Lighthouses, mountains, and rocks, oh, my

Copper Harbor and Lake Superior from the top of Brockway Mountain

Sunday we found Sand Hills Lighthouse by 5 Mile Point.  I think it was bugging Pat that he couldn't find it the other day.  We tackled Brockway Mountain, in the car, and looked for the Estivant Pines Wilderness Nature Sanctuary.  Monday we toured the Houghton/Hancock area.

Sand Hills Lighthouse was closed for restoration, so we saw a building, but no actual lighthouse.  Pat at least felt successful in finding it!  A little rock-hounding at Eagle River and we saw Eagle River Falls .

Eagle River Falls

This timber bridge replaced the one below in 1990.

Pedestrian bridge at Eagle River built in 1915.  Some parts replaced in 2019.

This ship sunk off of Eagle River in 1991. The pilot house broke off and floated to  the top.

Museum at Eagle River

We had always taken the lake road to Copper Harbor, but today we took the mountain drive to the top of Brockway Mountain.  The variation in color of the vegetation looking down was really pretty.  At the top there was a 360 degree view and it was beautiful every way you looked!  It was a windy day to begin with, but it was REALLY windy up there.  The sunset is supposed to be beautiful too, but I don't think we'll take the little road at night.  By the way, it doesn't get dark up here until close to 10 (we are in EDT despite being above WI which is CDT).  We found the Estivant Pine forest 4 miles from Copper Harbor.  Lots of people there, dense trees, a dog that can't walk far, so we left.  Would probably be a great place for a hike, just another day.

Today (Monday) we drove up to the Houghton/Hancock area.  We stopped at Hungarian Falls north of Houghton, near Hubbell, with a total drop of about 90 feet.  The lower falls, with the largest drop, were the most beautiful.   Dover creek, with the falls, runs into Torch Lake.  It was a short walk back to the middle falls and then there were two lower falls close by.  Krikkit sniffed along and made it back fortunately.

Upper falls

Thimbleberries

Middle Falls

Lower Falls

Headed back to the car and she's still sniffing.

Following along Michigan 26 we saw the Quincy Dredge and stamp mill 2 miles south of Hubbel.  The partially sunken and abandoned Quincy dredge #2 is across the street, along with an old smokestack. Nothing to stop one from exploring, but we didn't.  If you watch Gold Rush, like Pat, they will find an old dredge and get it going again. If  you would need an old, like really old, truck a little further down M26 would be the place to visit. 

Partially sunk Quincy dredge. 

We came through Houghton and Hancock on our way north to our RV park, so we went back through Hancock and across the lift bridge, that goes over the Portage Waterway, to Houghton.  This bridge was like the one we saw in Duluth, where the entire span lifts up, but like everything else the sign bragged that it had the biggest span and was the heaviest of all lift bridges (there aren't many lift bridges).  We stopped at the visitor's center for Isle Royale National Park, which actually put us in the National Park, although the boat going out to the Isle is grounded for this season.  I'm claiming it on my National Park map, but we will go back some time when we can actually go to the Isle.  We ordered lunch to go at Joey's Seafood and Grill in downtown Houghton.  An order of fish and chips for 2, which besides the fish and chips included coleslaw, and either clams or onion rings (we chose the clams).  It was really good but I had my grease consumption for the year!  Bridgeview park, just a few blocks away, provided a great view while we ate.

Boat that normally takes visitors to Isle Royale National Park

Looking towards Hancock.  There's a ski lift on the left.

Krikkit LOVES French fries.  Patiently waiting for her next piece.

Lift bridge

Coming home we briefly checked out the Quincy Copper Mine in Hancock which was used from 1846 until 1970. Krikkit was with us, and besides we didn't really want to pay $40 each, so we didn't take the tour!  In the 1930's a stone ship memorial was built as a WPA project in Kearsarge. The town of Kearsarge was named after a Civil War ship (from 1861) of the same name, USS Kearsage, by a former naval officer who was an employee of the local mining company.  Supposedly the memorial ship looked nothing like the original sloop, however.

Quincy Copper Mine

Ship memorial in Kearsage

Good thing we didn't need gas, lol!

Krikkit did a LOT of walking today and is sacked out.  We have one more day on this beautiful peninsula and then we move on to our final "vacation" week in ???