Why Hike Northern Idaho: 50 at 50?
My Story and Invitation to You
When I was twenty in 1996, I went for a stroll with my grandmother. It was a half-mile from her barn-red ranch house, overlooking the Hammock River Marsh Wildlife Area in Clinton, Connecticut, to a sandy community beach on Long Island Sound.
She walked those quiet streets every day. She was 76 and the only woman I knew who exercised regularly. As a child, I’d never played on a school sports team, and I had not yet joined a gym. I was thin but not strong, either physically or emotionally.
As we passed small, brightly painted homes that had once been seasonal cottages owned by folks from New York City or Boston (Clinton sits halfway between the two metropolises), a woman potting petunias on her front porch waved. My grandmother waved back, her gold charm bracelet gently jingle-jangling, and called out a greeting.
When we walked on, the scent of salt water grew stronger. The ocean became visible. A gull floated on the water, searching for baitfish just below the surface. The current carried it closer to black jetties, stone barriers meant to protect the coast from the wind and water that would otherwise erode it. The bird showed no signs of fear of the water, rocks, or predators she could not see coming.
I looked over at my grandmother, who wore linen pants and a bright short-sleeved blouse that revealed age spots on the soft skin of her arms. Her face was lit only by a touch of blush and a subtle lipstick. She was beautiful and moved through the world with confidence and ease, like the gull. I was nothing like her. Instead, I felt like a feral cat, scared of everything, including people, life, and the future. I was always ready to run or scratch.
As we stepped into the sand, I wondered, would I ever be like her? Would I ever enjoy life? If yes, when? I turned to my grandmother and asked, “At what age were you happiest?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, she said, “50. I had the wisdom of age and a fit, strong body.”
I’ve never forgotten those words. I never gained the easy confidence Grandma had, but I found my happiness through nature, exercise, and my beloved husband, Ken. I live in Northern Idaho (ID), overlooking the clear waters of the Clark Fork River and the green mountain pines of Delyle Ridge, nearly two hours northeast of Spokane, Washington, and three miles west of the Montana state line.
I’m a certified Idaho Master Naturalist, NASM-certified as a group fitness instructor, and an intermediate hiker. Ken and I married at the top of Scotchman’s Peak (a challenging ~8-mile hike) about 3 miles from the border of Montana, in 2023. Mountain goats and butterflies surrounded us. We typically take easier treks.
I’m 49 now. Unlike on the day I took that walk in 1996, I wear glasses, I have hot flashes, and I have an odd burning sensation on my tongue that, according to my dentist, is probably caused by hormonal changes. Despite all that, I know that Grandma was right, 50 will be my best year yet, and I’m turning that belief into action.
I will turn 50 on June 11, 2026. In honor of this milestone, I will hike and write about 50 different trails in Northern Idaho beginning the week of my birthday. Some will be easy. I’ll do the 3-mile amble along the edge of Lake Pend Oreille, in Sandpoint, ID. Most will be moderate, like the 9.8-mile Grouse Mountain Trail in Sagle. I’ll do some hard ones in too, like the 6.5-mile Mickinnick Trail in Ponderay, and a revisit to Scotchman’s Peak. When winter comes, I may have to get out my snowshoes.
Wherever I go, I hope you’ll join me — whether you’re lacing up your own boots in Northern Idaho or just coming along from your armchair. I’ll invite readers to suggest hikes and share their own hiking experiences. I’ll create a searchable, complete index of 50 hikes in Northern Idaho.
For paid subscribers, I’ll also offer opportunities to chat about life, nature, aging, and why we stay “on the trail”. They’ll also read about what happens off the trail, and get information on a couple of bonus hikes outside Northern Idaho when I travel toward Yellowstone in June and to Colorado in September.
Help me spread Grandma’s wisdom, appreciate aging, the joy of life, movement, and nature. Subscribe to Hike Northern Idaho: 50 at 50 today.