Exploring the Keweenaw and Obscure Things

[@ericgulseth74]

Born and raised in the Manitowoc area until I moved to CNY 15 years ago. I've hiked the north shore in Minnesota's Arrowhead region, saw the northern lights on Isle Royale, crossed Lake Michigan by boat to Charlevoix, skied the UP, canoed the chain of lakes in Northern Wisconsin, and backpacked the Porcupine Mountains. One thing I didn't do before I left was explore the Keweenaw. Videos like this make me want to uproot my family and move back. Even though we have the Adirondacks, Finger lakes, and the western Great Lakes, something about that land is special.

[@okboomer6201]

About 10 years ago we encountered a black bear in one of those tunnels of the stamp Mill

[@TMM716]

I took my Jeep to the stampsands last year. I had so much fun and it was a beautiful view. Although, I hate the fact that the sands are ruining buffalo reef. The greed that is destroying this land that was stolen from the Indians is heartbreaking. Trying to find beauty in the ashes that are life. Thanks for sharing Viking and Poppins 😊

[@lacyc376]

We often take our boat (23’ Hewescraft) to Isle Royale. A Lot of history out there!

[@Horsewomann]

I used to do medical support for a mountain bike tour that started in Marquette and went to Copper Harbor. Love all the cool stuff up there. The Jam Pot is always a good stop.

[@Coopersmith7718]

“First authorized” mine. That’s great!!!

[@platemanFYI]

As a Michigander, I enjoy your adventure/travels/history in my home state. Many places that I will never see for myself. Thanks for the journeys that you take us on! P.S. Poppins is a 'Good Sport'!

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks Diane! Poppins is more than a good sport. She is a tried and true adventurer. Though she runs into trouble, she keeps at it! ;-)

[@stevensolway1054]

1969: our family 👪 had vacation in Keweenaw, we rode the old COPPER RANGE RR Steam locomotive 🚂 🚃🚃 29 from Houghton to Ripley, but it went bancrupt in 1972. But loco 29 2-8-0 Consolidation type sat outside for almost 40 Years!! About 2010 it was donated to the MID-CONTINENT RAIL MUSEUM in North Freedom, Wisconsin by Wisconsin Dells, and saved with 2 Copper Range rr Coaches, but needs $1M Dollars for repairs, ok September 2023A.D. 👍 👌 hi from Green Bay, GO PACKERS!!!!!

[@chefvaleriewilson8738]

I love the Delaware Mine! It is the best because it is self guided.

[@stephenrrose]

Poppins, that wasn't a mosquito that was our State Bird the Pterodactyl !!!! Thank you for the video and I've heard of the Jampot, now I need to visit there!

[@RestlessViking]

😂😂😂

[@jamessebela3236]

I rockhounded the peninsula in the mid 1980’s. Drove the trails out to the top of the peninsula and everywhere they went! Had an S-10 blazer ,we made it down the trails but it was tight. I remember the thimble berries were so prevalent in some areas that there was more red than green! Thimble berries are absolutely delicious. Went to all the old mine sights….there was no private enterprise. Found agates, copper,chlorastrolite,pumpellyite and other rare minerals. Never saw anyone, on the trails or at the mine dumps! It sure has changed .

[@ibdaffy]

Yet another great vid from the Viking and everyone's favorite, Poppins!

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks! Poppins is "EVERYONE's Favorite" for sure!

[@georgeelder8415]

Meanwhile, in the Yoop!

[@Jay_Hall]

Groovy!! Thanks Viking and Popins! :)

[@LadyYoop]

Extremely WELL DONE!!

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks!

[@Erth]

Thanks

[@RestlessViking]

Thank you!

[@NorthCountryHistory]

Another great one Chuck and Poppins. The Keewenaw is my favorite place in Michigan.

[@geraldmorrison3152]

Totally enjoy listening to you and your adventures. You have found your nitch. Keep 'em coming.

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks so much, Gerald! We'll keep em coming!

[@megmolkate]

1:40 that is the Quincy stamp mill the smelters were in Houghton and Hancock, the one on the Houghton side is long gone. The one across from Houghton is being restored as I understand.

