Isle Royale Forums

Hello IRNP Forums: I'll be a first-time IRNPer this August when my girlfriend and I make the journey from Ohio. I've been consulting Jim DuFresne's trail guide, but had to deviate a bit because we have an additional day due to SeaPlane availability--definitely a happy accident. I'm posting my draft of an itinerary here and hoping for your thoughts, suggestions. We have backpacked several times before, but this will be our longest most extensive journey, so hoping to get your take on access to water, camping considerations, etc. Any feedback is appreciated!

Group Size: 2
Travel Dates: 8/8 thru 8/14 (Hancock to Windigo / Rock Harbor to Hancock)

Itinerary:

8/8: arrive 6pm at Wash. Creek or Hugginin Cove (backup if Windigo full)
8/9: Wash. Creek to South Desor (11.3 mi)
8/10: South Lake Desor to Hatchet Lake (8.1 mi)
8/11: Hatchet Lake to W. Chickenbone (7.9 mi)
8/12: W. Chickenbone to Daisy Farm (7.9 mi)
8/13: Daisy Farm to Rock Harbor (7.2 mi)

TOTAL Distance: 42.4 miles over 5 days

Thanks in advance for any feedback, advice, stamps of approval, or anything in between!

Welcome to the forums.

The Minong trail is the hardest trail on the island, with the west end having the most up and down. Beaver have been a problem in the last few years. They have put quite a bit of the trail underwater. Be prepared for some wet walking with extra shoes/boots and socks. Your itinerary looks good. I might suggest staying at McCargoe cove instead of Chickenbone. I think it is much prettier and it only makes your next day 2 miles longer. Water is readily available at all of the campgrounds on your list. There are streams along the trail, nut they dry up at times. When you check in at Windigo, ask the ranger about water on the trail. They are the repository of information for the people coming and going. Many people choose to do the Minong from east to west to save the hardest part for the empty pack and tuned up legs, so you may have some good info from people coming off the trail.

Itinerary looks great! You'll face some choices (which trails to follow, and maybe camps to stay at) later in the trip, but by then you'll have collected good background information to inform those decisions.

A few disconnected thoughts:

You should probably have a contingency plan in case your delivery by sea plane is delayed. (I don't know when you're flying out, but it could be that if you get to Three Mile, or even Daisy Farm, the night of the 13th, you can hustle to Rock Harbor in time to catch your flight the next day.)

Day 1 is your longest, but [subjective assessment alert!] the initial stretch of the Greenstone Ridge Trail out of Windigo ---it was the first stretch of trail I walked on the island---is fairly straightforward going. It climbs, but gently. Also, it's pretty tree-y, so unless you really like trees, or are belabored by moose, there won't be tons of things to stop and gawk at.

According to my informants (who are mostly Boy Scout troops) there are leeches in Hatchet Lake!

You'll need to decide when/how to drop off the ridge. Options including going by way of Lake Ritchie/Moskey Basin, the two trails down to Daisy Farm from the fire tower, and (if you're feeling perky) staying on the ridge until the Mount Franklin junction. Each option has a lot going for it. The last, which includes a wonderful stretch of ridge walking between the fire tower and the Mt. Franklin junction, would probably mean a longer walk on 8/12 and camping at Three Mile or Lane Cove that night. Both are 12-13 miles from West Chickenbone. Like I said, by that point of the trip, you'll be in a position to judge whether that sounds like fun or not.

Please post a trip report!!

Welcome!

I agree with Base about McCargoe. Great spot, and a number of shelters there as well, subject to availability.

Torpified's scouts/informants are correct about Hatchet Lake leeches, in my experience (Though I've only seen one in two visits. Many more at Feldtmann Lake).

I also agree about staying on the the Ridge as you're headed to RH area. If it's a clear day and you are feeling up to it, probably some of the best views (IMO) can be had by continuing on to Mt. Franklin.

Something I noticed about the comments above: I think Base654 is assuming you're hiking the Minong Ridge from Windigo, but Torpified reads it (as do I) that you're planning to hike the Greenstone instead. South Desor is on the Greenstone, and there isn't an easy way between South and North Desor. In any case, the Greenstone east of Windigo is much easier than the Minong east of Windigo.

North... South... yeah must have been holding my mental map upside down.

Thank you all! This is so very helpful. I should have mentioned this, but yes - we are planning on hiking the Greenstone.

Message received about subbing McCargoe for Chickenbone. I like this idea. Luckily, our Seaplane departs later in the day on 8/14, so we'll have some flex in our plan. If our inbound flight is delayed, is it usually tough to find a camp later in the day near Windigo? eg Wash Creek?

@Torpified One thing I hadn't at all considered was the idea of dropping off the Ridge to get to Daisy Farm. The DuFresne map makes it look like a quick jaunt off the path to Daisy Farm. I'm definitely a sucker for views, so if we have it in us, I'm thinking we may keep trucking on the Ridge to get Three Mile or Lane Cove.

Thanks again, everyone for the thoughts. We're so excited to get there.

When are you scheduled to depart Houghton? That time of year there is plenty of light, I think the plane's last flight to the island is around 4:00 p.m. which would put you landing about 4:30. You should have plenty of time to make it to Island Mine as a backup or even a primary. I really like that site anyway, it's one of the few site where you can see outside of your campsite. It is in a birch forest with little scrub.

@Base654: we are leaving Houghton via SeaPlane on that last 4pm flight. Good to know this will leave us enough time. I wasn't sure how early things filled up. Thanks for that Island Mine recommendation. I'll add that to our agenda.

Washington Creek rarely fills up. Unlike Rock Harbor, the capacity of the ferries is just not that great for dropping large numbers of hikers on a couple days a week. There are also a large number of shelters relative to the volume of travelers, I think it's maybe over a dozen shelters as well as a number of tent sites which are rarely used. That's part of why WC has a 3-night limit as opposed to 1 night in the RH area. So you can expect to have several good options. However, I might not hit the trail for Island Mine - I might grab a campsite and then spend your evening exploring around Windigo. You will notice the marked contrast in the number of people, between the southwestern end of the island and the northeastern end, starting at Hatchet Lake and on in to Rock Harbor.