December eNews
In This Issue

  • Project Thunderbird Update
  • Youth Crew Heroes Campaign
  • Holiday Gifts That Keep Giving
  • Hydro Flask Awards PNTA Grant
  • Cascade Hiker Podcast Live

Explore our interactive map to find your Thunderbird marker on the trail.
Project Thunderbird Update

Today, America’s newest and most remote National Scenic Trail remains mostly unsigned and unblazed. Not only can this add to the challenge of a trip on the Pacific Northwest Trail, the lack of signage also represents a missed opportunity to share the wonders of the trail for the benefit of all.
 
Thanks to Project Thunderbird supporters , the iconic Thunderbird service mark will soon help more visitors discover the PNT as if for the first time and experience that magical moment when they come to learn that a favorite trail is part of something bigger – a National Scenic Trail that continues for 1200 miles, protecting natural wonders from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
 
This year, PNTA has come closer to our goal of installing a Thunderbird on every post from the Crown of the Continent to the Pacific Coast. Visit our blog for an update on our work in 2018 and to explore an interactive map and register of donors to the project.
On Giving Tuesday, we launched our Youth Crew Heroes fundraising campaign with the goal of growing our youth service program and making the PNT ever better in 2019. 

Every gift to our #YouthCrewHeroes campaign helps us empower youth from gateway communities to protect trails. Each year, 80% of the work that the PNTA performs on the Pacific Northwest Trail is done by our youth crew members.

Thanks to you , the campaign is already off to a great start - our trail community unlocked $5k in matching gifts and surpassed our $10k one-day goal on Giving Tuesday! 

It’s not too late to give and help us reach our goal of raising $20k for our youth service programs. And now through the end of the year, you can show your love for the PNT and earn incentives that make great holiday gifts.



Handmade artisan tiles and Thunderbird trail markers make great holiday gifts.



Holiday Gifts that Keep Giving


Gift Membership

Annual membership with PNTA can make a great gift for the PNT enthusiast in your life. All donations of $35 or more qualify for a one-year membership - and by giving $50 or more to the campaign, you can also gift them an authentic Thunderbird trail maker - just like the ones we install on the trail! 


Great Holiday Gifts

This holiday season, you can dedicate a trail marker on the PNT to someone special. With a qualifying donation of $100 or more, we’ll install a marker on the trail in their honor and add their name to our Project Thunderbird registry, online at pnt.org. We only offer this program for a limited time so give today! 

We’re also excited to offer a new incentive this year - a handmade artisan tile featuring the iconic Thunderbird service mark - available only through our Youth Crew Heroes campaign. These premium tiles look great anywhere. Proudly display them using the included easel or wall mount them to next to your favorite trail memorabilia.


A Gift Back to Trails

We all need nature time - a gift back to the Pacific Northwest Trail this holiday season helps us take #YouthCrewHeroes out on the PNT next year. Your gift will help youth from gateway communities develop trail and outdoor leadership skills and make lifelong connections to our scenic lands. Their work will keep the PNT open for everyone to enjoy.

 
Hydro Flask awarded over half a million dollars in grant funding on Giving Tuesday.
Hydroflask Awards PNTA Grant

On Giving Tuesday, Hydro Flask, the award-winning leader in high-­performance, insulated stainless steel flasks and soft good innovations, announced grant recipients of their 2018 Parks For All Charitable Giving Program . In total, the company donated over half a million dollars in 2018 to preserve, maintain and provide better access to green spaces and parks of all sizes.

The Pacific Northwest Trail Association was selected as one of sixteen nonprofit organizations for funding under the Parks for All Program. Hydro Flask awarded PNTA with $20,700 in grant funding to support training for PNTA’s youth trail crew and volunteer trail maintenance programs for the 2019 season.

“This project will greatly increase our capacity for recruiting and training our seasonal employees and volunteers,” said Jeff Kish, Executive Director for the Pacific Northwest Trail Association. “With a larger, better-trained workforce we can build and maintain more trail as well as prepare and empower individuals to continue their stewardship both locally and wherever they choose to be involved in public lands.”
Above: Rudy Giecek interviews Lauren Danner at a live podcast recording.
Cascade Hiker Podcast Live

The latest episode of The Cascade Hiker Podcast features a live interview recorded at Birdsview Brewing, not far from the PNT along the North Cascades Highway. Listeners of the podcast and the PNTA joined host, Rudy Giecek and Lauren Danner, author of Crown Jewel Wilderness, Creating North Cascades National Park, for refreshments and fun at the event. Guests were treated to live music by Josh Fichter of the Barefoot Band.
 
The Park celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year - and with over 60 miles of trail in the Park - PNT enthusiasts can share in the triumph! The establishing legislation which created North Cascades National Park, the North Cascades Act, also established the Stephen Mather Wilderness and Pasayten Wilderness. 
 
Thanks to listeners of The Cascade Hiker Podcast , host Rudy Giecek raised over $500 for the Association’s #YouthCrewHeroes campaign at the event! Way to go, Rudy! The Association would also like to thank Lauren Danner, Josh Fichter, Birdsview Brewing Co and everyone who came out to join us!

Follow us on social media for trail updates, pictures and fun!
Use the hashtag #crowntocoast and we'll share your PNT pictures. 
You can support the Pacific Northwest Trail Association just by shopping at  REI.com  and  REI-OUTLET.com . All you have to do is click on the REI logo in this email and shop!
Fred Meyer Community Rewards  is "where shopping and giving unite." You can support the Pacific Northwest Trail Association just by shopping at Fred Meyer with your Rewards Card. All you have to do is link your Rewards Card and scan it every time you shop at Fred Meyer.
AmazonSmile   is a simple and automatic way for you to support the Pacific Northwest Trail Association every time you shop, at no cost to you. For a limited time your support goes twice as far! From October 29th - November 2nd, Amazon is donating 5% when you shop at smile.amazon.com.