Finishing up the Jordan Valley 45

Today I completed hiking the 80ish miles of the Jordan Valley 45 Chapter of the North Country Trail, a goal that I hadn’t actually identified when I began hiking various stretches several years ago. I picked up miles here and there as I completed various backpacking trips, day hikes with family, and repeat hikes for trail maintenance, or just because it was a pretty or convenient section, such as the stretch along the Bear River that runs right behind my brother’s house in Petoskey. Finishing the chapter’s miles became a goal last summer when I became a full time resident of the area. 

The chapter’s section spans from Kipp Rd. near Harbor Springs to Starvation Lake Rd. in Kalkaska county, Michigan. My last few miles were a gap left from a day hike with my mom, sister-in-law, and nephew near the Skyline Shelter several years ago to the intersection of Maxwell and Harmon Roads, which had been the end point of a day hike with trail friends Dan and Bob a few weeks ago.

While I have no intention of “through-hiking” all of Michigan’s NCT miles (too much urban road walk in the southern part of the state), I have enjoyed hiking the JV45, and am glad to have included all of its parts, from the country road walks past farms and abandoned houses, the urban section through the lakefront and riverwalk in Petoskey, and the more remote Jordan Valley.

I enjoy seeing the gaps disappear as I record hikes in my Gaia app, which has inspired me to hike the NCT some areas that I probably wouldn’t have bothered to, otherwise. I’m hoping to continue to fill in gaps, perhaps down as far south as Grand Rapids, and hopefully someday the whole Upper Peninsula. More often than not, I’m glad that I explored someplace new. While there are some gorgeous preserves nearby my house, and it would be easier to hike close to home, hiking the NCT has caused me to explore some areas that I never would have otherwise seen, such the lovely walk along the Hodenpyl Dam Pond a few weeks ago, and sections of the Manistee River north of the heavily-used MRT loop that my hiking buddy Jeff and I hiked in early winter.

Today’s hike was one such pleasant surprise. Nearly all the snow had melted from the woods, and it was a bright sunny day, with a slight breeze. We rolled up and down the hills, taking in the landscape in the distance, which will likely be obstructed once the trees leaf out. We stopped to ponder curious rocks, pick up trash, and take care of a few blow downs blocking the trail. (Full disclosure: Dan and Bob did the work; I just carried a little saw.) This is a section that I could imagine hiking each season of the year, just to see its different phases, and I probably never would have bothered to hike it if it hadn’t been for the challenge to hike all of the Jordan Valley 45.