Open minds to new discoveries
Create lifelong memories
Transform lives
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
What is the Wolf Ridge mission?
To develop a citizenry that has the knowledge, skills, motivation and commitment to act together for a quality environment. More
Do you have any wolves?
We do not have live wolves in captivity. The International Wolf Center in Ely, MN has wolves. We do know that wild wolves live in the area.
How did Wolf Ridge start?
Founded by Jack Pichotta in 1971, Wolf Ridge was the idea of three classroom teachers who were frustrated by not being able to take kids outdoors for class. A state of MN grant was written that funded the start-up of Wolf Ridge in 1971 and provided funding for three years. A year following the grant Wolf Ridge was part of the Grand Marais school district. In 1975 Wolf Ridge became a private, non-profit corporation and has remained so ever since. More history
Are you also called the ELC?
Wolf Ridge started as the Environmental Learning Center (the ELC) in Isabella, MN, in 1971. Wolf Ridge is the same people and program from Isabella. We moved to a new permanent home in Finland, MN in 1988. The name Camp Isabella was a common phrase used by many to describe the ELC.
Who or what was Cree?
Shortly after our move to the Finland site and taking the new name Wolf Ridge, a friend of ours from Ely, Gene Haraysem, offered to give us a Wolf/Dog hybrid he had raised from a pup. The name Wolf Ridge came before Cree took up residence at Wolf Ridge. In February of 1989 Cree arrived at Wolf Ridge. He subsequently became a wonderfully successful ambassador of wolf education, teaching tens of thousands of children about wolves. Cree died of cancer in 1995. Prior to his arrival at Wolf Ridge, Cree was also used in lobbying efforts at the State Capital in efforts to get the International Wolf Center up and running.
About our School and Other Programs
Is Wolf Ridge a school or a camp?
Wolf Ridge is an accredited school that also has an educational summer camp program.
Is Wolf Ridge accredited?
Yes. The ELC, now Wolf Ridge, was the first education center of its kind in the nation to be accredited in 1980 by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), the same organization that accredits colleges, elementary and secondary schools throughout the region. To this day, Wolf Ridge remains accredited by the NCA and is also accredited by the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). CITA is college and school accreditation alliance that includes the NCA.
Do you operate year round?
Yes. We regularly have over 250 people on site and are actively operating every season and about 48 weeks of the year. Winter season has more people attending Wolf Ridge than in the summer.
What programs do you offer?
Wolf Ridge offers eight different programs.
- The school program: the largest, bringing about 14,000 people per year to Wolf Ridge during primarily the mid-week and weekend periods of the school year, but also in the summer.
- Summer camp for kids
- Family environmental education vacations during the summer and weekends during the school year.
- Elderhostels for grandparents with their grandchildren. These are offered in the summer and winter.
- Naturalist Training Program. Graduate students learn and teach during the school year while also earning about half of Masters Degree. Undergraduate college students who plan to be a school teacher can do their student teaching with Wolf Ridge prior to graduation. Undergraduate college students can do an internship in the summer working alongside naturalists at Wolf Ridge.
- Wilderness Trips for kids and families. Whether canoe trips to the BWCA, sea kayak trips on Lake Superior or backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail or Isle Royale, Wolf Ridge takes our curriculum into the backcountry wilderness areas near our home for learning during the summer season.
- Live Raptors and Bird Banding. Wolf Ridge houses birds and mammals that can no longer live in the wild. These animals can be brought to your facility for programs. Bird research, banding, is also done at the center year round.
- Conferences and Meetings. For groups who would like space to gather for an evening, weekend or week, Wolf Ridge facilities are a beautiful place for your group to gather.
The Business End
Who owns Wolf Ridge?
Wolf Ridge is not owned by any individual. It is a private, non-profit corporation and an accredited school. As required for a non-profit it is run by a volunteer Board of Directors. An Executive Director is managed by the Board and leads the staff of Wolf Ridge in carrying out the programs and operations of the center.
Are you state or federally funded?
No. Wolf Ridge is a private, non-profit. We operate from the fees we charge for our programs.
How are you funded?
Wolf Ridge funds it operations primarily through the fees charged to students and adults participating in our programs, user fees. The earned income percentage of our total revenue is about 90%. We rely on a membership program, donations and grants to complete the funding needs of the center.
The Place
How much land does Wolf Ridge own?
2000 acres, or a few square miles.
How did you get the name Wolf Ridge?
In 1988 when we moved from Isabella, MN to the site in Finland overlooking Lake Superior, it had become obvious that the name Environmental Learning Center (ELC) wasn’t enough anymore. Many ELCs had sprung up around the country. For nearly twenty years wolves had been a common educational subject at the ELC and remained an icon of the northwoods to which thousands of students would annually come. At the new Finland site, we decided to build on the ridge overlooking the Baptism River Valley and Lake Superior. The combination of Wolf and Ridge came together and our official name became Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center.
How many trails do you have?
We maintain about 18 miles of trails. Some of those are only seasonally maintained, for example - the ski trails or the trails through the wetlands.
Where did the names Wolf and Raven Lakes come from?
Nearing the time to move to the new site in Finland, research was being done on the land and waters. It was learned that the lakes had several names over the years. With the arrival of Wolf Ridge we renamed the lakes Wolf and Raven. These animals were common subjects in classes at Wolf Ridge. Wolves and the Birds class were some of the most common classes when the move to Finland was made.
Why is your road/driveway named Cranberry Road?
When Wolf Ridge was built in the mid 80s the road was the first thing to be constructed. As a new road and the future address of the center, it needed a name. The road is named for the many shrubs of Highbush Cranberry, Viburnum trilobum, along side the road as you enter the property.
Can you hunt here?
No, not generally.
Is it cold there? What is the weather like?
It is northern Minnesota, it does get cold in winter. It has been thirty below zero at the start of morning class, but most winter days have a low around zero and highs in the teens. Being very close to Lake Superior can keep us much warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer if the winds are favorable. Summers can be quite cool with wind off the lake, perhaps a high of 50, whereas the high could also be 85 without wind off the lake. Even upper 80s are very rare in the summer and 90s almost unheard of. Wolf Ridge is Minnesota’s Snowiest Place as designated by the St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper. We hold the state record for most snow in a 24 hr. and 36 hr. period. 36 hours in January of 1994 yielded 54 inches of snow at Wolf Ridge. With our blessings of snow we have been able to cross country ski and snowshoe even in the slightest of winter snow years in Minnesota.
People at Wolf Ridge
How many people can Wolf Ridge hold?
The facility has 380 beds, 16 for staff and 364 for program participants. All of these people are housed in our East or West Dorm. There are about 100,000 sq. feet of indoor building space at Wolf Ridge.
Where are people who come to Wolf Ridge from?
School program students come from all over Minnesota, eastern North Dakota and western Wisconsin. Schools also have attended from Illinois, Iowa, Texas and California. Elderhostel participants come from all over the country. Naturalist Training Program students come from all over the world. Summer camp and family program participants come from all over MN and WI but primarily from the Twin Cities.
How many staff do you have?
On average Wolf Ridge has about 60 staff. Half of those people are teaching staff, the other half are facilities staff, food service, maintenance, office, custodial, etc.
Where do the naturalists live?
Most of the naturalists live on Wolf Ridge property. Some are permanent staff who live off site and some have housing provided by Wolf Ridge in the community of Finland.