Why Isle Royale?

Questions on general information and things that do not fit into any other categories.

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trailgoat
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Why Isle Royale?

Post by trailgoat »

As I get ready to make my 4th trek to the island (July 11-18), I've been asked by a number of people why I keep going back, year-after-year. When I tell them there's something very special about Isle Royale, I get raised eyebrows and confused looks. So, I've been thinking about it. Why do I return to the island again and again?

For me, it's a combination of things. Certainly, the beauty of the island is infectious. There's nothing like seeing the outline of Isle Royale in the fog after a 3 1/2 hour boat ride. You know the feeling. Excitement. Nervousness. Anticipation of again setting foot on such remote soil. I'm yet to visit a place where that feeling is reproduced.

The moose, wolves and loons are also a major draw for me. They're the epitome of the north woods. Their presence is immediately comforting to me. I know I'll see only a handful of moose, but that's ok. I know they're out there. Same with the wolves. I'll likely never have an encounter, but knowing I could is an amazing feeling. Loons? They're just about the coolest water fowl ever.

Pine trees. Ah, yes. Pine trees. I love them. They're immediately comforting to me.

The entire landscape is incredible. The lakes. THE lake. The rocks. Some of the most gorgeous views in the country.

What about you guys (and gals!)? What is the allure of this amazing place? I remember during my first trip, I met someone on the boat who told me "Once you go to Isle Royale, you'll keep coming back!" Man, was he right.
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by niners »

In addition to the things mentioned above, I think one of the big draws for me is the remote nature of the island and all that it's location brings. You have to really want to go there to get there. That fact limits the numbers and types of people you encounter. The remote location also helps to protect the island and keep it on the wilder side. Many National Parks are treated more like tourist attractions than wilderness areas.
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by moss13 »

I can relate to getting "the raised eyebrow look". I have a few friends and co workers give me that look when I mention past trips to Isle Royale. The thought of camping on an island surrounded by Lake Superior where there are no roads or cars is something they can't imagine ever doing. They say that is completely crazy. If they were to go more than 30 minutes without use of a cell phone or text message they would think armageddon was coming. Luckily I do have a couple of friends that do appreciate trips to places like Isle Royale. It seems harder to find folks that are into outdoor recreation over video games or something computer related. While I admit I am somewhat of a "gadget" nerd and do enjoy the benefits of computer technology, I made a commitment 3 years ago that before I park my butt in front of the computer, I have to "earn" it by stopping at the gym after work and doing some sort of exercise for an hour or if the weather is good, go for a hike or run. It seems to work for me. Plus I want to be in fairly decent shape when I get to Isle Royale. I remember my first trip to Isle Royale. I was out of shape and never really prepared for it like I should have. I will never forget the hike from Daisy Farm to the Ojibway Tower. I was huffing and puffing once I got to the tower. We went up to the top and just sat there for about an hour, exhausted but we were treated to the most incredible sunset I had ever seen. It was so calming and peaceful, we did not want to leave but it was starting to get dark. Well we ended up staying and watching the sunset to the end and luckily had a flashlight with us. So we hiked back to Daisy Farm in the dark. It was fun though. Not recommended without a headlamp or flashlight.

So I would say that the sunset at Ojibway tower was the biggest first impression of Isle Royale and after that I was hooked. The boat ride around the whole island was great also. The lighthouses are a big draw for me also. I love the smell of the pine trees, the sound of the wind blowing through the pine trees, the call of a loon, hearing a wolf howl while at Chippewa Harbor, the remoteness of the island. The eerie feeling I had when going around Blake Point although it was fairly calm and I was in the VII. The feeling of accomplishing something after a hike or day paddling, seeing new sights and getting back to camp sitting in front of a campfire discussing the days highlights with friends while preparing a good meal. The views of the lakes, the remote feeling on a portage trail,the smell of a campfire, the fall colors on the island. Oh and I can't forget my favorite wildlife animal, the moose! I think they are just incredible creatures, as are the wolves. To me the portage trail from Lake Whittlesey to Wood Lake was especially scenic in October of 2006. The remote feeling of paddling Wood Lake, Whittlesey and Chippewa Harbor in October. You feel like you have the island to yourself.

