Winter Newsletter from Friends of High Cliff

Winter 2024

photo credits to Greg Burns

Volunteer Julie Bahr staining picnic table boards

Celebrating a Record Year of Volunteerism

In 2023, we saw a remarkable surge in volunteerism! With a total of 120 active volunteers, we had a fantastic year filled with dedication and commitment to High Cliff State Park.

The combined efforts of our volunteers amounted to a staggering 2,106 hours in 2023, an increase of 1,825 hours over 2022. This remarkable growth reflects the growing enthusiasm for our park's preservation.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our volunteers for their unwavering dedication. Your passion and commitment continue to make High Cliff State Park a place of wonder and inspiration!

Run for the Trees 5K

Inspired by Bob Ross' love of the outdoors, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is bringing back the Run for the Trees: Happy Little 5K and has expanded its impact to other states, including Wisconsin. When registering, you pick which participating state you want the proceeds to go to.

Race proceeds will support tree planting and forest protection efforts in Wisconsin's state parks, forests and recreation areas. Many of these locations have been affected by tree pests and diseases like emerald ash borer and oak wilt.

Runners, walkers and hikers can complete their 5K anywhere outdoors between Earth Day and Arbor Day.

Race packets start shipping on March 1. To be guaranteed delivery before the race dates, please register by April 1. Orders taken after April 1 are not guaranteed delivery before the race dates. Registration closes on April 15.

Photo Credit: Michigan DNR

$36.00 Event Fee includes:

Keepsake Happy Little T-shirt
Commemorative bib number
Finisher's medal
Shipping and handling

Questions?

Contact Melissa Vanlanduyt at

Melissa.Vanlanduyt@wisconsin.gov

Lime Kiln Trail Fundraising

We are so thankful to the 50+ donors who have given money to help plan, rebuild and repair the Lime Kiln Trail. Donations have ranged from $10 to $5000, and we appreciate every one of them!

Some donors, like Jessica Arndt, wanted to do more than she was able to do on her own, so she worked with Chick-fil-A to create a fundraiser honoring her late husband, Matt, raising $215. An additional $250 was raised in memorial to Matt Arndt. Another memorial, whose organizer wishes to remain anonymous, raised $950. Our Facebook Fundraiser provided another $250.

These donations, combined with grants, are a great start toward our goal of making sure the Lime Kiln Trail is safe and sustainable for future generations! If you’re interested in donating, drop it off at the park office or you can mail a check to:

Friends of High Cliff

N7630 State Park Road

Sherwood, WI 54169

Thanks so much for your support!

Continue reading to learn more about the Lime Kiln Trail.

The Darling, Charismatic and Cool Common Redpoll

By Debra Cook

It was a calm, mid-February afternoon at High Cliff State Park. Out for a hike, I was enjoying the sound of my boots crunching down on the snow-covered path. I noticed a slight movement on my left. There, in one of High Cliff’s open fields, a large flock of Common Redpolls was feeding on the weedy, dry grasses that pop out of the deep snow. If you can describe a bird as darling, Common Redpolls are darling.

One of Wisconsin winter finches, it is distinguished by the small red spot on its head and dark goatee-like mark under its chin. They breed in the arctic and are said to withstand winter temperatures up to -65 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you can describe a bird as charismatic, Common Redpolls are charismatic. They seem to compel the observer to watch their funny aerobatics on the tall reeds. And they are so energetic!

Redpolls chatter sweetly and appear almost friendly. I stood on the trail and watched these darling, charismatic birds, appreciating how fortunate I was to see dozens of Common Redpolls only to learn the Redpoll population is in the tens of millions worldwide. Of course, they live and breed in the worldwide lands that circle the Arctic Ocean and are merely winter visitors here in Wisconsin.

I fell in love with these tiny finches that day. And only love them more when I discovered how cool they are… yes you can describe a bird as cool.

A few cool facts about the Common Redpoll:

Some tunnel into the snow at night to stay warm.
Redpolls have throat pouches to store seeds. They quickly gather the seed, store in the pouch and fly to a safer location to eat.
They eat up to 42% of their body mass daily.
Redpolls are wide ranging. A bird banded in Michigan was recovered in Siberia. A bird banded in Belgium was discovered two years later in China.

High Cliff State Park is home to many birds wintering in Wisconsin but one of my favorite is the darling, charismatic and cool Common Redpoll. Watch for a flock next time you hike at High Cliff State Park.

Common Redpolls

Lime Kiln Trail

The Lime Kiln Trail was recognized from the earliest days of High Cliff State Park as offering an exceptional opportunity for hiking and communing with the natural world.

Beginning in those early days it was also recognized the trail required priority attention and funding for development and maintenance to provide visitors a quality experience while also protecting the unique geology and sensitive plant and animal communities living there.

The approximately two-mile Lime Kiln Trail is truly High Cliff State Park’s signature trail.

The Niagara Escarpment is the namesake for High Cliff State Park. The Niagara Escarpment is a unique and globally significant geologic formation extending in a crescent from Niagara Falls, New York, north and west into Ontario Canada, under Lake Huron, southwest through the Michigan Upper Peninsula, under Lake Michigan, and emerging in Door County where it then continues south and through High Cliff State Park to southeast Wisconsin. Plant and animal communities living in proximity to the Niagara Escarpment include rare and endangered species. The Lime Kiln Trail provides the opportunity for visitors to intimately experience the beauty and wonder of the Niagara Escarpment in all seasons.

