And so it ends. Boarding the Isle Royale Queen IV ferry fills me with melancholy, as my Isle Royale adventure ends. All that remains is another rough ride back to Copper Harbor, followed by a two-day car trip back to Syracuse. According to the forecast, and all the concern conveyed by the ferry’s crew and
Isle Royale Trip: Limping Out to Scoville Point on the Stoll Trail
Despite my sore-covered feet, I cannot resist going on one last Isle Royale hike up to Scoville Point via the Stoll Trail while I wait for the ferry back to the mainland. Since I plan to take photographs of the Isle Royale Queen IV ferry arriving at Rock Harbor near noon, I cannot waste too
Isle Royale Trip: Last Island Moments at Rock Harbor
My last Isle Royale morning starts dark, as many mornings do in mid-September. The rapidly encroaching clouds from the west fill me with a sense of foreboding as they slowly block out the once visible stars. The sunrise has yet to begin, as its ascension comes later with the approaching autumn. The day’s dreary beginning
Isle Royale Trip: Final Night at Rock Harbor
As I walk down one of the few paved roads on Isle Royale, the Ranger’s Station at Rock Harbor comes into view at the bottom of the hill. Just like at Daisy Farm earlier in the morning, the feeling of familiarity overcomes me, as if I am returning home after a long trip, despite having
Isle Royale Trip: Hiking back to Rock Harbor via Tobin Harbor Trail
My two-week Isle Royale adventure is quickly drawing to a close. For several days, I take note of the limited number of times each event occurs before my trip becomes a memory. Now I sit on a log at the intersection of the Mount Franklin and the Greenstone Ridge Trails, eating my final lunch on
Isle Royale Trip: Hiking the Greenstone Ridge to Mount Franklin
It is hard to imagine beating the views of Isle Royale from the Mount Ojibway fire tower. Now there is only a single chance to do so at Mount Franklin, all the way on the opposite side of my last stretch of the Greenstone Ridge Trail. The heat and humidity is not going to make
Isle Royale Trip: Ascending to the Ojibway Fire Tower on the Greenstone Ridge
It is surprising how Daisy Farm Campground feels like home; especially given I stayed here only a single night. It must be due to the length of time passed, and all the events that took place since then. The feeling is quite enjoyable, since most of my Isle Royale trip entails constant bombardment of new
Isle Royale Trip: The Return to Daisy Farm from Moskey Basin
The final full day on Isle Royale arrives before sun up, no thanks to my watch’s alarm, which fails to rouse me as early as I planned. Luckily, my fine-tuned internal clock functions flawlessly, and my fourteenth day begins only a short time behind schedule. Thirteen miles is a lot to cover in one day,
Isle Royale Trip: Cleaning Up at Moskey Basin
The Lake Richie and Rock Harbor Trails’ intersection is only a short distance from Moskey Basin, the destination for my second to last night on Isle Royale. Moskey Basin was not on my original trip itinerary, I only added it after hearing it praised several times over the last thirteen days. According to DuFresne’s book
Isle Royale Trip: Onward to Moskey Basin via Lake Richie
A good deal of my hike along the Indian Portage Trail is now behind me, and I stand at the portage to LeSage Lake while still early in the day with an important decision to make. Do I head back to LeSage Lake for a quick look or just head south to Lake Richie and
