Hiking, web development, best practices, and general awesomeness
The last leg of the Chapel Loop is a relatively easy jaunt from Mosquito Beach back to the trailhead. There are two possible paths, one on each side of Mosquito River, with the longer western option darting over to Mosquito Falls before looping back up. Of the three sides of the lopsided triangle…
Spring was arriving so slowly for much of the Upper Peninsula. I had started the day with a few short trips in the Peshekee Highlands and had been greeted with flurries and two feet of slush to slog through. Hoping to get a break in Ishpeming on the open trails of Al Quaal I found even more wet snow…
Teal Lake is one of those spots between Marquette and Houghton that has long grabbed at my attention. It helps that US-41 runs along the south shore for a good mile in Negaunee, offering even views of the dark waters and northern bluffs. Were there waterfalls flowing in or out of that highland lake?…
After a tough hike up Mt Baldy I was torn about staying in the Peshekee today. On one hand I was in the area, close to the McCormick Wilderness and all those other good spots off the Grade. Yet the snow was deep and nasty. I decided to give it one more chance, one short nearby loop. If that was too…
The first time I heard about a Mt Baldy in the Michigamme area was some three years back on a random web site. I was intrigued. The idea of a mountain near the reservoir seemed novel, as most of the hills are rolling and forested, and the chance of getting a good overlook of the town and basin was…
The narrow road weaved and bucked between piles of snow under the thick pines. I began to wonder just how far I'd have to drive along this county road. I was east of 550, in the narrow chunk of land between it and Lake Superior, and was surprised at just how windy and out-of-the-way this destination…
A frigid northern wind cut across the open field and right through my many layers. I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering. This was the first stop of the day, the first time I had to step outside my warm car after the long drive from Appleton, and the pre-dawn temperatures shocked my system. Head…
A few years had passed since I was last on Mulligan Plains. After all, as much as I enjoy wandering the wild valley sandwiched between lakes and highlands, there is only so much to see. I've visited Silver Lake Basin four times, the falls on Mulligan Creek three, camped on Rocking Chair Lakes twice,…
Emily and I pored over her ten-year-old McNally Atlas looking for a good snowshoe destination. The wind howled outside the small Ontonagon house as I checked the clock out of the corner of my eye. It was still early in the afternoon, with hours of daylight left in the snowy February day, but I still…
Houghton County is home to plenty of interesting high spots. St Louis Bluff up by Laurium, Silver Mountain, the peaks of Haystack and Kallio, Beacon Hill, even Whealkate Bluff outside South Range all sit within the county boundaries and offer spectacular views. However, none of these can claim the…