The lower segment of the Lime Kiln Trail parallels Lake Winnebago for 1.5 miles. Lake Winnebago is Wisconsin’s largest inland lake, and High Cliff State Park is the only state-owned recreation area with Lake Winnebago access.

The land comprising High Cliff State Park was once the scene of a prosperous lime kiln industry that operated from 1855 to 1956. Lime industry ruins are memorials to this storied history at the gateway of the Lime Kiln Trail and overlooking panoramic views of Lake Winnebago.

Despite over 60-years recognition by Wisconsin Conservation Department and Department of Natural Resources staff and officials of the outstanding outdoor recreation and unique natural community qualities of the Lime Kiln Trail, it has received almost no targeted funding for maintenance, improvements and to address accessibility and safety issues.

The Friends of High Cliff State Park in 2022 determined to advance development of a comprehensive plan and project for remediation of Lime Kiln Trail issues, including maintenance, accessibility, safety, outdoor recreation, natural community and geology management and protection, and education. Fund raising and pursuit of grant opportunities are actively underway to support the project. Submitted by Greg Burns

High Cliff State Park Maps

FOHC Board President, Janet Deprez and Board Member, Donna Franczek recently attended the Annual Meeting of the Fox Cities Greenways at Pullmans at Trolley Square in Appleton on January 25th. The FOHC had a table display showcasing the Lime Kiln Trail project. The Annual Meeting was well represented with many local groups and people who support preservation of trails and greenways in the Greater Fox Cities.

Fog combined with subfreezing temps create beautiful rime ice on trees at High Cliff State Park's Visitor Center. Photo by: Rob Zimmer

Winter Night Music

by Rob Zimmer

My favorite time to explore High Cliff State Park during winter is at night. My eyes adjust quickly to the darkness and the faint glow of the fresh snow beneath the trees welcomes me as I begin my stroll along the trail.

Between the hickories and oaks, I travel, listening to the night music.

A sharp, bizarre yelp echoes in the darkness from below the ledge. Another rings out to my left in the upland forest. The foxes are on the move.

Both red fox and gray fox can be found at High Cliff, and the winter night is the perfect time to hear them. Their sounds are bizarre. Spine tingling. Eerie. Haunting, sharp wails and whines ring out from the trees as the foxes are on the move.

Occasionally, I capture a glimpse of a shadow darting through the snow before me, down the edge of the escarpment.

The fox travels alone, patrolling his domain, hunting for voles, mice, rabbits and other small prey. This is his home. I share my stroll with these sleek, wary and intelligent beings.

The owls bring the night to life as I travel beneath the stars above. Orion glistens through openings in the trees and a sliver moon graces the sky above.

A barred owl sings out in the night. In the distance, another answers. Soon, the owls will be nesting. By the end of February, barred owls, as well as great horned owls are on their nests, tending to eggs. Breeding season begins early for the owls of Wisconsin.

The horse-like winnie of an eastern screech owl carries through the night from the rock ledge in the quarry. This unusual song, most un-owl-like, is one of nature‘s most bizarre songs. And who would guess that the singer is a tiny owl, barely larger than a robin.

One of my favorite sounds of the winter night at High Cliff is the thundering voice of Winnebago, as ice shifts and settles, and metallic, clanging shrieks reverberate through the darkness.

Occasionally, a deeper shift results in an almost thunderous chorus. The ice is always restless. And Winnebago sings her song during the winter night.

Winter night music at High Cliff State Park is one of its many gifts. Make time to explore and listen to the many voices of the darkness.

High Cliff General Store

by Beth Braun

Originally the General Store served two functions. One was to be the post office for the small community there. The other was to act as the supply center for the Cook and Brown Company who ran the lime kiln and brickmaking operations. Henry Raymond was replaced by Fred Carter as postmaster when he became manager of the brickyards.

The General Store had an interesting role during this period. To obtain workers for the brickyard and quarry, the company would do what was called “grubstaking”. The men were provided clothes. food and lodging in exchange for work. The store operator/company’s bookkeeper would keep running accounts for these workers. When the account was pain in full, the workers could either stay and work for wages or move on.

Around 1898, the name of the general store/post office changed from Clifton to High Cliff. The name was derived from the dance hall on the upper cliff which was known as High Cliff. Also, during this time, a telegraph key was installed which was connected to Sherwood.

A phone was installed in the store with a line to Sherwood and the lime mill. At this point, the store moved from a gathering place to gossip to the center of communication where the telegraph and telephone provided contact to the outside world.

In 1923, an addition was made to the back end of the store. The lime business was doing very well and more warehouse storage was needed. Living quarters were put in behind the store when Roman and Bernitta Funk took over running the store around 1946. The Funks moved the phone from the back of the store to the front so that the workmen did not spread lime dust everywhere. Plumbing was also installed. The Funks stayed until 1969 when the store was closed. The brickyards and quarries were no longer operating, and the store was no longer profitable.

The store was reopened as a museum in 1978. Bernitta Funk was appointed the curator of the museum. Once she could no longer fulfill this role, it became difficult to keep the museum open due to lack of staff and volunteers and it is now closed once more.

Sadly, the store has many very serious structural issues that prevent it from being used at this time. Options are being explored and studies are being done to decide if it is feasible for the store/museum to be repaired and re-opened.

Next time: Community by the Lake

N7630 State Park Rd

Sherwood, WI 54169

920-989-1106

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