3/16/12 – Here is this week’s installment of the Cook County West End News from WTIP North Shore Community Radio.
By the way, you can listen to WTIP online if you want to keep touch with what’s happening in this corner of Minnesota. In my opinion, it’s one of the best little radio stations in the country. It’s listener supported, non-profit and largely volunteer staffed – a true voice of the community!
If you’re already a listener, or just want to support a great effort in a favorite part of the world, you can become a member right now by selecting the “Pledge Now” button at the website and tell them that Sawbill sent you. – Bill

3/13/12 – Like the rest of the Midwest, we’ve experienced an incredible meltdown over the last two days. Sunday, I skied the last six miles of the Cascade River with a group of friends. It was warm, but the snow was still very mid-winter like. By late the next day, I doubt that the river was safe to ski due to rising water.
Cindy’s book club, which I call the “Lovely Ladies of Lutsen”, went sliding on Sunday evening. – Bill

LLLs (l – r) Jeanne Rysdahl, Sue Davies, Jana Larson, Cindy Hansen, KB O’Neill, (not pictured: Ann Rider). Photo by Mike Larson

Video of the sliding action. Video by Mike Larson

3/12/12 – Here is this week’s Cook County West End News from WTIP North Shore Community Radio. – Bill

3/8/12 – Here is the finished version of canoeist/song writer Jerry Vandiver’s beautiful song, “The Spirit of Fishdance Lake.” It is from Jerry’s new CD “True and Deep – Songs for the Heart of the Paddler” available at paddlesongs.com and on iTunes. we’ll stock it in our store this summer too! – Bill

3/7/12 – Dan Walch, from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is a long-time Sawbill camper and all around good guy. He was here last weekend for a solo trip into the BWCA Wilderness. He found travel conditions to be very difficult due to deep, soft snow on the lakes and ended up camping just a short way up Sawbill Lake. When he returned from his trip he came over to the house for a little visiting. Minutes after we said goodbye, he snapped the pictures below. – Bill

Holy lynx Batman! Look at the size of that rear foot! Photo by Daniel Walch.

You know it’s a lynx when you see ear tufts like this. Photo by Daniel Walch.

3/1/12 – Here is this week’s edition of the Cook County West End News from WTIP North Shore Community Radio. – Bill

2/29/12 – The Forest Service has released maps of entry points and campsites that are closed due to last fall’s Pagami Creek fire. Very few campsites that are normally used by Sawbill paddlers are closed. Below is the map that shows the few sites that are closed on the lakes just north of Kawishiwi Lake.

The map is a little crude. Polly has no burned areas that are easily visible from the lake. Square Lake is less than half burned. Baskatong, Kawasachong and Townline lakes are completely burned.
The snow depth has been pretty good as compared to the rest of Minnesota here at Sawbill. After the last couple of days it’s starting to look downright normal around here. – Bill

Anyone up for a picnic? You may not recognize the old BWCA Wilderness picnic table that sits in front of the Sawbill Store.

2/27/12 – Here is Carl during his two and a half hour snowmobile ride at the head of the American Birkebeiner. He reports that the whole experience was fun, but tiring. – Bill

Filmmaker Carl Hansen at work.

2/25/12 – Carl Hansen is filming the American Birkebeiner this morning. He is working for the official film crew on America’s biggest cross country ski race. Carl’s assignment is to ride the snowmobile that precedes the race leaders for the duration of the marathon. I’ll post pictures and links to video as soon as it’s available.
Here is this week’s Cook County West End News from WTIP North Shore Community Radio. – Bill

2/20/12 – Sawbill’s own Carl Hansen was home for a visit over the President’s weekend. There was good northern lights display on Saturday night. Carl, a Twin Cities based independent film maker, stayed up half the night to make this spectacular time-lapse film.

Looking north from Sawbill Lake, just off the canoe landing.
There were many campers and skiers here over the weekend. We have the best snow in Minnesota, so our little ski trail was getting heavy public use. The University of Minnesota, Duluth Outdoor Program brought up a bus load of students. They were actually scheduled to go elsewhere, but came here because of the snow. They were treated to two beautiful, warm, sunny days along with a below zero night filled with stars and northern lights. – Bill