Garden Lake Resort Blog

It finally feels like spring is just around the corner in Ely. It has been an unusually long and cold winter here in the northern Minnesota. As temps climb into the 20s and 30s during the day the crappie fishing is also starting to heat up. Garden Lake boasts some of the best sized crappies in the area with minimal traffic, giving you a quiet secluded ice fishing experience. Combine that with beautiful scenery and well furnished cabins and you have the makings for a great weekend getaway!

Not sure where to start? Give us a call and we can help you plan your trip, give you tips on what to bring and show you where to fish when you get here. We look forward to hearing from you this spring!

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Garden Lake Resort is ready for Winter Festival. Now that the lake is frozen, we are beginning to hear the thumping and moaning as the lake makes ice with single digit nightly temps. Dianna and I are excited about our winter guests returning to fish, dogsled, ski, snowmobile, or just hang out in the peace and quiet of a winter experience at Garden Lake. The economy and the fiscal cliff weigh on all our minds as we enter 2013. Our response to this situation is to have no increase in rates for 2013, and in some instances you will actually see a reduction in the rate depending on your dates and numbers in your party.  Check out the 2013 rate schedule at our web site: www.gardenlakeresort.com If you have never stayed with us in the winter, why not check out Ely’s Winter Festival, February 1st-10th 2013. http://www.elywinterfestival.com or the Wolf Track Classic dog race, February 23rd, 24th http://www.wolftrackclassic.com There is so much going on in and around Ely all weekends and during the week! Queen beds and air conditioning for 2012 were a welcome addition in making your stay at Garden Lake Resort more comfortable. We will continue to do upgrades for 2013 which include all new beds for all cabins, additional new queens in Moose, Loon & Bear cabins and some new bathroom remodeling.  Book early to be guaranteed your cabin and dates. Ely continues to be a top vacation destination for Minnesota and the Nation! Thank you all for your patronage and past business while staying at Garden Lake Resort. We look forward to seeing you all again. Call anytime to book or just chat! Toll free 1-855-365-5498 Mark & Dianna Ellerbroek Garden Lake Resort

It’s true, "If you can walk, you can snowshoe." Most people do well without any formal training and it doesn’t require a lot of special techniques. You can start today, and have fun immediately!

Snowshoes are highly maneuverable, allowing one to go places where cross-country skiers and snowmobilers cannot go. Comparing hiking in the other three seasons and hiking in the winter snow via snowshoes, is the experience of the quiet and serenity of the snow-covered landscape.

Snowshoeing can accommodate a wide variety of activities–a casual hike in the woods, trekking into your favorite fishing spot in the BWCAW, or an overnight winter camping trip. It’s also a relatively inexpensive way to get the whole family outdoors together.

Dis is da latest air service to sprout up in Minnesnowta.Also serving Visconsin, Nort Dekota, and Moontana. Try it - you vill like it.“If you are traveling soon, consider Lutheran Air, the no-frills airline. You’re all in da same boat on Lutheran Air, vere flying is an uplifting experience. There is no first class on any Lutheran Air flight. Meals are potluck. Rows 1-6, bring rolls; 7-15, bring a salad; 16-21, a main dish, and 22-30, a dessert. Basses and tenors please sit in the rear of the aircraft.Everyone is responsible for his or her own baggage. All fares are by freewill offering and the plane will not land until the budget is met.Pay attention to your flight attendant, who vill acquaint you with the safety system aboard this Lutheran Air 599. Okay then, listen up: I’m only gonna say this once. In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, I am frankly going to be real surprised and so vill Captain Olson because ve fly right around 2000 feet, so loss of cabin pressure would probably indicate the Second Coming or something of that nature, and I vouldn’t bother with those little masks on the rubber tubes. You’re gonna have bigger things to worry about than that. Just stuff those back up in their little holes. Probably the masks fell out because of turbulence vhich, to be honest with you, ve’re going to have quite a bit of at 2000 feet, sort of like driving across a plowed field, but after a vile you get used to it. In the event of a water landing, I’d say forget it. Start saying the Lord’s Prayer and just hope you get to the part about “forgive us our sins as ve forgive those who sin against us, vich some people say trespass against us,” vich isn’t right, but vat can you do? The use of cell phones on the plane is strictly forbidden, not because they may interfere vith the plane’s navigational system, vich is seat of the pants all the way. No, it’s because cell phones are a pain in the wazoo, and if God meant you to use a cell phone, He vould have put your mouth on the side of your head. Ve’re going to start lunch right about noon and it’s buffet style vith the coffee pot up front.Then ve’ll have the hymn sing; hymnals in the seat pocket in front of you. Don’t take yours vith you ven you go or am going to be real upset and I am not kidding!Right now I’ll say Grace. “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and let these gifts to us be blest. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, may ve land in Duluth or pretty close. Amen.”

