Originally printed September 24, 2019.
Last week, I had the opportunity to get in three days’ hiking in Langlade and and Lincoln Counties. After working a volunteer shift Tuesday at the Open Door Cafe, a meals program at the Catholic cathedral in Milwaukee, I threw my things in the car and made the 3 hour plus trip to the North Woods, arriving shortly after sundown. Generally, I like to arrive the afternoon before the hike to make sure I can easily find the pickup point. Memo to self: do not try this after dark. There is a huge difference between night time in the city and “country dark.” After giving it my best shot, I set my destination for Council Grounds State Park on the outskirts of Merrill. After finding my camp site, I quickly set up my tent, loaded in my gear, and hit the hay. I had a big day of hiking on Wednesday the 18th, and I needed the rest.
On tap for Wednesday was the 11.8 mile Parrish Hills Segment, my last hike in Langlade County. Of all the segments on the Ice Age Trail, it is the only one with a max 5 rating for overall ruggedness. According to my guide this is due to a number of factors. First is the hilly terrain; the trail traverses the Parrish End Moraine. There are a lot of wet, muddy crossings due to precipitation, high water levels and beaver dams. Portions of the trail may become overgrown as the season progresses, and signage may be obscured. There are a lot of intersecting roads due to logging, ATV and snowmobile use which can be confusing for a hiker. Last, there is a major river to be forded.
I would learn that this trail rated every bit of that 5 rating.
Finding the end/pick up point proved a lot easier in the morning. I met Sam P., the trail angel and rode with him to the jumping off point at beautiful Townline Lake. I am going to miss Sam and Joe, the trail angels who guided me through the five hikes I did this summer in Langlade County. I felt they took very good care of me. At 8:42, I said goodbye and shoved off. It was in the low to mid 60s, the sun had just come up over the trees and was burning off the morning haze. It looked like a beautiful day of hiking was in front of me.
The first part of my hike was a partial circuit around Townline Lake. The fall colors and the smooth-as-glass lake surface made the scene a feast for my eyes. If this was going to be the trend, this was going to be a wonderful day.
The climbing started shortly after I left the lake behind me. Generally, the up-and-down fell into a pattern. Both the climbs and the descents were extremely steep. Ever present rocks and tree roots added to the challenge, along with high grass. The trail ranged in size from paths roughly the width of a city alley to a mere footpath. My lungs ached as I climbed each hill. But, the lower areas of the trail were a greater challenge and gave me no relief. Because of the steep grades, I forced myself to take short, choppy steps to better maintain control. Very tough on the knees. This area had seen a lot of rain over the previous week, and the lower the trail descended, the soupier it became. There was at least one spot where a 10-15 yard portion of trail had become a 3-4 inch lake. I did my best to avoid stepping into the muck by clutching tree limbs as I balanced precariously along the edge of the path. At other places, previous hikers fashioned makeshift bridges of saplings over streams that had sprung up along the way. Sometimes I was successful in avoiding a slip and slide into the morass. Many times I was not. The latticework of tree roots and rocks filled with small pools of water. The scene struck me as primordial, like when Luke Skywalker met Yoda in the swamp (For IAT hikers , the low country on this segment was very reminiscent of parts of the Plover River Segment). I picked my steps very carefully.
Oddly enough, it seemed that the wider the road, the more prone I would be to missing turns and losing my way. Many times the trail ran concurrent with a logging road or an ATV trail. The wide, smooth road would lull me to sleep, and I started walking with my head down all too often. As a result, I walked past several turns off these wider roads onto more narrow footpaths. Usually, I caught myself in time so I didn’t have to back track much. But, after I made my river crossing, I was on a fairly wide ATV road and really screwed up. I missed the turnoff completely and walked a good quarter-to-half mile to a county highway. It was late in the hike – I had a mile and change left – and I seemed to lose my sense of direction and got frustrated. It was fatigue talking. I knew the correct path was nearby, but I couldn’t figure a way out of my dilemma. Ultimately, I stopped in a bar and asked directions. The correct patch was less than a quarter mile away.
Oh yes, the 30-35 yard river crossing over the Prairie River. For me, this was the highlight of the hike. In the IAT guide is a picture of a young lady making the same crossing. She’s smiling, enjoying the experience. The water was moving, but it was only just above her ankles. What the picture didn’t show was the muddy mess of the flood plain that led to the river’s edge. No nice sandy beach to rest a pack and get ready. I found a less muddy spot, set my pack down, and prepared. Anything in my pants pockets went as high as I could get them in my pack. My phone and my key fob went into a sealed plastic bag. Paper maps went into the top compartment in my pack. Gaiters came off and were tied to my pack. My original plan was to remove my shoes and socks and to unzip the lower portions of my pants, put on water shoes, and make the crossing. But I considered my current state. My feet were already muddy and soaked. What was the difference? I threw on my pack and strode into the knee-deep water.
Actually, it felt refreshing.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 