Michigan state parks close as over 32,000 still without power after historic ice storm
“It’s been difficult. Not only have we been without power, but we’re without heat. We’re without water," said Cheboygan resident Stevie Mendez. “It’s still freezing."
FILE: Michigan mother speaks out about struggles to keep family warm after historic ice storm wipes out power grid
Thousands of Americans in Michigan are still without electricity, after a historic ice storm bombarded the Wolverine State two weeks ago. Stevie Mendez and her son Luca joined FOX Weather and spoke about the challenges they continue to face while living without power during freezing cold temperatures.
CHEBOYGAN, Mich. – Several state parks and facilities in Michigan will be closed for weeks, if not months, while all state-managed trails in a dozen northern Michigan counties have been closed indefinitely.
The closures come after a historic ice storm devastated the area two weeks ago, causing ice accretions of up to 1.5 inches that have downed trees and power lines across parts of the Wolverine State, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Many of those areas include state parks and facilities, with some being made inaccessible due to storm damage to infrastructure.
Downed trees in Michigan.
(Michigan Department of Natural Resources / FOX Weather)
Because of this, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said they have had to close:
- Aloha, Burt Lake and Cheboygan state parks (Cheboygan County).
- Clear Lake State Park (Montmorency County).
- DNR Customer Service Center in Gaylord (Otsego County).
- Fisherman’s Island and Young state parks (Charlevoix County).
- Hartwick Pines State Park and Visitor Center (Crawford County).
- Negwegon State Park (Alcona and Alpena counties).
- Onaway, Thompson’s Harbor and P.H. Hoeft state parks (Presque Isle County).
- Oden State Fish Hatchery and Visitor Center (Emmet County).
- Otsego Lake State Park (Otsego County).
- Rockport Recreation Area (Alpena and Presque Isle counties).
- Wilderness and Petoskey state parks (Emmet County).
Additionally, trails around these state parks are riddled with hazardous conditions from trees and branches having fallen onto the trails. In doing so, the Michigan DNR said many of them have had to close, with some closing indefinitely.
Crews cleaning up downed trees.
(Michigan Department of Natural Resources / FOX Weather)
"The damage was extensive in the forests of the northern Lower Peninsula where our recreational trails are found, and the cleanup effort will take weeks or months," said Paige Perry, DNR recreation trails specialist for the north-central Lower Peninsula.
ICE STORM BRINGS POWER OUTAGES, SLICK TRAVEL FROM NORTHERN GREAT LAKES TO INTERIOR NORTHEAST
The Michigan National Guard has been on the ground to help with clean-up and rebuilding efforts since late March. However, given the extent of the storm damage, the state has a long road to recovery ahead.
Looped video of driving through a road covered in fallen and bent trees in Gaylord, Michigan.
(Reg LaLone / TMX / FOX Weather)
In fact, nearly two weeks after the ice storm slammed the state, more than 32,000 still remain without power, according to FindEnergy.com.
Stevie Mendez, resident of Cheboygan on the northern coast of the Lower Peninsula, is one of those Michiganders who still do not have electricity. She and her son Luca spoke to FOX Weather about the struggles their family has continued to face.
"It’s been difficult. Not only have we been without power, but we’re without heat. We’re without water," Mendez said. "It’s still freezing. It’s snowing. It’s very tough conditions. We don’t know when power is going to be restored again."
Mendez (right) and her son during their interview with FOX Weather.
(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
She noted that, according to local utility companies, the process of restoring power goes beyond repairing a few downed power lines. Rather, the power grid will have to be completely reconstructed, due to the amount of damage it experienced from the storm.
Until that happens, Mendez said her family is walking to a well to retrieve water to flush their toilets and using a generator to keep their refrigerator on. Despite their best efforts, they still struggle to stay warm.
"Luca woke up at 3:30 this morning and said he’d been awake all night because he couldn’t sleep because it was so cold in the house," Mendez said, as her eyes welled up with tears.
High temperatures in Cheboygan will slowly rise to the low 50s by Saturday, but lows will remain in the 20s throughout the week.