Fall is my favorite time to hike and backpack–no bugs, no sweat, fewer people, and the rivers and lakes have had all summer to warm up. It was with this in mind that I planned a last hurrah of autumn for the first weekend of November.
The plan was to paddle the Jordan River on Friday and hike the Jordan Valley Pathway loop over the course of Saturday and Sunday, for a lovely end to the season.
Rather than use the hike-in campground that’s on the Jordan Valley Pathway, we opted for Graves Crossing state forest campground, as there is an access site for the Jordan River there, and by car camping, we’d be able to bring as much firewood, blankets, and warm clothing as we wanted. (This turned out to be a very good thing!)
As the weekend grew nearer, the weather forecast had me a bit worried. My hiking and paddling buddy David once described rain or sleet and temps in the 30’s and 40’s as “good weather for hypothermia” and I had this in mind when I planned the trip to have easy bailout options, hence the car camping rather than backpacking. The weekend forecast was chilly with a chance of snow, but it was the Friday forecast that had me worried–it looked like rain all day.
By Thursday the chance of rain for Friday had dropped from 75% to something south of 50%, so three of us decided to go for it. Kevin, David and I met Thursday night to set up camp, and the rest of the group planned to meet us Friday in order to camp and hike over the weekend.
When I arrived at the campground Thursday late afternoon, Kevin already had a fire going. I found a good spot to hang my hammock, and then enjoyed the fire and catching up. We also hung a tarp over the picnic table in preparation for that night’s predicted rain. David arrived a little later, and the three of us cooked dinner and enjoyed the campfire until bedtime.
The predicted rain began around 2:00 a.m. and continued on and off for several hours, but I was cozy in my hammock, under my tarp. It was still a little drizzly in the morning, and I was glad for the tarp as we made breakfast at the picnic table. The rain was predicted to fizzle out by mid-morning, so we took our time, and eventually got organized to go paddling.
We unloaded boats at the campsite, which had an easy path to the river launch, and then got into our cars to stage them at our end point, Sportsman’s Park in East Jordan. We returned back to the campground shortly after and launched our boats. In summer, this launch is usually busy all day long, but today the only other person launching was a river guide on a scouting mission.
Starting the Jordan at Graves Crossing is kind of a trial by fire. You’re immediately in fast water with obstacles, and the river is pretty narrow. It is challenging but more fun because of the challenge. On a 50-degree day though, the incentive to keep the boats upright was high. We had packed dry bags with towels and changes of clothing in case of a capsize, and were dressed in wool and rain gear to stay warm. I didn’t take any pictures during the first couple hours of the trip because I was too busy paddling. I was caught between the beauty of the forest and river, the fear of screwing up, and the joy and exhilaration of doing something that most people think is nuts.
Eventually I got into my groove, and the fear lessened while the joy increased. Each time I turned to be sure David and Kevin were behind me I found satisfied looks on their faces–I was sure they were enjoying the challenge, too. (Although probably not much of a challenge for David, who has paddled more rivers than I can name.) We were grateful to the rain for staying away, and rejoiced when the sun peeked out for a moment or two. We saw a deer, a few water fowl, and a couple of late salmon making their way upstream, but not much wildlife beyond that. We stopped for lunch at Roger’s Bridge Road before continuing on toward the estuary.
The river gradually became wider and more calm, and we could paddle closer to each other and chat. It was harder work as the current gave out and the wind picked up, and we transitioned from paddling to steer to paddling to move. But before long, we had arrived at the Sportsman’s Park kayak launch and were loading our boats up. We also took a few minutes to view the historical exhibit at the Watershed Council building and explore the new boardwalk that goes out into the marsh, before heading back to the campground, excited about fresh sets of dry clothing and a camp fire. Somewhere along the line, David mentioned that his 76th birthday was tomorrow. Damn, I hope to still be paddling and hiking at that age. He makes it look easy.
The rest of the group showed up Friday evening, and in spite of intermittent rain, we enjoyed our fire for a while, and set off to bed, encouraged by a rain-free forecast for the rest of the weekend.
Saturday, our plan was to leave the campground by 9:00 a.m. to stage a car at Pinney Bridge and then begin our hike at Dead Man’s Hill (given this name because of a logging accident back when logging was the major industry in the area.) Since it’s not getting light until 7:30 or so, no one was in the mood for an early start. Kris and Joe arrived at the breakfast picnic table in onesie pajamas, which started the day out on an amusing note.
