Isle Royale Forums

Isle Royale Service Trips:
Want to do more to help Isle Royale National Park? Join a work crew in Tobin Harbor June 14-22 or 21-29 to stabilize historic buildings and support the Artist in Residence Program. Volunteer skills needed are carpentry, roofing, painting, cooking, and general labor. Learn more at http://www.irkpa.org (“upcoming” tab) or contact crew leader John Dunn (jdadunn AT gmail.com)

I have done Volunteer trips in the past with John. Great experience giving back and fun to work with. If you have the time, a worthy way to spend a week or so!!

John, What expenses are incurred by the volunteers (i.e. travel, food, etc.)?

Jerry,
Passage to IR is via the Ranger, which we did not pay for. We brought our own food and cooking gear, but a few of the days John and his wife supplied dinner as we worked late to finish a particular aspect of a project (like getting the roof weatherproof). If you wish, in the past you would pay John and he would supply the meals. (By the way, his French Press coffee is great!). Some of the trips we tented,(we used our backpacking gear) some we would use cabins. I brought my own tools as I am a carpenter and prefer to work with the same. Others used tools provided by John, that were fine. While skills are nice, there is plenty to do that do not require skills.

If you are interested, I would get in touch with John and get more info from him. Tell him Hi from me!

John

From the Association link:

"The requirements for this project are: a desire to volunteer, completion of the application form, and a $100 donation to the IRKPA Artist-in-Residence Program. The skills desired for applicants are: carpenters, roofers, painters, cooks, and willing laborers. Volunteers provide: tents, sleeping gear, clothing, and personal supplies. Food cost is $150 for one nine-day session. We provide: round-trip transportation from Houghton to Isle Royale aboard the Ranger III, and waiver of the national park daily user fee. For more information, contact John Dunn: jdadunn@gmail.com"

I have done 3 work trips in Tobin Harbor with John Dunn (as well as a couple elsewhere on the island.) In Tobin Harbor he will have access to the gas fridge at the Artist-in-Residence cabin, so the food is not just freeze-dried backpacking fare; you have the luxury of things like cold milk, and there is also a gas stove with an oven for baking. You aren't backpacking so you can have fresh bread. It's very nice.

Sleeping is wherever people can fit. There are no "official" tent sites at Scoville Point, and not very many "unofficial" ones, so sleeping inside one of the historic buildings is utilized to minimize impact on the vegetation and to keep tents of sight from the trail that leads out to Scoville Point. There is a single outhouse.

I stopped going on the work trips because I didn't want to always go to the island in June, and because my very limited skill set when it comes to construction work made me feel like I was taking up space better used by someone who was more physically fit and more handy. If that's you, I would urge you to give it a try. There is a lot of work to do and it really helps the park service.

The first session is already full, but there is a waiting list. Still spots available for the send volunteer trip, however.