2009 Trips

[philranger]

Happy New Year's everybody. Speaking of Pictured Rocks . . . . does anyone have a suggestion on how you should backpack this? I understand you start at on end and then get on a boat back to the start? Does anyone have any ideas where to start? How long ? Bears? etc.

[Backpacker534]

philranger, my buddy and hiked at Tahquamenon Falls and Pictured Rocks in August 2000. We ended up making reservations with a transportation company to drive us out to a starting point and then we hiked the trail back to our car. We drove 28 right up to Munising and parked in the lot near the National Park Service office. We used an Altran shuttle (don't know if they're still in business) to take us to our starting location near Little Beaver Lake which was about a 20-30 minute drive away. We then spent the next couple days hiking west and ended back at our car. The route we took only covered 20 miles, however, since the Pictured Rocks Trail is actually a small part of the North Country Trail we could have actually made the hike a bit longer if we had started further to the east.

When we got the LNT speech at the park office we were also educated about the bear population. Every campsite we stayed at had a metal bear pole so we could keep our food and sweet-smelling stuff out of the reach of the bears. Even though bears live in the area, we never saw any.

I'm sure there's a lot more information on the internet, but if you want to read the details of my trip for some info and pictures you can click on this link ( http://briansplace.ynt1.com/backpack/20 ... 00pr_1.php ).

Good luck with that trip if you decide to go. It is a beautiful place.

[johnhens]

Happy New Year's everybody. Speaking of Pictured Rocks . . . . does anyone have a suggestion on how you should backpack this? I understand you start at on end and then get on a boat back to the start? Does anyone have any ideas where to start? How long ? Bears? etc.

Wally,
I have done the trail from end to end and usually do a snowshoing trip there in Winter.
First, how much do you want to do?
There is a shuttle service, info:
http://www.altranbus.com/
Bear scan be troublesome early in the Spring and in Fall if the nut crops and blueberry crops are bad.
All the lakseshore sites have bear poles.
If you contact the Multi Agency Visitor Center in Munising, they have a Backpacking Pamphlet.
The trail is easy hiking, you could easily do it in 4 days.

[trailgoat]

Happy New Year's everybody. Speaking of Pictured Rocks . . . . does anyone have a suggestion on how you should backpack this? I understand you start at on end and then get on a boat back to the start? Does anyone have any ideas where to start? How long ? Bears? etc.

Happy New Year, philranger. I just did Pictured Rocks last July. Awesome trip. I stayed the night in Munising, took an ALTRAN shuttle from Munising Falls to Sable Falls Visitors Center and then hiked back to my car. About 45 miles, I think.

I was suprised at how easy the hike was--definitely not as challenging as Isle Royale. It took me four days to do the entire Lakeshore Trail. I had no issues with bears--saw some scat and prints, but never did see a bruin. Ticks were a bit of a problem, though. I picked three of them off me during the trip. Biting flies were perhaps the worse part of the trip. Just awful near the beaches while gathering water. Of course, I went in early July, so it's my own fault. It didn't spoil my trip, by any means. John gave you the link for Altran.

Here's a quick link to the PIRO website..

http://www.nps.gov/piro/index.htm

[philranger]

Thanks for the replies and links. Pictured Rocks is on the radar for a trip with my daughter. The place looks beautiful.

[philranger]

Hi again,

Could you guys email me directly at wmeyer@cityofmadison.com ? I'm specifically interested in learning more about routes & campsites. Is it better to go east to west or vice versa? Are there specific camps to make sure and stop at and ones to avoid? Are there points of interest that one should make a point of enjoying?

Thanks.

[Isle Royale Rob]

I have just booked a ride on the Ranger! We will be going July 3rd - July 11th. We are once again taking our boat as well. Total price for 3 people round trip and the Boat fee was $578.00.
My twin Brother, Ray ,is coming along again. This will be our 5th time to Isle Royale. (previous trips in 2000,01,07,08). I am really excited to be taking along someone who hasn't been to IR before, MY DAD! After looking at all our videos and pictures, and listening to us go on and on about IR, he decided he wanted to go. We all work together, so that is was has kept us from going together in the past, but i was able to convince my boss (who happens to be my cousin as well!) to let us all take the time off. I told him to imagine we had all caught some 8 day bug and what would he do then? IRNPSyndrome!
My Dad, Frank, is a very healthy hearty 69. I told him we would give him a good taste of the island, but still give him a few challenges! I believe free beer was the clincher! And he gets to check Isle Royale off his Bucket List!
We are planning on staying at the Merritt Cabin in Tobin Harbor with our Friend Brian Merritt Bergson once again. He is going the same week with as us! We will stay at his cabin 2 or 3 nights, trying to catch some Locke Pointe Lakers, then to Birch Island for some of Brady Cove's Cruising Northerns for 2 nights, then off to visit Chippewa Harbor's Monster Northerns for a night, then to Malone Bay's splendid beauty for a night, and then to carouse on Caribou Island our last night!

I hope to maybe meet up with some of you guys and gals from this site. Keep your eyes peeled for my boat if you will be there that week. A White 2005 Stratos with an American flag flying! Flag me down for a FREE BEER, and some friendly conversation!

[Tom]

AHHHH! I'm so jealous. A trip already booked! Congrats our favorite 100th member, Isle Royale Rob!

I've started the 2009 Trip Log over on the "Trip Reports" section. As folks start actually getting locked in dates and what not, please post over there and we'll keep them in one place. Last year, I met Mdenys and his brother because I knew they'd be on the Voyageur II with us, so it works!!

Tom

[sgerbs]

My wife and I will hopefully be making our first trip to IR sometime in early June. I'm waiting to see if I got a new job. If it comes through, we're going for sure. Our planned itinerary is McCargoe to Windigo along the Greenstone.

[Tom]

<<SENDING SGERBS GOOD VIBES ON THE JOB PROSPECT>>

McCargoe to Windigo via Greenstone - The makings of a great first trip!

[sgerbs]

Thanks Tom, I'm really hoping it comes through. Obviously a new job would be great period, but I've wanted to go to IR for a long time and for that reason I want that new job .

[MIKE A]

My daugher and myself will be doing the Feldtman loop.
Its now an annual trip to I.R for us after taking her for the first time in 2007.

[philranger]

My daughter and I did that loop last year. Check out our TR under "Kari and Wally trip report". It's pretty rewarding as a parent when your kid (OK she's 16, almost 17) still wants to hang out with you, isn't afraid to get dirty and doesn't freak out when she sees snakes and bugs.

[hirkeukvic]

I'm still waiting to see if I can get friends to commit to a trip. If I can convince them, I'll be doing the Feldtman loop sometime in May.

[jkahler]

Planning on June 5th-13th..or the longest stretch between those that the ferry is running. It'll be my first time..I'm planning on doing the Minong to one end, and the Greenstone back to the other end.