Author hiker Joan Young completes 4,800-mile NCT trail

Joan Young is a long-distance hiker and prolific author, blogger, and avid photographer. She has conquered the North Country Trail (NCT) twice which is an unprecedented feat. She finished hiking the NCT on June 18, 2023, at Timber Creek after 18 months and 18 days on the trail averaging 13.2 miles per day. Here is an excerpt from Joan's adventures on the trail.   The heat was brutal. But I was walking along the Garrison Diversion canal at the time and I kept pouring water over my head. On the hottest day, I did 18 miles, but I had to do a shorter day the next day because I was so worn out. Then I started getting up and hiking at the crack of dawn so I was pretty much done before the temp hit 100 around 2 in the afternoon.   Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger, edited by Douglas Kelly of Evolve Solutions