Wolves & Moose of Isle Royale

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile journeys exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

My recent week hiking on Isle Royale was wonderful. While the famous wildlife study based there had been paused this year, the island opened to hikers arriving by float plane and private boaters in late June.

I joined some friends to hike the island and we saw several live moose, saw some moose bones, and came across many wolf tracks...including those of pups.

Wolf pup track (left) and adult (right)

[dollar for scale]

Female cow moose

Moose!

A grand bull moose in the woods:

And moose bones:

Zan and Julie discuss kill

April, casual in field of bones

This moose had two broken ribs that had healed in the past

Isle Royale 2020

 

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile journeys exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

In this year of quarantine and shut downs, the longest-running wildlife study was also paused. Moosewatch volunteers usually gather in May, June and August to hike Isle Royale under the direction of scientists to find and gather moose bones for study.

I've hiked this expedition five times, and last year was the leader of the first all-women team. My team was already set to hike in May when the pause button was pressed on just about everything.

And, yes, in the scheme of things, this was a small thing to cancel. Lives -- too many lives -- have been lost due to the mismanagement of the response to the pandemic. Jobs have been lost. Lives disrupted. 

When Isle Royale National Park announced they would be opening for seaplanes and private boats in late July, I took the opportunity to schedule some time there with friends from Moosewatch. 

It was an opportunity to be immersed in nature, to unplug from the news, to recenter myself.

Here are a few photos from Isle Royale 2020:

After hiking 50 miles (L>R Me, Julie, Zan, April)

Blueberries on the Greenstone Ridge

View from tower on Mt. Ojibway

On tower (Zan, April, Julie)

Sunrise, Moskey Basin

Adult and pup wolf tracks (dollar bill for scale)

Butterflies

Thimbleberries

ground squirrel

why they're called thimbleberries

Sunset, Lake Richie

Lake Richie, like a mirror

Merganser with chicks

Isle Royale Boots

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I have hiked five Moosewatch Expeditions on Isle Royale. This island is rugged, rocky, and rugged.

My "Isle Royale boots" have served me well, but I have to retire them now. 

These KEEN boots have over 300 rocky miles on them. They're still comfortable and I'll take them on more gentle hikes.

 I have hiked over 3,000 miles in KEEN boots. 

One thing I know about long-distance hiking: you've got to keep your feet happy.

And KEENs keep my feet SOOOOO happy.

Check out their full line of footwear here:

https://www.keenfootwear.com/

Tales from the Book Tour: Clarkston School

A teacher contacted me from Clarkston, Michigan. She said that she had used my first book, A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach, as the basis for her ecology course at the Renaissance High School where she teaches.

"Can you come and speak to the students?" she asked.

Kathy Yeloushan, ecology teacher, introduces me to the group 

"Of course!" I replied. And that's how I met the  principal, teachers and students at Renaissance High School in Clarkston. The students were engaged during my presentation and they asked important questions about our Great Lakes.

Students check out the exhibits -- and my KEEN boots! -- from my adventures

 It is vital that the next generation care about our Great Lakes, so I was delighted with the interest these young people showed in my adventures and in our Great Lakes.

Kathy Yeloushan (left) with the curriculum she developed using my book