Voyageurs Classroom: Register for Winter 2024 Educational Experiences

Calling all Educators and School Administrators! This winter, sign-up for free, enriching programs that bring the natural and cultural wonders of Voyageurs National Park to your students!

Voyageurs Conservancy and the National Park Service have crafted engaging K-8 and high school educational experiences that connect students to Minnesota’s national park through hands-on learning. Our lessons support national and state standards, including the Next Generation Science Standards and Minnesota Social Studies Standards.

Keep reading to discover and sign-up for Winter 2024 Voyageurs Classroom programs open to local communities, Minnesota youth, and classrooms across the nation! Spots are limited, so register early. Questions? Please email our Education Team at education@voyageurs.org

Boreal Stargazing Week

February 10 - 18, 2024
Grades K-12
Open to any school in the nation!

Bring your students out of their desk and into the largest International Dark Sky Region in the world - right here in Minnesota! By signing up for the Boreal Stargazing Week, your classroom will receive live FREE virtual programs from the Voyageurs Conservancy, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Expeditions in Education, and NASA on the wonders of dark skies.

Students will learn about these protected lands, the importance of dark skies, and how we can protect them.

Virtual Kickoff to Boreal Stargazing Week
Pre-recorded video intro, released Week of February 5th

Winter Night Skies & The Aurora Borealis with Voyageurs Conservancy (Virtual Program) 

Monday, February 12th
1pm CST/2pm EST
Grades 4 - 12 

Dark Sky Magic with Expeditions in Education (Virtual Program) 

Tuesday, February 13th
12pm CST/1pm EST 
Grades K - 6 

The Long Tour and The Big Plunge: The Lucy and DAVINCI missions at NASA Goddard (Virtual Program)

Thursday, February 15th
1pm CST/2pm EST
Grades 4 - 12

Credit: Mark Miller / NPS

Snowshoeing at Voyageurs National Park 

February 26 - March 8, 2024
Grades 2-5
Open to local schools in Koochiching and St. Louis County

Snowshoe Field Trips are back! Bring your students to the Rainy Lake Visitor Center for a day of winter exploration while learning about animal tracks and snowshoes.

Basic Snowshoe: Snowshoe Shuffle
Grades 2 - 5
This program is geared towards younger students or students who have never snowshoed before

Students will learn how to put on snowshoes as well as learn about the history of snowshoes and the different types available. Afterwards, students will go on a snowshoe hike along the Oberholtzer trail.

Intermediate: Tracking by Snowshoe
Grades 4 - 5
This program is for 4th and 5th graders that have previously participated in the Snowshoe Shuffle or have some prior snowshoe experience.

Students will start indoors and learn how to identify different animal tracks found in the park. Once outdoors, students will lace up their snowshoes and practice their tracking skills using a track ID card.

Voyageurs Dark Sky Virtual Classroom

March 11 - April 19, 2024
Upper Elementary
Open to any school in the nation!

The Dark Sky Classroom brings the wonder of the night sky and Voyageurs National Park to your classroom! Our lesson plans support national and state standards, including Next Generation Science Standards. 

Choose from Northern Lights, Light Pollution, and Moon Phases lessons featuring the Ojibwe Lunar Calendar!

Teachers complete the pre-activity before joining Voyageurs Conservancy for a LIVE virtual classroom visit. The post-activity gives students a chance to dive into the topic and share what they've learned with a dark sky expert!

Thanks to generous support from our grant partners, all Voyageurs Virtual Classroom programs are FREE to schools in 2024.

MN National Parks Teacher Workshop

Saturday, January 20
10am - 2pm
Free, Registration limited to 40 participants, 4 CEUs available

Calling all teachers! Minnesota has National Park sites across the state - do you know how to connect? How are you bringing the National Parks to your classroom?

Join the education teams from Wild Rivers Conservancy, Mississippi Park Connection,and Voyageurs Conservancy to learn more about how you can connect your students to these unique and wild places in our state!

This interactive workshop will introduce you to the varied landscapes of the National Park Service stewards in our state, and give you a chance to give feedback about the programs that will impact your students most. We’ll review our standards-aligned programs and field trips, and network with other like-minded teachers. Finish out the day with a snowshoe hike led by NPS Park Rangers along the wild and scenic St. Croix River.

Credit: Lissa Maki

Program Highlight: Voyageurs National Park Mobile Classroom

Students across Duluth area schools have been thrilled with seasonal visits from the Voyageurs National Park Mobile Classroom since its debut last spring. This exciting learning experience brings programs on the history, ecology, wildlife, and dark skies of Minnesota’s only National Park right to elementary classrooms! Students learn about the land of Voyageurs National Park, then go outdoors themselves to explore the land near their school through scientific observation.

This pilot initiative has already reached more than 450 students in Duluth and connected future generations to their national park! Lessons from the Mobile Classroom meet Minnesota state education standards, and are beloved by teachers. This fall, registration slots filled up less than 24 hours after they opened!

The Voyageurs Mobile Classroom is an energizing experience for students of all ages that immerses students in nature from their school - no transportation needed!

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Thank you Voyageurs Classroom Supporters

Funding for this project was provided in part by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources  Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources  (LCCMR).

The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.

Winter Trails Report 12/28/2023

Seasons Greetings!

Voyageurs maintenance staff made it out onto the frozen lake surfaces earlier this month for initial ice checking. However, with recent rains and warm weather over the Christmas weekend conditions have deteriorated, preventing staff from safely venturing onto the ice with appropriate equipment. Staff are hopeful that colder temperatures in the extended forecast will allow for conditions to improve for eventual safe access to the lake so they can continue checking ice to establish trails once we get snow. We encourage everyone to remember that ice is never 100% safe.

Our current winter trails report can always be found on the Voyageurs National Park website at: Alerts & Conditions - Voyageurs National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Snowmobile Trails
International Falls to Kettle Falls (Purple Trail) - Closed
Rainy Lake/Black Bay to Kabetogama Lake to Ash River (Green Trail) - Closed
Ash River to Crane Lake (Green Trail) - Closed
Chain of Lakes (Dashed Black Trail) - Closed
Ash River to Kettle Falls (Yellow Trail) - Closed
East Namakan Lake to Sand Point Lake (Blue Trail) - Closed

Ice Roads
Rainy Lake Ice Road - Closed
Rainy Lake Dryweed Loop - Closed
Kabetogama Lake Ice Road - Closed
Kabetogama Lake Ice Road West and East Spur Roads - Closed

Ski Trails
Kabetogama Area
Echo Bay Ski Trail - Closed

Rainy Lake Area
Rainy Lake Rec Trail - Closed
Black Bay Ski Trail - Closed
Tilson Connector Trail - Closed

Snowshoe Trails: Hiking allowed on trails
Rainy Lake Area
Rainy Lake Recreation Trail - Hiking
Oberholtzer Trail - Hiking
Black Bay Beaver Pond Trail - Hiking

Ash River Area
KabAsh Trail - Hiking
Blind Ash Bay Trail - Hiking
Sullivan Bay Trail - Hiking

Kabetogama Lake Recreation Area
Sledding Hill - Closed
Ice Rink - Closed

For further information on land trails in communities surrounding the park check out these links:

Voyageur Trail Society - Trail Updates https://www.snowmobilevacation.com and  https://www.facebook.com/VTSIGrooms
Trail Report (ridetheborders.com) http://www.ridetheborders.com/trail-report.html and https://www.facebook.com/IVSClub
Snow Depth and Groomed Trail Conditions https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snow_depth/index.html
Buyck Portageurs Snowmobile Club https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057218389432
Ash River Kabetogama Snowdrifters https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068157102512

January 2024 Night Sky Calendar

Hello new year! Orion with its twin gems Betelgeuse and Rigel is once again the centerpiece of the winter sky, joined by the season’s other luminaries — Capella, Aldebaran, Sirius, Procyon and Pollux. Jupiter will be there, too. The largest planet still has eye-pulling power even as it shifts from the eastern to the western sky this month.