Before long we were starting our hike down the steep incline of Deadman’s Hill, headed along the North Country Pathway side of the loop to our car at Pinney Bridge, a little over eight miles away. I was cursing myself for forgetting to pack my trekking poles when I borrowed my husband’s pickup to move my kayak–they were still in the back of my car. The hill was steep and covered in a thick layer of leaves that hid every ankle-grabbing root. Thankfully, Kevin offered me one of his poles, which made life much better. The trees were pretty much bare except for a few aspen hanging onto their yellow leaves, and the gray sky and naked limbs made for a somewhat bleak landscape, pretty in its own way.
As we made our way along the miles, we traded off positions, giving everyone a chance to catch up with everyone else. Books, future trip plans, gear recommendations, and how to sleep warmer for the predicted lower temps Saturday night dominated the conversations.
After crossing Jordan River Road, we arrived at my favorite lunch spot a little bit down the trail, an area that’s obviously been well-loved by hikers. It has a great view of the river, and this time of year you always see salmon headed upstream. We stopped for a quick lunch, not wanting the cold or “hiker hobble” to set in.
As the hills continued, I began to consider how this trail always kicks my ass. I can’t remember how many times I’ve hiked this loop, or section-hiked it, but it always humbles me. (Particularly today, as I tripped and fell over a small downed tree not too far from the end of our hike, and have the bruises to prove it.) The views are worth it, though.
After arriving back at camp and changing into many layers of fresh, dry clothing, we gathered around the fire to stay warm. David took off back to the Grand Rapids area due to a Sunday commitment, and we wished him safe travels and a happy birthday. I was bemoaning the fact that the dehydrated chorizo packet I’d been using for my last few trips that I had brought for dinner was down to mostly seasoning and no substance at the bottom, when Joe and Kris offered to make an extra burrito when they made dinner, so I ended up with a delicious, effort-free meal, bless them! And, Joe surprised me with a new food storage bag with my trail name, “Walgreens,” on it. Yes, there’s a story there, but you’ll have to come hiking with our group to hear it. Shirley, the resident fire bug, kept the fire toasty until bedtime, with promises of a morning fire to get us started Sunday.
I went to bed with a couple of hand warmers tucked into my bedding, and slept until 7:00 or so, awakening to the sounds of snow falling on my tarp. “Better snow than rain,” I thought to myself. The rest of the group started to rouse, and we got a fire going. The snow gently came down as we ate breakfast, organized gear, and packed up a little in anticipation of our departure from camp.
As I walked to the privy in my old Keen hiking boots, brought out of retirement because my newer pair (although not that new) had sprung a leak, I noticed that I was slipping around a lot, and I wondered if I wouldn’t be better off hiking in my trail runners because the tread was grippier. With such a scant amount of snow, I figured it would be OK. The forecast was only for trace amounts, last I had checked. (This is foreshadowing, BTW!)
When we arrived at the Pinney Bridge parking area, we took a quick group photo, then headed up the hill that begins that stretch. As my friends jackrabitted to the top while I huffed and puffed, I found myself wondering why I hike, but the grumbles passed soon enough. The snow continued to fall, but it was not so cold that the muddy spots were frozen, unfortunately. But, the beauty of the snow, the babbling brooks, the wide vistas of leafless trees, and all the pretty things soon turned my mood around.
The snow fell harder, and I think that within an hour, all of us had soaked feet except for Joe, who had been smart enough to wear waterproof socks. But, as long as we kept moving, my feet stayed warm. Good conversations along with some meditative quiet time fed my soul. The hill climbs gradually seemed to get easier, and there seemed to be fewer sketchy declines as well. Before we knew it, we were arriving back at Dead Man’s Hill, although the day’s hike was over nine miles. Seeing how hard it was snowing, and the inch or so that had accumulated already, we abandoned plans of getting a meal at a restaurant somewhere, and just headed back to the campground to pack up and get everyone on their way home.
I’m so grateful to have friends who are crazy enough to come out in this weather, crack jokes and tell stories to pass the time on trail, have in-depth conversations around the camp fire, and appreciate all the beauty the woods has to offer. This will be the last outdoor overnight for me until springtime, but I’m looking forward to dayhiking, cabin-camping, and other adventures during the winter months.
Exploring Michigan and other cool places 