Hike to Lyytila Falls
Before I get started today, a quick shout out to remote workers here in the Keweenaw to come out to tonight’s remote worker networking event at 6:00 p.m. at the Agassiz Park Pavilion in Calumet! We hope to see you there!
This past weekend started with a 3.6 mile run around Chassell in some very humid conditions just ahead of an approaching thunderstorm and heading up to Calumet where Julie would be teaching a painting class at Gallery on 5th.
After helping Julie set up for her class, I picked up our friend Mark and we went over to the Maasto Hiihto Trails on the north side of Hancock where we would take measurements for two-hundred feet upstream and downstream for each of the clear span bridges for which we are seeking EGLE permits. Using these measurements, Mark would complete sketches including the elevations that would be included with the permit applications I was completing.
After dropping off Mark, I ran back up to Calumet to help Julie with packing up her painting materials. Our next event on the calendar would be a potluck and presentation on a trip to Bavaria. Our friend Beth would be hosting this get together, but we had enough time before then to make a stop at the Calumet Waterworks beach on Lake Superior.
While at the beach we ran into the parents of a remote worker who recently came to the area who I had met at the Chassell Planning Commission booth at the Chassell Strawberry Festival! It can be a small world up here!
Kayleigh Karinen who we met through my cousin Marja’s friend Marjo while in Helsinki back in March of 2023 was staying with us and she met up with us at Beth’s. Kayleigh (second from the left) was staying with us ahead of going to Finn Fest where she will be presenting this coming weekend in Duluth.
There was great food and conversation ahead of a very interesting presentation about an art focused trip to Bavaria.
Sunday morning would start with a visit with Sandi and Jack Engel. Ruth Wisti had shared some materials with Sandi, including a copy of a deed showing the previous ownership of the Wisti farm by my great-grandparents. She had also shared a photo of the log cabin that my great-grandparents built there. Sandi had contacted Ruth about the farm since I will cover it as part of the Meyer family history in conjunction with the August 4th Friends of Fashion Show. It was very cool to be able to photograph copies of these for my genealogical collection!
Sunday our hiking group would meet up for a hike/bushwhack to Lyytila Falls on the Sante River. This is a particularly cool straight drop waterfall over Jacobsville sandstone to the southeast of Painesdale and east of Toivola. The drive to where we started the hike was a bit rough and then the hike along the river is definitely a bushwhack with no discernable trail.
As you near the falls, the stream is running over bedrock and there are some significant sandstone outcroppings along its banks.
Just above the falls a spring was flowing out of the high bank and into the river just before the abrupt drop of twenty-five feet to the plunge pool below. Instead of going down from here, we would climb uphill with the assistance of a rope to a place referred to as “The Cathedral” which is a stand of massive white pine.
We would hike a short distance a downstream from there to another rope for the climb down to the river below. We would soon be rewarded with the beautiful view to be found at Lyytila Falls!
You can see my GoPro video from this hike on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel at this link:
Working with Mark on Monday, I would wrap up the permit applications for the two bridges and boardwalk for Maasto Hiihto and get those submitted to the EGLE. We would also be picking up family flying in from Kansas which would start a new round of adventures, but more about those next time!
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.