Notice: I've taken a part-time job, and it's definitely affecting my blogging time. I'll continue to add content here as often as possible. Pertinent guest posts are always welcome.

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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Map Number to be Added to Posts


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map button From now on, all posts will also contain this small graphic, with some text following it. That text will be the name and source of the trail map on which the events in article occur. In some cases, the topic will be more general, or from other trails. In that case, the information will simply not be included.

See Wampum Chapter of the NCTA


Saturday, November 28, 2009

Crown Point Bridge Closed!

Crown Point Bridge
Crown Point Bridge (photo by JHY)

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based on a news article in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise

On October 16, 2009 the states of New York and Vermont officially closed the Crown Point Bridge, when it was found to be unstable and unsafe for traffic. This follows the February addition of the bridge to the National Registry of Historic Places.

New York Governor, David Paterson, has announced that the 80-year-old bridge is unrepairable, and will be torn down and replaced. A ferry service is temporarily replacing the bridge to transport vehicles and pedestrians with the states subsidizing the costs. Many people live in one state and work in the other. However, as the lake freezes, people are being urged to make alternate transportation plans.

The bridge is currently the eastern terminus of the North Country Trail. Recent discussion with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy had re-opened the possibility of a connection of the two trails in Vermont.

It would be hoped that the new bridge will include a protected pedestrian walkway to accommodate the trail.

See Addison Crown Point Bridge updates


Friday, November 27, 2009

Castle Rock Restoration Project

ATV damage near Castle Rock
ATV damage on the NCT near Castle Rock in Michigan's UP (photo from the HSS chapter)

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from Charlene Dewitt, Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore President

The National Forest Service is working with Hiawatha Shore to Shore Chapter (HSS)/North Country Trail Association to restore the North Country Trail. The NCT has suffered extensive ORV damage in the area behind Castle Rock. Bill Menke, Regional Trail Coordinator for Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, plotted the project in May 2008. The plan includes restoring the trail to the original tread, reroutes to improve trail design, building structures over damaged wetlands. Trailhead parking and a kiosk are included in the project. Signs will be installed from I-75 to the trailhead.

Charlene DeWitt is writing a Cost Challenge Share for National Park Service funding. HSS is asking for a tool trailer and tools for the construction. The NFS is supplying design, materials and supervison. NCT volunteers as well as VISTA and Boy and Girl Scouts will do the construction and restoration.

NCT and HSS work sessions are planned throughout the summer of 2010. This includes three work week sessions and brief two or three day sessions from May 22nd to July 25th . The work weeks are May 24th to May 28th , July 26th to July 30th , and September 20th and 25th .

See Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore Chapter of the NCTA


Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tar Hollow - Ohio Spotlight

tar hollow state forest sign
(photo by JHY)


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based on a news release of the Akron Beacon Journal

Tar Hollow State Forest in south-central Ohio is often overlooked in favor of the better known Old Man's Cave or Hocking Hills. Tar Hollow State Park is just 619 acres within the 16,000 acre state forest. But this very natural park offers plenty of what Ohio used to be like before it was heavily settled.

The area is known for steep ridges and deep ravines. On the dry ridge tops one can find oaks, hickories, shortleaf and pitch pines. Along the rivers the black willow, sycamores, and buckeyes abound. The area is located in the sandstone hills that transition to the Allegheny Plateau.

tar hollow fire tower
Brush Ridge fire tower (photo by JHY)
The forest was named for the tar from the pitch pines. It was a staple for early settlers who used it for everything from liniment to lubricant. It was also distilled into turpentine.

The forest has an extensive trail system roughly in a figure 8. At the center of the system is the Brush Ridge Fire Tower. The Buckeye / North Country Trail reaches this point from the SE, and then makes a sharp turn at the tower to the SW.

One could easily spend a long weekend at Tar Hollow. In all, there are 24 miles of hiking trails, and 2.5 miles of mountain bike trails. There are five backpacking campsites and seven overnight log shelters. 25 miles of bridle trails also traverse the forest, including a horse camp.

Wildflower enthusiasts will find southern Ohio to be spectacular in the springtime.

tar hollow fire tower
violet wood sorrel (photo by JHY)


The Tar Hollow Region stretches from points 2 to 7 on the Scioto Section of the Buckeye Trail Maps, for 11.7 miles of off-road trail. Camping is allowed near the fire tower (no water).

The Beacon Journal article gives much more information about the local area.

