The Beauty of North Dakota

Lake Audubon, the east end of Lake Sakakawea, ND (photo by JHY)

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based on a news article in the Minot Daily News

Kevin Stankiewicz, State Parks Scenic Byways and Trails director, says, "We are trying to increase the interest in the state." He is referring to the North Country Trail. Stankiewicz added thatthe Sheyenne National Grasslands segment of the North Country Trail is the most utilized of North Dakota's four longest certified segments. He does believe that interest in the trail is growing, particularly as state residents take notice of other hikers who have made the trip to North Dakota to walk the trail. This past summer, over 100 out-of-state people traveled to Valley City, for the annual NCTA conference, and to hike.

Nimblewill Nomad has been back in North Dakota, to hike trail that was too snow covered in April. At that time Nimblewill walked the roads, but came back to more correctly hike the actual trail. He reported, "North Dakota has a secret that, hopefully, other folks will find out about. [They've] got 200 miles of trail and ... in places that are incredibly beautiful."

John Tunge, Lake Sakakawea State Park manager, loves the NCT. He tries to meet every long-distance hiker who comes to the western terminus of the trail. 30 years ago "we started laying that [trail] out in conjunction with the National Park Service," he explained. "There's a group of people who ... make it their life goal" to come hike the North Country Trail.

Ithaca's "Emerald Necklace" Includes FLT/NCT

hills south of Ithaca on the FLT/NCT (photo by JHY)

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based on a news article in the Ithaca Journal

The Emerald Necklace Greenbelt is the name for the long-term conservation plan for 50,000 acres surrounding Ithaca, New York. This plan, recommended by the Finger Lakes Land Trust, includes nine state forests, Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area and Cornell University's Arnot Forest.

Wending through that area is the Finger Lakes and North Country Trails. Andy Zepp, the Finger Lakes Land Trust Executive Director, says that the sprawling development patters of the area will create problems.

Preserving a 300 foot wide corridor, for recreation and wildlife, to be obtained through purchases and easements, would help protect 78 miles of the trail. Currently, very few of the FLT trail miles are legally protected. A great many handshake agreements exist, but when land changes hands such casual agreements fall apart.

The Land Trust seeks to protect the entire FLT through conservation easements, donation or purchase of land, and simple easements. No land is claimed through eminent domain, rather the land trust works with land owners.

One goal of the Emerald Necklace is to develop four gateways to a trail system, which includes the FLT/NCT. Proposed locations are:

- In the Town of Hector, Schuyler County, along Route 79, somewhere between the Finger Lakes National Forest and Texas Hollow State Forest.
- In the Town of Ithaca, on state land on the east side of Route 13 across from
- In the Town of Danby, within Jennings Pond Park on Bald Hill Road, near Route 96B.
- In the Town of Richford, Tioga County, along Route 79, somewhere near the Tompkins/Tioga border and Robinson Hollow State Forest.

Finger Lakes Land Trust

Mother Goose Back on the NCT

Mother Goose (photo by mikendyan)

from Mother Goose's Journal

On October 10, "Mother Goose" wrote "I will be going back to Upper Mich to finish the UP miles about 130 then down to Battle Creek, That puts me back on the schedule I was on before I had to go home early.

"I may only get half of Ohio done, down to Cincinatti, if it gets toooooo cold I will go back out to NM and finish the Grand Enchantment Trail that I started last fall. For even in the fall they have pretty sunny days just really cold nights. I can only stand the gloom of the eastern winters for so long lol. "

October 13, "Sue picked me up at the Escanaba bus station at 430 am and we head to Paradise"

Where Are the NCT Long Distance Hikers

Surface Upgrade - NY Canal Way Trail Segment

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from the Central New York Chapter Newsletter, October 2009

The Canal Way Trail, Old Erie Canal State Park segment, is scheduled for a major upgrade of its stone dust surface and related needs, plus some information kiosks at key points that will provide both an overview of the trail segment and local historical information. A three sided kiosk is planned for installation in Canastota near the Canal Town Museum on land owned by the Canal Corporation.

Reportedly, the engineering specifications for the needed work were bid, with results that were at or below initial project cost estimates. Completion in 2010 is expected. The only concern could be a delay attributable to ongoing budget gap issues at the State level

Central New York Chapter

Long Distance, Single Use Foot Trail

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by Bill Coffin: condensed from the Finger Lakes Trail News, Fall 2009

Single-track trail mileage limited to hikers is the backbone of the Finger Lakes Trail, and it needs better protection from mechanical impact. Last year there was a proposal in Albany for a statewide multiple use trail system, which would be a disappointment to hikers since it fails to recognize the value of single use hiking trails. Something must be fundamentally wrong if conservation does not encompass saving a continuous track solely for the foot traveler.

