TESTIMONIALS

“As soon as I read that Michelle of Backpack the Trails offered classes on backpacking, I jumped at the opportunity to work with her and marveled at my good luck on finding her in the Twin Cities, offering trips in Minnesota. I’d been interested in backpacking on the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) for years, but was tentative about doing it on my own and investing in the equipment needed to do it.

The backpacking class on the SHT in June of 2020 was perfect for me. The BTT equipment we used was great, which gave me the confidence to choose and invest in my own. Michelle is a wonderful and highly experienced guide. She selected a route that allowed me to learn the ropes and get a sense of the trail itself. Most importantly, Michelle taught me how to backpack comfortably and efficiently, which was essential to doing it on my own.

After those few nights on trail, I was ready to plan my own trip. On my way out, Michelle offered helpful advice and I went off for two weeks, hiking about 185 miles on my own. While on trail, I felt confident and my gear was great. I met a number of nice people at the campsites; a PCT thru-hiker even commented that I did not seem new to backpacking at all! The Superior Hiking Trail is so beautiful, I am sure I will be back to backpack my favorite stretches again. And, I’d be happy to go out on another BTT trip to learn more, see more and meet new people.

This is all to say that Michelle and Backpack the Trails was instrumental to making the jump from daydreaming online to getting on trail. So, what are you waiting for? Go Backpack the Trails!”

“We are a family with close to no camping experience, but were excited to go on an adventure with young kids to the Big Horn mountains and stay in a fire lookout tower. Michelle walked us through a list of the basics we needed to bring and provided so many great tips for getting ready and enjoying our trip. Michelle’s advice provided a great foundation of knowledge and made us more relaxed and confident in our abilities - and yes, our trip was fabulous!”

“I signed up for a July 2018 trip with Michelle to hone my skills - I’m hoping to do a lot more backpacking in the near future. Michelle empowers her clients by ensuring they thoroughly understand pre-trip planning, selecting gear, setting up camp, respecting nature and the backpacking community, and more. In addition to all of that, she is a delight to be with on trail - positive and fun.”

“The best teachers are passionate about their topics and Michelle’s love for the outdoors is contagious. She is a very experienced backpacker and camper, and is also extremely knowledgeable on gear: whether it’s a weekend trek or month long-expedition, Michelle knows what you will need! I spent three days with Michelle on the Superior Hiking Trail, her stomping grounds, and it was a real pleasure to be out with her. I was impressed with her confidence and attitude, Michelle will enjoy each single step she takes on the trail, but behind the scenes she will have it all meticulously and professionally planned. Michelle is an environmentalist who does what she loves the most with passion and consciousness.”

“Michelle showed me the basics of backpacking on a 3-day trip along the Superior Hiking Trail in early Summer 2018. Any questions I had (of which there were many) were readily answered with confidence. I recently got back from a solo backpacking trip in the Fjords of Norway, using much of the information and skills she shared with me. Had I not had such an excellent instructor, I likely would not have had the confidence to plan such a trip. Thanks, Michelle!”