1/30/01 – Dave Freeman has been living at the Sawbill Lake
Campground for the last few days. He has been testing and
preparing for his six week Border Country Adventure, which starts
on February 1st. He will be joined for the full length of the
trip by his faithful sled dog, Tundra. For the first week of the
trip he will also be accompanied by John "OB"
Oberholtzer. For the last week of the trip, Dave will travel with
Harriet Settle. All, except Tundra, are former Sawbill crew
members. Dave will be updating his website, bordercountryadventure.com
by satellite phone during the entire adventure. He has hundreds
of school children signed up to follow his adventure and learn
about the winter wilderness.

1/19/01 – We received this email and photograph from Tom
Weiss:

The attached photo is one that I took in early September 2000
at the east end
of Grace in the early morning. A low layer of fog lifted and left
just a
little bit towards the southeast. It was an incredible sight.

Grace Lake, September 2000

1/15/01 – I had a wonderful set of skiing experiences this
past weekend. Adam Hansen, on vacation from college, invited six
of his old friends from high school to come up and visit. On
Friday, the seven college students, the four resident Hansens,
and OB spent an enjoyable day at the Lutsen Mountains Ski Area
shredding some alpine action. I spent the morning working on my
snowboarding technique, which means trying to get down the hill
without major injury. In the afternoon, I put on the downhill
skis for the first time in nearly ten years. Saturday, I enjoyed
a perfect circuit of the "Picnic Loop," a local ski
trail that is famous for its 30 kilometers of remote beauty. On
Sunday, I skied down the Cascade River to its mouth with OB and
former Sawbill crew member, Will Decker. Four styles of skiing in
three days – nirvana. – Bill

Better companions for a day of sublime back
country skiing cannot be found. Will Decker and John (OB)
Oberholtzer. 1/14/01

Ice climbers encountered along the Cascade
River on 1/14/01. As we skied below, I thought of all the various
and rich activities taking place on this magic day in this
charmed place.

1/9/01 – We received the following email today:

Hello! I just wanted to share with you the wonderful sight my
husband
and I just watched. We live 16 miles from a lock/dam on the
Mississippi
River in northeast Missouri. The river is mostly frozen with only
a
small amount of open water below the dam. We counted over 70 bald
eagles. Some immature and a few golden eagles in about 1/4 of a
mile of
the river. Some were in trees on the rivers edge while most were
either
flying or sitting on the icy river. Some would fly toward the sun
and
cast a shadow on the ice while others would fly low over the open
water
and present a perfect reflection in the ice blue water. We were
lucky to
see one grab a not so lucky fish in its huge talons. Not only did
we
thrill at seeing the majestic birds, but many were even
vocalizing to
us. Most winters we see a few eagles, only 10 or so, but with our
"extreme" winter we have had so far, there were many
more than normal.
Luckily, winter is on hold temporarily for us, with 2 days in a
row
above 32!!!!
We really enjoy your newsletter, keep up the marvelous
descriptions.

Jan Kitzing
Lewistown, MO

PS Seeing the eagles makes us even more anxious to go north

1/1/01 – I observed my traditional New Year’s moment last
night by greeting the midnight hour on the ski trail. Every year
brings a new revelation. This year, the sky was overcast with a
light, hazy overcast. The planets and the brightest stars were
glowing behind the haze, tuning them into fuzzy balls many times
their normal size. My headlamp had weak batteries, so I turned it
off except for the tricky sections of trail. As my eyes adjusted
to the blackness, the twin tracks of the trail began to softly
glow for about six feet in front of my skis. The trees, stumps,
and snowbanks only became visible when they loomed out of the
darkness about twelve feet ahead. I found myself flying down the
trail, only able to react to changes that were happening
immediately. The sense that time was passing became suspended and
I skied in the moment, with my heart in my throat.

There is a new section to our ski trail this year. It runs on
a logging road down the middle of a huge clear cut just south of
here. This state land has been logged almost continuously since
the ’70s. It appears that the logging is over now, and the
remaining tote road makes a fine ski trail. The wide open spaces
of the clear cut offer an unusual perspective here in the dense
boreal forest where normally you can only see a few hundred yards
in any direction. When I reached the top of a small rise in the
clearing, I could clearly see the lights of Grand Marais
reflected on the low clouds some forty miles away. The airport
beacon at Grand Marais and the microwave tower near Lutsen were
also visible. As I stood feeling somewhat crowded by these signs
of encroaching civilization, I noticed another glow in the west.
It appeared to be moving toward me and growing alternately bright
and dim. I realized that it was Frank and Mary Alice driving home
along the Sawbill Trail, returning from their New Year’s party in
Schroeder. I couldn’t see the headlights themselves, nor could I
hear the slightest trace of engine or road noise. I turned and
resumed my headlong rush through the night toward home and a new
year. – Bill

12/26/00 – We have had a wonderful holiday here at Sawbill so
far. Our college students, Adam and Ruthie Hansen, have returned
from Madison and Chicago respectively. The weather has been
classic winter – mounds of fresh white powder, temperatures below
zero every night, and northern lights dancing among the stars. We
all enjoyed the extra Christmas day gift of the partial solar
eclipse, that bathed the landscape with soft golden light at
midday. We have a big ski planned for later today, but first we
need to haul some firewood into the houses for our furnaces. The
cold weather is causing large gaps to appear in the stolid wood
piles. – Bill

12/20/00 – Vivian and Willard Stevens have been camping on the
Sawbill Campground for as long as I can remember. Viv sent the
following e-mail today:

Hi Bill,

The following incident happened while we were at Sawbill in
August.
Thought you might get a kick out of it. Should have sent it to
you a
long time ago.

While Paul and LeAnn and their kids were on campsite #3 in
August they
were feeding nuts and whatever to the chipmunks. One day Paul put
out
four peanuts and 4 pistachios on a rock to see what the chipmunks
would
prefer. When he came back some time later, he was surprised to
see that
the pistachios were gone, but the peanuts were still there.
Guess that goes to show that you have some chipmunks, and maybe
red
squirrels, who have discriminating tastes. None of the ordinary
for them
when they can get the best!

Have a super Holiday Season!!!!

Vivian Stevens (and Willard, too, I suppose)

12/17/00 – Cindy and I were invited by our friends Scott and
Lee Bergstrom, who own Thomsonite
Beach Resort, to go on a sleigh ride on the Gunflint Trail.
The sleigh rides are given be Mark and Nancy Patten of Okontoe
Camp. The beautiful sleigh is pulled by two Belgian draft horses
over two miles of lantern lit trails. Mark, who is a cheerful
soul, keeps up a running commentary during the ride. The trail
crosses a small lake, a creek and makes a stop at the
"Kissing Tree." A vault of stars arches overhead, snow
blankets the spruce trees that line the trail, steam rises off
the broad backs of the giant, peaceful horses, and Mark sings
Christmas carols in a beautiful baritone. After the ride, the
Pattens welcome you into their home for a cup of home made hot
chocolate. Their house is a turn of the century hand hewn log
building that they moved from the nearby community of Isabella in
the early ’70s. They have since learned that it once served as a
bordello for the early 20th century logging camps around Isabella
and was known among the loggers as "The Clinic."

The Gunflint Trail is a paved road that requires quite a bit
of salt to keep the numerous corners and hills from being too
slippery. Moose have discovered the salt and get down on their
knees in the middle of the road to lick it up. It is a
magnificent sight, but also a significant road hazard. We counted
11 moose on our trip up to Okontoe. – Bill

12/14/00 – Cindy and the kids saw an unusual moose on the way
to school yesterday. It was a large bull, that on first glance,
seemed to have only one antler. It is not unusual to see a moose
with one antler that has dropped off, although usually in late
January or early February. As they drew near to this bull, they
realized that he had both antlers but one was huge while the
other was very small. The stunted antler was perfectly formed,
but tiny. It must be a pain to carry around such a lopsided load
on top of your head for six months. – Bill

12/12/00 – We have been under a cold snap here for the last
few days. The temps have not topped zero for highs and have been
near minus twenty every night. The full moon of December seems to
bring on the season’s first real cold snap every year. It does
make for some brilliant nights. It is the only time we feel the
need for window blinds on our bedroom windows, as the moon is
bright enough to fool us into thinking it is dawn at all hours. –
Bill

Steve Krahn has relisted the vintage Sawbill
Lodge postcard on eBay. It is a nice black and white shot of
the lodge in its prime circa 1951. The building pictured still
exists at Sobakken Resort in Lutsen. It was disassembled and
moved there in the early ’80s.

