Outdoors
Snow Day
What Four Mile Portage did with the snow day.
Employment at Chester Bowl
Snow making started a couple weeks ago at Chester Bowl. With this snowstorm and the stolen lift chair returned, the hill should be ready to go for the projected December 14 opening date.
Thom Storm, who has operated the ski program at Chester since the 70s, is planning to retire at the end of the 2015 ski season. Clearly, those are going to be some big shoes to fill, and the Chester Bowl Improvement Club is looking to hire someone to begin working with Thom this year.
Also hiring:
ski instructors and snowboard instructors.
Check the links for more info.
Snowmaking photo by Jeremy Kershaw.
Paved Trails at Hartley
I was out at Hartley Park this morning and saw that someone had posted signs letting visitors know that the city is considering paving a bunch of trails there. I looked up the mini master plan for Hartley that SRF Consulting Group prepared, and it does indeed call for paved trails running through the park to provide access for bikers, wheelchairs, and parents with strollers. I’m curious about what other PDDers think of this proposal.
Local owl lands in national bird magazine
The new issue of Birds & Blooms (cover date: Dec/Jan) features this image of a blue moon boreal owl shot by Duluth’s Ken Greshowak.
Time Lapse Video: The Deeps
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYA7TnYT27M
The Northshore streams are starting to ice over. The sunshine of the past few days have made them even more magical. In this short time lapse video taken Thursday afternoon, 10 minutes are reduced to 15 seconds. Enjoy some serenity on Amity Creek.
Amy and Dave Freeman’s Big Adventure
Amy and Dave Freeman of Grand Marais are among ten finalists for National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year. The couple paddled, dogsledded, and hiked 11,647 miles across North America from April 22, 2010 to April 4, 2013.
Northern Lights Over Hawk Ridge
This past Sunday night the Northern Lights shown over Duluth. This photo was taken at about 2:30 a.m. from the Hawk Ridge Viewing Platform. Hawk Ridge is a great place for watching the Aurora Borealis as the viewing platform gives an unobstructed view of the northern and northeast skies over rolling hills with very few lights to ruin the experience.
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The Swinging Bridge at Jay Cooke
It’s back, as of Nov. 1.
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Stone-Arch Bridge and Haines Road open
The Stewart Creek Stone-Arch Bridge at Magney-Snively Natural Area (State Bridge Number L6007; built circa 1925) has been repaired from damage sustained during the Hideous Solstice Flood Calamity of 2012. The bridge had sustained significant flood damage and deterioration to the abutment walls, stone-arch underside, headwalls, wing walls, railing and guard stones. (We’re not sure when that sign was damaged or when it will be pulled upright.) (more…)
A Video Love Letter to Chester Creek
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5y2o2HBOHQ
Previously released segments united under one title, my Chester Creek magnum opus.
Probably the last Superior Hiking Trail post of 2013 … but we’ll see
I’m not sure if this is called Fox Farm Pond or Paisley Pond or both, but it’s funky as hell.
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City proposal to privatize 17 Park Point street-ends?
I’m wondering if anyone has heard of the city proposal to “privatize” 17 Park Point street-ends? Maybe this is old news?
Below is a letter from Dawn Buck, president of the Park Point Community Club, from this month’s Breeze of Park Point newsletter:
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Self Portraits While Checking Camera Settings, Summer 2013
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4JTNx_YMTQ
Every time I turn my GoPro on to check the settings, it takes an accidental self-portrait. I junked the first ones before realizing these random shots could function as a record. So this is what summer 2013 in Duluth, MN was like, which I spent dressing as Aquaman and recreating in the water.
Jay Cooke State Park Survey
The DNR is asking whether or not to open the road from Fond du Lac.
Feet of Lake Superior
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqbdvCpgT7I
A brief tour of Lake Superior — by foot.
Fauna of Lake Superior
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llg8rejFJ44
All the random animals that have crossed my path over 3-4 years of summer lake videography, familiar for the most part to regional residents. There were others that didn’t make it on video including river otter, sturgeon, various birds incl. loon seen threading between underwater boulders.
Getting Lost in the Valley of Silence
Yesterday I had a rare 90-minutes to myself and after some meandering I ended up behind St. Scholastica looking for the sunset. I never really did find it, but I did see some other stuff.
Piedmont Trail Hike
It’s a beautiful day to hike in a Duluth Park.
Duluth Parks Blog
If you are interested in Duluth city parks you might be interested in my parks blog:
Portable Amateur Radio from All Duluth Parks
kd0etc.blogspot.com
Seven Great Minnesota Fall Color Drives
Bob Berg wrote a great article in Lake Superior Magazine about “7 Great Fall Drives” to check out the changing colors. Let’s add to the list. What are some of your favorite Minnesota fall color drives in Duluth and along the South and North shores of Lake Superior? You can see the current fall color reports here.
I’ll start with the Temperance River road. The over-hanging canopy acts as a colorful tunnel as you make your way from Highway 61 north. You migth as well hit the Trestle Inn for a beer while your up in that area.
Lake Superior Aquaman Highlight Reel
Summer 2013 at various Lake Superior beaches and Lester River swimming holes.
Here’s a link to all the original videos if you missed any.
Traps, again
Via Wildwoods Founders:
Yesterday evening, friends called about a red squirrel caught in a leghold trap set on the edge of a city park. We don’t know how long the squirrel had been trapped there. See the brown discoloration on the fur by his mouth? He’d been trying to chew his way out of the trap.
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Rachel Maddow talks EPA MED in Duluth
For those of you who don’t know, we have a branch of the EPA in Duluth called the Mid Continent Ecology Division. Last night, Rachel Maddow used an example of some of the work that is done at MED to demonstrate what could happen during the government shutdown at the EPA. She also uses it as a lead in to an interview with the EPA administrator. And finally, she uses it to demonstrate how old EPA training videos look.
Minnesota North Shore Fall Colors Report 2013
The leaves are starting to fall and colors are starting to change in Duluth and along the North Shore. Let us know where you are in the Northland and if you are seeing any great fall colors yet.
Four main groups of biochemicals are responsible for the various yellows, oranges, reds and browns that we see in the fall — chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanins and tannins. Each has its own color and chemistry. Varying amounts of these chemicals will give subtle variations in color from one leaf to the next or even from tree to tree.
Rainbow over Park Point
From this afternoon.