Just Kidding

     Earlier this Spring I made a comment something like, "It can snow everyday if it wants to, at least then the fire danger will be low and people can still go out and camp."   I was just kidding but apparently Mother Nature didn’t realize it.  

  I think we have received more snow this May then we did in February or March.  Over 5 inches of the white stuff has fallen with 1.75 inches of it on Mother’s Day.  First snow, then rain, then snow again; the cycle continues.  Talk about exact opposites of weather from last May to this May, it couldn’t get any more different.  Sunshine, dry, hot and windy in 07 compared with clouds, snow, rain, cold and calm in 08.  Crazy.

     What’s even crazier is we have groups out camping in this.  Call me a fair weather freak but I prefer to go canoe camping when there is water not ice covering the surface.  Yes, there is still ice on many of the lakes up here on the Gunflint Trail.  It disappears little by little each day and if the wind doesn’t move the ice then you can get around by following the edges or breaking through the thin areas.  That’s what the die hards have been doing. 

   We have heard great reports from those who have ventured out into the woods and water.  Very few people are out and the fishing has been excellent.  Lake Trout are shallow and biting like crazy.  Where you can get onto Gunflint Lake to fish there have been dozens of nice Lake Trout caught and hopefully some have been released.  The Northern are aggressively biting too so I guess the reward for heading out into the frozen wilderness is worth it.

     The water is obviously cold and when the snowflakes are falling the air temperature is very cold too.  Hypothermia sets in quickly with these conditions so please be cautious if you intend to go out paddling or fishing.   Although I am anxious to go out fishing I think I will wait until the ice is gone so I don’t end up hitting an iceberg like the Titanic.  Be safe out there, wear your life vest, tell someone where you are and don’t forget to wear sunscreen, this Minnesota weather changes quickly.