Thursday, December 29, 2011

244 to 250

WOW The title in F says it all from the 2 thermometers at the post ski ABR sauna.. Thanks to the proprietor for a "proper" stoke for our group!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Tops and Bottoms US

Dont get too excited over the title:

Tops: Cobblestone Cabins, Maplelag, ABR

Many others form the acceptable body

Bottoms: Second Street Sauna Marquette, Radisson Roseville, Holiday Inn Bloomington (they removed it!!!)

ABR WOOD FIRED SAUNA


Reviewed on Friday and Saturday December 9-10. The first day had temps in the 190f range and was a good sauna, the second day averaged 222f and was seen at the upper 220's during the session and meets the excellent criterion. (good will boil beer, excellent will boil your hydration pack). The sauna is old with various revisions as necessary during the years. A year or two ago the window was removed and replaced with tongue and groove (need the amo accent here) and has a shower inside (watch the metal handle! to the shower). The sauna is usually stoked well by the proprietors and has never been below 180f. This sauna has a nice old school feel and good heat and presents the opportunity for the snow roll. Definitley in the top 5 overall. Simple and effective with high heat and old school feel.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Radison Hotel Roseville

This Sauna is a standard electric unit with two benches both of which fall under the category of "wives". There is clearly room for an upper bench in the sauna but one does not exist. That being said with filling the water bucket and using it the sauna had reasonable heat. However the staff at the Radisson was not as attentive as the Hilton Marquette in keeping the water loaded for the user. Sauna reached approx 70-75c and would be rated as "moderate". Not worth the trip but worth using if you make the trip for a different purpose.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Hilton Downtown Minneapolis 1011 Marquette

Reviewed on 4-29-11

This Sauna is a standard electric unit with two benches but larger than most seating perhaps 20. On the first night the Sauna had a full rather large bucket of water left by staff. The second Sauna on 4-30 had the remnants of the water level from the night before so the staff is not necessarily super attentive to the water.

Temperature is estimated from the experienced review staff at approximately 70c. The sauna was adequate but not exemplary. With using 2/3 of the large bucket the reviewer was heated properly but would not have been without the water. The Sauna also contained screws that were not fully depressed causing issues when first placing back or legs. Further the double bench did not extend next to the heater so to "trow" on the water one had to physically get up, or sit on the wives bench which is not proper.

All in all acceptable but only average in terms of style, heat and character. I thank the staff for the water but would encourage them to "turn up the heat" and depress the screws further.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Maplelag No Suit New Sauna March 5 2011

This Sauna which has been featured previously had a second review on the aforementioned date. Temperature upon entrance was 96 centigrade and held steady during the obligatory 30 minute session. With the temps in this range (boiling is 100 centigrade at sea level) no water was required. The sauna allowed for nice even heat, had the crackling sound that wood fire is famous for, and allowed for a full detoxifying experience prior to the Lotvola Cup. This Sauna and the previous version has shown good heat on an overwhelming majority of occasions and is recommended. Watch out so the Stella doesnt boil!http://www.chemcases.com/alcohol/alc-03.htm

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Cobblestone Cabins Lake Superior circa 2005

This historic review comes from ~2005 which was the last time the review crew stayed at this resort over the summer. The sauna is a wood fired entity with the wood being loaded from the inside. The review crew included Mr. Mogren who is now on a world adventure and could not be reached for comment on the Sauna but whose actions at the juncture suggested a favorable response. The Sauna is approximately 20 vertical feet above the shore of Lake Superior and has steps going down to the "cobblestone" beach. The proprietors have stashed about 30 pair of old trainers in the steaming room that you can use to run down to the beach and dunk in the Big Lake. The Sauna has always been hot, and while being very old and somewhat rickety inside is always a pleasure to partake in. Because of the setting this Sauna is simply one of the tops in the world, very very hot sauna coupled with very very cold plunging any time of the year. The view out the old window onto the lake and outcrops of rhyolite is also stunning. This is what Sauna is all about pure and simple.

Monday, January 31, 2011

ABR Wood Fire Sauna

This review comes from early January 2011. The Sauna was upgraded somewhat in the off season including taking out the window and adding insulation. This is a traditional wood fired multi bench sauna with a changing room. The Sauna is an outbuilding and the wood is added from inside the sauna room itself. The Sauna also contains a shower. The proprietors do a good job of having loofahs and other amenities including scents for the sauna. While not being on a lake the Sauna has very good snow rolling being in the UP with almost daily powder. The Sauna was up to about 200f which is about the perfect temp for being able to take a long but very enjoyable Sauna. This Sauna has the look and feel of a classic and partaking after putting in 30k is always a treat. This Sauna receives the Has Heat-Will Repeat rating. On all past partakings the sauna was also up too snuf with good heat.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Maplelag No Suit Sauna

This is a historical review of the Maplelag No Suit Sauna. This review comes from December 9th 2010. The old Sauna received a rebuild in summer 2010 and the reviewer was allowed to partake in the inaugural new old sauna session. This is a standard design wood fired outbuilding sauna with wood stoking coming from the changing room. Temps were very good on the inaugural night approaching about 190f. Snow rolling and swimming opportunities are just outside the door as long as the proprietor has cut the requsite hole in the ice. This Sauna has 3 benches allowing all to partake and those on top to get good heat. This Sauna has been featured in numerous midwest Sauna books (in the old incarnation) and has great historic feel. You are about 20 feet above little sugarbush lake when in the Sauna. On the second night we got it closer to 200 than 190f which was nice. All in all nice view and setting, good heat, and historic feel. A good historic but new Sauna. Watch for a review of the old Sauna from the archives soon. This Sauna receives the "Highly Recommended" rating for doing very well in all categories.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Second Street Sauna Marquette, MI

Second Street Sauna, Marquette, MI. This is a public Sauna for hire. The Sauna was cold on the review date of 1 26-2011 (approximately 50c) and the proprietor suggested using water to get the desired temperature. At the end of the hour or so session all the reviewer succeded in doing was getting very wet and very disappointed. A for hire Sauna should be cranking and be at least 80-90c and should not require water to "sweat". This sauna will make the soon to be created bottom 5 list and is unfortunately the first review for this website. While the building and Sauna had some character being an old Sauna from 1926 without enough heat it just doesnt cut it. The Sauna is a two story invention with an open room, shower underneath and the stove (if you can call it that) suspended in the air about 9' off the ground. You sit in a loft but its one bench only and about the level of the heater (hardly a top bench). The Sauna is downtown and does not have a snowroll, swimming, dunking, or other option. With the lack of heat it doesnt need it. The idea for this website came from sitting in there wondering how it could really be so bad. No Heat so this gets a 1 of 10. This Sauna Receives the "No Heat-No Repeat" rating.