The choice of stoves can be a tough one. For the solo or party of two, the Trangia can be a very good choice. It's simple, light and easy, but takes a bit more fuel. In larger groups, where you need two stoves, I like to bring one forced-air wood-burner and a second stove that can be used in the tent on rainy days. The wood burners are great in all respects except that they smoke and soot the pot bottoms. You can't beat them for melting snow and you can use them as a sort of little camp fire in places that don't allow open fires.kanonen wrote:-Gearwise. Maybe lighter tents, lighter pads. I even think a water proof light shelter would do instead of a tent (I don't know if those do exist). We also had a coolman dual fuel stove and a Brunton fuel can. So weight could be cut by having a stove that uses the fuel can too...an optimus or something. We needed to bring the coolman stove AND my new wood stove as I never tested it. Awesome machine, but won't work when wood is damp. It weighs about 2 pounds maybe more. Next time I'd try a Trangia and settle for one stove.
july 19th to July 26th (we actually came back the 25th)
Moderator: Tom
-
DonNewcomb
- IR Expert
- Posts: 522
- Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:48 am
- Isle Royale Visits: 1
- Location: Miss. Gulf Coast
Re: july 19th to July 26th (we actually came back the 25th)
Re: july 19th to July 26th (we actually came back the 25th)
finally got some time for the last part of our trip.
So we spent the last 2 night in N. Desor for some well deserved rest. We also wanted to eat as much as possible to lighten our pack a bit. Which we did.
Before going to sleep I consulted my "future telling Crystal ball" and it told me that philranger will suggest waking up earlier. So we set out our alarms for 6am.
We wake up at 6 and that's exactly the time when we hear some good drizzle on the tent. 5 minutes later it became decent showers amplified by the noise of the rain hitting the tent. We pick our food and we get our breakfast in the tent. Thin pita bread with nutella and fruit medley. Enough of a source of energy but no coffee. We wait a bit hoping that the rain will stop, but no luck. It let up just enough for us to pack our tent and gear. I look at the sky, check the pressure on my watch, and we decide to hit it, just as it begins to rain harder. It doesn't look that rain will stop soon.
8am, we are on the trail. Again we have to go uphill to get to the main trail for a bout .6 miles, worst part of any hiking. Rain doesn't look that bad as we are walking in thick birch tree woods. Once we get to the main trail, we start our journey for maybe 6 miles, maybe 12 miles, or maybe 14. It all depends on how we feel. Either cross country camp somewhere along mile 6 or 7 after N. Desor toward Windigo. Or go to Washington Creek, or Huginnin.
Once we start the hike on the ridge we realized that rocks were VERY slippery and DANGEROUS. It is raining heavier by now, our footing is very delicate and the rain did wake all of the mosquito along our trail. I am wearing Northface water-resistant pants that I usually use for my cross-country skiing trips and relatively damp hikes, some cheap Columbia rain shell and a pair of high Rocky insulated Gore-Tex waterproof hunting boots that so far were flawless in knee high snow small treks. We knew from the forum that this part of the hike is going to be tough because of the length, terrain and lack of marking and grooming of the trail. It is all true.
Some parts are totally not groomed and look like no one hiked them in a LONG TIME, some parts on the ridge do not have the stone-markings and some parts have shrubs and bushes growing 8 feet where you have to use your hands to clear the way. We had to stop several times and try to figure out the trail. The worst came a couple of times when we had to figure out the trail for about 5 to 10 minutes.
One hour into the hike, water leaked into our boots. We had gore-tex boots, and I doubt water leaked from the top of the boots as i still had the top of my socks dry by that time. I will test my boots again later and get back to this because this has been VERY frustrating. In short because of the elements, rain, mosquito, soaked clothes, impracticality of xc camping and fatigue, we decided to forget about Huginnin and go straight to Washington Creek.
For me personally, it felt like a military expedition (without the risk of being killed, not a small one). That's all I can say. The rain, wetness, heavy packs, soaked feet and body...the first mile was the easiest. As i said before some NPS folks were camping with us at N. Desor. Well, they were clearing the Minong. They left their camp at 7am and hiked their way and were clearing the Minong up to Washington Creek for the next week. Cutting shrubs and bushes, marking trails. Once we passed them a mile into our hike, the trail changed, from clean and nice to almost nonexistent at times. So the good news is that the trail should be much better now.
