Winter Hike

“Tarabull, Mountainrunner and I are most likely in. He is going to try and get someone to cover his calls Sunday. So keep your fingers crossed! Should be fun. Get us more details!”

“bbbbuuuurrrrrrr”

“Not sure where you are... but it's not quite cold enough for my tastes just yet.

I've already got a trip planned for the last weekend in January (or the first weekend in February, depending)... :)

Have fun! Be safe!”

“Hey Tarabull, Thinkbubelz & I haven't ever camped in the winter, but might be up for the challenge if you don't mind newbies... the only thing is that I MAY be going to Washington DC to meet up with my sister that week... (My trip is still up in the air...)

I'll talk to Thinkbubelz and see what's on his schedule--and if his band is playing or not...”

“Tarabull, we are in for sure... Mountainrunner was able to find someone to cover his Sunday calls! Yippy for winter hike! Now check this and give us some updates before I do something drastic... like sending you an evil text.”

“Crap... I guess I was too late; I got the evil text from Honeybunches.

(you call that evil? sissy.)

Icky - I'm in Michigan (the UP). Should be plenty cold in January. Plenty snowy, too.”

“Hey Guys and Gals I would love to come on this trip but have the 9th annual Linville Gorge Trip that weekend BUT if one of you could plan something in or around Michigan for the spring I would definatly be in for it! My wife has a friend up there that she would like to visit and I wouldn't! get the picture?”

“When in the spring are you thinking?”

“Hey Spam, we will go out of our way to accomodate you and anyone you would like to bring with you. I'm sure we could make some kind of trip happen in the spring. Stay in touch and we'll plan something.

-Nonconformist

(and Tarabull)”

“I just can't come in January or during the week of Trail Days in May other than that I should be golden! I do need a little time in advance to plan tho!”

“Tarabull will probably be having shoulder surgery during the late part of our winter so we'll end up scheduling something around that. Do you want to see woods or water or both?”

“Yes! LoL!”

“We've got plenty of both so it won't be a problem. We'll start working on a plan.”

“I'm in, I hope I can hack this Cold, deep snow UP adventure! Sasquatch here I come!”

“I have plans to be in paradise that weekend, I would like to meet some folks from the site, so I will maybe this and see if you all can slip me in for a trip visit and get some idea of the kinda people in here,, I have been a packer for about 20 yrs, would like to network into this and meet more packers,, will be doing a trip in allegan forest in feb also,,”

“Has any decision been made as to whether this will be a base camp and dayhike trip or different campsite every night?”

“This will be a base camp and dayhike trip. Should be plenty of snow so bring your snowshoes or skis.

All are welcome, bigphil. Stay tuned to thr trip thread or contact us. (emails in profiles---you should fill yours out BTW)”

“Honeybunches is gonna have to drive over with Tarabull and Nonconformist :) SYSCO did me the favor of canceling and rescheduling a meeting for the 15th. I will be coming back from Milwaukee on the 16th. If it works out the way I hope, I will show up quite late Friday night. Either way I will be there.... if not Friday night, then Saturday am.”

“Where is the location of the basecamp, one of the shelters?”

“Pros - That was my initial thought. The closest one to where we are parking is Rim Lake. The problem is that I don't know the lay of the land there... so I don't know if the land is condusive to tent camping. Otherwise, I thought we'd just set up campe near Ironjaw Lake and Nineteen Lake where there is dispersed campsites so we can be pretty sure there's plenty of flatland.

Of course, with enough snow, most areas can be condusive to tent-camping...

I guess my answer is... I haven't entirely decided yet. I wanna see how much more snow they get in that part of da UP.

-tarabull”

“We have tentative plans to check out the site this coming weekend.

~NC”

“What have you done with Tarabull?

-MO”

“If you get the opportunity to get there this coming week end to scout it out, take note of which roads are plowed and what the signs are on the roads. There is a difference on what is shown on National Forest maps, and what is shown on Mapquest, and both may not necessarily resemble what is on the actual sign post. For instance, the National Forest trail maps show the main road that is south of the trail system as Route CR 440, but MapQuest and some county maps show it as Road 42.5. But if people have good directions, and perhaps GPS coordinates, getting in after dark should be no problem.

I intend to get to which ever campsite you pick before sunset on Friday, January 16, 2009. I have loaded up the topos on my GPS. But others may not be able to get there in daylight. And the moon will not rise until 12:41 a.m. on i-17-09 with 64% of the visible surface illuminated, with the moon being directly overhead at 5:18 a.m. Saturday morning. Winter temperatures and deep snow is not the time to have people wandering around looking for plowed roads and hiking/ snow shoeing/ skiing into the campsite after dark without specific directions.

The remoteness of the location, and the deeper snows there make this a very desirable winter location to camp and explore. This is what it is all about, and has this trip has the potential of being a superlative winter time camping trip.”

“The road south of the trail is 440.

There are dozens of brown Hiawatha National Forest fishing, camping, and road signs along H-13. 440 should be marked by signs (at H-13) for Corner Lake and The Camel Rider's Club.

