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Central Iowa Group
CENTRAL IOWA SIERRA CLUB SPRING/SUMMER 2012 CALENDAR
PLEASE CALL THE OUTING LEADER IF YOU PLAN TO GO ON ANY OUTINGS. This helps the outing leader plan and alerts you to possible changes. Everyone, including non-members, is welcome to attend programs and outings. Children are also welcome to attend with their parents or caretakers unless otherwise indicated by the outing leader. In order to participate in an outing, you (or your parent or guardian if under 18) will need to sign a liability waiver. To read a copy of the waiver, please call 415-977-5630. Carpooling on outings is encouraged but is strictly a private arrangement among participants, and participants assume all risks associated with such travel. All telephone numbers in this listing are area code 515 unless otherwise indicated.
APRIL EVENTS
Invasive Species Removal Volunteer at Yellow Banks County Park for invasive species removal beginning in April every Monday night at 6 p.m. Meet at the maintenance shed just inside the park and wear heavy work shoes or boots, sturdy gloves, long sleeves and long pants. Difficulty level: moderate. Contact Penny at 262-1224 to sign up or to check on weather conditions.
SATURDAY, APRIL 21: HIKE, 10:30 AM Ledges State Park—Earth Day Hike Celebrate Sierra Club founder John Muir’s birthday the day before Earth Day by walking and hiking at Ledges State Park south of Boone. In the Des Moines area, meet in the parking lot of Cracker Barrel restaurant at 10:30 AM for the 40 minute drive to Ledges. Cracker Barrel is located in the northwest corner of the intersection of University Avenue and I-80/35 in Clive. Dress for conditions, bring water and a snack and wear sturdy shoes or boots. Those who wish to meet at Ledges could gather in the upper parking lot just inside the park entrance at 11:15 AM. Difficulty lever: moderate to difficult. Contact Jane at jrclark@radiks.net or 223-5047 for information.
Sierra Club Tuesday Evening Hikes resume on April 17. Hikes are held at a different location each week around the Greater Des Moines Area, begin at 6:30 p.m., and end around 8 p.m. This is a great way to get to know hiking areas you may have never visited, or to revisit old favorite trails. For all hikes, please contact the hike leader to sign up each week so you can get directions and be notified if there is any change in plans. You may request to be placed on an email list to be notified of each week's hike and any changes by contacting Jane at jrclark@radiks.net . Difficulty level is usually easy to moderate. Hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes are recommended, as are light weight long pants, mosquito repellent and water. Bring rain gear whenever the weather suggests a chance of rain.
TUESDAY, APRIL 17: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Brown's Woods Preserve County Park Meet in the Brown's Woods parking area at 6:30 p.m. to hike the long loop. To reach the park, take 63rd Street in West Des Moines till you reach Brown's Woods Drive, turn west and go about a half-mile, turn right into the parking lot. Difficulty level: moderate to difficult--hilly terrain. Contact George at 745-7563 for information. As always, boots especially recommended along these steep hills. We are likely to get off-trail a very short duration.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18: PROGRAM, 7:00 P.M. Turtle Farm Cohousing Community Turtle Farm Cohousing Community (TFCC) is a project planned for a farm at Granger, Iowa. Cohousing is innovative in areas of community, sustainable living, and preservation. The goal is to preserve Turtle farm by creating a model of a diverse, sustainable cohousing community on a portion of the property. This relates not only to food production and dispersal, but also animal life, soil life, trees and plants, aesthetics and stewardship. Daily tasks of the village will be shared, each contributing their particular talents and skills. The program will be presented by organizers of the community which includes Angela & John Tedesco, Nancy Rambo and Donald Bustell, and Carol & Tim Kruse. Central Iowa Sierra public programs are held at Northwest Community Center, 51st Street and Franklin Avenue in Des Moines. Contact Jane at 223-5047 or jrclark@radiks.net for more information about the program.
TUESDAY, APRIL 24: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Big Creek State Park Meet at Casey's on the south side of Polk City just east of the Mile Long Bridge. We will travel to the entrance of Big Creek State Park where there is a parking lot. Difficulty level: easy. Contact Jackie at 577-0375 with questions.
