North Star Vol. 23, No. 3 (2004) by NCTA Staff

July -

September, 2004

The Magazine of the NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL ASSOCIA

EDITOR'S ~@)L:J[3 WERNER VEIT '

Inedible Buckeyes And Other Tales Of Ohio N

o, dear reader, you can't eat a Buckeye nut-or you certainly wouldn't want to-but in some Ohio circles, it's considered good luck to keep one in your pocket. You may want to keep that in mind when you head for the North Country Trail Association's annual conference in Marietta, Ohio, Aug. 5-8. Last year when we met in Marquette, Mich., I advised loyal North Star readers to eat a Cornish pasty, the delicacy favored by all true Yoopers (Upper Peninsula of Michigan residents) and all UP pretenders. Garry Dill from the Buckeye Trail Association (BTA) and one of the hosts of this year's conference didn't think much of my advice. "Tasted awful," he told me with Ohioan disdain. So what do you eat in southeastern Ohio? Garry didn't (or was afraid to) offer much but he did allow that the Bob Evans empire was founded not far from Marietta. That intelligence required a trip to the Internet and the Bob Evans web site where you can learn that the very farm where Bob Evans first made sausages to serve in his 12-stool diner in Gallipolis is open to visitors just a few miles down the Ohio River from our conference site in Marietta. If you're inclined to such a pilgrimage before or after the conferencesomehow, the destination got left off the list of tours during our event=rhe farm is on State Road 588, just off US-35. Me, I like pasties, with gravy that is. As for the Buckeye Tree (Aescu!us g!abra), which you can encounter through much of the state, it looks like a horse chestnut to me, and it's actually of the horse chestnut family (Hippocastanaceae). This is probably the approThe lucky Buckeye Nut priate place to send kudos to the BTA, an affiliate of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA), for the heroic clean up work needed after the devastating ice storms a year ago. Thanks in large part to the Buckeye volunteers, the trail through Shawnee State Forest has reopened. However, because salvage operations continue, hikers are asked to check the Shawnee State Forest web site for possible local closures. While Ben Hamilton, Forest Manager, reports that signs will be posted at trailheads noting temporary reroutes around closed areas, he suggests that advance information will mini-

i Th~- N~rth--St~~-- -*--"j~i;~s-~~~~-~b~;Âˇ;~~~

Julie Haan with our newest member

mize inconvenience to users. This year, Global Warmer or whoever is the villain did it to us again. Torrential spring rains and resulting floods washed out the North Country Trail in many locations. I'd appreciate a report about conditions in your area, so please e-mail me at wv12@aol.com to let me know the extent of the damage. In my own area of Western Michigan, puncheons floated away down temporary creeks, boardwalks are still awash as of this writing and bridges we built just last year were in danger. That's one of the principal reasons our Chapter abandoned Trail Day events this year and concentrated on trail repair and reroute. Among the repairers, as always, is Julie Haan (nee Nietling). That's significant because neither floods nor childbearing prevent Julie from joining her husband, Paul, on a work crew. Julie worked alongside her husband, the NCTA's 2003 Trail Builder of the Year, during the dozen or more workdays held by the Western Michigan Chapter since the Fall of 2003 and in 2004. That's particularly remarkable since for most of the period Julie was carrying their first baby, a daughter born last April. Julie participated to the last moment, working on a section on the Saturday before the baby was born on Monday! The following Saturday, Julie came again, with her new daughter Abigail Violet!

â&#x20AC;˘ I bet you believe there is no such thing as an official NCT flag ... and you're right, there isn't. But my Western Michigan chapter now has a flag it will fly during its events at the White Cloud schoolhouse, the NCTA's founding location, in White Cloud, Mich., about halfway between New York and North Dakota, the East-West termini of the NCT. The Western Michigan Chapter Flag

A Glance Inside

229 East Main Street, Lowell MI 49331 Ph. (866) HikeNCT, Fax (616) 897-6605 HQ@northcountrytrail.org www.northcountrytrail.org

NCTA Staff Bob Papp, Executive Director ··.Rob Corbett, Director of Trail Management Tiffany Stram, GIS Coordinator ;. · Bonnie Wayman, Office Manager Biii Menke, Trail Foreman Glory Meyer, Public Services Coordinator Allison Barr, Bookkeeper Sherry Staal, Office Assistant

Columns

Articles North Country Trail Association National Board of Directors Terms Expiring 2004 John Leinen, Jr., President, At-Large Rep. 14205 St. Croix Trail, Stillwater, MN 55082 (651) 433-4456 · patleinen@msn.com

Irene Szabo, Vice President, East, At-Large Rep. 6939 Creek Rd., Mt. Morris, NY 14510 (585) 658-4321 · treeweenie@aol.com

Gaylord Yost, At-Large Rep. P.O. Box 1013, Milwaukee, WI 53201 (414) 354-8987 · gaylyosr@aol.com

Garry S. Diii Jr., Ohio Rep. 4070 Tradersville-Brighton Rd., London, OH 43140 (937) 834-2891 · vetfarm@starband.net

Bob Tait, Pennsylvania Rep. 380 West Park Rd., Portersville, PA 16051 (724) 368-3709 · bobtair@zbzoom.net

Terms Expiring 2005 Derek Blount, At-Large Rep. 906 N. Alexander, Royal Oak, MI 48607 (248) 548-1737 · djb@sbcglobal.net

Helen Coyne, At-Large Rep. 212 Willow Circle, Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724) 776-0678 · hcoyne@zbzoom.net

Remembering Dave Bos Making "A Trail, Not a Trial" Heading for the Hills of N.D NCT's Arrowhead Route National Trails Day Highlights Keeping the NCT Scenic 2004 Annual Conference: Highlights Schedule

5 6 9 14 .18 26 24 25

Departments Hiking Calendar Milestones Trail Shop Hiking Shorts Who's Who at the NCT Trail Supporters

7 13 29 38 36 39

Editor's Note View from Lowell Trail Head Reaching for the Gold Outdoor Gourmet On the Road with Rob Trail Log

.4 8 16 23 24 28

New Feature! Read the first in an occasional series of articles as backcountry chefs share their recipes and tips for making you an "Outdoor Gourmet"

Mary Lucas, Secretary, At-Large Rep. 753 Davenport St., Rhinelander, WI 54501 (715) 362-0616 · dsmlucas@newnorrh.net

Howard Seye, New York Rep. 202 Colebourne Rd., Rochester, NY 14609 (585) 288-7191 · fltc@frontiernet.net

DaveCornell, VicePresident,Finance,At-LargeRep. 514 Cordes Rd., Delton, MI 49046 (269) 623-8659 · onestep@mei.ner

Allcla Hoffarth, North Dakota Rep. 435 Fifth Ave. NE, Valley City, ND 58072 (701) 845-0286 · alicia@hellovalley.com

Terms Expiring 2006 Al Larmann, At-Large Rep. 7169 Forbes Road, Canastota, NY 13032 (315) 697-3387 · larmann@worldner.an.nec

Daryl Wiiiiamson,

Vice President, West, Minnesota Rep. 5901 Timberglade Dr., Bloomington, MN 55438 (952) 835-2186

About the Cover This scene overlooks Bean Lake near Beaver Dam from the Superior Hiking Trail, which will become part of the Arrowhead route of the North Country National Scenic Trail. It was photographed by Rob Corbett, Director of Trail Management of the North Country Trail Association, while hiking the Superior Hiking Trail during an Arrowhead scouting trip. Stories on progress of the reroute appear on pages 14 and 15. The North Star Staff: Werner Veit, Editor Irene Szabo, Associate Editor Jennifer Tripp, Associate Editor Joan Young, Contributing Editor Aaron Phipps, Art Director

The North Stas, Summer Issue, Vol. XXIII, Issue 3, is published by the North Country Trail Association, a private, not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, 229 East Main Street, Lowell, MI 49331. The North Star is published quarterly for promotional and educational purposes and as a benefit of membership in the Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the North Country Trail Association.

