North Star Vol. 13, No. 3 (1994)

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permtt No. 47 Caledonia, Ml 49316

Newsletter of the

North Country Trail ~ciation PO Box 311 White Cloud, Ml 49349 Editor

14845 Rome Rd . Man1to11

Beach Ml 49253

June-July Vol XIII, No. 3

Members of Student Conservation Association build a bridge on the NCT in Michigan's Yankee Springs Recreation area.

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July 1994

Page2

COMMITTEES

NEWSLETTER PRINTED ON

of the

0

North Country Trail Association

RECYCLED PAPER

PO Box 311, White Cloud, Ml 49349 Headquarters Phone: (616) 689-1912 Editor:

Executive Director: (616) 452-4487

National Park Service Administrator Bill Menke, National Park Service, 700 Rayovac Dr., Suite 100, Madison WI 53711

(608) 264-561 O

President: (810) 548-1737

Vice President (Trails): Doug Welker, R1, Box 59A, Pelkie Ml 49958

Meetings: Wes Boyd 14815 Rome Road Manitou Beach MI 49253 (517) 547-7 402 Membership: Kenneth Gackler, 418 W. Johnson Caledonia Ml 49316 (616) 891-1366 Planning: Arden Johnson, 600 Tennyson, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307 (810) 853-0292

OFFICERS Derek Blount, 906 N. Alexander, Royal Oak Ml 48067

Finance: Arden Johnson, 600 Tennyson, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307 (810) 853-0292 Headquarters Virginia Wunsch, Rt. 1, White Cloud Ml 49349 (616) 689-6876

Wes Boyd, 14815 Rome Road, Manitou Beach, Ml 49253

Pat Allen, 2215 Sylvan Dr. SE, Grand Rapids Ml 49506

Awards: Ruth Sack, 2317 Foster NEJ.. Grand Rapids, Ml 49505 (616) 3t:>3-5966

Publications: Wes Boyd 1481 5 Rome Road Manitou Beach MI 49253 (517) 547-7 402

(906) 338-2680

Trail Management: Doug Welker, R1, Box 59A, Pelkie Ml 49958 (906) 338-2680

(218) 573-3858

STATE COORDINATORS

Vice President (Admin) Odell Bjerkness, Bad Medicine Lake, R 1, Box 221 A, Ponsford, MN 56575

(412) 776-0678

New York Howard Beye, 202 Colebourne Rochester NY 14609 (716) 288-7191

(810) 853-0292

vacant

Secretary: Helen Coyne, 212 Willow Circle, Zelienople PA 16063

Treasurer: Arden Johnson, 600 Tennyson, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307

Pennsylvania

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ohio Jim Sprague, 4406 Maplecrest, Parma OH 44129 (216) 884-4757

Eastern Region

Michigan (Lower) Arden Johnson, 600Tennyson, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307 (810) 853-0292

Howard Beye;,.FLTC 202 Colebourne Rd., Rochester NY 14609 Helen Coyne, ~12 Willow CirclehZelienople PA 16063 Brita Dorn, Star Rt., Box 476, S effield PA 16347 Don Dorn, Star Rt., Box 4 76, Sheffield PA 1634 7 Thomas J. Reimers, 3C Wildflower Dr., Ithaca NY 14850 Harmon Strong, 76 Shellwood Dr, Rochester NY 14618

716 412 814 814 607

288-7191 776-0678 968-5759 968-5759 272-8679

810 517 616 216 810 810 906

548-1737 547-7402 891-1366 884-0281 853-0292 280-2921 338-2680

North Dakota Dale Anderson, RR1, Box 10, Oslo, MN, 56744 (218)965-4508 REGIONAL AFFILIATES New York: Finger Lakes Trail Conference, PO Box 18048, Rochester NY 14618-0048

Western Region Odell Bjerkness R1 Box 221A, Ponsford, MN 56575 Gaylord Yost, 2925 W. Bradley Rd., River Hills WI 53209

Wisconsin Gaylord Yost 2925 W. Bradley Rd., River Hills WI 53209 (414) 354-8987 Minnesota Rod MacRae, 1210 W. 22nd St., Minneapolis MN 55405 (612) 337-0130

Central Region Derek Blount, 906 N. AlexanderL ~oyal Oak Ml 48067 Wes Boyd 14815 Rome Road, Manitou Beach Ml 49253 Kennetti Gackler 418 W. Johnson St. Caledonia Ml 49316 Emily Gregor, (STA) 6502 Olde York Ad., Parma Hts OH 44130 Arden Johnson, 600 Tennyson, Rochester Hills1 Ml 48307 Martha K. Jones, 1857 Torquay Avr;1 Royal OaK Ml 48073 Doug Welker, R1, Box 59A, Pelkie Ml 49958

Michigan (U.P.) Gene Elzinga, 1ZMiddle Island, Marquette Ml 49855 (906) 225-1704

(218) 567-3858 (414) 354-8987

Ohio: Buckeye Trail Association, PO Box 254, Worthington OH 43085 Pennsylvania: AYH, Pittsburgh Region.

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July, 1994

l.:·.:.: •.· · ·=· =·::::·:::;:::::·::::::::.:· · =· =· :=•·l::.: .:li,faflr"ll~ .l·· ·,· l· l· .l·.:,.: :. :.:.: .: .:•. . :. :.' .• ·.'_. ,.· ~-•l. l.: =•.l 'l· l· :·i =.· :_' _' _'_0)~ :·:·:-:·:·:·:·: =::::::::::::::::::::=:·:··:·:-:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·::::::::::::::::::::=:::::::::::::::::::=·=::::::{::::;::{:}~{: :.1..

ED TALONE AND SUE LOCKWOOD, who are attempting the first one-season end-to-end hike of the NCT since 1978, were well on theirwayonApril 12, when they sent the following post card from Paris, Ohio: "Done nearly 550 miles so far. Closing in on Bolivar.

This is really great. Only down side is most off-road sections of Buckeye Trail torn up due to horse use. Horses not going to work on eastern NCT if it's going to be a hiking trail." We're looking forward to hearing more from Ed and Sue.

***

ONE OF THE newest pieces of trail that Ed and Sue will be seeing will be four segments totaling five miles ofFinger Lakes Trail in Danby and Potato Hill State Forests. The NPS has recently approved the FLCT application for certification of these segments.

***

NCT CONNECTOR SIGNS for trail segments on areas that can'tbecertified-i.e.,alongroads or snowmobile trails - that connect longer segments are now available on a case-by-case basis from the National Park Service.

For details, contact Bill Menke at the Madison office.

NCTA membership, the trail, and the NCTA Conference in Minnesota have been mailed to 2600 REI customers in Minnesota, 1200 in Wisconsin, and 200 in North Dakota.

*** FINAL RELEASE

of the route development study is expected soon; it had been held up by the state Office of Historic Preservation for study, but reportedly the office has made a Finding of No Significant Impact. The NPS is targeting eastern Ohio for its next study, and reportedly is considering northwest.em W1SC0nsin for the project after that.

Kent County

(Ml)

***

WE'RE looking ahead to the Annual Conference to be held in western Minnesota late this summer; plan to attend! Information on the event is included in this newsletter. But we're also looking ahead to 1995, when the meeting will be in New York, hosted by the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, at one of two sites yet to be determined, sometime in August. The FL TC will have a tough act to follow, but represen-

tatives have said they intend to overshadow the Minnesota meeting. Bids are open for 1996; we're hoping it will be in the Upper Peninsula or Wisconsin.

***

HELEN COYNE informed the board that she will be unable to serve as Secretary aft.er the winter meeting due to other commitments - specifically, a 19-month, 25,000 mile round-the-world bike trip she has planned, an ambitous trip for a four-time grandmother who only took up long-distance bicycling after she turned 50! (We hope to be able to report more on this trip in a future issue of the newsletter.)

***

TREASURER/MEMBERSHIP CHAIR swap: As decided at the last meeting, Ken Gackler will replace Arden Johnson as Membership Chairman on June 1, and Johnson will replace Gackler as Treasurer at the same time.

Prior to that date, Ken was the only Treasurer the association had ever had; he was named to the post, on an ''interim"basis, in 1981 and remains the Board's longestserving member.