12/8/00 – We had a typical fluke North Shore snow storm
yesterday in the Tofte area. Tofte received 16" of snow
during the day, while for twenty miles in any direction,
including here at Sawbill, total accumulation was 2" or
less. Fortunately, the thickest snow fell on the ski trails that
lace the hills above Lake Superior. Grooming is scheduled for
Saturday, so trail skiing will be on the agenda for Sunday. –
Bill

12/2/00 – I could feel the shoreline moving by. On ice skates,
I challenged myself to trace the lake, to stay as close to the
edge of land and water as possible. I had to quickly move my
skates slaloming partially-covered boulders, leaned my shoulder
into fragrant, fluffy cedars, clicked my skates on wickets of
branches held up from submerged windfalls. I saw cul de sacs of
the lake I had never seen. I left arcs of skate tracks in little
nooks that would not have accommodated canoe or skis. Behind a
curtain of cedars, I skated into a very small shrine. Its floor,
covered in a fresh linen sheet of snow, glowed in the shadows. It
felt good to move with the lake this way, like dancing with an
old, familiar partner. It’s my favorite time of year. The lake is
entranced, perfectly still, as if holding its breath before the
next exhalation of snow. Until then, it feels like time has
stopped. We work less, postpone errands and chores, so we can
move on the lake as effortlessly as stockinged-feet on a vast
ballroom floor. Soon, the snow will come and fill in the molds my
skate’s and Bill’s skate-skis have etched into the lake. Later
this winter, when I am trudging along in snow shoes, I will lift
up all the snow and press it into my memory like a printer’s
carved wood block. The image of long graceful strokes covering a
huge canvas, will seem fantastic, like a spell written in an
ancient language. I will smile and laugh, as I do so often,
recalling the wonder of these woods. OB

11/29/00 – I skied to the north end of Sawbill Lake for the
first time this morning. I was pleased to see the fresh tracks of
a wolf pack on the lake, something I only saw a couple of times
last year. At the mouth of Kelso Bay, it was clear that they
lounged for awhile, including six piles of scat. It appears they
have been eating a lot of white tail deer, probably the offal
left by the recent fire arms deer hunting season. Otter tracks
were also evident. They only travel one way on the winter lakes –
run, run, run, sliiiiiiiide. Each slide is eight to ten feet
long. It looks like fun. At the very north end of the lake there
was a lead of open water in front of an active beaver house. An
otter was resting on the ice near the open water. After
inspecting me, she dove under the ice. I skied over and stood
near the hole, hoping she would reappear. Alas, she was smarter
than I gave her credit for. I could actually hear the water slosh
under the thin ice as she swam back and forth, but she avoided
resurfacing. I wonder if she could see me through the thin ice
and scant snow cover, or perhaps she could see the ice sag
slightly under my weight. There were several fresh trails from
both pine marten and fisher crossing the lake. – Bill

11/25/00 – Derald Storlie, owner of our nearest competitor
Sawtooth Outfitters, and a good friend, died suddenly an
unexpectedly yesterday of a heart attack. He was in Waseca,
Minnesota, helping his mother arrange her affairs after the death
of his father just two weeks ago. He was ice skating with his son
when he died, which was his favorite activity in the world. It is
hard to imagine a nicer guy than Derald. He will be sorely missed
by many. – Bill

11/22/00 – I tried to ski on the lake again yesterday. Most of
the ice seemed fine, but some of the snow covered areas creaked,
cracked and gurgled as I strode over them. Before I got more than
100 yards my skis abruptly shot out from under me and I crashed
down flat on my back on the unforgiving ice. The cartoon move
included multiple bounces of my noggin. I lay on my back and
watched the grey clouds glide by, thinking to myself "this
is not going well."

Being a slow learner and a born optimist, I tried again today.
Another inch of snow fell overnight, covering much of the bare
ice on the lake. Last night’s below zero temperatures (first of
the season) thickened the ice to about 3" – plenty to
support a skier. I was able to ski comfortably along the shore
all the way to the Smoke Lake portage. Pine marten tracks laced
along the shoreline. When I turned to head back, I was treated to
a fleeting purple sunset, not in the west, but in the south with
a slight westerly trend. The euphoria of gliding through the
deserted wilderness soon made me forget my aches and pains
(literally in the butt) from yesterday’s big fall. – Bill

11/21/00 – Sawbill Lake froze over on November 19th. I tried
(foolishly) to ski on it on the 20th. My first step onto the ice
was my last, as my foot plunged straight through into the frigid
water. Fortunately, I was smart enough to choose a shallow spot
for my first step.

Cindy and I just returned from Chicago. We attended the
wedding of former Sawbill crew member Chris Nelson. Chris was
originally a camper with the Flossmoor Community Church, a long
time Sawbill client from the south side of Chicago. Also in
attendance at the wedding were Karen Blackburn and John
Oberholtzer, both former Flossmorians and former Sawbill crew
members. Both Karen and John (OB) have chosen to settle near
Sawbill in the charming town of Grand Marais, Minnesota. The
wedding and reception were in the tradition of Chris’ bride,
Euridice Chrones, who is Greek. It was fun to experience the
elaborate Greek Orthodox ceremony and the authentic Greek dancing
at the reception. The night before, Chris and Euridice treated us
to a wonderful Greek dinner in Chicago’s Greektown district. The
biggest culture shock for Cindy and I was rush hour traffic on
the Chicago freeways. They are a quite a contrast to the good ol’
Sawbill Trail.

Along the way, we stopped to visit crew members Adam Hansen
and Ruthie Hansen. Adam is a sophomore at the University of
Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin and Ruthie is a freshman at the
University of Chicago. – Bill

11/14/00 – The absence of an entry here is partly due to our
annual moving of the computers from the office behind the store
to the office in our home. With the networking, inevitable
upgrades and the sheer scale of the task, it takes us awhile to
get organized again. Now the store is dark and cold, the water is
drained, the inventory packed away, and the electricity shut off.
The ground is covered with snow, but not enough to ski yet. The
lake hasn’t frozen, but some of the small ponds have skimmed
over, so we expect lake ice this week. As always, we have our
fingers crossed for smooth ice thick enough to skate on.

Dave Freeman, long time Sawbill crew member, is embarking on
an interesting and ambitious project this winter. Border Country
Adventure is the name he has given to an epic winter camping trip
that he is taking to raise wilderness awareness among the public.
Assisted by a sled dog, Dave will pull a sled across the length
of the BWCA Wilderness for six weeks beginning February 1st. He
will be updating his website via satellite telephone during the
entire adventure. Visit his website
bordercountryadventure.com now for more details. We will be
following Dave’s progress with interest.

Sawbill related items continue to pop up on eBay. Last week
there was a vintage postcard from Sawbill Lodge circa 1951. I was
going to put a link to it here, but apparently was too slow and
it is already sold. Currently there is a vintage
Sawbill Outfitters grey hooded sweatshirt available from a
seller in Duluth. This is very amusing for us. We still sell them
new in the good ol’ sawbill Store. – Bill

11/4/00 – Some would call it adventurous, some would call it
sheer stupidity. That’s right folks it’s another episode with the
Sawbill Polar Bear Club! I guess it’s not much of a club any more
seeing that I’m the last remaining member, but for the sake of
continuity we’ll call it a club. The weather was beautiful today
after several days in a row of gloom and rain, so I had to jump
at the opportunity to freeze my tail off. Also, I vowed to get in
the lake on my last day of work at Sawbill and sadly, that day
has come. Again, I forgot to bring a thermometer with me so I
can’t give a precise measure of the temperature of the water in
Sawbill Lake, but here’s a little description to give you an idea
of where it’s at. The Polar Bear Club members never jump in the
lake just one time , it’s simply not allowed, an encore is
required. Today upon pulling myself out of the lake after the
encore I actually got a brain freeze, you know, an ice cream
headache. Needless to say, the whole experience was fairly
intense. I’d like to dedicate today’s jump to the Sawbill Crew
Late Season Bachelors Association (SCLSBA) and two of its three
members, Eric "Frosty" Frost and John "The Man
with the Plan" Mlade, here’s to you boys.

