The Itasca Moraine Chapter and the Star of the North Chapter have set a goal of having the North Country Trail constructed and certified from the Chippewa National Forest to the Old Headquarters Site in the Bad Medicine Area by 2007. Goals are to be set each year to help keep the project on schedule.
The project is defined by Sections and Segments within the section:
Since being formed in the spring of 2002, the Chapter has been engaged in extending the NCT west from the west boundary of the Chippewa National Forest to East Forest Steamboat Road, 3.7 miles north of Akeley on Highway 64. Local and statewide Minnesota people worked on this section prior to the Chapter being organized. Work accelerated in the fall of 2001, the Chapter was formed, work completed and the segment was certified 12/10/02.
To access this segment from Hwy 64, drive north of Akeley, MN 3.7 miles to East Forest Steamboat Road. Drive 100 feet east on East Steamboat Road and park. (This is not a formal NCT parking lot at this time but is available for parking.) At this point the trail enters the forest on the south side of East Forest Steamboat Road. We share the trail with dirt bikes for approximately 35 yards then the NCT trail branches to the right. From the trailhead, the trail has blue blazes and can be easily followed. Signage has been installed. The trail is constructed to Recreational Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) Standard Semi-primitive, thus the tread width is approximately 18 inches. The trail is totally in the forest with the exception of one clear cut and one wildlife-clearing area.
To access this segment from the Chippewa, proceed southwest of Walker on County HWY 12 for approx. 4 miles to where the NCT crosses Hwy 12. There is a NCT/Cross-Country Skiing parking lot at this point on HWY 12. Enter the Chippewa National Forest on the north side of Hwy 12. After hiking approximately 2.0 miles, one comes to the border of the Chippewa which at this point borders the Paul Bunyan State Forest. The segment certified in 2002 begins at this point and travels west for 3.7 miles.
Chip to Hwy 64 Section (See NCTA Map TMN09)
Certified:
Land Manager: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) - Paul Bunyan State Forest
Paul Bunyan Section PB0A -West border of the Chippewa National Forest to the Parkway Forest RD, approx. 2.5 Miles
Status: Walked mid-October 2003, good shape. The clear cut located about 1/2 way through this segment can be troublesome.
Paul Bunyan Section PB0B - Parkway Forest RD to Hwy 64, approx. 1.2 miles.
Status: Walked mid-October 2003, good shape. A red pine forest was thinned but the trail and blazes have been re-established.
Hwy 64 to Itasca Section -
Not Certified
Land Managers - Paul Bunyan State Forest and Hubbard Country Land Manager
2003 Active Projects, see project tab.
Paul Bunyan Section 1, Segment A (PB1A) - Hwy 64 to the 1st Forest RD.
Paul Bunyan Section 1, Segment B (PB1B) - 1st Forest Rd to 3rd Forest RD Paul Bunyan Section 1, Segment C (PB1C) - 3rd Forest RD to 4th Forest RD
Paul Bunyan Section 1. Segment D (PB1D) - 4th Forest RD to a Potlatch Spur RD
Paul Bunyan Section 1, Segment E (PB1E) - Potlatch Spur RD to Akeley Cutoff
PB1A through PB1E are active projects, see Current Projects and Goals page
Status: Ready for certification
2004 Paul Bunyan Section 2 (PB2) Akeley Cutoff to Lake Waboose and beyond.
Paul Bunyan Section 2, Segment A (PB2A) - Potlatch Spur RD to Akeley Cutoff
Remaining Segments to be defined 4Q2003.
2005 Paul Bunyan Section 3 (PB3) To be defined later
2006 Schoolcraft Section 1 (S1) To be defined later
Carter Hedeen, Harvey Tjader, Charles Krysel, and Darin Miller have scouted the historic Schoolcraft River area between the Schoolcraft Lake and Lake George. They have found a suitable route through a boggy area and over the river. There is a magnificent forest of spruce and balsam in the area. Locating this route is fortunate as it means we can get from the Chippewa to Itasca without passing over any private land except we plan to use a 100 yards or so of bordering private Potlatch land in order to avoid building and maintaining a short boardwalk. Negotiations with Potlatch are progressing very well.
2007 Schoolcraft Section 2 (S2) Ending at Itasca State Park, To be defined later
Itasca State Park Section, East Boundary to West Boundary
Certified
Land Manager: Itasca State Park, MN DNR
Technically this segment is not the responsibility of the Itasca Moraine Chapter. However the chapter may assist in some maintenance responsibilities. The Outdoor Program at Bemidji State University may get involved with this Section.
Itasca State Park Section 0, Segment A (ISP0A)
Status: Walked late summer '03, good shape
Clearwater County from the Itasca State Park border to Anchor Hill RD.
Certified
Land Manager: Clearwater County
Clearwater County Section 0, Segment A (CC0A) - From the west boundary of Itasca State Park, crossing Anchor Matson Rd, on the road at Gardner Lake, approx. 3.2 miles.
Status: Walked late summer '03, good shape
Clearwater County Section 0, Segment B (CC0B) - From the road at Gardner Lake to Anchor Hill RD, approx. 2.0 miles
Status: Walked late summer '03, good shape
Clearwater County Section 0, Segment C (CC0C) - Anchor Hill RD to the Old Headquarters Site at Clearwater County Hwy 39, approx. 1.5 miles.
Not Certified, Active project, see Current Projects and Goals page.
Status: Ready for certification.
Following completion of work in the Bad Medicine Area, we are considering a plan to have Jerry Beckham, Ray Vlasak and their crews concentrate on working toward the Paul Bunyan Forest from the east boundary of Itasca State Park. Thus the Bad Medicine Crews would be working east and south through Hubbard County Land and various other crews would be working west and north toward Itasca from Hwy 64. We'll have a grand meeting and drive a "golden birch spike" somewhere in the Mantrap Lake/Gulch Lakes area.
