Isle Royale Forums

My wife and I will be hiking the Minong Ridge Trail this weekend, mid June, and I've read that there's few water sources. I've searched but I can't find a comprehensive list so I'm wondering if someone can point me in the right direction to find one. Otherwise please list any sources you know of and what to expect from them this time of year so I can mark up my map. We'll be filtering with a sawyer squeeze. Thanks in advance for any info and help provided!

There are a few stream crossings between McCargo and Todd. A few more between Todd and Little Todd. There two weeks ago. Fill up at Little Todd or stream just before the spur to CG, because you the walk a dry ridge all the way to N. Desor CG. After Desor, I filled at the second stream approximately 4 miles from Desor...that carried me the rest of the way to Windigo...although there are several more streams after, including a couple of beaver dam crossings. Enjoy.
Also the Nat Geo map is fairly accurate showing streams.

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Thank you, sir! So it sounds like the dry stretch is about 8 miles of trail from Little Todd to 4 mi west of N Desor.

You also have the added advantage of Spring time frame vs. late Summer or Fall. Flow will be higher and Tannin levels should be lower this time of year.

One more question on water... are there any water sources between East Chickenbone and Mt. Franklin. I don't see creek crossings on my map and that's a pretty long dry stretch. I've read getting water at E Chickenbone can be take a lot of effort.

Thanks!

There are few (mayb none) water sources on the Greenstone itself. I carry all the water i need for a hike rather than rely on filtering along the way. The distances between campsites is such that this is seldom a problem. N. Decor to Windigo is a long haul but there are some sources, especially towards Windigo end, if you need to top off. Have you used the Sawyer before? I love it, although I learned to bring a one liter plastic bottle with the top cut off to fill the reservoir. I have had problems simply scooping the water into that bag. Ejoy!

Yeah water needs to be flowing for the sawyer bags to fill up easily, but using a scoop works just fine as well.

TylerS wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2017 6:44 am Yeah water needs to be flowing for the sawyer bags to fill up easily, but using a scoop works just fine as well.

I find that it you inflate the bag a little bit (i.e. blow it into shape), and then grab the bag at the fill neck and "scoop" with the bag itself you can fill it quite easily in any still water, so long as it's deeper than about 4 inches. you just keep scooping the back through the water probably 6 or 7 times and it fills up. So basically you are moving the bag through the water instead of the water moving into the bag.

TylerS &
huntertim214,

Just a FYI.
I use the fill bag, that came with the squeeze, for other purposes now.
I, also, felt that it was too difficult to fill, especially out of a shallow stream/water source.

I added the platypus water tank to the set-up, much easier to fill in most applications
https://www.backcountry.com/platypus-pl ... r-tank?s=a

Since I initially went to the squeeze, sawyer, also came out with a better/easier to fill bladder.
https://www.rei.com/product/123097/sawy ... er-4-liter.

Both of the above options fit the squeeze in the same fashion as the original set-up.
Some options to consider for future endeavors.
YMMV.

TylerS wrote:One more question on water... are there any water sources between East Chickenbone and Mt. Franklin. I don't see creek crossings on my map and that's a pretty long dry stretch. I've read getting water at E Chickenbone can be take a lot of effort.

Thanks!

There is a small stream just southeast of E. Chickenbone trail junction which was flowing in August of 2013 and last week as well.


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At the risk of making this even more like water filter thread:

I've only tried this: https://www.rei.com/product/116364/kata ... -338-fl-oz on day hikes. But so far I like it better than the Sawyer squeeze: easier to clean, easier to fill, easier to use. Reservations: durability unknown, and the bottle threading is non-standard. If your primary bottle goes south, you can't just recruit any old replacement.

No direct experience with this: https://www.rei.com/product/114975/msr- ... ter-filter but others have registered positive reports. They're even saying it's worth the staggering 5.2 oz it weighs. . . .

Thanks to everyone for your input on this thread and answering my questions. It was very helpful in making our first trip to the island an amazing experience!

Been a while since this posted, and we're leaving next week...is there accessible water between Windigo and Desor N campground?

There might be. There might not be. Plant to carry what you'll need until you get to Washington Creek.

Also: you won't regret having something to flavor the water at Lake Desor. Lemon crystals work for me.