By the next issue of the newsletter, there should be a new guidebook available on the Chippewa National Forest, writ· ten by Minnesota Board Member Rod MacRae. There are still a few administrative details to be ironed out before going to press, but once they have been taken care of it's otherwise ready to go. The guide gives a point-by-point discription of the route of the North Country Trail in the Chippewa National Forest, along with helpful information about campsites, water points (surprisingly hard to find in the land of 10,000 lakes) and other useful items.

* * *

Too late to include in the list on Page 4 (the page had already been printed) I received word of another Michigan project tentatively planned for this summer. Michigan people are planning continued work in the area of Mackinac City to Wilderness State Park, and possibly on south to Wycamp Lake. Dates, etc., are tentative. Contract Michigan director Arden Johnson (address at left) for more details.

* * *

As our members receive this issue of the newsletter, the winter should be pretty well over with, and another warm season will be in the offing. Plans are under way for various trailbuilding and trail maintenance weeks and weekends up and down the trail, and several interesting new projects are coming closer to fruition.

One of the facts of life that we have to live with is that though the North Country Trail is a National trail, the building of it will more and more become part of the province of volunteers. We are fortunate that much of the trail completed so far has been on National Forest lands, and the U.S. Forest Service has been unstinting in its support of the trail. But the amount of trail left to construct on Forest Service land is waning, and more and more we are going to have lo build trail on other public and private lands.

What this means is this: we are going to have to get ever more serious about volunteer efforts going to build the North Country National Scenic Trail. As you can see by the list on page four, we are starting to develop more trail building projects, and I am sure there are some out there or on the drawing boards that didn't make it onto the list. If we are going to complete our dream of building the North Country Trail, it will take work by many volunteers. Why not take a week or a weekend this summer and help out on one of these projects?

The deadline for the next newsletter will beJune 10, 1991. For future reference, the deadline for the Autumn, 1991 newslet­ ter will be September 1, 1991. Copy received by the editor after those dates cannot be assured of getting into the newslet­ ter. Getting items in to the editor well in advance of the deadlines is highly appreciated.

Keyboard Trails • by the Editor ~- .. anmmm~· 0

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NEWSLITTER ADVERTISING FEE SCHEDULE

Pl- report 1ny tHTOrs or omlselon1 to the editor.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR Tom Gilbert, National Park Service, PO Bax 5463, Madison WI 53705-0463 (608) 833-2788

REGIONAL AFFILIATES New York: Finger Lakes Trail Conf01ence, PO Bax 18048, Rochest01 NY 14616-0048 Ohio: Buckeye Trail Association, PO Bax 254, Worthington OH 43085

(701) 232-8513

(612) 377-0130 (612) 559.5994 (216) 375-4461 (612) 882-0569

(414) 354-8987

(616) 452-4467 (517) 547-7402 (313) 546-1737 (906) 225-1585 (616) 891-1366 (313)853-0292 (313) 280-2921 (616) 363-5966 (313) 231-1257 (616) 784-5050 (906)338-2680 (616) 689-6876

(2t6) 884-0281 (216) 867-3371 (216) 864-4757 (614) 882-8023

(614) 968-5759 (614) 435-2371 (814) 435-2371

( 412) 364-2864 (412) 561-3286

(607) 272-5119 (716) 286-7191 (607) 564-3546 (607) 272-8679

(607) 334-3872

(313) 260-2921 (614) 435-2371 (614) 882-8023 (616) 891-1366 (616) 689-6676

North Dakota Linda Va.<geson Meike, 1536 Second Ave. S, Fargo ND 58103

Mlnnesot• Rod MacRae, 1210 W. 22nd St, Minneapolis MN 55405 Harlan Li~equist, 1605 W. Medicine Lake Dr., Plymouth MN 55441 Jim Richards, Rt 1, Callaway MN 56521 Ed Solstad, 3701 Pillsbury Ave. S, Minneapolis MN 55409

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

Michigan Pat Allen, 2215 Sylvan Dr. SE, Grand Rapids·MI 49506 Wes Boyd, 14815 Rome Road, Mannou Beach Ml 49253 Derek Blount, 906 N. Alexander, Royal Oak Ml 48067 Don Elzinga, 1010 Allouez, Marquette Ml 49655 Kenneth Gackle<, 413 W. Johnson, Caledonia Ml 49316 Arden Johnson, 600 Tennyson, Roctlesler Hills, Ml 48063 Martha K. Jones, 1657 Torquay Ave. Royal Oak Ml 48073 Ruth Sad(, 2317 Foster NE, Grand Rapids Ml 49505 VinceSmnh, Bax 76, Whitm01elakeMI 48189 Darlene Snyder, 4067 Luxford, Comstock Park Ml 49231 Doug Welker, R1, Bax 59A, Pelkie Ml 49958 Virginia Wunsch. Rt. 1, Mundy Ave. Whne Cloud Ml 49349

Pennsylvania Don and Brita OOln, 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 Pat Tieman. 52 Greenbriar Dr., Pittsburg PA 15220

Ohio Emily Gregor, 6502 Olde YOik Ad., Parma Hts OH 44130 Cecil Dobbins, 763 Cliffside Dr., Akron OH 44313 Jim Sprague, 4406 Maplecrest Parma OH Tomi Lou SJ1f'ker, 7040 Africa Rd., Rt. 1, Galena OH 43201 R. Baird Steward, Salem, Ohio 44460

BOARD OF DIRECTORS New York

001is and C~fford Abbdt. Rt 1, Bax 259, Spencer NY 14883 HONa.<d S. Beye, 202 Colbourne Ad., Rochester NY 14609 Laura McGuire. 1 Boylan Ad, Newfield NY 14867 Thomas J. Reimers, 3C WildtlcYft'er Dr., Ithaca NY 14850 Ed SidlXe, 5 Clinton St, N01Wich NY 13815

OFFICERS President: Martha K. Jones, 1857 Torquay Ave, Royal Oak Ml 48073 Vice Prnident: Barbara A. Smith, 11 W. Main St, Galeton PA 16922 S11eretary: Tomi Lou SJ7tker, 7040 Africa Ad., Rt. 1, Galena OH 43201 Treasurer: Kenneth Gackler, 413 W. Johnson St. Caledonia Ml 49316 Heedquartera Mgr.: Virginia Wunsch, Rt 1, White Cloud Ml 49349 President Emeritus: Lance Feild

NEWSLETTER of the

NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL ASSOCIATION PO Box 311, White Cloud, Ml 49349 Headquarters Phone: (616) 689·1912

Editor: Wes Boyd, 14815 Rome Road, Manitou Beach, Ml 49253

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Spring 1991 Page2

Dear Wes: Thank you for another wonderful

issue of the NCT Newsletter. It is very informative and you and Kathy have given the members much food for thought.

Comment on your remarks, "We can get more out of our meetings." I would not like a winter meeting in February al White Cloud ... the sum­ mer or early fall suggestion has merit. I would suggest the activities begin on Sunday, be it work days or hikes, continue to Friday. Friday night, the board members who have not partici­ pated arrive at the site. Set up commit­ tee meeting, so agenda for the meeting on Saturday willgooffwithouta hitch. Plan for group meals, this is a wonder­ ful tool for creating an important in­ formal fellowship.

August we may run into very hot weather and bugs. I would suggest late September, but this of course would interfere with school vacations.

Emily Gregor

IT'S TIME TO THINK about trail running on the finger Lakes Trail again. Based on the success of events in the previous years, New York's Joe Dabes is at the centeroforganizing six differ­ ent events this year. These include the 27-milc Ed Hart Trail Ultra Fun Run on May 12; the 8k to 100 k Fun and Frolic Trail runs on May 26; The Fin­ ger Lakes Trail 50on July 6; the finger Lakes Trail 7 and 15k runs on July 21; the 21-mile Virgil Mountain Madness Trail Run on August 11, and the 26- mile Virgil Forest Monster Marathon on September l. Trail running events on the FLT drew around 425 partici­ pants last year. For more information, contact Joe Daves, 1189 Dryden Road, Ithaca NY 14850 (607) 272-8957.

