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Revised 04/08/10 |
Northwoods Native Plant Society / Michigan Botanical Club Mini Foray: July 26 & 27, 2008 All times given are eastern daylight time Field Trip Options Except as noted, morning trips meet at 8:30 am EDT for lunch pick-up and departure from the Bergland Town Park and return at noon; afternoon trips run 12:45 to 4:30 pm. (Some trips may run longer; see individual trip notes.) Note that ALL trips in the Trap Hills involve some steep climbing – some more than others. See each trip for details.
Field trips F and I are now FULL. Please select other field trips. Note:
Participants on all hikes should bring plenty of water (there will be none
available along the way), snacks if desired, and wear sturdy footgear with good
tread. All trips require
some driving to the trailhead. In most cases we will gather at the Bergland
Town Park to pick up sack lunches and car pool to the trailhead. Want a preview of the area
where the field trips will take place? Field trip leaders: Matt Bushman, botanist,
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Saturday morning, July 26Meet at Bergland Town Park at 8:30 am eastern time to pick up lunches, arrange carpooling, and depart for trips. Trip A: Trap Hills Hacking Trail Mixed hardwoods, clifftops, geology Susan Trull, Steve Garske, Doug Welker Moderate, suitable for stronger youngsters Participants will split up mid-day. You can
either return to Bergland with Susan Trull and take a different afternoon trip,
or stay on this trip (See trip A2) for the afternoon. Trip B: Norwich Bluff Botany and history Ian Shackleford, Loreen Lomax Moderately strenuous, family-friendly (see below) Norwich Bluff is one of the outstanding features of the Trap Hills, towering 530 feet above the West Branch of the Ontonagon River. Several copper mines operated there from 1845 to 1865, with a small community at the base of the bluff. Participants in this trip will learn about both the local flora and the history of Norwich Bluff. This trip will begin at the base of Norwich Bluff; participants will hike up an old mining trail (moderately steep) to the top of the outcrop. The plant community will transition from a rich hardwood river valley up to granite cliff. Highlights include mine shafts and adits, the Norwich Cemetery, stamp sands, and a vista from atop the 360-foot rock cliff. Total hike length
is about 3 miles ,and includes steep climbs. While this hike is suitable
for all ages, children need to remain with the group.
Trip C: Sandhill Creek Bog and Falls Northern hardwoods, bog, bryophytes, ferns, waterfall Colleen Matula, Matt Bushman Easy to moderate, suitable for kids We’ll hike through low, rolling hills and mature northern hardwood forest to a lush, beautiful bog, nestled in a small, narrow basin. This improbable bog is ringed by hemlock and carpeted with Sphagnum. The southern end is mostly open, while the northern end supports stunted black spruce and cedar. Pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea), pod-grass (Scheuchzeria palustris), small cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), and other bog specialists have somehow found their way here, along with leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), goldthread (Coptis trifolia), and creeping snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula). From the bog, we'll head over a small ridge and down a hill, through hardwood and aspen forest to Sandhill Creek. Tumbling over ledges of volcanic rock, this lovely waterfall is seldom visited. The rock banks of the river are carpeted with bryophytes, lichens, and patches of common polypody (Polypodium virginianum). If there is time on the way back, we will walk along the ridge downstream a short distance to a beautiful view of Sandhill Creek and the high bluffs beyond. Total length about 1 ½ mi. Saturday Afternoon Trip A2: Trap Hills Hacking Trail continued Doug Welker, Steve Garske Rugged terrain, off-trail hiking, spectacular scenery, rare ecosystems Strenuous. Not suitable for kids. Those who have lots of energy and are comfortable on steep slopes will continue east on the North Country Trail (NCT) and descend, off-trail, down a steep valley to the base of the 350-foot cliff to explore the botany and geology of the talus slope, and then ascend an even steeper ravine to reach the NCT again. Along the way, we will see male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas) and several other plants in the upland red oak-ironwood forest, which are not found in the surrounding lowlands. We will also visit a large beaver pond with Michigan-threatened Farwell’s water milfoil (Myriophyllum farwellii), a patch of the arctic remnant composite Petasites sagittatus, Petasites x vitifolius, and old-growth northern hardwoods on sizeable hills. Length 4 ½ additional miles in the afternoon. This afternoon portion is considered quite strenuous and is not suitable for those who are uncomfortable scrambling up and down steep slopes. Trip D: Cascade Falls Susan Trull, Quita Sheehan, Matt Bushman Waterfalls, riparian Moderate-strenuous, family-friendly (see below) The trail is a
short hike to the waterfalls on Cascade Creek, with a more round-about loop onto
an open rocky ridge with spectacular views.
The trail passes through northern hardwoods and oak woodlands and features
riparian vegetation near the falls.
