Author Archives: Maura Hanley

It’s not Complex: It’s the Glacial Passage Area

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The Cross Plains Complex gets a new name in honor of the area’s glacial significance: Glacial Passage Area.

A group of seven people holding a sign that reads "Glacial Passage Area".
On June 1, National Trails Day®, the new name for what was previously known as the Cross Plains Complex, was unveiled: Glacial Passage Area. Photo by Billy Flynn.
Just outside of Cross Plains lies an area of such glacial significance that it has been identified as a Scientific Reserve Unit; one of nine such designated places in the state (and country).

This particular Scientific Reserve Unit sits on the border of glaciated and unglaciated terrain and contains glacial landforms, including a gorge carved by glacial meltwater. What’s especially interesting is that the Reserve Unit includes property owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Dane County, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The one thing that connects these properties (or will eventually connect them) is the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

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Future Crew Leaders Receive Hands-On Training

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Crew Leader Training brings volunteers—who have previously demonstrated leadership skills—together to learn, work, and connect.

16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training. Photo by IATA Staff.
16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training. Photo by IATA Staff.
Demonstrating their deepening commitment to the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, 16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training from June 20-22, 2024 in Cross Plains, Wis. Their admittance into this three-day program underscored their prior enthusiasm for and participation in chapter-led or Ice Age Trail Crew events. The training supported their desire and ability to lead volunteer crews.

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Pollinators Supported With Successful Sip and Seed Events

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35 pounds of lupine seed picked!

Pollinators got a boost thanks to the collective efforts of 51 volunteers who donated 191 service hours to pick 35 pounds of native lupine seed. Photo by Amy Lord.
Pollinators got a boost thanks to the collective efforts of 51 volunteers who donated 191 service hours to pick 35 pounds of native lupine seed. Photo by Amy Lord.
Pollinators got a boost thanks to the collective efforts of 51 volunteers who donated 191 service hours to pick 35 pounds of native lupine seed—a remarkable amount. When added to wildflower seed mixes, this seed will enhance up to 180 acres, providing an essential early-flowering, nectar plant for butterflies and bees. It also represents a significant dedication to habitat improvement efforts by the Ice Age Trail Alliance and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Native Seed Collection Efforts Enhance Habitat

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By Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist. 

A student with MG21 harvests lead plant seeds, removing the seed heads with a set of clippers. Photo by IATA Staff.
A student with MG21 harvests lead plant seeds, removing the seed heads with a set of clippers. Photo by IATA Staff.
Spring through fall, restored native prairies offer beautiful blooms. With its dainty bell-like flowers, columbine offers pops of red in spring. Graceful, yellow coneflowers sway among grasses in summer. And in the fall, the majestic blazing star, with its lavender-colored puffs, towers above other blooms.

Native plants like these, gracing your hikes along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, are not a stroke of luck, but point to the intentional efforts of Ice Age Trail Alliance staff and volunteers. Through its Habitat Improvement Program, the Alliance is actively increasing the presence of native plant species on Alliance-owned preserves. This diverse array of plants supports an entire food web, creating a robust and resilient ecosystem benefiting pollinator species like bumble bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds.

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High Spirits, Inquisitive Minds at IAT-U

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A rewarding, hands-on learning experience for volunteers!

IAT-U successfully delivered 10 trainings to a total of 94 volunteers, who generously dedicated 1,486 hours. Photo by Alice Weinert.
IAT-U successfully delivered 10 trainings to a total of 94 volunteers, who generously dedicated 1,486 hours. Photo by Alice Weinert.
“Spirits were high and minds inquisitive,” said Riley Dupee, Field Operations Specialist, describing the vibe at the recent Ice Age Trail University (IAT-U) in Dane County. “Plus, the weather was mostly sunny. The sunsets from base camp were terrific and included a firework show in the distance on Saturday night.”

IAT-U successfully delivered 10 trainings to a total of 94 volunteers, who generously dedicated 1,486 hours to learning the skills and techniques necessary to contribute to the creation, maintenance, and promotion of a National Scenic Trail.

