Epic UP Hikes: 2014 (and Beyond!)
Schemes of epic hikes always seem to pile up when winter slowly lumbers along. This month has been especially filled with shiny ideas. Its been a long three months since my last trip to the Upper Peninsula and now, thanks to a busy work schedule and the constant threat of record-setting cold temperatures, it may be another month before I can return to Michigan.
I've already been gearing up in anticipation for the year to come, though. Last week I bought my first pair of snowshoes, a purchase long overdue, and a friend of mine bought me a sweet filtration system for Christmas (so I don't have to haul around gallon jugs of water to remote campsites anymore). I've also been eyeing up some better equipment for backpacking, including small gas stoves and lightweight sleeping bags. There's a lot of land to cover this year, old and new, and plenty of new stories that are waiting for this blog.
Porcupine Mountains
Emily has been a friend of mine for many years, dating back to the adolescent days of Huron County. Over the last few years she moved to the Upper Peninsula and has worked at parks in the Newberry and Gogebic area, and, currently, Porcupine State Park. We've been to a few hikes together (like Wolf Mountain and Norwich Bluff) but I have yet to take advantage of her knowledge of the Porkies.
Some of the areas that I'm hoping she'll show me include Summit Peak, and Presque Isle waterfalls, and the well-known Lake of the Clouds, Of course, if there are some park secrets or off-the-track treasures I'm sure we'll hunt those down as well. While I've heard that there are miles and miles of trails combing through the forest neither of us are afraid of a bit of bushwhacking.
Huron Mountains
There are a few areas I have left to explore in the Longyear Tract, nestled close to the Huron Mountain Club. I've walked past the outcroppings above Florence Pond too many times to continue ignoring them. Also, there are some parts of Mount Ives that I believe are on public land that I'd like to tackle. Its hard to say where else I'll wander too if I'm that far north of the Northwestern Road.
Outside of this area there are few spots remaining in the Huron Mountains. There are a few outcroppings up around Bald Mountain that are tempting, as well as a few spots near Birch Creek, but I'm running out of new spots to visit in this range. Which is another reason why I think that this year may be my first venturing into the Porkies.
Mulligan Plains
Well, yeah, Mulligan Plains has to make this list. I haven't been on the plains for almost three years now. During that time there's been some massive changes, a new bridge over Mulligan Creek near Buick Corner and clear-cutting in the north end (think they came in from 510, near Big Pup Creek, a route I didn't know about until recently). I've been up and down most of the plains but there are still two areas to explore deeper, the northeastern cliffs and the highlands between Clark and Mulligan Creek, and I can't wait to return to my old haunt and get reacquainted.
McCormick Tract & Peshekee Highlands
2013 was the first year I made some serious headway into the McCormick wilderness. Over the course of two days I explored the Baraga Lakes, White Deer Lake, Lake Dortay, and the Acropolis - and had barely grazed the offerings of this land. There is still plenty to explore, from Lost Lake in the north to Dead River's headwaters in the south, and whether I go by foot or boat I'll be back in those woods soon.
Around the McCormick, scattered through the Peshekee Highlands, is a handful of other areas that I'd love to explore. The bluffs near Wildcat Canyon, the forest trestle, Craig Lake State Park, even the lakes of Mount Curwood to the west are all targets for the coming years. Access is notoriously difficult in the highlands, though, so it's hard to say how easy it will be to just drive to these areas, let alone hike through the brush and bugs.
Waterfalls
Oh yeah, and the waterfalls. There are still plenty of them out there. While I have no goal to visit all of the falls in the Upper Peninsula (there are plenty of other people who are doing a great job at that) I'd love to add some more to my website. Or at least some better pictures. So there may be a small smattering of hikes or routes that 'happen' to brush close to a waterfall (or five).
Side note: A few months ago, when I was looking around for a new job, I had accepted the chance that Katie and I would be moving out of Wisconsin and far away from my beloved Upper Peninsula. Thanks to my new remote job at Shutterstock that won't be happening. The McCormick Tract weekend was supposed to be my last trip, my final hike in Michigan, and instead it feels like an entire new realm of possibilities have been opened up. The areas I've listed above are only the tip of what I hope to visit next year - and I can't wait to get started.
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Jason
Jan 29, '14
Hey Jacob, recognize any of these pictures? Please tell me they had permission to use these.http://www.cabelastrophyproperties.com/ViewDetail?id=65665
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Jacob Emerick
Feb 22, '14
Hi Jason - ha, yeah, they do look familiar! I'll be reaching out to, you know, just to say hi and such :P Thanks for the heads up!
