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Budget Proposals Contrast On State Park Funding
Yesterday in Olympia the Washington State House released its operating budget. A line item that WTA has been awaiting with anticipation was the funding level it would provide for Washington State Parks. The Washington Senate's budget came out last week, and it is not surprising that the amount designated for State Parks differs in the two proposals.
State Parks fares much better in the House version than in the Senate. Here's the breakdown:
- House: State Parks will receive $23.7 million for the 2013-2015 biennium, which is a $2.5 million increase over the current 2011-2013 funding period.
- Senate: Allocates $16.5 million to State Parks for the next biennium, which constitutes a nearly $5 million cut from the current amount.
The House budget is very similar to the one that Governor Inslee released earlier this year and represents a relatively stable funding amount compared to what State Parks currently is receiving. With this level of funding, the system will continue to limp along as State Parks advocates work to build pressure for better budget outcomes in coming sessions to address serious maintenance and facility backlogs and ranger staffing levels.
The Senate budget, however, will continue the sharp decline in park facilities that we've seen over the past several years and could result in the full or partial closure of many state parks. That Washington State Parks might be faced with closing facilities in the midst of its centennial year is disheartening. We should be reinvesting in parks rather than turning our backs on them.
How to help state parks
Please take a moment to call your Senator and Representatives. Let them know that you appreciate the hard budget decisions that must be made this session but make sure that they understand the value and importance of our state public lands to your family, to our state's economy and to Washington's overall quality of life. Share your experience enjoying these special places and urge the legislature to support the House of Representative's request of $23.7 million in general funding for State Parks.
Here are some tips for calling elected officials:
- Call the legislative hotline: 1.800.562.6000 and ask for your senator's office.
- Identify yourself (tell them if you are a constituent) and why you are calling: "I believe that Washington needs a budget that invests in our state parks. Please support $27 million in General Fund appropriations for Parks."
- Keep your call short and courteous.
- Remember to thank the staff member for his or her time.
Thank you for speaking out for trails!
Camping and Hiking on Bainbridge Island by Bike
When Daniel Penner sent us his video of a February bike camping adventure from central Seattle to Bainbridge Island, we knew we wanted to share it with you. From views of a distant Mount Rainier to closeups of some of the small wonders found in suburban wilderness, you can't help but want to get outside when you watch this. And as Penner and his buddies show you, you can do this adventure by bike, even in the colder, wetter months.
Camping at Fay Bainbridge Park
The Fay Bainbridge Park is a small camping park (and former State Park) on the northwest corner of the island with 1,420 feet of saltwater shoreline. On clear days, Mount Rainier and Mount Baker are visible from a sandy beach.The park has 10 tent sites, 26 utility sites and (in the summer months) two restroom facilities, one with showers.
All camping is first-come, first-served, so make sure to have a back-up plan if you decide to make the journey by bike, especially on weekends or in summer months.
> More information about camping at Fay Bainbridge Park
Hike Gazzam Lake and Close Beach via ferry and bike
Whether you try to stay the night on the island or not, this little hike is just the right length after a 5-mile bike trip from the Bainbridge Ferry terminal.
Pack a picnic to eat on the cedar and maple-lined shores of Gazzam Lake or the secluded sands of Close Beach on this sweet 3.4 mile hike on the southwestern corner of the island. Watch for birds as you hike through this preserve managed by Bainbridge Island Parks Department.
Remember to leave yourself enough time to bike back to the ferry on tired legs at the end of your hike.
> Hike Gazzam Lake and Close Beach
Of Fay Bainbridge from Daniel Penner on Vimeo.
Share your car-free hiking, camping and backpacking adventures
Have you done a favorite hike using transit or your bicycle? Tell us about it in a Trip Report or in the comments below.
Join Zachary, WTA's New Seattle-Area Blue Hat, on Trail
Although Zachary McBride worked as a WTA crew leader last summer in the Skykomish District, today marks his first day as a blue hat in the Seattle area. Zachary will crew lead most of the day trips in the Puget Sound area year-round, so if you ever venture out on a work party close to Seattle during the week, you'll probably meet Zachary.
