Traveling Solo on Isle Royale: Joys & Challenges

Thus far, I have made 18 trips to Isle Royale. Of those 18 trips, 12 have been completely solo. On two additional (long) trips, I was solo for part of the trip and I then spent time with friends for another part of the trip. Bottom Line: I REALLY enjoy being alone on Isle Royale.

I think that there are many joys and benefits of being solo on Isle Royale. There are also some risks and challenges associated with being alone. In this blog post, I will attempt to explore both the joys--and the challenges & risks--of traveling solo on Isle Royale.

I am going to start out with the challenges and risks of being solo.

1.  If you are "solo", you have no one to assist you if you have an emergency. That is always one of my biggest concerns when I am solo.  "What if trip, fall, 'face plant on a rock', have a heart attack or stroke, impale myself on something sharp, become extremely ill, break a bone, etc.?"  In such an instance, I would have no one to assist me and no one to go get help--and that could be the difference between life and death. I ultimately decided that I cannot completely eliminate the risk of such things happening--even if I am traveling with other people.  The best that I can do is take steps to manage such risks--both when I am with others--and especially when I am alone.  As a solo traveler, I need to plan better and prepare for my trip better. I need to pack things that will help me deal with medical emergencies and other emergencies. I ought to carry a satellite communication device or emergency beacon. People need to know my planned itinerary. As a solo person, I need to be well-trained in how to treat myself for medical emergencies and injuries...and I must have the necessary supplies with me.

2. If you are solo, you have to carry EVERYTHING and do ALL of the work. People who are with a partner or group will often split up the gear and food among the people in the group. They will also divide up the various tasks and chores. (One person will set up the tent, while another person goes to collect and filter water, and a third person might start meal preparations).  As a solo traveler, you carry it all and you do it all.

3. When you are solo, you have no one else with whom you can consult. You have no one else to ask--"Should we turn left or right?" or "Does that look like a blue-green algal bloom to you?".  There is no one to help you find the next rock cairn or locate that temporarily "missing" section of  trail (if hiking) and no one to help you look for the portage sign (if paddling). You are all alone. Thus, the only skills that you have are the skills that YOU bring. You have to know how to use a map and compass. You need to know how to do first aid. You need to know how to set up the tent and work the stove and troubleshoot all problems.  It is all up to you.  So, you need to come fully prepared.

4.  Solo trips can have times that are a bit "scary". I remember being at North Lake Desor Campground--on the Minong Ridge Trail.  I was the ONLY person at the entire campground. The next closest campgrounds were nearly six miles away in one direction, over 12 miles away in the other direction, and all the way across a lake in another direction. That means that I was definitely .... alone.  I must confess, it was very "unsettling" that night when a pack of wolves began to howl.  Another time, I was hiking alone on the very remote 7 mile trail between Malone Bay and the Ishpeming Fire Tower.  I heard something large--and four-legged--walking in the woods--just out of my eyesight. (It sounded bigger than a fox--but smaller than a moose--and about the same as my Chocolate Lab back home).  When I walked--it would begin to walk.  When I stopped walking.  It stopped walking. Again, that situation was very "unsettling" when I was all alone--and probably a few miles away from anyone else.  Also, meeting strange and/or quirky people on the trail or in campgrounds makes me feel more nervous when I am alone than when I am with other people. I don't think any of them were dangerous.  It is just that you are a bit more aware of such people (and more cautious) when you are alone.

HOWEVER, TRAVELING SOLO ALSO HAS BENEFITS

A. You have something that is often missing in our society---solitude.  This is particularly true if you leave the radios, mp3 players, and podcasts home. Think about your daily life. How often are you TRULY alone? How often are you away from the sounds of radios, televisions, people, computers, the hum of refrigerators, and the buzz of florescent lights?  When I am traveling alone on Isle Royale, I can sometimes go for hours without seeing another person. I once went for 28 hours (on the Minong Ridge Trail) without encountering another human being.

Last July (after much training, rehearsal and proper preparation) I did a solo night hike on an "easy" section of trail that I knew very well. I started hiking (by headlamp)--at 1:30 a.m..  At around 3:30 a.m., I shut off my headlamp for a while and just stood there--taking it all in.  It doesn't get much more "alone" than that. I was solo on a trail--about 5-6 miles from Windigo--at 3:30 a.m. No lights. No boat or plane noises. No one was talking in campsites. Complete solitude. (I will admit, on that night hike, my mind kept switching back and forth between "Oh, Wow! I am all alone on Isle Royale in the middle of the night! How cool is this!" and "Oh, crap! I am all alone on Isle Royale in the middle of the night. How stupid am I!" (Please remember, I had planned, prepared, and rehearsed that night hike for a few years before doing it.)

B. You truly get to do things YOUR way when you are solo. You select the route. You pick the food. You set the pace. You decide when to take a break. You decide when to go to sleep and when to get up. As long as you stay within the park rules and regulations, you can do whatever YOU want to do--whenever you want to do it--without consulting with another human being.  How often do you get to do that at home, work, and/or school?

C. You will probably hear and see more wildlife when you are solo.  Unless you are making a great deal of noise (or are talking to yourself)--a solo person usually moves through the wilderness much more quietly than two people or a group.  This increases your chances of hearing and seeing more wildlife.

D.  "There's always room for one more!"  The word "always" is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration--but I think that you will soon get my point. There may be room on a boat or plane for ONE more passenger--but maybe not for two, three, or six additional passengers. People might be more willing to invite ONE person to share a campsite or shelter--than to invite a group of five people to share a campsite or shelter. Many hikers--and especially many boaters--are VERY proud of their wilderness cooking. They love to show off their cooking skills---especially if they have a little "extra" or some leftovers.  Thus, they might say to you,  "You just grab yourself a plate, and tell me if that isn't the BEST fish (or chili, or cobbler, or barbecue, or home dehydrated apple slices) that you ever tasted!".  A solo hiker (or solo paddler) will likely receive that sort of invitation far more often than a group of four or five people.  As a frequent solo traveler, I have often been invited to partake in activities (and/or food) that I am not so certain I would have received if I was with a partner or with a group.

E.  I think that there is a somewhat greater "sense of accomplishment" when you do a solo trip.  I think that the person (who is doing the solo trip) feels that sense of accomplishment---as do many other people who hear the story of a solo journey. Spending seven days in the wilderness is indeed an accomplishment.  However, spending seven days in the wilderness ALONE--perhaps seems like a slightly "bigger" accomplishment in the eyes of many people. Our society seems to place a special value on solo endeavors. Little children are quick to say, "And, I did it ... all by myself!" Headlines will read, "He/She sailed around the world--solo". At a music concert, we single out soloists for special recognition. History books tell us that Charles Lindbergh was the person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean--solo.  Our society seems to place a special value on solo accomplishments.  Solo trips to Isle Royale probably fall in that same category (in the eyes of some people)

Whether you travel alone, with a partner, or with a group...enjoy your Isle Royale adventures!