See Buckeye Trail
See Tar Hollow State Forest


Sunday, November 22, 2009

Manlius NY Couple Wins FLTC Clar-Willis Award

Bill and Anne Brosseau
Bill and Anne Brosseau (left) with Jon Bowen (photo from ADK Mountain Club)

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based on a news article in the Syracuse Post-Standard

The Clar-Willis award is bestowed annually by the Finger Lakes Trail Conference on a distinguished trail volunteer or couple. At the fall meeting of the Adirondack Mountain Club this past weekend, Bill and Anne Brosseau, of Manlius (near Syracuse, New York) received the honor.

John Bowen, chairman of the Adirondack Mountain Club - Onondaga Chapter, presented the award. The Brosseaus have made a significant contribution over a period of time as trail workers.

The Clar-Willis award was named after Henry Clar and Edward Willis, early Finger Lakes trail volunteers. They exhibited outstanding dedication and long time service in building and maintaining many miles of the Finger Lakes Trail system. The Finger Lakes Trail and North Country Trail are concurrent for approximately 300 miles through central and western New York.

See Finger Lakes Trail Conference


Saturday, November 21, 2009

Trail Connected Chippewa to Itasca

Jerry Trout
Jerry Trout on new boardwalk (photo by JHY)

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guest post by Jerry Trout

November 19, 2009 at 3:20PM is now a historical moment. The North Country Trail is now completed between the Chippewa National Forest and Itasca State Park.

We drove the symbolic golden spike four and six tenths miles east of Itasca State Park. Ray Vlasak and his Bad Medicine folks started the trail east from Itasca before they were diverted to the Laurentian Lakes Chapter. The Itasca Moraine Chapter built west from the Chip until Ray left and then we worked both ways.

Thursday was the culmination of the effort that began in earnest September 13, 2001. John Leinen brought up a crew on that date from the metro area and the Itasca Moraine Chapter was formed the next spring. The Federal Recreation Trail Program, Minnesota Conservation Corps, National Park Service, Hubbard County, NCTA, MN DNR can all share in this moment but the true champions in this effort are the following people:
  • Arlen Damlo
  • Carter Hedeen
  • Bruce Johnson
  • Darrin Miller
  • Darrel Rodekuhr
  • Harvey Tjader
  • Jerry Trout
  • Ray Vlasak

NCT kiosk at Itasca State Park
new North Country Trail kiosk at Itasca State Park southern entrance. Plaque commemorates Rod MacRae, Minnesota NCT trail pioneer. (photo by JHY)


As I keyed the above names I was overcome with emotion. This was an effort spanning eight years that overflowed with work, fun, vision, and passion

Regards, Jerry

See Itasca Moraine Chapter of the NCTA


Friday, November 20, 2009

Chequamegon Section Added to Wiki Guide

Marengo Valley Wisconsin
Marengo River Valley (photo by RMA)

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received from Ed Ronkowski and Marty Swank

The Chequamegon Chapter of the NCTA has written a good description of the section of trail that their chapter maintains. They cover Copper Falls State Park through the Chequamegon National Forest.

Following is a sample of the guide, describing the trail where the photo above was taken.

Two hundred yards southeast of the Marengo River Bridge is 50 yard spur trail to the small Marengo River Adirondacks Shelter on the bank of the river. The shelter can sleep 4 people and has a fire ring in front. A few small brook trout can be caught in the deeper pools of the Marengo River after the start of trout fishing on the first Saturday in May each year. A trout stamp is required, and the popular spots along this narrow river are quickly fished out.

Climbing up out of the Marengo River Valley, the trail comes to the 50 yard spur trail to the south to the most scenic section of the Chequamegon Segment, the Juniper Rock overlook. The overlook has a grand unobstructed view in three directions over the Marengo River valley. From the spur trail intersection it is another .6 miles east to the Forest Road 202 Trailhead parking.

Anyone who is looking for a nice segment of off-road trail should consider central Wisconsin!

See Chequamegon Chapter of the NCTA


Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Adirondack Hikers Have Close Call

John Leahy and Kay Frey
John Leahy and his mother Kay Frey at the top of Round Mountain before being separated during their frightening night on the mountain. (photo by John Leahy)

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based on a news article in the Eastwick Press

One of the alternate routes through the Adirondacks which North Country Trail hikers might currently choose, until we have an official route, includes crossing Round Mountain. It is a smaller peak in the Daks. Both Ed Talone and Joan Young used this route. People think that the eastern mountains are just silly little peaks. Those who know the area, know better. You can read the full story of this outing by following the link.

