Voyageur on Isle Royale

Trip Photos and Day by Day Log from Wilderness Photographer, Lisa Heegaard

By HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development

October 7^th, 2021

Hi! My name is Lisa and I was the Wilderness Photographer at HoneyRock during the summer of 2021. I spent the summer creating photos of all of HoneyRock's different camper programs enjoying the wilderness. In this position, I had the opportunity to join the Voyageur Program's trip to Isle Royale National Park. Isle Royale is an island right in the middle of Lake Superior. It is the largest island on the largest freshwater lake in the world. Operating from only May through October, Isle Royale is one of the least visited National Parks, and the most revisited. With only 18 species of mammals on the island compared to the 40+ on the surrounding mainland, Isle Royale is wild, untamed, remote, and wonderful. Now that I've sold you on the islands individuality let me show you it's beauty.

Day 1

After loading up and spending a few hours driving through the Northwoods of Wisconsin and the UP, we arrived at Silver Mountain in the Keeweenaw Peninsula where we would spend the first couple days of the trip climbing. After setting up camp, the campers headed toward the rock face, eager to get climbing.

Graduate students Abigail Sawer, Terik Thacher, and Gabby Klingman helped Mike Odberg set up climbs and after getting trained to belay each other, the campers spent the rest of the day scurrying up and gliding down the rock face.

A dinner of fry-bake pizza's were enjoyed around the fire by all.

DAY 2

After one full day of climbing on real rock, everyone was excited to get back out there for a second day. Day two was exciting because along with climbing, everyone got to also rappel, a first experience for many.

The day ended with a meal of mac-n-cheese and laughter shared around the fire along with the surprise of root beer to celebrate one of the counselor's, Ian's, birthday!

DAY 3

We woke as the sun began to rise, scarfed down some breakfast, and tucked our sleeping bags into our packs, before piling into the vans to head to the ferry.

We boarded the 165 foot long, 34 feet wide, 648 ton Ranger III and settled in for the six hour ride to Isle Royale National Park.

The ride came to a close and within thirty minutes we had our packs and were on the trail! Our Isle Royale traipse was beginning. I joined the girls for the first couple days of the trip and the boys went off in a different direction. Didn't get any photos of it but within the first hour of our hike, the girls and I saw a moose run out of the forest in front of us, taking off down the trail.

The girls and I got to their first campsite and set up camp for the night, a great end to a wonderful first day on the Island.

DAY 4

This day started out with calm morning watch on a dock at the water and after a full morning of hiking we ended up at another dock for lunch. What is morning watch? A time spent reading God's Word, journaling, praying, and reflecting on what's going on.

The day ended on yet another dock. The hike had been long and hot so we all enjoyed a swim in the water before purifying all of our water, telling stories and making dinner on the dock, and sending the bear bag up for bed.

DAY 5

Another gorgeous start to the day for the girls!

The girls packed up, brushed their teeth and left camp! I stayed behind because I was waiting at this campsite for the boys who would arrive tomorrow evening.

DAY 5 END + DAY 6 BEGINNING

After the girls left, I went over to one of the individual sites and enjoyed a gorgeous 24+ hours of solitude. I saw tons of wildlife (four moose, two beavers, and a lot of birds!), read a book, swam, and journaled.

DAY 6 END

The boys met up with me back at the group site before dinner and after they got camp set up we hung out on the dock until the sun set.

DAY 7

The boys had a blustery morning getting breakfast made and getting on the trail but the rest of the day proved to me quite sunny. After they got to their campsite I said goodbye to them and hiked another three miles to meet up with the girls for the last night.

Once I caught up the girls, I got to celebrate the last night of the trip with them and we even saw a moose right near the harbor!

DAY 8

The final day meant another six hour ferry ride back to Michigan, it flew by as the campers friendships they had forged over their trip were savored.

We got back to camp and there was a delicious meal of fresh veggies and fruits waiting for us. Our trip had come to a close and everyone was tired and happy.