Tiff and I decided to go on our first backpacking trip. With Tiffany's relentless research we decided that our first trip would be the Porcupine Mountains. We felt that this would a good place to get our "feet wet." So in July '08 we set out for our first backpacking adventure. We had a beautiful drive up and through the Upper Peninsula. It was about a 9 hour trip total. Ontonagon was our destination. Ontonagon is a small town right on Lake Superior and really is the only place around for quite a ways. From there we went west a few miles until we found the campground that we had reserved a site for our initial stay.
The campgrounds were beautiful, right on the beach of Lake Superior. We could see the lake from our tent. At night we both fell asleep to the sounds of waves hitting the rocky beach. We couldn't wait for morning to come. We were so excited for what was to become an unforgettable few days.
The campgrounds were beautiful, right on the beach of Lake Superior. We could see the lake from our tent. At night we both fell asleep to the sounds of waves hitting the rocky beach. We couldn't wait for morning to come. We were so excited for what was to become an unforgettable few days. Day 1
In the morning we packed everything up and headed for the trail head. With Tiffany's research we decided to start at the east end of Escapement Trail. Escarpment trail is probably the most popular but the most scenic. Once we got to the trail head we had to get our gear on. For Tiffany being only 5'2" the pack was about half her size. So I had help her fling her pack up and strap her in. I think both our packs weighed about 30-40lbs. At first it doesn't seem too bad, but after a a few mile it can begin to feel like 60 lbs. So with our packs on and a quick picture we were ready... ready for our adventure!!! The initial start we were climbing the north side of the mountain. It was a little concerning at the beginning because the first 50 yards was up hill and VERY rocky. 
We soon found out that it wasn't going to last--at least the rocky part. The first mile or so was all up hill at a pretty sharp incline. Half way up we looked at each other, we both knew what we were thinking..."what did we get ourselves into." After a mile or so we finally got to a scenic vista that overlooked the north side of the mountain...the very side we went up. We got to the vista, and we both ooohed and aaaawed. We though, "hey this a great time to take a break and enjoy the view.
" From there we continued up the initial ascent. That first climb wasn't easy. We both were new to having large packs that had 4 days worth of food, clothes, and equipment. We punched through and made it to the top!!! From there we could finally see Lake of the Clouds. It was gorgeous. 
We could almost see our entire trip from that point. For this trip we were basically going around the Lake of the Clouds in a giant circle. Up on the Escarpment trail we took the most pictures because with every turn there is a beautiful view. Here are just some of the pics we took on Escarpment Trail. Escarpment Trail, as you can see, didn't disappoint. We got across half of Escarpment trail on Day 1. We decided to make camp down on the west end of Lake of the Clouds. We had plenty of water available, and we got to see the lake up close and personal. We found a good place to pitch our tent and set up camp after a great day of hiking. 
We made a nice dinner from a recipe we had found on the Internet called Thanksgiving in a bag. It really hit the spot after a busy day of hiking.
We soon found out that it wasn't going to last--at least the rocky part. The first mile or so was all up hill at a pretty sharp incline. Half way up we looked at each other, we both knew what we were thinking..."what did we get ourselves into." After a mile or so we finally got to a scenic vista that overlooked the north side of the mountain...the very side we went up. We got to the vista, and we both ooohed and aaaawed. We though, "hey this a great time to take a break and enjoy the view.
" From there we continued up the initial ascent. That first climb wasn't easy. We both were new to having large packs that had 4 days worth of food, clothes, and equipment. We punched through and made it to the top!!! From there we could finally see Lake of the Clouds. It was gorgeous. 
We could almost see our entire trip from that point. For this trip we were basically going around the Lake of the Clouds in a giant circle. Up on the Escarpment trail we took the most pictures because with every turn there is a beautiful view. Here are just some of the pics we took on Escarpment Trail. Escarpment Trail, as you can see, didn't disappoint. We got across half of Escarpment trail on Day 1. We decided to make camp down on the west end of Lake of the Clouds. We had plenty of water available, and we got to see the lake up close and personal. We found a good place to pitch our tent and set up camp after a great day of hiking. 
We made a nice dinner from a recipe we had found on the Internet called Thanksgiving in a bag. It really hit the spot after a busy day of hiking.
