June 2020 First timers w/kids Itinerary review

[silvershamrocks]

Thanks in advance for any comments. We have been pouring over the forums, Jim’s book, and the National Geo Map. My husband went to an REI presentation today to gain additional insight.

For 2020 we recently decided to scrap a two week planned vacation to Yellowstone during the busiest time of the year to embark on a family backpacking adventure on Isle Royale. Everyone is excited and now the serious planning begins!

We are planning to backpack this June with our 4 kids (18,16,12,8 ) Younger kids have zero backpacking experience, but have done numerous, long, day hikes in Acadia for the past 4 summers. Older girls have done above plus backpacked at Manitou and on NCT. We plan to do an 10-15 mile overnight test run of our gear before embarkation. Hoping this trip will be a beginning, not an end to our family backpacking experiences. Any advice or critique is helpful!
This is our plan...
Saturday Day 1- Arrive RH via Queen IV, take water taxi to CH
Day 2- Hike CH to MB
Day 3- Hike MB to DF
Day 4- Hike DF to LC
Day 5- Hike LC to RH
Day 6- Stay at RH lodge/ or hopefully cottages and explore eastern area

[Ingo]

Sounds like a great plan. If you find yourselves thinking that LC may be too much, you can always drop back down to Three Mile from Mt Franklin instead. Do be prepared for ample skeeters and black flies that time of year--headnets are light and cheap insurance.

[torpified]

That looks like an excellent plan, and it sounds like your team is well prepared for it!

For a fee, the RH Lodge will store gear (but not food) for you while you're on the backpacking part of the trip. So you can bring things for lodge/cottage phase of the trip that you won't need to lug around the whole island with you. And I bet that phase will be a big hit: I love taking a victory lap around RH after having improbably survived another backpacking trip.

[Ingo]

For a fee, the RH Lodge will store gear ...

I don't believe there's a fee if you have reservations with them. But best to double check.

[hooky]

I like that route. Lots of Superior campsites and the RH victory lap is a great idea.

[silvershamrocks]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I was able to snag a cottage at the end. For reference, it is $3.50 per day to store a bag and it cannot contain food, fuel or be in excess of 25lbs. No freebies for reservations.

[Ingo]

No freebies for reservations.

Noted.
I'll be sail camping on Rock Harbor while you're there. Be sure to say Hi if we cross paths . Small white traditional looking sailboat with dark sails.

[Base654]

Having two days at RH you (or just the older kids) might want to loop out to Suzy's cave on the Tobin harbor trail and back on the Rock Harbor trail. It's a nice no pack stroll and the two trails are very different. When you get into RH check to see what the rangers will be giving presentations on and when the will be given. There are trips to Edison fishery/moose research station and others on the Sandy.

https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/ ... -tours.htm

Be aware, if you are going early June, that some snow and ice is not unusual in shaded north facing areas. Night time temps near the big lake can be to high 30s to low to mid 40s with records in the 20s (my first trip the low was 22 per my thermometer, in late May many years ago).

[thesneakymonkey]

Looks like a good plan!! Have a blast. Bring long sleeves and pants for the bugs in June.