CDT Gateway Community Summit
Join Us for the 2024 Gateway Community Summit!
November 13 and 14 – VIRTUAL
The VIRTUAL 2024 Continental Divide Trail Gateway Community Summit is taking place November 13-14. This two-day event will bring together community leaders, outdoor enthusiasts, and partners from across the Continental Divide region to discuss the latest opportunities, challenges, and developments along the trail.
Registration for the 2024 Gateway Community Summit
November 13th – 14th
Virtual CDT Gateway Community Summit – REGISTER
Once registered, you will receive a zoom link to join the Summit.
November 14th – 6pm
End of Season Fireside Chat | Voices of the Trail: A conversation with CDTC’s 2024 Trail Ambassadors – REGISTER
CDTC will bring together a panel of experienced CDT hikers to share their firsthand experience navigating the trail with a special focus on their interactions with the Gateway Communities that play a crucial role in supporting hikers. This session will bring an end-of-season wrap-up and highlight ways you can get involved with the CDT!
Agenda
Day 1 - Wednesday November 13th
(9:00-10:30 AM) Welcome & Keynote Address: The Future of Gateway Communities & CDTC’s Strategic Plan
Join us for the opening session featuring CDTC’s Executive Director, Teresa Martinez, and CDTC Board Chair, Greg Pierce, as they unveil the new Continental Divide Trail Coalition Strategic Plan. This session will provide an inside look at the vision guiding the CDT’s future and highlight how community engagement is a critical component in achieving our shared goals. Learn how local partnerships and initiatives along the trail play an essential role in bringing this strategic vision to life, fostering connection, stewardship, and inclusivity across all gateway communities.
(11:00 AM-12:00 PM) Windy Horizons: Outdoor Recreation and Wind Energy Development in Carbon County, WY
Bonnie Johnson and Thomas Lawrence are graduate students from Colorado State University who have partnered with the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) to complete their master’s research. They have spent time in Carbon County, WY to research the convergence of wind energy development and outdoor recreation. Carbon County is uniquely suited for wind energy and also has substantial outdoor recreation opportunities, including a section of the Continental Divide Trail. These factors make the region highly relevant for studying how the renewable energy transition and outdoor recreation can coexist. Bonnie and Thomas have spent time in Rawlins and other Carbon County communities throughout the summer and are excited to share the results of their research which included a community survey, interviews, and time out hiking on the CDT.
Thomas Lawrence is a graduate student in Colorado State University’s Conservation Leadership Program. His work has focused on the intersection of large landscape conservation and outdoor recreation. Originally from the East Coast, Thomas worked as a Trails and Lands Steward in the Adirondack Park before spending three years living and working in northwestern Montana. As someone who loves hiking and being outside, Thomas was excited to focus his summer Capstone Project in Carbon County and study ways that renewable energy and outdoor recreation can coexist to support local communities! Thomas lives in Fort Collins, CO where he tries to spend as much time as possible up in the mountains.
Bonnie Johnson is a graduate student in the Master of Conservation Leadership program at Colorado State University. Prior to attending graduate school, she worked in the outdoor education industry for more than a decade. She spent many years working for the Lander, WY-based organization NOLS (formerly National Outdoor Leadership School). Through her role as a wilderness field instructor, she has led numerous backpacking and horsepacking expeditions around the West, primarily in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, Absaroka Mountains, and Red Desert. Through her graduate research, Bonnie is working with a colleague to explore how desirable outdoor recreation opportunities and renewable energy development can coexist in rural regions. Bonnie lives in Fort Collins, CO with her significant other, Garret, and their rowdy Australian Shepherd, Ruby.
(1:00-2:00 PM) Understanding Indigenous Stewardship
Join New Mexico Regional Rep, Corey Torivio, to learn how we can deepen our understanding of Indigenous approaches to land stewardship. This session will explore the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous communities along the Continental Divide Trail, highlighting the wisdom, practices, and historical connections these communities have with the landscape. Participants will gain insights into how these traditional stewardship principles align with and enhance modern conservation efforts, fostering a more inclusive approach to managing and preserving the trail’s ecological and cultural resources.
Day 2 - Thursday November 14th
(11am-12 Noon) Building and Maintaining Resilient Communities
Focus on strategies for economic resilience, disaster preparedness, and adapting to climate change as it relates to local economies with Karyn Good of the Lincoln Prosperity Proposal. Plus, an overview of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition 2024 small business report.
Karyn Good has worked with The Wilderness Society, as a Community Coordinator, since 2015 in Lincoln, Montana. She has been responsible for leading the legislation strategy, community organizing, and partnership engagement for the Lincoln Prosperity Proposal – a community-led legislative campaign that will expand recreation opportunities and boost local businesses along the big Blackfoot River in the Crown landscape while ensuring protection of clean water, habitat and wide-open spaces on more than 200,000-acres of national forest lands.
