NCT Hikers Volunteer Adventure Success

trail crews grubbing trail (photo from NCT Hikers Chapter)

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from the Fall 2009 Newsletter of the North Country Trail Hikers Chapter of the NCTA

From Wednesday evening, September 16 through Tuesday morning, September 22, the Marquette, Michigan, North Country Trail Hikers Chapter hosted a NCTA Volunteer Adventure east of County Road 510 approximately 11 miles north of US-41/M-28. Primitive camping at the site was home for the week for 10 of the 24 participants.

Superb meals prepared by John Forslin and Sue Holtzmann were enjoyed by all. Jan Lindstrom Wester served as our Marquette based emergency contact person. Work building new trail took place on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm for a total of 52 person days contributed.

Saturday was a day of recreation where some participants hiked, visited the Maritime Museum, stopped in at the Sands Model Airplane Club’s Annual Fun Fly, took a tour of Presque Isle, or just relaxed. Each evening campers circled the campfire and shared stories of hiking and other adventures.

Gold Standard Trail (photo from NCT Hikers Chapter)

Our chapter had scouted and marked the trail prior to the arrival of the Volunteer Adventurers. Our goal was to get a pathway cut to allow hikers to get from County Road 510 east to some two-tracks and road walk towards the Little Garlic River area. Bill Menke, our Regional Trail Coordinator, scouted and marked additional trail that, along with our marked trail, was completed during the VA. Through chain sawing, throwing off debris, lopping, grubbing, leveling, benching, and step building, almost two miles of new trail was opened up to hikers.

A portion of the segment was fine-tuned to meet the Gold Standard of trail building with benching along hillsides and the building of stone steps. Blazing was begun and will continue later this fall. Overall, we more than accomplished our goal thanks to all the volunteers’ efforts.

North Country Trail Hikers Chapter