On October 12, 2009, John Leahy and his mother Kay Frey decided to go for a little outing. They are both experienced hikers, including in the fickle Adirondacks. They decided to climb Round Mountain, a 3100-foot peak with 1280 feet of vertical ascent from Keene Valley. They allowed 6 hours for the 4.5-mile round trip. Although Kay is 86, the two hike together routinely, and expected to easily return to the car by nightfall. "After so many hikes under our belts we were pretty nonchalant," noted Leahy.

The day was mild, 50 degrees under cloudy skies. The two had fleece jackets and gloves, sweat shirts, wool hats, wool socks, boots and a light sports training jacket. They carried food for one meal. John said that he carelessly listened to the weather forecast for the overnight hours, and failed to remember clearly that it said rain with a chance of snow.

They made slow progress and reached the top of Round Mountain after most other hikers had begun to descend, but there was still plenty of time. However, on the way down, Kay began to feel week and her legs became rubbery. Even with John supporting her, they realized that they would not make it to the car before dark. "The occasional joke[s] about doing things the hard way were being replaced by unspoken anxiety about getting down the last stretch of trail and reaching the car."

With about 1.5 miles yet to reach their vehicle they held a conference and it was decided that Kay would wait on a large rock and John would try to reach the car by dark and return with a flashlight. "In afterthought, the idea of my mother hobbling out a mile and a half in that condition, even with a flashlight, was completely absurd, but the reality that we were in serious trouble hadn’t penetrated into our consciousness yet," John recalled.

It became completely dark as John descended, and he tried to stay on the path by noting that the treadway was packed harder than the forest soil. Anyone who has hiked Adirondack trails knows that this might or might not work. After he accidentally stepped off a rock into nothing, resulting in a nasty fall, he realized that he was going to have to hunker down and wait for morning. And he knew that his mother was going to have to do the same thing, alone.
The unimaginable had occurred. I could not see enough to be able to move from my dark prison space, and I had left my mother alone in a state of physical exhaustion and could do nothing now to help her. I was shocked to find myself trapped in such a vulnerable position, not being able to help either myself or my mother. I was frustrated at being so close to safety and assistance but not being able to move even a step closer through the black forest shadows.

John tried to break off branches to fashion a crude shelter, or at least cover himself, but was unable to keep them from sliding off. He had no watch, and began counting the seconds, minutes and hours, to keep the panic at bay and wait for dawn. It began to rain, and he jogged in place whenever he needed to warm up. "The air temperature that night never got below the mid-30s and with a tent and a sleeping bag it would have been a comfortable routine night of camping." As it was he was miserable. The sky began to lighten, and John thought that the dawn had begun to break. Then he realized that the brightness was due to snow which was falling. He began to think that he wouldn't survive the night, and dared not think about his mother on her rock.

Finally the night ended and John determined that he was still actually on the trail. He decided that the best option was to hurry down and seek medical assistance for his mother, who was likely suffering from hypothermia at this point. He reached the AuSable Club at 7 am and their security Chief called the NY DEC Rangers.

The Rangers made John wait at the foot of the mountain. "It was time for the professionals to take over." The Rangers found Kay awake and in good spirits, moving about in the little clearing around the rock. She was shivering, but one Ranger noted, "she's tough."

Kay explained that she realized very soon after John left that nothing was going to happen until morning, so she hunkered down and tried to make the most of it. The biggest problem was that the rain created a stream around her rock and her feet were actually in the water all night, but the wool socks still kept them warm. She, too, had moved around as much as possible and stayed awake through the entire night. Her first question for the Rangers was whether her son had also survived.

After a few hours of observation, the pair were released from medical care, and returned home, with yet another story of how one needs to respect the mountains, and always be prepared.

See Desperate Hours for Two Grafton Hikers


Saturday, November 14, 2009

Enjoying a Hike Before Gun-Deer Season

hikers on boardwalk
Spirit of the Woods hikers (photo by JHY)

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by JHY

In Michigan, tomorrow is the opening day of gun-deer hunting season. Most hikers prefer to stay out of the woods for those weeks. Probably many chapters of the North Country Trail Association head out for a hike in the final days before that season opens in the various states. Seven members of the Spirit of the Woods chapter in Michigan (and 4 dogs) headed out to take a look at the completed 550 feet of boardwalk that they had built over the summer.

