Isle Royale is one of the least visited of America’s National Parks. Located in the northwest corner of Lake Superior, it’s a tough place to get to. Access is only by seaplane, ferry or private boat. But once visitors do come, they are likely to return. Karen Bacula has been coming to this remote island since 1997. As a teacher, she also brought students to explore this unique archipelago of islands. Now, retired, she volunteers as director of Michigan Tech’s Isle Royale Institute and c...
Jul 15
35 min
The bald eagle has been the patriotic symbol of America for 250 years. Most folks can remember the first time they saw this majestic bird soaring in the wild. There was a time when sighting them, even on Lake Superior, was rare, but today these birds of prey are making a comeback. Their return represents one of America’s most visible conservation successes. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Ed Hahn, Director of Advancement and Marketing...
Jul 1
39 min
Sailing Season on Lake Superior is busy. Approximately 4,500 ships travel through the Soo Locks. One boat, the Blue Heron, docked in Duluth, Minnesota, spends the summer season as a Research Vessel for the University of Minnesota’s Large Lakes Observatory. Captain Rual Lee has been at the helm of the 87’ vessel since 2014. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with him about what it takes to operate a floating science lab on the Greatest of the Great ...
May 13
38 min
There’s nothing like sitting around a camp fire telling Lake Superior stories. Imagine the tales you could collect spending almost three decades gathering the news, features and photographs for the region’s most popular magazine. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Konnie LeMay, long time editor of Lake Superior Magazine, published in her home town of Duluth, MInnesota, to find out more about her career-long favorites. 5 Episode Quotes “Lake ...
Apr 30
37 min
No mammal represents Minnesota’s north shore better than the moose. The winter of 2026 has been busy and significant for these majestic animals. Through the Northern Moose Alliance (www.moosealliance.org), a joint effort between Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 1854 Treaty Authority, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation, 60 juvenile moose were collared to launch a study on why the moose population has seen a 60% decli...
Apr 8
33 min
What started on March 1, 1872, when Yellowstone became the first National Park in the world, has grown to over 433 units covering over 85 million acres in America. Tagged "America’s Best Idea," we celebrate National Parks Week every year in April. Roughly 20,000 people work either full-time or seasonally with the National Park Service but the system also relies on over 130,000 volunteers. The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation--sponsor of this podcast--is one of those volunteer organi...
Mar 25
34 min
While some parts of the country can count on crocus and daffodils to signal spring in March, Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula is still measuring snowbanks. Over 300” has fallen across the region and more is expected, possibly into May. From the looks of future forecasts, the area is sure to surpass last year’s total of 315.25” and may be on track for the all-time high of 390.4” set back in the winter of 1978-79. What do you do with over 32’ of snow in a season? In this episode of the Lake Superi...
Mar 13
31 min
Bats have been called the “Invisible Mammal” primarily because they fly silently and mostly at night. They also roost in dark places, caves or abandoned mines, making them hard to find even in the daylight. For humans, bats aren’t only hard to see, they are hard to understand, yet they play a vital role in our world’s ecosystems and an equally important roll in our agricultural economy. Yet 200 species of bats are nearing extinction. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala ...
Jan 14
35 min
For some, growing up on Lake Superior carves a deep connection to place, and no matter where life leads, the pull to return to that rugged shoreline never leaves. Patti Baraks knows too well that hold Superior creates. She grew up in Superior, Wisconsin, and although she has lived, worked and raised a family in Texas, she admits, her internal compass always points north toward that mighty lake. As an early childhood education teacher with a passion for poetry, she used that lure to write a ch...
Dec 10, 2025
28 min
The first known map of Lake Superior was drawn by Virginian John Mitchell in 1755. Over the centuries, countless records of the shoreline, depths, lighthouses and communities have been published. But now, there’s another map in the works. This one by the United States Geological Survey. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Jamey Jones, Science Coordinator for the USGS’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiatives, or Earth MRI. He shares what this proje...
Nov 26, 2025
33 min
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