Wetmore Pond Eagle Scout Project

Scouts, leader, and Cliff Stammer after a day of work. (photo from NCTH)

from the North Country Trail Hikers Footprints, Fall 2011

In July, Andrew Virch, working towards an Eagle Scout Badge, organized a work crew of scouts and leaders from Troop 309, along with several of our members, to replace and build some puncheon board walk in Wetmore Pond. In a day and a half of work, the project was complete.

Completed puncheon in Wetmore Pond (photo from NCTH)

This segment is on NCTA map MI-12

See North Country Trail Hikers Chapter of the NCTA

AmeriCorps Trail Work Near Marquette

benching trail at Silver Lake (photo from NCT Hikers)

from Footnotes, summer 2011

On Sunday, June 5, a group of 17 AmeriCorps volunteers from the Greater Grand Rapids Area American Red Cross arrived in Marquette to help with a variety of projects on the trail. Monday morning three different groups went to work.

One group worked Monday through Thursday, at the McCormick Wilderness segment and into Segment 25 where they cleared a slew (over 65) of blowdowns, lopped and raked the trail. Remember that no power tools are allowed in the Wilderness, so all their efforts were executed with hand tools - crosscut saws, loppers and rakes.

A second group met in Ishpeming and headed north to build new trail on the west side of the Mulligan Plains up a steep hill. A series of switchbacks were built including sections of benching the trail and adding rock steps. Four full days of physical exertion added slightly less than a mile of new blue-blazed trail up the hill for a rise of over 330 feet in elevation.

new puncheon at Wetmore Pond (photo from UpperMichigansSource.com)

The third group headed out to Sigan Road in Alger County to do some heavy lopping, general trail maintenance and blazing. Just getting in and out of that work site via Sigan Road from Sand River Road was an adventure the AmeriCorps probably won’t forget for a while. This group also worked at Wetmore Pond, removing the old boardwalks and replacing them with all new materials on the Old Growth Trail. A couple of reroutes and shorter boardwalks were also tackled on the west trail. Swamping through the muck paid off when the completed project could be easily hiked without fear of falling through a broken board. Note that Plum Creek Timber Company donated all building materials for the Wetmore Pond project. A subgroup also repaired handrails, added a step to some stairs and did a small reroute on the Wetmore Landing segment on the east side of County Rd 550.

This segment is on NCTA map MI-12

See North Country Trail Hikers Chapter of the NCTA

New Trail to Little Garlic River

Chuck Ganzert & Puck Bates skiing on new trail along the south side of the Little Garlic River. (photo from NCT Hikers "Footprints")

from Footprints, Winter 2011

Once the season’s trail maintenance was completed, the NCTH trail crew began building a 4.2 mile new segment of trail. From the north end of Segment 16 - Little Presque Isle Point to Echo Lake Road, the new trail segment crosses Echo Lake Road and then enters the woods winding up the hill, following the ridge to a nice view (when leaves are off the trees) of Lake Superior. From here it turns northwesterly meandering through the woods sometimes following old logging roads as it passes Gokey Rock.

Eventually a spur trail up Gokey Rock will give hikers a chance to climb up, take a break and enjoy the view. From Gokey Rock, the trail continues more northerly as it heads to the south side of the Little Garlic River. At the river it turns east following the ridge to County Road 550.

At 550 turn left to cross the Little Garlic River bridge and then into the parking area at Elliott Donnelley Wilderness.

new trail map (from NCT Hikers "Footprints")

This new segment replaces Segment 17 - Eagles Nest Road (Echo Lake Road) to Elliott Donnelley Wilderness and eliminates two crossings of County Road 550.

This segment is on NCTA map MI-11

See North Country Trail Hikers Chapter of the NCTA

Fall Softies Hike in Michigan's UP

Fall 2010 Softies hikers (photo from NCT Hikers "Footprints")

from Footprints, Winter 2011 by Sarah Fisher

This hike is in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Softies group continually hikes across the UP, but prefers to "camp" indoors. -Ed.

Jeff and I joined our first North Country Trail Softies Walk at 10:00 am at Koski Corners. After brief introductions we caravaned with Marge and John Forslin, Reggie and LuAnn Krueger, Lorana Jinkerson, and Carole Bard. Our first stop was brunch at the Hardwood Inn in Covington. We then continued to the Loop Road Lodge in Trout Creek, our base camp for the next few days.

