Trapped by the Traps, TR

“I am going to give my long trail report in sections...this is part one

Day one...Thursday, Oct.18...my TR starts the day I left the house. Thanks to my new gear shed it was unbelievably quick packing up. It took me longer to choose the clothes I should bring. Food also was fast. I had chosen, since the bluffs we would be camping on would have no water, to bring hydrated food in Food Saver bags which I could just throw in boiling water to heat up. I could then use the hot water to make hot drinks. I have found this to me my favorite cooking method. It wouldn't work for someone on long, multiday trips but for my style of in and out, called "slackpacking" by most, backing, this system works exceptionally well.

Gear packed, clothes chosen, food in cooler and I am off. I was going to stop at Nimblefoot's place on my way up North. I fortunately had an invitation to spend the
night at Prosecutor's cabin and Nimblefoot lived about halfway there. He has a superb
piece of property. I got the grand tour and we took a ramble down near the Namekagon. We talked houses, trees, some family, friends, cooking, land, neighbors and animals. I found him to be a most enjoyable companion. I should have stolen more cookies from him when I left.

I stopped in Hayward which was a mistake as one heckuva storm caught up with me. It was unfortunately going my way although a bit slower than I if I drove 60mph. At one point I had to pull of the road as my windshield wipers could not keep up. I have never driven with lightening flashing very, VERY close to me on three sides at the same time.
I don't want to again. Needless to say I was very glad to reach Prosecutor's where there was a warm fire and congenial friend. We spent a relaxing evening with plans to caravan to hwy64 and the limited parking area there where he would leave his vehicle and we would go to Old Vic in my car. It rained all night and was raining when we left his cabin.

Day 2- Friday Oct. 19
I think it was raining on and off all day. I know it was pouring when we reached Old
Victoria. We saw a figure coming around one of the old buildings there and lo, there was cowpatty. We all got ready in the rain with me holding everyoneup, as always, and took off in the rain. The blazes, which were every two feet, led us up threw brush and over a steep hill. OK, not every 2 feet but unnecessarily close to each other. When I
finally, huffing and puffing, reached the top of the hill we saw a lovely, huge, stone
building. We guessed it had something to do with mining. I thought I had taken a couple of pictures but I guess I was wrong... Prosecutor did, I know. Anyway, the blaze fun began there...we wandered around the building looking for one. There were roads leading off in many directions...some paved, some not. It was very confusing. I'm not sure if cowpatty or Pros saw a blaze as I was way behind them. I just followed. There
were blue ties on trees and sprayed blue markings on other trees. Very confusing.

We walked down a paved road where we saw a sign along a trail in the woods leading
back up to the stone building. Everyone kept their eyes peeled on the walk downhill
looking for blazes. In retrospect, after hearing Spirit Coyote's adventures later, I think it was a good thing that we didn't see one. A truck stopped by us at the bottom of the hill and we spotted our glorious trip organizer, Jimmy san. He laughed when Prosecutor told him we were lost...little did he know....he told us he had started driving down Victoria Road and had almost bottomed out his truck so decided, uncharacteristically, to turn around...he was very proud of himself doing this. He had his passengers back at Old Victoria and planned to join us with them. Somehow, this did not happen.

Anyway, I kept going down Victoria Dam Rd so as to not slow them down anymore than I was already doing.. It took them about two seconds to catch up and pass me. They headed off the road towards the east as, shock of shocks, they spotted our first blaze in about a half mile! This idiot trail led us on a short loop that returned us to the road but ahead of us was a trail heading west and up. It was so exciting to know that after about an hour of wandering we were actually, maybe, on our way! And we were. When I finally got to the top an absolutely gorgeous panorama spread out before me. High on a bluff overlooking Victoria Dam and trees as far as one could see. The rain stopped, thank the Lord although a healthy wind was blowing. We set up our tents and me my hammock. There is really almost no room for lots of tents and big tents would have had an interesting time but with a little stealth camping we all found spots to set up.

Not long after this, Spirit Coyote showed up. I'm not sure of the order of folks after this. I think Jimmy san was next and sometime near dark Prosecutor went back to see if he could find the others. I set up my lamp at the top of the trail and cowpatty started yelling so he could find his way back to us in the dark. I think he came with dhutch and uplover but the others were AWOL. I think Jimmy san called one of them as he found out they had gone off-trail and were somewhere near or on Lookout Mountain. I may have the sequence of events a bit confused...I do that.

