The Trip that Wasn’t Meant to Be
Since we started backpacking, Yosemite National Park has been on our radar as a must visit destination. We decided that 2017 was going to be the year that we finally made the trip. Initially, we did not realize what was involved logistically for a trip like this. It would take too long to drive there, so we would need to fly to California. However, the nearest airport is still a few hour drive from the park. Also, some items required for the hike, such as our fuel for the stove, cannot be transported by plane and would need to be purchased once we arrived. Add these concerns to the fact that only a limited number of backcountry permits are issued, and the planning for the trip quickly becomes very significant.
The trip was planned for late June. We felt that this was the perfect time for the weather to be warm enough, but before peak season for the crowds. Preparations began late in 2016, to ensure that everything was in place. On the day that the permits opened up for our trailhead, I was faxing our application at 4am. Luckily, that was good enough, and we were granted our requested permits. We then proceeded to purchase airline tickets, and make reservations for a hotel for the first and last night, as well as a rental car.
Excitement built as we got closer to the trip. All of the details were locked down, and we had studied the park maps so much that we felt like we already knew the area. We had also been closely monitoring the trail conditions and the weather. That winter, there was heavier than normal snowfall in that area, and many of the trails were still covered in snow. Even more concerning is that the road that goes through the park (and to the trailhead we were starting from) is closed in the winter, and only opens once all of the snow is cleared. While it is almost always open by our departure date, the opening kept getting delayed.
Our excitement turned to disappointment when we received a letter in the mail from the National Park Service. It stated that due to the snowfall, and the amount of snow that was remaining on the trails, they highly recommended that backcountry trips at that time be cancelled. We were heartbroken, but quickly started the search for another destination with more favorable weather conditions.
There were a few considerations that we kept in mind as we were looking for a new destination. For one, we still planned on going to Yosemite the following year, which was going to be an expensive backpacking trip. So, we wanted to keep the cost of this “replacement trip” in check. Since our vacation was planned for late June, many of the southern locations would be too warm for a comfortable backpacking trip, and therefore would not work. Another thought was whether we would be able to get permits this late, if they were required. And finally, the Yosemite trip was going to be our longest backpacking trip to date, so we wanted a trail that was equally as long, so that we could spend several days on the trail.
After an exhaustive search, we decided on the North Country Trail section that goes through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It would be a 42 mile hike that we would split up over 5 days. The hike would be a little longer than what we planned in Yosemite, however, with it being along a lakeshore, and without the elevation, it wouldn’t be as difficult. We would park at the Munising visitor center, have a shuttle take us to the Grand Sable visitor center, and then hike back to the car. The interesting part of planning this trip is that there are 13 backcountry campsites along this section. Each of which requires a permit for the night that you are staying there. Therefore, careful planning was required to determine which campsites to stay at based upon considerations such as mileage and water availability (not all were directly next to Lake Superior).
The day finally came for us to embark on our journey. Packing was pretty easy, as we didn’t have the special considerations that we would have had with the Yosemite trip. About the only thing out of the ordinary that we brought were head nets for the mosquitos, as we heard they could be particularly annoying in this area. We left early on Friday, June 23rd, to make the 12 hour drive to Escanaba, MI. That would put us about an hour from Munising, where we would meet the shuttle the following morning. The plan was to spend one night in Escanaba, four nights on the trail, come back to Escanaba for a night, then spend two nights in Wisconsin Dells for a “civilized vacation”. We would then arrive back home late on July 1st.
The drive to Escanaba was enjoyable. The weather was great, and there really wasn’t much traffic to contend with. We had not previously traveled through Wisconsin or Michigan, so we enjoyed taking in the new scenery. It was especially neat to drive past landmarks such as Lambeau Field.
Escanaba is a small town, so finding our hotel was fairly easy. We only unpacked what we needed, as we knew we would be heading back out early the following morning. As it always happens the night before any big event, it was difficult to get to sleep. We both woke up before our alarms. So, we loaded up, and headed to Munising.
