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Monthly Archives: December 2010
UpNorthica Reviews: Mutha Hubba HP 3 Person Tent
Dump us out in the woods with a match and strip us naked, but for heavens sake, make sure you leave us with MSR’s Mutha Hubba Tent HP.
Satisfying our wishes and expectations, this tent would be roomy for two and cozy (in a good way) for three people. MORE
“Eating Habits of Bears” T-shirt
Lucky, those bears. Who’s ever going to stop them from eating just what they want?
This “Eating Habits of Bears” t-shirt design caught our eye. Nice. Admittedly, it’s a little easier to laugh about bears in our own neck of the woods, where at their worst, bears will only chow down on your food pack… instead of you.
Meet Your Furry Woodland Friends
With over 150 species of mammals and birds that call Northern Minnesota home, identifying them correctly can be hard to come by. We’ve narrowed down a few resources to help you.
Northern Minnesota, an online resource for nature-related recreational opportunities up north, has complied information on animals, birds, reptiles and fish native to the region. So if your wondering if you saw a boreal chickadee flutter by, you can check links to photos and descriptions and make a firm identification.
UpNorthica Reads: A Place In the Woods
We’re inspired by people who uproot themselves from the normal cadence of life to carve out their own livelihood in the woods. Lucky!
Helen Hoover, and her husband, Adrian left their busy Chicago lives to live in a cabin off the Gunflint Trail. In A Place in the Woods, Helen chronicles their first year of surviving in the woods with a clarity that causes you to feel like you’re at her table, hot homemade bread in hand.
Howling Practice for Wolf Pups
Everybody now: “Awwwwww…”
Last July, Tuscarora Lodge guest Greg Mickelson happened upon the home site of a wolf pack in the Boundary Waters. He found it rather occupied by these pups, who, while honing their instincts, were obviously hamming it up for the camera. Clearly. The good stuff starts at :56.
Nice how every now and then, rare footage like this (and ooo! remember this?) crops up , but it’s all the more remarkable in that it’s not from a professional nature documentarian. Just someone in the right place and right time.
Now, follow your own instincts: Copy link to Facebook, use gratuitous emoticons and remember to use all-caps when you type “Cutest EVER!!!”
Princeton University’s Guide to Winter Camping
Winter camping brings memories of long stretches of snowshoeing wilderness lakes, a sled of gear in tow.
Have you ever attempted it before? Would you like to begin?
Princeton University has a comprehensive winter camping guide that’s worth a good, long look. In it are detailed recommendations to make your winter camping dream attainable.
It covers the basics of trip planning, personal equipment, shelters, food and travel. So, what sort of shelter should you stay in? It might be a canvas sided tent, or maybe a quinzee. You’ll learn how to make an informed choice.
Defining different kinds of footwear, the information advises which will suit your needs, depending on your travel and environment. It demystifies types of clothing material, offering suggestions on layering and heat retention.
Clear graphics illustrate how to read both river and lake ice. And what about drinking water? Did you know you can create a simple solar water collector? The guide will show you how using a trash bag.
Half of the challenge of winter camping is possessing the knowledge to have a better prepared, safe adventure. You can start now.
Flickr Photo: Chenwonki Semester School
Oldest Native American Birch Bark Canoe Discovered
Located in a barn in the quaint town of Penryn, United Kingdom, the oldest birch bark canoe known has been found. The Native American canoe originated in Canada and was shipped to Britain sometime after 1776 by Lieutenant John Enys to his estate. The descendants of Mr. Enys contacted the National Maritime Museum to inspect what they suspected might be a valuable artifact.
GoLite Demaree Canyon 800 Fill Down Jacket
A jacket that is toasty as a sleeping bag and light as the breeze? We like that. New for 2011, warm up with GoLite’s Demaree Canyon 800 Fill Down Jacket. Made in styles for both men and women, it’s packed with 800 Fill goose down bringing more density to insulating warmth. The ultra-light fabric is made of Pertex Microlight Eco Tier 1, reducing weight without sacrificing strength and durability; all with recycled materials. Just 14 ounces.
2011 BWCA Permit Lottery Open
If you’re thinking about visiting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area next year between the months of May 1, 2011 and September 30, 2011 you will need a permit.
If you are only able to go during specific dates and you want to begin at a certain entry point, you might want to enter the lottery for the permit now. Paddling to a specific area matters, say, to those wanting to hit the fishing opener mid-May. Groups who want to camp with less bugs and still stay warm might consider the end of August the best time to go. Everyone has their own wish list, and sometimes the lottery can make the difference.
Ice Safety Basics
The Minnesota DNR has put out a handy guideline for ice safety. In it you can find helpful ways to measure ice thickness, and make a calculated decision if it’s safe to be on it.
Here are handy steps to getting out of the water, should you fall through the ice. The site also has a video on making your own ice claws. These would shave off minutes getting out of water and provide a solid grip on the ice. They are lightweight and worth the short time they take to make to possibly save your life. Maybe you won’t fall through, but if your buddy does, they have guidelines on helping them out without risking your own safety.
It prudent to review the basics and familiarize yourself because ice can change quite dramatically 10 feet ahead of you when you’re snowshoeing across a lake. Ice will vary in age, thickness, temperature and snow cover. Conditions you want to be aware of and well prepared for.
Download ice safety information brochure here.
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