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Keweenaw's Explorer Blog

October 2024 | Industry Newsletter

The Keweenaw’s visitor economy plays a vital role in our region’s quality of life and future prosperity. To keep local leaders and stakeholders current on issues impacting the industry, Visit Keweenaw created this monthly newsletter to share information on topics such as economic trends, destination and community investments, and other pertinent news.

We hope you find this a valuable resource to stay up to date on the Keweenaw’s visitor economy and encourage you to share it with parties you think would benefit from the information. As always, we look forward to sharing what makes the Keweenaw a special community to both live in and visit.

Within this newsletter, you'll find: 

Early Reports Suggest Strong Fall Visitor Season

Mother Nature blessed the Keweenaw with an epic fall generating strong travel demand for our region. While September’s year-over-year performance was flat, beautiful fall color, warm temperatures, and seasonal events attracted visitors to the Copper Country during the first two weeks of October.

While fleeting, the fall color season represents the apex of Keweenaw visitation. The period combines optimal conditions for outdoor exploits with a bevy of community and collegiate activity which attracts visitors from across the Midwest. During this time, our destination draws heavily from downstate Michigan and the northern Wisconsin markets. But we also benefit significantly from inter-Upper Peninsula travel activity. 

What makes the fall visitor traveler unique in the Keweenaw?  For starters, they spend more during overnight trips. According to a recent study by the University of Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute, fall overnight visitors to Houghton County spend at approximately $450 per visitor (compared to $361 during the summer). In Keweenaw County, the trend is even more extreme with fall visitors spending an average of $570 compared to $437 in the summer (and $412 in the winter). Fall visitors also spend more on non-outdoor activities by visiting historical and cultural sites and attending community events and festivals compared to other seasons. These travelers tend to be older with fewer children in the household and higher levels of discretionary income.

As fall turns the page to winter: a whole new world of recreation opens up and our travel markets get closer and more dependent on snowfall. A big powder day in the Keweenaw can trigger a busy weekend for hotels with folks wanting to enjoy attractions like Mont Ripley, Mount Bohemia and our hundreds of miles of winter trails. Stay tuned for more updates on the visitor economy as we get into the snowy season.

Inaugural Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit Makes Waves in Houghton

The first ever Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit (UPAS) took place at Michigan Tech’s Rozsa Center in Houghton, Michigan on Sept. 26 and 27. Hosted by the Accessible Keweenaw Initiative, the summit convened leaders of neighboring communities, business owners and accessibility advocates together to promote inclusivity in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Some attendees came from Gogebic County, cited in the Ironwood Daily Globe. Kassi Huotari, Gogebic Range Health Foundation’s executive director and Amy Nosal, a community health worker with the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department both attended and had great things to say.

Houtari said “Attending the first Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit was an important opportunity for us to explore how we can enhance inclusivity throughout the Gogebic Range… By keeping accessibility at the forefront of future projects, we hope to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has access to the resources and opportunities they deserve.”

“I’m thrilled with how the U.P. Accessibility Summit came together this year,” said Rachael Pressley, UPAS Member. “The event brought diverse voices and perspectives, each offering invaluable insights into making our community more accessible and inclusive. The energy in the room was inspiring, and seeing participants engage so actively in the sessions and discussions was a testament to the collective commitment to progress. I’m excited to see the momentum from the summit carry forward into meaningful change.”

Visit Keweenaw is proud to be a collaborator on the Accessible Keweenaw Initiative and commends its other partners who helped make the summit a success. If anyone is working on any projects related to accessibility in our communities, reach out to Visit Keweenaw or other UPAS partners to find out how AKI may be able to help.

two presenters address a crowd, one standing and one utilizing a wheelchair
Rachael Pressley with WUPPDR speaks at the Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit in Houghton. (Visit Keweenaw)

Takka Portage Sauna Location Fires Up Hancock

A new co-op building, delicious restaurants, and the opening of the Takka Portage public sauna near Porvoo Park on the Portage Canal are helping establish Hancock as a vibrant social hub in the Keweenaw. Takka Portage Owners Jason and Lynn Makela started in Eagle Harbor with Fresh Coast Cabins and Takka Saunas – and now they’ve just launched their second location in Hancock. The saunas opened with a ribbon cutting, cake and refreshments and heavily discounted sauna sessions. The staff were present and did a lot of mingling with the excited community celebrating the opening.