Sterling Marsh
Sterling Marsh (photo by JHY)


The trail passes by the edge of Sterling Marsh, a great spot for birdwatching or listening to frogs in the springtime. However, the area is often knee-deep in water at that time of year. And even today sections of the trail were very muddy. The chapter hopes to instead improve it, by building more boardwalk, so that it becomes a premier destination for wildlife watching.

top of large hemlock
crown of large hemlock (photo by JHY)
Throughout the local woods are a number of large hemlock trees which were surely not harvested when the area was logged in the early 20th century. This is the crown of one of the largest we found, estimated at about 100 feet tall.
circling a large hemlock
Dave and Vicky estimate the diameter (photo by JHY)
Two hikers were willing to become literal tree huggers, and thus estimated the diameter of the ancient hemlock at 11 feet.

The weather was more like October than November! Following the hike, the group sat in bright sunshine under blue skies and enjoyed their simple lunches.

This was just an "ordinary" hike... a group of trail enthusiasts gathered to enjoy a day in the woods. Across seven states, many such "ordinary" hikes add up to an extraordinary dedication to the completion of the North Country Trail.

See Baldwin Rotary Helps Build Sterling Marsh Boardwalk
If you would like to see your NCT hike featured here, contact jhy@t-one.net


Friday, November 13, 2009

Support the Arrowhead Reroute

Royal River bluff on the Border Route Trail
Royal River bluff on the MN Arrowhead (photo by JHY)

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from Bruce Matthews, NCTA Executive Director

We've got some movement in Congress on the Arrowhead re-route legislation--please help us get this over the top in 2010! Find out how below....

Support S. 553--Need YOUR Senators to co-sponsor!

The members of our North Country Trail community- our red plaid nation- have long cherished the notion that the world class hiking in northeastern Minnesota on the Superior Hiking Trail along the north shore, and on the Border Route and Kekekabic Trails through the Boundary Waters (together known as the Arrowhead Route) was worthy of inclusion as part of the North Country National Scenic Trail. However this requires an act of Congress- literally- to make it so.

Currently two bills are pending in this Congress, HR 481 and S. 553. Both would authorize the Arrowhead as part of the NCNST. HR 481 has been reported out of committee, but with two amendments that could be problematic. Consequently our efforts are now focused on getting a clean Senate version through the Environment and Natural Resources Committee in hopes this will be the version eventually passed and signed into law.

What we need you to do:
S.553 was introduced by Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and is currently co-sponsored by Senators Levin and Stabenow (both MI) and Senator Feingold (WI). We need all 14 Senators from our North Country Trail states to sign on as co-sponsors. Please contact your Senator(s) and request their support of S.553, the North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act of 2009.

Fax, e-mail or phone call works best. Simply support their joining the rest of their NCNST Senate colleagues in signing onto S. 553 as a co-sponsor.

Next steps will be getting the bill through the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which we hope will be scheduled in early 2010. We'll keep you posted.

See the Senate Bill
Find your Senator


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

New BRT Overview Condition Map

condition map for Border Route Trail
follow link for full size map


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from a posting in NCT Friends

John Garbe has created a map showing the condition of the BRT using Google maps and Ed Solstad's trail condition spreadsheet to serve as a replacement for the old trail conditions maps on the Border Route Trail website:

The color indicates condition of the trail: green = no deadfall and minimal brush, yellow = minimal deadfall and moderate brush, red = moderate deadfall and heavy brush, and grey = road or wide ski trail that isn't regular trail. If you put your mouse over a section of trail (the hand will turn into a pointed finger) and click on it you'll get more detailed information about that section. The usual google maps features (pan, zoom, satellite and terrain overlays) work.

The trail condition information comes from Ed's spreadsheet, which divides the trail into 56 short sections and records the condition of each section and when it was last cleared. Garbe wrote a little program to convert the data in the spreadsheet into a form that google maps can read and combined it with coordinates for each section. Any time somebody updates/edits the spreadsheet (updating trail conditions or adding/modifying trail segments) it just takes a couple minutes for John to update the map.

Garbe plans to add on spur and access trails and incorporate the map into the regular website layout. He welcomes any suggestions or comments.

See Border Route Trail


Monday, November 9, 2009

Jerry Gauld Forages the UP NCT

Jerry Gauld
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.

campsite of Jerry Gauld
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


Saturday, November 7, 2009

The 500-Mile Summer- An NCT Sampler

hiker on Border Route Trail
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


Thursday, November 5, 2009

Mother Goose Heads for NM Until Next Year

Tahquamenon River
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


Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Update on NCTA Wiki Guide

NCTA wiki guide example

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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


Monday, November 2, 2009

NCTA New Director of Trail Development

Andrea Ketchmark
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

tree broken
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.