***

THE NCTA now has general liability insurance, covering the board, properties held by the organization, and volunteers. For details, contact Executive Director Pat Allen.

***

THANKS TO REI for a grant that will help with membership development. Flyers promoting

Lobbying for trails Spring Board Meeting report Arrowhead route on life support Searching for Danny's Still Guided Hikes for Casual Users Lots of coming events

7 13 14 14 15 16,17

Page4

Keyboard Trails

,•··.

N8(th Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July 1994

-~

•""""'llhi

! i

.,

by the Editor

~00

•• mnmmn~. c:::m::::J .«

:

..

A

,.

·'·

The dead/me for the August-September issue of the Newsletter is August 1, 1994. Items received after that date cannot be assured of a place in the newsletter.

Itemsreceivedwell beforethat date are much appreciated.

The deadline for the October-December issue of the newsletter will be October 1, 1994.

Well, here it is summer again, already. It's time for vacations, for getting some miles in on the trail, helping to get more miles built or maintained. If you hike on the NCT this year, your help is needed. The Trail Management Committee and the National Park Service are trying to get an inventory made of the various segments of the North Country Trail, in order to target areas where there's work to be done. In the last newsletter, we ran a form that you are asked to copy, take with you when you 're hiking the trail, and return to the National Park Service with your comments. Some trail segments have not been reported on for years!

If you haven't got a copy of the last newsletter, the forms are available from the National Park Service, or from Pat Allen. The address for either is given on Page 2. Please help out with this important project!

Now that summer's here, too, I'd like to ask NCTA members hiking the trail this summer for featurelength stories of their hikes, with photos, if possible.

First-person accounts of hikes along the trail are always interesting and informative, and with an extra issue a year, there's more room for them.

Stories on other subjects are always welcome, too.

I've got a fair-sized file of some very, very good items that could be run, and most will be, some time -- but they're the sort of thing that can be run any time, and more timely items get priority.

As reported elsewhere in this issue, the first serious one-season end-to-end attempt of the NCT in sixteen years is under way, with Ed Talone and Sue Lockwood leaving Cincinnati in March, heading eastbound. At last report, they were in New York, with the intent of finishing there, returning to Cincinnati, and heading west in June.

With this attempt has come a rare opportunity for a comprehensive report on the NCT as it exists today.

To help this along, Bill Menke of the NPS has contracted with Ed and Sue to file reports on the NCT as they find it, using the reporting forms mentioned above.

I've already seen Ed and Sue's reports from eastern Ohio and Pennyslvania. Good news! They've found a lot of excellent trails. Bad news! They've found some trouble areas. NCT marking is spotty, at best. Several bridges are needed. There are severe erosion problems at many

points along the BT due to horse use, and occasionally due to ORV/mountain bike use. We hope to publish a summary of their report next winter .

The appropriate officials have already been notified of these reports. But, one thing is becoming clear already: we're going to have to give more attention to trail reporting, trail maintenance, and trail protection.

Ed and Sue's reports will give us a shopping list ofitems to fix for the short term, but we're going to have to work on trail upkeep much more in the future.

Ed and Sue haven't gotten to Michigan and west yet, but I suspect we're not going to like what we hearbut we need to hear it, and do something about it. This is part of why membership and chapter development is important: it develops a framework for adopt-a-trail work, trail maintainers and trail reporting. This will become increasingly important in the future, as the trail grows and matures.

Bike ban is wrong Dear Wes: The reason I am sending you this letter is to express my opposition to the board's proposal to "severely" restrict mountain bike access to the North Country Trail System. I have been hiking, biking and cross country skiing stretches of the trail in West Michigan for four years now and recently became a member of this organization. As a long-time environmentalist and backpacker I have been watching the impact of mountain bikes on the trails in this area ever since I started riding, with considerable interest.

First off, the damage of mountain bikes varies from no worse, frequently, than foot travel to much worse, occasionally, depending on trail conditions, The stretches of trail in my area were eroded before mountain bikes started riding there due to poor trail design, such as no water bars, removing too much top soil, etc., so to dump blame on those mountain bikes is somewhat misdirected. The trails locally are used more by mountain bikers than hikers by approximately a 4 to 1 ratio. The most popular access point I use has no more than 30 individuals on it per weekend. Conditions are probably different out east. Menke's damage assessment, that the trail was ruined after 6000 passes by mountain bikes makes me wonder what an equivelent trail looks like after 6000 passes by hikers. We all know of numerous trails severely damaged by hikers. On the other hand, out here there are stretches of trail that wouldn't be open if it wasn't for an occasional mountain biker pushing over tall weeds and moving brush to get through marked but unmaintained sections. Maybe the biggest problem is not type but volume of trail users.

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July, 1994

The second problem is the hiker/biker conflict that does occur, which I feel is a conflict of personalities and expectations as much as anything else. Granted, there are some rather boisterous mountain bikers out there; on the other hand, I (age 39) spent last Sunday with 6 other mountain bikers, four older than me, two of them retired, along with two Manistee National Forest rangers working on a stretch of the trail in Northern Lower Michigan. The best way to solve conflict is tolerance and consideration toward each other. Remember, one of the basic principles we are taught as children: it's called sharing.

To conclude, I feel the best solution is to educate bikers to tread as lightly as possible: don't lockup tires, widen trails, do walk bikes through soft areas, and up steep hills, and use less aggressive tires. Mountain Biking should be restricted case by case as trails get too congested or in areas with particularly damage-prone trail condtions. In some areas, parallel trails should exist to separate the participants of each activity. The suggestion made in the article to limit bikes to paved trails was made by someone who hasn't a clue to the joys of mountain biking. To ride a bike on a paved, relatively straight and flat surface is to totally defeat the point of true mountain biking, much like taking a stroll at the Mall instead of jogging through the woods. To accomplish the goals of the NCTA "2000 by 2000", may I suggest not alienating potential members by becoming too narrowly focused on the trail usage issue.

Sincerely, Michael Holovka

Curse of the thru-hikers Editor: I see from the April/May newsletter that the N CTA is headed for the curse of the AT-- media over-reaction to one-season end to enders (also called "thru hikers", in contrast to those who simply spend parts of several seasons covering an entire trail.

It might better be called the curse of the media, since they have to consider only the unusual to be news, which leads to the too-common public belief that what has made good hype there should be taken to the norm, too often resulting in badly skewed public impressions of what life really is.

There's nothing wrong with one-seasonend to ending for those who can afford the time and want to try it.

After all, the purpose of long continuous trails is to provide users with a variety of hike lengths, and that has to include the full-length ones. If that's for you, go ahead and try it. (Just remember that you are not an "end-to-ender" or a "thru-hiker" until you've really done it -- not while you are still trying to be one.)

What does tend to go wrong is that the non-trail media, whose people don't understand trails and trail use, generally give their readers/listeners/watchers the erroneous impression that the only worth-mentioning way to use a long continuous trail is to "eat the whole thing", and that the rest of its users are therefore wimps.

Pages

Most long-distance hikers won't share the media's mistaken notions, but a few do. I saw the very worst of this last summer when one of the cards filled out in an Appalachian Trail register box contained a wannabe thru-hiker's gripe that, because others had preceded him to a trail campsite, he couldn't have the choicest spot, and I quote from his card: "Thru-hikers (he apparently already thought of himself as one) have priority!"

That's not only nonsense, but the opposite of the truth. A thru-hiker candidate has a whole season of days to be the first one in, if that seems more worthwhile than a long day's hike. That's a self-imposed priority. A thru-hiker candidate will even have, on many week-days, the luxury of being the only one at a campsite. If anyone were to be given a priority, it should be the person(s) who have only a weekend or perhaps a week or two (minus travel time to and from the trail) to spend, rather than the time-wealthy thru-hiker candidate(s).

But the fact is that first-come, first-served is the most proper rule for trail democracy. There should be no imposed or imagined priorities because there should be no elites.

Off trail, there is already too much of confusing quantity with quality and competitiveness with recreation, and of the many versions of trying frantically to be happy, including conspicuousconsumerism. Those should be left out of your pack when you set out to be a trail consumer for a while.

