Our wonderful, hard-working kitchen staff has been extra hard-working and wonderful this week as they planned, prepared, and tested our new full length staples menu, with the rest of the staff acting as guinea pigs. Honestly, that’s how hard our lives are, we have to eat experimental cheesecakes and tacos at work.

Chef Patrick is showcasing his skills as a vegan chef with a selection of delicious, plant-based items, but fear not, carnivores, we have plenty of awesome choices for you guys, too. This menu will be offered every day, alongside the specials we have been offering this season.

Whether you have your heart set on a fresh Burrito Bowl, a tender Veal Shank dinner, or want to treat yourself to the Cheesecake of the Week, we have something for everyone.

Don’t forget, this Father’s Day (June 16th), we are hosting a golf tournament and featuring four specialty burgers to celebrate dad. We will also be welcoming Widad Mueller, our first guest chef, at the end of June, when she will bring flavors of her native Lebanon to the top of the Keweenaw.

We can’t wait for you to visit, and while you’re here, be sure to tag all of your Instagram photos with the hashtag #atthekml for a chance to be featured on our account!

On Father’s Day, June 16th, make it a special day at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge! We will have a special Father’s Day burger menu and a casual golf tournament for dad to get outside and enjoy the golf course. The Father’s Day menu will include 4 special burgers:

• Parrot-head Burger: a cheeseburger in paradise covered with grilled pineapple, jalapeño, and cheddar
• The Bear Bait Burger: Topped with thimbleberry jam, melty Gorgonzola, and caramelized onion 
• The Bear Repellent Burger: vegetarian burger with fresh veggies
• “Everything but the kitchen sink” Burger: two patties with just about everything. 

In addition, we will have out staples menu and specials menu available [ View the current menu ] Information about the golf tournament:

• 2-person best-ball, 9 holes
• Members: $20 per persons, Non-members: $40 per person
• Includes cart, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages

All gender, ages, and abilities welcomed. [ Learn more about the Father’s Day golf tournament event ] To register, call the Lodge at 906-289-4403 or send us an email at golf@keweenawresort.com.

Note: The golf course will be open for regular play on Sunday, June 12th, so golfers that are not playing in the tournament will be able to play throughout the day as well.

Can’t wait to see you up here!

Some of you have noticed that we have put up a yellow fence next to the putting green. 

To help the grass grow, we ask that if you are to using the restroom or walking into the Lodge, you keep the golf carts in the dirt area close to the cart path. By keeping off the grass, you are helping make the golf course and the overall facilities at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge a much more inviting place for everyone to enjoy.

Future Plans: We have plans to make the dirt area a place where people can hang out and sit outside (e.g. a Beer Garden). However, before we do that, we need to have the grass grow where it is currently growing, and to work on the drainage.  That way we can put landscaping in the location where the dirt is currently located.  This will entail putting in gutters and down spouts on the Lodge so the water coming off the Lodge roof is redirected away from Ocha Potter’s Pond (which appears where the dirt is currently located after a heavy rain).

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is tucked into the wilderness at the top of the Keweenaw peninsula in the U.P. of Michigan. While our scenic location is just the relaxing getaway many are looking for, there has been some concern about some of the connectivity issues at our location. Due to the remote location of our lodge and the Copper Harbor area in general, many are unable to receive cell service in the area. While we are working with cell phone providers to negotiate the possibility of having a cell tower put up in this northernmost part of the Upper Peninsula, right now, many people will likely not receive cell service at our location. 

We have also heard that some customers are experiencing internet connectivity troubles at our location as well. We are working to improve upon our lodging experience based on the feedback we have received. We have reached out to our internet provider and tech support to help decrease this issue of connectivity. As of right now, the Wi-Fi should be working at all of our cabins; however, the speed of the internet may be slower than what many people expect in urban areas. There is a stronger connectivity at our main lodge, and we are working with our provider to find different technology configurations to decrease any low connectivity issues that may occur at the cabins.

If you are traveling in the Upper Peninsula, we suggest that for immediate needs for cell service; we have found that the top of Brockway Mountain is one of the closest locations near Copper Harbor that is able to receive cell tower service.  And if you have Verizon you can receive cell phone services around the main Lodge building.

