Exploring America's Hidden Exclave (The Northwest Angle of Minnesota)

Exploring America's Hidden Exclave (The Northwest Angle of Minnesota) | Angle Inlet, USA 🇺🇸

Рет қаралды 15,889

Күн бұрын

Cut off from the rest of the United States by the endless waters of Lake of the Woods, the Northwest Angle is one of those geographic oddities that I love to discover. Jutting out from above the 49th parallel, the Northwest Angle is the result of a surveying error that worked out in the USA's favour, granting them land north of the otherwise clearly-defined Canada-US border.
Here, life moves at a snail's pace, and visitors are welcomed in with open arms, a warm cinnamon roll, and a good dose of "you betchas". This is Minnesota at its finest - a remote wildnerness that only those 'in the know' will access, resting at the top of the USA without any 'official' population according to the 2020 census (it was 17 in 2017, and 60 in 2010). Apart from those staffing the numerous fishing lodges and resorts in this area, there isn't a lot going on - but that's what makes it so charming.
On my day trip here from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada), I drove 2 1/2 hours to this remote corner of North America to catch a glimpse of life in this mysterious exclave. There, I enjoyed amazing views of the Lake of the Woods, stood at the northernmost point in the continental USA, and met lovely Grace Prothero - owner of Prothero's Post - who welcomed me into her lodge as though I was her own son. Though getting here is a challenge, the Northwest Angle will reward anyone willing to take that drive into the woods to see what's out here.
00:00 Intro
00:08 Into the Northwest Angle
01:15 USA/Canada Border
03:21 Driving the Angle
04:28 Jim's Corner
06:11 Northernmost Point (Lower 48)
09:13 Young's Bay Resort
11:12 Customs & Immigration
11:28 Post Office
14:00 Angle Inlet School
14:55 St. Luke's Church
15:13 Prothero's Post Resort
18:55 Canadian Border Telephone
19:37 Outro
Vlog Number 142 | #NorthAmerica #UnitedStates | #Minnesota #NorthwestAngle | Filmed May 2022
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Пікірлер: 73

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

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@BlacqueJacqueShellacque_ Жыл бұрын

I visited a few years ago while driving across Canada. Interesting place to visit. Since I wasn't fishing a couple of hours was plenty of time to see everything and get lunch. I found the locals to be somewhat unfriendly, but I didn't interact with many so maybe they were having a bad day. Also the reporting both directions wasn't that pleasant. They didn't seem to think that visiting to check out an enclave was normal. Despite the issues I was happy to have visited and still would consider going back if I happened to be passing nearby.

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

I’m also kind of confused why it seems so strange to border officials that people would want to visit geographic oddities. They’re so caught up in their own little worlds in their ivory towers that they begin to forget what interests real people. But I’ll digress! I’m glad you were able to visit the Angle - it’s a strange but serene place 👍 Thanks for watching!

@edelquinn8997 Жыл бұрын

You’re beautiful inside and out, thank you for sharing and educating us!!❤

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind words!

@neiltheasby4431 Жыл бұрын

I have just checked out this video. Fascinating! And thanks so much for taking me to Angle Inlet Dave. I would love to go there myself but I don't suppose I ever will. Your video will have to suffice. So remote and so peaceful.

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

I'm glad you were able to live vicariously through my experiences. It has been on my bucket list since I was a kid, and first explored maps of North America. Definitely rural & not a lot going on - and that's the way I like it!

@BeforeIKicktheBucket1 Жыл бұрын

Interesting video, great info! Nice work, enjoyed..

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@keinaanabdi6821 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the video I enjoyed watching it

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@deanframe9095 Жыл бұрын

Loved the tour, thank you

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

You’re more than welcome! It’s a very unique corner of the USA & I was thrilled to document it 👍🎥

@texaslonestarrider 6 ай бұрын

Great Video 🎥 And Thanks For Sharing!

@DrifterDave 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for the kind words!

@TRUMPBIGWIN Жыл бұрын

Great sharing my friend 💝

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@cdelliodellio6011 Жыл бұрын

Love it... 🙌🧡

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words!

@musicindus1 3 ай бұрын

i love country music

@DrifterDave 3 ай бұрын

Me too! Country Folk especially.

@tbdieseltrucking Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this vid. 43, and never knew.

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

It's such a random and strange part of the USA! I am so glad I took that long drive and visited it. Pure nature.

@googoo-gjoob 2 ай бұрын

thanks for this nice video '2er'. i dont think i would have tried more than once to register. hats off to you.

@DrifterDave 2 ай бұрын

I try to be as honest as possible! 😂

@googoo-gjoob 2 ай бұрын

@@DrifterDave , #metoo . but when the 1st ipad didnt function, then spot #2 (the restaurant) was closed... i dont think i wouldve made any additional attempts.

@DrifterDave 2 ай бұрын

I've got too much to lose to be banned from the USA, especially during Covid. So, I wanted to make sure I went through all the processes. If I couldn't find one that would function, I'd have called the Roseau border staff directly to report 👍

@valriechang 11 ай бұрын

It’s funny. You can see how people just make things up. As you see boarder is invisible the land is connected. But thanks for the video. Very well detailed.

@DrifterDave 11 ай бұрын

It's interesting because they have clearly delineated the border by clear-cutting the trees. But yes, borders are definitely a political construct.

@Peguerochannel 10 ай бұрын

Good video bro, from Dominican Repúblic 🇩🇴

@DrifterDave 9 ай бұрын

Thank you for the kind words!

@tyler-yp4cf 3 ай бұрын

I've been to the dominican and the angle!

