Isle Royale National Park
This trip to Isle Royale in July 2021 was the culmination of a 5-day road trip throughout the state of Michigan.
Isle Royale is an island in the Northwest side of Lake Superior. One needs to take a slow ferry or a small plane ride to get there and for that reason it’s among the least-visited National Parks. I relished the idea of avoiding crowds. I also learned there were no bears there, so I thought it a great opportunity for peaceful camping.
Spending most of my days in front of a computer screen, I make an effort to be as disconnected as possible from modernity whenever I can. It’s essential for me to keep going and remind myself that nature is beautiful and part of a brilliant, unknown design.
Getting there, I decide for the cheaper ferry, known locally as “The Queen” that traveled to and fro between Copper Harbor on the mainland in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Rock Harbor on the southeast side of Isle Royale. The ferry itself is all right albeit a bit uncomfortable as a solo traveler since there is table-style seating where solo travelers are forced to sit face-to-face with strangers.
It’s a cold, foggy morning and as the ferry takes off I try to calm down and shake off the harrowing 90mph car ride that morning to get to the harbor on time. The story behind that: The hotel where I stayed was in Central Time Zone, but the harbor was just over the border in the Eastern Time Zone. My alarm was set with no consideration of this in mind. I only discovered my error while downloading the route to my phone and realizing that my ETA was 15 minutes past the ferry departure time. I did the math and realized I had to average at least 80mph to cover the ~150 miles between me and the harbor. I decided to go 90mph on the highways anticipating lower speeds going through the small towns. In the wee hours in the sparsely-populated Upper Peninsula though, it happened.
I manage to intermittently get some shut-eye during the ~4-hour boat ride. Getting to the island, there is a mandatory crash course on the island by park rangers. Backpackers were forced to register and check-out when done. The lodge and shop at Rock Harbor were the only infrastructure on the eastern side of the island. After that, you were on your own.
I did not have a great feeling as the staff on the island mentioned how unusually hot and humid it was. I did not have a set route, I just knew I wanted to set up camp far away from anyone else. From Rock Harbor, one could go inland using either the Rock Harbor Trail that goes along the lakeshore, or one could climb up to Mt. Franklin and use the Greenstone Ridge Trail that headed southwest from there.
I decide on the latter since I figure most people would take the path of least resistance to go inland. The first part of the hike was very pleasant and highly-shaded. However, once on the ridge everything was quite exposed and there was no break from the sun.
Running into other hikers is a bit unique here as everyone on the island arrived there only after considerable effort. As a result, many hikers are highly experienced. I felt an instant sense of camaraderie with many of them.
Once I summited Mt. Franklin, I had to continue west to the island’s highest point, Mt. Ojibway. Walking along, I felt that sense of solitude and peace I was looking for. I could see Lake Superior and the outline of the island south of me and there was a plethora of new and interesting flora and fauna that I saw.
I don’t have great knowledge on plant and animal life, in general. However, I saw my first moose ever along with pine forests with plant life I had never seen before. Weird tubular insects about an inch long made distinct clicking sounds as I passed by. There were many berry bushes and other blooms of beautiful flowers. I remember having a smile plastered on my face for much of the journey.
The heat and humidity were definitely an issue though. It was in the 90s and had rained the night before. It was quite stifling and I remember feeling extremely overheated. I remember climbing the fire tower just to feel the breeze.
My original camping destination was Daisy Farm. However, I saw another location called East Chickenbone lake just a bit further inland. This would definitely be more isolated than Daisy Farm, which was along the coast of Lake Superior and easier to access.
So, I decide to head to Chickenbone Lake and was mostly correct in my judgement. Besides a small group camping about 1/4-mile away, I found the solitude I was looking for. I see another moose, this time closer. I was taken aback by its size.
My worry at that point was water. I had not packed enough for the heat. Furthermore, I did not carry a filter with me, which was really dumb. I figured I had never ever used it in the field before. I don’t know why, but I thought a spigot would be available.
