Web Site Updated February 5, 2012

Check back often to be sure you don't miss anything.
(Especially this week's Ole and Lena joke - Click Here)
 

For those who have never lived at Lake Hubert during February, we have a page where you can find out what it's like.
CLICK HERE

This is a photo of the Lake Hubert / Clark Lake channel near the historic depot. It was taken from a position on the Lake Hubert ice. That 4 foot high pile of sand blocking the channel was pushed up by ice movement caused by expansion. It's the same kind of ice movement that wrecks havoc with shorelines, rock rip-rap and with lifts and docks that weren't moved high enough in the fall.

Think Flowers
Yes, it's mid January and there's ice and snow everywhere but those harbingers of spring, the beautiful seed catalogs, are arriving in mailboxes. That got us to thinking about how the Lake Hubert deer love to eat nearly everything we plant so if you're thinking about what to plant when the ice and snow are gone, check out a list of plants that deer tend to avoid. CLICK HERE. Then plan what you want to plant when the warm returns.

While this may not be the best way to check the ice thickness, it illustrates that this warm, snowless winter can cause the ice to be so thin that it's unsafe. Even the big Jaycee's Ice Fishing Contest on Gull Lake has been postponed to February 11th due to ice that's too thin to be safe. There are even very large areas of open water on Gull. BE CAREFUL ON THE ICE!

That said, what can a lake resident do when the ice gets thick enough to be safe and is clear of snow? There's ice skating of course (see the December 18 ice skating story below) but if ice skating is too tame for you, you can give a try to a sport that can silently propel you up to 75 miles per hour across the lake.

If you've lived in Minnesota in the winter you've probably seen ice boats flying across a frozen lake. There have been ice boats on Lake Hubert from time to time and it looks like this might be a great winter for the sport, once the ice gets thick enough. Watch for them moving FAST.

 "Ice jacking" is the cause of the extremely powerful ice movement and there is a good DNR explanation of how ice jacking occurs. CLICK HERE.

Mary Holbrook showing her early winter figure skating form.

Lake Hubert Skating Rink Almost Ready

This beautiful sunrise photo of Lake Hubert was taken by John Holbrook on Wednesday, December 7th and with the low temperatures each night, the lake is freezing rapidly. It will soon be ready for skating (but NOT for vehicles yet). The freeze-over is later than normal as the liquid water usually disappears from sight between November 25 and December 5.

Below is another great photo of a sunrise over Lake Hubert, this one taken on Thanksgiving 2010 by Laura Johnson.

Bad News
Zebra Mussel Found in Pelican Lake

Here's the DNR news release

Single zebra mussel detected on dock equipment removed from Pelican Lake in Crow Wing County
(Released December 1, 2011)

A single juvenile zebra mussel was found recently on dock equipment removed from Pelican Lake in Crow Wing County near Brainerd, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said.

A dock services provider discovered the zebra mussel attached to a dock post during removal of a dock. Local DNR staff were subsequently contacted for a positive identification.

DNR biologists are investigating how the zebra mussel might have gotten into Pelican Lake. They have conducted a thorough survey of other docks and marker buoys on the lake and have not located additional zebra mussels. The small size of the zebra mussel indicates it is not at a reproductive stage.

The DNR is working closely with homeowners and the Pelican Lake Association to continue monitoring the lake for zebra mussels. Any additional zebra mussel detections should be reported immediately to DNR invasive species specialists Dan Swanson at 218-833-8645 or Rich Rezanka at 218-999-7805.

Nearby Gull and Ossawinnamakee lakes are designated as infested with zebra mussels. Pelican Lake will be designated as an infested lake, as required by law, if a zebra mussel population is identified in the lake.

How do Zebra Mussels get into our lakes? Some of the most likely ways are: On weeds not cleaned from boats and trailers after being in an infested lake; in boat livewells and minnow buckets not completely drained when leaving an infested lake; in or on used lake equipment such as lifts, rafts, dock posts, buoys, from infested lakes; in buckets of fish brought from infested lakes (highly illegal - don't do it); on rental boats or personal watercraft that haven't been properly cleaned or let dry for enough days or weeks; and the list goes on.

