Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 47

Caledonia, Ml 49316 of the

North Country Trail bciation

•• '

Some years ago, I made the comment that it's strange that there are not more attempts made at end-to-end bikes along the NCT. As far as I am aware, no one has attempted a one­ year end-to-end hike on the NCT since 1978. Although this last spring, I kept hearing stories of various people giving the idea of doing such a hike this year some serious study, I have beard nothing about whether such hikes have come off. (I have a standing offer to any end-to-end attempters: When they get to southern Michigan, they can give me a call and expect a thick steak, a soft bed, a hot shower and a cold beer -- but no one has ever taken me up on it.)

However, there have been some long-distance bikes at­ tempted this summer. One young man by sheer chance propped his pack up at the restaurant where I normally have breakfast one day last spring, and in talking bis hike over with him, be explained his plan to hike Michigan border-to-border on the NCT, and since I had not introduced myself, be gave me and the gang around the breakfast table a nice pitch about the trail. I can't find my note with his name on it, and I haven't heard about how that hike came out, although I would like to.

An even more ambitous hike was attempted by Chet Fromm, of Port Orange, Florida. Chet planned to hike from Crown Point, NY, to White Cloud, this summer. However, a twisted knee put him severely behind schedule, then a fall and a broken wrist along the Finger Lakes Trail scuttled the attempt for the year. He bad a beautiful spring hike, and videotaped a few of the stops along it. I've seen a copy of the videotape, and it looks like he saw some beautiful country. Chet's story appears on page 13.

I still think that a one-year end-to-end hike on the NCT is a pretty ambitious undertaking, although it can be done. Perhaps there's someone out there right now, finishing one up. I hope so, and would like to bear about it.

* * *

See that paragraph above? I'm writing this just after I got the summer newsletter out the door. In spite of a delayed deadline due to the meeting proximity, in the week after the deadline, I got enough stuff in the mail to fill at least another four pages of the summernewsletter. Some of it will be a little dated when you read it here. Now, I live out in the country, and the mail is a little slow -- so please, get items to me well in advance of the deadline. If you have a long item coming and you will be pressing the deadline, please give me a call so I can be looking for it, because when I say deadline, I mean deadline. When the mailman leaves the mailbox on deadline day, that's it till next time.

* * *

The deadline for the next issue of the newsletter is bec-:i, 1992. Copy received by the editor after that date cannot be assured of a place in the newsletter; receiving it well before that date is highly appreciated.For future reference, the dead­ line for the spring issue of the newsletter will be Mar.I, 1993.

by the Editor

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NEWSLETIER ADVERTISING FEE SCHEDULE

REGIONAL AFFILIATES New York: Finger Lakes Trail Conference. PO Box 18048, Rochester NY 14618-0048 Ohio: Buckeye Trail Association, PO Box 254, Worthington OH 43085

Pl- report any errora or omlealon1 to the editor.

(608) 264-5610

(701) 232-8513

(612) 377-0130 (612) 559-5994 (216) 375-4461

1414) 354-8987

(616) 452.4497 (517) 547-7402 (313) 548-1737 (906) 225-1585 {616) 891-1366 (313) 853-0292 {313) 200-2921 (616) 363-5006 (313) 231-1257 (616) 784-5050 (906) 338-2680 (616) 689-6876

(216) 884-0281 {216) 867-3371 (216) 884-4757 {216) 332-1745

{814) 968-5759 (814) 435-2371 {814) 435-2371 ( 412) 364-2864 (814) 723-5150

(607) 272-5119 (716) 288-7191 (607) 564-3548 (607) 272-8679 (607) 334-3872

(313) 548-1737 1906) 338-2660 (412) 776-0678 (616) 891-1366 (616) 689-6676

MIM89011 Rod Mac:Rae, 1210W. 22nd St, Minneapolis MN 55405 Hadan Uljequist, 1605 W. Medicine Lake Dr .• Pl'jmruh MN 55441 Jim Richards, Rt. I, Callaway MN 56521

North Dakota Linda Mieke, 1536 Second Ave. S, Fargo ND 58103

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR Bill Menke, National Park Service, 700 RayC1.1ac Or., Suite 100,

Madison WI 53711

Wleconlln Gaylord Yost, 2925 W. Bradley Rd., River Hills WI 53209

Michigan Pat Allen, 2215 Sylvan Dr. SE, Grand Rapids Ml 49506 Wes Boyd, 14815 Rome Road, Manttou Beach Ml 49253 Derek Blount, 906 N. Alexander, Rclital Oak Ml 48067 Don Elzinga, 1010 Allouez, Marquette Ml 49855 Kennah Gacider, 418 W. Johnson, Caledonia Ml 49316 Arden Johnson. 600 Tennyson, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307 Martha K. Jones, 1857 Torquay Ave, Rclital Oak Ml 46073 Ruth Sack, 2317 Foster NE, Grand Rapids Ml 49505 Vince Smtth, Bax 76, Wh~ore Lake Ml 48189 Da~ene Snyder, 4067 Luxlord, Comstock Park Ml 49321 Doug Welker, R1, BClX 59A, Pelkie Ml 49958 Virginia Wunsch, Rt 1, Mundy Ave. Whtte Cloud Ml 49349

Pennsylvania Don and Brita Dom, Star Rt, Bax 476, Sheffield PA 16347 Barbara A. Smith, 11 W. Main St, Galeton PA 16922 John G. Hipps, 11 W. Main St, Galeton PA 16922 Glenn Oster, 784 Olive St, Pittsburg PA 15237 Nancy Schuler, PO Box 194, Warren PA 16365

Ohio Emily Gregor, 6502 Olde York Rd., Parma Hts OH 44130 Cecil Dobbins, 783 Cliffside Dr., Akron OH 44313 Jim Sprague, 4406 Maplecrest Parma OH R. Baird Stewart, 215 w. 12th St, Salem, Ohio 44460

BOARD OF DIRECTORS N-York

DorisandCifford A~ Rt 1, Bax 259, SpeoolrNY 14883 Howard S. Beye. 202 Coleboume Rd, Rochester NY 14609 Laura McGuire, 1 Boylan Rd, Newfield NY 14867 Thomas J. Reimers, 3C W~dflower Dr., Ithaca NY 14850 Ed Sidae, 5 Clinton St, Norwich NY 13815

Exec. Director: Apr~ Scholtz, 14770 17Bth Ave. Grand Haven Ml 49417 (616) 846-8874

OFFICERS President: Derek Blourt, 906 N. Almcander, Rclital Oak Ml 48067 Vlct Prealclent:Doug Welker, R1, Bax 59A, Pelkie Ml 49958 Secrttary: Helen Coyne, 212 Willow Circle. Zeienople PA 16063 Treaeurer: KennahGac:kler, 418 W. Johnson St, Caledonia Ml 49316 Headquarters Mgr.: Virginia Wunsch, Rt 1, White Cloud Ml 49349

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North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992 Page 2 NEWSLETTER

of the

North Country Trail Association PO Box 311, Whitt Cloud, 11149349 Ht1dqu1rtera Phone: (616) 689-1912 Editor: Wet Boyd, 14815 Rome Road, llanltou Beach, Ml 49253

* * * A HARDY AND ENTllUSIAS­

TIC crew from the NCT Hiker's Club (Marquette) assembled on July 25 to erect a new bridge over the outlet from Lake Elinor, near Marquette, Ml. The new bridge cost around $2(XJ, not count­ ing donated time and materials, and was based on two 20-foot beams do­ nated by Art Bennett. A crew of seven shouldered the beams to the site. '(he NCT J liker's Club (Marquette) has been staying busy at trail work in the Central Upper Peninsula.

A GROUP OF NCT I liker's Club (Marquette) members have embarked on an ambilous program to hike across Michigan's U.P. in successive segments over several years. This is a sortie trav­ erse, staying in motels when fcasablc, and hiking ten miles or less most of the days. Direct ion of the traverse is cast to west. The first 24 miles, from Castle Rock, north of St. Ignace, were covered in May, 1992. Tackling the next seg­ ment, northeast from M-121 is tcnta­ lively scheduled for September 11-D. Anyone who'd like to join the group for some or all of the hike would be wel­ come. For details, contact Jan Lind­ strom at (906) 225-1295.

* * *

THENATIONALPARK Service has begun publishing an "Administra­ tive Update Newsletter" for the North Country National Scenic Trail. The newsletter, edited by the NPS's Bill Menke, is aimed at partner agencies, landowners, organizations, trail main­ tainers and managers that have an inter­ est in the trail. Menke says, "Over the years, we (the NPS) have not done a very good job of keeping you posed on trail happenings and achievements. We feel that there is a nitch to be filled and this newsletter will be our attempt to do it. We will generally avoid duplicating information available to you in the Newsletter of the North Country Trail Association. Our writings will be more administrative in nature." Contact Bill at (608) 264-5610 for more details.

WE W /SH TO bid a fond farewell to Sharon O'Sullivan, Senator Carl Levin's liaison to the North Country Trail/ Sharon is leaving the Senator's office in Lansing to pursue a career in teaching, With her never-fail organi­ zation skills and cheerful disposition, she know she will succeed! We wish her luck in her new venture, and look forward to meeting her succssor,

ON OCTOBER 3, there will be a special work day hosted by the Manis­ tee National forest and the North Country Trail Association. The plan is to put in the trail through the U.S. Forest Service property just north of Beers Road, west of Mesick, Michigan -- in one day! Local Boy and Girl Scout troops and the Northern Michi­ gan Environmental Action Council will participate, but other volunteers, espe­ cially experienced trail workers, arc welcome! This special event is the brainchild of Senator Carl Levin, one of the North Country Trait's strongest supporters. Senator Levin has been working tirelessly to spread the word about the trail, and to encourage more active involvement from local people. Once again, we thank the Senator for hi" efforts. For further information abou the work day, contact April Scholtz at (616) 846-8874.

* * *

* * *

THE NUMBER of hours spent working on the FLT system during 1991 set an all-time record of over 9,000 person-hours, the Finger Lakes Trail News reports. If figured at the cost of $7 .OD per hour, the value of the work exceeds $60,000, not counting the hundreds of hours of travel time and the hundreds of dollars in material costs.

* * *

* * *

Page3

miles on private lands and 146.0 miles on roads. The NCT utilizes about 358 miles of the Finger Lakes Trail, in­ cluding the newly completed section. Next task: getting more trail off road.

