2019 Trip 6: Voyageurs: Oct. 9-14

International Falls MN. Tuesday October 15

Inside of the Rainy Lake Visitor Center at Voyageurs National Park

We have completed our second four day weekend volunteering at Voyageurs National Park along the border between Minnesota and Ontario. The weather has been less than spectacular, primarily gray, windy, and rainy with some snow showers along with periodic patches of blue sky. Visitors have been positive however, most still hoping to go camping, hiking, or canoeing. For those visitors who are interested, we have been able to offer them some camping options they can reach by car.

First arrival

October 5

October 8

Now

In the two weeks we have been here, the deciduous trees have portrayed the complete cycle of green to yellow/orange/red to falling off the tree. There are still locations of beautiful color but are much fewer and even then, usually only a portion of the tree. The rain and wind have played out their role in the cycle of life; I expect soon the green of the conifers will be mixing with brown tree trunks and blue waters. The forecast for the next ten days does not call for any appreciable snow. From pictures and past experience though, the white of the frozen lakes and snow covered ground offers a new beauty option to look forward to.

Last Wednesday, our final day of our three days off, we accepted an offer from the couple we met at the Great Decisions meeting. They took us on a boat ride around the some of the islands in Rainy Lake outside of the national park. If you were to look at a map, you would note that Voyageurs National Park only includes a portion of Rainy Lake. The lake extends west to International Falls and includes numerous privately owned islands. The lake also extends north into Ontario where the landscape includes even more lakes and waterways than Minnesota.

Taking off for the boat ride

Along the way

A boys camp on an island

Approaching our hosts island

Our boat trip provided us not only with splendid views of the lake and islands but our hosts’ personal perspective of the resort based history of this area. Resorts were started here in the early 1900s. The first resorts did not have electricity or indoor plumbing but visitors came here from all over for the scenery, relaxation, boating, and fishing. As time marched on, indoor plumbing and electricity made it to the islands. Island habitation rotated between resorts, camps and private residences.

Some island inhabitants had a second land based home; others lived on the islands year round. Spring and fall would have short periods of time between open water and solidly frozen ice when one waited out the change or used a variety of transportation options to reach shore. The boat ride truly demonstrated that the love of place rang deep in the inhabitants of the Minnesota north woods and lakes.

View towards Kabetogama Peninsula from Rainy Lake Visitor Center at Voyageurs National Park

Ed and Chris Tuesday, Oct. 15