Highlights during the year’s coldest month include a well-timed meteor shower for North America, an occultation of the bright star Antares by the morning moon for observers in the West and Midwest and a favorable appearance of Mercury at dawn. Bundle up, pop some handwarmers into your mittens and enjoy the show!

Events (a.m. indicates the event happens in the dawn sky):

Jan. 2 – Earth reaches its closest point to the sun called perihelion at 7 p.m. CST. On this day we are about 3 million miles closer to the sun than in early July. The reason for the changing distance? Earth orbits the sun in an ellipse, not a circle.

Jan. 3 (a.m.) – Last quarter moon. Look for it tipped on side in the southwestern sky after sunrise around 8-9 a.m. local time

Jan. 4 (a.m.) – Annual Quadrantid meteor shower which has a narrow peak of only about 6 hours. Fortunately, this year that peak occurs around 3 a.m. CST when the shower radiant is well- placed in the northeastern sky below the handle of the Big Dipper. Face north or northwest with the moon at your back. Views will be best from about 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. local time when from 60 to 120 meteors per hours might be seen. Note that light from the last quarter moon will reduce that tally.

Jan. 5 (a.m.) – Approximate date of the latest sunrise.

Jan. 8 (a.m.) – The waning crescent moon shines below Venus low in the southeastern sky at dawn. Around sunrise for Midwest observers and during morning twilight for locations farther west, the crescent’s bright edge will cover or “occult” the bright star Antares. You’ll need binoculars to see it best. For details, please check my Facebook page at facebook.com/astrobobking.

Jan. 8-22 – Mercury joins Venus at dawn. Look for the innermost planet a fist and a half to the lower left of Venus 45 minutes to an hour before sunrise low in the southeastern sky.

Jan. 9 (a.m.) – Razor-thin crescent moon shines about 7 degrees to the lower right of Mercury about 45 minutes to an hour before sunrise very low in the southeastern sky.

Jan. 11 – New moon. The moon will be too close to the sun to see.

Jan. 13 – Waxing crescent moon appears 8 degrees below Saturn during the early evening hours in the southwestern sky.

Jan. 17 – First quarter moon. Moon shines due south around sunset and sets around midnight. Look for jazzy Jupiter to the left of the moon.

Jan. 18 – Waxing gibbous moon gleams 3.5 degrees to the upper left of Jupiter.

Jan. 25 – The Full Wolf moon rises around sunset in Cancer the Crab in the northeastern sky and shines all night. Find your local moonrise time at www.timeanddate.com/moon

Jan. 27 – Close but challenging conjunction of Mercury and Mars. Mars is just entering the morning sky and Mercury is on its way out. They pass just one-quarter degree from each other very low in the southeastern sky about one outstretched fist to the lower left of Venus. Use binoculars and look around 40 minutes before sunrise. Mercury is the brighter planet at magnitude −0.2, while Mars shines weakly at 1.3.

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Bob King is an amateur astronomer, author, and passionate educator. He served as a photographer and photo editor at the Duluth News Tribune for 39 years and taught at the UMD planetarium. Bob’s work had a great impact on Voyageurs National Park. To achieve International Dark Sky Park certification, the park was required to host dark sky education events. Through the Night Sky Explorer webinars, the Conservancy was able to fulfill this component and help secure the certification for Voyageurs National Park. We can’t thank Bob King enough for sharing his talents and knowledge with the Conservancy community to support dark sky preservation.

Top Ten Voyageurs Moments of 2023

#1 Breaking Ground on the Crane Lake Visitor Center

Crane Lake Township is busy constructing a new facility and RV campground. The new facility will serve as a new visitor center, leased by the National Park Service, open date to be announced in 2024. The photo shows extensive recent progress. Voyageurs Conservancy is partnering with the community and park to fund a design plan for permanent exhibits to showcase to visitors and share the deep cultural history, Dark Sky opportunities and recreation in the area.

#2 Dark Sky Initiative Illuminates Wonder, Inspires Discovery

In partnership with the National Park Service, our Dark Sky Programs reached new heights, touching the lives of 2,140 adults and children through captivating events like the Voyageurs Star Party, telescope and constellation tours, and engaging classroom programs. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Curtis Wong, we welcomed a state-of-the-art Obsession telescope that added a new touch of magic to our dark sky programs.

In 2023, we launched our winter Boreal Stargazing Week, a week of discovery, stargazing, and nighttime wonder. In its inaugural year, this impactful week of programs reached over 9,000 students from Minnesota, Maryland, California, Florida, Tennessee, and more. This milestone promises to be the first of many in our ongoing mission to inspire, educate, and preserve the beauty of Voyageurs’ dark skies.

#3 Voyageurs waters safeguarded through proactive zebra mussel monitoring

Voyageurs National Park, Voyageurs Conservancy, and partners continued to diligently monitor and prevent the spread of zebra mussels in the park. Hear from Cat Berrick, Wildlife Technician, on this important work:

Searching for zebra mussels in Black Bay of Rainy Lake where microscopic zebra mussel larvae were found in 2021, our dive team found no adult zebra mussels. Since invasive zebra mussels attach to hard surfaces, often in areas with high boat traffic, our divers searched for zebra mussels along rocks, docks, boats, and other high suspect areas in Black Bay.

They did, however, find many native mussels such as the fatmucket mussel in this photo. Zebra mussels can attach to the hard surfaces of native mussels and may in fact smother them. Thousands of the invasives can attach to a single native mussel blocking off the mussel’s siphon or means of breathing. When zebra mussels are present, native mussel populations often decline.

Your efforts to clean, drain, and dry for five days, anytime you leave one body of water before entering another, helps protect the more than 50 species of native mussels in Minnesota.

#4 Kabetogama Lake Boat Launch is REPLACED

This fall, Voyageurs National Park revitalized the Kabetogama Lake Boat Launch! The original boat launch ramp was built in the 1980s and is in a deteriorated condition. The project increased visitor accessibility, safety, and addressed a backlog of deferred maintenance at Minnesota’s national park.

#5 Voyageurs Classroom Bridges Classrooms, Seasons, and Communities

Our new Voyageurs Mobile Classroom brought the wildlife, waters, and cultural heritage of Voyageurs National Park to schools across the state. This exciting initiative has already reached 450+ students in Duluth, MN. Additionally, Voyageurs Conservancy brought local students on Voyageurs National Park excursions across all seasons! This includes supporting the return of our Winter Snowshoe Programs that were previously canceled during the pandemic. These interactive field experiences brought hundreds of K-12 students out of their desks on the trails and the waters of their national park.

Voyageurs Conservancy was approved by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) to receive $994,000 in funding over three years from Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). This major grant will support the next phase of the Voyageurs Classroom - connecting 17,000 Minnesotans to the unique cultural and ecological space of Voyageurs National Park through outdoor, classroom, and virtual learning opportunities!

