Isle Royale Forums

Vandy wrote:

How do you plan on getting between Calumet and Houghton? Its about 11 miles, and I am unaware of any public transportation that runs between those towns.

Doh! I assumed I could just get a cab at the airport since it seems equidistant as Houghton/Hancock. I'm inquiring with the motel on potential transportation now. Thanks for asking the question!

Here is a link to some information in the Transportation and Lodging section.

http://isleroyaleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1432

Midwest Ed wrote:

Vandy wrote:

How do you plan on getting between Calumet and Houghton? Its about 11 miles, and I am unaware of any public transportation that runs between those towns.

Doh! I assumed I could just get a cab at the airport since it seems equidistant as Houghton/Hancock. I'm inquiring with the motel on potential transportation now. Thanks for asking the question!

Here is a link to some information in the Transportation and Lodging section.

http://isleroyaleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1432

Reservations made with Charley at Copper Country Limo for all transportation needs! Thanks, again for posing the question.

Name: Adam
Email: (at)
Hometown: Minneapolis
Arrival Date: May 7th
Departure Date: May 15th
Coming From/Via: Grand Portage
Itinerary:
Dropped off at Rock Harbor hike to Moskey (7th)
Siskiwit Bay (8th)
Huginin Cove (9th)
McCargoe Cove (10th)
Chippewa - (11th-15th)

Notes/Other: Hiking a lot the first half, then base camping and fishing the last half. Could easily end up basecamping more if it rains a lot.

Revised itinerary to account for Huginnen CG closure

Name: Tim
Email: tvandy1(at)nc.rr.com
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Arrival Date: 06/24
Departure Date: 7/2
Coming From/Via: Houghton via seaplane
Itinerary:
6/24 – Arrive in Houghton via plane; overnight in Calumet motel
6/25 – Seaplane to Windigo; Hike to Feldtman CG (8.8 miles)
6/26 – Hike to Siskiwit Bay CG (10.3 miles)
6/27 – Hike to Desor South CG (9.9 miles)
6/28 – Hike to Todd Harbor CG (11.8 miles)
6/29 – Hike to McCargo Cove CG (6.7 miles)
6/30 – Hike to Lane Cove CG (13 miles)
7/01 - Hike to Rock Harbor (6.9 miles); Seaplane to Houghton; overnight in Calumet motel
7/02 – Depart Houghton via plane

Notes/Other: This is my fourth trip to the island. The first since 1997, my first IR solo, and my first on any portion of the western end of the island. Using Copper Country Limo for transportation in Houghton/Calumet.

Name: Steve Parr, Steve G., Vince L., (Sean K. maybe)
Email: srparr (at) gmail (.) com
Hometown: Plymouth, MI
Arrival Date: Friday 2 September, 2011
Departure Date: Saturday 10 September, 2011
Coming From/Via: Houghton via seaplane
Itinerary:
Fri: Fly into Wendigo in PM
Sat: hike to NLD
Sun: hike to Little Todd
Mon: hike to Todd
Tue: hike to McCargo
Wed: Hitch ride to Rock Harbor (Voyageur)
Thu: canoe to Belle Isle (depending on weather)
Fri: canoe back to Rock Harbor
Sat: fly out in PM

Notes/Other: Vince's first visit to Isle Royale! Steve G's first Minong hike!

If the weather is too bad for canoeing the last couple days, we can hitch a ride on the Voyageur to Chippewa and hike back to Rock Harbor with plenty of time to fly out Saturday afternoon.

srparr, Don't forget to make reservations with the Voyageur for your pickup at McCargoe and drop off at Chippewa Harbor. They go past McCargoe if they don't drop folks off there. Not sure how many folks without reservations can jump on at Rock Harbor and expect a drop off at Chippewa.

Make reservations for every boat pickup you need. They charge for all of them, and I'm not sure their policy for cash transactions on the island. Like Jerry says, don't hope for the boat to pick you up in McCargo, that's about a 40 minute trip for them in and out, and they won't do it unless they know there is someone in there.

jerry wrote:srparr, Don't forget to make reservations with the Voyageur for your pickup at McCargoe and drop off at Chippewa Harbor. They go past McCargoe if they don't drop folks off there. Not sure how many folks without reservations can jump on at Rock Harbor and expect a drop off at Chippewa.

Thanks Jerry; good advice! I can't imagine how disappointing it would be wait for a pickup that never happened! Kind of waiting until closer to the time and see if we can reserve a pickup on the MV Sandy as it's cheaper. It would totally depend on if anyone has reservations on the daytrip from Rock Harbor, and if they have room available for the return ride. I figure the Voyageur won't be too full that time of year, so we can wait on the boat reservations until a week or two before we go.

budducci wrote:Make reservations for every boat pickup you need. They charge for all of them, and I'm not sure their policy for cash transactions on the island. Like Jerry says, don't hope for the boat to pick you up in McCargo, that's about a 40 minute trip for them in and out, and they won't do it unless they know there is someone in there.

Thanks for the input budducci! The second boat ride (to Chippewa Harbor) is a just-in-case plan. We want to plan on renting a canoe and paddling to Belle Isle, but it will depend on how good the weather is! Bad weather and we will try the Chippewa ride and hoofing it back to Rock Harbor. I've heard that it is possible to get a ride if you are at the boat when it leaves, which we will be because of the overnight in Rock Harbor. I'll call them before planning on it, and whenever I find out their cash policy, I'll post it on the board.

Name: Dave
Hometown: New Berlin, WI
Arrival Date: August 20, 2011
Departure Date: August 26, 2011
Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor via Queen
Itinerary:
8/20 - Queen to Rock Harbor then hike to Lane Cove
8/21 - Lane Cove to McCargoe Cove
8/22 - McCargoe Cove to Todd Harbor
8/23 - Todd Harbor to Hatchet Lake
8/24 - Hatchet Lake to Moskey Basin
8/25 - Moskey Basin to Rock Harbor
8/26 - day hike around Rock Harbor while waiting for the Queens departure.

