North Star Vol. 22, No. 2 (2003)

Time to Vote for Board: Ballot on 7 Time to Register - Conference Details Pages 4- 7

MUSH!! Pages

April - June, 2003 The Magazine of the NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL ASSOCIA

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Among those boners in The North Star mentioned earlier, there were a cou ple of real doozies on the Public Affairs Page. Somehow we placed the North Dakota map 'over the list of Senators and Representatives from Minnesota and we had the Minnesota map over the North Dakota folks.

And that's not all. We managed to misname Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA). We (or rather I since your editor wrote and laid out that page) Santorini.

Do your stuff, Irene and save me from my folly!

•

Someday I may stump Aaron Phipps, our art director, with a request for an illustration in The North Star, but the time isn't yet.

When I sent him e-mail asking for a photograph of a pasty, the Upper Peninsula meat pie described on Page 8, the reply came within minutes. He wrote:

"Do you want it with gravy or ketchup?"

(Personally, I like to eat it plain like the Cornish miners who didn't carry gravy in their pockets and never heard of ketchup).

Attendees at our annual conference this Summer-read about the plans beginning on page 4-will taste the pasty as part of the program, but if you are new to Michigan's Upper Peninsula I suggest you make sure you don't pass up another UP specialty available every where, including roadside stands, smoked whitefish.

As my late cross-country skiing buddy used to say when pulling a smoked fish snack out of his pack: "Like eating candy ... "

•

to 10 today. She also explained to

me why my feet got so sore hiking her favorite stretch on the Florida Trail in the Big Cypress Preserve. I expected soft, yielding tread and wore sneakers ... bad research. I walked instead

on oolitic limestone (I'm not making this up) and my bootless feet paid the price.

Irene Szabo's task, as The North Star's newest volun teer, is to look askance at the magazine's pages.

Irene, you see, volunteered to proof read these pages. I would have none of it. Not just proofread but edit, I demand, a skill well within the capabilities of this former English teacher, no matter how brief her tutoring term.

Consequently, you will find her name in modest Franklin Gothic on the opposite page, listed as a contribut ing editor. She becomes honor-bound thereby not only to edit copy but to con tribute an occasional piece herself when not otherwise occupied running her busi ness, presidenting the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, an NCTA affiliate; sitting on the NCTA board, maintaining member ships in the FLTC, NCTA, the Florida Trail Association, the Appalachian Trail Conference, the New York-New Jersey Trail Council, and the Keystone Trail Conference in between maintaining her 20 miles of trail.

Her first article, on 0, follows the profile of the Florida National Scenic Trail by Kent Wimmer and Judy Trotta, another in our series describing our sister national scenic trails.

Kent, the Liaison for the Florida National Scenic Trail, has coordinated the planning, construction, management, and protection of the Florida Trail and has been a long-time volunteer for the Florida Trail Association serving as Vice President of Administration, a member of the Board of Directors, Chair of the Apalachee Chapter and co-editor of the Hiking Guide to the Florida Trail.

Judy has been a member of the Florida Trail Association since 1983 and held several leadership positions in her local chapter in Miami before she was hired by the FTA in 1989 as Office Manager in Gainesville. For the past three years she had been Administrative Director for the FTA and seen the FTA staff grow from two individuals in 1989

Writers addressing The North Star, like Ernie' Clute from the Rock Chapter, tend to be an amiable lot, a quality that comes as a shock to someone who once made his living in daily journalism. For more than 40 years I read mostly nasty letters, accusing me of everything from bias against bee culture to showing disre spect to Republican mothers.

Ernie, like the rest of his flock, on the other hand, writes a sweet and com plimentary letter thanking the magazine for helping him to recall his pleasant hik mg memones.

It's something else to hear from Irene Szabo, the Finger Lakes Trail Conference President you often read about on this page ... and for a good reason. Irene never backed away from an opinion she knew she should hold or failed to wing a zinger this way when I had it coming because of a particularly dumb boner in The North Star.

Just when you're in danger of wal lowing in treacle of goodwill, along comes an icy pail of water dumped unceremoni ously over your inflated head. But there is one large redeeming factor in her onslaught, a quality that makes her a rare bird, or Avis rare as we are wont to write on this page, or rara Avis as some authori ties, including Irene would have it.

Whatever the correct Latin, Irene endears herself to The North Star vol unteers because she does more than just carp; she's no backseat driver (mixed metaphor I can hear her snort). She also presents a solution, bless her.

Beginning with this issue, therefore, you may find the pages of The North Star a little cleaner, a little scarcer in split infinites, a little rarer in sophistry, a little more direct in its declarative sentences, its verbs more active, its sentences less intransitive, its antecedents and pronouns in contented agreement. ·2· .. ·-r·h~- -N~rth. ·st~~-.*. Ap~ii~ j~~~- ·;~~; .

A Cold Bath and Welcome Help from Our New York Colleague

WERNER VEIT

EDITOR'S ~@)u8

............................ -· ... -A~;ii~j~~~-·~~~;· * The North Star 3

The North Star, Spring Issue, Vol. XXII, Issue 2, is published quarrerly by the North Country Trail Association, a private, not for-profit 50 lc(3) organization, 229 East Main Street, Lowell, MI 49331. The North Star is published for promotional and educational purposes and as a benefit of membership in the Association. All rights reserved. No parr of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the North Country Trail Association.

Werner Veit, Editor Bill Menke, Contributing Editor Roger Meyer, Contributing Editor Irene Szabo, Contributing Editor Joan Young, Contributing Editor Aaron Phipps, Arc Director Jennifer Tripp, Production Manager

The North Star Staff:

About the Cover Derek Blount, who photographed the dogs on the cover and the sled ra~es on

Pages 8 and 9, is a former President of the NCTA and a current member of its Board of Directors.

Continued ... Page 18 Also: Annual Conference Page 4 Trail Accessibility Page 24

Our Sister Trails Series

Departments Heart and Sole Page 22 Hiking Calendar Page 23 Hiking Shorts 7 Milestones Page 27 Public Affairs Page 24 Trail Craft Page 28 Trail Shop Page 30 Trail Supporters Page 39

Columns Editor's Note Page 2 Trailhead Page 26 View from Lowell Page 15 View from Madison Page 35

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A Glance Inside

Terms Expiring 2005 Derek Blount, at Large· 906 N. Alexander,

Royal Oak, Ml 48607 · (248) 548-1737 · [email protected]

Helen Coyne, at Large· 212 Willow Circle, Cranberry Township, PA 16066 · (724) 776-0678 · hcoynets'zbzoom.ner

Mary Lucas, at Large · 753 Davenport St., Rhinelander, WI 54501 · (715) 362-0616 · [email protected]

Howard Beye, New York · 202 Colebourne Rd., Rochester, NY 14609 · (585) 288-7191 · [email protected]

Dave Cornell, at Large· 514 Cordes Rd., Deleon, MI 49046 · (616) 623-8659 · [email protected]

Alicia Hoffarth · 435 Fifth Ave. NE, Valley City, ND 58072 · (701) 845-0286 · [email protected]

North Country Trail Association National Board of Directors

Terms Expiring 2003 Werner Veit, at Large · 229 E. Main Sr., Lowell,

MI 49331 · (888) 454-6282 · [email protected] Joan Young, Secretary, at Large· 861 W. USlO,

Scottville, MI 49454 · (231) 757-2205 · [email protected]

Richard Harris, VP East, at Large · 974 SOM Center Rd., Mayfield, OH 44143 · (440) 449- 7467 · [email protected]

Daryl Wiiiiamson, VP West, Minnesota· 5901 Timberglade Dr., Bloomington, MN 55438 · (952) 835-2186

Terms Expiring 2004 John Leinen, Jr., at Large . Vice President,

Finance· 14205 St. Croix Trail, Stillwater, MN 55082 (651) 433-4456 · [email protected]

Irene Szabo, at Large · 6939 Creek Rd., Mt. Morris, NY 14510-9638 · (585) 658-4321 · [email protected]

Gaylord Yost, President, at Large· P.O. Box 1013, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1013 · (414) 354-8987 · [email protected]

Bob Norlin, Great Lakes· PO Box 718, Iron River, WI 54847 · (715) 372-5229 · rnorlin@ironriver .baysar.ner

Garry S. Diii Jr., Ohio · 4070 Tradersville Brighton Rd., London, OH 43140 · (937) 834-2891 · [email protected]

Bob Tait, Pennsylvania · 380 West Park Road, Portersville, PA 16051 · (724) 368-3709 · [email protected]

NCTA Staff: Bob Papp, Executive Director

Rob Corbett, Director of Trail Management Tiffany Stram, GIS Coordinator

Bonnie Wayman, Office Manager Biii Menke, Trail Foreman

Glory Meyer, Public Services Coordinator Alllson Barr, Bookkeeper

Sherry Staal, Office Assistant

229 East Main Street, Lowell MI 49331 Ph. (888) 454-NCTA, Fx. (616) 897-6605

H [email protected] www.northcountrytrail.org

(\,~ coUNTJ?r r. ~ •ASSOCIATION•

in Marquette To Be 'A's Annual Conference

which winds through

the city mostly along the Lake

Superior Shore. A full day hike, led by Dan Bos of

the National Park Service in the Pictured Rocks, and local hikes led by members of our

local chapter, the North Country Tail Hikers who will guide us to Laughing Whitefish Canyon and Falls will be among the high lights. For non-hikers, our hosts are also plan ning tours of some of the historic and scenic sites that abound in the Marquette area.

The Pictured Rocks have often been fea tured in these pages but you may not know about Laughing Whitefish Falls, a series of

The spectacular Pictured Rocks

National Lakeshore, spar- kling waterfalls deep in Northern for ests, the pristine shores of Lake Superior and especially the fabled hospitality of the Yoopers, as the inhabitants of Michigan's Upper Peninsula like to call themselves, await our members who attend this Summer's annual conference of the North Country Trail Association.

Mark your calendars right away-July 31 through Aug. 3-and fill out the registration form on page 6 or register on the web site and make your plans to join your fellow hikers for a fact and fun-filled four days in the North Country. The web address is www.northcount rytrail.org. Headquarters for the annual conference will be Northern Michigan University, practically on the North Country National Scenic Trail, -4 Th~--N~rt-h--St~r * Ap-;ii~j~~~-~~~-;-------

North Country Trail - Existing Trail

- - • Future Trail

Northern Michigan U · Headquarters for the

NCTA Annual Meeting • Marquette, Ml • July 31-Aug. 3, 2002

April-June 2003 * The North Star 5 -- U:Jerner Veit

guidance and suggestions. So, come and join us. Just fill out

the form, mail it or transmit to NCTA headquarters and prepare to enjoy the conference with your colleagues, friends and new friends.

Father Marquette Statue among the his· toric landmarks in the city.

with the fingers. Today, even with mines closed, the pasty is still a UP tradition, but our hosts promise to provide knives and forks.

Thursday and Friday nights will feature the Association's typical fun-filled programs as well as the presentation of the North Country Trail Association's annual awards and, naturally, the con cluding live auction, when our world famous auctioneer, Bob Papp, gets us laughing hard enough to keep us from noting the dollars flying out of our wal lets and into the Association and chapter coffers.

There will be all kinds of great opportunities for hikes to and from the conference as well. Members of the Hiawatha Shore to Shore Chapter in the eastern UP and the Peter Wolfe chapter in the West will be on hand for advice,

The North Country Trail follows much of the city's the Lake Superior shorellne.

You'll be welcomed for registration at the Don H. Bottum University Center. cascades, about 20 feet wide and totaling 100 feet high starting with a vertical drop of 15 feet and breaking into a series of lesser falls that splash over stratified rock aprons on the bottom.

The gorge north of the falls is a quarter-mile wide, up to 160 feet deep and runs for rwo miles before forming Laughing Whitefish Lake. The area has a wide variety of forest cover including some virgin pine, cedar, balsam fir and hemlock. Rare ferns and wildflowers abound.

Other guided hikes will take us to and around Presque Isle, Sugar Loaf Mountain, the Little Garlic River and Falls, Whetmore Landing, Little Presque Isle, Dead River Basin, Wetmore Pond and the Songbird Trail. (More details will be forthcoming in the next issue).

Two half-day workshops will also be scheduled. Each will feature success sto ries from our local chapters or affiliates whose experiences could be duplicated at home.

During the Friday morning session, chapters will share a variety of success stories. During Saturday afternoon, you'll find presentations on valuable partner ships, including some formed by our own chapters and affiliates.

Registration will begin at noon on Thursday, July 21, and the first hike will be scheduled that afternoon. In the eve ning, there'll be a special treat, an open ing picnic at Presque Isle Park featuring the pasty, which historian Ken Anderson has described as a pot pie without the pot.

Essentially it's a meat pie that origi nated in Cornwall, England, and dupli cated by UP copper and iron miners who carried it to work deep underground as a nutritious lunch than could be eaten

Whether spelled pasty or pastie (as some insist), it's a delicious UP specialty.

NCTA Annual Meeting • Marquette, Ml • July 31-Aug. 3, 2002

oUntry Trail Association 229 E Main St

Lowell, Ml 49331 Ole to Fox with credit cord: 616-897 -6605

Check payable to NCTA enclosed

Please charge my MasterCard, VISA or American Express:

Acc:esslble Accommodations: _

Please describe any needs you may have. If more fflan one person is using fflis form, indicate # of people: Speclal Diet: _

Shuttle from Marquette Airport: _

Day-Long Hikes Friday: Pictured Rocks Sat: laughing Whitefish

Day-Long Tour Friday: Tilden Mine and Iron Industry Museum

Leadership Workshops Friday: Planning for Regional Stoff Saturday: Cose Studies

Special Suppers Thursday: Pasty Picnic

#of People Adivity

We'll need to plan for bag lunches, handouts, special food, etc. for some of ovr planned activities. So, if you ffllnk you'll be joining any of rile following events, please let us know.

$ 20 Late Fee (.if regisleri!Jg offer June 30):

$ 30

$ 40

$ 50

One Day Package

0 Thursday

0 Friday

0 Saturday (Includes banquet)

Full Conference (4 days)

PartiaJ Conference (3 days or less) _ Day of arrival: DThur OFri DSot

$ 80

$ 70

$115

$105*

Partial Conference (2 nights or less) Day of arrival: ClThur OFri OSat

Single Room

Share a Double Room*

Single Room

Share a Double Room*

$150 $135*

Full Conference (3 nights)

----------E-mail:. _ Phone:

__________ State: Zip: _ City:

Address:

Name(s):

Each registration package includes meals, o conference collectable, and all program and registration fees. If you are staying on campus, the package cost also includes lodging. Full Conference packages cover Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning. Pa;tial Conference packages cover up to three days participation and, for those staying on campus, up to two nights lodging.

Registration Form for the NCTA's 2003 Conference

------·-·············- ------------------·-············ April-June 2003 *The North Star 7

We'll visit the Little Garlic River on a half-day hike.

90 Minute Hike - West On the way home, details in July North Star

90 Minute Hike - East On the way home, details in July North Star

Area Tour: Iron Industry Museum

and Tilden Mine

Leadership Workshop Case Studies:

Chapter & Affiliate Success Stories

10:00

9:00

12:00

8:00 Live Auction 7:30 2003 Awards Ceremon : Part 2: Distin uished Service and Lifetime Achievement Awards 6:00 Ban uet Supper and Entertainment 5:30 Cash Bar 0 ens closes at 9:00 5:00 Free Time

Lunch: Cafeteria Day-Long Hike: Laughing

Whitefish Canyon and Falls

Half- Day Hike: Sugar Loaf Mountain

Half-Day Hike: Little Garlic River

Half-Day Hike: Wetmore Landing 1:00

Breakfast: Cafeteria

Half-Day Hike: Songbird Trail

Half-Day Hike: Wetmore Landing

8:45

8:00 Evenin Pro ram: Adventure on Lake Su erior 7:00 Annual Meeting and 2003 Awards Ceremon Part 1) 6:00 Su er: Cafeteria 5:00 Free Time

Lunch: Cafeteria Day-Long Hike: Pictured Rocks

National Lakeshore

Half-Day Hike: Little Garlic River

Area Tour: Maritime Museum and

Light Houses

Leadership Workshop: Preparing for Regional Staff

1:00

12:00

8:45

are also shorter sprints, like the event in Mackinaw City.

