Hi. Love the music you chose this time. Really complimented the natural beauty you were passing through. I've done some thru-hiking (AT, JMT, Camino de Santiago) and have a few tips you might be interested in to improve your set up. I always tie a bandana to a loop on my shoulder strap. It just dangles down and is used for ALL sorts of things. When I'm blowing snot rockets like you were on this stretch, it's nice to be able to get that last bit of moisture daubed off my nose with it. When it's super hot I saturate it with water and use it to wipe off my face and neck and/or flip it back and up around the back of my neck to walk with it there to keep me cooler. When I stop I can use it to wash and/or dry myself with or as a hot pad to pick up my pot if the fire heats up the handle too much, etc. Another piece of gear you might be interested in is The Packa. www.thepacka.com/ Even if it's not raining I put it on my pack as a pack cover in the mornings when it's threatening to rain and then can use it in various configurations to stay dry myself as needed. Sometimes I wear just the hood (leaving the rest tucked in behind the cover), and sometimes full on. It keeps my entire pack dry, including the shoulder straps, waist belt, and dangling bandana, and there's plenty of room underneath to access my pack without having to take it off when it's raining out. I just leave my waist belt on (loosened), take off a shoulder strap and swivel it around so I can get at whatever I need to. I also find it invaluable as a wind breaker and/or for added warmth in the mornings when I'm starting out and don't want to have to stop to take off a warm layer 15 minutes after starting. Instead I just pull on the parka over my lighter clothes to get started and as I warm up I can just take off the parka and tuck it in under the pack cover once I warm up without even having to stop walking if I don't feel like it. Being able to hike warmer without having to wear my puffy jacket most of the time is really nice as it keeps the part of my jacket that has to reside under my pack straps from getting wet with sweat, making it less warm when I get to camp. And when I get to high passes and I want to stop and take in the views and have a break, if I pull on the parka I can do so without getting chilled in the wind up high from being all sweaty. It totally keeps me warm in that case without having to put on any additional warm layers up there. It can even be used as a pillow stuffed into it's pocket when dry. And unless you're hiking in cold conditions, you can often get away with leaving rain pants at home because it comes down far enough to cover your shorts. It's an INCREDIBLY useful piece of gear in my experience and I basically never hike without it. I even consider it as my "shelter" (part of the 10 essentials) when I'm out for day hikes as I could easily sit/lie with my legs tucked up under the parka and stay dry and warm overnight in an emergency if needed. Last suggestion is for you to consider picking up a new tent. I don't know what yours weighs, tho I bet it's not super light. But more importantly, any time it's raining there's no way for you to either set it up or take it down without getting your inner net tent soaked. Something like the Lanshen 1 or 2 would be cheap and still give you the option of having a net tent to enjoy sleeping under the stars on dry buggy nights, and I'm sure it's no heavier than your current set up and possibly much lighter. However given the set up compared to your current tent, you can just leave the net tent attached to the fly and put it up/take it down without having to separate the two, thereby keeping that inner net tent dry while setting it up/taking it down. Being able to keep your inner tent dry is really key to comfort and even safety when it's wet AND cold for many nights in a row. Then just figure out a way to secure it to the OUTSIDE of your pack so it wouldn't get everything wet inside. This will also allow you to easily access it to set it up the next night without having to open your pack or even expose it if it's raining outside. You'll find you can just slide it in between the pack cover part of the Packa and your pack with just a little elastic strap and it will hold it on just fine. This way you can pull it out and set up your tent in the rain without having to take off the Packa, keeping both you AND your inner tent dry. Obviously you'd still want to have a garbage bag liner inside your pack so your wet tent won't soak through to your stuff inside from being pressed up against your pack under the pack cover. Once your tent is set up, you can take off your pack (leaving the pack cover on it so it's not sitting on the wet ground) and leave it under cover in the vestibule, sit down inside your tent (with your dry butt because your Packa was covering it and keeping it dry!), take off your shoes and leave them outside in the vestibule, and then access your pack from your dry inner tent without having to bring any wet stuff inside at all keeping everything dry in there. Of course you'd have to use trekking poles to set it up with, but I find t-poles invaluable when hiking especially on downhill stretches (saves the knees, I'm a LOT older than you, LOL!) and crossing rivers, and you can always just strap them to your pack if you don't feel like using them on certain stretches. Trekking poles are super light these days too, and I suspect you'll find that the combined weight of the Lanshen 2 with your poles will probably be similar to your current tent and give you a lot more space inside to enjoy. AND if you did get the Lanshen 2 that would allow room for two as well if you have a lover along or find you're in a spot with little space to set up more than one tent and you're hiking