Sawbill Newsletter

3/4/10 - Greg Fangel and Liz Wagner, Tofte and Twin Cities residents and avid cross country skiers,

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:25:29 -0600

3/4/10 - Greg Fangel and Liz Wagner, Tofte and Twin Cities residents and avid cross country skiers, spent a couple of days camping in the wilderness starting here at Sawbill. They enjoyed gorgeous weather - warm temperatures, calm winds, brilliant sunshine and a night sky thick with stars. They were kind enough to share some pictures with us.

Greg show good skiing form even with a toboggan holding him back.

Multi-tasking breakfast and boot warming.

Home, sweet home.

The frozen waves of Alton Lake.

A bobcat track.

Exploring Kelso Lake.

Greg and Liz are aficionados of classic wooden winter transportation. Visit his fabulous website WoodenSkis.com.

Liz peers comfortably from her down sleeping bag.

3/2/10 - We received this kind and useful email this morning from long-time Sawbill customer Scott Oeth:

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:55:50 -0600

3/2/10 - We received this kind and useful email this morning from long-time Sawbill customer Scott Oeth:

I am a volunteer with the Northern Star Council (Minneapolis-St. Paul area) Boy Scout Council and serve as the chairman of the council's Eagle Scout Scholarship committee. I'm also a big fan of Sawbill, and have made many trips with my good friend Mike Branham to stay at the campground. I always appreciate Bill’s friendly conversation and being able to buy coffee, showers and souvenirs at your store! Our committee is working with Cliff Jacobson on organizing a wilderness canoeing school which he will be conducting the weekend of March 27th, with all the proceeds going to fund scout scholarships. The program is open to the public, but is designed for the outdoors enthusiast, in particular trip leaders. Cliff is also a big fan of and recommends many trips heading out of Sawbill!

I'm wondering if you could help us out on the promotion side. I've attached a detailed agenda and registration form and a link with information on the council site is below. If you could please pass this on to those you know who may be interested, it would really help our scholarship fund and to help develop canoe country enthusiast.

http://www.northernstarbsa.org/News.aspx?articleID=560

Please let me know if you have any questions. I'll see you this fall if not before!

Thanks,

Scott Oeth

2/24/10 - Frank Hansen asked me to thank everyone who sent greetings to him on hes 89th birthday

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:51:31 -0600

2/24/10 - Frank Hansen asked me to thank everyone who sent greetings to him on hes 89th birthday a couple of weeks ago. Since Frank and Mary Alice moved to Grand Marais a few years ago, they have really missed regular contact with all their good Sawbill friends. - Bill

2/23/10 - "Nordic Nirvana" is what we are experiencing at Sawbill right now.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:43:37 -0600

2/23/10 - "Nordic Nirvana" is what we are experiencing at Sawbill right now. The local ski trails, Sawbill Lake and the rest of the BWCA Wilderness is in perfect condition for cross country skiing. Inspired by NBC's really good cross country ski coverage, we've been burning up the trails. The weather has been perfect, making it all the sweeter.

This space isn't meant to be promotional, but downhill skiing and snowboarding at nearby Lutsen Mountains are fabulous right now too. The snow is perfect, the weather mild, the slopes uncrowded and they are offering some very good lodging/lift ticket packages. There is also some fantastic music coming up at Papa Charlie's night club. - Bill

A perfect ski trail is a beautiful sight.

Cindy and the dogs head up Sawbill in the late afternoon sunshine.

The otters are enjoying the fast snow on the lakes too!

During the summer, we call the Forest Service airplane dock "The Sawbill Beach Club." As we skied by yesterday, we saw this sign peeking out from under the snow on the dock. It may be closed, but no one would mind if you wanted to swim there now.

2/11/10 - We were saddened to learn of the passing this year of Jim Baldwin,

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:19:46 -0600

2/11/10 - We were saddened to learn of the passing this year of Jim Baldwin, a long time Sawbill canoeist, scout leader, and father of Dave Baldwin who was a Sawbill crew member back in the '80s. Our condolences to the Dave and his family. Jim introduced generations of Missourians to canoe country and a love of wilderness. - Bill

2/8/10 - I just received an unusual request from a customer.

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:15:39 -0600

2/8/10 - I just received an unusual request from a customer. He wanted our free map/route guide of the Sawbill area so he and his wife could use it to help find a name for their soon to be born son. Of course, there are many good boy-name lakes: Alton, Jordan, Kelly, Gordon, Karl, Roy, Slim and so on. There are also many other lake names that would be inappropriate to name a baby after, but may provide some amusement: Little Hustler, Kingfisher, Frog, Sucker, Fallen Arch and Clam, just to name a few. - Bill

2/6/10 - Frank Hansen, Sawbill Outfitters co-founder and my dad, is 89 years old today.

