Peninsula of Adventure

Jan. 25, 2015

If you’re the adventurous type, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a literal playground. It’s a landscape very different from the northern lower half of the state, with equally unique recreational opportunities.

The copper country of the Keewenaw Peninsula and the frigid waters of Lake Superior share the upper portion of the state with the famed Pictured Rocks, Tahquamenon Falls and the Superior Uplands, a rustic region that includes the highest point in the state (Mount Arvon).

There’s more than plenty for outdoorsfolk to do. Here’s a trio of U.P. adventure options highlighting wintertime fun.

1. CONQUER THE ICE!

The Michigan Ice Fest is not for the timid nor for those with a fear of heights. In the summer, the waterfalls cascading over the cliffs of the Munising Formation are beautiful to see, explore and photograph, but in the winter, they become treacherous spikes of ice. And where there are spikes of ice, there are, of course, daring folk who try to climb them.

The annual Ice Fest, spearheaded by Down Wind Sports of Marquette and Houghton, offers participants loads of useful information and practical application on ice climbing from speakers and slide shows to the opportunity to demo new climbing gear.

The Fest’s one-day ice climbing classes feature professional instructors; even if you’ve never tried the sport before, these courses will get you clipped to a trail rope and climbing right away.

"The event is really set up for folks who have never ice climbed before, so this is the perfect time for someone to try the sport," explained Down Wind’s Bill Thompson. "I think most people find out about our event and say they would like to give it a shot, and many do!" After the day classes, the evening socials feature climbers of all levels gathering to talk about their adventures and share photos, complete with refreshments so you can get a bit of rest before heading back up the ice the next day.

GO: 2015 Michigan Ice Festival will be held Feb. 5-8 at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising. For more information, call 906- 226-7112 or visit www.michiganicefest.com or www.downwindsports.com.

2. SERIOUSLY SKI!

The growling black bear on the Mount Bohemia logo should be an indicator of what’s in store. If you just want to take a few leisurely turns on groomed trails before heading back to the lodge for a hot beverage, this isn’t your kind of ski resort.

This is extreme skiing and they declare it right on the website: no beginners allowed. The trails – which include the second-highest vertical drop in the Midwest at 900 feet (Bohemia’s peak hits 1,465 feet) – are mostly comprised of black diamond (expert) runs, as well as double/triple black diamonds, dense tree runs, cliffs, exposed boulders and chutes.

Unlike many ski resorts in Michigan, Mount Bohemia doesn’t use or need any snow-making equipment. Instead, they rely on lake effect snow, which averages 250-300 inches in their location. Powder Magazine rated the place No. 1 for powder skiing east of the Rocky Mountains and MSN named it one of the top 10 undiscovered ski resorts in the world.

In spite of their name, they’re not completely bohemian. While this is serious backcountry skiing, well-equipped yurts and cabins await at the bottom of the lifts and the nearby Inn on Lac Labelle offers a more refined overnight experience. The North Pole Restaurant serves hearty fare like Kobe burgers, pizza, steaks, pasta, crepes and hummus wraps.

You’re going to need that fuel to tackle the 500 acres of challenging ski and snowboard terrain that await you if you’re brave enough to venture that far north.

GO: Mount Bohemia Extreme Ski Resort is located in the village of Lac La Belle in the far northern Keewenaw Peninsula. For more information, call 906-360-7240 or visit www.mtbohemia.com.

3. CHILL WITH THE CANINES!

You don’t have to travel all the way to Alaska to experience dogsledding. While it might not be as perilous as ice climbing or as wild extreme skiing, the sport does have its hazards, so it’s best to let an experienced musher show you the ropes.

There are several U.P. dogsledding experiences to enjoy, but Newberry’s Nature’s Kennel, owned by Ed and Tasha Stielstra, is a great place to start. Ed Stielstra is a seventime Iditarod finisher and both he and his wife have won Marquette’s U.P. 200 Sled Dog Race. They now operate their dogsledding adventures company full time. Tasha Stielstra says that even if you’ve never dogsledded before you can learn the first time you arrive at Nature’s Kennel.

"We offer a half-day trip in which our guests meet their team of five dogs, get a short lesson on how to drive the sled, help harness and hook up the dogs, and then drive their own team on a 10-mile trail," she explained. "One of our guides is always in the lead with their own dog team, with the guests following behind."

If you’re apprehensive about driving, and would rather ride with a guide, that’s fine too.

Like all sled dogs, their dogs are a hardy bunch, unfazed by cold weather and able to run for long distances at around 20-25 mph. Harold, Schultz, Seg, Baba, Yahtzee and Stinky Feet are just a few members of the Nature’s Kennel team. They’re all well-socialized dogs that meet hundreds of people every winter.

"There’s just nothing like dogsledding," Stielstra said. "And the dogs add a very unique dimension in that you’re working with affectionate animals whose smiles warm everyone’s heart."

You, however, will need to bundle up to stay warm. Whether you choose a half-day, full-day or overnight trip, you’re going to be outdoors a lot and the weather in the U.P. can be notoriously cold. Layers are key.

Frigid temperatures aside, where else can you feel the cold breeze in your face and hear the quiet "sshh" of runners on snow, as a trained team of sled dogs transports you? Before you know it, you’ll be acquiring your own team and returning to compete in the Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race next January.

GO: Nature’s Kennel Sled Dog Adventures is located in McMillan, north of Newberry and west of Tahquamenon Falls. For more information, call 906-748-0513 or visit www.natureskennel.com.