Need Itinerary Help! 4 night trip in early August

[onthomas]

First time post from a newbie who is going to IR in August. I'd love some feedback on my planned itinerary since I've been doing some research of my own and want to make sure my plan to cross the GRT isn't too ambitious. If you have any feedback at all, please throw it in there!

My friend and I have moderate backpacking experience. She's more experienced than I am, but I've done some multiday trips in NE recently. I think we'll be fine to handle 10+ mile days, but neither of us have been to IR before.

Currently our plan is:
Day 1 (Aug 7)
Arrive on Voyageur to Rock Harbor at 3
Hike to Daisy Farms (7.1 mi)

Day 2
Hike from Daisy Farms to Chickenbone West (7.9 mi)

Day 3
Hike from Chickenbone West to Lake Desor South (15 mi)

Day 4
Desor South to Washington Creek (11.3 mi)

Day 5 (Aug 11)
Huginnin Cove trail if time and out on the Sea Hunger at 2 pm

Alternatively, we could go Chickenbone West to Hatchet Lake (7.9 mi); Hatchet Lake to Island Mine (13 mi); and Island Mine to Windigo (7 mi). Might be leaning toward this to have more even days of hiking, but have heard subpar things about Island Mine and water sources (has anyone been recently?)

What's the long stretch of the Greenstone Ridge trail like conditions-wise? Is it something people usually tend to break up more, or is a long haul ok? We don't want our hike to be absolutely grueling, but we are there to hike.

Does anyone have suggestions or comments on if this seems doable, even if the weather turns a little bit? Thanks!

[bobcat]

S. Desor is a much nicer campground than Island Mine. I like your Plan 1, especially the extra day at the end. If you are concerned about the daily mileage, another option is to have the Voyager drop you at McCargoe Cove and hike back to Windigo. That would look like McCargoe to Todd Harbor, Todd Harbor over to South Desor, and on into Windigo.

[torpified]

Given your account of your backgrounds, Plan A looks doable to me. Where in NE have you hiked? My basis of comparison is mostly VT, NH, and the Adirondacks. With respect to trails in those places, I feel like IR has less up-and-down and less technical treadways (which isn't to say that you won't be called upon to navigate roots, rocks, and mud while on the island).

A virtue of your disjunctive options is that you don't really need to decide which option you'll exercise until you reach the S Desor turnoff on Day 3, at which point you'll have tons more information about everything. Totally subjective: I feel like the GRT westbound is anti-climactic, so building in a day for the Huginnin Loop---which touches Lake Superior!--might add an exclamation point missing from Plan B. Either way, you're going to have great fun.

PLEASE FILE A TRIP REPORT WHEN YOU'RE DONE. Some people are wasting away due to want of IR trip reports.

[Base654]

So here is a personal opinion that contradicts Bobcat1 (no offence). I prefer Island Mine over S. Desor. I have an affinity for birch forests, island mine is in the middle of one. there is a nice babbling brook(rushing 3 weeks ago) nearby for water and exploring. Island mine also has fire rings.

The chunk from hatchet to Island mine is the most difficult section of your trip there is a lot of up and down, not big climbs 20-30-60 feet, but there t adds up on my old bones. I like to start fresh and early and take my time. I am back about 3 weeks from a trip opposite of yours. I flew to Windigo, stayed at Island Mine, Hatchet, West Chickenbone, Daisy and Rock harbor.

[bobcat]

We all have our favorites. I like S.Desor for the swimming beach over at the group sites, the big log down at water’s edge for filtering water , and it is a gorgeous lake. Someday I am going to packraft on Lake Desor to get from S to N. I was gonna mention the fire rings at Island Mine though. And the birch forest is nice especially in the fall when the leaves are turning.