So it’s time for me to say good-bye to Sawbill and make the
big move off into my post undergraduate future. I owe quite a bit
to this wonderful place, more than I could ever express in this
newsletter. If any of you are in the New York Metro area, please
look me up, I’ll take you on a paddle down the Hudson! Take care
everyone. Cheers! – Hoeky

Sawbill Outfitters Store, 8:30 a. m., Saturday, October
7th.

10/31/00 – As of midnight last night, the summer-long fire
restrictions in the BWCA Wilderness have been lifted. Of course,
there is literally nobody in the wilderness right now, so it
really doesn’t matter. Our last canoeists came in yesterday.
We’ve had a few calls about early November, but I suppose it
depends on the weather. The snow buntings have arrived from the
arctic in the last few days and the snow is never far behind
them. – Bill

10/28/00 – Got a bit of snow last night – just enough to cover
the trees and ground.

We received this message from Ed Dallas, the Poet Laureate of
Sawbill:

Tell Carl that I know how he feels with the owl flying over
him. Some years ago I was running the dogs over in the Aitkin bog
country and it was just after sun down when it is just about
ready to go dark when the dogs all look back at me and many of
them bent down as they ran, I, quickly, turned around to see this
huge Great Grey talons out flying for my head!! (I’m sure he/she
was after my beaver hat). It does make the heart pound faster!!
Have a good one.

Ed

ps………… Carl, watch your hat now!

10/25/00 – Carl Hansen, age 10, had a couple of notable
experiences last night. After school, he was doing something
outside, between the store and the Sawbill Trail. A pickup truck
pulled to a stop on the Sawbill Trail, less than 100 feet away.
The driver, who was screened by trees and brush, jumped out and
fired a shotgun blast at a grouse directly in Carl’s direction.
Cindy, Carl’s mom, heard the shot and ran out to confront the
reckless hunter. It is illegal in Minnesota to fire a gun that
close to a house, campsite or road. Cindy not only chewed out the
thoughtless hunter, but turned in his license plate number to the
game warden. An hour later, Carl was walking alone to dinner when
he heard a faint whooshing sound over his head. He looked up in
time to see a great grey owl gliding just a few feet above his
head. With a five foot wing span, the great grey is an impressive
sight at close range. Two hours later, Carl reported that his
"knees have just now stopped feeling like rubber."

10/23/00 – Another string of gorgeous weather favored the
small crowd of canoeists that visited over the long weekend. The
third weekend in October is when the teacher’s union holds its
conference in Minnesota, giving school children Thursday and
Friday off. We had a nice visit from former crew members Mick
Mickelson and Carol Winter. They had never met each other, even
though they both worked here during the 70’s.

10/5/00 – Snow! Yes that’s right campers, it’s snowing in the
northland. The temperature today barely made it over 40 degrees
and unfortunately with the snow came dreary skies. Of course it’s
not quite cold enough for any accumulation on the ground, but
that might not be too far off. The current forecast is calling
for temperatures in the 20’s over the next few nights and snow
is predicted to continue for the next few days as well. We’ve
been blessed for quite a number of days with clear blue skies
which the crew has had the opportunity to take advantage of. Several
of us have been ru
nning down the quiet Sawbill trail lately enjoying
the wonderful fall colors and smells. Yesterday I had the opportunity
to take a bike down the Pancore Lake road (about 10 miles or so
from us down the Sawbill Trail) to none other than Pancore Lake.
The largely unused designated trout lake is quite a sight this
time of year. Another road on my journey took me to a spot where
I stopped to watch a local resident work on his beautiful new
home. To end the day perfectly I hiked to Britton Peak, just a
few miles up the Sawbill Trail from Tofte. The vista from Britton
is not to be missed , if you’ve not seen it before stop and take
the 1/3 mile hike the next time you’re in the area. The 180 degree
view of Lake Superior along with the wonderful sight of the changing
foliage was absolutely breathtaking. Well, time to go check on
Bill’s progress draining the water from the shower house……..Wait
a minute, I just looked out the window, the snow is sticking and
piling up quickly! More snow tales to come. -Hoeky

First snow on the puppy.

9/30/00 – Ed Dallas, the Poet Laureate of Sawbill, writes:

IT WON’T BE LONG NOW

At this time of year,

those who paddle

out from the Sawbill

find each night’s campfire

a bit warmer,

sleeping bag zipped

all the way up,

stronger morning coffee

and portage trail mud

mimics potter’s clay.

Oh, some will enjoy crispness

of blue sky dotted

with winter-chased geese

and yellow aspen-leaf rain

while others

(garageless city dwellers)

see only hardships

brought on by dreaded

WINTER PARKING RULES

and City Officials eager

to call SNOW EMERGENCIES.

9/29/00 – We had a visit on Wednesday from Wilson and Jane
Arbogast. In 1934, Wilson and Jane, along with their father George,
stepmother Jean, and two other brothers, built Sawbill Lodge on
the south end of Sawbill Lake. Theirs is an amazing depression
era story. They built a beautiful log lodge and twelve cabins
from trees cut right on Sawbill Lake. It was a true northwoods
pioneer effort under very difficult conditions. Wilson had many
pictures from those times and I was impressed with how happy everyone
looked. It was a hard life, but a great life. Sawbill Lodge went
out of business in 1980. The Arbogast kids left the lodge to join
the military during WWII. Their father and Jean divorced and Jean
ran the lodge until she sold it in 1960. Jean started us in business
in 1957 when she spun off the outfitting business to my parents,
Frank and Mary Alice Hansen. – Bill

9/28/00 – Annie Pearson (nee’ Stritmatter), former Sawbill
crew member, now lives in Nicaragua. She sent up this picture
of a 47′ aluminum boat that her husband, Marcos, made. It is the
second of three that he is making for an organization called Alistar.
It will be used on Rio Coco for hauling freight and people to
remote towns. Annie asks if we would like a few for BWCA Wilderness
use. They only weigh two tons.

Pictured below are Brad (Gus) Gustason and friends who biked
from Duluth to Sawbill and back last weekend. It took them four
days total. They had wet and cold weather, but were revived by
the Summit beer selection in the Sawbill store and the sauna.

Homer the puppy is thriving. Gus and Sunny have taught him
well, as you can see…

9/23/00 – Gus and Sunny, Sawbill’s most popular residents,
would like to announce the arrival of their new friend, Homer
Howard Hansen to Sawbill.

Homer, age 8 weeks.

Sawbill customer Eric Flom sent along this picture from the
fires in Montana this summer. Impressive.

Photographed by John McColgan, Bureau of Land Management,
Alaska Fire Service

9/17/00 – Yesterday morning, Dave and Harriet, who live in
a camping trailer here at Sawbill, woke up at 6:30 a. m. to some
strange noises outside their door. Peering out the window, they
discovered two canadian geese standing in the driveway honking
at each other. I’m aware that geese are common, especially in
urban areas, but we rarely see them here except flying overhead
in "v" formation.

9/14/00 – Picture taken by Dave Freeman in front of the Sawbill
Store. The pine martens are casing the place…

9/13/00 – A variety of news here at Sawbill. Moose continue
to be sighted at a record pace. I saw three in one trip to town
a few days ago. All were bulls who were starting into their annual
mating period known as "rutting." These gentleman were
obviously preoccupied and unwilling to concede possession of the
road without a stare down. One huge bull even took a few threatening
steps in my direction. I was stopped a respectful distance away,
but still shifted quickly in reverse – just in case.

Ruthie Hansen departed yesterday, bound for her freshman year
at the University of Chicago. People have expressed amazement
that a country girl like Ruthie would choose one of the most urban
campuses in the country. But, she is looking forward to the excitement
and cultural enrichment that Chicago can offer. Perhaps we can
entice her to submit a few impressions of Chicago from a northwoods
point of view for this newsletter… if she has time.

Sawbill crew member Erik Hoekstra had an unfortunate accident
with our big 3/4 ton pickup truck yesterday. He was driving down
the Grade Road with the recycling trailer in tow and got sucked
into some soft gravel. After a few fishtails, he ended up in the
ditch. It was unlucky that the embankment was deep and steep at
this point and the truck ended up on its side. Erik was thankfully
unhurt. The truck is now in Richie Nelson’s body shop having most
of its sheet metal unwrinkled.

The fall colors have started in earnest along the Sawbill Trail.
The maple hillsides near Tofte are showing about 20% red. Farther
up, the underbrush is fully aflame with color. The birches and
aspen are showing sudden splashes of yellow which are beautiful
set against the vivid green background.

