Forth To Three-Fourths (1994)
(Part 3 of 4)
This is an anecdote of my third long distance hike on the NCNST. I started on 19 May 1994, hiking forth from NCTA headquarters at White Cloud, MI. The previous evening, NCTA member Virginia Wunsch had kindly picked me up from Big Rapids, driving me to the headquarters. On this hike I backpacked the NCT through the states of Michigan and Wisconsin, approximately 1247 kilometers (775 miles). Unlike my previous two hikes, this was mainly an "in the woods hike," with comparatively little road walking. The first week I was in a Michigan heat wave. At every stream I refilled my water bottles, and tried to camp near water at night. The tastiest and coldest water in this section are where the NCT crosses the Pere Marquette River canoe landing, and Timber Creek Campground on highway 10. Both places having pumps. My eighth day on the trail was the first really cool, overcast day. After crossing the Sturgis River on the Vince Smith memorial footbridge, I discovered a goodies place. Note; it's a few hundred yards north of the intersection of Mile Road 5 and Bass Lake Road. No more stores untill Walton Junction. Just north of the bridge, before mile road 5, I believe I lost my original trail journal, had to reconstruct it. West of M37, on mile road 8, a MUFON van sped by, kicking up a lot of dust. MUFON is an organization that investigates UFO's? East of M37, in the Pere Marquette State Forest, by the Mansitee River,I met NCTA member Arlen Mason. Also his wife, Arlene, Senator Carl Levin's aide, Thad McCollum, and his girlfriend, Sherry Park.They were scouting the trail for Senator Levin. He was coming to hike, from Baxter Bridge to Lookout Point, on National Trails Day. The next day, I came upon an Interlocken Mennonite Church outing. They invited me to their barbecue, tasty food! From there, I proceeded to my first food drop at the town of Fife Lake. Leaving there, I hiked the Michigan Shore to Shore Riding/Hiking Trail, to east of Kalkaska. Then hiked north on the NCT, through the Jordan River and Warner Creek Pathways. Overall, the trail from White Cloud through the pathways was in good shape, an enjoyable hike. While on the pathways I developed a toothache, so I followed U.S. 131 to Petoskey. The tooth was pulled by Dr. Willis, a local dentist. While at the Petoskey post office, Karen Joseph, a reporter for the Petoskey News-Review, interviewed me about the NCT. The interview was published on June 22nd. Left Petoskey, again following US 131 to Alanson. There, starting from an old historic red locomotive, I hiked the rail trail about 48 clicks (30 miles) to Mackinaw City. This rail trail parallels U.S. 131 most the way. There's many built up areas on both sides of it, but it isn't hard finding camping spots. I lucked out at Fort Michilimackinac, meeting some people who were staying in St. Ignace, who gave me a ride across the Mackinac Bridge. Camped that night north of St. Ignace, on Lake Huron, at the east end of the Mackinac County Airport. The 124 clicks (77 miles) through eastern part of Hiawatha NF was a pleasant hike also. Except from attacks of mosquitoes and flies, north of Trout Brook Pound. I had to wear a head net for many hours. Stopped at Soldiers Lake Campground to camp. It's only a quarter mile off the NCT, worthy of stop for its pump and beach. Got my first view of Lake Superior, hiking towards Tahquamenon SP. Bypassed the park's Riverfront Campground, getting on the NCT off the Tahqua Trail Road. The NCT is marshy in this area, and the mosquitoes swarm. Anyone finding a Kodak Fun Waterproof Camera there, it's most likely mine. As I crossed the small footbridge that connects the trail to the Lower Falls Campground, my eyes caught the shower building. My first hot shower in twenty-five days on the trail! Left the lower falls, following the River Trail to the upper falls. Then, following the Big Pine and Wilderness Trails back to the NCT, into Superior SF. The NCT in this section is poorly marked. About two clicks east of CR 500, there's a house trailer, with no trespassing signs strung across the road. Also, when reaching CR 500, there's no NCT sign. Going west, turn north about a quarter mile, there's an NCT sign there. Watch for a blaze to turn right, a few hundred