Ice Age Trail Alliance
Chippewa Moraine Chapter
Ice Age Trail Dispatch
October 2022
50 year old Firth Lake Boardwalk
New boardwalk will be similar to Mudbrook
The Chippewa Moraine Chapter of the Ice Age Trail will replace the 50-year-old Firth Lake Boardwalk. The boardwalk has served us well, but over the past few years, it has been a challenge to keep the boardwalk structurally sound. A big thanks to our carpenters who have worked hard to keep the boardwalk in shape. It may be a bit wonky, but it has always been solid under hikers' feet. Volunteer crews have been working throughout September to get the site ready for the project. The wood has arrived and is being prepared. The bridge section of the boardwalk will be built ahead of the project. The 750 foot boardwalk will be built the week of October 17th by a team of local volunteers, WisCorps volunteers, and MSC volunteers.
Note: The October 15th Trail Work Day is canceled due to the Boardwalk project.
Parade of Colors Hike - October 1st - Obey Center
The Parade of Colors Hike takes place at the Obey Center. Shuttlers will be available from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to take hikers to their starting point. Hikes will choose a hike from the variety of hikes available at the Obey Center. Hikers should wear sturdy shoes, pants, and long sleeve shirts. Bring water and some snacks for on the trail. Come early or stay after to visit the Obey Center. The Obey Center is open from 8:30-4:00. The weather is going to be beautiful on Saturday, so come on out and enjoy a hike on the beautiful Chippewa Moraine Segment.
Hike and Meet Monty - October 8th
Come with your family for a wonderful hike on the Chippewa River Segment on Saturday, October 8th. Hikers should arrive at 9:45 a.m. at the County CC parking lot for this 10:00 hike. This will be a 3.8-mile in-and-back hike that travels high above the Chippewa River, through the Krank Preserve, around Perch Lake to the trailhead at County Z, and back again. Kids are encouraged to look for a good walking stick. After the hike, join us at the Cornell Visitor Center to meet Monty the Mammoth, the mascot of the Ice Age Trail, and learn about the Ice Age Trail. Kids will have the opportunity to decorate their walking sticks.
CNG Makes Donation to the Firth Lake Boardwalk Project
The employees at Charter Next Generation in Bloomer voted to make a donation to the Ice Age Trail in Chippewa County. Many employees take their families for hikes at the Obey Interpretive Center. CNG made a generous gift of $4500 towards our Firth Lake Boardwalk project. Jerry Sazama and Vicki Christianson attended an open house at GNC and were presented with the check. Thank you to Charter Next Generation for helping to make our project possible.
Chapter Officer Position Open
Chapter Officers are up for election at our Annual Meeting in November. We have one position open for the Assistant Coordinator. This person would work with the Chapter Coordinator on office work, such as the monthly newsletter, postings on the Ice Age Trail website, and committees. The Assistant Coordinator would step in if the Chapter Coordinator were unavailable. If you are interested in serving the chapter in this capacity, please contact Libby Stupak at: stupakls@hotmail.com
Thank you, Serena, for serving in this position for the last year.
PBS American Experience: The Big Burn
PBS American Experience has a program about Ed Pulaski and the story behind his invention of this tool that bears his name. Learn about the beginnings of the National Forest Service and the largest forest fire in Forest Service history. After the Big Burn, Ed Pulaski invented the pulaski, which is used by firefighters to fight wildfires, and by Ice Age Trail volunteers for trail construction. Spectrum TV has the program on its On-Demand list. If you have access to programming that includes PBS, I highly recommend this program.
The Mammoth Hike Challenge is Back!
The Alliance is gearing up for the Mammoth Hike Challenge 2022. Registration is now open on the Ice Age Trail website. Go to https://www.iceagetrail.org/mammoth-hike-challenge/ to register. Participants are challenged to walk/hike/run/backpack 42 miles on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and visit 3 Trail Communities. Mileage can be accumulated individually, or you can register as a team and combine your miles. (So a family of four hiking together would each hike 10.5 miles) The Challenge is open to all ages and ability levels. People who complete the Mammoth Hike Challenge will earn a 2022 limited edition challenge patch and certificate.
It is getting easier to travel to a Trail Community each year. Cornell became the 13th Trail Community in 2020. In 2021, they added Antigo and Sturgeon Bay. This year they added Rib Lake and Merrill, putting the count to 17. It’s great to see more communities in the northern tier of the trail! (The other communities are: St. Croix Falls, Lodi, Cross Plains, Verona, Janesville, Milton, Whitewater, Delafield, Hartland, Slinger, West Bend, and Manitowoc/Two Rivers. By mid-August, updated itineraries will be available for planning your outings, so stay tuned. Download the free Strive ON app for information on the Trail Communities and nearby trail segments.
We are sponsoring two hikes during the Mammoth Hike Challenge. One is the Parade of Colors Hike at the Obey Center on October 1st. The other is our Hike & Meet Monty event on the Chippewa River Segment and at the Cornell Visitor’s Center on October 8th.
Volunteer Agreements - New Volunteers & Renewals
All new volunteers must have a completed Volunteer Agreement for the National Park Service to participate in our trail improvement days or volunteer at events. They have a new form on the Alliance Website. All members that already have a Volunteer Agreement are asked to fill out this new updated form if your form was received before January 2022. Thank you to those of you who have taken care of this already.
To access the new Volunteer Agreement, here is the link: https://www.iceagetrail.org/wp-content/uploads/Packet-Individual-301a-exp-10_2024.pdf. Please fill out the fillable form and email it to Daniel_Watson@nps.gov.
NOTE: The fillable boxes are on everything except the signature line. You can fill in the rest of the document and print it off. Sign and then scan your document and save it to your computer. Then send it to Dan Watson as an attachment. Or simply mail the signed document via snail mail. Dan’s address is on the directions page that comes with the form. Another option: Dan says you can type your signature in the date box next to your signature line.
When you send the Volunteer Agreement to Dan Watson, he will sign it and return it to you. Please print a copy for yourself or save it in your files. Email me at chippewamorainechapter@iceagetrail.org to let me know you have received your new signed Volunteer Agreement.
2022 Chapter Events - Come join us on our chapter hikes and trail work days!
We have the following events on our calendar for 2022. Come join us for our hikes, meetings, and trail work events!
October 1: Parade of Colors Hike - Chippewa Moraine Segment - with shuttles
October 8: Hike & Meet Monty - Chippewa River Segment/Cornell Visitor Center
October 15: Trail Maintenance Day Cancelled due to Boardwalk project
October 17-21: Firth Lake Boardwalk mini-MSC
November 21: Annual Chapter Meeting 6:30
See you on the trail!
Vicki Christianson
Chippewa Moraine Chapter Coordinator
chippewamorainechapter@iceagetrail.org
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The Ice Age Trail
A Walk Through Time