A BIG GREEN SQUARE for Steve Smith

[Waumbek]

Steve Smith is this year's New England region recipient of the Volunteer of the Year award from the American Hiking Society, one of nine such regional winners in the country. His efforts as trail adopter (Sugar Loaf Tr), hiking book editor, hiking writer, bookstore owner, and a lot of other important activities that benefit the hiking community are well-known locally, and all of us who hike in the WMNF are better off for them. He would never push his own bookstore in Lincoln NH on a bb, and I don't even know if he posts here, but I'll give it a plug--it's the Mountain Wanderer. Congratulations Steve and thanks for all your years of hard work and largely un-heralded achievements--'til now. If anyone deserves a green square for lifetime achievement, Steve Smith does. Here's a link to the Mountain Wanderer bookstore. (I hope this image works....my first try to "embed" one...here goes....bombs away)

 

[funkyfreddy]

I'll second your praise - Steve Smith is a very friendly book store owner and a class act for sure! He's a lot of fun to talk to before a hiking trip and always gives out good tips on lesser known gems to climb in the Whites.

I haven't been by his book store in quite a few years so I will have to make it a point to stop by and buy a book or map from him next time I'm in the Whites.

 

[spencer]

Steve really is a great guy! I've enjoyed chatting with him over the years in his shop when I'm in the area...

Congratulations, Steve. (I know he reads from time to time, although I'm not sure if he ever posts).

spencer

 

[sli74]

Congrats Steve, I look forward to stopping in and chatting whenever I can after a hike in the area. You are a class act.

sli74

 

[SherpaKroto]

Congrats Steve! Well deserved!

 

[Sherpa John]

Here Here for Steve Smith. I wrote him a letter a few weeks back thanking him for his genuine friendship. I'm certain he gives the same to everyone who frequents his store.

Congrats Steve... and thanks!

 

[MichaelJ]

Woo-hoo! Congrats, Steve! Yup, he and the bookstore do definitely shine like a gem in the Whites.

If you're in the area, drop in after a hike and say hello if he's there (he usually is). If you haven't met him, introduce yourself. If you need a hiking or Whites related book, he'll surely have it or know how to get it. And you can order from him over the phone and he'll send it to you, too.

Great guy, great place.

Now if he'd only stop lurking ...

 

[Double Bow]

Steve is the best!

Popped on on him Monday after doing the Hancocks and chatted for way too long! He is a class act and I always enjoy seeing him. He is one of the most wonderful people I know and a true treasure to the hiking community!

 

[Stan]

I've got a couple of his books ... White Mountain Ponds is a favorite reference ... but the only book I ever bought at The Mountain Wanderer was a paddling book of Cape Cod. Go figure.

 

[Frodo]

Steve's the man! I could spend 8 hours a day talking to him (hey Steve, want a job in Massachusetts??). He is a rare breed, and his knowledge of the White Mountains is unsurpassed...

 

[RoySwkr]

Steve Smith is this year's New England region recipient of the Volunteer of the Year award from the American Hiking Society, ... His efforts as trail adopter (Sugar Loaf Tr), hiking book editor, hiking writer, bookstore owner, and a lot of other important activities...

Steve is a fine fellow and probably the single most knowledgeable person on White Mtn hiking today. He has managed what is probably a common dream of turning what for most people is recreation into a career.

Do you have a link to the actual citation? Most of the things you mention are revenue-producing and would seem to make him more eligible for "Businessperson of the Year" rather than "Volunteer of the Year".

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Steve Smith rules

".....and a lot of other important activities that benefit the hiking community are well-known locally.....", Ok, Waumbek, I will add that Steve Smith also has been a long-timer on the AMC 4000-footer committee, maintains a lengthy portion of the Bondcliff Trail under the auspices of that committee, and every fall for the past 16 years has co-organized with Mike Dickerman a White Mountain CROP Walk to feed the hungry. And, of course, buy your books and maps at the Mountain Wanderer, where Mike Dickerman and I also have a bunch of fine used books for sale on Steve's shelves, and not EBay or Amazon! Support you local bookmeister!!

 

[Waumbek]

Do you have a link to the actual citation? Most of the things you mention are revenue-producing and would seem to make him more eligible for "Businessperson of the Year" rather than "Volunteer of the Year".

From www.americanhiking.org:

"American Hiking conducted the search over several months to find the top volunteers in the United States. Nominations were received for many qualified candidates and the following stood out and are honored as Volunteers of the Year for their region

Kris McMillen, Hot Springs, AR, Central States Region
Carter Hedeen, Park Rapids, MN, Great Lakes Region
Ken Robinson, Newark, DE, Mid-Atlantic Region
Steve Smith, Lincoln, NH, New England Region
Mary Kunzler-Larmann, Canastota, NY , Northeast Region
Amy Capron, Basalt, CO, Rocky Mountain-Dakotas Region
James Stankowitz, Dalton, GA, South Region
Clark Naylor, Draper, UT, Southwest Region
Alice Rarig, Juneau, AK, West Region
(Alice was selected from the 9 regional winners as the National Winner) "

There was also an article about him by his friend, Mike Dickerman, in the Littleton Courier, which is currently offline hence I could not link it. I repeated what I could recall from Mike's column and mentioned the books because I've read them and they are "public" even if commercial. I know a few other volunteer activities, by no means all, but I stayed with the public record, which Dr. D. has now augmented with things that I did not know about. Thank you, Dr. D.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Thanks for the additional info, Waumbek. Roy, I think that Steve would be the first to tell you that one does not get rich running a bookstore as a business. I have always suspected that his store is a "front" for his writing endeavors and volunteerism in the Whites, and I am really pleased that he is finally receiving due recognition.

 

[Double Bow]

And, of course, buy your books and maps at the Mountain Wanderer, where Mike Dickerman and I also have a bunch of fine used books for sale on Steve's shelves, and not EBay or Amazon! Support you local bookmeister!!

It wasn't enough that I went in last Monday and bought stuff but I had to go in again yesterday! I think I'm putting food on your plate doc, I've been buying used books.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

That bookstore is great; a hiker's dream. I've made some purchases there and plan on stopping in on my next trip to the White's. Congrats to Steve.

 

[Puck]

I had a great trip hiking out of the snow on S Hancock in Oct. I drove into Lincoln and stopped at Mr Smith's bokstore. I had a great conversation with him, bought a volume and then went for a bagel and coffee and read for a little bit. My conversation with Steve about the book was far more interesting then the book itself. It was about the lumbering railroads in the whites

 

[dentonfabrics]

Enjoyed meeting Steve at his book store and liked reading his book Wandering Through The White Mountains which I purchased from the Mountain Wanderer. Class act!

thanks,
denton fabrics

 

[RoySwkr]

Steve Smith also has been a long-timer on the AMC 4000-footer committee, maintains a lengthy portion of the Bondcliff Trail under the auspices of that committee, and every fall for the past 16 years has co-organized with Mike Dickerman a White Mountain CROP Walk to feed the hungry.

A couple things that I knew but had forgotten, it's tough to get old :-(
I would still be interested in the actual citation to see what else I've missed.

Yes, it's hard to draw a line between business and public service, Mike Pelchat is another individual in this category. I was just surprised that Waumbek's list leaned heavily on the former.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Just to keep this thread near the top, on this past Wednesday evening, Steve was voted onto the Board of Directors for the newly organized PVSART (= Pemigewasett Valley Search and Rescue Team). Stay tuned for more information about this group.