yards past that sign. This was the first time, since starting my hike that I hiked in a heavy downpour for several hours. A few miles east of the Two Hearted River, on the Lake Superior shoreline, the flies ate me alive! My repellent didn't repell! Finally, just stopped, and put my tent up. After the Two Hearted Campground, watched for blazes closely. For several clicks, sections of the NCT have washed away, and there were lots of blowdowns. When I had trouble finding the trail, I hiked the beach until blue blazes appeared again. At Muskallonge Lake SP, I took another hot shower. A store is two clicks west of the park, right on the NCT. Peggy, my wife, joined me at Grand Marais, to hike the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I arrived five days ahead of her, but Grand Marais is a quaint town to spend some time in. The towns' Woodland Park Campground is a five minute walk to town, right on the NCT, with hot showers. We spent seven days on the Lakeshore Trail, (She not being an avid hiker) hiking the 69 clicks (43 miles). We had a wonderful time. The trail there is in great shape, it's the most scenic section of the NCT I've hiked, worthy of just hiking that area by itself. We continued west on the NCT, past Musinsing to Au Train Lake Campground, in Hiawatha NF west, then onto the Laughing Whitefish Falls section. But, two straight days of heavy downpour ended our hiking there. For me, after being mainly in the woods for many weeks, the hustle of Marquette was a small shock. I didn't hike north out of the city, as the NCT now stops at the Little Garlic Falls. One has to backtrack the trail, or walk CR 550 back to Marquette. After my wife left for home, I took a country bus to Negaunee, then backroads to the McCormick Wilderness. Hiked part of Craig Lake SP, back to Highway 28/41 at Nestoria. The NCT is a little hard to follow in the wilderness, being there's no blazes allowed. Wanted to meet Bullwinkle, but didn't see any Moose that supposedly hang around the wilderness, a big disappointment. I thank NCTA member Gene Elzinga, for the excellent information he provided on this section. Catching a ride to several clicks west of Nestoria, to the 28/41/141 highway junction, I hiked to 28/141 to Section 16 road. It to Autio road, where the NCT starts again. Hiked to Tibbets Falls (looked like small rapids to me) and into the Ottawa NF. For the second time, I hiked for several hours in a heavy downpour.  |  |
Crossing highway 45, the trail is very marshy for several clicks. As I found out, it also just stops. There are ribbons heading southeast, the way the NCT will head. Not knowing that beforehand, I took a compass bearing to the West Branch Ontonagon River. Getting to the river, I wasn't sure which direction the dam I had to cross was. Heading east, for about 1.6 clicks, I saw a house on the bank across the river. Hailing it, nobody answered. After about twenty minutes, an ATV with two people pulled up to the house. I yelled, asking where I was from the dam. Bob Fisher, who owns the property, said it was west about three clicks, but I wouldn't be able to cross, as the dam was spilling. Putting a canoe in the river, he paddled across and picked me up! He's an expert canoeist. The river is very swift and wide, but he beached at the bank right in front of me, and repeated that, right in front of his house. He and his wife live in Ontonagon, coming down to mow the grass. Pure luck, as most probably the next day I would have had to backtrack to highway 45, go north, then west, towards Victoria. Getting to historic Old Victoria, Chris, the caretaker, let me stay in the restored bachelor quarters for the night. Worth noting, there's a wonderful spring, about half am click east of the site, right near the road. The water flows up from three thousand feet below ground. Left Victoria along CR 200, as the NCT is not complete west for about 16 clicks (10 miles). The topography of the Trap Hills stretch are the most rugged I encountered on this hike. I camped at a creek, about half a click west of FR 400, starting into these hills the next morning. The hills run almost to the Big Iron River. Matter of fact, I camped on Bergland Hill that night. The Forest Service has a radio tower right on top. There's several beautiful