Head in the Clouds Photography

03/20/2026

Northern lights at Miner's Castle 9/14/25

03/19/2026

A record of Munising, Michigan, on March 18, 2026. These images follow a path through a town buried and the subsequent effort to unearth it. The snow has created a new geography—sidewalks have become canyons and familiar streets have turned into white-walled trenches. While the snowmobiles and heavy blowers provide the mechanical heartbeat of the recovery, the quiet presence of the deer in the timber reminds us that for much of the world, this is simply the season taking its natural course.

03/19/2026

Here's some video from 3/18/26
Munising, MI

03/18/2026

This was Munising after one of the biggest storms I’ve ever seen.

Starting early Sunday morning (3/16) and running through Tuesday morning (3/18), we were hit with full blizzard conditions—heavy snow, sustained winds, and gusts pushing 60 mph. By the time it was over, areas like Wetmore saw over 50 inches, and Munising wasn’t far behind.

At one point, it got so bad that plows had to stop. County, city, MDOT—everyone. You simply couldn’t keep up with the snow and wind. Roads disappeared as fast as they were cleared.

That also meant power crews couldn’t even get out to start repairs until things eased up Tuesday morning.

And then something pretty incredible happened.

Within about 24 hours, roads started reopening. Power started coming back. Crews replaced poles, cleared lines, and worked nonstop. By Tuesday afternoon, outages were down to just a handful of homes in the entire service area.

That doesn’t happen without people putting in serious work.

And it wasn’t just the crews.

It was neighbors helping neighbors—digging out driveways, checking in on people, offering places to stay, sharing updates and photos. When you’re stuck out somewhere like Powell Lake, that connection matters more than you realize. It’s how you know what’s going on. It’s how you stay grounded.

People come here in the summer and see Pictured Rocks, the lake, the views.

But this is the other side of living here.

This is what it looks like when winter shows up for real.

And this storm? This was one of the biggest I’ve ever seen.
Munising, MI
3/18/26

03/17/2026

Grader to the rescue!
Powell Lake
Wetmore, MI
3/17/26

03/17/2026

I was on Detroit news today!

A blizzard and ice storm sweeping across northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula has brought whiteout conditions, treacherous travel and widespread power outages, leaving some communities at a standstill.

03/16/2026

Made it on foot about a 1/2 mile down Powell lake rd what a hike that was… more video in the comments
Powell Lake
Wetmore, MI
3/16/26

03/16/2026

Conditions right now at Powell Lake in Wetmore, Michigan.

We’re in the middle of what will likely be remembered as a once-in-a-generation blizzard, and it’s not even close to over yet. Forecasts are calling for wind gusts up to 65 mph and total snowfall in the 3–4 foot range before this storm is finished.

Power is currently out here, and the wind is driving snow into massive drifts. My car is buried in the driveway and not going anywhere.

Around Munising, vehicles are already getting stuck on the roads and blocking traffic, making some routes completely impassable. If you don’t absolutely have to be out, stay home.

Some of these photos show just how deep the drifting has gotten. In one shot you can see the garage with snow drifted nearly up to the roofline on one side.

At this point there’s not much to do but bundle up, ride it out, and wait for the wind to calm down.

This is what it looks like to live through a serious Upper Peninsula storm.

02/15/2026

East Channel of Munising Bay
2/14/26

Yesterday I was able to walk across the East Channel for only the third time in the 12 years I’ve lived here. Most winters, the ice in that section never gets thick enough to make the crossing.

This stretch of Munising Bay is deceiving. Much of the water between Sand Point and Grand Island is relatively shallow — a broad sandbar area that stays in the single digits for depth. But along Grand Island’s Thumb runs the East Channel, a narrow deepwater corridor. In a short horizontal distance, depths drop from around 5–10 feet to 70–80 feet, and then quickly into 120+ feet as you enter Grand Island Harbor.

That sharp depth change is exactly why this area is one of the most unpredictable and potentially unsafe places to cross on foot. Deep water, current movement, and wind exposure all affect how ice forms there. Just because it’s frozen one year doesn’t mean it’s safe the next.

I made the crossing yesterday under conditions I felt comfortable with, but this is not something to treat casually or assume is safe.

I’ll share still photos separately, along with a depth map so people can see how dramatic the bottom contour really is. I’ll go into more detail on the bathymetry in that post.

Remember - Safe today doesn't mean safe tomorrow

02/15/2026

Munising Polar Plunge 2026 at East Channel Brewing Company
I shot around 80 images yesterday and posted most of them here.

The versions on Facebook are resized, but the original files are extremely large and packed with detail. In many cases, I can crop down to just 5–10% of the original frame and still deliver a sharp, high-quality image — which means even if you’re small in the shot, there’s often room to zoom in and make something great out of it.

If you see yourself (or someone you know) and would like a tighter crop or a more polished version, send me a message.

— Head in the Clouds Photography
Munising, MI
2/14/26