Photo by Chris Arace
Michigan is known for its five Great Lakes, and there are plenty of fun facts to share about Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. Posted below are ten facts that are short enough to Tweet out to your followers on Twitter. Be sure to follow Pure Michigan on Twitter as well for news and updates about our great state!
Aaron Peterson, a contributing photographer for Michigan Travel Ideas, is always up for a challenge, especially if it involves the outdoors and equipment. Aaron shares one of his favorite ski hang outs, Marquette Mountain.
One of the things I love about living near Marquette is immediate access to outdoor opportunities. Marquette Mountain ski area sits within city limits, less than 10 minutes from downtown shopping such as the Masonic Square Mall on Washington Street. In fact, you can see the white ribbons of runs from there!
Marquette Mountain is on one of a string of rugged hills rimming the city and leading north into the Huron Mountain range. Its location near the shore of Lake Superior, and 600 feet of vertical rise, means that dense clouds of lake-effect snow dump around 200 inches of white stuff annually. Yep, that means we average 130 days of skiing, from Thanksgiving through April!
You’ll need more than one day to tackle the mountain, which offers something for everyone, with 25 runs and three terrain parks. Marquette Mountain is home to some talented freestyle skiers and snowboarders who take full advantage of the parks. It’s always a thrill to check out the new tricks being thrown down on Contour’s jumps and rails. Looking for something more intense? Try Chute with 35- to 50-foot decks. Ridge caters to beginners.
When the snow is especially good and I’m feeling brave, I head for the backcountry and ski Renegade and Weasels Gulch. At the end of those runs, you cross a bridge over the fast-moving Carp River to catch chair three to the top.
Hint: You’ll want to get to the hill early to get good parking near the chalet. The lot fills up quickly, and parking in the overflow area means having to cross highway M-553 with an armload of equipment. The chalet is fairly small, so I dress for the hill ahead of time to avoid the crowds inside.
Aaron Peterson is a travel photographer based near Lake Superior on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. His work has appeared in several publications, including Michigan Travel Ideas, Outside, National Geographic Adventure and Outdoor Life.
Luminature
Kath Usitalo, a contributing writer for Michigan Travel Ideas, describes how the pull of Michigan brings previous residents home again.
Many of the entrepreneurs I have met in Michigan have a similar story: They left for jobs, relationships or to see the world, but each one returned to their roots. The pull was too strong to resist when they wanted to start a business, raise a family or begin a new part of their lives.
Lori McCarthy spent six years in New York before returning to central Michigan to open Luminature. Owosso surrounds her with inspiration for her unique, steel lighting fixtures. The shop also sells rustic and nature-theme art and home furnishings handcrafted by local artists.
Great Lakes Circle Tour - Michigan Road Trip Map
Dawn LaVigne shares her “Pure Michigan Moment,” a two-week road trip and camping excursion along the shore of Michigan last summer.
Last summer, we drove the entire shore of Michigan. Our two-week camping trip began on the west side of the state. From there, we drove north and east, into the Upper Peninsula and then back down into the Lower Peninsula and along Lake Huron. It was two weeks of water, sand, forests, blue skies, sunshine, history and family fun!
These bright deposits on the side of the bluffs are from copper.
Guest Blogger Jacqlyn Ucinski and her boyfriend weren’t just on a road trip to the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore, they were on a mission. Enjoy this story of a special road trip to Michigan’s Best Kept Secret.
I couldn’t believe it. There I was staring at a rock face dusted in vibrant colors from copper deposits with a waterfall careening down into serene turquoise waters. Is this real life? Heck, you could have told me I was in the Caribbean and I probably would have believed you. But I wasn’t in the Caribbean; I was looking at the Pictured Rocks in Munising, Michigan. A little town tucked away in the coves of the great Lake Superior. Their motto, Michigan’s best kept secret, waves proudly on the flags throughout their cozy town and all I can wonder is why did it take me this long to discover it?
Incredible video of the Northern Lights in Michigan
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Turnip Rock in Port Austin, Michigan. Photo by Lars Jensen.
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