End of Winter/Early Spring

Life has been good overall up in the Northwoods. My term with Conservation Corps Minnesota has still been going great. We've been doing a lot of work in Lake Itasca State Park. This is a beautiful park so it's been fun. We're working on clearing brush off of snowmobile trails.

Crew Leaders from Park Rapids and Bemidji doing brush removal

A small lake off the snowmobile trail in Lake Itasca State Park

We also recently had our crew members finally join us. This past week I met our 8 new additions in Bemidji and by the end of the week our crew was lined up. Here my crew for the year!

Me, Mike, Jaret, Dory, Eleva, and Christie... Bemidji Crew 2011

I didn't get many other pictures from training but here are a few candid shots from our Crew Members first aid training.

Jaret working on a leg splint

Our district manager Anna evaluating this arm splint.

The end of March was pretty fun for me outside of work. Spent a rainy weekend exploring the Meadow Lake Hunter Walking trails further. I saw two porcupines and lots of deer and birds!

Porcupine with quills fully exposed

a Balsam Fir soaking in the rain

Bald Eagle

Immature Bald Eagle

A porcupine looking down from this big White Pine

Rainy Day!

I also did one final winter backpacking trip. This time I did a point to point trip on the Superior Hiking Trail. For those who are familiar I started at the Split Rock River loop, camped there overnight, hiked to the Beaver River on day 2, camped there, and finished at the trailhead for the Bean and Bear Lake loop. Very nice route!

Split Rock River

Split Rock River

Night view from my Camp

Me at my camp

Lake Superior

Another of the greatest great Lake

Lunch stop en route to Beaver Bay

Red Squirrel!

Beaver River

Found this bed of boughs premade at the campsite. Used it and a tarp for my second night camp

Packed up and ready to go on my final day

A view of the lake I got while biking the 13 miles back to my car!

This upcoming week I'll be doing more brush work at Itasca. I have nothing really planned until mid April so it should be a quiet few weeks until then.