Porcupine Mountains

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Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) [1]
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A vista in the Porcupine Mountains
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Location in Michigan
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Porcupine Mountains (the United States)
Location Ontonagon / Gogebic counties, Michigan, United States
Nearest town Ontonagon, Michigan
Coordinates 46°46′52″N89°40′51″W / 46.78111°N 89.68083°W / 46.78111; -89.68083 [2]
Area59,020 acres (23,880 ha)
Elevation1,447 feet (441 m) [2]
Designation Michigan state park
Established1944 [3]
Administrator Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Website Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
Designated1984 [4]
Lake of the Clouds. FullLakeOfTheClouds.JPG
Lake of the Clouds.
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Autumn color and Lake Superior.

The Porcupine Mountains, or Porkies, are a group of small mountains spanning the northwestern Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, near the shore of Lake Superior. The Porcupine Mountains were named by the native Ojibwa people, supposedly because their silhouette had the shape of a crouching porcupine. [5] They are home to the most extensive stand of old growth northern hardwood forest in North America west of the Adirondack Mountains, spanning at least 31,000 acres (13,000 ha). The area is popular among tourists, especially Lake of the Clouds in the heart of the mountains, and is part of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. [6]

Contents

The Porcupine Mountains were the site of copper mining in the 19th century. One of these mines is the Nonesuch Mine, which operated sporadically from 1867 to 1912. Because of its copper mining history, the state park is a cooperating unit of Keweenaw National Historical Park.

Geology

The most striking geological feature of the Porcupine Mountains is the long basalt and conglomerate escarpment parallel to the Lake Superior shore and overlooking Lake of the Clouds, a continuation of the same copper-bearing bedrock found farther northeast on the Keweenaw Peninsula. [7] A second ridge farther inland, on the other side of Lake of the Clouds, includes Summit Peak, the highest point in the mountains at 1,958 feet (595 m). [8] Rivers, waterfalls, swamps, and lakes lie between the rocky outcroppings. There are a number of waterfalls on the Presque Isle River in the extreme western side of the park.

Meteorology

The mountains are subject to heavy lake-effect snow from Lake Superior. The relatively high elevation of the mountains and their proximity to the lake provide perfect conditions for lake-effect snow, but no official records are maintained anywhere in the mountains. The closest National Weather Service station is in the coastal community of Ontonagon, where the annual average is about 200 inches (510 cm). Totals of well over 250 inches (640 cm) annually are likely in the higher elevations. It is not uncommon to have 300-inch (760 cm) seasons in this region.

Flora and fauna

The Porkies are the location of a large stand of old growth forest. In these virgin forests, sugar maple, American basswood, eastern hemlock, and yellow birch are the most abundant tree species. [9]

Area fauna includes moose, gray wolves, white-tailed deer, coyotes, gray and red foxes, cougar, river otters, beaver, fisher, marten, mink, bobcats, lynx, black bears, and porcupines.

Endangered, threatened and special concern species found in the Porkies include small blue-eyed mary, ram's head ladyslipper, Hooker's fairy-bells, slender cliff brake, male fern, gray wolf, wood turtle, peregrine falcon, merlin, and bald eagle. [7]

State park

Porcupine Mountains State Park was established in 1945 to protect the area's large stand of old-growth forest, much of it of the "maple-hemlock" type. In 1972, Michigan passed the Wilderness and Natural Areas Act. This act gave the park the new designation of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Facilities provided by the park include an extensive network of backcountry trails for hiking and wilderness backpacking, rustic trailside cabins, modern campgrounds, swimming and boating areas, and various interpretive programs led by park rangers. The North Country Trail passes through the park, making up a portion of the 87 miles (140 km) of hiking trails. The Porcupine Mountains Ski Area, managed by the Gogebic Community College Ski Area Management Program, operates within the park in winter. [6]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ontonagon County, Michigan</span> County in Michigan, United States

Ontonagon County is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 5,816, making it Michigan's third-least populous county. The county seat is Ontonagon. The county was set off in 1843, and organized in 1848. Its territory had been organized as part of Chippewa and Mackinac counties. With increasing population in the area, more counties were organized. After Ontonagon was organized, it was split to create Gogebic County. It is also the westernmost U.S. county that uses the Eastern Time Zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keweenaw Peninsula</span> Northernmost part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States

