Sunrise from Little Presque Isle Point

Posted on by farlane

Sunrise from Little Presque Isle Point

Sunrise at Little Presque Isle Point, photo by Neil Weaver Photography

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says in part about a proposed Little Presque Isle Natural Area:

The Little Presque Isle tract is often called the crown jewel of Lake Superior, with its beautiful sand beaches, rugged shoreline cliffs, heavily timbered forests, and unmatched public views.

…The rock comprising the area represents some of the oldest exposed formations of its kind. More than a mile of bedrock lakeshore and cliffs adorns Little Presque Isle, including sandstone cliffs that reach nearly 60 feet high toward the base of Sugar Loaf Mountain. One kind of bedrock, granitic, that occurs here is the least common bedrock type along the Great Lakes shoreline, with less than eight miles occurring in total. This is one of three areas where the public can see these 2.3 billion year old formations in Michigan.

The proposed wilderness area is a local landmark, which has significant historical value. The island was reportedly connected to the mainland sometime prior to the 1930s and was a landing place for early explorers and native inhabitants. Roughly 100 yards off the mainland, the island is accessible by wading hip deep water and offers and opportunity for solitude in a unique and scenic setting.

View Neil’s photo background bigilicious, follow him on Facebook, and visit his website to view & purchase this picture and other Lake Superior photos (and also pics from lots of other cool Michigan locations).

More islands, more sunsets, and more summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Dive in, but look before you leap

Posted on by farlane

High Dive

High Dive into Lake Superior, photo by Craig

I want to say some things about this photo.

First and foremost, how incredibly awesome is someone to leap into Lake Superior any time of the year? Pretty doggone awesome is the answer, and if you’re wanting to go into Michigan’s coldest lake, August (when this photo was taken) is a pretty good time!

On Michigan in Pictures I post a lot of photos of people doing amazing things in this four-season playground we are blessed with. While summertime is certainly the best season for flamboyant fun, in June especially, the waters of Michigan’s Great Lakes can get very cold. Cold enough to kill as this tragic story from Marquette earlier this month illustrates.

My safety tips would be to really check water you’re leaping into for depth, obstacles, temperature, and whenever possible ASK A LOCAL what they think about whatever ridiculousness you’re considering. Chances are they know a thing or two about currents, weather patterns, or at least a good place to grab a bite and a beverage after your epic stunt.

Remember – having fun is what it’s all about, so figure out how to do it right and then DO IT!

View Craig’s photo bigger, view & purchase work at Craig Sterken Photography, and be sure to follow him on Facebook.

More fun on Michigan in Pictures!

Houghton’s Keweenaw Upper Entrance Lighthouse

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Keweenaw Upper Entrance Lighthouse Houghton Michigan

Homeward Bound, photo by Bobby Palosaari

Terry Pepper’s Seeing the Light is my go-to for Michigan lighthouse lore. His entry for the Keweenaw Upper Entrance Lighthouse says in part:

With the meteoric growth of copper mining in the Keweenaw between 1843 and 1968, increased shipping access to the twin cities of Houghton and Hancock became increasingly important. To this end, the Portage River Canal was cut through a tamarack swamp at its western end in 1860, creating a channel 10 feet deep and 80 feet wide, opening full Portage River navigation for the largest vessels of the day from western Lake Superior.

In 1874, to assist in safely guiding ships into this cut, a large gabled two-story brick dwelling with attached square 33 foot high brick tower was constructed on the west bank at the entrance to the canal. With increasing use of the canal, silting became a major problem, and tolls were levied for its use in order to cover the continuing expenses for repairs and dredging.

For reasons as yet undetermined, the original lighthouse was replaced with the existing fifty foot square steel Art Deco style tower at the end of the breakwater in 1950.

View Bobby’s photo background bigtacular and view & purchase more of his photos including this one at palosaariphotography.com.

Drifting

Posted on by farlane

Drifting

Drifting, photo by Aime Lucas

Amie took this last year in late May, and I’m posting this to let Mother Nature know that “35 degrees in May” is not what we’re looking for out of the month of May!

View Aime’s photo background bigilicious, see more in her Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore slideshow, and be sure to follow Aime Lucas Photography on Facebook.

More beach photos and lots more summery wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!

Michigan Northern Lights Alert!

Posted on by farlane

Arc of Green by Eric Hackney

Arc of Green, photo by Eric Hackney

While it’s virtually impossible to predict when the aurora borealis will make an appearance, it’s tied to what’s happening on the sun. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center keeps tabs on what our local star is doing and is my go-to for Northern Lights forecasting. They are reporting strong geo-magnetic storms likely tonight and tomorrow so keep an eye on the skies.