The tradition of sauna is strong in the Keweenaw, and it continues to be a driver of visitation. This opening in Hancock is a phenomenal addition to the city’s waterfront and will help folks beat the chill this winter. The addition builds upon the Finnish experience in Hancock, which is sister cities with Porvoo, Finland.

people smile while holding a ribbon in front of a wooden sauna
The Takka Saunas crew cut the ribbon on Takka Portage, welcoming a new era of sauna in the Keweenaw. (2nd Sandbar)

Visit Keweenaw Funds 2 New Epic Views in Keweenaw County

Visit Keweenaw’s Destination Development Awards recently funded two new scenic lookouts in Keweenaw County. The Berry Picker Trail in Copper Harbor is now complete, offering stunning fall views from Brockway Mountain. It supports two-way hiking and uphill-only biking. The Open Skies Project also finished a new viewing platform at Mount Horace Greeley, the Keweenaw’s highest natural point, as part of their restoration of the Calumet Air Force Station. Visit Keweenaw’s Destination Development program is funded by a 5% room assessment tax on lodging members, and Visit Keweenaw puts a portion of that money back into outdoor recreation each year. Both projects have been completed and can be seen before the snow falls.

Open Skies was able to install a heavy-duty safety rail around the top of its radar tower. It’s the last stop for tours of the abandoned military facility (after the nuclear fallout shelter), allowing folks to take their time and enjoy the surrounding views. You can see Mount Bohemia, Brockway Mountain and Lake Superior in the distance. The platform puts you at a high elevation around 1,500 feet in one of the most breathtaking outlooks in the Midwest. The last public tour of the year is free and taking place on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1:30 p.m. Otherwise, you’ll have to request a private tour if you can’t wait again until spring.

 “2024 has been a very productive year for the Open Skies Project. Our big focus this year has been making the site safer for people to visit. Thanks to a grant from the State Land Bank Authority and another from Visit Keweenaw, we have been able to board up all of the windows, repair a damaged roof on the future museum, remove substantial amounts of debris and garbage, and install the safety guardrails on the viewing platform of our tower! These improvements will allow us to continue opening more of the property to visitors as we work towards our goal of restoring and repurposing the facility while maintaining the unique history.” – Open Skies Team.

safety railing on the edge of a tall platorm
Open Skies completed its guard railing on top of its radar tower viewing platform. (Open Skies Project)

Just north of Open Skies, you'll see another stunning new view: Berry Picker Trail in Copper Harbor. It’s an uphill only for mountain bikers: but it’s hiker friendly too! For hikers looking for a new way to scale Brockway Mountain, park and take the bike path from Hunter’s Point Park and cross M-26. At the base of Brockway, you’ll find signage for a trailhead. Berry Picker works its way up Brockway Mountain, crossing the Scenic Drive. It takes you up to a hidden clearing below the popular platform overlooking Copper Harbor. To enjoy the unique view from Brockway Mountain, you could take a short walk toward Lake Superior from the north viewing platform and find the trail.

a trail winds through a cliffside forest with lakeside overlook
Berry Picker Trail is a unique way to see Brockway Mountain. (Visit Keweenaw)

Mount Bohemia Ski Resort Runs For #1 in North America for Second Year

Mount Bohemia Ski Resort is once again in the spotlight, ready to defend its crown as USA Today’s #1 Ski Resort in North America. Keep Mount Bohemia at the top in 2024 and VOTE HERE once a day until Monday, Nov. 11 for Mount Bohemia. Bohemia is the only Michigan ski resort nominated in 2024 and is going up against other powder destinations like Utah, Colorado and Banff Alberta.

