Copper Harbor Trails Club
Copper Harbor Trails
Bike on
National Geographic posted its list of America’s 20 Best Mountain Bike Towns and two Lake Superior cities – Copper Harbor, Michigan, and Duluth, Minnesota – made the cut. Describing its choices, NG reports: “To foster authentic bike culture, a town needs more than just high quality trails. These 20 mountain bike hamlets around the country (in no particular order) offer bucket-list rides, new trail development, a variety of outdoor recreation, and a fun, bike-friendly vibe.”
With its photo from Copper Harbor, the site describes: “On the northernmost part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Keweenaw Peninsula juts into Lake Superior, and on the northernmost tip of that hides Copper Harbor and perhaps the best 35 miles of flow trails in the country. The IMBA Epic trails climb and descend ridges and valleys with buff singletrack, cedar-planked boardwalks, and bridges over rough bedrock and perfectly built berms and jumps, topping out at a 550-foot scenic summit.”
With the winter scene in Duluth (the only fat-tire photo used), it notes: “The city comprises around 7,000 acres of parks, almost 200 miles of forested trails, Class 5 whitewater, a reputation for cranking out Olympians, and now some of the best riding in the Midwest. One of only four IMBA gold-level ride centers in the country, Duluth offers 60 miles of flowing singletrack, challenging trails on rough bedrock, and lift-accessed riding on a ski area overlooking Lake Superior.”
+ Our story from a few years ago: Big Lake Bike Heaven.
Boatload of lunkers
Minnesota DNR
Muskie
Spring has hatched a higher-than-average number of record fish applications for the Minnesota DNR, a good sign for great angling.
There are five applications claiming record sizes for shortnose gar (5 lbs, 4 oz.), two lake sturgeon (both 70 inches long and both caught and released), golden redhorse (4 lbs., 7 oz.) and quillback carpsucker (49 inches, but that ties the current record). An application for a 72-inch sturgeon came from the U.S.-Canada border waters, but without a photo of the fish by a tape measure, it cannot be counted.
“This is by far the wildest, craziest spring we’ve ever had. We’ve never had so many record submissions and so much interest in such a short span of time,” said Mike Kurre, state record fish program coordinator. Here’s the site to find all the state records.
Saturday opens the muskie (pictured) season in Minnesota. The DNR, which does not guard its fishing holes as jealously as most anglers, tells you what fish to expect on specific lakes with its Lake Finder. If you’re looking to break the Minnesota catch-and-release muskie record, you must top last year’s 56-⅞-inch-long, 25-½-inch-girth muskellunge taken June 25 on Pelican Lake in Otter Tail County.
Saxon Harbor gets federal funding for marina rebuild
Richard Jenkins, Ironwood Daily Globe:
Saxon Harbor has made the cut for this year’s U.S. Army Corps of Engineering funding, meaning the Army Corps will contribute to part of the marina’s repair following its destruction during the rain and flooding of the July 11, 2016 storm.
According to an announcement from Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s office, the Army Corps’ 2017 work plan includes a total of $1.375 million for work at the harbor — comprised of $575,000 for dredging work and $800,000 for structural repairs.
The work might not begin until next spring, so a reopening could still be several years away. Here’s a look back at the flooding.
+ Nearby Black River Harbor’s boat launch is still closed after last week’s heavy rains blocked the launch with silt, Richard reports. No timetable has been announced.
Lake level climbs: Lake Superior is now 9 inches above long-term average after a greater-than-normal rise in May.
U.P. in hand: Marquette’s Downtown Development Authority runs a poster contest each year for its annual Blueberry Festival in July. Take a gander at this year’s winner, a delightful photo called “Handmade in the U.P.” It was made by a former Marquette resident who says, “Picking blueberries each summer in the U.P. was one of my favorite things to do growing up.”
New Visit Duluth digs: The offices and tourist info center for Visit Duluth moved down a few blocks to the lower level of the Holiday Center, 22 W. Superior St. “This location in the heart of downtown provides improved visibility, easy access from whichever direction our visitors are traveling and direct connection to the skywalk system,” Executive Director Anna Tanski says of the new digs. “We anticipate an increased volume of foot traffic in this high profile location.”
Canada 150 tulip gardens blooming in Thunder Bay: The red and white tulips were planted in the shape of Canada’s flag for the country’s upcoming 150th birthday, TBNewsWatch’s Leith Dunick says. See the gardens at Pioneer Ridge and the Centennial Botanical Conservatory.
Talk about small class sizes: Seniors at Grand Marais, Michigan’s Burt Township School graduated last week. All three of them. Congratulations to Chaese Ward-Harbaum, center, and twins Landon and Logan Stachnik.
Duluth had a chilly Memorial Day: To help us warm up, Doritos air-dropped bags of their new HeatWave chips at Bayfront Festival Park. WDIO has video.
K-9 Deputy Dogo helps find lost hikers in the Keweenaw: The trio had left the trail near Bare Bluff and couldn’t find their way back. Fourteen-month-old Deputy Dogo led the search team to the hikers, reports Graham Jaehnig for the Mining Gazette.
Duluth-Superior Film Festival underway: Through Sunday, watch some great independent films, many with connections to the region.
Grandma’s Marathon needs volunteers: Just weeks away, the marathon from Two Harbors to Duluth wouldn’t be possible without the help of hundreds of volunteers – and they’re a little short this year. No experience required; sign up here. (Last year’s volunteer honoree, Cheryl Fosdick, is making a special appeal for her security team.)
In other volunteer news: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, is hosting the SESQUI interactive dome experience as part of its Canada 150 celebration and needs a helping hand from the community.