[darstar]

Your pictures are most appropriate , today.
Here in Marquette we just had another 6 to 12 " and the wind was blowing 30 mph , all night. Our total for the year so far is over 11 feet. ( a record for this time of year )......... now the sun is out profusely..,the wind has died.. alls well , and beautiful !

[mtusarah]

The city just recently removed the "welcome to houghton, gateway to the keweenaw" sign.

[Bluefly]

If you want the UP experience, I'd also recommend Marquette over Houghton. I've spent time in both, and they're both college towns with ample outdoor activities. Both are going to be a little tough on the single male scene. They're kind of victims of the overall conservative Midwestern culture - a lot of young singles and then a lot of married people in their thirties and up.

That said, Houghton is just a lot more provincial and downtrodden in a way that I can't quite put my finger on. Friends from Houghton always comment on it when they visit Marquette - there's just a vibrancy to Marquette that doesn't exist in Houghton. They say people can be really small-town gossipy in Houghton. In Marquette, you have a nice waterfront, interesting restaurants, the beaches in the summer, a strong arts scene, better shopping and cultural events, and a lot of transplants.

Both get about 5 months of winter, but it's the nice winter wonderland snow, not the wet sticky slush you get south of there. But, Marquette's the UP's "big city" (the tallest munchkin in Oz), so maybe you're looking to be 2 minutes from the woods rather than 5.

[suydam]

Originally Posted by mtusarah

The city just recently removed the "welcome to houghton, gateway to the keweenaw" sign.

Oh no! I loved that sign! Why did they do that?

[quarsom]

this is not a reply,but a question: can you get around houghton or marquette in the winter without a car? i know both cities have limited bus service, but i am talking about walking. both my wife and i are walkers, but can you get around either of there two towns in the winter by walking?

[darstar]

Originally Posted by quarsom

this is not a reply,but a question: can you get around houghton or marquette in the winter without a car? i know both cities have limited bus service, but i am talking about walking. both my wife and i are walkers, but can you get around either of there two towns in the winter by walking?

Marquette has lots of walking trails , and in winter , the streets are kept plowed mostly. Downtown and north to NMU even more so. Marquette is a true city , lots of transplants , students , transit workers , and all the needs and facilities of a city of twice the current population.Marquette has a fleet of Holden German tractors that blow sidewalks in winter , and cut grass in summer. There are a lot more improvements on the drawing board. A bike trail was just completed on an old railroad right a way all the way to the harbor. There are more biking-walking areas in Marquette than any other city in the Country , according to Bicycle magazine. The yellow cab fleet is being converted to electric-hybrids , and the transit system goes all the way to Sawyer International Airport , 13 miles south of the city.
Crossing US 41 can be a problem , as its very busy year round. The City has received funding to improve the problem. A round a bout is planed at the split , as well as more overheads for walkers and bikers.

[SpaceGhost79]

Originally Posted by quarsom

this is not a reply,but a question: can you get around houghton or marquette in the winter without a car? i know both cities have limited bus service, but i am talking about walking. both my wife and i are walkers, but can you get around either of there two towns in the winter by walking?

It depends...what's the purpose of your walk? Recreation? Grocery store? Shopping mall? Restaurant?

For recreation in Marquette you'll probably want to stick with the bike path that goes around the city. At least they plow that.

Other than a grocery store on Third Street, you'd have to go out to Econo across US-41. The bike path does go out that way. Wal-Mart is beyond walking distance in winter, in my opinion.

Walking around town through neighborhoods can be a bit of a challenge as not everyone takes the time to plow their sidewalk. I'm not sure if there's any laws against that. But it's common to see one house plowed and the next house not, meaning you have to walk around in the street.

[quarsom]

Originally Posted by darstar

Marquette has lots of walking trails , and in winter , the streets are kept plowed mostly. Downtown and north to NMU even more so. Marquette is a true city , lots of transplants , students , transit workers , and all the needs and facilities of a city of twice the current population.Marquette has a fleet of Holden German tractors that blow sidewalks in winter , and cut grass in summer. There are a lot more improvements on the drawing board. A bike trail was just completed on an old railroad right a way all the way to the harbor. There are more biking-walking areas in Marquette than any other city in the Country , according to Bicycle magazine. The yellow cab fleet is being converted to electric-hybrids , and the transit system goes all the way to Sawyer International Airport , 13 miles south of the city.
Crossing US 41 can be a problem , as its very busy year round. The City has received funding to improve the problem. A round a bout is planed at the split , as well as more overheads for walkers and bikers.

We currently live in Philadelphia and are looking for a slower environment while maintaining some of the shopping and entertainment avenues. One of our main thorofares here, Roosevelt Blvd. (rt.1) is 6 lanes of traffic in both directions and the inner 3 lanes in each direction are considered "speed lanes". We get snow here but not much. We've heard that you get snow there but it is generally a powdery snow as opposed to the wet snow we can get here. Is your snow easier to get around in by walking then with a wet heavy snow? I would be walking approx. 2.5 miles to the retail hub on 41 where Walmart is. If 41 cannot be walked, are there back streets or trails heading in that direction that could be used? I've heard many conflicting reports and am trying to make the best sense of it that I can. Just to re-iterate, I'm talking about walking in your average winter snow. Not necessarily the snowfalls of a foot at a time, but a usual snow that occurs. I have read on several websites that Marquette is one of the top cities for walking to work, but am hearing the opposite from many residents concerning the winter months. Any help you give would be appreciated!!

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by quarsom

Is your snow easier to get around in by walking then with a wet heavy snow? I would be walking approx. 2.5 miles to the retail hub on 41 where Walmart is. Just to re-iterate, I'm talking about walking in your average winter snow. Not necessarily the snowfalls of a foot at a time, but a usual snow that occurs. I have read on several websites that Marquette is one of the top cities for walking to work, but am hearing the opposite from many residents concerning the winter months. Any help you give would be appreciated!!

It isn't the depth of the snow that makes walking a couple miles a pain, but the temps. You could walk all day in a foot of snow at 32 degrees, but that same walk with no snow at -25 is much harder. Can't help you with the routes at all though sorry.

[quarsom]

To fight off the cold, I would be wearing layers, a goretek coat and a neoprene facemask as well as goretek gloves. Do you think the walk would be easier dressed appropriately?