Trails, bugs, mud, and wildflower status (west end as of 5/29/23)

Questions regarding Weather, Bugs, Northern Lights and other "natural" phenomena.

Moderator: drobarge

Post Reply
User avatar
dcclark
May actually live on IR
Posts: 385
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 1:39 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 4
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 133 times
Contact:

Trails, bugs, mud, and wildflower status (west end as of 5/29/23)

Post by dcclark »

Just got back from 7 days on the west end. I'll post a trip report later, for now I thought you all might appreciate a status report.

This covers the Feldtmann and Huginnin loops and Windigo as of about Memorial day 2023.

General status: We had a stretch of remarkable weather. After one day of rain a week ago, it was sunny and clear full time. That looks to continue with only a little rain in the forecast.

In general, it is moving from early spring into mid spring in terms of flowers and vegetation.

Bugs: Nonexistent until the last day or so, when just a few flies and one or two mosquitoes started to come out. Warming weather seems to be counteracted by the lack of rain. Nonetheless, bring head nets.

Trails: Feldtmann and Huginnin are fully cleared and in great shape. Minimal mud, and only in the places that are always wet. Ignore whatever anyone tells you about beaver dams being washed out between Feldtmann and Siskiwit -- rangers were telling people something about that on Feldtmann and it is completely false.

I only saw snow in a few places along the north shore on the Huginnin loop. No ice nor snow on any trails. (As of 5/29, the park's webpage is still claiming ice and snow on trails and in campgrounds -- that is old news and not true any longer.)

Island mine trail still had a lot of trees down when we came through, and annoying ones too -- too high to go over, too low to easily go under, on a hill so it's hard to go around. But, it was doable, and not so many trees as to be really painful.

The Greenstone (from Windigo to IM) was not yet cleared but still in very good condition. Only a few easy trees down, all easy to walk around.

Wildflowers: Many wildflowers were just starting and opened a bit throughout the week. All colors of violets were open in abundance. Marsh marigolds were half open. Feldtmann had Spring Beauties in abundance. A few Hepatica were just barely open, and Trillium had leaves but no buds yet.

Deciduous trees were in the "green haze" stage -- just starting to leaf out, with little underbrush. I had a clear view through the deciduous forests along the Greenstone.

Services: Water is on at Windigo. Bathrooms are open, but showers and laundry are not.

The new store is said to be opening on June 6, for real. It is visibly being set up with all kinds of goodies.

Until then, you can buy stove gas at the old store, but be prepared to wait until somebody feels moved to come to the store. We waited about an hour after arrival. As of a few days ago, there is a crate outside the old store where people can leave used gas containers. You may get lucky and find a mostly full one!

Feel free to ask questions!
JerryB
May actually live on IR
Posts: 381
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 7:30 am
Isle Royale Visits: 14
Has thanked: 36 times
Been thanked: 49 times

Re: Trails, bugs, mud, and wildflower status (west end as of 5/29/23)

Post by JerryB »

Great recap and 100% accurate— I was there about the same time
Post Reply