• Our New Address is: 1 "J:e 've moved Q 0-Qln f NCTA, 49 Monroe Center, Suite 2008, Grand Rapids, Ml, 49503 ff C 'l:::)' • New Phone, (616) 454-5506; FAX (616) 454-7139

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 47

Caledonia, Ml 49316

. . STATE COORDINATORS New York: Howard Beye; Pennsylvania: Donald Dorn; Ohio: Jim Sprague, 4406Maplecrest, Parma OH 44129 (216) 884-4757; Michigan (Lower): Arden Johnson; Michigan (U.P.): Gene Elzinga, 12 Middle Island, Marquette Ml 49855 (9()6) 225-1704; Wisconsin: Gaylord Yost; Minnesota: Rod MacRae; North Dakota: Dale Anderson, RR1, Box 10, Oslo, MN, 56744 (218)965-4508

R!GIONAL AFFILIATES New York: Finger l,.akes Trail Conference, PO Box 18048, Rochester NY 14618-0048; ·Ohio: Buckeye Trail Association, PO Box 254, Worthington OH 43085; Peonaylvanla: AYH PlttsburghCouncll, 5604 Solway, #202, Pittsburgh PA 15217

CHAPTER CHAIRS Headwaters: vacant: NCT Hikers: Gene Elzinga (see above);, Traverse City: Gregg Law, 1953 Lardie Rd., Traverse City, Ml 49684; Western Michigan: BiD Van Zee 7744 Thornapple Bayou Dr. SE, Grand Rapids Ml, 49512

- E Eastern Region (NY, PA) Representative F Represents Finger bakes Trai Conference (Appointed by Fl TC) G General affiliate representative (Current appointment by AYH Pltsburgh) H Honorary representative · W Western region representatives

A At-large representatives B Represents Buckeye Trail Association (Appointed by BTA) C East Central Region (OH) representative D West Central Region (MQ representalil{es

BOARD OF DIRECTORS TERMS EXPIRING IN 1997

w Odell Bjerkness -: R1, Box 221A, Ponsford, MN 56575 (218) 567-3858 A ' Chet Fromm 1001 Tompkins Dr., Port Orange, FL 32119 (904) 788-2232 chet.tanm%3618-12@sdlk,oaucrg B ' Emily Gregor 6502 Okie York Rd., Panna Hts OH 44130 (216) 884-0281 . w Pat Miller R1 Box 36A Washburn WI (715) 373-3735 G Glenn Oster, 784 Olive St, Pittsburgh, PA 1523T (412) 364-2864 A Gaylord Yost 2925 W. Bradley Rd., River HUis WI 53209 (414) 354-8987 GaylYost@aol.com

TERMS EXPIRING IN 1998 D Derek Blount 906 N. Alexander, Royal Oak Ml 48067 (810) 548-1737 djblount@aol.com A Wes Boyd 14815 Rome Road, Manitou Beach Ml 49253 (517) 547-7402 wesboyd@delphi.com A David Cornell 514 Cordes Rd., Delton, Ml 49046 (616) 623-8659 janc128@aol.com c Elwood Ensor 1304 Horizon Dr., Fairborn OH 45324-5816 , (5j3)J~79-2068 ejensor@pr<>9igy,com

' D Arden Johnson 600 Tennyson, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307 (810) 853-0292 A John Leinen, Jr. 111 Quant Ct So, Lakeland MN 55043 (612) 436-1795 jleinen@mtn.org

TERMS EXPIRING IN 1999 · F Howard Beye 202 Coleboume Rd., Rochester NY 14609 (716) 288-7191 A Bill Herron 423 W. Park Street, Marquette Ml 49855 (906) 225-1030 A Susan Nelson 1170 4th Avenue South, Park Falls WI 54552 (715) 762-246l A Kathy Olstad P.O. Box 1017, Bismarck ND 58502 (701) 250-472l E Harmon Strong 76 Shellwood Dr., Rochester NY 14618 (716) 586~ H Joan H. Young 611 Longshore Dr., Ann Arbor, Ml 48105 (313) 663-8261 jhy@engin.umich.edu

djblount@aol.com GaylYost@aol.com

wesboyd@delphl.com

(810) 548-1737 (414) 354.a987 (218) 573-3858 (517) 547-7402 (810) 853-0292

OFFICERS President: Derek Blount 906 N. Alexander, Royal Oak Ml 48067 Vice Prealdent(Tralls): Gaylord Yost 2925 W. Bradley Rd., River Hifts WI 53209 Vice President (Admln): Odell Bjerkness Bad Medicine Lake, R1, Box 221A, Ponsford, MN 56575 Secretary Wes Boyd ,'14815 Rome Road, Manitou Beach Ml 49253 Treasurer Arden Johnson 600 Tennyson, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307

NCTAssoe@aol.com northsta@grfn.org klm _ bair@nps.gov . bill_ menke@nps.gov

(616) 975-0831 (616) 975-0831 (608) 264-5610 (608) 264-5610

49 Monroe Center, Suite 200B, Grand Rapids Ml 49..'i46 49 Monroe Center, Sule 200B, Grand Rapids Ml 49546 National Park Servk:e, 700 Rayovac Dr., #100, . MaflSOll WI 53711 Naooriai Park Servk:e, 700 Rayovac Dr., #100, Madison WI 53711

Bob Papp Claudia Day Kim Bair Bill Menke

Executive Director: Office Manager: Planning Assistant: NPS Administrator:

STAFF

Page 2 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996 *- , . NORTH STAR: PAl~TEO

•

the news letter of the (i) · North Country Trail Association

~-·~ 49 Monroe Center, Suite 2008, Grand RClplds, Ml 49546 . Phone (616) 454-5506 • FAA (616) 454-7139 • Emall: NCTAssoc@aol.com or northsta@grfn.org RecvcLED

Editor: Wea oyd, 14815 Rom~ Road Manitou Beach, Ml iC0253 .. .PAPER

THE END OFtheOregon Trail lnt.erpretiveCenter,lessthanayear old was heavily damaged by flood­ ing in the Willamette River earlier this spring. Staffers had to boat into the cent.er to rescue priceless his­ toric artifacts.

***

THERE.HA VEbeenothertrail management changes in the Na-

- tional Trails Syst.em beyond the NCTA naming a new executive di­ rector: the Appalachaian Trail has a new project manager, Pamela Underhill, replacing Donald King; the Ice Age Trail has a new execu­ tive dirctor, Kathleen M. Bero, after the post was vacant for a year; and Robert Ballou is the new executive director for the Pacific Crest Trail Association.

***

fur North Country Trail certification, Howard Beye reports. Two other seg­ ments, in the FLTs central section, t.otalling 2.9 miles, will be sent to the Park Service for certification.

6 9

10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 19 21

Backpacking the NCT In Southern Ohio Pictured Rocks road fight'nears end A vision, a philosophy for the NCT Northwest Wisconsin planning efforts Membership, chapter drives announced Annual meeting to be In Wisconsin A fine tale of new trail Board raises dues, studys new awards NCT Is a well-kept secret Book review: "Trans Across America" Cost share funds available from NPS 1996 Board election results Lots of coming events

THE TRAIL 'JN six seg­ ments, totaling 12.2 miles in the west.em segment of the Finger Lakes Trail in New York is start­ ing through the approval process

***

*** NATIONAL TRAILS DAY

in Xenia, Ohio, brought a special event, one of Ohio's largest trail events, as Xenia was named one of the American Hiking Society's 'lbp Ten Trail 'lbwns.

back down below· the 1300 mile mark. (Bill's report on his hike starts on Page 6.) 'Th.en, on May 14, two segments totaling' 3.6 miles were certified in Michigan's Pere Marquette Stat.e forest, and a 2.5 mile segment at the border of the Pere Marquette and Macki­ naw Stat.e Forest were certified. After eveiything was said and done, the 1300 mile barrier had just been recrossed, with 1300.3 miles of North Counhy Trail fully certified.

*** GETrlNG OVER THE 1800

miles certified barrier has been something of a muddle, as it got crossed a couple of times since the last newsletter. It was crossed the first time when the National Park Service certified one mile on private land adjacent to Ft. Ransom State Park in North Dakota on April 11, and 1. 7 miles on North Central Michigan College property near Pet.oskey, MI. 'Th.en, NPS NCNST Manager Bill Menke took a two­ week hike in southern Ohio, and found some segments located on roads, and others so substandard or torn up by 4x4 vehicles that he de­ certified them on the spot: two seg­ ments totaling 5.2 miles in Vinton County, Ohio, 1.4 miles in Tar Hol­ low State Forest, and 1.2 miles in Pike State Forest, dipping the trail

MILESTONES: We're a little sad to hear that Jean Cashin, the front-desk person at the Appala­ chian Trail OfficeatHarper'sFeny, West Virigina, is hanging up the telephone and retiring after many i years with the conference. Jean may be the best-known trail organiza­ tion person in the counhy, merely because she has given assistance to so many people seeking informa­ tion about the AT over the past twenty-five years, including the thousands of end-to-enders whose photos she's snapped. Jean now in­ tends to spend more time hiking the trail that she's given so many help with, making sure to stop off and thank the many who have helped her with information and other items over the years. The AT office will seem more quiet without her.

Also hanging up the telephone is Susan "Butch" Henley, long-time executive director for the American Hiking Society. Butch was the staff person in the Washingt;on office for a number of years, and was a key part of the growth of the AHS.

Page 3 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Counlly Trail Association, June-July 1996

In addition to a new office, we also have a new look. During its May meeting, our Board ofDirectors adopted a new logo for the North Country Trail Association, shown here. The new logo blends sYmOOls reflecting major terrain types found along the trail into a single eye-catching design. It's a little bolder than our old logo. It's also more flexible in that the different parts of the picture can be rearranged for special uses. In other words, we can follow the basic motif, yet come up with different looks for special t-shirts, stickers, packs, caps, etc.

Of course, we'll also continue to use the image of seven states with our trail winding through for special purposes. That map inspires us to remember and visualize our ultimate goal of a continuous hiking trail.

• i\ S S 0 C I ,\ T I 0 N •

While many of you were out hiking the woods and fields this spring, I've been busy pounding the pavement herein Grand Rapids in search of a new home for NCTA Our present office has served the organization well in the past year. We've hosted meetings of volunteers, committees, and dignitaries. Wrive had easy access to businesses and a dedicated space to spread out our projects. We've also signed up many new members who dropped by seeking information. Unfortunately, our sublease expires this summer and the landlord wants to dig a little deeper in our not-so-deep pockets. So, we've decided to move.

The good news is we found an office that offers more room for less money. Our new headquarters is in down­ town Grand Rapids, adjacent to a children's museum and mall that is underdevelopment. We'rewithinafew blocks of several· highway interchanges so it will be easier now for folks to stop by as they pass through town. I encourage you all to do this if you are in the area -. Your support and enthusiasm drive the North Country Na­ tional Scenic Trail, and your ideas and thoughts are always welcome.

The deadline for the August-September issue of the Newsletter is August 1, 1995. Items received after that date cannot be assured of a place in the newsletter. Items received well before that date are much appreciated. The deadline tor the October-December issue of the newsletter will be October 1, 1996.

Believe it or not, I recently came out against a trail editorially at the newspaper where I work. Not against the trail, actually, but the way in which it's being built.

