Paws2Trail

October sure has slipped by! Life has been busy. Walks short and local. A new bike path along the Minnesota River is nearly complete. We walked a couple miles of it to check things out, then took a quick soak in the river at the boat launch before heading back.

It's not exactly ASMR, but have some quiet splish-splash of a rare instance when Zeena's enjoying the water and Tonttu's not -- broken by the sound of their human trying to convince Tonttu to join in. This is the Mississippi River side of Pike Island, on a very calm October morning.

October sure has slipped by! Life has been busy. Walks short and local. A new bike path along the Minnesota River is nearly complete. We walked a couple miles of it to check things out, then took a quick soak in the river at the boat launch before heading back.

Bsky had problems with my post for some reason, but here's the original post and link: northhouse.org/crafting-in-...

UP Vacation Day #4! Thu we headed east to the Porcupine Mts Wilderness for a hike around Summit Peak. This is a familiar 5-mile loop that starts with a short climb to an observation tower, which is as far as many leaf-peepers get. We bypassed the chaos at the tower to proceed into the woods. 🧵 1/x

After that, there's another bit of colorful deciduous forest until you cross back towards the Peak on a boardwalk across a beaver-maintained wetland. Stairs on the other side start the final climb back to the trailhead. 🧵 5/x

UP Vacation Day #4! Thu we headed east to the Porcupine Mts Wilderness for a hike around Summit Peak. This is a familiar 5-mile loop that starts with a short climb to an observation tower, which is as far as many leaf-peepers get. We bypassed the chaos at the tower to proceed into the woods. 🧵 1/x

The trail meets up with others at Mirror Lake, which hosts campsites & rustic cabins. We crossed to the far side of the lake for a bit of a rest and a snack. Here on the edge of the lake, the trees are older, taller, and as you can see, redder than the section we'd just hiked through! 🧵 3/x

UP Vacation Day #4! Thu we headed east to the Porcupine Mts Wilderness for a hike around Summit Peak. This is a familiar 5-mile loop that starts with a short climb to an observation tower, which is as far as many leaf-peepers get. We bypassed the chaos at the tower to proceed into the woods. 🧵 1/x

UP Vacation Day #3! Yesterday we decided to scope out the Wolverine Nordic Ski Trails in Ironwood MI. They're one of the VERY few places that allow dogs on all trails! Trails are open to hiking & mt biking in the summer. We're excited to return when there's snow! #Hiking #Huskies #IronwoodMI

The climb was worth it for the view of the decaying wooden ski jump, and a glimpse of the northland in full autumnal splendor beyond. It's too bad we couldn't climb the jump for a better view, but we followed the warning signs and stayed on safe ground. #Hiking #SkiJumping

UP Vacation Day #3! Yesterday we decided to scope out the Wolverine Nordic Ski Trails in Ironwood MI. They're one of the VERY few places that allow dogs on all trails! Trails are open to hiking & mt biking in the summer. We're excited to return when there's snow! #Hiking #Huskies #IronwoodMI

UP Vacay Day #2! Another day along the Black R: we entered @ No Co Scenic Trail trailhead just N of the Copper Mt ski jump, & headed N towards L Superior. Pretty hike through mature fir & maples, w/ frequent husky hydration opportunities along the way. 🧵 1/x #Hiking #NorthCountryTrail #Huskies

Our destination was Conglomerate Falls, which were impressive to see from the viewing platform below, but even more to explore on the flats above the falls! Especially with low water levels. 🧵 5/x

UP Vacay Day #2! Another day along the Black R: we entered @ No Co Scenic Trail trailhead just N of the Copper Mt ski jump, & headed N towards L Superior. Pretty hike through mature fir & maples, w/ frequent husky hydration opportunities along the way. 🧵 1/x #Hiking #NorthCountryTrail #Huskies

Tonttu, being Tonttu, managed to find multiple places to cool off along the hike, including a roll in a patch of Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) along the way. The weather definitely wasn't hot, but it was damp and warm for the end of September. 🧵 3/x

UP Vacay Day #2! Another day along the Black R: we entered @ No Co Scenic Trail trailhead just N of the Copper Mt ski jump, & headed N towards L Superior. Pretty hike through mature fir & maples, w/ frequent husky hydration opportunities along the way. 🧵 1/x #Hiking #NorthCountryTrail #Huskies

UP Vacation Day #1! Today we drove straight N to Black River Harbor, where the Black R. empties into Lake Superior. We crossed the historic suspension bridge & followed the shoreline E. It was perfect weather, with calm water & occasional fog. 🧵 1/x #Hiking #Huskies #UP #LakeSuperior

We continued down the beach, past mysterious things like fuzzy growths on alder stems & a driftwood shelter big enough for children or other woodland sprites. After ~2mi we decided it was time to turn back for lunch. #Hiking #Huskies #LakeSuperior

UP Vacation Day #1! Today we drove straight N to Black River Harbor, where the Black R. empties into Lake Superior. We crossed the historic suspension bridge & followed the shoreline E. It was perfect weather, with calm water & occasional fog. 🧵 1/x #Hiking #Huskies #UP #LakeSuperior

This is clearly Agate Hunting Land: there were multiple groups of people down the beach looking for special rocks. We walked by, humans admiring the scenery & huskies exploring the scents and splashes, both in the water & along the edge of the beach where interesting smells wafted. 🧵 2/x