While fall in the Upper Peninsula is full of hiking, biking, and exploring while the weather is still nice, winter might be even better. Living in an area that gets a boatload of snow every winter would make some cringe or shiver on the spot, but for us it is an opportunity for even more outdoor activities. Do you want to ski, snowshoe, and go ice skating all in the same day? You can, because everything is all just minutes from our campus. While Mont Ripley is most popular for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing, we also have the Nordic Ski trails, free to students. Located next to the Student Development Complex, the trails range from a series of short to long distances and easy to hard levels to accommodate all who want to try it out, which makes it a little less intimidating when going Nordic skiing for the first time. For those more adventurous and looking to speed things up a bit, Bohemia is only a hot minute away, up past Lac La Belle and is one of the best downhill skiing and snowboarding resorts in the midwest. Hurtle yourself at insane speeds down dangerous, tree-studded slopes and then finish off the day with a nice long soak in the hot tubs.
However, maybe you don’t want to strap yourself onto two long sliding sticks. For those more wary individuals who are still looking to get out into the woods, most trails are snowshoer-friendly. Lots of people like to go snowshoeing around Hungarian Falls to see the intimidating and gorgeous frozen waterfalls. Or if you really want to get out there, you can drive up to Eagle River or Copper Harbor and go out on the once sandy beaches that we saw only a few months previously.
Maybe neither of those options appeal to you. Maybe you’re reading this thinking, “dang, none of that sounds fun or interesting, I’m going to hate the winter.” It is my pleasure to inform you, dear reader, that I’m not finished!
There are also a plethora of groomed trails for snowmobiling. It is a snowmobiler’s paradise up here with constant fresh snow and plenty of cozy places to stop in for lunch to fuel up.
Honestly, it is a “winter lovers” paradise up here, you can do whatever activity you desire and be there within an hour at most.
Even if you’re the type to prefer staying in during the colder months (which, let’s be honest, we all can be), all of the houses up here are so neat and full of history. It’s also important to just get out there and try new things. If you’re going to school here, you’re going to be experiencing some harsh winters. You might as well attempt to enjoy it.