If going end to end in one season seems to you like a frantic way to spend your leisure, don't get pushed into it. If you do expect to enjoy going all out, that's different -- but don't fool yourself if you find that you were mis-led to those expectations. Most of all, in either case, don't let anyone else do that to you. Do your thing, and don't make comparisons out there where they don't matter.

Recreate. Enjoy, and always hold your head up and see the sights.

Sincerely Richard B. Innes Your points are well taken. One thing that we must always strive to remember on the North Country Trail is that thru-hiking is only an infentisimal, nearly nonexistent, amount of the total trail use. For that matter (and it's hard to tell, since no useful studies exist), probably destination-type users of the trail-: thosepeople that travel some distance to the trail for the sake of the trail -- are in a pretty small minority, too. Most use of the trail is day use, and probably by people living pretty close to the trail.

But the NCNST is not the AT, where there are literally hundreds of thru-hikers annually. In fact, the single-season thru-hike attempt currently under way is the first serious one in sixteen years, and the mere fact that it's the first one in so long, we find rather interesting, and suspect that most of the readership does, as well.

I could not agree more with your final point: Enjoy, and always hold your head up and see the sights. -- WB

Page6

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July 1994

On May 21, 1994, the Board of Directors made a major decision toward the completion of the North Country National Scenic Trail. We decided to amend our by-laws to allow the NCTA to become a land conservancy. This means that we will, in the future, be acquiring land and property easements to complete sections of trail across privately held land. This is a major step forward. It holds a lot of opportunity and responsibility.

We anticipate seeking corporate and individual donations to acquire lands and easements. A separate fund will be set up for this purpose. If you wish to make a tax deductible donation for this purpose you can send a check to the Land Conservancy Fund in care of the NCTA Headquarters. The check should be made out to the North Country Trail Association. You will receive a letter of thanks back from us for your tax records.

This year the NCTA applied for and have now received three Challenge Cost Share Grants from the National Park Service. This will allow us to complete some major construction projects on the NCT. There are two projects in New York state, building privies, puncheons and bridges. General trail construction in Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania, and Emmet County, Michigan, are also featured.

Several bridges, elevated walkways and steps are proposed for theMackinacStateForestinMichigan.StepsatLaughing Whitefish Falls in Marquette, Michigan are also planned. If you would like to help on these projects please contact me and I will forward your offer to the appropriate crew leader. We need lots of volunteers for this summer.

The NCTA is also engaging an accounting firm to handle our bookkeeping and tax filings. The firm chosen was Gilbert & O'Connell, P.C., of Auburn Hills, Michigan. They are Certified Public Accountants. Due to the increased funding from the National Park Service and our decision to become a land conservancy, it has become a full-time job to handle the finances of the NCTA. There are now new IRS forms to file and new regulations to follow. It is too complex and time consuming to ask a volunteer to handle all of these day to day duties. It was also important to insure compliance with NPS and grant awarding institutions. Monthly financial reports and Annual Reports will also be handled by the accounting firm. Financial oversight and disbursement will still be done by the Treasurer.

The NCTA now has an insurance policy that provides Commercial General Liability coverage, Property coverage, Fidelity Bond, and Volunteer Workers Acci-

dent coverage. With the increased Board, financial and land responsibilties it became necessary to acquire this policy. Questions regarding this insurance can be referred to our Executive Director, Pat Allen.

As you can see, this past year the NCTA has grown into a major non-profit business entity. We are much more than ahikingclubora trail building group. Weare quickly becoming a leader in the National Trail System.

I feel that every member can be proud of the work that the Board mem hers have made in the past two years. It has been a time of great change with a lot of difficult issues. Your Board has met them with great success.

There is still a lot to do in the future. As I type this, the ballots for open Board positions are going out to you.

Next year there will be several more openings on the Board as current Board members rotate off. If you feel that you would like to serve on a Board or a committee please feel free to contact any Board member for information. There are lots of things to be done and lots of'opportunities for our talented leaders.

By the time you receive this, National Trails Day will have come and gone. It was June 4-5 this year. A number of events were scheduled on the North Country Trail this year; I hope you attended one. If not, plan to attend one next year and enjoy the trail.

National Trails Day is the first weekend in June.

As I write this, a new Chapter has officially formed in the Traverse City area of Michigan. The Minnesota Chapter (based in Minneapolis) has also indicated its intention to formalize their Chapter relationship with the NCTA. That makes a total of four local Chapters of the NCTA. There are other chapters of the NCTA being formed in eastern Ohio, eastern North Dakota, southeast Michigan, Petoskey (Michigan), Minnesota, western Pennsylvania and northern Wisconsin. If you wish to join any of the existing Chapters, please look in this issue of the Newsletter for their addresses. As we form a Chapter in your area you will be notified of the organizational meeting.

There is no additional cost to you for joining a chapter. $5 of your NCTA dues pays for the local dues at the Chapter. All you need to do is drop our Membership Committee a line and let us know which Chapter you wish to be affiliated with and we will get you on their mailing list. There is lots to do, with many local events and trail projects, and there are a lot of great people to meet there, as well.

Have a great summer and keep your eyes and ears open for more great things from the NCTA.

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July, 1994

Pagel

The Le~al Trail

You DO Make A Difference ŠDr. Lance Feild NCTA Founding President Politics, whether you like it or not, is the name of the game when it comes to getting legislation passed that will benefit hiking and trails. At local, state and national levels, decisions are made by legislators which direct the course of the future of hiking: How much money will be available for trail work, will hiking be allowed in certain areas, where will the money come from to fund various hiking trail programs?

Often the outcome of these and other trails questions depends on how legislators vote on proposed bills.

And that's where individual hikers can make the difference.

By making your voice heard, you can be part of the decision-making that determines funding matters and other issues that affect hiking. You can do this by informing legislators, many of whom know little or nothing about hiking or hikers, of your side of an issue.

What information lawmakers have about hiking is often inaccurate or incomplete, and it's up to you to make sure they have all the facts and know where you stand.

"Lobbying'' is a fancy word for doing just that.

Lobbying means trying to persuade a legislator to believe as you do about an issue by presenting facts that support your ideas. This is most effectively accomplished by organizing individual efforts through a lobbyist or government liaison committee. But a lobbyist's influence is only as strong as the people he represents.

It is the combined efforts of individual hikers and backpackers that make the difference.

Public officials must respond to the people they represent- and they do. They are accountable to their constituents and depend on their goodwill to get reelected. But legislators are only human. They can't

know everything about all the various subjects they vote on. Often they vote based on what a small number of their constituents have told them - simply because they don't know both sides of an issue. And they will respond favorably to the majority opinion expressed to them. Numbers are important to politicians - they weigh the number of opinions they receive for an issue with the number they receive against. It's up to you to swing the balance on the side of hiking by making sure your legislators know your feelings. Together, hikers can exercise a lot of political power.

Laws governing hikers and trails are going to be made with orwithouthiker'sinput. Whether these laws help or hinder the sport - and your enjoyment of it is up to you. Here are 10 ways you can become involved in the political process to make it work for you - and hiking.

1. Knoto toho your representatives are:state legislators and national representatives. Know their addresses and phone numbers so you can contact them.

Make sure they know who you are.

2. Developpersonal relationships with them.

Call your representative on a monthly basis, or drop in his office to see him. As one government official put it, "You don't want one piece of paper relating to another piece of paper. It has to be a human relationship if it's going to have any voltage."

3. Communicate regularly with your elected officials, not only before he votes on an important piece of hiking legislation. Elected officials are available to attend meetings or serve as banquet speakers.

Keep the lines of communication open and operating.

When you meet with an official, tell him or her who you are, who you represent and what your specific interests

Pages

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July 1994

are. Provide a written statement of your position. Be sure to thank officials for assistance you receive with a letter or give you thanks publicly through newspaper letters to the editor.

4. Write letters expressing your opinion and providing facts pertaining to upcoming legislation that affects trails or hiking. Never send form letters. postcards. or carbon copies. Individually typed or handwritten letters carry a lot more weight with legislators.

