Isle Royale diary

It has been said that wilderness without wildlife is mere scenery. Then, it is the moose and wolf that make Isle Royale more that just another pretty place.

Jeff Rennicke
IRNP Day 1, Windigo to Hugginin Cove, 5.1 miles
A fog delay offers me another side or the island with thimbleberries, a sunset and an averted injury.
IRNP Day 2, Hugginin Cove to Feldtmann Lake (Rainbow Cove 14.4 miles
The trail heads up to a ridge before descending through thick brush where I meet a moose and a fox.
One of millions of dew covered spider webs on Feldtmann Ridge.
IRNP, Day 3, Feldtmann Lake to Siskiwit Bay, 10.2 miles
The walk to a view is fogged in, but Blissful is rewarded with thousands of dew-covered spider webs.
The less traveled Island Mine Trail gave me flashbacks to the Te Araroa.
IRNP, Day 4 Siskiwit Bay to South Lake Desor, 9.8 miles
Carnelian beach is slow through overgrowth and wetland, then it's over Mount Desor to a lake.
IRNP Day 5, South Lake Desor to Todd Harbor, 11.6 miles
The Minong Ridge meanders through dams, birches then to a stunning campsite facing Canada.
Sometimes you just have to jump right in.
IRNP Day 6, Todd Harbor to McCargoe Cove, 6.2 miles
It's a short walk to the cove through lightening, thunder and a downpour.
Mr. Otter cleaned himself of leeches, perhaps, on the dock and was soon joined by his pal who also had grooming chores.
IRNP, Day 7 McCargoe Cove to Moskey Basin, 9.8 miles
Passing Chickenbone and Ritchie Lakes to Moskey, I'm attacked by leeches, then see otters at sunset.
IRNP, Day 8 Moskey Basin to Lane Cove, 10.8 miles
The trail heads up to Mount Ojibwe then down into forest to a remote cove.
IRNP, Day 9 Lane Cove to Rock Harbor, 7.7 miles
It's a rewind of the trail out of Lane Cove to Rock Harbor where the wind delays the plane.