The Keweenaw PeninsulaGakiiwe-onigamiing (Ojibwe) ( KEE-wi-naw, sometimes locally ) is the northernmost part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, leading to its moniker of "Copper Country." As of the 2000 census, its population was roughly 43,200. Its major industries are now logging and tourism, as well as jobs related to Michigan Technological University and Finlandia University.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keweenaw National Historical Park</span> U.S. national historical park in Michigan

Keweenaw National Historical Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park Service. Established in 1992, the park celebrates the life and history of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of 2009, it is a partly privatized park made up of two primary units, the Calumet Unit and the Quincy Unit, and 21 cooperating "Heritage Sites" located on federal, state, and privately owned land in and around the Keweenaw Peninsula. The National Park Service owns approximately 1,700 acres (690 ha) in the Calumet and Quincy Units. Units are located in Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon counties.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilderness State Park</span> Park in Michigan, USA

Wilderness State Park is a public recreation area bordering Lake Michigan, five miles southwest of Mackinaw City in Emmet County in Northern Michigan. The state park's 10,512 acres (4,254 ha) include 26 miles (42 km) of shoreline, diverse forested dune and swale complexes, wetlands, camping areas, and many miles of hiking trails. The state park is operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which has, as of 2006, approved a proposal that 4,492 acres (1,818 ha) be officially dedicated as a wilderness area. Wilderness State Park was designated a Michigan "dark sky preserve" in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottawa National Forest</span> National forest in Michigan, United States

The Ottawa National Forest is a national forest that covers 993,010 acres (401,860 ha) in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It includes much of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, as well as slices of Iron, Houghton, Baraga, and Marquette counties. The forest is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M-64 (Michigan highway)</span> State highway in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties in Michigan, United States

M-64 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs for approximately 63+34 miles (102.6 km) through the western part of the state in land that is part of the Ottawa National Forest. The highway connects with County Trunk Highway B (CTH-B) at the state line near Presque Isle, Wisconsin. As it passes through dense forests, M-64 runs along lakes Gogebic and Superior. The northern end is at a junction with US Highway 45 (US 45) in Ontonagon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M-107 (Michigan highway)</span> Former state highway in Ontonagon County, Michigan, United States

M-107 was an east–west state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Running for about 9.6 miles (15.4 km), it connected Lake of the Clouds and the rest of the Porcupine Mountains State Park to M-64 in Silver City. The roadway parallels the Lake Superior shoreline in Ontonagon County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Gogebic</span> Lake in the state of Michigan, United States

Lake Gogebic is the largest natural inland lake of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is located within the one million acre (4,000 km2) Ottawa National Forest. Lake Gogebic State Park is located along its western shore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gogebic Range</span> Iron ore region in Michigan and Wisconsin

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 45 in Michigan</span> US Highway in Michigan

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Little Carp River may refer to the following streams in the U.S. state of Michigan:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carp River (Gogebic–Ontonagon counties)</span> River in northern Michigan

Carp River is a 10.3-mile-long (16.6 km) river in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The Carp River is formed by the outflow of the Lake of the Clouds at 46°48′04″N89°45′38″W in the Porcupine Mountains of the Upper Peninsula.

Little Carp River is a 15-mile-long (24 km) river in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The Carp River rises at 46°45′54″N89°44′44″W in the Porcupine Mountains of the Upper Peninsula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake of the Clouds</span> Lake in Michigan, United States

Lake of the Clouds is a lake located in Ontonagon County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan within the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The lake is situated in a valley between two ridges in the Porcupine Mountains. Surrounded by virgin wilderness and stunning vistas, the lake is a popular destination for hikers, campers, and fishermen.

References

  1. "Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park". IUCN. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  3. "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  4. "Porcupine Mountain". National Natural Landmarks. National Park Service. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  5. Vogel, Virgil J. (1986). Indian Place Names in Michigan. University of Michigan Press. pp. 106–107. ISBN   0472063650.
  6. 1 2 "Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Porcupine Mountains". Natural Areas. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  8. "Summit Peak". Porcupine Mountains and Ontonagon Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. 16 June 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  9. Mary Byrd Davis (January 23, 2008). "Old Growth in the East: A Survey". Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2013.