The 39th annual Gathering of long-distance hikers, friends and A.T. dreamers will reconvene on Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 9-12, 2020 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Va. 

REGISTRATION

There's a $20 registration fee to attend the Gathering. Sign up in advance to be entered in an early bird drawing for a chance to win some great door prizes. All the forms you need are on this web page in the right rail: the Gathering registration form, the workshop/presenter form, the hiker fair exhibitor form, and the 2,000-miler recognition form.

Alternatively, you can register when you arrive. Registration will be open throughout the weekend, starting at noon on Friday. When you register or check in, you'll receive a Gathering packet.  Included will be a program and details about the workshops scheduled throughout the weekend. Registration will be located in lobby of HrEd on Friday and in ALDHA Central on Saturday.

THE PROGRAM 

Friday Night

Saturday Night – Feature Presentation

Triple Crowner, Jessica “Dixie” Mills, will be joining us this year. Dixie thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2015, the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017 and Continental Divide Trail 2018. From over a year and a half of living in the woods, she learned that many of nature’s lessons can be applied to everyday life. Dixie will be sharing those, along with some memorable trail stories, during her keynote presentation.

Sunday Night

Contact the Gathering program coordinator at gathering@aldha.org with any questions.

Gathering Coordinators

Program — Vera Hurst

Facilities — TBA

Campsite — TBA

OTHER ACTIVITIES

PSA

In 1990, it was agreed Styrofoam would no longer be supplied or used at ALDHA functions. In 2020, at the boards request, single use plastic, including water bottles will be discouraged from use during the Gathering. Please plan according. 

Apple Contest

Back by popular demand is the Apple Contest. Bring your sweet, gigantic, or miniature apples when you register, or to ALDHA Central on Saturday morning. Please provide your name, contact info, and the state the apples came from. Judging will be Saturday afternoon and the winners will be announced at the Saturday evening program. Prizes will be awarded.

Raffle

In addition to the pre-registration door prizes mentioned above, we will be conducting a raffle throughout the weekend. Tickets will be available in ALDHA Central.

Prior to the Saturday evening program we will draw the winning tickets and give out $250 worth of prizes from the ALDHA Store to the winners. We'll award one prize of $25 in merchandise, three prizes of $50 in merchandise, and one prize of $75 in merchandise.

All proceeds will go to help defray Gathering costs, and to a trail project if there are excess funds. This will be a fun way to help support the Gathering and other ALDHA projects.

Elections

A number of positions on the ALDHA board will be up for election at this year's Gathering, and new members will be needed to fill the roles of those who wish to step down. Elections will be held Sunday morning at the general meeting. Please contact the coordinator if you are interested in serving on the board. 

We encourage all Gathering attendees to join us  Sunday morning. It's a great way to see who the leaders of our organization are and to learn more about ALDHA.

Monday Work Trip

On Monday, Oct. 12, we'll have our usual work trips.

Trip details to be announced

LOGISTICS

Dining

Where to stay

In addition to camping in the field right next to the HrEd, 

Additional Info

Group photo 

The group photo will be taken immediately after the annual meeting.

Pets 

Service animals will be allowed at all events. Dogs must be on a leash at all times, and any gifts dropped on the ground must be cleaned up immediately.

ADA accessibility

Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center is ADA accessible. An ADA accessible portable toilet will be available at the campsite.

Alcohol 

Not alcohol allowed on campus, but reasonable alcohol consumption will be allowed at the campsite.

Respect 

We probably don't need to even mention this, but please be respectful of our hosts at the facility, the townspeople and your fellow Gathering attendees. And please let the workshop presenters, Board members, and event volunteers know that you appreciate their hard work.

Volunteers 

We're always looking for volunteers to help with activities and contests at the Gathering. If you're interested in volunteering, email gathering@aldha.org.

Gathering Registration Form

Sign up for the Gathering, and join/renew in ALDHA all in one swoop, by following this link to the Events page.

Workshop Presenters Form

Would you like to put on a workshop at this year's Gathering about a trail you've hiked, or a trail-related subject you feel strongly about? Fill out this online form and send it electronically to the Gathering coordinator.

Hiker Fair Exhibitors Form

If your trail club or hiker-related cause or business would like to set up a table at our Gathering Hiker Fair, fill out this digital form and send it to us electronically.

Trail Completion Signup Form

Click here to fill out an online form if you have finished the A.T. this past year and plan to attend the Gathering. On Friday night, we'll call you up on stage to present a special "I Hiked ALDHA Way" patch and certificate from ALDHA, to congratulate you before your peers.

Link To Past Programs

Gathering History

The first Gathering was held before ALDHA was even officially created. In the fall of 1982, Warren Doyle gathered together long-distance hikers and friends of the trail for a weekend retreat in southern West Virginia, and it was during that time of fellowship and renewal in the community of the Appalachian Trail that the seed of an idea for ALDHA was planted.

Six months later, at a meeting in Harpers Ferry on March 5, 1983, attendees voted to formally establish an organization of hikers, maintainers, friends of the trail and folks who dream of someday hiking the A.T., and they christened their newborn group the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association.

ALDHA has held an annual Gathering ever since, with locations varying from north to south to accommodate our ever-growing membership.

The Gathering Song

At the 2000 Gathering in Pipestem, W.Va., Walkin' Jim Stoltz was asked if he would compose a song for ALDHA to help mark the 20th Gathering the following year. He readily agreed, then admitted later that it proved to be a lot harder than he thought it would be. When he stood up to perform it that next year at the 2001 Gathering in Hanover, N.H., we think he hit it out of the park.

A few years later, he sat down and recorded it for Weathercarrot's video documentary on the 25th anniversary of ALDHA. After his untimely passing in 2010, Jim's former wife gave ALDHA the rights to it, and we offer it to you all in hopes that it'll stir fond memories of the Gathering and that you'll always remember Walkin' Jim.

"To the Gathering Again"

by Walkin' Jim Stoltz, 2001