We will meet at 11:30am EST at the Munising Falls Visitor Center. You can walk less than a mile to see the falls. Then head back to the parking lot to change clothes in a restroom with flushing toilets and running water. At 12:00pm we will drive 30 minutes to Littler Beaver Lake where we will then hop on the shuttle at 1:00pm to the trailhead start at Log Slide around 1:45pm. There's actually a porta potty here you can use and a water spicket to fill water if needed.
Before we start backpacking down the trail, there's an optional sand dune climb without packs. You can go down the huge sand dune, which is pretty quick - about 10 min, but be prepared to take an hour or more to climb back up the soft sand. We may decided to do this or skip this as a group.
In 2 miles we will be at Au Sable to camp, and just half a mile behyond that is the Au Sable Lighthouse, a porta potty, and a water spicket. (So you can choose to filter water at camp or take the pretty walk down to the spicket.) I have found I enjoy making dinner on the beach by the lighthouse because it is sunny and warm and you can watch the sunset. It is pretty at camp too, but it is hidden from the sun, so a bit cooler.
You will wake up with a sunrise coming up over Lake Superior. We can make breakfast at camp, or my favorite thing to do is pack up and go a half mile down to the lighthouse to make breakfast on the beach. It's also helpful to refill water at the spicket and you can use the porta potty if you like.
You have an option to go the next half mile on the sandy beach or on the trail. We will then backpack 11 miles to Trapper's Lake where we will camp for the night (photo left). On our way to Trapper's Lake we will be able to use pit toilets and refill water from a spout as we pass through Twelve Mile Campground.
Trapper's Lake is beautiful and warmer than Lake Superior. It is a great place to swim, and every time I finish my swim a huge snapping turtle comes over to the shoreline to say hi. We can filter water out of the lake and there is a pit toilet (bring your own TP.)
We will make breakfast, filter water, pack up and head out towards Lake Superior and arrive on the shoreline in about half a mile where we will continue on above the bluff (photo left). It is about 5 miles to where we parked our vehicles at Litter Beaver Lake.
You are free to begin your travels home. There's a local KOA where you can take a shower for a small fee if you wish.
Price $475
This fee includes:
- My fastpacking 101/ultralight backpacking course on gear, food, & preparing
- a pre-trip zoom to prepare and ask questions,
- reservation fees, permits, shuttle fee
- gift bag :)