We are getting ready to kick off our third season of the ITA Trail Master Presentation series. We thought it would be a great idea to start offering a recurring presentation on something related to hiking, outdoor skills, etc. over the long winter months to keep our members, and the general public, engaged with ITA on a more regular basis. Once a month, we put on a presentation at REI in Boise. Thank you REI for the space to present and great advertising! Here is a schedule of our 2020 presentations:

January 29th – LNT: Social Media Etiquette: Have you ever thought about how your Instagram and Facebook posts are affecting the wild places that you love?  Please join Idaho Trails Association Board Member Pam Bond and Leave No Trace Ambassador Evan Worthington for a discussion about the potential impacts, good and bad, on our shared outdoor spaces. Social media can have positive and negative consequences – they can drive stewardship but may also cause overuse. We would love to hear your opinions!  Please come with an open mind and be prepared for a constructive conversation.

February 26th – There’s An (Outdoor) App for That: For most of us, smartphones have become a part of everyday life.  It is the multi-tool of communication and entertainment. Utilizing your smartphone in the backcountry can shed ounces off your pack weight AND gives you a wealth of information at your fingertips.  Come and learn about the most popular apps for offline use in the backcountry. We’ll talk about maps and navigation, trail resources, field guides, medical resources, and much more!

March 25th – Long Distance Runner Resources: Hey trail runners! If you are just getting started or have been running for years, you’re sure to find some nuggets of knowledge during this presentation. Guest speaker Hannah McLean will be talking about trail running in general and how it differs from road running, including hydration and nutrition considerations, gear, safety, and trail etiquette. She will also discuss local trail running resources including trails, maps, and local running groups and how you can give back to one of your statewide trail organizations, Idaho Trails Association, by submitting trip reports after you’ve completed your route. This information will help ITA prioritize trail maintenance projects and focus on trails that need the most love. Trail Runner Recon, ya!

April 29th – Backcountry Cooking with Carrie: Tired of eating pre-packaged backpacking meals? Guest speaker Carrie Holmes, a certified health coach, wants to help YOU spice up your backpacking meals. She will cover general hiking and backpacking nutrition, incorporating plant-based options into your menu, and how to bring a cultural flair to your recipes. Carrie has done extensive research into foods and spices from other cultures and wants to help you create delectable meals that will make your hiking partners jealous.

The presentations occur on the 4th Wednesday of the month, 7-8:30 PM. Please pre-register for these FREE presentations by going to REI’s events page. The presentations are usually posted a couple of months in advance. We suggest signing up sooner rather than later because they tend to fill up fast. If a presentation is listed as FULL you can always show up at REI the night of the presentation and hope for an open spot (there usually are).

The Trail Master Presentation Series currently only takes place in Boise but we record and post them to our YouTube Channel.

Have an idea for a presentation? Want to BE a presenter? Please email Pam at pam@idahotrailsassociation.org.