There is just something delightful about winter hiking.  Newly-fallen snow absorbs sound, so a hike can offer unusual peace and quiet.  Most trail users head inside during this season, so trails are often free of traffic.  Winter conditions can often make a four or five mile local park hike a real challenge.  Sometimes, I will stand at the tip of Pointe Mouillee in Monroe County and look across the vastness of a solidly frozen Lake Erie and feel like a polar explorer three miles from the trailhead.

I thought about all of these things as I hiked yesterday at Heritage Park in Adrian.  Heritage is always a nice place to hike.  It offers roughly ten miles of trail up and down hills and along small cliff edges.  One of the challenges of hiking in these conditions is ice on the trail.  This wasn’t so much a problem yesterday with two or three inches of new snow.  However, trail users tend to pack down the snow on trails.  This eventually turns to ice.

So, trekking poles are a good option.  Top quality poles can run a hundreds bucks or more.  The poles tend to have a telescoping option that allows the equipment to be reduced to a foot or so in size for travel.  These poles are often light and made of advanced composite metals.  However, one does not need to spend that much on poles.  I used a pair that I had picked up for sale for $5 at Goodwill.  And, in fact, a pair of old ski poles will often do the trick.  These can be found at almost any second-hand store for a buck or two.

Trekking poles allow for three and four points of contact with the ground.  This is extremely helpful when hiking up an icy hill.  They can also be used for balance when crouching under a fallen tree.

Another piece of must-have gear is a pair of waterproof boots.  On many occasions, I have made water crossings in winter with no loss of foot comfort.  Many shoes have a Gore-Tex or other lining that allows for breathability to remove foot sweat, but still maintain a quality impervious to outside moisture.  Several miles in running shoes or traditional boots can often result in wet, blistery feet.  Good boots are a place to splurge.  Sure, cheap waterproof boots and trail runners are possible to find.  But there is no more important piece of gear than footwear for a hiker.

Moisture, of course, can also be deadly up top.  So, rather than wearing a big, heavy coat, a winter hiker will want to dress in layers.  Wear a Gore-Tex shell to keep snow out.  And wear a synthetic fleece inside for warmth.  This can be removed if it gets too warm.  I like to wear a moisture-wicking golf polo as my base layer.  I can often get away with wearing the Gore-Tex shell and just the polo while hiking in temps through the lower twenties.  Gore-Tex shells run about a hundred dollars at Cabela’s.  Moisture-wicking polos run about $20 at Walmart and Kohl’s.

Hiking in winter has many advantages.  And it can often be a quite comfortable experience.

The Chelsea Update reports that the Waterloo State Recreation Area has grown by more than a hundred acres due to several land acquisitions.  Read more at the link below:

http://chelseaupdate.com/?p=1343

Note: The Waterloo and adjoining Pinckney State Recreation Areas contain more than 30,000 acres of parkland.  And that total increases by hundreds of acres each year due to the efforts of local land conservancies and the state Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.  It is hard to overstate the importance of the area for SE MI hikers.  The Waterloo-Pinckney backpacking trail crosses the complex.  And I’ve probably hiked more than a hundred miles of unmarked trail in the area.

The beauty of Waterloo/Pinckney is that it is almost entirely the creation of good planning after the Great Depression.  Most of the area was once poor farmland.  After the Depression, state and federal land managers and a host of volunteers amassed land, planted trees and restored wetlands.  The result is an area that supports much wildlife, impressive recreational opportunities and the feeling of wildness within easy reach of most SE Michigan residents.

It is nice to see this near-century of good planning continue in our times.

The Monroe Evening News reports that Monroe County has a new land preservation board.  The board was established mainly to capture state farmland preservation grants.  However, one could see this type of group becoming the basis for a more wide-ranging land preservation effort.  Link:

http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20100203%2FNEWS01%2F702039989%2F-1%2FNEWS_RSS&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+monroenews%2FWPkp+%28MonroeNews.com+-+Local+News%29

The National Park Service is hiring three seasonal law-enforcement rangers for Isle Royale National Park.  The job is seasonal, but I’d bet someone reading this blog would consider it a dream job.  Link:

http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=85735366&JobTitle=Park+Ranger+%28Law+Enforcement%29%2c+GS-0025-07&q=entry&where=49751&x=0&y=0&brd=3876&vw=b&FedEmp=N&FedPub=Y&AVSDM=2010-01-29+03%3a23%3a00

Note: Thanks to members of the Isle Royale forums for this info.

The City of Monroe is applying for federal grant funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to remove six low-head dams below Veterans Park on the River Raisin.  As part of the application, local residents were asked to submit letters of support.  Scott Dierks, an environmental engineer working on the project reported that the grant-writers had received more than forty support letters two days prior to the required submission date.  And so many were pouring in that the grant writers were spending so much time on the letters that they were having trouble finishing the application.

I am sure that they finished the grant application.  And I figured that the readers of this blog might be interested in reading my letter of support for the project.  Here is the main body of the letter:

January 27, 2010

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
c/o: Scott Dierks/River Raisin Dam Removal Project

Dear Sir or Madam:

I write in support of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding to remove six low head dams on the River Raisin in Monroe, MI.  The project will provide environmental, historic, recreational and economic benefits for the area.

