Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore | Day Three

Mosquito Beach to the Trailhead 
(via Mosquito Falls Trail)

Mosquito River - Mosquito Falls Trail (Photo by Andrea)

Wanting to get up early on our last day, we had set an alarm for 8am, but neither of us felt like getting up, so we continued snoozing until 9:00. It rained during the night, which had woken both of us up a few times, but we both had slept well. Andrea was very happy with the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Lite, and I felt the same regarding the Big Agnes Q-Core SL. Both kept us well-insulated, and neither of us had sore hips. The NeoAir X-Lite inflates to 2.5” thick, the Q-Core to 3.5”. Although the NeoAir is known to be a noisy mattress – it has a heat-reflective layer that causes the mattress to crinkle when it's moved – once a sleeping bag is on top of it, the noise is deadened and is not much of an issue. Regarding the Q-Core, on the first night it was warm enough that I tried sleeping with my sleeping bag open and draped over me like a quilt. I'm normally a cold sleeper, but I was comfortable all night and never felt the cold, hard ground. When I was researching new mattresses before making a purchase, I read some reviews that claimed this pad is difficult to blow up, especially when you're already winded and tired from hiking a long distance. It does take me about 2.5 minutes to inflate, but it is not difficult, and the comfort is definitely worth it. (I say this knowing that this trip consisted of short, easy hikes. I will see how I feel after my next trip.) Both of these pads (especially the NeoAir X-Lite) pack down to a very small size, saving a good amount of space. 

Cocoon Inflatable Pillow and Therm-A-Rest Pillow

Also helping me save space on this trip, I tried an inflatable pillow, which I had refused to consider in the past. It just seemed uncomfortable and that a person's head would roll around on it like a beach ball. I bought a Cocoon Hyperlight Air Core pillow, which is about the size of an apple when packed in its stuff sack and weighs practically nothing. This trip may have converted me, but I need more time with it. It was actually pretty comfortable - my head did roll a little on it, but as long as I under-inflated it a bit, my head was pretty well-cushioned and didn't move too much. When stuffed, it's about 1/4 of the size of my Therm-a-Rest pillow, so I will be taking it on my next trip for further testing (8 days at Isle Royale in September). 

Mosquito Beach

Mosquito Beach - Photos by Andrea

We packed everything up and headed to the beach to make breakfast. It was still cold, but the sun was shining and the fog was finally gone. We sat on a rocky ledge and made oatmeal while watching the lake. After breakfast, we explored the beach again, seeing things with a new perspective thanks to the sunlight. The formation near the beach's eastern end held our fascination for a while. It has a curved turret on top, and a small cave has been carved into the side facing the lake. It was difficult to leave Mosquito beach, but we headed back to the trail around 11:00 am to begin the hike back to the trailhead. 

Mosquito River

This leg of Chapel Loop – Mosquito Falls Trail – is serene and very pretty. We are familiar with this trail from past visits, but it is always enjoyable. Everything was a beautiful, rich green, and the woods smelled wonderful. We saw a doe on the trail, but that was the extent of wildlife spotting, aside from a few slugs on tree trunks (originally discovered when I randomly reached out to steady myself while stepping over a log and ended up with a handful of slime). There are four separate cascades along Mosquito River that make up Mosquito Falls. Light filtering through the tree canopy and down to the river and forest floor creates beautiful color and mood. We have also snowshoed this trail in winter, which is another beautiful time to see the river. The trail is not blazed, however, so it could be easy to get lost when covered with snow.