The city has an old rail grade running between downtown and the area of the schools, and they want to put a paved bike path down it to connect the two. Unfortunately, the city manager is enamored of a par­ ticular group of landscape archit.ects whose attitude seems to be "How much can we take these yokels for?"

The city manager and these bozos got their beads together and came up with a grant proposal for an lntermodal Surface Transportation Efficency Act grant. !STEA grants vary from state to state; some states are strict, but Michigan seems not to be. I have heard of !STEA projects approved in Michigan for reroofing his­ toric buildings, and what that has to do with lntermodal Surface Transportation Effi.cency escapes me.

The route of the proposed bikeway involves an old stone railroad bridge, and when these jokers came back with their proposal, itlnvolved$15,000 for repairs of the bridge, $35,000 for an interpretitive site on the bridge (which presumably Ripoff & Raidem would be respon­ sible for), and only 200 yards of paving the mile and a half of trail (which they'd only get a 15% cut on.)

It's clear to me that the only thing that Ripoff and Raidem (and that's obviously not their real name, which I'm reluctant to use in print in the newsletter for libel reasons) know about trails is how to tap them as another public pork barrel. So, 1 blew the whistle. The

·bike trail is a good idea, but not like this. · . Trail dollars -- even in things like !STEA, which is

difficult for the North Country Trail and other volunteer trail organizations to use -- are much too scarce to be wasted on people and projects like this. All Ripoff and Raidem saw was the dollar signs in front of their eyes, not trails or community needs.

Unfortunately, many local and municipal trail projects suffer in a similar manner -- and not only in Michigan. I've seen it elsewhere, and so have others. I told NCTA board member Woody Ensor this story, and he could top it. It's really sad to see this happen to well­ meant trail efforts.

It hurts to fight a trail project, but sometimes you have to.

by the Editor

Keyboard Trails

Page 4

Carroll County, Ohio Environmental Assessment has passed through the NPS Midwest office and is ready for 30 day public comment. This is the close to the final stage before implementation. Any folks in Ohio that wish to work on this plan should contact our office for direction. Kim also worked on preparing a proposed wayside display for the NCNST. We may soon see some of these on the trail.

We recently published a Trail Building and Mainte­ nance Manual. Thanks to Tom Reimers, past NCTA President, for his fine work in preparing this manual. Copies are available through our Trail Shop.

Bill Menke, NPS Trail Coordinator, reported that we have now passed 1,300 certified miles. Well done evezyone.

Congratulations to Xenia, Ohio and Marquett.e, Michigan. They were named Trail Town USA winners by the American Hiking Society. Both towns are tra­ versed by the NCNST. Xenia was named as #5 on the list in spite of the fact that they are only eight square miles with 24,936 people. Well done folks.

We are now into our trail construction/mainte­ nance season. If you would like to help on a project this year, please contact one of our trail coordinators listed on page 2. They will put you in touch with a crew leader. Trail is work but it is also a lot of fun. There are great people to meet and share trail talk with. Come on out even if for only a day.

If you can't do heavy trail work you can still help us maintain trails by hiking them and carrying a pair of hand clippers to trim back the stray twig or branch. That alone will save us crew time in simple clearing. Your walking the trail keeps the weeds and fern growth down. Help us by tzying some of the less often used trails and discovering wildlife that is less disturbed.

I would like to hear from some our members con­ cerning their favorite trail section and what makes it so for them. Is it the views from mountain or hill tops? Is it the waving grass prairies that stretch to the horizon? Isitwoodlandstreamsorragingwaterfalls? Isitwinter or summer or seasons in between? Let's hear from you. Give us your best.

Till then, Happy Trails!

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome some new NCTA members from two important North Country Trail user groups. The first are the mushers who participated in the Mackinaw Mush Sled Dog Race. As has been featured each year before this group runs their sleds across the frozen trail the first weekend in February, If you think this is a tame sport you should see the pictures of the dogs and sleds airborne coming off the ridge of a hill or passing on one runner around a curve in the trail. With temperatures well below zero they are one of the hardiest groups who use the trail. Welcome folks.

The second group is members from the 300 mem­ bers SOLAR Club in southeast Michigan. SOLAR stands for School of Outdoor Leadership in Adventure Recreation. They are a group of outdoor enthusiasts that have one of the most challenging National Trails Day events on the NCNST this year. They are kicking off a year long trek across Michigan via the NCNST. They will be traveling by foot, bike, kayak, snowshoe, and ski along the 870+ miles. Their intent is to draw attention to a trail that is as yet incomplete. They expect to finish their trek on National Trails Day 1997 in Hurley, WJ.SCOnsin. Thanks for the support folks and joining our ranks. Good luck on your trek.

Progress is being made in Minnesota as the mem­ bers there led by Rod MacRae will visit resorts in the Walker, Minnesota area on National Trails Day to promote the trail to the resort owners. Thanks should also go to Rod and his group for their persistence in pursing the Trail in Paul Bunyan State Forest. I have heard that progress is being made. Thanks Rod.

You should note that the NCNSTwas featured as one of America's Top 50 Hikes. The April issue of "Outside" Magazine listed the NCNST in Chequame­ gon National Forest, Wisconsin. The area was de­ scribed as "a remote chunk of north woods larger than Rhode Island." The Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota was also featured.

The planning process is moving along in W1SC0nsin with the aid our Recreational Planner, Kim Bair. Thanks to her efforts we are getting great cooperation from county foresters. Great job Kim. The Columbiana/

Trail Shop flyer as soon as it's available. Lastly, for those who are wondering what I think of

my new job, I have to say that rm thoroughly enjoying it. Pve spoken with countless people working through­ out our seven stat.es (and beyond) to assemble and maintain their pieces of a terrific puzzle. It's truly exciting to be part of such a strong and worthwhile movement!

Speaking of merchandise, keep your eyes open in our next newsletter for some great new NCTA products. In honor of our 15th anniversary (and our new logo), we'll be rolling out the goods over the coming months. And, to make it easier for you to show your support of NCTA, this summer we'll begin offering a 10% discount on all Trail Shop purchases to current members. If you can't wait until the next newslett.er, give us a call at our new office. We'll put you on our list and send you the new

Page 5 NORTH STAR: Thf! Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

pack on the routine early morning walks with my wife and neighbor couple (they all said they were glad it was still dark when we walked so the neighbors didn't think they were crazy associating with me), and in general getting ready for the trip. I need to cover a few miles this evening as the maps show that it is approximately 260 miles. to Old Mans Cave and I liave allotted just 14 vacation days to cover the distance. A little quick math shows that I need to keep a steady pace and cover about 18 miles per day to reach the goal. For a novice with an almost 50 pound pack that seems ambitious but I reason that in this part of Ohio, much of the route still follows roads so I should be able to cover miles rather quickly. And, in the back of my mind, I know thatifl find the distance too great, there is an out. Paul has agreed to pick me up at any point along the way as he drives to the meeting two weeks from now. All I have to do is find a phone and give him a call a day ahead of time.

Da~s !ate~ after e:xi;ierien<;ing several 4-5 hour peri­ ods of hiking m cold ram, taking refuge in a pile of dry hay in an abandoned barn to get out of the rain and to warm up while having lunch, several days of BO+ degree weather, and blisters on both heels, rm still not sure what possessed me to undertake this adventure. Am I having fun yet?? Being an end-to-ender. requires a tremendous commitment of time and energy and I have a great deal of respect for those who complete any of the long-distance trails. rm not sure that rII ever complete the entire trail but seriously, the hikein southern Ohio is beginning to be fun and it is certainly enlightening.

The weather has included mornings when there was frost on the tent, many showers and thunder­ storms, and days when sunscreen was a necessity. But ?"erall, it ~s spring and my intuition about experienc­ mg the wildflowers has been right on target. From

by Bill Menke, Manager, North Country NST

Shouldering my new backpack I start east along the sidewalk in downtown Milford. Ah--rm finally under­ way at 6:50 £M. on April 12, 1996 and hoping to get in three or four miles before darkness arrives. After leaving home early this morning and driving to Paul Daniels home in Oxford, Ohio which is about an hour northwest of Milford--right at the Ohio/Indiana line Paul has graciously driven me to the trail. Due to~ traffic accident that we had to detour several miles to get around and then getting caught in Cincinnati's rush hour traffic, I am getting a later start than I had hoped.

I have to begin by saying that I am not a practiced long distance hiker. The farthest that I have previously backpacked at one time is probably about 50 miles and it has been more years than I care to recall since the last backpacking trip. rm not sure what possessed me to think that I might someday be among those select few who can say they are North Country Trail end-to-enders and decide to tackle my first significant mileage on the trail. It probably all started when the announcement of the. Buc~ye ~Association's (BTA) annual meeting arrived m the mall. With the BTA being a major partner in the overall scheme of the North Country Trail, I had ~~to attend one of their meetings and meet more of their members for a long time--but the timing was never right. Their meeting this year was to be held near Old Mans Cave, in Hocking Hills State Park, beginning on ~e 26th. By now, you are probably figuring out my ~n of thought that went something like--lfl planned a hike that ended at the meeting site, the timing is such that I can probably experience two spring seasons (once in southern Ohio and then again at home in W"1SC0nsin). The spring wildflowers should be near their peak and I ~ also_ learn more about the trail that I am charged with trying to manage. Anyway, leaving Milford is the culminati~n of several months of planning, repackaging food, making new gear purchases, carrying my back-

Backpacking the North Country I Buckeye Trail in Southern Ohio

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country.Trail Association, June-July 1996 Page 6

with deep valleys, clear streams, and tall timber. The area reminded me-of the Appalachian foothills or the Ozarks and I think that it has the potential to host some veey beautifulN orth Country NSTtrail segments. Being the farthest south along the North Country Trail route, the area will demonstrate the steep hills and the tall yellow poplars and white oaks more typical of what might be found along the lower slopes and coves adjoin­ ing the Appalachian Trail. It will offer unique experi­ ences and sights that are considerable different than what can be seen along the trail in its more northerly reaches. Shawnee State Forest, with its southern boundary approaching the Ohio River, is extremely rugged and its close to 60,000 acres of public lands offer the hiker a feeling of remoteness. Seeing Ash Cave, Cedar Falls, and Old Mans Cave, in Hocking Hills State Park, are by themselves worth the 258 mile hike. At Ash Cave, a stream plunges 90-feet from the lip of the cave and the trail passes behind the falls. Other tall, wispyfalls in the park also plunge to clear pools and remind me of some of the travel posters I've seen of Hawaii.

Enlightening and Encouraging: Because much of the trail route between Milford and Hocking Hills is on roads, I made the false assumption that off-road opportunities for trail were limited--

that the area was more agricultural than it is. While a few areas along the route are more farm-

like in character and will present challenges to find an off-road route, most of the route passes through extensively forested areas. As I walked along the miles of asphalt and gravel roads, ''Following the Blue Blazes," I tried to remain aware of potential off-road opportuni­ ties. There are almost always continuous ranges of wooded hills in sight. I was enlightened and encouraged because these areas generally provide the best opportu­ nity for off-road trail. They are less developed and landowners are more likely to give volunteers permis­ sion to locate and construct a trail. Wooded hills also provide the opportunity for building sidehill trail-- the best location for a trail because, while it may require more initial effort to construct, it is the most sustain­ able and the easiest to maintain. It was also encourag­ ing to see that there are additional miles ofhigh quality, off-road segments of trail that should be certified--for instance through Davis Memorial and on the adjoining private land.