Update on Willing Seller Bill Unfortunately, we haven't seen much progress on the National Trails System Willing Seller bill since the last issue of the North Star. We have picked up a few new co-sponsors for the bill, namely Representatives Boehlert and Reynolds from New York and Representative Nick Smith from Michigan. The down side is that there hasn't been any progress in moving the bill forward in the House subcommittee to which it is assigned. As a quick refresher, when Congress authorized the North Country National Scenic Trail in 1980, it prohibited the Federal government from acquiring any land or easements for the trail route. Eight other trails, of the 26 in the National Trails System, have the same prohibition. We've been working with other organizations for many years to pass a bill that would provide the government with the authority to buy land and easements, but only from people who want to sell; i.e. "willing sellers." We've passed two such bills in the House, but both died. Last summer, we passed a bill in the Senate, and now we're working to pass a companion bill in the House. Although we've certified about 1,750 miles of the North Country Trail (NCT), we have more than 2,000 miles left to go, and most of that will cross what currently is privately held lands. We just won't be able to complete the NCT unless we get this acquisition authority for the federal government. Our best chance of moving this bill forward is to have enough

Bob addresses the crowd at Get Fit with US. Seated In the front row are: Frank Hugelmeyer, President of the Outdoor Industry Association; Jim Donohue, President of the National Recreation and Park Association; Major General Carl A. Strock, Director of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and John Keys Ill, Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation.

Representatives co-sponsoring the bill that the momentum of support . will compel the Subcommittee to act. Frankly, we'd like to see all of the 29 Representativeswho have the NCT in their Districts listed as co-sponsors of the bill. So far, eleven have signed on. To help with this vital effort, please visit the special section we've created on our website, at www.northcountrytrail.org/willsell/WS _index. htm. Or, if you don't have Internet access, give us a call toll-free at 866HikeNCT, and we'll send you some information.

Trails and Health On June 5, I was honored to participate in an event in St. Paul, Minnesota, called "Get Fit with US." Hosted by the Outdoor Industry Foundation (OIF) at Harriet Island, Get Fit with US featured several prominent speakers, including Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior, Fran

We just won't be able to complete the North Country Trail unless we get this acquisition authority for the federal government.

Mainella, Director of the National Park Service, Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota, and about a dozen others, including yours truly. What drew all these dignitaries to this one event? Well, I'm fairly sure that it wasn't an irresistible urge to hear my own two minute speech (which I managed to draw out to a full two minutes and 20 seconds). The purpose of Get Fit with US is to create a platform for linking health and fitness initiatives with recreation on public lands. As you may know, rising obesity rates are drawing attention to the need for expanded opportunities for activities that benefit public health. While many outdoor recreation organizations traditionally have been linked in the public eye with environmental movements, more and more of these organizations are seeking to ally themselveswith public health interests. In addition to those named above, Get Fit with US included representatives from the American Academy of Family Physicians, the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the National Recreation and Park Association, OIF, and various public agencies and manufacturers of outdoor recreation products. I was there representing both the North

Country Trail Association, and the American Hiking Society, for which I serve as Board Chair. It truly was exciting to be a part of this event, which clearly showcased outdoor recreation organizations, agencies and companies as credible players in a mainstream movement to improve public health.

New Study Reveals Trends in Recreation In related news, the OIF has released an executive summary of an extensive survey conducted last year to study active lifestyles, with the goal of developing strategies to increase participation in human powered outdoor recreation activities. The two most popular activities were "hiking/backpacking" and "biking on paved surfaces," followed closely by "camping." The study identified these three activities as the most popular, accessible and affordable, and suggested that participation in all human powered outdoor recreation activities could be increased by targeting these three "entrance activities." Interestingly, the study found that different age groups have different levels of participation. For instance, those in the 16 to 24 age group averaged 64 outdoor activities in the past two years. For the 25 to 34 age group, this number dropped to 40 activities. From there, it climbs back up, to 53 activities for the 35 to 44 group, and 55 for the group aged 45 or older. It may come as no surprise to learn that, when asked what factor prevented them from participating in these activities, respondents most often cited a lack of time. The second most common inhibiting factor? They didn't have the necessary gear or equipment. Ironically, the third most common reason that people no longer participated in outdoor activities was poor physical shape or health! As you might conclude, we definitely have some round pegs and round holes to put them in. One of our challenges in the coming months and years will be to find appropriate ways to benefit our work on the NCT by improving participation in hiking and backpacking, and linking our efforts to broader public health initiatives.

In Memoriam: Dave Bos

Dave Bos remembered ave Bos, 48, passed away on February 15, after a six-month battle with cancer. Dave was trail maintenance leader at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for 16 years. His National Park Service career spanned 22 years, working on trail projects in 11 national parks including Grand Teton National Park, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Padre Island National Seashore, and Olympic National Park. As a trail worker over the years, Dave worked with groups including the American Hiking Society, the Sierra Club, the North Country Trail Association, Wilderness Volunteers, the Student Conservation Association, and the Youth Conservation Corps. He was recently recognized for his work in trails maintenance with the 2003 Richard Douthit Public Service Award through the American Hiking Sociery. North Country Trail Association members and volunteers who worked with Dave remember his enthusiasm and willingness to go

the extra mile to assist volunteers. Dave developed a site bulletin for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore that recognized the efforts of volunteer groups who worked on the trail. He saw to it that their colleges and sponsoring organizations received copies of the bulletin recognizing their groups. Dave was an enthusiastic student of trail development often spending his own time and money to attend the annual meeting of the Western Trailbuilders Association. Survivors · include his wife, Dianne Carlson Bos, and daughter Kendra (Randy) Johns. The Dave Bos Volunteer Vacations Fund has been set up through the American Hiking Society, which recruits and deploys volunteer trail maintenance crews across America to repair trails and construct new ones as part of Volunteer Vacations. Contributions to the fund can be made to: American Hiking Society - Dave Bos Volunteer Vacations Fund, 1422 Fenwick Way, Silver Springs, MD 20910. - Fred Szarka

Sta.tJfelt tb.e· Histo.ric Davis Hollow Cahin! 1iifr stone, fo3 anlsfale CtJbin was buift 6e{ore lhe 11.merican 'l?.pvofulion anl current§ serves

as lhe 'Penm1/vania Stale f.odje {or North Count'"!! "Traif1foocialion vofunleers ana hik.;n_rJ refatel outdOor3rou('s. f.ocalelin "Moraine Stale 'Par~ ri3ht on lhe North Count'"!! "TraiT!! facilities include 11 bunk beds, full kitchen, 1-1/2 baths with shower and a great room with fireplace. Tent pads and lean-to shelter are available for hikers on the North Countni Trail. Make the cabin the site of lJOUr next trail-related outing, or reserve a sinale bunk for lJOUr PA hike! for tnlormatton: 1-866-IiikeNCT oremail Linda.Matchett Ima tchett@1.0ontln!eruet.net This lacilit9 is.maintained by fhe IJenerollS efforts of NCTA~Pennsglvanid

State Trail Cau',,cil •,.

July-September

2004

The North Star

"A Trail, Not a Trial!" Pennsylvania chapter members gather for training workshop

Left: NCTA Tran Foreman, Biii Menke, demonstrates proper Pulaski use.

Below: Clinometer Practice - How can I keep both eyes open and still see llne?

