Last winter, Emily Ford of Duluth, Minnesota, became the first woman and only second person to hike Wisconsin’s 1,900km Ice Age Trail, supported by Diggins, her sled dog.
This year, the 29-year-old and Diggins aim for a 320km ski tour along the Minnesota-Ontario border.
Ford’s ski route follows the 320km Boundary Waters route taken by Native Americans. Image: Duluth Tribune
Emily Ford’s winter ski trek
Ford and Diggins will depart from Crane Lake on February 11 and spend the next month skijoring, and when necessary, skiing and hauling along the Boundary Waters.
She is also packing snowshoes for the inevitable portages through the deep snow of the north woods. Ford will tow a pulk with all of the gear and provisions she and Diggins need along the way. The pair should reach Grand Portage near Lake Superior around March 13.
They’ll follow the Border Route that crosses the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) for part of the trek. The Border Route is a millennia-old line historically used by Native Americans and fur traders.
Photo: Emily Ford
After rocketing to influential heights following her historic hike last year, Ford said she’s very aware that the causes she chooses to support and the trails she decides to pursue are important. This trip is about adventure, sure. But it’s also about elevating wild places that need preservation and respect, like the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
“A lot of people know about the Boundary Waters in the summer. But it’s so much more than that. I want to give it a face in the wintertime,” Ford said.
You can follow her and Diggins on their 2022 trek via her Instagram account, @emilyontrail.
