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Archive for the ‘Snow’ Category

It’s the last weekend of March and the early spring weather we experienced a few weeks ago has left us. For the weekend, the weatherman is calling for temperatures to reach the mid-20s and drop in to the low teens at night. This is quite the contrast to the balmy weather we had a bit ago. They’re also forecasting snow for the next several days but nothing major, an inch here and there. If you’re wondering about the big storm that swept through the Midwest earlier in the week, that one missed us and stayed south. I think Lake Superior played a part in that and that’s why they say the weather guys have a hard job around here. Lake Superior plays a major role in our weather patterns and she’s pretty unpredictable. With this cooler weather, the snow should be holding up at Valley Spur X/C ski trails if you’re looking to get out skiing a few more times. Also, any diehard snowmobiler should find snow in the Kingston Plains area as well as in the woods. The winter season has definitely not left us, yet.

Make sure to check out our new Coupons page on the Explore Munising website. This will be updated as we receive new coupons from local businesses, so visit the page regularly. Yesterday, we added a new coupon for manicure/pedicure specials by Mari Jo. A week or two ago, we added a coupon for the AmericInn Lodge & Suites of Munising, which has the Splash Bay Adventure pool area. There’s also a discount coupon for Sydney’s Restaurant so you can save some money on your next meal. Click here to save!

Well, enjoy the last weekend of March and we hope to see you around!

We headed out today to see what’s happening in the Munising area and here’s some pictures from today’s drive. We received 3-6 inches of fresh snow yesterday so things are looking a little better around town. Enjoy!

Snowmobilers are still finding plenty of snow and are having a great time. Here’s a picture of Alger Falls Motel & Cabins newest cabin.

The Cherrywood Resort’s snowmobilers report great riding toward the Buckhorn, great trails heading to Grand Marais. The trails heading south to Steuben were rough.

Munising Ice Drags & Vintage Show. Racing begins tomorrow!

Busy getting ready for the ice drags.

Great ice conditions being reported for the weekend's ice drags on Munising Bay.

Splake and whitefish is what they are catching in Munising Bay.

Ice climbers taking part in Ice Fest

We’re getting close to one of the most unique events around – an ice climbing festival! The Munising area has some of the best ice climbing in the Midwest and for many years the Michigan Ice Fest has taken place in Munising. New this year, there will be family-fun activities at Bayshore Park, in downtown Munising, in conjunction with the actual ice climbing clinics, demos and speaking engagements. The festival will be taking place February 4th-6th and here are some of the fun things taking place at Bayshore Park:

• Ice Climbing Tower at the Bayshore Park
• Shuttle bus from Bayshore Park to Sand Point Curtains
• Games & Gear
• Winter Gear Demos
• Bonfire Social
• Sledding Hill
• Middle and High School students will be building snowman sculptures as part of their homecoming activities

We’ll be sure to post more information as it becomes available!

As for the weather in the last week, it has been snowy! The lake effect snow has really hit the area and has made for some great winter sport activities. If you check out the Snow Depth graphic on our Weather page, you’ll see dark purple, which represents lots of deep snow! The forecast for the next several days is more snow and colder temperatures. Bring it on!

Here’s some pictures of Munising taken earlier in the week:

Looking east on Superior St, the snow piles are growing

Looking out over Munising Bay, ice has formed but still not recommended for travel

The brief warm-up we experienced less than 2 weeks ago is a distant memory. The Upper Peninsula has seen lake-effect snow almost every day from late last week through today. On the weather radar, there’s just a green blob hanging over the central U.P., which signifies, it’s snowing here. The forecast looks much of the same for the next several days and into the weekend.

With all the fresh snow, there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of it and enjoy the woods. One way to have fun is snowshoeing in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The Park is great spot to enjoy the sport because of its natural beauty and beautiful sights. Here are a few recommended snowshoeing spots:

• Sand Point Snowshoe Trail – 1.5-mile loop close to the City of Munising. If you choose, the trail connects to the Lakeshore Trail that will take you to Miners Castle (3 miles, one way)
• Miners Falls: 5.6-mile round trip. Park at the “end of plowing” on Miners Castle Road.
• Miners Castle: 6.5-mile round trip. Park at the “end of plowing” on Miners Castle Road.
• Chapel Falls: 10-mile round trip. From H-58 via summer access road.
• Sable Falls/Dune Trails: 3-mile out-and-back trail. Start at the Grand Sable Visitors Center and follow the trail to see the spectacular dunes in the winter.
• Beaver Lake: 6-mile round trip. From the H-58 via summer access road.

Please remember to be safe out there and bring adequate gear, food, water and maps. It is also a good idea to travel with a group and tell someone where you’re going. It’s even better to have someone with you who knows the area and trails. Also, stay off frozen lakes and ponds as the ice can be very unpredictable.

Make sure to check out this helpful brochure on snowshoeing the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore as it includes a couple maps.

Happy snowshoeing!

Some crazy, warm weather has hit the Munising area as well as the rest of Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For the last several days, the temperature has been hovering about the freezing mark and yesterday it drizzled/light rain for most of the day. The rain has stopped, momentarily, but is forecasted to start-up again later in the day. The good news is the winter-like temperatures are suppose to return tomorrow and for the extended forecast. As expected this warm-up has affected our snow but there looks to be hope tomorrow. Out at Valley Spur, they’ve been grooming the cross-country ski trails daily and are reporting the trails are still in decent shape despite the warm weather.

Don’t forget, next Saturday (January 8th) is the annual Valley Spur Ski Bash. This cross-country ski event features two race lengths (12k & 24k) and two skiing styles (classic & freestyle). The race gets started at 10:00am and it should be a great time. You can register for the event online by visiting the Valley Spur website.

We’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year! We hope to see you around Munising in 2011!

Notice for snowmobilers. (Click to enlarge)

Happy first day of winter as we’re officially in that season! Not much has happened in the last week as far as the weather is concerned. The daytime temperatures have been pretty mild the last few days and it’s quite enjoyable to be outside in the snow. Whether you’re snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or snowmobiling, it doesn’t get any better than this! The snowmobile trail groomer is reporting the trails are in fair to decent shape and mildly quiet for the time being. With the holidays only a few days away, the traffic will increase so please be careful out there.

UPCOMING EVENT:
If you’re looking for some winter fun, make plans to attend the 5th annual Valley Spur Ski Bash coming up on January 8, 2011. It’s a great day of cross-country skiing fun with two different races (24K & 12K) and different styles (freestyle & classic). The event begins at 10am and you can pre-register by visiting the Valley Spur Ski Bash webpage. The Ski Bash is a great event and you’re guaranteed a fun time.

That’s it for this week. We’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. We hope to see you around the Munising area!

Merry Christmas!

Mother Nature has done it again. Over the weekend, we received snowfall from the blizzard that moved through the Midwest and then lake-effect snow followed for several more days. There’s no doubt that winter is here and it looks splendid! The area now has 1-2 feet of snow on the ground and all snowmobile trails and cross-country ski trails are being groomed! If you’re looking for something to do during the holidays, traveling to Munising is a great option! If you do visit the area and still need to do some last minute Christmas shopping, make sure to check out some of the area shops for a nice selection of U.P. gifts!

Here’s some pictures from the past days…

Looking across the West Channel towards Grand Island

Impressive clouds from the lake-effect snow

Near Christmas, MI and looking towards Grand Island

Snowing over Munising Bay

Piles of snow line the street along Elm Avenue