Did you know you can see all the way to Canada from Keweenaw County? That's because Isle Royale is part of the county, though it's more than half way across Lake Superior. The top photo is a hazy look west and north over the water, with Thunder Bay faintly in the distance.

On the bottom shot you may have to look twice to find the moose, blending in to the shadows of the trees. Bryan Howard spent a few days on the island with his dad this month, and we appreciate these sights from the trip.

Wednesday evening, I enjoyed Storyteller Larry B. Massie's bone-chilling tale of how Mott Island came by its name. He sure can tell a tale. I'm sure any visitor to the Isle hears it. Great pics!

"Fox on the Rocks" what a great photograph.

Fox on rocks
Fish on rocks
Fox sees fish
Fox eats fish
Fish not on rocks
Fox not on rocks

It is a rare day when one can see Isle Royal and what a great sight it is. Two years ago we drove to Thunder Bay and I just feasted my eyes on the Island, it is so close you feel like you can touch it from shore. I grew up in Laurium and am still in awe of the Great Lake. The pictures are really beautiful. We plan on being up there the end of August and can't wait.

Bryan, what great pictures! Thank you for taking us along.

Excellent pictures!! Must be a good camera. These shots sure make me want to visit the island next time we're up there. It's one of the "to do" things on our list. Thanks!!!

Nice pics, Bryan. I like the top pic the best! I would love to get back up to the Island one of these days. It's a beautiful place.

I have to say THANKS A BUNCH!! for the wonderful Copper Harbor shots yesterday! They make me so lonesome! We have a log cabin just steps away from where these were taken. When we're up there, in the mornings we always know when it's 7:00am, when the horn blasts from the IRQ. Beam me up!!

Beautiful pics of Isle Royale. I was last on the island in 1982. Spent four days roaming around by land and lake. Cold, but loved it. Since then, I've heard from several people who have visited that the rangers are about as plentiful as the bugs and are always checking on everyone. My uncle was checked for fishing license each day he was there. He says he won't go back. I'd like to visit again but will have to think twice, if I'm going to feel as if I'm under surveilance.

Yes, seems the rangers want their own private playground. See Isle Royale Boater's Association. Big Brother is watching.

Isle Royale is a beautiful place, but I had a similar experience. Last time I was there in 1989, I had one young lady who was a "ranger for the summer" tell me and my two boys that she and the other rangers as well as those who study the environment and "knew" about the environment should be the only ones who should be on the island. Up until then, I had been on the island many times. That really turned be off and I haven't been back. Some of us folks know a lot about taking care of the environment without studing at the University. I still love the place but the rangers and summer "know it all" help are the ones who ruined it for me. I'll go back someday but keep my distance from those who would ruin the experience for me.

Spent two years at Sumoi from 69 to 71, while there spent a long weekend at Isle Royale with students and staff from Sumoi. Also spent honeymoon there...who need Hawaii!!??? Great pictures thanks!!!! Love checking this web

Hi folks!

Not far from the land we own in the Arrowhead
of Minnesota we can see Isle Royale just fine.
(How do you like all the Northern Minnesota/
Ontario wildlife that managed to find its way
there?) Since we are neighbors and are pretty
generous by most standards, we suppose
we'll let you U.Pers have our island.

We still need to talk to those federal
cartographers.

P.S. We're with you - our local DNR's are not
God's gift to the environment. The environment
is God's gift to all of us!

sometimes these jobs some of these people have go to their head,if you know what i mean.they act so smart and think they are so great.they get an attitude.i wish they would just do their job and they would be better liked.

Strange--in about 50 years of visiting Isle Royale off and on, I have neve been bothered by rangers--last year I never even saw one, and in the previous visit in '79, the only ones I had contact with were very helpful. Are these people missing the fact that they are visiting an extremely fragile wilderness area, and that if they want to be there, they had be ready to take extra measures to preserve a national treasure???

Thank goodness for the abundant supply of rangers to check and protect this sacred environment. If they were cut back like other services (e.g. immigration, national security, etc) this pristine wonderland would be ruined and commercialized like so many other natural wonders. Its a hassle to be checked (like at the airports) but I figure my compliance is the least I can do to help protect these things.

I love all of these pictures. We have a bunch of talented photographers.

Right on, Michael in trolland. Without a fare
measure of "ranger presence", Isle Royale
could very easily become a cesspool. Witness
our public beaches in California — feces,
syringes, broken glass litter these public
shores. I relish the opportunity to walk those
pristine Isle Royale paths in tandem with
nature and the stewardship of those more
knowledgeable than myself.

