A NEW PATHWAY IN YANKEE SPRINGS

Submitted by Charles Krammin

On June 14th Ron Sootsman, Mick Hawkins, Larry Hawkins, and Dave Goodman all gathered at the Big Boy in Hastings with Trail guide “Hiker Killer” Charles Krammin to take on vittles for scouting a re-route away from the horse trails in Yankee Springs Recreational Area.

Charlie Kramin has the undivided attention of Dave Goodman, Larry Hawkins, Andru Jevicks, and Ron Sootsman.

We proceeded to the Yankee Springs headquarters to pick up Andru Jevicks, Park Supervisor for Yankee Springs.  Andru asked Charlie how he came up with the reroute.  Charlie answered, “You just get out and walk in the wilderness with a compass and a map, and when you get lost, you find your way out.

In the case of Yankee Springs Recreational Area, the Southern Michigan Orienteering Club (SMOC) had surveyed all of the area and placed 4 x 4 posts marking various topographical features.  This map can be viewed on the SMOC Web site.  Charlie had identified a high land area south of Duck Lake and a 1/2-mile long marsh, which he termed the “eye in the needle” for the successful reroute.

As we started the hike from south of Hall Lake, Charlie pointed out two objectives: to cross the horse trail at right angles in case some day we had to install a “kissing gate” in order to limit trail access to hikers, and to avoid a 20% up-slope at the desired crossing.  So we back-tracked a bit to where Charlie led us down a different path, explaining that “you can climb a hill by going around it” — and thereby meet the standards for a premier National Park Service-certified trail.

As Charlie led us into the high ground, he cautioned those of us with weak ankles to be careful trying to follow him, because in places we’d be walking laterally across slopes on our way to the next “saddle” or low area between two adjacent hills.

Charlie then headed to the next saddle walking across a 50% slope, prompting insightful observations that we’d have more than a little benching to do when we actually constructed the trail.

As we reached the saddle, one hiker who was tracking the hike with a GPS unit noted that we had gained 42 feet in altitude.  Trail sage Charlie pooh-poohed the GPS as only accurate during fair weather with no leaves on the trees — and the other hikers prudently declined to engage him in dialogue on this point, preferring not to have to find their own way out of the woods just yet.

Charlie pointed out the beauty of the wilderness we were passing through.  As we continued to gain altitude we noted the presence of game trails, so we weren’t the first to blaze trails through the area.  We then reached a ridge along a very steep gully, which Charlie refered to as Yankee Springs’ “Grand Canyon.”

As we turned more eastward, Charlie called our attention to the tall white pines which were becoming more numerous to our right.  The area was better known to the local people as “The Pines.”  These study white pines were planted in the 1930's by the CCC camps at Long Lake and Chief Noonday.  The trunks are now about 16” in diameter and some time will become as statuesque as the virgin pines that once covered this area. The Yankee Springs Recreation Area brochure once called this one of the high points along with the Devil’s Soup Bowl, Graves Hill, and all the lakes.

As we reached the two track Pines Scenic Trail, Andru said they were planning to close this road to vehicle access and convert it to a foot trail.

As we passed the pines and started across the high spot South of Duck Lake, we heard an unprintable yelp in our rear echelons and turned to find chapter president Larry Hawkins on his face in the duff! Climbing over a large downfall tree trunk across the pathway, Larry’s boot lace had gotten snagged on a branch, and down he’d gone — joining the rest of the downfall. Unfortunately in the fall he re-injured his leg where he’d already been nursing a recurrent Achilles tendon problem.  He could still walk, but he was down for the count as far as the rest of this hike was concerned.

Andru reached another DNR officer with his radio and arranged for a vehicle to pick Larry and Mick up back at the Pines Scenic Trail, and the rest of us continued on toward Norris Road.

We “able” hikers crossed the horse trail at right angles again and proceeded over “The Little Mac” bridge — so designated by Lynn Waldron, the first of the trail builders of the Chapter.  We ended up at the trailhead on the west side of Norris Road which is also a historical point of interest as the site of the old Yankee Springs Stage Coach Hotel built in the early 19th century.

Andru Jevicks, Park Supervisor of Yankee Springs for the DNR, planned to waste no time submitting this proposed re-routing of this section of the North Country National Scenic Trail to the DNR in Lansing.  He felt that the new routing would do much to showcase a beautiful area of Yankee Springs, including The Pines, which was presently under-used.  At the same time it would be safer than the present arrangement of hikers and horses sharing the same trail and would provide for a much more pleasant hiking experience for visitors on foot than has been possible on the horse trail.
 

