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Happenings in the Keweenaw Peninsula October 14, 2005 Text © 2005 Ed Kraai for Keweenaw Now. Photos © 2005 Jeff Parker, Ed Kraai and Michele Anderson, as indicated.

Volunteers needed for Swedetown Trails fall work day Oct. 15

By Ed Kraai

CALUMET -- Volunteers are needed for the Swedetown Trails fall work day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. Lunch at the chalet will follow the fun. Even if you can only spare a portion of the morning, any amount of time and effort is appreciated.

After a great summer, things are taking shape for the upcoming ski season at Swedetown. T-11 (Dave Toczydlowski) has been brush mowing where he can, but there are spots that just need to be done by hand.

Jim and Anna Meese work on a Bear Chase Trail boardwalk this summer as Louise Oppliger, right, supervises. (Photo © 2005 Jeff Parker)

We plan on brushing and lopping spots that can't be done with the brush mower, installing snow fence, picking rocks, re-arranging signs at the trailhead and hopefully preparing the swamps.

The off-season began with a tree planting party back in May when approximately 30 club members planted a 1000 trees; mostly red pine, but also some white pine and spruce.

Craig Hughes, left, and Doug Oppliger plant trees at Swedetown in May 2005. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

The trees were planted up and over the hill from the chalet near the Jekyll and Hyde trails. They'll make a great wind block for a future trail as well as the section near the powder house that we currently use for the Bear Chase. 

Ski Tigers members Karen Oppliger and Alan Toczydlowski plant a tree that will eventually serve as a wind block for skiers at Swedetown. In the background is Madeleine Shoup. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

With the aid of some special goop used to enhance water holding capabilities these little guys are doing quite well. T-11 estimates that we had about a 50% success rate. Not bad for such a dry summer.

A surviving Swedetown tree planted last May as it looked this week. (Photo © 2005 Ed Kraai)

As the spring turned to summer, interest switched from skiing to other things like biking. Thanks to the effort of several individuals (primarily Jeff Parker, Marc Norton and Rick Oikarinen) Swedetown now has about 20 miles of biking trails including some really beautiful single track along McGunn Creek and a previously little known beaver pond.

View of the single track bike trail along McGunn Creek. (Photo © 2005 Jeff Parker)

Also much of the route from the chalet to M203 consists of single track; some of this is now being incorporated into our snowshoe trail.

Jeff Parker works on a Bear Chase Trail boardwalk during this summer's trail work. (Photo © 2005 Jeff Parker)

There is still good biking to be had, but we all know that the winter season is fast approaching. Join us for a fruitful fall work day this Saturday, Oct. 15.

Editor's Note: Ed Kraai, the author of this article, is the new president of the Copper Island Ski Cross-Country Ski Club. A resident of Keweenaw County, Ed is an active skier and mountain biker and participates in local races.

To view more photos of the tree planting please go to page 2 of this article

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