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:10:46 -0600

2/6/10 - Frank Hansen, Sawbill Outfitters co-founder and my dad, is 89 years old today. His email address is mah@boreal.org if you'd like to send him a greeting. - Bill

You can listen anytime to Frank's weekly column on our wonderful local community radio station, WTIP.

2/3/10 - Ken Harmon is a talented photographer that often works in the Sawbill area.

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:58:17 -0600

2/3/10 - Ken Harmon is a talented photographer who often works in the Sawbill area. He was kind enough to share these beautiful photos that he took almost a week after the last snowstorm. The snow on the trees is still frozen hard, so the woods continue to look like a postcard. You can visit Ken's website for more great photography, - Bill

Lichen Lake

Highland view.

Lichen Lake.

1/28/10 - Long-time Sawbill paddler Matt Caton kindly

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:15:37 -0600

1/28/10 - Long-time Sawbill paddler Matt Caton kindly sent a link to this slide show of his canoe trip last summer. - Bill

1/27/10 - A ruptured steam line in Duluth cut off almost all communication

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:17:32 -0600

1/27/10 - A ruptured steam line in Duluth cut off almost all communication here in Cook County yesterday. A fiber optic cable was melted by the steam and we were all without long distance telephone, cell phone and internet service. The exceptions were phone calls within your own exchange (hello neighbor!) and satellite internet except for websites that are hosted locally. For us, that meant only one phone call and no email for the day. It is interesting to be brought up short and realize how dependent we have become on modern communication.

Over the weekend we had a nice snowstorm that dumped 10" of fresh snow. Much of the state had rain, but we had really wet snow for the first 3" then fluffy snow on top of that. A perfect combination to refresh the trails and hills for skiing, snowboarding and this weekend's John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. - Bill

Our sauna looks cozy under fresh snow in the dawn's glow.

The pine grosbeaks are puffy and colorful at -4 degrees.

The snow gauge standing at 19".

1/20/10 - Starting today BWCA Wilderness overnight entry permits can be reserved

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:00:19 -0600

1/20/10 - Starting today BWCA Wilderness overnight entry permits can be reserved on a first come, first served basis. You can check permit availability and make a reservation online at www.recreation.gov or by calling toll free 1-877-550-6777. You can request to pick your permit up from us rather than the ranger station in Tofte. Permit requirements, reservations and fees are available on the web.

As always, if you would like us to reserve a permit for you, just give us a call, or email us with the information requested on our Permit Reservation Form.

We are also happy to help with route planning or any questions you might have. - Bill

1/13/10 - Nathan, Jorgen, and Wyatt Holt were camping here at Sawbill

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:40:00 -0600

1/13/10 - Nathan, Jorgen, and Wyatt Holt were camping here at Sawbill last week during the serious cold snap. They pitched a double-wall canvas tent with a wood stove on campsite #1. They reported that it was easy to get the temperature up to 60 degrees. Nathan was kind enough to send along these great pictures from their adventure. - Bill

Wyatt Holt.

Jorgen Holt

Proud fisherman on a nearby lake.

1/9/10 - The North American Bear Center has installed a live webcam

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:39:49 -0600

1/9/10 - The North American Bear Center has installed a live webcam in the den of hibernating bear "Lily." She is expected to give birth sometime in the next month. they got some national coverage yesterday and the traffic crashed their website, but they should have it fixed up soon. - Bill

1/7/10 - You know it's January when you walk out the door

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:11:25 -0600

1/7/10 - You know it's January when you walk out the door in the morning into zero degree temperatures and it feels warm! The cold snap that followed our Christmas snow continues, but has moderated enough that I am looking at the short sleeved side of the closet again. We still only have a foot of snow on the ground, but it is (just) enough for good skiing and snowshoeing.

Cindy saw three wolves yesterday along Highway 61 near Grand Marais and all three had signs of mange. We can't imagine how wolves survive in extreme cold normally, much less without all their fur. - Bill

1/2/10 - Over the New Year holiday we hosted the annual reunion

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 13:21:02 -0600

1/2/10 - Over the New Year holiday we hosted the annual reunion of our summer crew members, current and present, along with some partners and special friends. We had about twenty people this year. They are just the finest group of young women and men that you can imagine - accomplished, committed, friendly and fun! We ran through the whole menu of fun: skiing, hiking, board games, foosball, feasting, conversation, and, of course, sliding. Thanks to the talented Alison Bents for these photos.

Part of the sliding crew traipses down Sawbill Lake toward the sliding hill.

The group confers on sliding strategy at the top of the hill.

Jessa's face says it all...

The Train(wreck).

Caitlin, Liz and Lida show how it's done.

This wonderful photo was taken under natural moonlight just a couple of minutes into the new decade. If this group is any indication, the future of the world is bright. - Bill