Blazing Trail: 40 Years on the Superior Hiking Trail

Superior Hiking Trail Association, WTIP
  • 5.0 (1)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL

Blazing Trail is a special-edition podcast created by WTIP and the Superior Hiking Trail Association. The first full episode will launch on January 8, 2026. For four decades, the Superior Hiking Trail has been more than a 300-mile footpath — it’s been a living link between people, place, and purpose. The eight-episode series will explore the trail through stories about the early days, the work of trail builders and volunteers, and the voices of hikers and adventurers whose lives have been transformed by the trail. To honor 40 years on the trail, the Superior Hiking Trail Association celebrates the spirit of exploration, stewardship, and belonging that has guided generations along the SHT. Together, we’re blazing new paths toward a more connected future.

Episodes

  1. 40 Years Ago: What was the North Shore like before the Superior Hiking Trail?

    5D AGO

    40 Years Ago: What was the North Shore like before the Superior Hiking Trail?

    Welcome to Blazing Trail: 40 Years on the Superior Hiking Trail! In Episode One of this limited-series podcast we meet some of the early trail blazers including Jim Shinners, Denny Caneff, Dennis Rhysdahl, Jo Swanson and others, including a few stories from Tom Peterson (pictured), an SHT pioneer who helped plan and build many beloved sections of the Trail. Podcast producer Staci Drouillard explores what outdoor recreation on the North Shore looked like before the SHT existed, and how the trail has become part of the North Shore experience for residents and visitors over the past 40 years.

    43 min
  2. Podcast Preview with Lisa Luokkala, SHTA director

    12/22/2025 · BONUS

    Podcast Preview with Lisa Luokkala, SHTA director

    The Superior Hiking Trail Association and WTIP Community Radio are teaming up for a new podcast called Blazing Trail: 40 Years on the Superior Hiking Trail. In this preview, SHTA Director Lisa Luokkala talks with podcast producer Staci Drouillard about what listeners can expect when the podcast launches in January of 2026.

    10 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

Blazing Trail is a special-edition podcast created by WTIP and the Superior Hiking Trail Association. The first full episode will launch on January 8, 2026. For four decades, the Superior Hiking Trail has been more than a 300-mile footpath — it’s been a living link between people, place, and purpose. The eight-episode series will explore the trail through stories about the early days, the work of trail builders and volunteers, and the voices of hikers and adventurers whose lives have been transformed by the trail. To honor 40 years on the trail, the Superior Hiking Trail Association celebrates the spirit of exploration, stewardship, and belonging that has guided generations along the SHT. Together, we’re blazing new paths toward a more connected future.

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