Isle Royale II

We listened as a wolf howled, seemingly right outside our shelter the first night. Yes, there are wolves on Isle Royale, and as the days wore on we would see their scat on the trail during the day, and hear them at night. Funny how their song wasn’t scary or creepy as you might imagine it to be. Just the same, their soulful music reminded us of the struggle for life that all creatures face here on the island, ruling out any midnight bathroom breaks for the girls.

Soon the dawn came and with fresh socks, full bellies and empty bladders it was time to leave our shelter and Three Mile behind. These shelters are a happy sight for weary hikers on the island, providing a respite from bugs and inclement weather. Before moving on, we took some extra time to sweep it out and leave it better than we found it.

Once we topped off our water bottles at the dock we were on our way again with all our worldly possessions on our backs, this time hiking along the shore through forests, swamps, and rocky outcrops towards the aptly named Daisy Farm and our next night’s campsite.

We saw all manner of wildlife while we were on the island. Moose, frogs, ducks, snakes, huge rabbits, chipmunks and a variety of birds. Mosquitos and bugs in general were nowhere near as bad as we had heard they would be, and we were thankful for that especially crossing the swampy areas.

Isle Royale has a human history dating back thousands of years. The island was a common hunting ground for native peoples from nearby Minnesota and Ontario with a canoe voyage of thirteen miles just to reach the island’s west end from the mainland. In prehistoric times, large quantities of copper were mined on Isle Royale and the nearby Keweenaw Peninsula. The region is scarred by ancient mine pits and trenches up to 20 feet deep, with further exploration and mining occurring on the island until the last mining company closed in the early 1890’s. We found several old mining ruins along the way.

A Note For Families: Taking frequent breaks while hiking makes for better memories. Take time to hydrate, eat snacks and rest while on the trail, especially with children. When the smiles are gone and it gets unusually quiet, it’s probably break time. Take time to soak in all the sights and sounds around you!

Continuing on, we were met with more plank roads through sensitive areas, more sun beaten rocky areas and more shady forest paths. The vibe on Isle Royale is one of quiet loneliness, we saw very few people hiking in either direction and the occasional bird song or fish jumping was the only sound as we worked our way towards Daisy Farm. Nothing here but you, your family, and the sights and smells of the forest.

It’s amazing how your thoughts and priorities become crystal clear while hiking.

Arriving at Daisy Farm in the afternoon, the spell of the forest was broken as we ran into people and quickly realized this was a bigger campground than Three Mile, a busy “hiker hub” where many trails connected.

The land rush was on to find a suitable campsite and once we had settled into an empty shelter, it was time for some much needed rest and leisure time. We were lucky enough to score a site with a nice view of the lake, and after a quick dip in the lake (we swam every day we were here) it was time for grub.

I’ve had my trusty Jetboil since 2006 and it still works like the day I bought it. We brought a variety of different brands of hiking meals along on this trip and they all have their pros and cons. I’d recommend trying a few at home before you get out there and realize that it’s not your thing. I walked away from this trip a big fan of Backpackers Pantry and Mountain House.

The Daisy Farm site was one of the very first camps for the Civilian Conservation Corps on the island in the 1930’s. From the Michigan DNR:

“Most Michigan CCC camps were in either national or state forests. The state’s only National Park Service camps were on Isle Royale, which had been designated a national park in 1931. On 13 August 1935, an advance party of twenty men from Company 2699, led by Captain Edward S. Thomas, arrived off the island in Siskiwit Bay. Forced to wade ashore, the men cleared a living area for the remainder of the company, which arrived later that month. The 2699th completed Camp Siskiwit and performed general forestry work before returning to the mainland in October. The following spring the company returned to Isle Royale and constructed Camp Rock Harbor at present-day Daisy Farm Landing.”

At Daisy Farm we were able to really relax. A much larger dock there meant I could get a running start to jump into Lake Superior, an exhilarating experience any time of the year. Quick baths were a big hit here, and sore feet were soothed by the cool waters.

Retiring to our sleeping bags, we spent a restful night listening to the nocturnal sounds of forest and lake.

Fully rested we awoke the next day to make the trip back to Three Mile and Rock Harbor. With one more night on the island we set off again down the trail, taking frequent breaks and mostly enjoying ourselves with little regard for any schedule.

This is the best way to live life. Unplugged.

A Note on Water Purification: We pulled water every day out of Lake Superior with this Katadyn Pocket filter with zero issues. NPS recommends a filter specification of at least 0.4 microns, the Katadyn Pocket filters at 0.2 microns (!), the filter’s silver impregnated ceramic element is effective against bacteria and protozoa, and can filter up to 13,000 gallons (50,000 liters) before needing a new ceramic element, depending on fresh water source and quality. I consider all surface lake and stream water to be contaminated with pathogens and so should you. Drinking contaminated water can make you very sick. Learn more HERE about types of contamination. To be 100% safe, water collected should be filtered and then boiled at a rolling boil (Jetboil etc) for at least one minute because most filters (even this one) do not filter out viruses. Viruses are typically found in warmer climates and they must be killed via boiling, adding chemicals like chlorine, or by using UV light from a device such as the Steripen.

Arriving at Three Mile again, we scored another shelter and made ready for our last night on the island. At this point we really had a good routine going. Make camp. Eat. Swim. Relax. Once the sun goes down it’s bedtime, and we got on average of nine hours a sleep each day, something that NEVER happens at home. Early to bed and early to rise is a thing on the Rock.

