Bordervisit: Northwest Angle, Minnesota, USA - The Report

Hello all:

On Monday I was finally able to visit the Northwest Angle of Minnesota.  
In case you're not familiar, the Northwest Angle is a piece of the USA 
surrounded on three sides by water and to the west by Manitoba, Canada.  
The only land access to the community of Angle Inlet, Minn. is through 
Canada. However, there is also a small airstrip and water access in the 
summer.  In the winter, when Lake of the Woods freezes, it is possible 
to snowmobile into the community without leaving USA (ice) territory.

There is little in the way of the typical infrastructure usually seen at 
official crossings along the Canada-USA border -- not even a video 
camera (as far as I could tell).

I took the following route:

I started in Winnipeg, the capital of the Province of Manitoba.  I drove 
east along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) towards Ontario.  About 
100 km later at East Braintree (little more than a couple of houses), I 
turned south on Manitoba Provincial Highway 308.

I followed 308 south-east for about 60 km.  It is a gravel road but in 
excellent condition. I saw only three cars the whole way.  I made a 
right turn on Highway 525 and headed east towards the border. 

10 km later I arrived at the official crossing.  Here, Highway 525 turns 
into Minnesota Highway 49. 

Here's the Province of Manitoba map of the area: http://tinyurl.com/y52gxg

USA topo: http://tinyurl.com/y6o6dm

And the Google Maps hybrid: *http://tinyurl.com/yez7t3  *(note that 
"winter road" is actually the boundary vista)

At the crossing itself, the vista between Canada and the US is plainly 
visible. But it runs north-south! On the north side of the highway there 
is a bordermarker ( #919 -  49 17 17.5  -- 95 09 12.0 ). No other large 
markers were found.

On the pedestal of BM 919 is a State of Minnesota geodetic control 
mark.  There is also a small sign alerting people to the location of the 
control mark.

And a few feet north is another small marker set in concrete. It reads 
"International Boundary Commission and is stamped "Angle 1980."  I have 
never seen one of these before. 

There were no people or official buildings anywhere to be found.  On the 
US side is a small electricity installation (transformers of some 
kind).  On the Canadian side there is a parking lot only.

Upon entering the USA there are a number of signs (in order):

- One welcoming visitors to the Red Lake Indian Reservation
- One welcoming visitors to the USA and explaining how to check in at US 
Customs via videophone (at a point 8 miles down the highway)
- Lake of the Woods (Minnnesota) County Highway 49 sign
- a sign welcoming visitors to the USA again and to the Northwest Angle
- a couple of speed signs lie a few metres beyond

Looking the other way towards Manitoba there are far fewer signs:

- A sign welcoming visitors to Manitoba
- A sign near the parking lot that says "Canada Customs Examination 
Area" - but no buildings or agents
- A sign marking the start of Northwest Angle Provincial Forest.

There is no change in road here - it is gravel on both sides.  Only 
electrical wires cross the border - no telephone or cable tv wires to be 
seen. 

The only people I saw were a couple of hunters (dressed in orange). They 
were a few hundred metres north of the crossing and standing in the 
vista. There was also a small hunters "blind" where they could get a 
better view of their prey (deer).

Because I had a rental car and didn't have the correct insurance, I 
decided not to risk driving the 8 miles to the Customs videophone.  I 
certainly will the next time.

After snapping pictures (I'm slowly posting them here: 
*http://tinyurl.com/yju4ag  *  -- to see a map with photo locations 
click "map" on the photo's page) I headed back on Highway 525 to Highway 
308. I turned south on 308 and headed to Sprague, Manitoba about 35 km 
south, and near the 49th parallel boundary. 

I took Highway 12 west to Highway 89 in the hopes of visiting the 
Piney-PineCreek airport that lies directly on the Canada-USA border.  I 
was able to see it from a distance, but it was getting late and I was 
unable to get any good pictures.  I do hope to revisit this place before 
I head back to Vancouver on Saturday.  I am also hoping to get out to 
the International Peace Garden, but it is quite far from Winnipeg.

Check for new pictures on my Flickr site (*http://tinyurl.com/yju4ag) 
*often over the next few days as it will take some time to post all the 
images.  I have video too,  and will upload to YouTube and provide links 
shortly.  Here's the first video: *http://tinyurl.com/kghrw*

Enjoy!!

Doug










-- 

Doug Murray Productions/Border Films
sounds+images+words
Vancouver, BC Canada

Voice: +1.604.728.1407
Fax: +1.206.337.1671
Skype: +1.206.734.4425 or borderfilms