Superior Hiking Trail Guided Hike, Aug 21

If this post seems a bit like deja-vu, that's probably because it is!  I initially reported on this segment back on August 2, after the Husband and I hiked it in anticipation of this weekends facilitated hike.  The Husband wasn't able to join me due to an injury, so I hooked up with a couple friends and we had a dandy time. 

Twenty-two hikers and one dog showed up at 10:00am Saturday morning under less than auspicious skies.  Lake Superior was having her own way with a heavy fog bank and significant mist.  We had some folks come flying in at the last minute, not anticipating heavy construction coming through Duluth (even the detours have detours now; seriously, that's how bad it is!).   I went through my safety spiel, a hike preview, and basic introductions before getting people organized into shuttle cars to get us to the start point at the Lake County Demonstration Forest. 

People can hike at their own pace and soon everyone sorted themselves out into smaller groups according to ability and chattiness.  By about 12:00 the sun broke through the foggy-mist and really brightened the hardwood forest into a melange of greens and browns.  I noticed that the first hints of  Fall are appearing - a yellowish hue to the maples and ashes.  

On this segment, there are really only two decent lunch spots - one at the Stewart River Campsite and one on a rock knob about a mile beyond the Stewart River site.  Most of the group chose the campsite, and about half of us hiked on to the rock knob.  There was plenty of water for Kiba, the newfie-lab mix, with full creeks and ditches. 

The faster people in the group hiked this in about 5-5 1/2 hours.  About what the Husband and I hiked it in several weeks ago.  The slower paced people in the group finished in a respectable 6 hours.  We celebrated the successful completion of the hike with the traditional brrewski of choice, while chatting and changing out of wet boots. 

I think everyone had a good time - there were a lot of smiling faces and great conversations throughout the day. 

Next SHTA Guided hikes:

• Sept 18 and 19, the upper most two segments - from the Canadian border south.  Great hikes, both of them.  Should be some decent Fall colors pending any windstorms between now and then.   This is set up so the hiker can stay over night in Grand Marais or camp somewhere north of Grand Marais.
•  September 18 10:00 a.m. Jackson Lake Road to Otter Lake Road                          8.7 miles. The trail reaches its highest elevation of 1829 feet on this section. It includes a scenic old growth maple forest and overlooks of Jackson Lake and Swamp River valley. Challenging with steep ascents and descents. Meet at the Otter Lake Rd trailhead parking lot. At Hwy 61 milepost 128.9, turn north on Arrowhead Trail and go 4.5 miles to Jackson Lake Road. Turn right on Jackson Lake Rd and go 8.4 miles. At T-stop, turn left on Otter Lake Rd and go 2 miles to trailhead parking lot.

• September 19 10:00 a.m. Jackson Lake Road to Arrowhead Trail
  
  
  5.1 miles. The trail descends creek valleys and climbs rocky ridges with great views of Lake Superior and Isle Royale. Meet at the trailhead parking lot on Arrowhead Trail (Co Rd 16). At Hwy 61 milepost 128.9 turn north on Arrowhead Trail and go 3.3 miles to parking lot.

 

• Oct 6 -  Sonju Lake Rd. to Finland Recreation Center   7.5 miles. A beautiful hike through maple forests. Hike along the east branch of the Baptism River and by SonjuEgge Lake. Meet at the trailhead parking lot at the Finland Rec Center. From Hwy 61 milepost 59.3 go 6.2 miles on Hwy 1 through Finland. Turn right on Co Rd 7 and go 1.3 miles to parking lot by ball field just past Rec Center.