RSVP for Ice Age Trail Alliance Annual Conference

media release: This virtual, professionally hosted, three-day event offers a heart-warming opportunity to mingle with the folks who are at the center of the Ice Age Trail Alliance family. It gives new and seasoned members an opportunity to enjoy the always popular Hikers’ Forum, the annual Membership Meeting on Friday afternoon, our Mammoth Awards Ceremony on Friday evening, and a full slate of speakers and workshops Thursday and Saturday. It’s a wonderful way to ask questions, share wisdom, and deepen your Trail knowledge.

A bonus of a virtual event is its affordability! Fee: $75.00 per household; $25.00 for students (ages 25 and younger).

You may choose to attend ONLY the general Membership Meeting and/or the Awards Ceremony – these two events are FREE.

• General Membership Meeting ONLY (Friday, April 16 at 1:00 pm) – FREE
• Awards Ceremony ONLY (Friday, April 16 at 6:00 pm) – FREE

Cancellation Policy: The 2021 virtual Annual Conference and Membership Meeting will be recorded and made available after the event to all paid registrants. If you are registered, but unable to attend during the noted times, you will have access to all the sessions that take place. For this reason, we are not offering any refunds. Registration closes April 12.

Online registration  PDF for mail-in registration

Please Note: 

• You will need to complete a registration form even if you only attending the FREE events. The Pyle Center needs your registration information in order to email you the links for the Zoom presentations you wish to attend.
• When completing the online form, you will be asked to create a password specific to this online registration site.

• If you choose the mail-in registration form option, the Pyle Center staff, handling the conference registration this year, must have your form in hand by April 2, 2021.

Conference Highlights:

Geology of the Ice Age Trail: The Glacier’s Impact on the Landscape: Over the course of three sessions, learn about the ice lobes – The Langlade, Wisconsin Valley, Chippewa, and Superior Lobes – that came from the North; the glacial deposits of the Western Green Bay Lobe; and by contrast, the Driftless Region, which escaped the glacial forces. David M. Mickelson, Emeritus Professor of Geoscience, Geological Engineering, and Water Resources Management at UW-Madison is joined by Luke Zoet and Eric Carson.

Awards Ceremony: NPS VIP & IATA Mammoth Achievement Awards: Celebrate the impressive number of hours Ice Age Trail Alliance volunteers donated even in the midst of a pandemic! Discover who’ll be the next caretaker of the Spirit Stick, and who will be awarded the honor of Trail Steward of the Year, Public Partner, and Friend of the Ice Age Trail.

Keynote Presentation: Tales from the First Thousand-Miler: James (Jim) Staudacher was a 20-year-old Marquette University student when he became the first person to hike the entire route of the Ice Age Trail in 1979. The inspiration for the journey of a lifetime came from the book, On the Trail of the Ice Age, written by Congressman Henry Reuss and published by the Milwaukee Journal in 1976.

Wake-Up Session: How a Thousand-Mile Trail Connects Us: Liz Thomas, a professional hiker, speaker, and writer who held the women’s self-supported speed record on the 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail from 2011-2015 will offer inspiring thoughts about what makes a long trail like the Ice Age National Scenic Trail so special.

From Passion to Profession & Purpose: Outdoor Careers: Join a panel of young professionals who are making their careers while fully immersed in their outdoor passion. Meet Eva Ballering, Land Steward with the Ice Age Trail Alliance, Tony Richardson, Program Director with the National Environmental Education Foundation, Olivia Raasch, Green Careers Program Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator, Urban Ecology Center, and Tim and Carrie Highman are documentary filmmakers, and owners of Dream Lens Media, with a passion for creating films that inspire.

Teaching Off Trail: A 4-P Philosophy: Peter Dargatz, a kindergarten teacher, will provide tips and tricks about hiking with kids, inspired by his family’s hikes on the Ice Age Trail. Dargatz will also highlight the nature-infused, play-based program and curriculum he developed. He’ll detail his 4-P philosophy, cemented in nature play, citizen science, service learning, and community collaborations.

Ice Cream Social: Fun and Games: You bring the ice cream (and/or adult beverage of your choice), we bring the entertainment. Alliance staff, Dave Caliebe, Trail Manager and Patrick Gleissner, Field Operations Coordinator are ready to test your Ice Age Trail knowledge in a series of games and quizzes.

Bid on Fantastic Items in the Silent Auction! Bidding begins on Thursday, April 8th! Get ready to bid on a Wisco get-away complete with a cabin and a lake view! Add a new set of cookware to your camping gear. Snuggle up under an Ice Age Trail themed quilt. More items added weekly!