Da Moose-a-palooza

“Sunshine, any chance of you going? If not, you can at least meet us on Sunday night at Rock Harbor? I'm also looking forward to the Kids weekend in August. I've been meaning to reply to your email regarding doing something in the UP after that.”

“Hubcap, It's difficult for many of us to even consider "anti-fox" strategies....heheh”

“Hiya Ruby! Yes, even if I can't go to Isle Royale, I'll be able to meet you in Copper Harbor. I REALLY, REALLY want to go to Isle Royale but we'll see what I can do when it gets closer.

I'm very excited about the trip to N. Manitou. Wyatt is slow to warm up to strangers although lots of other children will help. He'll probably be comfortable just about the time we prepare to leave the island. LOL So he'll be primed for any camping on the way home. Don't worry about responding to the e-mail. We can discuss it at N. Manitou. :)”

“OK. How about "out-fox the fox" tactics. ;-)”

“Good sunshine, we'll talk more at N. Manitou. I am so looking forward to that and this trip.

Bring on the fox...foxes...foxum...foxi?”

“Ruby, as far as your Saturday night plans, I was thinking just to go out, have a couple of drinks, shoot the breeze with whatever locals decide to grace us with their presence and then call it a night. It doesn't have to be fancy -- I'd be more interested in meeting other local TT-ers than going to an expensive ultra-swanky lounge or something like that. This trip is already plenty action-packed anyway, isn't it? What do you think?”

“I'll be at Isle Royale August 15th-21st. Maybe our paths will cross! :-) OR!...naw, my boss would never extend my vacation. Oh well...hope I see ya!”

“Maybe -- I went with late September because I wanted the Indian Summer effect -- huge autumn fan here.

Anywhoo, have fun on your trip and most importantly, N-Joy!”

“oh yeah...I guess I got my months mixed up...doh! Well, maybe I can go again!”

“Well, we've still got some room, so come on along.

While IR's size limit is 6 for standard campsites, I don't want to close and/or restrict this trip. As a result, if more than 6 people come along, I would ask someone else to obtain a separate park permit, so we can still hike/camp together (same campsite areas), but officially as two separate parties.”

“Ok, I see that Prosecutor has upgraded himself to a definite; welcome aboard! So now we have 4 people in, and 2 other maybe's that I've spoken to.

(I haven't heard from anyone else on the maybe list...)”

“Several weeks ago I did a backpacking trip to the north end of Isle Royale, and I was surprised on how beautiful the carpets of flowers were that bordered the backpacking trails. The animals also allowed you to get up close to photograph them. Foxes at Three Mile Campsite and Daisy Farm Campsite would steal anything you left out, and tried to take a boot from a member of our group. At Rock Harbor, we watched several kit foxes wrestle and play with each other for about ten minutes, and a moose browsed forage for almost 20 minutes. The island is a backpackers paradise, and most people leave there describing it as "magical". I can't wait to return.

http://community.webshots.com/album/168723697mrnCGz”

“UHH!!!! I wanna go!



but i don't see how i can.”

“Roam, this is the big one, the big cheese, the big kahuna for me this year. I would drop all other trips this year if I had to before dropping this one...

Can't wait...”

“Hi all, I posted on backpacker for anybody going to Isle Royale and Ruby replied and told me about your excursion. Sounds like it is going to be a great trip. Look forward to getting to know more backpackers. It seems like most of my friends are too lazy to get out on the trail so I end up doing a lot of solo stuff. I have been to most of the Michigan BPing hot spots, but still haven't been to Isle Royale. Jumping at the opportunity!”

“Hey, klr! Glad to see you made it over here. We're a lot more fun than the "other side." My suggestion to you is to fill out your profile. Until you do that, you will be considered a troll. Then post a thread of introduction and prepare to be raked over the coals. LOL All in good fun though of course.

We must get you a trail name. Perhaps on Isle Royale it will come to us.”

“wow, this looks like a great trip but it is more than 1100 mile drive for me. PS's, your drive has to be about the same on this one. You're core dude!!”

“Dude ENS, insane doesn't even begin to describe this trip. Nevertheless, I've wanted to get out there for a while, and deep down inside, I think it'll all be worth it...”

“It'll be worth every one of those miles PS :)
I'd drive 1000 miles to go to IR in a heartbeat!”

“Yeah, but I'm actaully considering flying to Chicago for this trip. Southwest has some cool deals from Philadelphia. I'll have to see what I can come up with.”

“And miss all that great scenery in northern Indiana????
Good idea...I'd FLY!!! lol”

“Hey Y2, what are your travel plans for this trip? Are you coming to Chicago first? I'm picking PS up at Midway on Saturday. If you are flying in, maybe you can sort of coordinate your arrival so I can get you both at the same time.”

“I can help out here as well Ruby if I get enough notice.”

“Cool, WK. I'll let you know.”

“The camp foxes on Isle Royale are quite, umm, foxy! Last time I was there, a ranger told me that they had tracked down a fox's hiding place. You could almost compleately outfit a backpacker with the gear they found in his lair.”

“Hey IR gang,

This will be my first trip to the island and I have a few Q’s.

Regarding the ferry, have we decided whether reserving tickets in advance is necessary? The boat sails Mondays and Fridays only, right?

I’m doing some advanced thinking about gear for the trip, specifically shelters. It sounds like the population of other hikers will have thinned out by the time we do this trip, so can we assume that each of our evening locations will have enough room for everyone to have solo shelters? Looking at our proposed itinerary, there seems to be 3-sided shelters at each of our evening stops, with the exception of west Chickenbone. Are the shelters in nice condition, such that they are the preferred place to stay, and will they likely be vacant? Are the campsites hammock friendly? If I decide to go with a tarp only, can I assume bugs will be a non-issue by that time of year?”

