Reports from Trail: 2004 more permanent trail easements are being finalized with private landowners. During the previous full year, 14,000 volunteer hours were dedicated to trail work on our 880-mile system, almost half of which is the route of the NCT. - Irene Szabo
rail Repor
rom
PENNSYLVANIA
completing the trail as they have initiated new regulations and some of the Land Managers are insisting that all new trails be multi-use, even though our proposed trail had been in place with the state agency long before the new regulations were implemented. It should be of no surprise to any trail maintainers that environmental damage has already become evident from horse usage. So we will be penalized until the Game Commission decides how to work out their multi- use scheme. -Ed Scurry
Rock Chapter Allegheny National Forest Chapter We are still working on cleaning up the storm damage from July. The NFS officially closed the trail in the Allegheny National Forest. The section of the trail from S.R. 59 to the N.Y. border is not damaged at all and may be opened again very soon. We have: • Grown from 0 to 30 members since April 2003. • Formed a partnership with NFS and gained their support in promoting and protecting the NCT within the NFS boundary. • Fifteen members who adopted Trail Sections and have logged more than 700+ hours of volunteer time on the NCT. • Adopted Amsler Spring Shelter as caretakers and installed trail log box for backpackers and hikers. •Attended two PA Council Meetings representing the ANF Chapter. •Had fun! - Bert Nemcik
We have: • Increased membership. • Reinvigorated Chapter via new President and meetings held on the trail. • Performed minimal trail maintenance on our section, and reviewed needs. • Conducted four hikes. We are planning to: • Continue increasing membership. • Continue refresh via membership drives, hikes, and educational events. • Increase trail maintenance and building under new State Coordinator Ron Rice. • Prepare for a landowner meeting. - Deborah Houldsworth
10 The
North Star *January-March
2004
Trail Reports From
MICHIGAN
Chief Noonday Chapter
Clarion Chapter The Clarion Chapter is in the early stages of laying out the next section of the NCT along the Clarion River, The new segment will parallel the Clarion River and continue through Game Land 283. On this portion there is an extensive Mountain Laurel canopy and several river vistas. Anyone needing more specific information can contact me at edsdc85@yahoo.com. The Manager of the Game Land has attempted to place a few hurdles to
the Buckeye Trail in preparation to mark and blaze this trail as connector trail so that a hiker entering Ohio from either Pennsylvania or Michigan will have a clear trail to follow though the state. The marking and blaziqg will be done in early 2004 to complete the task. As part of this task a route was laid out that reaches from the existing Buckeye Trail to the NCNST in the Wayne National Forest. In Washington County, the route follows the NCT in its entirety and then returns to the Buckeye Trail. This will also be marked and blazed including this segment of trail that up until now has been isolated. Brad Bosley and the members of the Great Trail Sandy Beaver Canal Chapter continue to work with the local landowners and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to get permission to construct new trail. It is a slow process requiring a lot of education and patience but they continue to make progress. - Garry Dill
The single largest impact on the NCNST in Ohio this year was a single ice storm in the Shawnee State Forest in southern Ohio. There were over 10 miles of trail completely obstructed. Five work parties of five days each were required to clear and in one place reroute the trail. This effort had a significant impact on the labor available for other projects this spring and fall. A group of hikers undertook to hike all the portions of the NCNST not on
2003 was a busy year for the Chapter with numerous activities from public hiking events, to scouting new trail and partnering with Calhoun County Parks and Recreation to extend the NCT along the Kalamazoo River between Battle Creek and Marshall. Trail Development & Maintenance-
• Fe Custer National Cemetery trail of approximately three miles was completed in early fall. This section includes approximately one mile of bridging and puncheon through a beautiful natural marsh area. • Another delightful section of future trail will pass through the Middleville State Game Area. The initial scouting