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What’s New

Latest updates: April 14


Welcome to ALDHA’s home page. As with any home page,
this site is often updated with new roads, walkways and paths.
Here’s what’s new:


2013 Spring LDH Week ending April 7, 2013 ...

  • There are two versions of the spring newsletter that you can download online here. One is 11x17 and shows the pages as they would appear if you had them open in front of you in printed format. It is ideal if you are just reading the newsletter on your computer screen. That version can be downloaded from this link.

    The other version is laid out on 8 1/2 by 11 standard-size pages, suitable for printing at home. That version can be downloaded from this link.

    To download these files, right click on the link and hit "save link as" or "save file as." They are about 6 MB in file size, but once downloaded to your computer you should have no problem opening them in Acrobat Reader (a free program). Trying to open them straight from these links will likely blow out some fonts and wildly distort the colors for some reason.

    CORRECTION: An error in a date in the coordinator's report on Page 2 has been fixed in the E-edition above. For print subscribers, the date of the ATC Biennial in Cullowhee, N.C., is July 19-26.



    Week ending March 1, 2013 ...

  • The Membership Directory should be in your hands by now. They were printed and mailed in a matter of a couple of days during the first week of February, so if you haven't gotten yours by the end of next week, contact the membership secretary. Remember, they are mailed via bulk rate shipping, so the Postal Service gives them very low priority. All digital subscribers of the Directory should have gotten the link to the PDF in an email over a week ago. Read about this year's booklet here, and see what the cover looks like this year.

  • New dates and all fresh links have been added to the list of 2013 Trail Festivals, along with a color version of the photo that graced the cover of the winter newsletter.


    Week ending Feb. 9, 2013 ...

  • The 2013 "A.T. Thru-Hikers' Companion" is in the mail and in most cases has already been delivered for all those who preordered a hard copy from The Ultimate Trail Store of ATC. Also, copies of the digital version are available for sale right now. Visit the Digital Companion page for details on how to get your Companion in PDF format. Or check out The ALDHA Store if you want to buy a hard copy through ALDHA.

  • And speaking of "on the way," the 2013 Membership Directory listing all members of ALDHA with their trail names, addresses, email addresses, etc., is on the way to the printers this week, so you should be getting your copy sometime this month.


    Week ending Jan. 19, 2013 ...

  • The 2013 "Thru-Hikers' Companion," our 20th edition!, is being printed and prepared for delivery right now, but copies of the digital version are available for sale right now. Visit the Digital Companion page for details on how to get your Companion in PDF format.

  • Pat Shaw is in hospice care due to lung cancer. She moved from Maine to Oklahoma after the house was sold in Monson. Cards may be sent to Pat Shaw, RR 1 Box 16A, Chester, OK 73838. Emails may be sent to daughter-in-law Cathy Johnson at johnson74@live.com.


    MERRY CHRISTMAS ! ...

  • The print edition of the Winter Newsletter is well on its way via bulk rate mail, and the Mega-Christmas E-edition will be shipped today. The digital version has 33 pages, more than 65 photos, all in color. Here's what the full cover looks like, in color... Click on it to open a sharper PDF:

    • Front and back


    Week ending Dec. 15, 2012 ...

  • Do your good deed of the day and stop by the Facebook page of ALDHA member David Horton (aka "The Runner") and wish him a speedy recovery. He just had open-heart surgery and is going through posts of good wishes via Facebook. Your thoughts and prayers will be appreciated.

    Also, several work trip photos have been added to the Gathering page...


    Week ending Dec. 1, 2012 ...

  • The winter newsletter will be on its way to the printers soon, and should be delivered before the start of winter. The digital version for electronic subscribers will be delivered about the same time. If you have anything for the digital version or even next spring's print edition, be sure to send it to newsletter@aldha.org.



    Week ending Dec. 1, 2012 ...

  • The winter newsletter will be on its way to the printers soon, and should be delivered before the start of winter. The digital version for electronic subscribers will be delivered about the same time. If you have anything for the digital version or even next spring's print edition, be sure to send it to newsletter@aldha.org.



    Week ending Nov. 3, 2012 ...

    Group shot


    The group shot of the 2012 ALDHA Gathering.

    Click to open high-resolution version for free downloading.



    (Credit: H. Dean Clark, aka "Crooked Sticks")


  • A quick rundown on the new board of directors has been posted on the Gathering page, along with a group photo of the new board, FYI.

