Isle Royale Forums

Our Voyageur reservations are made, time to start packing!!!

Name: Gary Coleman, Amanda Coleman
Email: (at) gacoleman@yahoo.com
Hometown: Whiteland, IN
Arrival Date: 6/22/09
Departure Date: 6/26/09
Coming From/Via: Grand Portage -VII/Wenonah
Itinerary: Day 1 - Feldtmann Lake
Day 2 - Possible Layover
Day 3 - Siskwit Bay
Day 4 - Island Mine or Huggin Cove
Day 5 - Windigo and out
Notes/Other: Side trip to Ely and International Wolf Center before IR

My trip is mid June. I'm getting off at Mc Cargoe. I only have 6 nights and have never been to Chippewa Harbor or Lane Cove I'm wondering if I should try to go to both or just one of them. I've heard they're both great and want to work them in some how. I'm also worried I won't be as motivated hiking by myself. Who knows maybe I'll be more motivated. I just want to see all of the island and not miss the best spots. I'm excited. Usually I go in Aug. so this year I get to go sooner. Then it looks like I'll be going the 1st of August also. I've really enjoyed this forum and wish I would have found it sooner. It's great to hear of everyone's love for IR.
Loree

Name: Megan and Troy
Email: mkparker919(at)gmail.com
Hometown: Eau Claire, WI
Arrival Date: Wednesday, May 13.
Departure Date: Sunday, May 17.
Coming From/Via: Grand Portage, Minn., to Windigo and back.
Backpacking itinerary:
Day one: Windigo to Feldtman Lake.
Day two: Feldtman Lake to Siskiwit Bay.
Day three: Siskiwit Bay to Windigo (Washington Harbor Campground).
Day four: Windigo to Hugginin Cove.
Day five: Hugginin Cove back to the boat.

Notes: This will be my third trip and Troy's second. Neither of us has done the Feldtman Loop. If we're feeling on the lazy side, we might hang out at Siskiwit Bay for two nights and spend the last night at Washington Harbor, though I would like to see Hugginin Cove.

Name: Matt Acker
Email: macker_1985@hotmail.com
Hometown: Haslett, MI
Arrival Date: Saturday, August 15th
Departure Date: Sunday, August 23rd
Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor, MI (Isle Royale Queen IV)
Itinerary:
Aug. 15 - Arrive in Rock Harbor and hike to Lane Cove
Aug. 16 - Lane cove to East or West Chickenbone Lake
Aug. 17 - East or West Chickenbone Lake to McCargoe Cove - Short day for rest and exploration
Aug. 18 - McCargoe Cove to Todd Harbor
Aug. 19 - Todd Harbor to Little Todd
Aug. 20 - Little Todd to North Lake Desor*
Aug. 21 - North Lake Desor* to Huginnin Cove or Washington Creek - Depending on motivation
Aug. 22 - Board Voyageur II in Windigo and take to Rock Harbor, overnight in a campground near Rock Harbor
Aug. 23 - Depart Isle Royale via the Isle Royale Queen IV back to Copper Harbor

Notes/Other:
* I am currently researching the viability of a backcountry campsite several miles west of North Lake Desor to reduce the mileage for Aug. 21st. If anyone has any recommendations for such a site or other ideas that would be great. I would really prefer not to have to blow through that stretch as i like to ramble and explore while i'm on the trail. This is my first trip to the island, and i have been researching these message boards for awhile now, as well as using the backpacker midwest forum. I would greatly appreciate any hints, tips, recommendations in regards to my schedule or Isle Royale in general.

- Matt

Name: Derick Smith
Email: (at) Smitorical@yahoo.com
Hometown: North Muskegon
Arrival Date: May 15 2009
Departure Date: May 22 2009
Coming From/Via: Ann Arbor
Itinerary: Friaday May 15: Arrive at Rock Harbor and hike to Daisy farm
Saturday: Daisy Farm to Lake Richie
Sunday: Lake Richie to West Chicken Bone Lake
Monday: West Chicken Bone Lake to Todd Harbor
Tuesday: Todd Harbor to Hatchet Lake
Wensday:Hatchet lake to West Chicken bone lake
Thursday: West Chicken Bone Lake to Three Mile via Greenstone
Friday May 22: Three Mile to Rock Harbor

Notes/Other Can anyone give me info on fishing during these dates? We plan on fishing just about every day. How is Hatchet Lake for fish?

Cheers,

Derick

Names: Steve P, Steve G, Sean K, Will C, Matt H
Email: s r p a r r (at) g m a i l (dot) c o m
Hometown: Plymouth, MI
Arrival Date: Saturday July 11
Departure Date: Friday July 17
Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor via Queen IV
Itinerary:
Fri 7/10: drive to Copper Harbor
Sat 7/11: Queen -> Rock Harbor, dayhike East Greenstone
Sun 7/12: Voyageur -> Wendigo, dayhike Huginnin Cove
Mon 7/13: hike to Feldtmann Lake
Tue 7/14: hike to Siskiwit Bay
Wed 7/15: hike to South Lake Desor
Thu 7/16: hike to Malone
Fri 7/17: water taxi -> Rock Harbor, Queen -> Copper Harbor
Sat 7/18: drive home
Sun 7/19: recovery day!

Notes/Other: Convoluted way to get to the west end from Michigan without having to drive all the way to Grand Portage (and back). Seaplane would have been easier, but it was unknown if the plane would run this year when we made the reservations. As a benefit, we get to dayhike at both the east & west ends ... and see the entire south coast via the Voyageur!

