Semi-Experienced Backpackers, Itinerary Help

[danha1en]

This is my first post on the IR forum, so please be kind. I’m in the process for planning a trip to the Island in late August and would like to hear everyone’s thoughts. A brief background on the group: 4 males, aged 25-29 with a decent amount of backpacking experience. We’ve hiked the Porcupine Mountains, Pictured Rocks, Smokey Mountains and Grand Canyon between us—so gear, packs, and food are not the issues. We are all runners and in decent shape, but we are by no means Ultralight backpackers. We prefer the 45 lb pack and a little luxury then going without a few extra items…

In planning this trip, it takes a long time to get to the island and we don’t have a lot of vacation time so all of our draft itineraries are counting on using the seaplane to get there. This will save the 3-4 hours on a boat and hopefully cut out a day of travel. I’ve read through the forum to try to stay at the more favorable campsites and avoid the poor and crowded ones.

Option 1: Greenstone Ridge
Saturday: Drive to Houghton (7 hours) and catch afternoon seaplane to Rock Harbor. Camp at Rock Harbor for simplicity.
Sunday: Rock Harbor to Daisy Farm (7.1)
Monday: Daisy Farm to Chickenbone West (7.9)
Tuesday: Chickenbone West to Hatchet Lake (7.9)
Wednesday: Hatchet Lake to Desor South (8.1)
Thursday: Desor South to Island Mine (5.5)
Friday: Island Mine to Windigo (6.9)
Saturday: Seaplane out and drive home

Option 2: Mid Island Adventure
Saturday: Drive to Houghton (7 hours) and catch afternoon seaplane to Rock Harbor. Camp at Rock Harbor.
Sunday: Catch the Voyageur II at 8 am to Chippwea Harbor (9am Arrival) Hike to Moskey Basin (6.6)
Monday: Moskey Basin to McCargoe Cove (8.2)
Tuesday: McCargoe Cove to Daisy Farm (8.2)
Wednesday: Daisy Farm to Lane Cove (7.2)
Thursday: Lane Cove to Rock Harbor (6.9)
Friday: Seaplane out and drive home.

I understand the Greenstone Ridge Itinerary is a day longer, so forgive the apples to oranges comparison.
Question:
1. I don’t see us planning a second trip to IR in the near future due to plans to visit Glacier, Arches and a few other NPs… So which trip will be the better overall experience on the island?
2. When we hiked in the Smokey Mountains, there were hardly any good views because of the trees being in the way. Is the Greenstone Ridge like this?
3. I’ve looked up the schedule for the Voyageur II online and know it only travels on certain days of the week. Are there any other issues using it?
4. The Seaplane website looks like it’s flexible for travel times. Has anyone used it and booked a late afternoon flight to the island or a morning flight out of the island?

Thanks for any help you can provide. If you have any other suggestions, please chime in.

[budducci]

I think your Itinerary #1 is a better choice, and will give you the experience of seeing the entire island. I would make a modification to it, though and skip the night at Island Mine. Island Mine is ok, but is in the middle of the woods, not on a lake, so the view is limited. The hike from S. Desor to Windigo is pretty easy, so the additional mileage shouldn't be too hard.

The views from the Greenstone, are mostly good, as it is ridge hiking. The stretch from Desor to Windigo is mostly in the trees, though.

The Voyageur II is pretty regular and is only really held up by weather, which should be stable in August. I've never used the seaplane, so I can't comment on that.

An alternative trip for you, that would also be stupendous is to hike the Minong. The Minong Ridge offers some of the best views on the island, and some of the roughest hiking.
Rock to Daisy
Daisy to McCargo
McCargo to Todd
Todd to Little Todd
Little Todd to N. Desor
N. Desor to Windigo (manditory big day)

[Keweenaw]

I like your itinerary #1 with the following changes:

When you arrive on the Island, go ahead and hike to Threemile. It's only 3 miles (hence the name) and if you take the Tobin Harbor trail (moose sighting possibilities) it will take you an hour and a half or so (maybe 2 if you sightsee). Then the next day you can skip Daisy Farm. Just backtrack past Tobin Harbor Trail turnoff and go straight up to the Greenstone towards Mount Franklin and head for West Chickenbone - 12 miles but you have all day to do it. Hiking along the Greenstone is IMO a better experience than the shoreline route to Daisy Farm.

At the other end, I concur that a stop at Island Mine is unnecessary. It's an easy hike UPHILL from Windigo to South Desor, so it's even easier going the other direction. The trail there is the proverbial "walk in the woods".

You can use the extra days to lay over and dayhike a couple of places if you like.

Bob

[jerry]

I too suggest on day 1 of option 1 to skip Rock Harbor and to go out to Lane Cove via Tobin Harbor, then on day 2 out to W. Chickenbone.

[danha1en]

Thanks for the input everyone. It seems like the general consensus is to travel from end to end on the island.