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Teamwork Successfully Kicks Off the Trailbuilding Season

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Multiple structures got built and repaired on the Hemlock Creek Segment!

96 volunteers donated 3,325 service hours to building and repairing Trail on the Hemlock Creek Segment at the first Trailbuilding event of 2024. Photo by Miranda Murphy.
96 volunteers donated 3,325 service hours to building and repairing Trail on the Hemlock Creek Segment at the first Trailbuilding event of 2024. Photo by Miranda Murphy.
Like the warblers, sparrows, and scarlet tanagers arriving from their winter home, the Ice Age Trail Crew volunteers returned to the Trail. 96 volunteers donated 3,325 service hours in 4.5 days to building and repairing Trail on the Hemlock Creek Segment (Barron and Rusk Counties, Wis.).

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Expert Assistance Spruces Up Beloved Polk County Segments

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A small maintenance crew in Polk County resulted in big accomplishments!

At the first 2024 Maintenance Sweep event, 30 volunteers donated 677 service hours to sprucing up Polk County Segments. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
At the first 2024 Maintenance Sweep event, 30 volunteers donated 677 service hours to sprucing up Polk County Segments. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
The first Maintenance Sweep event in 2024 crossed many items off the Indianhead Chapter’s to-do list, assisted by 30 volunteers who donated 677 service hours.

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2024 Trail Steward of the Year: Wendell Holl

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Wendell Holl, 2024 Trail Steward of the Year. Photo by Dennis Linley.
Wendell Holl, 2024 Trail Steward of the Year. Photo by Dennis Linley.
No volunteer may be more skilled at stonework than this year’s recipient of the Trail Steward Award: Wendell Holl, who lives in Lodi and is a member of the Lodi Valley Chapter. The Ice Age Trail Alliance staff bestowed this honor during the Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the Annual Conference and Membership Meeting, in Baraboo, in April 2024.

Thanks to Wendell’s guidance, grand staircases, retaining walls, and stepping stones have been expertly constructed all along the Trail—and better yet, he has trained the next generation of stonework experts!

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2024 Spirit Stick Caretakers: Fred and Marilynn Nash

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Fred and Marilynn Nash, 2024 Spirit Stick Caretakers. Photo by Dennis Linley.
Fred and Marilynn Nash, 2024 Spirit Stick Caretakers. Photo by Dennis Linley.
Fred and Marilynn Nash, residents of Weyerhaeuser and members of the Blue Hills Chapter, are the Spirit Stick Caretakers for 2024. The Ice Age Trail Alliance staff bestowed this honor during the Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the Annual Conference and Membership Meeting, in Baraboo, in April 2024.

Over the years, Fred and Marilynn have left an indelible mark on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Their contributions are vast and varied, from growing the Chapter into a small but substantial group to becoming Yellow Blaze Club members to providing shuttle service to hikers. Their passion, which grew stronger and deeper by the year, led them to become the Coordinator and Secretary for the Blue Hills Chapter. With these duties, they took on maintenance, signage, and everything else in a small chapter.

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2023 Ice Age Trail and Ice Age Trail Alliance Volunteer Recognition

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National Park Service Volunteer-in-Parks (VIP) Recognition. 

In 2023, a total of 220 volunteers for the Ice Age Trail earned recognition for the National Park Service’s VIP program. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
In 2023, a total of 220 volunteers for the Ice Age Trail earned recognition for the National Park Service’s VIP program. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
In 2023, a total of 220 volunteers for the Ice Age Trail earned recognition for the National Park Service’s  VIP program.  VIP volunteers receive recognition when they attain certain volunteer hour milestones (as long as their volunteer form is current!) Hours accrue, year over year.

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More Ice Age Trail Coming to Waupaca and Manitowoc Counties!

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Ice Age Trail Alliance protects two strategic properties for future Trail.

Photos by Kevin Thusius and Claire Finucane.
Photos by Kevin Thusius and Claire Finucane.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance permanently protected two strategically located properties in Waupaca and Manitowoc Counties for future Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The Alliance officially acquired both properties on March 21, using its own funding.

