2021 Hiking Trip Plan Windigo to RH - looking for feedback & suggestions
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:42 pm
Hello IR Forum! I'm researching my IR hiking trip plan for next summer (COVID situation permitting) and stumbled across this wonderful forum. I've read through nearly all the topics and trip reports - really incredible source of information and I appreciate how friendly and helpful everyone is around here (not that I'm surprised having lived in Michigan my entire life). Since winter is approaching and we're all probably dreaming of next summer's adventures, I'm hoping to get some thoughts and suggestions on my plan.
Some background info: My last trip to IR was in 1984 as a 12-year old Boy Scout. My dad organized the trip for the older kids in the troop and I got to tag along. We covered about 60 miles in 6 days: Flew in to Windigo, hiked Washington Creek to Rock Harbor via Feldtmann Ridge and Greenstone Ridge trails (WC-FL-SB-DesorS-HL-DF-RH) and took the Ranger III back. I'm now....a lot older, but also in much better physical condition and with much better gear. I started backpacking again this summer with a couple late-40-something buddies who are also in very good physical condition. In our most recent excursion, we averaged 20 minutes/mile on the Jordan River trail loop with packs loaded for an overnight (10 miles each day). The 3 of us are planning to do IR next summer and will certainly put in some training hikes (in addition to our regular exercise regimens) so that a 10-15 mile hike on any given day will be no problem.
Goals for the 2021 trip:
- Hike end-to-end (Windigo to RH or reverse)
- Cover most of Greenstone Ridge trail (but don't feel the need to do 100% of it)
- Hit the Feldtmann Ridge loop for wildlife (recall from my '84 trip that we heard wolves here and encountered a moose in the swamps)
- Complete the trip in 6 days, ~10 miles per day, with a travel day on either end (total 8 days from departure near Detroit)
I've already purchased the NatGeo topo map and latest version of Jim Dufresne's guidebook as well as downloaded the Greenstone 2020. Here's my plan so far:
Day 1 - Drive Detroit area to Hancock - camp or lodge nearby
Day 2 - Earliest available float plane to Windigo, hike to Feldtmann Lake (8.8mi)
Day 3 - to Siskiwit Bay (10.3mi)
Day 4 - to S. Lake Decor (9.9mi)
Day 5 - to Hatchet Lake (8.1mi)
Day 6 - to McCargoe Cove (10.7mi)
Day 7 - to Three Mile (12.6mi)
Day 8 - to Rock Harbor (2.7mi), float plane out around noon, drive back to Detroit area
If we make this a Saturday to Saturday plan, it leaves us a 1 day buffer (Sunday) in case we get stuck on the island due to bad weather or other unexpected delays. About the only thing that I can see we're missing with this plan is the joy of a shower in Rock Harbor at the end of a long trek, but it's possible we could blow through Three Mile and continue all the way to RH on Day 7 if we're feeling it.
Any thoughts, suggestions or tips? Pros/cons of going West-East vs. East-West? Side trip to McCargoe Cove worth it vs. staying at W. Chickenbone?
Sorry for the long first post, but based on what I've seen in the forum, you all don't seem to mind having something IR-related to think about and comment on during the off-season! For your entertainment, I'm attached a few vintage pics from our 1984 trek - let me know if they don't show up as attachments.
Some background info: My last trip to IR was in 1984 as a 12-year old Boy Scout. My dad organized the trip for the older kids in the troop and I got to tag along. We covered about 60 miles in 6 days: Flew in to Windigo, hiked Washington Creek to Rock Harbor via Feldtmann Ridge and Greenstone Ridge trails (WC-FL-SB-DesorS-HL-DF-RH) and took the Ranger III back. I'm now....a lot older, but also in much better physical condition and with much better gear. I started backpacking again this summer with a couple late-40-something buddies who are also in very good physical condition. In our most recent excursion, we averaged 20 minutes/mile on the Jordan River trail loop with packs loaded for an overnight (10 miles each day). The 3 of us are planning to do IR next summer and will certainly put in some training hikes (in addition to our regular exercise regimens) so that a 10-15 mile hike on any given day will be no problem.
Goals for the 2021 trip:
- Hike end-to-end (Windigo to RH or reverse)
- Cover most of Greenstone Ridge trail (but don't feel the need to do 100% of it)
- Hit the Feldtmann Ridge loop for wildlife (recall from my '84 trip that we heard wolves here and encountered a moose in the swamps)
- Complete the trip in 6 days, ~10 miles per day, with a travel day on either end (total 8 days from departure near Detroit)
I've already purchased the NatGeo topo map and latest version of Jim Dufresne's guidebook as well as downloaded the Greenstone 2020. Here's my plan so far:
Day 1 - Drive Detroit area to Hancock - camp or lodge nearby
Day 2 - Earliest available float plane to Windigo, hike to Feldtmann Lake (8.8mi)
Day 3 - to Siskiwit Bay (10.3mi)
Day 4 - to S. Lake Decor (9.9mi)
Day 5 - to Hatchet Lake (8.1mi)
Day 6 - to McCargoe Cove (10.7mi)
Day 7 - to Three Mile (12.6mi)
Day 8 - to Rock Harbor (2.7mi), float plane out around noon, drive back to Detroit area
If we make this a Saturday to Saturday plan, it leaves us a 1 day buffer (Sunday) in case we get stuck on the island due to bad weather or other unexpected delays. About the only thing that I can see we're missing with this plan is the joy of a shower in Rock Harbor at the end of a long trek, but it's possible we could blow through Three Mile and continue all the way to RH on Day 7 if we're feeling it.
Any thoughts, suggestions or tips? Pros/cons of going West-East vs. East-West? Side trip to McCargoe Cove worth it vs. staying at W. Chickenbone?
Sorry for the long first post, but based on what I've seen in the forum, you all don't seem to mind having something IR-related to think about and comment on during the off-season! For your entertainment, I'm attached a few vintage pics from our 1984 trek - let me know if they don't show up as attachments.