were able to spend some time together here at the lake. Jim and his wife Sandy meet up with his sisters and their families in the cities and then most headed to Loon Lake for a few days of great family time. They spent their time swimming, sitting around the campfire and just hanging out. As far as I could tell there was now fighting and they all left as friends. Jim's parents started coming to Loon Lake in the early 70's.

You still have time to book your stay at Loon Lake this summer. Check out our web site and see what cabins are open. We would love to have you visit soon.

New Season

2010-05-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

We have been doing some travelling ourselves the last month. We were in Alaska for 2 weeks with our daughter Lindsay and her kids Mya and Tanner. They live in Anchor Point which is close to Homer. Time with the grand kids is aways great. In that area eagles and moose are common sites. There are literally hundreds or bald eagles. This one was just sitting along the road. The moose seem out of place in town. I didn't have my camera with when we saw one standing in front of the bowling alley or another time when a young bull was just walking through the McDonald's parking lot!

Things are happening on the Gunflint Trail. Last weekend we had the Ham Lake Run. It is a half marathon that runs from Gunflint Lake to the end of the Trail--13 miles plus. There were 190 runners and we were lucky to have a beautiful day. Everyone seemed to have a good time. Just so you know neither Terry or I ran the race. I know you are all surprised.

The weekend there is Gunflint Green Up. This will be the forth on these events to help replant the area burned over during the Ham Lake fire back in 2007. Over the past years we have had hundreds of people travel from all over the country to help in our efforts. We have dinner on Friday and Saturday nights with entrainment and during the day on Saturday we work. This year we will release the trees that have been planted in years past. That means we will cut down the junk growing right around our planted trees to give them a better chance to survive. Check it out at the Green Up web site.

Fishing season is just around the corner so check out our spring specials!

The last good weekend?

2010-03-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

The last good weekend? The boys from Duluth were up last weekend and it was just great. The weather was ideal and all of the trails were in generally good shape. We skied the Banadad Trail on Saturday and around Loon Lake on Friday and Sunday. As the sun rose higher in the sky the trails did slow down and got a little slushy. Then you would hit a shaded area and they were icy. That made some of the skiing challenging especially if you were going down in the shade and then hit a spot with the sun was shinning. You would slow down in a hurry. One time I went end for end with a beautiful face plant to finish it off. The picture is of John and Greg at the west end of the Banadad Trail.

Summer is coming and we have some early season specials we are running. Check us out on the web to get all of the latest specials.

Great Weather!!

2010-03-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

This post is for Mary. She is our neighbor and she emailed me to let me know it has been a few weeks since my last post. I need an occasional push to get this done. So thanks Mary.

The weather has been great as of late. It gets up to 30 degrees during the day and then drops back down to 0 plus or minus a few degrees at night. With that type of temperatures the snow stays firm and you can ski, snowshoe or snowmobile anywhere. The top picture is me with my sister Dawn (far left) and daughter-in-law Janelle overlooking Gunflint Lake. It was a beautiful day with a lot of sunshine. The lower picture is of our granddaughter Hannah. She looks a little like a bobble head doll with her dad's helmet on. Everyone got out and enjoyed the day.

Just a couple of reminders -- Ham Lake Half Marathon is May 2nd and the Gunflint Green Up weekend is May 7 and 8. Check out their web sites. We have had a great time the past few years at both events. No we don't run the race but we do volunteer and the Green Up weekend is always fun. It looks like we will be helping serve the food this year so we get a chance to talk to all of the people.

One more reminder--it is time to check your summer vacation dates. Check out our web site to see what dates are available and if you want you can even make your reservation right online. It is easy and quick.

The dogs are running!!

2010-02-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

The John Beargrease Sled Dog Race is off and running. The end of Gunflint Trail is the half-way point of the 390 mile race. The first teams got to Trail Center early last evening and most teams rested 4 to 6 hours. Terry and I were manning the crossing at highway 92 which is the road to the Iron Lake campground. We just had to make sure there was no car traffic to interfere with the racers. We had lots of dog teams but not one car! The first teams were heading back to Duluth by midnight and there are a number of teams in the hunt. The 92 crossing is one of the few were teams are going up to the final loop on Gunflint and Loon and then heading back to Duluth so there was a lot of times to record. That makes the time go by quickly when you our sitting out in the woods most of the night.

