Porcupine Mountain Backpacking Trip

Located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Porcupine Mountain state park was established in 1945. Used for its mining properties in the 19th century, this park is home to a large stand of old-growth forest. Numerous sightings of black bears have been reported across the park's 87 miles of backpacking trails that include portions of the North Country Trail (NCT). Some of the various land features you will see here are rivers, waterfalls, swamps, and lakes that lie between rocky outcroppings.  A number of waterfalls can be found on the park's western border.

After arriving Thursday afternoon we will backpack to our campsite overlooking one of the most spectacular views in the Porcupine Mountains!  Over the course of the next 3 days, we will hike through the park camping at backcountry sites. Backpackers should expect to hike approximately 2 miles on Thursday, 9-10 miles on Friday, 12-13 miles on Saturday, and 4-5 miles on Sunday.

Backpackers attending this event should have previous experience in the wilderness. Members are responsible for obtaining their own gear. A recommended gear/food/clothing list will be provided prior to the trip. Essential gear includes a backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad/mattress, tent or shelter, cooking system with fuel, rain gear for you and your backpack, clothing suitable for hiking (we recommended not wearing cotton), trail runners, headlamp, food, water filtration device, bear-proof storage bag or container, and water. Other recommended gear: trekking poles, first aid kit, compass, bug repellent, 25-50' of high visibility paracord.

If you have never backpacked before this event is not designed for you. We suggest attending one of our Backpackers' boot camps. Contact us if you have a question concerning your readiness or equipment. Participants should be able to carry a load of up to 30 lbs. for up to 8 hours over multiple days. 

Registration fee includes camping registration, park entrance fee, and fuel surcharge. Carpooling pick-up locations will be based on the attendee's location.

Rental Gear

Rental is available for an extra fee and includes the following:

-Osprey Backpack

-River Country Products 1 or 2-person tent

-North Face, Eureka, or Kelty Sleeping bag

-Thermarest sleeping pad

-UL Pillow  (fleece pillowcase you can stuff your extra clothes into)

-Jetboil Flash backpacking stove w/fuel

-Sawyer water filter

-Trowel

-Headlamp

-Trekking Poles

-Dry Bag for food storage

Event Disclaimer

Our guides are here to assist you if needed, but with multiple clients and safety in mind, If you are thinking about attending this event we ask that you have a basic understanding of hiking and the outdoors, and have the strength to carry a pack up to 40 pounds in weight for up to 8 hours. Additionally, spending time outdoors affects everyone physically, spiritually and emotionally in different ways. We know that the outdoors helps people "heal" in different ways, but we ask that you take that into consideration when considering registering for outdoor excursions such as this.

Cancellations

• Cancellations more than 30 days from the date of the event will receive a 50% refund.
• There are no refunds for cancellations made less than 30 days prior to the event.
• We can not transfer your admission fee to another event or issue you a credit toward a future event.
• If you can find someone to take your place, we can transfer your admission fee to another client ONE TIME only. If they cancel they will not receive a refund on any portion of what has already been paid by the original client.
• Please allow 5-7 business days for processing, we will notify you when the refund has been issued.
• MEAL PACKAGE CANCELLATIONS: No refunds will be issued for meal package cancellations made less than 14 days prior to the event. A full refund will be issued for all meal package cancellations made more than 14 days prior to the start of the event.

True North Expeditions, Inc. reserves the right to substitute the events listed in the description above in the event of inclement weather, availability, or other uncontrollable events. Additional information will be emailed to you after registering.

Leave No Trace:

We practice strong Leave No Trace ethics and are very in tune with preserving the areas we use. We are committed to supporting organizations that aid in these beliefs and practices.  Traveling with us insures that during your experience you will minimize the impact you leave on future generations.  We review LNT Principles at all of our Beginner Backpacking events, and we follow the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace on each of our events:

• Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
• Dispose of Waste Properly
• Leave What You Find
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors

We encourage everyone to enroll in the free course on the Leave No Trace website: https://learn.lnt.org/