Nordhouse Dunes Trail Guide Updated

Nordhouse Lake (photo by jhy)

By Joan H. Young

The guide to Nordhouse Dunes trails (Mason County, Michigan) on the companion site to this blog has been updated.

The trails within this designated wilderness area were previously unnamed and unsigned. Recently, the trails were given names which adds a bit of character to the site. Some of the names are simply descriptive: "Nordhouse Lake Trail," but a couple of them invite further exploration of their meanings, such as: "Nippising," and "Algoma Ridge."

Surprisingly, signposts have been placed at many of the trail junctions. Generally, signage within Wilderness areas is not allowed. However, the minimal information is welcome. There are enough trails that it's nice for hikers to actually be able to know where they are.

on the Lake Michigan Trail (photo by jhy)

What is now called the Algoma Ridge Trail had been completely blocked by a straight-line wind event several years ago that filled a portion of its valley route. The Forest Service chose not to clear the way, because of the time involved to cut through the large blowdown with hand tools (no power tools are allowed in wilderness), and because wilderness areas are generally allowed to change naturally, which includes blowdowns. This trail has now been re-routed to join the Lake Michigan Trail at a slightly different location. The re-route is a good solution, as it encourages people to reach the Lake Michigan Trail by a sustainable route rather than climbing straight up the bluff when they reach the tangled trees.

I was pleased to note that a number of damaged hillsides and braided trails have begun to regenerate plant cover and heal. In recent years, overuse and abuse by people scrambling everywhere has caused a significant amount of damage. Perhaps having certain trails named and designated is encouraging hikers to remain on the established pathways.

Responsible recreation by the many users of Nordhouse will be the key to preventing the establishment of quotas by the Forest Service in the future.

Nordhouse is a highly popular destination with 3450 acres of open and forested dune ecosystem. Lake Michigan is to the west and the area includes the small kettle lake, Nordhouse Lake. It is located within the Manistee National Forest, and dispersed camping is allowed. Parking permit required.

The Get Off the Couch web site map for Nordhouse has been updated, along with all trail descriptions to reflect the new names and re-routes.

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

GOTC- New Horizons, Seeking Advertisers

Joan Young, creator of Get Off The Couch, and Janice Sciba, new advertising manager

by Joan H. Young

Get Off The Couch is pleased to announce that Janice Sciba of Manistee will be joining Joan Young in a revived effort to improve and promote both this news blog and the web site Get Off The Couch. The site continues to be popular with people who are seeking information about locations in western Michigan for quiet recreation. However, in recent years, a lack of revenue has prevented me from keeping the site updated. Get Off The Couch was founded in 1997, with major web site revisions in 2006 and 2010.

Today, Janice Sciba accepted the position of Advertising Manager, and she will be seeking local businesses that want to promote their goods and services to a targeted audience. "I'm passionate about quiet outdoor recreation," Sciba said, as she chatted with me this morning. "I'm sure we can make this a viable business venture."

First things first! Most of the pages need some minor updating of contact info and some cosmetic fixes. Secondly, one of the best features of the site, the way it was envisioned, is that the information be kept current. That is not the case right now. I'll be revisiting every location to be sure things are up-to-date.

After that... there's plenty of room for expansion. There are many locations not yet included, even in the four counties I've attempted to cover: Mason, Manistee, Lake, and Oceana. Greater flexibility for printing maps is on the horizon. Then... who knows.

One thing is certain. People have continued to use Get Off The Couch, even with slightly outdated info, because in many cases, it is the only source of information about small local recreation locations.

As we get back up to speed, we'll be doing a lot more promotion. And you'll see regular postings on this blog again about quiet outdoor recreation in Michigan, general outdoor health tips, tech "stuff," and more.

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Sites Added to Getoffthecouch.info

Gale's Pond

by jhy

Recently four additional locations for quiet outdoor recreation have been added to the main Get Off The Couch website.

Get Off The Couch was developed to give people detailed information on places to go for quiet sport and enjoyment in Mason, Manistee, Oceana and Lake Counties in Michigan. Since it generates very little income (many businesses which offer services for low-impact recreation have not yet appreciated the value of the internet), the site grows slowly.

Yet, it is still my dream to offer complete information, and to keep it updated.

In Oceana County, Gale's Pond is found just east of Hart. This is a little-known gem, with a lot of high-quality plant material around the small pond. A half-mile trail encircles the water. There is a small picnic area.

The hiking opportunity can be extended by walking around the corner on a dirt road and adding the 3/8 mile of trail in Doolittle Memorial Forest.

The two additional locations are in Manistee County.

For a great scenic view, one of the best in the Lower Peninsula, stop off at the Arcadia Bluffs overlook on the Manistee/Benzie County line off M-22. There is an observation platform to climb (plus a fully accessible level with good views too), and a telescopic viewer in the summer.

Magoon Creek

Another wonderful area, with a number of ecosystems, hiking, swimming, and picnic opportunities is Magoon Creek. Located just south of Manistee, there are 1.5 miles of trail and over 40 interpreted locations.

All information is free of charge, and based on personal visits to the sites. The date of my last visit is always shown on the page, giving a user some idea of how accurate it may be.

If you have a product or service related to quiet recreation, and would like to advertise, there are many levels of commitment available. In addition, non-profit organizations with similar interests can advertise for a minimum of $10 per year.

Feel free to look the site over, and contact me at events@getoffthecouch.info




These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Update on GetOffTheCouch.info

This news blog began as an outgrowth of the Get Off The Couch (GOTC) web site. I'd been posting news articles without benefit of a blogging platform, and it was just a no-brainer to make the switch. The two sites should support each other. GetOffTheCouch.info has detailed information about where to find quiet, muscle-powered recreation opportunities in Mason, Lake, Manistee, and Oceana Counties in west Michigan.

It's been very successful in some ways. The traffic has been great, ranging from 90,000 to 120,000 hits a year. But my original dream for how to make the site pay for itself has been a learning experience. I thought that it would be a great place for local motels, eateries, sport stores, outfitters, etc. to get the word out to people who are looking for those local recreation sites.

But, the reality has been that local places do not want to advertise on the internet. I won't bore you with the details, but the truth is that I have only one local advertiser left (other than me promoting my own stuff). Gathering the info and maintaining the site takes way too much time to just be a hobby, so I've lowered my sites from that lofty and am working at putting Google ads throughout the site.

Over the past two years, while I was completing my North Country Trail quest, GOTC hasn't been getting much attention. In particular, the calendar is completely out of date, and will be removed for the time being. It needs to be made interactive for easier entering of events. It was also very difficult to compile the pertinent information. I'm unsure what the solution would be to that problem.

I'm also in the process of moving the entire site to my own server space, which will cost less. This shouldn't be too difficult, except that the forms for condition reports on every page will need to be redone, and this takes time.

I absolutely believe that this project is viable, but to date have not been able to remotely begin to have it pay for itself.

Anyone with a relevant blog or web site who is interested in advertising, feel free to read the Get Off The Couch advertising terms.

See Get Off The Couch
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch