Welcome Jason and Agata

As we get ready to welcome in the new year, we also would like to welcome in the newest Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer team, Jason and Agata Ketterick!  We had the opportunity to meet them in MA for lunch and chat about life on the road.  Starting off as Team West, the two are eager to hit the road and begin their adventure.  We look forward to meeting up with them again in Boulder, CO at the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics as we prepare for the 2010 season.  We wish everyone a happy and healthy new year.  See you all in 2010!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Why Leave No Trace?

The Leave No Trace concept is one that crosses all boundaries of the recreation spectrum and is applicable for anyone who enjoys spending time in the out-of-doors. The idea is simple – leave the places you enjoy as good or better than you found them. There are both skills and ethics involved, as well as good decision-making. We believe that if people do something, even something simple, to help take care of the recreational resources they cherish, we will all benefit. Cleaner water, less campfire impacts, fewer negative encounters with wildlife, less damage/loss of cultural and historic artifacts are just a few of the benefits of adhering to Leave No Trace.

Leave No Trace is a universal philosophy that could and should be part of any outdoor experience. The very nature of Leave No Trace lends itself well to fostering a cooperative spirit of stewardship. From federal land management agencies to outdoor equipment manufacturers to NGOs to outfitter and guide services to local governments to individuals, Leave No Trace is the common denominator that leads us all towards the common goal of enjoying the outdoors responsibly.

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

A glimpse into the 2009 Traveling Trainer tour

Have you ever wondered what the Traveling Trainers' atlas looks like at the end of a season?  Here are photos of the 2009 season:

Kate and Tracy's travels in 2009

JD and Emily's travels in 2009

Be on the lookout for the Traveling Trainers as they hit the road again in January 2010!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Heading East...

We are back on the road again...but just for a short trip!  Although we are in the off season, we are heading east to Massachusetts for the holidays and to connect with the newest Traveling Trainer team, Jason and Agata Ketterick!  We are looking forward to meeting up with them as they start their season off in January.

Since it is the off season, we are busy, busy, busy working on the 2010 schedule.  Have you put in your request for 2010?  This is a great opportunity to have a team visit and provide FREE outreach!  Putting in a request is simple- just click HERE or go to http://www.lnt.org/programs/travelingtrainers   Then just fill out the form for either Team East or Team West and click submit!  It's that easy!!  

We look forward to meeting you in 2010.  

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Picture of the week

**Let it snow!**Let it snow!**Let it snow!**

Stick To The Trail, Even When It's Muddy!

There are a number of reasons why it is important to travel on durable surfaces and stick to the trail, in areas where there is an established trail.  You want to travel on the trail even when you come to a puddle in the middle of the trail.  Here are some of these reasons why Leave No Trace recommends this practice: (from www.lnt.org)

*Concentrating travel on trails reduces the likelihood that multiple routes will develop and scar the landscape.

*It is better to have one well-designed route than many poorly chosen paths.

*Trail use is recommended whenever possible.  Encourage travelers to stay within the width of the trail and not short cut trail switchbacks (trail zigzags that climb hill sides).

*In winter conditions, stay on deep snow cover whenever possible; in muddy spring conditions, stay on snow or walk in the middle of the trail to avoid creating new trails and damaging trailside plants.

*If you are in desert environments, however, avoid traveling through puddles, as water is such a finite resource in these areas!

So, as you get outdoors this winter, remember to travel and camp on durable surfaces!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Picture of the week 11/27/09

Taking in the view from Wasson Peak in Saguaro National Park

Boulder Parks and Recreation fun

Last week we visited the North Boulder Recreation Center to work with students in the Youth Services Initiative after school program.  This program serves over 150 youth from Boulder and offer programs such as fitness, homework club, cultural awareness, and outdoor adventure trips.  This was such an exciting group to work with!  During our two visits, we played a variety of activities to explore the principles of Leave No Trace.  On Tuesday, "How Long Does It Last?" sparked interesting conversation about the litter that is seen in the outdoors all too often.  This was followed by a fun game of "Step On It", where the group explored durable surfaces.  Friday, we got the kids up and running with a new activity we call "Impact Monster Swarm".  Energy levels were high as we completed two fun-filled workshops with the Boulder Parks and Recreation Department.  

As traveling trainers, we are doing a lot of workshops outside of Colorado.  This was a nice opportunity to work locally with a dynamic and wonderful program.  Thanks to Chris Schenck for all his efforts in setting up this event!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

A Few of Our Memories

Before we say our final good-byes, we wanted to share a few of our memories from the past three years with you...

