Katrina Pierson & Kerry Lane
Photographing Our Way Through the Old Growth Forest of Northern Michigan’s Porcupine Mountain State Forest
By Katrina Pierson
In early August, we ventured out to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—a time seasonally where the plant life finally seems to be growing into itself, even this year, despite the extreme drought conditions in our northern states. Still, Nature’s persistence delighted us inside the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park –a 60,000 acre old-growth forest seated along the Presque Isle and Black Rivers and opening into the expansive shoreline of Lake Superior.
The wilderness experience in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe Area and along the North Shore of Duluth—where we live—is dominated by evergreens, so the Porcupine wilderness with its sugar maple and basswood—offers a brighter, more expansive landscape. This kind of openness—complemented by the deep, rich browns, is less familiar to us—and invites a special kind of stillness to enter into the rhythm of its beauty.
Held by the old growth forest, Katrina nestles into a perfect resting pod between shots. Photo: Kerry Lane
The Porcupine Forest is filled with white cedars that seem to twirl toward the light. Photo: Kerry Lane
This distinctive mahogany mushroom, a “Varnished Konk” is commanding in both size and texture. Photo: Katrina Pierson
Waiting for nightfall, a paper birch and Grandfather Hemlock stand guard together. Photo: Kerry Lane
Kerry tells me this place is especially treasured because it’s the largest untouched hardwood forest in the United States. On our second day, we took a hike to slow down and see what our cameras had to reveal- along a 7 mile loop, starting at Beaver Creek trail over to Mirror Lake, and ending near sunset at Summit Peak—the highest point at the park at 1958 feet.
While the view from the popular Lake of the Clouds is unmatched, the highlight of our brief adventure was the encounter with the Porcupine Forest, where the sunlight weaves its own song through the trees, lighting them up with a scattered sureness, like a confident pianist seated at the landscape of dark and light.
Eastern Hemlock trees can live for 900 years. Photo: Kerry Lane
Swirling toward Lake Superior, the 42-mile long Presque Isle River carves its signature into the ancient riverbed. Photo: Kerry Lane
Early Meadow Rue, brushed with the violet of late summer, nearly glows in the dark. Photo: Katrina Pierson.
Bfore the trail opened to Mirror Lake, we were greeted by a bog where bumblebees feasted on towering dusty pink Joe Nye weeds. Photo: Katrina Pierson
Katrina Pierson
Kerry Lane