I made the comment once that I've been snowed on at, to, or from every fall meeting I've ever attended. While the weather could have been better for our 1992 Fall meeting in Pennsylvania, I was beginning to worry about whether the string would finally be broken; I saw plenty of cold, rain, and drizzle, but no snow. Then, two miles from home on the way back, the skies opened up and gave me about five minutes of heavy flurries. The record remains intact.

* * *

We've received several nice comments about the newslet­ ter of late, and they are always heartening. When I took over being the editor of this newsletter, it was with the comment from John Hipps that, "The newsletter is one of the most important services that the NCTA provides to its members, if not the most important." With that in mind, I have been working hard to try to keep the newsletter interesting to the membership, to make it worth receiving the newsletter.

I have approached this task with the thought in mind that what I most want to provide is news about the trail, or information that will in some way lead to the development of the trail, or just things that will be of interest to NCTA members and NCT enthusiasts that probably would not be available elsewhere. Thus, I do not necessarily put a lot of space-into covering a story.about, say, Federal funding oftrail projects or how to avoid "beaver fever", when a reader is going to learn more, in a more timely fashion, from, say,American Hiker or Backpacker, which is where I'm going to lift that sort of stuff from, anyway.

Thus is is that I begin another plea for submissions to the newsletter. One of the things that makes the newsletter the most readable and interesting, in my opinion, is the feature stories and the like that we have tried so hard to provide. These can even run to fiction; witness the "Tall Tales of the North Country Trail" by John Hipps, or, more recently, Rich Siebert's pieces, of which there are a couple "on the hook", awaiting space in future issues.

So, I welcome submissions, especially of longer pieces, to the newsletter. I would request that the stories be somehow involved with the construction, use, or enjoyment of the trail. I especially welcome stories of experiences of building or using the trail, like Chet Fromm's piece in the last newsletter, or several others that come to mind that we've run over the past two or three years. While you're reading this, the cold months are here; perhaps a snowshoe trip isn't that appealing. Why not sit down next to the fire with a pad and tell us about your trip last summer?

* * *

The deadline for the next issue of the newsletter is Mar. 1, 1993. Copy received by the editor after that date cannot be assured of a place in the newsletter; receiving it well before that date is highly appreciated.For future reference, the dead­ line for the spring issue of the newsletter will beJune 8, 1993.

• Keyboard Trails ~00

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Pl11111111 report any errora or om!Mloneto the editor.

REGIONAL AFFILIATES New York: Finger Lakes Trail Conference, PO Box 18048. Rochester NY14618-0048 Ohio: Buckeye Trail Association, PO Box 254, Wor1hington OH 43085

(608) 264-5610

(701) 232-8513

(612) 3n-0130 (612) 559-5~4 (216) 375-4461

(414) 354-8~7

. (616) A52-4487 (517) 547-7402 (313) 548-1737 (906) 225-1585 (616) 891-1366 (313) 853-0292 (313) 200-2921 (616) 363-59'36 (313) 231-1"57 (616) 784-5050 (906) 338-2680 (616) 689-6876

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

(814) 968-5759 (814) 435-2371 (814) 43.5-2371 {412) 364-2864 {814) 723-5150

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

(313) 548-1737 (906) 338-2680 (412) 776-0678 (616) 891-1366 (616) 689-6876

(616) 846-8874

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3 PRINTED ON

0 RECYCLED PAPER

Minneeot1 Rod MacRae, 1210 W. 22nd St., Minneapolis MN 55405 Harlan Liljequist, 1605 W. Medicine Lake Dr., Plymouth MN 55441 Jim Richards, Rt 1, Callaway MN 56521

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

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR Bill Menke, National Park Service, 700 Rayovac Dr., Suite 100,

Madison WI 53711

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

Michigan Pit Affen, 2215 Sylvan.Or. SE, Gland Rapkls Ml 49506 Wes 8Cfid, 14815 Rome Road, Mairtou Beach Ml 49253 Derek Blount, 906 N. Alexander, Royal Oak Ml 48067 Don Elzinga, 1010 Allouez, Marquette Ml 49855 Kenneth Gack I er, 418 W. Johnson, Caledonia Ml 49316 Arden Johnson, 600 Tennyson, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307 Martha K. Jones, 1857 Torquay Ave, Royal Oak Ml 48073 Ruth Sack, 2317 Foster NE, Grand Rapids Ml 49505 VinceSmrth, Box 76, Wh~orelake Ml 48189 Darlene Snyder, 4067 Luxford, Constock Park Ml 49321 Doug Welker, R1, Box 59A, Pelkie Ml 49958 Virginia Wunsch, Rt 1, Mundy Ave. Whrte Clood Ml 49349

Ohio Emily Gregor, 6502 Olde York Rd., Parma Hts OH 44130 Cecil Dobbins, 783 Cliffside Dr., Akron OH 44313 Jim Sprague, 4406 Maplecres~ Parma OH R. Baird Stew~ 215 w. 12th St, Salem, Ohio44460

Pennsylvania Don and Brita Dorn, Star Rt, Box 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 N<V1Cy Schuler, PO Box 194, Warren PA 16365

BOARD OF DIRECTORS New York

Doris and Clifford Abbqt, Rt 1, Box 259, Spencer NY 14883 How;vd S. 8E!'je, 202 C<Ellcllxne Rd., F.ochester NY 14609 Laura McGuirn, 1 Boylan Rd, Newfield NY 14867 Thomas J. Reimers, 3C WWdftower Dr., Ithaca NY 14850 Ed Sidcte, 5 Clinton St, Norwich NY 13815

OFFICERS Pl'Mldent: Derek Blount, 906 N. Alexander, Royal Oak Ml 48067 Viet PrMldent:Doug Welker, R1, Box 59A, Pelkie Ml 49958 Secretary: Helen Coyne, 212 Willow Circle, Zelienople PA 16063 Treaeurer: Kennelh Gadder, 418 W. Johnson St, Caledonia Ml 49316 Headquarters Mgr.: Virginia Wunsch, Rt 1, White Clood Ml 49349

Exec. Director: April Scholtz, 14no 17Bth Ave. Grand Haven Ml 49417

2 NEWSLETIER

of the

North Country Trail Association PO Box 311, White C~oud, Ml 49349 Ht•dquarten1 Phone: (616) 689-1912 Ed.itor: w .. Boyd, 14815 Romt Road, Manitou Beach, Ml 49253

Page

that travel the Pacific Crest Trail can view clear cut after clear cut in many sections. Some have considered nam­ ing the Pacific Crest Trail the Pacific Clearcut Trail. Hikers - after walking through miles of missing trail due to Forest Service and private logging prac­ tices have referred to the practice as nuclear logging.

