Outdoors
UMD professor in Antartica
UMD Geological Sciences Professor John Goodge traveled to Antarctica to collect and analyze rocks to build a better picture of the continent hidden beneath the polar ice cap.
Check out the New York Times slide show Rocks, Ice and Science in Antarctica and the Scientist at Work blog to get your geek on.
1970s pop culture quiz on Piedmont ski trail
The cross-country trail at Piedmont is in great shape … but in what shape is your 1970s pop culture mastery? Know your Lip Smackers from your Mayberry RFD? Test yourself against the punny wisdom of Piedmont’s wooden signs at my North Shore blog.
Get in where you fit in.
I was out enjoying the local snowmobile trails yesterday and came across a man walking his two dogs; a man with his child and dog walking; a man, child and two dogs XC skiing (not the dogs); a woman walking; and a man riding his mountain bike.
These are all great outdoor recreational activities to enjoy and I am not mad that they are participating, I am mad that they were all on the state snowmobile trail. If I were to ride down a ski trail, or the Lakewalk, or a regular sidewalk for that matter, people would be calling the police and hopping up and down in anger. So why is it OK to break the rules the other way?
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Micha Mellang’s Favorite XC Ski Places
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
Duluth Snowshoe-buying Advice
I’ve become a true Minnesotan — I went snowshoeing for the first time this past weekend. We checked out Lester Park and Park Point. I enjoyed snowshoeing so much I’ve decided to buy a pair with some gift money my generous in-laws gave me. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to buy snowshoes in Duluth? Any recommendations regarding brands also?
Mike and Kurt’s Kiteboarding Session in Mahtomedi, Minnesota
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQT2Jf8Qi5Y
Skiing at Duluth’s Bagley Nature Area: Nearly free and always fun
Smack dab in the middle of eastern Duluth is the only ski trail that costs a quarter to ski … if you’re really fast. Most people should bring three quarters. 75 cents buys you 60 minutes of parking at UMD’s Bagley Nature Area. That’s enough time to ski the 2.7 lovely kilometers of loops and hills twice.
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Ski Hut Cross-country Ski Weekend
January 14 and 15
Lessons in classic and skate techniques. World Cup skate ski, boot and pole demos. Details at Duluth XC Ski Club website.
MinnAqua/Great Lakes Aquarium
Ice Fishing Camp
Date: Monday, Jan. 17
Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Ages: 3 – 12
Cost: $15/non-members, $10/members
Join the DNR MinnAqua program and Great Lakes Aquarium for one of the Northland’s most popular winter adventures! Participants will build their own jiggle sticks, discover life beneath the ice, and go ice fishing on a local lake. All transportation, program materials and equipment are provided!
Please contact Lindsay Brandt for more information: 218-740-2027 or lbrandt @ glaquarium.org. Pre-registration is required! Registration deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 12
Duluth Lakewalk East Extension
The city of Duluth and the Short Elliott Hendrickson engineering firm are holding a design charette for phases 4 and 5 of the Lakewalk East Extension on Tuesday, Jan. 4, at 9:30 a.m. in the Duluth Radisson Hotel’s Great Hall.
The extension will be from 60th Avenue East to Brighton Beach. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012. Federal, DNR and local funding has been secured.
The charette will discuss possible routes and trail design. RSVP Matt Bolf (mbolf @ sehinc.com) if you plan to attend.
A Guy in an Orange Jacket Climbing the Ice at Casket Quarry in West Duluth
I should note that this guy is using climbing equipment, and he’d he dead if he wasn’t, because he fell about three minutes after this photo was taken.
Mt. Bohemia Anyone?
Has anyone skied Mt. Bohemia in the U.P.? They’re calling it “one of the top ten undiscovered ski resorts in the world” which seems a tall order. Matching cheap Porky pass… The trees at the cliff bases look dangerous, plus the five-hour drive, but their promo video is classic. Somebody must know something?
Chester Bowl ski lift fixed
People with kids may have been following the progress of the chairlift repair at Chester Bowl this week. Monday night, hydraulic fluid was shooting out of the top motor and the hill was closed. There was some concern about fixing the equipment and getting parts which dated back to 1974 or earlier.
Just in time for winter break, the announcement was made by Thom Storm that the lift has been fixed.
