TR: 6/24-27, 2019 [RH to LC to McCargo to DF to RH]

Reports or links to reports on trips.

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ejande
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TR: 6/24-27, 2019 [RH to LC to McCargo to DF to RH]

Post by ejande »

The objective of our itinerary was to hit some good campsites, see as many trails as possible and minimize retracing our steps, and do it all over four days and three nights. I'd say we nailed it.

Day 1:

My first trip to the Isle started out with an anxious ride on the Queen IV out of Cooper Harbor with three college buddies, all first timers as well. Relaxation hit when we got near to Rock Harbor and you could literally smell the forest. We got through the ranger talk and check-in quickly so we could hit the trails and make our way to Lane Cove, starting at around noon.

We took the Tobin Harbor Trail to the Mt. Franklin Trail and then down the ridge to Lane Cove. Within feet of leaving Rock Harbor you are deep in the woods. The trail hugs the quite harbor that's dotted with small islands. A very peaceful walk. Stopped for lunch on a rocky clearing before the Mt. Franklin trail begins to rise. Dropping from the crest you go down two sets of switchbacks that are fun. After that you go over several boardwalks through beaver dam reservoirs. One was damaged and underwater. We opted to take the path to the west over the damn which required maneuvering around some tree branches. The end of the damn had fallen in and required a graceful leap and scramble to get through. Shortly down the trail we heard some splashing in a nearby marsh but saw nothing. Further down a similar noise was heard and we were able to spot our first moose in the distance and got a glimpse of a second, perhaps a calf. Shortly after we got to camp around 3:30.

Lane Cove is a small and remote site without shelters. You have beautiful views of the cove and several outlying islands. Unfortunately the clouds came in and hurt our visibility for most of the night and brought with them some strong winds and cold air. The main gear concern I had on this trip was bringing enough cold weather clothing. I used it all this night but not for the rest of the trip. Shortly before turning in the clouds cleared, the view returned, and it warmed up slightly. A great nights sleep on the Isle.

Day 2:

We broke camp at about 8:30 and did our only back tracking of the trip on the Lane Cove trail. This time three of us decided to take the downed boardwalk and didn't get very wet. Either way works. The climb up was a steep one and nice to get out of the way early. When we turned a corner a big Moose was about 30 feet ahead of us on the trail. I tried to find shelter behind a tree and the Moose scampered off quickly. Near the top of the climb we were rewarded with some fantastic overlooks of where we had just came from and camped. The stretch on the Greenview from the Lane Cove intersection to Mt. Ojibway was my favorite hiking of the trip. Lots of overlooks where you have a 360 degree view of Lake Superior and the outlying islands of Isle Royale. Very special. Got another good view of a moose on this stretch. We climbed up the fire tower but the top level was locked. Is that typical? What's the reason? Was hard to get good pictures from the stairs.

There's no easy water sources between Lane Cove and East Chickenbone. We were itchy to get to camp and didn't want to truck over to the water source at the ECB campsite. This was a mistake. Shortly after that we all got fairly tired and cranky. We pushed out the last two miles of what was otherwise a nice hike. Saw two more moose along this stretch. It was a long day but a great day. We were happy to make it to McCargoe and hydrate, got into camp at around 3:30 again. There were a good amount of other folks there. Many had come in from Windigo. We were able to grab a nice shelter over looking the cove. We soaked our feet in the lake and started to feel rejuvenated. We were very fortunate with rain on the entire trip. This night we had about a half hour steady rainfall, the longest of the trip. Otherwise it was just brief and light showers, enough to cool off but never had to reach for rain gear. Saw a moose drink out of the cove during the rain. After the rain some of the other campers got a fire going which was great. Part of the draw to McCargoe was the fire pit so we were happy to make use of it. What's the reason for the fire restrictions on the Isle? Once again we were in bed before the late sunset. I got out of the shelter in the middle of the night to see a clear sky. Coming from Chicago, it was stars like nothing I'd ever seen. You couldn't count the shooting stars if you tried.