9/4/00 – David and Kathryn Olson, from New Jersey, have traveled
many miles in canoe country over the years. They took the pictures
below on their trip a couple of weeks ago and have many more on
their website.

9/3/00 – We received this story by email this morning:

A LIVELY PORTAGE — POLLY TO KAWASACHONG, BWCA, 2000

By Brand Frentz

We were forewarned to stay alert on the double portage from
Kawasachong through Townline to Lake Polly in the South Central
BWCA. In mid-July outfitter Bill Hansen’s Sawbill Newsletter (www.sawbill.com)
told about a smart, aggressive, and apparently pretty hungry bear
who had been marauding along that trail. The bruin reportedly
sneaked up on people, then when their backs were turned darted
out and grabbed the food and ran! That put me on edge, but in
fact we saw no bears in a week (probably because a good hazelnut
crop had ripened). As it turned out, the wildlife was not as wild
as their human counterparts. What we did see was some portage
action, portaging, some original styles and interesting problems.

It was on the return trip. We had worked hard to get from Little
Sag to Koma in one day, and started the last day late, and sore.
As we moved slowly homeward the 190-rod portage from Townline
to Kawasachong loomed as the back breaker.

As luck would have it, we faced a brisk south wind, right in
our faces — just as it had been out of the north and right in
our faces when we came in. Because we were worn down to start
with, it did not surprise me that as we crossed Lake Polly a pair
of athletic young guys in an old 17-foot Alumacraft easily overtook
us. We exchanged a few words, and they told us their impressive
route: put-in at Hog Creek and in six days they had gone all the
way west to Gabbro Lake and then back up the Kawishiwi River.
To me that is a long trip, and they looked stronger than ever.
We wished them good speed, although they already had it, and paddled
on behind.

By the time we reached the portage they were loaded, each with
a big pack on his back and a small one in front. What they did
next did surprise me. They bent over and picked up the boat together,
flipped it up over their heads and set it down with the seats
resting on their big packs. This portage starts with a mean little
rocky climb. They bounded up it like mountain goats, and out of
our sight for good. So that is one way to carry the canoe, and
it obviously was working for them.

We got loaded, Vycki with the food pack and incidentals, me
with the canoe (Penobscot 16) and my day pack. Before going far
we met a woman, then a man, then another, all with light loads
and reserved (if not sullen) attitudes. One of them warned us
that there were "terrible mudholes" on the second portage.

Then I came to the next curiosity of this portage, two women
struggling with a red Penobscot 17. It was on the ground as I
came up, and I couldn’t help noticing that it had no yoke. Instead
it had two broken pieces of wood connected to the gunnels, and
nothing between them. They told me that one of the guys had been
carrying it on the previous portage, and the yoke "just broke."

Very unfortunate, I agreed, so what are you doing now? They
were on a day trip from Kawasachong to Lake Polly to fish, and
they were determined to push on. How? They had secured PFDs to
the bow and stern seats, then bent their heads forward and put
the boat there, resting on their necks. Now that is a hard way
to portage! I had to admire their grit, and wished them good luck.
More with portaging than fishing.

After we completed the portage normally, me making a second
round for the two other packs (equipment and clothing), we paddled
across Townline to meet the day’s main challenge. We had now been
warned that it was muddy in addition to being long. We loaded
and crossed over. Things seemed okay. Along the way we passed
two young couples, who said a friendly "Hello," and
gave a fleeting impression of uncertainty. At the put-in I rested
a minute admiring our old friend Kawasachong, then started back
for the final pull — two 40-pound packs, front and back, and
me already dragging. I thought to myself, "I’ll at least
enjoy the walk over, with nothing to carry."

You bet! I hadn’t gone 100 yards when I came up to one of the
young guys, struggling with a huge red seabag, a 17-foot Mad River
Explorer on the ground next to him. Although I could see the problem,
I said, "Hi, what’s up?" He muttered something about
this portaging being a tricky business. "Here," I said
with my best BWCA manners, "Let me have that bag. The canoe
is plenty by itself." He looked astonished. He muttered a
breathless, "Awesome!" as I took his pack and he took
the canoe.

As we walked I told him that it was normal for me to help him
out, and that the other day on this very portage a guy had done
the same for me. He told me that this was their first time in
the BWCA and he didn’t know how he could carry the pack and the
canoe at once (this was the first real portage of their trip).

Before long we overtook his wife, who was cheerfully carrying
two more big seabags, front and back. He beamed to her, "Look
what this awesome guy is doing. He’s taking our pack." Well,
they were from Chicago, where I guess "awesome" is a
popular word, and helping out strangers may not be as common on
the street there as on portage trails in the BWCA. We chatted
about the beauty of the woods as we approached the muddy section.

Now I had been through this mud already. It was okay. I just
sloshed through in sandals, right down the middle where the trail
once was. My friends from Chicago had not seen it. In fact they
had only been in the BWCA for a couple of hours. Suddenly just
ahead I heard, "Yiiiy!" and saw the woman sinking, right
down to the packs! I dashed up and grabbed one arm, and another
guy who happened to be coming the other way came over quickly
and held her up on the other side.

Then slowly, carefully, we lifted her and her two big packs
out of the rippling mudhole. When she was back at ground level,
we set her down in the middle of the trail, where the mud was
3-4 inches deep but solid underneath. She gasped for air. Her
husband with the Explorer on his shoulders came up just then,
and she excitedly told him what had happened. More "awesomes,"
and everyone was happy.

The reason she went in, she said, was that she didn’t like
the looks of the mud on the trail. So she stepped off to the side,
where it appeared to be grassy but was not.

We crossed the rest of the trail together in fine spirits.
At the end, the Townline Lake put-in, I politely suggested that
they consider double portaging next time, and they agreed enthusiastically.
They thanked me, of course, and I said, "No problem, anybody
would’ve done it." As I grabbed my two packs and headed across
the portage for the last time I heard her say to her husband,
voice crackling with emotion, "Wow, that was exhilarating!"

I was so anxious to tell Vycki about my adventures that I completely
forgot that this was supposed to be the big challenge of the day,
and the portage was over in a flash. Time flies when you’re having
fun. (The fatigue hit later, as it always does.)

9/2/00 – A man just walked into the store with a 27.9 lb Northern
Pike tied to a paddle. He told us he caught the huge fish on a
little spoon and 6 lb test line. Unfortunately our digital camera
is having some technical difficulties, so we weren’t able to get
a picture of the fish. We’re storing it in our freezer for the
rest of the weekend. I was afraid to tell him that the last time
someone stored a huge fish in our freezer, Adam pulled it out
and threatened to use the stiff fish to play a few rounds of wiffle-ball.

Labor Day Weekend is in full-swing here at Sawbill. The campground
was full last night, and is full tonight too. There’s been a steady
stream of people in the store and dome all day long. I know the
summer’s coming to an end when I overhear kids in the store discussing
their school schedules. Oh my.

Sincerely Yours, -Ruthie

9/1/00 – 108 Carleton college freshman arrived at Sawbill today.
In the morning they will split into 12 separate groups and venture
into the wilderness on 12 different routes. Former crew members
Natasha "BA" Warner and Annie Strupeck are here to help
out over the busy weekend. It’s great to see some different faces
sitting behind the counter in the store. I’d like to write more,
but Hey! There’s work to be done!

Signing off, -Ruthie

8/31/00 – Terrific storms moved across the region during the
night. Lots of thunder and lightning, hail and 1.23" of rain
here at Sawbill. The winds were moderate though. No trees down
on the road this morning. The water levels will be unusually high
for the next week or so. It will be a busy day here as the Labor
Day weekend ramps up. – Bill

8/30/00 – Today was a beautiful warm day here at Sawbill. Around
5pm, it started to get colder. By 8pm, I had my winter jacket
on. Shivering, I consulted the thermometer on the side of the
pop-shed: 60. Maybe I should have picked a college in Arizona,
or better yet, somewhere on the equator. It felt like snow could
fall any minute. I could even see my breath! (When I was in the
cooler stocking pop anyway.) -Ruthie

8/28/00 – I received the following email this morning from
Dale Coffman:

Hi Bill

…What I really want to tell you is to make Ruthie write more

updates to the newsletter. She has a neat style that is fun to
read. When

she learns to trap little critters in the store she will be ready
to write

for Outdoor Life.

Hope you and the whole family are well and happy.

