Jerry Gauld Forages the UP NCT

Jerry Gauld in 2006, holding snowshoes

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based on a news story at M-Live.com

Jerry Gauld has hiked the NCT in Michigan's Upper Peninsula yet again, but he decided on a different challenge for this trek. He previously hiked it in 2006 on snowshoes.

This time, he decided to find his own food on his 36-day, 517-mile adventure. Traveling with his Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Molly, and carrying a .410 shotgun, Gauld hunted grouse and woodcock, which Molly flushed. He also made use of a portable fishing rod, and gathered wild cranberries, apples, watercress and mushrooms. Cattail and burdock tubers provided starch for his diet. The backup plan was a pocket full of granola and jerky.

Gauld, a retired heavy-equipment operator, lives in Fife Lake with his wife except for when he gets the urge to take to the woods. "I'm no Euell Gibbons, but I know a lot about berries and stuff," he said.

one of Gauld's campsites on his trek (photo by Jerry Gauld)

Special dinners included a grouse stuffed with wild raisins and high-bush cranberries, cooked over an open fire, and pike with cranberries accompanied by sumac lemonade. Only twice, at Grand Marais and Marquette, did he get a motel room and treat himself- and Molly- to a hamburger and fries.

He credits his parents for his expertise in the woods. They lived simply when he was growing up, depending on wild foods many times.

Gauld lost the trail once in the McCormick Wilderness, as have many others! But by the use of map and compass was able to pick it up again as he neared the western boundary.

By the time he reached Wisconsin on October 21 he had lost 20 pounds. He considers that the trek was only partially successful. "I was hoping for more fish and meat," he admitted. He also commented that it was late enough in the year that many of the wild foods were well past their prime. He wanted to see if he had what it took to live like a hunter/gatherer, and decided that he didn't really. Yet, to many of us, this was an amazing story of resourcefulness.

See Other Hikers of Note where there are links to two other news articles about Gauld's previous hikes

The 500-Mile Summer- An NCT Sampler

Young at overlook on Border Route Trail

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by JHY

Joan Young will share photos and adventures from her hikes on the North Country Trail during 2009. From May through October she hiked 500 miles, some in Minnesota, Michigan, and Ohio. The trail sections covered included the rugged northern Minnesota Arrowhead, and the long connection from Ely to Grand Rapids, MN. Many of the miles were traveled with friends, but about 175 were hiked solo. Some was backpacked, and some "slack-packed."

She will be giving the program twice in the coming weeks, beginning with the Tuesday (Nov 10) meeting of the Spirit of the Woods Chapter of the North Country Trail Association. Beginning at 6:00 pm, at the Lake Bluff Audubon House, 2890 Lakeshore Road, Manistee, the program will follow a very short business meeting.

The second showing will be at the Spirit of the Woods Conservation Club, Wednesday November 18, 7:30pm. The Conservation Club meets at their Clubhouse north of Brethren, Michigan.

Young is poised to become the first woman to hike the entire NCT. She plans to hike the final mile of her trek on August 3, 2010, at the Boor property near Petoskey, Michigan. She invites anyone who would like to celebrate with her to join her on that date.

See Hiking the Minnesota Arrowhead Contact Joan Young

Mother Goose Heads for NM Until Next Year

Tahquamenon River (photo by Mother Goose)

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based on her journal

Mother Goose, Bonita Curtner, headed back to Michigan's UP in October to try to get in some more northern miles on the NCT before winter. Then she was planning to hike more of the trail in Ohio in the late fall. But, still troubled by shin splints, she has decided to head for the Grand Enchantment Trail of New Mexico.

She managed to find ways to spot a car for several days, and admitted that she could get used to that, with a bed and warm room at the end of each day. Along the Tahquamenon she said, "I could get used to this. I can hardly believe how good the trail is thru here, I'm not tripping over deadfall or thru shoulder high brush. We made it to the Campground at the Rivers mouth and called for our Trail Angel to bring the car."

She continues, "All in all my foot is doing okay, I really begin feeling it when I hit the roads so I have rescheduled my hike for the fall and decided to go back out to New Mexico and Arizona and finish the Grand Enchantment Trail, rather then try to hike 1000 miles on roads thru Ohio with the Shin Splint. Will pick this trail up in May on the Superior Trail and at least do that much more."

See Mother Goose's Journal

Update on NCTA Wiki Guide

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by JHY

The Wiki Guide to the North Country Trail was launched on April 24 of this year. The premise is that because this trail is so long that the best way to get up-to-date trail information is to have those who are using the trail write it.

At the end of the first hiking season it's rewarding to see that a number of people have entered their knowledge to share with everyone, but there is still a long way to go.

