Stairmasters: Volunteers help revamp trail to Devil's Staircase
(Published Friday, July 20, 2007 11:35:32 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Brian Reisinger Gazette Staff
JANESVILLE
The trail winding high on the bluffs overlooking the Rock River languished for decades.
But on Thursday it brimmed with activity as people heaved pickaxes, hauled rocks and removed debris.
"I think it'll make people want to enjoy it," said Brad Kirschbaum, 17, Janesville, as he stood on the trail, sweat forming on his brow.
More than 100 people, young and old, joined in the effort to restore the trail at the north end of Riverside Park. Planning and prep work have been going on for a while, but the heavy work started Thursday and will wrap up Sunday.
The work will extend Janesville's 25-mile network of trails by 1 mile and make it part of the statewide Ice Age Trail. The Ice Age Trail winds from Door County in eastern Wisconsin to Polk County in the west, covering 600 "off-road" miles.
The Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation hopes to someday have more than 1,000 continuous miles of trail, counting the community roads that link its segments, executive director Mike Wollmer said.
The section in Janesville is an important part of that work, Wollmer said.
With the help of volunteers locally and from around the state, the foundation is clearing the trail of brush and debris and widening it to between 24 and 30 inches.
Workers are building retaining walls and digging into the steep banks to create a level walking path that still allows water to run off smoothly.
Devil's Staircase, the geologic feature that draws hikers to the area, actually has three trails: upper, middle and lower. The renovation is focusing on the upper trail, though at one point workers will build stairs to connect with the lower trail for a short distance, Wollmer said.
Older members of the community remember clambering on the slopes in the 1950s. Since that time, the trail had fallen into disrepair.
The new upper trail will offer a key recreational opportunity to the Janesville area by giving hikers better access to a remarkable area, Wollmer said.
"I'm shocked that there's something as beautiful as that in a city," Wollmer said.
He compared the hiking area to Devil's Lake State Park in Sauk County.
"You're going to have an ecological wonder here."
Volunteers agreed, saying the trail will be a draw for people looking to get into the outdoors.
"I think more people will come down here and walk," said Gary Magee of Janesville.
Magee, who dug with a pickaxe on his 65th birthday Thursday morning, later was honored for his years of service to area parks and trails.
Magee and others who care about the trail's role in the community said the project will provide fitness opportunities, improved safety and access to nature.
TO HELP
Lots of volunteers have been showing up to help restore a section of trail at the north end of Riverside Park in Janesville, but more help always is welcome, said Mike Wollmer executive director of the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation.
