• Monday-What'sUP March 27 - 02:54 am

Frederic W. Koski was on and about checking out the spring run-off with the quick melt-down we experienced and look what he found. A raging Peshekee River. I know you're thinking, where in the world is this one, right? I know I sure was, but after a little investigating, I found out that it is a 31.1 mile long tributary of Lake Michigamme, in Marquette County and that all this rushing water flows into Lake Michigamme, after winding through Van Riper State Park. Then via the Michigamme River, it's waters eventually make it all the way south to empty into Lake Michigan. At the rate it looks to be rushing in Frederic's photos, it won't take long to travel that path. Yet another spot here in the U.P., that I didn't know about... thanks for taking us along, Frederic!

Awesome pictures! Yesterday on Facebook, my cousin posted pictures of, I believe, Wyandotte Falls. They were beautiful! Love any pictures of Falls this time of year! Thanks for sharing!

How beautiful and the energy is great! Spring is one time I really would like to be there to see it all in person.

Awesome indeed!

Gorgeous pictures, thank you! And Mary, you read my mind on wonder where in Michigan is this picture. If I read it correctly, this river flows into Lake Michigamme from the north? I do love the Michigamme area.

Beautiful pictures! I am so excited that I actually know where the Peshekee River is. I dragged my husband out of our hotel room at about 5:00 a.m. to go exploring in the area around Craig Lake State Park one time to look for moose (Yes, he is a patient man!). The river runs along the road there. I can't remember how to insert a photo, so here's a link from my gallery of the river in the summer.

Sorry, I'll try that link again.

http://gallery.pasty.com/displayimage.php?album=890&pid=13300

Great shots! Thank you Frederic. Makes me want to be in a kayak.

The Peshekee River, near Champion, was the setting of the tales in the North Woods Reader series (eight books, plus "A Love Affair with the U.P.") by Cully Gage (Charles Van Riper). Champion was refered to as "Tioga" in the stories, and the Peshekee called the "Tioga River". His actual beloved camp and retreat is located on the upper stretches of this river...
Must reading...

Thank you for the Cully Gage stories links! I have often wondered where they were. He is such a great story teller! (Yes, I know he was a retired Michigan Supreme Court Justice.)

Yep, that seems to be the scene all around the U.P. An old friend posted a pic (on Facebook) of the dam in Crystal Falls the other day. Looked good...brings back some childhood memories.

http://www.crystalfalls.org/

Marianne, Dr. Charles Van Riper(Cully Gage) was not a retired Michigan Supreme Court Justice, you are probably thinking of "Anatomy of a Murder" author Robert Traver,pen name of John D. Voelker.
Dr. Van riper was a noted speech pathologist, wrote, co-wrote books on the treatment of "stuttering" from which he suffered growing up...groundbreaking work!

With the early warm spell, no wonder the river is raging.

Interesting, you are right. I wonder where I got the idea he was a retired Michigan Supreme Court Justice? I really don't much about the other author you mentioned. It's interesting about Dr Van Riper's being a stutterer, etc. He should have been involved with the English man who became King in the King's Speech. The timing is about right, or maybe he was a little bit too young?

Sister, Norma in Midland, you should try this river in your new kayaks- sp? I'd pay big money, just to hear you scream!

Bro

There is a lot of history in that area. Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the "reaper", had a bunch of cabins built at White Deer Lake which I visited today. Nothing left but the foundations now. The "McCormick wilderness area" is about 9 miles up from us41.

Marianne, easy to see why the confusion. The movie made from the book "Anatomy of a Murder" by Robert Traver/John Voelker was filmed in part in the Mt. Shasta Restaurant located in Michigamme along US-41. Michigamme is at the west end of Lake Michigamme, while Champion is at the east end of Lake Michigamme, also on US-41. Cully Gage/Charles Van Riper was the son of Dr. Paul Van Riper, who was Champion's "frontier doctor" and the person Van Riper State Park was named for.

Wonderful pictures of the Peshekee River, including the one from Cindy! I have passed over the Peshekee river on US-41 more times than I can count, but have never seen these views of it ... something else to add to my bucket list. :-)