TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong. 8/10/13 - 8/15/13

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philranger
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TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong. 8/10/13 - 8/15/13

Post by philranger »

Isle Royale trail report 2013

Kari and Wally tackle the Minong Ridge trail.

This was my 6th trip to the Island and Kari’s 3rd. We had planned on hiking the Minong back in 2011, but a hamstring injury ended any hopes of a backpacking trip. Fast forward to 2013 and there was a free week between Kari’s summer internship program and heading back to college.
“Looks like were heading to Isle Royale,” she said.

The drive up to Grand Portage was under partly cloudy skies and we encountered light showers just north of Duluth. We stopped in Grand Marias for dinner at the Angry Trout. We both opted for the cheeseburger, foregoing any fish or chicken dishes like we would eat on the trail.

Back on the road, we drove through Grand Portage and discovered the National Monument fort was hosting Rendezvous Days and Powwow. We drove over to the Hat Marina and discovered the entire upper lot was full. We planned to camp in the lot and set up our tent behind the office near the bathroom. There was a lone golden retriever guard dog who initially was interested in us, but quickly found other things to explore.

Just as dusk approached, a guy came out and asked, “What do you think you’re doing?” “We are getting on the VII in the morning,” I said. “Capt Fritz let us camp here back in 2005.” The guy would have none of that and sternly scolded us and told us we had to leave.

With tails between our legs, we packed up the car and headed down the road towards the field of RVs and tents set up by the casino. $16.25 later, we are setting up the tent again and preparing for a night of having cars drive by our heads and the fear a bear would come by. There was a bear trap set up in the corner of the field we were camping in.

Saturday, August 10, 2013.

Up early, we packed up our gear and drove to the Grand Portage Trading Post for some coffee. We joined the others in the lower parking lot at the Hat Marina and made our way to the dock. It looked like there would be a full boat heading over to the Island this morning. We were greeted by Captain Justin Phillips from Florida and Mate Ben Silence.

We were late in leaving because we were waiting for a group of 5, who showed up with minutes left before departure. With everyone on board, we headed off towards our Isle Royale adventure. The water was smooth and the boat was steady. Kari and I discussed itineraries with Souvanny and Dan from the Minneapolis area who were doing the Feltmann loop and then heading towards Rock Harbor.

We pulled into Windigo and got a shortened version of the L-N-T talk from Ranger AJ. Then it was off towards the Ranger station to get the permit. I was greeted by Ranger Valerie and she proceeded to hand write the trail permit instead of plugging it into the computer like on previous trips.

Back on the boat, we headed off towards McCargoe Cove. The ride was still smooth and we got to McCargoe without any issues. With 19 other passengers getting off at McCargoe, we were a little concerned but we were still able to grab a shelter.

Spent the afternoon drying the tent of the morning dew and then off to the Mines to explore. Thimbleberries were scattered all along the trail and I was constantly stopping to pop a ripe one in my mouth. YUM!

We had a nice dinner of Salmon steaks and noodles. With dinner all cleaned up and water filtered, we were alerted to a commotion coming from the beachfront. Four fishing boats show up and took over the dock. They proceeded to bring out coolers of beer and charcoal grills. These guys even chased away a sailboat that was already moored at the dock.

While we were trying to settle down and get some rest for tomorrow’s hike to Todd Harbor, we had to listen to these asshats drink and swear, play music and howl like wolves which reverberated off the other shore and back to those nestled in the shelters. After falling asleep and being awaken, I went down to the dock around 12:15 a.m. After an uneasy 15 minute discussion, they finished up and retired.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

I was awaken by the sounds of laughter coming from the water and I knew the asshats were up and getting ready to go fish. I grabbed my camera and headed to the dock with one purpose, to take pictures of the asshat’s boats.

With my picture taking assignment complete, I headed back to the shelter and started water for coffee and breakfast. All packed up, we were on the trail to Todd Harbor by 8:15. It was a pleasant hike with lots of variations between rock faces and forest trail. Navigating by cairn was challenging, but we didn’t have any difficulties. Along the way, we were passed by a family of 5 and a young couple. Both parties stating they too were heading for Todd Harbor.

When we arrived in Todd Harbor, we were shocked to find the shelter was still vacant. What a treat. The family of 5 were in the group site and the couple was in campsite #1. About 15 minutes after our arrival, a group of hikers came in and grabbed campsite #3, by the fire ring. During the afternoon, I was able to take a nap and go for a swim. The swim was challenging, because the rocks were covered with this slippery slime and the water was cold.

As the afternoon went on, a boater appeared in the cove and was headed for the dock. “Oh great, here we go again,” I thought. I smelt smoke and noticed the group of 5 in campsite #3 had built a fire in the ring, so I convince Kari to join me and we headed over armed with marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers. This group of young adults were friends from college and now live in Ohio and Michigan. Kari and I had a nice visit. During the night, I got up to see if the northern lights were out or if I could see the Perseids, but alas the sky was cloudy.

Monday, August 12, 2013.

