We are looking forward to a great time together. Whether it is meeting old friends or new ones at the Friday afternoon picnic, celebrating with other hikers’ major accomplishments, learning new skills or just having fun together.
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Come and be a part of the Camaraderie. We all need each other to make this a success. Hundreds of Volunteer Hours have ensured this will be a great Gathering. And those attending will miss your unique input if you are not coming. Our Membership Secretary is hiking South on the trail to be at the Gathering. So get in your car and come to the Gathering. Greet him at the registration table as you sign in and think about that great hiking experience he just had and the ones you can dream about from what you learn at the Gathering.
Press that Registration Button now.
Be seeing you there,
Dennis Newton, ALDHA Coordinator
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GATHERING- HOTEL RATE
It’s only about 3 weeks until we start the Gathering in Abingdon, Virginia. The Gathering information page is on the ALDHA site at aldha.org/gathering. Be sure to register; by clicking on buying tickets on our website.. You can still get the discounted hotel rate of $65 at the Clarion until they run out of room. BE SURE TO Call the Clarion Pointe Hotel directly. BE SURE to tell them you are with Appalachian Long Distance Hikers; otherwise, they won’t give you the discount. It is only available by calling the hotel at 276 -676- 2222.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
And, don’t forget, we have a special Keynote Speaker. Come to The Gathering to hear from:
Briana DeSantis aka “Rocky Mountain High” (AT 2015 and ADT 24) is our Keynote Speaker.
She is the first woman to complete a continuous, solo thru-hike of the American Discovery Trail.
We are all looking forward to hearing from her. She has a great talk planned.
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A look at the Program. Here are some of the things we will be doing…
Features for the Evenings
FRIDAY NIGHT: ROLL CALL: This year we will start from the years gone by and work out a way forward until we get to those who finished the AT in 2023 after last year’s Gathering and this year’s class of 2024. We will also recognize those who have thru-hiked other trails, maintainers, hostel owners, shuttles, and others who help all us achieve our trail goal. Afterward, come to the reception to congratulate them personally.
Saturday Night Guest Speaker: Briana DeSanctis. She is the first woman to solo continuously the entire American Discovery Trail.
Sunday Night Speaker: The Famous Miss Janet Hensley. She is well known for being a trail angel/shuttler and a Big Sister to many current hikers. She has stories to tell and miles to recount. Does anyone know how many vehicles she has gone through over the years?
REGISTRATION: In the Main Lobby
Friday: 12:00 p.m. – 4:30, 5:30-6:30, 9pm-10pm
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
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ALDHA CENTRAL & HIKER HANG OUT
ALDHA Central will be open throughout the weekend. It is located in the hallway behind the Grand Hall. Here you will find lost and found, the ride/message board, the motions, and the agenda for the Annual Member meeting.
If you have any questions or needs during the weekend please do not hesitate to stop by.
THE ALDHA STORE
You can purchase ALDHA merchandise at the ALDHA Store Friday and Saturday, Here you will find hats, bandanas, t-shirts, and the AT Trail Companion, and more. It is located in the Hiker Fair area.
NECK WALLETS
At the registration table, you’ll receive your registration packet, a name badge, and an ALDHA neck wallet. The neck wallet must be worn during the Gathering, so you are identifiable as an ALDHA Gathering attendee.
CONNECTING TO WI-FI ON CAMPUS
From your device, go to the SWHEC log-in site which should pop up automatically. No password is needed.
BATHROOMS
The Restroom Trailer is directly next to the school and the camping area. They are not ADA compliant but there are restrooms in the Education Center which will be available when the school is open. An ADA-compliant port-a-jon is available at all times on the Foundation land, near the campfire.
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. The Clarion Pointe is pet-friendly. Please do not have pets on the soccer field.
SMOKING POLICY
Smoking is not allowed inside the SWHEC but there are three designated smoking areas outside of the building. Although smoking is allowed in the camping areas, PLEASE dispose of butts in the trash containers. Someone will have to pick them up after the Gathering if you throw them on the ground. Please be respectful and pick up after yourself!