The pictures are of team number 4 which is the last place team at this point. He is running about 10 hours behind the leaders. The one shows the team approaching the Lodge follow by one of them heading up our driveway.

We always have fun watching the different teams. Weather is perfect for the dogs with temps ranging between 10 below and 10 above. Most mushers prefer the colder temps to keep their dogs from overheating.

Have a good day and remember it is time to starting about summer!!!!

Great Day

2010-01-31T13:32:00.000-08:00

Terry and I had a chance to go out snowmobiling today. We don't get out too often and it was a great day. Rollie and Mary from the north side of Loon Lake along with Terry and I went down to Hungry Jack Lodge. The weather is nice with the temps around 0 but it was sunny. We took the snowmobile trail down and it was a bit rough. They haven't groomed the trail lately and it showed. We meet some friends from Gunflint for lunch. Everyone had a good time. On the return trip we followed the lakes which made for a smoother ride. No major problems but we did hit some slush on Little Iron Lake.

The John Beargrease Sled Dog race is off and running today. They leave Duluth and follow highway 61 to Grand Marais then up the Gunflint Trail as far as Gunflint Lake then circle back to Duluth. We watch them come across Loon Lake and up to the Lodge following our driveway to the snowmobile trail. The entire race take a little more than 3 days.

It won't be too long until spring!!

Mild Weather

2010-01-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

We have been having great weather this past week. The high temps are 28 to 34 degree range everyday! It has been great weather to get out and enjoy the woods. Our granddaughter Hannah enjoyed a day of sliding down the hill behind cabin 2 with Grandma. Like with everything there is a not so nice side to the warm weather and that is a lack of real good snow. Yes we do have snow but we could use more. Sounds like it is coming this weekend. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Some upcoming events will be the John Beargrease Sled dog race which leaves Duluth the end of January. The last I heard it will come through Loon Lake again this year. The dogs always impresses me with their strength and desire to run. Something to see.

Winter Tracks will be taking place the later part of February. I will get you some updates on what will be happening around the Trail during that weekend.

With the great weather there is always something to do on the Trail. Remember the Shack is open with some great mid-week rates. Give us a call - 1-800-552-6351.

Update

2010-01-04T14:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been so long. Where does the time go. I know I should be better at this but there never seems to be enough stuff to write about and the next thing you know it has been 7 months!! My New Year's resolution is to do a better job on updating the blog. So there you have it. Help me keep my resolution and email me if I start to fall behind.

Since last I wrote a few things have happened -- like an entire summer season! We did rebuild the front of the Lodge building and put a new roof on the front of the building. This next spring we will finish with the roof project and put new flooring in the dining room. We upgraded the sprinkler system and did extensive brushing around all of the buildings. I didn't know if people would like the open feeling but it has been well received. Steve returned for his second season. He didn't get out fishing as much as he wanted but it is nice for us having someone around who knows how everything works. Joining Steve this year was his brother John. Both guys are in college this year -- Steve at the University of Minnesota and John at the University of Wisconsin. We don't know if either will return for another summer season.

Over all the summer was cooler than most. We had our nicest weather in late August and September. Considering the economy was down we had a good summer. Things started out slow and picked up in July and August. Many guests from past years and a few new faces trying us out for the first time. The biggest group of the summer was the Droneck family get together the first week of August. The biggest fish of the summer (pictured above) was caught by Jake DeWoskin group in May. It was a very nice Lake Trout over 15 pounds. Biggest surprise of the summer was a cougar siting by Mike and Anita Focht. They were driving up the Gunflint Trail just about a mile from our drive and saw it crossing the road. Since then there have been other sitings in the area.

