Interesting Things To See On Vermilion

[Tripp_315]

Mbeyer, always love that ride over to the gazebo!

The boathouses are my favs too...nice pics fellows

~Tripp

[delcecchi]

I just thought of a couple more things.  One fun, or at least mildly entertaining activity is geocaching.  It involves finding a container that was hidden and contains a log of finders and sometimes some trinkets. Is so, you take something and leave something in place of it.  The locations are specified by GPS coordinates. On a geocaching Web sight

 

Another is that I recall reading, in MN volunteer I think,  about a sna or something on an island in Frazier bay area, againa little foggy here with some old growth trees.  I remember thinking it would be fun to go there. Sorry for the nebulous description.   I'd appreciate more info if anyone has any idea about the place

[chucker1101]

On 9/13/2019 at 4:40 PM, mbeyer said:

 

The gazebo lighthouse property is for sale. Here's the Zillow link, which also has some history about the property:  https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5792-Canfield-Bay-Tower-MN-55790/61573264_zpid/

 

[BrianF]

While you can’t count on seeing them whenever you want like a landmark, serendipitous, random, and very cool things can be seen on Lake Vermilion seemingly all the time.  This year I’ve seen...

 

*A black bear swimming causally across the lake in the middle of Niles Bay one quiet morning

 

*What appeared to be a golden eagle on the south shore of Frazier Bay, noticeably larger than even adult baldies

 

*Watched a loon on my Livescope dive from the surface straight down into 35’ of water and start busting thru deep bait balls in the middle of Head of the Lakes Bay

 

*The Neowise Comet in the northern sky last month (don’t worry if you missed it - we get another chance to see it in 7000 years)

 

*A bald eagle dragging about a 10lb fish - thought to be a pike - up onto shore to eat it right in front of someones cabin N side of Pine Island.  The fish was so much heavier than the eagle she had trouble dragging it. 
 

Surprises seem to be around every corner on Lake Vermilion.  Any one care to share some special encounter you’ve had on the lake? 

 

[Austin12345]

Soudan Mine in Tower is a must see the underground tour is so cool.

[Mike89]

3 hours ago, Austin12345 said:

Soudan Mine in Tower is a must see the underground tour is so cool.

and it's really dark in there when they turn off the lights!!!!

[chaffmj]

12 hours ago, Austin12345 said:

Soudan Mine in Tower is a must see the underground tour is so cool.

 

8 hours ago, Mike89 said:

and it's really dark in there when they turn off the lights!!!!

 

and dangerous!!!

[Austin12345]

I found out that the Universty of Minnesota has a huge labrotory under ground by the mine if you look at the pictures it is crazy to think that thing is next to you when you are doing the regular tour and it is all dirt and it all looks like that pic chaffmj posted

[SkunkedAgain]

The UofM used to have a huge lab there, to catch nutrinos being shot through the earth from Chicago. We toured it once a decade or so ago, but I am pretty sure they lost funding and closed the lab a few years ago.

[SkunkedAgain]

On 8/7/2020 at 8:52 PM, BrianF said:

Surprises seem to be around every corner on Lake Vermilion.  Any one care to share some special encounter you’ve had on the lake? 

That's good stuff.

 

I found this skull sitting near shore by my cabin. I still can't figure out what the skull came from, even after consulting a few online resources. Feel free to offer up your guesses and opinions:

 

Side photo

 

Front view

 

Top/Rear view

[chaffmj]

 

4 hours ago, SkunkedAgain said:

I found this skull sitting near shore by my cabin. I still can't figure out what the skull came from, even after consulting a few online resources. Feel free to offer up your guesses and opinions:

 

Looks like the ones I have found and they were from deer. 

[Mike89]

the fur makes me think deer

[Raven77]

The most interesting thing I've seen on the lake is loons flocking up to fly south.  Saw this on Norwegian Bay October 9, 2018.  There had to be at least 200 of them, including some clearly too young to make the trip.

[smurfy]

6 hours ago, Mike89 said:

the fur makes me think deer

I would think maybe Bigfoot.

 

But Yea the hair definitely looks like a deer.

[Wanderer]

8 hours ago, smurfy said:

I would think maybe Bigfoot.

His name is Darryl. 

[Mike89]

don't forget the other brothers Larry and the other Darryl!!!  

