Overcast Skies Won’t Dampen a Lutsen Trip

I wrote this post for my friend Kim’s blog From Lusten With Love. Be sure to pop over to her lovely site to read through her adventures on Minnesota’s North Shore. I’ve reposted the entry below:

A trip up to to the illustrious Condo 142 at Caribou Highlands has long been on the list of potential summertime activities. What can be better than a weekend of hiking, eating, and adventuring along Minnesota’s North Shore?

After finally committing on a weekend in June, my partner Melissa and I made the journey up north. Though sunny skies and warm weather were in my mental movie of this trip, overcast skies, thick fog and scattered rain made up the entire forecast. At first, I was a little worried, but the dampness showed us the lush, bountiful, and surprising personality of the North Shore.

Though it is now, September, it is always nice to reflect on a wonderful weekend. Here are 3 excerpts from our trip earlier in the summer:

Venturing to the verdant Caribou Falls

We knew we wanted to hike, but we weren’t sure where to go. The desk staff at Caribou Highlands had so many great tips and maps of local hiking trails. We decided on driving down 61 to Caribou Falls (a couple miles south of Schroeder).

We were greeted with a quick downpour of rain, but we were prepared with our trusty umbrellas. It made the hike a bit more challenging, but the trek was well worth it. The falls gushed with white water and the bright green leaves held glistening raindrops. Such a pleasant trail for anyone looking to immerse themselves in nature for an hour or two.

An afternoon trip to Grand Marais

On Saturday afternoon, we decided to make a trip up to Grand Marais. We heard that there were sights to be seen and tasty fish to be eaten — so off we were. The fog was so thick, but I was able to call upon my ace defensive driving skills for us to make it up safely.

First stop was the Artist Point Trail. It weaves through these rocky, pine-dotted islands. We were only able to see about 20 yards in front of us, so the scenery uncovered itself to us at its leisure. Mother Nature would say, “Surprise! It’s lake Superior!” and “Look! There is a lighthouse!” In other news, I was so surprised that we didn’t see the lighthouse coming… isn’t that the role of a lighthouse? Hehe…

A quick pint at Voyageur Brewing (Try the Boundary Waters Brunette Brown Ale), before heading to The Angry Trout Cafe for dinner. Ok, I am not even exaggerating. This dinner was one of the best… ever! Melissa and I both had the trout special (surprise). It was caught fresh from the lake that our table overlooked. Alongside the fish was a pile of delicious pasta with homemade pesto. Then there was a plenteous salad featuring roasted asparagus, grapes, radish, microgreens, strawberries, red onions, nuts, and more. The plate had so many different flavors that I didn’t imagine working together as well as they did. It was a symphony in my mouth! So good. Just SO GOOD!

Porchin’ at the Lovely Condo 142

At the end of a long day of adventure, there is nothing better than getting settled with a bottle of wine from the North Shore Winery (the Caribou Sauv Blanc was lovely) for a little time out on the porch.

Nothing was more peaceful than these sights and sounds: Mountains fading in and out of focus with the fog cover. Mosquitos buzzing but surprisingly choosing not to bite. A big sky fading from steely blue to midnight navy.

Thank you Kim for letting us stay at your lovely condo and posting my words and photos on your blog. For more Lutsen adventures visit From Lutsen with Love.