2 The North Star July-September 11

In This Issue

About the Cover Tracy Wilderness, along the NCT in Pennsylvania.Photo by Kirk Johnson.

North Star StaffIrene Szabo, Volunteer Editor, (585) 658-431 or [email protected]

Peggy Falk, Graphic Design

The North Star, Fall issue, Vol. 3, Issue 3, is published by the North Country Trail Association, a private, not-for-profit 51(c)(3) organization, 9 East Main Street, Lowell, MI 49331. The North Star is published quarterly for promotional and educational purposes and as a benefit of membership in the Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the North Country Trail Association.

Staff Andrew Bashaw,

Regional Trail Coordinator Ohio/[email protected]

David Cowles, Director of Development

[email protected]

Jill DeCator, Administrative Assistant/Membership Coordinator

[email protected]

Matt Davis, Regional Trail Coordinator Minnesota/North Dakota

[email protected]

Rose Ann M. Davis, Office Manager

[email protected]

Andrea Ketchmark, Director of Trail Development

[email protected]

Laura Lindstrom,Financial Administrator

[email protected] Matthews,

Executive [email protected]

Bill Menke, Regional Trail Coordinator Wisconsin

[email protected]

Matt Rowbotham, GIS Coordinator

[email protected]

National Board of DirectorsTerms Expiring 2012

Joyce Appel, Pennsylvania Rep.,(74) 56-547 · [email protected] Jack Cohen, Pennsylvania Rep.,(74) 34-5398 · [email protected]

Bobby Koepplin, Immediate Past President, North Dakota Rep.,

(71) 845-935 · [email protected] Moberg, First VP, Minnesota Rep.,

(71) 71-6769 · [email protected] Pavek, Minnesota Rep., (763) 45-4195 · [email protected]

Gaylord Yost, VP West, Great Lakes Rep.,(414) 354-8987 · [email protected]

Terms Expiring 2013Larry Hawkins, President, Lower Michigan Rep.,

(69)945-5398 · [email protected] Rummel, New York Rep.,(315) 536-9484 · [email protected]

Ray Vlasak, At Large Rep.,(18) 573-343 · [email protected]

Terms Expiring 2014Mary Coffin, VP East, New York Rep.,

(315) 687-3589 · [email protected]

Dave Cornell, At Large Rep., (39) 561-651 · [email protected]

Garry Dill, At Large Rep.,(614) 451-3 · [email protected] John Heiam, At Large Rep.,

(31) 938-9655 · [email protected]

Lorana Jinkerson, Secretary, At Large Rep.,(96) 6-61 · [email protected]

Doug Thomas, At Large Rep.,(61) 4-4 · [email protected]

ArticlesNCTA Wins NPS Award ............3 We Celebrate Tom Gilbert ...........4NCTA Awards for 11 ...............6 Editor on the Mend! ..................11NPS VIP Awards .......................1 11 Conference Highlights ......14 The Satisfaction of Giving .........16Dayton: Did We Paint the Town Blue?.................181 Extended Outing ..............Why Stealth Camping is a Bad Idea ..............................1 What Does It Take to Build a Trail? .........................Safety Consciousness and PPE ..4 Power Tools Workshop: Central New York Chapter ........5 Tips for Taking Better Photos on the Trail ..........6

ColumnsTrailhead ......................................3Matthews' Meanders ..................11Trail Manager's Corner ..............17

Tom holds his custom Bedell guitar, with his name inlaid on the fret board; a gift from the members of NCTA. See our photo essay on page 4.

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www.northcountrytrail.org July-September 11 The North Star 3

Greetings from Southwest

Michigan, host of the 2012 NCTA National Conference – “Back to the Woods.” I had the pleasure of meeting, talking, learning and hiking with many of you in Dayton a few weeks ago. Allow me to introduce myself as your new NCTA Board President. Like you, I joined the NCTA because I love the outdoors and found the idea of building a National Scenic Trail incredibly appealing. Now I find myself President and wonder how I got here!

Immediate Past President Bobby Koepplin is a hard act to follow. He led your Board of Directors in accomplishing a great deal in the last two years. Bobby recognized we were walking a financial tightrope becoming ever more precarious as our national economy went into its tailspin. Our financial security was his top priority.

Bobby started Founders Circle to recognize our most generous donors. We began with a goal of 46 members, now up to 63 as of the August 1 Annual Membership Meeting. With Bobby’s leadership, in 1 we hired David Cowles as Development Director. We now have a Legacy Society— recognizing people who are remembering the North Country Trail Association in their wills or trusts. Our once-foundering membership has stabilized. Association policies are assembled in one place. We have a strategic plan that’s not shelf art. Recognizing the opportunity to help the Association mature, under Bobby’s leadership we’ve initiated board governance workshops helping to transform us in reaching our mission potential. As I said, a hard act to follow.

I have several priorities as my term begins. First is Trail Protection. We have long committed ourselves

to building trail built to the specifications of the National Park Service. We added over 15 miles of new trail in the last year. Now, we need to guarantee the trail we put on the ground today will be there for our children and grand children. More to come.

My next Priority is to improve governance for our Association. This has already started. For the last year your Board of Directors has been working diligently with a consultant who specializes in assisting nonprofit organizations. We’ll continue this important work in becoming the best we can be in serving its membership.

Third priority is to achieve a sense of connectedness between our membership and National Staff and Board. As I opened this year’s Annual Meeting, it occurred to me that I was addressing less than 1% of our membership. We need to change that. We have wonderful training and workshops at Conference. We need to take this to Chapters and Affiliates on their home turf through local workshops, web based resources, and other training tools. We need our members to value and use the resource of our NCTA staff.

This is a challenging agenda. With your help we will make it a reality.

With You on the Trail,—Larry Hawkins

LARRY HAWKINS President

TRAIL HEAD

The NCTA was selected the winner in the “Outstanding Friends Group Project or Event”

category from among all nominees within the 13 state award program area. With 2011 being the inaugural year of this award, NCTA’s recognition is singular and in fact set the bar so high the NPS will add more categories in the future to level the playing field. On accepting the award, NCTA president Larry Hawkins noted “It’s great to be recognized by the NPS. There’s truckloads of sweat equity wrapped up in this award, and I’m glad our membership’s being recognized for it by our major partner.”

The NPS noted in their announcement of the award that “the NCTA just completed what could be considered their most successful year ever. Throughout 1, a cadre of 77 Volunteers-In-Parks (VIPs) tallied a remarkable 68,495 hours of service to the North Country Trail—a private sector value of more than $1.4M. Through the efforts of the NCTA, the North Country Trail saw an additional 5 miles of new trail built, as well as countless structures in the form of trail bridges, information kiosks, and hiker shelters. Additionally, hundreds of other existing trail miles received on-going maintenance and rehab attention.”

North Country Trail Association (NCTA) was awarded the National Park Service’s Midwest Region Partnership Award on August 12, 2011. The award is being presented by Midwest Regional Partnerships Coordinator Diane Keith (R) and Acting NCNST Superintendent Pam Schuler (L) at the NCTA’s 2011 Annual Conference in Dayton, Ohio. Accepting on behalf of NCTA’s staff and volunteers are president Larry Hawkins (L) and immediate past president Bobby Koepplin (R).

North Country Trail Association Wins NPS Outstanding

Partnership Award

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NCTA Board President Larry Hawkins reads NCTA’s resolution presenting Tom with a lifetime membership in North Country Trail Association.

Above: Tom is pleased to accept his honorary lifetime membership.

Left: Tom holds his plaque as Bill Menke presents it before our members attending 2011 NCTA Conference in Dayton.

We Celebrate NCTA's Hero

TOM GILBERT

During 2011 Dayton Conference Award program, NCTA Executive Director Bruce Matthews recognizes retiring NPS NCNST Superintendent Tom Gilbert for the audience of conference attendees. Bruce holds North Star Volume 30, Number 2; Tom was honored with his picture on the cover of that issue, and the picture projected on the wall shows Tom's cover photo.

July-September 11 The North Star 5www.northcountrytrail.org

Matthews presents Tom with a custom made guitar, inlaid with Tom’s name on the fret board, a gift from the members of NCTA.

Tom pauses to admire his very special personalized instrument.

