09/24/06

IAT Thru Hike

John Bauer and Bill Rhodes - 2006 Ice Age Trail Thru Hike Journal

2006-07-17 / Monday

10:00 AM Status – Survivor! He’s around the horn and heading true west!

Hi Friends of the IAT, 

Well, I was in the middle of some heavy electronic ticket testing for both Alaska Vacations and Air Canada, some pretty exotic places when my phone rings and it’s “John” on the other end calling from Antigo, WI.   Oh, the exotic lost places he’s been in the Langlade County Forest we will never know.

His current thru-hike location is where the IAT crosses Highway 45 in Langlade County (Map 78e).  He hitched a ride to Antigo, WI to get picked up by friends to return to Waupaca, WI to re-supply and get money on his cell-phone so he can call when he is able.  He plans to back out on the trail tomorrow (7/18) at 10:00 am. 

Yesterday (7/16) he hiked only 12 miles after being lost several times in the Langlade County Forest.   He claims the temperature must have hit 100 and he ran out of water.  He purified some and said it tasted putrid.   At one point where the trail crosses county “A” on Map 77e he walked up the road to find a house but there was only one problem there were no houses.  Finally he flagged a ride down and hitched a ride to a house and refilled his bottles.  The people were nice and returned him to the trail. 

John said the IAT blazes in Langlade County were next to non-existent and the trail looks like it had not been hiked in 10 years.

He plans on sending me some pics and log entries tonight or tomorrow morning.

Happy Trails,