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. I checked our Ambient Weather Station and 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.

 

 

Unfortunately, our regular instructor, Nate Bett, had called in sick a few hours before the class. I reached out to another one of our instructors, Tom Oliver but I was unsure if he would make it. I started to prepare to teach the class myself using Nate’s curriculum but then I received a text from Tom saying he was available. Tom is currently the Director, Center for Science and Environmental Outreach at Michigan Tech and had previously worked at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. He has a rich and diverse background in education, wildlife biology and photography. Coincidently he was teaching a class earlier in the day at Copper Country Arts Center, Photograph the Aurora Using Science, Data, and Forecasting. Apparently he was up for round two!

Having taught this workshop before, Tom used his own presentation. Only one participant had shown up for the workshop so she was treated to a personable one-on-one lesson. The guest and I listened intently as Tom touched base on camera techniques, locations to shoot and equipment. 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. The guest informed us that since she traveled by plane and had left her photo gear at home. Tom asked if she would like to hear more about the aurora and offered to run through his Photograph the Aurora Using Science, Data, and Forecasting class. She thought that would be a great idea and 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.

 

 

 

 

At the end of the night our minds were filled and we both left the Lodge with more knowledge than when we came. Thank you Tom! Our next photo workshop will be held during the 2024 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival in April.


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.

 




2024 Snowshoe Hare Recap

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.

The menu of the day at the LCC and the special French influenced Rabbit Stew

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.

The Educational Snowshoe Adventure stops to discuss the fresh holes left by a pileated woodpecker.

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.

The view from the top of the Brockway Mountain Ridge.

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.

Jim Baker of Inversion Snowshoes discusses Native American snowshoe styles.

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.

Victoria Baker of Iverson Snowshoes focuses on the weaving the neoprene on a set 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.

Tom Oliver discusses the habitat of the snowshoe hare.

This slide discusses the difference between the tracks of a snowshoe hare and a cottontail rabbit.

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:


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.




Stargazing 2023 Season Recap – Fostering the Night Sky

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.

Educational posters on the bulletin board

The Astro Board inside the OAC


 

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

January

Participants gather outside the Lodge for the January 7th Moonlit Snowshoe Hike

February

Northern Lights over the cabins during the G3 solar storm on February 26th

March

Full moon over the Lodge during the March 4th Moonlit Snowshoe Hike

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.

Astro Bob leads a presentation on Meteorites during the Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival

The new Keweenaw Dark Sky Park entrance sign
The new Keweenaw Dark Sky Park entrance sign

May

Installing the new Keweenaw Dark Sky Park map and sign in the parking lot

June

 

Image from the National Geographic photo shoot

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.

Using the Bobcat mini-ex to improve the Dark Sky Walking Path to Hole 4

August

New map that showcases the Dark Sky Walking Paths

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

Nate Bett instructs the September Northern Lights Photo Workshop

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.

A boom truck installing the Wifi modules on the street lights

Installing the Wifi modules on the street lights

November

Information about the November sustainable tourism event

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.

The new red light bulbs light the Lodge. The planet Venus is bright in the night sky.

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.

A newly installed APT Solutions solar light

Photographer Steve Hirsch captures the Milky Way Galaxy in the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park on August 12th

This bulletin board is used to share information about the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

The Keweenaw Dark Sky Park headquarters during the February 26th Northern Lights event


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


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.

 

 




Mountain Biking and Hiking 2023 Season Recap

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

KML lodging guests rented a bike and went for a mountain bike ride on December 29, 2023.

KML team members went for a Christmas Eve ride on the Flow Trail.

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 ]

 


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.




KML Outdoor Activities Winter Plans for the 2023-2024 Winter Season

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.

A guest rides a binding- less Hoveland board in the terrain park during the 2022-23 winter season

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.

Snurfer Station in the Winter OAC

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.

Assembling the MoonBike in the OAC

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.

Hanging signs and the APT Solar Solution Lights on the Hole 7 Dark Sky Walking Path

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.

Installing the winter tracks on the Gator

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:

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.

Trailcam on December 15, 2023 


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.




