View Full Version : Western UP in May
I am in the preliminary stages of planning NCT hike for next spring and I am wondering what western UP section of the NCT is like in mid to late may. I am thinking of hiking from Covington west through the porkies and maybe some of the WI trail as well. I would be starting around may 15th. I would assume that most of the snow is gone by then, but is there still a lot of standing water on the trail? When do the black flies start to get bad?
Can anyone say Black Fly season? Starting bout mid to late May if memory serves. Would be prepared.
That is unfortunate I hiked the western WI section of the NCT last May at the same time and there were no flies or mosquitos but tons of ticks.
Well don't cancel you plans based on my comment. But I would definitely look into it closer.
Try contacting someone from the North Country Trail Hikers. They are a pretty active chapter and can give you a local perspective.
http://www.northcountrytrail.org/nct/index.htm
Other option would be to contact the Peter Wolfe Chapter.
http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/index.htm
Thanks for the advice Lyle I will check with the peter wolfe chapter and see what they have to say.
You'll find one variety of insect or another just about any warm month of the year in that part of the country. By Mid-May the leaves will out and everything will have a fresh, Spring feel. You do have the potential of lots of rain. I thoroughly enjoyed three days of backpacking in the rain in the Porkies last summer and would do it again.
conmcb25
04-09-2009, 10:35
I spent 5 years living in Houghton jut to the north and east of there. Mid MAy is about the time the bugs start coming out in that part of the UP. Its all weather dependant of course.
I always did some sort of camping trip the last week of April/ first week of May because of that. Not because I hate bugs or anything but one bug free outing a year was always nice :)