Porcupine Mountains | Day Six

Lake Superior Trail: 

Lake Superior Cabin to Presque Isle River



“Mud hole? Slimy? My home this is!” - Yoda



Presque Isle River gorge

It had rained all night. I woke up around 6 am, burrowed further into my sleeping bag, listened to the rain which continued to fall, and cursed the fact that I had to go to the bathroom. I ignored this problem for as long as I could, and when it stopped raining at 7:00, I climbed down from the top bunk, got dressed, and went in search of a Sherpa to assist in the ascent of the hill to the outhouse (see day 1 at Big Carp 4-bunk cabin).



Lake Superior Trail

We left Lake Superior Cabin at 9 am wearing our rain gear. Although it had stopped raining, all of the vegetation was wet and the sky was still overcast, so we decided to play it safe. The first mile and a half was a repeat of our hike the morning of our second day, so again we passed a series of outstanding tent sites on the lake as we headed in the direction of Little Carp River. Instead of turning left here like we did earlier in the trip, we crossed the river in order to continue following Lake Superior Trail to its end at Presque Isle River. The stretch of LST west of Little Carp River merges with the North Country Trail, a 4600-mile multi-state trail that travels through the Porcupine Mountains on its way through Michigan's Upper Peninsula. 



Footbridge on Lake Superior Trail

The trail conditions were extremely muddy and slippery, and we were in for a rough day of hiking. This final stretch of LST features a lot of descending and climbing due to the many stream valleys and ravines along the way. The slippery conditions made some of these areas treacherous, and I took each step with extreme caution as I did not want to risk falling and getting injured. In a few spots, my boots could not grip the unstable, muddy ground, and I had to give up on my trek poles and pull myself up the steep slopes by grabbing onto exposed tree roots. On his way down into one of these steep stream valleys, Craig slipped in the mud and fell, sliding down several feet before the ground leveled out. Luckily he was not hurt, but he was covered in mud on one side from shoulder to foot, another reason rain gear was a good idea. I had fallen a couple of days before, not due to mud, but when I lost my balance climbing down a ravine. I over-corrected, and the weight of my backpack pulled me backwards, causing me to roll around like an upside-down turtle. 



Having to be so careful made for slow progress. Despite our lack of speed, we both became tired quickly from the frequent ups and downs. It eventually warmed up enough that we took our rain jackets off, but continued to wear rain pants because our boots were constantly stepping in puddles, getting sucked into deep mud, and sloshing it up onto our pant legs. Naturally, it began raining again shortly after we removed our jackets, and a light rain continued for the last 2-3 miles of the trail. I thought of Yoda on his home planet and was determined not to whine like Luke Skywalker (Craig wasn’t so successful).



Presque Isle River, just upstream from the peninsula

Just before the end of Lake Superior Trail, the path emerges from the trees and into the Presque Isle River gorge. The trail actually crosses a peninsula that divides the mouth of the river ("Presque Isle" means almost an island). For someone interested in geology, the exposed layers of shale found here make this an ideal spot for a long break. This was one of the places I was most looking forward to on this trip, but unfortunately for this rock nerd, the threat of more rain and the irritability of my tired hiking partner prevented any long-term exploration of the area. After lingering for a few minutes, we moved on, walking across the layered rock on our way to the main crossing of the Presque Isle River, just upstream from its mouth.



Presque Isle River - crossing the peninsula

The Presque Isle is considered a formidable whitewater river whose rapids are an attraction for canoeists and kayakers. A suspension bridge provides a way to cross the river safely. From overhead, one can watch the fast water rushing over the layered, eroded rock and swirling in circular pools that have been carved by the water’s destructive force over many millennia. I remembered standing in this same spot six years ago. The water level had been a bit lower during that visit, exposing more of the rock’s interesting eroded patterns. Short trails along the river allow park visitors to see a series of three interesting waterfalls a bit further upstream (Manabezho, Manido, and Nawadaha Falls). Just downstream, the Presque Isle flows into Lake Superior.


Presque Isle River viewed from the bridge

After crossing the bridge, we found ourselves back in civilization, with people heading toward the riverside trails from the parking lot where we had left our car six days before. Three deer were hanging out near our parking spot; this was the most exciting wildlife we had encountered all week despite the high concentration of black bears in the park. It was 2:00 when we limped across the concrete to our vehicle, peeled off our muddy layers and went in search of the biggest cheeseburgers we could find. We ended up at Ma's Place Cafe, a small restaurant on US 2 in Wakefield that probably sees its fair share of grimy hikers. I enjoyed the rarest, juiciest, most amazing burger I had eaten in a long time before we began the long drive home.

