Spring Waterfalls

Last Sunday our hiking group would meet up in Copper City to hike to Queen Anne’s Falls on Slaughterhouse Creek and to Scales Creek Falls on Scales Creek. Much of this hike is on a level off-road-vehicle trail; however, there is a steep climb down to Slaughterhouse Creek to take in the view of Queen Anne’s Falls.

Continuing down the ORV trail, a less steep drop took us to Scales Creek Falls.

A short distance farther down the trail is a road leading up the hill to a former copper mine where we took in the commanding view looking eastward toward the Cliff Mine, Mt. Horace Greeley, Mt. Houghton, and Mt. Bohemia.

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

We started Monday with a swim at MTU. A late start would limit me to 2,700 yards at a 1:58/100 pace. I would then help our friend Eero put his boat lift in the lake.

With better weather predicted for the afternoon, Julie and I would drive up to Houghton-Douglass Falls to see the falls and to check out the improvements the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been making at the site. Houghton-Douglass Falls is the tallest waterfall in Michigan at 110 feet. Crossing over Hammell Creek on the newly constructed bridge, we initially took in the view from the edge of the canyon.

I scrambled down the trail to the base of the falls to take in the awesome view looking up.

Julie enjoyed the view with Finn about halfway down the trail from a curious shaped cedar.

You can see more from the hike on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel at this link:

Tuesday would start with a quick appearance on the Morning Brainwave on WMPL as I needed to race over to the Houghton County Courthouse for a Houghton County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority meeting at 9:00. That afternoon I would get out for a 4-mile rail-trail run at an 8:44/mile pace.

I skipped my swim on Wednesday morning in favor of attending a Keweenaw Chamber breakfast reception at Visit Keweenaw where I had the opportunity to meet Amanda Wais who runs her business, The Cheeky Scribe, remotely from Copper Harbor. I would need to run back to Chassell for a late morning meeting of the planning commission’s zoning committee where we would wrap up work on amendments that we will be final proposing to the full commission at our June meeting.

While on a walk later that afternoon, I would get out to prune branches along the Chassell Historic Trail where I noted the repairs that Dan Palosaari had made to boardwalk railings that had been damaged by fallen trees.

I would provide feedback to Haley Goodreau at Goose Collective who has been designing a z-fold brochure for the Chassell Heritage Center. Then on my way to that evening’s township board meeting, I stopped by Misslitz Field to check out the progress JCS has made with the fencing as well as Dan Palosaari’s work crowning the infield with the material brought in by Superior Sand & Gravel. Both were looking great!

During the Planning Commission report at the board meeting, I would receive the board’s approval for the commission’s unanimous recommendation to appoint Mike Messner to the vacant position on the commission. I would also receive board approval to have J.S. Excavating dredge the notch in the Sturgeon River riverbank where the kayak launch is located as it had taken on silt during the spring runoff. I would update the board on the timeline for the forthcoming amendments to the zoning ordinance and that we will be working with Chris Adams on the brook trout restoration project on Hamar Creek. I also thanked Dan Palosaari for his work on both the historic trail rail repairs and the crowning of Misslitz Field. Also, during the meeting, the board awarded the adjustable boat ramp dock RFP to Jam Service.

Thursday, Julie and I would get out for a hike with our friends Mat and Carol on the Boundary Road Trails just off the north edge of Chassell Township. Warm temperatures and no bugs made for an awesome hike! The presence of blue skies, trout lilies, and blood root added to the beauty of the day! You can check out my GoPro vide from the hike on the Remote Workforce Keweenaw YouTube channel at this link:

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.