We appreciate your patience, and enjoyment of the wilderness, as we continue to improve our services both at the lodge and in the community. In the meantime, take a moment to disconnect and enjoy our cozy, social atmosphere.

The days of summer are starting to begin at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. The sun is coming up early in the morning and staying out late in the evening, the grass is growing on the golf course, and greens are getting mowed (new greens mower). As such, the 2019 summer season golf leagues weekly play will be begin next week.

The Women’s Golf League will start this Tuesday (June 11th), and the Men’s Golf League will begin this Wednesday (June 12th).

Information about the leagues can be found on the web site: https://keweenawmountainlodge.com/golf/golf-leagues/

To register, call the Lodge at 906-289-4403 or send us an email at golf@keweenawresort.com. Organizer: John Mueller.

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Head Chef, Patrick Mixis, joined the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge while looking for a change of pace from his Kalamazoo ventures. He’s a 2013 graduate from Western Michigan University with a degree in Food Service Administration and a focus in Dietetics and Nutrition. His career success includes opening a restaurant at the age of 24 – Feed The World Cafe & Restaurant in Kalamazoo, MI. He has also won various culinary awards and has been nominated for Innovator of the Year through Feeding America in 2017. His Feed The World Cafe & Restaurant was designed as a socially-responsible business to help provide food and funds to the local food bank, while still operating as a typical restaurant. He decided to branch out past Kalamazoo and found himself looking into the Copper Country after talking with one of his mentors who spends time in the area. His mentor suggested reaching out to his former professor from Western Michigan University – John Mueller, who recently took on the ownership and operation for the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. Patrick was ecstatic to take on the new challenge at the Lodge and experience a different culinary scene outside of Kalamazoo.

The menu that is offered at the Lodge could be characterized as high end blended with a local aesthetic. Our vision for dining at the Lodge is inspired by his drive to create an experience through a newly designed menu featuring both eclectic and ethnic foods. While he does not plan to abandon classic menu options like burgers or prime rib; he is striving to create a menu that is unique for the area and catered toward those looking for a new taste. Patrick’s key influence in the alteration of the menu is modern technology cooking, which features scientific culinary techniques such as spherification – a technique he is hoping to be able to eventually apply at the Lodge. While some of these culinary techniques are still being worked into the menu items, Patrick has brought his own influences into the dynamic specials menu.  

His focus for the Lodge is currently showcased through the plating etiquette of the dishes. Patrick is also a vegan certified chef; a certification he plans to put to use at the Lodge by creating vegetarian and vegan-friendly options.

In the upcoming summer months, the Lodge plans to bring in special guest chefs that will be serving special menu items. These guest chefs are mentors and colleagues of our Head Chef; many of whom specialize in specific culinary areas that will excite the palate of our dining guests. These chefs will be catering toward certain ethnic flavors, like Italian and Carribean.

While dining in the Lodge this upcoming summer, expect dynamic flavors with a global perspective. The mellow blend of unique ingredients we are planning to use in the kitchen will work to create a fusion of classic dishes with modern textures and flavors.

If you are interested in dining with us; you can find our restaurant hours online or call us at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge at (906)-289-4403 to make a dining reservation. Remember to frequently check our website to see our current specials and menu.  

It has come to our attention that non-Keweenaw county residents have asked why the Lodge makes a distinction between golfers that are from Keweenaw County and golfers that are not Keweenaw County as it relates to our green fees.

First, to point out the difference which individuals are questioning: Keweenaw County residents pay $3 and $5 less than non-Keweenaw County residents to play 9 or 18 holes of golf at the Lodge respectively. [ see current green fees ]

Our reasoning for charging Keweenaw County residents $3 (9-holes) and $5 (18-holes) less is that all Keweenaw County residents prior to the change in ownership in 2018 had supported the Lodge operations through their taxes, including the golf course. So we felt it was best to provide those residents with a small benefit when playing the KML golf course.

It is sad that individuals are concerned about this difference, as the green fees are still lower than what it costs to operate the golf course currently.

Average green fees for privately-owned golf courses is $40 for 18 holes on weekends. Our highest green fee for 18-holes currently is $30. If we keep at this rate, then the KML golf course has a higher probability of not surviving — the majority of the golf courses that closed in 2016 charged below $40 per 18 holes.