THE FINGER I.AKES Trail News reports that during April of 1992, the Onondaga Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club completed the last major gap of off-road trail on the FLT. The completion took place just cast of Hoxie Gorge on Map M-20 near Underhill Road. It has taken the FLTC 30 years to get a complete trail from Allegany State Park to the Long Path in Catskill Park. The Main FLT, is 544.3 miles long, with 244.4 miles on public land, 173.9

* * *

IN JUNE, the Allegheny Outdoor Club built a short bridge with soil ramp approaches at both ends to span a marshy section of the NCT in Pennsylvania Stale Game Lands, between the Al­ legheny National Forest and Cook for­ est State Park.

* * *

NCTA PRESIDENT Derek Blount has announced a that in an effort to coordinate all trail activities, all State Trail Coordinators will now report lo Doug Welker, NCTA Vice President and Chairman of the new Trail Man­ agement Committee. All stale trail coordinators arc included as members of the committee.

* * *

MORE NEW certifications have been announced! National Park Serv­ ice representative Bill Menke announced two new certifications in Michigan on July 14: a 7.5 mile segment in Craig Lake State Park, in the Upper Penin­ sula, a cooperative project of the Michi­ gan Department of Natural Resources and the North Country Trail Hikers Club (Marquette), and a 4.0 mile seg­ ment of the Baw Beese Trail between Baw Beese State Park and Blackbridge Road, east of Hillsdale, Michigan, a project of the city of Hillsdale. The two certifications bring the total certified length of the North Country National Scenic Trail to 1051.6 miles. More detail about the certified segments of the North Country trail is located in the annual trail survey, elsewhere in this newslet­ ter.

October 17·19: Mark your calendar now for the Annual Fall Mee ting of the NCT A to be held in Pennsvlvania

September 25-27: Annual Meeting of the Keystone Trails Association at Camp Speers, Eljabar YMCA. near Dingman's Ferry in Penn­ sylvania's Pocono Mountians Many hiking opportunities. Contact KTA, PO Box 251, Cogan Station, PA 17728-0251.

September 11-13: Keystone Trail Association work party at McConnels Mill State Park. Trip Leader, Marl< Eckler (412) 588-6164.

Pennsylvania

October 23-25: BTA Trail Crew weekend in Pike County south of Nipgen. Contact Jim Sprague (216) 884-4757 for information.

October 24: Canal Society of Ohio work party on trail and locks at Lockington Locks. Contact Jim Sprague (216) 884-4757 for information

September 18·20: BTA Trail Crew weekend in Ross County near Dulan Hollow primitive campsite, 1 O miles south of Adelphi. Contact Adrian Vanko (614) 927-2079 for information.

Ohio

Nov. 14: FL TC Board of Managers Meeting at Covenant United Methodist Church, Roches­ ter, NY, 10:00 AM.

Oct. 17·1 B: FL TC Fall Work Weekend, Coordi­ nator, Ron Navik {716) 377-1812.

Oct. 11: Hike 6 of Hike Across Tompkins County, sponsored by Cayuga Trails Club. Contact Tom Reimers (607) 272-8675, Doris or Cliff Abbott (607) 272-5119 for more details. Hikes will be in two groups, limited to 30 fast and 30 slow hikers.

Oct 1 O: Erv Markart Hike on FLT, southern part of Conservation Trail.

Cliff Abbott (607) 272-5119 for more details. Hikes will bein two groups, limitedto30fastand 30 slow hikers.

Sept. 13: Hike 5 of Hike Across Tompkins County, sponsored by Cayuga Trails Club. ContactTom Reimers (607) 272-8675, Doris or

New York

October 9-11: Boy Scout Jamboree. A large regional Scout Jamboree will be held in St. Paul this weekend, and NCTA will have a booth there. Volunteers needed to staff our booth for four hour shifts and share the word about the NCT To register contact Rod MacRae, (612) 377-0130 (b): 941-8336 (w).

September 25-27: Bad Medecine Lake. Spon­ sored by Bad Medecine Lake Association, we expect to open up about 10 miles of new trail this weekend, much of it on old rail grade. No cost for the weekend, except for food and hous­ ing. Cabins and campgrounds available. Low cost group meals offered with pre-registration. A true 'ceilidh' party will be held Saturday night (bring your own music, song, dance or poetry to share. To register contact Don Tschudi, Bad Medecine Resort (218) 573-3790.

September 11 ·13: Paul Bunyan State Forest - This 30-mile segment will link Chippewa NF to Itasca State Parle 10-mile stretch surveyed last fall is now ready for building. No cost for this activity, but you will need to provide own food and tent. Group will meet at Gulch Lake near trail site. Local cabins and motels available. Bring own hand tools. Contact: Harlan Liljequist (612) 559-5~94 (h); 488-0511 (w).

Minnesota

October 31: NCT Hiker's Club (Marquette) hike from Lake Melin to Craig Lake. Contact Don Elzinga at (906) 225-1585.

October 24: NCT Hiker's Club (Marquette) hike new trail to Laughing Whitefish Falls. Con­ tact Don Elzinga at (906) 225-1585.

October 1 O: NCT Hiker's Club (Marquette) hike to Cole's Canyon. Contact Russ Dees at (906) 225-5039.

October 2-4: NCT Hiker's Club (Marquette) fall meeting at Old Victoria. Contact Doug Welker (906) 338-2680 for information.

September 29: NCT Hiker's Club (Marquette) board meeting, 7:00 PM at 12 Middle Island Point, Marquette. All members welcome.

September 26: Hike to the falls on the Yellow Dog River in the McConnick Wilderness Con­ tact Don Elzinga at (906) 225-1585 for more in­ formation.

September 11-13: Next segement of NCT Hiker's Club (Marquette) Hike across the UP. See note in NCT/FYI for more information. For details, contact Jan Lindstrom at (906) 225- 1295.

Michigan {U.P.)

Jan 16-17: Tentative snowshoe weekend. Contact Darlene (616) 784-5050 for informa­ tion.

Dec. 1 : Western Michigan Chapter meeting and Christmas Party. Social hour 6:30 PM, dinner around 7:00, brief meeting in there somewhere. German Village Restaurant, order from the menu. Call Ruth (616) 453-8622 or Darlene (616) 784-5050 for reservations.

Nov. 8: Western Michigan Chapter potluck and hike. Call Kay (616) 949-6099.

Oct. 3: NCT NUSFS Trail Day in Manistee National Forest, west of Mesick, Ml; see NCT/ FYI on Page 3 for more details. Contact April Scholtz, (616) 846-8874 for details.

Sept. 26: Western Michigan Chapter Trail Maintainance Weekend. Call Darlene (616) 784-5050.

tlQif;_ Sierra Club service trips planned for Oct 2-4 have been cancelled due to the illness of leader Vince Smith.

Michigan {L.P.)

ITEMS FOR THIS COLUMN IIll!fil_be recieved before the deadline date given on Page 2 of this newsletter. We wel­ come listing activities of affiliated or­ ganizations, but we must be aware of them in sufficient time for publication.

The Hikers Paradise

783 V Cllll1lde Or. AKRON, OH 443ll

ALPINE ADVENTURE TRAILS TOURS, lac.

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Moderate optional length DAY hiking along skyline trails. 7-2 week tours baaing at 15 mountain 3-4 star hotel&. All hikes guided by NCT member Cecil Oobbln1. For a free color brochure call (2161 867-3771, or write to:

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ENGELBERG LEUKERBAO

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retain April's services as Executive Director. To do that, we need to raise more funds for the organization. If each present member found one new adult member at the new membership rate, it would carry us through another six months, when our current members renew at the new rate. New members in other membership categories would add additional funds. Tax deductible contributions are also welcome. Ask your com­ pany to match your contribution. It's lax deductible for them, too. Our Chapters and affiliated clubs could conduct fund raisers. Events like bake sales, pancake breakfasts, auctions of donated goods, garage sales, etc., arc all possibilities. Think about giving items from our trail shop as holiday gifts.

Any effort on your part will help. You can start by helping us distribute membership and NPS brochures to local outfit­ ters, camp stores, forestry and park offices, Chambers of Commerce, and travel agents who specialize in wilderness travel. I'm sure you can think of others. Write or call the headquarters and ask for a supply of the brochures. Don't forget to keep them supplied after the first batch disappears. Organize a hike on a section of the trail in your area and invite non-members to attend. Let them know about the NCI'A and ask them to join.

Ifwe fail to retain April's services, another organization will hire her away. It will be a major loss to the organization. The NCl'A will continue to go on, but it will not do it as well or as quickly. We can he as successful as the Appalachian Trail Conference or the Ice Age Trail and Park Foundation. The both have their own paid staff and funding to support them. That's part of the success. It's also part of the cost and risk. If we fail, we may be considered just a small hiking club of little influence, rather than a major trail building organiza­ tion with a role of leadership in the National Trail System. I, for one, would never consider the trail a failure or obscurity. No matter how steep or rough the trail, success is worth the climb to the top. Not only will we benefit from our success, but so will millions of people from around the world for genera­ tions to come that will enjoy the beauty of travel on the North Country National Scenic Trail.

It has only been a few months since my first Trail Head column and already we are approaching several major inter­ secting trails. We, as officers and board members are begin­ ning to make decisions for the NCT A that will chart our future course for a long time to come. In September, the Board will meet for a special weekend work session to define organiza­ tional changes, determine long and short term plans, define resource needs of the organization, review the NCT A Bylaws, and establish new committees and their responsibilities. I expect that in the next issue of this newsletter you will have a lot of interesting reading and will be as enthused as we are over the future of the NCTA.

Ourorganization is becoming more complex as more trail is built. As some gaps are being filled with trail, others languish for lack of maintenance and use. We are having to look at environmental and archaeological concerns. Right-of­ way and corridor protection are becoming a serious concern. Trail standards need to be formally adopted, and trail crews trained and organized. Maps and trail guides have to be created and published. And yet, the work doesn't stop there. We need more help in all of these areas.

Only a short time ago we passed a landmark for the trail, the thousandth certified mile. And, following closely on the heels of that occasion, we find that Congress has declined to increase the NPS budget for the National Trail System. On the surface, it may seem to be a defeat, but yet, through the efforts of many people we were able to stave off an effort to reduce the current funding levels. This is a major accomplishment in an election year where a reduction in spending is on all of the presidential candidate's lips. This accomplishment was made through the efforts of our Executive Director, April Scholtz, the NCTA officers, and NCTA Board Members, in conjunc­ tion with all of the other National Trail organizations, the American Hiking Society and Backpacker Magazine. We also raised awareness of trails in every member of Congress. Next year is a better possibility for increased funding. The ground work has been laid, the seeds planted, and next year we will return to try a harvest. To do this, we will need the help of everyone in the organization, especially April. There is no substitute for a full-time staff person.

