Porcupine Mountain Wilderness, UP Michig an

“a bear cub?”

“I am going to bring a real stove this trip (gasp!) and do some (gasp!) **real cooking**. This is a first for me however prosecutor and crash bang have been very influential with respect to my thinking on the topic of food. Prosecutor has me thinking of cooking gourmet on the trail and crash bang has me looking at honey buns and hostess fruit pies. It will be the galloping gourmet meets the junk-food junkie out in the Porkies.

We’ll see…

;)”

“mr. Pitts, pop tarts pack better then fruit pies ;)”

“Hey, anyone know what town we will be near so I can look up the weather?”

“Ontonagon, I think



it says the weather will be pretty good!!”

“fingers crossed...”

“pasta and parmeseon with a cream mushroom sauce the first night for us”

“Pasta and parmeseon with a cream mushroom sauce? hm-m-m...and you are spending the first night along the Escarpment? Exactally which campsites are you aiming for? There's only one located near the "4.3" number on tha backcountry campsite map...is that where you're headed that first night?”

“always make enough for you mata, you know your always welcome around our fire”

“I updated the trip page to include the proposed camp sites. Always open to suggestions. I wanted bear poles at each site. The camp on the Escarpment is very cool (there is a photo of the fire ring in my pictures I posted). If we arrive or get started late this is an excellent choice as well. I figured a lot would depend on conditions and feedback from the rangers when we arrived.”

“why dontcha all just get bear cans???? You can camp anywhere then :P”

“beer cans?”

“how many beers?”

“That's all we need, a bunch of drunk bears...”

“and what would be wrong with that?


I can dance better when I have had a few Labatt's.”

“cause white bears can't dance.”

“Hey funny girl, read my name closely. I ain't no polar bear!”

“Hey drunk bear, get your facts right:

"Black Bears are not always black. They can be black, brown, and occasionally blonde or even white."”

“Damnit, flotsam! Where the hell is jetsam?”

““Hey funny girl, read my name closely. I ain't no polar bear!”
Drunk Black Bear
1:52:46 PM
4/13/06
ignore this user


What have you got against polar bears? Are you racist? LOL ;)”

“it's scary when the smell of 3m ultrathon makes you think of june”

“I do not want to see anyone dancing with the white man overbite”

“Hey, who is still planning on making this trip? I just want a headcount. I'll be doing some final logistics early this week.”

“ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D”

“99% sure”

“girly pajama party @ Mr. Pitts house!!! :) Im bringing the kegger!”

“Are we leaving now? ;)

I'm in.
last edited: 4/16/06 5:50:36 PM”

“I'm out. :( Parental duties call. Have fun everyone. I expect pictures to go with the tales of mud wrestling. :o)”

“WHEW.....cause I know ya would of hiked us into the mud!!! Seriously, sorry you cant come :( I was looking foward to meeting you.”

“So far we have...

Confirmed:
Spirit Coyote
jflotsom
spalpeen (99%)
Jimmy San

Unconfirmed:
mountainrunner

Out:
Sunshine

I'll be calling the ranger station this week, probably on Wednesday, just to make sure things are good to go. I'll also check the weather even though there isn't much you can do about it.”

“I would be there in a heartbeat, but I'm going to wait until I get some experience under my belt. I don't want to hold up others because I'm not prepared. I will see you at the Porkies sometime though, that's for sure!”

“graska, you wont keep me up- join the fun! Im as slow as they come LOL :D”

“Don't skimp on the rain gear and extra socks! It's still too early to know what the weather is going to do. Temps look great.

Friday...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Highs around 55.

Friday Night...A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy in the evening then Decreasing clouds. Lows around 38.

Saturday...A 30 percent chance of showers in the morning. Mostly sunny. Highs 55 to 60.

Saturday Night...Mostly clear. Lows around 39. Highs around 58.

Sunday...Mostly clear. Lows around 39. Highs around 58.

http://www.findlocalweather.com/forecast/mi/ontonagon.html
last edited: 4/17/06 1:29:35 PM”

“so...is it friday yet?”

“I know the feeling... I am so ready. I haven't been out on a real trip since the Grand Canyon last month.”

“Friday...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Highs around 57.

Friday Night...Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Lows around 39. Highs 54 to 59.

Saturday...Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Lows around 39. Highs 54 to 59.

Saturday Night...A 30 percent chance of showers in the evening. Partly cloudy. Lows around 37.

Sunday...Partly cloudy. Highs around 60. Lows around 40.

...it's still too soon to be certain of anything.”

“Last trail I was on was the AT in October. It's been too long.

Do you guys know what the deal is with the vehicle permits?”

“eh...30% aint nothing. Is that all that mother nature is going to throw at us? BRING IT ON!!!! WOHOO!”

“jfloatsom, my last backpacker was in November. Jimmy san is bragging :P”

“Year-round you need a vehicle permit to enter the park. This is in addition to the fee to overnight camp (see trip page for details). The fee is $6/day I think. I am planning on calling the ranger station tomorrow so I will verify this. You can buy the vehicle permit at the ranger station.”

“last August We parked at the Superior trailhead and paid nothing. The rest of our group parked at Lake of the clouds overlook and got tickets but they pleaded there case and had the cost reduced to a permit fee. watch what the rangers tell you we were told no vehicle fee and than our friend got nailed. some of the rangers there have little knowledge of the rules or the park, I heard all roads are open also
Oh make Me an in, time for some miles”

“I am going to call tomorrow for an update. It's really warm up there so it's possible all the roads are open. I would much prefer to hike the original route and see the entire Little Carp River trail.”

“hehehehe with my tarp, I'll be ready for anything!!!! :D”

“Yeah, but you will have a bivy. I prolly won't even bring that with the evening temps being as high as they will be.”

“i'll bring it but prolly wont even pack it in with me....I mean...thats 4 extra ground stakes I would have to bring. Do you know how heavy 4 ground stakes are? Uneceptable!!!”

“Please keep in mind that the weather forecasts cover a large area up there which includes Ontonagon, Gogebic, and Southern Houghton counties. They cover a large geography. Really the forecast is just going to be an indication of potential weather. Like I said when I posted this trip... it will be wet and muddy... rather rugged. I am really looking forward to it.

I’ll be packing my rain suit, which I am more comfortable hiking long distances in versus my poncho, gaiters, and my waterproof boots. I am also swapping my usual down bag for one with synthetic fill. I’ll also carry an extra pair or two of socks (in case one pair gets wet or I burn them in the fire).
last edited: 4/18/06 8:20:47 AM”

“Im not taking waterproof boots. They always end up wet anyway and they kill my big toes if Im going down hill a lot. Im taking my trail runners which dry quickly, and extra socks and camp shoes for in camp. Im gonna buy me a poncho today.”

“I read somewhere that 1 lb on your feet is like 6 lbs on your back. I am not sure if that's correct, but I understand the point.”

“LOL! I used to wear big ol hevey boots..now im almost exclusively a trail runner wearer :)”