October 15, 2023: Northern Lights Photography Workshop Recap

The October 15, 2023 Aurora Photography Workshop was the second photo workshop of the fall at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and the tenth workshop of 2023. Throughout the year we offer night sky photo workshops every month as part of our educational initiatives at the Keweenaw Mountain in association with being the headquarters of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

It was a calm fall day and a peaceful evening at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. When reviewing data from our weather station after the workshop, the temperature only fluctuated 4 degrees in a 24 hour period. One of the good things ( or bad things, depending whom you ask) about being on the Keweenaw Peninsula is that the weather can change quickly. The old statement, ”If you don’t like the weather, just wait an hour” resonates with the Keweenaw residents (but is said by many around the country – Keweenaw residents fully grasp that we are surrounded by Mother Superior on 3 of our sides).

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.

The weather stayed mostly agreeable for the outside portion of the class. Nate gathered the group and they headed to Hole 5 of the golf course. Nate did a demonstration with his camera and helped a participant to focus her camera.

The clouds started to move in quickly and some light was reflecting off of them from the town of Copper Harbor. I frantically set up my camera to show the group my process. I was able to take this image of Jupiter framed between the trees before the clouds rolled in and the class ended.

Our next photo workshop will be held during the new moon in November, on November 11th:

  • Stargazing: Northern Lights Photography Workshop, November 11, 2023 

    Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.

 




September 30, 2023: Fall Color Photo Tour Recap

September 30th, 2023 proved to be an excellent day for the 2023 Fall Color Photo Workshop. The weather was perfect; the temperature was in the high 60s with very little wind. This year we did not have any participants but I still led the workshop to dial in the itinerary, timeline, and pacing. Plus, it was an excellent day to capture some images of the fall foliage that the Keweenaw is known for. This was the second time the Lodge offered the workshop, with the first time being the weekend of October 8-10, in 2021.

At age 30 I went back to school at Colorado Mountain College for their Professional Photography program. One of the required classes was called Creativity and Visual Thinking. It was in that class that I was introduced to the elements of composition. Learning these tools expanded my visual palette and made me a better photographer. I have created this workshop to focus on these fundamentals.

In the past I have conducted a similar class for the City of Sandpoint Adult Learning Program. I dug up my notes from the past workshops and put together visual examples to help people connect to the material. I spent an hour in the morning reviewing the material and then headed out to the first location, the Delaware Mine.

The view south from the Delaware Mine site.

The Delaware Mine is about 10 miles from the Lodge and is located along the Keweenaw Ridge. It is a private business and one of the many Keweenaw Heritage Sites which are official partners of Keweenaw National Historical Park. I entered the gift shop to pay the fee to be on the grounds. To be on the property you must watch a short introductory video which covers the history of the mine and some safety concerns. This helped me get in the mindset of the site and I was eager to grab the camera gear out of the car. I began taking photos of the old deteriorating mine buildings that are slowly blending into the natural landscape.

The forest intertwines with the ruins at the Delaware Mine.

The fall colors mix with vibrant greens.

I moved my camera around looking for new angles, trying to think outside the box. I found a patch of fall leaves and work on a composition that had depth and color.

I spent about 45 minutes taking photos around the surface of the mine. I decided not to descend into the mine , and stay focused above ground on the fall colors.

I hopped in the car and drove 5 minutes to the next stop on the tour, Wyoming Road. I have photographed this location many times over the last 10 years that I have called the Keweenaw home. It is a visually stunning display of color; a quiet dirt road lined with aspen and maple trees.

Wyoming Road in the fall.

I was in luck. The morning had remained overcast which softened the light and made the colors more vibrant. Max Foster, a fine art photographer from Minnesota, and I agree that “Overcast days are great for shooting fall colors.” I spent 20 minutes at Wyoming Road and then drove down the ridge to Haven Falls, a small roadside park near Lac La Belle. The falls @ Haven Falls in the fall season can range from just a trickle to a raging stream. This time it was just a trickle. I spent 20 minutes waiting for people to come and go before I could shoot the composition that looked right to me. I was able to compose a few images that I was happy with.

Haven Falls was just a trickle.