with a friend. I also always keep some duck tape on my poles just below the handles and a few really wide/thick rubber bands as well. It's a perfect place to keep them as they're totally out of the way yet right there handy whenever you need them for repairs, to tape up hot spots on your feet or whatever. With those two gear changes/additions, on a rainy day you can pack up EVERYTHING in your pack under the cover of your tent and put the Packa pack cover on your pack BEFORE getting out of your tent and immediately putting on the parka as you get out so both you and your pack stay nice and dry. Then you can pack up your tent leaving the net tent attached to the fly so the inner tent stays dry, pull it under your parka and slide it in under the pack cover under a little bungee or compression strap on your pack and be off with you, your pack and its contents, and your inner net tent all high and dry! Setting up your tent again at the end of the day will also be a dry phenomenon, keeping your gear dry and you safe from hypothermia on long cold wet stretches. I'm REALLY enjoying your mini-documentaries SO much (I'm a Michigander as well as a thru-hiker : - D)! You've inspired me to consider hiking the PNT (I live in Portland, OR) AND the North Country Trail (at the very least the Michigan part). Keep up the great work and thanks so much for sharing! PS I also hike with Crocs strapped to the outside of my pack (any kind of trekking sandal would work as well). They make amazing camp shoes (super cushy/comfy for tired feet in all kinds of temps as they're plenty roomy enough to wear with thick wool socks and plastic bags over them in cold/snow/wet conditions, but they're especially nice for crossing rivers or hiking through that wet mess you had to deal with on the trail in this stretch as well. I have the kind with the adjustable velcro heel straps so they stay snugly on my feet in fast rivers, protect my toes, and of course keep my shoes and socks dry on river crossings or walking stretches of submerged trail. I find they aren't good for extended hiking, but they would've been a godsend on that wet trail you were hiking on in this stretch and kept your shoes and socks drier. And you could've just kept on walking at your regular pace, water be damned!
Thanks for the gear suggestions, I have been looking for ways to lighten my pack. This was just the gear that I got first before learning much about ultralight hiking. It's really nice gear, just not the lightest. On the Hayduke I learned the bandana trick, and I kept that over my neck to keep me cool in the Grand Canyon. That was a game changer. I've seen those packa things too, that would be nice to have. I also got a tarp tent after this series and that's super light. Not as sturdy in the wind though.
Loving your videos! Excellent footage. Great inspiration....this is my 4th time watching...2 via Prime. Northern Mi & U.P is my home. ❤️Our U.P. NCT shorelines. 🏕
I had a sawyer squeeze filter with me, those are great and lightweight. I kind of made my own maps by taking screenshots of the interactive map on the NCT website. That worked but I’m sure there are better options out there now. I think avenza has one.
Really enjoying your videos man. I just moved to MI from Colorado and got the idea in my head to do a UP thru next summer. There is surprisingly not a lot of info out there on what to me seems like a really cool month-long hike. Yours are the only videos or even accounts of a UP thru/section hike I've been able to find!
Joe Robinet also has a video from when him and another YT'r section hiked the pictured rocks area. He has quite a few Michigan related hikes/camping trips on his channel.
Enjoy the whole series of Yooper videos you do Alex. Spent some time in the UP last summer and these give me an idea of a bit of what to expect for some section hiking plans.
Thanks for another awesome video and great camera work! I tried going across the U.P. back in June, but there was just way too much rain this year and the bugs were ridiculous. Hopefully I'll get a chance to get back up there later this fall. If you're looking for solitude, this is definitely a good trail to hike. The lake Superior shoreline is always awesome!
I hope you do get back up here in the fall, that's probably my favorite time to hike in the UP. At least you won't have to deal with the bugs. Good luck!
Your videos are awesome man. I was gonna do the AT I feel there will be more people on the AT then the NCT in the u.p. and thats the whole reason I wanna go on my hike is to be alone. Do some soul searching. Thanks for the videos man.
My sections were short enough that I didn't have to worry about resupply, but now that I think about it there are probably some pretty long gaps without many good resupply options. northcountrytrail.org only lists 3 trail towns for the UP haha. I'm sure you'd pass some small general stores in between those towns, but your options would probably be limited.
Beautifully done. Thank you for sharing. A couple of questions About how many miles a day did you do through here? Would it have been more if you were well? This looked like good time of year.. Nice and cool, didn't see bugs. Was it early October? What would you recommend?
Any reason why the trail is so poorly maintained in that area? Don't they have a local NCT chapter? If they want the NCT to become like the other marquis trails, they will have to get that taken care of. Great vids!
Thanks for the update. From some of your comments, I perhaps got the wrong impression. We stay in Marquette area twice a year and try to hike a lot. Your videos are well done and inspiring, as well as informational.
Hi. Love the music you chose this time. Really complimented the natural beauty you were passing through.