Tom makes a point.Tom shares his thoughts with the audience on the occasion of his recognition by the NCTA for his 30 years of service as NCTA’s only NPS superintendent.

Right: This bronze plaque honoring Tom's life of dedication to the North Country National Scenic Trail was presented to him by Bill and Donna Menke, to be placed at a location Tom requests.

Jan Gilbert wouldn't have missed sharing with us in our celebration honoring Tom's lifetime of service.

Photo Essay by Mick Hawkins


NCTA Awards for 2011

Arlen Matson of Grand Traverse Hiking Club, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

One of the most enjoyable parts of our annual conference is

always the evening program when we honor some of our most cherished volunteers and benefactors for their contributions to the Trail. Best of all, the nominations for these awards come from YOU, our members! The Awards committee, Lorana Jinkerson, chair, Pat Leinen, Irene Szabo, and Joyce Appel, thanks you for your nominations.

This year we were pleased to give Arlen Matson of the Grand Traverse Hiking Club the Lifetime Achievement Award for his eighteen years of steady service organizing and leading both trail building and maintenance along 1 miles of trail. He was instrumental in the founding of the chapter, and his joy in tending trail in the woods is obvious from his record since then. As he has said, nothing gives him greater joy than building a trail that brings others into the outdoors. Not only has he worked in the field with his wife Arlene and other volunteers, building both new and rerouted trail, but he has remained faithful to the administrative end of things, working with public agencies, arranging permits, planning and executing TWENTY-SIX bridges in the vicinity of the Manistee River, successfully submitting NPS and NCTA grant applications and certification requests, and organizing all the section adopters necessary for such a long mileage chapter responsibility. It is worth noting that as his field work decreases with age, his attention to administrative details has not wavered!

Our future is secure with young Rising Star Adam Larson sticking with his interest in the NCT even into his college years. Starting with an Eagle Scout project to plan and build new trail connecting Fort Ransom and Fort Ransom State Park for the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter in North Dakota, when some of the route planning took place on snowshoes, Adam's commitment grew with his enthusiasm. His work session planning even included alternate dates, fortunate since the historic flooding of 9 forced cancellations. Eventually several miles were cleared and marked, even where open grassland required copper-topped treated posts to guide hikers. Since then Adam has continued as a chapter volunteer even during college, and has recruited several other new members!

Communicator of the Year went to Eileen Fairbrother of the Central NY Chapter, where she is the Webmaster extraordinaire who has made their website appealing and dynamic by satisfying a wide variety of hiker and member needs. Seasonal trail information is constantly updated for snowy trail users, during hunting season, and after storms. Suggested day hikes are offered, plus all chapter

member information is posted, activity schedules, newsletters, pertinent political items. In response to long distance hiker requests, she is even working on a section to identify local campsites, grocery stores, lodging, etc. And of course there is a photo journal of wildlife, scenery, and recent work projects.

Our Friend of the Trail Award honors people, often working for related state agencies, who go well beyond the call of duty to help our trail projects. For instance, Bob Christensen who works for the National Park Service (St. Croix Scenic River) in Wisconsin has smoothed the way for many a trail building project, by assigning "his" Youth Conservation Corps summer crew to NCT projects like

building the extensive Brule Bog boardwalk, by contributing his own NPS maintenance staff sometimes, and by storing the Rovers' Crew trailer safely nearby. And Scott Peterson of North Dakota Fish & Game has shouldered a lot of trail responsibility: since the Lonetree Chapter has gone inactive, he has been personally responsible for maintaining 3 miles of grassland trail with only occasional volunteer help, plus contributed a lot of time (and a state van) to the 9 annual conference in Valley City.

A new award this year shines our admiration on an Outstanding Private Landowner, and the first trophy went to Randy Lehman in west-central NY, where he and his wife own Hickory Hill Camping Resort outside Bath and at the bottom of a ridge where the Finger Lakes Trail passes on his property. Not only has he provided brochure space for FLT and NCT flyers for years, and permitted a spur to be built from the trail above down to his campground, he contributed financially to the FLT's "Passport" booklets which feature a dozen hikes in a wide region, designed to lure new people to the trail. He has also hosted three of the FLT's fall campouts, including putting on feasts in the dining hall. Oh, but there's more! Last year he proposed siting a log shelter up on his ridge for hikers, using his own logs, and when wise worriers wondered aloud whether this shelter would be protected no matter who future owners might be, he even agreed to sign a permanent trail easement!

John Stehle was a wonderful choice for the Outreach honor this year, for organizing and leading the several year Tour de NCT along the entire Pennsylvania trail. By advertising these hikes in local media, new people were brought to the trail and local chapters, plus he fostered cooperation among the Pennsylvania. Chapters, all of whom participated in the hike series.

Midwest Mountaineering earned Trail Blazer this year for their ongoing contributions to the NCT. An outdoor retailer in Minneapolis, their biennial Outdoor Expo brings in tens of

Irene Szabo

Honoring A Few of the Many Deserving Volunteers and Groups Who Were Nominated


Rising Star: Eagle Scout Adam Larson, Sheyenne River Valley Chapter.

Scott Peterson of North Dakota Fish & Game : Friend of the Trail Award.

Marge Forslin, North Country Trail Hikers, earned a Sweep Award.

Distinguished Service: Pat and Mary Hayes, Buckeye Trail Association.

Communicator of the Year Award: Eileen Fairbrother of Central New York Chapter.

Karen Klos, Allegheny National Forest Chapter: received a Sweep Award.

Outstanding Private Landowner Award:Randy Lehman, West Central New York.

Garry Dill, Ohio, accepts his Blue Blazes Benefactor Award.

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Steve Kinne, Central New York Chapter: Trail Maintainer Award.

Lifetime Achievement Award recipients attending 2011 Conference: L-R Bill Menke–2008, Tom Gilbert–1997, Arlen Matson–2011, Ed Sprague–2003, Dave Cornell–2006, and Al Larmann–2009.

Trail Builder of the Year: Itasca Moraine Chapter's Bruce Johnson.

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thousands of the "right" audience, and they have offered the NCTA, among other not-for-profit groups, space for an informational display at a significant discount. The store also has allowed NCTA members to put on demonstrations or workshops, all of which has helped a dramatic rise in area memberships. They have also contributed to several project grants for the Superior Hiking Trail Association and the NCTA.

Three members were awarded in the Sweep category this year, reserved for those steady people everybody else counts on, year after year, even if they contribute in the background. Don Penly of Wisconsin was nominated by Bill Menke for the wonderful construction drawings he has prepared for various bridge projects, using a CAD program (computer-assisted drawings). Not only does their professional look impress agencies when a permit is being sought, they have simplified local volunteers' lives when planning a new and different size of bridge. Hundreds of hours of work by Don have been a great service.

Karen Klos is clearly the "woman behind the man" for the Allegheny National Forest Chapter in Pennsylvania, and doesn't even hike, but supports the chapter more than many members by handling extensive publicity for all of their projects, cooking for group projects, and now managing all the correspondence and organizational details for their local 1-treasure geocache trail!

Our third Sweep went to Marge Forslin of the NCT Hikers in the upper peninsula of Michigan, who has become an instrumental member of that chapter, first of all by GPS'ing their 1 miles of trail and creating maps of all of it, available on their website. In addition she has jumped to volunteer for a wide variety of other tasks, from designing a new brochure to organizing major hike series, and now even working with highway agencies to create trailhead signage. Plus she and her husband have adopted part of the trail.

Blue Blazes Benefactor was gratefully bestowed on Ohio's Garry Dill, for his years of quiet but significant financial contributions to the NCTA.

Leadership went to Wampum's Lee Fairbanks who, as nominator Dave Brewer said, always makes other trail volunteers,…"whether veteran or newcomer, feel welcome and valued." Not only does he lead many of their trail work sessions, he

Bob Christensen, National Park Service: Friend of the Trail.

John Stehle, Butler County Chapter: was chosen for the Outreach Award.


Wampum's Lee Fairbanks: Leadership.

John Pearson, Brule-St. Croix Chapter: Trail Maintainer.

Chris Hoffarth, Sheyenne River Valley: Trail Builder.

Clyde Anderson, Sheyenne River Valley: Trail Maintainer.