It is such a different world than the everyday routine I am used to in a fast paced frenzy of a city that I truly look forward to trips like this to get back to basics at a slower pace and really appreciate what a wilderness like this has to offer and try to imagine what life was like to live on this incredible island years ago. It may sound boring to some, but to me it has a satisfying and calming effect like no other.
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by Nick »

Abraham Maslow, a motivation theorist, identified a hierarchy of needs. It is often described as a pyramid. Each need builds on the lower one. Time spent on each need decreases as you go up the pyramid. It looks something like this:
Maslow.jpg
Maslow.jpg (12.19 KiB) Viewed 7257 times
For me, Isle Royale lets me experience each of Maslow's needs: Most of the time, I'm focusing on the physical needs: food, clothing, shelter, warmth. Then, once I've found my camp site and set up, I've satisfied my safety needs. I find that this takes about 80% of my time on IR. Then, I always meet someone in the camp or on the trail and engage in conversation. This satisfies the social needs. Of course, the first questions are always, "Where you headed; how long you been out; where are you from?" This satisfies the desire be be an individual different from others you meet. Then, there is IR Self Actualization: accomplishing in life what you set out to do. Those self actualization moments are the wolf sightings, and for me (not yet done) having hiked all 155 miles of trails on the island (15 miles to go) and paddling around the Island (in stages, I'm about 1/3 done). Then, when I leave the Island, planning for the needs for next year starts.

Oh, and I especially like meeting loons---like JohnH. He can tell you how the pyramid works. When we met last May, we found shelters (physical needs met) and we knew that we would have those shelters for a couple of days (security needs met). The four of us (JohnH, Trish, my daughter Kat and I) enjoyed a "pot luck" dinner and chatted (social needs met). Then, we cleared the table to see who was the best Phase 10 player (esteem needs met). After I beat JohnH 10 straight games, I went out on the shore in front of the shelter and did the "Happy Dance." (self-actualization--accomplishing what you set out to do in life). Of course, Maslow says we are never fully self-actualized. Once we meet the goal, we set new ones. For me, it will be catching a bigger fish than he does this summer! I can't wait to prove once and for all that mine is bigger than his... :mrgreen:
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by Isle Royale Rob »

There is no place like it! The isolation, the solitude of the island, the history of the island, the wolves & moose, the people I meet on the island, the fact that it is one of the least visited parks in the country, Lake Superior, Birch tree forests, Pine forests, bogs, orange rocks, the sounds of the island, these some of the reason why I go back to Isle Royale. There are many more reasons as well and some I am sure I haven't figured out yet!
I love the sound of the loon as well. It gives me chills when i hear it! Still waiting to hear a wolf howl!
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by fonixmunkee »

Hrm, for me it's a ton of things that make IR great, just like it is with many others I'm sure.

From the drive up the North Shore with three other good backpacking friends--or when I'm lucky, my girlfriend--to laying on the dock at Daisy farm staring at the stars and feeling some completely alone yet fully in tune with everything. From having a few beers at the bar before catching the boat the next day and talking about how great past trips were, all the way to making a cast into the pure flat-mirror surface of Lake Feldtmann. From sitting on the back of the VII in the freezing lake air on the way out, to climbing to the top of the Minong and watching the park spread out beneath me and feeling the exhilaration of being so completely removed from day-to-day life.

You could probably get those same feeling at many other places in the world....I've been to some some of these places, and they are truly breath-taking. Isle Royale has these sights as well, but you have to earn them. You don't take a bus to the sights on IR. You don't get a tour guide. You don't often seen those same sights on a postcard. You have to earn those sights. You have to work for that breath-taking moment. All the planning and preparing and energy and time get you this one, perfect moment that you deserve to keep to yourself, and only a few others get to enjoy that same one.

I think that's why Isle Royale.
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by philranger »

I enjoy the preparation it takes to get there. From food shopping to the long drive to the boat ride. The anticipation of reaching the dock and listening to the Rangers explain the LNT spiel again. I like introducing this place to new people like my friend Jerry, my 75 year old Scoutmaster Terry and my 15, now 17 year old daughter Kari.

I enjoy all the people I meet. I know they have made the same journey I have. They left their vehicles, computers and cell phones back at the dock and have come here to find relaxation and solitude. To the old familar faces like the VII captain Mike to Rangers Valerie and Karena. To all the people on this forum who offer suggestions and share my passion.

Then there's the views. Each corner of the trail brings you to something new and interesting. From the canopy of maple trees to the view high above Feldtmann Lake to the moose sightings to the panoramic views from the shorelines.

