Waterloo-Pinckney Trail: Day 3 (8.5 miles)

My second morning and last day on the trail, I get up early and break camp, cook breakfast. The last day of the thru-hike is from Blind Lake to the Silver, 8.5 miles. Silver lake parking lot is where the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail ends. Morning sure is a fun time to be on the trail. Everything is there for you to participate in the great outdoors.

This hike is 38.5 miles of pure leg hurtin' enjoyment. It's a mix of feelings when you finish a walk like this in the woods. My mind thinks about hot food and that hot shower, and walks with the pride felt after accomplishing such challenges.

Seize the day~

The photo above is at Blind Lake. My MSR Mutha Hubba was a great place for my wife and I to spend the night together here. The cool air roles off the water, which we welcome as we climb into our warm bags with full stomachs. Out of the 10 sites available, site number 3 is great. Behind it, up on the ridge is a close second. Blind lake has a pump for drinking water and a nice drop down toilet.

I've recently tried to reduce my pack weight by trying different packs, cooking systems, etc. Below is an REI flash 50, very light wight compared to my Acrtyric Bora 80. My goal is to keep my pack weight for this thru hike to around 35 pounds. The year I had quiet this thru-hike, I carried a 50 pound pack. I've borrowed the name, Big MuthaFerWalking to describe the giant pack. I'm convinced walking in the woods is more fun with less pack weight.

My wife Cyle and I hit the trail together in September 0f 2009. She strapped on a pack and we walked the 5.5 miles to camp. I took the photo below when we walked across a bridge that I used to fish on with my father and brother. The lake in the background is Pickerall lake, one of 4 lakes on pass on your way to Blind Lake.

Silver Lake parking area, where I leave my car before going on my thru-hike. This Prius is sure a fun care to own. The more I drive it, the more I like it. I plan to hit some serious trails these next five years. If I can save some money on gas along the way, all the better.

If you want to learn more about this trail, check out a great book about hiking in Michigan: Backpacking in Michigan, by Jim Defrence. The cover of the book inspired me to take my profile pic in the same location. My goal is to visit all 50 hikes in the book.

To date I'm 11 of 50 of hikes in the book.

In the future, I'm going to refer to this trail as the Nenawkee trail instead of the Waterloo-Pinckney trail. Nenawkee means "this land is ours."

Waterloo-Pinckney Trail: Day 2 (15 miles)

Waterloo-Pinckney Trail: Day 2 (15 miles)

I awoke that morning, and took this pic: snug as a bug in a rug. Sleep that night was on and off, I would awake with very tiered legs, sounds from nature, and the new feeling of camping in the woods. Yes, that is a pillow. I've tried sleeping without a pillow and learned the hard way. So the additional pack weight is worth it to me. After breakfast, I packed up, then continued my thru-hike to the next camp site 15 miles away, Blind Lake.

After walking back down Loveland Road, you will see the trail continue on the left side of the road. A sign announces that distance to the HeadQuarters, Discovery Center, and finally Green Lake. I use the Discovery Center for my first break ( mile 5) and Green Lake as my second break point (mile 9). That leaves about 5 miles left from Green Lake to Blind Lake, which will be the place where I spend my second night on the trail. This is a long day of walking with many uphill climbs, some of the steepest climbs south of Lansing. I find this part of the trail to be the most scenic.

The photo below is at Green Lake, about 9 miles from the start of my day. As you can see, this is my time to take the off my pack and shoes and really get refueled. I like to put the ipod on and get my mind right. During my 30-40 minute break, I boil water and corn pasta which really refuels my body for the 6 miles ahead. Trail mix, fruit leather, peanut butter, etc. If you need to refill water, you can walk the half mile each way to Green Lake, which has a hand pump. To avoid the extra miles, I stash water jugs here the day before when I was being dropped off at Big Portage Lake. I was careful to wash any sent on the jugs of waters so animals would not be tempted to tamper with the water jugs overnight. Another option would be to hang the jugs of water like you would a bear bag.

As soon as you leave Green Lake, you begin your climb of Riley Hill (1000ft.), then descend the other side where you cross M-52. For the next 6 miles, you will cross 5 dirt roads. Below is a photo I took of my uncle Dave. The park in the distance is Park Lyndon, about 2 miles from Green Lake. The trail picks up just behind the shelter you see in the background. My uncle Dave has a lot of experience hiking and traveling in the woods. I learn a lot when I hang out with my uncle.

You will see several lakes, ponds, and open fields. The trail is in great shape, clearly marked, and volunteers have build foot bridges to span swampy areas. In the future, I plan to join this volunteer force to preserve the trail I love so much.

The pic below is from 2009, my first unsuccessful thru-hike of the trail. The few rookie mistakes I made:

1. did not pack easy high calorie foods, and did not eat often enough

2. did not stop to bandage hot spots on my feet

3. did not take the time to rest every 4-5 miles.