Ferns along Mosquito Falls Trail

Mosquito Falls

Once we reached the second cascade, we began to see people. It is a short hike from the trailhead parking lot to the falls, and now that it was Saturday, groups of day visitors were making their way down the trail. We reached the trailhead around 2pm. When we first arrived on Thursday, ours was one of only two cars. Now the parking lot was full. We headed back to Munising and ate pasties at Muldoon's before beginning the drive back down-state.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore | Day Two

Chapel Beach to Mosquito Beach 

Mosquito Beach

The first thing I saw when I woke up was a horrifying number of mosquitoes clinging to the outside of my tent door. I closed my eyes, hoping that I would go back to sleep and wake up later to discover that it had just been a dream. (Nope – horrible.) I made the mistake of twisting my head around for a 360º view of the tent and came to the conclusion that we were in big trouble and needed a really efficient exit strategy. Once Andrea was awake, we packed everything up as best we could inside the tent, threw everything out of the doors, crawled out, collapsed the tent, gathered everything together in a couple of heaps, and once again fled to the beach.

Waiting inside the rainfly, where they benefited from the heat inside our tent instead of dying out in the cold like nature intended.

We dropped everything in the spot where we made lunch the day before and took in our surroundings. The fog that had rolled in the night before had not left, and visibility was very limited. The cliff immediately to the west was a vague shadow. We had put our rain jackets on because it was actually very chilly, and it had seemed like it was raining in the woods. Because they had been absorbing the mist in the air all night from the fog, the trees dripped water overhead from their needles and leaves, giving the illusion of a steady light rain.

We made oatmeal and talked about the day ahead. This is the most picturesque section of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The cliff views between Chapel and Mosquito beaches are spectacular, and hikers are able to walk out onto the tops of a couple of the more impressive formations. The fog was a factor we had not anticipated, however. The sky was murky, and there was no sign of the sun working its way through. If the fog did not burn away, there were not going to be many views of any kind. Still, Andrea and I have spent time in this area in the past when fog has been a factor. Fog creates an atmosphere that is just as enjoyable as a clear sunny day. In fact, it enhances the moody aura of Lake Superior. Since we have both hiked this trail before on a clear sunny day, hiking it in the fog would be an interesting twist. Plus, unpredictable weather goes with the territory, so you have to just go with it. I did feel bad for the hikers we would end up seeing that day who had probably traveled there to have their first Pictured Rocks experience and were not able to see any of the cliffs. That is a shame.

Looking back along the trail where the forest meets the cliff edge

After breakfast, we finished packing and hit the trail just before 11:00 am. Despite the fog - which never lifted - it was great hiking weather. It remained chilly all day, and we never removed our rain jackets. From the trail, nearly all of the cliff views were completely obscured, but it was still a fun hike. Fog enveloped everything and floated among the trees in the woods, giving the forest a mystical look in some areas near the cliff edges. 

Andrea on the trail somewhere between Grand Portal Point and Indian Head

Me on Grand Portal Point.   Sea gulls on a cliff. (Photos by Andrea)

Sadly, we could not see Grand Portal Point or Indian Head from the trail, but we spent quite a bit of time at each place, as it is possible to walk out onto the tops of them. Because of these vantage points, we were able to see some of the cliffs immediately around these formations. The air was busy with sea gulls, and their calls were a constant barrage of noise that echoed against the tall rock faces. From the top of Indian Head, we watched three kayakers far below paddle close to the cliffs. There were no other boats on the water that we noticed all day; the Pictured Rocks Cruises must have had to cancel their tours due to lack of visibility. Not once did we hear any horns out on the water. 

The view from the top of Indian Head of a kayaker paddling far below

The stretch of the NCT through Pictured Rocks is called Lakeshore Trail

We arrived at Mosquito Campground after an enjoyable four miles and chose site #6, which has a large evergreen in the center that provides a canopy over almost the whole site. The sites in this area are all set near Mosquito River, whose mouth is at the west end of Mosquito Beach. Ironically, mosquitoes were not much of an issue here, possibly because the weather had cooled off so much. We set up camp in a normal, relaxed, non-DEFCON 1 manner, and made a quick trip to the beach for water. We collected water from the river mouth, which was easy thanks to rock shelves that create small cascades. We returned to our campsite to filter water and eat a relaxing lunch of whole grain crackers with peanut butter and cheese. 

