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Shovel Point at sunrise – unforgettable North Shore fall color hike

“For as long as I’ve been exploring the great outdoors, I’ve been mesmerized by how I can hike my favorite spots over and over and it’s always a new experience. The seasons, weather, sun, and clouds bring surprise and delight to every hour of every day. No matter how many times I’ve done a hike, it’s never been the same twice.”

Moose Benjamin Olson

Encounters with moose

“Moose draw Minnesotans like a magnet. If they call you as they do me, the solution is simple: understand the basic needs of moose, dedicate the time, and you will find them.”

For the Love of Loons

“As twilight descended and the fire settled to glowing embers, the stillness of the night was shattered by the unmistakable tremolo of the common loon. Within moments, loons from other territories and adjacent lakes began to respond, and the air came to life with the reverberating echo that we long to hear…”

Showy Lady's Slipper by Ben Olson

Orchids of the Northwoods – Lady’s Slippers and beyond

“It all began by happenstance…The trail was overgrown, littered with fallen boles, when I noticed a glimmering iridescence unlike anything I had seen before. I had stumbled upon on one of Minnesota’s most common orchid species, the stemless (pink) lady’s slipper, glimmering with rain drops…”

Boreal Birding in the Bogs of Northern Minnesota

The sun casts its auburn spell on the red osier dogwood of a sedge meadow…we head to a bog that attracts many boreal winter birds to the area, particularly in Cook, Minnesota. Why do they come to the bog? How do they live here? What attracts birds to this habitat in northern Minnesota?

An Obsession with Owls

Photojournalist Ben Olson is fascinated by the owls of northern Minnesota. “While having spent countless hours in the company of these birds of prey, I am always impressed by their ability of silent flight and mastery of camouflage. Boreal forests host an array of different owl species, some relatively common, others rare, and a single transient species that is highly coveted…”