"Building trails is more fun"
When you talk to him on trail, you might notice that Zachary knows an awful lot about forest ecology, native plants and invasive species. (Hint: ask him about bushes). That's because his professional background is in outdoor conservation and recreation. Before working for WTA, Zachary did a stint restoring backcountry lands in the Mojave Desert and Great Basin areas with the Student Conservation Association and then leading volunteer restoration crews in the Puget Sound area with EarthCorps.
Now that he has landed in the world of trail maintenance, Zachary concludes, "Building trails is more fun. Opening up responsible access rather than trying to limit people's access is more appealing to people because it allows them to recreate."
And Zachary appreciates that WTA does just that. Working for other environmental organizations, he had always heard about WTA's work and was excited to be part of it.
"It has always been a dream of mine to work with the organization. I think WTA has an excellent model for trail work and volunteer management."
Learning from each other: airplanes, elevators and trail work
Zachary especially enjoys the strong sense of community he feels working with WTA volunteers on trail. "Being outside has a way of equalizing people," he says. "On trail, you talk to people you wouldn't normally get to talk to."
Zachary likes to take advantage of the fact that he meets such a wide variety of volunteers on trail who he might not otherwise meet. He explains that he always has a constant stream of questions popping into his head about things he comes into contact with on a regular basis, and on trail these questions are sometimes answered. If, for example, he finds out that the volunteer working next to him is an elevator repair-person, he'll ask that volunteer all of the questions that he's always wondered about elevators. Since he began crew leading for WTA, Zachary says, he has learned a lot about airplanes.
As a crew leader, Zachary sees his main responsibility as ensuring that every volunteer has a fulfilling experience. "People are there to do trail work," he says, "but they're also there for other reasons as well. Whether they're there to talk to each other or to get some exercise or to impress their girlfriend, it's important for me to find out why they're there and to customize their experiences so they get what they want out of it."
A creaky knee hiker and champion crew leader
When he isn't working on trails, Zachary enjoys hiking them. He claims that he tends to go on "creaky knee hikes," taking it easy and enjoying the surrounding plants and scenery. His favorite hike in Washington is Sahale Arm in the North Cascades.
In Zachary, WTA has found a champion crew leader. His explanation for why he loves doing rock work says it all. "You can show someone a giant rock and they will say, 'I can't move that,'" Zachary says. "And then you show them how to move it very slowly with a rock carrier, and they can do it."
Sign up for an upcoming trip with Zachary today
Zachary will be working at Cougar Mountain for the rest of this week and next week. Sign up for one of these work parties to meet him in person!
New Hiking Guidebook for Eastern Washington
Abundant wildflowers, hidden waterfalls and marshes full of birdsong. Sweeping vistas of mountains and rolling hills. Intimate canyons with steep basalt cliffs. Golden woodlands and lush forests.
You can find all of these hiking the lands of Eastern Washington, something that will be a lot easier to do with the long-awaited release of a new guidebook, Day Hiking Eastern Washington.
In the latest edition of the excellent Day Hiking series from The Mountaineers books, guidebook authors Rich Landers and Craig Romano have paired up to deliver great day hikes from Spokane to the Tri-Cities, from the Blue Mountains to the Colville National Forest.
What you'll find inside
The guidebook includes:
- 125 hikes with topographical trail maps and detailed route descriptions
- Quick reference info about bird watching, wildflowers, waterfalls, old-growth, and fishing
- Notes about historical interest, kid-friendly, or dog-friendly hikes
- Hike extension ideas for anyone who wants a longer outing
- Info on flora and fauna, natural and human history, and more
> Order your copy of the book or download it now
"The area is wild, remote, and a window to our past."
Landers and Romano want you to fall in love with hiking in Eastern Washington the same way they have.
"Promoting day hiking is our way of exposing Eastern Washington’s outdoor treasures to the widest base of people, young and old, whether they’re trail veterans or taking their first steps out of town," writes Landers in the preface of the new book.
"Eastern Washington, in particular the Kettle River Range near Republic is very special to me and my wife, Heather," Romano, who has a long history and many fond memories of hiking the area. "We did our first camping trip together in the Kettles and were married 10 years later at Curlew Lake State Park (hike no 15). We made the wedding party hike around Swan Lake (hike no. 13) afterward before having the reception back in Republic. The following day, I took my two brothers on a long hike along the Kettle Crest. The area is wild, remote, and a window to our past."
