Lake Ste Kathryn camp-n-trail Sunday adventures

This post is of our Lake Ste Kathryn camp-n-trail adventures on Sunday.

We stopped by to meet the friendly campground host.

Her name was Cheryl and she liked to rub us some.

Not sure she knew but we don't get no rubbing or touching,
over at our site.

Ya, I hope we get back to visit you again soon!

I thought I'd take a quick dip at her site.
Kelpies are not water dogs I've heard.

Now we got back to some trail clearing.

Arly's knocking some weeds down so the trail sign can be seen.

We even took the branches down that covered
over the camp ground signs.

 

The bathroom - in view now post sapling trimming.

I got to meet the neighbor kids again. You know I love them.

Back on the trail, where we'd encountered
a big balsam snag yesterday.

Gone!  Trail mutts are starting to hang around after
a long day in the woods

We had such a nice weekend. When can we come back?

Lake Ste Kathryn day I camp-n-trail adventures.

On Saturday, we loaded up the camper and hopped into the dog truck to head down to check out Lake Ste Kathryn campground south of Sidnaw. The FS said there's a trail in need of care there, called "The Deer Marsh interpretive trail". Sounds like a trail-mutt approved adventure in the works!

The camper was being loaded but we seen a chipmunk run in here!

Oh, Robert and the kids n dogs stopped by to say hi to us, too.  Oh gee!

Oh, this is a nice campground. And quiet!
We only seen four sites with campers here.

And we heard vermin in all directions.

An Eagle landed on the lake and seemed to be fishing.

Then friendly campers came by!
They were form Calumet MI, not far from us.

OK, now we'll check the trail out.

OK Arly let's go this way.

Funny marks on this one - "fir blisters".

It didn't take long to come across deadfall.

Lots of old dead trees across the trail....and many more
standing nearby, ready to fall. Job security!

This one narrowly missed the interpretive sign.

Balsams -R- us.

Good thing we brought a lopper, so the 2-leggeds
could trim enough branches to navigate over these snags.

Very old but durable markers are still seen.

This viewing platform overlooks the headwaters
of the East Branch of the Ontonagon river.

Hey! That water looks so inviting.
We'll see lots of interpretative signs today.

Oh ya. Don't tell ME I'm not a water dog!

Slash pile on the trail.

Another nice view of the marsh.

Hey!  I don't see any little girls here. I wish we would!

Yet another cooling dip was had.

There are 15 different signs along the 3+ mile trail.

Near the end...time to get back to camp and take a break.

Oh ya, what a relaxing place.

Where is the life guard?  I bet he'd like to pet a trail mutt some.

Later, we drove over to this parking area at the
northern section of trail.

Oh, now I can see what's there.

Then it was time to wind down for the evening.

Arly got our camp fire stoked up.

Puppies, senior dogs, and 2-leggeds all relaxed.

We accompanied her to the toilet because you
never know when you may find adventure.

Like this! I had to check out this funny looking rock
who's laying eggs right in the road.

Steak!

Oh, this place is definitely trail mutt approved.

I recommend a nice dip in Lake Ste Kathryn.

Fall mud trail clearing adventure

On Saturday morning the dog truck was loaded with tools and we headed SW to our favorite North Country Trail parking area at Gardner Road. We wanted to do an end-of-season trail check and clear off fallen trees which always appear by now.

We found snow here!  Trails mutts do love snow.

We finally head out.

The trails are so wet, the two legged ones found it was  slippery.

But it sure is pretty out.

No new beaver activity seen here but Tank Creek was up.

We love when there's both fall colors and beautiful white snow.

With cool temps like this, even old dogs can move right along.

Then we found water. This 2-track that the trail crosses
leads to a hunting camp. It looked more like a river!

Lots and lots of water everywhere. Yes, this is the trail.

It's deep and some areas were over the two legged ones boots,
 so they stepped very carefully.

Many stretches of standing water plus lots of mud were found.

Ya this is fall.  We hiked west nearly to the Ont river,
then we came back removing the trees we'd found.

Sandy is standing in water.  This location is commonly wet and we
hope to add a punceon board walk here some day.

Now we're on our way back.

Who says these pole saws aren't all that good for trail work?

I recommend them.

This creek is usually a trickle in the fall.

Arly cut a path through this one too.

Oh, here's a larger one that's across.

100 ft later, another big one.
We'll come back later with the BIG saw to clear them.

Arly, you'll get that one off won't you?

Ya!

Rubber boots are in style today.

We removed at least 10 trees today that fell across the trail
 in the later part of the summer.

Here's another...

...it will double as an ATV block.

Last year some hunters used the trail a short ways to get closer to their
kill which is understandable but it was wet then too,
and they did leave ruts.

At least everything was easy to work with, like this one.
No popple crowns or old balsam!

A limb had fallen off of a dying hemlock here at our favorite rest stop.

Check before you step!

Almost back. It was a good thing me and Wally are water dogs!