***

saw to Michigan's NCTA trail devel­ oper Vince Smith, who plans to put the saw to work in four weeks of trail work in Michigan this summer.

CLEARING THE North Country Trail is now a little easier. Husqvarna For­ est and Garden Company recently donated a clearing saw to the North Country National Secic Trail to help in efforts to maintain the trail. The company, best known for its chain­ saws, provided the equipment as well as manpower to demonstrate the new

***

THE SECOND National Scenic and National Historic Trails Conference will be held November 14-17, 1991, at Menucha Retreat and Conference Center, overlooking the Columbia River gorge east of Portland, Oregon. Prior to the conference, on November 12-13, there will be a 2-day skill build­ ing workshop on trail issues, designed for private trail organizations. Con­ tact NCTA Board Member Rod Mackae for more details.

* * *

TOM GILBERT REPORTS that the National Park Service continues to make progress on written policy for National Scenic and National Historic Trails. Among items under discussion are actions to make policies among the various trails more uniform,and to unifify the National Trails legislas­ lion on the federal level. A special national parks service task group, co­ chaired by Tom has completed a draft management policy for National Sce­ nic and National Historic Trails. A key feature of the draft policy pro­ poses to make all trails units of the National Park system.

* * *

opment of a multi-use trail to Copper Falls State Park. The trail will be part of the development of the NCT in the Mellen/Copper Falls State Park/Che­ quamegon National Forest area. The cost, considered fair by both sides, is one dollar. The trail will alJow for travel between Mellen, Copper Falls, and the Loon Lake Swimming Beach without using State Highway 169, Kent Goekermann of Copper Falls State Park reports.

THE ASHLAND COUNTY Wiscon­ sin Board of Supervisors has agreed to the sale of approximately 5 1/2 acres of land to the city of Mellen for the devel-

***

BILL MENKE, who wrote the fine article on "A Fall Hike on the NCT" in the Manistee National Forest for the spring newsletter a year ago, has been transferred to the Milwakee Regional Office of the U.S. Forest Service, and has been heavily involved in the print­ ing of new maps on the NCT in all eight of the National Forests involved with the NCT.

* * *

WHEN YOU ARE having difficulty getting a landowner to give you per­ mission to allow the trail to cross his land because it is up for sale, one way to solve the problem is to buy the land. This is what Irene Szabo did so she could connect through to another land­ owner who really wanted the trail on his land. Because of the generosity of the lone landowner and Irene's very substantial commitment, the Finger Lakes Trail now has a beautiful view looking north up the length of Keuka Lake. Irene and all those who assisted on this project to close the 20 mile gap from Mitchellsville to South Bradford, New York, can be mighty proud of the job that has been completed.

-- from Finger Lakes Trail News

* * *

IRENE SZABO, West-Central Coor­ dinator for the FLTC, reports that the Boy Scouts of Troop 18, Hammond­ sport, NY, finished their section of the Finger Lakes Trail the night before the scheduled opening on September 2, 1990. A last minute reversal by one of the landowners required getting per­ mission from another just the day be­ fore opening. New clearing and blaz­ ing had to be done in a real hurry. A great job was done by Scoutmaster David Oliver and the Scouts of Troop 18. Certification is reportedly in prog­ ress.

=from Finger Lakes Trail News

Page3

Michigan March 23: Western Michigan Chapter NCTA Trail Mainte­

nance, 40th Ave S. to end of forest segment. Call Darlene Snyder, (616) 784·5050 or (616) 364-8722 for more information.

April 2: Western Michigan Chapter NCTA meeting at 7:30 PM, at 492 Four Mile Road, Comstock Park. Contact Art Holland, (616) 784-6441. .

April 20/21: Repair and maintenance at the schoolhouse, sponsored by Western Michigan Chapter, NCTA. Bring hammers, nails, paint brushes, ambition and lunch. Contact Ginny (616) 689- 6876 or Art (616) 784-6441.

May 11: Clean-up day at the schoolhouse sponsored by Western Michigan Chapter, NCTA. After the repair comes the cleaning and scrubbing. Bring cleaning supplies. Potjuck lunch. Call Darlene (616) 784-5050 or (616) 364-8722 for information.

May 17-19: North Country Trail Association Spring Meet­ ing, at White Cloud, Michigan. Contact Ginny (616) 689-6876 or (616) 689-1912 for more information. '

June 4: Western Michigan Chapter, NCTA meeting, Dwight Lydell Park, Comstock Park. Cookout at 6:00 PM, meeting at 7:00. Call Darlene (616) 784-5050 or (616) 364-8722 for more information. Topic include June and August hikes and future trail maintenance schedule.

June 8·9. Western Michigan Chapter, NCTA backpacking trip in Manistee National Forest. Overnight, limited to 1 O people. Call Alan (616) 453-3069 for information and reservations. This event is open to chapter members only.

August 12-15. Camping/Hiking on Grand Island in Lake Superior by Munising, Michigan. Four days of fun in the new National Recreation Area. Call Darlene (616) 784-5050 or (616) 364-8722 or Art Holland (616) 784-6441 for more information. Must be an NCTA Member to participate.

Minnesota April 20-21. 'Early Bird' hike and Minnesota Chapter

meeting. Day Hikes of 5-8 miles Saturday and Sunday. Friday and Saturday nights at Deep Portage Conservation Center near the Chippewa National Forest section of the NCT. Cost: $65. 00 per adult, includes 2 nights lodging, 5 meals, and trail shuttle. Trip leader: Rod MacRae, (612) 377·0130 or (612) 941-8336.

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explore Craig Lake Wilderness State Park, the McCormick Wilderness, and Rocking Chair Lakes with its virgin pines.

Each outing lasts from Sunday to Saturday. Food is pro­ vided, and the work is shared. First meal served is Monday morning. Bring your own camping equipment -- tent or camper, sleeping bag and pad, eating utensils, day pack, canteen, etc, and also a cooler and pruning shears, if conven­ ient.

The cost is $45 per week, due one month before the outing to trip leader Vince Smith. For more information, please send stamped, self-addressed envelope to Vince Smith, Box 76. Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 (313) 231-1257.

The group is also planning weekend outings on May 10-12, and Oct. 11-13 in the Kalkaska-Alba area. Again, contact Vince for more details.

<The Huron Valley Group of the Mackinac Chapter of the Sierra Club will again sponsor four weeks of trail building in Michigan under the supervision of Vince Smith. The dates for the trail camps are:

July 21-27 July 28-August 3 August 18-24 August 25-31

In July and August, the group will be creating the trail in State Forests east of Kalkaska and south of Boyne Falls, near several lakes and the headwaters of the Manistee and Jordan Rivers. On off days (normally Wednesday and weekends), participants can visit Lake Michigan, or hike, swim, canoe, or explore as the spirit moves.

In August, the group will be in the wild country of Michi­ gan's Upper Peninsula among the lakes, rivers, rocks and forests 30 to 40 miles west of Marquette, with chances to

Michigan

• The Keystone Trails Association is sponsoring a Work Trail Care project September 6, 7, and 8 on the North Country Trail in McConnels Mill State Park. Trip Leaders are Tom Thwaites (814) 237-7703 and Mark Eckler (412) 588-6164. Camp will be at Rose Point Campgrounds. They will start to build the North Country Trail in McConnels Mill State Park from Eckert Bridge to Hell's Hollow, a distance of at least 3 miles. This will be the first installment of a project this is expected to last several years. It is important that our NCTA members from Pennsylvania support this project. The week­ end starts Friday night at the designated camping site. A full day of trail work on Saturday is followed by an evening of campfire and sociability (bring own food). After a morning of additional trail work, the week-end ends about noon on Sunday. Bring work gloves; tools will be provided. Call leader in advance if you plan to participate.

