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UER Forum > US: Great Lakes > Exploring in UP (Viewed 1264 times)
Saltedshrooms 


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Exploring in UP
< on 5/30/2019 1:58 PM >
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Minnesota based explorer here planning a trip too the upper peninsula of michigan. Just wondering if any explorers who've been, or even better, explorers based out of the UP could give me tips relating to the area. Not looking for spots, but more or less trying to figure out the exploring atmosphere I'm getting into (running from security vs running from wolves, parking 2 miles away vs parking in the driveway, etc.) Thanks for the help!




Aran 


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Re: Exploring in UP
< Reply # 1 on 5/31/2019 5:54 AM >
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The big thing up there is abandoned copper mines. The UP is renowned for it's copper industry, and plenty of mines are abandoned. There's also a few ghost towns up there that can be found with a few Google searches, and the shipping ports might have some promising industrial areas. Aside from that, I don't know much about it- I haven't had the chance to visit myself unfortunately.




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Clockwork 


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Re: Exploring in UP
< Reply # 2 on 5/31/2019 6:49 PM >
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I've been exploring in the UP numerous times. It's always an adventure.

Before my first visit, I was under the assumption that the UP was a mystical land of abandonments and ghost towns. It is not. Those things do exist in the UP, but they are few and far between, and decreasing in numbers every year. The copper mines are getting increasingly sealed up, to a large degree, especially in the past ten years.

Each time I return to the UP, the locations I visited on previous adventures are more vandalized/scrapped, or sealed up entirely.

So my first bit of advice would be to temper your expectations.

Past that, you can enjoy a lot of fun exploring in the general sense of the word. The UP is beautiful, and has a lot to offer in terms of natural wonders.

For exploring in the urbex sense, head toward the Keeweenaw peninsula and drive around. See what you can find.

Especially on the roads around Hancock, there's at least one neat, fairly-easy-to-find location you can spot from the road.

Also, the little town of Gay has some minor ruins along the lake front worth checking out if you're in the area.

Anything resembling a head frame for a mine - check it out. There are multiple head frames I've visited that you could access and make the ascent all the way to the top. The mine working beneath the head frames, however, tends to be sealed up or blasted shut. Like I said, temper your expectations.

With maybe a couple exceptions I don't want to mention in public, the UP has a lot of bite-size morsels for urban exploring. It's like an urbex appetizer platter. Lots of different bites to taste, but not much to feast upon.




/-/ooligan 


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Re: Exploring in UP
< Reply # 3 on 6/1/2019 3:08 AM >
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Best UE in the UP is... SHIPWRECK DIVING!

But there are also several old military installations -- US Navy ELF Site near Republic, former Kincheloe AFB & KI Sawyer AFB, Calumet & Sault St Marie Air Force Stations are all mostly intact, albeit with varying re-use/re-development too. The former Raco Army Air Field has some neat history to it, but since the only remains are some pavement and aluminum from where Quonset huts were cut=away, it's not really worth seeing unless you're a big-time military history geek, *and* already in the general area.

The Yoopers are generally pretty easy-going & friendly people but if they think you're some punk from a big-city that's there to break things, they won't be very kind.


/-/ooligan




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rlx 


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Re: Exploring in UP
< Reply # 4 on 6/4/2019 3:45 PM >
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Posted by /-/ooligan

The Yoopers are generally pretty easy-going & friendly people but if they think you're some punk from a big-city that's there to break things, they won't be very kind.


This right here! Also, in my experience those that live in the area tend to not only be friendly but intrigued that you are interested in the things you are. They love to tell stories and talk history.




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Beebs 


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Re: Exploring in UP
< Reply # 5 on 6/5/2019 12:38 PM >
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There is a plant that just decommissioned up in those neck of the woods.




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Freak 


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Re: Exploring in UP
< Reply # 6 on 6/8/2019 1:40 PM >
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I agree with what the prior folks have said. Good explorations are getting harder to find as things get scrapped, sealed, or in rare cases turned into museums. That said, there are a couple public tours and museum-y things that are well worth going on, including underground mine tours.

coppercountryexplorer.com and its associated forum used to be a great resource but the owner moved and the site seems to have died. You might see if it's on Archive.org.

Since it is kinda redneck country, try not to come off as a total city slicker. you can get away with being a dumb college kid since the local mining college kids do, half the reason mines are shut is because they keep sneaking in Just be aware that private property is taken pretty seriously and you might encounter grumpy folks on ATVs, or hunters depending on season, or as we did, some local kid firing a gun near our campsite (I don't think he knew we were there, he was just trying to impress some girls )




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