Happy New Year, everyone! We hope that 2016 was good to you and that your 2017 is happy and healthy! Please take a moment to read our 2016 Wildwood Newsletter and invite you to share it: 2016 Wildwood Newsletter
It’s hard water fishing season!
Ice Conditions on Bass Lake
Even though we had a very late ice-over the cold temperatures in December have firmed up Bass Lake quickly. Right now there is 12″ or so of ice on our end of the lake. We haven’t had too many ice fishermen in yet but there are lots of folks out there fishing! There isn’t enough ice for trucks or big wheelhouses but with cold temps forecasted we are optimistic that it won’t be long before conditions will allow them. We only have about 8 inches of snow so snow conditions are fine for both wheelers and snowmobiles on the lake.
We had lots of snowmobilers in over the NYE weekend!
Itasca County Snowmobile Trail Conditions
Right now we are a little light on snow for optimal snowmobile trail conditions. We have about 8 inches on the ground but local clubs are working on the trails. Here are links to area snowmobile clubs and snowmobile trail reports:
Winter is a beautiful time to visit the northwoods!
Itasca County is blessed with many beautiful x-ski trails for all levels of skiiers. Although a Christmas ice storm wreaked some havoc on area trails our local Nordic ski club volunteers have been working to get the trails back in shape! You can check x-ski trail conditions here.
Winter is a truly beautiful season in the northwoods and we invite you to spend some time with us enjoying it in 2017.
Blessings to you and your families in the New Year!
Kim & Jay
The docks are out and the beach toys are in storage. The laundry room is winterized and the pontoons are covered. I guess our 18th summer at Wildwood is officially in the books!
It’s hard to believe that it’s already time to start anticipating snowmobiling and ice fishing this winter. There’s lots of talk about a very snowy winter and we fully support that! However, we need the lakes and swamps to freeze first and with unseasonably warm temperatures lately it doesn’t seem like that is going to happen soon. In spite of the very pleasant weather we are busy taking winter reservations so I know that Jay and I aren’t alone in looking forward to Minnesota winter vacation season.
As we finish buttoning up for the coming winter I thought you might like to see our summer in review…
The ice went out on April 14th – about 2 weeks earlier than average.
Kami supervised most of Jay’s spring work so she kept him on track!!
The early Canadian fires made for some beautiful sunsets.
There’s nothing that makes me happier than early summer on the lake.
We have a few painted turtles that lay their eggs on the resort. Always fun to watch!
Jay finally got his wish and installed a new basketball hoop.
An early summer storm dropped some cool-shaped hail.
Ah…the kiddos LOVE the parachute during our Kids’ Activities Program.
Yep – still have beautiful sunsets. Each one seems like the best one I’ve ever seen.
Our families really are the reason that we love our work. It was another wonderful summer with our people!!
Another one – I can’t resist!!
Our neighbors had twin babies this summer and we loved every minute watching them grow.
We had many storms that dumped ridiculous amounts of rain. The beach and boat launch washed out more than once!
Honestly – fishing wasn’t great this summer but most guests found enough for a few fish fries.
For 18 summers we have watched our resort kids grow. What a gift to see the amazing young adults they are becoming!
Beach days are the best days!
My happy place = watching the sun set over a campfire on a beautiful summer night!
This note from one of our young guests made my summer!
John & Maxine McCaw were early guests for us that made a huge mark on us! We had the pleasure of seeing John again this fall. God willing he plans to return next year – after his 100th birthday.
We had fun with a corvette club that stayed this fall to tour the fall colors!
The moon set across the lake this fall and it was SPECTACULAR! (My photo doesn’t do it justice!)
The fall colors weren’t as vibrant and didn’t last as long as usual but they colored our world for many amazing weeks!
Thank you for giving me a reason to spend some time thinking back on our summer. Hopefully you have some great memories of the summer of 2016 as well! As you think of the coming winter we invite you to consider a stay with us. Our winter rates are $39/night/person (based on minimum occupancy) and we are again offering our “Stay 2 nights and get 1 FREE” Winter Special. Check availability and then contact us to start planning your Minnesota winter getaway Up North!
