Hmmm...... I (and maybe wifey or son in law) might just be able to do this one. Fingers crossed.
Michigan Possible Drummond Island trip in the fall?
- Thread starter Mike_H
- Start date
OP
Fossil ledges is definitely on the listMake sure you get out to the Fossil Ledges. Very cool spot, although the lake might be a little chilly for you come October.
I'll be interested to hear how this goes. I'm looking at going up the following weekend. I've never been before so it would be great to hear the current conditions and must hit (and skip!) spots.
OP
X2! Though, if you've never been, its kinda like rushing a fraternity. You gotta do it once...see the SE side of the island. Get STUCK, and live through the clean up. Then you can point and laugh, knowing what someone else is about to get into.Skip the mud holes
OP
I have some note on my OnxOffroad. I'll add to it in a couple weeks and I can share..
the "kinda crummy" thing about this time of year that I have noticed on Drummond is that it is now basically the off season and theres little traffic on the trails for people who wheel alone stupidly like myself.
I guess you could take that in two ways.
less traffic = more time to yourself to enjoy the trails peacefully.
or
less traffic = more time to yourself waiting for a tow if you drive into something stupid.
ive been out on the island twice around this time of year last year and I think I only seen 1 other person each time trail riding the entire 6/7 hours out in the woods.
the upside for the primary routes (yet still 2 track) to marble head and fossil ledges is that the bottom of the water crossings has always either been packed gravel or solid stone. its when you get off the main route off into the bowling ball size rock infested 2 tracks that you find the slimy stuff and the soft bottomed water crossings.
dont forget to get your badge of honor by checking in with your jeep badge of honor app.
I guess you could take that in two ways.
less traffic = more time to yourself to enjoy the trails peacefully.
or
less traffic = more time to yourself waiting for a tow if you drive into something stupid.
ive been out on the island twice around this time of year last year and I think I only seen 1 other person each time trail riding the entire 6/7 hours out in the woods.
the upside for the primary routes (yet still 2 track) to marble head and fossil ledges is that the bottom of the water crossings has always either been packed gravel or solid stone. its when you get off the main route off into the bowling ball size rock infested 2 tracks that you find the slimy stuff and the soft bottomed water crossings.
dont forget to get your badge of honor by checking in with your jeep badge of honor app.
debating on arriving on Drummond around 11/noon on saturday the 9th. no real commitment yet but considering pretty hard. id only be able to be around until about 5/6pm as its a 5 hour drive for me and Im not interested in sticking around the island overnight.
OP
We are staying on the island and will be getting there around 6 PM Friday night.
weather on the island looks decent for the upcoming week. ive seen the trails when they were semi dry and was able to avoid the axle bashers, im hesitant to go if its got too much rain prior to arrival.
im all stock minus a 31" tire.
all up in the air of course.
im all stock minus a 31" tire.
all up in the air of course.
Think I may have passed mike with someone else behind him on the way to fossil ledges 
. Super wet out here. Lots of fog coming up with misty rain. Sprinkled a bit getting on the island but weathers been good since.
Quite a bit of side by side traffic and several other jeeps
. Super wet out here. Lots of fog coming up with misty rain. Sprinkled a bit getting on the island but weathers been good since.Quite a bit of side by side traffic and several other jeeps
OP
We had a great day! Explored some new trails and had my first incident of trail breakage... My wheel adapter fell off... Don't understand why, as that thing has been on there and untouched for at least a year and 5000+ miles.. EDIT: after a night of sleep, I remembered when the last time the adapter was off...I tried it some 15" wheels with 35s before I bought 35s for my Pintlers. That was a couple months ago. Those wheels were the right pattern and backspacing, so I didn't need the adapters. When the Pintlers went back on, I was rushing. My own rule with the adapters is to check them after 100 miles or so. I forgot to do that, and paid the price.
