winter

One Hundred Years of Flying High at Suicide Hill

Posted on January 9, 2026January 9, 2026 by farlane

Suicide Hill Ski Jump by Ishpeming Ski Club

The annual UP Ski Jumping Tournament is celebrating its its 139th anniversary this year January 16-18, 2026, and aptly named “Suicide Hill”, the longtime site of the tourney, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary!

The competition is hosted by the Ishpeming Ski Club every winter on MLK Weekend at the UP Nordic Ski Complex. It lasts three days and in addition to the marquee event, the club hosts Junior National Qualifiers, a cross-country ski race, and a Target Jump event where competitors try to land as close as possible to a predetermined mark on the hill. They also have bonfires, concessions, beer tent & fireworks show.

The Ski Club has some great information about the colorfully named Suicide Hill explaining:

Suicide Hill got its name when in 1926 Walter “Huns” Anderson was injured on the hill. The local newspaper reporter, Ted Butler, said “Sure it’s a good hill, but why not have a little color about it. I gave it the name a few days before it was used in 1926. Walter Anderson fell in practice a few days before the meet and was badly hurt. In the stories I sent out about him, I called it Suicide Hill and the name stuck”. “We don’t like the name ‘Suicide Hill,” James Flaa, club official protested, “because it keeps riders away. It creates the wrong impression of what troubles await them”. Actually, it’s one of the best hills in the country. Even Johanna Kolstad, the fine Norwegian woman skier, says she has only seen one better hill in the country. But the name did stick, and it has turned out to be a fine, competitive, and safe hill.

Pure Michigan shared some pics and added a reminder that the competition is just a few miles away from the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum, providing an opportunity to explore and celebrate the history of the sport while visiting the “birthplace of American skiing.”

Clyde W Fogg is keeping the lights on at Beaver Island

Posted on January 8, 2026January 8, 2026 by farlane

Clyde W. Fogg heading to Beaver Island by Julie A Christiansen

St. James Marine Company shares that it was founded in the early 1970’s by Clyde Fogg as a hobby business and is now run by Clyde Fogg’s grandson, Matt, a graduate of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City. The company has two tugs, the Jennifer Anne Fogg and Clyde W. Fogg.

Julie shared this shot of the Clyde W. Fogg heading to Beaver Island with a fuel barge loaded with 35,000 gallons of fuel for the winter months in our Michigan in Pictures group. She captured it from the Charlevoix Bridge Cam and let me say that it’s way less frustrating watching the bridge from your computer than from your car!

Although Julie didn’t take the photo above, here are two more she did take from her Facebook. She has also shared a ton on Michigan in Pictures over the years, and I’ve linked to a few of my favorites below!

The river goes where the river flows

Posted on January 5, 2026 by farlane

Untitled by Gary Syrba

Not gonna lie, I’m not feeling good about the “plan” for Venezuela. Also, while I actually have a degree in the geopolitics of the Caribbean basin, I don’t plan to argue the logic of starting a conflict with a Chinese ally because of “drugs” but then switching to “oil & regime change” before the fires are even out. Is Maduro a good guy? Unquestionably not. Is invading a nation of 30 million people for vague & shifting reasons a good idea? Also no.

Gary shared this photo last week. See more in his Woodlands gallery on Flickr and view & purchase his work on his website.

Tough to be a bird: How birds handle cold weather

Posted on January 2, 2026January 2, 2026 by farlane

Tough to be a bird by Watermark Photography

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service shares that birds of all shapes and sizes have special adaptations for living in cold climates:

SHIVERING Birds have much higher metabolic rates and burn more energy to stay warm than we do. Black-capped chickadees weigh less than half an ounce and can maintain a body temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit – even when the air is 0 degrees! They do this by having great insulation, being very active and remembering where they store their food. A steady supply of food is essential, because chickadees eat more than 35 percent of their weight every day! Compared to many other birds, chickadees have a large hippocampus – the part of the brain that’s responsible for spatial memory. In the fall, this part of their brain gets even bigger.

FLUFFING FEATHERS All cold-climate birds pack on body weight in the late summer and fall in anticipation of the long, cold winter, but feathers also play an important role. All birds stay warm by trapping pockets of air around their bodies. The secret to maintaining these layers of air lies in having clean, dry and flexible feathers. The cleaning process, generally known as preening, depends on the species of bird. While all birds produce a special oil from a gland near the base of their tails, some cold-tolerant birds use this oil to weatherproof their feathers. Other birds like egrets, herons and mourning doves grow special feathers that disintegrate into a powder that they use to waterproof their feathers. Regardless of what weatherproofing method they use, preening helps birds keep a water resistant top layer and a toasty warm inner layer.

ROOSTING & CUDDLING Similar to people who may cuddle for warmth, small birds like tree swallows crowd together in shrubs, vines and evergreen trees to share body heat. They can also slow down their metabolic rate to conserve energy. Cavity nesters like nuthatches, titmice and downy woodpeckers use tree cavities and nest boxes to stay warm. Cavities and boxes provide protection from the weather and help birds hide from predators. Larger birds like American crows and ring-billed gulls are also known to flock together for warmth.

