Our Stories

Doug Seaney: NCNST Long Distance Hiker

Doug Seaney

Pennsylvania + 2000 Miles
(Previously received the central patch + Michigan, Wisconsin, Mackinac Bridge, and 1000 Miles.)

I have completed another state, Pennsylvania, as well as have now topped 2000 miles.

I did the SW 130 miles last spring: April 27 through May 4, 2024. On that hike I was supported by my wife in the camper, but did spend three nights in the woods. One of the nights I thought I was staying at a shelter at Edwards Farm, but I misread the map: it’s a tent site not a shelter and I didn’t have my tent! Had to hike on 3 more miles to find a shelter. Lots of roadwalk and paved bike trail on this hike. The tunnels were the best part – needed a headlamp to find my way, and I could see my breath in them.

2024 was very hot, a big difference from the 2025 hike. In 2024 I was sweating like crazy; in 2025, I was very cold at night. It got down in the mid 30s.

I did the NE 155 miles from April 23 through May 2, 2025. I had one resupply at Kellettville (Firefly Farm) and left my car there the entire time. At resupply, I had time to get to Titusville Walmart and bought an extra blanket to add to my 50-degree sleeping bag. First half, the owners dropped me at mile point 130, and I hiked eastbound. Then Doug Mangold from the NCTA Allegheny National Forest Chapter came and got me and dropped me near the NY line. I hiked the mile up to the NY line and then back westbound to Kellettville and my car. It was a pretty good hike, I really enjoyed the ANF section, very different from our Manistee National Forest. So many creek and stream and river crossings! Got rained on most of one day, but otherwise the only rain was at night after I’d set up camp either in a shelter or my tent.

Biggest mile day was 24, total days hiked 17, averaged 16.75 per day, which isn’t too bad considering late starts on a few days when getting dropped off at the trailhead.

My trail name, Mousewater, was bestowed on me by Jim Howell, a frequent hiking partner. I was hiking in Trap Hills in the UP and it was 90 degrees; water sources I thought I might use were dry. I was getting worried until I found a fairly clear, and deep enough, water puddle and filtered it. It had a dead mouse in it. Luckily, I didn’t need to drink it as I found a better source further up the trail. I did bail on that hike early as I was having symptoms of major heat exhaustion. When I got home two days later, I found that I had lost 17 pounds in two and a half days.

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