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 Sept 14.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Our adopters continue to keep their sections of the trail in great condition. There are a few places where the growth of the undercover has been more than one or two adopters can handle so Steve Hicks (and crew) and our trusty DR mower/bushwhacker will be out and about on Saturday, August 20 to challenge those weeds to a duel. I know who is going to win this one! Thanks Steve for accepting the challenge. See information below if you can join Steve.   

Summerfest in Hastings Saturday August 27 If you can help, please email Larry Hawkins at hawkeyemd@cablespeed.com.

10 Am - 12 noon - need 1 volunteer

Noon - 2 PM - need 2 volunteers

2 PM - 4 PM - need 1 volunteer

4 PM - 6 PM - need 1 volunteer

TRAIL CARE

Saturday, August 20

Breakfast at Prairieville Inn at 8:00 a.m.

Work starts at the McKibben Rd. trailhead about 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, September 10

Breakfast at Hastings Big Boy at 8:00 a.m.

After breakfast we will go to Charles Krammin’s farm to pick up a kiosk to install at Crane Rd. trailhead north of Middleville. We really need at least 4 people for this workday effort. Please consider coming out to help

SAVE THE DATE

Summerfest in Hastings Saturday August 27.

Middleville Day Celebration – Saturday, September 10.

Join in this celebration by representing the NCTA and the Chief Noonday Chapter at this event. We would like to have a couple of folks ‘man’ a table and handout NCT literature and talk to folks about the trail and their hiking experiences, etc. Contact Larry Pio (nalcoman1@aol.com) for more information.

On Saturday, October 8 plans are underway for us to join with the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo on a ‘birding’ hike through the Ft. Custer National Cemetery section.. Join us for breakfast at 9:00 a.m. at the Lakeview Inn in Augusta. The hike will start on Armstrong Rd. (Kalamazoo/Calhoun County line).

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING?

The hike on August 6 with the West Michigan Chapter brought out a couple of dozen folks. We hiked about 5 miles through the Middleville State Game area section of the trail and enjoyed the day.

Sections of the NCT

By Jerry Pattok

Norris to Gun Lake Road Part Two

We came to the post that marks the intersection with the Long Lake Trail. The NCT goes to the right and follows it. We hike down a hill where stones are jutting out of the trail. There are tree roots exposed across the trail making it necessary to proceed with caution to keep from tripping. We come to an orange gate and cross a 2-track. This is Hastings Point Road. Turning right here will take you to the Long Lake Outdoor Center. The Chief Noonday Chapter has sponsored two winter hikes that used the Lodge at the Center as the destination for lunch. I’ve spent some very pleasant time in that Lodge thanks to the gracious generosity of Dee Lowell and Dr. Peter Forsburg. What a great time a person or group could have by renting a cabin at the Center and hiking the many trails in the area.

The trail is again loose sand. We make a long steep climb with stones and roots in the trail. As we come over the top of the hill, we see a clump of large trunks next to the trail. It looks as if a tree had grown here in the past but the main trunk died and rotted away. The suckers that had sprouted from this tree then grew to each become a tree thus producing this clump spreading from a common base. We pass a large tree that had come down and had a section sawed from it to keep it from blocking the trail. It took some hard work to carry the saw in and clear that tree. We see more erratics and sumac then arrive at another gate and 2-track. Going right here will take you back to Hastings Point Road. There is a parking lot where it joins Gun Lake Road. About 0.3miles to the left is the parking lot that is provided to access The Devil’s Soupbowl and Grave’s Hill. We cross the 2-track and turn left to follow the Hall lake Trail. We climb a long steep slope. We’re hiking through a cool shaded wood. A man is calling his dog. I’ve often met people walking their dogs on this trail. There is a post by the trail indicating that to the left is Grave’s Hill. To the right is Hall Lake. The NCT goes right. I note that the footpath is especially wide where the NCT follows designated trails of the Yankee Springs Recreation Area. After hiking about 1.9miles we can now see Hall Lake. The trail turns and follows the lake. We cross a 10-foot bridge across a gully. Tall pines are now dominant.

I looked across the lake. I could see the Hall Lake boat landing. I remembered the night hike several years ago that Joe Higdon, Laverne BeBeau and I sponsored for the chapter. As the group passed this site on that hike, I could see the lanterns glowing on the back of my truck. It looked inviting. I knew LaVerne would have the refreshments that I brought ready when Joe led us there. The 3 of us had scouted the trail at night to prepare for the hike. When asked if it were difficult to hike that night, I would say, “It was easy. I would follow the path that I could see. If I couldn’t see the path, I would follow Joe’s white tee shirt. If I couldn’t see the shirt, I would respond to the voice that would say, “Jerry, over here.”” Joe and I have had more than one adventure on that trail.

Sandi and Sydney walked down to the lake. Sandi commented on the fish she saw jumping. Syd got excited about the frog she found. We saw two people fishing in a rowboat. Sandi took some pictures of the lilly pads a la Monet that were growing near shore. We continued down the trail where we crossed a 30 foot wooden bridge. Just a little further and we reached the road to finish the hike. Most of the hike was under the cover of the tree canopy. We hiked about 2.4miles. Syd held up just fine. She finished with a smile on her face. I feel some sense of remorse to leave this stretch of trail that is so full of beauty and holds so many memories.

Directions:

Norris Road

From the intersection of M37 and M43 west of Hastings, go west on M43 for 0.3miles. Stay straight on M179. Go 5.4miles to the stop sign at Yankee Springs Road. Go straight for 2.4 miles to Norris. Turn left. Go just over 0.2miles to the parking lot. It is difficult to see from the road. Norris is a 2 track that passes east of a garage.

Hall Lake

The NCT crosses Gun Lake Road on the west side of Hall Lake. From the intersection of M179 and Norris Road, go west 1.3miles to the stop sign on Briggs. Turn left. Go 2.5 miles to Hall Lake. Briggs turns into Gun Lake Road. There is room for a vehicle beside the road . To accommodate more vehicles, use the parking lot by the Ranger House about 0.2miles west of the NCT or the boat launch to Hall Lake that is about 0.2 miles east of the NCT on Gun lake Road. A sticker is required at the launch.

Thank you to those businesses that support our chapter:

Lee’s Sports & Sportswear

311 W. Kilgore

Kalamazoo

(269) 381-7700

Sandhill Marketing Communications

1715 Glendale Blvd.

Kalamazoo

(269) 382-2561

Mid-Lakes Mini Storage

11235 S. Wall Lake Rd., Delton

269-623-5005

Provides storage for the Chief Noonday Tool Crib.

Yankee Springs Outdoor Center

Long Lake and Chief Noonday Outdoor Centers

269-795-3856

Provides use of lodge for scheduled Chapter winter hikes