are there any Lakes that you wouldnt drink from?

Discuss food & groceries, share recipes, and other backcountry cooking & food-related topics here!

Moderator: hooky

Post Reply
hermsker
NewbieCake
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:52 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 2
Location: Omaha, NE

are there any Lakes that you wouldnt drink from?

Post by hermsker »

Taking a sawyer mini and some tablets for backup so it will be filtered, but are there any lakes on IR that you simply would not drink from no matter how its filtered? Just trying to plan water fills each day along the way. All info is appreciated. Thanks
User avatar
Ingo
Forum Moderator
Posts: 1944
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:11 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 14
Location: Hillsborough, NC
Has thanked: 257 times
Been thanked: 158 times

Re: are there any Lakes that you wouldnt drink from?

Post by Ingo »

Nope, unless there's an algae bloom--the rangers will let you know if that's an issue in your orientation. It doesn't happen every year, but it has on occasion, usually later in the summer.
22: BI-PC-BI-RH, 21: RH-ML-DF-MB-DF, 18: MC-PC-BI-DB-RH-DF, 17: WI-IM-SB-FL-WC, 16: RH-CI-TI-RH, 14: BI-ML-CI-CH-MB, 13: RH-PI, 12: MC-CB-HL-TH, 11: WC-HC-WC, 09: MC-BI-DN-RH, 05: MI-CI-MB-DF-RH-TM-RH, 02: MC-LR-WL-CH, 01: BI-DB-RH, 79: worked RH
User avatar
fonixmunkee
Forum Moderator
Posts: 953
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:58 am
Isle Royale Visits: 18
Location: Soupe Towne, WI
Has thanked: 46 times
Been thanked: 60 times

Re: are there any Lakes that you wouldnt drink from?

Post by fonixmunkee »

hermsker wrote:Taking a sawyer mini and some tablets for backup so it will be filtered, but are there any lakes on IR that you simply would not drink from no matter how its filtered? Just trying to plan water fills each day along the way. All info is appreciated. Thanks
I'd drink out of any lake on IR with a filter, with the exception of any lakes that may have an algae bloom (as Ingo said). The Rangers will let you know right away upon your arrival to the island if such a thing exists. It's only occurred once in recent memory.

I've drank water filtered out of a puddle that was listed on the IR map as a "stream" once. The water was perfectly fine, save for a very earthy taste.

Also, tablets are ineffective to make water safe on IR. You should boil your water if your filter quits on you.
User avatar
philranger
Bushwacker
Posts: 225
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 5:09 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 9
Location: Madison, WI

Re: are there any Lakes that you wouldnt drink from?

Post by philranger »

There was a stretch of water on the Minong that was traversed by a very long plank bridge. It looked like liquid manure. I have never been so nervous crossing a plank bridge as I was at that moment. One false step and in you would be submerged. It seemed to go on forever and I was so thankful to be off of it and not falling in. I wonder if anyone has ever fallen in and then I thought about the people who constructed it and wondered what they were thinking about while they were working. YUCK.
Isle Royale Trips: 2005-RH to Windigo via Greenstone. 2006-McCargoe Cove to Chippewa Harbor. 2007-RH to Daisy Farm and back. 2008-Feltmann loop. 2009-McCargoe Cove to Chippewa Harbor. 2013-Minong Ridge. 2014-Windigo+Huginnin Cove. 2015-Lookout Louise to LC to DF to MB. 2018-McCargoe to Todd to HL to Malone Bay. 2021-Windigo/Huginnin. 2022-RH-DF-MB-CH
Post Reply