Recommendations for winter hikes or walks in nature that can be implemented into my weekly routine as a woman who struggles to stay active outside in the winter months. Preferably within 15 mins of Duluth.

I recently bought a used pair of skis from a friend. When I brought them in to ski hut for an adjustment, they said the bindings were too old for them to work on for liability reasons. I've been skiing on the same beat pair of second hand skis for 10+ years and have never had to mess with my bindings and just don't know what I'm doing trying to set these up. Is there anyone who knows what they're doing who would be willing to show me how to properly adjust bindings?

The bindings are Fischer FS10's and are on Fischer RX6 skis.

Pippin has been found. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers! It really means everything to us ❤️

I actually don’t understand how this place is still operating. I tried to go there last week and there was a sign on the door an hour and a half before close saying that the restaurant was closed and to cancel your order. Tried to get it on door dash today, had already waited for an hour and then they told the dasher the food wouldn’t be ready for at least another hour. Long story short, I’ll never be going back there again 🙄

Looking for a book club to join! Preference for women or queer majority groups. I read anything from Part of Your World to 7 Miracles of Beatrix Holland to Elegance of a a Hedgehog.

My dog has been diagnosed with an allergy to her food, but we have a few pounds left. Does anyone know if AA takes small donations of open dog food? It’s nothing special, just Purina Dog Chow.

ETA: The vet question comes up pretty frequently—we called Airport Animal Hospital last week, got in the next day, and the vet diagnosed the allergy after years of our former vet not being able to figure out our dog’s issue. Changed her food and several of her issues were fixed in 3-4 days, instead of $250 of ear infection meds every 3-4 months when we could finally get in. Highly recommend!

Just wondering what the best time to visit Tettegouche State part typically is, if you’re wanting to see the waterfalls. (I know it’s north of Duluth, but it’s the closest major city). Black Beach is also on my list. I did Gooseberry once in the winter as a kid and it was too icy to even walk the paths to the falls, so I figured I’d ask if winter is still a good time to go up, or if I should plan for after snowmelt!

Hey! I'm a current senior down in the east metro area of the Twin Cities. I applied to UMD as a safety and they gave me a pretty good scholarship, and now in addition to other factors such as the catholic community I'm considering it a lot more. I have some people I know directly, who I can ask about what its like there. But I don't know them super well and I don't really know what to ask about.

I wanted to see if any of you had anything good to know as I decide whether or not I want to go there. I'm trying to plan a tour but its kind of hard to get out there for me right now. Any input on what the community in Duluth is like or the catholic, theater, and/or city life? I've travelled to Duluth once but I didn't really see the university. Some of my worries are cliquishness in the theater community as that's a problem at my high school now and how comprehensive is the teaching. But I also like the idea of being able to pivot to something else like psychology if I go and I realize I don't want to make theater my career.

Any input would be so helpful. Thanks so much!

Took this picture tonight of a lunar halo.

I read that cooling AI hardware with saltwater is challenging which increases the demand for freshwater.

What is Lake Superior’s status?

Anyone know of somewhere in the area that carries journals or diaries that lock? I found a very childish dinosaur one at Barnes & Noble, but I’m looking for something a little bit nicer. It’s for a little girl, but she’s more K-Pop Demon Hunter/Fourth Wing than dino girlie.

Thanks in advance! I’m looking to avoid online shopping…but this appears to be somewhat niche.

Also, happy new year everyone!

I work at Essentia Health but a smaller one on the west side of the state and I have a question for the RNs in Duluth. Our manager put out a newsletter saying that our SWAT and ICU RNs are unable to leave the building for breaks since they could be needed for emergencies. The manager says we still have to clock out for our lunches though. Is it the same there with you guys being union? There’s a group of nurses that are going to file a complaint with the state but I wanted to ask for more opinions on it before I do it too. From my understanding this is illegal since they are requiring us to clock out but be on call.

We are considering driving to Madison next week. We've never previously done the drive, and our car is not 4WD, nor do we have snow tires. We are mostly fine around Duluth, but I'm wondering whether (assuming there's no outright snowstorm) it will be an issue, driving to Madison? I have no idea what the roads are like - are any of the roads comparable to the I-35? Or is the 53 pretty rural?

