Isle Royale Forums

Welcome to the 2019 Trip Log!

Once finalized as best as possible, post your itinerary, and then look around the list at who may else be enjoying a trip at the same time. It's a great opportunity to make new friends on the isle.

If you have questions or want feedback on your planned trip, consider posting your questions on the Trail and Campsites (viewforum.php?f=4) and Canoeing, Kayaking, & Fishing (viewforum.php?f=5) subforums.

We also have a visual calendar (calendar) to post the simple schedule, as well.

When you return, we hope you share your experience with a Trip Report!

Please copy below and post your plans in the following format:

Name:
Email: (at)
Hometown:
Arrival Date:
Departure Date:
Coming From/Via:
Itinerary:
Notes/Other:

Name: Einsiedler
Email: (at)
Hometown: Eagan, Minn.
Arrival Date: 8/10
Departure Date: 8/18
Coming From/Via: Grand Portage via Voyageur II

Itinerary: Rock Harbor-Daisy Farm-W.Chickenbone-Hatchet-Desor-Siskiwit-Feldtmann-Windigo

Notes/Other: Pretty straightforward trip down the Greenstone save for adding on the Feldtmann swing on the tail end. I think it's around 55-56 miles with shortest day being 7.1 miles and longest being 10.2, so it's pretty balanced and avoids the Island Mine site, which I won't complain about. Very experienced myself and will be with a first-time backpacker so I look forward to her overpacking no matter what I say . Should be a fairly easy and enjoyable trip though, relative to the greater world of longer thru-hikes, at least. Did a three-day McCargoe-Todd-Hatchet-Malone trip in May 2017 as my friend was short on time and I really want to get the thru-hike checked off the list so it's a fairly obvious route that only overlaps with about four miles of what I've already done. Figure once I knock this off I'll start getting a bit more creative as, barring untimely death, I'll certainly be back. Booked the boat today so already pretty excited about things. Now if we can just be lucky enough to get a repeat of the explosive Northern Lights display we were privileged enough to see in 2017...

Name: James Stewart
Email: james1230@gmail.com
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Arrival Date: 06/18/19
Departure Date: 06/22/19
Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor/Isle Royale Queen IV
Itinerary::
20 leaders and Boy Scouts taking their first trip to the Island as a group. Our troop plans one high adventure outing each year. In previous years we have hiked at the Philmont Scout Reservation, paddled through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and hiked segments on the Appalachian Trail.

We are drawn to the rugged mystique and remote nature of Isle Royale and we look forward to our adventure.
Crew 1
Rock Harbor -> Lane Cove
Lane Cove -> West Chickenbone Lake
West Chickenbone Lake -> Lake Desor South
Lake Desor South -> Washington Harbor
Washington Harbor/Windigo to Rock Harbor via Voyageur II -> Rock Harbor Camp
Rock Harbor to Copper Harbor via Isle Royale Queen IV

Crew 2
Rock Harbor -> Daisy Farm
Daisy Farm -> Todd Harbor
Todd Harbor -> Island Mine
Island Mine -> Washington Harbor
Washington Harbor/Windigo to Rock Harbor via Voyageur II -> Three Mile
Three Mile to Rock Harbor to Copper Harbor via Isle Royale Queen IV

sgatz wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:16 am

james1230 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:58 amIsland Mine -> Washington Harbor

Do you mean "Washington Creek"?

And how are 10 of you going to camp at Lane Cove? Did they add group camping sites there? Or did the park service make an exception?

Wow you must have some tough Scouts.... 15+ miles for some of the days....

Mod Note: Posts merged.

Arrival 5/31 by Ranger

Depart 6/7 by sea plane

This is basically same trip I had planed last year but had to cancel at last moment to due rotator cuff surgery, bummer. I will be base camping at Daisy Farm, Moskey Basin, Windigo and 1 night in Rock midway and 1 night last night. I will be using Voyaguer and water taxis due to carrying 60lbs of camera gear. In all my trips I have always brought crappy little disposable and point and shoot cameras due to weight. I will be doing astrophotgraphy, panoramic, birds in flight, sunrise/sunset and video. So I will have two Canon DSLR's, GoPRo, waterproof Nikon and a infrared/motion sensing camera long with a number of lenses from 15mm up to the 600mm. Along with tripods and all the necessary gear to make this a photography centered trip. Really excited.

Name: Keith Gabbard (Wildcat)
Email: kgabbard001@woh.rr.com
Hometown: Waynesville, Ohio
Arrive: 6/08
Depart: 6/16
Coming from: Grand Portage/ VoyagerII

Itinerary: Windigo-Feldtmann-Siskiwit-S Desor-Hatchet-W Chickenbone-Daisy Farm-Rock Harbor

There will be 4 in our group, myself, my son, my grandson and my nephew, ranging in age from 17-70. we discussed doing a shorter trip, but in the end, the consensus was to do the entire island since this will probably be my one shot to do this. Want to take lots of pictures and definitely want to do some fishing as time allows. Would appreciate any feedback and tips, warnings, etc. y'all can give.

Name: Nick Meier
Email: detourlawyer at gmail.com
Hometown: DeTour Village, MI
Arrive: 5/11
Depart: 5/27
Coming from: Grand Portage

Itinerary: Going to the Island on the 11th. Coming back on the 27th. Totally dependent on the weather. Might explore Five Fingers. Might explore Tobin Harbor. Of course, Chippewa Harbor is nice as is Malone Bay. Absolutely nothing to accomplish this trip: circumnavigation completed last year and all trails on the Island hiked since first trip in 1976. In 1980, I found the following written in a shelter at Daisy Farm: "17 miles in 14 days; casual camping strikes again." That has now become my mantra for this trip. Look for me. I'll be paddling the red Current Designs Isle.

