This trip report details my three-day adventure across Michigan’s Western Upper Peninsula in January 2025. The objective of the trip was gear testing and preparation for the larger winter trip planned in February 2025. The trip was incredible, filled with beautiful places and amazing experiences! I cannot overstate how beautiful winter is, or how exciting the quiet scenes of winter can be. In this report, I will attempt to do both as I outline the locations and experiences had in each.

PREPARATION AND PLANNING

I did something a little different for this trip. I did not plan out locations, or make a list of trails I wanted to hike. I did this for two reasons. The first, I did not want to put any expectations on the trip. Choosing locations, in my experience, leads you to fixate on what is available in said location. This can put you in a state of mind to be looking for something that simply is not there. I learned this lesson firsthand after last year’s winter trip. Second, I aimed to let the environment and conditions shape my decisions. Keeping an open mind and being prepared for anything has led to some of my favorite images to date. Not that planning is bad, or preparing for a trip is a detriment to its own success. Preparation is key, and I will get into that next. However, planning out locations and being locked into an area based on those plans is… limiting.

I exercised this same approach during my 2024 Fall Colors Trip, and it was the best fall colors trip I have had to date. So much so that I am actually moving the entire fall colors trip in 2025 to an entirely new area here in the Great Lakes. More on that at a later date. For now, we are concentrating on this trip and the next one, coming in a few short weeks.

Preparation was the center of my focus, as winters on Lake Superior are notoriously brutal. While preparing, I readied my winter clothing items, made sure that I had all the Winter Hiking Essentials, and updated my Garmin GPS device. I have thousands of locations and routes saved to it from over the years, many in the Upper Peninsula. Outside of safety, I brought this so that I could remain spontaneous as the trip progressed, with route options and waypoints available for any location that I visited.

I hiked over 12 miles each full day that I was up there, with a fully loaded pack. This was all performed without pain or discomfort, or any flare-ups from my back injury sustained in July 2024. It feels good to be back!

ARRIVAL

A raging snowstorm greeted me upon my arrival in Ontonagon on the evening of January 23rd. This snowstorm created whiteout conditions, and I was excited to be there. Compared to last year’s trip, this was a significant improvement. I arrived around 8:00 PM and despite the snow; I went out to see what I could find in the area as the snow storms cleared. The purpose of the trip was not photography, but getting myself prepared for the February trip. I aimed to familiarize myself with winter scenes to better prepare for the February trip. Essentially, I wanted to prime my creative vision and have a better idea of creative options on a photography dedicated trip.

Understanding that photography is a state of mind just as much as it is a creative pursuit, getting out in the winter landscape was essential to my creative state when it came time for the bigger trip. By subjecting myself to winter and its unique scenes and characteristics, I could prepare my creative mind for the experiences ahead, all while enjoying the experiences at hand. Knowing how to pivot based on lighting, conditions, and other variables is the key to coming home with great images. I took this trip as an opportunity to experience the landscape and learn what options are available, what to look for, and most importantly, familiarize myself with the challenges of winter shooting so that I am ready when the time is right.

I went out on night one without the camera. I hiked along Lake Superior and simply admired the stars in the sky above. It was a perfect welcoming party, and in that moment, I felt as though it was all for me. I could hear waves crashing in the distance, and knew that Lake Superior was awake and active. The fresh snow was drifting throughout the landscape and I knew that the next morning would bring some incredible opportunities. I hiked back to the hotel, warmed up, and readied myself for the day ahead.

DAY ONE - ONTONAGON TO COPPER HARBOR

I started my morning at Union Bay, capturing the shoreline and the image you see here. Superior was just as incredible and beautiful as I remembered it. After spending sunrise on the shoreline, I drove over to Syl’s in Ontonagon for breakfast and prepared for the day ahead. I thought about where I wanted to go and kicked off my spring scouting early. It was a bluebird sky day, so I utilized it in a way future me would appreciate. I had a few places I wanted to get to. I will discuss some and delay others until the time is right. I’m not revealing some of my bigger plans for the year yet, not out of secrecy, but because I’m not ready. The main objective was to scout the Keweenaw Peninsula, while actively exploring other areas of interest as well.

The first stop was a little known spot along the shoreline, one that I am actively planning a return trip to in the spring. That is part of the undisclosed locations, though… For now! A couple of photographers and I are planning out how we are going to approach the location, and I do not want to spoil the surprise when it comes. The second stop is probably one of the most well-known areas in the Keweenaw, Eagle Harbor. This is a location that means a great deal to me. It was the lighthouse that I visited and shot a few weeks before my first son was born. I wanted to get a photo of the Milky Way over the lighthouse that was explicitly meant for him. It was a success, and this was my first time returning to the lighthouse since that trip.

