Lake Superior is a magnet for some, and it's not just the rich iron ore that draws so many to the shores. As Podcast Hosts Walt Lindala and Frida Waara explain, "it's more complicated than that." Walt, a veteran Upper Peninsula broadcaster, grew up in Chassell, MI. This "Copper Country" boy's roots run deep in the mining and Finnish heritage of the Keweenaw. Frida grew up in downstate Michigan near a Finnish community in Wixom. The members always talked with reverence about Lake Superior and shared their dreams of returning. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, you will meet the hosts and learn why they are so connected to the work of the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation. The preservation of the greatest of the Great Lakes is their shared goal. 

Sponsored by Cafe Imports, a Minneapolis-based importer of fine, specialty green coffees. Independently owned and operated since 1993, Cafe Imports has been dedicated to decreasing its impact on the earth through renewable energy, carbon neutrality, and by supporting conservational efforts in places where quality coffee is grown and also, where quality coffee is consumed. Where does your coffee come from?"

Our National Parks tell so many stories. Some of those stories are about wild places and the natural landscapes. Other parks reveal stories from the cultural landscape, the people and professions that built communities. John Arnold is the new Historical Architect at Keweenaw Historical Park, headquartered in Calumet, Michigan, the heart of Copper Country. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, John shares more about his job preserving the buildings and industrial sites that help us all have a better understanding of our mining heritage.

This Podcast is brought to you by Cafe Imports, a Minneapolis-based importer of fine, specialty green coffees. Independently owned and operated since 1993, Cafe Imports has been dedicated to decreasing its impact on the earth through renewable energy, carbon neutrality, and by supporting conservational efforts in places where quality coffee is grown and also, where quality coffee is consumed. Where does your coffee come from?

Everything gets better when you get outside. But how do you make that bridge to the woods and waters for kids in metro areas or folks with mobility challenges?

Wilderness Inquiry has been on a mission since 1978 to do just that: make sure everyone, regardless of their abilities, has access to the outdoors. Whether those experiences are day hikes with elementary-aged children or month-long expeditions, it's Nell Holden's job to put fulfill that mission statement. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, she shares details about expedition planning, the history behind this non-profit's development, and the rewards of spending time in nature.

If you follow Artifact Uprising founder Katie Thurmes, you may know her quote, “We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone.” 

For anyone who has left home in search of a story, an experience, a memory, those words have resonance. David Guttenfelder is such a spirit. He is not only an award-winning National Geographic Photographer, but with an estimated 100 countries on his passport, he has also earned the title National Geographic “Explorer." In this episode of Lake Superior Podcast we learn more about this Iowa farm boy’s beginnings and how they have lead him to Wisconsin’s most renowned archipelago, the Apostle Islands.

Sponsored by Café Imports, a Minneapolis-based importer of fine, specialty green coffees.

When it comes to remote “camera traps” for capturing wildlife images, Drew Rush is world renowned. His patience and perseverance to find the perfect plant for his lens make him a true stand out in the field of nature photography. Earlier this season, we learned about this National Geographic award-winner’s travels to Isle Royale in the fall of 2020, to stage cameras through the winter. In May 2021 he returned to the park to retrieve those memory cards. In this episode, Drew shares what his images have to tell about the health of the wolves, moose, and other animals on Lake Superior’s most remote National Park.

We would also like to welcome our new presenting partner, Café Imports, a Minneapolis-based importer of fine, specialty green coffees.

The US is home to 423 National Park sites.  63 of those carry National Park in their name, like Yosemite, Yellowstone and Isle Royale. 

But that’s really just the start. In fact, there are 20 different types of National Park Properties, including Battlefields, Monuments and Memorials, even the White House is part of our National Park properties. 

We are lucky to have 5 National Park sites on Lake Superior and back in 1966, Pictured Rocks, which spans 42 miles of Lake Superior’s southern shore between Munising and Grand Marais in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, became our first National Lakeshore. The park, named for the colorful mineral-stained 200 foot cliffs, also features 6 inland lakes and 111 miles of trails and ranks as a year round favorite for all types of recreation from paddling and hiking to skiing and ice climbing. In this episode we get to learn more about this gem of our Big Blue from Superintendent David Horne. 

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, headquartered in Bayfield, Wisconsin, ranks a paddler’s paradise. With 12 miles of mainland shoreline and a 21 Island archipelago, the park covers over 108 square miles of land and water rich with centuries-old natural and cultural resources.  In this episode of Lake Superior Podcast meet the man who has dedicated his career to collecting and researching this park’s multitude of artifacts from both land and water, Apostle Island’s Archeologist and Cultural Resource Specialist, David Cooper. 

Isle Royale ranks the most remote National Park in the Midwest, accessible only by boat or seaplane. And if you think getting there is tricky, you should try WORKING there. In this episode of Lake Superior Podcast we'll meet Phyllis Green, who served as Isle Royale's Superintendent for 18 years. With a total of 41 years in the field—both with the National Park and National Forest Services—she has collected a bounty of stories about her career. She is also continuing to share her expertise and experience as one of the newest board members of the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation. 

You know the lure, when just a single image stops you, draws you in, makes you want to learn more.  Drew Rush is that photographer; passionate about the power of his pictures. In this episode of Lake Superior Podcast you will meet this National Geographic Photographer and learn more about his work at Isle Royale National Park and his remarkable skill for staging cameras to capture never-before-seen images. 

Superior is a paddler’s paradise with 3 National Parks known world-wide for hundreds of miles of pristine shoreline, sea caves and camping. Madeline Marquardt has not only paddled many of those miles, but she’s photographed and written about her travels too. Maddy is the real deal always following her passion for wild places. Listen as she shares some of her kayaking adventures and get a preview of her new book, “Hidden Gems of the Northern Great Lakes” on this episode of Lake Superior Podcast.