Michigan Mountaineers in March?

“So, I'm bringing cheese curds and some of the free Eureka! Wilderness Guides. Anything else you deprived Michiganders need from the Badger State? We already send you our beer, and between beer and cheese, that covers a lot of Wisconsin's exports.”

“le subtil - where have you been? we've been missing you!”

“What about Kringle?”

“I'll have to see about kringle. The "real" stuff is in Racine, isn't it? But there are pretenders to the throne. How long does it stay fresh? Stale kringle must be hard to rejuvenate after a few days on the road.”

“Yeah, Racine. I coudn't remember exactly where it came from. A friend from Milwaukee always brought it back to school after break. I was just joking about the kringle. Its nice enough of you to offer the cheese curds, but please don't feel obligated to bring us anything! I'm just excited to meet more TTers!”

“Thanks Sass and Birch. Now to start figuring out what to do with it, LOL.

Sass, you mentioned parking at Pickeral Lake on the Pinckney end and heading s/w toward Waterloo. Would the goal be to reach Green Lake campground on Saturday/23rd (about 8 1/2 miles)? For the second day (Sunday/24th) that would leave about 3 or 4 miles to the visitor center area by Mill Lake, or 7 miles to the Waterloo Rec. Area HQ (map mile marker 16). Seems like the latter would have some parking open.

tarabull, still considering Friday night campout? Crooked Lake campground is a couple miles from Pickeral Lake. Can't tell from the map if the hiking loop from Crooked links to the big trail, but it sure comes along the other side of Pickeral L. I'll have to give the HQ a ring to check such details.

SG, been scoping out the curd selection at the local supermkt. I guarantee they will be very Wisconsin in origin. Just remember to share with tarabull.

Any other MMers in for the 22-24 on the Waterloo-Pinckney Hiking Trail?”

“What we were thinking was the hike from Pickerel Lake to Green Lake on Saturday and then out to the Ranger station (headquarters, #16 on the map), about 8 miles. We'd have to leave a car there but that's no biggy. Or we could always hike back out the way we came in. Sounds like Birch wants to camp Friday night too.”

“Another alternative would be the Manistee River pathway. We'd start at the campground, go about 13 miles on the NCT trail side of the river, cross over Red Brige and camp along the Manistee where ever we please; hike back along the river about 11 miles. It's a loop...and nicer scenery. This hike is about 45 minutes drive n.w of Cadillac. It's a neat hike.”

“pekka - yes, I'm still planning to camp Friday night... and lookin' forward to it.”

“Sass, the Waterloo-Pinckney is best for my logistics since I have to return to Kazoo for a day or two before heading north on the return to Wisconsin. That route from Pickeral to Green Lake, then to the Ranger/HQ seems very do-able, about 16 trail miles total. Setting up the shuttle car shouldn't be hard.

How does that sound to you tarabull, SG?

Hope we get a turn in the weather pattern back toward spring.”

“Opps, frogot you were in Kalamzoo...got all confused by the "Pekka" thread. =)”

“Yeah, it gets confusing for me, too. I've got a lot to juggle on this spring break and the MM-TT weekend may be my only real "get outdoors" part of the trip. The drive to Kazoo from northern Wisconsin is long no matter which route, but I'll be coming around Chicago since I have to go to Kazoo first. Then I'll zip down 94 to W-P, then back to Kazoo to wrap up family stuff. Depending on how long that takes, I may get to visit a couple old pals on the way back north, where I am hoping to squeeze in a couple days with my daughter in the U.P.

Let's just say hiking 16 miles will be the least taxing effort of the 12 days I have off. But I'm getting psyched about hiking again and meeting the Michigan branch of TT.”

“Sure, whatever works. I bought my tent yesterday, anxious to use it. :)”

“OK, SG, More new gear to test! Will you be coming Friday night, too?

Sass, I was thinking, too, that with that route, if you can't get Grandma to do an overnight sit with Abby, that you might be close enough to day hike one or the other portion while Birch camps (or vice versa).”

“Pekka, I was thinking the very same thing! Great minds think alike. Now, who wants to carry her? Her carrier is nine lbs and she's 25. Just teasing.

I'm going to ask gma tonight and put in fer a v day tomorrow if necessary.”

“Heck, I just figured Grandma might be an easier touch if it wasn't an overnight commitment -- but if baby wants to play papoose...

A 9# carrier? Yikes. At only 25# can't she ride okay in a Breeze? j/k!”

“Pekka, Tarabull will be the first to tell you I'm a bit of a wuss, so I'm not committing to Friday just yet. :) I'll get back to you on that one next week. Depends on the weather forecast, and what kind of crap I didn't get done during the week. Next week is super busy for me as it is. Not to mention I have a staff meeting at 3PM that Friday. Nice, huh?

I'm also looking to buy a new pair of boots before this trip. I'll have lots of new gear to play with!”

“SG, sounds like one of those "escape" commercials favored by 4wd makers -- camera pans from the clock and calendar to beneath the conference table and reveals you have your hiking boots on with your business attire. No harm, no foul to wait until Saturday morning.”

“Just to let ya all know my club is going to be backpacking in Michigan on these dates.

(1)Jordan river pathway:March 30 to 31
(2)North Country trail on 4-6 to 4-7
(3)NCT & Manistee river trail loop 4-13 to 4-14

That is just some of the dates I thought I would run by you people.

I hope to get some of ya all to come out.