To better understand this situation, it costs the Lodge more than $500 in labor per day to keep the golf course in its current shape. This means to cover only the golf course maintenance costs, the Lodge needs to have at least 28 nine-hole rounds of golf (assuming the average green fee for 9-holes is $18). And this calculation does not include any other labor costs related to golf, nor material costs, nor equipment costs (e.g. fuel for the greens mower, purchasing a new greens mower, maintaining the greens mower, etc.).

To help individuals better understand how much goes into running a golf course, going forward we want to provide additional information and be transparent in our operational decisions so golfers have a better understanding of the decisions we are making for the golf course at the Lodge.

Note: the staff at the Lodge is looking to grow the entire Keweenaw, and the owner has investment in Houghton county. So this decision is not to create a difference between Houghton and Keweenaw counties. Rather, and to reiterate the point above, the decision is to provide a small benefit to those that kept the golf course going over the years.

Connie Hiltunen, our head of housekeeping, has been working at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge (KML) for over 19 seasons — she started working at the Lodge in 2000. Her upbeat attitude has been a sure staple for all who have met her.

Before joining the Lodge in 2000, Connie worked in Copper Harbor with the Country Store.  She wanted to experience a change, but stay in the harbor.  She began working at the Lodge in the pro shop. When she first started in the pro shop, she knew nothing about golf; however, she quickly picked up on the golfing lingo and found herself at the pro-shop for two years. Connie enjoyed the various conversations she had with the many golfers she met; whether they were locals from town, tourists from out-of-state, or members of the golf league.

After working in the pro shop for two years, she decided to take a year-long break from her work at the lodge. When she returned, she spent one season working in the kitchen before being offered the position of housekeeping supervisor in 2004. Connie has remained the head of housekeeping since 2004, and her dedication to this position is the result of having an amazing housekeeping team that makes working at the lodge a great experience.  

Some of the things that Connie enjoys about working at the Lodge for all these years would be the wildlife and scenic drive that she is able to see and experience every day. Last year, there was a doe and two fawns that would often hang around the golf course and lodge. Connie was fortunate enough to see both of the fawns up close when they wandered beside her office window. The fawns were not the only small animals that could be seen at the KML, such as the sandhill cranes that spend each year walking along the golf course with their younglings. She had recalled the rare experience she had one year when there was a moose that had traveled onto the golf course. The facilities staff had originally spotted the moose, which had wandered from the wall at the edge of the course and moved up to Hole 6. If you are looking to see wildlife, the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge would be a good place to start.

One of the fawns from outside Connie’s office window.

As head of housekeeping and a seasoned employee, you would believe Connie would have many stories about the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. She shared a comical story about a special instance with the local wildlife and one of her housekeeping staff. A few years back at the lodge, there were several foxes that had made their home near the entrance of the resort. While cleaning one of the cabins with the door open, one of the housekeeping staff turned around to see the fox looking in on them. The staff had to quickly sneak behind the cabin door and shut it before the fox had a chance to venture into the log cabins.

For Connie, the one thing that will never get old while working at the Lodge is the ability to see the beauty of the area on her commute to Copper Harbor. The scenic drive is something she would recommend to anyone traveling through the area. She travels the Brockway Mountain Drive and Route M-26 in the mornings, where she insists the sunrises are absolutely unbeatable.   

Every year, Connie is drawn to come back and work at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. If you stop over to the Lodge, you will find yourself surrounded by the beauty of the pines, wildlife, and the coziness of our cabins. For all travelers, I would suggest listening to Connie’s advice – take a moment to wake up early and experience a Keweenaw sunrise at the top of Brockway Mountain. It is only a short drive from the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, and although the mountain can be seen from the first tee of our golf course, the view from the top of the mountain is truly captivating.    

At the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge (KML), we take every moment to learn from our past and influence the future through this Copper County landmark. Today was a learning experience for our lodge team and management. The KML values transparency with our customers, and with new ownership, we want to take a moment to let all of our guests understand the uncommon incident that occurred tonight at the lodge.

