Early June Itinerary--Some questions

[Tortuga]

Finalizing my June trip itinerary and have a few questions. The first and last few days are low-miles, while there are some pretty hefty days in the middle. I'm trying to hit camps I haven't stayed at before, so if there are some I should "pass" on let me know.

Assuming Chicken Bone is a confirmed stop, is West or East better? Is taking a shorter day and sleeping at Hatchet Lake a better option? Mileage-wise it turns the 9th and 10th into roughly even days, but I haven't heard much about Hatchet Lake. Thanks!

Itinerary:
5th - Rock Harbor - Daisy Farm (7.1 miles)
6th - Daisy Farm - McCargoe Cove (8 miles)
7th - McCargoe - Little Todd Harbor (13.3 miles)
8th - Little Todd - Malone Bay (18.7 miles)
9th - Malone Bay - W or E Chicken Bone (18.2 miles)
10th - W or E Chicken Bone - Moskey Basin (6.2 miles)
11th - Moskey - Three Mile (8.3 miles)
12th - Three Mile - Rock Harbor/Home (2.7 miles)

[JerryB]

Those are some long days, but you know what your will or will not enjoy. I like Hatchet Lake. The sites are uphill from the lake. A lot of birch trees, as I recall.

[Ingo]

Don't think anyone will say East over West Chickenbone. East is away from the lake and West is right on it. Hatchet is a nice CG on a lake. Not spectacular but nice. And I can't conceive of those miles so Hatchet would be a nobrainer for me.

[Base654]

I was only at hatchet once, but didn't stay. A large group was being a bit to loud for my tastes, so I moved on to Todd. I think it should be on the list. E CB, on the other hand, is to be used only if West is full and you can't go to McCargoe for one reason or another. I did Malone to Todd a couple years ago after an extra day at Malone. It actually wasn't to bad. We took lunch at the lookout, and the rest was pretty much flat or down hill. I don't think I would have made it with a 18 mile day before it though. Malone is not spectacular, the lakes are nice, but there may be to many fisher people. I thought lake Desor is really nice. I will be back to Malone, but only as a stop on a kayak trip... Google maps has some pics of Malone.

[Tortuga]

Don't think anyone will say East over West Chickenbone. East is away from the lake and West is right on it. Hatchet is a nice CG on a lake. Not spectacular but nice. And I can't conceive of those miles so Hatchet would be a nobrainer for me.

On my trip last year I kept most of my days at 8-10 miles. I'm an early riser and was hitting the trail before 8am each day, and there were a couple times I was at my destination by 11AM, when some people hadn't even started. Guess I'm just looking for a way to stretch out my day a little better

All that said and done, I think Hatchet will be a good stopping point and I can save the Chickenbones for another trip.

Malone is interesting to me because it seems kind of remote. I'm hoping things aren't too busy on the island for my trip. I went the same time last year and (maybe because I started early in the day) rarely came across someone on-trail. Camps were pretty quiet too.

[Ingo]

On my trip last year I kept most of my days at 8-10 miles. I'm an early riser and was hitting the trail before 8am each day, and there were a couple times I was at my destination by 11AM, when some people hadn't even started. Guess I'm just looking for a way to stretch out my day a little better

We probably wouldn't make great hiking partners . I do like to get up and go in the mornings, but you're probably twice as fast (and maybe twice as young )

All that said and done, I think Hatchet will be a good stopping point and I can save the Chickenbones for another trip.

That would break up the long days some (2 instead of 3). And you can always choose to press on if you want.

Malone is interesting to me because it seems kind of remote. I'm hoping things aren't too busy on the island for my trip. I went the same time last year and (maybe because I started early in the day) rarely came across someone on-trail. Camps were pretty quiet too.

If it's not quiet enough, the tent sites (they double as group sites there) are removed from the shelters--didn't look like they'd been used at all when we were there in July. And the shelters are pretty spread out for that matter. But I would be surprised if it's that busy that time of year.

[Midwest Ed]

Malone can get a little busy if one or more boater's agenda overlaps with yours but early June is not busy for anyone, including boaters. I expect you might be all alone there.

[Tortuga]

Here's another thought: has anyone here bushwhacked from Little Todd to Ishpeming Point? The big part of my mileage that day is staying on-trail. But if I can take a straight line to the ridge I'll save myself 9 miles. Alternative is just to drop Malone from the plan and do it another time.

[IncaRoads]

...has anyone here bushwhacked from Little Todd to Ishpeming Point?

I have. Here is the link to my trip report.... viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1257&p=7945#p7941

[Midwest Ed]

IncaRoads just beat me to it, posting his link. It took me a bit to find it. Given the recent large increase in beaver population I would estimate at least some of those "dried up" swampy areas will be more wet today. Plus you're reversing the direction. But it's sometime nice to know you won't be the first.

[Tortuga]

Thanks! I thought it looked like about 1.5 miles. What GPS did you use? I was just going to hit it with a compass but should probably use more advanced tech. Sounds like I'll have quite a climb to get on the greentone from the valley. I'm kind of surprised they haven't built a trail there yet.

[IncaRoads]

What GPS did you use?

For that bushwhack I used a Garmin Geko 201 (circa 2004), which I still use it today. Lightweight, no mapping capability, abilty to pre-program waypoints (most useful to me).

Sounds like I'll have quite a climb to get on the greentone from the valley.

Not only that but the northwest side of the Greenstone Ridge in the vicinity of Ishpeming Point is mostly cliffs with only a few places to safely ascend/descend. This is a typical geological feature for all the ridges on Isle Royale, the southeast facing slopes are relatively gentle compared with the northwest facing slopes, which are often very steep.

[Tortuga]

Well it looks like it'll be a solo trip for me, so I've made some changes and have a pretty firmed up plan now. No bushwhack (don't want to do that solo), and no days over 8 miles. Won't get as many miles in as I hoped, but I'll be able to visit a lot of new camps and will have stayed at all east-end campgrounds except E Chickenbone.

I plan to go back in September for the west end trails.

2nd - Rock Harbor - Daisy Farm (7.1 miles)
3rd - Daisy Farm - McCargoe Cove (8 miles)
4th - McCargoe - Todd Harbor (6.6 miles)
5th - Todd - Hatchet Lake (3.9 miles)
6th - Hatchet Lake - W Chicken Bone (7.9 miles)
7th - W Chicken Bone - Moskey Basin (5.9 miles)
8th - Moskey - Three Mile (8.3 miles)
9th - Three Mile - Rock Harbor/Home (2.7 miles)

~50 trail miles overall.