Our Stories
2025 NCTA Volunteer Awards: Trail Builder
This award is presented to volunteers whose work in trail planning, landowner negotiations, layout and design, and/or construction have resulted in the development of outstanding new North Country Trail or facilities.
Ryan Bowles
For several years, Ryan has been deeply involved in multiple trails across Southern Michigan and Northern Ohio. He served as President of the NCTA Chief Baw Beese Chapter, led the North Country Trail committee for the Northwestern Ohio Rails-to-Trails Association (NORTA), and contributed significantly to the Wabash Cannonball Trail. He is now the volunteer Trail Manager for the NCTA Chief Noonday Chapter. He is an organized and efficient workday leader, ensuring volunteers feel valued and effective. Ryan has developed numerous camping opportunities along the trail, and continues to work toward enhancing the hiking experience for everyone.
Jerry Warner
Jerry joined the NCTA Sheyenne River Valley Chapter 18 years ago after he fell in a creek. He was there when the first boardwalk was installed at this site, and has been a dedicated member ever since. He is quite familiar with the needs of North Dakota’s North Country Trail because he has hiked its entirety. Jerry organizes volunteers from his former employer, Doosan/Bobcat, for annual trail workdays. (Jerry is now retired.) They’ve built water bars, picnic tables, and boardwalks, installed benches, and improved trail. He’s an excellent liaison with the North Dakota Forest Service, and chairs the Chapter’s Trail Maintenance and Development Committee. So many miles have been enhanced thanks to Jerry’s guidance.
John Gellatly
John adopted a trail segment in Duluth more than a decade ago and maintains it expertly. Not only does he keep the corridor clear, but he builds turnpike, does rock work, and improves drainage. Heavy snowfall creates excessive runoff here, but John isn’t afraid of the challenge, and lives by the motto “people on, water off.” If you ever can’t find John on his segment, it’s likely he’s at another project along the Superior Hiking Trail.
Jeff and Sally Steele
Jeff and Sally jumped right into trail projects shortly after joining the NCTA Central New York Chapter. They’ve volunteered many, many hours of manual labor during reroute projects. They’ve excavated hillside trail, hauled buckets of rocks, constructed trail tread, constructed earthen steps, and painted blazes. They are active stewards of a segment in the Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area, and Jeff is a certified sawyer. When they aren’t digging in the dirt, they’re leading hikes and serving on the Chapter’s Executive Committee. Willingness to learn and participate in projects, promotion of the trail, and solicitation of volunteers are their most important contributions.
George “Madhat” Dahm
Madhat might be one of the Superior Hiking Trail Association’s longest serving volunteers who is still actively working on the trail. Since the mid to late nineties, he remains busy maintaining a segment near Finland, Minnesota. He’s a sawyer and leads swampers. He has a jovial and joking nature, creating an atmosphere of fun and camaraderie, and he is eager to both learn and teach. Last winter, he used his own snowmobile to move materials to a future project site. Whatever the task may be, he’s a volunteer we can count on.
Learn more about how the you can honor NCTA volunteers for their service on and for the North Country National Scenic Trail, and consider a nomination at northcountrytrail.org/volunteer-awards.