[@michaelotto8696]

Fun fact about the Keweenaw: US highway 41, that starts in downtown Miami, Florida, is a major travel corridor in the State of Wisconsin dead ends near the tip of this peninsula. I mean DEAD ENDS. You drive and drive and eventually reach a spot with guard rails blocking any further progress and provides a place to turn around. End... Second thing about our travel throughout the UP is a persistent menu item, at least along the shoreline eateries. Whitefish livers... Now I like liver but "fishy" liver? It took me a few days to take the leap. After seeing on multiple menus for days, I finally ordered some for dinner one night. IF you like liver it is amazing! Not as soft as chicken but more tender than calf/beef. And not a hint of fishiness. An interesting experience and a very tasty discovery.

[@chefvaleriewilson8738]

High Rock! I have only been there once (after wanting to go for 10 years). It is a MAGICAL place! I was in heaven there! One of my favorite places in the U.P. And the ride to get there was a great, fun, 4 wheeling adventure!

[@EAGLEDRIVER77]

Thanks for another great video.👍🏻

[@mikeedelman2827]

I stumbled upon your channel...have enjoyed all of the videos. As a Yooper for 30+ years, I'd thought I'd see it all...your adventures have shown me so much more. Please keep up the awesome content 👍

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks for watching! Maybe we'll see you in the Yoop sometime.

[@clockbuilderhg]

I love the Keweenaw and try to get there once or twice a year. The monks have some property up the hill, off of Eagle Harbor Cut Off Rd that is also an interesting place to walk around. The Cliff Mine, North American Mine, and Copper Falls mine are some of my favorite ruins.

[@markpriebe9872]

You Guys are great really enjoy your channel

[@Horsewomann]

It looks like that dredge #1 would be cool to do a scuba dive on.

[@tracycc123]

Thanks for another great video!! God bless!

[@jeannebrauher3587]

That was pretty cool! Thank you for another adventure to my home state! Safe journeys!

[@jillanderson1291]

We investigated that dredge on snowmobiles years ago. You could walk around the inside on the ice. We love to fish at Schlatters Lake out there by High Rock. You showed all of our favorites. I love the history that you provide also. The UP is da best!

[@RestlessViking]

A very cool place for sure!

[@rollinwiththedavises1938]

Always enjoy your vids. Thanks for sharing.

[@joedaly2362]

"Procurious situation". Yea, right, POPPINS!

[@mattrichards9300]

Thanks for doing this. Love these video.

[@peggyhemenger8983]

So interesting, thanks! I hope to visit that skete one day, maybe this autumn.

[@kathygregory3734]

Oh, my gosh! Thank you for this! We are headed up to the Keweenaw Penninsula in three weeks. First time for both my husband and I. I think I need to re-think what I'm going to pack after seeing you two bundled up in "adventure" pants and jackets in June. I have been researching things to see and do and you gave us some great ideas, although I highly doubt we would rent a boat by ourselves to go out to the lighthouse 😆We will be staying in the B & B that is across the road from the Devil's Washtub so that one will be a definite visit. Thank you again!

[@RestlessViking]

Have a great time! The launch for the lighthouse has a captain that takes you on the trip.

[@lisaritthaler1196]

Excellent channel- we love it.

[@DOUGBURK]

Miss being up there loved the Jam Pot

[@wmurray23]

Was also in Keweenaw last week

[@erniesmith4344]

Great video!!

[@erbewayne6868]

The smoke stack is still standing.

[@cherriecamilleri4022]

Always fun to tag along.

[@SisterShirley]

Thanks for the memories Been there Done all that you have in this video It is such a special place

[@earthsucks9555]

Great footage Keep ‘em coming

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks, will do!

[@tetraire3844]

Excellent content, editing and narration and your guitar playing is pretty good too! And always more than one good laugh with each video. Thanks for posting.

[@RestlessViking]

👍 Thanks!