DINING OPTIONS
While there is no dining hall on-site at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Breakfast items for donation will be available each morning in Room 103/104. Also, Le Café’, the small dining area off the main hallway, will be open for Gathering attendees to sit, eat, and visit. Coffee, soda, and snack machines are available there. Tables will also be set up in Room 103/104 and in the hallways for use during the Gathering. There will also be free coffee and water located in the Hiker Fair area. Please bring your cup.
There are several restaurants near the SWVHEC and more at the northern exits off I-81. There is information at the Abingdon information table in the Main Hall for dining options.
GROUP PHOTO
The group photo will be Saturday night in the main hall, immediately after the Saturday evening program. Again this year, Dean “Crooked Sticks” Clark, ALDHA’s official photographer will be organizing this. Please follow his directions.
RAFFLE
ALDHA Treasurer, Jill Byrd will be selling raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes. Winners will be drawn on Saturday and Sunday evenings before the feature presentations. To purchase tickets, visit ALDHA Central or see Jill Byrd. Tickets will be available as follows (cash only): 1 for $1, 6 for $5, 14 for $10, 22 for $15, 30 for $20. There usually is some pretty good stuff given away. All proceeds will go to help defray Gathering costs, and then to a trail project if there are excess funds. This will be a fun way to help support the Gathering and other ALDHA projects. You must be present to win. Buy your tickets before the Saturday Evening Program.
FRIDAY NIGHT RECEPTION
Join us, after the Friday night opening,on the Patio and the Hiker Hangout for snacks and lively conversations.
WATER & ELECTRICITY
Water can be collected from the outdoor spigot at the Higher Education Center. No outdoor electricity is available for campers. There are no dumping facilities for black water available on site. PLEASE DO NOT dump your waste water while parked in the school lot. There is a barrel near the Port-a-Jon for gray water.
CAMPING
There is FREE camping available directly adjacent to the Education Center building on the soccer field with plenty of room for any sized tent. The Virginia Highland Foundation is generously letting us use their land for camping and our evening fires (if allowed by the state of VA). Please pick a camping spot within the yellow tape boundaries. There is NO hammock hanging allowed on site and NO cooking on site. If you wish to cook, please do so on the Patio behind the school.
The Soccer Field area will be a designated quiet area and no alcohol area. Moderate alcohol consumption will be allowed in the Foundation Land camping area.
Quiet hours on campus and in the camping areas will be from 12 AM to 7 AM.
If you are an RV or Van Dweller, the large parking lot directly opposite the camping area is the perfect spot for your rig.
All campers and RVers please sign your name to the camper booklet so we can have an accurate number of how many people we have in campground/RV areas. Thank You.
CAMPFIRES
The campfire pit will be set up on the Foundation Land and available during the nights after the evening festivities. Quiet hours begin at Midnight.
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION
In the event of a weather emergency, you will get alerts from an app made available by both SWVHEC & the VHCC. You will also be notified by our Campground Coordinator, Mark Hudson. If the weather is threatening, you will be warned at the evening presentations. If the city’s tornado sirens go off during the day head to the building asap. If at night, head to lower ground and wait out the weather in your car.
SHOWERS
Showers will be available during the weekend at the Harry L. Coombs Recreational Center, 300 Stanley St, Abingdon, VA, when open, Friday thru Monday. The fee for showers will be $4 shower. Please bring exact cash, if possible. Plan to use your own shower items and towels. Hours will be posted at ALDHA Central.
NEW THIS YEAR: THE GATHERING GAMES
This year we are introducing the Gathering Games as a means to promote camaraderie and add a new fun element to the Gathering through light hearted fun competitions. Every Gathering participant has been placed on a team. During the weekend at different times when all of us will come together for some quick games. Each team that wins a game will be given points. The final scoring and awarding will be given on Sunday Night. So come and help your team to victory.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
FRIDAY
12-4:30 Registration: Lobby
12-5 ALDHA STORE Hiker Fair
3:30-5 Welcome Picnic: Patio
5:30-6:30 Registration: Lobby
7-8:30 Opening Ceremony Grand Hall begins with the Gathering Song
8:45-9 Orientation: for first timers Front Stage
9-10 Evening Reception: Hiker Hangout
Come enjoy the evening air together. Meet new people and some old friends over late night snacks
10-12 Campfire Foundation Land
Midnight: Quiet Hours Begin all over campus Campfire noise must end at 12. Please respect the other campers and neighbors.