The Tahquamenon races started in near zero degree, overcast weather and finished when the temperatures rose to 20 degrees under sunny skies.

Temperature is a significant factor in racing. The dogs love cold weather but

classes. Teams had ten, six, or four dogs harnessed to the sleds. The pro classes this year attracted two mushers from the famed Iditarod Race in Alaska, rookie Rick Minard and John Oehlschlaeger.

Length of the courses ranged up to 62 miles for the 10-dog, pro event, a race considered mid-distance. There

Spectators llne the course at the starting gate of the Mackinaw Mush.

Each winter the North Country Trail in Michigan turns to mush-mush as in

dog-sled racing---on two weekends, rau cous with the bark of excited dogs.

The Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race (TCSDR) takes place on the North Country Trail in the Big Two Hearted River area north of Newberry in the Upper Peninsula on the first week end of the year. The second race, at the beginning of February, extends along the NCT from Mackinaw City toward Wilderness State Park. Both have become two of the largest races in the lower 48 states.

For this year's Tahquamenon race, mushers with their vast army of dogs arrived after a dark, 45-minute drive over snowy county roads from Newberry to Rainbow Lodge near Lake Superior where they were greeted by foot-stomp ing volunteers huddled around cups of warming coffee and hot chocolate as they awaited the teams and helped with the harnessing up.

Then, crews of four to six helped mushers get their dogs, eager to run or run away, to the starting gate. Dogs, aware they're here to run, are anxious to get going and sometimes run over vol unteers in their haste. This time, teams lefi: like clockwork, two minutes apart, all morning.

A total of 115 teams in profes- sional and amateur classes competed for money, points and trophies in a variety of ·a··. T-h~- -N~rth. "st~~- .•. Ap;ii~ j~~~- -~~~-; .

By Derek Blount (Photographs by the Author)

In Winter, There's Mush on the North Country Trail Six-dog teams coming home in a tight finish after a six-mile run.

the trail weeks in advance and groom it for the race. There is publicity, hous ing, food, raffle items, trophies, racing bibs, and sponsors to work out. A local Boys Scout Troop provides chili and hot chocolate and a place to warm up. Porta Potties present a real challenge at near zero weather for volunteers. Timers, start ers, dog handlers, parking attendants, officials and vets all donate their time. Volunteers man check points all day long until the last racer is accounted for Hobo Jim performed

at the "rnushers banquet" both Friday and Saturday night. Jim is the song writer and performer from Alaska who wrote the lditarod song. He had quite a large repertoire of songs in his bag and was great fun to listen to. His songs ranged from comedy to ballads. Topics ranged from dog sledding to maritime to fishing to logging to farming to carpen tering and cow punching songs. There were kids songs as well. Jim's special delivery gave the audience a real feeling of what it's like to live the "Wilderness Way."

Audie's of Mackinaw gave quite a feast for both "rnushers banquets". The competitors, volunteers, and spectators went home with full stomachs and lots of stories to tell. Jim's songs spun around in

·their heads as they packed up and headed home on Sunday night, tired but looking forward to next year. Left behind was a quiet and empty race course and a lot of yellow snow. ·········;.:{;;;i~j~~~-~~~;·····rh·~-N~rth.st·~-~-9

Ten-dog team comes roaring down the hill as it heads out for a 10-mile run.

r '

come back for more than a quarter mile down the course. The start and finish mile is on the North Country Trail. Since these are sprint races the distances are much shorter, from one to 15 miles.

This year the race went out from the Interstate 75 overpass south out of town and looped around the two new giant wind generators before returning back to the finish. There were several great points to watch at road crossings and around the wind generators.

In the afternoon, after the serious racing, the "Kiddie Mush" was held. Young kids could try riding a sled down a 100 yard long chute pulled by a single dog for free. It was great fun to watch the eyes of the kids get as large pie tins when the dog jump-started that sled down the chute. There were a lot of smiles among the young mushers that day and a lot of stories to tell.

Races don't just happen. It takes a lot of volunteers. Volunteers lay out

when it warms up with the sun they can overheat in their furry coats. The mush ers are well aware of this and are allowed to drop off dogs at a checkpoint if they are getting over-heated. This year 18 dogs were dropped diie to the heat ..

John Stetson received the Sportsman award for his stopping to help another musher with his run-away team costing him 10 minutes and two places in the standings.

The weekend ended on Sunday morning with a large mushers breakfast at the local legion hall where a raffle was held followed by the awards. Sponsors and volunteers were also recognized.

The Mackinaw Mush this year had sprint racing over two days for 10, 8, 6 and 4 dog teams divided into Pro, Amateur and Junior classes. Between 125-150 teams participated.

The Mackinaw Mush is a great race for spectators. From the start/finish line you can watch the teams go out and

-ExistingTrall - -iFuturuTrail

" ~

'· \<II. .. .

The NCT crosses Fallasburg Park in Kent County, site of a historic covered bridge. The monument to the Underground Railroad lies along the Linear Parkway segment near Augusta.

Hikers encounter the Lake Michigan shore, just visible beyond the marsh in Wilderness State Park.

Historic Sights, Too

You'll Pass

A n earlier issue's Portrait of The Trail .r\described how Wisconsin gave birth to the North Country Trail, based on an existing Northern Country Trail in the Chequamegon National Forest. But Michigan has to be credited as the birthplace of the North Country Trail Association. Since the early days of the trail, Michigan has always been a hotbed of membership and activity.

A rather detailed accounting of NCTA's history, written by former North Star Editor, Wes Boyd in 1998, can be read at www.northcountrytrail.org/ncta/ history.htm.

Largely quoting from Wes's writing, "the North Country Trail Association was built by Lance Feild upon the ruins of another association that Feild had been familiar with-the International Backpackers Association.

In the late l 970's, Feild had arranged to have the Association given an abandoned schoolhouse in White Cloud, Michigan as its headquarters. Here in 1980 eight volunteers interested in the concept of the North Country Trail got together for the first time. Three were to become central figures in the Association for the next dozen years or more.

Those first eight at the meeting included Feild, who was to become the Association's first president (Feild was from Maine); Ken Gackler (Michigan)

By Bill Menke Contributing Editor

Birthplace of the North Country Trail Association

Portrait of the Trail: Michigan's Lower Peninsula

Approaching the outskirts of Battle Creek, the traveler ends the road-walk and enters Bridge Park. Lying on the banks of the Kalamazoo River, this park preserves a collection of bridges that were going to be

eliminated or dismantled throughout the surrounding area. This history of bridges and a historic spring right next to the trail add interest for the hiker. For most of the next four miles, a series of parks and preserves (Bridge Park, Riverside Park, Harper School lands, Kimball Pines, and the Ott Preserve) host off-road segments of trail com pleted in the last couple years.

A 1 l/2-mile hike along city streets brings the traveler to the certified Battle Creek Linear Parkway segment. This very nice, paved and bricked urban trail passes through the heart of Battle Creek. Features include a huge statue commemorating the Underground Railroad, Clara's Restaurant in the-ren ovated depot, and the home of Kellogg Cereal. One interesting building right next to the trail exhibits a collage of old cereal box graphics.

Reaching the west end of the parkway, the suggested route follows busy M-96 west to the small village of Augusta. However, efforts are well underway to build trail through the Veterans Administration Hospital and National Cemetery properties to elimi nate the road walk. In Augusta, a turn to the north brings the hiker to the next off-road segment.

About eight miles of off-road trail pass through beautiful Kellogg Forest, Michigan State University's Biological Station, and private lands before reach ing another 15-mile road walk. In this road stretch is the Prairieville Restaurant where chapter members gather for break fast prior to their workdays and I can attest the burgers are excellent.

Turning east on Keller Road, the ·----··························-··--········----------······---- April-June 2003 * The North Star 11

Lily pads dot many of the sylvan lakes in the Huron-Manistee NF.

and forested areas-all primarily gentle terrain and sandy soils. In the more sparsely populated Upper Peninsula, the terrain is much more rugged. High bluffs and waterfalls add beauty and wildness to the trail.

The Ohio-Michigan border is crossed, almost straight north of West Unity, Ohio where the first Michigan segment of trail across Hillsdale County is shepherded by the Baw Beese Chapter.

Beginning down at West Unity, this leg of the trail is a road walk. Some 101h miles from the state line, the first off-road section of trail is reached as the hiker enters Lost Nations State Game Area.

Here almost seven miles of trail pass through surprisingly steep hills and deep forests punctuated with streams and small lakes. Another short road walk of about three miles brings the traveler to the first certified trail segment in Michigan, the four-mile long Bawbeese Trail following an abandoned railroad grade into Hillsdale. Several fast food and other restaurants tempt the hiker looking for a break from "trail food."

A pleasant walk along tree-lined sidewalks through Hillsdale leads to the next segment of certified trail-the five mile long M-99 Bikeway. This segment is technically off-road but it is basically a sidewalk along a very busy highway. The chapter is exploring alternate routes between Hillsdale and Jonesville.

Beginning at the south edge of Jonesville, it is a long walk (some 43 miles) to the next piece of completed trail. At the Hillsdale/Calhoun County line, the Chief Noonday Chapter takes over trail development and maintenance.

who was to become the first Treasurer and hold the position for a dozen years; Virginia Wunsch, a township official in the White Cloud (Michigan) area, who was to become the headquarters man ager; and John Hipps (Pennsylvania), who volunteered to do a newsletter for the association."

From this, we can see that from the early days through today, Michigan was home to the first NCTA "headquarters" and a significant contingent of its earliest members. For 12 years from 1980 thru 1993, the annual spring meeting of the association was always held in Michigan (either at the schoolhouse or later at a resort called The Shack), while a fall meeting was moved among other states.

The one exception that I can find occurred in 1982 or 1983 when the annual meeting was held in Slippery Rock, PA. Jumping forward to the pres ent time, it is still fair to say that while today the association is truly a seven state entity with members in XX states Michigan remains as the anchor point for the NCTA with the national office located in Lowell.

There are several other interesting facts about the trail in Michigan: • Currently, almost 50% of the total

NCTA membership is from Michigan. • Ten of the 24 NCTA chapters are

located in Michigan. • Michigan has more potential miles

(1,150) than any other state. • Michigan has more completed miles

(619.4) than any other state. • Michigan has the highest percentage of

completed trail (53.9%). Enough history andfacts; let's get

on with learning more about Michigan's portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

The trail crosses the state's southern border in Hillsdale County, some 50- miles west of Toledo, Ohio. From here, it traverses the entirety of both the Lower and Upper Peninsulas-punctuated in the middle by the spectacular 5-mile long Mackinac Bridge.

The Great Lakes are definitely a feature of the NCT in Michigan. Here through-hikers can view and even walk along the shorelines of no fewer than three of the Great Lakes-Michigan, Huron, and Superior.

In the Lower Peninsula, the trail passes through a mix of agricultural, rural


The trail is composed of a mix

of certified and non-certified trail sepa rated by short to moderate length road walks. According to the chapter, per haps their most scenic section of trail is between M-37 and Baxter Bridge where there are many nice panoramic views of the river and its valley. One noteworthy feature in this area is the "High Bank Rollways" where the chapter and DNR have recently completed a viewing plat-

miles. The trail in Rogue River SGA has benefited from extensive work and improvements in the last year or two.

At the Kent/Newaygo County line, another 14-mile gap begins. At Croton Dam hikers reach the beginning of long stretches of certified trail in the Manistee National Forest. Two chapters share the Manistee segment-Western Michigan in the south and Spirit of The Woods

Chapter in the north. Both chapters have worked hard to improve the trail and one big accomplishment is that non-standard gray diamonds have been mostly replaced with the preferred blue blazes.

Almost 125-miles of trail traverse the sandy floor of the Manistee and provide easy walking. Midway through the for est, the Spirit of The Woods Chapter takes over the maintenance and improve ment of the trail. They are in the process of installing areas of turnpike to elimi nate some wet areas and several years ago completed a very beautiful 600+ foot boardwalk across a seasonally flooded marsh.

Upon crossing the Little Manistee River, hikers enter the more hilly terrain of the Udell Hills and north of M-55 begin paralleling the Big Manistee River where the trail is located mostly on the rim of the valley. Both areas provide opportunities for long-distance views.

From the north edge of the Manistee to the north Kalkaska County line, the next 50-60 miles of trail, is watched over by the Grand Traverse Hiking Club (an

NCT chapter). This segment

of trail passes through a mix of private lands and large areas of the Pere Marquette and Mackinaw State Forests. Much of the route follows the Manistee River, where in places the trail is high above the river providing spectacular views of the river valley and surrounding mixed northern hardwood and coniferous for est.

The North Country Trail leads to prime trout water of the Manistee River, which accompanies much of the trail in the Lower Peninsula.

hiker soon turns north into a nice group ing of hills and benched trail through a private tract of land. Soon, the hiker enters Barry State Game Area, Yankee Springs State Recreation Area, and again Barry State Game Area in quick succes sion totaling almost 16-miles of off road trail.

Yankee Springs SRA in particular is a gem-the trail passes beautiful Hall Lake, Graves Hill, and McDonald Lake. Just south of M-37, road walking resumes for 1.9 miles before accessing the multi-use Paul Henry Trail for almost four miles until reaching Middleville. Another 6.8 miles of mostly road walking (some short segments of trail are under construction) brings the hiker to the Barry/Kent County line.

At the southern Kent County line, the trail enters the territory of NCTA's oldest and largest chapter, the Western Michigan Chapter. 12.7 miles of road walking brings the traveler to the next certified segment of trail-the sidewalks in our headquarters town of Lowell.

The trail actually turns onto the attractive bricked and landscaped river walk less than a half block from the headquarters. Hikers will definitely want to plan some extra time for a visit. At the north edge of Lowell, certified trail continues through hilly terrain in the Lowell State Game Area for the next 3V2 miles.

Another short gap leads to more certi fied trail in Fallasburg County Park where the chapter recently installed a nice kiosk and interpretive panel. A long gap of 34-miles now faces the traveler. Most of this is private lands where obtaining trail passage so far has been unsuccessful but efforts continue. Along the way, Wabasis and Long Lake County Parks offer places to get off of the road for a rest even though no trail yet exists.

North of Long Lake County Park, the trail enters the Rogue River State Game Area where certified trail accom modates the hiker for the next eight i2 rh~--N~rt-h--st~~-----A?-~ii~j~~~--~~~;----


April-June 2003 *The North Star 13

Western Michigan Section The Trail in the Rogue River State

Game Area is within twenty-five miles of Grand Rapids, among the largest metropolitan area passed by the NCT. Yet within minutes, the hiker can find solitude, an abundance of summer wild flowers and wild game including deer, squirrels, rabbits, muskrats, grouse and turkey.

A good section for a short stroll begins north of 18 Mile Road in Solon Township. Trailhead parking is on the west side of Red Pine Avenue just north of 18 Mile. An out-and-back walk of

Chief Noonday Section Lots of possibilities, short and lon

ger, are afforded to sample the North Country Trail in the section built and maintained by the Chief Noonday Chapter, particularly in the Yankee Springs Recreation area and environs.

A 10-mile stretch with numerous chances to cut it short would head south from a trailhead and parking area on Peets Road in Barry Township, 10 miles west of Hastings and one-half mile south of M-37. The first stretch would take you to Bowen Mills Road, a half-mile east of Yankee Springs Road.

Then, you could continue south until crossing Yankee Springs Road at a parking area. If you continued south, you would cross Chief Noonday Road (Ml 79), reach McDonald Lake and then the west shore of Hall Lake. Next, cross Gun Lake Road and continue south and east to near Duck Lake where the trail turns due south again and then east to cross the "Little Mac Bridge," to finish at the Yankee Springs Inn and parking area.

