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Best 5 days if hiking in MN

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tjburns1

11/02/2011 10:45PM

My brother in law is leaving for the military and I am going to take him on a 5 day backpacking trip before he leaves. Just wondering what your choice would be. SHT, BRT, etc. Pretty much set at 5 days (his choice) so if one of the longer trails, where would you start and end? Thanks

I cannot make my days longer, so I strive to make them better. Paul Theroux

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mc2mens

11/02/2011 11:05PM

I would consider the Superior Trail. Another place that has quite a bit of good backpacking and hiking in MN is at Itasca State Park.

"Big fish eat little fish."

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tjburns1

11/02/2011 11:14PM

I've been to Itasca, I just didn't think of backpacking there, I will have to look into it. I've done a ton of research and have a ton of possibilities, just trying to narrow it down a little bit.

I cannot make my days longer, so I strive to make them better. Paul Theroux

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fitgers1

11/03/2011 12:15AM

When is he leaving? If time allows, look into Isle Royale. Not Minnesota but it should be.
I second the Superior Hiking Trail.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Ralph Waldo Emerson...and...“Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".

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mc2mens

11/03/2011 08:18AM

quote tjburns1: "I've been to Itasca, I just didn't think of backpacking there, I will have to look into it. I've done a ton of research and have a ton of possibilities, just trying to narrow it down a little bit."

My son and I backpacked in and camped for a long weekend a couple of summers ago. We had a sweet campsite beside Whipple Lake. We did day hikes from there. The hiking was good. Large stands of old growth pine forest. Heard wolves howl over a kill one morning. Whipple Lake had a Trumpeter Swan family on it. They did their calling thing each night. Very strange sounds come out of those birds. They sound prehistoric.

"Big fish eat little fish."

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mooseplums

11/03/2011 12:45PM

Superior Hiking Trail has many options, and can be done in sections.

"I am haunted by waters"~Norman Maclean "A River Runs Through It"

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Woodtick

11/03/2011 04:58PM

Do the coastal hiking trail in Pukaskwa national park. Get a boat shuttle to take you half way out on the trail and the hike/backpack your way back to your vehicle at the park headquarters. This time of year, I'd bet you'd have the whole trail to yourselves.

Isle royale is another good one.

BRT would be the one I'd choose if staying within MN.

The sioux hustler trail could be another good one. Haven't been on it; but have heard it's pretty primitive.

SHT is better for day trips in my opinion.

When are you thinking of going?

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tjburns1

11/03/2011 07:50PM

Looking at late May, early June, possibly over spring break, as he is finishing his senior year of high school.

I cannot make my days longer, so I strive to make them better. Paul Theroux

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Woodtick

11/03/2011 09:10PM

Late May is a good time to do Pukaskwa... It's like the BWCA, but on roids. Bigger rocks and bigger water (tress are the same though - except no pines, just spruce, balsam fir, cedar, and birch).

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jwartman59

11/04/2011 12:07AM

sioux hustler trail, i've tried it solo and got half way and turned back. really nice country, wild trail and scary to solo packpack.

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talusman

11/04/2011 08:29AM

Sioux Hustler and Snowbank are both around 32 miles. Kekeekabic about 40. Border Route Trail between 50 and 65 or you could do half at around 32. Superior Hiking Trail has a lot of options and if it's buggy take a hike on the ridgeline. Lots of options on Isle Royale and it shouldn't be too busy that time of year.
Ah, hiking northern Minnesota.

He's a rolling stone, and it's bred in the bone; He's a man who won't fit in.

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MrBreeze

11/04/2011 04:06PM

I have hiked the SHT on a lot of sections. My favorite goes through Crosby Manitou State park. Could start at trail head on hwy 1 and come out at any state park. Rangers will give you a return trip if you set it up and donate a little to the parks.

Have found that campsites on the SHT are sometimes difficult to find, they seem to expect you to take spur trails to the state parks but as most of you know, camping in those parks on weekends is difficult, crowded and not that much fun.

