Michigan GGG (or just a plain old backpacking trip)

If you did pictured ROcks apr 25 you could stop by the casino and see 3 days grace while you're up here. Just a thought.:)
Keep me posted on what date/location is settled on.
Dana

Hi Dana,

I have folk interested on the below dates for MRT so will stick with those dates, I am also free on the other dates for a trip to Pictured Rocks.

April 4-6th
April 25th-27th

Cheers,

Stephen

April 25-27 MRT looks good for me, unless there's still a ton of snow. (Wouldn't think so but, at the rate it's going, I'm not sure anymore…)

There should not be much snow by then.

I have a couple of pairs of spare el cheapo snow shoes folk can borrow
if needs be.

I could do April 25-26 for the MRT.

Thats great Jennifer,

Look like everyone wants the later trip.

I asked my wife and she said either weekend is fine. She said the 5th is our anniversary, but I should do whatever I want. I think I'll plan on the other weekend. :)

Hi Peter,

Sounds like the 25th will be the better option for you :-(

Folks,

From reading back the thread looks like everyone is happier with the 25th so I will bin the the first date unless we gets some more takers.

Anyone else interested?

Stephen (and anyone else…), I had already blocked off that weekend (the 5th) for a longer backpacking trip anyway…so I'll go back to my old plan of the Eagle Rock Loop in Arkansas.

If any of you would like to join me…you are certainly welcome!! At the moment it is just CharlieDog and myself, maybe Ken Jacobs if he's still up for it.

Hi Jen,

Sounds like a great trip :-).

I am bit tight for vacation for long trips as need to head to Scotland for a wedding soon and another later in the summer to Ireland.

All my trips for the next while will be 3-4days only, no big deal as get to go home to Europe twice :-)

"I had already blocked off that weekend (the 5th) for a longer backpacking trip anyway…so I'll go back to my old plan of the Eagle Rock Loop in Arkansas."

Is that April 5?

Yes…I was going to leave either Wednesday after teaching or first thing Thursday morning. I'd have to use Sunday to drive back (8-10 hours for me)

Can you join me?? That'd be awesome!!!

"Can you join me??"

While unlikely, it's still too early for me to figure that out. It's an area of the country I've never backpacked in before, so it would be great to join you, just can't commit yet.

This looks like a fun trip. Put me down as a maybe for now. :)

Great to have you along Andy :-)

Its all coming together now :-)

I might be able to do this…is there still room?

Hi Rob,

We have plenty of room :-)

It would be great to have you along.

Folks,

My proposal would be to do the full circuit on both sides of the river.
What are folks thought?

Stephen

By this you mean the Manastee River Train and the North Country Trail? Honestly, I'm down for anything. The more hiking and the more we see, the better in my mind.

I'm down for April 25-27 BTW. What would be the planned time to meet up on the 25th and where?

KJ

Hi Kenneth,

Thats right, we would either combine the Manistee River & North Counry Trial in to a loop or else do an out and back on the Manistee, I dont mind which one.

I am thinking we would meet either at the trail head or in the town of Mesick which is about 10 miles aways.

It will depend on what time folk want to meet but I can meet any time after 23pm, It won't be dark until 8.309.00 so we could meet much later also.

I will get everyones email closer to the trip and we will work out the logistics offline.

The full loop around both sides of the river is fine with me too. Also, I can meet up any time on the 25th. What trail head are you referring to? I usually park at the south end of the loop at the gravel lot, East of the bridge on Coates Hwy.

Stephen, I will know the Friday morning of the decided date. I don't know what my work schedule is like in April. However, I may be able to get my wife to go instead of being a hiking widow.

Hi Nathan,

If we do the full loop it would be best to start at Marilla Trail head and do the route
Anti clockwise, we would need to "camel" up with water for Friday night/Saturday morning as getting to the river
Can be a pain from the North County trail, we would then hit the river and have as much water as we want
For the rest of the weekend. My buddy reckons doing this way is better than doing it clockwise.

Hi Tim,

It would be great to have you and your wife along.