IAT Volunteers Needed!

From Matt Kaufmann mkaufmann@wisc.edu
------------------------

Hoofers!

Help volunteer for the Ice Age Trail!

As you may or may not be aware, Wisconsin is home to a 1200 mile foot path with national significance. This trail is known as the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (often referred to as the Ice Age Trail) and roughly follows the extent of the most recent glaciation. There are only 11 national scenic trails in the US, and the IAT has the same designation as the more famous Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail. With a western terminus at Interstate State Park near St. Croix Falls and an eastern terminus at Potawatomi State Park in Door County, the trail winds across Wisconsin through the forests, among farm fields, on the prairies, and through towns, villages and even a few small cities. In fact, the trail skirts Madison to the west and south.

If you have been in the club for a while, you have surely seen trips announced for volunteer opportunities on the IAT. We have done trail building and maintaining, removing invasive species, planting prairies, burning brush piles, etc! Hoofers also hikes, snowshoes, skis, and backpacks the trail throughout the great state of Wisconsin.

Here is another volunteer opportunity Hoofers should take advantage of. Email the contact below, Sharon, stating your interest and tell her that you are with Hoofers!

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21 Jan 2010
Contribute to the Ice Age Trail Companion Guide

Maybe you don't need an excuse to hike your favorite segment or explore a new segment of the Ice Age Trail, but here's one anyway. The IATA is going to be updating the Ice Age Trail Companion Guide for a 2011 edition, and we could use your help as a field editor!



What you do as a Field Editor: Travel to an area of Ice Age Trail and check that Trail and trailhead descriptions listed in the current Companion Guide are still accurate. Update town information and verify Trail access descriptions for car and foot travelers. (Take a look at this excerpt if you’re not familiar with the format.)



You’ll be given an editing packet with guidelines, text copies of the Trail section to work from and maps. Expectations are that you’ll hike your segment and submit your revisions and updates by September 1st, 2010.



The Companion Guide is a valuable tool for day-, section- and thru-hikers of the Ice Age Trail. It contains Trail descriptions, GPS waypoints and information on Trail access, area communities and IATA volunteer chapters.



This is a great opportunity to explore an area of the Ice Age Trail and get to know the community around it. Segments of all lengths are available...helping out by covering a one-mile segment is just as valuable as a ten-mile segment.



If interested or for more information contact volunteer Sharon Dziengel (sharondziengel(at)yahoo.com, 262-271-0703) by April 1st, 2010. We hope to see you in the "field"!

Feb. 6-7 Trip to Ice Age Trail Alliance Mobile Skills Crew Winter Rendezvous

From Colleen Berg colleenberg2@gmail.com
------------------------------

Well Howdy!

Have you helped build a portion of the Ice Age Trail? Or hiked it? Heard of it and have always wanted to become involved somehow? Never heard of it and are slightly curious? Enjoy bunking up w/ fun people in cabins and then being active outdoors? (I've always wanted to write a trip announcement that begins with a lot of questions!)

Cecilia Welch and I are leading a trip to Amherst Junction, WI to attend the Ice Age Trail Alliance Mobile Skills Crew Winter Rendezvous. We'll be meeting at Park Street Circle on Saturday, February 6th at 8am. We'll grab any gear we need (cc skis, snowshoes) and take off asap. Once there, we'll hang out near the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station where the rendezvous takes place, stay overnight on Saturday and head back to Madison on Sunday late-morning/afternoon. There is an MSC strategic planning committee meeting to preview the draft 2010–2013 Mobile Skills Crew Strategic Plan. If there is interest for staying for that, I'm sure we can arrange rides accordingly. Here is the alliance's description of the event:

Saturday's slate is primarily devoted to socializing and outdoor fun. There is a network of trails on the CWES grounds and access to the Ice Age Trail just down the road. The Iola Winter Sports Club Nordic Center is just a few miles away, as are Skunk/Foster Lakes SNA and Waupaca SFA, sites of the June 2009 MSC event. We will arrange carpools for hiking, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.