Meet the authors at upcoming events
Romano, who ranks Washington as one of the most beautiful places on the planet, is a contributing columnist for Washington Trails magazine, Northwest Runner and Outdoors NW and the author of nine books, among them Backpacking Washington, Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula, Day Hiking Columbia River Gorge, and Columbia Highlands: Exploring Washington’s Last Frontier, which was recognized in 2010 as a Washington Reads book for its contribution to the state’s cultural heritage. When not out hiking, he lives in Skagit County.
Find him online at www.craigromano.com or meet him in person when he talks about hiking Eastern Washington at one of the following events.
- April 19 - Tacoma; Tacoma Mountaineers
- Book Launch Celebration: May 17 - Kennewick; REI
- May 13 - Bremerton; Peninsula Wilderness Club
- Book Launch Celebration: June 20 - Republic; Northern Inn
Landers has been the Outdoors editor for the Spokesman-Review in Spokane since 1977, covering hiking, conservation, hunting, fishing, climbing, bicycling, public lands, and other outdoor pursuits. He is a contributing writer for Field and Stream magazine and author of 100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest and Paddling Washington.
Share your Eastern Washington hiking experiences
When you take the new book out hiking, make sure to share you experiences with the rest of the hiking community. Follow in the footsteps of mytho-man and Holly Weiler and file trip reports on hike highlights, trail conditions or road closures. Give back to your fellow hikers by letting them know when wildflowers are peaking, mosquitoes are biting or if they can expect to see any great wildlife.
First Volunteer Vacation: Sun, Fun on Second Beach Trail
Under blue skies on the Olympic Peninsula, a full Washington Trails volunteer crew of 12 are halfway through rebuilding a trail on Second Beach.The week-long trip marks the very first Volunteer Vacation of the season, one which volunteers scrambled to be a part of (spaces sold out in 20 seconds).
The Second Beach volunteers range in experience from WTA's crew leader, Janice O'Connor, who has worked more than 440 days on trail, to a first-time volunteer who has never done trail work before.
The crew has been repairing a section of damaged trail where water drainage had badly eroded a series of steps down to the beach. By the end of this week, the water will go where it's supposed to, and hikers will have a safe way down to the beach.
O'Connor reports from the field that the work is coming along well, and that all the hikers who've been passing them on the way to the beach during this gorgeous stretch of weather have been thanking the crew.
"I've been blown away by the incredible beauty here at Second Beach," she says, "where skunk cabbage and sitka spruce rule the domain."
The Second Beach crew have been enjoying more than blue skies and beach views though: part of what makes up a Volunteer Vacation a vacation is the catered food. The Second Beach crew has been fueling up on elk stew, steamed clams, and salmon. The vegetarians on crew have been eating just as well, chowing down on grilled portabella mushrooms, pasta, soup and sandwiches.
Sign up for a featured volunteer vacation trip
If a catered week working on trail in spectacular locations around the state sounds right up your alley, then check out one of the featured Volunteer Vacations that still have spaces open. The fee for a week of catered fun on trail is $235 fee ($195 for WTA members). Sign up with a friend or come along on your own: you'll make friends on the trail.
Know a high school student who would love nothing better than to spend a week in the wilderness this summer? > Check out the youth volunteer vacations.
White River Trail: Jul 27-Aug 3
You'll start this trip with a moderate 6.5 mile backpack into camp (we've got all the food, so your pack will be pretty darn light for a week in the wilderness).
You’ll spend a week brushing, fixing drainage and restoring tread on a scenic trail that feeds into the iconic Pacific Crest Trail in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
On your day off, chill in camp or hike up to the aptly named Kodak Peak for 360-degree views of pure alpine bliss. Snap a few photos of the surrounding White Mountains, Mount David and Glacier Peak before you head back down to camp.
Cathedral Rock Trail: Aug 3-10
Work in the shadow of the hallowed spire of Cathedral Rock on this trail that has long needed work.
You’ll camp at Squaw Lake, a justifiably popular day hike where you’ll be able to take a mountain-lake dip or fish for trout at the end of your work day.
You and your crew will work towards Cathedral Pass, digging out iceberg rocks, repairing drainage, evening out tread and filling turnpikes.
Go explore the big rock up close on your day off, and just beyond the pass push on to Peggy’s Pond—a likely home for fairies if ever there was one. Get details and sign up.
