Isle Royale 2019

This was a great year to be on Isle Royale.  Well come to think of it, every trip is a great trip to Isle Royale.  This year was my 14th consecutive year.  

Saw this poster at the Visitor Center by the Ranger when checking in.

Kay, Jan, Ron and I.  Small group this year.

All aboard!

Road traffic stops when they have to lift the bridge ahead for us to go under.  Just leaving Houghton.

Just passed under the bridge.

Passing by Roy's.  We had pasties here last night. They have become a tradition when we leave from this location.

The waves were a little high going over to the island this year.  10-13 foot.  Some were even as high as 16ft.

We are finally in the protected water near Isle Royale.  This is the Rock Harbor Lighthouse.

Took a short stop at Mott Island.  We picked up and dropped off supplies and staff. This is where most of the Rangers live.

We are almost there.  They are waiting for us. It has been a long and bumpy ride over.

It didn't take long for us to see our first moose.  This moose hangs out at Rock Harbor.  We actually seen him on quite a few occasions.  They call him Bruce the moose.

Sandhill Cranes.  This is a first.  After we got our tents put up and Jan and Kay got settled in to their room at the Lodge, we all took a walk to Scoville Point.

I just love the views on the way to Scoville Point

I saw quite a few of these cameras on the trail. 

Coming back from Scoville Point.  View of Tobin Harbor

Seaplane dock in Tobin Harbor.  Waiting for the first sunset of the trip.

I couldn't choose what photo I liked the best.

Bruce

On our way to Mount Franklin

One of the many boardwalks on our trip this year.

Really had to pay attention on some of the boardwalks or you could miss them with all the overgrowth.

Indian Pipe is always a treat

View from Mount Franklin

It was a little chilly, but we did have lunch on Mount Franklin

One of the many wildflowers on Isle Royale

Kay and Jan

Snowshoe hare

Our first campsite.  We were expecting rain.  We stayed in shelter 10 or 11.

This was what the view front of our shelter looked like.

It started to sprinkle and get cloudy during our breakfast and coffee time.  I was not sure if we were going to have a sunrise.

almost

This is the first sunrise of the trip, then it started to sprinkle.

This was a first! A rainbow!

Ron's coffee on the left and my coffee on the right.  Coffee and a poptart, my favorite breakfast.

It rained pretty much the whole day.  Once we arrived at Daisy Farm, we set up in a shelter.  As you can see from the sky, we were not done with the bad weather.

Met this couple a few years ago on Isle Royale.

Sunrise at Daisy Farm

Coffee and a sunrise, then it's time to get hiking.

Another angle view of the sunrise at Daisy Farm

Summer moose poop. Summer scat is clumpy (they eat mostly water plants)Winter scat looks like giant deer scat. (they eat dry foliage).

On our way to Chippewa Harbor

Tall and long, steady as you go...

Tom's rock.  Explain later....

View from some sitting rocks at Chippewa Harbor

This is Tom. We met him a few years back.  He comes to Chippewa Harbor every summer, generally at the same time of year.  The last time we saw Tom, he took us on a small hike to see a sunken boat.  When leaving Chippewa Harbor trail, turn left at Tom's Rock.

Standing in the middle of our campsite looking up at the clouds.

Some graffiti in the shelter.

We met these people coming through Chippewa Harbor.  We told them about this school house and told them it was a must see.

View of the Harbor

Another Snowshoe hare

Sunrise at Chippewa Harbor

Chippewa Harbor is one of our favorite places.  Sailboat in the harbor heading out to Lake Superior.

Blueberries were plentiful this year.

I just liked this tree photo.

Another long plank

While on this long plank, I took advantage of all the swamp flowers.

Little bit of beaver damage.

This is all of the liter I found.  Yes I picked it up!

Lake Ritchie Campground, I think we stayed in 3.

View from our water entry

My tent set up

Lake Ritchie has a pair of swans

Sunrise at Lake Ritchie

I was minding my own business eating my oatmeal, drinking my coffee and watching the sunrise.  Then along came this asmatic fox.  I could hear him coming from a distance as he was coughing.  I think he was the one that took my lid off my pan and also chewed part a water bottle cap of Ron's.

I love these clouds

Yes this is the trail.  Up and over.

Looking back at Lake Ritchie

Another view of the swans

More beaver damage. With the addition of more wolves on the island, they may control the beaver population a little bit.

I love trees!

Boardwalks after boardwalks.....

Looking up the many streams

Ron and I stopped for a break on some rocks.  A Cow moose and her young one came out of the trees.  What a treat!

I am not really fond of frogs

I was tired and ready for a break.  I really didn't feel like going up anymore, but I always like to check out the "Viewpoints" So a break with a view it is!

Suzy's Cave on the way to Rock Harbor

We really just wanted to get to a shelter, since it just started to mist as rain was on the way. Then Bruce the moose decided to show himself one more time.