The Red River Gorge Geological Area, located in the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky, is known for its natural arches, rugged ridges, sandstone cliffs, and numerous recreational opportunities.

Though the Red River Gorge is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts today, in the 1960s, the Army Corps of Engineers proposed building a dam on the Red River, which would have flooded the Gorge. Congress approved the plans and began to appropriate funding. Wendell Berry wrote a book called The Unforeseen Wilderness in which he advocated for preserving the Gorge. After a 20-year battle to preserve the area, the Red River was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River in 1993.

Planning

In 2024, I did an overnight trip on the Swift Camp Creek Trail. After returning home and reading The Unforeseen Wilderness, I decided to plan a longer route to see more of what the Gorge had to offer.

While the Gorge has a number of named hiking trails, including a section of the Sheltowee Trace, most of them are point-to-point trails. As I studied maps of the area, my goal was to link up several trails into as close to a loop as I could get.

I found several guidebooks useful:

• Hiking Kentucky’s Red River Gorge by Sean Patrick Hill
• Red River Gorge Trail Guide by Jerrell Goodpaster
• Hinterlands by Jerrell Goodpaster

I found the first book to be a good general overview of the area. The latter two books provide a wealth of in-depth knowledge; however, they are independently published and can be difficult to find. I was able to track down copies through my local library’s interlibrary loan program, WorldCat.

Eventually, I assembled a route that combined multiple trails into a figure-eight loop around the Gorge, with only a couple miles of road walking. The intersection in the middle allowed for resupply, water caching, or shortening of the route.

Original planned route: ~42 miles

Since I had done the Swift Camp Creek Trail previously, I planned to start with the longer loop around the rest of the Gorge and see how it went. I also knew exploring many of the spur trails would add an indeterminate amount of mileage.

As it turned out, those spurs added quite a bit, plus a few misadventures getting off-trail, and by late afternoon on the first day I was adjusting the route on the fly. The actual route ended up being 37.5 miles:

Actual Gorge route including side trails, with elevation profile

Gear

Going Frameless

Not much new gear for this trip–the big change was removing the hip belt and framesheet from my pack and going frameless. I did quite a few 3-5 mile shakedown/training hikes prior to the trip and felt pretty good about being able to carry ~15 pounds without much issue, but there was always the chance that my shoulders would hate me after ramping up to a full 10-20 mile day on the trail.

Big takeaway: going frameless/beltless was a huge success!

On my shorter hikes, I really liked having my hips and legs completely free of any restrictions from a belt. It felt great to see that translate completely to an actual trip without any negative side-effects. I did not notice any lack of support and would not hesitate to do it again.

GPS Watch Navigation

The one piece of gear I was using for the first time was the Garmin Epix Pro Gen2 smartwatch I picked up on sale around the 4th of July. I loaded my planned route onto the watch as a GPX file and used it as my primary navigation tool. I set the GPX track as a course to follow. While it was not perfect, I was pretty impressed with the level of accuracy at many of the intersections. It did get a little annoyed with me when I started following spur trails that we not part of the route and would keep prompting me to turn around. It was also a huge help when I got off trail.

Verdict: highly recommend

The rest of my gear list can be found on this LighterPack.

Trip Report

Day 1: Eagle Point, Lost in the Woods, and Indian Staircase

Any overnight parking in the Gorge requires a pass, so my trip began at the Pine Ridge Mart, where I bought my 3-day pass. From there, I headed to the Rough Trail/Swift Camp Creek trailhead parking lot.

I decided to get the road walk out of the way first. For me, I like getting the least interesting stretch over and done with, although I can certainly see the argument for leaving the road walk for last, since it is easy walking. KY-715 dropped steadily downhill towards the Red River. The crossing is a single-lane bridge with paved parking lot with restrooms on the northeast side.

Single-lane bridge over Red River

I quickly found the Douglas Trail. It was a pleasant walk along the river, though a bit eroded in spots. I stopped for lunch right on the river just before the fork for the Eagle Point Buttress Trail.

Large boulders in the river

Nice spot for lunch (looking upstream)

Nice spot for lunch (looking downstream)

After finishing lunch, I loaded up on water for a lengthy dry stretch and got back on the trail. Garmin navigation absolutely nailed the split in the trail to head towards Eagle Point Buttress. My watch chirped that there was a turn, and right in front of me was a fork in the trail. I headed uphill, and away from the river. The trail was mostly easy to follow as it looped around the base of buttress.

Looking up at Eagle Point Buttress

The trail then climbed up a steady incline over roots and rocks. Just keep heading up until things level out at the top. From there I followed a spur trail to the left towards the overlook. Definitely do not stop at the first vista! Eventually the trail reaches a large, open promontory with 270-degree views of the Gorge with the Red River below.

Views from Eagle Point Buttress Overlook

Had I known how great the overlook would be, I would have waited to eat lunch up at the top! Definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

After enjoying the sunshine, blue sky, and views at the overlook for a bit, I got back on the trail, heading north/northwest to link up with the Osborne Bend Trail. Because it is not an official trail, there are no blazes.

Be careful on this section. I recommend having a GPS device in addition to a map.

The trail is relatively flat, but significant deadfall makes it very easy to lose the trail, which also gets pretty faint at times. I lost the trail about half a mile in and ended up several hundred feet off trail. Because I had GPS on my watch, I was able to hold a bearing and intersect back up with the trail, but not after wandering around for close to half an hour. I was not particularly concerned since I knew the direction I needed to go thanks to GPS and the route on my watch, but if I had only a paper map the situation could have become much more problematic.

Deadfall on the way to the Osborne Bend trail

Easier woods walking once on the actual Osborne Bend trail

Once on the Osborne Bend trail, it became easier to navigate. The Lost Branch trail was a rough stretch. Fortunately it had been so dry I did not have to deal with much mud, and I was going steadily downhill, but the descent was steep and rocky enough that I had to pick my way along pretty slowly.

Making my way downhill on the Lost Branch trail

I finally reached Gladie Creek around 3:30 PM where I was able to refill my water supply. Unfortunately, my Sawyer Squeeze still was not flowing quite as fast as I would have liked, so each stop to filter water took longer than I wanted. Still, it was at least a consistent flow, much better than my near-disaster last year in the Dolly Sods. The creek was lovely in the low-angle mid-afternoon sunshine.

I crossed the creek to continue on the trail but managed to almost immediately lose it again. I thought I was following it along the creek, but I must have taken a side trail to the creek itself. Reviewing the map and elevation profile afterwards, it looks like I should have gained some elevation as the trail paralleled Gladie Creek. From where I ended up, there was no clear path uphill to any trail, and the path along the north side of the creek eventually ended as small bluffs rose out the water. After backtracking a bit, finding no obvious fork, and returning to the edge of the creek, I started wondering whether my map was inaccurate and the trail was actually on the south side of the creek. Looking across, there did appear to be a bit of a path, so I crossed the creek and gave it a shot. It quickly petered out. Returning to the map, I knew that Salt Fork would be joining Gladie Creek shortly downstream, which should be an unmistakable landmark. With my feet already wet and the creek shallow and sandy, I waded down the one clear and obvious path: Gladie Creek itself.

Good walking, I guess?

Fortunately, my route finding skills did not turn out to be completely worthless, and I quickly reached Salt Fork. The next challenge was making sure I actually found the trail on the other side. I paused on the south bank to survey the other side and noticed some large droppings. “Pretty remote spot for dog poop, and dogs probably aren’t eating that many berries”, I thought to myself, before moving on.

Not camping here tonight!

I saw a large campsite on the north side, checked it out, and quickly found the trail, which was now the Sheltowee Trace with its white turtle blazes. Looking back where I should have come from, there was clearly a trail, so I definitely missed a turn somewhere upstream.

Where I should have come from

The Sheltowee started with nice easy walking through rhododendrons and eventually descended deeper into the woods towards the Garrett Branch crossing. Here I encountered more route-finding fun! Even though I was now on a major long-distance trail, the blazes left a lot to be desired. The map showed a roughly 180-degree turn a bit past Garrett Branch; however, being a seasonal stream, it is not clear where exactly it actually is. I began heading uphill on what appeared to be a fairly well-trodden path that almost immediately disappeared. I did a bit more fumbling in the woods before retracing the path downhill. The turn was a much tighter hairpin than the map indicated right at Garrett Branch, not just past it. After retracing my steps back to the crossing, I was able to find a blaze on the other side and verify that I had found the trail again.

Quick hairpin to the left, not to the right and uphill

By this point, I was considering where I was going to camp for the night. I had thought I might make it past the Indian Staircase and Cloud Splitter on the first day, but my misadventures getting off trail had slowed me down a fair amount. I also knew those would be some of the highlights of the trip and did not want to rush through them. The stretch of trail between and beyond them was also dry until I reached the Red River. Klaber Branch would be the last water source until the Red River crossing. I decided if there was a good spot by Klaber Branch I would camp there; otherwise I would load up on water and find a campsite near Indian Staircase.

As it turns out, even though Klaber Branch is shown as a year-round steam on the map, there is not much flow, at least in late fall in a dry year. No campsite either, so after filtering and grabbing an extra liter to carry, I headed on toward Indian Staircase. I reached the base right around the golden hour.

Base of the staircase

Going up!

Sun dipping below the gorge rim on the way up

Almost to the top!

Made it!

Views from the top

There are a number of nice campsites along the trail that follows the gorge rim. I unloaded my gear and took my cook kit to a ledge to make dinner, savor the solitude, and watch the sunset. Despite some wrong turns along the way, day one was in the books, and capped off by beautiful views of the Gorge!

Goodnight!

Day 2: Cloud Splitter, Red River, Veranda Vista, Gray’s Arch, and Hanson’s Point

I mentioned this was my first trip with my Garmin watch. In addition to navigation, one of its other features is sleep tracking. My watch was very concerned about me. I noticed four warnings about abnormal health/sleep metrics and I had my second-lowest sleep score ever (48), topped only by a night of hanging out with friends until almost 2 AM where I barely got four hours of sleep.

Despite Garmin thinking I was dying, I felt pretty good, all things considered. I awoke to a lovely morning. I packed up camp and admired the Gorge in the morning light from different angles as I walked around the rim.

Views around the rim past Indian Staircase

Red River below

I took the spur trail to Adena Arch–definitely worth checking out. In addition to the arch itself, the spur has several nice vistas, and I stopped at one to make breakfast.

Adena Arch

Adena Arch trail vista

After breakfast, I headed downhill just a bit to check out Indian Arch. It’s a short detour to see it, but it felt a bit underwhelming to me.

Indian Arch

I continued on the trail a couple miles to reach the Cloud Splitter spur. It requires a bit of scrambling up boulders and roots. I quickly left my pack to grab on the way back down. Eventually you emerge onto mostly bare rock and must decide if you are up for trusting a rope of unknown age to climb a crack to reach the top.

Cloud Splitter looming in the background

Not quite as vertical as it looks, but the rope is definitely required

I slowly made my way up the rope, being careful to keep my toeholds as secure as possible. It’s a little sketchy but the 360-degree views from the top are absolutely worth it!

On top of Cloud Splitter

Heading back down

The trip down the rope/crack is even more heart-pounding than the way up. Proceed slowly and carefully. From Cloud Splitter, a half mile or so further along the Sheltowee is the Nowhere Trail spur. I was going to skip it but decided to check it out on a whim. The sun was starting to break through and added some flavor to the views.

