Mouth of Tahquamenon River to Grand Marais, MI
October 9-13, 2008

Trip Desciption

A five-day backpacking trip during what is typically the "peak" fall-color weekend in the eastern portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Our hike will start out at the mouth of the Tahquamenon River, where it empties into Whitefish Bay. The hike will proceed west along the Tahquamenon River, through Tahquamenon Falls State Park - yes, we will be hiking by both the upper and lower falls - and then north to Lake Superior, through the Lake Superior State Forest. Our journey will continue, paralleling the shore of Lake Superior until our end point in the town of Grand Marais.

Local NCTA Chapters

Hiawatha Shore to Shore and Grand Marais.

Distance of Hike

Approximately 75 miles over five days. We will maintain an average of 15 miles per day.

Experience Required

Attendees should have a good degree of first-hand backpacking experience, including extended periods outdoors in cold, wet conditions. Those attending this trip should be prepared for, and even revel at, the possibility of having rain and muddy trail present during the entire course of the trip. Of course, we all hope that conditions will be dry and comfortably cool, with brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows popping out from pine-filled forests, but reality will most likely not reflect our desires. If you do not enjoy or are not prepared for an extended hike in hypothermic conditions, then this trip is not for you.

Level of Difficulty

Due to the short days, potentially wet, muddy conditions, and high-mileage days, this trip can be extremely challenging. While we will surely have a few extended breaks during our daily routine, our itinerary demands a disciplined approach in order to start early and get to our nightly destination before dark while maintaining a comfortable pace. This trip should not be viewed as a casual hike.

Facilities

None! While we may find ourselves over-nighting in a rustic campground with pit toilets and potable water at the beginning of this trip, the plan is to focus on a backcountry wilderness experience. Attendees should be prepared to treat all sources of water by using filter-based or chemical solutions.

Weather

Average temperatures call for nightly lows near or even below freezing, with highs in the upper 40's to low 50's at best. Snow is not unheard of at this time of year. Note that these are average temperatures - participants should be prepared for extremes of +/- 10 degrees from these averages. With the possibility of a cold, wet, all-day long slog culminating with more of the same in camp, a dry set of clothing for overnight use is not a bad idea.

Bears

Bears, though rarely seen, are present in the backcountry that we will be traveling through. To date, there have been no aggressive human-bear encounters in this area. Furthermore, the local bears are not habituated to human food so there is no need to pack a bear canister on this trip. Our group will be hanging food/scented toiletries, and it is therefore a good idea to bring a small garbage bag to use as a waterproof liner either on the inside or outside of your food bag.

Maps

A description of our planned route can be found here. The official NCTA map covering this section of trail is MI09 - Curley Lewis Road to Grand Marais 100K.

Cost

The cost breakdown for this trip is as follows:

• Camping fee - $4 per person
• No additional fees will be collected by the North Country Trail Association or the organizers of this trip

Meeting Place

Thursday, October 9 - 7:00 am - Seney Township Park

To get to the campground, take US-2 west from the Mackinac Bridge to M-77. Follow M-77 north until it intersects with M-28, then turn right (east) on M-28. Almost directly across the street there will be a road (School Rd (Fox River Rd)) heading diagonally to the northwest. Take School Rd (Fox River Rd) for about 1/2 mile. The campground is on the right side of the road - by car, about 90-minutes from the Mackinac Bridge. Some of us will be over-nighting at this campground Wednesday night.

Local Land Management Agencies

• Tahquamenon Falls State Park Park Headquarters - (906) 492-3415
  
• Lake Superior State Forest
  
• Muskallonge Lake State Park Park Headquarters - (906) 658-3338

Additional Web Resources

• Wes Boyd's description of our planned route (note, this guide's end-point is south of where we're planning on starting, which explains why Wes' description is a bit longer than the 75 miles listed above).

RSVP

If you are planning on attending this hike or have additional questions, please contact:

Andy Mytys
e-mail: amytys@gmail.com
phone:(248) 935-6486

As the date draw nearer, participants will be contacted via e-mail for arrangements including options for carpooling and sharing equipment (stoves, water filters, tents, etc.) to help save on pack weight.