Don Penly of Wisconsin: Sweep Award.

obtained funding for and organized last summer's backpacker shelter construction project, and he has been at the forefront of negotiations with various state agencies to obtain meaningful signage at significant road crossings. Lee has also led the chapter in its relations with other outdoor groups and state agencies, which has enhanced Wampum's position with each of them.

Back in the dark ages, when somebody invented our award categories, we were permitted up to three Sweeps, for example, but only one each of Trail Builder and Trail Maintainer. Well, your committee threw in the towel this year, because there are just too many excellent nominees for each! So three awards were made for each of those categories, and that still leaves unsung a few heroes.

Trail Maintainer went to Steve Kinne, John Pearson, and Clyde Anderson. Clyde's nomination letter by Deb Koepplin of the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter in North Dakota was filled with the kind of praise we all wish we deserved some day. He was described as the most cheerful and dedicated member of the Chapter, apparently gives unstintingly of himself doing long hours of maintenance, and even works in adjacent chapter areas when they need help, too! When speaking of his many health problems, Clyde just says, "If something should happen to me, just roll me off to the side of the trail, and I can die a happy man." John Pearson tends his own 5 miles of Wisconsin prairie, requiring more frequent mowing, to perfection, but spends even more time helping others with their sections when there's a need. Just to be sure everything's okay, he even snowshoes in the winter to check on the trail! The Brule-St. Croix Chapter is also grateful for his welding abilities, which have saved many a piece of equipment. Steve Kinne is trail chair of the Central NY Chapter, and has already planned and executed many improvements to the original route. A certified sawyer, he helps throughout their section with downed trees, and is another one who checks the trail by snowshoe in the winter! Not only is he physically invested in their trail, but he has undertaken leadership in refining relationships with state agencies and works with Scouts to create useful projects along the chapter's trail miles.

Bruce Johnson from the Itasca-Moraine Chapter rated the first of our three Trail Builder awards: within four


Ed Solstad, Border Route Trail: Distinguished Service.

Marty Swank, Chequamegon Chapter: Distinguished Service.

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Keith Klos, Allegheny National Forest Chapter: Trail Builder.

years he has worked on building at least miles of new trail, participating at all levels of the project, from layout the route up through blazing. He led the project to build 18 feet of boardwalk through the Schoolcraft River basin, maintains his own section of trail, and coordinates others' adoption of sections to ensure good trailcare.

Keith Klos received the nod for his endless work improving trail through the Allegheny National Forest, planning and executing reroutes, working with various youth crews, organizing several major bridge and puncheon projects. Reading the list of route improvements he has spearheaded, I have a feeling none of the problems I encountered there back in the mid-nineties exists any more! Chapter members credit his good relations with the National Forest staff for a lot of their success.

Chris Hoffarth of the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter was awarded the third Trail Builder of the year for his heavy involvement in building 13 miles of new trail in recent years, which covers the whole job from route planning to clearing. He is skilled with any machinery or task required, from rock work to walking behind the DR mower for hours on end, from sidehill benching to building complex stiles.

Three nominees for Distinguished Service were honored this year. Pat and Mary Hayes of the Buckeye Trail Association in Ohio have provided the leadership in the last four years to improve the relationship between the North Country Trail and the Buckeye Trail, utilizing Pat's personal skills and Mary's organizational capabilities, resulting in a new affiliate agreement with the NCTA, sharing Andrew Bashaw's position between the two organizations, and many new and improved trail miles. While Pat was President of the BTA, many off-road miles were added along the Miami and Erie Canal towpath while other miles were finally certified. While many volunteers worked on creating the Border Route Trail in far northern Minnesota, only Ed Solstad has been actively and frequently working in the field for the last forty years! Not only does he live 5 miles away, but the location of the BRT requires canoe access to some work sessions, or a long hike into the interior, while natural disasters have plagued the region repeatedly.

Nonetheless, Ed's field service has been continuous, while he continues to serve the BRTA Board, and even held a seat on the fledgling NCTA Board in the early 9's.

No one will be surprised that the third Distinguished Service Award went to Marty Swank, sparkplug of the Chequamegon Chapter in Wisconsin. Through his leadership and skill at communication, Marty has transformed a small inactive chapter into the state's largest, with efficient trail care, social activities, and frequent outreach events. "Marty never fails to grasp an opportunity to thank one of the chapter members, agency partners, or private citizens for the smallest of contributions to the overall effort," Bill Menke said in his nomination letter, and it's a wonderful trait we should all aim to emulate.

Who is Your Hero?

Is there a hard working member in your Chapter who deserves

recognition for dedicated service or support to the North Country Trail Association and the NCT? Your hero may receive an award only if you nominate him or her for that honor. While simply being a nominee is an honor in itself, your associate may prove to be the most outstanding supporter we can find. If so, you will have a great excuse to accompany him or her to conference 2012 to accept and celebrate the Award bestowed with the whole NCTA!

Here's how to get your hero's name in the running for next years awards: Go to northcountrytrail.org/members/awards to download information and nomination forms.

Start planning now to attend 1 Conference in Augusta, Michigan!


BRUCE MATTHEWSExecutive Director

MATTHEWS’ MEANDERS

With the Dayton NCTA Conference now in the rear view mirror it is timely to give some kudos as well

as ask a question of our membership. First, huge thanks go to conference chair Kathy Hamilton and her planning team. Anyone who attended got to see the evidence of their efforts which, in part because of all the opportunities around Dayton, involved a ton of coordination and logistics planning far beyond the ordinary. The support of Brent Anslinger and the 5 Rivers MetroParks was pretty amazing. NCTA is grateful to all our partners in hosting the conference, and particularly to the Buckeye Trail Association and its executive director Andrew Bashaw. Way to go, buckeyes!

Now here’s a question for our 3 NCTA members who we didn’t see at Dayton: What would it take to interest you in attending the 1 conference?

This is a serious question. Your association invests countless volunteer hours and a very significant percentage of staff time, not to mention financial resources, in order to bring conference to the membership. Yet, even at our past two conferences, with much better attendance than at Dayton ’11, we’ve had well less than 1% of our membership participating. If we intuit that NCTA’s membership is voting with their feet, those feet aren’t going to conference, and it’s the responsible thing for your board and staff to be asking if we ought to be having a conference at all.

I need to say at this point that I see tremendous potential for organizational conferences. Not only does conference offer a reason for our membership family to connect and reconnect with one another, conferences create unique spaces for member and chapter capacity building, for learning and growing in our trail-building and maintaining skills, for sharing success stories and what works, and growing NCTA’s culture in bringing together our red plaid nation. Plus, its loads of fun! There’s no better way to move

our agenda forward than a face-to-face conference, even in this age of electronic communication. Computers make it real tough to shake hands.

So, then, what should conference look like? How can we make you an offer you couldn’t refuse?

A few years ago, prior to our Cazenovia ’8 conference, I conducted an online survey that looked at this same thing—getting more members to come to conference. We found out about accommodations, locations, program and costs preferences, and we made the changes. Conference attendance grew steadily ’8—’1. And then Dayton happened. A conference with an outstanding program, diverse hiking and educational program opportunities close to more NCTAers than we’ve been in the last four years, only drew 131 registrants.

I’m hopeful you will take this opportunity to share with me your response. Call me toll-free at 866-445-368 or email me at [email protected]. Our 1 conference team is working harder than ever to deliver an outstanding conference at the Yarrow Center near Augusta, Michigan (close to Kalamazoo). By all accounts, located near a large metro area as well as our strong west Michigan member base, we should see more conference attendees than ever before. But Dayton showed us we can’t take anything for granted. I’d like to pass on your suggestions to our conference planning team.

My friends, what would it take to get you to Augusta, Michigan on August , 1?

North Star's Editor was in the hospital from June through September. We apologize for any little slip

ups you may find in this issue. Irene hopes to be back in the saddle for the next issue of North Star.

"A huge Thank-You to all of you NCT members from many different states who have sent get well cards. It was nice to be remembered! Also, I want to thank all members who stepped up to the plate to prepare this issue for publication."

—Irene Szabo, Editor

Editor on the Mend!

Conference attendees expressed their best wishes on a giant blaze blue card, and said "Hi, and get well soon!" to Irene in this photo taken Friday evening in the banquet room at Wegerzyn Gardens.

