I’ve never really understood the desire of so many who want to “move south” for warmer weather. I’m either not old enough yet or have some immunity to the cold. In fact, my dream has always been to move farther north than where I live now. I enjoy cooler weather and if the crowds are moving south, then I want to go the other way.

I’m not a big fan of the hordes.

Having spent considerable time looking for places to visit or maybe even to live that fit my cool weather criteria I think I found a little slice of heaven on earth.

Copper Harbor, Michigan with a year-round population of 136 is about as close to perfection as I can imagine. Remote, and not easy to get to, situated on a peninsula jutting into Lake Superior, it’s the northernmost permanently populated community and northernmost point of mainland in the state of Michigan. It’s name results from the former use of its harbor for shipping copper during the mid 19th century.

I’ve not yet visited Copper Harbor, but they say winters are cold and snowy, albeit milder than areas on similar parallels to the west, due to the low-scale maritime moderation. Summer is mild. I like that! The ten-day forecast right now in June shows high temps (F) in the 60s with lows in the 50s. Not bad considering the high temperature here today is supposed to be 86.

Hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, snowmobiling, and winter survival in a location with endless fresh water, clean air, sparse population, what’s not to like?

Alas, I’ve had to come to terms with myself that I’m never going to live there. A 700 mile move to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan would have been possible when I was 34, it’s much less likely at 64. Still, I plan to visit this dream destination some day, and hopefully more than once so I can enjoy a few of the changing seasons there.

I keep it’s weather report active on my phone as I like comparing its weather to mine often, especially on hot days in Indiana.