Superior Hiking Trail: Two Brother's First Hike

[Skip2myLucas]

Hello Hiking Community,

My Brother and I have decided to backpack the Superior Hiking trail in Mid May. We will be designating 10 days to travel SOBO from Otter Lake to Castle Danger (200 miles?). This will be our first ever experience with backpacking, we are FIRED UP and putting in a lot of research! I've purchased the seventh edition Guidebook along with combing the Net for info.

I wanted to post this thread in hopes of receiving some invaluable tips from experienced hikers. Any general tips, techniques, and/or info on the SHT would be spectacular and greatly appreciated! We are hoping this is a precursor to a longer adventure on the AT or PCT.

Here are a few questions that come to mind at this juncture;

Weather conditions: Any good websites for researching past/future trends? Past SHT experiences during this time of year.

Footwear: Have read about the debate between Hiking Boots vs Running shoes, thoughts?

Sleeping Bag: Looking for a versatile bag that's lightweight.

Cooking system: Suggestions please. My cousins who hunts likes the JetBoil (too heavy?)

Campsites and Re-supply sites: Any favorite sites? Places to leave food caches? Was thinking possibly Lutsen Mountains Rec Area (halfway).

Trekking Poles: Beneficial or overkill for this 200 mile journey?

^^^ What I think we have figured out;

Shelter: Hennessey Explorer Deluxe and Expedition hammocks. Cousins generously letting us borrow.

Water system: Sawyer mini with a few platypus reservoirs. Couple bottled water bottles.

Backpacks: Both of us have packs, 60 and 75 liter.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP!

[fins1838]

I would go hiking poles for sure. Think most people like them. Get collapsible ones. If you don't like them, strap them to your bag & truck on.

[fins1838]

I have a pocket rocket & it weighs next to nothing. But save some $ & go to amazon & buy one similar to it. Cost like $7 & works just as well.

[Skip2myLucas]

Thanks for the advice, Fins! We'll look into those tips.

[bfayer]

In May, Head nets and bug spray and long sleeve everything.

[Skip2myLucas]

Ohhhhh boy... We were hoping the bugs wouldn't be too bad until June. Any suggestions on bug repellant and inexpensive yet effective headnets?

[bfayer]

Ohhhhh boy... We were hoping the bugs wouldn't be too bad until June. Any suggestions on bug repellant and inexpensive yet effective headnets?

Black Fly season can start as early as mid May and run thru Jun depending on how cold the winter was. This year is about as cold as it gets so that should be in your favor. Since you don't know when they will show up, you need to be ready for them.

Don't let it effect your plans, just have head nets and the more Deet the better, and make sure you have clothes to cover all exposed skin. If you have never dealt with black flys before, they are not like mosquitoes, they actually take little chunks of flesh with them when they bite, not fun if you can't cover up. They are what they are, be prepared and go hike.

[lonehiker]

I re-supplied in Grand Marais and Finland.

[Skip2myLucas]

bfayer: We definitely won't let them get us down! Thanks for the advice.

lonehiker: did you drop them at the post offices? How far off trail was each? Thank you.

[Slosteppin]

You have never backpacked and you are planning 20 miles a day for 10 days??? I think you are planning too much daily mileage.

I prefer running shoes. On that trail in May I would want waterproof shoes.

I would suggest a bag rated at least 20 F.

When I hiked part of the SHT 6 years ago we used a wood burning stove. Are you going to cook or just boil water? The Jetboil is very efficient at boiling water. How many canisters will you carry? Enough for 2 people for10 days can get heavy and bulky.

I would (did) use trekking poles. There are some hilly areas. Black diamond are the best IMHO.

Will you have underquilts for the hammocks? Foam pads or windshield reflectors are cheap substitutes, also not comfortable.

Hello Hiking Community,

My Brother and I have decided to backpack the Superior Hiking trail in Mid May. We will be designating 10 days to travel SOBO from Otter Lake to Castle Danger (200 miles?). This will be our first ever experience with backpacking, we are FIRED UP and putting in a lot of research! I've purchased the seventh edition Guidebook along with combing the Net for info.

I wanted to post this thread in hopes of receiving some invaluable tips from experienced hikers. Any general tips, techniques, and/or info on the SHT would be spectacular and greatly appreciated! We are hoping this is a precursor to a longer adventure on the AT or PCT.

Here are a few questions that come to mind at this juncture;

Weather conditions: Any good websites for researching past/future trends? Past SHT experiences during this time of year.

Footwear: Have read about the debate between Hiking Boots vs Running shoes, thoughts?

Sleeping Bag: Looking for a versatile bag that's lightweight.

Cooking system: Suggestions please. My cousins who hunts likes the JetBoil (too heavy?)

Campsites and Re-supply sites: Any favorite sites? Places to leave food caches? Was thinking possibly Lutsen Mountains Rec Area (halfway).

Trekking Poles: Beneficial or overkill for this 200 mile journey?

^^^ What I think we have figured out;

Shelter: Hennessey Explorer Deluxe and Expedition hammocks. Cousins generously letting us borrow.

Water system: Sawyer mini with a few platypus reservoirs. Couple bottled water bottles.

Backpacks: Both of us have packs, 60 and 75 liter.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP!

[Skip2myLucas]

Slosteppin, thanks for your response! Yes we figured that this mileage is aggressive, but we want to test ourselves and believe we can do it. If we need to slow the pace down we certainly will.

Waterproof footwear: would I then turn my focus to hiking shoes or hiking boots? Are boots going to be to heavy for this type of trip and future long(er) trips?

Cooking system: I believe we are going to be cooking, mainly the dehydrated meals (Mountain House). This area I'm very unfamiliar...? But not boiling water... The Sawyer system.