Disappointing: I was disappointed to observe that most of the existing off-road trail segments (both certi­ fied and non-certified) were generally poorly located and in poor condition. In most cases they are below the standards that we advocate for the North Country NST. Sometimes, they are Cai: below the standards. I do not hold expectations that backpacking should be a "piece of cake" but I do expect it to be a pleasurable recreation experience. When the trail is overly steep, goes up and down for no apparent reason, or is eroded or muddy, it is more frustrating than it is pleasurable. Maybe that is because I am unable to separate myself from my professional background and from thinking about what

daffodils and grape hyacinths near abandoned house places to the entire forest floor being covered with trilliums as I pass through Fort Hill State Memorial, there have been many opportunities for an excuse to stop for a Kodak moment. During the second week, the redbuds finally burst into full bloom and line the road­ sides with the dramatic purple-pink color unmatched by any other tree or shrub. Nearly eveey morning, I rouse from my little tent to cook breakfast and enjoy another rite of spring--the gobbling of the wild turkeys. One morning when camped on a high hill just west of Ohio Brush Creek, a gobbler was really cutting loose just 75-100 yards from camp as I ate my oatmeal and pop tart. Becoming engrossed in the almost constant gobbling caused me to break camp a little later than usual that day.

Other highlights of the trip include friendly drivers giving me a thumbs up and a wave as they pass on the roadways, tumbling creeks with many ledge waterfalls, the clear call of the Bob-

White, the 81 years old postmistress in Bentonville (my first food drop) who insisted that I sit down and visit for a while, the welcome sight of the fire tower at the beginning of the North Countey Trail segment in Shawnee State Forest (because it meant the end of a hot five hour hike along the loose gravel of Sunshine Ridge Road) and the beautiful campsite with its crystal clear stream a short while later, finding a note from Paul (that he had left four days earlier when in the area doing trail maintenance) as I cross a stile into Davis Memo­ rial, short visits with mushroom and turkey hunters that give me a chance to talk with someone, icy streams where I soak my feet while having lunch, ice cream bars whenever there is an opportunity, and the early morn­ ing hike to Sinking Springs where, after 9-days of trail food, I have a huge breakfast of eggs, sausage, potatoes, and the works followed by a large milkshake.

There are days when after walking long and hard, I cover only 14 miles due to the overly steep trails. Therefore, on subsequent days I have to push that much harder to make up the difference and make it to the meeting on time. This leads to a couple of 19-20 mile days and one of almost 22 miles. As the hike progresses, I recognize that it probably isn't a good idea to attempt to reach a certain destination within a set time frame. At times I am frustrated because it looks like I won't make it all the way to Old Mans Cave and fewer miles each day would surely be easier on my feet and allow for a more relaxed pace. But, late on day 14, I limp into Camp Oty'Okwa and the friendly faces of Jim Sprague, Herb Hulls, and the other BTA members. Later, as President Jerey Starcher gave me a few minutes to tell them about my experience, I summed it up with four words--''Beautiful, Enlightening, Encouraging, and Dis­ appointing."

Beautiful: From studying the topo maps back in Madison and seeing photos and slides of the trail route across southern Ohio, I had expected to see some hilly areas and nice scenery. But what I found was much more than I expected. It is a land ofbeautiful steep hills

Page 7 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

While we sincerely believe in the concept ofleaving the day-to-day management of the trail to the Local Managing Authorities, there are times when we need to assert a degree of influence on them. The generally poorly constructed and maintained trail along my hike route is one of these situations. We can't allow the public to associate this mediocrity with the North Coun­ try National Scenic Trail. If they do, rather than becoming trail supporters, they will write it off. Our task is to forget the past and work for future quality.

Overall, thehikewasa wonderful experience. While there were disappointments, there were also many beautiful sights. I accomplished my goal of hiking a major chunk of the trail and also proved that there was no trouble finding campsites or water sources along the way. Who knows, maybe I'll tackle another couple hundred miles some day.

While this last keyword, disappointment, has dwelt on the negative, there are some areas where the trail has been properly constructed. These areas were easily observable along the way. rm fairly certain that these well built relocations can be attributed to BTA's "Trail Crew" under the able leadership of Jim Sprague. This group of a dozen or so people keeps returning for week­ end and week-long trail repair projects and they are doing excellent work that is easy to spot. But the needs in Ohio are far above the crews availability. All ofus (NCTA, BTA, NPS, and the DNR) need to be alert for ways to expand their resources.

Throughout the course of this article, there is no intent to lay the blame for poor trail conditions on anyone. Many of these segments were certified in 1983 when all ofus were anxious to create the trail. At that time there was not as much thought given to the quality of the trail and indeed, little was known about sustain­ able trail standards. Today, we are still anxious to create more trail miles but we have clearer expecta­ tions of how the trail should look. The following excerpt is from our soon to be published handbook titled Trail Design, Construction, and Maintenance for the North Country NST indicates.

The North Country Trail should be easily recogniz­ able as a National Scenic Trail. It is important to maintain the aura and reputation of the national impor­ tance associated with the NST designation. The public fully expects and deserves no less. The most important way to ensure this would be to maintain consistency throughout the entire length via standardized plan­ ning, development, implementation and maintenance. Since this is not currently feasible, quality construction of the trail, parking lots, rest areas, bridges and other structures; clear and consistent signage with good at­ tention to detail; a well-maintained trail with regular mowing or other vegetative control; timely response to problems created by storms or routine wearing out of the infrastructure; regular cleanup oflitter; and timely response to public concern on trail related problems all foster consistency and pride in the trail and a positive visitor impression.

I know is correct trail design and just become a hiker. In places, the trail is heavily used by A'IVs and 4-

wheel drive vehicles. In some areas, the trail is really just a 4X4 wallow area. Since coming back to work, two segments have already been decertified because they were essentially motorized routes and in such bad shape.

Other problems include heavily eroded trail caused by horses, excessively steep areas, going directly up and down the steep slopes for no apparent reason, and water running in the trail. In some places, the trail even follows a creek bed.

In many places, the trail goes straight up and down the faces of the long, steep hills (30-50 percent sustained grades--whereas the standard we try to adhere to for sustained grades is 10-percent) only to immediately descend. Sometimes, it even descends the SllDle. side of the hill that I had just struggled to climb. It doesn't make sense! In other places, it follows long, narrow ridges and climbs every peak and descends to every saddle rather than wending its way with the contour of the land. There is little well constructed sidehill trail. Where the trail is on a sidehill, it has not been benched and creates strain on the ankles.

Throughout the hike, I noticed a tendency to locate the trail on old roads. When locating or relocating a trail, it is almost always best to avoid following a gated or abandoned road. Roads are generally not constructed to meet trail standards. They usually go straight up or down the face of the hills and are thus too steep for comfortable hiking and for erosion control. When a road (or a trail) goes up the face of a hill, it provides a channel for water to follow and results in erosion--no matter what the percentage of the grade. A trail should always angle up the face of a hill so that water can be diverted across it. When the trail follows old ridge top roads, thewater puddles and provides wet, muddy walking. Old roads also lead to A'IV problems because they are wide enough to allow passage. In my opinion, following old roads is merely following the path of least resis­ tance. It is easy but not desirable in the long run as they are not maintainable as trails. Trails should be built for the long run and for maintainability.

In addition to the two segments that have already been decertified, there are other segments that should be. Where these segments are on public lands, we are asking the local DNR forest and park managers to initiate discussions with BTA and allow them some flexibility to relocate the trail to a proper location considering grades, hillside position, and design tech­ niques that will assist in keeping horses and A'IVs off the trail. In addition, within one year, we are asking for a plan or schedule for bringing the trail closer to stan­ dard. While we do not want to decertify more trail, we are unhappy with the current conditions. Rather than instantly decertifying the trail or setting a definite time frame for improvement we hope to provide the DNR and BTA with some flexibility. However, if after a reason­ able time no efforts are made to improve the trail, we will be faced with losing more certified miles.

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996 Page B

huge environmental assessment, costing a half a mil­ lion dollars, has been done on the still-controversial proposal.

Matters came to a head when upper peninsula Congressional Representative Bart Stupak (D­ Menominee) introduced a bill to pave the remaining sections of County Road H-58, using federal funds. H-58 is a wandering woods road with a gravel and dirt surface that deteriorates badly each year. The Beaver Basin Rim Road would cost about $13 million; paving H-58 would only cost about half that much. Alger County, which maintains the road between Munising and Grand Mara.is, has been in financial difficulty, and recently was forced to lay off people in its road commission.

Stupak's proposed federal grant would compensate AlgerCountyforthelossin tax base it suffered when the park was created.

"The Park Service,• the Free Press article state, "argues the new road would be environmentally sound, make the park more accessible to people in wheelchairs and the elderly, and improve access to the park for everyone else, including people with motor homes and trailers. Backpackers who love the park for its remote­ ness say a new road that makes it easier for people to get through the park will destroy the park's wilderness feel. After 30 years, Stupak's solution makes most people reasonably happy, by removing the requirement for a park service road from the original legislation and granting federal money to pave the county road."

However, whether Stupak's solution makes it into the final federal budget remains to be seen.

road fight may be near an end

Pictured Rocks

A bitter 30-year fight over a road giving access to some of the more remote areas of Pictured Rocks Na­ tional Lakeshore may be near an end.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore contains 43.8 of the most scenic miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail, and is perhaps the most-visited of the wilderness segments of the trail. Only segments of the trail near urban centers, such as the Little Miami trail near Cincinnati, receive more use. The NCNST in the Pictured Rocks is currently the only major section of the National Park Service-administered trail that is lo­ cated on National Park Service land.

"Pictured Rocks is famous for 15 miles of sandstone cliffs along Lake Superior, ribbons of colored stone carved by wind and water into deep canyons and caves, withsomerockyfacesthatlooklikethey'dbeenpainted," a "Detroit Free Press" article on the controversy recently read. "The park has some of Michigan's most spectacu­ lar scenery, along with huge dunes, waterfalls, hard­ wood forests, lakes, beaches, and the shoreline hiking trail along its entire length."

When the National Lakeshore was created in 1966, a 26-mile scenic drive through the heart of the wilder­ ness country, frequently in view of the lakeshore, was envisioned by planners, but came under instant and unrelenting attack for its assault on the wilderness virtures of the Pictured Rocks backcountry. After many years of controversy, the road, dubbed the "Beaver Basin Rim Road", has been whittled down to a 13-mile shortcut between two points on County Road H-58 that are near the shore area, with spurs to lake overlooksA

<, "....,.."°"' this poirlteast

-e c . .

Trail heads

Lakesbore Boundary Buffer Zone Boundarv

0 Backcountry Campgrounds A Dnve-in Campgrounds

Trails Roads

A NORTH

0 l 2mo '---------'----

LEGEND

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Backcountry Campground Locations

Page 9 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

As a prelude to the philosophy which has been followed when preparing this handbook, there is a certain amount of historical/legislative background which may paint a clearer picture of a National Scenic Trail.

