I'm a recent convert to Natrapel, which contains picaridin. It's not oily like DEET, and has a pleasant lemony smell. Works just as well.

RE: chairs, hands-down, I think the Therm-A-Rest Trekker Chair is best for comfort and stability, assuming you use a pad that will work with it. I can spend hours sitting on a hard surface reading with mine. We also picked up a tripod chair last summer. I think it's great for cooking -- even with yo...

My plan was to wait until summer and read it on the island, but after having the book for a week, I couldn't resist any longer.

Of course, I might re-read it on the island...

I just finished reading the book -- savoring it over about a week. A really nice memoir, written so that it's easy to picture the wolf-moose interactions, as well as life on the island 60 years ago.

Name: Steve (backwoods doc) and son Nate (aka "The Sherpa") Hometown: Fort Worth, TX Arrival Date: July 21 Departure Date: July 27 Coming From/Via: Grand Portage via Voyageur II Itinerary (portaging/canoeing): 1. McCargoe Cove to West Chickenbone 2-3. West Chickenbone to Lake Ritchie Canoe...

Pvibe,

The Greenstone has plenty of great information: https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/ ... r_2020.pdf

Also see Jim DuFresne's Foot Trails and Water Routes book.

Torpified - a fine bit of writing.

So true. Actually, I'm happy to see those groups of excited teenagers and young families headed over to the island with their brand new gear for the first time. Or older folks having an adventure by staying in Rock Harbor for a few days. There's still plenty of solitude for a paddler on the inland l...

An absolute treat.

Clearly a great choice.

I guess it's a little selfish of me to cringe a bit at the added publicity though...

I've recently become a fan of Mount Hagen instant coffee. It comes in the same little envelopes as the Starbucks Via, but I think it's a definite step up. Some folks might want to use two of the envelopes for about 8 oz of coffee (I use one envelope for 6 oz).

The president of my daughter's college was giving a talk on the benefits (and risks) of a liberal arts education. He recalled making that phone call, some 25 years ago, that every parent of an undergraduate dreads: "Mom, Dad -- I've decided to change my major to philosophy".

I decided on the Garmin inReach Mini. On sale now for $100 off, which is nice.

The Greenstone has a lot of great information to orient you: https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/upload/ISRO_Web_Accessible_Greenstone_Newspaper_2020.pdf I would not recommend Isle Royale as your first wilderness backpacking trip. You would probably have a more enjoyable trip if you were based at...

Looks like a book I'd like to read on the island next summer.