Effective letters are courteous; threats, warning and abuse will only antagonize. State the purpose of your letter at the beginning. If you are writing about a particular bill, be sure to identify the bill by number, and state whether you are for or against it. Provide all 路the facts at your disposal; do not be emotional. Be sure to sign your full name and address. When a bill is referred to a committee, send a copy of the letter you sent to your legislator to the chairman of the committee. Confine your comments to one issue per letter. If you are writing for information, such as learning what a legislator's position is on a matter, and his reply is just a brief acknowledgment of your letter, follow up with a second letter asking for more specific information. In dealing with politicians, persistence pays. And a second letter shows you are really concerned.

5. Make a phone call. Phone calls are very effective. Phone your legislators on a regular basis to find out about any new legislation that may concern you or to learn his or her position on a trail or hiking matter.

Or call to provide information. Keep your representative informed of the facts and your feelings.

6. Become familiar with the legislative process. Learn how a bill becomesalaw-thestepsit takes along the way- so you can see how various people can influence the outcome and so you will know who to contact. Learn how the system works so you can make it work for you. In the U.S. there are legislative service bureaus in each state which will assist you in learning about government and in dealing with members of government. Or ask your local representative.

7. Get on the right mailing lists. To find out news from government, including introduction of new bills, get your name on the right mailing lists. Ask your elected representative how to go about this and ask to be put on his or her mailing list, too. Tell him you want to be sure to receive copies of bills that affect trails, wilderness, and hiking opportunities.

8. Arm yourself with the facts. Legislators want to hear facts, not emotional pleas. You'll do a better job of convincing legislators of the worth ofyour arguments if you can cite the facts and figures as well as opinions.

Obtain facts about hiking from the NCTA officers and theNPS. 9. Develop the right attitude. Diplomacy is important. You don't want to antagonize your legislator by threatening not to vote for him or her. Legislators know if they aren't responsive to voters, they're going to lose support at the polls. Focus your dialogue on the issue itself. Be accurate and concise; don't exaggerate. Maintain your credibility so that the legislator will come to

respect what you say. Avoid confrontation situations. ''Debate, don't argue ... sell, don't fight." The ideal outcome of a conflict of interests is not necessarily one in which you win and someone else loses. "Win-win" situations are possible.

10. Get involved. "Involvement means the fun of power political power, media power and people power you cannot have the fun you want until you gain the attention and respect of decision-makers who have the power to strangle your enjoyment ... the true route to happiness is not to sit back and watch things happen, but rather it is to be part of the process of shaping the future."

You have the power - you need only the will and the involvement. Politicians will listen - they always

Michigan legislation enhances enforcement oftrailways violations Enacted into law earlier this year, the Municipal Civil Ordinance Violations package, Public Acts 12-26, provides local communities with effective enforcement tools to discourage prohibited uses of motorized vehicles on a Michigan public recreation trailways corridor.

Public Act 12 of 1994 outlines the enforcement provisions of the 15-bill package. It authorizes local governmental units to seize and impound a vehicle operated in violation of a trail ways ordinance. The vehicle is subject to a lein in the amount of any fine and costs imposed on the violator. If a bond is posted in the amount of $750, the vehicle shall be released from impoundment. The vehicle is also released and the lien discharged when the civil infraction is resolved and all fines, costs, damages and expenses are paid.

The act also allows ordinance violators to be assessed the cost of damages to land, water, wildlife, vegetation and other natural resources or to any facility damaged. If the violator defaults in the payment of assessed fines, costs and damages, any posted bond is forfieted, and the lien may be enforced through a foreclosure sale.

In addition, PA 12 permits a park ordinance to be enforced as am unicipal civil infraction. If an individual does not pay a civil fine and the costs imposed for violating a park ordinance, a civil contempt order could be sought for non-payment. A term of imprisonment could be ordered until full payment is made or for a term not to exceed one day for each $10 owed.

These procedures are meant to put teeth into local ordinance enforcement efforts to ensure that our recreational parks exist for the use and enjoyment of every one of us for many years to come.

-- Reprinted from Michigan Township News

'

Call of the North C>

NCTA National Conference August 28-31, 1994 Maplelag Lodge, Callaway MN CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS FEATURED SPEAKERS

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

EXHIBITS

Cindy Ross has spoken and written eloquently of her through hikes on the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails. She will speak on self-discovery, trails, Llamas and children.

More than 20 different workshops to choose from. Grouped by Outdoor Skills, Environmental Interpretation, Minnesota history and trail building techniques.

Outdoor shops, manufacturers and trail clubs.

DAY HIKES Jeff Reinneke, midwest editor of Backpacker will share his vision of why we need wilderness trails.

"WALK SOFTLY ON THE LAND" The first trail builders of this land will share a message of respect for the land from the Minnesota Indian perspective.

Half and full day hikes on the Itasca and Bad Medicine sections of the NCT; the Tamarac proposed route and Maplelag trails.

"CEILIDH" Pronounced "kaylee", the Scots and Irish hold a party. Everyone contributes to song, dance, poetry and fellowship. Bring your talent!

LITTLE THEATRE An on-going presentation of trail hikes with slide shows of different trail adventures.

Presenters invited.

TRAIL BUILDING Pre and post conference work projects on the Bad Medicine and Chippewa NCT.

Come Join the Fun!

PROGRAM PREVIEW· Thurs. - Sat. Aug. 25 - ZT: Trail work project, Bad Medicine Section; Backpacking trip Itasca-Bad Medicine.

Saturday, August ZT:

Grand Opening Ceremony, Itasca/Bad Medicine Section 2 PM

Sunday, August 28:

Registration and check in (all day) Board of Directors Meeting 1-2:30 PM; NCTA Committee meetings, 3-5 PM Dinner and Welcoming Ceremony 6-8 PM; Little Theater and Exhibits, 8-1 O PM.

Monday, August 29:

Workshops and Seminars, 9 AM - noon and 2-5 PM Banquet dinner with Jeff Reinneke, speaker Little Theater and Exhibits, 8-1 o PM.

Tuesday, August 30:

Annual General Membership meeting 9-10:30 AM Workshops, seminars and trail hikes, 11-12:30 PM and 2-5 PM Cookout supper with Ceilidh party or campfire following.

Wednesday, August 31:

State chapter breakfasts.

Morning: workshops, seminars, and trail hikes, 9 AM - noon.

Closing luncheon with Cindy Ross, speaker

Thurs. - Sat., Sept. 1-3.

Trail building project, Chippewa section.

Backpacking trip, Chippewa section.

ABOUT. MAPLE LAG How do we describe this remarkable Minnesota lodge that is hosting ttie Oonterence? Well, try thinking about the neatest camp you attended as a kid, blend in a rustic Norwegian skllodge, add some antique log cabins (one with a sod roof) and modern motel rooms (built with native woods), throw in lots of stained-glass windows and assorted antique.signs, try a gourmet restaurant with mom cooking and serving, and you sort of get the idea! Oh, yes ... add Minnesota's .largest hot tub, a fine sand beach on a clear lake and an old-fashioned Finnish Sauna bath house. And then envison 50 kilometers of XC· ski trails wandering through northern hardwoods and pine forests. Hosts, Jim and Mary Richards have been operating Maplelag as Minnesota's premiere Cross-Country ski resort for 20 years. In the summer they host the Concordia Language Village Camps". Jim and Mary personally oversee day to day operations and have been long time NCTA members. Maplelag is informal and the cookie jar is. always out. Guests bring their own sleeping bags to help keep costs down (or you may rent linens from the lodge). Room choices range from private room or cabin (with or without bath), or shared larger rooms or cabins with shared bath.

SPECIAL NCTA CONFERENCE RATE OF $125.00 (Includes 3 nights housing and 9 meals. MN tax extra) (Inquire for single night and single meal costs)

CALL OR WRITE FOR RESERVATIONS: Maplelag, Route 1, Callaway, MN 56523 1-800-654-7711 (Reservations only) 218-375-4466 ~nformation)

"" •,

NCTA CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NAME

_

ADDRESS:

-------------------

City:

State

ZIP

_

Member affiliation: OSHTA OKTC TEL: ( _

__,}.___

.....,(H....,..)

TEL: ( _

__,}.___

_,.(O=--)

Names for Badge:

Family registration: (Spouse)------------(Children)

--

ONCTA O Rovers

_

Please send information about Day Camp for children aged 3-1 O (Day camp will be offered only with minimum of 8 campers during program times. Cost will be $40.

