North Star Vol. 20, No. 1 (2001)

lihe 1Bay Gty l/"imes Tihe f1irit Joumdl lhe Grand Rapids Press f!he Jadksa'n Citizer. Pottio: 1'he 'Ko!amazoo 'Gazette vhe Muskegtiln Chraniole "ffihe 'St1ginaw News

So lace up your boots and plore your adventurous side

with Venture Outdoors-every z;.,eek i~ the eight Booth Newspapers.

ta lifetime trekking across higan and is the author of

more than a dozen guide books including 50 Hikes in Michigan and Michigan's Best

tW Y!c¥Hikes with Children.

gh fall, Bo~th s' weekly Venture ction covers the

best day hikes and overnight backpacking trips in Mi · an. From child-friendly no alks to the most rugged trails on Isle Royale, Ven Outdoors is your

for information.

EVERY WEEK IN Ann Arbor News, Bay City Times, Flint Journal, Grand Rapids Press,

Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle, Saginaw News

Januar - March 2001 North Star: The Ma azine of the North Countr Trail

Departments

Bill and Tom Scout Alternatives Along the Buckeye Trail in Ohio 22

Cover Story: Association Honors Its Hard-Working, Busy Volunteers 18

Directors Approve Expansion of Trail Councils, New Dues Plan 15

Adventurous Trail Construction in Both Michigan Peninsulas 10

Published four times annually in January, April, July and October by the North Country Trail Association, a private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization for promotional purposes and as a benefit of membership in the organization. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the North Country Trail Organization.

Trailshop 29 Public Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Along the Way 34 Bob's Report 35 Last Word 37 Supporters 38

Trailhead 4 Hiking Shorts . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Who's New 16 Who's Who 20 Joan's Cache 24 Newsletters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

From Humble Beginnings, a Growing and Vibrant Association -Page 34

[\.\\ C011 A

~o~ 20-v% -• ~YEARS •

~ 1981 ""> ,·9 2001 & -~ ~ , <"'lssoc\1.-

Logging's Aftermath and the Need For Special Trail Agreements 6

Table of Contents

Werner Veit Pruldent

(888) 454-NCTA (6282) [email protected] David Cornell

Vice President, Financial [email protected]

Howard Beye Vice PrulJent, Ea.Jt (716) 288-7191

[email protected] Joan Young

Secretary (616) 757-2205

Officers

Werner Veit Acting Editor Joan Young

Contributing Editor Roger Meyer

Contributing Editor Jann Bidwell

EJitoriaL A.1.Jutant Virginia Wanty

EJitoriaL A.1.Jutant

North Star

49 Monroe Center NW Suite 200B

Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (888) 454-NCTA (6282)

Fax: (616) 454-7139

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web Site: northcountrytrail.org

Bob Papp Executive Director Margie Kindel Project Manager

Tiffany Halfrnan GIS Coordinator Glory Meyer

Public Serviced Coordinator

•ASSOCIATION•

North Star: The Magazine of the North Country Trail January - March 2001

2 Jerry Allen North Dakota 175.6 -0.9 37.0

1 Len Baron Minnesota 90.0 0 24.0 1 Derek Blount Wisconsin 96.3 +9.0 43.7 3 Amy Clark 2 Dave Cornell Michigan 586.8 +1.0 51.0 4 Al Larmann Ohio 300.5 -3.7 28.6 15 John Leinen 7 Richard Naperala Pennsylvania 129.l 0 43.0

3 Richard Saur New York 252.7 0 40.4 4 Bob Tait TOTAL 1631.0 +5.4 39.1 1 Barb VanDyken 1 Werner Veit 1 Doug Welker Membership in the NCTA demonstrates public support 1 Gaylord Yost and funds all types of work to benefit the trail. Here's 5 Joan Young how we're doing in each state:

Almost all trail work is accomplished Current by our volunteers. Thanks go out to State Members Change Since June Issue the volunteers shown below who reported the most hours since the North Dakota 54 +10 23%

June issue of the North Star: Minnesota 167 +20 14% 248 Gene Elzinga Wisconsin 205 +18 10% 210 Robert Gould Michigan 1199 +85 8% 229 Cora Killinger

Ohio 214 8% +15 218 Al Larmann 358 Tom Learmont Pennsylvania 295 +19 7%

299 Richard Seibert New York 178 +19 12%

220 Rolf Swanson Other States 99 -1 -1%

537 Werner Veit TOTAL 2411 +185 8%

O/o Done State

Our top recruiters since the June issue of the North Star:

Along the way to building the longest continuous hiking trail in the country, we pass many milestones. Here are a few of the vital statistics that mark our progress.

By recruiting new members, you Probably the biggest measure of our success is what we help our organization grow. We call "certified miles" of the North Country Trail. Here are give awards for lO, so, lOO and the totals for each state of the trail: 250 members.

Miles Change Since Certified June Issue

SNOWENCRUSTED cattail! along Bowman Ledee in Michigan on

the trail - From the new NCTA

Calendar (Page LJ)

Along ~lfizy

January - March 2001 North Star: The Magazine of the North Country Trail

Bo6 Tait ... u making 6ig plans for Penn.1yl1Jania: in1Jiting the g01Jern01; r:1cheduling hiku, canoe trip», a campout at the Da1JU Hollow Outdoor Center in Moraine State Park, bike rUJu, demon.Jtratwn.J and exhwitr:1 6y Eastern Mountain Sports, whor:1e Pennsvluania stores are 6winer1.1 members of the NCTA, and dedicatwn.J of new sections of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

crew and basic trail maintenance and construction.

The project is designed for land management agency field staff, vol unteer coordinators, individuals who want to become crew leaders for AHS Volunteer Vacations projects, and especially for our members who would like to learn the skills needed to organize and more effectively lead their own volunteer crews.

Ed Benson, an AHS member with an impressive resume, will lead the workshop. He has been a crew leader for six years and an instruc tor with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC), and has partici pated in 40 VOC projects. The fee is $95 and includes registration, train ing materials, food and lodging or a campsite. For more information, contact Shirley Hearn at (301) 565-6704, ext. 206.

There is one important element in the North Star that looks back, not ahead. It features the many volun teers who climbed past the 100 hour and 400 hour threshold in volunteer hours during 1999. It's these folks who make our impressive progress possible. If you get the chance, thank your fellow members for their wonderful work.

And while you're in a thanking mood, don't forget the legislators who represent districts or states along the trail. On page 33, there's a list of the U.S. Representatives and Senators who were particularly helpful this year in securing fund ing for the National Park Service. I'm sure they'd appreciate a word of thanks.

vania: inviting the governor, sched uling hikes, canoe trips, a campout at the Davis Hollow Outdoor Center in Moraine State Park, bike rides, demonstrations and exhibits by Eastern Mountain Sports, whose Pennsylvania stores are business members of the NCTA, and dedica tions of new sections of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

By the time the next issue rolls along in April, plans will be com - plete for another big event in Penn sylvania this Spring: A crew leader and skills training workshop sched uled for April 22 through 28 at the same center in Moraine State Park.

In cooperation with the Amer ican Hiking Society, the NCTA offers a one-week session to indi viduals interested in learning the fundamentals of leading a volunteer

By Werner Veit

ii head ........ 0 ne of the interesting things

about editing a quarterly magazine, unlike a daily

newspaper, my old way of earning my daily bread-is that you're always living out of time.

As I lined up the plans and assigned, or began to think about writing, articles for the North Star, I'm welcoming my family to the snowy Lake Michigan shore for Thanksgiving. At the same time, when our members actually receive the North Star dated January March, Christmas and New Year's is already behind them.

(This may be a good time as any to explain why there's such a dis crepancy from one member to another on when the magazine is received. Delivery has more to do with the postmaster than it does when the North Star is actually print ed. Since it is mailed third class to save postage, the U.S. Postal Service theoretically has up to 3 to 4 weeks to complete delivery. In actu al fact, some members actually get the magazine the day after it is mailed; others may have to await a January thaw).

Therefore, mentally, those of us putting out the North Star have to place ourselves several weeks ahead.

That's particularly true of this issue when we're looking ahead to Trails Day, observed on the first Saturday in June (June 2) and our annual conference, a joint meeting with the Finger Lakes Trail Conference in August (see Page 18).

Bob Tait, that dynamo of a Pennsylvania state coordinator, is determined that we're all going to celebrate the big event this year and had himself appointed national chairman of the event. Then he cor ralled Margie Kindel, our program director, into being co-chair to make sure headquarters gets involved.

Be warned if you're a chapter President, or officer. Tait will be after you to schedule big events. He's making big plans for Pennsyl-

An Interesting Year Ahead for NCTA


"There are several very scenic areas of this trail. There are also quite a few areas that are silent wit ness to the full impact of logging. I am fully aware that we are on some one else's land, but the owners do receive tax benefits for our use of the land and just a tiny bit of care to leave standing that lone sapling is so helpful. Section 11, that includes the very east part of my trail, hasn't been logged yet, but I'll check on that in the Spring." Gene Replies

When Gene read the report, he replied:

"There is very little we can do to change .. .logging practices. How ever, I will talk to the foresters from the companies involved to ask they inform us when logging is planned in the vicinity of the trail and to ask their contractors to at least leave enough of our blazes so we can find the trail afterwards and also not to pile slash on or run skidders along the trail ...

"The possibility that the remain der of Section 11 may be logged is a concern. Hopefully, we can imple ment an arrangement before logging takes place. If they do plan logging there, I will ask permission to relo cate the trail into an adjacent area which they have set aside as a Special Place where logging would not be done. This area contains old growth white and red pine and we would have preferred to locate the trail there, originally, except at that time, future logging was planned there. Let's hope they still have the Special Place policy. Bill Menke Comments

When Richard's note was for warded to Bill at the National Park Service Office in Madison, he responded:

"It is very easy to understand Richard's frustrations. We can all also imagine the frustrations of a through hiker or a small family hik-

(Continued on page l)

another three days to have a com pleted section ....

" ... Then when we ran into a for ester who said they would be log ging still another section that includes the 6.nal segment of the trail before it enters the McCormick. That section took another two days of work to clear and remark. A little later Gene informed me that the area from the Dead River to the east also had been logged and the trail needed more work. That 2.5 mile section involved about 62 hours of work and seven trips (to recover). We did not 6.nd any lone saplings standing in a clearing this time.

"Skidders had left l 1/2 foot ruts in the area of the trail and brush had been pushed into piles where the trail had been. Fanning the wood line looking for a blaze took us many hours. We also found that looking to the ground for a pushed over sapling was another way to find an occasional blaze. We had worked both ends of the trail and had come to places where it was impossible to locate any trail. It was only after getting GPS readings at both ends that I was able to get a bearing to the other segment. After following this bearing for a 100 yards, I found a downed sapling with a blaze and from there another blaze appeared ...

a TV7. ... we came across a large clearcut hundred.:J of yard.:J .:Jquare .In the center of thi:J mes« Wad a lone dapling with a h!tu:e on it from there we located another in the wood Line. It took another three day.:J to regain a section .... "

With a significant portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail subject to logging, much of the trail can simply evaporate because of disappearing blazes and logging debris left by unmindful contractors unless arrangements can be made with landowners to preserve our route.

The North Country Trail Hikers, a chapter of the North Country Trail Association based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where log ging is a critical part of the econo my, experienced both the dismay of losing a trail and the relief of meas ures to regain it last Fall.

Gene Elzinga, who spent many years as UP coordinator and President of the North Country Trail Hikers before retiring from both jobs, is still very active as a trail manager and managed to work out arrangements with two large timber and mining companies that may prevent recurrence of similar problems in that area.

At the same time both Gene and Bill Menke of the National Park Service suggest more formal agree ments may be required across our seven states in the long run.

The problem in the Upper Penin sula first became known when Richard 0. Smith, who maintains the section of trail in Marquette County from Wildcat Road to where the trail enters the McCormick Wil derness, described a segment of his section as follows:

"The first part of the trail had been cleared and skidded to a width of 100 yards and a half a mile long. (Dave Forsberg and I) located a few marks on the south edge of the clearing and were able to locate and mark the trail to where it reentered the woods. We next came across a large clearcut area hundreds of yards square. Luckily, in the center of this mess was a lone sapling with a blaze on it from there we located another in the wood line. It took

Logging's Aftermath: Blazes Disappear, Slash Threatens to Cover the Treadway

January - March 20Q1 North Star: The Magazine of the North Country Trail

" ... I'm pretty sure we are not the only chapter with this problem ... nor does it arise only on private land. We have similar problems on state and federal land. Therefore, I would discuss possible solutions with all our managing authorities.

"For competitive reasons, private operators will not discuss long-range logging plans. But activities on fed eral and state lands are publicized so we should make sure we are on their mailing lists for public input on planned activities. Even then, it sometimes takes considerable effort to determine whether such activities will impact the trail.

"The East Units of the Hiawatha National Forest are the only agency always to consider the NCT in its published notices. I think if we could get the NCT into the GIS data bases of all managing authori ties it would remind them to keep us informed.

"Both company foresters said they would be willing to include the trail in their data bases once we have the trail's location better defined. In fact, I have been contacted by another large forest company to provide GPS data for its segments."

- Werner Jieit

McCormick Tract

inches removed and the canopy opened to allow better growth by removing defective trees. In these select cuts the trail route was much easier to find.

"The situation with the other company is another story ... The original manager has retired and was replaced by a forester who was never told about the NCT and there was nothing in the contract with loggers alerting them to the trail or how it was to be treated. As a result the remaining markers are too few to follow and there was no effort to keep skidders or slash off the trail.

"Furthermore, the area was apparently more heavily logged ... than the other property. I asked the forester about relocating to the Special Places parcel and he will get back to me on that and with infor mation about immediate plans for logging in the area.

"In addition to Bill's recommenda tions, I believe we need some ideas on how to manage these trail seg ments for the immediate future. These should include public as well as the private lands. At the very least we could request that contracts with loggers include language on how the trail should be treated and we should probably reconfirm our interest in continuing to use the route by a yearly letter to each man agrng agency.