But the greatest reason I come back is because this place is unspoiled and I haven't seen but a sliver of it. I get back home and I start thinking about next years' trip. Each trip is different and I have grown confident and secure in my ability to survive here. I will continue to return as long as my legs and health allow me to.
Isle Royale Trips: 2005-RH to Windigo via Greenstone. 2006-McCargoe Cove to Chippewa Harbor. 2007-RH to Daisy Farm and back. 2008-Feltmann loop. 2009-McCargoe Cove to Chippewa Harbor. 2013-Minong Ridge. 2014-Windigo+Huginnin Cove. 2015-Lookout Louise to LC to DF to MB. 2018-McCargoe to Todd to HL to Malone Bay. 2021-Windigo/Huginnin. 2022-RH-DF-MB-CH
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by trailgoat »

Great stuff, you guys! Thanks for your thoughts. I agree with absolutely everything you've posted....and then some. It's so wonderful to know there are others who share the same passion for Isle Royale as I do. :)

philranger--

I, too, will continue to return until my body is unable to. I must. The island is part of me now.
"In wildness is the preservation of the world."

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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by Isle Royale Rob »

hiked 2000, hiked 2001, boater in 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011, solo hiked 2016, boater 2018, boater 2021, Boater 2022
10years=90days!!!
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by johnhens »

Back in the 70's there was an article about Isle Royale in National Geographic. I read the article and thought outside of going to interior Canada and Alaska, this has to be one of the wildest places in the lower 48- and is within a days drive!
I went and I have kept going back.
I have been asked why I keep returning and the best answer I can come up with requires a few beers and pictures to start to explain. But mostly it is a feeling about a special place that does not go away when I leave. Perhaps it is akin to your first love, you never forget her!! :)
It is the remotenes of the location.
It is meeting people who share the passion for the place.
It is the history of the Island.
It is the wolf-moose study.
It is talking to people on the ferrry about their first trip to IR and seeing the look in their eyes as they relate their experiences of seeing their first moose or hearing wolves howl at night on the return trip on the ferry.
It is taking a tape recorder to record loons calling at Moskey and after they stop, playing the tape and having the loons start up again!!!
It is looking into the eyes of a wolf for the first time.
It is seeing a calf take it s first swim in the Cold waters of Superior.
It is seeing plants that you have to travel to the artic circle to see.
It is wondering how did these animals get here?
It is seeing familiar faces of the Park Staff.
It is talking to Capt. Don in the Spring when making Voyageur reservations, begining the seemingly long wait to the day we head North again.
It is remembering the views from Mt Ojbway Tower and Feldtmann Tower.
It is sitting in my sleeping bag safe and warm in a shelter watching a heller of a storm come in from the lake.
It is spending a bonus day on the Island becuase the ferry is storm bound!!
It is running into a friend you met on IR years before and after hearing of their world adventures, them saying it is their favorite place too!!
It is the anticipation of Winter Study now that it can be followed on line!!
The taste of a thimbleberry.
An Oberron and a cheeseburger while sitting on the deck at the snack shop.
It is watching Tricia catch her first Northern.
The feeling and taste of the ice cold water in Spring.
It is seeing ice and snow in the rocks on the North side in May.
It is being at a campsite alone and feeling that you are the only person on IR at the time!!!
It is hearing the adventures of those who were fortunate to spend their chidhoods there.
It is knowing that IR has one of the lowest Vistor rates and the highest return rates.
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by Backpacker534 »

I get funny looks and comments from quite a few people including my wife, my dad and co-workers whenever I mention hiking, especially Isle Royale since it is even more remote than the other places I've been. I guess everyone has their own likes and dislikes and hobbies. But, people who haven't been there will probably never truly understand why people like us enjoy the island as much as we do.
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by loreeh »