Because of the limited funding in the National Park Service for the National Trail System, they cannot continue to fund the NCTA with another Cooperative Agreement. This now presents us with another major dilemma. This year, we hired April as our Executive Director on funds provided through a Cooperative Agreement. In January, 1993, these funds will run out. At our present level of funding from memberships and donations, we will not have the funds to retain her services ... UNLESS we do something about it NOW!

The NPS has made an investment in this organization to get it off the ground. April has fulfilled that. We are off the ground and moving. The NCT A now has an obligation to pick up the pack and carry our own weight. We need to continue to

Pages North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992

3. To produce documentation of what has been planned.

4. To plan for the long term management of the trail.

5. To take the essential steps to add "permanence" to our collective efforts to establish the trail; in other words, to plan for perpetuity.

6. To ensure that all stakeholders and affected interests, especially elected officials, are involved:

7. To engender a sense of "ownership" toward the trail by people who live along it.

8. To promote greater public awareness of the North Country NST.

9. To generate new members for the organizations supporting the trail.

. 10. To develop willingness among landowners to donate or sell lands or right to those establishing the trail.

11. To provide a basis for possible future NPS land protection activities for the trail.

12. To defend the national interest in the trail and its location should our collective efforts ever be chal­ lenged legally.

This process is now underway on a county-by­ county basis along the Ice Age NST in Wisconsin. We have recently initiated the process for the North Coun­ try NST in Kent County, Michigan, (Grand Rapids area) and along the old Sandy and Beaver Canal in east central Ohio. In these two areas, core planning teams have been established and periodic meetings are being held to move ahead in the process.

This planning will not be needed along all sections of the trail, particularly where the trail has been long and well established. When the planning is done in an area that has some degree of existing trail, the process will not wholesalely throw out what has been done in the past; what has been done will be a major considera­ tion in the process. Conversely, neither will existing segments of the trail be considered "sacred" if a better location for the trail is identified. Even where this process is truly needed, it will take years to get to all the counties.

There is no intention or suggestion that work on establishing new sections of trail should stop until planning is completed.

How do we at the National Park Service see our overall role in regards to the NCT? Basically, we see it as an umbrella that stretches from one end of the trail to the other.

In places, this umbrella gets pretty thin. Where the trail passes through an area of public lands such as a State Forest, National Forest, State Park, another Na­ tional Park, etc., the local Managing Authority plays a dominant role and we have a "thin umbrella" role. Here, the local Managing Authority takes responsibility for planning, construction, maintenance, policing of the trail, etc., while we merely try to ensure some degree of consistency along the trail and respond to requests from our partners for information or other assistance.

Where the trail passes through the long stretches of private land (between the blocks of public land), our "umbrella" is thicker. While there are not too many miles of trail in these areas yet, we arc responsible for a broader range of activities such as: planning to ensure that any trail activity meets National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and complies with Cultural Re­ sources protection requirements; working with our volunteer partners to ensure that trail standards are being met while at the same time protecting all of the other resources; supplying tools, signs, and other items needed by the volunteers; and so on.

During the past two years, it has become increas­ ingly clear that a planning process is needed along some stretches of the trail route to determine where the trail should be developed. The process would provide for public participation in the decision and result in a mapped corridor in which the trail would be estab­ lished, along with a written Environmental Assessment that explains the alternatives considered and the basis for the selected route.

This kind of planning process is needed for several reasons:

1. To objectively evaluate the resources to identify the best location for the trail: most scenic; most public lands; availability of recreational support facilities; best access; least impacts on endangered resources and other sensitive environmental issues; connections with communities and points of interest; etc.

2. To fulfill Federal and State environmental com­ pliance requirements.

by Bill Menke from the NPS News

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992 6 Page

old mark while defeating second-place finisher, Paul Ra­ benold, 39, of Farmington, CT, who clocked a 3:49:49.

"I thought I might have a chance of catching him (Bur­ dick) because he ran a marathon last week (Buffalo, 2:39)," said Rabenold. "I stayed with him until halfway, then he took off. The last seven miles are downhill, and Gary is a good downhill runner, so I didn't catch him."

Former winner of Ed's Ultra and the Finger Lakes Trail 50-miler, Tom Powers, 42, of Newfield;NY, finished third overall and first masters with a time of 3 :54:28. Fourth overall and second masters was Jim Miner, 43, of Binghamton, NY, in 4:05:51.

In other age group standings, Ithaca's Joe Dabes, 53, was the first 50-plus/lOth open finisher in 4:25:31; Ed Stabler, 62, of Syracuse, NY, was the first 60-plus/12 open running in 4:35:23; and Ross Waltzer, 70, of Tulsa, Oklahoma was the oldest competitor, completing the 27 miles of'trails in 6:39: 19.

Christine Gibbons, 30, of Elmwood Park, NJ, easily captured the women's title and seventh position overall, by posting an incredible time of 4:08:56-51 minutes faster than the existing course record set in 1991 by Bonnie Boyer.

Gibbons, the women's winner of the 1991Vermont100- miler (18:12/9th open) and a competitor in the 1992 Olympic Marathon Trials (2:50:24/48th open), worked together with Ithaca's Shawn McDonald and Duane Kennedy of Waterloo, Ontario, for most of Ed's Ultra.

"I tried to stay with the guys because [didn't know the course," said Gibbons, fresh from running both the Yonkers (2:53) and Newsday Long Island (3:01) marathons in the weekends just prior to this trail race. "The last mile was pretty tough when Shawn took off, but I felt good most of the way."

"Four miles from the end, I said, 'Shawn, you've got to take the lead!"' added the 36-year old Kennedy, who posted a personal best by 15 minutes. "Those guys flew and I hung onto Shawn's shorts. She (Gibbons) was running really strong! She just dragged the old men with her."

Olympic-class Nordic skier Nancy Bailey, 27, of Geneva, NY, and Forest Monster Marathon women's champion Janel Stein, 40, of Conklin, NY, tied for second, 50 m inutcs behind Gibbons but also under the former women's course record. Their time of 4:58:31 placed them 26th and 27th overall. Stein claimed the women's master's title from Vermont's Doi Helling, nationally ranked in the 50 and 100 mile trail ultra distances, who finished in 5:03.

Bob Cogdon and friends file through Texas Hollow in the early stages of Ed's Ultra. Photo by Peter Rath

Pagel

John Clark making a splash during a creek-crossing in Ed's Ultra, around 18 miles.

by Diane Sherrer The "Ed's Ultra" chartered tour bus roared into the sleepy

hamlet ofBennettsburg, NY, early on Mother's Day Morning, and deposited some very gritty ultra fun runners into the woods leading to the Finger Lakes Trail.

Among those "unaccidental tourists" ready to embark on the seventh annual Ed Hart Ultra 27-mile Trail Fun Run were:

•The men's and women's champions (open and masters) of the 1991 Finger Lakes Trailrunners Circuit;

•An Olympic Trials marathoner; • A Hawaii Ironman Triatholn finisher; •An Olympic-class Nordic skier; • Top-ranked athletes on the Northeast Trailrunners

Circuit and the North American Ultra "Bests" list, and ... • An array of hearty trail rookies and veterans including

father-daughter, husband-wife and brother-brother running twosomes.

Ed's Ultra, sponsored by the Finger Lakes Runner's Club, is a point-to-point wilderness foot race and fun run which crosses 60% narrow hiking paths, 20% logging roads and 20% dirt roads along 27 miles of the Finger Lakes Trail. With total climb totaling 4010 feet, the course travels through two Ne:-" York state counties, from its start on a country road in Benneltsburg to the finish line near Lower Robert Treman Slate Park in Ithaca, NY.

Defending champion Gary Burdick, 37, of Deruyter, NY, won for a second straight year with a record-breaking per­ formance of3 hours, 45 minutes, 25 seconds. In near-perfect weather conditions, Burdick, the winner of the 1991 Finger Lakes Trailruners Ultra Circuit, chopped 13 minutes off his

Trail running in New York

Making Moin Proud at Ed's Ultra 'frail Run

·North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992

David Cartwright walks a tightrope of mud in the Tom Bugliosi trail runs. Photo by Peter Rath

Soapstone Half-Marathon, with me finishing narrowly ahead both limes.

The sight of them gave me new strength. I also discovered how to run on the slimy uphill Rossiter Spur. Instead of running on the slippery clay, and sliding backward with each step, I could get some traction by running in a tiny rut that was overflowing with mud and water. There were small rocks on the bottom!

After 45 km I had to decide whether to do another loop. Did I have the mental fortitude to face the muck and the cold again? Could I mentally handle the possibility that Fred might finish the 60 km ahead of me? The answer was no to both, but I felt like a sniveling wimp after I quit.

Bob "I've been training this year!" Dion had returned to defend his 50-mile course record. He started the race in a singlet, and dropped out shivering at 14 miles. Afterward Bob stood next to the charcoal barbecue wrapped in a blanket, shivering so hard that the volunteers swore they could feel the ground shaking. He related to me how he had climbed up an extremely steep 100 foot long creek bank, then lost his footing. The Atmospheric Ogres applauded.

In spite of the lousy conditions, there were some course records set in the fourth year of the run. Jim Jones went after then men's 8 km course record set by Tom Bugliosi and got it. As he finished he was surprised to see Guy Heathers at his heels. Guy went on to better the old 30 km record by more than 6 minutes. This was an amazing effort when you consider the mud ad that Peter Yacobucci, last year's winner of our "Short" Finger Lakes Trailrunners Circuit, set the old record. The most impressive performance by the women was Nancy Bailey's culling 35 minutes off the old 30 km record.

Only two people finished 50 miles. Gary Burdick cut more than 41 minutes off the men's old record, an extraordi­ nary effort when you consider the condition of the trail after his 5 1/2 figure-8s.

Years from now many trail runs will have faded from our memories. However, I doubt that anyone there will ever forget the 1992 Tom Bugliosi trail runs and the Maleficent Meteoro­ logical Monsters.

Tom Bugliosi Trail Runs by Joe Dabes I can't remember a race with worse conditions. IL was bad

enough to have temperatures dropping through the 40's, gusty north winds, and a heavy rain at times. The longer runs required repeals of the same 15 km Iigure-S course, and the rain and the 105 runners turned the clay soil of the trail into a slippery, slimy ooze. Steep uphills required that you use your hands and nearby trees for help. Steep downhills demanded mud-skiing skills. The infamous long uphill Rossiter Spur became a slow flowing creek of slimy clay mud.

