New owners arrive to Clearwater Lodge on the Gunflint Trail

The new owners of Clearwater Lodge, Chris Witte and Anne Hof, arrived to the Gunflint Trail this week and are eager to settle in for an anticipated busy summer. Both owners are from Cambridge, Minn., and have spent time visiting the North Shore and staying at lodges along the Gunflint Trail for many years.

Witte said the couple are looking forward to the opportunity after pursuing the possibility of being a resort owner on the Trail for several years.

“We had looked at lodges for about a year and there were a few that had been up here,” he said. “We were drawn to the history. We were drawn to, obviously, the area. We loved the community up here and so it was kind of a no-brainer for us. It was a pretty easy decision to make.”

Witte and Hof prepared for their new venture by spending time this winter reading about the history of the lodge and the legacy of Charlie and Petra Boostrom, the founders of Clearwater Lodge. While they plan to make some small updates to the buildings and property, Witte emphasized that they plan to maintain the historical integrity and authenticity of the historic lodge. The original lodge building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sticking with history and what works, the pie recipe books have also exchanged hands. With this in mind, Hof said she has been sharpening her baking skills in anticipation of the summer.

With guests planning to arrive in three weeks, Witte said there is a lot of work yet to do, but they are excited to get started. They plan to be fully staffed by the end of April and ready to welcome guests by May 11.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins visited Clearwater Lodge April 20 and shares this report. Audio below.

Kalli Hawkins April 22, 2022