Lake Superior Natural Places

The Storm Has Subsided...

2008-04-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

We had a big snow and wind storm on The North Shore. The wind has died down this morning and the sun is shining. The beach cobble is still covered by ice, but not for long.

Lake Superior is Melting Despite the Temperatures

2008-03-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

It's been near freezing every night but The Lake is still melting. Days are long with lots of sunshine on the water and ice.

Deer, Wolf, and Raven on Lake Superior

2008-03-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

I saw six ravens this morning. The one in this picture has come upon a scenario that is probably familiar for ravens. It was a treat for me to see a wolf stalking a deer it has chased onto the ice of Lake Superior. I've seen this maybe twice before in my thirty years of watching the ice of Lake Superior. The wolf layed down in the sun while I was present. The deer just stood staring at the wolf. I had to move on and did not get to witness the outcome of the confrontation between deer and wolf.

The Lake is Trying to Freeze Over

2008-02-28T14:55:00.001-08:00

It's going below zero every night and the winds are light. Lake Superior is trying to freeze over...we'll see...

Remembering July...

2008-02-15T10:54:00.000-08:00

I just stumbled over some pictures I took of The North Shore of Lake Superior last summer. Is it really that green? The date was July 10, 2007 and I was flying commercial from MSP to Thunder Bay. The plane had to fly low due to military operations at normal flying altitude.
The pictures are of Lutsen ski slopes and the Good Harbor Hill area near Grand Marais, MN, U.S.A.

Icy Sunset

2008-01-21T18:16:00.000-08:00

My face hurts, but the beach at sunset is glorious...

Ice and Icicles...

2008-01-20T08:37:00.001-08:00

It's been 22 below zero for the last couple of nights. It's finally a real winter. We even have a couple of feet of snow.
The ice is hanging from our roof in the first picture. The other picture is Grand Marais Harbor and the lighthouses from North House Folk School.

Grand Marais Bird Count

2007-12-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

Birds inspire me. They are so alive...so brave...so energetic.
Birds are often my best excuse to get out and explore. Today I went down to the harbor to see if any exotics were visiting. Instead I found a bunch of Golden Eyes. They are gorgeous birds., especially against a background of blue-green Lake Superior water and glowing ice. I'll get some pictures up at davidgrinstead.smugmug.com.
Yesterday we helped with the annual Grand Marais Christmas bird count. We had Pine Grosbeaks, Chickadees, Ravens, Blue Jays, and Grey Jays at our feeder. The Grey Jays are a delight for sure.

Lake Superior Ice

2007-12-15T16:01:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been trying to get down to Lake Superior in the mornings. We live a couple of miles from the Lake. Our weather is one thing. The weather on the shore is another thing. What I will find two miles away is unpredictable and that's the fun.
Today the sun was trying to peak through the blue-gray clouds over the water near the Cascade River, and the waves were crashing against the ice-covered black basalt rock.

Feather Dancing on Lake Pepin Beach

2007-10-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

This wonderful little feather was dancing in the breeze on a Lake Pepin Beach. It stopped momentarily for me to take a picture...

Big Surf and a Sunset on West Bay

2007-10-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

Autumn bay at sunset...

High Falls of The Pigeon River is Roaring

2007-10-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

This much rainfall is not common this time of year. It is more like spring snow-melt time in a normal year according to Grand Portage State Park manager Rick Novitsky. The High Falls of The Pigeon River on the U.S. and Canadian border is roaring...

The Falling Birch Leaves Furnish a New Touch...

2007-10-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

The newly fallen Birch leaves provide some welcome onamentation to the Lake Superior beaches...

The Rivers Are Rising

2007-09-30T19:34:00.000-07:00

It has rained a lot lately. The rivers are rising as the leaves are falling. This is the Flute Reed River that runs through Hovland, Minnesota, U.S.A..

I haven't noticed Lake Superior rising though. That doesn't surprise me since they need the water in the lower Great Lakes and can let more out of Lake Superior through the hydroelectric facilities at The Soo. The fact is, I guess it takes a lot of water for a long time to raise the Big Lake an inch.

Fall Colors are Peaked...I Would Say...

2007-09-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

I'd say the fall colors are at their peak. That is the subject this time of year. Everyone has their opinion on when and why. It's fun.

The Caribou Trail

2007-09-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

The Caribou Trail inland from Lutsen is a great place for autumn hiking. Caribou Lake is one of those rare lakes that is nestled into the maple ridge that rises above the northwest shore of Lake Superior from Duluth to Canada.

Feline Tracks at Lake Nipigon

2007-09-04T10:10:00.000-07:00

The Lake Nipigon area is a huge land of rock, water, sand and Jack Pine and Spruce. I always have to take my shoes off and walk in the sand when I find it. The photograph indicates that some other critter has the same idea...a bobcat or lynx I suspect.

Highbush Cranberries are Ripening...

2007-08-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

Highbush Cranberries are an old favorite food around Lake Superior. They are almost ripe at Grand Portage National Monument on The Grand Portage Reservation.

It's Cooling Down...

2007-08-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

It's cooling down a bit along the shores of Lake Superior. The clouds will become more photogenic as autumn approaches.

Away from My Post...

2007-05-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have been away from the largest lake on the earth and visiting the shores of the second largest lake on the earth. That is Lake Victoria in Uganda, Africa. I don't usually spend a lot of time taking pictures of people but I was drawn to the beauty of the people of Uganda and their colorful activity.

While I was gone my favorite camping place at the tip of The Gunflint Trail went up in flames with the Ham Lake Fire event. Fortunately no one was hurt although a number of buildings were lost.

First Butterfly of 2007...

2007-04-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Winter is slowly melting away and the sun is making spring. I saw my first butterfly today. It flew to a clump of reindeer moss and spread it's wings to the warmth of the sun.

Winter Hangs on...

2007-04-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

I don't mind that winter remains with us into the spring. The ice is just happy resting on the shore...never changing. The cloudy skies are friendly to the ice too. It will be wet and grey and iceless soon enough...

Amazing Phenomena on Devil Track River...

2007-04-04T12:53:00.001-07:00

Wednesday afternoon I observed a column of ice that had grown out of the river. It was about five feet high. Thursday morning it was gone. Must have been formed by a fountain during the cold weather after the thaw that got the river running.

Winter Returns to The North Shore...

2007-04-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

It snowed all night. We have another chance at winter. I actually like it. The snow and cold and wind create photographic opportunities. This is the Brule River that runs into Lake Superior east of Grand Marais. New ice is trying to form as the river flows freely.

The Rivers Are Running...

2007-04-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

It rained for a day and a night and the snow is about gone on The North Shore of Lake Superior. This picture is the Flute Reed River that runs through Hovland, Minnesota...lots of movement.