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September 2024
"September is Trails Month - a special time of year for hikers and KTA. The harvest month also boasts National Public Lands Day (September 28), Latino Conservation Week (September 14-22), and kicks off PA Healthy Lands Week (September 28-October 6). Relish these commemorations by joining, leading, or enjoying adventures that interest you. Further September''s celebrations by registering for a most exciting October happening - the Keystone Hiking and Outdoor Weekend promising three days of activities for your choosing. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the charm and grandeur of the Susquehanna Riverlands." - Brook Lenker, KTA Executive Director
President's Trailhead
"We are looking for nominations for individuals and clubs for Certificates of Achievement, Volunteer of the Year, Club of the Year, and the Citation Award for lifetime achievement. Nominations for these awards are due by September 15. Surely there are great things happening by our volunteers and clubs that we wish to recognize." - Wayne Gross, KTA Board President
In August, there were 3 Trail Care weekends. First up was the Beaver Meadows Trail System in Allegheny National Forest. We spent two days completely clearing all the trails - 7 miles worth. Our team of volunteers built bridges and puncheon/bog bridges (pictured below), rehabbed bridges, cut and lopped brush, installed trail markers, mowed, and chainsawed the trails. Go hike 'em!
Thank you to the KTA Trail Care Volunteers who donated their time at Hills Creek State Park from August 21-24, 2024! We assisted park staff in alleviating wet and marshy spots on the very popular Lakeside Loop.
Thank you to the KTA Trail Care Team and our weekend volunteers for their work on the Thunder Swamp Trails. Check out the before and after photos! The team worked from Friday, August 16th, through Sunday, August 18th, 2024. The Thunder Swamp Trail System in Delaware State Forest, located in southern Pike County near the Monroe County line, offers a 30-mile orange-blazed main loop trail with an additional 15 miles of yellow-blazed side trails.
If you're interested in joining us to give back to PA's hiking trails, you can sign up for the remaining Trail Care events HERE. We'll be working on the Bucktail Path reroute in Elk State Forest September 13-15, on the Chuck Keiper Trail Sept. 27-29 (and staying at KTA's new Sproul State Forest cabin!), and the Golden Eagle Trail in Pine Creek Gorge October 11-13, as well as KTA's A.T. section on Saturday 11/2. New to the schedule, there's a pop-up "Flash Crew" workday on the Donut Hole/Lick Run loop near Lock Haven, Clinton County, on Wed. 9/11. If interested, contact Al Germann at germann@kta-hike.org.
We're planning a Trail Care Volunteer Celebration for Sunday, 11/24! This will be held at Rock God Brewing in Danville like last year. Free to all 2024 and previous TC volunteers, others can attend for a small fee. Stay tuned for more information.
If you can't help us out in person by volunteering for a Trail Crew, perhaps you'd like to donate and help buy pizza for the volunteers or fuel for the equipment. Please donate here! (and earmark "For Trail Care")
Join us for the Keystone Hiking & Outdoor Weekend 2024!
Registration is now open for Keystone Trails Association's Keystone Hiking and Outdoor Weekend (KHOW), held October 18-20, 2024, in York and Lancaster counties! This is an exciting spin on the traditional Fall Hiking Weekend. KHOW allows visitors and residents to explore PA's beautiful and unique Susquehanna Riverlands. This region is one of eight conservation landscapes identified by PA's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Register here!
Michaux Forest Visitor Center Needs Your Support!
A new visitor center and resource management office is planned for the Michaux State Forest at the site of a leased golf course on state forest lands. The Michaux is used heavily by recreationalists and faces many management challenges. The center will offer many public benefits, from improved services and accessibility to enhanced educational opportunities. A major restoration of the golf course acreage will accompany the creation of the center and beckon wildlife with quality habitat.
The proposal, while supported by many, is facing limited pockets of shortsighted opposition. KTA friends and members can help by urging Governor Shapiro and area legislators to stand by this positive endeavor, one that underscores the importance of our state forest system, and the hiking trails that call them home.
To learn more about the plans, visit these websites:
We are requesting nominations for our service awards: the KTA Club of the Year Award, the KTA Citation Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Thyra Sperry Volunteer of the Year Award, and the Certificates of Achievement. Please send service award nominations to Barbara Wiemann, Awards Committee chair, by September 15, 2024. More information can be found HERE!