" ... Finally, in a note to Doug Welker, acting UP coordinator for the trail, and me, Gene summed up by saying:

ing for the afternoon when they encounter such a situation.

"Gene is correct ... we can't force private companies to do anything. But Gene's efforts to gain their cooperation are invaluable. I believe that the ultimate solution would be some kind of a formal easement (fee simple or scenic) to protect the trail.

"In the meantime, getting the trail in the right location (Old Growth/ Special Place) where it is least likely to be impacted and working out written operating/trail protection procedures would help. At the very least, with mechanical tree harves ters, it is not at all difficult to clip the tree off above the blaze. I recently saw this done in a small clearcut in the Allegheny National Forest ... Gene Concludes

Gene's efforts subsequently did pay off with one of the companies and there are hopes for dealing with the other. After his meetings, he reported:

"One of the companies do write into their contracts with loggers that they leave enough blazes so the trail route can be followed and to not leave slash on the trail, nor to run skidders along the trail if that can be avoided. A problem arose in two locations where the trail followed a grown-over logging road. The road has now been graded to over three times the original width to accom modate current logging trucks. This removed all the blazes which could be easily seen from the original trail.

" ... In several areas ... the skid ders had no choice but to run on the trail due to very wet conditions on alternatives. The logging adjacent to this road was a standard hardwood select cut with all trees over 18

a ••• We need dome WeM on how to manage the.Je trail .Jegment.1 for the immediate future. Thede .Jhou[J include public M weLL M the private land».


E-FORUM participants are already aware of most of the items listed above. If you're an e-mail user and volunteer you are welcome to join in, either as reader or contributor. The E Forum is an initiative by the national office to share ideas, news and inf or mation with volunteers on a regular basis. Entries will be less than 100 words to keep things light and easy to skim through. To submit an item to the forum or just have your address added to the list, just send e-mail to [email protected] and type "E Forum" submission in the subject area.

We can conduct the E-Forum because it doesn't cost anything but that also means that members with out e-mail can't participate. There fore, we will print a selection of items, that are not outdated, in the North Star and rely on those with e-mail to keep their friends not online informed.

•

AN EASY WAY to support the North Country Trail Association is to buy your gear, books or other gifts from partner retailers on ou~ web site. They will donate a porhon of your payments to the _NCTA_ but only if you reach them via the links on our web site: www.northcountzy trail.org

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North Country Trail Association. Volunteer hours may be submitted via our website and on-line submis sion for (www.northcountzytrail.org) or via the U.S. mail to headquarters, NCTA, 49 Monroe Center, Suite 200B, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

A REMINDER to volunteers: Please record all hours spent work ing on behalf of the trail,. "':heth~r out in the field or in administrative duties. The hours submitted directly affects funding available to the

•

OVER THE PAST several months, the State of New York has hired some 10 planners to complete unit management plans for Adiron dack State Park. At one time the hope had been that the North Country Trail would traverse the Adirondacks through the "high peaks region." That idea "':as always resisted because of recreational pressures there. Two years ago, new routes to the south were proposed and thus opened the door to the acceptance of the North Country Trail in the park but progress was stymied for lack of unit management plans. With planning now under way, a route may be selected this year. The door is also open now for an affiliate agreement between the Adirondack Mountain Club and the North Country Trail Association.

DESPITE ONGOING efforts and expenditures by the U.S. Forest Service, there is still danger of fire along the Kekekabic and Border . Route trails in Minnesota, according to Judy Ness from the Superior . National Forest. Downed slash still provides plentiful fuel even ~ prog ress continues to clear the trails. The Forest Service has already spent $1 million to clear the trails-that's a cost of $6,800 per mile-damaged severely by the enormous wind storms in late May, early June, of 1999.

•

Forest. Primary topics of the first one were standardized blazing, steps to move closer to the "Desired Future Condition" of the North Country Trail and measures to improve communications.

•

FIRST TRIAD meeting between representatives of the North Country Trail Association, the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service went so well, the group decided to make it a regular annual event. It was hosted by the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. The next one ~ay be hosted by the Hiawatha National

•

RANDALL BRUNE, a past president of the Central New York Chapter and one of the volunt~ers mentioned in our cover story, is recovering from heart by-pass surgery. .

As of this writing Randall is recu perating at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Carl and Margot Dengel, 225 Long Meadow Drive, Syracuse, NY 13205. Current President Al Larmann reports that Randall greatly looks forward to resuming his trail steward and relat ed outdoor activities this Spring.

The Cable Natural History Museum in northwest Wisconsin is the North Country Trail Associ ation's new trail coordinator for Wisconsin. Lisa Williamson will be the principal contact. Other .staff members, including Naturalist Brad Gingras will serve as backup.

The museum staff succeeds Gaylord Yost, a member of the Board of the NCTA, who will be taking on wider duties with the Association.

The Museum is an outstanding regional facility at the edge of the 900,000-acre Chequamegon Natural Forest, dedicated, according to its mission statement to: "promoting awareness and appreciation of nature; providing opportunities for natural history education and inter pretation; and advocating steward ship, caretaking and concern for the environment."

•

ra.s., Museum in Wisconsin

New State Coordinator


A month later, in early May, 14 members of the Grand Traverse Hiking Club and two groups from the Boy Scouts showed up with four boats and spent a whole Saturday ferrying materials to the banks of the various sites. It was a great sight: sunny skies, two floating utili ty poles behind each boat, decking in the middle and 2xl2's sticking awkwardly out from the bows. It looked like a circus, but it worked. Submerged obstacles made it an adventure never to be forgotten. After three trips, it was a done deal.

Then we walked on the existing NCT across the sand blow hole.

(Continued on page 10)

"Well, Bob," I said, "this river is famous for all the timber that floated its way to the sawmills at Manistee. I figure we can use the river like the lumberjacks used to only we'll use fishing boats with outboards to ferry everything up river. I don't want to be on the receiving end of a utility pole com ing down stream."

"How in the world," continued Bob as he looked down the steep sandy slope toward the river, "will we ever get them on site with no roads?"

"Let's see," I replied. I count 10, everything from 10 to 22-footers."

"How many bridges did you mark on the topographic map for construction?" Bob asked.

wet conditions and the steep designed trail in the ravines.

That snowy April day followed my preliminary scouting, a site evaluation with the Michigan . Department of Resources, over whose land that section traverses, and submissions for a cost-sharing grant to the National Park Service and for a field grant to the North Country Trail Association.

Two owls hooted back and forth as we took a break at an old beaver flooding on the creek. "I think they're singing, 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon' round the old oak tree," jested Bob.

All day long we slipped down ravines and waded streams as we marked sites for bridges with red ribbon and flagged reroutes up both sides of slippery clay banks until we finally came to the sand blow hole high on a horseshoe bend of the Manistee River.

It all began on a early April day when Bob Rudd and I made like mountain goats down a steep ravine towards Sand Creek. Tying yellow flagging as we went, we struggled against the brush and the steep incline. It took our lugged boots to keep us from sliding backward as snow flurries melted on our steam ing jackets.

The club had chosen the rerout ing and reconstruction of four miles of the North County National Scenic Trail between Dell Road and the Townline terminus on the northeast corner of Wexford County near the border with Grand Traverse County in Michigan as its main project for the year. That sec tion, along the meandering Manis tee River, used to be the poorest part of the trail maintained by the GT Hikers because of perennially

By Arlen Curtis Matson Trail Director, GT Hiking Club

As the Fall colors blazed across the Manistee River valley, the Grand Traverse Hiking Club could celebrate completion of its ambi tious project for the year 2000: the reconstruction of four rugged miles that required 12 bridges adjacent to the scenic and wild Manistee River.

Grand Traverse Hikers

Saga of 12 Bridges and a Sand Hole Blow

overlooking the ManiAee River u a great spot for Lunch near the Dell Road

· terminus along the section of the North Country National Scenic Trail recon .:Jtructed 6y the Grand Traoerse Hiking Club.

~P.t.~r.~

i.~ .A~t.i.9. ~


Butler (PA)

New Bridges in Highlands The members of the Butler County

Chapter installed 22 and 24-foot long bridges on its section of trail in western Pennsylvania. They were designed and built by Ronald L. Price, chapter President, at his home.

Ron and Joe Smith also built and installed a 70-foot stepping-stone and a 104-foot wooden puncheon bridge in the Central Gamelands of Pennsylvania. If weather permits, the chapter will contin ue work in the Gamelands this month and in February and March. North Country Trail Hikers

The North Country Trail Hikers have put together an inviting series of cross-, country skiing outings. Members of other chapters are welcome to participate by calling the leaders listed.

Weekdays in January and February, the chapter has scheduled two to two and-a-half hour outings. Contacts are Bea Anderson, (906) 226-2158 and Gene Elzinga (906) 225-1704.

Other January outings (all 906 area code): Jan. 13-Ski/Snowshoe, Kathy Peters, 225-0487; Jan. 15-NCLL outing, Lon Emerick, 942-7879, or e-mail. [email protected]; Jan. 20 Ski Middle Island, Sally Brebner, 226-8515; Jan. 27 Ski new Kawbawgam groomed trails, Marti, 249-1679.

February outings include: Feb. 10-Ski Valley Spur groom trails, Jan Webster, 225-1295; Feb. 12-NCLL outing, Lon Emerick, 942-7879, or e-mail, NCLL@ nmu.edu; Feb. 17 Ski or snowshoe around Hogsback, Bettie Daly, 228-9018. Spirit of the Woods

The Spirit of the Woods chapter has scheduled the following Winter outings:

Jan. 13, 10 AM Hike, Ski or Snow shoe. Meet at Bowncer Lake trailhead; Feb. 9 and 10 Moonlight ski at Big M ski area followed by a winter campout. March 10-Resume hiking the North Country Trail (from 96th to 76th Street). For further information, consult the chap· ter's web site, http:/www.northcountry trail.org/spw, or call Joan Young, at (231) 757-2205/ contribute, e-mail her at [email protected]) Grand Traverse Hiking Club

The Grand Traverse Hiking Club has elected the following officers: Rick Halbert, President; Dick Mallery, Vice President; Betsy Duede, Secretary, and Joe Meredith, Treasurer and Member ship Chairman. Mike Schaeffer was named Advisor.

The club has scheduled a snowshoe and cross country ski outing Feb. 11, fol lowed by a potluck. For more informa tion, call Dick Mallery at (231) 267-5074. (Compiled by Jann Bidwell. To contribute, e mail her at [email protected])

The grants to our club stimulated the undertaking of this major undertaking. When Home Depot, Cherryland Electric and Husqvarna were presented with details of our project, they jumped aboard and each also contributed significantly towards our project. When you have it in writing, it carries weight for others to come on board.

We also placed two 4x4 posts on both sides of the trailhead clearly marking the trail, and one 4x6 post out at the entrance from the road with the impressive NCT shield sign. Later we installed a bench at the deck and painted the new reroute. What a perfect spot for lunch and a view of the Manistee River from the North Country National Scenic Trail.

"Hey, Arlen. I think we should reroute the trail away from all this sand. 'Tm afraid," Bob said, "if we build a board walk here, it will become another disaster like the Highbank Rollways, a scar on the face of the North Country Trail." With that, Bob headed off into the woods to find a better way.

About three months later, on August 22, we completed the "10th" bridge which actually turned out to be the twelfth, and by the ~iddle of September the reroutes and paint ing were finished.

With a faithful crew of six, we tackled the last project: the sand blow hole. Working in teams of two, we brushed out the reroute and trailhead, laid out the stringers for a small deck, and nailed on the decking. While this was going on, the other two hikers laid down the sills for the boardwalk and spiked them into place.

... Suhmerge'J obstacle» make it an adventure ...

TWO MIYl1BERS of the Grand Traoersc Hiking Clu6, Stan Maltulci (left) and Bo6 RuJJ, are .Jetting the bench for the mini-Jeck at an ooerlook: of the Mani..Jtee River.


By Tom learmont Loyal readers of the North Star

may recall the saga of the lost trail leading from Tahquamenon' Falls State Park and the efforts to re establish it in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. There's now a conclu sion, and a happy one.

Chapter I (January-March 1999 issue) told the tale of two intrepid sisters from the now Tittabawassee Chapter, Cora Killinger and Connie Sehl, forced to bushwhack, with their German shepherd, "Bear," from the park to Bodi Lake because the North County trail had disap peared among downed trees and the residue oflogging. In their article for the North Star, they posed the question: "Looking for piece of trail to adopt?"

A dedicated group of NCTA members from the Western Michigan Chapter took on the chal lenge to find the lost trail and to reestablish it and thus began chapter II, reported on in the August September 1999 edition of the North Star. The article, headed "Western Michigan Chapter to the Rescue!" reported on the many trial and tribulations experienced in trying to find the missing trail. It also announced the establishment of a temporary trail until a permanent one could be developed.

Chapter III was also inaugurated in 1999 when considerable time was expended reviewing topographic and plat book maps in an effort to select a new route for the trail through this major swampland. A potential route was selected and with the assistance of Bill Menke of the National Park Service, a num ber GPS waypoints were identified along the proposed trail route.

With these established way points and using our GPS instruments, representatives of the Michigan DNR together with Gene Elzinga, then Upper Peninsula trail coordi nator, and I were able to bushwhack

(Continued on page 12)

TRAILBUILDERS on the project incluJed (<1tanding, left to right) Elaine Good<1peed, Ron WurJ, Mary Payne, Eric Gates, Carol ScherpenU<!e, Jim Hoogterp, Marte StycoJ, Davw StycoJ and Glady<! Hoogterp. Jim Davi« i.J Jeated and Tom Learmont, kneeling.

LOWER TAHQUAMENON FALLS provid« a spectacular interlude after the work i.J done.

Western Michigan

The Final Chapter: The Lost Trail Is Found and Well


All of the 40 guests hiked more than mile to the lookout from the nearest parking area.

The newlyweds honeymooned on the Shore-to-Shore trail and now live in Gladwin. They are both dayhikers and the couple maintains 11 miles of the NCNST near Petoskey. Jerry says he's "happy as a pig in poop." Connie didn't try to add to Jerry's com ment, but the smile on her face sent a similar message.