The ELM in Oregon has proposed a 1/2 mile nature corridor along their section of the Pacific Crest Trail. The Gifford Pinchot Forest Class I calls for a nature Corridor of 500 feet on each side of the stail. Some consider this less than adequate.

The PCT is not the best model of creating a first rate trail going through nature. Look at what the AT has done and is doing if you are serious about creating a nature corridor on both sides of the NCT. Create your NCT nature corridors now, before it is too late.

For examples of what not to do, there is a wealth of examples scattered across the PCT. Act now; the only re­ grets that you will have will be that you did not act sooner.

Easy Past Vice President of the

Pacific Crest Trail Conference Spokane, WA

Dear Mr. Boyd: 1 read with some dismay in the last

NCTA Newsletter (Autumn, 1992) of the raise in dues.

I agree with some of Ms. Scholt' reasons for the increases, but not all. The benefit I receive from my NCTA membership is the satisfaction of know­ ing some day the trail will be com­ pleted, and your Newsletter. I am also a member of the FLTC in New York, and am able to hike on it because of its proximity. Now, I have to pay twice the dues to support the NCT A, which I can't use, as I do for the FLTC.

I have been supporting the NCT A for 5 years, but feel now I am being forced to drop out. I hope not.

I enjoy the newsletter. It's a tough job being editor, but you do it well. Keep up the good work. Good Hiking.

Sincerely H. Eric Russell

PS. Maybe the directors should consider a "retired" category.

The references to the Pacific Crest Trail and Forest Service practice in Washington in Derek Blount's " Log­ ging along the NCT" (in the Fall news­ letter) are at best grossly misleading if not wrong.

Perhaps some place in Washing­ ton the Forest Service practices a thirty foor corridor or 15 foor on on side or perhaps a few places have stacked, chipped, or removed slash, but that is not Forest Service policy and those

THE NORTH COUNTRY Trail Hikers Club reports good progress on their work around Marquette, Ml, in the last season. One of the main proj­ ects for the year was building six miles of trail on privately held land to the west ofHiawatha National Forest. This segment starts at the Trail head of Rock River falls, and runs along the north and west boundary of the Rock RiverWildemess before running west along Silver Creek. The Marquette group is among the trail's most active builders.

* * *

SIXTY VERY HAPPY mKERS completed the Cayuga Trails Club's Hike Across Tompkins County on Sunday, October 11. The series of six bikes on the Finger Lakes Trail began May 10 on the Tioga-Tompkins County Line near Caroline, NY. Over 100 participants hiked at least one of the sections. The Cayuga Trails Club Executive Board expressed their grati­ tude and commendation to Cliff and Doris Abbott and Tom Reimers for their outstanding efforts in organizing the hike. Reimers said that the club should feel proud of this very success­ ful event, and added it would not have been possible without the assistance of 36 CTC and FLTC volunteers who helped to maintain the FLT, helped with registration, provided transporta­ tion and worked at aid stations along the route.

* * * IT'S PROBABLY NOT NEWS to

the Shenango Outing Club, but their president, Mark Eckert, proved at the NCTA Fall Meeting that he's the best singer on the North Country Trail. The Shenango Outing Club held a great fall meeting; unfortunately, the Board bad such a full work docket that Board Members had little chance to enjoy the scenery. Congratulations on a good job! Thanks, too, to Luther-Lyn Conference Center for their cooperaiton. Hopefully, the Shenango Outing Club will bid for one of the NCTA's new annual mem­ bership meetings in years to come.

AT THE ANNUAL meeting of the Keystone Trails Association, the Shenango Outing Club, hosts of the 1992NCTAFallMeeting, were given a grand of $500 to be used for construc­ tion work on the North Country Trail. The Shenango Outing Club has been hard at work on the development of a very ambitious and scenic trail exten­ sion in McConnel's Mill State Park, pictured on the cover. Tom Thwaites of the KTA Newsletter reports "The new trail in McConnel's Mill State Parle down Hell's Run to Slippery Rock Creek has been extended upstreat to Walnut flats for a total distance of about 6.5 km. The newest trail in the state is blazed light blue. About3 km remain to be cut to Eckert Bridge. However, we have saved the hardest stretch for the last. There is no intermediate access to this trail. You must either retrace your footsteps to Hell's Run or bushwhack the uncleared 3 km to Eckert Bridge."

* * *

IT'S GETTING to be time for the Mackinac Mush again! The annual Mackinac City Sled Dog race will be January 9th and 10th (weather permit­ ting; it had to be rescheduled at the last minute last year due to-no snow). 4, 6, and 10 dog classes, both sanctioned and non-sanctioned will be run on segments of the North Country Trail near Macki­ nac City. This has become the highest profile annual event held along the North Country Trail, and it's a lot of fun. For more information, call 1-800-666-0160.

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3 Page 3

INVENTORY ASSISTANT: Someone is needed to develop an in­ ventory and a signout system· for NCT A-owned tools currently at the schoolhouse. Skills needed: Legible handwriting or typing, easy access to White Cloud Contact Virginia Wunsch.

THAT DOESN'T EXHAUST THE LISTI There are other such projects out there that need your help. If you know of such a project, please con­ tact the newsletter so it can be listed next time.

MERCHANDISE SALES REP­ BESENTA 71VE: Someone is needed to prepare and mail informational ma­ terials announcing the availability of NCTA books and merchandise, to retailers and outlets. Skills needed: typing. Contact Wes Boyd, April Scholtz or Virginia Wunsch.

A 5 515 TA NTIR E GI 0 NA L NEWSLEITER EDITOB!WRITER. Someone is needed to (1) assist with the preparation of the newsletter (2) write articles for the newsletter, and (3) report on topics of local interest, especially for areas outside Michigan. Skills needed: Ability to write and edit; hopefully some practical jour­ nalism experience; photogra~. IBM compatiblity strongly desired. Contact Wes Boyd, Newsletter Editor.

TRAIL MAPARTIST. Someone is needed that can, as needed, pre­ pare quality maps for trail publication. Skills needed: Moderate ability as a cartographer or artist. Contact: Doug Welker, Trail Management Commit­ tee, or Wes Boyd, Newsletter Editor.

tion, contact Newsletter Editor Wes Boyd.

TRANSCRIBING TYPIST: Someone is needed to transcribe oral histay tapes, as described above, into hard copies for file. Skills needed: typist with experience at transcribing from tape; IBM compatability would be nice, but not necessary. For infor­ mation, contact Newsletter Editor Wes Boyd.