In the day’s 13 mile hike, I went through my entire camelback of water. I had enough gas to boil a few bottles’ worth. I needed to keep some gas to cook my freeze-dried meals as well. I boil and leave a bottle to cool overnight as I hydrate myself throughout the night with the one remaining bottle of clean water I had.
Besides that, the night was magical. I had a delicious freeze-dried meal (Mountain House chicken teriyaki). I know some folks don’t like freeze-dried meals, but I honestly feel those people dislike the idea of freeze-dried meals more than the food itself. I can objectively say some of those meals are really flavorful and delicious. Furthermore, I camped without a rain fly and had the joy of seeing the full moon as I slept. I would wake throughout the night to find the moon slightly lower in the sky each time.
I wake by 6am but laze around in my tent for another hour or so before actually getting up. I am 14 miles away from Rock Harbor. I had to be there by 2:30pm to make the ferry back to the mainland. I finally get out of my sleeping bag around 7am and knew I needed to leave by 9am and preferably by 8:30. Despite knowing this, I was quite lackadaisical getting everything ready. Out of water, I had to boil a couple bottles before setting off. The trip to the lake, making and eating breakfast, using the toilet and boiling the water took way more time than I thought it would.
I leave precisely at 9am. 5 and a half hours to get to the ferry 14 miles away. From the start it was hot. That’s what I remember the most about this hike. Before leaving, I decide to take the Rock Harbor Trail along the coast instead of returning using the sun-drenched Greenstone Ridge Trail. The Rock Harbor Trail would be a longer journey overall, though.
Managing my body heat was a real issue. I had to stay fast, conserve water, and make sure I didn’t get heat stroke. I felt the pressure right from the beginning. Even during the first few miles, I need to rehydrate and eat often. After about 2 and a half hours, I travel 6 miles and get to Daisy Farm, where I finally reach the Rock Harbor Trail and Lake Superior.
By then, I had almost run out of all my clean water. There was some solace as the Rock Harbor Trail was mostly in the shade and Lake Superior was always a few feet on my right. I would frequently stop to let my hat and handkerchief soak up the cool water and rest on my head and neck, respectively.
As the day progressed and it passed noon, it was well in the 90s and more stretches on the Rock Harbor Trail were completely exposed to the sun. I had to maintain a pace of no slower than 23 minutes a mile to make the ferry on time. I had run out of water and I felt crazy, deliriously hot.
I decided fuck it I’m just drinking the lake water. I had to. I vaguely remembered Bear Grylls saying soaking a handkerchief and squeezing the water from it was safer to drink. My thinking was a bit muddled at that point so I didn’t think it through beyond that. I figured Bear Grylls would never give unsound advice and I just gulped down that lake water and luckily didn’t get sick.
As time went on, I got so hot I decided to take off my boots and wade into the water, scooping water onto my head. I was soaked at this point, but I didn’t care. I figured it was so hot I would dry off eventually.
Still by the time I got to the ferry ( on time thankfully ) I was a bit damp. As I approached Rock Harbor, I dreamt of what drinks I would buy at the small shop there by the dock. The shopkeeper gave me a funny look as I drank an entire can of soda as he rung up the sale.
The funny thing about the ferry ride home was that a huge door to the outside got stuck open and the wind went straight into the cabin. It was like that for more than half of the ferry ride before someone informed a crew member about it. Bystander effect, I guess.
In my damp tank top and my other clothes stowed in the luggage compartment, I was shivering with cold. How could I go from unbearably hot to unbearably cold in mere minutes? It was quite the juxtaposition.
Sure enough, I get back on the mainland after another 4 hours staring at strangers on the ferry’s ridiculously awkward seating system. I’m glad i get to feel warm again as it is hot in the UP that day. I discover my car has an alignment issue due to the 90mph trip a few days earlier to get to the boat on time. I was in a good mood, though. That was a real-world problem that could wait.
I eventually make it to my final hotel of the trip before making it home to Maryland.