Lake Desor from the Greenstone Ridge

As I look back at Siskiwit Bay for the last time, a hiker suddenly appears hiking along the trail and heading toward the Greenstone Ridge. I fall in line behind him and we start chatting as the trail starts to climb away from the bay.

Just a short ways from the bay, the middle-aged couple, with the guy who appears to be Bill Nye the Science Guy, is sitting together on a log along the trail. They ask several questions relating to water, as if they are concerned on whether they are carrying enough. Between the bay and the Greenstone Ridge there are only three streams, and with the current dry conditions on the island, there is good chance most, if not all, of them will be dry, or nearly so. I advise them to carry as much water as possible; water is probably non-existent along the Greenstone Ridge.

After leaving the couple, my new hiking buddy, Daniel, and I continue together as the trail begins the gradual climb up to the Greenstone Ridge. Daniel is hiking from Windigo to Rock Harbor in 4 days via the Feldtmann Ridge and the Greenstone Ridge. He is the same guy who came in late last night at Siskiwit Bay campground and was running along the beach this morning. Although an avid hiker, he is also training for a marathon, hence the running this morning. As we hike along, we alternate between periods of silence and talking as we climb along the wide path through mostly forested trails.

Section Stats:
Date: September 7, 2011
Length: 7.7 miles (9.7 total daily miles; 84.0 total trip miles)
Difficulty: Moderate (climbing & up and downs)

The forest begins as mostly aspen with plenty of spruce and balsam fir mixed within. After passing through a level swampy area, the trail begins to ascend more, and the forest quickly transitions to sugar maple and birch after crossing a small dry streambed. The trail continues to climb steadily, occasionally steeply. As we gain more elevation, I notice more and more northern red oak showing up in the surrounding forest.

We pass an old well at the end of a short spur trail, marked as a historic dry well on my map. I walk the short distance, and look down into the well; it appears to be only about 20 feet deep. Most likely, the well was filled in to prevent Timmy from being trapped in it, since Lassie is not permitted on the island to rescue him.

Soon after passing the well, mounds of red tailings appear along the trail. The last time I saw such mounds was back at the Minong Mine, but these are smaller and surrounded by dense forest. According to the map, this is the site of Island Mine, the second largest mining operation on the island. DuFresne’s book indicates there are supposed to be many old shafts and pits in the area, but Daniel seems antsy to continue, and I am not ready to lose my hiking companion just yet.

After Island Mine, the trail changes from the wide path we followed from Carnelian Beach, to a much narrower footpath. Previously, the trail followed an old wagon road between the beach and the mine, which we are leaving behind. After a steep climb, the trail descends to a murky stream crossing (I hope that couple brought extra water), makes a slight ascent and arrives at Island Mine Campground.

Dry well along near Island Mine

It is about noon as we reach Island Mine Campground. Nestled within an open sugar maple forest there are no views and little privacy, thus it is very quiet and probably little used except during the height of the busy season on Isle Royale. The place is deserted now, not a soul is anywhere to be seen. This campground has to be one of the least impressive campgrounds I visited on Isle Royale (the other being East Chickenbone).

We stop for a short rest, as I need to use the toilet. As I approach the toilet, a red squirrel chatters in the background, signaling its disapproval. Did it hear about the incident at McCargoe Cove too? While in the toilet, I catch a blur of brown on an old blue sweatshirt. It turns out to be a giant spider, much bigger than a 50-cent piece, counting the legs. The arachnid lurking within the folds of the shirt, just inches from my face, takes a little of the joy out of my toilet experience.

Daniel hiking toward Island Mine

Daniel heads off before me, as I take a snack and some water after returning from the toilet. Although, I catch up with him soon while climbing toward the intersection with the Greenstone Ridge Trail. The last two-tenths of a mile is the last climb up to the intersection, and for the first time since day two of my trip, I am back on the Greenstone Ridge Trail. This trail shall remain my main route for the next two days and then again on my penultimate day on the island.

We do not linger at the intersection, and almost immediately start northeast toward Lake Desor. The Greenstone Ridge Trail is well-worn due to the heavy use during the busy season on the island. The forest surrounding the intersection area is largely sugar maple and yellow birch; there are no open ridges along this section.

Just a short distance along the trail from the intersection, we stop and listen to what sounds like raindrops hitting the forest foliage. However, the sky is mostly clear, and the sun is shining brightly! Upon close inspection, it turns out to be either caterpillar frass falling from the canopy, or dead caterpillars, as many of them litter the ground.

The trail descends for a while, followed by another ascent, the entire time under almost full tree canopy. A large, fresh wolf scat lies in the middle of the trail. I wonder is this the same wolf that was at Siskiwit Bay last night. Maybe I will get to see both moose AND wolves on this trip. That may just be too much to ask.