Miles: 7.5


Videos: Presque Isle River

Porcupine Mountains | Day Three

Little Carp River Trail: Greenstone Falls to Mirror Lake

It had stopped raining the night before, and it was in the low 60's as we left the Greenstone Falls area at 9:45 on our third morning. We continued to follow Little Carp River Trail as it swung northeast toward Mirror Lake.

Yesterday's rain had made trail conditions muddy and a little slippery, but the terrain of this segment of LCRT was mostly easy, with a steady ascent at the beginning and a few minor ups and downs throughout. Once again, we passed more spectacular backcountry camp sites. The most impressive were two adjacent sites located at a spot where the trail crosses a shallow section of Little Carp River as it trickles over a wash of rocks. We stopped for a break and thought about how nice it would be to end the day there, pitch a tent, cook over a fire, and fall asleep listening to the river running quietly alongside us.

Backcountry campsite on Little Carp River

Little Carp River Trail ends at Mirror Lake. We arrived at 1:45 and found the small 2-bunk cabin at the end of a short spur west of the lake. Perfect for two people with the desire to spend time in seclusion, Mirror Lake's tiny 2-bunk cabin sits right in the center of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness. While exploring our surroundings, we were struck with the awesome feeling of being alone in a huge forest. Thick with enormous pines, the low mountains stretched for miles behind the cabin, and the complete silence impressed upon us the enormity of our satisfying loneliness. Only when a dog barked in the distance did we remember that there were two other cabins near the lake, and other hikers were doubtlessly out there among the trees, discovering that same feeling of solitude.

Mirror Lake 2-bunk Cabin

After removing our packs and changing into warmer clothing, we left the cabin to explore the lake. Mirror Lake earns its name from the perfect reflection it gives on a calm day of the forest surrounding it and the sky above. Unfortunately, the wind had picked up throughout the day, rippling the lake's surface and eliminating our chance of observing the water's mirror-like quality. A canoe is available to those using the Mirror Lake cabin, and we paddled out in order to collect water and try to catch a fish.

Although the air was cold, the sun shone brightly and was obscured only by the occasional fluffy white cloud. We were dressed warmly and enjoyed paddling around aimlessly, casting a line here and there, and letting the rocking motion of the canoe lull us into relaxation. We had no sense of time and no obligation to be anywhere else. Our only concern was starting a fire as soon as we returned to the cabin because it was going to be a cold night in the deep forest.
After fruitlessly floating for an unknown amount of time, we found ourselves at the far end of the lake. As soon as we began paddling back toward our cabin, the wind started blowing with purpose. Paddling with all our strength and making little progress, our relaxing afternoon on the lake became an impromptu and torturous upper body workout. If we stopped paddling for one second, we were immediately blown further from our destination. Exhausted from nature's treachery, we eventually arrived back on our side of the lake and returned to the cabin to collect wood and think about dinner.

Summer sausage cooked over a fire. Best food ever.

Since we didn't have to worry about hanging our food on this trip, I brought along an item that I have always wanted to eat on a hiking trip, but have never packed due to its tantalizing, guaranteed bear-attracting aroma. A stick of summer sausage, courtesy of my grandmother and purchased from a butcher in my family's hometown in Wisconsin, was ceremoniously unwrapped from its protective tinfoil and cut into chunks. It was intended as a snack, but we ended up grilling half of it over the fire and calling it dinner. Dripping fat and grease sizzled in the wood burning stove as we roasted the hunks of meat on sticks over the flames and watched the edges become charred and crusty. Later, we made Packit Gourmet's banana pudding for dessert – a new essential item for future trips.

Super-awesome instant banana pudding

As usual, we went to bed early, but I laid awake reading by headlamp for quite a while until I drifted off.

(Note: This cabin is spacious despite its size, but the sucker who volunteers to sleep on the top bunk is not able to sit upright due to its close proximity to the slanted roof.)

Miles: 6.3
To be continued in: Day 4 - Mirror Lake to Buckshot Cabin

Porcupine Mountains | Day Two

Little Carp River Trail:
From Lake Superior to Greenstone Falls
I awoke in the cold semi-darkness to the sounds of light rain and rough Lake Superior surf. After firing up the Jetboil and making a cup of coffee, I retrieved the first aid kit in order to deal with my blister. One safety pin, alcohol swab, moleskin donut, and band aid later, I was ready to brave Kilimanjaro once more to go to the bathroom. (Might not look like much in a photo, but it was nearly vertical and slippery with mud in the morning.)