  • ... Hope everyone made it through the storms OK, from snow in Kentucky to floods in Jersey and Pennsylvania and high winds in New York and Connecticut, many of our fellow ALDHA members are without power today. Hang in there! Just think of it as a night in the old Jerry Cabin Shelter when the lights didn't want to work. lol



    Week ending Oct. 20, 2012 ...

  • The first photos from the Gathering have come in and we've posted some of them on the Gathering page. Please send us photos that you took so we can add them here online, or use them in the winter newsletter. Email your high-rez JPEGS to newsletter@aldha.org.



    Week ending Oct. 13, 2012 ...

  • ALCOHOL POLICY We have posted the policy of the Appalachian South Folklife Center regarding alcohol on the Gathering page. Please make note of the public places where alcohol is not allowed, and the section dealing with the right to privacy at your campsite.



    Week ending Oct. 6, 2012 ...

  • HAVE YOU CHECKED THE RIDE BOARD LATELY? Some interesting posts have been added in the last few days, so we hope you can help out a fellow hiker/ALDHA member. Check it out on the Ride Board.

  • APPLE CONTEST RULES: The guidelines have been posted for this year's Apple Contest. Remember to pick up a few apples on your way to the Gathering to enter in the contest. Find out more here.

  • AND DON'T FORGET: You need to bring your own mug to the Gathering if you'd like to have some free java and/or tea at ALDHA Central during the Gathering, on Saturday and Sunday. If you'd like to help make the coffee, see the registration desk. We've posted a note about this on the Gathering page.



    Week ending Sept. 29, 2012 ...

  • NEW MAP POSTED: Those folks heading to the Gathering from the South via I-77 or Route 460 may find this map from Concord University useful in navigating your way to Athens. We've added it to our Directions Page.

    ALDHA member Leon Barkman has died
    (Posted Sept. 26)
  • 37th person to thru-hike the AT . . . Leon Barkman of Newtown, Conn., passed away on the Autumnal Equinox after a brief illness with pneumonia. Born in Port Jervis, NY, Leon was a biology professor at Housatonic Community College for thirty years.
    His education included Rockland Community College, Arizona State University at Flagstaff, Syracuse University and the University of Bridgeport for a second master’s degree.
    He was a veteran of the Army serving in the Alaskan tank corps.
    He was the 37th to hike the Appalachian Trail, a 2,024 mile trail from Georgia to Maine. He hiked 113 mountains over 4,000 feet in the northeast. Every Dec 28, Mount Marcy, a 5000 ft. mountain in NY was a favorite destination with his wife, Patricia, his nephew, Dave and friends, Bruce and Susan. He biked with his nephew, Lee, across the country, west to east coast.
    He hiked all 49 high peaks in contiguous U.S. His favorite birding companion was his nephew, Scott. He was an avid tennis player. He won men’s singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles in Newtown tournaments several times. He ran the Boston Marathon twice. A full-page photo in Runner’s World captured his participation. Even into his 80’s Leon enjoyed a pick-up game of basketball, hiking, biking or playing tennis.
    Memorial contributions may be made to the Newtown Public Library where Leon liked to read and where he put together his bird jigsaw puzzle that his sisters, Anne, Ruth and Rebecca gave him for his 80th birthday. He was able to pass on his wisdom and wit to his grandnephews, Jake and Connor. His family life was enriched by Marybeth and Marj, two thoughtful, caring women as well as his wife’s family who loved him very much.
    The Memorial service will take place at the tennis courts in Dickinson Town Park on Elm Drive in Newtown, Wednesday, September 26 at 2:00 p.m.
    This informal memorial will honor Leon and the life he loved. Please wear white to remember his many days on the tennis court. Bring chairs or blankets for hillside seating (nothing to mar the tennis court), and most importantly bring happy memories of all the times that we had together.



    • Week ending Sept. 22, 2012 ...

  • CAMPGROUND UPDATE: Those staying in a bunkhouse at the Appalachian South Folklife Center will be required to pay $10 per bed per night this year (this is a change from $12 per bed per night). Tents are $5 per night per tent for those tenting before Friday 12 October. (Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights are no charge, they are included in the Gathering fee.)

  • The program is in the final stages for the Gathering, but you can read some of the highlights that will be in that program when you find it in your registration packet at the Gathering.




    Sending greetings to all of Jim's ALDHA friends. -- Leslie Stoltz




    Week ending Sept. 15, 2012 ...

  • Check out our Bulletin Board for news about a talk and book signing by Brian King of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, who'll be in Vermont with his new 336-page book, "The Appalachian Trail: Celebrating America's Hiking Trail." (We plan to have a review in the winter newsletter.)