Total

FULL CONFERENCE - NCTA member Spouse or child (10-18)

#

FULL CONFERENCE- Non-member Spouse or child (10-18)

#

x

$40

$

$20

x

$50 $30

DAILY REGISTRATION NCTA Member Spouse or Child (10-18)

$20/day $10/day

DAILY REGISTRATION Non-Member Spouse or Child (10-18)

$25/day $15/day

I am coming for pre-conference trail project (Aug. 25-27)

n/C

I am coming for post-conference trail project (Sept. 1-3)

n/c

I am coming for backpack trip (Aug. 25-27) at $65/person (Includes food, transportation, tents, group gear, leader).

I am coming for backpack trip (Sept. 1-3) at $65/person __

My new (or renewal) NCTA membership dues are enclosed (New members must include to register at member rate) O $20. Individual O $35 Organizational O $100 Pathfinder O $400 Life (1 person) O $30 Household . $50 Trail Leader $500 Corporate O $600 Life (couple) We also recognize members of the Rovers, Superior, and Kekebabic Trail Clubs

o

o

TOTAL ENCLOSED (Checks payable to •NCTA Conference•) Cancellation policy: over 30 days, 75%; 15-30 days, 50%; 0-15 days, 25%) Upon receipt of your registration we will send information about travel and tourism in Minnesota, pre and post conference work projects and backpacking trips. For housing reservations, call Maplelag directly at 1-800-654-1111.

NEED MORE.CONFERENCE INFORMATION? Call John Lomnicki, Publicity Chair, · at 1-800-688-4578

$

RETURN TO: NCTA Conference c/o Paul Wright 14340 Blaine Court Rosemount MN 55068

_

Workshopsand Seminars WORKSHOPS (11/2 hours) ROPECRAFT Six basic knots needed for trail camping. Practical activity to master ropesfor rigging tents and rainftys, repairing packs, tying equipment on vehicile and pack and other uses.

HEALTH AND SAFETY. Covers basic issues of maintaining good health and practicing safety on the trail. Not a full first aid course but will cover the fundamentals.

TRIP PLANNING. You can't just hitthe trail without some advance planning.

Workshop covers safety, risk management, inineraries, clothing, equipment, routes and much more usefulinformation.

WATER PURIFICATION A practical demonstration of the filters and treatments available for producing clean backcountry water.

STAR GAZING A lcte eveningworkshop offered every day to get acquainted with the stars.We will have some serious telescopes on hand.

BEAR FACTS The black bear of North America is one worry for backcountry travelers. Find out about bear habits, needs, and how to relate positively.

TRAIL SURVEYS.How do you approach the task of surveying and laying out a trail? Workshop covers techniques of map reading, practical trail advice, and examples of successful trail projects.

TRAIL CLEARING Practical tips on how to organize a trail clearing event.

Tools needed, safety plans, efficient people planning, volunteer support.

WILDFLOWERS Guided walks to identify common wildflowers of the northwoods.Slide presentctionof flowers of other areas and seasons.

TRAIL AMENmES A discussionof how to make your new trail more livable.

What kind of signage is needed, how to produce a basic guidebook and maps, how to construct campsites, where to place access points and parking.

FOREST HABITAT Come meet the great northern forest. Maplelagis situated at a unique juncture of the maple hardwoods, the big pines, and the Red River valley. Primarily a forest walk.

THE TRIP LEADER Every trip has a leader and that person has responsibilities. This will focus on the leader's role in planning, decision making, group leadership and safety management.

ACCLIMATIZATION You don't need to be a trained naturalist to interpret the outdoors. Learn some techniques of what is going on in the environment and how to lead your group to an understanding of the outdoors.

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Members are the key to a successful trail club. This sessionwill focus primarily on NCTA's needs but the information is applicable to any trail organization.

GRANT PROPOSALS The NCTA, like most trail groups, is underfunded. This will cover how to search for grant money, how to write proposals, how to shepherd them through hearings and final reporting.

WORKING WITH LOCAL INTERESTS The local resident is essentialto trail development and maintenance. Focus on how to meet the local group, be sensitive to their politics, how to involve them with the trail.

SEMINARS (3 hours) OUTDOOR COOKING Learn how to "rough it easy", Good planning is the key. This is a practical workshop and participants will actually cook a full trail menu. Wewillconsidermenuplanning, food sources, repackaging, cooking equipment, and dishwashing.We'll even bake a pan of "sticky buns"!

MAP AND COMPASS EvEll}'onecarries a compass but do you really know how to use the compass to interpret your map if you're in trouble? This seminar will explorethe various maps used along the NCT and how to use the compass as the proper tool for making the map come alive. Class will be both indoors and outdoors.

ITASCA AND THE HEADWATERSThe NCT passes by the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River and the crown jewel of Minnesota parks, Itasca This seminar will cover the history of the famous park and the many treasures it protects.

THE AMERICAN INDIAN At this conference we are located within the White Earth Indian Reservation. This seminar will focus on the conflicts between the Reservation land system and the encroachment of white land ownership. Learn about the traditions and values that the Indian community is trying to preserve.

GOOD DOSE OF BAD MEDICINEThis local history project was recently completedby NCfA's own Dell Bjerkness and detailsthe history of the area arOllld this special lake. It's an interesting tale and may spark participants to look at their own areas in a similar manner.

THE ARROWHEAD The Minnesota Arrowhead region is a unique resource that includes the north shore of Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness. Three great trails - the Superior, Border Route and Kekababictraverse this region and have been invited to join the North Country Trail system. The seminar will highlight the beauty and wildness of this region.

North Country TrailAssociationNewsletter,June-July,1994 Page 13 bling the previous year's figure; use of these funds will be reflected in plans for the 1995 budget. No word has yet been received on the Challenge Cost Share Grants applied for last year, but approval is anticipated. Deadline for the next round of Challenge Cost Share applications is in August. More information on these grants is available from Bill Menke at the NPS officein Madison.

- Membership: After dipping last year, NCTA membership is again nearing the 600 mark; membership development activities in several areas, including A rare happening occurred to the North Country through affiliate agreements, give hope for a fairly large Trail Association Board of Directors meeting, held in increase over the next year.

Detroit on May 21, 1994: it managed to get through the - Affiliates: An Affiliate Agreement was signed planned agenda ahead of schedule! with AYH, Pittsburgh, which is responsible for segSome of the items reported on or decided at the ments of the Baker Trail in Pennsylvania used by the meeting, in addition to those items mentioned elseNCT. With FLTC and BTA, the number of NCTA where in this newsletter, were: Affiliates under the new agreement comes to three.

- Headquarters. The schoolhousesUffered a chim- National Trails Symposium: The Board auney fire in January, which got into the walls and rethorized partial funding for one lead representative to sulted in a visit from the White Cloud fire department. attend the National Trails Symposium to be held in Reportedly, the cause was too large a fire in the wood Anchorage, Alaska, in October. stove, built by a group from the Sierra Club which was visiting at the time. Damage was relatively minor, and repairs are underway. All expenses to repair the building, except for a $250 deductible, were covered by insurChapter development has been a hot topic at several of the recent NCTA board meetings, and much has ance. been happening on this front.

However, the fire brings up several questions. Does the board wish to invest $3000 in a furnace for the Last winter, the North Country Trail Hiker's Club schoolhouse, which is little used in the winter? Should of Marquette, MI, voted to become a chapter of the the hostel be closed in the winter, and only used in the NCTA under the new rules, which, among other things, summer months? The building is currently used for call for certain required financial reporting in return for archive, trail store and tool storage, but is only of a share of dues payments. Shortly afterward, the longlimited use as an office; is there a better solution? Will established Western Michigan Chapter in Grand Rapthe schoolhouse be used for meetings in the future? ids also voted to become a Chapter under the new rules.