PA Hiking Photos Wanted!
Send us your favorite hiking photos taken in Pennsylvania! Please include location and month taken. Capture the beauty of Pennsylvania's trails! Submit your favorite hiking photos taken in Pennsylvania to be featured in the 2025 KTA calendar. Please include the location and the month the photo was taken. Form to upload photos here!
Meet our Board of Director Nominees
KTA's nominations committee has nominated Ezra Thrush, Pradip Bhatnagar and Kathy Borrell for KTA's board. Voting will take place at the fall board meeting during the Keystone Hiking and Outdoors Weekend in the Susquehanna Riverlands, PA. Get to know Ezra, Pradip and Kathy here!
Check out KTA's First Vehicle!
We are thrilled to announce the arrival of the new Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid van! This innovative vehicle will be transporting participants and volunteers as we embark on our scheduled fall events.
Allegheny National Forest Weekend Recap
"Another successful Allegheny National Forest weekend with the KTA! Hikes were well received, and reports of great hikes. We had 2 good evening programs and fun with the Bigfoot quiz game. Food was delicious as usual. And this year was the largest turnout out of the years at Olmsted Manor in the ANF." - Joyce Appel
Meet A PA HIKER
👋 Meet Leslie, a KTA supporter from Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County!
Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you? A: "PA has such a great variety of trails - fields, mountains, gaps, towns, rural, farmland, towns. I can get to a wide range of trails in just a short drive from my home."
Trail Challenge 25K Hike/Run September 7, 2024 (Sat) |Lower Susquehanna Gorge We regret to inform you that this year's race has been cancelled due to excessive yellow jacket activity on the trail, posing safety concerns for participants and volunteers. Thank you for your understanding.
KTA Primitive Slackpack September 13-15th |Loyalsock Trail - Eastern Section Registration is now closed
KTA WEBINAR SERIES: The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) September 24, 2024 (Tue) 6:00 PM The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and preserve trails throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, while increasing accessibility to the outdoors for all. Join KTA and PATC to learn about opportunities to get involved, including volunteering, trail maintenance workshops, group hikes, cabin stays, and upcoming events. Registration is free but required!Register Now >
Keystone Hiking and Outdoor Weekend October 18-20 (Fri-Sun) | Susquehanna Riverlands Explore the Susquehanna Riverlands through a create-your-own-experience-style weekend! Choose from events hosted by community and outdoor-related organizations to highlight the natural recreational assets of the region. We will have guided adventures, educational opportunities, and stewardship activities. REGISTER HERE!
KTA WEBINAR SERIES: "100 Years of the Appalachian Trail" by Jim Foster October 30, 2024 (Wed) 6:00 PM "100 Years of the Appalachian Trail" by Jim Foster: The concept of a hiking trail from Georgia to Maine began in 1921 with a famous article by A.T. visionary Benton MacKaye. Jim Foster will present a talk with pictures on the first century of the Appalachian Trail. He'll include the founders, those who built the original Trail and sustained it over the years, along with several important hikers. Jim is a volunteer and life member of KTA, a long time A.T. volunteer and a "2000 Miler" who hiked the entire Trail in 2007. Registration is free but required! Register Now!
Wilderness Advanced First Aid November 7-10th| Camp Hebron, Halifax, PA This November KTA offers a four-day Wilderness Advanced First Aid class sanctioned by Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA). According to WMA, "Wilderness Advanced First Aid is the perfect entry-level course for outdoor adventurers and outdoor professionals who may need to provide patient care when help is delayed for hours to days. The course focuses on basic lifesaving skills, patient assessment, field care for common injuries and illnesses, environmental illnesses, and proper reporting for rescue assistance." Wilderness Advanced First Aid provides invaluable confidence and medical skills to anyone who spends time in the outdoors or leads group activities in outdoor settings. The course includes expert instruction, course materials, coffee & continental breakfast daily, and lunch daily. Class will run from approximately 8:00 am- 5/5:30 pm. Lodging may be available upon request with Camp Hebron at extra cost. Participants will be expected to set up an account and view course information at a WMA website prior to attending the course (KTA will send details to registrants). Cost: $375 - KTA Volunteers $400 - KTA Members and member organizations $425 - General Public/Non-Members "A limited number of partial scholarships may be available. If interested, please contact KTA" Register Here!
