March 9, 2024 – Northern Lights Photography Workshop Recap

The March 9, 2024 Northern Lights Photography Workshop was the second workshop this year. The January Night Sky Photo Workshop was canceled due to weather, however we were able to host the February 9th, Northern Lights Photo Workshop. The monthly night sky photo workshops can have different themes throughout the year. Near the spring and fall equinoxes they are focused on the northern lights because that is “aurora season” (Please note auroras can be seen any time of year, they are just slightly more frequent near the spring and fall equinoxes). In the summer months the Milky Way is more prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere (where the Lodge is located) so during those times the workshops offer a more in-depth discussion of our home galaxy. Throughout the whole year we offer educational initiatives at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in association with being the headquarters of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

March 9, 2024 was a beautiful evening. Our Ambient Weather Station indicated it was 28 degrees before the workshop started. The guests at the lodge witnessed a colorful sunset over Brockway Mountain. It seemed as if Mother Nature wanted to provide us a little creative inspiration to start our night.

Our regular instructor, Nate Bett, was not feeling well, and Tom Oliver was able to teach the class. Tom is currently the Director, Center for Science and Environmental Outreach at Michigan Tech and had previously worked at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. 

We had one participant, a lodging guest attend the workshop. Having come from New York City to visit the Keweenaw and stay at the Lodge, she was treated to a personable one-on-one lesson on how to take night sky photographs. Tom touched base on camera techniques, locations to shoot, and equipment during the workshop. 

The Night Sky Photo Workshops are broken into two segments: an inside presentation and an outside, hands-on portion. Outside it was still clear skies, ideal to take some night sky photos. However, the guest had traveled by plane and did not bring her photo gear with her. So Tom offered to run through his Photograph the Aurora Using Science, Data, and Forecasting slide deck to go more in-depth on the Northern Lights. Tom launched into a discussion on the science of the northern lights, referencing some of the many websites and apps that can help with aurora forecasting, which was of interest to our guest. 

At the end of the night our minds were filled and we left the Lodge with more knowledge than when we came. 

Our next photo workshop will be held during the 2024 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival in April.

The 4th Annual Dawg Daze took place at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge on March 2, 2024.  Dawg Daze is an event that celebrates winter, trails, and dogs and is associated with the annual Copper Dog Festival. Even though the main races of Copper Dog were cancelled this year due to snow, we were able to still hold Dawg Daze at the Lodge. 

In keeping with the traditions of past Dawg Daze, three main events were held for dogs who brought their humans out to celebrate the day.  The Forest Dog Derby, The Dog Costume Contest, and the Best Trick were open to the public.  This year, due to the Perimeter Trail being closed due to inconsistent snow, we modified the derby track to be on the forest trails (a 1.1. mile track). This provided a different experience for the participants — humans and dogs.

The winners were awarded a certificate and a Pooch Pouch containing 6 dog biscuits made in house by the kitchen team. 

The 2022 & 2023 Perimeter Dog Derby champion team Bobbi and Thor held on to their winning streak again this year with a skijoring time of 6 minutes flat.  Second place went to Kay and Milford with a time of 10 minutes and 30 seconds.  Kristen and Tak came in for third place with a time of 12 minutes and 25 seconds.  Team Blaze (Milford and Rex, and Tom) won first place in the costume.  Second place in the costume contest went to Bat Dog and Bat Woman (Thor and Bobbi).  Third place went to Bugs and Monica who were dressed as Gamers.  The most impressive trick was done by Bugs.  All the contestants were very good dogs and everyone walked away with treats for coming out to celebrate. 

The weather for the event was sunny and unseasonably warm with temperatures in the upper-40’s.  The forest trails were well groomed and offered a smooth race course for the skijoring teams.  Considering the warm weather, the trails did start to get soft with each pass.

After conclusion of all the events, everyone was smiles and drools as awards and treats were presented and photos were taken.

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholderDawg Daze takes the opportunity to support the Copper Country Humane Society by accepting monetary and supply donations.  Participants provided their donations, and we will deliver their donations to the Copper Country Humane Society.  

We look forward to seeing our human and dog friends again next year for the Fifth Annual Dawg Daze in 2025.  Keep an eye on our calendar for future events. 

