Thursday, March 30, 2006

Gunflint Lodge

Happy Spring Everyone!

I can say that because we have now had the first really true sign of spring. Last night we had a rain storm complete with thunder and lightening. You forget what a wonderful sound rain on the roof is.

The storm came at a perfect time. Yesterday was the last day of dog sled rides. The ski trails are starting to feel the effects of warm sun. The dining room will be closing after the weekend for a few days of cleaning. So now it is OK for all of us to wish for sun, rain, and warm days.

For Bruce and I, a big part of spring is planting. We can't actually plant much until June 1st but we can weed and plan. Today I ordered seeds for the garden and a rototiller. Hopefully I won't rototill my feet. I will also be starting plants in the greenhouse soon.

Ronnie Smith (our gardener) and I are planning projects for the spring work weekend people. Bruce wants to build a retaining wall around Cabin #4. He did #5 and #6 last fall. For some reason guests love to build walls. The walls in front of #7 and #8 were built by Robert with help from work weekend people.

Meanwhile, the rain confirms that spring is here. It also brings in an unpleasant part of spring -- mud!! The ground is still frozen so the water does not drain off well or soak in. It melts the top soil and gives lots of mud. This is particularly difficult for the housekeepers as they clean cabins from their own mud and the guests' mud. Luckily it only lasts a short time. It's just another part of spring in the woods.

Sue

Gunflint Lodge

Happy Spring Everyone!

I can say that because we have now had the first really true sign of spring. Last night we had a rain storm complete with thunder and lightening. You forget what a wonderful sound rain on the roof is.

The storm came at a perfect time. Yesterday was the last day of dog sled rides. The ski trails are starting to feel the effects of warm sun. The dining room will be closing after the weekend for a few days of cleaning. So now it is OK for all of us to wish for sun, rain, and warm days.

For Bruce and I, a big part of spring is planting. We can't actually plant much until June 1st but we can weed and plan. Today I ordered seeds for the garden and a rototiller. Hopefully I won't rototill my feet. I will also be starting plants in the greenhouse soon.

Ronnie Smith (our gardener) and I are planning projects for the spring work weekend people. Bruce wants to build a retaining wall around Cabin #4. He did #5 and #6 last fall. For some reason guests love to build walls. The walls in front of #7 and #8 were built by Robert with help from work weekend people.

Meanwhile, the rain confirms that spring is here. It also brings in an unpleasant part of spring -- mud!! The ground is still frozen so the water does not drain off well or soak in. It melts the top soil and gives lots of mud. This is particularly difficult for the housekeepers as they clean cabins from their own mud and the guests' mud. Luckily it only lasts a short time. It's just another part of spring in the woods.

Sue

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Availability in April

Hi Everyone,

If you go on vacation to enjoy the quiet times, if you just like the feeling of having a place all to yourself, if you want a pre-Easter vacation, or if you just want to get away and curl up in front of a fire with a good book, then April is the time for you to visit Gunflint. We have lots of availability, the prices are affordable, and you will have the resort to yourself. Call for prices 1-800-328-3325.

We look forward to welcoming you to Gunflint this April.

Lee

Monday, March 27, 2006

Books in the Woods

Hi Everyone,

This weekend we are excited about our featured package, Books in the Woods. We are featuring authors Sarah Stonich and KJ Erickson. This is a great weekend to talk about your favorite books, the books you are reading in your book club, or the authors books. Additionally we will have one of the authors of the acclaimed cookbook "A Taste of the Gunflint Trail" discuss the popular cookbook, the challenges of writing it, and her favorites from the book.

Currently we only have a couple of cabins remaining on this popular weekend. Call for availability. The cost per person for this package is $109/night. The package starts on Thursday and ends Sunday after Breakfast.

For those of you returning for this package, we are looking forward to welcoming you back to your place in the woods.

Lee

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Big Canadian Timber Wolf on Gunflint Lake

Hi Everyone,

If you have ever been here in the winter you know that we feed the deer. So almost any time of the day you can walk around the property and see deer up close. It isn't uncommon to see as many as a dozen or two deer while walking from your cabin to the lodge.

