Access to Manitous spotty

Isnelda Sarco, an avid mountain backpacker, made North Manitou Island her first choice to camp and hike, followed by South Manitou.

Sarco settled for neither because of whitecapped-Lake Michigan, but pledged a return trip to embrace island life as defined by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

It’s North rather than South Manitou that intrigues her, and why not given her penchant for outdoor adventure? Home of high dunes, deserted beaches and fading trails, it’s been practically deserted for three years.