Friday, July 15, 2005

Hats off to the Harriman Trail

Tea party raises funds for north valley trail

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Outside the tea, hostesses pose on Maggie Sturdevant's patio in Golden Eagle. From left to right are Susan Rhymes, Maryann Whitcomb, Barbara Thrasher, Maggie Sturdevant, Claudie Goldstein, Sondra Kantor, Sandra Fisher, Peggy Tierney, Lynn Kaplan and Roxann Happ. Cyndi DuFur and Teresa Pidgeon sample some of the high-tea pastries and fruit at the Fifth Annual Harriman Trail Tea Party. Photo by David N. Seelig

Ladies in hats, some with gloves and all in summer frocks and skirts, arrived at a Golden Eagle home on a hot summer Wednesday, June 13, to raise money for the 18-mile-long Harriman Trail.

The trail is overseen by the Blaine County Recreation District, in partnership with the Sawtooth National Forest.

The Harriman Trail Tea Party is hosted each year by patrons of the trail, which runs from Galena Lodge south to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area offices, eight miles north of Ketchum. The trail features stellar views of the Boulder Mountains, lodgepole pine forests, open meadows, creeks and, on occasion, wildlife. It also has several interpretive sites and benches.

District naturalist Cathy Baer, who conducts weekly hikes on the trail, called the gathering of women "Stewards of Harriman."

"This is our fifth year of the high tea and hats off to you for supporting the trail and having fun," she said. She added that $15,000 was raised that day to continue funding maintenance on the trail.

Jenny Busdon, who stalwartly raises funds for and promotes the North Valley Trail system, of which Harriman is a part, let it slip that she is retiring from her 18-year job at Backwoods Mountain Sports this year.

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"I've seen lots of change but it's time to travel and enjoy Sun Valley for what it is."

She raved about Galena Lodge and the trail systems this summer, especially the recent gathering of female mountain bikers who came for a bike series.

"This is just an illustration to all the women about how fantastic the trails are," she said.

One of the guests, a stylishly dressed Ellen Campion, remarked that they'd like to see younger women become involved with support of the Harriman Trail.

Another guest, Sue Green, said she and her husband use the trail in all seasons, to skate ski as well as hike.

"That's why we're all here."