Bet on a Winter Storm

Posted on by farlane
Snow Storm at Tahquamenon Falls by Michigan Nut Photography

Snow Storm at Tahquamenon Falls by Michigan Nut Photography

Yesterday afternoon mLive meteorologist Mark Torregrossa shared that the National Weather Service is so confident about inbound heavy snow that they issued a winter storm watch with a possibility of up to a foot of snow from 7pm today to 7pm Thursday — more than 24 hours before any flakes fall!

In Lower Michigan the winter storm watch stretches from the Kalamazoo area northward through the Grand Rapids area and up the western shoreline through Muskegon, Grand Traverse area and Charlevoix. Cadillac is also in the winter storm watch. The western Lake Superior shoreline counties in the Upper Peninsula are also in the winter storm watch.

You can find this shot from Michigan’s largest waterfall & many others in the Winter in Michigan gallery on the Michigan Nut Photography website. John also shares much more on his Facebook!

Here’s a fall pic by John from the same spot and there is much more Tahquamenon Falls on Michigan in Pictures!

Autumn morning at Tahquamenon Falls by Michigan Nut Photography

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Waterfall Wednesday: Over Tahquamenon Falls Edition

Posted on by farlane
Over Tahquamenon Falls by Gary Ennis

Over Tahquamenon Falls by Gary Ennis

9 years ago I shared some photos of kayaking legend Marcelo Galizio plunging over Tahquamenon Falls. I was surprised to learn he had done it previously & even more surprised that he’d done it 19 times since 2012! The Newberry News shares in part:

Believe it or not, it’s legal. Water is in the public domain, and Galizio has a right to be there. What he does is highly unrecommended, however, even by Galizio.

Galizio is a professional kayaker, and he takes on these adventures for a living. He only performs a drop if the conditions prove themselves to be right, and only after his team is in place to assist. That includes a safety person waiting in a kayak downstream from the falls, a drone operator, and a camera person.

“I usually come back to the surface upside down,” he said. When that happens, he rights himself quickly, and no water gets inside his kayak.

…Eric Johnson, lead ranger for the park, has been with the park for 18 years and has concerns about activities like these. “I have the fear that it might get a copy cat attempt by somebody that’s not a professional waterfalls kayaker,” Johnson said.

Gary witnessed the team in action & wrote “Trust and team work! The work between these 2 is unreal… It was awesome to see how well – just amazing!” Click for more pics from the drop (use the right arrow to advance), and see more photos from Gary on his Facebook.

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The Boys of Summer: Waterfall Edition

Posted on by farlane
Bond Falls by Gowtham

Bond Falls by Gowtham

Nobody on the road, nobody on the beach
I feel it in the air, the summer’s out of reach
Empty lake, empty streets, the sun goes down alone
I’m driving by your house, though I know you’re not home
-Don Henley

There’s still some summer left to squeeze, but these cool nights tell me it won’t be long before the summer out of reach!

Twelve falls ago, I featured this passage along with a different photo from Gowtham. He took this one at Bond Falls in the UP way back in 2009. While he doesn’t seem to be doing a whole lot these days on Flickr, you can for sure follow along in the journal on his website!

There’s more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures!

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Waterfall Wednesday: Yellow Dog Falls

Posted on by farlane
Yellow Dog Falls on the Yellow Dog River by Tom Clark

Yellow Dog Falls on the Yellow Dog River by Tom Clark

Travel Marquette shares that Yellow Dog Falls are a bit of a drive from Marquette, but well worth the drive time & not that difficult to reach with a trail along one of the wildest streams east of the Mississippi, with multiple waterfalls in just a two mile section of river.

The Yellow Dog River is one of the cleanest and least contaminated rivers in Michigan with water quality above and beyond drinking water standards that is considered a cold water fishery and a blue ribbon trout stream by the State of Michigan. Read much more from the Yellow Dog Watershed.

Tom took this photo last fall. See more in his UP October 2023 gallery and for sure view & purchase his work on his website.

Many (many) more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures!

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Chasing the Perseid meteor shower

Posted on by farlane

Milky Way over Milky Bond Falls with a dash of Perseids by Sathya

The Perseid meteor shower is a summer staple & fast approaching the peak!! Our friends at EarthSky say that the early mornings of August 11-13, 2024 are your best bet for meteor action, but you can usually see them between midnight – 6am. That’s perfect because there’s an excellent chance of Northern Lights for the next couple of days & they are usually strongest between midnight – 3am.