SATURDAY, APRIL 28: 9:00-11:30 a.m. Garlic Mustard Pull Ashworth Park Help pull this invasive plant that can crowd out desirable native understory plants on the wooded hillsides. Meet at 9 a.m. in the trailhead parking lot at the end of 45th Street south of Grand Ave. Suggested clothing: long pants and sleeves, and gloves. We will provide bags. Contact Jo at 276-6359 or johudson@q.com for more information.
MAY EVENTS
TUESDAY, MAY 1: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Margo Frankel Woods State Park Margo Frankel Woods is a good place to find wildflowers and welcome spring. Follow NE 2nd Street (Hwy 415) about 2 miles north of I-80/35. Margo Frankel Woods is located on the east side of the road, just south of NW 66th Avenue. We will meet at 6:30 in the parking lot. Contact Peggy at 285-6864 or peggybrowndm@yahoo.com for information. Difficulty: moderate, hilly terrain.
TUESDAY, MAY 8: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Thomas Mitchell Wildflower Hike—Meet at in front of Okoboji Grill in Copper Creek shopping area in Pleasant Hill. Contact Jackie at 577-0375 for more information. Difficulty: moderate, hilly terrain.
TUESDAY, MAY 15: 6:30 P.M. BIRDING AND WILDFLOWER WALK Walnut Woods State Park—For a bird hike/nature walk, meet in the picnic area at the circle drive found inside the east entrance to the park. Bring binoculars and wear appropriate footwear! Contact Jane at jrclark@radiks.net or 223-5047 for more information. Difficulty: easy.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16: 7:00P.M. The Tomorrow Plan The Tomorrow Plan is a regional planning effort focused on the sustainable development of Greater Des Moines. It involve residents and local leaders in identifying visions and aspirations for the region, exploring potential scenarios for its future, and setting a preferred direction for sustainable future development. The Tomorrow Plan brings together all 17 cities and four counties of the Greater Des Moines metro along with a number of other public and private entities to map the path to a sustainable future for our region. The Metropolitan Planning Organization secured initial funding of $2 million for this project through the federal Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program. A major goal of The Tomorrow Plan is to engage a wide range of people in meaningful public participation—each and every citizen of the Greater Des Moines region should be involved in shaping the area’s future. Check out the comprehensive website at http://www.dmampo.org/ . A representative from the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization will be presenting an update on this plan. Central Iowa Sierra public programs are held at Northwest Community Center, 51st Street and Franklin Avenue in Des Moines. Contact Jane at 223-5047 or jrclark@radiks.net for more information about the program.
TUESDAY, MAY 22: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Clive Greenbelt Trail Meet at the Clive City Hall parking lot on 114th Street to hike the Clive Greenbelt—this street can be reached from Hickman Road or University Avenue, and it is located just east of I-80/35. We may stick to the paved trail if it's been a rainy week, but boots are highly recommended! Deer, hawks and many songbirds can all be seen along the trail and Walnut Creek. Level: easy to moderate. Contact George at 745-7563 for information and/or directions.
TUESDAY, MAY 29: HIKE, 6:15 P.M. Annett Nature Center Park Hike (note earlier starting time) Join us for a hike in Warren County that will include prairie grasses and wildflowers, a wetland, woodlands, and a trail around a lake. This is also one of the sites where osprey chicks are being reintroduced in Iowa. Meet at 6:15 at the northeast corner of Southridge Mall (by Midwest Mattress and Petco) to carpool. Difficulty level: easy to moderate. Contact Peggy at 285-6864 or peggybrowndm@yahoo.com for information. No dogs, please.
JUNE EVENTS TUESDAY, JUNE 5: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Maffitt Reservoir Meet at the west entrance to Maffitt Lake for a hike through the park and around the lake. As always, boots, water and bug repellent are recommended. Difficulty level: moderate. Contact Jackie at 577-0375 for information and/or directions.