As much as it pains me to say it – summer is almost over. 🙁 We’ve had an amazing season under the warm, summer sun but all of the sudden the trees are starting to change and everywhere I look I see back-to-school sales or supply lists. Fall sports have started for our oldest who is going to high school this year and the school calendar has already started bossing us around. We have even been setting an alarm for the last week. (GASP!) It’s enough to make this summer-loving resorter hide my head under a pillow!!
The good news is that once we make it over the back-to-school hump we can start to enjoy fall in Minnesota. The weather is usually mild and the fall colors are spectacular. We get to welcome back our regular guests who like to head Up North after the summer busy season is over for some fall fishing and great fall rates on lodging at Wildwood. And sometimes if the moon and the stars align just right Jay and I might even get to go fishing ourselves after sending the girls off to school!
Sunset fishing – does it get any better?
Fall Fishing – Fall is a great time to wile away a few (or a lot) of hours on Bass Lake. As the weather cools fish move into fall feeding patterns and that can mean fast and furious fishing fun! Bass Lake is well-known for its big panfish but the largemouth bass fishing is fabulous as well. In fact bass fishing is probably the type of fishing we enjoy the most! Walleye, northern, crappie and an occasional smallmouth bass are typical fall fishing prizes. Just remember that the smallmouth are catch and release only after September 12, 2016!
Fall Colors – We always say that Itasca County has some of the most pristine and breathtaking snowmobile trails in Minnesota because so much of the county is forested! That same fact makes Minnesota fall color tours just as breathtaking! The timing of peak colors varies from year to year but generally speaking from mid-September through the first part of October you can expect to tour the county amid a kaleidoscope of fall colors and pine green. Are you interested in traveling Itasca County or the Minnesota Arrowhead by motorcycle or by car? If so, take advantage the free fall color tour maps available by download from www.visitgrandrapids.com. Exploring area trails by ATV/OHV is also a fabulous way to experience fall in northern Minnesota!
Jewelry making during an annual girlfriend weekend at Wildwood!
Girlfriend Getaways – While end-of-summer thoughts make me a little sad there is one non-summer thing that brings me joy….Girlfriend Getaways! Our summer is full of MN family vacations. But our off-season is often full of groups of girls who gather around their sewing machines, Cricket Cutters & DVD players to celebrate a weekend away from the everyday grind. Wildwood is the perfect destination for those weekends and we are happy to help you plan the weekend!
Wow! I feel better about the end of my summer! I guess I just needed to be reminded of all the wonderful things about fall in Minnesota. I hope I reminded you about the same. In fact, I hope I encourage you to picture yourself here in a cabin by the lake surrounded by fall colors and the call of the loon. Check our availability or give us a call to start planning your own fall getaway to the Minnesota northwoods.
Campfire by the lake = happy place!
See ya in the school supply aisle!
Kim & Jay
P.S. Here are just a few snapshots from our summer of fun!
I sense a fish fry in their future!There are MANY beautiful golf courses in our area!
The parachute is back by popular demand during Kids’ Activities
Our summer is fully underway and we are living the high life on the shore of Bass Lake! The weather was more cooperative the last couple of weeks and our guests have taken advantage of it. We LOVE summer so we love seeing people enjoying themselves out fishing or soaking up the sun on our beach. We have a busy life like everyone else so we know how precious time is with family. For that reason it does our hearts good to see grandparents and grandkids outside playing Bocce Ball or Yard Yahtzee! We put up a new basketball hoop and that has certainly seen some action as have the SUPs, hydrobikes, kayaks and hydropaddlers down on the beach! On the cool or rainy days we’ve had lots of our guests have taken advantage of our membership with the Children’s Discovery Museum/Judy Garland Museum which allows our guests to get in free. And, finally, our twice weekly Kids’ Activities have kicked off again this summer with a new leader who is full of fresh ideas and enthusiasm! Overall, things around here have been very busy in the best possible way. We hope that you also get to look forward to a family vacation this summer!
