Duluth is home to incredibly hardworking and ambitious people. A Northern city on the shores of Lake Superior, Duluth is known for its culture of hardy outdoor adventuring and its breathtaking views of the lake. The legendary winters of our city lead many people to seek out the relaxing effects of heat and steam. Justin Juntunen, founder of Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna, knows the powerful positive influence that the sauna has on the body and mind.

Cedar and Stone is a fresh, quality experience. We’ll be the first to admit we’re used to saunas built in dark, tight spaces– perhaps you’ve also known the joy of having a “crafty” great-uncle or cousin who tried to woodwork a sauna in his backyard– but Cedar and Stone elevates the sauna experience to true luxury. Built on hydraulics, this traveling sauna features handcrafted cedar benches, a striking wood stove, space for 10 to 15 people, and panoramic windows with views of Lake Superior. The beautiful build of this sauna will travel to local hotels and spaces around Duluth so both tourists and locals alike can enjoy Cedar and Stone’s unique sauna experience.

Duluth has a history with saunas. Immigration brought the tradition to the region during the 1800s and early 1900s, when immigrants from primarily Scandinavian countries moved en masse into the territory. Duluth’s modern culture emphasizes wellness, as well as unique Northern experiences like downhill skiing, mountain biking, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Public and community saunas once dotted the hillside of Duluth and Canal Park. Today many of those spaces have gone away or moved to private saunas in people’s homes or cabins. Juntunen sees value in helping to revive the tradition of community sauna.

Juntunen is no stranger to the essence of the north, having grown up in the Northen Minnesota, just outside of Duluth. After working around the country in higher education and non-profit leadership, Juntunen realized his desire to return to the North and work for his community. The land and the lake drew him back, but his passion for the city made him stay. Juntunen believes that the city of Duluth is certain to flourish, and is committed to investing in the growth of the community and culture here.

So why the Nordic sauna? As a new business owner and father, Juntunen has an intimate understanding of the way that stress can easily wear on your mental and physical health. Besides providing a place to let go and spend time with people, saunas have a number of great health benefits! A good sauna can increase immune system support, improve heart health, flush toxins from the body, reduce anxiety, and help to promote the best sleep ever! The sauna is unique because it provides a place for your heart to work, but your limbs and body to rest.

However, you don’t hop on a mountain bike and tackle a hardcore trail without training, and the same goes for the sauna. What makes Juntunen’s sauna special is that it is a space to learn from expert professionals. You will be taught how to enter the space, breathe properly and learn what is happening to your body as you sit. As different benches experience different amounts of heat, you will be able to choose your challenge. Remember – it isn’t a competition! Sauna is a tradition of equality. As an old Finnish saying goes, “All people are created equal; but nowhere more so than in a sauna.”

Juntunen will teach you what steam does for your body, how to hydrate properly, and to take time to slow your mind while being present in the sauna. He even plans to add in aromatherapy sessions to truly ignite the senses and invigorate the mind. Did we mention the sauna will include a cooling session afterward? Choose to cool off naturally, or be daring and take a dip in Lake Superior!

What we love most about Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna is that, like Duluth Pack, it is built upon quality. As you experience this ancient healing process, you can enjoy the beauty of the handcrafted sauna build, the view of the lake, and the company of those around you. Juntunen is committed to creating a lasting Duluth experience. Duluth Pack understands and appreciates the value of doing work that people truly believe in, knowing the people behind the ideas, and supporting the local community. We look forward to many soothing, invigorating saunas in the future with Cedar and Stone.

Juntunen says that he loves his Duluth Pack Scout Pack, a limited-edition piece from our Fairbault Woolen Mill series that he was able to snag. He recommends it as an everyday bag to carry all your gear and daily essentials! According to him, this is how you survive Duluth’s tough winter– warm saunas and tough gear. We can’t agree more!

As Juntunen put it, once you know what you want to do, you need the patience to do it right. That’s a sentiment that Duluth Pack can get behind.