Porcupine Mountains - Michigan U.P.

GPS Track File Download

     In my blog entries I have waxed philosophical about the Pacific Northwest and I have gushed about the emotions brought forth by Northern Wisconsin, but there is yet another place from which I have some of the best memories of my life – Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. 

     The U.P. is a large area with several state, county, and national forests.  Wilderness areas cover large tracts of land.  Lake Superior and Lake Michigan provide shoreline dramatic enough to equal any in the world.  My memories come from a part of the U.P. known as the Ottawa National Forest.

     In 2002, 2003, and 2004 I was part of the support crew for an adventure racing team that participated in the Trekineer.  The Trekineer was a 36 hour adventure race that took place in the Ottawa National Forest around the Black River, Presque Isle River, and the Superior shoreline near those two world class rivers.  The racers would trek, bike, paddle, crawl, and slog their way through the forest, rivers, streams, and lakes of some of the deepest country east of the Mississippi.

     In 2002, with my family, I took in the falls along the Black River.  That year found all the support crew sitting on a logging road bridge over the Presque Isle River on a 70 and sunny afternoon.  In 2003 I hiked a 7 mile section of the North Country trail between the Black River and Presque Isle River.  2004 would be the best of those three years.  Before the race I biked 33 miles of logging roads on one day and then hiked 22 miles in the Porcupine Mountain State Park the next.  Two days later I helped the race director take down part of the course.  That little three hour jaunt with Leo would prove to be one of the more memorable adventures of my life.  Leo took me to an emerald canyon, wading into a swampy lake, and getting into parts of the forest few people ever find.

     Ruth had never been to the U.P. and we decided we’d spend a few days up there this Summer.  We took along our camper and made Gogebic State Park our headquarters.  

Gogebic State Park - site #22

 

Our backyard!

     This entry will not just be about a single hike we did, but cover a little the four little adventures we undertook in the five days we stayed. 

     I was very anxious about this trip.  I had some great memories and I wanted to share some of those same places and moment with Ruth.  I had a daily itinerary set out to make sure we could get to these activities.  But, the failure of either weather or body was strong in my mind.  The forecast looked very promising, with only one day of rain.  Would my hip and leg be able to manage the exertions?  I was indeed worried.

Paddling the Sylvania Wilderness

     I looked around for some good paddling.  We were not going to attempt Lake Superior, although at Little Girls Point we could have a couple of days.  We camp on Lake Gogebic, so that was an option, but I was looking for something more remote.

     I had never heard of the Sylvania Wilderness Area and that has been so much my loss.  Over 18,000 acres of lakes, swamps, and hills than can only be accessed by kayak/canoe and foot.  There is only one person allowed to use a motor boat on the lakes of Sylvania.  Don’t know why, but it is by a court order.  A couple dozen campgrounds are sprinkled along the lake shores.  Sylvania is surrounded by the rest of the Ottawa National Forest.

     http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ottawa/recarea/?recid=12331

     There are a few places to rent from, but the closest and most prominent is Sylvania Outfitters.  There are a couple miles down the road from the wilderness area entrance station.  I’m not endorsing them, but they did have good information on a place to get our trailer tire fixed, and they are pretty the game in town from my research.  We had our own boats.  We were there for maps and information.

     The entrance fee is $5/day.  I think the annual pass is $30. 

     At the outfitters pick up a waterproof map of the wilderness area.  This is a very detailed and excellent map.  Well worth the $5. 

     There are exactly two boat launches in the Sylvania, one on Clark Lake and the other on Crooked Lake.  The other lakes are reached by portages, some short and some look very long.

     The lake is populated by loons, eagles, beavers, and plenty of fish.  Ruth kept looking for them and all I saw were minnows in the shallows.  One father and son we paddled by said they hit their limit of 50 each.  The fish are out there.

     We put in at Crooked Lake.  The north end of the lake is private property and the houses are visible from the boat launch.  We were going to put in at Clark Lake but the wind was less than friendly.  The ranger and the station said they’d had reports of white caps on Clark Lake, the biggest lake in the Sylvania.  Crooked Lake is much smaller and narrower and it turned out to be perfect for our paddling temperament. 

     Despite the wind the day was sunny and warm, but not hot.  This was a spectacular day to be out on the water.  We did not plan to make any portages (and did not), but having been there I’d suggest portaging from Crooked Lake to another smaller lake or two.  Being a “launch” lake there were many boats and lots of people.  This Sunday had a couple groups of younger folks (15 to 22 yrs old) and they were very loud, easily audible from a mile across the lake.  We found a quieter part of the lake and just paddled around.  We stopped for lunch on a rock by the High Lake portage.

Boats at portage take-out

     We only spent a couple hours on the water and then drove down to check out the Clark Lake campground.  The campground has no water or electricity, but has some nice sites.

