• Monday-What'sUP April 2 - 06:42 pm

Wondering how the addition to the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is coming along? E. Neil Harri has a pictorial report for us today. There is a new Conference Center currently under construction that will be attached to the main Lodge building. Neil gives us several bird's eye views of the work in progress. It looks like a good size addition, which means more room for weddings, parties and other larger gatherings. Scheduled for completion in June of this year, you can get more information about the project by clicking the links above.

We'll see it up close and personal in July when we're up there for my son's wedding reception and a round or two of golf.

Looks a lot different than the last time I saw it. I sure do L O V E aerial photos. Thanks.

jonesey

Deb, that would be an awesome place for a wedding reception! We haven't stayed there in many years, but it used to be a great place to stay. I hope you all have a great time, and that your son and his wife have many happy years together!

My dad used to joke with us that playing golf on that course is like playing on the surface of the moon (or the surface of a golf ball). That is, there was not a "level lie" (for the poor little golf ball) on the course, making it great fun to play! Enjoy!

Thank you, Neil, for another birds' eye view!

Another great picture by Neil. Looks like lots of progress.

It's wonderful to hear that they are expanding...

What has happened to the links to week March 18-24? Is it gone for good or just being fixed?

My husband's uncle jokes that the Mountain Lodge has the only golf course he has ever played on where he hit his ball and created sparks (due to the rocky ground)!

Am glad to hear of the expansion to the lodge.I can reflect back to the days of eating there in the 1960-70's with my parents who had raised 10 children during the Depression...

I REALLY hope the place can make a go of it. I personally love The Mountain Lodge/ But, I am skeptical of the conference center. As far as wedding receptions and local parties, yes, I believe it will be a useful facility. As far as attracting business conferences, I have my doubts.
I have travelled for business extensively. Not only is a class facility needed which I am sure the Mountain Lodge will be, there needs to be other things in the area to attract out of area business to hold conventions there. Namely, shopping for the spouses is a big draw,(other than the few gift shops in Copper Harbor) which the area does not have unless one wants to travel to Houghton, which is really limited.
Now, if my wife were to have to attend a conference there, i'd love it !!! Golf Golf Golf !!!
Also, the economy is not in the greatest shape and this is one of the first areas a business will cut back on.
Hate to be negative. Just providing my thoughts.
I REALLY hope i am wrong.

There are many gifted photographers photos I enjoy on the pasty cam, but Neil's airplane/camera combinations take the cake! They give a perspective like no other. Thank you for sharing your bird's eye view of our beloved U.P.

I kind of echo Vincent's view on the adding of a conference center at the lodge. Stayed there quite a few times the past years. For me it was the ruggedness and pristine beauty that gave a certain feeling of peace and contentment. Things that are hard to find in todays world. I hope that feeling will prevail but I also have my doubts.......

My guess is that it will do allright. It is a Keweenaw County owned facillity so it doesn't need a huge return for investors. I also beleive the eco tourism theme will bring in a few conventions.How about people to watch the annual raptor migrations. There are a few eco tours out of Copper Harbor already. What we really have, is what we don't have. Junk strips, look alike malls, and neon lights. Time will tell.

We haven't stayed at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in a number of years because they stopped allowing pets. When we travel, we need to take our two small dogs with us because at least one of them does not kennel well at all. His breed (Havanese) is bred to be an integral part of the family, and he goes crazy if he is left in a kennel.

Anyway, now that they do accept small dogs again, we are looking forward to staying there. We hope to get up there at least once this summer. My oldest son is going to summer school at Mich Tech & working for MTU this summer, so we will be going up there to visit him at least once, or hopefully more. We have always loved the Copper Harbor area & especially the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, et al!

The fact that they are now planning to be open year around should make a huge difference to their business, in the long run. Their being open summers only & not even when we went up there to pick up our son when school got out was a real problem for us, in addition to the pet issue.

I'm looking forward to this summer in Copper Country, & hopefully at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. Now, I just have to work out the timing with our schedule, around various summer camps for our younger two sons & back to school band camp, et al. :-)

One thing that I don't see around the conference center is parking. If they have 250 people at a conference there will be a lot of additional parking needed. Maybe the parking areas are not completed yet?

When Clem Veal ordered the building of the Keweemaw Mt. Lodge and the Brockway Drive, they
laughed at him. My dad & older brother worked on the W.P.A, building these items & it sure paid off.

Every thing is a gamble but nothing ventured nothing gained. The quality of the food & the atmosphere cant be beat.

My other brothers had there first employment at the golf course in the late 1930 s . Its amazing how the wealthy came from everywhere to play golf.
Many appreciate the facilities when the quality is there. I believe they'll do well.

Neil makes a good point on the raptor (or any birds) migration draw in the Keweenaw!
Most of these groups usually are only 30 to 50 people and as times are at present the Audubon, and other Nature organizations are hard pressed for funds! I would suppose the attending people would be affluent tho. I wonder how competitive/reasonable the conference center rates will be?

Great pics of a great place !!!
Loved to play golf there but because of the side hill lies, spent more time in the boonies than on the course...My body fed many, many deer flies and mosquitoes which I thought were big enough to breed with a turkey. Had the unforgettable experience of a bear meandering across our fairway one evening...Luv it !!!

I do hope the lodge addition is able to bring more tourists to the Keweenaw area. I've only visited Copper Harbor a few times, but each time, I do the same things again and again. The Estivant Pines, the waterfalls, Brockway Mountain, exploring the trails beyond "the end of the road"... all the outdoorsy things. Do they do bird counts on Brockway Mountain like they do at Whitefish Point? Doing so would make it a destination trip for birders, and the other outdoor activities could help lure people to the area. I do think Copper Harbor needs more public waterfrontage. The state park has a nice waterfront, and I love the TNC trail down to Horseshoe Harbor. I think the city or county should secure a large water front area for public access parkland, including barrier free access.