the trustees

John Spring, Ira's son, is the President/Owner of his own business located in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. As a certified trail crew leader, he has spent hundreds of hours leading volunteer work parties. He is the Managing Trustee for The Spring Trust for Trails fund.

Ken Konigsmark is Vice President of the Issaquah Alps Trails Club and a past hiker representative on the State NOVA Committee.  Ken spent ten years on loan from his employer, Boeing, to the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust.  Ken is on the board of the Greenway Trust,  Washington State Parks Foundation, Friends of the Trail, and is a member of the King County Citizens Open Space Committee.  He's an avid hiker, backpacker, and snowshoer.

Tom Lucas is a founding trustee and lawyer who aided Ira in forming the Trust.  Tom was the first president of Washington Trail Association, had three terms as a director, was a citizen advisor to the D.N.R. on recreational lands, and served as legal advisor to the Issaquah Alps for many years.  He also heads a project for The Nature Conservancy in a small village in the Ecuadorian Amazon and has hiked and sea-kayaked in many parts of the world.

Elizabeth Lunney hiked into Washington state via the Pacific Crest Trail in 1997 and has been looking for ways to give back to the trail community ever since.  She is the executive director for Washington Trails Association, and serves on several boards, such as the American Hiking Society.  Ira Spring’s guidebooks helped her first find her way around the Cascades, and his conviction and dedication set a high standard that she hopes will be continued by today’s generation of trail advocates.

Crystal Passeck has been involved in non-profits and trail volunteer programs for the last 20 years. A former United States Forest Service Firefighting Specialist, Crystal has spent many years in the outdoors and has operated week-long volunteer trail crew camps.  Crystal is also a member of Volunteers for Outdoor Washington and a certified trail crew leader trainer.

Gary Paull's job as Wilderness and Trails Coordinator to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest keeps him on the trails all year round. He has been involved in creating partnerships and numerous trail projects.

Vicky Spring, Ira's daughter, is a photographer and author specializing in outdoor adventure. Vicky and her family spend much of their time on trails, summer and winter.

Lou Whittaker is the owner of R.M.I. (Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.), the international mountain guide service based at Mount Rainier. Lou has lead expeditions up Mount Everest and K2. Lou is an avid supporter of getting youth into the outdoors.