Article and Photos by Cheryl and Bert Nemclk Allegheny National Forest Chapter

"A trail should be a trail, not a trial," 1'"\..Bill Menke said turning to Irene Szabo, who coined the phrase. She agreed and with that Bill began his weekend training for the North Country Trail Association's Pennsylvania Trail Council at the Davis Hollow Outdoor Center (DHOC). Menke was in Pennsylvania to attend the Council Meeting and to provide his famous workshop on "Trail Design, Construction and Maintenance." All Pennsylvania chapter presidents were in attendance and a host of other volunteers. The first part of the program gave the history of the North Country Trail (NCT) and its fledgling efforts. We quickly realized how much was accomplished in the 24 years since the NCT was added to the National Trails System Act. "Trail design is both art and science," Bill told the audience. He explained how important it was for a trail designer to walk and re-walk a section of proposed trail many times before actually deciding on the pathway. He encouraged budding designers to study the natural topography and keep an eye open for rock structures, large trees and any other natural objects that would add some distinction to the section being considered. Bill emphasized the need to build new trail to National Park Service (NPS) standards so, once finished, it could be certified immediately. "Every foot of trail is a part of the greater whole NCT. As you construct any part of it, you are exposing the casual or serious hiker to the entire trail. Build it 1

wisely and well." In order to ensure that we learned what the standards were, he taught us how to read a clinometer and encouraged us to plan any trail with the ten percent grade in mind. The importance of this gradual ascent was pointed out in many of the slides that he showed us. To provide a practical application of this principle, Bill took everyone outside and demonstrated how to use the clinometer. Once we were "competent" in reading the instrument, he divided us into groups of five. Each group was instructed to start at the same point and then take readings of five, ten, twenty, thirty and fortyfive percent. We were told to mark the trail with orange blazes as we took our readings. Within 15 minutes, we were done. The five percent crew was barely up the incline we were working on, but the forty-five percent team was already at the crest of the hill. "Yes, the Appalachian Trail is mainly up and down, but the new standards require that we build to this ten-percent grade for obvious reasons. The NCT isn't a ridgeline route, so there is no reason we cannot make it as manageable a walk as possible." We spent considerable time studying two recent trail relocations. On the first one, we stopped every 50 or 100 feet and assessed what we saw. The first

trail was boggy in sections, had two crumbling step structures, passed along a gravel driveway and was steeper than ten percent for more than 100 feet. When we assessed the second trail, we were now "experts" and could see the clear benefits of the new pathway. The grade was generally ten percent and there were no structures and only the signage was lacking. Bill challenged all of us to discuss what we saw and then come to a consensus decision as to which trail was a better relocation. It took a mere five minutes to decide. We unanimously agreed the second pathway should be the new NCT. The relocation would come near, but not right past the DHOC. With a catlike grin on his face, Bill took us back up to the second trail and asked us to reassess parts of the trail again. We were amazed as he showed us how the trail needed more work. "Never lose altitude. Once you

Pensylvannla Trail Council Members and volunteers take a break from their weekend workshop to pose In front of the Davis Hollow Outdoor Center.

Biii "The Master" Menke enlightens volunteers on trail design, construction and maintenance.

gain height, don't give it away unless you have to do so." We saw how a minor curve in the trail at a trail intersection could maintain the altitude gained on the climb up, and be even more aesthetically pleasing as it passed near a large boulder and a huge oak tree growing 20 feet uphill. We marked the new pathway. "We'll come back here tomorrow and practice constructing the trail." With that we ended the first day of our training. Throughout the weekend, Dave Myers, Butler Chapter President, Linda Matchett, a wonderful cook and DHOC coordinator, and Joe Horton, master hiker in residence and caretaker of the center, graciously hosted us. On Sunday, Bill finished his presentation with the essentials of maintenance and a primer on signage. He emphasized the importance of not

placing the large NCT emblem on any trail that did not meet NPS standards. "When people see that emblem, they are led to believe that they are hiking a certified section of the trail. Unless it is really certified by the NPS then it cannot be signed that way." We clearly got the message. The final act was going back to the new pathway we marked on Saturday and watching as Bill gracefully swung the mattock and marked the new contour, used the Macleod and scraped the material away from the cut in the hillside, and then, with a stroking motion that looked as easy as sweeping a floor with a broom, moved the material across the two-foot pathway until a new treadway magically emerged. Many of us got a chance to practice, but we were humbled by the master's stroke and knew that there was a need to practice and practice and practice to get really good at using these simple but efficient tools. We were blessed with lovely weather all weekend and because of it, many of the participants slept in tents on the DHOC lawn. It was quiet and peaceful awakening to the songbirds. As we parted on Sunday, each one of us was inspired to use what we learned on our sections of the trail and make sure that we are designing with art and science in mind, constructing to NPS standards, and maintaining the NCT in such a way that any person who walks any distance on the trail will utter with delight, "This is a trail, not a trial."

August 5-8 - North Country

Trail Association annual

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September 24-26 - FLTC Fall

Campout at Frost Valley YMCA in the Catskills. Early pre-reglstretlon is recom; mended. Pre at www.fingerla~es

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Oct. 4路8 - Brule St.

Rovers, New trail construction, Bayfield County Forest, Bill Menke, bdme @charter.net

site, www.northcou ntrytrail.-0rg

What's AppropriateFor Government Support? T

here is a trend that is taking place in our country that I find disturbing, and in the aftermath of 9I11, our invasion of Iraq, budgetary shortfalls, and soaring gasoline prices; this trend has gotten lost in our national discussion. Some elected officials seem to have the opinion that after national defense and maybe police and fire protection it isn't appropriate for the government to fund any other prpgrams. OK, maybe that.is a little overstated b\lt as it pertains-to us and our Trail, this trend has affected the funding provided to the National Park Service (NPS) while at the same time nearly all the states are reducing funding for their state parks, trails and outdoors recreation in general. I think before the decision is made to cut budgets for these agencies and programs, nearly to the point where they haven't the funding to operate, maybe there should be a bipartisan discussion on just what is appropriate for government support. If our government officials are just going to make these cuts without seeking our input then I believe it becomes our job to take this discussion to them. If you are a member of an advocacy organization whose mission it is to further a National Scenic Trail, a trail that has been authorized by Congressional action, a group like ours, then you most probably believe it's appropriate for the federal government to support and protect this type of recreational infrastructure. However, some, including some elected officials, believe the government should not operate National Parks, but rather private concessionairesshould be contracted to operate the parks instead. Is this what we want? I can see it now: Disney or Six Flags operating YosemiteNational Park or Gettysburg Battlefield National Military Park. Of course, the Park Ranger with his/her drab uniform will have to be replaced by someone a lot glitzier and to maximize profits. They'll probably need to install a moving walkway (with admission) to view the geysersand paint pots at Yellowstone.And maybe a supper

club with stadium seating would be opened at Old Faithful where they'd have a stand-up comedian to entertain you while waiting for the main act. Ridiculous? Consider that since路 Sept. 11, 2001, Congress hasn't sent the NPS any extra money for homeland security, even though it costs them $66,000 a day adding rangers to guard our nation's symbols like the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell and the Washington Monument when the terrorism alert rises from yellow to orange. Also during this same time, Congress hasn't increased the NPS appropriation to cover the $170 million in mandatory federal pay raises, an unexpected $50 million in firefighting, or the $150 million for Hurricane Isabel clean-up last year. The National Parks Conservation Association reports that parks are underfunded by as much as $600 million, leading to staffing shortages and deterioration of park facilities. This summer we will find reduced hours and closed buildings with fewer seasonal workers offering tours. If this downward spiral is allowed to continue, how much longer will it be until the only two choices left are concessionaire or closed? Closer to home the outlook isn't any better as all the states are scrambling to find the funding needed to provide even basic services. It becomes all too easy to cut funding for Departments of Na rural Resources, for parks and trails; after all, these are non-essential services. In my state, Minnesota, the parks budgets have already been cut to a level of funding equal to 1997 (over 35% lost), while the state trails budget has fallen to a 1995 level while mandatory wage increases have continued to rise to the 2004 level. Can anybody tell me

there's a much brighter picture where you live? I don't care if you believe in big government or small government. The discussion I want to have is what is appropriate for government support. To that end we must take action! With the national election taking place this fall, the wheels of government are slowly coming to a halt and soon everyone in Congress will be returning to their local districts to rub elbows with their constituents and to find out what's on their/your mind. All of them, from the most conservative to the most liberal, need to be told that we strongly believe in the importance of parks and trails. They need to have the relationship between our parks and trails and the tourism economy explained to them, to learn that tourism is one of the main economic activities in our rural communities. Once you've made those points you can move on to quality of life issues and how quiet outdoors recreation provides us with opportunities to get fit, to change our sedentary lifestyles that have so contributed to our national flabbiness. Every dollar spent on this type of program returns mightily to our economy. By the time you consider federal and local taxes, the sales and the wages associated (both directly and through its ripple effect) with this spending, our society is already coming out way ahead. When you also add the mental and physical benefits and the associated health care cost savings to society to this equation, one quickly realizes that this is an investment we have to make. Now is the time for us to take this message to our elected officials, that our investment in parks and trails, in quiet outdoors recreation is an investment that we must make. If we are unable to make this case to our elected officials then our only recourse is to throw the bums out and to elect someone who understands our concerns, who understands the huge dividends we'll all enjoy through this type of investment.