In the excitement over Experience The Keweenaw -Taste of the Harbor event, we proudly sent staff down to serve our prime rib taco cross-over – the Prime on the Run. Our three members in attendance at the event were able to help raise over $200 for the Copper Harbor Trails Club. The success of this event was a cheerful experience for the staff that attended and were able to meet with various community members who were excited to taste the food being made at the Lodge.

Up the hill at the Lodge, our team faced a different situation. This weekend was the first busy weekend that we as a team faced at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, with both a gorgeous day for golfing and a perfect day to spend outside in the Keweenaw. Shortly after our few staff members left to work the Taste of the Harbor event, we at the lodge were blessed to see a high increase in our dining patrons; this was unexpected as we felt most people would be attending the Copper Harbor event. As the rush of new guests filled our dining hall, our team at the lodge quickly became overwhelmed and we were understaffed. Our one server on shift was responsible for tending to the dining tables – which had filled our porch dining area. Our wait staff and kitchen staff worked diligently, but we still faced a dilemma tonight. We were unable to meet our high standards of service which resulted in customers having waited up to two hours for food.

We are becoming more aware that our new staff is still adjusting to our new season menus and that our wait staff can easily become overwhelmed if a rush like this occurs. We had believed that with the event in Copper Harbor would draw the dinner crowd, but unfortunately, we made this wrong assumption. Going forward, we now understand that the crowd in Copper Harbor is likely to flow into our atmosphere.

Leading up to this day, we at the KML faced a few challenges- with power outages yesterday from the winds to tonight with our staffing miscalculation, kitchen changes, our lead chef being under the weather and unable to be in the kitchen to communicate to with the team, underestimating our food inventory, and bar spills – but we promise all that we plan to learn from these challenges.

Our Learning Points:

• Ensure we have a backup chef and become better prepared with our menus
• Decrease our service bottleneck/backup in the kitchen
• Test our generators and be more aware of what those generators are able to power including our water plant and pressure
• Double down and ensure we are well staffed early in our season

To all those who were dining in the lodge tonight for dinner, the team at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge would like to send a sincere appreciation for your patience and understanding with the struggles we faced tonight. We hope you understand that we plan to take this experience, not in stride, but to be proactive to ensure that we will learn from tonight’s incident to keep improving our service in the restaurant and overall operations.

As we look forward to tomorrow Memorial Day breakfast, we have already begun preparing for the breakfast tomorrow and increased our staff to provide a more joyous experience our customers. We hope to see many familiar and new faces for breakfast on this upcoming  Memorial Day. We would also like to extend a thank you to the men and women who served in our armed forces and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom here at home.

From the staff at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge – Thank you and we wish the best to everyone on this Memorial Day.  

Come experience the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge golf course on Memorial Day, May 27th. Play golf, be with the local community, enjoy the start of summer in the Keweenaw while remembering and honoring the lives of those that have died serving in the United States Armed Forces over the years.

• 2-person best-ball, 9 holes
• Members: $20 per persons, Non-members: $40 per person
• Includes cart, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages

Teams can tee-off at one’s leisure between 10am and 3pm on Monday, May 27th. Tee times are not required, however, if one wants to ensure they are able to tee off when they want, call to reserve tee times.

All gender, ages, and abilities welcomed.

To register, call the Lodge at 906-289-4403 or send us an email at golf@keweenawresort.com.

Prizes:

• 1st place: 1 night stay in 1-bedroom cabin*, with $50 food voucher (for each person on the team)
• 2nd place: $50 food voucher (for each person on the team)
• 3rd place: $25 food voucher (for each person on the team)

* The 1-night stay is based upon availability and must be used within the 2019 summer season.

All prizes are in the name of the person that entered the tournament, and can not be sold, exchanged, or given to another person.

Handicaps

USGA handicaps will be used. Individuals that do not have a USGA handicap will play off of scratch (Handicap: 0).

Male golfers get 80-percent of their course handicap, female golfers get 95-percent of their course handicap.

If one of the players on a team has a handicap of 9 or less, then the handicap differential between players on the same team must be 5 or greater.

Note: The golf course will be open for regular play, so golfers that are not playing in the tournament will be able to play throughout the day as well.