I arrived around noon, taking in the sights and scouting compositions for a return trip later that evening. I spent a couple hours there watching the light interact with the landscape and looking for interesting forms and features in the shelf ice surrounding the lighthouse. The well-defined winter landscape impressed me, I immediately recognized the potential. After identifying a few compositions for later in the evening, I got back in the car and continued driving. I arrived at a couple other locations, also to be revealed at a later date! I scouted three major points and did some reconnaissance on a couple of others. The beautiful part about winter is that it makes scouting dramatically easier to accomplish. Especially when you are looking for specific areas or features!

This was more of a spur-of-the-moment decision to do this. If there is one thing that I have learned over the years, it is that spontaneity leads to some of the best experiences. I shot very little on day one, but then again, that is really not what I was there for to begin with. I enjoyed hiking the interior forests, stopping at varying points along the coastline, and experiencing the winter landscape of the area.

As my afternoon scouting concluded, I drove back to Eagle Harbor and setup for sunset. The images you see here are the results. Let me know what you think!

I stayed at Eagle Harbor well after sunset, watching the light interact with the landscape and witnessing Lake Superior awaken as the sun was setting. It was incredible to watch the ice suddenly break apart and start moving! What seemed like ice you could easily walk right out to was actually very thin. It cracked, and enormous gaps began opening up as the light in the sky faded. All of this despite the ice shelves in the area being very large and appearing stable. I do not condone going out onto ice shelves and did not venture out onto any myself that day. Watching the ice break apart and move was a simple reminder of the dangers of shelf ice, and how deceiving it can be. It looked safe, but it broke apart easily as the waves came in underneath of it. Never venture out onto the ice. There are far too many variables that are well outside of our control to take such an enormous risk. Seriously, just don’t do it. If you fall into the water, at best you have ten minutes to get out and get back to warmth before you lose consciousness. It is beautiful, but its beauty is best admired from a safe distance along the shoreline.

DAY TWO - BOND, CANYON, PRESQUE

I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about my day two plans. I knew the waterfalls were likely frozen, and opportunities would likely be scarce. The idea was to visit different areas to see their conditions to help prepare myself for scenes and situations that I may encounter in February. I was careful to take this as intel only, a baseline without expectations. Winter rarely meets expectations. Reminding myself that I was there for the experience and not so much for photography, I committed to hitting a few different areas on day two just to see them in the winter. I wanted to familiarize myself with different subjects and situations with the idea that if I faced similar conditions or circumstances in February, I would know exactly what to do. I truly believe that going to these locations without having put much creative thought into it beforehand was the catalyst for my success here.

In the morning, I arrived at Bond Falls. I knew that out of all the waterfalls in the region, Bond would be flowing. This is one of my favorite waterfalls to visit at any time of year, but winter is always a must when I am in the area. I arrived well before sunrise. It was a chilly morning. Light snow filled the air, and the sound of rushing water permeated the silence of winter. A promising first sign when you arrive.

Knowing that this was just about as perfect as you could get as far as conditions go, I hiked into the area and made it to the stairwell. As I expected, ice covered it, making it impassable. Other travelers had made a small footpath through the snow to go around the stairs. I hesitantly gripped the railing and followed suit. It was likely not the safest way down, but it was effective none the less.

Light was filling the sky, and I recognized that soon the sun would rise. The sky was bleak at first, but there were hints of a colorful sunrise building in the sky above. I was not all that concerned, though. My only intention was to be present in the landscape; if something caught my eye, I was prepared, but I was in no rush. Almost immediately, I noticed a small opening in the trees, framing Bond Falls perfectly. The sky was much brighter now, and faint colors were starting to show. The snow was still rich with color as Blue Hour was nearing its end.

I took out the camera and setup a shot, waiting for sunrise. The wait paid off, and the first photo of the day was in the bag! I really enjoyed the look of the deep blue ice in the foreground contrasting against the rich colors of sunrise.

Once that shot was complete, I moved further down toward the base of the falls. I was looking around for interesting shapes and forms in the ice. It was one of those moments where I was not really too sure what I was looking for, but knew I would recognize it when I saw it. Sure enough, a couple of small scenes appeared, and I spent some time organizing and shooting the three images you see below. A fruitful beginning to the day!

