1/5/24 – Do you ever wonder what goes on deep in the woods away from human disturbance? These Cook County trail camera pictures offer a little insight.
And yes, that is about the amount of snow we currently have on the ground (probably less than an inch). Luckily snow accumulation of some kind is supposedly on the horizon this weekend.
-Jessica
12/18/23 – Permits open for the 2024 paddling season Wednesday, January 31st at 9am CST (via www.recreation.gov), which means it’s the perfect time of year to grab a hot beverage, unfold your free map and route guide, and start dreaming about where you might like to go on your canoe trip.
To request a map and route guide follow this link, or give us a call at 218-663-7150. We’re around all winter and happy to answer questions! -Jessica
12/14/23 – With yesterday’s absence of wind and a bluebird sky I couldn’t help but do a little ice prospecting on the south end of Sawbill. The main objective was to check ice conditions, but I threw my fishing pole in the sled as well for an excuse to sit and soak up the fleeting sun. -Jessica
11/28/23 – Ice on Sawbill has been in a constant ebb and flow this fall. The lake has been ice covered as far as the eye can see multiple times now, but as soon as the wind picks up (which has been often) large swaths bust back open. Temperatures have been quite cold however, so as soon as we have a stretch of calm weather I expect ice should form quickly. -Jessica
11/21/23 – Our 2023 season-end canoe sale has begun! The party started a little later than usual this year due to some heating issues in our workshop (heat is a key ingredient for the hardening of the resin – see link for more details about how we refurbish canoes), but things are rocking now. Tandem, three person, and solos will be added to the used canoe section of our website as they are ready and can be purchased directly through our online store. After that we are happy to continue storing the canoe until your next visit to Sawbill. -Jessica
11/1/23 – This morning marks the first notable ice on Sawbill Lake! In front of the landing it was about a 1/4″ thick at 9am, and extended south into the Sawbill Creek bay. So far it appears to just be along the shoreline and bays, but it was significant enough that it would be quite hard to break through if in a canoe. Other area lakes that appear to be fully/mostly frozen over this morning include; Gust, Lichen, and Crescent. -Jessica
10/10/23 – In keeping with Sawbill fall traditions, the crew celebrated the colder temperatures this week by carving pumpkins! Lots of fun designs including Kit’s viper and Felik’s rendition of Felix the Cat. We are still having beautiful fall weather with the trees continuing to change colors and drop their leaves plus near-freezing temperatures. Perfect weather for a hike or a paddle before the lakes start to freeze! – Anna
10/1/23 – Today marks the start of self issue overnight travel permits which are free, unlimited, and available at all entry point canoe landings. If you’ve ever taken a day paddle into the Boundary Waters you would have filled out the same short form now needed for overnight travel October 1st through April 30th. All the same rules apply and can be found on the back side of the permit. Happy shoulder season! -Jessica
9/25/23 – We have two kinds of grouse here in the Superior National Forest, the spruce grouse and the ruffed grouse. The spruce grouse is endemic to Northern Minnesota specifically, whereas the Ruffed grouse can be found as far south as Iowa. Spruce grouse are named for their habitat in coniferous forests where they feast on spruce buds and pine needles. Since they have a smaller habitat, it makes sense that they have a smaller population as well. Somewhere between 10,000 to 20,000 spruce grouse are harvested annually, with ruffed harvest numbers ranging from 250,000 to 1 million! Grouse populations rise and fall in 10 year intervals, though the annual hunt does not affect population at either end of the cycle. Ruffed grouse prefer a more diverse forest, hence the larger range. Both species consume insects as the bulk of their diet, but ruffed grouse are known to enjoy the fruits of dogwood, mountain ash, and thornapple, along with rosehips and the green leaves of clover, strawberry, bunchberry, and some ferns. Both species share common predators. Large birds of prey like the goshawk and great horned owls, as well as some mammals such as fox, martens, fishers, and bobcats. To avoid these predators in the winter, both species spend almost all of their time in snow burrows for safety and warmth. The easiest way to tell the two apart is their defining features. Spruce grouse are generally darker and have a dramatic orange cat-eye, like it is wearing colorful eyeshadow, whereas ruffed grouse have a very distinct banded fan-like tail and a ruffled neck. -Matthew
9/21/23 – At Sawbill, we check the, My Aurora app, every day to see if, “tonight might be the night,” the Northern Lights would bathe our lake in the harmony of colors it produces. The likelihood of a celestial show was high and Monday, September 18th was the night! Lauren and Anna noticed the light columns forming in the sky and in seconds everyone was dressed and headed to the pier for the long-awaited performance. And boy, was it a blockbuster! Gray columns turned into a crown of sparkling rays shooting skyward, getting brighter as time went on. Suddenly, the white light began to turn emerald green with hints of rose-pink sneaking into the show. The entire lake basked in the rainbow of light that was reflected in the silky, smooth, water of Sawbill. For an unbelievable encore, what looked like a myriad of spotlights began zooming around the sky, illuminating a 360-degree circle surrounding us. And then, it was gone. Everyone simultaneously let out their breath in disbelief at what they had beheld. What we had witnessed was now a perfect memory.
Best,
Suz