“Adapt accordingly to the situation in a positive manner.” This is one of our core values at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, and the low amount of snow this winter has proved to require some adaptations to our adventures. In 2023, Keweenaw County reported 55 inches of snowfall for the month of February, this year, we received a mere 21 inches.

This lack of fluffy flakes presented a new opportunity. After assessing the crusty snowshoe trail, the Outdoor Activities Team decided to offer the guided moonlit snowshoe hike as a “hike by moonlight”. Thirteen participants laced up their hiking boots and adventured on to experience something new. Has anyone ever hiked the Keweenaw Mountain Trails without snowshoes in February? A pioneering thrill filled the air!

Guests had arrived with different hopes as to what they would like to experience. Some wanted to challenge their night vision, some came to enjoy the silence and some were excited to see wildlife. Tonight we were hoping to see or at least hear an owl.

Wearing hiking boots allowed our footsteps to be quieter than snowshoes would have. The moon was high and bright and we were able to see clearly. Being in nature is always special – the still of the night adds an almost magical feeling. The calming effect of nature then allows the mind to quiet. As we made our way down the canyon on the Adventurer Snowshoe Route, we heard the rustle of large wings overhead. In unison, our footsteps halted to a stop. We heard the gentleman who had hoped to see an owl: ”Look, right there, it’s an owl!” Magic? Maybe. Maybe he wished upon a star that night.

Gazing at our lucky stars, we hiked into the opening on fairway 4 of the golf course. We stopped to admire how the clouds formed shapes in the moonlight. It is funny how pointing at cloud images can make you feel like a kid again! Just then a beautiful rainbow ring encircled the full moon. A lunar halo casts an almost spellbinding glow across the sky. This is caused by the refraction of light from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. Many times it appears as a white to grayish blue light. But tonight the entire spectrum of light was visible by us all. Yes, definitely magical.

When we adapt, we just may experience something new.

The February 9, 2024 Northern Lights Photography Workshop was the first workshop this year, as the January photo workshop was cancelled due to a snowstorm. We were excited about the first workshop of the year, and to continue with our educational initiatives at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in association with being the headquarters of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

We had five attendees for the workshop, all of which were staying at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. With the workshop being our monthly Lights Out!, the guests were able to better experience and understand how to see the stars (even when it is snowing outside, which it was during the workshop).

Nate Bett was the instructor for the class. He has a diverse background in photography including attaining an MFA from Parsons The New School For Design in 2012, working for Canon cameras at trade shows and teaching photo classes at Northern Michigan University (NMU).

To reiterate how the night sky photo workshops are structured: The Night Sky Photo Workshops are broken into two segments: an inside presentation and an outside, hands-on portion. This night’s class started at 7:00pm and Nate launched into a digital slideshow covering topics like: preparations for a night sky photo shoot, Aurora basics, camera settings, and picking good locations.

Friday during the day was clear, which gave hope to the workshop attendees being able to get out and take pictures. However, as the workshop began, Mother Nature decided to have snowflakes come down from the sky.

So the attendees and Nate were not able to spend time outside after the inside lecture. Rather, attendees were able to spend time with Nate asking specific questions about cameras and night-time photography — specific to taking photos of the beautiful Northern Lights. The attendees brought their cameras with them, so they were able to get hands on instruction from Nate.

Our next photo workshop will be held during the new moon in March, on March 9th:

• Stargazing: Northern Lights Photography Workshop, March 9, 2024 

And don’t forget about the 2024 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival in April.

The 3rd Annual Snowshoe Hare event took place at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge on January 27, 2024. For this year’s event the OAC team decided to change the format for the event from previous years. We focused on guided, educational snowshoe adventures, as opposed to a competition (e.g. a race). This change rounded out the Snowshoe Hare to be a complete day of learning and adventuring. All of our events have educational components associated with them, we want guests to leave the resort with more knowledge than they came with. The schedule of the day included a guided snowshoe adventure, a “History of Snowshoeing” presentation and snowshoe lacing demonstration from Iverson Snowshoe owners, Jim and Victoria Baker, and a “Snowshoe Hare” presentation by Michigan Tech ecologist, Tom Oliver. Additionally, a French influenced Rabbit Stew with homemade naan bread, was served throughout the day in the Little Cabin Cafe.