For the seventh year in a row, the Keweenaw’s all-natural ski resort at Mount Bohemia has been nominated by USA Today’s 10Best Ski Resorts in North America. The program nominates 20 of the best resorts in North America, and through public voting – 10 will come out on top, in order. For the last six years, Mount Bohemia has placed in the top five in North America and in 2023 it was number one. Help Upper Michigan take home #1 in North America for two years in a row by voting once a day online.

a snowboarder catches air underneath the chairlift
Cast your vote to help Mount Bohemia take home #1 for a second year in a row. (Chris Guibert)

DNR Seeks Input on Future Planning for Fort Wilkins and Keweenaw Point Area

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants new public input on general management plans in the Keweenaw Peninsula. The DNR is asking the community to chime in on Fort Wilkins Historic State Park and Keweenaw Point’s state-managed lands. Feedback collected will allow the DNR to use community comments to help protect the natural and historical resources of these two important pieces of the Keweenaw.

The Keweenaw Point lands are a set of future state-managed lands at the northern tip of the Keweenaw. It includes DNR-managed state forest lands and a section of the Nature Conservancy-owned Keweenaw Heartlands. Combined, these parcels make up neatly 20,000 acres and would be managed by the DNR as a single unit. Fort Wilkins Historic State Park is between Lake Superior and Lake Fanny Hooe, and is home to a campground, trails, a summertime living history program, two lighthouses from the 1800s and other features.

If you have a stake in recreation in Keweenaw County, you should consider taking the public surveys online for Fort Wilkins and Keweenaw Point. You can attend a virtual public meeting Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 6-7:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required for the Zoom.

Links to the surveys, meeting registration, project information and more are available at Michigan.gov/ParkManagementPlans. For more information, contact Bob Wild, park supervisor, at 906-289-4215 or WildR@Michigan.gov.

a historic canon sits on an open lawn, historic buildings and the American flag in the background
Fort Wilkins State Park. (Visit Keweenaw)

Plaidurday & Brew Street Take Over Houghton

The Keweenaw claimed plaid victory once again, with an incredible turnout of 1,063 plaid-clad participants joining together at the Houghton High School Football Field for this year’s Plaidurday community photo! This friendly rivalry against Ironwood and Marquette has grown – but the Keweenaw still came out with the most attendees. Smiles and high spirits filled the field as community members gathered between the 35-yard lines – with the MTU Pep Band energizing the crowd.

Brad Barnett, Executive Director of Visit Keweenaw, shared, “The Keweenaw never fails to show up for a challenge. This year, while our attendance was lower than last year’s record, we still made history by outnumbering the rest of the Upper Peninsula. Plaidurday is about community, fun, and a little friendly rivalry. We’ve proved once again that the Keweenaw has all three in spades.”

After Plaidurday’s community photo, Friday evening’s inaugural Brew Street 2024 event brought fresh energy to the pier with a fall-themed beer garden. This first-time event in Houghton transformed the lakeshore into a cozy gathering spot for craft drinks, local history, and socializing, extending the weekend’s festivities into Saturday’s Fall Fest. Organized by Visit Keweenaw, the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Houghton, Brew Street raised funds for the Carnegie Museum, a Heritage Site of the Keweenaw National Historical Park. The community turnout exceeded expectations, marking a successful start to what we hope will become an annual tradition.

Thank you to all our partners for helping make Plaidurday and Brew Street such memorable events for locals and visitors alike. Together, we’ve once again shown the world what makes the Keweenaw a unique and welcoming destination!

aerial view of over a thousand people standing in a square on a football field
Keweenaw Plaidurday 2024 was another success! (Visit Keweenaw)

Explore Quincy Dry House Ruins’ Innovative New Art Installation

Perched atop a prairie grass hill in Hancock, the Quincy Mine’s Dry House Ruins sit prominently across US-41 overlooking “Old Reliable.” A fitting name, Quincy Mine went on to produce roughly 20% of the whole worlds copper supply by 1880. To this day, it’s still one of the most interpreted and visited mine tours in the world with rich history. Now featuring a new interpretive art installation, the Quincy Dry House Ruins were once a building that workers would visit twice a day when coming to and going from the mine.

 What’s a dry house? Well, working in a copper mine required laborers to navigate challenging environments. The lower levels could be warm, causing workers to perspire as they carried out their tasks. To ensure they could leave work feeling refreshed, workers would stop at the dry house to change clothes and clean up before heading home. They’d often leave themselves a change of clothes at the beginning of the day. 