Spider in Island Mine Campground toilet

After several easy ascents, the trail passes an exposed cluster of rocks. The rocks appear well used as a resting place, due to the lack of any ground vegetation around them. Up a short climb from the rocks is a small opening in the forest canopy exposing the rocky forest floor to the rays of the sun.

I theorize this is Mount Desor, the highest point in elevation on the entire island. I decide to verify this using my Garmin handheld GPS, and if it does turn out to be the mountain, then stop for lunch. Daniel decides to push on. His original plan was to stay at South Lake Desor Campground for the night, but now he is thinking about pushing through to Hatchet Lake, almost nine more miles. We part company here, as I am hungry and there is no way I am hiking into the night to get to Hatchet Lake.

Eating lunch on Mount Desor is quite relaxing; despite the fact, the surrounding environment does not look anything like what I imagine the highest point on the island would look. The surrounding area is sugar maple forest as far as the eye can see, with absolutely no sign of any possible views. It is difficult to believe I am even on a mountain, or following a ridge for that matter. So far, the western Greenstone Ridge appears nothing like the Minong and Feldtmann Ridges, with their frequent attractive views.

Greenstone Ridge Trail

Wolf scat along Greenstone Ridge Trail

No hikers disturb my feeling of remoteness by passing along the trail during my lunch stop. The only sounds are an occasional caterpillar falling from the sky, the drone of some mosquitoes and a single red-eyed vireo, continuing to sing even though it is now the first week of September. Using the down time to lighten my load a little, I tie out the tarp between several trees, allowing the warm temperatures and light breeze to dry it thoroughly before my lunch is complete.

My headache persists, as it has the entire morning. Could it be dehydration from the single Foster’s beer from last night? I make sure to drink plenty of water for the next three or so miles to South Lake Desor campsite, even though I already drank half of the two liters I carry on me.

Mount Desor along Greenstone Ridge Trail

Caterpillar falling from the sky at Mount Desor

Fearing dehydration, I decide to mix a Gatorade packet in with my remaining water. When I accidently suck in the remaining contents of the Gatorade packet with my mouth when trying to empty the contents, my headache partially vanishes, replaced with a Gatorade high. I never thought such a high was possible, but now I know better. I hope that the bath salts users do not catch wind of this, or freebasing Gatorade might become the new cherished high.

Back on the trail after lunch, I descend immediately through a mature sugar maple forest. Moose tracks are located in some of the damper sections of the trail, indicating humans are not the only ones using the Greenstone Ridge Trail as a way to traverse the island. Seeing a moose up on the ridge so far from water would be a little odd.

Greenstone Ridge Trail

The trail levels off, with a steep drop-off just a short distance north and a much more gradual descent toward the south. Brilliant blue patches appear to the northeast through the trees, which proves difficult to interpret, is it a clear sky from a sudden drop-off or glimpses of Lake Desor. Why is it so hard for me to figure out which? Could it be the headache, or the remnants of my Gatorade high?

The trail descends and then enters a wet area on planking, with northern white cedars surrounding the trail on both sides. Like everywhere else on Isle Royale, the ground is much drier now, with only a hint of the usual wet conditions.

The wet area does not last long, and soon I am descending again through a paper birch forest. The blue patches through the trees to the north are now obviously glimpses of Lake Desor to the northeast, and not views of the sky as I thought might be the case before. Clearly, my Gatorade high must be subsiding, and I do not have many left. How can I survive without my next fix!?!

The trail journeys through another wet area on planking, followed by ascending and then finally begins to descend again. The trail traverses through some patches of open ridgeline here, with familiar views of the Canada shoreline and the large Lake Desor through the scant, short trees.

Open ridge along Greenstone Ridge Trail

Open ridge along Greenstone Ridge Trail

The open ridge, and its views, does not last long, as the trail then reenters a mature paper birch and sugar maple forest. Paper birch is more prevalent down the steep slope to the north, while sugar maple plays a more dominate role upslope to the south.

Greenstone Ridge Trail

The pattern of alternating trail sections of open ridge and full-canopy forest cover returns as the trail continues to descend gradually. Just as I start to feel the intersection with the South Lake Desor spur trail draws near, the trail suddenly descends steeply to the intersection where Daniel stands, stuffing water bottles into his backpack.

He just returned from venturing down to Lake Desor to filter some water for his 7.7 miles trek to Hatchet Lake for the evening. I am impressed with his ability to keep on hiking for another four hours or so, which should allow him to arrive at his destination just before nightfall. He warns me of large amounts of floating algae in the water down at the lake, where he prefiltered it through a piece of cloth prior to filtering it.

With his water packed, Daniel and I part company for the second time. We wish each other good luck, and within a flash, he is gone down the trail toward Hatchet Lake, my destination for tomorrow. I turn around and begin the last leg of my hike for the day to South Lake Desor for the night.

View from Greenstone Ridge

Sphinx kalmiae caterpillar along Greenstone Ridge

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