This educational snowshoe adventure met at 9:30am in the Winter Outdoor Activity Center (OAC) and was led by the OAC Team and joined by Tom Oliver, the Director at the MTU Center for Science and Environmental Outreach. Tom has worked for 29 years as a wildlife ecologist and teacher with state and federal agencies, schools, and private businesses, in both the United States and internationally. Our intention was to try to make it to the top of the ridge that runs along Brockway Mountain and back to the Lodge in three hours. The weather was favorable for the adventure, it was a mild winter day with temperatures in the low 30’s. We started the hike across Hwy 41 utilizing part of the Explorer Snowshoe Route which is located in the Keweenaw Nature Sanctuary. We descended the route to the bottom of the valley where we crossed the hand crafted, wooden bridge over Garden Brook.

This area was buzzing with signs of wildlife. We saw three different sets of tracks; a fisher, a bobcat and possibly a fox and fresh holes whacked into a dead tree by a pileated woodpecker. Seeing these tracks excited Tom and he generously shared some ecology information about each of the animals. After crossing Garden Brook we began the climb. We worked our way up towards the ridge following the Woopidy Woo Trail. Near the top we took the On the Edge Trail and popped out on an open area along the ridge. We took a break, had a snack and then began the descent. We short-cutted parts of the route in order to get back to the Lodge for the afternoon presentations.

At 1:30pm Jim Baker of Iverson Snowshoes, led the presentation, History of Snowshoeing in the Banquet Room. Jim discussed the history of snowshoeing across North America, beginning with models developed by North American Indigenous people. He touched on the different styles of modern snowshoes that are available and talked about the snowshoe clubs that dotted the country from the 1840’s to the 1940’s.

Throughout the day Victoria Baker, also of Iverson Snowshoes, was doing a demonstration and answering questions of how they lace traditional snowshoes. This was interesting to watch because it showed the difficult technique it takes to hand make these types of snowshoes.

Then at 3:00pm Tom Oliver led an informative lecture on the snowshoe hare, its habitat, and lifecycle. Participants learned about the differences between hares and rabbits and the influencing factors leading to the drastic decline in hare populations across North America in recent years.

To close out the event at 8:30pm, Amy Oestreich and Chris Guibert led an adventurous group on a wilderness, moonlit snowshoe hike. These hikes are a chance for guests to venture into the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park by moonlight and stargaze without the disruption of light pollution and maybe even have the chance to spot some wildlife.

To learn more about the Snowshoe Hare event in general and to stay up-to-date on next year’s Snowshoe Hare, go to:

• Keweenaw Mountain Lodge | Outdoor Activities | Snowshoeing | Snowshoe Hare

The first full moon of 2024 rose on Thursday January 25th,  the Wolf Moon.

This January’s Moonlit Snowshoe Hike on January 27th, corresponded with the annual Snowshoe Hare event which included multiple activities celebrating snowshoeing in the Keweenaw, and was under the Wolf Moon. The owners of Iverson Snowshoes, Jim and Victoria Baker, treated participants with the opportunity to walk in the snow with traditional wood snowshoes made by Iverson. In the morning, a guided exploration on snowshoes was offered by naturalist Tom Oliver with MTU’s Center for Science and Environmental Outreach. After working up an appetite on the trails, folks could try a bowl of rabbit stew or other rustic worldly food items from the Little Cabin Cafe. In the afternoon, guests observed presentations about the History of Snowshoeing, Snowshoe Hare Ecology and even learned how to lace traditional snowshoes.

As night time approached and the skies turned to dark, we hoped for a full moon to light our adventures on the Moonlit Snowshoe Hike. Typically January in the Keweenaw brings cold temperatures and endless snow to cover the winter paths. The colder temperatures sometimes help keep the night skies clear and the continuous fresh snow light and fluffy. However, being an outdoor enthusiast and hobbyist skywatcher, I have learned that the word “typical” may not be a dependable tool for planning our adventures. Sometimes the weather can be uncooperative, and that was the case this evening. Moonlight and fresh snow amiss; the adventurers hiked on.

To many individuals, full moons are one of the most dramatic sights in the night sky. Every month, Earth’s moon goes through its phases, waning and waxing in its constant transformation from new moon to full moon and back again. Full moons occur approximately 29.5 days as the moon moves to the side of Earth directly opposite the sun, reflecting the sun’s rays off its full face and appearing as a brilliant, perfectly circular disk.

