Sponsor a Hiker to Triple Your Impact

If you and 24 other hikers join WTA on Monday, August 25, by sponsoring a Hike-a-Thoner, a generous group of donors will match your membership gift dollar-for-dollar.

We need 25 new members through Hike-a-Thon to make the match, so please consider joining today. You’ll be helping WTA, protecting trails, doubling your dollars and giving a Hike-a-Thoner a boost in their last week.

Update: We met our match! Welcome to the 31 new members who joined WTA on Monday.

How to choose a Hike-a-Thoner to sponsor:

• Choose a hiker or team from the leaderboard lists. (Give an underdog a boost or help someone reach their goal!)
• Search the list for your favorite WTA staff member or board member
• Sponsor one of the hikers profiled below, from a first-timer to a hiking dog!

Profile: First Time Hike-a-Thoner

Sponsor Stephanie Schwenger

When did you first come across WTA? And how?

I first starting spending quality time with the WTA website and with Mr. Nelson's and Mr. Romano's hiking bibles in 2010, after finishing grad school and finally emerging from two years of computer lab exile. I was ready to shed the beer/burrito belly and enjoy this thing my non-grad school friends called “free time” by going outside. I had always loved hiking, camping, and backpacking, but had to wait until I finished school to spend real, quality time in Washington's outdoors.

Why do you participate in Hike-a-Thon?

I joined Hike-a-Thon on a whim this year. I knew I’d go on at least a few hikes in August and I figured I might as well take the opportunity to support one of my all-time favorite outdoor and conservation organizations while tromping around the backwoods.

What kinds of personal goals have you had for Hike-a-Thon? My personal goal for Hike-a-Thon is to spend time outside doing something I love for a good cause. Washington is a veritable treasure-trove of natural wonders and delights. I couldn't imagine a more fun way of supporting the WTA, which has made hiking so accessible to me--and to everyone else in the state.

Profile: Photograher and Soon-to-Be Hiking Mama

Sponsor Ingunn Markiewicz, who has been participating in Hike-a-Thon while pregnant

When and how did you first come across WTA?

I started flipping through a copy of Signpost Magazine at my friends' house, and was excited to find a magazine dedicated to my new obsession -- hiking in Washington! I looked up the website when I came home, and the trip report section became my go-to resource for trail conditions. It really was an invaluable tool for me since I was new to the area and unsure of snow conditions.

Why do you participate in Hike-a-Thon?

It's a good mix of philanthropic and purely selfish reasons. I want to give something back to these trails that I love so much, but I'll admit that I also love the incentive to hike as much as possible throughout the month of August.

Do you have a favorite hike in Washington State?

Noble Knob -- it was one of the first trails my husband and I hiked, and it had major payoff in the way of views for someone like me who was too out of shape to gain much elevation on foot. We try to return every year, and have made quite a few wonderful family memories on that modest little mountain.

Profile: Returning Champ, Trail Work Volunteer

Sponsor the tireless Gwen Tollefson

When and how did you first come across WTA?

I can't really remember how I came across WTA; it just seems to have always been there for as long as I've been hiking (which is not nearly as long as you might think). I suspect I stumbled upon it while doing research for hikes.

Why do you participate in Hike-a-Thon?

Hike-a-Thon has always seemed like a no-brainer to me. I mean, I'm going to be out on the trails anyway; why not try to make those miles count for something? I found out about HaT a little too late to sign up for No. 6 in 2009, but I put it on my calendar for the next year, and by then, it had become a really important thing for me to do in order to give back to the trails.

Do you have a favorite hike in Washington State?

All hikes are my favorites. Boots on the trail is really the most important aspect of hiking for me; what comes with that is all whipped cream on top. That said, I crave ridge walks with views, summits, and sub-alpine meadows. A couple of weekends ago, I camped on top of Benchmark Mountain for a night; that went into the "This Doesn't Suck" category.

Profile: Saturn the Dog!

Sponsor Sue & Saturn Schlinglof

When and how did you first come across WTA?

I first came across the WTA through guidebook author Craig Romano a couple of years ago. Craig was featured in a local newspaper article. I friended him on Facebook and found the WTA from WTA Facebook posts that he shared.

Why do you participate in Hike-a-Thon?

I just found out the Hike-a-Thon existed last year when I saw Craig Romano post about it wearing his Hike-a-Thon shirt on Facebook. I wanted to participate last year but it was too late. I love to hike. In fact, my dog Saturn and I have hiked together every day, 7 days a week, for the last 15 months. Participating in the Hike-a-Thon allows us to make our miles count for something beyond our own enjoyment.

What is special about hiking with Saturn?

Saturn brings an aliveness and present moment awareness to hiking. Saturn helps me see all the squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, moles and rabbits that I hike with that I otherwise wouldn't notice.

Profile: Hiking Family

Sponsor The CBZ hikers, a returning Hike-a-Thon team

When and how did you first come across WTA?

When I move back to Seattle in 1994, my parents were members and receiving the magazine. I would read through it at their house and enjoyed it. Sometime after grad school when I had more income to share, I became a member.

Why do you participate in Hike-a-Thon?

It gives us the chance to do something outdoors together as a family.  We all have different activities/sports that take our time, and this month helps us focus on being active together instead of separately. It exposes my daughter to hikes and nature and a general appreciation for our amazing outdoor resources, gives us a chance to give back to the folks who advocate for wilderness and maintain many of our trails, and my daughter told me to say that she loves the prizes! This year we have been more active in sharing about WTA. We are pretty reserved about seeking donations, and keep our ask list small, but Zoe and I have had many conversations this year on the trail, talking to people about WTA and the HAT.

How long have you been hiking as a family?

We took Zoe on her first hike on Christmas Eve 2005 when she was 2 ½ months old. We have been taking her out ever since, hiking, camping, and a few backpacking trips. It has been really cool to see her go from being in a frontpack, to a backpack, to hiking on her own, and carrying more gear. She is a great little hiker.