Yours

Dale

This lovely letter not only reminded me to update the newsletter
(you should have seen me fume when I was away at school and the
newsletter went un-updated for a week or more!), but it also reminded
me to check my extensive trapline. Mouse traps, that is. I have
caught over 30 mice in the crew quarters this summer. One of my
favorite parts of living in the woods is mingling with nature
and living with the forest creatures, I just don’t want to live
WITH the critters! So, I set some traps and got started. I couldn’t
bear to deal with the bodies, so I made a deal with another (braver)
crew member to empty the traps, if I set them and checked them.
As the summer has gone by, I’ve come to grips with being a mouse-murderer,
and I’ve started emptying the traps myself. Do you think "Outdoor
Life" wants to hear about my mice-capades? Or maybe there’s
a magazine called "Indoor Life" that would be better
suited for this type of article? Hmmmm…

Today was chilly and a little foggy. Very few customers have
been in the store or dome since noon, and it’s really starting
to feel like Fall. It’s still a wonderful time to take a canoe
trip though: No bugs, fewer people and better fishing in September.
The days can get up to 80 just as easily as they can get down
to 40, can’t they? Ever Optimistic, Ruthie.

8/27/00 – I discovered a few late-season blueberries growing
along the Sawbill Trail this afternoon. The tiny berries were
dustier and more tart than the early season berries. I’m not sure
how many I picked, because I practice the "one berry in my
mouth, one in my pail" method of berry picking, and of course
I ate from my pail when the picking was slow. -Ruthie

8/26/00 – We enjoyed a moment of quiet between the summer rush
and the pre-labor day rush, which now seems to be well under way.
Oh well. Soon it will be February and we will be dying for the
summer to begin again.

Many of the Sawbill Crew members have left for college: Nathan,
Anna, Emily and Laura are all gone for the year. Clare and Carl
Hansen have begun soccer practice in Grand Marais, and will soon
be returning to school. The nights have begun to take on the particular
chill and smell of early fall.

I awoke this morning to a very agitated squirrel clucking away
outside my bedroom window. I rolled over, half-awake and squinting
against the morning sun. I threw a handy magazine at the screen,
and the ruckus ceased. I was just beginning to slip back into
sleep when the racket began anew, this time closer to my head
and twice as loud. I gave up on getting back to sleep, opened
my eyes a bit and looked at the clock. 9:46. I suddenly felt some
of the squirrel’s panic myself. August is nearly over, the leaves
are beginning to turn, I’m leaving for school in two weeks and
here I am still in bed! I remember this feeling from summers long
past; summers that seemed to last forever, when I felt as if I
had all the time in the world right up until the moment I realized
that school was bearing down on me, along with winter coats and
frostbitten fingers and toes. I promised myself this morning that
I would soak up more sun, swim more, wear shorts more, as if I
could convince the earth along with myself that it was still midsummer.
But the fact remains; it’s August 26th. Soon it will be September,
and before long, the first snow of winter will cover the dusty
pine-needle carpeting of the forest, and I’ll be longing for June
again. -Ruthie

8/19/00 – The temperature dipped to 40 degrees last night and
I noticed a few colored leaves along the Sawbill Trail yesterday.
The ripening hazelnuts seem to have lured the bears away from
campsites. We’ve had very few bear reports in the last week. The
moose are feeding on abundant aquatic plants right now, so moose
sightings have increased dramatically. High water is making for
easy travel.

With "back to school time" upon us, overnight permits
for the wilderness are more readily available. With the exception
of Labor Day weekend, September is wide open for permit availability.
It sure makes me dream of a solo trip during the peak of the color
season… – Bill

Ed Dallas, the Poet Laureate of Sawbill, does it again with
this evocative Autumn poem:

touch of autumn chill

the old buck

lets young ones go first

8/15/00 – Ed Dallas, Sawbill’s Poet Laureate, sent this poem
this morning:

last campfire

she blames the smoke

for tears in her eyes

8/13/00 – Sunday morning here at Sawbill. There is a chill
in the air this morning reminding us that the snow line is moving
south every day. A hint of wood smoke smell drifts over from the
campground. Some people are arriving to begin their canoe trips,
others are exiting the woods and heading for home. Those arriving
are hurried and anxious, full of last minute details, and a little
irritable. The folks coming off the water are dirty, but relaxed
and happy. They move at an unhurried pace, putting off the inevitable
return to the "civilized" world as long as they can.
They smile easily as they relate the high points of their trip:
a moose spotted on a portage, northern lights arching across the
entire sky, sunrise across a fog shrouded lake, and the stories
roll on… – Bill

8/11/00 – The Consortium XXIV group is pictured below. They
have developed many traditions over their 24 years of Sawbill
canoeing, including the "grog cup salute."

8/5/00 – Thoreau’s necessary tonic of the wilderness is held
in a star’s reflection on the still of a lake. The blackened shoreline
creates a mold that only a few of the tallest trees dare to spill
from. As one paddles closer to shore, the trees reveal their individuality.
Branches, bark, and needles become distinguishable only by outline.
The shades of night contrast each other to give shape, and depth,
and meaning. The unplanned light of the stars’ dance is stirred
with every dip of the paddle. – Frosty

8/2/00 – According to the State of Minnesota, there are twice
as many bears in the woods as usual. I’m not sure exactly how
one goes about counting bears, but until recently it seemed to
us that there were no bears left. Now, there are bears almost
everywhere. The Kawishiwi to Polly Lake corridor seems to have
multiple bears. They are a canny band of thieves, stealing packs
off of portages, unlatching pickup toppers, finagling ropes out
of trees and generally making pests out of themselves. The blueberries
and hazel nuts are beginning to ripen, so they may lure the bruins
away from their freeze dried gourmet diet. – Bill

7/28/00 – We received these photos from our friends at Woodside
School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You can see from their faces that
this is an exceptional group of kids with dedicated, respected
teachers.

7/27/00 – Here are a couple of belated items. Ben Boss caught
this nice northern on Beth Lake earlier this year.

Dave Monos and Ed Dancek were here last week. They had to leave
several of their usual traveling companions at home this year.
They say to Gary, Tom and Ray: "August is coming. 23 1/2"
walleye on Brule."

7/21/00 – Yesterday afternoon, Shawn Loiselle from Inver Grove
Heights, MN reeled in quite a walleye on the northern end of Sawbill
Lake. Usually not known for excellent walleye populations, Sawbill
Lake has proven to be very productive this summer for fish of
all species. Shawn was in the store earlier in the morning, and
asked where he could get a fish as big as some of the pictures
on the wall. We told him, and he found one (although not quite
in the same area as we had told him, or even same lake). By the
way, yesterday was Shawn’s first day of his fishing trip. Not bad,
eh?

Walleye caught on northern Sawbill. (9.5 lbs, 32")

7/20/00 – Recently members of the crew and I spent a quietly
cool eve talking about what Sigurd Olson termed "the singing
wilderness." As we took turns reading aloud, I was reminiscent
of what first brought me up to the waters of Northern Minnesota.
I came for the solitude of walking a less-traveled portage, the
silence of friends sharing the glow of a night’s fire, just as
we come for the conversation during a morning paddle. Olson’s
words remind me to find the beauty of the wilderness by looking
a little closer, walking a little slower, or just smiling a little
wider. When I find myself doing so, my appreciation sings for
all things wild and for the history of those who have traveled
these waters before us. Olson writes, "Everyone is listening
for something, and the search for places where the singing may
be heard goes on everywhere. It is part of the hunger all of us
have for a time when we were closer to lakes and rivers, to mountains,
meadows, and forests than we are today." However reminiscent,
there is always something new and fresh. Be it a new leaf on an
elder tree, a paddle passing through waters that have felt many
before, or a cloud moving through an endless sky of blue, we must
revel in and sing the song of the wilderness that surrounds. This
is why we continue to paddle these waters and how historical canoe
trips are forged. – Frosty

7/18/00 – The "Walk
To Remember" is an interesting grass roots effort to
create a sense of community surrounding Lake Superior in order
to address issues effecting the big lake. The walk passed through
our area a week ago and is now working its way along Canada’s
North Shore.

7/17/00 – Sorry for the long delay between updates here. The
program we use for this newsletter self destructed and we have
been too busy to fix it. All is well now though.

We’ve had several fine visitors during the last week or so.
Bruce (Rube) Rubenstein, former Sawbill crew member of indeterminate
age, was here for over a week. Rube is a writer in Hollywood now,
so he appreciates returning to the sanity of the northwoods. Mike
Gaud, who worked here four years ago is visiting now. Mike just
finished with a Geology PhD program at the U of New Mexico. As
soon as he defends his thesis, we will start calling him Doctor
Mike. Dan Seemon and Cathy Iverson visited for the last two days.
They were also former crew members a few years ago.

