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RangerJay · 07-13-2012, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GettinAway

We are only going to be up there a week. Sleeping Giant for three nights and Pukaskwa for three (if we can get in.)
Going to head to Door Co in WI, from Pukaskwa..
Thanks for the WI campground info for the trip up.

Jeff

Just returned from a few days at Neys Provincial Park - what a great spot to beat much of the heat - a nice cool onshore breeze during the day - not much in the way of mosquitoes - gorgeous view. This year we were struck by how quiet the park seemed to be - even the best sites available for overnight stays, at least during the week - maybe a reflection of the the closure of a couple of mills in Marathon and Terrace Bay? - weekend might be a bit different?. Here are a couple pictures - one a view directly from our campsite, one a view of the "crowded" beach and proof that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is in Northwestern Ontario!!

Looking forward to hearing the results of your own exploration.

Have a great trip.

Jay

Moflash · 07-13-2012, 09:21 AM

Just returned from the BWCA up on the Gunflint trail,stopped on Grand Marais MN on the north shore (about 40 miles south of the Canadian border).What a beautiful town! Great food, shopping etc....Stayed at the municipal rv campgrounds (gorgeous views of lake Superior) and found it to be a hidden treasure.While there I over heard them saying that they were almost booked up for August.
I will definitely return.

Gene · 07-13-2012, 11:09 AM

All this is reminding me of our two trips along Lake Superior and making me very anxious to be there. Can't do it this year, but maybe next?

Gene

Aage · 07-13-2012, 01:00 PM

Every time I hear something about Lake Superior, I can't help but be reminded of the Gordon Lightfoot song, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fiztgerald".

Planning to go to Whitefish Bay, by any chance?

Does any one know where the love of God goes
when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
if they'd put fifteen more miles behind 'er.
They might have split up or they might have capsized;
they may have broke deep and took water.
And all that remains is the faces and the names
of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Road Ruler · 07-13-2012, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aage

Every time I hear something about Lake Superior, I can't help but be reminded of the Gordon Lightfoot song, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fiztgerald".

Yup, me too. Very familiar with the song and the wreck. Luv the north shore of Lake Superior. Been there many times. The weather can turn on a dime. This pic was the last time we were there with Airstream in tow.

GettinAway · 07-15-2012, 05:35 AM

I was planning on checking out Whitefish Bay. That's a great song. In my opinion, one of Gordon Lightfoot's best.

Jeff

CanoeStream · 09-11-2012, 11:16 AM

Hey Jeff -- How'd your trip turn out? We just got back from a long weekend at Grand Marais, MN. I love that lake.

Construction south of Duluth was delaying people 2 hours on Fridays & Sundays the weekend before Labor Day. I-35 through that area has construction most years and is a real choke point for so many Minnesotans trying to squeeze through to the Arrowhead for summer weekends.

Surprised myself on a trip through Duluth in August -- the through-town three year freeway project had been completed.

GettinAway · 09-19-2012, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

Hey Jeff -- How'd your trip turn out? We just got back from a long weekend at Grand Marais, MN. I love that lake.

Construction south of Duluth was delaying people 2 hours on Fridays & Sundays the weekend before Labor Day. I-35 through that area has construction most years and is a real choke point for so many Minnesotans trying to squeeze through to the Arrowhead for summer weekends.

Surprised myself on a trip through Duluth in August -- the through-town three year freeway project had been completed.

I'm glad you asked, and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to reply.. Work gets in the way sometimes..

We took off on a Thursday afternoon, and made it up to Prairie Du Chein. By the time we got there it was pretty late. So finding a CG was difficult..
We drove by a huge Cabella's and I thought, I've spent enough $$ there over the years, I'm pulling in. It was a peaceful night. We slept like logs. In fact, the next morning we found out we weren't in a retail lot, but a distribution center, employee lot. We were surrounded by cars from the early shift. We could hardly get out of the lot!
We had a uneventful day on Friday going on up to Duluth. We got there so early, I didn't want to stay there. I thought we'd be able to find some place to camp along Lake Superior.. I thought wrong. Every CG was booked up. Private, State, and Federal.. So we dry camped again. Went up into Superior National Forest, and just parked it. Another good night's rest. Needless to say we made it to Sleeping Giant early the next day..
Here's our site there.. We didn't plan ahead, and had the last site I'd normally pick, but it was still all right.

