May 22, 2017 at 3:31 p.m.
David Mickelson visits Rhinelander District Library
David Mickelson visits Rhinelander District Library
Mickelson is Emeritus Professor of Geoscience, Geological Engineering and Water Resources Management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has taught glacial geology, intro geomorphology, coastal geomorphology, air photo interpretation and geology of the National Parks in Wisconsin since 1971.
Well over 50 people gathered in the meeting room of the library as Mickelson engaged the audience with an hour-long discussion, followed by 30 minutes of questions from the audience.
The talk focused on how Wisconsin's landscape was formed during prehistoric times. In particular, Mickelson discussed how the melting of glaciers contributed to the dense-scattering of lakes in Wisconsin's Northwoods.
Mickelson said two-thirds of the state were once covered by glacial landscapes, with southwestern Wisconsin left out. The melting of this glacier resulted in the extreme valleys and ridges present in that part of the state from millions of years of erosion, he explained.
While focused, Mickelson managed to capture the audience in a personable way. With jokes scattered throughout the scientific PowerPoint presentation, Mickelson was able to turn what might have been "dull" or "dry" language into an engaging back-and-forth discussion.
Another primary talking point of Mickelson's discussion was the Ice Age Trail, a National Scenic Trail stretching 1,200 miles through the state of Wisconsin. The trail begins in Polk County in the western part of the state, moving through Lincoln and Langlade counties, before moving south towards Dane County and then northeast, ending in Door County.
The trail follows the terminal moraine from the final Ice Age and covers 30 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. The trail is entirely open to hiking, and offers primitive camping options along the trail in its northern sections.
In 2011, Mickelson published a book on the history of the Ice Age Trail and has served on the board of directors of the Ice Age Trail Alliance since its inception.
Upon the presentation's conclusion, utterances of "that was wonderful" and "how interesting" scattered throughout the audience, illustrating how engaged Northwoods citizens are when it comes to the state's abundant natural resources.
The next discussion at the Rhinelander District Library will be held on June 19 and will focus on the oddities of the state. "Bizarre History of Wisconsin - Strange Stories From Our Past" will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the library's downstairs meeting room.
Evan Verploegh may be reached via email at [email protected].
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