A summary of the Trail Ambassador season thus far: Intro by Stewardship Director, Lindsay Butcher

How are we already almost to August?! This season has whipped past, blink and you’ll miss it. The TAs have been out on trails since mid June getting the good work done and we have a stellar crew this year spanning from Lone Pine to Bridgeport. They have already hosted a handfull of volunteer events but if you want to get out and get your hands dirty alongside our TAs we have ample volunteer events coming down the pike: Golden Trout Backcountry Work Week, Rock Creek Boardwalk Project, 20 Lakes Basin Work Week… for more info check out our events calendar. And now, a few words from the TAs:

Bella- Mt. Whitney RD:

The 2024 summer season seems to be flying by but I have been enjoying every moment of it. Prior to working as the Whitney District Trail Ambassador, I had only spent a handful of days in the area. I feel so lucky because I get to explore a different part of the Sierra and each trail is a new adventure.

One of the projects I have been working on this season is campsite monitoring. I have collected data on the backcountry campsites in the Onion Valley area and along the Shepherd Pass Trail. I’ve also spent time working in the Inyo Mountains, the South Sierra Wilderness, and on Mt. Whitney. My favorite trail so far has been Kearsarge Pass with all its wonderful lakes, wildflowers, and yellow-legged frogs. I am excited for the rest of the season and looking forward to leading people on the Stroll and Sketch Naturalist walks coming up. Happy Trails!

Jean- White Mtn RD:

I love that there is no such thing as a typical day as a Trail Ambassador. Every day is a new trail with various ways of maintaining the trail, such as cutting back overgrown willow, sawing downed trees on the trail, removing large rocks and cleaning up campsites. We recently hosted a Rock Creek Lake Cleanup Event where 25 Volunteers picked up trash around the Lake, on the road and at the Mosquito Flat trailhead. Another focus is educating Wilderness users about responsible practices in the backcountry, such as packing out toilet paper and obtaining a Wilderness permit. One of my favorite aspects of our job is interpreting the Natural and Cultural History of the Sierra. I led a Geology Walk at McGee Creek late June and have two upcoming Edible and Medicinal Plants Walks on August 3 and 31. These will take place on the wildflower-rich East Fork of Rock Creek. Every Friday at 8:30 AM, I lead a Nature-based Yoga program where I talk about the Sierra Natural History while we breathe in the open air of Pokonobe Marina’s deck overlooking Lake Mary. And this summer, we are doing Wilderness Surveys in the backcountry to monitor campsites as part of a Wilderness Forest Service Plan. As a team, it was sweet to spend a few nights up the North Fork of Big Pine monitoring sites and soon, I will be spending a few nights near the beautiful Lamarck Lakes. My favorite backpacking meal is dehydrated Pad Thai and my favorite snack is dehydrated strawberries from my garden!

Brian- Mammoth Lakes RD:

I have had a great time working on the trails leading out of reds meadow valley this summer. I love not needing to hike over a mountain pass to access peaceful trail miles. And I wouldn’t recommend any particular destination over the other, they are all beautiful and worth visiting. In fact, I’d recommend not having a destination in mind and finding yourself pleasantly surprised with where you go. When I reached 1000 Island Lake for the first time, I wondered if it was really any more beautiful than the other lakes that I passed on my way. I don’t think it was, also, there weren’t that many islands. The best places to hike out of reds meadow valley are those other trails where it takes only a mile before you wonder if you’ll ever see another person again. I feel like I’m in a wild place.

Ellie- Mono Basin RD:

My favorite part of being a Trail Ambassador is leading interpretive hikes. Over the past month I have led birding tours for the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua, Panum Crater geology tours, and my monthly Bennettville geology hike. Learning about the geology and tectonic history of the Eastern Sierra has been a passion of mine for almost a decade, and leading interpretive programs is my favorite way to share my passion with others. On my Bennettville program we take a dive into deep time and read the stories that the rocks have to offer. The rocks near Tioga Pass whisper secrets of ancient deep oceans, volcanoes that erupted while dinosaurs roamed the earth, and a mountain range covered in ice. Leading geology hikes is a great way for me to continue on my never-ending journey to learn more about how the Sierra Nevada mountains formed. Sharing with people like you is an absolute joy! Please join me on my next programs: Saturdays August 17 and September 7. Meet at the Junction Campground parking at the turnoff of Hwy 120 for Saddlebag Lake. Email lindsay@friendsoftheinyo.org to reserve your spot today!

Jordan- Bridgeport RD:

“Jeffrey, juniper, hemlock… no… white fir!” Having successfully identified these trees, I continued my journey to the Buckeye Forks, rhythmically flipping my shovel. Being alone in the wilderness so often I find myself more and more entertained by the simplest things. The Bridgeport area is entirely new to me so really, every step I take has some novelty to it.

The trails out here are often wooded and silent, save the distant roar of whatever creek your trail likely follows. Out of trailheads like Virginia Lakes or Green Creek, with their lake-filled steps and dramatic, pointy peaks, you’ll find fishermen, day hikers, and undoubtedly gorgeous scenery. Go north and start your trek out of Leavitt Meadows, Buckeye Canyon, or Burt Canyon, and your view into the Sierra will be framed by the lengthy U Shape of the glacially carved valley. That’s where the true beauty of the Hoover Wilderness lies.

As the summer broils on, and the mosquitos continue to wilt away (hopefully in an awfully itchy way), my job as Bridgeport’s Trail Ambassador continues to enliven me. I’m always learning new ways to admire the beauty of the Sierra Nevada. And whether it’s in the song of a bird, the thrash of a trout, or just the flip of my shovel, I think I’ll always have something out here to entertain me.

Thanks to our partners for making this program possible!