Pennsylvania

• The Finger Lakes Trail Conference Western Section Work Week will be June 24-28, 1991. Paul Charest of the Foothills Trail Club is the coordinator; his phone number is (716) 689-8252. The week will concentrate on getting the 176-mile Conservation Trail into good condition along many miles of its route from the Pennsylvania border to the Lewis­ ton Bridge across the Niagara River to Canada. The southern part of the Conservation Trail is part of the North Country Trail.

• The Finger Lakes Trail Conference Central Section Work Week will be July 15-20, 1991. Joel Fiske from the Finger Lakes National Forest will coordinate and lead the work week in the Finger Lakes National Forest near Watkins Glen. Trail rebuilding due to horse damage and poor drainage is the principal work to be undertaken.

New York

This is a list of the North Country Trail construction or maintenance projects set for 1991 that the newsletter has been made aware of. How about taking off a weekend or a week to help out with building the North Country Trail?

Help build the North Country Trail! North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Spring 19;>1 Page Four

From your president Martha Jones

With crisp winter air rushing by me, the trees and trails covered with newly fallen snow, and my skiis guiding me down the slopes of Taos Mountain in New Mexico, my thoughts encompass the beauty and maj­ esty of the woodlands in all seasons - whether in northern U.S. states or in the southwest. The North Country Trail comes to mind, and I wonder how many of you have had the opportunity to walk in the woods or cross-country ski over parts of the NCT. What a great way to spend a sunny winter day!

To all of you who responded to my appeal for con­ tributions to the Association Treasury (to assist us in taking advantage of the NPS $60,000 Co-operative Agreement) I would like to extend a big TIIANK YOU. We are truly appreciative of so much support from so many members.

Over the past few months, your Executive Board and Search Committee have been working to fill the posi­ tion of Executive Director of the NCTA and are happy to report that things are moving along and we hope to

A letter from the President

Trail Head have a report for you at the May meeting.

I hope many of you will try to attend the may meeting to get first-hand reports, and offer your com­ ments and concerns, on activities of your Association, and, also, to learn about constructive ways for you to support your Association and further development of the Trail. A featured speaker at the meeting will be Steve Elkinton, National Park Service Long-Distance Trails Coordinator.You will find information and a reg­ istration form elsewhere in this newsletter about the Annual Spring Meeting being held May 17-19 in White Cloud, Ml. Mark your calendar now: The Manistee Forest is beautiful in the Springtime and I know your committee has planned for some hiking!

Shortly, you will be receiving your membership re­ newal notice - Renewal Date JUNE 1st. Responding promptly will save your Association the added expense of mailing out "reminders". Perhaps, too, you would consider up-grading your membership status as a m cans of helping out. Since the NCT A is a "not-for-profit" or­ ganization, any amount over the basic membership fee is tax deductable.

Think spring - think hiking - and we'll look for you at White Cloud in May.

Dogsled racers turned out in force on the weekend of January 18-21 at Mackinac City, Michigan, for a series of sprint races held on a newly opened segment of the North Country Trail, connecting Mackinac City and Wilder­ ness State Parks.

Michigan NCTA members, es­ pecially director Derek Blount, had to put in long hours last fall to get the trail opened in time to run the race, which marks a multiple use new to the North Country Trail. The resurgance of dog sled racing as a winter sport could find the NCT in other areas used for this activity.

Event organizers were pleased with the turnout, both of racers and spectators, and plan to make the event an annual occurance. For information on next year's race, contact Tun-Dra Outfitters, (616) 436-5243.

-Derek Blount photo

NCT goes to the dogs

Page·s North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Spring, 1990

Spring ... Anticipa­ tion ... Awakening ... Excitement ... Hundreds of green hues . . . each more beautiful than the last. The smell of every one of every kind of wild­ flower, the taste of moun­ tain spring water, of dew dripping off the leaf of a Mountain Laurel in the early morning, the sparkle of the sun in mist-filled valleys.

Look ... across the enchanting land. A glori­ ous hillside of yellow Colt's foot beckon us to sit and feel the throb and pulse of life coming into spring and to experience thegreatandsmallof this North Country Spring.

Two distinctive color crowns have been gently sponge-painted across the broadbreastoftheridges. One belongs to the Maple trees and is a pretty, reddish hue. The other is the chartreuse of young oak buds.

Underneath the canopy a floral fantasy is coming to life as the spring rains bring on an explosion of wildflowers.

Hepaticas, Trilliums, pink and lavendar-blue Tooth­ worts, Dandelion and precious true-blue violets shimmer across the land like sheets of sparkling jewels flipped off the tip of a fairy godmother's magic wand.

Spring Beauty, Marsh Marigold, Bloodroot, Blue Cohosh and buttercups are all out in great profusion.

What a difference they all make for a day. Inside the course of a few days bright little emerald

islands of Mayapples with a pretty white and yellow blossom appear transforming in a few weeks into an edible apple just right for the jelly jar.

Green growth is the most delicate, and each day is scented with fragrance and sprinkled with colors.

Just on the edge of our hearing come the sweet strands of this season's first chorus and the song of Sweet Peepers invites us to come closer.

A feeling of delight comes into the heart of us as we nose-touch the petal of the Trailing Arbutus and smell its sweetness, fondle the leaf pattern of the Trout Lily marveling at Nature's creativity, and watch the springboard jump of Box Turtles as they disappear into the wetlands. Its as if we never had the experi­ ence, never knew the child­ like happiness.

Buds swell, grasses green, babies are born. The air is sweet as our Mother, the Earth, slowly hatches her seasonal eggs.

The sun's warmth is delicious against our win­ ter skin as our eyes rest upon the first Robin Red­ breast, swooping Swal­ lows, and Song Sparrows. God's Mobile Flower Garden is music to our ears as they flicker through the air like rainbow con­ fetti.

Butterflies are free and fancy-full, squirrels chatter, streams are clear water rushing as the days grow longer and the nights softer. The sunsets glow with all of the rainbow colors in pastel. The night sky is lit up with Milky Way bands and stars of sapphire. The phases of the moon seem so vivid.

Each day's sunrise illuminates the on-going picture story. Each has its own specialness. Each nearly over­ whelms us with a sense of urgency to experience all that life holds within it.

At no time does the heart seem so alive, so open, than in springtime. It is our world opening up. It is us being alive to our senses.

Time in miniature ... colors ... numbers ... sights .. . sounds ... living growth. The throb and pulse of life is all around as we fuse once again with this fragile Earth and its North Country Spring that is so beautifully definite.

-- Barbie Smith Cover Photo: John Hipps and Barbie Smith take in the glory of an Allegany springtime along the NCT.

The wind goes from low to high in its blow-drying of last year's bush, grass and blade as they give way to this year's new growth.

Yesterday the skies were filled with Canadian honkers along with a rare glimpse of a black squirrel, a Ruffed Grouse and the rich smells of the awakening woodlands.

Vivid, living green is intense across the forest floor. Sunbeams reflect off drops of moisture on fern fronds,

sometimes scattering multi-mini rainbows. Everything shines.

We of the North Country Trail invite you to share in our efforts to realize a 3200 mile trail traversing New York; Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. Through a Nortlt Country Celebration you will breathe, taste and touch the trail as we journey over its days and nights, around the calendar and within its year.

All this is bright and beautiful will become an intimate part of you as its seasonal rhythm is experienced by way of the written word and a knowing that a much greater appre­ ciation can be had from your own personal journey in your own time and in your own quiet space.

-Spring 'l{ortli Country Celebration. North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Spring, 1991 Page6

lieves that it is neaher possible nor appropriate to prescribe uniform poli­ cies and standards that would be appli­ cable to all segments of the trail, nor does the service want to place unneces­ sary obstacles, such as changing a long­ established trail policy or redevloping a trail to meet prescribed standards, in the way of an agency or organization that otherwise wishes to become a partner in theNCT.

The trail management policies and practices discussed here are intended to be guidelines which participating agen­ cies and organizations are encouraged to follow to the extent possible. They are intended to be flexible and will encompass many existing trail policies and practices. There are a few intended exceptions to this intended flexibility, and these will be obvious. An example is the prohibition of motorized use ofthe trail by the general public.

