A summer hike in Southwest Michigan.

[Diomedes Industries]

Although my family and I live in Houston we vacation every year in Southwest Michigan (a little town North of Kalamazoo, MI). There have been many efforts in the last ten or so years to build trails connecting the lake short of Lake Michigan with other towns inland.

One of these trails that has been around for some time is the Kal-Haven Trail. It uses an old Rail Line (ties and rails have been removed) to connect South Haven and Kalamazoo. It is currently being expanded upon for its original 33.5 miles to be well over 200.

I was going to hike the entire thing this summer over a two day period but due to a couple of complications I decided to hike half the trail in a day. I started at Bloomingdale and bought a day pass there and set off. There are small towns dotted along the trail for resupply as well as a few water points and outhouses.

The trail is hard pack clay covered in crushed rock. Although the elevation doesn't change much over the entirety of the trail - the hard pack plays hell on your knees and feet. About 10 miles in my right knee started really hurting. I pushed on and completed the trail - but for those hiking it, keep this in mind and a reduction in mileage would likely be wise.

Anyway, I brought some of my bob supplies with me, a REI T2 tent (just in case) and a Platypus water bag. I was carrying my ML Straight Back Kephart and SAK for knives.

I thought I would do a certain thought experiment. If I was lost, found this trail, and needed to hike over 30 miles to get to a place of safety, what could I find along the way to help myself. In this case, navigation is taken care of, but I thought I would need water, shelter, fire, and food in order to make it the three days it would take me to get me to my destination.

As I hiked I found, being a state of over 10,000 lakes and untold streams that water was not a problem. I had with me my Platypus water filter, Iodine drops (in my First Aid kit) and Tabs. I would have had little issue filtering through a bandanna and treating the water with any of these three methods.

If I had not had my bob kit with me or my filter had become clogged I would need an expedient way to get water and purify it. As I was hiking I found a few ways to do this:

These found bottles would have been a great way to catch water and boil it over a fire. However, I would have needed a fire to do so.

On my hike I found a couple of ways I could have done this. First and most obvious would be simply to use the matches, lighter, or magnifying glass to catch anything light an airy around me to flame.

I would have likely chosen this downed Birch tree as tinder and any of the ample wood around as tinder and fuel:

Again, assuming that I did not have any of these supplies, I kept my eye open for something I could use as an expedient fire making supplies. I found a standing dead cedar that I could use as the spindle, hearth, and tinder bundle for a Bow Drill kit:

In my backpack I had paracord and moose antler for the bow and top bearing - but barring that - I had shoe laces on my shoes to make the bow and plenty of other wood around to make the top bearing.

As a last ditch effort to make fire - there was plenty of Mullien Stalks around. Although I am not very adept at the bow drill fire - I could try that.

Here is a picture of live Mullien I found abundant in the area - there were plenty of standing dead:

I think I could have had fire taken care of and with the bottles and running water could have taken care of my water needs on this trip.


more...

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Fire and Water needs taken care of - I kept my eyes out for shelter. In a Michigan forest you could make a shelter out of a lot of things - but assuming I didn't have a very large knife to help myself - I wanted to look for things that would only need gathering to make a shelter. My first candidate was some of the downed trees that I could shimmy under and stack wood and debris on top of to make a shelter:

This down tree (not a very good picture) was safe in its resting position and could easily have some of the branches removed, the trunk used as a ridgepole and the branches stacked in a triangle as a small shelter. Leaves and debris are abundant in the area - and in fact, when they plow this trail in the spring - they leave HUGE stacks of leaves around to make my job easier!

Shelter, for days of my hike would likely not have been necessary (it was 90 during the day and high 60's at night) but I think without too much effort I could have had that taken care of.

In the food department, there seemed to be a lot of wildlife running about and I could have tried making a few deadfalls in order to get some grub - however - I am not very adept at this, and I would have reserved this process if other methods failed.

My primary way of gathering food would have been the fishing kit in my BOB. I found this lake just off the trail:

I thought of fishing there - but did not have permission from the owners so I pushed on. I found plenty of streams along the trail and used my kit to try my luck:

On an old trail trestle I caught a few within minutes and could have caught more had I been in a situation that required it.

I also saw this guy while I was fishing and could have made him into a small meal if necessary:

After about 8 hours I had hiked the 18+ miles and arrived in South Haven. My knee had had it and I dipped into my First Aid kit for some Ibuprofen along the way. I could have completed the scheduled hike the next day - but it would have been painful. I think the trip would have required three days to do it without my bob.

I know there is a difference between seeing what you COULD do and doing it - but on State land and little time - this is all I could do. I will have to settle for practicing my skills at home or on private property. Either way - it was fun.

More pics -

A picture of the old rail line:

One of the water pumps along the trail:

What could you do with these survival supplies:

TF

 

[HornyToad]

Good stuff TF. Let me warn you it is really hot back here in Houston. You might want to extend your visa.

HT

 

[efahl]

The Kal-Haven is a lovely trail. My wife and I rode our tandem mt bike on "The Michigander" (a cross-state, rail trail bike tour) in 1993. That edition was 305 miles in 6 days if I remember right, and it started in South Haven on the Kal-Haven. That was a pretty good time.

 

[TheGame]

Thanks for sharing. Taking the time to think about what you can do in a situation is something I like to do. Everywhere I go there is a lot of left behind garbage. It makes the woods look bad, but I am sure if someone who knew what they were doing found it, they would be glad they did. (Still no reason to leave the garbage behind though)

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Next time I have space in my pack (like I did) I am going to pack some of that trash out.

TF

 

[j williams]

Great pics TF. Good eye brother. Improvisation/situational awareness is a very important skill to have. Nice Osprey. They make nice packs. I love my Daylite. Its amazing how well your hobo fishing kit works.