January Supporter Spotlight

This month we would like to honor long time Sequoia Parks Conservancy supporter, Debby Main. Debby has been connected with SPC since before 2008 and has volunteered for the Dark Sky Festival, Fee-Free Entrance Days, and most recently, the first Find Adventure Food Truck Festival in 2016. 

Why do you take the time to Volunteer for/donate to Sequoia Parks Conservancy?
I volunteer and donate to the SPC because I believe in its mission...to enable programs that protect, preserve and provide access to SEKI (Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks). 

Where is your favorite place in either Sequoia or Kings Canyon?
Asking for a favorite place in SEKI, is like asking for a favorite child. Not a fair question. I love the entire park. Each area has its special charm. The Kern, fabulous fishing; Rattlesnake Canyon, amazing trail up a beautiful little gorge; The John Muir Trail, all those passes with amazing views…on and on.

What is your connection to Sequoia Parks Conservancy?
I’m connected to the SPC as a board member, volunteer and member.
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Do you have a favorite memory of an adventure in the park you’d like to share?
My favorite memory/adventure is designing, planning for and leading the Mather Mountain Party Trans-Sierra pack trip in 2015, sponsored by the SFI (Sequoia Field Institute) with the cooperation of SEKI.  We contracted with Rock Creek Pack Station, Bishop CA, to re-create the famous pack trip led by Stephen Mather in 1915, which resulted in the expansion of Sequoia National park. This was personally one of the most difficult and challenging trips for me for many reasons. It remains memorable in the fact that it was truly a “one of a kind/bucket list” adventure. We were out for 21 amazing days, travelled on horseback and mules, 150 miles in the footsteps of Stephen Mather over every eco-zone and elevation in the park. We had two extremely elite scientists providing spectacularly relevant insight on climate change, and fire ecology.  Good food, good companions - it just doesn’t get any better than that, and it didn’t rain!