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An Outdoorsman’s Journal

An Outdoorsman’s Journal An Outdoorsman’s Journal

By: Mark Walters

The Perfect Snag

Hello friends: This week and next I will be writing to you about a backpacking trip that I just came home from on a 62-mile section of The North Country Trail. This adventure was a personal challenge to myself that I actually told very few people about before I left home as I was not sure that I could make it. Back in the 1990s, I round-trip hiked this section twice in the winter and twice in the summer.

Wednesday, June 30 High 78, low 52 Michelle Chiaro dropped me off near Iron River this afternoon and my 65-pound pack and I would have to make it to Mellen over the next five days before I could be picked up. Most of this hike takes place in The Chequamegon National Forest and my human interaction would be very limited.

From 2:00 this afternoon until 7:00 I put nine miles behind me and made camp near Tower Lake in The Rainbow Wilderness Area. By the time I built camp I had removed over 100 woodticks from my body and had many mosquito bites. Both of these insects would be a problem but today was the worst.

I do not have my golden retriever Ruby along as she is in her fifth week of pregnancy. I knew the bugs and sometimes lack of water could be a problem for a pregnant dog.

One of the first things I did after building a smoke fire to get rid of the skeets was filter two quarts of water. I have a hand-pump water filter and have to admit I really screwed up in this area. I ordered one online and it was a bad purchase. At the last minute I borrowed one from my neighbor and it took 25 minutes of focused effort to filter two quarts. Water would be an issue the entire trip.

Thursday, July 1 High 82, low 56 Today was a great day! My daughter Selina bought me a new internal frame backpack and it is incredible. I have been using the same external frame pack since my Appalachian Trail hike back in 1991 and it is beyond shot. Until today I had concerns about if or if not I could handle this type of physical punishment and the entire day I felt like I was in my prime as I hiked through the lake country portion of this trip. In one experience, I was rounding a bend and about to start a hill climb and when I looked uphill there was about a 220-black bear headed right at me. I have very little fear of bears. We both stopped, it figured I was human, and took off like an NFL running back through the woods. I ended my day 16 miles from where I started it and made camp in a remote area of Lake Owen. I honestly think I could have done 20.

Friday, July 2 High 88, low 56

When I woke up this morning, I was 60 instead of 59, which is the main reason for this trip. I am still sleeping on the ground, drinking lake water, giving blood to hundreds of insects, and most importantly, feel great. I have been doing this job for parts of four decades and I think it is part of the reason that I am broke, look like crap, and am always alone.

All kidding aside, I am addicted to the outdoors and so I created a job that would pay for my addiction.

I believe that due to the fact that I’m so active I can attempt a journey like this and not even spend five minutes training for it.

It seems strange to not have a dog at my side, but I am good with that decision and in the end, I should have a new pup to write about as I have for 32 years.

I am cooking all of my meals on a campfire and at night when I sleep on the ground my back feels better than when I sleep in my extremely worn-out bed. When I wake very early each morning, I look at the tops of the trees from inside of my tent and think about things for at least a half an hour. Then it’s time to get up, start a fire, get eaten by bugs, break camp, pack my pack, and hit the trail!

You could offer me a million bucks, but if I would have to retire, I would not take that deal at 60!

Sunset

Walters on the North Country Trail.

Safe drinking water was a concern on this hike.

Rainbow Lake would be a great place to camp, fish, and enjoy life!

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