TBAIL INFORMATION RE­ SEARCH: Periodically, it is useful to gather all available free information about the trail from various sources such as state parks. This helps evalu­ ate the information available and k110N where to ask for changes to be made, and helps keep current on the local status of the trail. A file of such mate­ rial is also needed for the Executive Director. Skills needed: Legible hand­ writing. For information, contact Doug Welker, Trail Management Commit­ tee.

HISTORIAN. It's becoming clear that we need someone to research the early history of the North Country Trail and the Association, especially before we lose many more of the older members. As a first step, it would be useful if someone could sit down with a tape recorder with some of the early members, and come up with an hour or two of reminisces, then catalogue and file them in a single location. Skills needed: tape recorder, some knowledge of oral history research. For further informa-

It's winter, and let's face it: going out and going hiking, or working on clearing trail just is not as appealing as it might be on a warm spring day. But winter is the perfect time of year to do some other projects that are sorely needed to be done, to help with the goal of completing and pro­ moting the trail. Let's call these proj­ ects "Kitchen Table Projects," since all they take is a kitchen table and perhaps a little special ability, such as being able to write a legible letter. Most of these are projects that need doing; some are limited in scope, and others will be more or less ongoing. All of them are valuable.

Here's a list of some of them that it would be nice to have someone to take in hand; suggestions for others are welcome.

May 14-16. Annual NCTA Membership meet­ ing, White Cloud, Michigan.

NOTE: The NCT Hiker's Club, Marquette, has a number of other winter trips planned. Call Gene Elzinga at (906) 225-1704 for information.

March 6: Ski the chain of lakes in the McCormick Wilderness. Call Gene Elzinga at (906) 225-1704 for information ..

Feb. 13: Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness hike with guide Doug Welker. Call Doug at (906) 338-2680.

(906) 225-0833 for information

Feb. 5-6: NCT Hiker's Club (Marquette, ski weekend at Stokley Creek, Ont Call Mary Frey,

Jan 161h. Pictured Rocks ski trails. This will be a joint trip with the local Sierra Club and the NCT Hiker's Club, Marquette. For information call Dave at (906) 225-0267

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

North Country Trail Hiker's Club (Marquette) at 7:00 PM in the basement of the Peter White Library, Marquette. For information, contact Gene. Elzinga, (906) 225-1704.

Jan. 12: Annual membership meeting of the

Michigan Jan. 9-10: Mackinac Mush dog sled races, on the North Country National Scenic Trail, in Mackinac City, Michigan. 4, 6, and 10 dog plus Siberian classes. For more infonnation contact H300-666-1060.

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

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North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3 Page 4

that he had done it, or that very few had beard about it until then was not a surprise to anyone.

Most of the memories shared were right in character. A neighbor remembered watching Vince pitch a tent in the back yard in the middle of a January blizzard, because he had a new sleeping bag be wanted to try out. A young hiker, on her first backpacking trip, remembered how tired and sore she had been, and that she had been ready to give up, but that the concern of Vince, who had seemed so old and frail, but who had long since hiked past her, returing to give her encourage­ ment kept her going, and brought her out into the woods again.

Many people remembered how hard Vince worked, how hard he hiked, how he'd been an inspiration to them by his example.

Vince's efforts will live on along the North Country National Scenic Trail, both in the trail itself, and in its future development; partly as a memorial to Vince, his family donated his extensive collection of maps and trailbuilding tools to the North Country Trail Association.

Vince is gone. No one is irreplaceable, but more than most, Vince Smith will be missed as development of the trail continues. His memory will live on, both among those of us that knew him and those of us that will follow in his footsteps. He will be missed.

MICHIGAN'S MASTERTRAILBUILDERVINCE SMITH at atrailbuilding project in Marquette County, Michigan, in 1990.

Pages

Many people up and down the length of th North Country Trail were saddedned to heard of the death offamed Michigan Trailbuilder Vince Smith. He died of cancer on September 1.

For many years, Vince bad organized trailbuilding par­ ties and trail projects, mostly in Michigan. He had done a lot of work in the Manistee National Forest, on the new trail segment connecting the Shore-to-Shore Trail and the Jordan River Pathway, and was instrumental in getting the vastly successful trailbuilding project in Marquette County under way, and had been taking aim on the Manistee National Forest to Shore-to-Shore trail connection when he fell ill.

Friends remembered Vince as a bard worker, a lean and wiry man that could outwork people half his age. He believed in doing things right, and he passed on bis skill to many new trailbuilders over the years.

Vince was a long-time member and Director of the North Country Trail Association, and was also a long-time member of the Huron Valley Chapter of the Sierra Club. Last spring, after it was known that he had fallen ill, the Awards Commit­ tee of the North Country Trail Association made a special presentation of the NCTA Service Award to him, at a dinner given in his honor at a restaurant near his Whitmore Lake, Michigan, home.

It was especially pleasing on Earth Day, 1992, when the Detroit Free Press named Vince as one of five "Citizens that Count" in the environment. Vince's many years of effort at developing the trail was the main reason cited for the honor, but those who knew Vince knew that he was an ardent preservationalist when it came to environmental issues.

In late September, many of Vince's friends gathered at his home in Whitmore Lake, Michigan, for a memorial hike and memorial service for Vince. The hike, hosted by the Huron Valley Chapter of the Sierra Club in a nearby state recreation area, toured a former barrow pit in which Vince had spent many hours working to restore it to something approaching its natural state. It was a project and an area that his friend, Laura Cross, said that bad meant a lot to him; toward the end, on his better days, they would just go out there to enjoy the serenity of the place.

In a fitting tribute to Vince, who was unconventional to the last, the service consisted of his friends, neighbors and relatives sharing memories of him. There were a lot of memories to be shared. Vince bad been a private man when it came to his personal life, and some of the stories told were a revalation to many.

For example, few present knew that Vince bad won a medal in the army during World War IT, for bis heroism in saving a crew from a burning tank in Europe; neither the fact

Vince Smith dies NCTA trailbuilder

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3

------ ------ --------

BAGPIPE MUSIC entertained trail workers Saturday . Trail work continued Sunday on this much-welcomed addition to the North Country Trail.

Bad Medecine project finally under way

by RodrickMacRae The long awaited Bad Medecine section of the North

Country Trail is at last underway. This 15-milesection begins at the western end of Minnesota's Itasca State Park and proceeds westward through largely abandoned forest area.

This section is sponsored by the Bad Medecine Lake Association and is a good example of cooperation between the NCT, local citizens, and public agencies. As a part of their trail planning activites, the local group met with Itasca Park officials and agreed upon a non-motorized route through the park. The Bad Medecine trail will connect with this route.

