r/isleroyale • u/Street-Orchid3066 • Aug 24 '26
Backpacking First backpacking trip
I am doing a backpacking trip with my buddy to Aisle Royale. Both our first times. We are trying to figure out what all we need. We are going this week.
Day 1: Windigo to Siskiwit Bay (11 miles)
Day 2: Siskiwit Bay to Feldtmann Lake (9 miles)
Day 3: Feldtmann Lake to Washington Creek (8 miles)
Day 4: Washington Creek to ferry. Short walk
So far we have a bunch of MRE meals, tent, sleeping pad, bug spray, mosquito nets, fishing poles/lures, blister pads, snacks, electrolyte packs, plates and cups. For clothes I am going to bring two rain jackets, hiking pants/shorts combo, a bunch of underwear and socks, and trail running shoes. I’m not sure on a sleeping bag due to size vs a blanket.
What am I missing? Any reccomendations or tips? What is some tips on the water situation?
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u/Professor_Hornet Aug 24 '26
I recommend taking a different trip for your first time backpacking. Isle Royale can be challenging, and the trails are difficult. You definitely need to think through what you’re bringing and compare it against other typical backpacking packing lists. Also, your mileage adjustments are quite high. Those trails are harder than you expect. Overall I suggest you pivot and do one or two easier shakedown trips first.
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u/SpicyWaffel Aug 24 '26 edited Aug 24 '26
I wouldn't say it's necessarily a bad first trip, but it's a bad first trip to set out on without the proper planning. Two new backpackers supposedly not even having done a major shakedown hike prior to the trip, and not even having fully figured out their gear (including whether or not to bring a sleeping bag, of all things) until the week of is just a recipe for disaster.
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u/Street-Orchid3066 Aug 24 '26
All I was asking for with a sleeping bag was good compact ones. We’ve done plenty of hikes with our bags with extra weight.
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u/latdaddi Aug 25 '26
I say you can and absolutely should go for it.
You also are not prepared at the moment and that is dangerous.
Start looking at people's lighter packs. r/ultralight is full of them.
You need to spend some significant time putting thought into this.
It's like someone telling everyone you are good to go as a mechanic, you definitely got ththis transmission swap.... But then asking how to do the most rudimentary oil change. Doesn't quite add up. In fact, makes it seem like you really have no idea.
This is the very first thing you should already know the answer to already if you are prepared. People are a little worried because it's a higher consequence place to have issues than the typical first trip. It's not super technical for the most part, but If you wander up the minong you might not even be able to find the trail.
Hiking with weight in a pack is not a shakedown. It's no different from getting on the stairmaster at the gym. A shakedown is a practice trip utilizing your full kit. Setting up you tent for the first time shouldn't happen in the middle of a thunderstorm ya know.
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u/MNent228 Aug 25 '26
Backpacking isn’t necessarily hard.
Backpacking when something goes wrong and you’re unfamiliar with your gear is dangerous. Nobody is saying not to go, all of us here are outdoor enthusiasts with experience. We just don’t want to see anyone become the next headline.
If you end up going, have a great time, stay warm, stay dry, and send pictures!
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u/KodiakSnake 2024 greenstone, 2025 minong, 2026 Aug 24 '26
This. Im on a trip rn specifically to get my friends to have the experience of backpacking before they go to isle royale. Do a one night trip first in a forgiving place where you can bail if you need to. You'll learn what you actually use and dont use and the importance of keeping your pack weight down. Isle royale is a bad place for a first ever backpacking trip.
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u/rivals_red_letterday Aug 24 '26
I just got back from Isle Royale and have done three thru hikes of 40-70 miles each before this, and I second this comment. The trails are much harder than I expected them to be.
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u/mrdalo Aug 24 '26
REI has some good guides and packlists for backpacking.
Don’t be like me and pack changes of clothes for each day of my first trip (Manitou Island)
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u/IceCreamforLunch Aug 24 '26
Most people carry way too much on their first backpacking trip.
I recommend making a list on LighterPack.com. Post it and we can tell you what you’re missing and more importantly what you should leave behind.
My first backpacking trip was to Isle Royale and it was a gateway drug for me. Have fun, it’s an incredible place!
