TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

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TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

Post by TopCarrot »

I just got home and will add to it.

Short story only the Feldtman loop was clear of trees. Lots down elsewhere.

Also the trail from Hackett to Minong is a flood.
Last edited by TopCarrot on Wed Jul 15, 2020 6:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

Post by TopCarrot »

We were a group of four with one being a newbie.

Sunday. We got to Hancock early and the pilot asked if wanted to leave early, so if packed up and headed out landing in Windigo with an hour extra daylight. 3:38 after our meeting with Val. She did say that 18 hikers left out of Windigo and us four were the only arrivals. Hiked Hugginin counter clockwise for the nice view over the lake coming in. We could tell it was going to be different with the birch saplings and thimbleberry encroaching the trail. Poked around the Mine a bit but didn’t find any pits only the railway and cabin. No other hikers on the trail or in camp except a solo off duty ranger running the loop for sunset. Stayed in campsite 2 with two micro tents and two hammocks. Plenty of space and a nice setting. The last Site 5? was pretty well overgrown and had a bunch of deadfall. It did rain a little afternoon dark. One of the tents proved lacking for the task.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

Post by TopCarrot »

Monday morning the rain had stop and it looked like a mix of sun and cloud for at least the next few hours but everything was going to be wet. A low blood sugar member realized he had lost about half his stash of gummy bears. So we went into ration mode, a little bummer. The hike back to Windigo was damp and otherwise uneventful. Seth was on duty that and a plane with a day tripper had just landed when we dried everything off on the dock. We took a few minute and topped off water and got park stamps, which they are not putting in the book only on a sticker that you put in the book. The next stretch of trail was clear but the last half from around grace ridge overgrown. Not to the point of losing the trail, but you couldn’t see the trail or feet. A moose was chomping in the marsh when we got to Feldtman and setup in 2. An older couple popped in from rainbow cove to see the inland lake. Thankfully we were mostly decent after our swimming. That was their first night of this trip and where in a double sea kayak. They also said in was no problem getting a back country pass even though I thought they were all closed for the summer. Is it different for hikers and kayaks. Looked like it might rain that evening so two us headed to rainbow cove to enjoy an hour of beach. We did get enough cell service to call the one wife who picked up. The stones were still warm maybe 100 degrees even though the temperature was dropping ahead of the front coming in. Made for a nice nap. We waited as long as we could and hustled back to beat the rain. It poured rain. I would guess more than an inch in a hour. The nice level area for tents was a three inch puddle. The tent that proved unworthy in a light rain proved a boat in the heavy rain. We moved both tents gear under the hammocks and double up it the other which did great. It is a 2.2 trekking pole tent that I extra waterproofed. Held up even in that puddle. Rain stopped before sunset and four or five moose came back down to the lake.
Last edited by TopCarrot on Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

Post by torpified »

Thanks for the report so far, and please keep the episodes coming! Between the gummy bear rationing and the tent mishaps, I'm on the edge of my seat wondering how the party fares for the rest of the trip to Rock Harbor.

I admire how laconically you describe the tent failures, by the way. I'm trying to picture the one that became a boat in heavy rain---and feeling very bad for its occupants.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

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Tuesday. I don’t Think it rained anymore during the night but everything was soaked from before and based on the prior days trial condition I new we where going to get wet in the tall grass. While packing up camp there was a few minute where a moose was in the water just off camp and two loons floated by while a skinny fox waited in the sand for us to clear out. A little more detail on this group. I am the early riser and nervous planner. I can eat and pack up camp in 25 minutes without rushing. Then there was an equal and opposite reaction. We also had a team member who was a the last awake everyday except Sunday (interesting note to follow on that). Our late riser, we will call him C, also took about 85 minutes to eat and pack up camp. The other two, A and B, met in the middle. Most days the first three would head out and C was the fastest hiker and could catch us in an hour. Our estimated speeds with breaks would be A = 1.75 Mph much slower on the downhill with a bum knee. B= 1.75 with many breaks and trudging on the uphills. C= 2.6 including stops for picture and a conversation with every passer by. Me = 2.2
I lead out toward the ridge and wondered if that berm was an olden day trail to stay above the swamp? When we go to the first big ascent I didn’t break and wanted to get to the over look and change my already soaked soaks. When I go to clearing I know I was in the right trail for a bit but must have followed a moose trail off and down the hill into the woods. Once I hit the woods I knew I was off course and made a left turn and marched straight up the side of the hill I passed a moose kill the looked like it had been around since winter and made it to the overlook assuming the other three were still behind me. I changed socks and began wishing I had a pair of gaiters. The other two made the overlook and C meet us about the end of our break. We did a better job the rest of the day staying together knowing we didn’t want anyone else to get lost. We hiked on to Feldtman tower it was amazing. The top was open and the breeze was perfect. The rest of trail to siskiwit was crazy overgrown. I lead the couldn’t see my feet for miles. I tried to look at the birch canopy to make sure I was guessing right. Probably three spots took the whole crew heading in different directions and someone finally shooting out the had something. We saw another fresher mousse kill maybe 3 weeks old and a heron shredded to bits. We setup in the second shelter 4? as another group was doing a zero day fishing. They left FL minutes before we arrived the night before and were hiking till 8:30 -9 when the rain hit. Sun was out so we dried everything on the dock. I got a little too much sun but thankfully covered back up before burning too much. C and I decide to bushwhack to holleran lake. I had scoped out some reviews and google images and figure if we headed straight south from the campsite we could clear the first swamp The turn and follow the ridge to the 89th and cross the second swamp when we saw an opening. First swamp worked perfect. Took about an hour to find the second swamp and a place to cross. The section of shoreline we found was guarded and 300 ft of dense cedar and deadfall. The water too. I waded out 40 feet waist deep to get enough space to cast and still hit too many snags to really even say I was fishing. Overall good idea bad results I didn’t know if our section was just rough or if everyone else who raves about it is just that much better fisherman. We missed our target longitude Heading back and had to navigate both swamps. And still ended up .25 miles down the trail. We Made it back to the dock in time to see a osprey catch a fish and the other group caught a lake trout and a rainbow which they cooked up for us. The osprey was as lucky. Once he turned for the woods and ridge behind the campsites a bald eagle came racing down and zipped right over our heads. It must have been watching and waiting. Right before the eagle reached the osprey he threw the fish away and the bald eagle caught it mid air. Take that Canada. Also another fox sat by the campfire and waited for us the cleanup and hard to bed to hope for the fish skin which was denied.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

