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Chairman's Letter: Acadia's Winter Wonderland
As I began writing this letter, I came
across a copy of the 2005/2006
Winter issue of the Journal. Just
inside the cover was a tribute to Leila Bright
and recognition of the endowment her family
created in her honor, which funds annu-al
grants for grooming activities, benefiting
Acadia's winter uses for a long time to come.
What Mrs. Bright loved during her life was
the quiet majesty of skiing the carriage roads,
in the full glory of Acadia in its winter peaceful
mode.
The first light of 2008 peeks over the top of Cadillac Mountain. |
As an avid cross-country skier, I am one
of grateful winter enthusiasts who enjoy
the groomed carriage roads that run
throughout Acadia National Park, made
possible by volunteers from the Acadia
Winter Trails Association (AWTA), a committee
of Friends of Acadia that is supported
by the endowment. The volunteers
spent many early mornings and late nights
preparing the trails for skiers, on top of
their full-time jobs and family commitments.
Throughout my hours and days of
skiing up the vistas of Sargent and Brown
Mountains, I waved to and greeted each of
these hearty volunteers with the most
robust łThank You!˛ that I could muster.
A few of this winter's adventures truly
stand out to me, not just for the beauty of
the moments, but for the people I met
along the way. Our precious park gives us
many opportunities to create connections
with nature through interactions with
other people. We each come to the park as
mere visitors, but together we connect
with nature and evolve to become stewards
and stakeholders for the precious natural
resource that is Acadia National Park.
Just before Christmas, I ventured out as
the sun gave rise to first light for a
marathon adventure that took me through
the park for hours and hours. The AWTA
team was out in full force packing down
the 24 inches of new snow, starting in the
more popular loops first then reaching out
to the higher and harder access points,
like the deep drifts covering Sargent
Mountain. I was hailed as the łgreat trail
setter˛ for my tracks that broke trail in the
deep snow before the grooming team
reached these special places.
I recall the amazing beauty and I smile
when I think of the faces of Acadia's new
friends and skiers that I met along the way.
Their smiles were a mile wide as I gave
them the full report of groomed areas and
where I had helped set a path. They were
appreciative for the chance to see places in
the park that they've never seen in winter.
Filled with great pride and enthusiasm, I
asked the skiers to express their gratitude
to Friends of Acadia and the AWTA volun-teers.
Since that time, I have learned that
many letters, emails, and donations have
come in to Friends, including a gift from
some new Friends in Bangor. They left a
donation in a pair of boots that I loaned
them to use for a hike after their ski trip.
Lili captures her own shadow against the fresh New
Year's Day snow. She celebrated the New Year with
an ascent up Cadillac by way of skis. |
Of all experiences in the park this year,
New Year's was most special. I set out to
ski Around the Mountain in time to finish
on top of Sargent by the final stroke of
2007, welcoming 2008 under the glim-mering
stars and magical night skies of
Acadia. After a quick ski down the moun-tain
and nap until 4:15 a.m., I set back out
to ski up Cadillac for the New Year's Day
sunrise. During my ascent, there were fellow
skiers who all felt the same draw to
the spiritual home of our park. Each of us
shared our joy of a new year, a new day,
and the joy of being out in nature and in
our precious park.
We had the best winter in many years for
skiing and celebrating the quiet beauty of
Acadia. As Mrs. Bright always did, we took
in the full glory of Acadia at its most peaceful
time, but only thanks to the generosity
of her family and Friends of Acadia's AWTA
volunteers. I thank all of the volunteers, for
it was a job well done.
- Lili Pew, Chairman
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