Sierra Nevada Brewing is all about its community and nature, which is why the California brewery is launching Pale Ale for Trails.
The program is meant to help conserve “America’s underfunded trail and river systems” while also paying homage to the iconic labels of the near-ubiquitous Sierra Nevada Pale Ale that helped build the craft beer industry into what it is today.
“Spending time in the wild is good for the body, mind, and soul,” said Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman. “We have an obligation to enjoy these places in the least impactful way, and to protect them for generations to come.”
To start the Pale Ale for Trails program, Sierra Nevada is partnering with the American Hiking Society for more than 1,200 events on June 1, National Trails Day. Interested parties can also support the brewery’s initiatives to support local trails by donating to the recently launched trail clean-up pledge program.
The program system gives volunteers the ability to clean up a pledged distance in their desired region. Sierra Nevada has made a company annual pledge of 1,000 miles. While cleaning up a trail or river area, photos can be shared for a chance to win a trail kit with gear, snacks, and more. Three winners will be selected each month, April to June, who post a picture to Instagram, tag Sierra Nevada and use #PaleAleforTrails.
Beyond the American Hiking Association collaboration, Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale for Trails projects will occur across the U.S. all summer. On National Trails Day, Sierra Nevada will also host parties following the volunteer efforts at both its Chico, California, and Mills River, North Carolina, taprooms. The program falls under the supervision of Sierra Grossman, who leads the brewery’s new Corporate and Social Responsibility division.
The need for the program stems from a systematic decrease in funding for the U.S. trail system despite a rapid uptick in foot traffic. Sierra Nevada has been a champion of solid causes, most notably in its support of its neighboring community during last year’s Camp Fire wildfire. The brewery launched the Resilience IPA, which involved thousands of U.S. breweries brewing the same IPA to support the victims of and recovery from the wildfire. The brewery donated 100 percent of the beer sales to the Camp Fire Relief Fund.
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