-Tom Garnett

A pleasant stroll for an hour or two, ~r a multi-day backpacking trek and everything in between are available along the North Country National Scenic Trail in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The chapters in the peninsula chose a few, short samples of the opportunities in their areas to provide a varied taste of the route.

SAMPLER: Brief Looks at Some Favorite Segments

including installing some puncheon. A highlight is the l l-rniles of trail in

Wilderness State Park where once again, the beautiful waters and sandy beaches of Lake Michigan come into view. Reentering Mackinaw State Forest hikers soon cross the 80-foot bridge over Carp River, built by former NCTA President Derek Blount.

A rather short gap brings hikers to the sidewalks of Mackinaw City and the south entrance to the Big Mackinaw Bridge. Before crossing the bridge plan some extra time to tour historic Fort Michilimackinac and perhaps even take a side trip via ferry to Mackinac Island.

Remember, the bridge is open to hikers only on Labor Day when you can join about 70,000 others to enjoy the view from this engineering marvel.

At this point, we're perhaps half way across Michigan. The wilder Upper Peninsula across the bridge was covered ably by Doug Welker in the Fall issue.

Next issue: The North Country National Scenic Trail in Ohio.

form and parking area. Unfortunately this

section of trail remains uncertified due to mixed use. The trail eventually merges with the equestrians' Shore to Shore Riding and Hiking Trail and con tinues northeasterly.

Beginning at the Kalkaska/ Antrim County line, the trail is handed off to the Tittibawassee Chapter, roughly from Mancelona to Petoskey. The mix of trail condi tions and land owner ship is similar to the last chapter segment but the Manistee River is replaced by the steep Jordan River valley.

Traveling north, the hikers get their first spectacular view of the valley from Landslide Overlook, the site where chap ter president Jerry and wife Connie Allen were married on the trail.

Over 12 miles of the trail follow the popular Jordan River Pathway, which has undergone some recent chapter improve ments to correct wet areas. After travers ing the Warner Creek Pathway and more of the Mackinaw State Forest, the route eventually enters Petoskey where it fol lows another urban trail for a couple of miles.

Portions are nicely landscaped along the Little Traverse Bay waterfront and it is here that long distance travelers get their first view of the Great Lakes, which they will now associate with for the next several hundred miles.

Shortly after passing through Petoskey, we reach the Emmet County line and the territory of the last chap ter in the Lower Peninsula, the Harbor Springs Chapter. Here too, the chap ter has been busy improving the trail,

Early autumn landscape reflected in a quiet pond along the trall In Wilderness State Park.


following M-119 from Harbor Springs. The trail begins two-tenths of a mile east of the corner of Lakeshore Drive and Sturgeon Bay Trail.

The trailhead box has a number seven on the post and the trail proceeds north through sand dunes and conifers. The trail is located in a prime example of a healthy second growth forest that approaches old-growth status. le traverses an area rich with small treasures, precious gene pools and known and unknown biological legacies for the future. You move up and down hills, in and out of hardwood and cedar, over sand dunes and cross wetland areas. This section of trail ends in a deciduous forest chat is being preserved with its abundance of blown down trees, nurse logs and vernal springs, which provide the necessary structure and habitat for new growth and other forest creatures. Going over the Carp River on a bridge built by mem bers, one enters a small park that has water, picnic benches and toilet facilities. This section of trail is 2.8 miles.

The next 2.5-miles of the trail begins in a sand dune area overlooking a cedar swamp and leads north into an area dominated by small lakes and streams. The hike through sandy overlooks ends at Sturgeon Bay Trail on the western end of Wilderness Scace Park. The hiker now has an option of going east on trails going back into the park or north co a westward opening that leads co beach. Then enjoy a 3-mile hike along the beach of Sturgeon Bay back to trailhead 7.

-Jerry Keeney

Harbor Springs Section One of the treasures of Michigan's

Lower Peninsula is Wilderness State Park, home to very special sections of the North Country Trail. Reach it by

Tittibawassee Section A section of the Jordan River

Pathway, one of the Lower Peninsula's most popular trails, lies along the North Country Trail and affords several oppor tunities to sample the NCT's delights. An easy access is from Deadman's Hill, accessible by heading west from US-131 on Deadmans Hill Road, just south of the M-32 junction.

A walk downhill from the parking lot leads to the blue-blazed NCT. Once at the junction, you can turn either left or right to follow the trail. For a shore hike, turn left and walk to a boardwalk from where you can retrace your steps about a 1A mile to find a trail heading straight up the hill. Ac the cop of the hill, you'll run into the Jordan River Pathway, where you can turn left to get back to the parking lot at Deadman's Hill.

Or, you can keep going past the boardwalk to the Jordan River Road. There is a parking lot where the trail meets the road. The distance from Deadrnans Hill is about four miles. Ac that point, you can retrace your steps to the junction past the boardwalk and return as above.

By turning north from the bottom of Deadman's Hill, you could fashion a four mile hike co the parking lot at M-32.

-Werner Veit

autumn, particularly, the view is breath taking. Ac that point you can retrace your steps co Baxter's Bridge if there is no time co go farcher. Of course, you could drive co the High Rollways parking lot and walk north instead but then you would begin the hike with dessert.

To find the Baxter Bridge crailhead from US-131, turn west in the village of Manton on M-42 and proceed about 12 miles co No. 19 Road. Turn right (north) about two miles. Right after you cross the Manistee River at Baxter's Bridge, drive halfway up the hill and find the trailhead on the left (west side) of the road. There is no designated parking area but parking is available in a state camp ground at the bottom of the hill or you can pull off the road.

GT Hikers Section A truly scenic section, one of your

editor's favorites, is the stretch of North Country Trail chat winds up and down the Manistee River banks from Baxter's Bridge in Wexford County southward co the High Rollways-a distance there and back of about five memorable miles. You hike mostly through mature woods but every so often a spectacular vista opens co the river until you arrive at the Rollways, the climax of the great overlooks. In ·14···;:h~·N·~-~th.st~~--·-;.P~·ii~j~~~-~~~3····

-Rich Krieger

Spirit of the Woods Section A good introduction co the trail

along Spirit of the Woods chapter's section in the northern portion of the Huron-Manistee Forest is a pleasant and easy 234-mile walk from the Marilla Trailhead south co Forest Service Road 8020. Along the way you will encounter a scenic vista overlooking the Manistee River.

A good turn around spot is Eddington Creek, 1-Yi miles south of Marilla, also a good place for a lunch. The terrain is mostly flat but includes a few rolling hills.

Or if you spot a car at Forest Service Road 8020, continue for another 1 1A miles. There is a long grade climbing up from Eddington Creek after which the trail is relatively flat and easy as it follows the high ridge above the Manistee River.

Marilla Trailhead is west of Mesick. To reach FR 8020 from there, go 3/4 mile ease on Beers Road to Hodenpyl Dam access road (gravel) and travel that for Yi mile south to Upper River Road (gravel). Follow Upper River for 2.37 miles to FR 8020.

5-6 miles will provide the hiker with numerous river views. The Trail in this section has been freshly blazed, and wanders through huge hemlocks, stately beaches and stands of 100-year-old oaks. Most remarkable are some of the mag nificent cherry trees chat were spared the logger's axe.

Crossing 20 Mile Road, the Trail follows the river on a new section, con structed in the summer of 2002. The Trail quietly follows the river north for another 1.5 miles before exiting out onto a woods road, a good point for turning around and heading back to the car.

-Paul Haan



remain the best-kept secret of the hiking community.

In order to meet these goals and oth ers, the plan itself actually lays the foun dation for our efforts to create an active fund development program. With the strategic plan in hand, this spring we'll contract with a consultant to help us cre ate an organizational fund development plan. We've already received a grant to cover these costs. Once the fund develop ment plan is complete, we'll approach foundations and corporations to secure the funding needed to hire our first development director.

It seems sometimes that, while people recognize we'll need a lot of new funding sources to do everything that's on our plate, somehow, the idea of creat ing a formal fund development program is distasteful. Really, though, we've been bumping along on sporadic foundation grants and minimal corporate support for too long. This trail is an enormous undertaking - twice the size of the Appalachian Trail. To come true, our hopes and dreams for the trail will need significant funding.

Our budding development program also will focus on increasing gifts from individuals. Rest assured, this doesn't mean that we'll start sending you mul tiple appeals each year to try to drain you of your spare change. It does mean that we'll need to do a better job of identify ing and cultivating major donors, build ing our membership, and working with people who would like to remember the trail in their estate plans.

Currently, I know of only four mem bers who have included the NCTA in their estate plans. My wife and I count as one of the four. The gift we set aside in our will is not that big, but I know that it's important, and it will have an impact. Ironically, we set this up about a year ago and I never told anyone at NCTA. Now, in our donor file here, there's a notation that any bequest should be restricted to NCTA's endowment fund (meaning our gift cannot be spent, but earnings will support the NCTA).

In any case, I wanted you all to know how the NCTA is moving ahead. The strategic plan is just the first step; now we have to roll up our sleeves and make it happen!

' ... We'll need to do a better job of identifying and cultivating major donors, building our membership, and working with people who would like to remember the trail in their estate plans. '

unteers trailwide, and also plays a pivotal role in our relationship with the NPS. So, in the end, our Board decided to hire a trailwide Director of Trail Management (DTM) and stabilize the funding for our Trail Foreman. Now, our next phase is to secure funding for two new regional positions, one in the east and one in the west.

The strategic plan also sets the bar high for us to start permanently protect ing the trail corridor, through fee and easement acquisitions. We're continuing our struggle in Congress to pass a bill providing the National Park Service with the authority to acquire land from will ing sellers. Yet, even with this authority, the government alone cannot provide the most efficient means of protecting the trail. Government acquisitions will be slow, deliberate and, possibly, compli cated. Many landowners who otherwise would like to sell their land to benefit the trail may not have the time or patience to see a government acquisition through. So the NCTA must be prepared to serve in an intermediary role, working alone or with partners to step in quickly to pro tect land before the opportunity is lost.

The plan also recognizes the need for an active communications program. In order to make significant progress on the North Country Trail, we need to get the word out that the trail not only exists, but also that it is visionary. The North Country Trail should be a source of pride for the communities it touches and the partners it needs. We can't afford to

D uring its April meeting, the NCTA Board of Directors will adopt a new

strategic plan for the Association. We'll put the plan on the website, once it's final ized. We also can send copies on request to those without Internet access. In the meantime, though, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share some highlights of what we see on the road (or traill) ahead.

We've been talking about setting up regional trail management offices for a few years now. These regional coordina tors would provide needed technical assistance, coordination, training, and encouragement to volunteers while also serving as focal points for media rela tions and public interest. In addition, the support centers would serve as liaisons to state and local agencies, to forge and strengthen critical parrnerships along the trail.

The strategic plan sets ambitious goals for establishing these regional coordinators. We'll strive to have four regional people in place by the end of 2005, and one in each state by the end of 2008. While we can't know for sure whether or not we'll reach these goals, the plan ensures that we'll dedicate the resources of the Association to attaining this vision.

Currently, we expect to phase in regional staff. So, we'll start with a couple of large regions, and then gradually break these down as we secure additional fund ing for new coordinators.

With a funding increase we received last year from the National Park Service (NPS) we'd hoped to get a jump on this process by hiring two coordinators. However, we'd also been looking for bet ter funding for our Trail Foreman posi tion, which to date had been temporarily funded. Our Trail Foreman provides crit ical training, skills and assistance to vol-

What's Ahead for the NCTA? Highlights and Crossroads

Peter Schmitz, Minnesota Peter Schmitz, a retired lawyer, has

his feet in two trail states, in Minnesota, where he lives most of the year, and Wisconsin, where he is a member and former treasurer of the Chequamegon Chapter. That makes it rather fitting that

positions, and continues in that role-36 years to date. He says of his trail life:

"My outdoors-oriented wife, Mary, convinced me to become active in the newly formed Central NY Chapter in 1997. Working closely with the late Randall Brune, I found the activity to be challenging, consuming, and often satisfying-particularly when we could accomplish a major goal through a part nership of both the private and public sectors.

"These efforts by many dedicated people have enabled us to not only build and maintain trails and several major bridges-they have also generated public awareness and support for the North Country/Link Trail. A major goal of our chapter is to extend the NCT on to historic Fort Stanwix in Rome, NY and thence to the Adirondack Park "blue line" boundary.

"My personal goal as a NCTA Board member is to utilize my experience and skills in concert with the other Board members to advance the North County Trail in total, while retaining the oppor tunity to continue my contributions to the CNY chapter."

Al Larmann

joined the General Electric Company and held a number of marketing and business assign ments for 36 years, acqumng a MBA degree from Syracuse University along the way. In parallel, he secured a FAA pilot's license, served the Civil Air Patrol in a number of com mand and staff

- - - - - - - - - - .. Signature (s}_ _

Name(s) _

Ballot is not valid without your name and/or membership number

D Daryl Williamson, Minnesota

D Other _

16 The North Star *April-June 2003

L--- D Other _

D Other _

D Rich Harris, Ohio

D Peter Schmitz, Minnesota

D Al Larmann, New York

This is the official ballot for the 2003 election to the Board of Directors of the North Country Trail Association. You will not receive a separate ballot in the mail. Because our memberships are categorized as households, our bylaws permit only one ballot per membership. Please mark the ballot and mail to:

North Country Trail Association, 229 East Main Street, Lowell, Ml 49331 or fax to (616) 897-6605

At Large Nominees, Vote for 3 Council Nominee. Vote for 1

---, Official Ballot. .. 2003 Election

Al Larmann, New York Al Larmann grew up in pre

WWII, then non-crowded northern New Jersey-and served in the USAAF 1944-46. After graduation from Stevens Institute ofTechnology in early 1951,he

tics research manager for 25 years. Why does he want to serve on the

board? "Because I want to do what I can to

see that the Vision of the NCTA for the Trail is realized, both now and for the future. Last August, I took advantage of some extra time, on my way to the Annual meeting in North Dakota, and traced some of the route of the Trail as I drove from Ohio. I crossed "THE Bridge" (Mackinac), and crisscrossed the route across the Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin, the planned Arrowhead reroute in Minnesota, and down across Minnesota into North Dakota. I was SO impressed with the beauty and diversity of the territory we cross. I want it to STAY that way!"

In addition, the Minnesota Trail Council has nominated Daryl · Williamson to fill one of the two trail council seats open this year.

This selection requires ratification by the membership at large. Your approval can be indicated on the ballot below. Biographies and nominees' statements follow:

r---

in Ohio, one of the NCTA's Alliance members. He has been a member of the BTA for 30 years and is active in the Northeast Ohio chap ter of the BTA.

Back when he worked "for money" as he puts it, he was a chemical and plas-

Rich Harris

Rich Harris, Ohio Rich Harris is currently completing

his first term on the NCTA Board of Directors, as at-large delegate from Ohio. He currently serves as Vice President East, serving Lower Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. He is also chairman of the board's Field Grant review com mittee.

Rich also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Buckeye Trail Association

At Large Seats

The nominating committee of the Board of Directors of the North Country Trail Association has nominated candidates

to run for the three at-large seats on the board to be filled in the 2003 election. Please mark your choices on the ballot below. You may vote for the nominees, or write in a different name.

It's Time to Vote for Your Board of Directors

Lisa Ringstad Lisa Ringstad (formerly Engel),

President of the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter of the North Country Trail Association, has been appointed the Association's trail coordinator for North Dakota, by Daryl Williamson, Vice President, West of the Association.

Because of her duties with the Cooperstown Community Activities Authority and her Lisa Ringstad participation in tourism groups and economic development organizations throughout the region, she is in a unique position to further the aims of the North Country Trail. She said of her post with the Association:

"As North Dakota coordinator, I can educate others in North Dakota about the importance of the North Country Trail, and to help provide them with the resources to develop new trail throughout the State."