The National Trails System Act (Public Law 90- 543) and the background papers leading up to it contain some key direction:

SEC. 3. (a) The national system of trails should be composed of the following:

(2) "National Scenic Trails, established as provided in Section 5 of this Act, which will be extended trails so located as to provide for maximum outdoor recreation potential and for the conservation and enjoyment of the nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, or cul­ tural qualities of the areas through which such trails may pass. National Scenic Trails may be located so as to represent desert, marsh, grassland, mountain. can­ yon, river, forest, and other areas, as well as landforms which exhibit significant characteristics of the physi­ ographic regions of the Nation."

The 1966 Department of the Interior report, 'Trails for America,'' which helped set the stage for eventual passage of the National Trails System Act 2 years later, described National Scenic Trails (NSTs) es very special trails: "A standard of excellence in the routing, con­ struction, maintenance, and marking consistent with each trail's character and purpose should distinguish all national scenic trails. Each should stand out in its own right as a recreation resource of superlative quality and of physical challenge." National Scenic Trails are to be land-based (i.e., not waterway routes) and generally are to be continuous.

The Appalachian Trail, the first NST authorized by Congress, generally serves as a model or "pattern" for the concept of an NST. The trails "community'' has coine to think ofNSTs as the elite of the extended trails, providing access to outstanding scenery and natural

TRAIL PIDLOSOPHY

this ''trail vision" that I have been referring to--perhaps better than any other single source. It provides the historical background for our vision of the trail and sharing it now gives you a sneak preview of the hand­ book which should be available by late summer-1996.

The North Country National Scenic Trail (NST) has now passed the 40-percent mark in terms of certified miles. This is a significant accomplishment, especially

. when one considers the relatively short time span since it wa8 authorized by Congress in 1980, and is a tribute to the devotion and enthusiasm of the many partner organizations and agencies working to develop the trail.

There will come a time when· the North Country .NST is as well known and famous as its sister NST, the

· Appalachian Trail. But getting there will not be easy. The conditions under which the trail is being created

.are very different than they were during the early days of the Appalachian Trail. Higher population densities, increased demand for scarce natural resources, and a more exclusionary attitude of private landownership, due in large part to fear of liability, are o:nly some of the differences between then and now. It seems that one of the things that can greatly assist in moving the trail forward is a shared ''vision" of the trail's potential.

We sometimes enter the discussion over whether the North Country Trail should be a "comm unity-based" trail that is easily accessible for joggers and dog-Walk­ ers, or a more remote and primitive trail that takes a little more planning and effort to utilize to its fullest potential. For trail volunteers or local trail managers it is often easy to become distracted by the opportunity to add· miles quickly (even though they may not be quality miles) or to try to accommodate all of the various special interest groups who would like to be allowed on the trail. When dealing with our many volunteer and agency partners, we continually find ourselves attempting to shere the National Park Service vision of what the trail can become so that all ofus are collectively pulling in the same direction.

· We are currently in the process of finalizing a Trail Construction and Mmntenance Handbook for the North Country Trail. In preparing this handbook, we have worked long and hard to develop introductory remarks and trail standards that will stand the test of time and lead to a consistent, high quality look for the trail. As part of this effort, Tom Gilbert prepared the following introductory remarks to Chapter 1 - Trail Philosophy which are excerpted below. He sets the stage for the rest of the handbook and I believe gets right to the heart of

by Bill Menke, Manager, North Country NST

A vision ... a philosophy for the North Country Trail

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996 Page 10

Wisconsin Boundary Trail northward to Jay Cooke State Park near Duluth.

The Summit Meetings in WlS<X>nsin and Minnesota brought out a few concerns about the above 1982 route such as:

1) The St. Croix National Scenic Rivetway is essen­ tially a narrow water-based park containing wetlands and eagle nests serving as trail obstacles. Also, St. Croix's Environmental Assessment for the trail recom­ mended a route on roads that was unsatisfactory to the higher standard of a National Scenic Trail.

2) Along the St. Croix, the route was intermittently on Burnett County Forest land, and the county foresters expressed the desire for the route to follow existing snowmobile routes. While a motorized route may tem­ porarily serve as the trail, it is preferred that the trail follows a non-motorized, hiking route.

3) Much of the route between the WlS<X>nsin-Minne­ sota border and Jay Cooke State Park is located in wetlands.

These concerns led to the need to rethink the route from the western edge ofChequamegon National Forest to the Superior, Jay Cooke State Park, and Duluth areas. Another primary issue in northwest WlSCODSin is the need to form a local chapter so eventually the trail route can be implemented and maintained once the planning process is completed. All interested parties should contact Gaylord Yost, the W1SCOnsin State Trail Coordinator, for more information on how to form a local chapter.

Planning efforts to identify a specific North Coun­ try National Scenic Trail route through Bayfield, Dou­ glas, and Burnett Counties, WISCOnsin have been initi­ ated. Key organizations and representatives having critical roles as partners, potential administrators, developers, and managers attended the introductory meeting on December 15, 1995 in Solon Springs, WIS­ consin. Core planning team and resource planning members were named, and they were asked to submit their agency/organization's goals and objectives for the trail in northwest Wisconsin to be reviewed at the next meeting on February 8, 1996. These goals and objec­ tives were compiled, and will guide the planning team's decisions when choosing trail route alternatives at the April 11th, 1996 meeting.

In The Comprehensive Plan for Management and Use of the North Country Trail - 1982, the proposed route in WISCOnsin left Chequamegon National Forest, passed through Bayfield County forest lands and en­ tered the Brule River State Forest. An existing trail, open to snowmobile use, was utilized southward through the forest. The route continued past Lucius Woods County Park and through a state wildlife area before reaching the upper end of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. It paralleled the St. Croix River until it departed the riverway and W1SC0nsin near Danbury. Once in Minnesota, the trail followed the Minnesota-

By Kim Bair, NCTA Recreation Planner

Northwest Wisconsin planning efforts beginning to bear fruit

ment activities is permitted.) The North Country NST, as a "partnership park",

can and should meet local needs and blend with the character of the landscape through which it passes. It also needs to exhibit a degree of continuity of character, quality, and visual appeal sufficient to distinguish itself in the minds of users as a National Scenic Trail--an experience of a higher caliber.

Federal, State, local, and private landowners or managers will participate in hosting, developing, and/ or maintaining segments of the trail. Public land managing authorities may wish to enter into agree­ ments with private volunteer organizations, such as the North Country Trail Association, to carry out trail development and maintenance activities, while retain­ ing overall management control of their lands. What­ ever the arrangements, the national significance of the North Country Trail should be clearly recognized in the management objectives of any lands through which it passes. By: Tom Gilbert, Superintendent, North Country NST

landscapes, and linking together significant natural and cultural features by means of simple pathways. The strong image of the Appalachian Trail as a footpath through primarily wooded areas tends to set a tone for other NSTs. The simple pathway and outstanding scenery may be the unifying elements among NSTs. To varying degrees, however, each NST will also have a character and identity of its own, influenced in large measure by the types of landscapes through which it passes.

The longterm goal is to establish the North Country NST as a continuous trail that meets the Federal legislative intent--that it be developed and managed as a ''premier'' hiking trail, nationally significant in its scenic and recreational qualities, and closed to motor­ ized use by the general public. Segments meeting this intent and other criteria can be "certified" by the Na­ tional Park Service as part of the North Country NST. (Note: Some segments of the trail may be open to one or more nonmotorized activities in addition to hiking. Also, motorized use for legitimate resource manage-

Page 11 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

can set your own local membership rates if you wish. If this sounds good, give us a call. Even if you don't wish to take a leadership role, we'll put you on a list of people interested in new chapters. When enough people in your area sign up, we'll help you take the first steps to getting your new chapter off the ground.

Luckily, many of our members already have active NCTA groups in their areas. Below is a list of our current chapters and affiliates. If you live near one of these groups but aren't involved, we encourage you to contact them. Most groups have their own newsletters that provide more detail about the local activities they sponsor.

• Finger Lakes Trail Conference, P.O. Box 18048, Rochester, NY 14618-0048

• Buckeye Trail Association, P.O. Box 254, Worthington, OH 43085

• Western Michigan Chapter of NCTA,7744 Thornapple Bayou Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512

• Grand Traverse Hiking Club, 1953 Lardie, Traverse City, MI 49686

• North Country Trail Hikers, 12 Middle Island Point, Marquette, Michigan 49855

• Headwaters, 1210 W, 22nd St., Minneapolis MN, 55405

The North Country Trail Association is a national organization that operates on the local level through various chapters and affiliates. These groups unite members in their regions to create andmaintain trail, and to lead enjoyable hikes and special events. Because we are truly a grassroots effort, the local groups deserve the greatest credit for our successes and support to date.

With more than three thousand miles and over one hundred counties along our length, we still have plenty of room for existing chapters to expand, or for new chapters to form. Chapters can cover as little as one county, or as much as an entire state. The range of a chapter depends only on the size and enthusiasm of its membership (and, of course, the ranges of neighboring chapters). If you'd like to see more trail activities in your area, we encourage you to actively participate in your local chapter, or consider working with us to form anew group.

The requirements for new chapters are minimal. All you need is ten current members of the NCTA, a set of bylaws (which we'll help you write), and the approval of the NCTA Board of Directors. Once approved, you chapter becomes part ofNCTA, receiving the benefits of our non-profit status. Your chapter may also receive some funding from NCTA membership dues, and you

NCTA Chapters - Where the Action Is

call (or send us a note, or e-mail us) and tum him or her in. We'll send the unsuspecting soul a whole bunch of irresistible propaganda and wewon'tdivulgeoursources.

2) Yak It Up With People In The Business. Stop by your local outfitters or sporting goods store, or you local park office and ask if they'd be willing to display some of our brochures. If they say yes, let us know. We'll send them 100 crisp new brochures for display as quick as a wink. If they say no, let us know anyway. We'll send them some nice information with a friendly cover letter from NCTA Headquarters to ask them again. If you're uncomfortable asking store owners or park managers about displaying brochures but know some places you think might be good, let us know this too. Once we have their address and phone, we'll give it a shot from here to see how far we get.

3) Become A ''Volunteer Brochure Dispatcher." If you live near the trail and have a knack for distributing things, let us know. We're looking for people willing to occasionally stock brochures in local Chambers of Com­ merce, libraries, parks, shops, hotels, etc.

These are great ways to lend your support to our growing effort. Because we traverse states known for recreational opportunities, the North Country Trail Association has tremendous potential for membership growth. Not only will new members increase our ability to fund special projects, they also will build needed support for our efforts and help spread the word about our trail. Be sure to see the back page of this newsletter to read about our new "One for One" target and a special challenge to individual states!

The North Country Trail is the longest National Scenic Trail in the country. It meanders through some of the most diverse scenery, from mountains to wet­ lands and grassy fields to dense forests. The North Country National Scenic Trail is also one of the best kept secrets of the hiking community. Well, no more!

1996 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the North Country Trail Association. What a great excuse to launch a membership and publicity drive!

This summer, we will begin sending press releases out to local media to announce all new trail certifica­ tions. We also will begin working more closely with local chapters to assist in publicizing trail events. If you have an event planned, give us a call. Not only will we give you some pointers on drafting press releases, we'll also send you mailing labels for media contacts in the area of your event.

We are also asking current members to help get the word out to build support for our efforts.