These are just a few of the things I should have been writing about but that is in the past. Winter is here and we have about a foot of snow on the ground. The lake is frozen with 14 inches of ice in the bay and the Shack is open for those of you looking for a winter experience. It has been a little on the cold side these last few days but Terry is out skiing most days and says the conditions are great. Give us a call if you are looking for a winter retreat.

The ice is gone but........

2009-05-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

Well the ice went off the lake mid week and things looked great. As you can see by the picture things have turned cold again. We woke up this morning to the new snow. It really isn't that unusual to have snow opening weekend but that doesn't mean we have to like it. The good news is that it won't stay around very long. Warmer temps are predicted for later in the week.

We have been working on the Lodge building. Last fall we cut out a portion of the front wall, the end of the porch and parts of the dining room floor. We then pored a concrete footing along the front wall out to the porch. Taking off the roofing, replacing roof boards and starting to replace the front wall are the first order of business this spring. We want to keep the old Lodge building but it was time to do some major repair work. The dining room will not open until mid June at the earliest.

Our new online reservation program has been very well received. The nice thing about it is you can also check for availability to help you plan for your summer vacation. So give it a try and let us know what you think. Don't forget we are running specials until the end of June!

If you look closely at the picture you can see a boat just off to the left of the birdhouse. We have some hard core fishermen trying their luck.

Fishing Opener is coming!!

2009-05-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

The fishing opener is just 3 days away and with any luck the ice will be off the lake. I took this picture yesterday from our deck. With some wind and a little rain it should be gone within a day or two. With the ice going out this close to the opener the fish should be in shallow water and most likely near the river coming from Little Iron/Little Mayhew. Minnows and frozen ciscoes are always a good bait early in the season.

If you are looking for a lakefront log cabin we are running specials during the early part of the season. Be sure to check them out and also check out our new online booking. We have been using it for the last couple of weeks and so far people seem to like the ease in checking availability and making a reservation. Make sure you let us know how it works for you!

Boys' Weekend

2009-03-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Each year three of my close friends come up from Duluth for a boys' weekend. We ski, snowshoe, hike whatever the weather allows. This year we hiked over to Bridal Falls which is located between Crab and Gunflint lakes. It was a great day. Weather was just right -- not too cold. It is about a 2 mile hike from the Lodge. Lots of wolf tracks and other signs of wolf activities. The Falls were great but the most amazing thing was the smoke. The area was burned in the Ham Lake May 2007 fire and it is still smoking! Water had been pumped onto the area during the summer of 07 but to no avail. The fire had burned down deep into the duff. Then last March the Forest Service planted dynamite and blew up sections of the area in an attempt to put the fire out but again to no avail. The picture shows the area that was blown up but the smoke is hard to see.

We also spent a day snowshoeing around the area. The conditions were tough. Even with snowshoes we had a hard time in the deep snow. We followed the creek coming from Little Iron to an area where it merges with a creek from Little Mayhew. It then flows into Loon Lake. It is a beautiful area that few people see. I think we will make a trail into the area for summer hiking.

Lots of freezing rain in the area as of late. Spring must be coming soon.

Great Weather

2009-03-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

It has been busy as of late. The weather has been cooperating for the most part. People have been able to get out and do all the winter things. Because the snow is compacted you can easily walk on snowmobile track. You don't need skis or snowshoes unless you go off the beaten trail. Sally, her husband and friends used their snowshoes to get to the high ground above Crab Lake. It is a great view of not only Crab Lake but you can also see Gunflint Lake and Loon Lake. It was a great day with the sun shining and the temps were just right.

Our son Adam was celebrating his 30th birthday with some of his buddies. They snowmobiled from Duluth to Grand Portage where they spent the night. Then the next day they rode the trails up to Loon Lake. They said the trials were in great shape and all had a great time.

We will be closing for the rest of the winter and opening up again May 1st. That will be Green Up Weekend. Check out the web site and see all of the events planed. It was a great experience last year for all who attended.

The Martens are coming!

