DULUTH, Minn. — With Monday’s incredibly warm weather, some people gave up on ever pulling out the ice fishing rods again–so why not pull out a five-iron instead? Those with the itch had a chance to hit the driving range at Enger Park golf course. No grass of course, but players could get the kinks out by hitting off the…
DULUTH, Minn. — It was closing day today at Chester Bowl and plenty of skiers and snowboarders were getting in their last runs of the season. It’s been a short season at Chester Bowl, but making and maintaining snow has been particularly difficult according to Programs and Operations Director Sam Luoma. The hill has two snow machines. In a typical…
The idea was to rescue some wild animals–maybe a bobcat or two. Twenty-five years later, it covers acres and acres and has big cats from around the world. Lions, tigers and more now live near Sandstone, Minnesota. Although they do roam within fences, the goal of all the space and open air at the Wildcat Sanctuary is to provide the…
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — The Soo Locks have announced when they will be opening up for traffic, marking the beginning of the 2024 Great Lakes Shipping Season. The Locks will open March 22 at 6pm which coincides with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. During the 10-week closure which started on January 16, critical repairs and maintenance have…
DULUTH, Minn. — With warmer temperatures and little snow this winter, the DNR says the potential for wildfires will be high this year. In the last two and a half weeks, the DNR has responded to 77 wildfires covering over 4,500 acres. That’s over half the acres covered by wildfires in all of last year. Wildfire season typically starts in…
CLOQUET, Minn. — Most years, the Northland will start waking up from its winter slumber during the latter part of March and early April. But this year, after an anything but typical winter, we may be seeing some wildlife such as bears venture out earlier than normal. “Bears could be coming out at any time. Particularly the adult males or…
DULUTH, Minn. — It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week and the Great Lakes Aquarium is educating the public all about them. When invasive species are in a spot they don’t belong in and do not have a natural predator to keep them in check they can spread. That’s why the aquarium currently has an exhibit up to show how an…
A new technology involving drones helped find the body of a missing Pine County man with dementia. The 86-year-old man was last seen near the Nemadji State Forest, which is a vast area over 92,000 acres. Earl Bakke is retired from law enforcement and started a drone business that helps to locate missing people. He reached out the Pine County…
“Not only are you able to actually see nature. There’s a lot of travels I do, and I don’t see any animals, hardly any birds, and to be able to have this in our backyard is awesome,” said local photographer, Amber Nichols. “There are people that come here from all over the world, to see owls in particular, and the…
The Northland’s winter weather may have us a bit unnerved, but there is still a place you can go to know that all is still right with the world. The Duluth Sport Show is already into Day 2 and runs through Sunday. Throughout the DECC, aisle after aisle and booth after booth, if you can think of it–and it’s for…
Courtesy: Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society WHITEFISH POINT, Mich. (AP) — Shipwreck hunters have discovered a merchant ship that sank in Lake Superior in 1940, taking its captain with it, during a storm off Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society and shipwreck researcher Dan Fountain announced Monday the discovery of the 244-foot (74-meter) bulk carrier Arlington in about 650…
Snowmobile trails across the area are closed or have limited amounts of snow, making tough sledding impossible sledding. For some people it is just an inconvenience, but if you are putting together a snowmobile tour fundraiser, it could be a backbreaker. But, not so, say those putting on one of the area’s biggest annual events. Thursday, the Blackwoods Blizzard Tour…
DULUTH, Minn. — The Executive Director of the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association or DAHA is calling it a tough year for outdoor hockey rinks. DAHA has over 70 years of history managing outdoor rinks across the Duluth area. Outdoor rinks are where U8 hockey players spend most of their time practicing and playing. And also, where families go to skate…
Many of us have kicked around in the garage and found that old garden hose that isn’t any good anymore. But what if you’re in the local fire station and it’s fire hose you’re talking about? Well, you take it to the zoo–of course! At least that’s what Duluth firefighters were doing Wednesday. Unique items and play toys–often known in…
DULUTH, Minn. — A winter with warm temperatures and minimal snowfall has significant impacts on the environment. We talked to a specialist about how ice and water are affected during mild winters. UMD Professor Jay Austin works at the Large Lake Observatory at the college, he says the northland’s unusually warm temperatures can result in environmental and economic delays. Austin…
Even with the mild winter, concern over grass and forest fires might seem a ways off. But that is not delaying the Minnesota DNR in looking for additional wildfire fighters. The agency says it is looking to fill two different kinds of positions. One is Smokechasers. No experience is needed and those hired would be trained. The schedules are flexible,…
(AP) — A stretch of unusually warm weather has forced federal officials to suspend researchers’ annual wolf-moose count in Isle Royale National Park for the first time in more than six decades. Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) island situated in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, Canada. The park is a wildlife biologist’s dream…
The mild winter we’re having has been a mixed bag for a certain group of outdoor enthusiasts. Between Duluth and the Iron Range is the Sax-Zim Bog. It’s a popular hangout for both humans and critters that like the woods, water and sky. Perhaps best-known for its owls, the bog is actually home to a cross section of bird life….