--,:\~~ii~j~~~-~~~~--*-ri;~-N-~rth-st~~-ii

camping, cross-country skiing, and bik ing. Alicia would like to see more devel opment of outdoor activities in the Valley City area.

Says Alicia: "I wish to serve on the NCTA board

for a variety of reasons. I believe the NCT has developed substantially in the last few years. However there is signifi cant work, which needs to be done to develop and market the trail. I would like to increase awareness of the trail, par ticularly among young people, to increase involvement, use and support of the trail. North Dakota has great potential within the NCT. North Dakota needs repre sentation on the board, which will keep everyone within the state updated and resources available."

aspects of tourism, but her particular interest is nature-based tourism. Alicia also facilitates clients through a High Ropes Course to enhance personal and group development.

Growing up on a small farm allowed Alicia the opportunity to spend much time outdoors and learn to appreciate nature. Her hobbies include hiking,

Alicla Hoffarth

Alicia Hoffarth Alicia Hoffarth is currently the

Office Manager for the Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce/CYB and Development Corporation. In addition, she serves as the co-chair of the Valley City NCT Committee. Her job allows her to work first hand with all

Last year's resignation of Jon Lindgren, of North Dakota, created a vacancy on the NCTA Board of Directors that was filled by the appoint ment of Alicia Hoffarth by Board President Gaylord Yost. She will serve until 2005 to fill the unexpired portion of Lindgren's term.

Lindgren served both as North Dakota coordinator and as the state trail council's representative on the national board. His duties will be split between Alicia and Lisa Ringstad (formerly Engel), who was appointed state coordi nator by Daryl, Vice President West.

A new term for Lower Michigan's trail council seat on the Board also begins in 2003. The Council would like to nominate its new trail coordinator, Joan Young, but Joan has just completed two full Board terms and is ineligible for another year. So the Council has chosen to leave the seat vacant until next year's election.

New Coordinator, New Director Are Appointed for North Dakota

on the NCTA board particularly "to push the completion of the governmental process of the Minnesota reroute, to see significant trail progression across north ern Minnesota and to help to develop a larger volunteer base in the state."

One of his important interests is politics and the impact of government on daily life, including trails. Among his hobbies are travel, the history of the West, photography, music, tennis, hiking, cross country skiing, berry picking (and the resulting pies).

Daryl wants to serve another term

he was recruited to run for the North Country Trail Association's Board of Directors by Daryl Williamson, the Minnesota coordinator, Gaylord Yost, board president from Wisconsin, and Mary Lucas, national Board member from the Chequamegon Chapter.

Back in 1994, Peter had never heard of the North Country Peter Schmitz National Scenic Trail when he learned that the trail crossed the driveway of the cabin he and his family occupy during the summer on Lake Owen in Northern Wisconsin's Chequamegon National Forest on land leased from the U.S. Forest Service. He not only became interested in the trail but also became one of the most stalwart members of the Chequamegon Chapter.

Why is he willing to serve? "Now that I'm retired I can give my time to a larger cause ... and the North Country Trail is an incredible resource that will require a monumental effort to complete. I want to be a part of that effort."

Minnesota Trail Council Daryl Williamson

Daryl Williamson, a current director of the North Country Trail Association, was nominated for another term by the Minnesota Trail Council, which he serves as chair.

A retired physician, Daryl has a great interest in both historic and scenic trails and has hiked and traveled exten sively through the U.S. and Canada. His cabin on the north shore of Lake Superior is right on the Superior Hiking Trail, a stretch scheduled to become. part of the North Country National Scenic Trail. He is Daryl Williamson also on the board of the Superior Hiking Trail Association, an NCTA affiliate.

has been building and maintaining the trail since 1966. In 2001, the Chief of the USDA Forest Service recognized FTA for voluntary contributions on behalf of the FNST. Also in 2001, the Regional Forester of the USDA Forest Service presented the Collaborative Stewardship Award to the Florida Trail Association and the National Forests in Florida.

Since 1999, the FTA has the lead responsibility for the day-to-day opera tions of the FNST as established through a Challenge Cost Share Agreement (CCSA) between the USFS and FTA. The CCSA provides FTA with funding for trail construction, management and protection, which FTA matches with the

• FNST Completed Trail and Under Development

• FNST right-of-way to be acquired • National Park System (J National Forest System

100 Miles I

100 Kilometers 0

I

by thousands of hikers, backpackers, photographers, birdwatchers and other nature enthusiasts from Florida and around the world. It is especially delightful in the cooler months when most users enjoy the trail. The trail route was carefully plotted to allow the hiker a variety of ecosystems to experience.

In addition to the Florida Trail, which follows the rural central spine of the state, there are nearly 400 miles of loop and side trails closer to the popula tion centers along the coasts that allow users to explore nearby historic sites and other points of interest. The FNST forms the southern leg of the Eastern Continental hiking trail that will reach through Alabama and Georgia to Cape Gaspe in Canada.

In 1983, Congress designated the Florida Trail as a national scenic trail and charged the USDA Forest Service with the responsibility to administer the FNST. As federal administrator of the FNST, the USDA Forest Service is responsible for certifying trail segments as FNST with nearly two dozen federal, state and local land managers along its route.

The Forest Service also oversees the planning, development and manage ment of the trail by the Florida Trail Association, the major private partner for the FNST. The Florida Trail Association, Inc., is a 5000-member volunteer-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that

"\VJhen people think of Florida, they W commonly think of theme parks,

beaches, golfing, and condominiums by the ocean. A lady we know was telling us about how much she enjoyed her back packing trips to the Rocky Mountains. When asked if she had ever hiked in Florida, she replied you couldn't hike in Florida because there are no mountains. Well she may be right about the moun tains, but there are over a thousand miles of trail to hike here in the Sunshine State on the Florida Trail.

The Florida Trail, formally known as the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST), is a 1,300-mile long footpath that explores many of Florida's most significant natural areas. It meanders from Fort Pickens in the Gulf Islands National Seashore to Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida. Like the North Country Trail, the Florida Trail is one of the nation's premier long distance hiking trails, one of only eight Congressionally designated national sce nic trails.

To date, 685 miles or 53 percent of Florida Trail have been open to the pub lic and certified as FNST. Another 316 miles (24 percent) are eligible for certifi cation on other public lands.

The trail, which includes temper ate and subtropical sections, is enjoyed ia····;:h~-N~rth.st~~----;\~~ii~j~-~~-~~~~---·

By Kent L. Wimmer and Judy Trotta Florida Trail Association

2!~!! ~~~!~.li~!~~!!~!L~~!, eight national scenic trails. Earlier articles dealt with the lee Age, Continental Divide and Pacific Crest Trails. Subsequent issues will deal with the remaining three.

No Mountains, But There's

I Gulf Islands NS

Our Sister National Scenic Trails: The Florida Trail

Hikers can cross busy· I- 75 using a spectacular land bridge along the Cross Florida Greenway in North Central Florida. -----·-································-·--··········-··-·-··········

April-June 2.003 *The North Star 19

Currently, seven acquisition proj ects are underway with willing sellers that should result in the acquisition of an additional 1,178 acres and valued at more than $5,000,000. The USDA Forest Service is also pursuing an addi tional 5,000 acres that will protect 60 miles of trail corridor valued at an estimated cost of $12,000,000. It is esti mated that $77 million will be needed over a 10-year period to complete the entire trail.

In the next 12 months or so, most of the remaining 210 miles of trail on public lands within the FNST corridor will likely be certified as FNST, leaving approximately 219 miles of the trail on private lands which are unprotected and not available for public use.

to recruit volunteers to reach the goals of the work programs.

In addition to FTA's volunteer mem bers, the Association has recruited volun teers through the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to establish three crews of six persons who perform dif ficult, labor-intensive trail work that otherwise could have overwhelmed local FTA volunteers. Through these coopera tive efforts, the FTA and USFS are well on the way to completing the FNST.

During 2002, the USDA Forest Service and the Florida Trail Association kicked off the land acquisition program for the FNST. The USDA Forest Service acquired 614 acres in three private tracts protecting 2.8 miles of trail in north and central Florida.

Unencumbered by Law Like the NCT, the Trail Grows Rapidly The trail winds through Ocala National Forest in North Central Florida.

value of its volunteers' cash and labor contributions.

In the last four years, Florida's con gressional delegation has responded to FTA's advocacy by appropriating nearly $12 million to the USDA Forest Service to support the FNST. These appropria tions have included $2.6 million for con structi~~ and management of the trail, and $9.3 million to purchase land to protect the route of the trail.

(Unlike the National Park Service, manager of the North Country Trail, the Forest Service is not prohibited by law from buying land for the trail from will ing sellers).

Trail construction funds are used to support and provide volunteers with trail tools, equipment, and materials needed to build and maintain the FNST. The FTA and USFS has cemented this part nership through its jointly staffed FNST office located within the Supervisor's Office of the National Forests in Florida. This partnership emphasizes and capitalizes upon the strengths of each.

Since 1994, the FTA's volunteers have donated nearly $1 million and 400,000 volunteer hours in construct ing and maintaining the trail. Over the past four years, this funding has allowed FTA to: • Construct and open to the public 150

miles of the FNST including over 50 · bridges and boardwalks;

• Maintain nearly 1000 miles of hiking trails

• Inventory and GPS nearly 700 miles of trail and build a geographic infor mation system to enhance our ability to manage the trail;

• Assist the USFS in acquiring over 600 acres of land for the FNST;

• Hire trail and administrative staff and


Chapters also hold monthly meetings; a program is presented about some aspect of hiking, backpacking, canoeing, nature studies, or other items of interest to out door enthusiasts. FTA and local Chapters host regional conferences and one state wide conference annually. Approximately 600 activities are offered to members each year. Members are also free to hike the trail at their leisure or in groups.

Through sweat, thousands of vol unteer hours and monetary donations from our members and Chapters, the FTA continues to grow. Members donate their skills and their time to making the Florida Trail a successful organization. Statewide elected officials include a 24- member Board of Directors and eight officers: President, Vice President for Membership, Vice President for Trails, Vice President for Administration, Vice President for Public Relations, Secretary, and Treasurer.

For more information, check out the Association's web site at www.floridatrail.org or call toll free 1-877-HIKE-FLA.

J im Kern, a Miami real estate broker, founded the Florida Trail Association TA) in 1966. Today, more than 5,000

volunteer members are organized into this non-profit association. Seventeen local chapters and several sub-chapters are the vital organs of the FTA body. Each chap ter is dedicated to a portion of the trail it calls its own. The chapters are responsible for the development and maintenance of the trail in their area, and for providing activities for members.

The goal of the FTA is to create and maintain 1,300 miles of continuous foot paths throughout the state. Currently, 1,000 miles have been completed.

A Hiking Guide to the Florida Trail that describes the terrain and outlines special requirements of the area is avail able as well as a series of regional map packages.

Chapter activity leaders schedule day hikes, extended backpacking trips, canoeing runs, and maintenance hikes throughout the year. Listings of events are posted in the FTA's bi-monthly newsletter and the chapter newsletters.

Florida Trail Association: 5,000 Members, 17 Chapters Strong

A new bridge (above) for the FNST has been built on the grounds of Eglin Air Force Base in the Northern Panhandle.

The trail in the Big Cypress Preserve (at left) courses through sawgrass at the southern end of the FNST, west of Miami.

To develop, maintain, promote, and protect a continuous public

hiking trail the length of the State of Florida called the Florida National Scenic Trail and other side and loop

trails, together called the Florida Trail System; and to educate the public by teaching appreciation for and

conservation of the natural beauty of Florida; and to provide opportunities

to hike and camp.

The Florida Trail Association's Mission:

FTA plans to build or reconstruct nearly 90 miles of trail, and start the design and construction of six major bridges. FTA will also continue to inven tory and GPS the trail and improve its capability to manage the trail using our greatly enhanced geographic information system (GIS). The resulting maps will support land acquisition, trail construc tion, trail certification, and the updating of the hiking guide to the trail.

After 35 years, the Florida Trail Association and partners finally have the critical mass and resources necessary to make a serious and concerted effort to complete the trail.


April-June 2003 * The North Star 21

this day: only an armadillo who ambled ahead of me down the road, and alliga tors stretched like 12-foot pieces of heavy rubber tire tread with sly eyeballs and 80 teeth, lining the opposite banks of watery ditches like so many silent visitors from the Jurassic.

East of St. Mark's, in the armpit of the state before land turns southward, the road map looks empty because vast tracts of pine are owned by lumber companies. Here passage on the Florida Trail is limited to card-carrying members of the Florida Trail Association, a legal oddity caused by landowner demands, a condition we are thankful other trails don't endure, even if we do wish every hiker were a member supporting the trails they enjoy.

On the south edge of Osceola National Forest I sampled another patch of trail at Olustee Battlefield, now a gently rolling piney forest. I had not even known that the Civil War, as we Northerners antiseptically call it, was fought this far south, but they still breathe in that conflict with their first spanking down here. As one native told me, "Oh, yes, they learn teed Off 101 from first grade onward." Alas, I was weeks too early for a reenactment festival.

Trail guides tell me there is so much more I haven't tasted yet: grassy prai- ries, swampy areas riddled with streams and rivers with frequent bridges, and the more tropical southern end of the state. A surprising number of our Finger Lakes Trail members spend the winter in Florida and are active with the PTA, too. What a great way to have your cake and • eat it, too!

A sampler hike on the FNST in the Ocala National Forest followed a clearly blazed and freshly maintained trail. Winter is when they do trail work there, while torrid summer offers barely ANY hike schedule for chapter members.

I enjoyed a sandy path through long leaf pines and assorted small oaks, with a thick understory of twisty shrubs and palmettos, a waist-high plant that looks like the top of a palm tree with its trunk removed. Orange blazes are sometimes hard to distinguish from the funny bril liant pink lichen that grows on many trees here. The Forest is threaded with good orange-dirt roads, sometimes seem ingly a few more than show on the excel lent Florida Trail Association maps, and trailheads on paved highways are refresh ingly well signed. There are sometimes even welcome Forest Service brown posts that say "FNST 1/4 mile ahead."

I teased myself with another Florida Trail hike on the southern coastline of Florida's panhandle at St. Mark's Wildlife Refuge, where a blazed woods road through tall magnolia and pines led to a dirt dike between marshy impoundments of mixed salt and fresh water. Wonderful arrays of nearby wintering ducks, coots, egrets, herons, and ibis enjoyed the shal low water, while a barred owl hooted from the woods landward and a redtail hawk perched above in the branches of a leafless bald cypress.

Yes, some trees do lose their leaves in Florida's winter but red maples' buds were just pinking up in late January. Horses and bicycles are obviously allowed on the dikes, but there was none of either

Irene never ran into one of these on the Finger Lakes Trail

On my first visit to Florida, I felt like an alien from another planet who

was sent to check out Florida for its suit ability as habitat for Our Kind. The place is just that different from my New York woods: no rocks, no hills or valleys, in fact, a bicyclist's dream flatland, and crea tures strictly from Mars.

Less than one hour's drive outside of Orlando's airport I halted suddenly and U-turned to go back and examine an armadillo along the shoulder, my first and an utter surprise to me this far east of Texas. Little did I realize these "sand rats" are common, docile, and easy to approach. What a silly creature: the armadillo waddles around wearing two sections of a jointed plastic football shoulder pad around his torso, with tiny fuzzy sparse hairs sticking out, has little pantalettes of hair on his ankles, an armored long nose with which he pokes and tunnels in the sand for grubs and ants, and two improbably large and deli cate ears, most of which are nicked and chewed.

Fortunately it's never far from the aqua, pink, and neon tourist alleys of the REST of the state, which is, in fact, mostly rural with several immense National Forests, and the Florida Trail=a perfect path through the interior.

Next on that road was a sign to a state preserve which accounted for a large area on the road map with nothing on it, the Tosohatchee, where the entrance bulletin board map showed miles of woods and river swamps laced with dirt roads, horse and hiking trails, and signs described the bears and alligators which would be encountered there. Also it was hunting season for wild hog. Wow! This was NOT the Florida of Miami Vice, hurray. The bulletin board stood under an immense wide-spreading live oak, with Spanish moss hanging down from branches that looked like they had little pine trees sprouting out of them. Bromeliads!