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The 2,500 Hour Award honorees shown were present at Conference to receive their personalized NCTA fleece jackets. L-R: Brian Pavek, Ray Vlasak, NPS Jeff McCusker, NPS Pam Schuler, Keith Klos, Lorana Jinkerson, and Carter Hedeen.

The National Park Service enables us to thank both award recipients and those who turn in their volunteer hours.Remember: Everything you do that contributes to and supports the trail counts! In each hourly category, volunteer workers and their awards are listed on the facing page.

4,000 Hour honorees received the Presidential "Call to Service" Certificate and Pin, plus a letter from President Obama. Attending Conference 2011 L-R: Dave Cornell, Mary Kunzler-Larmann, Joan Young, Ed Scurry, NPS Trail Manager Jeff McCusker, Al Larmann, and Bill Coffin.

Pam Schuler congratulates Tom Moberg for earning his 1,000 Hour Award.

100 Hour Award recipient Mike Wilkey, NPS Pam Schuler, NPS Jeff McCusker, and 100 Hour Award recipient Tim Hass.

L-R: NPS Volunteer Coordinator Dan Watson, NPS Acting Superintendent Pam Schuler, and NPS Trail Manager Jeff McCusker applaud 10,000 Hour Award recipient Al Larmann.


National Park Service 2011 Hourly Volunteer Awards

100 Hour Recipients Certificate and NPS-Volunteer PinJim Weiske Mary Stenberg Beth Trout Jim Houk Ken Rugaber Boyd Manges Mike Toole Robert Cooley Deena Barshney Samuel Curlew Thomas Tefft Robert McNamara Lucia Krueger Rick Moore Janet PattonPhilip Nimps Sue Kranz Cathy Garrett Dale Brokaw Jim Upthegrove Adam Larson Kenneth Zimmer Melanie Fullman Roger Barry Doug Boulee Devin Callihan Dave Martus Philip Anderson Daniel Raish Edsel Gunderson Tina Toole Joseph Kravetz Duane Lawton Don Miller Dale Yerkes Ross Spencer Patti Prusila Kevin Bell Kevin Kesterson Valerie Kozlovsky Jane Leedle Cindy Schwehr Brian Myers Frank Lynn Nancy Burkholder Merl Schlaack Richard Pomerleau John Lawton Michael Wilkey Victor NelsonReginald Krueger Gerald Anderson Neil Rinne Gordy Schelde Tim Hass Doug Turner Richard Ostheimer Bob Patton

200 Hour Recipients Water Bottle with NPS and NCT EmblemsJack Cohen Ric Olson Dennis Garrett Leon Pitzen Ross Spencer Jim Weiske Boyd Manges Philip Nimps Ronald Wiley Stan Malaski Daniel Willshire DeWayne Cox Adam Larson Willis Mattison Gene Pierson John Stehle D. James Heaton John Prusila Tina Toole Mike TrieschmannRobert Sulaski Gail Glendon Darlene Warren Mary Hayes Loren Bach Hank Ludtke Devin Callihan Marjory Johnston John Backes Thomas Tefft Margo Hodder Jerry Heiman

400 Hour Recipients LS Shirt, Embroidered Name & NCTA Logo, and NPS-VIP Shoulder PatchPatrick Delaney Charles Church Harold Fairbanks Daniel Willshire Eleanor Fairbanks Chuck Hayden Jerry Freels Van Serrell John Stehle Joan Cox Jack Cohen William Wesner Clyde Anderson Barb Buchanan Karen Stenberg Marvin DeWitt Philip Dankert Jim Matteson JoAnn Pearson Shirley LaBonte John Forslin Richard Swanson Don Penly June Thaden Kathryn WoodruffJacob Detrie Keith Brown Jim Weiske Sieglinde Schwinge

1,000 Hour Recipients Fleece Vest, Embroidered Name & NCTA Logo, and NPS-VIP Breast Patch Charlene DeWitt Tom Moberg John Pearson Jo Taylor Larry Hawkins Andrew Mytys Mike Stafford Brian Buchanan Lynne Nason Karen KlosDavid Galbreath Steve Kinne Richard Boettner Bruce Johnson

2,500 Hour Recipients Jacket with Embroidered Name and NCTA LogoRobert Norlin Carter Hedeen Keith Klos Raymond Vlasak Brian Pavek Lorana Jinkerson

4,000 Hour Recipients Presidential “Call to Service” Award Certificate, Call to Service Pin, Letter from President Obama Al Larmann Gail Blakely Joan Young Marty SwankBill Coffin Gaylord Yost Joe Dabes Mary Kunzler-LarmannDave Cornell Irene Szabo John Leinen Rick AdamsonEd Scurry Jerry Trout Kay Kujawa Ron Rice

10,000 Hour Recipients Personalized PlaqueAl Larmann John Leinen

500 Hour Qualifiers Interagency Volunteer PassRay Vlasak Bruce Johnson Karen Klos Robert Cody JoAnn Pearson Carter Hedeen Larry Hawkins Tom Moberg Chris Hoffarth Richard Parks Brian Pavek Julie Elkins-Watson Mike Stafford Jack Cohen Jim Weiske Robert Norlin James Runk Richard Boettner Chuck Hayden Daniel Willshire Keith Klos Charlene DeWitt Jo Taylor Mikie Kuhman Don Penly Lorana Jinkerson Andrew Mytys Steve Kinne Richard Lightcap Chuck ZoselBrian Buchanan David Galbreath Jacob Detrie Richard Swanson


2011 Conference Highlights

Amy Anslinger and her young hiker at Wegerzyn Gardens. Outgoing president Bobby Koepplin receives recognition for his leadership at the helm of the Red Plaid Nation.

Jane Norton and Mary Rebert explore the willow sculpture at Wegerzyn Gardens during Friday's Social Hour.

Joan Young, Mick Hawkins at Wegerzyn Gardens.

Above: Al Larmann (R) makes a point with Larry Pio. RIght: Dayton Conference Chair Kathy Hamilton welcomed us all to 2011 Conference.

Incoming NCTA Board president Larry Hawkins shares a moment with outgoing president Bobby Koepplin.

Tom Gilbert, Andrea Ketchmark and Andrew Skurka.

Jan and Dave Cornell inside Patrick Hamilton's serpentine sculpture called "Wiggle in Its Walk" at Wegerzyn Gardens.

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2011 Dayton Conference passes the Torch to 2012 Kalamazoo Conference.

Prairie flowers from hike.

Hikers enjoy a pretty stretch of trail on the Lockington Locks Hike.

Bobby Koepplin leads lively bidding during auction of the animal hats: a time-honored NCTA Conference tradition. That's Bruce Johnson in the coonskin cap.

BTA Executive Director and NCTA Regional Trail Coordinator Andrew Bashaw with daughter, Adelaide.

President Hawkins recognizes a speaker from the floor.

Auction fever! Charlene Dewitt’s beautiful NCTA quilt.

NCTA President Hawkins visits a P-51D at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.


As we age, we learn that one of the most joyful things we can do is to help people and organizations we care about.

Most of us have limited resources of time and money so we have to make difficult choices about who we help. Recently my wife Lois, and I rewrote our wills. It was one of those chores we had put off because thinking about death is not something we enjoy. However, both of us were surprised by how much satisfaction we found from the process of rewriting our will.

One thing that helped was having an attorney who set up a flexible structure that was easy to use and modify. She put all our assets into one account and we specified which individuals and organizations got shares from that account. It brought us pleasure thinking about how much we could help causes that we care deeply about. We no longer had to worry about outliving our assets. We could give everything away!

If you haven’t gone through this exercise, I would recommend you do it sooner rather than later. An estate plan doesn’t have to be cumbersome or complicated. Here are some steps to get started:• Gather information about your assets including retirement

accounts, bank accounts, life insurance policies, personal property and real estate. Put an estimated value on each one and a grand total.

• Think about people and organizations that matter most to you and how you would like to provide for them. For us this was the fun part of the exercise.

• Determine who can serve as your executor. If you have a friend or relative who is good with financial matters you ask them to be the executor. You can also hire an attorney or an accountant to serve that function. That cost will be paid by your estate.

