March 30th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Books, Wildlife
Through the branches of an alder tree, our view zooms in on the opposite bank of a small river, where a female kingfisher emerges from her hidden nest. Swooping suddenly from her roost in a cacophony of warning calls, she banishes a group of ducks and a hapless frog from the pool below her home. [...]
March 27th, 2009 | by Arthur | published in Gear
A new concept product has us looking forward to a future where we can throw out the stove, cook-kit and extra fuel bottles. The Vertigo, designed by Nicolas Bernal is a crank powered device that heats up your food in about 3 minutes.
This eco-friendly stove consists of a thermos and a crank powered heating element. It contains no [...]
March 26th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Survival Skills
Judging from recent posts, March must be Manly Month or something…
That said, the Haymaker t-shirt made me smile. Just consider the ways this fine tee could boost your personal Manliness Index. Or at least compensate…
March 25th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Fishing
One especially manly fisherman, Joseph Dake, refused rescue after his territorial ice floe broke loose and went adrift yesterday in Lake Winnebago. The fish were biting, the Oshkosh, Wisconsin resident explained.
But wait! Before you judge… clearly this was the work of a wizened outdoorsman, not some wet-behind-the-ears fella. Exercising extreme caution, Dake had [...]
March 25th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Camping
We at UpNorthica have never claimed to be the absolute authority on all things camping, but we thought we had a pretty good grasp. Until now.
We’ve had it all wrong. But thanks to Rusty and Larnold of the South Carolina Manhood Network, we’ve seen the light. Or is that blinding flash of inspiration, just [...]
March 24th, 2009 | by Arthur | published in Wildlife
Due to the early and normally harsh winters experienced in Northern MN, coupled with a ban on motors, few hunters take advantage of the availability of the BWCA for hunting.
To remedy this, the DNR is considering allowing hunting for 9 days in an area north and west of Tower, about 2 weeks before the regular [...]
March 24th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Canoeing, Resources
Here’s a good problem to have: How do you go about storing your *nine* canoes?
Crap, don’t look at me… Instead, check this article featuring avid canoeist Dave Birren’s boat storage solutions.
Accompanied by numerous reference photos, this article gives some great recommendations on protecting both wooden and non-wooden canoes. Although they should’ve thrown in [...]
March 23rd, 2009 | by Arthur | published in Environment, Nature
In what amounts to more good conservation related news, the second annual Gunflint GreenUp is going on May 1-3. It kicks off Friday with a Green Living Fair in Grand Marais, MN. Saturday, there’ll be tree planting and brush clearing in the Superior National Forest, specifically the [...]
March 20th, 2009 | by Arthur | published in Outdoor Living
An 11th hour decision by the Bush administration allowed gun owners to carry loaded concealed weapons into national parks. If that sort of thing floats your boat I hope you took advantage of it while you could.
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia reversed the decision yesterday, saying it [...]
March 19th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Outdoor Living, Resources
This is the best time of year – March 15 through April 20 – for maple syruping, says the MN-DNR. And they want to show you how.
Numerous state parks will be sponsoring family-friendly syruping events, beginning this weekend. You’ll get to help harvest sap, see how it’s boiled down to make syrup, and learn [...]
March 18th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Wildlife
Capture of a lovely loon concert. Between all the echoes, I think I heard three of them. How many can you pick out?
March 17th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Camping, Gear, Gear Review
Mention GoLite around the water cooler and you’ll likely get blank stares. But bring up the outdoor brand around your outdoorsy buddies, and people listen. Those on the fringes of your conversation will crash it. Pulses quicken, shirt collars get unbuttoned. You’ll have to throw them subtle hints to wipe the drool from their jowls.
GoLite [...]
March 13th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Environment, Hiking
Thanks to $557,000 federal stimulus dollars, the Superior National Forest will be getting a long-awaited clean-up. Trails including the Kekekabic Hiking Trail will benefit from “brush clearing, tread work, [installation of] water control structures, boardwalk reconstruction and trail sign maintenance.”
The SNF will partner with the Minnesota Conservation Corps, with work to begin in June. [...]
March 10th, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Environment, Nature, Wildlife
We were excited to see that a Sigurd Olson documentary is afoot!
Here’s a short promo for The Singing Wilderness (currently in production,) a film that looks to provide a very intimate study of the legendary conservationist and writer. And by ‘intimate,’ I mean it promises more than mere biography. According to the filmmaker’s blog, [...]
March 6th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Outdoor Living
The makers of Mars Snackfoods and Combos have released a study listing the 50 Manliest Cities in the U.S., to promote their Ultimate Man Zone Sweepstakes.
Using criteria like the number of professional sports teams, interest in tools and hardware and the frequency of monster truck rallies [insert your own echo here] would be expected. But [...]