Gypsy Meadows Trails: Jul 20-27
Hidden away in the northeastern corner between Idaho and Canada, experience the remote allure of the Colville National Forest combined with the comfort of car camping. Your crew will camp in Gypsy Meadows and work on nearby trails.
The Salmo Wilderness is home to a number of rare and endangered species, including Mountain Caribou, lynx and wolverines.
On your day off, hike up to the glorious views on the Shedroof Divide. Get details and sign up.
The dates don't work for you or your family? See all the Volunteer Vacations with open spaces.
New Bugle App Aims to Help Overdue, Lost Hikers
Twenty-three year-old hiker Mary Owen was rescued from the slopes of Mount Hood over the weekend, after having been stranded on the mountain for six days. Owen's rescue is a good reminder: every level of hiker needs to get in the habit of filing a detailed trip itinerary before setting out—and a new iPhone app developed by local hikers may just make that easier to do.
"You need to let somebody know where you are going..."
Owen, a hiker who thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2010, got into trouble when whiteout conditions below the summit forced her to turn around. After injuring her leg in a fall, she knew she needed to stay put. She built a snow cave and waited for her overdue return to trigger a rescue. Even though Owen had taken the prudent steps of registering her trip and emailing her friends about her plans, limited information about her location was one reason it took several days for a rescue effort to get underway.
"It doesn't matter if you're climbing Mount Everest or Mount Hood or on a day hike in Washington Park." Steve Rollins, the rescue leader for Portland Mountain Rescue told The Oregonian, "You need to let somebody know where you are going and when you will return."
File an itinerary before hiking
Filing a detailed trip itinerary with family and friends and signing in a trailhead registers (or filing the proper permits) before setting out on a hike or climb is one of the most important ways to stay safe in the backcountry. A good trip itinerary also includes your backup plan for any trails you may hike if you change your mind at the trailhead.
Checking conditions and packing the Ten Essentials and a first aid kit are the other two key pre-hike essentials.
New app sends automatic alerts if you don't check in on time
Thanks to two Seattle-based hikers, there is a new tool to augment your hiking precautions: a free mobile app that sends personalized, automated notifications to your emergency contacts if you don't check in on time from a hike or other outdoor activity.
The app sends your contacts details about your activity, your profile information, and instructions on what action they should take to ensure you are safe.
For now, the app is only available for iPhone users. It was created by Inti, Inc., a Seattle-based company co-founded by Steve Grind and Matt Witcher, two outdoor enthusiasts who solicited input from Search and Rescue professionals, guides and outdoor instructors.
“We’re outside or traveling all the time,” says Grind. “We always found ourselves wishing we had an easy way to tell people about our plans. It's a terrible feeling to find yourself out hiking after dark and to suddenly realize that nobody knows where you are or when they should start looking for you if you got lost or hurt. We created this as much for ourselves as we did for you.”
Learn more www.GoBugle.com or download the app now.
Share your favorite hiking apps and itinerary tips
- Try out the Bugle app and let us know what you think.
- Have another app you can't do without while hiking? Tell us about it.
- Share your experience about when you were glad you filed an itinerary.
Nature on Trail: Cliff Swallow, Black-Tailed Deer, Sword Fern
by Tami Asars
Northwest forests are teeming with life—much of which may go overlooked or unseen. On your next hike, look out for the little things and discover something new on your favorite trails.
Bird: Cliff swallows make a trip to Dry Falls Lake worth a visit
You’ve likely heard of the swallows’ annual return to Capistrano. Well, we have our own return of the cliff swallows right here in the Northwest! The high basalt cliffs of central Washington come alive with them after they make their way back to their breeding grounds in early April.
As the temperatures warm, the graceful flyers dip and swirl through the air, eating a variety of insects. Observers with good binoculars might see little heads popping out of feather-lined mud-ball nests, built by rolling tiny balls of mud piece by piece in their beaks, then securing them onto sheltered cliff walls.
There are many good places to see cliff swallows; Dry Falls Lake in Sun Lakes State Park offers excellent viewing opportunities.
Beast: Find black-tailed deer on trail or in your backyard
If you live on the west side of the Cascade crest and deer wander through your yard, it’s likely your four-legged friends are black-tailed deer. These casual grazers feed on just about anything they can find, including native grasses, salal, salmonberry, pearly everlasting, huckleberry and, yes, your prized petunias.
