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  • Havasupai 2025 Packing List (Ultralight & Flying In!)

    December 23, 2024

    Looking for the best packing list for backpacking Havasupai, everything you need and nothing you don’t? This is the perfect beginner backpacking Havasupai Guide!

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  • How to Backpack Havasupai in Supai, AZ (Havasu Falls Trail)

    April 1, 2024

    Looking to backpack Havasupai (Havasu Falls trail) in Arizona? Here is everything you need to know about backpacking Havasupai and Havasu Falls!

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Maddy ✨ Midwest Adventure

maddymarq

guide & writer exploring the midwest🏕
📍Wisconsin Northwoods
inquiries: hello@madelinemarquardt.com
↓ FREE exploring the Midwest eBooks ↓
2025 is the year of appreciating where you live 🫶🥾⛺️ and honestly, of all the travel I have planned for this new year, I’m most looking forward to exploring the areas within a half days’ drive from home. There’s just something really special about adventuring intentionally, and practicing finding areas you think are beautiful near you 💗 Wherever you are, wishing you tons adventures near and far! #midwest #adventure #hiking
December camera roll (things that don’t usually December camera roll (things that don’t usually make Instagram :) 🐶✨ 1- currently visiting family, my parents got a puppy. She eats leash 2- 8: earlier this month Andy and I visited my college roommate in Berlin. Brandenburg gate, Dresden, Christmas market, Berlin Wall, various drinks for me and Hannah, a flight home. It’s fun to travel to see people and just be in a place, without any expectation of having to “make content” be that photos, or videos or blog posts or essay writing. 9- beach days look like this lately 10 & 11: weekend paddle trips— more of these in 2025 for sure :) 12- I’ve decided to get into painting— not to be good at it, but just for fun 13- a sure sign of home in Michigan: clear streams and sandy river bottoms 14- sky bridge @boyne.mountain with my dad & brother 15- a walk in the woods 16- winter & fog Hope you’re having a beautiful in-between time, & wishing you a happy start to 2025!
My fav kayaking adventures of 2024✨🌴🌅 1- My fav kayaking adventures of 2024✨🌴🌅 1- kayaking under the northern lights just about an hour north of Detroit 2- winter kayaking in Wisconsin 3- this was a absolutely wild time— after getting nailed by some big thunderstorms on PM half day trips, a bunch of us guides went back to tow empty boats (our paddlers had gotten a ride back in a van) the rest of the way to the take out. It was SO much work and we finished around sunset. A stranger had a beach fire right by where we landed, so we chatted for a little and snapped a photo, before getting back to work and cleaning up the sandy mess back at the shop. It’s funny, because the photo definitely makes it look like we were having a cool evening, not deep deep in boat moving logistics. 4- winter paddling just a few days ago, magical!! 5- devils island, Wisconsin. This was such a cool day 6- my favorite beach in the apostles. We got poured on but I was into it 7- one of my favorite campsites :) 8- another of my favorite campsites 9- basswood island 10- fall paddling with eagles 11- from my first whitewater kayaking trip :) 12- canoeing grandmas lake #kayaking #lakesuperior #adventure
this was literally an out of body experience🌊🛸 here’s how to winter kayak⬇️ ❄️ for winter kayaking, in addition to all the typical paddling safety gear such as a PFD and safety kit, a drysuit is a must! A winter coat will not keep you warm when wet. I pretty much ONLY recommend ANY winter kayaking to people using dry suits. ❄️ neoprene gloves and booties can help keep fingers and toes warm!! ❄️winter paddling on the Great Lakes (lake superior especially!) comes with a lot of added risks including shifting ice pack, large wind and waves, and increased hypothermia risk ❄️I work as a Lake Superior kayaking guide! I don’t run tours in the winter; this is primarily because 1) the season where it’s ice free enough to paddle is short 2) rental dry suits aren’t super financially realistic for most companies 3) there’s a lot of added liability in the winter. For similar reasons, I also only winter paddle with other experienced winter paddlers and won’t take anyone out under the table (I get asked a lot!!) ❄️as always, check the weather before launching for wind and waves particularly, and always carry three ways to call for help without a cell phone (ie, GPS/beacon, flares, marine radio, whistle, signal mirror, ect) 🌅 even kayaking on Lake Superior in the summer is considered a coastal kayaking trip (rather than recreational kayaking). Booking a guide is recommended and/or a safety course including deep water reentry and rescues. Winter paddling can be super magical, but it’s a skill you need to build toward. I’ve spent 6+ years working and training as a coastal kayaking guide and slowly acquiring all the gear needed to make days like this a reality— it doesn’t have to take you as long, but if you’re starting from scratch it likely wont happen tomorrow. And that’s okay— some good things take a lot of work— for me winter kayaking on Lake Superior is one of them. 📍Anishinaabe Nation Land #lakesuperior #winter #midwest
send this to your friend who hates living here🤷 send this to your friend who hates living here🤷🏼‍♀️ #midwest #adventure #hiking
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© 2025 Madeline Marquardt