Bigfoot Challenge Update

This past week I had the pleasure to meet with the elusive Mr. Bigfoot to get an update on his Bigfoot Challenge. As you know, Leave No Trace recently partnered with Bigfoot (since he's been leaving no trace for years) to challenge others to enjoy the outdoors responsibly, celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer program. So far, many people have come up with ways to leave no trace, and they have all been entered into a chance to win outdoor gear from some of our partners. People who want to double their chances have been in correspondence with Bigfoot, sharing pictures and stories of their challenges.

Here are just a few of the creative and exciting stories Bigfoot has been sharing with me. On the Appalachian Trail, a Master Educator has been leading by example during Trainer Courses by spending entire days picking up trash and cleaning up evidence of illegal campsites in high-use areas. A participant on another Trainer Course in Ohio shared a story about how course participants removed down trees to prevent widening of a trail. Another participant on a NOLS course in Wyoming spent the best month of her life away from society learning how to apply the Leave No Trace principles. Bigfoot also told me about people who joined the Challenge by becoming members, conducting classes to teach Cub Scouts how to respect wildlife, using reusable bags at the grocery store, picking up 13 cigarette butts on a half-mile stretch of trail, replacing an old, leaky water faucet with a brand new one that uses 30% less water, and wearing hang tags on their backpacks on their way to school!

Congratulations to the people who have pledged to leave no trace! Bigfoot is still challenging those of you who haven't yet to visit his website to participate and send him an email at Bigfoot@LNT.org to share your pictures and stories!