30 years ago, a group of about 200 scruffy trail-hardened Appalachian Trail veterans, homesick for their lives on the trail, convened at the Appalachian Folk Life Center in Pipestem, West Virginia, and formed the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association. What began as an improvised get-together has grown into an annual event involving some 500 long-distance hikers, dozens of workshops and lectures, a fair showcasing the lightest in innovative lightweight outdoors equipment, slide-shows, a volunteer work trip, and a free campsite. The price: A whopping $15.00.
The annual event, held every October, just as thru-hikers are finishing their months-long treks of the Appalachian Trail, is run entirely by volunteers. It takes place somewhere close to the Appalachian Trail: Past events have been held in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. A sister organization, ALDHA-West, for west coast hikers, convenes a similar, albeit smaller, annual meeting in one of the Pacific Crest Trail states.
Today's meeting, called, simply, "The Gathering" may be the world's best source of information about independent adventures worldwide. Workshops, all led by volunteers, are devoted to thru-hiking the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, as well as lightweight backpacking gear, and other leading (and obscure) trails. if you're thinking of trekking across France or want to hike hut-to-hut in New Zealand, climb African volcanoes, or snowshoe in Colorado, and you want to talk to someone who has actually done that trip, this is the place to go. Many of the workshops are led by best-selling authors of outdoor books, or by some of the world's most experienced outdoor adventurers. The focus is on independent, self-propelled travel: No tour guides, no tour buses. There are workshops designed for beginners.
While the focus is on hiking, specifically long-distance backpacking, llama trekking, bicycling, and other self-propelled activities have also been featured. For example, the 2011 keynote speaker was Andrew Skurka, an extreme adventurer whose recent Alaska expedition was featured in National Geographic: He completed a 4,600-mile ski-paddle-and hike adventure through the Alaskan wilderness, a feat that awed even this group of trail-hardened veterans.
Workshops, talks, and slide shows are all led by volunteers sharing their first hand experiences. Indeed, the ethic of the gathering is built around volunteerism. Members realize how much they benefit from the work of the volunteer trail crews that are vital to keeping long-distance hiking trails viable. Every Gathering ends with a work-trip on a nearby section of trail, where hikers clear brush, build water bars and rock steps, or haul in materials for lean-to construction.
The annual gathering has become a tradition for many hikers, some of whom travel across the country to reconnect with old friends, to learn about the newest gear, or to share their experiences of some of the world's premiere adventure destinations.
Karen Berger - Karen Berger is the author of 15 books. Please click on her name to read her full bio.