The day before gave no indication of what race day would be like. It was sunny with temperatures in the upper 80s. This section of the Finger Lakes Trail was as dry as I had ever seen it this time of year. Some runners, camped at the Hauck Hill Campsite, expressed concern about heat on race day. But a cold front was expected to move through during the night. Temperatures on race day were to be in the 60s with clearing skies by afternoon. The weather gods would be kind.

Before the race we planted an Austrian pine tree in memory of Tom Bugliosi, a local trailrunner who died a year ago at age 32. This run, formerly called the "Forest Fun and Frolic," we renamed in Tom's memory.

As the race started the runners were cheerful since the earlier light drizzle had let up. Temperatures were in the 50s, and there was little wind. The Sky Spirits smiled. A record of nearly 50 runners intended to do the45 km, 60 km, or 50 mile ultra distances.

Within 15 minutes after the start we experienced heavy rains accompanied by strong winds from the north. The temperature dropped into the 40s. By the end of the first 15 km figure 8 my arms and hands were numb from the cold. It was difficult to pull off my soaked T-shirt and put on a long­ sleeved shirt and a nylon shell. I later found out that most of the intended ullrarunners quit at this point. Hypothermia was the order of the day. The Stratospheric Satans snickered.

Not far into my third figure-8 and a bit tired of playing in the mud, two runners caught up to me. What was wrong with these guys that they were enjoying themselves? Then I saw it was Fred Pilon and Mike Sinkowski, two runners who must have experienced much worse in their ultrarunning careers. Fred and I had twice battled it out near the end of the

"I'm always excited when we get people from allover the country," observed Ed Hart, the 65-year-old physician who created Ed's Ultra. "I've made friends from all over. I'm so impressed that runners felt we were their family and they wanted to be with us."

While some of the lead-pack racers didn't exactly take time to sniff the wildflowers or view the waterfalls along the way, Hart insists that the gold of"making mother proud" also can be accomplished with slower running and more social strategy. "Everybody has a choice. You can fool around or be serious," said Hart, who finished in 6:50:01. "Most ran ac­ cording to their skills; some had never gone that distance before. The more social it is, the further you can go. A lot of happiness comes from people enjoying themselves. You feel a great accomplishment!"

Ed's Ultra is the first event on an eight-race trail series called the Finger Lakes Trailrunner's Circuit - Ultra and Short. The series events range in distance from a 5k up through a 50k, and continue through November. For further informa­ tion, contact Shawn McDonald, Finger Lakes Runner's Club, 109 S. Quarry St., Ithaca NY 14850.

North Country TraJ/ Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992 8 Page

Trail Co«idor PreseNation Nodh Country Trail Association

1992

Forest

Trail

Harvest Area

Harvest Area

Forest

the trail, still leaving fifteen feet of wooded area. The Forest Service in Washington state has practiced this along the Pacific Crest Trail.

> If large equipment must cross the trail, it should only cross at one point (see attached drawing). When this happens, the trail tread should be restored after the harvest by the lumbering company, and some indigenous vegetation re­ stored to the side of the trail where the equipment crossed.

> All markers destroyed or removed should be replaced by the logging company.

>Any trail tread destroyed or removed should be restored again by the lumbering company.

> Warning signs should be posted on the trail (on both sides of the harvest area) informing hikers of the work being done. Hikers hate the sound of C" -11ing timber next to their tents at 6 AM.

. > When possible, alternate l )rary routes around the harvest area should be establishca tor trail users. This may seem trivial now, but as time passes and more hikers use the trail, the problem will increase.

>Slash should be stacked (for wildlife habitat), chipped

Forest

As can be imagined, some of our members cringe at the thought of lumbering anywhere near the North Country Na­ tional Scenic Trail (NCNS1). Some of our people have had the experience of having to try and find the trail after a lumbering crew has worked an area, obliterating markers and trail tread.

We, as an organization, are not anti-lumbering. We understand these companies and their employees must earn a living at their trade. We do ask some consideration on their part of the many hours of bard work on the part of our volunteers and the Forest Service to build the trail. We also understand that this cutting can be good for the forest to diversify the flora and fauna. As a result of this understanding, I have put some thought to a syste "Trail Corridor Preser­ vation. We should ask that if any c .. , ".1g is done adjacent to or over the NCNST that the following criteria be followed:

> No cutting would be allowed within fifteen feet of the trail. This would allow a thirty-foot wide corridor of uncut woodland to cross a harvest area. Or, cut only on one side of

by Derek Blount

New criteria sueeested Logging along the NCT

Poge9 North Country Troll Assoclotlon Newsletter, Autumn, 1992

1-71 Tpk

a number of motels in the area. Both Butler and New Castle are located about 1/2 hour driving time from the Facility and both of these cities have motels by the score. A list will be provided at a later date. There are also several private camp­ grounds in the area. The three state parks in the area have no camping facilities associated with them, which allows private campgrounds to proliferate. A list of these campgrounds will be provided, also.

For any members that wish to arrive early or stay beyond the meeting dates, the southwest Pennsylvania forests at this time of year are alive with color, and the nearby Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area offets many big city attractions. Packets of information will be available to interested parties in the future.

If you have any questions regarding the information provided, or need further information, please feel free to contact Mark D. Eckler, 20 East RidgeAve., Greenville, PA, 16125 (412) 588-6164. Eckler is the President of the Sh­ enango Outing Club, and is thecoordinatorofthe NCTA 1992 Fall meeting.

The NCTA Fall 1992 meeting will be held at Lutherlyn Retreat Facility. The facility is located in the quiet, rolling hills of west-central Pennsylvania, The area is noted for its varying topography bedcause of its unique location in relation to the last ice age. The area is located at the southern edge of the Wisconsin Ice Advance. The varying topography is due to the morainal assocated deposits and the non-glaciated terrain and the copious amounts of meltwater generated by the retreating glacier.

Lutherlyn Retreat Facility is operated by the Lutheran Church of Ameria and is located just east of PA 528, three miles south of the village of Prospect. This village is situated midway between the cities of Butler and New Castle just south of US 422, which intersects with I- 79, a north-south interstate, which in turn intersects with I-80, an east-west route. The US- 422/1-79 junction is about half an hour south of the 1-80 junction with I- 79. The facility is less than a one hour drive from the Greater Pittsburgh Airport.

The section of the retreat facility we will be using is called Camp Shaulis. It is a separate unit, and can house up to 120 persons in 10 separate cabins. Each cabin sleeps up to 12 people in cots or bunk beds. Wallace Hall, located at Camp Shaulis, is a large meeting hall with a stage and a fireplace. The dining hall is about 100 yards from Camp Shaulis on the main campgrounds.

The cost to NCT A members, for the weekend package of two nights lodging (Friday and Saturday) and five meals, starting with Saturday breakfast and ending with Sunday lunch, is $45 per person. For a reduced rate of $31 per person, the Retreat Facility will offer a secondary package of one nights lodging (Saturday) and four meals, starting with Satur­ day lunch and ending with Sunday lunch.

For members not wanting to stay in the cabins, there are

NCTA Fall Meeting set for western Pennsylvania Oct. 16-18

story. It will tend to push forest succession forward, rather than initiate an earlier stage in the process. It also leaves a more pleasant view to the trail user.

> Increased support for lumbering efforts by trail groups. > Better public relations for the lumbering companies. » The trail corridor provides vegetative cover for wildlife

crossing the area. It continues to provide a breeding ground for birds and other wildlife. It also provides an important tool for reintroduction of wildlife and vegetation in a heavily har­ vested area.

> Soil erosion and silt contamination of streams may be prevented by this corridor across the harvest area. This could be especially true in a clear cut area adjacent to a stream or river.

> The quality of trail experience is maintained among users and a new respect for lumbering firms can be nurtured. It will show that lumbering companies can be good neighbors, too.

If we all do our part to be good neighbors to the forest and its inhabitants, we all gain in our quality of life.

or removed by the lumbering company. This is done now in Washington State. Chips could be used in wet spots on the trail.

> Trees should be cut close to the ground to eliminate stumps and yield more wood for the companies.

>In areas where clear cutting is done, the diameter of the area should be kept to less than twice the height of the stand to try and prevent the establishment of pioneer species. This will beespeciallytrueifmineralsoilis exposed by the logging operation. Partial cutting or selective cutting should be en­ couraged.

> An optional item for a lumbering company after the harvest could be the placement of a sign explaining what was done along the trail and the benefits to the forest and commu­ nity. There is good educational value in that effort. After a couple of years, the sign could be removed or replaced with another explaining the changes in the forest.

Some of the benefits ofthis style of trail preservation are: > Selective cutting of overstory trees will favor tolerant

species, particularly those already established in the under-

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992 Page 10

the trail. In addition, primitive camping is permitted anywhere within the forest, but not within 1500 feet of lhe Al­ legheny Reservoir or roads along the reservoir.

Other excellent trails maintained by lhe Forest Service, including the Black Cherry and Tracy Ridge National Rec­ reation Trails, connect with the North Country Trail.

Black bear are present in the forest, with hundreds of sightings each year. Bear precautions should be taken.

The Allegheny National Forest, along with other national forests, has been working hard to improve the qual­ ity of informational material about the trail in the forest. A new and informa­ tive brochure on the trail in the forest, along with specially marked forest maps, is available from Allegheny National Forest,PO Box 847, Warren PA 16365. More important, in 1991 a unified series of maps of the North Country Trail in

National Forests was printed, and the Allegheny National Forest map is ex­ cellent; it is also available from the forest office.

"Certified Sections of the North Country Trail", by Byron and Margaret Hutchins, also has a section about the Allegheny National Forest and Cook State Forest, one of the best and most recent hiker's guides available about the area. It is available from the NCTA Bookstore, PO Box 311, White Cloud MI, 49349, for $2.90.

Other information about the NCT in the forest is the "Sierra Club Trails Guide for the Allegheny National For­ est," available from Bill Dzornbak, 621 Spring St., Latrobe PA 15650. Cost is $4.78. Hikers may also want to check out "Pennsylvania Hiking Trails, " Keystone Trails Association, PO Box 251, Cogan Station, PA. Cost is $2.50.

