More Stories from Gunflint

As usual, we have had a busy week, Don, our food and beverage manager worked with traffic control on the Beargrease Sled Dog Race. He had the all-night shift where the Trail crossed the main road. During that time there was a two hour period when no one came through. Don turned off his flashing lights and look at the northern lights which swirled in the sky above him. While he was standing outside the truck, a bunch of noise startled him. What was it? Two moose came through. It’s enough to keep you awake all night.

Do you wonder what we all do for entertainment during the winter? Bonnie from the outfitters and Marilyn from the front desk were out and about yesterday. They decided to hike the Centennial Trail on snowshoes with Jason’s dog, Monster. The trail is 3.3 miles long. It took them a full two hours to hike it starting from the Round Lake side. They had one path that had been broken out before we got our latest snow. It was enough to follow and only went the wrong way once. Here is a picture of Marilyn and it sure looks like she is enjoying herself. Bonnie said that the views were just spectacular. I know myself that from the high point you can see the stables at Gunflint. Here is a view of the beaver ponds on the Round Lake Road.

Monster ran all over the place. The new scents alone must have been overwhelming. Sometimes he seemed to get tired and would follow the girls for a bit rather than breaking trail himself. Jason said Monster was really tired last night! I think the girls were tired too.

This seems to be the week that wolves are all around us. We haven’t seen the wolves so much as we have seen the results of their feeding. A few days ago there was a deer kill just off the side road about ½ mile from the lodge. Then last weekend there was another kill on the lake just in front of our house. Finally last night the wolves took another deer on the lake in front of Cabin #17. The guests told me that they saw three wolves at the kill this morning. By 10:00 a. m. there was literally nothing left on the ice. Even the crows and ravens were finished with it. Nothing goes to waste.

A pack of wolves need about one deer a week for food. It seems harsh to us but this is all part of Nature’s food chain. Wolves are magnificant animals. Of course, we think nothing of shooting a deer during the hunting season. Bruce and I enjoy the meat for the entire year. It substitutes for beef in our diet and is much better because there is virtually no fat.

Bruce and I are off tomorrow to visit Robert, Miranda and Zach in Missouri. Zach will be 11 this weekend in case some of you are remembering that cute little guy who rode around in a backpack with his parents. He is still pretty cute but I doubt either parent would want to carry him around anymore.