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Post by youp50 on Apr 4, 2017 16:28:28 GMT -5
This trip took place a couple of years ago. I am recovering from surgery now, so i cannot take you on a new one. But its only a rerun if you saw it somewhere else first. The trip took place in the west end of the UP. The streams and rivers shown are Lake superior tributaries. We start out by just cruising along the Lake. Its pretty early in the season, so no tourists scurrying about, trying to exceed the speed limit. And tailgate to the point of pulling over to avoid the aggrevation. A few miles 'up' the road and we are several hundred feet above the Lake. Just behind me is a poorly planned mine shaft. To the left of the picture is a poor rock pile. Lots of low quality basalt bedrock there. No trip to the Porkies with out a visit to Lake of the Clouds. Off to the left, some distance down the escarpment, Peregrine Falcon chicks were hand raised by grad students wearing peregrine mommy puppets. It was pretty cool, but the birds seem to have reestablished themselves. Some towns are putting up nest platforms to biologically control the feral pigeon population. Well, enough of checking out the sights and lets drop back down and find some fish. We are looking for Lake run rainbow trout, some call them steelhead. That raises the hackles on the Pacific northwest fisherman, "if it don't go to sea it can't be a steelhead" I call them rainbows. First stop is a small trib, water is too low. Other fisherman have taken or spooked whats here. Moving on up. Next stop is several miles inland. This little falls slows them down, when the water is right some fish make it over them. Not sure how long a post can be, I am saving and continueing.
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Post by youp50 on Apr 4, 2017 16:58:14 GMT -5
What makes this spot cool is the old mine that was here. Just behind me, I'll turn around. It used to be nicer before the state got possession of it. There was a yellow birch there, you can see the stump. Then there needs to be signs and fences. The shaft is full of rubble just out of sight. In the mid 1800's the Italian imigrants were the stone masons. Has not been mortar in the joints since before any of us were born. The rock is basalt from the mine.
A quick fish through the 'Bedspring hole' finds no fish up this far yet. The name comes from the broken poor rock in the riverbed grabbing your bait. We need to drop back down and get to my favorite river. For a mile or so of river its all busted and tilted shale. Stay on the lip and have felts on your boots. The silt is greasier than a fatman eating cold possum, you will swim. The water is about 40 degrees. While your dip and return to the truck will be memorable, you won't like it. There are fish here. My no good for hunting fishing pard does point them. Saves time. I manage a couple of small ones. I am purely a fillet and release kind of guy. I hope my hunter/gather lifestyle doesn't upset you. If it does, I just let out a sigh for you. Peace.
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Post by wigglinrocks on Apr 4, 2017 19:02:37 GMT -5
Hey , we were at that mine and the falls . No fishing though . Lake of the clouds a couple times also .
No , I won't give away the name of the mine or falls
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Post by Jugglerguy on Apr 4, 2017 21:17:08 GMT -5
Great pics! I can't wait to get up to the U.P. this summer. I love it up there.
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Post by fantastic5 on Apr 4, 2017 21:54:31 GMT -5
Loved hiking and camping in the Porkies. Havent been there since the late 80s. Think i have the same picture of Lake of the Clouds. Thanks for the trip. Love 'filet and release' might steal that sometime.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 4, 2017 23:25:36 GMT -5
Great to see. Thanks for the tour. No problem with the hunter gatherer lifestyle.
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Post by youp50 on Apr 5, 2017 3:43:07 GMT -5
Hey , we were at that mine and the falls . No fishing though . Lake of the clouds a couple times also . No , I won't give away the name of the mine or falls Its in the Pork. A couple more mines in there. All are rendered people proof. The great legend is the Ojibwa woman that had a silver mine east of the park. She would leave for a few days and return with a load of silver. There was a silver rush of sorts, the town is called Silver city. Someplace around I have a piece of beach rock that appears to have a couple of silver specks in it. My rock, my story anyway.
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 5, 2017 9:34:26 GMT -5
Great trip report! Love the narrative. Well done. The fish look mighty tasty, too.
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