By now, rain was torrential. Later on a ranger at Windigo said that he has rarely seen such rain at IR and that he could not see the lake from the ranger house! Our boots were a couple of pounds heavier, soaked in water, mosquito were biting through 2 layers of clothes including the plastic of my rain jacket. Head nets were a blessing but by the time we could stop and retrieve them from our packs, I had some 20 mosquito bites on my face and neck.
We stopped several times to rest under bigger trees away from rain. We got some food and used our energy bars (good stuff energy beans, energy bars and small energy gel stuff, I forgot the names but they are at REI, Dick's...). Amazingly and this might be because our feet got tougher over the time, but water didn't hurt our feet and no blisters. Just a feeling of discomfort because of the water.
5 hours into the hike and rain is still there. We were still on and off the ridge. We were honestly getting sick of it. I knew the terrain and how far we had to hike from checking my GPS but every time we leave the ridge we hope it would be the last time, then we start climbing again. Creek crossing was slightly tricky but not too much. We just had to be extra careful. I did twist my ankle maybe 2 or 3 times over rocks, but thanks to the high boots, no damage. The last creek crossing was worked on and had long wood sheets sitting on logs for maybe 300 yards. I don't know how people crossed that creek before it was fixed. The other creek crossings were in a good shapes and had tight logs in there. The 3 beaver ponds were slightly trickier. The most western one was excellent and clear, but the most eastern ones were not. We crossed the most eastern beaver pond without problem, then we stumbled upon the 2nd.
The trail comes down from a little ridge and suddenly stops. There is a pond to the right, and a series of water and damns to the left. A small trail shows that someone stepped in that direction to the left. We look further and no decent trail appears in front of us. So I decide to go left on what looks like a trail or more maybe moose trail but that's what we could see. I take the lead and I go knee-high in water in what continues to look like moose trail. At one point I was ready to hit a chest high water passage as we thought the trail got submerged with rain water. Then we decide to back track and check again. We get back to what seemed to us as a still correct trail and we start to figure it out again. It wasn't the nicest feeling. No where to go but maybe swim and no guarantee of finding the trail, we were 60% in our hike, we haven't seen anyone on the Minong other than NPS folks who camp back in N. Desor. And most of all we didn't want to camp in these conditions. Suddenly our ranger who was checking off trail cameras for the NPS and who does the Minong twice a month shows up on his way to Windigo!
And he showed us the trail. We just had to go straight, uncover 5 yards of bushes on a little path between the 2 ponds. He was light packed and looked fresh. We asked him when he left and it was 11am. The ranger caught us around 3 pm while we started at 8. well, to give ourselves a bit of credit, he was on a 2 night camp, he was light, had a single light tent and no extra pounds
. And most of all, he knew the trail. So we are fine 
He talks to us a bit, then he puts the after burner and says, "oh btw, the last pond is easy, see you later". On a side not I should have returned and disrupted the moose trail that I hiked as it might have fooled some hikers. So beware.
He was right, we hit the last pond, rain stops and we spend the last 2 hours on a very nice walk in the park. A wet walk that is, as we were still soaked. Not much elevation, mosquito seemed to calm down a bit we even found 2 antlers that were shed recently, but still no sign of moose.
We finally get to the post that says Huginnin 3miles, Washington Creek 1.8. It was a no brainer. We cross some very nice strawberry bushes and we eat a bit, then around 5.30 pm we take shelter number 13 in Washington Creek. We unpack, take off our wet clothes (I will invest in proper rain gear next time including REALLY waterproof boots), we put on our Tevas and try to walk to the store. It was a fun .3 miles from shelter 13 to the store.
After 12 miles of hiking with a 40 pounds on your back on rock, you forget how to walk the right way. Add to that extreme fatigue, and you get a funny reaction. We could not walk straight. We could not put one foot in front of another.
We get to the store for sodas, ice cream and coffee and we stay by the dock to rest and contemplate on our hike except there were 3 yachts docked and some vacationers who had chairs and tables on the main dock and started on a loud booze-charged rants (we could still hear them from our shelter later on).