Lodging will cost $20 per person for a bunk in the Walker Lodge. If you want to participate in the group lunch, dinner and sunday breakfast there are fees for those as well ($8 lunch, $10 dinner and $7 breakfast). Otherwise, there is a kitchenette in the cabin if we want to keep it cheap and cook for ourselves.

Email me (Colleen) if you're interested! Let me know if you have a car (I have room for one more in my own), how many it holds, if you need gear and what time you want to be back on Sunday. Sorry this is so last minute, but if you DO want to go you need to preregister by tomorrow (Jan 22nd) at this website: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WinterRendezvous2010

Hope to hear from some of you!

Colleen Berg and Cecilia Welch
colleenberg2@gmail.com

Ice Age Trail workday Saturday, 16 January

From Connie Lane
--------------------------

If anyone wants to work on the Ice Age Trail tomorrow, please e-mail me if you need a ride or just want to carpool.

Saturday's work continues the restoration of an oak savanna on the site where the Ice Age Trail Center willsomeday be built. We will removethe evil buckthorn and other non-native plants, and a large bonfire will be burning - something most Hoofers enjoy. We will cook lunch on the bonfire around noon.

Dress to get dirty and do NOT wear your good outdoor clothes. This is a real bonfire and your good outdoor clothes are flammable or like to melt. Wear old wool or cotton clothing that you don't mind getting dirty. Bring work gloves if you have them, water (lots - I'd bring 2 liters as working near the fire is hot) and snacks.

We'll be at the Cross Plains site from 9 to about 2 or 3, then return to Madison. Please contact me be 10 pm Friday night if you want to go.

Connie

Connieenal@yahoo.com

Hoofers in the IAT newsletter!

From: Matt Kaufmann, Outing Club VP
--------------------------------

Hello Hoofers!

Though winter only started, I want to reminisce for a little bit about this past July. Several Hoofers volunteered their weekend to join a Mobile Skills Crew event and build official Ice Age Trail near Cross Plains. Fun was had by all, and four of us even made the cover of the Ice Age Trail Alliance's quarterly mailing. Check it out at the link below. Hoofers has became the face of Ice Age Trail Alliance.... young, full of energy, and a can-do attitude! Way to be Hoofers!

Here is the link...
http://www.iceagetrail.org/PDF/Mammoth_Tales_2009_4.pdf


-Matt "Navs" Kaufmann, your Hoofer Outing Club VP

plant prairie in Cross Plains Saturday morning, 5 December

From: Connie Lane
-------------------------

Hey All,

Another tract of native prairie, which eventually will contain a section of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, will be planted this Saturday morning south of Cross Plains. If you want to contribute to the trail, this is by far one of the easiest tasks volunteers can do. You walk around in a tract of land that has been plotted into a grid, and fling seeds other volunteers (school kids, retired people, regular trail volunteers) collected over the past year throughout Wisconsin. In two years, a beautiful prairie will flower, and once the plants are firmly established, trail will be built.

If anyone wants to plant prairie this weekend, please e-mail me (Connieenal@yahoo.com) and I will coordinate rides. Plan to meet at 8:30 am at the UW Credit Union on University Avenue. We'll carpool to Cross Plains and plant seeds for about 3 hours. It will be colder than last month (when it was 70 degrees!), but we'll bring hot drinks and the IAT leader is bringing drinking food and drinks. Dress warm and wear good shoes/boots, and you will be fine.

This event was inadvertently left off the Ice Age Trail calendar, but it is happening.

Connie

Reannouncement: Trail Building this Weekend!

From: Matt Kaufmann
----------

Saturday! Saturday! Saturday!


Ice Age Trail: trail construction

Date and time: Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 8:25 AM until 4:30 PM
Location: Andersen Preserve in Cross Plains, WI
Contact: Matt "Navs" Kaufmann
Description:
Continuing on with the tradition of Hoofers volunteering their time in order to create a fine hiking trail for public enjoyment, another trail construction day is scheduled in Cross Plains! The location of this event is the same place many Hoofers built trail back in mid-July and also again in early-October. This section of Ice Age Trail will prove to be more than worthwhile.

