Thank you so much for your replies - this is exactly the kind of information I was looking for! I have been using hiking poles for years (hiking in northern Vermont one year convinced me of their usefulness), and my husband became a convert last summer, so we'll have them with us, rain or shine ...

My husband and I are going to Isle Royale in August, and we're going to backpack from Windigo to Rock Harbor.

We definitely plan to hike on the Minong Ridge trail from Todd Harbor to McCargoe Cove, but we're not sure if we should start from Windigo on the Greenstone or Minong. We're experienced ...