Is It The Prizes?

I personally put a fair bit of work into collecting the prizes for WTA's annual Hike-A-Thon. I scope out the latest gear trends to see what's hip and all that. I keep the hiking ten essentials in mind. I ply our friends in the outdoor industry for donations. Then, I sort all the offers out and - generally about four minutes before our July magazine goes to press - I'm ready to announce the official list of Hike-A-Thon prizes. As such, I happen to think the prizes are great.

Imagine my surprise then when in query after query of Hike-A-Thonners no one cites the prizes as their motivation for signing up. Sigh! But, since I've seen the meticulously tracked mileage logs and read the wonderful fundraising letters that our participants will write, I know that people often spend hours and hours and hours on their Hike-A-Thon campaign. Even I have to admit that there may be easier ways to acquire a box of Clif bars.

So, let's say - for the sake of arguement - that it's not just the prizes. What motviates your average hiker to become an officially registered Hike-A-Thon participant?

First-time participant Evan Buehler's reasons for signing up for the Hike-A-Thon are manifold. As he says, "I want to help the WTA so that others can continue to have access to the trails that I love. It’s my belief that the more people who visit the wonderful wilderness areas in Washington State, the more likely it is that we will have people willing to protect them. Plus, I often use the resources WTA provides (trip reports, trail guides, etc.) and would like see those continue. Lastly, its August, I am going to hike any way, why not do it for a good cause too?"

Like Evan, returning participant Louise Kornreich figured she would be hiking all month anyway so why not raise some money for an organization that directly benefits the trails? She adds, "Plus, I love a little competition! And this way, I will know who of my friends is worthy - a lot of them, yay!"

Ringer participant Steve Payne acknowledges that "the competition and prizes are great" (Thank you, Steve!), but he takes part because the Hike-A-Thon provides "an opportunity to demonstrate to people why I get excited about hiking, and why trail maintenance, access and advocacy issues really matter."

Haven't signed up for the Hike-A-Thon yet? Register now and enjoy a full month of hiking for a good cause!