Michigan in Pictures

Baker’s Falls … and the Michigan in Pictures Twitter

Posted on December 4, 2014 by farlane

Bakers Falls, Wakefield, MI, photo by Josh Ringsmuth

Yesterday Michigan in Pictures joined Twitter @michpics. In addition to tweeting out the daily photo, I’m planning to dig out gems from the huge archive of pics & posts here, and also to share some of the many photos that I can never get around to featuring in the one-a-day format of Michigan in Pictures. I hope that you’ll follow me and tweet pictures at me there as well.

In honor of the occasion, I thought it would be good to share the first picture tweeted at me, even though it means back-to-back waterfalls. It’s of Baker’s Falls in the western U.P. aka Gabbro Falls about which GoWaterfalling says (in part):

Gabbro Falls is on the Black River and is as impressive, if not more impressive, than its more celebrated neighbors downstream along the Black River Scenic Byway. This is a largely wild waterfall with no fences or barriers of any kind. It consists of three separate drops. When the water is high there is a fourth drop that is the height of the other three combined. The main drop falls into a narrow crevice between two large rock formations.

Gabbro Falls is relatively easy to find but there is some confusing information out there. The waterfall is also known as Baker’s Falls, and it is often mistakenly called Garbo Falls (gabbro is a type of rock).

Read more & get directions at GoWaterfalling.com. Michigan in Pictures has more of those Black River waterfalls, and if you’re curious about gabbro, Wikipedia has your answers.

View the photo on Josh’s Twitter and follow him at @DaRealOtisJosh.

Tale of the tape at Laughing Whitefish Falls

Posted on December 3, 2014December 3, 2014 by farlane

Laughing Whitefish Falls, photo by James Marvin Phelps

GoWaterfalling’s page on the Laughing Whitefish Falls says (in part):

Laughing Whitefish Falls is in the Laughing Whitefish State Park. This is one of the most impressive of Michigan’s waterfalls. I believe it is the highest waterfall in Michigan that is readily visitable.

The falls can be found off of M-94, about 30 miles from Munising or Marquette, and just outside of Chatham…

The waterfall is named for the river. The river is so named because the mouth of the river resembled a laughing fish when viewed by the Ojibwe from Lake Superior.

Get detailed directions at GoWaterfalling.com. They add that later in the year the water flow can get thin enough to be hardly visible!

To answer the question of the height, I found a very cool list of Michigan waterfalls by height at the World Waterfall Database. At 100 feet tall, Laughing Whitefish Falls check in fourth behind:

Spray Falls – 140′ (towering and incredible – view by Pictured Rocks boat tour or long hike)
Jasper Falls (125′, midway between Miners Beach & Sand Point along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore shoreline – they say it’s basically a trickle most of the time)
Houghton Falls (110′, private property/no trespassing! You can click that link for a Michigan in Pictures photo from someone who got permission from the landowner to visit)

View James’ photo on Flickr and see more in his massive Michigan Waterfalls slideshow including a few nice shots of Spray Falls and some waterfall videos!

PS: Just realized that this photo was from way back in 2005! Amazing that I’ve been doing Michigan in Pictures for so long, and that people like James have been supporting me with their photography for so long!

More Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures.

Field of Dreams: Winter Fantasy Edition

Posted on December 2, 2014 by farlane

Field of Dreams, photo by Terry Waggoner

As winter closes in I can’t help but remember warmer times…

View Terry’s photo background big and jump into his slideshow for more!

More barns on Michigan in Pictures.

Driftwood detail

Posted on December 1, 2014 by farlane

Driftwood with great detail…, photo by Brad Terry

View Brad’s photo from the Lake Michigan shore in Grand Haven background big and see more in his Pier Series slideshow.

More black & white photography and more winter wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!

Sunrise Flight

Posted on November 29, 2014 by farlane

Sunrise Flight, photo by ptpomber

Safe & quick flights … and travels of any kind this weekend. Speaking of flight, if anyone can identify the bird from yesterday, that would be great!

View ptpomber’s photo bigger and see more from Mackinac Island including some very cool winter shots in his slideshow.

Let Sleeping Ducks Lie…

Posted on November 28, 2014November 25, 2016 by farlane

Sleeping Duck, photo by Matt

Is Black Friday over yet? Hope you’re staying safe and getting deals (or staying safe & staying home)!

View Matt’s photo background big and see more in his slideshow.

If you’re up for more duck-based fun, check out the Michigan in Pictures Duckie Project!

Bears, it’s what’s for (Thanksgiving) dinner!

Posted on November 27, 2014 by farlane

Thinking About the Zoo Visitors?, photo by Maia C

A very happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I remain very thankful that I have such a great group of photographers and readers for Michigan in Pictures. I love doing this blog, and your support makes it possible!

Maia suggests that this lion is perhaps thinking about zoo visitors, but my personal theory is that he’s thinking about bears, Chicago Bears to be exact! Thankfully, the NFL has given us the opponent who started it all, as the Detroit Lions share the history of the Thanksgiving Day game:

The game was the brainchild of G.A. Richards, the first owner of the Detroit Lions. Richards had purchased the team in 1934 and moved the club from Portsmouth, Ohio to the Motor City. The Lions were the new kids in town and had taken a backseat to the baseball Tigers. Despite the fact the Lions had lost only one game prior to Thanksgiving in 1934, the season’s largest crowd had been just 15,000.

The opponent that day in 1934 was the undefeated, defending World Champion Chicago Bears of George Halas. The game would determine the champion of the Western Division. Richards had convinced the NBC Radio Network to carry the game coast-to-coast (94 stations) and, additionally, an estimated 26,000 fans jammed into the University of Detroit Stadium while thousands more disappointed fans were turned away.

Despite two Ace Gutowsky touchdowns, the Bears won the inaugural game, 19-16, but a classic was born. Since 1934, 69 games have been played with the Lions holding a series record of 33-34-2 (.493). And each game, in its own way, continues to bring back memories of Thanksgiving, not only to Lions’ fans, but to football fans across the nation.

View Maia’s photo big as a lion and see more in her Detroit Zoo Spring/Summer 2008 slideshow.

More Thanksgiving features & photos and more Detroit Lions on Michigan in Pictures.

…and through the woods

Posted on November 26, 2014 by farlane

A Late November Morning, photo by jiafanxu

Safe travels to you and your guests this Thanksgiving holiday!

View jiafanxu’s photo bigger and see more in their A Late November Morning slideshow.

Over the River…

Posted on November 25, 2014 by farlane

Wintry Seven Bridges, photo by Heather Higham

AAA Michigan reports that about 1.5 million Michiganders are heading over the river and through the woods for the Thanksgiving holiday. The good news is that gas prices are the lowest since 2009 – down 40 cents from last year. The bad news is another weather system that’s dropping freezing rain & snow, closing schools and

View Heather’s photo bigger and see more in her Rivers slideshow. She took the photo at the Seven Bridges Natural Area near Kalkaska.

There’s more rivers and more bridges on Michigan in Pictures.