The Minong Ridge Trail is over. Completed. Done. Kaput. Now only the Feldtmann and Greenstone Ridge Trails are left for the final week of my Isle Royale Trip. After a morning of ascents and descents, followed by an afternoon of repeated ridges overlooking beaver-created wetlands, I finally make it to the Washington Creek Campground. It
Isle Royale Trip: Inching My Way Towards Washington Creek along the Minong Ridge Trail
The constant ups-and-downs of the Minong Ridge Trail works up quite an appetite. And with a resupply package soon to arrive in Windigo (or so I surely hope), almost anything in my rapidly shrinking food bag is fair game. First up is a peanut butter and blackberry jelly sandwich, on a piece of multigrain round
Isle Royale Trip: Long Slog to Windigo on the Minong Ridge Trail
There is nothing good about a 13-mile hike in a single day. Well, except for being in the outdoors, getting exercise and increasing the odds of having an amazing wildlife experience. Other than that though, there is very little good about a long hike in a single day. Not the alarm going off at 6:30
Isle Royale Trip: Sharing a Campsite at North Lake Desor
The ups and downs on the open, rocky Minong Ridge are over for the day now, and I am looking forward to resting at North Lake Desor for the night. This is my last night on the Minong Ridge Trail, as tomorrow is the long slog into Windigo. Hopefully, my resupply box will arrive soon
Isle Royale Trip: Bushwhacking to Unnamed Lake from Minong Ridge
Typically, I spend most of my time in the backcountry off-trail. Trails are usually reserved for accessing an area to position me to bushwhack to some remote lake, wetland or other natural landmark. So, the whole time I am on Isle Royale, I am jonesing to leave the trail behind and get acquainted with the
Isle Royale Trip: The Most Arduous Section of the Minong Ridge Trail
The Minong Ridge leaves the Little Todd intersection and immediately cuts through a short stretch of spruce before climbing up over mostly bare rock until reaching the crest of the Minong Ridge. The ridge is a narrow rocky strip, with scattered patches of brown knee-high grass; spruces line both sides making the ridge appear somewhat
Isle Royale Trip: Return to Minong Ridge After Rain Delay at Little Todd
Overcast rules the sky when I finally arose myself from a night of restless slumber. An occasional rumble of thunder echoes over Lake Superior from an undiscerned direction. Between the thunder, the waves and the threat of the surrounding widowmakers, I did not get a very restful slumber. Unfortunately, the Minong Ridge Trail awaits, and
Birdathon 2012: Bum Knee Puts the Kibosh on My Bushwhacking Plans
There will be no Birdathon bushwhacking adventure this year. And I am not happy about it. What is the Birdathon? The Birdathon is the National Audubon Society’s largest annual fundraising event and the globe’s biggest birding competition. The goal is to find as many bird species as possible within a given region in a single
Isle Royale Trip: Playing Fifty-two Pick-up at Little Todd
Little Todd Campground is nearly right on the Lake Superior shoreline. The strong breeze off the water is a welcome relief from the heat, blowing off some of the stink accumulated on my hike from Todd Harbor. Drying off my equipment, cleaning my clothes and myself, and taking photographs of the shoreline are all on
Isle Royale Trip: Playing Leapfrog on the Minong Ridge Trail
Hiking along the Minong Ridge Trail has been a pleasant stroll through attractive forests thus far. So, there is absolutely no reason to contemplate my last opportunity to bail out on the trail at the intersection with the Hatchet Lake Trail. After a fifteen minute break at the Hatchett Lake intersection, I continue hiking through