    Week ending Sept. 8, 2012 ...

  • The fall edition of The Long Distance Hiker is in the mail for all print subscribers and on its way today, Sept. 7, to all of you who receive the digital version. (E-edition subscribers will get a lovely email with the link where you can download a copy.) The print version is 12 pages in black and white. The E-edition is 24 pages in full color. Click on image at left to see a higher-resolution version of Page 1 of the E-edition.

    NOTE: we discovered an error on Page 20 of the E-edition that has since been fixed, and it's important: the dates for next year's Gathering are now correct in the blurb on Page 20. The correct days are Oct. 11-14, 2013. Digital subscribers should download a new copy of the E-edition from the link we sent you on Sept. 7 just to be safe.


  • We've posted a list of some of the workshops and programs that will be featured at this year's Gathering, including a workshop on thru-hiking Dominica's 114-mile Waitukubuli National Trail and a workshop on trekking through the Great Ring of the Sibillini in Italy's Central Apennines.

  • We have also included a blurb for all you active Southbounders out there. It's totally worth your while to hitch a ride to the Gathering! Find out why on the Gathering page.



    Week ending Sept. 1, 2012 ...

  • The 2012 Ride Board is now online! It's ready to receive your submissions if you're looking for a ride -- or a rider -- for this year's trip to the Gathering in southern West Virginia. Visit the Ride Board to get started, or go to the Gathering page for other information about this year's get-together, including complete directions.



    Week ending Aug. 25, 2012 ...

  • The 31st annual Gathering will be dedicated to the memory of Paul "Parkside" Bernhardt of New York, a 2012 thru-hiker who went from Springer to Maine this year and was about a week away from finishing on Katahdin when he drowned while swimming at Pierce Pond lean-to. He was 20.

    We'll make special mention of Paul at the opening ceremony of the Gathering on Friday night and hope to have someone who hiked with him this year say a few words about "Parkside."


    • Week ending Aug. 18, 2012 ...
    • To help mark the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Appalachian Trail, we've posted a few of the front pages of newspapers that have commemorated the occasion with special Page One stories and photos. today.


    Week ending July 7, 2012 ...
    • The summer edition of The Long Distance Hiker newsletter is in the mail for paper subscribers and was emailed to our electronic subscribers on Sunday morning, July 1. E-edition folks get twice as many pages, in full color. Want to make the switch? Email the membership secretary today.
    • The newsletter insert about the Gathering is available for download on the Gathering page.
    • We'd like to call your attention to a couple of work trips coming up this month that could really use your help. The annual RPH Work Trip at RPH Cabin in New York is being sponsored by ALDHA again this year. It's the weekend of July 13-15 and it's a lot of fun with lots of good food and good company, especially with thru-hikers coming in each day. The other work trip is with the AT Museum, moving stones from an old stone shelter that will be later rebuilt at the Museum. That work trip is in Pennsylvania. For details, visit the Work Trip page.


    Week ending June 30, 2012 ...
    • The summer newsletter is at the printers and should be in the mail soon. For those who receive the E-edition of the newsletter (a digital PDF version, in full color), we hope to have that in your email box before the end of this week. The delivery system for these emails has been upgraded to make it more efficient and user friendly, for us as well as for you.


    Week ending June 16, 2012 ...
      NEWS UPDATE, June 19: BOWTOWN TOWNSHIP, Maine (AP) — Officials on Monday identified the man who drowned over the weekend while through-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Paul Anthony Bernhardt, 20, of Flushing, N.Y., had hiked nearly 20 miles on the trail Friday and was trying to swim across a small cove near the outlet of Pierce Pond in Bowtown Township when he went underwater about 35 yards from shore, according a news release. Rescue personnel eventually found Bernhardt’s body in nearly 15 feet of water but couldn't immediately retrieve it. Game Warden Sergeant Glenn Annis and wardens Josh Bubier, Dan Carroll, Kris MacCabe and other volunteers were able to retrieve the victim at 11:30 p.m. Friday.


    Week ending May 12, 2012 ...
    • ALDHA's spring work trip took place in late April in the McAfee knob area of the A.T. Find out more here.


    Week ending April 28, 2012 ...
    • Disturbing story out of Utah about two young men who set up an elaborate booby trap designed to go off if someone tripped hidden lines on the forest floor. A heavy boulder with sharply pointed wooden spikes was suspended in a nearby tree and could have easily killed a hiker, authorities say. Read the story and see photos of the device here.