Kevin’s 13 oz. bluegill
Fishing was tough early in the season thanks to the crazy weather patterns. Temperatures in April reached the upper 70s which hastened ice out and warmed the lake early. Then May ushered in unseasonably cool weather (Temps on Fishing Opener morning were below freezing!) so lake temperature dipped. That see-saw weather pattern lasted through May and into early June. Thankfully temperatures for the last 2 weeks have been more normal and fishing has gotten better. From fish caught last week it is apparent that the bluegill are done with their spawn and into summer feeding patterns. We’ve seen some nice walleye and photos of nice largemouth that have been caught and released!
The Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center offers AWESOME (FREE!) Naturalist Programs several time each week in the summer!
There is a lot to see and do on a summer vacation in the Grand Rapids, MN area. Each summer week in my blog I plan to spotlight an area attraction. This week I’d like to highlight the Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center located in Marcell, MN. It is a visitor & environmental education center that is home to a variety of interpretive displays & exhibits about the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway and surrounding area. It includes area information, gift shop, environmental education room, outdoor amphitheater, interpretive trail fishing/wildlife-watching pier, and offers FREE naturalist programs throughout the summer. Summer hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 days a week. The Center is located at 49554 State Highway 38, Marcell, MN 56657. For more information call 218-832-3161.
I hope your plans include a Minnesota family resort vacation this summer! If you don’t have one planned we invite you to consider our summer openings for your trip Up North!
Kim & Jay
Nice walleye!Facepainting is a given during Kids’ Activities!3lb 4oz largemouth
I am thrilled to tell you that it is officially time to think about the coming summer. We can now safely buy sunscreen, bug spray and swim noodles and, if you haven’t done it already, go pull the flip flops out of the bottom of your closet. But even better than all that?! It’s DEFINITELY time to start thinking about summer vacation at your favorite Minnesota family resort! Last Friday was an unseasonably warm 90 degrees here in Grand Rapids and the warm weather really made the grass grow and the leaves pop on the trees. It is clearly time to bring on summer!
The docks are in and the hydrobikes are waiting to get launched!
Ice went out on April 14th so we had another early spring this year. It was so nice to have time to get the yard raked and docks in without the rush of an end-of-April ice-out. We pushed docks into the lake a week ago and within a few days Jay had them leveled and ready. I have wonderful cleaners who have been helping me spring clean the cabins and we are more than half way done. We aren’t too busy for the coming Minnesota Fishing Opener weekend but by the weekend after Opener our summer season will be off to a busy start! We are looking forward to seeing all of our returning guests and welcoming all of our new ones!
2016 Family Reunion
Oak Lodge is a great cabin for a family reunion!
I thought I’d mention in this blog that we have an opportunity that doesn’t come up too often during the prime summer weeks. We had a family group that decided to give up their cabins the week of June 25th. That means we have 4 open cabins just waiting to make a family reunion happen! Aspen Lodge will sleep up to 5, Red Oak Lodge and White Oak Lodge each will sleep up to 8 (or they can be rented together as Oak Lodge – a 6 bedroom cabin), and Tamarack Lodge will sleep up to 10 people. Aspen and Oak Lodge sit next to each other so it provides a nice opportunity for your family groups to share outdoor space. We also have 3 of our 4 pontoons availability that week! You can check availability online and even make your reservation online. Feel free to call 218-328-5858 or email if you have any questions!
Well, I’d better go clean something. Hope to see you this summer!
Kim & Jay
Even Kami is waiting for the return of our guests. She is looking forward to her first full summer of life as a resort dog!If you look closely you can see Mama Eagle on her nest.We have a playground just waiting for the kids to return!Smoke from the Canadian wildfire blanketed our area on Friday 5-6-16.