SATURDAY
7:-8:30 Continental Breakfast: Hiker Hangout
8-5 Hiker Fair Behind Grand Hall
8:30- 12 Registration LOBBY
WORKSHOPS BEGIN
8:45-9:45 Wild Flowers on the AT, Leonard Adkins Exec. Aud.
Wildflowers of the Appalachian Trail: A 2,000 Mile Floral Parade follows the progression of wildflowers from late winter to fall, and from Georgia to Maine. With stunning photographs by Joe Cook and Monica Sheppard, the book that this program is based on received the National Outdoor Book Award and Foreword magazine’s Book of the Year Award. Accompanied by classical, folk, and new-age music, the presentation not only identifies the flowers, but reveals the story behind the names, the role a flower has played throughout history, and its value in folkloric as well as modern medicine.
8:45-9:45 Superstition Wilderness Walkabout, Mic Lowther RM130
Mic will share his experience of his hike of 24 days in the Arizona desert. He hiked with no schedule, no miles per day, no place to be at any particular time. He resupplied from buried food caches, started fires with a bow drill, got lost several times, and had limited water sources. All of this, yet he also experienced the silence, beauty, and unforgiving harshness of the desert. His mantra during the hike became, “If you don’t know what you’re doing, you shouldn’t be here. Pay attention: nobody is coming to rescue you.”
8:45-9:45 LNT: Why Should We Care, Tom Ottinger Rm 222
What’s this Leave No Trace thing and why is it important to you? This interactive session will give participants a chance to share their knowledge and experience (both good and not so good). Hopefully, you will leave knowing why we need to preserve these wild areas we walk through as visitors, and how to preserve them. And we’ll throw in a few jokes, too.
8:45-9:45 Class of 2023-2024 Dreamers Thru Hike Orientation, Dennis (Trail Pilgrim) Newton & Cast RM 226
Newly minted A.T. thru-hikers from 2020 and 2021 are the best experts in the world on how to successfully hike the A.T. In this panel discussion, they will answer questions for all the Dreamers & Planners about all facets of hiking the A.T during this workshop.
8:45-9:45 You Are Wanted: Volunteering for ALDHA Care, John Jordan: Rm 230
Come and learn about ALDHA’s program to encourage and support hostels. Bring your ideas on how to make the program better and hear about how you can get involved
8:45- 9:45 The Future of Backpacking, Paul (Chef Paul) Fitzner Rm 240
Backpacking gear has changed a lot in the past 50 years. New materials and designs are constantly bringing newer, lighter, and better quality gear. This workshop will look at what is coming down the pike for Backpacking.
9:55-11:35 The American Camino: Walking as a Spiritual Practice on the AT, Kip (Hippy Kippy) Redick Exec. Auditorium
In Kip’s informative and entertaining way, he uses the AT to bring to light the spiritual side of hiking. He also discusses how, in a very real sense, walking can lead us on a pilgrimage that John Muir talked about when he said he liked the term saunter over the word hike.
9:55-10:55 Pinhoti Trail: The Big Blue Blaze, Nathan (Switchback) Wright & Cast RM 130
This is an update on the Pinhoti Trail: The growth, trends, and its place in the US trail system will be discussed.
9:55- 12:05 Common Sense Ideas for Lightweight Backpacking, Sue Williams RM 222
New to backpacking, old pro, or somewhere in between, this is the place for all levels (and ages) with hints to make this sport more enjoyable. Providing the information unavailable when she started backpacking 25 years ago at age 48, Sue emphasizes how to pack light, walk smart, take care of your body, prepare for any kind of weather, and adapt to your own style.