#6 Celebrating a flooding-free summer 

With a sigh of relief, we enjoyed the park’s peak summer season without flooding, a stark difference from the challenging and historic flooding of summer 2022. This reprieve granted the National Park Service and local businesses the opportunity to showcase Voyageurs’ serene beauty, and welcome new and longtime visitors with open arms.

Free from flooding, anglers were able to enjoy world-class fishing once again. Many stories over prized catches were shared including this incredible memory captured by Tim Middendorf:

“My twin brother Tom caught the largest fish of his life, not in Alaska, but right here on Kabetogama. He was fishing walleyes and caught this lunker, estimated at 70 pounds, after a 2 hour fight. It was an experience of a lifetime, and would not have worked out without an able assist on a larger net from a passing fishing boat.”

#7 Invasive cattailS removed, freeing critical habitat for native wetland and wild rice

Wetland restoration work continued in full force near the Rainy Lake Visitor Center-Black Bay area. The Voyageurs Wetland Restoration Initiative aims to restore the biodiversity of 500 acres of key wetlands –removing invasive cattails, creating better habitats for fish and waterfowl, and bringing back wild rice!

Voyageurs Conservancy was proud to provide $20,000 in funding for this important restoration work in 2023.

#8 STEAM in the park welcomes teachers from across the country

This summer we welcomed teachers from eight states to Voyageurs National Park as part of the STEAM in the Park experience, and had an incredibly immersive week learning, exploring, and creating new ways to connect students to Voyageurs National Park. These teachers wrote curriculum that will build our library of lessons for our Voyageurs Classroom Initiative, and they are now ambassadors for the wonder and learning to be found at Voyageurs National Park. 

#9 Camp Marston turns 100!

Between 1923-1939, students from Iowa State University traveled hundreds of miles to Camp Marston in Browns Bay. Today, Camp Marston is a designated Visitor Destination Site within Voyageurs National Park. The site serves as reminder of the “The Spirit of Rainy Lake”, camp comradery, and sense of purpose in a wild landscape. Learn what it was like to be a student at the iconic Camp Marston and celebrate its 100th year!

#10 Voyageurs AREA recognized for groundbreaking wolf and moose research projects

Voyageurs National Park is a refuge and living laboratory to research captivating megafauna including moose and wolves. Park Wildlife Biologist Dr. Steve Windels was honored with the 2023 Distinguished Moose Biologist Award at the 55th North American Moose Conference and Workshop for his leadership in a 15-year moose monitoring program.

The Voyageurs Wolf Project conducted research on the summer predation and reproductive habits of wolves, receiving national press attention. Recent studies have found that wolves ambushing and preying on beavers has impacted the trajectory of forests. Additionally, new research has found a strong link between human development and where wolves successfully hunted deer fawns. Due to its undisturbed habitats and diverse ecosystems, Voyageurs National Park continues to be a premier location for wildlife research.

Winter Trails Report 12/14/2023

The Voyageurs National Park area has experienced relatively mild temperatures, but our trails crew has been monitoring what ice we do have on the lakes. Up to this point, there is not enough ice to safely measure. We will keep monitoring and open trails when it is safe to do so.  Our current winter trails report can always be found on the Voyageurs National Park website at: Alerts & Conditions - Voyageurs National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Snowmobile Trails:
International Falls to Kettle Falls (Purple Trail) - Closed
Rainy Lake/Black Bay to Kabetogama Lake to Ash River (Green Trail) - Closed
Ash River to Crane Lake (Green Trail) - Closed
Chain of Lakes (Dashed Black Trail) - Closed
Ash River to Kettle Falls (Yellow Trail) - Closed
East Namakan Lake to Sand Point Lake (Blue Trail) - Closed

Ice Roads:
Rainy Lake Ice Road - Closed
Rainy Lake Dryweed Loop - Closed
Kabetogama Lake Ice Road - Closed
Kabetogama Lake Ice Road West and East Spur Roads - Closed

Ski Trails:
Kabetogama Area
Echo Bay Ski Trail - Closed

Rainy Lake Area
Rainy Lake Rec Trail - Closed
Black Bay Ski Trail - Closed
Tilson Connector Trail - Closed

Snowshoe Trails: Hiking allowed on trails

Rainy Lake Area
Rainy Lake Recreation Trail - Hiking
Oberholtzer Trail - Hiking
Black Bay Beaver Pond Trail - Hiking

Ash River Area
KabAsh Trail - Hiking
Blind Ash Bay Trail - Hiking
Sullivan Bay Trail - Hiking

Kabetogama Lake Recreation Area
Sledding Hill - Closed
Ice Rink - Closed

For further information on land trails in communities surrounding the park check out these links:

Voyageur Trail Society - Trail Updates https://www.snowmobilevacation.com and https://www.facebook.com/VTSIGrooms
Trail Report (ridetheborders.com) http://www.ridetheborders.com/trail-report.html and https://www.facebook.com/IVSClub
Snow Depth and Groomed Trail Conditions | Minnesota DNR https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snow_depth/index.html
Buyck Portageurs Snowmobile Club https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057218389432
Ash River Kabetogama Snowdrifters - Ash River Kabetogama Snowdrifters Snowmobile Club. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068157102512

Voyageurs National Park Announces Winter Visitor Center Hours of Operation and Winter Equipment Rentals

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN: Voyageurs National Park staff would like to announce that the Rainy Lake Visitor Center will be reopening on Friday, January 5, 2024, for the winter season. Hours of operation are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  In addition, the Rainy Lake Visitor Center will also be open on Saturday, December 16 and Saturday, December 23 to allow the community the option of shopping in the Voyageurs National Park gift store prior to the holidays.   

The Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center will also be open this winter, beginning on Friday, January 5. Hours of operation each week will be Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.   

Beginning January 1, visitors can utilize the park’s Winter Equipment Rentals online service at www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/10090880, where a variety of cross country skis and snowshoes are available to experience the park’s winter landscape. The cost is $10 per pair for adults and $5 per pair for children ages 16 and under.  

The revenue from this service will allow the park’s winter equipment rentals to be a self-sustaining program by going directly into the maintenance, repair, and replacement of winter recreation equipment as aging inventory becomes damaged and unusable. 

To learn more about winter activities in Voyageurs National Park, the winter equipment rental program, and to find instructions for making online reservations for winter equipment, visit https://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/winter-activities.htm. 

Voyageurs National Park staff encourage you to explore the park this winter. The park is open year-round regardless of visitor center hours; venture out to enjoy winter’s splendor in the North Woods. 

Camp Marston and “The Spirit of Rainy Lake”

Written by Tim Shannon, National Park Service

Picture this: you’re a promising civil engineer student at Iowa State College in the 1920s or 30s. You are excited to spend six weeks of your summer at a surveying camp in Northern Minnesota. You’ve spent two days traveling over 500 miles by train from Ames, Iowa, stopping in St Paul, Duluth, and Virginia before continuing deep into the Northwoods by boat. Across the vastness of Rainy Lake, you pass by miles of scenic wilderness before arriving at an isolated, rocky point. Here you find a few semi-permanent buildings and the surrounding landscape covered by dense forest. You’ve just arrived at Camp Marston. But what lay ahead?

Camp Marston, 1938

Work lies ahead, and lots of it. Upon arrival, a small village would emerge as the cook shack was set up, the hospital tent and small sleeping tents were erected, firewood was prepared, and supplies were organized. Once set up, the students constructed a cabin. A new cabin was built each year, and students learned practical skills such as carpentry, masonry, painting, and wood cutting, waste disposal, pumping fresh water, and firefighting.