It was one heck of a hike. It is Friday and we still had an extra day as we were supposed to leave Sunday on Voyageur II. We go back to the shelter, we relax a bit when we suddenly hear a splash of water coming from Washington Creek. A moose was grazing there. Just in front of us 5 yards away. Finally a moose. We watched it, filmed, took pictures then we got tired of watching it and swatting mosquitoes and left it to its food.
We cook and eat in the shelter without the world of mosquitoes as the shelter had a table inside. 10 pm we hit the bed.
The next morning we get a decent breakfast again with cappuccino and oat meal. Then we go to the store get some more coffee, shower token (6$ for 5mn) and talk to the lady in charge of the store. She and her husband escape the heat of Vegas with a trailer and stay in IR from June to September.
Then we go to the ranger station, talk to the rangers a bit and then pick some magazines and stay outside by the station. I failed to mention that when we started our hike the 1st day and when we got dropped at McCargoe, a guy, perhaps a scout leader, came to inquire about our plan. He was apparently resting there, got bored and wanted to see what other newcomer-hikers were planning. We didn't really pay him much attention as he thought our trek was too difficult. In any case, once our trek was done, we just sat by the ranger station and started talking to newcomers. It is a nice feeling to be wearing Tevas, done with 30 miles of hiking and talking with a connoisseur tone to hikers who just got in
.
From our part we didn't have it in our feet and we were not planning on hiking more during that extra day. No Hugininn, no nothing. Just chill by the dock. And that's when Wenonah comes.
Just out of curiosity we ask the captain if he could take us to Grand Portage if we wanted to come back that day. He said that it was no problem. We didn't have any reason to stay one more day and drive back Sunday to Minneapolis as we had to work on Monday. So we pack quick and with tear in the eye, we say goodbye to IR and a promise to come back. While the boat was leaving, rangers by the dock were waving goodbye.
Smooth ride to G. P. it took 1 more hour than the Voyageur II as the captain took his time to show the different historical anecdotes of IR, rock of ages and G.P.
It was brutal, but........memorable!
PS. I am not gonna go back and edit for grammar/syntax as I am sick of typing!
So we spent the last 2 night in N. Desor for some well deserved rest. We also wanted to eat as much as possible to lighten our pack a bit. Which we did.
Before going to sleep I consulted my "future telling Crystal ball" and it told me that philranger will suggest waking up earlier. So we set out our alarms for 6am.
We wake up at 6 and that's exactly the time when we hear some good drizzle on the tent. 5 minutes later it became decent showers amplified by the noise of the rain hitting the tent. We pick our food and we get our breakfast in the tent. Thin pita bread with nutella and fruit medley. Enough of a source of energy but no coffee. We wait a bit hoping that the rain will stop, but no luck. It let up just enough for us to pack our tent and gear. I look at the sky, check the pressure on my watch, and we decide to hit it, just as it begins to rain harder. It doesn't look that rain will stop soon.
8am, we are on the trail. Again we have to go uphill to get to the main trail for a bout .6 miles, worst part of any hiking. Rain doesn't look that bad as we are walking in thick birch tree woods. Once we get to the main trail, we start our journey for maybe 6 miles, maybe 12 miles, or maybe 14. It all depends on how we feel. Either cross country camp somewhere along mile 6 or 7 after N. Desor toward Windigo. Or go to Washington Creek, or Huginnin.
Once we start the hike on the ridge we realized that rocks were VERY slippery and DANGEROUS. It is raining heavier by now, our footing is very delicate and the rain did wake all of the mosquito along our trail. I am wearing Northface water-resistant pants that I usually use for my cross-country skiing trips and relatively damp hikes, some cheap Columbia rain shell and a pair of high Rocky insulated Gore-Tex waterproof hunting boots that so far were flawless in knee high snow small treks. We knew from the forum that this part of the hike is going to be tough because of the length, terrain and lack of marking and grooming of the trail. It is all true.
Some parts are totally not groomed and look like no one hiked them in a LONG TIME, some parts on the ridge do not have the stone-markings and some parts have shrubs and bushes growing 8 feet where you have to use your hands to clear the way. We had to stop several times and try to figure out the trail. The worst came a couple of times when we had to figure out the trail for about 5 to 10 minutes.
