Sometimes you come across something and curiousity gets the better of you.
And then you’re rewarded with something you didn’t know you had.
That’s the case with a CD case that had the label of “Skyline Trail construction photos 1979-1981,” and there were some amazing photos that we’re sharing here.
The CD was created nearly 20 years ago in February 2004, and appear to be from longtime Ludington State Park Interpreter Alan Wernette.
On the disk were 38 images of the construction of the Skyline Trail.
In some of the images, where the thousands of steps were being constructed, it appeared as though an original Skyline Trail was constructed but only with wood steps placed into the sand.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the decision was made to make the wooden trail that we know today.
Some of the photos show the construction of the staircases and the walkways that run along the ridgeline of sand just to the south of the Big Sable River that makes up the Skyline Trail.
Perhaps most amazing, though, was how the lumber was brought up the dunes.
It wasn’t pulled up the side of the dunes. Instead helicopters — yes, plural — were brought in to bring the lumber to the dunes where they needed to go so the construction project could be done.
The photos were simply amazing.
The state park likely shared these images with the Daily News a couple of decades ago.
Here we are again, going back more than 40 years to show you the amazing work to create the Skyline Trail.
The way we see the trail and steps and all of the decking and staircases it today.
Now that the weather is starting to break, and its getting a little warmer, you’ll get different perspective and maybe even a new appreciation for what it took to build all of those stairs and pathways along the Skyline Trail.
