NASA rockets once flew from launch pad in Michigan wilderness | Hacker News Reader

NASA rockets once flew from launch pad in Michigan wilderness

mlive.com

62 pointssigacts12 comments

Hey, I've been there!

If you're up in the Keweenaw anyway, it's worth the side-trip to visit the rocket range. You'll spend a few miles past the end of the paved road, and there's a small stream to ford, so take a vehicle with good ground clearance, and self-recovery gear in case you find more mud than you bargained for.

And some industrial-strength mosquito repellent.

Once you're there, it's a quiet little site, and the rocket pad makes a perfect place to set a campfire without having to clear a bunch of brush first. The water is just a few feet away, and there's lots of cool geology within a short walk along the shore.

I've also been there. I love camping in the U.P., and "discovered" the rocket range about 15 years ago. I didn't drive out there though, I walked. No one I talked to knew what condition the road "out to the very end of the peninsula" was in, so I decided not to risk it. It wasn't a bad walk, really. Good boots, and as mentioned, industrial-strength mosquito spray, are necessary. No one mentioned the old rocket range, so that was just a happy bonus.

I've not been back for 8 or so years, but I can't imagine the road has gotten any better, but I'd make the hike again.

On your way up to Copper Harbor, stop just north of Houghton at the Quincy Copper Mine. Even if you don't take the underground tour, take the tour of the hoist house; it was (still is?) the world largest steam hoist, and it is in remarkable condition as a relic of the steam age.

Going to or coming from Copper Harbor, you can also take the Brockway Mountain Drive for some elevated views. The final leg descending to Copper Harbor is also fairly scenic, so I'd probably recommend taking it eastbound, on your way in. Although there's a wayside you can stop at, for a few back over Copper Harbor, when you're heading the other way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brockway_Mountain_Drive

I love seeing my old stomping grounds show up on HN. The Yoop is a lovely area with loads of history and extremely kind people. It is also sadly filled with crushing poverty and brutal winters. I grew up in a small town very close to Houghton, visiting copper harbor frequently, I didn't realize this site even existed. Another interesting location is the abandoned Calumet Air Force radar station [1][2].

The copper mine is absolutely worth checking out and the tour is pretty great if you are into mining or anything historic. I've taken the tour a few times, you only get to go down a few levels due to the rest of the mine being flooded but it is still very interesting. This mine was a big one but the entire area was dedicated to copper and was extremely rich with the stuff. The mine, and others, actually closed down in 1933 due to low copper prices but reopened a couple shafts in 1937. I forget when they closed back down but I want to say it was in the mid 50s.

Michigan Tech claims that from Quincy alone, up to 756 million pounds of copper were produced from 1856 to 1925 [3]. The mine, with 90 levels, went to a final depth of 6,225 feet with a finial shaft length of 9,260 feet [4]. I'm not sure how reliable it is, I've only ever had my eyes on the Quincy Mining Company financials, but the national park services claim that over 10 billion pounds of copper were produced from the area [5].

Just this summer I was talking to an old timer who worked with the local mines pulling core samples and doing general geologic work. According to him there is still a massive amount of copper in the ground but with regulations and the completely dilapidated infrastructure, there hasn't been development for decades. With the rise in copper prices I have heard rumors of a few people buying up mineral rights in the last year or so but nothing too interesting beyond that. Personally I would love some deep pockets to come into the area to reopen the mines and revitalize the area, not sure I'll ever see that in my lifetime though.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbYbO-my46I

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calumet_Air_Force_Station

[3] http://www.mg.mtu.edu/MINE_SHAFTS/shaft5zd.htm

[4] https://www.uh.edu/engines/mineno2shaftcrosssection.jpg

[5] https://www.nps.gov/kewe/learn/historyculture/copper-mining-...

Fascinating. I'm both surprised and amazed, and not, at the same time. Large chunks of Michigan, and very much so in the U.P. in particular, were untamed for a very long time, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn more things like this took place in remote areas in the north.

Spent my entire life in Michigan and I've visited every single county yet I never knew about the rocket range.

As a schoolkid growing up in Detroit we were obsessed about the space program. The Michigan tourism folks missed a huge opportunity.

Non-AMP link: https://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/08/rockets_once_fl...

Thanks, changed from https://articles.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/08/rockets_on....

As a Canadian I had to laugh at "secluded wildness". A fairly large Canadian town (100,000 people) is nearby. And in the other direction another smaller town (70,000 people) a bit farther away to the north.

I think that's a perfectly fair description, they didn't say 'remote' they said 'secluded wildness'. And besides Thunder Bay isn't just 'nearby', it's separated by at least 30 miles of Lake Superior, and there's not much in the way of major development on the rest of Keweenaw peninsula.

Or put another way I'd consider places on the opposite side of the Cheasapeake to be secluded wildness even tho they are technically only 30-50 miles from downtown baltimore.

Google Maps shows about 90 miles, on a direct line, between Copper Harbor and Thunder bay. About 180 miles to Sault Ste. Marie. Having been in the area many times, Canada does not feel -- and is not, barring I guess an expensive and international sea plane flight -- a day trip. (And yeah, there's one controversial local magnate I'm aware of who would make that trip -- in his own plane.)

It may not be Canada-level wilderness, but it's pretty empty -- or "thin". IIRC, I was told that the large Ontonagon County, towards the west end of the UP, has one of the lowest county population densities in the entire country.

Also consider the years that the range was active - back then, it was certainly more wilderness-like. (Michigan native, and even 20 years ago one could easily find areas that would qualify as wilderness)

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