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Reginato inducted into Hall of Fame
Redding resident inspires people to get out, enjoy the outdoors
Tom Stienstra, Special to the Record Searchlight
February 05, 2004
It is likely that no individual in the 20th century inspired more people to take part in Northern California outdoors than John Reginato of Redding.
Ola Eikrem was the first California woman in history to climb all 68 14, 000-foot peaks in America south of Canada.
Peter Ottesen is an educator who invented an outdoors program for 350,000 students.
Bob Fletcher has touched millions as the leader in marine sportfishing and ocean conservation in Southern California.
These four, along with the West's greatest trail-blazer in history, Joe Walker, are the 2004 inductees into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame. They were formally honored at a ceremony Saturday at the International Sportsmen's Exposition in San Mateo.
This year's winners were selected in anonymous balloting by 15 of the state's leading outdoor media, industry and government officials, along with past winners. Anybody can propose a nomination for the award.
Here is a synopsis of this year's winners:
• John Reginato: The depth of Reginato's travels across Northern California is unparalleled. His turf consists of Tehama, Shasta, Lassen, Trinity, Siskiyou and Modoc counties. No individual in California history knows any region more intimately. He is an avid boater, bird hunter, angler and award-winning wildlife photographer. Reginato is also a champion of youth outdoors activities, especially opportunities for youth trout fishing.
As manager of the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association for 41 years, Reginato promoted all phases of the outdoors and regional tourism and inspired thousands to go fishing, boating, hunting, camping and traveling in Northern California. He developed a network between recreation businesses and the public and averaged 20,000 phone and mail contacts per year with the public, roughly 8 million contacts in his career.
Reginato pioneered boating and fishing access for the public, developing 20 new boat ramps in Northern California and inventing the concept of using houseboats as a recreation getaway. He also helped develop the concept of rails to trails, starting with the 25-mile Bizz Johnson Trail near Susanville.
• Ola Eikrem, San Rafael: Eikrem inspired a generation of women hikers, backpackers and mountain climbers by climbing 68 14,000-foot mountain peaks.
In one summer alone, Eikrem, just 5-foot-4, climbed 23 of them in Colorado. She also climbed Mount Rainier in Washington at age 39 while pregnant.
• Peter Ottesen, Stockton: Ottesen is the award-winning outdoor writer for the Stockton Record, an educator who invented an outdoors program for students, the personal guardian of 2,800 acres of wetlands, and an expert waterfowl hunter and wildlife lover. His impact on the public has been far reaching and long lasting.
• Bob Fletcher, San Diego: Fletcher has led the fight against overharvesting and waste by commercial netters and long-liners. Under Fletcher's watch as chief deputy director for the Department of Fish and Game in the 1980s, gillnets were banned from the inshore coastal waters of the Bay Area. Later, he pressed the issue of damage by trawlers and long-liners in Southern California waters.
• Joe Walker (posthumous), Martinez: Walker was the greatest trailblazer in California history. He was the first to discover a trans-Sierra route, in the process becoming the first trailblazer to see Yosemite. His gravesite marker reads, "Camped in Yosemite, Nov. 13, 1833."
Redding resident inspires people to get out, enjoy the outdoors
Tom Stienstra, Special to the Record Searchlight
February 05, 2004
It is likely that no individual in the 20th century inspired more people to take part in Northern California outdoors than John Reginato of Redding.
Ola Eikrem was the first California woman in history to climb all 68 14, 000-foot peaks in America south of Canada.
Peter Ottesen is an educator who invented an outdoors program for 350,000 students.
Bob Fletcher has touched millions as the leader in marine sportfishing and ocean conservation in Southern California.
These four, along with the West's greatest trail-blazer in history, Joe Walker, are the 2004 inductees into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame. They were formally honored at a ceremony Saturday at the International Sportsmen's Exposition in San Mateo.
This year's winners were selected in anonymous balloting by 15 of the state's leading outdoor media, industry and government officials, along with past winners. Anybody can propose a nomination for the award.
Here is a synopsis of this year's winners:
• John Reginato: The depth of Reginato's travels across Northern California is unparalleled. His turf consists of Tehama, Shasta, Lassen, Trinity, Siskiyou and Modoc counties. No individual in California history knows any region more intimately. He is an avid boater, bird hunter, angler and award-winning wildlife photographer. Reginato is also a champion of youth outdoors activities, especially opportunities for youth trout fishing.
As manager of the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association for 41 years, Reginato promoted all phases of the outdoors and regional tourism and inspired thousands to go fishing, boating, hunting, camping and traveling in Northern California. He developed a network between recreation businesses and the public and averaged 20,000 phone and mail contacts per year with the public, roughly 8 million contacts in his career.
Reginato pioneered boating and fishing access for the public, developing 20 new boat ramps in Northern California and inventing the concept of using houseboats as a recreation getaway. He also helped develop the concept of rails to trails, starting with the 25-mile Bizz Johnson Trail near Susanville.
• Ola Eikrem, San Rafael: Eikrem inspired a generation of women hikers, backpackers and mountain climbers by climbing 68 14,000-foot mountain peaks.
In one summer alone, Eikrem, just 5-foot-4, climbed 23 of them in Colorado. She also climbed Mount Rainier in Washington at age 39 while pregnant.
• Peter Ottesen, Stockton: Ottesen is the award-winning outdoor writer for the Stockton Record, an educator who invented an outdoors program for students, the personal guardian of 2,800 acres of wetlands, and an expert waterfowl hunter and wildlife lover. His impact on the public has been far reaching and long lasting.
• Bob Fletcher, San Diego: Fletcher has led the fight against overharvesting and waste by commercial netters and long-liners. Under Fletcher's watch as chief deputy director for the Department of Fish and Game in the 1980s, gillnets were banned from the inshore coastal waters of the Bay Area. Later, he pressed the issue of damage by trawlers and long-liners in Southern California waters.
• Joe Walker (posthumous), Martinez: Walker was the greatest trailblazer in California history. He was the first to discover a trans-Sierra route, in the process becoming the first trailblazer to see Yosemite. His gravesite marker reads, "Camped in Yosemite, Nov. 13, 1833."