Hoofers are needed for volunteer work along the Ice Age Trail just outside of Cross Plains! On Saturday, October 24, let's build trail and further complete the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The main convoy will leave Park Street Circle (PSC) at 8:30 No trail construction experience is needed. There is a short learning curve! Many hands make little work.

Who: Hoofers, friends of Hoofers, Hoofer friends' friends, imaginary friends are not welcome, significant others, younger cousins, older cousins, big brothers, little sisters, your twin, everyone and their mom

What: Trail construction

Where: Ice Age Trail off of Lewis St. in Cross Plains. Cross Plains is a 30 minute drive west of Madison.

When: On Saturday, October 24 meet at PSC at 8:25am! Depart shortly thereafter at 8:30.00 and arrive at the trailhead ready for work at 9am. Work until the afternoon hours and then possibly stop for a late lunch/early dinner in Cross Plains. Be back in Madison by mid/late-afternoon/early evening. We'll shoot for being back in Madison by atleast 4:30pm.

Why: The completion of this hiking loop depends on volunteers like YOU!

Dress for the weather. We will go out in most weather conditions (already braved temperatures ranging from 20 to 92 degrees this past year and also snow and rain). Layers are always good.
Dress to get dirty. Clothes you would wear while gardening work great. Dress to do work. Leather work gloves are a must along with sturdy footwear (ie, hiking boots).
Bring plenty of water (seriously, 2 liters is recommended) and some snacks and definitely a lunch if you plan on building trail for most of the day.
Bring some gas $. Cost of gas should be minimal and will be negotiated with passengers.

If the group wants, a late lunch/early dinner in Cross Plains is definitely possible.

Sign up by email and/or talk to me at the Tuesday meeting if you want more info.

Questions, concerns, problems, or if you just need to talk...
Email me at mkaufmann@wisc.edu or call (262)689-8811

-Matt Kaufmann

Trail Building! 10/24/09

From: Matt Kaufmann
---------------

Ice Age Trail: trail construction

Date and time: Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 8:25 AM until 4:30 PM
Location: Andersen Preserve in Cross Plains, WI
Contact: Matt "Navs" Kaufmann
Description:
Continuing on with the tradition of Hoofers volunteering their time in order to create a fine hiking trail for public enjoyment, another trail construction day is scheduled in Cross Plains! The location of this event is the same place many Hoofers built trail back in mid-July and also again in early-October. This section of Ice Age Trail will prove to be more than worthwhile.

Hoofers are needed for volunteer work along the Ice Age Trail just outside of Cross Plains! On Saturday, October 24, let's build trail and further complete the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The main convoy will leave Park Street Circle (PSC) at 8:30 No trail construction experience is needed. There is a short learning curve! Many hands make little work.

Who: Hoofers, friends of Hoofers, Hoofer friends' friends, imaginary friends are not welcome, significant others, younger cousins, older cousins, big brothers, little sisters, your twin, everyone and their mom

What: Trail construction

Where: Ice Age Trail off of Lewis St. in Cross Plains. Cross Plains is a 30 minute drive west of Madison.

When: On Saturday, October 24 meet at PSC at 8:25am! Depart shortly thereafter at 8:30.00 and arrive at the trailhead ready for work at 9am. Work until the afternoon hours and then possibly stop for a late lunch/early dinner in Cross Plains. Be back in Madison by mid/late-afternoon/early evening. We'll shoot for being back in Madison by atleast 4:30pm.

Why: The completion of this hiking loop depends on volunteers like YOU!

Dress for the weather. We will go out in most weather conditions (already braved temperatures ranging from 20 to 92 degrees this past year and also snow and rain). Layers are always good.
Dress to get dirty. Clothes you would wear while gardening work great. Dress to do work. Leather work gloves are a must along with sturdy footwear (ie, hiking boots).
Bring plenty of water (seriously, 2 liters is recommended) and some snacks and definitely a lunch if you plan on building trail for most of the day.
Bring some gas $. Cost of gas should be minimal and will be negotiated with passengers.

If the group wants, a late lunch/early dinner in Cross Plains is definitely possible.

Sign up by email and/or talk to me at the Tuesday meeting.