The bears were active for the last couple of weeks, especially
in the Polly, Koma, Malberg Lake area. There was one particular
bear that became adept at snatching unattended food packs of the
Polly-Townline portage. People reported that they would literally
turn their backs for a minute and the bear would appear silently
and snatch the pack. Several parties battled back with rocks,
sticks and pepper spray and got their food back with minimal damage.
In the last few days, no one has had any trouble, so we’re hoping
that the few ripe blueberries have lured the bruins back to their
natural habitat.

Dave Monos from Westerville, OH is here on a trip right now.
He sends greetings to the several members of his usual canoe group
who had to stay home this year. So far, Dave has had nearly perfect
weather.

The BWISB (Big Women In Sports Bras) group is back for another
year of hilarity. This year they will be gracing Polly Lake with
their refined and cultured presence.

Jeff Thompson, another former crew member, visited last week.
He was catching batting practice for Carl and after a couple of
close calls, donned a life jacket – diaper fashion – and a logger’s
hard hat as protective gear.

The SFGA (Sawbill Frisbee Golf Association) annual Masters
Tournament was played last week. Jason Morse, who last won three
years ago, recaptured the title. The tournament was not without
controversy though. Defending champion Adam Hansen landed a shot
in the water hazard (Sawbill Lake) and a difficult ruling involving
the interpretation of what constitutes a rock was required. Adam
graciously accepted a penalty shot, in spite of disagreeing with
the rock interpretation. It ultimately cost him the tournament,
but "we’re all winners for playing."

7/3/00 – Today was the picture perfect day at Sawbill. The
weather was ideal – not a cloud in the sky, low 70’s for temperature
and a light southerly breeze. It was busy, but not too busy. Everyone
was in an excellent and relaxed mood. Swimming, exploring, sunbathing
and a little fishing seemed to be the order of the day.

The night before last, our radio telephones were put our of
service by a lightning strike at the Lutsen Mountains Ski Area,
where our real phone lines begin. The lightning struck a junction
box for the 480 volt power system that the ski area uses for their
snow making equipment. The system shorted out and ran 480 volts
into all the snow-making wiring, water piping, and the nearby
telephone cable. Telephones run on 24 volts, so the cable immediately
melted. We were able to have our calls redirected to our old single
line radio telephone system for a couple of days until US West
was able to install a new cable. We got along, but it was pretty
pitiful trying to handle all the phone calls, VISA machines, electronic
fishing licenses, and internet traffic on one bad quality phone
line. We are back to our crystal clear five-line microwave system
now.

6/26/00 – Ruthie and I just returned from a quick three day
canoe trip in the Parent River/Isabella River area. We practically
had to push wildlife out of our way. Eagles, hawks, golden eye
ducks, and egg-laying western painted turtles everywhere. On Boga
Lake our campsite was a major nesting area for the local turtles.
At any moment the campsite was ringed by half a dozen turtles
waiting to crawl up and lay their eggs in the soft, warm soil.
During dinner, one particularly desperate turtle came climbing
up the bank and crawled directly toward us. Ruthie picked up a
twig and brandished it in mock defense. The turtle stopped three
feet in front of us and carefully looked at each of us in turn.
She patiently worked her way over the rough terrain, skirting
our position, and started to dig a hole for her eggs. She was
contentedly laying them when we turned in for the night.

There is a canoe trip of ex-Sawbill crew members departing
this morning. Mike MacMillan and his wife Leigh, Will Decker,
Sandy Zinn, John "OB" Oberholtzer, and Kathleen Heikes
will be canoeing for the next few days. We are trying to press
them into temporary employment while they’re here, but they are
carefully avoiding our enticements.

We’ve had a lot of rain in the last week, dropping the fire
danger and raising the water levels.

6/19/00 – Sawbill crew member, Dave Freeman, went for a paddle
last night and took these snapshots on the south end of Sawbill
Lake.

A beaver goes about his business.

A nesting loon trying to look inconspicuous.

6/15/00 – The fire ban has been lifted. As of today, fires
are allowed between 7 PM and midnight in the "restricted
area" and allowed anytime in the rest of the wilderness.
In our area, the restricted area includes Sawbill and Alton Lakes,
and everything roughly east and north of here. The Lady Chain,
Kawishiwi Lake up to Malberg and everything roughly west of there
is in the unrestricted area.

We got a wonderful letter from long time customer and friend
Jim Nelson today:

Dear Bill, Cindy, Frank & Mary Alice:

First, I found my sunglasses in my fanny pack, which I carried
with me over the Memorial Weekend, but never opened all the way.
Dumb!

Second, I wanted to thank you for your part in helping Scott,
my three grandsons and myself have a great time. I know you didn’t
have anything to do with the weather, but it was pretty good.
For each of the three grandsons, Zach and Colin (the 7-year-olds)
and Jacob, the 11-year-old), catching their fish was by far the
highlight. You should have seen the smiles on their faces when
we reached Des Moines. (As I think of it, Scott & I had Cheshire
grins as well.)

That was for me, and I believe for Scott as well, a perfect
opportunity to introduce those three young boys to the lore of
the north land with its unique and bountiful history. One of the
seven-year-olds, Zach, mentioned that the BWCAW was his idea of
paradise. (Not that he was coached, or anything — his two uncles,
mother and grandpa would NEVER influence such a delicate mind!)
He said that, however, last winter before he had ever been there.Of
course, I think he was right, and I believe he confirmed it for
himself in those four days.

They were each entranced with the place, from the soaring eagles,
to the primordial language of the loon, to the glassy gift of
a peaceful lake getting ready for the night’s rest as it reflects
a golden sunset full of the promise of a beautiful tomorrow.

Come to think of it, so was I. I can’t wait to get back.

Peace,

Jim Nelson

Scott Hall rode his bike and trailer combination up
to Sawbill from Minneapolis last week. He left his bike with us
and took a five day solo canoe trip, then rode back to Duluth
to meet and friend and continue his vacation in Bayfield, Wisconsin.

6/11/00 – We’ve been entertained the last few days watching
people get out of there cars after driving up from the south.
Everywhere south of Duluth has been baking in 90+ degree heat.
The high temperature along the North Shore yesterday was about
45. Here at Sawbill, folks stepped out of their cars into the
chilled air and were instantly sporting goose bumps the size of
actual geese. They dove back into their cars in search of long
pants and down vests.

Sawbill crew members Annie Olson and Ruthie Hansen recently
finished a 48 hour Wilderness First Responder certification course
at the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center. The course, taught
by B.J. Kolstadt, prepares Annie and Ruthie to respond to emergencies
requiring first aid within the wilderness. It is comforting for
us to have trained First Responders on our staff.

6/9/00 – Summer is fully arrived at Sawbill. The black flies
are nearly a bad memory as friendly dragon flies replace them.
The no-see-ums arrived with a vengeance last evening, due to the
balmy temperatures and low winds. These tiny pests only affect
a minority of people. Some people think they are literally a joke,
but those of us who endure the itching, burning welts are not
laughing. The unpleasant sensation only lasts for about 20 minutes
and they do respond to repellents, so they aren’t too bad.

The leaves are fully out now. The blossoming bushes are done
and the bunch berry and strawberries are taking over.

The male members of the Sawbill crew spent the night in the
wilderness recently. The object of their trip was to terrorize
the lake trout on a certain lake. They returned with many stories
of fabulous fishing and three actual fish. The three lake trout,
yielding their dense, rich meat, fed ten people with plenty of
leftovers.

Cindy and I missed the fish dinner because we were guests at
a gourmet dinner at Papa Charlie’s restaurant at the Lutsen Mountains
ski area. They have recently hired two wonderful new chefs and
the dinner was offered to local business owners to introduce their
talents. They are using many local ingredients (lake trout, wild
rice, maple syrup and wild mushrooms, among others) to create
truly delicious food. Life is hard here in the north country.
– Bill

5/29/00 – Whew! The busy Memorial Day weekend has passed. Paul
Lundgren, a former Sawbill crew member, and his friend Cindy came
to help us out. I would like to thank all the other former crew
members who have pitched in to help us this spring: Steve Surbaugh,
Kate Surbaugh, Natasha Warner, Jason Morse, Karl Hansen, and Lee
Stewart. Special thanks to Kathleen Heikes, who is not a former
crew member, but also helped out immensely during the start up
season. It is great fun for us to have these fine friends come,
visit and work along side us for awhile.

