Comments on: Red Sands http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/ an exploration journal into the shadows of the copper country Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:13:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: dcclark http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5138 dcclark Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:21:13 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5138 Yup, the rocket range and High Rock Bay are waaaay out at the east end of the point. We took an all-wheel drive sedan, most people use a Jeep or something with a lift kit. I would NEVER take a road bike that way! Yup, the rocket range and High Rock Bay are waaaay out at the east end of the point. We took an all-wheel drive sedan, most people use a Jeep or something with a lift kit. I would NEVER take a road bike that way!

]]> By: Herb from Wisconsin http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5127 Herb from Wisconsin Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:18:09 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5127 Thanks for the info guys. It's good to know possible spots ahead of time. Isn't the rocket range and High Rock way out on the end? If so, I haven't been out that far. I never felt comfortable taking my road bike way out there, and last August my pal and I had multiple flat tire and tight lug nut trouble at Horseshoe Harbor, so just beyond there is as far as we got in his truck. Sounds like a good place to check out. Incidently, we were out there looking for Petit Marais, the rock bound harbor of refuge of the old voyageur days just east of Horseshoe Harbor. But it looked like lake erosion had cut into it and wrecked it. Nothing matched what I had read about it. Still, it was fun walking on the Great Conglomerate with a wonderful cool fresh lake breeze. A couple of 1840s shafts were sunk out there, but I couldn't find them, but nothing new there. Thanks for the info guys. It’s good to know possible spots ahead of time.

Isn’t the rocket range and High Rock way out on the end? If so, I haven’t been out that far. I never felt comfortable taking my road bike way out there, and last August my pal and I had multiple flat tire and tight lug nut trouble at Horseshoe Harbor, so just beyond there is as far as we got in his truck. Sounds like a good place to check out.

Incidently, we were out there looking for Petit Marais, the rock bound harbor of refuge of the old voyageur days just east of Horseshoe Harbor. But it looked like lake erosion had cut into it and wrecked it. Nothing matched what I had read about it. Still, it was fun walking on the Great Conglomerate with a wonderful cool fresh lake breeze. A couple of 1840s shafts were sunk out there, but I couldn’t find them, but nothing new there.

]]> By: explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5125 explorer Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:10:39 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5125 Herb.... There is camping at the Gratiot River Park, as long as you stay to the south side of the river. The north side - though also open to the public - is a nature sanctuary and does not allow camping. Like dcclark said, there isn't any real great clearing for camping at the mouth, kind of a pop a squat on the beach type I suppose. Herb….

There is camping at the Gratiot River Park, as long as you stay to the south side of the river. The north side - though also open to the public - is a nature sanctuary and does not allow camping. Like dcclark said, there isn’t any real great clearing for camping at the mouth, kind of a pop a squat on the beach type I suppose.

]]> By: Gordy Schmitt http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5117 Gordy Schmitt Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:31:00 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5117 Nope, the Gay sands are fine as is. No chemicals were used in processing those sands, I don't ever remember them being blown around with strong winds, so I doubt anything will ever happen with them. Looking at my original message it looks like I implied that. But somewhere in the next 1000 years they may have to worry about them plugging up the South entrance of the Portage Canal, I believe that Little Traverse Bay may have big issues with that in the not to distant future. I was at the old coal dock location that supplied the Gay mills a few years ago. The sand has pretty much covered up any trace that it was open to the lake. Nope, the Gay sands are fine as is. No chemicals were used in processing those sands, I don’t ever remember them being blown around with strong winds, so I doubt anything will ever happen with them. Looking at my original message it looks like I implied that. But somewhere in the next 1000 years they may have to worry about them plugging up the South entrance of the Portage Canal, I believe that Little Traverse Bay may have big issues with that in the not to distant future. I was at the old coal dock location that supplied the Gay mills a few years ago. The sand has pretty much covered up any trace that it was open to the lake.

]]> By: dcclark http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5114 dcclark Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:46:07 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5114 I believe that the Gratiot River park and areas are OK to camp -- I've never seen any signs. However, it's mostly rocky beach and forest, not too many clearings to pitch a tent. I just got back from a weekend at the old rocket range. That and High Rock Bay (a mile down the beach) are two awesome backwoods camping spots, if you haven't been to them. I believe that the Gratiot River park and areas are OK to camp — I’ve never seen any signs. However, it’s mostly rocky beach and forest, not too many clearings to pitch a tent.

I just got back from a weekend at the old rocket range. That and High Rock Bay (a mile down the beach) are two awesome backwoods camping spots, if you haven’t been to them.

]]> By: Herb from Wisconsin http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5112 Herb from Wisconsin Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:22:54 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5112 Gordy: Are the Gay sands being covered up? Explorer: You said there is a park at the Gratiot River's mouth. Can a guy camp out there? Or is it posted no camping? It does sound like a nice drive out that way. If we come up in Sept. or Oct. we are always looking for new places to camp. I don't official camp grounds, but just places to pull in, spend the night, and leave NO trace. Having water nearby is always a plus. In places it's so rocky and steep up there finding a spot to camp isn't always real easy. Gordy: Are the Gay sands being covered up?

Explorer: You said there is a park at the Gratiot River’s mouth. Can a guy camp out there? Or is it posted no camping? It does sound like a nice drive out that way.

If we come up in Sept. or Oct. we are always looking for new places to camp. I don’t official camp grounds, but just places to pull in, spend the night, and leave NO trace. Having water nearby is always a plus. In places it’s so rocky and steep up there finding a spot to camp isn’t always real easy.

]]> By: Gordy Schmitt http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5098 Gordy Schmitt Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:32:06 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5098 Interesting how far that sand made it down da creek. Luckily, it was stamped in an old mill with little technology and chemicals like Gay sands, or they would be out there covering it up. Interesting how far that sand made it down da creek.
Luckily, it was stamped in an old mill with little technology and chemicals like Gay sands, or they would be out there covering it up.

]]> By: explorer http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5095 explorer Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:37:39 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5095 Thanks Herb for nice comments - glad you enjoy. I highly recommend taking that road out to the Gratiot River Mouth (which is now a public park), its a nice drive and the topography in that area is very interesting. The Allouez Gap is always hard to appreciate due to a lack of spots to adequately take it all in - except for along that road. The Hills Creek valley is very large and impressive and if you due some looking around you can find some very nice views along the way. Thanks Herb for nice comments - glad you enjoy. I highly recommend taking that road out to the Gratiot River Mouth (which is now a public park), its a nice drive and the topography in that area is very interesting. The Allouez Gap is always hard to appreciate due to a lack of spots to adequately take it all in - except for along that road. The Hills Creek valley is very large and impressive and if you due some looking around you can find some very nice views along the way.

]]> By: Herb from Wisconsin http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5093 Herb from Wisconsin Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:02:15 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5093 The red sands dead forest sounds like a worthy place to visit and a spot that I wasn't aware of. I always like it when explorer blends the local terrain and geography with copper country history. This one reminds me of his visit to the Copper Falls stamp sands and the memorable discovery of an old adit there. The red sands dead forest sounds like a worthy place to visit and a spot that I wasn’t aware of. I always like it when explorer blends the local terrain and geography with copper country history. This one reminds me of his visit to the Copper Falls stamp sands and the memorable discovery of an old adit there.

]]> By: Jay Balliet http://coppercountryexplorer.com/2008/08/13/red-sands/#comment-5090 Jay Balliet Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:37:50 +0000 http://coppercountryexplorer.com/?p=2455#comment-5090 Thanks guys!!! Thanks guys!!!

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