February 13, 2023
Corridor Monitoring - A Photo Gallery

The Appalachian Trail is a 2200 mile footpath from Georgia to Maine. But what makes it a path worth walking is the protection of land along the Trail where it does not already pass thru national parks or lands protected by the states. Based on legislation passed in the 60's and 70's, the National Park Service acquired land rights to over 100,000 acres of land along the Trail. This "corridor" is maintained by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and member Trail clubs, including AllentownHikingClub.org.

Recently, on the second day of black bear season, with wind chills in the teens, and accompanied by Paula Uhrin, I did my first stint as Corridor Monitor for NPS segment 338 along the AT. Nonetheless, ours was a very successful outing! We located all the monuments marking the boundary with private land and saw no signs of encroachment.

Link: https://www.allentownhikingclub.org/blog/Corridor-Monitoring-A-Photo-Gallery-48/

February 1, 2023
The Allentown Hiking Club ... this is OUR Club
by Paula Uhrin

As we are about to embark into a New Year, I'm once again reminded that everything the Allentown Hiking Club does is for and because of its members. Members continue to be what makes the Allentown Hiking Club thrive, and that includes new and long time members with both new and tried and true hikes and ideas. It is that combination of old and new that helps the club draw from past experiences to further our goals and mission.

I want to make the time for a few introductions and thank yous.

I first want to thankoutgoing Treasurer Michelle Hinkle for all of her time and support over the past six years in that role. While having been a club member for some time, Michele stepped up when the opportunity arose and her support has always been greatly appreciated. I want to welcome Liz Uhl into the position of Treasurer and thank her for similarly stepping up when additional support was needed. I look forward to her input and support in the future.

Along those lines, I couldn't help but notice the ever presence of our Secretary Dick Fink, who has been dutifully fulfilling his responsibilities for the past 18 years. I can hardly recall a time that his soft spoken leadership wasn't there to keep the club on track and I want to thank him for his continued support.

And finally, Karen Gradel has been serving in both President and Vice President roles for the past ten years. Her ongoing leadership and overall support in those roles and others has shaped the club into what it is today.

I simply cannot imagine where the Allentown Hiking Club would be without the support and guidance of these individuals. All the said, there are always opportunities to get more involved and help to shape our future. In the new year I encourage members to find new ways to support the club, with nothing being too small of a gesture. If there is a hike or walk you enjoy and think others would enjoy it, then add it to the club calendar. If there is a role within the club you think you may be interested in, then reach out for more information. If you're unclear what roles and opportunities are even out there, I'm happy to have that conversation. If you've recently made a trek that you would like to share with the club, let us know and you can present at at upcoming meeting. Plus there are always ongoing trail maintenance opportunities, our annual Trail Magic in June, snacks for monthly meetings, and countless other activities that keep us going throughout the year. Again, no support is too small or insignificant. Thank you all for another great year on trail, hiking and maintaining and sharing the magic.

Link: https://www.allentownhikingclub.org/blog/The-Allentown-Hiking-Club-this-is-OUR-Club-47/