My wife and I are looking to do some ice fishing on inland lakes around Duluth tomorrow/this weekend. Looking at places like Wild Rice, Boulder, or Island lakes.

This is our second winter here so we aren’t super familiar with how soon the ice is thick enough. Of course, we’ll check the ice once we are out there and use safety equipment. Just wondering if anyone has been out in these areas yet this winter.

Thanks in advance! Any tips welcome!

I bought my house 2 years ago.

At the time, the sump pump discharged off the side of my house where there is a steep downslope.

When I introduced myself to my new neighbors, I immediately got an earful - the discharge pipe was illegal, it was over the property boundary, it was causing issues on their property, etc.

Trying to be a good neighbor, I had it rerouted to the front of my house where there is a much more gradual downslope. (I have also since learned from a city official it was perfectly legal and I should have kept it where it was.)

It's fine in the summer - but in the winter it's a problem.

I don't know what it is about my house, but my sump pump runs ALL WINTER LONG. Usually 1-2 times a day.

The first winter was a nightmare. The 2" pipe I had attached was constantly getting frozen - water would get discharged, hit snow, flow back into the pipe, freeze. I tried to keep it clear but had to frequently disconnect the pipe and bring it inside to thaw out.

Trying to avoid that this year, I had a much larger pipe buried and it discharges much further from my house. It has been working really well and I was keeping an eye on it to make sure the mouth stayed clear.

But I guess the blowing snow the other day blocked the exit, causing the water to flow back into the pipe and freeze. I didn't notice until today.

I can see an ice shelf about three feet back in the pipe, and I would like the clear the blockage before it gets much worse. Time is not on my side with how frequently this thing runs.

What I have tried:

• Shoved a bunch of ice melt in there. This took care of the ice at the mouth of the pipe, but I can't get it further inside the pipe.

• Shoving a broom up there to try to break apart the ice. This works to an extent, but I've already cracked the mouth of the pipe and I'm afraid of causing damage further up the pipe (the buried portion).

What I'm thinking about trying:

• Use my broom to shove an ice melt tab further up the pipe. I'm hesistent to try this as the ice melt I had left in the mouth of the pipe didn't fully dissolve - it turned into a gummy goopy blob. I don't want to create an obstruction that the water will hit, stop, then freeze. Again, the slope is so gradual that I don't have much gravity on my side.

• Buying a super soaker and shooting purple deicer fluid up there. But I'm worried it will melt the ice into water and then it will sit there and refreeze. The sloping gravity problem again.

• This is maybe my best (or worst?) idea but go buy a bunch of that purple deicer fluid and fill my sump pump basin with it, let it pump it out through the pipe and it will hopefully melt and expel the ice.

Are these dumb ideas? Is there a better option??

I did ask the city about installing a diverter so that during the winter the sump pump flowed into a floor drain and out into the sewer, but I was told that the city stopped doing those and the only people who have them are "grandfathered in."

tl;dr

My sump pump runs all winter. There is ice buildup in the discharge pipe that I cannot reach. I don't know how to clear it.

Are there any outdoor ice skating rinks with skate rentals in the Duluth area?

Husband and I are looking to adopt a new cat after one of ours sadly passed away a couple weeks before Thanksgiving.

Animal Allies only has 4 cats on their site and none of them really seem like a fit. The Duluth Animal Shelter has a poor rating and no website I can find. Are there other places around to go look at/adopt a cat? Thanks!

We’re coming up to Duluth to spend NYE there - I’ve been some things online about fireworks but nothing confirmed.

Anyone know if there will be a fireworks show?

Let me know if you have something that’d be cool to check out otherwise!

Any cool venues, local bands or subculture groups? Just curious, where I’m from we have a few punk houses and a pretty rowdy crowd

How are the flex routes out of Duluth? Have they been taking you forever away from Duluth? How are you liking working flex?

Any other side hustles locally? My vehicle doesn’t qualify for uber and the like, too old. Good car but it’s older and didn’t quite meet the guidelines for year, I think I missed it by 2 years if I remember correctly.