Future Crew Leaders Receive Hands-On Training

Crew Leader Training brings volunteers—who have previously demonstrated leadership skills—together to learn, work, and connect.

16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training. Photo by IATA Staff.
16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training. Photo by IATA Staff.
Demonstrating their deepening commitment to the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, 16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training from June 20-22, 2024 in Cross Plains, Wis. Their admittance into this three-day program underscored their prior enthusiasm for and participation in chapter-led or Ice Age Trail Crew events. The training supported their desire and ability to lead volunteer crews.

Continue reading

Team Building: Hard Hats Not Hard Heads

Ice Age National Scenic Trail Mobile Skills Crew Leadership Training

Emerging leaders from the Spring 2016 Crew Leadership Skills class.
Photo credit: D. Caliebe

Did you know a trail, as it winds through the woods or across a grassy field, has an “anatomy”?

The “body parts” of a trail include aspects like a corridor, the bench or tread, drainage features, structures, anchors, edges, and gateways, just to name a few.

This glossary of terms, along with the why and how of sustainable trail design, were the nuanced details of trail building learned by the most recent participants of the Ice Age Trail Alliance Crew Leadership and Skills training. Continue reading