‘Community’ Features

If we want to see more people in our community during the winter months and more tourism dollars coming our way, we have to do a better job keeping some of our most popular natural areas open year around. Again I find myself trying to remind those who will listen that outdoor recreation is a multi-billion dollar industry and here in Wisconsin,  and Sauk County is (Or should be) ground zero. Boarding up the windows (or in this case, not plowing the parking areas) when it comes to outdoor recreation in the winter is a mistake.  We have to get over this chicken and the egg argument for not serving the outdoor community in our area.  They will come, they will shop, they will buy… IF we serve them properly.

I’m not going to spend any more time here trying to explain to those who don’t want to hear about it, how popular outdoor recreation actually is, or how even in winter, thousands of folks throughout the Midwest are still getting out doors.  I shouldn’t have to state the obvious, that winter in Wisconsin is big business. Just ask the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.  What is apparent in our area is that we are having a hard time connecting and understanding the outdoor enthusiasts who do come here by the millions (yes, millions..) each year.

We need to see outdoor recreation in a broader scope.  Yes, it’s ice fishing, downhill & cross-county skiing, boarding and snowmobiling.  We do a good job there for the most part.  However, it’s also trekking and snowshoeing, sledding, and skating, wildlife watching, tracking, photography, ice boating, back-country skiing and more.  We’ve not even begun provide services or access for many of these folks.  Meanwhile in areas such as Yellowstone National Park the concern is no longer access but regulation of winter use.  (Is Yellowstone a fair comparison?  Well, that’s another post entirely.)

Looking West From The Merrimac Preserve Toward Devil's Lake State Park

In much of Sauk County we seem to have a hard time promoting or even acknowledging our amazing natural areas or the sheer number of trails and innumerable acres of public land. (Not to mention the coming addition of the Badger Prairie!) We come to our natural gifts as an afterthought. We seem to have little motivation to even contemplate the real business potential for communities.  We blindly keep our best features shrouded or at the very least pushed off into the periphery. Here in Baraboo we seem beholden to becoming trickle down recipient of Wisconsin Dells overflow.  We casually ignore the millions of people who come to our parks and natural areas every year, while blithely continuing to pretend that a new office building  here or box store there will somehow carry us into the future. In the long term this is going to be a mistake that will be hard, if not impossible to recover from down the road.

As I’ve said many times before, Baraboo and much of Sauk County should be putting all it’s efforts into developing it’s own niche’.  Sauk county is many things. It’s history, industry, business, the arts and more, but it is our natural environment that makes us something unique in not only the Midwest, but in the country as well.  We need to come to terms with that reality and build our community and our business models around it. We need to build on the 1.8 million visitors to Devil’s Lake State Park each year and the tens of thousands more visiting other parks, natural areas, ski resorts, and more. We need to better open channels of communication and take these folks by the hand and show them what we really have to offer. We have to provide more recreational opportunities and guidance. We have to better publicize all of our natural areas as one unified destination.  We need better maps and brochures.   We need to unify our “brand” if you will. We need more business targeted to the outdoor industry as well as support the ones we do have.  AND we need businesses that will stay open when folks get off the trails and off the beach so they don’t bypass us to go to Wisconsin Dells where (I’ve been told many times) they often feel more wanted.

Lastly we need to do it now. 2011, when all eyes will be focused on Devil’s Lake State Park’s centennial celebration.  The amount of media interest and the number of people hearing and thinking about Devil’s Lake and Sauk County as a whole, outside of Wisconsin Dells will never be higher. We need to take this opportunity to really show them what we have to offer.  What we cannot do is plod along with “business as usual”.  There’s a decision to make in our community and it should not be left to business leaders who simply can’t see the forest for the trees.  We need fresh thinking, fresh attitudes and fresh air to take our community profitably, and naturally into the next hundred years. We need to recognize our strengths and build upon them.  That’s how business and communities have thrived since the dawn of time. We’re lucky here in Sauk County.  People want to come here.  They always have.  They come because of us, and sometimes sadly, in spite of us.  We’ve got a good thing here in Sauk County. We just need to get with the program.

Oh, and by the way, we could start, but simply plowing out a few parking lots (Such as the one at Pewit’s Nest Natural Area in the top photo).

**Yes, this is just one silly person’s opinion.  Feel free to blow me off.  I’m sure many will.

In Wisconsin, we’re always talking about the weather.  In Baraboo like any small town I suppose, we’re always talking about how the “Big City” (Madison in our case) forecasts for our area are always wrong.  Especially when it comes to reporting the temperatures.  Well, let’s not be too hard on them.  They’re not always wrong, and to be fair the Baraboo hills make things difficult.  Take yesterday for instance.  How cold was it here in the Baraboo area as the sun began to rise over the bluffs?  Well, that depended on where you were.

