I am a volunteer activities planner for my nearby 2-year UW campus International Student Program. Saturday, we left about 6:50a for the trip to Munising MI. We arrived at the Chapel Loop trailhead about 10:30 after checking in at the visitor center in town. There were 11 of us total in two vans -- 2 adult drivers and 9 international students from Korea, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland and Mexico. Most had never backpacked.

The Chapel loop has three points of a triangle: the trailhead and two beaches-- Chapel and Mosquito. In between are some dramatic cliffs that rise over 200 feet above the water. There are actually two different trails going out to each beach and one connecting the two beaches.

We headed out taking the outermost (eastern most) trail to Chapel Beach, stopping to view Chapel Falls on the way. Chapel falls goes down a rock face that forms the side of the canyon holding Chapel Lake. It is one of the few glacial plunge pool lakes in the state. When the glaciers started to melt, holes would form in the glacier and the water would plunge directly to base, eroding out the rock at that location.

Chapel Beach is a stretch of about 1/4 to 1/2 mile beach with Chapel River flowing down a little outcrop of rock before going through the sand into Lake Superior. The "Chapel" part of the name comes from a curious rock formation that looks something like a large version of the roadside shrines dedicated to various saints that you can find in Europe. (Actually, there's one not too far from us in WI in an area settled by Polish folk.) We have lunch there ( not lightweight since it's just for the day -- bagels, cheese spread, PNB/jam, jerky, and apple or orange).

Then it's up onto the cliffs, first passing "Battleship Row" because the various inlets into the cliffs look like a series of ships' prows. Then to Grand Portal Point with its arch still spectacular even after the roof caving down into the water and filling it so boats can't go under anymore. Past GP point is one of two "elevated beaches" that are only one step to the lake but that step is about 200 feet or so. Then on through the woods and then out to another elevated beach and then varying from cliff walk to wooded trail to the last arch into the water and then Mosquito Beach which has one side made of thin layers of sandstone and the other side of Mosquito River a fine sand beach. We met a few other people who were camping there and we filtered water for some empty water bottles although Lake Superior is almost certainly clean enough just to dip in a cup and drink.

Then it was back along through the woods to Mosquito Falls -- a series of cascades and then a 75 yard long beaver dam before arriving back to the trailhead about 6:40 or 10 minutes before sunset. We drove out to the first restaurant -- Bear Trap Inn -- to have supper. It was beautiful weather and the students had a great time.

Here's the photo link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/KPembrook/UWYFUPicturedRocksSep09?feat=directlink

To see photos of Mosquito Falls, refer to our grandkids Pictured Rocks trip posted in August.