• Friday-What'sUP September 20 - 11:13 am

When you take a trip to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, near Munising, you need to make the time to view the mineral-stained sandstone cliffs from the water. That's what Deb Simons and family did to get these beautiful photos. Those first two shots are of Miner's Castle and show the lower viewing platform that brings you closer to the actual formation. Deb captured an angle of Miner's Castle that you don't see as often, showing the "castle" formation and the lower viewing platform that brings you up close to check it out. The remaining pictures are just a small sampling of the varied caves, crevices and steeply dropping cliffs all along the Lake Superior shoreline in this 72,000 acre park that borders the south shores of Lake Superior. With all these spectacular views, it looks like I have another place to add to my "must see" list.

WOW Mary! Lots of photos! Seriously, that was the most scenic boat tour. Too bad I was seasick, but that didn't mean I didn't enjoy every minute of the view. In the "Carved by Nature" photo up close, you can just see how green the water looks from the different colors in the stones.

If you haven't done so, it's a trip more than worth taking. There's so many more views than this if we ever get them uploaded to our profile.

I haven't been on the Boat Tours in many years. I'm hoping to someday get the Dr. out there as her background is sedimentology and I know she would love to see Pictured Rocks from a different perspective.

Hope to make that trip soon, Deb. The pics are beautiful! Thanks.

For those who may be new to the Pasty Cam, we started this daily feature back in 1998 with a simple idea: What would we like to see every day if we couldn't live here? So we have tried to have a mixture each week: people, places, pets, buildings, landscapes, history, etc. to give a glimpse of life in the U.P. Today's water-side perspective of Superior's shore near Munising is a classic example of these daily mini-vacations.

Some exciting news: the 2010 Pasty Cam Color Calendars just arrived! We did something a little different this year, polling our entire staff and their families for personal favorites during the past 12 months of the Pasty Cam. The end result is beautiful collection of monthly scenes that will transport you to God's Country every time you see it hanging on your wall at home. We will be posting a separate order form later today for getting just the calendar, but you can order it now (and save the shipping cost) by including it in any pasty order scheduled for delivery next week.

Congratulations to Brian and Shawn Malone for the beautiful Northern Lights scene that was chosen for the 2010 cover:

TGIF... LOVE the pics today.... Simply Beautiful!!

Can't go wrong with photos of Pictured Rocks! I remember walking out on the Miner's Castle rock with my Dad before there was a viewing platform and one less turret.

http://fishweb.com/maps/alger/pictured_rocks/munising/index.html

I love how the rocks below the water can be seen from atop the Miner's Castle. That water is SO clear! Breathtaking beauty!

The picture with the Northern Lights reminds me of the lakefront in back of Curly's Motel in Paradise. Does anyone know where it was taken?

Beautiful pictures.

I've been on that tour twice, it's one of my very favorite things to do. Never been at the top of Miners' Castle though, maybe we'll do that next week while we're in the UP!! : )

I ejoyed the pictures Deb! I have never been there but would sure love to.

munising and grand marais, heaven on earth.

I took the Pictured Rocks tour a few years ago just before the second turret fell off. The next year we hiked up to the viewing platform. It shows a photo of the castle back in about 1940 when there was a huge flat rock that rested upon the two turrets and another balance point to the rear.