2009-02-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

Well we have a new visitor to our bird feeder. We call them Pine Martens but they are also called American Martens. They have a long slender body covered in glossy brownish fur with a lighter coloured throat, a long bushy tail and a pointed snout. Like those of cats, its claws are semi-retractable, and aid it in climbing trees. It also has very large foot pads in relation to body weight allowing it to walk on hard snow. This provides the marten with a distinct advantage in areas that receive heavy snows.

They mainly eat small mammals like red squirrels or mice but will eat just about anything. They can be aggressive if cornered but if you leave them alone there is no problem. Their fur looks very soft but I have no plans on checking that out. During the fur trading days their numbers fell when their fur became desirable for coats. Today some trapping is allowed but the season is limited.

We see them mainly in the winter and early spring. Just another of our interesting neighbors.

Running Dogs

2009-02-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

Had a great time at the Beargrease Sled Dog Race again this year. Our part of the race is just a small snap shot. I work with the check in and check out of teams at Trail Center. Reporting times and number of dogs for each team to the race managers. Teams started arriving a 7:15 pm and continued until around 4:20 am after a few hours rest they then started to leave. The last team out left at 6:00am. Temps were in the 20 below range but the dogs were ready to go. I on the other hand was ready for bed!

With the race coming through Loon Lake this year I wanted to get at least one picture of a team coming down the bay. It was about 8:00 am when I thought I saw the first dog approaching but it was just a single dog and it took me a few minutes to realize it was a wolf following the trail of the sled dogs. He walked on the trail from the point across from the Lodge to just short of the boat landing. I quietly watched hoping I could get a good picture but something spooked him and he was gone like a flash. Shortly a team did come around the point heading for the Lodge.

After the teams pasted I headed to bed to get some sleep. Each year I have more and more respect for the mushers and their teams. The race ended with the first team back to Duluth on Wednesday afternoon. If you ever wanted to see a race up close check out the dates for next year. The "Shack" offers a great view of the teams coming down the lake and if you want you can go and cheer the teams on as they come off the lake. I guarantee it is something you don't see everyday.

John Beargrease Sled Dog Race

2009-01-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

For over 25 years there has been a sled dog race commemorating the life of John Beargrease. He and his brothers delivered mail along the North Shore of Lake Superior in the late 1800s. They used a number of different means to move the mail from Duluth to Grand Marais --walking to canoeing and then in the winter, sled dogs.

The race route has changed over the years and this year they will be coming down Loon Lake to the Lodge and travel up our road to connect to the snowmobile trail that parallels the Gunflint Trail. Last year I was a volunteer and it was a tremendous experience. I never knew the physical and emotional strength it took to run a sled dog marathon. The dogs are the most important part of the race and a great deal of effort is put into making sure no animals are hurt. There are veterinarians all along the route to make sure care is available. The mushers themselves are almost secondary.

The race will start Sunday, January 25th in Duluth and will finish sometime on the 28th back in Duluth. The exact time they will be coming through Loon Lake is a little hard to estimate. We are around the half way mark so best guess would be sometime Monday night or early Tuesday morning. If you are anywhere along the North Shore, Gunflint Trail or Loon Lake during that time be sure and take advantage and cheer the teams on.

It is kind of cold outside!!

2009-01-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

Well this is a good time to catch up on my reading. My thermometer quit working last night so I checked out the weather station at the Seagull Guard Station. Many of you have seen the place about halfway between Loon Lake and Sag Lake. They have an online weather station and according to them it was 45 below this morning at 7:04. Burrrrrrr. It always surprises me that things work at that temp. Our house was nice and cozy so I went down to make sure the Shack was warm and everything was working just fine. The good news is just about all the slush is gone. When it is this cold everything outside freezes solid.

I tried to take a picture of the birds feeding today but every time I tried they took off. You should see them. They look about twice as big as usual with their feathers all puffed up to keep themselves warm. They were feeding all day just trying to keep moving and to keep their strength up.

Well that is all for now it time to finish that last chapter.