Picture of the week 11/20/09

Hiking in the Mount Olympus Wilderness Area in Utah

Rocky Road

We facilitated a Leave No Trace Trainer Course in Acadia National Park earlier this year. It was a great course with lots of discussions about outdoor ethics! One conversation that came up during the principle of "Leave What You Find" was the practice of rock stacking. It was the first time that this issue had ever been brought up during one of our courses and opinions ranged from finding rock stacks beautiful to offensive. At the time, we had not given much thought to the carefully balanced rocks we had occasionally seen along trails.

So, why months later are we still contemplating the question of rock stacking? Well, we recently had the opportunity to hike in Bryce Canyon National Park and came across a portion of trail that was covered with thousands of rocks balancing upon each other. The sight immediately brought to mind the "Leave What You Find" conversation we had back in Acadia National Park and we could see why there had been such varied feelings towards the activity. While one artfully balanced rock stack can be quite beautiful, seeing these stacks in such a large quantity in a national park felt somewhat disconcerting.

What are your thoughts on rock stacking?

Hats off to JD and Emily

As we close the door on the 2009 Traveling Trainer season, we want to take a moment to celebrate our fellow Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer team JD Tanner and Emily Ressler.  JD and Emily have spent the past 3 years criss-crossing the country providing quality education and outreach to millions of outdoor enthusiasts.  They are truly a dynamic duo that we were fortunate to have been able to share this Traveling Trainer experience with.  We know that their dogs, Arnie and Aspen, will be happy to have them home, but life in the world of Leave No Trace will not be the same without them.  They will be missed next year and we wish them the best in their future adventures!

Did you have a chance to meet JD and Emily on their travels?  We want to hear about it!  Post a comment or shoot us an email (kateandtracy@lnt.org)  and we will post your stories! 

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

National Parks Waive Fees for Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11

From the National Park Service ...

National Parks Waive Fees for Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11

Date: November 5, 2009
Contact: Mike Litterst, Public Affairs Officer, 757-898-2409

Yorktown, Va. – To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has declared that areas managed by the department will not charge entrance fees on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11. Included in the fee-free day are all National Park Service sites, including the Historic Jamestowne and Yorktown Battlefield units of Colonial National Historical Park.

“The Department of the Interior is honored to offer this fee free day to thank our nation’s service men and women,” said Salazar said “The sacrifices and achievements of the brave men and women of our armed forces can never be understated. We invite all of our visitors to enjoy this fee-free day and take time out on this national holiday to remember our service men and women who are currently serving overseas in harms way.”

As an agency of the Interior Department, the National Park Service preserves and protects 392 units representing some of the country’s most significant scenic and cultural places. The National Park Service website provides information on National Park Service battlefields, military parks, and historic sites that commemorate the service of American veterans.

Free entrance on Veterans Day applies also at other areas managed by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service.

More Info ( + )

Picture of the Week: 11/06/09

JD Tanner in Capitol Reef National Park

Wrapping up 09 Season

Our travels have been gradually winding us back toward Colorado. Over the last few days, we have spent time in Minnesota and Nebraska as the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Season '09 begins to wind down.

Amidst enjoying the fun outdoor recreational activities that Minneapolis has to offer, mainly disc golf and bike riding, we toured the campus of Minnesota State University.  We provided an Awareness Workshop to the students in the Programming for Outdoor Settings course.  As they learned the skills and ethics that drive the Leave No Trace program, they also picked up a little bag of tricks on how to teach this information to groups they will lead in the future.

 

Onto Ralston, Nebraska for an evening with over 50 cub scouts for their den meeting.  These 6-9 year old boys learned ways to Leave No Trace through an energetic  game of What Principle Am I?, an activity available in the PEAK Pack.  The boys and their families took home education, as well as their very own Subaru/Leave No Trace tote bag.  The totes were a BIG hit with Halloween right around the corner!  For us, back to Colorful Colorado...

Sate travels...Kate and Tracy

Picture of the Week: Happy Halloween!!!

What better way to celebrate Halloween than a spooky hike in a remote locale?

We thought we'd do just that when we visited Goblin Valley State Park in Southern Utah earlier this week! We didn't see any goblins, but the erie rock formations and eroded cliffs didn't disappoint! Hope you all have a Happy Halloween and if you happen to be in Utah...keep an eye out for goblins!

