The story goes: In the remote town of Sioux Lookout, Ontario (loon capital of the world), there is an old decommissioned fire tower. A local prankster allegedly welded a wooden box to the tower's cable and called it the "Loon's Elevator." Tourists were told it could "lift them to see the loons." Instead, it rose 30 feet and then released with a bang, dropping riders 10 feet before a safety catch engaged.
He noticed something about the loon’s anatomy. Unlike ducks that tip forward, loons compress their bodies and sink vertically, using their powerful legs to drive downward. Whittemore imagined a grain elevator bucket that didn't swing on a pendulum but dropped straight down with controlled resistance, then shot back up with a burst of hydraulic pressure—just like a loon surfacing after a deep dive.
When most people hear the word "loon," they think of a black-and-white waterbird with a haunting, yodeling call echoing across a northern lake. When they hear the word "elevator," they think of a box of steel and cables carrying them to a 20th-floor office. loons elevator
No evidence of this elevator exists, but the myth persists. Search YouTube for "loons elevator prank" and you’ll find shaky, night-vision-style videos with titles like “I RODE THE LOON ELEVATOR (NEARLY DIED)” —all of them likely staged.
And if someone offers you a ride on a "loons elevator" in northern Ontario? Politely decline. Then ask to see the nesting raft instead. Have you ever encountered a loons elevator—real or mythic? Share your story in the comments below. And if you found this article helpful, consider supporting loon conservation efforts through the Loon Preservation Committee or your local lake association. The story goes: In the remote town of
Nevertheless, the phrase has entered the lexicon of Canadian cottage-country daredevils as slang for any jerky, unsafe, or homemade lift. If you are determined to see or experience a loons elevator in the wild, here are your best bets:
Since common loons build nests right at the waterline, their eggs are vulnerable to rising water levels from dams, storms, or spring melt. In the 1970s, wildlife biologists invented the —a floating platform anchored in shallow water. Unlike ducks that tip forward, loons compress their
But put the two together——and you enter a niche corner of mechanical history, cottage country innovation, and viral linguistic curiosity.