Nowhere Trail overlook

By this point, I was running low on water due to the dry camp and several stops. I rationed the last bit I had left, knowing there would be plenty to drink in 1.5 miles once I reached the Red River crossing. I knew the suspension bridge was out, but it was still sad to see the extent of the damage.

Remains of the bridge over the Red River

The river was easy to cross with this fall being so dry. The bottom was nice and sandy, so I decided to take a break for an early lunch sitting on a log with my feet in the river.

Nice spot for lunch

After a nice break in the sun, I waded across to the left of the bridge, as I saw a bit of a path and a rope hanging down the bank to help climb up. I naively assumed I would just pick up the trail, but there were lots of downed trees I had to pick my way through. After a couple of false starts, I made my way through and found up the trail, only to pass a much easier climb up the bank to meet the trail.

Moral of the story: if you are heading south on the Sheltowee Trace, cross the river south of the bridge and look for a spot to climb the bank and join the trail.

I stopped briefly to check out Jump Rock but declined to take a jump myself. Maybe if it were summer!

Not jumping today!

Just a bit further down the trail, it bends east then makes a quick hairpin turn back to the west. It is at this point that the Low Rider Trail splits off. According to Hinterlands, this trail will take you to Chimney Top Rock and Half Moon Arch. I was interested in giving it a shot, and a trail was clear for a hundred feet or so, but it quickly disappeared. Not wanting another off-trail episode, I opted to return to the Sheltowee.

Sunshine along Chimney Top Creek

The trail followed Chimney Top Creek for a mile or so before merging into the Rough Trail and crossing the creek heading west. I wanted to camp at Hanson’s Point, and looking at the map and amount of daylight left, I felt comfortable looping past it to go see Gray’s Arch and circling back around along the Pinch ‘Em Tight ridge to finish the day at Hanson’s. Since I would be passing the spur shortly before continuing on my loop, I took an extra liter of water from the creek to cache for the evening/next morning.

The climb up the ridge was one of the biggest of the trip, checking in at about 500 feet of elevation gain. Once up on the ridge, I passed the intersection with the Pinch ‘Em Tight trail (where I would come from to end the day) and took the Hanson’s Point spur to check it out. I reached the first large campsite and dropped my liter of water in a circle of logs. I ran into several other hikers on the spur–it’s a popular place to visit. Two of them were coming back from the point and assured me it was well worth it.

Returning to the Rough Trail (the Sheltowee follows the Pinch ‘Em Tight Trail), I descended to Rush Branch. A little over a quarter-mile past Rush Branch, as the trail is ascending back onto a ridge, there is a large rock overhang where it is not clear which way the trail goes. If I recall correctly, I looked left, thought, “Ha that looks like a trail, but I clearly see trail going to the right”, went right, realized that went nowhere, and turned back around and went left. Eventually I found a downed tree with a blaze and continued on my way.

Left!

No, right!

Ah, there it is!

Once onto Rush Ridge, I took the Veranda Trail spur to the overlook. Definitely worth a checking out! There is also a nice campsite along the way. I took a snack break on the point and relaxed in the sun for a bit. A breeze was blowing, making for nearly perfect weather.

Campsite on Veranda Trail

Approaching the overlook

More great views!

Back on the main trail, I descended about 400 feet from the ridge down to King Branch. The descent was steep enough that there were stairs along part of it.

Stairs descending to King Branch

I stopped to filter water at King Branch. My Sawyer filter had been slow but usable for most of the trip, but for whatever reason, it was not until this moment that I decided to try filling my water bottle with dirty water and drinking directly from the filter by squeezing. This worked pretty well! Yes, I had to occasionally unscrew the filter enough to let in more air but the flow rate was more than adequate, and I no longer needed to spend a bunch of time sitting and filtering when I would rather be moving. No idea why it took me so long to try this–it’s literally called a Sawyer Squeeze!

Just across King Branch, I ran into a pair of hikers who were also filtering. The person filtering raved about his Katadyne filter and how he much preferred it to Sawyer, but to be honest, as I watched him, the flow rate looked basically identical to my Sawyer. Seems all hikers have the same sets of problems and complaints!

From King Branch came a big climb up to Gray’s Arch, about 250 feet to the base of the arch and another 300 or so after that to reach the ridge. Gray’s Arch is very impressive!

Approaching Gray’s Arch

Gray’s Arch

Once on the ridge, the trail was a flat and easy walk though the woods. I skipped the D. Boon Hut Trail to ensure I had plenty of time to make it back to Hanson’s Point, set up camp, and enjoy the evening. After a brief road walk along Tunnel Ridge Road, I was back on the Sheltowee Trace heading east towards the Pinch ‘Em Tight Trail to complete my loop back to Hanson’s Point. The Pinch ‘Em Tight Trail has some interesting exposed rocks steps/ledges but overall was an easy hike.

Exposed rock on the Pinch ‘Em Tight Trail

I made it back to the spur trail shortly after 5 PM, retrieved my water, and continued down the spur trail to find a campsite. Six or seven sites were occupied but there are multiple huge campsites and many smaller ones to choose from. I went all the way out to the point and then backtracked to find the spot I liked best. I could have camped almost right on the point, but decided to take something more sheltered in case of wind overnight and not directly on the trail. I found a nice little spot tucked into the trees with just enough room for my tent.

Campsite

Hanson’s Point

Views all around!

Light fading away

Day 3: Chimney Top Creek Crossings, Rough Trail, and Cool Caves

I woke up before dawn and packed up camp so that I could head back to the point for sunrise. I found a nice spot to sit, cooked breakfast, and watched the sun climb over the ridgeline. In addition to the sunrise, it was interesting to the see the fog settled in the Gorge over the Red River.

First light

Fog over the Red River

Good morning, sunshine!

Light hitting the far side of the Gorge

My final decision of the trip was whether I would head back the way I came on the Rough Trail or take a slightly longer route on the Pinch ‘Em Tight Trail, Buck Trail, and Koomer Ridge Trail before rejoining the Rough Trail just to the southeast of where I started on it yesterday. I decided to take the longer route.

The Buck Trail was a nice walk through the woods, though close enough to the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway that some of the sounds of traffic reached the trail. The trail dropped about 400 feet down to cross the right fork of Chimney Top Creek. The Gorge almost got me one final time after the creek crossing, as I attempted to follow the “trail” uphill before realizing I could not possibly be on the route. From 50-75 feet above the creek, I spotted a blaze and the trail below and carefully made my way back down.

If you look carefully, there’s a blaze on the tree in the middle

I climbed back up just shy of 400 feet to Koomer Ridge. The trees thinned in a couple places but never quite enough to get a view. I eventually descended another 430 feet back down to cross the main branch of Chimney Top Creek.

Chimney Top Creek crossing

From there, the trail steadily climbed 450+ feet to get back on a ridge. This section has many huge boulders and rock shelters. Once up on the ridge, the trail crosses Chimney Top Ridge Road. Near the road crossing, there was an interesting pile of droppings right in the middle of the trail. ChatGPT says it is definitely black bear. I showed a photo to a friend who studies black bears, and her assessment was that it mostly likely came from a black bear. I did not see any prints or other signs nearby to offer any additional evidence.

Black bear?

The trail did not stay level for long (I’m guessing there is a reason it is called “Rough Trail”), and dropped almost 400 feet down to Parched Corn Creek. I was glad I had extra water stashed in my car in the parking area because the creek did not look particularly appealing to drink–mostly stagnant water with a lot of foam and scum. The last mile or so did offer some interesting caves and rock shelters.

Rock shelter near eastern end of Rough Trail

Another rock shelter

The creek crossing itself was easy with a small wooden bridge. After a couple of small rises, I reached the final climb up to KY-715 and the trailhead parking lot.

Looking up towards the trailhead

After observing the minimal number of blazes on many of the other trails, I was amused to see not one but two posts with arrows indicating turns on the last 500 feet of trail. I guess no one wanted to carry any more of them in any further than that!

Ascending to the trailhead, pretty sure I would have figured this one out on my own

Back at the trailhead!

In just a few more steps, I was back to the trailhead. I enjoyed some water and unloaded my gear. Since the weather was beautiful and the entrance was just 3/4 of mile down the road, I decided to check out the Sky Bridge trail and arch.

Day 3 Bonus: Sky Bridge

Sky Bridge is one of the most accessible features in the Gorge. There is a picnic area, several great lookouts along the access road, and an easy 3/4 mile loop trail that goes on top of and below the Sky Bridge Arch. I did the trail first and hit the lookouts on the way out.

Sky Bridge from below

Looking north into the Gorge from on top of Sky Bridge

On top of Sky Bridge

Another view into the Gorge

View to the west at Devil’s Canyon Overlook

Closing Thoughts

As I wrote this trip report, I realized just how many interesting and beautiful sites there are in the Gorge. This might be my longest trip report, even though it was not my longest trip in either time or miles. A lot of the sites are reachable by car and a short or moderate hike, but connecting them all together on foot makes for a really memorable trip. I had great weather, just enough adventure between some scrambling and losing the trail a few times, plenty of solitude but also a few enjoyable conversations with other hikers.

The Gorge is probably the most appealing destination within a three hour drive, and I definitely expect I will be back for more. Despite going in late October, the trees were still mostly green. Sliding one or two weeks later into early November might be the best time to go for peak fall colors.

Lastly, if anyone reading this knows of a way to purchase a copy of Hinterlands, shoot me an email, as it appears it has gone out of print. I would love to have my own copy!

Click to see all photos

This post contains affiliate links. If you use them, thanks for helping to fund my next trip!

I recently picked up a Epix Pro Gen 2 as Garmin has started discounting previous-generation watches with the release of new versions of the Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro. I have really liked the workout and health tracking, but another one of my motivations for buying it was to use it on backpacking trips. To that end, I decided to pair my inReach Mini 2 with the Epix Pro. The Garmin Messenger app is pre-installed on the watch, so how hard could it be?

Turns out it is a little more complicated than it seems. The Messenger app is fine for sending and receiving messages but does not handle tracking, SOS, or preset messages. Depending on your needs and inReach subscription plan, these features are each critical.

Garmin’s app ecosystem is a bit confusing and the user manual instructions are not always accurate or complete. Here is what I learned while getting it set up with my Epix Pro and inReach Mini 2.

The manual says to “add the inReach glance” on the watch. That sounds straightforward enough, except that there is no “inReach” glance option in the “Add Glance” list.

The following steps are what actually worked for me.

On the inReach Mini 2:

1. Press the OK (top-right) button.
2. Scroll down to Settings and press OK.
3. Scroll to inReach Remote and press OK.
4. Toggle the status to On.
5. Optionally, scroll down and enable Verification.

On the Epix Pro:

1. Long-press the middle left button to open Settings.
2. Scroll down to Sensors & Accessories and select it.
3. Choose Add New, scroll down to inReach, and select it.
4. Follow the prompts to connect your watch to the inReach Mini 2.

Once paired, the inReach Remote (“iR”) app should appear when you scroll down on the main watch face. From there, you can send preset messages, start or stop tracking, or trigger an SOS, all directly from your watch. You can also turn off the iR app on the watch when not using the inReach so that the watch does not keep trying to find and connect to the inReach.