Anyone know of another wedding on the trail or if a marriage is planned in the future?

Pathway. Everyone at the wed ding, including the bride and groom and the minister, Reverend Tim Lambert of the Second Baptist Church in Gladwin, were in hiking clothes. Jerry and Connie wore matching shirts and shorts. Jerry Allen and Connie Pausits

were married on the North Country National Scenic Trail. As far as we can determine, this is the

first wedding on the trail.

~ Jerry is the chapter president ~ of the Tittabawassee Chapter of

the NCTA. Connie is also member * of the NCTA. They met in March • 1999 at a chapter dinner meeting. ' Their friendship grew on a day-

hike to Hoist Lakes the following }f- month.

Then Trail Magic appeared; Jerry and Connie decided to tie the knot. The ceremony took place on June 10, 2000 at the

Land Slide Lookout on the Jordan River

By Roger Meyer

Most hikers are familiar with "Trail Magic." In case you don't know what it is, Trail Magic is an event or a person that appears just when a hiker would benefit from it most.

Epilogue: Wedding on Trail EVERYONE WORE hilcing clotbe» when Jerry ALI.en and Connie Pausu» married on the North Country Trail:

our way along the proposed route to determine its suitability as a perma nent trail. We all agreed it would be a great scenic trail.

Because about two thirds of the new trail would be on State land and the remainder on land owned by the Shelter Bay Lumber Co. it was necessary to obtain the approval of the State and Shelter Bay. A trail development proposal was prepared and submitted to the State of Michigan, which approved it. Then, Gene working with Shelter Bay, also obtained that company's approval. With these administrative actions accomplished it was time to build permanent trail!

That happened this past year, during the last week of August 2000, when a serving outing was established with the Western Michigan Chapter of the North Country Trail Association and the Sierra Club to tackle the project. Twelve hard workers responded to the call and met at the Tahquamenon Falls State Park where we camped for the week as guest of the Park Manager.

For the next five days we all worked developing the new trail. Each morning, after breakfast, we packed our lunches and reported to the work site. Then about mid after noon we returned to the camp ground to clean up and relax.

Although this was a major work effort, we all enjoyed the outing. Everyone participated in the camp chores of cooking, clean-up and maintaining the campfire. Many attended the park evening nature programs, hiked the trails in the park and viewed the different water falls. Later in the week we all partic ipated in a dinner at the local restau rant/brewery. Everyone who partici pated felt a real sense of accomplish ment knowing we had just complet ed one of the most scenic sections of the North Country Traill

I would like to thank everyone who assisted on this project for their efforts.

" ... we completed one of the most scenic sections .. "


Copies of the NCT A's very first calendar remain to be had for just $8.50. To get yours, turn to the

Trail Shop section of this North Star.

It's never too late for a collector's item like this!

T€J submit your hours, visit www.northcountrytrail.org/volu

or call us at 888-454-NCT A to

lators, foundations, and f><!~ential sponsors to ask f their help. So please, repo your hours to us, if not f. your own recognition, the

for the good of the trail its;l;f

public support for the trail .. However, if l9U aren't letting us know about the hours y · put in, you're weakening o

As a volunteer, you contribute invaluable time to ~the NCT. Whether you work on the trail, le\d ~~.Mties, parti<:iJ?:'te in planning, produce a ne ... ·~. d

the wort< of others, you are the sole-of I~ fact;,ifvolunteer service is the b~ µ.

The North Country Trail needs your help.

ATTENTION VOLUNTEERS:

The Board of Directors of the North Country Trail Association approved a proposal to expand the trail council structure of the organization and the bylaw amendments needed to accommodate the changes at its Winter meeting in Milwaukee.

The new structure generally follows the proposal described in the Fall issue of the North Star.

The regional councils were abolished in favor of a sepa rate council for each state except that Michigan was split along peninsula lines. The Lower Peninsula will be one council; the Upper Peninsula continues to join Wisconsin in the Great Lakes Council.

Each of the Councils, made up of chapter and affiliate rep resentatives and other members chosen by the councils themselves, will nominate one of its members to serve on the national Board of Directors. Their election must be ratified by a vote of the total membership during the annual mail ballot conducted by the Association.

Besides the seven nominees from the Trail Council, the national board will also consist of at least 10 nor more than 12 directors elected at large.

New Dues Structure In other action, the directors also voted to approve

changes in the Association dues structure that were first discussed at their Fall meeting.

The new structure raises the introductory, sponsored rates, creates a sliding scale for other classes of membership and establishes a new rate for students and for members of affiliate organizations, like the Buckeye Trail Association, Finger Lakes Trail Conference, Superior Hiking Trail Association and others. The new, yearly rates, which went into effect Jan. 1, are as follows:

• For Students and Mernbers of Affiliates $16 • Introductory, Sponsored Membership $18 • Regular Membership Starting at $30 • Trail Leader Starting at $50 • Pathfinder Starting at $100 • Patron Starting at $250

Goals for 2001 In his report to the Board, Bob Papp, executive director,

outlined goals for the Association's headquarters for 2001. Some of the highlights:

Increase Trail Shop revenues 20% by creating a "store front" trail shop, and by expanding sales through the web site and to wholesale vendors. • Secure corporate sponsorship of our 2002 Field Grant program. • Achieve membership growth of 10%. • Increase percentage of mapped trail from 5% to 15%. • Relocate our office functions to a larger, more effective head-

quarters that is closer to the trail. • Recruit and train at least ten new office volunteers. • Increase total Field Grants awarded by 60%. • Work with the NPS to develop greater technical support for

volunteers in the areas of private land crossings and trail plan ning and protection.

• Improve education and communication through the North Star and the Internet.

Directors Approve Council Expansion


he gets excited just talking about the North Country Trail! Recruited to the cause by Bob Tait, Ron traveled to the 1998 conference in Michigan. The summer before that, he through-hiked the Appalachian Trail (as "Chirping Turtle") and knew he wanted to be able to pay back the benefits he received from those who work on that famous trail.

The NCT gave him an outlet for his enthusiasm. Bob says that Ron brings "new energy" to the trail effort. Ron values the fact that trails can be a means to preserve natural areas where people can walk "or they will be lost forever. They are paving the whole world," he laments. He wants to see the trail be truly "user friendly," so that those who find a trailhead would see signs telling them where they are and where they can hike. He describes himself as "big on blazing," trying to promote adequate marking so that people can follow the trail easily. This is so important to him that he has written a poem, which might be a mantra for the entire trail:

Blaze My Trail Friendly Blaze my trail f ri.enoly

so that I won't get l.o.Jt In the oetaiM of finoing my way. I woulo rather be l.o.Jt in

the beauty of nature, Ano in meoitating my trouble» away. Ron has built several bridges at

his home, disassembled them and rebuild them on site along the trail. He has scouted out a number of new miles of trail in Pennsylvania State Game Lands. One unique solution for a treadway was to recy cle a large pile of cement blocks dis carded in the woods into a stepping stone pathway through a swampy area. He also helped build bridges

RON RICE has been president of the Butler Chapter for less than a year, but he has big goals. He wants to inspire and enlist volunteers, and

BUTLER CHAPTER

PETER EDMUNDS, a buit:Jer ano maintainer of trail

Supplying a big box of rubber boots at each end of the swamp where hikers take a pair at one end and leave it at the other. Do you suppose the National Park Service would certify the boots with connec tor decals?

Peter has already shown his trail construction skills on a 200-foot boardwalk at J erseth Creek, in addition to soil treadway. He sees the trail as a real opportunity to see the natural environment from season to season. "We are too connected to asphalt and gravel," he laments. "Often, just 15 minutes from a high way it is quiet, and you only need a decent pair of shoes and some ener gy." In addition to trail construction Peter also maintains three miles of trail in Mott's Ravine.

He particularly hopes that more people will learn about the trail. He would like to see a program devel oped to work with schools and take kids to the woods throughout the seasons. At this time of year, Peter is probably out skiing, but we know he'll be there again with his trail tools come spring. Thanks, Peter!

The 1,2,3 Volunteer Gift

Described as a "great personality, and man of many talents," PETER EDMUNDS loves to build trail. And his home in western Wisconsin places him at the center of a major opportunity to do just that. With crews working west from the Chequamegon National Forest, and east from Jay Cooke State Park, Wisconsin is making progress toward connecting its trail to Minnesota.

The center portion of that effort is located near Solon Springs, where Peter lives and runs a busi ness restoring log buildings, and creating twig furniture. He has always liked to hike, and has hiked on the Appalachian Trail and out west and was familiar with the National Trail System. So when he saw an ad about two years ago pro posing a Chapter of the NCTA, he just had to check it out! Soon he discovered that the North Country Trail was only a couple of miles from his home.

Subsequently, Peter and some other great volunteers have built about 20 miles of trail already. Peter assured me that's only a modest achievement, since there are 50 miles yet to build, and those will be the hardest yet as they crossing a muskeg. He suggests one solution:

BRULE ST-CROIX CHAPTER

EDITOR'S NOTE: Although the boli oay.J are behind ll.f as you read thi.J, the ho/iJay season i.J at it.J height as I write ano gift-giving oeci.Jion.J .Jtill preoccupy many of U.J. However; the trio of volun teerv we feature in thi.J i.J.Ju£ have a won oetful gift for all of tu. They offer a "1-2-5" present of great trail builoing, marking, ano maintaining. What more cout:J we, or the trail effort, want or need?


tend to be so unique. Well, at least people from the Peter Wolfe Chapter ... When Doug Welker is around, trail work builds character. "When I get old I want to be a char acter!" says Rolf.

We are thankful for all the trail characters who bring their unique skills, humor and talents to the trail effort. And we know that those who volunteer for trail work usually do seem to have character, beyond the joke, in the deep and honest sense of the word. So this winter, as you rest after a winter outing, take a minute to thank a volunteer for the gift of trail: built, marked and cleaned for your enjoyment. Perhaps you too can take some time to become more involved with a local group of peo ple who are working on the North Country Trail and do some gift-giv ing yourself.

If you know someone who should be nominated for this feature, con tact me at 861 W US 10, Scottville, Ml 49454 or [email protected].

ROLF SWANSON ano Ma1jorie Jobnston alonq a puncheon they built.

raphy." Trails allow people to do this, which will help them appreciate nature, and perhaps lead them to take better care of the earth.

Back in the 1980's Rolf had belonged to the NCTA, but had lit tle time to give to the trail since he had returned to school and also had family responsibilities. But he had not forgotten the call of the North Country. Now, very busy as a voca tional rehabilitation counselor for the State of Michigan, Rolf kept thinking that he would return to the NCTA when he retired.

He was busy with projects of his own- building a house and a pond. But Doug Welker kept calling, and just as the Peter Wolfe chapter was beginning to build the Oren Krumm Shelter, Rolf found himself not in the middle of a personal project. "There I was, defenseless- with no excuse!" Rolf exclaimed. But he had a wonderful time working with peo ple of all ages on this trail project.

From then on he's been a regular on trail crews. 'Tve met some great people," Rolf continued, "those who are attuned to the earth. It's good to work together."

He's also helped with design and building of boardwalks and a stor age shed made of cull wood from a sawmill. Rolf is also a volunteer Wilderness Ranger in the Whisker Wilderness of the Nicolet National Forest. It was there that he discov ered his love for trail maintenance, and asked to do some on the NCT.

He says it takes about four hours to clean and blaze a mile of trail through the area they maintain where there is vigorous growth of young trees, but he says "it gives me time to really get to know the trail." He must know the trail really well; he's cleaned about 30 miles of it all by himself! Rolf also offers the solu tion to the puzzle of why trail people

"Just give me a pair of hand lop pers and a Swede saw," says ROLF SWANSON, one of those rare and wonderful people whose favorite trail task is maintenance. And that word, "wonderful," keeps coming into our discussion of the NCT. Rolf especially likes to be able to move through a landscape, to see the "changes in timber type, and topog-

PETER WOLFE CHAPTER

near McConnell's Mill, and has worked on a long stretch of pun cheon. Rice is retired from Armco Steel in Butler where he worked in technical services, but it sounds like he's not at loose ends for projects to keep his retirement time occupied. Tait also reports "his enthusiasm is rubbing off on all the volunteers." We need more leaders like Ron!

RON RICE want» to dee the traiL truly wer-frienoLy.

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Geographic Information Systems (GIS). She had an National Park Service internship in 1998 at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Wyoming and Montana and revitalized their GIS programs. She, then, returned to Madison to accept a position with the National Park Service Midwest Region GIS Technical Support Office. Her most recent project there was digitizing data and pro cessing GPS data for the North Country Trail.

Tiffany graduated in December 1999 with a BS-Natural Resources degree. In college, she was in the University Band and sailing club. She was very busy with other activi ties including volleyball, softball, basketball, hiking, biking, skiing, ultimate frisbee, racquetball, rock

total volunteer time is about 7-10 hours per week.

Beth says, "I enjoy working with the staff at NCTA and helping out the organization with its bookkeep ing. I also enjoy the casual atmos phere and the good rapport that everyone has."

Tiffany, our cartographer, was born and raised near Appleton, Wisconsin. During her teenage years, she worked as a caddie and then a greenskeeper at a local golf course. As a result of her caddying, she received a scholarship from the Western Golf Association to attend the University of Wisconsin Madison as an Evans Scholar.

At the University of Wisconsin, Tiffany majored in Landscape Architecture and Cartography &

ACCOUNTANT Beth Poro founo a career, lm<Jbano ano family when Jhe mova) to Michigan.

By Roger Meyer

Headquarters of the North Country Trail Association welcomed two new staffers during the year, a full-time cartographer and GIS spe cialist and part-time bookkeeper. Tiffany Halfmann, succeeded our first ever cartographer who returned to her native Canada, and Beth Ford, succeeded Joan Buenavista who got married and decided to drop one of her two jobs.

There was another change late in the year. Office manager Heidi Daane, who also worked part-time like most of the office staff, left as the day drew near when she would bear twin daughters. Heidi has not yet been replaced. Glory Meyer, who had been our one-day a week public services manager and man ager of the Trailshop, has been squeezing in another day until a replacement is hired sometime this month.

