Made in Munising - Iverson Outdoors

Iverson Outdoors - a traditional snowshoe manufacturer founded over 60 years ago in the Munising area - continues to inspire people to seek wilderness in the beautiful Upper Peninsula.

“Not only does Munising play into the heritage of Iverson Outdoors, but it also exemplifies the beauty of the whole U.P. It has a little bit of everything the area has to offer – waterfalls, access to big forests, the national lakeshore, an amazing trail system and so much more,” said Jim Baker, co-owner of Iverson Outdoors.

It all began in the 1950s when Clarence Iverson started repairing and making wooden snowshoes as a hobby while he was employed at the local Cusino Corrections Prison Work Camp. Clarence used the finest materials such as premium Michigan white ash, full grain rawhides and pure copper hardware.

Soon after, Clarence retired from his day job and opened up shop just east of Munising, turning a favored pastime into a successful business that now sells products regionally and online.

Aluminum snowshoes entered the market in the 1980s and the vast majority are imported. While Iverson’s could build them too, they choose not to. Instead, they purchase wood for their product from Timber Products of Wetmore. A local contractor then saws the lumber into slabs, which is then brought to Iverson’s shop where it’s turned into sticks and put into a steamer to bend the wood into shape before being kiln dried. Snowshoes are then laced with either a natural rawhide material which is coated with a special lacquer or neoprene, a synthetic material that’s lighter and maintenance free.

Iverson’s has evolved over the years to include handcrafted furniture, fishing nets, decorative items and other gifts, all the while remaining true to Clarence’s vision of offering the finest product by utilizing local materials.

Iverson’s fell on hard times during the recession, nearly closing down until a group of investors purchased the business to keep it afloat, including Jim and his wife, Victoria Baker, who are now the majority owners.

“We’re a traditional outdoor products manufacturer - that’s what Clarence created, and we’ve done our best to stay true to his vision and mission,” said Victoria. “We’ve had two longtime employees, Ken and Julie Holmes, that are the heart and soul of the company. They have worked at Iverson’s for over 30 years and their craftsmanship is second to none.”

Iverson Outdoors gift shop is open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is located at E9664 M-28, Wetmore. Products are also sold online, visit www.iversonssnowshoes.com for more information.

This article was written for the 2023 Munising visitors guide and published by The Mining Journal on March 6, 2023. Photos courtesy of Iverson Outdoors.