Hopefully this saves someone else the head-scratching I went through trying to get the inReach Remote working properly!

Disclaimer: Amazon links above are affiliate links. Use them and help me get some new outdoor gear!

I have a Framework 13 laptop that I bought in August 2021. I loved the idea of a fully fixable/upgradable laptop. Now that I’ve had it for almost four years, I decided it was time to upgrade the mainboard, I went high a higher-end processor and got the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.

Another nice Framework bonus is that they sell cases so you can re-purpose the old mainboard into standalone machine. Since I planned to turn the old mainboard into another machine that would need it’s own RAM and storage, I decided to buy a new, larger SSD.

Choosing an SSD

When I originally bought my Framework, I bought my RAM and hard drive separately so I could hunt for a good deal. I went with an SK Hynix P31 Gold 1TB SSD for my original purchase because of the good power management reviews in the Framework community forums and elsewhere. I had no issues, so I went with the newer P41 Platinum 2 TB (referral link) version.

Firmware Issues?

The main downside to these drives is various reports of write performance gradually slowing down. Though I would be unlikely to notice the issue, SK Hynix has released new firmware that many people report resolves the issue.

My challenge was getting the new firmware onto the SSD. SK Hynix provides GUI software to update the firmware, but it only runs on Windows. I have an old Windows machine, but I could not get the software to recognize the drive. It’s likely I needed something better than a cheap SSD enclosure for it to work. Not wanting to buy an expensive peripheral for a single task, I did some digging to see if I could figure out how to upgrade the firmware manually.

Upgrade SSD Firmware on Linux

I found instructions for using the nmve-cli utility to upgrade SSD firmware on the Arch Linux wiki. I installed the new 2 TB drive into the Framework and booted up. Below are the commands I used.

Install nvme-cli:

$ sudo apt install -y nvme-cli

List devices to identify the SSD:

$ lsblk

NAME        MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
nvme0n1     259:0    0   1.8T  0 disk 
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1    0     1G  0 part /boot/efi
└─nvme0n1p2 259:2    0   1.8T  0 part /

Display firmware information:

$ sudo nvme fw-log /dev/nvme0n1
Firmware Log for device:nvme0n1
afi  : 0x1
frs1 : 0x3032413036303135 (51060A20)

Identify available firmware slots, in this case 1 (line 4), also note reset is not required for activation for this drive (line 2):

$ sudo nvme id-ctrl /dev/nvme0 -H | grep Firmware
  [9:9] : 0x1	Firmware Activation Notices Supported
  [4:4] : 0x1	Firmware Activate Without Reset Supported
  [3:1] : 0x3	Number of Firmware Slots
  [0:0] : 0	    Firmware Slot 1 Read/Write

Download the new firmware:

$ wget https://ssd.skhynix.com/download/firmware/Platinum_P41_firmware_update.ebin

The output of this command ends in 1A20 instead of 0A20 from the fw-log command, this should indicate a newer firmware version:

$ strings ~/Downloads/Platinum_P41_firmware_update.ebin | grep A20
51061A20
51061A20
51061A20

Load the firmware to the SSD by device ID:

$ sudo nvme fw-download -f Platinum_P41_firmware_update.ebin /dev/nvme0n1
Firmware download success

Commit the firmware, specifying the slot -s 1 but do not activate it yet -a 0:

$ sudo nvme fw-commit -s 1 -a 0 /dev/nvme0n1
Success committing firmware action:0 slot:1

Commit the firmware to slot 1 -s 1 and activate it -a 2:

$ sudo nvme fw-commit -s 1 -a 2 /dev/nvme0n1
Success committing firmware action:2 slot:1

Display firmware information, note it now ends in 1A20 instead of 0A20:

$ sudo nvme fw-log /dev/nvme0n1
Firmware Log for device:nvme0n1
afi  : 0x1
frs1 : 0x3032413136303135 (51061A20)

If the output of the sudo nvme id-ctrl command did not indicate “Activate Without Reset Supported”, reset the controller:

$ nvme reset /dev/nvme0n1

That’s It!

Everything should be good to go with the new firmware working. This can be done with the SSD in use for the OS, no need to boot from a USB image.

That all there is to it–hope this helps someone out there!

An Ember Mug is temperature-controlled mug that keeps beverages (coffee, tea, etc.) at a set temperature. Sounds completely unnecessary, right? It is, until you try one and realize how nice it is to drink your coffee at exactly the temperature you want. No more lukewarm or cold final sips, and no rush to drink it while it is hot and risk burning your mouth.

It is definitely a first-world luxury; however, like many first-world luxuries, once you try it, it is tough to go back to the way things were before. It is also fairly expensive (~$150 for a coffee mug!) but makes a nice gift, especially for someone who enjoys coffee or tea but would never buy it for themselves.

I got one as a work giveaway. So I got to experience it (and get hooked) for free! If you want one for yourself or someone else, you can order one from Amazon.

So Why Are We Talking About It?

Turns out the batteries on the Ember Mug are prone to deteriorating. It is possible that mine sat in storage for a while before I got it, contributing to shorter battery life. Regardless, I used it for a cup of coffee a day, 4-5 days per week, for roughly 9 months before it began losing its charge rapidly. The mug and its companion app would report a full charge but the battery would discharge completely in ~10-15 minutes. Previously, it lasted over an hour, maybe as long as 90 minutes.

Factory resetting the mug did not solve the issue. I contacted Ember support, who asked me to answer a number of questions and provide a picture of the serial number. A month later, they asked me to provide a video. Two months after that they replied and asked me to provide a video again. By that point I was done with their support process and had received a different mug as a gift. Based on what I have read online, their customer support is hit or miss.

I should also add that the Ember Android app is terrible. The first time the mug is connected via Bluetooth, it works great. Be sure to set your desired temperature on this initial connection because on any subsequent attempts to use the app, it will fail to connect to the mug. The mug still works and remembers the temperature setpoint without the app, but if you want to adjust anything you have to go through the entire Bluetooth pairing process again.

The new mug I received–a NextMug–did not have an app, which was a bit of a relief after the Ember Android app experience, but it only had 3 preset temperature settings. I used it for over a year with no issues, and I would recommend it to someone who would like a heated mug without the complexity of an app.

But What If We Could Revive It?

The Ember mug was relegated to storage, but every once in a while I would come across it and wonder if it might be possible to replace the battery. It seemed like such as shame for it to become expensive e-waste. Ember offers no battery replacement, but surely the hive mind of the Internet could make it possible, right?

I found various information on Reddit, YouTube, and on forums. Part of the challenge of finding the right information is that Ember makes several different kinds of mugs and dissambling them varies from model to model. I eventually found this thread on iFixit, which has instructions for the Ember mug. The thread is a bit hard to follow, and also includes reports from people who tried things like drilling into the base to separate it from the mug.

The rest of this post details what worked for me (no drilling required!), along with pictures.

Disclaimer

The information in this post is for educational purposes only. The Ember mug battery is not designed nor intended to be user-replaceable. Attempting to follow these instructions may result in harm to yourself and/or the mug. I am not responsible for personal injury, fried circuits, or voided warranties. Proceed with caution at your own risk, and please be careful handling the batteries.

Also, Amazon links in this post are affiliate links. If this post helps you out, use those links and buy me a coffee!

Replacement Battery

You will need a replacement battery. I ordered this one from Amazon.

Removing the Base

By far the hardest part of the process is removing the base, which must be rotated slightly to separate it from the rest of the mug and access the battery. The base is smooth and curved, making it difficult to grip and rotate. Some people report using a strap wrench, but I was successful using rubber gloves.

The key is to turn the mug on so that the light turns on. This will allow you to see whether the base has rotated. Initially, the light will be centered under the ember logo:

Ember mug with light illuminated

Hold the mug in place and grasp the base as best you can. It might be easier to place the mug upside down on a table in order to apply some downward force to help grip the base. Rotate the base a few degrees clockwise. It will be difficult to tell whether the base has rotated if the light is not illuminated. There is a tab on the underside of the base that will prevent the base from rotating any further.

Mug illuminated with base rotated

The next challenge is separating the base from the rest of the mug. Again, it is difficult to grip the base. I gently wedged a woodworking chisel in the groove between the base and mug and carefully twisted to start separating the two pieces. I worked my way around the base until it created enough of a gap to use my hands.

Mug and base separating

Carefully slide the base completely free of the mug. There is a ribbon cable connecting the base to the mug.

Closeup of ribbon cable

There should be enough slack to allow the base to lay flat with the mug next to it with the ribbon cable still attached.

Base with ribbon cable still attached

Removing the Battery

Remove the three (3) screws securing the metal housing.

Ribbon cable side of metal housing

Other side of metal housing with two screws

Remove metal housing to expose the battery. It is a tight fit and may need to be wiggled loose.

Base with metal housing removed

Carefully disconnect the ribbon cable.

Disconnected ribbon cable

Remove the remaining screw securing the circuit board from the ribbon cable connector side. On the side opposite the ribbon cable connection is a housing for the light. Pop this free and remove it from the base.

Light housing removed from base

Remove the battery and circuit board from the base. The battery should be glued to the circuit board so that they are a single unit.

Battery removed from base

Flip the battery and circuit board over. Carefully disconnect the battery cable from the circuit board.

Circuit board with battery connected

Circuit board with battery cable disconnected

Once the battery cable is disconnected, carefully separate the battery from the circuit board. It should be glued together. Exert steady pressure until they begin separating. Discard the old battery.

Closeup of original battery

Replacing the Battery

Connect the cable of the new battery to the circuit board and place them back into the base. It will be a tight fit.

Base with new battery

Replace the single screw on the ribbon cable side and connect the ribbon cable.

Single screw and reconnected ribbon cable

Replace the metal housing and three screws securing the housing.

Metal housing with screws

Carefully slide the base back into the mug. It will fit very tightly. Assuming the battery has some charge, it will be helpful to turn the mug on to use the light to help align the base. Turn the base counterclockwise until the light is centered under the ember logo. If the base will not turn, remove it and check to ensure the tabs on the mug and base are properly aligned.

Base reattached to mug with light illuminated

Ember mug with light correctly aligned

Success (hopefully)!

If everything went according to plan, you now have an almost-brand-new Ember mug. I replaced my battery about in June 2025 and it has worked flawlessly since.

About That Android App

If you made it this far and have an Android phone, you are likely well aware that the Ember Android app is terrible. Someone built an alternative app called EmberSupreme that seems to work much better. I have no relationship or association with the developer, but I can confirm that this app connects much more reliably than the default app. It is not free (it costs $2.49), but if you paid ~$150 for a fancy self-heating mug, why not shell out a couple bucks for an app that actually works?

The Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia is a strikingly unique and scenic region within the Monongahela National Forest, known for its expansive views, rocky landscapes, and high-altitude bogs. Located in the Allegheny Mountains at elevations that reach over 4,000 feet, Dolly Sods offers a distinctly rugged, subalpine environment with tundra-like conditions rare in the eastern United States. Its name reflects the area’s early history, with “Dolly” originating from the German Dahle family who settled here, and “Sods” referring to open grassy meadows. With its wind-sculpted spruce trees, heath barrens, and windswept plateau, the landscape of Dolly Sods feels like a portal to a more northern ecosystem, offering a diverse and unique experience for visitors.