The River Raisin has long exhibited signs of environmental distress.  Its mouth became highly industrialized during the middle portions of the 20th Century.  This led to large-scale pollution and the river’s inclusion on the Areas of Concern list.  The dams in question interfere with the natural flow of the river.  Leafy splurge plagues the river course.  Native mussels are adversely impacted.  Fish find it impossible to swim upstream.  Removal of the dams would help to restore the river to a more natural condition.

This section of the river has high historic value.  During the War of 1812, several hundred American soldiers were killed along its banks and on river ice in defense of the new nation.  A new national park is being established in this area.  The removal of these dams would help to restore the historic integrity of these sacred lands and waters.  Dam removal would also help to provide for a more meaningful visitor experience.

Western Lake Erie is one of the most productive areas for sport fishing in the nation.  Each year, thousands of area residents and visiting anglers pull walleye and other species from the lake.  Unfortunately, the River Raisin does not share in this largesse.  The river dams keep fish from swimming upstream.  The dams also make much of this section of the river off-limits to small fishing boats and kayaks.  Dam removal would expand recreational opportunities for local residents and attract more anglers to the area.

It is, of course, difficult to quantify the economic impacts of a dam removal project on a local area.  However, this project would tie nicely with other efforts in the immediate vicinity.  A new wind tower factory is planned for the Port of Monroe along this section of the river.  Cutting-edge pollution abatement equipment has been installed at DTE’s Monroe power plant at the river mouth.  Several brownfield areas in this vicinity have been turned into housing developments, parks and businesses.  There are concurrent efforts to remove polluted areas from the river.  The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge has been established to protect and restore marshes along the lakeshore and at the river’s mouth. 

Together, these achievements make Monroe a model for efforts in transitioning from a “brown” industrial economy to a “green” new economy.  And, in fact, Monroe’s unemployment rate has been somewhat less severe during this recession than it has been in other, comparable, locations.  Dam removal would greatly strengthen this overall effort and make Monroe a more attractive place in which to live and locate businesses.  It could also become a showpiece to demonstrate the impact of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative on local communities.

As a native of Monroe, I find this project to be extremely exciting.  I have never known a River Raisin that was not troubled by industrial pollution, river impoundments, lack of public access and invasive species.  With each new project, I see improvements.  And area residents get to rediscover an amazing resource that has existed largely unappreciated within their midst.

Please Fund This Project.
Sincerely,

Michael J. Ingels

Ice boaters have converged this weekend on Maumee Bay in Point Place.  This is a rare chance to watch ice boaters in action.  And, apparently, in between races, the boaters are giving rides to attendees.  The action will start today – Sunday – by noon.  Read more at the Toledo Ice Boat Yacht Club Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Toledo-Ice-Yacht-Club/209817526720

Any sale of parkland in Ann Arbor would be highly controversial.  So, this is NOT likely to happen.  However, AnnArbor.com reports that city officials are at least discussing the possibility of selling city parks and golf courses.  Link:

http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-officials-consider-selling-parks-privatizing-huron-hills-golf-course-to-trim-city-budget/

The Downriver News Herald has a nice report about habitat efforts at DTE’s River Rouge power plant.  The plant sits along both the Detroit and Rouge Rivers in a heavily industrialized area.  Link:

http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2010/01/26/news/doc4b5f38c3b0ff8028808347.txt

The City of Monroe is applying for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding to remove six low-head dams along the River Raisin.  This would help restore natural flow to the lower river and bring fish upstream.  It is a good project.

Scott Dierks is part of the environmental consulting/engineering firm helping the city with the application.  He needs letters of support to accompany the application by this THURSDAY, Jan. 28th.  Here is his email:

sdierks@jfnew.com

I would encourage everyone who reads this blog to send a letter.  These are several items that you might consider including:

1) Leafy splurge is an invasive plant that has plagued this section of the river.  Better water flow would help to decrease this non-native plant.

2) Several species of mussels in the River Raisin are threatened and/or protected.  The removal of dams would help to restore natural systems that help these species to survive.

3) The River Raisin National Battlefield Park site is adjacent to the section of river that would be impacted.  The restoration of the river would be important in the creation of a sustainable and enjoyable national park.

4) Restoration of the river would improve recreational opportunities between the City of Monroe and Lake Erie.  Small boats could navigate a restored river.  Fishing opportunities would increase upstream from the project.

5) Economic Impact:  The City of Monroe and Monroe County have made good strides in terms of “green” development.  The new pollution systems at the Monroe power plant, brownfield remediation programs, River Raisin Area of Concern cleanup and development of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge have made this area a hotbed for “green” initiatives.  This dam removal project would greatly enhance these efforts and help to make Monroe a more attractive place to live and do business.

Again, if you have a few minutes, write a letter and send it on to Scott.

Almost every day, we see a story in the news about the dangers of a new invasive plant or animal in the Great Lakes region.  It might be phragmites or the Asian carp one day.  It might be the zebra or quagga mussel the next.  These reports are often quite depressing.

However, there are success stories.  Several years ago, the newspapers were filled with the dangers of purple loosestrife.  Not so much any more.  A European beetle was imported to fight the loosestrife, with positive results.  And the new beetle didn’t, apparently, harm existing region beetles.  The result is that many wetlands along Lake Erie are now nearly recovered from loosestrife infestation.

John Switzer at the Columbus Dispatch has the story:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/01/24/john24.ART_ART_01-24-10_B2_84GCPH0.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101&title=John+Switzer+commentary%3A+Lake+Erie+wetlands+clear+of+invasive+plant+with+beetles%27+help