Camp Marston Dining Hall, 1927

After constructing the cabin, the student’s course and field work began including route surveying (for mapping potential railroad lines and highways), triangulation, plane table mapping, land surveying, and hydrographic surveying (the irregular shoreline and dipping lake bottom was ideal for contour mapping). The students were able to experiment with new instruments and even pioneered new surveying techniques.

Topography Party, 1924

Workdays were long, often lasting twelve hours or more, six days a week. Students worked through harsh conditions including cold rain, blazing sun, mosquitos, black flies, forest fires, thunderstorms, and wildlife encounters. A former student recalled an incident where a classmate ended up with multiple porcupine quills in his hand after trying to handle the animal. After grueling days in the wilderness, the students labored into the evening completing complex calculations, drawing maps, and writing reports. But time spent at Camp Marston wasn’t ‘all work, no play’.

Topographical Work, 1924

Students depended on recreation in their free time. Horseshoes, swimming, canoeing, boating, exploring, prospecting, photography, reading, letter writing, picking blueberries, and relaxation were all undertaken. Students were encouraged to fish if they could afford the $3 Minnesota fishing license. Wednesday and Sunday evenings were set aside for fellowship and ‘musical expression’ around a campfire. Boat trips were scheduled to local landmarks like Kettle Falls and Manitou Rocks in Canada. The students even formed a baseball team and would play against other teams in local events. 

Camp Marston, 1937

The summer surveying camp was a required course for all sophomore engineering students at Iowa State College. The skills learned at Camp Marston served as practical field training and application. A former student remarked that “the field work was meant to resemble an actual surveying job, and camp was operated like an actual surveying camp.” But you may ask yourself: why was Rainy Lake the chosen location?

John S. “Jack” Dodds

That is due in large part to John S. “Jack” Dodds, a civil engineering professor at Iowa State. Initially, many options had been proposed for an ISC surveying camp location. Professor Dodds did not believe these suggested areas were remote enough, and the lack of isolation would potentially cause distractions for his students. Dodds scouted northern Minnesota and fell in love with the Rainy Lake area. The rugged environment found in this region, which included the thick forest and rocky terrain along Rainy Lake, would offer a technical challenge for the students and mirror the rough topography they would experience in their profession. Dodds wrote in the 1923 Summer Surveying Camp report: “the almost complete isolation of the camp was one of its greatest advantages… Each man in camp learned how to maintain an engineering organization on the frontier, keeping up the morale, devising entertainments, learning to rely upon limited resources and appreciating the value of work.” 

Students at Camp Marston, 1927

Dodds ran the surveying program at Camp Marston from 1923 to 1939, with an average of 35 students attending each summer. Against Dodd’s wishes, the summer surveying camp was moved away from Rainy Lake in 1939 to an abandoned CCC camp in Wirt, Minnesota. The reason for the move came from the college’s Dean of Engineering, who had visited Camp Marston in 1938. He concluded it “was too remote, too archaic, and lacking the amenities a camp ought to have.” The qualities that originally drew Professor Dodds to the area were ultimately its undoing. However, Camp Marston’s legacy still lives on within Voyageurs National Park.

Polaris Cabin, 2010

Today, Camp Marston is a designated Visitor Destination Site within Voyageurs National Park. The site is accessible by boat and is located in Browns Bay, roughly 24 miles from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. The site provides an opportunity for visitors to explore and learn about the historical significance of the ISC summer surveying camp. Plans are underway to restore the site. This includes historical rehabilitation of the existing building, creating a small trail system, and installing waysides that convey its story. Only one of the original structures remains intact – the Polaris Cabin, which served as the faculty living quarters – but rock chimneys and foundations reveal the positions where previous structures once stood. These vestiges endure as reminders of the “the Spirit of Rainy Lake”, camp comradery, and sense of purpose that Professor Dodds believed Camp Marston fostered within his students.

December 2023 Night Sky Calendar

Brr! It’s cold. Yet the stars are like tiny sparks of fire that warm the heart. The new season brings a host of new luminaries to the night sky with Orion in the vanguard. He awakens in the east around 8 o’clock early in the month and at 6:30 by month’s end. The Hunter brings his brightest stars Betelgeuse and Rigel to the table. Sirius the Dog Star and Procyon the little dog follow soon after.  

December’s biggest event is the annual Geminid meteor shower which originates from the asteroid Phaethon. Phaethon may be a comet on the verge of extinction, yet it still flakes dust now and again as it passes near the sun every year and a half. Earth plows headlong into that debris trail every December. As the shards strike the atmosphere they flare as meteors.

Saturn still puts on a good show during the evening hours, appearing midway up the southern sky as soon as it gets dark. But it’s moving westward, departing center stage to make way for the bright king of the planets Jupiter. Jupiter stands high in the south in December in a commanding position. The planet will be even more obvious when joined by the moon on Dec. 21 and 22.

Venus still dominates the morning sky at dawn in the constellation Virgo while Mars and Mercury are too close to the sun to see. 

Happy solstice and keep cozy!

Events (a.m. indicates the event happens in the dawn sky):

Dec. 4 – The last quarter moon will rise around midnight and appear high in the southern sky near sunrise. Sometime in the next two weeks point your binoculars at the Seven Sisters Star Cluster (a.k.a. the Pleiades) high in the southeastern sky a couple fists to the left of brilliant Jupiter. You’ll be amazed at how many stars you can see.

Dec. 8 (a.m.) – The waning crescent moon floats 2.5 degrees above Spica, Virgo the Virgin’s brightest star.

Dec. 9 (a.m.) – The waning crescent pairs up with brilliant Venus in the dawn sky. Face southeast to see them.

Dec. 12 – New moon. The moon will be too close to the sun to see.

Dec. 12 – Asteroid 319 Leona will cover the bright red star Betelgeuse in Orion’s shoulder for several seconds tonight. The event, called an occultation, will only be visible in the U.S. from the southern tip of Florida. For more information go to https://tinyurl.com/49d3kb25. I’ll also have a map and details closer to the date on my Facebook page (facebook.com/astrobobking).

Dec. 12-31 – The asteroid Vesta will be easily visible in binoculars on clear nights. Check my Facebook page for more information and a map closer to the date.

Dec. 13-14 – Peak of the annual Geminid meteor shower. Up to 80-100 meteors per hour may be visible from a rural sky and half that number closer to town. The meteors will appear to stream from Gemini to the upper left of Orion the Hunter. Viewing begins around 9 p.m. local time and continues until dawn. The early morning hours of Dec. 14 are best. Face in your darkest direction when watching the shower.

Dec. 17 – The waxing crescent moon will shine just 3 degrees below the planet Saturn tonight. 

Dec. 19 – The first quarter moon shines due south around sunset and sets around midnight

Dec. 21 – Winter solstice! At 9:27 p.m. Central time the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky, marking the official start of winter. Days are now shortest and nights longest. 

Dec. 21 and 22 – The waxing gibbous moon shines to the right of Jupiter on Dec. 21 and to the planet’s left on Dec. 22.

Dec. 25 – The nearly full moon will appear just 1.5 degrees below the bright star Elnath in Taurus the Bull.

Dec. 26 – The Full Cold moon rises around sunset in Gemini the Twins in the northeastern sky and shines all night. Find your local moonrise time at www.timeanddate.com/moon

Dec. 30 – The waning gibbous moon passes 4 degrees above Regulus, Leo the Lion’s brightest star.