You can help in many ways: 1) Rat On Your Friends. If you know someone

that's interested in the North Country Trail, give us a

1996 Membership Drive Announced

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996 Page 12

A secluded Audubon sanctuary in Wisconsin will be a place for inspiration, sharing outdoor knowlege and making new friends among scenic trail travelers during the first full weekend in September.

The IceAge Park and Trail Foundation and the North Country TrailAssociation are providing an opportunity for like-minded people from many places to "connect" at the Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary near Sarona, WI, Sept. 6-9.

The two trail organizations have selected the comfortable sanctuary facility for a joint conference they are calling "Connecting People and Places", and organizers are now taking reservations. The sanctuary is in a peaceful north woods setting that includes woods, lakes, and abundant wildlife, and is ideal both as a site for outdoor workshops and as a hub for more far-ranging activities along surrounding trails, forests, rivers and lakes.

Hunt Hill Audubon sanctuary to be place of inspiration, learning when trail

organizations, supporters meet

North Country Trail Association

Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation

Connecting People and Places A Joint Conference - Sept 6-9 1996

Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary, Sarona, Wisc

Page 13 VORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

Sunday Another before-breakfast birdwalk is set for Sun­

day. More workshops and seminars than hikes and field trips are set for Sunday, but participants preferring physical exertion will have a choice between an all-day canoe trip on the Narnekagon River and a short hike on the North Country Trail in the Chequamegon National Forest.

Sunday sessions at the conference site will include: -A workshop on ''Getting the Most from Your Trail

Public Relations." -A workshop on ''Interpreting Trailside Climates

at Hunt Hill Sanctuary." -A workshop on ''How to Handle Artifacts and

Historic/Pre-historic Sites on Your Trail." -A seminar on land owner relations and liability. -A workshop on designing trail maps. -A workshop on ''Interpreting Your Trail Seg-

ment." -A plenary session on common issues, with discus­

sion. -A presentation of 'Trails Groups Working To­

gether." Sunday will end with more stargazing and night

life. Monday's program will include a choice between

another workshop and a hike on the Ice Age Trail at Boyer Creek in Washburn County. The conference will a<Uoum at 1:00 p.m. on Monday.

Saturday The Saturday workshops will be on new trail hand­

book standards and trail marking; pastoral architec­ ture of agricultural scenes; and interpreting geology of the Blue Hills.

There also will be two panel discussions on Satur­ day. One will be on community programs to build a trail including ways to tap community resources. The other will be on forestry changes and issues. Over an hour also is reserved to continue the featuring of exhibits, sales, maps and networking.

The program Saturday will end with a talent show and an auction.

Activities Friday

On Friday, the choices include a four-hour hike at the sanctuary, a short hike on the hike of the Ice Age Trail, a session on exhibits, sales, maps and network­ ing, and star-gazing and "night life."

Saturday activities will include a bird walk before breakfast; several workshops and panel discussions; a short hike on the Ice Age Trail in the Blue Hills; and an all-day field trip with a wildlife biologist, featuring wolves and elk.

i I NOKI'H COUNTRY TRAIL AsSOCIATION I ,,_111111111 • ..__ ....... .._.,.a.•,...,.,...• 1111r1111t I ~---------------- ..

Zip State City

Address

Name YES, I want to get Connected!

r----------------, How to get Connected: If you are interested, please fill out the following from and send it in to the address below. Information packet and registration materials will be sent as soon as possible:

Speakers Much of the conference's inspiration will be pro­

vided by two renowned featured speakers, Gaylord Nelson and Ann Bancroft.

Nelson, former WJSCOnsin governor and U.S. Sena­ tor from 1964 to 1980, is well known as the founder of Earth Day and for his lifelong environmental activism. He was instrumental in creating the national scenic trail system, and continues his work on behalf of the environment by serving as counsel for the Wilderness Society.

Bancroft, keynote speaker for the event, is probably best known as the first woman to travel across the ice to both the North and South Poles. Her other achieve­ ments as an explorer and educator are equally impres­ sive. Her South Pole accomplishment was as team leader for the American Women's Expedition in which a group of four women skied over 660 miles pulling 200- pound sleds to reach the South Pole on January 14, 1993. Previously she had traveled by dogsled to the North Pole as the only female member of the 1986 Steger International Polar Expedition.

Nelson will speak at 7:30p.m. Friday, September 6, and Bancroft at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 7.

No activities are scheduled to conflict with either speaking time, but conference participants will have the opportunity to choose from a number of activities during most of the conference.

NORTH STAR: 11Je Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, Jun~uly 1996 Page 14

to do, so I parted with Basil, after telling him to expect a long straggle of hikers in August on our country hike. Further dowii his deserted road, as I neared a bend, Gummy started barking ahead, but it was neither her obnoxious Human Alert! din nor the frantic Critter Chase yipping. As I walked toward the next tree to blaze, I could see Gummy first, bouncing up and down in the road, tail wagging, prancing in the playful stance she gets when confronting another fun dog, with her front quarters down to the ground, hineyin the air. She was feinting side to side in mock aggression, but not charging forward. When I got round the bend a few feet further, I saw her playmate: a fawn was mirroring her every bounce, hopping side to side in tense excitement and sheer play. There was no aggression, no fear, and of course it lasted only seconds longer, but it was such a sweet sunny moment tha:t I should have know things were set to improve in this neighborhood.

Later, Gummy safely shut in the van, I painted blazes up Turnpike Road, and there way approached by a hairy young dude on a motorcycle, his nose sunburned red between dark shades and big mustache. He wanted to know ifl were with the Finger Lakes Trail, and why I was spraying out the turn down Hughes Road. Turned out he LIKES the trail, and thought it would be oooHf it went through thewoodsaroundhishuntingcattipjiist up Hughes. Only problem would be, he said, I'd have to convince Basil Parker, a renowened local curmudgeon and generally irascible old fart, who owned the next bazillion acres behind his woods. (Don't worry: Basil will like this part.) Paul Hesson and I sealed the deal over a few beers, after negotiating the price of his permission, an FLT T-shirt for him and his girlfriend.

During the August Steuben hike I'm told Basil kept popping out to the road to ask passing hikers where the "sweeper" was (one of my "jobs" was to act as sweep, playing cat.cher in the rye for the slowest hikers). He'd been looking forward to some company so much that he invited several ofus walking at the tail end over to his picnic table for beer or Coke and a visit. The conversa­ tion was going so enjoyably that I decided to tell him about Paul's offer and pop the Big Question. Much to neighbors' later surprise (Basil himself has said, "I've spent my whole life trying to keep people out of here, and now look what I'm doing!") he said yes, and I could have yipped for joy. Little did I realize, however, just how great a gift this would be: I'd been envisioning a one-mile straight line over the hill between the two roads, ending by coming down the fields above Basil's house and barns. When I returned October 1st to scout the route, Basil showed me on an aerial photo how far south his property went and some of the interesting features in the upper reaches, like the diversion ditch hand-dug across the slope of the hillside by CCC workers in the 30's, and planted to locusts, intended to spread· the runoff and avoid erosion. (Basil the aeronautical engi­ neer has always noodled about his beloved farm with soil scientists and animal science professors.) After an extensive wander overmuch ofhis 100-plusacres, I had crudely plotted a fabulous new trail route through tall woods, with intermittent jogs into upper field edges

by Irene Szabo, President, FLTC In the spring of 1995, the FLTC received a letter

signed by four landowners at the seam between M-10 and M-11, telling us to remove the trail between Hughes and Burleson Roads. Phone conversations proved fu­ tile, so the trail was closed and routed onto yet another 2+ miles of road walk.

As the west-central coordinator of trail sponsors, I went down to markthenew lacldust.er (and unsponsored) "trail" route, since FLT maps M-10 and 11 were then in a transitional stage between club and individual spon­ sorships. I spent the morning decommissioning the old trail, removing the register, taking down trail-head signs, spraying out the immediate "wrong" blazes ... a sad process I've done too much in recent years. Then I painted blazes down quiet seasonal Burleson Road, along pleasant views across the farm valley below, 1.4 miles out and back, since I didn't want to take Gummy the dog up busier paved Turnpike.

On the return trip as I was passing the only house an old geezer wearing a crusty Knight Settlement Sand and Gravel hat called from his yard to ask what I was doing. Because I always want to keep landowners happy with the FLT, even if they're only adjacent to the trial, I felt it was worth spending a little time with this man who was going to start seeing strange walkers coming down his previously peaceful road, including the upcoming HUGE Steuben County Hike Series groups. As it was, he'd already been fascinated by Mary Ann Nissley in April (her Steuben guidebook had the new route), thought it amazing that a tiny "older" woman was tromping across the state alone.

Basil Parker was only too happy to talk a while, in fact ended up sitting on his lawn with me for a longtime; not only did he miss conversation since his wife Zita died tow years before, but my digging for more local history for the Steuben FLT Guidebook got him nattering on and on about these hills he'd loved for 50 years, on a farm that's been in his wife's family for generations. Soon I knew why the right-of-way for Turnpike Road was four rods wide instead of the usual three (to entice develop­ ers to build the toll road) and had heart how Basil's 1840 stone foundation house was still square inside when it was drywalled over a century after it was built. His 1857 country map added so much perspective to this sleepy neighborhood; there were school houses within two miles in all directions and a saw mill on every creek. There were six houses on this road where now there are two, and almost every road in existence now was al­ ready built, plus a few that have since been abandoned.

Summer days are long, but I still had lots ofblazing

A Fine Tale of

Page 15 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

In a busy agenda at their May meeting, held again in Romulus Michigan, the North Country Trail .Associa­ tion Board of Directors had to confront the continuing budget shortfall. The board very reluctantly voted to increase the individual, household and organizational memberships each by five dollars, effective June 1. The action will not totally clear up budget shortfalls, but should help alleviate the problem. To assist with the budget problem, the board will seek grants, launch an enhanced membership drive, set "sale" prices on some Trail Store items, and will askfor further donations from members.

The board also is studying revising the award struc­ ture of the Association instituting new awards such as a "National Trails Lifetime Achievement Award" and and "Organizational Merit Award." The board is also studying instituting awards for hiking middle distances on the trail, and for hiking all the trail in a given state, along with several awards to be given for trail manage­ ment. The awards will be studied, and final decision will be made at the fall meeting.

The board also authorized retroactively awarding the 1995 Distinguished Achievement Award, which had not been awarded due to an oversight. The 1995 and 1996 awards will be presented at the Fall meeting; nominations should be sent to NCTA President Derek Blount.

The board moved to reopen the schoolhouse to organization rentals, if insurance issues can be cleared up. These had been ended when the schoolhouse could no longer be operated as a hostel.

The board also discussed a wide range of other issues, including inability to get land staff assistance, guidelines for mountain bike use, National Trails Day' and other items.

President Blount reminded board members and organization members that Volunteer in the Park ser­ vice hour reports are due September 1.

Board raises dues, studys new awards

hang trailhead signs. It is the first time, however, I have ever used cross-country skis to get to a paint blazing project. On the return trip in the afternoon, I tried to ski across a shallow roadside ditch to of Basil's field but hung up under downed barbed wire. Fortunately no one was watching when I released my ski, only to sink to my knees in the muddy water beneath the snow. Dimbulb here had to reach deep into the frigid slurry to pull each ski out of the water, one of them still attached to a foot. Luckily Basil's house was less than a mile away, and it was still in the upper 40's ... and the new trail is open!

