WTA and Youth: Our Favorite Moments on Trail in 2013

From youth leaders to volunteer crews to the launch of our brand new Outdoor Leadership Training program, celebrate some of the our favorite youth moments on trail this year.

You can see which trails we worked on and see all of WTA's accomplishments in 2013.

Good friends: 23 community partners volunteered all year long

With a growing number of community partners more and more youth are getting outdoors and giving back to trails. In 2013, WTA led at least one youth group each month throughout the year. WTA thanks the 23 youth programs who partnered on more than 50 youth trail work parties.

Helping each other get outside: a thriving community of hiking families

YOWZA! More than 650 trip reports were submitted so far this year marked as Hiked by Kids. Check out this great list of trip reports hiked by kids. Additionally several other resources are being shared on the Families Go Hiking Pinterest board and newsletter. This year the number of Families Go Hiking newsletter subscribers has grown four fold.

Youth volunteers: a summer full of adventure and stewardship

Teens age 14-18 participated on 16 youth volunteer vacations in some spectacular locations all across Washington, including North Cascades National Park.

It was an amazing summer of youth volunteering in two State Parks, two National Parks and eight different National Forest Service Ranger Districts.

Photo by Lacey Cunningham

Hike-a-Thon: young hikers made their (696) miles count

Twenty-one youth hiked 696 miles in the month of August to support the 10th Annual Hike-a-Thon. That's the highest number of youth participants and miles hiked by youth ever. They made all those miles count and raised more than $2,100 for WTA. Thanks to all the youth and families who participated.

young hikers at Stehekin from Rainy Pass

Launching a new program: getting more youth on trail

WTA's Outdoor Leadership Training program launched this fall. It will support and empower youth development professionals and teachers to get more kids outside. The training workshops, gear lending library, funding assistance and supportive community were designed to engage community leaders and help kids have access to the outdoors.

A special thanks to Columbia Sportswear and Timbuk2 for their generous donations to the new gear lending library.

Outdoor leaders: youth volunteers share their perspective

Our first team of Youth Ambassadors visited 12 local schools and shared their experiences about volunteering with WTA with more than 700 students. A special thanks to Helen and Tzuria for participating on the 2012-13 Youth Advisory Committee.

Youth Ambassadors at WTA's office as part of the ambassador training.