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Bob King is an amateur astronomer, author, and passionate educator. He served as a photographer and photo editor at the Duluth News Tribune for 39 years and taught at the UMD planetarium. Bob’s work had a great impact on Voyageurs National Park. To achieve International Dark Sky Park certification, the park was required to host dark sky education events. Through the Night Sky Explorer webinars, the Conservancy was able to fulfill this component and help secure the certification for Voyageurs National Park. We can’t thank Bob King enough for sharing his talents and knowledge with the Conservancy community to support dark sky preservation.

Voyageurs National Park Overnight Camping Reservations and Houseboat Permits for the 2024 Summer Season Open on November 15

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN - Park staff would like to remind visitors that overnight tent camping reservations and houseboat permits for the 2024 summer season will become available on November 15, 2023, at 9 am CST.  

Park staff encourage visitors who wish to stay overnight in the park to make a reservation as soon as they know their plans. Visitors may make reservations by going online at www.recreation.gov or by calling the National Call Center at (877) 444-6777. 

Follow Voyageurs National Park on Facebook for important camping information, and visit the park’s website for these additional resources: 

Overnight tent campers may find information and policies at the following link -- https://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/tent-camping.htm  

Instructions for making a campsite reservation can be found here -- https://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/making-a-tent-campsite-reservation.htm  

Houseboat visitors may find a summary of information and policies here -- http://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/houseboating.htm 

Instructions for making a houseboat reservation can be found here -- https://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/making-a-houseboat-reservation.htm 

All income generated from overnight fees stays at Voyageurs National Park. These fees are used to benefit the visitor experience by funding site cleaning and maintenance, and to improve amenities such as tent pads, docks, bear-proof food lockers, privies, picnic tables, fire rings, mooring aids, trails, backcountry infrastructure, and interpretive media at visitor destination sites. 

View this and other news releases on the Voyageurs National Park website here: News Releases - Voyageurs National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Stargazing Spectacles: A Guide to Winter's Night Sky Events

Written by Jesse Gates, Voyageurs Conservancy Education Specialist

As summer comes to a close, longer nights provide spectacular opportunities to view dazzling stars, planets, meteors, and more! While winter months may bring freezing temperatures, there are advantages to experiencing dark skies this time of year. Even better, pesky bugs, including mosquitoes, are gone! 

Whether you are already a night sky enthusiast or new to stargazing, our team at Voyageurs Conservancy hopes to strengthen your connection to the region’s magnificent dark skies. Step outside and look up to experience awe-inspiring astronomical events this winter:

Colin Willemsen

Experience the Geminids meteor shower from December 7 - 17, 2023

This meteor shower has approximately 120 meteors per hour, making it one of the most thrilling meteor showers of the year. The Geminids Meteor shower will take place December 7-17, with the peak occurring on December 13 and 14 (which also happens to be during the New Moon - the darkest time of the month! Perfect timing!) 

Gordy Lindgren

Catch the Northern Lights

While the appearance of Northern Lights aren't influenced by the winter itself, longer nights provide a wider window for seeing this colorful phenomenon. The earlier sunsets also allow you to begin viewing earlier in the night. To increase your chances of seeing this spectacular light show, you will want to find a location with very dark skies like Voyageurs National Park. There are two types of forecasts you want to consider to increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights:

1. Weather Forecast: Sometimes the Northern Lights may be dancing in the night sky, but if there are clouds obscuring your view - you would never know it! Avoid weeks that are scheduled to have heavy cloud coverage throughout the night. 

2. Northern Lights forecast: This is like a weather forecast but for the Northern Lights. There are many apps that will provide you with this information such as My Aurora Forecast & Alerts, Aurora Alerts, and Amazing Aurora. These apps can even alert when the Northern Lights are up in the sky! 

Gordy Lindgren

Boreal Stargazing Week

Join us for our Boreal Stargazing Week February 12 - 18 to enjoy guided astronomical events throughout Minnesota and Voyageurs National Park. Join Voyageurs Conservancy, the National Park Service, and community partners for night sky activities for all ages including guided snowshoe hikes under the stars,  educational lessons, telescope observations, and constellation stories. Learn more at voyageurs.org/stargazing. So layer up, grab a hot drink, blanket, and enjoy all Voyageurs’ dark skies have to offer this winter!

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Maintaining Dark Sky Park Certification

Sustaining Voyageurs National Park’s International Dark Sky Park designation is a rigorous effort involving year-round efforts from the National Park Service, Voyageurs Conservancy, and community partners. A place can lose its certification if light pollution in the area grows past a certain threshold, impact the park’s darkness readings. Learn how we work together to keep this prestigious certification from the International Dark Sky Association:

Colin Willemsen

• Light Fixture Changes: Existing lighting in the park is retrofitted to reduce light pollution and preserve habitats for the wildlife that call Voyageurs home. To date, over 87% of the park’s light fixtures are dark sky friendly - with the goal to reach 100% in the coming years.

• Community Engagement: Our Dark Sky Initiative brings Voyageurs’ boundless night sky to anyone’s fingertips. Voyageurs Conservancy education specialists host constellation tours and telescope sessions in the summer and special winter stargazing events. Our annual Star Party inspires local businesses and community members to preserve and celebrate their region’s dark skies. Our goal is to educate visitors and local partners about the importance of preserving darkness.

D. Colburn / The Timberjay

• Data Collection: National Park Service staff travel to five locations throughout the park to record the luminance of the night sky using a Sky Quality Meter. The darkest possible sky measures 22.0 on the SQM and Voyageurs’ skies average 21.45 - signaling incredibly dark skies!

• Inspiring the Next Generation: Our Dark Sky Programs reach beyond the park’s borders. The Conservancy brings the wonder of Voyageurs’ night skies to students across the country through its virtual Dark Sky Classroom.

• Dark Sky Partnerships: We are proud to collaborate with other protected areas and dark sky advocacy groups including Starry Skies North IDA, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Superior National Forest, and more. Together, we promote education and citizen science opportunities for the public.

Member Spotlight: Bob and Marveen Minish

Nestled between towering birch and red pines lies the cabin of Ingvald Walter (I.W.) Stevens. Perhaps one of the best-known historic sites in Voyageurs National Park, visitors travel to the preserved cabins on Stevens Island in Namakan Lake to take-in the rugged northwoods beauty, untouched by logging that impacted much of the surrounding area.

I.W. Stevens’ Cabin on Namakan Island / NPS

Many park-goers are captivated by Stevens’ independence and self-sufficiency as he lived on the remote island on Namakan Lake for over four decades. Stevens opened the Pine Cove Resort on the island in 1937 and operated the business until 1959, at the age of 74. Over the years, Steve entertained many family and friends until he left the island in 1979. One of these friends, Marveen Minish, grew up visiting Stevens at his cabin on the point.

“A fussy, old Norwegian bachelor,” Marveen laughs as she describes Stevens.

Marveen has been visiting the area that is now Voyageurs National Park since her childhood in 1945, and her connection to I.W. Stevens is woven into her family history. Her grandmother was an avid fisherman and longtime friend of Stevens. Marveen’s father provided dental care for the lone resort owner. Some of her fondest memories include staying at I.W. Stevens’ cabin on the point. She recalls Stevens singing during his morning chores and hauling ice blocks in his wheelbarrow to provide his guests with fresh water.