THE "VOLKSSWIM"

A THORNAPPLE EXPERIENCE — May 5, 2007

Submitted by Larry Hawkins

I am writing this in a spirit of self defense before Charlie Krammin or Cal Lamoreaux have the opportunity to spread their versions of our morning’s misadventures on May 5th. 

My brother Mick and I left the Kellogg Forest, having met with and photographed the Trail Adopters, and headed north to Middleville to participate in the Volkswalk/Volkscanoe sponsored by our AVA friends in Middleville.  I should have heeded the evil omens when the “Service Engine” warning light came on just down the road from the Forest.

Redbuds on the Thornapple -- as viewed safely from dry land....

True to his word, Charlie Krammin was waiting with the canoes at the Irving boat launch on the Thornapple River.  As we put our gear into the canoe, we did the only smart thing that we did all morning: we put on our PFDs.  We launched into the river.  Mick had been in a canoe before but either on a lake or a slow shallow river; so we did a little quick teaching job on surveillance for sunken logs and paddling like mad to maintain steerage.

We met our first obstruction at the railroad bridge and managed to get around it without shipping too much water.  The river was beautiful with red buds blooming and vast beds of trillium along the banks, and we were enjoying ourselves greatly.  When we got to our first log in the river, I had the opportunity to teach Mick how to paddle backwards.  We did manage to circumnavigate the log and start paddling in the right direction.

What happened at this point is not really very clear in our minds.  Retrospectively, I think I forgot the lesson that says “When the canoe begins to tip to the left, you must lean to the right.”  I remember seeing Mick throw his arms in the air, lean over backwards, and then suddenly it was very wet and very cold.  It was also very deep, as our feet did not touch bottom.  It was at this point that Mick announced that he couldn’t swim.  No problem!  We had our PFDs and a floating canoe, so I told him to stay with the canoe as I watched his water bottle and hiking staff float down the river.

Eventually we made it to the bank, and Mick gracefully mounted it while I worked the bow of the canoe up onto a log. With a little effort we emptied the canoe of water, righted it, and, with a little coaxing, I got Mick back in the canoe, leapt into the canoe with amazing agility (in my own imagination), and off we went congratulating ourselves that we still had “most” of our equipment including our hats.  Log #2 was patiently waiting for us just down river.

As we paddling I noted two lady volksmarchers in fluorescent green vests whom we had seen at the railroad bridge. They had passed us on the way back. What nerve!  I dug in and we zoomed on toward log #2 lying in wait for us.

Log #2 was a submarine obstacle.  We hit it, rolled, and doggone it!, there was Mick with his hands in the air leaning over backwards again!  Will he never learn?  Splash!  The river hadn’t warmed up any.  To make things worse, this time, I lost my hat.  I also lost my brother.

Realizing that the canoe was probably more valuable, I elected to stay with it and let him fend for himself.  Not to seem too cold-blooded, I must point out that we could, after a couple minutes floating, touch bottom here. We worked the canoe to the bank, almost lost the paddles, and, with a great deal of effort, emptied it once again.

At this point, Mick was shaking like a leaf, and I’ll admit to being a little chilled myself.  He announced to me that he "couldn’t do this anymore."  When I pointed out to him that he was sitting on a log on an island, he revised his thinking and was willing to get back in the canoe.

As we paddled into Middleville’s dam pond, I was chagrined to see that the lady volksmarchers had passed us again!

We paddled up to the Canoe Portage across from Stagecoach Park, and all Mick could see was dry land.  At this moment I realized that I had forgotten to teach him one more piece of canoe etiquette, the part where the first guy out of the canoe holds it for the second guy.  As soon as he was out, the tail on the canoe started swinging around and was heading for the dam!  With my usual grace, I tried to leap out of the canoe and keep it from floating away and managed to end up in the drink....again.  Mick, in a very loud voice pointed out to everyone in Stagecoach Park, that he had only fallen in the river twice and I had gone in three times!

Charlie Krammin showed up at this point, wrapped Mick up in a jacket and put him in his warm van before he got anymore hypothermic, and we loaded up the canoe. We stopped at Stagecoach Park and paid our AVA fees with very soggy currency, decided to forego the hike back to Irving in wet shoes and socks, and Charlie drove us back to Irving with the heater blasting, lecturing us all the way about how “smart” canoe people don’t take their wallets, cameras, cell phones and pagers with them and put things like that in waterproof bags. Will I ever stop learning from Charlie?

Addendum:  As far as I know, Mick and I were the only ones who did the Volkscanoe, and somehow I doubt that we’ll get AVA credit for the Volkswim 5-5-7.

Webmaster's comment:   Uh ... no comment....
 

