Q&A with Owners/Guides Domonick and Carolyn

Get to know your guides a little better, learn some helpful hiking tips, and get insight into Hiawatha Hiking Company’s mission by reading Domonick and Carolyn’s responses to the following questions!

How/when did you get into hiking/backpacking?

Domonick: In 2005 a high school buddy and his dad invited my father and I on a 10-day backpacking adventure in the Sierra Nevada. Neither my father or I had any extensive backpacking experience, but our friends were seasoned, and we figured they would not lead us astray. The trip was mostly a mis-adventure. We made a lot of mistakes, but we somehow managed to navigate the terrain and made it 70 miles through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. My father still talks about this trip to this day. It was such a beautiful place to explore by foot, and coming from New England, I was not ready to experience how big the mountains were in the West. The Sierra sparked my curiosity for getting more into hiking and backpacking. That first real adventure felt like a door had opened to this awesome, amazing world that I had no idea existed. I think this trip planted some seeds that eventually sprouted many years later.

Carolyn: I didn’t really get into hiking until I moved to Seattle for graduate school in 2008. The Cascades are easily accessible from the city and my friends and I would drive out there on weekends for day hikes. At the time it was a fun, social thing to do. It wasn’t until later that I really became drawn to the outdoors, especially when living in cities left me yearning for something more. I got into backpacking shortly after and haven’t looked back.

Do you remember your first backpacking trip?

Domonick: Before going on our Sierra Trip, my father and I did a practice run somewhere on the Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts, close to where we lived. It was a one-night affair to give us the opportunity to test out our gear. It was a lot of fun, but I came out of the trip quite nervous about doing 10 days of that. I wasn’t sure if I was cut out for it. 

I remember seeing a group of dirty hikers that we passed with very big beards. They looked like they had been hiking for a very long time. My father talked with them and learned they had started in Georgia at the Southern Terminus of the trail. This is my first memory of realizing how long the Appalachian Trail was and discovering that there were crazy people that hiked the whole entire 2,180 miles in a single season. It blew my mind at the time. I figured if these hikers could be out here for months on end, I could probably manage 10 days!

Carolyn: Domonick actually introduced me to backpacking at the Pictured Rocks! It was 2010 and I was blown away. I had no idea what I was doing, but Domonick took the lead (literally and figuratively). I remember hardly carrying anything since he wanted me to enjoy it. It was wonderful and goodness have I learned a lot since then (I also carry my own supplies now…haha).

What’s your favorite part of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore?

Domonick: There are so many great areas of the park, but the thing that always strikes me is how it is always changing through the seasons. Living in the Munising area gives us the special privilege to experience the park in every season. Winter is my favorite. It is a special time in the park that not many people get to experience. The ice that forms along the shoreline and from waterfalls and seeping sandstone is always different and always impressive. There is a subtle quietness about the park in the winter that makes it majestic.

Carolyn: That’s a hard one, since it’s so special! Of course the cliffs are spectacular, but I also really enjoy the Beaver Basin Wilderness. It is quiet with small inland lakes, and where Beaver Creek meets Lake Superior is quite impressive. I get giddy each time I see it and it’s been quite a few times!

Outside of Pictured Rocks, is there a location in the Upper Peninsula that you’re drawn to?

Domonick: The North Country Trail in general in the UP is great. It sees very little traffic and the woods are a special place for me. I consider myself lucky that I can hop on the trail 2 miles from my house and feel like I am in the middle of a vast wilderness area. Knowing that there are hundreds of miles east and west of my location is a great feeling.

Carolyn: I visited the Porcupine Mountains at the end of 2019 and definitely would like to return. Nestled on Lake Superior, there are hiking trails, campgrounds, and yurts. I am excited to hit up the trails without snow and visit the iconic “Lake of the Clouds”!

What do you like most about hiking?

Domonick: Hiking is a great way to see the natural world and get exercise.  It allows you time to think and take in your surroundings at a slower, deliberate pace, free of technology and other distractions. It is very good for my mental health that I get out into the woods on a regular basis for a hike or a run.

Carolyn: I like being immersed in nature. I am a fan of walking in forests, being surrounded by trees, listening to the wildlife, and seeing something new, whether it’s mushrooms on the side of the trail, a lake, or a stream. Hiking is also a very basic thing most able-bodied people can do. All you really need is a pair of shoes.

What piece of gear can you not live without?

Domonick: A good pair of hiking/running shoes! There is nothing more important than ensuring your feet are well taken care of.

Carolyn: While it is a more recent gear purchase (purchased in 2017), I would say my shoulder strap pocket. I bought this separately from my pack and it really comes in handy! I use it for hand sanitizer, a bug net, Deet, and Mace (to feel more secure when I’m by myself – never had to use it). There have been times I’ve been seemingly-randomly attacked by mosquitoes and it’s lovely quickly grabbing my bug net without having to scrounge around in my pack. Mountain Laurel Designs has changed the design of the shoulder pocket since I bought it, but here is the most recent version of their “gear pocket”.

Is there any gear that you used to carry that you don’t anymore?

Domonick: What you decide to bring on a backpacking trip is an always evolving endeavor. One thing I learned early on is that pack covers (for rain) are ineffective and not worth the weight to carry. Now I simply rely on a lightweight rain poncho and line the inside of my pack with a trash compactor bag to keep everything dry.

Carolyn: Yes! I used to carry a paper journal and Kindle e-reader, but once I got a smart phone I started journaling and reading on that.

What do you like most about guiding?

Domonick: I love helping people get outside. Multiple day backpacking trips have enriched my life in more ways than I can easily explain here, and my one goal is to help others to also discover this passion. I teach simple principles that are easy to understand and implement – with the goal of making the outdoors a more accessible place for people to responsibly visit. I want every person who decides to try our trips to be comfortable going off on their own the next time they want to go on an overnight trip.

Carolyn: I like showing guests something they haven’t seen before and sharing interesting information that makes our area so special. I also get excited teaching backpacking skills, hoping to inspire others to get out there on their own. I love being outside and if I can do it as part of my job, it is a win-win!

Talk trail, gear, wild spaces, and everything in between with Domonick and Carolyn this season on a sunset hike, overnight trip, or private tour. They are excited to give hiking/backpacking advice, show you the spectacular Upper Peninsula, and learn about you!