The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-09-26

ABOUT the superior NatlOndl cOTeSt -
how the forest was started; the job we
have of bringing 1T back to its once
productive state, by planting trees and
protecting them from fire and disease
after they have started to grow; the
improvements We must build in order
cally; we have taken you through the
forest by automobile and showed you
the sights as we went along and we also
let you rest in peace for a couple Of
weeks while you heard the voice of our
neighboring forest on the West, the
Chippewa; but it was not until the last
two weeks that we told you about a
canoe trip through some of our beauti-
full lakes, when we described trip
through beautiful Lake La Croix ana
the International Boundary waters.
Before we start on today's trip by way
of introduction to those who have not
listened to previous broadcasts, let me
repeat that the Superior National
Forest has approximately 5000 known
lakes within its boundaries or about
half of the lakes in the State of Min
neSota-which is known far and wide
as the State of Ten Thousand Lakes
BY actual count, the State has nearly
thirteen thousand, so that we can
rightfully lay claim to having nearly
half of them. These five thousand
lakes are for the most part connected
by trails and improved portages. well
marked, and follow in a number Of
cases those routes which were originally
started by the Indians when they made
their trips to the trading posts with
their furs and over which they roaned
at will during the bright sunshiny sum-
mer days when fishing was their main
occupation.
The main routes are of course far
cry from the Indian trails of long ago,
having been improved greatly by the
as it is called, the brush has been re-
moved, docks have been built, and a
great number of the discomforts have
been eliminated, although you must
still be prepared to travel by the most
primitive methods, by welding paddle
and carrying the canoe. There are,
however, a great number of the old
Indian trails still in existence and in
our trip today we shall traverse both
old and new and try to cover about
four days in this short period Of fifteen
minutes allotted to us.
Let's start from anywhere in this good
old United States of ours, and start any
time, the main thing is to get to Ely,
Minnesota, which shall be our real
starting point of the four day trip. We
of course must have clothing suitable
for outdoor wear, blankets, cooking
utensils and food for a four day trip.
and we should have fishing tackle to
try for a few of the four or five diff
ferent kinds of fish which we shall find
in the various lakes over which We
cross.
In the morning is good time to
start, leaving Ely by way of Highway
No. / to where the Fernberg road joins,
turning left to get to the start Of the
Ely-Buyck road by circling beautiful
ShagaWa Lake, which is located right
at the city's back door, Entering the
Ely-Buyck Road, formerly known as the
Echo Trail, we are really on our way.
We cannot say enough about this Ely
Buyck road. 1t is really the most
beautiful road in this part Of the
country winding as 1t does up and
down and around the corner, with each
new turn opening up new beauties, a
sparkling lake here on this side, another
on little way, crossed at intervals by
portage trail with sign designating
the name of the route, a camp ground
occasionally nestled in grove of beau
tiful Norway pine trees on the edge of
lake and the road lined on both sides
by more and more Norway pines as
straight as arrows, seemingly reaching
up to the very clouds. But we must
hurry, as we are going on canoe trip
We pass first the FenSke Lake CCC
camp and after we have left Ely some
twenty miles behind, we arrive at the
Portage River CCC camp. Can this
camp be in the heart of the wilderness?
That looks like a tennis court and a
basketball court on the left side of the
road. Yes, that's right, but the Portage
camps on the forest and the boys have
made good use of their idle time by in
Stalling and constructing some city
comforts. We say hello to the Camp
Superintendent, look about the camp
and stop here for dinner before going
farther.
Did you say dinner? Yes, even the
wild animals know when it's dinner
time, for out there by that garbage
dump are those four little black beal
cubs that have been hanging around
for a week or two, trying to salvage .
bite or two. We snap couple of pic.
lures after freeing the cubs and ther
leave, for we have long way to 81
before evening Just four miles ives
of the Portage River Camp is where We
unload at the side of the road, at G
sign reading, Moose River Route, Port.
age 1T rods. We thought we Were
going canoeing, but instead we have b
heave it to our shoulders and give i
a ride before we can even get it wet
But lit rods is only little more thar
half a mile and we might as well ge
used to it. It's hard pull. though TIT
canoe rests at frequent intervals hell
out lot and we finally drop the cano'
into the Moose river and get 1t wet and
are really on our way down the river
The Moose river is quite low and wha
a time we have lodging rocks which
seem to stick up everywhere. Just a.
we got going nicely, We see anothe,
dock and what's that? Yes, we hav