Mick Hawkins has included detailed reports, with pictures, at the Trail Log page on our web site on some of our recent activities. In the last quarter he has included:

•  The July 12 hike, which was held in the YSRA, instead of the Gun Lake Track, due to trail conditions. Mick notes all who arrived for breakfast decided against hiking in the rain, except Charles Krammin and Jim Studt, from the West Michigan Chapter.

•  Our July 19 workday, with volunteers Chris Vreeland (and his son), Ron Sootsman, Dave Cornell, Terry Meden, Larry Hawkins, Mick Hawkins, Jim Heaton, Mike Wilkey, Jeff Fleming, and Tom Garnett.

•  Events at the NCTA National Conference in Cazenovia, NY, including reports on proposals to extend the Trail’s length on both ends.  Dave Cornell, Jan Cornell, Larry Hawkins, and Mick Hawkins represented our Chapter at the conference.
 
•  A missing 73-year old-hiker in the Upper Peninsula, whose van was found at an NCT trailhead.
 
•  Our booth at the Hastings Summerfest, with much help from our volunteers.  Manning the booth: Jerry Pattok (with family Sandy, Laura, and Anna), Mick Hawkins, Larry Hawkins, Joe Higdon, Jean Lamoreaux, Jeff Fleming, Tom Garnett, Josephine Miller, Steve Hicks, Tom Warner, and Chris Sweeney.  Booth set-up and tear down: Larry Hawkins, Jerry Pattok, and Joe Higdon.

•  A notice on the DNR ban on deer baiting due to Chronic Wasting Disease.

•  An August 26 donation of help to our Chapter from Kellogg’s Kashi Division, producers of Bear Naked Granola.  Bear Naked has been promoting the National Scenic Trails with their products.  Chris Sweeney, a member of our Chapter, was joined by co-workers Tamila Williams, Larry Williams, Ben Williams, Rachael Williams, Jon Warner, Monjur Hossen, Hway-Seen Yeoung, Diane Seevers, Maria Ruhlman, and Roger Wenk. Our Jim Heaton, Charles Krammin, Larry Hawkins, and Mick Hawkins joined them.  The group changed the orientation of one of our kiosks on Robinson Road and did some trail maintenance.
 
•  A request for help on a couple of work projects, one held in August within CND trail, and another in September in the Tittabawassee Chapter

•  Our September 20 workday at Kellogg Biological, with mowing, trail maintenance, sign relocation, and kiosk installation.  Steve Hicks, Larry Hawkins, Mary Armitage, Jerry Pattok, Larry Pio, Jeff Fleming, Ron Sootsman, and Mick Hawkins were our crew. 

NCNST Databook for Hikers

Report Your Volunteer Hours

One of the Kalamazoo County segments of the North Country Trail crosses the W. K. Kellogg Experimental Forest, one of fourteen Agriculture Experiment Stations of Michigan State University.  See their web site for more information on the work done at these stations.

The Forest hosts several open houses each year, including the maple syrup demonstration in the spring.  Visitors are welcome to jog, bicycle, hike, horseback ride (bring your own horse), walk your dog, trout fish, bow hunt (you must sign in at the office), and cross country ski.

This segment of trail is 2.4 miles long and shares portions of several wooded loop trails which can be enjoyed on this property.  There is convenient parking (as well as picnic tables) at the main facilities on 42nd Street, about a mile south of M-89.  This location also features the covered bridge, which can be seen from the parking area.

This segment begins from the north on M-89, about 0.3 miles east of 42nd Street. Continuing north, our trail follows M-89 west for 0.7 miles before entering the Cheff property.

From the south end of this segment, the trail crosses the Sackett property to the south for 0.5 miles, then follows EF Avenue to the west for 0.2 miles, before heading south on the Hutchinson property for 1.5 miles to the trailhead on Augusta Drive. Our Moonlight Hike on October 18 will cross these 3 segments.

An Introductory Rate for Your Friends:   If you are already a member of the North Country Trail Association, you have a good opportunity for introducing the North Country Trail to your friends. There is a special reduced rate for the first year of a membership when you sponsor a new member.  The form to use is included in the on-paper edition of this Newsletter. 

Membership dues help support our local trail projects.  More importantly our membership numbers show Congress that there is support for the trail, and this positively influences the projects they fund.