I am the sort of person who you'll sometimes come across on the trail, standing and staring into the woods because I thought I saw something interesting. Still have no clue what those boxes are for, though!

I'm curious to know who else has some good mystery photos!

@Kelly -- hmmm, that looks familiar. Maybe somewhere along the Rock Harbor trail (like the Siskiwit mine)? I have no idea what the boxes are for though.

torpified wins! (And Kelly is a close second by about 2 minutes.) This is the powderhouse on Senter Point, which stored explosives for the Island Mine. It's an easy and well-worth-it bushwhack. Kelly - when posting, click "Full Editor & Preview" and then upload a photo using the "...

Since I imagine many of us are dreaming about future trips, here's a little game to play.

Post a photo from somewhere in the park, and the rest of us will try to figure out where it is.

I'll start -- if you've been here, you know it:

Another +1 - I like the higher gain that makes night shots much clearer and more interesting.

Rock Harbor is a very large campground, with easy access from the Ranger's dock. There's a 1-night stay limit at most times, so be sure to consider that in your planning. Like all Isle Royale campgrounds, it's actually a collection of separate tent sites (and some shelters), and in busy seasons peop...

Hm, that's an interesting question! In my mind, "through-hike" only makes sense for linear trails -- things like the AT, NCT, PCT, etc. Trails where you can walk the whole thing in one long line. So, at least in my book, the term "through hike" doesn't really apply to a place lik...

Hi Dana, and welcome! NO wheeled vehicles can be brought to the island, including bicycles. You'll have to hike or paddle. (Edit: This is because it's a federally recognized wilderness area.) Wolf sightings are extremely rare. They've seemed to be up slightly this year (based entirely on anecdotes),...

I’d never processed before that the ridges on IR slope south. Thanks! I spent many years hiking around the Keweenaw peninsula, where all of the ridges slope gently to the north. If you're bushwhacking around the Cliffs on the mainland, you have to consider whether you're heading towards the steep s...

I'm sorry to hear that -- I had no idea that IncaRoads owned Midwest Mountaineering (Edit: And it turns out Inca isn't! See below.). For the couple of years that I was at the U, I enjoyed shopping there. Being so close to campus was a real benefit.

Thanks, it works! That was a lot of fun to look at. Interesting details I noticed beyond what's mentioned above: - No marked campgrounds at Feldtmann, Island Mine, East Chickenbone, Lake Richie, North Desor, Little Todd, or Lane Cove -- maybe informal or off-trail camping was expected? Also looks li...

Neat photo, and map too. The link wants me to request access -- could you allow anybody with the link to view it? I'd love to look at the map up close.

Water is readily available to be filtered at campgrounds, and not many other places. So I agree with Ingo, pack 2 Liters and plan to use it all day. Since you're staying on Lake Superior each night, you'll have easy access to good water for filtering.

Thanks, Kelly! Glad that you're enjoying them! (Next up: Late July Slackpacking trip to the Porcupine Mountains, but it will take a few weeks for me to post...)

Hi all, it's taken a long time, but I just finished writing a detailed series of blog posts about my May trip to the west end. I apologize for just linking to my own blog, but these are much too long to post here (and I couldn't get all the photos in). Quick summary: A mostly sunny and cold late-May...