Glad you brought this one back up Dave, otherwise I would have never seen it. Great report. Would love to make that trip some day!
Glad you brought this one back up Dave, otherwise I would have never seen it. Great report. Would love to make that trip some day!
-Jameson
Proud Member of the North Country Trail Association-Hiawatha Shore to Shore Chapter
http://www.northcountrytrail.org/
I just wanted to update this thread for 2017 regarding the new PIRO registration system:
"Recreation.gov Coming Soon! Due to high demand and to provide better customer service, effective March 28, 2017, backcountry camping permits will be available only through recreation.gov. We will not be taking reservations or doing the permit lottery in January."
With the "old" method, you either faxed/mailed in your backcountry campsite registration request with your alternate choices and included a $15 payment to reserve. Once you got to the Visitors Center, you would show your reservation, pay your $5 per person overnight fee and be on your way. The other option, which is what I usually did, was just call prior to coming up, get an idea from the Ranger on backcountry reservations, then just show up at the VC and lay out my route, depending on what was available at the time. I'd save the $15 registration fee and just pay the $5 backcountry fee.
If you go to the Recreation.gov website now, you can search "Pictured Rocks" for backcountry permits and you'll see the sites listed. It won't let you reserve yet, but as of March 28th, 2017, it will be live. All your fees are paid when you reserve, so you'll have the $15 registration plus $5/night backcountry per person fee. Note, you only reserve the backcountry campground....sites are still first come, first serve.
My own opinion is that this new system is kind of a bummer. I'm sure it was needed, based on the increase of visitors now, but I liked the spontaneity of just being able to roll into the VC and work out the details when I got there. I don't know if they'll be computers in the VC to make a reservation or what the Ranger's role will be other than running the gift shop and answering questions. I wonder how they'll handle the person who just shows up and wants to get a permit? Do they send them to the local library to register and print their permit?
I'm glad I went when I did, because PIRO is now way down on my list of places where I'd like to make a repeat visit. Lots of other places to go with alot less hassle....
For reference: This is the 2016 update on PIRO (post 23):
Last edited by michigandave; 03-21-2017 at 08:56.
Thanks for the update Dave. I agree with the less hassle part. I rarely do permits, paperwork, fees, reservations, etc. A self-pay at the parking lot is fine, but that's it. It's not laziness, I'd just rather do my own thing on the fly.
Ha, I didn't realize this was an older report until I started parsing through the responses. The mention of Memorial Day did throw me off lol.
Even so, looks like you had a great time, and enjoyed a really beautiful trip. Enjoyed the report!
I used to live in the area, and would backpack there on weekends, as well as doing the length of the trail periodically. The new system sounds awful for weekend folks. In this case, change is sad.
Thanks for posting all the pictures. It was such a great reminder of those trails and campsites. You asked about the little cabin... one of the rangers at Grad Marais told me that it had been the cabin of a man who was superintendent of schools at Grand Marais, "about 500 years ago." That was what Brody (the ranger) said. He might have been exaggerating a bit. :-) I believe that more recently, it has been used to house at least one artist-in-residence.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Pringles
Great trip report! Thanks for all the details. I really want to do a trip up there in the next few years. Beautiful pictures too.
missed this the first time, happy to see it come up again. I did the reverse direction about 5 years ago, think I stayed at your last camp my first night. Really enjoyed the hike and the views. Sorry that the administrative part has become even more tiresome. I recall having to stretch the interpretation of the 'within 15 ft of site sign rule' one night, having just one end of the hammock that close.
thanks for the reminder
Grizz
(alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)
I agree. Being spontaneous has its benefits.
I go through old reports all the time to give me some ideas of where else I'd like to go someday. Glad you liked my traditional long-winded report.
I can imagine what it was like to hike through that back in the day, even prior to it becoming a National Lakeshore. Thanks for the info on the cabin...it is a pretty spot!
Glad you liked it. One thing about PIRO: there's not a lack of photo opportunities!
That 15 foot rule still irritates me. I can't imagine finding a campsite at PIRO and having 3-4 "legal" hangers on one site, but I seem to recall a trip report from a few years back to the contrary.
When I was up there the first weekend in march camping and got my permit and talked with the ranger. I was told they were going to have a laptop on the counter with a printer on the counter in the visitor center in munising. We will see if that has happened. That way you could walk into the visitor center and get a permit and go hike. Have never done a one way hike. Like to park at the falls spend 3 nights hit town spend the night resupply and head back. Hiked it twice and kayaked it twice last year. Nice hearing from you dave
Dogger
This couldn't have popped up at a better time for me. I'm from the EUP and finally convinced my hubby to come hike some of the NCT while our daughter stays with her Grandparents. He's never seen where I'm from without snow.
I'm itching to get out there! I'm thinking we may follow your plan fairly close, with the exception of time of year and days. Well be there in late June and do it, hopefully, mid week.
Thank you again for the insights and updates! It is immensely helpful!
Last edited by Futhark; 04-25-2017 at 16:57.
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