Seeing nature at its very best, which is a major purpose of hiking, requires a foot trail with a wilderness character. To often the hiking experience gets lumped with other types of trail usage. It is wrong to believe that the woods should look the same to everyone and that multiple use trails are the answer. Wilderness is the experience hikers seek.

The heaviest and fastest trail usage determines the final shape and appearance of a multiple use trail and also dominates the experience of other when they are on the trail. Unfortunately, on multiple use trails the hiking experience comes last.

The FLT [and great portions of the North Country Trail] is a long distance, single track hiking trail, reflecting the only kind of long-distance land travel that existed in North America 500 years ago. The Finger Lakes Trail brings back a semblance of wilderness pre-history. It is a highly valuable conservation and recreation resource that merits protection as a single-use footpath.

Finger Lakes Trail

A Pleasant Pennsylvania Hike

(photo by Dave Schmude)

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submitted by Dave Schmude

Pennsylvania NCT miles include many pleasant forest walks. Dave Schmude enjoys hiking the trail in and near Cook Forest State Park, which is about 32 miles from his home. It's always good to find trail that is marked, and mileages noted. Dave says this is where the trail crosses Route 66 near Marienville.

Whenever Dave and his family get the chance, they check out the woods. This photo was taken in July.

(photo by Dave Schmude)

Feel free to submit text and pictures of your adventures on the North Country Trail to jhy@t-one.net

Frazee, MN Seeks $100K to Bring NCT Through Town

off road portions of both the NCT and the Heartland Trail do not currently continue through Frazee

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based on an article from the Frazee Forum

The Frazee, Minnesota, Economic Development Authority voted to pursue a Lessard Heritage Legacy Grant for up to $100,000. This is a 25-75 grant, meaning that Frazee would supply $25,000 of the funds to match with $75,000 from the Lessard Fund.

The money would be used to bring the North Country Trail and the Heartland Trail to a meeting point in Frazee. The Heartland Trail is a multi-use, paved trail, which currently ends in Park Rapids.

Mayor Hank Ludtke has been active in promoting both trails. "It will be important to have amenities available, plus easy access to Frazee," he stated, referring to the time when the trails will reach Frazee.

See Map of the Heartland Trail

See Western Minnesota Trail High on Vergas/Frazee Agendas

Nimblewill Nomad Completes His NCT Thru-Hike!

Nimblewill (from his journal)

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received in an email from Nimblewill, and from the hiker e-group

Nimblewill Nomad officially completed his thru-hike of the North Country National Scenic Trail today, at Two Harbors, Minnesota. Just after he hopped back on the trail with a mostly recovered knee injury, there was a huge blowdown of trees on the Superior Hiking Trail.

He called Gayle Coyer, Ex Dir of the SHTA. She reports, "He was really tired from climbing over all the trees but doing fine. He reported that the trees breaking at the Devil Track River were like shotgun blasts all around."

Matt Davis, Regional Trail Coordinator for MN & ND, North Country Trail Association, also heard from Nimblewill. "He said it [the wind storm] was like nothing he's ever experienced. He just prayed that a tree wouldn't fall on him and fortunately, one didn't. His NCT thru-hike will be done when he reaches Two Harbors, but he'll be finishing up the certified segments in North Dakota that he missed this spring because of the horrible conditions."

Nimblewill also said that he really appreciated knowing that others in the hiking community were thinking about him.

See Nimblewill's NCT Journal

Young Passes 4000 Mile Mark

taken at the Milford Trail Junction Festival

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by JHY

Wednesday, Sept 30, yours truly passed the 4000 mile mark hiking the North Country Trail. I can hardly wrap my head around the idea that I have now hiked that many different miles of the trail. The momentous event occurred within a mile or so of Brown Bridge near Mt. Orab, Ohio.

Brown Bridge

I still have another 60 miles to go to finish Ohio, and I'll be headed back out tomorrow to work on those. Today I've enjoyed a restful day, out of the rain, at Steve and Sharon Boller's home in Milford. Those who attended the North Dakota Conference may remember meeting them, and they are part of the group working to develop the Trail Junction Park.

There really is something emotionally magical about that 4000-mile mark. Although I've been saying for months that I plan to finish the trail soon, I finally feel like it is really going to happen!

For some stories about my Ohio adventures, visit My Quality Day
See Milford, Ohio- Embracing the Trail Town Concept

Wisconsin Public Television Segment

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from the NCTA

In coordination with PBS's Ken Burns special on the National Parks, Wisconsin public TV did a segment on the Ice Age Trail and the North Country National Scenic Trail.

Next year's annual conference will be in Ashland, Wisconsin, August 5-8. Trips to see the places highlighted in the video are being arranged. North Country Trail Association