first feather : an intro to solo backpacking
THE ITINERARY:
DAY ONE: Meet in Milwaukee (time and location TBD). Drive the 2.5 hours to Sturgeon Bay and park at the Shoreline Rd trailhead of the Ice Age Trail (IAT). Backpack the IAT to the Eastern Terminus, three miles. The trail will weave through beautiful forests and along Lake Michigan to Potowatomi State Park, where we’ll camp that night.
We’ll hike west back to our campsite, another mile or two.
NIGHT ONE: Camp at Potowatomi State Park.
DAY TWO: Break camp and drive the hour to Door County. Explore Sister Bay (there is wonderful shopping and a grocery store to resupply if needed) and drive to Newport Beach State Park, the only wilderness park in Wisconsin, and the only “dark sky park” in the Midwest . Solobackpack the 10 mile Europe Bay Trail, and then the two miles to your own backcountry site. Your site will have access to the lake.
NIGHT TWO: Solocamp at Newport Beach State Park. You will fall asleep to the sound of waves, and can even camp on the beach, if you like.
DAY THREE: return the two miles to the main beach, and celebrate your victories with a hot breakfast (prepared by me!) and a cold plunge in the lake. Return to Milwaukee.
FLOCK NUMBER: 4-5 BIRDS
NUMBER OF MILES HIKED: nineteen (19) miles
NOTE: This is a true beginner’s trek. The terrain is gentle, welcoming, and overall flat. If you have a human body, you can backpack. If your spirit is curious, your body will rise to the challenge.
The Gear
I have assembled the primary pieces of backpacking gear for you to rent. (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack) You may have some equipment already: great! Bring it, and rent what you don’t have.
When I began backpacking, the REI Backpacking Checklist was valuable to me. It is linked below, but I promise you, you don’t need everything written here. Backpacking gear is extremely expensive when new, so I hope I’ve taken some pressure off by investing in gear so that you’re not burdened by expenses for an activity you don’t even know if you’re going to like.
You will be responsible for bringing your clothes, toiletries, and your own food and if you choose to use heat when cooking , your own backpacking stove. (Note: you don’t need one.)
I believe in rewarding your solitude when you’ve made camp, so I recommend bringing a book and certainly a journal. Journaling is one of the ways we map our inner landscapes. My pa has built adventure journals for this very purpose, and if you’re interested in one for yourself, let me know!
You are welcome to email me about any gear questions you have.
the value
The base price for the trek is $477.00 Included in this price is van rental, state park passes, campsite reservations, gas, the beach breakfast on our last day taxes/fees.
Each piece of gear is $50.00 to rent. If you need just one piece of gear, add $50. If you need all four, add $200. We will be in touch about your needs, and I’ll send you a Paypal invoice for the gear rental you need.
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I hope to show you two doors: the one out in Nature that is always open to you, and the one inside yourself that ought never be shut. Backpacking is a challenging, meaningful, beautiful path into the heart of living fiercely.
