Peter Wolfe Chapter, Adopt a Trail

You can maintain your own segment of the NCT! On the Appalachian Trail, scenic sections are in such high demand that there are long waiting lists for them. In some cases, people are waiting for long-time maintainers to die so they can get their segments! In the western U.P., we have many spectacular segments without adopters!

As an adopter, you will be:
1. Going through your section, at least once a year.
2.   Checking on the condition of blazes, and replacing them as needed.
3. Making sure vegetation is not blocking the view of signs or blazes, and cutting that vegetation as needed.
4. Removing whatever fallen trees and branches you are able to remove from the trail.
5.   Cutting back branches and cutting smaller trees encroaching on the trail, using hand tools such a loppers and bow saws.
6.   Checking on the condition of signs. You may wish to report damaged signs or posts, or repair them if you can.
7.   Reporting any problems you are unable to deal with to the chapter president or maintenance coordinator (larger fallen trees, signs damaged beyond your ability to repair, ATV incursions, logging operations, needed brush moving (unless you learn to run the brush mower yourself, etc.)
    Depending on your abilities and the time you have, you may wish to:
7.   Improve the trail by benching (leveling the tread on steep sideslopes)
8.   Add puncheons (boardwalks) or turnpike (raised dirt pathways) in wet areas.
9.   Improve water drainage (trenching, waterbars, etc.)
10.   Reroute short sections of trail around existing problem areas.
     Items 7 through 10, will normally require consultation with the chapter president or maintenance coordinator, and sometimes the permission of the Forest Service)
    The use of chainsaws is not permitted on Forest Service lands except by individuals certified by the Forest Service, and the use of chainsaws on other lands requires consulation with the chapter president or maintenance coordinator. The use of the chapter brush mower requires training by a chapter member approved by the chapter president or maintenance coordinator.
    You may work alone, bring your friends, or invite other chapter members to join you through an email announcement, etc.
If you have a "big project" on your segment, we'll try to make it a chapter workday.

You will be provided with the following:
1.   Basic trail maintenance tools, if needed.
2.   Training in the use of those tools, upon request, and safety instructions.
3.   A detailed map of your trail segment, and directions on how to get to trailheads.
4.   The opportunity for an experienced trail maintainer to work with you to "get you started."
5.   Nail-on blazes, or tools and materials necessary for replacing blazes where paint blazes are required.
6.   Trail adoption posts and signs.
7.   Assistance as needed when problems arise.
8.   Lots of encouragement!

The following sections of the NCT, for which the Peter Wolfe Chapter currently has complete or nearly complete responsibility for maintenance, are not yet adopted by chapter members or others and are available for adoption:

Side Trail to Victoria Road to United States Mine, including Gleason Falls Trail
Length: 4.6 miles
Link to info and map: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment9.htm
Comments: Spectacular views, talus slopes, Gleason Falls and gorge. Mostly on private land. Trail work is mostly moderate. Segment can be divided east of Gleason Creek. Victoria Road is sometimes in poor condition in fall and spring and after heavy rains. Access to United States Mine requires 3/4 mile hike in (mostly easy bushwhack) from Victoria Road.

United States Mine to Victoria Dam Road south of Victoria
Length: 3.82 miles
Link to info and map: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment10.htm
Comments: Spectacular views, Lookout Mountain Scenic View. Trail from Victoria Dam to Lookout Mountain has been taken over by ATVs, and will need a reroute. Some areas involve significant brush cutting to keep them maintained. Victoria Road is sometimes in poor condition in fall and spring and after heavy rains. Access to United States Mine requires 3/4 mile hike in (mostly easy bushwhack) from Victoria Road.

Victoria Dam Road south of Victoria to Old Victoria Shelter, including interpretive loop trail
Length: 1.5 miles
Links to info and maps: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment11.htm
http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment12.htm
Comments: Interesting, varied section, but relatively high-maintenance. Historic mining area and townsite. Trail runs through roofless building and past the remains of numerous historic structures. Adopter would need to keep in close contact with the Society for the Restoration of Old Victoria. Trail has year-round access via paved road.

