This is the sixty-sixth edition of The Duluth Runner Interview Series, where I get in touch with (mainly) local runners and athletes to share a bit of their story while inspiring others to pursue an active lifestyle.

Intro

Today’s interview features someone who recently completed a really sweet adventure – section hiking the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) over the course of several years with a group of friends! As soon as I heard that she completed the trek I knew her story needed to be shared, and I’m very glad she agreed to share it 🙂

Today’s guest is…Nicki Peterson!

Interview

What inspired you to do a Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) section thru-hike? How long did it take you to complete your adventure?

My friend Brenda Lilly was inspired after reading the book Wild. She was the catalyst for the trip and talked Deb DeArmond and I into joining her. It didn’t really take much convincing. When Brenda has an idea or adventure in mind, I know it’s going to be fun!

Did you go in order (North-to-South or South-to-North), or piece together segments that worked for your group the best?

We hiked south-to-north segment by segment. We started at Castle Danger the summer of 2015. Each summer we spent 2-3 nights on trail and hiked around 35 miles depending on campsites available. For the next trip we would start where we left off and hike north. We completed day hikes for the segments closer to Duluth. We finished the trail by completing the section from Judge Magney State Park to the northern terminus this past summer.  

How was your experience meeting people along the trail? 

We didn’t meet many other people along the trail. When we started the trip in 2015 we knew each other from working at Esko High School but hadn’t spent a ton of time together outside of work. We spent time on the trail summer after summer getting to know each other better. Over the years, we became stronger friends, which made the experience even better.

Any cool wildlife sightings? 

We never saw a bear or moose. Lots of fresh scat but never a sighting of one on trail. I think I am ok with that! The most unique sighting we had was a pine marten. 

Tell us a bit about your approach, pack/shelter setup, etc.

Over the years I got better at packing. My equipment got better, and I got smarter about things I didn’t need. Because there were 3 of us, we each packed something and shared it when it came to cooking, water filters and food. I slept in a 2 person Kelty tent. My pack was usually about 35 pounds with a tent, sleeping pad, food, water, and clothes.

What are the top two or three lessons the SHT taught you over the years?

Hiking and camping on trail over the years taught me to conquer my fear of the outdoors. Sleeping in my own tent, miles away from any civilization was intimidating to me. I learned over the years to be less afraid of the wilderness, and how to push through some serious physical pain/exhaustion.

When I had no other choice than to continue to the next water source or campsite, I learned I could push myself further physically than I had in years. I learned the mental healing and strength that could occur while hiking in the woods. Now, when I am feeling overwhelmed I often find myself putting my shoes on and finding a trail in the woods to clear my mind.

What was your highlight from this experience? Most difficult challenge?

One highlight from this experience was finishing the trail. I am someone who likes to check things off a list. In all honesty when I started this years ago I didn’t actually think I would complete the trail. This was probably the most difficult challenge as well. To find a time in all of our schedules year after year to make it work and finish it was not always easy.

About how many miles per day did you travel?

12 miles. We always wanted to have a few hours at the end of the day to sit in a river or at a fire and enjoy each other’s company and a few beverages at the end of the day!

Is there another adventure to tackle lined up in the future?

Hiking the ridge line of Isle Royale, possibly this summer.

What advice would you give someone who wants to attempt something similar?

I think before starting this adventure I saw it as something someone else would do, not me. Even if you don’t see yourself as something, do it. Eventually you will see yourself as that person!

Closing

Many thanks to Nicki for stopping by Duluth Runner to share some of her knowledge/experiences with everyone. I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Interview Series – stick around for more to come!