Painting Classes
Get your creative juices going by taking a painting class during your stay. Classes are scheduled for Tuesday evenings. Also, depending on schedule availability, classes can be held at other times and for private groups. We paint rocks and Christmas ornaments in the two-hour sessions. Other longer classes and programming is available at different price rates as well. For more information about our regular art programming options, please visit intothebrush.org our non-profit art education organization.
Wednesday Campfire
It’s S’mores time, come to the fire ring by Jasper Creek Falls to enjoy an evening sitting around the campfire. Bring your s’more components. Wiener sticks – the whittled kind – are provided.
NEW – Thursday Potluck
New for 2020! Potluck Dinner on Thursday evening! Get to know some of the guests at the lodge and join us for dinner! Bring a dish, bring dessert, bring yourself. Dress is casual, conversation entertaining, dining is outside.
What a fun way to get together to greet and eat! Joe will be cooking as well. Who knows? It may be gastronomical adventure! That’s why “luck” is part of the word used to describe it!
Winter is breathtaking in the Ely, MN area! It is less crowded and you have the freedom to move about as you like and at your own pace! Come up and stay just 5 miles south of the border for a Wilderness Art Retreat at Northwind Lodge! It’s a great way to explore your creative side either by yourself or with small group of friends or family. It is Art Classes and Vacation all wrapped into one unique experience at Northwind Lodge.
Our forests are covered in white and our frozen lakes are your invitation to explore your creative side in art. Listen to the quiet. Howl for wolves at night. Then, let the thrill of wilderness living be your guide during Into The Brush art session! After classes, round out your vacation by doing outdoor activities like cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, visiting the Fernberg Gallery (on premises), going to town (watch for wolves) or just relaxing. The entire experience is fun and and something you probably don’t do all the time at home. Plus, we are only about 4.5 hours from the Twin Cities (for perspective)!
The retreats are held all winter Northwind Lodge located 15 miles northeast of Ely, MN, 2267 Fernberg Rd. The 2-Day Program includes: 8 hours of instruction, all painting supplies, after-class independent painting time if desired. Meals not included. Class participants may want to bring snacks but can also return to their apartment very easily. Basic kitchen facilities provided in the apartment.
Apartment Housekeeping Unit – Comfortable, housekeeping, apartment-style unit with private driveway and entrance. Sleeps up to 4 in two bedrooms. One double bed in one bedroom, One double and one twin bed in the second bedroom. Located about 150 feet from the art studio building. This unit comes with satellite TV, gas range, refrigerator, microwave, basic cooking and eating utensils, bathroom with shower, toilet and lavatory. Bedding is provided. Please bring your own towels. Many of our guests request this rental year after year.
This 4 day/3 night Art Wilderness Art Retreat is only: $499.00* for up to the first 2 people*
*and $100.00 extra per person up 4 people
*Plus MN sales tax (6.875%) and local lodging tax (3%)
Call now for availability. Dec 13th 2019
1-218-265-5489 or 1-800-280-1078
Retreat Instructor Joe Baltich will be your instructor. He is an accomplished, commissioned artist proficient in acrylics. For a quick sampling of his works of the past 3 years, please visit instagram.com/joebaltich. For more details and other art programming for summer, please visit intothebrush.org.
Here’s what I have to put up with every day when working at Northwind Lodge. I’m installing new front windows in Cabin 3, and this is what I am forced to look at every, single, day. Be thankful that you too, are NOT here having to endure this. You get to look at crowds, and cars, and buildings. All I get to look at is nothing. No noise, no distractions, no robberies, no murders, no great WIFI….just this lake and those pesky loons calling in the background. It’s tough to take.
If you would like to spend your time being miserable – ya poor lug – give us a call at 218-365-5489
Ugh – this is what June looks like at Northwind Lodge near Ely, MN.
A great of guided day-fishing trip out of Northwind Lodge! Check out the possibilities below plus the cabin rental deals for June!
