Backpacking Isle Royale National Park

[upcruiser]

Just got back from a quick 3 day backpacking trip on Isle Royale. The weather was incredible, sunny, 70 degree temps, and the water was awesome. For those that don't know, Isle Royale is the most remote National Park in the lower 48 and has no roads on it. The island is 45 miles long and is located 50 miles northwest of Copper Harbor, MI, the northern most point of the state. The ferry ride across from Copper Harbor takes 3 hours and we were fortunate to have small seas across and back for the most part. Here are some pictures I snapped.


Sunrise Saturday morning from the top of Mt Brockway, prior to catching the ferry over.



Pulling out of Copper Harbor on the ferry



Unloading the backpacks, kayaks, and canoes off of the ferry at Rock Harbor.


Kate, my partner for the outing, having lunch on our way to our first camp. We hiked 11 miles to Mosky Basin, the southernmost part of the the 10 mile long Rock Harbor bay.


Rock Harbor is protected by a broken band of narrow islands making it a great refuge from the often rough waters of Lake Superior.




The view from our campsite on Mosky Basin. We were seranaded by loons, a great horned owl, and a pack of wolves that night.

[upcruiser]

Evening at Mosky Basin


Yours truly soaking up the morning sun after a brisk night camping.


A lone Loon doing his thing. Day 2 found us traversing south and inland on the island to the Greestone Ridge Trail that runs north/south on the island and creates the major thoroughfare. At this point, my feet were getting some bad blisters that mole skin and duct tape were having a hard time mending. I ended up hiking the last 6 miles of day 2 and 8 miles of day three in my Chaco flip flops which actually worked great!


Finding a bit of shade on the Greenstone Ridge Trail and taking in a view across to Canada.


Day 3 sunrise, back on the east side of the island at the Daisy Farm camp area. The condition of my feet mandated that we change the original plan of going back inland to the Greestone then north to Rock Harbor and saved about 6 miles by retracing 8 miles of trail back along the bay to Rock Harbor. We had a 2:45pm ferry to catch and managed to crank out the 8 miles in 3 miles including some stops to soak in the water and eat.


The boat at the dock of Rock Harbor. While the mainland got into the 90's that day, the island was only in the high 70's. Still, swimming in the cold, water of the harbor felt great.


A shot of Tobin Bay, a short 5 minute walk from the ferry dock.


Passing Copper Harbor Lighthouse on the return back onto the mainland.

Overall a great trip but we wished that we had a good week to be able to explore a bit more. The island is huge and it would take months to see it all. Next time over I'm planning on bringing my canoe.

[Rattler]

Nice pics Kristian. Looks like it was a nice little trip.

[Pad]

Looks like a nice peaceful time! I love that island!
Beth & I didn't get a chance to meet your GF when we were up there,
although she kept asking, oh well maybe next year?

Pad

[Ursidae69]

See any of the famous wolves or moose? Great photos.

[norshor]

Nice stuff Kristian! Glad to see you made it out there. Great shots!

[Northern Explorer]

I really need to get back up there some day. I think it was in 1986 that I was there with my dad. I just about walked into a moose on our last day there and then puked my guts out on the ferry ride all the way back to Copper Harbor. I'll see if I can find an old picture somewhere.

[computeruser]

Nice pics, great scenery, and women to hike with. That's the life!

[T.Low]

Great shots. Thanks for inspiring the memories. Back packed it and kayaked it back in the 90's. Wonderful place to be.

[5x5]

Jason,
You chumming the water on boat trips seams to be a reaccuring theme. I may still have pics from Florida.