TUESDAY, JUNE 12: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Raccoon River Park—Meet in the parking lot at the Lodge at Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines to walk around Blue Heron Lake. This hike will be a little over 3 miles and will take about an hour. Please contact Karen at 865-8773 for more information. Difficulty level: easy.
SATURDAY, JUNE 16: BICYCLE RIDE, 10:00 A.M. High Trestle Trail Bike Ride High Trestle Trail ride from Madrid to Woodward and back, crossing over the Des Moines River on the High Trestle Bridge. We'll start from Jensen Park* in Madrid at 10:00 A.M. Directions to the park: Take Hwy. 141 to Granger to pick up Hwy. 17. Come north on Hwy. 17 into Madrid. Turn left ((E) onto E. 6th Street (at the Vet Clinic.) Go about 1/2 mile to S. Main Street. Turn right (N) on Main St. Go to W. 3rd and Main. The park is on your right. FOOD: We can eat lunch back at the park after the ride. Bring a sandwich and a snack to share if you want to. THE RIDE: Bring a water bottle and helmets are required. It may take an hour to make the drive, unload bikes, etc. so please plan accordingly so we can start at 10:00. The ride will take about an hour, and anyone who wants to ride further is certainly welcome to. Difficulty: easy to moderate. *Jensen Park is a small jewel-like park next to City Hall. It contains a gazebo that can be used for small events, playground equipment for young children, beautiful gardens, large shade trees, benches, and a drinking fountain. Contact Ginger at 253-0232 or soelbergv@dwx.com with questions.
TUESDAY, JUNE 19: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Neal Smith Trail at Morning Star Drive Meet at the small gravel parking lot alongside NW Morningstar as it changes its name from NW 26th Street north of Des Moines on the east side of the Des Moines River for a hike along the Neal Smith Trail. This parking lot is a short distance south of the I-80/35 overpass on NW26th. Reach this parking lot from either Morningstar Drive from the south, or NW 26th Street from the north. The entrance will be marked with party balloons that night. We will hike north or south on the paved Neal Smith Recreation Trail. Difficulty level: easy. Contact George at 745-7563 for information and/or directions.
Jester County Park We will take advantage of several of the hiking trails that Jester County Park in northwest Polk County has to offer. Meet at the parking lot just inside the park entrance at 6:30 p.m. Contact Jackie at 577-0375 for information and/or directions. Difficulty: moderate.
JULY EVENTS
TUESDAY, JULY 10: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Water Works Park Meet at the popular wooden footbridge which is located less than a mile inside the park from the entrance. From there we can cross the bridge and the Raccoon River and hike along the trails. Contact Etta at 778-3495 for more information. Difficulty level: easy.
TUESDAY, JULY 17: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Summerset State Park Meet at Summerset State Park south of Des Moines at 6:30 p.m. To get to the park, travel five miles south of Des Moines on Highway 69—there is a posted sign pointing east. Meet at the public restroom just inside the park gates. This hike will take approximately 60 minutes on a level trail. This is a great open-air outing, as opposed to within deep woods---great views of a couple of separate lakes. Difficulty level: easy to moderate. Contact George at 745-7563 for information and/or directions.
TUESDAY, JULY 24: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge The Tuesday, July 24 hike will be at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge near Prairie City. Meet in the parking lot of the refuge’s Prairie Learning Center at 6:30 p.m. Hike the Tallgrass Trail to catch glimpses of butterflies and songbirds among the summer prairie blooms. Afterward, take an optional drive through the bison range to perhaps get an up-close look at these large prairie inhabitants. Difficulty level: easy to moderate. Contact Peggy at 285-6864 or peggybrowndm@yahoo.com for information.
