Take the Grand Traverse Hikers 100-Mile Challenge

from the Grand Traverse Hiking Club

Can you hike 100 miles in a week?
In 10 days? That would be just 10 miles a day!
Could you do it in a month?
Could you hike 100 miles within one year?

If you can do any of the above, completing the 100 miles maintained by their chapter, Grand Traverse Hiking Club will award a decal and certificate and a Michigan NCT patch.

A Hiking Log has been developed to record each section with the date completed. You can do the sections in any order you want. The requirement is to travel the whole 100 miles of our section of trail under your own power in one year.


This segment is on NCTA map MI-05, 06

See Grand Traverse Hiking Club Chapter of the NCTA

NCT News Makes Top 50 Camping Blogs

Each year, Justbackpacksonline spends weeks reading and ranking hiking, backpacking, and camping blogs to determine who has the best content, advice, and ideas in the outdoor blogging world. This blog has been judged to have been proven to be one of those. On January 1st, 2012. Then we will choose from the field of 100 to determine who is the best. How will the winner be chosen?

Each week we will narrow the field by 25. The blogs chosen will be those with content updates and whoever sends traffic via the badge in this post, or in the right sidebar.

If North Country Trail News makes the top 25, it will go to a vote to help in the consideration of the winner. Stay tuned! If we make the top 25, we'll need your help.

NCT News in Top 75

This blog has made it to the top 75 in the Camping Blogs Excellence selection process. The blogs chosen will be those with content updates and whoever sends traffic via the badge on the right.

Each week they will also "feature" one blog from the list who has displayed excellent quality that week on their site. During the Final 25 round, we will take it to a vote to help in the consideration of the winner.

On January 1st, 2012 there will be only 1 blog remaining as the top outdoors blog.

NCT News Nominated for Top 100 Camping Blogs

from JustBackpacksOnline.com

North Country Trail News has been nominated as one of the top 100 Camping Blogs. Here's what they say:

Your Blog Has Been Chosen As One of the Top 100.

Each year, Justbackpacksonline spends weeks reading and ranking hiking, backpacking, and camping blogs to determine who has the best content, advice, and ideas in the outdoor blogging world. We have read your blog and we believe that you have proven yourself to be one of those. By simply putting the badge on your site, you will automatically enter yourself to win an Amazon $100 and more on January 1st, 2012. Then we will choose from the field of 100 to determine who is the best. How will the winner be chosen?

Each week we will narrow the field by 25. As of next week, we will release our first "Top 75" list. We have read each and every blog closely and will continue to do so. The blogs chosen will be those with content updates and whoever sends traffic via the badges provided below. Each week we will also "feature" one blog from the list who has displayed excellent quality that week on their site.

On January 1st, 2012 there will be only 1 blog remaining as the top outdoors blog.

I think this is a nice honor, and winning a few dollars would sure help this blog stay in "business." If you are willing, why not click on the logo, either in this post or in the sidebar. You might even find a nice pack you like.

In any case, thanks for reading!

Florence Hedeen Honored by Northwest Minnesota Foundation

Florence Hedeen- taken on a hike (photo by Lyle Bialk)

based on a news article in thePark Rapids Enterprise

Anyone who has attended NCTA annual conferences knows Florence Hedeen, and any NCTA volunteer in Minnesota knows that she works tirelessly for the North Country Trail. Her dedication to this, and other, causes has now be noted by the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. She is one of three recipients of their 25th Anniversary excellence awards. Florence was "selected for strong leadership and for continually enhancing the quality" of places she lives and works.

Florence and her husband, Carter, live in Park Rapids, Minnesota.

She is active with the Northwest Minnesota Women’s Fund, serving on the advisory committee for 10 years and also served as the chairperson. She helped restart the Park Rapids League of Women Voters and was elected to the state board. Her work on increasing League membership in Minnesota resulted in her nomination to become a Ruth S. Shur Fellow in 2009 and she was among the first class of 12 national coaches serving state and local Leagues.

Just in case that isn't enough to keep Florence busy, she is also a member of the local school board.