The wilderness spans over 17,000 acres and is known for its rich biodiversity and wildlife. Dolly Sods is part of the greater Red Creek watershed, which supports a network of unique plant species, including cranberries, sphagnum moss, and blueberries that thrive in the cool, damp environment. Wildlife, including black bears, deer, and many bird species, find sanctuary in this protected space. Its bogs, heath, and open meadows are interspersed with towering rock outcrops, giving the area a wild, unspoiled character that has made it a priority for conservation efforts. The climate and flora here mirror areas much farther north, due in part to its elevation and history of glacial influence, which make it an ecological treasure and a research hotspot for scientists studying unique Appalachian ecosystems.

The trails are often rocky, and the weather can shift quickly, so it is essential to be prepared. Visitors can explore the popular Bear Rocks Preserve, a windswept rock formation offering panoramic views of the Canaan Valley, traverse the northern Dolly Sods for its open meadows and frequent sightings of unique flora and fauna, or climb the Lion’s Head overlook in the southern Sods. The wilderness designation of Dolly Sods means that it is largely untouched by human development, offering a remote and rustic experience ideal for those seeking solitude and a connection to nature. Each season transforms the landscape, from colorful blooms in the spring and summer to the vibrant red and orange foliage in the fall, and finally, the frost-covered terrain of winter, making Dolly Sods a year-round destination for nature lovers.

Planning and Gear

I recently started learning how to use CalTopo for route planning. The interface can be a little intimidating at first, but once I got the hang of the basics, it is very useful for calculating mileage and elevation gain/loss.

Red track is my hiking route using CalTopo

Also calculates the elevation profile

The HikingUpward web site had a nice overview of the Lion’s Head/Bear Rocks loop, albeit starting at the Bear Rocks trailhead instead of the Red Creek trailhead where I planned to begin. By starting from Bear Rocks, the loop can be as short as 21 miles round-trip, whereas my route was 28.5 miles.

This would be my second trip with my Gossamer Gear The One single-wall tent. I also recently made a cat-food can alcohol stove that I decided to take on this trip since it meant I could bring ~110ml of fuel in a squeeze bottle rather than a full isobutane canister. I almost came to regret going with the alcohol stove over the canister stove (more on that later). I also decided to try strapping my Gossamer Gear Thinlight foam pad to the top of my pack to see if the increased accessibility would remind me to use it more during breaks. With plenty of sun in the forecast and limited tree cover in the north Sods, I wore my Sahara sun hoodie as my primary top layer. The last additional item I added was a Govee Bluetooth thermometer. At less than an ounce, it is a very lightweight way to know exactly what temperature ranges I would experience on the trip.

Day 1

I drove to Dolly Sods from Ohio, so I decided to use the Red Creek trailhead for access. The trailhead parking was a bit confusing. Turn left at the parking lot, go past a couple buildings, and find a spot here. I parked next to a few other cars and figured I was good. The trailhead itself has good signage and an optional log book to enter your expected itinerary. The trail itself has no blazes, though intersections are marked by signs. In fall with the leaves down, following the trail can be a bit tricky. I quickly managed to lose the trail after checking out a campsite. It is not really possible to get lost since this stretch of trail parallels the Red Creek, but bushwhacking does make for a slower pace. I did manage to find the junction with the Little Stonecoal Trail where it crosses Red Creek, and it did not look like a well-traveled path.

Little Stonecoal Trail Red Creek crossing

Soon enough, I encountered three hikers going the opposite direction about 50 feet away, and thanks to their superior wayfinding I was able to get back on the trail. When I was planning the trip, I was not sure if I would continue on the Red Creek Trail until it joined the Rocky Point Trail upstream, or take the Big Stonecoal Trail up to the Rocky Point Trail to check out the Lion’s Head overlook. I planned to visit Lion’s Head on Day 3, so I did not necessarily have to see it on Day 1. As I got further along the Red Creek, the trail stayed far enough into the forest that there were not a ton of views of the creek.

Good view down into Red Creek

As a result, I decided to take Big Stonecoal, cross Red Creek, and head uphill to Lion’s Head. The creek crossing was beautiful, with just a bit of challenge rock-hopping to keep my feet dry.

Downstream at Red Creek crossing

Upstream at Red Creek crossing

Knowing that I would be heading away from obvious water sources, I planned to fill up after crossing the creek so I would have plenty for the rest of the day. It was at this point where things went a bit south. During my last trip, I had gotten frustrated with the slow flow rate on my Sawyer Squeeze. When I got home, I did a bunch of backflushing, soaked it in vinegar, and had the flow rate like when it was brand new. Prior to this trip, I pre-soaked it in distilled water but did not actually test it. Big mistake! As I tried to filter water, there was literally no flow. I don’t know how it happened, but it seemed completely clogged. Out of frustration, I dumped the water I had collected to filter and decided I could make it on the remaining 0.7L or so I had left and figure out what to do when I found my campsite for the night.

And so I commenced my climb up Big Stonecoal, going over in my mind how I was going to make it the next two days with a non-functioning filter. It was at this point that I began regretting not bringing my canister stove, since that would at least have given me the option to boil water. As it was, I had only enough fuel to cook meals plus an extra 25% or so, certainly not enough to boil multiple liters of water. But that was a problem for later. I resolved to enjoy the rest of the day and figure things out as I went.

The climb up Big Stonecoal was quite rocky (this would become a theme!), but the uneven footing served to limit my pace, which moderated the effects of elevation gain.

Climb up Big Stonecoal

Eventually I reached the intersection with the Rocky Point Trail and headed south towards Lion’s Head. I skipped the first entrance to the side trail to Lion’s Head and headed up the second one. It required some scrambling but nothing too difficult to reach the upper level of the overlook. From there, it became careful rock hopping to find the best views of the surrounding valley and hills.

Slight scramble to reach the top level of Lion’s Head

Looks like a lion to me

Views from Lion’s Head

Or maybe that’s the Lion’s Head?

Selfie time!

After descending from Lion’s Head, I learned exactly how the Rocky Point Trail got its name:

Yes, that is rocky

Trails with “rocky” in the name are a common theme in the Dolly Sods, and they got those names for good reason. It took some time, but eventually the rock-strewn trail gave way to milder footing through the forest. This allowed me to push a little faster toward my planned campsite near “The Forks”, which is at the confluence of the Left and Right Forks of the Red Creek.

A nice break for the feet

Surprisingly, I had the entire Forks campsite area to myself. There are several beautiful waterfalls and variety of stone chairs and fire rings that have been assembled over the years.

With daylight fading, I focused on making dinner, knowing I could attempt to filter water again after dark. I cooked near the fire pit and started setting up my tent in a cluster of pine trees nearby. I forgot to let the alcohol stove get going before adding my pot and did not set up my windscreen very well. As a result, I was not able to boil water as long as I would have liked, another downside of my stove choice for the trip.

Stone camp chair and fire pit

Wider view of stone “furniture”

Waterfall near The Forks

Regardless, I got a burst of energy from dinner, and settled into a stone chair (cushioned by my Thinlight!) to take another shot at filtering water. I took advantage of all the stone surfaces around me and really knocked my Sawyer around, hoping the it would clear whatever was blocking the flow. After giving it a solid beating, I was able to get a decent enough flow out of it, much to my relief. It probably took 10-15 minutes to filter a liter of water, but with darkness falling, I had plenty of time to spend filling up my water bottles.

I ended up setting up my tent by headlamp in the fading light and filtered my second liter of water by headlamp in the dark. I finally settled into my sleeping bag under the pine trees, enjoying the sound of Red Creek rushing over the waterfalls and around boulders and rocks.

Day 2

Day 2 began around 6:15 AM. I started packing up inside my tent while it was still dark. I checked the Govee thermometer and the overnight low was 42F. A quick breakfast warmed me up, and I hit the trail by 7:30. I was not sure where the next water source would be, so I loaded up with nearly 4 liters of water.

The morning hiking was beautiful, slowly gaining elevation through scrubby meadows and red spruce forests, with early-morning light just beginning to spill over the hills.

Meadow in early morning light

Views began opening up along Upper Red Creek, offering glimpses of the wilderness spreading out in all directions.

Views on Upper Red Creek Trail

Just before the junction with Dobbins Grade, a beaver dam made for some muddy patches. The tenth of a mile I spent on the Dobbins Grade Trail itself lived up to its reputation as one long mud pit and confirmed my decision to take the longer but drier Raven Ridge Trail.

Looking back south on Raven Ridge Trail

The Raven Ridge Trail climbed steadily but at a very reasonable pace, flanked by sweeping views, open spaces, and eventually passing through patches of forest. I reached the Sundew Trail junction and headed east toward Bear Rocks.

Up and over a knob on the Sundew Trail

View to the south on Sundew Trail

After crossing several rolling knobs along the Sundew Trail, I stopped for a break by the Upper Red Creek crossing. The creek was flowing steadily, so I dumped my extra water to shed weight and enjoyed a snack in the shade. Two kids from a family camping next to the creek stopped by to ask if I had a lighter they could borrow. I did, and it made me feel a bit better about my own failures to pack and verify all my gear.

The air grew warmer as the sun rose, and I reached Bear Rocks around 10:30 AM. I do not know if I made it to the “official” Bear Rocks, but I had plenty of wide-open views of the valley below. After resting a bit and enjoying the view from a small campsite tucked in a grove of trees, I retraced my route west down the Sundew Trail.

Views from Bear Rocks

Proof I was there!

View from small campsite

Heading back down the Sundew Trail

As the day wore on, I could feel the exposure to sun and wind beginning to drain some of my energy. A quick stop to filter water at the Red Creek crossing gave me a boost to head back uphill to the Raven Ridge Trail junction. From there, I would be covering new ground, with views opening up to both the south and the north.

More views along Raven Ridge

I stopped for a quick lunch at a dry campsite on the ridge and rested for a bit in the sun. By mid-afternoon, I reached the northwest corner of Dolly Sods where Raven Ridge Trail ends and the Rocky Ridge Trail begins heading south. This stretch was a sea of boulders with many vistas into the Canaan Valley to the west.

Boulders everywhere

Lake in the valley

Rock formations along the trail

Looks like an elephant!

The sun and wind were unrelenting, and I often found myself looking down during this stretch to avoid the blinding glare and to carefully choose my footing. Rocky Knob and Harman Knob each offered overlooks, but all the rocks, roots, and swampy patches kept me treading carefully.

More views into the Canaan Valley

Climbing Harman Knob

Views from the top of Harman Knob

Beautiful fall foliage

From Harman Knob, the trail began a gradual but steady descent.

Descending the trail

Eventually, I reached the intersection with the Breathed Mountain and Big Stonecoal Trails. The push down Big Stonecoal wasn’t much easier–it started out boggy, then came rocks and roots, and the rhododendrons closed in tightly in places making it difficult to follow the trail. I ended up off trail at one point but knew the general direction where the trail should be and was able to get back on it with minimal bushwhacking.

The trail eventually followed alongside Stonecoal Run, and I passed another beaver dam. I crossed Stonecoal Run and stopped to filter water, mistakenly thinking I was at my campsite for the night before realizing I still had a bit to go.

Beaver Dam on Stonecoal Run

Heading onward to the next crossing, I checked out several campsites and chose the large one a bit upstream of the crossing. I had considered pushing even further and camping near Lion’s Head but ultimately decided against it. Staying put gave me plenty of time to set up camp and cook dinner before dark.

