"HAWKEYE" JOHNSON

I began hiking many years ago while growing up near the Appalachian Trail in Maine. I found long distance hiking especially important in relieving the stress of a twenty-year career in the Department of Corrections for the State of Connecticut. After I retired in 1995, I had the time to really get into it. By 2005, I had achieved hiking's famous Triple Crown, the Colorado Trail, the Arizona Trail, and the Appalachian Trail for the second time.

In 2007, I was inspired to combine my hiking adventures with fundraising to help people with disabilities get outdoors and experience the benefits of recreation in nature. I started GoHawkeye and have since completed the Triple Crown and the Colorado Trail for a second time each while raising over $50,000 for the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program. I always pay my own expenses.

In 2014, I was further inspired to create GoHawkeye.org, an all-volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit foundation that awards grants for sports equipment and experiences to people with disabilities. So far, we have helped 75 athletes and 10 organizations with grants totaling over $230,000. Every year I do a fundraiser hike to help this effort. I’ve been exploring the San Juan mountains in southwest Colorado over the past 7 years and have created a 450-mile loop from Telluride that offers 8 resupply towns and contains 9 fourteeners as well as many high alpine lakes and streams to fish. The “GoHawkeye San Juan Trail” is comprised of existing trails, forest service roads and requires some bushwhacking. This challenging route has an average elevation of 10,400 feet. Maps and journals from each year can be found on my website or by contacting me.

Website: gohawkeye.org
Twitter: @triplecrownx2
Facebook: @Hawkeye Johnson
Facebook: @gohawkeyefoundation
YouTube: Lucky Enough