Questions, concerns, problems, or if you just need to talk...
Email me at mkaufmann@wisc.edu

-Matt Kaufmann

Trail Construction this weekend!

From: Navs Kaufmann
---------------

This is a reannouncement...

Hikers/Backpackers/Outdoor Adventurists/Trail Builders/Volunteers/Hoofers:

Well known across the great state of Wisconsin, volunteers from the Hoofer Outing Club are needed for trail maintenance on the Ice Age Trail!

On the weekend of October 9-11, let's do some trail work! The Mobile Skills Crew of the Ice Age Trail will be hosting an event in Taylor County (like a 3.5 hour drive north/northwest of Madison). The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is an 1100+ mile footpath that is found entirely within the state of Wisconsin and generally follows the extent of the glaciers. However, the trail is not done yet which is why we are building trail and also doing trail upkeep! Food and fun is guaranteed. No ratings or experience required.

This is how a Mobile Skills Crew event works. Volunteers from across the state gather for a weekend and accomplish a huge amount of work. The work is dirty (sometimes), physical (most of the time), and very rewarding (all of the time... in retrospect). In return for our volunteer efforts on the trail, we are provided three wholesome cooked meals during a full day of work. We will be camping on site at Wood Lake County Park. A typical day goes something like this... Breakfast served at 6:45am. Leave camp at 7:45 and be at work site at 8ish. Work until Noon and break for lunch in the field. Resume work for the afternoon and quit before 5. Get back to camp, clean up, lounge, and then eat supper at 6:30. Hang out around the campfire for however long you deem appropriate and then go to bed.

What you need for this trip. Tent (Hoofer Outing Club has these), sleeping pad (HOC has some), your own sleeping bag, leather work gloves (HOC has a few pairs), clothes to do work in, clean clothes to be comfortable and warm in, and sturdy footwear (ie, hiking boots) are a must. Dress for the weather and also physical, dirty work.

Here is the plan. Work occurs all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning (quit at noon). It is most likely that a caravan will leave Friday after work/class. If people are interested, it is certainly possible to work Friday as well. This trip is fairly cheap... bring $ for gas and any road food.

Drop me an email stating your interest in participating and when you can leave Madison. Interested people will then be emailed regarding possible carpools from Madison. Any questions, comments, concerns, drop me an email.

Matt "Navs" Kaufmann
mkaufmann@wisc.edu

Wednesday evening - tour the Hoofer-built segment of the Ice Age Trail

From: Connie Lane
--------

Trip: Hike the Ice Age Trail north of Cross Plains

When: 5:15 pm, Wednesday, 7 October 09

Where: meet at the Park Street Circle (PSC)

Leaders: Connie Lane, Matt Kaufmann

Cost: $1, plus money for food/ice cream

Wednesday evening Matt "Navs" Kaufmann and I will lead a tour of the Ice Age Trail segment near Cross Plains that Hoofer Outing Club members built last winter. Our trail segment is about 15 miles from campus.

For those of you who don't know it, the citizens of Wisconsin are building an 1100-mile trail for the National Park Service along the edge of the glaciers of the last ice age. Since Hoofers use trails for many of our outdoor activities, many of us have been building trail as a community service project. Sometimes (as in this coming weekend), we participate in Mobile Skills Crew weekends, when 300-400 people converge on a spot and build trail or trail structures (bridges, retaining walls, boardwalks) for a local chapter that cannot build big structures on its own, or sometimes we work on fairly simple trail in the Madison ares. Last winter we built a segment for the Dane county chapter of the IANST (Ice Age National Scenic Trail) as part of a larger area known as Table Bluff, and we have agreed to build another local segment this winter.

Wednesday evening Navs and I will take you to hike the segment built last winter. We hope that you decide after seeing the segment that you want to pitch in and help build the trail. Trail building days/events are always fun and in very scenic locations. We can guarantee you, once you build some trail, you will never take it for granted again. We'll answer any questions you have, either about our local trail or Mobile Skills Crew weekends, as we hike the trail.