Beautiful Winter

2009-01-09T18:29:00.000-08:00

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! So far we have had a great winter for snow enthusiast. We have been getting some snow about everyday. Some days more than others but I am shoveling the deck every morning. We have had a few snowmobilers by but that part of the season is just getting started. Terry has been out skiing everyday. Right now she heads off to Crab Lake. Larry our neighbor has been grooming and packing the trail so conditions are very good. The lake is a different story. We got a great deal of snow right after the lake froze over. This causes slush. Not very nice for anyone. You can't ski, snowmobile or snowshoe when there is slush on the lake. The good news is we are now experiencing some cold weather and it should take care of the problem in short order.

Just to remind you we do have the "Shack" open this winter. It is a great place to recharge your batteries. It is the only cabin we have open so you have to place to yourselves. Lake trout fishing is generally good on the lake if that is your thing. You can also go cross country skiing right from your door or snowshoe almost any place you would like. It is like having your own place.

Some events coming up that I will write more about later -- John Beargrease Sled Dog Race the end of January and Winter Tracks Festival coming the end of February. Keep checking back to find out more.

Birds, Birds and more Birds

2008-12-30T13:30:00.000-08:00

Ok I know it has been way too long since I last updated our blog. I will once again try and do a better job. Just so you know the summer was great. We had very good help this year with Casey and Steve. Having kids you can depend on make our summer more enjoyable. We did part of a wedding in August and an entire wedding in September. Lots of fun and both went off without a hitch. Finished up the season in October with mainly weekend guests. Most out looking at the leaves and some grouse hunters.

This fall also brought some sad news. Willard Johnson who we bought the Lodge from passed away this October at the age of 95. He along with his brother and a friend bought the Lodge in 1949 and lived to see many changes along the Gunflint Trail. We along with many of you will miss him.

With the onset of winter I have been feeding the birds. This last year we have been trying to learn more about birding. I have three feeders of different sizes with different seeds. They seem to come in waves. We will have 6 or 8 pine grosbeaks come into the big feeder with sun flower seeds. The males are red with gray and the females are mainly gray with some dull yellow. The red-breasted nuthatch is the hardest worker. They just grab one seed at a time, fly off to a near by tree and crack the seed open, eat and start all over again. The black-capped chickadees are our most frequent visitors. They will work the feeders all day.

All of these years I haven't really spent the time to notice the different colors and beauty of birds. So this winter I will keep you updated on our feathered visitors.

Fishing is still very good!

2008-06-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of weeks we have had a number of people out fishing. The Miller party had a good deal of luck over by the river. The top picture is one of Johnathon with a nice northern. The second picture is of Steve who works for us and has caught the fishing bug. He has caught a number of nice northerns and a few decent bass. The Clasen party just checked out today but they caught a nice variety of fish. Wayne caught lake trout, northern, small mouth bass and even a walleye. Yes I know it is hard to believe a walleye on Loon Lake but strange things do happen.

Camp is full tonight. The weather has not been cooperating with people camping so we always get a few people looking for a dry place to sleep. That is great with us because sooner or later most people give up that crazy camping idea and want to vacation someplace with a nice bed and a warm shower and have we got a deal for them.

Fish are biting!!

2008-06-01T18:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been keeping up on my blog. May flew by and here it is June. The ice went out late. Our first guests had to fish over by the river because that was the only open water on opening day!!! The bay was clear of ice by the 11th of May and the main lake went out on the 15th. In the last couple of years we were ice free by the 19th of April.

We have had a good number of big northerns caught in the bay over the last couple of weeks. Our son Adam got this 42 inch monster in just 2 feet of water over by the river coming in from Little Iron. Jerry Hinkle-Johnson brought in a very nice 38 inch northern off our dock last weekend. As you can tell this is the time of year to get the bigger fish when they are up in shallow water. Surface temperature today was 50 degrees. Still a little cold for swimming.

Adam's father-in-law Jack got the nice lake trout off our pontoon dock. Jack has been up a couple of times since the season open and each time he catches two of nice lake trout in about the same spot. Why change?

