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Wausau runner sets a Wisconsin trail record on the North Country Trail

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Wausau runner sets a Wisconsin trail record on the North Country Trail

WAUSAU-Andrea Larson, IRONBULL’s executive director, became the fastest person ever to complete the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) across the Badger State.  Larson completed the 215 mile section of trail on foot in 75 hours, 5 minutes.  She completed the feat unsupported, meaning she ran solo carrying all her gear and food with her for the entire route.  Her pack started at eighteen pounds and gradually lightened to nine pounds.  Larson filtered and chemically treated water from lakes and creeks along the trail.  In total, she estimates she only slept about twenty-five minutes over the course of the journey.

Larson departs on her 215 mile journey on the NCT with her 18 pound pack.

The entirety of the NCT spans 4,800 miles through Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota, the longest in the National Trails System.  In 1980, Congress authorized the NCT and last year the trail became part of the National Park System. The NCT transverses northern Wisconsin consisting of approximately three-quarters on trails and the remainder as road connectors.  The NCT includes Pattison and Copper Falls State Parks, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Brule River State Forest, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Douglas, Iron and Bayfield County Forests, plus easements on private properties.

The trail covers some of the most remote areas in Wisconsin, including the Rainbow Lake and Porcupine Lake Wilderness Areas.  Larson often was serenaded with frogs and saw more deer and ruffled grouse than she could count.  Additionally, she saw porcupines on three occasions.  At night, Larson heard dozens of beavers jumping into remote lakes, which Larson described as sounding like bowling balls being thrown into the water.  Over the course of the journey on the trails, she only encountered six hikers.  She estimates that the number of miles she covered exceeded the number of words she spoke during the three days.

Although Larson has completed numerous trail runs, she completed her first thru-hike last September on the 310 mile Superior Hiking Trail.  Larson loved the wilderness experience and sought another challenge to tackle in the spring.  “As I studied the NCT and read guidebooks, I realized I hadn’t been on the trail outside of Pattison and Copper Falls State Parks,” said Larson.  “Being only a couple hours away, it made sense to check out this gem in my home state.” Larson pulled the trigger on the attempt two days prior after analyzing the weather forecast.   “I wanted to seize the opportunity since I didn’t know if I’d have another good weather window before the mosquitos hatch that aligned with my schedule,” said Larson.  The clear skies offered beautiful views of the starry skies, but temperatures dipped cooler than expected, down to 25ᴼF on the first night.  “I was surprised to find my protein drink turned into a snowball,” said Larson.  Then twelve hours later, she was cooling off with snow she found along the trail as the mercury rose to 72ᴼF where the bare trees offered little shade. 

Larson also struggled to follow the trail as she battled sleep deprivation and fatigue, especially as she reached remote segments.  Often, it was difficult to identify the trail tread under the fall leaves, so she relied on looking for gaps in the trees between trail markers.  On sections that volunteers hadn’t cleared downed trees yet this spring made it increasingly more difficult to tell where the trail was.  “After losing the trail several times going into my final night, I worried I’d become frustrated with my progress down the trail as I hemorrhaged time with each wrong turn,” said Larson.  Larson regrouped and rallied through the final day to nab the Fastest Known Time (FKT) over this section of the NCT.  “Often, I was amazed as my body instinctively followed the trail,” said Larson.  Larson has her sights on Wisconsin’s iconic Ice Age Trail as she gains more experience and confidence in her abilities.

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