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Jacob Emerick
Feb 22, '14
Hi Tom! Another 'sconie heading up to the McCormick, eh? Awesome stuff. Have you been able to find any old trails/ruins up there? I need to do some hunting around to find the pumphouse that supposed to be just south of White Deer Lake, didn't know if there was anything else hiding back there.
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Tom Powell
Mar 27, '14
I have found most of the old trails in McCormick, although sometimes it takes some searching and patient path-finding skills. The old Bentley trail from the north entrance to the old logging camp on the north side of Bulldog Lake is fairly strong still. I’ve done a good bit of bushwhacking through the area, and have learned to despise tag alders. Dense conifer growth surrounds most of the lakes, making going slow. But a bit farther out from shore is deciduous forest with big old white pines scattered within, which makes for faster travel. I’ve done solo hammock camping, mostly, since it’s hard to find good, level, dry ground in the McCormick.There are numerous past signs of civilization in McCormick (other than the obvious old building foundations around the White Deer camp)Nearer the North entrance:• Decaying wooden bridge over the Yellow Dog to the island in the river• Two simple log bridges over the West Branch where it bends north.• A small lumber bridge over a stream on the Bentley Trail south of the West Branch crossing, and a two more simple log bridges further south.Around Bulldog Lake:• The clearing and fire ring at the site of the old logging camp on the North of Bulldog Lake. Plenty of old metal wagon and barrel parts in the clearing and on the rocky lakeshore. This is a beautiful camping spot looking over the lake.• The old cement Bulldog Dam several hundred yards farther north.• The extensive wooden pier pilings in the lake a few hundred yards south of the logging camp.• A large stone fire ring and wind break just up from the pilings (with old metal shovel)• The trace of the old logging road that loops north of the clearing, then west and south to the crossing over the river that connects Island Lake to Bulldog. A few bright plastic tree tags are scattered closer to the river. Someone marked a segment of this trail a while ago. One of them indicated where an old log bridge crossed over. Although the logs were gone last time I visited in 2012, there is a beaver dam good for crossing just west of there.Around Island Lake:• The old Camp 36 site clearing on the south shore of Island Lake, with a few rusting metal implements, and old fire circle a few hundred yards further west. • The best camping spot in all of McCormick is probably on the peninsula that nearly bisects Island Lake on the eastern shore. The ground is flat and Red Pine needle carpeted. Lovely location with a large stone fire ring.• The trace of a trail that connects Camp 36 back to the old logging road that connects White Deer Lake and Bulldog.The trail north from old White Deer encampment:• As you have discovered, there is a trail turnoff before you arrive at the the old White Deer encampment, that heads north through an old trash heap, where I’ve found old pieces of broken dinner China, and other metal bits. There is a decaying old wagon, and further on, a metal pipe jutting out of the ground near a stream crossing. • Further north still is an old bucket by the trail and heading further north, you come to the first old corduroy road over mucky ground. Another lies further on.I have never been able to follow the trail from the White Deer camp all the way to the river that connects Island Lake to Bulldog. It fades away into nothing about 3/4 of the way. I have not tried to find the old pump house yet, but someday.Those are my small discoveries.
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Jacob Emerick
Mar 29, '14
Wow. Tom, this is an amazing list and looks like a fantastic checklist for future visits. Thank you for sharing!The camp on Bulldog - that's quite a surprise. Sounds like that camp pre-dates the McCormicks. Will definitely have to scout it out.Pilings - also cool. I saw a b/w with the walkway once. Wonder what year that fell apart.Island Lake/Camp 36 - I missed so much in that area. Should have just stuck to it and followed the shore to the peninsula. Next time.The old road - yeah, I was surprised by the trash. There was that other pile down by Lower Baraga too. Eh. Anyways, yeah, I was able to follow pieces of that road along the trip here and there but not consistently. Furthest I got was north of the Fortress. Would be fun to try to track it farther.Have you tried following the trail out from north entrance, the old track up to Canyon/Mountain Lake? I have no idea where it even comes out of the McCormick and how much of it is now roads/private, though it sounds like you'd be a good person to ask :PThanks again for your small discoveries, Tom!
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Tom Powell
May 13, '14
I have not attempted to follow the old Bentley trail north from the McCormick Tract. It would be a kick, though, if it can be found. I have assumed it went to the Bentley Ponds and then on northward. The old, hand-drawn map at the Foye website just covers the Bentley in the Tract. I have not found a copy of the Rhytholm book that speaks of it, to see if there are better clues. It's a pricey book on Amazon, but there is a copy at the Falling Rock cafe in Munising that I may pick up this summer.
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ms
May 14, '14
Rydholm devoted considerable time to finding the Bentley Trail again;small map in the book. It came out on Mountain Lake,where Club boys left a boat to cross the lake, I hear there is not much trace left but many people went along with him.
