Sky, Sand & Surf

FIELD GUIDE

Exploring Michigan: Tips, trends, and tidbits

FEATHER FRIENDS: The Great Lakes section of the Audubon website features expanded resources for those interested in learning more about birding in Michigan. It showcases stories sure to inspire bird-watchers, and includes photo galleries, events, bird guides, a look at specific birds of interest, and lists of sites around the Great Lakes where you’re likely to spot numerous kinds of birds. There’s something for every level of birding enthusiast. gl.audubon.org

ON THE RUN: A February ruling by a California federal court returned gray wolves, including those in Michigan, to the federal list of endangered species. Gray wolves previously were removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in the lower 48 states in 2021. The Michigan DNR supported that move at the time because the state’s wolf population had, for years, surpassed federal and state goals for recovery. As a result of the new ruling, two Michigan laws governing the ability to kill wolves preying on livestock, pets, and hunting dogs were suspended. Michigan wolves remain a protected game species and it’s illegal to kill a wolf. michigan.gov/wolves

NATURE TALES: The Michigan DNR’s “Wildtalk” podcast, available on the first of every month, spotlights guests talking about wildlife habitat efforts around the state, wildlife species updates, listener questions, and a wildlife quiz. The program is available on Apple and Google podcasts.

– Compiled by Ron Garbinski

Have news that pertains to Michigan travel and exploration? Send a note to MSwoyer@Hour-Media.com.

True Grit

Marathon canoeist and dogsled musher Lynne Witte goes the distance — over and over again

By Susan R. Pollack

Lynne Witte of Cheboygan is as much at home paddling all night in the stern of a tandem canoe in the AuSable River Canoe Marathon as she is standing on the rear of a dogsled, racing through the snow with her team of 10 Alaskan huskies.

When she’s not challenging herself in grueling long-distance races, the retired second-grade teacher is training for them all year long. As her 68th birthday approaches, she’s hailed as the only woman to complete both the renowned AuSable River Canoe Marathon and Canada’s 300mile Yukon Quest dogsled race.

“It’s a way of life for me,” says Witte, who’s preparing for her 42nd AuSable marathon — and hoping to break her own record 39 finishes. “It never occurs to me to stop,” she says. “It’s still exciting and I still love it. As long as I’m healthy, why not?”

Now in its 74th year, northern Michigan’s all-night canoe marathon is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. July 30 in Grayling. It begins with a mad dash to the river by dozens of canoe-toting, two-person teams. Depending on their paddling prowess, the 120-mile race will end the next day — typically some 14 to 18 hours later — in Oscoda, under the bridge near where the AuSable empties into Lake Huron.

Along the sometimes foggy, windy, dark, and buggy way, paddlers will exit their canoes to portage six dams, running or hobbling on stiff, cramped legs. Back in their narrow racing boats, some — foiled by hidden river rocks or logs, or the vagaries of Mother Nature — may tip and lose valuable minutes in the water.

That’s happened just a few times to Witte, who has started every AuSable River Canoe Marathon and racked up a boatload of records since her first race in 1980, more than four decades ago. Her marathon feats include the most consecutive starts, 41; most partners, 34 (some men, some women); and most top-10 finishes by a female paddler.

From 1995 to 2012, Witte also held the record for the most consecutive finishes, at 18 — considered an amazing accomplishment by paddlers, according to Ryan Matthews, the marathon’s historian and statistician.

Witte’s best finish was fourth place in 1988, when she and her partner, Jim Myers, set a mixed division record — 15:05:26 — that lasted 29 years, until 2017.

“Lynne’s endurance is exceptional,” Matthews says of the 5-foot-2, 130-pound Lynne Witte and her partner in No. athlete who saw her first AuSable mara54 race to the finish line in a previous thon as a teenager and went on to become AuSable Rive Canoe Marathon. a female trailblazer, role model, and fan favorite. “Between canoe racing and dogsledding, she seems to always be pushing herself,” he says, praising her dedication, passion, and grit.

As if the canoe marathon wasn’t enough, Witte became interested in sleddog racing 22 years ago while teaching in Mount Clemens, where she also coached middle school cross country and track.

After working as a volunteer in Alaska’s famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, she acquired the first of her many dogs and soon got hooked on mushing competitions. Finding the world of dogsled racing a perfect cold-weather complement to canoe racing, she became more involved after retiring from teaching in 2016, her age notwithstanding.

This winter, in addition to her own 11 dogs, Witte cared for another 14 dogs on 300 acres near Cheboygan. The labori-

ous task of feeding and running 25 young huskies, she says, is a great way to keep in shape for the AuSable canoe marathon.

“It’s way better training than lifting weights in an old pair of sneakers,” Witte says, citing her current heavy boots and twice-daily routine of lugging loaded buckets of dog food. “I count that as my portage practice,” she says of racing up and down hills on frequent dog training runs.

In addition to entering about 14 canoe races per year, Witte competes in four dogsled races, and even wins some of them. In the Upper Peninsula, the events include the Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race, Marquette’s Midnight Run, and Calumet’s CopperDog 150. She’s also raced the 120-mile segment of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon along Lake Superior in Duluth, Minn., five times.

