Mt. Arvon 11-17-03

[highpointersclub]

[Ed: Imported from Americas Roof ‘Summit Trip Reports’ forum]

[By: Jerry Bresnahan on March 13 2004 at 7:02 PM]

[Link: http://www.network54.com/Forum/198362/message/1079222533/Mt.+Arvon++11-17-03]

I wallowed my way to the top of Mt. Arvon, the Highpoint of Michigan at 1,979 feet, on Monday afternoon, November 17th, 2003. It was my 17th state highpoint.

I had read several reports of how difficult it was to find this highpoint, especially in the past before the blue signs and markers were put in place, however with the excellent directions provided in both the Winger and Holmes guidebooks I had no problems finding my way to the summit of Mt. Arvon. These books have already paid for themselves many times over in the time and aggravation they have saved me in finding my last 14 state highpoints since I purchased them at the Illinois Konvention. However I do have one minor adjustment to offer. Both books say that Roland Lake Road (the Wingers called it Roland Creek Road) is now called Church Road or Street. I saw no indication of this. All the signs that I saw still refer to it as Roland Lake Rd.

Although I had no trouble finding my way to the summit, actually getting there was slightly more difficult. Deer hunting season was on going in Michigan and I saw quite a few hunters on the road to Mt. Arvon. One or two were on foot but most were cruising in the their trucks. The Mt. Arvon highpoint sign indicating 2 miles to go had several bullet holes in it. I just love driving and strolling through the forest with a bunch of half drunk, trigger-happy rednecks with loaded rifles patrolling the area. Due to recent rain and snowfalls the road was wet, muddy and slushy in many areas. There were several fairly deep puddles and a few areas that caused my tires to spin but I managed to dodge the bullets while pretending that my front wheel drive 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora was a four wheel drive Jeep and I made it to the parking area ½ mile from the summit without any serious tribulations. (It reminded me of my teenage years when I learned much about driving in my Mother’s 1961 Chevy Corvair. I got stuck more than once in just about every kind of terrain I could find in and around my home state of New Jersey, including mud, sand and snow. I also had a great deal of experience in getting unstuck. Oh what fun!) There were one or two areas that had me a bit concerned and I might have considered stopping and walking the rest of the way but I was afraid that if I stopped I might not get going again. I splashed my way through and my white Aurora was brown at the end of the day.

The trail from the parking area to the summit was muddy and snowy in some areas but the hike was uneventful. I felt like I was walking point in the military watching for men with rifles but I did not see any, and more importantly they did not see me. My visit to Mt. Arvon turned out to be enjoyable and successful. I arrived at the peak at 1:00PM central time. This part of Michigan is actually just slightly inside the Eastern Time zone. It was cloudy, windy and 38 degrees. This highpoint is well maintained by the Boy Scouts. There were nice benches, a picnic table, plenty of wood in the fireplace and a sign in log in the mailbox. I sat at the picnic table and signed the log and then left the area the same way I came. The hunters were still on patrol.

After leaving Mt. Arvon I drove north along Lake Superior to the town of Calumet, MI hoping to visit the Keweenaw National Historic Park. I subsequently learned from listening to the National Park information provided on my radio at 1610AM that the Keweenaw National Historic Park is not one particular place and there is no visitor’s center to visit. It is the only National Park that is composed of independent, privately owned cooperating sites stretching for more than 100 miles throughout the entire Keweenaw Peninsula. The major historical significance of this area is copper mining. These cooperating sites include museums, theatres, copper mines (some providing tours), homesteads, and there are even State Parks included as part of this National Park. Of course most of these sites were closed this late in the season so I just sat back and enjoyed my drive viewing a few of them from the comfort of my very dirty vehicle. The highlight of my driving tour was my stop at the Diary Queen in Houghton, MI for a large Chocolate Extreme Blizzard with chocolate ice cream (I am a hard core chocoholic). Then I drove 150 miles back to my cozy timeshare condo in Eagle River, WI. It had been long day.

[highpointersclub]

Update on Arvon 4/16/04

[Ed: Imported from Americas Roof ‘Summit Trip Reports’ forum]

[By: Marion Bauman on April 26 2004 at 2:37 AM]

[Link: http://www.network54.com/Forum/198362/message/1082961452/Update+on+Arvon+4-16-04]

On 4/16/04 there was snow on Ravine River Road, well-packed from snowmobile traffic, beginning just past the bridge after the gravel pit. Even the big pickups were turning back a mile or so beyond, though it was melting fast in the heat of that day. Much more of the road should be snow free as the weeks pass.

I parked my rear wheel drive slug BELOW the gravel pit and hiked six and one half miles each way to the summit. Very pleasant sunny 50 degree day at 9:50AM.

I had no difficulty in following the correct road since the main path has been improved by the owner and marked with “curve” signs along the main route.

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