Trails group welcomes new board members

Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) welcomed Scott Bowen and Kevin Erickson to the board of directors at the January meeting. Scott and Kevin, both Sisters residents, bring a wealth of trails and trail-related event experience.

Scott was heavily involved in cycling as a board member of Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition and as an advocate and fundraiser for a national cycling advocacy organization, “Bikes Belong,” prior to moving to Sisters with his family in 2017. Scott loves to mountain bike, and is also an equestrian and hiker. Scott says, “The trails are an enormous part of why we moved to Sisters. The Peterson Ridge Trails are, to us, the happiest place on earth.” Scott looks forward to being part of the leadership team that keeps the trails interwoven into the heart and soul of Sisters.

One of the main reasons Kevin and his wife moved to Sisters three years ago was the Peterson Ridge Trail network. Kevin was a volunteer on the citizen advisory board for non-motorized trail-users with the North Idaho district of the U.S. Forest Service and trails are his passion. He says, “We wanted to live in a community of involved citizens that share similar interests, with healthy outdoor recreation being a big part of the lifestyle we chose.”

Kevin is currently working on a project to develop a mountain bike trail network in San Carlos, Mexico, where he spends the winter. Kevin’s trail-related experience is extensive and will greatly benefit STA.

“We are continually amazed at the knowledge, experience and generosity of folks in Sisters,” said STA Board Chair Catherine Hayden. “Both Scott and Kevin reached out to us with a desire to share their talents with STA, and their skill-sets are a perfect fit for our mission. We’re very excited to have them join our team.”

STA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect people and communities to each other and their natural surroundings. The organization maintains the Peterson Ridge Trail system, produces a free trail map, hosts an annual speaker series, and supports trail-related activities, advocacy and events throughout the year. STA relies on volunteers, memberships and donations to support its work. Anyone interested in getting involved with STA can find more information at Sisters Trails.