The boater headed out about a half an hour before we did. The trail to Little Todd offered a lot of the same terrain as the day before. Gentle ups and downs, walks along rock faces, stream crossings and mosquitoes. About 2 hours into the hike, it started to rain. We put on our pack covers and continued on towards Little Todd. While taking a break, we encountered 2 men heading towards Todd. One was a grandfather in his 70’s and his grandson who appeared to be a younger 20. They were coming from N. Desor and heading towards Todd, bypassing Little Todd. “Wow I thought.” I hope I can hike like that when I’m in my 70’s.”

The rain was more annoying than soaking, but our feet were sloshing around inside the boots. When we arrived at Little Todd, we had our pick of campsites because we were the first to arrive. We selected #1 because it provided some shelter from the wind, which was coming in hard from the North. The beach was beautiful. The pounding waves made me wonder what the boat rides were like today.

We spent most of the day, drying things off and watching the waves pound the beach. We built a fire with the hopes of drying our boots, but as night fell, they were still pretty damp. During the night, I got up to look at the sky. While we were still cloudy, there was a bright glow to the north. It wasn’t the northern lights, but more like the halo you would get from a large metropolitan city.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013.

I was looking forward to this hike. They say this segment was the most challenging of the four sections of the Minong Ridge Trail. Our boots were still damp, but dry socks make the difference and our feet were worry free.

We stayed on the ridges most of the hike, jumping from cairn to cairn. Thankfully, it was still cloudy so we didn’t bake while being exposed on the rocks. We encountered an older couple with their teenage son coming the other way. They described the area between Windigo and N. Desor and the upcoming burned out area with fluorescent pink ribbon markers.

The hike into N. Desor was a pleasant surprise. Gentle, forested and slightly sloped, we arrived to discover we were the first ones here. We decided to pick campsite #2, the one in the middle because it had two beaches to use. The mosquitoes were rather bothersome in the campsite, so we spent a lot of time down by the beach.

I took the opportunity to go for a swim and was pleased to see at one of the two beaches, someone had moved most of the rocks exposing an nice rock shelf to the deeper water. The swim was refreshing and not as cold as Todd Harbor. While swimming, the family of 5 showed up and take campsite #3. A half an hour later, a young couple took campsite #1.

We also decided to prepare and eat supper on the beach because the mosquitoes were so bad back in the campsite. While eating, Kari noticed an 18” garter snake approaching us. We carefully watched it and eventually could tell we were “invading it’s space.” We got up and walked up the hill a little and watched the snake disappear under the rock we were just sitting on. It was probably returning to it’s den under the rocks. We decided to call it a day early because of the 12.6 mile hike that loomed in front of us. Neither one of us could figure out the alarm feature on Kari’s watch, so we decided whoever got up first would wake the other.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013.

The family of five was up at the crack of dawn and their actions allowed us to start getting ourselves ready for the long hike ahead. The family is gone and we follow them about 45 minutes later. No movement from the couple in campsite #1.

The hike back up to the Minong Trail is gradual and we head south and towards Windigo. The trail starts out with some gentle woods, but soon we are back hopping from rock to rock along ridges dotted with cairns. I thought I was doing pretty well keeping the trail in front of me. We ended up heading into a marshy area and then the trail disappeared. The trail we had been following had cut logs so I thought we were OK, but now the trail was gone.

I pulled out the GPS and discovered the trail was located about 400’ to the south. Kari and I bushwhacked our way up a hill and landed right into the “burn area” dotted with pink ribbons.
While disappointed I lost the trail, I was happy to discover we were now in the right area. Our movement was slow because the NPS must have given the crew one roll of ribbon to mark the trail though this area. This area also had many fallen trees, which needed to be crossed over or scooted under, thus slowing our progress considerably.

This section lasted about a half a mile and we soon found ourselves walking on a boardwalk over some pretty stagnant water. Occasionally my backpack would snag on an overhead branch causing the slightest wobble. This boardwalk seemed to go on forever. Utmost concentration was needed or else you would be submersed in some questionably brown water.

We then came upon a couple of beaver ponds and had to cross over them. Luckily, the logs weren’t too submerged and we made it through the obstacle with little difficulty. While crossing the second beaver pond, I lost my footing and fell backwards into some reeds. I quickly unbuckled my backpack and was greatly relieved to discover I landed onto a dry bog. Had I gone the other way, I’m sure the results would not have been as favorable.

The length of this hike and the fact we still had about 2 more miles to go, almost made the decision to set up the tent and complete the hike in the morning. 12.6 miles is really stretching the limits on my hiking ability and I was exhausted. Kari said she would have been fine with whatever decision was made.

Although the sun was starting to fall, I knew we still had about 3 hours of daylight left and decided to press on. When we reached the Huginnin Cove trail, I knew this hike was almost over. What a moral booster. We eventually pulled into Washington and picked out the first shelter and I collapsed onto the floor. It felt so good to get that backpack off. We also realized that we never saw anyone on the trail today, which is pretty rare.