We'll stop in for refreshments (probably frozen custard) before returning to Madison. We should be back by 8 or 8:30.

We have room for ten people. Let me know if you can drive and how many you can take. I'll let you know if I need for you to drive.

Please sign up by e-mailing me at:

Connieenal@yahoo.com

Trail Construction and Maintenance: 10/9-10/11

From: Matt "Navs" Kaufmann
------------

Hikers/Backpackers/Outdoor Adventurists/Trail Builders/Volunteers/Hoofers:

Well known across the great state of Wisconsin, volunteers from the Hoofer Outing Club are needed for trail maintenance on the Ice Age Trail! [Insert shameless plug here... go on Mary's trail building event happening this Saturday as well!]

On the weekend of October 9-11, let's do some trail work! The Mobile Skills Crew of the Ice Age Trail will be hosting an event in Taylor County (like a 3.5 hour drive north/northwest of Madison). The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is an 1100+ mile footpath that is found entirely within the state of Wisconsin and generally follows the extent of the glaciers. However, the trail is not done yet which is why we are building trail and also doing trail upkeep! Food and fun is guaranteed. No ratings or experience required.

This is how a Mobile Skills Crew event works. Volunteers from across the state gather for a weekend and accomplish a huge amount of work. The work is dirty (sometimes), physical (most of the time), and very rewarding (all of the time... in retrospect). In return for our volunteer efforts on the trail, we are provided three wholesome cooked meals during a full day of work. We will be camping on site at Wood Lake County Park. A typical day goes something like this... Breakfast served at 6:45am. Leave camp at 7:45 and be at work site at 8ish. Work until Noon and break for lunch in the field. Resume work for the afternoon and quit before 5. Get back to camp, clean up, lounge, and then eat supper at 6:30. Hang out around the campfire for however long you deem appropriate and then go to bed.

What you need for this trip. Tent (Hoofer Outing Club has these), sleeping pad (HOC has some), your own sleeping bag, leather work gloves (HOC has a few pairs), clothes to do work in, clean clothes to be comfortable and warm in, and sturdy footwear (ie, hiking boots) are a must. Dress for the weather and also physical, dirty work.

Here is the plan. Work occurs all day Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning (quit at noon). It is most likely that a caravan will leave Friday after work/class. If people are interested, it is certainly possible to work Friday as well. This trip is fairly cheap... bring $ for gas and any road food.

Drop me an email stating your interest in participating and when you can leave Madison. Interested people will then be emailed regarding possible carpools from Madison. Any questions, comments, concerns, drop me an email.

Matt "Navs" Kaufmann
mkaufmann@wisc.edu

Ice Age Trail Building Cross Plains!!

From: Mary Collins
----------------

Ice Age Trail Building this Saturday October 3

What: The Ice Age Trail Alliance is back at it, building new Ice Age Trail close to the UW-Madison campus! This weekend we will be moving rocks and dirt to create a section on one of America's eight National Scenic Trails.Trail building is legendary for the good people, good times, and the satisfaction of constructing trail that will be used for generations to come. No experience required! Hot apple cider may or may not make an appearance at the work site.....

When: Saturday, October 3. Meet at Park Street Circle at 8:15am. Work from 9am-3pm. Return to campus around 4pm at the latest.

Where: Andersen Preserve, Cross Plains, WI (about a 25 minute drive from campus). We will be working in the same spot that Hoofers worked in this summer. There is still about 1500 ft. of trail there remaining to be constructed, and some of it is on tough terrain, back in a deep valley.

What to bring: Work boots/shoes, layers of clothes you don't mind getting dirty, water, lunch, and a few dollars for gas.

Description: I will be leading a trip to Cross Plains to help construct one of our nation's National Scenic Trails, right here in the Madison area! The Ice Age Trail, a proposed 1,200 mile footpath that is located completely in Wisconsin, is being completed in sections solely by the work of volunteers like us. If you don't know about the Ice Age Trail, check out http://www.iceagetrail.org/. Trail-building is a whole ton of fun.

If you are interested in volunteering on Saturday (doooooo it!), send an email to Mary Collins at outingpresident@gmail.com.