Yesterday I was looking out towards the lake and something was "off". The birds were in the feeders, it was bright and sunny outside, but something wasn't right. It hit me, there were no deer around, not a single one. That is when I saw him.

It was a Canadian Timber Wolf right in front of the lodge about 100 yeards out on the ice. It was close enough to the lodge for me to see that it was BIG. I called Dave over and we agreed it was definitely the closest we have seen a wolf in front of Gunflint this winter. It was obvious from looking at his large body that he hadn't been hungry this winter.

The wolf was doing the slow walk, pause, and look around that you see wolfs do. He would walk a couple of paces, then pause, finally scanning the shoreline looking for deer before taking a couple more steps and repeating the whole process.

He didn't miss a thing. It felt like he even knew we were in the lodge looking at him because he stopped and stared in our direction a couple of times. He was probably just looking at the deer feeder, but if felt like he was looking directly at us.

This morning when I came down to work I didn't see any deer. I quickly went inside the lodge and looked out towards the lake scanning everywhere to see if the wolf was back. I didn't see him, but I didn't see a single deer either...so I knew he wasn't to far away.

No luck today, maybe tomorrow.

Lee

Friday, March 24, 2006

More Fresh Snow

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday morning we woke up to an inch of fresh snow. Then today we woke up and it was snowing again. We still have 100% of our ski trails open. Everyone coming to Gunflint in the next 10 days should have good trail conditions if they venture out on the ski trail system.

The nice thing about this time of the year is that the roads are generally clear down to the pavement, but the woods still have plenty of snow for good skiing. The only downside is that sometimes the snow can get a little hard if we have to many warm days and cool nights. Fortunately this has not been a problem yet.

Lee

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Tiny Wonders

As I hiked to Lonely Lake today, I noticed the presence of tiny insects known as springtails, which come out on the warmer winter and early spring days. When you look closely at the snow near the base of a tree, or near an area where the snow has melted to the ground, you may see these flea-sized insects hopping about. Many people give them the nickname of “snow fleas,” but this is misleading as these insects are not at all related to the fleas, and they are vegetarians. Once you see these insects for the first time, you will see them in the snow almost every time you do a daytime hike on a warm spring afternoon.

Have a great day, and remember to look for the tiny wonders of nature.

John Silliman
Gunflint Lodge Naturalist

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Spring Changes

Spring is a time of change on the Gunflint Trail. The chipmunks are starting to awake from their state of semi-hibernation, the black bears will soon come out of their winter slumber, and the bird migration has begun.

At the feeders, most of the pine siskins are eating as many seeds as they can to fuel up for their northward migration into Canada. The common and hoary redpolls have also been stopping at our feeders on their way to the Arctic.

The forest is alive with the songs of the birds as they establish territory, gather in flocks, and look for mates. On my hike this morning, I heard blue jays, pine siskins, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers, red-breasted nuthatches, ravens, crows, and black-capped chickadees.

In the next couple of months, we will look foreword to the arrival and departure of the snow buntings, the coming of the white-throated sparrows with their charismatic northwoods call of “Oh, Oh, Canada, Canada, Canada,” and the return of the various types of waterfowl which come as soon as the ice starts to go out of our lakes and streams.

Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the changes of spring.

John Silliman
Gunflint Lodge Naturalist

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Summer Rate Sheets

Hi Everyone-

If you have requested a summer rate sheet, or if you have been on prior mailings you should have one by now. We sent out almost 7,000 of them about 10 days ago.

Our winter rate sheet had an old picture of Grandma on it. The summer rate sheet has another old picture on it, but we didn't say who it was. Does anyone know who is in the picture? Post your guess to the blog and we will let you know the correct answer in a couple of days.

Lee

Monday, March 20, 2006

Massage Workshop at Gunflint Lodge

Hello Everyone,

This past weekend was our Massage Workshop at Gunflint Lodge. Jenny, our Massage Therapist, lead the classes. Participants created their own blend of massage oils consisting of their choice of essential oils. The classes focused on the essentials of Swedish Massage Techniques, with extra attention on the upper body, back, neck, shoulders, and arms. They also discussed strategies to understand the therapeutic value of receiving massage as well as giving massage. Participants then had as much time as they wanted to practice their techniques on each other.

