Get Involved and Help Celebrate the 30thAnniversary of the Continental Divide Trail

The opportunity to assist in the creation of a national treasure will take 2008 Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) volunteers from Canada to Mexico and through varied landscapes ranging from desert to tundra, as the work to complete one of the nation’s premier long-distance trails continues.

Giving back to the public lands they enjoy and being part of a legacy for future generations are two of the reasons volunteers commonly cite for donating their time and hard work to the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). Designated by Congress in 1978, the CDT currently stands at 67% complete. When fully constructed, the highest and most remote of our National Scenic Trails will extend some 3,100 miles, offering numerous recreational opportunities through some of the most picturesque lands in America.

Since its inception in 1995, the CDTA’s ambitious volunteer trail building program has engaged more than 9,500 volunteers in this monumental undertaking. This year, with more than 50 CDTA and partner organization projects planned in all five CDT states (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico), there is project date and location for everyone.

Projects sites range from easily-accessible car camping locations to backpacking treks with work sites in remote backcountry settings. CDTA volunteers will build new tread, repair eroded and damaged sections of Trail, and construct bridges and trailheads. No prior experience is necessary. CDTA provides all volunteers with a bag of free outdoor goodies, a volunteer t-shirt and a free online subscription to BackpackingLight.com. Thanks to our successful volunteer Crew Chef program, meals are provided on the majority of our projects. Many projects also feature a guided hike or other educational outing.

This season also marks the second year of the CDTA Family Volunteer Adventures program funded by Coleman. Families with children 10 years of age and older are invited to share a unique experience out on the Trail. The program encourages children to learn the value of outdoor recreation and volunteerism as they explore and help to build and improve the Continental Divide Trail. Families will experience a unique environmental education opportunity, specific to the area in which they are working. Participants will also learn about teamwork, Leave No Trace outdoor ethics, trail safety and construction techniques, and how they can make a difference out on the Trail.

CDTA Family Volunteer Adventures projects range from two to five days in duration. Families camp in vehicle-accessible campgrounds near the project site. Projects involve moderate hiking and physically challenging work activities such as digging and lifting for adults, with trail clean-up and lighter construction for kids.

The 2008 CDTA volunteer season kicks off on May 10th in the Chain of Craters region in New Mexico, where volunteers will be constructing new trail in an otherworldly setting featuring dried lava flows and cinder cones more than half a million years old. As the snow pack melts, volunteer projects move into higher elevations for the summer, with some work site locations including the towering Collegiate Peaks of Colorado, the remarkable Wind River Range of Wyoming, and the secluded wilderness of the Idaho/Montana border.

To learn more about this year’s volunteer opportunities or to download a copy of the 2008 Volunteer Guide, go to www.cdtrail.org/getinvolved For more information or for a free copy of the 2008 Volunteer Guide or, please call (888) 909-CDTA or email [email protected]

Courtesy of grouptravelblog.com