THE CLARE FACTOR

WORKDAY IN LOST NATION SGA — APRIL 28, 2007

Submitted by Larry Hawkins

We were a little light on workers and heavy on work for our April 28th workday, but we tackled it in good spirit.  It was a gorgeous spring morning, and the Chief Noonday group minus one “marshaled in Marshal” at the I-69 commuter parking lot, which was surprisingly full for a Saturday morning.  Ron Sootsman, Larry Pio, Jeff Fleming, and Larry Hawkins met Steve Hicks (with trailer attached).  We consolidated vehicles and headed off down I-69 and off into the hinterlands to the Lost Nation State Game Area where we met Mick Hawkins, who was standing in the road to inform us that the hitherto nice parking area at the Gilbert Road trailhead had turned into a swamp featuring a small lake.

Getting acquainted at the Gilbert Road Trailhead before heading into the work zone.

At the trailhead, the crew from Chief Baw Beese Chapter began to join us.  We met Steve Vear, the president of Chief Baw Beese Chapter, Ryan Bowles and Ralph Powell from Ann Arbor, Matt Chase from Jackson, and Jeff Ward from Tecumseh.  Ralph was the most senior member of the party and proved to be the trail adopter for the section on which we planned to work.  Last, but certainly not least, Clare Cain, the NCTA Director of Trail Management, pulled into the trailhead. 

After a few get-acquainted minutes, we unloaded the tools, packed up, and headed down the trail to seek out work.

Mick and I had earlier scouted this area and found a couple of areas that were badly washed out and basically required reroutes to prevent further erosion.  Fortunately, Ralph had already scoped out one reroute which we further refined, and we went to work.  Ron Sootsman, fresh from his Chain Sawyer Certification Course in St. Ignace, donned his chaps and helmet and set to with Jeff Fleming's backup.  When the big stuff was done, Steve Hicks fired up our mighty DR Mower and made a couple passes chopping up the smaller trees and bushes.  He then headed off down the trail with the mower to clean things up.  Ever see Steve mow a swamp?  The rest of us took up loppers, MacLeods and Pulaskis and set to building a trail.  Trust me, when we finished it was a fine piece of work.

Ryan Bowles (left) and Ralph Powell (right) of Chief Baw Beese Chapter break for lunch in the sun on the new trail with Larry Hawkins, president of Chief Noonday Chapter.

Ron and Larry joined Ryan Bowles to scope out the next reroute which was, again, around rather than over a hill.  This area was more open and therefore very heavily brushy, much of which proved to be wild rose.  More than one of us was bleeding by the time we had this one open.  Once again, the DR Mower proved invaluable as Steve made repeated passes opening up a beginning path for us to follow around the side of the hill.  Some lopper work to clear the overhead, and we were ready once again to build trail.  Steve, Ron and Mick headed out to carry out some mowing and chainsawing that we had anticipated and left the rest of us to man the trail building tools.

I must digress here for a moment to fully explain the moment, so those who were not present can fully appreciate what we did.  Though it was a gorgeous day, two inches of rain had fallen over the two previous days, adding to the fact that this was one of those hills that have springs seeping out at intervals.

In addition to this I have to add in the “Clare Factor.”

After my experience building trail with Clare Cain in Pennsylvania, I discarded all my previous medical definitions of “Physical Fitness.”  To me, being physically fit is to be able to “almost keep up with Clare.”  I have seen grown men weeping at the end of a day building trail with Clare.  I have to admit to a wee bit of sadistic glee as I watched these guys trooping off into the woods with Clare that morning.  My fun was spoiled a bit by my brother who also had worked with Clare in Pennsylvania.  He hollered “uncle” right at the outset and went off with his loppers and bow saw to do his own thing, and I never saw him again until the end of the day.  Our mother didn’t raise two fools.  I was, of course, the one walking down the trail behind Clare.

Our second reroute involved heavy duty benching into a hillside overlooking a beautiful little lake.  It was longer than our original piece of work and a whole lot muddier.  It took us about four hours to accomplish the connection back with the trail on the other side of the hill.  Though it was still muddier than we would have liked in a couple of spots, we had a good trail by the end of the day.  We had some attrition during the afternoon, and by the end of the project, it was Ryan, Jeff and I with Clare.  I have to admit, it was really three gasping guys leaning on tools watching Clare move dirt with her MacLeod.

We dragged our tools and our bodies back out to the trail head and packed them away.  It did my heart good to hear Clare admit that she was “tired.”  Steve, Ron and Mick pulled up shortly after that to report that they had mowed some areas that I had thought were inaccessible and sawed up a lot of trees that were downed over the trail.

All in all, we had a great work day in a beautiful area.  I’m kind of hoping that maybe we can plan a hike down there in the Fall, so the rest of you can enjoy a beautiful natural area -- as well as see the trail we built.

Larry Hawkins — a “survivor”