By Irene Szabo Contributing Editor

Florida and Its Scenic Trail through North

~ Country Eyeballs


Coordination with Ed Chappel (featured October 2000). Affectionately called "the Eds," these two have worked together to assess the maintenance and repair needs on the aging section of trail their chapter maintains, and are currently working on writing a Manual for Trail Adopters.

Morse was honored by the chapter this past summer for outstanding service, and the task which prompted that award is one which has brought him a sense of satisfaction because it was something that really needed to be done. The chapter's brush mower had never been put to use, and Ed took it upon himself to load it in his truck and take it to many places up and down 80 miles of trail that had never been mowed. "It was quite a job to do alone," he admitted. He discovered which places you can't get the mower to, as well as the ones you can!

He especially likes getting ready for large tasks. This past fall the Eds spent two days planning, measuring, and get ting set up so that about 15 volunteers could finish building 200 feet of pun cheon and re-benching the trail down a high bluff on one Saturday morning. Spending the winter in Florida, Ed com mented, "I drove 180 miles yesterday just so I could hike in a State Forest. But when I'm home, in less than a half hour I can be on the NCT where you can walk forever!" He echoed the sentiments of many of us when he added," To be in the woods is a freedom we have."

Spirit of the Woods Chapter Ed Morse found the North Country

Trail when hiking in the Manistee National Forest with his son more than 10 years ago. They would often drive the three hours from Lansing (their home then), just to hike this favorite section. Ed says that he picked up literature about the NCTA more than once before he had the time to follow through. But when he retired he knew that supporting the Trail was something he needed to do.

One day about three years ago he showed up for a chapter work day to paint blazes, and he has been one of the most faithful members ever since despite long drives to attend meetings or events. He served as secretary one year, and is currently sharing Trail Work

Ed Morse, the other half of Spirit If the Woods "Two Eds" Team.

involved when he can and was pleased to share his son's Eagle Scout project which was involved in the elaborate undertaking of recycling a bridge made of railroad ties and 4x4's into puncheon to span root holes left by tree throw.

Tony says that the most interest ing project is always the one that he is currently working on. He traded in the measuring wheel for a GPS unit, and keeps his guidebooks up to date with this newer technology. Following a trail "beats bushwhacking!" exclaimed Tony. Seriously, he added, a well planned trail "can enhance the outdoor experience. It can lead you to views, sights or interest ing vegetation" that you might not find on our own. Keep leading us on, Tony!

Finger Lakes Trail Conference Since 1966 Tony Preus has been hik

ing with the Triple Cities Hiking Club (Binghamton, NY) and their hikes often took them to the Finger Lakes Trail. Soon Tony was busy writing guidebooks for the trail. "I would spot a bike at a high point, then push the measuring wheel up to the bike, strap on the wheel

and ride down hill."

Using this sensible method he eventually finished guides to Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, and Ulster Counties of the main FLT, and also for the Onondaga

FLTC's Tony Preus Branch where the North Country

Trail turns north, basically all the FLT east of Ithaca.

One day Ed Sidote (featured August 1999) said, "You should hike the whole thing." So Tony did just that, becoming Finger Lakes Trail end-to-ender #7. He now is actively involved in helping others reach that goal.

Some time ago, he scouted and flagged a section of the FLT that is east of the portion concurrent with the NCT, in Bowman Lake State Park. Tony, Ed Sidote and helpers from the welfare-to work program chipped in for the clearing and building process. Now Tony main tains that section.

He tries to get his Scout troop

·22···:rh~--N~rt·h··5t~~····Ai;;£j~~~-~~~;····

"Classic:" what images does this word bring to your mind? Hopefully, such qualities as "timelessness," of "universal appeal," "containing truths" spring into your thoughts. This month our vol unteers come from classic professions: a teacher, a surveyor, and a nurse. Each of them has been involved in classic components of trail work: building and maintenance of the trail, and guiding others there, too. Each of them came to our Trail with a long-standing love of the outdoors and hiking. Each of them has worked closely with other outstanding volunteers.

~·ti'!""" ~'4".""'" Heart & Sole by Joan Young <!!4(jjjj~ ~\\.~~~ <!!4(f.{(j~ ~\\.~t~ <!!4(lfli~ -~ - -- A Classic Trio on Behalf of the North Country Trail

said of everyone we have to work with! Timeless classics? Folks who have been involved with the trail for many years- as hikers and as volunteers. Universal appeal? Who doesn't love hard workers who are willing to go out of their way to help com plete projects ... , and with a good attitude? Truth? We do have the freedom to hike in the woods. We are more likely to appreciate trails which lead us to interesting places, and which aid us in preserving those special places due to their good design.

Whom do you know who is a "classic?" Or perhaps you know an eager new-comer. In either case, please nominate a worthy volunteer to be featured here. Contact me at 231-757-2205 or at [email protected]

Bea's friends say that she always is cheer ful and tirelessly tells others about the Trail, and encourages them to do the same. Bea believes that being dependable is one of her best qualities. "We are a small group and it's important to be able to count on people."

She has served the chapter as Publicity Chairman. She is characterized as an excellent environmental steward. She has encouraged youth projects on the NCT, and has been a hike and trail crew leader. Her friends also say that Bea has an "attitude that makes her a joy to work with."

And don't we all wish that final state ment would be so classic that it could be

'

You won't find NC Trail hikers' Bea Anderson indoors much. She works on the trail (like the Laughing Whitefish bridge at left) all summer and skis all winter.

North Country Trail Hikers Bea Anderson calculates that there

are only two days out of the past 52 years that she was not outdoors at all! "I was raised on a farm, and I've always loved being out," she says. She explored places in the county and skied all winter. In "every time of year it's different."

When she retired 16 years ago, Don Elzinga asked her to a meeting of the recently formed NCT Hikers Chapter, the first chartered chapter of the NCTA. She and her brother wanted to do trail work, but they didn't think they would like group hikes. So Bea teamed up with Marti Leppanen (featured January 1998) and they began maintaining a long sec tion of trail. Neither one of these gals was exactly young when they took on this project, but only recently have they turned it over to others and taken on a shorter piece.

Bea was also one of the team who helped to build the bridge over the Laughing Whitefish River. It took them three years to complete. They had to drive an hour and then carry all the tools and lumber for a mile in to the site. Old pilings were donated by the city of Marquette and sawed by a portable mill. They hauled all this wood to the site, down a steep hill and then back up for a distance, only to have it stolen! They eventually found the lumber hidden in a cave, and the bridge was built.

In the meantime she discovered that hiking with a group has its own rewards.

Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Areas" (RegNeg Committee) to try to answer questions like this. For two years, the RegNeg Committee wrestled with the challenge of developing suit able accessibility guidelines for trails and other facilities traditionally found in parks. What emerged in the spring of 1999 was an approach that treated all trails the same, but allowed trail planners to opt out of meeting certain provisions if specific conditions were found along the trail. I'll describe this "exceptions based" approach in more detail below.

The RegNeg Committee issued its final report in September, 1999 (online at www.access-board.gov/outdoor/ outdoor-rec-rpt.htrn). Unfortunately, the

We can improve trail accessibility without building a sidewalk through the woods.

'

report has languished and no further public action has been taken. The Office of Management and Budget currently is reviewing the report in order to determine the impact the guidelines would have. Our under standing is that it could be 2006 or later before national trail accessibility guidelines are finalized.

In the meantime, public agencies are at a loss. They recognize that trails are subject to ADA and that they have an obligation to provide accessible opportunities. Yet, without clear federal guidance, land managing agencies are reacting in various ways, from ban ning all new trails until this is sorted out, to man dating that all new trails be built to fully accessibly standards, to ignoring the issue and hoping to avoid civil rights challenges. Since the North Country Trail is not exempt from ADA, the lack of direc tion for land management agencies is a growing problem that directly affects our volunteers.

In early 2002, the USDA Forest Service (FS)

set out to develop its own set of guide lines for trails. Like other agencies, the FS was struggling with the need to com ply with ADA when there were no offi cial guidelines available for trails. There is a chance that the RegNeg Committee guidelines will not survive to implemen tation in a recognizable form, but the FS believes that the guidelines essentially will prevail. So, the new Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG) are based on the RegNeg Committee recommendations.

A first draft of FSTAG was posted on the FS website toward the end of 2002, for a revolving period of infor mal public comment and revision. FSTAG has since undergone a number

B ack in 1990, Congress passed land mark legislation to improve access

to new and altered facilities for people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) set new stan dards for facilities such as State and local government buildings, places of public accommodation, and commercial sites. Beyond these more developed settings, the law even affected remote "facilities" such as the North Country National Scenic Trail.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) was charged with developing guidelines to imple ment the new law. In 1991, the Access Board issued its first ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). ADAAG clearly defined requirements for buildings and some other facilities, yet guidelines for "outdoor developed areas," such as trails, were lacking.

The thought that ADA should apply to trails, especially one like the North Country Trail, may surprise many readers. Yet, given the choice between visiting a city hall or shopping mall, or exploring a trail, I'd pick the trail any day. Most of us think most sane people would make the same choice, right? People with mobility impairments have interests that are just as diverse as yours or mine. As trail advocates, we recognize that a passion for the out of doors can- . not be determined by our own personal abilities or impairments. Passion is pas sion. Either you have it or you don't. ADA ensures that those who have it also have a means to fulfill it.

That being said, clearly, the entire North Country Trail cannot and should not be built to accessible standards. The trail is meant to provide a remote, mostly primitive hiking and backpacking expe rience. It provides access to backcountry, an opportunity to escape development and civilization, and a chance to recon nect ourselves with what is primary. So the question is, how do we meet the intent of ADA without compromising the vision and purpose of the NCT?

In the summer of 1997, the Access Board established a "Regulatory Negotiation Committee on Accessibility ·24· .. :r·h~- -N~;t·h· ·st~~-.*. :.\~·;;i~ j~~~- -~~~; ....

By Bob Papp Executive Director, NCTA

Accessibility Guidelines for Trails Will Impact NCT

immediately pick up on the notion that this could lead to a very complex situ ation on any trail segment. Each of the ten provisions is looked at separately, and application of each provision may vary along the length on the trail. So, with this on-again/off-again treatment, eventually, we have to ask, "What's the point?"

Recognizing the problems this approach may create, FSTAG also includes two types of "limiting factors." One type of limiting factor would be a point along the planned trail where departure from accessibility standards is so severe that it just doesn't make sense to continue to try to meet any standards farther down the trail. Examples include a surface that is not firm and stable for 45 feet or more, or a grade that exceeds 20% for more than 40 feet. A different type of "limiting factor" looks at cumu lative deviations, and says that if certain provisions (like grade or surface) are not met for 15% or more of the trail, than the trail is exempt from all provisions after the point where the problems start.

As I mentioned, applying these guidelines is fairly complex, and dif ficult to fully describe in a short article like this. As we get used to using them, they should start to become more intui tive, and, we'll probably find that most of the new trail we build is exempt from the provisions. Even so, we should keep the provisions in mind, and meet them where we can. Steep grades lead to ero sion and are difficult to climb. Steep cross slopes are difficult to walk. In short, while we may not be required to build to accessible standards, improving the accessibility of trail segments without sacrificing the nature of the trail could benefit all users (and maintainers!).

Though it's currently in an infor mal period of review and revision, later this year FSTAG will enter a period of formal public comment. Following that, the FS expects to implement it on an interim basis, which means it will come back up for review and revision after "field testing." The NCTA encourages its members to monitor the development of FSTAG, and submit comments if they see the need. While general reactions are ok, remember that specific comments are much more likely to be helpful to the FS and thus have an impact on the process. -------------------------------------------------------------·-·---··


facilities are not provided is not. This initial review will filter out much of our regular trail work.

FSTAG includes ten "Provisions" that define accessible standards for grade and cross slope, resting intervals, surface, width, passing space, tread obstacles, protruding objects, tread openings, edge protection, and signs. When we talk about building accessible trail, many people jump to the conclusion that we're talking about "paving everything." However, paving is only one way to address surface requirements, and a firm and stable surface meets only one of the ten Provisions.

FSTAG also defines four condi tions under which a portion of the trail would be exempt from one or more of these Provisions. Two of these conditions are likely to come up frequently along the North Country Trail. These address Trail Class and prevailing construction practices.

One condition states that a Provision need not be met if doing so would substantially alter the setting or "Trail Class." The FS defines five Trail Classes: Primitive, Simple, Developed, Highly Developed, and Fully Developed. Under most circumstances, the NCT is in one of the first two classes. As you might imagine, often, upgrading the NCT treadway from a primitive foot path to an accessible trail would knock it into a higher Trail Class. However, FSTAG allows a trail to be exempt from meeting a provision if doing so would change the Trail Class.

Another important condition is that accessibility provisions need not be met if it's not feasible to do so because ofter rain or prevailing construction practices. Bringing in heavy equipment to meet the grade provision, paving the tread so the surface is firm and stable, or blast ing rock to widen a narrow passage are all examples of trail work that wouldn't meet prevailing construction practices on the NCT. So, if this type of work were needed to meet certain provisions, the trail segment would be exempt from meeting those provisions.

A key point with these and other conditions is that the exemptions they allow only affect certain provisions and only for the section of trail where the condition exists. Trail planners will

of revisions. You can find a link to the most current version online at http: I/www.fs.fed.us/ recreation/ programs I accessibility/. You'll also find a link there to the FS Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guidelines (FSORAG), which cover outdoor facilities like rest rooms, shelters, picnic areas, etc.

It's important to note that, tech nically, both FSTAG and FSORAG only apply to trails and facilities within the boundaries of National Forests. Unofficially, though, we expect that many agencies will adopt these guide lines as their own, in the absence of any thing official from the Access Board. So, the new FS guidelines could have a sig nificant impact on the North Country Trail, wherever it goes, and it's important that we understand them and influence them, if need be.

Like the initial RegNeg Committee guidelines, FSTAG is complex and some what bewildering. The guidelines are applied during the planning stage for all new trails, to determine if, and to what extent each trail will need to be built to accessible standards. The complexity kicks in because many new trails will be required to meet only certain provisions in certain areas.

Even so, as explained below, we expect that the actual construction of most new segments of the NCT will not be greatly affected by these guide lines, though the planning stage will be. Certainly, there will be areas where accessible trail will be required, just as there will be areas where we will want to build accessible trail regardless of whether or not we are required to do so.

As I mentioned, the guidelines are complex, so I can't fully explain them here. There are some general aspects that I'd like to share, though. Hopefully, this will give you a better feel for what's involved and how it might impact the N CT and other trails.

To begin, the guidelines only apply to new or significantly altered trails that connect to an accessible trail or a desig nated trailhead. So, all maintenance and minor reroutes will be exempt. A desig nated trailhead is basically a trailhead that is managed for transfer between dif ferent types of transportation. So, a trail head with a parking lot is "designated" but a trail crossing a road where parking

Passion for the Outdoors Isn't Confined to Hikers without Disabilities

similar stamps with each stamp featuring artwork that would capture the essence of a Scenic or Historic trail.

The CSAC has the role of selecting suitable subjects for U.S. postage stamps and postal stationery and recommend ing them to the Postmaster General. Approximately 25 subjects for com memorative issues are selected each year according to the CSAC's web site. The Committee meets four times a year in Washington to review the proposals accu mulated since the previous meeting.

More than 50,000 inquiries are received annually recommending stamp subjects and/or designs. The catch is that they must meet a set of fairly stringent criteria set up by the CSAC to screen out those unsuitable for postal issue . For instance, no consideration will be

given if the subject ' has been featured on stamps during the past 50 years or is of a religious nature, or for fraternal, .political, sectarian or service/ charitable organiza tions or promote or advertise com mercial enterprises or products. Subjects

considered will primarily be American or American-related, and can be events, per sons, and themes of widespread national appeal and significance. There are twelve criteria that each subject must meet before the Committee will consider it.