Her most ambitious race was Canada’s Yukon Quest 300, which runs from Whitehorse to Pelly Crossing, in 2017. For a rookie musher, Witte says, it was “a gorgeous yet terrifying experience” at 50 degrees below zero along the Yukon River.

“Actually, I thought I was going to die out there a couple times. It made the AuSable marathon seem easy.”

For a seasoned marathoner like Lynne Witte, canoeing through a tornado warning with intense rain, roiling water, and scary lightning, or being lost on the water in a blinding fog that felt “as if someone had opened a bottle of thick, white baby powder,” she says, are all in a long day’s paddle.

“If you can marathon canoe race,” Witte says, “you can do anything.”

PLAN IT! AuSable River Canoe Marathon ausablecanoemarathon.org

Lynne Witte and her partner, in canoe No. 54, race to the finish line in a previous AuSable River Canoe Marathon.

Natural Beauty

For a real treat this season, add an exciting dune hike or two to your Pure Michigan outdoor adventures

By Mark Spezia

Michigan’s massive sand dunes offer some of the Midwest’s most adventurous and outstanding hiking experiences.

Many of these hikes lead to sweeping Great Lakes vistas followed by exhilarating descents to the shore, while others culminate with hikers emerging from forested dunes to see white-capped waves crashing onto a picturesque beach.

Here are seven of my favorite dune hikes:

DUNES TRAIL

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, (M-109), Glen Arbor nps.gov/slbe

Details: This 3.5-mile, out-and-back jaunt up and down six dunes on the way to a remote Lake Michigan beach takes most hikers three to four hours to complete. Yes, it’s one of Sleeping Bear’s more strenuous hikes, but it’s also the most rewarding.

Along the way are spectacular views of Lake Michigan, Glen Lake, South Manitou Island’s lighthouse, rolling farmland, and, in October, cottonwood trees at peak color.

Hikers tackle the toughest climb first — a challenging 45-degree ascent of 130 feet through loose sand. At the top, look for a sign the reads “Dunes Trail” and follow the blue-tipped posts. Reaching the beach comes with the bonus of viewing the submerged remains of a ship called the James McBride, which sank in 1857. Go .2 miles south on the beach to reach it.

“Be sure you’re prepared for this hike, because the distance to Lake Michigan can be very deceptive,” says Traverse City Tourism Public Relations Manager Mike Kent. “It always seems to be over the next hill when, in reality, there are more hills to get over. The Dunes Trail is an amazing adventure with incredible views.”

GRAND SABLE DUNES

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore primary access points at The Grand Sable Visitors Center, Sable Falls parking lot, and the Log Slide Overlook parking area can be reached by taking County Road H-58 west from Grand Marais nps.gov/piro

Details: This 5-square-mile expanse of towering dunes, which rise to 300 feet above Lake Superior, is at the eastern end of Pictured Rocks. The dunes are largely grass- and tree-covered, with areas of open sand mixed in.

The Grand Sable Dunes Trail (.6 miles round trip) crosses Sable Creek and winds through a jack pine forest before climbing to an open area with amazing Lake Superior views.

The Sable Falls Trail (.5 miles round trip) takes hikers to a rocky beach where Sable Creek empties into Lake Superior, just past the base of the 75-foot waterfall. Both trails can be accessed from the Sable Falls parking area and combined into a 2.5-mile loop. The best view comes via the Log Slide Overlook Trail (.5-mile round trip), but hikers can experience more by descending roughly 500 feet to the lake.

“The Log Slide is the only spot that visitors can venture up and down the dune face, and they can see how large and high the dunes really are,” says Susan Reece, Pictured Rocks chief of interpretation and education. “Just remember that it’s a very strenuous, (up to) one-hour climb back up.”

A 12-mile loop is also possible by taking the North Country Trail south of the visitors center along Grand Sable Lake to the Log Slide, then descending and walking along the beach to the Sable Falls Trail and back to the visitors center.

SILVER LAKE STATE PARK

8890 W. Shore Dr., Mears thinkdunes.com

Details: This park lacks developed trails, meaning hikers can customize their own routes through the 1,800-acre pedestrian area nestled between Silver Lake and Lake Michigan.

The barrenness of the dunes, rising 160 feet above the lakes, is striking. There’s little vegetation — only the remains of ancient “ghost” trees that shifting sands buried and killed. From the parking area, ascend a wooden staircase and a steep, 50-foot mound of sand to reach the top of

the first dune for sweeping views of Lake Michigan, Silver Lake, and ridges of pristine sand. Then, pick a direction to continue walking.

For a 7-mile loop, continue hiking to Lake Michigan, head south along the beach to where Silver Creek empties into Lake Michigan, wade across the shallow stream, and follow a paved road .3 miles to the Little Sable Lighthouse.

Then, backtrack to the stream and follow Lighthouse Drive toward Silver Lake before crossing Silver Creek at Ruckel Bridge. From there, begin climbing back to the top of the dunes and continue northeast to where the hike began.

“Hikers have several options,” says Silver Lake Sand Dunes–Hart Visitors Bureau Executive Director Scott Beal. “Not only can they walk the dunes to Lake Michigan, but they can hike along Silver Lake or along Lake Michigan for about three miles, starting at the lighthouse.”

