This Month's Featured Stories
“Ski patrol to dispatch…” The radio at the nurse’s station comes alive and the nurses within earshot walk closer to listen while the EMTs nearby get ready for their next ambulance call. “Go ahead ski patrol,” dispatch responds. “We’re going to need an ambulance for a 16-year-old male who hit......
Creating Holiday Traditions with Books
In Iceland, during the third week of November, every household receives a book catalog featuring new releases. Catalog in hand, Icelanders prepare for Jolabokaflod, literal translation: “Christmas Book Flood.” On Christmas Eve in Iceland, the sun sets at about 3:30 p.m. Temperatures are usually in the mid-30s F. If the......
Let Deer Forage, Let Birds Feast: A Winter Wildlife Guide
Imagine these words sung to the tune of Let it Snow: Oh, the weather outside is frightful… But feeding deer is not delightful. Though the birds may need a treat, Let deer forage, let deer forage, let deer forage. This above parody of a traditional holiday song gives you what......
Along the Shore
Duluthian Emily Ford Signs on for Rookie Iditarod
by Erin Altemus
Emily Ford, born and raised in and resident of Duluth, will be the third Minnesota woman in two years to take on Alaska’s 1,000-mile Iditarod sled dog race. Ford, the...
Preserving the Past, Celebrating the Future: Cook County Historical Society Marks 100 Years
The Cook County Historical Society is celebrating a remarkable milestone in 2025: its 100th anniversary. For a century, the organization has been committed to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history...
Conquering the Cold: The Duluth Winter Trailrunning Series
by Dana Johnson
Outdoor recreation in the north woods doesn’t freeze as the snow falls and the temperatures drop—it heats up! A growing number of adventurous people are taking to the trails in...
Visit Cook County Cooks Up Creative Marketing
Cook County is Minnesota’s 12th largest county by area, and 90% of it is public land. It’s Minnesota’s 7th least populous county, and has only one traffic light (downtown Grand...
Great Lakes Aquarium: Connecting Art and Nature
The Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth prides itself on truly serving the community and its visitors. This is evident in how the facility was designed from the beginning, by including...
A Wintry Landscape’s Dual Personality
by Tom Watson
A wintry landscape in Minnesota’s north country can have a dual personality: expansive fields of glistening, rolling, snow-covered hills and pillowy mounds gracefully clinging to limbs and boughs throughout our...
Christmas Bird Counting in the Boreal Forest
by Dana Johnson
Birds are often the first wildlife we see and hear in our daily lives, greeting us from all directions as soon as we step into the outdoors. Descended from dinosaurs,...
Thunder Bay’s Parade of Lights Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Thunder Bay has a great way to kick off the holiday season that’s held on the first Saturday of each December. This year, that falls on Saturday, December 7. That’s...
Rebecca Barrett of the Wilder Woodshop
Sometimes, our paths in life come about by joining together the things that matter most to us. For Rebecca Barrett, her journey as a craftsperson began with two pieces: family,...
Giiyosewinini: A Hunter
When I am out wandering the woods, I am always delighted when I come across newly chewed and felled trees from amikwag (beavers). They are among some of my favorite awensiinyag (animal) relatives....
Opichi: Robin
As the days get shorter in biboon (winter), I am already looking forward to the warmer ziigwan (spring) months. The arrival of ziigwan (spring) is my favorite time of the year as maajibiisaa (it starts to...
Kombucha’s Tangy, Timeless Appeal
Kombucha has surged onto the market in recent years, and if you’ve been wondering “What is this new fan-dangled drink they’re trying to sell me?!” well, I would tell you...
Brewing Tea and Memories
Have you ever received a gift you weren’t really sure what to do with? My Grandma Dorothy had a knack for giving gifts like that. When I was about 12...
Eating at the Thunder Bay Country Market
My Grandma Irene was a good cook. She rarely used a recipe – only for baking and even then just barely – but some of my favorite childhood meals came...
The Evolution of the Ice Fishing Rod
Anglers who began their ice fishing in the 1960s and ‘70s had a very limited array of tools to work with. The augers were basic—if you had an auger—and it...
Gifts for the Angler & Outdoors Person
Buying Christmas gifts for the person who seems to have everything can be a real challenge. Especially if that person isn’t one for expressing what they might like. This column...
A Guide to Fall Pike
The boat was moving slowly over the shallow water, as I guided the trolling motor via the foot control along the edge of a reed line. Looking down into the...
Tales of Lighthouse Keepers
Lighthouse keepers had their fair share of shipwreck rescues and riding out storms. But many of them had good tales to tell, too. Here’s a snapshot look at a few...
Breaking Tradition with Christmas “Away”
Years ago, a Thunder Bay colleague told me they made a point of going away each Christmas to avoid the stress and hustle-bustle of Christmas, even if it was just...
Coincidences: Guideposts, Flukes, or Myths?
In his book, The Best Travel Writing 2010: True Stories From Around the World, editor-writer Michael McGee had an interesting observation. He wrote, “When travelling, coincidences seem to pile up.”...
Latest Issue!
January 2025
It’s a new year, and we already have more snow than we did all of last winter. Hopefully, this winter will continue to deliver—so far, so good. Looking for a new type of outdoor adventure? Feeling competitive? Want to go ice fishing? Don’t feel like braving the cold? Look inside for more! Also, don’t forget to check out the winners of our 2024 For the Love of the North photo contest. We hope you have a wonderful New Year!
In This Issue:
- Duluthian Emily Ford Signs on for Rookie Iditarod
- Preserving the Past, Celebrating the Future
- Conquering the Cold: The Duluth Winter Trailrunning Series
- Visit Cook County Cooks Up Creative Marketing
- Great Lakes Aquarium: Connecting Art and Nature
- A Wintry Landscape’s Dual Personality
- Winter Emergencies in the Grand Marais ER
- Rebecca Barrett of the Wilder Woodshop
- Kombucha’s Tangy, Timeless Appeal
- One Change for a Healthier New Year
- The Evolution of the Ice Fishing Rod
- Being Present
- Tales of Lighthouse Keepers
Stay in Touch
Each month Northern Wilds Magazine features upcoming events, the arts, outdoor activities, dining, community news, and other interesting topics. It also contains The Ultimate North Shore Real Estate Guide, the area’s most comprehensive listings of homes and properties for sale in our coverage area.