It’s not alway this deep…but still, one can hope for this kind of scene upon arrival!

WINTER

IMPORTANT NOTE: WINTER at Anam Cara is absolutely AMAZING and we’d love to host you for a magical visit. We also want you to be fully prepared and informed. For this reason, for all rentals between Nov. 1 thru April 30th, let’s have a conversation before you make a reservation.

For winter access, there's a range of options:

We can arrange for snow clearing so you can drive right up to our cabin door, but there may be an extra cost depending upon snow conditions and your length of stay.

Or you can ski or snowshoe to the cabin - about a half-mile across the frozen lake (or 1.6 miles along Washington Mine Road when the lake isn't frozen).

Another option: you can arrive via snowmobile, either your own or a rented vehicle (Or you could even land an airplane on frozen Lake Medora, but that’s another longer conversation).

Also, please know that your SAFETY and welfare comes first so we’d like to work with you to offer you a more liberal cancellation policy than what our booking platforms list.

A teaser: “We spent a great winter week here - there must be 6 feet of snow! Mostly we were lazy bums which was everything we hoped it would be. When we got bored we snowshoed the trail, cross-country skied around the lake or mixed an old-fashioned. Mostly though we spent the week sitting and reading in your beautiful cabin, occasionally looking out the window at the blowing wind and snow coating everything. The highlight of the week, besides sleeping in and relaxing, was skiing Mt. Bohemia. Although it was windy and snowing both days, we went and were glad - the skiing and terrain were incredible. Got to say I liked it better than any ski resort out west. Tons of fresh powder, few people, and those we met were such fun! Great week…extremely refreshing...invigorating…relaxing…and just plain wonderful!” - b.c. 2-19

As one of the snowiest locations in the United States, winters in the Keweenaw are simply incredible with soft, billowing lake effect snow falling gently from the sky, often day after day. The annual average is 208 inches and the record is an eye-popping 390 inches. Even the least snowiest year ever (back in 1930) garnered 81 inches - almost seven feet. And Anam Cara is even snowier than the average Keweenaw location - though we don’t keep snowfall records for our specific location, nearby Mount Bohemia averages 273 inches per year. That’s almost 23 feet!

Snows are deep up here...really, really deep (take a look at the tiny human figure in the photo at the top of the page). Plowing the 1.8 mile road from Highway 41 to the front door of our cabin can be an incredible challenge; it often requires a specialized tractor blower. At some point every winter the road becomes impassable for even four wheel drive vehicles and requires regular clearing - last winter it was at the end of the first week in December. Of course, it’s unpredictable from year to year.

That said, winter is one of our favorite seasons and we've been regular winter visitors ever since we finished building our cabin in late 2011. Likewise our guests. For the winter of 2022-2023 we are pleased to offer you a range of options for accessing our cabin: drive in, ski or snowshoe in, or arrive via snowmobile, (Or you could even land an airplane on frozen Lake Medora, but that’s another longer conversation):

1. WANT TO DRIVE UP TO OUR FRONT DOOR? Great news! With prior notice we can arrange to have a snow removal service clear access all the way to our front door from Highway 41 - a distance of 1.8 miles.

This pre-arrival service is FREE for guests who book for 5 nights or more.

For guests who book a stay for less than 5 nights, there may be an additional fee (capped at $300 pre-arrival) to partially defray the cost of this expensive service, depending upon snow depth and weather. While more expensive than free ski-in access, it’s a great, convenient option for enjoying the winter magic of Anam Cara - our guests love it! And if you book directly with us your rates are lower and you can save on service fees, which can cover the cost of clearing the road to the cabin.

Please note: should there be heavy snowfall during your stay requiring additional clearing there would be an additional fee for each clearing, charged at our actual cost but capped at $200 max per clearing.

2. WANT SOME ADVENTURE? You can ski or snowshoe in like many of our guests choose to do. We’ve had numerous ski-in guests, including a couple from Atlanta who were first time skiers (kudos to them!). At our expense we’ll provide a plowed spot to park about 0.4 miles in from Highway 41. Then it's a short 15-20 minute ski of 0.5 miles across the frozen lake to our cabin. We supply you with detailed instructions before arrival. You’ll have to provide your own skis or snowshoes, though rentals are available in the area.

And yes, you can ski/snowshoe in during the evening/night but for safety’s sake we require that all first time winter guests arrive during daylight for their initial check-in, so you can familiarize yourself with the surroundings before skiing in or out at night.

When we ski or snowshoe in we carry our gear and supplies in a cheap plastic sled that we tow from behind, or we carry a backpack. On those rare visits where the lake ice is still dicey (but generally that's only in December and later April), we ski in about 1.4 miles on the private road - better to be safe. We’re not spring chickens but we still ski in regularly - we love the adventure. So do our four grown kids and their families, who regularly ski into our cabin and ski out every day to ski Mt Bohemia. Even Anita, who helps us clean, skis in.

Having said all that and as much as we love skiing or snowshoeing in, now that we've found a reliable service to clear snow all the way to the front door of our secluded cabin, and now that we have experienced the ease of driving in, gotta say...it's a nice option especially if the weather is adverse!

3. SNOWMOBILE: There are snowmobile rentals available in the area and you can possibly arrange for snowmobile drop-off and and pick-up, but those costs are extra. Or bring your own snowmobile.

Please note that for winter guests you’ll have to haul out whatever you haul in, including garbage.

The cabin itself is super-insulated and toasty warm - we have a remote thermostat and in-floor heating. It's an enchanting getaway where you can combine outdoor activities and indoor cocooning.

It makes for an amazing vacation. But it’s not for everyone! If this is not the kind of adventure you're looking for, we totally understand!

If you're still interested, we'd be happy to have a conversation at your convenience to go over details and answer questions.