Our last morning on the island meant it was time for some rewards. We were looking forward to a hot lunch at the lodge at Rock Harbor and our scheduled plane ride at 3 PM meant hot showers and clean sheets that night in Houghton. With this on our minds, we made much better time from Three Mile to Rock Harbor on the way back than we did on the way in, and we arrived there in time for lunch and a leisurely wait for the plane.

Four long days on the island and we were still smiling. It seems that life without Wi-Fi had not been the end of the world after all.

Back at the seaplane base at Tobin Harbor, it was hurry up and wait and I was in no hurry to go back to the world. I seriously considered hijacking this small boat for the short crossing to Canada, and the never-ending adventures that life on the lam would bring us, but the damn plane came along and they would have spotted us in the harbor. This time it was a Cessna flying in to get us, a Cessna 206 Super Skywagon to be exact.

Back to reality, clocks, and a phone about to blow up with emails, voicemails and messages once we reached Houghton and civilization.

And just like that, Isle Royale was behind us, a distant memory of one fine summer where we said yes to Adventure and hopped on a plane to nowhere. This was our best trip yet and we can’t wait for the next Adventure!

 

Full Disclosure: The travel arrangements, equipment and provisions for this trip were funded entirely by the author, and all endorsements and opinions in this article are unsolicited. #IndependentMedia

 

Isle Royale

I like maps. The older the better. I’ve pored over them, studied them, and dreamed about far away places my entire life. My eye is irresistably drawn to the remote places on any map, the isolated, less traveled areas and the unknown. One such place is Isle Royale.

Isle Royale National Park was established in 1940, then protected from development by wilderness area designation in 1976, and declared a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve in 1980. At 45 miles long and just shy of nine wide, Isle Royale is one of the least visited National Parks – Yosemite gets more visitors in one day then Isle Royale sees in an entire year. Located in the far north of Lake Superior near Canada, Isle Royale National Park is actually an archipelago that covers an area of 850 square miles or approximately 571,790 acres. It has 165 miles of trails, and no vehicles are allowed on the island.

The only way onto this remote island is a several hour long boat ride across Lake Superior to Rock Harbor or Windigo, or a 35 minute ride by bush plane. It was at that moment in my research that a rough plan began to form. I was within striking distance of the seaplane base at Houghton, Michigan, a mere 6.5 hour drive from our home north of Chicago. So, with school out for the summer we threw caution to the wind and booked the flight for the three of us. We’ve done a lot of family camping trips, but we wanted something truly different, off grid, and challenging. This huge leap of faith proved to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Arriving at Isle Royale Seaplanes I quickly realized that my expectations were going to be exceeded. Not only was the company extremely professional, we were flying across Lake Superior in the quintessential bush plane, a classic de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. I may have squealed like a little girl when I saw it land and taxi towards the dock.

An aircraft from a more civilized age, it’s big rotary engine has a sound and feel like nothing else. Designed specifically for the unique needs of bush pilots and built in Canada after WWII, the de Havilland Beaver is a workhorse, carrying 6 passengers and all their gear into short landing strips or in our case, lakes. Our pilot, Ken, made us feel right at home and after a quick safety brief and life vest fitting we were on our way.

This was the first BIG backpacking trip for my 9 year old daughter, and our plans on the island were based around that fact. A bad experience backpacking now could sour her on the whole thing for the future, so we intended to take it easy over 4 days and 3 nights on the island. The idea was to hike 3-4 miles per day between campsites. So a round trip itinerary from Rock Harbor to Three Mile to Daisy Farm and back had been laid out as well as hydration and meal planning. Backpacking on an island like this is much different than truck camping in the lower 48, if you forget something you can’t just run back to town for it and there’s ZERO cell service anywhere on “the Rock” as it’s affectionately known. You’re out there in the elements with the clothes on your back and, as the old saying goes, you “run what you brung, son”.

Arriving at Rock Harbor, we were faced with the usual brief by the Park Rangers about NPS rules, Tread Lightly! and Leave No Trace principles, and we received our permit so they would know our itinerary. There is a small lodge and a very small store with supplies (fuel cannisters, food etc), so after a last call for snacks, water and gear checks we hoisted our packs and set off down the trail toward our first night’s destination at Three Mile.

 The initial hike in was a bit of a challenge for us as the first day was all about acclimatization and getting our legs warmed up so I took less photos on the way in than I would have liked. Suffice it to say that the views of the surrounding islands, the sights and sounds of the forest, and the prodigious wildlife provided a stunning experience.

Once at Three Mile we were greeted with a very small and well organized campsite. Shelters make it easy on hikers, and we gladly settled right in to the first empty one we found. Lightweight gear from Nemo, Snow Peak, and Marmot would pay off now. Time for rest and relaxation!

Of all the backpacking food we tried on this trip, NONE compared to Backpacker’s Pantry. To say that it was delicious after a long day on the trail is an understatement, and Savannah LOVED their Mac and Cheese! The Risotto with Chicken was my favorite meal of the entire trip so it gets 5 stars from me.

We hadn’t been in camp long when lo and behold, a moose cow and calf walked right up the shoreline and decided to have lunch with us. Right in camp. They roamed around nibbling this and that for about an hour amongst the campsites, clearly uninterested in us, before wandering further inland.

This was day one on Isle Royale!

To be continued…

Full Disclosure:  The travel arrangements, equipment and provisions for this trip were funded entirely by the author, and all endorsements and opinions in this article are unsolicited. #IndependentMedia