Feeble First-Timer, Seeking Affirmation

Questions about trails and campsites on the island.

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Vandy
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Re: Feeble First-Timer, Seeking Affirmation

Post by Vandy »

From the Isle Royale Park Service site:

Package Drop-offs
United States Postal Service via the Voyageur II

Using the U.S. Postal Service, visitors can mail a package to themselves to either Windigo or Rock Harbor via the Voyageur II. The visitor should plan on meeting the boat to receive their package. When sending a package through the postal service, plan on your package arriving a day or two prior to your delivery date. Address your package with the following information:

Your Name
c/o Voyageur II
Grand Portage, MN 55605

The Voyageur II (which circumnavigates the island) will drop off postal packages at Windigo or Rock Harbor. Know their schedule, and it is good practive to coordinate with them. To use this service, place the following information on the lower left side of the package being shipped:

Destination: Windigo or Rock Harbor
Date of pick-up: Month/Day/Year

The Grand Portage, MN Post Office does not have space to store packages.
Please have your package arrive one or two days prior to your pick-up date.

Fuel cannot be sent through the U.S. Mail.
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chief54
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Re: Feeble First-Timer, Seeking Affirmation

Post by chief54 »

I have had food boxes delivered via Voyageur at Windigo before and had no problem.
First visit at age 8 in 1963 numerous times since then,last visit 2021, 30+ times
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Re: Feeble First-Timer, Seeking Affirmation

Post by Duffy Moon »

Sounds like there are some options for food resupply, which is good.
Generally such options will necessitate a return to Rock Harbor to take delivery or purchase resupply. Which, I think is do-able, and fits into the overall plan we have for limiting the amount of miles we're putting in per-day. Taking some of y'all's ideas above, I have mapped out a few other trajectories that might fit the bill. The one I'm most enamored with involves taking the Voyageur out of Rock Harbor on Sunday 8/25 (after arriving Friday on the Ranger on Friday the 23rd). The difficulty is what to do with those first two days (taking into consideration the one-night rule at Rock Harbor campground).

So, the first two nights might involve an out-and-back to Three Mile (as the closest campground to RH), so that we'll be back at Rock Harbor for the Voyageur on Sunday. Another possible option - a bit pricier, and possibly difficult to get at this late date - is to stay in the lodge for the first night on the isle, then in the RH campground on 8/24, then take the Voyageur to CH on the 25th. Sort of getting into it slowly, getting our feet wet gradually!
From there, it's:
8/25 Rock Harbor -> Chippewa Harbor (via Voyageur)
8/26 Chippewa Harbor -> Moskey Basin (6.2 miles)
8/27 Zero Day at Moskey Basin (0.0 miles)
8/28 Moskey Basin -> Daisy Farm (3.9 miles)
8/29 Daisy Farm -> Lane Cove (this is the biggest challenge, I'm guessing, at 6.9 miles, up and over the ridges)
8/30 Lane Cove -> Three Mile (4.6 miles)
8/31 Three Mile to Rock Harbor early, for departure on Ranger. (3.0 miles, give or take)

I think if anything is likely to be cut on this itinerary, it's the Lane Cove leg. Might just stay at DF another night, then to 3M and end up at RH.

Any thoughts on this? And ideas for that two day RH beginning?
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Re: Feeble First-Timer, Seeking Affirmation

Post by bobcat »

You asked for suggestions on filling up the first couple days. Arrive on the Ranger and immediately head to 3-Mile. In the morning (Saturday), hike back to RH and snag a shelter. Then rent a canoe in Tobin harbor for half a day and explore! There’s a ranger talk at about 2pm several days a week that goes over the area around Snug Harbor and some of the history. In the late afternoon, hike the Stoll trail to Scoville Point. Then attend the evening ranger talk. Finally, head back to your shelter and relax in prep for taking the Voyager the next morning and starting your more extensive hiking st Chippewa Harbor with two days less food than if you had started right off the Ranger.

And, just a suggestion but if it were me, I would try to get all the way to Rock Harbor the last night before you leave, to get a shower and to not have to hike early to catch the ferry.
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Re: Feeble First-Timer, Seeking Affirmation

Post by Duffy Moon »

Excellent. Thanks, Bobcat. Stoll/Scoville is definitely on our want-to-see list.
I appreciate all the good advice, everyone.
I'm sure as we prepare for this first visit I'll pop back in with questions along the way.
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Re: Feeble First-Timer, Seeking Affirmation

Post by torpified »

the current plan looks great!

RH layover: if you do get a canoe (a half day comes gratis with a lodge room!), consider incorporating a hike to Lookout Louise (with an optional out and back on the quietest part of Greenstone Ridge). The trail has a cool boardwalk, nifty rock formations, and some diverting relief---and that's not counting the lookout itself! It starts at Hidden Lake Dock, a short paddle across and up Tobin Harbor from the seaplane dock where they keep the canoes. Pro tip: rather than disembarking acrobatically onto Hidden Lake Dock, pull into the obvious pullout on the shore about 20 meters short of the dock.
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Re: Feeble First-Timer, Seeking Affirmation

Post by Duffy Moon »

Great ideas, torpified. Will certainly consider. We paddle the Big Darby Creek in our area; might be a nice respite for my feet and back!
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