Morning Edition

New North Shore livestream offers moment of Zen amid info overload

a still image that reads wild north
Still image from Tofte-based photographer and filmmaker Chuck Olsen's new 24/7 North Shore nature live stream called "The Wild North."
Courtesy Chuck Olsen

As the nation’s political divide deepens, overseas wars expand and social media features mis- and disinformation, a Tofte-based photographer and filmmaker is offering a moment of respite with the beauty of Lake Superior’s North Shore.

Chuck Olsen recently created a 24/7 livestream project called The Wild North, available at TheWildNorth.tv, featuring scenes like a sunrise over the lake, a sunset at Split Rock Lighthouse, a gondola ride through Lutsen awash in fall colors, tumbling waterfalls and a paddle through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It was important to him to launch before the election.

“There’s a lot of news and there’s a lot of politics going on. And independently of that, a lot of folks dealing with health issues and other kind of personal things, too. And so hey, we're all stressed out,” Olsen said. “Getting out into nature is kind of one of the best ways to escape that fight-or-flight thing that our brains are kind of constantly going through.”

Research indicates that even experiencing nature virtually can have positive psychological benefits, Olsen said.

a moose on the water
Still image from Tofte-based photographer and filmmaker Chuck Olsen's new 24/7 North Shore nature live stream called "The Wild North."
Courtesy Chuck Olsen

The pandemic accelerated his family’s plans of moving northward to one of the places he feels the “most at peace.” Now, he hopes to offer a bit of that peace to others.

“Honestly, I kind of feel like a bit of an obligation to share all of those wonderful places of the big lake and the Boundary Waters with people,” Olsen explained. “It’s kind of a deal that I made: If I get to live here, then I’m going to try to find ways that I can share it with everyone so that we can all experience that — even if you’re not able to physically be here.”

Shooting still images evolved into capturing video clips. That footage collection sparked the idea of a continuous livestream. And The Wild North was born.

“Since launching it this last week, people really seem grateful, you know, saying this is beautiful, I really need this,” Olsen said. The livestream has also gotten a good reception from senior communities who “maybe can't physically get out anymore and maybe miss the North Shore, [now] have a way for them to experience it.”

At its inception, The Wild North is looping more than 10 hours of Olsen’s footage coupled with relaxing music. He plans to refresh the content monthly so the video remains true to the season. The livestream is designed to function on desktops, mobile devices and televisions.