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The “Hottest” Land Restoration Tool: Prescribed Burns

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By Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist for the Ice Age Trail Alliance
An Alliance staff member wears safety gear and watches a fire during a prescribed burn.
Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist, during a prescribed burn at the Table Bluff Segment of the Ice Age Trail. Photo by Jo Ellarson.

Prescribed Fire Season: March through Mid-May

Fire, a useful tool in land restoration efforts, promotes healthy ecosystems. Prescribed burns – intentionally lit fires under controlled conditions – help create healthy, native-species-filled plant and wildlife habitats, meeting land management goals.

As a certified land trust, the Ice Age Trail Alliance utilizes fire, which benefits plant and wildlife communities and improves the hiker experience along the Trail. As a result, from March through mid-May, sections of the Ice Age Trail will be closed for prescribed burns, often for only a few hours.

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A Successful Winter Habitat Improvement Program (HIP) Season

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Dedicated volunteers improved many acres of crucial habitat!

Left: a person chainsaws a done tree while a fire burns in the background. Right: A tree with a painted yellow blaze stands in the forefront of a habitat improvement event.
Photo (1) by Riley Dupee and (2) by Maura Hanley.
Dedicated Ice Age Trail volunteers helped improve crucial plant and wildlife habitats across three Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserves: SwampLovers (Dane County), Hartland Marsh (Waukesha County), and Steenbock (Columbia County). A total of 158 volunteers donated 2,136 service hours.

Winter, offering both challenging AND perfect conditions for the Habitat Improvement events, didn’t deter hardy sawyers, swampers, and brush haulers. Invasive trees and shrubs were removed from more than seven acres, allowing for the expansion of native prairie and oak savanna.

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Take the Cornell to Lake Eleven Shortcut While You Can!

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Recent property protection: great for the Trail, not so great for shortcut seekers.

A scenic shot of trees with fall colors overlook a lake in the distance.
Otter Lake Preserve contains a creek and high-relief hummocky glacial topography, including several small ice-walled lake plains along the Perkinstown Moraine. Photo by Jared Wildenradt.
For years, hikers have shaved miles off a 40-mile connecting route between the Cornell and Lake Eleven segments by following state highway 64. A recent property protection for the Trail, however, will soon upend this popular shortcut.

The Ice Age Trail Alliance closed on a 76.08-acre property along County Highway H in Chippewa County. Now known as Otter Lake Preserve, the property contains a creek and high-relief hummocky glacial topography, including several small ice-walled lake plains along the Perkinstown Moraine. Continue reading →

Thank You for a Successful 2023 Trailbuilding Season

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Nearly 15-miles of brand new Ice Age Trail!

Photos by Patrick Gleissner, Dave Caliebe, and Rick Gamble.
Photos by Patrick Gleissner, Dave Caliebe, and Rick Gamble.
Two words – New Trail – describe the Ice Age Trail Alliance’s 2023 Trailbuilding Season!

Nearly 15 miles of brand-new Ice Age National Scenic Trail took shape, creating a banner year.

The season’s true superstars were the 1,031 volunteers who donated 24,725 service hours, an impressive amount!
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A Road Walk Becomes a Walk in the Woods!

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The final MSC Trailbuilding project for 2023 in Cross Plains brought a record number of volunteers and service hours.

A group of volunteers gather in a circle at the Cross Plains Segment for a morning meeting prior to the Trailbuilding event.
A record breaking number of volunteers gathered for the final 2023 MSC Trailbuilding Project in Cross Plains. Photo by Amy Lord.
The five-day trailbuilding project from October 18 – October 22 along the Cross Plains Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail ticked a lot of boxes: Enthusiastic volunteers, great weather, even better food, vibrant autumn color, an evening watching UW-Madison’s women’s volleyball on the big screen (literally), and pumpkin carving! As a bonus, volunteers built 3.1 miles of tread, including a 0.6-mile white-blazed loop trail.
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A 15-Year Project Receives Finishing Touches

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The concluding Rib Lake MSC Trailbuilding Project, a volunteer celebration, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the re-opening of the Rib Lake Segment.

