• Tuesday-What'sUP November 28 - 09:12 pm

According to this sign, camping is over for this season, at least in this campground. I could take a few guesses which campground in the Keweenaw this is, but I don't want to take the fun away from you, so why don't you all give it a shot, and take a guess. I'll have to defer to the photographer, Brita Haapala for confirmation of the correct guess though. Before you ask, the prize for getting the right answer is your own satisfaction in topping all the Pasty Cam visitors for the day!

It's hard to believe that these three shots were taken less than a week ago, let alone in November at all, since they look rather summer-like to me. Of course the gentleman all bundled up on the beach is a dead give-away, I suppose. That last shot, with the white colored beach sand, resembles the snow we normally have on the ground this time of year -- not that I'm complaining about the lack thereof! Happy guessing...and Brita, if you're tuned in, let us know later in the day if anyone has guessed the right campground. :->

Is it McLean Park?

Good Morning. Is it Fort Wilkins State Park?

Good morning. My guess is McLain State Park?

It's gotta be McLain State park... Looking good this late in the season!

Mike

I also believe it is McLean State Park.

Good Morning Everyone out in Pastyland. Windy, foggy and overcast here in the CC.

Looks like McLain to me......

My first guess was the Township Park in Ontonagon, but a second look at the shoreline tells me that I am wrong. It is too curvy for that area. It would be nice to be there right now, sun or snow!

Mclain State Park, we were there last month. It's our all time favorite state park.

Yeah, it's McLain's. It was a beautiful day there. Although the wind was a bit brisk.

Thanks Brita, Glad to know I remember the area so well.

Now for something completely different. Since most of the northern shore of the Keweenaw is rocky, why does McLain (and Great Sand Bay) have such nice sandy beaches and dunes??

I expect the answer has to do with how the glaciers left stuff behind.

There is no place finer than McLean State Park. We spent two glorious weeks there this past summer and spend time there every year, if possible. The picture posted makes one want to be there now.

The sand was probably deposited by along shore currents in the cove...

It does look like the park in Ontonagon. It could be any park in the UP, they're all beautiful!

We visited this spot this past February and could not even tell where the campground road was. Here is a picture of these same redwood chairs in winter. https://pasty.com/pcam/albuw92

Wonderful park where my wife and I married years ago. Noticed
then how badly the shoreline was eroding away and wonder how
bad it's become since. Interesting how the same forces that
probably contribute to McLain's erosion problem ( the breakers
and Keweenaw current ) have also managed to create a large
artificial beach on the south side of the canal, at the breakers.

The eroding shoreline is still bad. This past year they had to cut off a small part of the road in the campground because the old one was like a foot from the edge. They lost some campsites due to this new part in the road, it is just a gravel road not paved. A very beautiful place still.

okay Capt....we bite. Why does McLean have sandy
beaches?

Charmings albums BRITA!!!!!

'Cause life at McClain is a "Beach"!

My guess was Mclain's State Park at first sight without a doubt.I vote for the one that spelled it right the first time.I'd say the sandy beaches are from the current and northwest wind bringing in the tinyist grain of sand.I mispell many words too,so no afence ment.Just being teck-nick-gul.

Oh, the lovely white sand beaches of the Keweenaw! Brita's 3rd shot should be in next year's calendar!

Knew it was McLain immediately. Wonderful place with extraordinary sunsets in summer. As someone mentioned re erosion, my brother's campsite of years gone by is now lost to Superior. Still an uncommonly good place to camp.

I don't post many messages, but I read up almost everyday.....so Capt. - why does McLain's have sandy beaches?

And if you have a picnic at McLain Park, you don't need to bring any food because of all the sand which is there! LOL

Charles, good one!

I guess we'll have to tune in tomorrow for the answer to the $50,000 question about the sandy beaches. This is sort of like Dallas -- Who shot JR?

Maybe he don't know! That's why he was asking?

Aren't sandy beaches caused by excessive waves? Hi beach, just waving to ya!

Sorry to leave everyone hanging. Unfortunitely, there's that little thing called work that reared its ugly head this afternoon. If only we could get back to the Keweenaw, we could start the "Capt. Paul/Dr. Nat geologic lecture series". It wouldn't pay much, but at least it would be "fun" work!! ;-)

Anyways yes, it is glacier related. During the last major advance of the glaciers (Wisconsin Stage), the Keweenaw Peninsula deflected a lot of the ice producing two lobes. The Keweenaw Bay lobe made its final advance and retreat about 13,000 yrs ago. During its retreat, all that sediment that was being pushed out in front was depositied and left in a linear mound called an end moraine. Most of this moraine lies south of Houghton (the hills south of L'Anse on 41 are a part), but a limb of it passes by McLain and Great Sand Bay. Continuous rise and fall of the water levels as the ice melted produced beach terraces in the moraines, and in turn loosened up the sands and deposited them along the shoreline (a great place to see an ice age terrace is at the intersection of M 203 and Cloverland Rd).

There are numerous glacial features in the Keweenaw. The basalt scrape marks behind Calumet HS are a great erosional feature, while depositional features include the moraine, an outwash esker near Mandan, the Mandan Sand pit (kame deposit), and delta/channel deposits around McLain and Bear Lake.

WAY TO GO CAPT. PAUL! The final exam is tomorrow, where no excuses will be accepted, and everyone is expected to participate!

Who has the cheat sheet? lol

I could listen to you lecture all day! almost all day.lol You're a walkin text book!

Capt. Paul all that is so interesting. Just wondered if you are familiar with one of my favorite spots on this earth, The Ridges Sanctuary in Door Co. Wisconsin near Baileys Harbor? The most interesting and peaceful place!

I am very familiar with The Ridges. I used to spend a lot of time in Bailey's Harbor when I was younger. The Ridges gets its name because of the well developed beach ridges preserved there. Basically, Lake Michigan (and all the Great Lakes) were higher in the past. As the lake level dropped, terraces were formed that mark previous lake levels.

What is interesting, is that the Ice Age lakes of the American West also show these well developed beach ridges. You can see them on the mountains around Salt Lake City (the result of Lake Bonneville, the predecessor of the Great Salt Lake) and in parts of Death Valley (the result of Lake Manly).

I've spent every most summer in Bailey's Harbor since I was a child and visited the Ridges many times. It's a treasured place for our family......

Is there a prize for getting the answer close? Maybe a delicious pasty?? Here in the Lansing area we have the Mason esker that has supplied a lot of our gravel pits.