The return from Malone to Rock Harbor via water taxi is scheduled in the morning, and if all goes as planned we will catch the Queen that afternoon. If the taxi is delayed due to weather, we will spend the night in Rock Harbor and ride out on Saturday.

Name: Rob & Marie
Email: rc45102 (at) hotmail.com
Hometown: Amelia (Cinti.) Ohio

Arrival Date: August 11, 2009
Departure Date: August 14, 2009
Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor/IR Queen IV/Rock Harbor

Itinerary:
My daughter's first backpacking trip, my third to IR:
Driving Monday from the Les Cheneaux Islands to overnight in Copper Harbor....
Rock Harbor to Three Mile (via Rock harbor Trail),
Three Mile to Daisy Farm (via Mt. Franklin Trail to Greenstone to Mt. Ojibway Trail),
Daisy Farm to Rock Harbor (via Rock Harbor & Tobin Harbor Trails).

If she keeps pace with me on day 1, we might head for Daisy Farm instead of Three Mile....who knows...maybe I'll be chasing HER!

We're planning on a Scoville trail hike on day 4 also.

It's great that you are spending time with your daughter backpacking. My daughter was 15, then 17 during out 2 trips to Isle Royale. I even made her drive part of the way to and from on the last trip.

My wife and I are now going June 8-14 instead of June 1-7. We're still very excited about the trip, and as the weather gets warmer my anticipation grows.

* I am currently researching the viability of a backcountry campsite several miles west of North Lake Desor to reduce the mileage for Aug. 21st. If anyone has any recommendations for such a site or other ideas that would be great. I would really prefer not to have to blow through that stretch as i like to ramble and explore while i'm on the trail. This is my first trip to the island, and i have been researching these message boards for awhile now, as well as using the backpacker midwest forum. I would greatly appreciate any hints, tips, recommendations in regards to my schedule or Isle Royale in general.

I would shoot for West Chickenbone over East, even if West is full and you have to ask someone to double up. I really like that your next day is a short one for a couple reasons A) those shelters at McCargo can fill up fast so get there before the boats do and B) McCargo is such a nice spot to chill and c) take a short hike to the mines and even go just uphill of them to the ridgetop to get a taste of what the next couple days will be like.

August 21 is a long haul, but you will have your legs under you then. To me, it is worth it to go the extra miles, knowing there is soda and ice cream waiting at the Windigo store, and moose to watch playing in Washington Creek from the back side of a shelter while my stuff is drying. Last year along that stretch we ran into an eastbound party who thought they had passed Desor and so camped trailside. Mosquitos were miserable there. The group looked kind of beat up, but they had high spirits. If you are feeling super strong, Huginnin is a nice add on too. You can still get ice cream the next day.

philranger wrote:It's great that you are spending time with your daughter backpacking. My daughter was 15, then 17 during out 2 trips to Isle Royale. I even made her drive part of the way to and from on the last trip.

I gotta be fair... I took my son in 2002 & 2004...it's her turn now! I'm the lucky one...I get to go every trip!

Name: Tiffany & Eric Schepler
Email: tmschepler(at) yahoo.com
Hometown: Lansing, MI
Arrival Date: Monday, July 20
Departure Date: Tuesday, July 28
Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor
Itinerary:
Day 1: Copper Harbor to Rock Harbor to Daisy Farm
Day 2: Daisy Farm to West Chickenbone
Day 3: West Chickenbone to Hatchet Lake
Day 4: Hatchet Lake to South Lake Desor
Day 5: South Lake Desor to Siskiwit Bay
Day 6: Siskiwit Bay to Feldtman Lake
Day 7: Feldtman Lake to Windigo
Day 8: Ferry from Windigo to Rock Harbor - stay in Rock Harbor or 3 Mile
Day 9: Day hike or canoe rental then ferry from Rock Harbor to Copper Harbor

Notes/Other: This is our tentative trip itinerary right now. This is our first trip to Isle Royale. We are very excited. Any suggestions or tips are appreciated since we are new to Isle Royale. My husband would love to bring his fly fishing pole. Does anyone know if any of the lakes we will be staying at have access for fly fishing? Anyone have any idea what the bugs are like in a typical year at the end of July?

Name: David Crites
email: davidcrites@sbcglobal.net
Hometown: Elburn, IL
Arrival Date: May 12
Departure Date: June 1
Itinerary:
May 12-23 Working in Rock Harbor to install new floor in visitor center.
May 24 Take the voyager to Windigo and Hike to Feltman Lake
25th Siskiwit Bay
26th Lake Desor
27th Malone Bay to check in on Johnhens and crew and eat some of their fish!
28th Hatchet Lake
29th McCargoe Cove
30th Moskey Basin
31st Three Mile
June 1 Rock Harbor for a shower and then catching the Queen for the trip back.

Name: Tom
Email: tom (at) thevoigts (dot) com
Hometown: Lake Elmo, MN
Arrival Date: Sat, June 13th
Departure Date: Tues, June 16th
Coming From/Via: Grand Portage, Voy II
Itinerary:
June 13th - Into McGargoe; hang out at the mines, maybe dayhike to East Chickenbone. (A trail segment I haven't hit yet..)
June 14th - Over the ridge to Moskey Basin.
June 15th - Down to Chippewa Harbor
Notes/Other: After last year's "Wet and Rainy Minong" experience, we decided that a short June trip with low miles was in order. Although this will be the third consecutive trip starting at McCargoe (is that BAD, really?) I find there is always something new to see. We're hoping to get plenty of time 'off pack' to just hike about and explore.