I’m pretty sure I’ve mention this before, but it deserves a repeat today... Bucky’s (a.k.a. Calumet Waterworks Park) is one of Judy Byykkonen’s favorite go-to places. She goes there normally with her four-legged “girls” to let them run and play in the waters of the Big Lake. Winter time though, as you can see from Judy’s photos, there really isn’t any way to safely get to the waters of Lake Superior over the snow mounds and ice. Still, the beauty is there, just a colder, sometimes frigid beauty if the wind is howling, too. The fourth photo reminds me of shots of the surface of the moon with craters and small hills of snow like that. Otherworldly for sure!

Speaking of frigid temperatures and winter beauty, The Woodsy Introverts share the cold and snow around their neck of the woods in the Keweenaw, with windchills of -31°... brrrr and snow-covered trees. This one is just over thirteen minutes, so sit back and get comfy, chook and mittens are not required.

Just beautiful, Judy. I love the
way you brave the weather, no
matter what.

Hi
These are really beautiful. I particularly like
the last two. I haven't made a winter trip up
north this year, so between these and the video I
at least got a mini-vacation.

With regard to the video, a yooper friend of mine
disparaged wind chill, saying that downstate
weathermen invented it so we downstate folks could
feel cold. The snow-covered forest in the video
was beautiful, but in order to stick to the trees,
wouldn't it have had to been warmer when it fell?

Just heckuva windy will stick snow to the
trees...The pics are beautiful, and Vid is just
amazing.

I live on the WI IL border and they called school off
today because we are to get up to 10" of snow. I was
wondering if the UP has "snow days" like we do? My
parents lived in Calumet and Ahmeek and I don't recall
them saying that school was called off because of snow
or cold. Please let me know! Thanks

Jean, I believe school has been
closed a couple of days this year.
It was so very rare when I was
growing up here in the 60's. I
remember that sometimes the town
kids went to school even if the
our of towners couldn't make it.
It's still very rare. Our plows
are out very early clearing the
roads. They're amazing.

Been viewing on and off for over 15 years. Every day has been a
treat as well as a blessing. Great to see/hear the regulars
comments, seem like old friends. Just confirms my opinion that
the U.P. Is a REALLY special place.

Thanks Deb for the reply.The snow removal in the UP
is so Amazing! Lessons should be taught down here.

You're welcome, Jean. Somebody
with children can chime in if I'm
wrong or they have more to add. I
lived in Minnesota for about 35
years and was always shocked at
how awful they were at cleaning
the streets after a storm.
Sometimes it took days to clean
things up. These yoopers could
teach them a thing or two.

So what is it that creates the snow mounds? They are all so similar and symmetric. My first thought is they start out as a wave action "blow hole" that eventually freezes over?

I remember "back in the day", it was said Houghton County spent more money per year on snow removal than all of Detroit or maybe even Wayne County. Schools here in Northern IL seem to have "snow days" at the drop of a hat, or more precisely at the drop of the thermometer. They seem to worry more about the bitter cold on the little ones. I don't remember it as a kid in Grand Rapids.

Great news!! I noticed on Facebook that someone had just cancelled their reservation for their August trip to Isle Royale, staying in a housekeeping cabin. I was able to make the reservation for 5 nights this August. Since COVID, the rooms all book up a full year in advance. It's been 11 years since I've been back. I used to backpack over all The Island's trails in my former life. I won't be doing any camping & not much hiking, but it will be WONDERFUL. It's the one place I love more that the UP (or my favorite place IN the UP.)