DULUTH, Minn. — The warm, low snow fall winter can impact a plants life cycle and health. One college professor is looking at what these affects are. Jessica Savage works for the Department of Biology at UMD and studies plants for a living. She says outside plants are used to having winter so, when they don’t get the colder temps,…
DULUTH, Minn. — The Snow Club Program is officially underway at Spirit Mountain! The after-school program is designed to make skiing and snowboarding fun, safe, and affordable. Kids from the ages of seven to twelve are invited to take part in the three-week program, regardless of ability on the slopes. “My favorite part: going outside skiing or snowboarding with them,”…
TWO HARBORS, Minn. — With the lack of snow up until recently this winter, visitors at Gooseberry Falls State Park have had the opportunity to see things they otherwise would not have seen. A park naturalist took Fox 21 on a hike to check out one of the park’s most misjudged critters. Categories: Environment, Great Outdoors, Minnesota, News, News –…
The long wait for winter is beneficial for some wildlife, but potentially deadly for others. Ironically, the lack of snow actually makes life more challenging for some animals. An example of that is a snowshoe hare that was hiding under some brush and branches at Gooseberry Falls State Park on Wednesday. The hare was spotted by park interpreter and naturalist…
Those who want to get outside and enjoy a real winter, don’t know how long they will have to wait. And there is a different kind of waiting going on for those who sell winter gear. Superior’s outdoors gear store, Northwest Outlet, has decided it can’t wait forever for cold and snow, so they’re putting out the sale sign for…
The cautionary tone about being careful on lake and river ice was echoed this week as outdoor enthusiasts get antsy. At Duluth’s Marine General, this month they had customers torn between both ice and open-water fishing. Some anglers were rigging up their boats and heading out on the lake. But with the weather now turning back to a little bit…
While no snow and a lot of rain may have driven people inside to do things like check out Duluth’s trains and railroad museum, there are also those who think winter is going to come–eventually. There were still plenty of snowblowers lined up at Northern Tool and Equipment in Hermantown on Thursday. Store manager Mike Surface said it’s been quiet…
The rain has forced a change in plans for Chester Bowl in Duluth. The ski hill was going to start its annual Holiday Ski and Snowboard lessons Tuesday. But the endless rain has changed that, and the hill was closed. Chester Bowl says it is disappointed to be closing, but felt that the best chance to preserve the snow they…
St Louis County – Tis the season for freezing temperatures in the Northland. And with the cold weather, comes the winter sports we all enjoy. But until the hard freeze comes, lakes like this one, are in transition, and can be deceptively dangerous. At this time of year, the Minnesota DNR works hand in hand with the St. Louis Rescue…
As the weekend approached, the winds changed and the temperatures dropped just in time for the end of Minnesota’s firearms deer season, and the opening of the Wisconsin firearms season. In the Badger state’s Douglas County, deer stands have been checked out to make sure they’re still safe and make any needed repairs. Woods that have been quiet will soon…
Duluth, Minn. — A backpacker from Duluth spoke to students in Duluth today about how they can impact the environment. Emily Ford is passionate about introducing people to the outdoors in safe and healthy ways. She was the first woman to thru-hike Wisconsin’s 1,200-mile Ice Age Scenic Trail in winter.Youth in Action, a group focused on the positive change young people…
MINNESOTA — This Saturday is the Minnesota Firearms Deer Hunting Season Opener. Here in Northeast Minnesota, hunters can expect deer populations to be down after a harsh winter last year, making deer harder to find. For those of you planning to head out this weekend, the DNR suggests you have a thorough plan in place, not only where you will…
It’s a sure sign that the holiday season–and Bentleyville–are nearly here! The Christmas tree at Bentleyville’s “Tour of Lights” went up Saturday morning. One hundred twenty-eight feet to the top, and for all the Northland to see in the months ahead. As always, Iron Workers Local 512 were the volunteers who used their skills to assemble the sections and connect…
Those considering swimming on Park Point beaches Saturday were warned to be careful. And that warning carries into Sunday. The Duluth Fire Department said there was a high risk of rip currents, and they issued a warning about noon Saturday. The warning continues until 10 a.m. Sunday morning. The department says the warning means that wind and wave conditions can…
POPLAR, Wis. – If you’ve driven southbound on Highway 53 near Solon Springs this fall, you may have caught a glimpse of some high-octane action. SRX Offroad Ranch in Poplar has been operating since 2021, offering a family friendly racing environment for locals to have fun in the dirt on motorcycles, 4-wheelers, and UTVs. If you’d like to join the…
DULUTH, Minn. — The weather was perfect for this weekend’s NorthShore Inline Marathon — the largest of its kind in North America. Tone Coughlin Photography The 26.2-mile course is much like the course for Grandma’s Marathon, starting in Two Harbors and taking racers along the Scenic North Shore before entering the tunnels of I-35 and ending by the DECC. The…