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Jacob Emerick
May 14, '14
It's kinda sad to see how much has been slowly lost to time. I mean, whole villages and towns have passed away in time, but these little things (the Bentley trail, Acropolis, the boat for Mountain Lake), which was so small and important to people who cared about the land just quietly drifting away into memory. Anyways, that book - I keep dropping hints to my wife about it, hoping that it'll mysteriously appear on my desk sometime around Father's Day :P
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Mike
May 16, '14
Jacob:I enjoy reading your posts -particulary your hikes in and around the McCormick Wilderness tract.In 1997 I was able to hike a short section of the old Bentley Trail with Mr. Rydholm north of the McCormick Wilderness boundary and onto his property. It was not easy to follow at that time. He was a wonderful man and a superb story-teller who made the history of the area come alive! His book is one of my all-time favorites.I have been backpacking in the McCormick since 1993 and absolutely love it!Regarding old ruins: you can read about a character named Jack Grove in Mr. Rydholm's book. I found the remains of his old camp on Lost Lake and also his Trout Lake camp (Evergreen Lake on today's maps). The Trout Lake camp was a challenge to find!Thanks again for your interesting posts.Mike
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Jacob Emerick
May 18, '14
Thanks Mike! Glad you enjoy them - looking forward to adding to the McCormick wanders soon. And that you got the chance to walk with Fred through some of those woods and listen to his stories - very jealous of you, sir.When I (eventually) get a hold of his books I'll have to watch out for Jack's story. I had no idea that there were other camps besides the ones on White Deer Lake (and the old logging one on Bulldog). I'd love to know more about how you found his camps. I was hoping on exploring the northwest corner, especially to hunt down some rumored waterfalls on West Branch Huron River way up by it's source, and was thinking a nice loop that encompassed Summit Lake, Evergreen/Trout, and the falls would be a great short summer hike (though I'd probably come in from the north, not sure if I'd want to brave the whole hike from White Deer Lake or not).Thanks Mike!
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Mike
May 21, '14
How did I find Jack Grove's camps? Long story.Short version is I camped on WDL in 1993 - alone.One morning I met another guy and his Dad who were searching the old building site with a metal detector. The old man asked me if I really liked the area and when I said I did, he told me to go purchase "Superior Heartland" by Fred Rydholm.I obtained it through local library and read it cover-to-cover, 3 times! Loved it!Eventually I purchased the books so I can now read them whenever I want.I wrote to Fred to let him know what a treasure he had written and that is how I was able to meet him. An incredibly nice gentleman.In the book is a very interesting story of Mr Rydholm helping Christ Andersen search for Jack Grove's Trout Lake cabin - 50 years after Christ Andersen had last seen it. I followed the descriptions in the book and that is how I found Groves' Trout Lake cabin. Not much left except depressions from the foundation logs and pieces of an old cast iron stove.The Lost Lake camp is easier to find - near the stream outlet from Lost Lake.
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ms
May 22, '14
Glad to see someone else who loves Rydholm's books;learn something new each time I read them. Anyone been to the section down Gold Mine Road that had the mine?Any remains?
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Jacob Emerick
May 26, '14
Hey Mike - great story! All the more reason to go and pick them up. Always assumed that those books were more tales than actual directions, that one would have to read between the lines to trace back old sites, but sounds like you could use them as a trail guide in some areas. Glad you were able to bump into other hikers in that area and pick up some new spots!ms - I keep an eye out for the remains along that road each time I'm in that area (waterfalls) but haven't been able to find anything. Which is surprising. If I remember correctly there were several expeditions along that creek, at least one that lasted a few years, before they gave up.
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ms
May 27, '14
Of course the Rhydholm books are way more than tales. The whole point is so you know where to hike and what to look for. You are only seeing a superficial remain of the UP;you need to understand the history.
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Jacob Emerick
Feb 22, '14
Hi nailhed! The site looks pretty sweet, I'll be sure to check it on regularly. Your adventures (from what I've read on CCF) are always a good read.So you've been out on some islands, eh? Interesting. There are a few in Superior that I've had my eyes on. If it wasn't for the ice breaking up over this week (especially the last few days) I would be standing on one of them today... Bah. Anyways, Turtle Island looks pretty awesome - could you make out most of the light or was the snow/ice piled up?
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nailhed
Feb 23, '14
yeah i made it all the way out to the island. the lighthouse is just a shell, but its there. the drifts on the island ranged up to 6ft deep. it was a hell of an adventure getting out there and back, lemme tell you. ill eventually have that posted up with pics for you to read all about!
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