Heikinpaiva and a North Country Trail Snowshoe to O Kun de Kun Falls
This past Saturday morning would start out with a drive into Hancock to participate in the Heikinpaiva parade with the Hancock Trails Club. For those new to the newsletter, Heikinpaiva is an annual mid-winter festival celebrating Finnish-American culture that takes place annually in Hancock. There are a number of events throughout the month of January, but the parade on Saturday and the post-parade events, including the wife-carrying contest and an evening dance, cap off the celebration.
It had been a pleasant start to the day, but a cold front moved in bringing wind and lake-effect snow just as the parade began. This did not deter the crazy antics of the MTU Pep Band which involved many of its members exposing a good deal of flesh to the elements.
Julie and I have participated in the parade for at least nine years now along with Hancock Trails Club board members and friends. Included below are our friends Sue and Jennifer along with HTC Treasurer John Diebel, HTC President Jay Green, and HTC Vice-President Mark Roberts.
Our dog Red has also been in the parade all these years as well, but this year (since he is getting up in age) he and Julie rode in the comfort of the club’s Can-Am Defender which is one of the club’s grooming vehicles.
Our friend Carolyn participated in the parade as a grasshopper which goes along with story of St. Urho which was a creation of Minnesota Finnish-Americans.
There were also Moomins based on the writing and illustrating of Tove Jansson; individuals wearing traditional Finnish costumes; and characters from the Kalavala.
After the parade we ducked into the Finnish-American Heritage Center to check out the Tori Market and to have salmon soup, Karelian pie, and rice pudding for lunch. We ran into a number of our friends along the way which made the event even more enjoyable.
After at least five more inches of snow on Saturday, the sun would reappear on Sunday morning.
With the rest of the grooming crew tied up with church activities, I would get out to groom the Chassell Trails on my own. Talking with Jim Tervo ahead of time, I would run the Gator in reverse down the steep hill by the baseball field coming in from the Heritage Center. Since there had been so much wind causing drifting up top, I would roll first and then track.
I would finish just in time so we could head right back out with our friends Mat and Carol to meet up with our hiking/skiing group at the O Kun de Kun Falls trailhead on the North Country Trail for a snowshoe hike to the falls. The trail had been well traveled, and the beautiful blue sky created an awesome contrast with the snow-covered forest.
Once we reached the Baltimore River we would stop at the Upper Falls to check out the ice curtains on the sandstone cliffs along the river.
O Kun de Kun Falls itself was more frozen over than usual as we were unable to get behind it as we have in years past.
You can check out my GoPro video from the hike on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel at this link:
Of course, no drive to the southwest on M-26 is complete without a stop in Twin Lakes for pasties from Krupps which we made sure to visit on our return trip!
Be sure to check out the Remote Workforce Keweenaw Facebook page to meet Laurium remote worker Mackenzie Lewis pictured below at Douglass-Houghton Falls at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EgMeEzdEt/
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.