Yesterday morning at 7:30am, according to clock at the east branch of the Baraboo National Bank it was minus 7f.  Those of us who live on the east side of Baraboo know that clock is notoriously wrong in summer, due I suppose to being surrounded by black top, but it’s pretty accurate in the winter.  Yesterday as I drove by the bank on my way to Merrimac, my car’s thermometer agreed.  It was indeed -7.  Toasty!  In fact, it was quite a bit warmer than at my house which is located in a much more rural and open part of the Baraboo river valley. In my driveway it was -15F.  That’s an 8 degree difference!  Well, that does make sense.  Temperatures in urban areas are generally warmer than in rural areas.  When cities are warmer than the country around them they are referred to as “Urban Heat Islands”.  Yep, even a small town can be an island! Urban heat islands exist because we build our cities with heat absorbing materials. In addition but to a much lesser degree, all of our stuff; cars, trucks, homes, office buildings, etc., give off heat.  The end result is that it’s warmer in the city than in the country.

Now as I’ve said, my car, the bank and even the blinding new Sauk County Fair sign all agree on the air temperature (in the winter at least).  Keep that in mind as we travel along out in the country, up over the bluffs and back down the other side until we reach Lake Wisconsin.

Driving past the blank and the Sauk County Fairgrounds to the south, there is a sudden, quick drop in elevation down to the river.  It’s not much of a drop, but still at Circus World Museum it was -10 according to my trusty jeep. (Yeah, this is totally a non-scientific case at best!) I sat there for a minute to let the beast acclimate.  The gauge didn’t move from -10.  I headed out of town on Hwy 113.  The temperature again began to drop.  -12, -13, – 14, -13.  Now away from town, and nearly 2 miles from where I started my trip, the air temps again clung around -14.  Near Clark Creek where the air was at its most frigid, the land is flat, open and divided by the Baraboo river.

Continuing south under the ice blue sky, I soon began to climb the Baraboo bluffs. The temperature rose with the changes in elevation.  -7 again.  -4, -1, 0 and up. At the highest point on the bluff the temperature reached +4 and maintained for some time as I drove across the crest.  If I accept what I’d been seeing, the temperature on top of the bluff was a full 19 degrees warmer than in my driveway down in the valley just some 3 miles north. Amazing! The highest elevation along Hwy 113 is just over 1300 feet, a difference of about 430 feet from my starting point down in the valley.  Obviously the bluffs do make a difference in Baraboo’s weather, but how much? Well, that’s the question. The bluffs are tiny when compared to “real” mountains. Still it seems that 400 or so feet can create mountain-like phenomena such as strong localized winds or even snow caps! Albeit very rarely.

April Snow Caps on the Baraboo Bluffs.

Continuing on.  Now, just before you begin the long decent down the south face of the Baraboo range, you can see far off into the distance.  You can see the valley directly below, then Lake Wisconsin further to the south, and finally distant hills fading out to the horizon. Now up until this point the sky had been perfectly clear. (Typical of brutally cold winter morning.) However, directly below at the foot of the hills sat a thick bank of fog. It was not wide mind you, no more than half a mile. You could easily see lake Wisconsin and off into the distance.  No, the fog bank was simply hugging the southern foot of the bluffs like a “draft dodger” at the foot of a door, but reaching east and west and far as the eye could see.  I checked my thermometer as I began the decent.  It was still +2.

Low Fog In The Roznos Meadow Area

Soon I was enveloped by fog and the air temperature was quickly dropping as well. On County Road DL, near Devil’s Head Ski Resort the fog was too thick to see much beyond the road. Not only had the humidity risen sharply, but the temperature had fallen once again to hover around -11.

I turned south toward Lake Wisconsin and the village of Merrimac.  Soon I came out of the fog and the temperature began to rise.  Along the banks of frozen Lake Wisconsin the temperature read minus 7 under a bright morning sun. The weather in Baraboo and in Merrimac were pretty much identical on this cold winter day.  Yet, in between the tow communities there was a change of nearly 20 degrees and an area of thick fog while the rest of the region was clear.

Returning to Baraboo I experienced the exact same circumstances.  Taking less than an hour full circle I was not surprised to see the air temp on the east side of Baraboo was the same as when I had left.  In my driveway I watched as the temp dropped once more.. -9, -11, -14..    I went into the house and turned on the morning news.  The weather guy came on.. Current temperature in Baraboo? Um, no.