4. walked to fast, did not maintain an effeciant heart rate

5. pack was to heavy, need to eliminate useless gear

As I walked that second day, hot spots from the day before developed into two large blisters on both heals. As I continued to hike, the blisters got larger and more painful. Mole skin was applied, which allowed me to walk a few more miles. I'll never forget that hike because it was my first experience with a "calorie crash." I had walked so far and eaten so little, I just hit the wall. I was walking and suddenly I had the sudden urge to stop and quit. Every cell in my body said, "dude, what every you are doing, stop!" I tried to press on, then began to feel disoriented, and I had to really think about putting one foot in front of the other. Eventually I had to stop, and I sat with my uncle Dave for about an hour to see if I could regain my strength. I did not, and my uncle was able to walk back to Green Lake and use his truck to come pick me up. I took this photo below as I was waiting for him. I was so disappointed in myself, and when I returned home I stepped on a scale. I had lost 9 pounds in 24 hours. I had a lot to learn about thu-hiking.

After walking 15 miles from Green Lake, you will arrive at post #12. This post has a map on it, which tells you that a 1/2 mile ahead you will arrive at Blind Lake. This camp ground is for backpackers only, and offers 10 camping site, each with a table and a fire ring. On weekends during the summer, these sites fill up fast. Spring and Fall are months were you can find your self being the only camper there. Fall camping in Michigan is my favorite. Several sites sit next to or near the water. I love looking out my tent at dawn to see the steam rise off the flat water.

Ahhhh, fresh potatoes and spices. This cooking system is my old system: MSR whisper-lite stove, MSR black-lite cooking pot, and fuel bottle. I fond this system to be to bulky and heavy. I have since updated my cooking system to my MSR pocket rocket, and a pinicle duealist cooking system. Very fast, liteweight, and easy to use.

Blind Lake, site number 3, is my favorite sight to camp at. It offers a great view of the lake, and after a long hike and setting up camp, makes for a perfect place to cool off. The color of the lake is a unique Mountain Dew like green. Blind lake has a hand pump for water, and a nice drop down toilet to use. This is a great place to camp because the people who often visit it are backpackers and usually show respect to each other at night with noise. At sunset, you can backtrack to post #12, then turn right and hike up a steep ridge to a most spectacular view to the west. That is a great place to chill at dusk, then nike hike back to camp and light a prebuilt fire. I have camped at Blind Lake about 20 times, 15 time solo. It's a great place to escape on a fall or spring weekend.

Waterloo-Pinckney Trail: Day 1 (15 miles)

May 1st, 2009

Waterloo-Pinckney Trail

38.5 miles

I always look forward to this thru-hike each spring. For most hikers, Waterloo-Pinckney trail can be completed in 4 days, 3 nights. For stronger hikers, 2 nights and 3 days. This means two days of 15 miles each, with the last day an easy 8.5 miles. The total distance is 38.5 miles. If you choose to saunter this moderate skill level trail, you will not be disappointed.

The trailhead can be reached just off the parking lot at Big Portage Lake. To get there, take US 23 to I-94 west. Exit I-94 at Race Road (exit 147) and head north to Seymour Road. The lake entrance is just a mile east (right) on Seymour. The tail head is towards the back left of the parking lot. There is a large sign announcing the gateway to Waterloo-Pinckney Recreation Area. You can have someone drop you off there, but first leave your vehicle at the other end of the trail, at the Pinckney Recreation area. Just let the rangers in the office there know how many nights you plan to leave it.

The half mile of the trail you skirt a ridge overlooking Big Portage Lake. For the next 4 miles, you see a few ponds, lakes, and marshes. At about 4 miles, you cross Glenn Road, which is where the trail begins it's climb of Sackrider Hill. You will find a USGS marker at the top indicating your climb of 1128 feet!

Sackrider Hill is about 5.5 miles from the trailhead. You will also find a large cross and a viewing platform. The views in spring are amazing! You can see for many miles to the south and southwest. There is something cool about standing atop that hill with your backpack on, catching your breath and looking down at the busy traffic, humming by on I-94. I always get a sense at that moment when I arrive like I'm doing something that few people stop to enjoy, the pleasure of walking in the woods.

I try to take a 20 minute break here, enough time to eat, drink, and chill. I get my pack off, spend a few minutes laying down with my feet slightly higher then my head to help my legs and feet recover. This is a place to enjoy.

Leaving Sackrider hill, you will descent quickly to a dirt parking lot. The trail then swings north east for about a mile until you cross Mt. Hope road. The trail continues first through a large open area, then back into a hardwood forest, a couple of marshes, and a few dirt roads. This section of the trail is shared by horse riders, which is evident from the hoof prints on this section of trail. Be careful to stay on the Waterloo-Pinckney trail as you travel through this area, it's easy to get mixed up on which trail to take. You will then come to Baldwin Road. Head north for about a 0.5 mile on the road. The trail will continue on the other side of Baldwin Road, where you will come to Baldwin Flood Plans, a man made pond created to provide a refuge for waterfowl.

Just above the sign in the picture is a point of land I like to use as my second break point. At this point I've walked 10 miles. I have a spot on the side of the slop overlooking the lake. Nice place to stop for about 20 minutes and boil some water to make some noodles and eat some mix. The trail continues for another 2 miles through several open fields and old farms that once worked in the early 1900's. After crossing Clear Lake Rd, you will climb Prospect Hill, 1,150 ft. Continue another half mile and you come to Pond Lily Lookout. This view to the east is worth the climb.

You decend about a mile to Loveland Rd, turn left (north) and walk a 0.5 mile to the entrance to Horseman's Camp, a rustic campground with 22 walk in sites. In the early spring and fall, I have been the only one camping. You can make a fire and use a table for camp. Sleep is very nice the first night on the trail. Ahhhh.

This was my camp in the spring of 2009