• Tuesday-What'sUP January 19 - 01:43 am

Our original Pasty Camist, Jonathan Hopper, captured this unique work of art, on a recent ride with Katriina out in the country near Chassell. It's a pretty accurate scale reproduction of a huge grizzly bear trap with a wayward sled in its jaws. Bet that was one surprised rider!

The Pasty Cam actually started with a snowmobile shot. Seven years ago this month, as a student at Michigan Tech, Jonathan got his first digital camera, and began reporting on the snow sculptures being prepared for winter carnival. It was during that time we began discussing the possibility of a daily photo feature - which we realized would take a big commitment of time and effort for both of us. After winter carnival, we didn't give it much more thought until one day we were contacted by a friend who asked if we could put a picture of his new grandson on the web… That was the last day of February. The next day (March 1) Jonathan spotted a youngster bogging down a mini-snowmobile. He snapped a shot, and the Pasty Cam was off and running. It's fun to look back through the archives, beginning with that very first month in 1998.

I can't believe that I am the first entry for today. Must be the time change.

Howdy...

Looks like I'm the 2nd post of the day! Just coming home from work. Sure is cold in Gwinn! Not as much snow as the Copper Country. though!!

Charlie, we are so glad you and Jonathan started the pasty cam. I think we have been here from the beginning. You don't know how much it has meant to us. I am sure it takes alot of your time, and we do THANK YOU. May our Lord bless you for all your work with this and Still Waters.
You have touched many hearts with all the great memories this brings. Just wish my dad was here to see all this. He would have enjoyed it but he has been with the Lord now 10 years. He grew up in Ahmeek MANY years ago.

Hey! That looks like my old Yamaha, I wondered what happened to it. I think some people don't like snowmobiles.

Everybody's up early today! Thanks again for this wonderful site!

Lawn ornament? To me it looks like Paul Bunyan dropped one of his beaver traps, eh! That beaver could build the Hoover Dam! Mighty cold here this morning.....-8 and winter storm warnings.

See--I thought Pablo Picasso just spent a summer in the Keeweenaw and didn't know what to make of motorized sleds!

That's what you use to trap mosquitoes in the summer in the U.P. ;-)

After spending many a night patching up the results of snowmobile accidents in the 60s I swore our family would never have one!! Then I made the mistake of trying one in 72? By the time Don Jr. finnished at Tech in 1985 we had gone through 12 of them, He would buy used ones and repair them and sell them mostly, but we had many fine rides arround the central UP. He is 42 now and still trades his in every 2 years! He lives in what he referred to as a four year old as the "Downer Penninsula". I found I liked seeing the back country on cross country skis even better, and haven't been on one in about 10 years.

Ditto Don's assessment -- we were never allowed to even ride on a snowmobile or 3- or 4-wheeler after hearing the horror stories after my dad came home from the ER or OR, setting a fracture or worse. That's been since we moved to Calumet in 1958 -- and I still have not ridden on one! I, too, prefer the skinny skis, or snowshoes.

The designer of this trap wrote a letter of explanation about this trap and it was published in Michigan Outdoor(?) magazine. I don't recall if it was the December '04 or January '05 issue. Quite interesting!

Took a double take to see the snowmobile, thank you for sharing this wonderful picture Jonathan.

Where can I purchase one of these traps?

Too funny! Like to see some of those on the lake by us...

If someone had kept his trap shut that would never have happened.

At first glimpse I thought it was the "tourist trap" at DA YOOPERS store in Ishpeming!

Truly one of the most clever works of "art" that I've ever seen. Kudos to the sculptor and to the photographer. If anybody could find that article in Michigan Outdoors and scan it or provide a link to it, I'd surely love to read it.

Another reason to LOVE the UP.

I t should be in West Ishpeming on US41 with the giant Yooper saw---more people would see it

When a simple bumper sticker just won't do

The talented fellow who made this is Ed Sauvola who owns Edvantage. From what I understand, a very talented machinist among other things. Definitely something to see when the snow is not covering up the quality details.

I love it, what a sense of humor. I must take a drive by to see it with my own eyes!!! I also agree, only in the U.P.

lemme guess, the trap caught one of dem der trunk-slammers from unda da bridge.

Are day wort anyting if ya ruggem' out?

My family only tried snowmobiling once, when my brother & I were kids. We rented one at Waters (a bit north of Grayling) and took turns driving around a big field. It was too cold; I know, probably we didn't have proper clothing. In fact in one sense we certainly didn't. My brother had a long scarf and it got caught in the air intake. He noticed an increasingly sluggish response in the machine and a tugging at his neck. Both he and the machine were choking...both made a full recovery.

What do you use for bait?? A Six Pack??

Never know what you'll see on pasty central.

JUST Wonderin'

That's exactly right ! It'll catch em everytime. he he

dey need one more of dem traps fer 'Osama been Loggin'...

Where are Grizzly Bears trapped?

Did you hear the one about Ed catching a 7000 lb Bobcat in this bear trap?