Tag Archives: Hiking

A Fall Weekend at the Muskegon State Park Yurt

The shoulder seasons of late fall and early spring find me reluctant to commit to backpacking–it’s just too cold and wet. The rustic cabins and bunkhouses offered by the DNR are a nice compromise. This past weekend some friends and I stayed in the yurt at Muskegon State Park in order to hike the park’sContinue reading “A Fall Weekend at the Muskegon State Park Yurt”

A ukelele, beads, and rubber chicken on the trail

Over the last ten or so years, I have hosted many backpacking trips for adults, and since retiring from teaching three years ago, I’ve been guiding backpacking and canoe camping trips for a local camp. This past week I took a group of twelve teens aged 13-15 on a 30-mile trip on the NCT beginningContinue reading “A ukelele, beads, and rubber chicken on the trail”

Like an old friend

“How long have you had that backpack, Jen?” I had to stop and think when a friend asked me this question a few weeks ago on a backpacking trip through the Highbanks Rollaway on the Manistee River in northwest lower Michigan. I bought my Gregory 44L in preparation for a section hike on the AppalachianContinue reading “Like an old friend”

A few of my favorite things…

There’s a saying with expensive hobbies, “Buy nice or buy twice.” In some cases, I’ve found that to be true, but as a beginning backpacker, it just didn’t make sense to blow a bunch of money I didn’t have on expensive gear before I even knew if I liked backpacking! Over time, I have upgradedContinue reading “A few of my favorite things…”

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 forContinue reading “Finishing up the Jordan Valley 45”

What’s in your first aid kit?

A couple of months ago, I was attending a “10 Essentials” presentation and the speaker showed the crowd one of those credit-card sized first aid kits you can buy that contains a few Band Aids, tweezers, an alcohol wipe and a couple packets of ibuprofen and Benadryl. If all goes well, that might be allContinue reading “What’s in your first aid kit?”

Mason Tract Pathway Trip Report

A hike that offers river views, few people, and ruins of a castle? Sign me up!  The Mason Tract Pathway is a nine-ish mile hike near Grayling, beginning at the Chase Bridge parking area, ending just beyond the Canoe Harbor State Forest Campground. While it doesn’t hug the Au Sable river bank closely enough forContinue reading “Mason Tract Pathway Trip Report”

Pictured Rocks October 2023: Not quite a saunter, but definitely not a speed hike. 

John Muir once said that he didn’t care for the word “hike,” but preferred “saunter,” with its origins of making a pilgrimage to the holy land. I think that many of us who hike consider nature a holy place, and regardless of your religious beliefs, the views at Pictured Rocks certainly make you pause andContinue reading “Pictured Rocks October 2023: Not quite a saunter, but definitely not a speed hike. “