8)”

“SG - if it helps, it's only about an hour drive. And, if Max goes, we won't be leaving until 6:30ish.

You should commit to camping on Friday. If you say you're a wuss, then you'll be a wuss. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“I'm in for the full weekend! Gma was agreeable to a whole weekend of Abbytime. So where are we camping Friday night?”

“Sass, will the Crooked Lake Campground be open? It is labeled as rustic. That is the closest to the Pickeral Lake boat launch site. I still have to call the park HQ for latest camping/registration/trail condition/parking info.”

“I can do that Pekka. No sense in you having to make a long distance phone call. I'll take care of it today.”

“Thanks Sass. Appreciate it. This is just great to have something in the works. If the weather would cooperate up here, I could get out and stretch my legs more to prepare. But, no, chance of rain/snow mix most days this week, the weather guy says.

Are you getting any birds yet? We've had a few more at the feeders lately. I hope some of the early arrivals will be in the southern Michigan woods in a couple weeks.”

“Pekka, the robins are back and have been seeing many hawks lately.

Talked to the rec people. Crooked Lake is a definate no go. The only option for us in the rec area is the Big portage Lake modern campground. $15 a site, 4 people to a site. It's at the west end of the waterloo rec area. How's that sound? Shouldn't be anyone else there this time of year and all the "modern" facilities will be closed...pump and outhouse only. Should've asked her if we could get a discount, lol.”

“That works for me, Sass.

Are you guys bringing Birch and Cully?

I think I'll bring Sadie. In the fall, the vet said I could put a pack on her in the spring. So, a one-nighter is a good start!”

“Cool with me. Will we need two sites if 5 camp then? tarabull, SG, birch, sass, pekka? Yeah, turn off the water and keep the riff raff away, LOL.”

“Birchdog and Cully are coming.

The lady said no reservations would be needed. So we're all set.”

“Great. I'll try to get commitments from Binra and Max.

Did the lady say if there was a maximum number of tents per site? Or just that there can be no more than 4 people?

Do we need permits to camp on Saturday night?

pekka - on a side note... what is the closest airport to Ironwood, MI that flys "big" planes? I MIGHT have to head there for work! If I drive, it'll be a 10 hour drive. UGH”

“Tarabull, marquette is the bigest airport around the area I think.”

“Tara, I "think" they fly "big" planes out of Rhinelander, Wisconsin which is real close to Ironwood. You might want to check that out. You'll find that flying will only save you a few hours. :o)”

“As many tents per site you want, but only 4 people.”

“Rhinelander would be great! It looks like only small planes fly into Marquette. I'm kind of a sissy when it comes to flying.

thanks”

“tarabull, here in Rhinelander we're down to only three turboprop flights daily through Mesaba/Northwest Airlink. None are direct from Detroit. All go through Twin Cities. The closest direct flights to Detroit Metro are from Central Wisconsin Airport, south of Wausau, about 75-80 minutes driving from Rhinelander.

It might be almost as close to fly to Duluth and drive the couple hours back to Ironwood on U.S. 2. No such thing as easy air travel to the Northwoods. The planes to Marquette are bigger than the planes to Rhinelander.”

“I'm in for Friday night.”

“Good news!”

“Maybe I'll try to set the meeting up so I can do it the same week I'll be in Marquette.

I hate little planes!!!!”

“So Friday night, since we'll be at a mainstream campground, we can have a good ol' roaring campfire? I'll have to throw some wood in the back of the pickup!”

“I was hoping to make this trip but as you can see from the other thread"Budder Time" I'm going to be a good girl and do some trail work with the BTA. I'll be thinking about you guys while I'm working. This work party is going to be interesting, in that others from horse clubs and mountain biking clubs, ect are supposed to show up to work. I think this is a first and I'm not going to miss it.”

“Sounds like an interesting time, Wolfsister! I really liked the HOcking HIlls area when we hiked it, and thought about joining you, until I remembered our little outing was that weekend also. My brain is getting fried, I can't remember much anymore!”

“And yes, I'm in for Friday. THe peer pressure got to me. Thanks, Tarabull and Birch!”

“Pekka, we can drop wood off 3/4's of a mile from the Green Lake campground, so we can have a roarin' fire both nights. If ya want we'll bring wood so you don't have to lug it all the way from dairyland.”

“Well, it never hurts to have some weight in the back, but I wasn't going to pick it up until Kazoo. There was enough tree damage this winter that it should be widely available (or I can hit up my brother or cousins).”

“I'm getting excited! I wanna go now!

sg - FYI We weren't in the Hocking Hills area. That is where Nigal had proposed we go. We were in the Cuyahoga Valley NP.”

“Yeah, I'm talking about the hike Reformed set up down there.”

“Oh, you mean Oak Openings?”

“Oh, my bad! Yep, that's the one. Where did I get Hocking Hills in my head??”

“tarabull, I know what you mean about getting excited. Just keep telling me that there is NO SNOW in SW Michigan. The thought of hearing robins chirping is sooo sweeeeet.”

“I'm still on the fence, but leaning towards going. A few nights in the woods will do me a world of good.”

“Hey whats going on?My club has lots of backpacking trips in Michigan this year.I will put the link so if any of you Michigan backpackers would like to go on any of my clubs backpacking trips in Michigan you are more then welcome.

Northwest Indiana Hiking And Backpacking 2002 Trip List.

Please send me email if you would like to join the club and go on any of the backpacking trips in Michigan.

Take Care And Happy Hiking...8)”