For millennia, humans have used the movement of the moon to keep track of the passing year and set schedules for hunting, planting, and harvesting. Ancient cultures and Native Americans have given these full moons names based on the behavior of the plants, animals, or weather during that month. Although many Native American tribes gave distinct names to the full moons, the most widely accepted names come from the Algonquin tribes who lived in the area of New England and westward to Lake Superior.

One of the names that January’s full moon carries is Wolf Moon. It was thought that the wolves howled in hunger as they lamented over the scarcity of food midwinter. Perhaps more accurately though, howling and other wolf vocalizations are heard more clearly in the wintertime and are used to locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, define territory and coordinate hunts. The eerie sounds of resident coyotes and local wolf packs have recently been filling the nights in Copper Harbor. This possibly unfamiliar sound to visitors may create chills and even seem unnatural. However it may be one the purest forms of nature and the natural world. Oftentimes, this wild communication conjures up a connection between humans and wolves; a connection telling us we are part of this moment. The sound of howling may be a reminder that when hiking by traditional snowshoes under the blanket of darkness in the winter, that we too may not be far removed from our natural state. It has even been suggested that the Wolf Moon offers us greater opportunity for deep self-reflection.

During our adventure, the moon did not light our way and the wolves did not howl. In fact, the night was not typical, the temperatures were warmer than expected and the snowfall was less than average. Following the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge’s core value of, “Adapt accordingly to the situation and react in a positive manner” we welcomed the “non-typical” conditions.

While reflecting on the natural scene around me; I realized…maybe “typical”, “expectations” and “average” are not what we desire when we wander into the night seeking guidance by moonlight and the natural world.

Stargazing at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is an activity that can be enjoyed by anyone. The Keweenaw Dark Sky Park was designated as Michigan’s third International Dark Sky Park on June 21, 2022, with the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge (KML) being the headquarters for the dark sky park. Since then the team at the KML has been working to create great stargazing experiences.

[ View the history of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park’s application ]

We view stargazing as a way to get in touch with nature. The Earth, our natural world, is part of our solar system which is a small part of the Milky Way Galaxy which is even a smaller part of the known universe. Looking up and seeing a clear night sky opens the door to our universe. The sheer beauty is one aspect of what draws us to stargazing and chasing the northern lights, however it goes beyond the visual. Looking at the stars has enlarged our perspective; it helps remind us about how insignificant we are and why we are here on planet Earth. Man’s impact on our planet, and even the night sky, is significant. More than 80 percent of humanity is affected by light pollution from artificial light. Animals and plants on this planet (as well as humans) have genetically adapted to regular day/night/seasonal cycles that have been completely interrupted by the glow created by artificial lights. One of the goals of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in becoming a dark sky park is to foster dark skies across the Keweenaw. We want to provide experiences and educational opportunities so individuals can learn about the impact of artificial light on the natural world. Our hope is that you leave the Lodge more knowledgeable than when you came.

Stargazing is a year round activity at the Lodge. The property is open at night to guests 365 nights of the year. Providing educational materials and information regarding the night sky is a year round endeavor. For lodging guests, telescopes are available to borrow as part of the telescoping lending program. We use a bulletin board inside the lodge to post informational posters about the night sky. Inside the Outdoor Activity Center (OAC) the Astro Board is updated each week to inform guests of celestial happenings in the night sky.

In this post, we review some of the night sky activities and celestial events that happened in 2023.

January

• Guided a Moonlit Snowshoe Hike on January 7th: The purpose of our moonlit snowshoe hikes is to provide a night time adventure, introduce them to the Dark Sky Park, and provide an educational experience about the Lodge and property.
• Hosted a Night Sky Photo Workshop on January 28th

February

• Guided a Moonlit Snowshoe Hike on February 4th. This was part of our annual Snowshoe Hare event
• Northern Lights – A G3 solar storm takes place on February 26th. A strong solar storm hit the Keweenaw
• Hosted a Northern Lights Photo Workshop on February 18th

March

• Guided a Moonlit Snowshoe Hike on March 4th
• Hosted a Night Sky Photo Workshop on March 19th

April

• Installed the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park at the main entrance of KML, on US Hwy 41: We were able to put up an entrance sign for the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park. We removed an outdated KML sign and created a new wooden sign displaying the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park and the International Dark Sky Association’s logos. [ Note: the International Dark Sky Association has changed its name to Dark Sky International ]
• Hosted the Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival: The team wanted to create an educational event that was unique to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan focused on the night sky. We partnered with Visit Keweenaw to launch a dark sky festival that will take place annually. Speakers came from across the region to share their expertise on the northern lights, photographing the night sky, and astronomy.
• Started the Lights Out! Program: Installed light switches for the 28 dark sky compliant street lights that are on the property as part of our lighting improvement, and which is inline with our light management plan. Having light switches for each street light allows us to completely shut off the lights for a program we call Lights Out!. We originally started the Lights Out! program for three days a month around the new moon, and later in the year we switched this to seven days a month.

