Whitewater Weekend!

Summersville, WV.

This weekend Team East will travel to Summersville, WV for the American Whitewater Gauley Fest.  This  fundraising event will support American Whitewater's river conservation and access works throughout the nation.  The festival began in 1983 to celebrate the derailment of a hydro-electric project that would have disrupted the flow of the Gauley River.  It has grown to become the largest paddling festival in the world!  Presented by Subaru, this festival is sure to be full of excitement, awareness, and whitewater rapids!  The festival includes on-site camping, a marketplace, and live music.  Hope to see you there!

Explore and Paddle Responsibly...Kate & Tracy

Road Wisdom: The Word on Gear.

Life as Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers necessitates gear that is comfortable, dependable, and of high-quality. During our two seasons on the road, spanning 20 months with over 400 nights spent camping, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge our gratitude to the very partners that aid in our comfort and help us to provide stellar outreach across the country. From each of our outfitting partners, we have selected one piece of gear that has withstood the test of time and travel.

➢ The fall season is upon us and with summer-time Chaco tan lines all but a fading memory, the timing could not have been better to test out the Chaco Ped Shed. These super comfortable shoes are waterproof, making them perfect for spending time outdoors in rain or snow this season!

➢ When space is of the essence, Coleman Origami Dishware is the perfect solution. These dishes are ideal for any camping trip, whether it is a weekend at your local state park, or a week in the backcountry! They are light-weight, virtually unbreakable, and have a non-stick, easy to clean surface.

➢ Each morning we awake in the great outdoors and greet the day. Our morning would not be complete with out a good cup of bean to get the day rolling. This year we received the MSR Reactor Stove System- the fastest and most fuel-efficient stove system in the world. With an unrivaled boil time, it has the ability to boil a liter of water in just three minutes. Whether it is just the two of us, or on a Leave No Trace Trainer Course with 12 participants, everyone is sure to have boiled water in a hurry!

➢ By night fall, we slip on our Smartwool Base Layers and prepare for the cool fall evenings at camp. Just last week we woke up to our first morning of frost and were able to stay comfortable and cozy in our base layers. Smartwool also rewards new members of Leave No Trace at Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer events, by donating a pair of socks to anyone who joins the individual membership program.

➢ After the stars come out and it is time to retire for the evening, we add an extra layer of warmth to our sleeping bags with the Therm-A-Rest Ventra Down Comforter. These lightweight blankets are perfect as part of a sleep system, or on their own around camp. This makes our camping experience truly luxurious!

➢ The success of the Traveling Trainer Program is due in large part to the title sponsor of the program. Subaru of America has been an integral part of “Education in Motion” for the past twelve years. With their support, the traveling trainers are able to reach millions of outdoors enthusiasts with the Leave No Trace information annually.

These companies have invested in Leave No Trace in tremendous ways, making it possible to provide quality and effective training nation wide. We deeply appreciate all of their contributions and would like to encourage you to support these companies that care about the preservation and conservation of lands shared by the public! Thank you for all you do for Leave No Trace!

Happy Adventuring…Kate and Tracy, Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers

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!

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.

Pic of the Week

BEFORE...


AND AFTER...

Winter Wonderland

 

This weekend was a fun filled winter sports extravaganza!

On Saturday, we were part of Winter Trails Day in Estes Park, Colorado. This event, now in its fourteenth year, offers entire families or groups of friends, regardless of age, an opportunity to get outside in the winter and enjoy a day of snowshoeing or cross country skiing. Many visitors were excited to chat about Leave No Trace before they hit the trails. Although deep snow is a durable surface, it is important to think about our impacts on winter terrain. Wildlife impacts were a common topic of conversation throughout the day. Winter is a great season for wildlife viewing. Chances are parks will be less populated, which lends itself to observing many different species. If you are lucky enough to encounter wildlife, enjoy them from a distance. Be careful not to feed, follow, or chase animals so that you can truly experience them in their natural habitat.

Part two of our extravaganza was spent at Arapahoe Basin for the Subaru Master the Mountain event. This was a great opportunity to work the folks at Subaru that generously sponsor our Traveling Trainer program. This event, celebrating its fourteenth season, is a series of winter events held at beautiful resorts across the country. There are plenty of FREE ski and snowboarding lessons, as well as demos of sports equipment. The Subaru crew will be making plenty of stops throughout the rest of this winter. Check out the website, www.subaru.com, to see if they will be visiting your favorite mountain resort. A huge thank-you goes out to Subaru for enabling TEN years of Education in Motion.

We are off to New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment!

Safe Travels……..Kate and Tracy