152 volunteers donated 4,388 service hours to the final Rib Lake MSC project, allowing for the grand re-opening of the Rib Lake Segment! Photo by Dave Caliebe.
152 volunteers donated 4,388 service hours to the final Rib Lake MSC project, allowing for the grand re-opening of the Rib Lake Segment! Photo by Dave Caliebe.
“This MSC event was about putting on the finishing touches to a 15-year project,” said Dave Caliebe, Trail Program Manager. “Although Bob Rusch knows more about this than I do, the entire week felt like the final kick runners muster when approaching a marathon’s finish line.”

152 volunteers donated 4,388 service hours to reach the home stretch: The Ribbon Cutting ceremony on the morning of Sunday, October 1st, followed by a hike along the rerouted and reopened Rib Lake Segment
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The Rejuvenation of the Eastern Terminus

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Volunteers work together to move a large dolomite slab. Photo by Patrick Gleissner.
Volunteers work together to move a large dolomite slab. Photo by Patrick Gleissner.
“I love working on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail because what we do today will live on after we are gone,” said Cheryl Gorsuch, Lakeshore Chapter Coordinator. “It will provide our children and grandchildren with a legacy of connecting with nature and preserving the land for future generations.”

And since the Eastern Terminus is either the start or end of a 1,200-mile adventure, it’s fitting that seasoned volunteers worked alongside children with many years ahead of them. Together, the generations revitalized an important stretch of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
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Meet the Wisconsin Conservation Corps Crew Who Spent their Summer on the Trail

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Three Wisconsin Conservation Corps members help with trail maintenance.
Wisconsin Conservation Corps crew members help with trail maintenance on Ice Age Trail segments in Taylor County. Photo by Mark Ormsby.
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail and its volunteers got an assist this summer from five Wisconsin Conservation Corps crew members, who helped build and maintain the Trail:

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A Charmed Event: The Final Iola Ski Hill Segment MSC

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A group of volunteers sit and stand by a brand new stone staircase on the Ice Age Trail.
Volunteers proudly pose by a brand new stone staircase at the MSC Iola Ski Hill Trailbuilding event. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
Some MSC events occur beneath a charmed star like the third and final project of the Iola Ski Hill Segment’s reroute. It started with an outstanding and fun group of people coming together – 101 volunteers donated 2,237 service hours. This number included several volunteers from the June 2023 Crew Leader Training class.
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The Hiking Adventures of “Duckbill” and “Chicken Fat”

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Two men on a long distance hike pose and smile together next to a metal mammoth statue with their hiking gear.
Thru-hiker Darrell Beauchamp, left, and long-distance hiker Chris "Chicken Fat" LeBlanc, right. Photo by IATA Staff.
Darrell Beauchamp started his thru-hike on June 18, 2023 from the Western Terminus. Chris “Chicken Fat” LeBlanc began his long-distance hike on July 4, 2023 from the same location.

Chicken Fat, named for the enormous amounts of fried chicken he ate while hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2014, caught up to Beauchamp on July 25. They walked 30 miles together and camped in the Dispersed Camping Area along the Table Bluff Segment. They were talking and laughing like long-time friends when they reached the Ice Age Trail Alliance headquarters.

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Second Seasonal Maintenance Event Spruces Up Taylor County Segments

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Pilot program proves successful.

A scenic shot of a forest with a tree featuring a painted yellow blaze.
Ice Age Trail Segments in Taylor County received some much needed summer maintenance following winter storm damage. Photo by Lisa Szela.
Taylor County has more blazed Ice Age Trail than any other county in the state. It also has one of the smallest volunteer chapters (High Point Chapter) to support it. It’s for reasons like this, the Ice Age Trail Alliance formed a maintenance crew, comprised of volunteers across the state, to lend extra hands to local volunteers.
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