Challenge Overview

The Rotary CDT Challenge: Hiking from Mexico to Canada on the Continental Divide Trail, helping to overcome Nature Deficit Disorder: a Community Service Project of the Rotary Club of Conifer

The Vision: Mat Matson, a Past District Governor of Rotary International, will hike from Mexico to Canada on the Continental Divide Trail, joined by Pem Sherpa of the Rotaract Club of Kathmandu, Nepal. Pem has reached the summit of Mount Everest several times, and in 2005 carried the Rotary Centennial banner to the summit, then presented it at the Rotary International Centennial Convention. Scouts, Interact students, and other youth, along with fellow Rotarians and other interested adults, are invited to join Mat and Pem on various segments of the hike, helping to raise awareness of the significance of the Trail and the importance of instilling conservation values in the next generation of stewards of our public lands.

The Time Frame: Mat and his team will begin their hike along the 3,100-mile Trail on April 26 of 2007 in New Mexico, planning to finish the New Mexico portion of the Trail on July 20. In 2008 they will hike the Trail through Colorado, in 2009 through Wyoming, and in 2010 they will hike the Trail through Idaho and Montana, averaging about 800 miles a year. Randall Sackerson and Curt Harris of the Rotary Club of Evergreen make up the Advance Group of the team, and will hike the entire five states during 2007.

The Purposes: In addition to raising awareness for the efforts to complete and protect this 3,100-mile long national scenic treasure, Mat and his team will make presentations to Rotary Clubs and other civic organizations, schools, Boys and Girls Scouting organizations and other youth groups, and will solicit donations in order to contribute to The Rotary Foundation and support the endowment of a Rotary-sponsored Youth Corps. Corps members spend 10 weeks each summer working on the CDT.

The Need: Volunteer members of the Rotary Club of Conifer, Continental Divide Trail Alliance board and staff, and volunteers from several other Rotary Clubs are working with the Challenge Team in order to make the most of this unique opportunity to create awareness and generate action for support and long term stewardship of this national treasure, focusing on the importance of getting youth outdoors and involved in their communities. Companies representing the outdoor industry are invited to participate by contributing to the outfitting of the hiking team.