May

• Installed a Dark Sky Viewing Area Map in the parking lot
• Hosted a Night Sky Photo Workshop on May 20th
• First Northern Lights captured on the All-Sky Web Camera on May 19th. Team member Martin Mueller was able to get the All-sky Camera to capture the Northern Lights for the first time! This special project had gone through multiple tests for the last few years, and it was wonderful to see the Northern Lights captured on the camera. 

June

• Designed new golf course scorecard that incorporates the dark sky park and the night sky activities — Play golf during the day, stargaze at night. Implemented a policy that golfers had to be off the golf course by 7pm to allow for people to walk the golf course and scout stargazing locations.
• Hosted a Night Sky Photo Workshop on June 18th
• Started working with APT Solar Solutions — 3D Solar Lighting Fixture Pilot: The Lodge became part of a test project that Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti of Adaptable Powerful Transformative (APT) Solar Solutions started. APT is partially funded by a grant from the MDEC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation) MEDC’s which works with high-tech startups in Michigan. We agreed to test 10 of the newly developed solar lights to see how they perform in the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.
• Worked with National Geographic on an article about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

July

• Grant awarded to the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge to improve our night sky lighting. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge was awarded an $8,000 grant to install a wireless system to control our street lights remotely. This grant program was offered by the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform to purchase and install Synapse TL7-B2 wireless modules for the 28 street lights on the property. These modules allow the Lodge team the ability to easily control the streetlights for better night sky viewing.
• Hosted a Night Sky Photo Workshop on July 16th
• Construction of the Dark Sky Walking Path to Hole 4 Fairway: The team worked on leveling a path to Hole 4 of the golf course. This is one of a few paths that we call a Dark Sky Walking Path that guide people to some of the darker places in the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

August

• Aurora August 4 – caught on All Sky Camera
• Night Sky Photo Workshop on August 18th
• Hosted a Perseid Meteor Shower Party on August 12th
• Purchased a Celestron First Scope Telescope. This is a Dobsonian style scope that needs to be set on a table.
• Updated the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park Map

September

• Northern Lights Photo Workshop on September 17th
• An entrance poster created to notify guests when there is a possibility of Northern Lights that night
• Northern Lights – a G2 level solar storm is visible across the Keweenaw – September 18th – 19th: 10:00pm – 5:00am

October

• Created an Informational Poster – Using Red Lights in Dark Sky Parks
• Hosted a Northern Lights Photo Workshop on October 15th
• Installed light posts and signage for the Dark Sky Walking path to hole 7. The APT Solar Solutions — 3D Solar lighting fixtures were attached to the top of the posts.
• Started installing the Wifi Modules on street lights. The wireless control system allows us to control the street lights remotely, which helps with improving the guest experience for dark skies.

November

• Hosted a Night Sky Photo Workshop on November 11th
• Team member John Mueller led a light management workshop for a third year in a row on November 10th. This time we incorporated the workshop into a seminar with Visit Keweenaw as part of their Sustainable Tourism Seminar Series. John Barentine, who is the Executive Officer and Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, a consultancy offering professional services in the areas of light pollution, joined virtually via Zoom from Tucson, Arizona.

December

• Started uploading videos from the All-sky Camera to the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge’s Youtube account
• Hosted a Northern Lights Photo Workshop on December 9th
• Finished installing light posts and signage for the Dark Sky Walking path to hole 7
• Testing red lights around the property to enhance night sky viewing, and to let guests understand how red lights are better for stargazing. White LED light bulbs were replaced with red LED light bulbs at the entrance of the Lodge building and on the entry pillars at the entrance of the property on US Hwy 41.