I've done some thru-hiking (AT, JMT, Camino de Santiago) and have a few tips you might be interested in to improve your set up. I always tie a bandana to a loop on my shoulder strap. It just dangles down and is used for ALL sorts of things. When I'm blowing snot rockets like you were on this stretch, it's nice to be able to get that last bit of moisture daubed off my nose with it. When it's super hot I saturate it with water and use it to wipe off my face and neck and/or flip it back and up around the back of my neck to walk with it there to keep me cooler. When I stop I can use it to wash and/or dry myself with or as a hot pad to pick up my pot if the fire heats up the handle too much, etc.
Another piece of gear you might be interested in is The Packa. www.thepacka.com/ Even if it's not raining I put it on my pack as a pack cover in the mornings when it's threatening to rain and then can use it in various configurations to stay dry myself as needed. Sometimes I wear just the hood (leaving the rest tucked in behind the cover), and sometimes full on. It keeps my entire pack dry, including the shoulder straps, waist belt, and dangling bandana, and there's plenty of room underneath to access my pack without having to take it off when it's raining out. I just leave my waist belt on (loosened), take off a shoulder strap and swivel it around so I can get at whatever I need to. I also find it invaluable as a wind breaker and/or for added warmth in the mornings when I'm starting out and don't want to have to stop to take off a warm layer 15 minutes after starting. Instead I just pull on the parka over my lighter clothes to get started and as I warm up I can just take off the parka and tuck it in under the pack cover once I warm up without even having to stop walking if I don't feel like it. Being able to hike warmer without having to wear my puffy jacket most of the time is really nice as it keeps the part of my jacket that has to reside under my pack straps from getting wet with sweat, making it less warm when I get to camp. And when I get to high passes and I want to stop and take in the views and have a break, if I pull on the parka I can do so without getting chilled in the wind up high from being all sweaty. It totally keeps me warm in that case without having to put on any additional warm layers up there. It can even be used as a pillow stuffed into it's pocket when dry. And unless you're hiking in cold conditions, you can often get away with leaving rain pants at home because it comes down far enough to cover your shorts. It's an INCREDIBLY useful piece of gear in my experience and I basically never hike without it. I even consider it as my "shelter" (part of the 10 essentials) when I'm out for day hikes as I could easily sit/lie with my legs tucked up under the parka and stay dry and warm overnight in an emergency if needed.
Last suggestion is for you to consider picking up a new tent. I don't know what yours weighs, tho I bet it's not super light. But more importantly, any time it's raining there's no way for you to either set it up or take it down without getting your inner net tent soaked. Something like the Lanshen 1 or 2 would be cheap and still give you the option of having a net tent to enjoy sleeping under the stars on dry buggy nights, and I'm sure it's no heavier than your current set up and possibly much lighter. However given the set up compared to your current tent, you can just leave the net tent attached to the fly and put it up/take it down without having to separate the two, thereby keeping that inner net tent dry while setting it up/taking it down. Being able to keep your inner tent dry is really key to comfort and even safety when it's wet AND cold for many nights in a row. Then just figure out a way to secure it to the OUTSIDE of your pack so it wouldn't get everything wet inside. This will also allow you to easily access it to set it up the next night without having to open your pack or even expose it if it's raining outside. You'll find you can just slide it in between the pack cover part of the Packa and your pack with just a little elastic strap and it will hold it on just fine. This way you can pull it out and set up your tent in the rain without having to take off the Packa, keeping both you AND your inner tent dry. Obviously you'd still want to have a garbage bag liner inside your pack so your wet tent won't soak through to your stuff inside from being pressed up against your pack under the pack cover. Once your tent is set up, you can take off your pack (leaving the pack cover on it so it's not sitting on the wet ground) and leave it under cover in the vestibule, sit down inside your tent (with your dry butt because your Packa was covering it and keeping it dry!), take off your shoes and leave them outside in the vestibule, and then access your pack from your dry inner tent without having to bring any wet stuff inside at all keeping everything dry in there. Of course you'd have to use trekking poles to set it up with, but I find t-poles invaluable when hiking especially on downhill stretches (saves the knees, I'm a LOT older than you, LOL!) and crossing rivers, and you can always just strap them to your pack if you don't feel like using them on certain stretches. Trekking poles are super light these days too, and I suspect you'll find that the combined weight of the Lanshen 2 with your poles will probably be similar to your current tent and give you a lot more space inside to enjoy. AND if you did get the Lanshen 2 that would allow room for two as well if you have a lover along or find you're in a spot with little space to set up more than one tent and you're hiking with a friend. I also always keep some duck tape on my poles just below the handles and a few really wide/thick rubber bands as well. It's a perfect place to keep them as they're totally out of the way yet right there handy whenever you need them for repairs, to tape up hot spots on your feet or whatever.