Above: The driving route through the Arrowwood National Wlldllfe Refuge, northwest of Valley City, takes birdwatchers through the refuge's buffalo herds, too. Cars cross grating at gateways in the fence, which cattle and buffalo won't walk across.

By Irene Szabo Associate Editor

et me see: about 150 NCTA members visited the 59 North Dakota members' territory in the summer of 2002 for the annual bash, so that leaves at least 2,650 members who probably have not been on the trail in the farthest west of our seven states. Well, the members of the three North Dakota chapters sure wish the rest of you would visit and see their trail! The state offers trail that is undeniably different from anything the other six states feature, because it is, after all, the remains of the prairie where buffalo once roamed. Trees are at a premium and exist primarily in planted windbreaks or along river valleys. Vast grasslands and impounded waterways are protected variously by the federal Corps of Engineers or Bureau of Reclamation, some trail lands are National Wildlife Refuges, others National Grasslands, while still other spots are protected as state parks or managed by North Dakota Wildlife

Left: Rough Blazing Star

divisions. Whatever the administration of these non-agricultural tracts our trail wanders, the fact remains that sunburn is likely after a day's walk, for this is hiking in the wideopen spaces indeed. Farms are immense, and often visible from the trail route: one family will plant and harvest hundreds and hundreds of acres of wheat, soy and pinto beans, hay, and most visually appealing, miles of sunflowers.

Ever since we visited North Dakota in August, just when immense yellow faces were ripe and turned toward the sun, feeding sunflower seeds to winter birds back home has taken on a new dimension. Outside of the few cities (Bismarck, Fargo) most people live in such splendid spread-out isolation that we remain curious about what life is like there. How do children who live miles apart get to school? We've

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learned from Alicia Hoffarth, NCTA board member from North Dakota, that she routinely walked a half-mile to their mailbox while growing up on her family's ranch. What is it like to live where everything is bigger than imagination? After all, this state and its farms are so immense that its tiny population, only 638,000, cannot even harvest the crops, so English-speaking young men from the southern hemisphere, Australians and South Africans, come to North Dakota during their winter

earn August harvest wages. Just how cold and snowy are the winters? How do the beef cattle fare through the winter? At North Star, we continue, topine away, hoping for an article.by''a North Dakotan about winter life on the plains. . In fact, 'inviting people to -nse their trail has turned out to be the biggest task for NCTA chapters, Elden Ehrman of the Lonetree Chapter · tells us that members have almost no trail work to do, other than keeping signage In good shape, because the Bureau of Reclamation even mows the · trail for them! Much of their route walks grasslands above the long lake of the Lonetree Wildlife Management Area (WMA), which offers 33 miles of trail surrounded by 33,000 acres of protected land, yet their biggest task remains that of getting people to come to

enjoy it. Lonetree Chapter members were given a IO-minute spot on TV, on The Noon Show, but still visitation and local knowledge remain low. Because the WMA is open to all users other than motorized, Elden has even invited horse-riding clubs to enjoy the firm grassy trail, so far to no avail. He reads of dog sled races and cross-country skiing in North Star with envy and wonders how to promote their piece of trail for such winter uses, too. To tease up our curiosity,

he tells us that moose have begun to wander into the Lonetree WMA: wildlife technicians tagged eleven last year! Let us try to imagine the first epic confrontation along the NCT between a moose and a buffalo. Meanwhile the original chapter in North Dakota, the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter, has continued to add more trail within its area. North of Valley City, Lake Ashtabula is a Corps of Engineers project that regulates the Sheyenne River and provides not only the lake, but also miles of trail. Five

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Se.e.the Trail Shop on page 30 to order a 1:100k topo map of trail sec;tions in North Dakota.

new miles were added in 2003, and ten more are part of 2004 dreams. Once again, much of the trail along Lake Ashtabula is open grass" land, so requires mowing, mostly by Corps personnel with a combination of their mowers and ours. Within Valley City itself, last year the steep wooded trail behind the Valley City State University was rebuilt with expert input and help from Bill Menke and Fred Szarka, while the chapter continues to hold frequent hikes for the public. Projects in 2004 include continuing work to plan the trail route more than ten miles between Valley City and the dam at the south end of Lake Ashtabula, where permissions from private landowners will be required. The Sheyenne River Valley Chapter's natural area of concern continues south of Valley City into Fort Ransom State Park, all of it along the river, but after that the trail route turns eastward and crosses the Sheyenne National Grasslands, administered by the National Forest Service. For the last several years agency personnel have been enthusiastically marking the route of the NCT with nice signage, people-gates into fenced pasturelands, occasional

Above: Trallhead sign in Sheyenne National Grasslands. In the background is the faint gravel and sand trail they have created to delineate the trail, hard to blaze through a grazing prairie!

A glimpse of the Sheyenne Grasslands shows why they call the NCTA's new North Dakota chapter the "Sandhllls" Chapter. 0 Q)

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Traveling the Scenic Backway takes visitors along the scenic banks of the Sheyenne River In North Dakota. Marie Altenau, a frequent NCT hiker, enjoys the view.

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blue-blazed field posts, and have even built up faint sand/gravel pathways through wet areas where a better treadway is appreciated. Until now, however, they have had no volunteer helpers. There, too, the trail suffers from lack of use, so a local chapter could poke Fargo's population into a new level of interest. At their April meeting, the board of the NCTA approved the charter of a new chapter to tend the trail through the Sheyenne National Grasslands to the Minnesota border, the North Dakota Sandhills Chapter. Undertaking the daunting task of finding a route through unbroken farmland remains a concern. Curt Vanek, chair of the new North Dakota Sandhills Chapter, said the inspiration for .his mostly retired chapter members was to help the agencies that never have enough staff to tend trails. After all, he said, North Dakota has a relatively high number of certified miles for so few NCTA members, so they formed the new chapter to help make the trail more visible and get more projects done. Among their current ambitions are aiding the rangers at Fort Ransom in their effort to clean up storm-damaged trees, helping the Forest Service to build reroutes around seasonally flooded portions, and cleaning up old barbed wire from the Sheyenne Grasslands. The latter project is further complicated by some party-trash spots from an earlier era when kids could drive deep into the interior of the National Grassland, so the sheer mass of what needs to be cleaned up is daunting for a group who wants to provide a good example by NOT using now-banned motorized vehicles. So they plan to use pack mules with containers to haul out the trash! We look forward to pictures from THAT trail work party. They, like the other two North Dakota chapters, know one of their chief missions is to promote the trail and encourage more people to use the trail, which remains underused so far. They even dream of building some shelters deep within the Grassland for those who might be caught by the scary storms that can pop up on the plains.

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People Per Square Mile on the NC .路~

Minnesota (#1) and North Dakota (#2) are t)y far the two largest states along the f!lorth Country Trail, and the least populous, to no one's surprise. But how much our seven states differ in population density may surprl u.

Ohio Pennsylvania Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota North Dakota

As a volunteer, you contribute i~V,~~~b.je ti North Country Trail. Whether Y1l%;.vork o activities, participate in planning, produce lead the work of others, you are the soul of

So please, report your hours to us, i recognition, then for the good of the mu To submit your hours, visit: www.northcountrytrail.org/voluntrs/ or call us at 866-HIKE-NCT to reques

MIL~

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

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

State

Totals

Percent Done and Certified

Miles Certified

Change Since Last Issue

Other Off-Road Miles

Total Off Road Miles

Marked Road Miles

42.2%

1,748.1

296.7

2,044.5

20.4

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

State

Members Last Issue

Current Members

Minnesota

225

218

Change Since Last

Percent

The 'Arrowhead Re-route' After years ofplanning in Minnesota, new NCT route close By Bob Papp Executive Director, NCTA

or the past seventeen years, the North Country Trail Association and our partners in Minnesota have been working with the National Park Service to change officially the route of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) in Northeast Minnesota. Now, at long last, the end of this arduous planning and review process is at hand! As described in the accompanying article by Fred Szarka, North Country Trail Manager for the National Park Service, we expect the official planning process to be completed by the time you read these words. We owe our deepest gratitude to our many partners in Minnesota, whose patience, perseverance, and vision have helped carry us over the many long years to this point. In particular, the Superior Hiking Trail Association, the Rovers Outing Club, the Kekekabic Trail Club, the City of Duluth, the Superior National Forest, the Chippewa National Forest, Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources all deserve a very hearty shake of the hand. Now we must take a deep breath and turn to our final challenge. As Fred mentions in his article, in order to formalize this new route for the NCNST, we will need an Act of Congress. Literally. Here's why. The NCNST was authorized by an Act of Congress, through an amendment to the National Trails System Act (NTS Act). Basically, this amendment added a paragraph to the NTS Act that states that the NCNST must follow "the approximate route depicted on the map identified as 'Proposed North Country Trail - Vicinity Map' in the Department of the Interior 'North Country Trail Report', dated June 1975." As it turns out, the map referenced in this language is on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.

