SHT: Days 0-3

Start:  Martin Road
End:  Reeves Falls Campsite
Day 0-3 Mileage:  46.1 miles
Total Mileage:  46.1 miles

After spending a lot of the past six months feeling like a doormat and dealing with the stresses of life, I decided it was time to answer the call of Minnesota’s Sawtooth Mountains.  A traditional thru-hike of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) starts at Martin Road (just North of downtown Duluth) and ends 260 miles later at the Canadian border.  The plan was for Domonick to take a week off work and for us to hike the first 100 miles together and then I would continue onward.  This is how things went…

We drove out to Minnesota from Munising on Saturday morning.  We drove separately as I would be spending longer in Minnesota than Domonick.  The drive was pretty scenic, and we passed billboards for the “Yooper Tourist Trap”, an enormous statue of Paul Bunyan, and countless vacation resorts.  Duluth seemed like a neat city, with a feature called the “Lake Walk” that we strolled on a bit.  I wanted to check out the Duluth Trading Company and almost managed to convince Domonick to buy a pair of overalls, something any man in the UP should own.  We headed north and had dinner in Silver Bay before dropping Domonick’s car off.  We took my car a little South and camped at North Beaver River campsite on the SHT.

We woke, started driving South, ate breakfast in Two Harbors, and then dropped my car off at the Martin Road trailhead.  We were ready to start!

Day 1 consisted of a lot of walking on the North State Trail, a network of snowmobile trails.  There were high grasses and very little scenery except for a couple ponds.

We had lunch by Lester River which was nice and headed to the Lone Tree campsite.  Margie and Russ were already set up there.  They were a nice couple from Indiana, doing a thru-hike, and flip flopping a bit.  They were celebrating their 200th mile with airplane wine bottles, and I asked Domonick why we never drink on the trail…it might serve as a step-in for IBProfen some nights.  We camped in a field under a tree.  It had a mutilated and disheveled Minnie Mouse doll in it.  Would it be our protector or a curse?  We heard wolves howling far in the distance that night, as well as a yipping noise close to the tent, which we guess may have been a fox.

Day 2 had us walking on logging trails and areas that had been logged in the past.  It reminded me of Oregon burn areas.  These areas are not obvious when driving through the state, but they are prevalent on the trail.  We often hear logging equipment when we hike.  It seems like there would be an uproar if people saw these lands being logged, but we all use paper or timber products in some way, and people don’t often complain if something isn’t happening right in their backyard.  We were gifted with a scenic view of Lake Superior to the east where we took a short break.  We sat for 15 mins and then I stood up and started to get something from my pack. I hear a noise and turn to see someone wearing khaki adventure pants walking away from us on the trail, and he yelled expletives as he walked, f-bombs and damnits getting softer as he got further.  What just happened?  We were freaked out and were headed the way he was.  We started hiking and I thought for sure he was waiting to ambush us or otherwise go into a crazy rant.  I had my pepper spray at the ready and was reminded that it isn’t wildlife you need to be worried about on the trail; it is human beings.  Thankfully we didn’t run into him, and decided he must have been a day-hiker and got off on a spur trail.  We saw a porcupine, which is one of the most adorable mammals, with its bumbling and slow walk.

We camped at Big Bend and had the site to ourselves, no crazies in khakis to be seen.

Day 3 afforded very little views, but a couple nice rivers.  “Twelve Mile View” was almost laughable, as yesterday’s views were better, but it did provide a breezy spot to get some fresh air.  We saw a couple other backpackers on the trail, and while the trail didn’t provide a ton of elevation change, I found this the most difficult day so far.  I haven’t gotten my trail legs yet and there is a particular savage species of mosquito that didn’t get the memo that it is September and they are supposed to be dead.  I have huge welts on my legs.  Things would be worse if I didn’t bring a headnet.  We brought DEET as well and I lathered up with it after deciding smothering myself with chemicals was better than the wrath of mutant mosquitoes.  Today was tough, but I persevered.   Each day is a small success and I am reminded that I can do anything, it is all about perspective, and the only constant is change. We took a few breaks and made it to camp (Reeves Falls) a little after 5pm.  We saw a man two miles back with his dog, jorts, and a knee brace.  He asked how far the campsite was…he was struggling.  He rolled into camp an hour and a half after us.  I don’t know if he saw us, but when he got to the bench he yelled “Motherf#$%!!” and “F$%# God damnit!!”. Maybe he’s related to the khaki pant crazy person, or maybe there are a few of us struggling on the trail.