Posts about Hiking, page 26 of 37.

Slate Quarries of Arvon

Footings of an old bridge

The Huron Bay Quarry (better known as Arvon Quarry) and town of Arvon didn't have a very long lifespan. Around 300 people lived out here once, halfway between the entrance of Silver River into Huron Bay and Mount Arvon, and pulled slate from the pits for around thirty years. The entire operation was…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted November 22, 2013
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The Acropolis of the Peshekee

Grass and swamp along the outflow of Dortay

My legs were sprawled out on a flat rock, a timid autumn sun slowly seeping into and drying off the wet patches the thick woods had left behind. There was no way to get completely dry - my boots were far too soaked through for that - but I held some hope that the damp clinging to my calves would…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted October 28, 2013
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Lake Dortay of the McCormick Tract

Sunrise over White Deer Lake

Rain never came that night. Instead the sky cleared, letting the full moon's light and icy air cut through the forest like a sharp wintery knife. When I finally pulled myself from the lukewarm cocoon into the freezing predawn air I was greeted by a thin sheen of frost covering every surface in…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted October 24, 2013
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The Fortress of White Deer Lake

Bridge to the McCormick Tract

The straps cut deep into my shoulders. I was carrying a very heavy pack, filled with food, warm clothes, and extra supplies, much more than my usual haul. This was no simple in-and-out camping trip. My destination was White Deer Lake of the McCormick Tract and cold temperatures and rain were in the…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted October 22, 2013
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Tailing Ponds near Schweitzer Basin

Looking up the driveway to the noisy yellow building

The road wound and bucked like a living creature trying to lose me in the wooded hills. I cruised along, keeping a modest speed, trying to be mindful of the posted limit while being anxious to get started. This was my first hike of the day and the drive from Appleton had been long and dark. I neared…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted October 12, 2013
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Black Rock Point

North from the point

Familiar green woods pressed around me. I was on my way out to Black Rock Point, a place north of Big Bay that I had visited several times before. A few discussions with a fellow hiker, Joel, had sparked my interest in the cliff base here. It was late in the evening and the sun had less than an hour…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted October 9, 2013
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Thomas Rock of Big Bay

Friendly sign outlining the paths

A few short miles south of Big Bay is an exposed overlook with a great view of Lake Independence and Superior beyond. Once an off-road destination for ATVs and people willing to walk in from County Road 510, Gobbler's Knob was purchased by the Thomas Family a few years ago and underwent a major…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted October 3, 2013
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Brushy Creek Ridge

Sun speckling over Brushy Creek Falls

Water dripped off my soaked jeans onto the bare rock. Jim sat next to me, relatively dry, and we chatted about programming. We had just crossed the Yellow Dog River below the last waterfall, at Brushy Creek Falls, through two very deep feet of water. Jim had a decent pair of quick-drying pants that…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted September 27, 2013
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Ascending Ives Hill

Muddy, graded track north of the Northwestern

Damp sand gave easily under my insistent footsteps. The logging track was smooth from a recent grading, a soft and even surface that hid years of ruts and potholes underneath. I envied the tires that got to enjoy such a road. Only loggers and the guards of the Huron Mountain Club were allowed to…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted September 25, 2013
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Bear Mountain

Eastwards up Blind 35 towards Lake Independence

I've had some fond trips along Blind 35. The first visit was over four years ago, a quick walk along some of the logging roads to a single outcropping. Then, a few years later, I did a fairly thorough exploration on both sides of Clear Creek, finding numerous vistas and even a bear and her cub. Yet…

  • Category Hiking
  • Posted September 7, 2013
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