First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Reports or links to reports on trips.

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bobonabike
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First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by bobonabike »

Greetings:

(I know this is rather lengthy - a CliffsNotes version may become available later. :D )

I made my first trip to IR the last week of August ‘10. Went solo. I had planned to go August ‘09 and had been in training for four months. A few weeks before departure I had emergency surgery and was in the ICU for over a week. Oh well. "Maybe next year," I thought (I'm used to it, I'm a Cub's fan). I would not recommend getting a small bowel obstruction, if you can avoid it.

Well, next year arrived quickly. This time I'd been in training since February, alternating bicycling one day (my primary activity, as my moniker will tell) with practicing with a fully loaded pack the alternate day, doing things like making 180 round trips up and down the stairs in my house (I figure it's equivalent to a 1500 ft elevation gain and loss). I know, I know, walking up nice, evenly spaced carpeted stairs is nothing like being on a trail, but what are you gonna do – I live in northern Illinois and there's not much topography around here, at least not within 40 miles.

Tuesday 8/24: Destination - Rock Harbor

Get to the Ranger dock. It’s a gray, moist morning. The weather forecast posted on the Visitor Center predicts 25-30 mph winds out of the west. Not good. I've never been on a boat before, but I've had experience getting a little “iffy” when flying or when someone else is doing the driving. So I wimp out and pop a "less-drowsy" Dramamine I bought at the last minute. After the LNT presentation and getting past the breakwater, I spend much of the time out on deck, watching the whitecaps, feeling OK. After getting a little chilly I went inside and snoozed a bit. I’m jolted awake by the ship’s fog horn – we had entered a fog bank during my snooze. With the boat rockin’ and rollin’, and without being able to focus on the horizon to prevent my brain from getting confused, I start to feel a bit queasy. So I just kept my eyes closed, and after a while we broke out into the day’s first sunshine.

After arrival, took the Tobin Harbor trail to Three Mile campground. Quite a crowd. Had to stay in a group site with about 10 other people. So much for solitude. Oh well. I worry that in the coming week the rest of the campgrounds will be crowded as well.

Wednesday 8/25: Destination - Chippewa Harbor.

Got an early start heading west on the Rock Harbor trail. Shortly after the Mt. Franklin trail junction I heard a rustling just off to my right in the woods. Thought it was another packer, but no – the big, brown rear end could mean only one thing – a moose! She (I assume it was a she due to the lack of antlers) walked a few steps away and laid down in some undergrowth, turning her head to look at me. She couldn’t have been more than 10 yards away. I couldn’t get a great picture due to the density of the brush she was hiding behind. She seemed content just to rest and look at me, so I moved on. As it turned out, that would be my only moose sighting for the whole week. Lunched at Moskey Basin; probably would be a good place to catch a sunrise, but must press on.

The rocky, rooty trail was starting to take a toll on my feet. Had felt hotspots, but by the time I stopped to apply some moleskin it was too late; blisters had already developed. Oh well.

Arriving at Chippewa Harbor, the shelters were all taken, but I had the tent sites all to myself. Met a retired couple who were partway through kayaking the south side of the island – seems like it would be a neat thing to do. Sitting on the dock after dinner, watching some fishermen make their futile efforts, I heard what sounded like a howl coming from well up the harbor. “What was that?” I asked. “A loon,” one replied. Cool. The first time I had heard a loon. I would come to enjoy their haunting calls throughout the rest of my trip.

Thursday 8/26: Destination - Windigo (the easy way).

At the dock, watching the sunlight gradually illuminate the trees and bluffs on the west side of Chippewa Harbor, awaiting the Voyageur II. Bid adieu to the couple as they launched their kayaks, heading to Malone Bay; they said to wave when I passed by on the VII. Had a very pleasant trip to Windigo, (sunny, 70’s) spending the whole time outside on the deck at the stern. After disembarking, I hustled towards the campground, hoping to get a shelter. A couple heading the other direction on the road told me I’d have my choice of a site – they said they were the only ones in the campground the night before. Got a nice shelter on Washington creek, and it was nice to draw water from a tap. I had wanted to do the Huginnin Cove loop as a day hike, but the blisters on my pinky toes wouldn’t let me.

