For backpacking, Folger's singles is what I usually take, but at times I have taken a ziplock bag of whole beans, ground them up in the bottom of my cup & then put them in a coffee filter wrapped closed w/a twist tie and steeped it in a cup of boiling water. For scout trips with access to a cole...

I always wear a nylon web BDU belt with a slip tension buckle. If my hip belt breaks, I can use the BDU belt as a substitute.

A shelter is my first choice; but I wouldn't let it influence my choice of campgrounds. My first trip I stayed the first night at Lane Cove; no shelters there, but beautiful and quiet.

ScoutDad, how about an alcohol stove. My buddy and I usually take along a white gas stove, but I'm going to be taking my son on his first hiking trip at the end of May (unfortunately, not to I.R. this time) and we built a lightweight alcohol stove. I figured it would be a cool father/son project an...

My first backingpacking trip also was on IR and I was 44 overwieght smoker with two teenagers so you should do just fine. I'd suggest Lane Cove. It was my favorite on that first trip. I agree on Lane Cove as a beautiful, tranquil place... First trip with my son we hiked Rock Harbor to Lane Cove via...

Great ideas!

I took a 200 ounce sears laundry detergent bottle and cut 4 inches off of the bottom of the rectangular bottom. It's a mini sink, water scoop, laundry tub that fits neatly in the bottom of my pack.

Anyone care to share what homemade gear or gadgets they've made or adapted for the trail? I'm always looking for good ideas to share with my scouts! One item I made was an external frame quick repair kit: I cut four- 6" lengths of straight coathanger and bent about 3/4 " of each end all th...

It's great that you are spending time with your daughter backpacking. My daughter was 15, then 17 during out 2 trips to Isle Royale. I even made her drive part of the way to and from on the last trip. I gotta be fair... I took my son in 2002 & 2004...it's her turn now! :) I'm the lucky one...I ...

I was looking into the Ft. Wilkins State park myself, primarily from a cost standpoint. Approximately how far is it from the docks? I'm just trying to determine whether or not the cost savings would be justifiable (jumping in a hotel room after an 11 hr drive and sleeping on a bed versus setting up...

Hi Matt: Lots of places availabe in the area, you can view them at http://www.copperharbor.org/lodging_s.html I've heard & read good things about the King Copper Motel, and have booked a room there myself for early August; it's right next to the dock. I stayed at the Lake Fanny Hooe Lakeside Mot...

Name: Rob & Marie Email: rc45102 (at) hotmail.com Hometown: Amelia (Cinti.) Ohio Arrival Date: August 11, 2009 Departure Date: August 14, 2009 Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor/IR Queen IV/Rock Harbor Itinerary: My daughter's first backpacking trip, my third to IR: Driving Monday from the Les Chene...

Ditto to Isle Royale Rob's comments... The forums seem fine to me...but I have DSL at home, T1 at work (when I can sneak on!).

And, let me know when you're taking donations!

When backpacking with my scouts, two adults carry the same filter so we can swap parts in case of breakage. When alone (one filter) I planned for a lightweight backup water purification system... I wanted to carry Aqua-Mira, but the chemical purifier alone won't take care of the tapeworm eggs that m...

Isle Royale Trip July 19-23 2004 Scout Dad & Scouts from B.S. Troop ----------------------------------- July 18- Arrived at Ft. Wilkins with seven boy scouts in tow; (4 adult leaders, 7 kids) The registration office warned us about bears hanging around the campsites, and to secure our food in o...

This is a report of the first trip my 11 year old son and I took in 2002 July 6 - July 10, 2002 Friday July 5th 2002 Arrived at Copper Harbor and stayed overnight at Lake Fanny Hooe Lodge/Hotel and had dinner at the Tamarack Restaurant-chopped steak and Scoutkid had his standard; chicken strips and...