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New Big Ravine Headwaters Trails Now Open!

8/27/2023

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A wooden platform overlooking a marsh and pond
The elevated platform provides views of the pond, wetlands, and surrounding landscape. Click image to enlarge.
Thanks to a handful of hard-working volunteers, Bayfield Area Trails' newest trail, the Big Ravine Headwaters Trail, is now open for your enjoyment. The trail is a 0.5-mile loop path that starts about 200 feet west of the Meyers-Olson Road parking lot at the upper end of the Ravine Trail. Added features include informational signage and a raised pond viewing platform complete with bench for leisurely wildlife and sunset watching. 
Click images to enlarge.
A kiosk with informational signs
The trailhead kiosk welcomes trail users.
The Big Ravine Headwaters pond
The Big Ravine Headwaters pond.
A post along a trail with directional arrows attached
Signs guide trail users to the pond overlook and other sights.
A spur trail from the north side of the loop leads hikers through meadows and orchards to the Bayfield Winery & Blue Ox Cidery where one can relax with refreshments during business hours and savor a beautiful rural landscape panorama.  

FOR SAFETY: The portion of the trail leading to the winery ​crosses private farmland. Please stay on the marked trail and keep all pets leashed as there may be livestock present and electrified fencing on the trail perimeter. 
Big Ravine Headwaters Map
Big Ravine Headwaters Map. Click image to enlarge.
​Along the route, walkers will experience an interesting variety of habitats and vistas. The trail begins in darkened forest with carpets of wintergreen on the forest floor and soon leads to sunny, wet meadows enjoyed by sandhill cranes. Further along the trail is a tranquil view of a pond once worked by beavers but now the home of river otters, turtles, kingfishers, and waterfowl.  There are more distant views of the surrounding hills that hug this trail including orchard-covered slopes to the north and the looming Fire Tower Hill rising to the west.
Slideshow - Hover for controls.
While this wetland basin provides a variety of critical ecological services from flood control to wildlife habitat, it is an opportune link to advance recreational opportunities near Bayfield.  One can now enjoy a hike starting across from the Bayfield Library on Washington Avenue traveling creek-side in the ravine and ending atop the watershed at the Bayfield Winery & Blue Ox Cidery on Betzold Road close to Highway J, a distance of more than 2 miles. 
In October 2022, the Landmark Conservancy and the Town of Bayfield worked with the community to purchase this property. Funding was made possible through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund, the Duluth Area Community Fund, a North American Wetland Conservation Act grant, funding from the Town of Bayfield, and several private donations.  The 10 acres is now owned and managed by the Town of Bayfield.
Slideshow - Hover for controls.
Come visit the Headwaters Trail, stretch your legs, and appreciate the beauty that this area gives us to enjoy!
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​THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!!
  • Phil Bratsch, master mower of Blue Ox Cidery
  • Mark Filonowich
  • Paul Filonowich
  • Mary Finn
  • John Ipsen (Crew Leader)
  • Paul Kaese
  • Rolland Kiel
  • Kate Kitchell
  • Mike Kinnee
  • Ted & Tracy May
  • ​Rich Metcalfe
  • Mark Peterson
  • Rich & Janel Ryan
  • Kris Wegerson (Crew Leader)