DULUTH, Minn. — It’s apple picking season, or at least it is in sixteen different parks around Duluth. As part of Duluth’s Arbor Day, the Duluth Parks and Recreational team is informing the public about public orchards. There are twelve different varieties of apples within the 16 parks with public orchards. And one park even has a cherry orchard. “Around…
COTTON, Minn. — It’s peaceful at Camp Christopher. You can hear the wind as it whips through the trees. Crickets chirping in the grass. The river bubbling through the property. It’s a place and a time where you can clear your mind and let it wander as if on the wind. Camp Christopher has become a refuge of sorts for…
MINNESOTA — The Minnesota DNR is offering the community an opportunity to explore the outdoors for free. Free Park Day is Saturday. That includes free admission for everyone to all 75 Minnesota state parks and recreation areas. The goal of the free day is to encourage people to spend time with family and get outside. For a list of all…
The wildfire that had people scrambling near Barnum Monday night, continued to cause problems when the sun came up Tuesday morning. It all started in a swampy marshland area in Carlton County, southeast of Barnum. Fire crews from several communities responded on the ground to try and knock the fire out. Air equipment was also brought in, so that both…
DULUTH, MINN — On the last day of the Minnesota legislative session, the leaders of both parties got together and worked out an agreement to provide $300 million to help nursing homes across the state. State Representative Natalie Zeleznikar, talked with FOX 21 about the agreement that likely saved many nursing homes. The first-term representative knows the issues, she’d been…
SUPERIOR, Wis.–It may be hot this week, but that is not going to keep people away from Mont du Lac Resort’s biggest event. The grounds and ranges are being prepared for Bowfest 2023. Thousands of bow enthusiasts will be lining up targets, meeting with vendors, or walking through the woods to test their skills in a variety of shooting situations….
A solar storm forecast for Thursday is expected to give skygazers in 17 American states a chance to glimpse the Northern Lights, the colorful sky show that happens when solar wind hits the atmosphere. Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, are most often seen in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia, but an 11-year solar cycle that’s expected to peak in…
Lake Superior often gets all the attention in Duluth, but this weekend it’s the dry land of Spirit Mountain where things are happening. It is the Bike Duluth Festival that happens every year. Close to one thousand bikes and their riders will be flying down the hill, and over and around all kinds of terrain. There are a lot of…
On Monday, the body of a Pengilly man was found in the water, when it was noticed that a boat with no one in it was circling on the lake. In a press release, the Itasca County Sheriff’s office said it got a 9-1-1 call just before 10 a.m. that an empty boat was circling on the north side of…
Fourth of July is not just celebrated on land. It’s also celebrated by sea–or at least by lake. Caribou Lake to be exact. Tuesday it wasn’t waves of grain, but waves generated by every boat and pontoon imaginable. There was no shortage of red, white and blue as residents decked out their vessels to honor the nation’s beginning. Each year…
RED WING, Minn. (AP) — Officials in Minnesota are searching Tuesday for three men who are missing from a fishing boat in the Mississippi River. The Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office said that around 7:30 p.m. Monday, a 911 call reported that a man fell into the river while fishing near the town of Red Wing, at a point where the…
With many area burning restrictions lifted or eased in recent days, it is expected that more people will be wanting to light fireworks on their own. Those who deal with fireworks and those who deal with the aftermath of injuries are reminding people to be careful. Despite the lack of rain early this summer, sales have been pretty steady at…
If you have a pet, there’s not much worse than the feeling you get when it disappears or gets lost. That is why many people showed up at Animal Allies on Thursday. No, it was not to find a lost pet, but to make sure theirs is easier to get back if it does get lost. For two hours in…
ESKO, Minn. — On the edge of the St Louis River in Esko sits a campground filled with history, and now the new owners are looking to spruce the place up and make it a top spot in the Northland. Knife Island Campground is family owned, and together they are tackling the challenges that came with the purchase. The getaway…
Something that always goes well before twenty-six miles of running, is twenty-six miles of spaghetti noodles. Visitors could start slurping their noodles and sauce at the DECC beginning at eleven Friday morning. There are many traditions associated with Grandma’s, and the pasta feed is just one of them. Meaghan Burns and her husband from Lino Lakes will be running. This…
LUTSEN, Minn. — Now that summer weather is here and the kids are out of school, the North Shore is starting to see more visitors. We recently stopped at Cascade River State Park and met a few people from across the country. “It’s amazing. Absolutely breathtaking. Beautiful. I haven’t seen anything like it,” said park visitor Benjamin Boucherle. The reputation…