Past readers know I was at the Wedding Fair in MPLS this past weekend. The Wedding Fair was very well attended and we talked to lots of brides about honeymooning at the Gunflint Lodge.

Lee

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Wedding Fair

Hi Everyone,

We are still covered in snow up here and it sounds like MPLS still has lots of snow on the ground after the last two storms hit. Amid all of the snow and cold weather it is a little difficult to think about summer...but we are trying.

So when we think about summer there are always a couple of spring weddings at Gunflint to plan. A part of planning for weddings is attending the different wedding shows to attract additional couples to Gunflint. Today we leave to attend The Wedding Fair at the convention center on Sunday. If you are looking for a nothwoods wedding, stop by and see us.

Have a great weekend!

Lee

Friday, March 17, 2006

Grand Marais Jazz Festival

Hello from the Front Desk! I wanted to share some exciting news with you. Not too long ago I received a call about the Grand Marais Jazz Festival. Since that call, I'm happy to say we're welcoming Jazz lovers from all over, and we're even able to offer some entertainment during that time. The Festival is May 5-7, and Friday night (May 5), we'll have a Jazz duo performing at our new Red Paddle Bistro! This should be a great time for all and I hope we have a great turnout. I'll keep you updated on our upcoming events.

Heather
Gunflint Lodge Front Desk

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Gunflint Northwoods Outfitters

Hi campers-

Normally on this blog we talk about what is new at Gunflint Lodge, but I want to take a minute to talk about some of the new things at our canoe outfitters, Gunflint Northwoods Outfitters. After a busy summer last year Bonnie (the General Manager of the outfitters) came to me and said she really needed more new equipment. Growing up I spent three summers as a canoe guide, so needless to say, her plea fell on sympathetic ears.

Well she has done a fantastic job of sourcing out new gear. She ordered several new Souris River canoes, a bunch of Granite Gear canoe bags, and a large number of sleeping bags. If you are planning on coming on a canoe trip this summer, I hope you get the Kevlar package so you can enjoy the new equipment. The new canoes and gear are really nice and you are definitely going to be using some of the best stuff available.

But if you do not have a reservation yet, and are you interested in going on a canoe trip in July, you better call soon because she is already running low on canoes, packs, and tents.

Lee

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Red Paddle Bistro at Gunflint Lodge

Hello Everyone,

After escaping from the snow storm in MPLS on Monday I finally made it home after an 8 1/2 hour drive (normally it takes 5 1/2 hours). I spent over 2 hours in traffic on HWY 35. Lots of traffic backups were to blame for the delays. During the long drive I was really hungry. So I am going to tell you about some tentative items for the Red Paddle Bistro for this summer. Before I get into the menu items I will give you a little background on the Red Paddle Bistro.

For those of you who have been to Gunflint in the past, you will be seeing a new Gunflint Lodge this summer. Right now we are in the process of building a new gift store in the main lodge building. If you have seen the offices behind the front desk, they have been moved up stairs and the gift store is going where they used to be. Currently, we have torn down all of the old walls and are working on building the new gift store. The Red Paddle Bisto is going where the old gift store used to be.

The Red Paddle Bistro is going to be serving soups like Walleye Chowder, sandwiches like a Portobella Panini, salads like Thai Chicken Salad, burgers, Sven & Ole's Pizzas, and other items like Walleye and Wild Rice Quessadillas. Of course we will have more than that on the menu, but these are some of our favorite items. Most of the food will be priced between $8.00 and $12.00. Right now we are planning on having it open from Noon until 10:00 PM for the summer.

So if you are in the area and would like to try some great food, but don't want the fancy meal in our main dining room, you can stop by and eat in our Red Paddle Bistro. No reservations required.

We are really excited about opening the bistro and are looking forward to hearing your feedback throughout the summer.

Lee

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Blogging from MPLS

Hi Everyone,

Lots has been going on over the past couple of days.

If you haven't heard we are renovating the lodge. The renovations will include moving offices, moving the gift store, building the Red Paddle Bistro, and changing the front desk. Currently the renovations are on pace and we have moved the offices upstairs and are now building the gift store.