The recent snowfall was just what the doctor ordered for the Love Lights display at St. Clare Hospital’s Healing Garden. The bulbs are donated by local families and dedicated their loved ones.  Donations also support the St. Clare Hospital Auxiliary which provides a variety of services to the hospital and patients during their stay. If you get a chance, we recommend you head up to the hospital here in Baraboo and have a look.  Just keep in mind that the weekend’s heavy snow has not been cleared from the paths! Follow the links below for our gallery, and more information about the Festival of Love & Light.

• Love Lights Gallery (pop-up window) | Standard Flickr Gallery
• St. Clare Hospital Auxiliary Web page

Baraboo was treated to an unique and awe-inspiring sunrise this morning brought on by extremely cold temperatures (-10 at daybreak) and a thick fog that hung over the still flowing Baraboo River.   This amazing image was only visible within the  Baraboo river valley however, as the low fog dissipated quickly as soon as you drove into higher elevations or left the Baraboo valley.

The sunrise began as 3 pillars of light rose from behind the bluffs and speared into the sky.  Slowly, as the sun began to rise further into the sky, the outer pillars grew thicker and took on a rainbow of colors. As time passed they then  began to bend toward each other to create a halo around the sun as seen in the image at the top of the page.  You can see larger versions of these images on our Flickr

** Top Photo Taken near the Baraboo Water Treatment Plant.  Bottom Photo Taken on Hwy 113 near County Rd. W.

Learn More

• Sun Dogs from Wikipedia

Heavy snows and frigid temperatures have our Monday getting off to a bit of a slow start.  Most area schools have delayed their opening by two hours.  Some, such as Reedsburg, have closed for the day entirely.  Most city roads are passable, and most business parking lots are surrounded by mountains of freshly plowed snow.   Meanwhile up in the Baraboo hills, the roads are much more iffy.   If you are driving this morning, especially up and over the bluffs, be extra careful , slow down and give extra attention to other drivers as well…  I personally saw one woman driving down an icy hill this morning while chatting away on her cellphone..  Nice.

Later today we will be posting pictures from the weekend’s Very Merry Holiday Fair and more.  Be sure to check in on our Facebook as well, for more photos, details of Mirror Lake State Park’s upcoming “Learn to Ski & Snowshoe” event and of course all the regular daily chatter!

• School Closing Pg – Channel3000.com

*Image: Clearing the sidewalk along the river in Baraboo this morning.

Volunteers for the Sauk County Children’s Giving Tree are now working daily at the  Baraboo National Guard Armory to sort and prepare to distribute all the gifts donated and collected through giving tree locations around the county.  So far this year gifts for some 220 families in need have been collected out of an original 269 requests.  It’s estimated another 50+ families have applied late and do not have tickets on the community trees at all.  If you wish to donate, you can still find trees with cards at the local Wal-Mart and other locations.  As I mentioned many families will not have tickets so you can also donate from now through December 17th at the armory.  Gifts can include such things as children’s toys, warm clothing, pants, socks, shirts, winter boots, food cards, household & hygiene products or whatever else you feel you wish to contribute.  I’m told someone will be there “during the day”,  7 days a week until the gifts are distributed.   Recipients will be able to pick up the gifts for their families at the Armory on the 17th.

Gifts are placed onto tables, sorted and placed into bags.

As nothing more than one member of the community I personally wish to  thank everyone in who has and will donate to the Children’s Giving Tree including the group who randomly showed up at the armory recently to drop off a bunch of new bicycles.  Wonderful!

Often parents must bring children along when they pick up donations so they are placed in black bags to hide unwrapped gifts from the kids.

Brand New Bikes Donated December 7th

For More Information Contact:
Sauk County Children’s Giving Tree
Mary Bowers
608-963-3304

*PS.. I think we totally made up the word, “Elving!!”

If you haven’t been following along on our Facebook page, you’ll have missed some cool  holiday gift ideas from local shop owners.  We’ve posted suggestions from Just Imagine Toys, Beckah Kates, Raven House, Hills Gallery & Gifts and more.  In fact, we’re added something new today! We’ll be getting more gift ideas right up until Christmas for you last minute shoppers as well.   Remember, this is your run of the mill advertising.  We choose the shops, they do NOT pay to be included, we show up without warning, and simply ask shop owners for their best gift idea, snap some pics, and share it with you.  So if you’re in need of some gift ideas, join us on Facebook!