Prosecutor, we will probably be arriving about the same time as you. We'll probably leave Marquette around 3 or 4 pm---it's only an hour trip for us.

MarkO, I am letting Tarabull come out to play for this trip. I can pull you in to the site in my sled if the knee is still giving you trouble. (You just have to hold my beer without spilling it.)”

“Two more things:

-cell signals are iffy at best in this area

-if any of you are interested in ice fishing, there should be plenty of opportunity!”

“I'll pull Marko.”

“Pros - The ranger assured me that CR 440 is well marked from both directions. And, the county road commisions for Delta County and Schoolcraft County assured me that CR 440 is plowed.

I also confirmed that CR 442 and 437 are plowed as well as SH 149(for those coming from the bridge).

We do intend to head down there this weekend to check it out, though. We'll keep you posted.
last edited: 1/05/09 11:56:29 AM”

“Thank you for the information. I will wait for your scouting report. Tomorrow I will be going to my cabin in far northern Wisconsin to get in some practice skiing. I will leave from the cabin a week from Friday and see you all there.”

““Thank you for the information. I will wait for your scouting report. Tomorrow I will be going to my cabin in far northern Wisconsin to get in some practice skiing. I will leave from the cabin a week from Friday and see you all there.”
prosecutor


Pros,

I assume there will be some of us, that could meet you earlier on Friday. I could possibly be there as early as 12:00pm or even a little later than this to mirror your arrival time.
I'll probably stop in Munising and get the HNF map. Then head south on H-13. I/we? could meet you at the junction of H-13 and CR-440.
I'd like to have 2-3 hrs minimum of daylight to head back into the campsite, and get set-up while its still light out.
last edited: 1/05/09 4:24:15 PM”

“On Friday, January 19, 2009, for Manistique, sunset is 5:28 p.m. EST. It is full dark about a half hour after that. NCThiker, how about we meet up in the parking lot that is plowed out for the snowmobilers described in the trip description* at 2:30 p.m. EST.

* "But, the folks at the Nat'l Forest said there is a snowmobile trailhead that is located approx. 1 mile east of Tom's Lake on CR440 called Big Springs North Trailhead. We can park there then bushwack straight north to the trail"”

“Sounds good, but there will probably be 2 others with me as well.(Cowpatty & Wolfeyes) and I'm guessing we could meet you even earlier too. (1:30pm?)

I need to get a good map yet, I'm not seeing Tom's lake? What lake at Pine Martin lines-up with Toms lake?(nearest east-west) Triangle Lake?
last edited: 1/05/09 7:46:19 PM”

“If 1:30 p.m. works out better for WolfEyes and CowPatty, that will be the time.

Toms Lake is directly to the west of the south west corner of the the Pine Martin Recreational Trail System.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Toms+lake+michigan+map&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title”

“Yep, thanks, I just google mapped it too, So we would actually need to hike east,then north to access the trail system? Looks like approx. 2 miles of eastward hiking just to get into the area of the lakes, where we might camp?
That's what had me confused when someone said hike straight or due north from the Snowmobile TH?”

“NCT - what I said was that if we park at the snowmobile trailhead, we can hike due north to get to the Pine Marten Run Trail. Please check the maps I posted on webshots. One mile east of Tom's Lake on CR 440 would put us just about due south of Swan Lake (by about 1/2 mile) which is part of the Pine Marten Run Trail system. If this is not clear on the map you are looking at, please let me know. Keep in mind that the grids on the map represent 1 mile.”

“Okay, let me see if I can put some minds at ease, lol. This should be a simple trip: H-13 to 440; 440 east to the snowmobile parking lot; from the parking area either a short bushwhack north to the trail OR another mile east on 440 to the two track that heads north to Iron Jaw Lake campsites. (There should be a small HNF sign on 440 that notes the campsite at Ironjaw Lake.)

Remember: we are still accumulating information. After this coming weekend we will have a better understanding of how the trails and roads relate. We will have a definite campsite picked out. If necessary, I will mark a trail with marker ribbon and hopefully I will get Tarabull to lug in some firewood.

I, myself, would not go off trying to find a campsite in a snowstorm or if I had any concern at all about finding the trail. Nobody should.

Please make sure you have a good map! I don�t trust Google or Mapquest.”

“Sounds good, but there will probably be 2 others with me as well.(Cowpatty & Wolfeyes) and I'm guessing we could meet you even earlier too. (1:30pm?)

I don't know where you got this information but I have made no definite time plans yet.”

“I don't know where you got this information but I have made no definite time plans yet.�
wolfeyes
9:45:49 AM
1/06/09

Sorry, but I thought Peggy had been emailing you about the possibility of such, being I will probably be staying in St. Ignace on Thursday night and possibly Peggy too. So....I though we could all meet up Friday morning in St Ignace and then follow each other to the TH.

