The Munising area saw lots of action this past weekend with visiting climbers finding fat mid season conditions!  On their day off, some of the Michigan Ice Fest Guides hit three of the PRNL Classics Dairyland, Strawberry Daze and Midnight Rambler during a rare bluebird day!

The Front Country is also going strong as the Dryer Hose has resealed it leak and isn’t as wet as it was last weekend. Grand Island is still seeing action with most climbers concentrating on the Trout Bays area. We still do not recommend crossing to the Island from Sand Point, please use the Public Access for Grand Island as the lake ice is much safer there. Based on what we saw this weekend, it looks like the next few weeks will be the perfect time to come up and climb in Munising!

For those adventurers who like solitude and want to escape the crowds, there is a lot of ice in the U.P. that is not in Munising. The Black River is an example of that, and Jeremiah Gourd sent a few photos of this past weekends exploration of the Black River.

The Black River is the Western U.P.’s mini ice destination in Big Snow Country, a region also known for its amount of alpine ski hills, and deep lake effect snow. The ice climbs are all located in a small canyon along the fast flowing Black River just a few miles upstream of where it drains into Lake Superior. On a normal season almost a half-dozen lines form along the sides of the canyon walls, with the actual river waterfall rarely freezing and never climbed. All but one of the climbs are located across the river from where you park, which means the river must be well frozen before you can get to the climbs, as the swim across would be rather cold.

Not to sound like a broken record, our extended forecast is still looking amazing for continued ice growth and excellent climbing conditions! Be sure to check our website of social media channels for the latest ice conditions reports. If your group need to rent gear Down Wind Sports in Munising offers Ice Gear rentals and are open 7 days a week.  Check out the rental details here!

At Michigan Ice we take pride in being your go to site for current ice climbing conditions for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as well as climbs throughout the Upper Peninsula. Planning a trip to Pictured Rocks? We have you covered for all the latest snow and ice conditions on all of your favorite climbs. Check back often for updates, pictures, and trip reports!