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January 23, 2024
Maintenance Hike Garners Eleven Volunteers on 24 Hours Notice
by Hal Wright
Trails Coordinator Kerry Snyder called for volunteers to help clear blowdown from the trail. On less than 24-hours notice, eleven volunteers responded.
This maintenance hike was arranged after Kerry received reports of a large amount of blowdown blocking the AT between Route 309 and Knife's Edge, a little over three miles north on the trail. The crew included AHC members and Alison ("Double H"), a 2023 thru-hiker who was in central PA for a family visit from her home in New Hampshire. The blowdown blocking the trail ranged from mere branches to numerous large trees. Kerry, the certified sawyer in the group, donned safety gear and did all of the chainsaw work.
Outing such as this exemplify the commitment of our volunteers and thousands more up and down the trail to provide the best possible experience for Appalachian Trail hikers.
We've created a gallery of photos taken during this maintenance hike which you may view here.
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August 24, 2023
Help Wanted
Our Club relies solely and heavily on volunteers to fulfill our mission.
The Allentown Hiking Club was established in 1931. As our bylaws state, the aspiration of this club is to escape the crowded city; to walk, hike and climb for enjoyment and exercise with nature loving companions; to maintain its section of the Appalachian Trail; and to stimulate public interests in every phase of nature and the outdoors through programs and lectures.
At this time there are three positions within the Club that are in need of energetic individuals to pick up and carry the torch.
Membership Secretary
The Membership Secretary is often the first point of contact that prospective members have with the Club. This individual will answer questions about Club membership and events to help members understand requirements and expectations. They will maintain the online database of Club members, collect and deposit dues into the Club's bank account, and report out statistics at monthly Club meetings. In addition, Club merchandise such as T-shirts, patches, and stickers, will be stocked and sold as needed.
Programs Committee Chair
The Programs Committee Chair will schedule the presentations provided at the Club's monthly meetings. Typically each quarter there are two meetings that offer an opportunity for a presentation on a topic pertinent to Club activities and interests. The individual will identify opportunities and take suggestions from Club members and follow up with prospective presenters to determine an agreed upon date for the presentation and ensure the presenter has all the information required to make a successful presentation and event.
Trail Maintenance Chair
The Trail Maintenance Chair works to ensure that the Club's section of Appalachian Trail remains open for all. In general, responsibilities will include: Perform and/or coordinate the general maintenance of the AHC's section of the AT. Promptly coordinate the reporting of any significant damage, erosion, large trees down etc. Monitor and repair the Club's two shelters, one privy, and any campsites. Coordinate the Club's annual maintenance hike and picnic. Establish and maintain appropriate storage for Club tools and supplies. Establish maintain connections with locally designated A. T. Communities. Coordinate and/or serve as a volunteer manager.
If you are interested in any of these positions or simply would like additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or the individuals currently in these roles. As I always say... many hands make light work... and with everyone's help we can continue to thrive as an AT maintaining club and serve the trails well into the future.
Happy Trails!
Paula Uhrin
President, Allentown Hiking Club
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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.
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September 29, 2019
Fall Is Here
by Karen Gradel
Fall priorities include reporting your AT volunteer hours, learning about charcoal hearths on Blue Mountain, and attending our end of year events.
Summer is over and our trail maintainers have spent many hours clearing blowdowns, blazing, getting rid of invasive plants to keep the path clear. For all those who have helped with the maintenance thank you and don’t forget to get your volunteer hours into Ed Ritter by Oct 9th. Also anyone else who has helped with corridor monitoring , leadership, administration, websites, newsletters, finance, etc. should submit hours too. Things not to report are participating in (as opposed to leading) recreational A.T. hikes, planning or attending social events, such as dinners and picnics, feeding hikers, a.k.a. ‘Trail magic’ or trail maintenance on trails other than the AT. Why is it important to report all of our hours? ATC uses the hours of all the volunteers to obtain NPS funding.
It is also the time of year we do Corridor Monitoring. If you are interested in helping with the monitoring or just want to go along and find out what is involved, keep your eye on the forum or contact Lucy Cantwell.
A ‘don’t miss’ is the October presentation by Muhlenberg college Professor Benjamin Carter who will give a talk on his research of the charcoal hearths located on the Blue Mountain. There will also be a hike on October 5th to accompany his presentation and give us a ‘first hand’ look at the charcoal pits. Coming up we also have our holiday pot luck on December 4th, our holiday hikes and our annual New Year’s Eve hike to the Allentown Shelter that has been a tradition since 1976.
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September 8, 2019
A Chance Encounter with Trail Maintainers in Maine
By Hal Wright
The man carrying a chainsaw to Little Bigelow Lean-to stuck out his hand and introduced himself: “Hi, I’m Hawk Methany.” My canine companion Sofia and I would stay at the lean-to that night, waiting out a thunderstorm which threatened to bring hale and high winds, on the third night of a six-day section hike.
I knew of Hawk, the ATC’s North Atlantic Regional Director, and joked that I was pleased to greet someone who is “AT famous.” Hawk was soon joined by Maine Appalachian Trail Conference Board Member Tom Carr, and ATC employees Paige Gregory and Dan Hale. Tom also serves as the MATC’s Hazard Tree Coordinator.
Everyone carried heavy tree-cutting equipment in and on top of backpacks. Their task was to cut down six hazardous trees which might fall, posing a risk to tent campers in the area of the shelter. Identifying the trees and cutting them down, using saws and tensioned ropes, took almost four hours of work.
By the time the work was done, it had started to rain. The four packed up, said goodbye, and started the 1.5 mile journey back to the trailhead.
From left: Dan Hale, Paige Gregory, Tom Carr, Hawk Methany
As one thru hiker put it, “Maine is a giant stone with trees trying to grow on it.” Geology dictates the character of the Maine AT, creating streams to ford and random tangles of rocks, roots, and mud. But the hiker also encounters hundreds of bog bridges, and elegant flights of stairs made from nearby stones. As members of Allentown Hiking Club know, these and many other accommodations are the work of AT trail maintainers and builders, most of them volunteers from clubs along the trail.
Moody Mountain, Maine. Maintainers rig a come-along and cables to position stone steps.
Bree is an Appalachian Mountain Club employee who tends to the campsites in New Hampshire and southern Maine.
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July 17, 2019
Ed Ritter Named Volunteer of the Year
Ed Ritter, AHC’s Trails Chair, has been selected as the 2019 Volunteer of the Year by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Partnership Committee of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Ed’s contributions to the Appalachian Trail spanned 30 years. In 1989, Ed and Frank Bertalan were appointed AHC Trails Co-chairs. Since 1992, when Frank became the AHC Monitor Chair, Ed has served as Trails Chair.
During these 30 years, Ed has organized Appalachian Trail work trips, supervised trail relocations, scheduled shelter caretakers, and performed thousands of hours of trail maintenance. The club built a privy and constructed a new shelter during his tenure. Ed is a certified sawyer, and handles blow down removal. He has participated in AHC’s trail assessments, the trail inventory for APPA, and submits the club’s hours report to ATC each year. Ed has worked with Scouts (such as projects to earn Gold Awards) and led a special work trip for Girl Scouts in conjunction with their 100th Anniversary Celebration. Ed compiled the club’s Local Management Plans. In addition, Ed was a club corridor monitor for two areas for more than 25 years.
Edward Ritter is the consummate club volunteer. For 30 years, he has been the guiding force in maintaining and improving the Allentown Hiking Club’s Appalachian Trail section of trail, and is very deserving of this honor. Congratulations and thank you to Ed!
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