Embrace the Trail, Really (Spoiler Alert: Changes Ahead With “BTDs”): 2018 Trail Care Schedule Reconfigured

by Ed Lawrence, KTA Trail Care Chair 

Changes are coming to the KTA Trail Care Program for 2018. The intent is to boost participation by offering more and expanded opportunities for volunteers to take part in a Trail Care Event, allowing hikers to really “embrace the trail.” The schedule will reflect this initiative mainly by having additional weekend events and fewer week-long Trail Care Events. For example, instead of having a combined Chuck Keiper/Donut Hole Trail Crew Week, each of these designated hiking-only trails will get its own Trail Care Weekend.
 
Many Trail Care Weekends will include Friday as a scheduled workday. These Fridays will be labeled with the moniker “BTD” (Bonus Trail Day). These added work hours will make a significant impact on what is accomplished during the Trail Care, a true win-win for the trails and hiking community. Camping sites for these BTD Trail Care Weekends will be available on Thursday evenings for participants who want to roll in and get set up. Volunteers who cannot work the trail on Friday are still very welcome to come in Friday night for work on Saturday and/or Sunday. One-day Code Orange maintenance events will remain part of the mix. 
 
There is always something worthwhile that Trail Care volunteers can do: painting blazes, lopping out the trail corridor, improving the treadway with sidehill benching, running a brushcutter. All these tasks give participants a feel for and connection to the trail that surpasses just the hiking experience. 
 
In 2018 attend a Trail Care Event and learn what it means to really “embrace the trail.”