The Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Chippewa County, Wisconsin
Along the IANST in April
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Our annual July chapter meeting and potluck picnic is always a highlight of our year. This year we are being joined by professional nature photographer Kristen Westlake, who is making a stop on her hike of the full IAT this summer. She'll have a program for us that will incorporate her extraordinary photography to inspire and motivate us to connect with nature. Her presentation is called: The Ice Age Trail Adventure -- Miles and Stories to Date.
You can see some of Kristen's Ice Age Trail journal and some of her photos from the trail here, OR visit her full web site to see other stunning photos she's taken throughout the US and in many of the national parks. Don't miss this special program at the Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center on Monday, July 19. Picnic at 6, the program will follow.
Kristen enjoys company as she hikes the trial through our county. If you'd like to join, please let us know! Call 715 967-2164 or email chapter@iatchippewa.org.
If you are itching to take your horticulture skills to the next level, join us on Saturday for some IAT-TLC (that's Ice Age Trail - Tender Loving Care). Whether pruning back some intruding growth of brambles or branches, or removing windfallen trees and branches, you won't find a more pleasant group to join or more beautiful surroundings to enjoy while engaging in some useful activity outdoors.
Join us on Saturday, June 26 at 9:30 AM at the Chippewa Moraine Ice Age Reserve Visitor Center, and we'll head out from there. We'll work into early afternoon, but feel free to leave at noon if you prefer. Bring along water and a lunch or snack, your favorite work gloves, and wear long sleeves and pants as well as sturdy work shoes. Don't forget your insect repellent of choice as the mosquitoes are expecting you.
Jerry Sazama has volunteered to serve as celebrity work coach for the day. If you have any questions, please contact him. In fact, definitely contact him if you plan to come, so we can plan a great day for you. Email Jerry or call 715-723-6955. (We're celebrating Jerry's graduation from Ice Age Trail University).
If you can't make it, our next Trail Improvement Day is planned for August 21.
Discover The Ice Age Trail at National Trails Hike Near Cornell
Enjoy a scenic but gentle segment of the Ice Age Trail and celebrate National Trails Day on Saturday, June 5 near Cornell. All activities will occur at the Ice Age Trail parking area on Hwy CC, 2 miles north of Cornell, from 9:30 AM to noon.
Hikers may choose either or both of two hike options and be shuttled to the starting points for their walk until 11 AM. The options are 2 and 3 miles in length. The longer option starts at Firth Lake and features a 500 foot boardwalk skirting the south shore. The second option features great views of the Chippewa River and Perch Lake.
Volunteers will shuttle participants to the starting point between 9:30 and 11 AM, and welcome them on their return with refreshments and water. Hikers should be prepared for summer insects such as ticks and mosquitoes.
National Trails Day® is celebrated nationwide to introduce people of all ages to hiking and walking opportunities and the benefits of making hiking and walking part of a healthy lifestyle. For other National Trails Day events, go to www.americanhiking.org.
The local Ice Age Trail Alliance Chippewa Moraine Chapter sponsors Trails Day events to introduce the trail to area residents and visitors. Alliance volunteers build, maintain, and support the Ice Age Trail and provides volunteer opportunities for those interested in working on and for the trail. Local information is available at www.iatchippewa.org. Information about the Ice Age Trail Alliance is at www.iceagetrail.org.
For more information, call 715 967-2164, or email chapter@iatchippewa.org.
Hikes, talks and demonstrations on ways to enjoy the Ice Age Trail will make up an all-day fair at the Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center near New Auburn on Saturday. Rebecca Hildebrandt, Ice Age Trail Alliance Development Director says the program named “Trilliums to Tweets” will show how the trail can be a canvas on which to paint many outdoor activities. Hot dogs grilled on a fire will be available free of charge for fair-goers around noon.
Family-friendly activities geared to youth are slated including a “rolling hike” led by Visitor Center staff member Rod Gont. Roy Gromme, son of Owen Gromme, often referred to as the “Dean of American Wildlife Artists”, will display some of his father’s most famous works and tell the story behind the paintings. Harvey Halversen, WDNR Wildlife Biologist and a member of the Blue Bird Society, will describe the interesting antics of owls and cavity nesting birds.
Greg Locascio, will give tips on journaling that he learned while thru- hiking the Applachian and Pacific Crest Trails. Nancy Frank, a certified Nordic Walking instructor, will tell about the unique benefits of Nordic Walking and show participants how to get started on this enjoyable form of exercise. Laura Sandstrom and Harold Lindemann, both from the Superior Lobe Chapter of the Ice Age Trail will respectively lead a bird walk and a flower stroll.
