Au Sable East to Sevenmile Beach
▶️ Play Backpacking Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - May 28, 2021
We, or at least I, were slow to get up today. While I responded coherently to Andy asking if I was up and about around 08:30 I was only just up and about. Sun shone down perhaps lending credence to the old saying “red sky at night sailors delight; red sky at morning sailors take warning.” It was a delightful morning. In the distance the pounding sound of Lake Superior crashing against the shore could easily be heard. If anything it sounds heavier than the previous evening.
The first of quite a large number of PInk Lady Slippers. There are a few patches at the group campsite at Au Sable East. We would, over the next couple of days, pass by some fairly substantial patches of orchids.
--May 28, 2021 at 9:42 AM. Grand Marais, MI, United States
Au Sable Lighthouse.
--May 28, 2021 at 10:43 AM. Grand Marais, MI, United States
Tim and Nancy were the first to depart on our just over 7 mile trek to Sevenmile Campground. But 2 hours after I was officially up and moving Andy, El, and I hoisted our packs and left the campsite. We walked along the bluffs that drop several feet quickly down to the rock-strewn beach and Lake Superior. In short order Au Sable Lighthouse comes into view. In past years we would stop and have breakfast there and perhaps take the steep, iffy, steps down to the beach to look at the shipwreck there. Not this year. The beach has been vanishing and making that visit a bit tricky (though Tim and Nancy went down. I suppose the water was low because otherwise they had to negotiate sometimes drowned rocks). We hiked down the access road and soon were at Hurricane River. I actually walked by where Nancy and Tim were sitting off to the left neither party seeing the other. Andy and El caught up and found Tim and Nancy as I conitnued on to take pictures at the beach. We all gathered as I stood on the bridge over the river. At this point, well just after crossing the bridge, you could work your way down to the beach and walk all the way to Sevenmile via Twelvemile Beach. The past couple of times I’ve been here that is what I have done (in both directions). This year I stayed with the official NCT which moves inland a bit and climbs up and down several not-too-tall though surprisingly a bit steep hills as it meanders through the forest of birch, oak, maple (I think), and evergreens.
Twelvemile Beach is a fine place to take a break. Settle down at a picnic table and have a lazy lunch. We didn’t lounge on the beach though I suppose we could have.We only had 2.9 miles to go to reach our camp at Sevemile Group Site so lingering over lunch was fine. But eventually you have to hoist your backpack and stride forth once again. The afternoon wore on as we worked our way through the forest marveling at the seemingly endless supply of Pink Ladyslippers dotting the forest floor. I never saw them unless shown but I gather they were everywhere. Is this because spring seems further along than is normal or has their been a population explosion in general of these small orchids. Nancy loved it. I walked into Sevemile Group Site at 16:00 to find Andy and Elwira already there. Nancy and Tim, talking their time enjoying the flora and people they met along the way, showed up somewhat later.
I just spent a bit of time trying to fill my bucket with fresh, very cold, water from Lake Superior (I had forgotten a stream was just a couple hundred feet to west). The problem with using Lake Superior is you can’t really avoid walking out into the water and thus soaking your feet and legs as the waves batter you. The beach is actually noticeably warmer than our campsite a few hundred feet back in the forest. Photo by Andy.
--May 28, 2021 at 5:14 PM. Burt, MI, United States
Sevemile is deceptively nice. It’s a forested campsite (group and individual sites). Sevemile Creek flows through the campground and is a fine source for water if you don’t want to get soaked trying to fill a bucket from Lake Superior (which I did try to do). The campsites are among the closest to the beach so if you want to settle down on the shore by the lake to soak in the warmth of the sun as you watch the water of the lake surge against the shore you won’t be far from your campsite. Since it was warmer in the sun on the beach some did just that for a while.
When you start out with a brownie mix that has too much water it is hard to ever get to what you want: a brownie. But after a lot of time fiddling with the mix and trying to get the water to boil off it firmed up a little into something kin to a lava cake. The little bit of ash that fell in later when the fire collapsed didn’t really hurt it.
--May 28, 2021 at 8:51 PM. Grand Marais, MI, United States
We were not in any hurry to do much of anything. Good thing because after Tim and Nancy built a fine fire we all took our time doing camp chores especially making dinner. My attempt to bake a brownie got off to a rough start when I got the brownie mix put together with too much water. It all worked out in time, mostly, but was probably more a source of amusement than anything else. As the brownie baked by the fire with coals all around and atop of baking pot (thanks Nancy; your heavy gloves were a definite aid here) we would troop down to the shore to enjoy a lovely sunset. The lake was a rich clear deep blue as swells rolled in. The sky a pale blue except at the horizon where pink, orange, and red hues spread out from the Sun’s yellow sinking ball. The sand and sandstone of the shore glowed wonderfully orange-brown. It was a lovely time.
Tim and Nancy packed it in before finding out my my brownie experiment fared. It never really did firm up completely but lava-cake like brownie is still good. Lesson: get the water to dry ingredients ratio right at the start. ANdy, El, and I lingered around the campfire (now great for things like potatoes if we only had some to bake) before also turning in for bed rather closer to 23:00 (or later) than we normally would do. It’s all the fire’s fault. So warm and inviting.
Andy and Elwira and I are being treated to a love sunset. The sandstone is turning orange under teh fading light and that is also showing on us. Sunsets like this are what help give Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore its reputation.
--May 28, 2021 at 9:16 PM. Grand Marais, MI, United States
I love watching a sunset like this one. A giant yellow ball of fusion fire dropping below the horizon but leaving the world in a blaze of colors. Add in the rolling waves of Lake Superior and the sand-and-pebble beach to complete the scene to create a wonderful end of the day.
--May 28, 2021 at 9:21 PM. Grand Marais, MI, United States
Sinking out of sight but still coloring the sky, water, and even the beach with a wealth of colors.
--May 28, 2021 at 9:30 PM. Burt, MI, United States
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