    Week ending April 21, 2012 ...
    • We've added a blurb about the availability of a new book titled "Trail Magic" by Joe Liles, aka "Braid" from 2009. Check out the basic info here. And look for a longer review in the summer 2012 newsletter.

    • We could really use a few more volunteers this weekend to work with the ATC Boundary Crew!! We are going to be in the Roanoke, VA area. We are meeting at the Dixie Cavern Campground, in Salem on Friday. If you can help out, please give me a call at 410-472-4951 (h) or 443-791-9196 (c).
      Thanks,
      Mike Wingeart
      "Wing-Heart"
      ALDHA's Coordinator


    Week ending April 7, 2012 ...
    • Trailangelmary needs help running the ALDHA reception for hikers at Trail Days this year. See her note posted on our Bulletin Board.


    Week ending March 24, 2012 ...
    • The "Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion" is now available for sale on the Online ALDHA Store in both the print version as well as in digital format, usable on a Kindle Reader or other e-book device. Check it out now!


    Week ending March 3, 2012 ...
    • The spring issue of the Long Distance Hiker is now available in PDF format on the Newsletter page including news about the winter Rucks that have been held and updates on other matters.


    Week ending Feb. 4, 2012 ...
    • New information about this year's Gathering has been posted on the Gathering page including news about the feature presentation on Saturday night by a long-distance hiker who trekked 2,500 miles through the Himalayas last year.


    Week ending Jan. 7, 2012 ...
    • Happy New Year everyone... Hard copies of the 2012 Thru-Hikers' Companion will be ready for sale on Jan. 19. Find out more on the Companion page and see a picture of what the cover will look like this year. (Find out how to get an electronic copy of the book on the same page.)



    Week ending Dec. 24, 2011 ...


    Week ending Dec. 10, 2011 ...
    • Just in time for the holiday shopping season we bring you the newly improved ALDHA Store. Check it out and let us know how you like it.


    Week ending Dec. 3, 2011 ...
    • Information about the work trips scheduled for 2012 has been posted on the work trips page.


    Week ending Nov. 19, 2011 ...
    • With apologies to Randy and Georgia for the delay, links to their books have finally been posted in the members’ books portion of our website. ALDHA members and A.T. thru-hikers, “Windtalker” and “Mom” have written two books that were inspired by the A.T. and have gone on to critical acclaim. Check them out here, and then follow the links to find out more on amazon.com.


    Week ending Nov. 12, 2011 ...
    • An updated list of trail festivals, gatherings and other celebrations has been posted on the website, including the dates for the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame weekend next June, and a major event by the A.T. Museum next September called the Hike For History. Find the list here.


    Week ending Oct. 15, 2011 ...


    Week ending Oct. 1, 2011 ...
    • MAP OF GENERAL AREA: Here's an illustrated map of the general Williamstown and North Adams area showing where our camping field is located, where MCLA is located, and where the theater in Williamstown is located. (Saturday night's program is in Williams theater; Friday and Sunday night are at MCLA.)

    • For an overhead shot of what the campsite field looks like, click here. When you arrive, please follow signs and/or our volunteers for instructions on where to park. Many thanks to newly minted Triple-Crowner Eric White for donating this land to ALDHA's use and bending over backwards to accommodate us for the weekend, all at no charge to ALDHA. If you see Eric during the Gathering, be sure to say thank you. Many thanks to Jim Niedbalski, Wayne Krevetski and Noel DeCavalcante, along with Shane O'Donnell and Mike Wingeart for their attention to details, big tents, tables, chairs, port-a-potties, signs, firewood, etc., for the campsite.

    • Work trip details have been worked out with the Massachusetts Trail Management Committee and we'll be helping to haul roofing materials to the Mark Nopel Shelter on Monday, Oct. 10. Details here, on the Program Highlights page.

    • The Contra Dance will be held Saturday night at a church hall within walking distance of our Saturday evening presentation in Williamstown. Details, including a video of the acoustic band in action, can be found here.

    • Information on other aspects of the Gathering, including the addition of a surprise guest on Sunday, can be found on either the Program Highlights page or the Gathering Page.

    • If you are still looking to book a motel for the Gathering, we have some good news, but you have to act quickly. During his field editing work for the A.T. Companion, Slider has gotten word from the owners of two motels in Williamstown that they'll offer a 10% discount for ALDHA members coming to the Gathering, but you must book your room over the phone and mention you're coming to the ALDHA Gathering in order to get the discount. The two motels are the Howard Johnson's Motel at 413-458-8158 and the Cozy Corner Motel, 413-458-8006, both in Williamstown.


