Wedde Creek Segment of the Ice Age Trail and Connecting Route to the Mecan River Segment

The Wedde Creek Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) is one of the trail's shortest segments, but paired with the connecting route to the Mecan River Segment it makes for a nice little winter's walk. On a cold December day I parked at the DNR parking area on Czech Avenue in Waushara County and began my hike.

Chaffee Creek Segment of the Ice Age Trail and Connecting Route to the Wedde Creek Segment

Nothing satisfies quite like a fresh expanse of unbroken powder, except for, perhaps, the satisfying crunch of snow underfoot. On a cold, gray December day I set off to hike the Chaffee Creek Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) in Waushara County, Wisconsin. This trail can be approached from the Rest Stop 81 along Interstate Highway 39 or from a spur trail at the Upper Fox Headwaters State Natural Area.

A Campy Halloween - 2018

Despite the cold and wet weather, thousands of Leaf Peepers and Trick-or-Treaters flocked to High Cliff State Park for the 2018 Halloween Walk. Our family arrived on Saturday morning. We set up camp and enjoyed a nice campfire to take the chill off while we waited for extended family to arrive. 

Hiking the Ice Age Trail through Marquette County

A trail lover at heart, I took a deep breath, sucked it up, and began my road-walk through Marquette County. Thirty plus miles of road-walking had me avoiding this county for some time. As I walked down country roads as the sun rose, and I watched golden leaves twirl in the wind I got to thinking. Thanks to crisp, sunny autumn weather, this walk I had been avoiding wound up providing more beauty and solitude than I could ever have imagined.

Hiking the Connecting Route from the John Muir Segment to the Chaffee Creek Segment of the Ice Age Trail

When autumn rolls around, road-walking the connecting routes along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) offers an alternative to hiking on trails hunters like to frequent. This fall I walked from the John Muir Memorial County Park (John Muir Segment of the IAT) to the Chaffee Creek Segment of the IAT, breaking the route into several fall walks. I deviated from the suggested connecting route shown on the Ice Age Trail Alliance's website, shaving off about 10 miles (16 km) of road-walking.

Boundary Waters 2018: Moose River Entry Point 16 to Campsites on Nina Moose Lake, Lac La Croix, Iron Lake, and Oyster Lake

Kicking off our 2018 trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA), our family entered the BWCA at Entry Point #16, Moose/Portage River. We spent 9 nights camped on Nina Moose, Lac La Croix, Iron and Oyster Lakes before exiting on day 10. We got rained on, paddled against gusty winds, sunned on slabs of rock and swam. We started awkwardly, careful with each move, then fell into a rhythm with our packing, portaging, paddling and camp-setting that made us feel like part of this place. Just as we began to feel like we truly belonged, our time in this quiet wilderness, like the summer of 2018, began to draw to a close.

Food for a Ten Day / Three Person Backcountry Trip: BWCA 2018

I still love everything about canoe tripping, even the preparations. Finding lightweight foods safe to carry without refrigeration that fit the blue barrel and satisfy the divergent palates of the entire family poses a fun challenge. This year I've planned meals for three people for our family's 10 day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).