We still have some good openings in July. Give us a call if we can help out on your vacation plans, 1-800-552-6351.

Spring?

2008-04-23T19:07:00.000-07:00

I was walking on the lake today! That can't be a good sign for people waiting for spring. The ice is still out to the edge of the lake and the river is just starting to open so it will be another week before we can hope to see open water. I saw two pair of Mergansers at the mouth of the river. They are the ducks with the brown heads and the males have a white body and females are brown. We always seem to have more of them than any type of duck.

We have half of the cabins cleaned but they are not complete. We still have to go back and wash all the curtains and clean all the stoves. Jack and Cindy came up from Duluth this last weekend to give us a hand. It is always more "fun" when there are others around to share the cleaning duties. We have to have the "Shack" ready to go for the first of May. Then we will need to have them all ready by Memorial Weekend.

Things are set and ready to go for the big tree planting weekend May 2 - 4. Twelve of us will unload 75,000 seedlings on Tuesday and then position them on Friday for the hundreds of people who are signed up to help get them in the ground. Big dinner, party and dance follows Saturday night. Then on Sunday there will be a half marathon. I won't be running!! I know that surprises many of you. I will be driving behind the runners to lead cars around them since we can't close the Trail to traffic. Should be exciting.

Signs of Spring!!!

2008-04-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not Terry was skiing on the lake just yesterday!! Today however is a different story. The lake is just starting to get dark spots and that means melting. We are getting some warmer weather and rain is predicted before the end of the week. Before long we will start to hear the river run and within a short time loons and other summer creatures will return.

It is hard to get fired up about spring cleaning when you have to climb over snowbanks to get to the cabins. We will start in earnest in the next few days. We are opening early this year with our first guests arriving May 1st. That will be "Green Up Weekend". There are a number of events planned from tree planting to a dinner dance and finally the Ham Run Half Marathon. There has been a great deal of interest and I am sure there will be plenty of people on the Trail.

We are all looking forward to "ice out"!

Snow, Snow and more Snow

2008-04-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

Just when you start to think summer mother nature plays her little game with you! The past couple of days we have received over a foot of fresh snow. The Lodge road was just starting to dry out and we were just getting started with our spring cleaning. That is on hold right now and Terry is back out skiing!! The lake still has over 2 feet of ice and there is very little slush. It wont last too long they are talking about temps in the high 50's by this weekend.

We are really in the summer way of thinking right now. We get excited about the new season, seeing old friends and having open water. We have hired some summer help this year so that will take some pressure off and who knows we may get more work done.

Remember we have discounted rates for May and June. If that is something that appeals to you give us a call. July and August do have some openings and there are always some short stays open around other reservations that would make a nice get-a-way. Stay in touch!

Sad Day

2008-04-05T10:21:00.000-07:00

In our last post I talked about the "Best burgers on the Trail" and Hungry Jack Lodge. Just a few days after that post the main lodge building at Hungry Jack burned. Our hearts and prayers go out to Forrest and Ericka. The good news is that no one was hurt in the fire and I am sure when they rebuild they will be better than ever.

"Best Burgers on the Trail"

2008-03-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

I don't get a chance to go snowmobiling but our son Adam was up for his birthday and we made the best of the great weather. On one of our trips we started out heading down the Crab Lake Trail and then running the length of Crab Lake. As you get to the end of Crab there is a small trail that goes up the hill over to Little Mayhew Lake. This is the area that was hit the hardest last summer by the fire. The view is spectacular from the top of the hill before you head down into Little Mayhew. You look over Crab into the Gunflint Lake area. From Little Mayhew you head to Mayhew Lake. It was long and lots of snow drifts. We hit the main snowmobile trail and headed to Hungry Jack Lake.

Forrest was pulling a truck off the lake when we got there. Quite a site! The girls meet us there - Terry, Janelle and Hannah. We had stopped down to enjoy what are called the "Best Burgers on the Trail". The Place was jumping and Ericka serving food downstairs in the Lodge. The food was very good and if you are looking for a burger while on the Trail during the winter months you have to stop at Hungry Jack Lodge.