“It brought us pleasure thinking about how much we could help causes that we care deeply about.” • Meet with a professional who can help you set up your will.

You don’t want to cause your benefactors a lot of trouble and you want to make sure your wishes are carried out. This is why I recommend you get professional assistance.Many of you have already shown your dedication to the

North Country Trail. In the event that you decide to include the NCTA in your estate plan, let NCTA know that you have done so. They would like the opportunity to enroll you in their legacy society and show you their appreciation while you are still an active member.

You might be asking; “What would the North Country Trail Association do with a large planned gift?” The board of the North Country Trail Association feels that in the long term they need to develop an endowment fund that will help sustain the organization. To that end, the board is considering making unrestricted planned gifts to the association go toward that endowment fund. I can think of no better way to help this organization than to ensure its future with a planned gift.

Board member, John Heiam and his wife, Lois Goldstein at a National Trails Day event in northern Michigan. John and Lois are members of the North Country Legacy Society and the Founders Circle.

Surprised by the Satisfaction of GivingJohn Heiam

When you think of the North Country Trail, do you wonder about its future? Have you thought about how you might help the trail eventually connect across the entire northern heartlands of our country? If you have, then one great way to do that is to put the trail in your will.

For more information about making the trail part of your estate plan, contact NCTA Development Director David Cowles. He will be happy to talk with you about the opportunities. [email protected] or (616) 897-5987

NORTH COUNTRY LEGACY SOCIETY

ESTABLISHED 2011

What Kind Of Legacy Will You Leave?


I plan on contributing something to North Star on a regular basis, so I’ll start off by introducing myself a bit. I’ve

been on a pretty wide career path (the wideness of which definitely would not meet NPS trail standards for the North Country NST!), having worked twice in the National Park Service, twice in the Bureau of Land Management, twice in the Peace Corps and the State of Utah, only once in the United Nations, but never for the same agency twice in a row. I’ve pretty much always been involved in park management or recreation planning. My BS degree is from the University of Utah (1984) in Outdoor Recreation Management, but I drifted a bit with my MS degree from the University of Idaho in Forest Resources (1991) where I studied how Mormon regional culture affects interactions between Bureau of Land Management field staff and grazing permittees in Utah and Montana. My path widens when looking at places I’ve lived and worked: Utah, Morocco, Montana, Nevada, Mongolia, California, Virginia, and now Michigan, with short-term work in Gabon, Morocco, Mongolia, Tanzania, and likely this fall, Mozambique.

What drew me to the NCNST’s Trail Manager job was really the chance to focus on a path, (literally and figuratively) of trail planning, development and construction, a favorite part of the job I left in June as the Recreation Planner for the Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States office, and something I’ve gotten pretty passionate about over the past 8 years or so. So far, I feel I’ve come to the right place. As I meet NCTAers here in west Michigan who are passionately working on a bunch of local trail projects, and as I get to meet more and more of you across the North Country Trail bitten by this same bug, it feels like home. Something I have in common with many of you is that I love to lay out, build and maintain trails: corridor clearing, tread construction, drainage features, bridges, puncheons, boardwalks, route marking and signage, and getting the people, materials, and equipment gathered and organized to get the job done. As I’ve worked with volunteers and participated in various international projects, I’ve also found that I like to teach these skills, and get people together to learn from each other. I can’t think of a better place than out in the woods on a trail project for people to enjoy themselves, work as a team, get some exercise, connect with nature, and learn and develop skills and friendships that help them with the rest of their lives. All those personal benefits are for the trail volunteers, but the real benefit is

Editor’s note: In June the National Park Service announced the selection of Jeff McCusker as the new Trail Manager for the North Country National Scenic Trail. Most recently Jeff was Recreation Site Manager for the Bureau of Land Management in Lorton, Virginia where his duties include working with the Potomac Heritage NST and Washington-Rochambeau NHT. Jeff is duty-stationed in Lowell. We’ve asked Jeff to continue the tradition of hosting the NCNST’s NPS Trail Manager’s column in North Star.

that we’ve left behind an asset for the public to enjoy for years to come.

Over the past few months I’ve been learning about some very positive aspects of how the NPS has managed and developed the NCNST over the years. I’m seeing some things I can improve. I also better understand some of the challenges nobody has yet figured out.

I look forward to meeting you on the trail and in your communities as we work together on the North Country National Scenic Trail. One thing I can tell you is that my wide career path has taught me to be pretty adaptable and flexible in working with bureaucracies, land, and people, and as I look at where we are with the development of the North Country National Scenic Trail, I think we all need to be flexible as we get our paths connected.

TRAIL MANAGER’S CORNER

JEFF McCUSKER NPS Trail Manager

Yes, I'll Lend a Hand to the North Country Trail!

Join the North Country Trail Association to support our volunteers in building the trail and

telling its story in communities nearby. Happy Trails!

Become a member today by calling (866) 445-3628 or visit our website and click on Become a Member. Please choose your Chapter Affiliation: I want to be a member

of my local Chapter: I want to be a member of the Chapter closest to

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I’ve had that OHIO-spelling little beaded dangler hanging beside my desk since the Buckeye folks gave them to us at

last year’s Wisconsin conference. It was a great teaser to keep the Dayton Conference in mind. Kathy Hamilton headed the committee to plan an outstanding bash for us, and did she do a terrific job!

Having enjoyed my hike through Dayton several years ago, before the NCNST officially embraced the Dayton route used by the Buckeye Trail, I was looking forward to seeing some of the changes, connections and improvements wrought since I’d passed through. I was not disappointed. Where I’d walked open levees or crunched through raw gravel there was now paved trail. Although I didn’t get a chance to follow the continuous thread through the city a second time, more than once I realized, “I was here, and this is nicer now.”

At this year’s Dayton conference an amazing variety of recreation and tour opportunities was available. Without a doubt, anyone in the Dayton area who wants to find ways to recreate in the outdoors has more choices than in many urban areas. Although the fact that the NCT winds through Dayton is most important to us, Five Rivers Metroparks is the local name to know for outdoor adventuring. Five Rivers worked together with the Buckeye Trail Association to add bicycling, fly-fishing, and kayaking options to the conference playlist. Wright State University seems to welcome outdoor-focused conferences and expos. One has to believe that some of the good juju between all these groups stems from the dynamic duo of Brent and Amy Anslinger. Brent works for Five Rivers Metroparks and Amy is the Outdoor Recreation Coordinator for Wright State. They are also the first persons to backpack the Buckeye Trail in a continuous loop. The North Country Trail could use buckets full of friends like the Anslingers!

The problem with all NCTA conferences is that one person can only participate in a few adventures. I chose to take in a twelve-mile bicycle ride which used paved trails to connect Eastwood Park to Wegerzyn Gardens. The Buckeye/NCT follows the Mad River through Eastwood, and we were occasionally on that, through Island Park and Triangle Park, across the Great Miami River on what is Ohio’s largest suspension bridge on the NCT. It was great to see the blue blazes- it’s somehow different when you intersect them occasionally instead of following them. At the bridge, the NCT turned north, but we continued another mile or so to reach Wegerzyn Gardens. Of course, I didn’t have nearly enough time to explore that beautiful space. On the way back we stopped at Riverscape Metropark, also on the Great Miami, for ice cream. There we watched the amazing quintuple streams of the Fountain of Lights, a memorial to the 1913 flood which devastated southwest Ohio, while children beat the hot weather by playing in an interactive fountain. It seemed a perfect blend of natural and constructed resources to create a pleasing and practical urban recreational landscape.

The next day, I chose an unpaved route and walking.

Dayton: Did We Paint the Town Blue?Joan Young

A good-sized group of hikers began far from the NCT at Clifton Springs Gorge, walked through the gorge, and then through Glen Helen to finally reach the paved NCT/Little Miami Rail Trail at Yellow Springs. The walk was punctuated with many things Ohio, including a covered bridge and a mill; however, the area is also noted for the unusually (for Ohio) deep gorge, and the limestone cliffs of the glen. We were shown a tower of rock, one of a dozen or so in Ohio known as Pompey’s Towers. In the late 19th century the slightly sulphured waters of the yellow springs were considered medicinal, and a large hotel was built in their vicinity. Like so many of those huge wooden resort hotels it burned to the ground, but the springs still create a yellow waterfall, safe to drink untreated, and the water is only slightly sulfurous.