Campsite fire ring

Tent set up in pine grove

I saved water filtering until after dark and then climbed into my tent for the night. Temperatures dipped to 41 degrees overnight, but I was plenty comfortable with my quilt and down jacket.

Day 3

I slept in a bit on Day 3, staying under my quilt until about 6:45 AM. I packed up as much as I could inside the tent and then emerged to make breakfast. I was back on the trail by 8:00, and quickly reached the Dunkenbarger Trail intersection. Since I made it to Lion’s Head on Day 1, I was considering taking the Dunkenbarger Trail to try a different route and shave off a bit of distance. One look at the trail told me it was not well-traveled, and I could barely make out any path through the woods. A second trip to Lion’s Head it would be!

Crossing Stonecoal Run

Waterfall on Stonecoal Run

Rock outcropping

As I headed towards the Rocky Point Trail, I could feel a warm breeze even though it was still relatively early in the morning. This time I took the first entrance to the side trail to Lion’s Head. The ascent was steep at first, but no scrambling required. Soon the trail flattened to an easy stroll through the forest.

Through the trees to Lion’s Head

I passed several excellent campsites. The only downside is the need to haul all your water since there are no sources nearby. The last campsite was occupied by two hikers from New Jersey, and I stopped to chat with them for a few minutes, trading stories about our routes and trip.

Once out of the forest and onto the rocks, the wind was much stronger than Day 1, whipping around as I settled in at the edge of the overlook. I sat there and enjoyed a snack, taking in the view of the valley spread out below, shimmering in the morning sun, dotted with fall colors and morning shadows.

Views from Lion’s Head

After a while, I packed up and retraced my route back down the side trail. The hike down Big Stonecoal Trail was slower than I remembered, with plenty of roots and rocks making for treacherous footing. I think it was easier going up than it was coming down!

The final crossing of Red Creek put me back on the Red Creek Trail. The last stretch was smooth, and I navigated my way without losing the trail this time. As I neared the trailhead, I passed several more hikers just setting out. The parking lot was just as full as I left it, and I even had to back up and let two cars coming towards the trailhead cross the single-lane bridge over Red Creek before I could head back home.

Crossing Red Creek for the last time

Trip Summary

The Dolly Sods was incredible! I learned about the area because it shows up on lots of “best places to backpack in the mid-Atlantic” lists, and it did not disappoint. The variety of landscapes, overlooks, vistas everywhere, and campsite options certainly made it worth the five-plus hour drive to get there. In my opinion, the mileage-to-cool-things-to-see ratio is phenomenal. My 28.5 mile loop was packed with scenery and views throughout, and if you were to start from Bear Rocks, you could get the same experience in just over a 21-mile loop.

I was watching the weather forecast closely, and I had nearly perfect weather for late October. If anything it was even a bit warm, with low 70s during the day and full sun, lows in the low 40s at night, and not a hint of rain. If you have questions before a trip, I recommend calling the Cheat-Potomac District Monogahela National Forest Office. They were very knowledgeable and able to answer all my questions. If only I had thought to ask about water flow in the Upper Red Creek, I could have avoided carrying so much water on Day 2!

Some lessons learned: always check your water filter before you leave, even if it worked great when you stored it after your last trip and consider how failures can cascade. My filter not working was made worse by not having enough fuel to boil water if I had to. In the future, if I am going on a solo multi-day trip, I will either bring an alternate water treatment method or a fuel canister so I can boil water as a last resort. Of course, one advantage of a group trip vs. a solo one is those backup options can be gear that others have. If multiple people in a group have water filters, it’s not necessary for any one person to bring a backup.

Lastly, the sun hoodie was a good call. It was very open in the northern Sods and the sun was beaming down all day. The hood and my bucket hat kept the sun off and shielded some of the wind as it picked up on Day 2. It was definitely worth bringing the Thinlight and strapping it to the top of my pack. It snagged a couple times when going through brush, but having it in an easy to grab place made it much more comfortable to stop for a quick break on a trailside boulder.

Click to see all photos

The Red River Gorge Geological Area, located within the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky, is a breathtaking natural wonder renowned for its rugged sandstone cliffs, lush forests, and abundant recreational opportunities. Encompassing over 29,000 acres of pristine wilderness, the Red River Gorge is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a diverse array of activities such as hiking, rock climbing, camping, fishing, and wildlife viewing.

One of the most striking features of the Red River Gorge is its dramatic topography, characterized by towering cliffs, narrow gorges, and natural arches carved over millions of years by the erosive forces of wind and water. These geological formations provide a stunning backdrop for exploration and photography, drawing visitors from far and wide to marvel at their beauty.

The Daniel Boone National Forest spans over 700,000 acres in eastern Kentucky and is named in honor of the legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone, who famously blazed trails through the region in the late 18th century. Today, the national forest offers a diverse range of habitats, from dense hardwood forests to rugged mountain terrain, providing a home to an abundance of plant and animal species, including black bears, deer, wild turkeys, and rare wildflowers.

The area boasts an extensive network of trails that cater to hikers of all skill levels, ranging from leisurely strolls along scenic overlooks to challenging treks through rugged backcountry terrain. Rock climbers head to the gorge to test their skills on its world-class sandstone cliffs, while anglers and kayakers enjoy the pristine waters of the Red River and its tributaries.

With its stunning landscapes, rich biodiversity, and abundant recreational offerings, the Red River Gorge and Daniel Boone National Forest stand as a testament to the unspoiled beauty of Kentucky’s wilderness. Whether seeking excitement or tranquility, this extraordinary natural treasure offers something for adventures of all kinds to enjoy.

Planning and Gear

I have visited the Red River Gorge area several times over the years with friends. This year, a group of us were renting a cabin for a weekend; however, the weather forecast showed steady rain while we would be there. I headed to the Gorge a day early to take advantage of a small window with no rain in the forecast to do some backpacking.

I relied on Sean Patrick Hill’s guidebook Hiking Kentucky’s Red River Gorge to decide on a trail and plan the trip. One of the challenges of hiking in the gorge is that opportunities for true loops are limited. Combining the Swift Camp Creek Trail, Wildcat Trail, and Rock Bridge Trail allowed for loops at boths ends with a few miles of connecting trail repeated in the middle.

Purple track is my hiking route

I had two new pieces of gear to try out: a Gossamer Gear The One single-wall tent and Wrangler ATG Trail Joggers hiking pants. I also recently made a cat-food can alcohol stove that I like to take on short trips since I can bring exactly as much fuel as I need and can avoid carrying a metal fuel canister.

Day 1

First, I had to stop at the Pine Ridge Mart in Pine Ridge, KY to purchase an overnight parking pass ($5). The woman at the register said you would definitely get fined without one, but did not know how much the fine was when I asked. Better not to find out! I had gotten on the road a little later than I wanted and did not hit the trail until a bit after 3 PM. I figured this would be fine, since I was anticipating doing 5-6 miles the first day, finding a campsite, and then adjusting the second day based on how I felt.

From the trailhead parking lot, the trail crossed KY-715 and entered the forest. To my surprise, I ran into a group of four other hikers in the first 15 minutes on the trail. Perhaps the trail would be busier than anticipated? However, based on their reactions, I was the first other person they had seen in quite some time, and it would turn out they were the only other people I saw on the entire trip.

Follow the white diamond blazes…

The trail quickly begins its descent towards Swift Camp Creek, following Sons Branch. Where Sons Branch joins Swift Camp Creek, the trail turns south to parallel the creek. Immediately after this crossing, there are some nice beaches as well as a fantastic area for a campsite on the opposite side of Swift Camp Creek. Unfortunately it was far too early for me to set up camp, but good to know for future trips!

Wow, that’s a nice campsite!

View from a beach looking upstream (south)

Unfortunately, these beaches are some of the only easily-accessible ones on the entire trail, as it quickly ascends above the creek to follow various ridges. Now would be a good time to review the elevation profile in the first photo in this post. The Swift Camp Creek Trail is emphatically not a flat trail. In fact, it is near constant ups and down throughout the entirety of the route. In addition to the constant elevation changes, the terrain itself is full of roots and rocks, making it necessary to pay a good deal of attention to each step, lest you slip, turn an ankle, or tumble down a ravine. It’s not a near-death experience, as the numerous rhododendrons would almost certainly break your fall and catch you, but it is an exercise in focus and concentration.

Rock formation along the trail

Some views of valleys between ridges, but no real panoramic vistas

The trail does open up in places for views of the creek down below

Eventually, I reached the junction of the Swift Camp Creek Trail with the Wildcat Trail. Since I started at the Swift Camp Creek Trailhead, I planned to follow the Wildcat Trail on my return trip tomorrow. It was around this point that I realized how much the uneven terrain was slowing my pace. Checking my mapping app, I saw I was averaging a robust 1.6 miles per hour!

I reached the massive boulders surrounding Dog Creek around 6:00 PM and spent a few minutes deciding if I should push forward. In my head, I had figured I could at least reach a campsite described as “perfect” in the guidebook off a side trail near the 5.5 mile mark; however, I was only ~4.5 miles in, and darkness would fall shortly after 7 PM. There were a couple options for campsites nearby, and I decided the smart thing to do would be to call it a day rather than risk trying to find a campsite in the dark. Eventually I set up camp across the fork with a lovely view downstream and the sounds of rushing water in the background.

Dog Fork crossing

View from campsite along Dog Fork

Setting up camp was uneventful, and I had just enough flat, dry ground to set up my tent. I ended up cooking and eating dinner mostly in the dark, which validated my choice to stop for the night. I slept pretty well considering it was the first night on the trail and was up shortly after 6 AM the next morning.

Day 2

First night in the The One went great! Had a very thin layer of moisture on the inside wall, which I felt was quite resonable consdering my campsite was in creek valley after several days of rain. Certainly worth the 1+ pound weight reduction from my Skyscape Scout. I packed up camp and hit the trail, aiming to eat breakfast somewhere further along. About half a mile further, there was a small stream crossing with a nice flat spot for a campsite. If I had pushed forward yesterday, I almost certainly would have stopped here for the night. Looks like a very nice spot, but somehow I neglected to take a photo!

At the ~5.5 mile mark, I found the side trail to a large open campsite area and stopped for breakfast. This section of trail has some good overlooks of the creek and a waterfall, though it is hard to get a clear view of the falls themselves. The campsite does have plenty of room for several tents, though most of it is on a slight incline.

View of Swift Camp Creek

Campsite in clearing

As I made breakfast, a light rain began to fall. It persisted as I finished breakfast, so I grudgingly got out my rain jacket. By heading up the slope to the top of the ridge, I was able to find the trail described in the guidebook as “Turtle Back Arch”. It involved some rock scrambling up a series of small cliffs, and I think I sort of missed the arch itself (or maybe just climbed over top of it). But there is definitely a faint trail to follow as described in the guidebook, and eventually at the top of the ridge the trail levels out, widens, and becomes an easy walk through the woods.

Just follow the ridge!

With the trail flattening out through the woods, I was able to pick up my pace significantly compared to the Swift Camp Creek Trail. The rain also stopped not long after it had started. Eventually I reached the junction with Rock Bridge Road and headed east towards the Rock Bridge Picnic Area. Despite the name, it was not any more populated that the rest of the trail. I did not see a single car on the road, and there was no one at the picnic area.

