This August two crew members, Mongo and Mia, returned to help out during the August peak season. The health and safety of the crew and visitors is very important to Sawbill. Therefore, after completing six-day quarantines each, they returned to full time crew member status.

A former Sawbill employee, Nils, sent this image to Sawbill. A moose was spotted between the handicap sites and the store along the Sawbill trail on August 4th at 7 o’clock in the morning. At over 1100 lbs, the North American Moose is the largest mammal in the BWCA. Do not approach a moose if you see one. They will defend themselves if they consider you to be a threat. The Minnesota DNR currently estimates about 2,400-4,320 moose are currently in the state. While this number has been steady over the past years, moose are still at risk. In 2006, the population was more than double at 8,840. If you want to learn more, go to the the MN DNR website here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/moose/index.html

As is tradition, the annual dock sleep out occurred on Monday, August 10th. Mongo kept the night entertaining with ghost stories and tales from his time fighting forest fires. Traditions like these are what make the Sawbill experience for the crew so enjoyable. Luckily, there was no rain, and the crew managed to open the store the next morning without too much trouble. 

This time of year is the tail end of the blueberry season for the north shore. On Thursday, August 13th, crew members Jessica, Kirsten, Ema, and Mia went berry picking for the evening. The views around this patch were spectacular, and the berries collected went toward blueberry pies that would be eaten the following day. Blueberry picking is always a great activity in the summer, and the North Shore offers plenty of great spots. The primary picking season for blueberries is July through mid August. Blueberries favor meadows in piney areas with more acidic soil. They can sometimes be found in or around campsites in the BWCA, so keep your eyes peeled.

-Mia