On the weekend of September 25-27, NCT members and Bad Medecine residents took to the trail with tools and enthsiasm. The route will follow, as closely as possible, an abandoned narrow-gauge rail route of the old Nicols-Chish­ olm timber company. The route is heavily overgown with brush and timber in many places and is barely visible. The route had ben tentatively flagged last year by Tim Holzkamrn, a local activist. With chain saws, brush clippers, and orange ribbon, about three miles was cleared and could be followed after the weekend.

Saturday night, trail builders were treated to an old fashioned Scots "ceilidh"; a Saturday night music fest, cour­ tesy of Bad Medecine Resort, with Highland bagpipes echo­ ing down the lake valley.

Rough completion of a 10-mile section is planned for 1992. Along with the 16 miles in Itasca Park, we hope to have a "grand opening" ceremony in September, 1993.

. . . AFTERWARDS, the old Nicols-Chisholm logging rail grade makes for a pleasant walking route for the Bad Medecine Trail.

BEFORE: The railroad grade, abandoned for decades, can barely be found by the trail builders, but ...

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3 6 Page

Forest Service accepts easement

On August 14th, NCTA members Mary Holland, Jan Schmidt, and Pat Allen met U.S. Forest Service staff, Senator Carl Levin and a staff member, and Mr. John Orvash for the signing ofa donated easement across the comer of John and Dorothy Orvash's property near Wellston, MI.

The couple provided one more vital link in the trail, enabling the connection of trail sections between U.S. Forest Service lands and another easement on private land. This exemplifies the de­ veloping partnership of the Association, private landowners, gonvemmental agencies and elected officials. We need them all!

Senator Levin took a bief hike with those present and outlined his plans for trail activities leading up to Labor Day.

SIGNING THE EASEMENT. Left to right are Gary Cole of the U.S. Forest Service, Mr. John Orvash, and Senator Carl Levin (D~MI). The easement provided a route across private property. Photo by Pat Allen.

and I think the Association needs to come up with some meaningful ideas for him. One thing might be to encour-

AMONG 200 NCT Hiker's Club Annual Hike attendees was Sen Levin. age streamlining liability coverage for trail workers, users, trail clubs, and land­ owners."

SEN. LEVIN at Craig Lake State Park Trail dedication ceremonies.

Pagel

Levin remains active in trail development

Michigan Senator Carl Levin is continuing to be a driving force, both in the development of the North Country Trail in Michigan and elsewhere, and as a solid legislative voice in Washinton on trails issues.

Among the places that Sen. Levin has been active is the trail project in Marquette County. He attended the trail certification ceremony for the new trail in Craig Lake State park in September, accompanied by the NPS' Bill Menke, representatives of the DNR including park superintendent Roger Clisch and member of the North Country Trail Hikers of Marquette. Altogether about 30 people attended the event. After the ceremony the group biked for three miles on the new trail to Teddy Lake for lunch.

The senator also attended the an­ nual hike of the Hiker's Club. Despite cool, damp weather there were over 200 participants, and about 25 new indi­ viduals joined the club. Participants hiked on new trails at Little Presque Isle State Recreation Area buiult by the DNR and maintained by the NCT Hikers Club.

Gene Elzinga reports: "Senator Levin continues to ask what he can do to help,

North Country Tralf Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3

North Country National Scenic Trail Supplemental Marking Guidelines

Reference is made to pages 45 and 47 of the Comprehensive Plan for the Management and Use - 1982. Those guidelines for marking the trail are still valid. Nevertheless, the following guides are intended to provide a worl<ing description of acceptable trail marking methods typically being used.

Large (9 inch) size: Typically used at trail heads, trail entry points, etc., where one want to call attention to the trail. Often used where the trail crosses major roads (design standards greater than a two-track woods road), to call attention of the traveling public to the trail. Different mounting methods are used: 1) Two signs on one post with the orientation perpendicular to the roadway and the post set within the cleared area on either side of the road; 2) One sign on two seperate posts with the orientation perpendicular to the roadway and a post on each side of the road. Often, agency logos are affixed to this same post.

Small (3 1/2 inch) size: Used primarily as periodic route confir­ mation signs to assure the trail user that they are still on the right trail. Placement intervals along the trail vary, wtth managing authority, from 1/2 mile to 1 mile apart. If placed on posts, one post is used with a sign facing hikers approaching from either direction. If nailed to trees, you can use two signs on the same tree or one sign on each of two nearby trees. These small signs are also typically used at trail intersections and where the trail crosses any road, even two tracks, open to vehicle access. However, they are for the hiker and therefore face the hiker. Most often, they are placed just at the roadway clearing or just inside the treeline so that someone crossing the road will be able to spot a sign. Some managers use Carsonite posts with North Country Trail decals, also available from Carsonite.

Remember, for safety purposes, aluminum nails should be used when nailing signs on trees. Also, so the tree will have room to grow and the sign remain in place longer, don't drive the nail all the way home. Leave an inch or so of space.

-Bill Menke

Six months have already passed since accepting my new position as NPS Coordinator for the North Country National Scenic Trail (NS1). These six months easily lead me to one basic, general conclusion, "that these are certainly exciting times"! Exciting times for all of us; for the North Country Trail Association (NCTA), for the National Park Service (NPS), and for the North Country NST itself.

So many activities are occurring that is impossible to mention all of them for fear of slighting others. However, just a few of the highlights are: the newly restructured NCTA Board of Directors, NCTA's first Executive Director, trail planning activities in Kent County, Michigan, and in east central Ohio, the exciting possibility of a new Chapter form­ ing, new trail segments being dedicated in several states, and on and on. We, in theNationalParkServicearcconvinced that inclusively, we are at a major turning point in how we all operate and in the stature of the Trail.

Hold in mind that all of the exciting things are said in utmost sincerity and allow me to move on to an area where I believe we collectively some improvement to make. Specifi­ cally, this is in the area of visibility for the Trail, and in tum for the NCTA. I have had the opportunity to do a bit of traveling, taking in various segments of the trail, and have seen some very beautiful areas and some trail that anyone could be proud of. However, one of the shortcomings that jumps out in many areas is a lack of identity for the trail.

While approximately one-third of the eventual 3,200 mile total length is now certified, the Trail is still not widely recognized by the general public. Even in those areas of the seven states where we have certified segments, the identity is in many cases lacking. Individuals using the trail often do not realize that they are on the North Country National Scenic Trail. While we provide the official North Country NSTsigns, often they are only minimally in place and seldom do we find bulletin boards or interpretive displays devoted to the Trail, even though it is a very unique and high profile resource. This is primarily true with some of the smaller, local Managing Authorities. Yet, while the segment may be small, it may be the only segment for hundreds of miles and missing the opportunity to identify the North Country NST to the general public has some far reaching ramifications.