Beth, our new accountant, was born in northern Ohio and came to Michigan to attend college. She enjoyed the state so much that she decided to stay, find a husband, and raise a family. All of which she did.

Her family now consists of hus band, Korky, a son, Zachary (6 years old), and a daughter, Megan (3 years old). She celebrates her 10th wedding anniversary next May. Beth has worked in account ing since 1986 and has held various accounting positions, mostly in small businesses in the service and retail industries.

She graduated from Davenport College with an Associates' Degree in Accounting and plans to obtain a Bachelor's degree. Her hobbies include playing with and enjoying her kids, making improvements to their house and yard, working in her flower gardens, and reading good books. She volunteers at church and at her son's school. Her

Two New Staffers Join Headquarters


CARTOGRAPHER Tiff any Halfmann directd a growing map-making pro gram for the North Country Trail Association.

A scale of 1:24,000 is better for areas with lots of features like road crossings, side trails, and creeks. They are used more by dayhikers and will cost between $6 and $8 each.

The basic maps are created from available digital images of USGS topographical maps. The location of the NCT on these maps is deter mined mostly from on-site surveys which use GPS positional data. But sometimes old trail indications and markers are used.

When using a recreational receiv er to collect data, the coordinates of spots along the trail are determined about every 500 feet and at every road-crossing, stream or other land marks. Whenever necessary, volun teer hikers check for accuracy on the ground.

The software program transfers the GPS trail coordinates to the digital image of the USGS maps and marks the trail on the map. Other features, such as parking lots and trailheads, are added to the image and then the maps are printed in-house.

As each new map becomes avail able, it will be listed for sale on the Trail Shop pages.

gram as the move to the new head quarters in Lowell is completed.

The next mapping tasks in the immediate future are three new map sets: two of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the central part of Minnesota. About 250 miles of the NCT are accurately mapped now, approximately 5 percent of the trail. All the maps are made in house with Tiffany leading the project.

Our cartographers have used the ARCVIEW software program for their mapping effort and hope to acquire additional software, called ARCINFO this year.

The terrain, usage, and local fea tures determine the scale for any map set. A chart with a scale of 1:100,000 shows less detail and is usually used by long distance hikers. These maps costs less per mile to create and so, they can be produced cheaper and each one will cost about $3.50.

The next map c1etc1 will c1bow Mani:ftee Forest, Nortb, two areas in MU:bigan'.1 Upper Peninsula and central Minnuota ...

climbing and in-line skating. She was the chairperson of the 1999 Evans Scholars Basketball-A-Thon, and also the 1999-2000 Graduate Resident Advisor at the Wisconsin Evans Scholar house. Tiffany says, "I am excited to be the NCT Cartographer and look forward to the challenges that lie ahead."

Tiffany is directing the mapping effort. She's had some help- Carrie Czegus, a student at Grand Valley State University, worked on a 1:100,000 scale map in Wisconsin (Tiffany is now working on a second one). Carrie finished her internship last month.

Dave Goodman, who commutes all the way from his highway department job in Lansing to volun teer in the NCTA office, is currently working on a fine detail map set (1:24,000 scale) of the southern por tion of the Huron-Manistee Nation al Forest in Michigan. It will be available later this month. Lucas Hill, an employee of a Grand Rapids engineering firm, started working in mid-December on a 1:100,000-scale map of the northern portion of the Huron-Manistee.

More help is on the way. Interns from Grand Valley and Calvin College will participate in the pro-


The official dates are Aug. 9 through 12 but come early and stay late to experience historic Old Erie Canal St~te Park or the spectacular scenery sho~lr;i; ~ff ':;!~ique natural areas, tumbling streams, waterfalls, distant views, and wonderfl:il, deep fores forward to seeing you!

Ldokfor -;.fOmplete schedule with registration materials in our next issue of 1;!:\e. North Star but save those dates right now to so you won't

t pting array of group hikes, self-guided walks, local historic I attractions, workshops, and excellent evening programs

planned by our hosts, the Finger Lakes Trail Conference. With major help from the Onondaga Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and the Central New York Chapter of the NCT A, events will run from Thursday through all day Sunday.

Chittenango Falls are stilled by Winter's ice today but next Summer they will be among the scores of scenic destinations awaiting us at the North Country Trail Association 200 I Annual Conference.

FQr·a cfQodfTif18e, .,_ark Your August Calendars+tfl -i,~we your place in New York's Greatest Little Trail Town

National Scenic and Historic Trails, Casper, WY; Contact: Partnership for the National Trail System (608) 249-7870, or [email protected]

• August 9-12 North Country Trail Association-Finger Lakes Trail Conference joint annual conference, Caznovia, NY.

• August 17-21 The 7th Conference on

Irene Szabo

Janice Wester

Doug Welker

Ginny Wanty

Gordon Wilkes

Paula Wilbur

Mike Shaeffer

On the Cover Mark your Trail Meeting Calendar • Jan. 13-Wmter Trails, 10 locations around

the U.S. Contact: www.americanhiking.org/events/winter

• Feb. 15-National Conference on Outdoor Leadership, San Diego, CA. Contact: Jim Lustig (619) 594-7271, or www.wilderness.education.org

• Feb. 17, 18 Winter Trails, Estes Park, CO; Contact: Dave Thomas (800) 443-7837.

• March 4-7 Trails Advocacy Week, Washington, DC. Contact: Celina Montorfano (301) 565-6704, ext 205.

• April 20-22 Buckeye Trail Association annual meeting, Hocking College, Nelsonville, Ohio. Contact: BTA, PO Box 254, Worthington, Ohio 43085.

• April 22-28-Joint North Country Trail Association and American Hiking Society crew leader and skills training workshop, Davis Hollow Outdoor Center, Moraine State Park, PA. Contact: Shirley Hearn at (301) 565-6704, ext. 206, or [email protected].

• April 29-NCTA National Board of Directors, Spring meeting, Lowell, MI

• May 4, 5, 6 Finger Lakes Trail Conference annual meeting, Seneca Lodge, Watkins State Park, NY

• May 4,5 Superior Hiking Trail Association annual conference, Wolf Lake Environmental Learning Center, Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay, MN. Contact: (218) 834-2700, or www.shta.org/

• May 18-20 Ohio Trails Expo, Hocking College, Nelsonville, Ohio. Contact: Contact: BTA, PO Box 254, Worthington, Ohio 43085.

• June 2 National Trails Day • July 13-20 Biennial Appalachian Trails

Conference, Shippensburg University, PA (Registration packet: [email protected]


Western Michigan: Tom Learmont (581), Char Chandler (565), Kathy Brehm (211), Gladys Hoogterp (119), Paula Wilbur (163), Ginny Wanty (105).

RICHARD LUTZ, (uft) Wampum, receioe» hid certificate from Bob Tait, Penruyloania coordinator. Richard ha.:1 488 hours.

JERRY ALLEN haJ volunteered 200 hoard while working on the Tatibawassee Chapter '.J section of the trail.

Peter Wolfe: Doug Welker (122). Spirit of the Woods: Joan Young (800), Ed Chappel (204). Wampum: Richard Lutz (488).

., 0\ 0 cc

BOB GOULD, Heritage chapter, ha.:1 reported 532 hoard.

TOM LEARMONT, Wutern Michigan, admire.; the dhirt he got along with the 400-hour award. Tom ha.:1 accumulated 581 hoard.

E 0 .3

}; s: a. ~ 0\

~ Greater Pittsburgh: Dave Maxwell -& (163). Grand Traverse Hikers: Trina Ball (287), Rick Halbert (210), Fred Sabel (108), and Mike Shaeffer (102). Heritage: Robert Gould (532). North Country Trail Hikers: Denise Herron (609), Bernice Anderson (451) and Janice Webster (172).

Those long-working volunteers who could attend the Millennium Trail celebration at the Straits of Mackinac last FaU received their awards for their service in person from Bob Papp, executive director, and board members of the North Country Trail Association. Many others were awarded at chapter meetings. The 36 members who crossed the 100 and 400-hour thresholds in the year 2000 were: At Large: Richard Pfeiffer (550 hours), Gahanna, 0 H; Mary Hamilton (445), Dover, OH, and Donald Mong (102), Shreve, OH. Brule St. Croix: Adey Oswald (11) Central New York Chapter: Al Larmann (1090); Randall Brune (434), Kathleen Eisele (401); Kathleen Disque (101) and Irene Szabo (118). Chief Noonday: Neil Juhl (635), La Verne BeBeau (201) and John Rudnicki (112).

36 Members Honored for Their Service

JOAN YOUNG, Spirit of the Woodd chapter, who ha.:1 accumulated 800 hoard getd her 400-hour award from Bo6 Papp (uft) and award» a certificate to fellow chapter member; Ed Chappel who ha.:1 204 hoard.

~ ~ c-, ,., ., ., ::; ::; ~ ~ 0\ 0\ 0 0 x cc ,., ,., c .0 c s: a. g- ~ 0\ a, 0 B 5 0 e s: ~ c,


Bill Menke, Manager (608)441-5610

[email protected]

www. northcountrytrail. org [email protected]

1-888-454-6282

Legend

- ......... Chapters -/

OH State Coordinator Jim Sprague (216)884-4757

Northwestern Ohio Rails-to- Trails Association Gene Markley (800)951-4788 [email protected]

Buckeye Trail Association Garry Dill (937)834-2891

Great Trail - Sandy Beaver Canal Chapter Brad Bosley (330)227 -2432

PA State Coordinator Bob Tait (724)287-3382 [email protected]

Wampum Chapter Richard Lutz (724)652-8185 [email protected]

Greater Pittsburgh Chapter Bob Needham (412)369-0777 [email protected]

Rock Chapter Frank Cetera (724)735-1133 [email protected]

Butler Chapter Ron Rice (724)538-8475 rice1 @nauticom.net

Clarion Chapter Carol Atwell (814)354-2778 [email protected]

American Youth Hostels Pittsburgh Council Bob Roth (412)279-6219

Ohio

New York NY State Coordinator Howard Beye (716)288-7191 [email protected]

Finger Lakes Trail Conference Howard Beye (716)288-7191 [email protected]

Central New York Chapter Al Larmann (315)697-3387 [email protected]

Lowe.r Mic!liligam Lower Ml State Coordinator Lynn Waldron (616)623-5340,_.___...-r-"°"· [email protected]

Harbor Springs Chapter JerryKeeney(231)526-9597 [email protected]

Tittabawassee Chapter Jerry Allen (517)345-2677

Grand Traverse Hiking Club (Chapter) Rick Halbert (231)947-8485 rl [email protected]

Spirit of the Woods Chapter Joan Young (231)757-2205 [email protected]

Western Michigan Chapter Tom Learmont (616)984-5917

Chief Noonday Chapter Dave Cornell (616)623-8659 [email protected]

Baw Beese Chapter Richard Saur Chapter Information (517)437-257 4

WI State Coordinator Gaylord Yost (414)354-8987 [email protected]

Brule--St.Croix Chapter Peter Nordgren (715)394-8340 pnordgre@staff. uwsuper. edu

Chequamegon Chapter Tana Turonie (715)274-2521 tturon [email protected]

Heritage Chapter Steve Frye (414)593-2694 [email protected]

Upper Ml State Coordinator Doug Welker (906)338-2680 [email protected]

Peter Wolfe Chapter Doug Welker (906)338-2680 [email protected]

North Country Trail Hikers Jan Wester (906)225-1295 Bettie Daly (906)228-9018 Denise Herron (906)225-1030 Great Lakes Trail Council Robert Norlin (715)372-5229 [email protected]

January - March, 2001

Chapters of the North Contry Trail Association are like local trail clubs. They build and maintain the trail, host hikes and other events, and work to promote the trail and the Association in their areas. For information about local activities and volunteering, contact Chapter representatives. Partner organizations are independent nonprofit organizations that are working to build and maintain certain sections of the trail.

!Minnesota MN State Coordinator John Leinen (651 )433-4456 [email protected]

Headwaters Chapter John Leinen (651 )433-4456 [email protected] Kekekabic Trail Club Martin Kubik (651 )426-0925 [email protected]

Rovers Outing Club Superior Hiking Trail Association SHT A Information (218)834-2700

!North Dakota ND State Coordinator Jon Lindgren (701)232-7868 [email protected]

Sheyenne River Valley Chapter Lisa Engel (707)797-3530

NCT Trail Councils

North Star: The Magazine of the North Country Trail North Star: The Magazine of the North Country Trail January - March 2001 January - March 2001

avoided. The thinking was (and still is) that the North Country Trail should be kept in more minimally developed areas whenever possible.

Today this thinking is embodied in our Desired Future Condition (DFC) statement for the trail-"the trail will be administered and man aged as a path whose use is prima rily for hiking and backpacking." We often find ourselves embellish ing the DFC by adding the words "through rural and natural environ ments." Similar sentiments are expressed in NCTA's Vision for the North Country NST.

(Continued on Next Page)

WATCHING racing <1heL/.J on the Great Miami River wou!J he a bonus for hiker<! along the po<1<1wle reroute.

By Bill Menke Manager, North Country National Scenic Trail

Photographs by Bill Menke

The need to sort out trail routing opportunities in the Dayton, Ohio area has been in the back of our minds for years. On several occa sions, while meeting with individuals from the Buckeye Trail Association and other agency representatives, the topic of the North Country Trail potentially following the route of the Buckeye Trail (BT) in this area has sometimes surfaced.

But our plates were already full with planning issues and route changes in other areas and until recently we have just not taken the time to seriously take a look at the area.

Further, when the North Country National Scenic Trail Comprehen sive Plan for Use and Management was being prepared in the early 1980's, the highly urbanized Dayton Fairborn area was purposely

Dayton Area May Offer An Interesting Reroute

QUIET, wooded areas also abound along the po<1<1wle route.

BILL MENKE find" Downtown Dayton J city

<1cape an attractive prospect from the po<1<1wle route of the North Country Trail.

January - March 2001 '

North Star: The Magazine of the North Country Trail

Following an expression of local interest and lack of controversy, we will make some Congressional contacts and can then easily make the change if there is no particular controversy.