Other people chose to visit the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum. Although I’ve not yet managed to get there, I heard enthusiastic reports. Even though airplanes are not on my list of first loves, I know there will be so much of interest at this museum that I don’t want to go unless I have a whole day to spend.

The evening dinner and program venue changed every night. On Thursday, we were taken downtown to Memorial Hall, a beautiful building with murals of 19th Century Ohio history lining the walls that soared to a 5 foot ceiling, all busily decorated with plaster ornamentation. Dinner offered a sampling of the variations of Dayton’s famous Skyline Chili. Friday, busses delivered us to the formal Wegerzyn Gardens for a buffet dinner and NCTA awards, including a recognition of Tom Gilbert on his retirement. On Saturday we remained at Wright State University for Community Benefit Night’s banquet, auctions and speaker.

Thursday and Saturday’s primary speakers were both NCT end-to-enders. Andy Skurka (first to hike the Sea to Sea route, which includes the NCT) recounted his most recent 47 mile adventure of circling Alaska, and Bart Smith (he has hiked all the National Scenic Trails) shared a collection of photos from the entire NST system. With my conference presence this was the first time that three NCT EE hikers have been at the same place, something we hope to see more of!

Awards are a big part of the conference. The recognition of volunteer hours by the National Park Service always cheers us, as we learn just how many people have contributed tons of effort toward the connection and completion of the trail. These awards have always begun at the 1-hour level, but previously ended at 5 hours. This year, two additional levels were added. Several people have achieved 4 hours, receiving a pin and a letter from President Obama, and John Leinen (Minnesota) and Al Larmann (New York) were each recognized with a personalized plaque for volunteering a spectacular 1, hours.


The many annual awards given by the NCTA, based on nominations from individuals, occupies an entire evening. It’s great to see our friends honored, and to meet some new friends who have been quietly working away in their own backyards. The annual Lifetime Achievement Award went, this year, to Arlen Matson of Traverse City, Michigan. Arlen has been working hard at taking trail off road since before I found the NCT. I’m sure that he’ll still be plugging away at it for many more years. That’s the heart of a volunteer.

One highlight of Friday evening was the presentation of National Park Service’s 11 NPS Midwest Region's Outstanding Friends Group to the North Country Trail Association.

There were bittersweet moments as we said an official goodbye to Tom Gilbert as NPS Superintendent of our trail—the only one we’ve ever had until now. Tom has really and truly retired. With generous contributions from individuals and chapters, Tom was given a lifetime membership in the NCTA and a personalized Bedell guitar. I suspect I was not the only one chuckling a bit when, uncharacteristically, Tom was rendered nearly speechless. Nearly, but not quite. Demonstrating one of his greatest gifts, Tom managed to come up with a few choice memories and expressions of thanks, both poignant and pertinent.

On Saturday night’s Community Benefit Night, capped by Bart Smith’s photos, the annual silent and live auctions

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put another $6 into NCTA’s coffers. NCT folks just keep on giving for this trail that we love. We are completely irrepressible!

Sprinkled in between all the fun and food were some workshops and seminars. These always provide opportunities for folks from along the trail to discuss similar problems and share solutions.

It’s an awesome thing to see a real trail route through the city. Those blue blazes encourage use, and perhaps create curiosity in others. It would be wonderful to find some of the official urban blazes there soon. These urban signs can be strapped to poles and posts and provide basic information about the trail.

Routing the North Country Trail through a major city, such as Dayton adds to the diversity of experiences along the way. Dayton’s metro area includes nearly a million people, and the city hosts a multi-use trail system to be proud of. In fact, Dayton was declared a bike-friendly city by the League of American Bicyclists in 1, the only Ohio city to be so honored. The NCT experience is not only about woods, but about sampling the diversity of regions through which it passes. What better way to slip through SW Ohio than on an exemplary trail system!

Did we paint the town blue? We sure tried! If you weren’t there, you missed another great conference. See you next year August -5 in Augusta, Michigan.


NCTA’s 3rd Annual Extended Outing will feature sections of the

North Country National Scenic Trail in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. It is a day hiking and camping trip on the NCT route in Siamese Ponds and West Canada Lakes Wilderness Areas. If you are looking for the camaraderie of like-minded hikers to bag a few miles of the NCNST in the Adirondacks this might be the trip for you.

The group will be tenting in a state campground on a beautiful Adirondack Lake and travel by van daily to each trailhead. We will be hiking on remote trails that are designated to become NCT. Expect to see many lakes and ponds, beaver activity, loons, bear and moose evidence, typical bog/wetland plants, huge trees, authentic Adirondack lean-tos, historic artifacts and spectacular scenery. There are a couple of optional mountain climbs but the trails are mostly on rolling topography varying 1 to 3 feet.

We will hike with daypack for 6-8 miles using a van to shuttle between campsite and trail heads. We will set up tents in a state park and cook and eat outdoors sharing the cooking and camping chores.

Points of interest along the way on the North Country National Scenic Trail route include: Pillsbury Lake, French Louie Trail, Jessup River, Rock and Long Ponds, King’s Flow, Puffer Brook Pond, 13th Lake, Kunjamuk Trail, Peaked Mountain, Lewey and Indian Lakes and more. Hiking on most trails will be scenic, remote, and picturesque and imbue a sense of peaceful solitude and oneness with nature. Fall color will be just beginning to reveal itself.

Adventurers may contact me for a detailed itinerary and application packet: [email protected].

NCTA membership is required.

Mary Coffin has over 20 years' volunteer experience leading group trips, including the 2010 NCTA Extended Outing on the Superior Hiking Trail and 2011's NCTA Extended Outing in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

NCTA's 2012 Extended Outing: New York’s Adirondack MountainsMary Coffin

Indian Lake looking north east.

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Most of us long-distance hikers have done it. Call it ‘stealth’ or ‘commando camping,’ basically we sneak a

little off-trail to overnight in a corner of a fencerow, a woodlot, or another spot where we’re pretty sure we won't be discovered. Why the sneak? Because it’s illegal, or we don’t have permission to be there.

We rationalize. What's the harm? Most of us practice leave-no trace camping anyway, pitch small tents if anything at all, light no fires, break no branches; at worst we leave a depression in the weeds. We’re gone in a couple hours. If we’re careful no one will ever know.

It’s difficult to find a spot to camp legally in many places along the North Country Trail. Planning a hike from legal campsite to legal campsite is nigh impossible in places, and there are long stretches of roadwalk, private property and camping-prohibited public lands to confound a long distance hiker. It’s tempting to take chances, but stealth camping has the potential to cause lasting consequences for hikers following in our footsteps, even if we get away with it.

ConsequencesPersonal consequence can include fines for criminal trespass,

or violating land use regulations. At the least it could cost you money; possibly it could lead to the interruption of your trip as you get carted off to pay the court. But there’s more to this than personal consequences.

Let's say you are illegally camping on public land, for example in one of Michigan’s or Pennsylvania’s State Game Lands. If you are caught there during the time when camping is not permitted you are likely to get a hefty fine. But that’s not all it costs us. State or federal lands bought with excise tax dollars paid by hunters are managed for wildlife and wildlife-based recreation. Hikers are guests. Our trail is permitted (sometimes grudgingly) under the assumption that hikers have minimal impacts and will obey the regulations. Illegal camping in a wildlife area not only might get you a fine, it offers ‘proof’ to wildlife area managers that hikers are scofflaws. Ultimately this may threaten entire segments of the trail, even after years of hard work by local volunteers to build and maintain it.

If enough people (and sometimes it takes only one person) camp illegally, there is the chance that the trail would lose the privilege of crossing that land. This is particularly true in New York along the Finger Lakes Trail, and Minnesota along the SHT. Agreements with many private landowners have created continuous portions of off-road trail, but usually with the stipulation that no camping is allowed. Your one night of stealth convenience might remove miles of off-road trail from the North Country Trail system. If the lost section is between a couple of other pieces needed for connections, or if a road walk must be substituted, it might be much longer than the piece lost from one owner who got upset by illegal camping.

Here’s a recent example of a small, but real, consequence.