Name: Joshua
Email: joshua.seymour (at) gmail (dot) com
Hometown: Granville Ohio
Arrival Date: 07/21
Departure Date: 07/30
Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor/via Queen IV ferry to Rock Harbor
Going to be going as one of the leaders of our local scout troop, in two groups of 6 (G1 and G2), so the two itinerary's are listed below as planned by their scout leader (my father-in-law Brian). This is my first time to Isle Royale so I'm stoked!

Itinerary: July 21 – July 30, 2011
July Day Activity
21 Thu. 9:00pm – Arrive at Copper Harbor, MI
22 Fri. 8:00am – Leave on the Queen IV ferry to Isle Royale
12:00noon – arrive at Rock Harbor Visitor Center
Take Water Taxi from Rock Harbor to Chippewa Harbor (12 miles)
G1 - Camp at Lake Whittlesey or south shore of Lake Whittlesey only
G2 - Camp at Chippewa Harbor or south shore area only
23 Sat. Portage and canoe to Siskiwit Lake
G1 - Camp at Malone Bay or south shore area only
G2 - Camp at south shore area of Siskiwit Lake
24 Sun. Sunday Sacrament meeting at Malone Bay campsite
Sunday appropriate activities only
G1 - Camp at south shore area of Siskiwit Lake
G2 - Camp at Malone Bay or south shore area only
25 Mon. Portage and canoe to Lake Richie
G1 - Camp at Lake Richie (East) or north shore area only
G2 - Camp at Lake Richie/Canoe (West) or north shore area only
26 Tue. Portage (2 miles) and canoe to Moskey Basin
G1 - Camp at south shore area only of Moskey Basin
G2 - Camp at Moskey Basin or south shore area only
27 Wed. Canoe (4 miles) to Caribou Island
Visit Edisen Fishery and Rock Harbor Lighthouse
G1 - Camp near Edisen Fishery
G2 - Camp at Caribou Island
28 Thu. Canoe to Rock Harbor (5 miles)
Rendezvous at Rock Harbor Visitors Center
G1 & G2 - Camp at Rock Harbor, prepare for Ferry Ride back
29 Fri. 2:45pm – Leave on the Queen IV ferry to Copper Harbor, IM
6:00pm – Arrive at Copper Harbor, MI
Spend rest of day at Copper Harbor, Camp at Copper Harbor
30 Sat. 6:00am – Leave from Copper Harbor, MI

Name: Tracy/Miranda
Email: (at) floatinggypsy@yahoo.com
Hometown: Ashland, Mo.
Arrival Date: July 25,2011
Departure Date: Aug 2,2011
Coming From/Via: Grand Portage/ VoyagerII
Itinerary: McCargoe,Ckickenbone Lake, Lake Ritchie, Wood Lake, Lake Whittlesey, Cippewa Habor
Notes/Other:

Name: Brian
Arrival Date: Saturday, August 27
Departure Date: Thursday, September 1
Coming From: Southeast Michigan
Itinerary:
Saturday - Voyageur II to Windigo and hike to Feldtmann Lake
Sunday - Feldtmann Lake to Siskiwit Bay (Rainbow Cove)
Monday - Siskikwit Bay to Washington Creek
Tuesday - Washington Creek to Huginnin Cove
Wednesday - Hugunnin Cove to Washington Creek
Thursday - Hang out in bookstore and then take Voyageur II back to Grand Portage
Notes: This will be my 7th trip and my son's first. We're both looking forward to the trip and hoping we have good weather.

Name: Lonnie
Hometown: Lake George, NY, now living in Wyandotte, MI
email: lonanonymous@yahoo.com
Arriving: Friday, July 1, 2011
from: Copper Harbor to Rock Harbor on the IR Queen IV
Departing Tuesday, July 5, 2011 back to CH and Zik's
Itinerary: ?? On the water for 5 days if the Lake will let us.
I'm an IR rookie and decided to err on the side of caution by booking with an experienced guide out of Keweenaw Adventure Co. I really want to make it to McCargoe and Amygdaloids. This is a "shakedown cruise" for me so that I can return with my daughter for a longer trip to paddle the inland lakes from Siskiwit over to McCargoe and back through Duncan to Rock Harbor.

Name: Eirc, Andrew & Natalie
Hometown: Brighton, MI
Arrival Date: July 16, 2011
Departure Date: July 23, 2011
Coming From/Via: Houghton by Royale Air
Itinerary:
7/16 - Windigo to Feldtmann Lake
7/17 - Feldtmann Lake to Siskiwit Bay
7/18 - Siskiwit Bay to Lake Desor
7/19 - Lake Desor to Todd Harbor
7/20 - Todd Harbor to McCargoe Cove
7/21 - McCargoe Cove to Moskey Basin
7/22 - Moskey Basin to 3 Mile or Rock Harbor
7/23 - Travel back to Houghton on the Ranger III

My 2 prior trips were in the late 80s. I am going with 2 of my adult children on this trip.

Eric

Name: John I
Hometown: Hillsborough, NC
Arrival Date: 7/29
Departure Date: 8/1
Coming From/Via: Houghton via Seaplane
Itinerary:
Fri 7/29 N. Wis. to CMX. CMX to Windigo. Camp at Washington Creek.
Sat 7/30 Washington Creek to Huginnin Cove.
Sun 7/31 Huginnin Cove to Washington Creek.
Mon 8/1 Windigo to CMX. Point truck towards NC and drive...
Notes/Other:
First time backpacking for a paddler. Solo. Tagging this onto a trip to N. Wis.