Impromptu Awareness Workshop

Typically an Awareness Workshop with the Traveling Trainers is set up months in advance. The host contacts our Outreach Manager, Dave Winter. Dave puts the workshop on the calendar. We contact the event host and work out all the logistics well in advance. This is not a story about one of those Awareness Workshops.

Over the weekend we headed to Malibu Creek State Park for an event sponsored by Subaru. The evening before the event we showed up at the park's campground in hopes of finding a place to camp. As we drove around the campground loop we noticed that we seemed to be drawing more attention than usual (if you've ever seen the Leave No Trace Subaru, then you know it has potential to draw a modest amount of attention). As we commented to each other about all the staring, one camper waved us down for a quick photo (of the Subaru, not us). We pulled over and jumped out to chat while several people began photographing the car. As we chatted to the photographers we discovered that they were all part of the same recreation class at a local university. We also found out that this was their first camping trip as a class and that they had recently taken a test that focused on Leave No Trace...talk about perfect timing!

We got the whole group to take the Bigfoot Challenge! What a great group and the perfect opportunity for some impromptu Leave No Trace talk.

If you are interested in setting up an Awareness Workshop with the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers for the 2010 season (and don't want to take the chance that we'll just happen to show up at the perfect time) please submit an online request.

350 at The North Face Endurance Challenge

Saturday we joined Kevin from The North Face and over 1,500 runners and fans at the Kettle Moraine State Park in Eagle, WI for fourth stop of The North Face Endurance Challenge!  After a chilly start to the day, the sun came out and warmed the trails for all of the athletes.  It was a perfect day for a race!
October 24th was also the International Day of Climate Action orchestrated by 350.org.  Currently the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere is at 390 parts per million(ppm) .  In an attempt to bring that number to a healthy level of 350 ppm and to help spread awareness of the dangerous levels of carbon in the atmosphere, we collected 350 signatures on our poster about the Bigfoot Challenge.  The big guy was honored to help us take action and be a part of one of the over 4,000 events going on world-wide.  All of these events are meant to encourage world leaders at the United Nations to re-think policies at the final meeting of the Climate Change Conference in Copehagen, Denmark this December.
It was an honor to be a small link in such a huge chain of events.  World leaders will be unable to ignore this grassroots effort to let the people be heard.  We are one COMMUNITY! 

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Picture of the Week 10/23/09

ONLY 8 MORE DAYS TO TAKE THE BIGFOOT CHALLENGE!

GSUSA Trainer Course in Mississippi

This past weekend marked the final trainer course in the 2009 season for Team East.  Held at Camp Wahi in Brandon, MS, the participants on the course were a dynamic group of girl scout leaders and volunteers from across the state.  We spent our time exploring the skills and ethics of Leave No Trace, while experiencing no shortage of fun and laughter!  All of the women on the course were enthusiastic about taking their new knowledge back to their councils to share with their fellow staff and scouts.  A special thanks to Vera for coordinating this event and to Colleen for hosting us at the beautiful Camp Wahi!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Geocaching 101: Part Deux

This morning we said our goodbyes to our recent travel companion, Wolfgang Von Pitterpat. As promised in our earlier post Geocaching 101…We Need Your Help, we dropped Wolfgang off at the first suggested location, the Travel Bug Hotel (N 36° 30.306 W 104° 55.241) in Cimarron, New Mexico. Before dropping Wolfgang off we tagged him with our newest ethics reference card on geocaching*. This being our first adventure into the world of geocaching, we weren’t sure what to expect. Turns out we had a lot of fun and finally took the time to learn how to use the GPS unit that has been sitting in our glove box for over a year! Here is a brief retrospective of our geocaching adventure...enjoy!

We found Wolfgang at the top of Boundary Peak in Nevada and decided to make him an honorary Traveling Trainer!

Wolfgang perched on the Subaru on our way to Cimarron.

JD and Wolfgang figuring out how to use our GPS unit.

We found the "Travel Bug Hotel" right next to the historic St. James Hotel, which is supposedly haunted!

*No Travel Bugs were harmed in the tagging process.

Picture of the Week: Marmota flaviventris

Whether you call them wood chucks, ground squirrels or whistle pigs, these furry critters always make us smile when we're exploring peaks in the western United States. We spotted this Yellow-bellied Marmot near the Deer Lake Trail in Olympic National Park...so cute!

How do you minimize impacts?