Many canoeists reported seeing moose this weekend. The babies
are all born now and the mothers keep them near water for the
first few weeks of their lives. Several sets of twins were spotted.
– Bill

Sawbill Outfitters is a proud member of Northeastern
Minnesotans For Wilderness which is working to organize the
many people who support the wilderness and happen to live in northeastern
Minnesota. Visit their site for more information on BWCA Wilderness
issues and what you can do to help protect the BWCA Wilderness.

5/29/00 – Whew! The busy Memorial Day weekend has passed. Paul
Lundgren, a former Sawbill crew member, and his friend Cindy came
to help us out. I would like to thank all the other former crew
members who have pitched in to help us this spring: Steve Surbaugh,
Kate Surbaugh, Natasha Warner, Jason Morse, Karl Hansen, and Lee
Stewart. Special thanks to Kathleen Heikes, who is not a former
crew member, but also helped out immensely during the start up
season. It is great fun for us to have these fine friends come,
visit and work along side us for awhile.

Many canoeists reported seeing moose this weekend. The babies
are all born now and the mothers keep them near water for the
first few weeks of their lives. Several sets of twins were spotted.
– Bill

5/25/00 – Memorial Day weekend had begun with a noticeable pick-up
of the pace here at Sawbill. Five of our summer crew members have
arrived from the early adjourning colleges. It is a huge relief
to have the extra hands at this busy time of year and great fun
to share the cheerful energy of these remarkable young men and
women.

Speaking of young people, we seem to have about half the population
of high school age kids from Rochester, Minnesota here at Sawbill.
Kids from all three high schools in the town famous for the Mayo
Clinic have taken canoe trips out of Sawbill in the last week.
They are a clear eyed and polite group with leaders that are clearly
respected teachers. They have battled black flies and high winds
this week, but their spirits remain high. – Bill

5/22/00 – Another round of significant rain is encouraging
the forest to don its coat of summer green. The leaves are about
halfway out now. Woods anemone are blooming and the broad leaf
aster are starting to appear. Violets and bunchberry can’t be
far behind. Unfortunately, the black flies have also made an early
appearance. These small, but voracious, gnat like creatures are
known as "the flying mouth of the north." They have
not been too plentiful so far, thanks to the cold weather and
brisk winds. They should peak during the Memorial Day weekend
when human blood is at its most plentiful. Normally, the black
flies are only around for a few weeks. We are hoping they will
disappear on the same early schedule they arrived on. Head nets
and a judicious application of repellent are highly recommended
for the next couple of weeks.

Open fires continue to be banned in roughly half of the BWCA
Wilderness. In our area, Alton and Sawbill Lakes are in the ban
area. West and north of Alton up to Mora Lake, fires are allowed.
East of Alton, fires are banned. The local Forest Service office
tells me that the ban is likely to continue until the end of June,
irregardless of the weather. The Forest Service has amassed an
incredible arsenal of fire fighting weapons, including the amazing
Sky Crane helicopter, capable of dropping 2,400 gallons of water
at a time.

5/17/00 – We received this email today from Ed Dallas, the
poet laureate of Sawbill:

Bill –

Well I’m back from the flagging trip on the Kek Trail. We flagged
from

Bingshick to Seahorse plus another 1/2 mile. It is a mess out
there! In a

few places we were 8 – 10 foot off the ground, looking for that
6" wide

path. We canoed in on last Friday from Round Lake and camped on
Bat Lake,

just off Gillis Lake. It snowed off and on on Saturday and Sunday,
which

was great as it kept the blackflies at bay. On Sunday it coated
the ground

for awhile. On Monday it got warm and the blackflies came out
in force!!

Tried to eat us alive!!! The trip was great as we got our job
done and also

saw moose, deer, a bear, saw a grouse drum, from about 15 feet
away, and ( I

hate to bring this up ) a camp marten. Saw him each night in camp.
I think

he was wearing a "Sawbill T-shirt" but the light was
bad and once a guy hits

50 his eyes go and if he does not have his contacts in ………well
I’m not

sure about the T-shirt. We did catch some trout and had one mighty
fine fish

boil for supper on Saturday night. I bet you guys are working
hard now, hope

you find time to get out in the canoe. Say "hi" to the
kids and Cindy for

me. I guess the "office move" back to the store went
well. Maybe I can help

with the move come fall. I leave you with this haiku:

after the windstorm

old trail now pink ribbons through

maze of broken trees

Have a good one,

ED

5/14/00 – Dr. Steve DeVries is a professor at Cornell College
in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Every year, Steve, along with co-leader
Jeff Reihle, brings a group of college students on a canoe trip
through Sawbill as part of a class. In the last fifteen years
or so, they have endured almost unrelenting bad weather. In spite
of this dampened reputation, Steve remains relentlessly positive,
enjoying every moment of his time in the wilderness.

This year, the forecast looked hopeful. A chance of showers
on the first day and partly sunny for the four days following.
On Thursday, it started to rain hard about fifteen minutes before
they arrived, but the forecast called for improvement. "That’ll
change." said Steve, without rancor. Friday, in all honesty,
wasn’t too bad – warm with just some fog and a few light showers.
Saturday – snow started to fall early and continued off and on
all day in the teeth of a 25 mph northwest wind. Still, the forecast
called for improvement.

Today, we woke up to this:

The Sawbill Outfitters Store 5/14/2000

Steve is due to end his trip tomorrow. The forecast is for
clearing and warmer this afternoon, but I’m not planning to take
the long johns off until the Cornell group starts back to Iowa.
– Bill

5/12/00 – Yesterday was John Oberholtzer’s last day of work
at Sawbill. "OB" has worked about fifteen years, off
and on, here at Sawbill. Those of you who don’t know him in person
will recognize his name from this newsletter where his beautiful
writing has been featured for several years.

As a send off, Cindy designed a timed course of common Sawbill
jobs. In order of their appearance below, the picture are:

packing a cookkit for 8 people, putting canoes back on the
rack,

(the Forest Service airplane observes from above), washing
a pack,

turning off the high pressure washer, locating the wing nut
wrench in the workshop (and putting it in his pocket so no one
else can find it), stocking the firewood,

stocking the ice, stocking the Diet Coke,

preparing a dishwashing kit, fetching the towels from the men’s
shower room to the laundry, finding a jar of beets in Frank and
Mary Alice’s cold room,

making queso and chips for the crew, and the crew enjoying
the queso and chips. Total time elapsed: an incredible 17 minutes
57 seconds.

We were tempted to give OB a gold watch, but decided a Peter
Puddicombe paddle was more appropriate. His smiling face, capable
hands, and empathetic heart will be deeply missed by crew and
visitors alike. I hope he will contribute the occasional piece
of writing to this newsletter. He will stay in the area and is
planning to expand his passion for writing and wilderness travel
. – Bill

5/5/00 – The US Forest Service announced on May 3rd tighter
restrictions on campfire use in the BWCA Wilderness. The restrictions
come amid a sustained period of very dry conditions across northeastern
Minnesota .

The USFS has upgraded the fire danger index in the BWCA Wilderness
from a "low" to a "moderate" danger rating.
This is due to a lack of soaking spring rains and low snowfall
during the past winter.

Campfires will be prohibited in the areas affected by last
summer’s blowdown, where over 350,000 acres of forest was affected
by high winds. This includes all camp and cooking fires. The fire
ban in the affected area will likely be in effect at least until
June, when early summer rains usually soak the area and reduce
fire risk. at: A
map of the area covered by the campfire ban is available on
the Superior National Forest website. The
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also has a helpful web
site that contains fire related information for the entire
state of Minnesota, including the BWCA Wilderness.

There are currently no restrictions on the use of campfires
in areas not affected by the blowdown; however, as always, caution
is encouraged.

5/2/00 – More crew news: We had a visit overnight from Jeff
Thompson, former Sawbill crew member and charter member of the
Sawbill Frisbee Golf Association. Jeff is a talented newspaper
photographer. He has been working for a chain of northern Minnesota
and Wisconsin newspapers based in Duluth, but has just been hired
by the Mankato Free Press in Mankato, Minnesota. He stopped by
for a quick northwoods fix before moving his life’s possessions
to farm country. Jeff hopes to relocate to northern Minnesota
eventually.

