Crane Lake Crane Lake, Minnesota
Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener 2000 Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener 2000
Voyage to Crane Lake
The Media
The Crane Lake Chronicles
Special Edition May 2000
"If he builds it...it will float."
Sandpoint Santas
He has Framed a lot of People
Greening the Laurentian Forest
Homesteading the Wilderness
Gold in Them Thar Hills
Picture This...in a Rock
Portage by Rail
Road Across the Water
One if by Land, Many if by Air
"Dance Like No One is Watching
The Next Step is Canada
Even a Wilderness Has an Emergency
"First" has a Special Meaning
Wood everywhere...Let's Use It!
Necessity...the Mother of...
"Mush them dogs...Carve them Trees"
"Backyard Bears..."
"Getting to school is not your average bus ride for these wilderness students.."
"You caught what..on what.."
"Pine Point Sally..the toothless behemoth
"Some days they'll bite on anything.."
"Getting to school is not your average bus ride for these wilderness students..."

While most youngsters are complaining about their bus ride to school each day, there are two Crane Lake students who find their trip to the classroom a daily adventure. Travis Smith, who lives with his family at Sandpoint Lodge in Ontario, has spent every day of each school year trekking to school. Travis begins his daily 10 mile trip by boat or snowmobile (depending on the season) before catching a school bus in Crane Lake for a one hour ride to Orr, Minnesota for the days classes. Reverse the schedule for the trip home.

Now in high school, Travis frequently makes the journey alone but during his grade school years, his mom or dad would make the journey with him.
Contact: Ted, Terry or Travis Smith; 218-374-3891
"there's more........

Katie Handberg also goes to school in Orr, Minnesota and, like Travis, her home is in Canada just across the water and woods from Crane Lake. Because Katie's home is on Lac La Croix, it is too far for her to make the daily trip via boat from her house to school. Katie and her family solved the problem....she stays in Crane Lake during the part of the school year when snowmobile travel is not possible. But, when the lakes freeze over and the portage trails become snow-covered, a daily 45-minute snowmobile ride and a stop at the US Customs office in Crane Lake becomes her pre-bus routine.
Contact: Kathy or Katie Handberg 218- 993-2361

Download all Crane Lake Stories in text format.

For further information on these and other Crane Lake story ideas, Contact:
Curt Johnson
Minnesota Office of Tourism
651-297-3488
curt.johnson@state.mn.us