I agree with you all. This will be my 5th summer in a row going there and maybe twice this year. 1st I'm going alone. I've just had the crazy desire to do that. Last summer with my 15 year old son I just wanted some down time from him, but I imagine I'll miss him and all the work he helps me do. I've camped alone a few times, kayaked and just really liked the solitude. This time will be different though because I'll really be in the wilderness and wonder how quiet June will be? Since I've been coming to IR it just got in my blood and I'm always sad leaving. I can't wait to start planning for the next trip. I really gets me going when we submit our vacation requests in Jan. and than the planning really starts. I don't have too many friends who want to come or that only want to come a couple days, well my longest trip was 10 nights and I loved it. I'm trying to decide between 6 and 8 nights. My friends think I'm crazy going alone but I really have to get it out of my system. The last couple summers I met and talked with a couple womem who were hiking solo and they loved it. I really enjoy a good meal and a beer at the end too. It gives you something to look forward to at the end of your journey. A friend and I are talking about canoeing in July or 1st of August. I was thinking of going in Rock Harbor and work our way to Moskey or would going on the north side be better and give us better variety? I'm not sure I could do the portage from Duncan to Tobin. I've been in BWCA but they're measured in rods so don't remember the longest portage I was on. Happy planning!!
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by moss13 »

Loreeh,
I am planning a canoe trip as well for sometime in August to Isle Royale. I think both the south side and north side have great paddling options. I am planning on starting at Belle Island and working my way to Rock Harbor and if I have time paddling Rock Harbor to Caribou Island, Daisy Farm or even Moskey. That very well may be 2 different trips to cover all that and really see the area, so I am going to focus on the north side for now. I hear the Five Fingers area is a paddlers paradise, so I am looking forward to seeing that area. I plan to bring a friend but I will go solo if need be. I have done 2 solo trips in the BWCA and it is a whole different world when out there alone. It can be very rewarding, but you really have to focus and be extra cautious out there. I do enjoy solo trips but do prefer friends to go with. I plan to do the Duncan Tobin portage to get to Rock Harbor for the first time this year.
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by JonG »

This is a great read here, thanks to the OP. I can relate to everyone's reasons for their love affair with IR. My addition to this thread is small, many have already eloquently mirrored many of my reasons for returning to the island, but one of the big draws IR has for me is that it awakens in me a feeling of being alive like no other place I've visited has done before. The daily rituals and habits of everyday life are forgotten. A more primitive, close to nature relationship occurs where I feel more exposed,more vulnerable, less in control and more at the mercy of nature. Some of my best memories of IR are the times I was the most physically exhausted, emotionally spent, and mentally stressed. The spill on the Minong between N. Lake Desor and Windigo on my first very overloaded trip where I was so exhausted it took me 10 minutes of laying on my back on my backpack like a turtle on its shell before I could muster strength to get up. The time in late September hearing a bull moose thrashing some hapless conifers with his rack just yards away. Having a short but intense stare down with a wolf. Getting caught in an Isle Royale thunderstorm while up on an exposed ridge. Tromping through the ankle deep river of water along what was the flooded out Rock Harbor trail. Having a 35 pound pack turn into a 60 pound pack during a rainstorm because I had left my pack cover at home. These experiences,though not so pleasurable at the time,have been growing experiences that make me feel so much more alive than I do at home most of the time and given me treasured memories.

In addition,for me, there is a spiritual side of visiting Isle Royale. The power and beauty of God's handiwork is on splendid display here. Here is a place that is only partially adulterated by man's existence. The awesome ground shaking thunderstorms, tree snapping winds, northern lights, cry of the wolf and song of a loon, sunset at Lane Cove or Todd Harbor, all to me make me so grateful to the Creator for giving us this incredible island to enjoy.
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Re: Why Isle Royale?

Post by MikeW »

I’ve read this thread countless times, all the while trying to think of the words to type to explain the lure of island. Nothing I’ve come up with seems to do it justice or hasn’t been said in a previous post. I’ve found myself nodding in agreement with everyone’s reasons, or jealous about the things I have not yet experienced on the island yet. I remember the first thing I said to my wife when I returned from my first trip in 2007: “This is going to be an annual trip”.

The are 2 comments here that really struck a chord with me.

johnhens: “But mostly it is a feeling about a special place that does not go away when I leave”.

JonG: “Some of my best memories of IR are the times I was the most physically exhausted, emotionally spent, and mentally stressed”

The days after my 2 times on the island have been spent reflecting what an amazing visit it was, and what will make the next one even better. Who hasn’t laid the groundwork planning next years trip on the way back to the mainland? I also see IR as a place of challenges and rewards. From the planning, to a full days travel to catch the boat/plane the next day, to whatever difficulties one might face on the island, nothing seems easy. But the greater the challenge, the greater reward, and everyday I’ve spent on the island I’ve been rewarded.

As for the raised eyebrows and confused looks? I’ve come to accept one thing about Isle Royale. You either get it or you don’t….and how sorry I feel for those who don’t.
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