IW Stevens Snowshoeing / NPS

“I remember Steve showing us his ‘Winter Throne’,” recalls Marveen, “He had a chair mounted on stilts to hold it above the floor. Beside him was a tall stack of National Geographic magazines that he would read in the wintertime - his resting season”

Marveen’s husband, Bob Minish, first visited the park with her family in the summer of 1960 and was quickly captivated by the area. The Minishes continued visiting their family cabin on Sand Point Lake and Bob would later become the president of the Canadian Sandpoint Power Association, a group critical to bringing electricity to the cabins in the area.

Marveen shares the serene nature of Voyageurs that sticks with her: “My favorite memories from childhood are visiting Steve’s log cabin on the point, sitting there with all of the northwoods around and looking for blueberries. That’s where I gained all of my blueberry hunting skills.”

Bob Minish holding a Northern near Grassy Bay

Bob has felt the magic of Voyageurs National Park over the course of decades, but one experience stands out to him. Sitting around the campfire in late September, Bob looked up to the night sky and watched the space station zoom over his head. Then, a wolf let out a long howl and the chilling call of a loon echoed from the lake. “What an incredible experience to have in the span of just a half hour,” Bob reminisces. 

To someone who has never visited Voyageurs National Park before, Bob explains you don’t want to miss the park after dark: “One experience is to be there at night with a clear sky. Being able to see the Milky Way, seeing the stars like you’ll never see them anywhere else and listening to the wolves howl,” says Bob. 

Bob and Marveen are longtime supporters of Voyageurs Conservancy and recognize the importance of giving back to the woods and waterways that have brought them so many fond memories over the decades. “When you love something, you have to keep it alive. You can’t just keep taking, you need to give back,” says Marveen.

Postcard featuring the Allens, Marveen’s family, at Pine Cove Lodge on Namakan Lake.

For Bob, he finds joy seeing others recreating in Voyageurs and enjoying all the unique experiences Minnesota’s national park has to offer. He recalls conversing with a group of young college students enjoying a summer day at the Mukooda campground - swimming, fishing, and enjoying the fresh water: “It was a delight to see the park being utilized and appreciated by others.” The support of Conservancy members like Bob and Marveen ensure these experiences live on.

The extensive connections between the Minishes and Voyageurs National Park could stretch across pages. Bob and Marveen have generously donated many of their historical belongings to the park’s archives, including a Christmas card and letter written from I.W. Stevens to Marveen’s grandmother. Marveen is grateful there is a place to preserve the pieces of history that shaped her upbringing and the early days of Voyageurs National Park:  “I hope through this, future generations feel connected and have knowledge about what shaped the park.”

Bob Minish, Marveen Minish, and John Bauercamper

November 2023 Night Sky Calendar

Saturn stands nearly due south at nightfall this month with radiant Jupiter beaming in the eastern sky. The biggest planet is in great company, sharing the sky with the twinkling Pleiades star cluster located two fists to its left. Venus dominates the morning sky shining from its perch in Virgo. Mars is in conjunction with the sun and not visible while Mercury is poorly placed for viewing.

Jupiter will glow especially bright early this month when it makes its closest approach to Earth for the year at 370 million miles or 33 light- minutes. Several minor meteor showers enliven both the evening and morning sky as does the International Space Station. Although November brings frosty nights the wildfire smoke that smudged summer and early fall skies has departed, leaving crystal-clear views of the Milky Way and stars. The month’s highlights include a wonderful close conjunction of Venus and the crescent moon at dawn on Nov. 9th .

Events

Nov. 3 – Jupiter at opposition and closest to the Earth in 2023. Rises around sunset in the northeastern sky and remains visible all night.

Nov. 1-8 (a.m.) – The International Space Station will cross the morning sky at dawn moving from west to east. It glows nearly as bright as Venus. Sign up for alerts when it passes over your location at spotthestation.nasa.gov

Nov. 3-15 – Comet Lemmon (C/2023 H2) possibly visible in binoculars from rural skies low in the western sky at the end of dusk. Check my Facebook page at facebook.com/astrobobking for a map I’ll share early in the month.

Nov. 5 – Last quarter moon. Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. local time this morning.

Nov. 6 (a.m.) – Waning moon passes 5 degrees above Regulus, Leo’s brightest star.

Nov. 9 (a.m.) – Superb conjunction of Venus and the waning crescent between about 3 a.m and dawn this morning. The two will be only about one moon-diameter apart. Look low in the eastern sky.

Nov. 5-12 – Watch for the S. Taurid and N. Taurid meteor showers to peak during this time. While weak, each produces fireballs. Meteors will stream from a spot in the sky about a fist to the left (east) of Jupiter.

Nov. 13 – New moon

Nov. 15-30 – International Space Station crosses the evening sky moving from west to east. On some nights it makes two passes, one during early twilight and the second one about 90 minutes later.

Nov. 18 (a.m.) – Leonid meteor shower peak. Best viewing time is from 2 a.m. till dawn local time with 10-15 meteors visible per hour from a dark sky.

Nov. 20 – First quarter moon. Moon shines 5.5 degrees to the left (east) of Saturn.

Nov. 24 – Waxing gibbous moon 4 ½ degrees to the right (west) of Jupiter.

Nov. 26 – Full Beaver Moon. The moon will shine just 1 degree below (east) of the Pleiades star cluster tonight. Use binoculars to see if you can still spot the cluster in the lunar glare. For your local moonrise time go to timeanddate.com/moon

Nov. 30 – Waning gibbous moon 2 degrees below (south) of Gemini’s brightest star Pollux tonight.

Bob King is an amateur astronomer, author, and passionate educator. He served as a photographer and photo editor at the Duluth News Tribune for 39 years and taught at the UMD planetarium. Bob’s work had a great impact on Voyageurs National Park. To achieve International Dark Sky Park certification, the park was required to host dark sky education events. Through the Night Sky Explorer webinars, the Conservancy was able to fulfill this component and help secure the certification for Voyageurs National Park. We can’t thank Bob King enough for sharing his talents and knowledge with the Conservancy community to support dark sky preservation.

National Park Service Posts Comment Report From Frozen Lake Preliminary Proposal Civic Engagement

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN: The National Park Service (NPS) has posted the public comment summary report related to the civic engagement process for Voyageurs National Park’s frozen lake surface access and use preliminary proposal that was held in spring 2023.   

As part of the civic engagement process, the NPS held in-person and virtual meetings, presenting the public with a preliminary proposed action, preliminary purpose and need statements, and potential resource considerations. The report analyzes 182 comments received through the mail, provided in person, or submitted through the NPS's Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website. An appendix accompanies the summary report documenting the comments in their entirety, while redacting any personal information. The comment period for the civic engagement process was open for 68 days, between March 28 and June 3, 2023. You can find the documents on the “document list” page at - https://parkplanning.nps.gov/documentsList.cfm?projectID=84972 

The NPS is currently reviewing the comments received and developing alternatives that will be reviewed through a NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process. This process will allow for two more public comment periods prior to any final decision being selected. It is anticipated that the NEPA process may begin during spring / summer 2024.

The NPS does not anticipate any changes to winter access at Voyageurs National Park until a decision is identified and clearly communicated to the public.  

View this and other news releases on the Voyageurs National Park website here: News Releases - Voyageurs National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Voyageurs Conservancy Hosts STEAM in the Park

Voyageurs Conservancy, Expeditions in Education, National Park Service host outdoor workshop week with teachers from across the U.S.

