Hello all,
I was hoping someone with some Isle experience could look over our proposed itinerary. We are 30 year old moderately fit individuals with a few backpacking trips under our belt, both out west and in the Midwest. We are going the 3rd week in June.
Day 1 - Arrive to Rock Harbor on the Queen and hike to Daisy
Day 2 Daisy to Chippewa Harbor (or McCargoe Cove)
Day 3 Chippewa Harbor (or McCargoe Cove) to Moskey
Day 4 Moskey to Lane Cove
Day 5 Lane Cove to Rock Harbor
Day 6 Day hike to Scoville Point and leave back to Copper Harbor.
Does this sound like a good use of days? Is it worth it to bring fishing gear for this route? If you had to choose would you rather stay at Chippewa Harbor or McCargoe Cove? Any other things we should consider?
Thanks
Rob
1st timer Itinerary
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JerryB
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Re: 1st timer Itinerary
Enjoy! I think Days 4 and 5 will be tough. (If you go to Lane Cove, the trip to RH is probably unavoidable. It is long and very doable--just did it in September. My real concern is the back-to-back long days.) Of course, it is doable, but why kill yourselves? The trail to Lane Cove is a long one and there will be a big climb out. McCargo--a great site--also does not seem to fit this itinerary well. In my view, the day hike to Scoville Point is fantastic.
Take a look at the trip reports on the site and you will get more ideas. Good luck and have fun.
Jerry
Take a look at the trip reports on the site and you will get more ideas. Good luck and have fun.
Jerry
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hooky
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Re: 1st timer Itinerary
Moskey to Lane will be a hump. Moskey is my favorite spot on the island, but it fills up quickly. The day hike to Scoville is very scenic.
I've never been to either Chippewa or McCargoe, so I'll give you my perspective as to which one I'd do as a first timer. Chippewa is a dead end, so you'll be seeing the same trail twice. I think I'd go see McCargoe and then head to Moskey via the west side of Chickenbone down through Lake Ritchie on your proposed itinerary.
You might consider RH to Lane (D1) to McCargoe (D2) to Moskey (D3) To Daisy (D4) to RH with a lookout Louise day hike (via rented canoe across harbor) (D5) and then Scoville day hike on the morning of day 6. You could also have the option of a zero day for weather or just because you like the camp and want an extra day at McCargoe or Moskey. Moskey to RH is a doable one day hike that time of year. You could lolligag at Daisy, 3 mile, the mine pits and still explore Suzy's on that one too.
Lane to McCargoe would give you some very sweeping views from the ridge line all day and that would be the only day where you'd have to carry a lot of water.
I've never been to either Chippewa or McCargoe, so I'll give you my perspective as to which one I'd do as a first timer. Chippewa is a dead end, so you'll be seeing the same trail twice. I think I'd go see McCargoe and then head to Moskey via the west side of Chickenbone down through Lake Ritchie on your proposed itinerary.
You might consider RH to Lane (D1) to McCargoe (D2) to Moskey (D3) To Daisy (D4) to RH with a lookout Louise day hike (via rented canoe across harbor) (D5) and then Scoville day hike on the morning of day 6. You could also have the option of a zero day for weather or just because you like the camp and want an extra day at McCargoe or Moskey. Moskey to RH is a doable one day hike that time of year. You could lolligag at Daisy, 3 mile, the mine pits and still explore Suzy's on that one too.
Lane to McCargoe would give you some very sweeping views from the ridge line all day and that would be the only day where you'd have to carry a lot of water.
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JerryB
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Re: 1st timer Itinerary
Chippewa versus McCargo would be an interesting debate. I would (slightly) prefer Chippewa and Moskey ahead of McCargo. But all are great. Hooky is right about Chippewa requiring some backtracking, but that trail is not too long.
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head2north
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Re: 1st timer Itinerary
Excitement, rounding the corner to 2016 Isle Royale Trips...
I am easy, any day on Isle Royale is a good use of a day. That being said, if I had all of your campgrounds on a list to visit, I would :
Day 1 - Arrive to Rock Harbor on the Queen and hike to Lane Cove
Day 2 - Lane Cove to McCargoe Cove (or Chickenbone West and fish (walleye/northern) shoreline trail on evening stroll to McCargoe)
Day 3 - McCargoe Cove (or ChickenBone West) to Chippewa Harbor
Day 4 - Chippewa Harbor to Moskey
Day 5 - Moskey to Rock Harbor
Day 6 - Day hike to Scoville Point and leave back to Copper Harbor.
Get to see 'em all
I am easy, any day on Isle Royale is a good use of a day. That being said, if I had all of your campgrounds on a list to visit, I would :
Day 1 - Arrive to Rock Harbor on the Queen and hike to Lane Cove
Day 2 - Lane Cove to McCargoe Cove (or Chickenbone West and fish (walleye/northern) shoreline trail on evening stroll to McCargoe)
Day 3 - McCargoe Cove (or ChickenBone West) to Chippewa Harbor
Day 4 - Chippewa Harbor to Moskey
Day 5 - Moskey to Rock Harbor
Day 6 - Day hike to Scoville Point and leave back to Copper Harbor.
Get to see 'em all
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Donk_67
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Re: 1st timer Itinerary
Isle Royale is worth the effort for sure...but it's not a cakewalk imho. Having done Lane Cove to Moskey -reverse of your itinerary- I can say it's a long day. Enjoy your trip.