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Salmo Trail Poetry Walk

7/18/2023

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By Lucy Tyrrell - Bayfield Poet Laureate 2020–2021
​A poetry trail idea was hatched as a project during my tenure as Bayfield Poet Laureate in 2020–2021. Instead of using a literal walking trail, in coordination with the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce, I organized the first Bayfield Poetry Trail (2021) in which 22 businesses (Bayfield Chamber members) posted poems in their windows. Many shops shared poems related to their business or location. The "trail" lasted for a month from mid-August to mid-September. 
A sign, surrounded by foliage, introducing the 2023 Salmo Poetry Walk next to a photo of the Salmo wetlands
Salmo Poetry Walk. Click image to enlarge.
​In 2022, the Bayfield Poetry Trail was expanded to include 26 businesses—this time during September to overlap with Art Escape and Bayfield Festival of Arts. Poems from the two past Bayfield Poetry Trails are available for reading in a binder at the Bayfield Carnegie Library, sponsor (with the City of Bayfield) of the Poet Laureate program.
​I thought it would be good to have garden or flower poems posted on local trails in concert with Bayfield in Bloom. This led me to wonder whether 2023 might be the year to have poems posted during June instead of September. Carol Fahrenkrog, Director of the Bayfield Chamber, suggested that trail poems be part of the Garden Tour and retain the Bayfield Poetry Trail in September. 
A sign displaying Peggy Trojan's poem
Salmo Poetry Walk - "Child" by Peggy Trojan. Click image to enlarge.
​With this in mind, I chose the Salmo Trail, an unpretentious trail near Bayfield that reaches the lake's sparkle. Because this trail is under the purview of the Town of Bayfield, I requested the Town’s approval for temporarily placing lath stakes with laminated poems. I also encouraged the Bayfield Carnegie Library to post poems (they chose two Mary Oliver poems). The Chamber collaborated by laminating the Salmo Trail poems and by including the Salmo Trail Poetry Walk and the library's "trail" in the Garden Tour brochure.
To give Salmo Trail users a chance to read about nature and blooms, I placed eight poems along the trail for the week of Bayfield in Bloom, listed as Stop #16 for the Garden Tour (June 10, 2023). Some poems were written by contemporary poets, while others were penned centuries ago.
​A few days after the garden tour was over, I stopped by the Salmo Trail intending to collect the poems. Just as I arrived in the parking lot, a woman was returning from the trail to her car. I asked whether she had been on the trail before and she said "Twice." She said all excitedly, "Have you been on the trail? It's great. There are poems out there to read. I loved the selection of poems. I've spread the word to a few people that they should come to the trail to walk it and read the poems." I revealed that I had chosen and placed the poems.
Because of this positive response and that of another couple coming off the trail, I decided to keep the poems up longer—through mid-July.
A sign displaying Walt Whitman's poem -
Salmo Poetry Walk - "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman. Click image to enlarge.
If you did not get a chance to experience this year’s poetry on the Salmo Trail, maybe there will be a repeat with different poems in 2024. 
The third annual Bayfield Poetry Trail will be staged for Art Escape, September 9-17, 2023 and poems will be posted for the entire month of September. Twenty-six businesses have signed up to participate. You can view a map of the poetry trail in the Art Escape brochure.
​The poetry trails and walks have been a group effort. Thanks to all! 
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Meet the Meme Miikana or Pileated Woodpecker Trail