A fire was made and meals were cooked. The usual socializing took place. I think I crawled off to bed first but it was not at that long before I heard quiet snoring.”

“Yikes”

“Well, come on! Don't leave us hangin! LOL!”

“I would have titled my TR: Where in Blue Blazes?”

“:D
Kick ass. This really was a fun trail. Lets have part 2 :D
last edited: 10/23/07 2:29:56 PM”

“Hey all,
I'll post my version ASAP. Just so ya know we were not the ones that were lost, we just wanted to go further down the trial!! LOL
See ya later.
Randall”

“Looking at my NCT map, its does show that you cross Victoria Rd, then a short road walk on Victoria Dam Rd.
There is also a 2.5 mile narative loop trail that shares the NCT, with this part of the loop marked with white blazes?
last edited: 10/23/07 3:13:01 PM”

“I saw no white blazes and I didnt skip any trail on the 1st day...(I just took a nice side trip before finding where I lost the trail again)”

“The natives are getting restless Mata. LOL!”

“There are some long views in the Traps...that's Lake Superior out there



Behind that stack are the Porcupine Mountains:



Norwich Bluff...we camped up there somewhere:



Not only was no one talking...some are in color and some in black and white...it was a very, strange night...muah-ha-ha-ha-ha



and, the rest of the pics are here:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/561150815PYYsnJ

Day 2-Saturday, Oct 20th

Last night was lovely albeit a tad on the windy side and the morning sunrise was glorious! I woke early but just lay in the hammock watching it get lighter. I heard the zipper from Pros's bivy so I knew he was up...I gave him a couple of minutes to do what we all have to do when we leave our nice, warm, cozy bags then got up myself. He had set-up his breakfast kitchen so he got the most of the view...I chose to make myself breakfast under my tarp as I had left it set-up the night before then joined him to glory in the morning light...everyone else got up not long afterward...the sun! the sun! it had been raining for days. I think it rained 21 out of 23 days this October...

dhutch and uplover were planning to return to their car as they had to return Sunday. Since my car would be at Norwich Rd it was decided I would give dhutch a lift back to her car and she would return and pick up uplover...I didn't think 3 of us with backpacks would fit in my packed Saturn...that way they could hike another day with the group...anyway...that decided, we chit-chatted, Jimmy san climbed a tree, Spirit Coyote took off at the crack of dawn and the rest followed an hour or so later...I stayed up there, took a couple of videos, slowly packed up and walked back to my car. It was only 2 miles but I was not feeling great when I got to Old Victoria. I made myself another breakfast, drank one of my super, high calorie milk shakes, took some vitamins and hoped I'd feel better. Also caught a 10 minute nap.

I drove over to Norwich Rd and started hiking up, and down, and up, and down, and up, and down and up the long hills of the Traps. At least they were well blazed but then, that is a very popular part of the trail. I was getting really, really wiped out. It took me 3 hours to hike 2 miles...you have to watch your footing in the Traps...when it's been raining the trap rock, which is basalt, the basic bedrock of the earth, gets very slippery and, as it's hiding under wet oak leaves which are on top of nice, slick clay with lots of nice, hidden deadfall you could break something if you had bad luck or got careless. I am solo so go very carefully down those steep hills. Typical of the Traps there is no water at the top but more than enough at the bottom of the hills.

Speaking of water I had trouble holding it down which is what happens when I get really tired. I stopped about 20 minutes at the great overlook where you can see Lake Superior, the stack at White Pine with the hills of the Porkies behind it. I managed to get some Gu down and that helped give me a bit of a boost. The scenery made up for the fatigue.

I had told Prosecutor I would stop at FR642 so I headed for that when I saw his happy, smiling face walking towards me on the trail...he told me I had just walked by the place he thought would be a good place for us to camp so I turned around. I don't remember setting up...I don't remember much for quite awhile...I ate, napped and woke up feeling sorta ill but better than I had when I arrived...joined the group at the fire...had a slug of lovely Glenfiddich whiskey which I drank a lot of in England a long time ago...it burned like hell and I had to pour the water down my poor throat but I felt much better for it...I didn't stay up long...too tired...in fact, I thought I would have to bail on Sunday night, I felt so exhausted...slept like a baby.We were all concerned about Spirit Coyote who had run into serious knee issues. It was thought she had stopped a mile back and set up camp...found out later she decided to go find some hunters although she turned down their kind offers of going with them to Silver City and getting drunk...she had got lost hiking in the dark...no surprise there as most can get lost in the daytime around Whiskey Hollow...I think she took the snowmobile trail that leads to Victoria Road...it's really poorly blazed around there. Smart lady that she is she had the hunters take her back to Old Victoria where everyone's vehicles were.