overlooks that makes hiking these hills satisfying. The Geogebic Ridge Trail intersects the NCT along this stretch. Both bridges, one over the Big Iron River, one over the Big Irons' west branch, are beautiful. Their only about two years old, and haven't even weathered yet. However, the west branch bridge led me onto the absolutely the worst trail section I have ever been on! This section is 14 clicks (9 miles), from the bridge to the South Boundary Road of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness SP. For almost the first 11 clicks (7 miles) it's completely overgrown. The trail was almost impassable, sometimes you can't see next blaze. Several times I had to follow a compass bearing towards the river, hoping to pick up the blazes again. It hasn't been brushed out in years. It will take a lot of man hours to restore this section to a hikeable condition. The last 3.2 clicks (2 miles) to the road is easy trail. Except that section, I enjoyed hiking the 183 clicks (114 miles) of Ottawa NF. The 27 clicks (17 miles) on the trails through Porcupine Mountains Wilderness SP (the Porkies), also were enjoyable. This park is a very popular place. I meet many people day hiking in it. The trail, from outside the park, to Ottawa NF's Black Harbor Campground, is 9.6 clicks (6 miles) of old forest road. From Black Harbor, the trail heads south past many waterfalls, the NCT ends in Michigan, at a ski jumping hill. From there, it's about 32 clicks (20 miles) on roads to Ironwood. I camped at Curry Park there. The park is within easy walking distance of stores, with hot showers and a laundromat. The fee for a tent site, $7. Having spent enough time in the upper peninsula of Michigan to be a honorary "Yooper," I crossed into Wisconsin, at Hurley. Walked down 47.5 clicks (27 miles) of highway 77 to Mellen, then west several clicks on SR GG, and entered Chequamegon NF. (I bypassed Copper Falls SP, as the six miles of NCT in it is one ended.) I was fortuitous to camp at the first shelter in the forest, as there was a severe thunderstorm that night. I didn't camp at any of the campgrounds, but got water at them. Note: For budget reasons, the Forest Service will close one of three. Either Lake Three, Beaver Lake, or Mineral Lake. The latter isn't on the NCT. Write and tell them which, if any, they should close. Past Beaver Lake, for reasons unknown to me, the trail blazes turned yellow. I backtracked once, thinking I was on the wrong trail. I found no turns, and the trail was bearing in the right direction. I kept following it till a road crossing, and there was NCT signs at it. Kept following those yellow blazes, all the way to the west terminus of the forest. There are several overlooks, and the 110 clicks (68 miles) of trail are in good shape. Also camped at the Marengo River shelter. It isn't as new as the first shelter, but it's on a bluff east above the river, a good place to stop, wash up and get water. Diverted off the trail to Drummond, to eat breakfast. The town is off the NCT a couple of clicks. Continuing on in Chequamegon, there's a fork on the trail, about two clicks from the western terminus. Taking the right fork leads to a private campground on Lake Ruth. Taking the left fork (the NCT) leads to CR A. I went north on CR A, to the town of Iron River. There, I got on Wisconsin snowmobile route 2, heading west. The route has breaks in it, and switches sides of the highway, going toward Superior, about 48 clicks (30 miles). Unlike the rail trail in Michigan, there's little buildup along it. Superior is spread out several clicks along highway 2, and the last city in Wisconsin, before Duluth, Minnesota. I finished my hike for this year at Superior, taking a bus to Duluth. As there's no way to walk between the two cities, on highway 2 and its bridge, being constructed for motorized traffic only. Would have had to take an alternate road and bridge to cross the St. Crouix River, putting me about 20 miles from downtown Duluth. When the NCT is rerouted in this section, the trail will have to cross both state borders north of Duluth. With the extra days spent at Pictured Rocks, I was on the NCT sixty-eight days, and now have completed three-fourths of the NCNST. |
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