Event Schedule:
7:30 am “Early Bird” Bird Walk – Laura Sandstrom
9:00 am Journaling – Long Trail Memories –Greg Locascio
10:00 am Bluebirds and Other Cavity Birds – Harvey Halvorson
11:00 am Nordic Walking on the Ice Age Trail – Nancy Frank
12:00 pm Kids Rolling Hike and Youth Program – Rod Gont
1:00 pm Owen Gromme’s Birds of Wisconsin – Roy Gromme
2:00 pm Wild Flower and Interesting Plants – Harold Lindemann
3:00 pm A Picture Story of the Ice Age Trail
The Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center is 7 miles east of New Auburn and 1.9 miles east of State Highway 40 on County Highway “M”. For more information, contact Rebecca Hildebrandt, IATA Director of Development at 608-963-3896 or by e-mail at rebecca@iceagetrail.org
What to do about the ticks! If you're creeped out by wood ticks crawling on you during and after your hike, here are some reminders that will make your hike nearly tick-free. (I said "nearly").
•Wear light pants (not jeans) that are easy to tuck into your socks. (Lightweight hiking pants are great.)
•Remember to tuck your pants into your socks.
•Get some pyrethrin spray at outdoors outfitters and spray it on your ankles (on the pants and socks). It stays with the fabric for awhile, and definitely keeps the little critters at bay. You don’t put this stuff on your skin, just on clothing.
•Wear long-sleeves and a hat.
•Check at home for ticks on your self before they get a chance to bite (they like to scout around for a good spot. It takes them awhile to decide.
You’ll be rewarded with a great hike, few tick problems, and can chuckle at your friends who ignored your advice to tuck in their pants. (Remember, all ticks can make you sick.)
UWEC Professor Kent Syverson will present a program about the geology we find along the trail at our May meeting on Monday, May 17, at 7 PM. The program, which is intended for a general audience, will be preceded at 6 PM by our regular chapter meeting.
Syverson is the author of the definitive publication on glacial geology of Chippewa County, and has led popular field trips to explain the glacial story to general audiences as well. He's an engaging speaker, and we're thrilled to have him for this presentation.
The program will be at the Chippewa Falls Public Library, 105 W Central St., Chippewa Falls. (Map)
Focusing on the Chippewa Moraine area, Syverson will explain some of the puzzling landscape that greets the hiker along the trails. He'll remind us anew what makes our part of the trail unique along the Ice Age Trail.
Be sure to bring your hiking friend along to this meeting.
How do you enjoy the Ice Age Trail?
If you think of it as only a place to go for a hike, then prepare to have your horizons expanded at Trilliums and Tweets, an Ice Age Trail Fair on Saturday, May 22, all day, at the Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center.
Presentations, hikes, and demonstrations will all focus on the many ways the trail can be the canvas upon which you paint your outdoor activity. An emphasis is on family-friendly activities, so bring the kids. If you come around noon, we'll be grilling hot dogs.
We've lined up an all-star cast of experts, enthusiasts, and other resources to let you in on their passions, all of which are enjoyed even more along the Ice Age Trail.
A full schedule is still being finalized. Here are some highlights:
Finally, a very special presentation on Owen Gromme, the dean of American wildlife artists.
Shortly the full schedule will appear at www.iceagetrail.org. Check under the calendar tab.
One of our hikers from Omaha, NE, sent along a cool video that you can view on YouTube. It's a flyover along the route of the trail in Chippewa County. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFxnuizH7bU
If you have trouble watching it (it doesn't download fast enough), then try to download it first.
The video was made as a class project at Creighton Prep. The teacher is Jon Krainak, and he'll be backpacking here in April. Very cool.
(The heron won't even notice you're aboard.)
At the Chapter's Annual Membership Meeting on Monday, January 18, the chapter members voted to adopt the revised bylaws. They now need final review by the IATA board on Sat. 1/23/10. The members also approved a budget, after making some adjustments based on valuable member suggestions at the meeting. If you wish to see a copy of the Budget, contact the Chapter Coordinator. The Bylaws are available here.
Our annual chapter events calendar was mailed to members in January. A downloadable version is available here.
Chapter and Alliance events are always available and up-to-date at the IATA web site. The Chippewa Moraine Chapter page is right here.
Through-hiker Chet Anderson passed through Chippewa County on July 17-19 and left some thankful comments about the trail and Rod Gont from the Visitor Center. Here's what he had to say:
"I had been walking on a nice mowed trail for a long time. About a half hour before dark I met Rod who was walking home on the trail. He worked at the visitor center and was the one who mowed the trail as a volunteer. Rod explained how to obtain water at the center when it was closed and about the campsite coming up (some campsites were easy to miss). Rod said, “See you in the morning.” I said that I’m on the trail before 6:00 a.m. and would probably miss him. I arrived at the center just after 6:00 the next morning as he drove in and opened up for the day. It was super to have access to the restrooms and hot water. Hats’ off to a dedicated and very kind individual!"
If you are interested in his entire journal, you can view it here: Gray Ghost Ice Age Trail Journal. (It's easier to read if you just download the PDF.)