Isle Royale Forums

There’s a place on the map, about a mile or two west of Huggnin Cove labeled Agate Beach. I’m curious if there is an unofficial trail or viable bushwhack to get there from Huggnin.

Have any of you made it there? Is it worth a side trip if I have time?

I’ll be hiking next week with no canoe or kayak.

Thanks!

Take a look at a topo map before you try to bushwhack. The western Huginnin trail runs in a valley with a steep ridge along the west edge. You'd have to climb this first. I contemplated climbing that ridge many years back but gave up. Your best bet is to kayak.

From experience, that would be a painful bushwhack. In addition to what treeplanter said about the big ol' ridge, you would also have to make it through an ever-changing array of swamps, tag alder swamps, and dense evergreen thickets. I did something similar along Moskey Basin last year and made it about 0.5 miles per hour.

That all sounds reasonable. Thanks for the replies.

I was just hoping I could follow the shore and end up there without too much trouble.

I guess I’ll save Agate Beach for another trip when kayaks are on the itinerary.

Thanks again!

Going via the shoreline is next to impossible. If you still want to do this, follow the tops of the ridges out to Agate Beach. I've done a lot of off-trail camping and bushwacking on Isle Royale. Staying on the higher ridges is the best way to go. Good compass and/or GPS skills are a must.

Well, it turns out the plane was delayed getting to the island which lost me the extra time I would have needed to get to Agate Beach. Still had a great time, though. Thanks for the advice!

I hope you'll write up a trip report and post it! It's always useful and fun for those of us stuck on the mainland.

I’ll do my best. Life has gotten suddenly busy.

I hope you find the time! For some reason I can't put my finger on, I expect your TR would have an excellent morel.

I hope you find the time! For some reason I can't put my finger on, I expect your TR would have an excellent morel.

Torpified,

Is that what they refer to as a pun?!

yah, Torp is an English professor or something like that, she knows her grammar and would not make that mistake by accident..........

I just posted it. I haven't sorted my photos out yet. I may add those later in the comments.

Thanks again for your advice!

kolo wrote: Tue Sep 01, 2020 12:49 pm

I hope you find the time! For some reason I can't put my finger on, I expect your TR would have an excellent morel.

Torpified,

Is that what they refer to as a pun?!

RIght on the button!