Page 31 - Jan25

Decarbonizing IRNP
The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service, has launched the Decarbonize the Parks Project to transition Isle Royale National Park and four other nearby national park units from fossil fuel to clean electricity.
With 10% of the world’s freshwater, Lake Superior is vulnerable to climate change; it is one of the fastest warming lakes in the world. As a remote wilderness park, IRNP relies on fossil fuel-powered generators for most of its power. The project team is working with park facilities managers and electricians to plan for rebuilding a previous solar system at Rock Harbor, the main access point for visitors to the island, and installing new solar at Mott Island, the summer headquarters and operations center for the park. Read about their progress at nplsf.org/decarbonize-the-parks.
Funded through grants and private donations, the foundation provides financial support for projects and programs that preserve the natural resources and cultural heritage of the five National Park System sites in and around Lake Superior: Isle Royale National Park, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Keweenaw National Historical Park and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Additionally, it is only minutes from Torch Lake Seaplane Base, where scheduled flights to IRNP depart for the 30- to 45-minute crossing to the park. A few additional minutes down the road, in downtown Houghton, is the mainland IRNP headquarters and the home port of the IRNP ferries.
If using seaplane services to/from IRNP – which I highly recommend – Michigan is your best bet. While Isle Royale Seaplanes have historically flown to/from the Minnesota shores to IRNP, those flights will be discontinued as of the 2025 season. However, flights are scheduled and predictable from their Torch Lake base in Hubbell, Michigan. Using both Cessna 206 and Beaver seaplanes, they operate throughout the park’s open season, conditions permitting. Be advised though, they book up early and each passenger is limited to 45 pounds of baggage (yes, your bags will be physically weighed at check-in).
The downside of the Michigan choice is if you’ve decided to take one of the park ferries for economic reasons or because weather has scuttled seaplane operations for the day, only one ferry operates to/from Houghton. While it accommodates the most passengers, it is also the slowest and typically takes six hours to cross. Another Michigan ferry option is the four-hour cruise to/from Copper Harbor. However, doing so requires that you have ground transportation arranged (rental car or for-hire car service) to get you to/from KCMX, roughly an hour’s drive.
The Minnesota choice: In the Arrowhead of Minnesota, the Grand Marais Cook County Airport (KCKC) is a pilot-controlled field offering a 5,000-foot runway and a RNAV-GPS approach into both ends (each with WAAS minimums for aircraft appropriately equipped). The field has a full-time FBO (not 24-hour) with maintenance services and Jet-A fuel available. Rental cars are not offered, but various car services are available, which you’ll need to reach the ports in nearby Grand Portage.
From the Minnesota side, some lake ferry routes have significantly less distance to travel. Ferry rides are only 90 minutes from Grand Portage to IRNP’s western port of Windigo. However, it’ll take an additional five-plus hours on the ferry to continue to IRNP’s southeastern port of Rock Harbor. Yet, the routes from Minnesota do tend to be in more protected waters and, thus, less likely to induce seasickness.
Limited lodging options
IRNP offers two choices for overnight stays: Rock Harbor Lodge & Marina on the southeastern shore or camping.
Hardy outdoor folks flock to IRNP, all too happy to carry their lodging on their back. They explore the island by pulling up stakes in the morning, hiking, then pitching their tent at another of the park’s 36 campgrounds at the end of the day. By doing so, many hike the nearly
JANUARY 2025
50-mile length of the island, departing at the opposite end from which they arrived. That itinerary is not for the day hiker or the casual tourist, though. Isle Royale is true wilderness, where moose and wolves roam year- round, bald eagles soar overhead, beavers work busily
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