At that scale, all the minor route adjustments we make as we develop and improve the trail just don't show up. Or, if they do, they still can be said to follow "the approximate route depicted on the map." The route change in northeast Minnesota, on the other hand, stretches the meaning of the word "approximate" beyond the limits of credibility. So, our next step will be to introduce a new bill in Congress to change the language in the authorizing paragraph for the NCNST to refer to a new map, which will show the new route in Minnesota. This may sound like a simple "no-brainer" but it's a technical step we can't escape. Our strategy will be to seek support for this new bill from all U.S. Representatives and both Senators

from the State of Minnesota. We'll also ask some of our other strong supporters in Congress from other states along the trail for their help. We believe the House and Senate Resource Committees will be unlikely to stand in the way of a bill that affects only one state, which all that state's Senators and Representatives are supporting. Starting this month, we will hopefully begin to build this coalition and move the bill. If you'd like to help, you can send a brief letter supporting the new Minnesota route to our office. We'll coordinate the letters and get them where they'll do the most good. Be sure to include your name and address, with your zip code. You can send these by e-mail, regular mail, or fax, using the contact info provided in the table of contents of this North Star.

History of the NCT in Northeastern Minnesota by Fred Szarka North Country NST Trail Manager National Park Service

n one sense, planning to relocate the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) in northeastern Minnesota began five years after the Comprehensive Plan for Management and Use (CP), the trail's "master" plan, was issued in 1982. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as well as trail supporters told the National Park Service (NPS) of the difficulty of constructing trail through the areas of Black Spruce/Tamarack swamp proposed in the CP between Jay Cooke State Park and the Chippewa National Forest (Chippewa NF). At a 1987 meeting of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) held at Itasca State Park, trail support-

ers urged the NPS to consider a new route. Their proposal ran northeasterly along the north shore of Lake Superior following a trail being developed by the newly formed Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA) and then connected with the existing Border Route Trail and Kekekabic Trail, before heading toward the Chippewa NF. In 1993, a "Summit Meeting" about the NCNST was held in St. Paul, Minn. The participants, including the DNR, USDA Forest Service, NPS, SHTA, NCTA, and other hiking enthusiasts, unanimously agreed the ''.Arrowhead Route" was a better path for the trail. In December 1993, the NPS sent letters to the three Arrowhead Region trail clubs soliciting input on the use of their trail systems as a part of the NCNST. Within 14 months, the three trail clubs had sent

Northeastern Minnesota Proposed Route North Country National Scenic Trail

North Country Trail • • • • Potential Route 0000

letters of support for becoming a part of the NCNST. In 1995, the NPS requested support from the Superior National Forest (Superior NF) and the Minnesota DNR. Letters affirming chis support were received from the DNR in May of 1995 and from the Superior National Forest in June of 1995. In 1996 the NPS made contacts with Congressional staff to inform chem of the grassroots interest in changing the route of the NCNST in Minnesota and to obtain their perspectives. During these discussions, the NPS was advised co undertake a public process to amend the 1982 plan. In January 1998, the NPS sent letters to Minn. DNR, Superior NF, Chippewa NF, SHTA, the Grand Portage Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, Minnesota Rovers Outing Club, Kekekabic Trail Club, Itasca County Trails Task Force, Regional Planning Commission, Grand Portage National Monument, and others, requesting input and a representative co attend an initial meeting. This meeting was held in March 1998, and a core planning team was formed, consisting

of members from the various federal and state agencies, trail groups, and interested individuals. In July 1998, the NPS published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register announcing its intent to study the proposed change in the route of the trail and to prepare an amendment to the 1982 CP. As part of the public scoping process, letters were sent announcing the study and requesting input. In 1998, three planning team meetings were held, with four additional meetings in 1999. A major purpose of these meetings was to identify possible alternative connections from the end of the existing trail near Ely co the existing NCNST segment in the Chippewa NF. Once alternative connecting corridors were identified, a series of open houses were scheduled and held in Duluth, Ely, and Grand Rapids in July of 1999. After the open houses, NPS funding for the planning project was curtailed and planning was halted until 2001 when funding permitted the NPS to hire staff and resume the study. Once the project resumed, planning team meetings were held in 2001

1982 Plan Trail

and 2002 and one more connecting corridor alternative, the Vermillion Lake Route, was identified. Six open house meetings were held in 2003 to present the alternatives and solicit any public input. Three of these meetings cook place in conjunction with the SHTA's efforts to determine the route of its trail through Duluth. Well over two hundred people attended these meetings and numerous written comments were received. In February 2004, the NCNST staff shared an initial draft of the plan with the NPS Regional Director and his staff The Regional Director instructed the NCNST staff to revise the plan to request Congress make the change. He would then approve the act of recommending a change to Congress. In May, NPS Regional Office staff officially reviewed the revised plan and the planning team finalized the document for release. The plan was officially released the week of May 24, and was available fop public review and comment through June 30. In the next issue of North Star we will have an update on the progress of Arrowhead Reroute.

No New Segments - Now What? A look at new trail building standards and funding options

he winter months are a time of limited trail construction and we receive few applications for new certifications. This year none was received in the first three months. What do I do? I promised an article for the North Star!

"Gold Star" Certification The North Country Trail Association (NCTA) Board of Directors passed a resolution in December 2003 requesting the National Park Service (NPS) adopt new certification standards and definitions. We have begun work on developing the necessary framework to implement that request. In cooperation with Tiffany Stram, NCTA Cartographer, we have developed a hierarchy of descriptive definitions for trail sections for use with the GIS program. The top level of these definitions is "Certified to Standards." The NCTA and the NPS want to use this new level of certification for two goals: first, it will be a tool to educate trail builders along the entire length of the trail in the qualities of first class trail building, and second, it will recognize the accomplishments of the folks who build trail to the handbook standards. One of the prerequisites we need in order to implement the new standards is a group of trained trail evaluators to do inspections of segments submitted for the "Certified to Standards" or "Gold Star" certification. I feel it is very important that all of these evaluators incorporate the same guidelines for evaluating trail. In addition, it is important that we take full advantage of the opportunity for training that accompanies the evaluation. We will begin with about a dozen people who will serve as our test group of trail evaluators. We plan to have two NPS staff and two NCTA staff

National Park Service

and about eight volunteers in this group. The people who will be invited to participate in the first training for trail evaluators will have to commit to making at least two inspections per year, to scheduling inspection trips in cooperation with sponsoring organization representatives in a timely manner, and to provide education on trail standards as a part of the site visit. Training dates have not been established but it will likely be in late summer or autumn. We have developed preliminary standards for our evaluations. Initially, each evaluation will be conducted by at least two evaluators working together. This will allow the evaluators to share impressions and discuss standards as they work. They will walk the trail with local trail sponsors who built the trail and discuss strong points and possible needs for improvement. Upon completion of the inspection, the evaluators will make their recommendation to the NPS on certification. We will award "Gold Star" certification to segments of trail that meet all of the standards outlined in the handbook. I will list Gold Star segments in this space in future issues plus we are considering other forms of recognition. This year, for the first time, we gave additional rating points to projects

Above: Scott Tichy operating DR fleld and brush mower as part of regular trall maintenance In North Dakota.

Left: Proper slgnage Is Important In certified trall segments.

requesting NPS funding that would construct new trail 100% to standards. If you or your chapter has a suggestion for an incentive or other recognition that you think would be appropriate, please contact me about it.