One hour into the hike, water leaked into our boots. We had gore-tex boots, and I doubt water leaked from the top of the boots as i still had the top of my socks dry by that time. I will test my boots again later and get back to this because this has been VERY frustrating. In short because of the elements, rain, mosquito, soaked clothes, impracticality of xc camping and fatigue, we decided to forget about Huginnin and go straight to Washington Creek.
For me personally, it felt like a military expedition (without the risk of being killed, not a small one). That's all I can say. The rain, wetness, heavy packs, soaked feet and body...the first mile was the easiest. As i said before some NPS folks were camping with us at N. Desor. Well, they were clearing the Minong. They left their camp at 7am and hiked their way and were clearing the Minong up to Washington Creek for the next week. Cutting shrubs and bushes, marking trails. Once we passed them a mile into our hike, the trail changed, from clean and nice to almost nonexistent at times. So the good news is that the trail should be much better now.
By now, rain was torrential. Later on a ranger at Windigo said that he has rarely seen such rain at IR and that he could not see the lake from the ranger house! Our boots were a couple of pounds heavier, soaked in water, mosquito were biting through 2 layers of clothes including the plastic of my rain jacket. Head nets were a blessing but by the time we could stop and retrieve them from our packs, I had some 20 mosquito bites on my face and neck.
We stopped several times to rest under bigger trees away from rain. We got some food and used our energy bars (good stuff energy beans, energy bars and small energy gel stuff, I forgot the names but they are at REI, Dick's...). Amazingly and this might be because our feet got tougher over the time, but water didn't hurt our feet and no blisters. Just a feeling of discomfort because of the water.
5 hours into the hike and rain is still there. We were still on and off the ridge. We were honestly getting sick of it. I knew the terrain and how far we had to hike from checking my GPS but every time we leave the ridge we hope it would be the last time, then we start climbing again. Creek crossing was slightly tricky but not too much. We just had to be extra careful. I did twist my ankle maybe 2 or 3 times over rocks, but thanks to the high boots, no damage. The last creek crossing was worked on and had long wood sheets sitting on logs for maybe 300 yards. I don't know how people crossed that creek before it was fixed. The other creek crossings were in a good shapes and had tight logs in there. The 3 beaver ponds were slightly trickier. The most western one was excellent and clear, but the most eastern ones were not. We crossed the most eastern beaver pond without problem, then we stumbled upon the 2nd.
The trail comes down from a little ridge and suddenly stops. There is a pond to the right, and a series of water and damns to the left. A small trail shows that someone stepped in that direction to the left. We look further and no decent trail appears in front of us. So I decide to go left on what looks like a trail or more maybe moose trail but that's what we could see. I take the lead and I go knee-high in water in what continues to look like moose trail. At one point I was ready to hit a chest high water passage as we thought the trail got submerged with rain water. Then we decide to back track and check again. We get back to what seemed to us as a still correct trail and we start to figure it out again. It wasn't the nicest feeling. No where to go but maybe swim and no guarantee of finding the trail, we were 60% in our hike, we haven't seen anyone on the Minong other than NPS folks who camp back in N. Desor. And most of all we didn't want to camp in these conditions. Suddenly our ranger who was checking off trail cameras for the NPS and who does the Minong twice a month shows up on his way to Windigo!
And he showed us the trail. We just had to go straight, uncover 5 yards of bushes on a little path between the 2 ponds. He was light packed and looked fresh. We asked him when he left and it was 11am. The ranger caught us around 3 pm while we started at 8. well, to give ourselves a bit of credit, he was on a 2 night camp, he was light, had a single light tent and no extra pounds
. And most of all, he knew the trail. So we are fine He talks to us a bit, then he puts the after burner and says, "oh btw, the last pond is easy, see you later". On a side not I should have returned and disrupted the moose trail that I hiked as it might have fooled some hikers. So beware.He was right, we hit the last pond, rain stops and we spend the last 2 hours on a very nice walk in the park. A wet walk that is, as we were still soaked. Not much elevation, mosquito seemed to calm down a bit we even found 2 antlers that were shed recently, but still no sign of moose.
