NEWS RELEASES
US FOREST SERVICE
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Gladstone, MI -- Planning a visit to view the Eben Ice Caves? The US Forest Service encourages visitors to recreate responsibly by following outdoor ethics regarding private property, safety, trash, motorized use, damaging natural features, commercial use, and social media use.
"There are many beautiful, remote places to explore on the National Forest -- and we need your help to make sure these places remain beautiful and untrammeled!" said Paul Holeva, Recreation Program Manager for Hiawatha National Forest.
- Respect Private Property -- While the Ice Caves are on National Forest System lands, the parking area, restrooms and first part of the popular access route are kindly provided on private lands at private expense. Please be respectful of the these landowners' willingness to provide a short, easy public access route.
- Safety -- Plan ahead and think "safety first." Be prepared for icy conditions. Plan for safety needs, use traction cleats, and wear appropriate clothing. Also, for everyone's safety, we recommend that ice climbers avoid climbing here due to the very high recreation use.
- Pack It In, Pack It Out -- Unfortunately, Hiawatha rangers are noticing an increase in trash and other "left behinds" at this location. Please be responsible and set a good example for others – don’t leave your trash for someone else to clean up. Bring a trash bag along so you can carry out your garbage.
- Wilderness Means Non-Motorized -- The Eben Ice Caves are located within Rock River Canyon Wilderness, a Congressionally-Designated Wilderness Area. This designation provides for a quiet get-away, meaning no motorized use, including no use of drones, no snowmobiles, No bicycles, and no other mechanized equipment.
- Damaging Natural Features -- Don’t damage natural features like ice, rocks, trees or other vegetation. Sadly, our rangers have noticed an increase in vegetation damaged when visitors remove or break vegetation while navigating to the top of the ice formations. Please be a responsible visitor -- don't damage these natural resources, and encourage your group to leave them for others to enjoy, too.
- Commercial Use -- Commercial use of any kind engages the permit application process. For instance, you can take photos or video for personal use, but if you want to charge customers for photography, filming, or guiding services into the caves, that requires special use authorization. Form more information on the application process, contact the District Ranger at our Munising District Office for more information (906-387-2512).
- Tag Responsibly -- If you're planning a visit to the Ice Caves, you're not alone. It's always been a popular spot, but our staff has noticed a dramatic increase in visitation since the advent of social media. Consider making your Wilderness visit to the Ice Caves part of a "technology free" day. If you opt to post about it on social media, help preserve the wilderness adventure by "tagging responsibly". Rather than pointing others to a precise location, consider being more general; maybe it's enough to say #Michigan or #HiawathaNF!
"Part of the wonder of the natural world is the process of exploring. We hope visitors who discover beautiful, remote places will pause to consider whether and what to post on social media. If you do post, tag responsibly -- meaning not hashtagging or geo-tagging a specific location," said Paul Holeva, Recreation Program Manager for Hiawatha National Forest.
With these tips in mind, it's a good time to start planning your winter visit to Hiawatha National Forest! Check out our website for info about the ice caves (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/hiawatha/recarea/?recid=82844) or for other winter recreation ideas: https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/hiawatha/recreation/wintersports.
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Gladstone, MI -- The Hiawatha National Forest and participating partners are excited for the return of the popular National Winter Trails Day event at the Rapid River National Cross Country Ski Trail. Everyone is welcome to attend this free opportunity to enjoy the snow and winter weather. Join us on Saturday, January 22, 2022, from noon until 4:00 p.m. to learn how to cross-country ski and snowshoe, gain additional skills, or connect with friends on the trail.
“We are excited to collaborate with community organizations, local small businesses, and volunteers to offer this opportunity for visitors to explore the forest and try new activities,” said District Ranger Charles Marsh.
Thanks to a partnership between the Hiawatha National Forest and Delta County Nonmotorized Trails (DCNT), the trails will be groomed and ready for fun winter activities. Cross-country skis and snowshoes will be available free of charge for the public to use during the event thanks to Brampton Bike and Ski and DCNT. Mary Malnor of Entrees Etc. is providing participants with complimentary hot drinks and soup, and there will be a roaring bonfire to make s’mores. Nick Moreno’s Outdoor Education Services will have a discovery table of animal furs and tracks to teach you about local wildlife. He will help you learn to identify animal tracks in the snow.
Volunteers will be available to assist participants with proper fitting gear and to teach the fundamentals of both skiing and snowshoeing. You can also bring your own equipment if you have it and get some pointers from experienced skiers or use the opportunity to learn more about stride techniques.
To ensure that adequate equipment and instructors are on hand, we ask that you pre-register for the event by calling Brampton Bike and Ski, starting Monday, January 17, thru Friday January 21, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at 906-428-2135.
National Winter Trails Day is great fun for any age. Past events have drawn over one-hundred people and with the recent emphasis to seek outdoor recreation those numbers are expected to increase this year.
Ranger Marsh noted, “This event is outside, close to home, and is an experience that individuals, families, and friends can participate in while spanning out to miles and miles of trails in the woods.”
Not only are skiing and snowshoeing great ways to just get outdoors, but they are healthy activities as well. Cross-country skiing burns more calories per hour than any other sport, and offers a low-risk, low-impact form of exercise. It also uses natural movements, resulting in a very short learning curve. The same holds true for snowshoeing. Snowshoeing burns 45% more calories than walking or running at the same speed.
The Rapid River National Cross Country Ski Trail is located 6 miles north of Rapid River on US Highway 41 and includes 5 classic loops ranging from 1 to 10 miles in length, 2 skating loops and a mile of snowshoe trail. The trail system is groomed and maintained by Delta County Nonmotorized Trail volunteers so find them on Facebook to see how you can help. For more information about this year’s National Winter Trails Day event visit the Hiawatha National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/hiawatha or contact Brampton Bike and Ski at 906-428-2135 to register. DCNT posts grooming reports on the Rapid River Ski Trail Facebook page to keep you informed of trail conditions. See you on the trail.
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