Isle Royale Forums

Has anyone done/attempted a circuit route on Isle Royale? I was thinking that one would start at Rock Harbor, down the Greenstone to the intersection with the Island Mine trail, around to Windigo on Feldtmann Ridge, and then up the Minong back to the intersection with the Greenstone.

Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions about the feasibility of such a route and more accuratge mileage (or other options/suggestion)? My quick calculation is ~80 miles. The plan is to do it in mid-June following a research trip on the island. Should I be concerned about trail conditions then?

Any information/suggestions are greatly appreciated!

One important piece of information you did not include is how many days you are planning to budget. That round trip (or variations of it) have been done and is popular with people that have the time. Every year new dead fall is produced that block the trails (but not such that they are generally impassible). Last year was especially severe due to off season storms. As soon as the park starts operating the Ranger III ferry in early May they have trail crews working hard to clear the trails and make repairs to boardwalks through wet areas. The wet areas that you will need to cross (streams and beaver ponds) will of course be more wet in the spring but given the mild winter that the Lake Superior area has been experiencing I would expect a dryer than normal spring. Much of the normal snow accumulation has already melted. Anything could happen between now and June regarding high winds (and water) but given the clearing out that last year’s storms created and the mild conditions so far I think your chances are good for less than normal deadfall (but maybe more bugs?). But still, count on slightly slower going than in the fall. There are several good trip reports here for your perusal especially regarding last years slow going. A phone call to the park headquarters in mid May should probably get you a current report on expected trail conditions.

Accomplishing your circuit can be made easier by planning for a food drop in Windigo (or Rock Harbor). There have been at least a couple of discussions here giving instructions as to how to do it (one by Captain Don of the Voyageur II and mail carrier) and another I remember detailing how it worked well for one person. I can’t find links to the discussions right now but they are there.

I am curious about your research?

Midwest Ed wrote:

Accomplishing your circuit can be made easier by planning for a food drop in Windigo (or Rock Harbor). There have been at least a couple of discussions here giving instructions as to how to do it (one by Captain Don of the Voyageur II and mail carrier) and another I remember detailing how it worked well for one person. I can’t find links to the discussions right now but they are there.

Food drop link: http://www.isleroyaleforums.com/viewtop ... 9437#p9437

docrock:

The circuit is done frequently(almost yearly) by a few; I did it in 2009 and 2010. The link that bobonabike gave is the link on which I posted "my" method. It is two or three posts above the "Capt Don" post on that matter.

2009 I spent a 21 day circuit on the Isle, 2010 I spent a 14 day circuit on it. One could make the trip in 10 days if you are ambitious/crazy?

I did a circuit last year (2011).

I went from Rock Harbor to Windigo via the Minong and then back to RH via the Greenstone.

The information regarding a mail drop of food and supplies via the Voyager II is VERY important for planning purposes. The information from Captain Don of the Voyager II posted elsewhere was accurate as of last year. You might want to plan a zero day in Windigo to make sure that you get your package or make arrangements with the Ranger station to hold your package in the event that you are delayed (while I believe the Voyager II will drop off packages at other stops, they will not drop a package off if you are not there to pick it up). While there is a small store at Windigo, there are few supplies available and the cost is excessive for the few things sold. As the Ranger station at Windigo is a Post Office (although limited), you can also mail gear home that you are not using (you will need to have a box and postage to do this; you could reuse the box from your mail drop if you include postage with the mail drop).

I would recommend doing the Minong first as it is a much more challenging trail than the Greenstone (you will be doing a lot of scrambling up and down rock faces). I would also recommend doing the Minong from McCargoe to Windigo rather than Windigo to McCargoe (the 13 or so mile stretch from Windigo to North Lake Desor is, IMO, the most challenging stretch of trail on ISRO and going downhill is much easier than going uphill). The Minong requires use of landnav skills -- plan on many of the cairns marking the trail to be missing -- and of possibly fording streams by wet wading. The payoff of the Minong are the views and the isolation.

I did the circuit in 13 days, with 3 days being zero mileage or local hikes (one at Windigo , 1 at Daisy Farm on the way back and 1 at RH due to the ferry not running because of a storm).

We one refers to an IR Circuit Route does that immediately suggest that they intend to tackle the Greenstone, Feldtmann, and Minong trails or is that a board term that could be used to someone doing a circuit along the rock harbor trail to greenstone back to the rock harbor campgrounds. Sorry I just want to get my forum terminology straigt. Is IR Circuit Route a board or specific term. Thanks.