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Wednesday no rain but dew on the grass. It out first time heading to island mine so no one really knew where the turn was. We kept turning back in the grass but could have walk the whole way on the beach. Mosquitos were the worst in this early stretch but we made good time and were planning on making it to Hatchet which is 17.8 I think. Was not much water flowing on the creek south of island mine but more on the side north. I was the first person to use the group site bathroom for the season so that was fun. A skipped out early to lead to Desor but the Next section was tricky to follow in places and he ended up on some of the old trail through the swamps that were abandoned a few years ago. I did get a stick tangle between my feet and the trekking poles and ate dirt pretty hard. I was the trailer at that point and would have just lay there until the next person came through but managed to dust myself off and double check all my joints. C passed A right before desor and grabbed some empty water bottles to head down for a refill. By the time B and I hit the last ridge before desor junction A was beat and not doing well. We made the call to call it for the afternoon and limp into desor. There was no breeze and I think he did the whole 9 miles with stopping because he couldn’t find a spot with no bugs. We weren’t sure if it was something that would just blow over or if we were going to have to head back to Windigo. After about four hours of salt and water he started to perk back up and we hoped to make some headway in the morning. We stayed in site 1 and went looking for the sandy beach over by the group sites. We didn’t even take out the bad tent and just doubled in the new 2.2. Just a touch of rain at dusk.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

Post by dcclark »

TopCarrot wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 5:23 pm There was no breeze and I think he did the whole 9 miles with stopping because he couldn’t find a spot with no bugs.
Oh man, I know that feeling. Some of us are just bug magnets. Reminds me of backpacking the Porcupine Mountains in mid June.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

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dcclark wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 6:34 pm
TopCarrot wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 5:23 pm There was no breeze and I think he did the whole 9 miles with stopping because he couldn’t find a spot with no bugs.
Oh man, I know that feeling. Some of us are just bug magnets. Reminds me of backpacking the Porcupine Mountains in mid June.
B and I take all our breaks. Hill, mud, or bugs when it’s time it’s time.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

Post by dcclark »

TopCarrot wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 6:37 pm
dcclark wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 6:34 pm
TopCarrot wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 5:23 pm There was no breeze and I think he did the whole 9 miles with stopping because he couldn’t find a spot with no bugs.
Oh man, I know that feeling. Some of us are just bug magnets. Reminds me of backpacking the Porcupine Mountains in mid June.
B and I take all our breaks. Hill, mud, or bugs when it’s time it’s time.
I read that a mosquito can't fly over 2 mph, so I try to keep walking at a quick pace to out-race them. UP mosquitoes must have their governors removed because they seem to keep up anyhow. I end up doing a sort of modern dance with my arms flailing all around my head and body. Head nets are the best hiking purchase I've ever made.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

