Fifteen years ago, the Bigfoot Trail existed mostly in imagination—threads of old routes, fragments on outdated maps, and the persistent belief that the Klamath Mountains deserved a long-distance trail equal to their wild grandeur. Today, the Bigfoot Trail Alliance (BFTA) stands on the threshold of a new era: staffed, growing, and poised to deepen its impact across the bioregion.
We are honored to share important leadership news that reflects our organization’s continued evolution. After serving as Board President since the BFTA’s founding in 2015, Michael Kauffmann has transitioned into the role of our first Executive Director. This marks a significant milestone for the alliance and signals an exciting chapter ahead.
With Michael’s transition, Laura Chapman has stepped into the role of Board President, and Steve Salzman now serves as Vice President. Their leadership, experience, and dedication to the region will guide the board and strengthen the strategic direction of our work. Together, this team is prepared to advance the mission with renewed focus and energy.
Below, we share a message from Michael reflecting on this moment—one rooted in the same passion and curiosity that sparked the Bigfoot Trail’s creation.
A Letter from Executive Director Michael Kauffmann
In the summer of 2009, I set out on a grand adventure—my first attempt to follow a route that existed only on old maps and in my imagination. I walked in awe through the Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel Wilderness and along the deep rhythm of the Trinity River. But north of Hayfork, in the Trinity Alps, the map failed. The trail vanished beneath brush and fallen timber. After 24 grueling hours of bushwhacking, I finally staggered out near Hobo Gulch and kissed the dirt road in relief. In that moment, one question rose like smoke from the forest floor: How could these trails be forgotten? That question sparked what became the Bigfoot Trail Alliance.
Fifteen years later, we stand in another defining moment. In the past year, we hired our first staff, welcomed a new Board President, and I transitioned from founder and Board President to Executive Director. We have grown from a grassroots dream to a staffed nonprofit rooted in stewardship, education, and community.
In that evolution, our mission has expanded. What began as a trail-building movement has grown to include educational experiences, workforce-training pathways, and programs designed to support the next generation of caretakers across the Klamath Mountains. Young people deserve opportunities to learn, earn, and serve in the landscapes that define their home—and we are committed to building those bridges.
At the same time, we face a national challenge: a period where public lands and equitable access are not being prioritized at the scale needed to meet the moment. Trails do not maintain themselves. Ecological resilience does not arise without investment. And the future of public access depends on building sustainable community-powered models of care.
This strategic plan is our commitment to that future. It calls us to expand youth stewardship, deepen agency and Tribal partnerships, strengthen volunteer programs, and build a sustainable funding model capable of enduring shifts in federal and state investment. We will continue to activate the power of community—because the mountains are calling, and the responsibility is ours.
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