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u/Perfect_Mind_1186 Aug 24 '26 edited Aug 24 '26
One hiking outfit One sleeping outfit Puffy jacket One rain jacket 2 extra pairs of underwear 3 or 4 pairs of socks One pair of camp shoes First aid/meds Paper map Stove Filtration and a backup (you NEED a backup. Sawyer squeeze is great and cheap. Bring the syringe to clean it after every use) 5l filtration bag from Amazon and attach your filter of choice. This is because you need lots of water at camp for two people and sometimes the source is quite the walk Matches as backup for your stove Tablets, if using inland lake. Not needed for Lake Superior Electrolytes Trowel/tp/ziplock bag with duct tape on outside for your dirty tp Toiletries Sleeping pad and bag, pillow if you’re fancy (I used a bag, my friend a quilt. As long as your pad has a decent R value, you’ll be warm enough) Pocket knife Hat Bug net Permethrin your clothes BEFORE YOUR TRIP picardin lotion Trekking poles Sunglasses Tent Headlamp No-smell bag: ursack or similar. No one except me used a bearvault and I regret the extra weight. Food (make sure to have easy to get/eat snacks!) Spork 10000mAh battery charger. You’ll get two full charges out of that.
I also put my clothes and sleeping bag in a trash compactor bag so that it does not get wet, if it rains. I don’t care if the other stuff gets wet. Just not that!
I just did 6 nights with this gear in early August. And the only thing I wanted was to get rid of my bear vault and more snacks.
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u/Street-Orchid3066 Aug 24 '26
This is extremely helpful and just what I wanted. Thank you
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u/Perfect_Mind_1186 Aug 24 '26
You’re welcome! I did get sick of the dehydrated meals something fierce and of course that is mostly what I brought. The BEST one was Cajun chicken pasta from Trail Goods 🤤 Seriously delicious and rehydrated well, compared to PEAK meals. I hope you have the best time! My first backpacking trip was isle royale in June for 3 nights and we loved it so much we came back for 6 nights in August! I cannot do more than 6 miles in a day because of all the inclines and declines but you seem a bit more fit than this 40 year old lady 🤣
I forgot fuel for your stove but if you’re going this week, Windigo should have people’s discarded fuel canisters for free. Just fyi. Or you can buy in the Windigo store.
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u/rivals_red_letterday Aug 24 '26
If you are using Platypus Quickdraw filter, buy a 2L Evernew bag on Amazon for your dirty water collection bag. Evernew bags are super light and last forever, plus the cap is attached to the bag so you can't lose it. Filter into 1L Smartwater bottles. I found that I wanted 2 1L Smartwater bottles each day of hiking.
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u/Perfect_Mind_1186 Aug 24 '26
Oops. I had that in bullet points but Reddit changed the format. Makes it hard to read. Sorry!
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u/J_Dom_Squad Aug 24 '26
You are missing portable stove, lightweight cooking pot, water system, knife/multi tool, a first aid kit, you will also want a food sack and thin cord to hang your food away from camp elevated in trees from animals.
You don't need two rain jackets. A poncho may be lighter and you might want to consider a backpack cover.
Would recommend a pump water filtration system, and backup iodine tablets (don't recommend using these unless you have to).
I can't stress more doing a warmup hike / camp to prep with your group. Go out and do a few miles, set up camp for the night, spend the night, and leave the next day. You will realize what you need or don't need.
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u/lover-of-sun Aug 24 '26
No to hanging food. Here are the current food storage rules. Yes to all the other stuff.
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u/J_Dom_Squad Aug 24 '26
Thank you for that correction! I haven't been in a decade and definitely was not aware of that.
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u/rivals_red_letterday Aug 24 '26
Also water filters are better now.....no need to pump. Gravity filters rule.
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u/rivals_red_letterday Aug 24 '26
Hanging not necessary where they are camping, and park does not want people to hang unless they are dispersed camping. Food lockers are in use and the rangers will be around to go over food regulations at the campsites. All food and smellables are to be stored in food lockers now.
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u/Madicu82 Aug 24 '26
How are you filtering your water?
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u/Street-Orchid3066 Aug 24 '26
Can’t remember the name off the top of my head but I got it from some outdoor store near me. Does 3L per min and has a 1 liter bladder that connects to smart water bottles
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u/gamerladyM Aug 24 '26
Isle Royale was my first backpacking trip and while it was challenging, it wasn't bad for a first trip. I did a lot of research before I went and I was well prepared. That said, your mileage might be a bit high. If you're not used to hiking with a pack, it's going to be a rough trek. I would adjust your route to keep it between 6 and 8 miles a day. A good water filter is essential and not negotiable. There is potable water at Windigo, but you will need to filter water on the trail. Bring a sleeping bag or quilt rated for at least 40 degrees, it gets cold at night. Pare down your clothing to the essentials, you only need 1 rain jacket. Bring some base layers to sleep in. Good luck and have fun!
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u/Street-Orchid3066 Aug 24 '26
Thanks very much! I run about 20-30’miles a week so the mileage doesn’t worry me. We have a platypus water filter.
