February 2024
Annual Conference 2024
02/10/2024 12:45
The Alliance is holding its annual conference at the Ho-Chunk Hotel and Conference Center in Baraboo. The conference runs from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st. Registration just opened. Go to 2024 Annual Conference & Membership Meeting to register for the hotel and the conference.
New Property Acquired for Trail Near Otter Lake
02/10/2024 12:40
The Alliance has purchased a new piece of property within our eastern corridor. This beautiful undeveloped 76 acre property is now called the Otter Lake Preserve. It contains high-relief hummocky glacial topography, including a kettle lake, a marsh, a stream, and several small ice-walled lake plains. It is a hilly property that will connect 365th Street to County H at the southeast end of Otter Lake. It will take several years to get trail established, and once it is done, it will be a beautiful piece of trail to hike. Thank you to Jared Wildenradt (8 time IAT hiker) for bringing this property to the attention of the Alliance.
Zoom for Volunteers with Dan Watson - Mar 6
02/10/2024 12:35
Dan Watson will hold the annual NPS Volunteers in Parks Program Updates session on Zoom on Wednesday, March 6, at 6:30 pm. Dan will discuss the new Swamper Video, where to send Volunteer Agreements, Chainsaw Program information, a 2023 program recap, and more.
You can find more info and register at: IAT-U Virtual: NPS Volunteers-In-Parks Program Updates (2024) - Ice Age Trail Alliance.
Girl Scout Snowshoe Hike at Camp Nawakwa - Feb 24
02/10/2024 12:30
The OUR NAWAKWA nonprofit group completed their purchase of the Camp Nawakwa property in January. Their plan is to maintain the camp to provide outdoor experiences for youth. For the past several years, we have been partnering with the Girl Scouts to hold a snowshoe hike. We are holding our event with the Girl Scouts again this year, and we will be the first group to hold an event with "Our Nawakwa".
Mother Nature has not been good to us this year, but we hold out hope for enough snow to snowshoe by the end of February. If not, we can hold it as a winter hike. We will need 3 or 4 hike leaders for the event. If you have snowshoes, and would like to participate in this snowshoe hike, please contact Vicki Christianson to volunteer. The volunteers will arrive at noon with a sack lunch. The hike will begin at 1:00. More information will be sent to our registered volunteers prior to the event. Hope to see you there.
If you want to know more about "Our Nawakwa" you can go to their Facebook page. On Facebook, search for Our (Camp) Nawakwa. Check out the post from Sherry Jasper that was posted early morning on January 31. It starts out: "This is a great one for people to share". Her post gives a terrific overview of their plans and goals for the camp.
Mother Nature has not been good to us this year, but we hold out hope for enough snow to snowshoe by the end of February. If not, we can hold it as a winter hike. We will need 3 or 4 hike leaders for the event. If you have snowshoes, and would like to participate in this snowshoe hike, please contact Vicki Christianson to volunteer. The volunteers will arrive at noon with a sack lunch. The hike will begin at 1:00. More information will be sent to our registered volunteers prior to the event. Hope to see you there.
If you want to know more about "Our Nawakwa" you can go to their Facebook page. On Facebook, search for Our (Camp) Nawakwa. Check out the post from Sherry Jasper that was posted early morning on January 31. It starts out: "This is a great one for people to share". Her post gives a terrific overview of their plans and goals for the camp.
Volunteers - Chippewa Moraine Chapter Trails 2024
02/10/2024 12:25
In 2024, we will take over maintenance of the trail that lies in the Chippewa Moraine National Scientific Reserve. This includes the entire Chippewa Moraine segment and the west 1.5 miles of the Harwood segment. This will add 9.5 miles of trail work for the chapter. We have added trail adopters to this section of the trail who will monitor the trail and do minor trail cleanup. In April, we will have a major trail maintenance day to clean up winter damage to the Harwood Lakes and the Chippewa Moraine segments. We will need a full crew to accomplish this. If you are not on our trail crew (with a Volunteer Agreement-see below), consider joining our trail crew this year. There is something special about building and maintaining the trail. You will never look at the trail with the same eyes again after participating in a work project and learning what it takes to keep our trails in top condition.
Ice Age Trail Crew Opportunities (Formerly MSC)
02/10/2024 12:20
The calendar is out for IATA trail projects for 2024. Go to https://www.iceagetrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2024-Season-at-a-Glance-Trailbuilding-and-Habitat-Improvement_SAVE-THE-DATE_12-01-23.pdf for information on the upcoming trail events.
New Volunteer Agreement Links
02/10/2024 12:15
As we enter the new year, check out the new links for renewing your Volunteer Agreements. Please use the new links I have posted for the Volunteer Agreement and the email address for sending it in to Dan Watson.
All volunteers need to have a completed Volunteer Agreement for the National Park Service each year in order to participate in our trail improvement days or to volunteer at events. They have a new form on the Alliance Website.
To access the new Volunteer Agreement, here is the link: https://www.iceagetrail.org/wp-content/uploads/Packet-Individual-301a-IATR-Staff_508.pdf. Please fill out the fillable form and email it to iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov
NOTE: Fill in all the required boxes. The fillable boxes are on everything except the signature line. You can type your name and date in the date box next to the signature line. Save the document to your computer and then send it to NPS as an attachment. Or print off your completed document, sign it, and mail it to the NPS. The address is on the directions page that comes with the form.
