Michigan’s Western U.P.: An Old Professor’s Travel Guide of Twenty-Five Selected Locations (Ironwood to Baraga)

By Ralph G. Pifer

From an underground copper mine to a remote mountainside overlook, waterfalls, the Porcupine Mountains, and a host of other sites, this book explores the western side of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Ralph G. Pifer, who has explored the area for more than forty years, celebrates the beauty of the less explored, less known, and wilder part of the state—a place that was the home of famous residents such as Ernest Hemingway.
Ancient mountain ranges, numerous lakes and rivers, museums, ghost towns, endless trails, and miles of Lake Superior’s lakeshore make up this part of Michigan that tourists and area residents alike fail to fully appreciate.
Once a thriving area with mines and logging, it is today a quiet backwater. Its history stretches back thousands of years, and it remains a place of great beauty, solitude, and wonderful people.
Filled with photographs, site descriptions, maps, and helpful suggestions for travelers who want to avoid the beaten path, this book is an essential resource for anyone seeking to know more about this vibrant area.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Dec 6, 2019
• ISBN: 9781480879812

Ralph G. Pifer

Ralph G. Pifer is a retired associate professor of psychology and social science. During his career, he was recognized as “Professor of the Year” and named multiple times by students as the most influential professor in their academic careers. His lifelong interests in geology, nature, and photography have served him well in his explorations of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for more than forty years. He lives in Dixon, Illinois, with his wife, cat, and box turtle.

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Copyright © 2019 Ralph G. Pifer.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Interior Image Credit: Ralph G. Pifer

Trail Along the Presque Isle River in the Porcupine Mountains

Late Fall—Driving Northward Near the Black River

ISBN: 978-1-4808-7980-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-7981-2 (e)

Archway Publishing rev. date: 01/02/2020

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CONTENTS

Western U.P. Travel Guide Photo Listing

Introduction

Michigan’s Western U.P. (Map)

Twenty-five Selected Western U.P. Places to See

Bonus Sites To Visit

Need Help????????????????????

Need Medical Care????????????

Upper Peninsula Safe Travel Tips

Helpful U.p. Travel and Hiking Publications

Acknowledgements And Thanks

About The Author

Disclaimer

WESTERN U.P. TRAVEL GUIDE PHOTO LISTING

Trail Along the Presque Isle River in the Porcupine Mountains

Ontonagon River on a Foggy Morning

Young Buck with Velvet on his Antlers

Carp River Valley in the Porcupine Mountains

Restored Miner’s Cabin at Old Victoria Mining Settlement

Bond Falls in the Summer, near Paulding, MI.

Sylvania Wilderness in Early Spring

View From Top Of Wolf Mountain

Lake of the Clouds in the Porcupine Mountains - October

Bonanza Falls (aka Greenwood Falls) Late Summertime

Copper Ore from Assorted U.P. Copper Mines

Enlisted Men’s Quarters at Fort Wilkins near Copper Harbor

Turtle Looking about Before Diving

Late May Snow Near Greenland, MI.

Agate Collectors at Great Sand Bay near Eagle Harbor, MI.

Trail at Estivant Pines above Copper Harbor, MI.

St. John’s Monastery Near Eagle Harbor, MI.

Late Day Sunset Over Lake Superior near Silver City

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse

Sandhill Crane

After the Storm Along Lake Superior’s Shore

Hunter’s Point near Copper Harbor, MI

Late October Hike to Black River Waterfalls

Porcupine

Late Fall—Driving Northward Near the Black River

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Michigan’s Western Upper Peninsula!

Travelers and explorers have been coming to Michigan’s U.P. since prehistoric times. The first explorers were ancient Native Americans who came to mine copper for tools and trade. Many of their diggings became the great copper mines of the 1800s and early 1900s. The French brought the fur trade, exploring the wilderness, and trading with Native Americans. The British followed, building forts to protect settlers and the land for the king. In the 1800s and early 1900s, timbering, copper and iron mining, and fishing were major industries. Looking at the U.P.’s forests, it is hard to believe that they were almost totally lost to clear cutting and forest fires. It may be even harder to imagine the number of towns and villages that once existed. Near mines, timber operations, and along railroads, settlements sprung up. Complete with