I closed out the morning at Bond Falls around 10:30AM. Heavy snow moved into the area, and it quickly reminded me of Lake Superior’s many moods. There was no snow forecast for that day, but the Big Lake had other plans in mind. As I loaded up the car and started my journey out of the area, whiteout conditions took hold. I could not see over ten feet in front of the car. It was incredible how quickly the weather can turn, and how much snow the lake can produce in such a short period!

I headed east. I had no destination in mind but knew that I wanted to see a few other locations before I called the trip complete. By this point, five or six inches of snow covered the ground, and the back roads I was driving were navigable only by following the small hills of snow pushed up by passing snowplows. It was a wild ride! It was also the first time I had tested my new adventure vehicle in these conditions, and it handled it like a champ!

For those that do not know, in July of last year, I traded in my 4Runner for a 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition. I had been interested in one for a while, and considered it a great compromise between a full size SUV and a car. With more ground clearance than a stock 4Runner or Jeep Wrangler, it seemed like the best option. Not to get too sidetracked here, but seriously, this car is incredible. I never had to switch from AWD to one of the off-road AWD modes, with street tires on the vehicle! This spring I plan to put some knobby off-road appropriate tires on it, but for a bone stock Outback, this thing is unstoppable. I have taken it everywhere I took the 4Runner, and even to some places I questioned taking the 4Runner… it just keeps going. Shout out to Subaru! Ok, back to the rest of the trip report.

I started heading east. I had a few places I knew I could go, but really was just happy to be out and enjoying the winter conditions. After a short drive, I found myself a few minutes away from Canyon Falls. I stopped in and checked it out. As expected, I found the falls completely frozen over. A stark difference from last year when it was still freely flowing in February! I hiked all the way to the end of the trail. There were a few areas that were quite interesting, but the conditions did not provide the best light for many of them. Again, I was not there for photography, so I enjoyed the hike and met some exceptional people along the way.

From there, I drove into Baraga and grabbed some lunch. Talked with my wife for a little while as I finally had cell service, and decided that to close out the last full day of the trip I was going to go back west and visit the Presque Isle River in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. It was a long drive, but no trip to the western Upper Peninsula is complete without a visit to the Porkies!

I hopped in the car, and off I went. It was quite a drive, and the snow that had greeted me that morning was back again. Whiteout conditions made the roads dangerous and challenging. I witnessed a Dodge pickup rollover right in front of me as I made my way there. I stopped and checked on the driver. She was ok and uninjured. Others stopped and helped with traffic and guiding people around the accident while we waited for police to arrive. Thankfully, they came quickly, and she received the help she needed. A clear reminder to drive safely, and be cautious in adverse conditions!

As I neared Presque Isle River, the conditions worsened. Suddenly, I could not see more than a couple of feet in front of the car. I was in almost eight inches of snow on the back road, and conditions were worsening by the second. I stopped and waited out the storm, having a snack and checking my gear. It lightened up just enough to continue on, and off I went. I arrived about an hour and a half to sunset and began my hike into the park.

I hiked the river and the many areas included along the trail, all the way out to Lake Superior. Once there, I noticed that there appeared to be another storm building on the horizon and that conditions would quickly turn dangerous again. My suspicions were correct, and suddenly I found myself in a total whiteout with a long hike ahead of me. I took my ski goggles out of my bag, pulled up my hood and immediately started heading back to the car. The snow was so heavy, and the wind was blowing so much snow that had already fallen, that you could not see more than a few feet in front of you even in the interior. It was an incredible experience, and one that I am very thankful I had my GPS and goggles for. Snow blanketed the trails, making things hard to recognize; outside of the bridge and catwalks, very little was recognizable. It was getting dark and my headlamp was a huge asset, but was not very effective in the driving snow due to reflections.

I made it back to the car and began the long drive back to Ontonagon. I arrived in time to hit Syl’s again for a pasty, coleslaw, and some onion rings! It was an outstanding way to end the trip, even if driving back in the dark in total whiteout conditions was a little challenging. I relaxed at the hotel, watched a little television, and reminisced about my experience. It was everything I had hoped for, and more. But it was not over yet.

DAY THREE - A MOMENT OF REST

I have gotten into a habit that some may find odd, but it is an essential piece of my happiness… On the last day of the trip, I watch the sunrise without a camera, without intentions of capturing it, I just want to experience it. Taking the time to experience it is such a pivotal piece of who I am today. On the morning of day three, I was sad to be leaving, but ready to head home and see my wife and children. So on Sunday morning, I woke up early, packed up my gear and loaded up my car. I drove to Union Bay and made myself a warm cup of coffee as I stood there watching the sunrise.