    

Hiking the Porkies

     The Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park is the largest state park in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and just about any state I know of.  There are larger national parks to be sure, but covering 60,000 acres the Porcupines are large.  The park is surrounded on three sides by the Ottawa National Forest and Lake Superior on the fourth.

http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=426&type=SPRK

     Although there are several trails and some campgrounds in the Porkies, they are most noted for Lake Superior, Lake of the Clouds, and the Escarpment above Lake of the Clouds.  On a sunny day there are few sites as pretty as those from the Escarpment.

     In 2004 I hiked a 22 mile route in the Porkies.  I  took in one end of the Escarpment at the end of the hike as the sun was going down.  The lake shimmered gold from the setting sun.  That was a good hike, back when I could put on some miles.

     Our hike this year would be a 13.1 mile trip starting at the Escarpment and then immediately dropping down to the lake outlet to the Carp River on the Mirror Lake trail.  Following the Mirror Lake trail we’d gradually climb to the Government Peak trail.  We’d follow that trail to Government Peak and then along the ridges to the Lost Lake trail.  We’d follow that to the north as it descends gradually to the inlet to Lake of the Clouds.  Then we’d join the Escarpment trail that winds along the edge of the cliffs high above Lake of the Clouds.

     Planning the hike we were looking at about 6 or 7 hours of hiking.  We knew we’d be a little beat up, what with her knees and my left leg.  We had no idea what was in store for us.

     We got our start at …. oh, yeah, the park is in the Eastern Time Zone.  We got our start at 12:46PM EST.  We spent a little time on the rocks of the Escarpment with the other tourists, but not much.  Ruth was really itching to get going.  I was not too worried about time.  She must have known something I did not.  The Mirror Lake trail drops very quickly down to the swampy outlet.  The trail is very very well travelled.  Many people walk down to the bridge, cross it, then turn back round to climb back up to the parking lot (about a 1 mile round trip).  We hit that at 13:12.  The Bridge Over the River Carp.

Escaprment - early afternoon

     The trail heads straight through some low lands and then begins a more than moderate climb up to campground.  At 13:22 we made the first less steep climb to a lower ridge.  At several spots the trail crosses through muddy run off.       We crossed the second creek at 13:30 and began the longer steeper climb to the higher ridge that houses Government Peak.

     The trail winds between pine trees as it sticks close to ever deepening canyon with a small creek.  I kept stopping to look into the canyon, but Ruth kept prodding us along.  The creek had a few small waterfalls and the temperature difference was markedly lower next to the canyon.  As the trail winds between the trees there is very little ground cover.  The trail blends in nicely with the rest of the forest floor as it hops over tree roots and dodges around mud puddles.  The trail is marked on the trees either with a painted blue spot or a metal blue diamond.  In this section it is advisable to navigate by the trail markers.  The tendency is to veer to the east which will only take further and further from the trail.

Follow the blue!!

     We finished the climb about 14:00 and the trail leveled out just a bit.  Less roots and less mud and less climb.  We stopped for a break on fallen log in a clearing to have a sandwich and whatever else. 

     We had now become aware that the only people we’d seen had been coming towards us.  We had passed no one and no one had passed us in the same direction.  Some of the folks were very likely coming from Government Peak or more likely Mirror Lake.  One group may have come from the Escarpment but they had done it in the reverse direction that we had.  Ruth had asked about the elevation profile of each direction.  Certainly the way we were going had the harder climb up to Government Peak, but up to the Escarpment it looked about the same.  We’d find out otherwise.

     There were not many people once we pass the Carp River.  A family of four, two couples, and a lone hiker to this point.

     We hit the intersection of Govt Peak and Mirror Lake trails at 14:44.  The sign read 2.5 miles to Govt Peak.

     A half hour later we had crossed a creek (and several small muddy run offs) and the climbed up to the campground.  This was a very deceptively steep climb.  On the map it is a single 50m contour line.  What it doesn’t show is that that entire 50m came in a near vertical ascent (well not quite).

Along the Govt Peak trail

Just another stream crossing

    At 15:40 we were at the campground just below Govt Peak and we still had some climbing to do.  The nature of the ridge was 2 levels up and 1 level down.  This roly-poly was not quite as brutal as climbing snow packs around the trees in the mountains, but that at each low spot there was a muddy crossing of a stream and on each ascent and descent there were roots to negotiate, this was quickly becoming a challenging hike.

     We took a break on Govt Peak at 15:53.  The bugs, to this point had not been too bad.  A few flies were my constant companion and a regular reapplication of deet was keeping the skeeters at bay.

     I was expecting a nice overlook and grand view of Superior and Lake of the Clouds from Govt Peak.  There isn’t.  There is a cleared out area for the campground near the crumbling foundation of an old shelter building.  The map shows an overlook but we did not see where that would have been.

     We stopped for about a 15 minute break to stretch and water.  I had made some of this instant tea that I swallow prodigious amounts of in the summer.  We brought along 1 32oz bottle of this on the hike.  Normally, Ruth avoids this nasty stuff like it was ebola, but today that bottle was nearly drained by the time we left Govt Peak.