Expeditions in Education is a North Carolina-based nonprofit that connects teachers and students with national parks across the country. In February, Voyageurs Conservancy partnered with Expeditions in Education to host a livestream event with park staff from the ice roads of Rainy Lake. 8,000 students tuned in live and the program has since been shown to close to 29,000 students! This summer we welcomed teachers from eight states to Voyageurs National Park as part of the STEAM in the Park experience, and had an incredibly immersive week learning, exploring, and creating new ways to connect students to Voyageurs National Park. These teachers will be writing curriculum that will build our library of lessons for our Voyageurs Classroom Initiative, and they are now ambassadors for the wonder and learning to be found at Voyageurs National Park. 

Notes from Dacia Penley Jones, Expeditions in Education:

We have reached the end of STEAM in the PARK, as our final camp took place at Voyageurs National Park while the summer sun begins to fade. What an incredible adventure it has been, filled with awe-inspiring moments and unforgettable experiences that have left a lasting imprint on our hearts and minds.

Our days were graced by the haunting calls of loons echoing across the tranquil waters, their melodies becoming a comforting soundtrack to our explorations. Majestic eagles soared high above, reminding us of the power and grace of the natural world.

Among the vibrant wildflowers that painted the landscape, the aster stood out with its burst of color, a testament to the delicate beauty that thrives in even the harshest environments. As we wandered through rock gardens, we couldn't help but marvel at the ancient stories etched into the oldest rocks in the world, a reminder of the profound history that this land carries within its very foundation.

Our journeys on boats were more than mere transport—they were voyages of discovery, each ripple on the water reflecting the excitement and curiosity in our hearts. With journals in hand, we penned our thoughts, capturing the essence of each moment as we tried to bottle the magic of this place with ink and paper.

Cooking over camp stoves became an art in itself, a symphony of sizzling pans and tantalizing aromas that filled the air. And what better way to end a day of exploration than by gathering around the campfire, indulging in the sweet decadence of s'mores and chocolate tacos as the stars blinked into view.

But it wasn't just the earthly wonders that captivated us. As the night sky unveiled its cosmic canvas, we were treated to the sight of meteorites streaking across the dark expanse, a reminder of the vast universe that stretches beyond our gaze. We spent several hours lying on the dock and giggling at each sight.

And who could forget the thrill of casting a line into the crystal waters, feeling the tug of a fish beneath the surface? The camaraderie that came from sharing tales of the catch brought us closer together, forging bonds that will surely endure. (PS- Actually only Karen and Rodney felt that tug but the rest of us tried)

Perhaps the greatest treasure of all, however, was the friendships we made along the way. From shared discoveries to laughter-filled evenings, we found kindred spirits in each other, weaving a tapestry of connections that spanned beyond the boundaries of the park.

As we bid farewell to this chapter of #STEAMinthePARK, we carry with us the memories of loons and eagles, red squirrels and aster, ancient rocks and cosmic wonders. Our journals may be filled, but our hearts are brimming with the echoes of this summer's adventures. Until we meet again,Voyageurs Conservancy andVoyageurs National Park, thank you for reminding us of the beauty and magic that exists in the world around us. We’ll be back in 2024

Photos by Steve Jones

2023 Buoy Removal and No Hunting Reminders in Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs National Park staff will begin removing hazard markers and secondary aids to navigation within the park this week, starting on Namakan Lake. Removal efforts will continue throughout the following week, although weather and other variables will determine the exact days when removal will occur.

In addition, Voyageurs National Park reminds visitors that hunting and trapping of any type or manner is prohibited on Federal lands and all waters within the boundary of Voyageurs National Park. This includes the removal of animals that have entered the park boundary after being shot outside the park.

Park rangers enforce hunting and trapping laws under Federal regulations. Park officials remind hunters to know where they are hunting, and to be aware of others recreating in the area. Maps showing the park boundary are located at informational kiosks throughout the park.

2023 Buoy Removal and No Hunting Reminders in Voyageurs National Park - Voyageurs National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Voyageurs National Park to Conduct Perscribed Burns at IW Stevens Site on Namakan Lake

Voyageurs National Park plans to conduct prescribed burns of previously thinned materials potentially beginning the week of 9/25, and subsequent weeks through October as conditions allow. The prescribed burn activity will take place at the historic I.W. Stevens home site on Namakan Lake.

The project consists of removing dead and down trees, as well as live balsam fir, with the intent of creating defensible space around structures in the event of a future wildfire. National Park Service fire management crews have been cutting and piling the material with the intent of burning the piles as the preferred method of disposal.

Smoke may be visible in the area at the time of burning. However, Smoke will be kept to a minimum, as the burning will be conducted over the course of several days. Updates will be posted on the park’s website and facebook page.

October 2023 Night Sky Calendar

Jupiter and Saturn rule the October evening sky while the dawn belongs to radiant Venus. Saturn is visible in the southeastern sky as soon as it gets dark followed in the east by Jupiter around 8:30 p.m. local time. A modest meteor shower, the Orionids, and a solar eclipse highlight the month. October is one of the best times to watch for the northern lights especially as we approach the peak of the current solar cycle in 2024-25. I provide aurora alerts for interested observers at facebook.com/astrobobking.

Events:

October 1 – Waning gibbous moon passes about 2.5 degrees above brilliant Jupiter to make an eye-catching pair

October 6 – Last quarter moon

October 10 (a.m.) – Venus passes 2 degrees south of Regulus, Leo’s brightest star, and 6 degrees south of the waning crescent moon during morning twilight. You’ll see them in a line in the eastern sky.

October 14 – New moon, annular solar eclipse! Visible across much of North and South America. If you live along a narrow path from Oregon, far northern California, Nevada, Utah and Texas you’ll witness a “ring of fire” — with all of the sun covered except a narrow, outer ring. Elsewhere observers will see a partial solar eclipse. Check with your local library about obtaining a safe pair of solar eclipse glasses or buy your own at Rainbow Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/485ffdxt). For eclipse-watching times for your city go to https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2023-october-14 and enter your town’s name in the Eclipse Lookup box.

October 21 – First quarter moon

October 22 (a.m.) – The Orionid meteor shower peaks with 15 to 20 meteors visible per hour from a dark sky location. Orionids radiate from a point in Orion’s upraised club, a little more than 10° north of the bright red star Betelgeuse. Best views will come between 2 a.m. and dawn when Orion commands the sky and the moon has set. Face east or southwest. Dust released by Halley’s Comet spawns the shower.

October 23 (a.m.) – Venus at greatest distance west of the sun. Rises around 3:30 a.m. and remains visible through sunrise — four hours!

October 23 – Waxing gibbous moon passes 3 degrees south of Saturn

October 28 – Full Hunter’s Moon. To find your local moonrise time go to timeanddate.com/moon

October 28 – Moon passes 3 degrees above Jupiter

Bob King is an amateur astronomer, author, and passionate educator. He served as a photographer and photo editor at the Duluth News Tribune for 39 years and taught at the UMD planetarium. Bob’s work had a great impact on Voyageurs National Park. To achieve International Dark Sky Park certification, the park was required to host dark sky education events. Through the Night Sky Explorer webinars, the Conservancy was able to fulfill this component and help secure the certification for Voyageurs National Park. We can’t thank Bob King enough for sharing his talents and knowledge with the Conservancy community to support dark sky preservation.

Remembering Lee Barthel

Lee Barthel (1923-2023) was a Voyageurs Conservancy director emeritus who worked alongside Martin Kellogg and others as a critical volunteer to establish the Voyageurs Conservancy (then Voyageurs National Park Association) and the park. She was passionate about taking care of our planet, working tirelessly for several environmental organizations, and serving as a leader in the Izaak Walton league. This summer Lee celebrated her 100th birthday with a special $10,000 gift to the Voyagers Conservancy.