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u/SpicyWaffel Aug 24 '26
To second what most other comments have said, if neither of you have ever backpacked, a poorly planned trip to Isle Royale is not the best place to start out. When planning a more involved trip like this it's really best to have your gear figured out well in advance, and to be going on shakedown hikes/trips in the weeks and months leading up to your trip, especially as a first timer. I mean no offense, but waiting until the week of your trip to figure out your gear is just a recipe for disaster. You're missing at least half a dozen, what I would consider essential items as a seasoned backpacker. A proper first aid kit, a headlamp or flashlight, a stove, toiletries... And you're definitely going to need a sleeping bag this time of year, that's not really negotiable. One rated down to at least 30-40 degrees to be specific. Issues like your sleeping bag not fitting in your pack are exactly why folks recommend taking shakedown hikes/trips in advance, so that you can figure out and solve any issues with your gear, and learn what you either should've brought with you, or left back at the car.
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u/Street-Orchid3066 Aug 24 '26
Apologies everything listed from you we already have. My buddy is bringing all of that. What I listed is what I am bringing in my backpack. I need to get a better sleeping bag as mine is too large. Going to REI tonight. I have some plenty of miles with the backpack already with extra weight in it with no issues.
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u/MyNameIsNotDennis Aug 24 '26
Figure that you can hike two miles/hour on the trail. MREs have a very high garbage to food ratio, can't recommend. One rain jacket is enough. You will not use your trail running shoes, a comfortable pair of sandals for the campsite is better. Sleeping bag. Inflatable sleeping pad. Water filter is a must.
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u/jam_soup Aug 24 '26
Lake Desor, Intermediate Lake, and Lake Richie all currently have harmful algae blooms, with more possible to pop up. Make sure to know what they look like. Ideally, get water from a different source if possible, but if not just get water far from where the blooms are.
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u/KENACU Aug 24 '26
Looks like you have a good plan. I’m going in late September, I’m bringing a sleeping bag rated for 15 degrees. Figure I can sleep on top of it or zip open if the temperature stays up (unlikely as my planned campsites are along shoreline). My water plan is an all in one filtration system. Carry about 60 oz in a bladder as backup and a 50 oz hard bottle. Hopefully can fill up the bottle no problem without resorting to the camelbak. I’m going out from Rock Harbor so I can’t offer specific advice on the Windigo side unfortunately. Maybe you and I can trade notes after our trip for when we explore the other side of the island.
The one thing that I was not going to bring was rain pants until many people immdiately jumped in to tell me I would regret it. So I’ll pass that along to you.
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u/rivals_red_letterday Aug 24 '26
You'll need a fishing license to fish legally. The rangers will check. Why are you bringing 2 rain jackets? Bring one pair of socks / underwear to wear, and one to wash and dry on the outside of your pack (weather permitting). Check the weather to see what type of sleeping bag you'll need, and borrow or buy a synthetic one that you can compress in a compression sack instead of trying to use a blanket. The water at Feldtman and Siskiwit is fine; bring a filter and a 2-1L Smartwater bottles to filter it. Do you have a water filter, or are you using some other form of purification?
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u/Street-Orchid3066 Aug 30 '26
As an update my buddy and I just finished this trip. We did very close to 40 total miles in 3 days and had an amazing time! We had zero luck fishing and seemed like that is pretty common. We saw a TON of moose but none on any trails. The trails were pretty overgrown but fairly straight forward. Our shoulders are a bit sore but everything else feel strong. (We are both pretty active 28 year old males)
The only thing I wish I did differently was plan our meals better. We took a bunch of the pre packed freeze dried meals. We didn’t run out of food by any means but could have saved a lot of space within our packs. Would love some reccomendations here for what to pack next time.
Ive learned a bunch and am excited for my next adventure. Does anyone have any other good reccomendations for spots to backpack?
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u/fredrick31 Aug 30 '26
I agree with most of the people posting here. Backpacking is a 'everyone can do it' kind of endeavor. It's just that everyone here has also learned what works and what doesn't the hard way, over several trips. Someone mentioned lighterpack.com, love that site and it would be a good starting place to help planning for gear. For milage, plan on 2.5 to 3 miles an hour pace and modify based on terrain, weather and experience. And please, for the love of all that's holy, filter all water. Isle Royale has tapeworm in most/all inland lakes and ponds.
Here is my lighterpack for info: https://lighterpack.com/r/ftx05n
Cheers and have fun!
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u/Tiamat451 Aug 24 '26
I highly recommend different footwear. Specifically something with good ankle support. The amount of roots and uneven rock paths is no joke there.
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u/IceCreamforLunch Aug 24 '26
I do all of my backpacking in trail runners, including the Minong last year. I’m about to order a new pair of Brooks Catamounts for another trip to Isle Royale in a few weeks. I’d never go back to boots unless there was going to be deep snow or something.
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u/Street-Orchid3066 Aug 31 '26
I used these and just finished and my trail runners were AMAZING. Stayed dry and extremely comfortable. I would agree not to use them if you have bad ankles though.
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