Because of rainy conditions and possible flooding, we decided to postpone our first hike for a day. Instead we took a short walk on the road and admired the fall foliage. Jan Lindstrom Wester and Nancy Bradbury arrived to join us for a delicious pot luck dinner and evening of conversation. We entertained ourselves playing golf and Nordic ski-jumping with the WI game the Forslins brought. Jan excelled at golf while LuAnn turned out to be quite the skijumper!

Friday, after a leisurely breakfast we embarked on the first leg of the trek from FH16 where Gale Jamsen met us to South Laird Road. We covered 6.5 miles which was quite sufficient due to the rain and wet terrain. We all appreciated hot showers and the use of the clothes dryer upon our return to the Lodge. The trail along a ridge with deep ravines on both sides. We then enjoyed a gourmet pork loin dinner provided by masterchef, John.

Saturday our plan was to walk all of segment 18 and half of segment 19 from South Laird Road and the Sturgeon Falls Trail. Gale Jamsen met us at the beginning of the trail. Marge and Jan decided to take a short walk and go down to see the Falls. (2-3 mile round trip on a non NCT trail). Doug Welker, President of the Peter Wolfe Chapter, had provided an alternate route for us to avoid crossing some deep rivers. In spite of that we had extremely wet conditions and hidden deep holes to navigate.

We had quite an adventurous day. Part of the time the blazes were difficult to follow due to lack of trees. Just after our lunch break while crossing a very high ridge we came upon an abandoned bicycle in good condition, as if it had been left there quite recently. We searched and called out, but discovered no one. Lorana entered the coordinates into her GPS to report to the police. Then Reggie knocked his glasses off while kicking a branch off the path. After a 15 minute search Gale found them and we continued. We walked a few miles extra before finding the exit to the road, so we decided to do the Sturgeon Falls in the morning when we were fresh.

We finished the evening with great hamburgers at UP Chucks in Kenton. Nancy, LuAnn and Reggie returned home for family obligations.

Sunday was a beautiful day to complete our walk. Lorana, Carole, Jeff and I began with the sharp descent to the Falls. The waterfalls were especially beautiful and full after the previous few days of rain. We found the switch backs in the path to make the climb back easier and were off to join Jan and Marge on the trail. We walked 5.82 miles to FR2236 (the rest of segment 19 and half of segment 20. The terrain was much different: a more open plains like area.

Since we had packed and neatened up the lodge before starting we were ready to caravan to lunch at the Hardwood Cafe and then on home.

A great time was had by all. The walks were invigorating. The fall colors were magnificent. The meals were were delicious. The company was compatible. A big THANKS goes to Marge for planning, John for shuttling and cooking, and Lorana for leading the walks. Another softies walk was successfully completed. We are looking forward to the Spring Softies Hike 2011.

This segment is on NCTA map MI-13

See North Country Trail Hikers Chapter of the NCTA

Andy Skurka to be in Marquette, MI Jan 19

Andy Skurka at the Grand Canyon (file photo provided by andrewskurka.com)

if you like this article, click the Blip chiclet!
from North Country Trail Hikers

North Country Trail Hikers Chapter General Membership Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19th beginning at 7:00 pm in Marquette, Michigan. The meeting will be at 102 Jamrich Hall on Northern Michigan University's Campus. We will hold the Business Meeting promptly at 7:00 pm to be followed at 7:30 pm with a presentation by Andrew Skurka, an accomplished 28-year-old outdoor adventurer who since 2002 has trekked over 23,000 miles.

NMU's Organization for Outdoor Recreation Professionals is co-hosting Andrew for his visit with us. They have worked hard to secure the funding to bring him to Marquette for this event.

Andrew will present "Far, Fast, and Light" at our joint meeting but earlier in the day, at 5:15 pm, he will present a "Lightweight Backpacking & Skills Clinic" in the Great Lakes Room of the University Center on NMU’s campus, specifically for NMU students but the public is more than welcome to attend as well. Both events are FREE of charge. Please share this announcement with everyone.

In 2004-2005 Skurka was the first person to hike the 7000-mile Sea-to-Sea Route which includes the entire North Country Trail.

This segment is on NCTA map MI-13

See North Country Trail Hikers Chapter of the NCTA

NCT Hikers Volunteer Adventure Success

trail crews grubbing trail (photo from NCT Hikers Chapter)

if you like this article, click the Blip chiclet!