What can you do to help us get a set of stamps honoring our scenic and historic trails? Collect a petition from your chapter with names, addresses, phone numbers of members and send it to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee, c/o U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 5670, Washington, D.C. 20260-2437. The petition should ask the Committee to consider featuring the National Scenic and Historic Trails on a future commem orative stamp issue.

Say that an individual stamp could be issued for each trail in a sheet that features the entire system. If you need further help in this or more information, please give me a ring or send email. The web site for CSAC is www.usps.com/ communications/ organization/ csac.htm

Is anyone out there collecting post age stamps among you trail folk? Those of you who do probably will know that over the last 70-80 years there have been a number of U.S. postage stamps pub licizing conservation related subjects. The very first such stamp was issued for Arbor Day in 1932. Since then, National Parks, National Park Service, John James Audubon, wildlife, soil, forest, water, range, waterfowl, and energy conser vation, desert plants, coral reefs, fish, horses, honey bees, pheasants, cranes, sea creatures, endangered flora, migratory bird treaty, and beautification of America are among the many subjects relating to the outdoors and natural resources that have been featured on U.S. stamps.

Only one trail has ever shown up on a stamp. The Oregon Trail was featured on a stamp that was issued in 1993. The stamp was denominated 29 cents and had a map of the western states with a heavy dark line representing the Oregon Trail superimposed on it.

I've just let fly a letter to the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) in Washington, DC in hopes of remedying the situation. I've proposed that they issue a set of stamps on which the National Scenic and Historic Trails are depicted and featured. The small vignette shows a 1930s stamp honoring one of the country's national parks. The US Postal Service could issue a set of 20

•

the National Park Service in purchasing available rights-of-way, easements, and land for the NCT using pooled federal and state funds. With that kind of coop eration, we want to show our gratitude by periodically shaking their hands and letting them know how grateful we are for their help.

The point of all this is that if you aren't already scheduling visitations or having contacts with your state legislators or land management agencies, there are definite benefits in doing so.

IL By the time you read this column, I'll have participated in my second

"Superior Days" at the State Capitol in Madison, WI, and in the North Country Trail Association's annual pilgrimage to Washington, DC.

Both trips are part of our organiza tion's efforts to keep state and federal leg islators aware of the progress being made on the North Country Trail. NCTA's representatives at these sessions make sure lawmakers know of our organization's and volunteers' roles educating the public and helping the National Park Service and its partner agencies construct and manage the trail.

Last year, Peter Nordgren of Wisconsin's Brule/St. Croix Chapter

. invited me to join him and others from the Superior, WI area for their annual trek to the State Capitol to visit the State's northwestern legislative delegation. Each year, a large contingent from the Superior area, made up of entrepreneurs, private citizens, and organizational rep resentatives, journeys to Madison and sets up shop for a two or three day whirl wind tour of their state Senators' and Representatives' offices.

The group's mission is to make these lawmakers aware of a wide variety of accomplishments, issues, and opportuni ties in which this diversified group of people is involved.

The NCTA portion of the visit includes one-on-one discussion with legislators concerning construction of the trail and the interest and involvement of their constituents in the work. We also cover where we hope to go in the future. Invitations are extended to each lawmaker to join us at one of the coming year's events or to take a hike on an inter esting portion of the trail in their district. Since the trail brings definite recreational benefits to their districts, legislators usu ally volunteer their services to help our organization in any way they are able. The offers are recorded in non-fading ink in Peter Nordgren's little black book for future reference.

Superior Days also includes meet ing with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) brass and making sure they're aware of what we're doing, too. Wisconsin DNR has long been trail oriented and friendly. Currently, the DNR is working with ·2s···:rh~--N'~rt·h··5t~~··*·'Ai>·;;i~j~~~-~~;·--·

Two Suggestions for Helping to Spread the Word About the Trail.

April-June 2003 * The Nortn Star 27

As of Nov. 30, 2002, membership in the North Country Trail Association rose to 2,808, the first time membership has ever climbed over the 2,600, mark.

The largest number, 808, is in the at-large category, but the chapters are growing as well. Western Michigan con tinues as our largest, with 323 members, followed by Star of the North with 157, and Chief Noonday with 152. Others over the century mark are Grand Traverse Hikers, 129, Central New York, 125, and North Country Hikers (Marquette) with 114. +4.9%

+0.2% 5

+5 107

2,813 102

2,808 Other Totals

+3 213 +1.4% 210

Percent Change

Change Since Last Quarter

Current Members

Members Last Issue State .........

Minnesota

State by State Membership Membership in the NCTA demonstrates public support for the trail. Membership dues help fund activities that benefit the trail. Here's how each state grew since the last issue of The North Star.

Trail Building Progress on the North Country Trail The National Park Service certifies those completed miles that satisfy its standards. In addition there are many more completed miles that may be enjoyable to hike but cannot be certified for a variety of reasons.

Percent Increase Other Total Marked Done and Miies Since Last Off-Road Off Road Road

State Certified Certified Issue Miies Miies Miles

Minnesota 26.1% 97.7 4.7 0.0 97.7 0.0

Michigan 54.1% 621.6 2.4 60.9 682.5 112.2

Pennsylvania 42.1% 126.2 -3.7 28.9 155.1 6.6

Totals 40.8% 1,704.6 7.2 167.2 1,871.8 187.5 BIG"*

Along the way to building the longest continuous hiking trail in the country, we pass many milestones. This page marks some that show our progress.

Milestones Along the North Country Trail

Design new segments of trail and reroute existing wet segments to pass over dry ground. Routing the trail through a wet area causes nothing but headaches, increased construction costs, and ongo ing maintenance expense. The exception to this rule is when there is a conscious decision to take the trail through a wet land for interpretive purposes.

Of course I realize that when we are talking about a 4,200 mile trail there are going to be times when avoiding all wet areas is unavoidable. In many places where the North Country Trail is located, extensive wetlands exist. Obviously, some of them will have to be crossed. The trick is to scout the area carefully and cross the wetland at its narrowest point. This alone will minimize the costs and labor needed

Photograph by Bill Menke If you can't bypass a wetland, a well-constructed board walk like this one by the Spirit of the Woods Chapter, is the ultimate solution.

to protect the environment, including the soils, water, and sensitive plants that often grow in wet areas.

To protect the wet environ ment and provide a pleasant hiking experience, some kind of trail structure such as puncheon, boardwalk, or turnpike/causeway will have to be built. All of these structures are labor intensive and all (with the possible exception of turnpike/causeway) will eventu ally deteriorate and have to be replaced. It is much better and less expensive to design the trail carefully to avoid wet areas in the first place.

The type of structure that should be installed will vary tremendously depending on the depth of any standing water, fluc tuations due to spring wetness, soils, width of crossing, etc. But there are some generalizations that may be helpful.

Turnpikes are used to elevate the trail above wet ground. Fill material from parallel side ditches and other areas is used to build the trail surface higher than the surrounding water table. The fill is placed between parallel poles defining the edge of the trail. But turnpikes require some degree of drainage. Therefore, if the site is

too wet to allow the digging of drainage ditches, some other technique is needed.

A causeway is a more environmen tally friendly relative to the turnpike. It is essentially a turnpike without side ditches. Picture it as two parallel poles lying on the ground about three feet apart and filled with granular material for a walking surface. Causeways can be very effective for crossing seasonally wet areas and correcting braided trail areas. But they too are limited if the soil is highly saturated because they will eventually sink into the ground.

Puncheon is an effective structure especially when crossing an area only sea sonally wet or one where the water depth is very shallow. Puncheon is a walking

hem Altogether "\Tou will recall that in the L October-December 2002 issue,

Tom Gilbert wrote that dryness was one of four major factors that affect the hiking experience. Amen! In the last issue, we talked about how the running slope and cross slope of the trail tread influence overland water flow and conse quently also directly influence ero sion. Proper design and construc tion of the trail tread is essential to eliminate the potential for running water to damage the trail. Now, I would like to move on to talking about other "dryness" issues.

While perpetually or season ally wet areas and standing water do not have as much potential to damage the trail itself, they are every bit as bothersome to the hiker. I don't know of many hikers who like to wade through water or muck or through extremely muddy, soggy areas. Doing so is hard on equipment and is simply not a fun thing to do. Of equal concern, repeated hiking in these wet or mucky areas can be very damaging to the environment.

Wet areas include marshes, conifer swamps, hardwood swamps, cattail sloughs, and many other conditions. Hummocky areas are also a concern. This is when the area consists of small mounds interspersed with depressions that hold water.

Rather than attempting to list all the local nomenclatures for the various types of wet areas, for our purposes, wet areas include anywhere surface water stands for more than a couple of days or where a high water table causes the soil surface to indent and become mucky with repeated use. Many of you probably recognize wet areas by the plants that grow there. Cattails are obvious, but bluebells, marsh marigolds, skunk cabbage, and many other plants also indicate heavy, wet soil.

Just as there is only one true north, I think there is only one cardinal rule con cerning trails in wet areas: avoid wet areas at almost any cost.

·2a·--rh~--N~rth--st~~-----Ap-;ii~j~~~--~~;----

Wet Areas: The

Trail Craft with Bill Menke, NCTA Trail Foreman

April-June 2003 * The North Star 29

To begin your membership, complete this form and send it with your $18 payment to:

229 East Main Street Lowell, Michigan 49331

-*.-~coUNr~y ~~~ ~~ ~ ~~

~~ •ASSOCIATION•

Sponsored by

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Our Sponsored Membership Program allows current members to sign up new members at an introductory rate of just $18.00. To qualify, Sponsored Members must be new to NCTA, or not have been members for at least two years. The $18.00 rate is good only for the first year of membership. To use the program, just fill you name in the "Sponsored by" box. Then, give the form to a friend to finish.

SPONSORED MEMBERSHIP FORM

This Year: Sharpen Trail Craft with the Foreman and Enjoy Wisconsin

Your headquarters In the field with the B-SC Rovers.

and a willingness to learn while working. The crew provides all tools, base camp equipment, safety gear, and training. Hearty food is also provided.

Depending on the trip, you will gain experience in trail layout, blazing, clearing and tread construction, sign ing, or maintenance.

You will camp in a natu ral setting near the worksite. Past participants say they worked hard but also had a great time swapping experi ences around the campfire, swimming after work and hiking the North Country Trail during the evenings.

If you are interested, please get in touch with Bill at [email protected]. You may also call him at (608) 273-0087.

The crew outings for 2003 are April 28-May 2, July 7-11, August 11-15, September 15-19, Octoberl0-14, and November 3-7.

If you act quickly (and chis issue reaches you in time) there may also be room at Bill's maintenance workshop in White Cloud, MI on April 5 and 6. To check on openings, e-mail Werner Veit at [email protected], or call NCTA head quarters at (616) 897-5987.

Have you always wanted to learn more about designing, constructing, or

maintaining the trail? If so, here is your opportunity to get some on-the-ground experience in a crew setting while enjoying northern Wisconsin.

Join our Trail Foreman Bill Menke and the Brule-Sc. Croix Roving Trail Crew for a week of camping and trail activities. There'll be six separate oppor tunities to participate chis year, starting the end of April.

All you have to bring is your own personal gear, sleeping arrangement,

surface of parallel planks resting on sill logs, which are perpendicular to the trail.

There are two types of puncheon used in the east, native logs and milled, treated boards. The latter is by far the easier construct and is used in most cases. Native split logs are used only when the structure is very remote and then only if suitable roe-resistant trees are available for cutting.

Boardwalks are used to get across areas of deeper standing water. A board walk is a series of support posts (pilings) chat are driven into the bottom of the marsh. These upright posts then support an understructure similar to joists in a floor and eventually the planks of the walking surface.

Perhaps the best way to imagine a boardwalk is to picture it as an elon gated deck. Boardwalks and decks share almost identical construction techniques. Boardwalks are very difficult to construct and the services of skilled craftsmen or someone with engineering design skills will be needed.

Obviously, I can't get into the details of how to build these different types of wee-area structures. If you encounter a need for chem, there are several excellent resource books and videos chat describe in detail how to do it. But remember the cardinal rule! Avoid the wet area at almost all costs.

Trail Craft

E D

"Blue BlazeS' 50150 Poly Cotton blend on ash gray shirt. Short sleeve (C-109) S, M, L XL: $11.95,XXL: $13.95 Long sleeve , (C-109A) M, LXL: $15.95,XXL: $17.95

Rediseover nature The 100% cotton "leaf' shirt available in: Dusty Blue (C-110) Pale Plum (C-110A) S, M, L XL: $15.95, XXL: $17.95

Designed by Max Boyd TWO NEW T-SHIRTS!

c B

SHIRTS G. Tran Crew T·shirt (c102) A trail crew shirt for volunteers! 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 H. 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 Nonh Country National Scenic Trail" and includes the seven state map of the trail. Color: natural. S, M, L, XL $11.95, XXL $12.95 I. Sweatshirts M, L XL $34.95, XXL $37.95 Goldenrod (C107A) Khaki Green (C107B) Denim (C107C) Light Raspberry (C107D) J. PQ(Q Shirt Color: Tan (C106) Embroidered association logo. M, L XL XXL $31.95 K. Fleeee Vest Color: Grey (C108) Embroidered trail logo. M, L XL, XXL $38.95

30 The North Star * April-June 2003

A

HATS A. Royal Mesh:-Back Cap (C201) Mesh back, cotton twill front, royal blue, plastic snap strap $10.95 B. Light Khaki/Navy Cap (C207) Trail emblem design. Low profile washed cotton, unconstructed. Light khaki crown with washed navy bill. Adjustable buckle on fabric strap $14.95 C. Denim Blue Cap (C203) Pro-wash cotton rwill with extended bill, deep blue crown and bill (looks like denim), adjustable buckle on a leather strap.$15.95 D. Grey-Moss Green Cap (C206) Low profile distressed washed cotton twill. Adjustable buckle on fabric strap ... $14.95 E. Sun Protection (C210) Wide bill, Supplex® tan nylon, soft and breathable. Adjustable clip back. .... $18.50 F. The Aussie Hat (C209) Natural Color, cotton canvas with full brim and rope cord with adjustable slider $24.5

benefiphe North C_ountry Trail ~ssociation

PENNSYLVANIA NCT in Pennsylvania, 37 pages

(M201) .......................•••.......•••.••..•........ $6.00

CERTIFIED SECTIONS OF THE NCT

By Byron and Margaret Hutchins Detailed information and maps highlighting the longest and best off-road segments of the Trail. These are accurate route descriptions by experienced guidebook writers who have walked the sections with a measuring wheel. In easy to use looseleaf form.

Map shown: Grand Marias to Au Train Lake NCT Trail Map Set

MICHIGAN Huron-Manistee N.F.: North Segment

(T 401) $8.00 Battle Creek to Chief Noonday Road

(T402) $6.50 Huron-Manistee N.F.: South Segment

(T403) $8.00

PENNSYLVANIA McConnells Mill and Moraine State Parks

(T201) $5.00 Allegheny National Forest North Section

(T202) $6.50 Southern Allegheny National Forest and Cook Forest State Park

(T203) $8.00

1:24,000 SCALE Printed in full color on durable paper these new maps come in a dear plastic bag to assure complete water protection. They have been carefully field checked for accuracy. Each map unfolds to a full n" x 17".

H Hospital

Iii Potable Water

BIJ Public Land

!! Fishing

D Ranger Station

Two Track

UTM Grid and 2002 Magnetic North

Declination Di9!J'"am Is approximate

Highway

Paved Road

Gravel/Dirt Road

Other Road

5"29· Miles Between Points

* .. GH

Temporary Connector

Selected Other Trail

N

A North Country Trail (Cer@ed)"

000000 North Country Trail (Not Certified)

Legend

NORTH DAKOTA Showing four sections of trail

(ND-SE) $3.50

MINNESOTA Chippewa N.F. to Paul Bunyan S.F.