     An hour later we were still poking along the trail along the ridge between Govt Peak and the intersection with the Lost Lake trail.  I had thought we should be nearly there by now, but the going was slow and tough.  Although the trail is high up on a ridge, it actually rolls up and down the terrain between larger hills on the ridge.  The map in the newspaper from the park office does not show terrain very well.  The area of this trail is very wet, very muddy, strewn with fallen logs and rocks, and full of mosquitoes.  The best way to describe this trail is “Around the , over the roots, through the mud, under the log, and up the hill.  Repeat.”  This is one of the more rugged trails I’ve ever been on.  Only bush-whacking would be more difficult.  At this point our weaknesses (knee and leg) were making themselves known.  Seem like 6 miles is all my leg will take without substantial rest of 45 minutes or more.  We were right about the 6 mile mark.  My boots are about done in as well.  I noted that in the previous couple short hikes I’d done the week prior.  So, in addition to my leg, my feet were beginning to hurt, something I’m not accustomed to having happen.

     The mosquitoes found me here as well.  Deet was merely a suggestion to stay away for the clouds that existed in the spot.  I had to break out the head net a couple times.

Around the rock.  Over the Log.  Through the mud.  Up the hill.

     Finally, at 17:15 we made the intersection.   We took a 10 minute break here and discussed how this was the fun part of the hike.  The fun begins when the pain sets in and you eventually overcome or adapt and keep moving along.  Sure, it’s not fun at the moment, but four months later around a campfire, shoot, you’re heroes.  Suppose that depends upon the ilk that is sitting around the fire with you, now doesn’t it?

     At a lake just past Govt Peak there is a campground.  On this day it was occupied by two young men.  Somewhere in the mires that was the way we had come we met another hiker (coming from the opposite direction of course).  He was outfitted for camping and looked like he wanted nothing more than to crawl into a ball and sleep.  I didn’t think he could look any unhappier until he asked about the campground and told him it was occupied.  He also asked about water between us and Govt Peak.  The lake is the only water between the intersection and the peak.  Oh, there are several streams.  I know.  We crossed them all.  None are suitable for gathering water unless you really really REALLY need it.

     After the intersection the trail begins a downward route.  Mostly downward.  There are still some ups in order to go down again.  The same story as the last part of the trail – mud, roots, logs, and rocks.  Shortly after the intersection the trail sticks along a creek that flows down the hill.  The creek has a couple of smaller, very nice waterfalls, before the named Trap Falls.   We thought we had hit Trap Falls only to discover the real Trap Falls 12 minutes down the trail.

Trap Falls

     We met the next trail intersection at 17:53.  This left us about 2 miles of flatter (and muddier) hiking before we would undertake the climb to the Escarpment.  Spirits were dipping just a bit.  We were not making quite the time we had hoped and our body issues were becoming larger issues.  Ruth’s knees were even bugging her on downhill sections.  My hip was very tight and my left thigh was pretty much done in.  I needed a long long break, but we were now chasing daylight.  There was no time for rest.  That section between Govt Peak and Trap Falls was a very tough trail and left us tired and a bit demoralized.  We’d been on the trail for five hours and had not yet made 10 miles.

     Past the Union Springs intersection the creek becomes increasingly enveloped by a canyon.  At one point there is a waterfall that looks to be at least 30ft.

     At 18:17 we hit the first bridge to cross the Carp River once again, but this time on the other side of the lake.  A note was pinned to the bridge, “Bryce.  10:10am.  I need leaves of two.”  We were not sure what this meant but I remarked that I usually need at least four or five to get the job done.

     The trail strikes through the muddy and swampy bottom lands and in many places the trail is a set of two by sixes laid in the mud side by side.  Thank Heaven for those.

     We began our climb at 18:40.  The parking lot is 4.3 miles away.  We were beat.  We were wishing that sign said 1.3 miles.

     After 15 minutes of steep climbing the trail levels out, but only for a short bit.  We topped the first of three points on the Escarpment trail at 19:10.  We ran across a campground with some teenage girls and their 20-something group leader.  We were probably the only people they had seen in a few hours and asked us to take their picture.  I grabbed their camera and was so tired and out of it.  I could not figure out how to use the view finder.  One of the girls remarked that I had the camera backwards.  Yes, indeed.  Well, they have a picture of some grisly looking middle-age dude on their camera.  To really age myself I told them,  “well, you got a picture of me on your roll now.”   Your roll.  Yep.

Along the Escarpment Trail - Looking towards Govt. Peak

     By the time we had topped the second point at 17:52 the going was very tough.  Ruth asked me where the words of encouragement were.  She was really looking for me to motivate her those last two miles.  Unfortunately, I had to concentrate very hard to make sure I did not roll an ankle or pull a calf muscle.  My left leg from hip to toes was not working well at all.  I could move it, but only in a limp.  Then, shooting pains in my ankle.  Never had that happen before.  All of this simply from the sciatic nerve causing the muscles to tire quickly.  Once tired they being to tighten and cramp. Once that happens the tendons join in and they do not want to flex.  This is an excellent time to roll ankle or twist a knee.  Plus, the pain was not much fun either.  I was in a very very unhappy state.  I’d been there once before on a climb up the side of a ridge in the Olympic Natl Forest back in 2005.  I knew I could make it, but I’d need to pay very close attention.  Sorry Ruth.  She kept up the pace and kept looking back to make sure I was okay.  She was hurting quite a bit as well, but she took up the reigns and kept moving ahead.

