This Christmas I decided to break away from the holiday norm and head North to a favorite destination of mine, the North Shore of Minnesota. A popular objective for fall color connoisseurs, this track of expansive lands has something to offer after the brilliant yellows, oranges and reds fade. Having never been in Winter I was looking forward to what mother nature would lay before me and lens. I was looking forward to Lake Superior, jagged cliffs, icy rocks and endless shorelines.
There was a light snow falling upon arrival in Duluth. Park Point, across the lift bridge, presented a few shots as did downtown at night and Duluth Harbor for sunrise. Always wonderful; never disappointing.
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The next day it was Two Harbors to Grand Marais. Eighty-plus miles of roadway to cover between
those two points and with a short window of daylight the opportunity to shoot was dramatically reduced. I slippery roadways did not move things along as quickly as I had hoped, but the views more than compensated for any delay. All of the rivers where frozen over so it was easy to just drive by most every bridge. The Spring time is a whole different story. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is a great state park to visit on the shore. Ellingson Island provides a wonderful vantage point for shooting the lighthouse and surrounding shoreline.
Another beautiful area is just North of Grand Marais along Devil Track. Once you’ve reached Devil Track Lake, Eagle Mountain (highest point in MN) is not far – not far to the trail head any way. I had a grand plan of hiking out to Eagle Mountain for sunset, but that plan did not materialize unfortunately. I lost track of time a bit over my salmon, cheese and cracker lunch. The hike was still nice with all of the snow in the forest. Another season; another time perhaps.
friendly people. Someday when there is more time I would like to spend an entire week here. There are so many back roads, lakes, and trails in and around the Superior National Forest. A day or two just doesn’t do the area justice.
Dan, your pictures capture so much! They are great!
Whoa… it must be cold there. Still waiting for snow and the cold to set in here in Jersey. I really like your isolations… the frozen back-lit branch with berries stood out. The snow path to the lighthouse and the fisherman also were excellent. I am just stating to organize my winter post… thanks for the push.
Breathtaking! Great job on this post from the story to the images.
Incredible photos, Dan! The town and industrial photos provide a glimpse of this interesting location and the shore/sunset photos are wonderful – a beautiful place. I also like your post processing and how you found color in the winter landscapes. A rainbow on Christmas morning is a memorable event. So glad you were able to get the shot!
Some fine, fine images in the slideshow. The berries encased in ice really caught my eye. (Would love to see a close-up.) The lighthouse/sunrise series was special. The shot of Split Rock Lighthouse in the background with the tall grass and conifers in the foreground may be my favorite. (It might be worth exploring a b/w conversion of that shot as well.)
Great stuff.
Beautiful Photos!
Hi, Dan, You have again captured my imagination–and this time triggered so many memories. We used to live in Duluth and I fell in love with the North Shore, some trips visiting relatives-in-law in Grand Marais. I must agree with Mike & Kerry–the ice-encased berries are spectacular. And the series with the rays is so sensitive and melancholy. Lovely work! (BTW, thanks for subscribing to my site! I’m now following yours, too.)