Also, do yourself a favor and sign up for their Aurora Alerts!

Eric took this last night. View the photo bigger and see more from the May 8th aurora on his Facebook page.

Tons more northern lights including the colors of the Northern Lights on Michigan in Pictures

Miner’s Castle, before it fell

Posted on by farlane

Miner's Castle before it fell

Miner’s Castle before it fell, photo by spauldi1

Today is the 10th anniversary of the collapse of one of the turrets on the Miner’s Castle formation in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

On Thursday morning, April 13, 2006, the northeast turret of Miners Castle collapsed. One turret remains on Miners Castle, the best-known feature of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The collapse was reported via cell phone by fisherman in the area, according to chief ranger Larry Hach. Most of the rock fell north and into Lake Superior, and there were no injuries. The lower overlook platform near Miners Castle appears to be unaffected.

While the rockfall at Miners Castle on April 13 was startling, such events are not rare along the Pictured Rocks escarpment.

Click for the full report on Absolute Michigan.

Sue took this back in 2003. View it background big and jump into her slideshow for more pics from “before the fall”at Miner’s Castle.

A year ago on Grand Island

Posted on by farlane

Ice Pillars on Grand Island

unbelievable colors in the ice pillars, Grand Island, photo by Lake Superior Photo

On March 1st, Shawn shared this shot from last March on Grand Island. We’ve had nowhere near the ice buildup this year – a year can really make a difference.

Also, I’d like to congratulate her on having (as far as I know) the most popular Facebook page for a Michigan photographer – 201,000+ fans for Lake Superior Photo! If you’re not one of those, I urge you to change that right now.

View the photo bigger and view & purchase her photos at LakeSuperiorPhoto.com.

PS: Just in case you missed it, Michigan in Pictures has a good explanation of what gives ice difference colors.

Chapel Rock in Winter

Posted on by farlane

Chapel Rock in Winter

Live Anywhere, photo by Jay

When you think about it, it’s not only miraculous that the white pine on Chapel Rock in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore survives with barely any soil, but also that it endures winter after winter in the teeth of Lake Superior.

Jay took this shot on February 20th last year. View it background bigtacular and jump into his slideshow for some more spectacular winter photos from the Pictured Rocks.

The Soul of the Yoop

Posted on by farlane

The Soul of the Yoop

Soul of the Yoop, photo by Cory Genovese

While our Great Lakes shoreline still holds some cool formations this winter, unlike the last two years this winter hasn’t had the very cold days coupled with high winds that combine to form truly spectacular ice caves. Thankfully, we can look back … and hope for a wintry turn in the weather!

Cory took this photo of one of his favorite little Lake Superior ice caves in a spring thaw in April of 2014. View the photo bigger, see more in his Yoop Life slideshow, and definitely follow him on Facebook at PhotoYoop for more great shots of life on the edge in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula!

More ice caves on Michigan in Pictures, and please consider becoming a patron of Michigan in Pictures.

New Marks for Michigan National Parks

Posted on by farlane

Chapel Rock Pictured Rocks

Pictured Rocks – Chapel Beach, photo by Todd

Crain’s Detroit Business reported that two of Michigan’s national parks saw record numbers of visitors in 2015:

The National Parks Service says Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula and River Raisin Battlefield Park in southeastern Michigan set visitation records in 2015. The two parks, along with Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore along Lake Michigan’s northeastern coast, had more visitors through November 2015 than in 2014 and saw double-digit increases in visitors.

…The increased popularity of national parks in Michigan mirrors a nationwide trend: Overall visits to national parks are expected to reach 300 million in 2015. Last year’s figure was a record 293 million.

The park system turns 100 next year, and the Obama administration and Republican lawmakers have different ideas about what to do. Both parties agree the country’s national parks and historic sites could use some sprucing up but the question is how much of a dent Congress will make in a system-wide maintenance backlog with an estimated $11.5 billion price tag. President Barack Obama has recommended spending an additional $1.5 billion on the parks over a three-year period. Republican leaders in Congress have a smaller birthday present in mind.

Here’s hoping that our elected officials can come together to keep our National Park system strong!

Todd took this shot at Chapel Beach in September of 2012. View it bigger and see more in his Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore slideshow.

Lots more on Michigan’s state & national parks on Michigan in Pictures!