The bottom line is, DON'T YOU BE THE ONE TO BRING ZEBRA MUSSELS INTO LAKE HUBERT. Than you.

Our stern advice: Stay off the ice until it is a LOT thicker than it was a couple of days ago. Nobody survives long in 33 degree water.

Lake Hubert neighbors on 2008's perfect ice.

There has already been a strong display on October 24th that we couldn't see in Minnesota due to cloud cover. That display was visible all the way down to Kansas and Arkansas. The reason is that the eleven year sunspot cycle is moving toward it's peak and sunspots sometimes explode, sending particles toward earth that cause the Northern Lights. You can stay up to date by visiting a NASA web site dealing with Aurora www.SpaceWeather.com which is updated daily and can often predict Northern Lights before they occur.

Keep looking up and if you get pictures of Northern Lights at Lake Hubert, send them along to us a LakeHubert@aol.com

What common plant in the woods around Lake Hubert contains five times the vitamin C of lemons and is also said to make an excellent herbal tea?

Make a few guesses and then click HERE for the answer

Now, nearing the end of October, your web gnomes home on the north side of Lake Hubert has yet to have a killing frost. That's VERY unusual. Our begonias and impatiens are still flowering happily and no hard freeze is predicted for the coming week. Will we actually go into November without a hard freeze? Update: Yes, our impatiens (which are NOT cold hardy at all) survived until the morning of November 3rd.

No, it wasn't on Lake Hubert but it could have been. This happened near Longville last winter according to a Brainerd Dispatch Article.
 CO detectors/alarms are inexpensive, easy to plug in or operate by battery and could save your life. They're available everywhere including Carlson Hardware in Nisswa, Target, Fleet Farm, Wal Mart, Home Depot, Menards and online at many places including Amazon.com.

Don't wait! Get a Carbon Monoxide Detector/Alarm and install it TODAY.

And while you're at it, install some smoke detectors if you don't already have them.
The lives you save could be your kids or grandkids.

Thank you.

The first director of Camp Lake Hubert for Girls, on the south shore of Lake Hubert, was Grace Rogers, my grandmother. Recently a memoir of hers surfaced. It was written in 1953 and speaks about the first 25 years of the girl's camp. There are lots of references to old buildings at the camp and well remembered people like Brownie Cote, Chuck Everett, Fred Rogers (Grace's son) and Dr. Rogers (her husband) as well as many more.

There are also tidbits about Lake Hubert itself. Did you know that the Governor of Minnesota spoke at the dedication of the channel between Hubert and Clark lakes? The channel allowed water to flow into Hubert from Clark, thus filling our lake and covering the yards wide sandy beaches at both camps.

There are descriptions of how the campers arrived at the Lake Hubert depot by train and were transported to the camps by sailboat, canoe, truck and an occasional car. The only lights in the camp cabins for the first two years were two flashlights and telephones were unknown up here in the wilderness.

If you'd like to read more, CLICK HERE (Be patient. It takes a minute to load)

The LHCA fall newsletter will soon be under construction. The newsletter will contain valuable information about LHCA Board action, news items relating to Lake Hubert, nature and lake quality updates, and much, much more. However, it CANNOT be e-mailed, or sent to you via the postal service unless we have accurate demographic information on you. Thus, if you have changed your e-mail address, or postal address (16 of you did and didn’t tell us about it last spring), we need to know your updated information as soon as possible.

This valuable updated information can be sent to us at LHCAMN@gmail.com with the subject saying, "Address Change".

Please help us out on this matter so as we can serve you as best as we can.

 Thank you!

With the continuing above normal water levels, it is important that you make sure your lifts and docks are brought far enough up for the winter so the ice won't be able to reach them. If you've ever seen the ice pushed up on shore by high winds you know the kind of damage it can do, and high water levels increase that likelihood. Better safe than sorry!

