1st IR trip - June 19-27, 2021

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I am so grateful this message board exists! I've really enjoyed reading a bunch of threads. Research and planning are part of the fun of traveling and I'm working on an itinerary for my visit, I'm hoping you'll tell me if I'm being too ambitious. My husband and I are fairly fit 45 year olds, avid hikers with ultralight gear. We enjoy being active on our vacas, no sitting around on the beach with umbrella drinks for us!

I understand this is weather permitting...

6/19, Arrive in Windigo via ferry, Windigo - Feldtmann Lake (8.5)
6/20, Feldtmann Lake - Siskiwit (10.3)
6/21 Siskiwit - SLD (9.9)
6/22 SLD - Hatchet Lake (8.3)
6/23 Hatchet Lake - Moskey (13.8. Is this torture?)
6/24 Moskey - Hatchet Lake (13.8. Am I crazy to do it back and forth in two days?)
6/25 Hatchet Lake - SLD (8.3)
6/26 SLD - Windigo (11.6)
6/27 Kayak in the morning and catch the ferry back to MN in the afternoon.

Thoughts, advice and heady vibes appreciated. Thanks in advance for your expert opinions!

[dcclark]

Welcome to the forums!

What sort of hiking distance do you usually do? In what sort of terrain? If you are (for example) avid downstate MI hikers, the island will be quite a different experience for you, and you'll want to cut down on mileage. On the other hand, if you usually hike these distances in the west-end Upper Peninsula or north shore MN (or even actual mountains!), then you have a decent idea of island terrain.

I see that you don't like sitting around, but a zero-mile day is well worth planning for other reasons. You are not required to stick to your planned itinerary on the island, so if you reach your rest day and feel great, then you can continue happily on. But if you discover that the island's terrain is a bit much for you -- if you need to cut down on mileage -- if you injure a foot or leg -- then you'll have a day to absorb that.

I don't like laying around either, but on a rest day you can plan to do day hikes (and not do them if you need the break). You can also use the rest day to hide from the inevitable rain day.

I can't say much about your specific campsite plans, but others will chime in soon on that!

[IncaRoads]

Rather than retrace a large portion of your hike back to Windigo, why don't you catch the inbound (to Grand Portage MN) Voyageur II ferry at Chippewa Harbor or Daisy Farm on 6/27?

From Hatchet Lake maybe go to Todd Harbor and/or McCargoe Cove, and then down to Moskey Basin and end your hike at one of the aforementioned ferry pickup locations.

On a backpacking trip of that many days/miles, I too recommend a zero/rest day in your schedule for the same reasons dcclark mentions above.

[Bobcat1]

Consider cutting over to the Minong for your return to Windigo, or adding an overnight to Huginin Cove or Malone Bay, instead of racing to get all the way to Moskey Basin. Moskey fits in well for many itineraries on the east end, so you can get it on your next trip!

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Welcome to the forums!

What sort of hiking distance do you usually do? In what sort of terrain? If you are (for example) avid downstate MI hikers, the island will be quite a different experience for you, and you'll want to cut down on mileage. On the other hand, if you usually hike these distances in the west-end Upper Peninsula or north shore MN (or even actual mountains!), then you have a decent idea of island terrain.

Thanks!

I am confident we can hike the miles, it's the terrain that gives me pause. I'd like to say we can hack it but we don't have a ton of mountain hiking under our belts. We live in an area that has limestone cliffs and we hike those often. We do plenty of hiking in state parks with decent elevation changes (for here).

Rather than retrace a large portion of your hike back to Windigo, why don't you catch the inbound (to Grand Portage MN) Voyageur II ferry at Chippewa Harbor or Daisy Farm on 6/27?

From Hatchet Lake maybe go to Todd Harbor and/or McCargoe Cove, and then down to Moskey Basin and end your hike at one of the aforementioned ferry pickup locations.

On a backpacking trip of that many days/miles, I too recommend a zero/rest day in your schedule for the same reasons dcclark mentions above.

I had Todd Harbor - McCargoe - Moskey route down as a possibility too. I thought about the ferry buy wasn't sure about how that would time out. I'm glad to know that's an option. We would be on the ferry for many hours on the 27th if we caught it on the coast back to Windigo, and then back to Grand Portage. Would that be miserable?