I made it all the way to the summit, only to find the outhouse was occupied by someone from a nearby cabin. The worst part: it was occupied by a male. Who knew how long he was going to take? Should I stay and wait? What kind of situation would I find in there when it was my turn? I felt too awkward lurking outside the door, so I decided to descend the mountain and wait the situation out. Upon my second death-defying ascent, I found that the previous occupant had not only left the lid open (an obvious violation of common sense when using a pit toilet in the woods), but he had also left the door to the outhouse wide open―a serious breach in outhouse protocol. Most people prefer not finding a family of raccoons or a bear inside an outhouse when armed with only a crumpled, slightly damp roll of toilet paper. I count myself among them.

After blister first aid came equally important peanut butter squeeze tube repair

We hit the trail at 11:30 a.m. in full rain gear. The weather was chilly, and waves crashed along the shore as we followed the lake for a little over a mile. This short stretch of trail includes a few spectacular campsites quite close to shore. Over the years, hikers have altered two of these sites to make them more inviting. Slabs of rock have been collected and arranged to form chairs with supportive backs around the sites' fire rings. One of these sites is referred to as “The Hilton” in the hiking community. Though this practice conflicts with Leave No Trace principles, the stones were likely collected from the rocky shore directly in front of the campsites, and nothing appears to have been damaged to create these primitive camp chairs.

Non-LNT, but very kick-ass

The rain persisted as we reached the junction at Little Carp River Trail. We headed southeast, away from the lake and back into the forest. Though the day remained cold and rainy, LCRT provided a very interesting hike. Similarly to the day before, we followed Little Carp River and enjoyed scenic views of the river valley. The trail difficulty was moderate, with slippery, somewhat muddy conditions due to the rain. We encountered a fair amount of ups and downs, lots of rocks and roots, and two unaided river crossings. We saw many more huge hemlocks and passed three or four small waterfalls.

Crossing Little Carp River

One of the most impressive elements of this section of LCRT is the backcountry campsites. Situated for maximum privacy, the sites are spacious, with an abundance of flat tent space. We stopped for lunch at a nice site overlooking the river and enjoyed peanut butter and jelly in the cold drizzle.

Lunch break in the rain at a nice backcountry campsite on the river

By the time we reached our destination, we were worn out and hoping that whoever had used our cabin before us had stocked it with firewood. Although we were perfectly warm from exercise, it was a chilly day and we knew the cabin would be cold. We were anxious to unload our packs, remove our rain gear, get a fire going, and eat something warm.

Trappers Falls

Section 17 Cabin was originally a ranger patrol cabin and is located across the river from the trail in a secluded spot. A wooden footbridge guided us across Little Carp River just downstream from Greenstone Falls. The cabin is not much to look at from the outside, but it is close to the river and within earshot of the small waterfall. A sign on the door informed us that we would have to go back across the river to use the newly constructed outhouse near Greenstone Falls Cabin.

On Little Carp River Trail. Cross the bridge to find Section 17 Cabin.

We entered the small cabin and were very happy to find a big pile of dry firewood in the corner. We removed our muddy boots and hung our wet rain jackets, rain pants, and pack covers on some pegs on the wall. Within minutes, we had a fire going and the cabin warmed up instantly.

Inside Section 17 Cabin

For dinner we prepared Packit Gourmet's “Austintacious Tortilla Soup” (they are based in Austin, TX), which lived up to its reputation as a tasty, satisfying camp meal. We also had their cheddar jack cheese spread with crackers, which was very garlicy and could have been a meal by itself.

Tortilla soup ingredients. Lime and Cholula are essential components.

We replenished the cabin's wood supply as well as we could, although the new wood we brought in was wet. Exhausted, sore, and feeling the effects of a relatively big meal, we retired early. Despite the cold, we left a window open so that we could hear the river as we went to sleep.

Miles: 7.3

To be continued in:
Day 3: Little Carp River Trail - Greenstone Falls to Mirror Lake

Porcupine Mountains | Day One

Big Carp River Trail

View from Big Carp River Trail

Monday morning we shuttled our car to Presque Isle campground – the finish line of the trip at the park's western end – then stopped at the park HQ to pick up keys for each of the cabins we would be using over the next six days. The park ranger on duty was surprised to find so many keys reserved for us. It is apparently not very common to hike cabin-to-cabin over so many days. He then gave me a heap of park information to take along, including a flyer about black bears. A bear had been sighted frequently along one of the trails we would be hiking, and he advised extra caution.