Your Web Gnomes advise that, "This sleepy guy decided to take a nap on our deck this afternoon. He left several times for a leafy snack and then returned to sleep again. He's a resident that we don't see very often."
For the answer to who he is, look in the "Did You Know" article just below.

You can check the two page DNR personal watercraft rules and regulations HERE.
The answer to "Can you identify this local resident" above is: Groundhog

Of course some comes directly from precipitation falling on the lake but there are other sources.

Runoff from the land surrounding the lake is an important source. This runoff can carry pollutants into our lake including dirt and chemicals. This is why we and the DNR strongly suggest that you keep a buffer of unmowed, natural plants from the shoreline to at least 20 feet inland. These plants slow runoff which lets the water drop its load of dirt. The plants can also pick up and hold chemical pollutants.

Another source of water for Lake Hubert is underground springs. If you've been swimming in the lake you've probably felt cold spots. These are formed by the spring water bubbling up through the bottom. Springs are probably the major source of water for the lake during most summers.

Finally there is inflow of water from other lakes. The channel near the depot runs between Clark Lake and Lake Hubert and can flow either way; Out of Hubert like it's doing this year or into Hubert like it did last year. The surface flow into Clark Lake is from Rice Lake which lies to the East of Clark and sometimes from Hubert. Sometimes, such as this year, there is another surface flow into Hubert. It comes from Little Hubert Lake and it flows into Hubert near the Southeast corner. In drier years there is no flow from Little Hubert or from Clark.

That's it. Those are all the sources of water for Lake Hubert. You can help us keep the lake water the best in the area by maintaining a plant buffer along your shore and by maintaining your septic system so that pollutants don't enter the lake by seeping underground. Thank you!

Bobcat report: "I was driving home from work tonight, and just after turning onto E. Lake Hubert Dr from Nashway Rd, I spotted an animal running on the side of the road. I had my brights on and virtually pulled up next to it. A young bobcat was looking right at me! Very neat, it couldn't have been more than a couple months old. Wish i had a picture, but it all happened quick"

Black Bear: "The bear family came to visit us again this evening.  It was a bit earlier so the light was better, but I took the pictures through the window and with a slow shutter speed, so there's a bit of blurring.  OK, I was a bit excited, too.  The cubs were wrestling right below our vantage point in the sun room.  Lots of fun.  Before they crossed back into the woods one of the cubs found a large dead northern along the shore.  The fish was almost more than the little ones could carry, at times walking upright with it.  Even though the bird seed has been out, this is the first visit we've had in two weeks and mama didn't even eat all of it."

Click Here to see great, full size bear photos

.....

These photos below were taken on the morning of Monday, May 23rd. They were taken looking north with Little Hubert on the right and Hubert on the left.
 

..........

There is no place for our excess water to go this spring since Clark Lake is high and so is the stream that flows from Clark to Nisswa Lake, and so on down to the Gull Lake Dam. You have probably heard about the record flooding occurring along the lower Mississippi and our guess is that as little water as possible is being released from the Gull Dam so as not to raise the Mississippi any more than absolutely necessary. Until there is someplace for our water to go, our lake level will remain high.

It was installed a few days ago and another one was installed near the recycling center behind the fire station in Nisswa. There may be others but we haven't seen them yet.

Do you still bathe in the lake? Please seriously consider washing yourself in your shower rather than in the lake but if you can’t bring yourself to forgo washing in the lake, PLEASE use biodegradable soap instead of the polluting “bath bars” (also known as detergent, which is why the labels don’t use the word “soap”).

Here are some links to sites where you can buy biodegradable soaps.
The Lake Hubert Conservation Association doesn’t endorse any of these sites or products but the soaps appear to be less harmful to the lake than other so called bath and beauty bars. Remember, it’s still best to bathe in your shower or tub rather than the lake.

