Isle Royale Forums

Trail runners, just wanted to throw this question out there. Is it possible to run from Rock Harbor to Windigo via the Greenstone Ridge in one day.
My National Geographic map says the distance is roughly 52 miles. Assuming max endurance time of 17 hours (4am to 9pm), this would mean I'd have to cover 3.25 mi/hr , plus any time for resting and eating/drinking. I'd travel light, just a pack w/ water/goo/power/cliff bars.
Obviously you'd have to be in awesome shape. I've done three marathons and two triathlons, but nothing this long. How hilly is the Greenstone, I've only done the part from Feltdmann to Windigo and that was relatively easy going. Has anyone ever done it or heard of anyone doing it?

I know of one ranger who does the trip in one day a few times each summer.
The distance is listed as 33.7 miles on the trail mileage section of the forum.

I know of 2 college gals who were not exceptionally experienced hikers that did it. Don't think they ran. From what I remember (this was 30 years ago) bring a good flashlight--I think they got in after midnight. They certainly got a great sense of accomplishment from it. My biggest concern would be if something went wrong and you had to spend a night. I'd carry at least a first aid kit, extra food/water, and emergency shelter (and the flashlight).

I'm sure it is easily doable if you are in pretty good condition. My buddy and I hiked the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail in May 2008. The trail is 70 miles long and every year people run the entire trail from one end to the other. The trail is rather mountainous and very grueling in spots, even while hiking. So, I'm sure Rock Harbor to Windigo can be done in a matter of several hours. The winner of the 2006 http://www.laurelultra.com/results_2006.htm Laurel Highlands Ultra completed the entire run in 11 hours and 27 minutes. Talk about stamina!

This is insane. Rocks, roots & footbridges would make this a ankle twisting nightmare. Then there's the wolves of Isle Royale. Wouldn't the site of a running meal prompt them to stand up and explore? What about all the wildlife and scenery you're going to miss? Good luck, but this doesn't sound like fun to me.

It's not exactly my cup of tea either, but I guess some people enjoy that. I just know that if I were to do something like that I would royally mess up multiple parts of my body and it would take weeks to recover...if ever. I've had a couple injuries over the years just from hiking, so I think I'll skip the running part.

During the summer of 2006, Greg Drum, former LE ranger at Windigo and his brother raced the Voyageur II from Rock Harbor to Windigo. The race ended in a tie with Greg and his brother reaching the dock as the VII landed. Had the VII had a Malone Bay stop that day the runners would have won. I can't recall the official time but it was less than six hours.

That's incredible. I guess there are some very athletic people out there.

Sorry to bump this old post but I was doing some googling on the subject and came across these boards for the first time. My father attempted this about 20 years ago and made it from Windigo to Daisy Farm before bonking out. I'm pretty sure there's an unofficial record among the rangers, somewhere around 4:30 if I remember right. Anyway, I'll be making a stab at it myself next summer!

Even though I'm months away from my first trip I can really appreciate what it would best best take to do this. I wish you the best, being there 25 times I'd bet you are pretty familiar with the place!

Good luck on your upcoming attempt. It's too bad your father had to quite at Daisy Farm. He was so close to the end, especially when you consider the distance he had already covered. Good luck and let us know how you did.

I've heard of people doing this with just energy bars, etc. The Greenstone has also been mentioned in the Backpacker magazine a few times I've seen, as a premier trail in the US and also one people do in a day. Good luck, hope you have good ankles and knees. I agree with some people that you'd be missing alot of beautiful scenery. I always have a hard time going home after at least a week on the island.

Hey all, echoing the above apology for bumping an old post.

Does anyone know about trail running on Isle Royale? I too think it would be a lot of fun to do a solo 50 mile or 100K run somewhere along the island. I haven't been there since I was a kid.

RC

dsclothe wrote:Hey all, echoing the above apology for bumping an old post.

Does anyone know about trail running on Isle Royale? I too think it would be a lot of fun to do a solo 50 mile or 100K run somewhere along the island. I haven't been there since I was a kid.

RC

It's about the most enjoyable running there is, although I admit I'm pretty biased! A couple of tips if you're looking to complete something like an ultra. First, do it in June. Once the thimbleberries have grown over the trails, it can become very dangerous. Not to mention the temps will be much more favorable. Also, one odd thing about running up there is that running faster is actually EASIER, believe it or not. Short strides when running slow doesn't leave you much room for error in case you're about to land on an odd root or rock. Longer strides when running faster gives you the ability to adjust your landing on the fly to a much greater degree. So while not impossible, long slow stuff takes a heck of a lot out of you because it's more difficult to maintain a rhythm. As far as training for running up there goes, get in hill work!

Good luck!