Tag Archives: North Country Trail

Hiking the North Country Trail Through the Porkies

“Jane, why did you agree to this? Why didn’t you say, ‘Let’s go shopping and see a movie?’” I asked my hiking buddy as we slogged up a steep, muddy, rooted death-trap of a hill. Checking off all of the North Country Trail miles in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park had seemed like suchContinue reading “Hiking the North Country Trail Through the Porkies”

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”

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. “