The Western Michigan Chapter and Ginny Wunsch In May, a new group, the Grand Traverse Hiker's have devoted many hours to the schoolhouse over the Club, of Traverse City, Michigan, also was granted years; the board decided that they should have a strong chapter status. voice in the future of the building as a result. RepresenThe long-established Minnesota group had delayed tatives of the board will meet with the Western Michiseeking chapter status, until some items regarding gan Chapter in the coming months to discuss this issue. area responsibility had been ironed out. The NCTA - Board election. The election was delayed well Board was anxious to leave the door open for developbehind schedule in hopes of developing a full slate of ment of other chapters in the state, and those items candidates; in addition to the seats expiring, there was appear to have been worked out at the May board an empty seat, and two more came up by the resignation meeting, so it's anticipated that the Minnesota group of Pennsylvania's Don and Brita Dorn. A full slate was will be filing for chapter status soon. developed at the May meeting, and mailings for election Chapter development proceeds apace in other arshould be going.out soon, in time for new members to eas. Last winter, a meeting was held in North Dakota at attend the next meeting, which will be held at the which more than 30 people attended, with the trail Minnesota Conference in August. being the subject. It's too early to tell whether a chapter - Land Acquisition. The board approvedan amendwill result from this meeting, but work is under way. ment to the by-laws of the association required for land In May, NCTA Executive Director Pat Allen met trust purposes. This amendment modifies the mission with a group from Wisconsin, and efforts are under way statement of the North Country Trail Association to to form a chapter in the northern part of the state. read: 'The purposes of this corporation shall be to NCTA VP (Trails) Doug Welker reported to the provide for the national guidance, direction, land acquiMay board meeting that he had held meetings with two sition and coordination for the development, nurture, groups, in Ironwood and Houghton, Michigan, that and promotion of the North Country National Scenic seem to be interested in development of new chapters Trail, consistent with the purposes of the North Counthere. A meeting is scheduled later this summer in try Trail Association as set forth in its constitution."

Petoskey, Ml, that may result in a chapter, and NCTA - NPS Funding: Thanks to lobbying efforts, the President Derek Blount reports that efforts are under NPS will be able to provide $170,000 to the NCTA way to form a Southeastern Michigan chapter, and through the Cooperative Agreement, more than douperhaps a Southwestern Michigan Chapter.

Board gets through agenda at May meeting

Chapter development proceeds

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July 1994

Page 14

Searching for Danny's Still

by Matthew Williams North Country Trail Hiker's Club I am just finishing my first year of working part time as the Association's Executive Director. The year has passed swiftly and I feel I am riding a wave of progress -- aided by my efforts, but significantly coming from the energy of the many volunteers at work on the trail and in the important work of building chapters.

We continue to have significant support for the trail from government agencies and political leaders. For example, less than a year ago, U.S. Senator Carl Levin led a short exploratory hike in Michigan's Yankee Springs State Recreation Area. It became the side of our trail work training and now the section is ready for certification as the first completed section in Barty County.

These efforts ofbuilding governmental support are important from the local level through the national level, and we can each play a significant role.

SHTA turns down Arrowheadroute The idea of a route for the North Country Trail through Minnesota's "Arrowhead" district isn't dead, but appears to be on life support following action by the Superior Hiking Trail Association in January rejecting the idea of routing the NCT down the Superior Hiking Trail.

The Superior Hiking Trail, northeast of Duluth, is one of several trails that would play a part in the "Arrowhead Route", which would add nearly 500 miles of mostly-finished trail to the NCT. The others were the Border Route, Kekababic and Mesabi Range trails.

The Minnesota Rovers, responsible for the Border Route, had already voted to approve the concept; Superior National Forest, responsible for the Mesabi Range trail under development, had agreed with the idea providing the others also went along.

The Superior Hiking Trail was recently named a National Recreation Trail, and SHTA officials were reportedly considering seeking National Scenic Trail status on their own. ..... :.:.:.::,:- . .-:.:::=: .. : .

:.路 11111; 11 1u路~ 路 :

:1 1i J1i:1 m11:11 1111111111111111 i

Silver Lake basin is a secluded pocket of water lying in the shadow of the Mulligan Plateau. The lake, formed by a dam on its southeastern edge, is filled by the waters of the Dead River, Voelker's Creek, Coles Creek and other small tributaries. Near the dam, watching over the basin like a sentinel, is a dilapadated yet charming log cabin. It was once home to a group of woodsmen upon whom Robert Traver based the fictional novel ''Danny and the Boys: Legends of Hungry Hollow''. It is reputed that among other things, these characters maintained a moonshine still just north of the cabin on the north side of the river.

On February 12, 1994, a group of the NCT Hiker's Club braved frosty temperatures and overcast skies for a ten mile trek out to the lake and across the frozen surface of Wildcat Canyon. We started on County Road AAO, near the spot where winter maintenance ends.

Seth Johnson led the contingent off through the woods following a snowmobile track. The trail wound through stands of birch and maple and broke out into a field, once clear cut and now dotted with the fresh green of young pine trees. We crossed the field, headed back into the woods and slid down a gentle slope to meet the easternmost edge of the lake.

From here, we left the ease of packed path and with Seth and Martha Leppanen breaking trail, skied through alternate sections of deep drifts and wind-scoured crusty snow. Halfway across the lake we took a short break to remove a layer of clothes and were visited by a friendly group of ice fishermen. They told us that the fishing was slow but that earlier in the year they had caught a few brookies. As we moved on, one confided in me that fishing was just a ruse and they were really looking for the ''Danny's" still since their own supply of "white lightning" was running a little low.

We reached the Canyon and skied back into the shelter of the forest, where we partook of our pack lunches and interesting conversation. It was my first ou tingwi th the group, and I enjoyed this chance to learn a little about everyone.

After lunch we cruised back across the lake, this time exiting near the dam and taking a brief break at ''Danny's" cabin. As we headed back into the woods and toward our cars, I looked back out on the lake and the ice fishermen waved goodbye. I wonder if they ever found the moonshine still?

- North Country Trail Hikers Newsletter

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July, 1994

IntemretineLone-Distance Trails

Guided hikes for casual users

by Wes Boyd Trail guides - in this case, meaning a person that takes a group on a hike along a trail segment, interpreting the landscape, nature, or other items along the way, are useful ways to get information to the casual trail user only in special situations, like a special event, but will work well in that context. In fact, there's no better way to interact with the casual user and get your message to them.

Some of the advantages with guided hikes are: - They provide trail users with easy access to the information they need to have a safe and enjoyable experience; - They provide trail users with a variety of services and information to foster deeper appreciation and understanding of the resources and values of a specific area, as well as of its regional context; - They provide trail users with a variety of opportunities to interact safely with and enjoy the resources of the trail, while protecting those resources from overuse, unintentional damage, and vandalism; -They provide a variety of services and opportunities to aid and motivate visitors to develop trail oriented recreational skills, when appropriate; -They provide a means for the general public, trail neighbors and trail managers to communicate their thoughts and desires to each other.

There are problems with guided hikes. Most importantly, it's virtually impossible to have someone on duty to guide hikes all the time, for whatever reason, so such hikes have to involve prior scheduling. In addition, it's necessary to have a guide/interpreter that is competent to lead the group, and knows what they're talking about.

In certain circumstances, costumed interpretation - that is, with the guide wearing a costume, depicting a certain theme or period - may be useful, but usually only in a historical setting, where the period costume may be useful in developing a message. Again, accuracy is important to an effective presentation.

Techniques for a guided walk are easy and varied.

Often they depend on the individual's skill. However,

Page 15

there are a number of things that can be done to insure a successful walk. Among these are: - Always start on time. Don't penalize those who arrive on time by forcing them to wait for late arrivals.

Select a place to meet the group that will be pleasant for those having to wait. Be sure to arrive at the meeting place well in advance of departure time, then stay put and don't wander, as you only confuse people who plan to take a walk.

- Take charge. Your voice and physical demeanor can effectively establish the proper relationship between you and and your group, but can also lead to utter chaos. Don't be authoritative, but avoid the appearance of timidity. Relax, but assume your rightful role as the leader of the group.

- During your warmup, you met the group individually. Now greet the group. Introduce yourself by name. Ask them to call you by your first name. Encourage introductions within the group. Try to getthings on a first-name basis.

- State the time and distance covered by the trip, and the approximate time required. Be sure you adhere to the limitations you have setup. Let them know where the walk is to end, especially ifit ends at a different spot than where it begins. Let them know if any fees are to be charged. Indicate any special gear that may be needed, such as raingear, if the weather is threatening.

