In the late 70's when I first started to become interested in backpacking, I had subscriptions to National Geographic and Backpacker. I would read both from cover to cover each month when they came in the mail. I found out about IR initially through articles in both and the idea of being on an island that had moose and wolves facinated me. The remoteness of IR was also intriguing and so the planning began. I contacted the Park Service and spent time finding out as much as I could about backpacking there.
The summer of 1983, I was working full time while going to school part time. Come August, I decided I would make a trip to the UP and IR. I went to Pictured Rocks and did part of the lakeshore trail. Lake Superior was spectacular-and cold!! While I enjoyed PR, I could not sleep thinking about what IR would be like. I had a picture of the Island taken from a plane that showed a seemingly heavy wooded island. We elected to take the Queen out of Copper Harbor. I think it was the Queen II.
The ride over was nice, smooth and sunny!! I spent most of the time on the foredeck watching the speck of Island grow.
As we neared the Island, I could see seaplanes taking off from Rock Harbor and the everpresent orange lichens on the rocks.
After tieing up at the dock, we grabbed our packs and listened to a brief orientation (unlike today's LNT talk

I spoke to the ranger at length about the moose and wolves-would I see at least a moose? We sat on the dock talking to others about their trips. I had to pinch myself, I was finally here!!!
We returned to our shelter using the flashlight that was before the headlamp days. We sat at the picnic table planning tomorrow's day hike to Moskey looking carefully at the map for the everpresent swamps that were sure to have moose falling out of them!! I had a Pentax 110 SLR. It was a great camera, small, easy to use with interchangeable lenses (2).
We soon went to sleep on our blue ensolite pads!! Soon, we heard loons, my first ever. I heard something moving through the brush outside the shelter, I was sure it was a moose. The thought it might be a wolf kept me in the shelter. I looked in the mud the next day, come to find it was a fox, which I would see later. We took off early for Moskey after a breakfast of pop tarts and instant oatmeal . We soon were up on the ridge and had tasted my first thimbleberry!!! I stopped at every clearing looking out throught the birch trees. We had a little trouble following the cairns across the rocks, mostly because I was looking for moose instead of cairns!!
We stopped whenever we heard a noise lookng through the trees for the moose. We eventually did see a moose about a mile before Moskey. A cow. I took pictures, most of which were a black head that you had to use a magnifying glass to see in the 5x3 prints. I didn't care, I had seen a moose!! I was in true wilderness!!

We arrived at Moskey and immediately I thought I need to come back here to spend time exploring and waiting for the hordes of moose that must use the swamp down the trail and gather in the little bay in the evening for the benefit of those wishing to take pictures.!!!
We headed back to Daisy Farm thrilled with our trip so far. I knew we would surely see a wolf on the way back. Surely!!!
We arrived back at Daisy Farm, not having seen any hikers the whole day. I told the ranger of our sighting, he smiled I am sure thinkng, I see moose all the time!!!
We again filterred water, during which time I thought I have to find a better filter system.
We had dinner and sat on the dock talking to others who would be heading to either 3 mile or Rock Harbor the next day.
We saw a fox walking along the shore. I took pictures, sure they would be on the cover of National Geographic!!!
We went to the shelter, finally I was tired enough to sleep!!! We woke early and enjoyed the stillness of the morning. I walked around the beach looking for wolftracks I was sure were out walking around at night.
We packed up and were on our way. The girl who was with me was moving slow. We took breaks often. Finally, we decided I would move on to 3 Mile and I would come back and carry her pack, which was a Coleman Peak 1 Plastic frame pack that she rented from the College Rec Center-and did not fit!!!
I moved quickly down the trail looking for wolf tracks. I got to the 3 Mile, dumped my pack and went back down the trail looking down. Sure enough, I saw wolf tracks that were not there 10 minutes ago. I felt a chill down my back and then thought of my girlfriend, whom I am sure the wolf was following!!

Soon we met up, she was taking a break with some scouts we had met at Daisy Farm. I told them of my seeing the track and was later told by one of the leaders it was indeed a wolf track and very fresh!!!
I was thrilled as was my girlfriend who was now hiking well without the ill-fitting pack!!
We arrived at 3 Mile and soaked our feet. I thought about going swimming and waded in and quickly waded out (this was before the days of Superior reaching 70 degrees in late summer!) We enjoyed a nice sunset and nice moonrise!!
The hike to Rock harbor the next day was "easy" as I was carrying most of her gear. At this point I wanted junk food and we arrived in Rock Harbor before the Queen. We went to the store and pigged out on junk food. We watched as the Queen pulled up to the dock, we now experienced veterans of Isle Royale watching the cleanly dressed hikers getting off the boat!!
The ride back was fun listening to the stories of those who were there with us. I was sad to leave but I knew I would be back! I did not get the call from National Geographic for my fox pics... they must have been lost in the mail!!
So share your stories of finding Isle Royale and your first trip!!!