Took in the exhibits at the very nice Visitor Center (puts the one at Rock Harbor to shame). Attended the presentation put on by the Power Point ranger (Lucas) that evening. He played to a grand audience of 5 of us. The topic was Isle Royale shipwrecks. I found it very good and quite enjoyable.

Friday 8/27: Destination - South Lake Desor.

Had a bit of trouble sleeping through the night – I was concerned about the coming day’s 11-plus mile trip, knowing that it was going to be mostly uphill and that my feet had taken a beating on the 14 mile hike on Wednesday. I had the impression that the stretch to Island Mine was going to be steep and rocky. However, I found that the trip wasn’t bad at all; sure, it was uphill, but the grades weren’t too steep, and the trail was mostly dirt through the woods with few rocks and roots. Arrived at South Lake Desor after 5 hours – a better than 2 mph clip – which I felt good about. I was the only one in the campground when I arrived, and I chose site 1. This turned out to be my favorite campsite of the whole trip. It was very peaceful, and I had my own private basking rock down on the lakeshore. A great place to lay out in the dappled sunlight shining through the birch trees and take a snooze.

Then the loons roused me from my nap. One was on the shore to the east, another was on the island to the west. One would call. Then the other. I wonder what they were saying to each other? Haunting.

After a completely clear and breezy day with temps in the 70’s, the wind grew calm. The surface of the lake was almost like a mirror. High cirrus clouds moved in just in time to provide a colorful sunset. And the call of the loons continued. Cool.

Awakened in the middle of the night by a howling wind. Hadn’t staked down the tent, so I got out and placed some branches to hold down the corners. The trees were really whipping in the wind – the just-past full moon lighting up the white bark of the birch trees. Cool. Grew a bit concerned because I had seen so many fallen birch trees during my hikes – thought one might blow down on me – but I survived the night.

Saturday 8/28: Destination - Hatchet Lake. A fairly easy easy 8 miles.

I’m going to say something here that may get me banned from a future trip to the island: I found the hike from Windigo to Hatchet Lake quite disappointing. It was almost entirely a walk through the woods. Now don’t get me wrong, woods are nice, but I can go to a forest preserve near my house and walk through the woods as much as I want. I was hoping to see some vistas on IR, but all I was getting was a walk in the woods. Occasionally I’d come to a crest, or I’d bushwhack a bit to a knob off the trail, and I’d be rewarded with a view of . . . . . . . woods. Maybe that’s the Minong Ridge beyond? Or maybe it’s Canada? Or maybe it’s Lake Superior? I couldn’t tell because any view to the horizon was 95% obscured by trees. Jim DuFresne’s book mentions a couple of “side trails” to scenic overlooks. I didn’t see any markers or obvious footpaths – perhaps I was too focused on watching my footing to see any. Oh well. At least the weather was nice: sunny, breezy, 70's.

After 4 hours on the trail without seeing anyone, I encountered a young couple going the opposite direction. We chatted a bit and I mentioned my disappointment above. They said their itinerary had been Windigo to McCargoe Cove via the Minong Ridge trail, returning via the Greenstone. They said if I want vistas, take the Minong. Maybe I’ll do that next time, (if I’m allowed back on the island).

At the Hatchet Lake Trail junction I met 2 young men, wheezing after their climb up from the campground. They said they were day hiking to Ishpeming Point. I didn’t have the heart to tell them they were in for a letdown, because the tower wasn’t accessible, and even if it was the surrounding trees are taller than the tower. I met them again that evening at the lake as we all filtered our water. I asked if Ishpeming Point was all they hoped it would be. Needless to say . . . . .