Trekking Poles: definitely going to look into these puppies.

hammocks: The hammock setups we are borrowing have the 'radiant double bubble pads'.

[bfayer]

I have been accused of being a Jetboil fanboy, but for trips like yours, with longer distances between resupply and no or limited real cooking, the Jetboil really shines. The extra weight over other canister stoves is more than offset by the fuel economy on longer trips.

[OCDave]

..This will be our first ever experience with backpacking, we are FIRED UP and putting in a lot of research!...

You might consider a few shorter, possibly even very close to your car, experiences, as research prior to leaving for MN. Especially, try those borrowed hammocks in 30 degree temps while you have a bailout option available. It would suck to be 195 miles from your car when you find out you don't like the equipment you've brought. A lot of research!

Good Luck

[Skip2myLucas]

Bfayer, going to check out the JetBoil for sure! How many canisters would you guess we'd run through if we just mainly ate dinner with it?

OCDave, we are planning to do two mini trips before we get out in the thick of it. With the way this Midwest winter has been treating us 30 degrees should be easily found, hopefully SOON! Thanks for the response and well wishes.

[bfayer]

Bfayer, going to check out the JetBoil for sure! How many canisters would you guess we'd run through if we just mainly ate dinner with it?

OCDave, we are planning to do two mini trips before we get out in the thick of it. With the way this Midwest winter has been treating us 30 degrees should be easily found, hopefully SOON! Thanks for the response and well wishes.

My kids and I did Isle Royale a couple of years ago. 5 days, 2 to 3 boils a day for 3 people, and we used less than one 110 gm canister. For solo weekend trips, I can't tell you, I just take the one I last used and a new one, then swap when the used one is empty. I don't swap very often. Other trips involve Boy Scouts and they like to cook real food so we don't use my jetboil except for a back up.

If you do actual cooking, plan accordingly, real cooking eats fuel with any stove.

Edit: The above fuel use was for freezer bag cooking. Boil water, pour water in bag with food, put bag in cozy, and wait about 15 minutes. The stove is only on long enough to boil the water.

[map man]

I hiked three consecutive years (06, 07 and 08) for two weeks in May ending on Memorial Day weekend each year so I have a lot of experience on this trail during the time you will be hiking.

Weather.com has listings of daily average and record highs and lows and should be helpful. Look up a town like Isabella MN (even though it's not on the trail) instead of the trail towns like Grand Marais that are right on the lake, because the lake effect makes the weather different on the lake than even 3 or 4 miles inland where you will be doing most of your hiking -- lows will be lower and highs will be higher inland than they will be on the lake. Average lows will be low 40s (record lows in the 20s) and average highs will be in the 60s during the time you will be hiking. Usually at least one night would get below freezing in the three years that I hiked. I got snow with little accumulation twice.

Shoes. I wore boots on my very first SHT hike and suffered knee pain (IT band) the entire second week of the hike. Since I switched to lighter trail runners I have never had this problem again in hikes since.

Lonehiker's suggestion to resupply in Grand Marais and Finland is a very good one. Even though Grand Marais is only a little over 50 miles from the north terminus I would start with four days of food just to be on the safe side. I planned to do at least 15 miles a day on my very first hike on the SHT but that was too optimistic -- many people make this same mistake in their early days backpacking.

Insects. One year was warmer than average and I started noticing some mosquitoes in the last 3 or 4 days before Memorial Day. My other two hikes were colder than usual and the mosquitoes were not out yet. It varies year to year but in a typical year they will not be bad in mid May. I have never experienced black flies in many years of hiking the SHT -- maybe I'm lucky. I have experienced gnats in May, but they are spotty and they don't annoy you by biting -- they will annoy you by hovering in front of your face to collect the CO2 you are exhaling. I do remember one evening meal when I was glad I had a headnet because of the gnats.

The tentsites are very nice (and frequent) with multiple places to hammock or tent and benches around a fire ring at each site. Almost all tentsites have good water sources -- these will be rivers, streams, or ponds (not springs). Each tentsite has a latrine as well. Every few days you will go through a state park and paying for a tentsite in the parks is a good way to get a shower every two or three days if you wish. No need for park reservations that time of year except for Friday and Saturday nights.

I created a cheat sheet (in Word format) for the northern-most 200 miles of the SHT with mileages between tent sites and major road crossings, as well as other information. I've sent it to three or four WB members upon request over the years and would be happy to send it to you if you send me a PM with your e-mail address.

Here are links to some recent WB threads on the SHT:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...r-Hiking-Trail

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-Hiking-Advice

[Skip2myLucas]

WOW! That is exactly why I started this thread. Thank you, Map Man!

That is precisely the same timeframe we will be hiking the trail. Invaluable information.

[lonehiker]

lonehiker: did you drop them at the post offices? How far off trail was each? Thank you.

I didn't do mail drops but purchased from local stores. Grocery store in Grand Marais and the COOP in Finland. Grand Marais is a couple miles but I hitched and got a ride within minutes. Finland was about a mile or so. Was walking and decided to stick out my thumb and second vehicle picked me up. Talked to locals and got ride back to trail. Very friendly people in both towns.

[Skip2myLucas]

We will consider doing the same. Thank you, lonehiker!

[Dogwood]

Good stuff. You might consider throwing in a nero or a zero someplace convenient into the hike, say mid trip. You'll have long days but planning 10 straight 20 mile days on your first long hike might be iffy especially if your sibling and you are competitive with each other which might lead to ignoring listening to your body. Consider building a smidgen of flexibility into your schedule. Be ONE with the hike. Flow.