Following our last event at Radford University in Radford, VA, we were excited to discover that nearby Blacksburg, VA was celebrating Sustainability Week!  As part of the celebration, a local theater was showing the documentary No Impact Man.  This film is based on a man who decides to eliminate his environmental impact for an entire year.  His wife and 2 year old daughter join him on his mission to be impact free.  The film was very inspiring and doesn't demand that we all strive to eliminate our carbon footprint, but evaluate what we can do in our own community to do our part to take care of the resources on this planet.  

How does this all relate to Leave No Trace?  Although it is impossible to leave NO trace, through education and the understanding of our individual impacts, we can all do our part to preserve and protect the quality of the finite resources that are our outdoor playgrounds!  So whether you are enjoying your backyard or your backcountry, consider ways you can minimize impacts on the environment!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Geocaching 101…We Need Your Help!

In honor of the new Leave No Trace ethics reference card on Geocaching, we decided to pick up a travel bug on a recent hike on Boundary Peak in Nevada. He’s pretty cute and we’re having a tough time deciding where to bid farewell to our new traveling companion, so we thought we’d ask for a little help.

Here is a list of places we are going to be visiting in the next few weeks, first person to leave a comment with coordinates of a cache in the general area of one of these events decides the fate of our little friend!
• Outdoor Adventure Summit – Philmont, NM
• Subaru Ready for Adventure Event – Malibu Creek State Park, CA
• Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics – Boulder, CO

Are You Ready for Adventure?

We spent the weekend at Silver Strand State Beach near San Diego, California for a Subaru-Ready for Adventure outdoor extravaganza. Subaru covered the fees and invited anyone and everyone out for a free day of fun and outdoor adventure at one of the most beautiful beaches in the area. In addition to learning about Leave No Trace, park users were treated to surfing and paddle-boarding lessons courtesy of Billabong, free food, and lots of drawings…think bikes, boards, and kayaks!

Another highlight from the event was the Animal Behavior Specialist from American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who was on hand to answer questions about pet behaviors. With the help of pups from the local animal shelter she demonstrated ways to train your dog to be an excellent adventure companion. It was a great event and the best part was that Subaru raised around $2,500 for Silver Strand State Beach over the course of the afternoon!
Join us at Malibu Creek State Park on October 24th for the next Ready for Adventure event!

Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge Week

On Saturday, we spent the day at Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge on Chincoteague Island in Virginia.  We were one of many exhibitors there to celebrate the wildlife that lives in the park.  The refuge is here to protect the native and migratory species of wildlife and their habitat.   Local artists, wildlife and marine organizations, and wildlife enthusiasts gathered at the visitor center for a day of exploration and fun.  There were activities, exhibits, and speakers to enlighten visitors of the abundant wildlife on the island.  We were excited to be there to share with folks ways to Leave No Trace while watching the wildlife at the park.  We reminded them to never feed, follow, or chase wildlife and to observe all wildlife from a distance.  

If you are ever on the eastern shore of Virginia, be sure to check out Chincoteague Island!  

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Eco-Camp

Last weekend we headed to Long Beach, California to meet up with local Girl Scouts for their Eco-Awareness Campout. We had a great time and spoke with over 200 girls about Leave No Trace. Held in an urban park, the Eco-Camp was a great opportunity to talk about the importance of preserving and protecting our Frontcountry areas from recreational impacts. Litter, wildlife impacts, and dog waste issues were just a few of the topics that we discussed during our presentation. We were really impressed by the attitude that these girls had towards Leave No Trace and environmental ethics, which is a good sign for the future of California parks!

Picture of the week 10/9/09

Team East visits their 39th National Park- Congaree National Park in South Carolina!

Peaks to Piedmont

On Saturday, we joined over 2, 200 girl scouts, troop leaders, and staff as 4 councils from North Carolina merged into the Peaks to Piedmont Council.  The celebration was held at the Hickory Metro Center and was filled with activities, games, learning, and exploration!  We spoke with over 1,000 people and educated them on Leave No Trace and ways they can incorporate the skills and ethics into their curriculum.  Best of luck to all the merging councils as they collaborate and share in the joys of scouting!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

From Rhode Island to Virginia

We visited Greenville, RI to work with a troop of Boy Scouts and their leaders to teach them ways to Leave No Trace on their future outings.  Some of the boys are going to be traveling to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for a backpacking trip next fall.  With so many scouts visiting Philmont each year, it is crucial that everyone practices Leave No Trace while they are there.  Our workshop provided them with skills they can use when they go to Philmont...have fun out there!

Our next stop was to REI in West Hartford, CT.  Here we gave a PEAK (Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids) presentation to a group of cub scouts.  They were very excited to learn about Leave No Trace, especially about how to respect wildlife.

