Many upgrades improved existing segments in a maintenance-focused year!
“It’s exciting to build brand-new segments of Ice Age National Scenic Trail, but it’s also necessary and rewarding to maintain what we have,” said Dave Caliebe, Trail Program Manager. “In 2024, 935 Ice Age Trail Crew volunteers dedicated 23,617 service hours to upgrading existing segments by improving drainage, hardening tread, and building new structures.”
The attention the Plover River Segment received exemplified the season’s maintenance-centered focus. During two projects, volunteers transformed a perennially wet, muddy section into a walkable path, fortifying it with hundreds of stepping stones and many feet of puncheon. Ice Age Trail University’s stonework workshop had prepared crew leaders to teach skillful stone setting during the Plover River project.
“The work the chapters tackled this year to prep for big projects was huge,” said Patrick Gleissner, Trail Operations Coordinator. “We wouldn’t have gotten as much done had the chapters not cleared the corridor, grubbed stumps, cut lumber to size, or built frames ahead of time.”
BEFORE and AFTER: Hemlock Creek Segment
Maintenance Sweep events targeted efforts in northern counties—Polk, Lincoln, and Langlade—where volunteers helped local chapters address larger challenges. They improved worn tread by reshaping it through de-berming, installing water dips for better runoff, or creating short reroutes. They also widened the corridor by clearing overgrown vegetation, refreshed or painted new blazes, and repaired structures.
“Volunteers took a deeper interest in keeping the Trail in good shape for hikers, jumping at the chance to learn tread maintenance, signage, tool maintenance, and other essential skills,” said Riley Dupee, Field Operations Specialist. “Folks also stepped up to improve the base camp experience, benefiting all aspects of the projects.”
With the long-simmering maintenance and reroute projects completed by the end of September, crews sunk their pick mattocks into the beginnings of new projects—creating a spectacular 19-mile section through Rusk County’s Blue Hills and expanding the Trail through Marquette County.
“2024 was a maintenance-focused year,” said Chad DuChateau, Director of Trail Operations. “But, we’re looking forward to crafting many miles of brand new tread in 2025, increasing the yellow-blazed miles for adventure and exploration.”
AFTER: Plover River Segment
2024 Trailbuilding and Maintenance Highlights:
- 13 Ice Age Trail Crew Trailbuilding & Maintenance projects
- 935 volunteers
- 23,617 service hours
- 2.5 miles of hand-built tread
- 4 bridges totaling 130 feet
- 30 boardwalks totaling 3,646 feet
- 440 stepping stones
- 22 broken tools
- 2.2 yellow blazed miles through Algoma and 2 miles through Montello
Plus… Habitat Improvement projects at Alliance-owned preserves improved the Trail corridor.
- 3 preserves received invasive species control efforts during winter.
- 35 pounds of native lupine seed was picked in June by volunteers.
- 6 preserves hosted a total of 17 seed collecting events during September and October!
We Couldn’t Do It Without You!
A big thank you also goes out to Alliance partner organizations, individuals, foundations, and businesses of all sizes. Your support provided the bedrock, underpinning this season’s impressive achievements.
Your generosity made the season’s achievements possible.
Special Thanks To:
Partner Organizations
Individuals and Foundations
- Alliance members whose support helps conserve, create, maintain, and promote the Ice Age National Scenic Trail! Membership donations helped make the season’s work possible.
- Carl and Lori Fisher (Greenbush Segment)
- Department of Natural Resources through its Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (Plover River Segment)
- The Dudley Foundation (Plover River Segment)
- The Dwight and Linda Davis Foundation (Plover River Segment)
- The Frank G & Freida K Brotz Family Foundation Inc. (Greenbush Segment)
- Henry and Margaret Reuss Charitable Remainder Trust (Season Sponsor)
- Nancy and Tony Schuster (Blue Hills Segment)
- National Park Foundation supported all three Maintenance Sweep events and provided crucial support for a WisCorps crew, which tackled a wide-range of projects from maintenance to structures to brand-new tread.
- The National Park Service’s CONNECT TRAILS TO PARKS program to support the National Trails System (Blue Hills Segment and Muir Preserve Project)
- The National Park Service through its Cyclic Maintenance Fund (Hemlock Creek Segment)
- Sally Wilmeth and Terry Geurkink (Season Sponsors)
- Steve Stys (Holy Hill Segment)
- Wausau & Marathon County Parks & Recreation Foundation (Plover River Segment)
- The West Foundation (Greenbush Segment)
Chapters and Friends of the Trail
- Blue Hills Chapter
- Central Moraines Chapter
- City of Merrill Parks and Recreation Department
- Cross Plains Fire Station
- High Marq Environmental Charter School
- Indianhead Chapter
- Lakeshore Chapter
- Langlade County Chapter
- Marathon County Solid Waste Department
- Marquette County Chapter
- Marquette County Land and Water Conservation Department
- Northwoods Chapter
- Superior Lobe Chapter
- UW-Madison Wisconsin Hoofers
- UW-Stevens Point students
- Washington/Ozaukee County Chapter
- The 2024 Crew Leader Training Class for showing up and confidently leading crews of fellow volunteers.
- Sawyers who – after previously being trained and tested – worked so hard and so safely cutting trees and brush throughout the Trailbuilding season.
Next Up:
Coming soon: Dates for the 2025 Habitat Improvement and Trailbuilding & Maintenance Season events.
Register today: Help with these for these rapidly approaching Habitat Improvement projects:
- December 6, 2024: Riverland Conservancy-owned Merrimac Preserve, Merrimac Segment, Sauk County
- January 10 & 11, 2025: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
- January 24 & 25, 2025: Hartland Marsh Preserve, Hartland Segment, Waukesha County
- February 7 & 8, 2025: Steenbock Preserve, Gibraltar Rock Segment, Columbia County
