Isle Royale Forums

We are doing a 10 day trip to Isle Royale in the middle of May. Anything else that you can think of that I am forgetting to bring?

Here is what my girlfriend and I have:

Backpacks
Headlamps
Water Filter
Tent
Sleeping Pads
Sleeping Bags
Food
Stove, Pot, and Spork
Fuel
Socks
Underwear
T-Shirt
1 pair of conversion pants
Rain Pants
Rain Jacket
Waterproof Matches
Treking Poles
Backpack Rain Covers
Hiking Boots
Mole Skin
Tolietries
Pocket Knife

I know there is more, as it comes to me I will fill you in.

Do I need to worry about bug protection yet? What kind of warm layers should I bring to keep me warm at night around the camp? I have a 25F bag so I should be fine while inside my bag.

Basic first-aid stuff?

You may also want to consider headnets and some bug repellant/DEET, depending on how annoying small, biting insects are to you. I know I seem to be a magnet for them and they drive me crazy when they get around my face. A bug headnet weighs almost nothing and a small spray bottle of DEET is a relatively insignificant amount of weight as well. I usually use at least one of those items on almost every trip to some extent. The extra "comfort" they provide me is well worth the minor increase in weight. At least for me.

Some of the other things on my list:

camp shoes
camera
hat/gloves (it gets cold in May)
map
sunscreen
compass
trash bags
para cord
notebook/pen (for your trip report)
pan coozie (to save on fuel)
carabiners

Enjoy your trip!

All the above suggestions are good ones. Additionally I might include (depending on how light I'm trying to pack) a pack or two of cards and a paperback book or two. These have been very nice to have in a two or three day downpour.

Mid may, you can still get snow, a wool cap, gloves, sandles or the like for camp.
An insulated top or vest.
Water bladder or bottle.

Money and/or credit cards.
A cork stopper for the sink in the laundry room at Windigo.
Camp towel.

+1 on the warm clothing in May. We hiked through a mini-blizzard a few years ago and last year there were a couple rainy 40-45 degree days.

Bob

gaitors
and if you like to have a few, a cached six pack or bottle of wine is always nice at the end of a trip, just make sure you bring it back on the boat as garbage and dispose of it on the main land. Have a nice trip.

Map
Compass
Jacket (insulated...fleece)
Does toiletries cover soap toothbrush and towel?
I like to bring small marine radio with weather band. Use the radio for emergency communication.
First Aid
Bug repellent of some sort
Water bottle
Trash bags, I like to use 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bags.
Duct tape, and repair kit.
Rope or cord
I also bring chlorine tablets, use if filter breaks or forget to bring it

Screen door silencer
Extra coffee for the neighbor that forgot or ran out
Swamp smell extractor for extraction odors after you fall off boardwalk into swamp

I like to bring small marine radio with weather band. Use the radio for emergency communication.

This is a good point.

Most folks won't want to spend the money on a marine-band, or marine VHF radio as it is commonly referred to, but I can't think of any other way (or a better way) to communicate with the ranger stations or boats. Nearly all handheld marine VHF radios available today also receive the NOAA weather frequencies.

There are restrictions on the use of marine VHF frequencies, however. Generally speaking, you aren't allowed to use a marine VHF on land, except in an emergency. You can't use it to gab with your buddies (even if they are on the water).

If you're a kayaker, I think you absolutely should have one.

Whenever we go camping or hiking we always bring along a few Biffy Bags. A Biffy Bag is a personal disposable toilet that you can use anywhere or anytime nature calls. They have been a real life saver to us. They are really comfortable and sanitary to use and you don't need a bucket. They tie around your waste and then you pull them up between your legs and let gravity do the rest. Sounds kind of weird but they work awesome. Perfect for leave no trace and pack it in pack it out. We keep one in our tackle box and in the glove box of the car. They are 1000 times better then the wag bag or restop bag if you are familiar with them. I have only found them on line but worth checking out. go to www.biffybag.com . A friend of mine from Colorado told me about them I guess they have them in stores out there. To bad they do not have them in stores here.

It's kind of funny because my question is always the opposite--once I get my stuff in a pile I start asking what don't I need and dumping this and that (for me, on your original list, the first thing to go would be the rain pants, but your list looks good to me). I always seem to carry too much toilet paper and socks, and they are both things I don't want to run short of. And I do carry unnecesary items such as camera with extra batteries, small notebook, something to read, but I'm aqlways asking what I can dump. I've often figured stuff out that I will never bring while on the trail.

SunEDay, I can't tell your gender but consider a gogirl http://www.go-girl.com/ instead.

I like low impact camping and I mean low impact as in pack in and pack out everything if you know what I mean. Digging cat holes for human waste has its draw backs such as water contamination if people dig them to close to the water and soon you end up with cat holes on top of cat holes which is real nasty. What I have found with the Biffy bag is a very comfortable, sanitary and odor free way to pack out ALL of your waste. They are so easy to use you just tie it around your waste and pull it up between your legs and let gravity do the rest. There is no splatter, odor or mess and you can toss them in any trash can when done because they are landfill approved. You don't even have to remove your cloths to use it you just drop your drawers a little ways. It is very discrete. Call me spoiled call me a Leave No trace fanatic but for me the Biffy Bag is always in my back pack. They really should sell them at Windigo and Rock Harbbor. It would be good for the park.

SunEDay: Sounds like you work for the company. All of your posts do nothing but talk about your product. Cheap advertising, I guess. But it does seem to flow against the spirit of the forums. I prefer to use the many toilets provided on the island, but you can shit in a bag all you want.