Finally, we traveled to Virginia Beach, VA to present at the Virginia Beach Friends School.  The educational programs at Virginia Beach Friends are characterized by rigorous academic challenges balanced with principles of personal responsibility, leadership development, creative expression, social awareness, and spiritual recognition.  During our visit we worked closely with staff at the school to introduce strategies and activities they can use to teach their students about Leave No Trace and environmental stewardship.  Some of the students will be taking a trip to Peru later this school year with Director of Admissions, Jacqui Whitt, who also works with one of our partners Adventure Holidays Peru.  

What a week!  Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Picture of the Week: Celebrating the Tetons

What better way to kick off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month than a hike in Grand Teton National Park with three cancer survivors?

Pictured above JD Tanner, Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer, hikes a steep section of trail between Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point with his mom, Donna, and her good friends, Janet and Connie on a recent trip to Grand Teton National Park.

Subaru, National Public Lands Day, and Grand Teton National Park

Recently we had the opportunity to team up with our title sponsor for a few days in Grand Teton Nation Park for the Subaru Outback Lifestyle Camping Event. Base camping out of the Coulter Bay campground, we met with journalists from all over the country as they stepped into the shoes of a typical Subaru owner.

This event was made even more special because we were joined by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics staff, Dave Winter-Outreach Manager and Ben Lawhon-Educational Director. In addition to testing out the 2010 Subaru Outback on a little drive that took all of us to the top of the ski mountain at Teton Village, journalists and Subaru staff also pitched in on a service project, in honor of National Public Lands Day, which involved tearing down a large portion of an old fence within the park. Tearing down the fence allowed elk herds and other wildlife to move more freely across the valley.

Back at camp we were able to share information on Leave No Trace and the Traveling Trainer program. Looking for durable surfaces to set up our tents, sharing techniques for food storage in bear country, and discussing the impacts that are associated with campfires were just some of the topics that came up during the trip.

We had a great time and want to give a big thanks to our friends from Subaru for all their support and for letting us be a part of this event.

National Public Lands Day

On Saturday, we joined 225 volunteers at Buffumville Lake in Charlton, MA to take part in the 18th annual National Public Lands Day.  Although National Public Lands Day is only 15 years old, this park has been going for 18 years strong.  Every year folks come and volunteer their time to clean up the trails, paint fences, and assist in a variety of other projects in the park.  National Public Lands Day provides an opportunity for people to give back to the areas they enjoy recreating at throughout the year.  We had a wonderful time chatting with the volunteers about ways they can incorporate Leave No Trace in their everyday lives.  Did you get out and participate at your local park for National Public Lands Day?  We would love to hear about it!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Team East visits Edith Macy Conference Center

Last week we were invited to the Edith Macy Conference Center in New York to be a part of the Outdoor Skills Certification/Conference for the Girl Scouts of USA.  Leaders from all over the country gathered to learn skills that will be essential tools to teach the girls in their councils.  Our first mission was to be a support team on the Leave No Trace Trainer Course, held early in the week.  15 dynamic and passionate participants became Leave No Trace trainers.  Every woman on the course provided thoughtful presentations and discussions to the training.  They are all excited to learn ways to integrate Leave No Trace into their curriculum.  A special thanks to Marj Eby, chair of the GSUSA/Leave No Trace Task Force, JoAnn Schiffer-Burdett, Bureau of Land Management/California State Ethics Coordinator, and Tina Smith, Girl Scout IOT,  for running a great trainer course and making our stay so comfortable and welcoming.  

In addition to the trainer course, we also joined Karen O'Brien, Leave No Trace State Advocate for Massachusetts, at a "meet and greet".  This provided an opportunity for Karen to talk about the State Advocate position and ways people can get involved in the Leave No Trace community.  Thanks Karen!

Finally, we joined Marj and Tina again for a 3 hr workshop with an additional 15 people at the conference.  The workshop provided a great venue to share some of our PEAK Pack activities, talk about the Bigfoot Challenge, and share insight into how these leaders can get Leave No Trace more involved in their councils.  

We had such a fun week working with these women.  Their passion and commitment to building strong girls of the future is commendable.  Keep up the good work ladies!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Picture of the week 9/25/09

What?  You haven't taken the Bigfoot Challenge yet?  Don't wait any longer.  Take the challenge today!

Ready, Set, Go!