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Base654
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Re: 1st timer Itinerary
Hi Rob,
Day one sounds great. You will get out ahead of most of the people getting off the boat as most will stop at three mile.
I like both of your choices for day two, but McCargoe is my second favorite site. I stop there every year, no matter my itinerrery.
Day three. Moskey is my favorite site on the island so far. (My next trip will be my first kayak trip of the five fingers and i may change my mind)
day four. Lane cove is pretty, but it's a long out and back for a high probabilty of power boats( not why I go to the island) but you do get to see the north side.
Day five and six you have to leave at some point. Always the sad point of my trips.
I will preface the following by stating you can never go wrong on the emerld isle and do what you want. I go to the island to relax and take in the nature. I won't impose my vaction ideals on you, but you have some long days of head down hiking planned, you might miss the beauty. If miles are what you are after, go for it! I like to have a planned down day that I can use at a quiet site, for a minor injury, or just laziness. I try to keep my last night at Daisy or three mile, this way I have an extra day back country. I break camp early to get to Rock harbor around 9:00. Six hours is plenty of time to shower, hit the shops and hike to Scoville point. The last day of my last three trips have been from Moskey to Rock harbor (empty pack, head down 5 hours, not for the faint of foot).
There is a lot of fishing to be had, but I have never had much luck fishing from shore except at Todd harbor (another favorite site).
I have seen more wildlife at McCargoe than anywhere else on the east end.
One of my favorite trips:
Day 1. Dasiy
Day 2. McCargo
Day 3. Todd ( or skip and stay at McCargo and Day hike chicken bone loop)
Day 4. Moskey
Day 5. Moskey (if you are as stupid as me) or three mile
Day 6. Rock harbour and depart
Everybody goes to Isle Royale for different reasons and to do different things, but all will tell you that you should consider this your fisrt trip, not you only trip. What yiu miss this time is a reason to come back next time.
Hwve fun
Rod
Day one sounds great. You will get out ahead of most of the people getting off the boat as most will stop at three mile.
I like both of your choices for day two, but McCargoe is my second favorite site. I stop there every year, no matter my itinerrery.
Day three. Moskey is my favorite site on the island so far. (My next trip will be my first kayak trip of the five fingers and i may change my mind)
day four. Lane cove is pretty, but it's a long out and back for a high probabilty of power boats( not why I go to the island) but you do get to see the north side.
Day five and six you have to leave at some point. Always the sad point of my trips.
I will preface the following by stating you can never go wrong on the emerld isle and do what you want. I go to the island to relax and take in the nature. I won't impose my vaction ideals on you, but you have some long days of head down hiking planned, you might miss the beauty. If miles are what you are after, go for it! I like to have a planned down day that I can use at a quiet site, for a minor injury, or just laziness. I try to keep my last night at Daisy or three mile, this way I have an extra day back country. I break camp early to get to Rock harbor around 9:00. Six hours is plenty of time to shower, hit the shops and hike to Scoville point. The last day of my last three trips have been from Moskey to Rock harbor (empty pack, head down 5 hours, not for the faint of foot).
There is a lot of fishing to be had, but I have never had much luck fishing from shore except at Todd harbor (another favorite site).
I have seen more wildlife at McCargoe than anywhere else on the east end.
One of my favorite trips:
Day 1. Dasiy
Day 2. McCargo
Day 3. Todd ( or skip and stay at McCargo and Day hike chicken bone loop)
Day 4. Moskey
Day 5. Moskey (if you are as stupid as me) or three mile
Day 6. Rock harbour and depart
Everybody goes to Isle Royale for different reasons and to do different things, but all will tell you that you should consider this your fisrt trip, not you only trip. What yiu miss this time is a reason to come back next time.
Hwve fun
Rod
Re: 1st timer Itinerary
Yes. I did this (basically) with two first-timers in July 2014. It was a great trip. For people staying less than 7 days, this is my recommendation.head2north wrote:Excitement, rounding the corner to 2016 Isle Royale Trips...
I am easy, any day on Isle Royale is a good use of a day. That being said, if I had all of your campgrounds on a list to visit, I would :
Day 1 - Arrive to Rock Harbor on the Queen and hike to Lane Cove
Day 2 - Lane Cove to McCargoe Cove (or Chickenbone West and fish (walleye/northern) shoreline trail on evening stroll to McCargoe)
Day 3 - McCargoe Cove (or ChickenBone West) to Chippewa Harbor
Day 4 - Chippewa Harbor to Moskey
Day 5 - Moskey to Rock Harbor
Day 6 - Day hike to Scoville Point and leave back to Copper Harbor.
Get to see 'em all
The hike to Chippewa Harbor is interesting, in a good way. It's a seldom used trail, somewhat overgrown, and has a fantasy story feel to it. You can visit the old school house the next morning (it's right there) & then take the short jaunt to Moskey. If you're feeling spirited you can go from Chippewa to Daisy, leaving a shorter hike back to Rock Harbor to enjoy a fresh beverage, ice cream, or other worldly pleasures.
During said 2014 trip, my plan was to rent a canoe and visit Lookout Louise, but the clouds in the sky would have made it a not-as-scenic view. We elected to day hike to Scoville & it was amazing! Definitely worth it! A few beers at the bar with some proud fishermen afterwards ended a great time.