Picked out a campsite, but soon became aware that the neighbors – 2 adults and 2 kids – were being a bit too noisy. And I wasn’t pleased to see them hurling rocks at the birds on the lake. Maybe I’m a curmudgeon, but I was annoyed, so I moved to one of the group sites to put some distance between us. After I set up camp another packer walked by, heading to the individual sites. After a while I saw him walking back, leaving the campground. I guess I wasn’t the only one annoyed.

Sunday 8/29: Destination - Chickenbone West. Another not-too-difficult 8 miles.

Finally some views! At about the half-way point there appeared to be the beginnings of a footpath to the north. After a few yards on this path a knob came into view. There was a sizeable pile of rocks on top – bigger than a cairn, and definitely not a natural occurrence. I went to the top, thinking I had conquered Mt. Siskiwit. I marked a waypoint on my GPS (368584E 5322855N), but when I consulted my topo map that evening it became apparent that I had unknowingly walked past Mt. Siskiwit about a half mile earlier. Oh well. Shortly after departing that unnamed summit came the great viewpoint where so many of the lakes from north to east to south were visible – definitely the high point of the day (even if not elevation-wise).

Arriving at the Indian Portage Trail junction, there was a notice attached to the post warning of toxic algae blooms in Chickenbone Lake. Gee, thanks for letting me know. We were warned about Lake Ritchie when we arrived on Tuesday, but this was news to me. So after setting up camp I had to go up and over the Greenstone twice to get water from Lake Livermore. Oh well. After resting at the campsite for most of the afternoon I started a dayhike to McCargoe Cove. I got about half-way when I realized that it would probably be getting a bit too dark by the time I returned if I went all the way, so I turned around. I should have left earlier. Oh well. Had the campground all to myself that night.

Monday 8/30: Destination - Three Mile.

Awoke to thunder and lightening. What to do? Today’s scheduled to be a 12.5 mile day. Haven’t seen a weather forecast in four days, so don’t know how much it might rain. The storm sounds like it’s well to the north, so I pack up and go. Good move – the rain stays away and the day turns out to be sunny, breezy, 70’s (sound familiar?), albeit it a tad humid. A pleasant enough hike, and after a few hours a post cleverly labeled “Viewpoint” leads to great views at the edge of a bluff – it was a good place to break for a granola bar and Gatorade, and to let the breeze dry out my shirt. I press on, take a pass on climbing the Mt. Ojibway tower (too many people), and arrive at Mt. Franklin with its awesome views to the north. Descending the Mt. Franklin Trail I tell myself that I wouldn’t want to be going the opposite direction. Arriving at Three Mile I get a great site (number 9) right on the rocky shore. Take a dip (brrrr!) to rinse out my clothes. Later, a group of mergansers passes by. For some reason they get startled and take off, apparently running on the water. Never seen that before.

Can’t see the sun set because it’s behind the ridge, and there’re no clouds to provide any color, but I laid out on the rock slab, watching the stars take over, to the point that the Milky Way becomes discernable, something I can’t see at home. Cool. Not only that, but Jupiter, being close to opposition to the sun, rises big and bright enough to reflect off the water. Cool.

Tuesday 8/31: Destination - Rock Harbor.

The day starts out cloudy, so not much of a sunrise. It’s an easy trip despite the rocks and roots, and it’s made easier because the food is nearly gone and there’s no need to carry more than one bottle of water. Wimp out and grab a shelter. As I make a day hike to Scoville Point the sky clears. Sunny, breezy, 70’s. Get to the very end of the point and watch the waves crashing on the rocks, unimpeded by any barrier islands. Powerful. Cool. This is what I came to see! Could have stayed for hours watching and listening, but unfortunately didn’t bring sunscreen (still got a burn). Returning, I buy a bag of Doritos, sit on a rock ledge below the shelter overlooking the harbor and watch the Queen depart. Took a while to fall asleep that night because the neighbors in the adjoining shelter were up late and apparently couldn’t grasp the concept of not letting the shelter door slam shut every time they used it.