Most recently, the Wisconsin Brule-St. Croix region has been added to the Wiki. This covers most of the central area of that state, and is nicely arranged in segments.

One of the drawbacks is that there is, as yet, no consistency in the way the entered data is organized. At this point, that is probably secondary to simply trying to gather as much information as possible. The entries are monitored by Matt Rowbottham, the North Country Trail Association's GIS Specialist.

Several people have spent quite a bit of time making entries, or encouraging others to do so. Their efforts are all appreciated.

As with any Wiki, anyone can enter information. If you have hiked a section of the NCT recently and are willing to check for an entry about that section, it would be greatly appreciated. Create an entry, if there is none, with whatever you can remember about the trail. If there is an entry, check it for accuracy and detail. Feel free to edit!

See NCTA Wiki Guide

NCTA New Director of Trail Development

Andrea Ketchmark (photo from NCTA)

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from the North Country Trail Association

NCTA's new Director of Trail Development is Andrea Ketchmark. Andrea joins NCTA after a highly successful stint as the American Hiking Society's Volunteer Programs Manager, where she provided oversight for AHS's Volunteer Vacations.

Andrea holds a a Natural Resources Recreation and Tourism degree from Colorado State University. Her emphasis was on sustainable travel.

She brings a ton of enthusiasm for supporting the NCT community and coordinating our community presence with chapters along the Trail

See North Country Trail Association

A Decade of Death, A Day of Disaster

wind damaged tree (photo by Andrew Slade)

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from the blog There and Back- Blogging the North Shore

"A decade of death for the birch, followed by a day of disaster for the spruce. All leading to open skies on an autumn day...where a deep forest had recently been."

So concludes Andrew Slade after observing the damage after the latest wind storm to rip through the North Shore area of Minnesota on the Superior Hiking Trail/ NCT. September 28 saw the destruction of many large spruce which crashed to the ground, and the birch, many of which had died as a result of terrible ice storms in recent years, simply snapped off.

Lookout Mountain sustained a great deal of damage. Trail crews headed out immediately after the storm, and began the clean-up work. Andrew writes, "Thank goodness for trail crews, for strong people with chainsaws. The 2.8 mile loop had nary a stick across the treadway."

You can see several more photos at Andrew's Blog.

See Lookout Mountain, Star Trek Style See This is Stunning. I am Stunned.

Feral Pigs in NY Allegany State Park

feral pig (photo from National Forest Law Blog)

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based on a posting in the FLT e-group, original source uncertain

The NY Department of Environmental Cconservation has confirmed that feral pigs (wild boar) are invading Allegany State Park. A road crew saw the pigs last weed whil working, and two visitors managed to take their picture.

The damage these animals do to an ecosystem is considerable. "When they go to the wild they actually go through a morphological change. Their hair turns thicker, darker and courser, and their tusks develop. You wouldn't think that little pink porker could become that razorback type of boar but it does," said New York DEC Wildlife Manager Mark Kandel

There are concerns about the boars invading central New York as well. They can produce three litters a year, and quickly cause problems. They avoid human contact, but will attack if they feel threatened. And an adult boar can weigh 300 pounds.

The DEC wants to eradicate the animals from the state. The New York State Hunting guide reads "Feral swine are a harmful, invasive species. DEC is working to eradicate feral swine from NY's landscape. Hunters with small game hunting privileges may shoot and keep feral swine, at any time, and in any number."

There are areas and times when hunting is restricted in state parks that can override the "anywhere, anytime" directive. The meat of these feral swine is reportedly leaner and healthier than that of the commercial chemical laden pork sold in stores. But NYS law doesn't even require that they be removed. They just want them eradicated before they get established beyond eradication.

Tom Salwasser Blogs about the Chip

Tom Salwasser (photo from his blog profile)

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from Tom's blog

"Hiking and taking pictures. That about says it all. That's what I really enjoy doing. When I get to choose what I'm going to do on any given day it often involves one or the other or both. Taking pictures that I like is great fun but sharing my photography with others makes it real," writes Tom Salwasser of Minnesota.

old style NCT trail marker (by Tom Salwasser)

This is what the very first North Country Trail markers looked like- the NCT name first came from the Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota. It appears that Tom has found a new version of those originals.

In his blog, entitled "It's Later Than You Think," he shares many images from the forest, talks about maintenance, his hikes, and his love for the Chip. This is a section of trail that has needed someone to love it since the death of famed (to NCT folks) Rod MacRae several years ago. Salwasser has stepped up to the plate!

Tom's wife, Jean (by Tom Salwasser)

"Fall is the best time of year to hike," Tom adds. "Temps are cooler, bugs are gone, colors are out...speaking of which...Here my lovely wife Jean models the latest in chic woods wear."

