Week of April 3rd

We've had a great week at Deep Portage! Plymouth Middle School, Mary Queen of Peace School (Rogers), Challenger Elementary (Thief River Falls), and Central Minnesota Christian School (Prinsburg) came up to enjoy the mild spring temps and abundant sunshine. Birds are returning in droves, with geese streaming overhead and robins singing from the trees. Above is a photo of students from Challenger enjoying the fire they built in Survival class, and below is a photo of the Deep Portage teaching staff working towards their firearms safety certificates at the rifle range. Happy spring to everyone!

Spring starts at Deep Portage

March temps have been on the cool side, but the sun is strong and we are slowly thawing out. The southern face of our main building (pictured above) receives a great deal of sunlight, and is a warm place to hang out in early spring. The Minnesota Conservation Corps is with us this week for a training session, and Baxter Elementary will arrive on Thursday for an overnight visit. Pictured below are the new windows (super efficient!) that are going into the rooms in the 400 hallway. Deep Portage will be adding a number of energy and fossil fuel saving items this spring and summer, including a wind turbine, solar panels, solar hot water system, and even more new windows. Stay tuned for highlights as the season progresses. See you on the trails!

Winter Rendezvous 2011

The month of January concluded on a high note this past weekend, as Deep Portage hosted its annual Winter Rendezvous. Over 150 people showed up for the event, which has been conducted every January for over 30 years. Below are photos from this year's version. The temps were kind to us this time around, with highs nearing 20 degrees and ample sunshine. January as a whole has been fairly chilly, getting as low -35 on the morning of the 21st. We have nearly 2 feet of snow on the ground, and the ski trails are in perfect condition. We look forward to seeing you out on the trials.

Rotary International Exchange Students enjoying the day

Snowshoe race on Bass Pond

Getting to know the crosscut saw

Blacksmith Paul Webster demonstrates his technique

Winter Arrives at Deep Portage

We're skiing! We could use some more snow, but the trails are groomed, and ski classes are out striding through the woods. The photo below shows Deep Portage instructor Casey Stanley giving a new skier from Blackduck Elementary some pointers out on the trail. -9 this morning....the coldest so far this season. Blackduck Elementary is with us this week, and a big group from Milaca is coming in next week. Happy Holidays to everyone!

A Beautiful October

We've had a stretch of magnificent weather so far this month. The last week in particular has been classic autumn all the way; seasonally warm, sunny days, and cool, crisp nights. Last week we hosted a day group from Nevis Elementary (K-2nd grade), and had a residential visit from our great friends at Cuyuna Range Elementary. Below are a few pics from their respective stays. Deer season is approaching, and the Deep Portage range will be open to the public from 1-3 PM on Saturday, October 23rd for our annual "sight in your rifle" program. Call or check our website for more details. See you on the trails!

Deep Portage naturalist Casey Stanley talks Minnesota pines with youngsters from Nevis

Cuyuna Range students learn about birds....see the Black-capped Chickadee!

A Warm October at Deep Portage

Temps are supposed to reach into the 70s this weekend, but the falling leaves are a reminder that winter is around the corner. Enjoying the nice weather this week is Eagle Point Elementary. See photos from their visit below. This weekend Deep Portage is hosting its annual meeting of trustees, and also the last public Tree-Top Tower Hike of the season. Catch the last of autumn's colors before their gone! See you on the trails!

A calm morning on Bass Pond

on the hunt for aquatic life

A solo attempt on the rock wall

Autumn Arrives

We're rolling along into a beautiful fall season at Deep Portage. Peak colors are here, and we've had a string of those sunny days and crisp nights that make this time of year so wonderful. Rockford Middle School was with us this past week, as well as Royalton and Lake of the Woods. Join us on October 9th for the final tree-top tower hike of the season (1-888-280-9908 for more info). See you on the trails!

Rockford students canoeing Bass Pond

A Ruby-crowned Kinglet...one of many migrant birds passing through this fall