Sleeping Giant is a pretty nice place. We kayaked, hiked, and took it easy.
The hike was a tough one for us. It's 14K each way to get to the top of Sleeping Giant.. I thought it was worth the trip.. My wife, maybe not so much.

This is the view from the top.. Plus some of the trail..

I'll have to finish this later.. Gotta get some work done..
Jeff

tphan · 09-19-2012, 09:13 AM

Sleeping Giant looks like it would have amazing rock-climbing! So what month did you do your trip? Is there any month with warmish weather when one would have luck finding non-reserved campsites?

GettinAway · 09-20-2012, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tphan

Sleeping Giant looks like it would have amazing rock-climbing! So what month did you do your trip? Is there any month with warmish weather when one would have luck finding non-reserved campsites?

tphan,
We found late August to be perfect. Cool temps during the day, and nice evening temps. We had one day of rain, but it was the travel day from Pukaskwa NP down to Mackinaw City..
As far as rock climbing is concerned, I really don't know. The cliff from the top of Sleeping Giant is straight down. It has to be the most sheer cliff I've ever been on, of that height.

GettinAway · 09-20-2012, 10:21 AM

We went from Sleeping Giant to Pukaskwa.
I liked the campsite at Pukaskwa much better.

The Kayaking was outstanding.. Out in Superior, and just in the cove by Pukaskwa..
Then it was on down to Mackinaw City and Wilderness State Park.
What a change. Wilderness was a very "compact" CG with tents and trailers packed on top of each other. We basically just slept there. Spent the day over on Mackinaw Island, and did the tourist stuff.
The bridge is cool..

I think I understand the campfire thread now. We had a great campfire at Pukaskwa, but had no desire to have one at Wilderness.. Way to crowded..
Pukaskwa..

I did not take a pic at Wilderness..
Great Trip!! We will go back.
Jeff

GettinAway · 10-01-2012, 04:39 AM

I forgot to mention, if you go to Pukaskwa, stop at Karen's Kountry Kitchen for lunch or dinner. (It's about 15 minutes from the entrance to Pukaskwa NP.) Great food and service. Our waiter told us it was voted in top 50 places to eat in Canada.. Not sure it was that good, and the prices were way to low for that..

View from the table.. Not bad.

GettinAway · 10-01-2012, 07:31 AM

I said Karen's was on the way to Pukaskwa NP.. It is on the way to Sleeping Giant Prov Park!! Sorry about that. I can't edit for some reason. Sorry for the confusion.. Senior moment!!

RangerJay · 10-01-2012, 08:26 AM

Great pictures - and looks like you had a terrific time.

Although we live in Northwestern Ontario we have lots of family in Southern Ontario - which means we get to do the run on Superiors North Shore pretty much every year - after many decades of doing this stretch of highway we have never tired of it - in fact it remains one of our favourite chunks of the world ...... (having said that - it is not such a great piece of road in the dead of winter during a snowstorm ...... )

Jay

GettinAway · 10-02-2012, 02:35 AM

We really liked it up there, and will go back.
It's very "not touristy" there. Not a lot of shopping, or restaurants. Very nice in my opinion. It was culture shock to get to Mackinaw Island after gong around the north shore. Ha

BAB · 10-02-2012, 06:30 AM

...was at Gooseberry Falls SP, MN two weeks ago. What a wonderful campground! Our site was isolated on three sides by trees, brush....completely private. No hookups (but who needs them with an A/S?). A couple of hours a day with the Honda 2000 and we were good. Leaves just starting to color. Want to do the whole N. shore as soon as I can schedule it.

GettinAway · 10-03-2012, 02:44 AM

Looks cool. When we went through there the signs were all reading "campground full."
That was the night we ended up just parking off the road in Superior National Forest, dry camping. That area is beautiful. Someday I'll have more than seven days at a time to visit.. Someday..