published by sprather on Tue, 07/15/2014 - 11:32am
Seven military veterans will pause from their Appalachian Trail hike to rest and meet the public in a special event at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Noble View Outdoor Center and Russell VFW on July 22.
Noble View and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6645 are offering the veterans participating in the Warrior Hike "Walk Off the War" program, including one from Orange, a meal, showers and a rest in a real bed, 19 weeks into their six-month hike from Georgia to Maine.
The public will have an opportunity to meet the hikers during the event on July 22.
The Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Management Committee organizes Appalachian Trail supervision and maintenance within Massachusetts. If you'd like to be a part of this, get in touch with our chair (see below)!
Trail maintainers keep the footpath free of obstructions such as brush, and fallen trees. They also keep the white paint blazes that mark the AT fresh and easy to see. Shelter adopters take care of a particular shelter along the trail.
Boundary and corridor monitors are volunteers who keep AT Corridor lands free from boundary encroachment and misuse. They also serve as an information source for trail neighbors (abutters) with questions or concerns about AT lands.
The AT is your trail. It is primarily cared for by volunteers like yourself, not by paid professionals. Volunteers contribute over 6,000 hours of work every year in the Berkshires alone. Without this kind of support from Georgia through Massachusetts to Maine, the trail would quickly become impassable and would cease to exist.
The AT is managed as a "primitive footpath". Hikers are expected to be self-reliant, and to carry appropriate equipment for the season and terrain.
Because the AT can be very busy, we ask all hikers to respect the trail, overnight sites, and their fellow travelers. The Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Management Committee in partnership with Mass Department of Conservation and Recreation established the following guidelines and regulations to aid in that effort:
• Camping is permitted only at designated sites (see the list).