Minnesota Timber Wolves

8/14/2019

Not the team, real wolves. Two days into the Lake Superior Circle tour and we're off on a detour already. Reading that there is a Wolf Center in Ely, we diverted to the northwest. 

Mid-august and it was 48° F outside at 0715. We could use the propane heat if it were working. Actually, we have no complaints. It is much more comfortable than the heat and humidity back home in North Carolina. Putting on another blanket is easier and quieter than cranking up the air conditioning.

Leaving the lake at 0915, we drove the smooth, but curvy route 1 northwest. By 1103 we arrived in Ely and parked at the International Wolf Center. A $12 admission fee was good for three days of visits. 

Educational exhibits made it easy to understand the size difference between wolves and other canines.

That's a coyote paw print on the right.

Gray Wolves live in this area. They are much larger than coyotes and foxes. The Red Wolves we have in NC are just a little larger than Coyotes.

Gray Wolves don't have to be gray colored. Here are two of the "ambassador" wolves housed at the Wolf Center. Large plate glass windows made it easy to see the wolves when they emerged from the wooded areas of their enclosure.

Two more of the family came by, yawning, as they woke up from a nap.

We plan to return earlier in the day later this week, as we were told they are most active in the morning.

Another reason for the detour is  Soudan Mine. Now a State Park, we stopped in and made reservations to go down into the mine tomorrow.   

While waiting, we watched the lift operator run the 1.5” cable that will take us down into the mine. He communicated with the lift through a bell.

Mining began here in 1884 with iron ore being extracted from a pit. We walked to an overlook to peer into what remains of the open pit just before it started raining. Pit mining became too dangerous, so the mining moved underground where we hope to venture tomorrow.

Ore from here was carried, by train, to Two Harbors for loading onto ore ships. Back up a couple of posts to read about Two Harbors and see photos of the trains and loading docks.

The newest Minnesota State Park campground, Vermilion Lake, is associated with the mine and only a few miles away. They had room for us! It is a really nice facility with wi-fi, electricity, widely spaced sites, and modern bathrooms. 

Walking around all the loops we only saw five empty sites. 

Group sites, like this one, had big screened room picnic areas. 

A path to the boat launch revealed a pretty lake. Vermilion is French for sunset glow. The original Ojibwe name translates to Lake of the Sunset Glow. The lake's 39,271 acres are in the State Park and Superior National Forest.

After wandering around the park we turned in early to be ready for tomorrow's descent.

Our northwestern detour.