Consider cutting over to the Minong for your return to Windigo, or adding an overnight to Huginin Cove or Malone Bay, instead of racing to get all the way to Moskey Basin. Moskey fits in well for many itineraries on the east end, so you can get it on your next trip!

I thought about that route too but was a little concerned that the Minong would be a tougher hike, and I really want to make it to Moskey after reading about it in Backpacker this month.

My husband and I have already discussed making a second trip, lol!

[backwoods doc]

Here's the ferry schedule, to and from Grand Portage: https://www.isleroyaleboats.com/schedules.html

You can decide how many hours on the ferry is too many. We've made the 8-hour trip from Grand Portage to Rock Harbor a couple of times. It's kind of long, but overall we think it's a pleasant trip.

So to us, 6-7 hours back to Windigo from Daisy Farm or Chippewa doesn't seem bad.

[backwoods doc]

We enjoy being active on our vacas

By the way, livestock are not allowed on the ferry or the island. So you'll have to look for other ways to exercise your cattle.

[torpified]

you'll be back, and you've got a lot of good options on the table. For what it's worth, I *like* riding the Voyageur around the island --- lots to look at, including ridges you've walked; and lots of good perches, sized to encourage conversations with strangers, to look at it from. The plan costs you your morning of kayaking around Washington Harbor. But -- as I've said --- you'll be back!

[Bobcat1]

The Voyager ferry ride is kinda fun. You could pick it up at Chippewa Harbor, and you'd maybe get to see Malone Bay that way and certainly Menagerie Island Lighthouse. You would only be on the ferry for a couple hours - and then a short break at Windigo before heading back to the mainland. And you never know what will happen - my very first trip to IsRo, a boater had hit a rock and wrecked his motor, and he set off a flare as the Voyager came around on its route, and the captain and deckhand rescued the guy and towed his boat on into Rock Harbor. Fun to watch.

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The Voyager ferry ride is kinda fun. You could pick it up at Chippewa Harbor, and you'd maybe get to see Malone Bay that way and certainly Menagerie Island Lighthouse. You would only be on the ferry for a couple hours - and then a short break at Windigo before heading back to the mainland. And you never know what will happen - my very first trip to IsRo, a boater had hit a rock and wrecked his motor, and he set off a flare as the Voyager came around on its route, and the captain and deckhand rescued the guy and towed his boat on into Rock Harbor. Fun to watch.

That's good to know! Thanks!

Edited to add: My husband was really hoping to have a meal and some beers and/or kayak while on this trip. I'm trying to see as much of the island as possible while making one of those two things happen for him.

[IncaRoads]

...My husband was really hoping to have a meal and some beers and/or kayak while on this trip.

Once you get back to the mainland, there are a couple of good brewpubs in Grand Marias MN to satisfy his desires.

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Is it reasonable/possible to hike around Dresor Lake? I'm now thinking maybe Feldtmann Loop and Huginnin Loop with a hike out to SLD and back OR a hike out to SLD, around the lake to NLD and then back to the Huginnin Loop on the Mingong...?

[Bobcat1]

"Is it reasonable/possible to hike around Dresor Lake? I'm now thinking maybe Feldtmann Loop and Huginnin Loop with a hike out to SLD and back OR a hike out to SLD, around the lake to NLD and then back to the Huginnin Loop on the Mingong...?"

NO. Not recommended in any way for anyone. I think it's been done, but there is no trail and it is miles and miles of swamp-bashing.

[kolo]

"Is it reasonable/possible to hike around Dresor Lake? I'm now thinking maybe Feldtmann Loop and Huginnin Loop with a hike out to SLD and back OR a hike out to SLD, around the lake to NLD and then back to the Huginnin Loop on the Mingong...?"

NO. Not recommended in any way for anyone. I think it's been done, but there is no trail and it is miles and miles of swamp-bashing.

On one of my trips to Isle Royale I talked to a backpacker who had bushwhacked from South Desor to North Desor with a couple of friends. He told me that he would NEVER try that again! He never told me if he and his fellow backpackers were still friends!

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Lol, point taken!

I assumed that if there could be a trail there probably would be one already.

Thanks to all of you for answering my many (uneducated) questions! And probably saving me from danger, perhaps divorce...