EarthSky writes that the August Perseid meteor shower is rich and steady, from early August through the peak. The meteors are colorful. And they frequently leave persistent trains. All of these factors make the Perseid shower perhaps the most beloved meteor shower for the Northern Hemisphere.

Head over to EarthSky for everything you need to know about the Perseids, our most reliable meteor shower!

This photo of a Perseid meteor over Bond Falls that I shared back in 2013 remains one of my favorite michpics ever! Sathya wrote on their blog:

The deafening sound of 500 gallons of water / second from 50 feet
The tranquil silence of the dark night
Milky way adorning the skies
A (Perseids) meteor fireball streaking across the horizon
Definitely a moment of serenity and one I would cherish!

For sure check out Like the Ocean to view & purchase prints and a whole lot of amazing photos & amazing thoughts about some of the most beautiful places on this planet.

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Waterfall Wednesday: Gabbro Falls Thunder

Posted on by farlane
Thundering Gabbro Falls by Neil Weaver Photography

Thundering Gabbro Falls by Neil Weaver Photography

GoWaterfalling’s page on the 40-foot tall Gabbro Falls in the western Upper Peninsula begins:

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 on for tips on visiting and pages about nearby waterfalls on the Black River and also be sure to check it out on GoWaterfalling’s awesome waterfall map!

Neil shares that the thundering Gabbro Falls never fails to impress. See more on his Facebook and at neilweaverphotography.com.

Many (many) more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures!

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Ontonogan is Waterfall Country!

Posted on by farlane

Behind O-Kun-de-kun Falls by Neil Weaver Photography

Ontonogon County in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is full of waterfalls. Pasty.com shared: The name “Ontonagon” is derived from the Ojibway word “nontounagon,” which means “I lost my bowl.” Local legend surrounding the name stems from the story that a member of Chief O-Kun-De-Kun’s band was washing bowls near the mouth of the river when she was startled by an unkempt stranger in a canoe. The woman inadvertently dropped one of the bowls into the river and exclaimed “nontounagon”. The white man took her declaration to be a reply to his question about the name of the area.

I have also heard that it refers to the bowl shaped harbor – maybe a reader will have the answer, and if you want to explore Waterfalls of the Keweenaw has a whole list – collect them all!! ;)

Get lots more photos from Neil on his Facebook and at neilweaverphotography.com!

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Waterfall Wednesday: Black Slate Falls

Posted on by farlane

Black Slate Falls

Black Slate River Falls by Amie Lucas

Go Waterfalling’s page on the Slate River Falls shares that:

Slate River Falls is, unsurprisingly, on the Slate River. This is the largest of many drops over a three mile stretch of the river. This is a wild waterfall, with no fences, and the only trail is one left behind by the curious feet of others.

The falls are located along Skanee Road between L’Anse and Skanee, about 10 miles east of L’Anse. There is a sign marking the Slate River, so the falls are easier to find than some. 

If you continue upstream past the falls a few hundred yards you can find two smaller falls, Slide Falls and Ecstasy Falls (so named by kayakers). About 3 miles upstream you can find Quartzite Falls, Black Slate Falls and more unnamed drops.

Amie took this way back in October of 2015. View the photo background bigilicious and see more in her Michigan Waterfalls gallery on Flickr.

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Waterfall Wednesday at Wagner Falls

Posted on by farlane

Wagner Falls and Marsh Marigolds by Footsore Photography

Wagner Falls and Marsh Marigolds by Footsore Photography

Pure Michigan shares that the Wagner Falls Scenic Site near Munising:

…is nestled amongst virgin pine and hemlock trees. There is a small parking area and a half-mile trail with an observation deck overlooking the falls. Wagner Creek falls over a stratum of erosion-resistant dolomite into order to flow into a shallow gorge containing the Anna River. The Anna, soon afterwards, flows northward into Lake Superior.

Gary shared this last week in the Michigan in Pictures Facebook group where you can see photos from Michpics readers & share your own!!

You can follow Gary at Footsore Fotography on Facebook and view & purchase his work on his website! 

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Sunrise at Gabbro Falls

Posted on by farlane

Sunrise at Gabbro Falls by Neil Weaver

Sunrise at Gabbro Falls by Neil Weaver

GoWaterfalling’s page on Gabbro Falls has directions to this western Upper Peninsula waterfall and begins:

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.

Follow Neil on Facebook and for sure head over to his website to view & purchase prints. This pic is on his Michigan Waterfalls page!

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