GayOutdoors 2005 Award Winners

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By Mike Boisvert.

Gay Outdoorsmen of the Year

I got many nominations for the Gay Outdoorsmen of the Year. When deciding on the winners, I focused on two things: 1) Excellence in building outdoor pursuits or in building the organization they are part of; 2) Positively affecting and supporting the greater gay community.

To be nominated, the person simply had to be active in participating in or promoting gay outdoor recreation.

I chose the winners from the nominations sent in.

Place	Name	Nominating Statement
1	Trip Leaders	They are the most under-thanked people in outdoor recreation: the trip leaders. They're remembered for their errors in judgement and virtually never praised for their determination and dedication. Without trip leaders no trips would be run. Trip leaders in gay outing clubs do not get paid or receive any form of compensation.
2	Craig Howell	Craig is one individual who has gone beyond the call of duty to make Adventuring work for the Washington, DC community. He has built a huge network of gay friends with can be relied on for support. His achievements speak for themselves as he's been Adventuring's President for the past eight years. Craig is the heart and soul of Adventuring. He stepped down from being President three months ago but remains the Woods/Winter Coordinator. There would be no gay outdoor activities in the Washington, DC area if it weren't for Craig Howell.
3	Glen Ochoa	There are people who sit back and complain that there are not any gay outing clubs in their community. And there is Glen Ochoa who takes the iniative and creates something special. Glen has been instrumental in the development of San Diego's Perfect Pace, an organization that provides rugged hiking and backpacking trips. It's a place where gay outdoor enthusiasts can get together and have some fun with outdoor activities. He has provided many gay outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to go and play without fear of being targeted based on their sexuality. Glen is a standout outdoor athlete who climbed Mt. Whitney to raise funds for Breast Cancer in 2005. You can visit his website at www.perfectpace.com.

GayOutdoors Groups of the Year

I got many nominations for the GayOutdoors Group of the Year. When deciding on the winners, I focused on three things: 1) Excellence in building the group and running events; 2) Website excellence; and 3) Positively affecting and supporting the greater gay community.

To be nominated, the group must have been focused on building an organization that creates opportunities for people to participate in outdoor recreation. I excluded annual events from this category, though those men and women who organize such events as Gay Ski Weeks, Gay Cruises, Gay Nude Gatherings, etc. should be recognized for their excellence every year they put forth a top-notch event.

I chose the winners from the nominations sent in.

Place	Logo	Name	Nominating Statement
1		California's Great Outdoors	This group has been on my radar screen since I started GayOutdoors. Since then, I have watched the organization grow. The Great Outdoors organization continued to enjoy an unrivaled tradition of excellence in 2005. They run an incredible amount of diverse trips from hikes to bus tours to weekend cabin/camping trips to outdoor skill workshops to beach camping trips to whitewater rafting and so much more. They also offer weekly activities: Monday Night Hike, Thursday Night Hike and a Volleyball Night. They have developed many of their members to become trip leaders so their club is not dependent on one or two people to run activities. They have four chapters in southern California: Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Long Beach and Santa Barbara. They have been serving the GLBT community since late 1977. Each chapter maintains their own website along with the 'corporate' website. The Los Angeles chapter has the best website of all with their events clearly advertised on their home page with a link for more details, a photo gallery that is frequently updated, and one event highlighted each month. You can also join or renew your membership online. The Great Outdoors organization proudly and publicly models the spirit of community and outdoor recreation while raising the visibility of successful, vibrant and involved GLBT outdoor enthusiasts. Visit their Los Angeles chapter website by clicking here: http://www.greatoutdoorsla.org/
2		Washington, DC's Adventuring	Adventuring had its 25th anniversary in 2005 and continues to be successful with providing outdoor activities for gay men and women in the Washington, DC area. They run lots of hiking trips each month. They are excellent at promoting their club via their website with new trip reports posted each week. Their upcoming trips are also posted on their home page with a link for more detail. And their newsletter can be read online and printed. I like the fact that they don't have "members only areas;" most gay outing clubs have this on features such as photos, forums and trip reports. Restricting access prevents locals from learning how much fun it would be to join a club. Visit their website by clicking here: http://www.adventuring.org/cgi-bin/main.idc
3		Wilderness Network of Georgia and the Mountains (North Carolina area)	WNG has become the most dominant gay and lesbian outdoor recreation group in the southern Appalachian states. With an active membership of over 300, the Wilderness Network of Georgia provides gay men who enjoy hiking, biking, camping, canoeing, and other outdoor activities the opportunity to meet others with similar interests. Outings include day trips to scenic areas within a two- or three-hour drive of Atlanta, weekend trips around the Southeast, and longer excursions to locations such as Alaska and national parks in the western U.S. Community service is also an important element of WNG's mission, with maintenance hikes scheduled on a regular basis in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, the Nature Conversancy, and other agencies and organizations. This year, they raised $1,600 for Hurricane Katrina victims by donating it to the Red Cross. Visit their website by clicking here: http://www.wildnetga.org/