6/16/13 - Here is the latest issue of the Cook County West End News from WTIP, North Shore Community Radio. - Bill

6/11/13 - Our resident professional photographer, Carl Hansen, shared a couple of his recent photos with us. - Bill

Sawbill crew members stand in awe of the northern lights on a recent night at the Sawbill Lake canoe landing.

Former Sawbill crew member, Adam Hansen, shows off a couple of dandy lake trout from a recent trip in the BWCA Wilderness.

6/10/13 - We are pleased to introduce our two newest Sawbill crew members, Ana Koch and Laura Hoppe. Ana is from Mentor, Minnesota and attends Eckerd College in Florida. Laura is from Wyoming, Minnesota and attends the University of Minnesota in Morris. - Bill

Ana Koch and Laura Hoppe.

6/6/13 - We're proud to be a sponsor (note the Sawbill canoes) of a "source to sea" expedition on the Mississippi River this summer. You can follow the expedition blog at: http://beyondthepinesfellowship.blogspot.com. Or on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/riverquesting. - Bill

Leif Gilsvik (Sawbill crewmember), Elina Berglund (from Sweden, attends Bowdoin College and lives in Hong Kong), Caleb "Hurikane" Hamp-Sill (Two Harbors, MN), Molly Rider (attends Bowdoin College and lives in Lutsen, MN).

Hurikane and Leif navigate the first few feet of the mighty Mississippi River.

Elina and Molly heading downstream. "Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day." - A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

6/4/13 - Warm temperatures bring more wildlife. As we move into the full swing of summer, I've noticed more wildlife around the outfitter. Apart from the occasional moose on the Sawbill Trail, we've also seen Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, Hairy Woodpeckers, Garter snakes and more. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled and your cameras ready! -Carl

Sawbill crew member Joe Daniels fashioned a net to get this hummingbird out of the store.

We rarely see these little birds sitting still!

© Hansen International Productions

6/2/13 - Here is this week's edition of the Cook County West End News from WTIP, North Shore Community Radio. - Bill

6/1/13 - Sawbill welcomes it's newest employee! Hank Anders Hansen came to us from Hunters Goldens in New London, MN. Hank's favorite activities are sleeping, chewing on things he's not supposed to, and being adorable. Be sure to stop into the store this summer and say hello! -Carl

Hank Anders Hansen.

5/26/13 - Back in 1957, Sawbill Canoe Outfitters was started as a spin off from Sawbill Lodge, which had been operating on Sawbill Lake since the early 1930s. The founder of Sawbill Lodge, Jean Raiken, had a nephew, Phil Higley, who worked at the lodge in the '40s and returned annually to visit after starting his career.

Phil's son, Phil Jr., worked here at the outfitters while he was in college back in the 1970s before starting a successful business career in the Twin Cities.

This summer, Phil's wife, Barb, is working as a clerk at the Tofte Forest Service Ranger Station, issuing permits for BWCA Wilderness visitors. Phil commutes up on weekends to visit Barb and will be spending time here at Sawbill too.

It is great to have the Higley's back at Sawbill, maintaining a family connection going back more than 80 years.

If you stop at the Tofte Ranger Station, be sure to say hi to Barb. - Bill

5/23/13 - Here is this week's edition of the West End News from WTIP, North shore Community Radio. - Bill

5/18/13 - A group of 108 juniors and seniors from Eden Prairie High School stayed in the campground this weekend as part of an elective course called Canoeing, Camping and Climbing. The course consists of a hiking trip on the Superior Hiking Trail, camping and canoeing at Sawbill Lake, and a high ropes course at the end of the school year. -Crista

The group during their last day on the lake.

5/18/13 - Sawbill crew member and freelance filmmaker, Carl Hansen, shared this beautiful picture. - Bill

Northern lights reflect off the last of the Sawbill Lake ice a few nights ago. © Hansen International Productions

5/17/13 - Our long time friend Ben Harris has recently completed his course of studies to become a Certified Massage Therapist. For at least the next couple of weekends, we'll be experimenting with having Ben provide chair massages on the deck of the Sawbill Store.

Ben's mission is to help BWCAW visitors of every kind in moving from soreness and limited movement into relaxation and freedom of motion, so that they can travel and camp at their fullest comfort and ability.

Ben will be here from 8 am until 4 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. His rates will be $1/minute for a 5 to 60 minute massage. He will also offer group rate discounts.

Ben will welcome walk-in clients or you can reserve a time for a massage by contacting Ben directly at Portages End Massage, 218-226-8418 or PortagesEnd@gmail.com.

5/16/13 - Yesterday was an eventful day, combining the official opening of the Sawbill canoeing season with a red flag fire danger day. Today is a perfect spring day with clear blue skies, calm winds and temperatures in the 60s. Fortunately, no fires started yesterday in this area and it sounds like some rain is on the way. Now that the ice is gone, it would be nice to see some greenery. - Bill

Sunset on Sawbill Lake as seen through a lacy ice remnant. Photo by Luke Opel.

5/15/13 at 7:45 PM - Finally, Sawbill Lake is officially clear of ice. It happened around 5 PM this afternoon. Off the top of my head, I can only remember two other years when it went out later than May 15th. - Bill

Sawbill crew member and unemployed Ice Measurement Technician, Leif Gilsvik, triumphantly holds the envelope full of cash that he won by correctly guessing this year's ice-out date. He plans to buy a new home for his mother and some liquid refreshments for his fellow crew members.

5/15/13 - Today's Sawbill Lake ice report: Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn. Almost half of the ice is clear of the south end of Sawbill Lake. Several canoe parties have crashed their way through to the open water and have not come back, so it is opening up. In the face of warm weather and brisk winds, surely it will go out completely before the end of the day. - Bill

Panorama of Sawbill Lake from the canoe landing featuring the black ice.

An undistorted shot looking west from the landing.