2025-2026 Schedule
All programs are held at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
November 6, 2025
6:30-8:00 pm
Matt anderson
Moose, ridges, and lake superior: exploring isle royale national park
Isle Royale isn’t just hard to get to—it feels like stepping into another world. In this talk, Matt Anderson will share the story of his backpacking trip to the island, beginning with a seaplane flight over the vast, cold expanse of Lake Superior and continuing through quiet forests, rugged ridges, and campsites along the water’s edge.
Woven into the journey are stories that make Isle Royale so unique: the glaciers that shaped its landscape, the copper miners who once called it home, and the long-running predator–prey study of the island’s wolves and moose that has fascinated scientists for decades. Matt will also cover the quirks of planning a trip to the island, where transportation is limited, cell service hardly exists, and once you arrive, you are truly on your own.
Whether you are dreaming of your own visit or just curious about one of the most isolated places in the National Park system, you will come away with a deeper appreciation for the history, beauty, and challenges of Isle Royale. Come discover why one of the least-visited National Parks is also one of the most revisited!
Biography: Matt Anderson enjoys hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and biking, as well as reading about other people’s adventures. Originally from the Detroit area, he moved to Dayton in 2006 and has grown to appreciate all the outdoor activities available in such close proximity in the Miami Valley. When he is not outside, he is typically spending time with his family, working on DIY projects, building software, or trying to figure out how to use CalTopo to plan more trips.
December 4, 2025
6:30-8:00 pm
Chris Landis and Brent Anslinger
Paddling the rio grande in big bend national park
Chris Landis along with Brent and Amy Anslinger and their two teenage daughters loaded up the van from frigid Ohio with 2 canoes,1 kayak and a boat load of gear and zipped down to Big Bend National Park in Texas. They spent the final moons of a passing year paddling through Boquillas Canyon with Big Bend National Park in Texas on their port side and Mexico on the starboard with the International Boundary passing back and forth beneath their keel. For four days on the river, this flotilla explored 40 miles of the Rio Grande as they paddled a remote section of this famous river leaving the services of Big Bend National Park behind and embracing the spectacular canyon walls, beautiful riverside campsites, and star-studded skies downstream. They will talk about the river logistics and highlights along with the pre and post river trip cultural curiosities including mountain hikes, hot springs, and a New Year’s Day trip to the town of Boquillas, Mexico which they reached by local rowboat and donkey. This crew squeezed in as much adventure in one week as is almost humanly possible while experiencing life on the border in this epic destination.
January 8, 2026
6:30-8:00 pm
sue and don Klosterman
Utah beyond the mighty five … exploring utah’s hidden gems
In this presentation we will share our experiences in various state parks, wilderness areas, and BLM lands that are NOT part of Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks (Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capital Reef). We found an abundance of these hidden gems that are generally less crowded than the national parks but still stunning in their own right. We will share our photos and brief video clips of our day hikes taken over several different trips over the past 10 years. You may be surprised how much is out there … beyond the Mighty Five !
Biography:
Sue and Don Klosterman are alumni and retirees of the University of Dayton. Don’s home there is in the School of Engineering where he is an Emeritus Professor, while Sue spent many years teaching in the Geology Department. They have taken many hiking and backpacking trips over their 35 years of marriage, many of them in the western U.S., as well as hundreds of miles on the Appalachian Trail. Don was coordinator of the Dayton Backpacker Campfire from 2003-2016, and they both were active leaders in BSA for many years. They reside in their long-time Centerville home of 30 years, and they continue to plan new adventures each year.
February 5, 2026
6:30-8:00 pm
Speaker and subject – Tba
March 5, 2026
6:30-8:00 pm
Andy niekamp
walking the camino de santiago – the portuguese way
Join Andy Niekamp as he narrates his trek on the Portuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago, from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago, Spain. This second most popular Camino route boasts stunning coastal views, vibrant cities rich in history, quaint cobblestone streets, shrines, ancient churches, stone crosses, hiking trails, and friendly locals. The 19-day, 220-mile, pilgrimage photo journey follows Andy and his hiking partner along the multiple, and sometimes confusing, routes of the Portuguese Way, including the Litoral, Coastal, Central, and Spiritual routes. The trek concludes on Spain’s western shore at Finisterre whose name literally means “end of the earth,” as the Romans believed it was. Today, the Camino Finisterre has a reputation as a place of endings and new beginnings. This presentation will inspire you to embark on a Camino de Santiago journey of your own.
Biography:
Andy “Captain Blue” Niekamp has over 20,000 miles of backpacking experience, including five end-to-end hikes on the Appalachian Trail, a continuous footpath from Georgia to Maine that travels throughout 14 different states. He has also hiked the Buckeye Trail, Florida Trail, Arizona Trail, Camino de Santiago (French Way and Portuguese Way), Colorado Trail, John Muir Trail, Sheltowee Trace, Long Trail, Ozark Highlands Trail, Superior Hiking Trail, Benton McKaye Trail, Ohio To Erie Trail, and other trails. He is the founder and organizer of Dayton Hikers, a Meetup hiking group with 9,500 members, and the Chief Adventure Officer of Outdoor Adventure Connection, a backcountry guide service. His passion lies in organizing special hiking events and encouraging others to get involved in trail maintenance.
