The fifteen-day long hike from one end of Isle Royale to the other yielded a total of sixty-eight different avian species, none of which were new additions to my life list. That is, if I kept a life list. The number of species would have been greater if I did not allow my fall warbler
Isle Royale Aside: A Two-week Long Backcountry Menu
People often ask me, “What do you eat when you are out backpacking?” It is embarrassing to admit I never really know what to tell them; other than a vague recitation of staples, such as instant rice, couscous, pasta, etc. When I was hiking along the Minong Ridge Trail on Isle Royale it dawned on
Isle Royale: The Long Drive Home
With my two-week trip hiking from one end to the other of Isle Royale National Park complete, the journey home took center stage. My plan for the two day, one thousand mile sojourn is to repeat the route taken to get Copper Harbor back in August, with the slight exception of avoiding all the construction
Isle Royale Aside: Briefly Revisiting the McCormick Wilderness
When I originally planned my Isle Royale trip, I included a side trip to McCormick Wilderness for a few days, never really deciding whether it would be before or after the main two-week event. Storage of food for the second trip, while on the first one became a logistical nightmare, so I quickly abandoned the
Isle Royale Aside: Bearly Losing a Race
Typically, I am not the racing type. At least not the kind involving motorized vehicles. Although I participated in foot races when I was younger, it has been many years since the last one. And in none of those races were any of my competitors a black bear. This all changed when I drove home
Isle Royale Trip: Navigating the Rough Waters of Lake Superior – Again
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: My Gear List
A two-week backpacking adventure like the one I took to Isle Royale National Park last year requires a great deal of preparation. It requires a great deal of equipment too. In fact, over 30 pounds of gear, to be exact. Below is the gear list for my Isle Royale trip. The list is a combination
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