    • CONGRATULATIONS to all members of the Triple Crown Class of 2011 who are featured in this short film from our sister organization, ALDHA West. Warning: You may shed a tear or two watching this. And a big shoutout to Peter Bingen and The Tobasco Donkeys for the song, "I Don't Mind," which is the final third of the soundtrack. Enjoy:



      Note: That is ALDHA member Jason Henschen in the still image above. Congrats, man!


    • Just received this note from one of ALDHA's oldest members and thought I would pass it along:

          I am sorry that I am not attending the ALDHA GATHERING.
          It would have been wonderful to see Bill O'Brien, Dr. David Gwinn, Mary
          Ann Nissley and other End to Enders that I have met over the years.
          Tell Bill thanks for inquiring about me. It is nice of him to think about
          me. Tell him that I am hanging in there. Had my 94th birthday on 09-13.
          The hikers in the Cortland County Hike Series had a big Birthday Cake for me
          at the picnic following the final hike of the series. —           SIDOTE

      That's from Ed Sidote, the legendary "point man" for the Finger Lakes Trail. Will be sorry not to have him there this year. ~bill


    • Sorry for the delay, but here's the story sent in by Frank Krajcovic about the celebration of Walkin' Jim's life that was held in Montana in late August.



    Week ending Sept. 24, 2011 ...
    • We have posted a list of day hikes occurring on the Saturday of the Gathering, and all members of ALDHA are welcome to go along. The hikes are being organized and led by members of the Massachusetts A.T. club, who extend a welcoming hand to all Gathering participants. For the complete list, click here.

    • Pioneer thru-hiker Dick Hudson has passed away. He took part in several trail-related panels at past trail events, including a symposium on the early days of thru-hiking organized by the AT Museum Society at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. You can see a copy of his obituary, here.



    Week ending Sept. 17, 2011 ...
    • Sit back and enjoy a 6-minute 45-second video interview of Andrew Skurka, the featured speaker at this year's ALDHA Gathering. Produced by National Geographic, the film shows scenes from Andrew's Alaska adventure as he explains how he altered his lifestyle to become a dedicated outdoor adventurer. Enjoy!

    • Travel advisories have been posted on the main Gathering page, with Route 2 east of North Adams closed by flooding from Hurricane Irene. A few other updates have also been made to the page.

    • Here's an updated list of some of the workshops, slide shows and panel discussions scheduled to take place during the Gathering, plus reminders about some of the other events happening over the course of the weekend. We hope to post some other important news on this page soon regarding the post-Gathering work trip and a special deal at the premier museum in North Adams, so stay tuned.

    • Need a ride or a rider to the Gathering? Check out the Online Ride Board, and send us an email with your post, and with "Ride Board" in the subject field, to aldha@aol.com.


    Week ending Sept. 3, 2011 ...

    Week ending Aug. 20, 2011 ...
    • REMINDER: Pre-register for the Gathering BEFORE Sept. 1 and pay only $10 per person. You can do it conveniently using PayPal via the Membership Gateway page. Or just print out a membership form and mail it in with your check or money order. AFTER Sept. 1, you will have to register in person at the Gathering, and it will cost $15 per person. So please do it now. Thanks for helping us out on this!

    • There's a proposal afoot to charge fees for backcountry camping in Great Smokey Mountains National Park, including on the A.T. If you oppose such a plan, here's an online petition you can sign to voice your opposition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gsmnp_backcountry_fees/


    Week ending July 9, 2011 ...
    • Check out the front page of the ALDHA website, www.aldha.org, for a video promoting the Gathering. Many thanks to Robert "Sly" Sylvester for the beautiful job.

    • THE ONLINE RIDE BOARD: The Ride Board is up and running for the 2011 Gathering. Follow the instructions on the page and we'll post your request for either a ride or a rider online.


    Week ending July 2, 2011 ...

    FAREWELL, FRIEND: This week we received some sad news on the death of Buck Kanoy, one-half of "Bucky and the Bearcharmer" of Thomasville, N.C. Here's the message we received from his wife, Sue, aka "Bearcharmer" ...


    Dear friends,

    It is with a heavy heart that I send this. Tragedy struck me and my family Sunday afternoon. My beloved Bucky was killled in a tractor accident. Our hearts are broken; remember us in your thoughts and prayers. Somewhere along the way we shared time with each one of you, and Bucky and I always treasured those times.