“Clarification. When I say "solo shelters", I mean solo tents. I was wondering if the 6 people and 3 tents per group would be a limitation.”

“Still working that out Ruby :o)”

“Hubcap, I don't think bugs that far north at the end of September will be much of a problem. Obviously varies with temp, though. If there is a frost up there by that time they should be goners. I know someone who is going in early September, I will keep everyone posted.”

“I don't know, I don't know, and I don't know.

As far as the ferry, I don't know -- I'm going to have to call Isle Royale Line tomorrow and find out. I'd hate to be left hanging after travelling over 1000 miles to get to Copper Harbor.

From what I understand about IR, I don't think there will be overcrowding of hikers competeing for campsites. I'll also call Isle Royale and find out for sure.

Don't know about bugs either. I've never been to Isle Royale, but the the climate at Lake Superior is anything at all like Maine, then the bugs should not be an issue at all in late September.

It's going to be awesome. I can't wait.”

“

Thith thould wet yer withle.”

“Hubcap, at that time of the year, the boat only sails on Mondays and Fridays.

The shelters are very nice, much prefered over the campsites, and as such, they fill up first starting right after lunch. Each shelter will hold six persons easy. Unless we run into some groups with the same itinerary, the competition for the shelters should be less in mid September.

The campsites have enough trees to be hamock friendly.

We may have to pull several permits (same cost) to get more than one campsite, but there should be no problem about having enough room for solo tents. I believe they have a limit of two tents per campsite.

West Chickenbone has a group campsite that can hold all of us. The other campsites will only hold one to three solo shelters, but several of them are back to back.

The goat and I are car pooling from Mokena, and are doing the Disappointment Trail as a warm up the week end before. Hubcap, do you want to join the car pool? We leave Thursday, September 16, 2004, and we could pick you up at 11:00 a.m. at your house.”

“As far as the ferry is concerned I would definitely call and make reservations....Last year when I called about going out on the Queen in Sept. they were booked up....granted that was the begining of Sept. but still...thats a long drive to not know for sure :)
As far as bugs you shouldn't have any problems this late in the year.
As prosecuter said the shelters are most definitely nice if you can gettem...heres kind of a pic of one
Pic of a shelter just ignore to two women cooking and look in the background :)”

“Cool beans, pros. We'll see you at Copper Harbor that Sunday night...”

“Because I will have to provide a head count for the ferry reservations, it will be necessary to have a "role call" deadline by noon EDT on Friday 3 Sep 2004. I spoke with the Isle Royal Line ferry service today (20 Aug 2004) and they said there is plenty of room on the boat for our week, but to book reservations by the first week of September.

If you join in afterwards, you're still welcome to come along; you'll just be on your own with transportation to/from the island.”

“I don't mean to scare anyone off; I'm just trying to get word out to any prospective lurkers considering joining...”

“I'm lurking AND I want to go but I can't. *sniff, sniff* I'll see you at the Mariner Sunday evening. Shots anyone? ;o)”

“Count me in!”

“I'm going to have to schedule the Disappointment Trail for another time. I'm cramming too much stuff into the end of September the way it is.”

“I'm in for the ferry.”

“I'm in for sure”

“Me, too!

I'm home now from my marathon trip through Michigan (lower and upper), Wisconsin, and Minnesota. How many can say they saw three of the Great Lakes in one day?

Anyway, PS, I'll drop the Isle Royale brochures in the mail to you tomorrow. I'll have to check to see if I still have your snail mail addy.”

“Ruby, my participation in this trip is now strictly dependent on yours -- it seems that you don't have much of a choice -- you're coming along... :)”

“I know. I thought about that. I can't bail now, can I? ;-D”

“I am starting to think about my gear to take on this trip. This will be my longest trip thus far. I anticipate that it will be chilly, especially at night.

What are your thoughts on gaiters? I don't have any yet. Should I have them for this trip?

Maybe I better haul out the Colin Fletcher book.

And what about stoves? So far I have only ever used a Pepsi can stove. Will that be sufficient? Or should I get a Pocket Rocket?”

“Ruby, there are no gators in Isle Royale. You have to go to Florida to see them.

Canister stoves have a greater range of cooking temperatures, but the alcohol pepsi can stove is slightly lighter if all you are going to do is boil water. If you want to cook things like pancakes, scones, cobblers, chicken taquitos like I am going to do, bring a canister stove. If you just boil water, the pepsi can stove is better.

The presence of Lake Superior will keep it from getting colder than if you were in-land. I am bringing a 20 degree bag.

The trails were in great shape when I was there in July. If you have good looking legs, no need for gaitors. If you have fat ankles, varicose veins, or scars, wear the gaitors.”

“Very funny, Prosecutor.

I noticed last week when I camped on the shore of Lake Superior that it never went below 60 all night. That was actually the warmest night in our week of camping.

I'm not sure yet what I'll do for cooking. I almost always do the hot water method, but I've been wanting to expand my cooking repertoir.”

“2 years ago I was there at about the same time of year. Great Moose rut. On my last night there it snowed. I had a 20 degree bag and was fine.”

“Ruby, I'm bringing an alcohol stove and I am leaving my gaitors behind. 30*F bag and silk liner for me. Like prosecutor said, the lake will moderate the temps.”

“Thanks dhutch and hubcap. I think my bag is a 20*, so I should be fine. I'll bring some handwarmers to throw in the bottom for my cold feet.”