7/9/2023

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Our new trail takes us on a 2-mile trip from the Les Voigt State Fish Hatchery up to the Jolly Long Trail – part of the Ashwabay cross-country ski trail network. It is a beautiful new trail taking people through a birders’ paradise with a lush growth of 6+-foot tall Cinnamon Ferns, Tall Meadow-rue, Cow-parsnip, and other rich under-foliage; across the fish-filled Pike’s Creek; then along the creek and up to the lower hills along a delightful hillside leading to the Jerry Jolly trail network that ultimately connects to the trailhead on Star Route.
Trail map showing from les Voigt Hatchery to Jolly Long Trail intersection.
Meme Miikana trail map. Click image to enlarge.
Pileated woodpecker perched on the side of a tree on a bright autumn day.
Pileated woodpecker along the Brownstone trail. Click image to enlarge.
The trail’s new name celebrates the north woods iconic Pileated Woodpecker, an awesome crow-sized woodpecker of woody woodpecker fame (and similar to the Ivory Billed Woodpecker) that can be heard and seen at times along the trail. The name in Ojibwemowin (the Ojibwe language) is Meme (pronounced may may’ – meaning Pileated Woodpecker) Miikana (pronounced mee (like the English pronoun) and cuh’ nuh).
The bridge across the creek is coming soon – to be installed in mid- July by the Anderson Bridges company (you’ve seen their bridges around if you’ve been on trails in northern Wisconsin and elsewhere).  Several volunteers have already cleared the bridge access, including cutting down large black ash trees, in preparation for the bridge installation. Brit's Tree Care removed the more challenging willow and box elder trees overhanging the bridge site to ensure that they don’t harm the white and yellow birches on the creek bank.
A really cool part of the project includes giving the wood from several large black ash trees to April Stone, a master black-ash basket maker from Bad River.  Some of the wood will also be made into musical instruments and other crafted products from the beautiful heartwood of the black ash trees.
A trailer filled with large black ash logs.
April Stone admires the black ash logs. Click image to enlarge.
After the bridge installation, volunteers led by Ted May and Sean Reagan, will complete the final trail segment that will include a small footbridge, several sections of boardwalk, and box steps to climb out of the floodplain. We anticipate having the Meme Miikana ready for the public in August; just in time for enjoying a mosquito-free experience of this wonderful community trail. By fall, the 1.3-mile Meme Miikana will be complemented by an additional 1.2 mile trail link to Ashwabay, thereby creating a 2.5 mile trip between Ashwabay and the hatchery parking lots.
View across Pikes creek showing space cleared for the bridge installation.
Bridge site cleared and ready for the new bridge. Click image to enlarge.
The new trails will be available for hiking and snowshoeing. Due to the DNR’s special management of the Pikes Creek Fisheries Management Area, no bikes are allowed. Meme will be closed during the mud-season to keep the trail in good condition through these sensitive areas.  Enjoy!

Volunteer!

Sign up today to help build the final segment of the Meme Miikana at the end of july. 
SIGN UP TODAY!

Thank you!

A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped clear the bridge site!
​
●      Ted May
●      John Ipsen
●      Kris Wegerson
●      Jon Martin
●      Sean Reagan
●      Gene Lemmenes
●      Sue Aiken
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A Busy June for Volunteers on the Big Ravine Trails

7/9/2023

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Bayfield Area Trails volunteers braved the June 2023 mosquito invasion to work on repairs and upgrades along the Gil Larsen and Pine Bluff Trails in Bayfield’s Big Ravine. Due to extremely high runoff from this year’s abundant snow, the creek in the Big Ravine deepened its channel and carried away all the steppingstones at creek crossings. This runoff also created gullying on the lower Pine Bluff Trail, putting the trail at risk of extreme erosion.
So, starting with World Trails Day on June 6th, 13 volunteers teamed up to rebuild the washed-out creek crossing near the base of the Sweeny Switchback Trail, restored and stabilized a section of the lower Pine Bluff Trail with rock armoring, and completed several improvements to the boardwalk and stairs on the lower Gil Larsen Trail. ​
Mike Kinnee, project leader for rebuilding the creek crossing and installing handrails next to the steps going up to the waterfalls viewing area, remarked “There are more people coming to Bayfield, and they’re looking for a diversity of things to do here. What we’re doing will improve the diversity—and the safety for visitors and residents who frequently use the Big Ravine Trails. Once we improved the area overlooking the waterfalls last fall, we thought we should improve the stairs. The stairs used to be a way up the bank; now they’re a way up the bank—safely! This is especially important when the stairs get wet or icy.”
Mike Kinnee standing admiring the completed post capping work.
Mike Kinnee placing metal caps on posts along the trail. Click to enlarge image.
As if to prove Mike’s point, visitors to Bayfield stood at the bottom of the steps, calling out, “Can we come up?” Volunteer trail-builders in Colorado themselves, they were in the area mainly to see the Apostle Islands—but also wanted to check out the trails.
“Before it was great, now it’s exceptional,” said Gene Lemmenes. Gene was on the crew that built the steps twelve years ago. “Back then we only had the Gil Larsen and the West Rim Trail. Some old, old steps had rotted away and, to get to the waterfalls, you had to crawl up a bank. Mike did the lay-out for the steps back then, and Grandon Harris led the crew that built them.
Two visitors standing at the end of a boardwalk along a wooded trail.Picture
Visitors from Colorado enjoy the trail. Click to enlarge image.
Other improvements to the Gil Larsen Trail included replacing several deck boards in the boardwalk at the start of the Gil Larsen Trail and installing galvanized steel caps on the posts along the first segment of the boardwalk. The upper, rotten sections of the posts were cut off, and caps attached on top to extend the life of the posts. Materials for all these improvements were funded from carryover grant funding under the City of Bayfield Parks & Recreation Committee.
A volunteer attaching a metal cap atop a wooden post.
Mike Kinnee capping posts along the trail. Click to enlarge image.
Gene’s concluding thoughts? “Everyone involved is really happy to have this to do. And for anyone who’s donated to the project in any way, it’s a source of pride.” Happy Trails!
Two volunteers on a wooded hillside holding a rake and a shovel.
Jennifer and Jon Crump hamming it up. Click to enlarge image.
A Big Thanks to Big Ravine Project Volunteers!
​
  • Crew Leader: Mike Kinnee
  • Jon Crump
  • Jennifer Crump
  • Bob Feyen
  • John Ipsen
  • Kate Kitchell
  • Gene Lemmenes
  • Tina Martin
  • Ted May
  • Jeff Nelson
  • Anney Olson
  • Stephen Vircsik
  • Kris Wegerson
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Volunteer for World Trails Day in Bayfield

