Monday, January 17, 2011
January Happenings
3:07 PM
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.
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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.
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| Jerry and a nice Loon Lake trout |
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| Dog team heading towards the Lodge |