Great Escapes Fall 2022 | Page 28

foot cliffs that once rose over the Michigamme

River .

Past the mine , we crossed a county

road that was our final sign of humanity

as the route turned eastward on Trail 32

toward Gwinn . The trail eventually joined

up with a high-line , following tall , rolling

hills through the empty forest .

Staying on the safe side with fuel

in such remote terrain , we turned our

sleds around at our gauges ’ halfway

The trails in this part of the U . P . are legendary and always seem well-groomed .

mark and backtracked to Ishpeming , taking a different , slower and tighter

route after Republic .

The Upper Peninsula isn ’ t for every-

as the gas station in the village of Republic would be our only chance to fill up . They

portunity to explore the top end on each

of our sleds .

one . Those seeking posh accommodations , 5G cell service , easy directions and

added that Republic ’ s gas pumps occa-

Taking a spur trail , we crawled into the

Loading our sleds back into the trailer at

any sort of urban conveniences will be

sionally run dry . Fully prepared , our pack

town of Republic and stopped to size up

the Best Western , it was hard to leave this

ducks out of water .

of three was excited to explore this vast ,

the situation . If it weren ’ t for the two deer

fascinating corner of the Upper Peninsula

However , if you ’ re interested in ex-

unknown territory .

and a big crow sitting atop a fence post ,

with so many areas left to explore : the

ploring our country ’ s industrial past

Riding a different route out of Ishpem-

we wouldn ’ t have known anybody or any-

Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum and unusually

and recalling the pioneering souls who

ing , Trail 82 parallels the south side of U . S .

thing lived in the seemingly post-human

compact downtown of Ishpeming , culture

endured and worked this rugged land

Highway 41 ( the 2.008-mile highway that

village . We never did find that gas station .

and lakeside beauty of Marquette , more

— or you ’ re just in search of fantastic ,

connects Copper Harbor , Michigan , to Mi-

Continuing south on 5 , we rounded

waterfalls and vantage points among

endless snowmobile trails — Michigan ’ s

ami , Florida ) to the west . Past the Green-

a sharp bend and spotted the remains

the Huron Mountains , abandoned mines

Upper Peninsula is like nowhere else in

wood Reservoir , we turned south on Trail

of the Republic Mine , Michigan ’ s only

and countless relics of industry scattered

America . Avid riders who ’ ve ridden the

5 for Republic on a path that was wide and

open pit mine open for free public view-

throughout the woods , appealing snow-

Keweenaw and Lake Gogebic-area need to

fast . Surroundings alternated between

ing . Standing as a wide , towering mound

mobile trails in every direction and , most

load up once again , drive a bit further east

dense pine forest and wide-open straights

cleared of trees , the pit is 600 feet deep ,

arresting , Henry Ford ’ s legacy and the

and investigate another chapter in this

through immense fields — the ideal op-

which is a stark contrast from the 200-

lingering murder mystery in Big Bay .

region ’ s story .