Search found 191 matches

by backwoods doc
Sat Jul 17, 2021 4:27 pm
Forum: Trails & Campsites
Topic: Lake Ritchie Algae Bloom
Replies: 16
Views: 4596

Re: Lake Ritchie Algae Bloom

Which campsite on Richie? Regular or canoe?
by backwoods doc
Wed Jul 14, 2021 8:23 am
Forum: Gear & Supplies
Topic: late July canoe trip: packs, sleeping bag
Replies: 8
Views: 3171

Re: late July canoe trip: packs, sleeping bag

Brittanyp_10 wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 8:59 pm We're still planning our itinerary.
Hmm. I hope you've made ferry reservations, including any legs circumnavigating the island on the Voyageur II to get to good drop-off/pick-up spots. Word is that there are few if any spots left.
by backwoods doc
Mon Jul 12, 2021 2:39 pm
Forum: Wildlife
Topic: '20-21 Wolf Moose Study report
Replies: 5
Views: 2104

Re: '20-21 Wolf Moose Study report

Very nice. And accessible to the non-wildlife biologist.
by backwoods doc
Sun Jul 11, 2021 11:30 am
Forum: Gear & Supplies
Topic: late July canoe trip: packs, sleeping bag
Replies: 8
Views: 3171

Re: late July canoe trip: packs, sleeping bag

We use true backpacks on canoe trips to IR -- much more suited to the relatively long portages -- and likewise put our clothes and sleeping bags in watertight bags within our packs. So I think your 65L packs sound great. I would opt for a colder weather sleeping bag. We've seen low temps in the high...
by backwoods doc
Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:54 pm
Forum: General Questions and Miscellaneous
Topic: Crowd size
Replies: 4
Views: 2029

Crowd size

I keep hearing about national park attendance setting records. What has people's experience been with numbers of visitors to IR this summer?
by backwoods doc
Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:23 am
Forum: Transportation & Lodging
Topic: Construction on Rt 61
Replies: 4
Views: 2964

Re: Construction on Rt 61

Confirmation from the owners of the Outpost Motel, located just north of Grand Marais: "It is east (north) of our motel and between us and the ferry in Grand Portage. Typically it takes about a half hour to get there from here, but we have been telling people to allow for at least 45 minutes.&q...
by backwoods doc
Wed Jul 07, 2021 1:22 pm
Forum: Trails & Campsites
Topic: Tents in Shelters
Replies: 13
Views: 3977

Re: Tents in Shelters

Not clear to me why a picnic table ever needs to be moved inside a shelter.
by backwoods doc
Wed Jul 07, 2021 1:12 am
Forum: General Questions and Miscellaneous
Topic: Sandals on Greenstone Ridge
Replies: 15
Views: 4604

Re: Sandals on Greenstone Ridge

We wear sport sandals while canoeing the inland lakes -- the kind with the rubber toe covering. They work great for getting in and out of a Kevlar canoe without beaching it (or getting boots wet), but also provide enough toe protection for the portage trails.
by backwoods doc
Thu Jun 24, 2021 12:42 pm
Forum: General Questions and Miscellaneous
Topic: Campfires
Replies: 7
Views: 2480

Re: Campfires

I just called the park office, directed them to this thread, received a message of gratitude and a promise that these concerns would be passed on to park law enforcement and the rangers doing the orientation talks.
by backwoods doc
Wed Jun 16, 2021 4:03 pm
Forum: Trip Reports
Topic: TR 5/31-6/8, 2021. MC-LR-CHx2-IL-WL-MBx2 [solo canoe]
Replies: 7
Views: 2658

Re: TR 5/31-6/8, 2021. MC-LR-CHx2-IL-WL-MBx2 [solo canoe]

Thanks. Our plan has been McCargoe to West Chickenbone to Richie to Intermediate to Wood to Malone. Now we're trying to decide whether to paddle right through Richie versus carry in enough water to spend one night there. I haven't seen any advice about staying out of Richie altogether (just not filt...
by backwoods doc
Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:58 am
Forum: Gear & Supplies
Topic: How much TP do you pack?
Replies: 8
Views: 4049

Re: How much TP do you pack?

FYI: Outhouses are reportedly not stocked with toilet paper this year.

https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/ ... vid-19.htm
by backwoods doc
Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:27 pm
Forum: Trip Reports
Topic: TR (5/31-6/7, 2021): Ishpeming, Feldtmann---and some commuting
Replies: 20
Views: 5943

Re: TR (5/31-6/7, 2021): Ishpeming, Feldtmann---and some commuting

Thoroughly enjoyable series of posts. But I feel I must protest. As someone who spent countless hours during grad school observing the mating behavior of voles, I can definitively state that they look nothing like ugly squirrels. (By the way, those observations were research-oriented, not a peculiar...
by backwoods doc
Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:34 am
Forum: Trip Reports
Topic: TR 5/31-6/8, 2021. MC-LR-CHx2-IL-WL-MBx2 [solo canoe]
Replies: 7
Views: 2658

Re: TR 5/31-6/8, 2021. MC-LR-CHx2-IL-WL-MBx2 [solo canoe]

Great report. I love the idea of ditching your canoe and hiking to Chippewa Harbor for a day or two -- I'm going to file that away for future use.

I hope to be in that neck of the woods about 5 weeks from now. Did you see any evidence of the algae bloom in Lake Richie?
by backwoods doc
Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:23 am
Forum: General Questions and Miscellaneous
Topic: Very young children
Replies: 2
Views: 1407

Re: Very young children

Tough question. If the rest of the family/group are experienced wilderness campers/backbackers/paddlers, it could work out great. But I'd do a test run car camping first. A great suggestion someone once made on this forum was for families with small kids to camp for 1-3 nights at Washington Harbor (...
by backwoods doc
Tue Jun 08, 2021 11:13 am
Forum: Trails & Campsites
Topic: Bathing
Replies: 7
Views: 2712

Re: Bathing

I pack a lightweight swim suit for bathing/swimming. It doubles as a pair of shorts on unseasonably warm days, or when dry and worn under rain pants, as a second pair of pants if my primary pair are wet.

IR is remote, but still a public place.