Lander Helps Keep Winter Trails Open for Use by Showing Love for Volunteers Who Maintain Them

For the past eight years or so, a small but mighty army of eight volunteers have been grooming multiuse trails in Sinks Canyon and at Willow Creek for winter use. Last winter alone, this group spent more than 200 hours grooming over 1,800 miles of trails with no compensation. While all trail work is demanding, winter grooming is especially so and the skill set needed to perform these tasks is unique. The trouble is, these volunteers are burning out, which could lead to limited winter trail access for the entire Lander community. So one Lander local, a staffer with the Lander Cycling Club, came up with a solution and brought it to LOR for help launching: Create a volunteer appreciation program for the groomers to reduce the risk of burnout that includes stipends for additional safety gear to reduce the risk of injury. LOR’s funding will support the purchase of winter coats and equipment for the volunteers, helping keep them safe (and appreciated!) and raising awareness about their efforts across the community.