We will pursue these contacts as soon as time allows. We have already discussed our initial thoughts with Herb Hulls and Jack Watkins of the Buckeye Trail Association to learn the BTA's initial reactions. They feel strongly that BTA would be very supportive of this route change.

that the metropark bike trail system will eventually extend into some of these segments. The biggest difficul ties occur in the first and last five to 10 miles of the Buckeye route-where it follows roads and we do not know of immediate off-road opportunities. However, nearly 31 miles of this route is currently certifiable.

At the end of the visit, our initial conclusion is that following the Buckeye Trail route warrants addi tional consideration. It incorporates more historical features and has a higher degree of interest and imme diate feasibility than does the cur rent NCT route.

But there are several follow-up actions that we need to complete. We want (and need) to make some additional contacts with the various local officials and park managers who might host a portion of the trail. We need to determine their reactions.

WHILE THE METRO hike patlu in the highLy-arhani:ao Dayton-Fair/Jorn are paved, they <Jti!L offer a 'degree of seclusion from the city.

ticular railgrades have long tan gents, are flat, and the Urbana Piqua segment has some develop ment on the grade indicating that it may not be totally available.

Meanwhile, at Yellow Springs the Buckeye Trail heads west toward Fairborn following rural roads. Upon reaching Fairborn, various paved bike trails, dirt park trails, gated service roads, and walks along levees of the Great Miami River provide a feasible and generally scenic route through the central portion of the Yellow Springs-Piqua distance.

North of the greater Dayton area, there are some narrow foot paths following the original Miami Erie Canal towpath. Along the way, the Buckeye route passes the Wright Brothers Memorial with its granite monolith and courtyard and expansive views of Huffman Prairie and the "flying field" where Wilbur and Orville practiced and perfected their invention.

Closer to the center of Dayton, while the bike paths are paved, they offer a degree of seclusion from the sights of the city due to placement below the levees along the rivers. Still closer in, views of the city skyline across the river are quite attractive.

North of the city fringes, portions of the route follow the original tow path of the Miami to Erie Canal. Often, these are now narrow, wood ed footpaths. Ref ognition is made

(Continued from Previous Page) Nevertheless, as the trail concept

has evolved and matured, we have become much more understanding of the need for it to occasionally pass through smaller communities where hikers can obtain supplies or spend a night in a bed instead of on the ground. While Dayton is a large community, recent reports from long-distance hikers Joan Young and Don Beattie encouraged us to take a second look. They reported passing through Dayton-Fairborn with much more off-road hiking and pleasure then they had anticipated.

Last Summer, Superintendent Tom Gilbert and I spent three days investigating both the current NCT route bypassing Dayton and the BT route passing through Dayton. Coming from the east, the two trails are concurrent to Yellow Springs. Here they part company and do not rejoin until some 50 to 60 miles later at Piqua. Picture it as the North Country Trail following the east and north sides of a rectangle while the Buckeye Trail follows the south and west sides of the same rectangle.

From Yellow Springs, the NCT continues north through Springfield, to Urbana before turning west toward Piqua. Currently, only six miles within this expanse is certified. Potential exists to follow abandoned railgrades for much of the remaining distance but there is no group actively pursuing development of the grades. Additionally, these par-


Shamu July 17-19, 1992

My bright, new backpack is screaming to be put to use. I have taken several overnight trips to brush up ancient camping skills. No empty-nest syndrome for me! The youngest son graduated from high school this May and I am ready to re-discover those activities that appeal to me but never interested my family. One fact has emerged from test campouts: If I truly want to backpack, I must have a good pack and a light-weight sleeping bag. The rest of the equipment is less critical, but these two' items are required. I purchased the sleeping bag several months ago.

our walk and of our "finds." Life does come full circle; this is the shell of the sturdy lady who took me to the woods as a toddler, introducing me to wildflowers, birds' nests and rabbit holes. She helped me press my first collection of autumn leaves into scrapbooks, to label them and learn the names. Now, all I can do is to leave a green and orange maple bouquet in her line of sight, and to tell her of the twilight woods. Somewhere inside that frail body, does your bright mind yet reach out for new experiences? Are you still in there, Mom? 2 miles this hike Robert Treman State Park Tompkins County, New York 18 miles total NCT

It's off-season and there is no one in the campground. We drive through the silent loop to reach the trailhead, change shoes, and plunge westward into the October woods. The falling leaves sweep the cares of the weekend away. Our greatest concern is time; we estimate that we can hike in for an hour, and then will need to turn around to be out of the woods by dark.

Somehow the magic of the moment reaches out and transforms us into two younger girls, discover ing the wonders of Autumn afresh. We collect brilliant leaves, colored rocks, snail shells, and bits of deco rative fungi. Witches' butter gleams dull yellow in the late afternoon light; many-colored polypore grows profusely on stump and log. Its gray and brown lines and patterns seem richly subtle rather than dull as its colors might suggest.

For the first time ever we see Crowned Clavaria, its spongy coral like arms reaching out of a knothole in a downed tree. In the dimming light its whiteness glows, other wordly. When the trail swings close to Enfield Glen, the sound of water rushing in the depths of the gorge is our evening symphony. But the light does predictably fade and we reluctantly turn back after the pre scribed hour.

We stop in Ithaca to eat and to visit my mother in the nursing home. She is so weak and unaware of her surroundings ... We tell her of

Page 24

My friend Marie and I have both driven to the small town in New York where I grew up. My mother had broken her hip during the sum mer, and it is now certain that she will never go home again. Our goal for this weekend is to empty her little house so that it can be rented. This was not the house where I spent my childhood, so there is no emotional attachment there for me, just a busy place where to complete the job. Marie is willing to help even with monumental moving tasks to give us some time together. We are hoping for a few spare minutes to find a section of trail to hike.

By Saturday afternoon the truck is loaded with items that going back to Michigan. Most everything else is packed in boxes ready for storage. A group from church have come to help with the packing and lugging, and the work has moved along swiftly. Mom's cozy little home in town that she had bought and fixed up after my Dad died and the farm sold, is bare and plain again. Marie and I sit on the floor and sigh. "Do we want to hike? We had better go now while it is still light." We decide that a break is in order; the boxes can be hauled to the attic after dark. So off we go to Treman State Park, just south of Ithaca, to meet the trail where it crosses Route 34.

Twilight Trail October 21, 1991

North Country Cache: The Early Steps

EJitor'd note: This is the second in a series of articles which chronicles Joan Young's adventures on the North Country Trail. Last issue, Joan described her introduction to the Trail and her first actual hike on the NCT in September 1991. In this issue, she becomes still better acquainted with the trail on sever al short hikes. In the April issue she will begin the description of longer hikes and her experiences in the Allegheny National Forest of Pennsylvania. ""D,.,_._"'-"'"'-'---"""--lllll!S-ll~'-1

Her current total? 1673 miles. By Joan Young


(Continued on next page)

The next day, as we are walking along, a great revelation hits me: I subtracted wrong! When we weighed our gear "from the skin out," we first weighed ourselves naked, then added all clothes, pack, and attachments and weighed our-

One section of the trail passes through a camping area. According to the signpost we have managed to hike only three-fourths of a mile in an hour. We decide that we could have crawled that far, even in the sand, and add a new lesson about official misinformation to our store of trail knowledge. Sometime around this point in time I became even more determined to carry maps from at least two sources on future hikes.

Today my pack rides securely and easily. It's christened Shamu in recognition of its awkwardness when not being worn and behaving like a beached whale which must be hauled awkwardly into place with no help from its rotund bulk. Once on my back (now properly adjusted) Shamu becomes a part of me, fluid and connected, like the whale in its ocean environment. Marie's pack, although old, seems to fit fairly well. Her test is to endure encounters with the horses we meet on this bridle trail. She finds horses big, unpredictable, and frightening.

Treasures for the day: Racemed milkwort with purple blooms, then squaw root and shinleaf, found in a rich woods. We camp here the sec ond night. I try to sketch the shin leaf but am too tired to complete drawing before the light fades. Probably just as well; the waxy translucent blooms defY capture with colored pencil. Weary but happy, Marie and I decide that backpacking should become an established part of our summers from now and become a pattern for our future.

The next day we encounter sec tions of trail heavily traveled by horses. This is not fun! The sandy soil is broken up from the weight of the horses and the churning of their hooves. The path is a channel about two feet wide and 18 inches deep with six to twelve inches of loose sand in the bottom. It is like beach walking with a pack; every step is a calf and ankle-searing effort. The sky decides to rain on us a bit in the afternoon.

shifting and groaning as my shoul ders and back learn the points of contact with a real pack and as we learn how to make the weight ride properly on my hips.

We walk on compacted sand, fire roads and railroad rights-of-way most of the day. After about 10 miles and a few lessons about watching for inadequately marked turns, we poke our way into a small stand of pines to camp for the night. To be in the woods, resting beside a fire, with Marie, seems so right. For a small space of time, the world is ordered as it should be.

JOAN'S MOTHER, Jhown after catch ing 6ig ones with Joan d father, inAiL/eo Joan d love of the outdoor».

We choose a piece of the NCT that follows part of the Shore-to Shore Riding Trail in Michigan. We will leave one car at Darraugh and the other near Mayfield. There is much flurry of preparation as I read backpacking guidebooks, plan menus, mark maps, and practice packing my pack. All the zippers and pockets are grand fun. Marie finds a still-useable pack among her old camping gear. We carefully choose and weigh gear, food, and total pounds FSO: (from the skin out.) Marie carries 28 pounds and I, 33. I've always been considered the tough one.

On a warm Tuesday morning we leave her car at a turnout in the shade of a woods' edge and mine at the eastern end of this hike, off-road in the sand and bracken. After about half a mile of walking, I real ize that I have forgotten to change my shoes ... I doubt that I can hike the whole way in sneakers, so I leave my pack with Marie and trudge back to change to heavier footwear. Rather an ignoble begin ning. Well, call it a lesson learned double-check everything, because backtracking on foot is depressing and time-consuming.

It soon becomes apparent that I am the one having trouble carrying a pack. This isn't the way it's sup posed to work. I'm the tough one, remember? This is the maiden voy age for this pack; I probably just don't have it adjusted correctly. Thus begins a day-long chain of adjustment, tweaking, rebuckling,

Marie, my friend since the sum mer we met as gangly, 12-year-old Girl Scouts, visits us almost every year. I want to convince her to try backpacking with me. She takes the bait. We begin to plan for three days on the North Country Trail. I decide to go just far enough away from home that I might be able to connect with my first hike on a weekend alone.


~i •

backs. Our footsteps are loud; echoes are created by the distinctive chunk of slabs of shi&ing shale sit ting half-submerged in water.

Just a few yards farther and, as if we had passed behind the curtain, out of the footlights' glare onto the dark and waiting stage, we enter a forest both still and cool. Peat dead ens our footfalls. Deep green East ern hemlocks rise around us to block the sun and absorb extraneous noises. The trail climbs immediately along the edge of the creek and the sound of the gurgling water recedes below us in proportion to the rising of the cliff. As we near the top, we also reach the head of the gorge and are rewarded with a crystal cascade tumbling in the sunlight, breaking into beads like a shattered laminated windshield, laughing coyly as it pol ishes the shale wall to faux-obsidian and disappears into the depths below. If we had not looked at the right instant we would have missed it ... turned the bend and walked right by ... lost the moment.

This is no Type A personality stream, falling sheer and aggressive, bent on keeping rocky appoint ments, leaping to heart attacks. This rill wants to play, wants to display its beauty. But oh, only one secret at a time! I can almost hear it, "Careful now ... you must peek around that branch to see this gem ... See that little splashy spot on my southern wall? Watch closely. If the sun will play, I'll make a rainbow for you ... Come with me, I'll never run away."

We are dazzled, blinking from the dim woods at this sparkling play mate. Tinkerbell lives! Only a mile, only a few minutes stolen from a hectic weekend. Yet these minutes are the ones remembered. All the people and paperwork are forgotten, all the checks on the checklist are faded and filed. But the beckoning laughter of the brook still calls me to follow, follow The Trail. 1 mile this hike NY 34 to Sand Bank Rd Tompkins County, New York 52 miles total NCT

The great plans Marie and I made for backpacking have been put on hold. A broken bone in her foot reformulated our outing for the summer of 1993 to a week of camp ing with short hikes. We had a wonderful, wacky week at Apple River Canyon, Illinois. Marie's teenage son, David, joined us; and my new puppy, Chips, began to learn tent etiquette. But it was not on "The Trail."

M.y mother's condition has deteri orated. She only occasionally recog nizes me on my twice-yearly visits to New York. So here I am, spending Memorial Day Weekend frenetically trying to make many short visits to her bedside at an Ithaca nursing home. This way there are more chances that she might be alert at one of these times. There is a renter in the house to check on. There are legal and banking issues to be attended to. Marie has met me at her parents' house in Waverly, which is a reasonable distance from Ithaca to use for our home base. They are a generous, caring couple. But I am overwhelmed with people and responsibilities. The weekend has been a mad rush from one town and appointment to another.

As we drive route 34 from Ithaca toward Waverly yet one more time, checking our watches, we surrender to the call of the woods. We decide to park just opposite Treman Park and hike in the other direction (from the autumn hike) for a short dis tance. Construction of a new inter section has made the area a dusty, rock-strewn mess. But this is a holi day and the bulldozers sit idle. The equipment tracks form a good place where I can maneuver my little 4- wheel drive Colt safely off the road. So far so good. We find blazes lead ing along the edge of a hot field and then up a rocky creekbed lined with softwood trees: cottonwood and pussy willow. The sun beats with August fervor on our heads and

One Crystal, Sunlit Moment May 28, 1994

Page 26

selves again. The difference is the weight carried, FSO. Somehow I subtracted 110 from 153 and got 33 pounds. I have been carrying 43 pounds in a pack which was not ini tially adjusted properly. I feel stupid about the math, but lots better about my fitness!

