Minong

[jerry]

Tom, Love your pictures. Thanks! Your Picture 28 shows a pond from above. I feel I should hike to the left looking at the picture. How about after the pond. Is it another up to the ridge? Or off to the left?

jerry (I might have to solo again this year, don't want to get toooo looost.)

[Tom]

Hmmmm. You're testing my memory, Jerry. From what I recall, this is one of the beaver dams you will come across; although in this particular one you cross slightly downstream, at another dam, if memory serves. You don't actually cross this particular dam. You are correct, you are hiking to the 'left' on this one. At this point, you're probably within 5 miles of Washington Creek. By then, you're no longer quite as often up on the ridges, and the trail through the woods is easy enough to follow.
It's nothing like the day before, from Little Todd to Desor North, where most of the trip is up on the rocky ridge. That being said, while the Little Todd to Desor North is a 'technical' hike, where you need to watch where you put each step, it's a beautiful one, full of views, and it's not too long.
That final Desor to Washington Creek push is an endurance hike. A whole lotta up, down, up, down, repeat - For a good number of miles, and the ridges become more and more tree covered, so the views start to disappear.
It will be interesting to see if you follow the course as so many of the others of us: All intentions to go to Hugginin, but when you see that trail intersection and realize a sandwich and soda are so equally close, you turn left to Windigo...

[jerry]

I'm putting my money on going to get food and beverage first. The next day Hugginin. jerry

P.S. Thanks Tom and the rest of you for your input. If I can maintain a healthy body, I sure want to try this trail before my Medicare benefits are taken away.

[Kevinl]

Hey jerry. Here's some pix from one of my Minong trips with my boy and his friend. http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/563981397NkCwkL

[jerry]

Thanks for sharing the pictures Kevinl. Hard to believe we have to wait to go again, I'm hoping for late June. Did you go early, mid or late June?
P. S. How were the bugs?

[Kevinl]

I've done that trip in September and July and didn't notice the bugs much either time. For the July trip, it seems the winds were right for us, and that can be a lovely thing, although we did bust out the spray once.

[jerry]

I should have my head examined, but a tentative plan to do this trail is scheduled for later this month. I've never shown the wife the pictures on this topic. Probably never will. I'm not going solo as I have done in the past (4 years). A young guy who teaches at the same college, is going to try to aim me in the right direction.

jerry

[jerry]

I'm back and plan to post my trip report for this year sometime in the near future. I finally hiked the Minong all the way. Why doesn't the Windigo store have a shirt that says, "I've survived the Minong!" ? More later.

"Old Man" jerry

[Tom]

Welcome back! Can't wait for your TR. We need more of those!
I agree there should be a shirt or something. On our last few hundred yards, as we approached full shelter after full shelter, we completely rationalized that a couple shelters should be reserved for the Minongers..
Eventually we found an open one, and that makes for the best last night...

[jerry]

I will start a TR shortly under trip reports. I just want to thank Brian-Backpacker534; JonG; JKahler; Tom; and Kenvinl. They gave advice, pictures, trip reports, etc. that after doing the Minong was very helpful. Thanks a lot guys!