2023 proved to be an exciting year for stargazing at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. The team worked together to provide guests many educational and adventure activities based around the night sky. We continued to have dark skies (see the dark sky quality measurement readings – measured monthly in 8 of the 12 months in 7 spots on property for 43 readings, with an average SQM of 21.45) and build out more of the infrastructure of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park. And we learned something new everyday. One of the Lodge team’s core values is to “be fearless and persistent in learning on a daily basis” and our activities in 2023 mirrored that as it related to the dark skies. To see what others have been saying about the Lodge’s dark sky activities and read more about the dark sky park, check out the press coverage page of the website. There were well over 20 wonderful articles written about the subject in 2023.

The night sky for 2024 is already making headlines. Solar activity is expected to strengthen in 2024, which could activate more frequent displays of the northern lights, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Comet C/2023 A3 might light up our autumn sky and the 2024 total eclipse will cross most of the United States. Our team looks forward to another year of stargazing and providing some fun adventures to help our guests expand their (and our) perspective of the night sky.

Visit Keweenaw’s Video during the 2023 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival about the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

Mountain biking, hiking, and trail running are some of the many reasons why people venture north to the Keweenaw. There are a plethora of trail systems across the Keweenaw Peninsula however the trails around Copper Harbor are the most well-known for people coming from around the world. At the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, we have the Outdoor Activity Center (OAC), which acts as a basecamp and information center for people staying at the Lodge. The OAC team prides itself in providing a great experience for those individuals, with a focus on helping them be adventuresome and get in touch with nature. This is inline with the resort’s focus on outdoor activities, rustic worldly food, and education.

The 2022-2023 winter season was a strange one for weather. There was a rain event every month and almost a foot of snow came down in the beginning of May. This quickly melted and preparations of the trails began. The trails are maintained by both the Copper Harbor Trails Club and the KML team. The KML team went immediately to work marking, signing and clearing for the Back 9 Endurance Run which takes place over the Memorial Day Weekend. This 12/24-hour endurance run brings runners from across the region. For 2023, thirty nine runners came out to challenge themselves and to connect with nature. Mother Nature rewarded runners with a beautiful warm and clear weekend.

The beginning of the summer of 2023 was a buggy one. The weird winter and spring weather created many water stashes that were favorable breeding areas for blackflies and mosquitoes. Black Fly males hatched around May 25th and the biting females showed up on May 30th. We have a few tricks up our sleeve to avoid them, like long sleeves or running fast or riding your bike even faster (ha!). Other options to minimize the bugs is to wear protective clothing or hike along the shoreline of Lake Superior where you will usually find a breeze. The bugs usually subside sometime in June when we all take a collective sigh of relief.

For the summer of 2023 we continued with the educational component to the Morning Miles hikes. The Morning Miles hikes take place at 10am on both Tuesday and Thursdays throughout the summer and fall season. On Thursdays, lead guide Amy O utilized her degree in Recreation and Tourism (and a minor in Environmental Studies) to lead an interpretive hike. She discussed everything from plant identification to the history of the Lodge. The most frequent Morning Mile hike was down the Dancing Bear Trail and up the historic Red Trail. This 3 mile loop has some fascinating geology as it runs under some conglomerate rock cliffs and along two different ridges. We also incorporated Leave No Trace ethics into the talks and pushed for guests to be mindful of their surroundings and other guests. The OAC team also created two handouts for guests to take along on their hikes: picture guides to some of the flora and fauna found on the KML property.

Supply chain issues in the bike industry finally leveled out and we were able to round out our fleet of full suspension Trek Fuel Ex 8s, we added an extra small, another small and another extra large bike to our quiver. We feel this is an ideal bike for guests to explore the rocky and rooty trails of the Copper Harbor Trail System. For kids bikes we added another two Roscoes 24 bringing our total to six Trek Roscoes 24s and 2 Trek Precalibers. Our first bike rental was on May 21st and the last was on October 21st.

With every bike rental we send out we offer instruction to the rider about the newer components on the bike that they might not be familiar with. This includes use of the one-by shifting system and the dropper post. The OAC staff takes it one step further where we take the time and show the guests some basic riding skills that are appropriate for the Copper Harbor Trail System. If we have a chance we will ride them over to the Back 9 Trails to make sure they are operating the bike properly. This season I was also able to offer Beginner Mountain Bike Skills with Coach Chris on Saturday mornings a few times. This class covers just a few mountain bike fundamentals like body position and reading the trail.

