Last modified: Sunday, September 28, 2008 6:05 AM CDT
Ice Age Trail celebrates 50 years with walk in New Auburn
By ELIZABETH HOCHSTEDLER
elizabeth.hochstedler@lee.net
Walking through the Ice Age Trail in rural New Auburn is like taking a step into the past.
The Ice Age Trail, which runs about 1,000 miles through the state and several miles through Chippewa County, is a footpath which explores areas of Wisconsin which were shaped by glaciers existent during the Ice Age.
“It tells a unique story. There were glaciers everywhere, but … they left their most unique story in Wisconsin,” said Richard Smith, the Chippewa Moraine chapter coordinator.
But the idea for a statewide trail didn’t come until 50 years ago when the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation was formed.
It is that anniversary which is being celebrated the weekend of Oct. 4 with the Chippewa Moraine’s annual Parade of Colors Fall Hike and a foundation event in Eau Claire County.
Members of the foundation are converging on Beaver Creek Reserve in Fall Creek that weekend to discuss the future of the trail.
The group will look at where the foundation sees itself in the next 5-10 years.
Local event
While the foundation event is going on, the local chapter has plans a walk to highlight the trail segment in northern Chippewa County.
“It’s a local effort event to showcase the Ice Age Trail in its best season of the year, to invite people from all over, especially the communities in Chippewa County and the surrounding communities, to visit the trail,” Smith said.
Chapter members will be available to shuttle hikers to any point on the Chippewa Moraine segment. Hikers will then walk back to the visitor’s center in rural New Auburn and will be treated to a free lunch.
“They can walk anywhere from six miles, five, any number of miles,” Smith said. “We’ll design a hike that’s in their interest and needs.”
The fall walk started in the 1980s and has taken place annually for the past 12-15 years.
The goal of the walk is to introduce new people to the Chippewa Moraine segment of the trail.
“Many people around the state regard the Chippewa Moraine segment of the trail as one of the finest segments of the trail,” Smith said.
While taking in the trail, hikers can expect to see many wooded areas, small ponds and lakes and a variety of landscapes which have been carved out by glaciers.
Smith hopes that by participating in this walk, some people will be lured into becoming more active.
“Hopefully we’ll run into people that have never done it before, and hopefully they’ll get bit by the bug … and they’ll take up walking on their own or come back,” he said.
The trail is open year-round, except during the 10-day gun-deer hunting season in November. The visitor’s center located on County M, east of New Auburn, is also available year-round.
Most visitors enjoy the warmer seasons at the trail with hiking and camping, but it is also open in the winter to snowshoeing, and some parts are available for cross country.
The footpath has been carved out for easy walking. Chapter members maintain it, so it can be an easy walk for people of all ages, Smith said.
“It’s everyone. It’s scout groups or youth groups; it’s retired adults; it’s young people. You name it, it’s everything in between,” he said.
Preservation
The Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation exists to maintain and promote the the trail throughout the state. They also work to purchase more land to add to the trail.
The trail runs from the St. Croix River in Polk County to Lake Michigan in Door County. Over 620 miles are traditional, signed trail and the rest is composed of connecting areas which often run through cities or towns along the way.
“Because it goes through different parts of the state, you get the different flavors that Wisconsin has to offer,” Smith said.
Many people take the complete trek each year, so it’s important that each segment is well maintained.
“It’s important to protect the trail because first of all, there aren’t a lot of long distance hiking opportunities,” Smith said.
The members of each chapter work to keep the trail accessible to hikers. They also spend much of the year promoting the trail and events such as the annual spring and fall hikes.
The Chippewa Moraine chapter has about 115 members, about 20 of which are active in maintaining the trail. The group meets bimonthly in Chippewa Falls to discuss upcoming events and trail care.
Smith said the group is always looking to add members.
“We can certainly have more,” he said.
But what’s important to each chapter is to have an area where people can get away, especially those who don’t have regular access to expansive natural areas.
“It captures people’s imagination and brings them out and gets them to do something they might not usually do,” Smith said.
And each person who comes out to the trail is enjoying a landmark which the foundation worked hard to create 50 years ago.
“We do have something unique here,” Smith said.
Copyright © 2008 Chippewa Valley Newspapers
Originally published:
http://www.chippewa.com/articles/2008/09/28/news/doc48dee70299dfa390900052.txt