The progression of Fall on Isle Royale...

October, 2016:  The island is getting wilder and wilder.  I moved to Mott in early October and began the process of closing things up.  In mid October, I patrolled across the island on foot...a three day adventure in, what seemed like, my own personal National Park!  I spent the first night at East Chickenbone and the second night at South Lake Desor, taking the Greenstone across the spine of the island to Windigo. 

On the 20th of October, I helped throw the lines of the Ranger III, the last one of the year.  It was now down to just me and one other ranger.  We made sure everything was secure on the East end of the island and began systematically checking each campground on our way to the North Shore.  We spent a night at Amygdaloid on the way to Windigo on the West end.  After setting up life in Windigo, we patrolled throughout the West end until late October.  I made it out on hikes to Huginnin Cove, up the Minong, to the Feldtmann Tower and up to Grace Creek Overlook. 

Here are some of the highlights...

Daisy Farm Trail

Wolf tracks on the Daisy Farm Trail

Campsite at East Chickenbone

The Greenstone Ridge near Mt. Siskiwit

Hatchet Lake

Campsite at South Lake Desor

South Lake Desor

The Ranger III at Windigo on it's second to last run of 2016

Bull moose near Ojibway Tower

Feldtmann Tower

On patrol at the Feldtmann Tower

The "Goshawk" at Duncan Bay...nearing the end of the season!

Fall begins on the Island...

September, 2016:  The sure sign that the season is changing is in the wildlife, particularly in the moose.  Suddenly, we have been spotting a lot more moose in the area, and they are getting unpredictable!  The rut has begun.  There have been a bull, cow and calf all hanging out in Rock Harbor.  They have been hanging around our house for days, sometimes RIGHT outside the door!  I've started looking both ways before I open the door to go outside, because more than once, I've been startled by them right outside the door. 

Susanna and Jasper worked their way back to town in the middle of the month, while I stayed on to help close down Rock Harbor.  At the end of the month, I returned to the mainland briefly for a visit and then returned to the island to close everything out throughout October. 

Here are some of the highlights from the month...

Moose peering in our front window!

Jasper lounging at Malone Bay

Our campsite at Malone Bay

Our little naturalist!

Backcountry campsite at Lake Benson

Lake Benson near sunset

Kayak trip on the North Shore...before the gales hit!

Taking Susanna's new kayak out for a test run!

Sunset from the north shore