Just east of Old Victoria to West Branch Ontonagon River
Length: 3.2 miles
Links to info and maps: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment11.htm
http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment12.htm
Comments: Varied section, mostly just "through the woods" but has scenic views, powerline segment, private roads (past Victoria Dam powerhouse), and a section with cairns across a rocky river floodplain. 1.5 miles of the trail just east of Old Victoria Shelter is being logged over this summer (2004), and will need a reroute (it wouldn't be your responsibility to plan or build the reroute!). The reroute might include a side trail to Victoria Spring. The maintenance effort required on the sections not on the powerline and private roads is considered medium to high. On the powerline and roads, only maintaining blazing is necessary. The flood plain portion is subject to occasional severe disruption by floods of the West Branch of the Ontonagon River. There is year-round, paved access to two points on this segment.

West Branch of the Ontonagon River to Forest Road 733-F
Length: 1.88 miles
Link to info and map: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment13.htm
Comments: Mostly "through the woods," but long hill and lovely area of older hardwoods along the southeast side of the West Branch of the Ontonagon River. Maintenance of the south of the steep uphill is greatly facilitated by use of the chapter's brush mower. One cannot drive to either end of this segment. Access from north involves driving to the top of the hill above the Victoria Dam powerhouse and walking down the roads and trail to the ford of the West Branch (1/2 mile). Access to the south end involves parking on Forest Road 733 and walking to FR 733-F. That distance is either 1/4 mile or 1 mile, depending upon whether the gate on FR 733 is locked or whether you have access to the key to that gate.

East Boundary of the Ottawa National Forest to a 2-track sand road west of the Oren Krumm Shelter
Length: Approx. 3/4 mile
Link to info and map: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment21.htm
Comments: Partially on edge of clearcut on DNR land, partially in strip left uncut by Wisconsin Electric Power Company. Segment needs annual mowing, but other than that, just an annual walkthrough to check on blazing, do a little lopping, and remove deadfalls. Both ends of this segment have seasonal access by 2WD vehicles via 2-track sand roads.

Trail from Ottawa National Forest/Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park boundary to junction of NCT and Lily Pond near east end of Lily Pond Trail
Length: 2.4 miles
Links to info: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment0.htm
                      http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment1.htm
Links to maps: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/images/greenstonefallstowestbranchbigironriver.jpg
                      http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/nctsummitpeakroadreroute2004.jpg
Comments: Entire trail lies within Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Most of this trail runs through virgin forest of northern hardwoods and hemlocks, and passes a couple of waterfalls. Easy access at large vehicle parking lot near south end of Summit Peak Road. Mostly easy trail maintenance unless a huge old-growth tree falls across the trail! Entire section is mowable with a brush mower.

Trail from South Boundary Road at the Presque Isle River bridge in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park south to the south park boundary at Gogebic County Road 519
Length: 3.7 miles
Links to info: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment0.htm
Links to maps: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/images/greenstonefallstowestbranchbigironriver.jpg
Comments: Almost all of this trail runs through virgin forest of northern hardwoods and hemlocks, and passes some views of the Presque Isle River. Roadside parking at Presque Isle River bridge. Also parking at gated road going east off CR 519 near the south park boundary. This section has infrequent state park trail blazes, but logs have been placed to help hikers through the more confusing areas. Maintenance would partly involve making sure the trail is followable. Entire section is mowable with a brush mower except at extreme north end.

Trail of Ron Lake property near southwest end of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
Length: 0.8 miles
Link to info: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/mapsandtrailconditions-segment0.htm
Link to map: http://www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf/images/sandstonefallstowestrtrail1.JPG. From the Forest Service trailhead on Gogebic County Road 519 that's just northwest of the letter "S" in the word "Spring", this segment heads northwest and then northeast back to CR 519.
Comments: The northernmost, short section of this trail is in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. This section typically needs moderate maintenance. It's mostly through pleasant woods, with a stream crossing and a short section of virgin forest at its north end.

Long-term, it would be nice for our chapter to adopt more of the trail in the western U.P. However, I'm hesitant to adopt additional sections until the sections above are all adopted.

For now, if you're interested in one (or more) of these sections, please let me know.