Amazon.com: Two Pack of 2oz Campsuds Biodegradable Soap

REI-biodegradable soap at REI.com

Bassproshops.com/biodegradableSoap/

Campmor.com/outdoor/gear/BiodegradableSoap

If you see a neighbor bathing in the lake, point them to this article or buy them some biodegradable soap, or both. The lake will be better for it.

Thank you from the Lake Hubert Conservation Association!

1. The spread of AIS is slowing and is lower than surrounding states. This is not true. AIS infestations
are increasing in Minnesota, in many cases, exponentially.

2. Managing invasibility is the key to minimizing the spread and establishment of AIS. Invasibility is
an ecological concept, whereby a less invasible environment is less inviting to an introduced species. However,
this is not an effective prevention measure because there are no operational models to guide managers regarding
how to make a waterbody less invasible.

3. Some AIS are good for lakes and rivers. There have been claims of short-term or small-scale beneficial
effects, like increased water clarity from zebra mussels or better bass fishing with milfoil, but they are
dwarfed by the long-term and broader-scale ecological damage caused by invasive species.

4. Education and awareness is high in Minnesota and that is enough. Education and awareness
among Minnesota’s recreational boaters is indeed high, but that is clearly not stopping the spread of invasive
species to more lakes and rivers.

5. Constitutional amendment monies can be used to pay for AIS management. Unfortunately, the current
guidelines for these monies (both clean water and habitat funds) do not include AIS management.

WHEN YOU KNOW AND APPRECIATE MINNESOTA …

If you hire someone to do any of this work for you, please ensure they do not unwittingly introduce one of these invasive aquatic species (AIS) into our lake.  Ask them if they have been in any of the following infested waters with their waders, trailers, floats, etc.  If they have, verify that their equipment (even waders) has been properly checked and cleaned before allowing them to enter our lake.  If they haven't taken the proper precautions, hire someone who has.

Crow Wing County waters infested with zebra mussels
Black Bear Lake
Boom Lake
Gull Lake
Half Moon Lake
Little Rabbit Lake
Miller Lake
Mille Lacs
Ossawinnamakee Lake
Pelican Brook
Pickerel Lake
Pine River
Rice Lake

Crow Wing County waters infested with Eurasian watermilfoil
Bay Lake
Kimball Lake
Lower Mission Lake
Ossawinnamakee Lake
Ruth Lake
Upper Mission Lake

And now, one lake has the alien spiny water flea.
Mille Lacs

Another thing to do to help prevent the spread of zebra mussels or Eurasian watermilfoil into the lakes: If you rent a trailer to take your boat, boat lift, or pontoon out of the lake yourself, ask where that trailer has been.  If it has been in a lake or river infested with aquatic invasive species, don't rent it unless it can be verified that the trailer has been properly checked and cleaned.

Thank you for doing your part!
This information compiled from the Minnesota DNR and various newspaper articles. The Minnesota DNR should have the most up to date information at any point in time on all affected lakes. Contact them by phone if you need more detail (their website may not be up to date).

The following is from a book found for sale at Crow Wing State Park.

"In 1855 the council of Crow Wing appointed a committee to locate a Territorial Road from Fort Ripley to a point on the Red River in Pembina County.............This route was mapped by E.A. Holmes and George H. Belden in 1855. Surveyor George Hubert Belden married Miss Elizabeth Peake at St. Columbia in 1858 and was the man for whom Hubert Lake is named."

from: Old Crow Wing, A History of a Village by Sister Bernard Coleman, Sister Verona LaBud and John Humphrey, originally published in 1967 and re-published in 2000 by Evergreen Press in Baxter.

Please remember that donations to the Lake Hubert Conservation Association are always warmly welcomed and appreciated . Such contributions are fully tax deductible as the LHCA is a “501c3”  tax exempt organization. Please examine other parts of the web site to see all of the good things your organization does on your behalf. The LHCA thanks you for your continuing support.

Send your tax deductible donations to:
LHCA
P.O. Box 1352
Lake Hubert, MN 56459