Florence is living proof that if you want something done, you should ask a busy person. Her energy always amazes us, and we salute her for this honor.



See Itasca Moraine Chapter of the NCTA

Tom Gilbert Honored on Retirement

Tom & Jan Gilbert (photo by JHY)

by JHY

Although Tom Gilbert officially retired from his post as National Park Service Superintendent of the North Country National Scenic Trail in May, the association had not had a chance to honor him until the recent annual conference.

First, Tom was presented with a bronze plaque from Bill and Donna Menke. Bill had worked with Tom as the NPS Trail Manager for a number of years. The plaque reads, "Tom Gilbert in recognition and appreciation of his outstanding contributions and dedication to the North Country National Scenic Trail. National Park Service Superintendent 1981-2011." Bill instructed Tom to think of where along the trail he would like to see this placed, and Bill will do his best to arrange that.

Tom Gibert (left) receives a guitar from Bruce Matthews (photo by JHY)

The staff of the NCTA then gave Tom a new guitar. Although we haven't often seen Tom play, it's known that he likes to play and sing for his own relaxation.

Finally, with the help of contributions from a number of sources, the Gilberts were given a lifetime membership in the North Country Trail Association. Now that Tom is a private citizen he can become a member.

Since Tom is the only Superintendent the NCT has ever known, this transition really leads the trail into a new era. Pam Schuler, formerly with the Ice Age Trail, has been appointed to serve as Superintendent in an interim capacity.

Arlen Matson Receives Lifetime Achievement

NCTA President Larry Hawkins (left) presents award to Arlen Matson (photo by jhy)

by jhy

Day two of the North Country Trail Association Conference in Dayton, Ohio, was filled with morning workshops and seminars, afternoon hikes, tours, and trail work opportunities, and the annual awards ceremony in the evening. Many awards were given which will be covered in detail in the next issue of North Star. However, a highlight each year is to see who will be the recipient of the one Lifetime Achievement Awards. This recognizes outstanding service to the NCTA for more than a decade.

This year, Arlen Matson, of the Grand Traverse (Michigan) Hikers Club Chapter received the award, for 18 years of trail building, local administration and record keeping, and a clear vision of the local segment being part of a larger entity. Arlen thanked those who had mentored him and read a poem about enjoying nature and appreciating the Creator.

The list of past recipients was read, and a large number of those people were present. They were asked to come forward for a group photo.

some past Lifetime Achievement Award Winners L-R: Bill Menke, Tom Gilbert, Arlen Matson, Jim Sprague, Dave Cornell, Al Larmann (photo by jhy)

Other past recipients not present include: Emily Gregor, John Leinen, Rod MacRae, Gene Elzinga, Wes Boyd, Derek Blount

See North Country Trail Association

National Geographic Chooses SHT - a Best American Adventure

photo by JHY

from National Geographic

National Geographic has just added 50 new trips to the America's Best Adventures feature, raising the total to 100 iconic escapes. These include not only hiking, but biking, paddling, surfing, climbing, etc. Minnesota's Superior Hiking Trail, which is a portion of the North Country Trail, is one such recently added destination.

NG calls the SHT the "best long hike in the country between the Continental Divide and the Appalachian Trail." Reasons for this high praise include ancient mountains, Lake Superior, and forests of birch and aspen mixed with the boreal balsam and spruce.

The wildness of the area and terrain coupled with its proximity to access and services if needed is a winning combination. Over 30 trailheads and 86 free backcountry campsites provide great flexibility for trip planning. One can hike with only a few encounters with civilization, or follow the entire 287-mile trail with a lodge-to-lodge approach.

The article mentions connections with the Border Route and Kekekabic Trails, but sadly, never mentions the NCT. This may be due to the fact that we are all still waiting for official Congressional approval of their inclusion in the North Country Trail route.

