Isle Royale Forums

First post!

So we have our passage booked and are hoping the weather improves but I'm planning a second trip to the island with a friend who hasn't been before. My previous trip was in 2000 and was the same Greenstone itinerary I detail below but I really would like to see if there are any modifications anyone could recommend that could get us into a few more "remote/backcountry" camps. We're planning on doing some fishing so I tried to pad a day for downtime to fish but we don't necessarily need a full day dedicated to this.

5/19 - Arrive via the Isle Royale Line to Rock Harbor and hike to East Chickenbone via Tobin Harbor and Mt. Franklin trails. This was a somewhat of a haul when I did it last but I felt it got us kinda "out there" quickly and away from the very few others who were out there.
5/20 - East Chickenbone to West Chickenbone. This is our planned "easy day" that gives us some ample time to try and catch a few fish
5/21 - West Chickenbone to Hatchet Lake.
5/22 - Hatchet Lake to Lake Desor
5/23 - Lake Desor to Windigo
5/24 - Windigo departure at 10:00am to Rock Harbor - thought about hiking out to three mile or another relatively close camp
5/25 - not sure, somewhere within a close approximation to Rock Harbor to ensure the next day's hike gets us back in time to catch the boat
5/26 - must be back to Rock Harbor to catch boat for 2:45 departure

Given the boat schedules at this time of the year and the fact that we would like to traverse the island (but not a "must") it's making it difficult to maximize the amount of time we're out there. I'm not dead set on the Greenstone. I have thought about changing the first day hike (5/19) to hit Lake Ritchie and then bumping up to West Chickenbone the next day. It looks to be a little easier of a Day 1 hike as well with not as many elevation changes but not sure. I'm also trying to figure out how to best use those last three days. We're packing fishing gear so to be able to throw a line for a few hours with the opportunity for a free meal wouldn't hurt.

Bottom line I'm up for any recommendations. Would love to bushwack a small bit to do a nice backcountry site a evening or two. I'm not against changing or cancelling West end boat travel even...if it's going to give us more time in the woods. The static thing though is beginning and ending in Rock Harbor on the 19th and 26th.

Thanks for your feedback ahead of time and if any more info is needed to give advice definitely let me know. As far as experience goes, we're pretty avid backpackers...Grand Canyon North Rim to South Rim, Presidentials, Franconia Notch, the "Mon", etc...that being said I haven't been as active as I used to be with the addition of our 3 year old, haha.

Welcome to the Forums!
As planned, your first day will be very tough based on the time you get off the boat and East Chickenbone CG is not very nice with terrible water access. I would push on to West Chickenbone (which is an easy walk) or, go down to Daisy Farm that day and back up to West Chickenbone the next day.

When coming back to Rock Harbor, I'd take off for Three-Mile CG for sure unless you wanted to rent a boat and do some fishing "in town".

Have a great trip!

I'm also trying to figure out how to best use those last three days.

A couple thoughts:
- Take the boat from Windigo to McCargoe (instead of R.H.) and hike back to R.H. via RIchie/Moskey with last night at Daisy or Three Mile.
- If you are in R.H., rent a canoe and fish Tobin Harbor. Or paddle to Hidden Lake and hike up to Lookout Louise, esp. if you miss the view from Mt Franklin (similar). Hike out to Scoville Pt (gorgeous).

I understand the desire to 'get out there quickly' but that time of year is pretty quiet, anyway. If you still want the distance, though, I will say that for your second 'day 1' option, the Rock Harbor trail is deceptively difficult. Lots of up and down over some bare rock that tires the legs. It's a great trail, but it's just not as easy as a map would make you think it is. At least once you're up on the Greenstone at Mt. Franklin, it's a pretty easy hike to Chickenbone. If you've never stayed, perhaps consider going RH to Moskey day 1, and then cut up to Chickenbone West for the second day.
I also like Ingo's idea of perhaps dropping at McCargoe. Then perhaps stay at Daisy or Threemile, and you'll have plenty of time to get into RH for the boat.

I'm not sure I'd do a cross island hike via boats,especially coming from michigan. At least from MN there isn't significantly larger fees/costs for you and the boat cicuvents the island. I've done a cross island hike twice with the float plane and find that it is one of the best be benifits to the float plane (drop off on one side and pick me up on the other). I know others who have done them as you mentioned though just not how id do it. To each their own though.

Are you dead set on crossing from one side to the other? You could do a very nice route on the east side that is a loop and not backtrack too much. Maybe start out to lane cove, along the greenstone to McCargoe part of the Minong past Todd Harbor to Hatchet then the greenstone back to West Chickenbone. Add in a trip to Chippewa and of Ritchie then anywhere back from Moskey back to Rock. If you are the type to really rack up some mileage you could even go from Hatchet to Malone then back up and start your return.

Looking at your itinerary, I'd drop at McCargo and hike back to Rock vs going to Rock and then 3 mile back to Rock again.

Thanks for all the feedback so far! Honestly, the McCargoe drop off option is something that is super obvious but I would have never thought of on my own with all the options there are! As of now I think that will be our plan...we already booked Windigo to Rock Harbor on the boat but shouldn't be a difficult matter to change that. That really gives us the opportunity to hit Richie or Moskey on Saturday night then Daisy or Three Mile on Sunday night.

Maybe we do the Moskey day 1 that Tom mentioned and then Richie on the way back. I know when we pushed out to east chickenbone our first day last time we got in after dark and my hiking buddy that time got half dollar sized blisters that bothered him the rest of the trip. Hell, I couldn't even tell you where the lake was at that camp, haha. I'll have to see if getting out to Moskey is a little less of a push.

Of Richie or Moskey is one better or offer something very different than the other? Any good bushwhack camping opportunities off the main trail? What about Daisy vs Three Mile?

I'm not looking to rack up a ton of mileage and really hoping for a couple of lighter days that leave us some time to fish and soak up the solitude. I know coming from Minnesota would have presented some more options but we are driving up from balmy beautiful Akron, Ohio so
Michigan makes more sense. Plus the overnight in St. Ignace usually makes for some good stories, haha.

Thanks again for the recommendations...please offer up others if you have any additional thoughts. Anyone know if we can coordinate a re-supply from the boat that picks us up in Windigo?

You can mail drop food and other supplies that can be sent through the mail (no fuel) at Windigo:

Address your package as follows:
Isle Royale National Park
Windigo Ranger Station
C/O Voyager II
Grand Portage, MN 55605

(It is a good idea to put a date on the package when you expect to pick it up). Keep in mind that there is little or no storage space for mail in Windigo or in Minnesota, so send the package not more than 3-4 days prior to your planned pickup and make every effort to be at the dock in Windigo to personally pick up the package at the dock when the Voyager II docks in the morning. Keep in mind that weather conditions may prevent the Voyager II from sailing. If for some reason you want the Ranger Station to hold your package, you should clear this with the Ranger Station well in advance of your trip. They are under no obligation to hold your package...

It probably is possible to mail drop food and supplies at the Rock Harbor Ranger station, but I have no first hand experience with this.

For supply drops via USPS, what Redbad said, except address it to yourself. This post from Capt Don spells it out:
http://isleroyaleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 9437#p9437