Heading west on Escarpment trail

Lake of the Clouds

Even my hat was tired.

      

We hit the last trail junction and 0.3 miles to go at 20:55.  Finally, at 21:09 we were finished.  We threw our gear in the car and promptly left.  We stopped at the first place we could find food.  We had soda and cheap frozen piece at a bar just outside the park.  The kitchen closed at nine.  Pizza was all he had.  One of the best pizzas we’d had in a while.  Well, at least it went down easy.  We needed that.

     Now, for as much pain and distress I was in the last 3 miles of the hike, sitting in the car for 15 minutes, then getting up and walking around for 2 or 3 minutes, sitting again for 20 minutes and then getting up again (to the bathroom) was pretty much the rest I needed.  My hip and leg relaxed.  They were still very tired and feet hurt, but if I had need to go another 2 miles right then I could have.  I needed a 45 minute break on the trail where I could sit, lay down, stretch and really rest.  As bad as I had been on the Escarpment  you’d think I would be laid up for days. Only laid up for 45 minutes.  Lesson learned.  I need rest.

     Even besides our aches, that is one tough trail.  The park office has that route at 14 miles.  It is Route E on their list of overnight hikes.  In actuality it is 13.1 miles.  We used the map that is in the newsletter.  Except for the contour markings this is a good map.  There is another map that can be downloaded that has the mileage of the sections marked on it.  I neglected to print that off.  Had we had that we may have been able to keep our morale up on the ridge.  We’ve done some tough hikes and I done my bit of bush-whacking.  This trail is very rugged and although the individual climbs themselves are not like climbing in the mountains, the constant up and down takes a hard toll.

     There is a reason we did not see pass people on the trail in our direction.  People do not go that direction for the entire loop.  They take the Escarpment first and head east towards the Lost Lake trail and experience an entirely different elevation profile!

     There is usually a however, and this time is no exception.  Despite physical suffering, walking west along the escarpment into a setting sun is a not just beautiful, it is hard earned privilege.

Deep in the Forest

     There is a great deal of “open” country in the Ottawa National Forest.  I put open in quotes because most of it is under the protective arm of various logging companies.  They create a number of the roads, maintain them, and gate them at their own discretion.  The tolerate tourists and hunters, but only so much (and that’s not much).  What tolerance they impart is only because they themselves are hunters in those same woods.   Those that I’ve met don’t understand recreational activities beyond hunting and fishing.   Still, the woods are open and offer solitude and surprises around each bend of the road or river.  Preparation is very important.  Although this is not huge country it is large enough to get yourself into huge trouble.

     There are points at which you can be 4 to 5 miles from pavement, 7 or 8 miles from another person and more than 30 slow miles from a medical facility.  The logging roads twist and turn.  New ones are created while old ones become muddy two tracks rarely travelled.  Foot paths disappear when the local hunter retires to Florida and no longer visits his favorite spot.

     In 2004 Google Earth did not exist.  Mapquest and navigation software did not extend past state highways.  Trekking into the Ottawa National Forest was done with maps last updated in 1983 (and in one quad 1972).  Not only had the logging roads changed, but the forest itself was drastically different in places.  “Ok.  Beyond that creek crossing we’re going to come to a clearing.  Looks like it’s about a ½ mile past the clearing.”  A half mile past the creek the path disappears in stand of plantation pine.  The trail lost in a 14 year old mass of pine needles and deadfall.

Driving along M-64

     There are some great resources these days.  The visitor centers sell an Ottawa Forest map for $10.  Spend your $10 towards a DeLorme atlas.  The forest map is pathetic at best.  It shows pretty much just paved roads and nothing else.  The DeLorme shows everything and matches another great resource nicely: Google Earth.  The combination of the two, along with a little bit of Google Maps and Microsoft Maps will give you everything you need to head out.  Take along a GPS and compass.  Even if you are in a truck, take along stuff to get you through a cold night in the woods.   A flat tire on Camp 4 Rd at 6pm means you might as well park along the side the road and set up a shelter.

     The falls along the Black River are a well visited destination.  Well they should be.  I would not leave that part of the U.P. without having followed the Black River from Great Conglomerate Falls to the harbor.  The trails to the falls are well maintained, but in wet weather are muddy and buggy.  Even on a summer weekend the falls are visited by many, but do not expect crowds.  You will run into a family or two or three along the way.  If you are even more adventurous you can find logging roads and foot trails to Chippewa Falls and Algonquin Falls.  Beware, private property abounds in that area and you’ll get more than a harsh word if you stumble on their land.

     Black River Harbor is a beautiful park where you can watch fishing boats coming and going, stroll along the rocky/sandy shore of Superior or hike into the woods to the falls.  A young family can easily spend an afternoon at the harbor. 

