TR: 8-11 to 8-15, 2019 [RH,LC,DF,LR,CH ferry to Windigo]

Reports or links to reports on trips.

Moderator: Tom

Post Reply
Hoosierhiker
NewbieCake
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:44 am

TR: 8-11 to 8-15, 2019 [RH,LC,DF,LR,CH ferry to Windigo]

Post by Hoosierhiker »

First time to Isle Royale as a I did a solo hike. I splurged and spent a few extra $$ and took the sea plane out of Houghton. I drove 10 hours from Indiana on Saturday and stayed at the Copper Country Inn. Really clean place with nice owners. Kind of a classic old hotel but kept up well.
Got up the next morning and took the 12pm flight on the seaplane. Really fun experience, pilots are super friendly and I was able to sit in the front seat. Amazing view of the island and Lake Superior.

RH to LC
Landed in Rock Harbor. Got some supplies at the shop like fuel and filled my water up and tried a little fishing from the dock to no avail. I then hiked the Tobin Harbor trail. So first 15 minutes out I see a big bull moose on a little arm off the harbor. It was just out there eating bark off a tree. Some people suggested this might be Bruce the Moose that hangs around Rock Harbor. I think to myself, this is going to be easy to see Moose. Anyway I resume my hike. Beautiful hike, a little buggy and had to put some deet on. I stopped a lot and talked to a few people. Going up Mount Franklin was a little difficult. My pack was a little heavy and slowed me down, It was around 47 lbs. I thought I made better time, but I ended up getting into Lane Cove just 20 minutes before sundown. One campground was still available. Anyway, Lane Cove faces the sunset which was beautiful. I scrambled setting up my camp and cooking some food while the sun was going down. I think it got in the 40s that night and my sleeping back was a little thin. But the sky was clear and weather was good the whole trip. Got up in the morning and tried to fish a little bit with no luck.

LC to DF
Took the Lane Cove trail and made effort to make better time. A couple of the gang plank bridges where down and had to hop on some logs. Had to hike up the Ridge again, and theres a few tough spots at least with a heavy backpack. There's tons of blueberries and thimbleberries on this route.
Got up to the Greenstone. Mount Franklin had a great view. My ambitious plan was to hike to West Chickenbone. My heavy backpack was getting to me and I ran out of water and no water available on the Greenstone. So i whoosed out and took the easier route to Daisy Farm. The Greenstone had some beautiful views but a lot of the trails were narrow with the bushes being close to you. I would recommend pants as the bushes will scratch your legs up. I had a small folding stool in my pack that got snagged on the bushes, so if you have stuff hanging from your pack be careful here. I climbed the ranger tower an Mt Ojibway for some great views of the island. I camped down the trail to Daisy Farm. Theres a cool beaver dam just off the trail half way down. Daisy Farm was nice and had a lot of shelters and was able to grab one. I cooked my dehydrated food on the dock and fished a little bit. Didn't catch anything but a girl there did catch a small Lake Trout. A lot of people at Daisy Farm. Loved listening to the loons

DF to LR

I got a good star out of Daisy Farm. Bugs were minimal, no moose and I stopped by Moskey Basin to eat lunch and get some water. Beautiful view of harbor. I then hike to Lake Richie. Really a beautiful peaceful trail. Anyway I made it to Richie Lake as I wanted to try to catch some Northern. I brought my lightweight fishing pole. Lake Richie is placid and beaufiful. I found a camp, set up and began fishing. There was a resident fox who lives near the camp. He's not shy. I fished for 3 or 4 hours and tried multiple baits and spots along the shore near the Camp. I caught two Northern. One was decent sized maybe 20 inches and the other one was juvenile. I caught both of them of a red and white Daredevil spoon. Don't try to fish the inner lakes without one of these. No luck with lures as they just got caught in the weeds and grass. The spoons made it easier through the grass. I thought about putting some shorts and walking out into the lake, but I didn't mess the leaches. Full moon and beautiful view that night. The Loons were loud on this lake which was cool. Also Ithink it got into the 40s at night again. I need a warmer sleeping bag.

LR to CH

I got up and fished a few hours in the morning and didn't have any luck. Some guys were trolling in a canoe and caught a few Northern off Rattle Traps. I gave up and made my short hike to Chippewa Harbor. I saw the portage entrance on the trail near the very southern mouth of lake Richie. I fished for half hour and didn't have any luck. Got a little water on my boots trying to find some room to fish. Got to Chippewa Harbor fairly early but all four of the shelters were taken. I pitched my tent and ended up hanging with a really good group of guys at one of the shelters. Was going to go try to fish, but ended up the night hanging out talking about camping. I spent the whole week solo, so I really enjoyed the company.

CH to Windigo

I got up and broke camp early. I took the ferry from Chippewa Harbor to Windigo. The ferry was late. But the ferry ride seemed to take forever. Was supposed to get in at 12:30 but didn't get there until 2PM. I realized how long this island is. Got some great views of the island and the lighthouses. I had a 3PM seaplane flight out of Windigo. Unfortunately I didn't have much time to explore Windigo. Just got some Gatorade and a postcard. The flight was fun back to Haughton. Pilot was awesome and a Purdue grad. Anyway this was great week at the island and I was able to decompress and get some spiritual time with nature. I love IRNP. Also, just add on trip back to Indiana, I stopped in Green Bay and ate a good hamburger at the 1919 Restraunt inside Lambeau field. That was fun.
Duffy Moon
LNT Expert
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2019 2:56 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 1
Location: Central Ohio
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: TR: 8-11 to 8-15, 2019 [RH,LC,DF,LR,CH ferry to Windigo]

Post by Duffy Moon »

Thanks for the great report. My wife and I are taking our first trip to IR on Friday, also staying at Copper Country Inn (was Julie's Motor Inn when we made reservations - things change!) and also traveling with heavy packs. I appreciate all the details in your report.
torpified
IR Expert
Posts: 594
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2016 4:06 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 6
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Has thanked: 238 times
Been thanked: 120 times
Contact:

Re: TR: 8-11 to 8-15, 2019 [RH,LC,DF,LR,CH ferry to Windigo]

Post by torpified »

THanks for the report! Was the welcoming committee in Tobin Harbor really the last moose you saw?
User avatar
ktfgzi
NewbieCake
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 08, 2019 11:55 am
Isle Royale Visits: 3

Re: TR: 8-11 to 8-15, 2019 [RH,LC,DF,LR,CH ferry to Windigo]

Post by ktfgzi »

Thanks for sharing! Good to know about the bugs/downed boardwalks near Lane Cove. I'm headed there later this week.
Tours: 2014, 2016, 2018, and (soon) 2019.
Sites visited: Rock Harbor, 3Mi, Daisy Farm, Moskey Basin, Chippewa Harbor, Lake Richie, East Chickenbone, West Chickenbone, McCargoe Cove

"Friends don't let friends stay at East Chickenbone."
Hoosierhiker
NewbieCake
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:44 am

Re: TR: 8-11 to 8-15, 2019 [RH,LC,DF,LR,CH ferry to Windigo]

Post by Hoosierhiker »

I saw a Moose the first 15 minutes but didn't see another one the whole trip. I thought seeing moose was going to be easy. I talked to a lot of people who didn't see a moose. I heard a lot of reports of Moose by Lane Cove near the gang planks and saw a lot of prints in the mud. Maybe i was too loud or just unlucky. But there is a fox that lives near the Richie Lake campground and was very photogenic and playful.
Post Reply