Wednesday 9/1: Destination - Shower house!

Need I say more? Followed by a calm return trip on the Ranger, spending the whole trip out on deck. And yes, it was sunny, and in the 70’s.

Epilogue:

I must say my visit was pretty cool. I had never been backpacking before, even though it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time; like, for a quarter century (I’m 53). I don’t know anybody who backpacks, and when I was doing my planning (and spending loads of money at REI), I was wondering if I was being foolish. After all, backpacking is something only boy scouts and college kids do, right? My mother couldn’t understand (“Why would you want to do something like that at your age?!”) I must say I am pleased that over half the people I encountered in the backcountry were older than me: Retired folks; wrinkles; heads of silver hair! So maybe I wasn’t so foolish.

I believe my six months of training served me well – I didn’t have any trouble endurance-wise with the hikes, even starting out with a 54 lb pack (I'll need to figure a way to reduce that weight next time). What caused me trouble was my feet. I thought my boots were broken in well, but even with silk sock liners I still got blisters on both soles the first full day, and my pinkie toes had owies most of the time. It’s possible that the first full day I wasn’t hiking too smart. Hurrying down the Rock Harbor Trail I kept stepping on all the rocks and roots with the balls of my feet, instead of making nice, flat foot steps. I also think next time I’ll be proactive and wrap the pinkies with moleskin before I take the first step. (As noted above, I am a rookie at this backpacking thing).

Another thing I’ll have to remember, if there is a next time, is to not be in such a hurry to get to the next campground. It turns out that my anxiety about getting a campsite was unwarranted; maybe it was because of the time of year that I visited. Maybe if I take my time I won’t miss the viewpoints and overlooks I may have walked right by.

I also think I may have been spoiled on this trip. For nine days there were sunny skies, pleasant temperatures, there was no rain, and there were NO bugs! What are the odds of that happening again? (Actually, I did get one mosquito bite).

Until next time . . . . .
..
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by jerry »

Thanks for sharing Bob! I guess the mother moose and her kids were gone from Washington Creek. I too think the climb up the Greenstone isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I look forward to seeing a young guy like you on the trail in the future. I don't know how you or anyone can carry 50 or more pounds. I try for 35 (did 38 this summer) and think that is too much. I don't use silk sock liners and seldom have an issue with my feet. I usually toughen up the feet before I go backpacking. 5 to 6 miles daily (with a pack on) in a park that is mostly flat and from time to time I do some hills.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by Vandy »

Awesome report, and way cool that you got to experience so many 'firsts'.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by Blackdog »

Great Report!

I have trouble with blisters as well. I typically backpack a little over 100 miles a year and blisters are my biggest issue. For my last backpacking trip this summer, I went to the BWCA in northern Minnesota. For the first time I wore sock liners and also put duct tape on my normal trouble areas before hitting the trail each morning (moleskin would work as well, but kind of expensive). After a 35 mile weekend, I came out without any blisters or feet problems. Maybe give it a try on your next adventure.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by jerry »

Blackdog,

Did you do the Kek or the Border Route Trail?
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by Blackdog »

I did the Pow Wow Trail last summer. Mileage in books and the internet vary from 24-33 miles. I measured about 33 on a McKenzie map, felt like over 30. Lots of tree hopping. Tough loop, it was really hot which added to the adventure. Next summer I hope to do part of the Kek while doing another loop including the Snowbank-Old Pines and Kek trails. Always nice hikes in that area. Hoping to thru hike the Border Route in a few years. I'll try to complete most of the trails at Isle Royale first.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by Pioneer Spirit »

I walked over 400 miles without a single blister until my 'waterproof' boots got wet from damp grass through Caesar Creek State Park. I ended up with quite a few that day due to the change in friction. I use ankle height boots because the extra lacing keeps the shoe in place since the tops are held around the ankles preventing extra movement around normal blister areas.