5/31/2023

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Tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, skiers, horseback riders, trails clubs, land trusts and others will come together to celebrate World Trails Day on Saturday, June 3. Creating an international day for trails aims to recognize how important trails are to health, wellbeing and local economies, and that trails require ongoing maintenance, preservation, and love. 
Cindi Taylor working on trail repairs
Cindi Taylor in 2022

Bayfield Trails Event

When:
Saturday June 3, 8:30 am – noon

Where:
Meet at the Sweeny Switchback trail entrance to the Big Ravine (gravel storage area) located at the west end of East Sweeny Avenue. To get there, go uphill on North Second Street and turn left on Sweeny Ave. 

What to Bring:
Bring a friend, and leaf rakes, 5-gallon buckets for transporting rocks & gravel, shovels and clippers. Make sure your tools have some identification marking. Also, be prepared with proper clothing and footwear for slippery conditions, water and snacks, bug/tick protection and sunscreen.  

​See more details below.
Map showing the Sweeny Switchback trail entrance for the Big Ravine Trail
World Trails Day Bayfield event staging location.
To observe this day, Bayfield Area Trails will kick off the field season with a trails maintenance morning in the Big Ravine to repair and maintain trails impacted by the record-breaking snowfall and intense spring runoff.  Two dozen volunteers of all skill levels are being sought to help on one or more of six spots along this trail network. Tasks will range from raking leaves and clipping vegetation to hauling rocks and gravel from the creek bed to build crossings and stabilize the trails. Volunteers will:
  1. Build a small footbridge at the bottom of the Sweeny Switchback Trail and add rock to armor a side channel that cuts across the trail;
  2. Reconstruct the creek crossing along the main Gil Larsen Trail at the Sweeny Switchback intersection;
  3. Rebuild two other creek crossings upstream from the Sweeny Switchback intersection;
  4. Rebuild and stabilize a segment of the Pine Bluff Trail where spring runoff and seepage are eroding the trail;
  5. Reestablish the upper Gil Larsen Trail extension by clearing vegetation and raking/leveling the tread;
  6. Clean-up and rake selected side trails.
Lower Pine Bluff segment in need of repair.
Lower Pine Bluff segment in need of repair.
All volunteers should review the “Top Tips for Safety” and sign the volunteer release form in advance and bring that with them.  The form can be found at this link on the Bayfield Area Trails website.