Day 3, Sunday Oct.21

Pros had his weather radio with him (I knew he would so left mine in the car) and told us rain was supposed to move in Sunday afternoon so he thought it would be best if everyone got a really early start. They also decided to cut the trip miles a bit short and camp a mile from the parking spot on FR400 returning the mile back Monday morning so they could leave earlier. Some had very long drives home in front of them. Everyone was up before dawn as they hoped to beat the rain.

dhutch wanted to give Leslie some cigarettes but no one could figure out how to keep them from getting crushed...uplover saved the day by handing Leslie an empty plastic Charmin camping container...with admonitions to "smoke the Charmin" the problem was solved.

I knew I could not hike back the way I had come so decided to go out FR642. Uplover went back to find Spirit Coyote. I gave my keys to Prosecutor. I think he and dhutch drove my car to his SUV, returned my car to Norwich RD and drove his SUV to Old Victoria to pick up dhutch's vehicle. They found me hiking down Victoria Rd. AND they had Spirit Coyote with them...I was so glad to see she was OK...We weren't sure where uplover was but dhutch and he had agreed he would hike out with Spirit Coyote on FR642 and that's where she found him. FR642 is closed and gated now, for those who are interested. I gave and received hugs from uplover and dhutch and wished them a safe drive home...I'll see them both at Canoecopia.

Pros had parked his SUV on FR400, hiked up to the campsite a mile from the parking area with SC, set up his campsite then hiked back with a daypack to find the group. I met him as I was heading up I found SC limping around using a hiking pole as a crutch...she chatted as I set up camp which took much longer than usual, even for me. In fact, this is what decided me to change my hammock set-ups. This trip really made me see what I wanted in a hammock set up.

The rest of the group, by now, since uplover and dhutch were no longer with us, consisted of ChinMusic and his cockapoo, Mugsy, a lovely, well-behaved traildog, Randall, cow patty, hubcap, Spirit Coyote, Leslie who's trailname had Athena in it, I believe, Prosecutor, jimmy san, our glorious trip planner and myself. I think the trails up and downs beat up quite a few folks besides myself but all wanted to return.

It was a wet night but that didn't stop our experienced group...everyone had raingear except Mugsy who was banished to the tent. Everyone stayed around the fire...occassionally someone would stand up and turn around to dry their backside...in fact, someone was always rotating...Randall had the group roaring with laughter...I fell asleep in my hammock to the wonderful sounds of laughter...

I woke up at 3 am and had to go for a walk...a longer walk than normal, if you know what I mean...I think I woke some who wondered what was out there...I made myself a hot chocolate and went back to sleep.

Everyone was up pretty early. The rain had stopped but everyone's set-ups were pretty wet. No matter, we were heading home. Breakfast was eaten, tents, tarps and bivy's came down , hugs were exchanged and it was over...I heard their voices far down the bluff, laughing and talking as they walked back to Prosecutor's SUV where he would take all of them, AND their packs, back to Old Victoria. I followed an hour or so later.

It was one of the best trips I've been on...the company was enjoyable, we had plenty of excitement finding our way around, no one got seriously hurt, the views were breathtaking, the trail challenging and the weather, well, it's the UP.”

“great stuff!”

“Nice report Matahari! Thanks! Now for the pictures....”

“I have a question for those that attended the trip: Did anyone actually get in touch with Karen or did you all just get her voice mail?

Haha!”

“ChinMusic, I stole your title for my TR over on the otherside...sorry, but it was much better than mine...Where in blue blazes...so good...so right...so true...”

“I can't even imagine those hills covered with wet leaves! Glad everyone made it safe and sound. My friends and I were "saved" last summer by a couple of beer drinking/jeep driving hunters out "scouting".
Great guys for sure! Glad you found assistance SC.”

“Here is my version of the tr....

i posted it on the other side ;)

http://forums.backpacker.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/852107219/m/3031044763”

“That is a GREAT TR, SC...it was interesting to read what happened when I wasn't around...since we 11 were never together for one of the 3 nights there are quite a few viewpoints, aren't there? You had quite the trip and write well..it was also a pleasure getting to know you...take care of that knee now...hugs, Mata”

“Yes, I'm hoping some others will chime in with their versions too--- :)

It was fun chatting with you matta--- Hope to do so again!”