December 2004 - Kekekabic Trail Club

THE
HUNGRY BEAVER
Volume 15, Issue 9
The Journal of the Kekekabic Trail Club
Annual Holiday Party
Tuesday, December 7th — 7 PM
The annual business meeting/holiday celebration will be
held in the Expedition Room of Midwest Mountaineering.
The agenda includes:
• Voting on board members
• Brief annual meeting
• Discuss need for volunteers and future
options for the club
• Slides from spring trips
• Refreshments
Midwest Mountaineering Discount: One Night
Only!
The night of the holiday party, Tuesday, December 7th,
all KTC members will receive a 15% off coupon for any
in-stock, regularly priced items purchased that night
(excluding boats). Come early and shop before the party,
or after. The store is open til 9 PM.
If you have slides you’d like to share, a video projector
and 35mm projector will be available. If possible, please
bring photos on CD. Of course snap shots are also
welcome!
Future of the Kekekabic Trail Club
To:
From:
Date:
Re:
Members of the Kekekabic Trail Club
Kekekabic Trail Club Board of Directors
November 23, 2004
Future of the Kekekabic Trail Club and
the need for volunteers
This letter is being written to address the future of the
Kekekabic Trail Club. We have come to a crossroads.
While the club has had a dedicated group of workers to
clear trails in May, the lack of people willing to get
involved in the club from June to April has become a
critical concern.
There is a core group of members who have willingly
given numerous hours of their time every year to deal
with the day to day operations of the club. This group
has been doing this for years. This has become one of the
main problems. They are becoming burnt out.
In order to coordinate the fifteen or so trips each May,
work starts by late November or early December. This
involves setting up the trail segments for clearing,
publishing the clearing schedule, recruiting trip leaders
Hungry Beaver • December 2004
and clearing volunteers, sending out trip information and
securing lodging/tools for each trip. For the last few
years, this work has fallen on the shoulders of a few
people who have not been willing to let the club fall apart.
The people currently doing the work for the KTC have
made the club one of their commitments for years.
However, it is unfair to assume or expect that they will
always be able to give the same level of time to the
running of the club. The bottom line is that more
members need to become involved in the operation of the
club. Without more volunteers we will need to consider
reducing club activities.
All members are invited to attend the KTC Annual
meeting on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 7 PM to
discuss future options for the club and the need for
volunteers. If you are unable to attend, but are willing to
take on a small or large volunteer responsibility, please
contact Liisa Beckman via phone at 612.729.7675, or e-mail
at [email protected].
Page 1
CONTACT INFORMATION
Terry Bernhardt, President
[email protected] ............................. 651-226-6546 (cell)
Lynn Glesne, Vice President
[email protected] ............................ 612-722-6815 (home)
Derrick Passe, Trails
[email protected] .................................. 763-286-0570 (cell)
..................................................................... 715-386-8348 (home)
Bill Burt, Publications
[email protected] ....................................... 507-280-9877 (home)
Jim Luadtke, Treasurer
[email protected] ..................................... 651-489-4418 (home)
Mark Stange, Secretary
[email protected] ....................... 651-483-5373 (home)
Connie Van Valkenburg, Grants
[email protected] ............................. 651-645-5463 (home)
Lisa Pazdernik
[email protected] ........................ 218-365-8496 (home)
......................................................................... 218-340-9686 (cell)
Minutes from the Monthly
Kek Board Meeting
(11/9/04)
Attended: Derrick Passe, Mark Stange, Terry Serres,
Connie Van Valkenburg, Sharon Johnson, Liisa Beckman,
and Tom Harris.
Three board members are needed for next year.
Volunteers are being sought.
Planning for the spring trips has begun. Timing of saw
training was discussed, more research will be done to
determine timing and location. Dates will be finalized so
advertising can be submitted to various publications.
The USFS will be doing a GPS survey of the Kek trails,
and new camp sites will be added. They are looking for
our input on location of the new sites. Members with
ideas are asked to contact a board member with locations
and justification for the location.
The KTC Trail Guide is out of date and needs to be
updated. Various options on how to do that were
discussed. Funding is being sought to print it.
Fred Base .................................................... 715-839-6579 (home)
Terry Serres
[email protected] ................................. 952-826-3338 (work)
..................................................................... 612-414-4116 (home)
Liisa Beckman, Coordinator/Consultant
[email protected] ........................ 612-729-7675 (home)
Tom Harris was present, representing the Border Route
Trail Association (BRTA). The BRTA recently
incorporated under 501(3)C, chiefly so that Rovers
members who make contributions can write them off, and
it better delineates the different function of the trail
committee within the otherwise recreation-oriented
Rovers. We agreed to continue working closely with the
BRTA/Rovers under the already existing MWTA
umbrella.