If time permits, we will continue from Cascade Falls about ¼ mile to the
confluence of Cascade Creek and the West Branch Ontonagon River
(off-trail). We may be able to see Dryopteris filix-mas (male fern) and
Conopholis americana (squaw-root) on this trip. SMALL CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
THIS TRIP IF UNDER THE CLOSE SUPERVISION OF THEIR PARENTS WHEN ON TOP Trip E: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park Colleen Matula, Mark Jaunzems Lakeshore, virgin hemlock/hardwood Moderate but long/ suitable for families Trip returns to Bergland at 5:00 pm. The Porcupine Mountains State Park is Michigan's largest area of undeveloped wilderness. The Park was established in 1945 and later designated as a Wilderness Area. The Porcupine Mountains consist of a series of undulating, irregular ranges whose slopes are covered with stands of virgin hardwood-hemlock forest, with maple, birch, and basswood on the upper slopes through hemlock mixtures on the lower areas. The 4-mile hiking tour will take us through the virgin hemlock-hardwood forest to Lake Superior via the trail leading to Buckshot Cabin. There will also be an opportunity to drive over to Lake of the Clouds and many other scenic views along the way. Native plant communities observed will also include controlled bedrock outcrops and wet-mesic drainages that finally lead into Lake Superior and its shoreline. Hiking is all on the trail system with gradual slopes --- moderate but not strenuous. Sunday morning, July 27Meet at 8:30 am at Town Park to pick up lunches, arrange carpooling, and depart for trips. Trip F: Middle Branch Ontonagon River. Susan Trull, Ian Shackleford Botanical “hotspot,” floodplain Easy-moderate, not suitable for children To limit driving, we
recommend nearby Trips I or J in the afternoon.
We will follow established trails down to the Middle Branch of the Ontonagon
River. Total length about 2 miles. Hike easy to moderate. To limit driving, we recommend choosing Trip I or J for Sunday afternoon. Not suitable for children Trip G: Slate River Canoe Trip Colleen Matula, Steve Garske. Limit of six canoes or kayaks. Aquatics, sedges, wildlife Easy, but participants should be familiar with handling canoe or kayak, family-friendly
Cost of canoe rental $48; dependant
on renting 4 canoes – otherwise cost may be slightly higher.
From the south end of Lake Gogebic, we'll paddle south up the Slate River, a lush maze of river channels and marshes, bordered by a mix of sedge meadows and boggy swamps dominated by white cedar and tamarack, and surrounded by distant hills. Diverse and easily-accessible aquatic plant communities include large patches of white water crowfoot (Ranunculus longirostris) and water marigold (Megalodonta beckii), along with floating bur-reed (Sparganium fluctuans), water starwort (Callitriche verna), mare's tail (Hippuris vulgaris), and many others. We're also sure to see lots of wildlife, including dragonflies, frogs, blue herons, songbirds, and perhaps beavers and muskrats, whose lodges dot the open wetlands. This very beautiful and highly diverse wetland complex is unusual in western Upper Michigan. If time and water levels permit we'll park our canoes at the southern end of the slough and take a ¼ mile walk to see Judson Falls. Trip H: Gogebic Ridge Trail. Quita Sheehan, Matt Bushman Northern hardwoods, beaver pond, hemlock stand Moderate, family-friendly The Gogebic Ridge Trail crosses the west end of the Trap Hills, near the town of Bergland, our mini-foray base camp. We will hike a two-mile segment of the trail, through northern hardwoods and over two small bluffs, (one of which looks south to Lake Gogebic) to Weidman Lake. Weidman Lake is a shallow 30-acre beaver pond featuring numerous snag, and a diversity of birds. Sunday Afternoon Meeting locations to be determined. Trip I: Sturgeon River Gorge and Falls Wilderness: Doug Welker, Quita Sheehan Diverse and scenic habitats, geology Moderate - strenuous: Mostly off-trail hiking. Returns to Bergland 5:00 pm or later. (No group dinner is planned for Sunday evening.) Begins at 1:30 pm, eastern time; requires a 66-mile drive east of Bergland (a 32-mile drive east of the end point of Trip F). Those coming from Bergland will need to leave at 12:15 noon. If heading east for home after this trip, you may want to leave from here. Descend a beautiful ridge to the Sturgeon River, and hike along the river to Sturgeon Falls, where plant and habitat diversity are very high. At the base of a 150-foot sheer sandstone cliff, Doug will discuss the area’s geology, the nature and history of this wilderness, and the story of the origin of the Sturgeon River. A rocky ascent to a maintained trail will take us out, possibly visiting an oxbow lake. Total length 3 miles. This hike is considered moderate in terms of effort. Little of the hike along the river is on trail, though, and there are a few places where one must step carefully. This is not a hike for those who are not comfortable walking off-trail, though the off-trail hiking is not difficult. REALLY YOUNG CHILDREN (THOSE WHO HAVE ONLY BEEN WALKING FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS) SHOULD NOT COME. YOUNG CHILDREN NEED TO BE UNDER THE CONSTANT SUPERVISION OF A PARENT BECAUSE THERE ARE A FEW PLACES WHERE A FALL COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. Trip J: Military Hill Susan Trull, Ian Shackleford Largest landslide in Michigan, moderate, family friendly (see note) We will cross a dense floodplain terrace dominated by ostrich fern before following the East Branch Ontonagon River toward a huge landslide. The Ontonagon River cuts through unstable clay cliffs in this area, and in the spring of 2003 a block of clay slumped into the river, blocking it and forcing a new channel. Possible plants of interest include Pterospora andromedea, Cynoglossum boreale, Dryopteris goldiana, Orobanche uniflora, and Astragalus neglectus. Note: poison ivy usually cannot be avoided on this trip. Trip length about 1.5 miles. Suitable for all ages; watch children near the river Trip K: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Jan Schultz and Mark Jaunzems “Lost” lake, old growth, amazing ecology moderate to strenuous off-trail, suitable for stronger young people We will be walking through mesic hardwoods to Lost Lake then head back off the trail. EVERYONE should be able to walk well on uneven ground AND carry a compass just in case. We will see the small, isolated lake and several plant communities. The area has huge old growth trees of northern hardwoods with lots of hemlock and a few white pine. The understory is a spring ephemeral carpet of ground covers and open parklike conditions. The ecology of the “Porkies” is amazing. This trip will visit the interior of the park, and not the Lake Superior shore.
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