Ely Minnesota guided fishing trips
Third & Fourth Generation Guides will outfit you for your fishing trip and we’ll help you and your family get started on the right foot. Fish for walleye’s, bass, and northern pike. Learn how to fish our region and experience wilderness fishing at its finest with a veteran guide.
Wood Lake Guided Trips
1.) $290 per day with Bernie. Bait and tackle included – 2 person limit
2.) $250 per day with Dan. Bait and tackle is included – 2 person limit
Groups of four will need to hire both guides for the same day or go on two different day trips with one guide as the rowing can be difficult for some people to keep up with the guide boat particularly if rough weather develops.
Your guide will maneuver a rowing boat or canoe on Wood lake which is a Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness lake. There are no homes or structures of any kind in the BWCA. This trip will requires a walk in on a portage. Please Pack your own lunch and remember that no metal cans or glass bottles are allowed. Plastic bottles and containers are allowed but, of course, must be packed out as well. Duluth packs are available for people to help carry their day gear in the event that they do not have a day pack. PFD’s also provided as no extra charge.
Fall Lake Only – 4 Hour, half-day trip
$200 for 2 people and $20 for each extra person up to 4 total. Bait and tackle is provided and you may bring your own tackle to try as well.
Pack your own lunch. No cans or bottles as this trip can cross into the BWCA.
Basswood – All Day
You must have a BWCA day-use motor permit. If you do not have a permit, the guide can attempt to find a permit tag (it’s confusing and difficult government mumbo-jumbo) to see if a Basswood trip is possible during the time you are here. Otherwise, for long-term reservations, please secure a day-use motor permit to Basswood in advance at recreation.gov (click link). Sorry, you must make a reservation in your own name. We cannot do that service for you. Day-use motor permits are severely limited and hard to obtain.
$350 for 2 people and extra $25 each extra person up to 4 total. Bait and tackle is provided and you may also bring your own to try.
This trip is in the BWCA. Pack your own lunch and remember that no metal cans or glass bottles are allowed. Plastic bottles are OK, but must be packed out.
What To Bring
For all guided trips you are required to bring your own fishing rods and reels, rain gear and appropriate clothing for the temperatures at that time. Flip flops are never recommended and Crocs are not suitable footwear for portaging. Preferably, closed toe footwear is recommended such as a running shoe or hiking boot. We also recommend full length pants over shorts as sometimes there can be insects. It makes for a more comfortable adventure.
Walleye fillets in the field! They don’t get any fresher than this! Book ahead however! Excellent guides are hard to find!
Reserving a Trip
Advance reservations are always welcomed due to planning, scheduling, preparation requirements and weather accommodations. Please reserve your trip as early as possible. Last minute trips are possible but can be hit-or-miss do to guide commitments. We will do our best to get you on the water for a great day out out on the water.
Payment in full at the time of the trip reservation is required – Sorry, there are no refunds for trip cancellations.
Call 218-365-5489 to make your guided trip reservation.
Into The Brush is an art program to teach people how to paint using our fabulously beautiful Boundary Waters wilderness as our subject. Lessons taught by Ely artist, Joe Baltich.
In appreciation for your checking us out, we’ll deduct 10% from the cost of all regular programming options except the Micro Art Classes (first-time students to Into The Brush) when you reserve. Just mention the promo code “Reduce your Stress” at the time of reservation.
Boy, we’ve been having a GREAT summer this 2017! Big fish, little fish, middle fish – everybody’s livin’ the dream! We’ve been having all this fun despite the weather not really cooperating with us. Lots of rain, but the fish remain undeterred as well as our great guests! These are just June 2017 photo’s by our guests at Northwind Lodge!
Check here for last minute cabin deals – If you don’t come up and stay, you’ll be missing all the fun! Start with Cabin Specials here!
Jasper Largemouth
Jasper Walleye
Jasper Largemouth Bass
Marcus is a fish magnet
Bass were healthy and serious!
Sister Sarah knows how to reel ’em in!
Fun!
Sarah’s hubby commands the bow!
Wood Lake run
One of Croshoure brothers and a northern with shoulders.
Pair fishing – much better than pair diving in the Olympics
