By Mary Drew at Pasty Central (Mdrew) on Saturday, February 21, 2026 - 08:04 am:
Whenever Nancy Haun is in town, she always makes an effort to go check on things at the Bishop Baraga Shrine. She says it is definitely a snowshoe walk to visit the shrine now, but she didn’t go further this day, as the tracks had been plowed and it was a steep, slippery drop down the bank. There were two eagles flying about that day, also... you can spot one pretty easily, toward the right side of the photo, not too far from the top. The second one is a bit harder to see as it’s a small speck, right above the second tree, around the middle of the photo, to the right of the Bishop’s head. Here’s a closer look so you can spot the eagle easier:
The next photo is the Canadian National north of L’Anse and you can see the Bishop Baraga Shrine signage through the trees, just above the train. I asked Nancy if those tracks then go behind the Shrine in that first photo and this was her reply: “They are the same tracks. The train tracks are not used behind the Shrine but they are kept open and inspected regularly in case a customer comes on line. They are the same tracks that come through Erickson’s and then go past the Shrine sign, then behind the Shrine and eventually come out in Baraga.”
Nancy’s bottom photo is the Canadian National, heading southbound to the US41 crossing. It’s a neat angle, showing the Railroad Crossing sign and lights in the distance and then the Yield sign along with the Emergency phone number to report any problems or emergencies.
We’re going to jump off the train and head southeast to Engadine on the Lake Michigan side of the U.P., with Kristin Ojaniemi and Discovering for the Hiawatha Heritage Dog Sled Races. The lead-in says: “A weekend at the Hiawatha Heritage Dog Sled Races in Engadine. I caught up with a bunch of mushers and the 4-legged companions about why they love racing, their dogs and much more! Plus a look at the Hiawatha Sportsman's Club who put the sled dog races on to help bring the community together in the winter.”