It seems that most people think Island Mine is awful, so that will probably be skipped if we stay along the Greenstone. I really liked the suggestions of getting an early start the first afternoon and going to Three Mile or Lane Cove if there is enough daylight.

I haven't bought a Topo Map of the island yet-- What are the elevation differences between Minong and the Greenstone? I know the Greenstone is higher overall, but which trail is more up and down? I heard the Minong is much more rustic and is probably a harder trail but would like to confirm.

Thanks!

[Keweenaw]

The Greenstone Trail, where it parallels the Minong, is mostly a series of gradual ups and downs with a fairly smooth, packed dirt surface (mostly).

The Minong is a series of low rocky ridges so you find yourself going up to a little ridge, hiking along the rock for xxx yards, hiking down off the ridge into the woods for xxx yards, and repeat. I'm not a big hiking pole fan, but they would be a good addition to your gear for the Minong. Between North Desor and Windigo there is a fair amount of muddy trail, beaver dams, etc.

The Minong is definitely harder, but that's its appeal.

Bob

[head2north]

You really can't go wrong with any trip to Isle Royale as long as your entire group
is comfortable with your goals and abilities. And it sounds as though your group has
this covered.

If I was granted only one more trip to Isle Royale for the rest of my life (absolutely hypothetical - I can't
not keep returning). If it were a hiking trip on your arrival/departure time it would be:

Saturday Night : Arrive - Three Mile
Sunday Night : Moskey Basin
Monday Night : McCargo Cove
Tuesday Night : Todd Harbor
Wednesday Night : Little Todd
Thursday Night : North Desor
Friday Night : Huginnin Cove or Windigo (depending on Saturday's departure time)
Saturday : Depart

But again, on your FIRST TRIP, you can't go wrong.

[fonixmunkee]

Greetings, danha1en, and welcome!

You've got two great itineraries there. You won't go wrong with either. I'm biased towards the Greenstone ridge one because a lot of those areas you'll hit are some of my faves (Daisy, Chickenbone, Desor). But honestly, you can't go wrong with either. Everyone else has thrown out some good altercations to your itineraries too. I'd heed any suggestion to skip Rock Harbor and Island Mine. Rock is always busy and kind of "civilized" and Island Mine is a patch of dirt with little to nothing going on.

I'd figure I would help out by answering your questions:

Q1: Either is going to get you a good sampling of the island. You'll be back, anyway. So don't beat yourself up over which one might have been better. Yes, I am jealous of your trip to Arches and especially Glacier, but IR has something that those places can't really offer. You'll know it when you get there, and you'll be back.
Q2: On either the Minong or the Greenstone, you will be greeted with breathtaking views of Lake Superior in at least 270-360 degrees of full, picturesque viewing. Don't worry about not getting any great views in; you will see some amazing vistas, like this:



Or this:



And this:



And there's more where those came from. All from the Greenstone.

Q3: The VII is easy as pie to use. There's no gotchas. You can even use the online booking tool to help plan your trip. The online tool will tell you if the boat doesn't leave/return on a certain day, and it will only let you select the stops it can make on certain days. Also, the price you get from the online tool is 100% accurate (no hidden fees). If all else fails, call the GPIR office. Capt Don and the staff there a ultra friendly and will explain everything perfectly.
Q4: I can't answer sea plane questions, so hopefully someone else can.

You also asked "What are the elevation differences between Minong and the Greenstone? I know the Greenstone is higher overall, but which trail is more up and down? I heard the Minong is much more rustic and is probably a harder trail but would like to confirm." The elevations don't deviate in gain between the two trails much, it's just how rapid the gain is. On the Greenstone, it's a bit gradual, whereas on the Minong it's much more all-at-once. Still, the Minong is harder and more rugged (some near non-technical rock climbs at times), but it's not like you can't do it. If you are even in modest shape (like myself), you'll have a great time challenging yourself on the Minong.

Also, for the record:

This is my first post on the IR forum, so please be kind

This place is not your typical internet forum where people flame other posters, degrade them, or are just plain rude. Chances are, you may meet a few of the people who post on this forum on the Island: the people who post here don't hide behind their digital identities and say things they wouldn't normally say to you person-to-person. I've made some friends off of here as well. So you don't have to worry, we'll all be kind. And if someone *is* rude, you just let me or one of the other forum mods know, and we'll hand out the digital equivalent of a bitch-slap to them (which I will follow up with a face-to-face talking-to as well )

[danha1en]

Thanks for the help. I don't think I'm going to lose much sleep deciding whether to take the Greenstone or the Minong. I just got my Topo map in the mail, so I'll review the mileage and routes with the guys to make sure everyone's on board either way.

[jrwiesz]

Just one comment to add to the wonderful suggestions you have already received. Never rule out the weather in any of your plans. Whether it is the "flights", to and from the Isle, or on the Isle. The weather - "The Lady" - controls ones' itinerary.

Enjoy the trip, be flexible, you can't go wrong, and as others have related, "You will return again".