SAUGATUCK DUNES STATE PARK

6575 138th Ave., Holland shorelinevisitorsguide.com

Details: The 1,120-acre park boasts dunes rising more than 200 feet above Lake Michigan, 2.5 miles of shoreline, and 13 miles of trails winding through both open dune areas and under thick canopies of hardwoods and pines.

All four main trails culminate in panoramic lake views and fun descents to the beach.

The North Trail (2 miles round trip) offers hiking on both soft and packed sand, wide-open areas, and pine-filled sections. The Beach Trail (1.2 miles round trip) is the quickest way to the beach, through broadleaf forest and over packed sand. The Livingston Trail (1.8 miles round trip) features more rolling terrain through heavily forested areas. Portions of these three trails can be combined to form a 3.4-mile loop.

The South Trail (5.5 miles, mostly loop) offers the most solitude and is the most heavily wooded.

“Hiking in the Saugatuck Dunes State Park is special, and the forest of towering trees brings feelings of peace and tranquility,” says Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Lisa Mize. “Once you reach the lake, the water lapping at the shoreline is both mesmerizing and meditative.”

The striking Silver Lake State Park sand dunes offer access to Silver Lake and Lake Michigan, and miles of hiking opportunities.

Waterfront property ownership has its challenges. Make sure you understand your riparian rights.

Four main trails in the Saugatuck Dunes State Park culminate with panoramic views of Lake Michigan.

NORDHOUSE DUNES WILDERNESS AREA

The best access is at Lake Michigan Recreation Area, 6000 W. Forest Trail Rd. near the town of Free Soil. Drive through the campground to a parking lot that features an information display and boardwalk fs.usda.gov/hmnf

Details: Nordhouse Dunes is 3,450 acres of undeveloped terrain featuring 13 miles of footpaths that meander through forested areas, dunes that reach 140 feet high, and 4 miles of unspoiled Lake Michigan beach.

“We love hiking in Nordhouse Dunes because it feels like time stands still out there,” says Brad Reed, co-owner of Todd and Brad Reed Photography in Ludington. “You feel totally alone and instantly one with nature. The trails are fun to explore, but we enjoy getting off the trails and exploring the seemingly endless miles of rolling sand dunes, bowls, and valleys.”

A 6-mile loop can be formed by taking the boardwalk to the Arrowhead Trail,

which runs into the Lake Michigan Trail along the lake. Next, take the Nordhouse Dunes Trail away from the lake to the Nipissing Trail, which winds past Nordhouse Lake and back to the boardwalk.

WARREN DUNES STATE PARK

12032 Red Arrow Highway, Sawyer

newbuffaloexplored.com

Details: Collette Kemper of New Buffalo Explored, a southwest Michigan tourism organization, sums up the appeal of Warren Dunes: “Warren Dunes is the gateway to Michigan’s state park system from the west, with 1,952 acres of forest and dune along with 3 miles of pristine Lake Michigan shoreline,” she says. “Expect to find rich forests, interdunal wetlands, steep open bowls, and towering 260-foot elevations overlooking Lake Michigan among its trails.”

The 4-mile Mount Randall loop has beach walking, steep ascents up dunes to sweeping views of Lake Michigan, and fun descents, along with plenty of trekking through forested dunes that make the park a stunning fall color destination.

The Warren Dunes Trail (5.1-mile loop) features 1 mile of beach walking, forested sections, an old lighthouse, and the remains of an old church camp.

The Beach Trail (3.6-mile loop) takes hikers over wooded dunes before a 3-mile walk along the park’s shoreline.

ARCADIA DUNES

There are two main access points off M-22. The Baldy Trailhead is 8 miles south of Elberta on the west side of the highway. The Saint Pierre Trailhead is on the other side of M-22 and can be reached via Saint Pierre Road gtrlc.org

Details: More than 15 miles of trails take hikers through this 3,600-acre preserve’s perched dunes, sweeping overlooks, 2 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, forests, and grasslands that can be experi-

This page: Sections of the Grand Sable Dunes, with a lighthouse in the distance, are 300 feet above Lake Superior. Opposite page, below: Fourteen miles of trails wind through the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area. enced by visitors of all ability levels.

A .5-mile universally accessible boardwalk and the 3.7-mile Baldy Trail both begin at the Baldy Trailhead parking area. Baldy Trail is mostly a loop, but 1.5 miles in, it comes to the first of two side trails that take hikers into open dunes and merge at a set of cable steps that rise from the woods to the summit of Old Baldy Dune, Arcadia’s highest point.

It’s one of the area’s finest Lake Michigan overlooks. Frankfort Lighthouse also can be viewed in the distance, along with a portion of Lower Herring Lake.

GTRLC Director of Communications and Engagement Jennifer Jay outlines other hiking options: “The multi-use (10-mile) Dry Hill Trails are widely known for fantastic hiking and bird-watching,” she says. “The Camp Trail (3.7 miles) is built on relatively flat ground. Pete’s Woods (1.5 miles) is a wonderful hike with an unparalleled spring wildflower display.”