An unexpected day off and a decent weather forecast: Where should I go hiking? I decided to fill in a gap in my NCT progress through Emmet County, along a stretch that contained enough road walk that I didn’t want to do it when there would be a lot of traffic. A Monday morning seemedContinue reading “A solo winter’s day hike on the NCT”
Tag Archives: Hiking
To build a fire
Starting a fire in your fireplace or a backyard fire pit is a skill that many people feel confident in, but how about starting a fire in the backcountry, without a Duraflame fire starter and a foot-long fire stick lighter? When I first began backpacking, I hadn’t started a fire in years. I had aContinue reading “To build a fire”
Out of the classroom and into the woods
“Does anyone want to play ‘Mafia’?” Not something you typically hear on a backpacking trip, but this time, I was chaperoning a group of 13-15 year olds, so nothing I heard really surprised me. When I signed up to lead a couple of wilderness trips for a local summer camp, I felt like I wasContinue reading “Out of the classroom and into the woods”
Gear testing in a low risk environment
A night in the rain provides an opportunity to discover just how well your gear works.
A love song to my tarp(s)
Tarps are a game-changer when rain is in the forecast for your outdoors weekend.
Wild Childhood
Growing up on the lakes, and in the woods.
Hiking: A History Lesson
My roots as a history nerd run deep, probably from the time my mom began reading me the Little House series, when I was a child. Because my parents’ idea of a vacation often involved sailing or cross-country skiing, we saw a lot of Michigan, and often our destinations had historical significance, such as theContinue reading “Hiking: A History Lesson”
Winter Hiking Trip at Wilderness State Park
Winter day-hikes using a Wilderness State Park bunkhouse as home base.
Michigan DNR Rustic Cabins: An alternative to cold weather camping
Rustic cabins at various state parks can be a great way to enjoy the great outdoors during the cold weather months without the expense of winter gear, or the challenge of staying warm in camp when daylight ends at 5:00 p.m. and temperatures plummet. While I do winter camp on occasion, I love staying inContinue reading “Michigan DNR Rustic Cabins: An alternative to cold weather camping”
Getting to the trailhead: The quickest way is not always the shortest way
When trying to get to the trailhead is one of the most challenging parts of the backpacking trip…