I broke one stud, and a couple others had pushed out. Thankfully, I carry an extra adapter on the spare, so I was able to switch it out, slam the lugs nuts back on my my impact and pull the studs back into the axle. That got me off the trail and back to my cabin.
I've reached out to a guy on the island that has helped a buddy before. Hopefully he can get me some wheel studs tomorrow, so I can drive this thing home safely Monday.
I broke one stud, and a couple others had pushed out. Thankfully, I carry an extra adapter on the spare, so I was able to switch it out, slam the lugs nuts back on my my impact and pull the studs back into the axle. That got me off the trail and back to my cabin.
I've reached out to a guy on the island that has helped a buddy before. Hopefully he can get me some wheel studs tomorrow, so I can drive this thing home safely Monday.
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OP
White TJ with Rubicon wheels? I remember. Super clean rig!Think I may have passed mike with someone else behind him on the way to fossil ledges
Quite a bit of side by side traffic and several other jeeps
View attachment 282349View attachment 282350
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Lots of water, for sure.
If that doesn't work out for you, I probably have the parts on hand and am just a days drive away.
OP
Thanks! If worse comes to worse, I'm only 5 hours from my truck and trailer. I'll hitch a ride home with friends and retrieve it. Long day, but it's possible.
yup, silver with canyon rims (similar to rubicon style). get alot of comments its white for sure, kinda changes with the sunlight.
looks like the trail damage is the exact reason I dont like the idea of adapters and spacers. good thing it didnt cut loose on the highway.
woke up later than expecting and had little motivation to get a move on this morning, its been a long week.
My trip was fairly uneventful
made it to and on the ferry at 11:40 just as it was about to lift the ramp to leave De Tour.didnt get too many photos of the gnarly stuff as I was the driver and photographer. and didnt go off on the actual 2 track trails, been on those when it was dry and thats where the plentiful basketball size rocks reside. this time they would have been under water... no thanks.
about 9am around west branch, lots of fog the entire way up.
Crossing Mackinaw bridge northbound around 10:50am still foggy
seasonal road (access road) to marble heads trail, colors were nice. fog had let up.
trail to Marblehead's pretty uncomfortably bumpy. this was nothing compared to the section before the small ledge you eventually have to climb up.
made it to and parked at the ledges, watched a few guys drive down. im the vehicle parked bottom left of the picture. got a little foggy again.
got some piss poor drone video of some side by sides on the way to the ledges of marblehead. not good with video (yet). clouds were low.
left marblehead and returned back to the main road to fossil ledges. passed Mike around 2:30pm at the Y on the road leading to this trail (road)
Walked the shoreline at the fossil ledges, pocketed 3 small fossils.. they are like cigarette butts in a parking lot, small fossils are everywhere. waters way down too.
didnt get too muddy at all, so many water puddle crossings everything rinsed off. ledges are also accessible by a Cadillac, said he didnt bottom out once.
left fossil ledges around 4pm, made it back to the ferry line around 4:45ish. loaded up and headed back to the mainland at 5:10pm
crossed the bridge southbound again around 6:15pm heading back home. and yes, it was a sudden unexpected rain and fog for the next hour again once over the bridge.
pretty good trip overall. should have turned around to follow Mike when I passed... but wasn't sure if it was him or not. island was pretty busy with machines and jeeps. talked to quite a few random people on the trails here and there and everyone was absolutely pleasant to talk with. side by side drivers were very well behaved, generally they have piss poor trail etiquette (from what I observe on the trails in the lower peninsula). watched a few jeeps/side by sides slam and hop down the ledges at marblehead. nearly everyone raises a hand to waive at you when on the main paved roads. its a great little island.
worst part of the trip id have to say though was spending 45 minutes in the drive through line at Taco Bell a quarter of the way home, just wanted to grab and go but evidently Taco Bell wanted you to sit and wait.
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OP
OP
Heading to O'Reilly's in Slt Ste Marie. They have the studs I need. Waiting on the dumb ferry though... Sundays are tough