FLT users and builders thank the three landowners again ... and again. Such a welcome gift their permis­ sions are. Hikers: come savor the two new miles of North Country Trail and soak up the immense quiet at sunset over the valley west of Burleson.

with views, and even using his Herefords' own path down the old diversion dit.ch. 'The long slant this would take from Hughes Road southwestward to Burleson would leave only a half-mile of the latter, and a few tenths on the former, and would result in trail even prettier than the one we'd lost.

Two days later I was back to tell Basil how excited I was about the route I'd planned, and asked if it were generally okay with him. He wanted to see some of it for himself, so he drove us up a field to the top, and walked me into the woods surrounding the biggest problem gully. This 80-year-old who walks with a cane showed me where a shallow crossing was possible, instead of the horrid built switchback I'd envisioned, and helped me pick out an enchanting route the cows already knew about along the edge. We passed barbed wire rolls he identified as World War I vintage and red pines the CCC planted in the 1930's. Trail route flagging began.

During October several perfect and satisfying days were spent with Bob Muller clearing the trail and painting blazes. At the September Steuben hike I'd announced to the throng our good news on Map 10 in order to canvas for potential sponsors. Bob and Carol Dickey from Hornell volunteered to take care of the new path, so Bob worked with us in October, proving to be an able and mighty worker. Meanwhile, Basil drove uphill periodically to walk new portions of the trail, and even took to using the cleared way from the other road to look for the cattle in his upper woods to bring them home for winter.

The trail goes through their summer range, so heed this Hereford cattle advice to hikers from B. Parker:

1) Don't look directly at them --glance sideways. A stare is a challenge.

2) Do not get between mother and calf. 3) But don't worry about the bulls--Herefords are

placid souls. Just when I though nothing could surpass our

success when both Basil and Paul agreed to North Country Trail status on their trails, our very first private landowners NCT, Basil called me with yet another wonderful news item: the next landowner south of him said we could go through his place to eliminate all of the Burleson roadwalk! David Tsibulsky's long level open woods walk ends at a thornbush pat.ch, an unavoid­ able trail-builder's challenge, but leads next to a high open old field complete with tiny house foundation. In lateNovember,BobsDickeyandMullertrudgedthrough 8" and more of snow to claw open a path a little bigger than that the deer had chosen through the hawthorn thicket, then cleared quickly through the woods back to Basil's. In this DEC region there is no Sunday hunting, so we could work one day weekly during gun season, but is a heavily hunted property, witnessed by one gut pile right on the flagged trail.

Early and frequent deep snows prevented us from finishing this new off road trail before the end of 1995, but January 18th gave us a thaw and stiff breezes, so Muller sprayed out the old route while I slogged through slurpy snow to paint the last half-mile of blazes and

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Count/}' Trail Association, June-July 1996 Page 16

lookedasifithad been removed from the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Special, with the trees weighed down with snow from last night's storm, the roads freshly coated with a foot of snow, and, to top it off, there was complete silence, not even the far-off whine of a distant snowmobile. Itwas indeed a winter wonderland. WJSOODSin must have been named "America's Dairyland" by someone who had never made it to the North Countiy Trail.

We weren't able to go back to hike the North Country Trail, though; we didn't have the time. Every winter, I get this urge to just get in my car and drive there. In order to temporarily satisfy my urge, I called Susan Nelson, the Recreational Planner for Chequamegon National Forest (say it with me, Sha-wah-me-gon) and asked her some questions about the area, specifically about the North Countiy Trail, and what it was like in the winter time. Talking to her was like talking to a therapist.

She says that there are 60.5 miles of the North CountiyTrail in the forest with eight different trailheads, making it quite accessible. It's not groomed, and so you mucs "goon your own ... for the person seeking solace, the trail is perfcet in the winter time."

As for condtions, "There are a lot of woods along the trail with a few openings. The trail holds the snow well, keeping good condtionson it because the trees prevent the snow from blowing away." I started to drool. "There are two different wilderness areas along two different seg­ ments of the trail, in which you will not hear any snowmo­ biles, making the degree of soliude even greater." Exactly what I wanted to hear. Nelson said that you don't even need to regist.er while using the trail, not even for a campsite. "Just make sure you camp 75 feet away from the trail, the reason being that we try to avoid having people get the wierd feeling of walking by somebody's tent, which is kind of against the whole concept of solace."

As Nelson answered my questions, I started to calm down. "The eastern segment of the trail passes through the Penokee and Gogebic ranges, then through the Marengo River Valley, which is quite beautiful. From here, it crosses thewindernees areas." The trail has many different types of trees along the way, including hemlock, balsam, fir, "scattered. islands of red and whit.e pine," oak in the lowlands, black ash and tamaracks. As for the animal population along the trail, there are snowshoe hare, white-tailed deer, beaverandevenaherdofelk. "We just recently transported 25 elk to the Clam Lake area, and they occasionally graze in the area of the trail. One was grazed during the hunting season, but she seems to be all right." To top that off, Nelson says that you may hear the howl of a wolf while using the trail during the wintertime, as they are very active. "Wehaveapeckin the Rainbow lake Wtldernees Area, and we think a new pack may be forming in the Porcupine lake Wtldern91S Area."

After I got off the phone with NeJson, I began to do some thinking. Perhaps I should not have written this article about the North Country Trail. It seems to be a well-kept secret. Then, if the Chequamegon National Forest and the North Country Trail have something that Yellowstone is trying to establish, and, let's say, some­ where around 100% lees visitors, why is nobody going up there? Not that it matters to me.

A few years ago, I was dragged up to a friends cabin in the north woods. Being new to the area and living near Chicago at the time, I absolutely refused to believe that a state that had dubbed itself "America's Dairyland" had much to offer in terms of solitude and wilderness.

"Come on, it's beautiful up there," my friend Bill told me. "I saw a bear the last time I was there." A bear? Maybe in Chicago, but not in W1SC0nsin. Bill had all sorts of plans, from climbing a few odd waterfalls to going hiking on some obscure trail that I had never heard of, something called the "North Country Trail." I was also hesitant because Bill has some flaw in his genetic makeup, which enables him to evade any form of natural selection. This gave me reason to worry. At the time, I thought he was crazy. I just could not understand how he could be so enthusiastic about the upper part of a state reknowned for its cheese. A few hours of sitting in a really cramped Dodge Omni loaded down with an antique lawnmower headed for his cabin began to change my perceptions. The two land highways yeilded to country roads and the farm­ land disappeared, becoming a dense mass of mature forest

When we arrived at his cabin, exhausted from the long drive, we drashed. We fell asleep to the sounds of the coyote neighbors, who seemed to be having a raging party across the lake the cabin was on. The next morning was when I became a True Believer. The first thing Bill wanted to do was get onto the North Country Trail and do some hiking. We started zooming around these tunnel­ like forest roads until we got to the trailhead, which looked like it hadn't been used in years. "Bill, what are we doing here?" I whined. "If this trail is so good, then why isn't anybody here?"

"That's exactly the point," he replied. Despite the words I would later take to be full of wisdom, doubt took seed in my head again.

This all changed when the hike began. We started the hike and entered into the forest. The trail was not really atrail.Rather,itwasthisdreamymixofgreenandbrown, a hypnotic verdant tunnel that had soft, green grass carpeting the way. "Wow," I thought.

The rest of the week was spent exploring the area. During this time, I slowly became a convert. Any shred of doubt I had about the area dissolved. I even learned the correct pronunciation of "Chequamegon.: However, the final turning point took place during the following winter when we stayed at the cabin to do some downhill skiing. Even though we got stuck on the roads that led to the cabin twice, once on a hill and once in a snowbank on a hairpin curve, I fell in love. Believe it or not, the area

by Patrick Nelson

This article first appeared in du! Jan. 1996 issue of li,festyk Sports, du! Health, Recreation. and Adventure Magazine.

A well-kept secret

Page 17 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter af the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

the lake have built sand dunes, picking up bits of sand from the lakeshore and blowing them inland. The trail runs around the backside of five square miles of these dunes. lnt.erpretive signs teach lessons about what makes a sand dune move, the marram grass that slows the sand's movement, and the 'ghost trees' of jackpine that reappear after the sand has buried and killed them.

"From the dunes the hiker follows the trail to the bluff line high above the chilly waters of Lake Superior. The winding footpath leads through damp forest areas where beech and sugar maple grow, curving from time to time along the shoreline as it offers spectacular views of the lake 200 feet below. Shore side trails extend out to the edge of the escarpment, rewarding the trekker with dramatic views. The sheer multicolored cliffs, which vary in color from gold to yellow to terra-cotta to tan give the park its name. The color of the cliffs reflected by the water changes with the play oflight and time of day. Wave action has added beauty, eroding the sculpted cliffs into odd formations, cutting holes and arches into their rocky flanks. Huge chunks of sand­ stone that have broken away and fallen from the cliffs can be seen in the clear, shallow water close to the shoreline."

A work of this caliber and scope takes a lot of research to do right, and the book shows abundantly the amount of work Millers have put into it. The nineteen trails take in a broad range, long and short, well-defined to amorphous, narrow, complete well-known pathways to wide concepts that are a long way from completion.

Though it can't be called lavishly illustrated, there are adequate photos to give readers some of the local color. The maps of each of the trails are well done, and appropriat.ely detailed for the scale. Addresses of both governmental and supporting organizations are given, as well.

The national scenic and national historic trails have long needed a decent overview that gives a fair and interesting discussion of each of the trails -- not only their beauties and their high points, but a frank discus­ sion of some of the problems they face as well. This book fills that need, giving the reader the best understanding of the nineteen national trails as a system, and is still enjoyable reading, besides. This book cannot help but raise interest in the system, and in each of the trails.

We supporters of the North Country Trail and the national trails system have been waiting a long time for this book. It was worth the wait.

Back in the early eighties, a poorly researched and poorly written 1978 volume called "The American Walk Book" led me to discover the North Country National Scenic Trail. The book did at least give a thumbnail overview of the evolving National Scenic and National Historic Trails.

Now, with Trails Across Ameria: Traveler's Guide to Our National Scenic and Historic Trails, we have an overview of the eight national scenic and eleven na­ tional historic trails that is not only up-to-date, but is far superior to "The American Walk Book", written by people who not only have taken the time to give the topic careful research, but understand what they're doing and why they're doing it, and then did an int.erestingjob of writing about it. Thus, it'll be highly welcomed.

Naturally, when I first received the book, I turned to the section on the North Country Trail. Though thinner in detail in sections than I might have hoped for, the amount of detail about the trail is very good, and on a level with other trails written about -- but that's a criticism that could come from people reviewing the book from the viewpoint of any of the national scenic or national historic trails, which is to say that the Millers have been very fair in apportioning their attentions, making sure that the book is an overview of all of the trails, not giving most of their attention to a couple of the high-profile trails to the detriment of the rest. If anything, the North Country Trail gets a slightly better shake than other trails.

A selection at random from the section on the North Country Trail:

"It would be difficult to find a section of the North Country Trail that provides the hiker with a greater variety of scenery than the 43 miles of trail that clings closely to the shoreline of Lake Superior as it passes through the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

"The first surprise on this 'Lakeshore Trail' seg­ ment is the sand dunes at the eastern end of the park. About ten thousand years ago; when the last glacier melted, it left behind a deposit of rocks and sand now known as the Grand Sable Banks. Atop this ridge, which reaches 300 feet in height, the winds that blows across

Traila Across America: Traveler's Guide to Our National Scenic and Historic Traila, lzy Arthur P. Miller, Jr., and Marjorie L. Miller. Golden, Colorado: Fulcrum Books, ISBN 1-55591-235-4, $19.95.Available from North Country Trail Shop.

