John Kolbe, a resident of Delafield and member of the Waukesha/Milwaukee County Chapter, was named Trail Steward of the Year. The Ice Age Trail Alliance staff bestowed this honor during the Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Sheboygan in April 2023.
The Trail Steward of the Year award recognizes a volunteer whose work contributes in an extraordinary manner to Trail management and development.
These contributions include:
- Strengthening landowner and/or partner relations;
- Trail layout, design, and construction;
- Significant trail maintenance and stewardship efforts.
In 2010, John Kolbe discovered the Ice Age National Scenic Trail while training for an upcoming backpacking trip in the Sierra mountains. Encounters with Trail maintenance volunteers along Monches and Lapham Peak, the segments he was hiking, led him to help out. Soon, he took over the role as Trail maintainer for the Monches Segment (a service he performs to this day). He also became an active member of Monday Mudders, a Waukesha/Milwaukee County Chapter group focused on maintaining and improving their 40 miles of Trail. His efforts led to Chapter recognition, an “In the Mud” award in 2019. And, then, a few years later, he took the helm as Chapter Coordinator.
Not content to only help locally, Kolbe is a regular participant at MSC events across the state. He shines as a sawyer. He brings years of experience to his chainsaw endeavors, which makes him the “go to” person for difficult tree removal along the Trail. In addition, he willingly offers his expertise, mentoring new sawyers in the National Park Service chainsaw training program.
Kolbe’s hands-on Trail experience within his chapter and MSC events, made him a logical choice when the Alliance’s Board of Directors invited him to consider a term on the board. Not surprisingly, he is serving a second term, and in April 2023, Kolbe became the President of the Board of Directors.
Congratulations, John!
Thank you for all you do on behalf of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.