 For a breath-taking winter dogsledding adventure, nothing compares to driving a dog team or just riding along in a dog sled. In Ely there are more sled dog trip providers than anywhere else in the world.

No experience required! Your sled dog guide has spent countless hours training their dogs all year long so that you can experience an enjoyable trip. Your sled dog guide will teach you everything you need to know for your mushing experience and you will learn how to harness the sled dog team and maneuver your very own sled.

Mush from a cozy northwoods lodge or head out on a camping trip. Enjoy the winter scenery of the lakes and trails on the back of a dogsled. Run a team of sled dogs to a remote yurt or cabin, or access remote ice-fishing lakes to experience winter solitude at its best. Enjoy dog mushing for a day or plan a week-long dogsledding adventure.

With an early spring in Ely, what a great time to shed hunt in the Garden Lake wintering area for deer!

Shed hunting can be nearly as fun as deer hunting and it gives you an excuse to hit the woods. Finding a shed off a hit list buck will certainly get your blood pumping. Knowing a good buck, or one with potential made it through the season can raise the excitement for next season. Whether you’re an experienced shed hunter or a beginner, there are some shed hunting tips that should make your hunt more successful.

The Common Redpoll is a circumpolar denizen of the taiga and tundra of the high arctic. They range across the northern reaches of North America, Europe, and Russia. Redpolls are from 5 to 5.5 inches long with a wingspan of 8.25 to 8.75 inches. They are characterized by their red cap, black chin, reddish wash on the breast, pink rump, somewhat forked tail, whitish under parts and overall brownish streaking. Weights range from 13 to 14 grams (0.5 ounce). Redpolls live in high Arctic regions where winter darkness lasts up to 6 months and temperatures plunge well below freezing. Research has shown that Redpolls are able to survive temperatures down to minus 67 degrees C (89 degrees F below zero).    How do these little birds survive these harsh conditions? Redpolls have anatomical, physiological and behavioral adaptations that enable them to survive and to thrive in these harsh winter conditions.        One of the most important anatomical adaptations that allow Redpolls to thrive in severe cold weather is their esophageal diverticulum, a partially bi-lobed pocket situated in their neck. Redpolls use the esophageal diverticulum to store seeds, especially before nightfall or before a storm. The extra seeds allow them to “feed” while sheltering from the cold. The birds knock seeds from trees, gather the seeds from the ground and store them in the esophageal diverticulum. They then fly to a sheltered spot where they can regurgitate, shell, and consume the seeds at leisure while protected from predators and harsh weather conditions. Behavioral adaptations are also important. Redpolls, as do other species of birds, can fluff their contour feathers to trap layers of air to insulate their body and greatly reduce heat loss. Redpolls will sometimes burrow into the snow to escape especially cold weather.

With the mild winter at Garden Lake, it has been noted that their conversations while eating black oil sunflower seeds is how nice it is to be south in the warm temperatures while on Vacation!

Who would ever think fleas could survive in Northern Minnesota in the winter. The other day as I was out near a balsam fur tree I noticed that the snow was moving with black specs? The first thing that crossed my mind was “Horton Hears a Who”, who are these tiny little things?

At close examination, tiny black flecks might be found sprinkled in the snow. They probably look like bits of dirt at first glance, but they are actually tiny soil animals known as snow fleas. Officially, they are called springtails and are not actually fleas (or even technically insects).

On any given summer day, hundreds of thousands of springtails can populate one cubic meter of top soil; at 1-2 mm, they largely go unnoticed by people. In the winter, however, two species of dark blue springtails— Hypogastrura harveyi and Hypogastrura nivicol—can be easily spotted against the white backdrop of snow. These hexapods may have acquired the nickname of snow fleas due to their ability to jump great distances, a feat fleas boast as well. Whereas fleas use enlarged hind legs, springtails have a tail-like appendage called a furcula that unfolds to launch the hexapods great distances.

It is a much quieter time now in the surrounding area of Ely. As the seasons change so does the pace. What a great time to catch up on all those projects or just sit back and take a breath from the busy summer and fall. The fishing rods have been exchanged for guns, and the boats for snowmobiles. Shops and stores have cut back their hours prior to the holidays, and life is very unique and laid back in Ely. If you like to vacation when the crowds are gone and the activities are less, this is the time to come to Ely! Winter lodging at Garden Lake Resort is comfortable and warm. Bring a book, a puzzle, or a project and hang out in front of the fireplace at the most affordable prices of the year. When in Ely, why not shop for those special gifts and hard to please friends and family. You can always find something special and different in Ely. You will be glad you did!

