DAY 7 THE TEMPERANCE & CARLTON PEAK

After a long morning coffee and then a second long morning coffee in Grand Marais, Marci left for the Keweenaw.

After sorting through my resupply and repacking my pack I left for Carlton Peak and my campsite for the night at Springdale.

I started at the Temperance River on HWY61. The trail follows the river up and along a stunning steep and narrow gorge; this river is flush with dramatic rock and boulder tumbling falls that rage through the narrowest of openings along its walls. A unique feature is the numerous potholes in the canyon.The photos don’t do it justice at all.

At the beginning of the trail there were many day hikers so it was nice and the trail, not being without rocks and gnarly roots, was often smooth. My brain gets big hits of endorphins when I get to talk to actual people, so seeing them was a big plus for me along this section. The trail continues rising along the river’s banks until it veers away and onto Carlton Peak.

This section to the peak is not for the faint of heart as the smoother trail gives way to a rocky very technical trail that requires strength and balance. It’s a steady 1000’ climb over boulders the size of Manhattan, rocks and scree. I got pretty scared for a bit when the trail just got bigger than me. I got stuck on a steep spot and between a couple of boulders I couldn’t climb over with my pack (and which I couldn’t take off for lack of room), or get around. That’s  when day hikers Nate and Sofia instantly showed up. I said I’m old, stuck and need help 🤣. They were descending as I was ascending. Within a second’s time they got me out of that rock-and-hard-spot place. A blessing extraordinaire.       

Carlton is an iconic peak along the North Shore. It’s a massive granite formation that towers over everything around it. After the long haul up its southeast side I spent a couple of minutes on top of it then took off. I don’t do heights and I don’t do 

I hiked another 4-5 miles along a section called the Britton Peak Trail. It’s an original section of the Superior Hiking Trail and was here before the official trail was conceptualized. The trail rolls over and through beautiful forests. It’s what you think of when you think of a woodland stroll.

When I got to the campsite, saw the creek had water in it, I set up camp, hung my bear bag (I threw my rope over the tree branch and nailed it on the first try!), decided not to cook but ate a piece of cheese, a meat stick and a 1/2 of a scone (bought earlier in Grand Marais) searched for earplugs and zipped in for the night. A couple would join me in the site later that night.

A perfectly hung bear bag. BAM!!

I was a few miles up the hill from Tofte and could barely hear the small town’s sounds. The resident critters, including the coyotes who were pretty excited about a fresh kill were present and accounted for however..