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Superior Hiking Trail - Plan for 10/05/07 - 10/07/07

This weekend I'm backpacking along the Superior Hiking Trail in Northern Minnesota. I decided to log my travel plans because of inclement weather. Hopefully the late season and hard weather will discourage most of the traffic so we can find a place to pitch our camp. We have food for 5 days and a renewable supply of water. We have cooking fuel for many days, as well as plentiful wood in the state forest. We are each carrying utility knives and extra clothing. We have waterproof footwear, rain coats, a 4 season tent and 3 season sleeping bags. First aid / last aid supplies are well stocked, but optimistic. I have a tomahawk and 100ft of parachute cord in case we need to make splints or the like. We will never be far from County Road 7 or Highway 61, and expect smooth sailing.

Friday Evening: 10/05

We estimate heavy thunder storms tonight, and the sun sets at 6:37PM, well before we reach the spur trail. So we will be hiking under full pack in the dark in the rain for the first leg of the trip.

  • Leave Twin Cities at 5PM
  • Stop in Cloquet for food at 7:30 PM
  • Arrive at Finland spur trail off of County Road 7 at 8:30 PM
  • Set out North on Sonju Trail at 8:45 PM
  • Scout out backcountry sites 1 & 2 by 10:00 PM. If none found, press on to Multi-group site at Sonju Lake, ETA 11:00PM

Saturday, 10/06/07

We expect heavy to moderate thunderstorms all day long on Saturday, and will hike in the rain during this time.

  • Break camp at 7:30 AM. Eat and be on trail by 8:15
  • Arrive at Benson Lake by 9:30
  • Press on to Caribou State Wayside by mid-day.
  • Pitch camp early, either in Multi-group site near Caribou or in back-country sites en route to Two Island River

Sunday, 10/07/07

We expect thundershowers all day long on Sunday as well.

  • Break camp at 7:30 AM, eat and be on trail by 8:15
  • Retrace our path to Caribou, across the Manitou River, past Bensen and Sonjou Lakes, Egge Lake, and to spur trail at Finland. ETA 5PM
  • Stop in Cloquet for food at 6:30 PM
  • Return to Minneapolis at 9:00 PM

Posted by Alexander Saint Croix on 5 October 2007 at 07:26 AM |

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