Summer has gone and fall is fading fast! One of the great things about Minnesota is that we enjoy 4 seasons a year. It seems that the seasons are sometimes mixed up and if you do not like the weather simply wait a day and it will change! The nights are becoming crisp with frost in the mornings and turning into a sunny day needing a light jacket. The air is great, the smells are amazing, and it is a great time for a walk in the woods. The geese are on the move and are seen daily as they fly overhead in a south direction. Migrating birds are beginning to show up as they too are moving to new locations for the winter. Soon the loons will be gone and the lakes will freeze. Winter is a season in northern Minnesota that we embrace and look forward to the changes that it brings. Soon we will have a new style of recreation outdoors, ice fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dog sledding, and playing in the snow. What a great time to consider a trip to Garden Lake and see the beauty for yourself. Remember, we are open 12 month of the year! Enjoy a warm cabin by the lake with a fireplace and some quiet time! See you soon!

Most people have to turn on their Discovery Channel to see an 800-1200-pound moose in the wild. The back roads of the Superior National Forest in Minnesota provide the perfect boreal-forest habitat for a Moose on the loose! Come fall, bull moose go into the rut, and cows are in estrus. There is some fascinating behaviour that takes place during this mating season starting around the third week of September. They are active and on their feet and moving much of the time. This helps to provide opportunity to view and see these animals during their most visible time. Look for wide open spaces in the woods or shallow waters and where the audible call of a Bull is best heard. It will not be hard to spot sign as moose leave significant scrapings on the ground and rubs on trees. Always remember to give moose their space and do not get to close. Moose can be unpredictable and you should use common sense with keeping a respectable distance when on their turf. Best to avoid areas where hunters are active from (Oct 1-16). Remember to bring your camera for some exciting photo opportunities. A great place to stay while on your moose adventure is Garden Lake Resort! We can help you find your locations to view and provide you with amazing accommodations. You might even be able to rent Moose Lodge for your visit to the Ely area. See you soon!  www.gardenlakeresort.com  855-365-5498

Birds are everywhere in the Ely area and Superior National Forest depending on the season and the habitat. Approximately 155 species of birds breed in the forest.

These include about 100 small and inconspicuous song birds that are often hidden by thick foliage. Their presence is more easily noted soon after dawn during the early summer when they are the most active and in full song. Warblers and vireos comprise about half of the songbirds nesting in the national forest. They spend a remarkably short time on their northern breeding grounds, 3 months at the most, and actually nesting takes about 6 weeks – long enough to produce one brood of young. Upon first arrival in late May, the birds rapidly set up territories. Singing male activity is most conspicuous from June 1 to July 4. Most young are fledged by mid-July and the woods then are very quiet in contrast to the territorial songs heard only a few weeks before. Wandering flocks of post-breeding birds, usually family groups of warblers or chickadees, are encountered beginning in mid-July. Migration really gets underway by late July or early August after the birds have molted.

Most birds migrate for the winter due to the lack of food sources and the climatic conditions. Resident bird life during the winter is augmented by erratic influxes of species from father north or west. Most species originate in the northern boreal forest-tundra zone, but it is possible that some invasions come from large local populations. The species regularly involved in winter invasions include: vertebrat predators – goshawk, great horned owl, hawk owl, barred owl, great gray owl and boreal owl; berry eaters (mostly mountain ash) – American robin, Bohemian waxwing, and cedar waxwing; seed eaters – evening grosbeak, purple finch, pine grosbeak, hoary redpole, pine siskin, red crossbill, and white-singed crossbill.

For we who love to fish, thoughts of spring begin before Opener and even before March 21. They begin in mid February, or sometimes late January, when we begin to inventory our tackle boxes and dog-ear pages of Cabela's and other sports equipment catalogs. Long before ice is out, we spend hours trolling through In-Fisherman articles for tips and contemplating rigs and jigs.

Then Opener comes. . .

At Garden Lake Resort this spring, we've heard many people say the fishing has never been better. On Garden Lake and our chain of lakes, walleye, northern, and bass are active, aggressive, and biting.  In Ely, the talk about town is of minnows and lures and limits--lots of talk of people getting their limits. And then, of course, there's talk, too, of batter and butter and seasonings.