THE OUTDOORS ARE ESSENTIAL AND THE 2020 SUMMER TRAILS CHALLENGE IS ON!
Starting June 6th, track and log your hiking, walking, biking, and running trail miles to help Gallatin Valley Land Trust reach its goal of 50,000 miles before June 26. Each mile logged on a trail during the Summer Trails Challenge will be matched with a $1 donation to GVLT from the Community Match Pool funded by generous businesses. We have just three weeks to reach our goal of 50,000 trail miles to raise $50,000 for GVLT. Are we ready for the challenge?
Log your miles starting June 6th HERE and watch us get closer and closer to our goal. 1 mile= $1 to GVLT.
We know that in challenging times, you turn to the trails. Our outdoor spaces have meant so much more to us in the last two months than we could have imagined. Now it is your turn to give back to the trails and work together with your community to reach our goal.
COVID 19 has changed some of our plans for the Summer Trails Challenge but at the core, this is already a virtual event. You’ll be enjoying trails, safely, on your own to participate in the challenge. Unfortunately, we have cancelled our finale party on June 26th. We’ll miss celebrating with you in person but we’re still hopeful we can reach our goal.
We are always grateful for our business sponsors but especially so right now. This year in particular, please, pay attention to the businesses providing the matching dollars and support them if you can. We are exceptionally grateful that they’re continuing to support our work.
Trails Challenge Rules and Details:
- We rely on the good ol’ scouts honor. Please be honest when tracking and logging your miles. Your tracking doesn’t need to be exact (sometimes you have to estimate!) but please keep your ’rounding’ within reason.
- You can log miles daily or in batches, whatever is easiest.
- There are no strict limits on which trails qualify for the challenge but please use trails in our region (Main Street to the Mountains, Forest Service, Hyalite, Big Sky, Livingston, Three Forks all qualify). The intention behind the challenge is to get you outside so if you’re out there, when in doubt, count them!
- Please share the challenge on social media, challenge your kids or your friends, challenge a co-worker. A little competition goes a long way.
- Please share photos and tag us on social media so we can re-share them.
- Stay tuned to social media and this site for updates of special prize days where local businesses will reward folks who log their miles on that day.
- Teams: Sponsoring businesses are included in an optional drop-down menu on the logging form. If you’re a client, employee or friend of the business, log miles on their team to help them reach their goals!
With social distancing still recommended, please considering the following when hitting the trails and tracking your miles (we will update as CDC, City and State guidelines change)
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance on the trail. Step aside if possible when you encounter another party.
- Avoid carpooling with people outside of your home.
- Avoid high touch surfaces like playgrounds, trash cans and bathrooms.
- Do not use the trails if you are feeling sick or have a fever.
- Consider wearing a mask, particularly on busy trails where social distancing is more challenging.
- Pack out trash and dog waste. Not all receptacles are being emptied as often as normal.
- Obey all leash rules to avoid having to approach others to retrieve dogs.
Special Trail Days
June 11th: commonFont Day
commonFont employees LOVE the trails. Get out there and log miles on their team.
June 12th-14th: Helena vs. Bozeman Challenge
Our peers at the Prickly Pear Land Trust in Helena are doing a Trails Challenge of their own since they had to cancel their Don’t Fence Me In Trail Run. We’re introducing some healthy competition and friendly trash talking to see which community can log the most miles during the weekend of June 12th-14th. Can we beat them?
June 15th: First Security Bank Day
More miles, more money!
June 19th: Oboz Footwear Day
If you wear Oboz shoes for your miles on June 19th, you can DOUBLE them when you log them online. Oboz staff will be hitting the trails for a socially distant team hike. They’ll also have their tent posted up on the trails for raffle sign ups, stickers, shoes and more!
June 20th: The Lark Hotel Day
Who needs a staycation? Log miles on Team Lark on June 20th to be entered to win a one night stay at The Lark Hotel in Downtown Bozeman.
Learn more at gvlt.org/events/challenge
