News from your community trail!
Greetings!

Happy March! We are officially in the month that marks the start of spring, and if this week of rain has anything to say about it we'll be seeing bare ground soon. As we gear up for a busy summer of trail construction and maintenance projects, education programs, and community events, we're inviting you to join us in giving back to your trail by volunteering.
Calling all Volunteers!
Do you love your trail? Would you like to spend an afternoon swinging a pulaski to help with maintenance? How about cheering on runners as they make their way from Depot Park to the summit of Big Mountain and back at the Whitefish Trail Legacy Run? We'd love to have you join us in one of our many volunteer programs:

Trail Patrol - As a trail patroller, every hike, bike, run, or ski you do on the Whitefish Trail can help us monitor trail conditions, assist other trail users, and provide us value toward our required financial match for grants. We ask that you commit to at least two patrols a month.

Trail Crew - Volunteers are critical to our ability to maintain all 47 miles of Whitefish Trail. Whether you're brand new or a season traildog, join us for a public work day to help improve the trails you love to use.

Adopt-a-Trail Crew - For businesses or community groups that are looking to make a section of trail their own, we have a few open sections in need of an Adopt-a-Trail crew. Adopt-a-trail crews make a three year commitment, and complete a minimum of two work days a year.

Events - The Whitefish Trail Hootenanny and Whitefish Trail Legacy Run are two of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and are made possibly by all our event volunteers. Help sell raffle tickets, serve beer, check in runners, or staff an aid station!

Office - If you'd rather give your time indoors, we have a number of office projects throughout the year.
Adopt-A-Trail Openings
The Whitefish Trail Adopt-a-Trail program offers opportunities for local businesses, organizations, or groups to adopt sections of trail as either financial sponsors or trail crew volunteers.

Adopt-a-Trail sections open for Adoption 2022-2024

Financial Sponsors:
  • North Spencer
  • Woods Lake Loop
  • Woods Lake Overlook
  • Lupfer
Trail Crews:
  • Dollar Lake

To learn more contact alan@whitefishlegacy.org
Shelldon the Workplace Team trophy is proudly displayed each year by the winning team
During the annual Hit the Trail Challenge throughout the month of May, each mile logged by the community is matched by $1 donated by Challenge sponsors. Throughout the month, workplaces compete as teams to tally the most miles on the Whitefish Trail. Last year we had 17 Workplace Teams from local business and non-profits, and The Wave took home Shelldon, the Workplace Team Trophy, with a whopping 765 miles. That's an average of 56 miles per participating employee in May! Other past winners include Healthy Living Coop in 2019 and Competitive Timing in 2020.

Workplace Teams are a great way to build team spirit and encourage employees and employee family members to be active on the Whitefish Trail.

For more information and sign up a workplace team,
email info@whitefishlegacy.org
Education Program Spotlight
Last weekend our WLP Education Coordinator Christiane led a snow science and safety program on the Whitefish Trail in partnership with Friends of Flathead Avalanche Center. Participants learned about snowpack, snow morphology, and how to translate that knowledge to stay safe in avalanche terrain.
Early-March Trail Report
By Jedd Sankar-Gorton, Program Manager

On a recent hike on the Whitefish Trail in Beaver Lakes, the full range of winter trail conditions were present - a layer of slick ice covering nearly bare tread, packed snow, and 6 inch deep powder. As we made our way and moved through the different aspects and elevations, we experienced all the different stages of our winter so far. In some areas there was fresh snow on branches and animal tracks along the trail, in others we could see exposed ground and plants starting to wake. Though these variable conditions can make trips on the trail quite unpredictable, I really enjoy seeing how the season is slowly changing little by little each day. Have you noticed how much lighter the days suddenly feel?
As we move into March, temperatures are predicted to stay above freezing during the day and below freezing at night. We should expect frozen, hard conditions in the morning on the Whitefish Trail and a softer surface in the afternoons. We recommend Yak Trax or other traction assist devices in the morning with special care in high-use areas. Before long, sections of the Whitefish Trail that have been hibernating since December will start to reappear and reveal our world-class trail once again. Get out and enjoy the snow - it’ll be gone before we know it!

Send us your winter trail reports and photos to info@whitefishlegacy.org!
Upcoming Education Programs
Wildlife Tracks in the Snow

Saturday, March 26 at 10am, Big Mountain Trailhead
Come join us to discover the basics of animal tracking in the snow. Learn the 4 basic patterns of tracks and how to start identifying who has been on the trail before you.

Our complete WT Education schedule, including registration for Forest Explorers Camp and Girls on the Trail will be released APRIL 1, 2022.
Whitefish Trail Legacy Run Registration is Open!
New Whitefish Trail
hats available!
Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors!

The Whitefish Trail relies on the generosity of trail users,
conservation-minded supporters, and local businesses to create a year-round, sustainable asset for future generations.
Serving the Flathead Valley since 2009, Tamarack Cannabis provides fully licensed and legal marijuana and CBD products to the Flathead Valley. They are supporting Whitefish Legacy Partners as an annual Corporate Sponsor donating cash in support of our local trail and conservation lands. Support local businesses that give back to the community!

Thank you Tamarack Cannabis for being a WT Sponsor!
Whitefish Mountain Resort supports WLP and the trail in SO many ways. Did you know WMR donated the easement for the Big Mountain Trailhead and 1/2 mile of trail in Haskill? They also have an Adopt-A-Trail crew, donate cash annually, AND donate raffle prizes in support of the WT Hootenanny! Thank you WMR for supporting us year after year!

Thank you Whitefish Mountain Resort for being a WT Sponsor!
Whitefish Legacy Partners
406-862-3880