[MissyAKATink]

I'm a Texan and my husband is from Florida and we are being sent to Michigan!! They want us there in Feb., but we had our orders changed for June. Where is a great place to live near Iron Mountain?? I have been searching online for rental homes and checking out realtors for rentals with no luck. From what i understand, its snowing for 5 months. So i'm guessing we arent going to need the swing sets and trampoline....lol. Kidding aside, if anyone knows of any rental properties, please let me know.

[Coldwarrior]

Oh you poor thang. What did you do wrong?
But you can enjoy the area if you like to fish, hunt, ski, snowmobile or enjoy the outdoors. A snowmobile is pretty much an essential method of transportation in the winter. A dozen feet of snow isn't unusual. Around May after the snow melts N. Michigan is plagued by black flies which are a lot worse than mosquitos. If they land on your eyelid, (their bite is unnoticable while they are drinking your blood) you will be blinded in that eye from the swelling. But I have a solution. A pickle jar with a large nail driven through the lid in the center. Turn the nail over and hammer the head of the nail back into the hole. Put about 2 inches of water inside and some chicken or ground beef. It will start to rot and the flies go in the jar and die. They can actually fill the jar in a week. That's a lot of flies. A couple here and there will eliminate the flies in the area. Put the jars in places where you don't have to look at them. It is the most disgusting thing you ever saw or smelled. When they are filled or the flies stop going in, put tape over the hole and put the whole thing inside of a paper bag, then a couple black plastic bags and put them in the trash can. This is the best advice you will ever get.
The good news is the area is beautiful. North of Iron Mountain is Baraga county which has a lot of small waterfalls. The color of the water in streams is golden being tinted by the minerals in the soil. There are a lot of inland lakes nearby and Lake Michigan isn't too far away. So recreation here is pretty much tied to water whether liquid or solid. Get the proper cold weather clothing and you can enjoy it rather than going mad inside for months.
I suspect that most of the real estate agents around Iron Mountain are in Florida right now. Other than skiers and snowmobilers the population falls off severely in the winter. I don't think you will have a hard time finding a place to live once the weather changes. You just have to spend some time looking around. For short term stays there are cabins they rent for a weekend or a week plus motels. You might be able to find a bargain home that has been foreclosed for taxes. You could look up Title-Chek LLC and see the listing. Iron Mountain is in Dickenson County and Iron County is real close. Check them both.
If you have never been to Northern Michigan, you will find it unlike anything in Texas or Florida. From June until September it is green. Autumn is magnificent with color as the leaves change. When they fall, snow isn't far behind. I suggest you get a Cabella's credit card, you are going to need it for the cold weather clothing.
By the way, a person living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is called a Yooper. Those in the Lower are Trolls. (That means they live below the bridge, Mackinaw Bridge that is) A popular food in the UP is a pasty. It is pronounced "pahstee" They are a large meat, potato, carrot, rhutabaga etc filled dumpling of sorts. They are delicious. And finally when you want to answer any question in the affirmative, you say, "Yah Shure."

[chadxxx]

the snow aint that bad in iron mountain, go about another hour and a half north to houghton and then u are in for the snow! we average almost 300 inches a year!

[Coldwarrior]

You can bring the swing set and trampoline. Summers are fantastic. Inland lake waters are refreshing in the summer for swimming and the water is crystal clear. Evenings are for most part cool but that makes the campfire even better.
Iron Mountain, though in Michigan is sentimentally connected with Wisconsin. Milwaukee being much closer than any major Michigan city. You will likely drive up from the south through Chicago and Milwaukee on your way to Iron Mountain. So you can check out some of the various pockets of civilization on your way. You won't be far from the northern edge of most of this hemispheres human population.
You might want to contact the Iron Mountain Chamber of Commerce for the names of any real estate people who haven't left town for the winter.

[renter8319]

cold warrior really broke it down. i'm from the detroit area and have only been to the u.p. once, and even than just across the bridge and in the summer. understand it is very remote up there. completely different than what you'll find in any major city. i do believe there are really nice golf courses. im not sure though cold warrior should know. i never heard of those flies, that sucks.

p.s. cold. real cold tons of snow, awesome in the summer months

[SpaceGhost79]

Here's a link to the newspaper's Home Rental classified ads (yes, for houses not apartments). Keep in mind these ads are combined with the other newspapers in the U.P. (i.e. The Mining Journal and The Houghton Daily Mining Gazette). Look for any ad with "The Iron Mountain Daily News" under it. There are listings there.

As for snow, the Iron Mountain area isn't as bad as going north to Houghton or even Champion/Ishpeming. Don't let these figures like "12 feet of snow" scare you. It's not like there's 12 feet laying on the ground all at once.

Typically you start to expect snow in November and most of it ends by March, though there's always the chance of a late season storm. Honestly, it varies year to year. I'm in Marquette and this year we're getting hit hard, but a few years ago it was 50 degrees on January 30 with nothing on the ground and we only ended up with two big storms (it was a very unusual winter).

The U.P. is a great place to enjoy the outdoors, everything from hiking, biking, kayaking, hunting, snowmobiling, four-wheeling, skiing, boating, fishing, wildlife viewing, or just laying on a sandy beach along Lake Superior. And now that I think about it, February is the annual Pine Mountain ski jump in Iron Mountain, which is a very popular local event.

If you need to get out to the city, Green Bay is a 90 mile drive south and Appleton is another 30 minutes past that (Appleton is where the shoppers go).

Summers are great and fall is personally my favorite time of the year. Seeing as you're from the south, if you've never had a chance to see the colors change in upper Michigan, I think you'll like it a lot!

[michmoldman]

Get yourself a nice camera!

[chadxxx]

most important, get a snowblower and a plow!!!!!!!!!!!

[Driller1]

When you get a chance this summer, go on the mine rides!!!! I loved it!!!!!

[suydam]

I know hoards of people that wait their entire lives... until retirement to live in the UP. It's a great part of the state and provided you enjoy the outdoors, you're going to love it.