There’s nothing quite so magical as arriving at a warm cabin, secluded, silent and surrounded by deep, pristine snow. It’s a great place for a winter retreat…curled up by the fire, reading a book, playing a game, starting the first draft of that novel you’ve always been meaning to start writing, leisurely concocting a gourmet meal for the ages.

But then there’s the pull of the outdoors. If you’re a snow lover, you’ve literally arrived in heaven with a cornucopia of winter activities to choose from. Downhill skiing or snowboarding at Mount Bohemia, just 9 miles away, should be on every skier’s lifetime list. As of 2021 it has been on USA Today’s Top 5 Ski Resort list for four straight years, currently ranked as the fourth best downhill ski destination in North America. There’s nothing like Mount Bohemia. Period. The first time we visited, its owner, Lonie Glieberman, eyed us and smiled, “You must be new here. Why don’t I take you up to the top and show you around?” Its vertical drop (900 feet) and longest run ( 2 miles) ranks as one of the best east of the Mississippi, but what makes Mountain Bohemia truly special is…ummm…its bohemian nature. The main lodge of this pixie-ish resort is a series of interconnected yurts, its runs are ungroomed, the the lake effect powder and killer views of Lake Superior make for an unforgettable day of skiing, and then there’s the Nordic spa pool party twist at the end of the day.

If your’e a cross country skier, you’re just five minutes away by car from 10 km worth of stunning classic and skate trails that wind through the majestic forest surrounding the historic Keweenaw Mountain Lodge (free, though donations are appreciated). Also snowshoe trails. And that’s just one of several different x-ski systems nearby to choose from. Fat tire biking is becoming increasingly popular in the Keweenaw. Closer to home, you can snowshoe the 1+ mile trail around our property, or trek a mile to Meadow Lake, an uninhabited wilderness lake. On a recent trek, I followed a line of solitary wolf tracks for over a half-mile; occasionally there’d be a several foot gap between tracks, the wolf apparently leaping out of sheer exuberance and joy. I could relate.

Best part of the snow season? It’s loooonnnngggg….and can last from before Thanksgiving into late April. I’ve skied across Lake Medora in May, thought I don’t recommend it. (I’ve seen Volkswagen-sized icebergs floating in Keweenaw Bay into mid-June.) So you’ve got tons of time to explore all the different activities: ice fishing, kite sailing on snowboards or skis across frozen Lake Medora or Fannie Hoe, exploring the other-worldly sculpted shoreline of Lake Superior, snowshoeing to frozen waterfalls, dog sledding at the Otter River Sled Dog Center or watching the Copper Dog 150. And let’s not forget the nighttime beauty of the Keweenaw. There’s a pending application for International Dark Sky status and in winter, there’s nothing like venturing out on a sparkling cold winter night, where the snow shimmers from a night sky strewn with constellations, galaxies and dancing northern lights. Walk a few yards under the frozen surface of Lake Medora. Gaze up. Be stunned.

“The peace and quiet of this winter cabin is breathtaking. A fabulous week - when we weren’t basking in the peace and quiet of the cabin or the calm days outside, we skied and snowshoed around the lake braving cold, wind, and whiteness. The blizzard was beautiful as we watched the snow pile up all around us. Cozy fires, good food, and conversation kept us warm and content. Thanks for letting us enjoy this precious, precious place.” k.s. 2-14

SPRING

Hah…what spring?!!! Spring is short and somewhat undefined at Anam Cara. From our perspective, it starts when the snow melts enough to allow for vehicle access. That’s usually early to mid-May. The annual arrival of black flies, typically in late May, marks our official start of summer. We love spring for its energy and promise, for the spacious, open unfolding forest. For the break up of ice. For crisp, cold mornings and warm sunny afternoons. For the joyous song that erupts in our souls.

For those with a more liberal definition of spring, the period between late May and late June is a quasi-spring-summer depending upon the weather and one’s temperament. Yes, there will be bugs (first black flies, then mosquitoes), but with a head net for black flies and bug spray for mosquitoes the world is your oyster. There’s something about the fresh promise of May and June that tugs at one’s spirit, impossible to fully convey, but you’ll understand it if you come.

SUMMER

Enough said. Summer. Yee-haw!!!!!! Summer speaks for itself. It’d be redundant to lend our voice.

FALL

Up here, it’s leaves and spectacular color that steals the show. Highway 41, north of the Lac La Belle turnoff is a spectacular tunnel of color. The bluffs and hills are stunning. Some days are a dazzling display of a swirl of confetti leaves in red, yellow and gold. There’s nothing like walking down a trail on a carpet of colorful leaves slowly melting into the earth. The bugs are gone, the days are quieter.

The first flashes of color begin in August and by September things are underway. The season has been stretching lately…well into October. Everyone has their opinion as to their own peak of peak season. Mine is early - I love the combination of color against green. By the time we’ve reached true peak season, when the greens are gone and only red, yellow, gold, orange and brown is left - I’m already sated…the season has turned bittersweet.

A couple of decades ago, I began an annual tradition of catching my age in leaves each year. Only leaves caught in mid-flight — freed from tree-bondage, gracefully dancing their way to ground —counted. It’s a more challenging activity than one would think. And also a pointless activity that serves no purpose. And that’s always been the point of it. Try it sometime.

Don’t ignore that period of time between the last of the leaves and the first snow. It’s a great time to visit Anam Cara. The forests are bare and you can see forever. Tantalizing flakes of snow drift ghostlike through the dark woods. Thoughts run deeper in the deepening silence. It’s a time for rumination but also a time for practicing “hygge”, a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.

It’s a time to hug yourself and hug others.

Winter Wonder and the Other Three Seasons of Anam Cara

Press // Anam Cara featured on Cabinlife.com

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