In southern Michigan spring has finally sprung. We had our first 80 degree day recently and the long dormant deciduous trees have exploded into life. I awoke this morning to the dawn chorus of bird song outside my window at 5:30 AM, a sure sign that winter is behind us. Unfortunately, winter hasn't quite given up on the places north of us! A recent winter storm dumped as much as 20 inches of snow in portions of the Rocky Mountains. Michigan's UP was sparred the heavy accumulation, but most of the trails are still buried beneath an annoying snow pack. We found last weekend that the lingering snow pack is softening up, which actually makes it harder to hike on, as every other step sinks into the slush, soaking boots and socks. With that in mind, we have decided to change our destination for this weekend. The Pictured Rocks Lakeshore will have to wait for a warmer weekend.
Instead, we will do some backpacking in the Pigeon River State Forest, north of Gaylord in the the lower peninsula. This area is actually the largest wilderness area south of the bridge, and contains a surprising amount of elevation change, and plenty of wildlife. The rolling hills are home to everything from black bears and bobcats to a large number of bird species. With any luck we may even spot some members of Michigan's only elk herd. We'll head up first thing in the morning Saturday, and I'll post updates and pictures throughout the weekend. It's shaping up as a beautiful weekend across much of the region, so hopefully you'll be able to get outside too! Happy Spring Everyone!
