Minong Ridge Trail

Today is the last possible opportunity to bail out on completing the Minong Ridge Trail. After reaching the Hatchet Lake Trail, which should be early this morning, there are no other opportunities to exit the Minong Ridge Trail. After this the only choices are to hike all the way to the end at Windigo, or turn back. Not that turning back allows for an escape from the backcountry, since it is a several days hike back to Rock Harbor regardless of the route taken.

Not that I have any intentions for turning back now. Not unless I sprain an ankle, or lose a leg. Unfortunately, this is not an unlikely scenario, given the continuous ups and downs along the Minong Ridge Trail.

The early morning at Todd Harbor is not unlike that of most the other mornings on Isle Royale. Except this time the many chattering red squirrels and the urgent need to relieve myself are accompanied by the indiscriminate notes of an unidentified thrush near my tarp. In other words, it is the start of another wonderful day on Isle Royale.

The foliage remains saturated from the rain yesterday, which inspires me to check the forecast for some hopefully good weather news. Damn! My little Optimus radio I bought at Radio Shack many years ago no longer works! It must have broken in transit since it worked fine during my bushwhacking trip to Oven Lake in the Adirondacks back in July.

Section Stats:
Date: September 1, 2011
Length: 1.4 miles (1.4 total daily miles; 26.1 total trip miles)
Difficulty: Easy, but damp

Panic quickly subsides, since a quick battery change brings the little radio back to life. This gets the old mental juices flowing, even at this early hour, so I check some of my other electronic devices. Back-up flashlight? Dead too. Garmin eTrex Legend HCx? Not dead, but pretty close. Same with my Sony PCM-10 recorder. Could the drive to Copper Harbor have drained the batteries?

Luckily, my extra supply of batteries is enough to get everything going again. With some of the devices a mere switch of batteries between them gives my toys new life. Hopefully, they sell batteries at the store at Windigo when I get there in a couple days. Otherwise, I will have to get used to the idea that I carried these battery-operated devices for no other reason but to strengthen my back.

My Optimus radio predicts rainy conditions today. This is disheartening. It would be just like my luck to plan a backpacking trip on the island during the two wettest weeks in the driest summers on record. I refuse to be daunted though, and so I don my rain gear and head on out, ready for whatever might come. Today, mu plan is to hike to Little Todd Campground, one of the lighter days of my trip, and no rain is going to keep me from getting there.

After finishing my many chores and packing up my backpack, nature calls and I make a run to the toilet. Upon finishing my business, I emerge to find the campground largely abandoned. Only the family that arrived late yesterday afternoon remains, the other two groups (i.e. the younger couple and the two older men in the shelter) have hit the trail before 9 AM. Hurray, the race to Little Todd is on! And for once, I will not be starting in last place.

A dreary Todd Harbor

Overcast hangs over Todd Harbor, much like when I arrived the previous afternoon. I take a last short trip down to the shoreline in hopes of taking a few photographs with better lighting than the previous day’s. Unfortunately, the dark clouds are less than cooperative, except for a few instances when some hazy sunhine breaks through. Regardless of the less than perfect conditions, a few photographs are taken, but I do not bother to take out the tripod.

As I am putting my camera away in its weather resistant case on my hipbelt, I catch a glimpse of a blur flying to the tippy-top of a tall conifer along the shore. Before I can struggle my compact binocular out of its carrying case on my hipbelt, the sharp-shinned hawk flies away, returns to its perch, and then flies away for good. A stern talk with my binoculars follows.

Despite the later start, I am not overly concerned. Today is one of the shorter days on my trip by distance, with less than 7 miles to cover before the end of the day. My swiftness on the trail should allow me to make up the time if absolutely necessary.

Todd Harbor

Todd Harbor

Taking one last look around Todd Harbor, I spin around and head down the trail toward Little Todd.

The trail initially climbs through a mostly spruce forest before leveling off and entering an aspen/paper birch forest. There are many snags scattered about the forest, with a few downed aspens here and there. The snags and their downed compatriots suggest a severe wind event in the recent past. This should be good news to the Isle Royale woodpecker community.

Multiple large mixed flocks of birds are encountered along the trail, or maybe it is just the same flock over and over again. White-throated sparrows dominate, but there are also American redstarts, mourning warblers, black-capped chickadee and other warbler species. I curse my atrophied birding skills for failing to allow me to identify many of the species. Apparently, there is much fall warbler plumage research in my future.

American redstart

American redstart

One female American redstart (or perhaps it is an immature), shows a considerable amount of curiosity in me. It buzzes around, flashing its yellow markings on its wings and tail over and over again. It is so insistent that I am able to get my camera out and take multiple pictures of it. It is still in the same aspen sapling when I finally pull away and return to hiking down the trail.

The trail continues over rolling terrain through alternating aspen and paper birch dominated forests. The forest canopy is largely sparse, due to a combination of wind damage and natural spacing. This is one of my favorite sections of the trail, as the forest is very attractive and the bird flocks are frequent.

Minong Ridge Trail

Minong Ridge Trail

While climbing over a small hill, I stop and remove my rain gear. Between the North Face Venture jacket and the Golite Tumalo Pertex rain pants, sweat is starting to soak into my clothes underneath. I hang my rain gear inside out on my hiking poles to allow them to dry in the breeze, while I eat a snack and drink some water.

The trail continues downhill through a stunning paper birch forest, until it finally crosses what once was probably a flowing stream on a bridge. A grassy clearing appears on my right, followed by a slight climb.

Within a short period, the Hatchet Lake Trail appears on the left. This is the last chance to exit the Minong Ridge Trail, as there are no other side trails until its southern terminus at Windigo. Before me now is a three day commitment to the Minong, for better or worse. Hopefully, for the better.

Wind damage along Minong Ridge Trail

Minong Ridge Trail

Not being able to pass up the opportunity for a short rest in an attractive forest setting, I stop again for a brief rest. The sudden appearance of another large mixed flock of birds is reason enough for extending my rest for longer than initially planned. Quickly, I remove my Leica compact binoculars from their carrying case and begin scanning the trees canopy.

Black-capped chickadee, common yellowthroat (a female), Magnolia warbler, white-throated sparrow and American redstart are just a few of the species identified. In addition, two ovenbirds chase each other through the young trees canopy, almost resulting in me losing my hat. During all the activity, a common raven flies overhead, squawking in apparent discontent.

Minong Ridge/Hatchet Lake Trails signpost

As the birds depart in their search for food, I return all my equipment to its proper place and head down the Minong Ridge Trail toward Little Todd. With my last opportunity to abort behind me, I am now wholly committed to completing my trek to Windigo, where, hopefully, there will be a resupply box arriving for me soon after I arrive. Otherwise, it is going to be one heck of a hungry trip back to Rock Harbor during the second half of my first Isle Royale adventure.

Minong Ridge/Hatchet Lake Trails intersection

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