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Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Magnetic Rock - Day 301

  And we have begun the Border Route Trail section of the NCT! The first two days can be done as day hikes, and that is what we are doing.

One of the outstanding natural features of this piece of trail- of the entire NCT- is Magnetic Rock. It's a 60-foot tall monolith that begs the imagination. How did it get there? Well, supposedly as a result of the glaciers. But seriously, why is this one rock standing on end? Maybe aliens dropped it from a spaceship. Maybe Thor hurled it there.

The rock is primarily iron ore, and it makes compasses go nuts. Bill held one near it in several different places. On one side, using the sun to determine the correct location of north, we could see that the rock pulled the compass off by 90 degrees.
Magnetic Rock


Marie is doing the two day hikes with us, and she chose today to celebrate her 100 Mile Challenge. We haven't kept close track of her miles, but she has to be well over 100.
Hike 100

We needed to cross the Cross River on a road bridge, and were a little concerned as we approached, but the bridge is there and we didn't even have to beg to walk through the construction zone. Whew!
Cross River Bridge

After that, we climbed to an overlook above the river. (We also had to hunt a bit for the trail, but Marie found it!)
Cross River

Marie and Bill above the Cross River.
friends

In the afternoon we were south of Gunflint Lake with some beautiful views. The water in the foreground is Gunflint, and beyond that narrow place (which incidentally is near the Cross River Bridge) is Magnetic Lake.
Gunflint Lake

More day hiking tomorrow with the 3 of us.

Miles today that count: 8.0 (and 0.2 that don't count). Total miles so far: 3537.4.

See Look What's Happening

4 comments:

Ellie said...

What state are you in? Still Minnesota? The upright rocks is amazing!

Ann said...

Interesting rock.

The Oceanside Animals said...

Lulu: "I'm not saying it was aliens, but it was aliens."

Sharkbytes said...

Minnesota

Lulu- I think you are right