09:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Day one of our field methods course begins as we leave Green Bay, Wisconsin for Upper Michigan. 

As we drive through Northern Wisconsin and Michigan towards our first destination, we will have the opportunity to see some of Michigan's numerous waterfalls. We will also discuss a series of drumlins left behind by the retreating glaciers, which we will be driving through to get to the U.P.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

12:30 - 03:00 p.m.

Iron Mountain Iron Mine - Our first stop of the day will explore the mountains of the western U.P. Known for the huge stores of iron ore it produced, the mine we are going to visit will allow us to see firsthand the complex geology of the region. We will also see some of the techniques used for mining it. Below is a picture of myself and my children in front of Big John, the mine's mascot.

The next picture is a close up of the same picture. John was truly a big man!!

While at the mine, we will go on a tour that will take us into the mine itself. This is Matt, our friendly tour guide.

We begin the tour by climbing aboard the "Iron Mine Express" and going down into the tunnel.

While we ride the train for the first part of the trip, much of the tour will be accomplished on foot.

We will see examples of the tools used for mining the ore. Our guide will also explain the advances made during the operation of the mine.

While in the mine, we will have the opportunity to see different displays of hematite, slate and calcite. We will also discuss how they were formed during the PreCambrian and Cambrian times as a southern extension of the Canadian Shield. (The calcite came later as minerals leached from the rocks)

Matt shows us a cross section of the mine and how the water from the surrounding area filled the mined out area once mining was halted. Our second stop of the day will go into greater detail about what steps were taken to keep the water out during mining operations.

After coming out of the mine, the gift shop has a huge display of local rock types we can discuss and identify (and buy if you choose!), as well as displays of rocks and fossils not from the local area.

We will then depart the iron mine for our second stop of the day.

(Sheri and my children take a short break before we leave the mine.)

03:00 - 04:30 p.m.

Cornish Pump & Mining Museum - Our second stop takes us to a museum where we will discuss more about the geology of the area and the practices used to mine the raw ore from the land. The museum is also home to the largest steam-driven pump used in the United States.

The reason this pump was needed was because a portion of the Chapin mine (considered one of the greatest iron mines ever) was located under a cedar swamp. As the miners began removing the ore, the water became a big problem. When the mine was finally shut down, the water filled in the ecavations and made a large lake underground.

04:30 - 06:00

Dinner at a local restaurant.

06:00 - 07:00

Review of day's activities. Preview of next day's activities to include a weather discussion with interpretation of satellite, radar, surface and upper air analysis to reinforce some of the material from our Meteorolgy courses.

08:00 - 09:00

Bat Caves - Our last stop of the day will be to an old iron mine shaft where one of the largest bat colonies in the United States lives. At last count, five different species of bat from the United States and Canada have taken up residence in the shaft from September to April. Traveling in July, we will only get to see some of the local little brown bats (see below) that are using the shaft for a home.

The entrance has been covered with a grate that allows the bats to enter and exit, yet prevents an over-zealous student from falling into the shaft. The bat cave is a good example of how we can continue to help nature maintain a balance. As human populations have increased, more bat habitat has been eliminated. By providing the security of the closed up mines, we help to give some of that lost habitat back.

If the opportunity presents itself, we will make our first attempt at extra-terrestrial identification of planets, constellations and even hunt for a man-made satellite or two. From the caves, we will return to our hotel for the night.

Day 2