The rest of the evening was spent eating supper, cleaning up and finishing up postcards. The VII was scheduled to be in Windigo around 12:30, so we knew we could sleep in and still have time to make the boat. That evening, the temperature dropped significantly enough that we wore stocking caps.

Thursday, August 15, 2013.

A family of loons alerted us that a new day was dawning. We took our time packing up our gear, sweeping out the shelter and heading towards the pavilion at Windigo. We had several hours to kill and I decided to take a shower. Unfortunately, I must have been the first one of the day as the first two minutes were like swimming in Lake Superior. Cleaned and refreshed, we headed back to the pavilion and then up to the Ranger office and then the gift shop.

I decided I really wanted a sandwich before heading home, but was surprised they no longer hand make them in the store. Instead they now offer a selection of prepackaged sandwiches similar to what you would find at Kwik trip. At $3.75, they are significantly lower priced than the previously mentioned handmade sandwiches and surprisingly pretty tasty. I also noted that the store also sold beer for $1.25 a can. Significantly lower than anything offered in a bar. Too early for beer, so we had sodas instead.

While waiting for the VII to come in, we chatted with several other backpackers about their trips. I also had a nice chat with Capt. Don of the Sea Hunter, who just completed some repair work to the boat. He mentioned that the Sea Hunter got to Isle Royale in 45 minutes. We talked about the new boat, Capt Mike (who is no longer working on the VII) and the future of Isle Royale. It was nice to meet Don and he was friendly and generous with his time.

While waiting on the dock, some commotion made Kari head over and join the crowd. There on the other shore was a mother moose and her 2 calves. This was Kari’s first glimpse of an Isle Royale moose, having been shut out on the previous two trips.

The boat ride back to Grand Portage was uneventful. The water was slightly choppy, but tolerable. During the trip, I had a nice chat with Mate Ben Silence of the VII. When we returned, we returned our gear to the car, paid the parking fees and headed home. The drive south was under clear skies, but occasionally the ride was slowed by a driver unable to maintain the 55 mph speed limit.

Our plans for the evening had us driving to Superior, WI and staying at the Best Western – Bridgeview and eating dinner at the Hammond Steak House. This wonderful oasis is conveniently located just over the harbor bridge. The price of the room also includes use of the pool and a nice breakfast in the morning.

All in all, the trek down the Minong Ridge Trail was everything as advertised. The views are spectacular and the trail is rugged and challenging. The last day and it’s 12.6 miles really stretched the limits on my hiking. We were blessed with exceptional weather and a chance to see moose and hear the call of the white throated sparrow. The foul taste in my mouth left over from the asshat boaters at McCargoe Cove and the mosquitoes (really the first time for them too), has not dampened my love for Isle Royale.

I am blessed to have a 21 year old daughter who is willing to hike with her Dad and share the same passion about coming to a wilderness island nestled in Lake Superior. I watch the weather each night, but my eye always wanders towards the island and I can’t wait to plan my next visit.
Last edited by philranger on Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong.

Post by NancyT »

Great trip report! No pictures??
It's funny, I always thought your name was Phil!
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philranger
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Re: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong.

Post by philranger »

I tried to upload pictures, but I always get an error message stating: "The file is too big, maximum allowed size is 500 KiB."

So unless someone knows what I'm doing wrong and can help me . . . I can't post any pictures.
I don't feel like going through each picture and resizing them through Photoshop either. I do have the photos posted on Facebook, so if you're a friend of mine, you can see them there.

Wally
philranger

p.s. I also love the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Most words have Phil in front. ie: Philstore, Philtrek, Philfolk. I was a Ranger (back in the day), hence the nickname.
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: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong.

Post by sgatz »

If you make a Photobucket.com account (or something similar) and then link them using the "Img" button.

Nice report.
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philranger
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Re: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong.

Post by philranger »

Here is a link to the photos on Photobucket. There are also other albums from previous trips. Enjoy.

http://s108.photobucket.com/user/islero ... y/library/
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: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong.

Post by hooky »

Nice report
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Re: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong.

Post by MikeT »

Nice report and pictures. Thanks for sharing!
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Re: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong.

Post by NancyT »

Great pictures, thank you!!!
Thanks also for the clarification on your name. Makes much more sense now.
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Re: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong. 8/10/13 - 8/15/13

Post by BlackCoffee »

I enjoyed reading this report, although hearing about the annoying loud people at McCargoe was a bummer. I would like to stay at Todd and Little Todd sometime - it sounds like you had a good trip!
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Re: TR - Kari and Wally tackle the Minong. 8/10/13 - 8/15/13

Post by Rafiki »

"Asshats" I love that word...I learned of it back in March this year and am still waiting for the most opportune time to use it. Oh what a great word :lol: Those asshats were a real pain in the ass huh HA HA HA you had me bursting in laughter with your frustrations :lol:
343.1 Miles Hiked: 2004 (3 Days), 2010 (11 Days), 2011 (13 Days), 2012 X 2 (8 + 12 Days), 2013 (9 Days/Paddling), 2019 (30 Days/Paddling)
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