Funding the Trail I thought it might be useful to discuss a little bit about our funding of trail projects and trail building equipment. The NPS North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) office is a small one and we get relatively little money with which to support the maintenance of over 1,700 miles of certified trail or development of the 2,500+ miles yet to be built. It is through the support and hard work of

Left: Board member Alicla Hoffarth puts the finishing touches on a relocated section of trail in Valley City, N.D.

Below: Points of Interest along the trail route add to the hiking experience.

our volunteer partners that the work gets done. We have three main sources of funding for trail projects that I will discuss in descending dollar amount.

Challenge Cost Share The mainstay of our support for chapters and affiliates is our Challenge Cost Share (CCS) program. It is interesting that only about a quarter of the NCTA chapters take advantage of this source of funding for materials and tools, and even fewer do so regularly. The NPS purchases supplies and materials up to 50% of the estimated value of the project and local chapters, land managers, and affiliates match the NPS funds in a variety of ways. Most often the local chapter provides a local match using the value of volunteer labor to build the project. This year an hour of volunteer labor is valued at $17.19 and volunteers can legitimately count hours spent traveling to the worksite as well as time actually constructing trail. However, in addition, we have seen local matchs using donated funds or services, "in-kind" services, grant funds, and so on. The only source that cannot be used for the local match is other federal funds. This year we received a little over $40,000 for CCS, which is down from the previous couple of years.

Cyclic Maintenance The NPS has funds set aside to repair long lasting but replaceable property. Recently the NCNST has received $18,000 in these Cyclic Maintenance (CM) funds. The procedure is the same as CCS, but the program requirements call for the funds to replace durable assets. In many parks these dollars go to repave roads and parking areas, repair various infrastructure components such as water lines or electrical wiring, replace roofs, and repaint buildings. We have used the funds to replace or relocate worn out or damaged trail tread or structures. We have also used CM funding to replace and upgrade trail signs.

Volunteer in Parks Every year the National Park

Service (NPS) receives a portion of its budget to support the Volunteer in Parks (VIP) program. Each year, the NCNST office gets about $7,000 for this activity. These funds are used to help purchase the annual awards for volunteers presented at the annual meeting of the NCTA and for a number of volunteer support activities. For example, we purchase small and medium size orders for blazing paint, and Carsonite posts and signs to mark the trail. (Large orders for Carsonite posts and signs are usually routed to Challenge Cost Share projects.) New chapters can request a basic stock of tools funded by the VIP program. Finally, we use these funds to support major volunteer work projects such as work weeks by Volunteer Vacations, Alley Cat Crew, and Roving Trail Crew.

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National Trails Day

NCTA Chapters participate in National Trails Day Celebration Section which was the origin of the Conservation Trail, so we re-dedicated this section at the same time. Hand-carved signs were placed at each terminus to designate the sections. Special invitations were sent to the original club members who are still active and all the trail landowners along these sections. The program began with Boy Central New York Chapter Scout Troop 1776 of Orchard Park, The New York State Department N.Y., parading in the flag and leading 'the. audience of sixty with the Pledge of Environmental Conservation and the of Allegiance. A welcome and a hisCentral New York Chapter co-sponsored tory of the Rosches was given by Mary the dedication of the 0.7-mile trail loop Domanski.' Karen Wallace of Buffalo within the Nelson Swamp.. I Unique Area (NSUA) southeast of Cazenovia. Museum of Science/Tifft Nature Preserve then made remarks. Among Accessible from the North Country her accolades for the Rosches conservaTrail/Link Trail near the west entrance tion wo,rk, Karen announced that the to the NSUA, this levelwide trail, topped with stone dust, is accessible by people Rosches book collection has been placed with physical disabilities, It offers trailside on a special.shelf at Tifft Nature Preserve segment~ of native brush'species, a mature for anyone ~o borrow. Following these remarks Itma Fix (Art's sister) unveiled forest, and a working meadow with a American Hiking Society the sign designating the Rosche section. developing wetland. Informational signage along the way provides information about Then Taps was played. historic use and ongoing ecological trends, Mary next explained that Mabel the former including a gravel mining operJames was the inspiration for the creation ation in the early 20th century. A viewing of the Conservation Trail. James Joyce, Deputy Supervisor of Holland, N.Y., platform overlooking Chittenango Creek then spoke: as a child he knew Mabel James and today he is provides a fine spot for quiet relaxation. The NSUA has 400 one of our generous permitting landowners. identified vascular plants, 105 species of birds, and stands of Six of the original members of Foothills were present, pine and cedar. along with Dennis Becker. He is not only a current landGreg Owens, DEC Senior Forester, provided a guided owner of the original section of trail, but as a Boy Scout, he tour of the trail for the 37 attendees. Greg has primary DEC responsibility for the NSUA, and he was the project leader for helped lay out the trail in 1962. These people came forward the "interpretive trail loop" design and installation. and unveiled the new Mabel James sign. Shirley and Carl Schlitz, neighbors of the Rosches, rescued some daylilies -Al Larmann Jr. from Olga's garden that will be planted under the sign. Finger Lakes Trail Conference Mary thanked the landowners for their continued trail Foothills Trail Club permissions. Each landowner of these sections was named Foothills Trail Club has participated in National Trails and those present received an FLTC license plate holder. Day since its inception by the American Hiking Society. After the flag was retired jubilant hikers took off for the trail. All met later for a potluck dinner. The club sponsored three hikes of varying length, to mirror -Mary Domanski the theme Trails and Health: A Natural Connection. At the same time the club wanted to honor the memory of two of its founding members who passed away this year, Art and Finger Lakes Trail Conference Olga Rosche, A section of the Conservation Trail, a branch off the Cayuga Trails Club Finger Lakes Trail and NCT in western N.Y., was dedicated The Cayuga Trails Club (Ithaca area, central NY) spent the day building a new outhouse at hemlock-shrouded to their memory, a piece of trail next to the Mabel James n June 5th, North Country Trail Association chapters held celebrations to mark National Trails Day. Chapters participated in several ways, including: trail construction and maintance, dedications, hikes, presentions and picnics. Here are the submissions received on how several groups aong the NCT celebrated:

National

Trails Day®

JuneS,2004

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National Trails Day Shindagin Hollow in preparation for the FLTC Alley-Cat crew's project later this summer to replace the shelter there. It was a joint effort by CTC and Eastern Mountain Sports, both financially and muscle-wise. About fifteen people carried building supplies and snacks about one mile to the site. A new pit was dug and the new board-and-batten building was nearly completed. The old privy had a collapsing roof and rotten foundation. -JohnAndersson

Allegheny National Forest Chapter The morning dawned with clouds and a strong hint of rain, but 30 hearty trail folks gathered at Willow Bay boat launch and prepared to spend the day working on the NCT in the Allegheny National Forest just a mile and a half south 路 of the New York border. Eric Flood, Wilderness Ranger and liaison between the NFS and the Allegheny National Forest Chapter, arranged for all trail volunteers to be ferried from the campground to the trail a few miles down the Kinzua Reservoir. Curt Bowley, trail crew coordinator on the Bradford Ranger District, arrived right at 10 a.m. and picked up the first boatVolunteers from Pennsylvanla's load of volunteers. Allegheny National Forest A great young Chapters show off their comAmericorps crew was the moratlve National Trails Day first to head down the T-shirts. waterway to the trail. By the time we got to the work site, these young men and women were working on a long uphill ascent to the side hill where we planned to do extensive contouring. Throughout the morning, volunteers worked feverishly to widen the trail to meet NPS tread way standards. As each section was finished, the volunteer would leap frog forward to another ten to twenty foot area that Eric Flood marked for us. Before the morning was over, Eric had to scoot ahead and mark more trail because we were moving so fast. The morning passed and before we all knew it, Eric was telling us that we were essentially out of side hill trail. As we walked back toward the landing where we were being picked up, we marveled at the amount of work that was completed by all of us. Measured by strides, we completed almost a half-mile of trail. It was no mystery how we got so much done so quickly. Every person worked hard to complete the marked sections before we were ready to quit. As we waited for the boat to ferry us back again, a light rain started to fall, but no one seemed to notice. We sat along the shoreline and shared trail stories and laughed

and teased one another. Given that many of us never met before that morning, it was amazing how easily we bonded with one another. This was trail community at its finest. Each person, now a little tired and covered with mud, was enjoying the moment. Eric distributed commemorative tee shirts to all of us, and then as an added attraction, held a raffle. We cheered and clapped each time someone won one of the simple but special prizes. It was a nice touch ending a marvelous day along the North Country National Scenic Trail in the last few miles in the Allegheny National Forest. -Bert Nemcik

