KTA Council Nomination: Gary Decker

Gary hiking in the rain in the A.T. 100 mile wilderness.

​Gary "Grin" Decker grew up near Erie, PA and graduated from Penn State where he met his wife Nancy. They lived in Texas for 36 years where there is little public land and few hiking trails. His introduction to PA backpacking was a rainy week on the Appalachian Trail. Undeterred, in 2007 he started a six year section hike of the A.T.

In 2014, Gary and Nancy moved to State College and its hills and trails. Gary wanted to give back to the hiking community, so he volunteered to maintain a section of the Mid State Trail.  He got several miles of PA's finest rocks.