At first, it looked questionable. Then suddenly, the sky ignited in brilliant shades of pink and red hues, contrasted so beautifully against the dark blue clouds of passing snow storms. Ice churned in the lake before me, a light breeze chilled the air. A smile and a feeling of a trip well done overwhelmed me. I watched the light intensify and slowly fade as the sun rose higher. The sound of snowmobiles in the distance echoed through the forest. The trip was complete. Mission success. Time to go home.

I got in the car and fired up the GPS, seven hours to home. Time to reflect, rejoice, and prepare for the next journey ahead!

RESILIENCE

This is my favorite winter image to date. For a few reasons. For me, it encapsulates everything that winter is and offers us. Beautiful light, incredible colors, and mesmerizing textures and features that are truly one of a kind.

That led to this image, and the resulting title, “Resilience.” We are all unique in our own ways. We all have our own lives, wins and losses, notable moments and low. I am a firm believer that life is 1% what happens to us and 99% how we react to it.

For me, this is an image that represents so much more than a collapsed ice volcano. Although it may have collapsed, it is still beautiful; it is still standing. It is still unique, and rising back to its potential. That is what we all have to do in life. That is what we are all called to do. There will always be challenges, setbacks, things that just simply do not go our way. What matters is how you respond to them and how you overcome them. When you can face all the challenges that life throws at you, and still show up every day for those that rely on you and count on you, you are doing it right. That is true resilience. That is true strength. For me, this image represents that message and stands as a testament to remaining authentic and true, continuing to be a beautiful person, despite what you have been subjected to!

THE LESSONS AND TAKEAWAYS

So, what did I learn? Let’s start with expectations. In winter, you cannot have them. Full stop, it will kill any creativity you have and lead you to a creative block that you cannot break free from. Have an open mind, and be open to the possibilities that are presented to you.

As I mentioned, that contributed to the success of my Fall Colors Trip, and the success of this trip, too. It is paramount to your success as a photographer. You need to be authentic, genuine, and allow the landscape to speak to you. It is the only way you will find images that truly resonate with you.

Winter hiking is the next big one. Being prepared is monumental, it is critical to your survival and the enjoyment of the winter landscape. I cannot stress this enough. Had I not had my GPS and prepared my gear properly before the trip, I do not know that I would have safely returned from the Presque Isle River adventure. Some may say, “pfft, that is easy!” Sure, when conditions are in your favor. Blowing wind driven snow and low light make things exceedingly complex quickly. Airborne snow reflects your light back at you, making headlamps and flashlights all but useless. The snowflakes hit your face, causing you to squint if you do not have goggles or glasses with you. It is easy to get turned around, disoriented, and end up in a very dangerous situation. The number one thing you need to remember is to stay calm, focus on one task at a time, and work through the problems as they present themselves. Lake Superior is beautiful, but she is never to be underestimated. That moment was a simple reminder that carrying the “just in case” gear is a requirement in winter. Do not go out there unprepared. Your life depends on it.

Last, and I think most importantly, from a creativity standpoint, let the light speak. It really is that simple. Photography is nothing more than capturing light. There is no big secret. That really is all that it is. Winter seems bleak, but we have to learn how to lean into the Quiet Scenes of Winter to really embrace the opportunities that it offers. Let the light speak.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I would consider this trip a success. I did exactly what I set out to do. Nature first, photos second. I wanted to get warmed up and test out my gear and some alternative approaches. I am thrilled with the photos that I came home with, despite not being focused on photography alone.

I know I had mentioned making an in the field video on the podcast for every trip, but quickly realized that this was not an ideal trip for that. I spent most of the trip hiking and exploring the winter region without a camera. Understandably, this also could have been a video, but I decided to just take things in and get warmed up for the year over making a video, too. I will make a video of my adventures in February!

It was a great start to the year, filled with many memories and moments that I will cherish throughout the year and beyond. Before we know it, fall will be back and we will prepare for another brilliant show of color. Enjoy the ride my friends, it goes quick!

WHERE TO NEXT?

In February, I am going to be heading out to Marquette, Michigan for my official winter photography trip! I will be there for five days taking in the sights, experiences, and locations hidden throughout the landscape and beyond. I am very excited and optimistic about that trip. After this adventure, I have never felt more ready.

Thank you for checking out the January Trip Report!

See you on the next one!