Getting there early provided us some time to roam around the town before we were due to meet the shuttle. I decided that I didn’t want to wear my good sunglasses on the trail, so we stopped at a convenience store to find some cheap ones. I was able to find some that would serve the purpose, and Tammy decided that she needed some, too. After that, we figured the best course of action would be to head to the visitor center, and wait.
This would be the first time that we have been shuttled to the start of a trail. It was a little nerve racking knowing that if we forgot something at the beginning of the hike, we couldn’t run back to the car and grab it. We waited a while, and more people showed up in the parking lot. After a little bit, the shuttle arrived, and we all climbed aboard.
The shuttle driver was an older gentleman, who appeared to really enjoy his job. He was gladly sharing information about the area with the hikers, who were all excited to get to their trailheads. We enjoyed listening to his stories about bear sightings, and how the forest was becoming overrun with chipmunks. We made several stops along the way to let hikers out at different locations. By the time we made it to our trailhead, we were the only ones on the shuttle.
Watching the shuttle drive away was an interesting experience. We took a second to soak in the fact that we would have to walk 42 miles to get back to the car. Once that settled in, we took a brief moment to check out the small visitor center, then headed across the road to the trailhead. As we stopped for our mandatory trailhead selfie, Tammy received a painful insect bite on her forehead. I then noticed a small bit of blood running down from the bite. We didn’t know what kind of insect that was, but we knew it wasn’t a mosquito. We later learned that the insect was what was referred to in the area as a “black fly”. These flys have mouthparts that will slice the skin, which allows them to lap up the blood as it emerges. After that, we decided that it was probably a good idea to go ahead and apply some bug spray.
The first few miles of the trail ran through the forest, and past a small lake. The scenery was wonderful, and the weather was amazing. It was the perfect temperature to be comfortable hiking in a t-shirt and pants. Some of the forest floor was covered in ferns that were bigger than we had ever seen. Many of them were chest high. And we also found out that the shuttle driver was not lying about the chipmunks. In some places, it was like the forest floor was moving because of all of the chipmunks running through the vegetation.
After a couple miles, we found a place to stop for lunch. We found the perfect log to sit on, where we could relax, and reflect on this place. Once we finished eating, Tammy stood up, and immediately heard a crack under her foot. The cheap sunglasses she just purchased had fallen on the ground, and were now crushed. On the plus side, they were cheap sunglasses. However, now she would have to complete the trail without them.
We hiked a couple more miles, and the landscape dramatically changed. The forest opened up to sand dunes and Lake Superior. We were amazed at how blue-green the water was. It looked like a scene from the Caribbean. From a quick look at the map, we knew we had hiked about 5 miles, and our first campsite was only a couple miles away.
We weren’t really sure what to expect when we arrived at the campsite. This was the first time that we had stayed somewhere like this, where multiple people can make reservations in the same site. Once we arrived, we saw that the area was pretty spread out, and allowed for plenty of space between campers. The interesting thing that we found was that there was one bear box for the campsite. We ended up asking one of the other campers how that worked, and were told that everyone just puts their stuff in the same box.
Our mosquito head nets quickly became necessary once we were at camp. The number of mosquitos in the area made it difficult to sit and enjoy dinner, or to relax. It was strange to sit there and watch the mosquitos flying a few inches in front of your face, on the other side of the netting. We stayed outside of the tent for as long as we could stand, but then retreated inside.
The next morning, we awoke to quite different weather than we had the day before. The blue skies were replaced with clouds and drizzle, and there was a cold wind blowing in off of the lake. While the conditions were not ideal, we had appropriate clothing, so we layered up and headed off. We were excited about the sights that the day would bring, and knew that we had all day to hike about 7 miles.
The trail remained pretty close to the shoreline for most of the day. We passed a lighthouse, several streams, as well as other interesting features, such as a shipwreck site. Unfortunately though, the temperature did not seem to be increasing as the day progressed, and the wind kept blowing across the lake. By later in the afternoon, our excitement had been replaced with exhaustion. The cold, damp air had caused Tammy’s lung issues to begin to flare up, and by the time we reached that night’s campsite, we were both beyond ready for the day’s hike to be over.
