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  1. #1

    Default NCT/Lake Superior Adventure Report

    I recently finished a 600+mile, 6 part backpacking adventure. Much of it was on the NCT. Spectacular country! My adventure included an Isle Royale Loop, the Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route Trail, Kekekabic Trail, a loop in the Porcupine Mountains, and the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore Trail.

    Eric

    http://ericshikes.blogspot.com/p/lake.html

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by edmoll13 View Post
    I recently finished a 600+mile, 6 part backpacking adventure. Much of it was on the NCT. Spectacular country! My adventure included an Isle Royale Loop, the Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route Trail, Kekekabic Trail, a loop in the Porcupine Mountains, and the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore Trail.

    Eric

    http://ericshikes.blogspot.com/p/lake.html
    OMG, you did it all. PRNL, the Porkies, IRNP, and SHT are all near the top of my list, but with limited time, it will take years to get to them all. Which should I do first? The problem is my window of hiking opportunity next year is in June and I'm worried about bugs. Also thought about the shoreline trails at Lake Superior PP and Pukaskwa NP at the other end of lake.

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    Congrats on a wonderful hike!

  4. #4

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    Thanks! It was quite the hike. Odd Man Out, it's really tough to go wrong with any of them. I haven't done much hiking in June, but with a good bug system you should be able to survive! I've heard the Porkies can get some serious bug issues.

    It kind of depends on what you're looking for:

    Coastal: Pictured rocks, lake superior prov park, Pukaskwa (haven't done this, but looks fun!)

    Mountain views: SHT, Isle Royale, Porkies, BRT (great cliffs)

    Lakes: BRT, Kek, Porkies

    Waterfalls: SHT, Pictured Rocks, Porkies, BRT, Kek

    Solitude (away from roads/civilization): Kek, BRT, Isle Royale

    Challenging navigation: Kek, BRT

    100+ miles hike: SHT, Isle Royale, Kek+BRT

    logistics: Porkies loop (easiest: park and get permit at trailhead), SHT (no permit) and Pictured Rocks (requires a permit) have shuttle services, shuttles can also be arranged for kek/brt (permit for BWCA needed) but more pricey, isle royale has boat/plane (expensive) and need to schedule return as well

    Hope you have a fun time! Let me know if you have any specific questions about certain trails or logistics.



    I've looked into Pukaskwa as well and it looks like a great trail.

    lake sup. prov park coastal trail is excellent as well!

  5. #5
    Registered User 4Bears's Avatar
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    Very nice hike you had some nice views at Picture Rocks, when I hiked it we had fog for 2.5 days. Still had fun though. I love the Isle and planning to go back. Thanks for sharing!!
    "You have brains in your head/You have feet in your shoes/You can steer yourself in any direction you choose." - Dr. Seuss

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    I loved your trip report. You did a spectacular job with the photos... really gave the sense of being there. Thanks so much!

    Jane

  7. #7

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    Nice trip report. I used to live in Wisconsin and made it up to Northern Minnesota, Isle Royale, and the porkies while I was there several times. Lovely country. You just did my dream trip. Doing the superior trail and the getting back to the porkes is on my bucket list.

  8. #8
    Registered User Walkintom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Odd Man Out View Post
    OMG, you did it all. PRNL, the Porkies, IRNP, and SHT are all near the top of my list, but with limited time, it will take years to get to them all. Which should I do first? The problem is my window of hiking opportunity next year is in June and I'm worried about bugs. Also thought about the shoreline trails at Lake Superior PP and Pukaskwa NP at the other end of lake.
    And well you should be. Black flies and mosquitoes were murderous in 2014. Long cold winter meant that the ground thawed unusually late and there was water standing in lots of extra places. May and September are the best months usually. I went to Isle Royale in September and was there for 12 days - saw 1 mosquito, which I promptly killed.

    If trying to do any of the above in June, I would probably hit the northern portion of the SHT. And still take some 100% Deet.

  9. #9
    Registered User Lyle's Avatar
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    I've done all of those as well, GREAT hiking! Most are much more remote than 90% of the AT, and great scenery. I still have substantial portions of the SHT to do, but it will be done sometime in the next two or three years.

    Border Route and the KEK were Kick-a$$. Pictured rocks is my favorite section to take new hikers - unique/beautiful scenery, easy hiking and multiple bale points if needed, plus public transportation for shuttles - can't beat that! Isle Royale is also unique experience - been back 5 times and haven't seen it all yet. The Porkies are pretty sorry as mountains go, but great as a good hike.

    I'm really not sure why the NCT hasn't caught on yet. Add to the above the great sections through northern Wisconsin, the Adirondacks, western Pennsylvania (much different experience then the AT in PA), and the very unique trail in ND, south eastern Ohio even has some primo hiking sections. Much more variety than many other long distance trails. I guess because it isn't completely canned, packaged, and delivered in a spoon fed manor. A hiker has to research, plan, and do some of their own route-finding. Not a trail to be undertaken lightly, but plenty of great rewards for those who do.

    Congratulations on your hike, I've done my hiking of it piecemeal, over many years.

  10. #10
    Registered User Walkintom's Avatar
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    Reading through the SHT hike now - good pics.

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    About 30 years ago I took a day hike to Spray Falls at Pictured Rocks. I took the exact same pics as these ones I uploaded form Eric's blog. We had a picnic lunch on the very spot where this picture was taken - a level sandy ledge near the edge of the cliff where you can look east to see the falls drop into Lake Superior. There is a small tree at the edge of the cliff you can walk up to to steady yourself while you get a good look at the falls.

    SFN.jpg

    But later when you look at your pics you took of the falls from the other side looking west, you notice that the ledge you were sitting on isn't so solid. You are in fact about 100' above the lake, and just how precarious that perch is becomes more evident when you look at the location of that little tree you were standing by (at the edge of the point to the right of the falls. What's remarkable is that little tree looks no different today than it did 30 years ago. That's some tough tree.

    SFS.jpg

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