CHAPTER MEETINGS
Meetings are at 7:00 PM at the Barry Township Hall on Orchard Street in Delton the second Wednesday of each month, and are open to the public.

Next meeting June 8.
We are looking for presenters. If you or someone you know would be interested in presenting a topic at one of the NCT meetings contact garnettt@trinity-health.org or linda warren @ linblessed54@aol.com

Work Day June 11
Our next work day will be on June 11, meeting for breakfast at 8:00 am at the Hastings Big Boy, and then traveling to Charles Krammin’s home at 9:00 am to finish two kiosks. We will then erect one in Barry County.

Sections of the NCT by Jerry Pattok.

Peets Road to M-179 (Chief Noonday Road)
We stepped out of the truck at the parking lot at the Peets Road trailhead and headed west past the kiosk down the trail. The trail starts here as part of an old 2-track. There is a tendency to keep going straight down this 2-track instead of turning south as needed to follow the NCT. The turn is well marked but a wandering mind could miss it. We turned into the conifers and hiked to the field below. My granddaughter, Anna, and I found the remains of a turkey here one winter. She had never seen such a big bird in the wild. Being 5 years old, she was excited about the find. This gave us an opportunity to talk about how hard it is for wildlife to make it through a Michigan winter. They face discomfort, scarcity of food and predation. Having seen the evidence, Anna was very attentive. There can be some difficulty due to plowing of the trail. In that case, just follow the blazes while walking along the edge of the field. The trail goes past an orange gate and returns to Peets Road. This segment is a little more than a half- mile in length. To get around the Ponderosa Golf Course requires walking on the road. Glass Creek passes near then crosses the road. It’s worth a stop to look into the clear cool water. I have caught brown trout just upstream from here. After about 0.4 miles, we turn west into the hardwoods. We spot a couple of golf balls. Errant swings have provided us with some treasure. I can imagine what was on the golfers minds as they watched these balls sail into the woods. Been there. Done that. We enter a field as we leave the trees. A bow hunter had a tree stand here last fall. It’s just a short walk from here to a grassy meadow. We pass through the meadow and enter a mixture of shrubs and hardwoods that are sparse enough to keep the trail bathed in light. I remember the flock of turkeys that ran away from me in this area on a previous hike. We pass a field and arrive at the trailhead in the parking lot off Bowens Mills Road. This segment is about 0.6 miles. We go west on Bowens Mills Road a little less than a half- mile to find the next segment of certified trail. We turn south through an area with many open areas. . The hike takes us to another field. There was a tree stand along the edge of this field a couple of years ago. We enter a mixture of hardwoods and pines then out into another field. I once saw a 6-point buck run across this field. We go west along the northern edge of this field then turn south through a stand of conifers. This stand had been planted some years ago. They stand tall in neat rows. The smell of pine permeates the air. We leave this 0.7-mile stretch at Yankee Springs Road.

We cross the road to a spacious parking lot. This is the Yankee Springs Road Trailhead. The trail from here to M-179 is 0.7miles of 2-track. We go west out of the parking lot through a mixture of hardwoods and conifers. Most are not very large. The trail turns and goes south. We go west a few feet from this right angle curve to take a look at Turner Creek. I couldn’t find the name of the creek on a map. The creek flows through land owned by Frank Fiala. I talked to him. He said his dad researched the name. The conclusion was that it is Turner Creek. The creek runs parallel to the trail to M-179. We finish our hike at the Chief Noonday Trailhead. This trailhead has a very large parking lot. This segment of trail is great for introducing children to hiking. Since it’s a 2-track, a small child can hold your hand and walk beside you until they build enough confidence to go it alone. Sandi and I have taken 4 grandchildren down this section. We started in one lot and had a picnic in another. Their ages were 2, 3, 4, and 5. They loved it. They now call themselves our ‘‘Hiking Girls”. Hiking this section from Peets to M-179 is relatively easy. It’s flat. It consists of sandy outwash from the last continental glacier. There are 4 parking lots in this section of trail. That makes it easy to plan short hikes.

The adopter of the Peets Road to M-179 section is Jerry Pattok.

Directions: Peets Road Trailhead
From the light at the intersection of M37 and M43 west of Hastings, go north on M37 for 5.4miles to Peets Road. Turn left and go 0.5miles to the lot on the right side of the road.

Chief Noonday Trailhead
Turn right out of the Peets Road Trailhead and go to the stop sign at Bowens Mills Road. Turn right and go to the stop sign at Yankee Springs Road. Turn left onto Yankee Springs Road and go to the stop sign on M-179 (Chief Noonday Road). Turn right and go 0.4miles to the lot on the right.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Trail Development: Contact Tom Garnett or Larry Pio for dates and times.

Hike with West Michigan Chapter Saturday August 6 On August 6 at 10 a.m. we will be hosting a first ever joint hike with the West Michigan Chapter (based in Grand Rapids). Charles Krammin will lead the hike through one of our newest sections of trail in the Middleville State Game Area. The hike will begin at the Crane Road trailhead, which is about 3/4 mile north of Middleville. Put this date on your calendar. More details later.

REMINDERS: To follow Andrew Skurka’s progress www.andrewskurka.com.\ Report your volunteer hours: www.northcountrytrail.org, click on “volunteer center” NCTA Annual Conference August 11 through 14 in Northern Michigan.

Adopters Needed
If you would like to adopt a portion of the NCT please contact Dave Cornell at: onestep@mei.net Upcoming teas at the W.K. Manor House: June 21, Aug. 16, Sept. 20, and Oct. 18. Contact 269-671-2416 or email manorhouse@kbs.msu.edu for details.

Thank you to those businesses that support our chapter:

Mid-Lakes Mini Storage
11235 S. Wall Lake Rd., Delton  269-623-5005
Provide storage for the Chief Noonday Tool Crib.

Yankee Springs Outdoor Center
Long Lake and Chief Noonday Outdoor Centers  269-795-3856
Provide use of lodge for scheduled Chapter winter hikes

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

Receive the Chief Noonday Chapter newsletter on-line.   Contact Larry @ nalcoman1@aol.com