Outdoors Posts

The Polar Bear Challenge

A few days ago, I arrived home to find my 17-year-old son in a swimsuit waiting for two friends to arrive. One was coming to film, the other was coming to join my son in a dunk in the water.

Not just dumb teenage behavior! The two had been “challenged” by other friends to do this, and those friends had already done the dunk. My son got to pick his own two people to challenge, and so it goes.

Since then, I’ve seen at least four pairs of swimsuit-clad young people desperately searching for open water. Generally there’s another person with a video camera, because as you know, if it isn’t filmed and posted on social media, well it didn’t really happen. I’ve seen them on Park Point near the S-Curve, and just today at the Cribs off the Lakewalk.

If everyone who does this challenges two more people to do it, well watch out because the challenge is coming to you.

Anyone else seen or experienced this?

Fisheye View of Chester Creek

The Sound of Breaking Ice

Pushing my camera through the ice at Stoney Point a few days ago.

The Perilous Inlet (a short film)

Final, scored version of something I’ve released excerpts of over time.

Four harrowing stories from one of Lake Superior’s perilous inlets, as told through the magic of toys.

Native tree and shrub sale order deadline

Friday, April 18, is the deadline for ordering bare-root seedlings from the South St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservation District. The native trees and shrubs come in bundles of 10 and 25 plants. Pickup is May 15-17. Visit southstlouisswcd.org/treeshrub for info and order forms or call 218-723-4867.

Winter Ruled

Highlight reel of sights and sounds from extreme winter 2014.

PDD Drone over the ice … and on the news

The PDD Drone’s latest mission took it to the skies of Grand Marais last week, hovering across the icy shore of Lake Superior. Before the trip, however, the drone and its “pilot,” Cory Fechner, spent some time with the Northland’s NewsCenter’s Kevin Jacobsen for the report below.

Apologies for the commercial before the clip, which we can’t control.

Mont Du Lac Ski & Recreation Area

Mont Du Lac Ski Area

Mont Du Lac Ski Area

I learned to ski at Mont Du Lac with my dad back in the early 1980s. I just came across this picture of the new chalet at the top of the hill and wow! This looks stunning. Apparently it is called the Trophy Lodge. Is it open yet? Has anyone been inside? Is the bar/restaurant open? I’m sure this old news but it sure looks nice. I really need to get back out there and make some turns to check it out. Lots of great memories of skiing with my dad, close calls and goofing off with friends. I remember Ridge Run but wasn’t West and East Bowl called something else back in the day? There also used to be a lift and run off the back side of ridge run.

Mont Du Lac Ski Trail Map

Mont Du Lac Ski Trail Map

Under the Ice at Stoney Point

A Trip to Grand Marais

Feathery Crystals of the Park Point Ice Caves

Search for Atlantis

Painting in the BWCA

Duluth artist Ken Marunowski describes the process of making a wilderness landscape painting.

Fun While it Lasted

People’s Free Duluth Skate Rink now closed for the season, obliterated by snowpacalypse. Here we see it in its heyday, as well as its ignominious conclusion.

It’s not the snowfall, it’s the snowdrifts

“It’s not the snowfall, it’s the snowdrifts.” I just realized that’s kind of a northcountry version of “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”

I give yesterday’s storm about a 6 out of 10 for Duluth snowstorms in terms of intensity and general nastiness. However, I think this might be the biggest drift I’ve encountered in the 12 years I’ve been at this house.

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