Lands for the trail should be se­ cured in a manner less than outright purchase to the extent possible; gener­ ally speaking, nofederalfunds are avail­ able for trail land acquisition outside of federal project areas, such as National Forests. Less-than-fee acquisition meth­ ods such as leases, easements, or simple use agreements can provide adequate protection for the trail and stretch lim­ ited public and private financial resources. Often, the less the interest in the land that the owner would convey, the more willing they will be to cooperate. Out­ right purchase of land for the trail should be limited to instances where it is neces­ sary to preserve key trail segments and associated resources, to provide for and manage public access to the trail, to minimize adverse effects on private landowners or users and their opera-. tions, and where other methods to ac­ quire lands for the trail have failed.

The extent of the land area that needs to be protected for the NCT is decided locally by the trail developer, and needs to reflect the characteristics and opportunities along each portion of the route, as well as the type of trail experience expected. The decision will be influenced by surrounding land uses, the terrain, the need for sight and sound buffers, and the ease or difficulty of securing or setting aside lands to be managed for the trail. The lands associ­ ated with the trail may therefore vary from a mere 2-foot treadwaysto lOCX) feet or more. ·

It is not the intent of the Comprehen­ sive Plan to completely isolate the user from land use practices surrounding the

Pagel

Because the development and man­ agement of the North Country Trail is a cooperative effort involving many pub­ lic and private jurisdictions, a variety of trail management philosophies and po­ lices on trail development and mainte­ nance standards come to bear on the trail. The National Park Service be-

Park Service has but few copies left of this plan - too few for widespread general distribution - and much of it pertains to issues other than trail certi­ fication.

What follows is basically an edited and simplified version of the Compre­ hensive P Ian in the areas that pertain to certification of the North Country Trail.

It was noted in the NCT's annual survey of completed trail last fall that there is a lot of the North Country Na­ tional Scenic Trail that exists and could be certified, but has not been. There are as many reasons for a segment of trail not being certified as there are segments awaiting certification, but one major cause may be that many people may not be aware that certification is actually a fairly simple procedure -one that will have to be carried out if the NCT is to reach 2000 certified miles by 2000.

The basic standards and procedures for certification are laid out in the Sep­ tember, 1982 Comprehensive Plan for Management and Use: North Country Trail, by the National Park Service. The

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Spring 1991

trail. To the extent possible or permitted

by policies, public agencies which par­ ticipate in developing and managing the trail should use volunteer labor to con­ struct the trail in order keep expendi­ tures of public funds to a minimum. Volunteer trail organizations which wish to initiate development of NCT seg­ ments on public lands should always contact and consult with the managing agency to receive necessary permission and guidance before undertaking any work.

All segments of the NCT shall be open to travel by foot - i.e., hiking and backpacking. Other nonmotorized uses, including bicycling, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, sbowshoeing, and jogging, may be permitted on a given segment according to the desires and policies of the managing authority re­ sponsible for the segment. Multiple use of the trail for activities other than hik­ ing, both those which take place during the same season and those which take place during other season of the year should be considered. A managing au­ thority responsible for a relatively short segment of the trail should consider the uses permitted on adjacent segments of the trail when considering additional uses on its own segment.

Uses other than hiking should be permitted only if the activity will not cause significant deterioration of the trail and surrounding environment and the activity can be safely accommo­ dated - i.e., the trail is constructed according to accepted standards for that activity.

Uses of motorized vehicles on or across the trail by the following parties for the specified purposes shall be per­ mitted unless specifically prohibited by the regulations of the managing agency: - By responsible authorities respond­

ing to emergency situations (forest fires, serious injury to a trail user, etc.);

- By employees of representatives of the managing authority to perform trail maintenance or other official re­ source management functions;

- To enable adjacent landowners or land users to have reasonable access to their lands or timber rights;

- From time-to-time for any legiti­ mate purpose by private landowners who permit the trail to cross their lands;

- By users of established off-road motorized vehicle trails which cross the NCT, but only for the purpose of cross­ ing the NCT.

' Many public and private lands through

of the trail within public road rights-of­ way or immediately adjacent to the right­ of-way should be kept to a reasonable limit so that the trail user is not continu­ ously exposed to the sights and sounds of motor vehicle traffic. The one excep­ tion to this prohibition of locating the NCT on roads is when it is necessary to route short segments on roads and bridges in order to cross rivers, lakes, interstate highways, dams, etc. Whenever roads and highways or their rights-of-way are to be used for the NCT or crossed by the NCT, those seeking to establish the segment should consult with the appro­ priate state and local highway officials.

Because it will be many years before certifiable trails are established for some portions of the NCT route, and because it is desirable in the interim to identify other routes which link together certi­ fied NCT segments, the National Park Service will recognize as "North Coun­ try Trail Connectors" other marked routes and trails which do not qualify for certi­ fication as the official NCT route due to current motorized multiple use or loca­ tion roads. "Connectors" should be marked but may not be signed with the officialNCT marker, although a special NCT marker for connectors is in devel­ opment. Connectors should be brought to the attention of the National Park Service by those parties responsible for marking and maintaining them. Recog­ nition will be in the form of including them on maps of the NCT and referring to them in written descriptions of the NCTroute.

Emphasis should be placed on har­ monywilh the surrounding environment when designing and developing seg­ ments of the trail. The trail should be designed to cause minimal disturbance to the environment and take advantage of the natural features, topography, and resources within the area. User facilities should blend into the surrounding land­ scape and be constructed with materials indigenous to the area.

All trail developers should utilized established and accepted design and construction standards when develop­ ing the trail. With few exceptions, this permits public agencies to use their own established trail construction standards. Public or private trail developers which have not adopted trail standards should utilize those which have been adopted and used by other managing agencies or trail organizations. All ~es that will be permitted on a given segment of the trail must be considered when designing and selecting construction standards for the

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Spring 1991

trail, but rather to allow the traveler to enjoy the mosaic of resources and land uses through which the trail passes w bile taking special advantage of the natural and scenic elements along the way. Thus, resource management activities such as timber cutting, even occasional clearcut­ ting, are not out of harmony with the management of the NCT.

All agencies and organizations in­ volved in establishing segments of the NCT across private lands should be­ come thoroughly familiar with the State statute which limits the liability of land­ owners for injuries suffered by recrea­ tional users while on their property. Fear of liability in such instances is a major obstacle to obtaining permission to route public trails across private lands. All seven NCT states have enacted stat­ ues which limit landowner liability.

The availability of existing public recreation site that provide needed sup­ port facilities (water, overnight camp­ ing, etc.) should be an important consid­ eration in identifying a specific route for the trail. Trail developers should be mindful of the need to route the trail near, or develop at convenient intervals along the trail, support facilities such as campsites, drinking water sources, toi­ lets, trail heads, etc. These facilities greatly add to the convenience and comfort of trail users and are very im­ portant in avoiding problems of tres­ passing, disturbing adjacent landown­ ers with requests for water, littering the trail, or contaminating nearby lakes with human waste, etc. A plan for providing such facilities or making such facilities accessible to the trail in the future may be required before a lengthy segment of trail with no nearby accessible facilities is certified.

Providing for overnight use along the trail may include a diversity of ar­ rangements from designated campsites to camping zones (camping permitted along certain segments of the trail) to dispersed backcountry camping (camp­ ing permitted anywhere along the trail). Adirondack-type shelters exist along some segment of the trail; such shelters arc compatible with the NCT but are not a requirement.

Generally, the official route of the NCT may not be located on roads or on the shoulder of roads open to motorized use by the general public. The trail may be located within the public right-of­ way of a road if the right-of-way is wide enough to permit the trail to be estab­ lished safely beyond the shoulder and/ or drainage ditch of the road. Location

Page8

The certification procedure calls for a brief application that provides maps and information regarding location of the trail, the managing authority respon­ sible for the management and mainte­ nance of the segment, and policies and practices relating to maintaining the trail, and other information. The format and configuration of the application, which in most cases need not be more than one page, is shown in the associated box. All or part of the information requested in the application can be furnished by the managing authority by submitting and referring to existing plans and docu­ ments relating to the trail.