9:55- 10:55 Great Eastern Trail, Tim Hupp RM226
The Great Eastern Trail lies west of the AT. It uses several trails to stretch from Flagg Mountain in Alabama 1600 miles to the Finger Lakes Trail NY. This Powerpoint presentation will include updated information on its route, trails, conditions, and current needs.
9:55-11:35 Hiking Responsibly With Your Dog, Maria Wishart Rm 230
This workshop provides information on how to be a responsible handler. Topics include logistics, training, nutrition, gear, and much more. The second part of this workshop will go into canine body language and safe ways to handle encounters with trail dogs.
9:55- 11:35 Moose Tales: Got Moose, Waterlilly Nelson RM 240
Come learn about this big brown-eyed charismatic megafauna with bog shoes, antlers, and weighs 1500 pounds. Moose live in the northern areas of the US including along the AT. Let’s talk about how to find or avoid them on trail and why docile moose can sometimes get feisty and possibly dangerous.
11:05-12:05 THE AZT, Thomas Conover Rm 130
This workshop is a recap of a thru hiker’s experience of hiking the AZT in 2008. This workshop will include with trail updates.
12-1:15 Lunch
1:15 Gathering Game
A quick game for us all. Come and win points for your team
1:40-2:30 Workshops Resume:
1:40-2:40 A Look at 50 Years On The Allegheny Trail, Nicole Flood- Sawczyszyn
This short film will describe the 50 Years of the Allegheny Trail with a video presentation about the plans for the next 50 years. There will be time for Q&A
1:40-2:40 The Overmountain Men and the Battle of Kings Mountain., Gordon Sisk
The story of the Overmountain Men and their quest to protect their homes. After British Major Patrick Ferguson threatened their homes, during the Revolutionary War, they journeyed 330 miles to King’s Mountain. This workshop is about their journey and the battle that ensued.
1:40- 2:40 Prehab, How to Get in Shape and Stay in Shape, Sue Williams
Everything from preparing your body for your hike to staying healthy on the trail! Sue will cover the importance of physical preparation, hydration, electrolyte balance, first aid on the trail and off, and her personal favorite; keeping your feet happy. This includes correct ways to walk, techniques to go uphill and down, picking out the right shoe, and ways to prevent blisters and hot spots.
1:40-2:40 HELP! I am Back in the Real World, Penny (Reverse)Vann & Cast
We have adjusted to living in the woods, made friends in the Tramily and now we are back to our old life, yet the world and life seem out of step. We may feel out of place or wonder why life is so different from before the hike. Come to this panel workshop as we discuss navigating the waters of reentry shock and Post-Hike Depression.
1:40-2:40 Lakes to Ocean Trail: The 10th year anniversary, Scot Taba Ward
This workshop looks at the past, present, and future of this 10-year-old trail. Join Scot “Taba” Ward as he talks about this relatively new 2,800+-mile discovery trail that links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. It connects long-distance trails across 6 states using an all-terrain route designed to experience everything in each state.
2:50-4:30 Safe and Found, Julie Gayheart
SAFE AND FOUND is an Educational Documentary featuring the Haywood County Search and Rescue Team. You will see what it’s like to work on a Search and Rescue Team in one of the most remote areas of Western North Carolina and The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In addition to learning about hiker safety from a Search and Rescue Perspective, you will also hear accounts from those who have been rescued, and from a daughter who lost her Mother.
2:50-3:50 Hiking Old AT Routes in SW Virginia, Jim McNeely
In this workshop, you will discover the three general routes that the AT has taken through SW Virginia. You will learn about which of the old and identification of old AT routes that can still be hiked. Many of them can be easily done and done using the current AT. Many of these routes can take you to the current AT, be used as circuit hikes using former and current AT routes, or as old AT hikes in areas now remote from the current AT. The presentation will include a booklet that has small-scale general maps of former AT routes in SW VA and more detailed maps and descriptions of former routes still available for hiking with a link to an online source.
2:50-3:50 Fuel the Body Fuel the Adventure, Jennifer Fear
Explore how freeze-drying meals for optimal nutrition, convenience, and taste while on the trail can make a difference in your hike. Learn the basics, get questions answered, and discover options for maximizing your nutrition on the trail.
