PC Bryan DeAugstine

This past weekend wrapped up with some warm weather and good sticks! Cold temps and windy conditions ushered in the weekend in the Upper Peninsula giving climbers mid season conditions in late February!  Saturday gave way to sunny skies and mild temps and it is beginning to feel like spring climbing season is here.  Some climbs are fat, while others are beginning to see some wear and tear. 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!

With the gale warning we are now under, a lot of the lakeshore ice around Grand Island has moved back out into Mama Superior. It is still NOT SAFE to cross from Sandpoint Road to the East Channel Curtains.  This freeze/thaw cycle has refreshed climbs and made them thick, but some of the classic pillars are becoming fractured.  Evaluate these climbs carefully this time of year!

S.B 57 PC Mario Molin

A group of locals headed out to the far end of Grand Island to discover some new ice.  S.B 57 is a 35 meter sheet of ice just north of the Ramps area. The current lake ice conditions are changing daily.  If you are planning on crossing please check with locals when you get to

town.  The winds have blown all of the lake ice below the West Shore Curtians out into Lake Superior to there is no access from the lake to the climbs.

Grand Island PC Captin Scott Gnas

Erik Olsen on the sharpen end. Left Twin PC Emily Gantner

Emily Gantner bouldering on Spray Off

In our opinion the best climbing conditions in the U.P. are in March as the ice is fat and the sun starts to come out from its winter hibernation!  There are still ample opportunities to get some swings in so grab your friends and head on up for some spring climbing!

Also don’t forgot our photo contest is still going on. Submit your photos using the #michiganicefest2021 on Insta or Facebook!