I like the Kek or Border trail if it were me, bring plenty of bug spray for those two.

I wish I were, I wish I might, I wish I was in the BWCA tonite!

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tjburns1

11/04/2011 06:14PM

Man that Pukaskwa Coastal Hiking Trail looks awesome. I think thats the one, or I might save it for a solo.

I cannot make my days longer, so I strive to make them better. Paul Theroux

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boonie

11/04/2011 09:40PM

quote jwartman59: "sioux hustler trail, i've tried it solo and got half way and turned back. really nice country, wild trail and scary to solo packpack."

I've entered at #14 Little Indian Sioux North and #16 Moose River North and liked the area. I've always been interested in hiking some of it, but have heard parts may be hard to follow. Which direction did you go and why did you turn around?

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Woodtick

11/05/2011 09:08AM

quote tjburns1: "Man that Pukaskwa Coastal Hiking Trail looks awesome. I think thats the one, or I might save it for a solo."

In my book, it doesn't get any better than that in the great lakes region. It's got it all: stunning scenery, no crowds, and wilderness.

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jwartman59

11/05/2011 09:20AM

i tried to do the loop counter clockwise. i missed the turn where you cross to the beaver dam after about a mile on the logging road. it was downhill from there. but very pretty. sections of the trail were hard to find, as i was solo, and loosing the trail too often, i felt it would be wise to backtrack, still loosing the trail. had i been with someone it would have been much easier, have someone stay at the last known trail and have the other search for the missing section.

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Savage Voyageur

11/05/2011 09:29AM

I would vote for Isle Royale for a five day trip. You can hike from one end to the other in five days. The ferry drops you off on one end and picks you up on the other end. The ferry goes to one harbor on odd days and other harbor on even days. It is a great time, you need to go there.

"So many lakes, so little time."

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carmike

11/05/2011 11:36PM

For what it's worth, Harriet Quarles runs a shuttle service up and down the Superior Hiking Trail....there are some pretty awesome hikes that you can piece together if you've got five days, and a shuttle makes them convenient and easy to organize.

Here's the Yahoo group page for the SHT...you'll find everything you need there: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hiker/

Carmike

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mooseplums

11/06/2011 07:50AM

quote carmike: "For what it's worth, Harriet Quarles runs a shuttle service up and down the Superior Hiking Trail....there are some pretty awesome hikes that you can piece together if you've got five days, and a shuttle makes them convenient and easy to organize.

Here's the Yahoo group page for the SHT...you'll find everything you need there: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hiker/

Carmike"

There is also a book about the SHT showing and giving a description of all the possibilities. I did a 4 dayer there last August.
Also, I 2nd the stretch of the trail that goes through George Crosby Manitou State park. Lots of overlooks, and a bit more rugged than others. Particularly from the park to Caribou Wayside.

"I am haunted by waters"~Norman Maclean "A River Runs Through It"

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boonie

11/06/2011 10:33AM

quote jwartman59: "i tried to do the loop counter clockwise. i missed the turn where you cross to the beaver dam after about a mile on the logging road. it was downhill from there. but very pretty. sections of the trail were hard to find, as i was solo, and loosing the trail too often, i felt it would be wise to backtrack, still loosing the trail. had i been with someone it would have been much easier, have someone stay at the last known trail and have the other search for the missing section."

I think it would be easy to get turned around in there and wander a bit.

I've read a couple of reports of people hiking it, but that's been quite a while ago. They reported difficulty following it many times.

I don't know of any sites with GPS waypoints - does anyone know of any?

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schweady

11/06/2011 07:20PM

Just saw an incredible PBS show last night on the Milford Track. But, then, 5 days would be a bit quick for a trip to New Zealand... Gorgeous, though. Added it to my bucket list...

"You can observe a lot by watching." -- Yogi Berra

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