Portage North, formerly Kondos Outdoors was born in Ely in 1980 out of a need from outfitters requiring gear that could withstand the rigors of being on trail all season long. With a roll of fabric, some thread, and the determination of crafting the best gear, Dan and Vicki Kondos started Kondos Outdoors. For 35 years, Kondos developed the gear we all have come to love and depend on for making our wilderness experiences successful.
In 2015, I took on the task of carrying that legacy forward. I grew up venturing into the Boundary Waters from the age of three and spent much of my formative years exploring the Ely wilderness. In 2017, I married my wife, Corissa, who had been guiding BWCA trips for seven years and is the director of Rock Ridge Christian Camp since 2015. We enjoy being able to take our personal experiences and knowledge and incorporatethat into how we design and build products for Portage North and share the wilderness experience with others.
By bringing in state of the art cutting and sewing equipment, implementing continuous improvement philosophies, researching the best materials, and having a 1.4 million acre test lab to vet our products, we strive to craft for you the toughest gear that will last you and the next generation a lifetime.
From our families to yours,
Michael and Corissa Larson
Shop online for: Packs, Camp Kitchens, Camp Organization, Canoe Gear, Tarps & Tents, Totes, and Commuter packs & bags.
Built by people who love bikes. Roadie, mountain, free-ride or just cruising with the kids. All cyclists are welcome here in Ely.
We have scenic road rides, a growing trail system and a fun group of locals that love their bikes. Come north and join us for a ride!
Never miss a ride. Follow us on Facebook and stay in the loop for all things cycling related in Ely, MN. You’ll get updates on group rides, races, special events and more.
Join us on Thursday nights for our weekly group ride. We leave town at 6:00 pm. See the community page for more details.
We’re building our first dedicated trail system for mountain biking in Ely, and we need your help! Please consider donating. Click here for more details.
Peruse our website for all things bike in Ely, MN.
We are an established local company with decades of experience installing and servicing connected home systems.
Our service offerings include:
Home Audio/Visual
Home Automation
Access Control
Structural Wiring
Networking
Lighting
Security
Surveillance
Dish Network
Kekekabic Studios has extensive experience in Art Glass Creation and Restoration. Rosemary Shepherd and John Bowe are craftspeople living and working in Ely, Minnesota. Stained glass creation, restoration, and fine woodworking have been their life’s passions.
They learned their craft through traditional studio apprenticeships and hands-on training.
They have done work all over the country and have been fortunate to have restored some very significant windows. Some examples that stand out are “The Gift of the Magi” by Maitland Armstrong, Faith Chapel, Jekyll Island, Georgia, and The Fox Memorial Window, by Louis C. Tiffany, Kelsey Museum, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Kekekabic Studios is the culmination of their 30+ years in the stained glass business. Their love of the wilderness brought them from Michigan to northeastern Minnesota, where they have relocated and set up their showroom and workshop on Chapman Street in beautiful downtown Ely, Minnesota.
When they aren’t busy in their workshop, you will find them exploring this extraordinary place: hiking, camping, and occasionally paddling out to their favorite, Kekekabic Lake (and the namesake of the business), in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
We are enablers of nostalgia. Whether your pastime is downhill sledding, family time at the cabin, winter camping, ice fishing, or doing traditional work on the land, we craft the finest toboggan sleds still available.
Our designs reflect the time-tested traditions of the first people in Northern Canada. Following processes handed down to our craftsman from his mentor, who was taught from his mentor before him, the 150+ techniques we embrace consistently produce sleds that last generations.
Our sleds are hand-crafted, and our design reflects the time-tested traditions of the first people in Northern Canada. Our sleds have endured the punishment of daily use in the northern wilderness by those who choose to create their own trails.
Don’t settle for less than the best. Own an heirloom, and start your own enduring traditions.
Dutchman Tree Service focuses on quality work and professionalism you can trust. Servicing the Iron Range of Northeastern Minnesota, Dutchman Tree Service recently celebrated a stellar first year of business and continues to grow substantially.
The Dutchman’s mission is to provide quality tree work with safety as the top priority. Using the most up-to-date equipment and hiring only highly-trained and experienced tree care professionals, Dutchman Tree Service guarantees to exceed your expectations as the premier tree service company in the greater Ely community.
Pinckney Construction is one of Ely’s most established residential and commercial contractors.
We have been building fine lake homes and cabins along with light commercial projects in the Ely area for over thirty years. Our dedication to a quality product and excellent customer service will satisfy the most demanding client.
From initial concept to completed project, Pinckney Construction will guide you through each step of the building process.. We work with the finest local subcontractors from excavating and well drilling to custom tile and finish floors to produce a top quality building product for our customer. We have always been focused on energy efficiency and have been “building green” for over 30 years.
The MinnSNOWta™ ROOF RAZOR® Roof Rake is an industrial quality tool designed for removing snow from roofs. This helps to both prevent ice dams and prevent snow loading, which can damage your house and property drastically. Remove the snow to prevent ice dams with the Roof Razor®.
The Quickest and Safest Way Possible to Remove Snow From A Roof!
The double cutting surfaces of the MinnSNOWta™ Roof Razor® Roof Rake head allow the Roof Razor® to remove snow by undercutting deep or drifted snow. The snow eventually collapses by its own weight onto the poly chute and slides off the roof. Poly wheels keep the Roof Razor® above the surface preventing damage to frozen shingles. No other snow rake is faster. No other snow rake is easier.
Our wholistic approach enables us the ability to identify and understand who your organization and clients are, as well as what challenges you both face. With this knowledge and our creative partnership, we can correctly determine and prioritize a list of creative solutions that support both who you are, and fulfill your needs and those of your customers.
Portage North and Sundog Sport, formerly Kondos Outdoors, was born in Ely, in 1980 out of a need of the outfitters to have gear that could withstand the rigors of being on trail all season long. With a roll of fabric, some thread, and the determination to craft the best gear, began the course for the next 40 years.
I grew up venturing into the Boundary Waters from age three and spent much of my formative years exploring the Ely wilderness. In 2017, I married my wife, Corissa, who had been guiding BWCA trips for seven years and has been the director of Rock Ridge Christian Camp since 2015. We enjoy being able to take our personal experiences and knowledge and incorporate that into how we design and build products for Sundog Sport.
By bringing in state-of-the-art cutting and sewing equipment, implementing continuous improvement philosophies, researching the best materials, and having a 1.4 million acre test lab to vet our products, we strive to craft for you the toughest gear that will last you and the next generation a lifetime.