2:50-3:50 The Trail Community: On Trail and Online, Matthew (Odie) Norman
In this workshop, Odie will present a slide show about community relations between hikers, trail maintainers, and trail support through in-person and online communications. And bury your poop.
2:50-3:50 How to Day Hike the Entire A.T., Warren Doyle
Yes, it can be done. Why carry a 25-35 lb. pack when you can carry a 5-10 lb. pack? This discussion/workshop will be led by AT Hall of Fame member, Warren Doyle, who has day-hiked every section of the AT
2:50-4:30 The Magic of a Hostel in Relation to the Trail, Neville Harris & Cast
The Trail is like a church. Neville will share how the Hostels are the vehicles to help people stay in the Woods. This talk will dive into the history of Wood’s Hole. Neville will also share her stories about how her life at Wood’s Hole has been directly impacted by the special relationship she has with the trail and the hiker community
2:50-4:30 PCT Food Hanging Method., Ed Homenick
Learn how to properly execute the PCT method of hanging a food bag with all of the intricacies that the speaker has discovered along the way. Participants are encouraged to participate and should bring a food bag hanging kit, if possible so they can practice.
4:00-5:00 Hiking the Benton Mackaye Trail, Andy (Hiker Boy)
Discussion of the logistics of thru-hiking this 289 miles long trail covering resupply, shuttles trail services, and the GSMP permit system.
5-7 Dinner Break
7-9 Evening Program: Grand Hall
Raffle part 1
Billy Goat Awarding
Featured Speaker Briana DeScantis
9:00 Group Photo: Main Hall Near the Stairs.
9:30-12 Campfire: Foundation Land:
Bring your instruments and Marshmallows
Midnight: Quiet hours for the whole campus
Sunday Morning
7-7:45 Sunrise Service Campfire area/Foundation Land.
7:-8:30 Continental Breakfast: Hiker Hangout by donation.
8:40-10:30 ALDHA’S Annual Member Meeting
Come and help shape the future of Aldha.
Workshops
10:40 – 11:40 Challenges of the Aging Hiker, Jake Stewart
Hiking and backpacking are activities that can be enjoyed throughout the human lifespan, but it does unfortunately often come with more challenges as we age. The presentation and discussion will cover injuries, proactive and reactive measures, and resources available. There will be a slide show presentation to provide structure and stimulate thought, but discussion throughout the workshop including opportunities for others to share their own experiences and best practices will be encouraged.
10:40-11:40 Always be Fearless, Jennifer Fear
What does ‘mind over matter’ mean to you? What obstacles are you facing? Are they fueling you or limiting you? Jennifer Fear-Davis shares her experience thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and fighting to regain the use of her legs. Through her story, she illustrates how knowing our limits is very different from fearlessly pushing back against our limitations. It’s our mindset, not our limitations, that define us.
10:40 -11:40 How to Lead a Hike, Marcia Pruner
This discussion and presentation will teach the ins and outs of leading a group hike safely.
10:40- 11:40 38,000 miles of Trail Stories and Epiphanies, Warren Doyle
Get your day started with stories including a deer leaping through a platoon of heavily armed soldiers, an opera singer campsite lullaby, a buffet treadmill, ‘friending’ giardia, two American kids from the heartland, and also a nighttime conversation with zoo-imprisoned, ‘body electric’ Walt Whitman. Also, some substantive, spiritual gifts that the AT gave Warren on his 18 traverses of the entire AT.
10:40- 11:40 The Journey of Thru-hiking the Pinhoti, Scot Taba Ward
Taba brings his exciting and expert look at what we need to know to hike this trail.
12:05-1:30 Lunch Break
1:30-2:15 Gathering Games Grand Hall
You aren’t going to want to miss this. Come and help your team to victory.
Workshops resume.
2:25 – 4:35 My 55y.o. Love Affair with the AT. Warren Doyle
Come be regaled by Warren Doyle and his ‘classic’ slide/music show shown at the first Gathering in 1982. His passion for the AT speaks for itself. Be prepared to be entertained, amused, agitated, enlightened and/or pushed out of your comfort zone (just like the trail does to hikers). Your question of “What motivates someone to walk the entire trail 18 times?” may be answered by the end of this program.
