Our Stories

Michelle Olsen: NCNST Long Distance Hiker

Michelle Olsen

Previously completed North Dakota, Mackinac Bridge, and 1000 miles; now adds Minnesota

The highlight of the Minnesota portion of the NCT, for me, was backpacking the wilderness portion of the Border Route Trail. It combined two of my outdoor loves: hiking and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Dave and I aren’t enthusiastic backpackers anymore, but we dug out some old equipment, bought a few new pieces, and headed out into the glorious September weather. We unceremoniously dumped our 20-year-old backpacking tent as soon as we got home. It had served us well for many years. As usual, slow and steady is how we roll!

Learn more about long distance hiker recognition at explorenct.info/NoCoLo/index.htm.