Another Blast of Lake-Effect Snow!

This past Sunday our hiking group got out for our first ski of the season on the Swedetown Trails in Calumet. Even though the trails and tracks were a bit icy, it was nice getting together with friends!

We covered 5.4 miles and you can see my GoPro video from the ski at this link to the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel:

Monday was a bust for doing trail grooming due to the warm conditions that made the trails too soft to work with. Julie and I made it over to MTU to swim a little later than usual after I shoveled some very wet, sloppy snow from the driveway. I put in 1,900 yards and then we went over to the Tomasi Trailhead where fellow Hancock Trails Club board members Mark Roberts, John Diebel, and I received a $2,500 donation from Visit Keweenaw that they made to the Club as part of the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation’s Giving Tuesday.

I would later get focused on putting together an amendment to my Forest Management Plan under the Qualified Forest Program through the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD). Coordinating with Forester Andy Van Dyke, I completed a draft amendment and forwarded it to Andy for his review. I have four management units that were due for single tree selection timber harvest that we were pushing into 2025 and 2030 due to recent lack of market during our previous window and expected market improvement in 2025.

We picked up snow going into Tuesday morning and with colder weather, Steve and I were back out on the Chassell Trails to roll in the recent icy snow along with the new snow.

The freezing rain on Monday caused all kinds of smaller branches to fall from the trees which resulted in constant stops to pick up the woody litter from the trail.

Unfortunately, we had forgotten to bring a chainsaw along and, sure enough, as we were heading uphill from Misslitz Field a large tree had fallen across the trail. We tried to get ahold of Brian, but he was shopping up in Houghton. I gave Jim Tervo a call and he was able to catch Kenny Larson who was able to come out to cut it apart.

We had a nice talk with Kenny. He had known my Dad so that was a nice connection. We also talked about the Border-to-Border Ski that I had done in Finland in March of 2023. Kenny had recently been in Finland and had been in Taivalkoski which was one of the communities I had stayed in during the ski. Kenny talked about his Dad who had skied across the U.P. back in the 1970s.

Aside from picking up branches, one other challenge we faced was the heat from the Gator’s exhaust causing the wet snow to ball up like rolling a snowball for a snowman on the roller. As we picked up branches, we would also chip this accumulating snow from the roller. Steve and I ended up spending three and a half hours on the trails, but the cleanup and grooming would prove important for creating a clean, thick base for the snow that would follow.

After wrapping up the trail work I would go to the Houghton County Courthouse for the Houghton County Board of Commissioners meeting where they would be holding a public hearing on the Brownfield Redevelopment Plan (which includes the Housing TIF) for the Chassell Mercantile Development project. Jeff Ratcliffe from the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance presented all the details on the project then Jerry Wuorenmaa from the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR) and I both spoke in support of the project. During their regular meeting that followed, the commissioners would take up a resolution in supporting the Brownfield Redevelopment Plan. Commissioner Roy Britz who represents Chassell Township moved for approval of the resolution with support from Commissioner Glenn Anderson. The motion was approved unanimously.

On my way home I made a quick stop at Centennial Park in Chassell to check in on MJO’s progress on the waterfront boardwalk. Even with all of the recent less than desirable conditions, substantial progress had been made.

Andy Van Dyke signed off on my Forest Management Plan amendment which I forwarded that evening to Scott Zeeb at MDARD. Andy recommended that I work with Green Timber in Pelkie on the 2025 harvest, so I reached out to them.

Wednesday morning brought more snow so the first order of business was to shovel the driveway before we headed over to MTU to swim. Short for time due to shoveling, I would only squeeze in 2,100 yards.

After making a Walmart run, Steve and I agreed to meet up at 12:45 to roll and track the Chassell Ski Trails. In the meantime, Rexx Janowiak from Green Timber reached back to me and we agreed to meet next week to discuss my Forest Management Plan.

The snow had let up and there was about six more inches to be rolled and tracked. With all the work we had done the previous day, it only took Steve and me forty-five minutes to do the work.

With the promise of significant lake-effect snow in the forecast, I came back out to the trail to ski that afternoon.

You can see my GoPro video from my ski on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel at this link:

That evening I would attend the Chassell Township Board meeting. During the Planning Commission report I would present the township’s five-year road plan which they approved and will now go to the Houghton County Road Commission. I would seek and gain approval from the board to add two residents to the township’s liability coverage who are going to allow us to create an access ski trail to the existing ski trail from the Marinette Street trailhead which is currently only used for hiking and snowshoe trail access. I would seek and receive the board’s approval to continue serving as the township’s representative on the Houghton County Recreation Authority. I would brief the board on progress regarding the MDNR Spark Grant. I would also publicly thank Commissioner Britz (he was in attendance) for making the motion to approve the Brownfield Redevelopment Plan (and Housing TIF) resolution for the Chassell Mercantile redevelopment project.

One thing I didn’t mention was that from the time I was finishing my ski and throughout the township board meeting it was absolutely pouring snow. I shoveled close to eight inches before going to the meeting and at least another four afterwards. Upon going into the house, Julie would inform me that the furnace was not operating which meant the furnace vent or intake had to have been blocked. So I climbed up on the roof via an extension ladder to shovel out all the vents.

There was easily over two feet of snow in many places on the roof and here we are only in the second week of December!

There was going to be plenty of trail work to do and Steve, Brian, and I agreed to meet up at 12:15 to get after it. To start the day, Julie and I would meet up with a number of other Chassell Historical Organization board members to get the Chassell Heritage Center ready for Old Fashioned Christmas on Saturday.

We will be having an open house with live music from 11 to 3 and kids can come by to visit with Santa Claus and decorate cookies from 11 to 2. Learn more about all the events associated with Old Fashioned at https://www.facebook.com/chassellchristmas.

Do you embrace winter and have the ability to work remotely? Consider locating in the Keweenaw where you will find ubiquitous natural beauty, no congestion, and lower crime! Not sure? Come UP for a workcation to check it out! Learn how at Visit Keweenaw at https://www.visitkeweenaw.com/plan/trip-ideas-itineraries/workcations/ Visit Remote Workforce Keweenaw at https://remoteworkforcekeweenaw.com. Learn about those making the decision to locate here by following the Remote Workforce Keweenaw Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RemoteWorkforceKeweenaw.