Day 3:

We got going around 8 the next morning and felt pretty good. We were a little surprised that we didn't see any moose on the West Chickenbone trail (and wouldn't the rest of our trip). We saw the first of several portages. I was interested in doing some kayaking the next time to the Isle but these portages looked pretty challenging, gave me some doubts. How is it? Just before reaching the WCB campground we ran into a swarm of dragonflys while walking along the lake. All of our packs were covered with them. We ran into another swam near Lake Richie. Otherwise the bugs were pretty easily subdued with spray and lotion. We lunched at the LR campground. The two mile hike to Moskey Basin was pretty uneventful but would certainly make for a long portage. We took the turnoff to check out the MB campground. What a place that is. On a return trip that would definitely be a site to stay at. Several shelters are right on the harbor, secluded but with easy water access. The pier gives you a nice view straight down the length of the harbor.

The last 3.5 miles to Daisy Farm was pretty challenging. Felt like we were constantly going up and down rocky outcroppings. We took a few more pit stops for water and enjoyed the views. We were happy to get to a busy camp at around our standard 3:30 time. Lots of families and other people that seemed to just be hanging out at camp most of the day. We were lucky to score a shelter right near the water. We had a few brief showers that gave way to gorgeous rainbows over the harbor. I took a full body plunge into Lake Superior. That should be on your to do list, takes your breath away. A ranger checked for our permit. There was a brief talk given by a few people that were out looking for moose bones. Enjoyed the pier for a little bit and turned in before sun fall again. It was another clear night.

Day 4:

We were a little anxious about getting back to RH for the boat so we broke camp at 7:30. What an enjoyable hike along the harbor. Similar to the stretch between Moskey and Daisy but with nearly constant views of the harbor, a really enjoyable hike. 3M campground is a good one. Lots of secluded shelters with water views and a surprising amount of elevation change within the campground. We avoided this one since we thought the proximity to RH would leave it too crowded. After checking it out, I'd say 3M is a winner. Not as much up and down on the last stretch but still mostly right on the water. It was good to be back into the harbor but shortly after dropping my pack I was already missing the trails. Filled up on beer and food. Then heard a good ranger talk about the founding of the Isle as a national park. The ride back on the Queen was nearly crystal clear. Back to civilization (or at least Cooper Harbor) and onto Houghton (great town) for the night. The UP is a special place.

Closing Thoughts:

Isle Royale checks all the boxes for an amazing backpacking trip. The trails are challenging but well maintained. The camps are beautiful. The shelters are very nice. The remoteness is awesome. The water views and islands, yet still having some good climbs is something I don't thing many other places can offer.

In a world the doesn't value self reliance enough, being able to focus on just taking one step at a time, carrying on your back only what you truly need was incredibly satisfying. Being away on the Isle is the perfect antidote to our hyper connected world that tries to pull you in so many directions. I can't wait to be back again.
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Re: TR: 6/24-27, 2019 [RH to LC to McCargo to DF to RH]

Post by torpified »

That sounds like an awesome first trip! I envy you your graceful dismounts from beaver pond crossings. Thanks for the report!

Ojibway fire tower: I seem to go every time I'm on the Island, partly because I share your view about the aesthetic appeal of that stretch of the Greenstone Ridge Trail. It's always been shut about 2/3rds of the way to the top.
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Re: TR: 6/24-27, 2019 [RH to LC to McCargo to DF to RH]

Post by bobcat »

There are some active air quality monitoring instruments up on the top of the Ojibway tower, so only the resource techs can get up there. If you ever get out to the Feldtman Ridge tower, that one you can go to the catwalk and look in every direction. At least, I'm remembering that you could when I was there some years ago. The Ishpeming tower you can't even climb the stairs, but that hilltop is overgrown by trees taller than the tower now so it's kind of a moot point.
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