That night’s campsite was very neat. It sat right along a stream, and it was large enough that the other campers were not in sight. We were also thrilled to see that the sun started to poke though the clouds. Granted, it didn’t help the temperature much, but it did help to boost our morale. Also, we found that the weather did provide one other advantage… there were no mosquitos!
We had arrived at the campsite with quite a bit of the day remaining. That was great, as it gave us the opportunity to wind down, and relax some. We set up the tent, refilled our water, and cooked dinner. Since we didn’t have to contend with the mosquitos, I set up our hammocks, so that we could relax in them. That was where things took a turn for the worse. As I was climbing in my hammock, somehow I flipped over backwards, and hit the back of my head on an exposed tree root as I hit the ground. Once I got over the initial shock, and assessed my condition, I believed I would be fine. I did have a pretty bad headache, but I figured that was probably to be expected, considering what had happened.
When we crawled into the tent that night, we both hoped that a good night’s sleep would rejuvenate us. Tammy’s lungs were still bothering her, and my head was throbbing. We were both able to get to sleep, but for me, that didn’t last long. I awoke to the tent spinning. I have had bouts of vertigo in the past, and it can be brought on by head trauma, so I wasn’t sure if that was what this was or it was a side affect of a concussion. My head was also still throbbing, and soon I added nausea and vomiting to the mix. I kept telling myself that if I could just get some sleep, I would be ok when I woke up. I did manage to doze off intermittently, but by morning, I was still in pretty rough shape.
The following morning brought more cold and damp weather. Neither of us were feeling top notch. Tammy ate breakfast, but I was still unable to keep any food down. We knew that we had to make a decision as to how to proceed. We reluctantly made the decision that we should not attempt to finish the trail, and we should find a way to get back to Munising. That in itself would be an issue, as we didn’t have any cell service, and there are only certain places along the trail that have access to a road. From where we were, we could backtrack 3 miles, and there was a campground with access to the road. The other option was to push forward. In 6 miles we would come to the Beaver Creek campsite. From there, there was a side trail that would take you to the Little Beaver Lake campground, which we could remember the shuttle dropping people off at on our first day. We decided to push forward, and at least see a little more of the trail before we left it.
The plan was to hike until lunchtime, then we would have a decent idea of when we should arrive at the Little Beaver Lake campground. At that point, we would use our satellite communicator to message my mom, and have her contact the shuttle company. We packed up, and headed out, knowing that we had 6+ miles to cover, and hopefully then we could get off the trail. Not much was spoken as we trudged down the trail. My balance was still not what it should be, so at some points I was struggling to walk in a straight line. At one point in the morning, I began to get the shakes, and figured I needed to eat something. I was able to keep down half of a granola bar, which seemed to help.
As lunchtime approached, we sent the following message to my mom with the satellite communicator: “This is Chris. Keep your phone handy. We're fine, but I may need your assistance in a bit. Please reply to this if you got it. Thanks.” Now, it is important to understand how satellite communicators such as this work. They send messages via normal text messages. However, the communication is rarely instant, as with a text. There is often a delay before the message is sent, and when one is received. This is even more apparent when there is tree cover, as it won’t send or receive until there is a clearing. Therefore, the best course of action is to send a message, then keep walking and hope it was received.
When lunchtime arrived we found a place to stop, take a break, and finalize our plan. Tammy ate, but I still did not have an appetite. We checked the communicator and saw that we had a message. Mom had replied: “Got it”, and “Now u have me worried”. We knew that we just needed to hike the rest of the way to the Beaver Creek campsite, and down the “short trial” to Little Beaver Lake campground. From where we were, we assumed we would be there by 3:30, so we would tell my mom to have the shuttle meet us at 4:30, just to give us some buffer. We wrote back to her: “We're not feeling well and want a shuttle. Please call 906-387-4845 and have them pick us up a Little Beaver Campground and take us back to Munising Falls. We will be at Little Beaver by 4:30 Eastern. Please text me back if this works out. I'll call you when we get service. Thanks.”
We took off hiking again. Some of the trail in this section was sand, which was making the hike even more difficult. We were trying to be upbeat when we would see something interesting, but the priority in both of our minds was getting off the trail.
