Of Backpacking Isle Royale through the Lens of Another’s Eyes From the 9th through the 15 of September, Michelle, Duane, and I backpacked Isle Royale to some new realizations. As with all hikes, Duane and I had expectations and routines, but each person who hikes with us offers new insights simply because of their uniqueContinue reading “Moose, Wolf, and Other Views”
Tag Archives: Isle Royale National Park
Women Rocking the Hike
Isle Royale in a Cool Late August Hiking Isle Royale is a great experience at any time of year, but Lara, Jennifer, and I had an exquisite experience with the cool weather in late August this year. We arrived on the Queen IV at Rock Harbor, caught a hop on the Voyageur II to ChippewaContinue reading “Women Rocking the Hike”
What Success Looks Like
Hiking Isle Royale the First Time Probably the most fun hike for me is one where newcomers to the sport of backpacking join me for a first hike on Isle Royale and exceed their own expectations–and have a great time doing it. This past weekend Lynn and Gil did just that. They jumped in, gotContinue reading “What Success Looks Like”
Backpacking Envy
My friends are hiking the Minong, and I am not! Duane, Gregg, and Michael have been hiking across the Minong Ridge Trail for the last few days, and we all know that trail is my favorite. You can be sure that I am wishing I were there with them, crossing the beaver dams between WashingtonContinue reading “Backpacking Envy”
What Our Guides Do for You
From Start to Finish How does one get started backpacking? Duane always says, “just book a boat.” Yes, just book a boat. If you need more help, book a guide. Then buy a backpack and a good pair of boots. When you book with Wise Old Man of Isle Royale Guide Services, we match youContinue reading “What Our Guides Do for You”
Am I too Old to Hike? Are We? Are You?
Seniors Hiking As we age, we face the inevitable judgments about our abilities to engage in vital activities, yet these activities are necessary for us to remain vital in our senior years. The pointed commentary comes at us from all sides, from healthcare professionals, to those who mean well but don’t understand the importance ofContinue reading “Am I too Old to Hike? Are We? Are You?”
Women Breaking Out
on Isle Royale National Park In 2022, I set out to prove that women can solo the Minong and senior women can, too. For a long time, the Minong Ridge Trail has been my favorite trail on the island, partly because of its mystique, but also because of its terrain. Only 10 days prior toContinue reading “Women Breaking Out”
Isle Royale Water Sources & Cautions
Filtering & Treating–Alerts, Toxins, and Avoidance Windigo and Rock Harbor are the only two areas on Isle Royale where water can be obtained from spigots and does not need to be filtered or treated. Every other area, inland or on Lake Superior, requires filtering and/or treating. In addition, sources may become unusable as the seasonContinue reading “Isle Royale Water Sources & Cautions”
Greenstone Ridge Trail Views
Lake Vistas and Lush Forests There’s a long running debate about which is “best” trail on Isle royale, and each trail has its charms. The Greenstone Ridge Trail boasts the greatest variation in elevation and in views available on the island. We attest that the Greenstone Ridge Trail views are some of the best onContinue reading “Greenstone Ridge Trail Views”
Don’t Have ISRO Hiking Experience?
Wise Old Man Can Help! It’s daunting to arrive on Isle Royale with no experience. You don’t know the terrain, the challenges, or how to plan for your needs, and the environment is remote which creates additional challenges. Wise Old Man guides can help. Six things you need to know: First, temperatures vary greatly betweenContinue reading “Don’t Have ISRO Hiking Experience?”
Basecamping on Isle Royale
Six Best Choices Base camping on Isle Royale allows for a slower and more peaceful experience than backpacking. There are six excellent choices for base camping on the main island, Including Daisy Farm, Moskey Basin, Chippewa Harbor, Malone Bay, Windigo/Washington Creek, and McCargoe Cove. Regardless of your entry point, you will need to coordinate hopsContinue reading “Basecamping on Isle Royale”
Getting Lost on Isle Royale
To Sit, or Swim, or Think When I have had a particularly engaged year with too much work which comes with great satisfaction from the devotion of too much energy to the success of others, I stop. I simply stop. At summer, I stop. Some say, “to smell the roses.” But that’s not what IContinue reading “Getting Lost on Isle Royale”
Finding Yourself on the Greenstone
Five Reasons to Hike the Main Spine of Isle Royale The Greenstone Ridge Trail traverses the island from end to end. Starting at the Hidden Lake Dock in the east and progressing to Windigo on the western end of the island, the Greenstone Ridge Trail affords the quintessential experience of Isle Royale. While there areContinue reading “Finding Yourself on the Greenstone”
Don’t want to backpack? Basecamp
Ten Reasons to Basecamp at Washington Creek Campground at Windigo Not everyone who goes to Isle Royale wants to backpack, and–let’s face it–lots of people can’t afford to stay at the lodge or the camper cabins. The alternative is to base camp, but where? There are many options which I addressed in another post, butContinue reading “Don’t want to backpack? Basecamp”
Too Old to Hike? Probably Not
4 Considerations for Senior Hikers on Isle Royale Isle Royale is a great place to hike and backpack, and it’s not only for the young. Backpacking is about endurance and preparation, not speed. Our national parks are for all of us, seniors included. You should check with your healthcare provider to make sure you areContinue reading “Too Old to Hike? Probably Not”
Moose Mommas & Their Calves
Join us on June 1 through 5, 2023 Each spring, we like to get out in early June to view the calves. Early in the year, the cows are really protective of their new young that are teetering around on unsteady legs. In 2021, Duane met a calf still unsure of its long legs onContinue reading “Moose Mommas & Their Calves”
Why Hike Isle Royale?