I think that one of these ramifications is that the struggle for identity for the Trail rubs off on the NCT A. As the trail has struggled for identity and progress, so too has the NCTA struggled for these same things. NCTA struggles from slow membership growth and lack offunds to do many of the things contained in the new Mission Statement that you would like. It seems that in order to be able to do many of these things, membership needs to increase and thus financial and other resources will also increase.

So what does all of this have to do with visibility, and, more importantly, what can you as an individual do to help? In my mind, it boils down to the fact that the official North Country NST signs aren't up along a trail segment, people

by Bill Menke from the NPS News

8 Page North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3 don't realize what they're hiking and enjoying and logically don't bother to ask for more information. There is no visible link to getting involved. If there was more trail identity, it seems logical that there would be more interest in the trail and eventually in NCT A, and perhaps some new memberships.

As I discover these segments of trail with little identity, I will take it upon myselfto follow with the Managing Author­ ity to encourage them to bring the signing up to standard. But there are many sections of the trail that I may never get to, This is where you, as current NCTA members, can each do a small thing that will help in a large way. While enjoying your Sunday afternoon bike on a local trail segment, take note of the presence or absence of the official North Country NST logos. If they're absent, work with the local manager to improve the situation by just discussing the situation with them, or even volunteering to assist in placing sings. I'm finding that many are quite willing to cooperate and have just never been contacted.

To assist you in knowing what to look for and what to ask for, the following signing standards may give you a starting point. Remember, not all Managing Authorities will want to follow these exactly. Some want to use only small logos and affix them to a trail sign of their own, for instance. But whatever method they use, increasing the visibility of the North Country NST will have payoffs for all of us. To obtain a supply of signs, talk with your local Chapter or Affiliate officials. They often have a small supply on hand. That failing, they are available from us. So enjoy your hiking and watch for the signs!

.

As we prepare to change our calendars, taking one big step closer to the 21st century, I'd like to share with you some thoughts on the changes affecting the North Country Trail Association.

1992 was a very dynamic year for the Associa­ tion, especially for the members of the Board of Directors. One of the first changes was my appear­ ance on the scene, as your first staff member. That necessitated a multitude of changes in administra­ tion some we are still figuring out! The Board of Directors has helped me develop my role in the organization, one that continues to evolve as the organization changes.

Then another new position was created, this time by the National Park Service, to support the development of the North Country Trail. Since last spring, Bill Menke has done a terrifficjob of work­ ing with Tom Gilbert of the Park Service's Wiscon­ sin office. He has made especially good progress in helping other government agencies manage their sections of the Trail.

The significant changes made in October by the members of the Board of Directors in the form and function of the Association is summarized elsewhere in this newsletter. I believe that these changes will be extremely important in streamlin­ ing and energizing the Association. This will allow us to better plan our future actions, broaden our base of support for the Association, and empower

local chapters and affiliates. Finally, we can probably expect change to

occur in Washington, D.C. that will affect the Association. There are a number of new legislators representing districts through which the Trail runs who may have never heard of the Trail or the important role it plays in their community. The management of federal agencies may also change as the administration puts in place new policies.

Although change is inevitable, thoughtful change is never easy. There are many people I would like to thank for their commitment of time and energy to the Association this year. All the members of the Board of Directors deserve a spe­ cial round of applause for their leadership, good humor, patience, creativity, and just plain hard work.

Several of these board members also put in long hours making sure that the Association's work continues uninterrupted, in spite of change: special thanks to Ginny Wunsch, Ken Gackler, Wes Boyd, Arden Johnson, and our past and cur­ rent presidents, Martha Jones and Derek Blount.

I look forward to the process of working with the Board of Directors to evelop our goals and plans for the 1993-94 year. With events such as National Trails Day to look forward to, I am confident that it wll be a very exciting and good year for the Association.

1. Peter Wolfe (Honorary, Deceased) 13. Glen Oster 5-92 2. Michael Reed 10-SS 14. Elsie Demorist 5-92 3. Thomas Labernick 10-SS 15. Lucy A. Stopher 6-92 4. Donald Elzinga 9-89 16. Virgina Kemp Fish 6-92 5. Kenneth Gackler 9-89 17. Byron Hutchins 6-92 6. John Hipps, MD 5-90 18. Margaret Hutchins 6-92 7. Roderick MacRae 11-90 19. Chris Haller 8-92 8. Cecil Dobbins 5-91 '20. Helen Haller 8-92 9. Martha Jones 5-91 21. Barbara Smith .8-92 10. Dr. Eugene Majerowicz 7-91 .22. Wayne Gross 8-92 11. Eugene Elzinga 7-91 23. Joseph P. Brennan 8-92 12. Jean Elzinga 7-91

Life Members of the North Country Trail Association

as of 11/'20/92

r

Page9 North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3

STAGGERING OF TERMS; All board members will be elected in 1993 in a fresh election, regardless of current terms of office. Some elected in 1993 will be for one-year terms, some for two-year terms, and some for three-year terms. (How a candidate gets selected for a one-year, two-year or three-year term has not been decided yet.) All board members elected after 1993 will be elected for three-year terms. Board members elected in 1993 and afterwards will be limited to two terms on the board, and will have to go off of the board for one year before they may again run for a board seat.

NOMINA1JONS TO mEBOARD: Any member (ex­ cept those over term limits or those serving on the elections committee) who desires to run for the board may do so. Potential candidates must be willing to agree that they will:

(a) work toward NCTA's goals; (b) maintain their NCTA membership; (c) agree to attend a majority of board meetings annually,

or present a written request for an excused absence for good cause;

(d) agree to provide the committee with a written appli­ cation to get on the ballot. This application will include a written statement of qualifications, priorities, etc., as well as other possible materials, and will be used in the ballot packet sent to members;

(e) agree to serve as an officer, or on committees, as needed, and will serve on the elections committee when they go off of the board.

, All those currently serving as board members will be mailed an application form, which will include the above agreements. Others seeking an application form should write to NCTA Headquarters for a form. Applications must be received not later than February 10.

ELECTIONS COMMITfEE; An elections committee will be formed, consisting largely but not necessarily entirely of board members whose terms have expired and/or who are not running for re-election. This committee will oversee the mail vote, and will have the responsibility to recruit potential candidates if specific board member skills are needed.

MAIL VOIE: All NCT A members will have the oppor­ tunity to vote for candidates by mail. All the details have not been worked out, but as of this writing it appears that all paid members will receive ballots and information sheets about the candidates some time in the early spring.

ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS; All officers will be elected from the board. Those officers elected in 1992 will continue their terms until 1994. If a currently serving officer is not elected to the board in the 1993 ballot, they will serve as a board member until the end of their term even though this will result in a board larger than planned, for one year only. An officer who is elected and who will have to serve past his normal term limit will be allowed to stay on the board to end theirofficer term, although their board sea twill be filled when it expires.