As we hiked, we kept checking the communicator for a response from my mom, but we weren’t seeing one. We started to get a bit worried about whether our message went through, and if it did, was she able to contact the shuttle company. Worst case scenarios were running through our head. We thought that maybe when we reached Little Beaver Campground, we could see if we could pay someone camping there to take us back to town. If nothing else, we could camp there for the night, and try to catch the shuttle in the morning. It wouldn’t be ideal, but we had shelter, and enough supplies for two more nights, so we would be fine.
We made it to the Beaver Creek campsite, and shortly thereafter, to the side trail that would take us to the Little Beaver Campground. As we hiked down the side trail, we began to see mileage markers that had us confused. We stopped and checked the map, and somehow what we thought was a “short side trail” was over 3 miles long. We were almost to our ETA of 3:30, and now had 3 miles to hike in an hour to make it to where we were supposed to meet the shuttle at 4:30. That was all assuming that my mom was able to contact them, and everything worked out, since we still hadn’t received a message on the communicator.
We started to hustle down the trail as fast as we could, given our conditions. By this point, I was solely focused on getting to the campground by 4:30, and was praying that there would be a shuttle sitting there waiting for us. With about a mile left, Tammy sent me ahead, knowing that she could not go fast enough for us to make it in time, and if I got there, I could keep the shuttle there until she arrived. As my watch rolled over to 4:30, I reached a clearing, and realized that I had made it to the campground. Unfortunately, there were no campers, and even worse, no shuttle.
I frantically began to walk around the campground, trying to get cell service, or a connection with the communicator. I was having no luck with either. A few minutes went by, and Tammy emerged from the trail. After looking around for a moment she asked “Didn’t the shuttle drop off the other hikers further up the hill? Maybe it is up there.” I took off running up the hill, clinging to some chance that it was up there. As I rounded the corner at the top of the hill, I spotted the shuttle, with the same gentleman that dropped us off two days earlier sitting in the drivers seat.
As we began the trip back to town, I started to receive messages that Mom had sent to the communicator. They read: “If u r not there by 4:00 it will be tomorrow. The driver might wait a little but not long. I asked if there was another company nearby and he said no. Can u make that?” It was at that time that we realized the driver had waited at least a half hour for us to arrive. We could not express our gratitude enough. Once we got to town, he wouldn’t even accept a tip. He said he was just happy to help.
Once we loaded everything back in the car, I called Mom to let her know we were alright, and tell her what all happened. She said she was worried sick, and left work in the middle of the day because she couldn’t think about anything else but us. I did remind her that I said “We’re fine” in one of the messages, but that didn’t seem to matter. We then called the hotel in Escanaba to see if they had a vacancy for the night. They did, so we headed that way. Tammy had to drive, as my vertigo was still too bad for me to get behind the wheel. By this point I was also getting hungry as my half of a granola bar wasn’t keeping me satiated after what tuned out to be an almost ten mile hiking day.
When we got settled at the hotel, we began re-planning the rest of our vacation. We were now two days ahead of schedule, and didn’t want to head home that early. Tammy called the hotel where we had reservations in Wisconsin Dells to see if they could move our reservations up a couple days, and they agreed. So after a good night’s sleep, we headed that direction.
Our two days in the Dells were enjoyable. We really didn’t have much of a plan, so we casually toured the area, and even found a couple wineries nearby. We also used this time to decide how we were going to spend the next couple days. We decided to make it a tour of “roadside attractions” on our way home. We went to House on the Rock in Wisconsin, the Field of Dreams field in Iowa, as well as Captain Kirk’s future birthplace in Riverside, IA. That night was spent near Des Moines, and the following day we drove to Madison County to see the covered bridges on our way home.
As far as backpacking trips are concerned, this one definitely did not go as planned. However, overall I would still consider this a good trip. Also, since we got home a day early, we were able to attend my mom’s Independence Day party, which we originally thought we were going to miss. That party was the last time that I got to see my grandpa, as he passed away later that month. I am forever grateful that this trip turned out the way it did, so that I got that opportunity. I’m a firm believer that God has a plan, and that everything happens for a reason. He knew that with everything that happened on that vacation, the most important thing was that we made it back home for that party.