Gwen Loose was hiking with a friend on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) when a question crossed her mind.
While Benton MacKaye and Myron Avery are considered the founders and fathers of the A.T., “Who was holding down the fort at conference headquarters?” she wondered. Continue reading Trailblazers
Dust off your bike, come out of hibernation, and blaze some new trails—rail trails, that is—throughout the Susquehanna Valley. The number of rail trails—old railroad lines converted to recreational paths—is growing throughout the country, and Central PA is no exception. Continue reading Riding the Rails
In April 1948, York County native Earl Shaffer set out to do what no man had done before—hike the Appalachian Trail’s (A.T.) 2,000-some miles in one continuous hike. His motivation was to “walk off the war” and his experiences serving in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Last month (May 2018), during this 70th anniversary year of Earl’s first hike, two of Earl’s relatives launched their own A.T. adventure to pay homage to the legendary trail figure. Continue reading Duo Treks AT in Memory of Uncle, First Thru-Hiker
Each spring, about 3,000 people set off on the journey of a lifetime.
That’s how many attempt to “thru-hike” the entire 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, about 750 people—one in four—succeed. Continue reading Through It All
Located almost exactly at the midway point of The Appalachian Trail, the Appalachian Trail Museum tells the story of the A.T., “the most popular hiking trail in America.” And it’s an excellent place to launch an Appalachian adventure of your own. Continue reading Appalachian Adventure
A natural and national treasure, the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. “Like Pennsylvania being the keystone of the colonies, Pennsylvania is the keystone of the trail,” says Joe Harold, manager of the A.T. Museum. Continue reading An Appalachian Adventure
The rails-to-trails movement–converting unused railroad lines into recreational trails is “on-track” with today’s environmentally-friendly, recycling movement. Continue reading Trail Blazing