While it might be a bit early to confirm that Bald Eagles have returned to Baraboo for the winter, this is certainly a good sign.  Yesterday we came across an eagle sitting in a tree where I’d photographed an eagle (same one?) many times  last year.   You may remember that it made quite a news story near the end of December last year when Bald Eagles began to gather along the Baraboo River near Circus World Museum here in Baraboo.  There was some debate at the time as to whether this sudden appearance of eagles was due to a colder than usual winter or a sign that the population was growing and expanding their winter search for open water.  The arrival of this guy, might be a vote for option number two.  We’ll  be watching to see if more eagles show up in the days head.

Last year we mapped out a  driving a route I’ve dubbed the “Eagle Loop”.  The 2 mile loop encircles a section of the Baraboo river and offers you the best access to the areas where the the eagles have been hanging out.

** Update** There were 6 Bald Eagles on the loop this morning (12/7/2010). 4 Adults, 2 Juveniles.

The Eagle Loop

If you do plan on taking a drive up to see the eagles on the Baraboo river here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Bald Eagles are wild animals and not tourist attractions. They may or may not be here when you are.
2. Stay in your car at all times.  Use it as a “blind”. The eagles we’ve seen are very tolerant of cars. The road is at times very close to the river and the birds. You don’t need to get out of your car to see better or to take photos. Actions you take that disturb the birds and cause them to fly off only make them use what limited energy they have stored for the winter and put them at risk.
3. Do not make loud noises or otherwise harass the eagles. We want the eagles to feel comfortable, and of course return each winter.
4. Don’t throw food or otherwise litter.  Eagles don’t need popcorn!

Now, if you are really into Bald eagles you’ll want to visit Sauk-Prairie, Wisconsin for their annual “Eagle Days” event held January 15th & 16th 2010. There will be activities, learning programs, exhibits, food court and more.  Click here for more information.

More Related Links

• Ferry Bluff Eagle Council
• Wisconsin DNR Eagle Information

The weekend’s snow fall certainly brought the holiday season to life.  We spend part of our snowy weekend exploring the Artisan Christmas show out at Papa Bear’s on Hwy 12.  While it seems the economy is on every-one’s minds this holiday season, the show was still enjoyed by lots of folks from around the area.  By now you know what we do around here is go out and get the pictures, so check the links below!   By the way, if you see something in a photo that you’d like to purchase as a gift for the holidays I’d suggest you go to the Artisan Christmas Website, then look up the artist.  There are samples of their work so you can make the connection, their contact information is there as well.

• 2010 Artisan Christmas Slide Show | Flickr Gallery

Over the next two weekends you’ll have a perfect opportunity to find a unique and truly special holiday gift here in central Wisconsin. This weekend (Dec 3-5) local artisans will be putting on the annual “Artisan Christmas” event at Papa Bear’s log cabin model home on highway 12 between Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells.  Then next weekend (December 10-11) more area artisans, authors & “purveyors of good things to eat” (according to the website.) will be holding the annual “Very Merry Holiday Fair” at 323 Water Street (Near Circus World Museum.) here in Baraboo.  Two weekends, two events, too many choices!

Here’s our spin.  Do both.  Each show has its own personality.  Although both shows are held in the Baraboo area, each has a different group of area artists.  You won’t see the same works at both shows.  The fact is, we know the organizers of both shows and know they put their hearts and souls into these events and the results are amazing, entertaining and a joy to attend.  Another point to make is that you will find some wonderful gift ideas that don’t cost a lot.   No one should feel they can’t afford to attend or even shop at art fairs.. I mean, let’s be real here.. these are artists.. They get it!  Lastly, we’ve learned to hold back a bit of our holiday shopping until after the Artisan Christmas & Very Merry Holiday Fair events.  Last year we found in-expensive hand-made toys that will last forever,  unique jewelry for under $30.00s and a few other little gems that we would have never found anywhere else.  Oh, and if you’re one of those folks who actually do buy your spouse a Lexus for Christmas.. there’s some choices for you as well.

• Artisan Christmas Website
• Our 2009 Artisan Christmas Gallery Slide show | or Flickr Gallery
• The Very Merry Holiday Fair Website
• Our 2009 Very Merry Holiday Fair Gallery Slide show | or Flickr Gallery

Picture: Jewelry by Jeff Hill of Hills Gallery & Gifts in Baraboo.

* Disclosure: As you can see both shows are advertisers on the Skillet Creek Journal.  But we’d be biased anyway. Promise!