Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club reports progress on Maasto Hiihto Middle Bridge project

Replacement of the Middle Bridge across Swedetown Creek on the Maasto Hiihto river trail is nearly complete, thanks to Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club and the City of Hancock. (Photos © and courtesy Arlyn Aronson.)

HANCOCK -- The Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC) has posted a Summer 2015 Newsletter with reports on their Middle Bridge project in Swedetown Gorge. The project, led by KNSC Vice President Mark Roberts, is ongoing and still welcomes volunteers.

On July 3, led by KNSC Vice President Mark Roberts, left in background, volunteers help mix and pour the last footer for the Middle Bridge.

"In the spring of 2013, we had to shore up the downstream side because it had washed away with the heavy spring runoff, and in the summer of 2014 we replaced one of the main beams that had rotted away and collapsed," Roberts reports in KNSC's Summer 2015 Newsletter.

The 2015 project has been to replace the whole bridge. With contributions from the City of Hancock, KNSC purchased a steel replacement bridge last fall.

Mark Roberts welcomes help from volunteers of all ages. 

"The bridge is designed to span the creek without a mid support and to DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) load and safety standards," Roberts adds.

KNSC plans to reuse tools and equipment to replace the Sisu Bridge in 2017.

The above photos are from KNSC's new blog. Click here for more photos and updates.

Click here for KNSC's Summer 2015 Newsletter, with more details on the Middle Bridge project and news about other KNSC projects and activities.

Gromit the Trail Mutt continues to post on her blog great photos of her adventures with KNSC members and hiking groups exploring great trails in the Keweenaw and beyond.

Gromit the Trail Mutt learns about Freda sandstone on a recent hike with friends near Agate Beach.

Click here to see photos of Gromit's latest adventures on The Trail Mutt Reports.

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club to host "Middle Bridge Music Jam" fund raiser Dec. 6 at Orpheum Theater

HANCOCK -- Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club will hold a "Middle Bridge Music Jam" from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock.

The event is a fund raiser to help with the cost of replacing the middle bridge in the Swedetown gorge on Maasto Hiihto Trails. The replacement is estimated to cost $30,000.

Mark Roberts, who volunteers for bridge repair at Maasto Hiihto, inspects damage to the middle bridge over Swedetown Creek. (Photo courtesy Arlyn Aronson)*

The following bands will provide music for listening and dancing:

Realtime Jazz with Mike Irish (bass), Charles White (piano), Kirsten White (trumpet and vocals) and Adam Johnson (percussion).

Keweenaw Brewgrass featuring Doug Oppliger (guitar, vocals), Bogue Sandberg (dobro), Marshall Weathersby (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Craig Kurtz (banjo, bass, vocals), Jim Hertel (bass, banjo, vocals) and special guest Libby Meyer (fiddle).

PasiCats -- "arguably the third best Finnish dance band in the whole Copper Country" -- including Pasi Lautala (accordion and lead vocals), Bob (Paris) Hiltunen (guitar), Belinda Mattfolk (bass) and Shawn Badanjek, with special guest Oren Tikkanen.

Tickets for the event: General admission -- $15 in advance, $20 at the door; students, $10; preteen kids, $5. Advance tickets are available at the Orpheum Theater, Downwind Sports or any Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club board/club member.

* For details on the middle bridge and more photos, click here.

For more information on the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club, visit their Web site.

Gromit the Trail Mutt posts new photos of Maasto Hiihto bridge work, Porkies fall adventure

HANCOCK -- Gromit the Trail Mutt has posted new photos on her blog this week: completion of bridge work on Maasto Hiihto river trail and her fall adventure -- 4 days in the Porcupine Mountains State Park with her two-legged friends.

Gromit says work on bridges is finally completed in Swedetown gorge, Maasto Hiihto river trail. "Big thanks goes to Mark R, Sam S and Paul P for their hard work on this," Gromit writes. (Photos © and courtesy Sandy and Arlyn Aronson of The Trail Mutt Reports.

Halloween was windy at the Lake Superior shoreline entrance to Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Gromit is pictured here with Sandy Aronson and Mark Roberts at the beginning of their 4-day adventure in the Porkies.

"Down another gully we go," says Gromit the Trail Mutt as she leads her two-legged friends along a trail in the Porkies.

A hike through the Porkies isn't complete without this great view of one of the waterfalls.

For more photos of Gromit's adventures visit her blog, The Trail Mutt Reports.

Photos: Michigan Tech students volunteer for "Make a Difference Day" projects in Hancock

HANCOCK -- Michigan Tech student groups volunteered for several "Make a Difference Day" projects in Hancock on Saturday, Oct. 26. Despite the cold temperatures and a fairly windy day, they seemed to enjoy the fresh air and exercise -- cleaning up leaves, debris and trash in several neighborhoods and even helping Gromit the Trail Mutt and her crew with bridge repair on Maasto Hiihto Trails.

Proudly displaying their bags of trash and leaves collected along White Street and Shafter Street in Hancock are these Michigan Tech students -- members of the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of African American Men, the Society of Intellectual Sisters, and the African Students' Association. (Photos by Keweenaw Now, unless otherwise indicated)

Alpha Gamma Delta members work on their leaf-raking project along Hancock Street.

Alpha Gamma Delta members and friends pause for a photo during their "Make a Difference Day" project.

Three more members of Alpha Gamma Delta display their bag of leaves collected near the Holiday Station on Hancock Street. Pictured here are, from left, Nicole Intzi (environmental engineering), Brianne Anderson (mechanical engineering) and Sara Schram (scientific and technical communication).

Gromit the Trail Mutt was delighted to have a group of Sigma Tau Gamma students to help with trail work at Maasto Hiihto for "Make a Difference Day" Saturday. "We couldn't have got this done without their help!" she writes on her blog. For more of Gromit's photos visit trailmuttreports.blogspot.com.

Photos: Gromit the Trail Mutt reports on bridge work, autumn adventures ...

By Gromit the Trail Mutt
Posted on her blog, The Trail Mutt Reports 
Reprinted with permission

"Many of you already know that the bountiful melt we had this spring severely undermined the middle bridge in Swedetown Creek gorge," says Gromit the Trail Dog, left, on her blog, Trail Mutt Reports. "Fellow trail mutt Bella, Mark, my pack, and me came down to try and figure some way to make it last until next fall, when a new bridge could be rolled over it." Pictured here with Gromit are Mark Roberts, Bella and Sandy Aronson. (Photos © and courtesy TheTrail Mutt Reports)

HANCOCK -- Gromit the Trail Mutt, a member of the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club, has been busy supervising the work at Maasto Hiihto Trails as volunteers prepare the trails for the cross country ski season.

During recent work on the middle bridge at Swedetown Creek gorge, Gromit the Trail Dog takes a pause with friends, from left, Andre Laplume and his son Nick and Mark Roberts.

Today, Oct. 19, is another Saturday of work on bridges along Swedetown Creek on the beautiful Maasto Hiihto river trail. Volunteers will also be whacking weeds on Sidewinder Hill. If you wish to volunteer for trail work, contact Arlyn Aronson at 906-370-2911.

Gromit has also posted on her blog some great photos of her recent adventures hiking at Bare Bluff, attending the blessing of the animals and more ...

"Up the fault we climbed. No problem for all paw drive!" Gromit writes about the recent Bare Bluff hike with her friends.

"The view from the top is what it's all about," Gromit adds.

Gromit was on her best behavior for the Blessing of the Animals at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, but couldn't help noticing a friendly participant behind her.

See Gromit's Trail Mutt Reports blog for more photos and news about her adventures in the Keweenaw and beyond!