upcruiser
Perpetual Transient
Billed as the most remote state park in Michigan, Craig Lake offers a good opportunity for paddlers who want to get away from people and find some solitude and peace. There are basically three lake systems that can be accessed via portages in this designated wilderness area. This was a short little birthday camping celebration for me and kind of a going away celebration for my friend Meredith.
Less words, more pictures...
As soon as we stepped out of the Land Cruiser to unload the gear we were swarmed by black flies. Bug nets are worth EVERY penny! Its a cool drive back to the acess to the park. Basically about 9 miles of unimproved dirt roads northwest of Michigamme.
Canoe loaded and working our way across Craig Lake in search of a place to set up camp. We managed to pack in a way that allowed for one trip portages without having to do multiple trips back and forth for gear.
I was pretty bummed to learn that they have prohibited camping on the lake's islands. There were some really incredible spots to set up that I will miss. We ended up finding a nice spot on a bluff that was breezy enough to keep the bugs away.
At camp. Canoe camping seems to fall between normal backpacking and overlanding in regards to what you can bring. We brought a few luxuries like a nice bottle of wine and a hammock. When the breezes would die no matter how briefly, the winged mafia would swoop in!
A bottle of 7 Deadly Zins, some good freeze dried Stroganoff, and cool temps made for a bug free evening of good times.
Me showing off my bug attire. Laugh if you will, but when they get bad, this is a good way to roll! 1 bug bite from this excursion, not bad! haha
Some sunset shots from camp... Glass calm evening. We ended up doing a midnight paddle too which was surreal in how glassy the water was with the stars and moon reflecting in it. Felt like you were floating through space!
An early morning paddle on Claire Lake after a portage.
Overall it was a fun though short trip. Its only 45 minutes from home so I like to get up there a few times a year. We saw moose tracks, cougar scat, and this morning I woke to the sound of a pack of wolves. Also saw alot of cool waterfowl including some super close ups of some confident loons. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the shots.
Less words, more pictures...
As soon as we stepped out of the Land Cruiser to unload the gear we were swarmed by black flies. Bug nets are worth EVERY penny! Its a cool drive back to the acess to the park. Basically about 9 miles of unimproved dirt roads northwest of Michigamme.
Canoe loaded and working our way across Craig Lake in search of a place to set up camp. We managed to pack in a way that allowed for one trip portages without having to do multiple trips back and forth for gear.
I was pretty bummed to learn that they have prohibited camping on the lake's islands. There were some really incredible spots to set up that I will miss. We ended up finding a nice spot on a bluff that was breezy enough to keep the bugs away.
At camp. Canoe camping seems to fall between normal backpacking and overlanding in regards to what you can bring. We brought a few luxuries like a nice bottle of wine and a hammock. When the breezes would die no matter how briefly, the winged mafia would swoop in!
A bottle of 7 Deadly Zins, some good freeze dried Stroganoff, and cool temps made for a bug free evening of good times.
Me showing off my bug attire. Laugh if you will, but when they get bad, this is a good way to roll! 1 bug bite from this excursion, not bad! haha
Some sunset shots from camp... Glass calm evening. We ended up doing a midnight paddle too which was surreal in how glassy the water was with the stars and moon reflecting in it. Felt like you were floating through space!
An early morning paddle on Claire Lake after a portage.
Overall it was a fun though short trip. Its only 45 minutes from home so I like to get up there a few times a year. We saw moose tracks, cougar scat, and this morning I woke to the sound of a pack of wolves. Also saw alot of cool waterfowl including some super close ups of some confident loons. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the shots.
