Isle Royale Forums

I'm looking to do a loop starting at the east end of the island, i.e. Rock Harbor (3 mile CG or Daisy Farm CG). I want to do a loop that takes the Greenstone and Minong Ridge Trails. What would be the easier direction to hike? Start West down the Greenstone to Windigo and then East back up the Minong Ridge? OR the other direction; Start West down the Minong Ridge to Windigo, and the back up East on the Greenstone? It's sort of a clockwise/counter-clock wise question.

1st Consideration: If you are carrying all of your supplies for the entire trip your pack should be lighter on the return leg. I consider the Minong to be the rougher of the two trails so if I were making the trip I'd take that route back with the lighter pack. However, if you are planning on resupplying at Windigo and bringing your pack weight back up I would lean against using the Minong for the return.

2nd Consideration: If your pack weight is going to be about the same in each direction you might also consider that your legs, feet and mind may be feeling a bit fatigued when you reach Windigo. I think that the rougher Minong return will then offer more opportunities for tripping and stubbing your sore, swollen toes. That certainly happens to me when I get physically and mentally tired. I also think that your mind needs to be more alert on the Minong as it seems much easier to lose the trail.

3rd Consideration: Have you hiked either trail before? If you have, plan your route so you are hiking it in the opposite direction this time. It will give you a whole new set of scenery enroute.

Having done the Greenstone/ Minong loop, I would recommend doing the Minong first and then working back to RH on the Greenstone. The Minong is the more technical trail. The stretch of the Minong from WC to NLD or from NLD to WC is perhaps the most technical stretch of trail on ISRO and going up the trail with a fully loaded pack from a resupply at WC would be a real challenge (I went downhill). The Greenstone is not a real technical trail and while you have to go uphill from WC to SLD, it is like hiking uphill through the woods on most trails in Michigan (or the midwest).

I would recommend doing a mail drop of food at Windigo. There is information elsewhere on how to do this. A mail drop would allow you to carry much less pack weight (representing food). The Rangers in Windigo and the Captain of the Voyager II (ISRO's mail boat) were very helpful. I would plan a zero mileage (or local hiking) day at WC to make sure that you and your mail/food hook up.

I would also suggest going further than the 3M campground out of RH. You might as well get used to 8+ mile daily hikes on ISRO terrain sooner rather than later. The whole loop plus side trips to the various campgrounds is 100+ miles. If this is your first time on ISRO the Rangers will try to talk you out of doing this...

Clockwise.

I was hoping not to do the "mail drop" route. Is it unrealistic to carry all 10 days of food with me? I thought if we did the Greenstone first, then my pack will have lost a fair amount of food weight by the time we hit the Minong on the way back.

Again, is it unrealistic to carry ALL of my food? I'm planning 8 full days, and 2 book end days (for a total of 10 days on the island). We have no rest days planned. We have about 5 days over 10 miles, and about 5 days at the 7 - 8 mile mark.

In 2009, I carried 10 days supply to Windigo, re-supplied, carried 10 days supply back to RH.
Eat as you go, lessens the load; very doable without re-supply for 10 days.

Starfire wrote:Is it unrealistic to carry all 10 days of food with me?. . . . . We have no rest days planned. We have about 5 days over 10 miles, and about 5 days at the 7 - 8 mile mark.

No one can decide for you what weight is too much. If you are unsure then a 10 day wilderness trip is not the place to find out. After doing your best to get the weight down, take a week end trip, carrying your expected 10 day weight, and put several miles behind you. Experience is the only way for you to discover your limitations.

After a fiasco of a first trip to IR I returned 3 months later with all new equipment and determination. Still, my beginning weight with water was 55 pounds. I was 6’ 2” and 250 pounds and it was 1975 so 55 pounds wasn't out of the norm for back then and someone my size. I made a 14 day solo trip -- Windigo - Feldtman Loop - Todd Harbor - Little Todd and back - Moskey Basin - Lane Cove - RH.

I never would have made it successfully had I not first spent a few weekends traipsing around the Keweenaw working out some of the kinks. Those were valuable lessons. You should always be prepared to be flexible and make adjustments. At least one or two planned short days helps a lot.

I would strongly recommend using the Voyageur as a resupply option. Everyone is different but why carry ten days food if you have a mail drop option? I have hiked the Minong in both directions and I would strongly recommend heading from McCargo Cove toward Washington Creek rather than reversing that route. I just remember having a little bit more challenges going the opposite direction. On the Minong I also recommend being very careful on dewy mornings or if there has been any rain. The rocks can be very slipepry and much the trail in sections is rocky. The Minong can be a bit obscure in places so watch for cairns and pause and reflect if you think you have lost the trail. All in all this sounds like a wonderful hike at a great time of year.