CATCHING UP - ESTIVANT PINES ON THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA

Overland Park KS (Low 70 Storms around High 70)

Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary, 508 acres in Keweenaw County, Upper Peninsula, Michigan

In the early 1970s the call went out: "Save the pines! Save the pines!" Why all the fuss over a patch of woods? These enormous trees are as many as 600 years old and have been called a living museum. They are among the very last old-growth white pines in Michigan.

We are so very glad that they saved these woods. Although it was a fairly challenging hike since it had just rained and there were trees down across the trail it was worth it. Bob hiked the woods with his friends Jim and Sharon, it was just too muddy for Jo and for the most part she was right, as usual.

There is the option to take a couple different trails, the Cathedral Loop or the Memorial Loop. There is a very cool sounding offshot called the "Fallen Giant" trail. The sign for this trail says: "This unmaintained trail crosses a swamp and a river. Recommended only for experienced hikers with proper gear." We'll leave that one for the Weavers :-)

At the entrance is a cross section of a tree cut in the 1970s.

The trail doesn't look too bad at the start.

This isn't so bad.

But wait, here's the mud.

The a fallen tree blocking the trail. This one we could slide under, later in the trail was one we had to crawl over but we didn't get a good picture of.

But it was worth it to see the pines.

This walk was similar to the walk through Muir Woods that we took a few years ago. The pines are not nearly as large but you get that same wonderment here as we did then,

Till next time,

Bob and Jo