Welcome to the forum! I have both traditional work boots (Red Wings) and hiking boots (Asolos) and I wouldn't consider bringing the work boots on a backpacking trip. As johnhens notes, it's mostly about the tread - When I'm wearing weight on my back and walking on uneven, muddy, or scree terrain, I ...

Are there known areas in IR where beacons, or other locator devices are not known to work? At the bottom of Siskiwit Lake? :P Honestly, like all communication threads, "it depends" comes into play. I can't say I've heard of any 'well known' issues on IR, but I think much of that is becaus...

Welcome to the forum! My first gut reaction would be to reverse the route - That allows you to hike to Lane Cove on Day 1 (in July you will have plenty of daylight) and take your trip from there; leaving the N. Desor leg near the end. (It's a long stretch, so nicer to have your trail legs and a litt...

Welcome to the 2019 Trip Log! Once finalized as best as possible, post your itinerary, and then look around the list at who may else be enjoying a trip at the same time. It's a great opportunity to make new friends on the isle. If you have questions or want feedback on your planned trip, consider po...

Sadly, we've received a request from the Park Service to stop putting the webcam up in the lighthouse This befuddles me. Sure, there is probably some small print somewhere in the government bureaucratic contract that precludes putting a camera on government property without some ridiculous approval...

The friendliest faces on the lake. Congrats. Now, onto start planning the next trip!

Here's a old thread that has a bunch.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=940

Feldtman #2. My favorite site on the island, and looks like a nice bull, too! I'm guessing the raspberries you ate very well may have been a variation from the same genus, commonly referred to as "thimbleberries." They are very prevalent on the island, making mid to late August a perfect t...

Looks like the first two have been released: https://www.twincities.com/2018/09/27/w ... or-island/

Well, the latest I've hit the island was third week of September, and that trip was filled with over 3 inches of rain and gale winds... That said, mid-Sept and onward is the time I think of Sugar Mountain as no longer a walk in the woods, and Island Mine is downright spectacular. While there are tim...

I know the Science Museum of Minnesota is studying it; I haven't been able to find any updates/reports/field notes for it, though. Nature, as always, proves fascinating.
https://www.smm.org/scwrs/fieldnotes/re ... ow-why-yet

Ritchie bloomed last year about this time. Between Ritchie and Chickenbone, those seem to consistently be the two biggest lakes at risk. I don't recall ever hearing one at Desor or Hatchet. If Siskiwit ever bloomed, I'd be shocked.

Sounds like a great trip! Bummer the elusive falls at Todd remain, well, elusive. I also had my first-but not last stop at Voyageur Brewing this summer. It's a great addition to Marais. I'm sure I'll be going back. Maybe I’ll take up canoeing. If you haven't paddled IR, you must. Not unlike where yo...

No, unfortunately there is not. There is a bridge that crosses the creek (Mt. Franklin Trail, heading toward Mt. Franklin) but there is no designated trail that parallels the creek. Tobin Creek is similar to many other IR creeks, in that the shorelines tend to be marshy and boggy, and therefore no g...

1.) As Ingo notes, go West, young man. Unless it's changed, the campsite map should show Haytown mine, and there is a spur trail, maybe .2mi, that goes that way. Then go past the mine. The trail isn't maintained, and might get sketchy, but if the water is flowing you'll probably hear it soon enough....