When you send in the Volunteer Agreement to NPS, they will sign it and return it to you. Please print a copy for yourself or save it in your files. Email us at chippewamorainechapter@iceagetrail.org to let us know that you have received your new signed Volunteer Agreement.
All volunteers need to have a completed Volunteer Agreement for the National Park Service each year in order to participate in our trail improvement days or to volunteer at events. They have a new form on the Alliance Website.
To access the new Volunteer Agreement, here is the link: https://www.iceagetrail.org/wp-content/uploads/Packet-Individual-301a-IATR-Staff_508.pdf. Please fill out the fillable form and email it to iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov
NOTE: Fill in all the required boxes. The fillable boxes are on everything except the signature line. You can type your name and date in the date box next to the signature line. Save the document to your computer and then send it to NPS as an attachment. Or print off your completed document, sign it, and mail it to the NPS. The address is on the directions page that comes with the form.
When you send in the Volunteer Agreement to NPS, they will sign it and return it to you. Please print a copy for yourself or save it in your files. Email us at chippewamorainechapter@iceagetrail.org to let us know that you have received your new signed Volunteer Agreement.
Chapter Calendar 2024
02/10/2024 12:10
These are our annual events. Watch for information on upcoming events and additions (in red) to this calendar in the monthly newsletters.
Feb. 24 Snowshoe Hike with the Girl Scouts at Camp Nawakwa
March 18 Chapter Meeting
April TBD Monthly Trail Maintenance- Chippewa Moraine/Harwood Lakes
April 18-21 Annual Conference - Wisconsin Dells- Ho Chunk
May 1 Natural Resources Foundation Hike - Chippewa River Segment (Closed hike)
May 5 First Sunday Hike 1:00 Chippewa River Segment
May 18 Trail Maintenance Day
May 20 Chapter Meeting
June 1 National Trails Day Hike 9:00 Firth Lake
June 15 Trail Maintenance Day
June 20 Solstice Hike with Girl Scouts - Nawakwa
July 15 Chapter Meeting and Picnic - Mill Yard Park
Aug. 4 First Sunday Hike 1:00 Obey Center
Aug. 17 Trail Maintenance Day
Sept. 4 First Sunday Hike 1:00 Harwood
Sept. 16 Chapter Meeting
Sept. 21 Trail Maintenance Day
Oct. 5 Parade of Colors Hike - 9-11 Obey Center
Oct. 19 Trail Maintenance Day
Nov. 18 Chapter Annual Meeting
Feb. 24 Snowshoe Hike with the Girl Scouts at Camp Nawakwa
March 18 Chapter Meeting
April TBD Monthly Trail Maintenance- Chippewa Moraine/Harwood Lakes
April 18-21 Annual Conference - Wisconsin Dells- Ho Chunk
May 1 Natural Resources Foundation Hike - Chippewa River Segment (Closed hike)
May 5 First Sunday Hike 1:00 Chippewa River Segment
May 18 Trail Maintenance Day
May 20 Chapter Meeting
June 1 National Trails Day Hike 9:00 Firth Lake
June 15 Trail Maintenance Day
June 20 Solstice Hike with Girl Scouts - Nawakwa
July 15 Chapter Meeting and Picnic - Mill Yard Park
Aug. 4 First Sunday Hike 1:00 Obey Center
Aug. 17 Trail Maintenance Day
Sept. 4 First Sunday Hike 1:00 Harwood
Sept. 16 Chapter Meeting
Sept. 21 Trail Maintenance Day
Oct. 5 Parade of Colors Hike - 9-11 Obey Center
Oct. 19 Trail Maintenance Day
Nov. 18 Chapter Annual Meeting
Volunteer Opportunity: 2024 Trail Maintenance Program
02/10/2024 12:01
In 2024, we will be completing a 1 mile reroute of the Harwood Lakes segment at Kim’s Crossing. This will get us off the logging road. The trail will turn off the logging road and travel south along the edge of a wetland before turning east and traveling high along the south flank of a hill until it meets up with the west end of the shared Horse Trail. This route will travel out of sight of any future logging projects along the logging road. To the south of the hill is a wetland with several kettle lakes.
In 2023, our carpenters replaced a dilapidated bridge at Brunet Island on the Jean Brunet Trail. The new bridge was a big success, and we are going to do another bridge build at Lake Wissota State Park this year. A big thank you to our carpenters for their masterful work.
In 2024, we will take over maintenance of the trail that lies in the Chippewa Moraine National Scientific Reserve. This includes the entire Chippewa Moraine segment, and the western 1.5 miles of the Harwood segment. This will add 9.5 miles of trail work for the chapter. We have added trail adopters to this section of the trail who will monitor the trail and do minor trail cleanup. In April, we will have a major trail maintenance day to clean up winter damage to the Harwood Lakes and the Chippewa Moraine segments. We will need a full crew to accomplish this. If you are not on our trail crew (with a Volunteer Agreement-see below), consider joining our trail crew this year. There is something special about building and maintaining the trail. You will never look at the trail with the same eyes again after participating in a work project and learning what it takes to keep our trails in top condition.