Meet Rodney! An Idaho native and lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Rodney joined Idaho Trails Association shortly after retiring from a career in the corporate world and was immediately hooked. Since then, he’s spent nearly 25 days working in Idaho’s wilderness, completed Crew Leader Training and Wilderness First Aid, and served this year as a cook for an ITA project. He loves learning new skills, sharing his knowledge with fellow volunteers, and, most of all, the people and mission that make ITA special. One of his favorite memories was a 12-day project in the Frank Church Wilderness when a food resupply arrived with an unexpected treat: an entire watermelon! The crew quickly discovered that a Silky Katana saw works just as well for slicing watermelon as it does for cutting logs. Rodney, we’re incredibly grateful for all the time, energy, skills, and good humor you bring to the trail!

What is your background in?

I have lived in Idaho my whole life and our family spent our vacations, weekends and holidays mostly camping, hiking and exploring the outdoors. I determined early on that I would go to the University of Idaho and get a degree in Wildland Recreation Management and become a Park Ranger! Then life happened, and I never actually worked in that field. However, my family outings pretty much mirrored the outdoor adventures from my childhood, though my kids never caught on to the Latin Genus and Species plant identification I tried so hard to impart on them! During my working career, I partnered with a Crew Leader for the Washington Trails Association and did a lot of team-building activities with my colleagues while also improving hiking and biking trails around Liberty Lake, Washington. I recently retired from corporate life and immediately joined the Idaho Trails Association and was hooked.

What are some of the things you enjoy doing for fun?

I enjoy being outdoors and learning new things…local history, backcountry skills, and seeing new places. I found that I really enjoy “teaching” everything I can to folks who are new to things like backpacking, fishing, hiking and adventuring and in the various seasons.

How and why did you first get involved with ITA? What are the different ways you’ve volunteered for ITA over the years?

When I joined ITA the week after I retired, I found it interesting that it was modeled after the WTA, which I was familiar with. I proudly wore my WTA helmet on my first few ITA projects! My first year I think I spent close to 25 days in wilderness in places in Idaho I had never been to! I decided before the end of the season that I wanted to do more. This year I have taken Crew Leader Training, Wilderness First Aid and picked up USFS certifications for both crosscut and chainsaws. One of my favorite projects this summer had me in the backcountry as a cook with a retired neighbor friend of mine! I never imagined just how much food a crew of 12 can eat after a day clearing trail!

What do you like about volunteering with ITA?

Hands down, the two things I like the most about the ITA are the people and the mission. The work is challenging, and I get a huge sense of accomplishment knowing I am helping keep Idaho’s trails open to all. However, it is the people I meet that keep me coming back. No two volunteers are the same, and everyone has a story to share about why they are out there swinging a Pulaski, using a cross-cut saw, or cutting brush. The diversity of the volunteers is incredible, and their passion is contagious.

Most memorable backcountry or ITA experience?

I knew I had joined a great organization last year when on day 6 of an August 12-day ITA backpacking project clearing trails in the Frank Church Wilderness, our food resupply was brought in by pack string led by ITA’s Executive Director, Melanie Vining. After getting our prepackaged items, she proceeded to pull out a bag of oranges and a watermelon! It turns out a Silky Katana saw is just as good at cutting up a watermelon as it is for cutting logs across a trail!

Why are trails worth protecting?

Protecting and maintaining trails on our public lands is essential for not only access for the folks (like me) that want to explore them, but also for the folks who will never be in a position to use them. Just the possibility of that access is critical to our country’s collective values and public landuse principles. Also, the trails aren’t going to maintain themselves, and now I don’t have need to get a gym membership to stay fit!