Today's look back into the archives illustrates the stark difference that spring looks like in the U.P. from year to year. The first photo takes us to three years ago in 2013, when E. Neil Harri made a flight over the town of Ontonagon. The river is still frozen in this shot and it looks like perhaps a fresh blanket of snow had fallen on the town.

Bob Gilreath shared a shot in 2012, from the trestle on M-26, looking at Lake Linden. I don't see any snow on the ground that year at all. The body of water in the photo is Torch Lake and it's hard to tell if it's thawed out or not. What a difference from one year to another in different towns.

The video today takes us back to the town of Ontonagon in the year 1963. The town wasn't covered in snow, it was flooded from the spring melt happening too quickly on an unseasonably warm day of 72°. There's no sound on the video, but the footage is amazing for footage from 54 years ago. If you'd like to read more about the flood, click on the following link to Karl Bohnak's excerpt from his book: So Cold A Sky: Upper Michigan Weather Stories.

When you go to the link for Karl Bohnak's book, click on the page number, and it will expand the full section about the Ontonagon Flood.

I personally have been enjoying the variety and the quality of our daily visits with this expanded format here on the Pasty Cam. Great finds, like this old home video and the back-story from Karl Bohnak really compliment the still-photo coverage of the U.P. we have presented on this daily feature, now working our way through its 20th year :o)

I love that 2nd picture. I have one just like it.
Whenever we walk across that trestle, I can't resist
stopping for a picture. Memories!!!

Classic 8mm video!

"Cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do you no good
Now, cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do you no good
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to move"
(Led Zeppelin)

WOW!