Isle Royale Forums

My first solo backpacking trip is coming up, I chose Isle Royale because my first ever backpacking trip was there 11 years ago and I thought it would be fitting. Last time we stayed mostly to the SW end near Windigo because I think my friend (and I) really didn't realize how out of shape I was back then. Plus I was borrowing the external frame backpack from hell that didn't fit me properly. I'd like to think I've come a long way since then, and have successfully completed a solo kayaking trip in the last few years. Since that trip, I notice that I do tend to underestimate my abilities. My planned itinerary for my kayaking trip was way too easy, I paddled all 4 days of planned paddling in just the first day, so I'm hoping I can have others look at these two options I'm considering objectively and give some feedback.

Option A: "Safe and Standard"
Day 1: Windigo to Lake Desor (~11.7mi)
Day 2: Lake Desor to Hatchet Lake (~8.1mi)
Day 3: Hatchet Lake to W. Chicken Bone (~7.9mi)
Day 4: W. Chicken Bone to Daisy Farm (~7.8mi)
Day 5: Daisy Farm to Rock Harbor (~8mi)

Option B: "See All the Things"
Day 1: Windigo to Lake Desor (~11.7mi)
Day 2: Lake Desor to Hatchet Lake (~8.1mi)
Day 3: Hatchet Lake to E. Chicken Bone (~10mi)
Day 4: E. Chicken Bone to Three Mile (~11mi [via Greenstone and Mount Franklin])
Day 5: Three Mile to Rock Harbor (~3.8mi)

I'm leaning towards option B because:
* I could sleep in on Day 5 if I wanted. I usually wake up naturally at 5-6am so I don't see this happening, but I could at least putz around camp a little before heading out for the last few miles. (I am on the last seaplane ride off the island that day, @5pm.)
* I can explore past rock harbor on day 5, shower, enjoy a beer, what have you.
* I really want to see the top of Mount Franklin and if the weather is clear, Sleeping Giant.
* Being a bit of a completionist, this would be more miles on greenstone ridge than cutting down to daisy farm and heading up harbor trail.

Option A is similar to some other itineraries I've posted here, and seems to have a steady pacing of about 8 miles per day after Day 1, which is nice, but I don't know that that makes it any easier or more enjoyable. It would also mean I could see Siskowit Mine between Daisy Farm and Three Mile, but I don't know if that view is really worth it to give up the view from Mount Franklin.

So what do you think, is option B totally crazy?

I think either is doable. If you want to be really ambitious, get a taste of the Minong and Todd Harbor, here is the solo trip I did in 5 days during my last visit:

June 25 – Windigo to Washington Creek CG (and back) - .3
Washington Creek CG to Greenstone Ridge Junction (and back) - .3
Windigo to Feldtman Lake CG – 8.5
Feldtman Lake CG to Rainbow Cove (and back) - .8
Total Miles – 11.3

June 26 - Feldtman Lake CG to Feldtman Tower – 4.8
Feldtman Tower to Siskiwit Bay CG – 5.5
Siskiwit Bay CG to Island Mine CG – 4.4
Total Miles – 14.7

June 27- Island Mine CG to Desor South CG – 5.5
Desor South CG to Ishpeming Point – 3.8
Ishpeming Point to Hatchet Lake CG – 4.3
Hatchet Lake CG to Todd Harbor CG – 3.9
Total Miles – 17.5

June 28 - Todd Harbor CG to McCargoe Cove CG – 6.7
McCargoe Cove CG to Greenstone Ridge Junction – 2.1
Greenstone Ridge Junction to Daisy Farm CG – 6.1
Total Miles – 14.9

June 29 - Daisy Farm CG to 3-Mile CG dock – 4.4
3-Mile CG dock to Suzy’s Cave Junction - .9
Suzy’s Cave Junction trail to Tobin Harbor Trail - .2
Tobin Harbor Trail to Rock Harbor – 1.8
Total Miles – 7.3

Trip report here: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1528

Nice trip report. It's cool to see the comparison between what you planned and the actual itinerary. I definitely think it's possible for me to do more than a 12 mile day, but I've only trained up to a 10 mile hike, and the terrain here is much more mild than Isle Royale so I don't know how ambitious I'll be once I get there. It would be cool if I could actually make it to Rock Harbor day 4, and do the Stoll trail figure-8 on day 5.

W Chickenbone camp over E Chickenbone, always.

The mile extra to Three Mile on day 4 is negligible.
You will have expended as much energy getting water at E Chicken, as you would doing an extra(relatively easy) mile in the AM from W Chicken.

If I felt good, coming off Mt Franklin to Three Mi, I would possibly take Tobin Harbor trail into RH.

A 16 mi day? Store and a shower? Beer and a Brat?

A thru hike of IR in 4 days!

Isle Royale Rocks!