In the land of the Yoopers
How many people can say they have spent New Years Eve nordic skiing in the UP? Not a lot, although I’m sure the Yoopers wouldn’t bat an eye. I am proud to say that I strapped on a pair of skinny skis during the final day of the year.
I went with my sister, Valerie. It was my first trip to the UP, and Michigan as well. We crossed the border at Hurley, WI, famous for the Hurley Whores of the early 20th century who flocked to the town’s notorious Silver Street to patronize with the lumberjacks and iron miners. Today the residents of Hurley are more likely to be putting the lights out at 10 pm than putting up the red light. Still, a skeleton riding a motorcycle above Harley’s Road House is a reminder that the bad boy attitude survives.
We stayed at a little roadside motel in Ironwood, MI. Our favorite lunch spot was a nearby shop where we could order a pasty, the classic meal for Yoopers. Two homely women doted on us as we ate.
The first morning in town we drove to the Active Backwoods Retreat, or ABR Ski Trails. The full name reads like an infomercial which is why most skiers just stick to ABR. The lawns and trees were completely covered in snow, probably buried a few feet or more as we approached the trailhead down a long quiet road. It was mystical, homely, and remote.
Birkie Training
Some time ago my sister and I sat around a bar with some of her friends and made an off the cuff pact to ski the American Birkebeiner 50K race together, https://jollyroutes.com/the-birkie/. Neither of us had spent any amount of time on skate skis. Even on classic skis we had little experience. Somehow though her friends convinced us that it was the time to ski the big 50K.
For those out of the loop the American Birkiebeiner is a spinoff from the classic Birkiebeiner of Norway. It is the largest American ski race, with over 10,000 skiers participating each year. After a few beers down the hatch it didn’t sound like a bad idea. Just get on the skis and keep going all day till you’re done. When we sobered up we came to a sobering realization. We needed to start training now, or come race day it was going to be pain train full steam ahead. Hence, we found ourselves together for a New Years warm up at ABR, in the land of the Yoopers.
Active Backwoods Retreat
As of this moment, the ABR are the highest quality trails I have skied. The grooming was immaculate, the atmosphere was still, and the terrain was woodsy with just enough hills to keep it challenging. Not to mention the snow, which was abundant due to the close proximity of Lake Superior. The average annual snowfall in Ironwood is 166 inches. I’m from what’s considered to be a snowy place, La Crosse, WI, which by comparison only gets 43 inches. Aspen, CO gets 153 inches a year. Dealing with all that snow must be a Herculean effort for the Yoopers.
My favorite part of the area was the warming shack out in the middle of the trails. It was small; there was enough space for maybe ten people to huddle around the fire. A pile of wood and newspapers was there so people could keep feeding the fire as the day went on. It is such a joy to come out from the cold into a cozy cabin, inhaling the smell of fire and lumber. Most folks sit or stand around silently catching their breath for a few minutes before they dive back into the trails.
There are so many trails out there, I can barely remember which ones I skied. Looking at a map now the trails which tug at my memory are Hautanen Highlands, Hemlock Trail, Blueberry Bluffs, and the River Trail. I remember the Highlands going way out into the remote and quiet woods. The peace was only broken up from time to time by the exhilaration of flying down a hill.
Quirky Hobbies
The River Trail goes along the Montreal River, which separates Michigan from Wisconsin. Snowmobile trails run along the river on the Wisconsin side, and skiers can hear the roar of the engine as they fly by. A common pastime out there is snowmobile bar hopping. This consists of taking trails from town to town and drinking at local watering holes along the way. No, I have not done it, and no I don’t know the legality of the activity. Perhaps snowmobile trails are like International Waters, no authority and no rules.
On the second day we were joined by an old friend of Valerie’s, whose name I no longer remember. A fun and quirky woman, she was former military and currently an educator. She spent time biking around the country by herself. When I asked her about it she was honest and described it as “weird and lonely.” Gas station food was her means of survival during that time.
It was New Years Eve when we skied with her, and afterwards we went to a bar for a post ski meal. I had two beers and a plate of buffalo wings. Valerie’s friend was astonished that after a full day of skiing I only had an appetite for what was essentially an appetizer. That evening we skipped the fireworks and went to bed early.
New Years Day
New Years Day after more skiing Valerie and I went to the shores of Lake Superior. On the drive over she was amazed at my ability to pound down an entire bag of munchies. I have a funny appetite. I can eat salty snacks pretty much non stop but grainier meals I often struggle to choke down after only a few bites.
At the big lake, Gitche Gumee, we were treated to an unexpected and spectacular display of nature. There was a field of icebergs all the way up to the shoreline, closely packed together but individually separate. The waves were monstrous, and the icebergs floated up and down vigorously. They creaked and groaned as they moved about and crashed into each other. Combined with the snowfall, it was one of the most amazing winter sights I have ever seen.
In total we skied at least two days, possibly three. On the final day of skiing Valerie took it upon herself to ski a half Birkie, 25K. I contented myself to do a few loops I had not done yet, then hang out in the main shelter eating Munchies. There was still plenty of time to get ready for the Birkie…
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