     One of our transition areas during either ’03 or ’04 was at the harbor, just as the sun was setting.  After the team was fed, watered, changed, and sent back into the woods, Mark and I went down to the boat piers and met some guys cleaning their haul.  Not only cleaning, but frying it up right there at the table.  We helped clean a few and were well fed for our trouble.

Beach at Black River Harbor

Black River Harbor

     There are a number of places between Rd 519 and Rd 505 that serve some good memories, but the two best are a bridge of the Presque Isle River and a small canyon.  I knew we’d have time to find just one of those and I thought the canyon might be the best one.  This was a huge surprise to me (and to Leo) when it was discovered.  Leo was just looking at a topo map for a small canyon.  When they went into the woods to find it, wow.  The canyon starts at a logging road as a trickle of water into a culvert.   The opening is about 25ft wide and is mud, boulders, and thorns.  The first 5 yards of the canyon are rocks and some dead fall.  The canyon narrows a little more as the walls climb to about 20ft above.  The grade becomes slightly steeper and the canyon narrows sharply to about 10ft wide.  At the same time the walls are still 20 to 25 feet above.  Then… the canyon opens into a 30ft deep bowl hanging with ferns and moss, dripping water, and surrounding by towering birch and maple.  We couldn’t stay and I wasn’t able to get a picture, but the image is seared into my past indelibly.

     I wanted to find that canyon.  I was able to track down Leo, but he was unable to locate the actual coordinates.  Using Google Maps, Microsoft Maps, and Google Earth I found two likely candidates.  We knew the region and the logging roads this canyon was along, so it was again, looking at topo maps to find the one that fit the description.  I confirmed with Leo the coordinates and he agreed that was it.  We would see.

     There is a large stretch of forest between Rd 513 and Rd 505.  This area is all forest and is dotted with logging roads, and little else.  On the east side there are some private residences, but the rest of the forest is home to trees and logging companies… and us!

     The day that we took in the falls along the Black River we thought we might have enough time to track down the canyon from the east.  That meant navigating a maze of logging roads, but we were game.  Unfortunately for us, about a mile and half in the road was gated.  The logging companies like to do that.  That makes sure that vehicles aren’t getting in their way or getting to their equipment.

     A couple days later we went in from the west.  The concern would be running into a convoy of logging trucks.  These logging roads are wide enough for one vehicle and there are precious fews places to pull off to the side.  After about 3 or 4 miles we passed a notable intersection and I knew we were close.  I stopped the jeep and pulled out the GPS and map.  As I fiddling with them, the roar of an engine came from directly in front of us and there was the first of four trucks heading in our directions.  The intersection was 200 yards behind us on a curving logging road with a steep drop off.  There are many people out there who can back up a vehicle better than I.  In fact, a blind man with no arms could back up a vehicle better than I.  We made it without running off and the lead driver reminded us that they’d be running trucks all day.  I yelled out to him to ask how many were out there, but he didn’t hear so I just waved and he moved on.  He wasn’t happy.  I wanted to know how many trucks they had.  The roads are not any wider for them than anyone else.  They need to communicate their coming and going and time things so they don’t run into each other where there are no turn-outs.  The dump trucks are heading from the quarry into the woods and then back out, hauling gravel for the new access roads. They come and go far more frequently.  The log trucks head to the mill and then come back.  The mill is typically further away.  They’ll make a few trips a day, but not nearly as many as the dump trucks.  If you know how many of each you can time when you leave.

     The intersection was actually an intersection of three roads, two gravel and one dirt.  There was space to park the jeep where it wouldn’t be in the way of anything that happened to drive by.  We started walking back up the road.  Ruth was the first to spot the canyon from the road.  The opening was exactly as I remembered.  Ruth took a look at the rocks, deadfall, mud, and brambles and figured this adventure would be mine.  We’d hiked the Porkies the day before.  This would be rugged and I think she was rugged-ed out.  I started making my way into the canyon.  Where the walls started closing in there was much more deadfall than 9 years ago.  Looking up at the top of the walls it was obvious there had been significant blow down a few years ago.  The bowl was littered with fall maple and birch.  The sides were far less fern and moss and more thick vines and brambles.  The walls did not even seem that high anymore, likely due to the lake of trees at the top.  I was disappointed at the lost beauty, but I was glad that I had come back and found that treasure that once was.

Not what it once was.  :-(

     We walked back to the jeep and started walking down that gravel road.  According to the map that road would find its way to within 50 yards of Lake Superior.  We thought we’d follow and see if it would lead us to the lake, or at least cliffs above the lake.  The road started out as well maintained gravel, but gradually it was obvious the road was less used.  We listened to the coming and going of the trucks, but their sound gradually faded away.  As we walked along the road a long canyon opened up on one side.  Not deep, but still an unexpected site.  Butterflies played among the wildflowers.  Birds flittered about.  A beautiful sunny day with temps in upper 60s and we were miles from pavement.  We were at about a point where we were thinking about how much further we’d go before we turned around and then… 40ft maybe 50ft at the most… a bear walked across the road.  The creature glanced at us without breaking its loping stride and continued into the woods.  We stopped dead and listened.  The thought was that we’d hear the bear continue to walk through the woods, but there was no sound.  2 minutes, 3 minutes, another crack of a branch by the side of the road.  We waited another 5 minutes and we did not hear anything to indicate the animal had moved on.  We figured that this was more his woods than ours.  We’d gone far enough and turned around.