Applying for certification

Poge9

the guidelines is available from the National Park Service North Country Trail office.

The National Park Service realizes that various public agencies and private organizations which manage trails being incorporated into the NCT route have established various methods of marking these trails. Blazes and other markers are of various shapes, sizes, and colors. At this point in time there is no intention of trying to standardize marking other than to require posting of the official NCT marker at appropriate points such as trail heads, trailjunctions, etc., along certified segments and to emphasize that all marking oftheNCTshould beof a permanent nature. No change to a single color or shape of supplemental blazes will be mandated. If the official NCT marker is maintained at necessary points along certified segments, there should be no confusion over the route of the NCr despite various types and col­ ors of supplemental markings. The pur­ pose of this flexible approach to mark­ ing is to permit managing authorities to maintain the individual identity of their trails if they wish to do so. This plan is not asking managing authorities to re­ name their existing trails. Existing trails may continue to have their own identity, and, in addition, be recognized as "the route of" the NCT. Therefor, where the NCT follows an existing trail which has its own distinct name and/or symbol, both markers may be used along the trail. Placement of both markers on a single post is suggested as the simplest approach. The National Park Service will provide NCT markers for certified segments on non-Federal lands. The responsible managing authority will be required to place and maintain them in accordance with the marking plan.

ments of the trail or related support facilities (campsites) may be established by the managing authority, in consulta­ tion with the National Parle Service, if necessary to comply with existing pol­ icy or regulation of the managing au­ thority, to control or monitor the level of use, or to offset costs of maintaining the trail and facilities, When considering the establishment of a fee system, the managing authority should be mindful that fee systems can cost more to ad­ minister than the revenue generated, that many hikers believe fees for use of footpaths and primitive campsites are unjustified due to the low level of devel­ opment, and that it is difficult to collect fees from users of backcountry areas. Any permit systems established by managing authorities for use of the trail or campsites should be designed for easy use by trail users. Permits should be available in advance through the mail to permit users to plan their journey. If possible, the permit should be valid for a period of several days since it easy for a hiker to get behind schedule due to inclement weather or other factors.

The official NCT marker will be erected and maintained along all certi­ fied trailsegments.Itwill be available in two standard sizes: a 9-inch size for use primarily at trail heads and a smaller 3 1/2 inch size for use as periodic route confirmation signs. Either size, as ap­ propriate and according to the desire of the managing authority, may be used at trail intersections, campgrounds, and intrepitive sites and displays. The mark­ ers should be erected in accordance with the standard trail marking practices of the managing authority responsible for the segment. Mounting on posts of vari­ ous sizes and materials or other methods of placement may be used.

It is not desirable nor cost effective to use the official NCT marker as the sole marker along the trail. Other types of markers and blazes which are less costly, less visually obtrusive, and less prone to vandalism should be used be­ tween points where the official NCT marker is placed. A standard 2x6 inch vertical blaze of 5x7 inch diamond blaze could be used. Managing authorities should be guided by their own existing trail marking standards and practices in deciding what types of marking will be used to supplement the use of official NCT markers. Managing authorities which have not established trail mark­ ing practices might consider the guide­ lines proposed by the Eastern Region of the Forest Service - USDA. A copy of

which the NCT passes are legally open to hunting during the proper seasons. It is not intended that passage of the NCT through these lands should in any way lead to their closure to hunting nor that the trail should be closed to use during hunting seasons.

Managing authorities may issue such regulations as may be necessary to pro­ tect and properly manage segments of trail for which they are responsible, providing such regulations do not con­ flict with the National Trails System Act or the Comprehensive Plan. Regu­ lations needed to protect the trail, public use facilities, and natural, historic, cul­ tural and recreation resources from vandalism and/or improper use should be as unrestrictive as possible, stated in clear and easily understood language, and widely disseminated.

The maintenance and safety condi­ tion of the trail treadway, bridges, and related support facilities should be monitored and inspected on a regular basis by the authority or group respon­ sible for the trail segment. Needed maintenance and minor repairs should be performed immediately before seri­ ous deterioration occurs, necessitating major repairs.

Routine maintenance, such as emp­ tying trash receptacles, toilet cleaning, and litter pickup along the trail, in campgrounds, and at trail beads should be performed on a frequent, if not con­ tinuous basis, by the responsible man­ aging authority. Experience and studies have shown that well maintained and clean facilities and areas are more likely to remain that way - i.e., litter begats more litter.

To the extent possible or permitted by policy, public agencies responsible for segments of the trail should use volunteer labor to perform maintenance tasks.

The amount of use which occurs on any segment should be monitored. If heavy use is determined to be the cause of trail deterioration and physical im­ provement of the trail tread, such as trail "hardening", is not possible or desir­ able, the managing authority should consider options such as temporary or permanent relocation of the trail, tem­ porary rerouting over other existing trails, controlling the level of use through permits, or simply closing the damaged section, if absolutely necessary. When­ ever a certified segment of the NCT is to be relocated or closed, the National Park Service should be immediately notified.

Fees and/or permits for use of seg-

•

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Spring 1991

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North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Spring 1991

-- WB

There you have it. Certification is not that complicated, and the rules are fairly flexible. To sum up: to be a certifiable route, a trail needs to generally be lo­ cated off-road (though perhaps not far off), must be marked and developed maintained according to some standard (which can be pretty primitive, if a low level of use is expected). The paperwork in.valved is minimal. 'Generally speak­ ing, if a trail segment is considered complete, certifying it should be simple.

2000 by 2000!

The applicatity1s will be reviewed and processed by the National Park Service, and a description of the certi­ fied segment will be published in "The Federal Register". Whenever the man­ aging authority responsible for a certi­ fied segment finds that a relocation of all or part of the segment is necessary, it shall notify the National Park Service so that a notice of this change can be pub­ lished in the "Federal Register" and ap­ propriate changes can be made in maps, guides, and brochures. The National Park Service will periodically review the status of certified segments.

It must be emphasized that participa­ tion in the development and manage­ ment of the NCT and certification of trails as segments of the NCT is highly encouraged, but completely voluntary on the part of the managing authority. The National Park Service will not cer­ tify any trail as an official segment of the NCT without the consent of the managing authority.

A certified segment must coincide with the NCT route shown on the maps in this plan or be within its general location. It must also link up with exist­ ing or proposed adjacent segments. When another segment does not exist at one or both ends of the segment for which certification is sought, the managing authority should consult with the Na­ tional Park Service prior to submitting the application for certification.

A segment must exist and be ready for public use prior to its certification. It may include areas restricted to day use only, and trails subject to payment of a user fee or subject to other similar re­ strictions. A segment may be limited in its type of use, subject to the above restrictions, and must be managed in accordance with the broad guidelines stated above. The length of a segment may vary, but certification of isolated segments shorter than 1 mile will not be encouraged.

Page 10

It was agreed at the meeting of trail organizers in 1961 that they would build a trans-New York hiking trail across the scenic southern ends of the Finger Lakes to connect biking trails in Allegany Stale Park with those in the Catskills. The precise route of the main trail was left for the local clubs to decide. Spur trails to spots of similar interest not on line of the main trail also were to be built or included in the FLT system.

In 1962, the FLTC accepted sponsor­ ships for70 miles of the main FLT each from the Cayuga Trails Club and from the Foothills Trail Club. Soon after, sponsorships by the Genesee Valley Hiking Club, the Onondaga Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and the Cornell University Outing Club were approved by the Board of Managers.

