Leonard Wildlife Preserve
Saturday, February 1
Union Pier, Michigan
Our wildlife search for tracks and scat in the snow melted away as very little snow remained from a snowfall a week earlier. Hike leader Gracie Fredenburg, Chikaming Open Lands’ education and outreach coordinator, saved the day with some great handouts and plenty of discoveries in the frozen dirt and bits of snow that hadn’t melted. Grace talked about the habitats of the Leonard Preserve wildlife and why they are found there. Probably the most interesting part of the hike was in the successionary forest on the north end of the property, where we found some mosses, fungi and scat. Twenty-six people showed up for this hike. (Photo by member Mark Piper.)
Tower Hill Camp
Saturday, January 11
Sawyer, Michigan
About 30 of us met at Tower Hill Camp under a blue sky full of white fluffy clouds and temperatures right at freezing. Around 4 inches of packed snow covered everything. After learning the difference between hibernation, torpor, frogcicles and several other winter animal survival strategies, we headed down First Ave. and made our way to the local beach access trail. The snow- and partially ice-covered Painterville Creek was beautiful. Eventually, we came upon snow-covered dune grasses and an shelf ice forming on the snow-covered beach. A perfect example of an active ice volcano was waiting right in front of us and after a short walk down the beach we found huge ice balls, nearly two feet in diameter, that were still forming. After everyone had a chance to get their photos, we turned around and made our way back to the parking lot. Most of the hikers decided to continue to Tower Hill Woods. We shared the trails with cross country show skiers. All in all, it was the perfect day for a gorgeous hike. (Photo of a Lake Michigan ice ball by Greta Elizabeth Hurst.)
First Day Hike
It all begins with an idea.
Wednesday, January 1
Robinson & Flynn Woods
Three Oaks, Mich.After a light snow, temperatures stayed just below freezing and winds stayed calm for our annual First Day Hike. Twenty-two hikers showed up, and started with Robinson Woods. Half the group opted for the extension in Flynn Woods, across the street from Robinson. The Flynn Woods portion was supposed to have been a loop trail, but water on the west side of the trail had already begun pooling, so that part of the hike became, by acclaim, an out-and-back walk to keep our boots dry. Plenty to see along the way, like green mosses poking through the snow. (Photo by member Mark Piper.)
Warren Dunes State Park
It all begins with an idea.
Saturday, December 21
Sawyer, Michigan
Two inches of freshly fallen snow and partly sunny skies made for a perfect afternoon hike for the 16 people (including two newcomers) who showed up at Warren Dunes. The group had virtually the whole area around Floral Road to itself–we only encountered one other hiker. Leader Pat Fisher pointed out several girdled oak trees along the way, victims of Oak wilt, a fungal infection that is spread by beetles and is almost always fatal. Killing trees with the disease keeps it from spreading to other oaks in the forest. One hiker pointed out holes in trees made by pileated woodpeckers. Others inspected birdhouses nailed to several trees and proclaimed them homes for wood ducks. (Photo by member Mark Piper.)
Harbert Road Preserve
It all begins with an idea.
Saturday, December 7
Three Oaks, Michigan
President Pat Fisher gave a brief introduction about Michigan’s natural features, then turned hike leadership over to member Mark Piper. (A fall at home left Fisher, who was originally scheduled to lead the hike, with an uncomfortable foot injury.) Piper led the two dozen who attended through the preserve’s 90 acres of various types of wetlands, prairie and woodlands along its perimeter trail. (Photo by member Mark Piper.)
Grand Mere State Park
It all begins with an idea.
Saturday, November 16
Stevensville, Mich.
Forty-six hikers, including some new members, turned out for this November event at one of Michigan’s more diverse state parks. The park’s 1,100 acres offer two embayments, small lakes left behind by glaciers. A third, North Lake, is part of a township park and is used for recreational boating and, in season, duck hunting. The weather started out sunny, then turned cloudy, but temperatures remained comfortable. Hike leader and Hikers President Pat Fisher said there were originally five embayments, but two have dried up–and eventually the others will, too. Some unusual properties of the sand at Grand Mere make it ideal for casting car parts, and Michigan’s automotive industry fought for and briefly won rights to mine this resource. Grand Mere was designated a Natural Landmark by the National Park Service in 1968, and has many natural features not found in the rest of the state.