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Cuyahoga Valley National Park “Topography”

The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) hosted its 12th annual fundraiser, Topography, to support its Trails Now Fund on Saturday, June 17, 2023. It was a picture-perfect evening on the shores of Indigo Lake (near Howe Meadow) in Northeast Ohio’s national park. This was Topography’s first year hosted at that location. Many of the revelers preferred it to the Ledges area, which is a popular, public place to watch the sunset over the Cuyahoga Valley.

Approximately 400 guests were delighted with the dulcet sounds of string ensemble OPUS 216 while sampling fabulous appetizers, including a smoked trout dip that was chock-full of fresh fish. Guests could see the trout being smoked by the lake upon arrival.

Ben Bebenroth’s Spice Catering Co. laid out a sumptuous spread in a full-sized canoe as CVNP supporters mingled before dinner.

Conservancy President & CEO Deb Yandala says the $70,000 raised that evening will go to projects supporting the park’s trail needs right now, such as a footbridge on Salt Run Trail and bridle-hiking trail improvements.

As benefits go, this celebration was one for the books: short on speechifying but long on fun and socializing with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts. Almost everyone has strong feelings about their favorite “topography” or landscape within the CVNP’s 33,000 acres.

Sarah and Michael Knoblauch of Cleveland Heights love the Ledges area and Brandywine Falls, respectively. Their friends Elinore Evans and John Rampe of Willoughby Hills enjoy Brandywine Falls but also like to bike the Towpath from Rockside Road to Peninsula. Perhaps the most unique topographical favorite belongs to Cindy Moore of Richfield. She likes the Riding Run Trail (of which this reporter has never heard.)

“You go to the covered bridge at Everett, then go through Furnace Run to get to it. It’s very hilly and you cross several streams,” notes Moore. She and her husband Roy, who volunteers for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, are both Trailblazers in the park. Trailblazers help visitors with way-finding and can assist with safety and emergency concerns by contacting park staff in the event of medical or other emergency.

After a hearty meal of lamb, smoked chicken sausage and Spanish-style porchetta with to-die-for corn, cotija cheese and Aleppo chiles polenta, guests lingered around the campfires with s’mores and other late-night sweets. If all fundraisers could be this comfortable (no pantyhose and no tuxedoes) with some of Ohio’s best topography on display, they would sell out faster than a Taylor Swift concert. Mark your calendars for Topography 2024 next June with the exact date to be determined.

STORY BY SARAH JAQUAY, PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARAH JAQUAY AND KOFI AMPONSAH