I took the trailhead for the Rock Bridge Trail that heads south. The beginning section is paved, thought the pavement is in rough shape. The trail quickly drops down to parallel Rock Bridge Fork. Before long I reached Creation Falls. There is an overlook with a direct view of the falls, and it is pretty easy to get down to the wide sandy areas in the creekbed if so desired.

Creation Falls from above

Creation Falls from the overlook

Just a short distance beyond Creation Falls is Rock Bridge Arch. It is the only true “bridge” in Red River Gorge, as it is the only arch that actually spans water. If I understand the geology and history correctly, Rock Bridge Arch was actually formed by Creation Falls, but the falls have moved further upstream as they continue to erode the creekbed.

Rock Bridge Arch

View across the arch

View downstream from Rock Bridge Arch

Shortly after Rock Bridge Arch I reached the junction to re-join the Swift Camp Creek Trail. This section of trail offers some of the best views of the creek.

Views of Swift Camp Creek

Views of Swift Camp Creek

A little over a mile from the Rock Bridge/Swift Camp Creek junction, I made it back to the side trail to the Turtle Back Arch loop. This was slightly demoralizing, as I knew I was leaving the easier stretches of trail and now had to slowly retrace the route along the middle section of the trail. To add to the fun, the rain returned again and lasted for about an hour. At least the geology of the Gorge provides numerous rock overhangs to provide shelter, so I was able to stay dry while stopping for lunch.

Re-crossing Dog Fork the next day

Rare opening with view of Swift Camp Creek

Eventually, I made it back to the junction with Wildcat Trail and headed west and up towards KY-715. The first section gains elevation rapidly as the trail climbs away from the creek, but the second half is a mostly level walk through the woods back to the road. For a few brief moments, it even looked like the sun might come out!

The sun tried, but couldn’t quite break through the clouds

I did have a short road walk back to the Swift Camp Creek trailhead, but this allowed me to check out Angel Windows along the way, which was pretty cool. Apparently the “windows” are carved by wind, rather than water.

Angel Windows

Rock overhang beyond the Windows

Trip Summary

It was great to get out and experience my first backpacking trip in Red River Gorge. It is hard to find the exact right description for the Swift Camp Creek Trail itself. There are beautiful sections and campsites in the northern and southern ends, but the middle section definitely feels like it exists solely to link the two ends together, and you have to hike it twice unless you shuttle vehicles. The terrain is rugged but not exceptionally difficult. The continuous small ups and downs and rocks and roots on the trail require you to move slowly and think about nearly every foot placement. For me, this does detract some from being able to enjoy the scenery since I am so focused on my feet.

I hiked in early March before hardly any spring growth had started. I would be a bit wary of hiking the trail in the middle of summer when I suspect the trail could be highly overgrown and you might be constantly pushing leaves and branches out of the way. Along those same lines, blazes are inconsistent. Some are clearly new, others make you wonder, “Is that a blaze or just some tree growth?”

High-quality blaze (rare)

Is that a blaze inside the knot on that tree? (far more common)

A closing gear note: I thought the stretch and flexibility in the legs of the Wrangler ATG pants was great, but there was too much elasticity in the waist. By the second day I was really having to tighten down the belt, and even then there was too much sag and stretch. So as much as I liked the material, they just were not the right fit for me.

I will almost certainly be back for another backpacking trip in the Gorge. Now that I have a better understanding of the terrain and its quirks, I would like to link up the Swift Camp Creek trail to a longer route and incorporate some of the other great campsites I saw along the way. The Rough Trail ends at the Swift Camp Creek trailhead, so that is the obvious choice to connect to, but some additional creativity will likely be required to avoid too much of an out-and-back. The Gorge is awesome, but the topography does not necessarily lend itself to obvious loop trails!

Shawnee State Forest, also called “The Little Smokies of Ohio,” has developed into the largest of Ohio’s state forests with more than 60,000 acres. This working forest is managed to provide a variety of multiple uses on a sustained yield basis: Timber harvesting, tree planting, wildlife habitat, forestry research, watershed and soil protection, and production of tree seeds.

Located in southern Ohio west of Portsmouth, it is an ideal destination for hikers seeking a remote and tranquil natural experience. The forest features an extensive network of hiking and bridle trails, including the Backpack Trail, a 35-mile loop that traverses deep into the heart of the valleys and ridges that make up the forest.

Planning and Gear

Having survived a 4-day trip to Isle Royale National Park last August, I relied on a very similar strategy for planning this trip. I had a new Granite Gear Crown 2 60 pack that I was eager to try out on a longer trip.

Side note: always test drive your gear! The Granite Gear pack was great, but on a short day hike before this trip I disovered one of the straps was threaded incorrectly. Easy to fix with a tool from the comfort of home but would have been much more challenging on the trail.

I found Jim Rahtz’s book Ohio Backpacking Loops: A Guide to 14 Backpack Trails in The Buckeye State to be an excellent guide to the trail. I read the chapter on the Shawnee Backpack Trail several times to help prepare for the trip and help select campsites.

As I watched the weather in the days leading up to the trip, I was excited for the opportunity to test my ability to manage rain and colder overnight temperatures. The forecast for the first night was for steady rain, and the second night would be dry but with with lows in the upper 30s.

Day 1

I found self-registration at the backpack trail kiosk to be a simple process. Bring your own map, as there may not be any available at the kiosk, or the only ones available may be State Forest maps that do not show campsites. I created my own custom map with mileage waypoints:

Mileage not guaranteed to be accurate but should be close enough

Although the trailhead was not immediately apparent, I was able to figure it out from the map. If heading north on the loop, head straight across Route 125 to join the trail. On the other hand, if you are heading south like I was, follow the road towards the parking area. Cross a small bridge over the edge of Turkey Creek Lake, continue on the paved path past the restrooms, and pick up the trail.

Turkey Creek Lake

The first few miles on the south loop were a bit deceiving, but I made fantastic time to reach Camp 7. The terrain featured some ups and downs, but nothing too challenging until after Camp 7. If you are planning on getting water from Camp 7, it will require a half-mile round trip with a climb down and then back up to the trail.

View on the way to Camp 7 from the backpack trailhead

Unfortunately, it started raining shortly after reaching Camp 7, leaving me feeling a bit demoralized. It was difficult to tell which direction the weather was coming from. The junction between the main orange Backpacking Loop and the Wilderness Loop side trail is just across Mackletree Road. If you are doing the wilderness loop, water is available about three miles in. The designated wilderness section can be skipped by walking Upper Twin Creek Road and picking up the loop when it leaves the wilderness area.

I started the wilderness section, but after encountering four or five downed trees in the first quarter-mile, I turned around and opted for the road walk instead.

Expect to climb over/around downed trees in the wilderness section

I felt some fatigue in my legs and found the climbs were getting harder, causing me to stop several times. I also heard some thunder in the distance and did not want to get caught on a ridge in a thunderstorm. The rain continued during the road walk, but I was able to easily spot where the wilderness loop crossed the road, re-joined the trail, and continued on to Camp 6.

Views on the way to Camp 6 after re-joining trail from the road

The final approach to the camp involved one last hill climb and a significant downhill descent, leading to beautiful sites in a pine forest next to a stream. The one downside to Camp 6 is the privy is terrible.

The rain stopped by the time I reached camp, and I was able to set up my tent, filter water, and cook dinner. I noted that I needed to check my Sawyer after the trip, as filtering was slower than expected. I met Cathy from Sylvania, who had hiked Shawnee many times and was there with her daughter testing new 4-season tents. Cathy suggested that it would rain all day the next day but assured me that mud would not be a problem. She also offered that in her opinion, Camp 5 is the best camp because of the views when the leaves are down, but on a rainy day, Camp 6 is preferable because of the heavy tree cover from the pines.

Campsite at Camp 6

I went to bed around 8:30, and a light rain started shortly thereafter. I slept fitfully as the rain became more steady starting around midnight.

I woke around 4 AM and it occurred to me why many hikers carry an extra wide-mouth bottle for when nature calls during inclement weather. I was able to manage, very carefully.

Day 2

I woke up slightly chilled but mostly fine even in shorts, and the steady rain had stopped before dawn. I got up shortly after 7 AM and put on my rain jacket. It was hard to tell if it was light rain or just trees dripping. I made breakfast and tried to wipe down my tent as best I could. I packed up my wet gear, making extra sure my clothes were in a trash bag. I was sad to put on my wet socks and shoes. I talked to Cathy and her daughter and they said their tents had performed well. Cathy assured me that mud would not be a problem and directed me to an easier place to ford the stream and the correct fork of the trail. It would have been easy to go the wrong way. Mud was an issue while following the stream, but once elevated, it was not a problem.

Views on the way from Camp 5 to Camp 6

I gained elevation, but fortunately, there were a few switchbacks. A stretch of forest road walk helped make the elevation gain easier. I checked out Camp 5, as Cathy had said it was possible to see nearly to Ohio River. Unfortunately, the foliage was already obscuring most of the view. The sun was coming out, so I unpacked my tent to dry off a bit. I noticed the privy at camp 5 was much newer and nicer.

Camp 5

I got back on the trail, maintained elevation, passed three hikers, and then dropped to a long flat walk following and criss-crossing a creek between Camps 4 and 5. There was a road crossing and a large pond called Pond Lick Lake just before Camp 4. The water at Camp 4 was right on the trail, so I stopped for lunch.

Following a steam through a valley

Pond Lick Lake just outside Camp 4

After Camp 4, there was a big climb, but mostly maintained the ridge, and logging opened up some nice views. After alternating between sun and clouds in the morning, the afternoon brought nearly perfect weather, with partly sunny skies and a temps in the low 60s.

Views on the ridge between Camps 4 and 3

There was more logging road walking and a section of the forest between Camps 4 and 3 with many downed trees. I descended into a valley to a stream and then had to climb right back up to Route 125. There were several small waterfalls and a beautiful pine forest, which made the quick descent and ascent worth it.

Small waterfalls in the pine forest just south of State Route 125

I passed Scout Camp Oyo, but it was a bit of a walk to the water at Camp 3. The paved road walk to pick up the trail was not heavily blazed.

Boy Scout Camp Oyo

After re-entering the woods, there was an immediate huge climb but fortunately, the trail mostly stayed on the ridge.

Up we go!

Eventually, it dropped down to the valley, skirted a creek, and crossed a forest road to Camp 2. The water was a bit hidden, but if you know where it is, you can walk on the logging road to go straight to it before going to camp. There was a small stream that ran next to the camp, and I set up my tent by the stream.

Campsite at Camp 2

Looking up the ridge beyond Camp 2

I debated pushing on to Camp 1 to have a short final day but eventually decided I did not want to risk getting caught by darkness. I also had a bit of a hot spot on my left big toe. Staying at Camp 2 allowed me to set up my tent and dry everything out. Surprisingly, there was a nice breeze through the valley. My plan was to get an early start if all goes well.

Day 3

I woke up at 6:20 AM, feeling unsure about the quality of my sleep but grateful for the quantity. The overnight low was forecasted to be 38F, but with all my clothes on I was only just a bit cool by morning.

All bundled up!

