Sunset on Brockway Mountain

After doing some shopping in
Copper Harbor at Traprock Pottery Studio (absolutely fabulous stuff I might add...it was hard to control myself!) I decided to venture to the summit of Brockway Mountain. It was advised to take the drive up the mountain from the Eagle Harbor side as it is more scenic (and gentle sloping too). I arrived, 1337 feet above sea level, to the top to find these great signs explaining the
history of the area as well as fantastic views of Lake Superior and the surrounding wilderness of the Keewenaw! Several town folk also advised me that the top of this mountain is loaded with migrating raptors in the end of April/beginning of May and is quite the event! I'll file that away in the old brain for a spring trip sometime! Alerted by a familiar bird call I did spot a 2 nd year Bald Eagle though soaring up and down in the valley... :-)

This is a northeast view...The town of Copper Harbor is visible, the tiny peninsula above the tree to the left is Porter's Island...and Hunter's Pointe Trail almost connects to it..about dead center on the other side of the inlet where I was kayaking is the Copper Harbor lighthouse!

This eastern facing view shows the typical ridge and valley topography of the Keewenaw. Pretty steep....I didn't quite feel brave enough to stand too close to the crumbly edge!

Lake Superior in the background nearly blended in with the cloud free sunny day! How pleasant!

Feeling hunger pangs (I never really ate a meal today..just snacked while hiking on this and that) and with sunset a few hours away, I decided to descend the steep mountain (in my car of course) to fill my belly with a wonderful steak at the Keewenaw Mountain Lodge and to pay my lodging bill as I would be departing for the ferry to Isle Royale before they opened in the morning.

Dinner was...WONDERFUL! And Old Bessie Blue and I trucked up the steep side of Brockway Mountain to claim my spot to view the sunset. A few dozen other folks also made the trek up, and although the clouds began to come across Lake Michigan...it was still a nice sunset.

Albeit cumbersome...I was glad I had decided to bring along my tripod and remote...that way I could enjoy the moment more. Some folks even brought along blankets and wine....hmmmm...need to remember that next time too!

Perhaps the wine would allow me to actually sit still for once instead of feeling excitement and the need to explore every little angle. But....then I would have missed out on this....

Darkening clouds did prevent me from seeing the sun melt into the horizon.....but...good news.....red sky(well....I think a red sun counts) at night...sailor's delight....I am to cross Lake Superior tomorrow on the Isle Royale Queen IV.....I am hoping for a smooth and quiet crossing....I don't really have a desire to experience Lake Superior's angry side.

Descending in 1st gear down the steep grade, I paused at an overlook in hopes of seeing a great moonrise as the full moon is tomorrow! I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by fireworks being shot off by the Kilpela family at their annual family reunion (they are the operators of the Queen)! What a party! But....either they didn't shoot off a lot...or I was just too late.

In the distance....the beacon from the Copper Harbor Light swept across the water every 7 seconds if memory serves me correctly. The light no longer comes from the old lighthouse...but instead from a steel tower a hundred or so feet away.

Finally....a peek at the moon!

I had planned to go back to Hunters Pointe to see the moonrise...but this turnout was easier than parking and stumbling 300 feet over rocks and roots to get to my spot I had found earlier in the day....safer too....no skunks, bears....perhaps on Isle Royale I would get my full moon reflecting on the water shot I had been dreaming about....

As I carefully made my way back to Old Bessie Blue in the distance I spotted a freighter on Lake Michigan all lit up! Funny...living near the lake in all my life, I have never seen a freighter at night or like this all lit up! It looked so lonely and vulnerable...all I could think about was the Gordon Lightfoot song about the Edmund Fitzgerald! As it passed behind the trees this was my signal that the day was over and to go rest up as 5:30am would come VERY early!