Isle Royale Forums

Hi Everyone,

I'm planning my 2nd trip to Isle Royale, with my wife, 2 friends that went to IR with us before, one moderate hiker, and 1 complete novice (the last 2 are chronic 3-4 marathon/yr runners). Overall, I would call this group moderate hikers. I am planning on going June 28 (over 4th of July). Any advice or ideas on itineraries? How bad with the crowds be (last time I went was over labor day and it was empty)?

Day 1: Ferry/Rock Harbor - Daisy Farm (7.1 mi)
Day 2: Daisy Farm - Moskey Basin (3.9 mi)
Day 3: Moskey Basin to Chippewa Harbor (6.2 mi)
Day 4: Chippewa Harbor - McCargo Cove (10.6 mi)
Day 5: McCargo (maybe a day hike or just sit on the shore and swim) - Voyageur II to Rock Harbor (stay at RH or grab a night at the lodge)
Day 6: Ferry return

Intangibles: #1: I'm afraid that my crew won't be willing to do more than around 6-8 miles per day, but I think I can convince them to do one longer day. #2: We really preferred the shoreline camps to the inland ones. #3: I swim whenever I see safe water - and swam last time at Rock Harbor, Daisy Farms, and McCargo Cove. It just makes my day to swim in icy water (I did too many cannonballs and flips off the sea plane dock at Rock Harbor and got a wee touch of minor hypothermia, but all in good fun).

If you have better ideas, I am all ears (for instance, I couldn't figure out how to also get in a trip to Todd Harbor).

Daisey to Mcargo is easily doable.10 mile days are possible or more by the sound of your physical abilities .Low pack weights obviously may help too.Mcargo to Todd,Todd to w chickenbone could be a long day.W cb to dsy frm, dsy frm to Rock.This route would require an extra day though.

Sorry, I don't think theses ideas are any better......but they are ideas.With miles like these, your crew may not be happy.My best opinion would be have fun with your current itinerary and see Todd harbor on a Minong run.Next trip right??? good luck.

Thanks for the advice. It's nice to hear this isn't a crazy itinerary. Maybe I can day trip in McCargoe in the morning before the Voyageur arrives too. I could try to sprint to Todd Harbor and back

That stretch between McCargoe Cove and Todd Harbor is probably the easiest section of the Minong Trail. Still not a "walk in the park" though, not that it really fits into your itinerary this trip. I too much prefer the campgrounds on the Big Lake to the inland ones. In addition to not having to swim with the leeches (McCargoe Cove excepted), all the shelters are at the Lake Superior campgrounds.

Are there leeches at McCargoe? I didn't see any last time when I swam there.

Leeches at McCargoe are renowned for their size. I've never had one patch on but saw them from the dock. They looked about double normal size. Big and fat

Well, I'll never swim there again

I was up in Maine last year swimming in a remote lake. We were all having fun until someone had a leech latch on. You should have seen how fast we walked on water to get out of there.

So, this is an almost cool intinerary, except I figured out that my days don't align with the Voyaguer II's stop at McCargoe.

I still swim at McCargoe. I'd be Leary at Chickenbone though....

Leech danger is over rated but indeed there is the icky factor. As a kid we used to get them all the time swimming in Michigan lakes, usually under docks. If removed properly they rarely cause a sore that lasts long. My Mom used to dump salt on them which is sometimes NOT a good thing to do. It kills them and they fall off but in the process their stomach contents can regurgitate into the open skin break thus potentially causing infection. The best way is to interrupt their suction by scraping them off using a knife blade (as if you're shaving the area) or even just using your finger nail. There is a sucker on both ends but only one has the larger triangular shaped jaw.

I would think leeches at McCargoe will depend generally on water temperatures. Later in the season might be worse than earlier. They don't like sunlight so I wouldn't think twice about taking a quick in and out of deep water unless I saw hordes of them waiting for me . Lakes such as Lake Desor would probably have lots of leeches and big ones as there are not many fish to control them.

I wonder if they taste like Escargot?