How's traveling to the Western UP in winter

[techsledder]

I often wondered why there are rumble strips in the center of the hwy's in the UP. I found out one night on the way home from Twin Lakes heading south in a whiteout. It was sorta nice to be going 30 or so and then hear the rumbler on the left which meant you needed to go right and vice versa. It kept me in my lane even though there was 6" of snow on the road.

Yeah they are also there to help remind your wife to tell you how bad you're driving....

cuzz,
..... I'm guessing you are not taking 41/141 up to and thru Iron Mountain though .... (I go that way 12+ times per year for lots of years so i'm not just someone looking at google maps).

ScottD, do you know about the 141 shortcut just South of Pembine on Hwy 8/Hwy U/Hwy N? It has taken 30 minutes off my drive in the past depending on the time of day... Been taking that one since 1995 when I was a Tech student.

 

[scottd]

I know what he is talking about. I'm just pointing out he can't read or comprehend what I was saying. Western UP to me means exactly that.... west of Iron River if I had to pick an actual spot. I clearly said I was headed to Ontonagon. I guess he can pick up some time taking his super duper space ship up and over Lake Winnebago.

That's funny right there, thanks for the laugh today.

ScottD, do you know about the 141 shortcut just South of Pembine on Hwy 8/Hwy U/Hwy N? It has taken 30 minutes off my drive in the past depending on the time of day... Been taking that one since 1995 when I was a Tech student.

Yeah i'm pretty sure i know what you're talking about from many drives that way, but for me i'm 99% of the time taking 41 to Menominee, 35 to Escanaba, then back roads (unless big snow has recently fallen) to our place outside of Gwinn.

 

[frnash]

… If you want to avoid the snow in the UP you can try this: Stay on US2 just past Rapid River and the cutoff to go north on 41. The first right after this is Brampton Rd which will take you straight west to M-35 which will take you thru Perkins and Rock and just south of Sawyer Airport then take a right on 553 which will take you past the west edge of Sawyer then onto to Four Corners and take a left on 480 I think. This will take you into the back of Negaunee and use the city roads to get back to 41 north. This typically avoids the lake effect snow. This is a little longer but avoids the typical nasty snow areas in the winter plus skips Marquette. …

(M-35: One road I've never used in da UP, but I'll have to do that one day; never too old to learn somethin' new!) Now that qualifies as a certified "back woods" route, but an excellent idea!

I did almost misread it at first (my first clue was where you said 'The first right after this is Brampton Rd'), and I'm familiar with the area, so for others who may have misread it as well:

Stay on US-2 just past Rapid River and then continue west (do not turn right onto US-41!) to 1/4 mile past US-41, taking the next right onto Brampton Road, then continue west on Brampton Rd. to M-35 …

(That route sure beats continuing on US-2 to pick up M-35 at Gladstone, which would add about 9 miles.

You could probably shave a 'nuther 2.5 miles off the trip by taking a few country roads from M-35 at Little Lake toward Sawyer rather than picking up M-553 at Gwinn, but it's probably not worth it; more difficult to describe, too.)

 

[scottd]

Since I frequent the Gwinn area a lot for my entire life i'll pipe in again. That route going to the Western Yoop from the bridge that Iron Ranger is talking about sounds pretty good. M-35 from Gladstone to Gwinn is a wide, pretty straight, nice road that they keep in good shape. Marquette county line (near McFarland) is about where you pickup the lake effect belt and where the snow depth can make a big change in a matter of a couple miles some years. 553 and 480 are also nice, wide, well maintained roads. No different than the US highways up there. If I were driving from Rapid River ultimately going west on 41 I would take US-41 out of rapid river and then take 480 (again nice road) over to Negaunee and cut miles plus having to go up through Harvey and Marquette. Without mapping it out my guess is it would be slightly less miles than the M-35/553/480 route.

My opinion is the best route from the bridge to northwestern UP in the winter would be the following: US-2 to 77 to M-28 (Seney stretch) to M-94 south of Munising (so you don't have to drive M-28 along the lake) all the way to US-41 and then US-41 up to Co 480 over to Negaunee and then back to and continue on US-41. All of those are nice roads, straight, and maintained well. Just remember this...... Any off trail riding in Alger and Marquette county is terrible and you must go west to at least Houghton county to find anything even remotely decent. Even if you think you see something decent in that area you're just getting excited to ride over on the western end and your mind is playing tricks on you.