“From the time I started with the organization, Lee was so generous with her time and encouragement. Our meetings were filled with thoughtful advice, a few sassy jokes, and witnessing her great passion for environmental protection and public service,” shared Christina Hausman Rhode, Voyageurs Conservancy Executive Director. “While you don’t see Lee Barthel’s name in the written history of the park, and she was of course modest about her role, she was a key figure in the early days of organizing for the park, and in the continued establishment of our nonprofit organization as a citizen’s group caring for the park. We are remembering Lee’s humor, tenacity, talents, and spirit with gratitude.”

Reflections on Lee Barthel By Esther Kellogg:

Lee played an important role in Voyageurs National Park. She and Martin worked together at Tennant Company. From her excellent work at Tennant, Martin understood the breadth of her capabilities so when she retired from Tennant, Martin invited her to help Voyageurs National Park Association (VNPA), as a volunteer. Fortunately, for all of us, she said yes. Lee jumped right in and provided critical skills that helped provide a stronger foundation for VNPA. She became a mainstay of the VNPA for the many years following.

From the very beginning, Lee was enthusiastically committed to Voyageurs National Park. and VNPA. Many challenges arose but her calm and thoughtful presence provided a steady rudder. She helped pull people together and understood and prioritized the many tasks along the way and made sure they got done. Lee provided quiet leadership behind the scenes to keep VNPA running smoothly. Her efforts in those early years were a key factor in building a strong organization for the many years ahead.

Lee stepped into many important roles, providing office management skills keeping the membership information organized and up-to-date, while also getting to know the supporters and friends of VNPA. She was adept at recruiting steady volunteers to help with communications—the many mailings, newsletters, and fundraising communications. She mentored and shared insights with new directors, staff, and board members. She was always fully engaged in all the planned events whether in the Twin Cities or in the Park. She personally knew most of the people involved in the effort both in the Twin Cities area and in International Falls.

Even as her eyesight began to fail, she persevered and spent countless hours in the office, supporting VNPA. Lee should have received the award for the Volunteer of the Year many times over. Martin had great respect for Lee and the many contributions she made to Voyageurs National Park. Both VNPA and the Park are deeply indebted to Lee for her many contributions toward preserving Voyageurs for generations to come.

Voyageurs National Park Announces Boat Launch Ramp Replacement at the Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center

The National Park Service will be replacing the boat launch located at the Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center. The contractor will start staging materials and equipment at the site on September 5, and the launch will be closed starting September 18.  

The existing picnic area, beach, canoe/kayak launch, and vault toilet adjacent to the boat launch will be closed. However, a portable toilet will be provided for visitor use near the marina area. Visitor parking areas will be provided on the northwest side of the visitor center, near the Historic Ranger Cabin District, see map. Watercraft access from the lake to the visitor center and marina, area will remain open as conditions allow.  

To reduce congestion at the construction area, signs will be posted along Gappa Road (county road 123) and Highway 53. There will be limited parking near the visitor center during the construction period due to staging supplies and equipment by the contractor.

During the closure, boat launch sites at the Woodenfrog State Forest and Ash River Visitor Center will be open as conditions allow. Visitors camping in the park are encouraged to use Ash River Boat Launch Ramp.  

The original launch ramp was built in the 1980s and is in a deteriorated condition. The new launch ramp will replace the current footprint of forty-feet wide, sixteen-foot lanes, constructed out of concrete, and include one-inch-deep V-Groove patterns to assist with traction while launching or loading watercrafts. A cofferdam will need to be installed that will allow the site to be de-watered. This project is considered Deferred Maintenance and funding comes from the Repair Rehabilitation Maintenance Program.    

Voyageurs Classroom: Register for Fall 2023 Educational Experiences

Calling all Educators and School Administrators! This fall, sign-up for free, enriching programs that bring the natural and cultural wonders of Voyageurs National Park to your students!

Voyageurs Conservancy and the National Park Service have crafted engaging K-8 and high school educational experiences that connect students to Minnesota’s national park through hands-on learning. Our lessons support national and state standards, including the Next Generation Science Standards and Minnesota Social Studies Standards.

Keep reading to discover and sign-up for Fall 2023 Voyageurs Classroom programs open to local communities, Minnesota youth, and classrooms across the nation! Spots are limited, so register early. Questions? Please email our Education Team at education@voyageurs.org

Voyageurs Dark Sky Virtual Classroom

October 2 - October 20, 2023
Grades K-8
Open to any school in the nation!

The Dark Sky Classroom brings the wonder of the night sky and Voyageurs National Park to your classroom! Our lesson plans support national and state standards, including Next Generation Science Standards. 

Choose from Northern Lights, Light Pollution, and Moon Phases lessons featuring the Ojibwe Lunar Calendar!

Teachers complete the pre-activity before joining Voyageurs Conservancy for a LIVE virtual classroom visit. The post-activity gives students a chance to dive into the topic and share what they've learned with a dark sky expert!

Thanks to generous support from our grant partners, all Voyageurs Virtual Classroom programs are FREE to schools in 2023-2024.

Field Experiences at Voyageurs National Park

September 19 - 22, 2023
Open to local schools in Koochiching and St. Louis County
Grades K-5

Field Experiences at Voyageurs National Park immerse students in the history, science and unique landscape of this region. With funding from multiple grantors we are able to provide these field trips at no cost to your school, and also have some bus funds that can support travel to the park. 

Kindergarten: Outdoor Observations - Practice observation skills and learn about weather patterns

1st grade: All About Beavers! - Learn about amazing beaver adaptations and the homes that they build within the park

2nd grade: Trees of Voyageurs National Park - Identify key tree species in the park and how they have adapted to life in the north woods

3rd grade: The Life of a Voyageur - Learn about the adventurous and dangerous life of a Voyageur

5th grade: Water Critters - Explore the fascinating world of the water critters that live right here in Rainy Lake!

Registration is required for Voyageurs National Park Field Experiences

 Floating Classroom (4th grade only)

September 25 - 28, 2023
Open to local schools in Koochiching and St. Louis County
4th grade

Field Experiences at Voyageurs National Park immerse students in the history, science and unique landscape of this region. With funding from multiple grantors we are able to provide these field trips at no cost to your school, and also have some bus funds that can support travel to the park. 

4th grade: Wild About Eagles - Learn about the amazing lives of eagles all while riding aboard our Voyageur boat!

Registration is required for Voyageurs National Park Floating Classroom programs.

One-day Voyageurs Teen Ambassador

Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Open to local schools in Koochiching and St. Louis County
High School

In partnership with Voyageurs Conservancy, Voyageurs National Park, and Wilderness Inquiry we are offering a full day field experience for high school students to begin their year with team building, time on the water in 10-person canoes, and a chance to explore Voyageurs National Park!

Interested? Please email Education Director, Breanna Trygg, at btrygg@voyageurs.org

Voyageurs Mobile Classroom - Coming soon!

Fall programs will be hosted in Duluth, MN

Our new Mobile Classroom brings the wonder of Voyageurs National Park directly to your students! Enjoy programs on the ecology, history, wildlife, and dark skies of Minnesota’s national park. The Voyageurs Mobile Classroom is an energizing experience for students of all ages that immerses students in nature from their school - no transportation needed!

Interested in bringing the Voyageurs Mobile Classroom to your Minnesota school? Please email our Education Team at education@voyageurs.org to join our interest list.

Funding for this project was provided in part by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources  Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources  (LCCMR).

The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.