Questions?  Contact Kate Kitchell at bayfieldareatrails@gmail.com or 541-452-3079
Volunteers on Big Ravine project in 2022.
Volunteers on Big Ravine project in 2022.

​Other upcoming projects in 2023: ​

Kris Wegerson checks out high water impacts.
Kris Wegerson checks out high water impacts.
  • Gil Larsen Trail boardwalk upgrades: late June
  • Hatchery to Ashwabay Trail, now called the Pileated Woodpecker Trail (Meme Miikana), : after the new bridge is installed, we will build boardwalk across the floodplain and start the new connection to the Ashwabay chalet: late July/early August
  • Big Ravine Headwaters: build trails, boardwalk, and wetland viewing platform: 2nd half of August
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2023 Bayfield Area Trails Forum Wrap-Up

5/14/2023

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Participants at the 2023 BATs Trail Forum
Happy Spring! Thanks to all who attended the Trails Forum on May 6th at the wonderful Bayfield Winery & Blue Ox Cider location on Betzold Rd. in Bayfield. Despite the inclement weather, more than 65 participants ventured through the fog to enjoy the spirit of camaraderie and reconnecting with trail friends. 

Quick Links

  • Trail Building in Costa Rica
  • Map Library
  • 2023 Priorities
  • ​2023 Project Calendar
​ 
Kathleen Russell and Ashley Huinker
​The feature presentation by Ted May and crew about trail building and conservation in Costa Rica was a real hit, and the refreshments that were arranged by the Trails Subcommittee were beyond belief. YUM! 

​At the forum, participants had the opportunity to look at maps and visit with our Bayfield Area Trails Committee (BAT Comm.) members about enhancements to existing trails and potential new trails. 
​To follow up on those discussions and to bring in folks who were unable to attend, we’re asking for your ideas via the survey linked below. We will use your input to guide our plans and priorities for the upcoming years. 

Even if you don’t have suggestions for existing or new trails, please respond to the survey with your volunteer interests so that we can effectively plan and implement the 2023 Project Calendar. 
OPEN SURVEY

Images from the Forum

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2023 Bayfield Area Trails Forum

3/14/2023

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​Please join us on Saturday, May 6th, for the Bayfield Area Trails Forum and Open House under a large tent at Bayfield Winery and Blue Ox Cider at 87380 Betzold Rd. in Bayfield.

​The forum runs from 9:00am to noon. There will be a feature presentation from 10-10:30am.

Table Topics:
Visit each table to mark-up maps & share ideas about enhancing and expanding the area’s trails and our volunteer programs.
  • Bayfield Area Trails: Developing the big-picture vision and plan. 
  • Bayfield County: Trail projects.
  • City of Bayfield: Big Ravine Trail system & more.
  • Landmark Conservancy: Brownstone Trail updates & vision.
  • Mount Ashwabay: Trail enhancements. 
  • Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa: Trail opportunities.
  • Town of Bayfield: Hatchery to Ashwabay & Big Ravine Headwaters.
  • BATs: Participate! 
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We look forward to seeing you there! Spread the word and bring a friend. Click the Event Poster button to download a PDF version of the event poster.
EVENT POSTER

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Sponsored by the Bayfield Area Trails Committee
LEARN MORE
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We’re Buying a Bridge!

