Northern Michigan Hiking, Backpacking and Kayaking

01/09/2020

A new Isle Royale guidebook is out and thanks Jim DuFresne for allowing me to contribute a couple of photos in the book, (From August and October of last year), and for the nice write up! We had group events to Isle Royale in 2017 and 2019 through this group. The guidebook includes important information to plan your next Isle Royale adventure, including helpful maps and route information. You can buy the guidebook here: https://www.michigantrailmaps.com/books-and-guides/

11/23/2019

I started a website (www.backwoodsnomad.com) to provide hiking, backpacking, kayaking and winter sports route information, blogs, and pictures for Michigan, many other states,and out of the country places which I've been.
The website also features a forum to ask questions, upcoming group events, a shop to buy group t-shirts and stickers, resources featuring packing lists, and a subscription to a monthly newsletter. (Small group guided trips for 1st time backpackers are also in my future plans but no set date.)
The site is a work in progress, and I hope to have it up and running to it's full potential by the end of winter. You can check out a preview of the website here and subscribe to the monthly newsletter. www.backwoodsnomad.com I plan to advertise the site more when it's completed.

02/08/2019

I recently did a blog for the Cadillac Area Tourism Bureau https://cadillacmichigan.com/ of our winter backpacking group event on the Manistee River trail on December 14-16, 2018. You can check out the blog here: https://cadillacmichigan.com/manistee-river-trail-loop-backpacking-trip-december-14-16-2018/ . Many pics from the trip are on the blog as well, including pics of those who went on the trip! Ha Gi, Lynk Fjallson, T Brent Heilig, Kenneth Zacher, Dan Richards, Tim Donaven, Christina Vipond, Matt Osak, Katlyn Jeffrey, Nili Magee, Tom Lyon. Thanks Joy Liptak VanDrie for the opportunity!

Manistee River Trail Loop Backpacking Trip December 14-16, 2018 by Chris Gray | Feb 7, 2019 | Cadillac Stories, Hiking Trails, Trails, Parks & Water | 0 comments As the seasons change and winter arrives, many people put away their backpacking gear. But as the snow falls and the crowds disappear, a n...

12/12/2018

https://www.9and10news.com/2018/12/12/seeing-the-good-in-life-doesnt-require-vision/ I'm happy today for Tom Ogden, (also on here as Cecil Walker) for being recognized in this story today on 9 and 10 news. I've backpacked with Tom many times and he's a true inspiration. Being legally blind, and only being able to see a few inches in front of himself while hiking as much as he has (350 miles of the NCT, 700 miles of the AT, and part of the PCT) is something we all can be proud of. He mentioned this group in the interview, and many of the group pics shown in the video include myself and others from group events that we did with Tom. Keep going Tom! You're a great motivator and hopefully you can inspire others to get out there too.

“I had a house, a family and then everything changed within 6 months” says Tom Ogden of Cheboygan who lost his eyesight 2.5 years ago to a rare genetic disease called Labors Hereditary Optical Nephropathy. Ogden says losing his eyesight was extremely difficult after living a healthy life for man...

04/20/2018

Northern Michigan Hiking, Backpacking and Kayaking Mission Statement:

Our mission is to enjoy, share and be a source of information for our love of the outdoors through our stories, pictures, and memories of hiking, backpacking and kayaking in Northern Michigan.

For those of you that would like packing list ideas for backpacking and kayaking events, please use these as a guide:

Backpacking Trip Checklist:

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s605/sh/c2489963-b7db-41fc-8ea0-ef3266c39f77/4343b47f92522458c7cacce1a8bcffa1

Overnight Kayaking Trip Checklist:

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s605/sh/2c23e519-d1db-4829-8073-053ac34c10de/17d0d283f148bf8bd0732914dde24fce

Core Values

•Spirit of adventure- We carry this in our heart always.
•Individuality- Feel free to be yourself, without any judgments.
•Determination- We use this to get through any challenges that we may face along the way.
•Relaxation- We come to relax, and to enjoy our time in the wilderness.
•Resilience- We weather the storms and any unknown elements that we may face along the way.
•Adaptability- Adapting to challenges that may arise help us to grow and to not fear the unexpected.
•Discovery- The sense of discovery is always within us.
•Respect- Always respect ourselves and respect others.
•Diversity- We can learn from each other, we are all unique.
•Ambition- This describes our strong desire to push ourselves when we need it the most.
•Safety- Be safe at all times, and help each other if we are injured.
•Encouragement- Offer this to others who may need it, and give this to ourselves when we need it.
•Environment- Respect and help protect the environment.
•Equality- This defines our relationships with each other.
•Exceed Expectations- Set new personal goals and strive to exceed them.
•Exploration- We set off to explore the places that we haven't seen, and to revisit the places which inspire us.
•Solitude- This creates inner peace and a feeling of being part of the wilderness.
•Open-Minded- Be open minded to changes and to new challenges.
•Perseverance- We persevere through the unknown obstacles in our way.
•Thoughtful- We remain thoughtful of others and to their personal space.
•Friendship- We seek this on our adventures, and we hope to develop lasting friendships.
•Cooperation- This helps us to remain cohesive and focused.
•Courtesy- We offer whatever we can do to help each person.
•Wonder- Our sense of wonder is an important element in our quest for adventure.

12/18/2017

https://www.facebook.com/groups/northernmihikingbackpackingkayaking/ Join the group here, thanks!

Sport and recreation

12/13/2017

https://www.facebook.com/groups/northernmihikingbackpackingkayaking/ Join this group for northern Michigan (northern lower peninsula/UP) hiking, backpacking and kayaking information. Share your own tips and advice, and share your own hiking, backpacking and kayaking pictures and stories from up north. I also organize hiking, backpacking, and kayaking trips year round for the group in order to bring other hikers and kayakers together, and to meet good friends up north with people from all over Michigan and other places. The idea for this is to develop good friendships, and to enjoy the great outdoors. Please join a trip if you can, or simply share your own trip pics and info that you have, it's greatly appreciated! If you're new to the hiking or kayaking community, or if you have a general question about hiking, backpacking or kayaking, feel free to ask your question and I'm sure that you'll find your answer from this great group of experienced people!