TUESDAY, JULY 31: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Polk City Five Bridge Meet at Casey's on the south side of Polk City just east of the Mile Long Bridge. We will travel to the entrance of Big Creek State Park where there is a parking lot. From there we will get on the recreation trail, where there are 5 wooden bridges running along Big Creek Lake and Saylorville Lake. The trail is paved and mostly wooded and the hike will take about 90 minutes. Contact Jackie at 577-0375 to let her know you're coming. Difficulty level: easy to moderate.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 7: HIKE, 6:30 P.M. Greenwood Park/Rose Garden
Meet in the Greenwood Park parking lot just off Grand Avenue on the west side of
Des Moines Art Center. The first feature that we'll hike to is the famous Rose
Garden. From there we'll go south and west toward Walnut Creek and maybe to the
small railroad trestle along the
TUESDAY, AUGUST 14: HIKE, 7:00 P.M. Sand Hill Prairie, Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt (note later starting time) Meet at 7:00 P.M. in the Sand Hill Prairie parking lot on 118th Ave. off Hwy. 65/330 in northeast Polk County. After hiking on prairie paths viewing the variety of grasses and forbs, we will linger to watch the moon rise over the prairie. Difficulty level: easy to moderate. Please RSVP to Ginger at 253.0232 or soelbergv@dwx.com for directions or to carpool.
River Run Garbage Grab (R2G2) AUGUST Date to Be Announced Volunteer for this annual Des Moines River clean-up. Partake in the annual "R2G2" event beginning at 9 a.m. The Central Iowa Sierra Group will host a take-out site on the banks of the lovely Yellow Banks County Park. It is a great way to spend the day or a few hours helping trash pickin' boaters come back ashore. See the website www.riverstewards.org (note: website may not be up for 2012 until later in the summer.) For more information or to volunteer at our site contact Phyllis at goodmanph@mchsi.com or 274-4319.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 21: HIKE, 6:00 P.M. Woodland Mounds State Preserve (note earlier starting time) The unique qualities of this beautiful wooded ridge above South River located 8 miles east of Indianola have been recognized by inhabitants of this area for thousands of years. Woodland Mounds Preserve contains 185 acres of timber that provides habitat for many types of woodland wildlife and it is a recognized Important Bird Area by Iowa Audubon. This park is also host to the largest Mulberry Tree in the state! There are miles of hiking trails and a series of Woodland Indian mounds. Meet at the HyVee parking lot in Pleasant Hill at 6:00 p.m.. We will carpool from there. Contact Penny at pennyt@dwx.com for information.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 31: 7:00 P.M. FUNDRAISING HIKE Red Feather "Blue Moon” Prairie Hike We will hike the newly renovated Neal Smith Trail through Red Feather Prairie, just north of the Saylorville Lake Visitor’s Center. Watch the full moon rise over the prairie and see it reflected in the lake. The prairie is at its peak in the late summer and fall; come see the variety of native grasses and wildflowers there. Some of the species often seen in bloom in mid-September include showy goldenrod, sky blue aster, hairy aster, upland white aster, rigid goldenrod, saw-tooth sunflower, great blue lobelia, and bottle gentian. We will meet at the small parking lot at NW 90th Ave., just west off of Hwy. 415. Upon our return to the parking lot we will enjoy refreshments by moonlight. This will be our final summer hike, and as it is our only hike-fundraiser we encourage a donation of $10. Please show your appreciation for our summer hikes, the hike leaders, and the work of our Central Iowa Group by joining our walk and donating generously. Contact Ginger for directions and RSVP at soelbergv@dwx.com or 253-0232 for directions. Difficulty level: Easy. PLEASE pass this message on to anyone you know that enjoys a walk in the outdoors.
ALSO OF INTEREST
Loess Hills Prairie Seminar: Ecology June 1-3, 2012 The Loess Hills Prairie Seminar is sponsored annually by Northwest Area Education Agency for educators, students, park and conservation persons, community leaders, and citizens. It's held in the Loess Hills Wildlife Area northeast of Onawa, Iowa. Something is planned for everyone, including entire families. Sessions include photography, writing, sketching, as well as geology, ecology, cultural history, and natural history and science of both flora and fauna! Contact Ginger at 253-0232 or soelbergv@dwx.com to discuss carpooling. More information for the 2012 LHPS is now available at the NWAEA website: http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/programs_and_services/loess_hills_prairie_seminar/
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