In my last post I talked about how some of Stokely's trails got their names. Here are the stories of a few more. Sam Lake trail was named by Stokely's founder, Chuck Peterson, in honor of his grandson Sam, who came here as a child to ski and took to the sport readily. I often wonder whether Sam, who must be 30 by now, still skis. Does anyone know? The Dustin Trail was named after the Canadian Olympic XC skier Wayne Dustin.
Following in Chuck's tradition, Gaylen and I named several trails after our own grandchildren after we acquired the lodge in 2007. Bastiaan Byker Phair, now a student at Swarthmore college, is the Bas of Bas' Bypass. Bas has met the Stokely challenge and skied to all 6 huts in one day. Eva Byker Phair, headed to Cornell University next year, lent her name to Eva's Way one of our most used and scenic trails.
Johannes and Coralina Byker Visser 10 and 7 respectively, live in Midland, Michigan.
The trails bearing their names Hannes' Trail and Cora's Crossing, cross at just about the midpoint of the Stokely trail system. They pride themselves in being some of the youngest skiers to ski to Norm's and back.
All four grandchildren are regular visitors to the lodge and have taken to cross-country skiing like fish to water.
Ski the Trails and Lakes Party is on Saturday, March 7th. For more information click on the menu at the top of this page and go to Ice Caves & Events. Call Stokely for reservations.
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