(6 – 7:30 PM) Fireside Chat | Voices from the Trail: A Conversation with CDTC’s 2024 Trail Ambassadors:
This closing session will bring together a panel of CDT hikers and stewards who have completed their journey along the trail. These panelists will share their firsthand experience navigating the trail with a special focus on their interactions with the Gateway Communities that play a crucial role in supporting hikers.Speaker Bio’s.
Katie Jackson (panelist): Katie completed a NOBO thru hike of the Continental Divide Trail in 2024, along with thru hikes of the Colorado Trail and John Muir Trail in recent years. She is also working on finishing my NH48, which has been a fun challenge. Originally from St. Louis, Katie now calls Colorado home. When she is not hiking, you can find her baking, quilting, running, or with her nose in a book. While she loved spending the past five months on the beautiful Divide, Katie is excited to spend some time at home, focusing on writing for The Trek, before tentatively starting the Appalachian Trail in 2026.
Mike McClure (panelist): Mike (trail name “Just Mike”) lives in Michigan when he is not chasing his hiking dream. He started long distance hiking during COVID as a way to stay active outside. Prior to 2020 he had never backpacked or hiked more than 10 miles in a day. 2022 was a transition year when he retired after 30+ years in the technology industry to pursue hiking long trails with a goal to complete the Triple Crown by 2026 and all 11 of the National Scenic Trails (~24,600 miles) before 2035. He completed the PCT in ‘22, CDT in ’24, and half the AZT in ‘24 with plans for AT and/or PNT in ’25. He is a board member at large for American Long Distance Hiking Association West (ALDHA-West) and an Advisor for Thru-r.com
Danny Knoll (panelist): Danny grew up in Washington D.C. and was introduced to the National Scenic Trails at an early age. He frequented the nearby Appalachian Mountains which inspired him to complete the Triple Crown (At ’10, PCT ’11, CDT ’16). Since Danny has been involved in various outdoor occupations including a backcountry guide, an outdoor educator, a wildland firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service, and even a scuba instructor in various locations around the world. Now he is working with the CDTC as the Trail Information Manager and involved in protecting the trail that has had such a profound impact on his life.
L Fisher (moderator): L Fisher is an educator and community organizer who grew up in rural Indiana. They received dual degrees in Philosophy and Political Science before earning their Masters in Political Science from Indiana University. Before moving out west, they worked on campaigns and in policy advocacy throughout Indiana and parts of Texas. L’s passion for environmental policy eventually took them to Montana, where they worked as a conservationist and outdoor educator along the Rocky Mountain Front. When they are not working, L is dedicated to being an avid reader, amateur chef, and hiking enthusiast.
Please note: There is a separate registration link for this event. We hope you join us and learn about ways you can get involved on the CDT!
REGISTER HERE for “Voices of the Trail”
Additional Gateway Community Resources
- Small Business Survey: The Continental Divide Trail Coalition is also conducting its 2023 Small Business Survey to learn more about how the CDT impacts local businesses, their local economy, and their support for public lands. This survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete, and your answers will help guide the ongoing stewardship of the trail.
- CDT Gateway Community Ambassador Program: Visit our Community Ambassador page to learn more about the program and how you can become an Ambassador!
- CDT Gateway Communities: Visit our Gateway Community website to learn more about the program and each designated community.
- Day and Section Hiking Resources: Find resources that will help you explore the CDT near your town.
- Volunteer Opportunities: Learn about opportunities to volunteer with the CDTC. Or, learn more specifically about becoming aTrail Adopteror aCommunity Ambassador.
- Trail Needs Report Form: Does a portion of the CDT near you need additional signage or other attention? Let us know.
- Community Ambassador Toolkit: Find visual assets that Community Ambassadors can use to promote their events.
- Community Ambassador Training Resources: Find free educational resources on outdoor recreation and environmental topics to prepare Community Ambassadors to host their next event.
- What is the CDT Completion Act?: Learn about the three main directives of the CDT Completion Act.
- Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act: Learn about the CORE Act and how you can take action to protect public lands in Colorado.
- The San Luis Valley: A Priority Community and Landscape Along the CDT: Read about research conducted by a CDTC intern in the San Luis Valley.
- Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument: Learn about the Camp-Hale Continental Divide National Monument, which includes over 20 miles of the CDT!
- Sign Up for Advocacy Alerts: Receive email alerts for opportunities to use your voice to advocate for the CDT.
- Forming and Running State or Regional Trail Coalitions – Important Points and Practices: Find best practices developed by the American Trails on running a regional or state trail coalition.