[Wanderer]

 

[SkunkedAgain]

22 hours ago, chaffmj said:

Looks like the ones I have found and they were from deer. 

Thanks caffmj and others. I guess what threw me off was the missing structure from the snout and lower jaw. Maybe if I'd gone on a few hunting trips with my buddies, I would be more adept at picking out a deer skull!

[SkunkedAgain]

On 8/10/2020 at 10:23 AM, SkunkedAgain said:

The UofM used to have a huge lab there, to catch nutrinos being shot through the earth from Chicago. We toured it once a decade or so ago, but I am pretty sure they lost funding and closed the lab a few years ago.

I found some cool stuff for those that want to learn more about what was going on in the mine:

 

Good overview brochure of the project:  https://www-numi.fnal.gov/public/brochure.pdf

 

UofM page devoted to the project - great links within:  http://www.soudan.umn.edu/

 

Article about it being shut down in 2016:  https://www.twincities.com/2016/11/05/its-work-done-huge-physics-lab-being-razed-deep-under-the-iron-range/

 

Want to do your own experiments in the mine, they are looking for tenants:  https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4412347-work-continues-find-tenants-soudan-underground-lab

[chaffmj]

3 hours ago, SkunkedAgain said:

I guess what threw me off was the missing structure from the snout and lower jaw.

 

SkunkedAgain don't be so hard on yourself, the lower jaw is connected to the skull by muscle or tissue so that is is usually missing.  Here is a pic of a lower jaw bone that I found this spring.

The snout is also always gone but I'm not sure why. In the 2nd pic this is the most complete skull I have found and the snout was the only thing missing.

 

 

 

 

[Wanderer]

The snout is made up of a lot cartilage and very thin bone.  Easy eats for bugs and rodents if it doesn’t just decay away before they get to it.  I’ve noticed in our moist woods the snouts go quickly versus the more arid areas like the Dakota plains.  You find more full skulls out there than here.  At least in my experience anyway.

[SkunkedAgain]

We might as well re-title this thread "Interesting Things To Learn On Vermilion." Thanks for enlightening me.

[delcecchi]

I believe the facility at Ash River is still operating...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOvA

https://novaexperiment.fnal.gov/

[bassbouncer]

On 8/10/2020 at 10:23 AM, SkunkedAgain said:

The UofM used to have a huge lab there, to catch nutrinos being shot through the earth from Chicago. We toured it once a decade or so ago, but I am pretty sure they lost funding and closed the lab a few years ago.

I actually worked on wiring that lab when it was built in the late 80’s

[SkunkedAgain]

I bet that was pretty interesting, especially getting all of the materials, tools, and equipment down the elevator shaft. 

[StillFishin']

Interesting small bear by our cabin in Wolf Bay last year. First one I’ve seen in years.  First it was by our cabin door where the grill is.  It was up sniffing it but didn’t knock it over.  

I looked for a bigger mother bear but didn’t see any.

 

Then the next day while going out  fishing I looked up in a tall pine on the shore that has a eagles nest in it.  No babies this year but I always check it out as eagles still come and sit by  it.  Anyway, I spied  a black object up close to the nest.  It was a small bear way up close to the nest!

 

Interesting to see but probably never see  again!

 

[Quincy]

I have been doing some night photography/astrophotography.   This lake is a wonderful place to watch the night sky.  

Here is a photo from the Aurora show last labor day weekend and another of comet Neowise mid July  .

[SkunkedAgain]

Great pictures of bears and sky. 

 

I've had a north-facing cabin for 15+ years and still have not timed it right to see the lights. I've seen them other places but that picture above keeps me excited.

[delcecchi]

I think it takes watching the aurora forecasts online and then sitting and waiting, or at least going outside a lot in the middle of the night, like 2am.   

[SkunkedAgain]

Oh I do. It also just takes luck and timing.

 

Years ago I came up with my young daughter. As we drove up, the northern sky was pale green. We boated across and I got her to bed around 11pm (late). I then went down and sat near the dock for a few hours in the dark. The lights had gone away but I was treated to a family of beavers snorting and splashing their way along the shore. It is still pretty to stare at the stars and Milky Way.

 

I've seen the lights in the BWCA a few times, and also once near Mille Lacs. I just need to scratch that itch to see them on Vermilion. I guess I will stick to my routine of a middle-of-the-night outhouse trip to look at the sky!