Sorry again
last edited: 1/06/09 9:59:03 AM”

“�NCT - what I said was that if we park at the snowmobile trailhead, we can hike due north to get to the Pine Marten Run Trail. Please check the maps I posted on webshots. One mile east of Tom's Lake on CR 440 would put us just about due south of Swan Lake (by about 1/2 mile) which is part of the Pine Marten Run Trail system. If this is not clear on the map you are looking at, please let me know. Keep in mind that the grids on the map represent 1 mile.�
tarabull
8:24:59 AM
1/06/09

Sorry, my mistake.....Ok, so who can I piss-off next......?
I shoulda studied the map better before I spouted off like that! Duh”

“NCT - All I was trying to tell you was that I DO NOT have any time SET IN STONE as to when I would leave St. Ignace or meet ANYONE. It is a week away and many things can change between now and then. And I am not going to make those types of decisions until first part of next week. You are absolutely welcome to follow to the trailhead but like I said, I don't have a time.”

“understood, I should have asked the question first, seeing if you would like to meet on Friday "possibly" with Cowpatty and myself. I don't think I'll have a problem finding the trail-head, but thought it would be nice to time our arrival together.
If I spend the night in St.Ignace, I don't see myself sleeping later then 8:00am on Friday.
So...I'd probably be up, eat and ready to hit the road by 10:00am at the latest, which would then put me at the TH by 12:00pm or later to meet with Pros, at 1:30pm.

Yes, its still early, but that's why I'm bringing these travel plans up now, just to see if any might want to caravan over to the TH, from the Lower Michigan side.

I'd still like to try and stick with meeting the Pros at 1:30 pm though, as this would give us enough time to get back into the campsite area, and still have time to set-up our shelters and eat dinner, during the daylight hours.
last edited: 1/06/09 2:54:51 PM”

“Speaking of food (somebody did, didn't they?) I was wondering what folks were planning on bringing? Anyone plan on cooking over the fire? I was thinking we could pool our resources so folks weren't carrying in duplicate items like fry pans, grill grates, etc. Let me know your thoughts.”

“I am going to have venison fajitas cooked over a propane stove for Fridays dinner with a fresh baked cookies for dessert cooked in a campfire.

Saturday will be a Denver Omelet in a flour tortilla for breakfast, lunch will be soup with chicken or energy bars if I am out on a all-dayer ski trip, and dinner will be beef stew, all cooked over my propane stove. Dessert will be a cherry cobbler baked in the campfire. Hot rum and cider will compliment the meal.

Sunday mornings breakfast will be a Thai Breakfast which is a hearty rice porridge with chicken and lots of black pepper.”

“Well, I for one, know for damn sure that I will not be humping in any type of frying pan, grill grate, kettle, etc. So no worries there about me for you.

As for food, I had not gotten that far yet. I was thinking of this sausage I like at Whole Foods. It's chicken with garlic sausage. I was just going to wrap it up in tin foil and throw it around in the fire and hope for the best.

Other than that, that was as fancy schmancy as I planned on getting.

Cowpatty is coming. She usually feels sorry for me and makes me gourmet meals right there before my very eyes!”

“I'll include the grill grate on my list so hopefully it'll end up in my sled if there's room. I also have some homemade venison breakfast sausage that I'll be bringing for us all.


Thai Breakfast which is a hearty rice porridge with chicken and lots of black pepper.

Recipe?”

“I'll Probably bring the usual boring gruel, Freeze dried diners, Oatmeal, etc,etc,etc.

Looking forward to doing a day ski with Prosecutor, and others? Who else is bringing Skis? I have an extra BC ski set, although they're a mens size 10-1/2-11 boot. Anyone that would like to borrow them for the weekend just let me know, I'll bring them with me, poles too.

Don't forget shovels and camp saw's too, I'll bring my Sven saw, and a shovel.
last edited: 1/07/09 3:04:39 PM”

“The Thai breakfast is a 2/3 cup of instant rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 cup dried shallots, and a half cup of freeze dried cubed chicken, 21 ounces of water, boiled for ten minutes. Add 2 tablespoons rice flour, stir for 1 or 2 minutes, then eat,

I'll have a 8 1/2 inch Teflon coated cast aluminum fry pan anyone is welcome to use when I am not using it.”

“I will be in paradise on thursday night, I am still interested in at least a day of the trip, sat seems most likley, I will have a snowmobile with me so am not sure about the drive there but am sure i can get in when i find you all ,, ill keep reading for more info,, and my profile is filled in now
last edited: 1/07/09 4:47:05 PM”

“I believe I'll bring some wild hog sausage, and "will be humping in any type of frying pan, grill grate, kettle, etc." as usual for the extremely grateful Wolfeyes! LOL

As soon as I get a bit more past this ugly sinus infection I have, I'll think more about what food to concoct.

I'll wait to find out the results of the scouting trip, but I suspect the snow will be too deep for me to ski and enjoy it. Probably snowshoes only.”

“Oh I am so glad you are bringing the kitchen! How bout you get some antibiotics for that sinus infection, huh?”

“It's been snowing steady here since.....oh, I don't know......November. Skis might be tough unless the snowmobilers have made some nice trails.

Stop in and say "hi", bigphil.”