I'd like to see a list of your carried equipment so we can help you reduce your load by several pounds.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by jerry »

Pioneer Spirit is correct. ID what you carried, some of it might not be needed at ISRO.

Blackdog,

You lucky dog. Wish I could get to do the Kek or Border Route someday. Enjoy Isle Royale, I've been lucky enough to do a lot of the trails. I remember them fondly.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by Midwest Ed »

Bob,

Congratulations on what sounds like a great trip. I think you did great for your first time out, tremendously better than I did. You’ve already learned the lesson of not starting out too fast, stopping sooner to apply that moleskin before trouble strikes.

Keep at it and you will find the groove that suits you best for things like the trade off of covering real estate vs. smelling the roses. I‘m glad you made it to some of the ridges that can offer wonderful vistas.

Backpacking is just like many things in life, everything’s a trade off . . . even more so in back packing. Certain weight issues can be helped with more money, but for many other things it’s a choice of comfort levels. Some are choices of physical comfort while others are choices of mental comfort.

For example, I always take a pair of comfortable camp shoes to rest my weary feet that allow me to walk around camp. There are many choices for the shoes by weight and utility and cost. Some campers might not carry any at all. On the mental side, I always seem to carry too much extra fuel and always go home with a lot left over, but I feel better just knowing I won’t run out.

I take my cue from Colin Fletcher who said, “Watch the ounces and the pounds will take care of themselves.” I therefore cut half the handle off my toothbrush. Virtually every item you have can be scrutinized.

~Ed
Last edited by Midwest Ed on Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by Gimp »

That was a great story and I'm impressed that you went to Isle Royale for your first backpacking trip. Solo, and a lot of days out as well. Quite frankly, if you'd been a friend of mine I would have advised against that for a first experience, but you seem to have planned well.

You spent a lot of days on the trail and you needed to carry a lot of food for sufficient nutrition. That may have accounted for a lot of your pack weight. Do you know what your final weight was at the end of the trip? There is a scale at Rock Harbor but I've never thought to weigh my pack at the end of the trip. I started out at about 45 pounds for my seven day trip in late May. I'm a solo backpacker so I don't take risks by going too light, so a great part of that was food since I lost 8 pounds on my previous trip by going too light and ended up feeling hypothermic in constant rain. I've also spent years shaving ounces from my load and that takes a lot of experience to do. I'd recommend that you write down a list of everything you carried and then think about what you didn't use, and then reconsider it on your next trip.

Regarding blisters, you know where you got them this time so be prepared to get them in the same place next time. I like duct tape and I think it works better than moleskin. I know where my hot spots always develop so I tape them over before I even start. I walked 71 miles on my last trip and didn't get a blister. Also, the rock harbor trail is extremely rough on the feet, especially with a heavy starting pack weight. If you go to Isle Royale again, I suggest that you use the Tobin Harbor trail outbound. It will get you to Three Mile faster and you might even get a shelter next time. The dirt trail is also much easier on the feet.

Once again, that was a great report.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by bobonabike »

Is there a way to insert a jpeg (about 1500 Kb) in a post?
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by Midwest Ed »

bobonabike wrote:Is there a way to insert a jpeg (about 1500 Kb) in a post?
There are a couple of ways to do it. The one I use relies on the fact that I have already posted or uploaded my photos to another website on the internet. It can be anywhere, but I use a couple of the free commercial photo hosting sites like Imagecoast or Photobucket. There are many others as well. After the photo exists on the internet follow these steps:

1) From the photo hosting site, they will have the address of your picture made available for you to copy and paste. Copy it according to their instructions.

2) While you are here, editing your post look above the editing text box. You will find a button labelled "Img". When you click it, it will automatically insert text into your post that looks like
"{img}{/img}." The cursor will be in the middle of the two brackets. Then just PASTE the web address from the other photo hosting site. This is also called a URL.

