I wanted more pictures for a 10 and now you have added them. Sounds like a very cool hike. I need to get up to the Porkies someday. I hear that it is wonderful. What would you do different to stay warmer at night?
the porcupine mountains are quite wonderful indeed!
i had a 20 degree bag with a fleece liner and i was plenty warm...my problem was finding a non-lumpy area to sleep :)
also, if we had been able to keep a better fire going (any suggestions on getting dry wood in winter?) we could have stayed much warmer before bed...all in all it was not awful though, and the cold was bearable enough to make it a very enjoyable experience
Thank you for the vote, this was my first time making a trip report so it took me a little bit to figure out how I wanted to have it layed out. The Porkies are beautiful and luckily right in my backyard. The only time I got really cold was during the night in my tent and I think that was primarily because my feet were touching up against my nalgenes stored at the bottom of the sleeping bag. A few more pairs of thick wool socks or maybe some winter bootys would have done the trick for keeping me warm. Next time, right? :)
I actually brought a set of clothes exclusively for sleeping (no sweat or dust), as I was told this was very important. However, I had to store all my "day clothes" in the sleeping bag even if they were a little damp, to prevent them from getting icy. They served as good insulation, so I stayed relatively warm, but it just seemed a little unnecessary to put different clothes on.
I woke up several times feeling a little chilly (because of the slightly damp day clothes?), so I tensed and untensed all my muscles over and over again. It really does help you warm up and get back to sleep for a little while longer (I gratefully got about 7 hours of sleep, in 1-1.5 hour intervals).
One more thing: if you bring any of those handy-dandy "hot hands" heat pads, put one between your liner sock and wool sock BEFORE you get out of the sleeping bag. Let them warm your feet up before you don your incredibly cold boots.
Thanks for the vote and the respond, I tried to be as honest about the trip as I could. We originally planned to do the Lake Superior loop that connects with the Big Carp River trail but due to unplowed access roads and our under-estimation of snowfall we quickly decided to change to a nice relaxing trip on the Escarpment Trail up to the Lake of the Clouds. The trailhead started at a parking lot near the Cuyahoga Creek. I think it was about 6 miles in then we returned by the same route. I totally forgot to add a section about our route and getting there so thanks for bringing that to my attention. peace.
report and awesome pics. Its really incredible the lack of snow this year. The Porkies are usually buried under 3-4' of snow by January. I've want to get over to the Porkies or Pictured Rocks this winter but I'm running out of time! Thanks for making it painfully clear what I'm missing out on:) Great report! Cheers,
-Dan
Thanks a lot Dan. I've always loved the Porcupine Mountains and getting a chance to experience them in the winter was absolutely amazing. I've a good feelin' the snow will come soon...hopefully you get a chance to make it over this way, it's definitely worth it. Peace
-Karl
!!! This is damn random, so let me explain...
One of your pictures from this post showed up on Google when i was at work looking at pictures of MI, the porcupine mtns specifically as suggested to by a friend who was raised in MI. I find it so beautiful! so i saw the picture of you..or whomever standing in front of the fire at what looks to be dusk and i made an account just so that i could tell you what an amazing picture that is!!!! Well all of them really. I've never been winter camping or backpacking in the snow like this. I've done a great deal of hiking though..in yosemite, half dome, around many lakes and into the wilderness up north of here to waterfalls and the like. This blog will be sweet to get going with pictures i have and stuff...but so that you know, you made me do it! Thank you!
The name is Lindsay btw. nice to meet you!
haha, that was an awesome message Lindsay, thanks for the comments. Winter camping was amazing and this trip was the first time I actually tried it and i can say i honestly love it. A few friends of mine are going up into the Keweenaw of MI in about a month for another round of winter camping and i'm really looking forward to that. I'd love to get out west and do some hiking up in the "real" mountains someday, so time will tell what comes of that. You'll have to let me know when you get your pictures put up so I can check them out.
Thanks for commenting, I've been up to the Porkies quite a few times now and I absolutely love it there. This winter camping trip was intense but by far one of my favorite camping experiences. The boys and I weren't quite prepared for extended winter camping but we sure did have a blast giving it a try. We've done a few more winter excursions since then but the talk around the campfire seems to always come back to "remember that one time in the porkies" :)
Holsti97 - Jan 16, 2007 10:42 am - Voted 10/10
Just raised my vote.I wanted more pictures for a 10 and now you have added them. Sounds like a very cool hike. I need to get up to the Porkies someday. I hear that it is wonderful. What would you do different to stay warmer at night?
stinkycheezman33 - Jan 16, 2007 2:35 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Just raised my vote.the porcupine mountains are quite wonderful indeed!
