Fresh Lives Here: Inclusivity in Outdoor Recreation
Michiganders love where they live, and they’ll tell you why. We spent time with some locals in some of their favorite places to learn about why they choose to live, work and play in Michigan.
“Once you start getting into rock climbing, you’ll see there are rocks everywhere in Michigan,” says Bill Thompson, owner of Down Wind Sports in Marquette. “We’re blessed to be here in the Upper Peninsula; it’s just paradise for people who want to have solitude, get out in a beautiful setting and have fun rock climbing.”
As a longtime climber, Bill is also the organizer of Michigan Ice Fest in Munising, which draws nearly 1,000 people from all over the world to climb the frozen waterfalls of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore over Lake Superior.
With both his profession and his pastime intersecting, Bill and other local climbers are dedicated to inviting others to experience these sports – even first-timers who can range anywhere from 8 to 80 years old.
“The great thing about rock climbing and ice climbing is that you can do this the rest of your life,” he says.
And for those who are surprised to learn just how rich Michigan’s natural resources are, he’s always happy to share his enthusiasm. “When [climbers] come into the Upper Peninsula or really anywhere in the Great Lakes in Michigan, they see how beautiful it is and they fall in love with it,” he says. “We have great mountain biking, rock climbing, ice climbing, sea kayaking, hunting and fishing. You can do it all in Michigan.”