Itinerary questions in mid july

[MarjiGesick]

Hello,
I'm new here, but I have lots of questions just like everyone else who is looking to explore IR...
I'm taking my 17 year old son and 16 year old daughter with me on this trip. My wife hates camping and is a very slow hiker so we will be abandoning her in her safe space at home. Our dates are set because of fall sports so I know the bugs will suck and the people will be more than usual, but I've wanted to visit the park for years and my kids keep saying they want a hiking adventure.

So I've got the inbound Ferry from copper harbor reserved for 8am departure.

I've tentatively planned our trip out, but I have some issues to resolve. I wanted to do a classic W to RH, but I'm coming from Copper Harbor and can't really see paying for the sea plane. Here was my solution:
RH-DF-CH Thursday Catch the Ranger III to Windigo (on Thursday). Is that reasonable? I've not made the reservation for this ferry yet so my tentative plan is just that still tentative.

Then to finish the trip: Windigo-IM-LDS-HL-CBE-LC-RH-Catch Ferry to CH 2:45pm.

I'm just getting back into backpacking and figured why not go big. I've been day hiking once a year in the Smokies, Dupont, and Pisgah, but I realize the added weight will change things. Is my mileage too big as it builds going east on the greenstone? Is my Ranger III idea a waste of money?

Any advice or input is much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[Ingo]

Welcome to the forums!
Using the Voyageur II is a great way to get around the island, but note it's the Voyageur II that travels around the whole island, not the Ranger III. Other than the seaplane, it's the only way to get between RH and Windigo (without hiking or a private boat). I like the idea of picking it up in Chippewa, but I do wonder if it adds a little too much for first time backpackers. But there's also the more common option of staying the first night in RH and leaving on the VII for Windigo from there the next morning. You just need to be able to match your schedule with the boats' in either case.

New for this year is the Ranger III out of Houghton making 1 trip a month to Windigo instead of it's normal trip to RH. So you could potentially take the RIII to Windigo and then home from RH at the end, if those days work for you. But your dates would be set--it will only work for a single departure day in July.

Your itinerary from WIN->RH is a fairly common one, but pretty much everyone will say to skip CBE and stay at McCargoe or CBW instead, even if it makes for a longer day to LC. And if that seems too much when you get there, you can always bail out to DF or TM instead.

I like mid-July for trips--I haven't found it to be overcrowded or the bugs to be intolerable.

[MarjiGesick]

Ingo,
Thanks for the quick response.
Yes Voyager II not Ranger...too many ferries...lol
We arrive on a Tuesday so we have two days to hike over to Chippewa. So camp DF Tuesday night. Then camp CH Wednesday night. Then catch the ferry. I guess I could be in trouble if weather delays up getting into RH or worse yet leaving CH.
I am open to skipping CBE. We can stop in CBW and see about getting a campsite or if we feel good hike on to McCargoe.

[torpified]

I think that's a great plan! The warmup backpack means you'll visit cool places you're bypassing on the Greenstone leg, in order to get to other cool places, like Lane Cove. The warmup backpack can also serve as a bit of a shake down cruise for fine-tuning gear. (It's not unusual to realize you've packed too much, or to realize there's something you need. I know you can buy things in Windigo. I'm not sure how much scope there is for sending things home, or back to Rock Harbor.) As for whether the boat trip's worth it: I really love puttering around the island on the voyageur.

Please file a trip report!

[MarjiGesick]

Thanks. I will.

[chief54]

I also think sounds like a fun trip, my only advice is to tackle the section from Daisy to Moskey as early in day as possible and hope for nice weather. I call this section the Mini Minong, lots of ups and downs over rock which can be slippery in rain and hot in the sun. Its too bad you can't fit Moskey Basin into your itinerary, in my humble opinion one of the prettiest and awesome camp sites on the island. Enjoy

[Bobcat1]

On the Greenstone, if things are going well you may find that you can skip IM and go to South Desor in one day. This buys you a slack day later in the schedule.

[MarjiGesick]

Great feedback thanks again.
I wonder if getting off the boat and trying to hit Moskey is a bad idea. We can always bail at DF if need be.
Now that my ferry reservations are in I just have to hope the ferry out of CH isn't delayed.

[Ingo]

I wonder if getting off the boat and trying to hit Moskey is a bad idea. We can always bail at DF if need be.

It's a good haul but you do have lots of daylight. I know it's too much for me, but others do it. It's nice to have to option to adjust as you go.

Now that my ferry reservations are in I just have to hope the ferry out of CH isn't delayed.

It would be rare, esp. in July, but can happen. In the worst case, you could make up time on the way back by skipping IM or LC. The hardest part is waiting and not knowing--I had a pickup that was ~2 hrs late and started to wonder if we should unpack to spend another night, or just try and relax on the dock (which we did). The rangers will try and let you know if the boat won't be coming that day, if they can get someone there, but otherwise you need to stay ready to go.

[IncaRoads]

...Now that my ferry reservations are in I just have to hope the ferry out of CH isn't delayed.

Also note that the Voyageur II operates on Central Daylight Time (since it is based in Grand Portage MN).

[Bobcat1]

Ditto the comment about the Voyageur operating on Central Time. Make sure to get your pick-up time right. I've never yet been to Chippewa Harbor, so looking forward to how your trip works out.

[MarjiGesick]

Great point about Central Time. I would have totally missed that. If everything works out we should be there the night before so we just need to wake up and be ready...lol. Did I mention I'm bringing a 17 and 16 year old...LOL.

[Bobcat1]

Also, the stretch from Daisy Farm to Moskey is a relentless series of clambers up and down rock outcrops. In my experience, it is one of the harder stretches of trail on the island. So if you get to Daisy and are low on either daylight or energy, keep that in mind.