Check out Tom's blog for more on the Chippewa National Forest

See It's Later Than You Think

New York Erv Markert Hike

Erv Markert hikers (photo by Larry Blumberg)

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submitted by Larry Blumberg

Led by John Morris's stand-ins, Alex and Michelle Gonzales, ten of us truly enjoyed a wet, drippy, and at times dreary-looking day out on the Finger Lake Trail's Spanish Loop (FLT Map M19) west of the Greek Peak Ski Resort.

This was the Erv Markert Fall Hike, the third in an annual series of FLTC "named hikes" (just in case you were wondering, the Spring hike is named after the FLTC's first president, which was back in the '60's, Wally Wood; and, the Summer hike is named for Ed Sidote, who currently serves as the FLT's end-to-end coordinator).

While John had planned our hike and had certainly intended to be our leader, knee problems limited him to meeting us at the start and finish of the hike. However, he took on that mission with a zeal - he secured free drink coupons for us for after the hike over at the Gatherings Restaurant near Greek Peak. So, John, feel free to "lead" a hike for us anytime!

Spanish Loop Trail (photo by Larry Blumberg)

All told, between the Spanish Loop and a couple of side loops off the Spanish Loop, plus some additional mileage on the FLT over to the site of what may have been an old mine of some sort, we covered about 7 wet miles... it was a good test of our rain and foot gear !

See more pictures from this hike See Finger Lakes Trail

Infected by the H1-K1-NG Bug

Marilyn Hoogstraten (photo by JHY)

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by JHY

Marilyn Hoogstraten may have been infected with a serious virus. It begins with a little worm of an idea drilling its way into the brain. There it waits and festers, feeding on the cells of a 9 to 5 job and a “normal” life until one day it erupts into a feverish desire to run into the woods carrying only a pack and two sticks... Yes, Marilyn is one of the many who grew up wanting to hike a long trail.

With a smile and the swing of a hiking stick, Marilyn confessed to a dream from long ago of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Her story seemed an echo of my own. She married, raised two children, still no time to hike. Then retirement arrived and she started a new business as an outgrowth of a beloved hobby, her talents as a photographer. And she did well. But all those summer weddings prevented her from taking hikes beyond the day excursions of her local club the Grand Traverse Hikers (which is also a chapter of the North Country Trail Association). “I was spending a whole lot of time sitting in front of a computer, and I gained weight” she explained with a grimace.

Then one day she knew she had to do it. She decided that her goal would be to hike all of the North Country Trail in Michigan that wasn’t road walk. That idea didn’t last long! If she was going to do a state, she would have to do all of it. Besides, she wanted to start in March and the southernmost Michigan sections are on roads. Now she has only about 150 miles of the NCT’s 600 in the Lower Peninsula yet to walk. “I’ve only started the UP,” she explained. Her hike near Brevort Lake was one of the most difficult with much of the trail knee-deep in water in the early spring. She began to wonder if she was cut out for hiking rugged trails, but, she said, “I always found the next road or trailhead and then realized that I could do it.”

Marilyn hikes in fog in the Manistee National Forest (photo by JHY)

All of her miles this year have been day hikes. “I want to get a new pack and try thru-hiking,” Marilyn added. “Maybe next year.” She often hikes with friends so that they can put a car at each end of the day’s walk. Tuesday, she walked from Timber Creek on US 10 to 96th St, the Lake / Newaygo County line. She emailed me, and I spotted her in exchange for an interview. Her plan was to camp at Highbanks that night, and friends would be joining her for the next day’s walk. “The logistics of making this hike happen have been challenging,” she admitted.

Her hope was to lose some weight through all the hiking. “But I was so hungry after hiking for three days in a row that I would gain five pounds,” she chuckled. “I lost that, then gained some back. I’m still too heavy,” she admitted. But she also pointed out that she is proof than anyone with a strong desire can walk out their door and take on a long trail. You don’t have to be young and slim, with the limbs and metabolism of a race horse. You just need to have a passion. A map is good too...

Both walking alone and in the company of others give her pleasure. “It’s really nice to camp with one or two friends,” she acknowledged. She really likes the variety of experiences on the NCT. Rural roads can be as interesting as the forests. She’s enjoying the colors of fall the best of all the seasons so far.

As we parted at Wingleton Road she was heard mumbling things like “Maybe I’ll order the Wisconsin maps.” Or, “I could hike most of Ohio in the winter; one of my daughters lives there.” Oh, yes, Marilyn’s infection has become quite serious...

See Marilyn's Journal See A Hike with Marilyn and Maggie for more pictures from that hike