Ford trekking entire Ice Age Trail in winter hike
Emily Ford is on her way to be the first female to thru-hike the Ice Age Trail in winter.
Ford, who is from Minnesota, says she heard about the trail from a buddy, after asking her if she knew of any long trails in the Midwest. She started the walk Dec. 28, 2020, along with her canine companion, Diggins, at the eastern terminus of the Ice Age Trail, in Door County.
“We’ve been hiking for 57 days,” said Ford.
The coldest day Ford and Diggins saw since their hike began, was minus 37 degrees. She says she got to be inside and drink some hot chocolate that day.
“And the coldest we slept in so far is negative 23, which is pretty cold, so we have a really warm sleeping bag,” said Ford.
Ford says sometimes, she heats up water and puts it in her Nalgene water bottle to help keep her warm in her sleeping bag.
“It was the only time I had off from work,” said Ford, of her choice to do the hike in winter, since she gardens for a living.
Ford says moisture builds as she and Diggins breathe in the tent overnight, which can cause frost to form on Diggins’ back or “snowfall” inside the tent.
Ford walks 15-20 miles each day, while carrying her pack that weighs 65 pounds when full.
“The snow kind of slowed me down a little bit...and the hills,” said Ford. “It just depends on the terrain.”
She says she has garnered a lot of attention along the way, something she did not expect when she set out.
“I’m a pretty big introvert,” said Ford. “It’s one of those things where, when you understand that it’s about a bigger picture, and not just about yourself, you know, you can kind of set that aside.”
She says she knows she is making a bigger impact and it has been fun watching everyone get excited about her trek.
On her way through Cornell Feb. 22, Ford stopped by the elementary school to talk to the fourth-grade class and give the students time to ask questions.
Ford told the students her day starts early, with her alarm going off at 5:15 a.m. She says she usually snoozes the alarm until 5:45 a.m.
“I get dressed in my sleeping bag, in the cold, so I do it as fast as I can,” said Ford, adding she wears lots of layers to stay warm.
She says, when it is really cold and windy, she makes sure none of her skin is showing.
From there, she packs up their stuff, feeds Diggins, packs up the tent and grabs something to eat herself.
“Then, I just start walking,” said Ford.
She says they take a break for lunch, then walk until it’s time to set up the tent again and make supper. She says she has eaten a lot of freeze-dried foods and nuts.
Ford says more light into the evening hours, has also allowed her to hike longer each day.
Bringing along Diggins, named after the skier Jessie Diggins, was also at the suggestion of a friend. Ford borrowed Diggins, as she is an Alaskan Husky who normally works as a sled dog, and is more accustomed to the snow and cold than Ford’s own dog is.
She says her dog did hike the Superior Hiking Trail, about 300 miles, with her before.
Diggins is supposed to eat a high-performance dog kibble, because sled dogs burn a lot of calories, but has also found “frozen treats” along the way, like dead rabbits and chipmunks.
“She likes to eat deer legs, and any other road kill she can find,” laughed Ford.
Ford says one of her favorite parts of the hike so far, was when she was staying in the Kettlebowl area, and a midnight bathroom trip took her outdoors. She says the sky was clear and there were so many stars.
Ford says she also saw two Bald Eagles in their nest and lots of owls.
“We hear lots of owls and we finally saw one fly overhead when we were hiking pretty close to nighttime,” said Ford, citing that as another favorite experience.
She says they also have been able to hear coyotes yipping all night long. Otherwise, Ford says most animals leave them alone, since Diggins is along.
Ford told students that she sings songs, talks to Diggins and makes up stories as she walks, to keep the boredom at bay, especially when she is walking along roadways. Since cell service isn’t great, Ford says she doesn’t listen to music, save for a dance party over lunch.
“Now, this trip is about everyone being able to get outside,” said Ford, to the students.
She says anyone can hike, adding some trails even have access for wheelchairs.
Ford says she encourages everyone to get outside.
Students in Cornell’s fourth-grade class made signs to post around town, to encourage Emily Ford as she looks to become the first woman to thru-hike the Ice Age Trail in winter. Ford says she appreciates the signs, because it is kind of like having people along with her on the hike.Photo by Julia Wolf