Spirit of. the Woods Chapter The Spirit of the Woods Chapter hosted what many agreed was their best 路 eventever, Four hikes were offered of varying lengths. Three were on the North Country Trail, one including a canoe trip on the Pere Marquette River that returned participants to the event site. The fourth hike took in a loop on seasonal roads and a riveredge pathway that all agreed was particularly scenic since the Pere Marquette is a National Wild and At the Spirit of the Wood celebraScenic River. tion, a group of middle school At the event site visitors could learn students llsten to the Eastern about Rivers and Mountain Sports team give their presentation on staying put and Watersheds, the theme staying dry when lost. for this year's event. The Pere Marquette Watershed Council, the Mason-Lake Conservation District, and the U.S. Forest Service brought displays to the site. A poster showing the four major continental watersheds of the North Country Trail was displayed. It featured photos of significant locations on those watersheds or the divides between them. Additionally, Eastern Mountain Sports of Traverse City brought their new "Stay Put, Stay Dry" safety program for kids. This national endeavor is aimed at helping young children understand how they can help themselves be found and prevent injury if they become lost. Games, a free picnic lunch, and a self-guided nature trail were also featured. The weather cooperated, after what has seemed like un-ending rain this spring, and the day was dry and sunny. Everyone who came had a great time! -Joan Young

National Trails Day

Right: Members of the Allegheny National Forest Chapter celebrated National Trails Day by constuct lng trail. Using skills they learned at an NCTA workshop in May, they masterfully benched this section of trail. (See page 10 for more details on the workshop.)

Good weather allowed the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter, N.D. to enjoy a day of hiking and an evening of barbeque and bonfire at Medicine Wheel Park.

Above: Fran Mainella, Director of the National Park Service, visited our Star of the North Chapter's Minnesota exhibit. She's flanked by Bob Papp, NCTA Executive Director, and John Leinen, President of NCTA's Board.

Left: Greg Owens, DEC Senior Forester, provided a guided tour of the Nelson Swamp Unique Area for the Central New York Chapter.

Hiawatha shore-to-shere Our chapter has been very busy installing regulation roadside North Country Trail signs from the Big Mac to the Two-Hearted River, and plans to do individual and small group hikes to check out our adopted sections of the trail. Due to the mosquitoes and inclement weather at Tahquamenon Falls last June, it was decided to celebrate trail day August 14th. Our goal this year is to introduce families to hiking and generate interest in the sport. It is hoped that an interest in this healthy activity will get families out on the trail and involved in local chapters. We will

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be having guided hikes, a "Treasure Hunt" hike for children, art activities led by two art educators, and other family activities. -Kay Kujawa

North Country Trail Hikers A public family hike was planned and drew about 12 hikers to the meeting site at Sugarloaf Mountain. Several leaders were available to take the participants on any assortment of hikes the group opted for. Two separate routes were agreed upon, each about three

Naturalist Josh Mcintire led an interpretive hike on the Portage Trail for the Brule St. Croix Chapter.

Finger Lakes Trail Conference - Foothills Trail Club original members gathered for a dedication ceremony. From left to right: J.ohn Beverage, Tina lgullden, Elma Bowen, Walt lgullden, Dennis Becker, Ralph Mahler, and Marie Hayes.

miles, one along the Lake Superior shore and the other on an inland trail. Trail brochures were distributed to those who were interested in joining NCTA and the hikes gave the participants an opportunity to get a bit of trail experience. Leaders and hikers felt it was an enjoyable event. -Denise Herron

Peter Wolfe Chapter Our chapter led a hike on the North Country Trail across Baraga Plains in the Western U.P. of Michigan.

Attendance was low, perhaps due in part to the threat of rain, and to the bugs (whoeverdecided National Trails Day should be in early June must not have been from the North Woods!). We did see a lot of beautiful woods, wetlands, wildlife openings, and interesting birds. We crossed seven wetlands on new boardwalks we had built last summer. We did encounter an area of recent logging, but Michigan DNR had kept the trail route clear of logs and cut branches, and had preserved our blazes by cutting the jack pine they are on just above the blazes. Thanks to them! -Doug Welker July-September

2004

The North Star

National Trails Day Brule St Croix Chapter The day started out at 8 am near Brule where chapter president, Chuck Zosel, and Brule River State Forest Superintendent, Steve Petersen met U.S. Park Service Regional Director, Ernie Quintana and Madison National Park Service staff Tom Gilbert, Ken Howell, and Fred Szarka for a short round-trip hike to the Winneboujou Bluff campsite on the NCT. Though it was a beautiful hike, darkening skies and light showers set the tone of the weather for the day. Simultaneously, Chapter members Peter Edmunds and Peter Nordgren were leading Bill Meller's scout troop in setting up two newly constructed trailhead kiosks, while chapter members Lynne and Peter Nason, Sue Breskin, Bob Norlin, Bea Laakkinen, Barb McDaniel and newest member Kirsten Standen were holding the fort at the St. Croix Lake Trailhead. At 10 a.m., there was to be a dedication of a new plaque mounted on stone commemorating the involvement of the Daughters of the American Revolution in reestablishing the historic Brule-St. Croix Portage Trail, which is now a part of the NCT. However, due to a heavy downpour, the ceremony took place later. Following the dedication, Josh Mcintire, Brule River State Forest naturalist, conducted an interpretive hike that was brought to a hastened conclusion by more rain. All enjoyed the rest of the day, socializing under a tarp in the, at times, not so gentle rain at the trailhead and picnic area. We were able to inform at least five attendees regarding NCT membership. All in all, we had a good time considering the weather. -Chuck Zosel

Superior Hiking Trail Association Thirty-six stalwart hikers walked in the rain on a beautiful 4.7-mile section of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) in a light but steady rain. The rain didn't seem to dampen the enthusiasm of the hikers as they

learned about the geology of the region, identified wildflowers, hiked along the cascades of the Beaver River, and took in sweeping vistas of Lake Superior and vast forests. Fifteen volunteers helped SHT Trail Maintenance Supervisor, Ken Oelkers, put in 125 steps along a steep section of the trail on the east side of the Cascade River and installed 100 feet of boardwalk in low sections. The volunteers had to quit because of the rain but some of them came back the next day to finish off the project. This was quite a project because the lumber had to be carried in over a mile. Minnesota Conservation Corps crews helped haul some of the materials in prior to the start of the work project. -Gayle Coyer

teers for all their hard work building and maintaining the NCT and NPS Director, Fran Mainella, graciously agreed to have her photograph taken with NCTA Board President, John Leinen, Jr. and NCTA Executive Director, Bob Papp, in front of the Minnesota NCTA exhibit. We applaud the timing of the event so close to the NPS release of the "Northeast Minnesota Route Assessment" and the opportunity it provided to expose this influential audience to the NCNST and the wonderful improvement to the Trail we're working towards here in Minnesota. All of the volunteers present felt the day's work had indeed been important. -John Leinen

Star of the North Chapter

Beautiful weather, hiking, good company and food - can it get better than that? Those attending National Trails Day events in the Sheyenne River Valley don't think so. Participants enjoyed a beautiful day as we hiked three sections of the North Country Trail. Local volunteers as well as outdoor enthusiasts attended the hikes from the region. The morning started in Fort Ransom State Park with a short hike and lots of good conversation with Park Manager, John Kwapinski. We followed part of the NCT as well as other park trails and even went offtrail to find the park's geocache and learn some history. An afternoon hike along Lake Ashtabula was led by Park Ranger, Scott Tichy. Hikers took in one of the most scenic areas of the trail from Karnak Bridge to Sibley. Participants were given gifts donated by local merchants. A perfect day ended with a perfect evening in Valley City. Participants enjoyed a short hike through town and then were treated to a barbeque and bonfire at Medicine Wheel Park. Good food and good company were abundant but thankfully the mosquitoes weren't! -Alicia Hoffarth