Fund raising update: Connie Van Valkenburg is working
on various grants, and has recently submitted one to the
American Hiking Society.
Bill Burt can no longer produce the newsletter. For the
time being, the newsletter will be produced by Liisa
Beckman.
Page 2
Hungry Beaver • December 2004
My Favorite Piece of Gear ...
BITS AND PIECES
KTC Membership Drive
Did you go on a spring clearing trip? Not yet a member,
but been considering joining the KTC? The first ten new
members can join for half price! Only $10 for an
individual! Just fill out the membership form (at the
bottom of the page) and mail to the return address
indicated, to receive your year-long membership.
Johannesburg Hiking Club
The Johannesburg Hiking Club, in Gauteng South Africa,
is a non-profit organization whose goal is “to meet like
minded outdoor and conservation orientated people who
wear heavy boots and smell like the mountain air.” See
their website at: http://www.jhbhiking.orga.za. Or check
out www.kek.org Links page for the link.
Spring Clearing Trip Photos Online
To see photos from the May 28-May 31st clearing trip of
the Kek West Trail crew, see: http://
www.tenderfoot.org/kek.
Membership Update
by Sue Roring
My favorite piece of gear that has been on 40 some trips
over the past dozen years is my camouflaged Army
blanket (poncho liner) made from thinsulate. I
confiscated it from our son when he came home from the
Army.
It weighs less than 2 pounds and compacts down to a 4x4
package or its used to cushion breakables in my pack. I
made a hole in the middle so you can wear it like a
poncho or throw it over your sleeping bag for added
warmth.
If anyone is cold in our crew, its the fastest way to warm
them up, its warm even when its wet. Its been
transformed over the years from its usual use as a
blanket. A photography blind to catch a shot at an Eagle,
a wind break, a privacy curtain around a latrine or
shower and a warm up towel after a cold swim.
Its sold in many of the outdoor catalogs for less than $25,
and would be a real asset on any trip. It washes well and
dries quickly. This is one girl who never leaves home
without her blankey.
As of the end of November, the KTC has 113 current
members, 23 whose membership has lapsed.
Cash Donations Welcome
End of the year cash donations to the KTC are welcomed
to support KTC activities. Donations are tax deductible.
Send a check to the address listed below.
KTC MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM
Name _________________________________________
Home Phone _________________________________
Address _______________________________________
Work Phone __________________________________
City ________________________
State ________
Zip _________ E-mail _____________________________
Yes, sign me up at the following Annual Membership Level (all levels include a one-year subscription to the Hungry
Beaver):
______
$20 Individual
______
$35 Family
______
$50 Sustaining (Includes your choice of a 3-map set of the Kekekabic Trail
OR a KTC-T-shirt—indicate size below)
______
$100 or more Trail Guardian (Includes BOTH a 3-map set of the Kekekabic Trail
AND a KTC-T-shirt—indicate size below)
______
Special Gift
______
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED
Return this form with your check made payable to:
Kekekabic Trail Club
309 Cedar Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Hungry Beaver • December 2004
Page 3
Kekekabic Trail Adventure
by Constance M. Van Valkenburg
Years ago, in 1972, I hiked the Kekekabic Trail with three
other people, and another group, who we planned to
meet half way, exchange our car keys, and go on.
It was early May, the days warm, but the nights cold.
There were still snow banks in shaded places, the snow
crumbling, gradually melting to add to the marshy areas
and swift brooks. We were in training to be leaders for a
summer of taking exceptionally intelligent young people
out into the wilderness, and teaching them how to cope
with the problems of planning, hiking, backpacking and
canoeing in the Boundary Waters. I had not previously
known that there was even a trail through the Boundary
Water area.
The trip was set up so one car drove to the Kekekabic
starting point on Fernberg Trail, and the other drove to
the entrance off the Gunflint Trail. I was excited as we
drove up the rough Gunflint road to the small parking
area to begin our trip. I had new LL Bean pacs - rubber
shoes attached to leather tops - because we had been
warned about boggy areas, and crossing beaver dams,
and about traveling light. Mark Smith, our leader, was
wearing old sneakers. We camped near the car, sleeping
without a tent, just a tarp under us, and a sleeping bag.
Early Saturday morning we set out, carrying our packs. I
had 2 changes of socks, rain gear, warm clothes,
toothbrush, kleenex, water, and my share of food in a
small red pack with an external frame.