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

New Book- Nettie Does the NCT

from Lorana Jinkerson

Lorana Jinkerson, NCT volunteer, and active member of the North Country Trail Hikers Chapter, has written a book for children about the trail. Lorana, of Marquette, Michigan, is a retired Professor of Educational Technology at Northern Michigan University.

Nettie Does the NCT: North Country Trail is a children’s book about four friends who are members of the North Country Trail Association and love to hike the North Country National Scenic Trail. As the story of their adventures unfolds, Blue Blazes provide the reader with interesting and useful facts about the North Country Trail and hiking it, thus making this book a teaching tool for parents and teachers as well as a fun book to read.

For those who can make it, there will be a book dedication party, July 10, at 5 pm in Marquette (at 1830 Altamont). Please RSVP to Lorana. Anyone who plans to attend the NCTA conference in Valley City, ND may also meet Lorana and purchase the book there.

All profits from the sale of the book will be divided between the NCTA and the North Country Trail Hikers Chapter.

See Nettie Does the NCT

Two More National Trails Day Events

from various sources

The Harbor Springs Chapter, Michigan, of the North Country Trail Association near Petoskey, will sponsor a two mile hike on Saturday, June 6, on “Section 2” of the trail between Brutus Road and Stutsmansville Road in Pleasantview Township. A longer hike is optional for those wishing to go further on the trail. All are invited, including children, to this free hike. We will see spring wildflowers, a beech-maple forest, cross an active stream, and ascend to a climax forest that includes beech, maple and giant ash trees. There is a section where the effects of logging can be seen and how the trail has been preserved. Carpool from the Pleasantview Township Hall at 10 a.m., returning at approximately 1 p.m. Difficulty level: moderate. Bring bug repellent, water, and a lunch. Contact Gary Zebko, (231) 526-1312, for information.

The North Country Trail Hikers Chapter, Marquette, Michigan, is hosting a family hike for National Trails Day from 1:00-4:00 pm at Wetmore Pond. Go north out of Marquette on County Road 550 (the Big Bay Road) for approximately 5 miles - a little past Sugarloaf Mountain. Watch for our signs on the left on the curve. Hikes range from easy to moderate in woods, over some wetlands and up into some rocky outcrops with views of both Wetmore Pond and the Lily Pond. Connections to the North Country National Scenic Trail lead towards Hogback Mountain or to County Road 550. Contact Lorana Jinkerson, 906-226-6210, for more information.

Tom Funke- NCT Hiker- To Talk About UP Hikes

based on a news article submitted to various news services

Tom Funke is no stranger in North Country Trail circles. He has hiked over 1500 miles of the NCT, including all of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He will present a program based on his book, "50 Hikes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula," on June 10, 2009.

Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek will welcome Funke, who is currently director of conservation of the Michigan Audubon Society, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10. The program will focus on selected hikes from Funke’s book, featuring commentary on the natural history of each area to go along with the topography, elevation, and hike difficulty.

Funke has spent most of his life exploring the outdoors. He grew up in Bangor, Michigan, roaming the fields, forests, and swamps on his parent’s rural 25-acre hobby farm. “I basically spent my entire childhood chasing frogs, climbing trees and exploring streams,” said Funke. He went on to study biology and environmental studies at Western Michigan University.

From Western, he was employed by the Binder Park Zoo as an education intern. He progressed to become director of conservation education, before taking his current position with Michigan Audubon.

See the Battle Creek Enquirer

UPEC "Celebrate the UP" Will Include the NCT

Gogebic Lake- one of the great Upper Peninsula vistas (photo by Marie Altenau)

communication from the North Country Trail Hikers Chapter of the NCTA

This Saturday, March 28, the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition will present Celebrate the U.P.! beginning at 10:00 am at locations in Marquette, Michigan. Marge Forslin, Lorana Jinkerson, and Doug Welker will present at 1:30 pm in the Sky Room of the Landmark Inn as follows:

1:30-2:30 "North Country Trail in the Central U.P." and "Exploring the Wild and Spectacular Trap Hills of Ontonagon County." Marge and Lorana will present an overview of the North Country National Scenic Trail, followed by highlights of the trail as it traverses the central U.P. from western Alger Co. to eastern Baraga Co. Doug will use photos and maps to show how high rock cliffs, wild and scenic rivers, waterfalls, a rich copper mining history, and spectacular views from the North Country Trail make the Trap Hills special and why some are proposing a National Recreation Area there.

