Isle Royale Forums

Hello Everyone!
I finally got my trip booked to go to Isle Royale this coming August after our trip got cancelled last year due to Covid-19. Originally, we were going to spend four days on the Island in June 2020, but plans changed after Covid and we decided to tack on an additional day to make the trip a little more enjoyable. We are hiking the Greenstone for most of the trip from Windego to Rock Harbor.

A little about us: My husband (35) and I (30) hike often. We have backpacking experience in Michigan and it's true what everyone says, it feels like a lot longer of a hike when you have a backpack with all of your gear! We did do about 15 miles on one of the days, and I felt like I was going to die, which is why we decided to throw in an extra day to slow it down a bit. We regularly hike 10-17 miles in National parks (with day packs) and regularly see gains of over 3,000 ft. We are not scared of the hike by any means, but since we have a change in month of when we were originally planning on going, I'd love some insight on gear to bring.

We have our tent, sleeping bags and sleeping pads. All are of high quality and light. We also have our packs, a Platypus water filtration system and we carry Mountain House food for some meals and oatmeal and other easy-to-pack foods for other. We have a Jet boil and we will be buying fuel on the island since we are taking a sea plane and can't bring it in our packs. We both have very sturdy boots that are broken in ready to rock and roll!

What I do want to know is what type of clothing should we be packing for August? My husband runs hot, and I tend to run a bit on the cooler side when I'm not hiking. Do we need hats and gloves in August? How many pairs of socks/underwear should we be packing for a five day trip? Would shorts or pants be better for hiking? What type of warm layers should we be bringing? What about rain gear? As far as camp shoes, do you guys have any suggestions? As a luxury item, we were thinking of our ultralight chairs (Helinox Chair Zero). Are we foolish to do that? How many canisters of fuel would be the right amount? What are some other items you would all be bringing or suggesting?

What I do want to know is what type of clothing should we be packing for August?

I always bring light gloves and a light stocking cap. That is a year-round item I bring to Isle Royale for me. It can get cold at night even in the summer. The lake does crazy things. I highly recommend you bring a thin or easily packable pair of gloves and hat.

I always have pants. on some of the trails the vegetation can grow pretty high and I don't like it tickling or scratching my legs. However I do have a pair of pants that can zip off the legs and convert into shorts that I bring too.

Always bring a change of underwear and socks for each day that you're on the trail. nothing feels better than putting on clean socks and underpants after a day of hiking.

What about rain gear?

I always bring a Gore-Tex jacket and Gore-Tex pants. I also have Gore-Tex boots. Uou will get rained on.

As far as camp shoes, do you guys have any suggestions?

I now bring a pair of old slippers that I wear around camp. A friend gave me the idea and I've never looked back. It's so comfortable to be out of those boots in Camp.

As a luxury item, we were thinking of our ultralight chairs (Helinox Chair Zero). Are we foolish to do that

?

I bring a small packable ThermaRest chair as well. However, on the Greenstone trail, there's very few sites that won't have seating options.

How many canisters of fuel would be the right amount?

It depends on the stove that you have, but I always bring two regular sized canisters for my MSR stove. I find the smaller ones are easier to pack and it's always okay to have a little too much fuel cuz it's not too heavy. plus if something happens to one of the fuel canisters, I have a spare that way too.

What are some other items you would all be bringing or suggesting?

A good scotch or whiskey. You're going to want it to watch some of the beautiful sunsets.



If this helps your packing, know this: the Greenstone is a pretty easy trail to hike. You could probably get away with packing a few creature comforts. The trail is not so difficult where you have to pack ultralight.

One thing people are surprised by at Isle Royale: It can be both extremely hot and pretty darn cold on the same day. The ridges, where you will be hiking all day, get very hot in summer weather. Be sure to have enough water carrier volume to carry enough water to keep yourself well hydrated on a rocky, in-and-out-of-forest hike, with a lot of exposure to sun beating off bare rock. Then at night, especially if you are camped along Lake Superior, the breeze off the Lake can be downright cold once the sun goes down. The interior lakes are not quite as variable, but then again you are at a lakeshore down off a ridge, so the campsites can be cold as the air sinks. If you naturally tend to be a cold sleeper, definitely bring long johns to sleep in, and to have as backup in the event the weather takes a cold turn. Also, there can be a big difference between the beginning of August and the end, as the regional weather can cool down pretty quickly as fall approaches. And, take the chair! You'll enjoy sitting out on the docks in comfort.

My basic clothes. As noted, temps can vary greatly from place to place on the island as well as day to day. One week-long trip I lived in shorts and t-shirts the whole time, except for that 1 day that required all the layers I had brought, and was thankful for.
Stocking cap, yes. Gloves, probably not in July/Aug.
Top layers: long sleeve base layer, t-shirt (2), nylon shirt, warm layer (fleece or puffy), rain jacket (serves as windbreaker, last layer).
Lower layers: long johns (for in-camp), nylon zip-off pants, rain pants (also last layer)
Socks: 4 pair, one for sleeping only, never to get wet
Crocs for camp shoes

Other:
I'll carry a 1 lb chair on shorter trips and when canoeing, but not on longer backpacking trips. I consider the Crocs the luxury item I'd rather have, and carry something like a therm-a-rest z-seat instead (I've cut off part of an old z-pad). But it is nice when I have it .
I love Light Load towels as opposed to traditional camp towels: lighter, more absorbent, and dry faster. I've managed to get (mostly) dry with a 12x24 after swimming--although most might prefer something a little larger.
Toilet paper. Assume inland sites won't have any. Lakeside sites tend to get stocked more regularly, but no guarantee. Assess your level of risk taking .
I've made a 5x7 tarp out of polycro (plastic window insulation) that weighs 4 oz and has been great for a little cover in the rain. Polycro also works as a lightweight ground cloth. If curious, a google search will give you ideas.

Looks like none of the outhouses will have toilet paper this year, whether on the shore or not. Blame it on COVID.

https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/ ... vid-19.htm