    We have some wonderful memories. Thanks.

    Love to you all,
    Sue

    Note: Buck and Sue compiled an impressive resume of trails -- the A.T., John Muir Trail, Long Trail, Colorado Trail, Wonderland Trail, Bartram Trail, the Foothills Trail -- some of which they first learned about and were inspired to tackle while attending ALDHA Gatherings. They were almost always seen in unison. "Bucky and Bearcharmer" just couldn't be separated. So it will seem strange and feel sad as we are left with the void of his absence at this year's Gathering. But he will be there in spirit. In the past, we have dedicated our fall get-together to members who passed on during the previous year, from Ed Garvey to Bill Foot, Ann McDuff and Larry McDuff, John O'Mahoney and Warren Doyle Sr., and, of course, Walkin' Jim Stoltz. So, in keeping with this long-standing tradition, we will dedicate this, the 30th anniversary Gathering, to the memory of "Bucky" Kanoy. Join us in wishing Sue and her family our sympathy and condolences on their -- and our -- loss.

    -- Bill O'Brien

    Week ending June 17, 2011 ...


    Week ending June 11, 2011 ...
    • SPECIAL 4-PAGE NEWSLETTER SECTION ON THE GATHERING: The summer newsletter is on the way to all members, and both the print version and the digital version contain a 4-page insert on the Gathering, with details about where we'll be camping, where the Saturday night program has been moved to accommodate everybody, and what your role in all of this is. A link to just those pages is posted here:

            Summer 2011 Newsletter Insert


    • New merchandise has been added to THE ALDHA STORE. Now on sale online are polo shirts with a collar that can be worn in the office if you work in an informal setting or can be worn elsewhere. They come in 3 colors: Navy, Royal Blue and Hunter Green (see photo at left) and they come in both Men's and Women's sizes. Visit the online store today. You can pay via Paypal.



    Week ending June 4, 2011 ...
    • The Appalachian Trail Museum is celebrating its first year of operation with a Museum Festival right on the Appalachian Trail in Pine Grove Furnace State Park, in Gardners, Pa. The festival will be June 18 and 19. It will be preceded on the night of June 17 by the first-ever induction into the A.T. Hall of Fame. Find out more on the A.T. Museum page. Admission to the festival is free. There is a charge for the Hall of Fame banquet, which is being held at the nearby Allenberry resort. But the limited number of tickets are going fast so reserve your banquet spot now.



    Week ending May 21, 2011 ...
    • The dates for the Gathering are listed incorrectly in David "AWOL" Miller's A.T. Guide. Please don't get confused! The Gathering will be Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 7, 8 and 9, 2011. Find out more on the Gathering page.


    Week ending April 24, 2011 ...
    • HIKER FAIR AT THE GATHERING: If you're a nonprofit trail club or group, or a commercial vendor or author, we'd love to have you set up a booth or display at our 2-day Hiker Fair during the Gathering. We have created an ONLINE reservation form that you can fill out from your computer and email to us with the click of a few buttons. Find out more on the Gathering page.

    • WORKSHOPS AT THE GATHERING: Don't forget, if you want to volunteer to put on a workshop or give a slide show presentation at the Gathering, please fill out this ONLINE form. We are especially interested in workshops on these trails that haven't been presented at a Gathering recently: the Alabama Trail, the Northville Lake Placid Trail, the New England Trail, Allegheny Trail, Arizona Trail, Bartram Trail, Bruce Trail, Buckeye Trail, Centennial Trail, C&O Canal Towpath, Colorado Trail, Great Smoky Mountains trails, the Long Path, Pacific Northwest Trail and the Wonderland Trail. Other trails are welcome as workshops, as are topics of backpacker interest like Lyme disease, first aid, GPS usage, how to hang a bear bag, maildrop preparation, etc. Remember, the DEADLINE IS AUGUST 1st. for getting your workshops submitted in time to appear in the Gathering program.

    • OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Here's your chance to give back to ALDHA: Volunteer to help out with this fall's Gathering, either as a tech person for a few hours, a greeter in one of our classroom buildings to help folks find their way (again for only a few hours), or as a member of the work crew on a trail work trip after the Gathering. There are a few other tasks we also need help with... Find out more on the Gathering page.


    Week ending April 17, 2011 ...
    • ALDHA TRIVIA CONTEST: Just for fun, try your hand at this new trivia contest based on a little bit of ALDHA history: Test your ALDHA IQ here!.



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