Mosquito Campsite #6 (photo by Andrea)

After lunch, we explored Mosquito Beach for a couple of hours. This is one of my favorite spots within the lakeshore. It is a rocky beach made up of layer upon layer of sandstone. The layers are various colors at different spots along the beach – grey, brown, orange, yellow, green, and pink. Erosive elements – water, wind, and ice – have shaped and carved the stone over millennia.

Mosquito Beach

Andrea and I were enthralled and spent close to two hours carefully crawling all over the rock and taking pictures of everything. I could have permanently moved into a particular spot where a cove has been eroded into the sandstone, exposing hundreds of multi-colored layers. As we worked our way west toward the mouth of Mosquito River, I met a couple from a suburb north of Detroit who were playing cards on the beach to avoid mosquitoes. They asked me what we were taking pictures of and I didn't know what to say. Looking around, wouldn't the answer be obvious? We are photographing every inch of rock everywhere – doesn't everyone do that? 

Inside a cove. I want to live here.

I was trying to come up with something to say other than “rocks,” to answer this insane question, but then I looked up and saw that they were both looking at me like I was crazy, and the beach was no place for nerds. Clearly, we were not going to understand each other, so I mumbled, “Oh, you know...the rock formations are pretty cool, so...rocks.” They replied, “Oh,” exchanged a glance, and resumed playing cards. Maybe they had a bad experience with rocks earlier in life and prefer not to acknowledge them.

Fragments of fragile sandstone layers in multiple colors (aka rocks)

Red and brown, then suddenly green and grey. How is that not fascinating?

Further east on the beach, the sandstone is suddenly pink.

Seriously!

Even though the mosquitoes weren't bothersome back at our campsite, we decided to eat dinner on the beach because we wanted to spend as much time there as possible. We returned to our campsite, grabbed the food and cooking supplies, and returned to find the beach deserted at 8:15 pm. We descended to a wide, flat expanse of rock just out of reach of the lapping waves and fired up the Jetboil. Once again, the Emberlit went unused. We could have collected sticks, but neither of us really felt like it at this point. Black Bean Tamale Pie from Backpacker's Pantry made an excellent dinner, and we sat there for about an hour watching the surf and just being there. Moments like that are some of the best while backpacking. I like to take notes and photograph the things that I see while hiking, but sometimes just sitting in one spot and being part of it without doing anything is the best way to spend time. The fog still hung in the air, and it was breezy and chilly as we sat on the rock and watched Lake Superior continuously reach out to us along the rocky shore. If it takes mosquito bites and sore muscles to get there, it is often worth it.

Andrea preparing dinner at Mosquito Beach

We reluctantly left Mosquito Beach around 9:15, found a spot away from camp to clean our dishes, and secured our food (bear pole and locker provided here also). We went to bed at 10:15 at the end of a great day. Undoubtedly, the fog was unfortunate for those hiking here for the first time, but we enjoyed it. 

Mosquito Beach

Mosquito Beach (Photo by Andrea)

To be continued in: Day 3 - Mosquito Beach back to the Trailhead. 

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 2013: Chapel Loop - Introduction

I didn't think it was possible to forget how to use my camera. Sitting in the passenger seat of my sister, Andrea's, car as we drove north on I-75 through Michigan's lower peninsula, I fumbled with the settings on my simple, point-and-shoot Canon. How do I adjust the brightness, or switch it to wide-screen? Andrea helped me figure it out when we briefly detoured onto US-23 N and stopped for lunch at Wheeler's in Standish. Intending to visit Tony's Tacos, we were sad to discover that it was no longer operating out of the small trailer just off the highway. Instead, a sign encouraged us to visit them in Tawas City.

Stones at Chapel Beach

My camera issues and ignorance regarding Tony's move are both due to the same thing: I have not gone on a hiking trip since September 2011. Between starting a new job almost a year ago and taking classes in the evenings over the last few years, the time I used to have for hiking and other travels around the Great Lakes State has dwindled to near non-existence. I hadn't taken a photo with anything other than my iPhone, or driven to the northern part of the state in a very long time. This was long overdue, and even if I had to substitute a patty melt and fries for tacos machos with chorizo, I was beyond excited to be headed for the Upper Peninsula.