Briefly list some of the highlights to be expected, and the objective of the walk, if appropriate, such as ecological, birdwatching, etc.

-- Invite everyone to join the trip, unless there are some who are too old, too obese, or otherwise physically unable to comfortably complete the activity. Be tactful with raising the issue with people in these cases.

- Move out briskly to your first stop. This again helps to set your position as leader of the group. Try to make your first stop in sight of the starting point. In this way, late-comers may see you and still join you.

Then, set a moderate pace. An old rule of thumb says "adjust pace to the slowest member of the group".

However, don't allow somebody to deliberately drag their feet to the dismay of your group.

- Stay ahead of your group. This refers primarily to between stops. Obviously, there are times when you will want to walk back into the midst of your group in order to share discoveries with them. Assemble your group before speaking. Allow everyone the benefit of your interpretation. Stop only at comfortable places to talk, and at points of interest that can be developed.

Take advantage of switchbacks when on a steep trail.

Keep discussions simple, and don't keep the group in one place too long.

- Be conversational, but be heard. Try to establish an air of informality and sharing. Certain conditions may require you to shout, but try to avoid these situations. It is difficult to shout and not sound authoritative. Never .forget that you are there to help the group, not entertain them.

- Repeat questions, so all can hear. Nothing is so frustrating as trying to put an answer into context

North Country TrailAssociation Newsletter, June-July 1994

Page 16

without the benefit of the question. Involve the group when you can, drawing on listener experience when appropriate. Don't be afraid to say, ''I don't know." It is most deflating to the ego to be considered wrong in front of a crowd because you gave the wrong answer and got caught.

-Have a definite dismissal point. Avoid an abrupt ending to your conducted trip. But, don't leave them guessing as to whether you are really through with the activity. If you've had a theme, you must, at some point, tie loose ends together and summarize, or "put the cap on."

- Thank everyone for their participation. This is perhaps the best way to let them know you are ending the trip. Invite them to join you again.

Guided hikes are fun, and a great way to get to know and understand casual trail users. You may find yourself having as much fun as they do!

This has been the last in a series of articles on interpreting trails for the casual user, inspired by a workshop in May, 1993 on "Interpreting Long-Distance Trails", given at the National Park Service Mather Training Center in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.

Life Members Life members of the NCTA as of May, 1994, were:

-~

f NCTA TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES . J !~

0•0

.•.•,•,•.w.w.w.w.••,•,•,w.w.·.w.·.w.·.······ · ··· ·········w········.w.·,··· · ····w.w.w

. ....-

....- ,•.w.w.·.·······.wxdif

ITEMS FOR THIS COLUMN mua)» recieved before the deadline date given on Page 2 of this newsletter.

We welcome listing activities of affiliated organizations, but we must be aware of them in sufficient time for publication.

Michigan June 11: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml hike trail west of Dishno Creek Road. Call Don at (906)-2551585.

June 11: Western Michigan Chapter hike Shore-toShore Trail from Cadillac 10-15 miles north. Call Dave S., (616) 784-8975

June 18: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml hike trail east of Dishno Creek Road to Wildcat Canyon. Call Russ at (906)-255-5039.

June 25: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml hike trail west of Dishno Creek Road. Call Seth at (906) 4869550.

July 5: Western Michigan Chapter hike. Call Dave T., Joseph P. Brennan Cecil and Joanne Dobbins Leslie and Elsie Demorest Lon Dobson Donald R. Elzinga Eugene and Jean Elzinga Lance Feild Virginia and Art Fish Wayne E. Gross Kenneth R. Gackler Chris and Helen Haller Dr. John G. Hipps

SWISS

Byron & MargaretHutchins Martha E. Hale Martha K. Jones Tom Labernik Roderick MacRae Dr. Eugene Majerowicz Glen L. Oster Michael A. Reed Barbara Smith Lucy A. Stopher Peter S. Wolfe

ALPS

KANDERSTEG GRINDELWALD ZERMATT SAAS-FEE MURR EN GSTAAD LENK FLUELEN WENG EN ENGELBERG BETTMERALP RIGl-KALT8AD LEUKERBAD Moderate optional length DAY hiking along skyline trails.

7-2 week tours basing at 15 mountain 3-4 star hotels.

All hikes guided

by NCT member Cecil Dobbins. For a free color brochure call (216) 867-3771, or write to:

ALPINE ADVENTURE TRAILS TOURS, lac.

783 V AKRON,

The

Cliffside OH

Dr. 44313

Hikers

swissairff Paradise

(616) 281-8813.

July 9. NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml hike Grand Island. Call Gene at (906)-255-1705.

July 14: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml hike new trail segment across McCormick Wilderness. Call Sally at (906)-226-8515.

July 16: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml hike trail from Laughing Whitefish to Rock River. Call Bea at (906) 226-8515.

July 17: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml afternoon

hike to falls and bridge at Laughing Whitefish. Call Gene at (906)-225-1704.

July 23: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml canoe trip AuTrain Lake to Lake Superior. Call Don at (225)-1585., July 30: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml new trail construction west of Laughing Whitefish River. Call Gene at (906) 225-1704.

August 2: Western Michigan Chapter hike. Call Dave T., (616) 281-8813.

August 2: Western Michigan Chapter meeting, 7:30 PM. Group will meet earlier for a walk in Palmer Park.

Call Gene Schmidt, (616) 534- 7170 for more information.

August 6: NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml new trail construction west of Laughing Whitefish River. Call Don at (906)-225-1585.

August 13-27. NCTA Hiker's Club, Marquette, Ml new trail construction through Victoria Village in Ontonagan

Page 17

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July, 1994

County. This is the 1994 Huron Valley Chapter, Sierra Club project. Call Gene at (906) 225-1704 or Doug at (906) 338-2680 for details.

September 4: North Country Trail Hiker's Club Fifth Annual Public Hike at Little Presque Isle. Call Jan, (906) 225-1295 for information.

September 10-11: Western Michigan Chapter Orienteering campout at Yankee Springs. Potluck Saturday night breakfast cooked by your hosts, Alan and Lou. Call them for reservations and information, (616) 453-3069.

December 6: Western Michigan Chapter Chirstmas Party.

Minnesota Aug. 2&31 NCTA NATIONAL CONFERENCE, Maplelag Lodge, Calloway, MN. Contact Rod MacRae, 1210W. 22nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55405 (h) (612) 337-0130 (w) (612) 941-8336 or John Lomnicki (w) 800-688-4578 or Del Bjerkness, (h) (218} 573-3858for more information.

New York June 12. Hike across Schuyler County #2. Contact Cayuga Trails Club, Tom Reimers (607) 272-8679, Sue Kittel (607) 594-2750 or Nick Vandam (607) 539-6313 for information and registration.

June 14: Cayuga Trails Club executive board meeting.

Call Betty Lewis, {607) 273-9274.

June 19: Cayuga Trails Club Trail maintenance work session.Call Peter Harriott{007)273-6049)for information.

June 19: Cayuga Trails Club Dish-to-PassPicnic, Upper Robert Treman State Park. Call Virginia Gillispe, {607) 272-1633 for information.

June 25: CayugaTrails Club PicnicSupper aid Moonlight Paddle on Dryden Lake. Call Alec after June 1 at (607} 387-3500.

July 10. Hike across Schuyler County #3. See above.

July 11-16. FLTC "Alley Cat" Trail Crew No. 1 to work on trail between FLTC Maps M-4 and M-10. For information,contact Howard Beye, FLTC Service Center, 202 Colebourne Rd., Rochester NY 14609-6733 (716) 288-7191.

Aug 14. Hike across Schuyler County #4. See above Aug. 15-20 FLTC •Alley Cat" Trail Crew No. 2 to work on trail between FLTC Maps M-18 and M-23. For information,contact Howard Beye, FLTC Service Center, 202 Colebourne Rd., Rochester NY 14609-6733 (716) 288-7191.

Sept. 11. Hike across Schuyler C6unty #5. See above.

Oct. 9. Hike across Schuyler County #6. See above.

