Waterfall Wednesday: Big Falls

Posted on by farlane
Big Falls near Skanee by Michigan Nut Photography

Big Falls near Skanee by Michigan Nut Photography

With 225 Michigan waterfall posts – well, 226 now – it’s not often that I come across a waterfall that I’ve never shared on Michigan in Pictures. Our friends at Go Waterfalling share that Big Falls:

…is a remote waterfall located between Skanee and Big Bay. The falls are in Baraga County. There are no paved roads penetrating this area, and reaching this falls requires you to ford a river. Big Falls is not very high, but it is large and impressive.

The falls is located off of a rough dirt road that heads east from Black Creek Road. The “road” (it seems to be primarily used as an ATV trail) is about 1.9 miles south of Skanee Road. This road fords both forks of the Huron River. The “road” that leads to Big Falls is roughly half way in between the two forks, and is the best defined of the “roads” that heads south. There is no way a car is going to make it to this falls. I used a bike.

The trail passes high above the falls. The falls is visible from the trail, but the view is blocked by trees. Reaching the base of the falls requires a steep climb down into the gorge.

John shared this way back in 2017, and it sounds like he concurs with the degree of difficulty getting there. He wrote “It was quite an adventure getting to this waterfall in Baraga County, MI.. Two attempts and a river fording.. We thought we had seen most of the Upper Michigan waterfalls over the years but boy were we wrong.”

Follow Michigan Nut Photography on Facebook for his latest and for sure check out more great shots in the Waterfalls Gallery on his website!

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Big Boy is a Michigan Boy

Posted on by farlane
Big Boy Restaurant in Manistique MI by John Gagnon

Big Boy Restaurant in Manistique MI by John Gagnon

Although Bob’s Pantry first opened its doors in Glendale, California in 1936, you can be forgiven if you think of Big Boy as an authentically Michigan restaurant. After all, it was way back in 1952 when brothers John, Louis & Fred Elias received the very first Big Boy® franchise license for the former Dixie Drive-In in Hazel Park, Michigan. By 1964, the Elias Brothers had opened 100 restaurants bearing the Elias Brothers Big Boy name throughout Michigan and Ohio with over 170 restaurants at their peak. They purchased the Big Boy chain in 1987, moving moved the headquarters to Warren where it operated until bankruptcy in 2000. According to the map on the Big Boy website, there’s about 40 locations remaining in Michigan.

John took this photo of one of the two remaining Upper Peninsula Big Boys in Manistique a couple weeks ago (the other is in Marquette). See more in his Retro gallery & follow him on Flickr for the latest!

PS: It’s a perfect time to read about the Big Boy Graveyard!

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Cool down, Michigan

Posted on by farlane
Lake Superior Cool Down by Craig Sterken Photography

Lake Superior Cool Down by Craig Sterken Photography

Michigan will emerge from an absolutely BRUTAL heat dome later today, but until them I hope you can find a large amount of cool water to hide in!

Craig took this photo a few years ago on Lake Superior, I think at Presque Isle Park where the water temp is currently 48.2 degrees! Here’s a couple recent pics from Pictured Rocks that he shared on Facebook. See more there and for sure view & purchase his work on his website!

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2025 Grand Marais Splash-in this weekend!

Posted on by farlane
Grand Marais Splash-in 2024 by Gary McCormick

Grand Marais Splash-in 2024 by Gary McCormick

The 26th annual Grand Marais Splash-in on the Bay starts today (June 12) & runs through Sunday. If you get a chance to head up, highlights include a Seaplane Poker Run on Friday & Saturday competitions including a Balloon Target Drop and Take-off / Landing contests!

Even if you can’t make it, you can count on Michigan in Pictures’ Official Grand Marais photographer Gary McCormick to bring you some great pics. Check out some from last year below, view & purchase prints on his website & for sure follow Footsore Fotography on Facebook for his latest!

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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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One Moment

Posted on by farlane

Untitled, photo by Jiafan (John) Xu

I’m pretty sure that the bird John has captured so perfectly is a Great Egret. Fittingly, the egret tag on Michigan in Pictures includes another stunning photo by John of Great Egrets in flight along with all kinds of info about this beautiful bird.

View his photo bigger and see more in his slideshow.

20 years of Pasty Central and the Pasty Cam

Posted on by farlane

Upper Peninsula Michigan Miners

Let There Be Light, photo courtesy Pasty Central/Pasty.com

Pasty Central is  celebrating their 20th anniversary and vying for USA Today’s Best Pasty in Michigan. Click through to cast a vote for them or your favorite pasty shop.