[@joavkof]

We’ve been down that mine. There were hundreds of hummingbirds flying around that shop by the mine

[@mawi1172]

I agree with the face net. Yes Sir! ❤️

[@darylenyland3702]

Learning more interesting, his tory! Thanks!😁

[@FreysOnTheSide]

Well done! What a great area to explore.

[@themueth]

We are one week out from heading up, I was watching the updates and am glad to see this before we left. We also found a big Shoots and Ladders park in the area, be a good afternoon for the kid.

[@RestlessViking]

Awesome! Have a good time up there!

[@matthewgross6958]

Did I miss it, why are stamp sands considered ‘environmental waste?’ Seem ‘cleaner’ than strip mining tailings here in PA. Great video as always guys!!!!!

[@RestlessViking]

Thank you sir! Good question on the stamp sand. It has trace amounts of heavy metals - mainly arsenic. Plant life won't grow because of it. In copper country (specifically - and unlike PA) it was dumped into the water (because steam powered mills were near water). That gives the arsenic the ability to leach into the groundwater and to spread down the waterway. In addition, some methods used to extract copper included the use of more chemicals which were dumped with the sand. The shear amount of stamp sand also made copper country one of the worst mining sites in the US. Also, because the sand is often quite fine (compared to other mining). In Torch Lake for instance, I've hear the lake was almost 250 ft deep, but today it is around 100 ft because of the volume of stampings dumped there. The Gay Sands are considered even worse because Lake Superior has carried it miles to the south and covered up habitats (like Buffalo Reef). It continues to move. Most year's it fills in the Big Traverse channel (to the south) and has to be dredged. Truly, the scale in the Keweenaw is huge. A few good things. They have found other uses for the stamp sand (combining it with road salt for example). When dispersed, the sand isn't bad. Also, there are plans to make a large "shingle factory" in the area to use the tons of mine waste. They also found on Torch Lake that if you cover the sand with a layer of soil, vegetation can grow again and it greatly reduces the leaching of the metals.

[@peterrudy766]

@@RestlessViking Interesting Information. Thanks!

[@mestep511]

So no jeep, f150 instead, got a fishing boat, I’m thinking. Yep, we can do that. Thanks for the journey.

[@RestlessViking]

Yep.

[@ngc1016]

Great Video, i always learn something from your videos

[@RestlessViking]

Awesome, thank you!

[@indivermike]

Thanks for another great! adventure! And please feel free to add more strumming and singing

[@RestlessViking]

Thanks!

[@jmichna1]

Re Bete Grise... pronounced by us locals as "Betty Grease." ETA: there's a nice little county park on the Tobacco River, just north of Gay... nice place for a lunch/BBQ stop... can walk the rapids on the Tobacco River, can see the Quincy mine bluff outside Hancock on a clear day.

[@haydenb8853]

Hey, I'm looking for a quiet campground on a river or lake superior, last year I stayed at the Schoolcraft campground just south(?) of Gay and loved it, but this year I'm coming up for the 4th and would like to be away from people, even dispersed sites are welcome. Also can you watch the fireworks from brockway mountain?

[@jmichna1]

@@haydenb8853 First, I doubt you'd be able to see Gay's fireworks from the top of Brockway Mountain... it would be over 15 miles away. Can't really suggest a quiet campsite in the area... obviously Ft Wilkins St Pk would prob be too crowded for you. IIRC, there are some public campgrounds near Bette Grise. If dispersed camping is your forte, search any state forest lands in the specific areas that interest you.AFAIK, dispersed camping is also allowed in any national forest lands. Another possibility is Sunset Bay near Eagle River... it is supposed to be very nice and has great sunset views over Superior, but it may be too "RV convenient" for your tastes.

[@haydenb8853]

@@jmichna1 not necessarily gays fireworks, but I know copper harbor has a large show launched from the water. Thanks for the insight though man

[@jmichna1]

@@haydenb8853 I think you should be able to see Copper Harbor's fireworks from on top... if not, there's an outlook on the Copper Harbor side, about two-thirds of the way down the Brockway Mountain Drive... if the foliage in the trees isn't too heavy, that might work too. Enjoy the 4th up here!