We reach Marie's car in good time. A man in a pickup truck, with his two young daughters, sees us emerge from the woods at the road edge and asks where we have been. We tell him we just hiked from Darraugh. He is incredulous, even when we explain that it took us three days. He wishes us well and drives on. Our car is parked near a cold stream. We soak our overheated feet and also wish ourselves well at a small but most definite beginning. 33 miles this hike Darraugh to Mayfield Kalkaska and Grand Traverse Counties, Michigan 51 miles total NCT

CROWNED CLAVARIA peek« oat of a knothole.


installs industrial wood-burning sys tems from Maine to Georgia, and from Texas to Washington. Most have been supplied to companies that generate wood waste to use as fuel (such as sawmills). The largest burner burns a semi-trailer of saw dust every three hours.

Bob says: "I've lived here in the North

woods (about 3 miles from the for mer terminus of the Trail on C.T.H. "A") all of my life, except when away getting an education. I greatly enjoy being in the woods, both hik ing and working on the trail. My regret is that more hikers are not using it."

BOB NORLIN id the new chairman of the Great La/cu Trail Council

The Great Lakes Trail Council, composed of chapter officers and other representatives from Wiscon sin and the Upper Peninsula of Mi chigan, has elected Robert W. (Bob) Norlin from the Brule-St. Croix chapter as its chairman. Bob succeeds Pat Miller, who moved to Minnesota last year but graciously agreed to stay on as Great Lakes chair.

Bob eventually may also fill Pat Miller's seat on the national Board of Directors and will be eligible to run for election as the Great Lakes Council nominee at the annual elec tion by the members next Summer. Pat's term expires at the next annual conference in Caznovia, NY, in August 2001.

If you didn't know Bob already, you may have met him in the last issue of the North Star, where he was featu~ed in Joan Young's Heart and Sole column because of his excep tional trail building prowess.

Bob is the President and majority stockholder of a company which

Great Lakes Council Elects New Chairman

By Ginny Ruppe Headwaters, Chapter

We're back!

Due to the diligence of John and Pat Leinen, the Headwaters Chap ter of the North Country Trail Association is once again going for ward. Rod MacRae, who has given many hours of his time over the last 14 and more years as Minnesota coordinator of the Headwaters Chapter, has stepped down and John and Pat stepped in to fill the void.

They put together a very encour aging meeting last Fall at Fort Snelling Park in Minneapolis. About 30 members attended the potluck picnic meeting on a beautiful, warm fall day. Tables were set up with literature on the work already done on the trail and what more needs to be done. Shirts, caps and cups were available for purchase with the money going for trail expenses.

John presided over the meeting and described how far we have come on the North Country trail, what more we need to do and went on to ask for help in seeing that the work does continue.

Many members signed up to pledge their willingness to help in different areas. If you were unable to attend but would like to offer your assistance, contact John or Pat Leinen at (651) 433-4456. I am sure it will be much appreciated. A word of warning-you just may become infected with John's contagious enthusiasm for the trail.

John, who also served two terms on the national Board of Directors of the Directors and as Vice Presi dent for Trails, West, is the coordi nator for the State of Minnesota for the NCTA. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota.

t':t~ h I N :~~~ T ere s ew Impetus in Minnesota


Early projects planned by the chapter: rerouting sections of the trail in the Jordan Valley were three culverts come together; placement of a sign indicating a lookout loop near Harmon and a "Scenic Lookout" sign there and measures to block intruding ATV traffic along the Warner Creek Pathway.

-Titta6awaMee Newa AMERICAN HIKING Society's vacation volunteer program pro vides workers for trail projects throughout the United States. To show the appreciation of the North Country Trail Association for the work done by the volunteers in Moraine State Park in Pennsyl vania, the Rock chapter (one of the NCTA's newest centered in Slippery Rock, PA) hosted a dinner for the volunteers at the park's Davis Hollow Outdoor Center.

- Rocle Chapter and verae NATIONAL PARK SERVICE has certified trail in the Lowell State Game and in the Rogue River State Game area, built by the Western Michigan chapter.

Other chapter highlights: Paula and Doug Wilbur built .8

miles of new trail in Fallasburg County Park. Paula plans to extend the trail north this year and also plans to mark the trail through the City of Lowell. (Lowell is the site of the new NCTA national headquar ters. See article on of this issue of the North Star.

This past year, the chapter com pleted two foot bridges across Hillbrand and Hickory Creeks in the Rogue River Game area and mowed 22 miles of the trail from 17-Mile road in Kent County to the Long Lake County Park.

Next, the chapter will build a bridge and a 90-foot long walk across Bigelow Creek in southern Newaygo County. The bridge is part of the plan to reroute the trail around the south side of Twinwood Lake which will eliminate the road walk along 40th St. and Spruce St.

-Due North

neighbors to keep them from chew ing up the new construction.

Projects for 2001, include trail improvements and bridge construc tion in Camp Sam Wood in Pike, NY, June 18-22; trail improvements and Woodchuck Hollow Lean-to replacement in the Taylor Valley State Forest, Aug. 20-24, and trail improvements to reduce slope and correct wet areas in Allegheny State Park, Sept. 18-22.

Volunteers interested in joining the crews can receive applications from the FLTC Service Center.

-Finger La/cu Trail Conference Quarterly

THE SECTION of trail in Michigan managed by the Tittabawassee Chapter is reported in good shape after extensive maintenance during 2000 by Arden Johnson, Lyle Bialk, Larry Lonsway, Jerry Allen, Gary Johnson and others.

(Arden, former national treasurer of the North Country Trail Associ ation and board member, was also state coordinator for the Lower Peninsula for many years and responsible for a great deal of route planning and construction in Michigan.)

Page 28

CENTRAL NEW YORK chapter has embarked on a challenging task: constructing a three segment, 90- foot stairway to negotiate a steep ravine slope on the trail. Major problems: a large fallen tree cross wise to the slope and the transporta tion of material to the site.

The chapter also is concerned about hillside segments in the Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area. Poor soil conditions, rutted old wagon trails, heavy rainfall and illegal incursions of all-terrain vehi cles resulted in significant damage. Trail relocations are being explored with state employees.

- Central NY Chapter New» WITH THE ADDITION of Pat and Bob Seward, of Battle Creek, the Chief Noonday Chapter in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, now numbers 149 members, second in size only to the Western Michigan chapter, our oldest.

- Chief Noonday Newaletter BRULE/ST. CROIX chapter pro posed to the village of Solon Springs and the Town of Solon Springs that the North Country Trail be routed through Lucius Woods Park and the Douglas Wildlife area over land owned by these two governments. The route lies about mile west of the original planned route but still within the NCT-approved corridor.

The new route, while somewhat less scenic, is on property that remains in long-term public owner ship. It will also permit crossing four-lane US-53 at a safe location with good visibility. Better yet, there is an access road with a flat area for trailhead parking already in place.

-Brule/St. Croix Chapter New« ALLEY CAT TRAIL crew of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, an NCTS Affiliate, finished three out houses and picnic tables at each lean-to in Allegheny State Park last Fall; it was the crew's last major project of the 2000 season. Earlier the crew discovered a preservative for its structure that apparently is distasteful enough to porcupine

Reporting from the North Country Scenic Trail Excerpts from Chapter Newsletters

January - March 2001' North Star: The Magazine of the North Country Trail

,,

...iiiYiillii6ilililiMiiaiiiijlillil Sage NCNST T-shirt (C-103) North Country National Scenic Trail - Just Beyond Your Backdoor. It's made of heavy weight, 100% cotton, color sage, and features a front design in brick red, forest green, and ivory. The trail line on

the map is actually a list of all seven state names. (color: sage) Was - S, M, L, XL: ~ XXL: $.ll..9.5 Now S, L, XL: $8.25 XXL: $8.95 Trail Crew T-shirt (c102) A TRAIL CREW shirt for volunteers! Tan 50/50 blend. Two color design on front with map and a "fired up" volunteer. (color: tan) M, L, XL: $8.95 XXL: $9.95

c. Moss Green Cap (C206) ••••••••••••••• $14.95 Embroidered association logo. Low profile distressed washed cotton twill. Constructed with soft lining. Adjustable buckle on fabric strap.

D. Light Khaki/Navy Cap (C207) $14.95 Trail emblem design. Low profile washed cotton, unconstructed. Light Khaki crown with washed navy bill. Adjustable buckle on fabric strap.

E. Royal Mesh-Back Cap (C201) •••••••• $10.95 Mesh back, cotton twill front, royal blue, plastic snap strap.

Back Design

NCTA T-Shirt (c101) Pre-shrunk cotton "Beefy-T". Three color NCTA logo on front and two-color trail map on back. Slogan on back reads "Going the Distance on the North Country National Scenic Trail" and includes the seven state map of the trail. (color: natural) S, M, L, XL: $11.95 (color: natural) XXL: $12.95

T-Shirts

The North Country National Scenic Trail compass point design on a bucket hat in a tone on tone khaki color. Washed cotton, one size fits most. B. "Denim'' Blue Cap (c203) $15.95 "Pro-wash" cotton twill with extended bill, deep blue crown and bill (looks like denim), adjustable buckle on a leather strap.

HATS (Clockwise from bottom)

A. Natural Colored "Bucket Hat" (C208) •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• $16.95

Detailed informa tion and maps highlighting the longest and best off-road segments of the Trail. These are accurate route descriptions by experienced guidebook writers who''11ave waUC'ed the sections with a measuring wheel. In easy to use looseleaf form. Penn$Ylvan1a

NCT in Pennsylvania, 37pp (M201) $5.25 Ohio

Wayne National Forest , 14pp (M301) •••••••••• $3.00 Burr Oak - Sinking Spring, s1pp (M302) ••••••• $7 .00 Sinking Spring to Milford, 38pp (M303} ••••••• $6.00 Milford to Lake Loramie S.P., 42pp (M304A) •• $7.00 Little Miami Scenic Park, 19pp (M304J ••••••••• $3.00 Miami & Erie Canal, 14pp (M3os) $3.00 Miami & Erie Canal from Lake Loramie S.P. to Napoleon, 30pp (M3o5A) ••••••••••••••••••••••• $5.00

M;ichf_gan NCT m Lower Michigan, a1pp {M401) •••••••• $12.50 NCT in Upper Michigan, aapp (M402) $13.00

Wiscan$in Chequamegon N.F. and Brule River S.F., 19pp (Mso1) •••••••••••••••••••• $3.50 Iron County Forests; Chequamegon N.F., Brule River S.F., 21pp (Mso1A) ••••••••••••••••••• $4.50

M1nnesota Chippewa National Forest, Itasca S.P., 24pp,(M601) •••••••••••••••••••••••••• $4.00

Nort~ Dakota NCT in North Dakota 1spp (M101) •••••••••••••• $5.00

Certified Sections of the North Country Trail by Byron and Margaret Hutchins

NCT Map Sets NEW TRAIL MAPS Printed in full color on durable paper these new maps come in a clear plastic bag to assure complete water protection. They have been carefully field checked for accuracy. Each map unfolds to a full 11" x 17''. MI: Huron-Manistee NJ.: North Segment (T40!J .••••••••. $8.0 MI: Battle Creek to Chief Noonday Road (T402J $6. PA: McConnells Mill and Moraine State Parks (T201) $5.0 PA: Allegheny National Forest North Section (T202) •.••• $6.50 PA: Southern Allegheny National Forest and Cook Forest State Park (T203) $8.00

INCTA Trail Building and Maintenance Manual by Thomas Reimers (L101) This great manual for volunteers provides helpful guidelines and suggestions for planning, construction and continued maintenance of the North Country Trail. It covers rural and roaded natural, semi-primitive and primitive trail. 22pp $2.00

the 6fuff//::is North Country National Scenic Trail Mug (P103) NEW plastic trail mug tapered to fit in cup holder $5.00

Canvas Tote Bag (P124) Light blue silk screen pattern of trees with NCT blue blaze. 17" x 141/2" with bottom gusset. Webbed hand carrying straps. Great for groceries or books. $ 7 .50

,·· i.'- Y (.. , m•::J i :g ::::

Volunteer Patch (P121) 1" x 311/' •.••..•..•..••.•..••.•••.••.••..••... $1.50 ea. State Patches 2" x 2" New York (P126), Pennsylvania (P127), Ohio (P128), Michigan (P129), Wisconsin (P13o), Minnesota (P131), North Dakota (P132) $2.00 ea. Round Patch (P122) 3" North Country Trail Association $3.00 ea. Patch of Trail Emblem 31/z'' bottom measure North Country Trail emblem triangle design (P12s) $3.50 ea.

age 30

Hiking Stick Medallions Add the NCNST insignia to your hiking stick. Brass Hiking Stick Medallion on Left (P104) $4.00 Brass painted in color Hiking Stick Medallion on right (P105) $4.00

(M411) SE Lenawee Co. to W. Calhoun Co. (M412) NE Kalamazoo Co. to SE Newaygo Co. (M413) SE Newaygo Co. to NW Wexford Co. (M414) NW Wexford Co. to SE Charlevoix Co. (M415) Charlevoix Co. to Mackinaw City (M416) St. Ignace to SE Marquette Co. (M417) Marquette area to Ironwood

Mfnnef: &i11 to the North C untry Trai ~ pewa National Forest by Roden~k MacRae ( 611) Descripti n of the r ute and trail log, east o west. W nderfully written b · a Chippe National Forest ex ert. 12 a es $1.25

Pins The Trail Emblem cloisonne pin is 7/s" and features the updated North Country triangle design. The National Millennium Trail pin is 1/2" x 11/4" in vivid red, white and blue with a gold metallic border $3.00 ea.