Walking along a logging road

     We topped off the afternoon with a quick visit to Little Girls Point, another must-stop destination.

     On our way back, just on the edge of Bessemer, seven deer slowly crossed the road from a church yard across to a residence back yard.  The couple were out tending flowers in their yard while the deer stopped traffic and walked within feet of the couple.  I yelled out “Hey!  You need to keep them on a leash!”  The deer must be frequent visitors.  The couple was not really all that surprised to see them there.

Still in the U.P.

     I have been very fortunate in the last dozen or so years to have visited some places most people only dream about.  Even more fortunate that some of those are within a few hours drive of where I call home.  The forests of Northern Michigan are not those of Ontario or Alaska, but they are some of the wildest country one can touch in the Midwest.  They offer a variety of scenery and activity that few places can match.

     Since 2003 I dream of those woods almost nightly.  I cannot express the appreciation I have for being able to share that space, those memories, with Ruth, my wife and best hiking partner.

   

Black River State Forest - Snowmobile trail

     There are several miles of dedicated hiking trails in the Black River State Forest.  The Wildcat & Smrekar trails are located near Millston at the south end of the forest.    The Levis and Trow trails, north of Hatfield are not technically in the State Forest, but are in Clark County land.  Still both systems provide some nice hiking and skiing.

     There is also a system of ATV and snowmobile trails throughout the forest.  One ATV trail in particular I’ve travelled a few times.  There is an intersection not far from the North Settlement Rd ATV parking area where a snowmobile only trail heads north while the ATV trail either heads south or west.  I’d never been on that snowmobile trail, since I’d only been on an ATV.  I thought that might make an interesting hike.

GPS Track File Download

     The snowmobile trail leaves the ATV trail about 3/4 mile south of the Wildcat Flowage and Kling Rd.  After crossing Kling Rd the trail generally heads due north for a few miles before meeting the ATV trail again.  The last mile and a half (roughly) follows the ATV trail to a parking area on Hwy 54 east of Black River Falls.

     This trip would once again entail a bike leg and a hike leg.

     I spent the day of July 14^th working (from home as I do currently).  When I would take a break for food or to visit the bathroom I would take a minute of two and prepare for the trip.  During a 20 minute lunch break I loaded my bike.  By 15:45 I was ready to sign-off and head out.

    The plan was to park the car at the Hwy 54 parking area.  Bike south down Wildcat/Spangler Rd and then east on Kling Rd to the gate of the snowmobile trail.  I’d stash the bike in the woods and hike the trail back to the parking area.

     Since I was unfamiliar with any of the roads north of the Wildcat/Smrekar trails I wanted to drive to the starting point on the trail and then head up to the parking area.  Considering it was very likely I’d be driving to retrieve my bike in the dark I really wanted to know where I was going.  Plus, the bike is very tough for me.  If I had an idea of landmarks then I’d have an idea of how far I have left to go on the bike.  Uncertainty kills morale.

     There are a couple ways to get there and I took a way I knew and looked like it would be shorter.  Shorter, yes.  Faster, no.

     Take HWY 27 from Sparta north past Cataract.  At the county line hang a right on Cty O.  Follow Cty O past Shamrock and into Millston and Hwy 12.  If I had to do this again here is the route I would take from this point.  Turn left on HWY 12.  Follow HWY 12 north Castle Mound Rd (aka W 7^th St).  Turn right on Castle Mound Rd.  Follow Castle Mound Rd for about 6 miles to Wildcat Spangler Rd.  Turn left and after 4.2 miles (yes, 4.2) stop at HWY 54.  Turn right on HWY 54.  After 0.2 miles the ATV parking lot will be on the right.  Castle Mound Rd and Wildcat Rd are wide gravel  roads.  I found 35mph easy to do.  A person could go a whole lot faster, but there are many things to run into on that road; deer, coyote, fox, frogs, ATVs, and guys biking to their hiking trail.  I make mention of the quality of road for a reason.

     The route I took from HWY 12 was to turn right and then after a quarter mile turn left on the continuance of Cty O.  Another quarter mile I took the left turn on N Settlement Rd.  This goes past a popular ATV parking area.  After 3/4 mile N Settlement Rd forks right while Stanton Creek Rd forks left.  N Settlement Rd is wide enough for two cars and is paved part of the way.

     Stanton Creek Rd begins as hard-packed gravel, but after passing the ATV trail crossing becomes pot-holed, sandy, and rough.  After the second ATV crossing, the road deteriorates even further.  After a few miles and two sharp turns Stanton Creek Rd ends at Hunter Haven Rd.  I turned right on Hunter Haven Rd and initially the road looked like a good quality gravel.  That is, until I hit the first dip at 25mph. 

