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My U.P. trip Aug 3-13. Dialup beware...lots of pictures.

16K views 47 replies 29 participants last post by  Rattler 
#1 ·
Crossing the bridge, heading North.
http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/7ca1949c-a4de-4caa-856b-a8a843d14ea5.jpg[/url]
Castle Rock...see the haze from the forest fire near Newberry?
[img]http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/b2089252-8bf8-4662-84b4-ab0ab6f16c58.jpg
My rig at the bottom of Castle Rock.

Lakenenland new sculpture.

Lakenenland...snowmobile trail entrance.

Mom and I at the WWII bomber crash site in the Porkies. 1 mile bushwack to get here.

Crash wreckage stuck in growing tree.

Possible evidence of explosion...imbedded at least 4 inches in that tree.

More wrekcage...possibly an engine.

Accordoined piece of wing.

Piece of wing...aileron hinged in place.

Glob of melted aluminum...there were a bunch of these pieces around.

My favorite piece. Engine cowl inspection cover with 1/4 turn connectors.

More wing...see aileron hinge at left end?
 
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#27 ·
Yes, I can send GPS coordinates of places you just have to visit while in the U.P. Most of them are listed on geocaching.com

I am already planning next years trip. 2 weeks in August, again. But I'm torn between another long caching trip all over or 2 weeks backpack camping on Isle Royale (never been)...but it would be around 100 miles of hiking and I need to buy lighter gear. I am only set up for Jeep camping (at least that is what I call it...my tent weighs 28#).

I'd highly recomend enjoying the splendor of Michigan's U.P. annually, at a minimum. I expected to see a bunch more Jeeps out there. It was great meeting ddeadserious * family at the Union Bay campground...perfect timing.

I think I remember a blue XJ towing a plow on a flatbed trailer near the Quincy Mine...pretty sure I waved to you. I was going up the hill and you were headed down, as I recall.

I do have the self-portrait thing down...I love my Coolpix 1500 camera. The lens flips around so you can see the LCD screen. And I have a tiny Gorilla brand tripod whose arms can wrap around tree branches and bend around rocks, etc. Set it up, align the LCD so I know where to stand, start the timer and run. On some pics I had to RUN LIKE THE WIND to get in the shot (like that one on the bridge, bjhouse). Bounding over rocks, trees, bridges, etc.

jthomp-we stayed at the Hilltop Inn and of course we had a monster cinnamon roll for breakfast the morning we left for the Huron Mtns. That thing was HUGE in a HUGE HUGE HUGE way. Mom and I shared and we still couldn't finish one between the two of us. It was recommended in my "Hunts' Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninnsula" (that book is AWESOME...even if it is 10 years old). I also used "A Guide to 199 Michigan Waterfalls" (recommended by the Hunts' Guide). Most waterfalls we visited had geocaches at them, and thus GPS coordinates; Some we used the guide to direct us to a proper parking place and the trailhead before seeking out the cache.
 
#28 ·
Mike, I'm not sure how I missed this thread before, but I really want to do a trip like this in the fall.

I'd be really interested in going to places like old mines, ghost towns, etc. Is there any good websites that I should read to find GPS coordinates, along with descriptions?

That plane crash is great, and I bet there are hundreds of places I would find extremely itneresting. My mom's side of the family live all over the western UP, from Wakefield, White Pine, and ontanagon, so I'd like to go out that far west to stop and visit family.

Do you plan on doing this again this year?
 
#30 ·
This year I am planning on an 18 day trip. Not like other years tho. I am planning on hiking 118.5 miles on Isle Royale this year...Aug 18-Sept 5. Only 2 caches to be done. But, once again, I would consider this the trip of a lifetime.

All my trips in previous years have focused on geocaching (but not 100%). The remotest sites possible. Hikes to tops of mountains. Anything that says 4WD required. Ghost towns, old mine sites, etc. Each year my goal has been to taken 1 family member with me (only 1 year was I solo). And every year left me with memories I will cherish for a lifetime. Over the last couple of years I have been building on my rig (as CC knows) so I have opted for harder and remoter 4WD caches (in 2007 I had to winch myself out). Every year I come across a new place that I will camp at in the future.

If anybody (CC) is planning a vacation to the U.P. I'd be glad to help you with what I would consider must see sites (or caches)...based on your preferences and route, of course.
 
#47 ·
Bring a telescopic fishing pole and bring alot of spoons as you will lose some due to snags, eat lake trout fresh as can be. Did Isle Royale and it WAS a trip of a life time, including the gale force winds boat ride back on the Isle Royale Queen(the old one) THe trip home on the boat rivaled the actual trip on the island. You will love it!! Oh yeah bring the spices you'll need to cook fish, i brought a lemon too.
 
#36 ·
That was West of MOTHR. Get there by driving East from Muskallonge Lake, down Coast Guard Line Road until you hit Lake Superior. Awesome remote location...I will be camping there on one of my trips sometime.
 
#42 · (Edited)
Thank you Rattler. But where is starting trail to get to these mines? I really wanna see the one with the smokestack. I'm planning on getting a GPS and heading up to the UP and going to the Keweenaw for a night or two, Then to the Thunderbowl in Schoolcraft, then over to Drummond. Be a nice week in the UP!
Thanks again,
Ryan.
 
#43 ·
I am not sure which mine Victory Mike is at in those pics but there are some scattered all over the Keweenaw. There is the Quincey right outside of Houghton/Hancock or another you could check out is right by Lake Linden just up the road. You get that far you may as well head over to Gay. There is one there and you can go play on the tailing sands otherwise known as the Gay beach (I am not making this up!). Plus there are some you can tour such as Delaware Mine a little further up.

Just NW of Calumet there is the Cliff Mine with some trails heading up to the top of one of the mountains.


Here is a pic heading south on the Gay beach. Just to north there are a few small hills you can play on out there.


This will be my 4th year going up there and there is still stuff I want to see. I recently found out there were POW camps up there during WWII. I want to check one of those out this summer when we go. If you like history, it is a heck of an area for it.
 
#44 ·
I love history. I'd love to go to the POW camp. I love that time era. Well where can I find trail maps to these places? I mean I know you told me where they are but I'm sure they're not going to have unmarked roads like trails on an atlas or something. What GPS do you have, I need to pick one up. Are you from Bay City Michigan? I'm in Caseville MI about an hour away.
Thanks again,
Ryan.
 
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