Nothing captures the imagination quite like hiking the entirety of a long-distance path like the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. This most recent Thousand-Miler class submitted completion reports before April 1, allowing them recognition at the 2024 Annual Conference’s Award Ceremony.
The class numbered 109 hikers, hailing from 58 communities across Wisconsin, while 12 hikers came from other states: Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont. Of this group, 96 section-hiked the Ice Age Trail, extending their adventure over several years. For example, one hiker began his journey on May 10, 2003, completing it 7,469 days later, on October 20, 2023.
Among the section hikers, a remarkable 78% were 50 years and older, highlighting the appetite for post-career adventures. Notably, one gentleman achieved the Thousand-Miler status at the age of 84, providing plenty of inspiration for hikers across all ages.
On the other end of the spectrum, the youngest person to conquer all the miles was 18 years old. He completed the entire Trail in an impressive 80 days, while the most determined (and time-limited) thru-hikers accomplished it in just 44 days. Of the 13 individuals who undertook the Trail in one continuous adventure, it was a near-even split between men and women, pointing toward increasing gender equity when it comes to adventures on the Trail.
Congratulations!
Thomas Ahrens, Appleton
Mary “Mary Badass” Anderson, Bethel, VT (Thru-hiker)
Bailey “Blubs” Arndt, Belgium
NolaRae “Anchor” Asmus, Allenton
Tara “BAM (Bad Ass Mom)” Atkinson, Portland, OR (Thru-hiker)
Todd “Roadrunner” Bartels, New Berlin
Clint Bautz, Chicago, IL
Darrell “Duckbill” Beauchamp, Wales (Thru-hiker)
Michael “Senor Benny” Benesh, Madison
Jane Betlej, Hales Corners
Ann Bossmeyer, De Pere
David “Lightingbolt” Brock, Lowgap, NC (Thru-hiker)
Jeaneé Chedotte, Milwaukee
Vicki “Eskergo” Christianson, Cornell
Twila “Rockstar” Claas, Milton
Julie “Trippin” Coffman, Tomah (Thru-hiker)
Jeff Dallmann, New Berlin
Marla “Fancy Feast” Davidson, Warren, VT (Thru-hiker)
Terry Driscoll, Appleton
Carol Erickson, Mount Morris, IL
Nicole “Fireball” Gaiche, Mosinee
Lois Gresl, Slinger
Kathy “Wood Sprite – Billy Goat” Grimmenga, Sheboygan
Kathy Hayes, Pickett
Ron Hayes, Pickett
Beth “Clementine” Hays, Reedsburg
Ben “This Side” Helmeid, Thiensville
Matt “Trail Mix” Helmeid, Port Washington
Karen Huser, Delafield
Colin “IAT” Hutt, Oconomowoc
Jacki “Road Boss/Shades” Jenerson, Green Bay
Erin Jensen, De Pere
Stephanie “Fish Out of Water” Johnson, Watertown (Thru-hiker)
Matt Kaufmann, Plymouth
Roxane Kelley, Fond du Lac
Jim Kennedy, Waunakee
Judy Kennedy, Waunakee
Sharon Kliegman, Mequon
Dan “Hiker #7” Knickmeier, McFarland
Tamara Knickmeier, McFarland
Debbie “Nightingale” Kowalkowski-Funk, Green Bay
Sarah Krebs, Jackson (Thru-hiker)
Audrey Liimatainen, Monroe
Jean “Forest” Lipke, Loganville
Elizabeth Lochner-Abel, Walworth
LuAnn “Little Beast” Lonergan, Kiel
Shaun Lynch, Austin, MN (Thru-hiker)
John “Johnboy” Maaklet, Alamogordo, NM (Thru-hiker)
Patty “Blazin’ Straggler” Mader-Ebert, De Pere
Barbara Makovec, Fontana
Mike McGee, Lodi
Stephanie McGuire, Fond du Lac
Dave “Billy Goat” Michalsky, Waukesha (Thru-hiker)
Matthew “And Bob” Mitschke, West Allis
Lucy Mollet, Janesville
Gary Molz, Madison
Mike Murdle, Sherwood
Jane Murray, Menasha
Patrick Murray, Menasha
Brian “Morainer” Nickel, Mayville
Delores “Snail on the Trail” Olver, Janesville
Lara Pagel, Amherst
Michael “Ironmike” Perelli, Milwaukee
Avis “Mary Ann” Peters, Stillwater, MN
Elijah “Cheese Whiz” Pinkert, Sturgeon Bay (Thru-hiker)
Donna Piotrowski, Stevens Point
Franara “Bionic Woman” Radtke, Ripon
Susan Rather, Waunakee
Jeff Romenesko, Nashotah
William “Vicious Slug” Ryno, Appleton
Jeffrey “Pee Paw” Schleicher, Verona
Sylvia “Sweet Syl” Schlieckau, Madison
Denyse “Skipper” Schroeder, Altoona
Regina “Gadget Girl” Schurman, Lisle, IL
Kathleen Schwantes, Cary, IL
Mike Schwantes, Cary, IL
Ruth Sommers, Stevens Point
Karen “The Navigator” Stephany, McFarland
Mary Stewart, Stevens Point
Betsy Storner, Lake Geneva
Laura “Lootsie” Strelow, Belgium
Lisa “Clammy Tammy” Szela, Madison
Jenny Temme, Madison
Jeffrey Tews, Waunakee
Sharon Thoma, Madison
Ellen Tobler, Park Ridge, IL
Carol “Mapster” Tyriver, Milton
Donald “Mapster” Tyriver, Milton
Janice “Lady J (aka Spreadsheet)” Unertl, Madison
Dale Walsh, Appleton
Staci Walsh, Appleton
Greg “Old Plow Horse” Weeg, Port Edwards
Linda “Old Plow Horse” Weeg, Port Edwards
Virginia Welle, New Auburn
Andrew Whitney, Whitewater
Cory Wiese, Bloomer (Thru-hiker)
Tami Wiese, Bloomer (Thru-hiker)
Soozie “Dot” Willey, Richfield
Beth Williamson, Chetek
Jim Yagow, Appleton