We learned an important lesson that night at our camp. We put our food and toiletries up on a bear pole like we read about. Well...we forgot about the little zip lock baggy with a couple crumbs!!! About 2AM my wife wakes me because she hears something. I said "oh it's probably a raccoon or something" and rolled over. As soon as I did, I heard a deep sounding sniff right next to my head. I knew right then that wasn't a raccoon sniff that was a BEAR sniff. I sprang out of my sleeping bag. We could hear the bear circling around our tent. I couldn't figure out what it wanted because everything that he would want was up on the bear pole. Well except for that little baggy. I began to yell at the bear because I heard that they don't like loud noise, but that didn't work. All of a sudden on my wife's side of the tent her pack flew out from under the vestibule in an instant. That bear flung it out so fast, the pack was there one second and gone the next. I am thinking oh great he is going to drag it to who know where. After a few minutes we didn't hear anything so I got out and flashed the light around. No sign of the bear. Luckily the pack was just about 15 yards away. It wasn't damaged just a little baggy with crumbs sitting on the ground. How he got that baggy out of a pack filled with stuff without damaging or pulling anything else out with it is beyond me. So the lesson of that night was to not underestimate a bear's nose...they can smell ANYTHING even crumbs.
Here is a GPS map of what we hiked on Day 1.
Day 2 
The morning didn't come fast enough after that bear experience. Besides the bear it was a great first day full of beautiful views. We hoped that day 2 was going to be just as good. After a hearty breakfast of oatmeal we strapped on our packs and headed back up to the Escarpment trail. We continues on the Big Carp River Trail along the Porcupine Mountains taking in the beautiful scenery. Here are some pictures taken on the trail.
It mostly down hill all the way to Camp #2. We had more cover on day two, as we were in the forest part of the time. We were at the bottom of hills during the part of
the trip. The ground was full of fallen boulders that had come from these hills. They made a nice spot to rest our tired feet. However, being lower also meant there were more mosquitoes. After crossing the river on a wooden bridge, we found a nice place to set up camp right next to the Big Carp River. It was a great because we had cold, fresh water just a few steps away. We made a nice dinner of freeze dried Teriyaki chicken with rice and double chocolate cheesecake for dessert. The perfect end to a beautiful day.
Here is our route for Day 2.
Day 3
We woke up on day three and were looking forward to the day. It was very sunny and very warm. We had breakfast, filled our water bottles with the nice cold river water(purified it of course) and off we went towards Mirror Lake. Our goal for day three
was to make it to the top of Government Peak which was about 8 miles away. The first half of our trip was down in the Carp River Valley (Correction Line Trail) so it was low, damp and muggy...perfect place for mosquitoes. Let me tell you they about carried us away. We did, however, make it to Mirror Lake in record time since we didn't stop much because the mosquitoes would get you. It was not the nicest part of our 4 day hike, but once we got to Mirror Lake we put on our swimsuits and took a dip. It never felt so good to swim. The breeze off the lake kept the mosquitoes at bay, and there was an bald eagle perched atop a tree across the lake from us. It was a great lunch break to say the least. I really felt like that rejuvenated us from a kind of miserable, itchy morning. 
was to make it to the top of Government Peak which was about 8 miles away. The first half of our trip was down in the Carp River Valley (Correction Line Trail) so it was low, damp and muggy...perfect place for mosquitoes. Let me tell you they about carried us away. We did, however, make it to Mirror Lake in record time since we didn't stop much because the mosquitoes would get you. It was not the nicest part of our 4 day hike, but once we got to Mirror Lake we put on our swimsuits and took a dip. It never felt so good to swim. The breeze off the lake kept the mosquitoes at bay, and there was an bald eagle perched atop a tree across the lake from us. It was a great lunch break to say the least. I really felt like that rejuvenated us from a kind of miserable, itchy morning. 
Once we had lunch we packed up and hit the trail; we 
had quite a ways still to Government Peak. Once Mirror Lake was behind us we were headed NE of the lake. A mile in we came to this marshy area that you needed to walk on little bridges to get through. It was pretty in it's own way. Throughout the day it was very hot, so we drank alot of out water. We even filled up at Mirror Lake, but by the time we got to the bottom of Government Peak we were spent. It took every ounce of strength to get up that peak. Once I got up there I dropped my pack and pitched the tent; I left Tiffany to get things organized. My mission was to find water because all we had was about 14 ounces. We still needed water for dinner and breakfast. 