Back in 2008, Charley of Pasty Central wrote about these UP miners who doubtless relied on the pasties in their bellies to survive:

In researching today’s Pasty Cameo I came across these men who had been entombed in Pewabic Mine at Iron Mountain for over 40 hours before they returned to the light of day. They had been trapped on the fourth level of the mine when a level above them collapsed. One of their co-workers didn’t make it out.

This picture is a good illustration of the “Tommy knocker”, a popular hat-candleholder in the 1800’s before carbide and acetylene lamps came along.

A feature of the site since 1998 has been the Pasty Cam, a daily photo that’s paired with a well-researched “This Day in History”. Today’s looks at how on on May 12, 1781 Mackinac Island (valued at 5000 pounds) passed from native tribes to the British – click to check it out!

The pasty, a savory pastry typically filled with meat & vegetables, was brought to the Upper Peninsula by Cornish miners. Check out Real Michigan Food: The Pasty on Absolute Michigan for lots more about this classic UP dish.

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.

Winter at Bond Falls

Posted on by farlane
Winter at Bond Falls

Winter at Bond Falls, photo by Aime Lucas Photography

The Bond Falls entry at GoWaterfalling.com says:

Bond Falls is in the western U.P. on Bond Falls Rd, east of Pauding MI. This is the most impressive waterfall in Michigan with the possible exception of Tahquamenon Falls. The main drop is 40 feet high and 100+ feet wide. Above the main falls are a series of cascades and rapids that must drop a total of 20 feet.

The water level is controlled by a dam, and a steady flow over the falls is maintained for scenic reasons. Of course during the spring melt the flow is much higher.

Bond Fall is a Michigan State Scenic Site. The site was renovated around 2003. The old parking area was upstream of the falls, and a steep concrete stairway led to the base of the falls. The new parking area is near the base of the falls, and a level boardwalk leads you to prime views of the falls.

Read on for more including directions to the falls.

Aime writes: The majestic Bond Falls. Normally a short, easy walk but in the winter a very hazardous one. The steep steps were covered with a few layers of ice and the path was extremely slippery. It was totally worth it.

View her photo bigger, follow her on Facebook, and purchase prints and see more work on her website!

Many more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures.

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Heikki Lunta alias Hank Snow alias the Guy Responsible for the Snow

Posted on by farlane

Houghtons Heikki Lunta

Hancock’s Heikki Lunta, photo by Mark Riutta / Defined Visuals

I know that many folks in southern Michigan are wondering where the heck all this snow came from. Last night I realized that a friend of mine was actually responsible!

Yooper Steez tells the Legend of Finnish snow god Heikki Lunta:

The name is now often associated with an annual winter festival in Negaunee, but it’s creation is linked to an annual snowmobile race held in Atlantic Mine. In 1970, the U.P. was having one of those winters where it doesn’t snow as much as we might like, which was threatening the success of the race. To increase support, radio salesman David Riutta wrote the “Heikki Lunta Snow Dance Song.” This song created the fictional Heikki Lunta as a creature that lived in the backwoods of Tapiola, twenty miles south of Houghton, and would perform a dance to make it snow. The song went on U.P. airwaves and was a success, and incidentally it did snow that year, causing the snowmobile race to be postponed on account of too much snow.

The song gained popularity enough to be mentioned on “The Today Show” and “The Tonight Show,” and the radio salesman was even invited to sing the song for winter events in California.

As anyone who has been through an Upper Peninsula winter knows, the snow can become relentless, and by the end of that winter, Riutta wrote “Heikki Lunta Go Away,” which is now often paired with the initial song.

The name Heikki Lunta comes from the Finnish translation of the name Hank Snow, like the popular country and western singer.

Read on for more including videos of the Heikki Lunta Song by Da Yoopers and also see Heikki Lunta – A Modern Copper Country Folk Hero at Pasty.com. If you want to go in depth, Hilary Virtanen presents a detailed and fascinating history of this distinctly Yooper phenomenon from 1970 to the present day with press clippings and more in Not Just Talking About the Weather: Tradition, Social Change and Heikki Lunta (use the dates on the left to navigate).

View Mark’s photo bigger and see his work at Defined Visuals on Facebook.

PS: When he’s not making it snow, Adam is also a fantastic photographer. See his work, some of which is potentially NSFW depending on where you work, at brockit.com.