Speaking of the gift store...we have been down in MPLS at a big gift mart. Gift marts are where people with gift stores go to purchase merchandise for their stores. We have been walking through the Umaga mart for two days. It has taken 3 of us two days to sort through all of the lines and pick where we would like to place an order. (Our current favorite gift is a blueberry scoop...it will make picking blueberries much faster)

On the way down to MPLS we stopped to see Kevin and Shawn at Freedom Enterprises (www.freedomEnterprises.com). For those of you who have been past guests, you probably remember seeing the hand-carved animal dolls throughout the lodge. Kevin and Shawn have been upgrading their dolls for years and we finally were able to get a couple of new ones. We are planning on making a pretty big display case showcasing their dolls.

Well now we are off to finish purchasing the gifts for this summer.

Lee

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Gunflint Lodge

Winter Camping

I guess I am officially now able to write in this blog under my own name. Lee and Eva thought I should which probably means that Lee wants me to write more. Hope you can stand it.

At this moment Lee and Eva a out on a winter camping trip with Mark Darling, one of our neighbors. It wasn't too cold last night so they will have a great time. Also we got another 2-3 inches of snow. Maybe March is going to be our snow month this year.

It may be winter outside but the orchid on my desk thinks it's summer. Right now I have four blossoms and more are coming. The plant has been blooming for the last 2 years. A friend of mine in Florida gave me some hints on keeping it happy. First it's in a west window so the only sun light is in the late afternoon. Each morning I just mist the leaves. About once a month water the roots. I usually have a black thumb so this flower has been a major triumph for me. It is particularly nice on cold January days.

Have a good day. Sue K.

Monday, March 06, 2006

Gunflint Lodge

Monday Morning,

Yesterday I was excited to tell you about the great shape the ski trails are in up here on the Gunflint Trail. Well, last night we got the icing on the cake with three inches of new snow. As we speak (or write) Lee is out grooming. He's even talked his father, Bruce, into grooming half the trails. We are all hoping that the two Kerfoot men can live up to the high standards of grooming set by our manager, Dave Schudy. Dave is the one who has been doing most of the grooming this winter but it's his day off today and tomorrow.

We still have overcast skies so I'm hoping there is a little more snow in those clouds for us. It's easy for me to say since I don't do any grooming.

Sue Kerfoot

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Gunflint Lodge

Good Morning from Sue!

Yesterday I was out skiing the Ham Lake cross country ski trail on Saturday with my friend Fran. Now the Olympic skiers have nothing to fear from Fran and I. In fact, we fall into the "slow" class of skiers.

My point is, however, the quality of the ski trails. They are beautiful!! Those of you who live south of us and have given up on winter are missing some of the best skiing days of this winter. All the trails were freshly groomed with crisp tracks on white trails that were fully covered with snow everywhere. The sun was out and you could comfortably ski without layers and layers of clothing on. It was so warm that we looked forward to the cooling breezes and the shady spots.

So if there is anyway you can get up to your favorite Gunflint Trail ski spot, don't hesitate to go. If you don't know where to go, I bet you already know my suggestion. After a horrible winter for skiers in southern Minnesota, this is a great chance for all of you to get in some quality skiing.

Sue Kerfoot

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Gunflint Lodge

Gunflint Lodge
Good Morning from Sue!

I have been thinking about another walk that Tucker and I took down the back road this winter. We had received 3-4 inches of snow during the previous night. Once I got past Bob's tracks from taking his boys to the school bus, there were no tracks. It was like a blank white canvas in front of me. So off went Tucker and I to explore.

We saw a few deer and examined their tracks crossing the road. Tucker is much better at smelling those out than I am. A crow sitting on a dead tree near the road cawed at us. Tucker sat down and looked up at the bird and tilted his head as if he was studying this strange animal.

The interesting time was on our walk back. I could could see that my trail wandered back and forth across the road just like the animal tracks. Several deer had past while we were walking. The crow had moved on. No cars passed us during the entire walk. Then I thought about the snowplow which would be coming soon. It was going to wipe my entire canvas clean and leave it for me to paint on another day.

Have a good day! Sue