It does something for each of us. We all have our reasons. Many people hike Isle Royale as part of their plans to visit every US National Park. Others run the trails because it is their way to experience the outdoors. Yet others want to get away and experience the rugged off-trail backcountry experience. IContinue reading “Why Hike Isle Royale?”
Are the Bugs Bad in . . . ?
On Isle Royale Maybe it’s buggy in June. Maybe not. In the earliest parts of June, it’s not likely to be buggy, but as the season progresses and the weather warms, the breeding season for mosquitoes and other bugs comes into full swing. Are the bugs bad in July? June, September, August? Everyone asks thisContinue reading “Are the Bugs Bad in . . . ?”
What’s in a Boot?
My Foot, of Course! Let’s face it, I have wonky feet. Well, I think everyone has wonky feet. We have long toes or short toes, high arches or flat. We have lumps and twists and bulges that make our feet unique and uniquely hard to fit for comfortable hiking. On Isle Royale’s rugged trails, myContinue reading “What’s in a Boot?”
Mishaps and Lessons
Over our decades of hiking Isle Royale, both as park visitors and as guides, we have learned from our mishaps and inconveniences, and we actively apply the lessons learned. Tuck and Roll We had been hiking all day, coming from Daisy Farm and were planning to camp at West Chickenbone. The cold driving rain continuedContinue reading “Mishaps and Lessons”
Scamps: Isle Royale Foxes
Isle Royale foxes both annoy and delight. Even while they can prove to make a hiking excursion really uncomfortable by digging in your pack and eating your food or running off with one or both of your boots, I have to admit that they are the cheekiest and most entertaining bandits on the island. WhileContinue reading “Scamps: Isle Royale Foxes”
Favorite Moose Moments on ISRO
Duane and I have had some moose encounters over the years. Seeing them in the different contexts is at least one of the reasons why we visit and revisit Isle Royale. The most volatile encounters concern cows and their calves, but no moose should be taken lightly. Nose-to-Nose Thinking of the momma moose and herContinue reading “Favorite Moose Moments on ISRO”
Good Information Can Keep You Safe
Evaluate Your Sources If your information source can’t pass a CRAP test, it is not a good source. Crap is an acronym for Currency, Reliability, Authority, and Purpose, and evaluating your sources of information using this analytical tool can ensure you have the right information to plan a safe excursion on Isle Royale. Currency addressesContinue reading “Good Information Can Keep You Safe”
Feeling Good on the Feldtmann Loop
A challenge often passed by for the end-to-end experiences The Feldtmann Loop is perfect for those arriving on Isle Royale from Grand Portage via the Voyageur II or from Houghton via the Seaplane who want the full experience but don’t have time for an extended stay. It can be done as a stand-alone in fiveContinue reading “Feeling Good on the Feldtmann Loop”
Base camping, inter-island hopping, & accessible experiences
Ideas for visiting Isle Royale without backpacking When we think of Isle Royale, backpacking, kayaking, and boating come to mind, but not all people want, or are not able, to backpack in order to experience the beauty of this national park. Campground hopping can be a perfect option. It requires a sufficient amount of timeContinue reading “Base camping, inter-island hopping, & accessible experiences”
What about Malone Bay?
This trail creates options. Malone Bay is located at the end of the Ishpeming trail which you access from the Greenstone Ridge Trail at the Ishpeming Point or by Voyageur II if you come by boat. It is a favorite of fishermen who dock with their own vessels. It is also popular with people travelingContinue reading “What about Malone Bay?”
To Solo or not to Solo
What’s the difference? The choice of going it alone or going with friends or a guide is one that requires some thought, one that has consequences for all of the choices you make when you set out on an adventure. Last year, I hiked the Minong Ridge Trail twice in the same season, once aloneContinue reading “To Solo or not to Solo”
Let’s Do the Greenstone Ridge Trail!