3/8/2023

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Similar example of an Anderson bridge from a project in Oak Brook IL. Click image to enlarge. Photo credit: Anderson Bridges - https://andersonbridges.com/bridges
​Over the river and through the woods we go! Thanks to the sponsorship of the Town of Bayfield, we are celebrating the selection of Anderson Bridges as the contractor to supply and install a steel truss arched bridge across Pikes Creek. The bridge is the centerpiece of an all-new BATs trail connecting from the Les Voigt State Fish Hatchery Trail south of Bayfield to the Jolly Long Loop Trail at Mt. Ashwabay. The new bridge will be fifty-five feet long and five feet wide with steel railings and treated Southern yellow pine decking.
​“We were overwhelmed by the response to our plea for financial support for this project,” said Kate Kitchell, BATs Committee Chair. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we were able to raise the funds to proceed in record time. We are especially grateful for a very generous gift from Jim Bryan and Dee Johnson who donated more than half of the cost of the bridge.
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Pikes Creek at proposed bridge Location. Click image to enlarge.
​“Dee and I enjoy walking the many trails of the Bayfield area for which Bayfield Area Trails deserves much credit,” Jim Bryan said. “One of our particular favorite walks is along Pikes Creek. We found the idea of connecting the Pikes Trail to the Ashwabay system to be very exciting and worthwhile. The key to the project was the placement of a well built and durable bridge across Pikes Creek. Kate and BATs had done the ‘legwork,’ but the fundraising was far short of the goal. We decided to make a donation to push the funding ‘over the top’ and hopefully make the trail a reality in 2023. We’re thrilled that the project is indeed on schedule to open this summer. We live in a wonderful place and an enhancement like this trail will help make it even better for all.”
​The balance of funds for the bridge, boardwalk, and final trail work is available thanks to forty donors who contributed over $13,000 and $6,000 committed by the Town of Bayfield.
Our goal is to install the bridge by mid-July. The bridge site will be accessed from the service road/angler access behind the Fish Hatchery, about two tenths of a mile beyond the Red Dam gate. No equipment will be allowed in the creek due to its ecological sensitivity; thereby requiring all installation to occur from the side adjacent to the service road.
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SIgn for the South Shore Lake Superior Fish and Wildlife Area - Pikes Creek Unit. Click image to enlarge.
Other trail work will begin after the snow melt when Will Krift of Trails Anonymous will return to do "touch up" and drainage work on the trail built last fall. Following bridge installation, BATs volunteers will build about 150 feet of boardwalk across the floodplain to connect the new bridge with the trail built last fall. The final touches will include directional signage with maps, plus interpretive signs designed by BATs Communications team member Neil Howk.
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Anderson Bridges sign on Jerry Jolly trail bridge that crosses Pikes Creek. Click image to enlarge.
​Because the project is sponsored by the Town of Bayfield, a subcommittee appointed by the Town Board went through a competitive bidding process for the bridge fabrication, delivery, and installation. The subcommittee received seven bids and chose Anderson Bridges of Colfax, WI whose bid was within the fundraising goal of $45,000. People may be familiar with other Anderson Bridges in Bayfield County including the bridge over Pikes Creek on the Jerry Jolly Trail, and many snowmobile bridges. 
The plan for a trail to connect the Fish Hatchery to Ashwabay was developed over a two-year period with input from many community members. Thanks to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Paul Piszczek and Greg Behling for supporting the project and providing guidance as to how to develop the trail in an environmentally sensitive manner. As always, for their ongoing support, thanks to the Town of Bayfield including the Town Board, Town Chairman Tom Gordon, and staff members Kelly Faye and Billie Hoopman. 
Watch this video for a tour of the new trail and description of this important trail connection.
Thanks also to project subcommittee members Bob Feyen, Carol Fahrenkrog, Karen Boutin and Dennis Clark.
​
“Later this summer we’ll have a dedication to wrap it all up and tie it in a bow!” Kate said.  Please check the BATs website in the coming months for information about volunteering on the project and the dedication! 
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Here is a list of the people who generously donated to the funding of this project:
​Allan & Christy Ingram
Bill & Nancy Bussey
Bob & Patty Wood
Bryce & Susan Thompson
Cyndi Taylor
David Forrester
Dawn Lovisa
Erik & Paula Scott
Ipsen/Wegerson
Janel & Rich Ryan
Jared Johnson Cribbage Classic
Jeff Garrett
Jerry Meyer
Jim Bryan & Dee Johnson
Joe Groshek
John Breese/MarySweval
Johnson/Kinnee
Jon & Tina Nelson
Kathleen Russell 
Keith Ray & Cindy Anderson
Leo Stern 
​Liz & Larry Fentress
Lois Albrecht
Lucy Terry
Lynn & Mike Brown
Mark Peterson
Mary O'Brien
Matt Carrier
Neil Howk/Susan Larsen
Pat Jerich
Paul & Brenda Kaese 
Peter Magnuson
Peter Rothe
Richard Charboneau
Ross Huelster
Ross Smith
Scott Nesvold
Sean Reagan
Ted Dougherty
Terese Lynch
Timothy Pavlish
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BATs Most Ambitious Trail Project is in Full-Swing