The Allegheny Outdoor Club of­ fers a patch for users completing

-certified --Usable ••••Projected

PENNSYLVANIA

Glacier Ridge State Park \

\ \ . ..-~, . . . \

• I \ I \ I \ I \ I Jennings Environmental I Education Center I I

McConnel's Mill State Park

Franklin-Baker Rail Trail

-, 'II 1111--.::~Baker \ ---- Trail r---· • •• • • •

Allegheny State Forest (NewYork) ~

Page 11

When the hiker crosses into Penn­ sylvania from New York, there are 104 miles of largely completed trail ahead; behind them, in New York, are seg­ ments of the Finger Lakes Trail that, with the segments in Pennsylvania, add up to a total of about 465 miles of completed trail, the longest continuous section of the North Country Trail yet completed.

The initial 95 miles of the North Country Trail meanders through the rolling hills and stream valleys of the Allegheny (Pennsylvania spells it dif­ ferently than New York) National For­ est. Marked with white paint blazes and routed wooden signs, this northwestern Pennsylvania trail is one of the more established along the route of the NCT.

A national forest since 1923, lhe forest has 512,000 acres. When you see the variety of tree and wildlife species, it's hard to believe that the area was called "The Allegheny Brushpatch" in the 1920s. Extensive logging a century ago left the area nearly barren. The original forest of beech, hemlock and sugar maple was cleared by settlers or logged by lumber companies who used narrow-gauge railroads to remove the trees; now a growth of black cherry, red maple, sugar maple, oaks, birch and beech have taken their place.

The outstanding recreational op­ portunities of the Allegheny National Forest are enhanced by the Kinzua Dam. Completed in 1966, this flood-control facility harnesses the Allegheny Reser­ voir, a 12,000 acre impoundment. Snuggled in rugged plateau country, the forest's rolling, sometime steep topog­ raphy, cut deeply by hundreds of miles of creeks and streams, boasts elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,300 feet. The NCT passes through some unique old growth forests, the 4,080 acre Tionesta Natural and Scenic Area, and the 120 acre Heart's Content Scenic Area, boast­ ing 300-year-old white pine.

'Seven National Forest campgrounds are located along or a short distance off

'

Pennsvlvania 0

Keystone of the NCT

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992

'

and McConnel's Mill State park is un­ der way. For the latest information, contact either park superintendent.

At McConnel's Mill, the NCT uses 1.4 miles of the Alpha Pass and Kildoo Trails along Slippery Rock Creek; a three-mile extention to the west in McConnels Mill State Park is in devel­ opment by the Keystone Trails Associa­ tion and the Shenango Outing Club, and is reported to be outstandingly scenic. Day-use facilities and outstanding points of interest await the hiker. The gorge of the creek provides a scenic setting for the trail, which is marked with the NCT marker and routed wooden posts. Along the trail are a covered bridge and the restored McConnel's Grist Mill, a na­ tional historic landmark. For a map and brochure on the trail, write Superinten­ dent, McConnel's Mill State Park, RD 1, Portersville, PA 16051.

Once past McConnel's Mill, the planned route of the NCT heads west­ southwest for about 20 miles, using maps of Lawrence and Beaver Counties, to one of the newest segments of the NCT.

In 1991, localNCTactivists, work­ ing with a group that is promoting a scenic tourist railroad, were able to conclude an agreement for the purchase of former Montour Railroad line in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, long seen as about the only possible route for an off-road trail, partly due to a bridge problem. Treadway for the trail, now under development, will share the right-of-way with this steam-operated railroad. While similar arrangements have been proposed elsewhere, this is the first time, at least along the NCT, that this has been done.

This trail picks up at Darlington, Pennsylvania, about eight miles east of the state line, and follows the lightly­ used railroad grade westward. While the rail traffic is both light and slow, hikers should remember that trains do not stop easily, so they have the right of way!

While much work remains to be done on the North Country Trail in Pennsylvania, the state boasts the high­ est percentage of planned NCT certified in any of the seven states the North Country Trail crosses, and it's all very interesting trail. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that Pennsylvania could yet be the winner of the race to have certified North Country National Scenic Trail from border to border, as the Association pursues its goal of 2000

. certified miles of trail on the ground by 2000.

pingstone across the western Pennsyl­ vania/eastern Ohio gap. This project, under the leadership of the Allegheny Valley Trail Association, only began to be developed in 1991. Though not quite on the planned route of the NCT, it will offer a welcome alternative to the road miles necessary to get to the next certi­ fied trail. For more information on this new link, contact Allegheny Valley Trail Association, Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce, 1256 Liberty Street, Suite 2, Franklin PA 16323.

Once leaving the Allegheny Val­ ley Rail-Trail, the hiker will have to use county maps from Clairon and Butler Counties to find the way across low-use roads to the next steppingstone, in Moraine State Park, about 6 miles north­ west of Butler, PA, on SR8.

The trail picks up again at Jennings Environmental Education Center, at the east end of the park. A one-mile seg­ ment here joins with 13 more miles of the Glacier Ridge Trail in Moraine State Park. These trails are marked with blue paint blazes and the NCT markers. A wide variety of day-use facilities are found in the park, but no camping is allowed; several private campgrounds are in the vicinity, and a restaurant is located in the park. For information: Jennings Environmental Education Center, RD 1, Slipprey Rock, PA, 1()()57, and Superintendent, Moraine State Park, RD 1, Portersville PA 16051.

It is in this general vicinity that the 1992 Fall Meeting of the North Country Trail Association will be held, on Octo­ ber 16 through 18. The meeting will be held in the Camp Shaulis section at Lu­ therlyn Retreat Facility, which is oper­ ated by the Lutheran Church of Amer­ ica. It is located just east of Pennsy lva­ nia 528, three miles south of the village of Prospect. The village is situated midway between the cities of Butler and New Castle just south of US 422, which intersects with I- 79 a north-south inter­ state. The facility is located less than a one hour drive from the greater Pitts­ burgh Airport.

This area is noted for its varying to­ pography because of its unique location in regards to the last ice age. The area is located at the southeme dge of the Wisconsin ice advance. The varying topography is due to the rnorainal asso­ ciated deposits and the non-glaciated terrain and the copious amounts of meltwater generated by the retreating glacier.

Construction of a 3-mile connec­ tion between Glacier Ridge State Park

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992 Page 12 trail in the Allegheny National Forest. For more information, contact Don and Brita Dom, Star Route Box 476, Shef­ field, PA, 16347.

At the south border of the Allegheny National Forest, thehikerfollowsashort section of the Baker Trail southward to Clear Creek State Forest. The Baker Trail is a 140-mile hiking trail estab­ lished and maintained by American Youth Hostels, Inc., Pittsburgh Council, 6300 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15232. It extends from Freeport, PA. to the junc­ tion with the NCT in the Allegheny National Forest; unfortunately, the NCT only uses a few miles of this well-devel­ oped hiking trail. This northern segment of the Baker had been allowed to dete­ riorate, but heavy maintenance in prepa­ ration for certification in 1991 brought the trail back in shape.

Following the Baker Trail south, after about three miles the hiker enters Clear Creek State Forest. Here, a 1.5 mile segment of the Baker Trail is certi­ fied in this small, isolated parcel of state land. In addition to the official NCT markers, the segment is marked with yellow paint blazes and routed wooden signs. Trailside camping is permitted for one night only. For more informa­ tion, contact District Forest Office, Penn­ sylvania Bureau of Forestry, Box 705, Clarion PA 16214.

Immediately to the south, the NCT and the Baker Trail follow approxi­ mately 8 miles of the Cook Forest State Park's 27-mile trail network. This 6,422 acre park, created in 1927, preserves an original stand of white pines and hem­ locks. It is now one of the largest stands of virgin timber in the state, and the trees are from 250 to 300 years old. In Cook Forest State Park, camping is per­ mitted only at the 226-site developed campground, which is open year around, and at two group sites. The trail is marked with the official NCT marker and wooden signs. For additional information, con­ tact Superintendent, Cook Forest State Park, PO Box 120, Cooksburg, PA 16217.

About two miles southwest of Cook Forest, the planned route of the NCT departs southwestward from the south­ bound route of the Baker Trail, and the hiker is at the end of 470 miles of nearly-

- continuous marked and usable trail. With only a few steppingstones available, it is nearly 150 miles to the next long section of marked trail, and around 30 miles to the next usable trail.

Still under development, the Fran­ klin-Baker Rail-Trail about 35 miles in length, offers the first and longest step-

more snow, 1 got lo an area where there were big rocks next to a creek. I laid there about an hour, letting the sun soothe me. Reaching Tirrell Pond lean-lo about 5 PM, I stopped for the day.

April 28 - May 2: Still hobbling along on the snowy, icy and muddy trail. Crossing a stream on the second, I slipped, hurting my knee again. Reached Piscco that day, hiking through a four hour downpour.

May 3: Reached Hoffrnicstcr, on Ilighway 8, my first post office food drop. Ate a good meal al the Bear Paw Inn.

May 4: Reached Noblcsboro. followed a rutted dirt road north to a snowmobile trail that heads northwest toward Atwell. From there, I would take a road towards the town of Alder Creek. That trail was deep in snow. My knee was swollen, and it was just painful to thread through. l back­ tracked to highway 8. I figured if I went down it and highway 365 to Rome my knee would take less pounding.

May 5-6: Left the border of Adirondack Park. This year is its 1 OOth anniversary. On the fifth, at Barneveld, I checked into a motel. First shower since the start, along with laundered clothes. Also had a new pair of boots priority mailed to Holland Patent, which 1 picked up on the sixth. l got to Rome very late in the day. I confess! I took city buses through Rome as I didn 'I want to be hassled by cops or anyone else. Seeing someone hiking through a city with a big backpack is not a common sight. I stopped at Fort Stanwix, then took a bust as close to Eric Canal Village as I could get. It was raining when I got there, but it stopped within the hour. Another trail al last, very flat and straight! I liking some in moonlight, I covered I 0 to 12 clicks.

May 7-8: My knee wasn't as swollen, the weather sunny. There arc breaks along the towpath where you have to walk the highway sometimes, but there are interesting things to sec

Chet Fromm on the Florida Trail

Poge13

When I hike a trail, I prefer minimum segments of at least 1609 clicks (i.e., kilometers - 1,000 miles) at a time. That's how I completed the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Florida trails. My intention for '92 was to hike the NCT from Crown Point State Park, NY, to White Cloud, Ml. Didn't quite make it.

Earth Day, April 22, at 8:30 AM, in a slight drizzle, I reached Crown Point to begin my hike. I had gotten off AMTRAK at Port Henry the previous evening, and hiked down the road to within 1.6 clicks (1 mile) of the park. Note: the first store is right there. I tanked up on coffee and donuts that morning! Took photos of the point, and started west. By the afternoon, I passed through the town of Crown Point Center, and reached North Hudson Road. There I camped. Rain.