The Cayuga Trails Club used an air­ plane in 1962 to scout for the trail route. Cruising at 80 mph, Fred L. Hiltz re­ ported to the club that he had flown "at 500 feet or a bit higher, because I don't like to be too low in narrow spaces like Michigan Hollow." Hiltz explained "visibility at that altitude is good enough to see animal tracks in the snow. Even at higher altitudes, you can see whether trail clearings will be brush-whip work or power-saw work." Hiltz was a gradu­ ate student in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University and one of several members of the Cornell Out­ ing Club who assisted the Cayuga Trails Club in routing trail. A ten-minute flight over Connecticut Hill, with the fold­ down door of his Piper PA-11 open for better viewing, did the work of walking for several days. Fred also piloted a Tri­ Pacer June 6, 1964, for the FLTC to scout 350 miles of possible trail route in the area of the Catskill Mountains.

The origins of the two major branch trails, the Interloken and Conservation Trails, go back to the late 1950's and early '60s. The Interloken Trail runs

Page 11 all over New York state. It includes a Board of Managers meeting, hikes, en­ tertainment, and bird walks. The newly formed FLTC did not waste any time getting things organized; the first Fall Camp-out was hosted by the Cayuga Trails Club on September 7 to 9, 1962, at Buttermilk Falls State Park. An all­ day hike on the FLT on Saturday went up Lick Brook Gorge, still an unspoiled and undeveloped gorge of the Cayuga Lake basin. To the disappointment of the approximately 100 meeting regis­ trants, the swimming pool below But­ termilk Falls was closed because of the summer's drought.

was called in those days. Participants discussed classes of membership, ap­ proved annual dues, voted for incorpo­ ration of the Conference, and elected the first FL TC Board of Managers and officers. Wallace D. Wood was elected President. The name of the Conference and name of the Trail were also ap­ proved at this meeting. After adjourn­ ment of the general meeting of the Conference on Sunday, the new Board of Managers met for the first time.

The first issue of the Finger Lakes Trail News was published in April, 1962. It consisted of eight pages covering the first annual meeting, outings, the Mes­ sage from the President, a report from the Trails Committee, and descriptions of two branch trails, among other items. It also included a request that readers write to their Representatives in Con­ gress urging support for the Wilderness Bill, which established the national policy for wilderness preservation.

The second annual meeting of the FLTC was held at Camp Duffield in western New York on May 18 and 19, 1963. The featured speaker was Mr. Owen Allen, one of only 25 people at the time who had hiked the entire Appa­ lachian Trail in a single 3-month hike. A substantial treasury balance of $371.53 was reported. In its second year of exis­ tence, the Conference already had over 100 adult and family memberships, 10 student memberships, lOorganizational memberships, and one commercial membership. The Constitution and By­ Laws, which were approved at the sec­ ond annual meeting, established the purpose of the Conference as "promot­ ing, planning, construction and mainte­ nance, directly or through other organi­ zations and individuals, of a continuous footpath ... across part of New York State in a generally east-west direction south of the Finger Lakes with or with­ out lateral extensions extending north or south of the main east-west part." Other purposes for the organi7.ation stipu­ lated in the Constitution included en­ couragement and promotion of educa­ tional uses of the FLT and the conserva­ tion of natural resources.

The FLTC Fall Camp-out is another annual event drawing many people from

In the summer of 1961, Wallace. D. Wood of Rochester, NY, hiked portions of the Appalachian and Long Trails in Vermont. It occurred to-him that a simi­ lar trail system might be possible in New York. He presented the idea to the Genesee Valley Hiking Club; a commit­ tee was formed to investigate the pros­ pects for cooperation of regional out­ door clubs to build a long-distance trail in New York. A meeting of 12 people was held in November, 1961, at Roches­ ter to discuss the idea of a trail system.

The following year, approximately 100 people met in the auditorium of Keuka College near Penn Yan, NY, on Saturday, March 17, for the opening session oftbe first annual meeting of the FLTC. At that meeting the FLTC was organized to promote and coordinate the building and maintenance of the Finger Lakes Trailway, as the system

by Thomas J. Reimers President, FLTC

The Finger Lakes Trail System is a network of footpaths from the Allegheny Mountains to the Catskill Mountains through the higher elevations of the southern tier of New York state. It con­ sists of the main Finger Lakes Trail (FL 1) and seven branch trails. Accord­ ing to the May, 1990 Trail Census of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, 464.0 miles of the main FLT have been com­ pleted, out of 534.2 miles planned, be­ tween the New York-Pennsylvania bor­ der in Allegany State Park on the west and Dening Lean-to in the Catskills on the east. Twenty shelters and 25 camp­ sites exist along the FLT for use by hikers, cross-country skiers, and back­ packers. Seven branch trails total 237 .9 miles, with three shelters and eight campsites. The FLT system connects witb tbe Bruce Trail in Canada and with the Long Path in the Catskills. The Long Path connects with the Appalachian Trail.

The FL Tsystem has been and is being built and maintained by 16 groups and 17 individuals. All of these trail spon­ sors are volunteers except for personnel of the U.S. Forest Service, who main­ tain a 3.3 mile section of the main FLT and a 12-mile long side trail, the Inter­ loken Trail.

History of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Across New York:

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Spring, 1991

hoc committee to recommend to the Board a formal position regarding the NCT. Al a special board meeting on October 14, 1973, the committee pre­ sented its report. The report included a list of eight factors favoring FLTC par­ ticipation in the NCT and a list of eight factors opposing participation. After a long and heated debate, the following motion was offered to the Board: "that the FL TC endorse the idea of the North

On Feburary 8, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson sent to Congress a message on conservation of natural beauty. In the message, the President said, "the forgotten outdoorsmen of today are those who like to walk, hike, ride horseback or bicycle. For them, we must have trails as well as highways. Nor should motor vehicles be permitted to tyrannize the more leisurely human traf­ fic." The President then asked the Sec­ retary of the Interior and his colleagues in federal, state, and local governments to recommend to him a cooperative · program "to encourage a national sys­ tem of trails, building up the more than a hundred thousand miles of trails in our National Forests and Parks" (Finger Lakes Trail News, vol. 4., no. 1, March, 1965).

In President Johnson's second mes­ sage to Congress on Feburary 23, 1966, he said he would submit legislation "to foster development ... of a nationwide system of trails". The North Country Trail was first mentioned by specific name in the summer, 1966 edition of the News (vol. 5, no. 2, 1966) in reference to a Senate bill to provide immediate protection for the Appalachian Trail and lo create al least nine other long-dis­ tance foot trails within the continental US. The bill was sponsored by Senators Jackson of Wyoming, Nelson of Wis­ consin and Kennedy of New York.

Inclusion of part of the FLT into the NCT became a topic for lively discus­ sion among FLTC members and within the Board of Managers during the 1970s and 80s. From the beginning, the FLTC insisted that it have the right to keep the same relationships with landowners that it always had, At the Board of Managers meeting of June 10, 1973, FLTC Presi­ dent Laura McGuire established an ad

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Spring, 1991 the owner liable for damages should Creek just south of Cayuta Lake, over they be injured. The bill was sponsored Connecticut Hill to Willowood Camp, in the state legislature by Assemblyman west of Enfield Glen. Local geographic Charles Stockmeister of Monroe County and cultural features, trail access points, at the request of the FLTC officers. and landmarks along the route were

In the fall of 1965, the Cayuga Trails included. At present, the FLTC offers Club and Onondaga Chapter of ADK 29 maps of the main FLT, 15 maps acquired two trail shelters from the New covering branch trails, and five detailed York State Conservation Department. trail guides with maps. The Tamarack and Hem lock Glen lean­ to's were were dismantled and moved piece-by-piece from nearLampeer,NY, in Cortland County, to their present locations on the FLT just south of Danby in Tompkins County and on Morgan I Iii! near Truxton, Cortland County. The cornerstone of Tamarack Lean-to was laid on October 10, 1965, in a ceremony described as "perhaps the first time in the history of the world that cornerstone was laid for a lean-to" by a local radio station. The cornerstone contained a Cayuga Trails Club emblem, a FLTC emblem, the October Issue of Cayuga Trails, two 1964 pennies, some trading stamps and orange plastic and white cloth nags used to mark the trail. Soon­ to-follow shelters in the area were Sh­ indagin Lean-to (fall of J 966) and Chest­ nut Lean-to (fall of 1967). from Sep­ tember 21, 1967, to July 21, 1968, 194 people had signed the Chestnut register.