This segment is on maps produced by the Superior Hiking Trail Association

See Superior Hiking Trail Association
See Update on the Status of the Arrowhead Reroute

Manlius NY Couple Wins FLTC Clar-Willis Award

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

if you like this article, click the Blip chiclet!
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

Minnesota Travel Moments

new puncheon (photo by JHY)

While driving to the annual NCTA Conference in North Dakota, I stopped to see a few of the new bits of trail work that have been accomplished since my last trip to the area. Here, Jerry Trout demonstrates how sturdy the new puncheon is south of Gage Lake. They have plans for a much larger boardwalk to cross an area that is very much wetter than this one.

Gage Lake (photo by JHY)

Gage Lake is a small lake, but supports a beaver lodge.

south entrance (photo by JHY)

Just a bit west of there the trail enters Itasca Lake State Park. The trail used to enter the park at the north entrance, but with the hope of off-road trail soon to be connected to the south entrance hikers should now enter there. They will almost immediately find a kiosk with a map of the trail through the park, westward.

kiosk (photo by JHY)

The NCT follows the "Boy Scout Trail" west to DeSoto Lake, where there still may be some issues getting through when the water is high. Then it leaves the park trails and continues westward to Gardner Lake.


Also on the kiosk is a plaque honoring Rod McRae. Rod was an early supporter of the North Country Trail. He scouted and helped build many of the first miles of trail in Minnesota, and wrote a guidebook to the trail through the Chippewa National Forest. In 2007 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 10 years of service to the trail.

Allegheny National Forest Receives Friend of the Trail Award

L-R:K. Klos of the NCTA chapter w/ ANF employees: J.Langianese, R.Fallon, J.Vanselow, L.Marten, T.Scardina, and R.Wetherell

from the USDA Forest Service "Success Stories" used with permission, by Lori Elmquist, Nov 11, 2008

The Allegheny National Forest (ANF) received a Friend of the Trail award from the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) for its leadership, partnership and staunch support of the North Country National Scenic Trail. At the annual NCTA conference Keith Klos, NCTA ANF chapter president, accepted the award on behalf of the Forest.

Klos later presented ANF Forest Supervisor Leanne Marten, Bradford District Ranger Tony Scardina and Marienville District Ranger Rob Fallon each with a clear diamond shaped award for their offices.

Karen Klos, ANF Chapter Organizer, nominated the Forest for the Friend of the Trail award.

"I nominated the ANF for the award, because of its employees' cooperative, positive and helpful attitudes, without their help we couldn't accomplish nearly as much as we have," Klos said.

The North Country Trail (NCT) is 4,600 miles long and travels through North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania. Of the 300 miles in Pennsylvania, approximately 96 are within the Forest boundary. The ANF Chapter, one of four NCTA Chapters in Pennsylvania, is responsible for building, maintaining and promoting the ANF section of the Trail. All of the NCT work is done by volunteers.

The ANF works closely with the Chapter to organize and provide volunteers to complete work on the Trail. This past summer, District Ranger Rob Fallon recruited a Student Conservation Association group to work on the Forest. The 10 high school students from the Pittsburgh and Boston area completed 2,791 linear feet of trail clearing, 100 feet of bench construction, 160 feet of puncheon construction and the construction of three rock culverts.

Spring fire season on the ANF turned rainy, so the Bear Paw Fire Crew from Montana that came to help with fire suppression used their time to clear almost a mile of trail.

"These men had great attitudes as well as excellent teamwork and safety standards," said Klos.

The ANF NCTA chapter also awarded a certificate of appreciation to ANF Recreation Manager Robert Wetherell for his continued sawyer training support. Wetherell initially pulled together the Trail's saw use policy. He also holds sawyer training at the NCTA's annual conference and twice throughout the year on Forest for various volunteer groups.

The Klos's said that they value the unique working relationship between their organization and the Forest.

"The ANF deserved the award, earned the award and needed the award to know how much we appreciate their help," Klos explained.

Each year the 96 miles of NCT within the Forest brings numerous visitors to the area. These visitors will continue to enjoy a premier footpath through the Allegheny National Forest thanks to the hard work and cooperation of the ANF and the ANF NCTA chapter.