After packing up camp, I hit the trail at 7:45 AM and began a huge climb that immediately made my left Achilles sore, and it did not loosen up as I walked. The trail was mostly heavy bulldozer trail, but just before reaching the forest, logging opened up excellent views, and there was even a picnic table to enjoy the scenery!

Is that somewhere to actually sit down?!?

Best view from the actual trail

Unfortunately, there was a section of the trail closed for active logging, so I had to reroute onto a forest road. I decided to detour onto a bridle trail to rejoin the original route instead of following the reroute on the paved road.

Detouring onto a bridle trail

I then descended into a valley, passing by Camp 1, before ascending to the bridle trail, horse camp, and water station.

I left the backpack trail to follow a gravel forest road to the Copperhead fire tower, and it was definitely worth it for the great views in almost every direction. Believe it or not, if you are not paying attention, you can almost walk right past the fire tower!

Don’t miss it!

Definitely worth a visit!

After that, I road-walked to rejoin the trail, which mostly followed a ridge until re-intersecting the forest road. There were two more big climbs, and after the first, I descended into a valley for a stretch. The final climb taunted me with a few false high points but eventually revealed the final descent.

Wildflowers along the trail

The final descent

By the end of the day, my feet and ankles were so tired that I scooped water from the final creek crossing to filter, rather than walking back to the water fountain!

Made it!

Trip Summary

Overall, I experienced a range of weather conditions (and emotions@), from rain and mud to sunshine and warmth. Despite the challenging terrain and steep climbs, the beautiful views and solitude made it worth it. Highlights of the trip included the breathtaking views from the fire tower, the beautiful pine forest and small waterfalls near Camp 3, and the views from the ridge between Camp 2 and 1. The trip also presented some physical challenges, such as soreness and fatigue in my feet and ankles, but I was able to push through. It was a rewarding experience and I would recommend it to any seeking to escape into the wilderness.

I definitely would like to go back and do the loop again. I would not recommend this trip in summer, as the heat and humidity coupled with limited visibility from full foliage would likely result in lots of sweating, bugs, and very limited views. Even in late April I felt like the views were starting to close up. I would think the ideal time to hike the trail would either be during the peak of fall colors or at some point in late fall, winter, or early spring when all the leaves are down. I imagine the views would be incredible!

Isle Royale National is the only national park in the state of Michigan, and per Wikipedia, Isle Royale itself is the 4th largest lake island in the world.

It is one of the least-visited national parks, with about ~26,000 visitors in 2021. Of those 26,000, nearly 6,000 are to the park headquarters in Houghton, MI, which means only about 20,000 people actually cross Lake Superior to get to the island.

Speaking of crossing Lake Superior, Isle Royale is only accessible by boat or seaplane. The closest mainland location is Canada, about 14 miles to the north. This contributes to its remoteness and lack of visitors. The island is also home to the longest-running predator-prey study in the world.

Trip Planning

Sometime in 2021, my brother-in-law mentioned taking a trip to Isle Royale was on his bucket list. That was all the nudge I needed to start planning a backpacking trip to the island.

I have a decent amount of outdoor and hiking experience, but nothing especially lengthy and never anything this remote. This was also my first time planning a group trip to the backcountry.

The r/ultralight subreddit was incredibly valuable for helping to plan the right gear and food to bring. I also relied heavily on Jim DuFresne’s excellent Isle Royale: Foot Trails and Water Routes to plan our route.

I had initially sketched out a loop on the other end of the island starting and ending in Rock Harbor. I ultimately decided on the Feldtmann Loop to shave a day off the trip. It ended up working out well because at least one of the campgrounds on my original route ended up being closed due a fire that occurred two weeks before our trip.

For more details about the trip plan, see this post.

The Crew

Four of us made the trip: me, my brother, and two friends. We drove up part of the way to the northern Lower Peninsula, stayed the night, and then drove across the Upper Peninsula to catch our seaplane from Hancock at 2 PM on Monday.

The four of us at Rainbow Cove

Day 1

We arrived about an hour early for our flight and ate some lunch at the picnic tables at the dock. The seaplane flight from Hancock was very smooth, and I got to fly co-pilot on the way out. We left a few minutes early and were in Windigo by 2:30 PM. A generous pair of hikers getting ready to depart gave us a full fuel canister, so that was one less thing to worry about before hitting the trail.

Welcome to Windigo!

We took a little bit of time checking out the Windigo visitor center and store, filling our water bottles from the potable water spigot (near the flagpole down by the dock), and completing our self-permit.

I had left open the option that if we were delayed or the weather was poor when we arrived that we could stay the first night at the Washington Creek campground next to Windigo. Having arrived early with the sun shining, we all agreed we would hit the Greenstone Ridge trail and head for the Island Mine campsite (~7 miles).

We were not on the trail for more than a few minutes before we saw the first patch of ripe thimbleberries. Thimbleberry bushes can be found nearly everywhere on the island and typically ripen in August. They practically fall right off the bush and are absolutely delicious!

Thimbleberries!

The trail was easy to follow but I found it surprising that there were no blazes marking the trail itself. All trail intersections were clearly marked. The trail quickly climbed up the Greenstone Ridge, but this section of the ridge is mostly tree-covered. This was definitely the least interesting section of trail, and it offered little in the way of views besides the surrounding forest.

The sky gradually became more overcast and some light rain fell at various points. We kept a leisurely pace, stopping for quick breaks every 45 minutes or so. We reached the junction to head towards Island Mine camp around 7:00 PM and were at the campground by 7:30 PM.

Marker at trail intersection

We were the second or third group into camp, but it filled up quickly after we arrived. After cooking dinner and setting up our tents, we headed down to check out the water source. Island Mine is the only campsite not on an inland lake, bay or Lake Superior, and it relies on a small stream for water. The water was mostly stagnant, but there were a few spots over rocks where flowing water could be found. The flexibilty of my CNOC Vecto bladder came in very handy to position the lip of the bladder to be able to catch moving water. Aside from looking a bit sketchy, it tasted fine and no one suffered any ill effects.

Setting up camp at Island Mine

Day 2

I slept well and woke up around 7:20 AM. Today was our shortest hike at less than 4.5 miles, so we took our time making breakfast and breaking down camp. We finally hit the trail about 10:15 AM after stopping to fill our water bottles on the way out of camp. After one initial climb shortly after leaving Island Mine, the trail went gradually downhill towards Siskiwit Bay.

Along the way, we found the remains of a rusted steam engine, a large pile of rock tailings, and an old mine shaft. One of our maps indicated a cemetery along the trail, but we saw no signs of it.

Abandoned steam engine along Island Mine trail

Once we reached Siskiwit Bay, the trail mostly followed the shoreline around the bay. We took several breaks, including a stop for 15-20 minutes to lounge in the sun on rocks along the shoreline just across Senter Point. We could just barely make out the Siskiwit Bay dock and campground across the bay.

Following the shoreline along Siskiwit Bay

Rocky area where we stopped for a break

We continued following the trail along the red sand beach where we saw moose and wolf prints. Eventually the trail left the beach to head slightly inland towards the bridge to cross the Big Siskiwit River.

Red sand beach along Siskiwit Bay

Wolf print? Pretty sure that’s a wolf print

We made it to camp to find one of the two shelters available. We dropped our packs to claim it while we checked out the other sites. Sites 1-3 are the best, as they offer some limited views of the water, whereas the others are further back in the trees. We decided to stick with the shelter as not needing to pitch our tents would help us pack faster and hit the trail earlier the next morning, which would be our longest hiking day (10.5 miles). It turned out we made it just in time to get the shelter as another group arrived only a few minutes after we did.

Our gear outside the shelter at Siskiwit Bay

View from the Siskiwit Bay shelter

We ate lunch at the shelter picnic table then headed down to the bay to go for a swim. The water was cold but not unbearable and very refreshing. Our only mistake was swimming to the right of the dock where the bottom was rocky and we had to be careful to avoid slipping. We discovered later that the bottom to the left of the dock was much more sandy. With the sun shining and very little wind, it was perfect swimming weather. It felt great to be able wash off some of the grime from the trail in the cleansing waters of Lake Superior.

Siskiwit Bay dock and fire pit

Later in the afternoon, I chatted with another group that included hikers from Wisconsin and Washington state. Several picnic tables on the dock were covered with gear and provisions, and we wondered when/if someone was going to show up to claim them. Eventually, three boats arrived by evening to anchor at the dock and fire up a grill.

We all sat down on the dock at dusk to watch for moose and other wildlife, but only heard the occasional loon. Nevertheless, we were able to enjoy a sunset as the light faded and darkness fell over the bay. We were also entertained by listening to the boaters share stories and enjoy their provisions, though they retired to bed like the rest of us by 10 PM.

Sunset at Siskiwit Bay

I woke up at 1:30 AM to head outside and check to see if the Northern Lights were visible, but unfortunately, they were not. Nevertheless, the Milky Way was clearly visible in the clear night sky, along with thousands (millions?) of other stars. It is hard to describe just how many more stars are visible in the complete wilderness on a night with no moon.

Day 3

Sunrise at Siskiwit Bay

Woke up at 7:00 AM to cloudy skies. I talked to one of the boaters in camp and he mentioned that rain was on its way. We packed up and left camp around 9:30 AM. The first part of trail towards Feldtmann Lake was very overgrown with heavy ferns and brush and tons of mosquitos. Any time we stopped they swarmed us immediately.

Making our way through the brush

A light drizzle started around 10:30 AM, which gradually became a steady rain. While we had a fair amount of tree cover to shield us from the drops above, the underbrush got wetter as we progressed and soaked us from the knees down. Fortunately, it was not cold enough to be miserable, but it was not definitely not fun hiking weather.

The Feldtmann fire tower emerges from the mist

We made it to the fire tower around 12:30, where we had the good fortune to meet a family from Detroit who had set up a tarp to wait out the rain. They generously shared it with us, and we ate some lunch while I retrieved an updated weather forecast. The forecast showed the chance of rain decreasing throughout the afternoon, and almost as if on cue, the rain stopped and the mist cleared away. We climbed the fire tower to take in the 360-degree views of the island.

View south from the fire tower, Lake Superior in the distance

View from the fire tower toward Feldtmann Lake

Around 1:30 we got back on the trail, descending from the fire tower through less-dense forest, which allowed us to start drying out.

Swamp along the trail

Eventually we climbed back up the Feldtmann Ridge and were treated to amazing views of the Feldtmann Lake and the Big Siskiwit Swamp in the interior. We looked carefully but did not see any moose in the lake or clearings. We headed down the ridge and made it into camp around 4:00 PM.

View from the Feldtmann Ridge toward the interior

View of Feldtmann Lake from the ridge

We were the first group into camp and had our pick of campsites. Truthfully, all the campsites at Feldtmann Lake are great, with most of them either right on the lake or with clear views of the water. A strong wind was blowing in from the northeast off the lake, but we decided to take our chances with a campsite right on the shore. After setting up camp, eating dinner, and checking for moose, we took the side trail to Rainbow Cove on Lake Superior.

The upshot of the wind coming from the northeast was that the southwest-facing Rainbow Cove was incredibly calm. If it had been a bit earlier in the day or sunnier, I would have definitely hopped into Lake Superior for another swim.