Just down the road was another roadside park, which is next to the mouth of the Little Gratiot River: Jackson Park. Jackson Park is not on most people’s radar, however, the park is an excellent place to launch a kayak or sit next to the slowly moving river.

I set the camera up on the riverbank and was able to photo some interesting reflections of the surrounding woods. There was not as much color as I was hoping for, however, the park still was an interesting place to photo.

Reflections on the Little Gratiot River.

The view from Jackson Park.

One of the reasons I chose September 30 for the Fall Color Photo Workshop was that there was a cider pressing event at the historic Central Mine townsite. Cider pressing has become a tradition every fall in the Keweenaw and I had yet to make it to the festivities. I stopped by my house and picked up Amy, who is both my wife and OAC team member, and we headed up the hill to the Central Mine. I was also thinking this might be a fun and interesting event to add into the mix for the photo workshop – a chance for participants to photo people and drink some fresh cider that they could make themselves. The volunteers were friendly and the fresh cider was sweet and slightly tart.

Making cider at the Central Town Site

After the cider pressing we explored the town of Central and discovered the old blasting shack. The dark, black rocks of the ruins created an interesting contrast against the colorful backdrop. A final stop at the infamous Central Church proved challenging. I have photographed this icon many times, however, I found it difficult to incorporate the fall colors into the image. I moved around the church, exploring it visually, trying to create an interesting composition. I found some red oak leaves across the street and laid on the ground until I came up with a satisfying photo.

Ruins at the Central mine site.

The Central Church in red

We had one final stop on the itinerary for the day, the little visited Monk Trails at the top of Jacob’s Creek. The sun was starting to break through the clouds and the nice soft light was becoming harsh. We quickly headed to the pond for a few quick shots. This property offers a lot for photographers to explore; canyons, ruins, ponds and trails are around every turn. I’ve been here many times and seem to discover new areas on every trip.

The pond at the Monk Trails

After an hour of exploring we called it quits. The light was too harsh for photographs and I felt satisfied with everything I had seen and done.

After some reflection I have narrowed down what we will like to offer for the 2024 Fall Color Photo Workshop. It will be a one day workshop that is offered on four different days during the peak of fall colors. This will allow multiple opportunities for guests to participate and also have some options if the weather is unagreeable. We like to say the fall weather on the Keweenaw is unpredictable, but as Ansel Adam’s said, “Bad weather makes good photography.” Feel free to reach out to me anytime during the year if you are interested in joining the 2024 Fall Color Photo Workshops. I can be reached at chris@keweenawresort.com or (906) 289-4403 ext 4.


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.




September 17, 2023: Northern Lights Photography Workshop Recap

The September 17, 2023 Aurora Photography Workshop was the first photo workshop of the fall at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and the ninth workshop of 2023. Throughout the year we offer night sky photo workshops every month as part of our educational initiatives at the Keweenaw Mountain in association with being the headquarters of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

Signs posted at the Lodge directing guests to the workshop.

During the spring and fall we change the theme of the night sky photo workshops to focus on capturing the auroras, commonly known as the Northern Lights. This time of year is loosely called the aurora season.

Poster for the September 17, 2023 Northern Lights Photo Workshop.

Twenty (20) people signed up for the class – which is the limit for the workshop. So we turned people away that wanted to attend after we hit the 20-person mark. That said, only 11 people attended.

Nate Bett was the instructor for the class. Every time I listen to Nate teach, I hear his passion for photography in every word that comes out of his mouth. He is one of those teachers that loves sharing his extensive knowledge.

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 8:00pm 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.

Instructor Nate Bett leads the workshop in a discussion about the northern lights.

Throughout the class, coffee and water are provided, and usually a special treat is created by Chef Wi. For this class, she made zucchini muffins with white chocolate chips, orange zest and currants from South Africa. These delicious muffins were right out of her personal recipe book that follows our Rustic Worldly Food dining concept.

Zucchini muffins made with white chocolate chips, orange zest and currants from South Africa.

As the class worked through the digital presentation I kept looking outside to check the weather. The clouds were not going to break and it was going to remain overcast. I informed the class we would not be able to do the hands-on, outside portion of the workshop. Nate offered to stick around and work with people on any camera questions they might have. The guests were excited to get some one on one time with Nate and his expertise.