Trail Emblem (P102) Millennium (P2000)

Buckeye Trail (Ohio) Section Maps These convenient and detailed maps cover the North Country Trail where it overlaps with the Buckeye Trail. they are published by the Buckeye Trail Association. Each map $3.50 Belle Valley (M311) Morgan, Noble and

Guernsey Counties Bowerston (M312) Harrison, C~ll and

Guernse~fourities ~ (!.r.een-1nd Wa~(en Counties

(M3i4}'1lefiance, Paulging, Putnam Henry and Wo~ Counties

Delph s (M315) Putnam, Allen nd Auglaize Coun 'es

Lovela d (M316) Clermont, Wa en and Hamilton Coy ties

Massilon (M317) Stark and Tu,Scarawas Countie New S raitsville (M318) Athen~l;lo'cking, Morgan,

Per[Y,Counties Ho'Cll'ihg, Ross and Vfhton Counties

Scioto Trail Ross and Pike Counties Sinking Spring Adams, Pike and

Highland Counties St. Marys Auglaize and Shelby Counties Stockport Morgan, Perry and

Athens Counties Troy (M324) Greene, Miami and

Montgomery Counties West Union (M325) Adams and Brown Counties Williamsburg (M326) Brown and Clermont Counties

Michigan Map Sets by Arden Johnson An excellent reference for the entire North Country Trail in Michigan. Includes all off-road segments and suggests on-road routes where the trail is incomplete. Also provides good general information about access points, terrain, markers, camping and water, etc. $4.00 per set

By Jim DuFresne From one of Michigan's leading outdoor writers comes this compre hensive guide to the best trails in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Each hike write-up contains all the basic information you need: access, parking, trail dis tance and difficulty, hiking time, contour map, and explicit trail directions. Formerly titled 50 Hikes in Lower Michigan. 252pp, (L109} $15.00

50 Hikes in Michigan

By Jim DuFresne. This detailed guidebook provides backpackers, hikers, campers, and skiers with all the information they need to plan a trip to the tranquil Porkies in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Includes history, wildlife in the park, fishing

opportunities, cabins and shelters, camping areas, family day hikes with complete information on trails, access points, waterfalls and backcountry treks. 160pp, (L108) $11.95

Porcupine Mountains

r1cTuRm ROCKS An Illustrated Guide Nl\TIONAL Ll\Kr:snoRe by Olive Anderson.

A GUIDE The centerpiece of the North Country National Scenic Trail. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a rugged, beautiful, and unique coast on the Lake Superior Shore. This

revised guidebook includes maps, and excellent descriptions of the many recreational opportunities available at Pictured Rocks. 56pp, (L110} $6.95

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

By John G. Hipps, M.D. Stories recount the full spectrum of humankind's experi ences. Sometimes informative anded ucational, frequent ly humorous, often whimsical, the stories will entertain and charm you with their simple philosophy, wisdom and wit.

Includes advice on home remedies, herbal and alternative medicine that promotes the common sense caring of one's self. 363pp, (L115} $19.95

By Dennis R. Hansen Michigan trail enthusiasts, don't get caught without this atlas! 2nd Edition includes maps and descriptions for over 600 hiking, biking, skiing, and nature trails in Michigan. Search by location or types of use. 581pp, (L102} $29.95

Trail Atlas of Michigan

The Country Doctor, Alive and Well

Comprehensive guide for be.ginning J\. '·.•· .· 'V'UIV'l'R'S wanderers and those explonng new llAl 11 Ala coun~. Choosing prope~ clothing~ B. lft.DBO·OK selecting footware and ramgear, usmg · . a map and compass, predicting hike ' AnAU!'~:.~:Gu•d• difficulty, when to tum around, managing food and water, weather lore, walking techniques, traveling with kids, first aid, and more. Many short features, fun tips and anecdotes. 216pp, (L107) $14.95

Dayhiker's Handbook By J. Long s M. Hodgson

A truly fresh look at hiking. Read about: philosophy of hiking, stress management, creativity and hiking, and trail romance. Also, explore today's issues through hiking: strengthening family ties, improving communication, a healthy lifestyle for kids, an inexpensive pastime and providing seniors with a natural prescription for health. A new twist for anyone who currently enjoys hiking and for those who are thinking about starting out. 245pp, (L106) $14.95

Hiking! By Philip Farranti and Cecilia Leyva

By Tim and Christine Connors Tired of gorp, cereal bars, and jerky? Would you like to dine on spaghetti, chicken salad, and cheesecake in the backcountry? Here is a guide to satisfying,sUillptuous dining on the trail. You no longer have to sacrifice nutrition for taste. A new kind of outdoor cookbook, this all-in-one guide is filled with trail-tested recipes providing at home preparation directions, trailside cooking instructions, and nutritional information. 232pp, (L118} $15.95

lipsmackin' Backpackin'

Lessons from the Appalachian Trail. Blending sage advice with personal experiences and anecdotes, this unusually thoughtful, highly readable account of long-distance trekking on the AT. Mueser draws upon extensive interviews to examine unorthodox yet relevant topics. He covers all the questions providing the basis for planning your own long-distance hike. 180pp, (L111) $16.95

By Tim Smith and Mark Herrick One whole lot of fun! Buck Wilder and his pal Rascal the Raccoon share their considerable wisdom and wit. Wonderful color illustrations are filled with humor and countless tips and trivia. Though at first glance this looks like a book for kids, adults also find this guide irresistible and informative. 64pp, (L103) $12.95

Buck Wilder's Hiking & Camping Guide

Scenes of the NCT throughout the year. $8.50 (L2001)

Please mail, fax or phone your order to: 49 Monroe Center NW, Suite 200B

Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Toll free telephone: 888-454-NCTA

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By Wm. Chad McGrath Follow in the footsteps of the early voy agers, ramble beside river rapids, trek through tall trees, and savor a scenic overlook as you discover some of Minnesota's finest walking trails. In this book, Chad McGrath guides you to some of the state's most beautiful and interesting paths. 168pp, (L117) $16.95

Special T-Shirt Sale Commemorative Bridge Walle 2000 t-shirt. Get it now while supplies last. Beautiful photo of the Mackinac bridge with seven state map of trail. s. M, L Was $11.95 Now $8.50 (P2001)

2001 Calendar

Great Minnesota Walks

Great Wisconsin Walks

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Page 32

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Following the NCT

By Wes Boyd Third By Wm. Chad Edition of Following McGrath the North Country Experience the National Scenic Trail. serenity of a A Classic! Includes stately birch general descriptions forest, the rush of of the Trail and a river in spring efforts to build it in and the excite each of our seven ment of an urban states. This new amble as you dis edition also includes cover Wisconsin's appendices on finest walking

through-hiking the NCT and the history trails, In this of the Trail and the Association. 96pp, book, Chad McGrath guides you to some (L112) $4.95 of the state's most beautiful and

~ interesting paths. Whether you are in ~I' coUNT~t> search of a long, healthful hike in the

~~ ..(' )'>,. woods or a short, casual stroll in the . &"'~ ~ ~1.v. city. Great Wisconsin Walks will help you ~·~ plan your route. 160pp, (L116) $16.95

•ASSOCIATION•

By Adrienne Hall You'll find the knowledge and skills you

need to become a self-sufficient backpacker. Yes, you can light a camp stove ... set up a tent by your self. .. take your kids with you - and keep them entertained ...

survive (and even learn to love) a week in the woods without hot showers! Hall's fresh perspective and up-to-date presentation of techniques and equipment provide all the tools you need to become a confident, comfor table, capable backpacker! 160pp, (L113) $14.95

Trail Shop Order Form

Woman's Guide to Backpacking

Michigan: Reps.Peter Hoekstra, James Barcia, David Bonior, Dale Kildee, Bart Stupak and Bruce Vento.

Ohio: Rep. Bob Portman. Finally, we' re especially grateful

to Rep. Ralph Regula, of Ohio, for his ongoing support for trails and his willingness to fight for much needed appropriations.

Willing Seller Update Over the past two years, we put

up one heck of a fight to secure the authority needed for the National Park Service (NPS) to purchase land to permanently protect our trail corridor. As you may know, when our trail was authorized by Con gress in 1980, this authority was denied. Lacking this authority cre ates a major obstacle to completing and protecting the trail. So, we've been trying to get Congress to change its mind, but only in the case of willing sellers.

In early summer of 2000, the House of Representatives passed what we call the Willing Seller Bill. Yet, despite the support of key Senators from both sides of the aisle, we were never able to get the bill out of the Senate Committee and to the floor for a vote. Eleventh hour concerns over condemnation authority, which the bill didn't even have, not to mention the distractions of the election, held the Bill up.

There is a lot of good news to be salvaged in this, though. The Bill specifically excludes condemnation authority, so on this issue only more reassurances are needed. Also, although we need to start from scratch with the new Congress, we have a lot of ducks already in a row. We expect that the Bill will move more quickly and smoothly through the various steps we were able to get past in the previous Congress, allow ing us to focus more intently on clearing the final hurdles. Thanks to everyone who helped us get this far!

Page 33

Washington and spoke with Sen ators and Representatives whose districts border the trail and with influential members of the appropri ation committees.

Friendly legislators helped a great deal to assure the funding and it cer tainly would be appropriate if our members expressed their thanks with a note to those who were espe cially helpful in the bi-partisan effort. Sen. Herb Kohl, of Wiscon sin, and Rep. Maurice Hinchey, of New York, who sit on their respec tive Appropriations Sub-Committees on the Department of Interior, were direct spokesmen for the funding in the House and Senate committees.

On the Senate side, Sens. Carl Levin (Michigan) and Herb Kohl (Wisconsin) co-authored a "Dear Colleague" letter urging their sup port of the appropriation. The letter was signed by Sens. Spencer Abraham of Michigan, Mike De Wine of Ohio, Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Charles Schumer of New York and Paul Wellstone of Minnesota.

On the House side, Rep. Vernon Ehlers and James Oberstar of Minnesota co-authorized a similar letter to their colleagues which was signed by:

New York: Reps. Sherwood Boehlert and Amo Houghton.

Pennsylvania: Reps. Philip English and Ron Klink.

Friendly legulator.:1 helped a great deal to assure the funding and it certainly wou/J he appropriate if our members expredded their tbank» with a note to tho.:1e who were upecially helpful in the bi-partisan effort.

A well-prepared and vigorous lobby effort in Congress last Spring, paid off this Winter with some much needed extra appropria tions for the National Park Service and a resultant increase in funding for the North Country National Scenic Trail.

Congress appropriated an addi tional $175,000 for the Trail which will result in an additional income of $87,500 for the year 2001 budget of the North Country Trail Association.

The higher budget will permit the Association to shore up funding for our cartography program which hopes to triple the percentage of mapped trail next year (details in a story on Page 16); increase field grants to our chapters and partners and reduce the chronic budget deficit.

The $175,000 appropriation breaks down as follows: Ten per cent, or $17,500 goes to the regional NPS office in Omaha for emergency needs in other parks of its region; $87,500 will be allocated to the NCTA and the remaining $70,000 to the NPS Madison office. The Madison office will use the appro priation to hire a land protection specialist and to create a part-time position that will provide greater service to our chapters and partners.

The lobby effort, well-prepared by Executive Director Bob Papp, Margie Kindel, NCTA program manager and other NCTA staffers, benefited greatly from the participa tion of Gary Werner, Chairman of the Partnership for the National Trails System, and the legislative staff of the American Hiking Soci ety, which sponsors an annual Trail Advocacy Week in Washington, DC each Spring.

Bob Papp, Bob Tait, Pennsyl vania state coordinator and Derek Blount, our legislative chairman, both members of the National Board of Directors, attended in

Congress Increases Trail Funding ........................................

·lie Affairs ...............


" ... We've built ano connected seqment» totaling one thiro of the trail'.1 total length, creating cre'JiJJility, legitimacy, and some excellent recreational opportunities. We've built an orqanizationai infrastructure of volunteer» ano partners, nearly covering the trail from eno to eno ... ".

volunteers. Now, we have six employees, one intern and lots of really great volunteers. So, with a bittersweet mixture of fond memo ries and intense relief, last year we decided it was time to move again.

There's a lot more to this story, though, than just another move. Above, I asked rhetorically if this upheaval was "the end." To answer my own question, I sense that this definitely is an end. We have spent the last two decades laying founda tions. We've built and connected segments totaling one third of the trail's total length, creating credibili ty, legitimacy, and some excellent recreational opportunities. We've built an organizational infrastruc ture of volunteers and partners, nearly covering the trail from end to end. We've established a viable and vibrant headquarters, with a life that has exceeded the capacity of its tem porary housing. We've secured our first million dollars to permanently protect the trail, and in just a few years have doubled federal base funding for trail operations. In short, we've grown up.

Marking our twentieth anniver sary, the relocation of our national headquarters is symbolic of the dra matic evolution of our Association. Our new location is just one half block from the trail, in a storefront that is easily accessible to the public, and has ample space for future growth. Within a year, we expect to have a full-time development direc tor on staff, to begin raising the seri ous money we will need in a new era of trail construction and protec tion. We also have set the goal of establishing regional support centers

Rapids. Modest digs, yes, but with the addition of a part-time office manager, the NCTA was growing.

Over the next five years, that growth was reflected in areas that matter much more than office accommodations. Membership quadrupled. Chapters exploded across the trail's seven states. Hundreds of new trail miles were completed and certified by our growing corps of volunteers.

The life of our national headquar ters paralleled our growth in the field. We moved to our second office in 1996, in downtown Grand Rapids. With a view of a back alley (some 18 miles from the trail), the new office felt like an airplane hangar. But, we took just four years to become overcrowded. This office started with two employees and no

By Bob Papp Executive Director

bout the time you read this olumn, I expect the national eadquarters of the North

Country Trail Association to be in a state of complete and utter up heaval. Files will be strewn about (not that this would be all that unusual), furniture will be tipped on end (we actually tried this once as a way to fit in more desks, but it did n't work so well), and strangers will be hauling off everything they can get their hands on. ls this the end?

If you already knew that this year marks the twentieth anniversary of the NCTA, then you must be a long time member or a stickler for details. Either way, we're glad you're with us and still rooting for the trail.

Our earliest members, who we affectionately call our "charter members," officially founded the NCTA way back in 1981. Just think of what must have been burn ing inside that handful of volunteers when they decided to form an organization to build a hiking trail across seven states. A lot of faith, I would imagine. Faith that fellow hikers across the nation would hear the call and understand in their hearts what it meant. Faith that the idea would spread and catch hold in pockets along the trail, and that a movement would grow from the spark of their hopes.

As an organization, the NCTA grew gradually from those roots. A one-room school house in White Cloud, Michigan served as the head quarters for what, for many years, was an entirely volunteer effort. Regular meetings were held at the site, an hour north of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and about one and a quarter miles from the trail.

