Category: Short Stay Cabin Rentals

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Winter Wilderness Art Retreats

On By Red RockIn art program, Fernberg Gallery, Into The Brush, Rental Cabins, Short Stay Cabin Rentals, Things to DoLeave a comment

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.

ely mn moose

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.

For more on our Fernberg Gallery, visit: Fernberggallery.com

 

Jasper Lake Near Ely MN - cabin rentals near Ely, MN

Enduring being stuck at Northwind Lodge, Ely MN

On By Red RockIn Rental Cabins, Short Stay Cabin Rentals, Things to Do, Things to See and Hear, UncategorizedLeave a comment

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.

Guided Fishing Trips at Northwind Lodge

On By Red RockIn Fishing Report, Rental Cabins, Short Stay Cabin Rentals, Things to DoLeave a comment

marcus-brett-opt
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.   

walleyes-opt

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.

walleyesfillet-opt
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.

Reduce your Stress – Art Program Special

On By Red RockIn art program, In The Brush, Internet Specials, Rental Cabins, Short Stay Cabin Rentals, UncategorizedLeave a comment

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.

Click Here for more information

Srping Snow at Northwind Lodge Ely mn

Where did Spring go?

On By Red RockIn Rental Cabins, Short Stay Cabin Rentals, Things to DoLeave a comment

The robins are running around asking the same question.  Northern Minnesota at its finest. Snow will not stop us from getting the resort ready for opening on May 13th.  Spring cleaning is starting next week.  Have no worries everything will be done!

Srping Snow at Northwind Lodge Ely mn

On a positive note the lake is open and opening fishing starts the same day.  You need to come up and do a little fishing and then relax to the sounds of Jasper Creek and the singing loons.

Jasper Creek in April Snow Storm

Have your reservation already…great!  If not, call us today to make yours at 218-365-5489.  Share with your friends and spread the word!

Come Stay, Come See – Pack it all in?

On By Red RockIn Rental Cabins, Short Stay Cabin Rentals, Things to Do, Things to See and Hear, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I have to laugh a little.  The world, under digital “assault” and influence has become a bit silly in how it seeks recreation these days.  I’m referencing the “need everything/do everything that-can-be-fit-into-a-day” crowd who kindly call to find out more about making a reservation to stay here at Northwind Lodge.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about anything but I am marveling at what appears to me to be either a really high set of vacation expectations or a complete lack of common sense or a little of both.

We get calls from new guests who want to stay here at the lodge.  Many times, they are only willing to commit for two nights.  That’s fine – we are very happy to get them here to see what they’ve been missing for all this time.  But, in the reservation process, with knowing that Check In is usually 3:00 PM or later and Check-Out is 9 AM, two nights and about two days is not a lot of time.  Heck, you just get here and it’s time to go already.  (We hear that all the time.)

The interesting part is the initial phase of making the reservation.  Now everything is laid out in the website as to available activities here.  Nonetheless, I think they just need to hear a human say the activities roster on the phone.  As a result, they want to know what species of fish are in Jasper Lake (Large/smallmouth bass, sunfish, northerns, perch and some walleyes) plus they want to know what they are biting on (three weeks into the future – OK, we’ll guess), and if they will be catching fish (another guess – Most Certainly, Sir! – 6 to 10 hours).

Then, many need to know what the hiking options are (Blackstone/Secret Trail – 3 hours, Kawishiwi Falls Trail 1 -hour, Bass Lake Trail 3-hours) and how difficult/easy they are.  Then, they want to know what there is to do in Ely (Wolf Center – 3 hours, Bear Center- 3 hours, shopping in Ely – 3 hours).  Then they need to know what dining options there are in town (Italian – Sir G’s, Nouveau – Insula, Chocolate Moose,  American-Evergreen Restaurant, Rockwood, Steak House Gators Cheese Emporium,  Fast – Dairy Queen, Subway, and a few others I’m forgetting here.  Each restaurant will burn up about 2-3 hours of time.

After that, they need to know if they can fit in a Boundary Waters Day Canoe trip to an area that will have few people (Sure, how fast can you paddle?).  That’s another 6 hours minimum.  Many times, they will need us to rattle off all the entry points (Moose Lake, Snowbank Lake, Lake One, Ojibway Lake, Fall Lake, Wood Lake) that surround us for their consideration before deciding to pull the trigger on a two-night stay here at the lodge.

OK, at this point, knowing that it is two whole nights and about the equivalent of two daylight days, you may want to do the math and add up some of the hours.   Usually after that barrage of questions in making time-management decisions, we see people checking in, going to town to have dinner, and oversleeping the following morning by about 2 hours.  At about 11 AM, they are up and around saying they “usually don’t oversleep like this at home”.   Then, some head down to the lake and sit in the Adirondack chairs and look out across the water.  Others head out in a kayak and enjoy the day.  Then, they come in for a sandwich and later, check out our store and then take a nap.  Then, maybe a hike on the gravel road to Ojibway Lake and it’s time to grill a steak and have a beer or glass of wine.  Then a nap before bedtime.  Maybe sit by a fire at the beach.

After that, they wake up the next morning and have to check out at 9 AM.

I grew up right here and for 48 years have observed this going on for all these years.  In my opinion, two nights at a region like this is  great, but doesn’t quite hit the mark for the vast majority of vacationers.  In pre-trip decision making,  one needs to realize that in fresh air surrounded by the incredibly beautiful area called “Ely” and particularly at Northwind Lodge, the activity list usually gets chucked and time speeds up, even in a week long stay.

So, in making plans to run all over the state in a week-long whirlwind tour, give that some thought.  It’s not Wally World and Youtube and in reality,  you most likely won’t be getting a heck of a lot done in just two nights.

Stay a bit longer, plan on wasting a few of  your days snoring.  Then go paddle and hike and fish and shop and explore.