Wow! Where did the time go? I couldn’t believe it when someone called me and asked for “Mary Alyce Kronzer” as I haven’t gone by that name for almost fifty years.  I dropped the “ Alyce” right after high school as nobody could remember it nor knew how to spell it.  I started working at Northwestern National Bank in August after I graduated, and I stayed in the banking profession for almost 20 years. Recently, after a divorce, I took back my maiden name and now go by Mary Alyce Kronzer once again.

I lived in a cabin on Poplar Lake, about half way up the Gunflint Trail in 1983.  I loved coming up to the peace and tranquility of the lake cabin and hated the drive back to the cities and hectic pace of life down there.  After about a year of this, I decided to move up north permanently.  I couldn’t believe I finally did it, and I felt I was in heaven the summer I moved up north.  My first winter up north I lived without indoor plumbing and running water.  I had running water, but had to run down to the lake to get it. I learned to live on five gallons a day! My cabin was right across the lake from the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness which gave me access to over 2 million acres of public land in which to play.

In 1994 I purchased a beautiful farm that overlooks Lake Superior, and about that time I decided to purchase Norwegian Fjord Horses.  They are great for this area because of their hardiness.  I bred and showed Norwegian Fjords for about 13 years, and still have two Fjords and one mule, mostly used for trail riding in Superior National Forest, which abuts my farm.  My farm consists of 47 acres with a spectacular view of Lake Superior.

I am self-employed and have owned my own bookkeeping business since 2012 – North Coast Services, LLC. I envy those of you that have retired, but my job and my horses and lifestyle keeps me active and healthy.



I still enjoy cooking as one of my favorite pastimes. I was the head cook at Rockwood Lodge when I lived on the Gunflint Trail for eight years, and did the Mongolian Firepot Dinners and Gourmet Hut Trek meals when I work for Boundary Country Trekking.



When they become ripe, I forage for Chanterelle and other edible mushrooms up here in the North Woods. I also go fishing and canoeing whenever I can convince my roommate or neighbor to go along with me.