The 1 Icrn lock Lean-to was "properly dedicated" on May 7, 1967, at the close of the sixth annual meetingoftheFLTC. Also on that date, the Onondaga Chap­ ter of the Adirondack Mountain Club celebrated the Gala Opening of the Onondaga Trail. Today, this branch trail (part of the NCT) is 24.3 miles long, heading north from the Main FLT.

J\ ceremony in December, 1970, at­ tended by state park officials, private landowners and Cayuga Trails Club members highlighted the opening of a branch trail connecting the FLT in Robert II. Trcman State Park with the upper section of Buttermilk Falls State Park near Ithaca. The Letchworth Trail, an­ other spur of the main FLT, was dedi­ cated in November, 1980. This trail is 17.5 miles long and runs along the east bank of the Genesee River gorge in Letchworth Slate Park. In 1985, the Queen Catherine Scenic Trail near Watkins G lcn south of Seneca Lake was added to the FLT system. It is a nine­ mile loop I rail sponsored by the Friends of Queen Catherine Marsh.

The first detailed, scaled map of a port ion of the main FLT appeared as an enclosure in the October, 1963, issue of Cayuga Trails, the newsletter of the Cayuga Trails Club. It showed the route of the trai I from the crossing of Cayuta

Page 12 down the "Hector Backbone" between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes from Butcher Hill near Interlaken through the Finger Lakes National Forest to Bcnnettsburg. Alec Proskine, author of Adirondack canoeing books, got the idea for the Interlaken Trail while climbing the west side of Butcher Hill. On January 2, 1960, seventy-two Boy Scouts and lead­ ers and members of the Trumansburg Rotary Club started work on the trail. After only one month, all 12 m ilcs of the trail had been completed! The Inter­ laken trail follows a north-south direc­ tion off the FLT through forest planta­ tions, open fields, blueberry swamps, bogs, and by wildlife ponds.

Planning for the Conservation Trail, another north-south foot trail to connect Buffalo and Allegany State Park, began in January, 1961, with actual work start­ ing in November of that year. Asix-rn ile portion of the Conservation Trail was dedicated May 5, 1962, in a ceremony sponsored by the Foothills Trail Club and the Buffalo Museum of Science. On May 24, 1964, dcd ication ceremonies al the southern end of the Niagara Escarp­ ment Trail were held at the lnternat ion al Bridge over the Niagara River between Lewiston, NY, and Queenston, Ontario, with erection of a large sign stating that this trail was a connecting link between the Bruce Trail of Canada and the Con­ servation Trail of western New York. The Conservation Trail now extends 130 miles north and reached its northern destination, the Lewiston bridge, in 1989. Its southern portion, dedicated on Sep­ tember 18, 1965, serves as the western section of the main FLT.

The third branch trail - the Bristol Hills Branch - was officially accepted into the FLT system on June 9. l 962. This 52-mile trail was planned initially by Wallace Wood and representatives from the Otetiana Council of Boy Scouts, Seven Lakes Council of Girl Scouts, and Penn Yan Senior Girl Scouts.

The Finger Lakes Trail News of July, 1964, reported that 58.2 m ilcs or the Finger Lakes Trailway were completed by May 16; 20.2 miles of those being the main FLT. However, many trail spon­ sors indicated that private landowners were reluctant to grant permission for the general public to cross their hind, but were happy to grant permission for ind i­ viduals or hiking clubs 10 use the sys­ tem's trails. On June 16, 1965, Gover­ nor Nelson Rockefeller signed into law a bill that added hikers to "hunters, trappers, fishermen and trainers of dogs" as people who may be on private prop­ erty with permission without making

Page 13 of books on biking, camping, climbing and other outdoor activities. One of the first donations was an autographed copy of "My Wilderness, East to Katahdin" by William 0. Douglas, former Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The library now contains over 250 volumes.

The FLTC was declared tax exempt by the U.S. Treasury Department and the State of New York in 1966. This designation allowed for federal tax deductions for contributions, bequests, legacies, transfers and gifts to the FL TC. In addition, state, county and commu­ nity sales taxes did not have to be paid on purchases by the Conference.

At the end of June, 1966, Trails Chairman Ervin Markert reported that 386 miles of FLT were under construc­ tion. The first statewide hike sponsored by the FL TC was held October 19, 1968, on the Mt. Roderick section of the FLT near Cortland. The section was build by the Onondaga Chapter of the Adiron­ dack Mountain Club. It rained constantly, accounting for a poor turnout.

The Board of Managers formally established the FL TC Service Center on January 19, 1975, to do routine business and to guide Conference officials in carrying out their duties. The first home for the Center was in Wallace Wood's home in Rochester. From Wally's home, the Service Center moved to Ervin Market's ranch in Pittsford in the sum­ mer of 1976. It moved again to its cur­ rent site at the home of Howard and Dorothy Beye in Rochester in 1984. Today, the FLTC Service Center dis­ tributes maps and guide books, answers the many inquiries about the FLT Sys­ tem, and provides a home base for many other diverse functions for the system and the Conference.

The FLTC commemorated its 25th anniversary during a celebration at Ith­ aca College, Ithaca, NY on May 22 to 25, 1987. A variety of hikes, workshops, tours and lectures were on the program. The featured speaker of the weekend, Anne LaBastille, drew hundreds of members and non-members to the Col­ lege Auditorium. Anne is the author of "Woodswoman", a noted lecturer, and a strong supporter of the "forever wild" concept for the Adirondack Park. Henry Williams, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, presented several awards to trail sponsors and a special volunteer award, the first ever given by the De­ partment, to Ervin Markert. In 1989, a planning committee for the 30th Anni­ versary celebration in 1992 was organ­ ized.

The familiar FLT patch was intro­ duced in the fall of 1964. Designed by William H. Davis of Rochester, the patch is octagonal in shape with a beige back­ ground. The border and large "FLT" and the words "Finger Lakes Trail" are orange. The pine trees are dark green.

Dave Meyer was a 17-year-old high school junior on February 2, 1964, when he wanted to attend a work session with the Foothills Trail Club. Buses were not running near his home in West Seneca, so he started walking at 6:00 AM to the meeting place. Teo miles later, he joined FLTC members in East Aurora at the regular departure time of 9:30 AM. He spent the rest of the day clearing trail and hiking on snowshoes.

The FL TC Library began operation in March, 1966. The librarian, Susan Tucker, began accepting contributions

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Spring, 1991 Country Trail and of the NCT making appointed Bill Ebling of Syracuse as its use of sections of the FLT; further, than representative on the NCTA Board of in so far as is consistent with NCT Directors and decided to send Mr. Ebling participation, the FLTC maintain its to the NCTA meeting in Pennsylvania present relationships with private land- during 1982. Also in 1982, Secretary of owners and its present arrangements for the Interior Jam es Watt appointed FL TC decision-making; further, however, that Trails Chairman, Ervin Markert, to be the FLTC make clear now to its mem- one of the four private-sector members bers and its private property owners the of the new NCT Advisory Council. The immediate and long-range implications council consisted of 14 members, one of the decision to join the NCT." The each nominated by the Governors of the motion was amended to favor establish- seven states through which the NCT ment of a North Country Trail Confer- would pass, three from cooperating ence consisting of volunteers function- Federal agencies, and four private-see- ing through a Board of Managers, simi- tor members. The Council was to con- lar to the FL TC and Appalachian Trail suit with the Secretary on matters such Conference. The motion as amended as trail routes, standards for trail mark- was passed by a vote of 14-3. ers, and administration of the trail.

