Our Stories

Heightened interest shown in the NCT at the Outdoor Adventure Expo

NCTA Star of the North Chapter volunteers noticed significant heightened interest in the North Country Trail at the recent Outdoor Adventure Expo.  The 48th Expo was hosted this past weekend by Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis, MN.   We attributed that to the New York Times article that came out on Friday, recent coverage from Nimblewill Nomad’s thru-hike, and also strides here in MN to enact the Arrowhead Re-route.   We also have benefited from the support of all of our partners, including Midwest Mountaineering, Superior Hiking Trail Association, etc.  These factors are combining to create a “growing buzz” surrounding the nation’s longest hiking trail which is well-deserved.

At the Expo, we were able to provide visitors to our booth with general information on the NCT; info on hiking opportunities in ND, MN, and WI; and info on NCTA membership and volunteer opportunities.  Thanks to everyone who stopped and also special thanks go to Brian Pavek, Harlan Liljequist, Leon Pitzen, and Jim Weiske for manning the NCTA booth.

Midwest Mountaineering recently won a Outdoor Retailer of the Year Best-in-Class award, specifically for their contributions toward the  Growth of Outdoor Sports through the Expos they’ve hosted.  For more, read the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance news release.  The Expos feature gear sales and demos, hundreds of free workshops/presentations, and 2 tents full of non-profit organizations and outfitters peddling their wares. Congratulations to Midwest and we’re already looking forward to the 49th Outdoor Adventure Expo this fall (Nov. 20-22) and beyond.