2:25- 4:05 Reintegration Experiences of AT Hikers: A Qualitative Study, Frank Barnett
This 90 min workshop is a summary presentation of a master’s research project fulfilled through the Experiential & Outdoor Education MS program at Western Carolina University. The purpose of this project was to explore the phenomenon of reintegration back into society after a long-distance hike on the AT. Through the qualitative method of narrative inquiry, the primary researcher interviewed and recorded seven participants who have hiked the entirety of the Appalachian Trail in various years. Through these shared stories, the primary researcher hopes to offer a better understanding of how to navigate the emotional burdens of grief, detachment, culture shock, and a loss of community to past, present and future long-distance hikers. Additionally, these insights may be a helpful addition to long-distance hiking-related research within the field of outdoor recreational science.
2:25- 4:05 Long Distance Hiking Tips and Experience After 25 years, Thomas Conover
Experience is the best teacher. In this workshop, Thomas will lead the discussion about various lessons and topics gleaned from 25 years of long-distance hiking.
2:25-3:25 Foraging 101, Penny Vann & Cast
Nature abounds with edible and helpful plants. In this interactive workshop, Penny, a long time forager, will lead the discussion of a few of the many edibles and restorative plants that grow in the Appalachian Mountain System. We will also discuss responsible foraging, policies and cautions.
2:25 4:35 CDT Talk, Kip (Hippy Kippy) Redick
Come to this presentation featuring Hippy Kippy’s photographic documentation of his Big Year Hike on the CDT. Whether it was snowpack, hot weather, long walks to town, or the amazing people he met along the way Hippy Kippy experienced it all and more. Kip’s beautiful photographs and entertaining presentation style will surely be not only informative but also entertaining.
3:35-4:35 Going to Maine- All the Ways to Fall on the AT, Sally Chaffin Brooks
Join comedian and author Sally Chaffin Brooks, as she talks about her new memoir, Going to Maine: All the Ways to Fall on the Appalachian Trail, a funny and heartfelt memoir about her 2003 AT thru-hike.
4:00 – Board Meeting Hiker Hangout
5 pm Dinner/Supper
7-9pm Sunday Evening Program Grand Hall
Raffle part 2
The Gathering awards
Featured Speaker: Miss Janet
9:30 Campfire Foundation Land
MONDAY MORNING
7:15 ALDHA Work Trips HIKER HANG OUT
Work trip volunteers gather in the Hiker Hangout for a continental breakfast, coffee and to build our Brown Bag Lunches for various work trips on trails and in the community. Come, Extend the fun, and give back to the community. Our hotel price is still good for Monday night so treat yourself to a nice bed and a hot shower if you are staying.
Please sign up for a work trip at the ALDHA Table in the Hiker Fair area or see Mark Hudson.
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QUESTIONS:
Penny Vann, 42nd Annual Gathering Coordinator
gathering@aldha.org
BECOME A MEMBER OF ALDHA
To become a member, go to: aldha.org/membership
MAKE A DONATION
Please consider donating ALDHA to support the many programs we all know are essential. ALDHA is supported totally by memberships, sales of the Thru-Hikers Companion and DONATIONS. If you believe ALDHA is making a difference in the care of Hikers and the Hiking Experience please send us a few dollars to keep it going. Every year is a new experience in budgeting to care for you all.
SERVE THE HIKER COMMUNITY
ALDHA is a New Hampshire Non-Profit given tax-exempt status because we serve the community. As a member of this non-profit you are saying you support this requirement of New Hampshire. Please take time when you have a moment to help a hiker, pick up the trash at a trailhead, give some advice to a less experienced hiker, and volunteer at your local trail club. Help ALDHA with its projects like conducting Trail Outreach on any eastern trail in your local area, You can become involved with ALDHA’s Field Editor program which provides the data used in the AT Thru Hiker’s Companion each year. Come to the Gathering to be some of those volunteers who make the event successful. Give a presentation on your long hike to an agency in your community or even at a future Gathering.