Adam and I headed back to Loon this time going on Poplar Lake then Iron Lake and home. It was a lot faster and much smoother than the snowmobile trail. It was a great ride and we both had good day.

Winter Tracks

2008-03-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Winter Tracks Festival just finished up and it was great!! There was something for everyone and most events are free to the public. All of the winter business along the Gunflint Trail and some in Grand Marais participate in this 5 day event. Just to give you some idea on what goes on there is everything from seminars to snow sculptures and northwoods crafts to knitting by the fire. There are events for cross country skiing to snowmobiles and kids to adults. There is truly something for everyone.

Terry and I even got to a few of the events. We stopped by Heston's Lodge on Gunflint Lake. There Barb was cooking pizza in an outdoor wood-fired bread oven. She had all the toppings and it was some of the best pizza I have ever tasted. So we stayed for more. I will admit it was somewhat cold outside but with oven fired up it wasn't too bad.

We drove around the area and took some pictures of the snow sculptures. All I can say is there are some very talented people up here. They started with a 5 foot by 5 foot block of snow and then started carving away. They made everything from a dog team to a snow wood stove. They had them placed along the Trail and at different resorts. They were all well done.

There was a dinner for all at Gunflint Lodge followed by a dance. It was well attended by over 200 people. So next year if you are looking for a late winter get-a-way consider the Winter Track Festival.

Winter Camping

2008-02-24T14:29:00.000-08:00

Many of you have meet Jerry Henkel-Johnson and his family over the years. They have been guests for over 20 years and know the area well. This year Jerry and a couple of his buddies wanted to try winter camping. I too have thought about it but never had the courage! Well Jerry and his friends picked the weekend to give it a try and what a weekend to pick. The temps dropped to -25 below and the winds were gusting up to 35 miles per hour. Now that is cold. They laid down a tarp and put some camping pads down next. Then came the sleeping bag and they would pull the tarp over the sleeping bag. Sleeping under the stars with the wind and the cold. Burrrrr. Not one night but two!

They did have a cook tent in which to do the meals but for the most part they spent the weekend out in the elements exploring and fishing. I give them credit. Jerry did catch one very nice lake trout - around 15 pounds. I think he earned it. Overall he said it was a great weekend and he is ready to go again.

Little Iron & Tucker Lakes

2008-02-11T08:28:00.000-08:00

Snowshoeing Saturday

Terry and I got a chance to get over to Little Iron & Tucker Lakes on Saturday. It was a nice temperature but it was snowing like crazy. We walked the shoreline of Little Iron and there were tons of animal tracks. Mostly deer tracks but there were also some signs of wolves. This year we have seen more wolves than ever before. In years past you would see signs of wolf activities but almost never accually see the wolf but that has changed. On this day we just saw the tracks of one or two wolves. Over on Tucker we saw few tracks but ran into some slush. Never fun because it builds up on your snowshoes and soon they wiegh a ton. It was a great day but couldn't take any pictures because of the heavy snow.

The picture I used today is one taken from the house. It is cold today -25, so there won't be any walking today maybe just a good book by the fireplace.

Great day for skiing!!

2008-02-06T13:37:00.000-08:00

Terry and I enjoyed a great day skiing. We headed out onto the lake and then over to the Crab Lake Trail. The weather is just right with a bright sun and nice temps. For those of you who have walked the trail in summers past there have been some changes. The fire last summer burned over the trail in many areas. You can see things you have never seen before. You really have a better sense of the surounding area. We didn't make it all the way to Crab Lake but we will next time.

Our First Posting

2008-02-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Hi To All,

We are going to try and keep you all up to date on what is happening at Loon Lake. Winter activities, where the fish are hitting, new hiking trails, great canoe day trips and other things going on here at Loon Lake Lodge. So keep checking and if you find something that interest you let us know at info@visitloonlake.com.