Planning: hammocking in Isle Royale

[hk2001]

First off, this is for May/June of 2014, so not to worried about the shutdown.

I've heard Isle Royale is hammock friendly, but can anyone verify using a hammock there? And tips, pointers and suggestions for where to hang, or things to do, places to see?

Do they do Kayak rentals in Windigo? I just now thought of it, but of course, NP website is shutdown..

I've literally got transport to and from michigan, and to and from the Isle figured out. I'm fine with having no plan at all once I get there, me and a backpack and a fishing pole for 10 days sounds just fine to me.

[Narksos]

I work (and live) right next to the Isle Royal HQ. I watch the Ranger leave or come back almost every day. Yesterday it was almost empty on the way out, I assume that they're picking up the staff on the island. One of these days I need to take time off and get out there.

Here is an archive of the NPS site as of September: http://web.archive.org/web/201308211...isro/index.htm

I haven't looked for rentals on island, but I can offer what I know

If you're leaving from Houghton via the Ranger, you can rent a Kayak from Year Round Gear and arrange transportation through NPS.

If you're leaving from Copper Harbor (on the Queen), then you can rent from the Keweenaw Adventure Company.

Edit: I'm on a boring conference call, so I did some looking around. The NPS site says that the Rock Harbor Lodge has kayak/canoe rentals available on island and to contact them for more information. http://www.isleroyaleresort.com/

[Debi Jaytee]

you could also rent a kayak in Grand Marais, MN, travel north up the shore and take the ferry from Grand Portage, MN

[Stone]

IR is hammock friendly. However, you have to be creative to find enough places to hang. We had a hard time getting 3 hammocks into a site. In fact at a few campsite, we had to spread out into other sites. Luckily for us this was early May last year (we took the first boat out of copper Harbor) and there were very few people on the Island. At Lake Richie, we had to hang in a triangle off of the same three trees. Personally I would say three hammock to a group is about the max. The Island's campsites is really set up for tenter's. Some of the sites are carved out of the woods, and there is a lot of underbrush in the tress to the edges.
As far as things to see, see all that you can. Be quiet, and you may stumble across a moose or two, and maybe hear a wolf howl. The park will require you to post an itinerary for your trip. If its early it not much of a problem, they wont hassle you too much. I recommend getting a back country permit (extra orientation session) just in case, that will leave a little flexibility in your planning and places to stay.
Here is a link to a video we did on the trip...


If you have any more questions or if I can be of any other help let me know.

[hk2001]

Thanks all!

I plan on leaving from Copper Harbor, as it's a pretty short drive from my in-laws house. As of this moment, it's looking like a solo trip for me. I've asked 2 people, and one can't make it in the time window I'm looking at, and honestly, I think the other is afraid of running into a moose. But I can only speculate if that's the truth.

I can come up with an Itinerary pretty quick.. I picked up the Nat Geo map of the island, nearly a year ago, and pull it out every few weeks and just plan.. IR has been #1 on my US bucket list for nearly 10 years.

Any Heads up on when to go for peak pike action? I know here in NY it's mid may, same time Pike opens in Michigan.

[Turtle Creek]

When you told me about your planned trip ... I kept thinking of this pack:

https://www.frostriver.com/shop/isle...ushcraft-pack/

I know you don't need another pack, but how fitting?

Seems like a great place to stumble over a shed Moose Antler

[hk2001]

When you told me about your planned trip ... I kept thinking of this pack:

https://www.frostriver.com/shop/isle...ushcraft-pack/

I know you don't need another pack, but how fitting?

Seems like a great place to stumble over a shed Moose Antler

You know, Christmas is between now and my hike....

[Stone]

I'm not sure if you have seen this site...
http://www.isleroyale.info/

[Boudah]

Here is my album from the trip with Stone. Wonderful place. as mentioned you'll need to get creative if you have a half a dozen hammocks.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=f2b504bf7d

[LakeSuperior777]

One thing on the campsites, some are covered with groves of dead, mostly dead, or dying birch. I pushed on one to test it out and had it come down around my head in three pieces. Really suprised more people dont have trees fall on them in the campgrounds.

One night we had freight train winds come through and got to watch trees come down around our campsite, kind of of unsettling