About Us

Red Rock Outfitting is a division of Red Rock Wilderness Strore and is located at the same location, 2267 Fernberg Road, Ely, MN 55731 on Jasper Lake just outside of the BWCA line.

Red Rock and all of it's parts is owned and operated by Joe and Annette Baltich. Both live year 'round on the premises and have extensive wilderness experience. Joe grew up at the same location as a part of Northwind Lodge which was started officially as Jasper Lake Resort in 1944 by Joe's father (also Joe Baltich) and grandfather Frank Baltich. Growing up in the woods, Joe Jr. and his brother Bernie started guiding day fishing trips in the mid-seventies and also began outfitting at that time. They outfitted canoe trips from the 70's to present and guided countless parties for fishing all around the waters of our region. Bernie moved on to other interests in the late 80's and Joe continued working at outfitting, the resort and catching a zillion more walleyes on guiding trips, fishing from canoes and boats all over the area and running the extensive cross country ski trail system with his father during the winters. Meanwhile, Joe wth the help of his family pursued a retail operation in the late 80's selling cross country skis and wilderness gear, mountain bikes, and eventually canoes, kayaks, fishing tackle, winter ice fishing gear, gifts, books, art and imprinted clothing.

In the early 1991, Joe married Annette and spent the early days with her taking an occasional canoe trip or snowshoeing out ski trails prior to machine grooming. Because of high job demands of self-employment, Joe and Annette spent a lot of time at the family business so lengthy trips were not in the picture. Annette's background includes extensive canoe trip experience with her family in many of the more rugged areas of the Boundary Waters for extended trips into the wilderness. Annette, is also a skilled cross country and downhill skier, with a broad educational background including a Masters degree in Speech Pathology and is a certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor. With her love of the north country, she decided to work with Joe in the business of all-things-wilderness and is applying her vast experience in many other insightful ways at Red Rock and Northwind Lodge.

Presently, Joe's parents help out with the business on many occasions throughout the year but have retired from the day-to-day operations. They live one hill over from Joe and Annette's house. Annette's mother and her husband, Bob Cary also help out on occasion and Bob displays his artwork in the gallery of Red Rock Wilderness Store. They live on the other hill next to Joe and Annette.

Joe and Annette's roots run deep in the business of wilderness. Unlike many outfitters in the area who simply come in and buy a business, Joe and Annette have extensive building a successful, solid business from the ground up in an area where the seasons are very short. In the winter, they don't move to an alternate home far from the Boundary Waters. This is their home.