11/13/2022

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Man wearing a shirt that says
We build the bridge! The new bridge on the new Pike's Creek Trail.
Bayfield Area Trails (BATs) had saws slicing, Pulaskis pounding, and loppers lopping, as the first phase of its largest and most ambitious trail project was recently completed on October 29th, promising new opportunities for non-motorized recreation by foot, such as walking, running, and snowshoeing.
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Pike's Creek Trail Map. Click to enlarge image.
Autumn scene with the traill passing through the middle of three large tree trunks.
The new trail passes through 3 giant poplars.
​This is an entirely new 1.3-mile trail to connect the Red Dam Fisherman Access Trail at the Les Voight Fish Hatchery just south of Bayfield on Highway 13 to the existing and popular Jolly Loop Trail at Mt. Ashwabay.

​Traversing Wisconsin DNR property with a 12-foot-wide approved easement, the scenic trail crosses Pikes Creek and climbs up a ravine through oak, maple, birch and fir forests to a prominent ridge from which a short spur trail leads to a bench overlooking a portion of the valley below. From this ridge, the gradient moderates along a plateau, crossing the Xcel power line corridor to tie-in with the eastern flank of the Jolly Loop.  When completed as planned in 2023, it will be possible to travel on trails from the fish hatchery all the way to the base of Mt. Ashwabay, or to the Jerry Jolly trailhead on Star Route, for an ambitious wildland excursion of at least a few hours or more.
Will Krift of Trails Anonymous provided his expertise, volunteer supervision, and operation of a mini excavator to ensure a final product everyone can all be proud of. 

“Working with Will is always great. He is a talented trail builder who knows how to make hard work fun,” said trail volunteer Gene “The Machine” Lemmenes.  

“This has been the most complex project undertaken by Bayfield Area Trails to date due to the trail length, the relative inaccessibility of the route, and transporting equipment and materials,” observed John Ipsen, BATs Trails Subcommittee member and dedicated volunteer.  “Xcel Energy has been great to work with, allowing us to use the power line road to access the trail,” he added. “That access greatly reduced the amount of time spent by volunteers to get to the trail.” 

Building a Bridge Slideshow

In advance of building the trail tread, Ted May, Peter Rothe, and Kate Kitchell used chainsaws, loppers, and muscle to clear the trail corridor. While Will and volunteers built the trail tread, Sean Reagan led the construction of a small bridge to protect a drainage on top of the plateau as well as facilitate emergency access. He also mowed between the power line and the Jolly Long Trail to make the final trail connection. 

Altogether, 34 volunteers contributed over 320 hours working on the new trail, flagging the trail corridor, cutting trees and small shrubs, removing stumps, hauling and dispersing trail vegetation, and raking a smooth four-foot-wide tread.  After the snow melts next spring, follow-up work will address drainage and other residual needs to create a finished trail.