Enjoying the view from the escarpment

The hike would begin at Lake of the Clouds overlook, the most popular destination in the park. Our shuttle driver pulled away after leaving us alone in the parking lot, and we experienced that exciting moment of realization of what we were about to do. We now had no means of communication (our phones lost their signals as soon as we left the resort that morning), and six days of hiking stood between us and our car. We started up the path to the overlook to find the trailhead and leave the tourist scene behind. It was 11:30 a.m., sunny, breezy, and felt like low to mid 60's: perfect hiking weather.

Another view from the escarpment. Lake of the Clouds is in the distance.

After snapping a few photos at the overlook (including a shot of an interpretive sign that some insane creationist had defaced by scratching off each reference to the length of time it took for the landscape to form), we struck out on Big Carp River Trail. At 9.6 miles, BCRT follows its namesake river from Lake of the Clouds to its mouth on Lake Superior.

Geology - it's amazing what can happen overnight!

High above the river valley, BCRT starts out along the escarpment that is a geologic highlight of the park. The escarpment was formed by ancient lava flows. A tilted layer of basalt sits on top of a layer of sandstone, and as the sandstone erodes away, chunks of rock fall down the cliff's face and pile up as talus. The trail begins by following the edge of this steep ridge and offers view after view of mountaintops, endless forest, and the river valley below. If we would have been able to push our trip back a month, the fall color in October would have been stunning.

Frogs are awesome. (This might be a toad. Either way - still awesome)

About two miles from the trailhead, the trail descends into the forest. Here the shaded understory cools the air, and sunlight filtering through the forest canopy creates a wonderful green glow above. Car-sized boulders sit along the trail, and enormous hemlocks and pines, many hundreds of years old, tower overhead.

Big Carp River Trail after descending from the escarpment

For the next four or five miles, BCRT has a few steep climbs and descents as it follows the river valley. We passed a handful of very nice, spacious backcountry campsites along the trail. For our lunch break, we rested on a fallen tree and made peanut butter and jelly tortillas. We started eating this meal on our first backpacking trip, and it has remained our favorite trail food. The materials are very easy to pack, there is no mess to clean up, and peanut butter and jelly always tastes great after a few hours of hiking.

Best trail lunch ever

Shortly after lunch, we finally reached the river and came to the first of the day's two river crossings. A footbridge guided us over the first one; the second one came a mile and a half later and was a bit more interesting. Here the river had to be forded, but it was only about ankle-deep. Not wanting to push our luck with the waterproofing of our boots, we slowly made our way across, stepping from one slippery rock to the next.

Fording Big Carp River

We passed a few more impressive backcountry sites, the best of which was at Shining Cloud Falls. At this point, the trail follows a steep ravine, where a series of 2 cascades can be heard rushing down the valley. The campsite in this spot is near the river and within earshot of the falls. This would be a terrific place to spend the night, and if we hadn't made plans to stay elsewhere, we would have happily pitched our tent. Unfortunately, we were so tired at this point that the steep and slippery descent to the water in order to get a better look was not appealing. Continuing on, a few more small unnamed waterfalls provided points of interest along the remainder of the trail.

Lake Superior at the mouth of Big Carp River

We reached the mouth of Big Carp River around 5:30 p.m. Our cabin, Big Carp River 4-bunk, was located upstream, away from the lake. Because it was tucked back in the woods, not much light penetrated the windows, and it was fairly dark inside. The river bubbled past the side of the cabin, and a short walk from the front door led to Lake Superior's rocky shore. In the cabin log book, the previous guest left a note to “enjoy climbing Kilimanjaro” to go to the bathroom. He or she was not exaggerating much; the outhouse was located at the top of an extremely steep and intimidating hill. I had managed to develop a blister on my left big toe, which added a thrilling element of pain to the nearly vertical climb.

Big Carp 4-bunk Cabin

The previous guests had left a little firewood inside the cabin. We collected a bit more, but nearly all of it was damp, and we had some difficulty getting a fire going in the wood burning stove. We settled for a very small fire and made use of a few candles that had been left behind. Dinner was made and eaten quickly, and we went to bed soon after. The thin mattresses on the bunk beds were rock hard, which made us feel a little less like sellouts for not tent camping on this trip. High winds, rain and thunder woke me up frequently throughout the night, and I wondered what tomorrow would bring.

Interior of Big Carp 4-bunk Cabin at night

Miles: 9.6
Wildlife sightings: 1 eagle, 1 frog (or toad)

To be continued in Day Two:
Little Carp River Trail - From Lake Superior to Greenstone Falls