We finally get to the post that says Huginnin 3miles, Washington Creek 1.8. It was a no brainer. We cross some very nice strawberry bushes and we eat a bit, then around 5.30 pm we take shelter number 13 in Washington Creek. We unpack, take off our wet clothes (I will invest in proper rain gear next time including REALLY waterproof boots), we put on our Tevas and try to walk to the store. It was a fun .3 miles from shelter 13 to the store.
After 12 miles of hiking with a 40 pounds on your back on rock, you forget how to walk the right way. Add to that extreme fatigue, and you get a funny reaction. We could not walk straight. We could not put one foot in front of another.
We get to the store for sodas, ice cream and coffee and we stay by the dock to rest and contemplate on our hike except there were 3 yachts docked and some vacationers who had chairs and tables on the main dock and started on a loud booze-charged rants (we could still hear them from our shelter later on).
It was one heck of a hike. It is Friday and we still had an extra day as we were supposed to leave Sunday on Voyageur II. We go back to the shelter, we relax a bit when we suddenly hear a splash of water coming from Washington Creek. A moose was grazing there. Just in front of us 5 yards away. Finally a moose. We watched it, filmed, took pictures then we got tired of watching it and swatting mosquitoes and left it to its food.
We cook and eat in the shelter without the world of mosquitoes as the shelter had a table inside. 10 pm we hit the bed.
The next morning we get a decent breakfast again with cappuccino and oat meal. Then we go to the store get some more coffee, shower token (6$ for 5mn) and talk to the lady in charge of the store. She and her husband escape the heat of Vegas with a trailer and stay in IR from June to September.
Then we go to the ranger station, talk to the rangers a bit and then pick some magazines and stay outside by the station. I failed to mention that when we started our hike the 1st day and when we got dropped at McCargoe, a guy, perhaps a scout leader, came to inquire about our plan. He was apparently resting there, got bored and wanted to see what other newcomer-hikers were planning. We didn't really pay him much attention as he thought our trek was too difficult. In any case, once our trek was done, we just sat by the ranger station and started talking to newcomers. It is a nice feeling to be wearing Tevas, done with 30 miles of hiking and talking with a connoisseur tone to hikers who just got in
. From our part we didn't have it in our feet and we were not planning on hiking more during that extra day. No Hugininn, no nothing. Just chill by the dock. And that's when Wenonah comes.
Just out of curiosity we ask the captain if he could take us to Grand Portage if we wanted to come back that day. He said that it was no problem. We didn't have any reason to stay one more day and drive back Sunday to Minneapolis as we had to work on Monday. So we pack quick and with tear in the eye, we say goodbye to IR and a promise to come back. While the boat was leaving, rangers by the dock were waving goodbye.
Smooth ride to G. P. it took 1 more hour than the Voyageur II as the captain took his time to show the different historical anecdotes of IR, rock of ages and G.P.
It was brutal, but........memorable!
PS. I am not gonna go back and edit for grammar/syntax as I am sick of typing!
-
Don_P
- LNT Expert
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:35 pm
- Isle Royale Visits: 4
- Location: Wilmington, DE
Re: july 19th to July 26th (we actually came back the 25th)
Kanonen,
Once again a great post and a reminder that in spite of the 'romantic' appeal Isle Royale holds (doesn't sound right but you know what I'm talking about), it is wilderness and it can kick our tails no matter how well we plan.
Glad to hear you're thinking about the next trip. As you experienced it really is a special (wild) place.
Don
Once again a great post and a reminder that in spite of the 'romantic' appeal Isle Royale holds (doesn't sound right but you know what I'm talking about), it is wilderness and it can kick our tails no matter how well we plan.
Glad to hear you're thinking about the next trip. As you experienced it really is a special (wild) place.
Don
-
jerry
- IR Expert
- Posts: 545
- Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 6:52 pm
- Isle Royale Visits: 14
- Location: Dayton, Ohio
- Been thanked: 4 times
Re: july 19th to July 26th (we actually came back the 25th)
Thanks kanonen for your TR. Enjoyed it. Maybe next year I'll do the Minong. East end this year.
Re: july 19th to July 26th (we actually came back the 25th)
thanks all...we are looking forward doing the easy parts next time. Minong: check!