Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
and Sylvania Wilderness
Upper Peninsula, Michigan
September 1-6, 2019
Co-Trip Leaders: Elden Hartman and Roger Coulter
Type of Trip: Paddling/Backpacking/Sightseeing
Trip Cost/Deposit: $360/$180
Cancellation Date and full payment: July 5, 2019
Wilderness Level: 2 Medium Risk
Trip Difficulty: Beginner to Moderate Level
Group Size: 9/7 Maximum/Minimum
Adults and Teenagers, 14 or older with experience
Hiking:
Canoeing:
We will meet at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 1, 2019 at a retail store parking lot where multiple-night parking is allowed. We will travel in the club’s van approximately 9 hours to the 60,000 acre Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park near Ontonagon, MI, bordering Lake Superior. We will spend 3 nights in an 8-bed (4 bunk beds) rustic cabin (no water or electricity) with a wood-burning stove and outhouse. During our two full days at the park, we will do some optional hiking on trails 2 to 8 miles in length, rated moderate to rugged. On Wednesday morning we will drive 45 miles to Sylvania Wilderness in Ottawa National Forest, near Watersmeet, MI. The Sylvania Wilderness Recreation Area is 18,000 acres of beautiful pristine old growth forests, 24 lakes and 25 miles of hiking and portage trails. There are several options for camping, either in the park campground or in designated campsites on one of the lakes. There are hiking trails and canoeing loop trails we can explore. We could also take a trip into civilization and visit the resort town of Eagle River, WI about 20 miles from Sylvania Wilderness. Some canoeing experience is recommended for Sylvania Wilderness. Experience and conditioning to hike rugged trails is recommended for Porcupine Mountains. The canoeing loop trips and rugged hikes will be optional, and we will avoid canoeing long distances in windy conditions. All meals and snacks will be provided except for lunch on way to Porcupine Mountains, lunch on way home, and lunch in Eagle River if we go there. We will leave Sylvania Wilderness early on Friday, September 6, 2019 and drive home. The average temperatures in the UP of MI during first week of September are highs in the upper 60’s and lows in the mid-50’s.
All trip participants must fill out and submit a CIWC Medical Form and Long Waiver Form.