Jay’s ice fishing report from Bass Lake: March ice fishing seems to be peaking right now as temperatures climbed to almost 50 degrees over the weekend. Our guests were able to sit outdoors and fish in only a light sweatshirt or t-shirt. It was a nice break from sitting in an ice house with the heater going! Warm temperatures were not only a good morale booster but it allowed folks to move around and try new spots instead of being locked down in one spot because it was too cold to move the gear. Fishing continues to be steady with guests reporting a nice mix of sunnies and crappie. Ice thickness is still holding at 16-17 inches but the warm weather has created sloppy/wet conditions on the surface. Forecasted weather for this week calls for above average temperatures so we may be looking at the last weekend of truck travel on the lake.
Gorgeous Sunsets – appearing nightly all summer long
The warm weather and it’s hint of spring has already lessened the sting of our short snowmobile season. Last week I was bummed out about the fact that we’ve been too busy to ride as much as we would have liked. However, spring thaw is in the air and it makes me think of the coming Minnesota vacation season. I’m feeling the excitement of spring cleaning (I know how weird that is!!) and yard work because those are the things that lead us to SUMMER! We are never happier than when the sun shines down on sky-blue water, mornings carry the scent of breakfast and evening the scent of campfire. Our people come back and we get to share a precious slice of time as they rest, recharge and reconnect by Bass Lake. Is that a little sappy? I suppose it is but it’s also the truth. Wildwood is our happy place and we invite you to make it yours as well.
Summer at Wildwood usually includes daily treats from the Lodge
We have moved to a new availability calendar and Reservation Form on our website and believe them to be a little easier to navigate. Feel free to offer us your feedback on the booking process!
Enjoy these last weeks of winter – Minnesota vacation season is right around the corner!
Kim & Jay
Summer wouldn’t be the same without our Supervised Kids’ ActivitiesAnother summer fav: paddling Bass Lake with your kids!Summer means peaceful nights on Bass Lake
Summer and water toys go together like peanut butter and jelly
To say that the weather this weekend was a little strange is like saying the Pope is a little Catholic. Friday’s warm temperatures would have been odd enough for this time of year but it also rained. It didn’t snow and it wasn’t even sleeting – it was pouring rain. Needless to say snowmobile conditions have deteriorated. That’s the bad news. The more positive news is that snowmobile cancellations have created openings for the end of this month. We now have 4 cabins open for next weekend (February 26th & 27th) so if you have been thinking of a late winter trip north for fishing or relaxing give us a call!
Ice fishing has been good this winter and the milder temperatures have made it more comfortable to spend time outside! Lake conditions after Friday’s rain were slushy but cold weather early this week should firm up the lake surface allowing for 4-wheel drive truck access. Fishermen over this past weekend still managed to catch a mixture of nice sunfish and crappie.
We would love to talk to you about a late winter stay at Wildwood so check out our availability and then contact us. There is still a lot of Minnesota winter left to enjoy so get out in it!
Kim & Jay
Ice fishing reports indicate that the bite is hot on Bass Lake! Action is best in the late afternoon hours with most fish being found in about 17′ of water. Bite seems to be best from around 3:30 until dark. One local angler told us small jigs tipped with Euro Larvae out-produced waxies roughly 4 to 1. Ice depth is about 12″ and we’ve seen lots of full-sized trucks on the lake. Someone must have plowed a road from the public access off of Pincherry Road out to the fishing grounds because we see trucks traveling over there often. We maintain our lake access for ATVs or snowmobiles (not trucks) for Wildwood guests only. We don’t allow access through the resort for the general public.
Itasca County Snowmobile Trail Report
Warren Snowcat snowmobile club 1-30-16
We enjoyed having the Warren Snowcat club at Wildwood over the weekend. We were VERY concerned about trail conditions after it rained last Wednesday night but the Warren club reported great conditions on Friday. Saturday the trails were a little rougher thanks to heavier traffic and warmer temperatures. Temperatures were near 40 yesterday so I’m sure we lost some ground in terms of base on the snowmobile trails. However, temperatures are forecasted to stay below freezing this week and there is snow in the forecast. We are really hopeful that the 2016 snowmobile season is going to be a great one!