At the dry house where miners once stood, four steel figures now dot the hillside, adding the existence of people back to the site. The hill would have been busy in its peak, with many walking back and forth across a less-driven US-41 on foot from their homes in town. Driving by on US-41 at Quincy Mine, you’ll see silhouettes of miners look to cross the street, a woman caring for her baby and how a man would have cleaned up at the dry house. Another separate figurine waves hello to visitors, proud of his place in history at Quincy Mine. These figurines speak to the pride and perseverance of the people who worked, lived and played in the Keweenaw during its copper boom. This complements the whole Quincy Mine experience well, which is just across the street. Quincy Mine plays a large role in tourism in the region and helps reinforce the importance of copper mining history to the community.

The Dry House Ruins have always been open to the public, but the art installation is a good new reason to send visitors that way. Look for the figures on the hillside as you go north and south past Quincy Mine.

a trio of steel-cut miner silhouettes agains fall trees
The dry house ruins art installation is visible from US-41. (Visit Keweenaw)

Keweenaw Sustainable Tourism Series Kicks off this fall/winter with MTU Student Participation

Visit Keweenaw is proud to announce the return of the Keweenaw Sustainable Tourism Series (KSTS) which kicked off on Oct. 15 at Michigan Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Complex. The topic was “Making the Keweenaw a More Inclusive Destination: DEI: What It Is & Why It Matters”. Building on the success of last winter’s series, this year’s events will see local students from Michigan Technological University taking an active role in learning and teaching best practices for sustainable tourism, furthering Visit Keweenaw leadership in this space across the Upper Peninsula.

“We’re excited to connect with Michigan Tech’s student community and learn more about best practices in tourism and destination management,” said Brad Barnett, Visit Keweenaw Executive Director. “Their involvement highlights the importance of sustainable tourism education and demonstrates how we can collectively move toward a more environmentally and culturally responsible future for the region.”

This year’s series provides a unique opportunity for participants to engage with cutting-edge ideas and strategies for responsible tourism. By offering students the platform to contribute directly, the Keweenaw is fostering a generation of future leaders in sustainable tourism. Presenting students are part of Dr. Mark Rhodes’ Sustainable Tourism Policy course at Michigan Tech.

The next presentation is “Eco-Tourism Opportunities in the Keweenaw” on Nov. 5 from 2-3 p.m. at the MTU Advanced Technology Development Campus.

people sit in a boardroom listening to a presentation
Students from MTU present at the Keweenaw Sustainable Tourism Series. (Visit Keweenaw)

Upcoming Events: Houghton NYE, Jibba Jabba and Carnival

Houghton’s winter event lineup is coming up fast. Two community events to look forward to are the Houghton NYE Chook Drop and Jibba Jabba.

The Chook Drop will take place on the pier and ring in the new year with lights and music on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31). A light-up Chook will be strung up the Portage Lake District Library flagpole and dropped at midnight. Last year, the City of Houghton worked with Visit Keweenaw to put on the new event. This year, Houghton’s social district will add a new layer for the 21+ crowd.

Michigan Tech’s Winter Carnival is themed “Dragons, Knights & Legendary Sights” this year and runs Feb. 5-8. Don’t forget to see all of the snow statues, outside games and activities for students and the community. After a rough snow season last year making sculpting difficult, the Huskies are looking forward to a whiteout winter.

Jibba Jabba has also set its date for Saturday, Feb. 15. It’s the day after Valentine’s Day – which Jibba Jabba will be leaning into. Love is in the air – and so will be the snowboards as professional riders shred down a Huron Street snow course to the pier. This returning event has deep history in Houghton and was brought back to life by Jen Reed, owner of Minnie Farms when she worked at Rhythm. It’s now grown to be a show for the public who stack the sidewalks of Huron Street to watch the action. Red Bull will be on site again with the party car, bringing the caffeine, music and party to the night.

With upcoming holidays – these events will sneak up! Don’t miss out on all the excitement this winter.

a snowboarder catches air in a downtown snow feature
Jibba Jabba shreds through downtown Houghton on Saturday, Feb. 15. (Simon Berghoef)

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