Ohio June 17-19 BTA Work weekend, ClendeningReservoir.

For information contact Jim Sprague, {216) 884-4757.

Sept. 9-11 BTA Work weekend, East Fork State Park..

For information contact Jim Sprague, {216) 884-4757.

Oct. 14-16 BTA Work weekend, Wayne NationalForest..

For information contact Jim Sprague, {216) 884-4757.

Pennsylvania Sept. 9-11 . KeystoneTrail Associationand Shenango Outing Club will be working on the NCT in either Moraine State Park or State Game Land #95. Camp in group camping area in Moraine State Park. For information, contact Mark Eckler, (412) 588-6164.

National trail events July 29 - Aug 3: 26th Annual meeting of the Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. Missoula, MT. Contact Nancy Maxson, {406) 253-6022.

Aug. 10-13. Oregon-CaliforniaTrails AssociationAnnual Convention, Salt Lake City, UT. Contact OCTA {816) 252-2276.

Aug. 2&31 NCTA NATIONAL CONFERENCE, Maµelag Lodge, Calloway, MN. Contact Rod MacRae, 1210W. 22nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55405 (h} (612) 337-0130 (w) (612} 941-8336 or John Lomnicki {w) 800-688-4578 or Del Bjerkness,{h) (218) 573-3858for more information.

Sept. 28-30. National Trails Symposium, Anchorage, AK. Contact: Bob Walker, {406) 444-4585 Sept. 23-0ct. 7: Annual Reenactment over the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, Abington, VA, to Kings Mountain National Military Park, SC. Contact Bob Sweeney, (703) 834-4582.

Oct. 1. Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation Hike-A-Thon.

Contact IAPTF office, {414) 691-2776 Oct. 1-2. American Hiking Society Conference, Anchorage, Alaska. Contact Susan Henley, (703) 2559308.

Oct 7-9. Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association Annual Gathering, Hanover College, Dartmout, NH. Contact Ron Keal, {502) 227-1789.

Oct.14-15. lceAge Park & Trail FoundationMembership Meeting. Location TBA. Contact IAPTF office, {414} 691-2776.

.

NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING>. ·FEE f>ag~Sfze /

.· · · ·•··118·•·

Al'f< · ·112··

. • . .r·. ·.·

scfleou1..e>

Page 18

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July 1994

North Country Trail Shop GREAT INFORMATION ON THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL AVAILABLE FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL BOOKSTORE! FOLLOWING THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL, by Wes Boyd, NCTA Newsletter editor. Packed full of information about the NCNST. 64 pages. Not a trail guide, but a trail discussion. "The aim is to give the reader the information necessary to find out what they need to know to follow the trail" - - and lots of other useful information. The most inclusive and up-to-date information on the whole trail. $5.95, ($4.00 wholesale 10 or more).

CERTIFIED SECTIONS OF THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL by Byron and Margaret Hutchins.The long-awaited start to a trail guide for the entire trail. Accurate route descriptions by an experienced guidebool< writer who's walked the sections with a measuring wheel, covering many certified sections of the long enough to be a hiking destination, published in an easy to carry loose-leaf form. Individual map sets at various prices (see order form); whole set, including binder, is $22.00, use order form.

Sorry, no direct wholesale.

GUIDE TO THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL -- CHIPPEWA NATIONAL FOREST by Rod Mac Rae. Discussionof the route and trail log from east to west in the Chippewa National Forest. Wonderfully written by a Chippewa National Forest expert. 12 pages. $1.25 each; Wholesale (lo or more) $. 75 each.

MICHIGAN MAPSETS developed by Arden Johnson. Maps to follow the NCNST in the Manistee, Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests. and the trail between St. Ignace and Munising, and northern lower peninsula. $4.00 per set; Binder with indicies. $2.50. Contact bookstore for information on ordering individual maps.

THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL -- MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST by the Michigan Trailfinders. Offers a detailed description of the trail from the White Cloud trailhead to Big Star Lake, and from US l O to McCarthy Lake. Current through June, 1989. $2.00 each, no wholesale available.

GUIDE TO THE PICTURED ROCKS NATIONAL LAKESHORE by Olive Anderson. Includes revised Lakeshore Trail Guide. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is the centerpiece of the North Country Trail -- a rugged, unique coast on the wild Lake Superior shore. Updated in l 994, this 56 page book by Pictured Rocks enthusiast Olive M. Anderson gives the reader revised maps and up-to-date information about this Michigan section of the North Country Trail. $6.95 each; Wholesale (l O or more) $5.25 each.

Page 19

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July, 1994

North Country Trail Shop Patches and Stickers NCT Patch $3.00 Volunteer Strip $1.50 State Strip $1.50 New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota Hike Distance Strips (must qualify) $1,~5 5, l O, 15, 20, 25 or 35 miles hiked in one day NCTA Coffee Mugs $6.95

--ltlllllltl l"-Smils

adult$9JJ5

l

(sm. med, lg. xi~ xxlg)

•••••••••••••••••••

PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT

ORDER FORM -- NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL SHOP North North North North North

Country Trail Patch@ $3.00 each Country Trail State Segment Patch@ $1.50 each Country Trail Volunteer Strips@ $1.50 each Country Trail Coffee Mugs@ $6.95 each Country Trail Supporter Cloisonne pin@$3.95 each

Nortt» Country Trail 1oth Anniversary T-Shlrt (circle size): Adult, S, M, L, XL, XXL 100% cotton, It. blue only@ $9.95 each

Name

.

Address

.

City

.

State, Zip

.

Phone

.

BOOKS copies of 'Following the North Country National Scenic Trail' $5.95 per copy ($4.00 per copy if ten or more) copies of 'The North Country Trail -- Manistee National Forest' $2.00 per copy. (no wholesale) copies of 'Guide to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore' $6.95 per copy. ($5.25 each if ten or more) copies of 'Gulde to the North Country Trail -- Chippewa National Forest' $1.25 per copy ($.75 per copy If ten or more) copies of Michigan mapsets (check appropriate ones:) Croton Dam - Hodenpyl Dam o Interlachen - Boyne Falls o St. Ignace - Harvey o Marquette - Ironwood $4.00 per set . Binder, $2.50 No wholesale

Please enclose for shipping & handling: $0.00 - $10.00 $2.00 $10.01 - $25.00 $3.00 $25.01 - $100.00 $4.00 Over $100.00 $5.00

Michigan residents Please

iM!Mcle 6% sales tax

o

copies of 'Certined Sections of the North Country Trail' (Check sestions) O Burr Oak - Sinking Spring $4.00 O Allegheny NF & Cook Forest, $2.90 Wayne NF, $1.50 Little Miami Scenic Park, $1.15 O Miami and Erie Canal, $1.80 O Manistee NF $2.20 o Hiawatha NF E & Tahqua $2.70 O Ottawa NF, $2. lo O Hia.NF W & Pict Rocks, $2.05 O Chequamegon NF, $1.80 O Chippewa NF, $2.20 O Sheyenne Grassland, $1.15

o

o

Make check/money order payable to: "North Country Trail Association" Send order to:

NCTA Trail Shop PO Box 311 White Cloud, Ml 49349

Page20

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, June-July 1994

A CHALLENGE FOR THE 90 5 1

2000 Members by 2000 2000 Certified Miles by 2000 It's not going to be easy, but we can do it. Much has been completed, but there's still a lot to do.

You can help meet the challenge by joining the North Country Trail Association, and by inviting others to join, too. Let's do it! r--------------------------------------, APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP Annual Dues: membership year runs to anniversary of North Country Trail Association dues payment. ~ PO Box 311 White Cloud, Ml, 49349 Membership Categorjes I wish to join the North Country Trail Association.

Basic Membership . $ 20.00 for a _ Household (includes children under 18) $ 30.00 Enclosed is$ Organizational. . $ 35.00 membership.

50.00 Trail Leader .. $ 100.00 Pathfinder. . $ $ 500.00 Name Corporate .

Life . $ 400.00 Life (with spouse) .. $ 600.00 Address

------------

o

Yes, I would like to further support the North Country -------------TrailAssociationwith my tax free contributionof $ .. enclosed.

Phone (,__ _, ----------

L--------------------------------------~