Instructor Nate Bett helps participants with personal camera questions.

During the class I did receive an update from the Michigan Aurora Chasers Facebook group stating that a major solar G2 storm was going to hit the next night. I shared this information with the class and a wave of excitement filled the room. After the class I went right to bed to be rested for the potential showing of the next night’s aurora. And what a show it was…

Aurora forecast model for September 18-19, 2023

Northern lights over Bete Grise Beach in the early morning hours of September 19, 2023.

Our next photo workshop will be held during the new moon in October, on October 15th:

 


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.




August 18, 2023: Night Sky Photography Workshop Recap

The August 18th Night Sky Workshop was the third photo workshop this summer at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and the eighth workshop of 2023. We offer night sky photo workshops every month of the year as part of our educational initiatives for the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park

Tom Oliver, a former KML team member, now working in outreach for Michigan Tech, instructed the class of eleven appreciative learners from across the Midwest. Tom has a very engaging and enthusiastic teaching style and knowledge of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park that makes him a great fit for instructing these workshops. These classes are broken into two segments: an inside presentation and an outside, hands-on portion. 

The class started at 8:30pm and Tom launched into a digital slideshow covering topics like: preparations for a night sky photo shoot, astronomy basics, camera settings, and picking good locations.

The “inside” part of the workshop takes place in the Lodge’s Banquet Room.

Even though I have been a professional photographer for over twenty years, I always try to be fearless and persistent in learning on a daily basis, which is one of the core values of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. For this workshop I wanted to try to get a good picture of the night sky with my iPhone Pro Max 13. Many guests come to the workshop with just their phones and I wanted to expand my skill-set of using a phone for night sky photography. The OAC recently purchased a Kobra Tech tripod mount to hold smartphones for photography. I have been wanting to test this mount out so I thought the outside portion of the workshop would be the perfect time to test the mount.

The Kobra Tech smart-phone tripod mount.

As Tom was finishing up the main presentation I ran outside to check the weather. It was 10:10 pm and there was still some twilight blue sky to the west and north. 

The Lodge at twilight.

I suggested to Tom that we hold off for about 20 minutes for total darkness before bringing the group outside. “Does anyone want to see my presentation on the Northern Lights?” Tom asked. The group, eager for knowledge, enthusiastically said “Yes!”. We finished up inside around 10:30pm and headed outside. It was dark with just a little smoke in the air from the Canadian forest fires. The core of the Milky Way was already looming over the southern horizon. Tom and the group headed over to the fairway of Hole 5 of the golf course to work on capturing images of our home galaxy. 

I decided to head to the front of the Lodge to do the test of the Kobra Tech phone holder. I set the phone to capture a 30 second exposure in a raw digital format file. This type of file would give me the best post-processing capabilities in Photoshop later.  I then shot it with my Canon 5D Mark IV with a 2.8 L 16-35 III lens attached. I used these settings: lens set to 16mm focused on infinity –  ISO 3200 – 15 seconds at 2.8. 

Image information: iPhone Pro Max 13 – Settings: ISO 3200 – 30 seconds f1.8 – lens set to 13mm – photo by Chris Guibert

Image information: Camera: Canon 5D Mark 4 – Lens: Canon 16-35 L III Settings: ISO 3200 – 15 seconds f2.8 – lens set to infinity – photo by Chris Guibert

As you can see the Canon camera had a superior image quality. Since this is just my first test with the iPone on a tripod I still need to do some more experimenting. Afterwards I did some web searching and found this article stating that “Night Mode‌ isn’t available when the 48-megapixel setting is on”. This made me rethink what I did and what I need to do next time.

I circled back to Hole 5 to meet with Tom and the rest of the group. Tom was working with a couple from downstate on their first night sky photos they have ever taken. They were ecstatic with their results. The wife had given this trip to her husband as a birthday surprise since he was interested in learning astrophotography. It was dark and I could not see their faces, however, I could feel the smiles on their faces. They were done for the night; happy with their results. Tom walked over to another individual to give some pointers while I walked back with the couple towards their cabin. “Thank you, thank you, thank you for offering these classes,” the wife exclaimed! “You are welcome!” I joyfully responded, “This is what we love to do.”