“As of this afternoon, the new chairlift clutch is installed, & the lift will be open again on Dec. 26th at 11am. A huge thank you to the city of Duluth Fleet Services & Park Maintenance staff, and Tom Kasper, for their extra efforts in getting the lift running for Christmas vacation.”
Happy Duluth Winter Solstice!
A handful of yogis from Yoga North made it down to the shore this morning to welcome the sun on this special day, despite the clouds and the snow.
Thank you to all who came to share in the joy of this new day, new year, new season. Winter started with a bang. May the long time sun shine upon you!
Total Eclipse
We’re to expect a total lunar eclipse sometime in the late evening/early morning of Monday/Tuesday.
It’s almost worth it enough to wake the kids up for. I think I will.
Winter Camps at Hartley Nature Center
Looking for a fun school winter break option? Check out Hartley’s Winter Break Camps, Feb. 22-25. Just a few openings left for ages 5-7, 8-9, & 10-13. Come and have some fun in the snow. Check this link for registration information- www.hartleynature.org/learn/daycamp.html
Lake Steam
Topeka made a lot of news renaming itself (honorarily) to Google, and even got a nod back on April 1. Duluth promised to name its first-born children after Google. They are big on advertising so it’s a tough call which is worth more. (Though if you consider the cost of switching a city’s name, compared to the free and ever growing number of offspring…)
Honors and proposals aside, I hope Google compares its own search results for each city, especially the images. Granted there’s a lot more to consider than merely which of us is prettier, but we got soul power, and that should count for something.
Plus, free hugs. Just sayin.
Ballast Water & Aquatic Invasive Species
Wednesday night, Dec. 15, 7 pm, at Hartley Nature Center (3001 Woodland Ave.) will be the last presentation of the fall series on aquatic invasive species — Ballast Water, the myth and truth about the role ballast water plays in the spread of AIS by Marte Kitson, MN Sea Grant program. More information at www.hartleynature.org
Fundraiser for new mountain bike trails!
The Brewhouse and Burrito Union have generously decided to donate $1 from every pint sold over the week beginning this Wednesday, Dec. 15, through next Wednesday, Dec. 22, to the Cyclists of the Gitchee Gumee Shores. In addition, Bernicks Beverages has donated all of the soft drinks to the Burrito Union for that week and all soda proceeds will also be donated to COGGS.
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On Perfect Duluth Days like these …
I particularly enjoy walking through freeway underpasses with headphones on and being surprised by a snow plow scorching above me, issuing a whitewashing similar to a Uinta Mountain avalanche.
Duluth Ski Report
I think by this weekend everything will be open. Wax ’em up!
Spirit Mountain — about half the runs are open.
Mont du Lac — scheduled to open Saturday, Dec. 11.
Chester Bowl — scheduled to open Saturday, Dec. 11.
The cross-country places must be all groomed and ready, too, ay?
Snowflake Nordic Ski Center
Korkki Nordic Trails
Bagley Nature Area
Last week three of the city trails were groomed and ready — Hartley, Chester Bowl and Piedmont. Can anyone report on Magney/Snively and Lester/Amity?
Whirligigs Preschool Program at Great Lakes Aquarium — New Winter Session!
Back by popular demand, the Whirligigs Preschool Program will have a new winter session! Enroll your child in the exciting Whirligigs Preschool Program at Great Lakes Aquarium. Sponsored in part by the MinnAqua DNR Program, this is a 1.5 hour drop-off program for children ages 3-5.
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A snowy drive on Seven Bridges Road
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hIqBhId29Y
Shot by Greg Connor on Thanksgiving Day.
Canadian Tar Sands: MN’s Dirty Oil Secret
Do you know where your oil comes from?
MPIRG UMD, the American Indian Learning Resource Center, and the American Indian Science & Engineering Society welcome you to a film showing and presentation about Minnesota’s use of oil from the Alberta Tar Sands. Please join us for a viewing of the groundbreaking documentary Downstream, along with welcoming Marty Cobenais of the Indigenous Environmental Network who will speak about the catastrophic environmental and human rights consequences of tar sands oil extraction. This event is free and open to the public.
Tuesday, Dec. 7, 7pm, UMD Kirby Student Center Rafters
Questions and RSVP: mpirg @ d.umn.edu