Obligatory Mackinac Bridge Photo

Andrea is an experienced traveler, who often goes on spontaneous cross-country trips. She recently intended to visit friends 2 1/2 hours away in Chicago, but changed her mind along the way and ended up in Badlands National Park, South Dakota. She keeps gear in her car just in case, and is always up for hiking or snowshoeing. She had yet to go backpacking though, and has been wanting to try it for quite a while. She had already been accumulating the necessary equipment, but still needed to be fitted for a backpack and new boots, as her trusty but ancient Sorels had finally (and simultaneously) disintegrated last year. She visited me over Memorial Day weekend, and we spent four hours at REI. 

Andrea's Sorels perish on Mosquito Falls Trail during a previous visit

We would both be trying new gear on this trip. I had recently purchased a Big Agnes Q-Core SL sleeping pad and was anxious to test it. Andrea opted for the ThermaRest Neo Air Xlite. Both of them weigh very little, but inflate to comfortable thicknesses and provide good insulation. Also, Andrea intended to test her titanium Emberlit twig-burning stove, and she and Craig - who owns a Vargo twig-burner - held a competition on our porch to see whose stove boiled water faster. The Emberlit's design allows for more airflow and easier addition of twigs, and it won the battle (and Craig has since purchased an Emberlit).

The Vargo                                    The Emberlit                                      The Boil-off

I typically wait until closer to Fall to go backpacking because I like the cooler weather and lack of mosquitoes and black flies. However, I was due to wrap up school near the end of June and really needed a vacation. Andrea happened to have the last week of the month off, so we quickly made plans for a short, 2-night trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This is our favorite part of Michigan, and we have visited it many times both together and separately. Reservations must be made in advance for backcountry permits and specific campsites along this stretch of trail; it is a beautiful area and very popular with backpackers. 

The trail along Pictured Rocks NL is part of the North Country Trail

The National Park Service begins taking reservations on January 2 and recommends making reservations as early in the year as possible. Because of this, I did not expect to be granted reservations on a month's notice. We must have gotten lucky because we planned to visit the area mid-week, beginning Thursday, June 27. Despite the unpredictable nature of Michigan weather in June and the rumors of unfathomable swarms of mosquitoes and black flies following a very wet spring, we packed our bug nets and decided to go for it.

Lady Slipper Orchid

We reserved 2 spots in a prime section of the lakeshore, which would allow for an easy, 2-night loop and include spectacular cliff and rock formation viewing – a perfect trip for someone backpacking for the first time, and someone who hasn't gone in nearly two years. We would park at the Mosquito/Chapel trailhead and hike to Chapel Beach on the first day. Day two would be spent hiking along the cliffs' edges, past Grand Portal Point to Mosquito Beach. On day three, we would hike along Mosquito River, enjoying the multiple cascades of Mosquito Falls before returning to the trailhead. We have day-hiked to all of these locations before, and they are some of our favorites. At some point over the next few years, I plan to backpack Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore from end to end, but for now, 3 days was all we had.

Storm over Munising Bay

We arrived in Munising Wednesday evening and checked into the Sunset Motel. It was surprisingly hot – near 90 degrees right on Munising Bay. About an hour after arriving, however, a storm blew in suddenly, darkening the skies to a blackish purple and causing the temperature to drop at least 30 degrees almost instantly. Wind blew fiercely off the bay toward the little motel, and we had to change into warmer clothes in order to sit on its covered porch and watch the drama unfold. It rained all through the night, and when we got up at 7 a.m. the following morning, it continued to pour as we gathered our gear and prepared to go to the Pictured Rocks Visitor Center to pick up our permits. An omen?

To be continued in: Day One – Trailhead to Chapel Beach