Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Did you know there is enough water in Lake Superior (3,000,000,000,000,000--or 3 quadrillion-- gallons) to flood all of North and South America to a depth of one foot? Lake Superior, one of the 5 Great Lakes, is the largest, deepest, coldest, and most pristine of all the Great Lakes. Harry Welty, one of JCLC's seniors, planned a summer school session in August to the Pictured Rocks National Shoreline of Lake Superior. On July 29, 2012 we drove to Munising, MI where we started our 40 mile hike along the shoreline. We hiked several miles per day from one camp site to the next, studying geology, hydrology, and biodiversity along the way. In just 40 miles of hiking we encountered several unique habitats including sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, rivers and streams, birch, maple, and pine forests, caves, and shoreline. We found agates, volcanic rock, and fossilized coral. We learned about the unique history and mining culture of this area. We met a lot of fascinating people along the way, mostly locals, who taught us a lot about the area and how it came to be.
Of course a trip like this did not come without it's challenges. Within the first hour of the week long hike, two students broke their packs. It down-poured on us for an hour. We scrambled to cover our bodies and our gear with plastic bags and ponchos, which proved unsuccessful, as the bags and rain gear ripped leaving our tents and sleeping bags soaking wet! We showed up to our first campsite at dusk and broke one of of our tents. For the next six nights, four, large, teenage boys all crammed into one tent meant for two adults. Although the trip started off rocky, the rest of the trip went off without a hitch. We had beautiful weather for the rest of the week, met some great friends, and lived in the epitome of natural beauty for a week. We arrived back in the bustling Twin Cities with aching bones and painful blisters, but with memories that will last a lifetime. Check out pictures below!
Of course a trip like this did not come without it's challenges. Within the first hour of the week long hike, two students broke their packs. It down-poured on us for an hour. We scrambled to cover our bodies and our gear with plastic bags and ponchos, which proved unsuccessful, as the bags and rain gear ripped leaving our tents and sleeping bags soaking wet! We showed up to our first campsite at dusk and broke one of of our tents. For the next six nights, four, large, teenage boys all crammed into one tent meant for two adults. Although the trip started off rocky, the rest of the trip went off without a hitch. We had beautiful weather for the rest of the week, met some great friends, and lived in the epitome of natural beauty for a week. We arrived back in the bustling Twin Cities with aching bones and painful blisters, but with memories that will last a lifetime. Check out pictures below!