Too Bad the Rangers can have that holier than thou attitude. When visiting the island in '86 for seven days, we saw several rangers. No big deal though.

The one thing that was lacking in enforcement at that time dealt with boaters from the mainland. We were told by the rangers NOT to plan on getting any campsite near a harbor since they would be already occupied by boaters without permits! I've also heard grumblings from others of these same groups partying and raising a ruckus until all hours of the night... Is this situation still the same?

I have nothing against having fun, but doesn't the person who obtains a permit and hikes in have just as much right to a campsite with peace and quiet as the boater?

Tony in Minneapolis:

From what I understand, not only should Minnesota not have Isle Royale, the United States should not have Isle Royale. I always wondered why the border took such a sharp angle to the north of Isle Royale on the maps of Michigan. Seems when the Americans and the British were drawing up the peace treaty following the American Revolution, there was a lot of discussion about where the border between the U.S. and Canada should be through the Great Lakes region. It was finally decided to draw the border halfway from the shorelines on each side of the lakes. This should mean that Isle Royale should be part of Canada since it's clearly closer to that shore. But it conveniently wasn't drawn in that location on the map the Americans brought to the negotiations, but only a few miles off the U.S. shoreline, so the border was drawn north of the island. If anyone has a beef, it's the people of Ontario!

The rangers only told us not to spit toothpaste
on the wild violets. Other than that they were
pretty cool.

A campground fox and a moose, two animals that
don't fear people :) We've had our camp site
raided by a fox at Daisy Farm. Managed to nab a
bag of M&Ms. And we've had a moose take a rest in
our camp site at Windago, while we sat in a
shelter. They also liked to pass through the site
to wade in the water.

I've gone to Isle Royale yearly for the past 21 years. The rangers have ALWAYS been friendly, helpful, professional, and competent. The leadership of the Isle Royale Boaters Association apparently has a personal vendetta and has consequently allowed the Association to enter into a futile and costly lawsuit with the Park Service. This smacks of the usual anti-government paranoia that the extreme Reich-wing gets in a lather about. IRBA demands preferential treament and it hasn't been forthcoming from Park Service. I say PHOOEY to IRBA and their whining and keep up the good work to the staff of Isle Royale.

I worked on IR for 2yrs (early 90s) and found that a majority of NPS employees were very friendly, but many were not. The Rangers were overly strict, many abusing their authority. I never had an incident with them, but I saw them terrorize many visitors. But what really makes me down right SICK is how the NPS has slowly eliminated access to the island over the past 15-20yrs. I think the NPS has forgotten that the "S" stands for "Service". They are there and paid to provide a service to the people, by making IR accessible and enjoyable for all visitors. Not a "Dis-service" by getting rid of Rock Harbor Lodge, thus making IR pretty much inaccessible to the elderly; tearing out docks so that boats cannot even get to shore (hey, its an island, the only way to get there is by boat); eliminating campgrounds so hikers are now limited to where they can go (unless they want to hike 12+ miles a day). It's a slow process so they don't get too much attention. Soon, the shelters at the campgrounds will be taken out, the housekeeping cabins will be removed, scuba diving will be more restrictive or not allowed at all, the restaraunt will be torn down, fuel pumps will be taken out (except for Mott Is.), fishing for lake trout will be limited to 1 fish per day (making it not worth the trip/effort), generators for electricity will be taken out (except for Mott Is.), harbors will be off limit to boats (first one harbor, then another, and another). All the while they are adding buildings and structures to Mott Is. for their own use. This may sound rediculous to many of you, but mark my words, it all will happen eventually if the NPS gets their way. Every one of the items I have just mentioned has been pursued by the NPS. As they accomplish one they'll try for the next. I do not always agree with the tact and strategy of the IRBA, but I am on their side since they are the only organization that is standing in the way of the NPS virtually closing off IR to anyone but the young, physically fit adults. If the NPS wants to protect every ant, leaf, berry, bird, fish, etc., then the NPS should get off the island themselves, close off the island completely, and put a water mine field around the island to keep all people out...

The above ranting inanity is typical of the disinformation and untruths spread by the IRBA and their minions. A trip to the island will prove to be a wonderful experience. When I sail over in a few weeks it will be my 18th trip. The Park staff are consummate professionals in every detail. As a boater (MYST II) I've been satisfied with the accomodations. The IRBA's falsehoods and disinformation attacks that organizations already flimsy credability.

personal attack by T.W. removed

its really exicting ....i wanna be there right now!