Run the Keweenaw is a multi day trail running event that took place on July 8th and 9th and brought runners to different trail systems on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Events included a 6k Mt. Baldy Summit Run, 10K Copper Harbor Trails Challenge, 10K Copper Harbor Trails Non-Competitive Run/Hike, 2K Junior Trail Run, 25K Carl Olson Memorial Adventure Run, and 50k Keweenaw Trail Ultra and a stage race consisting of multiple runs. The runs in Copper Harbor used parts of the KML property and we were happy to help host this fun event.

Another big silent sports event in Copper Harbor is Trails Fest held over the Labor Day Weekend. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge was title sponsor of the event for 2021 and 2022. During the spring of 2023 the Copper Harbor Trails Club (CHTC) and the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge (KML) mutually agreed for the Lodge to move on from the title sponsorship of Trails Fest. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge title sponsorship started when the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge stepped up to take over late in the season in 2021. This now lets both organizations to focus on core competencies and joint future collaborative projects. One collaborative project that started on the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge property in 2022 was building a new Emergency Route. This route would allow an ATV with a gurney to access the base of Danimal and Flying Squirrel. Work will continue on this route into 2024. It was great to see the success of the CHTC’s 30th Annual Trails Fest which provided a weekend of great races along with some of the best weather of the year.

After the excitement of Trails Fest and the Labor Day weekend we rolled (and ran) into the fall season at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. This is some of the nicest time of year to come and hike and ride on the trails that surround the Lodge. The fall colors peaked out in late October, later than most years, with some of the nicest weather of the season available to those that waited to visit. We closed the bike wash and tool tree on October 25th and started to prepare the winter trails for the upcoming season of cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Snow will be here before we know it.

Update 12/29/2023

The mountain biking and hiking season has been extended this season! The fall weather has been warm with very little snow. Recent rains have melted all the snow on the ground as of December 29th. It’s great to see people enjoying getting outside.

[ to read the 2022 and 2021 recaps ]

At the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge we believe in marrying history with the future to get to a vibrant and progressive present. This concept has us looking forward first to visualize what our team can do to improve the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge as a sustainable business. We make decisions based on our core values and our focus on outdoor activities, rustic worldly food, and education. For the 2023-2024 winter season we have been fostering new relationships and preparing better for the snow (which has been delayed in coming this winter season). Here are some of the things we have been working on:

• Snow Terrain Park
• Snurfers
• Moonbikes
• More Signage
• Being better prepared for the winter
• Sustainability of winter activities

Snow Terrain Park

We have been thinking about and building the concept of the Snow Terrain Park for the last few years. To help us visualize the possibilities, we have been clearing the overgrowth and walking the land numerous times during the summer and winter months over the past several years. One possibility is to build some features for snowboards and skis to ride. Another possibility is to leave some of the terrain open for riding powder on Snurfers. We will be experimenting with both these options this winter.

Snurfers

This fall the Lodge started a relationship with Snurfer Boards, a historically significant Michigan business in the winter-sports arena. The Snurfer was born in Muskegon, Michigan by Sherman Poppen on Christmas day in 1965. He bound two kid’s skis together for his daughters to “surf” down the snow on the local hills. Then in 1966, Sherman patented his idea as a Surf-Type Snow Ski. His wife suggested combining the words “snow” and “surf” and the iconic Snurfer was born. The Snurfer company has gone through a recent rebirth and has recently moved back to Muskegon. This year the Lodge will be offering them for rent in the Outdoor Activity Center.

Moonbikes

Another addition to the Lodge this year is a MoonBike. A MoonBike is the world’s first electric snow-bike which is equipped with a track at the rear and is steered by a ski at the front, they have been produced since 2021 in the heart of Haute-Savoie (French Alps), in the Bosch factory.

Individuals and organizations are using them for different reasons. Some places do guided MoonBike tours while others have MoonBikes for rent. The Lodge is testing the MoonBike to see how it handles and fits into the winter outdoor activities we offer at the Lodge. After this season we will assess if they are a good fit for rentals or tours. We are also testing it to see if we can use it to groom trails for fat tire biking or grooming in the snow terrain park. We can see possibly a hybrid of a workhorse and recreational vehicle.

