7/10/10 – Sawbill crew members like to take trips into the Boundary Waters, too. Recently, Jessica, Ellyn and I paddled for three days in the less traveled Frost River Loop. The Frost River isn’t a cakewalk (by the end of the second day, we had beaver-dam-hopping down to a science), but the challenge meant that we shared the route only with the moose. During the trip, we went cliff jumping in Cherokee, spotted bear cubs at Mesaba, and watched the stars come up over Hub.

Day one: Kaj (myself), Ellyn, and Jessica.

Jessica roasting smores. She likes marshmallows that resemble charcoal briquettes.

Resting after taking a morning paddle through the mist on Hub.

A feisty loon tries to scare off an opponent. Loons are very territorial–we watched a furious battle between four of them on Frost Lake.

Us hugging. Because we’re at Hug Lake.
-Kaj

7/5/10 – Establishing a new tradition for the 4th of July, the entire Sawbill crew celebrates with a mock dragon boat race. The race is not taken lightly. In the hour they had to prepare, teams put on intimidating face paint and developed elaborate strategies. In real dragon boat races, teams of at least 22 (and up to 80!) paddle a specially made dragon boat, like a long skinny canoe. Well, we don’t have any dragon boats here, so we improvise by jamming four people into our two-person Wenonah MN II Kevlar canoes. This year, four teams competed. Team Topless Pirates, with Cindy, Andy, Luke, and Sarah, was expected to win, even accused of being stacked by other racers. However, after a furious start, Team Dragon Force raced ahead by successfully butting the other teams onto the tip of a point. Team Dragon Force maintained the lead and won, becoming the Sawbill Dragon Boat Champions of 2010. – Kaj

Pat Eidsmo is the embodiment of Team Tucan spirit.

The Sawbill crew racing down Sawbill Lake with natural fireworks in the background.

Leif Gilsvick, Clare Hansen, Liz Foot and Kaj Snow in the post-race glow.

7/4/10 – Today, crew members Joe, Leif, Liz, and Kaj ran the annual Tofte Trek Wilderness 10K. They joined over 200 other runners, both locals and visitors coming to the northwoods for Independence Day festivities. The course was hard- runners slogged through waist-deep shoe-sucking puddles and up slippery slopes on the Superior Hiking Trail. Liz ran the whole race giving the number one sign, thanks to a heavily bandaged pointer finger, while Joe “took it easy” and finished in the top seven for his age group.

Sawbill runners, from the left; Karen, Liz, Leif, Joe, and Kaj. This is before the race, when we were still smelling like daisies.

The start of the race!

And the Sawbill runners afterwards, smelling more like mud.
-Kaj

7/2/10 – The last two new crew members have arrived for the summer. Meg Simon hails from Cincinnati, Ohio and attends college at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Meg’s grandfather, Larry Wilbers, has been a Sawbill canoeist for many, many years and is one of our favorite people. He has introduced many friends and family to the joys of BWCA Wilderness camping over the years and we’re delighted to have Meg on staff.

Meg Simon
Leif Gilsvik arrived a couple of weeks ago, but he is somewhat camera shy, so we neglected to announce his arrival. Leif just graduated from Two Harbors, Minnesota High School. He is attending Gogebic Community College in Ironwood, Michigan this fall on a cross country skiing scholarship. Gogebic has one of the top skiing teams in the nation, so you know he’s fast! – Bill

Leif Gilsvik

6/29/10 – On Saturday, June 26, former crew members Eric Frost and Jessica Wallendal (affectionately known as Frosty and Jessa) were married here in Tofte. Needless to say, Sawbill was an exciting place this weekend with former crew members passing through before and after the wedding. Sawbill’s own Reverend Bill Hansen conducted the ceremony in Tofte Park on Lake Superior. Blessings were given by Bill, but also by nature as the weather finally cleared up for the ceremony after a long spell of dreary weather.
Congratulations Frosty and Jessa, and best wishes from all of us here at Sawbill!

Beautiful setting, beautiful wedding!

Sawbill babes, past and present.

6/28/10 – Recently, four members of the Sawbill crew returned from a short trip into the BWCAW. Reports of excellent fishing and delicious wild strawberries made the trip a true success. Strawberries have also been seen growing in the campground as well.
– Luke

Tyler with a largemouth bass, quite rare in the area.

Wild strawberries, small but packed with flavor.

6/26/10 – Ben Hauser, from Sun Prairie, WI caught and released two nice small mouth bass (18 5/8″ and a 18″) on Sawbill Lake on Sunday, June 20, 2010. Ben is the grandson of Jack Brenegan who has been coming to Sawbill for over 30 years.

6/21/10 – This morning, while driving to-and-fro from a transportation, I was happily surprised by the amount of wildlife I saw. On the way to pick up my passengers I spotted a cow moose, three deer, and at least a dozen rabbits. After delivering my passengers to their entry point I witnessed about six wolf pups walking down the road. I was only lucky enough to snap a picture of the moose, but seeing all the wildlife made the four hour drive well worth it.
-Jessica

Moose standing in the brush along the side of the road.

6/19/10 – Over the past week there have been sightings of adolescent moose, deer, and merganser trying to put up with the soggy weather.
Today, Sawbill crew member Carl Hansen spotted a baby rabbit nestled into the corner of a bike rack. With quick thinking he snapped a few choice pictures of the cute ball of fur.
-Jessica

Baby rabbit trying to stay warm.

6/15/10 – Ed Erickson, from Chetek, Wisconsin, sent us these amazing pictures of his encounter with a loon on Alton Lake. In more than 50 years here at Sawbill, I’ve never heard of a loon trying to take a fish off a stringer. Here is photographic proof that anything is possible. – Bill

(All photos by Ed Erickson)