Scouts Discover History and Beauty at Pictured Rocks
When you trek around the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan, you might spot some ships — that haven’t sailed in more than 100 years.
Troop 141 of Robbinsdale, Minnesota, found the remnants of a vessel embedded in Lake Superior’s sandy shore during one of its hikes last July. It’s one of at least 550 known shipwrecks around the world’s largest freshwater lake.
“There was just iron on the ground,” says Nolan Jacobsen, 13, a First Class Scout.
The troop also discovered shipwrecks in the water during a half-week outing that also included admiring waterfalls, touring a lighthouse and biting into some delicious wood-fired pizza.
Scouts and adult leaders of Troop 141 rest on a rock outcropping hundreds of feet above Lake Superior.
PICTURE PERFECT AT PICTURED ROCKS
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore stretches 42 miles along part of Lake Superior’s southern side. The lakeshore is known for its majestic 200-foot cliffs at the water’s edge, multiple waterfalls and diverse ecosystems, which include both wetlands and sand dunes.
In the late 1800s, people flocked to the lake for its natural resources: timber, fish, copper, silver and iron ore. More traffic unfortunately led to more accidents, with the lake claiming many ships in fog, high winds and snowstorms.
“The storms they had — that didn’t sound very fun to be on a boat during that,” says First Class Scout Simon Hagge, 16.
You can see some shipwrecks from the shore or on a tour aboard a glass-bottom boat. The Scouts decided to do both during their trip, which would also feature three days of hiking. Before the high-adventure trip, the troop reviewed hiking safety and did practice hikes. The guys also upgraded their gear, getting some new boots and clothes.
“You want performance clothes because they breathe better and feel comfortable as you’re hiking,” Simon says.
Left: A group of kayakers paddle by Chapel Rock. The rock, made of sandstone, once featured an arch, but it collapsed in the 1940s. The roots of the pine tree atop Chapel Rock still reach across where the arch was. Right: Gabriel Tredray, Simon Hagge, Nolan Jacobsen, Andrew Holley and Orin Bullinger on the trail.
HIT THE TRAILS
The first day hike took them to the Au Sable Light Station, an 86-foot-tall lighthouse designed to help prevent ships from running aground in the shallow water. In the 1870s, the beacon’s light, powered by lard oil, could be seen from 17 miles away.
A tour guide led the guys all the way to the top of the lighthouse and explained what life was like for lighthouse keepers, who would be on duty for months on end. Still, some ships would crash.
The Scouts trekked down to the beach and studied the remains of the Sitka, which wrecked in 1904, and the Gale Staples, which crashed in 1918. Over the years, the lake has moved the wreckage from both ships into one big field of debris.
The day also included hiking to the lakeshore’s sand dunes, some of which stand more than 300 feet tall.
“My legs were doing pretty good until the next day,” says Andrew Holley, 13, a Tenderfoot Scout. “People complained about their feet hurting.”
Left: The Au Sable Light Station, which the Scouts reached after a mile-and-a-half on the trail. Right: Andrew Holley, Orin Bullinger, Gabriel Tredray, Nolan Jacobsen and Simon Hagge check out the remnants of a shipwreck on the lakeshore.
PICTURED ROCKS NATURAL WONDERS
Since everyone was feeling sore, the second day went by slower, but that meant they could really admire the scenery. They saw cascading waterfalls, a few deer and Chapel Rock, a lone rock formation with a tree growing on top of it at the water’s edge.
“That was definitely my favorite day,” Simon says. “We got to walk along the lake. We were really high up.”
This trail offered plenty of sights as the Scouts stopped at several spots overlooking the lake. Even though they were tired and flies and mosquitoes constantly buzzed around them during the 11-mile hike, they were still excited because of their dinner plans. It’s a Troop 141 tradition to go out for pizza on the final evening of a high-adventure trip.
“It was great!” says Orin Bullinger, 13, a Star Scout.
Left: Gabriel Tredray, Nolan Jacobsen, Orin Bullinger, Simon Hagge and Andrew Holley take a snack break. Right: During a glass-bottom boat tour, the Scouts look at a wrecked wooden schooner that sank in 1870.
DOWN BELOW
The last day featured a 2-mile hike to a waterfall and then to a boardwalk with a view of a bog. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is home to more than 900 plant species, many of which are in the wetlands. The guys were able to identify three different varieties of blueberries.
Afterward, the group headed to the glass-bottom boat tour company. The boat had a viewing window where they could watch submerged shipwrecks while gliding over them.
The two-hour trip went by three wrecks, and the troop noticed items the ships once carried, including iron ore.
“That rare iron might be worth millions today,” Andrew says.
Not only did the Scouts learn about shipwrecks, but they also learned they could overcome challenges. Their legs ached, but they endured and were able to see many Pictured Rocks highlights.
“I’ve been on four high-adventure trips,” Simon says. “This one had really good views, and the hiking was fun. We saw a lot.”
The East Channel Lighthouse, which was last used in 1913.
Keep It Clean
Before the Scouts started each hike, they stopped by a boot brush station at the trailhead. This station featured a simple two-sided brush where they could clean their boots to keep from spreading any seeds that might have been hiding in their laces or shoe lugs.
It’s a quick way to stop invasive species from sneaking their way into a pristine environment. The guys also cleaned their boots after their hike so they didn’t unintentionally take any seeds with them.
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