I have done the Rock Harbor to Windigo via the Minong and then back via the Greenstone with a mail drop at Windigo for resupply. I see a couple of potential issues -- day 2: depending on how you get from Daisy Farm to McCargoe and then to TH, say via Mt. Objibway (a great stop for views of the NE pa...

One thing to keep in mind is that the portages on ISRO were made with canoes in mind and it may be challenging to portage a kayak, especially on the Chippewa Harbor/ Lake Whittlesey portage, the Lake LaSage/ Lake Ritchie portage, the Chippewa Harbor/ Lake Ritchie portage, and the Moskey Basin/ Lake ...

I have packrafted extensively around ISRO on two trips so far with an Alpacka Dali Lama. Ranger Emily at Amygdaloid Island Ranger Station has/had an Alpacka Fjord Explorer packraft which she used in the Five Fingers area (we met and talked packrafts in the middle of McCargoe Cove last summer). Packr...

I fully agree that the rangers (and NPS support personnel) are friendly and great people. ISRO is self regulating. Many of the campers and boaters on ISRO have been there before and have taken a level of ownership. What that means in effect is that if visitors do get out of line, then other campers ...

I am not Ingo, but I did the route that you describe last year, so I might be of assistance -- There are waterproof stuff sacks with shoulder straps. There are also packs called Duluth packs which are made for canoe portaging. You could also pack your backpack as normal, perhaps with a waterproof st...

Open top kayaks have their place, but ISRO in September might not be that place unless you will be sticking with some of the interior lakes (and are willing to portage a kayak to get to the lake(s)). The inner part of Tobin Harbor up to some of the islands near Scoville Point is also protected, as i...

One thing to keep in mind is that depending on what your paddling itinerary (and the weather) is, you can easily paddle/portage from Lake Ritchie to Wood Lake or even Lake Whittlesley in one day. That being said, Lake Ritchie Canoe and Wood Lake are my favorites. You may have the campground to yours...

First, while I have been to ISRO multiple times, I am still 0 for ISRO in the fishing department, so don't consider me an expert (or possibly do everything the exact opposite of what I did and you will catch fish...) I used a packable fly rod with a variety of flies (Clouser minnows, Wooly Buggers, ...

The Minong overall has better scenery than the Greenstone, although once you get past SLD you start getting some nice panoramic views of Lake Siskiwit. The Greenstone is cut through a Maple forest from Windigo past the Ishpeming Point fire tower. The Minong follows a more exposed ridgeline. Todd Har...

I had a chance to talk to two Park Service campsite maintenance workers at Caribou Island this past September. They indicated that they were the only campsite maintenance workers apart from the volunteers that staff the north shore from the Ranger Station on Amygaloid Island/ the patrol station at B...

3MTA3 -- I am not having success with attaching a photo.
Shoot me an email at mike.boersma@gmail.com and I will attach some photos.

IncaRoads -- don't know yet. On the short portages I kept the packraft inflated and either carried it across (the portages in the 5 fingers area) or carried it inflated lashed to my backpack (overhead dependent) on some of the short inland portages. Fisherman47 -- I talked to the gentleman with the ...

August 30: Traveled to Isle Royale via the Ranger III. Saw former Ranger steward Anderson on the trip over. Nice to see him again. Traveled to Tobin Harbor and loaded up and changed into paddling outfit - springsuit + lifejacket etc. Paddled Tobin Harbor to Blake point and made the passage into Dunc...

The Greenstone is the most heavily traveled long distance trail on ISRO (which can be an issue at camp grounds). There are a few technical spots, but overall it is "easy". There are some nice views of Lake Siskiwit and of both coasts (from the firetower at Mount Objibway -- not so much fro...

To reiterate what others have said, you don't want to have a foot race on the Minong. The Minong is a technical trail and wet weather can make it even more difficult. The stretch between NLD and Windigo, even going downhill, will be a long day on difficult terrain. With that being said, Little Todd ...