April 23: I couldn't find the trail that is supposed to head northwest from North Hudson Road, so I keep on the road till Johnson Pond Road, taking it northwest. Rain.

April 24: Packed up in pouring rain, hiked into the town of North Hudson, stopping at McDonalds near 1-87 and Highway 2B. The rain slacked off in about two hours, so west on 2B I went.

April 25-26: Still on 28. Rain. The 26th was the first sunny day! At Newcomb, I got on the Santanoni horse trail heading N.W. toward Shattuck Clearing, where I started on the Northville-Lake Placid Trail. Got there about 7 PM. First camp on an actual trail. The trails were very muddy, and snow patches were everywhere.

April 27: Another sunny day. Crossed Highway 2B late in the day. 96 clicks (60 miles) south to Piseco and Highway B. About 3clicksdown the muddy trail was the first part ofmy shorter than usual hike. Staring up a ridge, the trail was covered with a deep snowpack. I was sinking up to my hips in it. Well, one time I did a hard split "s", that's when I wrenched my right knee. I've fallen, but I did get up! Of course I fell some more; this snowpack went on for three clicks. My knee was painful, but I hoped just for a while, as I could still walk. Jn another 2 clicks or so I reached Tracy Shanty clearing, which was completely flooded. Detouring around it, through

by Chet Fromm

on the NCT

My shorter than usual hike

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992

Trail does not have the luxury of federal assistance for land protection. Until we get amendments to the Na­ tional Trails System for the North Country Trial, the Park Service is prohibited from acquiring land for the North Country Trail, as it has done so successfully for the Appalachian Trail.

The second reason that the Association is seeking more support is that membership dues are the corner­ stone in maintaining staff or implement the Associa­ tion's programs. The work of professional staff is needed to carry out fund raising, membership, and land protec­ tion programs to compliment the trail work contributed by volunteers.

We also wanted to make it easier for people to join the Association. One major change was the elimination of the one-date-only renewal schedule. It is now pos­ sible to join, and renew a membership, at any time of the year. So, if you want to give a friend a membership in December, they won't be asked to renew until the following December.

Memberships were also simplified by reducing the number of categories and making them more distinct. In the future we will give recognition in this newsletter to those individuals and organizations who support the As­ sociation beyond the basic level of giving. Finally, the "Family" membership is now called a "Household" membership, to better reflect our changing society.

I hope you agree that these changes are positive, and necessary, as the Association strengthens its efforts to finish more miles of the North Country Trail and entice more people to enjoy the experience of the trail.

You've probably noticed that as of September 1st, the cost of a membership in the Association changed substantially. We're all used to seeing prices rise on items we buy at the local store, but this increase in dues is not just the Association's response to cost of living increases. Instead, it is part of an overall strategy to help the Association reach its goals of making more of the North Country Trail route available to the public, and more people aware of this great recreational resource.

The increase in dues will contribute directly to trail building and improvement, attracting new members, and securing donations from foundation and corporate supporters. Before deciding on a dues increase, a survey was made of membership fees for other environmental and trail organizations. Even with the increase, the basic membership for the North Country Trail Associa­ tion is still below that ofalmost every environmental or­ ganization, and at paror below other trail organizations.

Why is greater support from the membership needed at this time? There are two major reasons. First, the Association is faced with the tremendous challenge of establishing trail across over 1,000 miles of private land. Our volunteers have almost finished building the trail routed across public land. If the Trail is to be completed, the Association will need to take the lead in securing privately owned rights-of-way. This project alone will require far more time, technical expertise, and resources than is available from our tremendously dedicated volunteers.

Unlike the Appalachian Trail, the North Country

Lakes National Forest. Rain. On the 20th, I reached Watkins Glen State Park, hiking a few clicks into it. Pouring rain that night into morning.

July 21: The second part of my shorter than usual hike. Hiking a few more clicks that damp, overcast morning, I had just descended some stone steps and was climbing up the trail when I stepped on a short, slightly tilted, wet wooden walk­ way. My feet went from under me and I crashed to the ground, my left wrist hitting first. As I lay there I knew the wrist was broken. Just before I fell I had heard people noises off to my right through the woods. I figured someone might be camping there. I got up and went down the side of the hill through the woods to the noise. When I got there, it turned out to be a 4- H summer camp. A nurse was there. She drove me to the Schuyler County Hospital at Montour Falls. X-rays confirmed the wrist was broken. The was it had broke could not be set by the doctors there. So, I was put in an ambulance and taken to St. Joseph's hospitalin Elmira. They set my wrist. After it was put in a cast I left on a bus towards home. My arm will be in a cast for at least eight weeks - and I'm left handed.

My shorter than usual hike. Well, there is always next year!

along it. Covering the 34 clicks, I got to Canastota the afternoon of the 8th.

May 9: What a change in the terrain. From flat to very hilly!! The abandoned railroad the NCT is supposed to follow was overgrown, and I was told the bridges were not safe or missing, so I took roads, mainly highway 13, to Cazenovia, my second food drop.

May 10-16: Got to the Onondaga Trail. Then, south of Cuyler, the Finger Lakes Trail. These trails are quite up, down, up, down, and have road walking in many places. On the 16th I fell again, reinjuring my still sore knee. Lots of off and on rain, from drizzles to thunderstorms. Some sun, muddy, but no snow and ice.

May 17: I was near Ithaca and decided to get off the trail there, as I found out there was no Greyhound out of Watkins Glen, my next food drop. As of this date I've hiked approxi­ mately 163 clicks of the Finger Lakes Trail.

July 18: Got off the bus at Ithaca on the 18th. My knee healed after two months off the trail. Ready to try again! Hiked to and through Robert Treman SP to the Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area. Rain.

July 19-20: Hiked past Cayuta Lake to a shelter in Finger

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992 Page 14

Poge15

conditions are up to snuff before apply­ ing for trail certification.

The longest largely certified seg­ ment of the trail is the 230 mile stretch between Wilderness State Park and Munising, Michigan, broken only by three marked, non-certified segments totalling about seven miles, and by the Mackinac Bridge.

Among other interesting landmarks noted in this year's report are the facts that Michigan's certified mileage went over400 miles, to 417, giving Michigan half again more miles than the state with the next highest certification, Ohio with 277. Also of note is that New York cer­ tified more miles already in 1992 than had been accomplished there in the four previous years. Pennsylvania, Michi­ gan, and Wisconsin all have high per­ centages of usable trail certified, al­ though only Michigan's percentage has been increasing in recent years.

A careful study of this year's trail status along with new and active proj­ ects leads quickly to the conclusion that the thrust of the development of the North Country Trail is changing.

Only one really new major project has gotten under way this year:

The McClusky Canal project is in central North Dakota. Planners have long eyed the McOuskey irrigation canal, from Lonetree Reservoir west through Wells, Sheridan and McClean counties to Lake Audubon as the only Icasablc route for the NCT. A group consiting of NCI' and Sierra Club members is work­ ing with the U.S. Reclamation Service to make this route, over a hundred m ilcs in length, a reality. Though the route is "usable", a fair amount of work needs to be done to make it certifiable. Potable water, camping areas, marking, etc. will be needed.

Several other major projects arc active:

ning, but not yet usable (and the com­ piler may not be aware ofall of these). It does not, include usable trails in the Adirondack Mountians, where perhaps 100-150 miles of trail that could be used for the NCT exist, but where the ulti­ mate route of the NCT is still in doubt, nor does it include the 300 miles plus that the "Arrowhead Route" rerouting would add to the trail in Minnesota.

The official projected length of the North Country Trail of 3,259 miles is clearly much too short, but is a conven­ ient figure to base analysis on from year to year. It would not be surprising if the final length of the NCT turned out to be 3,700 or 3,800 miles, or even more -­ easily over 4000 if the "Arrowhead Route" proposal takes shape.

The longest continuously usable segment of the NCT - 611 miles - is in Ohio, where the on-road Buckeye Trail generally links off-road, certified segments of the Buckeye/North Coun­ try Trail.

The longest continuous off-road or largely off-road segment of the trail is the 465 miles between the Baker Trail in Pennsylvania and the Onondaga Trail head near Apulia, New York. Only about 175 miles of this has been certified - much of it in Pennsylvania - but most of the route is more or less certifiable. Most of the remaining uncertified seg­ ments are on the Finger Lakes Trail, where the FlTC (which joined the North Country Trail project only after the 1983 blanket certification) is seeking to make sure that landowneragreements and trail

by Wes Boyd It's time once again for the annual

survey of the North Country Trail. This year's survey carries with it long-antici­ pated landmark, bringing the hope of 2000 certified miles by the year 2000 a step closer.

After more than a year of knocking on the door, total certified trail broke through the 1000 mile barrier this spring, with the certification of the Birdseye Hollow segment of the Finger Lakes Trail in April of this year; this certifica­ tion was quickly followed up with an­ other 50 miles of certification in several segments, one quickly-evident result of the National Park Service being able to assign a person to work on the North Country Trail full time.

With certifications now over the 1000 mile figure -1051.6, to be exact - it seems like a good time to go back over the figures of certified trail, to both list and analyze them. The acwmpany­ ing list (on the next page) is taken from the official National Park Service list compiled on July 14, 1992.

The National Park Service only recognizes "certified" and "connect­ ing" segments, and, in the case of the NCNST, the latter is misnamed; seg­ ments heretofore listed as "connecting" should actually be called, "eligible for certification in the 1983 Comprehen­ sive Plan". No new connecting seg­ ments of the NCNST have been desig­ nated since the completion of the plan in 1983, and many certifications have come from them, so their number is dwin­ dling. As a result, in this report, trail has been lumped together in two categories: "certified", and. "other".

"Certified" trail speaks for itself, but "other" trail falls into one of several categories: eligible for certification in the 1983 Comprehensive plan; marked trail not eligible for certification due to motorized vehicle use; projects, believed usable, under way; identified or com­ pleted since 1983; projects under way, where usability is in question; and us­ able off-road segments not currently considered trail projects.

