Bigfoot Sighting-Tahoe Mountain Sports

Bigfoot is at it again! Lately, it would appear that the illusive Bigfoot has been coming out of the woods to join in on getting the communities in the Sierra Nevadas to rally around outdoor activities and more importantly to Leave No Trace while enjoying the outdoors. His latest conquest was to visit Tahoe Mountain Sports on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Tahoe Mountain Sports spent the weekend sponsoring the 4th annual Lake Tahoe Disc Golf Tournament. Stay tuned for more information on how Bigfoot and Tahoe Mountain Sports will work together in the up coming weeks...

Happy Adventuring...Kate & Tracy

Picture of the Week 10/8/10

Jerry Johnson Hot Springs, ID

Are there really Tigers, Wolves, and Bears in Connecticut?

Earlier this week, we met with Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and even some Webelos from two seaside towns in Connecticut. For those not familiar with the Boy Scouts of America, these are the different levels of the Cub Scouts, the scouting program designed for boys in 1st - 5th grade.


Both packs invited us to help the young scouts earn their Leave No Trace Awareness Award. We started off with an overview of the Leave No Trace principles and then tested the boys' knowledge by facilitating the PEAK activity Minimum Impact Match. The boys had a great time figuring out what piece of gear they were and did an excellent job explaining how they helped leave no trace while enjoying their favorite outdoor activities. To earn their awards they will also have to practice the Leave No Trace principles on three separate outings and participate in a Leave No Trace-related service project.

Keep an eye open for team East in Windsor, Maine this weekend for another fall centennial celebration with the Boy Scouts of America!


All the best,

Agata and Jason

Humboldt State University

Yesterday, we went back to college for the day! We were invited to speak during 3 of Professor Paul Marsh's courses. In the first class, Leisure and Society, we introduced the students to the PEAK program and the Frontcountry program. The second class, Leisure Programming, was dedicated to informing the students about the partnership structure within Leave No Trace and highlighting the relationship between Subaru and the Travelling Trainer program. In between the second and third class, we had some quality outreach in "the quad", the University's busy central location. A special thanks to Kelsey for showing us around and helping us out with setup. In Paul's final class, Outdoor Adventure Recreation, we taught a lesson on Disposing of Waste Properly and had a thoughtful discussion in a round of the Ethics Game. The class had just returned from a 3 day back packing trip. The picture above is a panoramic view with Marble Mountain to the left and Monument Lake to the right. We appreciate Kevin submitting the picture from their adventure. It was a successful day of outreach at Humboldt State and we look forward to future events there!

Happy Adventuring...Kate and Tracy.

Presenting PEAK

After waking up and stepping outside of our tent last Thursday in Bozeman, MT, we were greeted by 32 degree weather and our very first bout with frost this season. The cool, crisp air was a reminder that fall is certainly upon all that live in the Northwest.
We spent the morning exploring Hyalite Canyon where there is an endless supply of hiking and biking trails.

After a pleasant hike, it was back to town to get prepared for our PEAK (Promoying Environmental Awareness in Kids) presentation at the Bozeman REI, a store that had just opened a few months prior to our arrival. Theresa Larson, the Outreach Specialist, extended the invitation to folks in the community, so as a result, we drew a pretty diverse crowd. There were Scout Leaders, a middle school teacher, a retired teacher, a family that home schools their children, and REI staff.

As your Fall activities get into full swing, keep in mind that Leave No Trace practices extend far beyond the scope of hiking and camping. The beauty of Leave No Trace is that it cam be seemlessly incorporated into any human powered recreation. We would like to present you with a challenge: In this "PEAK" foliage time of year, take a child into the great outdoors and introduce them to a new activity. Are you up for the challenge? Remember, enjoying the outdoors responsibly-happens all year round!

Happy Adventuring...Kate and Tracy

Star Spangled Banner Camporee

Last weekend we were at Fort McHenry National Monument for the Star Spangled Banner Camporee as guests of the Baltimore Area Council. The setting was absolutely perfect for the estimated 5500 visitors to enjoy learning more about American history and celebrating the centennial year of the Boy Scouts of America.

Pictured above is a view from Fort McHenry site of the Battle of Baltimore. During the War of 1812 Francis Scott Keyes observed a battle there that inspired the poem, "The Star Spangled Banner," that later became our national anthem.

Below we have a few scouts excitedly displaying the PEAK ethics reference tag they have earned at the booth by answering questions about responsible outdoor recreation during the always popular Bear Can trivia challenge.


Our upcoming events have us headed into the heart of New England for a few days enjoying the shades of autumn and the last few months of the 2010 season.

All the best,

Jason and Agata

Picture of the Week 10/1/10

The Gladie Cabin located in the Red River Gorge Geological Area. This restored log cabin dates back to the late 1800's.