Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale for Trails Aims to Clean Up America’s Trail Systems

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.”

Pale Ale for Trails

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Pat Evans
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Pat Evans is a writer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, focusing on food and beer, spirits, business, and sports. His full…
How to make the Aviation cocktail, a drink almost lost to history
The cocktail renaissance brought this classic drink back to the forefront
Aviation

The cocktail renaissance of the last two decades has brought many classic cocktails seemingly lost to time back to the forefront. While the Old Fashioned is the most notable (and never really went away completely), the list also includes drinks like the Sazerac, Americano, Martinez, Boulevardier, and many more. But there's one drink in particular that disappeared for decades and almost didn't come back at all. We're talking about the Aviation.
What is the Aviation?

The last cocktail mentioned might not get the press of the Old Fashioned or even the Manhattan, Negroni, or classic no-frills Daiquiri, but it’s no less memorable. This elegant, flavorful, complex cocktail is historically made with only four ingredients. They are gin, maraschino, liqueur, lemon juice, and crème de violette. Some contemporary recipes opt not to use the latter ingredient.
When was the Aviation cocktail created?

Read more
How to tenderize steak: The pros of every method
If you aren't velveting your beef, you're doing stir-fry wrong.
Different raw steak cuts

Often, when people are describing a particularly delicious meal they're eating, they'll say something along the lines of, "It just melts in your mouth." While this line can, admittedly, be a little bit cringy for those of us who are tired of hearing it, it does describe a certain success within a dish - tenderness. As human beings, we've evolved past knawing on raw muscle and bone and crave a succulent meal that does, in fact, taste as though it's melting away in our mouths. Unless it's beef jerky at a ball game, we want our meat to be tender. The problem, though, is that some of the most delicious cuts of beef are also the toughest. That's why it's important to tenderize steak and other cuts of beef before cooking.

Tenderizing beef is the process of breaking down its connective muscle fibers and tissues, giving that piece of meat a more delicate consistency and delicious flavor. So, how do we accomplish this at home?
How to tenderize steak

Read more
The best snacks for the Mediterranean diet: 9 heathy, tasty ideas
9 Mediterranean diet snack ideas — sweet and savory options included
greek yogurt with berries and granola

"Diet" has traditionally translated into "eat less." Snacking? Off the table, right? That's not how the Mediterranean diet rolls — and dietitians are here for the change.

"So many people believe they shouldn't be eating them when, in fact, eating nutritious snacks can be a great way to keep blood sugar balanced, fuel exercise, and prevent eating past fullness at dinner," said Emily Van Eck, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor. 

Read more