A decade after being formed, the NCTA hired its first staff member, a part-time executive director. For the next four years, the Association was managed from home offices of its part-time staff. Then, in 1995, a small office was sublet in a complex on the southeast side of Grand Page 34

We're Marking Our 20th Anniversary with All Kinds of Major Moves


Please mail, fax or phone your order to: 49 Monroe Center NW, Suite 2008 • Grand Rapids, Ml 49503

Toll free telephone: 888-454-NCTA (888-454-6282) If ordering by credit card you may fax your order to:

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to directly assist volunteers and the public and to work more closely with our many partners.

We see an exciting future ahead, as the NCTA steps up to meet the full challenge of the North Country Trail. We are deeply grateful to the Lowell Area Community Fund, for it's help with the move and its con tribution toward our development director. And, of course, everything we've achieved to date is due to the hard work, dedication and faith con tributed by our countless volunteers and partners over the past two decades.

Happy Twentieth Anniversary NCTA!

" ... Ererything we're achiered to date i.d due to the hard work, dedicatwn and faith contributed by our countless oolunteere and partner» over the past two decadu ... "


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Sponsored by:

To begin your membership complete

this form and send it with ______________ __, your $18 payment to:

North Count~ Trail Association 49 Monroe Center NW

Suite 200B --.,--'==--~,---""-'of'-------'------~ Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Our Sponsored Membership Program allows current members to sign up new members at an introductory rate of just $18.00. To qualily, Sponsored Members 1111Mtbe new to NCTA, or not have been members for a least two years. The $18.00 rate is good only for the first year of membership. To use the program, just fill in your name in the "Sponsored by:" box. Then, give the form to your friend to finish. Please choose your affiliation (check one): D Member of a specific Chapter: _

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Sponsored Membership Form

Terms Expiring Terms Expiring Terms Expiring in 2001 in 2002 in 2003 David Cornell Mary Lucas Werner Veit At-Large At-Large At-Large 514 Cordes Road 753 Davenport St. 49 Monroe Center, Delton, MI 49046 Rhinelander, WI 54501 Ste. 200B (616) 623-8659 (715) 362-0616 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 [email protected] [email protected] (888) 454-NCTA Bob Tait Amy Clark wv [email protected] At-Large At-Large Joan Young 212 E. Metzger Ave. 1646 Capitol Way, At-Large Butler, PA 16001 Apt. 101 861 West US 10 (724) 287-3382 Bismarck, ND 58501 Scottville, MI 49454 [email protected] (701) 223-8659 (231) 757-2205 Pat Miller [email protected] [email protected] Great Lake» Trail Derek Blount Richard Harris Council Chair At-Large At-Large 15737 65th Avenue 906 N. Alexander 974 SOM Center Road Milaca, MN 56353 Royal Oak, MI 48067 Mayfield, OH 44143 (320) 983-5643 (248) 548-1737 (440) 449-7467 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Anthony (Tony) HowardBeye Lynn Waldron Rodriquez AL/egheny-Aoironoack Ohio-Michigan &.it DiviJion Trail Council Chair Trail Council Chair 127 Manor Drive 202 Colebourne Rd. 8133 Norris Road Syracuse, NY 13214 Rochester, NY 14609 Delton, MI 49046 (315) 446-3586 (716) 288-7191 (616) 623-5340 Gaylord Yost [email protected] [email protected] Wut Divuion Helen Coyne Daryl Williamson 2925 W. Bradley Rd. East Dioision WeJt Division. River Hills, WI 212 Willow Circle 5901 Tirnberglade Drive 53217-2052 Cranberry Township, Bloomington, MN 55438 (414) 354-8987 PA 16066-4572 (612) 835-2186 [email protected] (724) 776-0678

[email protected]

•ASSOCIATION•

North Country Trail Association National Board

of Directors

Information: Just call our office at 888-454-NCTA ( 6282) and ask for a copy of the Schoolhouse brochure!

The Schoolhouse is maintained and managed by volunteers from our own Western Michigan Chapter.

Who Runs It?

Where Is It? 5 miles NW of White Cloud, Michigan, nestled in the southern region of the Huron-Manistee National Forest.

What's It For? NCTA's Schoolhouse makes an ideal hostel for your hikes through lower Michigan. It includes a shower, cots, and a kitchenette. It's also a great site for meetings or retreats!

Rent the NCTA's One Room Schoolhouse!


Uniform Marking Dear North Star Editor:

Over the past two years, the Chequamegon Chapter of NCTA has undertaken the task of remark ing the entire 60 miles the trail cov ers through the Chequamegon NF. To date, we have completed one seg ment in the Marengo River area, and have totally remarked the 13 or 14 miles between the Rainbow Lakes and Porcupine Lakes wilder ness areas on the west side of the Chequamegon NF part of the trail.

However, as we continue to work on this project, at times we have found some confusion in the Forest Service regulations governing trail marking. One example: we have repainted existing yellow diamonds boundary blue to match the bound ary blue blazes we have painted only to find out at the end of the season, that we should leave the yellow diamonds and simply paint new blazes.

In addition, there is now some question whether we should paint blazes - or instead nail plastic blazes to posts or trees as they do in some other sections of the trail.

I understand that the trail mark ing regulations vary from area to area, depending on which National Forest has jurisdiction. My point here is that the entire trail would benefit from uniform trail marking regulations and application.

Peter Scbmitz; Treasurer Chequamegon Chapter

BiLLMenlce

From Forest Service: Dear BiLL-

Thanks for the fine article in the October-December North Star. John (Romanowski) shared the article with me this morning. We are pleased with the level of collabora tion between our two agencies on the North Country Trail.

It is not always an easy job, but with players at the table the current and future values of the Trail are being managed well. Thanks again for your role and in sharing the results of the field visit.

Don Meyer Deputy Regional Forester Eastern Region, R-9 [email protected]

Bill replies: Dear Md. Speedy,

I'm happy that you receive and enjoy the North Star. Thanks for the feedback. It is always our objective to protect/advocate for the North Country Trail, while at the same time presenting a balanced view point based on knowledge and awareness of natural resource man agement principles. The USFS is a strong partner with us in this en deavor and does an admirable job (especially on the Allegheny) of pro tecting the trail-especially consid ering their budget/staffing cuts over the last decade."

who I understand had a lot to do with the preservation of old growth in Ander's Run.)

"I am certainly happy that North Star was available for you to voice this opinion, and I hope the message gets spread to more people.

Loree Speedy [email protected]

LETTERS The article in the Fail iuue of the

North Star by the National Parle Serviced Bill Menke, manager of the North Country National Scenic Trail, regarding the quality of the dtewarddbip along our trail by the U.S. Forest Service in the ALiegheny National Forest, drew appreciative redponded from both hilcerd and the Forest Service.

A sample of the letters:

Pleased to Get Full Story Dear Mr. Menke,

"I want to thank you for your fine and informative article "Good News: Forest Service Excellent NCT Steward in the Allegheny Forest" in the North Star.

I heard about horrible things happening to the NCT in the Allegheny Defense Project's news paper. I so want to be informed of what is happening to our natural resources. And I want to be aware of abuse to the lands and be part of a movement to stop it. But I am beginning to find that some organi zations, who truly mean well, some times will take this immature and uninformed "us against them" atti tude. It can be very frustrating when you primarily want to learn. And still be an environmentalist.

"Being an avid hiker, as well as a field trip chairman for the Botani cal Society of Western Pennsylvania, leads me to many outdoor adven tures with a variety of people. I am learning to listen to the quiet out doors 'person, i.e, the one who spends a lot of time exploring out of doors and actually observing nature. Their advice and opinions seem wise and balanced. (One of my favorite northern Pennsylvania members of the Botanical Society is retired ANF forester Ted Grisez ,

elastWord .......................


Donations Phil and Barb Cutrare Ray and Phyllis Jansma

Gifts of $500 or more Peter and Polly Edmunds Cody Johnecheck David Henshaw Bill Kamman

Irene Szabo Kurt Landauer Alexander and Joan Keilen Werner Veit Richard Mattice Mary Ann King Gifts of $100 to $499 Al and Jean Moberly Herbert Kirker Ada Elementary PTO Paul Montain Carol Kistler BP Amoco Joseph Moyzis Michael Koets Andrew Todd Borsum Fred Muschenheim Stephen and April Kovach Patrick and Christine Newcombe Carole and Loren Pederson Kevin and Patricia Kraay Striders, Inc. Wayne and Laura Pennington Timothy Laclave

Gifts of up to $99 Mike Schaeffer Steven Laderer Joe and Trina Ball Tim Shaw John Larsen Jay and Joyce Billingsley Mari Smith Donald Lowe Donald and Lilliam Black Randy Swanson Maurice and Nicole Malcram Nancy Brucken Tim Travis Greg and Katie Mansor Butler Outdoor Club Rudy and Nancy Van Donk Joe and Diane Martin Raymond and Sara Camilli Steve and Deb Webster Holly Martinchek Peter and Polly Edmunds Neil Whitbeck Clifton McQueen John and Jennifer Farnsworth New Members Nelson Meade Milton Griffin Jeffrey Baker Gordon Meeusen Larry Hawkins Edward Baugh Ron Miller Ronald Hoch Donald Baxter Keith Monson Richard and Phyllis Jameson Jason Beam David and Katheryn Morse John Hopkins Univ. Dept of Physics Jim and Jill Bergenham Cathy Muha Floyd Kellogg Stephan Bergenham Gordon and Vernie Nethercut Hamdi and Connie Rammal Diane Bick Deborah Nighswander Keith and Ardath Robertson Robert Bloye Paul Numsen Nancy Schlager Robert Brierly Judy Pangman Ken, Jane and Maxwell Schroder Frank Burggraf Richard Parks Arie Soderbloom Kathleer Carlile Derrick Passe Kim Whitehead Phillip Cody Frank Piraino Gaylord and Marlene Yost Deborah Cole Richard and Jean Porter

Memberships William Currie Rusty Price

Phil and Barb Cutrare Mary Reder Organizations Molly Dalton Thomas Reynolds AYH Pittsburgh Council Alphonse Danastasio Keith and Ardath Robertson North Dakota Forest Service Matthew and Stacy Davis Pat Ryan NCT Patron ($250 dues) Andrea Dean Dennis Schoenick Irene Szabo Jim Dee Suzanne Selig

Pathfinders ($100 dues) David and Carol Dixen Matthew Sevcik

David Briggs L. Keith and Donna Ekis Brian Seven

Barb and Brian Buchanan James Ellis Madelyn Snyder

Loyal Eldridge Tim and Noreen Farrell Doug Springborn

Chris and Patti Gilson Mark Finstad Tim Stache

Bill Mansfield Jon Firebaugh Mark Stache

Michael and Erica SanDretto Susan Gorton Carol Staub

Edward Scanlan Peggy Greene Ellen Stephenson

Frank Wanat Richard Harris Matt Stimson

Donald Wickstra John Heiam and Lois Goldstein Mary Swartz

Daryl Williamson Kristin Held Christie Tamblyn David Henshaw Jack and Lisa Tessler

Trail Leaders ($50 dues) Sandra Henson Jessie Thomas John Allen and Edith Maynard Susan Holtzmann Allen Weibel Fred Auch Darlene Hungerford Scott Wheaton Joseph Barnosky Michael Ingels Neil Whitbeck Bob and Nancy Benham Neil Isham Barbara Whitney Charles Benjamin Scott Jacobs Jim Wilson Frank Blumenthal Eleanor Witt Frank Burggraf

~ Douglas Woodcock

Page 38

Trail Supporters Contributions and Special Renewals received from

September 19 through November 30th.


NCT Patrons are individuals or households that generously contribute $250 or more each year in membership dues.

Walter M. Srogi Harmon V. Strong

Irene Szabo

~ NCT Patrons - Shirley Heam

Robert J. Schwartz

Thank You David and Jan Cornell

Greg David

Our business members contribute annual dues of $150 to the NCTA. In addition to supporting a worthy cause, our business members enjoy benefits induding a reduced rate on ads in the North Star, and regular placement of a business logo and contact information both here and within our web site.

225 East Wisconsin Ave. Oconomowoc, WI 53066

(414) 567-6847 10730 West Janesville Rd. Hales Corners, WI 53130

(414) 425-6888

Kalamazoo, Ml 49004 (616) 382-2561

Stores in: Pittsburgh, PA

(412) 364-8078. (412) 835-0315 Monroeville, PA (412) 380-4012

Erie, PA (814) 866-7600

~ NCTA Business Members ~ Thank You

WmterTrips

for Families

or Large Groups Weekend & Extended

Backpacking

Canoeing

Rock Climbing

Customized corporate teambuilding and team management programs.

P.O. Box 1478 Portage, MI 49081 (616) 327-5379

(Teambuilding and Recreational Services)

TRecs Inc.

Harbor Springs Cycling Club P.O. Box 364 <Harbor Springs, Ml 49740

Prairieville Family Inn 10484 S. Norris Rd. • Prairieville, Ml

(616) 623-6150 (A favorite of the

Chief Noonday Trail Crew!)

I~K~~

Bill Prall Touring Gear 108 E. Third St.• (231) 526-7152

Harbor Springs, Ml 49740

Law Offices of Barry S. Cohen

N9661 Willow Rd. Elkhart Lake, WI 53020

(920) 565-4225

Butler County Chamber of Commerce

281 S. Main Street• Butler, PA 16003 (724) 283-2222

Fuii • A.d-ven.~e 311 W. Kilgore• Portage, Ml 49002 • 616-381-7700

Downhill & XC Skiing • Snowboards • Backpacking • Camping Kayaks• Canoes• lnline Skales •Technical Outerwear

Boy Scouts• Adventure & Travel Wear for Men & Womern

MIDWEST MOUNTAINEERING

~~

AGR International


North Country Trail Association 49 Monroe Center, Suite 200 B Grand Rapids, MI 49503

AW11lraa - Socll'1

T1lc R.obett N. u.d Oltbedne L Alt.~·~

The Grand Rapids Foundation

North Star Vol. 20, No. 1 (2001)

Documents

Transcript of North Star Vol. 20, No. 1 (2001)