Celebration In honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Appalachian Trail

Here’s the press release from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy:

Asheville, NC (July 31, 2012) – The Appalachian Trail Conservancy
(ATC) is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the completion of the
Appalachian Trail (A.T.) with a summer games competition on August 14,
2012 at the Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC. The event will
run from 5 to 9 p.m.

Participants will compete for a variety of outdoor gear prizes by
playing classic activities like a water balloon toss, watermelon seed
spitting contest and a cupcake walk. Prizes have been generously
donated by Mountain Khaki, Gregory, and ENO.

The event will also feature Jay Leutze, noted national conservation
spokesperson and author, who will read from his new book, Stand Up
That Mountain. Musicians are welcome to come and perform during the
competition. The Highland Brewing Company will also feature beer
specials throughout the event.

“This year marks a milestone for the Appalachian Trail,” said Mark
Wenger, Executive Director and CEO of the Appalachian Trail
Conservancy. “Not only does this anniversary celebrate the completion
of the Trail, it also celebrates the unique collaboration and
determination of countless individuals, private organizations, and
state and federal agencies in their efforts to complete this
long-distance hiking trail from Maine to Georgia.”

The A.T. was completed 75 years ago on August 14, 1937. This task took
over 15 years to complete, and involved thousands of volunteers,
agency partners, local Trail maintaining clubs and the Appalachian
Trail Conservancy. The A.T. is one of the longest continuously marked
footpath in the world, measuring roughly 2,180 miles in length. The
Trail goes through fourteen states along the crests and valleys of the
Appalachian mountain range from the southern terminus at Springer
Mountain, Georgia, to the Trail’s northern terminus at Katahdin,
Maine.

It has been estimated that 2-3 million people visit the Trail every
year and about 1,800–2,000 people attempt to “thru-hike” the Trail.
People from across the globe are drawn to the A.T. for a variety of
reasons: to reconnect with nature, to escape the stress of city life,
to meet new people or deepen old friendships, or to experience a
simpler life.

The A.T. is a unit of the National Park System and is managed under a
unique partnership between the public and private sectors that
includes, among others, the National Park Service, the USDA Forest
Service, an array of state agencies, the Appalachian Trail
Conservancy, and 31 local Trail-maintaining clubs.

About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and manage
the Appalachian Trail – ensuring that its vast natural beauty and
priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow,
and for centuries to come.

For more information, visit
www.appalachiantrail.org.

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About Jake Frankel
Jake Frankel is an award-winning journalist who enjoys covering a wide range of topics, from politics and government to business, education and entertainment.

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