Chapter Meeting Monday: Planning For 2012
Our November Chapter meeting is our annual look back at the past trail season and plan what we will do in 2012. We always value our members' input, but in this case it is essential! Come to our meeting and help us decide what's on the agenda for 2012.
We meet at 6 PM on Monday, November 21, at the Chippewa Falls Public Library.
Help "Sell" The IAT
This Sunday is our chapter's annual trek to Minneapolis to participate in the fall edition of the Outdoor Expo, where we get to tell our Twin Cities area friends about the IAT and answer all their questions. Care to come along? We'd enjoy your participation and company. Besides, there's time to buy great outdoor gear at great prices as everything is marked down for the show. If you are interested, or want more info, please email chapter@iatchippewa.org or call 715-967-2164.
We Have A Beautiful New Bridge!
Our carpentry crew has executed a beautiful new bridge on the trail just east of the Deer Fly Trail. It replaces the temporary rock crossing that was created after a flood washed out a large chunk of trail this summer. The bridge bears the name "Kim's Crossing" as a memorial to Kim Heidtke, who died this summer and whose memorial funds paid for the costs of the bridge. It was a new experience for us to work with a memorial, and we really appreciated the financial support as well as meeting Roger Sharp, Kim's father, as he came out to the construction scene to install the beautiful marker he had lovingly crafted.
Our team of Tony Schuster, Dave Rasmussen, Ron Brewster, Bill Burnap, Jerry Sazama, and Richard Smith spent parts of several days and many hours on the project. You can see images of the various stages of its construction here. We also appreciate the assistance of Chippewa County's forestry staff for providing rocks for the project.
Use Caution During Hunting Season
The annual gun-deer hunting season begins this Saturday, and as usual, extra caution is needed if venturing out on the trail during this period. Be sure to wear orange vests for safety if you do go out during this 10 day period.
One section of trail in particular is closed as it passes across private land and the landowners do not want hikers on their land during this period. That section is from Hwy E westbound to the county forest boundary (about 1 mile).