In 2022, BATs received $21,150 from donations and grants to kick off the project. This recent trail-building cost a little over $11,000, leaving funding available to put toward the cost of constructing a substantial steel or fiberglass reinforced plastic bridge to cross Pikes Creek that will withstand the periodic high-water events that can flash through the riparian corridor. To achieve this second phase of the trail in the summer of 2023, BATs will continue fundraising for the bridge, expected to cost as much as $55,000.

Trail Preview

For now, the trail is best accessed via the Jolly Long trail at Mt. Ashwabay. The creek crossing bridge from the Hatchery trail is not in place yet. Stay tuned for opportunities to help with this next important phase of construction.
 “The project couldn’t have happened without the enthusiastic support from the Town of Bayfield,” said Kate Kitchell, BATs Committee Chair.  “They’ve been great to work with. They have provided support from the Town Plan Commission and Town Board as well as helpful staff to support the administration of funds.  Carol Fahrenkrog, the Town Representative who serves on the BATs Committee, has provided essential communication”. 
​
While this project has been challenging, the toughest part might be finding a name for the new trail.  In that pursuit, BATs is seeking suggestions for the trail name.  Email your ideas by clicking the button at the bottom of this post!

​We would like to have all submissions by December 1.
Submit Trail Name Ideas

Thank You!


A big THANK YOU to all donors, funders and volunteers!

Donors:
  • Ted and Tracy May
  • Kathleen Russell
  • Genevieve Johnson and Mike Kinnee
  • Mike Eldred and Kate Kitchell
  • Jen Maytum and Mick Parent
  • Sue Aiken
  • Three anonymous donors​
Funders:
  • Bayfield County Health
  • Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation's Apostle Island Area Community Fund
  • Town of Bayfield
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Jared Johnson Cribbage Classic Supports Bayfield Area Trails

11/13/2022

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Jemma Johnson, Carol Fahrenkrog, Kate Kitchell, and Julien Johnson receiving a donation check for $3000!
Jemma Johnson, Carol Fahrenkrog, Kate Kitchell, and Julien Johnson receiving a donation check for $3000!
​Jemma and Julien Johnson recently greeted Carol Fahrenkrog, Town of Bayfield representative on the Bayfield Area Trails Committee, and Kate Kitchell, BATs Committee chair, at the Gil Larsen Trailhead in Bayfield with a gift of $3,000 to Bayfield Area Trails! The funds represent the proceeds from this year’s Jared Johnson Cribbage Classic, an event held at Bayfield’s Lakeside Pavilion in honor of Jemma and Julien’s father, Jared. The tournament is sponsored by Jared’s friends.

“Jared loved cribbage,” said Anna Johnson, Jemma and Julien’s mom. “Nick Wszalek, a life-long friend of Jared’s, started the tournament in 2021 with cribbage boards made and donated by Dale Ripp. Joey Ann Meyers contributed graphic design work, and Genny and Tim Hay and other friends helped out with the organization. Many local businesses sponsor cribbage boards, and contribute items for the raffle as well as food and drink. They want to honor Jared’s memory by gathering friends, family and community to play cribbage with the goal of raising funds to support organizations and initiatives that benefit kids and families who live here.”

Looking up the Big Ravine to the Iron Bridge, Anna said, “The Johnsons lived close to the Big Ravine and Jared spent some of his best days playing here when he was a kid. When he had the chance to walk the new Big Ravine trails in the fall of 2020, he was so happy about how they made this special place more accessible for people, especially kids. We’re glad to be able to support that work.” 

Carol voiced her enthusiasm for the trails; “I’m excited that the Bayfield Area Trails Committee will have a chance to put this gift toward top priorities, including the new trail connection between the State Fish Hatchery and the Mt. Ashwabay Trails that is being sponsored by the Town of Bayfield,”

With a grateful smile on her face, Kate said “How wonderful that Jared loved these trails—and that we’re able to work on them in his honor for others to enjoy. We are truly touched by this gift. Many thanks to Jemma and Julien, their mom, Jared’s other family members, and many friends for this generous support of Bayfield Area Trails.”
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