Obviously, "other" can be pretty arbitrary. It does include some projects known to be under way or deep in plan-

What's done so far

1992 Trail Status Survey

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992

ANNUAL CERTIFICATIONS BY STATE iaaa llli till lill.§. nu iaaa !ill llll lill llil h1ll

NY 0 0 6.5 0 0 13.7 7.45 14.4 2.4 28.9 73.35 PA 119.65 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 119.65 OH 250.57 0 0 3.92 0 0 23.5 0 0 0 277.99 Ml 215.55 0 7.0 11.0 0 21.6 59.07 36.4 37.0 25.8 417.02 WI 67.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 67.80 MN 0 0 0 0 0 68.0 0 0 0 0 68.00 ND LQ Q. Ll. Q. Q. Q. Q ~ Q. Q. ~ 654.57 0 15.0 14.92 0 103.3 90.02 75.8 39.4 54.7 1051.6

St Antic!-% of ~~c111i~si Other %(1) Grand %{2) pated NCI Miles St % Miles Use Total Usable

NY 518 15.5 73.35 14.1 318.0 18.7 391.35 75.3 PA 198 5.9 119.65 60.4 45.5 72.4 165.15 83.4 OH 708 21.7 277.99 39.2 380.7 42.2 658.69 93.0 Ml 872 26.8 417.02 46.2 167.5 71.7 581.22 66.6 WI 155 4.8 67.80 43.7 15.5 81.3 83.30 53.7 MN 373 11.4 68.00 18.2 94.0 41.9 162.00 43.4 lli2 ~ ill 2L.2Q ...!l2. ~ Zil ~ Zil Tot 3259 100% 1051.6 32.2% 1115.0 48.8%2154.6 65.6%

(1) Percent of usable miles certified (2) Percent of planned miles usable

STATUS BY STATES 1051 6 TOTAL CERTIFIED MILEAGE

25.0 7/9/90 1.0 8/2/83 Ll. ~ 82.0

NORTH DAKOTA Sheyenne National Grassland USDA-FS Sheyenne State Forest NDFS Fort Ransom State Park P&R Dept. Total- North Dakota (109.5 usable)

68.0~ 68.0

MINNESOTA Chippewa National Forest USDA-FS Total- Minnesota (162.00 usable)

•

7.8 8/2/83 @,Q™ 67.8

WISCONSIN Copper Falls State Park DNR Chequamegon National Forest USDA-FS Total- Wisconsin (83.3 usable)

MICHIGAN Baw Beese Trail Hillsdale 4.0 7/14/92 M-99 Bikeway MOOT 5.0 8/2/83 Rogue River State Game Area DNR 7 .0 11 /8/85 Manistee NF · 40tSt - Nichols Lake USDA-FS 28.0 4/25/89 Manistee NF· Nichols -Cleveland USDA-FS 11.0 11/4/86 Manistee NF - Nichols Lake area USDA-FS 0.9 8/30/91 Manistee NF - High Br. - Beers Rd. USDA-FS 21.6 7/6/88 Shore-to-Shore Riding-Hiking Trail DNR 34.3 8/2/83 Jordan River Pathway DNR 9.25 8/2/83 Warner Creek Pathway DNA 1.6 8/2/83 Spring Brook Pathway DNA 1.7 8/2/83 Wilderness State Park DNA 5.3 6/1/92 Wilderness SP-Mackinac City DNR/NCTA 9.0 6/1/92 Hiawatha NF - Castle - Maple Hill USDA-FS 36.4 11/2/90 Hiawatha NF - Maple Hill to bound USDA-FS 42.0 1215/89 Tahquamenon Falls State Park DNR 20.0 5/16/89 Lake Superior State Forest DNR 24.6 8/2/83 Muskallonge Lake State Park DNR 1.5 5/16/89 Lake Superior State Forest DNR 18.1 8/2/83 Pictured Rocks National Lkshore NPS 42.8 8/2/83 Hiawatha NF - West Unit (1) USDA-FS 2.81 5/16/89 Hiawatha NF -West Unit (2} USDA-FS 6.76 5/16/89 Craig Lake State Park DNR 7.5 7/14/92 Ottawa NF (1) USDA-FS 29.6 8/2/83 Ottawa NF (2} USDA:FS 1 0.2 8/2/83 Ottawa NF (3\ USOA-FS 36.1 !mQfil Total- Michigan (581.27 usable) 417.02

OHIO Beaver Creek State Park DNA-Parks 6.25 8/2/83 BT-Tuscarawas CR82 to CR109 BTA 5.2 8/2/83 BT-TR 213 to Deersville BTA 6.5 8/2/83 BT-US22 to Guernsey CR893 BTA 4.0 8/2/83 BT-Salt Fork State Park BTNDNR 7.8 8/2/83 Wayne National Forest USDNFS 19.0 10/13/89 BT-TR23 to SR377 BTA 5.0 8/2/83 BT-SR555 to Morgan CR39 BTA 4.1 8/2/83 BT-Morgan CR101 to SR78 BTA 2.6 8/2/83 BT-Burr Oak State Park BTNDNR 8.0 8/2/83 BT-Athens CR92 to Salem Rd. BTA 2.2 8/2/83 BT-Wayne National Forest USDA-FS 14.5 10/13/89 BT-Mann Rd to TR40 BTA 4.2 8/2/83 BT-Lake Logan Rd to Murphy Rd. BTA 1.4 8/2/83 BT-Star Rt Rd -SR56(Hocking Hills BT NONA 1 3.25 8/2/83 BT-Vinton CR47 to TR13 BTA 3.0 8/2/83 BT-TR11 to SR327 BT A 1.5 8/2/83 BT-Clark Rd - US 35 (Tar Hollow) BTNDNR 17.6 8/2/83 BT-Woods Hollow Rd.- Prussia Rd.STA 2.2 8/2/83 BT-Davis Rd - Bell Rd (Pike SP) BTNDNR 17.0 8/2/83 BT-Bell Hollow Rd· SR41 Pike SF BTA 1.5 8/2/83 BT-Fort Hill State Memorial BTNOHS 4.07 8/2/83 Shawnee Trail (Shawnee SP/SF) DNA 14.5 8/2/83 BT-East Fork State Park BTNDNR 8.6 8/2/83 Little Miami Scenic Park DNA 44.8 8/2/83 Yellow Springs Segment Yellow Sprs. 3.921/16/86 BT-Statler Rd. to Piqua Hist. Area BTA 6.3 8/2/83 BT-Miami and Erie Canal Trail BTNDNR 42.0 8/2/83 BT-lndependance Dam State Park BTNPNR Ifl ™ Total- Ohio {658.69 usable) 277.99

PENNSYLVANIA Allegheny National Forest USDNFS 95.0 8/2/83 Baker Trail - aear Creek St. ForestDER-Forest 1.5 8/2/83 Baker Trail - Cook Forest St. Park DER-Parks 8.0 8/2/83 Jennings Environmental Ed. Ctr. DER-Parks 1.0 8/2/83 Moraine St. Pk. (Glacier Ridge Tr.) DER-Parks12.75 8/2/83 McConnel's Mill State Paris DER-Parks U ™ Total- Pennsylvania {165.15 usable) 119.65

Segment Certified Trail Managing Length Date Authority (miles) Cert.

NEW YORK FL I-Baldwin to Daisy Hollow Ads. FL TC/DEC 6.5 11 /8/85 FLT-Shindagen Hollow St. Forest FL TC/DEC 5.5 7/9/90 FLT-Danby State Forest FL TC/DEC 5.1 6/21 /88 FLT-Robert H. Treman State Park FLTC/OPRHP 3.5 6/21/88 FL I-Robert H. Treman State Park FLTC/OPRHP .6 6/21/88 FL I -Connecticut Hill Wildlife Area FL TC/DEC 7.45 1 /20/89 FLT- Finger Lakes Nafl Forest FL TC/USDA2.38 8/29/91 FLT- Bucktooth State Forest FL TC/DEC 3.8 6/1/92 FLT- Rock City State Forest FL TC/DEC 7.5 6/1/92 FLT -Sugar Hill State Forest FL TC/DEC 8.4 6/1 /92 FL I-Birdseye Hollow State Forest FL TC/DEC 9.2 4/15/92 FL I-Watkins Glen State Park FL TC/OPRHP 4.5 12/8/88 FLT-Goundry Hill State Forest FLTC/DEC ~ ™ Total - New York (390.1 usable) 73.23

NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL CERTIFIED SEGMENTS as of 7/15/92

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992 Page 16

North Country Trail Bookstore PO Box 311 • White Cloud, Ml • 49349

JUST PUBLISHED! FOLLOWING THE NORTH COUNTRY

NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL by Wes Boyd, NCTA Newsletter editor. All-new edition. 64 pages Many maps and photos Now available: the most complete overview of the North Country Trail, full of information for both the enthusiast and the casual user. It's not a trail guide, but a trail discussion that features the most inclusive and up-to-date information on the trail available in one volume . "The aim is to give the reader the information necessary to find out what they need to know to follow the trail" - and plenty else, besides!

$5.95 ($4.00 wholesale 10 or more). Add $1.00 per copy for shipping. Michigan residents add 4% state sales tax.

Manistee NF - Shore to Shore Trail: Work got underway this summer on a major project connecting the Manis­ tee National Forest and the Michigan Shore-to-Shore Riding-Hiking Trail. 1 he planned route will follow the Manistee River valley on the north side of the river, and connect with the south spur of the Riding-I liking Trail. With about 30 miles of trail to construct, it will proba­ bly take several year to complete.

Emmet County, Michigan: A route has been identified and is under con­ struction that will connect Wilderness State Park and the Petoskey area, leav­ ing only a gap with small steppingstones south to the Warner Creek Pathway where a route is under study.

Marquette and Buruga Counties. The North Country Trail I liken; of Mar­ quette, Michigan, in conjunction with the Sierra Club and the NCIA have been working al th is remote trai I through privately-held timber lands and state lands. The project keens growing at

Poge 17

1991, on the former Montour Railroad between Darlington, about eight miles east of the state line, and Negley, Ohio. The rail line remains in use as a scenic railroad; a separate treadway is planned.

From Negley, along the Sandy and Beaver Canal, groups of interested local people, coordinated by the Sandy and Beaver Canal Association, are organiz­ ing across Columbiana and Tuscarawas Counties to lay down a trail route for the North Country Canal along the general route of the canal. They have been meeting with some difficulties, but major con­ struction of at least some segments is expected to get under way soon. This area is the second major target (after Kent County, Michigan) for NPS plan­ ning and development efforts.

