Gerry was a nice guy, and I was happy to spend time with him several times on the island. I fondly remember him getting applause when we got of the boat in Grand Portage as he got his tent back. He had dropped it on the boat getting off at McCargoe and hiked all the way to Chippewa in one day. He ...

I second Chico's Aeropress. Those things are great. Of course, if you are going for weight savings, you can't beat freeze dried.

Malone Bay, October 1, 2004. A gale was crossing the lake and the island looked like it was on fire.

Here is the gear I brought with this year along with the weights. This is not including food or water. If it isn't readable, I can try another format.

I usually do oatmeal, and this time I did bulgur with dried fruit. It can either be made cold or hot, depending on what you are in the mood for. trailcooking.com has a bunch of good recipes.

I've either gone Gorp or a bar, like a Clif Bar. I usually don't have a normal lunch, but just snack every couple of hours while hiking.

Make reservations for every boat pickup you need. They charge for all of them, and I'm not sure their policy for cash transactions on the island. Like Jerry says, don't hope for the boat to pick you up in McCargo, that's about a 40 minute trip for them in and out, and they won't do it unless they ...

The trails this year were the worst that I've ever seen them.

Andy, at times, it felt like those trees were trying to eat me. Sorry we didn't chat on the boat, I didn't see your actual name on here until after the trip. Also, I assume it was you guys who made the last entry from last year at the ...

Some things to consider - where are you coming from, Houghton or Grand Portage? And how many miles/day are you interested in doing? Do you want to have layover days, or move every day?

Oh, you must have a water filter, as purification pills won't kill the tapeworm.

The trails this year were the worst that I've ever seen them. I was hitting about five significant trail blockages per mile. It made for some frustrating hiking. A friend and I did clear the entire spur from Chippewa to the Richie Junction. The trail crews were just starting up, so over the next ...

I'm a big fan of the Outpost Motel in Hovland, Just north of Grand Marais. It's small, clean and inexpensive. Also, if you want to camp out, Judge Magney State park is a couple minutes from the Outpost Motel. Both are about a half hour drive to the boat in the morning.

I attempted to get lightweight the past few years, but never was proactive about it until this year. I picked up this scale from Amazon for $25 and started weighing all my gear early for this year's big trip.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CM6TVI

I'm in the process of putting all my gear in ...

Kevinl,

My name is Adam. See you on Saturday morning!

I did a trip at the end of September last year, and a few other times. It is generally pretty nice out there, warm days and cool nights. The moose are in rut then, too, so there can be a fair amount of grunting going on in the woods. The only thing that can be sketchy is the weather, as you get ...

The window is opening and I'm thinking I could be on the first boat this Saturday. Never been able to go in the spring.

I finally had a chance to "first boat" last year. An experience in itself. Great to meet many of the 'regulars.' Hopefully Jasper and his cake will make a return, it's a great ...