Concern and discussion about land- In 1983, the FLTC finally signed a owner relations and autonomy of the memorandum of agreement with the FLTC continued despite the vote. In National Park Service (NPS) to operate, March of 1974, FLTC Trails Chairman, develop, and maintain those portions of Ervin Markert, communicated to the the FLT that become official segments membership a letter from the U.S. Bu- of the NCT. The first section ofthe FLT reau of Outdoor Recreation. The letter certified by the NPS is located near stated "You may be assured of our con- Virgil Mountain in Cortland County, It tinued interest in the Finger Lakes Trail received certification in November, 1985, not only for the outstanding nationally and was officially dedicated in a cere- significant resources it represents, but mony on December 12 In 1987, FLTC for the human resources - the concept RQ:ll:P Member Tom Reimers was elected of a continuing relationship bctwcec President of the NCTA, the organiza- landowners and Finger Lakes Trail us- tion of volunteers promoting develop- ers which you and your membership ment of the NCT and fostering coopera- represent. The Bureau's Outdoor Rec- tion among the individuals, clubs, and reation Plan, which has just been trans- other groups associated with the NCT. milted to the President and the Con- The fall meeting of the NCTA was hosted gress, recommends that state and local by the FLTC and Cayuga Trails Club in governments and the private sector be 1988. Not until 1988 were other see­ the focal points for the provision of lions of the FLT certified and dedicated outdoorrecreationopportunity, There is as official NCT. Two sections in 1988 no better example of cooperative rec- and two in 1989 were certified and cer- reation enterprise than the Finger Lakes tification of additional sections remains Trail in which private efforts are sup- a high priority for the Conference. ported by local, state, and to some de­ gree, Federal Government. The North Country National Scenic Trail, as pres­ ently proposed, would protect this prin­ ciple by encouraging supportive actions to protect the present Finger Lakes Trail concept." Debate intensified when the Green Mountain Club of Vermont went on record in 1975 as being opposed to the NCT or any other trail that would draw more hikers to their heavily used trails. Many FLTC members felt that after years of planning and building the FLT, it should not be turned over to any other persons, groups, or governments who could become managers or admin­ istrators of the trail without having contributed to its development.

On January 16, 1982, the Board of Manager decided to join the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) as an Organizational Member. The Board

0

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ALPINE ADVENTURE TRAILS TOURS, lac,

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Moderate optlonal length DAY hiking along skyline trails. 7-2 week tours basing at 15 mountain· 3-4 star hotels. All hikes guided by NCT member Cecil Dobbins. For a free color brochure call (216) 867-3771, or write to:

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Sunday, May 19 8:00 AM - Meet at Shack for long and short hikes on new trail segment between M37 and Croton Dam.

Saturday, May 18 6:30 AM - Early bird hike, from the Shack on the NCT 8:00 AM - Coffee, donuts, juice 8:30 AM - Annual Board of Directors and Membership meeting. 12:30 PM - Lunch ($5.00 at Shack) 1:30 PM - To be announced 6:30 PM- Hikers supper (cookout) at Shack, sponsored by Western Michigan Chapter, S5.00. Entertainment and singing around camp­ fire following.

Schedule of even ts Friday, May 17

5:00 PM - Registration, punch bowl 7:00 PM - Recognition dinner -- all members welcome (Ham or Turkey, $11.00)

B 90

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North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Spring, 1990

Make checks payable to NCTA. Registration fee is non-refundable; other fees refundable up to ten days prior to the meeting. L----------------~

r----------------, I Registration Form

I 1991 NCTA Spring Meeting May 17-18-19, 1991

I Mail to: North Country Trail Association, I PO Box 311, White Cloud, MI 49349

: Name _

I Address I ------------- 1

I Phone ----------------- Registration Fees: Adults, $2.00 each before 5/1 Adults, $3.00 each after 5/1

Meals (must be pre-registered): __ Friday _I-lam _Turkey ($1 l.00) __ Saturday noon, $5.00 __ Saturday evening, (HQ) $5.00

Headquarters lodging (make your own arrange­ ments for lodging elsewhere).

__ Hostel (includes cots; bring own blankets. $5.00 per night, first come, first serve.

__ Camping, $3.00 per night

NCTA Spring Meeting May 17-19 at White Cloud

The annual spring meeting of the NCTA will again be held this year al the Shack Country Inn, 2263 14th SL, While Cloud, MI 49349, approximately six miles west of M-37 in White Cloud, and 1 l miles from the NCTA headquarters building. The headquarters will have a Saturday night party, and will be open for those wishing to stay there for the weekend.

The spring meeting is held each year to elect offi­ cers, to consider and make decisions on timely matters concerning the development of lhe NCT, and to unite the members of the NCTA.

Recommended lodging (reservations desireable): The Shack Country Inn, address above, (616) 924-

6683. The Harrington Inn, 1117 W. Main, Fremont, MI

49412 (appx. 10 miles from the Shack). Millers Robinson Lakefront Resort, 1932 W. Par­

klanc, While Cloud, MI, 49349 (616) 924-6683 (across the lake from the Shack.)

NCTA Headquarters and Hostel; (616) 689-1912. Camping is available at White Cloud City park,

which has showers and hook-ups. Primitive cam ping is available al the headquarters building (reservations can be made with your meeting reservation) and on US Forest Service land at Minnie Waterfowl Sanctuary and Benton Lake. For more information on the latter two, contact White Cloud Ranger Office, Manistee National Forest, White Cloud, Ml 49349.

Page 14

p••··-----------------------------------~ I ORDER FORM -- NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL SHOP I I __ North Country National Scenic Trail Pin,@ $3.95 each Name I . I North Country Trail Patch @$3.00 eoch Address I I I I North Country Trail State Segment Patch @$1.25 each I I North Country Trail Window Sticker@ $1.00 each City, State, Zip I I I I North Country Trail 10th Anniversary T-Shlrt (circle size): I

Adult, S, M. L XL XXL, 100% cotton, It. blue only@ $9.95 each I Phone I I Child 6/8, 10/12, 14/l 6 -- 50/50 cotton @$7.95 each Please enclose for shipping & handling: I I so.oo-sto.oo szoo I

North Country Trail Books: $10.0l - $25.00 $3.00 I copies of "Following the North Country National Scenic Iralr at $2.95 $25.01 - $100.00 $4.00 I I per copy ($2.00 per copy if ten or more) Over $100.00 $5.00 I I M/cb/qqn res/dents Include 4% soles tax I

__ copies of "The North Country Trail --Manistee National Forest" at $2.00 Make check/money order payable to: I per copy. "North Country Tral/ Association" I I Send order to: NCTA TraU Shop I I copies of "Gulde to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore• at $5. 95 PO Box 311 I -- per copy. White Cloud, Ml 49349 ~---------------------------------------~

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 still-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 (1 O 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.

North Country Trail Bookstore FOLLOWING THE NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL

by Wes Boyd, NCTA Newsletter Editor. Packed full of information about the North Country Trail. "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. Much more comprehensive than the now out-of-print Notional Park Service "User's Guide to the North Country Trail". The most inclusive and up-to-date information on the whole trail. $2.95 each; Wholesale (1 O or more) $2.00 each.

adult $9.95 ·\ (sm, med, lg, xlg, xxlg)

T-Shirt

North Country National Scenic Trail

Page 15

North Country Trail Shop

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Spring 1991

J.

..

Phone--------------

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

Name

Address

I wish to join the North Country Trail Association.

Enclosed is $ for a

membership.

~

I I

0 v Ji NR

Adult. $ 10.00 Family (includes children under 18) $ 15.00 Student $ 5.00 Organization $ 25.00 Supporting $ 50.00 Donor $ 250.00 Lif€ $ 300.00 Patron $ 5000.00 Commercial $ 500.00

North. Country Trail Association PO Box 311 White Cloud, MI 49349

Annual Dues: membership year runs from July 1 through June 30. Dues paid from April 1 on are valid through June 30 of the following year.

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Contact the North Country Trail Association

P08ox311 IJ White Cloud, Michigan 49349

~~ \l ~E~ 0 k'Dlfd j"~- \l 0 ~

D A National Park Service Project

To build a 3,259 mile National Scenic Trail takes great teamwork. Join our team!

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