ADMINISIRATIVE VICE PBESIDENT: The board has created (although not yet filled the post) of adminstrative vice-president, who will serve as first vice-president in case of succession needs. The administrative vice president will oversee such administrative functions of the organization as publications, publicity, membership, legislative liasion, and the like. The second vice president, which will be known as the Trail Management Vice-President, will oversee trail­ related issues.

Many changes coming NCTA Board completes reogranization plan

It has taken nearly three years worth of meetings and position papers, and two very long, hard meetings this last fall, but the overall outline of the reorganization of the North Country Trail Association has at last been worked out.

It hasn't been simple, since there have been many sepa­ rate pieces that have needed to be assembled, many of which affect another. Some of the details are still up in the air, but many of them should be worked out in the next few months.

Much of the percieved need for changes in the organiza­ tion have come from dissatisfaction with a cumbersome board membership, one that is so large that it is hard to coordinate, especially considering the geographical spread of the board members. It has been perceived that the distance involved, the meeting format, and the number of directors have caused difficulties in accomplishing even simple items. The changes approved by the board in recent meetings are intended to streamline the way things are done.

Some of the changes are relatively minor, while others are basic; taken together, they will result in many changes in the way the organization does business.

Among the changes are these: BOARD OF DIRECTORS DOWNSIZING; Starting

in the spring of 1993, the Board of Directors, currently at 30 after reaching a high of 36, will be reduced to a total of 17 regular and two non-voting "honorary" board members.

APPOINTED BOARD MEMRERS; Three board mem­ bers will be appointed: the Finger Lakes Trail Council and the Buckeye Trail Association will each appoint one of these members; a third will be appointed from other affiliate members. In 1993, this third affiliate-named board member will be named by American Youth Hostels, Pittsburgh; a method of handling how this "floating" affiliate board member will be named after 1993 remains to be worked out.

ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS: The other 14 voting board members will be elected at large from the organization, but regional representation will be assured by a complicated formula, in which two seats will be reserved for board mem­ bers representing either North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wis­ consin; two seats will be reserved for board members repre­ senting Michigan; one seat (plus the seat named by the Buckeye Trail Association) will be reserved for a board member representing Ohio, and one seat (plus the seat named by the Finger Lakes Trail Conference) will be reserved for a board member representing New York or Pennsylvania. Geographically reserved scats will be filled by the candidates from the representative area with the highest number of votes of the candidates from that area, regardless of their overall finish in the voting.

The other eight board members will be elected at large.

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3 Page 10

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meetings annually will be regularized, but exactly how hasn't been decided yet. The board will probably meet in a central location for the meetings that are not in conjunction with a membership meeting. To limit travel time and expense, the board will explore video teleconferencing of these two meet­ ings, so that board members could actually meet in several locations at the same time.

Board meetings will generally be limited to business functions, with few or no other activities, with the intention of being able to wrap up all planned business in a single day. There will be no general membership functions at these two meetings.

These changes involved several bylaw changes. Copies of the bylaws, as amended, will be available from the NCTA headquarters.

To look back over this list of changes, some of them seem minor. However, they have been a long time being arrived at, due to the diverse points of view represented in them, and from the very difficulties of getting the board together to work out the issues that the streamlining is seeking to overcome. With these very necessary issues now largely out of the way, the board will now have both the time and the freedom to get on with the job at hand: completion of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

Page 11

CQMMIITEES; It is forseen that a great deal more work within the organization will be handled by committees reporting to the board, rather than by the board itself. To this end, a series of statements of committee goals, functions, and perogatives is in preparation and will be a subject of future discussion by the board.

In addition to the changes in board composition and election, the meeting system is in the process of being over­ hauled, as well:

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS; Starting in 1993, the NCT A will hold only one general membership meeting annu­ ally. In 1993, it will be at White Cloud in May as already planned. After 1993, the general membership meeting will move around to various locations, although probably not on a strict state-by-state rotation as in the past. It is anticipated that this membership meeting will be roughly in the summer, and it is intended to develop an expansion of the meeting, to include more activites, training sessions, tours, and the like, possibly spread over several days. Many of these details will be settled at the next board meeting.

BOARD MEETINGS; Starting in 1993, the board will meet three times annually. In 1993, the board will meet on February 20; in conjunction with the May meeting; and at a date in the fall, yet to be set. In 1994, the dates of two board

North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3

-- lrn

Does anyone have any response to Rich? Does anyone have any other ideas about how to deal with a grassland trail? The forum is still open to suggestions, so let's kick it around some more. Send your responses to "Trail Tech , " in care of the newsletter.

experts felt constituted a well-built trail. Bill said the basics of a good trail is a biking corridor cut through the woods, four feet wide, eight feet high, with an 18 inch wide tread cut two to three inches into mineral soil, with grades not exceeding 10 feet in 100 feet. In other words, a good trail should safely and easily accommodate an average person carrying a 50 lb. pack. He said that extreme conditions or to discourage ATVs, might occa­ sionally warrant a deviation from these standards.

Bill said he felt the most important step in building a trail was the preplanning and surveying of the trail, and suggested that topo maps and other available informa­ tion, as well as people who are familiar with the area, be consulted to get an idea of where the trail might go before you even go out into the field. Pick some key features in the area you want the trail to pass by (scenic views, lakes, sources of water, campgrounds, etc.,) and some areas you might want to avoid (wet areas, swamps, excessive grades, high population or traffic areas, etc.), then go out into the field and survey the area to see if it is possible to build the trail, and, if so, find the best route. When selecting a route, if possible, take advantage of natural geographic features, old roads, trails, railroad grades, game trails, etc., which make building trail easier.

Bill felt that it was also important to cut a tread on the trail, as this provides a smooth and level place to walk, inhibited vegetation growth, and provided a visual mark to follow. He said erosion would not be a problem if you watched the grades, and, if necessary, used water bars; by fall, the tread would be covered with a layer ofleaves and needles leaving only a slight depression, which would mark the trail for years to come.

He said good trail can be built by hand, or with power equipment if you follow the standards, but felt that because of the difficulty of setting the tread, you might want to consider power tools here. Bill said he didn't know of any magic trail building tool, but said to let him know if anybody found one. He also commended us volunteers on the tremendous job we are doing.

