View Full Version : Ottawa N.F., Michigan UP
So I am planning for next year's hike, or maybe even a hike in late September if things work out.
Looking at possibly hiking the NCT through the Ottawa and doing a loop through the Porcupine Mts Wilderness.
Anyone with any info, hints, tips, experiences, anything at all to share would be appreciated.
Thanks!
I hiked in the Porky's when I was a kid. I was violated by insects. Pretty place though.
Clyde
The Solemates
08-05-2008, 11:26
gonna be at Univ MI tomorrow thru the weekend. have a rental car. any place you would recommend hiking if I have a half day-to-full day free?
'The Solemates' All the hiking I've done up in the uP has been of the multi-day variety, but there are nice day-hikes in the Porcupine Mtns, the Overlook Loop, an out-n-back on the Escarpment Trail, etc are all good options.
'Ice Age'. I've not yet hikes any of the NCT outside of the Porkies, in Michigan, anyhow. But I was in the Porkies the weeke before 4th of July this year for 5 days. I left my car at the Presque Isle Campground and friends shuttled me to Lake of the Clouds. We took the Escarpment Trail to the Overloop loop, then the Governement Peak Trail to Government Peak where we stayed the first night. The Second day we continued down to Mirror Lake and picked up the Little Carp River Trail and camped about half-way down to Superior. The Third day we hit Superior and hung a right on the Superior Trail and hiked up near Lone Rock. On the Fourth day, my friends hiked back to Lake of the Clouds and I turned around and hiked back down the Superior Trail to within a few miles of my car. On the fifth day I hiked out. It was about 52 miles in 4 1/2 days of hiking and was just georgeous hiking. However, your plan for late September is wise as late June is NOT a good time to go if you are averse to mosquitos and biting flies. They were miserable, especially inland at low elevation. On the peaks/ridges and by Superior they were tolerable, though. My next trip there will be a Fall trip.
Since so much of the NCT is completed in the UP, I've been tossing around the idea of hiking the whole UP over a month or so. I think it's about 450 miles. I probably won't be able to pull it off until 2010 though as I have two big trips already planned for next year (Tahoe Rim Trail and the SHT)
Good Luck and keep us posted on you trip planning
sheepdog
08-09-2008, 13:39
gonna be at Univ MI tomorrow thru the weekend. have a rental car. any place you would recommend hiking if I have a half day-to-full day free?
U of M is in Ann Arbor / southern Michigan that equals farmland and cities. You would probably have to drive at least 3 hours north to hit any good trails.
U of M is in Ann Arbor / southern Michigan that equals farmland and cities. You would probably have to drive at least 3 hours north to hit any good trails.
When I read his post, I assumed he was referring to Michigan Tech in Houghton, but you are probably right that he is referring to UoM in Ann Arbor
Going to the UP, take some good bug-juice. I spent some time up on and around Grand Island by Munising (they have a beach named mosquito beach just east of Munising, very appropriately named ) and the mosquitoes and flies can drive you nuts.
Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore in Munising is beautiful, if you like to canoe or Kayak it’s a great area to do it. Lots of sea caves and Grand Island had 100 foot cliffs on the west & north sides with switchback stairs you climb and they allow you to camp on the beaches. It only ½ mile from the mainland so it’s not too far in a canoe.
There are also lots of waterfalls in the area, there is one 800 feet down this trail from the town municipal building right downtown, it must be at least 100 foot drop.
Here are a few pictures from there.
sheepdog
08-09-2008, 16:17
August, September and October are the months for the UP. May and June can be a killer for blackflies and mosquitoes. July can go either way. You can get snow in October.
I’m heading up to the upper part of the Lower Peninsula in a few weeks for a weekend of canoeing on the Sturgeon River. (Wolverine Mi. 40 miles south of the bridge) Hopefully the water will be warm enough to do some swimming in also.
Here are a few more pictures of Grand Island Munising area. If you look at the pictures of the shallow water looking down through the water you will see a swirling of red and tan colors. This were taken only 5’feet from the shore edge on the Island, it’s solid sandstone rock and not sand. You can walk out 75-yards into the water before it gets too deep to walk and it’s all this sandstone rock under your feet.
sheepdog
08-09-2008, 18:17
I’m heading up to the upper part of the Lower Peninsula in a few weeks for a weekend of canoeing on the Sturgeon River. (Wolverine Mi. 40 miles south of the bridge) Hopefully the water will be warm enough to do some swimming in also.
The water should be great for swimming. Have you ever canoed the Sturgeon before? It is twisty, turney and fast. It is a lot of fun. The water will also be high. We have had a lot of rain.
At least once a year I go down the Sturgeon River. It’s supposed to be the fastest river in the Lower Peninsula. I clocked it at 3.4 mph with my GPS a few years ago, that didn’t seem all that fast to me?
sheepdog
08-09-2008, 19:34
Usually it is the combination of narrow, fast and turns. you don't have a lot of time to react if a beaver has chewed a tree down and it is across the river. You've been there and done it so you know. I rolled a canoe over on it just south of Wolverine on November 30th due to a beaver chewed tree. It was chilly.
a tree down and it is across the river.
Called a sweeper in Mainespeak. Chilly, as in sucking air chilly, or just dang cold?
sheepdog
08-11-2008, 07:01
Called a sweeper in Mainespeak. Chilly, as in sucking air chilly, or just dang cold?
As in sucking air chilly. :eek: There was about 6 inches of snow on the ground and the air temp was 20 degrees.
Sweeper, yeah thats it. Good name.
Rowdy Yates
08-16-2008, 08:48
August, September and October are the months for the UP. May and June can be a killer for blackflies and mosquitoes. July can go either way. You can get snow in October.
:-? sheepdog, do you have any info on the NCT in lower Michigan, like is there maps available, or something indicating where the Trail actually is? I would like to hike some or all of it in the lower part of Michigan but can find no info.
This should get you started:
http://www.northcountrytrail.org/explore/guide/menu.htm
Rowdy Yates
08-17-2008, 12:52
This should get you started:
http://www.northcountrytrail.org/explore/guide/menu.htm
:p THANK YOU, THANK YOU, khanti. I will be using this sometime this fall. :banana
You are most welcome. That guide has helped me through most of Wisconsin and bits of the UP. Very valuable info.
Here are a few pictures from there.
That picture of Miners Castle (first pic) is at least a few years old. The "turret" on the right fell into the lake in April of '06. Sorry to see it fall, but is now a prime example of Mother Nature and the power of erosion.
Here's a comparison:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/7/6/8/2/miners-castle-before_after-.jpg