@bolognasoup4135 Жыл бұрын

The last video I watched of someone visiting the Northwest Angle they reported the iPad at the border crossing didn't work. That video was posted at least 6 months ago. Due to its location I don't think the USA or Canada are overly concerned about it.

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

I got that impression too! However, the Canadian border guy on the phone was a complete ass. Made me feel like a terrorist and interrogated me about Covid symptoms and quarantine plans while flexing his authoritarian muscle from who knows how far away. Canadian border officers are the WORST.

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

Hey @bolognasoup4135, I saw a comment in my email on my Niagara Falls video, but it's not showing up on the video itself when I click to reply. So, I thought I'd respond here. That's very strange that they used to give you a whaler's poncho! They've definitely cheapened the experience a bit. Even in late September, the boat was pretty packed, but definitely not shoulder to shoulder like the high season!

@Gruhbb Жыл бұрын

As an minnesotan that place must cool.

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

It’s pretty interesting!

@RobbieTravels Жыл бұрын

Cool video Dave. I love to go fishing but has been way too long since I did it. Just imagine enjoying a quiet fishing trip and suddenly you stand eye to eye with a bigfoot...😅 By the way, very interesting border checkpoints in the US and Canada didn't know those existed. What kind of drone do you use Dave?

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words, buddy! Those border checkpoints are some of the only unmanned ones in the USA. Reason being, there’s no way to really access the rest of the USA so they really don’t care much about that entry point. The same goes for Hyder, Alaska which is another exclave city, cut off from the USA road network. So usually they’re manned and highly secured border points😄 I use the DJI Mavic Mini & I really like it, apart from it shooting in 2.7K. All my videos are in 4K now, so I’ll need to upgrade soon 😎👍

@RobbieTravels Жыл бұрын

@@DrifterDave I'm thinking of buying the mini 3 any opinion about it?

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

I've heard it's very good! Go for it! But just make sure you buy the extended warranty insurance from DJI as well. If you crash your drone, they'll replace it for no charge. It's important to get this as a new drone pilot, unless you have a lot of experience.

@RobbieTravels Жыл бұрын

@@DrifterDave Thanks buddy!

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

@@RobbieTravels anytime!!

@cyrusblackwood33 6 ай бұрын

The Big Foot sign isn't a joke although that's how they want you to perceive it. We have the same signs here in Colorado.

@DrifterDave 6 ай бұрын

Interesting!

@Victory1981 4 ай бұрын

USA and Canada are both vast, beautiful countries. But the USA does have MANY, MANY TIMES more people. We have great wilderness areas and parks in both our states and territories. Great video!

@DrifterDave 4 ай бұрын

Northwest Angle is truly one of the only “untouched” places in the lower 48 - not a soul around. Other states have equally beautiful nature and solitude, but I’ve never yet found a place that seems as far from humanity as this forgotten exclave. Thanks for watching & for the kind words 🙏

@Victory1981 4 ай бұрын

@@DrifterDave I agree and I’ll tell you why. Because the whole US/Canada border is mostly frontier. I will subscribe to you. Angle Inlet will be a future travel destination for me.

@Victory1981 4 ай бұрын

@@DrifterDave Yeah, Canada/US border is the longest in the world at 5,525 miles. That includes the border with Alaska as well.

@DrifterDave 4 ай бұрын

@@Victory1981 thank you!! And I hope you get the chance to visit!

@wheatcandle 7 ай бұрын

Is it really true what they say, that life is better in the Angle?

@DrifterDave 7 ай бұрын

I guess that depends on your definition of 'better'!

@msterrim81 Жыл бұрын

Are the roads bad?

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

They’re gravel but they’re fine

@briancalder7768 5 ай бұрын

Good vid. Come check on pene-exclave Point Roberts Washington. Brian calder

@DrifterDave 5 ай бұрын

Been there in 2018, before I started this channel. Maybe I’m due for a return visit to document it? Campobello Island, New Brunswick would be interesting too (surrounded by Maine)

@briancalder7768 5 ай бұрын

since you were here in 2018 our economy and population has eroded significantly . we have never recovered to this day from the International Border Lockdown with no solution is site. Our Washington State governance has abandoned us and we are treated like an orphan now. brian calder, president Point Roberts Dollars for Scholars. i@@DrifterDave

@DrifterDave 5 ай бұрын

I heard there was some discussion about Point Roberts joining Canada - would that be a viable solution? If there was at least some ferry service from Bellingham, it might make being part of America more tenable, but given the current state of being cut off from the nation, I'm not sure how much better it can get without some sort of transportation infrastructure in place. It would likely be much better off to be part of Canada (and near instantly increase the value of your houses, to be part of the Vancouver metro area).

@robertbruce1552 7 ай бұрын

Are there many bears or wolves?

@DrifterDave 7 ай бұрын

I'm sure there are plenty of both! It's definitely in the middle of the wilderness.

@rassputin7423 Ай бұрын

I'm from Algeria ..... (I know nobody cares and probably no one from us know it) I will be there some day I swear to god

@DrifterDave Ай бұрын

I hope you can visit someday!

@RouteDownFam Жыл бұрын

What happened with Canadian border agent on the phone!? 😮

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

They basically just asked me to confirm my vaccination status, promise that I was symptom-free, and then gave me their blessing to continue on into Canada. It took much longer than the USA side, and the agent was actually fairly aggressive / snarky.

@msterrim81 Жыл бұрын

@@DrifterDaveYou have to have the vaccination to cross the boarder?

@DrifterDave Жыл бұрын

@@msterrim81 Back in May 2022 when I took the trip - yes, officially at least (it was on the honour system, no proof was required). All of those regulations have since been lifted on both sides of the border 👍