Look for newborn fawns from late May into June after a gestation period of six to seven months from the fall rut. Fawns have no scent for approximately the first week or so, giving the mother an opportunity to leave the youngster hidden as she hunts for nourishment to recover from its birth.
Look for black-tailed deer during dawn and dusk in wooded areas or grassy meadows.
Bloom: The sword fern saves you from stinging nettle
Most of us know the sword fern from the moist coniferous forest floors of the rainy Northwest. The rain provides a perfect climate of consistent moisture for these plants, which serve as natural ground cover happily growing in the acidic soils at the feet of evergreens.
Look for fiddleheads unrolling in mid- to late spring, looking at times like seahorses as they uncurl. Not only do sword ferns make for nice landscaping, these tough plants are fire resistant and even somewhat drought tolerant in hot summers.
Also, they have one other interesting use.The next time you get stung by a stinging nettle, grab a sword fern leaf and rub its underside against the affected area. It helps alleviate the burning sensation!
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Speak Up for State Parks on their 100th Birthday
Washington State Parks turn 100 this year, and they're showing their age. But you can help them.
> Please call your state senator and ask them to reinvest in our state parks.
Starting to see the impact of cuts
The legislature has cut general funding for State Parks by 79 million dollars since 2007. These devastating cuts have resulted in seasonal closures, reduced services and deferred maintenance. If we don't reverse this trend, we could see some of the crown jewels of our park system closed due to concerns for public safety and the environment.
This week, The Seattle Times released an informative article highlighting some of the problems facing our park system:
"Since 2000, the state has shed 12 of its parks, reduced hours at others, and shifted 66 of its 189 full-time rangers to seasonal jobs. Starting in 2009, the state parks have reduced staffing from 595 full-time permanent employees to 395."
"The situation has gotten so bad that Gov. Jay Inslee and key state lawmakers say they are considering restoring some state tax dollars to fund the parks."
Hikers and campers have likely already seen some of the effects in their favorite parks. The article details a few examples:
"At Lake Wenatchee State Park, storm damage downed so many trees that more than half of the campsites are unusable, with the recreation season fast approaching. Cleanup is slower, with fewer year-round staff to tackle the mess."
"Meanwhile, all over the state, portions of trails, scenic overlooks and campgrounds are cordoned off because there is no money to repair or maintain them."
The legislature is currently developing their 2013-2015 budget, so this is the time to speak up for parks.
How to help state parks
Call your state senator and tell him or her that we need to reinvest in our state parks. Share your experience enjoying these special places and urge the legislature to support $27 million in general funding for State Parks.
Here are some tips for calling elected officials:
- Call the legislative hotline: 1.800.562.6000 and ask for your senator's office.
- Identify yourself (tell them if you are a constituent) and why you are calling: "I believe that Washington needs a budget that invests in our state parks. Please support $27 million in General Fund appropriations for Parks."
- Keep your call short and courteous.
- Remember to thank the staff member for his or her time.
Thank you for speaking out for trails!
Hike the New San Juan Islands National Monument
Today, President Obama announced the establishment of five new national monuments, one of which encompasses 1,000 acres in the San Juan Islands National Monument. The new national treasures include more than 60 uninhabited islands, headlands and lighthouse properties. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the lands host an incredible variety of wildlife species, historic structures, dramatic views—and some great hiking trails.
The new monument is great news for a community, including Washington Trails Association partner San Juan Preservation Trust, that has been advocating for the designation for years.
Spot whales and hike the new national monument
This is the perfect time of year to spot whales from Iceberg Point trail, a 3-mile loop hike to rock cliffs, with fantastic views out towards the Olympic Peninsula, and back toward other parts of Lopez Island. It is suitable for children, dogs on leash, and folks of all ages.
> On Lopez Island, hike the Iceberg Point trail
Located in San Juan Island National Historic Park, Mount Finlayson is home to one of the last native prairie habitats in the San Juan Island Archipelago. It's also one of the few homes to the Island Marble Butterfly. Over six miles of shoreline and a variety of habitats including lagoons, fir and oak stands, and bluffs overlooking the Straight of Juan de Fuca fill this hike with wildlife viewing opportunities.