Gayle Coyer, Executive Director of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT), wrote in a blog posting: “Some yahoo put in an illegal campsite on a red pine ridge and left the campfire burning. This was on private land. The DNR had to go in twice to put it out since a root caught fire underground and kept smoldering only to light again the next day. …we've had to post a whole bunch of ugly (but necessary) red No Camping signs. “ The trail is very fortunate to only need to add signs to recover from this renegade’s activities.

What To Do About ItFirst, practice the 5 P’s that every experienced long

distance hiker knows (Plan, Plan, Plan again, Plan some more, start Planning over again). Identifying campsites or alternatives is a must. • Local chapter members and trail angels can prove invaluable

in identifying alternatives to the need to commando camp.• Check northcountrytrail.org blogging and Facebook sites,

northcountrytrailnews.blogspot.com and others to find out about camping in certain areas.

• Veteran hikers have story after story they’d love to share; you share too. The more good information we pass along about legitimate campsites and solutions, the less the felt need for stealth camping. Laziness is neither excuse nor substitute for proper planning. It takes a little more effort to determine landowners and regulations ahead of time and get the appropriate permissions, but it benefits us all as well as ensures the future of the trail to do so.

• How about we put a stop to bragging about stealth camping to our friends? With the potential negative impacts such practices can have, there’s no place for knowing nods or smirks in commiseration over the difficulty of backpacking long distances along the NCNST. It should result in worried looks and admonitions. People who are friends of the North Country Trail for the future will not stealth camp or encourage or condone it in others.

• Finally, look for ways to get involved and promote the identification and creation of legal campsites at appropriate distances along the trail. Farmers are often willing to let you camp in their fencerows or out in the ‘back 4’ if they are asked. Landowner rules—public or private—should not be challenged by a flippant hiker. Personally I now try to avoid the practice of stealth

camping. Let's look ahead to a great completed trail, not just to our own personal pleasure for a weekend.

Joan Young

Why Stealth Camping is a BAD IDEA

“Some yahoo put in an illegal campsite on a red pine ridge and left the campfire burning. This was on private land. The DNR had to go in twice to put it out since a root caught fire underground and kept smoldering, only to light again the next day…"


Consider this story as partial compensation for my having created a Peter Wolfe Chapter State of the Trail Report

for 2010 but then not sending it in! What follows actually deals with our primary accomplishment for 2010, making a key trail connection to US 45 south of L'Anse, Michigan, at Canyon Falls Roadside Park. That park may become our most popular trailhead.

The following story chronicles how we made that final trail connection, and how much time, effort, and expense it actually took. This article deals with a 3.6-mile trail segment from a gated two-track to US 41. The easternmost half-mile has been in place for years. Extending west down the Sturgeon River from the Park to Canyon Falls, it's a VERY popular trail. It's a high-standard trail, complete with gravel and boardwalks, that can be even be navigated by individuals in wheelchairs, typically with assistance. I can't tell you exactly how much time and money went into the construction of the Canyon Falls Trail, but I can tell you what it took to build the rest of the new trail segment.

The process began with a basic scouting of the route, initially in the '9s. Scouting was eventually followed by discussions with the owners of the two properties involved, Michigan Tech and Scott Holman. In neither case, as you might expect, was the result of the discussions "OK, just go build your trail." In Tech's case, their Forest Manager Jim Schmierer and I scouted the route and looked at options. He favored the trail, but approval by higher-ups at Tech took some time.

On the Holman property, things were not as simple. Scott favored the trail, but the route was less obvious. The Plumbago Creek valley, which consists entirely of wetlands, needed to be crossed. After several scouting trips I determined that there were two choices, about 8 feet of boardwalk and a 4 foot bridge over the creek, or a 156 foot multi-span bridge over a wetland and beaver pond. The latter was selected, in part because Scott wanted to use the bridge to access part of his property. The bridge would need to be six feet wide to handle his ATVs and snowmobiles.

What Does It Take To Build A Trail?Doug WelkerPeter Wolfe Chapter


So far, at least a couple hundred volunteer hours spent, and no new trail on the ground.

The next step was to engineer the bridge. This required a survey of the beaver pond and wetland to determine water depth and the nature of the bottom. This meant Catherine Andrews taking data and operating my transit on shore and Scott and I in his Argo (amphibious ATV) out in the pond. Since the bridge would require placing rock-filled cribs in the pond, a detailed plan would need to be approved by Michigan DEQ (at a cost of $5). Months, and a few hundred more volunteer hours later, the plan was written and approved. During that time, a final trail route was scouted, and about a third of a mile of trail built to an overlook of the valley.

Building the bridge was a huge job. The hardware and some treated lumber were purchased, but the bridge decking, stringers, and headers were almost all cut on Scott's land and made into lumber at his portable sawmill. Chapter members spent a lot of time treating that lumber to make it weather-resistant. The bridge itself was built on an NCTA Volunteer Adventure project (VA), by at least 15 people, in just four days. I have to commend the crew for working the last full day in cold, pouring rain; it seemed everyone wanted to set foot on the far shore of the pond they had been working so hard to cross, a shore most had seen but not actually touched. Since last count, add another 15 to volunteer hours, and a few thousand dollars spent.

Trail work continued by the Chapter, including about 15 feet of difficult sidehill benching north of the bridge to make a level trail route. With the thick root mat, each person could only make about 75 feet of trail per day. Other trail work continued, both north and east of the bridge, and some finishing touches, including benches, were added to the bridge. On a subsequent (1) VA we continued our trail work east up the Sturgeon River. This involved steep hillsides and plenty of rock. Oh, and add another thousand volunteer hours or so since last count.

View on the Sturgeon River, along the Canyon Falls Trail, a new segment built in 2010.

After a long and involved planning stage, the bridge over Plumbago Creek was built by a team of workers on a NCTA Volunteer Adventure project. Seen here in early winter.

Doug W

elker

Doug W

elker

The trail was finally beginning to take shape. This past fall we finished the sidehill work north of the bridge, rototilled over a half mile of trail to loosen the ground and roots in preparation for trail leveling, and blazed the trail all the way to Canyon Falls Roadside Park. We also upgraded the section of new trail below the Canyon Falls Trail, including improving a 1 ft. climb up ledges and stone steps. Another couple hundred hours.

But even though the trail is followable and mostly decent all the way through, we are still not done. Several areas need upgrading. And, of course, we'll be able to add another couple hundred hours or so.

Before I got involved in trail work, I seldom even thought about the enormous amount of work that it can take to build and maintain a trail, especially if it is done right. Now I know differently, and hopefully as you hike someday on a trail that folks built for your benefit, you'll have a better appreciation of their efforts.


Recently at one of our volunteer work parties, a volunteer was hurt to the point he had to have medical attention

at a local hospital. Leadership at this particular work party knew what to do and whom to contact. Because he was working on a portion of the Buckeye Trail that is also the North Country National Scenic Trail, and the volunteer was signed up under a Group Volunteer Agreement Form with the NPS, the volunteer qualified to have his injury submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor for reimbursement determination. The NPS assisted in all phases of submitting paperwork to the Department of Labor on behalf of the volunteer.

Had the volunteer been wearing gloves, this accident possibly could have been prevented. We all are aware of the importance of proper clothing and footwear while doing trail work; we must also be aware on the importance of gloves, hearing protection and face protection. These items should be included while working on any trail.

A volunteer is eligible for injury expense coverage only if they are signed up on either an Individual or Group Volunteer Agreement Form with the NPS. Volunteers are automatically part of the Group Agreement if they are official members of either the BTA (or another affiliate) or NCTA. Those who do not maintain membership in either of these organizations must enter into a separate Individual or Group Volunteer Agreement before these injury protections can be extended to them. See your local trail leader for information on how to complete a Volunteer Agreement Form if you are not a member of the BTA or NCTA. For any volunteer, Department of Labor reimbursement considerations are valid only while working on those portions of the Buckeye Trail which overlap and share a common route with the North Country Trail. The Buckeye Trail Association has its own insurance where the trail is Buckeye Trail only.