While there are any number of opportunities to use the Greenstone Ridge Trail to get to other points on the island, for example out to Chippewa Harbor or toward Lane Cove or Malone Bay, it is the primary means to hike the length of the island. It also provides an exit from the Minong Ridge Trail for those who choose to go from Todd Harbor to Hatchet Lake, instead of going to Little Todd or North Desor.
What about that Minong Ridge Trail?
Let’s face it, more than any other trail on Isle Royale, I love the Minong Ridge Trail. Why? Because it’s difficult. It may be the most difficult trail on the island. Yes, there is the Feldtmann Loop which is not for slouches. There is the hike out to Malone Bay, which is ass-kicking when doneContinue reading “What about that Minong Ridge Trail?”
New IRNP Hiker? Assess, Plan & Prepare
Know Yourself. Knowing yourself and the island, and preparing for your adventure can make your excursion an enjoyable experience. Start with a frank assessment of your level of experience and fitness.
Women in the Backcountry of Isle Royale
When women contemplate hiking and backpacking, they have obstacles to overcome, a lot of social conditioning that impresses on women to fear being attacked. Social media reinforces those fears. Well-meaning ideas about keeping sister, mom, or daughter safe can heighten the obstacles. Beyond that, we develop self-doubts because we are so often told what weContinue reading “Women in the Backcountry of Isle Royale”
More on Women & Safety on IRNP
My dear friend charged me with having avoided the core topic of the post, “On Women, Safety, and Hiking Isle Royale,” a point that may well be true. So how does the potential for rape or violence against women impact hiking Isle Royale? After all, this is the central issue voiced in the responses to my first post on women solo hikers to which my follow-up intended to respond.
Why Women Would (Not) Hike
I work with a lot of women who are really fearless. They reach across to students who struggle with self confidence and they give them what they need to feel good about themselves. They coddle, nurture, push, support, chide, encourage, engage, and whatever else is necessary to ensure that the students develop the prowess theyContinue reading “Why Women Would (Not) Hike”
Minong Ridge Trail Hike-July 2-4, ’22
Day One: McCargoe Cove to Todd Harbor On July 2, 2022, Duane and I caught the Voyageur II from Grand Portage to Windigo where we were briefed on Island safety and proceeded to permitting. I reboarded the Voyageur for three hours to McCargoe Cove, the starting point of the Minong Ridge Trail, to start myContinue reading “Minong Ridge Trail Hike-July 2-4, ’22”
Isle Royale Hike in mid-June 2022
On June 11, 2022, I arrived at the Queen IV dock at 7:00 AM and checked in with Miranda at the office. I was excited for my first trip out for the year, even though the forecast was for cold and rain. I felt prepared with my cold-weather gear. Captain Ben and the crew were ready for us to board.
Booking, Rules & Itineraries
How exciting! You have have made the commitment to visit Isle Royale. Let’s get started to help you have a wonderful time and an excellent adventure by preparing you for the challenges you will encounter. You have a lot of planning ahead of you, from getting your passes, to booking transportation, to getting the lay of the land, to understanding the topography and climate of Isle Royale, to choosing your gear, to planning your route, and finally to setting off on your great adventure.
Planning for Needs on Isle Royale
Once you have decided on your itinerary, you are ready to think about all of the things you are going to need while you are on the island. Here, we are sharing an overview of what you will need, and we provide direct links to our free courses to help you examine each topic in more detail. Remember the courses are free, and they provide you with needed information and connections to help you to make sound decisions for yourself about what you will need for your particular backpacking itinerary.
Sheltering on Isle Royale
Shelter is Not an Option–it’s a necessity! Shelter of some sort is a necessity on Isle Royale. You need shelter from cold, wind, and rain. Rain storms can come quickly and last for a few days. Temperatures can get really cold, with temperatures dipping into the 20s or even the teens. In many of theContinue reading “Sheltering on Isle Royale”
Chippewa Harbor to Rock Harbor
The Chippewa Harbor to Rock Harbor hike is one of our favorites because of its leisurely pace, which allows for time to explore attractions on the way. We get to tour along the coast of the island by ferry for spectacular views of the rugged shore from the boat and then hike back along the bays and shorelines, through the forests and over the rocky escarpments for stunning views of the water.
Day 11: Attwood Beach to Grace Island
Our departure from Attwood Beach was less than ideal, but we still planned to make it into Windigo. That morning, the fog was so thick we had to use our Garmin devices to locate ourselves in relation to the shore. At one point, I did not come out far enough to clear the pinnacle ofContinue reading “Day 11: Attwood Beach to Grace Island”