Ice Age Trail Dispatch
October 2011
In This Edition:
Parade of Colors Fall Hike Is THIS Saturday!
Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center Re-Dedication, Saturday, Oct. 15
Family Honors Life Of Kim Heidtke
Trail Improvement Morning, Saturday Oct. 15
Bridge Building Plans, Oct. 18-21
Regional Meeting, Oct. 22
Parade of Colors Annual Fall Hike Is THIS Saturday, Oct. 1
Our annual signature event, the Parade of Colors Fall Hike, is ready to roll out this Saturday, Oct. 1. It's sure to be a splendid fall color hike as the weather forecast is for sunny, mild weather, the maples are turning perfectly, and the ponds are refreshed with rain.
Whether you enjoy the event as a participant, hiking a distance of your choosing from 1 to 6 miles, or as a volunteer, or both, please join us at the Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center this Saturday.
The details are:
Register anytime between 9 and 11
Pick your preferred hike length - from 1 to 6 miles
Volunteers shuttle you to your starting point, and you hike back one way to the Visitor Center
Snacks are available for the hike, and upon your return
Stay and enjoy the things to discover at the Visitor Center, or take a different hike in the afternoon
If you would like to help out in any way, whether it's making treats, driving hikers, putting up posters, marking the route, etc., please let us know via email. We can always use your help to drive or bring treats for the hikers!
Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center Re-Dedication
Perhaps no one person was more instrumental in the development of the Chippewa Moraine Visitor Center than retired U.S. Representative David R. Obey. As a result, and in honor of his long, distinguished career as a representative, it is being re-named in his honor at a special event planned for noon Saturday, October 15, at the Center. Congressman Obey and State Senator Robert Jauch, along with various DNR officials, will be present for the celebration.
All who enjoy and value the Center are invited to attend the celebration. The plans and program are not yet finalized, but it promises to be a great celebration in honor of a great friend of the Ice Age Trail and of those who value places such as the Chippewa Moraine.
Event planners are encouraging those interested in volunteering on the Ice Age Trail in the morning before the event to contact us. We're planning an abbreviated trail improvement activity close by that will give folks a taste of light trail maintenance. If you'd like to join the volunteer work, please email us so we can plan accordingly.
Family Honors Life Of Kim Heidtke
We're pleased that the family of Kim Heidtke has decided to participate in our upcoming bridge project by contributing to the cost of the project in honor of Kim, an avid outdoors woman who died recently. Kim had a special connection with the Ice Age Trail, according to her father, Roger Sharp of Holcombe, in that in addition to enjoying many hours hiking on the trail, she met her companion while hiking at the Chippewa Moraine.
Family members plan to attend when the bridge is being completed and place a routed sign, commemorating Kim's life. Current plans are to construct the bridge later in October.
Trail Improvement Morning, Saturday, Oct. 15
Due to the scheduling of the Visitor Center naming and dedication in honor of Congressman Obey, we've had to reschedule our prior plans for our October 15 trail improvement day. As noted above, we'll have an abbreviated light work activity in the morning, concluding in time to get back to the Center in time for the Celebration. We'll meet at 9:30 AM at the Visitor Center, and go to a nearby section of trail in need of lopping and general brushing. Please bring work gloves and wear sturdy shoes. If you plan on joining us, please let us know via email so we can plan accordingly.
Bridge Building Plans
Our Bridge Building plans have changed in that Saturday, Oct. 15 is not available to us. As a result, we have had to switch to a midweek day to do most of the construction. The date has not yet firmed up, but if you are interested in helping out with this construction project, probably during the period of October 18-21, please let us know via email. We'll take your availability into consideration in setting the date, so please tell us which of those dates you are available.
IATA Regional Meeting, Oct. 22
Chapter members from the northwest chapters will meet in Rice Lake on Saturday, October 22, from 9 AM to 2 PM. It's a great chance to hear what other chapters are doing, learn what the Alliance staff have planned, and learn something new about what makes the Ice Age Trail happen. A new series of Ice Age Trail handbooks that focus on various aspects of trail building and maintenance will be rolled out. Lunch will be provided by IATA.
If you wish to attend, you should register. Also, to facilitate car-pooling, please also email the chapter and we'll help coordinate.
Where To Find Information
Here's where to look for IAT and IATA information:
IATA Information: http://iceagetrail.org/home
Chippewa Moraine Chapter Information: www.iatchippewa.org AND http://chippewamoraine.iceagetrail.org/home AND www.twitter.com/iatachippewa (subscribe!)
Calendar of Chapter and Alliance Events: http://chippewamoraine.iceagetrail.org/chapter-events
Chippewa Mammoth Trackers (informal hike announcements): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MammothTracker
Hiking the trail: www.iceagetrail.org (check the options under the "Hike the IAT" tab). For Chippewa County: http://chippewamoraine.iceagetrail.org/hike-the-chapter
National Park Service Information about the Ice Age Trail: www.nps.gov/iatr/index.htm