Athletes from around the country gathered in the Washington DC area to take part in the North Face Endurance Challenge for the Mid-Atlantic Region.  This is the third stop of the challenge where 1,200 dedicated athletes came to race in either the Gore-tex 50 mile, the 50K, Half Marathon, or 10K runs.  The day was full of excitement!  We were happy to be there to encourage runners of all ages to Leave No Trace on their outdoor adventures.  

The athletes that take part in this challenge are amazing!  We were so impressed with the achievements of the participants and were proud to be there to witness history!  At this race, we saw runner Amy Palmiero set a new world record for the fastest amputee racer to complete the 50 mile race!  She was so fast, she beat the previous world record for men and women by over an hour!  She was truly an inspiration for all athletes at the event.  

We are looking forward to being at the next North Face Endurance Challenge in Madison, WI on October 24, 2009.  See you there!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

School Is Back In Session

Students across the country have returned to their college campuses. This presents a valuable setting for the Traveling Trainer program to provide awareness workshops.  Most recently, Team East visited Hartwick College,  a private liberal arts and sciences college of 1,480 students, located in beautiful Oneonta, NY in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Hartwick's expansive curriculum emphasizes connecting the classroom to the world.  In focusing on connecting their student to the world, Leave No Trace is a perfect fit into the discussion of connecting students to the natural world in a responsible manner.  We were able to provide both an awareness workshop on campus and a booth setting in the student center to maximize outreach across the campus.  The students were enthusiastic about learning the skills and ethics of Leave No Trace.  The workshop was held at the Pine Lake Environmental Campus.   On this campus, students are provided with opportunities for hands-on research, academic study, and self-discovery. It's a place to learn about the natural environment and history of human land use.  We enjoyed our time with the students of Pine Lake, especially our stay in the strawbale house.  Thank-you to Dan Morse for setting up our visit.  

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Work, Play, Work. Repeat.

Last week we had the opportunity to work with a great partner of ours, Lifeline, in Tigard, OR. After meeting with the great crew there we made our way up to Olympic National Park for a little play time. Check out the picture above.

After some sightseeing in the park we headed down to Eugene, OR where we worked with the staff and students at Northwest Youth Corp. We spent the morning chatting with students about Leave No Trace and applying the principles to their upcoming camping trips.

Picture of the Week

Emily Ressler, Team West Traveling Trainer, descends Boundary Peak (13,140 ft) in NV.

Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation Trainer Course

This weekend we led a dynamic group of 7 participants that are involved with the Boy Scouts of America at the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation in Schuylkill, PA.  This was a unique opportunity to train people that are involved in the organization on many different levels, including cub scouts, high adventure, and future eagle scouts.  Everyone was excited to take their new knowledge and apply it to future outings with their troops.  The Boy Scouts of America have just re-written their hand book to include a more extensive section of Leave No Trace and they will be working hard to integrate Leave No Trace at all levels of scouting. We wish the new trainers well in all their future Leave No Trace workshops!  Here are a few pictures from the course- enjoy!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy

Picture of the week 9/11/09

Graffiti is one of many reasons Leave No Trace education is so important in front country areas! This photo was taken at Dover Peaks, MA.

Outward Bound on Thompson Island

As we travel the country teaching Leave No Trace, we encounter many firsts.  For our last event in Boston Harbor, we had to take a ferry ride to get to the presentation site! That was definitely a first.  Outward Bound Thompson Island has been serving the youth of greater metropolitan Boston for more than 20 years.  They are stewards of Thompson Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area where their 204-acre campus is the 'Island Classroom' of the Boston Harbor Islands.  We had the pleasure of working with 17 staff that were gearing up for the fall season.  We shared activities that they could use with their students when they come to study on the island. We applaud Outward Bound for reaching out to urban youth in the Boston area and helping them to feel more connected with nature.  Keep up the good work!

Safe travels...Kate and Tracy  

Bigfoot Wants You to Leave No Trace!

We spotted Mr. Bigfoot on our way to Humboldt State University. During our visit there, we presented to several classes and set up a table in the common area. We talked with hundreds of students, many of whom took the Leave No Trace Bigfoot Challenge!

To show our appreciation, we gave every student who took the challenge a sweet "Bigfoot's Been Doing It for Years" t-shirt.

Want your very own "Bigfoot's Been Doing It for Years" t-shirt? All you have to do is take the Bigfoot Challenge and pay shipping and handling!

LEAVE NO TRACE

(BIGFOOT'S BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS)

Photo of the Week: Burning Man

We spent a few days at the Burning Man Festival in Nevada. We had a great time working with Earth Guardians and Toxic Avengers!