More Signage

This fall we have been adding more signage around the property. We have been adding signage to the Dark Sky Walking Paths and the Winter Trails Areas. The Dark Sky Viewing Path signs will help guide people out to some of the better dark sky viewing areas on the golf course. The Winter Trail Area signs will inform people of some of the basic rules when being on the property during the winter.

Map showing the Dark Sky Walking Paths at the Lodge

This fall we also installed 10 solar lights that we are testing on the Dark Sky Walking Path out to Hole 7. We added a red translucent tape over the lights and covered the motion detectors in hopes to provide a minimal, less-invasive lighting. These lights were made by APT Solar Solutions which is one of four companies receiving funding through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform. We hope the extreme winters (with little daylight) here at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge can provide some good data for this project.

Being Better Prepared for the Winter

Maintaining the winter trails at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is a team effort. This will be our fourth year of having the Lodge open for the winter and we’ve learned that being prepared is the first step. We have been prepping the machinery and gear throughout the fall. Jobs we used to have other companies perform we now do ourselves.

Sustainability of Winter Activities

One of our Core Values is to, “Be fearless and persistent in learning on a daily basis” And we can honestly say that we have learned a lot over the last few winter seasons. See the recaps of the outdoor activities over the last three winter seasons:

• Winter Outdoor Activities Update for the KML: 2022-2023
• Winter Outdoor Activities Update for the KML: 2021-2022
• Winter Outdoor Activities Update for the KML: 2020-2021

If you read the recaps you can see our team has learned some lessons by trial and error and others by just getting out and doing it – which is part of the small experiment concept that helps us learn and improve. We have learned the importance of preventive maintenance and redundancy in equipment, for example, we now put tracks on both of the gators so we have two machines that can groom the trails if one is having a mechanical issue. We have learned some of the nuances to the snow and how the winds affect both the ski and snowshoe trails. And we have data to show some of the costs associated with the winter outdoor activities. At this point we are confident in the quality of the experience of the winter trails at KML and feel it necessary to charge a fee for use of the winter trails on the property. For the last three seasons we have not charged a fee. This fee purchases a Winter Trail Pass.

The Winter Trail Pass will include use of any of the winter trails, access to the lodge, bathrooms, and WiFi. Guests will still have to sign the waiver and acquire the trail pass before venturing out. Fees will help cover the cost of equipment, maintenance, staffing, etc. At the Lodge we work on different aspects of sustainability including financial sustainability. The Winter Trail Pass program will help work towards financial stability for winter outdoor activities at the lodge.

The final thing we need to make this winter season special is snow. As of December 15, 2023 Keweenaw County has only received 25” of snow, all of which has melted in the recent rains. It is time to summon Heikki Lunta, do a snow dance, or put a spoon under your pillow – whatever you can do to help make snow to create the winter wonderland that the Keweenaw and Michigan is known for.

The December 9, 2023 Aurora Photography Workshop was the twelfth workshop of 2023 at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. Throughout the year we held night sky photo workshops every month as part of our educational initiatives at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in association with being the headquarters of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

Four guests attended the workshop, all of which were staying at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. We have noticed over the past year that guests are booking their stay to attend the workshop and take advantage of the Lights Out! The Lights Out event at the Lodge is a three-to-seven day event where the Lodge turns off all the street lights and other lights to increase one’s stargazing experience.

Nate Bett was the instructor for the class. Nate has a diverse background in photography including attaining an MFA from Parsons The New School For Design in 2012, working for Canon cameras at trade shows and teaching photo classes at NMU.

The Night Sky Photo Workshops are broken into two segments: an inside presentation and an outside, hands-on portion. This night’s class started at 7:00pm and Nate launched into a digital slideshow covering topics like: preparations for a night sky photo shoot, Aurora basics, camera settings, and picking good locations.

Saturday was an interesting day in terms of weather in December at the Lodge, as the temperatures were near 50 degrees. As well, it was overcast throughout the day with rain mixed into the activities. The evening cooled off, offering some snow, but no open skies for stargazing and night time photography. So the attendees and Nate were not able to spend time outside after the inside lecture. However, attendees were able to spend time with Nate asking specific questions about cameras and night-time photography  — specific to taking photos of the beautiful Northern Lights.

Our next photo workshop will be held during the new moon in January, on January 12th:

• Stargazing: Northern Lights Photography Workshop, January 12, 2024 
  

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