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.




Perseid Meteor Shower Party 2023 Recap

On Saturday evening – Sunday morning of August 12th and 13th, we hosted a stargazing party as part of our activities associated with being the headquarters of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park. This stargazing party coincided with the Perseid Meteor shower, and the guests were rewarded with clear skies, falling meteors, and crystal clear views of the Milky Way.

The Perseid Meteor shower happens every year when the earth passes through the debris field left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet is on a 133 year orbit around our Solar System and was last seen in 1992. The trail of debris varies in density and is most dense with meteoroids near the middle. When the earth passes through the densest part of the debris field that is when the peak of a meteor shower will occur. This year the peak fell on the night of August 12th into the early morning hours of August 13th. 

When the Outdoor Activities Center (OAC) team realized this was only a few days away from the new moon, we knew this would be a great year to view the peak of the meteor shower because there would be little moonlight washing out the night sky. We decided to hold the viewing party on Hole 4 fairway of the golf course, which is one of the darkest open areas in the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park. Also for this event we extended the Lights Out program where we turn off all the street lights and other lights around the property.

The map to the Perseid Meteor Shower Viewing Party on hole 4 of the golf course. viewing party

A Dark Sky Walking Path, that is in its infancy and still being fully developed, was used to guide patrons to the viewing party area on hole 4 [ We are in the process of having signs made so we marked the trail with orange flags and some rechargeable lights that we set on the ground ]. OAC team member Amy O greeted people in front of the Outdoor Activity Center and pointed them in the direction of the viewing party. We work to create intimate activities at the Lodge and the Dark Sky Park, and this event followed those guidelines in order for people to get closer to nature. Having guests walk a quarter mile to the viewing area got people away from headlights of cars pulling up and the lights guests have on in their cabins.

Follow this map to an exciting night!

OAC team member Max Collings and I set up 12 chairs in the center of the fairway for guests to relax and take in the view. We patiently awaited their arrival. Around 10:45 people started heading out and we greeted them with a warm smile. Many people brought blankets and jackets because the temperature dipped into the low 50’s, let’s just say the air was “brisk”. About 20 people wandered out in small groups and settled in. At 11:00pm the sky was cloudy with only a few stars peaking out on the low horizon; we could see clear skies in the far distance. People chatted quietly within their groups while others just sat back and waited. Around midnight the clouds blew out and the starry sky appeared. The core of the Milky Way loomed over the Southern tree-lined horizon. 

The core of the milky way looms over the tree line of Hole 4 of the golf course. The color bands is, a faint luminescence of the Earth’s upper atmosphere. Photo by Chris Guibert

“OOOOHHHH” was exclaimed from the group as the first meteor zoomed overhead. “Wow – that was a long one” I heard from behind me, spinning around but missing that particular meteor. The meteors come predominantly from the north but they were visible across the whole sky. Tom Oliver, one of our instructors of our Night Sky Photo Workshops was taking pictures. He captured this shot of the meteor shower over the Lodge as he was walking out to meet the group. 

Perseid meteors light up the sky above the Lodge. Image is from hole 5 of the golf course. Photo by Tom Oliver.

Steve Hirsch, a photographer from Ohio, set up his camera gear and was able to get this image out on Hole 4.

Multiple meteors can be seen in this image including one exploding in the atmosphere! Photo by Steve Hirsch.

The group sat back and watched the dark sky light up for the next few hours. Most people were quiet with an occasional “oooh” or “ahhh”.  I must have seen somewhere between 50 and 100 meteors from midnight to 2:00am. I do not think anyone was counting, most people were just enjoying being present and not quantifying the experience. Some people left before the 2:00 am ending but some others stayed even later to take in the night sky. The Perseid Meteor shower did not disappoint and those that persevered were gifted a clear viewing night. 

This event will be something that will be permanently implanted into my memory bank and remembered as a joyous gift from the heavens above.

Tom Oliver captures the Milky Way. Tom is one of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge’s nNight Sky Photo Workshop instructors. Photo by Chris Guibert.


Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.