Future Snowmobilers of Minnesota
We also had some families in last weekend that enjoyed the mild winter temperatures. They fished a little and played a little and were gracious enough to let us post this photo. Rest assured that Mom and Dad were supervising these future Minnesota snowmobilers!
We still have openings for most of the prime winter weekends. Check our availability and call 1-218-328-5858 or email us for more information!
Have a great week!
Kim & Jay
Warren Snowcats lined up and ready for a day on the trails!
The Taconite snowmobile trail in Itasca county Minnesota.
We finally got a chance to get our sleds out on the trails yesterday. Our time was limited so we only traveled about 50 miles. We were pleasantly surprised at how good the trails were. There were stretches that were awesome and others where the need for more snow was obvious but overall we had a great day. It felt so good to be out on the trails on a beautiful January day! We took the Bushwacker Trail to the Taconite then took the Clearwater and to the Suomi Trail. We are all about what’s for lunch so we planned to hit one of our favorites, Cedar Creek Grille, which is on the Suomi Trail. (They are open for lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during this time of year) The Bushwacker which runs just to the south of Bass Lake was okay. It has been groomed and cleaned up but we certainly need more snow to improve conditions. Parts of the Taconite were excellent and then other parts where the snow was a little thinner weren’t as good. Both the Clearwater and the Suomi were rough but had been groomed. Lunch at Cedar Creek was awesome as usual!
Crossing the Prairie River Bridge on the Taconite Trail north of Grand Rapids, MN.
It felt incredible to be able to get out on the trails again. We only got to ride one time last year so we have high hopes for the 2016 Minnesota snowmobiling season. We plan to head out again tomorrow with friends so we’ll let you know what we find! Winter is here to stay so we might as well get the chance to enjoy it.
See you on the trails!
Kim & Jay
Our office on Friday. We love our job!!The shelter at the Taconite-Clearwater trail was loaded with wood for making a fire!
Trails are open! Photo courtesy of VisitGrandRapids.com
Snowmobilers, Start Your Engines!
We have snow! Our fervent Christmas wish this year was for cold weather followed by snow. Santa FINALLY came through (I guess our gift was back-ordered?!) with “normal” January temperatures early in the month. Cold temps helped firm up the ice on our end of Bass Lake and helped solidify the swamps enabling the snowmobile clubs to get out and groom. With the latest snowfall current trail conditions range from “fair” to “good” depending on what area you check. Ice depth is good on our end of Bass Lake so it’s easy to access the snowmobile trail from the resort. But ice depth on area lakes varies and not all swamps are being reported as frozen solid so “ride smart” in those areas. We plan to ride tomorrow to check conditions first hand. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it! 😉 We still have plenty of openings (including a 4 bdrm opening the last weekend of this month) during prime Minnesota snowmobile season so give us a call and make plans to head north!
Visit Wildwood Resort and get your winter bite on!
Ice fishing has been good as well. Fishing last weekend slowed a bit thanks to the arctic weather but guests still caught sunnies and crappie. (remember the special limit of 5 per person on Bass Lake bluegill!) Ice depth on the south end is approaching 12 inches and there have a been a few brave souls who have traveled out by truck. We haven’t verified for ourselves that there is that much ice so we still advise staying on the safe side and traveling out via snowmobile, ATV or side-by-side. Again, ice depth varies widely on area lakes including the north end of Bass Lake so exercise caution when venturing out to your fishing hole!
Cross-country skiing at it’s best!
Cross-country ski trails in the area are in beautiful shape! X-skiers who stayed last weekend raved about the beauty of the trails and the excellent ski conditions. You can find up-to-date trail conditions as well as maps of area trails the Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club website.
Winter is here – might as well get out and enjoy it!
Kim & Jay
Itasca County offer some of the best snowmobile trails in Minnesota!