As we swung down the trail the air was crisp and smelled
like balsam firs. We passed an old mine, just a hole in the
ground, Nichol's mine, we were told. Then passing a
small lake, we found tracks coming out of the water,
muddy drops flung over the nearby area, and wet bear
footprints leading us down the trail. I was glad we were
in a group and making sufficient noise to warn the bear
that we were coming. Early spring is a hungry time.
The trail got quite rough. From time to time there were
trees criss-crossed over the trail, or heavy, grainy snow
drifts to push through. We were kept busy going under
or climbing over the trunks, threading our way between
the prickly branches. Sometimes we had to climb steep
rocky places, or choose our way through roots or
marshes. Every footstep was an adventure. I finally had
to stop and wrap my ankles with birch tree back, because
my new boots had developed a wrinkle at the ankle,
which was bruising me.
Page 4
Mark was the only one who had hiked the trail before,
and who had a map. Whenever we stopped for a rest, he
consulted the ragged piece of paper and checked his
compass, but he seemed to know exactly where to go,
even though it was not always obvious to my eyes. There
were no true bridges over the streams, where we filled
our canteens, nor were there any camp sites, but there
were beaver dams. Toward late afternoon we made a
sharp turn to cross one of the dams, and had a messy time
of it. We finally camped in the late afternoon somewhere
between Strup Lake and Thomas Lake, just picking a
large tree to shelter us while we huddled together in the
owl haunted dusk. I tried to stay awake to see the
Northern Lights, but fatigue made me miss even the
howling of a wolf.
After a quick breakfast of coffee, and bread with peanut
butter and jam, we started off to challenge the next beaver
dam, teetering across it one by one. On the way over one
of our members twisted his knee. There was little we
could do but tie it up and get him a makeshift cane. Then
he wanted us to carry his gear. Opening his pack we
found a large iron skillet, and a coffee pot. Iron frying
pan? Coffee pot? No one wanted to carry those, so we
left them under a handy tree. I got his heavy sneakers,
and the rest was taken by the others.
Going on, we helped this short, slightly plump man over
the worst of the places. We were tired and irritable, but
glad there were no bugs as yet. Again I had to stop and
this time wrap my extra socks with the birch bark around
my ankles. The leather uppers of my boots were getting
unbearable.
The other group had not materialized. We thought at first
they were just slow, but as the day wore on and we
passed near Parent Lake, it became obvious that they
were not coming. When we finally limped into the
parking lot, there they were, very glad to see us.. They
had gotten lost, so turned around to wait for us. We
pooled our food in the late evening light, then turned in
for one more night under the stars before heading home,
worn out, but thrilled with the hazards overcome, and the
ineffable joy of being one with nature.
Hungry Beaver • December 2004
KTC Items For Sale—Buy Yours Today!
Item
T-shirt (indicate size: Sm, Med, Lg, XL)
Baseball cap
Patch (indicate tan or black)
Sticker
Guide
ORDER FORM
Quantity
Cost
____
$10.00
____
$8.00
____
$5.00
____
$2.00
____
$10.00
TOTAL
Total
____
____
____
____
____
____
Return this form with your check made payable to:
Kekekabic Trail Club
309 Cedar Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Hungry Beaver • December 2004
Page 5
MEETING SCHEDULE—2004/2005
DECEMBER
Tuesday, December 7th
5:30 PM Board Meeting
7:00 PM Annual Member Holiday Party
JANUARY—NOTE: No Member Meeting
Tuesday, January 4th
5:30 PM Board Meeting
Tuesday, January 18th
6:00 PM Volunteer Mailing Night
FEBRUARY
Tuesday, February 1st
5:30 PM Board Meeting
7:00 PM Member Meeting
Tuesday, February 15th
6:00 PM Volunteer Mailing Night
MARCH
Tuesday, March 1st
5:30 PM Board Meeting
7:00 PM Member Meeting
Tuesday, March 15th
6:00 PM Volunteer Mailing Night
309 Cedar Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55454
1.800.818.HIKE
e-mail: [email protected]
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Annual Meeting/Holiday Celebration .........page 1
Future of the KTC .............................................page 1
Monthly Board Minutes ..................................page 2
My Favorite Piece of Gear ...............................page 3
Kekekabic Trail Adventure ............................. page 4
KTC Items for Sale ............................................page 5
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Board Meeting
5:30 PM, Tuesday, December 7
Annual Holiday Party
7:00 PM, Tuesday, December 7
NOTE: THERE WILL NOT BE A JANUARY
MEMBER MEETING, BUT ...
DON’T MISS THE FEBRUARY MEMBER MEETING!
The program at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, February 1st will
include Sue Mulholland, Archaeologist for the Superior
National Forest. She will discuss the archaeological
history of the BWCAW, with special note of the Kek trail.
Location: Midwest Mountaineering.