• Wednesday-What'sUP July 2 - 05:56 pm

It's a ritual that many people have to take part in each time they visit the northern-most point in Michigan. I'm talking about making a drive up to the top of Brockway Mountain of course. Donna MacIntosh recently did what she calls a Keweenaw Cruise (by land) and snapped a few photos to hold us over until we can make our own trek up the mountain. There's a little of everything here, with a shot in anticipation of the arrival at the precipice, a glance back along the side of the mountain that reveals the rough rocky edges, to a view of the hillside across the gorge with the river running through it below and finally the reward for a drive well done...the spectacular view of Lake Superior bordered by an expanse of lush, green Copper Country acreage. Does it get any better than this?

What memories! I love that tour. Anybody have any idea who or what Brockway was?

Can't wait ... headed for the Yoop starting tomorrow and a 10 day excursion. After brockway going to visit the monks and have a muffin !

Google led me to a page that described an article about the Keewenaw in Michigan History magazine. It said the article was published in "winter of 2001". I didn't actually find the article. According to the reference I found, the article indicated that Brockway Mountain was named after Daniel and Lucena Brockway who settled in the Keweenaw peninsula in 1843. Daniel had a brother William who was a Methodist minister involved in Indian missions around the same time period.

A search on the above names led me to the MTU Archives which had more info.
MTU Archive - Brockway Diary

When Marty and I were in our teens he was sitting on the edge of an overhang close to the top hill, when he went to stand up the rock gave way and he fell about 15 ft. on his back side, no damage other then a bruse and sore butt though.

Hey Marty- Kinda makes the ol tale bone ache a litte -eh? LOL

your pal,
UC

Speaking of such falls, did you see on Dateline the other night about the case where the woman fell to her death at Pictured Rocks a couple of years ago...the husband, who said he had gone to the bathroom in the woods, is in jail for her death....sounds fishy to me.

Gone2long- I did see that, he got his wish though, he's single, and now he probably has a boyfriend. Very fishy!

...and the amazing part is that his kids think he's innocent!

I'm still sitting here at work because it has been raining buckets since before 5:00. If this was snow, we'd have at least a foot by now. I hope it stops soon or lets up a bit; I don't want to sleep here tonight. This is what happens when you wash your car....go figure.

I love the Brockway Drive the best in winter, by snowmobile! The whole place is yours! Lake Superior's blue against the snow is a beautiful sight!

Great shots. The colors are just beautiful.

My most vivid Brockway memory is from back when the radar base was in operation and the cold war was at its height. There was a rumble that grew to a roar and we were treated to the sight of a B-52 cruising through the valley BELOW us. They used to practice flying under the radar. I had a similar experience about 15 years ago when one just about blew us off 141 just South of Covington. He was at tree top level. Back in my younger days, I made several trips up Brockway on a bicycle, lots or work going up, much fun going down.

Beautiful shots; one of our favourite places to go when we return to the Keweenaw every other year. The view from there is incredible, and the geology from that point is second to none. I would talk a bit about what neat things can be seen there geologically, but last time I mentioned geology I got in trouble......

Capt. Paul:
If talking about Geology is troublesome, then just talk about the rocks...

I recall my Uncle Chuck Kopp saying that there is a old car at the bottom of the over-look. This story goes way back to the fiftys. I always look foward to the trip up to the summit of Brockway. There are many fond memories up there.

We had a muffin on the way North! :D The Monks at the Jampot make real memorable treats!

I've done the mountain in the light of a full moon on a snowmobile. That is simply MAGIC!

Love the colors in the fall, the budding in the spring...it's a beautiful ride during ALL seasons!

We were watching some big birds having a BLAST as well...but couldn't get a good picture of that. I tried...LOL!

LOVE the Keweenaw! There is no place like it...it's sacred.

Oh that drive up and around Brockway Mountain Drive! I was blown away the first time I made it ago. I've taken my parents, my aunts and uncles, plus my new bride on our way to Isle Royale for our honeymoon, and our little girls with their cabbage patch dolls in tow. We're going up to Iron River next month to check on a house we're sellling, I hope we have the time to go to Copper Harbor

Paul- cool story, couldn't imagine sitting up there and seeing a B52 fly by at eye level or even lower, must of been something!

Try the Brockway Mountain Drive at night sometime. The headlights attract the moths and you won't believe the bats it attracts. As thick as the blackflies in June! I had the window open and a bat landed in my lap. I stopped the truck, opened the door, and the little guy shook it off and flew away.

Been to the top of the Mountain many times, but that was the most...interesting... :)

We were just there a few days ago, and realized again that Copper Harbor is one of the best places in the state, and we never have enough time there. Of course we took the ritual drive our first evening. So beautiful, so tranquil. Wait a minute--not so tranquil that evening, as everyone else up there seemed to be using the top of the mountain as a cellphone reciever. Oh well, the sunset was beautiful. :)

One of my Favorite places, and funny cause my Dad was there yesterday. He went and explored Copper Harbor for the day.

Lucky the people who live and work in Copper Harbor.

Wish I could be there this year. I miss it.
Greetings from Germany

This makes me homesick. I love Brockway Mountain and Copper Harbor. I sure wish I was there. Some day I will retire there. Does anyone have pictures from Brockway in winter?

Richard, here's a few pictures of Brockway in the winter.

https://www.pasty.com/discus/messages/1853/1972.html

https://www.pasty.com/discus/messages/1853/2014.html

Love that mountain. A few years back my wife and I had an interesting experience up there. It was a warm sunny day when we notices a fog way out on the lake and it was moving fast. It was a distinct wall and quickly came up the mountain right over us, turned warm to very chilly and actually dove down the south side of the mountain. It looked like a Hollywood movie. Soooooooo cool.

I should have added in my last post that on top of Brockway is one of the best places in the Keweenaw to get a lay of the land and how the Mid-Continent Rift, a "very old" geologic formation, has shaped the land.

Ya know, ever since Charlie decided to make the Early Bird on WhatsUP harder to win, the Pasty servers have had nothing but technical problems......... coincidence?!?!?! ;-)

Its like Pastycam bad Karma.

Capt. and Brooke,

These have been a couple of extremely challenging days, with almost 'round-the-clock work on towers and buildings out here in Keweenaw County.

Throughout our lives, whenever a project encounters challenges or roadblocks, our response has been to conclude: we must be doing something right. Significant endeavors usually come with a degree of difficulty, along with some wonderful learning experiences.

Karma? coincidence? Only the Early Bird knows.

I wish I could remember what year the Brockway Mtn. Drive opened. My mother was in the group of the first cars that went through. Her dad was taking the family out for a "Sunday drive" when he saw a parade of cars and joined the line. They later found out that the ribbon had just been cut opening the road and the dignitaries were in the front of the line.

Here are some real picture postcard (RPPC) from the 30's and 40's taken in almost the same location.

Wow, the hills in those old postcards look just like words!