I thought about the parts of the NCT I bad been on, and felt that most sections met or exceeded what was considered a good trail, but, sad to say, some sections did not even come close. I feel that ifwe are going to go to all the trouble to build a section of trail, me might as well take a little extra time and do it right the first time. We are building a trail that we are inviting the public to use. We have an obligation and a liability to the public to build a good trail. A hiker anywhere on the NCT bas the right to expect a good trail. So, let's get our act together and continue to build the high quality trail expected of us and the NCT. Enough said. -- Rieb Siebert

Comment: I don't pretend to be a super expert on trail building, but I have worked with different NCT crews, laid out and built a few trails of my own, and walked a few miles of completed trail. I have noticed that there seems to be a wide variety of opinions as to what constitutes a well-built trail, and how to build it. These opinions run all the way from "Use few tools and disturb the forest as little as possible" to "Use a bulldozer and clear a 10 foot wide swath." I suspect that what constitutes a good trail lays some place in between these two ex­ tremes.

I called Bill Menke of the National Park Service and the new NCT specialist in Madison, to find out what the

Question: We have been trying to automate our trail building efforts, mostly in Michigan forests, by using power equipment. We use a chain saw to clear the big stuff, a lawn mower to clear the underbrush down to soil, and cut the tread with a rototiller. The problem is getting the chewed up soil out of the tread. We have tried using a hiller attachment, without too much success. We usu­ ally end up raking the soil out by hand, a job made much easier after the tiller has loosened things up, but still a time consuming, back-breaking job. We are looking for ideas on a way Lo cut the tread and move the dirt aside in one operation, without having to do it by hand, or at least ideas on another machine that would do it. Because of the hilly, uneven nature of our woods, any device would have to be compact, and probably a walk-behind.

Dear Trail Tech: In regard to grassland trails, I have never seen the

grasslands in questions, but have worked on some grass­ land areas in Michigan that may be similar. As mention, if the grass is short and the area clear, and it doesn't matter where people walk, then the post-to-post method will work O.K., provided no one steals the posts. Where the grass is thicker and the going is tough, it is obvious that a tread will have to be cut. A tread is a cut in the soil about 18 inches wide and two to three inches deep. A tread provides a smooth and level place to walk, provides a specific place to walk, and provides a visual mark on the ground to follow and retards growth of vegetation. The problem is how to cut the tread. It can be done by hand, but that is time consuming, and sod is hard to cut. It can be done with a rototiller, but the chewed up sod still has to be raked out by hand. A possibility might be a horse or a small tractor pulling a one-bottom plow or a "V" plow cutting a small furrow.

Back in the summer issue of the newsletter, we asked readers to come up with some ideas of how to build and maintain grassland trails. The problem with trails in tall grass is that grass grows, and you have to do something about it, or pretty soon you don't have a trail. Options include heavy use, mowing, or herbicides, and there are obvious problems wiith each .. Here's one comment on the question, with a question or two, besides:

Page 12 North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3

.

ice "Summit" meetings designated to gather all of the local trail administra­ tors in each state. We began with the State of Michigan. The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service were in attendance as were members of several branches of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Recreation Serv­ ices, Parks Division and Forest Man­ agement were represented. Representa­ tives from the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Rails to Trails Conservancy were also in attendance. We reviewed the current status of the Trailin Michigan and its future. Various action items were identified and as­ signed to participants to investigate and act upon. The second "Summit" meet­ ing will take place in New York State in December.

- We have started a major plan­ ning process in Kent County, Michigan, and another will be starting in Emmet County, Michigan in January. These are planning sessions to determine the best route through counties using a balance of public and private lands.

- A new chapter is being devel­ oped with new members in Eastern Ohio by Baird Stewart and Paul Labovitz. In January, we will be organizing a new NCTA Chapter in Southeast Michigan. This will be developed from existing NCTA members, previous members, and new members to be recruited at the meeting. If you would like a Chapter de­ veloped in your area please let me know and we will see what can be done.

- The board will be meeting again in February to do some more organiza­ tional planning. This will be our fourth board meeting in nine months, com­ pletely unprecedented. Both long and short term plans will be developed. Plans will also be developed for the National Trails Day, June 15, 1993. It your would like to lead a hike or just help on that one day, please drop me a line or call.

- We have begun to exchange information and newsletters with the other eighteen trails in the National Trail System. Our newsletter will also go to some other supporting groups outside of the National Trails.

siors, many things are beginning to move. Awareness and support are rising and we are gaining respect from other trail groups. Ifwe begin to move too fast, we could throw out an anchor for a while to stabilize our course. But be assured that ifwe do we will quickly haul it in again to continue to move forward. We will learn to controlthe course of our organi­ zation in this fast track and not use the anchor at all. We have one heck of an adventure ahead of us.

Along with this Mission goes a vision. The vision of the Trail and this organi­ zation is mine. My vision sees the NCNST as the longest National Trail in North America. We are quickly approaching that goal. By the year 2000 we may have 2,000 certified miles of trail, equaling that of the Appalachian Trail. We al­ ready exceed 1,900 miles of completed trail (1,079 of which are already certi­ fied). My vision also sees the NCNST as one oftbe best protected and maintained trails in North America. I see the NCTA as one ofthe most respected, largest and best funded of the National Trail organi­ zations. We are now taking a leadership role in the interest of all National trails. I also see the pride of thousands of trailblazers wbo have made this trail possible. In my vision I see the faces of children who use the trail as a class­ room, people who use the trail for rec­ reation and exercise, bunters who fol­ low the trail to their favorite spot to hunt, wildlife enthusiasts who look for the rare and unusual, and many others who love the out of doors. We will be the best trail! It is more fun to pursue the best. It's also much more challenging. Hap Klopp, President of The North Face, once wrote, "You can be known as anything, but to be known as the best outweighs everything else." I hope you will share in this vision and continue to support the NCNSTand the NCTA.

Since our last Board meeting, in October, we have begun to focus our attention on fulfilling this Mission and Vision. There has been a lot of activity:

- Last month, April Scholtz, Wes Boyd and myself represented the NCTA at the first of seven National Park Serv-

·.· .. : ·.·.··.·: · .

The acceptance of this Statement by the Board was unanimous. As you can see, it presents no small task. Ma­ chievelli once said, "Make no small plans for they have not the power to stir men's blood."

As you can see, there have been a lot of decisions made in the last few months. That has been very good for the organization. Too often, the NCTA has sat on the fence and made no decision. Making no decision is worse than mak­ ing any decision. The oonsequence of indecision can be enormous. You can be shot off tbe fence by sitting still. It is a slow death. Your Board dove off the fence this year and made a lot of hard decisions. I'm very proud of them for doing that. As a result of those deci-

The Mission of the NCTA is to pro­ vide the national guidance, direction, and coordination for the development and promotion of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST).

- To encourage and coordinate cooperation among the many individu­ als and public and private organiza­ tions associated with the development and stewardship of the NCNST.