Three projects under way in M ichi­ gan offer the promise of over 600 miles of continuous largely certified trail be­ tween Grand Rapids and Ironwood, perhaps by 1995 and almost certianly by 2000:

Pennsylvania's Franklin-Baker Rail Trail. A local group new to the North Country Trail, the Allegany Val­ ley Trail Association, is busy working of two rail-trail conversion projects, one of 15 and the other of 20 miles of rail­ banked rail lands owned by the state. While not exactly on the projected route of the NCT, is is not far away, and will provide part of the needed link between Cook Forest State Park and the Glacier Ridge Trail.

Western Pennsylvania - Eastern Ohio connector: to lump together sev­ eral projects that are all pieces of a common goal: Work is under way by groups affiliated with the Keystone Trails Association to connect western Penn­ sylvania's Glacier Ridge with McCon­ ncl's Mill State Park, and extend the trail in McConnel's Mill State Park.

Advanced planning is underway on a route between McConnel's Mill and Darlington, Pennsylvania, where the NCT will follow a connection, arranged in

North Country Tra/f Association Newsletter, Autumn. 1992

r•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••··~ I ORDER FORM -- NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL SHOP I North Country National Scenic Trail Pin.@ $3.95 each Name . 1-- North Country Trail Patch@ $3.00 each I 1== North Country Trail State Segment Patch@ $1.25 each Address...................................................... I North Country Trail Window Sticker@ $1.00 each 1-- North Country Trail Supporter Cloisonne pin @$3 95 each I

I City, State, Zip........................................... I North Country Trail 10th Anniversary T-Shirl (circle size): I Adult, S, M, L. XL. XXL 100% cotton, It. blue only@ $9.95 each I

1== Child6/8, 10/12, 14/16--50/50cotton@$7.95each Phone I I Please enclose for shipping & handling Michigan residents include 4% sales tax Send order to: NCTA Trail Shop I

$0.00 - $10.00 $2.00 $25.01 -$100.00 $4.00 Make check/money order payable to: PO Box 311 I $10.01 · $25.00 $3.00 Over $100.00 $5.00 'North Country Trail Association White Cloud, Ml 49349 I ~-------------------------------------~

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North Country National Scenic Trail

Patches and Stickers NCT Patch $3.00 Volunteer Strip $1.25 State Strip $1.25

New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan. Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota

Hike Distance Strips (must qualify) $1.25 5, l 0, 15. 20, 25 or 35 miles hiked in one day

Window Sticker $1.00 Trail Supporter Pin (3/4" Cloisonne) $3.95

North Country Trail Shop

easements, land protection and other such issues will become paramount. It has long been realized that much trail is going to have to be routed along low­ use roads, ifonl y tern poraril y, if the trail is to develop a completed route, and working out the kinks in doing this are going to become more of a priority item. Similar programs have been undertaken on other national scenic trails, and about 400 miles ofusable NCNSTis currently uncertifiably located on roads.

Getting to 2000 certified miles by 2000 still remains a potential, although to accomplish it, it's clear that a lot of work will have to be done. In order to be fairly sure of2000 miles by 2000, there will have to be some active trail efforts on privately held land, a lot of follow-up work on existing usable trail, to prepare it for certification and certify it, and continued serious work on various pub­ licly-held land projects. When the 2000 by 2000 proposal was first made, only a hundred miles of trail a year for the next ten years had to be certified. As of this report, to reach the goal it will be nee­ cessary to certify 118.6 miles per year.

Service, without whose enthusiastic assistance the whole concept of the trail would still be on the drawing board.

Now, we're starting to see the end of new projects that can be done on these lands. While some opportunities remain to extend the length of the trail on public land, it has become clear that priorities are changing; while mainte­ nance and upgrading projects are taking up a good percentage of trail work time, organized efforts to route and construct trail on lands predominantly in private ownership will increasingly become a focus of trail efforts.

Two projectsconcentrated in pri­ vate lands efforts and which arc reciev­ ing special attention from the National Park Service are the Pennsylvania - Ohio connector, mentioned above, and in Kent County, Michigan, where the Kent County Parks and Recreation Department is working with the Park Service to de­ velop a route across the county.

Trail activists have long recognized that the focus on private lands will mean many differences in how we go about putting trail in. Landowner permissions,

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992

several miles per year, but in fragments. The first of these segments, in Craig Lake State Park, was certified in July.

In addition, two other major public land projects, long in the talk stage, are pretty much remaining there, although in a more advanced stage of talking: the Adirondack route, or whatever alternate route the NCT will take to reach its eastern trailhcad, and the "Arrowhead Route" rerouting of the trail through Minnesota. Both will need Congressional approval if a rerouting takes place.

Much rem a ins to be done on several of these projects, and on others that are more or less in the completed file. Pa­ perwork, in the form of certifications, has not kept up with trail development. An educated guess would lead to the conclusion that of the 2154 miles of "Usable" North Country Trail, 1051.6 are certified, and perhaps another 500 to 600 are more or less completed and could be certified in the next few years.

Jn the past ten to twelve years, the major concentration of trail develop­ ment has been work on public lands, especially lands held by the US forest

Page 18

Please enclose for shipping & handing: $0.00 - $10.00 $2.00 $10,01 - $25.00 $3.00 $25.01 - $100.00 $4.00 Over $100.00 $5.00

Mlcblg«n ruldmts Include 4% 11tes tax Make check/money order payable to:

'Not1h Country Trail Association•

Name , I I Address, , ,., .. ,,,, .. ,.,,,,,, ,,,,,., .. ,,,,,.,,, , I

... ,, , I City, State, Zip ,, ,, ,, I .. , , , , ,,,, , ,,, I Phone , ,,................ I

I I I I I I I

Send order to: NCTA Trall Shop I PO Box311 I Whtte Cloud, Ml 49349il --···------

copies of Michigan mapsets (check. appropriate ones:) O Croton Dam - Hodenpyl Dam o Interlachen - Boyne Falls o St. Ignace - Harvey O Marquette - Ironwood

$4.00 per set. All 4 sets, $18.00; Binder, $2.50 No wholesale

I ORDER FORM -- NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL BOOKSTORE I __ copies of 'Following the North Country Notional Scenic Troll'

$5.95 per copy ($4.00 per copy If ten or more)

·I copies of 'The North Country Troll -- Manistee National Forest' I -- $2.00 per copy. (no wholesale)

I copies of 'Gulde to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore• I -- $5.95 per copy. ($4.25 each If ten or more)

I __ copies of 'Gulde to the North Country Troll -- Chippewa Notional I Forest' $1.25 per copy ($.75 per copy If ten or more)

I­ I I I __ copies of 'Certtned Sections of the North Country Troll'

I (Check. appropriate sections:) o Allegheny NF & Cook. Forest, $2.90 OWayne NF, $1.50 Ollttle Miami Scenic Pork, $1.15 I O Miami and Erle Canal, $1.80 o Manistee NF $2.20 O Hiawatha NF E & Tohqua $2.70 O Ottawa NF, $2.10 I O Hie.NF W & Pict Rocks, $2.05 O Chequamegon NF, $1.80

I O Chippewa NF, $2.20 o Sheyenne Grassland, $1.15 Complete set with binder, $18.00, plus$3.00 shipping. No wholesale. ~-------------------------

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GUIDE TO THE PICTURED ROCKS NATIONAL LAKESHORE by Olive Anderson. Includes revised Lakeshore Trail Guide. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is the centerpiece of the North Country Trail -- a rugged, unique coast on the wild Lake Superior shore. Updated in 1988, this 56 page book by Pictured Rocks enthusiast Olive M. Anderson gives the reader revised maps and up-to-date information about this Michigan section of the North Country Trail. $5.95 each; Wholesale (l 0 or more) $4,25 each.

THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL -- MANISTEE NATIONAL FOREST by the Michigan Trailfinders. Offers a detailed description of the trail from the White Cloud trailhead to Big Star Lake, and from US l 0 to McCarthy Lake. Current through June, 1989. $2.00 each, no wholesale available.

OTHER GREAT TRAIL INfORMAVON AVAILABLE FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL BOOKSTORE

MICHIGAN MAPSETS developed by Arden Johnson. Maps to follow the NCNST in the Manistee, Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests, and the trail between St. Ignace and Munising, and northern lower peninsula. Four separate sets, part of al" per mile series to be developed for the whole state. Order from Croton Dam to Hodenpyl Dam, Interlachen to Boyne Falls. St. Ignace to Harvey or Marquette to Ironwood sets. $4,00 per set; $18,00 for all four. Binder with indicies, $2.50. Contact bookstore for information on ordering individual maps,

GUIDE TO THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL -- CHIPPEWA NATIONAL FOREST by Roderick Mac Rae. Discussion of the route and trail log from east to west in the Chippewa National Forest. Wonderfully written by a Chippewa National Forest expert. 12 pages. $1.25 each; Wholesale (10 or more) $.75 each

CERTIFIED SECTIONS OF THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL by Byron and Margaret Hutchins. The long-awaited start to a trail guide for the entire trail. Accurate route descriptions by an experienced guidebook writer who's walked the sections with a measuring wheel, covering many certified sections of the long enough to be a hiking destination, published in an easy to carry loose-leaf form. Individual map sets at various prices (see order form); whole set. including binder, is $18,00, plus $3,00 shipping, Sorry, no direct wholesale.

FOLLOWING THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL, by Wes Boyd, NCTA Newsletter editor. Packed full of information about the NCNST. All-new edition, 64 Dgges. Not a trail guide, but a trail discussion. "The aim is to give the reader the information necessary to find out what they need to know to follow the trail" - - and lots of other useful information. The most inclusive and up-to-date information on the whole trail. Available spring 1992, $5.95, ($4.00 wholesale 10 or more).

JUSI PU8LfSHEDWJI • NfWllll • JUST PUBL/SHED!!f[/

North Country Trail Bookstore Page 19 North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Autumn, 1992

L-------------------------------------- Phone <~-~ ---------

Name

Address------------

membership.

Enclosed is $ for a ------

I wish to join the North Country Trail Association.

U Yes, I would like to further support the North Country Trail Association with my tax free contribution of $ . enclosed.

20.00 30.00 35.00 50.00

100.00 500.00 400.00 600.00

Annual Dues: membership year runs to anniversary of North Country Trail Association dues payment. PO Box 311

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r--------------------------------------, APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

2000 Members by 2000 2000 Certified Miles by 2000

It's not going to be easy, but we can do it. Much has been completed, but there's still a lot to do. You can helpmeet the challenge by joining the North Country Trail Association, and by inviting others to join, too. Let's do it!

A CHALLENGE FOR THE so's

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North Country Trail Association Newsletter. Autumn. 1992 Page 20