What happens when you take eight outdoor journalists from across the country and ship them off to a winter wonderland? A great time, new friendships, and most importantly, LOTS of great stories!
This past February, Visit Keweenaw hosted eight of our OWAA members in an epic experience they called Snowventure. Along with a couple members from Pure Michigan’s marketing team, Amy Eckert, Nicky Omohundro, Michelle Marine, Rich and Marion Patterson, Gentry Hale, Paul Gordon, and myself set forth on this adrenaline-filled press trip that was timed perfectly with the area’s annual snowboarding event, Jibba Jabba.
In a course built in the middle of downtown, we watched as snowboarders glided across the rails effortlessly and performed captivating tricks and feats. As impressed as we were, I don’t think any of us will be trying that at home. I think we’re all going to be sticking to writing, but we stood in awe and watched with jaw-dropping amazement as the athletes showed off their skills. That was just one of the highlights of our time there!
Experiencing the Keweenaw Peninsula
On our first night in town, Visit Keweenaw laid out the welcome mat for our crew and brought in several of the movers and shakers in their community. We had a great reception at The Observatory Lounge located at the top of the Hampton Inn in Downtown Houghton, which served as our homebase for our time there. Along with a tasty dinner at The Observatory Lounge, I also enjoyed one of the best Old Fashioneds I’ve ever had. I of course convinced the bartender to tell me his secret, which he proudly did. (I’ll keep that little tidbit of information in my back pocket until the right story comes along.) That night was a great chance to get to know some of the locals, as well as each other. Afterwards, we learned some of the area’s interesting history at the Carnegie Museum.
Over the next few days, we enjoyed an abundance of winter activities that included tubing at Mont Ripley Ski Area, snowshoeing at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and at the Michigan Tech University trails, and hiking at McLain State Park. We also toured the Quincy Mine and took a step back in time as we learned about the area’s extensive copper mining roots.
As crazy as it sounds, we were actually running around outside in swimsuits for a couple of the days we were there too. The freezing temperatures were refreshing as we were running from sauna to sauna at Takka Saunas and Mount Bohemia Ski Resort. We even jumped into the snow like kids and made snow angels while donning swimwear.
We didn’t go hungry either. One of the signature food items in the Keweenaw area is the pasty, a meat and vegetable filled pastry that was originally introduced to the area by the Cornish miners in the 19th century. Our Executive Director, Chez Chesak, was actually able to weave Keweenaw’s pasty into his story for Fodor’s before the trip even happened. When we weren’t feasting on pasties, we enjoyed a great lunch at Bonfire at the Continental Fire Company as we learned about the relationship between wolves and moose in the Keweenaw Peninsula, and a scrumptious dinner at Fitzgerald’s Hotel and Restaurant that overlooked Lake Superior. With all of the great local food, our kind hosts also threw in a trip to try some of the delicious local brews at Keweenaw Brewing Company.
Another highlight of mine was getting to spend some time with local photographer, Tom Oliver. We went on a mission to search for the northern lights, but sadly, the aurora borealis didn’t get the memo to show up that night. I still felt it was time very well spent though, because we ventured out to the middle of nowhere for a personal lesson in dark sky photography. I learned so much, and had a great time experimenting with my photography skills in the pitch black darkness. The locals always know where all of the cool spots are, and Tom didn’t disappoint when he took me to a beautiful lighthouse along the shores of Lake Superior.
Great stories by OWAA Snowventure attendees
To say we had a great time together is an understatement. The best part of the trip though are the stories that have already come from it. As we know, more will continue to trickle in over time as us freelancers continue to pitch stories about our experience in the Keweenaw Peninsula, but there have already been several great stories already published. Jesse Wiederhold with Visit Keweenaw told me, ““From a media standpoint, the results were huge. Visit Keweenaw values print and online media. That kind of reach means a lot to us as a destination marketing team.”
Here are just a few of the stories that have been published so far by our OWAA members:
National Geographic: Hoping to ski until July? Here are 7 places to go in the U.S.
Snowboarder: Snowboard Culture is Thriving in Houghton, Michigan: Jibba Jabba 2025
Winding Pathways: Keweenaw Peninsula by Winter
Cedar Rapids Gazette: MIchigan’s Keweenaw: A land of transitions
Simplify Live Love: Keweenaw Peninsula in Winter: 21 Perfect Spots for Snowy Fun
Michigan Blue: Outdoor Sampler, Snowshoeing Michigan’s UP
OWAA + Visit Keweenaw = A Great Partnership
Visit Keweenaw told me they really wanted to do something undeniably fun for our members and organize a trip that offered real value to journalists, while helping them grow meaningful media relationships. I can attest to the fact that their team did bring value to us. Wiederhold is the Public Relations/Events Coordinator for the organization, and served as our main point of contact. He said he liked the idea of a relaxed, group-style trip where writers could network, enjoy the vibe, and hang out with each other – not just with them. He said their goal was to bring in strong storytellers to help highlight their partners, hotels, and attractions. When asked if it was worth it and if he would do it again, he said, “Absolutely!”
Jesse said that when they were researching professional networks, they discovered OWAA and had a great experience working with our Executive Director as they made plans to bring a group of our members to the Keweenaw. Jesse felt it was a great event for Visit Keweenaw, saying, “The personal connections we built – some with folks we already knew – were worth everything. It turned into a true bonding experience.”
If you are an OWAA member didn’t get to attend Snowventure, but have an interest in learning more about the Keweenaw Peninsula, you can email us at info@owaa.org to get their contact.
Check out more in Outdoors Unlimited
Make sure to check out the Summer 2025 issue of Outdoors Unlimited that drops in August where I’ll share more about our trip and also share some of my tips for how to make the most of a press trip.
One of the benefits of being an OWAA member is having the opportunity to attend press trips that can help you generate new story ideas. Always keep an eye on new opportunities as those are sent to you through the OWAA e-newsletter. Also, you may want to check out some of the press trips offered before and after the OWAA Annual Conference in Chattanooga. Hope to see you there!