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Post by Coolkat on Sept 1, 2020 17:27:51 GMT -8
I'm posting here party because there has been hardly any activity here in the "central (midwest)" area so I thought maybe this might stir things up a bit. Unfortunately I'm done with backpacking for this year...well maybe a couple weekend trips come fall but time will tell. But I'm already dreaming/planning for next year. The ferries to Isle Royale didn't run this year so I'm hoping that next year either covid won't be a problem or they will find a way to be back in business. It's been about six years since I've been there so I'm already excited about going. The last time I went we were always at a camp on Superior so water was easy with my Steri Pen. However, if I want to exploer the inner island next year I think I'm gonna have to get some kind of filter for the inland lakes since supposedly they have some kind of spore or cyst that you need to be careful of. Also looking forward to actually seeing a moose this time. Last time I was there for 7/8 days and never really saw a moose until the very last evening. A moose and her calf walked through camp but it was so dark it was hard to see them. Also the last time I was there, there were only 2 wolves left but we did hear them howl when we were at Moskey Basin. So maybe there will be more howls to hear next year. Has anyone been there recently? Isle Royal - Last time
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Post by burntfoot on Sept 1, 2020 19:07:57 GMT -8
It's been a few years, but I enjoyed it. Moose at Feldtman Lake, hiking Greenstone Ridge, etc.
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driftwoody
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Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
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Post by driftwoody on Sept 1, 2020 19:09:05 GMT -8
I was there once, in 2007. My buddy and I drove up Minnesota's north shore and took the ferry to Windigo for a 5 day 4 night counterclockwise loop. We also didn't see a moose on the island until the last day, with only 2 miles to go. A huge bull moose was straight ahead on the trail. When he saw us he snorted and moved downhill, interposing himself between us and a cow & calf that were munching the vegetation. We mentioned the sighting and were told that moose family hung around the campground and were habituated to people.
We also saw a moose on the drive to the ferry. This majestic beast was standing on the left shoulder of the highway. I pulled onto the right shoulder and reached for my camera, but before I could snap the pic he bounded back into the forest.
Mildly disappointed at not getting the pic but elated at the sighting, I pulled back onto the road and just as I got up to speed a squirrel dashed right in front of my car. There was nothing I could do. The unfortunate rodent was squashed under my front tire.
I turned to my buddy and in my best Boris Badenov impression said "Ve got moose AND squirrel!"
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Post by Coolkat on Sept 8, 2020 4:58:27 GMT -8
This trip will include a couple of newbies so I'm guessing we will be doing low mileage days mostly. Lots of time to create a route yet but I've been told by several people to avoid Chickenbone. Can't seem to get out of people exactly why other than it's a "bad" camping area.
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null
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Post by null on Sept 8, 2020 14:11:42 GMT -8
I took a group of 10 there in July this year. I took a sea plane, which was about double the cost of the ferry, but it was nice not to have to sit on the boat for 8 hours from Grand Portage to Rock Harbor.
We went from Rock Harbor to Windigo mostly along the Greenstone Ridge Trail stopping at 3 interior lakes, Chickenbone, Hatchet and Desor. They were all pretty warm for swimming, although I got several leeches attached to my foot at Hatchet.
Chickenbone may have a bad rap because there were active algae blooms there in 2017 and you could not drink the water there safely even if you treated it. Plus, swimming in it isn't the easiest thing to do because there's no real beachfront and the water can be shallow and muddy. We drank from it this year (filtered) and nobody had a problem.
We only saw 2 moose between Rock Harbor and Windigo, and we didn't get a very good look at them. However the last night at Windigo, we saw a dozen at least and heard several come through our camp during the night.
The wolf population is now 17. There were 2 island born wolves left and they brought in maybe 20 new ones, a handful of which died. I think we only saw 1 scat that looked like wolf scat and no footprints. No howls unfortunately.
By the way, the trails were overgrown not surprisingly with the reduced staff due to Covid. But they were not at all impassable.
