Gunflint Trail Association

If you are planning a canoe trip for the summer, it is time to contact your outfitter about a permit.  The BWCA Permit Lottery applications are being accepted now.  To have your outfitter enter your group into the permit lottery, you have to have a start date for your canoe trip and an entry point.  Lottery applications  were accepted starting November 1st and will by accepted until January 15th 5:00 PM CST.  The lottery will run January 15, 2007 and notifications or rejections will be sent out following that. 

January 20, 2007 permits are awarded on a first come/first serve basis based upon quota per entry point available. 

Contact your outfitter for great canoe trip suggestions based upon your desires and experience.  The wilderness is waiting for you. 

Lynn,  Clearwater Lodge

Several of the smaller Gunflint Trail lakes have been frozen over for several weeks now.  Some have a couple inches of ice already – but don't take that for granted!  You still have to use extreme caution this time of year. 

The larger lakes such as Gunflint and Saganaga are still forming ice and will take a couple of cold still nights to form that first ice.  Today is sunny and beautiful thought it's windy and there's a good chop on Gunflint Lake.  We had about an inch of new snow last night, to add to the 6 inches already on the ground.  The trees are beautiful and we're beginning to decorate many of the lodges for the Christmas season.

We've been watching the birds today and seen Pine Grosbeaks, Black Capped Chickadees, and Gold Finches visiting the feeders. 

Come and see for yourself.  It's  quiet time of the year and many of the resorts are offering value rates.

Shari

 Some people think the Gunflint Trail is only a hiking trail, others believe it is a dirt road, and there are still people who have never heard of the Gunflint Trail.  The Gunflint Trail is a designated Scenic Byway that gives visitors access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness through the Superior National Forest.  In spite of what some people may think the Gunflint Trail is a paved highway and is a great road to travel.   

A county resolution was adopted to make application to the federal government for aid in re-building the Gunflint Road.  The known presence of valuable minerals in the territory adjacent to the road is sufficient reason for the building of the road, and as the property to be benefited by the road is largely owned by "Uncle Sam," it is only fair that federal aid be granted. 

The natural beauties of the territory through which it goes will make the road popular to tourists.

Winter is here!  With the colder weather ice is forming on the lakes and the snow has to be cleared in the mornings before we can get our cars out.  This is picture is of Travis Gunter of Clearwater Lodge clearing away the snow from last night.  I am guessing we had about 8 inches mid-trail with even more in the forecast over the next few days.  …….Lynn-Clearwater Lodge

Lynn,  Clearwater Lodge

Boundary Country Trekking's Lodge to Lodge Ski programs appears as a featured article in the November issue of Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine. The article entitled, "All Play and No Work," by Greg Breining describes both the Gunflint Nordic Trails' and Northshore Mountain Trails' Lodge to Lodge Ski programs operated by Boundary Country.

According to Barbara Young, Lodge to Lodge trip coordinator, "If you enjoy skiing and you want to see as many of the great ski trails and lodges we have in northeast Minnesota, Skiing Lodge to Lodge is the way to go!"