Other quality programs will also be presented throughout the day. For full information, visit the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition web site

See Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition

A Potential Benefit of the Yellow Dog Mine Project

approximate route of the NCT near the Yellow Dog Mine site (base map from the Marquette Mining Journal)

received from the North Country Trail Hikers Chapter

Designs and permit applications are being prepared by the Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company to construct a road from the company's proposed Eagle mine, sometimes called the Yellow Dog Mine, to U.S. 41 in Humboldt Township. This 23-mile road would be used to move nickel and copper ore to a proposed processing facility at the former Humboldt Mill. This road would benefit trail building efforts for the North Country Trail.

Kennecutt spokeswoman, Deb Muchmore said, "The road would largely utilize an existing two-track that comes through that area." The public requested that such a road be built to keep the heavy traffic off local county roads. At this point the road plan is still being called "tentative."


While it is difficult to feel positive about the environmental impacts of the mine, it is somewhat cheering to think that there might be some positive aspects for the trail. "This may help us access the area of our trail that is currently difficult to access - up the west side of the Silver Lake Basin," said Lorana Jinkerson of the North Country Trail Hikers.

See a more detailed map of the area with proposed NCT routes prepared by the North Country Trail Hikers Chapter (a pdf)
See The Mining Journal, "Mine road moves ahead," by John Pepin, Mar 8, 2009
See Yellow Dog Mine Receives Favorable Ruling

Kickin' Back - Memories of the Beginning of the NCT in the UP

Bea Anderson

by Bernice Anderson, excerpts from the North Country Trail Hikers Winter 2009 Newsletter

I have so many memories of the early construction of the trail, memories of sore muscles and numerous bug bites, especially Black Flies, but also a real sense of pride when the plans worked out. I thought I’d share some of these with you for those who may not know how some things came to pass. I’m not claiming to be accurate on dates and people involved but just bear with my original intent.

We used to have all our meetings at Gene Elzinga’s house, a lovely porch on the east side with a long table that always accommodated all of us. There we did our planning and work assignments. About fourteen people usually attended. Several of the very active people have since passed: Roland Schwitzgoebel, Bill Herron. Many more are unable to do this work anymore. Dan Hornbogen was a mainstay and I recall Russ Fure, the historian. Shirley La Bonte, treasurer, Jan Lindstrom Wester, Don Elzinga., Gerry Nault, Seth Johnson, and numerous others I can’t recall right now.

We usually marked the potential trail in the winter but come spring and summer, we found we had to change many areas when we discovered they were truly wet areas. Also sometimes there were huge brush piles, etc. No matter, it was always a challenge.

I think building the bridge over the Laughing Whitefish River and the board walks were some of the most difficult but also rewarding. The original plan was to make our trail south of the river in the rocky ledge that leads to the Ice Caves close to Eben. We scouted it and flagged our potential trail all the way to Laughing Whitefish Falls. We planned a loop from there. I fell in the river while crossing on a large log. Gene lost his walking stick but caught it before it went over the falls.

Because this was a designated wilderness [Rock River Canyon] area we had all kinds of hoops to jump through to try to get approval. Many letters and phone calls were made back and forth over quite a long time. They were with different agencies involved. I think I still have my last letter of protest: all to no avail as we were denied our trail. From there we went to the north side and had many difficulties with water, beaver dams, etc. We often worked 4 or 5 days a week and finally got to the place where the bridge was to be built. Then we worked from the west side to make the trail to the opposite side of the proposed bridge.

It was June with black flies galore. We were dressed like lumber jacks, each with an axe, hatchet or whatever, all muddy, blood running down our faces from the fly bites when some ORVs came by. You should have seen the looks on the driver’s faces as we gave them directions to Howe’s Lake.

We had many unexpected problems: someone came in and threw around all the wood steps that Marti and I had placed the day before. Also someone stole many of our 2x4s and much of our lumber. Since we could no longer safely leave our tools, etc. for the next day, eventually we found secure hiding places for the tools and a cave to put lumber in. See North Country Trail Hikers Winter 2009 Newsletter for the complete article
and read an interview with Bea Anderson , featured in "Heart & Sole," North Star April 2003 - find her in the left column under Michigan

North Country Trail Hikers Program

from the North Country Trail Hikers Chapter

At the General Membership Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 13, Carol Fullsher, Director of Recreation Development, Lake Superior Community Partnership to agreed to come and speak to us. Carol will share a PowerPoint presentation on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, its current progress and plans for the future. The program ends with Q&A session.

The meeting will be at 7:00 pm at 1830 Altamont St. in Marquette, Michigan.