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Thursday was supposed to be hatchet to Moskey and a zero day and Moskey. But we didn’t make it and had the extra day built in so we knew we’d be ok. A woke up feeling all better and we left hoping to make it to Hatchet. I tired to switch to my backup pants but realized they were my wife’s and weren’t going to fit. I did however unzip the pant legs and tape them to my calfs to function a gaiters. The worked great till ishpiming. C came up with an idea he would solo hike to Moskey and then run back in the morning meet us and carry A’s pack back. Probably not generally a good idea but given a possible second medical flare up, seemed viable. We committed to taking a break every hour and I would run down the hatchet for water if for some reason we could push on to West Chickenbone. Every one we crossed patches with asked if we were with C as he had told them his life story. At one point someone said they crossed pathed two miles east of chickenbone. This had me wondering if we’d ever even see him prior to our flight. (He meant west, and clarified when it seemed his would have to be doing 6 mph.) When we reached hatchet A was still good and A and B stayed up top Setup up a rainfly as a sun shade and I toke all the empties down for a refill. There was a dead calf On the trail eaten a couple weeks prior. I had not ever been there so I ran down and checked out the campsites. Boy the climb out was harder. It took me about an hour and I brought 11 liters back up. I took quick lunch break at the top and we headed out. We crossed a stream just in the next valley which I had not remembered and would have been fine to fill water. Also B found his missing bag of gummies so we were no longer in conservation mode. When we made it to west chickenbone junction things were still going well and we turned down toward Richie. At the Apex of the first portage A was ready to be done. Not wanting to miss his zero day or shelter he decided that rather then finish a long day at Richie we would press on to Moskey. So he wanted to have me run ahead and grab C and come back for both their packs. Without weighing the idea much and wrongly remembering Richie to Moskey being smooth, wide open and downhill, I went for it. I don’t think this was a great decision the more thought about it in the next couple hours. Also
Lake Richie was gorgeous and I almost stopped and setup
camp. I pressed on and made Moskey, C was most undressed eating dinner on the dock and told me he grabbed shelter 8 which I love be but is the very feathers one. At this point I wished for shelter 1 only cause it was closer. I dropped pack filled up in water and gummies and headed back out. C would catch up after getting dressed. I met the rest of the group about halfway to Richie. Meaning I did about 6 miles solo in the time they do 4. I grabbed a pack and C caught us 1000 feet later. We limped in about 8:15 which put us on the trail for 12 hours. I swam for a bit and scrubbed all my socks. It was 20.5 miles and I did 23.5 with extras. We will just call it a marathon.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

Post by torpified »

So glad that the gummie bears got found! Your team is going to deserve its zero day at Moskey!

The summer after I graduated from college, I walked the PCT across Washington state with some other people waiting for grad school to start. Somehow or other, I wound up being the one who'd establish camp, then double back to carry the pack of whomever was hurting worst that day. All the members of the party who procreated now have daughters named after me. I take this as evidence that people are very grateful when you carry their packs into camp for them.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

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torpified wrote: Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:48 am So glad that the gummie bears got found! Your team is going to deserve its zero day at Moskey!

The summer after I graduated from college, I walked the PCT across Washington state with some other people waiting for grad school to start. Somehow or other, I wound up being the one who'd establish camp, then double back to carry the pack of whomever was hurting worst that day. All the members of the party who procreated now have daughters named after me. I take this as evidence that people are very grateful when you carry their packs into camp for them.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

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Friday. After making up so many miles on Thursday the Zero day was going to be nice. I was going to walk back to lake Richie and fish for half a day. But I had broken my rod at Feldtman and lost the reel handle in Desor. I repaired both those but didn’t want to risk it anymore. I was able to convince C to solo day hike to Chippewa. A had an open wound on the top of foot from being wet each morning and B had blisters under his blisters so even walking to the outhouse was unpleasant. I had no blisters and only one tender spot on my left on the bone not skin. I could have done the Chippewa hike but wanted to do Ojibway and Scollvile on Saturday and wasn’t sure how much of someone else’s pack I be needed for, so I took the day off as well. We enjoyed to day. Cleaned napped and watch a beaver do its thing. Around 5 a guy in safety yellow came down the trail with 6 beers for us. C had met a boater in Chippewa who offered to help get some guys or gear back to rock harbor on Saturday. We thanked him and shared some other stories only to realize that it was the same guy who graciously feed me and my daughter some Labor Day leftovers a few years earlier. It was awesome. I feel like a genuine community when we are up there. It is a lot like talking with your neighbors. Once you open up you realize more unites us than divides. Not to be outdone they came back later with some more beers and brats. What a day!
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

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Saturday. A and B took helpful boater McMazing up on his offer. C and I headed out for Ojibway and scollville after getting some start the day off right bacon. ;) no trail issues not much deadfall or cleanup but we made good time. I saw the spot where the Ojibway dam washed out the boards a couple years ago. Looks different but I sure it won’t even be noticeable in a couple years. The tower had beautiful breeze and clouds in the distance. As far south as you can see is Siskiwit bay or Lake?
The shop in rock harbor was open -ish if you found the guy helping with gas he could unlock it. They changed the boater policy that day I think and were not letting people sleep in their cabin in rock harbor.
Sunday got to chat with Ranger Katie about being a volunteer in 2021 maybe helping out on the Minong which is going to be in rough shape. Plane came on time and was the Beaver. Which is so cool to fly. Travel time for us is about 9 hours to Hancock and 10 to copper harbor. A late flight to the island and an early flight back basically gives us and extra day on the island verse taking the Queen. And we all felt better rested to start the trip.
All in all I enjoyed it. It went to fast and I should take it slower and enjoy it more. I think I will plan a kayak trip next and “enjoy” some portages and new campsites.
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Re: TR: 7/5-7/12 2020 [HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-RH]

Post by Midwest Ed »

You are quite the devoted friend and pack mule. Hoofing out of Hatchet Lake with 3 gallons of water? I admire you. You will really enjoy a paddling trip. Given the swimming and wading there's been no mention of any of the dreaded Isle Royale leaches.
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