Brule Bog Hike

This morning Noelle, Parker and I headed east into Wisconsin to do some hiking. We originally had planned on heading to Drummond and into the Rainbow Lake Wilderness, but when we got to Solon Springs I remembered our hike of the Brule-St. Croix Portage and recalled seeing there was a nearby bog walk. And so, we pulled into the State Forest picnic area where we parked and headed out to the Brule Bog Walk on a portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

The walking was on a mostly level tread-way and so it offered easy hiking. The terrain along with the cool temperatures made for good hiking conditions, especially for Parker. The bog turned out to be quite interesting and we enjoyed the green moss and colorful mushrooms scattered about.

We got as far as the Catlin Creek Campsite and then turned around and retraced our route back to the car.

Final Day of Work at Gooseberry Falls

Another look back at the summer of 2010. This time some photos of my summer at Gooseberry Falls State Park.

Feathered Friends Nature Cart

Woodpecker Walk

Lake Superior Day Trivia

Kid's Program

Duluth Summer 2010: A Look Back

waves crash the rocky Lake Superior shore at Gooseberry Falls

With a warm, sunny morning and a cold, windy afternoon, today's weather really set the tone for the beginning of fall. With it being Labor Day and the unofficial end of the summer, I decided to take a look back at the summer that was through a photographic retrospective.

Crib Jumpers

The beach at Park Point

The Rose Garden

handsome cab

Enger Park gazebo

Willard Munger Trail: Jay Cooke State Park to Atkinson

I got on a bicycle for the first time since April today. It had been too long, but it was nice to go for a ride on the Willard Munger Trail. I started my ride at the River Inn Visitor Center at Jay Cooke State Park and rode up the Forbay Trail to the Willard Munger Trail.

Once on the Munger Trail I headed north to where I ended my last ride on the trail, at the weird hollow column with the graffiti inside. Then I turned around and headed south.

The scenery to Carlton was great; riding past the tilted rock formations and over the St. Louis River on an old railroad trestle. There were plenty of late summer wildflowers along the side of the trail.

I stopped in Carlton to use the restroom and got some food at the Little Store before resuming my ride. I ended up riding to the small town of Atkinson where I rested in the grass to the side of the trail before turning around and heading back north.

Grand Portage State Park: High Falls Trail

We awoke from our tent to a chilly morning. I made us a hot breakfast of museli before we packed up camp and hit the trail. The going was pretty easy today (other than Noelle's boot cutting into her heel) and the hiking went quickly.

When we got back to the car we decided to check out part of the reason for the Grand Portage's existence: the High Falls of the Pigeon River. The drive up to the northeastern-most section of Minnesota is very scenic, featuring some very rugged topography. The hike at Grand Portage State Park was a short mile round-trip hike along a gentle, paved trail. The falls themselves were impressive and it was easy to see why a portage would have been necessary.

From the falls we drove south to Grand Marais where we ate a late lunch at the wonderful Gunflint Tavern. We even stopped at World's Best Donuts for a doughnut for dessert before heading further south to Duluth.

Grand Portage National Monument

Last night after work, Noelle and I headed up the North Shore bound for Grand Portage. Seeing as it was a bit late and we were both tired, we made it as far as the parking lot for the trail that leads up Carlton Peak. We slept in the Subaru for the night.

This morning we woke up bright and early and hit the road. We made it to Grand Marais where we got coffee and muffin tops for breakfast and then drove up to Grand Portage. Our first stop was the Heritage Center where we checked out the exhibits and watched a short film about the monument. Then we headed over to the reconstructed fur post. It was interesting to see how life in the late 1700s and early 1800s in the frontier would have been. We attended a short program on how people throughout history have started fires and saw one of the interpreters playing bagpipes as well.

After touring the post we obtained a permit to camp at the Fort Charlotte site. It would be an 8.5 mile hike from the Heritage Center to our campsite.

The hiking was pleasant and the weather was gorgeous. We saw a few birds and chipmunks, but none of the moose or wolves we were really hoping to see. The most interesting part of the hike occurred when the portage trail passed near a beaver pond. While the resident beaver(s) were nowhere to be found, it was interesting to look around at the plants and birds.

Soon after leaving the beaver pond area, we arrived at the Fort Charlotte site where we set up camp and explored a little bit. Fort Charlotte was the site of the beginning of the portage around the waterfalls and rapids of the Pigeon River.

 Our dinner consisted of Thai rice noodles and couscous. We even enjoyed relaxing around a fire before retiring for the night.

Tettegouche State Park

I took it easy yesterday, since it rained hard pretty much all day. As a result, I was itching to get outside and do some exploring. I headed up the North Shore and past fair Gooseberry Falls to Beaver Bay where I walked down to the private beach that's open to the public to explore a bit and look for agates. The agate search was definitely successful. That beach contains more agates than any other beach I've gone agate hunting for along the North Shore.

After some agate hunting I headed up to Tettegouche State Park where I drove up Palisade Head for the first time. Wow!

There are some great views from the top of the road and some even better views from the summit of the rocky hill. I drove down the hill after about an hour exploring and walking up and down the trail-less summit. I then drove to rest area and visitor center for the start of an ambitious 9 mile hike.

My hike started out with a walk along the Baptism River. I stopped and ate lunch at Two Step Falls before heading upstream.

I bypassed the bottom of the High Falls, crossed the river on a foot bridge and then started a loop to Tettegouche Camp. Along the way I took several spur trails to overlooks, none of which were all that spectacular. When I arrived at Tettegouche Camp I explored the camp a bit. It was the first time I'd been there without snow on the ground. I went down to Mic Mac Lake and then hit the trail again.

I passed yet another lake, this one called Nipisiquit Lake. I stopped for a drink of water at a picnic table set up there before continuing on. I soon saw a couple of dead moles along the trail. There was no sign of how they might have died though. The most exciting part of the hike came when I saw a Pine Marten on the trail. As I approached it ran up a tree. I was able to get some good photographs of it before I continued on back to my car.