Also, please remember to familiarize yourself with the Injury Reporting Kits which were provided to the BTA, NCTA Chapters, and other partner groups by the NPS. If you don’t know where to find one of the kits, ask someone in a leadership role. If you get injured, take it with you to the hospital. It contains forms that need to be completed by doctors before a claim can be filed with the Department of Labor. If you are hurt and don’t have the Injury Reporting Kit handy, by all means seek medical attention immediately. The paperwork can be resolved later, but the process runs more smoothly if you have the kit on hand at the time of your treatment. As always, the NPS will help you through each step of the process in reporting an injury and filing claim with the Department of Labor.

For those wishing to be chain saw certified in Ohio, please contact State Trail Coordinator Rick Adamson. All PPE equipment will be provided. All you need is a chain

Safety Consciousness and PPERick Adamson

BTA/NCTA State Trail Coordinator

What is PPE? PPE is Personal Protective Equipment such as proper clothing, foot wear, gloves, chaps, hard hat with clear face protector and hearing protectors when using loud equipment such as a chain saw, DR mower or leaf blower.

saw. One thing we are very adamant about is no one will use a chain saw by themselves. Even if the second person just stands and watches, THERE MUST BE TWO PEOPLE PRESENT AT ALL TIMES WHEN A CHAIN SAW IS IN USE!

In another part of Ohio, while working on the BT/NCT a professional chain saw operator, wearing all his PPE, was seriously injured when the chain saw kicked back cutting him in the face that required 17 stitches. Fortunately he was not by himself. He was immediately taken to the hospital as he could not transport himself. This person is a professional who used a chain saw for a living but ACCIDENTS have no boundaries. If it can happen to a professional, it can happen to YOU!

You all know what type of tools we work with. They are very sharp and if not used properly, could result in serious injury or worse. A safety talk is given every morning before we leave camp as to the proper use and transportation of the tools we use. There is always someone with First Aid and/or CPR training who is pointed out to all. First Aid kits are available to those in leadership roles. We need to practice SAFETY much more than we do now.

The man standing on the right is teaching a chainsaw workshop; the student is preparing to make a plunge cut. Both are wearing proper Personal Protective Equipment.

Lynda Rumm

el


Central NY Chapter held its first ever Power Tools Workshop on June 18 for stewards and other trail

workers. The Trails Committee (Steve Kinne–Chair, Kathy Eisele and Mike Lynch) planned the workshop as a training opportunity to encourage people to borrow and use our power tools.

The session began with brief introductions to the DR mower and trailer (Mary Kunzler-Larmann and Al Larmann), the DR trimmer (Donna and Mike Lynch) and the gas-powered string trimmers (Steve Kinne). Mary and Mike also prepared detailed, illustrated handouts for the mower and trimmer. Hands-on experience on each piece of equipment followed. The workshop took place off of Oxbow Rd. in Canastota in a large, grassy area adjacent to a section of the NCNST/Link Trail, which provided plenty of space for everyone to practice mowing/trimming. Other power tools on display included the chapter’s power auger and a leaf blower on loan from the Larmanns.

The workshop was meant as an introduction emphasizing basic operation, safety, hands-on experience and the benefits of using the tools. Trail workers who want to borrow any of the tools will have more detailed one-on-one training and an “expert” to accompany them on the trail.

L-R: Mike Lynch, Donna Lynch, Tim Wimmer, Al Larmann, Jack Miller, Steve Kinne (hidden from view), Dave Harper.

L-R: Tim Wimmer, Mary Kunzler-Larmann, Dave Harper, Jack Miller.

Power Tools Workshop: Central NY Chapter

By Kathy Eisele, Donna Lynch and Mike Lynch

Besides power tools training, the workshop also gave us an opportunity to distribute blazes, nails and brochures for trail registers. We see this event as one that we expect to repeat every couple of years to acquaint volunteers with the tools available to make clearing trail a more efficient experience. It also provides us with an opportunity to recruit people to help with those trail sections that need the DR mower one or two times a season.

Donna Lynch

Donna Lynch


Tips To Taking Better Photos On The Trail

"Crane" demonstrates the rule of thirds and having your subject look inward into the picture.

When out on the hiking trail one important piece of equipment is your camera! Whether you shoot with a compact camera or a digital SLR, here are some composition techniques to improve the photos you take and at the same time increase your enjoyment.

The Rule of ThirdsProbably the most often utilized

composition “rule” (I do not like the word rule, because photography is an art) is that of dividing the photo frame into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. One’s immediate inclination when taking a picture is to take the photo straight-on with the object of attention (animal, tree, bug, person, etc.) right in the center of the photograph frame. Try moving the subject to an outer third of the frame to add interest to the composition. When you do this, it is often important (unless you’re looking for a contemplative feeling to the photo) to have the subject looking inward, toward the center of the frame. When shooting wildlife, sometimes you are limited by what the animal is doing during the moment of opportunity (which for wildlife can be quite brief). However, adjusting the camera to shoot either vertically or horizontally,

Change your perspective. "Flowers" was shot by sticking the camera under the flowers and looking up toward the sky for a different viewpoint.

Story and Pictures by John J. Genord


"Great White Egret" shows the concept of putting something in the foreground, the fallen tree in this case.

or moving it right to left can be a quick and easy way to achieve a good composition. Try multiple compositions with each subject to see later which one worked more to your liking.

Move AroundDon’t be afraid to reposition yourself to

change your perspective on the subject. Suppose you see a bird standing on the trail; rather than shooting it from your regular standing position, kneel or lie down on the ground and shoot it from grass level to get a whole different perspective on the subject. This works well with flowers and other foliage as well. Too often photos are somewhat boring simply because the shot was taken from the same old viewpoint we’re accustomed to. Moving around and changing perspective is also a great way to remove distracting or cluttering things in the background that detract from what you are trying to photo. So, change it up! Not only will your photography experience be more enjoyable, you and those who view your photos will likely find them more interesting.

Create DepthWhen you are shooting a breathtaking

overlook, insect, bird or animal, try to frame your subject.

For example, try shooting through branches to create a natural frame. Sometimes nature has graced you with a boulder, stump, or other unique feature you can put in the foreground to help create depth to your photograph. Again, you might have to move around to see an opportunity. That’s half the fun of it!

Get Up CloseMany cameras feature a "macro" mode to

shoot up close, often designated with a flower on the selector or menu of a digital camera. Try it out and get up close to flowers, fungi, bark, rocks or other points of interest on the trail. Something seemingly unremarkable may just take on a life of its own. Witness Tammy Veloski's excellent close-ups of mushrooms along the Tour de NCT series.

These are just a few techniques you can try out to improve your photos, capture memories and find another way to enjoy the trail. In addition, as you share your great photos with your friends and others, you just might inspire someone else to get out on the trail. Have fun!

John Genord is a photographer, columnist and founder of the Hiking Rocks Nature Photography Club, Mount Morris, Michigan. Questions regarding this article may be directed to [email protected].

Without your material, we cannot have a magazine, so we eagerly request your submission of pictures and text for

every issue. Please send both to Irene Szabo at [email protected], or fax 585/658-4438, or 6939 Creek Rd., Mt. Morris NY 1451.

Please don’t embed pictures within your article, but send them separately as .jpg attachments. Do not refer me to your picture collection hosted by some other picture-hosting site!

Do not send your North Star submissions to the NCTA office, because they will just have to re-send them to me, and it HAS happened that precious articles have thus been lost in the shuffle.

Front cover photo candidates: need vertical format, and if digital, at least 3 dpi, AND we are always looking for great cover photos!

Deadline for Vol. 3, Issue 4, is 1 October 11. Thank you!

—Your volunteer editor, Irene

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The Lowell office is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.229 East Main Street, Lowell, MI 49331

(866) HikeNCT • (616) 897-5987 • Fax (616) 897-6605The North Country Trail Association develops, maintains, protects and promotes the North

Country National Scenic Trail as the premier hiking path across the northern tier of the United States through a trail-wide coalition of volunteers and partners.

Our vision for the North Country National Scenic Trail is that of the premier footpath of national significance, offering a superb experience for hikers and backpackers in a

permanently protected corridor, traversing and interpreting the richly diverse environmental, cultural, and historic features of the northern United States.

Come Visit Us!George Thelan, Ron Sootsman, and Mary Rebert greet you from an historic bridge base on the Taylorsville hike.

Mick H

awkins

north star vol. 30, no. 3 (2011)

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