Poplar Lake Ice Out Earliest in Memory

With temperatures in the 50s an 60s this past week the ice in Poplar Lake melted away on April 18th. We have been living on the Gunflint for over thirty years, for twenty eight of those years we lived on an island on Poplar Lake. So needless to say we kept track of the lake's ice conditions. Ice-out this year is the earliest we have ever seen.

Still Snow on Banadad for the Die-hards

Banadad Ski Trail April 17, 2005

While there is still some snow around or a least on the Banadad, skiing is less then marginal. In the woods most of the snow is gone with only a few patches here and there in the shady areas.

Ice Out on Hooker Lake April 17, 2005

Ice Goes Off Smaller Lakes

The ice when out of Hooker Lake were the Tall Pines Yurt is located on April 16th and sometime during the night of the same day Little Ollie Lake's ice disappeared. The winner of this years "Ice Out" contest on Little Ollie Lake is Jason Sulllivan Chippewa Falls. Jason prize for the closes guess is a Little Ollie Lake T-shirt. Besides the smaller lakes ice going out other sure signs of spring we have seen are yesterdays sighting of a flight of geese headed north, several robins, the return of the eagles and the appearance of pussywillows.

As far as the larger lake ice- Poplar, Hungry Jack, Iron Lakes, etc., it still about a week or so before they will be ice free.

Guess When the Ice on Little Ollie Lake Goes Out

Ice Out in Little Ollie Lake ContestYes there is still snow on the ground. The morning temperature on the first day of spring was 29° but the snow will melt, and the ice will go out. You guess when the ice goes out in Little Ollie Lake this spring and win a free Little Ollie Lake tee shirt. Hint one, last spring the ice went out on. May 2. Hint two, there is about 20" of ice on the lake.
Contact mailto:bct@boundarycountry.com with your "ice out guess," with your name and address."

April Skiing- Banadad Still Open

Banadad Ski Trail- April 8, 2005

Photo taken near the same spot along the trail as the previous trail photo taken on March 28.

The last skiers on the trail were two people staying at the Tall Pine Yurt who skied from the Yurt to the Lizz Lake Portage (5.6 kilometers) and back on April 6. They said the skiing was fine early however by late afternoon the trail became a bit "sloppy." No bare spots and there was only one place that they came across any water flowing over the trail.

Crust skiing in the morning on the Lakes continues to be excellent.

Today at 1:00 PM the temperature is 53 degress.

The Banadad Ski Trail - March 28, 2005

The Banadad March 28, 2005 

From Yurt Log- The Young princess' Yurt Visit

The following story was writer by Karla Miller, my daughter, during her stay with her grand daughter (my great granddaughter) Janaya at the Tall Pines Yurt

4/3/05
There once was a 3 1/2-year-old princess named Janaya who lived in yurt castle with her young royal grandmum amongst the enchanted pines beside Hooker Lake.

The princess and queen had many wonderful adventures including making snow angels (well not really, they went through the motions but this time of year there were no impressions left behind in the crusty snow), following tracks as they walked around the lake, and taking the royal subjects (3 Barbies and 3 ponies and 1 newly acquired rock named Horace) for long rides in the plastic toboggan.

The princess was kind to the woodland creatures she encountered, and delighted the Gray Jays with daily treats. She was also very talented as she performed juggling acts with one, sometimes two, balls, and could also magically make them disappear.*

At night they would lay in their yurt and look up through the glass dome at the twinkling stars. Except for a couple "meltdowns" of homesickness ("I miss my mommy and daddy..."), they were very happy. But, alas, Reality called. Sunday, as always, arrived too quickly, and the pair had to return to the kingdom of Duluth. They shall come back to the yurt sometime, but until then, their memories of their adventures will be carried in their hearts.
Janaya Chambers and Karla Miller

*The third ball was missing before we got here. Someone else had learned of their disappearing powers.

Old Northwoods Lodge Up for Sale

According to Old Northwoods Lodge owner, Gale Quistad, the Resort is soon to be put up for sale. He and his wife Yelana are currently reviewing proposals from several realtors. It is not certain just how the resort property might be listed. Among the proposals currently under consideration in addition to that of selling the property as a resort, the Quistads are considering listing the property as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) similarly to the way Borderland Resort was sold several years ago. Under a PUD the resort would be split into several different parcel and each parcel then sold individually.

Old Northwood Lodge has a long history on the Gunflint Trail. The resort started in the 1930's by Dr Rempel. At that time the resort was called Northwood Lodges. While several of the original cabins built by Dr Rimpel remain, the main lodge building burnt down in the 1960's. After going through several owners following Dr Rimpel, the resort was purchased by Gale Quistad. He subsequently remodel the resort cabins and then build a large new cedar log main lodge building containing three rental rooms, a public restaurant and the owners living quarters. The new lodge building opened in 2001.

First Eagle of the Spring Season Spotted

On April 1, while traveling out of the Croft Yurt along the Moose Trail I spotted my first eagle of the season circling high overhead. I suspect this is the eagle that nest in this area. As I understand it, eagles require open water and that while the lakes are still frozen, this bird should find open water at the mouth of Poplar Creek where it flows out of Skipper Lake.