Posted 8 a.m. Thursday, April 14, 2022

Winter adventurer to share environmental adventures
An aspiring winter adventurer and thru-hiker from Duluth, Minnesota, will share stories about her trips at an upcoming UW-La Crosse presentation.
Emily Ford will speak on "The Longest Way: 10 things I've learned along winter adventures" at 6 p.m. Monday, April 25, in the Hesperich Auditorium in Graff Main Hall, 1725 State St. The program is free.
Ford has completed many thru-hikes in the Midwest, including the 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail that crosses Wisconsin east to west from Potawatomi State Park to St. Croix State Park on the Minnesota border. She was the first woman to complete the trail in winter.
Most recently in the winter of 2022, Ford completed a solo 180-mile ski route across the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Wilderness with her hiking companion, Alaskan Husky, Diggins.
The presentation is part of the third annual Prairie Springs Lecture, funded by The Paul Fleckenstein Trust, which brings speakers to campus to discuss environmental issues. This year’s lecture is also sponsored by the UWL College of Science and Health, Division of Diversity and Inclusion, and Department of Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation.