Miners Castle 1961 – 2013

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Miners Castle 1961 - 2013 by Ed Evans

Miners Castle 1961 – 2013 by Ed Evans

On Thursday morning twenty years ago today the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore reported that the northeast turret of the iconic Miners Castle rock formation had 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.

While the rockfall at Miners Castle on April 13 was startling, such events are not rare along the Pictured Rocks escarpment. At least five major falls have occurred over the past dozen years … Rockfalls along the cliffs typically occur in the spring and fall due to freezing and thawing action of Mother Nature.

Ed shared these photos on a Michigan in Pictures post – click to tell him thanks!!

Much more Miner’s Castle on Michigan in Pictures including this awesome look at the underwater part of the rock formation! While the collapse of Miners Castle wasn’t recorded, here’s a video from 2021 showing the collapse of a section of cliff face near Mosquito Beach.

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Underneath Miner’s Castle

Posted on by farlane
Underneath Miners Castle by Chris Roxburgh

Pillars of Ancient Sandstone by Chris Roxburgh

Michigan in Pictures regular Chris Roxburgh is one of my absolute favorite follows on Facebook. It seems like every week all year round he’s under the water showing me something I’ve never seen or a new look at an old friend. Miner’s Castle in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is for sure one of those old friends. What I didn’t realize until today is that the millions of years old sandstone underneath the surface of Lake Superior may be even cooler than what’s above the water!!

Follow Chris on Facebook, YouTube and on his website for much more!

Underneath Miners Castle II by Chris Roxburgh

Here’s the photo “Pictured Blue” by Kiiraaan so you can see what it looks like above the water! More about the pic on this post.

Pictured Blue by Kiiraaan
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Before & after the fall at Miner’s Castle

Posted on by farlane

Miner’s Castle before it fell by Sue Spaulding & Miner’s Castle (post-collapse) by Arie Koelewyn

17 years ago today, one of Michigan’s most notable rock formations became less notable when the northeast tower of this distinctive formation collapsed. The day after, the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore reported:

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. At least five major falls have occurred over the past dozen years … Rockfalls along the cliffs typically occur in the spring and fall due to freezing and thawing action of Mother Nature.

You can read more & see more photos in this Absolute Michigan article on the collapse of a turret at Miner’s Castle. While the collapse of Miners Castle wasn’t recorded, here’s a video from 2021 showing the collapse of a section of cliff face near Mosquito Beach.

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Waterfall Wednesday: Early Winter at Miners Falls

Posted on by farlane

Early Winter at Miners Falls by Michigan Nut Photography

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.

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Fall at Miners Castle

Posted on by farlane

Miners Castle by Charles Bonham

Miners Castle by Charles Bonham

I always wondered about the whole “miner” thing with Miners River/Falls/Castle in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  The Miners Falls Trail Guide explains that:

Visited by passing English geologists in 1771-1772, the nearby Miners River was named by employees of Alexander Henry during one of his exploratory trips on Lake Superior. At that time, indicators or “leaders” were used to locate mineral deposits. Discolored water oozing from bedrock was one such leader found in the Miners Basin, although no minerals were ever extracted from this area.

Charles took took this pic last week. See lots more on his Flickr! 

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#TBT Miners Castle Loses a Turret

Posted on by farlane

Freezing, photo by Lars Jensen

Here’s a throwback Thursday post with an article originally published April 14, 2006 on Absolute Michigan…

The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore reports that one of the two turrets on Miner’s Castle is no more:

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. At least five major falls have occurred over the past dozen years: 1) two different portions of Grand Portal Point, 2) the eastern side of Indian Head just east of Grand Portal Point, 3) Miners Falls just below the (now modified) viewing platform, and 4) beneath the lip of Munising Falls (along the former trail that went behind the cascade).

All the rockfalls involved the same rock unit, the Miners Castle Member of the Munising Formation. Rock units are named for places where they were first technically described. The Miners Castle Member consists of crumbly cross-bedded sandstone that is poorly cemented by secondary quartz, according to U.S. Geological Survey Research Ecologist Walter Loope.

More from Lars in his Michigan album.

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.

The Night’s Watch

Posted on by farlane

The Nights Watch

The Night’s Watch, photo by Jiqing Fan

Of this stunning photo from back in October at Miners Castle in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Jiqing Fan writes:

Winter is coming! The night’s watch of the North guard the last bit of colors against the white walkers (snow storm) approaching.

It appears that the Watch did its job and turned back winter 2016! View his photo bigger and see more in his Houghton & UP MI slideshow.

Lots more about Miners Castle on Michigan in Pictures!

#TBT: Atop Miners Castle

Posted on by farlane

Atop Miners Castle

Atop Miners Castle, photo by Roger Dinda

On April 13, 2006 one of the most recognizable rock formations in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Miners Castle collapsed. The Lakeshore explains:

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. At least five major falls have occurred over the past dozen years: 1) two different portions of Grand Portal Point, 2) the eastern side of Indian Head just east of Grand Portal Point, 3) Miners Falls just below the (now modified) viewing platform, and 4) beneath the lip of Munising Falls (along the former trail that went behind the cascade).

All the rockfalls involved the same rock unit, the Miners Castle Member of the Munising Formation. Rock units are named for places where they were first technically described. The Miners Castle Member consists of crumbly cross-bedded sandstone that is poorly cemented by secondary quartz, according to U.S. Geological Survey Research Ecologist Walter Loope.

Rockfalls along the cliffs typically occur in the spring and fall due to freezing and thawing action of Mother Nature.

Joel says that this photo was taken Roger Dinda in 1961 or ’62 “…before Pictured Rocks was a National Lakeshore, before Miners Castle lost its second turret, before they put up the boardwalks and railings. In this photo I’m just as tense as I look. I am deathly afraid of heights and this was (still is) about the scariest place I’ve ever been.”

View his photo background big more in his Lake Superior slideshow.

There’s more Throwback Thursdays, more Miners Castle & more from the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Michigan in Pictures!

Miners Castle, with ice and kayaks

Posted on by farlane

Miners Castle, with ice and kayaks

Miners Castle, with ice and kayaks, photo by Ann Fisher

The Washington Post has a feature on Lake Superior’s stubborn ice cover:

As of Memorial Day, ice covered 4.5 percent of Lake Superior according to NOAA, and 1.7 percent of the Great Lakes overall (though Superior is the only lake with remaining ice). The recent Great Lakes ice cover is unrivaled in records dating back to the early 1970s.

Ice cover the Great Lakes has been way above normal and, at times record-setting, for months.

In early March this year, the Great Lakes ice extent reached 94.19%, the second most on record for any month, dating back to 1973 in NOAA’s dataset, and most on record so late in the season. In late April, ice still covered nearly one-third of the Great Lakes, the most on record by a large margin so late into spring.

Click through for some photos of people enjoying the ice.

Ann took this last weekend at Miners Castle in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. How cold is that water right now? Michigan Sea Grant’s Coastwatch for the central UP shore of Lake Superior recorded a balmy 36.7 degrees on May 25th!!

View Ann’s photo big as Lake Superior and see more in her 2014 U.P. slideshow.

There’s more Miners Castle and more Lake Superior wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.