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Mission
Superior - "Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula harbors sea
stacks, empty singletrack, a total absence of chic and Zik's
Bar. Oh, and you might scare up a mountain lion too."
National Geographic Adventure Magazine, August 2002, featured
Copper Harbor and the Keweenaw Adventure Company.
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| The
rugged topography of the Upper Peninsula |
This
headline sums up the Keweenaw today in a nutshell, but only
scratches the surface of this historically significant region.
Michigan's state motto reads, "If you seek a pleasant peninsula,
look about you." According to many folks, the Keweenaw is
in fact the crown jewel of all of the peninsulas in the Great
Lake State. It's remoteness and small population has allowed
this 60 mile finger of land to remain relatively unchanged
for many years. In fact, it's sort of a time warp taking visitors
back to an earlier time. This is apparent as soon as visitors
cross the "gateway" bridge in Houghton, connecting the mainland
with the "Copper Island" to the north.
 Although
it is called a peninsula, it is technically an island. The
Portage Canal divides the peninsula and may only be crossed
by vehicles only across one bridge that connects the sister
cities of Houghton & Hancock, about 50 miles south of
Copper Harbor. Keweenaw, in fact, is the Objibwa word that
means "to portage", named for this short cut they used in
the early days while paddling birch bark canoes. Today, this
is part of the Keweenaw Water Trail that ultimately allows
paddlers to circumnavigate the "Copper Island" on a hundred-mile
plus journey.
The
Keweenaw is composed of some of the oldest exposed rock in
the world, outside of the Grand Canyon. It dates back some
1.1 billion years and is mineral rich. The first great mining
boom in the United States began in 1846 with the discovery,
first in Copper Harbor, of the red metal: copper. The late
1800's brought wealth, prosperity and immigrants to the "new
world" looking for work and opportunity. The area's mining
past is evident throughout the entire peninsula and include
the Keweenaw National Historic Park. The Park is one of two
National Historic Parks in the country and is a unique cooperative
effort between historic buildings, mines, ghost towns, lighthouses
and maritime locations that span the entire Keweenaw and help
to tell its story.
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The Brockway
Mountain overlook above Copper Harbor |
Copper Harbor is one of those great places that all of us
are familiar with, although it's far less known. It's sort
of a weird combination of Isle Royale, Moab, British Columbia,
Telluride, Gatlinburg, Sedona and Key West all blended together
with a distinct U.P. flavor. The village is located in a valley
at the base of a spiney, rocky ridge, Brockway Mountain. Visitors
may take in the stunning view of Lake Superior, Copper Harbor
and the surrounding wilderness from over 300' above. All of
the village's artisans, shops, restaurants and motels are
entirely (and refreshingly) Mom & Pop owned and operated.
If you are looking for strip malls, cell phone reception,
Holiday Inns, and McDonald's, this is not the place for you.
If you're looking for a slow pace, friendly folks, great value
and access to uninhabited shoreline, wilderness trails and
great adventure, then Copper Harbor is for you.
For more information on the area's attractions and accommodations,
please visit www.copperharbor.org
A
trip to the Keweenaw is a living lesson in history, geology
and ecology. Surrounded by Lake Superior on three sides, the
Keweenaw's rugged landscape, rocky shoreline and mountain
top vistas offer a fantastic location for silent sport recreation.
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