(MN-09) $3.50

WISCONSIN Together these maps cover the Chequamegon

National Forest Ironwood to Long Mile Lookout

(Wl-01) .. : $3.50 Long Mile Lookout to Solon Spring

(Wl-02) $3.50

MIClilt;AN Marshall to Bowne Township

(Ml-02) $3.50 Bowne Township to M-37

(Ml-03) $3.50 Freesoil Trailhead to Cedar Creek Road

(Ml-05) $3.50 Grand Marais to Au Train Lake

(Ml-10) $3.50 Alberta to Cascade Falls

(Ml-13) $3.50 Cascade Falls to Ironwood

(Ml-14) $3.50

NCT TRAIL MAP SETS

1~100,000 SCALE Printed in full color on durable paper, this pocket size map unfolds to a full n" x 17", doubleside. These maps do not come in a plastic bag.

NEWVORK Rome to Finger Lakes Trail

(NY-04) $3.50

e-mail: [email protected] ORDER TOLL FREE! 1-888-454-NCTA ( 6282) www.northcountrytrail.org

Wooda11d Scene on pebble ta1 ce-105) S, M, l., XL: $12.95, XXL: $13.95

MUG North Country National Scenic Trail plastic trail mug tapered to fit in cup holder.

$ Back (P103) 5.00 Front

NCT PHOTO

MEDALLIONS AND PINS Add the North Country National Scenic Trail insignia to your hiking stick. A. Painted color (P105) $4.00 B. Brass (P104) $4.00 C. The Trail Emblem cloisonne pin is 'l's" and features the updated North Country triangle design. (P102) ••••••••••••••••••••• $3.00

NCT PATCH Patch ofTrail Emblem 3V2 " bottom measure North Country Trail emblem triangle design (P125) $3.50

Check the website for availability of new milage patches and NCT 2003 Voluntw' parch.

STATE PATCHES 2.00 ea. VOLUNTEER PATCHES 2.00 ea. New York. (P126) Volunteer 2000 (P133) Pennsylvania (P127) Volunteer 2001 (P134) Ohio (P128) Volunteer 2002 (P135) Michigan (P129) Trail Crew (P136) Wisconsin (P130) Hike Leader (P137) Minnesota (P131) Trail Mapper (P138) North Dakota (P132) Organizer (P139)

"'-"1'9iJl!IPPIJ!!ffll!!!~~""!W!I~

Ohio State Line at Waldron to Augusta (M411A) $4.00

Augusta to Rogue River State Game Area (M412A) $4.00

Coates Highway at Manistee River to M- 115 West of Mesick

(M413A) $4.00 M-115 West of Mesick to M-32 West of U.S. 131

(M414A) $4.00 M-32 West of U.S. 131 to Mackinaw City

(M415A) $4.00 St. Ignace to SE Marquette

(M416A) $4.00 Marquette to Ironwood

(M417A) $4.00

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.

NORTH DAKOTA NCT in North Dakota 15 pages

(M701) $5.00

MINNESOTA Chippewa National Forest, Itasca S.P., 24 pages

(M601) $4.00

WISCONSIN Iron County Forests; Chequamegon N.F., Brule River S.F., 27 pages

(M501A) $4.50

MICHIGAN NCT in Lower Michigan, 81 pages

(M401) $12.50 NCT in Upper Michigan, 88 pages

(M402) $13.00

OHIO Wayne National Forest, 14 pages

(M301) .................................................• $3.00 From Burr Oak State Park to Milford on the Buckeye Trail, 38 pages

(M3032) $14.00 Milford to Lake Loramie S.P., 42 pages

(M304A) $7 .00 Miami & Erie Canal from Lake Loramie S.P. to Napoleon, 30 pages

(M305A) $5.00


... Nonh Country Trill ...

CHlpjHWI HiUOftll ,erttt MIMHotl

,, __ Quldt

lfli"

..... SUPPORT GROUP REFERENCE GUIDE

New ............. FIR~AID a 'I.MILT DID:GDICY

Backpacking Wisconsin by jack P. Hai/man & Elizabeth D. Hai/man The authors provide first-hand information for trails in every corner of the state - from the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore to picturesque Newport State Park. (L129) $19.95

Edible Wild Plants by James Kavanagh This pocket -size guide is perfect for identifying the various plants you see while out walking. (L127) $5.95

America's National Scenic Trails by Kathleen Ann Cordes History, the present con dition, points of interest, and other details for each of the eight national scenic trails including the North Country National Scenic Trail. 306 pages (L122) $19.95

Great Minnesota Walks by Wm. Chad McGrath Describes some of the state's most beautiful and interesting paths. Includes walks beside river rapids and scenic overlooks. 168 pages (L117) $16.95

First Aid and Family Emergency Handbook This compact book tells you what to do in emer gency and then what to do to protect a victim. 252 pages (L125) $6.00

Guide to NCT, Chippewa National Forest, Minnesota by Roderick MacRae Description and trail log written by an expert. 12 pages (M611) $i25

The Appalachian Food Planner by Lou Adsmond Proven food tips for a short backpack to a six-month thru hike. Includes reci pes for easy trailside cooking. 128 pages (L126) $15.95

Trail Atlas of Michigan by Dennis R Hansen This third edition has descriptions and maps for over 600 hik ing, biking, skiing, and nature trails in Michigan. 789 pages (L102A) $34.95

Take a Hike Great Wisconsin by Rich and Sue Freeman Walks Explore the Finger Lakes by Wm. Chad McGrath and Genesee Valley with Describes some of the ease and convenience. state's most beautiful 51 walks are completely and interesting paths. described. 264 pages Includes walks in the (L119) $16.95

,, woods and in the cities. 160 pages (L116)

Peak Experiences $16.95 by Gary Pallesen A guide to the highest Lipsmackin' points in every New Backpackin' York county. Includes by Tim and Christine maps, directions to trail- Hiking the Connors heads, and some alter- Highest Summits Dine on spaghetti, chicken lnNeWYork, nate routes. 288 pages County bV County salad, and cheesecake in (L120) $16.95 the backcountry instead of

gorp, cereal bars, and jerky. 50 Hikes in Ohio 232 pages (L118) $1S.95 by Ralph Ramey They range over the Hiking with Kids entire state and includes by Robin Tawney hikes from easy to vig- Introduce your children orous. Some overnight to the wonders of hik- backpacks. 272 pages ing. This answers any (L121) $14.95 questions and gives Tiida•

valuable tips. 70 pages follht 50 Hikes in (L123) $6.95 Hlb•

Michigan by Jim DuFresne The Country Doctor, Describes the best trails Alive and Well in the Lower Peninsula. by john G. Hipps M D. Includes access, parking, His stories will entertain hiking times, contour and charm you. Has maps, and explicit trail advice on home remedies directions. 252 pages and alternative medicine (L109) $17.95 for self-care. 363 pages

(L115) $19.95 Porcupine Mountains Hiking! by Jim DuFresne by Philip Farranti and Describes the Porkies Cecilia Leyva for hikers, campers, A fresh look at hiking skiers, and backpack- including its philosophy, ers. Includes history, health aspects for kids and cabins, camping areas, seniors, and stronger fam- day hikes, and water- ily ties. 245 pages (L106) falls. 160 pages (L108) $14.95 $11.95

e-mail: [email protected] ORDER TOLL FREE! 1-888454-NCTA (6282) www.northcountrytrail.org

Shipping and Handling Charges Amount of Order Charge $00.00 to $10.00 $2.50 $10.01 to $25.00 $5.00 $25.01 to $50.00 $6.00 $50.01 to $100 $8.00 Over $100 $10.00

Merchandise total:

NCTA Members deduct 10%: -

Subtotal after discount:

Ml Residents add 6% sales tax: + 1------+----4

Shipping and handling: + (See shipping info below) 1------+----4

Membership dues (if included): + t===========l=====i

GRAND TOTAL:

34 --The N~rth Star * Ap-ril-June 2003

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lAiiil ~

TRAIL SHOP PURCHASES -- Item D;scription I Item Number I Size I Quantity I Price Each I Total

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D $50 Trail Leader D $150 Business

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D $250 NCT Patron

Membership: Please mark one of the boxes below if joining or rejoining the North Country Trail Association

Please choose your Chapter afflllatlon:

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The top form maybe used for new and renewing members. The lower portion of the form is for Trail Shop Merchandise.

MEMBERSHIP Be TRAIL SHOP ORDER FORM

Following the NCt by ~s Boyd This is the third edition of a classic. It describes the trail and efforts to build it in each of the seven states. It includes details of through-hik ing and a history of the Trail and Association. 96 pages (L112) $4.95

NCTA Trail Building and Maintenance Manual by Thomas Reimers This provides guidelines for planning, construc tion, and maintenance of the North Country Trail. 22 pages (L101) $2.00

Buck Wilder's Hiking & Camping Guide by Tim Smith and Mark Herrick Great color illustrations filled with humor with tips and trivia. Appears to be a book for kids, but adults find it's lots of fun and informa tive. 64 pages (L103) $12.95

e-mail: [email protected] ORDER TOLL FREE! 1-888454-NCTA (6282) www.northcountrytrail.org

a landowner's willingness to permit the trail and trail users to cross their land, usually for 5 years. It is not permanent and does not affect their property rights. These are required when a cooperating landowner wishes to have the protections provided to volunteers as Volunteers-in Parks.

"Volunteers-in-Parks agreements" record the commitments of groups or individuals to work on the trail as volun teers. They include a brief job descrip tion. The NPS in turn agrees to assume liability for work done by volunteers and to pay medical expenses of a volunteer injured while working on the trail.

"Cooperative agreements" describe work to be done by a cooperator for which NPS will reimburse certain speci fied work expenses. Presently, we have one cooperative agreement with the NCTA through which we underwrite a significant portion of the operational expenses of the association on behalf of the traii.

"Grant agreements" provide for reimbursement of a portion (usually 50%) ofland acquisition costs incurred by a cooperating agency. We have one grant agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provid ing a total of $500,000 for acquisition of lands in Wisconsin for the North Country NST.

"Programmatic agreements" are between the NPS and a State's Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) describing the responsibilities of NPS (and by exten sion its cooperators) in regard to historic and archeological resources that might be affected by development and manage ment of the trail. We are presently work ing on one with the Wisconsin SHPO and there is an old out-of-date agreement with the Ohio SHPO.

So, what does the NPS staff in Madison do? A large portion of our work involves making arrangements with pub lic and private partners regarding how we will each work on the trail, preparing agreements documenting this, obtaining necessary reviews and approvals, moni toring their implementation, and process ing requests for reimbursement for agree ments that provide financial assistance. ······"A~;ii~j~~~·~~;;·····;:h~.N~rth.st~~·35

... to individuals, private organizations, or landowners participating in such activities, or provisions of both types."

Our first agreement, renewed several times since, was a 1982 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NPS and the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) describing how we would work together to maximize the effectiveness and avoid any duplication of our efforts. MOUs serve the purpose of defining the general "roles and responsibilities" relating to the trail of the partners who are parties to such an agreement.

Presently, we have two MOUs-the one with NCTA and another between the NPS, NCTA, and U.S. Forest Service covering the portions of the trail within national forests. Eventually, we would like to have a series of seven MOUs cov ering the partners working on the trail in each of the North Countty Trail states. State Coordinator Bob Tait has taken initial steps toward developing such an MOU in Pennsylvania.

Other types of agreements include: "Certification agreements" are appli

cations to have a completed trail segment approved by NPS as an official part of the trail. They describe a segment and how it is marked and managed. The application is signed by the agency or organization that manages the segment. After review of the application and oftentimes field inspection of the segment, the NPS coun tersigns and it becomes the agreement for management of that segment.

"Challenge cost share agreements" are applications for federal cost sharing for a project benefiting the trail. If approved, the application is signed by NPS and it becomes the agreement for management and funding of the project, and for completion of the work promised in the application.

"Landowner agreements" document

Last issue, we began a series explor ing the work done by the National

Park Service (NPS) staff in Madison, Wisconsin-work that often seems invisible to those who are more directly involved with building and maintaining the trail.

The National Trails System Act is clear in directing the federal administer ing agency-in the case of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NST), the NPS-to seek and encourage the involvement of other federal, state, and local agencies as well as private organiza tions, landowners, and individuals in acquiring, developing, operating, main taining, and protecting the trail. All such involvement is completely voluntary; the Act contains no authority by which the NPS can require the involvement of oth ers in these activities. In fact, if no one voluntarily participated in this effort, the entire job of creating and managing the North Country NST would fall upon the NPS. Realistically, we all know it would be impossible for the NPS to do this without active partners.

Fortunately, many public and pri vate interests have stepped forward to share in this work. The Act, anticipating this, describes the federal administering agency's role as primarily providing guid ance, technical assistance, and resources to cooperators. Repeatedly, the Act directs the federal administering agency to provide those things "in accordance with written cooperative agreements."

There are 21 references in the Act to using written agreements. The most comprehensive reference and authority is in section 7 (h):

"When deemed to be in the public interest, such Secretary may enter written cooperative agreements with the States or their political subdivisions, landown ers, private organizations, or individuals to operate, develop, and maintain any portion of such a trail either within or outside a federally administered area. Such agreements may include provi sions for limited financial assistance to encourage participation in the acquisi tion, protection, operation, development, or maintenance of such trails, provisions providing volunteer in the park ... status

What Do Those Folks in Madison Actually Do? Exploring the National Park Service Office, Part II

PENNSYLVANIA TRAIL COUNCIL Chair and Trail Coordinator: Bob Tait ·

380 West Park Road, Portersville, PA 16051 · (724) 368-3709 · [email protected]

GREAT LAKES TRAIL COUNCIL Chair:BobNorlin· PO Box718,IronRiver,WI54847

· (715) 372-5229 · [email protected] Wisconsin Coordinator: Brad Gingras · PO

Box 416, Cable, WI 54821-0416 · (715) 798- 3890 · [email protected]

Upper Michigan Coordinator: Doug Welker · 26344 Tauriainen Road, Pelkie, MI 49958 · (906) 338-2680 · [email protected]

8. Brule-St. Croix Chapter Charles (Chuck) Zosel· 6697 S. Degerman Rd., Lake Nebagamon, WI 54849 · (715) 374-3489 · [email protected]

9. Chequamegon Chapter Tana Turonie · P.O. Box 475, Mellen, WI 54546 · (715) 274-2521 · [email protected]

LOWER MICHIGAN TRAIL COUNCIL

Chair: Arlen Matson· 1045 Draca Road Traverse City, MI 49684-8837 · (231) 941-4152 · as3 l [email protected]

Trail Coordinator: Joan Young· 861 W. US-10, Scottville, MI, 49454 ·(231) 757-2205 · jhy@t- one.net

14. Harbor Springs Chapter Jerry Keeney· 2385 Manitou Trail, Harbor Springs, MI 49740 · (231) 526-9597 · [email protected]

15. Tittabawassee Chapter Jerry Allen· 5516 Bensch Road, Alger, MI 48610 · (989) 345-2677 · [email protected]

16. Grand Traverse Hiking Club (Chapter) John Heiam · 3947 Havenhill Lane, Williamsburg, MI 49690 · [email protected]

OHIO TRAIL COUNCIL Chair: Garry S. Dill Jr. · 4070 Tradersville

Brighton Road, London, OH 43140 · (937) 834- 2891 [email protected]

Trall Coordinator: Jim Sprague · 4406 Maplecrest, Parma, OH 44134 · (440) 884-4757

21. NW Ohio Rall-to-Trails Assoc. (Partner) Gene Markley· P.O. Box 234, Delta, OH 43515 · (800) 951-4788 · [email protected]

22. Buckeye Trail Association Garry Dill · 4070 Tradersville-Brighton Rd., London, OH 43140 · (937) 834-2891 · [email protected]