Ron

Arrive 8/5 by seaplane Windigo
Depart 8/10 by seaplane Rock Harbor

Itinerary:
Day 1: Seaplane to Windigo on 8/5 to S. Lake Desor.
Day 2: S. Lake Desor to Hatchet Lake.
Day 3: Hatchet lake to W. Chickenbone.
Day 4: W. Chickenbone to Daisy Farm.
Day 5. Daisy Farm to Rock Harbor.
Day 6: Back to Reality

I am so looking forward to this trip. This will be my first to the island. Just two in our group. Myself and a buddy will be traversing the Greenstone Ridge (most of it). Any advice anyone has would be appreciated. Both of us are woods savvy, and "intermediate" experience hikers. I figure if we miss the seaplane... the bugs that time of year should be able to carry us back to the mainland. But, that's the time of year that we are both able to go.

JerryB wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:51 pm You will have a great time. Consider McCargo instead of Chickenbone. Just my preference.

We are definitely considering McCargo. Depends on the conditions and how we feel at that point! Talked about this for years, good to finally see it happening.

Mod Note: Posts merged.

Name: Dave
Email: Feel free to PM me here.
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Arrival Date: May 27, 2019
Departure Date: May 31, 2019
Coming From/Via: Copper Harbor/Queen
Itinerary: Probably RH - DF - Moskey - rest - TM - RH
Notes/Other: My first spring trip (3rd trip total). This will be a solo hike with lots of time for side-trips and exploring. For example, I'll do the loop up to the Ojibwa fire tower and check out swamps/lakes for moose along the way. I also hope to explore the "waterfall" near Moskey from Daisy Farm, and bushwhack some distance around Moskey from the campground.

Name: Laura aka torpified
Email: (at) you can PM here!
Hometown: Ann Arbor
Arrival Date: early June
Departure Date: somewhat later in June
Coming From/Via: the Ranger!
Itinerary: walk to Windigo via (among other things) the Minong Ridge, then take the Voyageur back to RH
Notes/Other: as usual this is hostage to many contingencies, but I'm very hopeful (and very excited) that it'll work out!

Names: Dan, Nick, Pablo, Grant

Email: jdbz1492@gmail.com

Hometown: Milwaukee Wi, Sheboygan Wi, Cedar Falls Ia

Arrival Date: 6-2-19

Departure Date: 6-7-19

Coming From/Via: Seaplane into RH, Seaplane out of Windigo

Itinerary:
Day 1: Fly into Rock Harbor, Water Taxi into Malone Bay.
Day 2: Lake Desor South
Day 3: Siskiwit Bay
Day 4: Feldtmann lake
Day 5: Windigo
Day 6: Fly out of Windigo

Notes/Other: First time on the island, very excited to spend a week out there!

Name: Brent K.
Email: (at) PM here
Hometown: Minot, North Dakota
Arrival Date: June 17
Departure Date: June 23
Coming From/Via: Grand Portage via Voyageur II

Itinerary: McCargoe>East Chickenbone>West Chickenbone>Lake Richie>Moskey Basin>to Daisy Farm

Notes/Other: This is my eleventh trip; I have been over every mile of trail on the island and to almost every camping area. After last year’s failure, I am backpacking shorter distances this summer. Last year I wanted to complete part of the Minong for the second time. I was not able to do the section from McCargoe to Todd Harbor because my MS (Multiple Sclerosis) had worsened. I ended my trip early and took the Voyageur II back to Grand Portage. It was very disappointing. I am hopeful that I can do this trip this summer. Next summer is a planned canoe trip at the Isle.

Big edit... My buddy decided to buy a house. I'm alone for this trip, so I'm doing my thing.

Name: Rod
Email: rcollin(at)comcast.net
Hometown:Ann Arbor
Arrival Date: May 23
Departure Date: June 7
Coming From/Via: Houghton via Seaplane
Itinerary:
#1 Beaver island
#2 Feldtmann Lake
#3 Siskiwit Bay
#4 Island Mine
#5 S Lake Desor
#6 Malone Bay
#7 Wood Lake
#8 Whittlesey
#9 Chippewa
#10 Lake Richie Canoe
#11 Moskey Basin
#12 Daisy Farm
last night Snug harbor

A few down days. I may skip a site or two.

Notes/Other: pack raft

Name: James Z.
Email: PM Here
Hometown: Hancock, MI
Arrival Date: 8/30
Departure Date: 9/5
Coming From/Via: Hancock via seaplane
Itinerary: W>N.Desor>Todd>McC>Moskey>LC>RH
Notes/Other: 2nd trip

Name: Harry Jiles
Email: (at) sabinajiles@gmail.com
Hometown: Arrowsmith, IL
Arrival Date: 8/30
Departure Date: 9/4
Coming From/Via: Houghton/Ranger III
Itinerary: TM, MB, MC, DF, RH or DF, MC, MB, TM, RH
Notes/Other: 1st trip

Name: Nancy
Hometown: Athens, Ohio
Dates: 8/9/19 - 8/24/19,
Email: pm here.

Transport: Using the RangerIII from Houghton.

Kayaking. RH-Duncan Bay-Belle Isle-McCargoe-Malone-Chippewa-Moskey-RH depending on how things go.

This will be trip#7 for me, going back to 1992. Second kayak trip, the rest were backpacking. This is a bucket list trip to the canoe routes parts of IsRo that I have not been able to access as a hiker! Taking my time, dayhiking and side trips.