Sylvania Wilderness Canoeing and Porcupine Mountains State Park Sightseeing, Upper Peninsula, MI, September 30 - October 6, 2018

Sylvania Wilderness Canoeing and Porcupine Mountains State Park Sightseeing, Upper Peninsula, MI

Sunday, September 30 - Saturday, October 6, 2018 

Trip Leaders: Elden Hartman and Roger Coulter

Type of Trip:   Backpacking , Paddling and Sightseeing

Cost: $385

Cancellation Date and full payment: July 15, 2018

Adults and Teenagers, 14 or older with experience

Maximum number: 8

Minimum number: 7

Wilderness Level: 2               

Difficulty: Beginner to Moderate Level

• Hiking:
• • 18 miles total possible (mostly optional) / 7 miles daily max (mostly optional) 
  • Elevation Gain / Loss: Easy Trails in Sylvania Wilderness Moderate and Rugged Trails in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
  • Moderate and Rugged Trails in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Easy Trails in Sylvania Wilderness
    

• Canoeing:
• • 12 miles total possible (4 miles mandatory)8 miles daily max (optional)
  • wearing PDF required when leader directs.
  • Warm (above 65 degrees) calm waters – very little wind.
  • Cool waters / slightly windy, waves up to one foot: Yes
  • Challenges from wind & waves Possible
  • Portages: Longest portage on the optional loop paddle trips would be .5 (1/2) mile. Most are .1 to .2 (one to two-tenths) of mile. Terrain on the portages is easy with very little elevation change.  

We will leave early on Sunday and drive approximately 10 hours to the 60,000 acre Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park near Ontonagon, MI, bordering Lake Superior. We will spend three nights in an 8 bed (4 bunk beds) log cabin, without electricity or water, but with a wood stove and outhouse, about a mile hike from the road-side parking area. During our two full days at Porcupine Mountains, we will do some optional hiking of trails ranging from 2 to 8 miles in length, rated moderate to rugged. The scenery from the trails in the park is astounding.  On Wednesday morning, we will drive about 60 miles to the 18,000 acre Sylvania Wilderness near Watersmeet, MI. Sylvania Wilderness is part of Ottawa National Forest and features beautiful and pristine old growth forests, 34 lakes and 25 miles of hiking trails and portage trails.  After arriving, and getting our canoeing gear, we will paddle about one-mile from the boat landing to our two adjacent campsites on Clark Lake. We will do some optional hikes or canoeing loops in our three days there, and enjoy a side trip one day to the WI Northwoods resort town of Eagle River, WI, and a nice restaurant meal that evening before heading back to our campsites. We will leave early Saturday morning after breaking camp, and paddling to the landing. All meals and snacks will be provided, except for meals on the road going to Porcupine Mountains (lunch) and coming home from Sylvania Wilderness (breakfast and lunch), and lunch and dinner the day we go to Eagle River, WI and back.  The night-time low temperatures could be in the 30s or 40’s, with day-time highs in the 50’s and 60’s.