Book Review: Great new guide to National Scenic and Historic Trails

NORTH STAR: 7he Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, JunNuly 1996 Page 18

by Finger Lakes Trail Conference). The current Presi­ dent of the Finger Lakes Trails Conference, Mr. Beye also has served as Chair of FL TC's Trail Management Committee for the past 12 years and as a hiking representative on the New York Stat.e Trails Council for nine years. He's been involved with NCTA since first serving on the Board in 1988 an is currently Trail Coordinator for New York. Mr. Beye's goals for NCTA include resolution on the trail in eastern New York and improved marketing of Trail Shop guides, books and maps.

• Bill Herron, Marquette, Michigan. Mr. Herron has degrees in Forest Management and Engineering Administration and has land acquistion experience with privat.e and government organizations. He is an experiencedappraise'rof conservationeasements, rights­ of-way, and forested land, and is a registered forester in the Stat.e of Michigan. An active member of the North Country Trail Hikers Club, Mr. Heron is involved in trail location, constrcution and maintenance in Michigan's U.P. He hopes to work toward providing a well-organizedandsmoothfunctioningleadership group. His vision includes easily accessible, well-defined hik-

The Board consists of 17 elected members and two optional honorary appointees. Several seats are desig­ nated as "regional" (west.ern, west central, and east.ern) or "affiliate" (Buckeye Trail .Association, Finger Lakes Trail Conference, and ~neral) to ensure board repre- sentation. "-·-'

In 1993, the process for representation on the Board was changed to assure that all regions of the trail were ·' represented on the Board and that the major afftliat.es would have the option of appointing a representative to the Board. Each Board member, regardless of his or her region or affiliation, has the responsibility to help guide the polices of the organziation and to keep the interest.es of the total trail in the forefront. Each Board member serves a three year t.erm unless he or she is nominated to fill a vacant seat.

The board members elect.ed or appointed in 1996:

•Howard Beye, Rochester, New York (Appointed

Results of 1996 Board Elections announced

Proposals for Challenge Cost Share projects are due to Bill Menke by mid-Sept.ember. If you have questions or need help with your proposal, please give Bill a call at 608-264-5610. He'll be glad to hear from you!

$ 100 $ 100

$ 300 $ 300

$1700 $ 880 $ 400 $2980

Supplies Volunteer Labor Non-monetary corrtributions Project T o1als $1400 $1180 * 8 volunteers for 10 hours at $11 Jhr

2) What will be accomplished - provide a little more detail here. "Ihe bridge will be 10 feet long and will cross Suchandsuch Creek to replace an existing log crossing."

3) Work methods and procedures- "Ihe bridge will be built by Ourchapt.er volunteers and will conform to all standards required by the Anystat.e DNR. The bridge will be constructed to match design standards similar to those found in Our Best Trail Maintenance and Construction Handbook. A copy of the bridge plan is enclosed."

4) Names, addresses and phone numbers ofimme­ diat.e partner (chapt.er) and any cost share partners (see Budget below)

5) Budget - This is a Cost Share program, which means you need to come up with at least half of the funding on your own. The good news is that volunteer hours qualify as matching funds, for $11 per hour. Donated goods and services will also work here. Your budget should look something like this:

Park Partner Joe's Beth's Total Service Lumber Rental $1400 $ 300

$ 880*

Do you keep getting your feet wet when you cross that one stream? Are you always telling people that the trail head is about 700 feet north of Highway 12 on County Rd. Q between the big red pine and the boulder with graffiti? Do you wince every time you see trail surface washing away because it lacks proper erosion control? Do you keep wishing you had stiles to stop those ATVs, or shelters to rest your weary bones? lfso, read on!

Eachyear, theNationalParkServiceawards"Chal­ lenge Cost Share" funds for projects along National Trails. During the current fiscal year, t.en different projects along the North Country National Scenic Trail were funded for a total of more than $17,000 dollars, including bridges, lean-tos, a puncheon syst.em, stiles, signage, and other improvements. Each of these projectswas proposed by local volunteers to meet press­ ing needs they saw along the trail. That's the good news. The bett.er news is we're hearing that next year we may qualify for even more funding, as long as our volunteers submit more good proposals. let's not let this opportu­ nity slip past!

The application process is fairly simple. Just send a letter to: Bill Menke, NCNST Manager National Park Service 700 Rayovac Dr Suit.e 100 Madison, Wisconsin 53711

Your letter should contain the following information: 1) Project description - Very brief, such as ''We

propose to improve the North Country National Scenic Trail in Anycounty by building a bridge."

Cost Share Funds Available from NPS

Page 19 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

June 22: North Country Trail Hikers trail work east of Laughing Whitefish. Call Ben at (906) 226-2158 or Marri at (906) 249- 1679.

June 16: Grand Traverse Hiking Club 'Kayak Demo Day' at Backcountry Outfitters, noon-8 PM. Contact (616) 946-1339.

June 20: North Country Trail Hikers and Sierra Club trail cleanup at Little Preque Isle. Call Dave or Judy at (906) 228- 9453.

June 14-15: Western Michigan Cahpter Ludington State Park campout. Contact Bernice at (616) 456-6157.

June 15: North Country Trail Hikers trail work east of Laughing Whitefish. Call Ben at (906) 226-2158 or Marri at (906) 249- 1679.

June 12-21: Tentative dates for constructing new trail in Lost Nation State Game Area. Assuming approval for trail construc­ tion, arrangements will be made for one or more days. Call Ralph Powell at (313) 971-9013.

June 14-15: Grand Traverse Hiking Club South Manitou Island Trip. Contact Brian Cox (616) 938-2810. Only a limited number of sites are reserved.

Michigan

October 1: Newsletter deadline.

August 1: Newsletter deadline.

September 6-8: NCTA Annual Conference, Wisconsin.

September 15: Challenge Cost Share Projects due to NPS. For more information, contact Bill Menke, NPS, (608) 264-561 O.

NCTA

rrEMS FOR THIS COLUMN Imm..be received before the deadline date given on Page 4 of this newsletter. We welcome listing activities of affiliated organizations, but we must be aware of them in sufficient time for publication.

+The Hiker's Paradise+

KANDERSTEG Moderate optional length DAY hiking ZERMATT MURREN along skyline trails. 7 - 2 week tours LENK basing at 15 mountain 3-4 star hotels. =~~P All hikes guided by NCTmember Cecil RtGl-kAL TENBAD Dobbins. For a free color brochure call GRINDELWALD (216' 867-3771 or write to· SAAS-FEE 1 ' GSTAAD ALPINEADVENnJRETRAILSTOURS, Inc. FLUELEN 783V Cliffside Dr. ENGELBERG Ak OH 44313 LEUKERBAD ron,

SWISS ALPS

The remaining candidate was named to a term as a nonvoting honorary board member: Joan Young, Scottville, Michigan. Currently pursuing a graduate degree in Environmental Engineering, Ms. Young has served in leadership capacities in several volunteer organizations. She is experienced in planning and participating in backpacking, canoe trips, and long distance bike touring, and has set the personal goal of hiking the entire NCNST. Her goals for the trail are to focus on its potential as a national resource to showcase its rich variety in heritage, geology, vegetation and scenery. She also would like to better make this resource avaialbe to long-distance hikers while retain­ ing access for day-users.

Kathy O'lstad, Bismark, North Dakota. With a Fisheries and Wildlife degree, Ms. Olstad is a Biologi­ cal Technician for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and is leading the efforts in North Dakota for the establish­ ment and certification of the North Country Trail on Reclamation Lands. She was responsible for planning the state's longestcertifiedsegment, through theLonetree Wildlife Management Area. In addition, she is cooperat­ ing with the Garrison Conservancy District to establish the NCT along Reclamation Canals, which would more than double the mileage of trail in the stat.e. As a Board member, she would also work toward the goal of ex­ panded public awareness of the North Country Trail.

S1U1an Nelson, Park Falls, Wisconsin. As the Recreational Planner for WJSOnsin's National Forests, Ms. Nelson is involved in planning and promoting recreation sites, activities, and services in the Chequa­ megon and Nicolet National Forests. In addition, she plans and develops interpretive facilities and services and works with local school systems to integrate environemental education programs into their cur­ ricula. As goals, she would like to work with communi­ ties and governmental.agencies to construct new seg­ ments of the North Country Trail and assist communi­ ties in realizing the rural economic benefits of the trail system.

ing segments that provide wilderness experiences in uninterrupted corridors.

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996 Page 20

September 6-8: Work weekend on North Country Trail, Moraine State Park area. Conact Mark Eckler, (412) S88-6164.

Pennsylvania

October 25-27: Work weekend at Shawnee State forest. Mark North Country Trail through Shawnee State Forest and either relocate BT through forest or locate a side trail to the State Forest. Details are being worked out. Call (216) 884-47S7 for details.

June 21-23: Work Weekend on the North Country Trail at Burr Oak State Park. Camp at Group Camp Site near boat dock #3 off SR-78. Work sites depend on what is accomplished by Boy Scouts in May. Call {216) 884-47S7 for details.

September 11·15: Extended work weekend at Tar Hollow State Forest. Complete construction of new trail .·begun Memorial Day weekend. Send a small fee and food is provided. Come for one day or all four days. Call {216) 884- 4757 for details.

October 4-5-8: ·Work Weekend in Wayne National Forest. Probably camp at Burr Oak Cove. Kaye Ernbach in charge. Call (216) 884-47S7 for details.

Ohio

June 8: FLT across the Genesse, Hike 3, Contact Irene Szabo (716) 658-4321.

July 6: Finger Lakes Fifties Trail Run {SOK, 50 Ml, SOK Relay), Virgil State Forest. Contact Joe Reynolds, S7 Cayuga St., Trumansburg, NY 14886; phone (607) 387-6281.

July 21: Forest Frolic Trail Runs, 7 & 15 K, Virgil State Forest. Contact Steve Ryan, 315 Troy Rd., Ithaca NY 14850; phone (607) 277-7816.

July 21: FLT across the Genesse, Hike 4, Contact Irene Szabo {716) 658-4321.

July 27: FLTC Presidents hike for all FLTC members and guests on northern end of the Onondaga Trail. Joe Donovan, Leader (315) 253-9863. Meet at 9:00 AM at Labrador Hollow Unique Natural Area of NYS Route 91.

Aug. 11: Virgil Mountian Madness Trail Run, 20.4 miles, Virgil State Forest. Contact Diane Beckwith, 116 Ludlow Rd., Lansing NY 14882; Phone (607) 533-3692.

Aug. 25: Monster Marathon and Half-Marathon, 26.2 and 13.1 miles, Virgil State Forest. Age/sex staggered starts. Contact John McMurry, 62S Highland Rd., lthacaNY14850; phone (607) 257-3592.

New York

Page 21

May 17·19: Work Weekend on the North Country Trail west of Itasca State Park. Stay overnight at Dell Bjerkness home on Bad Medicine Lake with a Pot Luck Dinner on Saturday Night. Sleeping accomodations are limited so call Paul Wright {612) 423-5006 to reserve your spot.

