HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech is hosting the International Symposium on Society and Resource Management from June 22-26, 2016, for social scientists who study society, environment, and natural resources issues. Three field trips associated with this event have room to extend opportunities to interested members of the local community. Because they are part of the conference, prices are reduced compared to what you may have seen posted for other similar trips. This is a great deal! Deadlines are looming and space is limited, so sign up right away if you are interested!
Isle Royale National Park Lodge Based Trip: June 28-July 2, 2016. $675 (per adult age 12 and over); $300 (per child age 7-11); ($255 under age 7). This is a reduced cost way to get out to the island! Rate includes round trip boat fare to/from the island on Ranger III, room and board for 4 nights (must share a room, double occupancy), boat tours to the historic Rock Harbor Lighthouse, Edisen Fishery, and Bangsund Research Station (home of the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Project) and Hidden Lake and Lookout Louise (spectacular views of Isle Royale's northshore and Canada). Participants could also engage in hikes to Scoville Point and Suzy's Cave; book a fishing charter; and enjoy park interpretive programs within the Snug Harbor area that serves as the main entry point for visitors to Isle Royale National Park. You must reserve before midnight Tuesday, June 14! Click here for more trip details, including a less expensive backpacking option.
Ancient Lava Flows on Manitou Island: Sunday, June 26, 2016, full day. $110/person. This trip is led by geologists Erika Vye and Bill Rose. It focuses on the Keweenaw’s deep volcanic past and the relationship between copper, lavas and the subsequent passage of people that came here with the purpose of mining. Participants will travel by van from Houghton to Eagle Harbor to board the Michigan Tech RV Agassiz and travel past lava reefs and shipwrecks on the way to Manitou Island, one of the most isolated and pristine places in the Keweenaw.
A number of features tell the story of the Keweenaw such as grand ridges of conglomerate rock, the boxlike harbor created by lava flows at the lighthouse, a massive calcite vein that disappears into the depths of Lake Superior, and high energy beaches. The group will enjoy a boxed lunch together on the island before departing for Copper Harbor where they will explore curious rock formations at the Hunter’s Point nature preserve and visit the Greenstone lava flow -- the largest lava flow on Earth! To cap the day the group will stop at Brickside brewery, before returning to Houghton. This trip covers a lot of ground and affords the opportunity to visit one of the most remote places in the peninsula. Be prepared to be outside all the time and carry clothing for all weather conditions.
Wilderness, Industry and Tourism: Public Archaeology at the Cliff Mine and Eagle River: Wednesday, June 22, 2016, full day. $45/person (includes lunch). Michigan’s Copper Country has seen ten millennia of human mining communities, technologies, and ecological relationships. Trip participants will explore the landscape of the Cliff mine, a National Register Historic Site, and nearby Eagle River where Michigan Tech researchers have conducted a public archaeology project for the last six years engaging communities with history and the research process.
Come to explore this picturesque historic ruin and spend the morning hiking over the three square miles of the mine and town. The site includes ruins interspersed through wooded terrain and wetlands both atop and below the 200-foot greenstone bluff that runs along the spine of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Hiking will be self-guided over unimproved walking trails where the terrain ranges from moderate to advanced. MTU archaeologists and graduate students will wait at discovery stations where they can share pictures, research stories, and explain the site’s history and heritage stories. After the hiking, the group will take a short ride to Eagle River for a beachside catered lunch at the iconic Fitzgerald’s Restaurant at the Eagle River Inn (with a cash bar), followed by another walking tour of the quaint antebellum community of Eagle River. Must reserve before midnight Monday, June 20.
To Register for any of these trips:
Go to http://www.iasnr.org/
From there, look for "Login and Register" on the right side of page. You will need to create a free account. Then, you can go to the "Marketplace" and scroll down through the various conference options to the field trips at the bottom. Select the field trip you'd like to join, add to your shopping cart, and purchase it online. Spots are limited, so sign up fast!
If you have difficulty navigating the system or you just have questions and want to know more, please contact Jill Fisher at jhfisher@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1095.
