There are so many great trails on the North Shore, for hiking, skiing, even for paddling. After twenty-five years of exploring the North Shore, I still haven't done it all. Here are a few things I RESOLVE to do in 2011.
I resolve to ski the whole Picnic Loop in one outing. The Picnic Loop runs through the heart of the amazinging terrific Sugarbush trail system, and is either 23 or 25 kilometers long depending on where you start. Back before skate skiing and machine trail grooming, it would take the average skier half a day to do the loop, requiring a picnic lunch.
The map above is from our fine book, Skiing the North Shore. Nowadays skate skiers do the 24 kilometer loop in under two hours, putting the whole "picnic" concept aside. But as a pokey classic skier, I'll need at least four hours to do the loop, complete with the "classic" lunch break.
This summer, I resolve to paddle my sea kayak on the North Shore three times. I've kayaked the Apostle Islands, Pukaskwa National Park, and Nipigon Bay, but for the last eight years my sea kayak has sat in the back yard gathering spiders and sand. I need to take it out again. It's too late to paddle through the sea arch at Tettegouche, but that rugged shoreline will be one of my day trips, for sure.
The Lake Superior Water Trail runs from Duluth to Grand Marais and beyond, using a combination of public access points and designated campsites. The Minnesota DNR is the best source of information about paddling on the North Shore; be sure to check out their excellent maps.
What are your North Shore resolutions??
Thanks to the bloggers at the Salt Lake Tribune for this idea...and good luck to them!
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4 comments:
The picnic loop is a great trek on classic skis. As far as arches, don't forget out the Manitou River arch. Three separate arches on one trip! (http://www.paddlinglight.com/articles/trip-reports/manitou-river-kayaking-trip-report/)
Just looked over your blog! Really cool stuff! Brings me back to growing up in Duluth and Fishing and Camping on the Shore! Great stuff! Keep it up!
Having moved away from the North Shore over two years ago my New Years resolutions don't include anything up there, but I do have a long-term resolution to re-hike the entirety of the SHT once the new trail construction is complete from Jay Cooke all the way to the Border Route.
I've been hiking trails since 1980 and exploring areas new to me each trip and haven't seemed to even get close to the feeling of doing it all. It's endless and that is the point. You never get bored with the Northshore. My poor kayak also collected cobwebs as I only used it twice last year. That must stop!
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