     Okay, there is something you need to keep in mind.  I am driving a 4dr Honda Civic with a bike rack off a trailer hitch.  There is about maybe 2.5cm of clearance on that car.  Sure, exaggeration that is, but still, dips must be driven over very very slowly.

     The earlier part of Hunter Haven Rd is shared with ATVs.  The road is a sandy rutted mess.  I was fortunate that there had been no rain for several days.  Had there been rain that day or the day before I would have been asking one of the few ATVs that came by to pull me out of the muck.  These roads are navigable in a small car, but only in excellent weather conditions.  I really need a truck.

     Hunter Haven Rd heads north for about 3 miles before coming to Castle Mound Rd.  I turned right on Castle Mound Rd and within 100ft there is the intersection for Wildcat Spangler Rd.  I continued east and the road becomes Kling Rd.  The road also turns to a narrower gravel road.  This road is highly pock-marked and rutted.  Driving fast, unless in a Wrangler or something of that nature, is really not recommended.  Honda Civic is not the car for this road.  Navigable, but a constant worry about undercarriage damage.  Kling Rd takes a sharp right turn after a mile and then becomes sandy (and rutted).  The road seems to become more sand and more narrow as it goes along.  2.6 miles after starting on Kling Rd (yes 2.6!) the entrance to the Wildcat Flowage is found.  Across the road is the gate for the snowmobile trail.

     I had not yet reached the sharp left turn on Kling Rd when only about 100ft in front me a bear crossed the road.  I marked that spot well as I’d be back here later, but on a bike.  Having scouted the spot I turned around with a careful multi-point turn and made my way to Wildcat Spangler Rd and then Hwy 54. 

     At 17:24 I was in the parking lot and ready to head out on bike.  Clear Sunny skies, a light SW wind, and 84 degrees.  The short spell on the bike on HWY 54 had me wait for two vehicles to pass by and then I was on the gravel Wildcat Spangler Rd.  The gravel consists of large black shale rock.  This makes biking, even on a mountain bike, a rugged experience.  The road was just a very slight downhill heading south, but for all practical purposes, all these roads here are flat.  Except for the ruggedness the biking was pretty easy.  The stretch of road from HWY 54 to Kling Rd I marked at 4.4 miles.  Shortly after passing Little Bear Rd I got off the bike and walked for about 5 minutes.  This was really to give my left leg a little break as biking plays a number on that hip and leg.  I did not want to walk too much as I did have 7 miles to bike and 6.5 miles to hike.  Darkness would come to the woods around 9:00 and although prepared to be in the woods after dark, I’d rather be out.  I also knew from scouting Kling Rd that the last mile or more of the bike would be in sandy conditions.  That would mean walking the bike a considerable bit through that sand.  Even before all these sciatic problems biking in sand like that… I usually walked it (recalling a mountain bike ride on logging roads in Northern Michigan in 2004).

     While heading down Wildcat Rd, a pair of sandhill cranes flew low overhead.  I was met by only one motorist while biking down Wildcat.

     Oddly enough the biking on Kling Rd was far easier.  The first part of Kling Rd was hard-packed sand and while heavily pock-marked the bike navigated around those easily.  The first bits of sandy stretches after the sharp turn were manageable, but that last mile I mostly walked the bike.  My leg was tiring fast and the sand was enough to make it hard to keep the bike upright.

     There was no bear sighted along the bike portion.  I was secretly hoping to have another sighting.  Instead of being eaten by a bear I was being eaten by dozens of deer flies.  I am not exaggerating when I say dozens.  While on the bike they left my head mostly alone.  Occasionally, one would get caught under the brim of my hat and I’d have to swat it away.  By keeping my arms and hands moving every so often I was only bitten a few times.  I was sprayed from head to toe with deet, but that is of little consequence to flies and gnats.  Deet is flavoring to them.

     I made the trail at 18:25.   The bike leg averaged 7mph which I consider pretty good these days.  I’m not sure I’ll ever see the day again where a 7 mile ride was a short 20 to 30 minute hop.

     I stashed the bike about 100 ft into the woods and locked it to a tree.  I took note of a stump landmark, something I’d be able to see in the dark from the trail and then headed out on the trail.

    The sprayed once again for mosquitoes and they seemed to hold back some.  Around my head buzzed at least 8 or 9 flies.

Trailhead on Kling Rd.

         A little more than 10 minutes down the trail another trail joins from the south-east.  The trail is wide, but overgrown with weeds and grass.  Often, the vegetation is knee high providing a perfect launching pad for ticks.  The trail runs through forest at this early part.  The majority of tree are jack pine with some oak intermingled.  The red X’s on a large number of trees indicates there will be a harvest here in the coming months.

     If you were to look at a USGS topographic map you’d see quite a bit of differences in the locations of these roads from maps of today.  The USGS maps were last done in this area in 1980.  The topo map would show that most of this trail makes use of an old railroad grade.  As the trail moves from forest to swamp that becomes very evident.  I make this connection after about a half hour on the trail.  The trail narrows a little, standing about three feet above the swamp on either side.  There are low spots on the trail, that in wet weather would have you walking through shin deep water.  I would suspect in early Spring you’d be up to your knees and not able to discern the trail at all.

