What started on March 1, 1872, when Yellowstone became the first National Park in the world, has grown to over 433 units covering over 85 million acres in America. Tagged "America’s Best Idea," we celebrate National Parks Week every year in April. Roughly 20,000 people work either full-time or seasonally with the National Park Service but the system also relies on over 130,000 volunteers. The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation--sponsor of this podcast--is one of those volunteer organizations.

In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Carol Brady, founding board member and long-time Chairman of NPLSF, about the organization’s mission and projects that have developed over the last two decades.

5 Quotes

• “In 2026, this will be 20 years since we became an actual official 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation.”
• “National Park Service unbelievably has over 400 units in the country, and the government budget for the National Park Service is a finite number.”
• “There’s only so much budget to go around. In order to keep all of these places as special as folks expect them to be when you go there, they need help. They need outside help.”
• “That is an ongoing thing that will last much longer than I will, I’m quite sure.”
• “You’re not going to really notice that this is not the coast of an ocean. The lake could be calm, it can be just wild, but the best thing is it’s clear and cold. You dip it in there and take a drink, it’s just great. It’s fresh water. It’s just amazing. People think it’s going to just look like a big lake, and then when they realize it looks like the ocean, they forget that it’s clear and cold and fresh.”

Connect With Us:

• Lake Superior Podcast Page – https://nplsf.org/podcast
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NationalParksOfLakeSuperiorFoundation

Sponsors:

• Cafe Imports – Minneapolis-based importers of specialty green coffees since 1993, focused on sustainability. Learn more: cafeimports.com
• National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation – Donate to protect Lake Superior’s five national parks: nplsf.org/donate

While some parts of the country can count on crocus and daffodils to signal spring in March, Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula is still measuring snowbanks. Over 300” has fallen across the region and more is expected, possibly into May. From the looks of future forecasts, the area is sure to surpass last year’s total of 315.25” and may be on track for the all-time high of 390.4” set back in the winter of 1978-79. What do you do with over 32’ of snow in a season? In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Jesse Wiederhold, Managing Director of Visit Keweenaw, about what makes this area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula such a mecca for snow lovers and tips on how they survive cabin fever.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Extraordinary Snowfall Totals In The Keweenaw Peninsula: Jesse Wiederhold says the Keweenaw had already passed 200 inches of snowfall by early January and notes that the historical snowfall record in Keweenaw County is about 390 inches in a single season recorded in the late 1970s.
2. Lake Superior Drives The Region’s Heavy Snowfall: Wiederhold explains that Lake Superior acts as a “snow machine,” producing lake-effect snow because the Keweenaw Peninsula is surrounded by the lake on multiple sides.
3. Winter Recreation Draws Visitors To The Keweenaw: Visitors come to the region for winter activities including skiing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snow biking, with ski areas such as Mount Ripley and Mount Bohemia operating during the winter season and drawing large numbers of visitors, including days when more than a thousand people ski at Mount Bohemia.
4. Groomed Trail Systems Support Winter Sports In The Region: Wiederhold highlights several groomed trail networks located within about a 30-minute radius of Houghton and Hancock, including the Michigan Tech trails in Houghton, the Maasto Hiihto and Churning Rapids trails in Hancock, the Swedetown trails in Calumet, and the East Bluff trails in Copper Harbor.
5. Finnish Heritage And Sauna Culture Remain Strong In The Keweenaw: Wiederhold notes that about one in three people in Houghton County are Finnish and explains that sauna culture remains an important part of local life, with both home saunas and public sauna experiences such as those at Mount Bohemia and Taka Saunas available in the region.

Helpful Links:

• Visit Keweenaw – https://visitkeweenaw.com
• Mount Bohemia – https://mtbohemia.com
• CopperDog 150 – https://copperdog.org
• Michigan Tech Trails – https://www.mtu.edu/recreation/outdoor/trails/

Connect With Us:

• Lake Superior Podcast Page – https://nplsf.org/podcast
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NationalParksOfLakeSuperiorFoundation

Sponsors:

• Cafe Imports – Minneapolis-based importers of specialty green coffees since 1993, focused on sustainability. Learn more: cafeimports.com
• National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation – Donate to protect Lake Superior’s five national parks: nplsf.org/donate

Bats have been called the “Invisible Mammal” primarily because they fly silently and mostly at night. They also roost in dark places, caves or abandoned mines, making them hard to find even in the daylight. For humans, bats aren’t only hard to see, they are hard to understand, yet they play a vital role in our world’s ecosystems and an equally important roll in our agricultural economy. Yet 200 species of bats are nearing extinction. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Winifred Frick, Chief Scientist at Bat Conservation International, to learn more about what is threatening bat populations around Lake Superior.

5 Key Takeaways

Bats Are More Diverse — And Longer-Lived — Than Most People Realize

Winifred Frick notes that bats are “the only mammals that can fly,” and that scientists have “just celebrated the discovery of the 1,500 bat species.” In the U.S. and Canada, she says there are “about 47 different bat species.”

White-Nose Syndrome Has Devastated Bats Around Lake Superior

Frick explains that white-nose syndrome is caused by a fungal pathogen — Pseudogymnoascus destructans (“PD”) — and says it “first emerged…in the winter of 2006, 2007.” She adds that it “has killed millions of bats in its wake” and highlights a “99% decline” in the northern long-eared bat population.

The Fungus Spreads Through Hibernation Sites — Not Just Bat-to-Bat Contact

Frick describes how the fungus grows on bats’ skin (including wings, ears, and muzzle) and can also persist on cave and mine surfaces. She explains bats can pick it up “either by coming in contact with each other” or by contacting “the surfaces where they roost.”

“Fat Bat Project” — A Practical Experiment To Help Bats Survive

Frick explains how white-nose causes bats to burn through fat reserves by arousing too often during hibernation, leading them to “starve to death before spring.” In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, her team tested using UV lights near mines (including near the Delaware Mine area) to attract insects and boost foraging — what Frick calls “our fat bat project.”

You Can Help Bats By Supporting Habitat, Native Insects, And Conservation Work

Frick points to Bat Conservation International’s “bat gardens program,” encouraging people to plant native plants that support moths and beetles. She also emphasizes advocating for nature protection and supporting organizations funding bat research and conservation actions.

Helpful Links:

Bat Conservation International - batcon.org

The Invisible Mammal Film - doclands.com/film/the-invisible-mammal

Connect With Us:

Lake Superior Podcast Page – https://nplsf.org/podcast

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NationalParksOfLakeSuperiorFoundation

Sponsors:

Cafe Imports – Minneapolis-based importers of specialty green coffees since 1993, focused on sustainability. Learn more: cafeimports.com

National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation – Donate to protect Lake Superior’s five national parks: nplsf.org/donate