23. Great Trail Sandy Beaver Canal Chapter Brad Bosley· 1210 Pancake-Clarkston Rd., Nefley, OH 44441 · (330) 227-2432

17. Spirit of the Woods Chapter Richard Krieger · 364 First Street #2, Manistee, MI 49660 · (231) 398-9193 · [email protected]

18. Western Michigan Chapter Werner Veit · 229 East Main Street, Lowell, MI 49331 · (616) 897-5987 · [email protected]

19. Chief Noonday Chapter Tom Garnett· 1715 Glendale Blvd, Kalamazoo, MI 49004 · (616) 382-2561 · [email protected]

20. Baw Beese Chapter Richard Saur· P.O. Box 673, Hillsdale, MI 49242. (517) 437-5033

10. Heritage Chapter Jim Burow · 7067 Oakwood Circle, Neskoro, WI 53496 · (920) 293-8023 · [email protected]

11. Peter Wolfe Chapter Doug Welker · 26344 Tauriainen Rd., Pelki, MI 49958 · (906) 338-2680 · [email protected]

12. North Country Trail Hikers (Chapter) Jan Wester· 352 E. Hewitt Ave., Marquette, MI 49855. (906) 225-1295 Bertie Daly· 126 HC 1, Marquette, MI 49855 · (906) 228-9018 Denise Herron · 423 W. Park St. · Marquette, MI 49855 · (906) 225-1030 · [email protected]

12. Hiawatha Shore to Shore Chapter Kirt Stage-Harvey· 950 Huron Street, St. Ignace, MI 49781 · (906) 643-6379 · [email protected]

MINNESOTA TRAIL COUNCIL Chair: Daryl Williamson· 5901 Timberglade Dr.,

Bloomington, MN 55438 · (952) 835-2186 · [email protected]

Trail Coordinator: John Leinen,Jr. · 14205 St. Croix Trail, Stillwater, MN 55082-9587 · (651) 433-4456 · [email protected]

3. Star of the North Chapter John Dreher· 7641 lOth St. N, Oakdale, MN 55128 . (651) 738-3717

4. Itasca Moraine Chapter Jerry Trout · 4379 Maple Lane Nw; Hackensack, MN 56452 · (218) 675-5448 · jbrrourtstds.ner

5. Kekekabic Trail Club (Partner) Peter Sparks· (800) 818-4453 · [email protected]

6. Rovers Outing Club (Partner) John Elliott· (612) 829-5142

7. Superior Hiking Trail Assoc. (Partner) Gayle Coyer· (218) 834-2700 · [email protected]

LEGEND - Chapters '""'"" Partners = Not Yet Adopted

NORTH DAKOTA TRAIL COUNCIL 1. Lone Tree Chapter

Eldon Ehrman· 2940 15th Avenue, NE Anamoose, ND 58710 · (701) 465-3387 · [email protected]

2. Sheyenne River Valley Chapter Lisa Ringstad ·P.O. Box 100 Cooperstown, ND 58245 · (701) 797-3530 · [email protected]

G

5 6 ,.,,,,,,,,,, .. .,, .. ,,~

.. .. , ... , .... ··''""'7-'",/ .. ;-r-"'"'~~

Chapters of the North Country Trail Association are like local trail clubs. They build and maintain 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 groups that are working to build and maintain

certain sections of the trail.

North Country Trail Association Trail Councils


Check Out Finger Lakes at www.fingerlakes.org

The Finger Lakes Trail Conference opened its new website March 1 and invites hikers to check it out at: www.fing erlakestrail.org.

About half of the 800-mile Finger Lakes Trail in New York State is part of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

Not online? The Finger Lakes folks say they'll be glad to hear from you if you telephone (585) 658-9320.

Ohio Barn Raising The Buckeye Trail Association, an

NCTA affiliate, has acquired a lease on a century-old barn located on the south shore of Lake Tappan in Harrison County, southeast of New Philadelphia, for use as a field office, meeting place, dormitory and recreation area. There are also plans for an outside tenting area. The lease includes access and beach rights. The association also hopes to build a dock.

A series of fund-raisers and a request for donations from members will pay for needed repairs and renovations. For questions or offers to participate e-mail Rick Adamson at [email protected]

--Rick Adamson in The Trailblazer

Award for Trail Excellence Alex Gonzalez has won the Finger

Lakes Trail Conference's Clar-Willis Award, given yearly for excellence and dedication to trail stewardship. He main tains a section of the Finger Lakes Trail, which also lies along the North Country National Scenic Trail. It's located south of Dryden, NY, along the border between Tompkins and Cortland Counties.

His stretch has drawn particular praise from Joan Young, a member of the North Country Trail Association's Board of Directors, and one of the Association's most accomplished long distance hikers. She particularly noted Alex' special help to hikers like the rope railing on steep stretches and tidy rock borders to define the path in difficult places.

--Finger Lakes Trail Conference News

........,.. Buckeye Trail

1.im Runk, a member of the Board of Trustees of the

uckeye Trail Association, has begun leading a series of hikes on the 250 miles of North Country Trail in Ohio that are not part of the Buckeye Trail. He and his volunteers are also blazing the trail as needed as they hike along.

Three weekend hikes were to have been completed by now in Fulton County, on the Wabash Cannonball Trail and near Wauseon and Colton, Ohio and near Napoleon, Ohio.

The hikes will continue for the next seven months. To participate, call Jim at (937) 289-2481. The BTA website, www.buckeyetrail.org, also carries information on dates and locations. If all goes well, The North Star will get regular reports from the weekend outings begin ning with the July-September issue.

While much of the North Country National Scenic Trail follows the Buckeye Trail, there are a number of stretches, notably in the Wayne National Forest, in the southeastern part of the state, which lie outside the Buckeye Trail corridor.

HI Monthly, Weekend Hikes Underway in Ohio Along NCT

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected]

National Park Service 700 Rayovac Drive Suite 100

Madison, WI 53711 (608) 441-5610

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Tom Gilbert, Superintendent

Fred Szarka, Trail Manager Ken Howell, Land Protection Specialist

NEW YORK TRAIL COUNCIL Chair and Trail Coordinator: Howard Beye ·

202 Colebourne Road, Rochester, NY 14609 · (585) 288-7191 · [email protected]

29. Finger Lakes Trail Conference Irene Szabo · 6939 Creek Road, Mt. Morris, NY 14510-9638 · (585) 658-4321 · [email protected]

30. Onondaga Chapter, ADK Mary Coffin · 328 Deepsrings Dr., Chittenango, NY 13037 · (315) 687-3589 · Mccoffin721@worl dnet.att.net

31. Central New York Chapter Al Larmann · 7169 Forbes Road, Canastota, NY 13032-9999 · (315) 697-3387 · [email protected]

24. Wampum Chapter Paul Henry· 469 Superior Sr., Hermitage, PA. 16148. (724) 347-3281

25. Greater Pittsburgh Chapter Michael Kaizar · 933 Norfolk St., Pittsburgh, PA 15217 · (412) 321-0842 · mike@greenmarkerplac e.com

25. Rock Chapter Robert McCafferty · 141 South Main St., Slippery Rock, PA 16057 · (724) 738-0060

26. Butler Chapter Ron Rice· 111 Ash Stop Rd., Evans City, PA 16033 · (724) 538-8475 · [email protected]

27. Clarion Chapter Caroline Lundberg-Schroeder · Rose and 30 Craig Street, Brookville, PA, 15825 · (814) 849- 3459

28. American Youth Hostels-Pittsburgh Council Bob Roth· 80 Rose Leaf Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15220. (412) 279-6219

Total Chapters 11.3 1,928 21,771

3.6 17 62

526 4.9 107

5.8 36 210

433 6.2 70 Beaver

14.7 25 367 ltasca-Moralne

18.8 83 1563 S irit of the Woods

21.1 42

5 26.6

Number Average of Members Per Member

How NCTA Chapters Stacked Up

the North Country Trail dur ing the year.

Besides the hours donated by chapter and affiliate members to the North Country Trail 33 at large members contributed

another 1,439 hours. Non-members and organizations like the Sierra Club and Boy Scouts were other important contributors.

The result was a total of 35,000 hours reported by high vol unteers on behalf of the North Country Trail, an all-time report by nearly 10,000 hours. The National Park Service values each hour as worth $16.05 for purposes of Challenge Cost Share cal culations. That would make our labor worth $561,750.

That's probably conservative. Even Central NY's Larmann, one of the Association's most diligent record keepers, acknowl edges that volunteer hours consistently are under reported. That's unfortunate because the volunteer hours we are able to show make a significant impact on our relationships with gov ernment and the public.

As our executive director, Bob Papp, says: "Keep those reports coming ... folks."

Mary Kunzler-Larmann from Central New York led all the Association members in vol unteer hours during 2002.

Mary Kunzler-1.armann Ron Rice Al Larmann John Leinen Richard Sau

common maintenance chores so necessary to keep the trail in tip-top shape.

Thanks in large part to Mary and hus band, Al, who reported 767 hours, Central New

York led all 24 chapters of the North Country Trail Association in the average number of hours per capita. The chapter's 129 members contributed nearly 3,700 hours to the trail during the year, just ahead of the tiny Peter Wolfe and Hiawatha Shore-to Shore chapters of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on an average hours per member basis.

With its indefatigable President, Doug Welker, leading the way, the 25-member Peter Wolfe chapter reported 26.6 aver age hours per member and Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore, led by Marilyn Chadwick's 169 hours, averaged 24.4 hours per mem ber.

The individuals with the most hours, besides Doug and the Larmanns, were a familiar bunch, most of whom labor long and diligently year after year: Ron Rice, Butler, 855; John Leinen, Star of the North, 742; Rich Saur, Baw Beese, 655, and Joan Young, Spirit of the Woods, 604.

The chapter with the most total hours, Western Michigan with 3938, is also our largest chapter with 329 members, 63 of whom performed at least some volunteer work during the year. That 19 percent participation is better than average but still well below Central New York, which seemed to lead in everything. Of its 129 members, 45 or 35 percent reported volunteer hours during 2002.

These results do not include the hours reported by the North Country Trail Association's affiliates, most notably the Finger Lakes Trail Conference which habitually reports more than 8,000 hours of work on the North Country Trail. For the Buckeye Trail Association, Garry Dill, Herbert Hulls, Suzanne Hulls and Jim Sprague were significant contributors to work on ·as··· Th~ ·N~rt·h· ·st~~-·*· "A~·;ii~ j~~~- -~~~; ·· · ·

Mary Kunzler-Larmann of Central New York, who more often than not heads

out to the boonies by herself according to Al Larmann, the chapter President and himself no slouch when it comes to trail work, was the grand champion among those reporting volunteer hours during 2002.

Mary was credited with an astounding 906 hours of work on behalf of the North Country National Scenic Trail, including

difficult tasks like plan-

The Big Five In 2002 ning drainage structures as well as the more

Our Labor Worth Over Half Million During Last Year A Record Number of Hours Reported on Behalf of Trail

................................... April-June 2003 *The North Star 39

"Includes cumulative gifts, membership contributions and grants received between March 1, 2002 and February 28, 2003 .

Michigan Mountain Bike Association

511,9 Highland Rd., Waterford, Ml 48327 . (253)395-3780

Lee's Sports and Sportswear .311 Kilgo~e St.,Porcage, MI 49002

(253)395:3780 " ·.' .~ i

The Outfitter Down Wlntl Sports ~uth, Inc. 514 N. Third se. Marquetre,.Ml4985~

(253) 395-3780

, Steelca!le Foundatiop P.O. Box 1967,Grand'Rapiqs/Ml.

(253) 395-3780

Dental Associates of Marquette 708 Chippewa Square, Marquette; MI

49855 (253) 395-3780

Campmor Inc. 28 Parkway

Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 (253)395-3780

Butler Outdoor Club P.O. Box 243, Butler, PA J6003

(253)395-3780 "))'.\'

Bill Prall Touring Gear 108 E. Third Sr., Barl;){i~Springs, MI 49740

231-52622594

Adirondack Mountain Club Onondaga Chapter

304 Windsor Dr., Dewitt, NY 13214

$150 to $249

Mead Corpo,a:a'ti9n , Dayton, OH 45463

$'250 to $999 General Motors Follndatio.n

Princeton,NJ08543

Carol Stetrer Rolf Swanson David Swanson Beery Tableman John & Mary Lou Tanton David Tartan William Thomas jerry & Beth Trout Donna Turrie RogerTuuk Betry Van der Smissen Gail VanHaren Jeffrey & Nancy Van Winkle John & Diane VanderVeen Steve Vear Michael & Diane Veen Bob & Barbara Vos Gary Werner

INDIVIDUALS $500 or MORE $250 to $499 LeRoy Bliven Loyal & Bonnie Eldridge Dave & Jan Cornell James Mackey Garrett Dill Robert Norlin David & Carol Dixen Linda O'Donnel Cecil & Joanne Dobbins Timothy O'Rourke Richard Harris Bob & Annette Papp Brett & Lynn Harris Raymond & Elaine Papp John & Pat Leinen Joseph Raught William and Donna Menke Janette Sweasy Harmon Strong Daryl Williamson Irene Szabo Bob Tait Werner & Marianne Veit Gaylord Yost

$100 to $249 David & Jean Adams Shelby Haynes Alan & LouAdsmond Paul & Jerry Henry Pat Allen & Mark Miller Denise Herron Jerry Connie Pausits-Allen Bobbie Hineline John & Edith Allen/Maynard Carolyn Hoffman Kirsten Anderson Tom Hord Daniel & Constance Arnold Keirh & Karherine Horngren Francis Azur Joe Hyrman Frank Ballo Gerald Johnson Michael Bard Peggy Jones & Andy Zeek Len & joAnne Baron John Kallman Jason Beam Hans Kappus Richard Beil & Dana Burkley Brooks & Margie Kindel Lewis & Mary Bender Stephen Kobylarz Howard Beye John Koschik Steven Biskie Robert LaFrenierre Bert Bleke Kurt Landauer Derek Blount Raoul & Jan LePage Richard Boettner Philip Lenko Patrick Bradley Christopher & Margo Light Terry & Diane Brant John & Marianne Ludwick Brian & Barb Buchanan William Lynch William Buell Angus MacDonald Carolyn Butcher Rod MacRae James Byrne Cynthia Maczuga Jay & Mary Campbell Charles McKay Frances & Steve Cheyne Roger & Glory Meyer Chang Choi John & Diana Meyer Bill & Mary Coffin Pat & Kathleen Miller Pearl Compann Laura Miller Eugene Conte Mark Misuik Dan Converse Larry Mulder john Conway John Norlund Robert Davis Patricia Norman Dale DeGirolamo Martin O'Toole Claire Dedow Peter & Susan Ordway Patrick Delaney Wayne & Laura Pennington William Dixon Harold Petrimoulx Jack & Karen Dixon Thomas Pflueger Joe & Stephanie Kobylinski Dixon Aaron & Sharon Phipps Dennis Donachen Thomas & Diane Piquet Cathy Drexler Thomas Prieto Terry Duncan William & Avis Rambo Kathleen Eisele P. S. Reichelderfer

I' William Eisenman Michael Robinson Duane Elenbaas Dan Regalia John Fenner Michael & Erica SanDrettO Jeff Fleming Edward Scanlan Sue Funk & Wood Kidner Mike Schaeffer & Debby Page John Gall Lynne Scheer Tom & Janis Gilberr Merl & Patricia Schlaack Marc Gilbert Peter Schmitz George Girod Richard Schwaab Daniel Gold Richard Seabold Jim Gratz Stephen Selden Harry Gubbins Joseph Smith Paul & Julie Nieding Haan James Sprague Chuck Hayden Kevin Staunton

We gratefully acknowledge the support of all our members and donors, and especially wish to recognize the following individuals, businesses, foundations and agencies, for their generous contributions ove~ the past twelve months":

Trail Supporters

NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Grand Rapids, Ml

Permit 340 North Country Trail Association 229 East Main Street Lowell, Michigan 49331

North Star Vol. 22, No. 2 (2003)

Documents

Transcript of North Star Vol. 22, No. 2 (2003)