Swampy trail

     The flies have become aggressive enough around my head to necessitate putting on the head net.  I’ve had to do that before to ward off gnats during a hike.  Head nets work great, but they have a drawback.  At 19:06 in the evening the sun is low enough to be in your eyes and the net reflects that nicely leaving you nearly blind.  I used my hand as a visor, but the flies would land on my hand and wrist and bite.  A constant adjustment by both sides.

     About that time there was a fork in the trail.  A sign sat at the crook of the for showing the trail curving right.  That did not seem correct from my review of the maps and terrain.  I was certain that the trail continued straight at this point.  I went down the right fork to investigate and after about 200 yards I could see a wall of short spruce trees blocking the trail.  I went back to the fork and took the straight like I knew it should be.  The trail never did curve to the right and the right fork dead ends at the trees.  I’m not sure what that sign is meant for, but ignore it.

     At 19:20 I stopped at a cleared area for a short break.  My lower back was starting to feel the stress of having had the pack on for the last 90 minutes and frankly I’m just not in very good shape!  A stronger breeze was blowing through the logged clearing and gave me a very brief respite from the flies, but not all of them.  A head net is an absolute must.  People might think them to look goofy, but if the choice is wear one or stay off the trail you can be sure I’ll be wearing one.  In fact, we picked up a 2 person mosquito net at Gander  the day after this hike.  At 12oz it’s light enough to pack for my day trips and should allow me to more comfortably take a break.  I only rested for 5 minutes and really needed about 15 minutes.  The flies and mosquitoes were too much to be standing still.

Break time.  No swamp!

    This logged forest was but a brief area of the trail that was not swamp.  Immediately after that break it was back to the swamp and waist high grass.  The trail at this point heads NNW and the sun is low at 19:45.  The swamp is full of trees, but they are short trees and do not block the sun.  The trail is muddy.  The grass is high.  The flies are all over and the sun makes seeing with the head net very difficult.  I adopted an adornment of having part of the net pulled up over the front brim of my hat.  That left my eyes, nose, and mouth unprotected, but I could see.  Most of the time this worked well enough.

     Somewhere not far off to my right (east) a heron was making quite a racket.  If I could have waded through the trees and swamp there would have likely been a pool of water with a heron or two. 

     Also at 19:45 there is another fork in the trail.  The orange diamond sign for the snowmobile trail is on the left fork and that is the one to take.  I had thought that the trail should start heading more sharply to the NW about that point and it did.  Incidentally, the right fork is still the old railroad grade and the trail leaves it here to head towards Little Bear Rd.

Still swampy....

     As the sun was sinking lower the temperature cooled slightly as well.  I was really hoping that would be the signal for the deer flies to go away for the evening.  And, in fact, they did.  I rounded a corner that was slightly more swamp than not and the flies just disappeared.  There was this odd humming noise that I could not quite figure out.  So I stopped and lifted up the head net.  The humming was a swarm of mosquitoes around my entire body.  A literal cloud of them was around me.  Head net went down and feet went back into motion.  In younger fitter days I would have started jogging away.  The mosquitoes did let up, but were from then on a strong presence.  The flies returned within minutes, but not in as a large a number.  At 20:00 I made the gate to Little Bear Rd and the Little Bear Flowage.  I took off the pack and sprayed down again.  I had hoped to have another 5 minute break, but that was exactly what the bugs wanted me to do.

     At 20:21 the ATV and snowmobile trail merge.  I sat by the side of the intersection to wait for two ATVs to fly past and the sand dust to settle a little.  The last mile and a half of the trail is ATV trail and that means deep rutted sand.  That further means pretty tough hiking, especially on tired legs.  At 20:30 I crossed Battle Point Rd and the final short stretch of trail.

Neat!

     The trail is nice and wide allowing the fading sunlight to provide ample visibility.  I would not need to break out the head lamp.  That daylight is a good thing as at that 20:40 a wolf gave his wake-up call about 100 yards into the tree line.

     Seven minutes later I was back to the parking lot.  I quickly packed up, put on a dry shirt and headed back to pick up the bike.  Complete darkness fell as I turned on Kling Rd.  The bike was right where I left it and then I headed back up to HWY 54 and Black River Falls.  FOOD!  Then home.

     Seven miles of biking and 6.4 miles of hiking went well.  Without the head net I’m not sure the hike through the swamp could have been done without serious agony.  With the head net and the dry conditions the hike was easily done.  I’m glad to have done the hike, to have been there, done that.  I’m pretty sure I don’t need to do it again.  The trail is flat and through un-interesting swampland.  Had the trail run past an open flowage or climbed a mound or two, or crossed an interesting waterway there may be more to be said.  There are other roads and flowages and some logging trails that might prove interesting in future days.

     With any luck, the next hike will be back in the Porcupine Mountains of Northern Michigan.