Minnesota

December 3: Western Michigan Chapter Christmas Dinner. Social meeting 6-6:30 PM. Dinner 6:30 - 7:30 PM. Meeting at 7:30 PM. Call Ruth (616) 453-8622.

August 11-24: North Country Trail Hikers/Mackinac Chapter Sierra Club NCTTrail Construction in the Upper Peninsula. New construction will connedt Porcupine Mountain State Park with Ottawa National Forest. Camping, swimming, showers in state park available. Fee $1 S per first day, $10 per addition. Contact Eugene Elzinga at {906) 22S-1704 by July 28.

August 12-16: Western Michigan Chapter hike in the Pictured Rocks. Five days of hiking in the Munising - Grand Marais area. Call Darlene (616) 784-SOSO or Bill, (616) 868-72S1.

August 24: Western Michigan Chapter hike 9 miles on NCT, Pierce Rd. to Highbanks.Contact Bernice, (616) 4S6-61S7.

October 1: Western Michigan Chapter meeting, 7:30 PM, German Village Restaurant. Call Ruth (616) 453-8622 for direc­ tions and information.

July 20: Western Michigan Chapter hike 6 miles is Seidman Park. Contact Bernice, (616) 4S6-61 S7.

July 27: Western Michigan Chapter Hike 1 o miles on Betsie River Pathway between Frankfurt and Thompsonville. Contact Bernice, (616) 4S6-61 S7.

August 3: Western Michigan Chapter, hike 14 miles in Saugatuck Dunes State Park. Contact Bernice, (616) 4S6-61S7.

August 6:Western Michigan Chapter meeting, 7744 Thornapple Bayou Drive, Grand Rapids. Call Bill (616) 868-72S1 for direc­ tions and information.

July 6: Western Michigan Chapter 1 O mile hike in Hoffmaster State Park. Contact Bernice at (616) 773-61S7.

July 13: Western Michigan Chapter hike in Lake County, 76th St to Bowman Bridge. Contact Bernice at (616) 4S6-61S7.

July 12-21. Mackinac Chapter Sierra Club NCTTrail Construc­ tion and Exploration near Boardman River and Shore to Shore Trail in Kalkaska County. Spend one day or as many days as you want. $1S per day, $10 per additional day fee includes meals. Contact Ron Killebrew at (313) 971-9013 or Ralph Powell at (313) 971-9013.

' June 29: Western Michigan Chapter 1 O mile hike around Swan Lake in Allegan State Game Area. Contact Bernice at (616) 4S6- 61 S7.

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, Junfhlu/y 1996

$5.95 $2.50 $7.95 $6.95

· rtnger Lakes Trail Guidebooks Published by the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, these helpful

. books cover various regions of the North Country Trail where it overlaps the FLT in western and central New York.

FLT in Cortland County FLT End-To-End Guide for Backpackers FLT: Conservation Trail to Hornell FLT in Steuben Co (Hornell-S, Bradford)

rVRADiLGUODE;:=VRAOLMAP'l"1 ~ ~to the- Caun"J'l'rall, Chlppowa- l'mot Cerlltled Sectlaas of the llonh Coan"J Trail ~

· by Roderick MacRae: $1.25 by Byron and Margaret Hutchins ~ , Description of the route and trail log, east to west. Wonder- The long-awaited start to a trail guide for the entire trail,

fully written by a Chippewa National Forest expert. 12 pgs. Accurate route descriptions by experienced guidebook writers . who have walked the sections with a measuring wheeL This~

Guide to the Borth Countly1'rail, MaJUst.ee Rational Forest resource covers many of longest certified sections. Published ~ by The Michigan Trailfinders $2.95 in easy to carry looseleaf form. Whole set w/ binder: $16.50. foil Offers a detailed description of the trail from the White Cloud Iiullvidual sets at various prices: · I: Trailhead to Big Star Lake and from USlO to McCarthy Lake. Allegheny NF & Cook State Forest $ 4.00 e

Wa.yne National Forest $a.SO ~ Gu1d th Pictured Ro ks v ti nal Lak h Burr Oak-Sinking Spring $ 5.50 !<Ill

e to e c na 0 es ore Little Miami Scenic Park $ 3.00 ~ by Olive Anderson $6·95 Miami & Erie Canal $ a.SO ~

' Pictured Rocks is a centerpiece of the North Country Trail - a ,... , rugged, unique coast on the wild Lake Superior shore. Maps Manistee National Forest $ 4.00 ~

Hiawatha NF east, Taquamenon SF $ 4.00 ~ are included in this revised Lakeshore Trail Guide. 56 pages. Pictured Rocks, Hiawatha NF west $ 3.00

Ottawa National Forest $ 4.00 Chequamegon National Forest $ 3.00 I: Chippewa National Forest $ 3.50 ~ Sheyenne National Grassland $ 1.50 ~ ,...

Michigan Map Sets developed by Arden Johnson ~ The best available reference for the North Country Trail in MI. ~ $4.00 per set, $2.SO for binder with indices ~

MI-A) Maps covering SE Lenawee Co. to W. Calhoun Co.B i<lll MI-B) Maps covering NE Kalamazoo Co. to SE Newaygo Co. ~ MI-C) Maps covering SE Newaygo Co. to NW Wexford Co. ~ MI-D) Maps covering NW Wexford Co. to SE Charlevoix Co. ~ MI-E) Maps covering Charlevoix Co. to Mackinaw City ;: MI-F) Maps covering St. Ignace to SE Marquette Co. ~ MI-G) Maps covering Marquette area to Ironwood ~

Pinger Lakes Trail (Bew York) Map Sets ~ These excellent NY maps are published by the Finger Lakes~ Trail Conference. $4.00 per set ~

NY-A) Maps covering PA border to Portageville i<lll NY-B) Maps covering Portageville to Watkins Glen ~ NY-_C) Map.s_ covering Watkins Glen to NW of Cuyler i<lll

*********** The North Country National Scenic Trail stretches over :J,000 miles through some of the most scenic

backwoods, rural and suburban landscape in the country. Proceeds from the Trail Shop benefit the North Country Trail .Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the ongoing development of the trail.

JUNE•JULYt 1996

NORTH (OUNTRY

l'RADIL SSHOP

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996 Page 22

Make check or money order payable and send to: NCTA 2'rall Sbop I 49 Monroe Center, Sutte BOOB I Grand Baptds, MI 49506

Bame: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Address: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~- City/State/Zip: -------

MBRCHABDISE TOTAL: NCTA Members deduct 10%: Michigan residents add 6% sales tax: Shipping/Handling: GBAHD TOTAL:

Please enclose for shlpplnl/balJdllnl:

$2. 00 for orders $0. 00-$10. 00 $3.00 for orders $10.01-$25.00 $4.00 for orders $25.01-$100.00 $5.0Q for orders over $100.00

Item Description Qty. Price Ea. Total Order Form

. Gcf\'lest Old Man, Porty-Five Days on the FLT by James E. DeWa-{1 __ _ DeWan's rendition of his 45cday.end-to-end hike of New York's Finger Lakes fyail. knows the trail.

' Trails Across America by Art and Marge Miller $ 19.95 ' Subtitled "A Travelers Guide to Our National Scenic and Historic Trails," this new book is the first to provide engaging

descriptions and advice on all 19 trails in our National Trail System.

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BOOKSS OIF SSPE(DAIL DNTERESST ~ ....

·:rollowtng the ?forth Country lfational Scenic Trail SPECIAL SUMMlll SALi PBJCI: $ 2.951 ::.= ' by Wes Boyd, NCTA newsletter editor ;.= : Full of information, this book directs readers to more in-depth resources they may need to follow the trail. Although not really ;.=

.a guidebook, this is our most inclusive publication covering the whole North Country National Scenic Trail. 64 pgs. ;.= .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... $ 6.95 ==

Lovingiy written by someone who really ;.= - - ..... .... ....

' .... ' Trail Atlas of Michigan by Dennis BcHeiiseti $ 26.96 ;.=

Michigan trail enthusiasts - don't get caught without this book! This incredible work includes maps and descriptions for more ;.= , than 500 hiking, biking, skiing, and nature trails in Michigan's upper and lower penninsulas. Search by location or types of use! ..,.

~ - - - ·c-- - - -- - - ·4.u:.n.u-...-u4.u.u.u.u.u.u.u.u.u.u.u.u.u4u..~ ------------------------

lfCTA Postcard - Blue trail map $ 2.00

$1,50

$1.50 Volunteer Strip

State Strip

Nodh Country NationalScericTrail Trail Patch

lfCTA Mug ' with official emblem·

$ 3.00

Embroidered Patches Show Your- Support!

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<COUN'irRY NA 'irlONAL SCENIC TRAIL s ....

MER<CHANDDIE • · • · • ~ ~ j

Trail Supporter Pin - 3/4" cloisonne $ 2:95 3 .' ""' $5.95 a

l{CTAT-Shirt-Adult (S,M,L,XL,XXL) $ 9.95 l .... ....

$ 0.40 == .... - ·nn.n1.u.u.-1

• • • • •

Page 23 NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association, June-July 1996

Home Phone Work Phone Occupation--------- 1 would like to volunteer the following skills:----------------------- L- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -~

City State Zip E-Mail: _

O I would like to be a Member-at-large, or I would like $5 of my dues to be remitted to the following Chapter: O West Michigan O Grand Traverse Hiking Club o North Country Trail Hikers (UP-Ml)

O Headwaters (MN) O Wisconsin o North Dakota o Ohio o Pennsylvania

I would further like to support the NCT A with my tax deductible contribution of: $ _ Please make check payable to: North Country Trail Association and mail to : NCTA, 49 Monroe Center NW, Suite 2008, Grand Rapids, Ml 49203

Name-----------------------------------~ Address -----------------------------------

•

63.3 39.6 66.3 26.4

553.6 277.4 119.3 137.6

Michigan Ohio Pennsylvania New York 45.7

%DONE 13.9 21.6

STATE MILES CERTIFIED North Dakota 60.5 Minnesota 81.0 Wisconsin 70.9 '-------------------------------------,

O YESI I want to support the North Country Trail Association. Enter my annual membership at the following level: O $25 Individual O $45 Organizational O $100 Pathfinder 0$400 Life (1 person) O $35 Household O $50 Trail Leader o $500 Corporate o $600 Life (couple)

Our second challenge is to reach 2000 certified miles by the year 2000. Having just passed the 1300 mile mark, we are well on our WErtf. Here's the breakdown by state:

MEMBERS NEEDED TO REACH GOAL 424 333 119 555 665 t40 479

North Dakota Minnesota Wisconsin Michigan Ohio,

·Pennsylvania" New York

CURRENT MEMBERS 11 42 36 320 35 40 41

STATE TRAIL MILES IN STATE 435 375 155 875 700 180 520

2000 * by * 2000

We've upped the ante on our membership goal for the year 20001 Our new target is one meber for every one mile

of trail corridor on the books. To make this easier (or harder?) we are issuing a challenge to each of the seven

states' along our route. Which will be the first to reach its goal?

TARGBTS FOR THE TURN OF THE CENTURY One * For * One

NORTH STAR: The Newsletter of the North Countl}'Trail Association, JunNu/y 1996 Page 24