Wagner Falls by John Bullington Photography
GoWaterfalling shares that Wagner Falls:
is located south of Munising, on the east side of MI-94 just south of the MI-28 MI-94 junction. It has its own state park. There is small parking area and a sign. A short boardwalk leads to the falls. It is a pleasant walk and a pretty waterfall.
John shared this photo of a fresh winter snowfall in our Michigan in Pictures group on Facebook. See more from John on his Facebook page & on his website.
Otter at Otter Lake by Nicholas McCreedy
Nicholas writes that this otter spotted him at Otter Lake in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. See a couple more shots & follow him on Facebook!
Eben Ice cave in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula by Tom Clark
One of Michigan’s awesome winter features are the Eben Ice Caves in the Hiawatha National Forest. They explain that the Eben Ice Caves are located within the Rock River Canyon Wilderness (RRCW) which:
…includes approximately 4,700 acre (7.5 sq mile) and was designated in the Michigan Wilderness Act of 1987. During the mid- and late-winter months, many people visit RRCW to see the Eben Ice Caves.
…Although not “true” caves, they are made up of vertical walls of ice formed by water seeping through the sandstone bedrock cliff edge. As the temperature drops, these intermittent leaks create ice stalactites over the entrance to the bedrock undercuts. While ice caves are a phenomenon in the winter, the summer visitor would only see algae-covered rocks and dense foliage. The caves are within RRCW. Wilderness designation is the highest level of protection granted to federal lands.
You can read on for more & also be sure to check out the Eben Ice Caves Facebook page for tips & information on visiting.
Tom took this photo a couple of Januarys ago. Follow Tom on Facebook & at tom-clark.net. See more in his awesome U.P. Roadtrip to find ICE – 1/22/19 gallery on Flickr!
More pics from the Eben Ice Caves on Michigan in Pictures!
There hasn’t been much in the way of ice buildup yet on Michigan’s Great Lakes so far in 2021, so I decided to reach back a couple of years to March of 2019 for this beauty from Au Gres on Lake Huron. The Causes of Color answers the question what causes the blue color that sometimes appears in snow and ice?
As with water, this color is caused by the absorption of both red and yellow light (leaving light at the blue end of the visible light spectrum). The absorption spectrum of ice is similar to that of water, except that hydrogen bonding causes all peaks to shift to lower energy – making the color greener. This effect is augmented by scattering within snow, which causes the light to travel an indirect path, providing more opportunity for absorption. From the surface, snow and ice present a uniformly white face. This is because almost all of the visible light striking the snow or ice surface is reflected back, without any preference for a single color within the visible spectrum.
The situation is different for light that is not reflected, but penetrates or is transmitted into the snow. As this light travels into the snow or ice, the ice grains scatter a large amount of light. If the light is to travel over any distance it must survive many such scattering events. In other words, it must keep scattering and not be absorbed. We usually see the light coming back from the near surface layers (less than 1 cm) after it has been scattered or bounced off other snow grains only a few times, and it still appears white.
In simplest of terms, think of the ice or snow layer as a filter. If it is only a centimeter thick, all the light makes it through; if it is a meter thick, mostly blue light makes it through. This is similar to the way coffee often appears light when poured, but much darker when it is in a cup.
Definitely check out more in Charles’ excellent Michigan Winter Ice gallery on Flickr.
Snowy Owls are Back by Kevin Povenz
While these arctic owls are not found in the summer, the Michigan DNR shares that Snowy Owls & other winter visitors spend time in our state during the winter months:
Just because the leaves have fallen from the trees and there is a chill in the air is no reason to put away your binoculars. Winter offers unique viewing opportunities. Many of our summer resident birds migrate to warmer summer climates. Still, there are several species of birds that migrate from Canada and find Michigan the perfect winter temperature. Winter is the only time several of these species can be found in Michigan.
Two of the largest migrants are the snowy owl and the great gray owl. Snowy owls can be found moving into Michigan during winter when the food supply on the arctic tundra is in short supply. Snowy owls have been recorded as far south as Lansing, Michigan. Because they rarely see humans on their northern homes, they are not timid and can be easily viewed for long periods of time.
Kevin took this photo back in the winter of 2016, but he’s been hearing that they are back in Michigan now. See more in his Birds of Prey album on Flickr & be sure to follow Kevin Povenz Photos on Facebook.
The Apple Tree in Winter by Allan L McFarlane
Today would have been my dad’s 83rd birthday. Though he’s been gone more of my life than he was in it, I still miss him every day. He was a hell of a photographer who sparked my lifelong passion for photography. While my scan of this photo of the apple tree in our backyard years ago isn’t the best, I had to share it.
The Sign by Fire Fighter’s Wife
“The sign says do not enter, no trespassing allowed. With visions of redemption I walk against the crowd.”
-Melissa Etheridge
As usual, Beth shares a beautiful thought to ponder with an equally gorgeous photo. Head over to her Flickr for more!
Dancing in Snow by Bruce Bertz
Roadside America explains about the Gene Kelly Mural in Ann Arbor:
Artist David Zinn created a mural of the iconic scene in which Gene Kelly sings, dances, and swings from a lamppost in the rain. He created a fun illusion incorporating a real lamppost on the sidewalk. Gene Kelly’s daughter, Kerry Kelly Noviak, is a longtime residence of Ann Arbor.
Bruce caught a perfect shot of the legendary dancer engaging in a more Michigan appropriate dance yesterday. See more in his Ann Arbor 2020 album on Flickr.
The Loon Song Covered Bridge aka Joshua’s Crossing is a covered bridge in Lake Ann that was built in 1995 so that guests could access the back of the Herendeen Lake Resort property. The 90-foot bridge crosses a ravine and small creek and was named after Joshua Gabrick, son of resort owner Mark Gabrick. You can get more info about the privately owned bridge on their Facebook page. They’re also selling home sites in case you feel the need to drive across this on the regular!
You can see a lot more views of this idyllic landmark in Steve’s 2016 Lake Ann Covered Bridge gallery on Flickr.
Happy Holidays everyone – see you next week!!
Early Winter at Miners Falls by Michigan Nut Photography
John McCormick aka Michigan Nut is one of my favorite photographers. He’s been sharing some great videos he took this year at some of Michigan’s waterfalls on his Facebook page – check them out!
The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore explains that Miners Falls is where the Miners River drops about 50 feet over a sandstone outcrop, creating the park’s most powerful waterfall. You can see this photo & more at Michigan Nut Photography on Facebook and view & purchase John’s great waterfall (and other) pictures on his website.
Michigan in Pictures 