April 22, 2026, Antigo, Wisconsin, by Roger Carpenter / Greg in Wild
No wonder it still feels cold! For four weeks, I hiked the portion of the IAT that stayed in the northern part of Wisconsin…the Northwoods. Warmer weather is coming, especially as I begin to walk southbound out of Antigo, where I enjoyed another zero day. The map, below, has the waypoints I recorded at every overnight stop.
Merrill area Trail Angel, Ruby, drove me back to the IAT, where I headed east along miles of roads before entering the Underdown segment of the Trail. My destination was a wonderful shelter that protected me from the rain showers that fell overnight. It was true luxury! The shelter included a small table where I prepared dinner. How awesome is that! The shelter was reminiscent of the Appalachian Trail.
Beginning with April 18, I decided to focus on increasing my daily miles hiked to about 20. That is the pace that will enable me to reach the end of the IAT on about June 7. For me, the approach is to wake up at 4:30 a.m., get on the trail before 6 a.m., and hike 12 miles by 12 noon, or “12 by 12.” On the 18th, I did it!
The brief appearances of spring-like weather revealed the first new growth of plants pushing out of the ground. Deer became more abundant in this part of the IAT, perhaps to feed on the sprouts pushing out of the soft, muddy ground. The trail revealed reflective waters on the numerous lakes, some fine trail construction (stepping stones across streams), ascending above 1,900 feet on Lookout Mountain (generously named…not much of an expansive view), and a rewarding campsite on Susan Lake after a long day (23 miles). Little did I know of the challenges that awaited me.
The weather forecast predicted rain late in the afternoon of April 20, the day I hiked the Lumbercamp segment of the IAT that had numerous ice-damaged trees covering the trail. Thankfully, the downed trees did not slow my progress significantly as I pushed ahead to Baker Lake. When rain started, I feared I would arrive at the Baker Lake campsite as darkness approached and rain fell heavier. I was relieved when I found flat ground near the edge of Baker Lake just as the rain became a growing problem. “Focus,” I said to myself as I erected my Six Moon tent while keeping my other gear as dry as possible. Inside the tent after five minutes of diligent work, one of the tent stakes pulled out of the ground, causing the tent to collapse. I exited the tent to re-insert and adjust the stakes. Back inside my “happy place,” I draped the sleeping bad over my body that had no energy left after hiking 26 miles. I was too tired to cook dinner. Jerky, Fritos, and chocolate sufficed as a meal.
The town of Antigo was 23 miles away from Baker Lake, and all that distance was along old logging roads, county roads, and a paved two-lane highway. No trouble, I thought, especially if not too many trees fell over the trail in the late-March ice storm. Unfortunately, the entire morning was consumed by bushwacking around fallen Birch and other spindly branches on the ground. I estimated it added one full hour to get through ten miles of trail. After that, it was a chilly, wind-blown roadwalk into the town of Antigo and a warm hotel room.
I have hiked 436 miles of the Ice Age Trail, or 36% of the entire route. From Antigo, I will hike mostly south and out of the cold Northwoods and into spring-like temperatures. Hopefully!
Greg in Wild:
Last August I was where you have been, hiking and canoeing the Northwoods, so I had thought I would see something familiar in your photos. But except for the fast moving Wisconsin River, which we did canoe for a few miles, nothing reminds me of what I experienced in August (when the mushrooms were at their peak and I had blissful hours of collecting and identifying).
The Northwoods were my idea of a perfect late summer retreat. Such a contrast to the bleak landscapes (although lakes are always
photogenic) you have documented.
Don’t know how you can keep motivated, but onward you push in the cold and muck.
Few hikers would choose this season…I’m glad you did because for me your photos (and video!) have been a window to another Northwoods world that I could not imagine.
I love the details you provide.
Footwarmers not in your pack?
“Few hikers would choose this season.” It’s true! There are only four known thru-hikers on the IAT right now. I will write about the “why” in my next post!
I was wondering when the next trail update would arrive. Live hearing about this route