So. We thought the Minnesota trout season was over. We were wrong. Thanks to some new regulations, fishing in state parks is catch-and-release all year. It seems we’re in for for more adventures. But first, to close out a stellar weekend on the Whitewater. Temperatures in the campground hit 25F that night, which was fun because the forecast said the low would be 38F. *takes … Continue reading Whitewater River. One last hurrah: Day Two
The greatest ski filmmaker ever turned 80 this week. He’s been a part of the production of the production of over 750 films, with 64 of those being his own. The man is a legend in the ski world. His 65th film, “No Turning Back” will have a screening on Friday, October 24th at the State Theatre in Minneapolis. My love for Warren Miller films … Continue reading Warren Miller’s “No Turning Back”
When you spend a lot of time on the river, you receive questions. What is it like to fly fish? What is the biggest fish you’ve ever caught? Have you ever seen “A River Runs Through It”? No, I have never seen said film. But thanks to Topo Designs, you can get a feel for fly fishing in a short video. Very little about … Continue reading Everything Except The Fish
This is why Yelp was created. I’m sure of it. Moral of the story: Ranger Wiener is a real dick. But seriously, nature is to be appreciated with an open mind. National parks preserve some of the most beautiful places on the planet, let alone in the U.S. Visit a park. Experience a new place. Enjoy the sights. Photo source: (http://imgur.com/gallery/bwsrB) Continue reading One-star Yelp Reviews of National Parks
Well, kind of one last hurrah. But more on that later. While I was fishing Skunktown Creek in Iowa, my buddy Phil had a productive weekend on the Whitewater River in southeast Minnesota. He posted a photo of one of his fish, a 16″ brown that was more orange than anything else. It was a gorgeous fish and it was in that moment I decided … Continue reading Whitewater River. One last hurrah: Day One.
When I think Iowa, I think cornfields and Hawkeyes. Neither of which are very appetizing. Decorah, Iowa has neither of those things. And it is wonderful. The town sits on the Upper Iowa River and is nestled in its steep valley walls. If you’re there in the fall, like I was, you’ll see fluorescent sugar maples atop limestone bluffs circled by flocks of eagles. (At … Continue reading Hike Decorah
Driftless is a region covering far SE Minnesota, SW Wisconsin and NE Iowa known for deep valleys, fast rivers and exposed limestone bluffs. It is an area untouched by glacial drift during the last ice age. If you travel there, you’ll find incredible scenery and some of the best trout fishing in the country. Decorah, Iowa lies on the western border of Driftless. Audra has … Continue reading Enjoying Driftless Iowa
Yep. Skunked. On the last day of the season. The closest quality trout rivers from Minneapolis are just over the border in Wisconsin. Rivers are lined up from west to east. The first river Minnesota fishermen come to on their journey east is the Kinnickinnic. It runs through River Falls, WI and is known for its abundance of browns. The second is the Trimbelle. It’s … Continue reading Wisconsin Trout Season Goes Out with a Meh
Several of Minnesota’s state parks have camper cabins. Some have electricity with heat, while others have a only a wood stove for heating and cooking. Lake Maria (pronounced Mariah) has three of the latter cabins. After hearing of these cabins from a friend, Audra and I decided to explore them ourselves. Accessing the cabins means a hike of a couple miles. Our January trip meant … Continue reading Cabin: Booked
Yes. State twice. It’s fun to say. While we were planning on heading to the North Shore for a stay at Tettegouche State Park, we opted to hang around Minneapolis. Monday was to be included in the North Shore trip as well. Audra had the day off and I spent a day of PTO. This meant we had Monday to ourselves. How did we spend … Continue reading Mental Health Day at Interstate State Park
Birch & Flannel 