This was originally posted on the NCT Friends Yahoo Groups Site
It describes my hike on December 30, 2009
Please note that there is now a new route for the NCT
in the Lost Nation State Game Area and that Ron and I
took the old route
Today my winter hike moved to the south
about 40 miles. Ron Sootman wanted to
hike from Baw Beese Lake through the
Lost Nation State Game Area.
I want to clear up something from
yesterday's post. I was hiking using
a blaze orange outfit.
This morning I met Ron at the Lake 5 trailhead
but we decided that it would be too far of a
hike between cars so we parked Ron's car
at the Tripp Road Trailhead instead. Then
we headed back to the Baw Beese Lake Park
that Ron had ended his hike earlier this
year. After some extra miles going around
the Lake trying to find the park, we finally
made it.
The park is called the Lake Baw Beese
Recreation Area, and occupies the whole eastern
side of the Lake. It is a little confusing
getting to it because you go down
a road that you think dead ends at
a power plant/water works. But it
actually continues on to the park.
The Baw Beese Trail is paved going
through most of the park. We parked at
the very end of the park. The trail
is not paved going to the southeast.
But it is still used as a Rail Trail
for biking and hiking.
We made very good time hiking on the
railroad grade. The grade runs through
woods and swampy areas on the way to
Osseo. We made it down to Osseo and
crossed this old dilapidated railroad bridge
over Black Bride Road. We figured that
must be the Black bridge the road is named
after.
It's about a block from the bridge to Hwy 99.
As we were walking that block, a guy in
a car pulls up and asks us if we were hiking
the North Country Trail. We said yes. He
said he was out scouting the trail, and
would be hiking some of it in Hillsdale,
He had the official NCT maps and everything.
I think he was from Ohio, because he said
something like he came up to check out the
trail. I took his photo and gave him
my "I saw Tman" business card so he can
check out my website.
Ron and I continued down Black Bridge Rd
and eventually we turned left on a short
road called Black Road. The off road trail is supposed
to start at the end of the Road.
This is where the hike started to have problems.
At the end of the road there were No Tresspassing
signs posted. There were no indication of a trail
there. We decided to hike in a farm field next to
a wind break. Eventually, we saw a old blue blaze on
a tree in the wind break. So we hiked down the
wind break where we started hiking on a
farm road through some woods. But we didn't see any
more blue blazes. Instead we saw some more
farm roads, and wondered which one we should take.
We didn't see any blue blazes. Eventually we could
see Bird Lake Road across a barren field.
So we hiked across the field. Then, we hiked
north and reconnected with the NCT. We must have
taken the wrong farm road.
We hiked the trail east of Bird Lake Road. We saw one
Blue Blaze, then the Trail disappeared. I wanted to
hike down an electric line right of way, but that trail
turned into an impassable thicket. Ron backed up and found another
trail, but soon we realized that it wasn't the trail.
Ron wanted to hike back to the road at this point. But
I said that the trailhead should be not far to the
north of us. We found a stream bed that went in that
direction and found the trailhead. It took us 30 minutes
to hike a section that we could have road walked
in 8 minutes.
We started hiking down an old abandoned road and
saw blue blazes along the way. Then we made it
to an intersection where it was ablaze with
Blue Blazes. There were about 10 or 15 blue blazes
painted on trees at the intersection. Someone
went nuts here. We started hiking the way
the map shows and met up with Angela and Bill.
We had a nice conversation with them. Evidently,
they were hiking a loop. I took their photo
and gave them my I Saw Tman cards, and we were
on our way.
Shortly after that we passed a bridge that Bill
had spoke of, and then we were back to the
Tripp Road Trailhead, where Ron had parked his car.
We traveled back to the Lake Baw Beese Recreation
Area to get my car. But it had a flat. Ron has
an air pump built in to his suv, so we were able
to pump it up.
It was around 2 pm, and we wanted to get back on
the trail, so we drove both vehicles to the Pittsford
Road Trailhead. we left Ron's SUV there, because
it is the hike endpoint. We wanted the good vehicle
at the endpoint. Then we drove pack to the
Tripp Rd Trailhead and started hiking.
Immediately, we were not able to find the trail.
So we road hiked down Tripp Road, then down
Way Road. On Way Road we hiked past a gun firing
range. There were hunters there tuning in their guns.
Ron said that the real trail goes someplace behind the
firing range, which he thought was kind of dangerous.
All of a sudden I was happy we were road walking.
We reconnected with the NCT at the Lake 5 Trailhead,
where the trail goes on the shore of the Lake.
Then there is a road walk down Rumsey Road.
We started another off road section south of
Reading Road.
This was a really nice hike past a little lake,
across a beaver dam, then on top of a hill.
When we reached Skuse Road, Ron and I had a
little conversation. I wanted to Road Walk
the last section because I could see a big
hill the trail went up. Plus, we didn't have
that much daylight left. But Ron said after
we get up the hill, it is fairly easy walking.
So we hiked the trail. We went up the hill
and after that it was fairly easy walking.
The trail kept going downhill and soon we were hiking
next to a creek that was about 4 to 6 feet wide.
We got to a point in the trail where we could no
longer find the trail. It was right next to the
creek. Finally, I looked across the creek and saw
a blue blaze on the other side.
Then we were on a hunt to find the best place to
cross. They definately need to build a bridge here.
Well, Ron found a place he liked, and crossed.
But it didn't go smoothly. He broke through
and put a foot into the water.
I crossed next and learned where not to
put my foot. I made it through dry.
After the creek, there is a big hill that the
NCT ascends. A very big hill. Ron changed into
a dry sock and put his foot into a plastic bag
then into his boot. This is a trick that
I had talked to him about yesterday.
While he was working on his foot, I decided
to start hiking up the big hill. I took it
slow, because I was already pretty worn down.
Once on top of the hill, we made pretty good time
because we were hiking on top of hills, then
downhill. It was well blazed. We made it back to
the car around 5:30. It was getting a little dark.
We drove back to my van. The tire was still inflated
so I told Ron that I was going to get it fixed
right away while the Service Center at the
Walmart Supercenter was still open. That's
where I spend the next hour or so. Then
I went to the hotel and took a nap.
Now after writing this, I need to go back
and get some more sleep.
Regards from me, Tman