With spring taking hold here in the Keweenaw, our focus turned to getting our cabin ready for the Airbnb season. Deck scraping was the primary activity this past week. I swam 2,500 yards to start Monday and Friday, but attended the Chamber breakfast on Wednesday morning. Over breakfast I talked with Stephen Bosio from Bosio Biscuit Company in Tapiola. It was a good opportunity to discuss the progress on our effort to re-establish a snowmobile trail connecting Chassell to the Nichols Trail via Tapiola. The speakers that morning would be focused on tourism. Visit Keweenaw and the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR) had partnered with the University of Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute on a study of the economic impact of tourism in the western Upper Peninsula. Representatives from the institute presented the results of the study. One highlight noted that the median trip by visitors to the region is four days (with three days spent in Houghton County) with most of these visitors coming from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. This finding is completely consistent with the experience we have with our guests both with where guests come from and the length of stay. Also consistent with our experience were the activities tourists are coming here for, with hiking and waterfall viewing being the primary interests during the times of year that we are open. The total economic impact of tourism was estimated at $357.8 million per year supporting 3,060 jobs earning $99.2 million. One Million Cups followed the Chamber breakfast where Jason Mack introduced us to Curt from U.P. Boxes who presented on their gift boxes for fishermen that include lures produced in the U.P. and also includes jerky from Vollwerth’s. If you are looking for a unique gift for the fishermen you know, check them out at
A Springtime Bushwhack
A Springtime Bushwhack
A Springtime Bushwhack
With spring taking hold here in the Keweenaw, our focus turned to getting our cabin ready for the Airbnb season. Deck scraping was the primary activity this past week. I swam 2,500 yards to start Monday and Friday, but attended the Chamber breakfast on Wednesday morning. Over breakfast I talked with Stephen Bosio from Bosio Biscuit Company in Tapiola. It was a good opportunity to discuss the progress on our effort to re-establish a snowmobile trail connecting Chassell to the Nichols Trail via Tapiola. The speakers that morning would be focused on tourism. Visit Keweenaw and the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR) had partnered with the University of Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute on a study of the economic impact of tourism in the western Upper Peninsula. Representatives from the institute presented the results of the study. One highlight noted that the median trip by visitors to the region is four days (with three days spent in Houghton County) with most of these visitors coming from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. This finding is completely consistent with the experience we have with our guests both with where guests come from and the length of stay. Also consistent with our experience were the activities tourists are coming here for, with hiking and waterfall viewing being the primary interests during the times of year that we are open. The total economic impact of tourism was estimated at $357.8 million per year supporting 3,060 jobs earning $99.2 million. One Million Cups followed the Chamber breakfast where Jason Mack introduced us to Curt from U.P. Boxes who presented on their gift boxes for fishermen that include lures produced in the U.P. and also includes jerky from Vollwerth’s. If you are looking for a unique gift for the fishermen you know, check them out at