- To protect, in partnership with others, the natural, scenic and historic resources of the NCNST corridor, and to promote the practice of ethical out­ door travel and use.

- To provide present and future generations with opportunities for en­ riching, safe travel experiences, through services to members, public education, and recreational opportunities.

As noted in the last Trail Head, your Board of Directors has decided to make some major changes in its size and composition. We have defined Chapters and Affiliates, a road block finally re­ solved. Many of those decisions are noted in more detail elsewhere in this issue. One of the most important items that was discussed and adopted by the Board was a mission statement for the NCT A. There has been a long time need for the organization to identify its mis­ sion. It is as follows:

Page 13 North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3

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the copy directly to the library, in your name, if you will send their address and $5.00 to our Headquarters. That's $.95 off the retail price, no shipping charges and it's tax deductible, too!

' Effective immediately, allmembersoftbeNCTAwillget a 10% discount on all merchandise from the NCT A Trail Ship. This will be an additional permanent membership benefit.

From all of us on the Board and Staff of the NCTA we wish you a happy and safe and prosperous New Year.

- Legislative action will continue early this next year in support of the National Trails. Changes to the National Trails System Act and funding are high on the list of legislative targets.

- We are still commenting on Forest Plans, trail inquir­ ies and many other issues that concern the trail. Development of Trail Construction Practices, environmental policy and land acquisition policy are also in the works. We are receiving more inquiries from other trail organizations that need infor­ mation on trail issues. The NCTA is fast becoming a nation­ ally recognized trail resource.

If you see an area of activity in the NCTA that you would like to get involved in, please write to April Scholtz, our Executive Director. She will be happy to put you in touch with someone to help you get involved. We need people to help on legislative issues, trail projects, funding, organizing hikes and bike rides. Even if you can help only once a year, that's OK. Let us know where you would like to help or we can suggest some area in need.

We are still in need of expanding our membership and trail awareness. You can help by dropping off 100 NCTA brochures at a local camping outfitter, Library or Chamber of Commerce. If you can do this, please write to our headquarters for brochures. If you think that your local Library would benefit from a copy of"Following the North Country National Scenic Trail" on their shelves, consider purchasing a copy and donating it to them. To make this easier for you, we will send

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3 Page 14

r•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••1 I ORDER FORM -- NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL BOOKSTORE Name I I __ copies of 'Following the North Country Notional Scenic Trail' dd I I $5.95 per copy ($4.00 per copy if ten or more) A ress...................................................... I I __ copies of 'The Nort~2~0~u~~i :~~~~-/;{i~~~,:~~;~onal Forest' I I copies of 'Gulde to the Pictured Rocks Notional Lakeshore' City, State, Zip........................................... I I -- $5.95 per copy. ($4.25 each If ten or more) I I __ copies of 'Guide to$the North Coun$try Troll -- Chippewa National Phone....................................................... I I Forest" 1.25 per copy ( .75 per copy if ten or more) I I __ copies of Michigan mapsets (check appropriate ones:) Please enclose for shipping & handfing: I I

O Croton Dam - Hodenpyl Dam O lnterlochen - Boyne Foils $0.00 - $10.00 $2.00 O St. Ignace - Harvey O Marquette - Ironwood $10.01 - $25.00 $3.00 I I $4.00 per set. Ali 4 sets, $18.00; Binder. $2.50 No wholesale $25.01 . $100.00 $4.00 I

I copies of •certified Sections or the North Country Trail' Over $100.00 $5.00 I -- (Check appropriate sections:) o Allegheny NF & Cool< Forest, $2.90 Mlch{qan resjdeats Include 4% sales tax I o Wayne NF, $1.50 o Little Miami Scenic Park, $1.15 Make check/money order payable to: I I O Miami and Erle Canal, $1.80 o Manistee NF $2.20 'Notth Country Trail Association' I

o Hiawatha NF E & Tahqua $2.70 o Ottawa NF. $2.10 I o Hla.NF w & Pict Rocks. $2.05 o Chequamegon NF, $1.80 Send order to: NCTA Trail Shop I I o Chippewa NF. $2.20 o Sheyenne Grassland, $1.15 PO Box311 I Complete set with binder, $18.00, plus $3.00 shipping. No wholesale. 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 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 troilheod to Big Star Lake, and from US l 0 to McCarthy Lake. Current through June, 1989. $2.00 each, no wholesale available.

OTHER GREAT TRAIL INFORMATION AVAILABLE fROM THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL BOOKSfORE

MICHIGAN MAPSETS developed by Arden Johnson. Maps to follow the NCNST in the Manistee, Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests, and the trail between St. Ignace and Munising, and northern lower peninsula. Four separate sets, part of a 1" per mile series to be developed for the whole state. Order from Croton Dam to Hodenpyl Dom, Interlachen to Boyne Falls, St. Ignace to Harvey or Marquette to Ironwood sets. $4.00 per set; $18.00 for all four. Binder with indicies, $2.50. Contact bookstore for information on ordering individual maps.

GUIDE TO THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL -- CHIPPEWA NATIONAL FOREST by Roderick MacRae. Discussion of the route and trail log from east to west in the Chippewa National Forest. Wonderfully written by a Chippewa National Forest expert. 12 pages. $1.25 each; Wholesale (l 0 or more)$. 75 each

CERTIFIED SECTIONS OF THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL by Byron and Margaret Hutchins. The long-awaited start to a trail guide for the entire trail. Accurate route descriptions by an experienced guidebook writer who's walked the sections with a measuring wheel, covering many certified sections of the long enough to be a hiking destination, published in an easy to carry loose-leaf form. Individual map sets at various prices (see order form); whole set, including binder, is $18.00, plus $3.00 shipping. Sorry, no direct wholesale.

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

JUSTPUBLLSHEQ!!!!! • NEW"" • JUSTPUBLISHEQ!!!!!

North Country Trail Bookstore Page 15 North Country Trail Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3

Phone C..._ _ __,) _

L--------------------------------------~

Name------------ Address ----------~

I wish to join the North Country Trail Association. Enclosed is$ fora _ membership.

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

20.00 30.00 35.00 50.00

100.00 500.00 400.00 600.00

Basic Membership................................. $ Household (includes children under 18) $ Organizational....................................... $ Trail Leader........................................... $ Pathfinder............................................. $ Corporate.............................................. $ Life........................................................ $ Life (with spouse)..................................... $

Membersbjp Categorjes

Annual Dues: membership year runs to anniversary of dues payment.

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

North Country Trail Association PO Box311 White Cloud, Ml, 49349

2000 Members by 2000 2000 Certified Miles by 2000

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

North Country Troll Association Newsletter, Winter, 1992-3 l

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