3) Click "Submit" and you are done. Photos can be added to or removed from or changed in older posts as well.

You can also upload photos directly to this site but I have never used this feature. Here is a link to instructions on how to do it. Skip step number 1 in these instructions:
You may need to rename your files from JPEG to JPG in order for it to work properly.

http://isleroyaleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=17
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by bobonabike »

I took this picture after I had assembled everything (but nothing more than) I thought I would need. Here is what 54 lbs looks like:

Image

Any suggestions for reducing this weight for a 7-plus day trip would be appreciated.

Food:
My research led me to aim for these daily dietary targets: 3500 calories; 150 g. protein; 450 g. carbs. This menu met this goal:
Breakfast: 3 packets instant oatmeal w/ a handful of raisins; 2 packets instant cocoa.
Dinner: 1 freeze-dried meal (supposedly sized for 2); 1 package instant mashed potatoes.
In between: 5 granola bars; 6 oz. beef jerky; 16 dates (yes, I counted them out); Gatorade powder to make 2 quarts.
Repeat 6 times.
Yes, it got monotonous.
I weighed out the food, including all its ziplock bags (of course, the boxes seen in the photo were not packed – everything was ziplocked). It weighed 15 lbs. Based on my research, this seemed to be reasonable for the length of the trip. But I should note that I wasn’t left hungry and I didn’t lose any weight during the week.

Clothes:
Rain jacket; rain pants; hat.
Fleece top; polypro base layer of long underwear and tee shirt.
2 pairs socks; 1 pair sock liners; camp shoes.
Extra shirt and undershorts (so I didn’t stink too much on the return boat trip).
2 hand towels; bandana.

Kitchen:
Pocket Rocket; (2)-8 oz. fuel canisters; Bic lighter; waterproof matches; 2 qt. pot; spork; Pro Hiker filter; 3 Nalgenes; mug; 2 towels.

Other:
Solo tent; 20 degree synthetic mummy bag; ¾ length sleeping pad; pack cover; bug repellant; headnet; small bottle sunscreen; first-aid kit; moleskin; small bottle Purell; meds; prescription sunglasses in hard case; 2 rolls toilet paper (cardboard removed); mini-Maglite w/ spare batteries; headlamp w/ spare batteries; snapshot camera; compact binoculars; Swiss Army knife; trekking pole; rope; compass; GPS; Nat. Geo. Trails Illustrated map; copies (2 sided) of the relevant pages from Jim DuFresne’s guidebook; stuff sacks.

The items I didn’t use on this trip: Rain gear, bug protection, rope, knife, 2nd fuel canister, 2nd roll of TP, 2 towels, base layer clothes, hat. Even though I didn’t use any of these on his trip, I’m pretty certain I wouldn’t want to travel without them.

The sleeping pad is about 15 years old; I’m sure I could buy something lighter. While they aren’t the lightest available, the tent, pack and bag were bought within the last year, so they are somewhat up-to-date. The camp shoes likely could be lighter. I probably didn’t need to carry all 3 bottles. I probably could take only the Maglite or the headlamp. Since I didn't go off-trail, I probably could do wthout the GPS. I didn't weigh the pack at the end of the trip, but I figure its base weight would be 54 - 15 (food) - 6 (3 quarts water) = 33 lbs.

So what am I doing wrong? Thanks for any input.
Last edited by bobonabike on Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:39 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by bobonabike »

I thought the image would be seen on the post, but I guess I didn't do it right. I guess the text will have to suffice.
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Re: First Time Visit: 8/24/10 - 9/1/10

Post by Midwest Ed »

bobonabike wrote:I thought the image would be seen on the post, but I guess I didn't do it right. I guess the text will have to suffice.
There are one too many sets of the IMG tags. You can edit the post to remove them.
Last edited by Midwest Ed on Thu Oct 14, 2010 6:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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