With those two gear changes/additions, on a rainy day you can pack up EVERYTHING in your pack under the cover of your tent and put the Packa pack cover on your pack BEFORE getting out of your tent and immediately putting on the parka as you get out so both you and your pack stay nice and dry. Then you can pack up your tent leaving the net tent attached to the fly so the inner tent stays dry, pull it under your parka and slide it in under the pack cover under a little bungee or compression strap on your pack and be off with you, your pack and its contents, and your inner net tent all high and dry! Setting up your tent again at the end of the day will also be a dry phenomenon, keeping your gear dry and you safe from hypothermia on long cold wet stretches.
I'm REALLY enjoying your mini-documentaries SO much (I'm a Michigander as well as a thru-hiker : - D)! You've inspired me to consider hiking the PNT (I live in Portland, OR) AND the North Country Trail (at the very least the Michigan part). Keep up the great work and thanks so much for sharing!
PS
I also hike with Crocs strapped to the outside of my pack (any kind of trekking sandal would work as well). They make amazing camp shoes (super cushy/comfy for tired feet in all kinds of temps as they're plenty roomy enough to wear with thick wool socks and plastic bags over them in cold/snow/wet conditions, but they're especially nice for crossing rivers or hiking through that wet mess you had to deal with on the trail in this stretch as well. I have the kind with the adjustable velcro heel straps so they stay snugly on my feet in fast rivers, protect my toes, and of course keep my shoes and socks dry on river crossings or walking stretches of submerged trail. I find they aren't good for extended hiking, but they would've been a godsend on that wet trail you were hiking on in this stretch and kept your shoes and socks drier. And you could've just kept on walking at your regular pace, water be damned!
Thanks for the gear suggestions, I have been looking for ways to lighten my pack. This was just the gear that I got first before learning much about ultralight hiking. It's really nice gear, just not the lightest. On the Hayduke I learned the bandana trick, and I kept that over my neck to keep me cool in the Grand Canyon. That was a game changer. I've seen those packa things too, that would be nice to have. I also got a tarp tent after this series and that's super light. Not as sturdy in the wind though.
Loving your videos! Excellent footage. Great inspiration....this is my 4th time watching...2 via Prime. Northern Mi & U.P is my home. ❤️Our U.P. NCT shorelines. 🏕
Do grab your water from the streams and filter it or boil? Is there a MAP that you used that is good?
I had a sawyer squeeze filter with me, those are great and lightweight. I kind of made my own maps by taking screenshots of the interactive map on the NCT website. That worked but I’m sure there are better options out there now. I think avenza has one.
Really enjoying your videos man. I just moved to MI from Colorado and got the idea in my head to do a UP thru next summer. There is surprisingly not a lot of info out there on what to me seems like a really cool month-long hike. Yours are the only videos or even accounts of a UP thru/section hike I've been able to find!
Joe Robinet also has a video from when him and another YT'r section hiked the pictured rocks area. He has quite a few Michigan related hikes/camping trips on his channel.
Look up, Lake Superior's Rugged Coastal Trail. It's a great video.
Geocache!
Enjoy the whole series of Yooper videos you do Alex. Spent some time in the UP last summer and these give me an idea of a bit of what to expect for some section hiking plans.
Thanks for another awesome video and great camera work! I tried going across the U.P. back in June, but there was just way too much rain this year and the bugs were ridiculous. Hopefully I'll get a chance to get back up there later this fall. If you're looking for solitude, this is definitely a good trail to hike. The lake Superior shoreline is always awesome!
I hope you do get back up here in the fall, that's probably my favorite time to hike in the UP. At least you won't have to deal with the bugs. Good luck!
When do you resupply
since this was just a section hike I didn't have to resupply. 5-6 days of food wasn't too bad to carry.
Your videos are awesome man. I was gonna do the AT I feel there will be more people on the AT then the NCT in the u.p. and thats the whole reason I wanna go on my hike is to be alone. Do some soul searching. Thanks for the videos man.
Yeah. I was gonna ask you about resupply spots and mail drops. Are there any up there? lol
I would like to hike thru the whole thing.
My sections were short enough that I didn't have to worry about resupply, but now that I think about it there are probably some pretty long gaps without many good resupply options. northcountrytrail.org only lists 3 trail towns for the UP haha. I'm sure you'd pass some small general stores in between those towns, but your options would probably be limited.
Did I hear there is a plan to reroute the NCT to the lake of the clouds?
Awesome series Alex!
Beautifully done. Thank you for sharing. A couple of questions
About how many miles a day did you do through here?
Would it have been more if you were well?
This looked like good time of year.. Nice and cool, didn't see bugs. Was it early October? What would you recommend?
Any reason why the trail is so poorly maintained in that area? Don't they have a local NCT chapter? If they want the NCT to become like the other marquis trails, they will have to get that taken care of. Great vids!
Thanks for the update. From some of your comments, I perhaps got the wrong impression. We stay in Marquette area twice a year and try to hike a lot. Your videos are well done and inspiring, as well as informational.
i am a simple woman. i see a yooper tours video, i click like. XD ♥