i had a 20 degree bag with a fleece liner and i was plenty warm...my problem was finding a non-lumpy area to sleep :)
also, if we had been able to keep a better fire going (any suggestions on getting dry wood in winter?) we could have stayed much warmer before bed...all in all it was not awful though, and the cold was bearable enough to make it a very enjoyable experience
KRomanIV - Jan 16, 2007 4:59 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Just raised my vote.Thank you for the vote, this was my first time making a trip report so it took me a little bit to figure out how I wanted to have it layed out. The Porkies are beautiful and luckily right in my backyard. The only time I got really cold was during the night in my tent and I think that was primarily because my feet were touching up against my nalgenes stored at the bottom of the sleeping bag. A few more pairs of thick wool socks or maybe some winter bootys would have done the trick for keeping me warm. Next time, right? :)
TLeFev - Jan 21, 2007 3:42 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Just raised my vote.I actually brought a set of clothes exclusively for sleeping (no sweat or dust), as I was told this was very important. However, I had to store all my "day clothes" in the sleeping bag even if they were a little damp, to prevent them from getting icy. They served as good insulation, so I stayed relatively warm, but it just seemed a little unnecessary to put different clothes on.
I woke up several times feeling a little chilly (because of the slightly damp day clothes?), so I tensed and untensed all my muscles over and over again. It really does help you warm up and get back to sleep for a little while longer (I gratefully got about 7 hours of sleep, in 1-1.5 hour intervals).
One more thing: if you bring any of those handy-dandy "hot hands" heat pads, put one between your liner sock and wool sock BEFORE you get out of the sleeping bag. Let them warm your feet up before you don your incredibly cold boots.
Arthur Digbee - Jan 18, 2007 8:12 pm - Voted 10/10
Great ReportSounds like a great trip, and it's good to hear an honest appraisal of what went right or wrong.
But what route did you take? Obviously you ended up on the Escarpment. Did you come up Big Carp or do the Mirror Lake route?
KRomanIV - Jan 19, 2007 2:47 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Great ReportThanks for the vote and the respond, I tried to be as honest about the trip as I could. We originally planned to do the Lake Superior loop that connects with the Big Carp River trail but due to unplowed access roads and our under-estimation of snowfall we quickly decided to change to a nice relaxing trip on the Escarpment Trail up to the Lake of the Clouds. The trailhead started at a parking lot near the Cuyahoga Creek. I think it was about 6 miles in then we returned by the same route. I totally forgot to add a section about our route and getting there so thanks for bringing that to my attention. peace.
dwhike - Feb 6, 2007 8:25 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice...report and awesome pics. Its really incredible the lack of snow this year. The Porkies are usually buried under 3-4' of snow by January. I've want to get over to the Porkies or Pictured Rocks this winter but I'm running out of time! Thanks for making it painfully clear what I'm missing out on:) Great report! Cheers,
-Dan
KRomanIV - Feb 7, 2007 4:21 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Nice...Thanks a lot Dan. I've always loved the Porcupine Mountains and getting a chance to experience them in the winter was absolutely amazing. I've a good feelin' the snow will come soon...hopefully you get a chance to make it over this way, it's definitely worth it. Peace
-Karl
catpower - Dec 19, 2007 3:19 pm - Voted 10/10
cold mtn!!! This is damn random, so let me explain...
One of your pictures from this post showed up on Google when i was at work looking at pictures of MI, the porcupine mtns specifically as suggested to by a friend who was raised in MI. I find it so beautiful! so i saw the picture of you..or whomever standing in front of the fire at what looks to be dusk and i made an account just so that i could tell you what an amazing picture that is!!!! Well all of them really. I've never been winter camping or backpacking in the snow like this. I've done a great deal of hiking though..in yosemite, half dome, around many lakes and into the wilderness up north of here to waterfalls and the like. This blog will be sweet to get going with pictures i have and stuff...but so that you know, you made me do it! Thank you!
The name is Lindsay btw. nice to meet you!
KRomanIV - Dec 19, 2007 6:36 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: cold mtnhaha, that was an awesome message Lindsay, thanks for the comments. Winter camping was amazing and this trip was the first time I actually tried it and i can say i honestly love it. A few friends of mine are going up into the Keweenaw of MI in about a month for another round of winter camping and i'm really looking forward to that. I'd love to get out west and do some hiking up in the "real" mountains someday, so time will tell what comes of that. You'll have to let me know when you get your pictures put up so I can check them out.
Great to meet ya,
-Karl
eruselow - Jul 16, 2008 12:05 pm - Voted 10/10
PorkiesAwesome trip report, awesome pics. I grew up in Ann Arbor and always loved going up to the Porkies.
KRomanIV - Aug 19, 2008 9:47 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: PorkiesThanks for commenting, I've been up to the Porkies quite a few times now and I absolutely love it there. This winter camping trip was intense but by far one of my favorite camping experiences. The boys and I weren't quite prepared for extended winter camping but we sure did have a blast giving it a try. We've done a few more winter excursions since then but the talk around the campfire seems to always come back to "remember that one time in the porkies" :)
Peace,
Karl