5/1/00 – Sawbill crew member Ruthie Hansen has chosen the University
of Chicago as her venue of under graduate study. Congratulations
Ruthie.

4/29/00 – Despite a brisk snowfall yesterday afternoon, several
parties have taken advantage of the early Spring and are out canoeing.
Lloyd Geving, a Sawbill camper since birth, wrote that he and
his son Carl were getting equipment ready for an early season
trip last week. Carl asked about the possibility of taking their
new puppy along. Lloyd said that it would be OK and moments later
snapped this picture.

4/25/00 – Yesterday was a symphony of seasonal firsts. Clare
spotted the first chipmunk of the season. it is the "tame
one from the campground" and took sunflower seeds from her
hand. Cindy saw several grouse on the road in their mating display
– necks ruffed up, tails fanned, strutting like high school boys
at the prom. The aspen trees around Sawbill suddenly sprouted
catkins and the buds are swelling on the hazel brush. The first
mosquitoes made their appearance. It is a species that always
appears early. they are larger than the average Minnesota summer
variety, but are fortunately quite sluggish. The woodcocks were
executing their dramatic twilight mating flights. They shoot out
of clearings and rise straight into the air to dizzying heights.
Their wings make a distinctive musical sound. They spiral down
to land in almost the exact same spot they departed from, take
a breather, and repeat the process. The last sign of Spring was
the appearance of the Hansen family’s badminton net. Clare proceeded
to trounce me in the inaugural game. – Bill

4/24/00 – Cindy, Carl and I went for a bike ride yesterday.
We rode on a little used logging road about seven miles from Sawbill.
Along the way, the road skirted a large pond. Carl and Cindy rode
a bit ahead when I slowed down to gaze at the beautiful blue water.
My eye caught a flash of grey on the far side of the pond. As
I watched in amazement, a big, beautiful wolf emerged from the
underbrush. Carl and Cindy hurried back and we were able to watch
the silver-grey wolf for about 30 seconds as he worked his way
along the edge of the pond. We are so lucky to live in this wonderful
part of the world. – Bill

4/21/00 – Ruthie Hansen, Annie Olson, and Danielle Trego just
returned from a sunset paddle and report that Alton Lake is still
frozen over. The three young ladies are visiting for Easter vacation
from their schools in the Twin Cities. – Bill

4/20/00 – We received a report last night that all the lakes
along the Gunflint Trail are still ice covered. There was a party
canoeing out of Sawbill last weekend, but they came and went without
comment, so we don’t know what they found (except 4" of new
snow). I suspect that the larger lakes are still iced in, but
they should go out in the next few days. – Bill

4/13/00 – The ice is officially out on Sawbill Lake as of yesterday,
April 12th, a full six days ahead of the previous recorded record
for early ice out. The pictures below tell the tale. At noon yesterday,
we drove to the end of the campground and encountered quite a
large sheet of pretty solid ice. OB even walked on it. After supper
I went for a paddle and the large sheet of ice had decreased by
about a quarter, eaten away by the wave effect from a brisk southerly
wind. I worked my way around the ice and when I got through the
narrows that mark the boundary of the wilderness I was stunned
to see the rest of Sawbill Lake completely ice free. The official
rule is that the lake is out when it is more than 90% ice free.
Don’t rush up for a canoe trip right away though. The bay containing
the portage to Alton is still frozen and I’m sure any other bays
and lakes as well. We got two inches of snow last night, but as
soon as it warms up again, the remaining ice should disappear fast.
– Bill

While on my paddle I saw green head mallards, golden eye ducks,
black mallards, and bufflehead ducks. I also rammed an ice berg
that was completely awash and almost undetectable in the water.
The little solo canoe rocked just enough to remind me that the
water is 32.1 degrees and I needed to pay a little more attention.
It felt great to be paddling again. – Bill

South end of Sawbill Lake at noon on April 12th, 2000.

The center portion of Sawbill Lake at 7 P.M. on April
12th, 2000.

4/5/00 – We got 4" of snow the night before last and temperatures
in the teens last night. This will slow down the early Spring,
but probably not by much. The south end of Sawbill Lake is about
one half ice free. – Bill

4/4/00 – The Forest Service has released the following advice
for the ’00 season.

KEY MESSAGES FOR VISITORS TO THE BWCAW

The windstorm that swept parts of the Boundary Waters Canoe
Area Wilderness on July 4, 1999, blew down trees over a 350,000-acre
area. This storm has changed that area of the wilderness for years
to come, and has created the opportunity for new experiences and
new risks for BWCAW visitors.

HELP TO REDUCE THE RISKS OF FIRE IN THE BWCAW

Choose a camp stove instead of a campfire. If a campfire is allowed
and there is little or no wind, build it in the fire grate and
keep it small. Keep flammable materials and firewood far away.
Drown the fire with water until all embers, rocks and sticks are
wet. Stir the remains, add more water until the fire is extinguished
and cool to the touch. Do not bury coals as they can smolder and
break into flames much later. Be sure the campfire is completely
extinguished before you leave, even if for a short time!

WATCH FOR HAZARDS

There may be hazards due to downed and weakened trees and trees
may continue to fall. Stay alert and heads up, fallen or leaning
trees may snap back unexpectedly when cut. Avoid camping and walking
under damaged and leaning trees. Root wads above the ground may
also be unstable and dangerous.

KNOW ABOUT FIRE RESTRICTIONS

There may be fire restrictions in all or part of the BWCAW. These
are for your safety and to reduce the threat of large, dangerous
wildfires. Before entering the wilderness, please check on fire
restrictions. Contact any Superior National Forest District Office
or forest headquarters, (218)626-4300, or check the Superior
National Forest website for specific information and maps.

STAY ALERT FOR FIRES

There is a significant increase in the likelihood of fires in
the blowdown area as a result of the storm. Wilderness visitors
can expect: wildfires that start and spread, even in wet conditions.
Wildfires that burn more intensely and may spread rapidly. Wildfires
that easily jump barriers such as small lakes and streams. Increased
risk of being trapped by a wildfire with difficult escape routes.

IF YOU SEE OR SMELL SMOKE, DON’T PANIC

The fire may be miles from you and pose no threat to your safety.
If the fire is nearby or moving in your direction, travel away
from it at a right angle, if possible. That means going south
or north if the fire is approaching from the west. While you travel,
try to stay close to a large body of water until the fire passes.
In extreme cases, paddle to the middle of a lake, wear your life
vest and submerge yourself under your overturned canoe, where
you can breathe the cool, trapped air to protect your lungs and
airways until the fire passes.

AS YOU TRAVEL IN THE BWCAW:

1. WATCH THE WEATHER

Wind: Most fires travel east and north. Make sure you have a safe
route to follow in case wind direction changes. Embers can blow
more than a mile, possibly starting new fires. As humidity increases
in the early morning and late evening, fire activity may decrease.
Travel may be safer at these times. Tall smoke plumes indicate
a very hot fire. If you see a tall smoke plume upwind of you,
seek a point of refuge, such as a lake.

2. MAKE A NEW PLAN

Look at maps, alternative routes and your proximity to a large
body of water. Stay close to water. If there is a safe way around
the fire, with broad expanses of water, consider traveling from
the area. If you must travel through burned areas, watch for burning
stump holes and hot embers. Burned trees can fall easily.

3. FIND A SAFE PLACE

If you feel threatened, get on a large lake. Stay upwind, but
be aware that large fires can burn unpredictably in any direction.
If the fire is upon you, take your canoe into the water. Put on
your life jacket, paddle to the middle of a lake, tip over your
canoe and go under it. You can breathe the cool, trapped air under
the canoe until the fire passes.

4/3/00 – Two ravens sit on the swing set and ponder the temporary
return of winter today. We saw our first grackle today – a reliable
sign that the snow is not long for this world. The lake is too
shaky to even measure the ice. I would guess that it is only
about 6" thick and quite degraded. I’m thinking the ice will
be out by the weekend or shortly thereafter.

This small brown bat was discovered snuggled up in our back
door frame this weekend. Although it seemed to be sick or injured,
perhaps it was just sleepy, as it disappeared shortly after dark.
– Bill

Sawbill Outfitters is a proud member of Northeastern
Minnesotans For Wilderness which is working to organize the
many people who support the wilderness and happen to live in northeastern
Minnesota. Visit their site for more information on BWCA Wilderness
issues and what you can do to help protect the BWCA Wilderness.