When Emily Ford got laid off for the Winter, she knew she would have time to complete an endeavor like the Ice Age Trail's nearly 1200 mile hike. Ford, a gardener from Duluth, gets three months off each Winter and used this last Winter to become the first woman to complete the trail in Winter, and just the second person to make the trek in the cold season.
With Sturgeon Bay being an east terminus of the trail, it acted as an ideal starting point. It also made sense to start out at the east end, as her journey would go westward because she always hikes towards home. Terrain also played a role in the decision, as she wanted to hike the flatter terrain first before getting to her ending point, a more hilly St. Croix Falls.
Ford thought the “trail-angels” were great. These are people who would take her in for a night along the way. In a Tourism Talk with Carly Sarkis of Destination Sturgeon Bay, Ford said she remembered how fun it was to have random interactions with strangers along the way who were excited to get to know her and her story.
Ford started the trek on December 28 and finished on March 6.
(Photo from @emilyontrail)