Rainbow Cove

We spent a couple hours exploring the cove and then headed back to camp before sunset. We scanned the treeline intently looking for moose but did not see any. Just as it was almost completely dark, we did see some kind of aquatic mammal (maybe an otter?) chowing down on a dead fish close to shore. We finally called it a night around 10 PM. Not more than 5-10 minutes later, we heard very loud splashing just off shore and hustled out of our tents to investigate. Despite our best efforts to focus our lights out into the water, all we were able to make out was a dark shape (or maybe shapes?) and the reflection of eyes looking back at us. It had to be a moose, but we had no conclusive proof.

Sunset at Feldtmann Lake

Day 4

Woke up again shortly after 7:00 AM to overcast skies. Two women staying at the next campsite over were up early filtering water and getting ready to hit the trail. Barely a few minutes after they left the shore to pack up, a bull moose walked out from the woods just past their camp into the lake. I gathered everyone from our camp to make sure they saw it, and soon what looked like the entire campground was silently assembled on the shore to watch the moose. Having never seen one in person before, I was fascinated that they swim out into deeper water and then submerge to eat seaweed from the bottom.

Finally saw a moose!

As I filtered water from the lake, I regretted not taking my CNOC with me to Rainbow Cove to fill up from Lake Superior the night before. The Feldtmann Lake water definitely had a yellowish tinge to it, although it tasted fine.

Thanks to a raspberry bush growing in the back of our camp, I added some fresh berries to my oatmeal that morning, which made it absolutely delicious. We packed up camp and hit the trail by 9:45 AM. We had a bit of a schedule to keep, but knowing that we covered 10.5 miles the day before in 6.5 hours gave us confidence that we could make it to Windigo in plenty of time for our 5:00 PM seaplane departure.

The first half of the route to Windigo was mostly forested. As we hit the halfway point, the trail began to open up into more meadows and the sky cleared. We were treated to incredible views from the Grace Creek Overlook looking out over the Big Siskiwit Swamp, Lake Feldtmann, and Lake Superior in the distance. At a small lake/pond in the interior, we noticed another bull moose splashing around and going for a swim. It made us appreciate seeing the moose that morning all the more, as photos of a moose from 50 feet away are much more compelling to skeptical family members than ones from 5 miles away!

View from Grace Creek Overlook towards the interior

View from Grace Creek Overlook towards Lake Superior

That black speck to the left of the pond is Moose #2!

From the overlook, the trail drops down toward the shore along the harbor and passes through evergreen trees. This was a beautiful section of trail and a great way to end our hike.

View into the harbor as the trail reaches the shoreline

We made it to Windigo around 3:00 PM and enjoyed a couple beers on the patio of the Windigo store. I also took a quick dip off the boat dock to wash off some of the grime from the last two days. As I was drying off, we could hear our plane coming in, so we gathered up our gear, headed for the seaplane dock, and loaded onto the plane.

Windigo seaplane dock

View of Washington Harbor from the boat dock

As we flew back to the mainland, we were treated to one last series of sweeping views of the southwestern corner of the island that we had just spent the last four days traversing. As Isle Royale faded from view, I felt like it was more of a question of when, rather than if, there would be a second trip to the island.

Feldtmann Loop interior

Rainbow Cove and Feldtmann Lake

Until next time!

Overall Trip Impressions

Considering this was the longest backcountry backpacking trip anyone in our group had done, I felt like it went extremely well. The only minor mishaps were a bit of over-packing, some blisters on the trail, and perhaps going a little light on a water carry the last day, primarily due to the weather shifting from overcast to sunny.

We all agreed that taking a clockwise route around the Feldtmann Loop was vastly preferable to going counter-clockwise. The stretch of trail the first day on the Greenstone Ridge offered the fewest views, and Island Mine is just a basic campsite in the woods. The route we took had the feeling of getting better each day and there was always something to look forward to. Had we gone the other direction, the last day would have felt like a bit of a letdown.

I would definitely go back again, either to do the same route or try a new one. July/August are the busiest months on the island, but the remoteness of the Feldtmann Loop helps offset that somewhat. For example, the only campsite that completely filled up was Island Mine, likely because you had both people hiking the Greenstone Ridge Trail and the Feldtmann Loop staying there.

The natural choice for a return trip would be to do the Greenstone Ridge from Windigo to Rock Harbor. If I were to do the Feldtmann Loop again, I would consider skipping Island Mine and adding to Hugginin Cove. This would create a longer 14 mile day instead of a 4.5 mile day but would be completely doable with adequate preparation. With this variation, I think a counter-clockwise route would actually work better because you would gradually build up distances (8.5, 10.5, 14) and the final day letdown is eliminated by skipping Island Mine. The actual last day would be a short hike from Huginnin to Windigo, which could either accommodate an early flight/ferry out or let you hang out at Huginnin for a chunk of the day before heading to Windigo.

Gear and Food Thoughts

I felt like my gear held up very well. My Six Moon Designs Skyscape Scout tent was easy to set up and handled the wind at Feldtmann Lake just fine. My Hammock Gear Economy Burrow 30 quilt let me moderate temperature easily, and I slept well enough on a Nemo Tensor Insulated pad. Sawyer Squeezes worked well for filtering water, and my brother even used my old Squeeze Mini directly on his water bottle with no issues.

My Deuter ACT Lite 50+10 pack had plenty of room. My total pack weight was about 28 lbs. including 2L of water. By the last day, I felt like I was barely carrying anything. One of the last items I added to my gear list was a CNOC Vecto 2L bladder. As mentioned above, it came in super handy! The flexibility of the mouth makes it much easier to scoop water from marginal sources, such as the barely flowing spring at Island Mine.

I did do a trial run about a month before this trip on the Twin Valley Trail. While I only went out for 2 days/1 night, I did hike the full 28 miles. That gave me confidence the mileage on Isle Royale would not be an issue, let me test out my gear, and make sure I had my Garmin inReach Mini 2 configured correctly. The biggest thing I learned was that needed an inflatable pillow!

For food, I mostly followed Andrew Skurka’s recipes. Breakfast was a modified version of coconut chia oatmeal, snacks were trail mix and dark chocolate bars, lunch was “raw” cookie dough, and dinner was beans and rice. Spending time planning meals definitely kept my pack weight down, as I had about 4.5 lbs. of food compared to more like ~8 lbs. for the other members of the group. Granted, I am not a picky eater, but I felt like I was eating like a king for the entire trip.

Photos from the trip:

I bought a Kobalt 80v electric lawn mower in February 2019 when Lowe’s had a great deal on one. While it might not be quite as powerful as a typical gas mower, it has run great and it is awesome not having to worry about filling a gas can or changing the oil.

I get 20-25 minutes per battery charge depending on the length of the grass. The quick charger charges a battery in about 30 minutes, so I can just about cycle them indefinitely. My ~1/3 acre yard typically takes 2-3 batteries to finish in about an hour.

I did have one of the batteries fail within the 3-year warranty period, and Kobalt support sent me a new one without any issues.

Wobbly Wheel Problems

As I prepared to mow my lawn last weekend, I noticed one of the rear wheels was very wobbly.

No problem, I thought, something just needs to be tightened. Turns out, this model does not have any nuts/bolts to tighten, just two bearings in each wheel. One of the bearing was completely destroyed, and the other one was rapidly failing.

The Solution

While neither Lowe’s nor Kobalt support sells bearings, replacement ones can be found on Amazon or Ebay. I purchased a set of four from Amazon (affiliate link).

The wheel can be removed by popping off the plastic cover in the center, removing the cotter pin, and sliding the wheel off the bolt. There are two bearings on each wheel. Pry the bad bearing(s) from either side of the center of the wheel and pop in the new one(s).

After replacing them, my wheel had no wobble at all, and I still have two extra bearings in case any of them fail again in the future.

Bonus Points

If you purchased your Kobalt lawn mower in the last five years and have the receipt, the bearings should be covered under warranty. It is likely worth calling Kobalt customer service or going to the Lowe’s customer service desk to see what warranty options are available.

I was pleasantly surprised by mine!

Recently, I found myself working on a user guide and some example code for a project. As the guide neared completion, we decided that it made more sense to include it as part of another repository. Moving it to the other repo would also simplify the process of adding it to the CI build process. The guide was in a long-lived branch that several people had contributed to over a period of severals months. I preferred to retain the commit history so that future contributors could see how it had evolved over time rather than simply moving the files and adding them to the new repository as a single commit.

Step 1: Prepare a Clean Copy of the Source Repository

This step involves deleting and re-cloning the source repository. Ensure that any and all changes you wish to retain have been pushed to a remote prior to proceeding.

Remove the existing local copy of the source repo:

rm -rf ${SOURCE_REPO}  # e.g. rm -rf ./source-repo

Next, clone the branch to be moved and change to that directory:

git clone --branch ${SOURCE_REPO_BRANCH} --origin ${SOURCE_REMOTE} --progress -v ${GIT_REMOTE_URL}/${SOURCE_REPO}.git  # e.g. git clone --branch feature-branch --origin origin --progress -v git@github.com:organization/source-repo.git
cd ${SOURCE_REPO}  # e.g. cd ./source-repo

Delete the remote to eliminate any possibility of accidentally pushing to it:

git remote rm ${SOURCE_REMOTE}  # e.g. git remote rm origin

Step 2: Filter Contents of the Source Repository

Git-filer-repo is a tool for re-writing Git history. It is a single-file python script, so all you have to do to use it is download the file and copy it into your $PATH.

With our source repository cloned, use git filter-repo to keep only the specific directory:

git filter-repo --path ${PATH_TO_DIRECTORY_TO_KEEP}  # e.g. git filter-repo --path ./path-to-keep

This command will extract the history of the specified directory. Any commits that only touched paths outside this directory will be removed.

Lastly, add the changes we made using git filter-repo and commit them:

git add .
git commit -m "Filtering history"

Step 3: Merge History Into the Destination Repository

Again, before proceeding, it would be prudent to ensure that any and all local changes have been pushed to a remote. Change directory to the destination repository location:

cd /path/to/${DESTINATION_REPO}  # e.g. cd /path/to/destination-repo

Add the source repo as a remote in the destination repo:

git remote add ${SOURCE_REPO} /path/to/${SOURCE_REPO}  # e.g. git remote add source-repo /path/to/source-repo

Ensure you are on the branch into which you will merge the history from the source repo. Pull from the source repo into the destination repo:

git branch  # check to make sure you are on the right branch
git checkout ${DESTINATION_BRANCH}  # if needed; e.g. git checkout destination-branch
git pull ${SOURCE_REPO} ${SOURCE_REPO_BRANCH} --allow-unrelated-histories  # e.g. git pull source-repo feature-branch --allow-unrelated-histories

If an error occurs that says unknown option 'allow-unrelated-histories', update your Git version. The --allow-unrelated-histories option was added in Git 2.9, and many operating systems/distros ship with an older version of Git installed.

Remove the source repo as a remote and review the new history:

git remote rm ${SOURCE_REPO}  # e.g. git remote rm source-repo
git log

If you are not happy with the updated history, you can git reset to the last commit prior to adding the new history or delete the local copy of the destination repo, re-clone it, and run the previous commands again with different options.

If you are satisfied with updated history, push it to the destination repo’s original remote:

git push ${DESTINATION_REMOTE} ${DESTINATION_BRANCH}  # e.g git push origin destination-branch

🎉 – You have successfully migrated a branch from one Git repository to another!