[@JeffinBville]

I've been working over that Business Hours sign and I can make no sense of it at all. Best as I can tell in April, May and June they're open on Friday and Saturday but could be open on Tuesday, Wed and Thurs - maybe.

[@RestlessViking]

LOL. Agreed.

[@Mark-pp7jy]

It's mind boggling to consider that native people were mining Copper in that area THOUSANDS of years ago. 😵‍💫

[@michellefoulkes3766]

Was it really natives or visitors from across the pond?

[@trinaroe5132]

I just recently discovered your channel and subscribed. I love history, especially Michigan history. However I also have an issue with motion sickness! Less or slower camera movement would make it much easier for me to watch without having to close my eyes!

[@michellecurtale8240]

The rum cake is really good at the jampot

[@NorthernKitty]

EVERYTHING is really good at the Jampot!! 😁

[@stewsim]

Wowza…I recently stumbled upon you… Love this video! One of my all time favorite places, and so much that I didn’t know about it…very cool! As a fellow Michigander, I’m really digging on your channel..nice work…!!! Have you ever done anything about Big Bay…?

[@RestlessViking]

Very kind of you to say! Thanks for stopping by and welcome!

[@stewsim]

Have you ever done anything about Big Bay…?

[@RestlessViking]

@@stewsim We haven't yet. We actually have a huge to do list. But, we have plans for Big Bay, someday. 😁

[@stevensolway1054]

PASTYS!!!!!

[@petermandel2552]

Poppins was not exaggerating the bugs at high rock . Bitting sand flies will test your sanity. Picaridin base insect spray works better with those flies than deet. Red can tick defense.

[@connorbrink9697]

What ever happened to "the devils washtub"? I saw it in 1971 and tried to find it last year but couldnt find it.

[@RestlessViking]

It is still there. A little road side trail leads to it.

[@richardcooke9948]

They found with improved methods that the stamp sand yielded more copper then the actual mines.

[@boomerantics9586]

Entirely off topic but, have you visited or is it in your plans to ever visit the mining districts of the San Juan Mountains? I ask because you appear well equipped for it (suitable 4WD) and the vistas are fantastic. It’s not something I’d normally suggest to out-of-staters but I’ve been trespassing on your turf and you’re not from CA! 😄

[@gus473]

👍🏼 Great video! I respect a place that uses galvanized pipe fittings 11:54 to make handholds! Practical, durable! Slava Ukraini! 🇺🇦✌🏼😎

[@RestlessViking]

Слава Україні!

[@korodski]

🤠🤠

[@Philip-t2j]

Isn't there a large rock in the lake at Copper Harbor with an image of a Viking long ship carved into it?

[@RestlessViking]

It's on private land on an overlook. It seems to have been carved in the early 1900s, at least that's what a few analysis seem to say.

[@Philip-t2j]

@@RestlessViking OK, that figures. BTW, we were just there in early September and visited the Jampot and, while it was cold & rainy, that place was still crowded with people touring the beautiful UP and stopping by for the goodies. We hadn't been to Copper Harbor since 1984.

[@erbewayne6868]

No Thimbleberry pie?

[@RestlessViking]

Out until next season. . .

[@jimcurtis569]

Obscure would be the trails the monks have up in the hills. Along the trails are the remains of the Arnold Mine. You were so close but I guess it was too obscure even for you??

[@georgeelder8415]

A fungus among us...

[@GM-MarkOfExcellence]

Michigan Tech grad

[@erbewayne6868]

Class of 71!

[@tonydentonarms4112]

Thats not true dredge #1 is rite under the suffice of the water you must likely went rite by it .

[@somebodyspapa5005]

Yessir, by the year 1000, virtually all of the Viking lands including Iceland, Norway and Northern England had been converted to Christianity.

[@truckdaddy1957]

Breakfast In Hell.

[@RestlessViking]

Yes sir!

[@66bigbuds]

Torch lake isn't in the kewanaw

[@RestlessViking]

Ah, but it is. As well as the one you're thinking about in the lower peninsula.

[@AmishHitman73.Archive]

i know what to do with that, seriously. sell it to construction companies in the south to use as "chat" we could use that when laying cement, really!