Read on for ways you can help including providing high energy foods like suet, peanuts and black oil sunflower seeds & a heated water bath.

Jeff of Watermark Photography shared this photo of a snow-covered blue jay earlier this week. See more on his Facebook & see more (and purchase photos) in the Birds & Wildlife gallery on his website.

Merry Christmas from Michigan in Pictures!

Posted on December 24, 2025December 24, 2025 by farlane

Fishtown Christmas by Michigan Nut Photography

I’d like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & happy holiday season that brings you and those you love as much magic & love as possible. The two photos below are from Fishtown Preservation, and I encourage you to support them in their work preserving this iconic Michigan location if you can!

I’ve been waiting to post this photo since the moment John shared it exactly one year ago today! Head on over to the Michigan Nut Facebook to give him a like, check out his calendars as possible gifts, and for sure check out the Northern Lights & Night Skies gallery on his website to view & purchase this and other fantastic photos!

Michigan Cougar Kittens are doing well!

Posted on December 23, 2025 by farlane

Cougar Cub Trailcam via Michigan DNR

Remember the cougar cubs we met last month? The Michigan Department of Natural Resources shares this December 2025 trail cam photo of the cougar kits & mother saying:

Nine months after two cougar kittens were documented in the Upper Peninsula, a new trail camera photo indicates the elusive animals are still alive and living with their mother.

…“This is a historic confirmation for Michigan since it is the first time in over 100 years that verified cougar reproduction has occurred east of the Mississippi River and possible even east of the Missouri River,” Roell said.

A private landowner sent the trail camera photo of the cougars to the DNR on Sunday, Dec. 14. Roell verified the site of the photo Monday and the DNR’s cougar team confirmed the photo Tuesday by enhancing the nighttime image to verify the existence of the three cougars. The sex of the kittens is unknown. Cougar kittens, or cubs, generally stay with their mother for about two years before venturing out on their own. “

The kittens’ chances of survival are actually pretty high because just like bears, cougars invest a lot of their energy into their young,” Roell said. “So these kittens will stay with their mom through this winter and possibly even into next winter. They already have a leg up, seeing as how they’ve been with her for a year now.”

You can read more from the DNR & read lots more about cougars on Michigan in Pictures! Here’s a couple photos of the cubs from the DNR along with a pic of an adult cougar.

Divco Delivery from the Detroit Industrial Vehicle Company

Posted on December 22, 2025 by farlane

Nostalgia Time by otisourcat

The Divco Club of America shares the fascinating history of the iconic Divco Delivery Truck:

In 1922, George Bacon, Chief Engineer for the Detroit Electric Vehicle Company, designed a remarkable new milk delivery truck. It could be driven from four positions, front, rear, or either running board. But battery power was no match for winter weather, heavy loads (such as milk) or long days on the city streets. His employer balked at making a gasoline powered truck, so Bacon and other investors formed the Detroit Industrial Vehicle Company (D.I.V.CO.) to produce his invention using a LeRoi gasoline engine. After testing a prototype in 1924, and 25 more prototypes with the Detroit Creamery in 1925, Bacon and his investors were ready to go into business.

Read on for a whole lot more about these classic vehicles!

Otisourcat shares that this photo shows a milk delivery on Nelson Street in Midland circa 1940. Head over to their Flickr for the latest.

Ice cleats are mandatory at Point Betsie Light

Posted on December 19, 2025December 19, 2025 by farlane

Point Betsie Sunset by Watermark Photography

Point Betsie Lighthouse on Lake Michigan just north of Frankfort is one of the most photographed lighthouses in Michigan, but it’s definitely an “ice cleats mandatory” location this time of year! If this view looks good to you, consider supporting the renovation of this iconic lighthouse on with a stay in the Keepers Quarters.

Jeff shares that Wednesday evening was his first time in a while seeing clear skies and sunset, and the ice sculptures made by the wind and breaking waves did not disappoint! There’s a couple more pics below. See (and purchase) this photo & others in the Winter Wonderland gallery on his website, and for sure follow Watermark Photography on Facebook for his latest.

Rain & possible “flash freeze” today in Michigan!

Posted on December 18, 2025 by farlane

Winter Water Drops by Superior Seasons

The folks at Michigan Storm Chasers share a detailed statewide Michigan weather forecast every morning that you should definitely incorporate into your daily feed. On Facebook they share that although we will see temps above freezing for most of the state, even topping 50 degrees in southern Michigan, temps will drop later in the day, potentially precipitously in what is known as a “flash freeze”. A flash freeze happens when rain has fallen, completely stopped, and then shortly afterward air temperatures drop from the 40s or 50s down into the 20s or colder. Ryan explains is all in their excellent video.

Michael shared this photo 13 years & one day ago on December 17, 2012, remarking that it was strange to see rain in December in the UP. Here are a couple more he shared to our Absolute Michigan group on Flickr, and you can see more in his The UP Eh! gallery.