More than 70 Pacific Crest Trail Association members, partners and volunteers attended Trail Dirt Live at the Cedar House Sport Hotel in Truckee, California on Friday, Oct. 21.
The PCTA marks its second year hosting this quarterly event along the trail and its continued success is truly inspiring. What a wonderful reflection of your passion for the PCT! Trail enthusiasts from the region and beyond gathered in a social setting to meet board members, staff and other loyal supporters. Throughout the night, attendees learned of and celebrated the accomplishments of the PCTA, only made possible by your generosity.
Liz Bergeron, PCTA Executive Director and CEO, kicked off the presentation by noting the organization’s positive financial results. “Our bottom line is about what we accomplished for the trail, and in order to do that we need to have a financially stable organization,” she said. “2015 was a good year, thanks to you.”

PCTA Executive Director and CEO Liz Bergeron addresses the crowd during Trail Dirt Live on Oct. 21 in Truckee, California. Photo by: Alice Su
Mike Dawson, PCTA Director of Trail Operations, highlighted the year’s trail protection efforts. “There’s a lot going on for the trail right now,” he said. In 2015, you helped protect 1,132 acres of land and maintain and reconstruct 1,506 miles of the trail. “We are also working on Forest and BLM plans to address how land around the trail will be managed for the next 10-15 years.”
Justin Kooyman, PCTA Northern Sierra Regional Representative, updated the crowd on some regional projects, including realigning six miles of the PCT in the Sierra Buttes. He said the new route will isolate the trail from motorized activity and preserve hikers’ experiences.

PCTA Northern Sierra Regional Representative Justin Kooyman, right, talks trail with board member Chip Herzig, left, and JoAnn Ralphs. Photo by: Alice Su
Liz also highlighted trail acquisition work in the region. PCTA recently partnered with the Trust for Public Land, Truckee Donor Land Trust and the Tahoe National Forest to acquire 406 acres deemed as prime viewshed. “Not many people realize that 10 percent of the trail is still on private property,” Liz said. “We got to see part of that first-hand today… and we are proud knowing that part of it is now under the ownership of the U.S. Forest Service.”
She also congratulated the attendees for their unprecedented support of PCTA’s Landers Meadow Acquisition. It was PCTA’s first land purchase, and we closed on the property Aug. 18. “You gave $550,000… which enabled us to buy the property, hold the property and later sell the property… and even more, to take those funds and use it to buy more land. We’re excited about our increased capacity to take the lead on these projects when it makes sense to take the lead.”

Liz Bergeron, right, and PCTA Annual Fund Manager Shari Hansen, left, present Peggy Porto with PCTA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.” Photo by: PCTA Director of Philanthropy Angie Williamson
These accomplishments are a result of your membership and volunteerism. PCTA presented one such person, Peggy Porto, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors “extraordinary commitment and service to the PCT over many years. It’s not presented every year, just once in a while, and it’s very special,” Liz said.
“Each week for over 14 years, Peggy Porto has been responsible for folding, stuffing and mailing our thank you letters. If you ever donated to PCTA, it’s likely she sent you your thank you letter,” said Shari Hansen, Annual Fund Manager. Porto, who was surprised at the honor, said: “What keeps me coming back is the people.” What a telling remark on why we are able to do the work we do and for whom we do it for!

PCTA Managing Editor Mark Larabee (left) and Board Member Barney “Scout” Mann signing copies of The Pacific Crest Trail: Exploring America’s Wilderness Trail. Photo by: Alice Su
To close the night, Liz introduced the PCTA’s new book, The Pacific Crest Trail: Exploring America’s Wilderness Trail, authored by our very own Managing Editor Mark Larabee and Board Member Barney Scout Mann. The book tells the story of how a 2,650-mile trail from Mexico to Canada came to be. It’s a tale about the dedication of many volunteers and government land managers, as well as political will and just plain luck.
“We wrote about the people and the past, present and future of the trail – hopefully reflected in their stories and yours,” says Larabee. Larabee and Mann signed books after the presentation for attendees interested in purchasing a copy.
Missed us? Join us for the next Trail Dirt Live in January in Southern California! Stay tuned for more details.

Thank you to the Cedar House Sport Hotel for hosting our event! Photo by: Alice Su