Volunteerism, Trails, & Stewardship Symposium November 16th (Sat)| SAVE THE DATE Join Keystone Trails Association & the Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation for a Symposium for Trail Clubs, Conservation Volunteers, and Park and Forest Friends Groups! Come together to learn, connect, and celebrate! Registration opening later this month!
KTA WEBINAR SERIES: Fastest Known Time Athlete Bob Stewart November 19, 2024 (Tue) 6:00 PM Join KTA for a webinar on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 6:00 pm with special guest Bob Stewart. Bob holds seven titles for Fastest Known Times in Pennsylvania. KTA explores the world of the Fastest Known Time. Registration is free but required! Register Now >
Virgin Islands National Park Hiking & Eco Adventure| KTA International Trip Fundraiser January 19-26, 2025 | APPLY NOW! Registration is now closed
Spring Hiking Weekend April 25-27, 2025 | Raystown Lake - Save the date
Bear Canister Rental Program now available for a 10 day rental period through the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club and the Berks County Parks and Recreation Department. To reserve a canister or for more information call 610-374-2944, ext 2611.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission's two-month survey on wild turkey sightings wraps up on Saturday, Aug. 31. Participants are encouraged to report their sightings from July and August through Wednesday, Sept. 6. To contribute, visit the Game Commission’s website.
Lake Erie, one of the most picturesque landscapes and important ecosystems in Western Pennsylvania, and nearby regions are at risk from aquatic invasive species. In the new film, “Seeing The Unseen: Aquatic Invaders & What’s at Stake,” executive produced by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program staff, you’ll learn how hundreds of aquatic invasive species are negatively affecting Lake Erie and its watershed and nearby regions.
Learn about the problems posed by invasive Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) and three excellent native replacements. Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Pennsylvania Elk Season Coming into Season, watch the PA Game Commission's livestream featuring State Game Lands 311 in Elk County, PA Game Commission
9/7: Meadow Party! Join the Delaware Highlands Conservancy on Saturday, September 7th from 11am-4pm at the Van Scott Nature Reserve for our Meadow Party: for more information & registration: Delaware Highlands Conservancy
9/14-9/22: Latino Conservation Week was created to support the Latino community getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources. Latino Conservation Week
9/14: Philly Fall Festival, The 2024 Philly Fall Nature Festival at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge promises a day filled with outdoor excitement and exploration. Latino Conservation Week
9/15-9-18: Kate Prisby, Keystone Trail Association's Events and Programs manager, will present at the 2024 Women In Their Woods Retreat! Learn more and register: Delaware Highlands Conservancy
9/21: The Appalachian Trail Museum announces the A.T. Hall of Fame Induction. The Induction will begin at 1 pm and will be held at the Army Heritage Education Center, located at 950 Soldiers Dr, Carlisle, PA 17013: atmbanquet@gmail.com
9/21: Loving the Land Through Working Forests: Northwestern REC Community Forest, Cambridge Springs, PA; Learn more & register: Foundation for Sustainable Forests
9/25: KTA Executive Director, Brook Lenker, to present at REI Mechanicsburg on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 5:30 pm. He will be presenting on the Great Hiking Trails of Pennsylvania. The event is free to attend, REI, Mechanicsburg
9/28: Curious about mixing trail running with a fun, community vibe? Join us at Dirt Circus: East Coast on September 28th at Tussey Mountain! It’s a free event featuring group runs, a kids fun run, and the chance to connect with fellow outdoor enthusiasts—perfect for anyone who loves our beautiful Pennsylvania trails. Register here
9/29: Mountain Club of Maryland's 90th Anniversary, from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Howard County Conservancy. Register here
10/5: Environmental Advisory Council Network Fall Gathering, and in-person networking and training event, at Temple University, Ambler Campus. WeConservePa.
11/17: National Take a Hike Day! Join KTA Executive Director, Brook Lenker, at 9:30 am for a two hour hike at Fort Hunter Conservancy! Register at explorewildwoodpark.org/events/
FEATURED KTA STORE ITEM
Appalachian Trail PA Guide Book, 13th Edition
Learn more about the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania!
Includes detailed trail descriptions with tables of distances for all 230.2 miles of the Appalachian Trail located within the borders of Pennsylvania. 13th edition (2023); black and white photos; paperback; 207 pages; 4.5" x 6.5".
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