Alone at Malone

Reports or links to reports on trips.

Moderator: Tom

Post Reply
Spyder1
NewbieCake
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 5:35 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 9

Alone at Malone

Post by Spyder1 »

Just got back last week from the island 11 days rock harbor,daisy, moskey,west chicken bone,hatchet, 3 nights at Malone, Desor south, Washington harbor, hugganin, back to Washington. I had never been to Malone so that was the the new stop, no one I talked to on the way there had ever been there or was planning on going there and that became evident as I started the 7 mile trail from the Greenstone. Appeared to be 1 set of human tracks to a wildlife camera about a mile in and then zero human tracks only moose, wolf and the ones I was making. The trail was very overgrown and I did check my Garmin several times to make sure I was on it in some sections but a fairly dry trail complete with a beaver dam crossing. Spent 3 glorious nights there with no one ever showing up, a few boats passed by or spent the night behind a island but that was it,definitely the highlight of the trip. Had encounters with 4 different foxes, explored the ranger station area, big trout by the bridge everyday and went to Siskiwit Lake a couple times. Great timing if you wanted solitude with no water taxi running not sure how many had been out there in this short season but not many at all I don’t think. On the 4th day walked out of course only my tracks to camera but about half way had the greatest moose experience ever in at least 10 visits a calf was out down the trail as I got a little closer big mama came out and positioned herself between the calf and myself. We stared at each other for quite a while she finally moved parallel to the trail got some really great pics and moved on. Also saw a pine Martin chasing a hare straight down the Greenstone towards me that rabbit was flying kinda funny actually rangers said extremely rare to see that. Anyway as usual the island doesn’t disappoint!!!!
Bobcat1
Bushwacker
Posts: 277
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2019 10:01 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 8
Location: Pickerington, Ohio
Has thanked: 40 times
Been thanked: 90 times

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by Bobcat1 »

Sounds like you had a great trip! I am planning to camp at Malone Bay, via canoe, next summer. I saw a pine martin chasing a rabbit once, and as you said the rabbit was flying through. The pine martin checked up and sized us up then took off after the rabbit again. At the time I did not know what it was! This was in the Boundary Waters.
22 WC-HC-BCZ20-WC
19 RH-ML-TI-RH by kayak
16 RH-DF-MB-TI-RH-3M-RH by kayak
09 RH-DF-MC-TH-HL-SD-WC
00 WC-IM-WC
96 WC-FL-SB-SD-HL-CE-3M-RH
94 RH-DF-MB-3M-RH
92 RH-DF-LR-CW-HL-SD-IM-WC
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: Alone at Malone

Post by torpified »

that sounds awesome! I'm hoping to make it to Malone on my next trip. Can you post the pictures of the best moose encounter ever?

Where else are there wildlife cameras on the Island? I know there's one on the shore of the beaver pond visible from space alongside the Mt. Franklin Trail. I keep stumbling across it accidentally, when I hop off trail to scan the pond for . . . wildlife.
jerry
IR Expert
Posts: 539
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:52 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 14
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 19 times

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by jerry »

When I got to Malone many, many years ago there were many kids and parents there. That was the only place I was able to call Ohio, Ky, and Minnesota with a regular cell phone (at the NP) . The hike down from Greenstone was a challenge. The trail down was overgrown and in some places above my head. Its worth the trip! per jerry, the old man.
omarkoup
NewbieCake
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 3:38 pm
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by omarkoup »

We must of saw 6 or 7 wildlife cameras along the trails in August.
Spyder1
NewbieCake
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 5:35 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 9

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by Spyder1 »

Image Here is the moose encounter out of Malone
Attachments
86D32F54-E5AB-4B28-A0D1-AFD92BEF2A77.jpeg
B31198F8-1EB0-4037-A471-301C73D70C78.jpeg
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: Alone at Malone

Post by torpified »

Spyder1 wrote: Mon Sep 28, 2020 1:44 pm Image Here is the moose encounter out of Malone
that is very hilarious! The conjectural mother looks so abashed!

Your picture is also terrifying -- I take it there was no telephoto, and the moose were really that close?
Spyder1
NewbieCake
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 5:35 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 9

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by Spyder1 »

If memory serves iPhone about half zoomed in but we were pretty close thankfully everyone remained calm.
User avatar
Kelly
Trailblazer
Posts: 178
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 7:36 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 9
Has thanked: 138 times
Been thanked: 71 times
Contact:

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by Kelly »

Nice moose encounter!

I envy your solo Malone Bay experience. Solo or not, Malone Bay is a great place to spend a few days of one's life.

There are several game cameras on the Stoll Trail, and I noticed them in several locations on this year's lower east-end hike.
2012 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2026 A Minong thorough hike
johnhens
Forum Moderator
Posts: 1993
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:10 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 34
Location: Big Rock, IL
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 112 times

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by johnhens »

omarkoup wrote: Mon Sep 28, 2020 10:05 am We must of saw 6 or 7 wildlife cameras along the trails in August.
Maybe researchers.
omarkoup
NewbieCake
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 3:38 pm
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by omarkoup »

Yes they had signs posted at RH that there were wildlife research cameras on the trails.
User avatar
Midwest Ed
IR Expert
Posts: 1355
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 1:25 am
Isle Royale Visits: 8
Location: Quad Cities, IL
Has thanked: 42 times
Been thanked: 82 times

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by Midwest Ed »

The link is missing now (or maybe I can't find it) but there was an earlier page on the NPS ISRO website that described the trail camera situation. As I recall it also reassured people that if they were recorded their faces would automatically be blurred out before ever seen by anyone.
8 trips, 1975 x 2, 1976 x 2, 1978, 1985, 2000, 2013
User avatar
thesneakymonkey
May actually live on IR
Posts: 357
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 5:43 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 3
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 36 times
Contact:

Re: Alone at Malone

Post by thesneakymonkey »

wow what a moose encounter! of all the moose we have seen on the island, oddly enough they have all been bulls. Never seen a cow or a calf!
Post Reply