So I went down the other side Government Peak to find water. There was a small lake of some kind on my GPS but it was more like a marsh once I got there. I trounced around off trail trying to get to place where I could find standing water. Let me say this if my wife saw the water that I took from there, the very water we would soon drink and make dinner with she would of "died." After filtering it with a coffee filter and purifying it, it didn't look so bad. Heck, I was the one that had to see what the water looked liked before filtering. Yuck! Well that night we didn't really spend much time outside the tent. The mosquitoes were so bad that we just took our rain fly off to let in the breeze and just laid in the tent and talked and played some Toss the Pigs.
had quite a ways still to Government Peak. Once Mirror Lake was behind us we were headed NE of the lake. A mile in we came to this marshy area that you needed to walk on little bridges to get through. It was pretty in it's own way. Throughout the day it was very hot, so we drank alot of out water. We even filled up at Mirror Lake, but by the time we got to the bottom of Government Peak we were spent. It took every ounce of strength to get up that peak. Once I got up there I dropped my pack and pitched the tent; I left Tiffany to get things organized. My mission was to find water because all we had was about 14 ounces. We still needed water for dinner and breakfast. 
So I went down the other side Government Peak to find water. There was a small lake of some kind on my GPS but it was more like a marsh once I got there. I trounced around off trail trying to get to place where I could find standing water. Let me say this if my wife saw the water that I took from there, the very water we would soon drink and make dinner with she would of "died." After filtering it with a coffee filter and purifying it, it didn't look so bad. Heck, I was the one that had to see what the water looked liked before filtering. Yuck! Well that night we didn't really spend much time outside the tent. The mosquitoes were so bad that we just took our rain fly off to let in the breeze and just laid in the tent and talked and played some Toss the Pigs. 
Here is our map of Day 3.
-
Day 4
Day 4 was yet another beautiful morning. We got up early to see th
e sunrise that morning. We made some coffee and had some sunrise spuds and stood there enjoying the view from atop 
Government Peak (sorry the picture doesn't do it justice) . We started down the peak and me came to the very marsh that I found some "water." I said "hey there is where I got the water," well Tiffany wasn't to impressed. It was funny (you had to be there)! Beside the first day atop Escarpment Trail this was the second most beautiful stretch of our trip. When we got up to the river we were on a high bank looking over. It was beautiful with the sun 
shining and the sound of the tumbling river. We took alot of pictures during that stretch. One very cool thing was right about when we got to Trap Falls I caught somthing in the corner of my eye. At first I thought it was a black labrador retreiver but then I saw another. I looked closer and I realized 
it was a pack of wolves. Very cool! Not many people get to see wolves. I wish I could have gotten a picture, but by the time I saw them and realized what they were they were gone. I think we interupted their morning drink of water. After a great time on the river we
e sunrise that morning. We made some coffee and had some sunrise spuds and stood there enjoying the view from atop 
Government Peak (sorry the picture doesn't do it justice) . We started down the peak and me came to the very marsh that I found some "water." I said "hey there is where I got the water," well Tiffany wasn't to impressed. It was funny (you had to be there)! Beside the first day atop Escarpment Trail this was the second most beautiful stretch of our trip. When we got up to the river we were on a high bank looking over. It was beautiful with the sun 
shining and the sound of the tumbling river. We took alot of pictures during that stretch. One very cool thing was right about when we got to Trap Falls I caught somthing in the corner of my eye. At first I thought it was a black labrador retreiver but then I saw another. I looked closer and I realized it was a pack of wolves. Very cool! Not many people get to see wolves. I wish I could have gotten a picture, but by the time I saw them and realized what they were they were gone. I think we interupted their morning drink of water. After a great time on the river we continued on. We were close now to the finish. Our last mile was pretty flat and easy so we jhust talked and laughed about all the fun thins that happened on our first
backpacking adventure. It was a great time full of fond memories that will last a life time. Overall the trip was as good as we could hope for besides the one morning with the mosquitos. We felt good about our accomplishments (hence the flexing) . We hiked about 25 miles give or take in those four day, and we are looking forward to returning. We are plannning a different route to a see some different trails that Porcupine Mountains has to offer.
backpacking adventure. It was a great time full of fond memories that will last a life time. Overall the trip was as good as we could hope for besides the one morning with the mosquitos. We felt good about our accomplishments (hence the flexing) . We hiked about 25 miles give or take in those four day, and we are looking forward to returning. We are plannning a different route to a see some different trails that Porcupine Mountains has to offer. 
I know this is an old post, but was thinking of taking my 12 year old son up there to same place on 21-24 july this year. Too hot then? Too many bugs? Any advice?
ReplyDeleteyou can email me back at jeff@mytravelbox.com