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Post by Coolkat on Sept 8, 2020 17:06:33 GMT -8
I appreciate the recent "intel". Did you just go one way and then leave from Windigo?
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null
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Post by null on Sept 9, 2020 0:20:29 GMT -8
id you just go one way and then leave from Windigo? Yes, the sea plane picked us up from Windigo. The moose were all around the campground and did not appear to be affected by our presence so we got plenty of viewing time with them.
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Post by bobcat on Sept 11, 2020 18:17:51 GMT -8
I’ve been to Isle Royale a number of times. The thing about Chickenbone Lake is that there are two different campgrounds. West Chickenbone is right on the lake, and a beautiful spot. East Chickenbone Lake is not on the lake, it’s on a hill about 1/3 mile from the lake. So it’s a ways to get water, and by the time you’re down the hill to the water you’re within two miles of McCargoe Cove which is a top-3 choice for campgrounds. E. Chickenbone was built to place more group sites in that central part of the park, so groups could do a loop out of Rock Harbor. It’s a very utilitarian place to camp. Most people would choose W.Chickenbone or McCargoe Cove. Plus, as mentioned, in recent years, in late summer, the inland lakes have been having algae blooms that make the water unusable. I saw that Lake Ritchie and Intermediate Lake are pea soup as of this week.
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Hungry Jack
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Post by Hungry Jack on Sept 25, 2020 10:47:39 GMT -8
I think my most recent (third trip) to IR was in 2012 or 2013. Lost track. We went from Windigo on the west to Rock Harbor via Feldtman Ridge/Siskiwit Bay/S Lake Desor/Todd Harbor/Daisy Farm. It was a slog but still great. We took the Ranger out of Houghton, which was really nice as it is such a big boat and has food service. Also got lucky and met Rolf Peterson on the trip back.
Ditto the comments on McCove as a camping spot. Todd Harbor very good. Really liked S Lake Desor for an interior lake. Siskwit Bay too.
Not super fond of Daisy Farm. Moskey is better.
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Post by bobcat on Sept 29, 2020 21:02:36 GMT -8
I like Moskey, but there are some good features at Daisy Farm too. Such as, Daisy is never full. There is always room to pitch a small tent somewhere, even when all the shelters and tent sites are taken. The open space is starting to be reclaimed by the forest though. Daisy has multiple options for day hikes on trail, not true of Moskey. The Voyageur ferry stops at Daisy. Daisy has The best sandy beach of all the island campsites, for landing kayaks or just for hanging out on the beach. The MV Sandy can stop at Daisy to take you on the Lighthouse/fishery tour, if you arrange it with the Lodge.
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null
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Post by null on Sept 30, 2020 5:53:11 GMT -8
The open space is starting to be reclaimed by the forest though Yes, even the Daisy Farm campsites are being encroached upon. Same was true of West Chickenbone, Hatchet and Desor but maybe that's because no trail crews had been out there this year.
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Post by Outdoor Union on Sept 30, 2020 7:19:12 GMT -8
The ferries to Isle Royale didn't run this year Could you ever reach out to a charter boat in Grand Marais to shuttle you over?
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Post by Coolkat on Sept 30, 2020 8:12:11 GMT -8
I'm sure if one was available. To be honest I never considered it but I didn't have plans this year to go to IR anyway. However, I do know as null has pointed out that charter planes are running. So that is a possibility also.
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Post by bobcat on Oct 16, 2020 23:40:49 GMT -8
Charter boats need a commercial use permit from the NPS to go to Isle Royale for a fee. This got a lot of discussion this summer, but no changes in the regs. Private boats or the seaplane service were the main ways to get there this year. Sadly, Capt. Don of the Isle Royale Queen ferry died this week in Michigan.
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Post by Coolkat on Jun 16, 2021 9:00:26 GMT -8
Kinda excited! Just made ferry reservations. The newbies that are going with me only wanted to do 4 days but the days available made us do 5 days. I don't think anyone will be complaining though. The last time I was there was 2014 so it's about time.
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