> On San Juan Island, hike the historic Mount Finlayson trail
More news and national monument information from:
Trailblazers: Village Theatre Debuts Hiking Musical
by Deanna Duff
Issaquah’s Village Theatre is renowned for its trailblazing work in musical theater. With the world premiere of their newest musical, Trails, they are yet again covering new ground—both literally and figuratively.
Trails follows the journey of two childhood friends who reconnect in their early thirties and undertake the adventure of hiking the 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail, which spans 14 states along the East Coast. Both friends wrestle with life’s unexpected twists and tragedies—death of a parent, career changes, lost loves, getting older. The journey tests the endurance of mind, body and spirit.
“Trails, in a nutshell, is about the emotional miles—not just the physical—that you need to journey in order to genuinely recover when life throws you a curveball,” says Jeff Thomson, Trails’ composer.
A production inspired by a trail
Thomson is the original mastermind of Trails, and he was inspired by a similar proposal from a boyhood friend. While their reunion hike never occurred, it hooked his attention as an interesting musical concept, which he began formulating in 2009.
“I pitched the idea to my longtime collaborator, Jordan Mann (Trails’ lyricist). He immediately said, ‘Are you out of your mind? How do we sustain an evening of two characters walking around for six months?’” Thomson laughingly recalls.
For more information, visit villagetheatre.org or contact Village Theatre’s Box Office, 425.392.2202.
Performance times and prices vary. Running time: 2 hours and 15 minutes (one intermission)
Trails runs at Issaquah’s Francis J. Gaudette theatre thru April 16, 2013
Performances at Everett’s Performing Arts Center: April 26 - May 19, 2013
Audience members may initially wonder the same thing. How can a stage capture a sense of the outdoors? The musical’s backdrop is an impressive mountain that looms over the action and serves as a blank canvas that represents settings from Georgia to Maine. The narrative also alternates between present-day and the past, which alleviates the characters always being “on the trail” and walking in circles. Writer Christy Hall shaped the narrative with an astute eye towards keeping the characters moving both in time and space.
Trails found its footing as part of Village Originals, the company’s program dedicated to developing new musicals. Each season, two of the five productions are new works. Some, such as Next to Normal and Million Dollar Quartet, became award-winning, Broadway hits after debuting in Issaquah. Trails launched as a reading during the 2011 Festival of New Musicals. The current run marks its world premiere staging.
“Village Theatre cares so much about their audiences and I feel we’re giving them a beautiful show (with Trails). This whole process has been absolutely extraordinary. I can only hope to experience something like this again in my career,” says Thomson.
Exploring the nature of relationships
Thomson is a hiker himself and his parents live in Massachusetts literally yards from the Appalachian Trail. For the musical, the Appalachian Trail is particularly evocative due to its fame—established in 1937, 2-3 million visitors annually hike part of the span. Upwards of 2,000 attempt the thru-hike, which requires approximately 5-7 months. However, the themes and appeal are universal. It speaks to the value of an experience that could occur anywhere—in the Northwest on the Pacific Crest Trail or during an outing at the local park.
“There is something about being in nature that strips everything away,” says Thomson. “In nature we emotionally can’t hide beyond anything like your job or relationship.”
Julie Cassata, Washington Trails Association’s Volunteer Coordinator, agrees. Before joining WTA, she thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. She hiked the Appalachian Trail in two parts during and after college, which was a needed “big adventure” during a time of transition.
“When you’re out there, it’s an opportunity to think about things and work through them,” says Cassata. “I experience a sense of freedom and peacefulness that I don’t seem able to get in my day-to-day life with the hustle and bustle.”
She befriended fellow hikers on the Appalachian Trail with whom she has remained in touch. After seeing Trails, the musical’s focus on relationships resonated with Cassata’s own experiences.
“An hour with somebody on the trail can have more of an impact than an hour talking to someone at a cocktail party,” she says. “You’re more of who you are when you’re hiking. You didn’t specially select your outfit that day or style your hair. That’s really freeing. People are closer to being a truer version of themselves.”
Audience response to Trails has been overwhelmingly positive. There are already discussions of eventually staging it to New York City. In the meantime, Thomson looks forward to catching his breath and hitting the local trails while he’s still in the Northwest. Shepherding Trails to the stage has been a long trek, but well worth the effort.
“I personally believe that nobody knows progress until they’ve stood at the top of a mountain—until they’ve climbed something whether it’s literally or figuratively,” he says.