To celebrate NTD 2004, the Star of the North Chapter exhibited the Minnesota NCTA display at "GET FIT with U.S." at Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul. The event, which focused on healthy lifestyle choices, celebrated the connection between public health and public lands and waters. The event provided an excellent opportunity to present the North Country National Scenic Trail and the NCTA to a very impressive list of dignitaries and all of the citizens of St. Paul who attended. The dignitaries included Gayle Norton, Secretary, Department of Interior, United States Representative Mark Kennedy, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly, National Park Service Director Fran Mainella, USDA Forest Service Region Nine Recreation Director Donna Hepp, and American Hiking Society Board of Directors Chair Bob Papp among many others. In the Exhibit Tent, we landed a wonderful spot between the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While on their way through the Exhibit Tent, the USDA Forest Service's Donna Hepp went out of her way to thank the NCTA volun-

Sheyenne River Valley Chapter

Ed's Prize-WinningTaquitos on the Way From Filling Up jails, to Filling Up Hikers (Editor's Note: There are some great outdoor cooks in the hiking community whose succulent meals are a great treat for tired backpackers. Today's article, by Ed Ronkowski, is the first in an occasional series of articles by or about these backcountry chefs.) By Edward Ronkowski Superior Hiking Trail Association

grew up taking summer vacations every year since 1955 at the family cabin in the Chequamegon National Forest in northern Wisconsin. I hiked the old logging trails around Porcupine Lake and the town of Drummond on what later became the first certified section of the North Country Trail. After graduating from law school, I ended up prosecuting felonies in Chicago and raising a daughter and a son which occupied most of my free time. In 2003 the State of Illinois allowed government employees with 20 or more years of service to retire with full benefits, so I quit the rough and tumble life of daily criminal prosecution to take up backpacking full time. With all that backpacking came a lot of trail cooking. My wife is more likely to join me if I promise her delicious food, and in the Titanium Chef competitions, the oldest and biggest backpacking cooking contest in the world, some of my outdoor recipes won pnzes. Backpacking cooking differs from regular cooking in that the recipes must not only be tasty, but the best recipes must also be lightweight, not spoil in weeks of high heat or humidity, be compact, use little fuel, prepare quickly, and consist of ingredients that are relativelyeasy to find. The backpacking recipes should be low in cholesterol and saturated fat so as not to offset all the healthy benefits that come with the exercise. One of the first things I learned is that to cook while backpacking,

you must have a good fry pan. There is none better than the GSI Hard Anodized Teflon coated 8 V2 inch fry pan. Thinner fry pans do not retain enough heat to prevent a pancake from sticking, nor will they hold up to the occasional campfire heat. On a small one burner stove, the larger fry pans won't conduct enough heat to the perimeter to cook completely around the edges. This 8 1/2 inch diameter thick

aluminum fry pan works well over a one burner stove or over a campfire. Cover it with aluminum foil and heat at a simmer, and you can bake scones or a cobbler in it. The following recipe won 2nd place and most creative dish honors in the 2003 Titanium Chef Backpacking Cooking Contest held on October 11, 2003 at the Martins Fork Campground in Cumberland Gap National Park, Tennessee.All ingredients are relatively light and will not spoil on the trail. The dish is a great crowd pleaser. Ed offers to send the complete cookbook with this and other prize winning recipes to hikers who e-mail him at eronkowski@hotmail.com.

CHICKEN TAQUITOS From Edward Ronkowski At Home: Package: 10 fresh Corn Tortillas 6 inches in diameter 1 seven-ounce pouch of Tyson's Chicken in a pouch 3 ounces of olive oil 2 napkins and 1 paper towel In a snack sized ziplock bag: 1/4 cup tomato powder 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons garlic 1 teaspoon cilantro 1/2 teaspoon salt

On the Trail: Mix all ingredients together (except olive oil and tortillas) with 5 ounces of water in the chicken foil pouch making sure all the chicken at the bottom is mixed well. Let sit 10 to 30 minutes. So the tortillas won't crack when you roll them, fry the tortillas in a dab of olive oil for four seconds each side and set aside on the paper towel. Spoon two level tablespoons of chickentomato mixture into a tortilla and roll tightly into a cigar. Fry 1 1/2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crunchy. You can eat this dish as finger food right out of a napkin, so you have less clean up afterwards. The recipe serves two. Each taquito is 115 calories.

Annual Conference â&#x20AC;˘ Marietta, Ohio â&#x20AC;˘ Aug. 5-8, 2004

Head to the Ohio River Valley T

he schedule for the annual North Country Trail Association (NCTA) Conference in Marietta, Ohio, has been pretty well firmed up and old and new friends, some 125 strong, are expected to gather on the banks of the Ohio River Aug. 5 and 6. While the conference schedule is full of goodies (see page 25!!), hikes on the North Country Trail (NCT) usually are among the biggest draws for the annual event. This year the hikes will have a special flavor: long and short, faster and slower, all will take place on the same stretch of the Buckeye Trail, coincident with the NCT there, in the Wayne National Forest. The main difference among the hikes is their degree of difficulty, since the half-day events are pretty much downhtlland the full-day hike does prove the old saw that what goes down must have gone up, or at least will eventually. The hikes, as the schedule shows, are scheduled Friday and Saturday. Garry Dill, one of our stalwarts from the Buckeye Trail Association, an affiliate of the NCTA, describes the hikes as follows: Archers Fork Trail-The day-long hike will be over the Archers Fork

This year's annual conference will feature two hikes in Ohio's Wayne Natlonal Forest.

Trail in the Marietta Unit of the Wayne National Forest. This will be a challenging 9.5-mile loop hike over very hilly terrain. It is highly recommended that individuals who are not used to hills, heat and humidity not undertake this hike. There are no 1,000-foot climbs in Ohio but there will be a lot of ups and downs. One side of the loop is on the NCT and includes the Irish Run

Mark Your Calendar 2005 Annual Conference August 11-14 North Central Michigan College Petoskey, Michigan

Natural Bridge, only one of seven natural bridges in Ohio. The trail takes the hikers over the arch. Ohio View Trail-This hike is a 7-mil~ largely downhill trek. There are spectacular views of the Ohio River valley, shady coves of big trees, a wildlife pond, and interesting rock outcroppings. While only 2.5 miles shorter than the day-long hike, it will be less challenging because it runs down to the river valley. Garry assures one and all that if they choose to hike on Friday, they will have plenty of time to shower before leaving for the boat trip and dinner there. That's particularly reassuring for those who don't plan to hike. The deadline for registration for the conference is past but it's possible there are a few berths left, if you hurry. To try to get aboard, please telephone the North Country Trail Association at (866) HikeNCT and tell them, "Werner sent you." That may not work, but it will prove to the office you're reading the North Star. -Werner Veit

Annual Conference • Marietta, Ohio • Aug. 5-8, 2004

2004 Conference Schedule

·:

5:30

Free Time

6:00

Dinner (on campus) Evening Program: Meet the Ghost of Commodore Abraham Whipple

7:30

Breakfast (on campus)

8:45

Archers Fork Trail (with bag lunch)

Day-long Hike: I---___,

12:00 1:00

Discussion and Education Hike:

Day Long Tour:

Half-Day Hike:

Archers Fork Trail

(with bag lunch) Trail Design and * Blennerhassett 1--Ba-g-Lu_n_c_h __ __, Island Historical Improvement at State Park Archers Fork Trail Half-Day Hike: * Henderson Hall (with bag lunch) Ohio View Trail

5:00

Free Time

6:30

Dinner on Valley Gem Stern Wheeler

8:00

Annual Membership Meeting & Awards Part 1 (on the riverboat)

9:00

Return to Campus or take "Self-Guided EveningTour of Marietta Establishments"

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Siturday, AUg!JS~ 7 7:30

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Self-Guided Walking Tour:

Downtown Marietta (with bag lunch)

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Breakfast (on campus) Long Hike:

Themed Hike:

Heritage Tour:

Ohio View Trail (with bag lunch)

Outdoor Photography (with bag lunch)

Route Planning for a Trail Town Case Study: Marietta (restaurant lunch)

GPS on the Trail (with bag lunch)

(with bag lunch) * Campus Martius Museum * Cemetery Mound * Ohio River Museum * Henry Fearing House

Workshop:

Ohio Trails Partnership Finding Common Ground

Backpacking